General Information

The Tupelo Public School District serves the community by engaging each
student in an excellent education that develops skills and citizenship
needed for success in a global society.
 

                                                               1. Increase student achievement across the district.
                                                         2. Provide a safe, secure and orderly environment in all schools.
                                                                          3. Attract and retain all stakeholders.
                                                                          4. Maintain Sound financial stability.

All Joyner students will learn at high levels.
Every Day, Every Class, Every Student!!

Joyner is committed to developing a strong foundation of learning for all students. Academic growth is enhanced through providing a safe space, recognizing individual differences, emphasizing innovative thinking, creating academic expectations and designing an environment to create, collaborate, express, envision and explore through the arts. Through a shared vision by teachers, parents, and community, Joyner strives for excellence in education.

Board Members: Mr. Paul Mize, Mrs. Amy Tate, Secretary,  Mr. John Milstead,
Mrs. Sherry Davis, President, Dr. Rob Picou, Superintendent, Mrs. Hope Huey, Vice President

The Tupelo Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.  The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:  

Director of Human Resources/TPSD Administrative Office Post Office Box 557  
Tupelo, MS  38802  
662-841-8850

Arrival and Departure from School:

Morning Arrival

Students cannot enter the building until 7:15 a.m. when staff members are on duty to ensure the safety of our students.  All vehicles must enter Joyner Avenue from the west.  When entering or exiting Joyner Avenue, motorists should follow the directions of the crossing guard and staff on duty.  This is crucial to provide vehicular and student safety.

All students arriving at school between 7:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. should either go directly to breakfast or report to their grade level hallway.  Breakfast is served between 7:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. If your child should eat breakfast at school, they need to arrive before 7:30 a.m. in order to be in class on time.

Instruction begins promptly at 7:50 a.m.  Any student arriving after 7:50 a.m. should be signed in at the main office by a parent/guardian and receive a tardy slip.

Tardies
It is very important for all students to be on time for school each day. Students arriving late for school/class create a disturbance and cause all students in the class to lose valuable instructional time.  School begins with instruction at 7:50 a.m. and dismisses at 2:35 p.m.  Students who arrive at school after 7:50 a.m. must be accompanied by an adult and check in through the main office to receive a tardy slip before going to class.

Tardies are reported to the state attendance officer. Consequences for excessive tardies are as follows:
5th tardy – Letter to parent
10th tardy – Next day required conference with parent
15th – 19th tardies – Parent contacted by phone
20th tardy – Department of Human Services (DHS) referral

Afternoon Departure

The school day officially ends at 2:40 p.m. each day. Car pickups are loaded from the front of the school where students are released according to the order of the cars in line. Buses and daycares are loaded in the back of the building. All students are to be picked up by 3:00 p.m.

IMPORTANT:

Students are not allowed to change the manner that they leave school without DAILY WRITTEN consent from their parent/guardian. If an emergency arises, a phone call should be made to the school office at 662-841-8900 BEFORE 2:00 P.M.

Check Out Procedure

Requests to leave school during the day must be in writing from the student’s legal parent(s) or guardian(s). No student is allowed to leave school before a parent or guardian signs them out at the school office. The office keeps a written record of all students leaving campus.

No student is allowed to leave campus without permission from a parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Checking out of school is discouraged unless absolutely necessary. Parents/guardians are asked to refrain from coming in after 2:00 p.m. to check out students.

                                                       STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHECK OUT AFTER 2:15 P.M.

Bus Transportation and Conduct

Transportation to school via bus is a privilege extended to students who qualify under state regulations and who obey the code of conduct for bus transportation. From the moment a student boards the bus, they are under the supervision of the bus driver. No eating or drinking is permitted on school buses. Students are only permitted to get off the bus at their designated stops.

School Board Policy JCDAD address appropriate behavior on a school bus. Serious disciplinary infractions can result in suspension from riding the bus. Balloons are not allowed on a school bus to ensure safety for all passengers as well as the driver. Safety when dropping off and picking up students is our first priority.

Attendance – JBD TPSD Board Policy

To be considered as having attended school for a full day, a student must be present for 63% of his/her instructional day as fixed by the Board for each individual school. For purposes of reporting absenteeism, a student who has an absence that is more than 37% of the student’s instructional day shall be considered absent the entire school day. Any student check in or out during the school day resulting in missing more than 63% of the instructional day is counted with a full day absent.

Excused Absences
➢ Parental Excused Absences-Students are allowed to have a maximum of three (3) excused parental absences per semester. These absences are intended to take advantage of an educational opportunity such as travel, including vacations or other family travel. Approval of such an absence is gained from the principal or their designee at least 24 hours prior to the absence. Parental absences must be substantiated in writing within two (2) days of the absence. A parent/guardian can substantiate the absence by sending a signed note or by emailing or faxing a note to the school attendance office. The note must have the child’s name, grade, teacher’s name, date of absence(s) and reason for absence. A parent signed checkout will also substantiate a parental excused absence. A parental excused absence may be for one class, any 30-minute period within a class or an entire day.

