OWH

Family
Handbook
 Principal’s Message
Welcome to OWH! Our school community looks forward to working
collaboratively with your family to ensure that your child makes a smooth
transition into middle school. Our primary goal is to prepare every child for
excellence by providing a well-rounded, challenging educational experience for
students at all levels and maintaining an environment that celebrates students’
strengths and interests.

Education is a partnership and it is vital that you continue to be involved in your

child’s academic and social development during their middle school years. This
handbook will serve as a resource to bridge school and family as partners to
clarify expectations so that our children can reach their highest potential. It makes
clear how we expect students to behave, to manage themselves, and to be
responsible, contributing members of our school community. We encourage you
to monitor your child’s academic progress at home and to participate in parent
meetings and family events at school.

We are all partners in this effort; success will only be achieved by working
together. It is important for you to understand that all of us at OWH are
committed to the responsibility and joy of being on this three-year middle school
journey with you. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and efforts in
working with us to make your child’s experience at OWH a truly successful and
memorable one!

Let’s start our year and end our year with enthusiasm and big smiles, and along
the way learn more about what we can all achieve together!

Faye J. Erstejn-Kōtzer
Principal

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 Table of Contents

Principal’s Message I
Mission/Vision Statement/Core Values 1
Attendance and School Hours 2
Behavior Code and Expectations 2
Clubs/Sports/After School 10
Comfort Dog 10
Dress Code/Uniform 4
Drop off/Dismissal/ Traffic and Pedestrian Safety 4
Electronic Devices/Social Media 5
Emergency Contact Cards 6
Emergency Preparedness 7
Field Trips 7
Grading and Homework Policy 11
Helping Your Child at Home 13
Homeroom 12
Honor Roll and Awards 10
Lost and Found 8
Lunch 8
Medical Office 8
Permission Slips and Notices 7
Planners 12
PTA 13
Resources 14
School-Home Connection/Communication 6
Student Led Conferences 10
Supplies/Book Bags 8
Supporting Academic Success 9
Transportation 8
Visiting the School 7
 Welcome to a New School Year at OWH!
Our vision is to create a student centered and friendly environment in which
students embody our school’s core values of a growth mindset, honesty,
leadership, and perseverance to help promote student achievement and
college and career readiness.

Mission Statement
PREPARING EVERY STUDENT FOR EXCELLENCE THROUGH
RIGOROUS ACADEMICS

What our Core Values Mean to our Students

Growth Mindset
“Having a growth mindset means to believe that you can develop the skills you have
now in order to succeed in life and, if you don’t believe in that, you can fall into a bad
state where you may always believe in failure.” - B.T.

Honesty
“Honesty is the act of telling the truth and doing actions that are considered moral.
Honesty impacts me as a student as it is an important value that reflects on your
academic success. Honesty is shown in the school and in our actions as students hand
in work on time or respect others as well as help peers. Even though these actions are
simple, they display the student’s sense of honesty as they remain true to their role in
the school.” – R.I.

Leadership
“Leadership is having the ability to guide or to lead others, helping students with
classwork, homework, group projects, projects, and helping the teachers. We have to
pay attention in class because if we don’t pay attention in class, then we will never be
able to guide or lead others and it will impact us all. To lead others, we have to be
knowledgeable; which makes us leaders.” – S.M.

Perseverance
“To persevere means if you aren’t doing well, you can make yourself do well. Thinking
positive is a big must. This will encourage students to try hard and keep learning, even

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if it is a subject they don’t particularly like or usually do well in.” – D.D.

Attendance

Please ensure that your child arrives to school on time with their completed Health Screening
Form. Punctuality is important for academic success. Aside from not missing important
instructional time, attendance goes on your child’s permanent record, and is a factor in high
school acceptance. If your child is absent, please send in a parent or doctor’s note to the
attendance office when he/she returns to school. If your child is late, he/she must complete a
late pass and repeated lateness will result in after school detention .

