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Dr. Vickie Tiblier, President

Mrs. Kacee Waters, Secretary

Mr. Ron Chambers, Member

Mr. Greg Denyer, Member

Mrs. Lauranne Tomaszewski, Member

Mr. Alwyn Luckey, Attorney

Mr. Michael Lindsey, Superintendent

Mr. Justin Sutton, Assistant Superintendent

Mrs. Mary Gill, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Doyle Reid, Chief of Instructional Technology

Mr. Joey Lee, Chief Operations Officer

Mr. Keith Carter, Director of Athletics

Mrs. Kaci Kelly, Director of Child Nutrition

Mr. Trey Brennan, Director of Communications

Mrs. Tonya Bolton, Director of Federal Programs

Mr. Joey Lee, Director of Human Resources

Mr. Brooks McKay, Director of Operations

Dr. Tricia Cox, Director of Special Services

Mrs. Cecilia Zahedi, Director of Student Services

Mrs. Allisha Frierson, Transportation Supervisor

Chief Marshall Riff, Chief of Campus Police

Students

Employees and Applicants for Employment

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education record,
• The right to exercise a limited control over other people’s access to the student’s education record.
• The right to seek to correct the student’s education record in a hearing, if necessary,
• The right to report violations of the FERPA to the Department of Education
• The right to be informed about FERPA rights.

• the student's name, address, telephone listing, and date and place of birth; 
• parent or lawful custodian's name, address, and telephone listing;
• major field of study and grade level classification;
• student's participation in officially recognized activities or sports;
• dates of attendance, dates of enrollment, withdrawal, re-entry;
• certificates, awards, and honors received;
• most recent previous educational agency or institution attended. 

• Internet use and access
• release of information & press releases (internet, newspaper, directories, rosters, school publications, etc.). 

• Tier I: Quality classroom instruction of the Mississippi College & Career Readiness Standards (MCCRS) 
• Tier II: Focused supplemental instruction, and 
• Tier III: Intensive interventions specifically designed to meet the individual needs of students.  

Students Living With Parents/Guardians

Student's Family Residing with a Third Party

• Sharing offensive websites with other students
• Sending and receiving inappropriate email, blogs and other prohibited messages
• Sharing offensive material created at home
• Sending or receiving libelous electronic messages
• Engaging in the violation of criminal and civil laws
• Illegally uploading or downloading copyrighted material
• Using your child’s picture in a false light
• Violating your child’s privacy regarding health and other personal issues

• using proxy sites (sites that allow the user to bypass the district internet filter) to avoid the district filter
• sending and distributing offensive material on district computers or school grounds
• sending cyber-threats of death, bodily harm, damage to property to other students or staff
• creating offensive materials on home computers and distributing them on school grounds
• using their own portable devices to distribute offensive material on school grounds

• The student should have no expectation of privacy at any time while using district resources, nor at home when it pertains to school business. 
• The district is authorized to monitor email logs and internet histories of students and does so.
• Students should use the internet/network for appropriate educational purposes and research.
• Students should use the internet/network only with the permission of designated school staff.
• Students should be considerate of other users on the network.
• Students must use appropriate language for school situations and must not use vulgar or profane language or images, including those with implied vulgarity and/or profanity.
• Students should immediately report any security problems or breaches of these responsibilities to the supervising teacher.
• Students must adhere to copyright laws and plagiarism rules when using the internet.
• Students must not share user IDs and passwords required to access e-mail and other programs.
• Students must not give out personal information about themselves or where they live.
• Students must not fill out forms on the internet without parent/teacher permission.
• Students must not send pictures of themselves through email.
• Students may not have access to e-commerce or publicly-provided internet service providers.
• Students will receive district accounts upon teacher request and parent permission if the accounts are needed for educational projects.
• Students must not use proxy avoidance sites (sites that allow the user to bypass the district internet filter) or other sites indicated as blocked. Use of these sites violates this contract and could result in loss of Internet access and/or other disciplinary actions.
• Students must not intentionally degrade or disrupt internet network services or equipment. This includes but is not limited to tampering with computer hardware or software, vandalizing data, invoking computer viruses, attempting to gain access to restricted or unauthorized network services, unauthorized redirection of school web pages, or violating copyright laws.
• Students must not work directly on teacher, school, or district department webs without express written permission from the district web administrator and/or Chief of Instructional Technology.
• Students must not construct websites using content or links that violate state or federal laws.
• Students must not use the network in a fashion inconsistent with directions from teachers and other staff.

• Turning in someone else’s work as your own.  
• Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit.  
• Failing to put a direct quotation in quotation marks.  
• Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation.  
• Changing words by copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit.  
• Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up a majority of your work, whether you give credit or not.
• Submitting work generated by AI technology

• Our first priority in an emergency situation is to ensure the safety of our students and staff, and secure all campuses and facilities. It is the responsibility of every district employee to ensure student safety.

• School and district leadership work closely with the OSSD PD, The City of Ocean Springs Police Department, and other partners when a critical incident affects a school. We do not make decisions based solely on rumor or conjecture. Each threat is swiftly and thoroughly investigated to determine its credibility. That process can take time, because it can involve search warrants, interviews, home visits, and more. 
• This can be a difficult time for families. You may have heard of a situation from your student or rumors online, but as it is investigated, you likely will not receive much information from official sources like the school, district or police department. This is intentional, because communicating before we have all of the facts can delay or impede the investigation and unnecessarily escalate a situation. We rely on you to trust us, and have patience, during this time.
• While it can be tempting, please avoid speculating or participating in the spread of misinformation online and in messaging. This creates unnecessary stress and concern for others, and it can put your student, our staff, and campus in danger.

