Good evening Jaguar Families,

This is Kevin Schottler, Principal, of Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School. I am excited to begin a new school year with our students, staff, and families.  We had great successes last year, but there is still work to be done in an effort to accelerate learning and move all students to proficiency in the 2024-2025 school year.  As we continue preparing for the upcoming school year, I wanted to reach out to open the lines of communication and introduce myself to each of you.  Please read the attached "Principal Welcome Letter" to get to know me, as I can't wait to get to know each of you.  Throughout the remainder of the summer, please listen out for dates and times for our pre-school events for students and families.  Communication will continue throughout summer via phone and email.  Once again, I am elated to continue this journey with you to ensure academic success for your children.

TMFMS Principal Welcome_2024_25.docx 

If you have any questions, please call the school at 727-552-1737 during normal operating hours.

Have a great rest of your weekend, thank you for your time, and Go Jaguars!

 

Upcoming Events (*denotes opportunity for parent meeting credit)

7/31 – 6^th Grade Gifted Bootcamp -  8am – 2pm

• 6^th Graders, and NEW 7^th and 8^th Graders, in the Center for Gifted Studies can attend
• A sign up form will be provided in early July for Registration

8/1 – 6^th Grade Fundamental Bootcamp – 9am – 12pm

• All 6^th Grade students can attend (even CGS students
• 7^th and 8^th Grade Students NEW to Thurgood can also attend
• A sign up form will be provided in early July for Registration

8/2 – Teachers and Staff Return from Summer Break

8/8 – 7^th and 8^th Grade Schedule Distribution – 11:00am – 12:00pm

• Schedule Pick Up in the Main Hall (students can practice finding their classes)
• Locker/Lock sales in the Gym 11:00 – 12:00
• PE Uniform Pre-Order in the Gym from 11:00 – 12:00

*8/8 – 6^th Grade Orientation (NEW 7^th/8^th Graders)– 2:00pm–3:30 pm café

• 7^th and 8^th Graders NEW to Thurgood are also welcome
• Meet and Greet with teachers, counselors, and administration (2:00 – 2:30) in the Cafe
• Review of Guidelines for Success Presentation
• Schedule Pick Up in the Main Hall (students can practice finding their classes)
• Locker/Lock sales in the Gym from 2:30 – 3:30
• PE Uniform Pre-Order in the Gym from 2:30 – 3:30

8/12 – 1^st Day of School for all Students

*9/12 – Back to School Night/Open House

 

Updates and Information:

 

7^th Grade Immunizations - Current 6^th Grade Students

*Required Immunizations going into 7^th Grade

The State of Florida requires students entering the 7th grade to have the TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) booster before the first day of school in August.

• Contact your child’s pediatrician for an immunization appointment.
• The Florida Department of Health provides required immunizations at NO COST, and
• Turn in your FL Certificate of Immunization (form 680) to your school’s Data Management Technician, in the front office, before school starts in August.

 

Athletics at Thurgood Marshall – This is the first year that Fundamental Schools in Pinellas County are able to host sports teams.  This is an exciting new venture and we know this will help propel our school to the next level while providing the needed student experience for all.  The following opportunities will be provided to both boys and girls at Thurgood Marshall during the 2024-2025 school year:

• Boys and Girls Track and Field
• Boys and Gilrs Volleyball
• Boys and Girls Basketball
• Boys and Girls Track and Field
• Boys and Girls Flag Football
• Cheerleading

Thurgood, students must have the following to participate in any capacity with athletics:

• School Insurance https://www.pcsb.org/Page/15271
• Doctors Physical
• Middle School Activity Form https://www.pcsb.org/Page/40658
• 2.0 GPA or higher
• Great Attitude!!!!

 

Dress Code

DRESSCODE GUIDELINES:

• The dress or grooming of a student should be neat and clean and not disruptive to the classroom atmosphere, educational process, or unusually distracting to others.
• Students should wear clothing as designed to be worn; pants and skirts must be worn at waist level.
• Students violating the dress code will be sent to the office to call their parents and request a change of clothing, when necessary.
• The student may be issued a detention for repeated violation of the dress code policy. Repeated violations are considered defiance and may result in a referral to the school’s Intervention and Appeals Committee.

