SCHS S tudent Handbook and other information

1. SCHS Student Handbook and other information 2014-15

2. SPENCER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK 2014-15

3. Welcome to Spencer County High School! Much of the information in this powerpoint can be found in the student agenda, beginning with page 1.

4. The purpose of Spencer County High School is to provide a safe environment for all students where they are engaged in learning that is meaningful, rigorous, and requires them to work at high levels. SCHS offers students a variety of educational, athletic, extracurricular, and service activities in order to enable them to become successful, contributing adults upon graduation.

5. SCHEDULE CHANGES (p. 6) Students needing schedule changes MUST do so in the first 10 days of the semester only. In order for a student to make a change they must sign up on the Schedule Change Form in their 1st period class. No student should assume the request will be approved and jeopardize their grade by not completing assignments in the present class. Schedule change request will only be approved and processed for the following reasons: • Medical- (physician’s note required) • Incomplete Schedule • Prerequisite needed • Test results justify alternative placement • Scheduling error- example- a credit for this class has already been earned. • Any changes dropped after the 2nd week of a semester will reflect as a (F) on the transcript. Any classes may be repeated and the higher of the two final grades will be posted on the transcript

6. GUIDANCE OFFICE (p. 7) • The Guidance Counselors are available to assist students in the following areas: educational, social-personal, and occupational. Students desiring to arrange an appointment should contact the Guidance Secretary from 7:20-7:30 A.M., or during class changes. • Information shared with the counselors is confidential unless the counselors feel that the student or others may be in danger. At that point, the counselors are required to report this information to the proper authorities.

7. STUDENT DRESS CODE (p. 7) • Pants must be worn at waist and cannot have any holes above the knees. • Shorts and skirts must be at fingertip length. • No clothing that shows cleavage or the midriff when arms are raised. • Entire shoulders must be covered. • Undergarments must not be visible anywhere on the body. • No attire with inappropriate, explicit, or offensive language or pictures. • Headgear of any kind (i.e. hats, hoods, bandanas, visors, etc.) may not be worn while indoors at SCHS during the school day. Hats are to be put away (backpack or locker) and not carried during the day. • Shoes must be worn (no house shoes or slippers). • Students who fail to comply will be sent to the office. Parents will be called to bring appropriate attire. • Repeated violations will require other disciplinary action.

8. Tardies to Class • At SCHS, instruction is bell to bell. • Students not in class are missing instruction. • Students who are tardy to class will be given After School Detention after their 3rd tardy.

9. Cell Phones • Phones should not be out unless the teacher has explicitly given permission for students to use them in the instruction of the day. • Teachers may collect phones if students are not following this directive.

10. CAFETERIA (p. 8) • Breakfast and lunch is available to all students at the opening of school daily. The Federal School Nutritional Program application should be completed to qualify for free or reduced lunch. After completion of the form, it should be returned to the office. Students are NOT allowed to leave campus during lunch. Students may not leave the cafeteria unless directed by staff/teacher and must carry a hall pass. No food from the outside vendors is allowed to be brought into the school. • ANTHING PURCHASED IN THE CAFETERIA, MUST BE EATEN IN THE CAFETERIA. NO FOOD OR DRINK IS ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM.

11. LUNCHROOM CHARGE SYSTEMS AND POLICIES (p. 17) • All students will pay for their lunch at the register. The computer system will allow the student to pay in advance for a week, month, or even a year. When the student goes through the line the dollar amount of the meal plus all ala carte items is deducted from their account. The lunchroom cashier will alert students that they need more lunch money in their account when necessary. • High School students are allowed 5 charges. Students who do not have ample funds in their account, or do not have money for their lunch, will be given an alternate meal consisting of a sandwich and milk. No exceptions are allowed. When writing checks for your child’s account, please make the check payable to Spencer County Food Service. Only checks made payable to Spencer County Food Service will be applied to charge accounts. Ala Carte items cannot be charged. • Please make sure you return the school food service application as soon as possible.