• State and federal law, as well as district policy, restrict what information is public about students and investigations. When it comes to students, very little information can be shared publicly — and districts must comply with data practices and investigatory requirements. That means we are often unable to share any information about a student who is involved in an incident, including whether they are a student at our school, whether they are attending on a certain day and any disciplinary action they will receive.
• In a moment when you don’t have all the information you want to have, please know we are making decisions to keep our students and staff safe, hold people accountable for their actions, and when possible, help them to learn from their mistakes. To do this most effectively — and legally — we cannot share most of the details that could make some families feel more fully informed.

• Once we gather facts and develop appropriate messages for each unique situation, we begin a second period of reviewing those messages for any inaccurate or misleading information, having them reviewed by partners and our legal advisors to be sure we comply with legal requirements, and determine who should receive a message. At times, it is only a small group of individuals directly impacted; other times, it may be the entire school community.
• If a message needs to go to the entire school community or a large group of people, it must be loaded into our mass communication systems and sent. While you wait to receive a message, there are often dozens of school leaders, district administrators, law enforcement and legal professionals working as fast as they possibly can to get information to you. It matters to us that you are informed quickly, and we ask for grace and understanding as we make that happen.
• OSSD will first notify staff and parents via email and/or phone call. The district will then publish information on social media and communicate with local media, if necessary.

1. Trust us to keep your children safe. We all receive extensive training and practice emergency response so we are prepared to manage these situations. Our decisions are based on facts and deep situational understanding. 
   1. Remember: OSSD employs a full-time police department, which consists of nine sworn-in police officers that are lawfully armed and will use necessary force to protect our students and staff.
2. Avoid spreading misinformation or speculation: in today’s world, news travels fast but misinformation travels faster. Please avoid speculating or participating in the spread of misinformation online and in messaging, as it creates unnecessary stress and concern for others, and it can put your student, our staff, and campus in danger.
3. Have conversations with your children about social media and their digital citizenship, and actively monitor their online activity.
4. Continue to keep us informed any time you learn of information that could affect student or school safety. We take all reports seriously, investigate them, and take appropriate action.
5. Show grace and practice empathy. Being a school staff member can be one of the most rewarding and the most challenging careers — and our faculty and staff go far above and beyond for our students, families, and one another. In critical situations, we ask for our community to support our staff members just as they support our students each and every day.

1. Full name and street address
2. Home phone number and a second phone number
3. Student’s name

1. To reinforce classroom instruction;
2. To complete unfinished classroom assignments;
3. To promote independent work;
4. To promote growth and responsibility in meeting curriculum requirements; and,
5. To accommodate the student’s individual achievement level and ability.

Permanent Records

Transfer of Records

1. Regular and punctual attendance is necessary for academic growth.
2. A student is allowed only two parental absences per nine-week period. The office must be notified by the parent prior to or on the day of absence for the absence to be considered an excused absence.
3. All other absences require medical or legal documentation for the absence to be considered excused. Documentation must be submitted to the school office or to the student’s teacher prior to the absence or within 2 days of the student’s return to school.

1. Written permission is to be provided by the parent or guardian requesting that the school district comply with the physician's order for all prescribed medication. The medication permission request form is to be filled out stating: name of medication, dosage to be given, time medication is to be given, number of days to be given, and any other special instruction.
2. Medication is to be given to the student by the nurse, principal/designee, provided that the prescribing physician submits medication permission in writing.
3. Medication is to be brought to and signed into the nurse or principal/designee by the parent/guardian or an adult designated by the parent/guardian in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician. Over-the-counter medication is to be provided by the parent and brought to the nurse or principal/designee in the original container with the child's name clearly labeled on the container. Under no circumstances are students allowed to bring medication to school or take medication home from school.  
4. The principal will designate the staff member(s) to administer the prescribed or over-the-counter medicine to the student. The person designated to administer the medication will document the medicine log each time the medicine is given.
5. A locked cabinet or drawer is provided for the storage of prescribed medication.
6. Communication between the parent, school personnel, and physician regarding the effectiveness of the medication administered during school hours is encouraged.
7. The nurse or principal/designee of the school will notify the parent/guardian as quickly as possible when the student taking the prescribed or over-the-counter medication shows signs of having an adverse reaction to the medication. (The parent's current telephone number(s) must be available on the student's emergency procedure card which is located in the school office).
8. In the event emergency medical treatment is required for any student and the school is unable to contact the parent/guardian by telephone within a reasonable period of time, the parent/guardian consents to and gives authority to school officials to secure the required treatment for the child/ward. The statement for emergency medical treatment is on the student's emergency procedure card. The written consent for emergency medical treatment by the parent/guardian also includes a statement of understanding that the parent/guardian accepts sole responsibility for payment of such medical costs incurred.
9. Non-prescription medication (i.e., aspirin, Tylenol, cold medicine, cough drops, homeopathic or herbal medication/preparation, etc.) will not be given to a student by school personnel without prior written permission from a physician. Non-prescription medication must be provided by the parent or guardian as indicated in item #3 above.
10. OSSD recognizes that some students have medical conditions which require that the student possess certain medical supplies in order to immediately treat their condition. Therefore, students shall be allowed to possess items such as inhalers, epi-pens, medical supplies, and medications if the student presents to the district a written statement from a licensed physician which documents the need for the student to possess the medical supply and/or medication as well as verification that the student has been directed on its use. In addition to the physician's statement, the student's parents shall execute the district medication permission request form.
11. § 37-11-71 - Mississippi Asthma and Anaphylaxis Child Safety Act and OSSD BOT Policy JGCDA - Self-Administration of Asthma and Anaphylaxis Medications. This policy states that schools can maintain a supply of EPIPENs. These will be used for emergencies only.
12. OSSD does not allow the use of medical cannabis while on OSSD property as defined by MS Code § 97-37-17 (1) (a).