The administration shall be the final judge as to the neatness and cleanliness of wearing apparel and whether such apparel is appropriate, disruptive, distracting, or in violation of health and safety rules

 Fundamental Dresscode

ACCEPTABLE Dress        

• Dresses or Skirts: Knee Length, No Shorter Than 3” Above Knee.
• Top of the Slit in a Skirt May Be No More Than 3” Above Knees.
• Shirts, Blouses, and/or Sweaters for Both Boys and Girls Must Cover the Midriff.
• While hoodies hare permitted to wear, the hood shall never be worn on campus
• Athletic Shoes, Sneakers, and Shoes with Heels and/or Straps
• All Shoes Must have a Permanent  Back
• Pants, Jeans, and Slacks are all permitted
• no holes, rips, tears, or frays
• Uniform style shorts are solid in color with a canvas material like khakis
• Clothing As Outlined in Announcements for Special Events 
• Sleeves Are Required for Both Girls and Boys

 Fundamental Dresscode

UNACCEPTABLE Dress         

• No Hats, Visors, bandannas, sunglasses, or head coverings
• No non-uniform shorts, athletic shorts, PE shorts,  or cargo style shorts
• No Dresses, Shirts, or Blouses that Bare the Midriff
• No Culottes or Skorts Worn More Than 3” Above the Knee
• No Tank Tops or Sleeveless Tops
• No Flipflops, Crocs or Similar Style Shoes, Sandals or Shoes Without Back Straps 
• No See-Through Clothing 
• No Halter Dresses or Tops with Plunging Necklines
• No Clothing or Vintage-Style Jeans with Holes, Cuts, Rips, Tears (Even If No Skin Is Visible)
• No Sunglasses Inside (cannot be worn on head as an accessory)
• No Visible Body Piercing (Except Ears)
• No Clothing Disruptive to The Learning Environment
• No Exposed Tattoos (Real or Drawn)
• No Neck Collars, Dog Collars, or Other Heavy Chains
• No Clothing and/or Jewelry Depicting Profanity, Violence, Weapons, Sexually Suggestive Signs or Symbols, Drugs, Tobacco, Alcohol, or Cult Gang Groups, Clubs, Organizations, Activities
• No Pajamas, Sleepwear, Slippers, or Other Pajama Type Attire
• No Pencil Skirts, Spandex/Form Fitting Pants, Or Leggings, jeggings, or athletic spandex pants
• No Pants Rolled Up or Above the Ankle.

 

Cell Phone Policy – Phones are to remain away all day. 

Phones that are out in any school setting can be confiscated and provided to the front office where a parent will have to pick up.  Phones that are confiscated will not be handed back to students at the end of the day.  Students may use phones in the morning as they wait to enter the building, but once they enter for breakfast, the phones are put away.  Students are also permitted to use phones after school ends as they wait for buses and parent pick up.

 

School Hours and Parent Car Circle for Daily Drop Off and Pick Up

School Hours – Student hours are from 9:40 – 4:10 Monday through Friday

• Students can be dropped off by parents in the car circle located behind the school off of 19th Ave South.   The car circle is the best place for student drop off and pick up to ensure their safety.
• Students should not arrive to campus before 9:10 each day. 
• Students will be permitted to enter campus at 9:10 each morning where they will report to the cafeteria for breakfast. 
• Students must be picked up by 4:40 each afternoon. 
• If students are participating in any ELP, Tutoring, Enrichment, or club opportunities, they must be picked up by 5:15pm. 

 

Car Circle Map

See the attached link for a map of the car circle and surrounding streets: TMFMS Car Circle Map (1) (002).jpg 

 

Parent Meeting Requirements

Parent Meeting Responsibilities Parents/guardians are required to attend eight Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA), or School Advisory Council (SAC), or other approved meetings and activities that promote authentic parental involvement as approved by the Principal.  Not all meetings will be mandatory as a variety of meeting credit options will be provided on the yearly meeting/events calendar.  Options will include, but are not limited to:

• PTA/SAC/Learning Lab Meetings
• Showcase or Discovery Nights
• Volunteering
• Mentoring
• Performances
• Athletic Events
• Awards Ceremonies
• Festivals and School-Wide Events

A list of approved meetings and activities will be published by the school at the beginning of the school year. The meeting dates are listed on the school calendar. When circumstances arise, which make it impossible for a parent/guardian to attend a required meeting, a representative (18 years of age or older) may be sent. The representative may not be a parent or teacher at the school and may represent only one family. The representative may be sent to no more than two meetings per year. If a parent must exercise this option, they must notify the principal prior to the meeting. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to make the representative aware of all obligations. Sign-in at meetings must be completed no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the meeting as the QR Codes for sign in are removed at that time.