8:00 AM – 2:20 PM

Behavior Code and Expectations

The following behaviors are not tolerated at OWH, as indicated by the Chancellor and Mayor:

 Physical violence
 Stalking
 Verbal or physical conduct that threatens another with harm
 Seeking to coerce or compel a student or staff member to do something; hazing
 Taunting; exclusion from peer groups designed to humiliate or isolate
 Using derogatory language or name calling to humiliate or harass
 Written or graphic material, including graffiti, containing comments or stereotypes that
are derogatory of others

If your child has experienced or witnessed any of the above behavior, please have them report
the incident to an adult in the building.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate
those differences.” -Audre Lorde

Discipline Code
All families may access the NYC DoE Discipline Code, Bill of Students Rights and

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responsibilities online in English and in multiple languages:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/rules-for-students/discipline-code

Honor Code

The purpose of this Honor Code is to communicate the meaning and importance of academic
integrity to all members of the school community and to articulate and support the interest of
the community in maintaining the highest standards of conduct in student learning. OWH
embodies a spirit of mutual trust and intellectual honesty that is central to the very nature of
learning, and represents the highest possible expression of shared values among the members
of the school community. The core values underlying and reflected in the Honor Code are: 

Academic Honesty 
This is demonstrated by students when the ideas and the writing of others are properly cited;
students submit their own work for tests and assignments without unauthorized assistance;
students do not provide unauthorized assistance to others; and students report their research or
accomplishments accurately.

Respect 
Respect for others and the learning process to demonstrate academic honesty.

 Trust 
Trust in others to act with honesty and integrity as a positive community-building force in the
school.

Responsibility 
Recognized by all when students demonstrate their best effort to prepare and complete
academic tasks.

Integrity 
All members of the community who hold themselves to high expectations are honest and
display good character.

This Honor Code summarizes the Honor Policy, which defines the expected standards of
conduct in academic affairs.
Dress Code/Uniform
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Successful adherence to the dress code helps eliminate disparities and competition due to a
student’s appearance, improves students’ self-esteem, and helps increase the focus on
academic achievement. At OWH, we provide students with a variety of school uniforms from
which they can choose.

Students are required to wear the following items:

 OWH Green short sleeved polo, OWH Blue long sleeved polo, OWH White short
or long sleeved polo (dress polo for special occasions), Green or Blue OWH
sweatshirt, or the Green OWH athletic t-shirt.
 Khaki or Black bottoms; pants or skirts

Items that are not permitted:

 Hats, caps or do-rags

 Non OWH outer garments and/or hooded sweatshirts may not be carried or worn in the
building.
 Revealing/immodest clothing

These items must be secured in your child’s coat room.

Uniform components may be purchased, in-person. We are encouraged by our ongoing high
compliance rate and request your continued support in continuing to provide crucial at-home
reinforcement, which will ensure the future success of our dress-code/uniform initiative.

Safe Drop-off and Dismissal

In order to ensure the safety of all students, please drop off your child at the school’s main
entrance in the morning no earlier than 7:15 AM.

Please be considerate and do not stop your car in the middle of 28th Street of 37th Avenue or
double-park to drop off or pick up your child.
Once in the building, students cannot leave prior to the official dismissal time. Students will
only be released to a parent/guardian or to an adult on the blue card who presents photo ID
and signs the student out of school in the main office.

Traffic/Pedestrian Safety

If your child walks to school, please review safety rules regarding crossing streets: using
crosswalks, watching for traffic, and not texting when crossing the street.
Electronic Devices
In accordance with the Chancellor’s Regulations, students are permitted to bring the following 4
electronic items to school: cell phones, laptops, tablets, iPads, and other similar computing
devices and portable music entertainment systems, etc. However, once a student enters
school premises all electronic devices are expected to be turned off and put away for the
entire school day. Cell phones, laptops, tablets, iPads, and other similar computing devices and
portable music entertainment systems, etc. may not be turned on or used while on school
property. If a student needs to contact a parent they are expected to use a school phone with
permission. Please see below for the school’s policy concerning electronic devices; should the
policy change, you will be notified. In order to minimize temptation, students may request that
their homeroom teacher store their phone for the day in a secure location. Please note that
the school is not responsible for missing, damaged or misplaced electronics.

