Oak Hall School (OHS) is a diverse community that provides equal opportunity in employment, activities, and its academic programs. OHS shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, veteran status, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or status with regard to pregnancy, disability or age. OHS is firmly committed to adhere to the letter and spirit of all federal and state equal opportunity and civil rights laws.

Consistent with its mission, OHS seeks to assure that all community members are free to learn and work in an atmosphere free from harassment and discrimination. Harassing and discriminatory conduct is contrary to the positive educational environment OHS seeks to foster and maintain. It threatens the well-being of its community members and will not be tolerated. OHS will take immediate action in all allegations of harassment and discrimination to ensure the safety of the OHS community and all individuals involved by ending the harassment or discrimination, preventing its recurrence and addressing its effects. OHS will take appropriate action when this policy is violated.

OHS’ established points of initial contact for community members (students, faculty, and staff) to use in reporting any incidents of discrimination that they observe or experience are available below.

            Students: Diana Murdock, Director of Middle School (dmurdock@oakhall.org)

            Faculty and Staff: Kirsten Rowe, Director of Human Resources & Legal Compliance (krowe@oakhall.org)

It is my pleasure to welcome you to another exciting year at Oak Hall Middle School! The 2021-2022 school year will mark Oak Hall’s 51^st year, and we look forward to sharing it with you and your family.

At Oak Hall Middle School, we are proud to offer a rich college preparatory curriculum where learning is dynamic and interactive. We seek to nurture the mind, body, and spirit through a balanced array of offerings and activities in academics, the arts, and athletics. Through our extensive curricular and co-curricular options, students become leaders, explorers, artists, musicians, and researchers learning the skills necessary to take intellectual, social, and emotional risks within a safe and supportive learning community. Upon completion of 8^th grade, our students leave Middle School prepared to take on the challenging academic program in Oak Hall Upper School. In everything we do, we maintain our aim to develop the whole child through emphasis on the liberal arts education, social-emotional growth, character development, leadership opportunities, and exploration.

The contents of this handbook should serve as our guide as we commit to our mission to be, “A welcoming, diverse, and supportive learning community empowering students to pursue their academic, artistic, and athletic passions.” My hope is that we will all work diligently toward this end and joyfully embrace another full year of challenge, celebration, and growth together.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions. I look forward to partnering with you through an exciting 2021-2022 school year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Diana Murdock, Director of Middle School

Mission Statement

A welcoming, diverse, and supportive learning community empowering students to pursue their academic, artistic, and athletic passions.

Statement of Philosophy

Guided by the ideals of "Scholarship, Leadership, and Service," Oak Hall School serves young men and women from diverse backgrounds who can benefit from a challenging college preparatory program. We are committed to the liberal arts tradition, which sees education as the worthy pursuit of a lifetime, an end to itself, as well as a means toward personal and social growth.

We believe in the power of a liberal arts education to transform lives, to develop unique talents, to enhance self-esteem, to build character, and to inspire a lifelong love of learning. We seek to nurture in young people the qualities of intelligence, wisdom, and moral commitment and to foster in them an impassioned curiosity about the world around them, as well as the imagination to seek new solutions to problems.

Perhaps most important in furthering our mission is maintaining a family-like environment that is physically safe and emotionally supportive, where intelligence and compassion are highly valued, and where close relationships between students and teachers are encouraged.

Oak Hall School also seeks to provide many opportunities for our young people to develop in areas beyond acquiring essential academic skills. Our relatively small size, coupled with an array of extracurricular options, make it possible for each of our students to play a leadership role in the rich daily life of our community. It is this unique blend of environment and opportunities - academic, athletic, artistic, and service - that provides students with the motivation to achieve academic excellence, to become leaders within their community, and to develop a strong sense of personal and social responsibility.

Motto & Core Values

“Scholarship, Leadership, Service”

Scholarship: We believe in the liberal arts tradition. We work to develop young people who are active learners, independent thinkers, and well prepared for the next educational step, as well as life in a global society.

Leadership: We provide experiences and foster skills in leadership so our students can become effective citizens as they participate actively in our society.

Service: We believe that learning to serve others is a critical component of a well-rounded education and gives meaning to the concept of the public purpose of private schools. This value includes the notion of stewardship and social responsibility.

Alma Mater

Noble Eagle call down victory;

Never waver, never fall.

With our voices raised on high,

Alma mater praised by all.

Scholar, Leader, Servant be;

Hail to Gold and Burgundy!

Memories cherished one and all;

Alma mater: Dear Oak Hall.

-Roger H. Nubern (1953-2007)

All parents, family members, and friends of Oak Hall are an important part of our community. Sharing your time and talents as volunteers and community champions is one of the many ways to stay engaged and give back to OHS. Serving as a volunteer provides meaningful, rewarding, and inclusive opportunities for family members. For more information on how to become involved, please reach out to Danielle Tripp at dtripp@oakhall.org.  

Email is the best method to communicate with teachers and administration. Faculty members are expected to check their email each weekday; however, the daily schedule is often very full for faculty members and consequently it may be a full 24 hours from the time you send an email message until the teacher receives the message. Please allow appropriate time for faculty members to respond to your messages. A school email address is generally the teacher’s first name initial followed by the last name @oakhall.org (i.e. dmurdock@oakhall.org). A faculty directory is available on our web page: https://www.oakhall.org/about-ohs/faculty-staff-directory.

Oak Hall faculty and staff members are expected, always, to communicate with parents in a professional manner. Parents are always asked to reciprocate by treating teachers and staff with the same courtesy. To establish direct lines of communication, we request that parents wishing to contact teachers or administrators follow this process:

• All initial questions about class routine, grading, homework, pedagogy, or incidents within the classroom should be directed to the classroom teacher or the advisor.
• If further assistance is necessary, then communication with the grade level Team Leader, Learning Specialist, Counselor, or Assistant Director of Middle School is the next appropriate step. If additional support is necessary after this communication has taken place, please contact the Director of Middle School directly. You may email administrators directly or set up a meeting or phone discussion by emailing Mrs. Vanessa Kallas at middleschooloffice@oakhall.org.

