To Students and Parents:
Welcome to school year 2010–2011! Education is a team effort, and we know that
students, parents, teachers, and other staff members all working together can
make this a wonderfully successful year for our students.
The Paradise High School Student Handbook is designed to
provide a resource for some of the basic information that you and your child
will need during the school year. In an
effort to make it easier to use, the handbook is divided into two sections:
Section I—PARENTAL
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES—with information to assist you in responding to
school-related issues. We encourage you
to take some time to closely review this section of the handbook.
Section II—OTHER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS—organized alphabetically by
topic for quick access when searching for information on a specific issue.
Please be aware that the term “the student’s parent” is used
to refer to the parent, legal guardian, or any other person who has agreed to
assume school-related responsibility for a student.
Both students and parents should become familiar with the Paradise
ISD Student Code of Conduct, which is a document adopted by the board and
intended to promote school safety and an atmosphere for learning. That document may be found posted at
www.pisd.net or available in the principal’s office.
The Student Handbook is designed to be in harmony with board
policy and the Student Code of Conduct.
Please be aware that the handbook is updated yearly, while policy
adoption and revision may occur throughout the year. Changes in policy or other rules that affect
Student Handbook provisions will be made available to students and parents
through newsletters or other communications.
In case of conflict between board policy (including the
Student Code of Conduct) and any provisions of the Student Handbook, the
current provisions of board policy and the Student Code of Conduct are to be
followed.
After reading through the entire handbook with your child,
keep it as a reference during this school year.
If you or your child has questions about any of the material in this
handbook, please contact the campus principal.
Also, please complete and return to your child’s campus the
following required forms provided in the forms packet accompanying this
handbook]:
1.
Parental Acknowledgment Form;
2. Student
Directory Information and Release of Student Information Form;
3. Release
of Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education
Form; and
4. Consent/Opt-Out
Form.
[See Obtaining Information
and Protecting Student Rights on page 4 and Directory Information on page 11 for more information.]
Please note that references to policy codes are included so
that parents can refer to current board policy.
A copy of the district’s policy manual is available for review in the
school office [or online at www.pisd.net.
This section of the Paradise High School Student Handbook
includes information on topics of particular interest to you as a parent.
In its efforts to promote nondiscrimination, Paradise ISD
does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin,
gender, or disability in providing education services, activities, and
programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of
1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
The following district staff members have been designated to
coordinate compliance with these legal requirements:
·
Title IX Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination
on the basis of gender: Director of
Federal Programs, 338 School House
Rd. Paradise, Texas
76073, 940-969-5000
·
Section 504 Coordinator, for concerns regarding
discrimination on the basis of disability:
Director of Federal Programs, 338
School House Rd. Paradise, Texas 76073,
940-969-5000
·
All other concerns regarding
discrimination: See the superintendent
Monty Chapman, 338 School House Rd.
Paradise, Texas 76073, 940-969-5000
Both experience and research tell us that a child’s
education succeeds best when there is good communication and a strong
partnership between home and school.
Your involvement in this partnership may include:
·
Encouraging your child to put a high priority on
education and working with your child on a daily basis to make the most of the
educational opportunities the school provides.
·
Ensuring that your child completes all homework
assignments and special projects and comes to school each day prepared, rested,
and ready to learn.
·
Becoming familiar with all of your child’s
school activities and with the academic programs, including special programs,
offered in the district.
·
Discussing with the counselor or principal any
questions you may have about the options and opportunities available to your
child.
·
Reviewing the requirements of the graduation
programs with your child, if your child is entering ninth grade.
·
Monitoring your child’s academic progress and
contacting teachers as needed. [See Academic Counseling on page 23 and Academic Programs on page 16.]
·
Attending scheduled conferences and requesting
additional conferences as needed. To
schedule a telephone or in-person conference with a teacher, counselor, or
principal, please call the school office at (940) 969-5010 for an
appointment. The teacher will usually
return your call or meet with you during his or her conference period or before
or after school. [See Report Cards/Progress Reports and
Conferences on page 42.]
·
Becoming a school volunteer. [For further information, see policies at GKG
and contact the High School office.]
·
Participating in campus parent organizations. Parent organizations include:
·
Parent Teacher Organization
·
Athletic Booster
·
Band Booster
·
Serving as a parent representative on the
district-level or campus-level planning committees, assisting in the
development of educational goals and plans to improve student achievement. For further information, see policies at BQA
and BQB, and contact the campus principal.
·
Serving on the School Health Advisory Council,
assisting the district in ensuring local community values are reflected in
health education instruction. [See
policies at BDF, EHAA, FFA, and information in this handbook at School Health Advisory Council on page 36.]
·
Attending board meetings to learn more about
district operations. [See policies at BE
and BED for more information.]
The Parent Involvement Coordinator, who works with parents
of students participating in Title I programs is Patti Seckman and may be contacted
at 940-969-5000.
Your child will not be required to participate without
parental consent in any survey, analysis, or evaluation—funded in whole or in
part by the U.S. Department of Education—that concerns:
·
Political affiliations or beliefs of the student
or the student’s parent.
·
Mental or psychological problems of the student
or the student’s family.
·
Sexual behavior or attitudes.
·
Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or
demeaning behavior.
·
Critical appraisals of individuals with whom the
student has a close family relationship.
·
Relationships privileged under law, such as
relationships with lawyers, physicians, and ministers.
·
Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of
the student or parents.
·
Income, except when the information is required
by law and will be used to determine the student’s eligibility to participate
in a special program or to receive financial assistance under such a program.
You will be able to inspect the survey or other instrument
and any instructional materials used in connection with such a survey,
analysis, or evaluation. [For further
information, see policy EF(LEGAL).]
As a parent, you have a right to receive notice of and deny
permission for your child’s participation in:
·
Any survey concerning the private information
listed above, regardless of funding.
·
School activities involving the collection,
disclosure, or use of personal information gathered from your child for the
purpose of marketing or selling that information.
·
Any nonemergency, invasive physical examination
or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered and scheduled
by the school in advance and not necessary to protect the immediate health and
safety of the student. Exceptions are
hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening
permitted or required under state law.
[See policies EF and FFAA.]
As a parent, you may inspect a survey created by a third
party before the survey is administered or distributed to your child.
You may request information regarding the professional
qualifications of your child’s teachers, including whether a teacher has met
state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject
areas in which the teacher provides instruction; whether the teacher has an
emergency permit or other provisional status for which state requirements have
been waived; and undergraduate and graduate degree majors, graduate
certifications, and the field of study of the certification or degree. You also have the right to request
information about the qualifications of any paraprofessional who may provide
services to your child.
As a parent, you have a right to review teaching materials,
textbooks, and other teaching aids and instructional materials used in the
curriculum, and to examine tests that have been administered to your child.
[Also see Removing a
Student from Human Sexuality Instruction on page 6 for additional
information.]
Teachers may display students’ work in classrooms or
elsewhere on campus as recognition of student achievement. The district will seek parental consent
before displaying students’ artwork, special projects, photographs taken by
students, and the like on the district’s Web site, in printed material, by
video, or by any other method of mass communication.
You may review your child’s student records. These records include:
·
Attendance records,
·
Test scores,
·
Grades,
·
Disciplinary records,
·
Counseling records,
·
Psychological records,
·
Applications for admission,
·
Health and immunization information,
·
Other medical records,
·
Teacher and counselor evaluations,
·
Reports of behavioral patterns, and
·
State assessment instruments that have been
administered to your child.
[See Student Records
on page 9.]
As a parent, you may grant or deny any written request from
the district to make a video or voice recording of your child. State law, however, permits the school to
make a video or voice recording without parental permission for the following
circumstances:
·
When it is to be used for school safety;
·
When it relates to classroom instruction or a co-curricular
or extracurricular activity; or
·
When it relates to media coverage of the school.
As a parent, if your child is under the age of 14, you must
grant permission for your child to receive instruction in the district’s
parenting and paternity awareness program or your child will not be allowed to
participate in the instruction. This program,
developed by the Office of the Texas Attorney General and the State Board of
Education (SBOE), is incorporated into the district’s health education classes.
You may remove your child temporarily from the classroom if
an instructional activity in which your child is scheduled to participate
conflicts with your religious or moral beliefs.
The removal cannot be for the purpose of avoiding a test and may not
extend for an entire semester. Further,
your child must satisfy grade-level and graduation requirements as determined
by the school and by the Texas Education Agency.
As a part of the district’s curriculum, students receive
instruction related to human sexuality.
The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is involved with the selection
of course materials for such instruction.
State law requires that any instruction related to human
sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus or
acquired immune deficiency syndrome must:
·
Present abstinence from sexual activity as the
preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for
unmarried persons of school age;
·
Devote more attention to abstinence from sexual
activity than to any other behavior;
·
Emphasize that abstinence is the only method
that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted
diseases, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
·
Direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in
which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most effective way
to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; and
·
If included in the content of the curriculum,
teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead
of theoretical laboratory rates.
In accordance with state law, below is a summary of the
district’s curriculum regarding human sexuality instruction:
·
Planned Parenting
·
Child Development
·
Health
·
Anatomy and Physiology
·
Personal and Family Development
As a parent, you are entitled to review the curriculum
materials. In addition, you may remove
your child from any part of this instruction with no academic, disciplinary, or
other penalties. You may also choose to
become more involved with the development of curriculum used for this purpose
by becoming a member of the district’s SHAC.
Please see the campus principal for additional information.