Medical Exemptions

Religious Exemptions

Vision and Hearing

Head Lice Examination

• Signs of severe illness, including fever, irritability, difficulty breathing, crying that doesn't stop with the usual comforting or extreme sleepiness.
• Diarrhea or stools that contain blood or mucus.
• Vomiting and diarrhea two or more times in 24 hours unless a physician feels the cause of vomiting is not an infectious disease, and writes a note to that effect and the student is no longer in danger of becoming dehydrated and must be able to self-care for diarrhea.
• Mouth sores and/or drooling until a physician or the health department does not feel the condition is infectious.
• Fever or rash or a change in behavior until a physician has determined that the problem is not caused by an infectious disease.

Parents/Guardians

• Keep in regular communication with the school concerning their child's conduct and progress.
• Make efforts to ensure that their child is in daily attendance; report and explain any absence.
• Provide their child with the resources needed to complete class work.
• Assist their child in being well groomed and in compliance with personal appearance regulations.
• Bring to the attention of school authorities any problem or condition which affects their child in the school community.
• Discuss report cards and work assignments with their child.
• Care for their child's physical well-being.

Students

• Attend all classes daily and on time.
• Be prepared for class with proper materials.
• Be respectful to all individuals and property.
• Conduct himself /herself in a safe and responsible manner.
• Be well-groomed and in compliance with personal appearance regulations.
• Be responsible for his/her own work.
• Abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the school and individual classroom teachers.

Schools

• Maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning.
• Exhibit an attitude of respect for students and parents.
• Plan inclusive instruction to meet the needs of all students.
• Keep an open line of communication between themselves, students, and parents.

1. A copy of the discipline plan shall be distributed to each student and the parent/guardian of the student shall sign a statement verifying that they have been given notice of the discipline policies (MS Code 37-11-53). The BOT shall have its official discipline plan legally audited on an annual basis to ensure that its policies and procedures are currently in compliance with applicable statutes, case law, and state and federal constitutional provisions.
2. All discipline plans shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
   1. The parent/guardian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school shall be responsible financially for his or her minor child’s destructive acts against school property or persons;
   2. The parent/guardian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school may be  requested to appear at school by an appropriate school official for a conference regarding the acts of their child;
   3. The parent/guardian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school who has been summoned by proper notification by an appropriate school official shall be required under this provision to attend such discipline conference;
   4. The parent/guardian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school shall be responsible for any criminal fines brought against each student for unlawful activity as defined in MS Code § 37-11-29 occurring on school grounds;
3. Any parent, guardian, or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child subject to the provisions of this section imposed upon him or her under the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction shall be fined not to exceed three thousand five hundred dollars ($3500.00).
4. Any public school district shall be entitled to recover damages in an amount not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00), plus necessary court costs, from the parents of any minor under the age of eighteen (18) years and over the age of six (6), who maliciously and willfully damages or destroys property belonging to the school district. However, this section shall not apply to parents whose parental control of such child has been removed by court order or decree. The action authorized in this section shall be added to all other actions which the school district is entitled to maintain and nothing in this section shall preclude recovery in a greater amount from the minor or from a person, including the parents, for damages to which such minor or other person would otherwise be liable.

• know what the charges are against them,
• give an explanation in their own defense,
• be told what kind of consequences they can expect for violating the rule or regulation.
• any student suspended and/or expelled for violation of the district’s drug policy or weapons policy, or for committing a violent act on educational property shall have the right to appeal the suspension and/or expulsion to the OSSD BOT. See OSSD BOT Policy JCAA - Due Process.

OSSD BOT Policy JCDAA - Use of Tobacco and Smoking Devices

1. 1st Offense: the student shall receive three (3) days In-School Suspension (ISI) or one day of Out-of-School Suspension (OSS).
2. 2nd Offense: the student shall receive three (3) days Off-Campus Suspension (OCS). 
3. 3rd Offense: the student shall receive five (5) days to ten (10) days of OCS and may be recommended for expulsion.

1. 1st Offense: the student shall receive three (3) days of OCS - Off-Campus Suspension.
2. 2nd Offense: the student shall receive five (5) days of OCS.
3. 3rd Offense: the student shall receive nine (9) days of OCS and student shall be recommended for expulsion.

1. 1st Offense: the student shall receive five (5) days of OSS. 
2. 2nd Offense: the student shall receive nine (9) days of OSS and shall be recommended for expulsion.

Student-Athletes, Drivers, Extracurricular Participants

Possession and/or Reasonable Suspicion

1. at school, or
2. off-school property at a school-sponsored or school-approved activity event or function, or
3. at any other place or time set forth in Article III of this policy, or
4. is under the influence of prohibited drugs or alcohol on school property or at any school-sponsored or school-approved activity, event or function. Reasonable suspicion must be based on specific contemporaneous physical, behavioral or performance indicators of probable drug and/or alcohol use which can be articulated. Reasonable suspicion will not arise when indicators are not observed as provided in Article VIII of this policy.

Restraint

1. Order the student to desist in the behavior.
2. Advise the student that they will be restrained if the behavior does not cease.

OSSD BOT Policy JCDAE - Weapons

1. "Weapon" shall mean any device enumerated in subsection (2) or (4) of that section.
2. "Educational property" shall include any public or private school buildings or bus, public or private school campus, grounds, recreational areas, athletic fields, or other property owned, used or operated by any local school board, school, college or university board of trustees, or directors for the administration of any public or private educational institution or during a school-related activity.

1. OSSD gymnasiums, restrooms, and bus stops.
2. Off site school sponsored events (such as graduation, awards, banquets, etc).
3. Any school sponsored activity.
4. Travel to and from school.
5. Attendance at and travel by students to participate in athletic programs, extracurricular activities, clubs, ceremonies, contests, field trips, competitions, etc.
6. Violations of this policy while on the campus of another institution while a student may be present for purposes of participating in athletic programs, extracurricular activities, clubs, ceremonies, contests, field trips, competitions, etc.