Please check https://www.oakhall.org/academics/middle-school on a regular basis. Information is also communicated on our Facebook page (facebook.com/oakhallgainesville), Twitter (@oakhallschool), and Instagram (@oakhallschool). 

Question	Contact	Email
Absences	Vanessa Kallas	middleschooloffice@oakhall.org
Admissions	Nancy Coleman	ncoleman@oakhall.org
Advisory	Jamie Garvey	jgarvey@oakhall.org
Athletics	Edwin McTureous	emctureaous@oakhall.org
Auxiliary Programming	Jeff Malloy	jmalloy@oakhall.org
Billing	Penny Thie	pthie@oakhall.org
Canvas & Plus Portals	Rebekah Johnson	rjohnson@oakhall.org
Class Schedules	Diana Murdock	dmurdock@oakhall.org
College Counseling (Grade 8)	Blair Fils	bfils@oakhall.org
Discipline & Dress Code	Blair Fils	bfils@oakhall.org
General Concerns	Diana Murdock	dmurdock@oakhall.org
Laptops	Lance Cozart	lcozart@oakhall.org
Lockers and Locks	Vanessa Kallas	middleschooloffice@oakhall.org
Media Center	Evelyn Smith	esmith@oakhall.org
Medication/Illness	Vanessa Kallas	middleschooloffice@oakhall.org
Parent Conference Grade 6	Julie Black	jblack@oakhall.org
Parent Conference Grade 7	Elizabeth Arroyo	earroyo@oakhall.org
Parent Conference Grade 8	Angie Cook	acook@oakhall.org
PE Uniforms	James Moon	jmoon@oakhall.org
Report Cards & Transcripts	Rebekah Johnson	rjohnson@oakhall.org
Security	Robert Bartley	rbartley@oakhall.org
Social Media/Communications	Corinna French	cfrench@oakhall.org
Student Counseling	Jamie Garvey	jgarvey@oakhall.org
Technology	Mike Martinez	mmartinez@oakhall.org
Textbooks	Rebekah Johnson	rjohnson@oakhall.org

Honor Rolls

Honor Rolls are calculated on a semesterly basis. The Honor Roll is a list of students who have maintained at least a "B-" in each course for the year. The High Honor Roll is a list of students who have maintained at least an "A-" in each course for the year. Semester exams and final projects are included in the student’s final grade and in honor roll and high honor roll recognition.

Schools are unique, collaborative learning environments built around close human relationships. No values are more essential to maintaining a harmonious community than honesty and integrity. To quote the University of Virginia’s statement on honor: “ ...the greatest benefit of the System may be said to lie in the pride and self-respect each individual gains by living among honorable people, the Honor System also provides tangible benefits. In a community dedicated to learning, it is an obvious advantage to know that your work will be accepted as your own, and your word accepted as the truth.” An Honor Code for the school was initiated by the student body in 1996 to assist in the development of personal relationships based on trust and respect.

Academic probation is a serious warning status. Students who are failing or near failing in more than one course will be placed on academic probation. Any student who meets the following criteria may be placed on academic probation at the end of a semester:

• A grade of “F” in any course and/or lower than a 2.0 GPA
• Two grades of “D” or lower

When a student is placed on academic probation, his/her parents will be notified, and a conference will be arranged with a Middle School Administrator, the Teaching and Learning Specialist, the teacher, a counselor and/or advisor, and the parents and student. At that time, goals will be set and strategies for improvement will be discussed. Students who are on academic probation may not be allowed to participate in certain school sponsored activities. Progress will be monitored, and the student will be reevaluated after two to three weeks. If there is no improvement and/or the student continues academic probation longer than one semester, the student may be required to withdraw from Oak Hall School based on inadequate academic performance.

While assignments are posted on Canvas, students are also encouraged to keep a written record of homework assignments in an agenda or planner of their choosing. Students on the Agenda Program are instructed to write their homework down and then ask each teacher to verify the assignment with a signature. The teachers’ signatures will help both parents and students keep track of daily assignments. Students participating in this program are responsible for asking each teacher to sign the agenda. It is required that parents check the agenda for teacher signatures and completion of all assignments each evening. Students who use the agenda typically feel more prepared for school, better organized, and see an improvement in their grades. The system is most effective if teacher, student, and parent participate consistently.

 

Oak Hall School is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which is the governing body for high school athletics. Questions pertaining to FHSAA rules and regulations should be directed to the Director of Athletics.

Academic Eligibility is determined by the following:

1. Students in Grades 6-12 must be regularly promoted from the previous grade the immediately preceding year and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA evaluated at the semester. Students who do not have a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the conclusion of the semester will be ruled ineligible the following semester per Florida Statute. Students must be in regular attendance and must carry a normal class load doing satisfactory classroom work with a satisfactory conduct record.
2. A student entering the ninth grade shall be eligible during the first semester of the ninth- grade year provided it is the student’s first entry into the ninth grade and he/she was regularly promoted from the eighth grade the preceding year.
3. A student must have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 unweighted scale in all courses as required by the Florida Statutes at the conclusion of each semester to be eligible during the following semester.
4. Exceptions to item 3 may be made for tenth graders who do not have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of the spring semester of their ninth-grade year provided the following requirements are fulfilled:

     a. They have a 2.0 GPA in all courses taken during the spring semester;

     b. They sign an academic performance contract with Oak Hall; and

     c. They enroll in and attend summer school as necessary.