As a parent, you may request that your child be excused from
participation in the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the United
States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag. The request must be in writing. State law does not allow your child to be
excused from participation in the required minute of silence or silent activity
that follows. [See Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence on page 41 and policy
EC(LEGAL).]
You may request that your child be excused from recitation
of a portion of the Declaration of Independence. State law requires students in
social studies classes in grades 3–12 to recite a portion of the text of the
Declaration of Independence during Celebrate Freedom Week unless (1) you
provide a written statement requesting that your child be excused, (2) the
district determines that your child has a conscientious objection to the
recitation, or (3) you are a representative of a foreign government to whom the
United States government extends diplomatic immunity. [See policy EHBK(LEGAL).]
A noncustodial parent may request in writing that he or she
be provided, for the remainder of the school year, a copy of any written notice
usually provided to a parent related to his or her child’s misconduct that may
involve placement in a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) or
expulsion. [See policy FO(LEGAL) and the
Student Code of Conduct.]
As a parent, you have a right:
·
To request the transfer of your child to another
classroom or campus if your child has been determined by the campus principal
to have been a victim of bullying as the term is defined by Education Code
25.0341. Transportation is not provided
for a transfer to another campus. See
the campus principal for information.
[See policy FDB.]
[See Bullying on page 17, and policy FFI(LOCAL).]
·
To request the transfer of your child to attend
a safe public school in the district if your child attends school at a campus
identified by TEA as persistently dangerous or if your child has been a victim
of a violent criminal offense while at school or on school grounds. [See policy FDE(LOCAL).]
·
To request the transfer of your child to a
neighboring district if your child has been the victim of a sexual assault by
another student assigned to the same campus, whether that assault occurred on
or off campus, and that student has been convicted of or placed on deferred
adjudication for that assault. [See
policy FDE.]
As a parent, if your children are multiple birth siblings
(e.g., twins, triplets, etc.) assigned to the same grade and campus, you may
request that they be placed either in the same classroom or in separate
classrooms. Your written request must be
submitted no later than the 14th day after the enrollment of your
children. [See policy FDB(LEGAL).]
Parents of students with learning difficulties or who may
need special education services may request an evaluation for special education
at any time. For more information, see Special Programs on page 48 and contact
the Director of Federal Programs at (940)969-5000.
If a child is experiencing learning difficulties, the parent
may contact the person listed below to learn about the district’s overall
general education referral or screening system for support services. This system links students to a variety of
support options, including referral for a special education evaluation. Students having difficulty in the regular
classroom should be considered for tutorial, compensatory, and other academic
or behavior support services that are available to all students including a
process based on Response to Intervention.
The implementation of Response to Intervention has the potential to have
a positive impact on the ability of school districts to meet the needs of all
struggling students.
At any time, a parent is entitled to request an evaluation
for special education services. Within a
reasonable amount of time, the district must decide if the evaluation is
needed. If the evaluation is needed, the
parent will be notified and asked to provide informed written consent for the
evaluation. The district must complete
the evaluation and the report within 60 calendar days of the date the district
receives the written consent. The
district must give a copy of the report to the parent.
If the district determines that the evaluation is not
needed, the district will provide the parent with a written notice that
explains why the child will not be evaluated.
This written notice will include a statement that informs the parent of
his or her rights if the parent disagrees with the district. Additionally, the notice must inform the
parent how to obtain a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards—Rights of
Parents of Students with Disabilities.
The designated person to contact regarding options for a
child experiencing learning difficulties or a referral for evaluation for
special education is the campus principal.
If a student is receiving special education services at a
campus outside his or her attendance zone, the parent or guardian may request
that any other student residing in the household be transferred to the same
campus, if the appropriate grade level for the transferring student is offered
on that campus. [See policy FDB(LOCAL).]
Children of military families will be provided flexibility
regarding certain district requirements, including:
·
Immunization requirements.
·
Grade level, course, or educational program
placement.
·
Eligibility requirements for participation in
extracurricular activities.
·
Graduation requirements.
In addition, absences related to a student visiting with his
or her parent related to leave or deployment activities may be excused by the
district.
Additional information may be found at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/mil/.
The Parent Involvement Coordinator, who works with parents
of students participating in Title I programs is the Director of Federal Programs
and may be contacted at 940-969-5000.
Both federal and state laws safeguard student records from
unauthorized inspection or use and provide parents and eligible students
certain rights of privacy. Before
disclosing any personally identifiable information from a student’s records,
the district must verify the identity of the person, including a parent or the
student, requesting the information. For
purposes of student records, an “eligible” student is one who is 18 or older OR
who is attending an institution of postsecondary education.
Virtually all information pertaining to student performance,
including grades, test results, and disciplinary records, is considered
confidential educational records.
Release is restricted to:
·
The parents—whether married, separated, or
divorced—unless the school is given a copy of a court order terminating
parental rights or the right to access a student’s education records.
Federal law requires that, as soon
as a student becomes 18, is emancipated by a court, or enrolls in a
postsecondary institution, control of the records goes to the student. The parents may continue to have access to
the records, however, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes and under
limited circumstances when there is a threat to the health and safety of the
student or other individuals.
·
District school officials who have what federal
law refers to as a “legitimate educational interest” in a student’s
records. School officials would include
trustees and employees, such as the superintendent, administrators, and
principals; teachers, counselors, diagnosticians, and support staff; a person
or company with whom the district has contracted or allowed to provide a
particular service or function (such as an attorney, consultant, auditor,
medical consultant, therapist, or volunteer); a parent or student serving on a
school committee; or a parent or student assisting a school official in the
performance of his or her duties.
“Legitimate educational interest” in a student’s records includes
working with the student; considering disciplinary or academic actions, the
student’s case, or an individualized education program for a student with
disabilities; compiling statistical data; reviewing an educational record to
fulfill the official’s professional responsibility; or investigating or
evaluating programs.
·
Various governmental agencies.
·
Individuals granted access in response to a
subpoena or court order.
·
A school or institution of postsecondary
education to which a student seeks or intends to enroll or in which he or she
is already enrolled.
Release to any other person or agency—such as a prospective
employer or for a scholarship application—will occur only with parental or
student permission as appropriate.
The campus principal is custodian of all records for
currently enrolled students at the assigned school. The campus principal is the custodian of all
records for students who have withdrawn or graduated.
Records may be inspected by a parent or eligible student
during regular school hours. The records
custodian or designee will respond to reasonable requests for explanation and
interpretation of the records.
A parent or eligible student who provides a written request
and pays copying costs of ten cents per page may obtain copies. If circumstances prevent inspection during
regular school hours and the student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals,
the district will either provide a copy of the records requested or make other
arrangements for the parent or student to review these records. The address of the superintendent’s office is
338 School House Rd., Paradise, TX 76073.
The address of the principals’ office is the same ads the
superintendent’s office.
A parent (or eligible student) may inspect the student’s
records and request a correction if the records are considered inaccurate,
misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. A request to correct a student’s record
should be submitted to the campus principal.
The request must clearly identify the part of the record that should be
corrected and include an explanation of how the information in the record is
inaccurate. If the district denies the
request to amend the records, the parent or eligible student has the right to
request a hearing. If the records are
not amended as a result of the hearing, the parent or eligible student has 30
school days to exercise the right to place a statement commenting on the
information in the student’s record.
Although improperly recorded grades may be challenged, contesting a
student’s grade in a course is handled through the general complaint process
found in policy FNG(LOCAL). A grade
issued by a classroom teacher can be changed only if, as determined by the
board of trustees, the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or inconsistent with the
district’s grading policy. [See FINALITY
OF GRADES at FNG(LEGAL), Report
Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 42, and Student or Parent Complaints and Concerns on page 20 for an
overview of the process.]
The district’s policy regarding student records found at
FL(LEGAL) and (LOCAL) is available from the principal’s or superintendent’s
office or on the district’s Web site at www.pisd.net.
The parent’s or eligible student’s right of access to and
copies of student records do not extend to all records. Materials that are not considered educational
records—such as a teacher’s personal notes about a student that are shared only
with a substitute teacher—do not have to be made available to the parents or
student.
Please note:
Parents or eligible students have the right to file a
complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe the district is
not in compliance with federal law regarding student records. The complaint may be mailed to:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901
The law permits the district to designate certain personal
information about students as “directory information.” This “directory information” will be released
to anyone who follows procedures for requesting it.
However, release of a student’s directory information may be
prevented by the parent or an eligible student.
This objection must be made in writing to the principal within ten
school days of your child’s first day of instruction for this school year. [See the “Notice Regarding Directory
Information and Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information”
included in the forms packet.]
The district often needs to use student information for
school-sponsored purposes as listed in FL(LOCAL).
This information will not be used for other purposes without
the consent of the parent or eligible student, except as described above at Directory Information.
Unless you object to the use of your child’s information for
these limited purposes, the school will not need to ask your permission each
time the district wishes to use this information for school-sponsored purposes.
The district is required by federal law to comply with a
request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education for
students’ names, addresses, and telephone listings, unless parents have advised
the district not to release their child’s information without prior written
consent. A form has been attached for
you to complete if you do not want the district to provide this information to
military recruiters or institutions of higher education.
State law specifically requires the district to provide the
following information:
·
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of
the covering of the brain and spinal cord.
It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is most common and the least
serious. Bacterial meningitis is the
most common form of serious bacterial infection with the potential for serious,
long-term complications. It is an uncommon
disease, but requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent
damage or death.