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students of OWH:

The Department of Education has modified their cell phone regulations empowering each school
community to devise its own Student Cell Phone Policy. In consultation with our OWH School
Leadership Team and in accordance with Chancellor’s Regulation A-413, our school’s cell phone policy
went into effect March 2015. The cell phone policy is as follows:

Student cell phones and other portable electronic devices may not be taken out, turned on, or used in
school from 7:15 AM to 2:20 PM unless otherwise indicated by a school official.

The above policy was created with the expectation of maintaining a positive school culture and climate
that provides students with a supportive environment in which to grow both socially and academically.
Kindly refrain from texting and calling students during the school day on their cell phones as it
impedes the educational process. In case of emergency, please call the school.

Students who do not adhere to our school’s policy, Chancellor’s Regulation A-413, and/or the DoE’s
Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy (“IAUSP”), will be subject to disciplinary actions in accordance
with the DoE’s Discipline Code in the Citywide Behavioral Expectations. Cell phones and/or other
electronic devices used in violation of school policy will be subject to confiscation by school staff.
Confiscated devices will only be returned to parents/guardians between the hours of 7:45 AM and
8:30 AM.

Should you have any questions regarding the OWH Cell Phone Policy, please contact our parent
coordinator or dean at 718-937-1463.
Sincerely,

Faye Erstejn-Kōtzer
Principal
SOCIAL MEDIA
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What is Social Media? Social media is any form of online publication or presence that allows
interactive communication, including social networks, blogs, photo sharing platforms, Internet
websites, forums, and wikis. Examples of social media include, but are not limited to,
Facebook, Twitter, Edmodo, Schoology, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Snapchat and Flickr.
Families:
Families today have a new role: helping children behave safely and responsibly when they're
using social media. The resource below will enable you to have a dialogue with your child on
the importance of being responsible on social media outlets.
https://magic.piktochart.com/output/1329156-nycdoe_post_responsibly
Emergency Contact Blue Cards
Emergency Contact Cards (3) are sent home in September. ALL three (3) should be filled out
completely with updated information and returned as soon as possible. These emergency
cards ensure that all persons who are listed will have access to your child for pick up. Adults
who are not listed on the blue card, and/or do not have a photo ID will not be permitted to
pick up your child from school. Contacts provided on the card should be people who can easily pick
up your child in your stead.
If your phone number changes, please send in a signed note with your child’s name, class, and
updated phone number to the main office. If your address changes, contact the main office to
ask for a Residency Questionnaire to complete and return. It is important for us to have your
correct information so you can receive important phone blasts, letters, and information.

School-Home Communication

Effective school-home communication is vital to your child’s successful academic performance.

You may contact your child’s teachers through www.pupilpath.com. PupilPath also provides
important information about your child’s academic performance. In the fall of your child’s first
year, you will receive login information on how to access PupilPath. If you have any questions
about PupilPath or need your access codes, please contact the parent coordinator.

To ensure your child’s success, continue to monitor their progress by:

 accessing Pupil Path on a regular basis
 checking agenda books daily
 helping him/her organize his/her school bag
 securing an appointment to attend student led conferences
Teachers are also available to meet with families, with an appointment, every Tuesday from
2:20 – 3:00 PM. Students are expected to participate in Student Led Conferences (also by
appointment) providing them the opportunity to have discussions with their families about
their classes, goals, and progress.

Paper notices with important information are sent home with students on an ongoing basis.
Please ask your child frequently if he/she has received any notices.
HOW TO STAY CONNECTED?
Make sure your phone numbers are updated to receive periodic automated school-wide phone 6
calls of important information and updates, check for paper notices and monthly calendars sent
home with students, and check our school website for updates and important links.

Visiting the School

All adults who enter the building during school as well as before or after school hours must
provide photo ID to the security desk officer. Adults without photo ID and/or not listed on the
Emergency Contact Blue Card, will not be allowed to pick up their child. After signing in at the
front desk everyone must report directly to the main office.

Emergency Preparedness and Safety

Every school year we have several drills to be prepared for all emergency situations. In the
event of a true emergency (for example, gas leak, water main break, etc.), parents are
requested not to come to the school building, but to wait for an automated phone call or text
with further instructions. Parents can also register at Notify NYC to receive email and text
notifications or go the DoE website, www.schools.nyc.gov for information. As a middle school,
we are also subject to be scheduled for random scanning.