As a school with high academic expectations, however, we hold our students to an additional standard which is important in our environment. Oak Hall students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in all courses taken each semester. A student must not receive an “F” in any course.

Students will be evaluated at each Interim to determine whether they may remain eligible. If a student does not meet the eligibility requirements defined above, they will be placed on a two- week probation during which they may not attend practices or games. If a student fails a class for a semester or falls below a 2.0 average for the semester, then the probationary period will extend to four weeks. In all cases in which a student is ruled ineligible, a conference will be scheduled with the Director of Middle School, Director of Athletics, Counselor, appropriate teachers, and parents to agree upon a plan of action. The student and parents will then sign a contract for improvement. The criteria for reinstatement are sufficient improvement in achievement and attitude. Athletic reinstatement will be at the discretion of the Head of School. In addition, student on disciplinary probation may be restricted from participation in athletics. The Director of Athletics will review the information and finalize a decision to remain consistent with the FHSAA and State Legislature guidelines.

Canvas is Oak Hall School’s learning management system. Assignments will be posted on Canvas.

Teachers also use Canvas to communicate grades. Grades will be updated for students weekly. Grades marked with “*” have not been turned in by the student. These “*” will become a “0” the following week if the assignment is not turned in. Grades with a “0” receive no credit but may change at the teacher’s discretion when work is completed. (See teachers’ policies on late work.) Grades marked with an “Ex” means the student has been excused from that assignment.

Placement in courses will be determined by grades, teacher recommendations, and/or other assessments. Advanced Placement Eligibility Criteria can be found on our school website. 

Students may request to change enrichment courses within the first three days of school. Valid reasons will be accommodated whenever possible. Requests should be directed to the Assistant Director of Middle School and the Registrar. Course changes will not be considered after the first three days of school except in extreme circumstances.

Students must earn an annual passing average for all core subject courses (Math, Science, Social Studies, English, STEM (6th)/World Language (7th/8th). When a student is failing or at risk of failing a course, students will be required to partner with the Learning Specialist. Depending on the student’s circumstances, options could include: an incomplete grade for up to an additional 6 weeks to submit assignments; repeat failed semester courses during the summer by participating in an on-campus or Florida Virtual School make-up option, if available. Note: Summer make-up courses are not included in the annual tuition for Oak Hall School.

If a student is ultimately unable to pass the failed course, thereby earning an overall passing grade for the year by the beginning of the next academic year, the student will be required to repeat the grade level or withdraw from Oak Hall School based on inadequate academic performance.

Oak Hall School operates on a two-semester calendar year. Only the semester grades are recorded on the student's permanent record. One-half credit is awarded for each passing grade each semester.

Semester exams or final projects are expected in all Middle School courses except physical education and enrichment classes. Semester exams count for 10% of the semester grade in Grade 6; 15% in Grade 7; and 20% in Grade 8.

All students must be enrolled in a class for each period of the day. If a student does not successfully complete a class, s/he may be required to attend summer school or make up the credit in some other way. Students must take five academic courses, physical education, and an enrichment block (6^th grade)/ course (7^th and 8^th grades) each semester.

The school reports letter grades on report cards and transcripts. Final semester grades of 0.5 and higher will be rounded up at the end of the semester. A percentage equivalent is included in the following chart:

 Letter Grade % Equivalent:

A+ 97-100	A 93-96	A- 90-92
B+ 87-89	B 83-86	B- 80-82
C+ 77-79	C 73-76	C- 70-72
D+ 67-69	D 63-66	D- 60-62                      F Below 60

Homework is designed to reinforce lessons taught in class and/or prepare for the next day’s lesson. Students can expect homework in all their classes but not necessarily every class every night. Students are required to complete all homework assignments and to turn them in when they are due. Late work penalties will be assigned by individual teachers. Homework may be assigned over weekends, but homework will not be assigned over the three major school vacations (Thanksgiving Holiday, Winter Vacation, and Spring Vacation) and during religious holidays. Please notify us if we have overlooked a religious holiday/no homework day on our school calendar (https://www.oakhall.org/school-life/calendar). Homework assignments are posted on Canvas or assigned during class. If homework becomes excessive or unmanageable for your child, please bring this to the attention of his/her teachers.

A grade of “Incomplete” (I) is given to students who, for reasons of illness or other extenuating circumstances, have not had a reasonable opportunity to finish their work for a marking period. “Incompletes” for a semester must be made up within two weeks of the ending date for a semester. Failure to comply with these time constraints could lead to a grade of “F” for the marking period. Extended illnesses will be handled on an individual basis. Please note that any student with an Incomplete will not be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities until the Incomplete is cleared.

Report cards are issued to parents twice per year, at the end of each semester. In addition, interim reports may be issued twice each semester for students who are experiencing difficulty in a course (C or below). Interim reports may also be issued whenever the need arises. Report cards are always sent home via email. No hard copies are mailed home. Parents are encouraged to discuss their student’s progress with their child and the faculty/advisor when needed. A conference day will be scheduled once per semester so parents and teachers may discuss student progress; however, conferences can always be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the parent and teacher, or with all teachers through the grade level Team Leader, at any time.

Teacher requests are not considered when making student schedules. Please refrain from making requests for exceptions to this policy.

Eighth grade students will be placed in ninth grade courses based on their grades, teacher recommendations, and/or other assessments. Upper School guidelines and policies will be followed for placement in Upper School courses.

Faculty follow a testing schedule to help avoid overloading students with multiple tests on one day. The following sequence will determine testing days for core courses:

Day 1: Math/History

Day 2: English/Science

Day 3: Math/World Language

Day 4: History/Science

Day 5: English/World Language

Textbooks can be purchased through our online bookstore, ECampus (https://oakhall.ecampus.com/). To find the bookstore, click on the link above or go to the Oak Hall website and click “Quicklinks” in the upper right-hand corner and then choose ECampus Book Store. Once signed on, select your assigned courses to review required texts. Textbooks may also be purchased from any additional source of your choosing.