·
What are the symptoms?
Someone with meningitis will
become very ill. The illness may develop
over one or two days, but it can also rapidly progress in a matter of
hours. Not everyone with meningitis will
have the same symptoms.
Children (over 1 year old) and
adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high temperature, vomiting,
sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness or joint pains, and drowsiness or
confusion. In both children and adults,
there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots.
These can occur anywhere on the body.
The diagnosis of bacterial
meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and laboratory results.
·
How serious is bacterial meningitis?
If it is diagnosed early and
treated promptly, the majority of people make a complete recovery. In some cases it can be fatal or a person may
be left with a permanent disability.
·
How is bacterial meningitis spread?
Fortunately, none of the bacteria
that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the
flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air
where a person with meningitis has been.
The germs live naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they
do not live for long outside the body.
They are spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing, sharing
drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes).
The germ does not cause meningitis
in most people. Instead, most people
become carriers of the germ for days, weeks, or even months. The bacteria rarely overcome the body’s
immune system and cause meningitis or another serious illness.
·
How can bacterial meningitis be prevented?
Do not share food, drinks,
utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes.
Limit the number of persons you kiss.
While there are vaccines for some
other strains of bacterial meningitis, they are used only in special
circumstances. These include when there
is a disease outbreak in a community or for people traveling to a country where
there is a high risk of getting the disease.
Also, a vaccine is recommended by some groups for college students,
particularly freshmen living in dorms or residence halls. The vaccine is safe and effective (85–90
percent). It can cause mild side
effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two
days. Immunity develops within seven to
ten days after the vaccine is given and lasts for up to five years.
·
What should you do if you think you or a friend
might have bacterial meningitis?
You should seek prompt medical
attention.
·
Where can you get more information?
Your school nurse, family doctor,
and the staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent
sources for information on all communicable diseases. You may also call your local health
department or Regional Department of State Health Services office to ask about
a meningococcal vaccine. Additional information
may also be found at the Web sites for the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov, and the
Department of State Health Services, http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/.
Topics in this section of the handbook contain important
information on academics, school activities, and school operations and
requirements. Take a moment with your
child to become familiar with the various issues addressed in this
section. It is organized in alphabetical
order to serve as a quick-reference when you or your child has a question about
a specific school-related issue. Should
you be unable to find the information on a particular topic, please contact the
campus principal.
Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make
the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school
activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as
an individual. Absences from class may result
in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials;
therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary
absences. Two state laws—one dealing
with compulsory attendance, the other with attendance for course credit—are of
special interest to students and parents.
They are discussed below.
State law requires that a student between the ages of six
and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction
program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is
otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.
A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or
her 18th birthday is required to attend each school day until the
end of the school year and is subject to compulsory attendance laws, if the
student is under 21 years old. In
addition, if a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a
semester the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property
thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing. [See FEA.]
State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance
requirements for several types of absences if the student makes up all
work. These include the following
activities and events:
·
Religious holy days;
·
Required court appearances;
·
Activities related to obtaining United States
citizenship;
·
Service as an election clerk; and
·
Documented health-care appointments, including
absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorders.
In addition, a junior or senior student’s absence of up to
two days related to visiting a college or university will be considered an
exemption, provided the student receives approval from the campus principal,
follows the campus procedures to verify such a visit, and makes up any work
missed.
School employees must investigate and report violations of
the state compulsory attendance law. A
student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required
special programs, such as additional special instruction, termed “accelerated
instruction” by the state; or from required tutorials will be considered in
violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.
A court of law may also impose penalties against both the
student and his or her parents if a school-aged student is deliberately not
attending school. A complaint against
the parent may be filed in court if the student:
·
Is absent from school on ten or more days or
parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or
·
Is absent on three or more days or parts of days
within a four-week period.
If the student is over age 18, the student’s parents will
not be subject to penalties as a result of their child’s violation of state
compulsory attendance law. [See
FEA(LEGAL).]
To receive credit in a class, a student must attend at least
90 percent of the days the class is offered.
A student who attends at least 75 percent but fewer than 90 percent of
the days the class is offered may receive credit for the class if he or she
completes a plan, approved by the principal, that allows the student to fulfill
the instructional requirements for the class.
If a student is involved in a criminal or juvenile court proceeding, the
approval of the judge presiding over the case will also be required before the
student receives credit for the class.
If a student attends less than 75 percent of the days a
class is offered or has not completed a plan approved by the principal, then
the student will be referred to the attendance review committee to determine
whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the
student can regain credit, if appropriate.
[See policies at FEC.]
In determining whether there were extenuating circumstances
for the absences, the attendance committee will use the following guidelines:
·
All absences will be considered in determining whether
a student has attended the required percentage of days. If makeup work is completed, absences for the
reasons listed above at Exemptions to
Compulsory Attendance will be considered days of attendance for this
purpose.
·
A transfer or migrant student begins to
accumulate absences only after he or she has enrolled in the district. For a student transferring into the district
after school begins, including a migrant student, only those absences after
enrollment will be considered.
·
In reaching a decision about a student’s
absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that it is in the best interest
of the student.
·
The committee will consider the acceptability
and authenticity of documented reasons for the student’s absences.
·
The committee will consider whether the absences
were for reasons over which the student or the student’s parent could exercise
any control.
·
The committee will consider the extent to which
the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and
skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
·
The student or parent will be given an
opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and
to talk about ways to earn or regain credit.
The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to
the board of trustees by filing a written request with the superintendent in
accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).
The actual number of days a student must be in attendance in
order to receive credit will depend on whether the class is for a full semester
or for a full year.
Roll will be taken at the beginning of each class period. A
student will be counted absent if they are not present in the classroom at the
beginning of each class. If a student comes to class within the first 20
minutes of that class, the absence will be changed to a tardy. All absences and
tardies are unexcused until they have been cleared by the principal or his
designee. Students have 3 class days upon returning to school to bring a note
that will excuse their absence(s). At the end of the 3 day period the absences
will be considered unexcused.
When a student must be absent from school, the student—upon
returning to school—must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the
reason for the absence. A note signed by
the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the
student is 18 or older.
Upon return to school, a student absent for more than 5
consecutive days because of a personal illness must bring a statement from a
doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the
student’s extended absence from school.
Should the student develop a questionable pattern of
absences, the principal or attendance committee may require a statement from a
doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s
absence from school.
[See policy FEC(LOCAL).]
For a student between the ages of 16 and 18 to obtain a
driver license, the Texas Department of Public Safety must be provided written
parental consent to access the student’s records for purposes of verifying 90
percent attendance for credit for the semester.
The school counselor provides students and parents
information regarding academic programs to prepare for higher education and
career choices. [For more information,
see Academic Counseling on page 23
of this handbook and policies at EIF.]
Students desiring to enroll in an Advanced Placement (AP) or
Pre-AP course must receive a teacher recommendation from a previous teacher in
the same curriculum area. Exceptions to this may be made by way of a conference
between the principal, parent, and teacher.
Bullying occurs when a student or group of students directs
written or verbal expressions or physical conduct against another student and
the behavior results in harm to the student or the student’s property, places a
student in fear of physical harm or of damage to the student’s property, or is
so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating,
threatening, or abusive educational environment.
The board has established policies and procedures to
prohibit bullying and to respond to reports of bullying. [See School
Safety Transfers on page 8 and policy FFI(LOCAL).]
The district offers career and technical education programs
in Agriculture Science, Business, and Home Economics. Admission to these
programs is based on the aptitude, grade level enrollment, and degree plan.
Paradise ISD will take steps to ensure that lack of English
language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all
educational and vocational programs.
[Also see Nondiscrimination
Statement on page 3 for additional information regarding the district’s
efforts regarding participation in these programs.]
The district has established a plan for addressing child
sexual abuse, which may be accessed through the Director of Federal Programs at
940-969-5000. As a parent, it is
important for you to be aware of warning signs that could indicate a child may
have been or is being sexually abused.
Sexual abuse in the Texas Family Code is defined as any sexual conduct
harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare as well as a
failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent sexual conduct with a
child. Anyone who suspects that a child
has been or may be abused or neglected has a legal responsibility, under state
law, for reporting the suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or to
Child Protective Services (CPS).
Possible physical warning signs of sexual abuse could be
difficulty sitting or walking, pain in the genital areas, and claims of
stomachaches and headaches. Behavioral
indicators may include verbal references or pretend games of sexual activity
between adults and children, fear of being alone with adults of a particular
gender, or sexually suggestive behavior.
Emotional warning signs to be aware of include withdrawal, depression,
sleeping and eating disorders, and problems in school.
A child who has experienced sexual abuse should be
encouraged to seek out a trusted adult.
Be aware as a parent or other trusted adult that disclosures of sexual
abuse may be more indirect than disclosures of physical abuse, and it is
important to be calm and comforting if your child, or another child, confides
in you. Reassure the child that he or
she did the right thing by telling you.
As a parent, if your child is a victim of sexual abuse, the
campus counselor or principal will provide information regarding counseling
options for you and your child available in your area. The Texas Department of Family and Protective
Services (TDFPS) also manages early intervention counseling programs. To find out what services may be available in
your county, see http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Prevention_and_Early_Intervention/Programs_Available_In_
Your_County/default.asp.