1. Law enforcement officers and other government officials may carry weapons onto school grounds as permitted by law.
2. Those used within the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program in conducting training when such training is a normal element of such programs; such programs may include training in the use of pneumatic guns. Such training shall occur only at a location or locations approved by the Superintendent;
3. MHSAA sanctioned or school board approved activities (ex. Archery or Shooting Sports);
4. Replica firearms by a ceremonial color guard; and 
5. Approved safety classes. This approval must be in writing and granted prior to the weapon being brought to school. 

Student Complaints of Bullying or Harassing Behavior

Bullying Definitions:

School Resource Officers

Reporting Suspicious Behavior

Tornado Drill / Tornado Warning

1. Students are to sit on the floor in their designated location with their heads between their knees with some sort of covering on their heads.
2. There will be one responsible person for each corner of the building.
3. Students stay in the assigned areas until the warning is lifted.

Fire Drills

Shelter-In-Place

School Lockdown / Active Shooter Drill

7th Grade - 12th Grade 

Terms of Agreement (7th-12th)

Equipment (7th-12th)

Power Management (7th-12th)

Use of Personal Laptops and Tablets 

• Personal devices that are broken while at school or during school-sponsored activities;
• Personal devices that are lost or stolen at school or during school-sponsored activities; or,  
• Maintenance or upkeep of any device (keeping it charged, installing updates or upgrades, fixing any software or hardware issues, etc.)

BOT Policy JCDBA - Personal Appearance Regulations

Personal Appearance Regulations (Grades 7-12)

1. Shoes must be worn. Slippers, taps, cleats, wheels, and spikes on shoes will not be permitted except in appropriate settings. 
2. No excessively large, torn, or worn clothing will be permitted. 
3. No patches, emblems, or advertisements of a suggestive, indecent, or obscene nature will be allowed. 
4. Pajamas, bathing suits, blankets, and pillows are prohibited. 
5. Clothing must cover the shoulder of students with a garment of at least three (3) inches in width. No muscle shirts, basketball jerseys, tank tops, or spaghetti strap tops will be permitted unless worn as a vest-type garment over a shirt with sleeves. 
6. Halter tops will not be permitted. 
7. Shorts and skirts must be at least fingertip length.
8. No tank tops, halters, tops with spaghetti straps, or tops that expose the midriff area when hands are raised above the head shall be worn. Midriffs, cleavage, or backs will not be exposed.
9. Underclothing will be worn. 
10. Sheer blouses will not be permitted unless an undershirt is worn underneath. Garments worn under sheer blouses must follow the dress code, having shoulder straps at least 3” wide, and must conceal underwear and/or cleavage. 
11. Head coverings, bandanas, caps, hats, headdress (including the hood of a shirt or sweatshirt), etc will not be worn in buildings unless there has been prior approval from administration. 
12. Any style of clothing tending toward immodesty will be prohibited. 
13. Facial hair must be neatly trimmed. 
14. Gang-related apparel or any apparel conveying racial overtones is prohibited. 
15. Clothing, hats, caps, or other personal property of suggestive or inappropriate nature including but not limited to items promoting or advertising tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, obscene, lewd, or vulgar comments/pictures, sexual innuendos, harassing, threatening, or demeaning to a certain group of people are prohibited.
16. All pants, shorts, skirts, etc., shall be worn with the waistband or beltline around the waist and above the hips. No sagging is allowed. Pants/shorts or other lower-body garments must completely cover undergarments at all times. Any exposing holes in pants or other lower-body garments must come no higher than fingertip length.
17. Clothing, hats, caps, or other personal property which shall cause a disruption to the learning process or which serves as a hazard to the safety of students shall be prohibited. 
18. Anything not covered in the code that is distracting to either a teacher or student should be brought to the attention of the administration.
19. For the safety and well-being of all students and staff, coats, jackets, windbreakers, vests, and other similar outer garments which extend below the knee in length (including trench coats) shall be prohibited. 
20. Students shall not wear any attire which shall impinge upon the health, safety, and welfare of the students and employees within the district. 
21. Leggings, jeggings, and yoga pants may be worn as pants or primary cover. All tops worn with leggings, jeggings, and yoga pants must be of appropriate length.

Class I

Class II      

Quality Point Scales

A = 90-100 
B = 80-89 
C = 70-79 
D = 60-69 
F = 0-59 
(No Credit)  

Minor Grades: 40%

• Teachers will assign and grade a minimum of 10 minor grades per quarter. 
• Minor grades include but are not limited to a variety of gradable items such as quizzes, daily grades, participation, and homework. 
• Teachers set a defined weight to each category to construct the total weight of the minor grades. 
• Teachers will define what constitutes their “minor grades” in the course syllabus which is given to students on the first day of the class.

Major Grades: 40%

• Teachers will give a minimum of 4 “Major Grades” per quarter. 
• Major grades will include teacher generated tests, major projects, essays, or other assignments defined as a “major grade” in the  course syllabus.

Comprehensive Exam: 20%

• At the end of every quarter, students will take a comprehensive exam. The comprehensive exam may not be given earlier than the exam dates set at the beginning of the school year.

• Possess an A (90-100) average with 2 or fewer absences and tardies, OR
• Possess a B (80-89) average with 1 or fewer absences and 2 or fewer tardies AND
• Have no discipline referrals that result in detention, in-school intervention, or suspension during the term/semester.
• Senior college visit days will not count against a student’s exemption status. All college visits must have administrator approval. 
• School-related absences will not count against a student's exemption status.

• A teacher may elect not to participate in the exemption program. 
• Any teacher who chooses not to participate in the exemption program must present this fact to students in the class syllabus during the first week of the quarter/term. 
• If a teacher elects to participate in the exemption program, he/she must notify students of their exemption status at least two (2) school days before exams begin.
• Students who are not notified by their teacher they are exempted are expected to come to school and take all exams. 
• Absences after exemption notification may cause a student to forfeit exemption status. 
• At the teacher’s discretion, students who pass the practice state tests or benchmarks may be granted exemption privileges. 
• Students who are exempt will be granted an administrative exemption absence for exempted exam blocks only. This absence, which is equal to an administrative absence, will not count toward loss of credit.
• Students may not check out during an exam block. 
• Students planning to check out for non-exempted blocks can do that by having parents complete the online check-out form up to seven (7) days in advance. 
  • This checkout policy is only in effect for exam days. Requests for check-outs may not be done on exam days. This must be done the week prior to exams, via the online check-out system.