Students are not allowed to carry any form of medication, prescribed or unprescribed, unless authorized by a physician as deemed necessary, as in the case of an Epi Pen. The following items are available in the Division Offices/Clinic: Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Tums, Cough Drops, Neosporin (cream/ointment), Hydrocortisone 1%, Sterile Eye Wash, and Hydrogen Peroxide. If a parent/guardian has authorized administration of a said medicine, it will be provided based on the recommended dose on bottle. If not authorized, the parent/guardian will be contacted. If a student has allergies/medical concerns that require a daily or ad hoc administration, a Medicine Authorization-Other form must be completed and turned in with the medicine to the Division Office/Clinic. The student will then report to the Division Office for distribution. If a student has allergies/medical concerns that require an Epi-Pen, a Plan of Action form and Medicine Authorization-EpiPen form must be completed and turned in with the medicine to the Division Office/Clinic. No student should obtain medicine from another student and/or Oak Hall Staff/Faculty. If changes to prior medical information occur during the year, please provide updated forms to your student’s Division Office/Clinic as soon as possible.

Grades 6-8 dismiss at 3:30 p.m. each day unless otherwise noted. Students may be picked up in front of the Middle School between 3:30 and 3:45. At 3:45, all remaining students will be escorted to the Student Center for Extended Day or Enrichment Programming.

In order to control the traffic flow around campus, please plan to pick up your Middle and Lower School children at the oldest child's dismissal time. Otherwise, parents will be directed to continue driving around the circular drive.

Students should not arrive on campus before 7:30 a.m. to ensure safety and supervision. Before care will be offered, free of charge, for working parents of Middle School students beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Students arriving on campus between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. should report to the Middle School Student Center where students may study or socialize. Students will be supervised by an assigned member of the administration or faculty during this time.

For efficient drop off, please drive in front of the Middle School and stop briefly at the front porch of the Middle School. Use the right lane closest to the Middle School and ask children to exit the car from the passenger side whenever possible. Faculty or administration members will be present to ensure student safety. Please do not use the student/faculty parking lot to drop off or pick up students as that slows traffic and presents a safety hazard.

Upon entering the Middle School campus, students may go to their lockers and unpack their backpacks and/or drop off music or athletic equipment at the sports locker shelves between the Student Center and the Middle School classrooms before reporting to the Student Center.

We appreciate your cooperation in not using cell phones during car line. This ensures the safety of our students and duty staff.

Oak Hall strongly urges students to minimize absences from classes for reasons other than those necessitated by serious illness or emergency. Early departures from school that result in missed classes are also strongly discouraged. Excessive absences from school can have a detrimental effect on a student’s grades and achievement. Make-up work is never a complete substitute for exposure to the instruction, discussion, and classwork that occurs daily.

In the event of an absence, parents should notify the school before 9:00 a.m. by completing an online Absence Notification Form. You can access this form by going to www.oakhall.org and clicking on “Academics,” “Middle School,” and “Important Forms.” If a student is reported absent during 1st period and the school has not received prior notification of this absence, a representative of the school will attempt to verify the absence with the parents by phone or email. An email or online form explanation of the absence is still required for documentation purposes.

The school views with disfavor absences related to extended family vacations and outside social activities. If such a circumstance should arise unavoidably, parents should notify the school via the Absence Notification Form at least one week prior to the student's planned absence.

Students are required to make up all work they miss during an absence. If a student is absent on the day of a test or when a paper is due, s/he should be prepared to take the test or turn in the paper on the day s/he returns to school. Make-up tests are primarily administered by the teacher after school. All make-up tests take precedence over all athletic practices and extracurricular obligations. Multiple make-up tests should be taken in the order of the student's class schedule.

For extended absences (more than two days), students will generally be expected to turn in all assignments or take tests within the number of days equal to the days missed. It is the student's responsibility to see each teacher following an absence. For pre-arranged absences, such as athletic events and college visits, it is the responsibility of the student to see each teacher for information on assignments prior to the day of the absence. If a student is absent for a portion of a school day, s/he is required to make up any tests missed at the earliest possible opportunity. Any major research paper or long-term assignment must be given to the assigning teacher by the beginning of class on the day it is due whether the student is present. Tests and other assignments missed during an extended absence must be made up within two weeks of the student’s return to school. Failure to meet these obligations will result in an academic penalty.

As the health and well-being of our students are of paramount importance to us, we recognize the need to support them when diagnosed with a concussion. The following protocol is intended to both provide that support and inform our community of the process behind it.

The Oak Hall Summer & Auxiliary Program office is pleased to offer extended day programming beginning on the first day of school. Middle School students who are not picked up immediately following school, attending an athletic, band, or theater practice, or receiving tutoring must be enrolled in The Nest, our Middle School extended day program. Athletic, band, or theater practices that end prior to 6:00 p.m. will also require that students report to the extended day program unless picked up immediately following the practice conclusion. The program begins at 3:30 and billing for families who select hourly billing begins at 3:45.

Parents needing to communicate with the Summer & Auxiliary Program Office located in the Lower School Multipurpose Room should contact Mr. Malloy (Director of Operations) or Mrs. Tripp (Assistant Director for Summer and Auxiliary Programming). They can be reached at 352- 332-3609, or by email at jmalloy@oakhall.org or dtripp@oakhall.org.