The following Web sites might help you become more aware of
child sexual abuse:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index.aspx?id=2820
http://sapn.nonprofitoffice.com/
http://www.taasa.org/member/materials2.php
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications/txts/childabuse1.shtml
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications/txts/childabuse2.shtml
Reports may be made to:
The Child Protective Services (CPS) division of the Texas
Department of Family and Protective Services (1-800-252-5400 or on the Web at http://www.txabusehotline.org).
PURPOSE: The Paradise
I.S.D. desires to develop a class rank policy that will support the District’s
goal of increasing the percentage of students completing the Recommended and
Distinguished Achievement Programs, increasing SAT and ACT scores, and to take
Level Four classes to promote academic success.
HONORS TO BE EARNED: Valedictorian, Salutatorian, top ten percent
for automatic admission to a State-funded institution.
Must be enrolled in the
Distinguished Achievement Programs.
Must be enrolled in Paradise High School during their last four
semesters before graduation.
No major violations (AEP
placements, out of school suspensions, or expulsions) of the student code of
conduct during the student’s final year.
Violations would result in forfeiture of giving a speech at the graduation
ceremony.
In cases of a tie in weighted grade averages among the top
ranking students, the following methods shall be used to determine who shall be
recognized as salutatorian or valedictorian:
Computing the weighted grade
average to three decimal places.
However, if a tie still remains,
the student with the most AP courses shall be considered first.
However, if a tie still remains,
the student with the highest numerical grade average of all AP courses taken
shall be the valedictorian.
In the event that the students are still tied after the
above criteria have been met, the students will be named co-valedictorian, and
there will be no salutatorian. If a tie
occurs for salutatorian, both students will be co-salutatorians.
Students choosing to graduate early must notify the
counselor during their sophomore year and pass all aspects of the most recent
TAKS test administration. The student's
ranking will calculate with the class of graduation.
Any grade received from an accredited institution will go
towards the student's class rank. Any
grade received from a non-accredited institution will be accepted, but will not
go towards the class ranking.
Will consider regular academic courses only: all English, Math, Science, Social Studies,
Foreign Language, Business and Technology Education, Health, Vocational Ag.,
Consumer Economics, Computer Science, and Fine Arts.
Will not consider Physical Education, Athletics, Drill Team,
Band, PAL’s, and courses of local credit, courses taken by correspondence,
credit by examination with prior instruction, examinations for acceleration, or
summer school courses.
A board of 5 faculty members (appointed by principal) will
review any changes to this policy.
For two school years following his or her graduation, a
district student who graduates in the top ten percent of his or her class is
eligible for automatic admission into four-year public universities and
colleges in Texas
if the student:
·
Completes the Recommended or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program; or
·
Satisfies the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
or earns at least a 1500 out of 2400 on the SAT.
The University of Texas at Austin
may limit the number of students automatically admitted to 75 percent of the
university’s enrollment capacity for incoming freshmen.
For students who are eligible to enroll in the University of
Texas at Austin during the summer or fall 2011 term, the University will be
admitting the top eight percent of the high school’s graduating class who meet
the above requirements. Additional
applicants will be considered by the University through an independent review
process.
Students and parents should contact the counselor for
further information about automatic admissions, the application process, and
deadlines.
[For further information, see policies at EIC.]
Under the Texas Early High School Graduation Scholarship
Program, eligible students may earn financial credits in varying amounts,
depending on the number of consecutive months in which the student completed
graduation requirements and the number of early college credits earned. Students may choose public or private Texas higher education
institutions within the state. Except
for ninth graders who entered high school in the 2004-2005 school year, these
financial credits will be limited to students who complete the Recommended or
Advanced (Distinguished Achievement) High School Program. Exceptions will apply if necessary courses were
unavailable at the appropriate times in the student’s high school years because
of course scheduling, lack of enrollment capacity, or another reason outside
the student’s control. If the exception
applies, the District will indicate the fact on the student’s transcript. The counselor can provide additional
information about meeting the program’s eligibility requirements.
Students who have financial need according to federal
criteria and who complete the Recommended
High school Graduation Program or Distinguished
Achievement Program (Advanced) may be eligible under the T.E.X.A.S. Grant
Program for tuition and fees to Texas
public universities, community colleges, and technical schools, as well as to
private institutions. For information,
see the principal or counselor and policy EJ(LEGAL).
Class schedules will not be changed after the first 5 class
days except in extenuating circumstances and approval from the Principal.
Students are allowed to take college coursework during the
school year. They must have approval
from the principal in advance to earn dual credit. These courses can give dual credit if the
college course meets all the guidelines set forth in the TEA Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills.
In order for a student to receive approval to take a college
or dual credit course, they must have met the standards in all areas of the
TAKS test and they must have made an 85 or higher grade in the class previous
to the college course.
Students who have previously failed a college or dual credit
course will not be approved to sign up for another college or dual credit
course.
Students will be required to meet entrance guidelines of the
college through which the course is being offered. This may include the THEA
test or other requirements listed by the individual college or university.
In addition to the programs offered by the district,
Students in grades 9–12 may earn college credit from an accredited college or
university.
Usually student or parent complaints or concerns can be
addressed by a phone call or a conference with the teacher or principal. For those complaints and concerns that cannot
be handled so easily, the district has adopted a standard complaint policy at
FNG(LOCAL) in the district’s policy manual.
A copy of this policy may be obtained in the principal’s or
superintendent’s office [or on the district’s Web site at www.pisd.net].
In general, the student or parent should submit a written
complaint and request a conference with the campus principal. If the concern is not resolved, a request for
a conference should be sent to the superintendent. If still unresolved, the district provides
for the complaint to be presented to the board of trustees.
To prepare students for an increasingly technological
society, the district has made an investment in computer technology for
instructional purposes. Use of these
computer resources is restricted to students working under a teacher’s
supervision and for approved purposes only.
Students and parents will be asked to sign a user agreement (separate
from this handbook) regarding use of these resources; violations of this
agreement may result in withdrawal of privileges and other disciplinary action.
Students and their parents should be aware that e-mail and
other electronic communications using district computers are not private and
will be monitored by district staff.
[For additional information, see policies at CQ.]
As required by law, the board has adopted a Student Code of
Conduct that prohibits certain behaviors and defines standards of acceptable
behavior—both on and off campus—and consequences for violation of these
standards. The district has disciplinary
authority over a student in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Students and parents should be familiar with
the standards set out in the Student Code of Conduct, as well as campus and
classroom rules.
As identified by law, disruptions include the following:
·
Interference with the movement of people at an
exit, entrance, or hallway of a district building without authorization from an
administrator.
·
Interference with an authorized activity by
seizing control of all or part of a building.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt
to prevent participation in an authorized assembly.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats to cause
disruption during an assembly.
·
Interference with the movement of people at an
exit or an entrance to district property.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt
to prevent people from entering or leaving district property without
authorization from an administrator.
·
Disruption of classes or other school activities
while on district property or on public property that is within 500 feet of
district property. Class disruption
includes making loud noises; trying to entice a student away from, or to
prevent a student from attending, a required class or activity; and entering a
classroom without authorization and disrupting the activity with loud or
profane language or any misconduct.
·
Interference with the transportation of students
in vehicles owned or operated by the district.
Possession of telecommunications devices, including mobile
telephones is permitted at Paradise High School as long as the device is not
visible, heard, or used at anytime or anywhere on school property during classroom instruction time or student
assemblies. Classroom instruction time
is defined as the time beginning when the tardy bell rings for class to start
through the instructor’s dismissal of students at the end of class. Classroom instruction time includes all
areas of school property. Exceptions will only be made in cases where the
instructor permits the use of these devices as a part of the educational
process.
The use of mobile telephones in locker rooms or restroom
areas, at any time while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored
event, is strictly prohibited.
Administrators have the right to prohibit the use of these
devices anywhere or anytime.
First time offense, the item will be confiscated and the
parent must come to the school and pick up the device.
Second offense, the device will be confiscated and the
parent must come to the school and pick up the device. A $15.00 fee will be charged each time the
item is confiscated after the first offense.
Third and subsequent offense, the item will be confiscated
and kept for 30 days. At the end of this
time period, the parent must come to the school and pick up the device. A
$15.00 fee will be charged for the return of the item.
Confiscated telecommunications devices that are not
retrieved by the student or student’s parents will be disposed of after the
notice required by law. [See policy
FNCE.]
Any disciplinary
action will be in accordance with the Student
Code of Conduct. The district will
not be responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen telecommunications devices.
Students are not permitted to possess such items as radios,
CD players, MP3 players, video or audio recorders, DVD players, cameras, games,
or other electronic devices at school, unless prior permission has been
obtained from the principal. Without
such permission, teachers will collect the items and turn them in to the
principal’s office. The principal will
determine whether to return items to students at the end of the day or to
contact parents to pick up the items.
Any disciplinary action will be in accordance with the Student
Code of Conduct. The district
will not be responsible for any damaged, lost, or stolen electronic device.
Students are prohibited from sending or posting electronic
messages that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing,
damaging to another’s reputation, or illegal.
This prohibition applies to conduct off school property if it results in
a substantial disruption to the educational environment. Any person taking, disseminating,
transferring, or sharing obscene, sexually oriented, lewd, or otherwise illegal
images or other content will be disciplined according to the Student Code of
Conduct and may, in certain circumstances, be reported to law enforcement.
School rules apply to all school social events. Guests attending these events are expected to
observe the same rules as students, and a student inviting a guest will share
responsibility for the conduct of his or her guest.
