Parent / Student Handbook
School Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
School Communication Information
Address: International Christian School of Budapest
Ifjúság u. 11
H 2049 Diósd
HUNGARY
Phone number: 06-23-381-986
06-23-381-208
06-23-381-549
06-23-381-181
(dial “+36” instead of “06” if calling from outside Hungary)
Fax numbers: 06-23-381-549 (if faxing from within Hungary)
+1-630-614-4547 (if faxing from outside Hungary)
Website: www.icsbudapest.org
School Mascot
Bulldog
School Colors
Hunter Green / White
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ICSB Parent/Student Handbook
For Middle School Students
2015-2016 School Year
Table of Contents
MIDDLE SCHOOL BELL SCHEDULE v
INTRODUCTION 1
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES 3
ACADEMIC PROGRAM 6
ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS 8
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS AND EVALUATION 9
ATTENDANCE POLICIES 11
STUDENT LIFE 13
STUDENT SERVICES 15
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT SCHOOL 16
STUDENT CONDUCT 18
DISCIPLINE 21
PARENT COMMUNICATION AND INVOLVEMENT 22
Student Pick-up/Drop-off and Traffic Direction 25
MIDDLE SCHOOL BELL SCHEDULE
2015-2016
Period 1 8:15-9:10
Homeroom 8:15-8:25
Period 2 9:15-10:00
Snack Break 10:00-10:10
Period 3 10:10-10:55
Period 4 (MS Chapel – Wednesdays) 11:00-11:45
MS Lunch 11:45-12:15
Period 5 12:20-1:05
Period 6 1:10-1:55
Period 7 (Dismissal 2:45 - Wednesdays) 2:00-2:45
Period 8 2:50-3:35
16
INTRODUCTION
This Handbook contains the rules and guidelines that govern student conduct and life at ICSB. By completing the student application and enrolling at ICSB, students agree that they will abide by these policies, and parents agree that they will support the school in their enforcement.
Purpose Statement
The International Christian School of Budapest (ICSB) exists to serve families by providing their children with an excellent, biblically-based, college-preparatory education, in an environment that encourages them to become wholehearted followers of Christ.
Vision Statement
As we are successful in living out our Purpose, we will see…
· Missionary families who are able to continue serving in Central Europe, and specifically the Budapest area, according to God’s call, who are not forced to leave this mission field due to unmet educational needs of their children.
· Students who have a place where they are safe, nurtured, loved, and discipled, and where they feel that they “belong.”
· Students who possess a Biblical worldview and who are equipped to be lifelong learners.
· Students who are prepared to enter into and succeed in colleges and universities.
· Students whose lives reflect a genuine and dynamic personal relationship with God, who trust in Jesus as their Savior and the Lord of their lives, and who have committed to serving Him wholeheartedly in whatever way He calls them
· Students who appreciate different cultures and peoples, and who have a heart for people of all nations.
Core Values
We value…
· Parental responsibility for training children
· The personal salvation and discipleship of each student, toward the development of a Christian worldview
· Our primary responsibility to missionary families
· A preparation for higher education in North America
· Possessing North American school accreditation
· God’s creativity as demonstrated through the cultures of an international student body
· Our staff and their development as mentors and models of godly character
· The pursuit of excellence to the glory of God.
Statement of Faith
The Bible We believe the 66 books of the Bible to be the infallible, written Word of God, verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in the original manuscripts, and the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 22:18-19).
The Godhead We believe in the unity of the Godhead, eternally existing in three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each of whom possess equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality (Deuteronomy 6:4 Isaiah 45:18; 46:9-11; Matthew 3:16-17; John 1:1-3; Romans 1:1-6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:3-6).
The Person of Christ We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and became incarnate through the virgin birth, and that He unites forever in His Person perfect deity and true humanity (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-3; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:14-15).
The Work of Christ We believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, that He was crucified as the substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all people, that He rose bodily from the dead, that He ascended into heaven where He is now exalted at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for the believer (Matthew 28:6; John 14:1-7; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 3:18).
