Frequently Asked Questions - McQuaid Jesuit High School

McQuaid Jesuit
6 th Grade FAQs
1. What will the Schedule/curriculum be for 6 th grade? The 6 th grade schedule, unlike that of the rest of the
middle school and the high school, is not, strictly speaking, a rotating schedule. Rather, while each day of
the week is different, every Monday is the same, every Tuesday, etc. Core subjects meet every day, while
Music 6 and Art 6 meet three times each, every ten class days. Phys. Ed meets twice each week.
The curriculum for each core subject will meet and exceed NYS core curriculum standards. Curriculum for
Religious Studies will, in general, follow Diocese of Rochester guidelines.
Grading policies for each subject will be generally uniform across the faculty.
A detailed presentation concerning all academic policies and student responsibilities will be given by each
subject teacher at our sixth grade curriculum night that is held in September.
2. What will the Core subjects include? ELA, Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Religion.
3. Who are the Faculty members for 6 th grade? Mrs. Jean Hendrick, Mr. Will Chesebro, and Mr. David
Demers.
4. Where will the 6 th grade rooms be? Sixth grade classes are held in the rooms closest to the MS office on
the middle school corridor: rooms 221, 223, and 224. The MS art room is 222.
5. Will a snack be permitted during the day? Sixth grade students are permitted, even encouraged, to bring
a healthy snack to enjoy during the second period of the day. Cotton candy is discouraged.
6. Is there a supplies listing for 6 th grade? Yes. This can be found in the Middle School Portal section of the
website (www.mcquaid.org ). Please consult the Materials List for notebooks, etc. required for
coursework. Textbooks are provided courtesy of the NYS textbook law; classroom sets “live” in each
room. Efforts have been made to provide students and parents access to the online versions of the texts.
7. Will there be a yearly calendar for 6th Grade? Yes. This calendar will be incorporated into the Middle
School calendar that will be available at Parent Orientation. This calendar will also be e-mailed to parents
before school starts in the fall. Please note that several 6 th grade activities (e.g. Parent/Teacher meetings)
are scheduled separately from the rest of the school, as age appropriateness dictates.
8. Will the 6 th graders use an agenda? Yes. The agendas will be available for purchase in the McQ
Bookstore in August. The agenda should be with the boys whenever they are in class or move from class
to class. Homework assignments should be carefully recorded here.
9. How will parents and teachers communicate with one another? Communication between parents and
teachers is an absolute must. In addition to Parent/Teacher meetings and quarterly report cards, progress
reports are issued mid-marking period. E-mail is the preferred means of parent/teacher outreach since
every teacher has access to his/her McQuaid e-mail in the classroom. Mutually convenient times for

phone conversations can be arranged via e-mail. Electronic letters/updates to parents are sent out as
occasions require.
10. Does the McQuaid website have information regarding 6 th grade? Information regarding sixth grade can
be found in the Middle School Portal of the website (www.mcquaid.org ). Faculty sites are also available
from the website. Assignments and a great deal of McQ related information can be found here, including
our daily announcements (The “Daily”).
11. What is the required dress code? The dress code for the sixth grade is the same as that for all McQ
students: From the beginning of homeroom to the end of the school day, boys wear a dress shirt (not a
golf or flannel shirt), a tie [We can help with this if he’s knot-tying-challenged], dress slacks and dress
shoes. Sneakers may be worn to and from school. We do have some ties and suit coats available for
borrowing if the need arises.
12. Will there be supervision before school? Before school, a sixth grade room will be open and supervised
beginning at 7:15. There is no charge for this.
13. What extra-curriculars will be available to sixth graders? Specific clubs and activities will be available for
sixth graders only. These will be announced throughout the year. General music instruction is included
in the weekly schedule and time for individual lessons will be available, as well at no additional cost.
14. What sports are available to sixth graders? By law, sixth graders are not permitted to participate in
Section V sports. However, Club sports are open to all students. Currently these include sailing, squash,
and crew. Intramurals between 6 th grade classes will also be arranged.
15. Whom do I call regarding an absence or appointment? A phone call from a parent to Mrs. Wagner (256-
6175) concerning that day’s absence should be made before 9:00 AM. Appointments (e.g. orthodontist)
should be arranged via a parent’s note by the beginning of that day. The student will then be given a
yellow pass to present to his teacher with the time of his pick-up from school. He must report to the MS
office to sign out before departing the building.
Upon his return that day (if applicable), he must again report to the office and sign back in.
When an absence extends beyond two days, a parent may request that Mrs. Wagner gather assignments
and handouts from the student’s teachers to be picked up at the office at day’s end.
Please Note: an absence for any reason other than illness or a family emergency is considered an
unapproved absence. We strongly discourage absence from school for family vacations, non-McQ
sporting events, etc.
When a student returns from an absence, he should report to the MS office with his written excuse. He
will be given a yellow pass to be, in turn, given to his homeroom teacher. If he has forgotten the excuse,
he should still report to the office for a pass. He then has until the next day to bring in his note.
16. What is the conduct code? The Conduct Code for all McQuaid students is in published form on-line. The
Code of Conduct is available on the McQ website.