A student attending a social event will be asked to sign out
when leaving before the end of the event; anyone leaving before the official
end of the event will not be readmitted.
To protect other students from contagious illnesses,
students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while
contagious. If a parent suspects that
his or her child has a contagious disease, the parent should contact the school
nurse or principal so that other students who might have been exposed to the
disease can be alerted.
The school nurse or the principal’s office can provide
information from the Department of State Health Services regarding these
diseases.
The district permits high school students to take
correspondence courses—by mail or via the Internet—for credit toward high
school graduation.
[For further information, see policies at EEJC.]
Students and their parents are encouraged to talk with a
school counselor, teacher, or principal to learn more about course offerings,
graduation requirements, and early graduation procedures. Each spring, students in grades 8–11 will be
provided information on anticipated course offerings for the next school year
and other information that will help them make the most of academic and CTE
opportunities.
To plan for the future, each student should work closely
with the counselor in order to enroll in the high school courses that best
prepare him or her for attendance at a college, university, or training school,
or for pursuit of some other type of advanced education. The counselor can also provide information
about entrance exams and application deadlines, as well as information about
automatic admission to state colleges and universities, financial aid, housing,
and scholarships.
The school counselor is available to assist students with a
wide range of personal concerns, including such areas as social, family, or
emotional issues, or substance abuse.
The counselor may also make available information about community
resources to address these concerns. A
student who wishes to meet with the counselor should stop by the counselors
office and set up an appointment.
The school will not conduct a psychological examination,
test, or treatment without first obtaining the parent’s written consent. Parental consent is not necessary when a
psychological examination, test, or treatment is required by state or federal
law for special education purposes or by the Texas Education Agency for child
abuse investigations and reports.
[For more information, refer to policies EHBAA(LEGAL),
FFE(LEGAL), and FFG(EXHIBIT).]
A student who has previously taken a course or subject—but
did not receive credit for it—may, in circumstances determined by the teacher,
counselor, principal, or attendance committee, be permitted to earn credit by
passing an exam on the essential knowledge and skills defined for that course
or subject. Prior instruction may
include, for example, incomplete coursework due to a failed course or excessive
absences, homeschooling, correspondence courses, or independent study
supervised by a teacher.
The counselor or principal would determine if the student
could take an exam for this purpose. If
approval is granted, the student must score at least 70 on the exam to receive
credit for the course or subject.
The attendance review committee may also offer a student
with excessive absences an opportunity to earn credit for a course by passing
an exam.
A student may not use this exam, however, to regain
eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities.
A fee will be charged to the student for this test.
[For further information, see the counselor and policy
EEJA(LOCAL).]
A student will be permitted to take an exam to earn credit
for an academic course for which the student has had no prior instruction. The dates on which exams are scheduled during
the 2010–2011 school year include:
Dates Scheduled:
November 17-19, 2010
November 22, 2010
May 30-31, 2010
June 1, 2010
A student will earn credit with a passing score of at least
90 on the exam.
If a student plans to take an exam, the student (or parent)
must register with the principal no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled
testing date. The district will not
honor a request by a parent to administer a test on a date other than the published
dates. If the district agrees to
administer a test other than the one chosen by the district, the parent must
purchase a test from a university approved by the State Board of Education. [For further information, see EEJB(LOCAL).]
The district believes that all students learn best in an
environment free from dating violence, discrimination, harassment, and
retaliation and that their welfare is best served when they are free from this
prohibited conduct while attending school.
Students are expected to treat other students and district employees
with courtesy and respect, to avoid behaviors known to be offensive, and to
stop those behaviors when asked or told to stop. District employees are expected to treat
students with courtesy and respect.
The board has established policies and procedures to
prohibit and promptly respond to inappropriate and offensive behaviors that are
based on a person’s race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability,
or any other basis prohibited by law.
[See policy FFH.]
Dating violence occurs when a person in a current or past
dating relationship uses physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse to harm,
threaten, intimidate, or control the other person in the relationship. This type of conduct is considered harassment
if the conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects the
student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or
activity; creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive
educational environment; or substantially interferes with the student’s
academic performance.
Examples of dating violence against a student may include,
but are not limited to, physical or sexual assaults, name-calling, put-downs,
threats to hurt the student or the student’s family members or members of the
student’s household, destroying property belonging to the student, threats to
commit suicide or homicide if the student ends the relationship, attempts to
isolate the student from friends and family, stalking, or encouraging others to
engage in these behaviors.
Discrimination is defined as any conduct directed at a
student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability,
or any other basis prohibited by law, that negatively affects the student.
Harassment, in general terms, is conduct so severe,
persistent, or pervasive that it affects the student’s ability to participate
in or benefit from an educational program or activity; creates an intimidating,
threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment; or substantially
interferes with the student’s academic performance. A copy of the district’s policy is available
in the principal’s office and in the superintendent’s office or on the
district’s Web site.
Examples of harassment may include, but are not limited to,
offensive or derogatory language directed at a person’s religious beliefs or
practices, accent, skin color, or need for accommodation; threatening or
intimidating conduct; offensive jokes, name-calling, slurs, or rumors; physical
aggression or assault; graffiti or printed material promoting racial, ethnic,
or other negative stereotypes; or other kinds of aggressive conduct such as
theft or damage to property.
Sexual harassment of a student by an employee, volunteer, or
another student is prohibited.
Sexual harassment of a student by an employee or volunteer
does not include necessary or permissible physical contact not reasonably
construed as sexual in nature. However,
romantic and other inappropriate social relationships, as well as all sexual
relationships, between students and district employees are prohibited, even if
consensual.
Examples of prohibited sexual harassment may include, but
not be limited to, touching private body parts or coercing physical contact
that is sexual in nature; sexual advances; jokes or conversations of a sexual
nature; and other sexually motivated conduct, communications, or contact.
Retaliation against a person who makes a good faith report
of discrimination or harassment, including dating violence, is prohibited. Retaliation against a person who is
participating in an investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment is
also prohibited. A person who makes a false claim or offers false statements or
refuses to cooperate with a district investigation, however, may be subject to
appropriate discipline.
Retaliation against a student might occur when a student
receives threats from another student or an employee or when an employee
imposes an unjustified punishment or unwarranted grade reduction. Retaliation does not include petty slights
and annoyances from other students or negative comments from a teacher that are
justified by a student’s poor academic performance in the classroom.
Any student who believes that he or she has experienced
dating violence, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should immediately
report the problem to a teacher, counselor, principal, or other district
employee. The report may be made by the
student’s parent. See policy FFH(LOCAL)
for the appropriate district officials to whom to make a report.
To the extent possible, the district will respect the privacy
of the student; however, limited disclosures may be necessary to conduct a
thorough investigation and to comply with law.
Allegations of prohibited conduct, which includes dating violence,
discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, will be promptly
investigated. The district will notify
the parents of any student alleged to have experienced prohibited conduct
involving an adult associated with the district.
In the event prohibited conduct involves another student,
the district will notify the parents of the student alleged to have experienced
the prohibited conduct when the allegations, if proven, would constitute a
violation as defined by policy.
If the district’s investigation indicates that prohibited
conduct occurred, appropriate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken
to address the conduct. The district may
take disciplinary action even if the conduct that is the subject of the
complaint was not unlawful.
A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of
the investigation may appeal in accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).
[See Dating Violence,
Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 25.]
Distance learning includes courses that encompass the
state-required essential knowledge and skills but are taught through multiple
technologies and alternative methodologies such as satellite, Internet,
video-conferencing, and instructional television.
The Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) has been
established as one method of distance learning.
A student has the option, with certain limitations, to enroll in a
course offered through the TxVSN to earn course credit for graduation. Depending on the course in which a student
enrolls, the course may be subject to the “no pass, no play” rules. [Also see Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations on page 30.]
Publications prepared by and for the school may be posted or
distributed, with the prior approval of the principal, sponsor, or
teacher. Such items may include school
posters, brochures, flyers, etc.
The school yearbook is available to students.
All school publications are under the supervision of a
teacher, sponsor, and the principal.
[See Directory
Information for School-Sponsored Purposes on page 11.]
Students must obtain prior approval from the campus
principal before posting, circulating, or distributing more than ten copies of
written materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, petitions, films, tapes,
posters, or other visual or auditory materials that were not developed under
the oversight of the school. To be considered, any nonschool material must
include the name of the sponsoring person or organization. The decision regarding approval will be made
within two school days.
The principal has designated the windows in the main office as
the location for approved nonschool materials to be placed for voluntary
viewing by students. [See policies at
FNAA.]
A student may appeal a principal’s decision in accordance
with policy FNG(LOCAL). Any student who
posts nonschool material without prior approval will be subject to disciplinary
action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Materials displayed without the principal’s
approval will be removed.
Written or printed materials, handbills, photographs,
pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory materials not sponsored by
the district or by a district-affiliated school-support organization will not
be sold, circulated, distributed, or posted on any district premises by any
district employee or by persons or groups not associated with the district,
except as permitted by policy GKDA. To
be considered for distribution, any nonschool material must meet the
limitations on content established in the policy, include the name of the sponsoring
person or organization, and be submitted to the campus principal for prior
review. The principal will approve or
reject the materials within two school days of the time the materials are
received. The requestor may appeal a
rejection in accordance with the appropriate district complaint policy. [See policies at DGBA, FNG, or GF.]
Prior review will not be required for:
·
Distribution of materials by an attendee to
other attendees of a school-sponsored meeting intended for adults and held
after school hours.