• Students may not check out during an exam period. 
• We will not interrupt any exam block. 
• Students must check in at the designated area before going to class. 
• Students who are tardy for an exam block will not be allowed to enter the exam room.

IB Diploma Programme

1. Log into your MajorClarity account by going to: https://platform.majorclarity.com/ 
2. Click “Continue with Google” and use your school login information 
3. Navigate to the Application Center tab section 
4. Scroll down to the Transcript Requests and click “Request Transcript.” 
5. Enter in the name of the institution that should be receiving your transcript. 
6. Click “Send Request.”

1. A student’s enrollment must have prior approval by the principal and the appropriate screening to be approved for the course; 
2. Registration must be coordinated by the school counselor, who will be the point of contact. The student nor his/her parent or guardian may register; 
3. The student may earn a maximum of 4 Carnegie Units towards graduation. 
4. OSSD does not provide the certified teacher for the online course; 
5. The cost of the course is to be covered by the student/family. The course provider sets the cost of the course.

1. All students taking an online course must abide by the program’s guidelines. Failure to do so could jeopardize participation in the program and may result in more serious disciplinary actions. 
2. Students enrolled in an online course will be required to follow the course outline, timeline, for completion of assignments, and testing procedures established by MDE. 
3. The grade that the online instructor records is the grade that will become part of his/her academic record. 
4. The OSSD BOT recognizes events that may arise that necessitate the utilization of virtual learning to fulfill the educational obligations of OSSD. Upon recommendation from the Superintendent, the BOT may authorize virtual learning as a method of education in the OSSD. See OSSD BOT Policy IA - Distance Learning.

• Students must have 20 credits at the end of 11th grade and meet graduation requirements by December of their 12th grade year. 
• In addition to credits, students must meet national ACT College and Career Readiness benchmarks (Sub-scores of Reading – 22 or English – 18 and Math – 22) or ACT Workkeys (Sliver) and meet requirements for subject area tests. 
• Students must also complete an application for December Graduation.

• The student must discuss the request with her/his counselor at the end of 10th grade year to review credits earned and credits needed. 
• In addition to 16 credits by the end of the 10th grade year,  students must meet national ACT College and Career Readiness benchmarks (Sub-scores of Reading – 22 or English – 17 Math – 19) or ACT Workkeys (Silver) and meet requirements for subject area tests. 
• Students must choose and complete an endorsement area to graduate early. 
• The student will be given an Early Graduation Application upon the counselor’s approval at the end of 10th grade year. This must be signed and returned by a parent at a scheduled conference. 
• Following the review of the application and benchmarks met, an interview with the principal will be scheduled for final approval in the summer between 10th & 11th grade.

• English: 4 Carnegie Units 
• Math: 3 Carnegie Units - Algebra I - Math above Algebra I (Course has to be related to program of study) *Geometry Mandatory 
• Science: 3 Carnegie Units – Biology I and 2 courses above Biology I 
• Social Studies: 3 Carnegie Units - American History, Government and MS Studies 
• Computer: 1 Carnegie unit 
• Physical Education or Health: 0.5 Carnegie Unit 
• Electives of your study: 2.5 Carnegie units – Electives of your program of study 
• CTE Credits in the same area of study: 4 Carnegie Units – Must take 4 CTE credits Non-negotiable 
• 80 hours of community service for seniors graduating in 2022 and later 
• Minimum of 19 ACT composite score for seniors graduating in 2022 or later or Minimum 36 ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test) or Silver Level WorkKeys 
• 2.5 high school GPA 
• 95% school attendance during high school years 
• No out-of-school suspension 
• Must attain a passing score, as established by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), on the Mississippi Career Planning and Assessment System (CPAS2) or a passing score on an MDE approved industry certification assessment. 

• All students must carry four (4) academic credits per term. Any deviation from this requirement must have counselor's approval. 
• Each student must know his/her graduation requirements. These are listed elsewhere in this handbook and may vary according to when the student entered the ninth grade. All planning should work toward those requirements. 
• Each student must know college entrance and/or technical school requirements and planning should be directed toward meeting those requirements. 
• Each student should complete a carefully constructed four-year plan and Individual Success Plan (ISP). The ISP should be updated annually and counselors will give lesson.  
• Before selecting a course, each student should check the course description to be sure it fits his/her needs, interests, and abilities, and to ensure that he/she has completed the prerequisite coursework necessary for enrollment in that course. 
• Students must be attentive and complete an application if the course requires it. Some courses require pre-approval for enrollment. 
• Some courses require additional summer assignments. Teachers will communicate with students before the end of the school year if any additional summer assignments are required.

• Student has failed a course and needs to retake it.
• Student does not meet a prerequisite for a class they are enrolled in.
• Student has an incomplete schedule or overlapping courses.
• Student has already taken and passed a course. This does not apply to Band, PE, and Theatre.
• Student is missing a course requirement for graduation; only 12th graders may use this correction 
• A student must attend the original class to which he/she was assigned until the teacher or student is notified by the counselors’ office that the administrative change process has been completed.
• If a student is permitted to drop a course after the first two days of the term or quarter and is not placed in an alternate class for the remainder of the quarter, the course will appear on the student's records and the record will show a WP (withdrawn-passing) or WF (withdrawn-failing). 
• Students who withdraw during the last ten (10) days of a quarter or term will receive an F for the course.

