Cassia High School

RULES - CASSIA ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL

2011-12 CASSIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HANDBOOK

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. IF YOU CANNOT COMMIT TO FOLLOWING OUR RULES – DO NOT ENROLL IN OUR SCHOOL. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT STATING THAT YOU WILL OBEY ALL SCHOOL RULES. THE OFFICE WILL KEEP THE SIGNED CONTRACT FOR OUR RECORDS. PLEASE KEEP THIS COPY OF THE RULES FOR YOUR REFERENCE. THESE RULES APPLY TO SCHOOL AND ALL SCHOOL RELATED ACTIVITES.

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

I. RELEASE OF STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION

The district may disclose directory information to military recruiters, institutions of higher education, etc. after giving written public notice annually to parents. A parent may deny the release of student information by notifying the school in writing within 30 days of the receipt of this notice.

II. ATTENDANCE POLICY

A. A parent should call the school before 8:30AM to report an absence. A message can be left on the office voice mail if calling before school hours. The school will verify all unreported absences. Parents should notify the school by phone or in writing within 48 hours of the last day of the absence.

B. Our school is a perfect attendance school. Any time missed from class must be made up before the credit can be posted. The school will provide an opportunity for “make up time” for missed classes. Students who do not make up the missed time from class will be denied credit.

EXCUSED FROM MAKE UP TIME: Counseling, psychological assessments, WIC, required military recruitment activities, and funeral services of immediate family members will be excused from makeup time. Documentation, notes from the agency or funeral service program, will be required for this time to be excused.

NOT EXCUSED from makeup time: Doctor or/dentist appointments and court

C. Students missing time in the last week of a block will have the next week (first week of the next block) to complete any remaining make up time owed. It is crucial that students attend the last day of the block.

MAKE UP TIME: Students with passing grades and no time owed will be dismissed on Friday afternoons at 12:20 PM. Make up time will be Fridays between 12:20 and 3:20 PM. Students who are staying to bring a failing grade to a passing grade will be dismissed as soon as the grade is a C or better. Students must have a passing grade in ALL classes to be dismissed. The students will be dismissed by their advisory teacher.

D. APPEAL PROCESS Students with excessive absences (any time missed from class that has not been made up) will have an option to appeal for credit. The student must have a passing grade in the class to qualify for the option to appeal. Appeal forms will be given out by the advisory teachers towards the end of the block. Students appealing for credit should attach documentation as to why they were absent to the form when submitted to the committee for review. A student may use the appeal process only once a semester. A committee under the direction of school administration will meet to review all appeals. Students are expected to make up as much time as possible before appealing for credit. The committee will take into consideration the effort the student put into making up missed time.

E. Credits denied because of attendance will receive an F in the class. Students who miss more time than possible to make up in a block could be dropped from class before the end of the block and referred to Credit Recovery.

F. Tardies – Attendance will be taken at the first of class. Teachers will mark tardies for the first ten minutes of class. After ten minutes, all tardies will be handled through the main office. Students need a tardy slip to be allowed into class. When a student has accumulated three tardies, a discipline referral will be made by the teacher and one week lunch detention will be assigned. Missed detention or habitual tardy infractions will result in parent involvement and additional consequences such as school service or after school detention.

G. Excessive absences for students under the age of sixteen may result in school officials pursuing a truancy petition (Idaho Code 33-207).

III. OPEN ENROLLMENT

A student’s designated attendance area shall be based upon the county in which the student resides. To request an open enrollment application, contact the Cassia County Schools District Office enrollment secretary for appropriate forms. Applications will be reviewed by the building principal.
Students who move from our county but wish to stay in the same school must complete an open enrollment application.

IV. ADMINISTERING MEDICATION

All medication prescription and non-prescription will be dispensed from the office. Please see office staff for parent permission forms to dispense medication.

V. ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS

A parent must notify the principal when a child has a severe allergy so that appropriate accommodations can be made.

VI. BULLYING, HAZING, HARASSMENT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION

CHS staff is committed to maintaining an educational environment that protects and promotes dignity, individual worth, and mutual respect for each individual, and is free from harassment.

Students who bully, haze, harass, sexually harass, discriminate against others, falsely accuse others or retaliate against those investigating or reporting such behavior may be suspended or expelled.