·
Distribution of materials by an attendee to
other attendees of a community group meeting held after school hours in
accordance with policy GKD(LOCAL) or a noncurriculum-related student group
meeting held in accordance with FNAB(LOCAL).
·
Distribution for electioneering purposes during the
time a school facility is being used as a polling place, in accordance with
state law.
All nonschool materials distributed under these
circumstances must be removed from district property immediately following the
event at which the materials are distributed.
Paradise ISD has established the following student dress
code to promote community pride and spirit, to promote self-discipline, to
encourage proper grooming and hygiene practices, and to insure the educational
efficiency of the school system.
Students at Paradise ISD are asked to have pride in their
appearance at all times.
Students and parents may determine a student’s personal
dress and grooming standard, provided that they comply with the below listed
guidelines.
- Students may wear loose fitting,
hemmed shorts, skorts and culottes. Wind-shorts, gym shorts and sweats are
not allowed in grades 6-12.The length must be no shorter than the longest
fingertip when arms are extended and hands held flat against the leg. Due to
growth and development of students, fingertip length may be deemed
inappropriate at the administrator’s discretion.
- Halter tops, bare midriffs,
spaghetti straps, tube tops, undergarments worn as outer wear, or cut
and/or torn articles of clothing will not be allowed. Sleeveless shirts or
blouses may be worn by girls, but must have a shoulder strap width of 2 ½
inches (width of a dollar bill). Boys will wear shirts with sleeves. Tank
tops and muscle shirts are not allowed.
Visible cleavage when sitting or standing is NOT allowed. Any garment that shows any inappropriate
part of the body due to sitting, bending, or raising hands and are a
distraction to the educational process will not be allowed.
- No caps, hats, headbands, bandanas,
or headwear may be worn in any building on campus during school hours.
When taken up, they become property of the principal. School issued caps
may be placed in the athletic dressing area.
- No clothing may be inappropriately
worn or contain inappropriate pictures, slogans, or advertisements.
(Example- overalls must be fastened at all times appropriately.)
- Underclothing, boxer shorts, etc.
need to remain unseen. Bike shorts, spandex, and Lycra may be worn only as
an undergarment.
- Body piercing adornments are limited
to female ears. No earrings shall be worn by boys, including spacers or
other items used in pierced ears or Band-Aids covering earrings.
Inappropriate, excessive, or distracting jewelry will be removed upon
request.
- Skirts, dresses and slits in skirts
and dresses must be no shorter than the longest fingertip when arms are
extended and hands held flat against the leg. Leggings may be worn under dresses as
long as the dress meets length requirements and are not transparent. Due to growth and development of students,
fingertip length may be deemed inappropriate at the administrator’s
discretion.
- Male students must be clean shaven
at all times. Sideburns are allowed, if they are neatly trimmed and no
longer than the bottom of the ear.
- Hair for all students must be out of
the eyes, clean, and cut often. Hair for male students will be styled so
that it is off the collar, out of the eyes, and ears are completely
visible, with no tails or braids. Hair thickness will not exceed 2” on the
top of the head and 1” on the sides and back of the head.
- Hair must be a naturally occurring
human hair color without striping.
- Tattoos must be covered at all
times.
- Shoes will be worn at all times and
properly fastened. No sleepwear of any kind is permitted as clothing,
including house shoes.
- Sunglasses are not to be worn in the
buildings.
- Chains, ropes, cords, or other items
that could be used as a weapon or are deemed a health or safety hazard
will not be brought to school or school sponsored activities on or off
school premises.
- Pants, jeans, and shorts will be
fitted or belted at the normal waist level (no baggy, sagging styles or
ones with oversized bellbottoms). Students who violate this rule may be
required to tuck in their shirt.
- Clothing should be free of holes.
If a student
is not within the guidelines of the Dress Code, the student will have two
options.
·
Have someone bring the student clothing that
adheres to the Dress Code within a reasonable amount of time, or
·
Spend the remainder of the day in ISS
If a student
is not within the guidelines of the Dress Code regarding hair, the student will
be given a suitable time frame by the administration to ensure their hair is
within Dress Code. If the student does not comply, they may be placed in ISS or
suspended.
The
administration has the discretion to limit any other dress and grooming that is
deemed inappropriate or distracting to the educational process.
Participation in school-sponsored activities is an excellent
way for a student to develop talents, receive individual recognition, and build
strong friendships with other students; participation, however, is a privilege,
not a right.
Eligibility for initial and continuing participation in many
of these activities is governed by state law and the rules of the University
Interscholastic League (UIL)—a statewide association overseeing interdistrict
competition. If a student is involved in
an academic, athletic, or music activity governed by UIL, the student and parent
are expected to know and follow all rules of the UIL organization. [See http://www.uil.utexas.edu
for additional information.]
The following requirements apply to all extracurricular
activities:
·
A student who receives at the end of a grading
period a grade below 70 in any academic class—other than an Advanced Placement
or International Baccalaureate course; or an honors or dual credit course in
English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, economics, or
language other than English—may not participate in extracurricular activities
for at least three school weeks.
·
A student with disabilities who fails to meet
the standards in the individualized education program (IEP) may not participate
for at least three school weeks.
·
An ineligible student may practice or rehearse.
·
A student is allowed in a school year up to 10
absences not related to post-district competition, a maximum of 15 absences for
post-district competition prior to state, and a maximum of 2 absences for state
competition. All extracurricular
activities and public performances, whether UIL activities or other activities
approved by the board, are subject to these restrictions.
·
An absence for participation in an activity that
has not been approved will receive an unexcused absence.
Sponsors of student clubs and performing groups such as the
band, choir, and drill and athletic teams may establish standards of
behavior—including consequences for misbehavior—that are stricter than those
for students in general. If a violation
is also a violation of school rules, the consequences specified by the Student
Code of Conduct or by local policy will apply in addition to any consequences
specified by the organization’s standards of behavior.
[For further information, see policies at FM and FO. For student-organized, student-led groups,
see Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related
Groups on page 45.]
Materials that are part of the basic educational program are
provided with state and local funds at no charge to a student. A student, however, is expected to provide
his or her own pencils, paper, erasers, and notebooks and may be required to
pay certain other fees or deposits, including:
·
Costs for materials for a class project that the
student will keep.
·
Membership dues in voluntary clubs or student
organizations and admission fees to extracurricular activities.
·
Security deposits.
·
Personal physical education and athletic
equipment and apparel.
·
Voluntarily purchased pictures, publications,
class rings, yearbooks, graduation announcements, etc.
·
Voluntarily purchased student accident
insurance.
·
Musical instrument rental and uniform
maintenance, when uniforms are provided by the district.
·
Personal apparel used in extracurricular activities
that becomes the property of the student.
·
Parking fees and student identification cards.
·
Fees for lost, damaged, or overdue library books
and text books.
·
Fees for driver training courses, if offered.
·
Fees for optional courses offered for credit
that require use of facilities not available on district premises.
·
Summer school for courses that are offered
tuition-free during the regular school year.
·
A reasonable fee for providing transportation to
a student who lives within two miles of the school. [See Buses
and Other School Vehicles on page 49.]
·
A fee not to exceed $50 for costs of providing
an educational program outside of regular school hours for a student who has
lost credit because of absences and whose parent chooses the program in order
for the student to meet the 90 percent attendance requirement. The fee will be charged only if the parent or
guardian signs a district-provided request form.
Any required fee or deposit may be waived if the student and
parent are unable to pay. Application
for such a waiver may be made to the campus principal. [For further information, see policies at
FP.]
Student groups or classes and/or parent groups may be
permitted to conduct fund-raising drives for approved school purposes. An application for permission must be made to
the campus principal at least 7 days before the event. [For further information, see policies at FJ
and GE.]
Certain criminal offenses, including those involving
organized criminal activity such as gang-related crimes, will be enhanced to
the next highest category of offense if they are committed in a gang-free
zone. For purposes of the district, a
gang-free zone includes a school bus and a location in, on, or within 1,000
feet of any district-owned or leased property or campus playground.
After the ninth grade, students are classified according to
the number of credits earned toward graduation.
Credits
Earned Classification
6 Grade 10 (Sophomore)
12 Grade 11 (Junior)
18 Grade 12 (Senior)
Teachers follow grading guidelines that have been approved
by the campus principal and designed to reflect each student’s academic
achievement for the grading period, semester, or course. State law provides
that a test or course grade issued by a teacher cannot be changed unless the
board determines that the grade was arbitrary or contains an error, or that the
teacher did not follow the district’s grading policy.
Questions about grade calculation should first be discussed
with the teacher; if the question is not resolved, the student or parent may
request a conference with the principal in accordance with FNG (LOCAL).
The grading policy for 9th – 12th
grades will be as follows: daily grades 40%; tests 40%; and the six weeks test
20% of each six weeks.
Report cards are sent home with the student after each six
week grading period. At the three week point of each six week period, progress
reports will be given to each student with an average of 75 or below. All
students are required to return his/her progress report, including a parent
signature, within three school days of receiving the report. Students will be
disciplined accordingly if the signed report is not received by the third
school day.
Remember that under Education Code 29.084, if the District
offers tutorials, students whose grades fall below 70 in a grade-reporting
period must attend.
The student will be allowed 2 days to make up work for the
initial day absent. The student will then have one day for each additional day
missed from the classroom.
