| Campus Life |
| School Policies |
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If a student is to get the most from his experience at MUS, he must attend class. Unexcused absences are major disciplinary offenses. When a student is absent, his parents should notify the school by 8:30 a.m. and explain the reason for his absence. The student should obtain his assignments from the website, from the school office, or a classmate, prepare these assignments, and appear in class with all assignments on the day that he returns to school. The school will make reasonable accommodations in cases of illness. A student who knows in advance that he will be absent from a class is expected to notify the office and his teachers and make arrangements for all work that will be missed. It is in his best interest to complete the missed work in advance. A student may not participate in athletic practices, games, play performances, or rehearsals if he has been absent during the course of the day. The principal determines any exception to this rule. Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco The fundamental approach of the school is to support parents in their efforts and responsibilities as parents and to foster respect and concern for each member of the school community and his wholesome development. Alcohol and other drug use interfere with development and are not acceptable as adolescent behaviors. The school follows the policy of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association to determine whether a student is eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics. To be eligible at the varsity and junior-varsity level, a student must earn five credits the preceding school year. (Credits must be earned by the first day of the school year.) Students who are ineligible for the first semester may gain eligibility for the second semester by passing five credit courses first semester.
The buildings are opened at 7:30 a.m. and closed at 4:00 p.m. on school days. Between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. the campus is considered closed to students except for official school functions. Students not remaining for make-up work or other after-school activities should be picked up promptly at dismissal time. When school is dismissed early, the buildings are closed 45 minutes after dismissal. Once a student arrives on campus, he is to remain on campus until the school day ends. Upper School students whose scheduled free period begins at 2:15 p.m. on Friday have permission to leave campus at that time. Students are not to visit other school campuses without permission from that school's administration. Students may use cell phones on campus only before 8:15 a.m. and after school has dismissed for the day. Students who use cell phones or other personal communication devices will receive appropriate penalties. A student who is tardy or who needs to leave school during the regular school day must report to the office to sign in or out. A student may not check out unless a parent has given permission in writing or by phone. Students are expected to attend all classes (including physical education classes), supervised study sessions, and assemblies unless they have received prior clearance from the office to miss. With each class cut, three points will be deducted from the quarter average (see also Tardiness). The Memphis Association of Independent Schools, recognizing its responsibility to students and parents, believes all social and extracurricular activities sponsored by the school should be wholesome experiences for all participants. Socially useful school activities can be continued only under supervision and strict adherence to regulations concerning student conduct. Misbehavior on any independent-school campus by students of any independent school (particularly misbehavior involving the use of alcohol and other drugs) will be reported to the administrator of the school in which other involved students are enrolled. The concerned school administrator will acknowledge his awareness of the misbehavior and follow through with appropriate discipline of those involved in the misbehavior including notification of the students cited. The increasing use of alcohol by students is a matter of grave concern to everyone concerned with student well-being. Only the combined efforts of school administrators, parents, and students can lead to the solution of this serious problem. In addition to expressing their desire to keep alcoholic beverages from their campus, it must be firmly stated that school administrators deplore and discourage the serving of alcoholic beverages to any student at any place, in any form, before or after school-related social and extracurricular functions. The following schools will inform their communities of this policy of mutual assistance and ask for the full cooperation of all adults and students. Community Service Memphis University School recognizes that moral, emotional, and spiritual development is cultivated through service to the community. The school encourages its students to give their time and effort to help make the community a better place for all. Through the Civic Service Organization, the school offers many and various opportunities for students to get involved in volunteer civic-service work. Most churches and synagogues offer additional avenues for young people to involve themselves in community service. It is our hope that the students of Memphis University School will develop lifelong commitments to serving their fellow man. Computer Access The school has invested substantially in computing and network resources to support its curricular, extracurricular, and administrative goals. Students are enthusiastically encouraged to use the school's resources in a manner consistent with these goals. However, it is important for students and parents to understand that access to computing and network resources is a privilege, not a right. As a privilege, access to computing and network resources comes with a set of accompanying responsibilities. The following are some of the most important responsibilities.