Man We believe that man was originally and directly created in the image of God and that through disobedience fell. Consequently all were brought under divine condemnation and are born sinners, unable to please God in their natural state (Genesis 1:27; 3:1-18; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; 5:12-19).
The Holy Spirit We believe in the work of the Holy Spirit in the conviction and regeneration of the sinner. We believe in His indwelling presence and ministry in the believer to glorify Christ (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-14; 1 Corinthians 12:8-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 9:13-14).
Salvation We believe that eternal salvation is wholly a work of God’s grace and that, upon repentance and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, sinners are forgiven and divine righteousness is imputed to them (John 3:3-6, 16-18; Acts 4:8-12; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Hebrews 4:1-2; 1 Peter 1:18-23).
The Church We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, consists only of those who are born again, having been baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit at the time of regeneration (Matthew 16:16-19; 28:19-20; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4, 41-42; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 3; Hebrews 12:22-24).
The Second Coming We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally, visibly, and bodily to receive His own and to establish His kingdom, and to rule in righteousness and peace (John 14:1-6; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:11-16).
The Resurrection We believe in the bodily resurrection of the believer to eternal life and conscious fellowship with God. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the unbeliever to conscious separation from God in eternal punishment (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 50-58; Revelation 20:11-15).
The Great Commission We believe that Christ commissioned the Church to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples in every nation (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-20; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-8).
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
Educational Philosophy
ICSB is committed to the historic Christian worldview as set forth in the Bible. We, therefore, affirm God as the Creator of all things according to the biblical creation account, Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of all who acknowledge Him as Lord, and the Holy Spirit as the One who empowers us to live the Christian life (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:2-4, 6-8; 2 Peter 3:3-7).
ICSB is committed to the view that all truth finds its source in Jesus Christ and that the basis for absolute truth is the written Word of God. In particular, the Bible teaches that
· Knowledge of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-11, 20; 3:19-20; 8:1-36; 15:33);
· Fellowship with God is the basis of true fellowship (1 John 1:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Philemon 4-6);
· Every individual is uniquely created by God as a physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual being, endowed with particular talents (Psalm 139; Proverbs 20:11; 22:6; Luke 2:52; Romans 12:3-8);
· Though created in God’s image, every human being has a sinful nature (Proverbs 22:15; Romans 3:23);
· Understanding the Bible, God’s Word, is necessary to grow in the knowledge of God, come into and develop a personal relationship to Him, and make decisions that result in a lifestyle consistent with a personal faith in Christ (Titus 1:1-3; 1 Peter 2:2-3; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).
ICSB is committed to the biblical truth that the family is a sacred institution, established by God as the basic unit of all society. Parents are given the responsibility by God to rear their children for the glory of God. Therefore, in this partnership responsibility with the parents, the aim of ICSB is to aid students as they grow in their understanding of God and man, and develop their capabilities to the highest degree, in order that they may become mature adults, living life to its fullest. The ICSB faculty is, therefore, expected to recognize and reinforce the values of the Christian family and the God-given authority of parents both inside and outside the classroom (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 21:18-21; Ephesians 5:22-6:4; Galatians 4:1-3; Titus 2:4-8; 3:1-2).
ICSB is committed to the goal of building excellence and balance into every area of each student’s life, including spiritual, educational, social, cultural, and physical development. Such a commitment to the developmental progress of each student can only be done effectively as students are taught at an age-appropriate level.
· ICSB teachers are expected to assist students in forming the foundations of their beliefs and values as opposed to merely presenting all ideas as having equal merit.
· As a Christian learning institution limited to elementary and secondary education, students should be taught critical thinking skills within the boundaries of clearly defined, biblical truth as set forth in the ICSB doctrinal statement and educational philosophy. The purpose of education at ICSB is to share and mold a biblical worldview, not to question it. (Luke 2:52; Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 3:23; 1 Timothy 4:6-8, 12; 2 Timothy 2:15-16, 22-23).