To receive a high school diploma from the district, a
student must successfully:
·
Complete the required number of credits;
·
Complete any locally required courses in
addition to the courses mandated by the state; and
·
Pass a statewide exit-level exam.
The exit-level test, required for students in grade 11,
covers English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies and
requires knowledge of Algebra I and Geometry; Biology, Integrated Chemistry and
Physics; English III; and early American and United States History, World History,
and World Geography. A student who does
not pass the exit-level assessment will have additional opportunities to take
the test.
The district offers the graduation programs listed
below. All students entering grade 9 are
required to enroll in the Recommended Program or Advanced/Distinguished
Achievement Program. Permission to
enroll in the Minimum Program will be granted only if a written agreement is
reached among the student, the student’s parent or person standing in parental
relation, and the counselor or appropriate administrator. In order for a student to take courses under
the Minimum Program, the student must be at least 16 years of age; have
completed at least two credits each in English language arts, math, science,
and social studies courses that are required for graduation; or have failed
grade 9 one or more times. [See policy
EIF(LEGAL).]
Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, a student entering
the ninth grade must meet the following credit requirements for graduation:
·
Minimum Program 26
credits
·
Recommended Program 26
credits
·
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program 26
credits
All students must meet the following credit and course
requirements for graduation under the programs listed:
|
Courses
|
Number
of credits Minimum Program
|
Number
of credits Recommended Program
|
Number
of credits Advanced/
Distinguished Achievement Program
|
|
English/Language
Arts
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
|
Mathematics
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Science
|
2 or 3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Social Studies
|
2.5 or 3.5
|
3.5
|
3.5
|
|
Economics
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Physical
Education
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
Speech
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Language other
than English
|
|
2
|
3
|
|
Fine Arts
|
1 (effective for grade 9 in 2010–2011 school
year and thereafter)
|
1
|
1
|
|
Electives
|
7.5 credits (prior to 2010–2011)
6.5 credits (2010–2011 and thereafter)
|
5.5 credits
|
4.5 credits
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
Completion of 4 Advanced Measures
|
|
TOTAL
|
26 credits
|
26 credits
|
26 credits
|
Please be aware that not all courses are offered at every
secondary campus in the district. A
student who wants to take a course not offered at his or her regular campus
should contact the counselor about a transfer or other alternatives. If the parents of at least 22 students
request a transfer for those students to take a course in the required
curriculum other than fine arts or CTE, the district will offer the course for
the following year either by teleconference or at the school from which the
transfers were requested.
A certificate of coursework completion will not be issued to
a senior student who successfully completes state and local credit requirements
for graduation but fails to perform satisfactorily on the exit-level tests.
Upon the recommendation of the admission, review, and
dismissal (ARD) committee, a student with disabilities may be permitted to
graduate under the provisions of his or her IEP.
A student who receives special education services and has
completed four years of high school, but has not met the requirements of his or
her IEP, may participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate of
attendance. Even if the student
participates in graduation ceremonies to receive the certificate of attendance,
he or she may remain enrolled to complete the IEP and earn his or her high
school diploma; however, the student will only be allowed to participate in one
graduation ceremony.
[See FMH(LEGAL).]
Please also be aware that if an ARD committee places a
student with a disability on a modified curriculum in a subject area, the
student will be automatically placed in the Minimum Program, in accordance with
state rules.
Graduation activities will include:
·
Graduation Breakfast
·
Graduation Ceremony
·
Graduation Reception
Graduating students will be given an opportunity to provide
opening and closing remarks during the graduation ceremony. Only those students who are listed in
FNA(LOCAL) at OPENING AND CLOSING REMARKS will be eligible to give these
remarks; however, if the student was assigned to disciplinary placement at any
time during the spring semester, he or she will not be eligible to speak at
graduation.
Students eligible to give the opening and closing remarks
will be notified by the principal and given an opportunity to volunteer. In the event there are more eligible students
volunteering than there are speaking roles at the graduation ceremony, the
names of all eligible students who volunteered will be randomly drawn. The student whose name is drawn first will
give the opening remarks and the student whose name is drawn second will give
the closing remarks.
In addition to the opening and closing remarks, the students
who have attained special positions of honor based on neutral criteria may also
have speaking roles at the graduation ceremony.
[For student speakers at other school events, see Student Speakers on page 46.]
[See FNA(LOCAL).]
Because students and parents will incur expenses in order to
participate in the traditions of graduation—such as the purchase of
invitations, senior ring, cap and gown, and senior picture—both student and
parent should monitor progress toward completion of all requirements for
graduation. The expenses often are
incurred in the junior year or first semester of the senior year. [See Student
Fees on page 31.]
·
Under the Texas Early High School Graduation
Scholarship Program, students who complete the Recommended or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program may earn financial credits in
varying amounts to apply toward college tuition. The amounts depend on the number of
consecutive months in which the student completed graduation requirements and
the number of early college credits earned and may be used at public or private
higher education institutions within the state.
The counselor can provide additional information about meeting the
program’s eligibility requirements.
·
Students who have a financial need according to
federal criteria and who complete the Recommended Program or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program may be eligible under the T.E.X.A.S.
Grant Program for tuition and fees to Texas public universities, community
colleges, and technical schools, as well as to private institutions. [For further information, see the principal
or counselor and policy EJ(LEGAL).]
[See Dating Violence,
Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 25.]
During the preceding school year, the district’s School
Health Advisory Council held 2 meetings.
Additional information regarding the district’s School Health Advisory
Council is available from the Director of Federal Programs at 940-969-5000. [See also policies at BDF and EHAA.]
[See Removing a
Student from Human Sexuality Instruction on page 6 for additional
information.]
Annually, the district will conduct a physical fitness
assessment of students in grades 3–12. At
the end of the school year, a parent may submit a written request to the campus
principal to obtain the results of his or her child’s physical fitness
assessment conducted during the school year.
The district has adopted policies and implemented procedures
to comply with state and federal food service guidelines for restricting
student access to vending machines. For
more information regarding these policies and guidelines see the campus
principal. [See policies at CO and FFA.]
The district and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions
against the use of tobacco products by students and others on school property
and at school-sponsored and school-related activities. [See the Student Code of Conduct and policies
at FNCD and GKA.]
The district’s Asbestos Management Plan, designed to be in
compliance with state and federal regulations, is available in the central
office. If you have any questions,
please contact Pat Sanford at 940-969-5000.
The district applies only pest control products that comply
with state and federal guidelines.
Except in an emergency, signs will be posted 48 hours before
application. Parents who want to be
notified prior to pesticide application inside their child’s school assignment
area may contact Don Farris at 940-969-5000.
For more information on services for homeless students,
contact the district’s Liaison for Homeless Children and Youths, Robin Garrett,
at 940-969-5000.
In order to achieve the
highest level of academic success possible, students must often complete work
at home. Homework will be evaluated by the teacher. Teacher discretion will be
used on determining credit for late work.
A student must be fully immunized against certain diseases
or must present a certificate or statement that, for medical reasons or reasons
of conscience, including a religious belief, the student will not be
immunized. For exemptions based on
reasons of conscience, only official forms issued by the Texas Department of
State Health Services (DSHS), Immunization Branch, can be honored by the
district. This form may be obtained by
writing the DSHS Immunization Branch (MC 1946), P.O. Box 149347, Austin, Texas
78714-9347; or online at https://webds.
dshs.state.tx.us/immco/affidavit.shtm.
The form must be notarized and submitted to the principal or school
nurse within 90 days of notarization. If
the parent is seeking an exemption for more than one student in the family, a
separate form must be provided for each student.
The immunizations required are: diphtheria, rubeola
(measles), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis
(polio), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), and
meningococcal. The school nurse can
provide information on age-appropriate doses or on an acceptable
physician-validated history of illness required by the Department of State
Health Services. Proof of immunization
may be established by personal records from a licensed physician or public
health clinic with a signature or rubber-stamp validation.
If a student should not be immunized for medical reasons,
the student or parent must present a certificate signed by a U.S. licensed
physician stating that, in the doctor’s opinion, the immunization required
poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of the student or a
member of the student’s family or household.
This certificate must be renewed yearly unless the physician specifies a
life-long condition. [For further
information, see policy FFAB(LEGAL) and the Department of State Health Services
Web site: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/
school/default.shtm.]
When law enforcement officers or other lawful authorities
wish to question or interview a student at school, the principal will cooperate
fully regarding the conditions of the interview, if the questioning or
interview is part of a child abuse investigation. In other circumstances:
·
The principal will verify and record the
identity of the officer or other authority and ask for an explanation of the
need to question or interview the student at school.
·
The principal ordinarily will make reasonable
efforts to notify the parents unless the interviewer raises what the principal
considers to be a valid objection.
·
The principal ordinarily will be present unless
the interviewer raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection.
State law requires the district to permit a student to be
taken into legal custody:
·
To comply with an order of the juvenile court.
·
To comply with the laws of arrest.
·
By a law enforcement officer if there is
probable cause to believe the student has engaged in delinquent conduct or
conduct in need of supervision.
·
By a probation officer if there is probable
cause to believe the student has violated a condition of probation imposed by
the juvenile court.
·
By an authorized representative of Child
Protective Services, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a law
enforcement officer, or a juvenile probation officer, without a court order,
under the conditions set out in the Family Code relating to the student’s
physical health or safety.
·
To comply with a properly issued directive to
take a student into custody.
Before a student is released to a law enforcement officer or
other legally authorized person, the principal will verify the officer’s
identity and, to the best of his or her ability, will verify the official’s
authority to take custody of the student.