Conduct and Discipline Memphis University School insists that its students live up to high standards of honor, industry, and obedience. All students are to understand that in order to maintain the high standards of gentlemanly behavior on the part of its students, the school reserves the right to suspend or expel a student guilty of misconduct whether occurring on or off the school campus. The school hopes to create such a spirit of cooperation between the faculty and the students that discipline will be self-imposed rather than forced. Conduct Grades In the Lower School, students whose conduct grades are not acceptable are assigned Saturday School penalties. A boy with a "U" or two "N's" receives one Saturday School penalty. Additional deficient conduct grades warrant additional penalties. In the Upper School, students with a "U" or two "N's" in conduct are assigned to a Supervised Study Session. Discipline Committee The Discipline Committee hears special cases of misconduct of flagrant violations of school rules except violations of the Honor Code. The Discipline Committee in the Upper School consists of the Assistant to the Upper School Principal (Chairman), four faculty members, and a student (Commissioner of Student Welfare). The Lower School Discipline Committee consists of the Assistant to the Lower School Principal (Chairman) and three faculty members. Dress and Grooming Acceptability of dress depends heavily on neatness. Students are expected to arrive on campus dressed appropriately and should remain so dressed until they leave campus. Acceptable attire is required during the exam period as well. Appropriate attire includes:
Acceptability of grooming depends on neatness as well. Appropriate grooming includes:
Decisions concerning dress and grooming will be left to the discretion of the administration. Students who refuse to conform to the dress and grooming regulations may face major disciplinary action. Unless otherwise stated, all students participating in an extracurricular activity should conform to the dress and grooming code. Driving on Campus The campus speed limit is 15 miles per hour. Driving on campus is a privilege, not a right. Students who cannot drive safely and courteously will lose their privilege to drive on campus. Extreme caution should be exercised while driving on campus, particularly at stop signs, in the one-way drives at the Entrance Court and near the Hull Lower School, and on the road to Hutchison. Drugs Absolutely no non-prescribed or illegal drugs will be allowed on campus or at school functions off campus. Any student in possession of, or under the influence of, or selling the above drugs will be subject to expulsion. The school maintains the right to test students based on reasonable suspicion. Confirmed positive test results may result in dismissal from school. Students who bring medication to school should notify the school secretary and leave the medication in the office. Students must not bring any drugs not prescribed for them or not intended for their own medicinal use. Emergency Closing In the event of adverse weather conditions prior to the beginning of the school day, the school with follow the decision made by the Memphis City Schools. Please do not call the school office or school officials. During the school day, if weather conditions so dictate, the school will make the decision to close, and students will be allowed to call home for transportation. Emergency Procedures Specific directions are posted in each classroom outlining fire, tornado, and earthquake procedures. Students should react immediately to faculty instructions. Throughout the year, periodic emergency drills are held. In the event of tornado threat, the school bell or announcements on the school intercom will be used to alert all students. With this alert, students should move quietly to designated areas away from glass windows and should protect their heads. Protection under desks should be sought immediately in the event of an earthquake. With the cessation of seismic activity, students should follow faculty instructions and assemble by homerooms on the north side of the Administration building. In any real emergency, students are not to leave campus without permission from the administration. Excuses From Physical Education If a student is unable to participate because of illness and cannot dress out, he should bring a note from his parent to the physical-education teacher explaining the illness, and he will be excused. In the event of a prolonged illness, a student may be excused by a doctor's note. Fraternities The school forbids a student to be a member of a fraternity or a social club. If a new student is a member of a fraternity, he will have to give up his membership. Gambling Gambling is not permitted on campus under any circumstances. Gum Students are not allowed to chew gum at school. Honor Violations A student found guilty of an honor violation will be subject to dismissal from school. There may be instances when it may be judged by the Council and administration that the degree of the violation merits giving the student a second chance. This judgment will vary with the student's age and tenure under the Honor Code. If the first violation is treated as an opportunity for guidance, the student, in all likelihood, will be suspended, placed on probation, and counseled by the Director of Counseling Services. A second violation may well invoke the maximum penalty. Leaving School Grounds Under no circumstances is a student to leave the campus without permission from the administration. A student leaving the campus unexcused will face major disciplinary action.
Library Policies Circulation Policies 1) Check out all materials at the circulation desk. Removing material without checking it out is an honor code offense. Return all materials to the book drop. Overdues and Penalties 1) General Circulating materials are normally due on Wednesdays. A 20¢ per day fine is charged for each general circulating item.2) Overnight items are available at the end of the school day and must be returned by 8:30 a.m. the following school day. Absence from school does not relieve a student of this responsibility; arrangements should be made to return overnight materials on time. A fine of $1.00 per hour will be levied (up to $5.00 per day). 3) A student who has five overdue items, or a bill of $5.00 will be blocked from further loans. Lost Materials Computer Use Make-Up Work If a student is to get the most from his experience at MUS, he must attend class. Unexcused absences are major disciplinary offenses. When a student is absent, his parents should notify the school by 8:30 a.m. and explain the reason for his absence. The student should obtain his assignments from the website, from the school office, or a classmate, prepare these assignments, and appear in class with all assignments on the day that he returns to school. The school will make reasonable accommodations in cases of illness. A student who knows in advance that he will be absent from a class is expected to notify the office and his teachers and make arrangements for all work that will be missed. It is in his best interest to complete the missed work in advance. A student may not participate in athletic practices, games, play performances, or rehearsals if he has been absent during the course of the day. The principal determines any exception to this rule. Marriage Married students are not allowed to attend Memphis University School. Medicine Students who bring