Parental-Excused Absence

Documented-Excused Absence

Administrative-Excused Absence

• Situation 1: College Visit/funeral - Student will receive Administrative Absence, Exemption status  will not be impacted.
• Situation 2: For family trip/sporting event/church event and/or other absences as deemed appropriate by the Principal, Parental absence will be applied prior to administrative absences being granted. These absences will count towards the overall exemption status. (Please refer to the Exemption Procedures section for more information).

School-Sponsored Activity-Excused Absence

1. Investigate the reasons for the excessive absences.
2. Meet with parent(s) and student to resolve the attendance problem.

Extended Make-Up Work Guidelines

1. The parent/guardian must complete the online student checkout form before any student will be allowed to check out. The online checkout form may be completed off-campus on any computer (connected to internet)/mobile device or on a kiosk located in the foyer of the high school’s main entrance. The parent/guardian may also designate another adult to check out their student. The designee must be an adult at least 21 years of age, or be an immediate family member who is at least 18 and not enrolled at OSHS. The designee must be on the emergency contact list and be verified by school personnel. If a parent/guardian is coming to campus to checkout the student, a picture identification is required. If a parent/guardian is not coming to campus to checkout the student, a picture identification must be uploaded into the online checkout form. 
2. The attendance clerk will lookup the parent/guardian number in PowerSchool and call to verify that the student’s parent/guardian were the ones that submitted the checkout request. The parent/guardian must be available to answer this call from the attendance clerk. If verification cannot be obtained from the parent/guardian, the student may not check out.If the online checkout form is completed on campus at the kiosk, the attendance clerk will ask parent/guardian to verify themselves through the window with a picture identification. Once verified, the attendance clerk will proceed to step three. 
3. If the student is being checked out immediately, the student will be summoned to the attendance office by an attendance clerk. If the student is to be checked out at a predetermined time, the student must come by the attendance office prior to the designated time and obtain a pass to leave class at the designated check out time. 
4. The online checkout form will only be available daily from 8:00am - 11:00am. No online checkouts will be processed after 11:00am. For example, if a parent wants their child to checkout at 2:00 p.m. on Monday he/she must complete the online checkout form before 11:00 a.m. on that same day. If the parents completes a checkout at 12:30 p.m. that day, the online checkout will not be processed and the parent or guardian in PowerSchool must come to school and checkout the student. 

• English ACT 17 and Math ACT 19 OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys 

• Have a GPA of 2.5 
• Have passed US History, Biology, Eng 2, and Alg 1 state tests
• On track to meet graduation requirements 
• Students that have not met ACT Benchmarks have to request to be enrolled in Essentials to College Literacy (must have 15-18 on ACT English to enroll) OR Essentials to College Algebra (must have 15-18 on ACT math to enroll) OR another higher-level mathematics course and/or another higher-level English Language Arts course OR enrolled/earned credit for Comp. 1 and/or College Algebra.
• Students concurrently enrolled in the appropriate SREB Math Ready or Essentials for College Math and/or SREB Literacy Ready or Essentials for College Literacy Students who are granted Early Release / late arrival need to remain on campus until the beginning of the fourth block. 
• Students who leave campus without permission may be subject to disciplinary action and may lose the Early Release / late arrival privilege.
• Unless properly checked out, students who have early release / late arrival must stay through the end of their scheduled school day. This means that students who have early release / late arrival of the fourth block must stay until the end of the third block, even if they have a third lunch.

1. school transportation or other school-related actions,
2. medical or dental appointments if accompanied by a written excuse from the physician, dentist, or other medical personnel, and
3. special circumstances in accordance with the Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law and deemed acceptable by the principal or her designee.

• The parent/guardian was not aware that the student was absent;
• The parent/guardian was aware but chose not to excuse, or
• The reason for the absence is not a valid excuse for temporary nonattendance according to the state’s Compulsory Attendance Law.

• If a student is found to be without a badge, they will be issued an after-school detention and/or ISI.
• If a student is found to be falsifying a badge, it will result in an automatic 3 days of ISI.
• Replacement badges are $5.00.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS OF BEHAVIOR

Overall School Rules

• Listen and follow directions.
• Take care of school property, and keep our school neat and clean.
• Stay in assigned areas, and act in an orderly manner.
• Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself.
• Be in hallways or restrooms only with permission.
• Walk quietly and in an orderly manner in the hallways and on walkways.
• Chewing gum is not allowed.
• Running is allowed only on the playground under supervision.
• Trading items of any kind are not allowed at school.
• Cell phones, radios, games, smartwatches, and other electronic devices are to be put away in class.
• Toys are not to be brought to school without written permission from the teacher.
• Proper behavior is expected in the cafeteria, on campus, and at all other school activities.
• Do not open or prop doors to let other students or visitors in the building.

Severe Disruptions

• Open defiance (bold refusal to obey or conform)
• Profanity or vulgarity (to include acts, gestures, or symbols) directed at another person
• Use or possession of any form of tobacco or tobacco paraphernalia on school property or at any school-sponsored activity
• Use, sale, or possession of drugs or alcohol on school property or at any school-sponsored activity
• Defacing or otherwise injuring property that belongs to the school district (plus restitution for damages)
• Fighting at school or at school-sponsored activities
• Use or possession of dangerous objects (including fireworks)
• Use or possession of weapons
• Stealing or possession of stolen property  (plus restitution)
• Cutting classes or in-school truancy
• Leaving campus without authorization
• Bullying, harassment, intimidation, or threats toward other students or staff members
• Action resulting in injury or endangerment of other students
• Other behaviors as determined by the principal

Expectations for behavior in the Library/Media Center 

• Follow Media Center rules and guidelines. 

Expectations for behavior in the Hallways and Walkways 

• Do not run through the corridors or in or out of doorways. 
• Move through the corridors in an orderly manner like ladies and gentlemen. 
• Have a signed and timed pass from a teacher anytime you must be in the corridors while classes are in progress.
• Do not loiter in the restrooms. 
• Take care of the restroom facilities and do not misuse them. 
• In the auditorium or at special programs, be courteous and attentive. 