➢ Medical Excused Absences-Students are allowed excused medical absences when the absences result from illness or injury which prevents the student from being physically able to attend school; a medical or dental appointment; isolation ordered by the county health officer, State Board of Health or appropriate school official; or the serious illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family (parents, grandparents, spouse, children, brothers and sisters, including stepbrothers and stepsisters). Appropriate written evidence of the absence must be provided upon the student’s return to school from a licensed doctor or dentist. All excuses must be received within two (2) days of the student’s return in order to be considered an excused absence.
 

➢ Administrative Excused Absences-Students are allowed excused administrative absences when the absences result from the student’s attendance at an authorized school activity with the prior approval of the principal including field trips, athletic contests, student conventions, musical festivals and any similar activity; attendance of the student at a court proceeding where the student is a party to the action or under subpoena; or the student’s religion requires or suggests the observance of a religious event (approval of such absence is within the discretion of the superintendent or principal, but approval should be granted unless the religious observance is of such duration as to interfere with the education of the student).
 

• Unexcused Absences
Any absence, tardy or dismissal which does not meet the criteria of an excused absence, shall be considered unexcused. No absence will be considered excused when it is due to suspension, expulsion or other disciplinary action. All students with five (5) unexcused absences (without a doctor’s excuse) are referred to the attendance officer.
If your child is absent, homework assignments can be requested by calling the school’s main office at 662-841-8900. This will allow teachers time to collect assignments for your child prior to your arrival. These assignments can be picked up in the main office. Please communicate with your child’s teacher to establish a timeline for turning in missed assignments due to absences.

                                    Instruction begins promptly at 7:50 a.m. Any student arriving after 7:50 a.m. should be
                                             signed in at the main office by a parent/guardian and receive a tardy slip.

Tardies

• It is very important for all students to be on time for school each day. Students arriving late for school/class create a disturbance and cause all students in the class to lose valuable instructional time.

• School begins with instruction at 7:50 a.m. and dismisses at 2:35 p.m. Students who arrive at school after 7:50 a.m. must be accompanied by an adult and check in through the main office to receive a tardy slip before going to class.

Tardies are reported to the state attendance officer. Consequences for excessive tardies are as follows:
5th tardy – Letter to parent
10th tardy – Next day required conference with parent
15th – 19th tardies – Parent contacted by phone
20th tardy – Department of Human Services (DHS) referral

Cafeteria

The mission of the food service staff at Joyner is to provide delicious, nutritious food choices for students, staff and visitors in a clean, cheerful and welcoming environment.

Breakfast is served each school day beginning at 7:15 a.m. and students are encouraged to be in the cafeteria early enough to eat and get to their classrooms to prepare for their day before class begins at 7:50 a.m.

Each morning students are given the opportunity to choose between two lunch entrees.  Lunch envelopes are provided through your child’s teacher or from the cafeteria.  We encourage parents/guardians to use these and fill them out completely.

Parents/guardians may put money into their child’s account at their convenience online at www.myschoolbucks.com. Semester, monthly or weekly payments are strongly encouraged.  Students who bring their own lunch may purchase milk or bring their own beverage.  Glass bottles are not permitted and soft drinks are discouraged.

Parents/guardians may apply for free or reduced meals.  Forms may be obtained from their child’s teacher, the school counselor, the cafeteria, Joyner’s main office or online at www.myschoolapps.com.

"Online payments for meals can be made through www.myschoolbucks.com. At no charge, parents/guardians may create an account in order to check their child’s meal balance and to receive an email notice when their account balance needs to be replenished. A very small fee is charged when parents/guardians prepay money into their child’s meal account.  This online service includes breakfast and lunch meals."
 

The following meal prices for breakfast and lunch will be in effect for the Tupelo Public School District:
Student Lunch
Paid $3.00
Reduced $0.40
Guests $4.50

Student Breakfast
Paid $2.00
Reduced $0.30
Guests $2.75

Food Allergies
Please notify us of any known food allergies. Your doctor will need to complete a form regarding your child's allergies.

Safety Information

In the event that our school is under a Tornado Warning, Joyner will be in lock-down in our safe area until the warning is lifted. For the safety of students and staff, students may not be dismissed or checked out during a warning without the parent signing a release form.

Fire and Tornado Drills

Fire and tornado drills are held once a month throughout the school year. The instructions and routes are posted in each classroom and throughout the building. They also will be discussed with all students.

Enrollment Procedures:
Enrollment Policy

Withdrawal Procedures:
The parent or legal guardian must contact the school counselor on/before the day of the withdrawal.
•The parent or legal guardian must provide a forwarding address and withdrawal papers, provided by the school counselor, to be signed at the time of withdrawal.
•The student must return all textbooks and library books to the Media Center.
•All fines must be paid before the student can be withdrawn.
•A record of the student’s grades and services is provided to the parent or legal guardian atthe time of withdrawal.
•If the student is moving out of state, a copy of the immunization records is provided tothe parent or legal guardian at the time of withdrawal.
•Official records are sent to the new school upon request.

