Handbook
APS Student Handbook Links
Handbook Essentials
Attendance
Parents should call the attendance line to report a student’s absence:
- (505) 281-3316 ext 0
If there is no phone at home, parents are to make arrangements to call or send a note when the student returns to school. All absences are checked.
If a student is absent over ten days, we must check for possible violation of the New Mexico Compulsory School Attendance Law. It is important that parents notify the attendance office each time a student is absent. Students arriving late must be signed in by a parent or guardian and obtain an admit slip.
Tardies will be recorded by 9 weeks with the student being warned on the 3 rd tardy and a referral to the principal on the 4 th and subsequent tardies. A parent or guardian must sign out all students being taken out of school for any reason. The same applies when a student is being returned to school.
Dress Code
Roosevelt MS students are expected to dress appropriately for the business of education. Cleanliness, good grooming, and modesty are elements of appropriate dress. Students and parents may determine personal appearance and dress except where such appearance presents a health or safety hazard or a disruption to the educational process.
Schools in the Manzano cluster have created a consistent K-12 dress code. At Roosevelt these policies are in effect at school and at all school-sponsored events.
- Clothing related to gang appearance may not be worn. This includes, but is not limited to, Old English lettering, “homies” shirts, and “memory” shirts. Other trends in gang attire will be identified by the school administration.
- Clothing, tattoos, or accessories, which advertise, display or promote any drug (including tobacco and alcohol) sexual innuendo, violence, weaponry, profanity, hate, or bigotry towards any group are unacceptable.
- Students may not wear extended (hanging) belts, bandannas, wallet chains, spiked jewelry, or hairnets.
- Hats, headgear, and sunglasses are allowed outside of buildings only. Hats with bills must be worn with bill forward.
- No skin may show between the bottom of a shirt or blouse and the top of pants or skirts. Shoulder straps must be a minimum of two (2) inches wide. (Cleavage must be completely covered.) Shirts may not have holes.
- Pants should rest no lower than hip level; sagging and bagging are not allowed. Shorts and skirts should be no shorter than fist level when standing upright and arms are at the side. Excessively baggy or low-hanging pants are prohibited. The waistband should be between the belly button and the hipbone. Students must wear a belt if their pants are too big to stay on their waist on their own. Pants may not have holes.
- Shoes or durable footwear must be worn on campus at all times. (No slippers)
- Earrings and other adornment or jewelry must not present a health or safety hazard.
- Pajama bottoms (pants) are not acceptable as proper dress code attire.
Dress for Success!
Electronic Devices
For purposes of this procedural directive, “personal electronic device” means any device that a student is in possession of which electronically communicates, sends, receives, stores reproduces, or displays voice and/or text communication or data. These include, but are not limited to cellular phones, pagers, smartphones, music and media players, gaming devices, tablets, laptop computers, and personal digital assistants.
For purposes of this procedural directive, “instructional day” means the period of time between the first scheduled bell and the last scheduled bell of the school day and any other time in which instruction occurs.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
- The student who possesses a personal electronic device shall be solely responsible for its care.
- Student possession of personal electronic devices on all school campuses, including athletic fields, and school buses, at school-sponsored activities and while the student is under the supervision and control of school district employees shall be permitted. All students may use these devices on campus before school begins and after school ends.
- These devices shall be kept out of sight and powered off or silenced during the school day and during any school-sponsored activity meeting or practice held on Albuquerque Public Schools property. The requirement that personal electronic devices be turned off may not apply in the following circumstances when the student obtains prior approval from the principal or his/her designee:
- The student has a special medical circumstance for themself or a family member.
- The student is using the device for an educational or instructional purpose with the teacher’s permission and supervision.
- Personal electronic devices shall be permitted on school buses, as authorized by the driver unless the use of the personal electronic device causes a disruption on the school bus.
- Student use of personal electronic devices shall be prohibited in areas including, but not limited to locker rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, and swimming pool areas.
- Students shall not use personal electronic devices on school property or at a school-sponsored activity to access and/or view Internet websites that are otherwise blocked to students at school. Blocked sites include, but are not limited to, social networking sites and YouTube.
- Student use of personal electronic devices that disrupt the instructional day may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device. When a personal electronic device is confiscated, it shall only be released and/or returned to the student’s parent/ legal guardian. It is the student’s parent/legal guardian’s responsibility to retrieve the device according to school procedures.
Unauthorized Use
Unauthorized use of personal electronic devices includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Possessing, viewing, sending or sharing video or audio information having sexual, violent or threatening content on school grounds, school events or school busses shall be prohibited and may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device.
- Transmitting school materials for unethical purposes such as cheating.
- Any activity, which may be in violation with the Albuquerque Public Schools Bullying Prevention policy and procedural directive.
Return Process as per APS Cell Phone Policy
- First Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device from the administrative office within thirty minutes of the start or end of the instructional day. Parents/legal guardians must sign the personal electronic device out from the log kept in the administrative office.