• Ocean Springs High School students, participants and spectators alike are expected to exhibit good sportsmanship and proper behavior at both home and away games in all sports.  
• All school rules apply to athletic events, regardless of the site. Conduct at athletic events sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) is subject to guidelines set forth by the association and an approved school security plan has been approved.

Expectations for Conduct at Graduation Exercises

• Graduation from high school is both a memorable experience for students, families and friends, as well as a high point of honor for those involved and all school district personnel. The BOT recognizes the event as both a solemn occasion and a time of excitement due to the pride in personal achievement. 
• Student conduct and dress shall be in keeping with the pride of achievement in the formal setting of the exercise. Conduct or attire that is embarrassing, humiliating or otherwise not in keeping with the occasion will not be tolerated. 
• The successful completion of the graduation requirements entitles the student the option to participate in the graduation ceremony. The administration and BOT shall appropriately deal with unacceptable student conduct at graduation exercise on an individual basis. The School Board may consider the withholding of the graduation diploma, or take other appropriate action, where the conduct is disruptive to the graduation exercise. Caps and gowns may not be altered or modified. Caps will be given at graduation. 
• Any student expecting to participate in the graduation ceremony must be present at the practice for the exercise. Any student absent from practice without permission of the Principal will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony. Only students who have completed all requirements can participate. In the spring, graduating seniors will receive specific instructions about commencement ceremonies.

• teacher-student conference
• teacher-parent contact and/or conference
• counselor-student conference
• counselor-parent contact and/or conference
• administrator-teacher conference
• administrator-student conference,
• administrator-teacher-student conference
• administrator-teacher-student-parent conference
• student schedule adjustment
• referral to the counselor 
• referral to Teacher Support Team for interventions
• non-contact agreement
• Administrative timeout
• loss of privilege

FORMAL DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Detention

In-School Isolation (ISI)

Off-Campus Suspension (OCS)

• Parents / Guardians are responsible for transportation to and from the AEC. 
• OCS hours are 8:00 am – 3:00 pm.
• All assigned days must be served before students will be allowed to return to their Home School.  Any absences must be documented and a medical or legal excuse must be brought in the next day for the absence to be excused. Unexcused absences will result in zeros for assignments. The OCS day must be made up.
• Students must be on time and must remain for the entire school day. Students must be in OCS until 1:00 pm to be counted as full day served. Please make sure any appointments that you have scheduled for your child are after 1:00 so that your child receives credit for a full day served of OCS.
• Students may not check out during OCS.  
• Bookbags, purses, jackets, coats, etc. are prohibited.
• Materials such as paper, pens, and pencils are provided.
• Students may bring their lunch from home or may purchase cafeteria lunch. No lunch deliveries will be accepted.  
• Cell Phones / All Electronics are prohibited.
• Students must be in proper attire and in compliance with dress code.
• Students will complete their assignments sent from homeschool teachers and any work given to them to complete by the OCS teacher. Failure to complete assignments may result in zeros in the gradebook.
• Students will comply with all OCS classroom rules.

Out-of-School Suspension (OSS)

Expulsion

Targeted Support Plan

DISCIPLINE LADDER ADMINISTRATION

PARKING REGULATIONS

1. Student parking in the white lined numbered parking space will be made available to all students on a first come, first served basis through the principal's office. 
2. Students will purchase parking spaces through an online platform. Once a ticket is purchased, you must complete the parking application. You can launch the application by clicking here. 
3. To purchase a decal a student must show to school personnel (a) proof of in-force insurance which lists the specific vehicle(s) for which the decal is being purchased, and (b) a valid Mississippi driver’s license. Students without in-force insurance or without a valid driver’s license (including a suspended license) may not drive on the Ocean Springs High School campus. 
4. No vehicle may be parked on campus without a decal. 
5. A student will be given an identification number with the purchase of one (1) or more permit decals. Each decal will cost twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Each decal will have the identification number for the student's vehicle.
6. Parking decals may be transferred to another vehicle, but students will need to register the new vehicle prior to parking on campus.
7. Parking decals will be reissued each year, with the color of parking permit decals changing annually.
8. Students may buy as many decals as they wish (for other family vehicles), but only one vehicle may be driven to school each day. Upon payment of the designated fee and completion of the registration card that describes the vehicle, license tag number, identifies the vehicle owner and proof of insurance, a parking decal(s) will be issued for that vehicle(s). 
9. Unauthorized or non-permit vehicles should not be brought on campus and may be towed away at the owner's expense. The school will not be responsible for any damage to vehicles resulting from towing. The school may tow any car that is: 
   1. not registered 
   2. does not belong to the registered student 
   3. does not have a current sticker, tag and insurance 
10. Furthermore, a student who has an assigned parking decal does not have the right to give permission to another student to  park using their decal. Violation will result in the loss of parking privilege. 
11. Students who park in an unassigned parking space will be disciplined.
12. The parking lot will be patrolled daily by a campus police officer with checks made on parked vehicles at varying times during the day. 
13. All vehicles parked on school grounds/property are subject to be searched. Parking on school property constitutes consent to a search. This includes searches by school administration, OSSD Police, and other law enforcement including drug dogs. 
14. Students are required by board policy JGFF - Automobile Use to inspect their cars thoroughly prior to driving on campus. Students are responsible for everything in or on their vehicle driven on school property at all times. 
15. Items contained in student vehicles will be considered to be in the possession of the student who drove the vehicle on to the campus. Students are required to thoroughly search their vehicles prior to driving on to the campus. 
16. Violations of parking rules or any reckless driving with a vehicle will be reported to the Principal's office for disposition and may result in loss of parking privileges. 
17. Violation of the Code of Student Conduct may result in the revocation of a student’s parking privilege for the remainder of the year. 
18. Use of a student vehicle to leave campus without authorization may result in immediate and automatic forfeiture of their parking privilege. 
19. All Students parking on campus must have a signed consent form for Random Drug Testing on file in the school office. Students should not purchase parking decals unless they intend to bring a vehicle to school on a regular basis. Students may not purchase parking decals for other students. 
20. Students will not sit in cars before or during school. 
21. No riding in back of trucks. 
22. Students are not to be in the parking lot during the regular school day unless they have a pass from the office.
23. Obscene/profane stickers, decals, etc., are prohibited. 