Definition of Bullying – repeated aggressive behavior or frightening of others with an apparent malicious intent to dominate. Bullying may include, but not be limited to physical (hitting, pushing, or attacks on property); verbal (name-calling, obscene gestures, malicious teasing, or electronic threats); or indirect attacks (intentional exclusion from groups, anonymous hurtful notes, or spreading false rumors.) Bullying is NOT playful teasing between relatively equal individuals.

Definition of Hazing – subjecting a person to bodily danger, physical harm, severe emotional harm, extreme embarrassment or personal degradation; or the likelihood of any of the above. The term hazing is limited to initiation into or affiliation with any group or organization. Activity described in this definition shall be presumed “forced” activity, regardless of the willingness of an individual to participate in such an activity.

Definition of Harassment – any verbal, written, graphic, or physical conduct by an individual or group which is sufficiently severe, persistent, pervasive and offensive to:

(1) Create a hostile environment; (2) substantially interfere with a person’s performance; or (3) adversely affect a person’s educational opportunities.

Definition of Sexual Harassment – any unwelcome sexual conduct that limits a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from his or her education or a pattern or such conduct that creates a hostile environment. Sexual harassment may include:

(1) Unnecessary touching, including patting, pinching and repeated brushing against another person’s body; (2) cornering or blocking of normal movements; (3) sexual comments, gestures, and jokes; (4) displaying, wearing or distributing sexually suggestive pictures or written materials; (5) unwanted teasing about an individual’s ability to succeed in a certain class because of gender

VII. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY

Expressing Grievances to School Officials - Students have the right to express grievances before school officials. However, school officials may govern the time, place and manner of any such activity which would distract from the educational process, is slanderous, invades or threatens to invade the rights of others, or presents a reasonable likelihood of substantial disorder.
Student Publications – The principal is entitled to regulate the contents of school publications or any posted material in the school.
Distribution of Materials – Permission of the school principal is required before students, staff, or other members of the community may distribute or display on designated student accessed bulletin boards, materials from sources outside the school.

VIII. SEARCHES BY SCHOOL OFFICIALS

If a school official reasonably suspects that a student possesses something illegal, dangerous or against school rules, a search may be conducted. The search may include the individual, personal belongings, desk, and car. The extent of the search depends on the situation, including the age and conduct of the student and the welfare of other students. Detection dogs may be used in certain circumstances.

IX. TECHNOLOGY USE

Acceptable and prohibited uses of technology – The use of the school’s technology is a privilege and not a right. Prohibited uses of technology include, but are not limited to:

Sending, receiving, displaying, or accessing obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal materials.
Any attempt to harm or destroy data of another user.
Logging into the system using another user’s account or password
Leaving an account open or unattended
Altering computer equipment

The school reserves the right to: monitor all activity on the internet, block any material, deny access to technology, and remove inactive accounts over 30 days.

X. STUDENT CONDUCT

Dress Code- Please see new dress code linked from home page.

STUDENT CONDUCT - Assault and/or battery

Students must avoid these kinds of physical contact: (1) Excessive physical contact, such as fighting; (2) inappropriate displays of affection; (3) any type of physical contact that is against the law.

GANGS - Students may not create or participate in a secret organization. They may not possess, use, distribute, display, or wear gang-related clothing, emblems or objects. They may not use symbols, signs, gestures, codes or dress predominately in a color associated with a gang.

WEAPONS Students may not possess, use or store guns, knives, explosives or any other weapons. They may not use or threaten to use anything as a weapon, including hands, feet or any other part of the body.

ABUSE OF DISTRICT PROPERTY Any stealing, destroying, or defacing of school property is prohibited. Students and/or their parents may be billed for damages.

CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES must be turned off and out of view during class time. Students may use these before school, during breaks and at lunch. Students using cell phones or other electronic devices in class will have the items confiscated and held by the teacher until the end of class. The teacher also has the authority to hold these until the end of the day or with repeat violations, the items will be held for parent pick up after school. Excessive violations may result in the principal holding the items until the end of the year. In this case the student would not be allowed the privilege of using items in school for the rest of the year. A principal may choose to ban electronic communication devices and/or portable music players at anytime during the school year for the remainder of the year

CHEATING Cheating of any kind is prohibited. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to, copying another student’s work, using secret notes during an exam and plagiarism. Students involved will be given a zero on the assignment.