- Second Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device no sooner than seven days after its date of confiscation within thirty minutes of the start or end of the instructional day. Parents/legal guardians must sign the personal electronic device out from the log kept in the administrative office.
- Third Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device at the end of the semester in which the device was confiscated within thirty minutes of the start or end of the instructional day.
Transportation Policy
Albuquerque Public Schools, students, and parents all bear the responsibility of ensuring that bus transportation to and from school remains safe. Working together, recognizing and understanding each other’s responsibilities will help the district and families keep the system running smoothly. Student safety comes first.
Please read the information below. The rules include field trips and activities as well as regular school transportation. Remember, riding the bus is a privilege.
Call APS Student Transportation Services at 880-3989 with any questions or concerns.
Student Responsibilities
- Follow the driver’s directions promptly.
- Arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus’s scheduled arrival time.
- Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the doors are opened before approaching the bus.
- Use the handrail. Be careful that no clothing or belongings get caught on the handrail.
- Sit in assigned seats, facing forward, feet on the floor, and speak in a normal tone of voice.
- Middle and high school students are required to show their student ID cards upon request.
- Glass items, live animals, weapons, or other dangerous objects are prohibited on the bus, as are large objects that will block the aisles.
- Follow the provisions of the APS Student Behavior Handbook including the expectations of citizenship such as respecting authority, property, and the rights of others; avoiding confrontation and any activity that has the potential to cause a verbal or physical conflict; maintaining standards of integrity and responsibility; maintaining a safe environment; and reporting any/all information/circumstances related to safety and problems (fights, weapons, or drugs). Students are reminded that the district Student Behavior Handbook is in effect while students are riding the bus and infractions will be dealt with according to provisions in the handbook.
Parent Responsibilities
- Make sure your child knows his/her bus number, what stop to get off at, home address and phone number.
- Make sure your child understands bus safety rules and expected behavior.
- Make sure your child arrives at the designated bus stop 10 minutes prior to the bus’s scheduled arrival time.
- Parents must be present to meet kindergarten students. Kindergarteners will not be left unattended at a bus stop in the afternoon if a parent is
not there to meet the child unless APS and the bus company have prior written approval from the parent to allow the student to be left unattended or go home with an older sibling. - Notify the school of any changes to contact information so parents can be notified in case of emergency.
- Be responsible for any observed damage caused by their children on the bus or at the bus stop.
Is your child’s bus more than 20 minutes late? Call the APS Transportation Office at 880-3989. During peak times, the office receives a high volume of calls. If your call is not answered, you may call APS Police at 243-7712. You should know your child’s bus number as well as the school he or she attends and the stop location.
Provide special needs transportation according to terms identified in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
APS Responsibilities
- Provide bus transportation to high school students whose home address is two or more miles from school; to middle school students whose home address is one and one-half miles or more from school; and to elementary school students whose home address is one mile or more from school.
- Does not provide school bus transportation to transfer students.
- Provide written notice if there is a need to change a bus route for a safety issue.
- Pick up and drop off students only at their assigned stops.
- Return a student back to school in the event that he/she is left on-board the bus at the end of the route due to the child getting on the wrong bus, not knowing where he/she lives, etc.
- Provide special needs transportation according to terms identified in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
- Ensure safe transportation to and from school for all students. That includes exercising the right to suspend riding privileges of students who fail to follow the rules of ridership.
- Provide regularly updated information on the APS Transportation website.
FAQs
- Will my child be picked up and dropped off at the same stop at the same time every day?
Yes, your child will be picked and dropped off at his/her assigned stop each day. Parents should make sure their child is at the stop 10 minutes before the bus arrives. Buses will leave school about seven minutes after the dismissal bell rings in the afternoon. Note that a driver cannot accept any notes authorizing a student to be dropped off at a point other than the student’s regular stop. - Will my child have the same driver every day?
Your child may have different drivers for the morning pick up and afternoon drop off, but every effort is made to ensure that the same driver serves the same students each day. - Can the driver stop at my house to pick up or drop off my child?
Only certain students whose needs are addressed through a Special Education IEP or 504 are eligible for home pick up or drop off service. Communication between the school administrative office, the APS Student Transportation Office, the school bus contractor or student’s bus driver, and parents or guardians are encouraged so that a student’s IEP plan is implemented effectively. - To whom should I report my address or telephone number change?
The school should be contacted as soon as possible with address or telephone number change information. - Why wasn’t I called when the bus was late?
Some of the situations that cause lateness include traffic and road conditions, weather, vehicle breakdowns, or a prior bus route being late. Because the district operates nearly 500 buses, it is virtually impossible to contact parents when the bus is slightly late. When the APS Student Transportation Office is advised by a school bus contractor that one of their buses will be running late, we will contact the school administration office. - Are bus drivers employed by APS?
No, drivers are employed by privately-held bus companies. APS contracts with 16 bus companies to provide transportation. The district can request that a driver be removed from a route, but employment decisions are left to the bus companies. Please report any issues regarding drivers to APS Student Transportation Services, and they will work with the company to resolve the situation.