Meetings last approximately one hour (not to exceed 90 minutes) and parents are expected to be present for the entire meeting. Arriving late, leaving early, or failure of a parent/ guardian to sign in will result in the meeting being counted as unattended. QR Codes will be used to track meeting credits by student name and also parent/guardian name.

The procedure for unattended meetings is as follows:

1. After two missed meetings, a letter will be sent placing the parent/family on probation. Once a family is placed on probation, a representative may not be sent to any meetings. The parent or legal guardian will be required to attend all remaining meetings. Fundamental School Program Table of Contents Structure & Procedures Page 13 of 45
2. After the third missed meeting, the student/family will be referred to the school-based Intervention and Appeal Committee (IAC).

 

Intervention and Appeals Committee (IAC)

Each fundamental program has a school-based Intervention and Appeal Committee. The purpose of this committee is to review and enforce cases including severe or repeated discipline infractions, continued lack of compliance with homework and /or classwork policies, failure to follow the dress code, parental absences from PTSA/PTA/SAC meetings and parental non-attendance at required conferences. The IAC may recommend alternatives and interventions for improvement, recommend probations with stipulations and removals from the program. This committee is not authorized to reinvestigate situations but must accept the validity of administrative decisions regarding incidents. This committee is the first level of appeal regarding a student’s removal from the program. If a student with a disability (an IEP, a 504 plan, or is identified as or suspected of having a disability) is engaging in disruptive behavior that would normally result in disciplinary action, then the school should follow the normal procedures to address the behaviors, including, as needed, implementing behavioral interventions, conducting an FBA and developing a PBIP, and/or conducting an IEP meeting to address the concerns. In some cases, the behavior may be so severe as to warrant being referred to the IAC before these interventions are completed. However, prior to referring any student with a disability (an IEP, a 504 plan, or is identified as or suspected of having a disability) to the IAC for consideration of probation or recommending dismissal for a student related infraction from a fundamental school the school must conduct a manifestation determination review regarding the student related act or acts that lead to the IAC referral for probation or dismissal to determine whether such student related act or acts were a manifestation of the student’s disability. If the student related act or acts are determined to be a manifestation of the student’s disability, then appropriate interventions must be implemented by the school-based team. No student with a disability will be placed on probation or dismissed from a fundamental school for a student related act or acts that were a manifestation of the student’s disability, although such students may be placed on probation or dismissed if such student related act or acts were not a manifestation of the student’s disability. If the student related act or acts are determined to not be a manifestation of the student’s disability, then the student is referred to the IAC. Should the student be placed on probation and violate that probation, an additional manifestation determination review is required prior to recommending the student for program dismissal. If a student with a disability is being considered for referral to the IAC or removal from the program as a result of parental non-compliance, a manifestation determination review is not required. Fundamental School Program Table of Contents Structure & Procedures Page 18 of 45

The principal, who is not a committee member, selects the members of the IAC. The IAC shall be composed of a minimum of three teachers (selected with faculty input) or other school personnel and three parents (selected with SAC, PTSA and PTA chair input). Efforts will be made to have a community representative. A majority of the members must be present to conduct the meeting and render a recommendation. The Intervention and Appeal Committee members will serve a renewable one-year term. The committee will meet on a regular, predetermined basis or when requested by the principal/designee. Though not a member of the committee, the principal will be available to answer questions and participate in deliberation but will not vote. In addition, at the middle or high school level the assistant principal, guidance counselor, and grade level team leader may be available to answer questions. Only the committee members will vote. Decisions will be based on majority vote. The proceedings will be held in strict confidence.

Referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee

A student/family will be referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee for violations of the fundamental agreement. Reasons for student referrals to the Committee include but are not limited to: • Excessive demerits (middle/high school) • Excessive detentions or tardies • Upon receiving two referrals in a grading period (middle/high school) or a third office referral in a school year (elementary school) • Upon receiving one suspension or work detail • Upon serious violation of the Code of Student Conduct • Parent not meeting parent requirements • Parent missing three of the required parent meetings • At the request of an administrator Parents/guardians will be notified at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting that the student has been referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. Meetings will be held on the sch