BROADDUS ISD
STUDENT
HANDBOOK
2012 – 2013
REVISED 8/9/12
Cb/As
REQUIRED FORMS
Acknowledgment Form
My child and I have received a copy of the Broaddus ISD Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct for 2012–2013. I understand that the handbook contains information that my child and I may need during the school year and that all students will be held accountable for their behavior and will be subject to the disciplinary consequences outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. If I have any questions regarding this handbook or the Code, I should direct those questions to the principal at:
Clark Bynum - Broaddus High School Principal: (936) 872-3610
Amanda Stubblefield - Broaddus Elementary Principal: (936) 872-3315.
Printed name of student:
Signature of student:
Signature of parent:
Date:
“Please sign and date this page, remove it from the handbook, and return it to your child’s school.”
Acknowledgment of Electronic Distribution of
Student Handbook
My child and I have been offered the option to receive a paper copy of or to electronically access at www.broaddus.esc7.net the Broaddus ISD Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct for 2012–2013.
I have chosen to:
¨ Receive a paper copy of the Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct.
¨ Accept responsibility for accessing the Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct by visiting the Web address listed above.
I understand that the handbook contains information that my child and I may need during the school year and that all students will be held accountable for their behavior and will be subject to the disciplinary consequences outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. If I have any questions regarding this handbook or the Code of Conduct, I should direct those questions to either principal at:
Clark Bynum - Broaddus High School Principal: (936) 872-3610
Amanda Stubblefield - Broaddus Elementary Principal: (936) 872-3315.
Printed name of student:
Signature of student:
Signature of parent:
Date:
Notice Regarding Directory Information and
Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information
State law requires the district to give you the following information:
Certain information about district students is considered directory information and will be released to anyone who follows the procedures for requesting the information unless the parent or guardian objects to the release of the directory information about the student. If you do not want Broaddus ISD to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the district in writing by September 7, 2012 or within ten school days of your child’s first day of instruction for this school year.
This means that the district must give certain personal information (called “directory information”) about your child to any person who requests it, unless you have told the district in writing not to do so. In addition, you have the right to tell the district that it may, or may not, use certain personal information about your child for specific school-sponsored purposes. The district is providing you this form so you can communicate your wishes about these issues. [See Directory Information for more information.]
Broaddus ISD has designated the following information as directory information:
· Student’s name
· Address
· Telephone listing
· E-mail address
· Photograph
· Date and place of birth
· Major field of study
· Degrees, honors, and awards received
· Dates of attendance
· Grade level
· Most recent school previously attended
· Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
· Weight and height, if a member of an athletic team
Directory information identified only for limited school-sponsored purposes remains otherwise confidential and will not be released to the public without the consent of the parent or eligible student.
Parent: Please circle one of the choices below:
I, parent of ______(student’s name), (do give) (do not give) the district permission to use the information in the above list for the specified school-sponsored purposes.
Parent signature Date
Parent’s Objection to the Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters
and Institutions of Higher Education
Federal law requires that the district release to military recruiters and institutions of higher education, upon request, the name, address, and phone number of secondary school students enrolled in the district, unless the parent or eligible student directs the district not to release information to these types of requestors without prior written consent. [See Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education for more information.]
Parent: Please complete the following only if you do not want your child’s information released to a military recruiter or an institution of higher education without your prior consent.
I, parent of ______(student’s name), request that the district not release my child’s name, address, and telephone number to a military recruiter or institutions of higher education upon their request without my prior written consent.
Parent signature Date
Consent/Opt-Out Form
Dear Parent:
The district is required by federal law to notify you and obtain your consent for or denial of (opt-out) your child’s participation in certain school activities. The activities include any student survey, analysis, or evaluation, known as “protected information survey” that concerns one or more of the following eight areas:
- Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents;
- Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
- Sexual behavior or attitudes;
- Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
- Critical appraisals of others with whom the student has a close family relationship;
- Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
- Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
- Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility or to receive financial assistance under such a program.