DRUG/ALCOHOL POLICY

CAHS is a drug-free school. No drugs, alcohol, or tobacco allowed at school. Students and vehicles may be searched at anytime. Drug use is involvement with drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, or drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, in any of the following ways: (1) Attempting to secure or purchase; (2) Using or being under the influence; (3) possessing; (4) Intending or attempting to sell or distribute; (5) selling or giving away (6) knowingly present in any of the above instances. Possession or use may result in a recommendation for expulsion. If necessary, Law Enforcement will be called and parents notified.

XI. Bathroom/Break Policy – Use the bathrooms during break time. No time is allowed out of class - with the exception of emergencies. A student will be accompanied by an adult if it is deemed necessary to leave the classroom. At no time will students be allowed in the halls unsupervised. Teachers have been given these instructions. Please do not ask them to make exceptions.

ENERGY DRINKS – Not allowed in school.

XII. GRADES - CREDITS

A. Students consistently failing all classes could be dropped from school and re-enrolled in the Credit Recovery Program. Students will be re-enrolled in the regular alternative school depending on their place on our waiting list and their success in Credit Recovery.

B. District policy allows six credit recovery classes.

C. Students must have a C in Algebra I to advance to Algebra 2.

XIII. FIRE ALARMS – Activation of the school fire alarm without the event of an emergency will be grounds for immediate dismissal.

XIV. UNAUTHORIZED Leaving School Grounds - Students will not be allowed to leave the school grounds during class time or for lunch.

Parents may drop off sack lunches but no fast food or deliveries.
Medical and other appointments should be made after school whenever possible.

XV. HOW TO RETURN TO YOUR REGULAR SCHOOL – Students should have good behavior, attendance, and grades for a school recommendation to return to your regular school. However, attending our school is a privilege. CHS gives students a chance to catch up and have more individualized help than a regular high school. Students who do not wish to be here will not be kept here against their will. They can apply for re-admission at their home school at anytime. Please realize that most schools will not allow new enrollment until semester break.

XVI. PARTICIATION IN SPORTS – A student with good grades (C or better), good attendance, and no discipline problems could be eligible to play sports with their “home” school. Eligibility rules from the home high schools apply. Students referred from a DDRC hearing will have their eligibility to play determined at the hearing. It is possible that students could be out one or two semesters depending on the gravity of the offense. Ask Mrs. Heward for more information if you are interested.

XVII. STUDENT PARKING – Student parking is on 17 th Street. Do not park between the buildings or have your parents drop you off there. An exception will be made for teen parents with babies being dropped off.

XVIII. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS and all district employees deserve and will be treated with respect at all times. Any verbal or nonverbal refusal to comply with a lawful direction given by staff will result in an administrative sanction.

XIX. USAGE OF SCHOOL PHONE – Students should make after school plans for rides, etc. before school. The school phone is for student emergency use only. In the event of a school emergency – Parents, please do not call into the school for information. All school lines must remain open for emergency authorities. Students will use cell phones to contact parents.

XX. TRESPASS NOTICE - Students may not be on any other school campus during regular school hours 7:00AM – 4:00PM without prior approval of all school administration involved. Students in violation will be given a trespass citation by law enforcement.

Students may attend ball games and other activities after school hours unless it becomes a problem. At that point a student may be banned from other schools on an individual basis.

XXI. VISITORS – All visitors must check in at the office.

Please ask questions as needed before signing the rules agreement in the registration packet. This copy of the rules is for your reference. Please keep it in a safe place.

NOTICE OF COMPLIANCE

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT OF 1974

In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the Cassia County Joint School District, #151, of Cassia hereby gives notice to all parents, legal guardians, and students eighteen years of age attending the Cassia County School District schools, that the following information is categorized as directory information: the student’s name and photograph; address; telephone listing; date and place of birth; photographic images of the student participating in regular classroom or school authorized activities; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.

Directory information will be published and released by the District without prior consent of the parents, legal guardian, or student 18 years of age or older, unless the parent, legal guardian, or student 18 years of age or older notifies the District that the above mentioned directory information should not be released without prior written consent of the parent, legal guardian, or student 18 years of age or older.