Field Trips

Field trips are encouraged to enhance our curricula by making real world connections to what is
being learned in class. It is imperative that all completed permission slips are submitted on
time to the required teacher. Once the deadline passes, your child will run the risk of the
inability to attend the designated field trip. School uniforms must be worn on ALL trips. Under
no circumstances will permission slips be accepted the day of the trip. Students who are not
going on trips are still required to attend school. Students not participating in field trips will be
given supplemental instructional material to complete in lieu of the field trip experience.

Permission Slips and Notices

School notices and permission slips are distributed to students on a regular basis. It is
mandatory that students give all notices and permission slips to their parents/guardians. If you
need a school notice translated, or have questions about the information, please contact the
parent coordinator.
Permission slips for school trips, volunteering at school, performing at school, or for any other
school related activity must be signed by an adult and returned to school in a timely manner.
Students without a mandatory signed permission slip for a specific school activity will not be
allowed to participate.

Lost and Found/Valuables

Please encourage your child to leave all valuables at home. The school is not responsible for any 7
lost or stolen property.

Large lost and found items are stored in a bin adjacent to the security desk. Smaller lost and
found items are stored in the main office. Lost and Found items (including outerwear) are kept
for two weeks, and then unclaimed items are donated to charity. If your child is missing an
item please have him/her check the Lost and Found bins.

School Lunch

School lunch is completely free for all students in every New York City public school. However,
school lunch form applications will be distributed to all students in September and must be
completed. Please fill out your paper lunch form completely and return it to school as soon as
possible. Alternatively, you may complete your application online at nyc.applyforlunch.com.
School lunch is not mandatory.

Medical Office

School staff and teachers are not permitted to administer or assist with the administration of medication to
any student during the school day. The role of the school nurse includes, but is not limited to;
providing first aid to the entire student population, providing required/skilled nursing services
to students with documented needs, serving as a liaison between the medical provider, the
school, and the staff regarding student concerns, following the Office of School Health
communicable disease control procedures and tracking system for student referrals.

Supplies/Book Bags

School supply lists are available on our school website or from your child’s teachers. In order to
minimize the weight of your child’s book bag, it is recommended to leave all unnecessary items
at home. String bags and roller book bags are not permitted in school.

Transportation

Public Transportation
For all pupils who use public transportation, metro cards will be issued in September and
February. For the first few days of school, students should bring sufficient bus fare to come to
school and to return home.

Please remember you represent OWH. Any students using MTA bus transportation should line
up at the bus stop, behave courteously to adults and each other at the stop and on the bus.
Inappropriate behavior will have consequences as per the Chancellor’s Regulations.
To check your child’s metro card eligibility visit www.optnyc.org.
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*To replace a lost metro card, students complete the Lost Metro Card Form in the main office
during AM Homeroom and are called down later in the day. Please make sure to safeguard
metro cards since, replacing lost cards may take several days if replacements have to be
ordered.

Special Education Transportation

For Special Education pupils who will make use of the special bus transportation provided, it is
advisable that you be out at your corner a few minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.
Should there be any difficulty with pick up, please contact the Office of Pupil Transportation at
718-784-3313. For updates on bus stops and pick up times, please check the Office of Pupil
Transportation website beginning September 1st:
http://www.optnyc.org/parents/information.htm

Dismissal for Buses: All special education school buses will be parked outside OWH to receive
students at 2:20 PM. Parents are responsible for transportation at the after-school program
dismissal.

What Students Should Remember About Riding the Yellow School Bus:
 Be at your bus stop corner ten minutes earlier than the time that the bus is scheduled to
depart from its first stop.
 If scheduled buses are missed, students will have to take the regularly scheduled MTA
bus routes or find alternate means of transportation for that particular situation.
 Students are expected to behave courteously to the bus driver, matron, and to each
other, on the bus and at the bus stop. Inappropriate behavior will have consequences as
per the Chancellor’s Regulations.

Supporting Academic Success

Homework
Most subject teachers assign homework every day. Students are required to copy homework
assignments into their OWH planners. Please ensure that your child completes all homework
assignments on time. If your child is out sick, please check www.pupilpath.com for assigned homework.
Please note that the first homework assignment for the year is to complete and return all required
forms and emergency cards to the homeroom teacher.