12. Attendance (p. 13) • Progress of a student at school depends greatly on punctuality and regularity of attendance. There is a direct relationship between attendance and achievement; a day of school missed can never be entirely made up. • All students are expected to attend class every day that school is in session. When a student must be absent from school, it is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to call the school by 9:00 am to inform the principal/designee of the reason for the absence. Calling in however does not replace sending in parent note. You still are required to send in medical/parent note with in 3 business days to be excused. The parent/legal guardian shall send a written excuse with the student when he/she returns to school. Notes from parent/legal guardian are acceptable for up to five (5) absences. Notes for students being late to school or requesting to leave early will be considered as a parent note. After that number of absences, a health professional can excuse the absences, unless reason for absences is deemed reasonable and valid by the building principal. • See other definitions and consequences of absences in the handbook.

13. LEAVING EARLY (p. 16) When a student is leaving the school grounds before the end of the regularly scheduled school day, a note from the parent/guardian(s) MUST be given to the school attendance clerk by 7:35A.M.(These notes will also count as a parent note.)The school attendance clerk will provide the student a “leaving early pass” to present to his/her teacher. Students are not allowed to leave without a leaving early pass, unless a parent/guardian(s) or designated representative personally signs the student out for the day. At the appointed time, the student must sign out with the school attendance clerk. 18 year olds must have approval from Principal or Designee before they leave and must go through office to do so. Students are not allowed to leave by phone call. E-Mail notes can only be accepted if verified by phone with parent before student is released.

14. Motor Vehicle Use (p. 10) High school students may be permitted to drive motor vehicles on the school grounds. Vehicles shall be parked in assigned parking spaces on the school campus and are not to be visited or moved during the school day unless the Principal or his designee gives permission. Driving on school grounds is a privilege, which may be revoked if conditions are violated. The speed limit is 5 mph at all times. Reckless or otherwise irresponsible driving acts will not be tolerated and could result in loss of driving privileges.

15. PARKING (p. 11) Parking anywhere on the campus of SCHS during regular school hours is by permit only. Parking permits will be issued to students starting with seniors and then to eligible underclassmen drivers . The assistant principal, in consultation with the SBDM Council, will consider special circumstances. Permits must be properly displayed and will be checked daily. If the parking permitis lost, a replacement fee of $5.00 will be charged. Failure to comply with parking regulations will result in disciplinary action/loss of parking privileges and possibly having the vehicle towed at the owner’s expense. NO PARKING IN GRASS OR VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED!

16. Parking Procedure (p. 11) The decal must be displayed on the upper left hand side of the windshield. Vehicles must be parked within the parking spaces designated. No visitation in cars or loitering after the car is parked on school property is allowed. Students must enter the building immediately upon arrival to school. Any form of reckless driving on school property is forbidden. Vehicles are to be operated in a safe, responsible manner while on school property. The school is not responsible for damage or loss of car or contents. The school will provide reasonable supervision of all parking lots during arrival to school and departure from school. Permission must be obtained from the principal or assistant principal to go to the vehicle during the school day. This permission will be given only in emergency situations. NO PARKING IN GRASS OR VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED!

17. RESPONSES TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR (p. 6)In School Detention: A student may be assigned to In School Detention for conduct that disrupts the educational process. In School Detentionis isolated from the rest of the student body and is in effect for a minimum of 1 day. Students will serve consecutive days unless a doctor’s note or other note with approval from an administrator is provided. Students are not permitted to leave Behavior Clinic room without consent from school administrator. The student is expected to continue regular schoolwork under the supervision of school staff. Counseling services are provided as needed.

18. RESPONSES TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR (p. 6)After School Detention A student may be assigned after school detention for tardies, classroom violations of rules and procedures, or minor violations of the behavior expectations. Detention will be held two days per week and will last until 4. Depending on the violation, one or more detentions may be assigned. Parents or guardians will be expected to provide transportation home after the completion of detention. Failure to report to detention may result in out of school suspension or a day in behavioral clinic the following day of school. 