Family Engagement

Volunteer participation is encouraged by parents/guardians and community members; however, these opportunities vary in availability based on many factors as we work to ensure the safety of our students and staff on campus. Along with your child’s teacher, our Family and Community Engagement Specialist, _________________, assists in coordinating participation. Mr./Mrs. _____________can be reached via telephone at (662)841-8900 or email. Parent conferences are formally held in the fall of each school year. However, a conference may be scheduled

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Active parental involvement in every aspect of school life is strongly encouraged at Joyner. The Joyner PTA is a very important support group which seeks to include ALL parents. Joyner PTA meets once a month at Joyner unless otherwise notified. Typically, meetings include discussion of programs that relate to all schools. Questions generated by the members and attending parents are communicated to the appropriate party and an answer is obtained. If any Joyner parent/guardian would like to become more involved with Joyner’s PTA, please contact the school office for more information at 662-841-8900.

Joyner PTA Officers 2023-2024
President – Kelly Hutcheson
Vice-President – Cherie Demoran
Secretary – Leslie Ward
Treasurer – Samantha Weatherford

Commercial Deliveries

Students cannot receive commercial deliveries at school.

Birthday Celebrations

All student birthdays are acknowledged at Joyner; however, no birthday parties are conducted at school. If treats are brought to share with the class, they need to be prepackaged and sealed upon arrival for student safety. In addition, invitations for off campus birthday celebrations cannot be handed out at school.

Textbooks, Chromebooks and Library Books

Textbooks and are furnished by TPSD and the state of Mississippi. Once a textbook and/or Chromebook has been issued to a student, the student assumes full responsibility for the proper care and return of the textbook and/or Chromebook. A fine is assessed for any misuse or abuse of a textbook and/or Chromebook. In the event of a lost textbook and/or Chromebook, a student is responsible to pay for a replacement textbook and/or Chromebook. Damage to a textbook and/or Chromebook by another person or party is the responsibility of the student to whom the textbook and/or Chromebook was issued.

Students are also responsible for all library books issued to them during the school year. Students are not allowed to have more than two library books checked out at a time. Payment is expected for all lost or damaged library books. If a lost book is subsequently found, a refund will be issued.

School Visitors

The school principal is responsible for all persons in the building and on the campus. Visits to the school campus from parents, community members and other educational professionals are scheduled through the school principal’s designee.

The following policy, TPSD Board Policy KM Visitors to the Schools, applies to all visitors entering a school other than for attendance at a scheduled activity open to the general public:

In order to assure that no unauthorized persons enter the school with wrongful intent, all visitors will report to the school office when entering to receive authorization and identification passes to visit elsewhere in the building.

Parents or citizens who wish to observe a classroom while school is in session must arrange such visits in advance with the school principal so that classroom disruption is minimal. School principals are authorized to refuse entry onto school grounds to persons who do not have legitimate business at the school and to request any unauthorized person or persons engaging in unacceptable conduct to immediately leave school property. School principals are further authorized to request assistance of law enforcement officers in cases of emergency and to seek prosecution to the full extent of the law when person violate the intent of KM Visitors to the Schools Policy.
 

Asbestos Notification
In accordance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all school districts are required to provide an annual notification to all parents, teachers and employees regarding our asbestos management program. This annual notification informs all persons of their option to review the Asbestos Management Plan for our school district.To provide continuing management of the asbestos for our schools, all Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACM) are inspected every six (6) months by an accredited asbestos inspector. Any changes to these materials are recorded in a surveillance report as part of the management plan. Additionally, an accredited Asbestos Management Planner conducts a comprehensive inspection of all ACMs every three (3) years. This re-inspection has been performed as required and a copy has been filed with the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). A copy of the Asbestos Management Plan is located in the principal’s office at each school. In addition, copies of all Asbestos Management Plans for the district are maintained in the Superintendent’s Office located at 72 South Green Street. If you are interested in reviewing this information, please contact the Central Office at 662-841-8853 to schedule an appointment.

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
The Tupelo Public School District routinely makes public certain directory information regarding students. This directory information includes the student name, address, telephone number, picture, height and weight of athletes, extracurricular activities, awards, honor rolls, electronic listings, Internet web pages, and other information which is typically found in school yearbooks, programs, bulletins and student newspapers. In addition, the District discloses names, addresses and telephone numbers to military recruiters upon request. Parents and eligible students shall have from July 15 until September 1 to review this notice and request in writing to the school principal that all or any part of the directory information not be disclosed without prior written consent.

Parents Right to Know
The qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals employed in schools funded by Title I will be provided upon parent request. Title I School Programs are available at the Early Childhood Education Center and the eight K-5 elementary schools. For further information, please contact the principal of the school where your child attends or the Director of Federal Programs. In addition, a parent may request information on the level of achievement of the parent’s child on each state academic assessment, and/or a timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

Board Policy Code JCDB Dress Code for Students