Registration for all summer, extended day, enrichment including the Oak Hall Community Sports League, and auxiliary programs must be done online and in advance of attendance. Please visit www.oakhall.org by clicking the Summer & Auxiliary Program link. Families with students who have participated in Summer Camp or the Community Sports League prior to the 2021-2022 school year may access and utilize the same registration account. All other families must create a new household account to complete registration.

Billing for all summer, extended day, enrichment including the Oak Hall Community Sports League, and auxiliary programs will be done through the online registration system and billed to the credit card you provide. Programming will not be billed through the FACTS Student Billing System. A variety of payment options will be available for your convenience. Need-Based Financial Assistance is available for Oak Hall Summer Programs by application due annually May 1. Families needing additional arrangements for any programming should reach out to Coach Malloy.

Parents must provide an authorized list of people who may pick up their child from all summer, extended day, enrichment including the Oak Hall Community Sports League, or auxiliary programming. For the safety and protection of your child, a form of picture identification will be required any time a student is picked up. If a person picking up a student is not on the authorized list, the parent will be contacted prior to the release of the child. This information will be collected at registration through the online registration program and may be updated by the parent at any time online or by contacting the Summer & Auxiliary Programming office either in writing or in person.

Middle School students may participate in a variety of after school enrichment activities that are offered periodically throughout the school year. Information regarding registration for these fee-based programs can be found on our website at www.oakhall.org under the Summer & Auxiliary Programming tab. Enrichment rotations begin at 3:35 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Information and personal assistance for registration is available by contacting the Summer and Auxiliary Program Office. Participation in these programs is optional and available on a first come, first served basis. Please be aware of registration deadlines and capacities so your students do not miss out.

Optional, monitored study hall is available for students daily during extended day programming rotations and is included in your registration fees. Parents can request that their student be placed in study hall during the online registration process.

Students who become ill or need first aid will be admitted to the school clinic. Parents or other designated persons will be notified if the child is too ill to remain at school.  

Students who have not received the COVID-19 vaccination and who are symptomatic are asked to go home and stay at home until 72 hours have passed following fever and symptom resolution.  The student may return to school sooner, once fever has resolved without medication for 24 hours if they have a documented negative COVID test or medical clearance from their primary care physician.   At any time, if a student or family member is in the COVID testing protocol, they are asked to stay away from campus until a negative result is attested to the school. All communication regarding COVID testing and contact tracing will be done through Jeff Malloy (jmalloy@oakhall.org). 

For vaccinated individuals, if a student goes home or stays home from school with a fever of 100 degrees or more, he/she must stay home for 72 hours or until he/she is fever free for 24 hours without medication and has medical clearance from their primary care physician. Students with vomiting and/or diarrhea must go home or stay home for 72 hours or until free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours without medication and medical clearance from their primary care physician. For this reason, medications for this purpose will not be given at school.  

Oak Hall School follows the Alachua County School District Policy on Lice (Pediculosis). At the discretion of the Middle School Director and upon consultation with the school Clinical Coordinator, a student with an infestation of head lice will be excluded from school until all lice and nits are removed. Upon returning to school, the child must be checked by the Clinical Coordinator and cleared for any presence of lice and or nits before returning to class.

Students must be in regular attendance (defined below) to practice or participate in a contest, game, rehearsal, or club activity.

1. Regular attendance is defined as present for all classes during the school day. If a student arrives late to school, they must attend at least half of their first class to be counted as present for that class.
2. Students may still attend or participate in after-school activities if they miss classes due to an official absence such as a school trip or a doctor’s appointment (with official documentation). In such cases, a student must attend at least half of their classes to be in regular attendance. Decisions regarding the validity of an absence will be made by the Director of Athletics (for athletic participation) and by the Director or Assistant Director of Middle School.

Ride sharing services (such as Uber, Lyft, Get me, etc.) establish clear policies which prohibit minors from scheduling pick-ups or drop-offs or riding unaccompanied by an adult. Oak Hall School does not permit students to utilize any adult ride sharing services on campus.

Middle School students should arrive in their 1st period class by 8:30 a.m. each day. Students arriving to class after 8:30 must sign in at the Middle School Office, receive a pass, and then proceed directly to the classroom. Student tardies to school exceeding four per semester will result in a conference with administration, student, and parent(s) where a plan must be developed to prevent future tardiness to school. Students who report directly to class and do not sign in at the front office when they are tardy will receive a warning for the first offense and lunch detention for the second offense. If the behavior continues, parent(s) will be required to conference with administration to correct the issue.

When students are tardy between classes during the school day, students will need to go to the front office to receive a pass from the Middle School Administrative Assistant. Only tardiness involving student- teacher interactions will be excused. The teacher involved will write a note for the student stating the date, time, and reason for the tardy. The student will present this note to the front office where s/he will receive a pass to class. Any tardies not involving a teacher will be noted as unexcused. On the third unexcused between-class tardy and for every tardy thereafter for the remainder of the grading period, a student will serve a lunch detention. Students are responsible for any work missed due to tardiness.

Oak Hall School supports the use of technology as a means to enhance student learning outcomes. As we live in an increasingly digital world, it is important for students to recognize the appropriate use and limits of their devices. To this effect, students are not permitted to use cellular phones or smart watches in class. Students are permitted to bring school-issued iPads to class but should use these devices to further their knowledge of the material in that class. Any activity which does not meet this standard, including web browsing and playing games, could result in disciplinary action, the loss of electronic privileges, and academic penalties. Finally, students should check their Oak Hall issued email once per day and correspond with faculty and staff through that email. All students and parents will be asked to read and sign the Oak Hall Technology Contract & Acceptable Use Policy Authorization at the beginning of the year.

Oak Hall School gives students and faculty the ability to use the Internet, email, print documents, and save information which can be accessed from any school location. Our network includes both wired and wireless capability.

The rules below apply to any device that connects to our network, including both school and family owned devices. This includes phones, laptops, iPads and any other electronic device, even those which only use our internet connection.