The goal of ICSB is to help form an age-appropriate Christian worldview that will adequately prepare students for the challenges of the world in which they now live, as well as future adulthood in a post-modern philosophical world (Colossians 1:15-23, 28-29; 2:2-4, 6-10; 3:1-2, 16). In particular, ICSB seeks to equip our students to participate meaningfully in the post-modernist cultures of Europe and North America and other non-Christian world cultures from a Christian worldview.
To do this, the school aims:
· To help each student establish a personal set of biblically based personal values and ethics (as opposed to culture- or community-based);
· To train students to identify and challenge the non-biblical nature of culture- or community-based morals and values (including “political correctness,” so-called tolerance-based values, alternative lifestyles, abortion, etc.);
· To motivate students to have the courage to speak out on community issues in areas of deep, personal conviction in order to contribute to and challenge the community through participation rather than isolation.
Educational Objectives
Spiritual Development ICSB seeks to provide an environment that will encourage students to put their faith in God and to walk with Him. To do this, the school aims:
· To teach the Bible as the inspired Word of God, the only source of truth for daily living;
· To encourage each student to seek a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by accepting Him as Savior, acknowledging Him as Lord, and seeking to know and do His will;
· To assist each student in forming a personal biblical worldview that will permeate every area of life;
· To encourage each student to discover and develop his or her unique God-given talents and to use these abilities fully in all areas of academic, social, and artistic endeavor, and to see the use of these talents as an act of service to Christ and His body, the church;
· To provide, through the school staff, consistent examples of Christian living; and
· To train each student to effectively communicate his or her faith.
Intellectual Development ICSB seeks to provide a quality educational program that will prepare its students for continuing their education and/or entering work fields of their choice. To do this, the school aims:
· To lead students to recognize God’s revelation in every area of study;
· To instill in students an awareness of God’s handiwork in the world around them;
· To provide a varied and progressive curriculum that will equip students for competence in their future field of study or work;
· To teach skills in effective communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning;
· To stimulate creativity and individual expression;
· To teach and promote good study habits as a part of self-discipline; and
· To encourage and recognize academic excellence.
Social Development ICSB seeks to provide a Christian atmosphere in which the students will develop a spirit of cooperation with and interdependence on one another. To do this, the school aims:
· To encourage a sense of individual personal worth;
· To provide opportunities for wholesome personal relationships with one another;
· To help students accept one another and learn to understand and respect the views and feelings of others regardless of race or gender;
· To teach students the principles and practices of good citizenship, recognizing and assuming their responsibility in their homes, their community, their home country, and the host country;
· To encourage good sportsmanship;
· To promote activities that will emphasize the development of leadership, initiative, and teamwork;
· To maintain a focus on character development; and
· To develop a desire to serve humanity in a spirit of Christian love.
Cultural Development ICSB seeks to promote a foundation for life-long appreciation of aesthetics and cultural refinement in all its students. To do this, the school aims:
· To create an appreciation for and interest in the arts, history, geography, customs, and beauty found in all cultures;
· To promote an appreciation and understanding of different world cultures, especially the host culture of Hungary and home cultures of fellow students; and
· To view the presence of a wide variety of cultures as an opportunity to share Christ.
Physical Development ICSB seeks to encourage and promote students’ physical development. To do this, the school aims:
· To provide physical education programs for all;
· To provide a fitness program that promotes physical development in areas of coordination, strength, and endurance;
· To promote health fitness in areas of nutrition and hygiene;
· To provide regular health check-ups by a school doctor;
· To promote friendly competition, encouraging teamwork and responsibility;
· To encourage students to understand the lifetime benefits of fitness and the dangers of unhealthy practices;
· To promote activities that can be enjoyed for a lifetime of physical well being; and
· To implement an athletic program of after-school sports that provides opportunities for
1. Enjoyment of a variety of physical exercise activities;
2. Personal achievement through rigorous self-discipline and commitment to teamwork;