19. RESPONSES TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR (p. 6)OSS (Out-of-School Suspension) A student may be assigned out-of-school suspension (OSS) for a serious or repeated violation of the behavior expectations of Spencer Co. Public School Code of Conduct in accordance with KRS.158.150. If a student is suspended from school, that student is automatically barred from all extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities on or off school property.

20. STUDENT FEES (p. 7) Fees for rental or purchase of instructional materials may be charged. No student will be denied full participation in any educational program due to inability to pay for or rent necessary school supplies. Parents may request a waiver of fees. Mandatory waiver of fees for qualifying students is accomplished in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The Federal Lunch Program forms are used for this purpose. All fees must be paid in order to participate in graduation celebrations and ceremonies.

21. HARASSMENT (p. 8) Harassment is unlawful behavior based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, or disability that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or objectively offensive that it adversely affects a student’s education or creates a hostile or abusive educational environment. Students who engage in harassment of an employee or another student will be subject to disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or expulsion.

22. BULLYING (p. 8) Bullying is a conscious, willful, deliberate, hostile, and repeated behavior by one or more people, which is intended to harm others. Bullying takes many forms and includes: exclusion from peer group; verbal taunts, name calling, and put-downs; threats; hazing; extortion or stealing of possessions; or physical violence. Students who engage in bullying of an employee or another student will be subject to disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or expulsion.

23. MEDICATION (p. 10) • Medicines including aspirin will not be kept at school for the purpose of administering to pupils. If it is necessary for the student to take medicine at school, the parents’ health care providers must complete the required authorization forms before any person(s) administers medication to a student or before a student self-medicates. • Provided an authorization form has been completed by the parent/guardian, school personnel will dispense medications. Medication will be kept in a safe place and dispensed to the student at the proper time, unless otherwise approved. All prescription medication, original or refill must be sent to school in a pharmacy labeled container, which includes the student’s name, date, medication dosage, strength, and direction for use. Labels that have been altered in any way will not be accepted. Non-prescription or over the counter medication may be accepted on an individual basis as provided by the parent or legal guardian when a complete authorization to give medication form has been filed. The medication shall be in its original container dated upon receipt and given no more than five (5) consecutive days without a physician’s order.

24. SEARCH AND SEIZURE (p. 11) No student’s outer clothing, pockets, or his/her personal effects, will be searched by authorized school personnel unless there is reasonable grounds to believe the search will reveal evidence the student has violated or is violating either a school rule or the law. Search of a student’s person shall be conducted only with the express authority of the principal or assistant principal. A certified person directly responsible for the conduct of the pupil, the principal or assistant principal are the only persons authorized to conduct searches of student’s person or his/her personal effects. When a pat-down search of student’s person is conducted the person conducting the search shall be the same sex as the student and a witness of the same sex as the student shall be present during the search. No search of a student will be conducted in the presence of other students. No strip searches of a student are permitted. Students, who fail to cooperate with school authority when requested to, shall be subject to other disciplinary actions.

25. SEARCH AND SEIZURE (cont) • Lockers and desk and all other school owned properties are jointly held by the school and the student. School authorities have the right to conduct general inspection of all such properties on a regular basis. During these inspections, items that are school property may be collected. • Students should not expect privacy to items left in or on school property, these items will be subject to examination. A single desk, locker, or vehicle may be searched if reasonable grounds exist to believe that evidence that a violation of the law or a school rule is contained therein. Dogs may be used to assist authorities gather evidence. Illegal items, such as weapons, drugs, or other possessions reasonably determined by proper school authorities to be a threat to the student’s safety or to others’ safety and security may be seized by school officials. A staff member may temporarily remove items which may be used to disrupt or interfere with the educational process from the student’s possession. Such items may be returned to the student by the staff member or through the principal’s office. All items which have been seized will be turned over to the proper authorities or returned to the true owner.

26. TOBACCO USE (p. 13) The possession or use of any tobacco product is prohibited on school property by students at all times. This includes sporting events, club meetings, or any other school sponsored event or activity held on school property.