The principal will immediately notify the superintendent and
will ordinarily attempt to notify the parent unless the officer or other
authorized person raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection
to notifying the parents. Because the
principal does not have the authority to prevent or delay a student’s release
to a law enforcement officer, any notification will most likely be after the
fact.
The district is required by state law to notify:
·
All instructional and support personnel who have
responsibility for supervising a student who has been arrested or referred to
the juvenile court for any felony offense or for certain misdemeanors.
·
All instructional and support personnel who have
regular contact with a student who is required to register as a sex offender or
who has been convicted, received deferred prosecution, received deferred
adjudication, or was adjudicated for delinquent conduct for any felony offense
or certain misdemeanors.
[For further information, see policies FL(LEGAL) and
GRA(LEGAL).]
For any class missed, the teacher may assign the student
makeup work based on the instructional objectives for the subject or course and
the needs of the individual student in mastering the essential knowledge and
skills or in meeting subject or course requirements.
A student will be responsible for obtaining and completing
the makeup work in a satisfactory manner and within the time specified by the
teacher. [For further information, see
policy EIAB(LOCAL).]
A student who does not make up assigned work within the time
allotted by the teacher will receive a grade of zero for the assignment.
A student will be permitted to make up tests and to turn in
projects due in any class missed because of absence. Teachers may assign a late penalty to any
long-term project in accordance with time lines approved by the principal and
previously communicated to students.
A student removed to a disciplinary alternative education
program (DAEP) during the school year will have an opportunity to complete,
before the beginning of the next school year, a foundation curriculum course in
which the student was enrolled at the time of removal. The district may provide the opportunity to
complete the course through an alternative method, including a correspondence
course, distance learning, or summer school.
The district will not charge the student for any method of completion
provided by the district. [See policy
FOCA(LEGAL).]
A student removed from the regular classroom to in-school
suspension or another setting, other than a DAEP, will have an opportunity to
complete before the beginning of the next school year each course the student
was enrolled in at the time of removal from the regular classroom. The district may provide the opportunity by
any method available, including a correspondence course, distance learning, or
summer school. The district will not
charge the student for any method of completion provided by the district. [See policy FO(LEGAL).]
District employees will not give a student prescription
medication, nonprescription medication, herbal substances, anabolic steroids,
or dietary supplements, with the following exceptions:
·
Only authorized employees, in accordance with
policies at FFAC, may administer:
·
Prescription
medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the
parent, along with a written request.
·
Prescription
medication from a properly labeled unit dosage container filled by a registered
nurse or another qualified district employee from the original, properly
labeled container.
·
Nonprescription
medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the
parent along with a written request.
·
Herbal
or dietary supplements provided by the parent only if required by the student’s
individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan for a student
with disabilities.
·
In certain emergency situations, the district
will maintain and administer to a student nonprescription medication, but only:
·
In
accordance with the guidelines developed with the district’s medical advisor;
and
·
When
the parent has previously provided written consent to emergency
treatment on the district’s form.
A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction
(anaphylaxis) may be permitted to possess and use prescribed asthma or
anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or she has
written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed
health-care provider. The student must
also demonstrate to his or her physician or health-care provider and to the
school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device
required to administer the medication.
If the student has been prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis
medication for use during the school day, the student and parents should
discuss this with the school nurse and campus principal.
In accordance with a student’s individual health plan for
management of diabetes, a student with diabetes will be permitted to possess
and use monitoring and treatment supplies and equipment while at school or at a
school-related activity. See the school
nurse or principal for information. [See
policy FFAF(LEGAL).]
A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the diagnosis,
treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. It is intended to have an altering effect on
perception, emotion, or behavior and is commonly described as a mood- or
behavior-altering substance.
Teachers and other district employees may discuss a
student’s academic progress or behavior with the student’s parents or another
employee as appropriate; however, they are not permitted to recommend use of
psychotropic drugs. A district employee
who is a registered nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner, a physician, or a
certified or credentialed mental health professional can recommend that a
student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practitioner, if appropriate. [For further information, see policies at
FFAC.]
[See Requirements for
a Diploma on page 33.]
Each school day, students will recite the Pledge of
Allegiance to the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas
flag. Parents may submit a written
request to the principal to excuse their child from reciting a pledge. [See Excusing a Student from Reciting the
Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags on page 7.]
One minute of silence will follow recitation of the
pledges. Each student may choose to
reflect, pray, meditate, or engage in any other silent activity during that
minute so long as the silent activity does not interfere with or distract
others. [See policy EC(LEGAL) for more
information.]
Each student has a right to individually, voluntarily, and
silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not disrupt
instructional or other activities of the school. The school will not encourage, require, or
coerce a student to engage in or to refrain from such prayer or meditation
during any school activity.
A student will be promoted only on the basis of academic
achievement or demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter of the course or
grade level, the recommendation of the student’s teacher, the score received on
any criterion-referenced or state-mandated assessment, and any other necessary
academic information as determined by the district. To earn credit in a course, a student must
receive a grade of at least 70 based on course-level or grade-level standards.
In grades 9-12, promotion is based on earned course credits.
[refer to EIE(LOCAL)]
In addition, at certain grade levels a student—with limited
exceptions—will be required to pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and
Skills (TAKS), if the student is enrolled in a public Texas school on any day
between January 1 and the date of the first administration of the TAKS.
·
In order to be promoted to grade 6, students
enrolled in grade 5 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading
sections of the grade 5 assessment in English or Spanish.
·
In order to be promoted to grade 9, students
enrolled in grade 8 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading
sections of the grade 8 assessment in English.
Parents of a student in grades 3–8 who does not perform
satisfactorily on his or her exams will be notified that their child will
participate in special instructional programs designed to improve
performance. The student may be required
to participate in this instruction before or after normal school hours or
outside of the normal school year.
A student in grade 5 or 8 will have two additional
opportunities to take a failed assessment.
If a student fails a second time, a grade placement committee,
consisting of the principal or designee, the teacher, and the student’s parent,
will determine the additional special instruction the student will
receive. After a third failed attempt,
the student will be retained; however, the parent can appeal this decision to
the committee. In order for the student
to be promoted, based on standards previously established by the district, the
decision of the committee must be unanimous and the student must complete
additional special instruction before beginning the next grade level. Whether
the student is retained or promoted, an educational plan for the student will
be designed to enable the student to perform at grade level by the end of the
next school year. [See policies at EIE.]
Certain students—some with disabilities and some with
limited English proficiency—may be eligible for exemptions, accommodations, or
deferred testing. For more information,
see the principal, counselor, or special education director.
A Personal Graduation Plan (PGP) will be prepared for any
student in a middle school or beyond who did not perform satisfactorily on a
state-mandated assessment or is determined by the district as not likely to
earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year following enrollment in
grade 9. The PGP will be designed and
implemented by a guidance counselor, teacher, or other staff member designated
by the principal. The plan will, among
other items, identify the student’s educational goals, address the parent’s
educational expectations for the student, and outline an intensive instruction
program for the student. [For additional
information, see the counselor or principal and policy EIF(LEGAL).]
Because class time is important, doctor’s appointments
should be scheduled, if possible, at times when the student will not miss
instructional time.
A student who will need to leave school during the day must
bring a note from his or her parent that morning and follow the campus sign-out
procedures before leaving the campus.
Otherwise, a student will not be released from school at times other
than at the end of the school day.
Unless the principal has granted approval because of extenuating
circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the end of the
instructional day.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, the student
should receive permission from the teacher before reporting to the school
nurse. The nurse will decide whether or
not the student should be sent home and will notify the student’s parent.
Report cards with each student’s grades or performance and
absences in each class or subject are issued to parents at least once every 6
weeks.
At the end of the first three weeks of a grading period,
parents will be given a written progress report if their child’s performance in
any course is below 75, or is below the expected level of performance. If the student receives a grade lower than 70
in any class or subject at the end of a grading period, the parent will be
requested to schedule a conference with the teacher of that class or
subject. [See Working Together on page 3 for how to schedule a conference]
Teachers follow grading guidelines that have been approved by
the principal pursuant to the board-adopted policy and are designed to reflect
each student’s relative mastery of each assignment for the grading period,
semester, or course. State law provides
that a test or course grade issued by a teacher cannot be changed unless the
board determines that the grade was arbitrary or contains an error, or that the
teacher did not follow the district’s grading policy. [See policy EIA(LOCAL) and Grading Guidelines on page 32.]
Questions about grade calculation should first be discussed
with the teacher; if the question is not resolved, the student or parent may
request a conference with the principal in accordance with FNG(LOCAL).
The report card or unsatisfactory progress report will state
whether tutorials are required for a student who receives a grade lower than 70
in a class or subject.
Report cards with any grade below a 70 and unsatisfactory
progress reports with a grade below a 75 must be signed by the parent and
returned to the school within 3 days.
[See Dating Violence,
Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 25.]
Student safety on campus and at school-related events is a
high priority of the district. Although
the district has implemented safety procedures, the cooperation of students is
essential to ensuring school safety. A
student should:
·
Avoid conduct that is likely to put the student
or others at risk.
·
Follow the behavioral standards in this handbook
and the Student Code of Conduct, as well as any additional rules for behavior
and safety set by the principal, teachers, or bus drivers.
·
Remain alert to and promptly report to a teacher
or the principal any safety hazards, such as intruders on campus
