2010-2011

5101 McRee Avenue

St. Louis, Missouri 63110

(314) 776-3300

August 16, 2010

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We know that you share the St. Louis Public Schools’ goal of providing a safe and orderly school environment. At Gateway Institute of Technology, we take that responsibility very seriously and therefore have developed this Student Handbook which details the rules and regulations specific to Gateway, as well as excerpts from the Student Code of Conduct Handbook. In order to help us reach this goal, we ask that you review this Handbook with your child. After review, please sign the affidavit below and give to your child to return to school. This form should be returned to the first period instructor by August 27.

Sincerely,

The Gateway Administration

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Student Handbook Affidavit

2010-2011

I have reviewed a copy of the Gateway 2010-11 Student Handbook with my child and acknowledge that we understand the Handbook including the excerpts from the Student Code of Conduct Handbook. We understand that this Handbook is being provided to make us aware of the rules and regulations regarding misconduct and that a violation of these rules will result in appropriate disciplinary action.

Student: ______

Please print name

______

Please sign name

Parent/Legal Guardian Signature: ______

Date: ______Please return to first period teacher by August 27, 2010.

Contents

Topicp.Topic p.

1

Student Handbook Affidavit2

Special Administrative Board Members4

Gateway’s Contact Information5

Principal’s Welcome6

Bell Schedule for 2010-11 7-8

Gateway’s Vision and Mission9

Expectations and Code of Conduct 10

General Policies:

Introduction11

Uniforms11

Visitors11

School ID’s12

Hall Regulations12

Classroom Expectations12

Substitute Information12

Assembly13

Classroom Excuses13

Media Release13

Cafeteria Expectations13

Emergency Procedures14

Attendance Policy14

Attendance for Extra-Curricular/SportsActivities15

Absence from School15

Truancy16

Withdrawals16

Health Services

Student Immunization and Physical

Examination17

Medications in School17

Illness or Injury at School17

Head Lice Policy17

Student Services

Transportation18

Library Media Center18

Guidance Counseling18

Lockers19

Lost and Found19

Signs19

Inclement Weather20

Textbooks20

Fines20

Prohibited Behaviors and Student Discipline

Appropriate Attire20

Cell Phones21

Forbidden Substances21

Violence/Weapons22

Sexual Harassment22

Cheating23

Gambling23

Demonstrations23

Entering Building/Security23

Student Searches23

Student Due Process Rights23

Special Education Students24

Instructional Climate24

Video Surveillance24

In-School Suspension (ISS)24

Outside/Suspended Students24

Expulsion/Suspended Students25

Parent Support25

Curriculum and Instruction

Recommended Supply List26

Grading System26

Grade Reports26

Honor Roll27

Graduation Requirements27

Assessment28

Homework Assignments28

Communicating Concerns29

Adding/Dropping Classes30

Field Trips30

Behavior Expectations30

Fundraising Activities31

Other

Non-Discrimination31

Parent/Student Rights FERPA31

Use/Policy of Technology31

1

St. Louis Public Schools

Special Administrative Board Members

Mr. Rick Sullivan, CEO

Ms. Melanie Adams

Mr. Richard Gaines

Superintendent of Schools

Kelvin Adams, Ph.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Middle/High Schools

Dan Edwards, Ph.D.

SLPS Headquarters 314-231-3720

SLPS Website

Gateway Institute of Technology

Main Office Phone Number314-776-3300

Fax Number 314-776-8267

Administration

Elizabeth Bender, Ph.D. Principal x1000

Danielle DeLoatch,AssistantPrincipal – serving students A-Kx4041

Frederick Steele, Assistant Principal– serving students L-Zx2061

Important Contact Information

Erma Finger,Executive Assistant x1040

Phyllis Heard, Administrative Assistant x1042

Mary Liner, AdministrativeAssistant x2060

Sharon Holman, Administrative Assistantx1040

Christine Harris, Switchboard Operator x0

Tamitha Gilbert-Shorter, School Nurse x1280

Mary Heemeier-Jabara, Data Processing Specialist x1020

Deirdre Woodard, Network Administrator x3040

Megan Michalek, Social Worker x1011

Shaun Pollard, Parent Community Specialistx1061

Karen Whittier, Budget Specialistx1015

Virginia Foster, Bookroom Clerk x6001

Lucinda Bryant,Guidance Counselor (A-D) x1018

Deborah Nelson, Guidance Counselor (E-K) x1013

Wilhelmina Rodney,Guidance Counselor (L-R) x1014

Desiree Speed, Guidance Counselor (S-Z) x1012

Gateway’s Website:

August 16, 2010

Dear Gateway Students & Families,

Welcome to Gateway Institute of Technology!!!