17. Will study skills be taught? Study skills are incorporated within course instruction, but students are
encouraged to consult with their teachers at any time for suggestions concerning specific study
strategies.
18. Are there semester exams? Yes; these take place in January and June. Sixth grade exams will be gradeappropriate
in nature, including length. A special schedule is implemented during exam week.
19. When do Progress reports/report cards come out? These are issued mid-quarter and at the end of each
quarter, respectively. Typically, students are given these reports on a Thursday and have until the
following Tuesday to return them, signed.
20. Will there be Parent/teacher meetings? Yes; meetings for sixth grade parents formally take place once a
school year, separately from those of the rest of the middle school. Meetings are typically 15-20 minutes
in length and will be arranged ahead of time by appointment. Second semester conferences will be as
needed/requested.
21. How are lunches/lunch accounts managed? – Students are welcome to bring their lunches from home.
Beverages may be purchased from vending machines just outside the cafeteria. All students have lunch
accounts available through our computerized ID system. This account may be “loaded” with funds
through our website.
Please note: Cash is not accepted for purchases in the cafeteria. However, if a student’s account is empty
and he’s forgotten his lunch from home, he should let a teacher, Mrs. Wagner, or Mr. Finn know, and we
will arrange for some food for that day. God forbid a pre-adolescent male go without lunch!!
22. “Whom do I call about….?” Generally speaking, all inquiries can begin with Mrs. Wagner. She will direct
your call appropriately or find the answer to your question for you.
23. Where can I pick up my son after school? Most MS parents pick up their sons at the south entrance to
the building, also referred to as the “Auditorium (or ‘Middle School’) Entrance.” This applies to students in
after school care, as well. Pick-up by buses depends upon your district: some buses come to the
Auditorium Entrance and others to the traffic loop at the north end of the building. Please check with
your district concerning your son’s drop-off and pick-up location here.
Both bus “pick-up” locations will be supervised by McQ teachers.
24. How will I know if McQuaid is closed due to inclement weather? Radio stations, especially WHAM 1180,
and TV, channel 9 (YNN), should be your first resources, though other stations and our website may be
consulted, as well.
25. How is the dispensing of my son’s daily medication handled? All medication is dispensed through the
nurses’ office where his medication is kept. His record of daily meds, including those taken at home (the
privacy of which is protected), is kept on file at this office.
26. What other efforts will be made to keep sixth graders appropriately apart from other students?
All of the following provisions will be in place for sixth graders:
� A unique schedule; for most of the day 7 th and 8 th graders will change classes while 6 th grade class
is in session, and visa-versa.

� A separate section of the cafeteria for lunch. No high school students will be in the cafeteria at
this time. At least one 6 th grade teacher and two other teachers will supervise lunch each day.
� Students are escorted by teachers when traveling off the MS corridor.
� “Buddy” system for school bus transportation.
� Only 6 th graders permitted in after-care.
� Gym classes are 6 th grade only and taught by sixth grade teachers.
27. Will there be field trips planned? Yes. In fact during our first year, two have already been implemented:
a tour of Mt. Hope Cemetery in October and a day game at Frontier Field next May. Others are in the
works, as well.
28. Is there a sixth grade service requirement? Yes. Sixth graders must give five hours of service over the
course of the year. Four of those hours will be directed service projects and take place here at school. The
final hour will require students to propose and implement a key service at home. (You know that closet
that’s long needed cleaning….?). A number of clothing/food /materials drives also occur throughout the
year.
29. Will there be opportunities for prayer and worship? Absolutely. Our day begins with a school-wide
prayer and individual classes may do so, as well. There will be a sixth grade class mass and penance
service each semester. School masses occur in September (The traditional Jesuit Mass of the Holy Spirit),
just before Christmas break, and on Holy Days.