This notice and consent/opt-out requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure, or use of student information for marketing purposes (“marketing surveys”), and to certain physical exams and screenings.
Please note that this notice and authority to consent transfer from the parent to the student when the student reaches 18 or is an emancipated minor under state law.
Date: 2012–2013 School Year
To opt out: Contact the principal at (936) 872-3610 (HS) or (936) 872-3315 (Elem) no later than September 7, 2012 if you do not want your child to participate in any of these activities.
Table of Contents
PREFACE 1
SECTION I: PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 3
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT 3
Working Together 3
Parent Involvement Coordinator 4
PARENTAL RIGHTS 4
Obtaining Information and Protecting Student Rights 4
“Opting Out” of Surveys and Activities 4
Inspecting Surveys 5
Requesting Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Staff 5
Reviewing Instructional Materials 5
Displaying a Student’s Artwork, Photos, and Other Original Work 5
Accessing Student Records 5
Granting Permission to Video or Audio Record a Student 6
Granting Permission to Receive Parenting and Paternity Awareness Instruction 6
Removing a Student Temporarily from the Classroom 6
Removing a Student from Human Sexuality Instruction 6
Excusing a Student from Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags 7
Excusing a Student from Reciting a Portion of the Declaration of Independence 7
Requesting Limited or No Contact with a Student through Electronic Media 7
Requesting Notices of Certain Student Misconduct 7
Prohibiting the Use of Corporal Punishment 8
School Safety Transfers 8
Requesting Classroom Assignment for Multiple Birth Siblings 8
Parents of Students with Disabilities with Other School-Aged Children in the Home 8
Request for the Use of a Service Animal 9
Options and Requirements for Providing Assistance to Students Who Have Learning Difficulties or Who Need or May Need Special Education Services 9
Parents of Students Who Speak a Primary Language Other than English 9
Accommodations for Children of Military Families 10
Student Records 10
Directory Information 12
Directory Information for School-Sponsored Purposes 12
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education 13
SECTION II: OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS 14
ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE 14
Compulsory Attendance 14
Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance 14
Failure to Comply with Compulsory Attendance 15
Attendance for Credit 15
Official Attendance-Taking Time 16
Parent’s Note after an Absence 16
Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness 16
Driver License Attendance Verification 17
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 17
AWARDS AND HONORS 17
BULLYING 17
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) PROGRAMS 18
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND OTHER MALTREATMENT OF CHILDREN 18
CLASS RANK / HIGHEST RANKING STUDENT 19
CLASS SCHEDULES 19
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS 20
COLLEGE CREDIT COURSES 20
COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS 21
CONDUCT 21
Applicability of School Rules 21
Disruptions of School Operations 21
Social Events 22
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES / CONDITIONS 22
COUNSELING 22
Academic Counseling 22
Personal Counseling 22
Psychological Exams, Tests, or Treatment 23
COURSE CREDIT 23
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Taken the Course 23
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Not Taken the Course 23
DATING VIOLENCE, DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT, AND RETALIATION 24
Dating Violence 24
Discrimination 24
Harassment 24
Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Harassment 25
Retaliation 25
Reporting Procedures 25
Investigation of Report 26
DISCRIMINATION 26
DISTANCE LEARNING 26
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLISHED MATERIALS OR DOCUMENTS 27
School Materials 27
Nonschool Materials...from students 27
Nonschool Materials...from others 27
DRESS AND GROOMING 28
ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES 28
Possession and Use of Personal Telecommunications Devices, Including Mobile Telephones 28