I am quite excited about this year and all of the great things we have planned. We are joined this year by many new staff members and I believe you will clearly see all of our commitment to student success.

In hopes that each of you will be prepared for the opportunities that come your way, this handbook was created for you. Following, you will find information pertaining to the rules and policies that govern our school that will assist you in achieving success in all of your endeavors during the 2010-11 school year. Please review this together as we firmly believe in stating our expectations clearly.

We, the faculty and staff ofGateway Institute of Technology, look forward to working with our families.Our work is a journey for continuous improvement and together we can achieve great successes for your student(s) and our school community.

Wishing you the very best,

Elizabeth Bender, PhD.

Principal

Bell Schedule for 2010-2011

All students enter through the Field House beginning at 6:35 a.m. until 7:10 a.m. After 7:10 a.m. students are tardy and should enter through the main entrance; students will not be allowed to enter the front door before 7:10 a.m.

Breakfast is served from 6:35 a.m. to 7:05 a.m.

A warning bell rings at 7:05 a.m. to alert students that only five minutes remain for passing before the 7:10 a.m. tardy bell rings.

Monday – Thursday A/B Day

Period / Time / Minutes in Period / Lunch
7:05 a.m. / Warning Bell
7:09 a.m. / 1-Minute Warning
7:10 a.m. / Tardy Bell
1/5 / 7:10 a.m. – 8:43 a.m. / 93
2/6 / 8:48 a.m. – 10:21 a.m. / 93
3/7A (eats 3rd) / 10:26 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. / 93
1st Lunch / 10:21 a.m. – 10:51 a.m. / 30 / Ground, 3rd Floor
3/7B (eats 2nd) / 10:26 a.m. – 11:11 a.m. / 45
2nd Lunch / 11:11 a.m. – 11:41 a.m. / 30 / 1st & 2nd Floors
3/7B (eats 2nd) / 11:44 p.m. – 12:29 p.m. / 45
3/7C (eats 1st) / 10:56 a.m. – 12:29 p.m. / 93
3rd Lunch / 11:59 p.m. – 12:29 p.m. / 30 / 4th Floor, Field House, Aviation
4/8 / 12:34 p.m. – 2:07 p.m. / 93
End of Day / 2:07 p.m. / Dismissal Bell
Activities Begin / 2:20pm
Activities End / 4:50pm

After School Activities Buses depart at 5:00pm

Friday C Schedule

Period / Time / Minutes in Period / Lunch
7:05 a.m. / Warning Bell
7:09 a.m. / 1-Minute Warning
7:10 a.m. / Tardy Bell
1 / 7:10 a.m. – 7:52 a.m. / 42
2 / 7:57 a.m. – 8:38 a.m. / 41
3 / 8:43 a.m. – 9:24 a.m. / 41
4 / 9:29 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. / 41
5A (eats 3rd) / 10:15 a.m. – 11:18 a.m. / 63
1st Lunch / 10:10 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. / 30 / Ground, 3rd Floor
5B1 (eats 2nd) / 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. / 30
2nd Lunch / 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 p.m. / 30 / 1st & 2nd Floors
5B2 / 11:18 a.m. – 11:48 a.m. / 30
5C (eats 1st) / 10:45 a.m. – 11:48 p.m. / 63
3rd Lunch / 11:18p.m. – 11:48 p.m. / 30 / 4th Floor, Field House, Aviation
6 / 11:53 a.m. – 12:34 p.m. / 41
7 / 12:39 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. / 41
8 / 1:25 p.m. – 2:07 p.m. / 42
End of Day / 2:07 p.m. / Dismissal Bell
Activities Begin / 2:20pm
Activities End / 4:50pm

After School Activities Buses depart at 5:00pm

Gateway’s Vision

Gateway Institute of Technology will provide a safe and enriching environment where ALL students will develop the skills, abilities, and attitudes to be lifelong learners and citizens of good character who are prepared to contribute to an ever-changing, global society.