Planners
Students will receive an OWH Student Planner at the beginning of the year, and are required to bring it
to school every day. Lost planners can be replaced for $5.

Textbooks

All textbooks and library books need to be returned at the end of the school year, or payment will be
required to replace the missing book.
Academic Honors at OWH
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Honor Roll – 85%and above in all subjects
Principal’s Honor Roll – 90% and above in all subjects

OWH ARISTA Junior Honor Society

Students must maintain an 85% and above in all classes throughout the school year and
complete required community service hours

Additional Awards
Service
Most Improved
Core Values
*Please note that conduct grades are also considered for ALL the above*

Clubs, Sports, and After School Activities

Basketball, Soccer, Track and Field, Fitness Club, City Year, Beacon, Museum of
the Moving Image, Intrepid, and much more….

**When attending after school activities, students may not leave the school at dismissal.
Students must report directly to the after school activity or assigned meeting place.**

+ Please note that Awards, Clubs, and Activities are subject to change.

Comfort Dog
Olivia Holmes is the OWH comfort dog. The Comfort Dog Program helps students build their
emotional intelligence, addresses social emotional health and overall provides an innovative
way to engage students utilizing the Mutt-i-grees curriculum from Yale University. Permission
slips are required to interact with Olivia and ALL students must return permission slips which
are distributed during homeroom at the beginning of the school year.
Student Led Conferences

Our Parent Teacher Conferences are conducted by appointment in the form of Student Led
Conferences. SLCs empower students to take ownership of their learning as they present their
portfolios to their families providing an opportune time to engage in discussions about classes,
goals, and progress.

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OWH Grading Policy ______

Grading Policy
Homework 20% Daily homework assignments, short and long term projects, independent
reading assignments, and other relevant tasks
Classwork 20% Completion of standards based work produced in class, Do Now
assignments, entrance tickets, exit tickets, daily assignments in class, and
unit pre-assessments), Question and Discussion rubric will be utilized in
Questioning & 20% class by the classroom teacher to assess via observation student
Discussion/Participation performance on question and discussion skills and content. The rubric will
be utilized in all classrooms.
Assessment 40% Unit post-assessments, teacher created exams/quizzes, monthly tasks, lab
reports, periodic assessments, mid-terms, finals, essays and projects

Make-up Work Policy

Homework and assignments have definitive due dates. All homework and assignments are expected to be returned on
time; exceptions will only be made with a note from a parent containing a valid excuse – illness or family emergency.
Assignments can be tracked on PupilPath. Absolutely no make-up work will be accepted after the marking period has
ended.

Alignment of rubric scores to Percentage scores

Level Score Percentage Score
1 55-59
1.5 60-64
2 65-74
2.5 75-84
3 85-89
3.5 90-94
4 95-100

It is important to note that a proficiency level of 3 on grade exams is considered to be on

grade level. As a result, to align with the expectations of standards, students are
considered failing if their subject average is below a 65 or a 75 for accelerated classes. All
subjects, including elective classes should be taken seriously as they all have instructional
merit. All classes are weighted accordingly on student report cards.

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OWH Student Planners

Each student receives an OWH student planner with important information and resources. The planner is a
useful tool to keep track of assignments and due dates. The planner includes the sections below.

Community Service Tracker

Community service is a good way of giving back to the community and becoming a model citizen. Students are
expected to complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service per year. Service can be completed by
helping teachers, through City Year, GRYC Beacon, or another community organization.

Merits/Demerit Tracker
Keep track of how many merits and demerits have been accrued. Merits will be used for individual rewards or
can be combined to reach a class goal towards a class incentive.

How Much Class Time Are You Missing?

Being in class is very important. Absences and leaving classrooms multiple times throughout the day can
impact academic success. Students can take charge of their education by tracking how much instructional
time they miss daily, weekly, and monthly.

Behavior and Social Media Contracts

Please complete and sign the contracts and return to your homeroom teacher at the end of the first week
of school. A copy is attached for your convenience at the end of this handbook to be signed and returned
to the homeroom teacher.