medication to school should notify the school secretary and leave the medication in the office. Students must not bring any drugs not prescribed for them or not intended for their own medicinal use. Messages Parents should exercise discretion in calling to leave messages for their sons. Messages will not be delivered, but rather placed on a message board outside the appropriate school office. Remind your son to check the board periodically. Only in a real emergency will a message be delivered, and then by the school secretary or by an administrator. If it is necessary for students to make calls, they may use the pay phones located on campus or, in cases of illness or emergency, the school phones. Students are not allowed to use cell phones during the day. Parking and Parking Lots Students may bring cars on campus that are properly registered and have a parking sticker displayed on the left rear bumper. Student parking is assigned through the Upper School Principal. Students will be assigned to a specific parking space in a specific lot and must park in their assigned space. Failure to follow the parking regulations may result in a loss of driving privilege on campus. After school, students may move their cars to another lot, but must still park in legal spaces. Once on campus, students are not allowed to sit in vehicles or use the parking lot as a gathering place. Penalties The school recognizes that we are working with boys who (as all of us do) make mistakes. It is very important that the school take these opportunities to educate the student about responsibility and accountability. The school is aggressive in its efforts to applaud those who excel, but it firmly believes that when students fail to reach the mark they must be held accountable. In that vein the school will assign penalties that are appropriate. For penalties to be an effective tool, it is imperative that they be served as soon as possible and that the parents fully support the school in holding the student accountable. Respect for School Property All damage to school property, even accidental, should be reported to the Business Manager of the school. Students who damage school property should help with the cost of replacing or repairing the damage. The school will not tolerate vandalism of school property or the property of others. Saturday School The term Saturday School refers to two different events at school. The term is used to define a period each Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. when students are provided an opportunity to do make-up work, including testing. Students assigned make-up work on Saturday should arrive on time. School dress is required. Saturday School also refers to a disciplinary punishment assigned by the Upper or Lower School Principal. This punishment requires a student to work on a campus project. The time for work usually is two hours and the time a student should report is assigned by the Principal. Appropriate clothing for work is suggested. An unexcused absence from this type of Saturday School will be treated as a major disciplinary offense. School Trips From time to time the school endorses trips supervised by MUS faculty members; however, the school will assume no responsibility or any liability connected with a trip unless it has been officially approved by the administration. Senior Privileges Various privileges are granted with the understanding that their abuse or any irresponsible conduct in their execution could result in the cancellation of the privilege(s) for the individual or the group.
Substance Abuse Though MUS counselors help students with academic and personal difficulties, our top priority is to prevent problem behaviors from emerging. Our educational efforts cover a variety of topics including a focus on alcohol and drug prevention. Any intervention made with respect to drug and alcohol use is based on circumstances surrounding each particular case: the immediate danger posed to the student, the frequency and quantity of consumption, the age of the student, the potential effects of substance use on personal development, and confidentiality issues. The Counseling Department attempts to prevent alcohol and drug use, and other harmful behaviors, through educational efforts and by promoting responsible decision-making to maximize the safety and healthy development of our students. Students and parents who have questions are encouraged to contact any member of the Counseling Department. Suspension and Expulsion Policy Certain offenses and violations of school rules are considered serious enough to merit suspension, either in-house or at-home, or expulsion. Additionally the school reserves the right to suspend or expel from school any student, if, in the sole discretion of the administration, such suspension or expulsion is necessary to protect the best interest or welfare of the school, including the health and well-being of other students, faculty, or staff. In such cases a letter will be sent to the parents indicating the nature of the problem and the date of suspension or expulsion. A student may not participate in any school activity during the period of suspension. An in-house suspension is employed in many cases and the student will work on academic assignments and take assigned tests during the course of the suspension. It is the student's obligation to check with his instructors prior to the suspension to get assignments and to arrange for makeup of tests. All missed work will be made up. With the use of the suspension the school is drawing attention to the seriousness of a situation in hope that the student's conduct will improve before dismissal from school becomes necessary. Suspension or expulsion must have the approval of the Headmaster. Tardiness The school insists that a student be punctual in reporting to school each morning. The first bell is at 8:10 a.m. and the homeroom period begins at 8:15 a.m. If a student is tardy, he must check in with the office before going to class. Even if the tardy is excusable (medical appointments, accidents, weather conditions, or emergencies), students should realize the importance of promptness to school. A student arriving at school any time during the day after 8:30 a.m. must have a note or a parental call explaining the tardiness. Unexcused tardiness, as determined by the school, after 8:30 a.m. will be treated as class cuts and three points deducted from the quarter grade of each class missed. Tobacco The use of tobacco in any form is strictly forbidden anywhere on the school campus for health and safety reasons. Tobacco products are not to be carried on campus by the student. U Cards Multi-purpose U Cards are issued to all MUS students. They are used to pay for food in the cafeteria, to check out books in the library, to purchase items in the bookstore, and for admission to home athletic events. Lost U Cards will be replaced at a cost of $10. Students should make arrangements to replace lost cards with the secretary of the Lower School or Upper School. Every effort will be made to issue the replacement card within one week of notification of its loss. Weapons Firearms are not allowed on campus. If a gun is necessary for a demonstration, play, or other presentation, permission must be granted by the administration before a student can bring it on campus. All such firearms will be stored in the school vault. Knives and all other weapons are strictly prohibited. Any student who brings an unauthorized weapon on campus will be subject to expulsion. |