Possession and Use of Other Personal Electronic Devices 29
Instructional Use of Personal Telecommunications and Other Electronic Devices 29
Acceptable Use of District Technology Resources 29
Unacceptable and Inappropriate Use of Technology Resources 29
END-OF-COURSE (EOC) ASSESSMENTS 30
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, CLUBS, AND ORGANIZATIONS 30
Standards of Behavior 30
Offices and Elections 31
FEES 31
FUND-RAISING 32
GANG-FREE ZONES 32
GENDER-BASED HARASSMENT 32
GRADE CLASSIFICATION 32
GRADING GUIDELINES 32
GRADUATION 33
Requirements for a Diploma 33
Graduation Programs 33
Certificates of Coursework Completion 36
Students with Disabilities 36
Graduation Activities 37
Graduation Speakers 37
Graduation Expenses 37
Scholarships and Grants 37
HARASSMENT 37
HAZING 37
HEALTH-RELATED MATTERS 38
Bacterial Meningitis 38
Food Allergies 39
Physical Activity for Students in Elementary and Middle School 39
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) 40
Other Health-Related Matters 40
Physical Fitness Assessment 40
Vending Machines 40
Tobacco Prohibited 40
Asbestos Management Plan 40
Pest Management Plan 40
HOMELESS STUDENTS 41
HOMEWORK 41
IMMUNIZATION 41
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 42
Questioning of Students 42
Students Taken Into Custody 42
Notification of Law Violations 42
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS 43
MAKEUP WORK 43
Makeup Work Because of Absence 43
DAEP Makeup Work 44
In-school Suspension (ISS) Makeup Work 44
MEDICINE AT SCHOOL 44
Psychotropic Drugs 45
NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT 45
NONTRADITIONAL ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 45
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS / HEALTH SCREENINGS 45
PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MINUTE OF SILENCE 46
PRAYER 46
PROMOTION AND RETENTION 46
RELEASE OF STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL 47
REPORT CARDS / PROGRESS REPORTS AND CONFERENCES 48
RETALIATION 48
SAFETY 48
Accident Insurance 49
Drills: Fire, Tornado, and Other Emergencies 49
Fire Drill Bells 49
Tornado Drill Bells 49
Emergency Medical Treatment and Information 49
Emergency School-Closing Information 49
SAT, ACT, AND OTHER STANDARDIZED TESTS 49
SCHOOL FACILITIES 49
Use by Students Before and After School 49
Conduct Before and After School 50
Use of Hallways During Class Time 50
Cafeteria Services 50
Library 50
Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related Groups 50
SEARCHES 51
Students’ Desks and Lockers 51
Electronic Devices 51
Vehicles on Campus 51
Trained Dogs 51
Metal Detectors 51
Drug-Testing 51
SEXUAL HARASSMENT 52
SPECIAL PROGRAMS 52
STANDARDIZED TESTING 52
SAT/ACT (Scholastic Aptitude Test and American College Test) 52
STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) 52
Grades 3–8 52
End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments for Students in Grades 9–12 53
TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) 53
THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment) 54
STEROIDS 54
STUDENTS IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY OF THE STATE 54
STUDENT SPEAKERS 54
SUICIDE AWARENESS 54
SUMMER SCHOOL 55
TAKS (TEXAS ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS) 55
TARDINESS 55
TEXTBOOKS, ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS, TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 55
TRANSFERS 55
TRANSPORTATION 55
School-Sponsored Trips 55
Buses and Other School Vehicles 55
VANDALISM 56
VIDEO CAMERAS 56
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL 57
General Visitors 57
Visitors Participating in Special Programs for Students 57
WITHDRAWING FROM SCHOOL 57
Glossary 58
APPENDIX I: Parent Statement Prohibiting Corporal Punishment 61
APPENDIX II: Acknowledgment Form—Amendment 62
APPENDIX III: Use of Student Work in District Publications 63
Index 64
iii
PREFACE
To Students and Parents:
Welcome to school year 2012–2013! 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 Broaddus ISD 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 Broaddus 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 as an attachment to this handbook or as a separate document sent home to parents and posted at www.broaddus.esc7.net or available in the principal’s office.