The Internet is a primary research tool for students. Properly supervised, and directed to legitimate sites, it provides billions of pages of information, multimedia presentations, and discussion groups that explore academic subjects. The school employs Internet filtering devices, but no device is totally effective at preventing inappropriate surfing behavior. The final responsibility for their actions rests with the students.

There are several rules a student must accept in order to use our network.

Acceptable Use

Students must use the network and Internet for education and research. Accessing material violating state or U.S. regulations is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to copyrighted, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret, and sites deemed inappropriate or dangerous to visit by OHS students. Using OHS resources or Internet activity for commercial profit, advertisement, or political lobbying (outside of classroom projects) is prohibited.

Hot Spots

Students may not create alternative WiFi networks using cellular data.

Netiquette

Follow the rules of network etiquette. Be polite. Do not use abusive or use inappropriate language. Do not reveal your personal address or phone number or that of others. Remember that email is not private. OHS has the right to review any messages sent using its network. Do not agree to meet any stranger you have contacted via the Internet. Report any attempt by them to arrange such meetings to any OHS faculty.

Cyberbullying

Attacking or intimidating other students, through email, texting, or social networking sites is a violation of our code of conduct. Violators may face school discipline and possible legal action depending on the severity.

Intrusion and Viruses

It is a violation of school rules and an Honor Violation to attempt to illegally intrude into the network or school computers, even if no information is changed or deleted by this action. Intentionally attempting to harm or destroy hardware or information, locally or on Internet sites, may also result in legal action being initiated against the student. It is the same violation of rules to knowingly download or transmits viruses and other intrusion software. This rule applies to any device, including those privately owned.

Security

Users may have unique usernames and passwords that permit certain network privileges. Do not share your password or use another user’s password. Notify a faculty member if you believe your password has been compromised. The Technology office will provide you with another password. You are not at fault if another user steals your password if you report it promptly.

Web Publishing

This includes any content that is posted on the Internet to include but not necessarily be limited to web sites, blogs, wikis, microblogs, instant messaging programs, podcasts, photo storage sites, and social networking sites. Anything that is placed on the web for public consumption falls under these guidelines. Any Internet posting will be for educational, non-commercial use, and all postings must have prior approval from teachers or system administrators.

• Published content may include images, video, and products of our students. This may include video of class activities, art and writing, as well as student produced content. Our policy is to post these to protected sites and forums accessible only by the student, their parents, and our faculty. Misuse of this access by parents or students is a violation of our acceptable use policy. By accepting this contract, the parent acknowledges the school’s right to such publishing.
  • Transmitting inappropriate pictures, videos, or other types of electronic media or software is prohibited.
  • We use web-publishing tools as a forum for expression; however, such tools are first and foremost designed for learning, and as such, they will sometimes be constrained by the various requirements and rules of classroom teachers. In these forums, students are welcome to post on any school-appropriate subject.
  • Use Web publishing tools as a vehicle for sharing creative expression with real audiences. Most visitors who comment will leave respectful, helpful messages. Students who receive uncomfortable or disrespectful comments should tell a teacher right away. Students should not respond to the comment.

Downloading

Keep in mind the restrictions on inappropriate content, viruses, and intrusion software already discussed. Remember, if you download content to the computer’s hard drive, it may be deleted without warning.

Privileges

• The use of the network and Internet is a privilege, not a right. Failure to follow this contract will result in cancellation of the privilege of using the OHS network.
• The severity of punishment will depend on the student’s actions. Sharing passwords will result in temporary revocation of computer privileges. Repeated violations will result in a permanent loss of network privileges. Hacking, unauthorized intrusion, cyberbullying, and intentionally introducing viruses will result in more severe punishments, to include suspension, dismissal from school, and possible legal actions.
• The Division Directors will decide all punishment up to loss of network privileges and suspensions, and consult with the Head of School for actions resulting in dismissal from school and/or legal actions.

Disclaimer

OHS makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, for the service it is providing. OHS will not be responsible for any damages suffered. This includes loss of data, damage to personal computers or service interruptions. Use of any information is at the user’s own risk. OHS specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.

Exception of Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions reflect the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings of the parties. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida and the United States of America.

Consequences for Violation

• Any device may be inspected for compliance of the Acceptable Use Policy at any time. There is no implied student privacy.
• Violations of these rules will initially be a warning, but depending on severity, may also result in disciplinary action. In addition, repeated violations will result in confiscation of the device from the student.

Policy on Damage and Repairs

• Billing: All billing due to the situations listed below will be at fair-market cost and billed through the FACT account.
• Missing items: When a device is first issued to a student, it will be supplied with a case, keyboard, and charging cable (in two parts if an iPad). The student will sign the roster verifying they have received the items. If the device (iPad or computer) or a part of the device is missing, the family will be billed for the replacement. 
• Defacing an item: The student will not permanently mark or mar the device or any of its components, including with ink or stickers. During end of year inventory, if any defacing is considered as being permanent, the family will be charged for the replacement cost of the marked item, including cases.
• Malicious damage/loss: If the school determines that damage or loss was due to an intentional effort, that family will be billed for the repair. If the school determines that the damage was intentionally caused by another student, the family of that student will be billed for the repair.
• Normal repair: Each device issued to the student is covered for one repair per school year. This will be covered by the technology fee. Any additional repairs during the school year will be billed to the family at fair-market cost. The student will be issued a loaner device to cover the period when their device has been sent in for repair. At the school’s discretion, that loaner may become the student's new issued device.
• End of year inventory: At the end of the year, when the device is turned in, an inventory will be conducted to ensure all items are returned and assess any damages. Families will be billed in the manner indicated above. 