DRIVERS CONDUCT

1. Drivers must follow all traffic regulations/speed limits on campus and while entering and exiting campus while in school zones.
2. Students are not allowed to drive in a manner that may be deemed or described as reckless. 
3. All students must stay on designated roadways at all times. 
4. Loud music and/or honking horns is prohibited. 
5. No parking in reserved parking spaces.
6. Failure to comply with the above regulations will result in disciplinary action and/or loss of driving privilege.

• GPA 3.0 or above 
• No disciplinary infractions in the past calendar year 
• Attendance in accordance with OSHS Attendance Policy

1. “Satisfactory Progress Towards Graduation” – District Determination 
2. MS Law – Student must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0 or “C” average 
3. 9th Grade Begins H. S. Eligibility – Promoted to 9th grade, with at least an overall 2.0 or “C” average 
4. Semester Eligibility – Overall average of course grades must equal at least 2.0 GPA or “C” 
5. Fall Eligibility – Overall average of final grades must equal at least 2.0 GPA or “C” 
6. Grades – for summer school, extended day/year programs, credit recovery classes, and correspondence courses must be earned prior to the beginning of the following semester or year.

NCAA Approved Courses as of 5/4/2022

1. AP ENGLISH LITERATURE
2. AP LANG CAPSTONE
3. CREATIVE WRITING
4. DC ENGLISH COMP I /DUAL CREDIT
5. DC ENGLISH COMP II/DUAL CREDIT
6. ENGLISH I
7. ENGLISH II
8. ENGLISH III
9. ENGLISH IV
10. HONORS ENGLISH I
11. HONORS ENGLISH II
12. IB ENGLISH III
13. IB ENGLISH IV
14. INTRO TO JOURNALISM
15. LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION/AP
16. MISSISSIPPI WRITERS
17. PRE AP ENGLISH I
18. PRE AP ENGLISH II

1. ACCELERATED ALGEBRA I
2. ALGEBRA I
3. ALGEBRA I EXT (1 UNIT MAX)
4. ALGEBRA II
5. ALGEBRA III
6. AP CALC AB W/ FIELD EXPER
7. AP CALCULUS AB/BC
8. AP CALCULUS BC
9. AP STATISTICS
10. DC COLLEGE ALGEBRA
11. DC COLLEGE ALGEBRA/DUAL CREDIT
12. DC STATISTICS/DUAL CREDIT
13. DC TRIG/DUAL CREDIT
14. GEOMETRY
15. HONORS ALG I
16. HONORS ALGEBRA II
17. HONORS GEOMETRY
18. IB MATH SL
19. IB MATH SL II
20. IB MATH STUDIES I
21. IB MATH STUDIES II
22. PRE AP GEOMETRY
23. STATISTICS/AP
24. UNIFIED GEOMETRY

1. AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
2. AP GOVT AND POLITICS
3. AP HUMAN GEOG W/ FIELD EXPER
4. AP PSYCHOLOGY
5. AP US HISTORY
6. DC GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY/DUAL CREDIT
7. DC INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY/DUAL CREDIT
8. DC WORLD CIVILIZATION II/DUAL CREDIT
9. DC WORLD CIVILIZATION/DUAL CREDIT
10. ECONOMICS
11. HONORS MISSISSIPPI STUDIES
12. IB HISTORIES OF THE AMERICAS I
13. IB HISTORIES OF THE AMERICAS II
14. IB PSYCHOLOGY
15. INTRO TO WORLD GEOGRAPHY
16. LAW RELATED EDUCATION
17. MACROECONOMICS/AP
18. MICROECONOMICS/AP
19. MISSISSIPPI STUDIES
20. PSYCHOLOGY
21. SOCIOLOGY
22. U.S. GOVERNMENT
23. U.S. HISTORY
24. WORLD HISTORY
25. WORLD RELIGIONS

1. ACCELERATED BIOLOGY
2. AP BIOLOGY
3. AP CHEMISTRY
4. AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
5. AP PHYSICS 1
6. AP PHYSICS 2
7. BIOLOGY
8. BIOLOGY/AP W/FIELD EXPERIENCES (1 UNIT MAX)
9. BOTANY
10. CHEMISTRY
11. CHEMISTRY/AP W/FIELD EXPERIENCES (1 UNIT MAX)
12. DC GENERAL BIOLOGY/DUAL CREDIT
13. EARTH & SPACE SCIENCE
14. GENETICS
15. HONORS BIOLOGY
16. HUMAN ANAT/PHYS OR HUMAN ANAT/PHYS FIELD EXPER
17. IB BIO HL
18. IB BIOLOGY PT 2
19. PRE AP CHEMISTRY
20. ZOOLOGY II
21. ZOOLOGY W/FIELD EXPERIENCE (1 UNIT MAX)

1. ACCELERATED FRENCH I
2. ACCELERATED FRENCH II
3. ACCELERATED SPANISH I
4. ACCELERATED SPANISH II
5. FRENCH I
6. FRENCH II
7. FRENCH III
8. FRENCH IV
9. HONORS FRENCH I
10. HONORS FRENCH II
11. HONORS SPANISH I
12. HONORS SPANISH II
13. IB SPAN I AB INITIO
14. IB SPAN II AP INITIO
15. IB SPANISH SL 4
16. IB SPANISH SL 5
17. IB TOK /THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
18. SPANISH I
19. SPANISH II
20. SPANISH III
21. SPANISH IV