Student Goals
Please make sure to utilize the planner to keep track of your child’s progress towards his/her goals.
Why Goals are Important
1. Goals Give You Focus
2. Goals Allow You to Measure Progress
3. Goals Keep You Locked-in and Undistracted
4. Goals Help You Overcome Procrastination
5. Goals Give You Motivation

Homeroom

Homeroom is an invaluable component to the school day as it sets the tone for the day and is the time
during which students receive valuable information. Homeroom is not optional and students receive a
grade for homeroom. During homeroom, students review our High Utility Vocabulary words, participate in
social emotional learning activities, and read independently or journal.

OWH High-Utility Vocabulary

As part of our school’s Advanced Literacies initiative to encourage the use of academic vocabulary across all
content areas, we have included a list of High Utility Vocabulary words in the student planner.

Independent Reading
Students are expected to carry an independent reading book at all times. There is time built into
homeroom for reading weekly and to write a response to a virtue of the month reading passage once a
month.

Social Emotional Learning

Students participate in Brain Power, Sanford Harmony, or Ruler activities which can be repeated
throughout the day as necessary.
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Additional Resources & Tips
Helping Your Child at Home

Parents are their children’s first and most important educators. We strongly encourage
parents/guardians to continue to be closely involved in their children’s education. Check your
child’s book bag and planner every night for notes and homework assignments.

Please check our school website and PupilPath (www.pupilpath.com) regularly for updates and
upcoming events important to your child’s education. PupilPath provides important
information about your child’s progress, as well as listing homework assignments. You will
receive information in the fall of your child’s first year on how to access Pupil Path. If you have
specific questions about Pupil Path, or need your access codes, please contact the parent
coordinator.

You will also receive monthly Curriculum Newsletters to be able to keep abreast of what your
child is learning.

At Home:
* Provide a quiet, uncluttered space for your child to study, read, and
complete homework.
*Encourage the use of our High Utility Vocabulary.
*Encourage your child to read at least 20 minutes every day.
Obtain a free library card for your child at your local Queens Public
Library branch (www.queenslibrary.org).
* Monitor your child’s social media accounts and internet use.
* Encourage your child to have open, honest communication with you
by providing time to listen privately in a supportive, non-judgmental
way. If you notice any sudden changes in your child’s mood or
behavior, or suspect something may be wrong, please contact the
guidance counselor or dean immediately.

PTA
Your support is vital to the success of our school community! In addition, statistics show that children of
involved parents do better in school! There are many ways to support your child’s school, from
participating in fundraising events to serving on committees such as the Parent-Teacher Association
(PTA). The PTA raises money to fund the necessities not provided by the DoE, and the
enrichment programs that our children need.

To join the PTA or find out about membership fees, speak to our parent coordinator, leave a
note for the PTA in their mailbox (located in the main office), or check the school calendar for
the next PTA meeting.

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 Resources for Success
 Dial-a-Teacher is a free call-in service to help students with homework in all subjects.
Help is offered in many languages. Dial-a-Teacher is available Mondays – Thursdays on
school days, from 4:00 - 7:00 PM (212)777-3880. Dial-a-Teacher Online is available at
http://www.uft.org/parents/dial-a-teacher.

 www.ixl.com (math practice quizzes/tests)

 www.learnzillion.com (videos/tutorials for math & ELA)

 www.brainpop.com (Fun videos and activities in all subjects, fee)

 www.teachertube.com (all subjects); www.softschools.com (sample tests, quizzes, and

worksheets in all subjects).

 https://pupilpath.skedula.com/

 https://www.arcademics.com/

 https://www.xpmath.com/

 https://www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/tools/scavenger/game2_flash.html

 https://www.usa.learningtogether.net

 https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/eyk/index.asp?flash=false

 www.kidsspell.com/

 https://funbrain.com/kidscenter.html

 https://www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks/games/

 https://khanacademy.org/ (Free “chalkboard” tutorials/videos…for Math and H.S. level

Science, History, etc.);

Additional resources:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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OWH Social Media Contract
 Guidelines

Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, personal texting and others, are
powerful tools of communication that have significant impact on your personal reputation, as
well as the reputation of OWH. Your parent/guardian and you must read and sign this
contract acknowledging your responsibility to use social media responsibly as a member of
OWH. Please use the following guidelines when posting on social media sites.
➔     Think twice before posting. Privacy does not exist in the world of social media.
Consider what could happen if a post becomes widely known and how that may reflect
on your reputation, the reputation of your family and your friends, the reputation of
another student and the reputation of your school. Moreover, the information you
place online could jeopardize your future when applying to high school, college or even
applying for a job as a student or young adult.
➔     Always be authentic. Be honest about your identity. If you post personally or as a
student of OWH, make sure you are aware of the standards of conduct as you share
your personal views about yourself, other students, school personnel or the school.
➔     Never pretend to be someone else when you post personally or as a student of
OWH. Tracking tools enable supposedly anonymous posts to be traced back to the
authors. Always be honest about yourself and your views without providing personal
information that could be used against you.
➔     Be respectful and thoughtful. As a student of OWH, be mindful of the school’s
commitment to showing respect and dignity for all people and to the civil and
thoughtful discussion of opposing ideas. Treat others the way you would like them to
treat you while posting on social media sites.
➔     Know the rules. Follow a code of ethics. Become familiar with the terms of service
and policies of the social media sites and networks in which you participate and the
appropriate code of ethics required for responsible online communications.
➔     Always remember that cyberbullying is the willful and repeated bullying or
harassment of another person or persons through the medium of social media, which
includes electronic text.  Students who engage in cyberbullying on social media sites,
including electronic text, may be disciplined by OWH administrators in accordance with
the citywide behavioral expectancy or matters may be handled by the 114th precinct
as cyber bullying is illegal.

_____________________________ __________________________________
Student Signature Parent Signature

Student Behavioral Contract

I know that I have a right to:
be in a safe and supportive learning environment, free from discrimination, harassment and bigotry;
know what is appropriate behavior and what behaviors may result in disciplinary actions; be counseled
by members of the professional staff in matters related to my behavior as it affects my education and
welfare within the school; due process of law in instances of disciplinary action for alleged violations of
school regulations for which I may be suspended or removed from class.
I agree to:
 Come to school on time.
 Appear for each of my classes at the start time, ready to begin work.
 Be prepared with appropriate materials and assignments for all classes.
 Show respect to all members of the learning community.
 Resolve conflicts peacefully, and avoid fighting inside or outside of the school or at program
sites.
 Behave respectfully, without arguing, and cooperate when a staff member gives direction or
makes a request.
 I understand that I will be given an opportunity to voice my concerns at an appropriate time if I
do not agree with the request.
 Take responsibility for my personal belongings and respect other people’s property.
 Dress appropriately and do not wear any suggestive clothing including skinny tank-tops, midriffs,
short-shorts, or mini-skirts.
 Refrain from wearing clothes which have any signs of gang affiliation (e.g. scarves, bandanas)
and refrain from using gang signs, calls, chants, movements, handshakes.
 Refrain from bringing weapons, illegal drugs, controlled substances and alcohol to school.
 Refrain from bringing personal possessions that are disruptive (e.g., cell phone, beeper, pager)
in school.
 Share information with school officials that might affect the health, safety or welfare of the
school community.
 Keep my parents/guardians informed about school-related matters and make sure I give them
any information sent home.
 Follow all rules in the Discipline Code.
 Behave responsibly as described in the Bill of Student Rights and Responsibilities and
understand this contract. I have reviewed the bill of student’s rights and agree to follow the
rules of behavior.
Student Name: ________________________________
Student Signature: _____________________________ Date: ________________
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Parent Section
I understand the behavior that is required of my child. I agree to help my child follow this agreement by:
 encouraging my child to be a respectful and peaceful member of the school community
 discussing the contents of the Discipline Code and the Bill of Student Rights and Responsibilities with my
child
 participating in any discussions and decisions concerning my child’s education
 attending scheduled appointments with school staff
 providing the school with current telephone numbers and emergency contact information
 alerting the school if there are any significant changes in my child’s health, or well-being that affect
his/her ability to perform in school

Parent/Guardian Name: ______________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________________ Date: _________________