All students are expected to eat in the Student Center or in designated picnic areas. Receptacles are provided in the hallways, classrooms, and outside areas for the disposal of recyclables and trash. Please help keep our campus clean. Students may be assigned clean-up duties during lunch, usually by Advisory Group. Students may also be assigned clean up duties for an accumulation of minor infractions of school rules. Such assignments will be made by the Assistant Director of Middle School.

All the following are distracting to the educational process and are not permitted on campus during the school day: gum chewing, video games, iPad games, or calculator games, skateboards, heelies, water pistols, and other toys. Use of cell phones and text messaging are never permitted during the academic day. Violations of the above rules will be reported to the Assistant Middle School Director who will take appropriate action.

Oak Hall School maintains an official standard of dress, complete with a school uniform that must be worn every day in the Middle School. Students should be properly attired from their arrival on campus until the end of the school day, and their overall appearance should be neat, clean, and well-groomed. Our expectation is that parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring student compliance with the school’s dress code, and students are responsible for knowing the student dress code and for complying during school hours and school activities. Violations of this policy will be reported to the Assistant Director of Middle School, who will contact parent/guardians of the violation. Following a warning for the first dress code offense, parent/guardians will be required to bring appropriate uniforms to school for each violation and students may serve a lunch detention. The acceptability of attire not specifically covered in this policy should be referred to the Assistant Director of Middle School. For more information on the Middle School specific dress code, please visit https://www.oakhall.org/school-life/uniforms and click the Middle School Uniforms button.

Students are responsible for knowing and complying with the rules, regulations, and procedures of Oak Hall School during all off-campus activities. When you are on a school sponsored trip, school rules apply. When off campus in a group under the supervision of Oak Hall staff and faculty, students are expected to practice self-control and to accept personal responsibility for their actions. If a student’s behavior prior to a trip is unacceptable, the student may not be allowed to participate in any off-campus trips. If a student is unable to represent the school appropriately during a trip, a faculty or staff member may contact the student’s parents immediately and require his/her parents to provide transportation home at the family’s expense. Administration will take the appropriate action upon the student’s return to school. Please refer to the Student Conduct and Discipline expectations for more details.

Oak Hall School is dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes kindness, acceptance, and embraces differences among individuals. Therefore, the school will not tolerate any type of harassment or bullying. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, slurs, jokes, and other verbal, graphic, or offensive conduct relating to race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, gender non-conformity, sexual orientation, national origin, socio-economic status, citizenship, or disability. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, physical or verbal aggression (hitting, kicking, taunting, teasing, threatening, ridiculing, etc.), relational aggression (harming or threatening to harm relationships or acceptance, friendship, or group inclusion), and emotional aggression (teasing, threatening, intimidating others). Oak Hall also prohibits cyber bullying (creating websites, instant messaging, e-mails, using social networks, using camera phones, or other forms of technology to engage in harassment or bullying). Although these activities often take place off-campus, they do affect the community at Oak Hall.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual acts or favors; other physical conduct of a sexual nature; obscene or suggestive remarks or jokes; verbal abuse or insults; display of explicit, offensive, or demeaning materials; references to a person’s anatomy; touching or pulling another’s clothing in an offensive or embarrassing manner; or making references, innuendo, or spreading rumors and accusations about someone’s sexual encounters. The taking or circulating of inappropriate pictures of a sexual nature is also included.

All students share responsibility for keeping our school environment free from harassment and bullying. Students must report incidents to a faculty member, the Counselor, Assistant Director of Middle School, Director of Middle School, or other trusted adult on campus. When the school administration becomes aware that harassment or bullying may be occurring, it will promptly investigate the situation. Any student found to have violated this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal from school.

To protect the safety and property of students, the school reserves the right to inspect students’ personal property, including, but not limited to, lockers, toolboxes, backpacks, coolers, desks, purses, computers, cell phones, iPads, briefcases, packages, cabinets, and vehicles brought onto school property or to school-sponsored events. Any student who refuses to cooperate with the search process may be dismissed from school.

Oak Hall recognizes that interpersonal relationships are a normal part of human growth and development; however, each student must take individual responsibility for ensuring that his or her actions are appropriate and safe. Friendship is encouraged, but public physical expressions of intimacy are prohibited.

Please use good judgment in what you bring onto the school premises. The school is not responsible for the theft of one’s personal property. Therefore, you should take care to ensure that it is properly stored at all times.

Students are assigned individual lockers and must use locks provided by the school. When not in use, lockers should be kept locked. This is particularly true on nights and weekends. Students may not use any other lockers than the ones assigned to them.

Lockers and locks are school property. Students should be aware of Florida Statute 232.256. (3): “A student’s locker or other storage area is subject to search, upon reasonable suspicion, for prohibited or illegally possessed substances or objects.” Book bags are never to be left in the common areas, classrooms, or locker bay area, as dictated by fire regulations. Book bags left in the locker bay will be removed. Athletic bags and equipment must be placed on the sports shelf or in a gym locker during the day.

Teachers supervise lunch each day. Students may bring their lunch to school, or they may order their lunch online prior to the start of the school day. A link to the ordering system (MyMealOrder) is available on the Oak Hall website. Oak Hall provides delivered food each day that students may purchase. Students must order lunch by 9 a.m. on the day they wish to purchase. Vendors, menus, and cost are to be determined and can change at any time the school deems appropriate. If a student forgets his or her lunch, they may request a lunch from the Middle School Office before 9 a.m. Your FACTS account will be billed $8.00. Oak Hall School is a peanut free school. Please do not send peanuts or peanut products to school with your child.

Maintaining a safe, orderly, and positive environment for all our students is an integral part of the mission of Oak Hall School. With that in mind, the activities listed below are considered serious offenses and are grounds for major disciplinary action. Disciplinary options include lunch and after schoolwork duties, loss of privileges, non-participation in extracurricular activities, lunch detentions, Saturday detentions, dismissals, in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, and expulsion.

