General Information

Visitor Policy: Stephen Decatur M.S. welcomes visitors. All visitors must sign in at the main entrance, receive a visitor's badge, enter the front office, present ID, and a member of the front office staff will assist you.
 
Dismissal Procedures: Classes are dismissed at 4:10 pm. Bus riders are to go directly to their buses. Walkers are to walk directly home. Students are not allowed to leave the school property and then return to get on their bus. If a student is removed from a bus, the student will have to find alternative transportation during their suspension.

Early Dismissal : Students should notify the front office in writing if they are going to be dismissed early. Early dismissal will not be allowed after 3:55pm.

Lunches: Lunch is served between 10:45am -12:23pm every day unless we are on an alternate schedule. Our cafeteria follows the county menu. Students in In-School Suspension (ALC) will receive a bag lunch.

Scheduling: Our school uses a hybrid A/B schedule. Students attend 4 classes a day and each class is 72 minutes. Students attend Language Arts and Mathematics every day and Science and Social Studies every other day. Students will also attend creative arts classes which are 72 minutes long (technology integration, band, general music, chorus, physical education, family and consumer science, health, art, foreign language.) This schedule allows teachers to plan more effectively with both their academic team and their department members. While planning, teachers use the Standards of Excellence, Instructional Guidelines, and curriculum guides, Maryland Content Standard Indicators, and the Voluntary State Curriculum.

Computer and Acceptable Use Policy: Our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and publicity release forms have been updated this year. The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) forms were handed out to students at the beginning of the school year for both students and parents to sign.

PTA Meetings: The PTA meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm in the Media Center.

Agenda Books: All students must have an agenda book in order to write down assignments, tests, etc.
 
Morning Drop-off: Parents, please do not drop your child off at school before 9:00 a.m. When students arrive after 9:30am, please escort them to Mr. Rucker in the attendance office. Students are not allowed to enter the building after 9:30am without a parent or guardian.