Violations of major school rules include:

• Violation of the Honor Code;
• Possession of any weapon;
• Possession or use of any controlled drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, tobacco, or smoking- related products (including vaping and/or e-cigarettes);
• Acts, behaviors, or words which are xenophobic or intolerant towards any person’s race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, gender non-conformity, sexual orientation, national origin, socio-economic status, citizenship, or disability;
• Fighting, inflicting of bodily harm, harassment, threats, intimidation, disrespect toward others, the use of profanity, bullying or cyber-bullying, harm from irresponsible behavior, intentional act that causes physical harm;
• Damaging or destroying the property of others or the property of the school;
• Leaving campus without permission and/or without following correct procedures;
• Repetitive tardiness and absences from school or classes;
• Irresponsible use of an automobile; and,
• Violation of the Acceptable Electronic Use Policy or the Oak Hall School Computer and Network Contract.

If a parent needs to leave a message for a student, please call the school. The Middle School administrative assistant will deliver the message to the student. We would appreciate it if parents’ calls to students are confined to urgent messages only. We do not typically take messages from students to give to other students.

There is a phone in the Middle School office designated for student use. All other phones are off- limits to students, except for emergencies, and should never be used without permission.

Cell phones are not allowed to be visible or turned on during the academic day, unless there is an emergency as determined by a school official. Text messaging is not allowed during the academic day on cell phones or iPads. Cell phones that are seen or heard will be confiscated.

Confiscated phones will be kept by the Assistant Middle School Director. The first confiscation will be for the remainder of that day, a second confiscation will be for two days, and a day will be added for each additional confiscation. Excessive confiscations may be cause for additional consequences.

PLEASE DO NOT call or text your child’s phone during the school day.

During the school day, cell phones and personal audio devices (Headphones, iPods, MP3 Players, iPhones, other cellular devices, etc.) may only be used with the permission of and under the direct supervision of teachers. Use should include approved classroom activities for academic purposes only.

 

When one of our students has not met the school community’s behavioral expectations, Oak Hall believes the first step of the disciplinary process can begin and end with a direct conversation between the faculty member and the student.

Afterwards:

• The faculty will inform the Assistant Director of Middle School of the violation via email, text- message, or phone call. In extreme cases, where the behavior can be considered unsafe or detrimental to a positive school environment, that student should be sent directly to the Assistant Director of Middle School. The Assistant Director of Middle School and/or the Director of Middle School will address the student directly to explain why the behavior has not met expectations. The student will be informed of an appropriate way to change their behavior to be in accordance with Oak Hall’s community values. The student may receive a warning or may be served a consequence depending on the severity of the situation. The student’s advisor will be notified via email to follow-up with the student and/or parents as necessary. Note: In the case of dress code violations, the issue will be rectified immediately.
• A second violation of a similar offense will require the student to serve a lunch detention or other loss of privilege at the discretion of the Assistant Director of Middle School. The Assistant Director of Middle School will notify the student’s parents and the student’s advisor via email about the incident.
• A third violation of a similar offense will require the student serve an in-school suspension or loss of participation in extracurricular/sports activity. Depending on the nature of the violation, a meeting may be called and include the student’s advisor, parents, and school counselor. The Assistant Director of Middle School will notify the student’s parents via email and follow-up with a phone call. The student’s advisor will be notified via email.
• A fourth violation of a similar offense will initiate all prior administrative actions. An official Student Action Plan will be developed and additional in- or out-of-school suspension options may be utilized. For serious repeat offenses, the Director of the Middle School may place the student on Disciplinary Probation. If problems persist, expulsion from Oak Hall School may result.

Please note that if an offense is deemed egregious enough it may expedite the disciplinary process.

The Middle School Advisory Program consists of grade level groups that are led by a faculty advisor. Our advisory program provides each student with a small, “on-campus” family; a place for sharing successes and defeats, gaining emotional and academic support, building relationships, and learning to navigate the sometimes difficult years of adolescence.

Each week, the students engage in planned activities that focus on character education, building relationships, making good choices, developing positive peer interactions, setting personal goals, choosing healthy lifestyles, and learning about their own special talents and uniqueness. In addition, this time is used for community and school service projects and assemblies on pertinent topics.

The overall well-being of Oak Hall School students is an integral part of our philosophy. Our School Counseling Program seeks to provide support both in and out of the classroom in the areas of social-emotional development and physical well-being. Oak Hall School has a full time School Counselor who works closely with students, parents, community agencies, and school personnel to ensure that every student is provided the opportunity to maximize his or her social, emotional, and intellectual abilities. Individual and group counseling sessions are conducted to address students’ social and emotional needs.

Team leaders help classes participate as a unit in the life of the school. They help students plan projects, attend all class meetings, and help chaperone various class activities. In addition, they bring concerns of the class to the attention of the Middle School faculty. For 2020-2021 school year the team leaders are as follows:

• Sixth Grade – Mrs. Julie Black
• Seventh Grade – Ms. Elizabeth Arroyo
• Eighth Grade – Ms. Angie Cook

The Teaching and Learning Center is designed to support and enhance the academic experience of all students in Preschool – Grade 12, while directly serving students who have documented learning differences. Oak Hall recognizes that successful students are a product of many influential people. Teachers, parents, advisers, coaches, and support personnel are vital members of our community who contribute to a child’s positive school experience. The role of Oak Hall’s Learning Specialists is to provide support to the entire community through instruction, professional development, and parent resources. If your child is struggling and you would like additional support, please contact Ms. Susan Swiderski (sswiderski@oakhall.org) to set up an appointment.