Gateway’s Mission

Gateway Institute of Technology will focus on providing the highest level of instruction for all students, given their individual differences. By offering challenging academic and technical programs, discipline, and support, we are committed to preparing our students for the next step in their educational and career development.

Mascot

Jaguars

School Colors

Columbia Blue, Black and White

EXPECTATIONS AND

CODE OF CONDUCT

  1. Be in your assigned seat/area, ready to work when the bell finishes ringing.
  1. Have paper, pencils/pens, books, and all needed supplies every day.
  1. Keep hands, feet, books and objects to yourself.
  1. No profanity, rude gestures, teasing or put downs.
  1. Follow directions of the Student Code of Conduct Handbook and all school adults unless their request is illegal, immoral or unsafe.

General Policies

Introduction

This Parent/Student Handbook is provided for the purpose of easing the accessibility to information for parents and students ofGateway Institute of Technology. Complete policies for St. Louis Public Schools are provided at the district offices. This document is subject to change. All students are expected to be familiar with board policies and are responsible for understanding their rights and responsibilities. This document is to be used in conjunction with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Manual provided by the district.

Student Uniforms

Gateway will continue to be a uniform school for the 2010-2011 school year. All Gateway students are required to wear a Gateway logo polo shirt and khaki pants, shorts, or skirts. The shirts must be purchased at Gateway. The khakis may be purchased at any store of choice and must be plain with no offensive logos, inappropriate messages, or fashionable rips or tears.

Student Arrival and Dismissal

School opens at 6:35 a.m. for meal service. Students arriving at school prior to the start of classes are to report to the cafeteria. They may not linger in the hallways or the gymnasium. School begins promptly at 7:10 a.m. and is dismissed by the classroom teachers at 2:07 p.m.

Students will enter the building through the rear doors and must submit to a safety clearance.All students must provide their Gateway issued school I.D. in order to gain access to the building. Tardy students will be subject to disciplinary action and must receive a tardy pass from a school official in order to proceed to class. Students arriving after 7:10 a.m. will enter through the main/front doors. At the close of school students who ride the school bus home will exit through the rear doors of the building. All other students will exit through the front/main doors.

Every effort must be made by parents, guardians and students to schedule personal appointments when school is not in session. Please refer to the district calendar. Early dismissals can only be officially granted by an administrator. For reasons of safety and legality, permission to leave campus will not be granted if the verification from a legal guardian cannot be confirmed. Parents/guardians must come into the school office to sign a student out for an early dismissal.

Visitors

For student safety, all visitors must submit to screening by school safety officers and check-in with the secretary. All visitors will be issued a visitor’s pass and must wear it while in the building. Students will not be permitted to bring visitors to the high school for the purpose of attending classes. Such requests will be denied by the administration. Suspended students and other unauthorized visitors will be subject to arrest and trespassing charges if found onGateway Institute of Technologyschool property. No visitors will be allowed during the scheduled lunch periods.

Student ID’s

Student identification is critical to student safety. All students must carry school identification to obtain entry into the building and at all times while in the building or be subject to disciplinary action. Students without I.D. cards will not be able to purchase tickets to events, check-out library books, obtain textbooks, purchase uniform shirts or other school wear.The first identification card is free. If an I.D. card is lost or stolen, a new I.D. can be purchased for $4.00.Students found with multiple I.D.s or I.D.s that do not belong to them are subject to disciplinary action and will have the card confiscated. Student ID’s are the property of the St. Louis Board of Education and will be taken upon withdrawal from school. Altering IDs is considered destruction of school property.

Use of Hallways and HallPasses

Official Gateway hall passes are required when students are moving about the campus while classes are in session. Students in the halls without a pass signed by their teacher and containing the following information will face disciplinary action. The following will be noted on all official Gateway hall passes:

  • Student name
  • Time and Date
  • Purpose of being out of class
  • Destination
  • Teacher signature and room number

Students without a pass or without the proper information on a pass will be held accountable for leaving class without permission. The burden will not be placed with the teacher or the administrator, so students should seek to obtain an official Gateway hall pass with the above information before considering leaving a classroom or an office.

Classroom Expectations

Students attending class should expect to treat their teachers and fellow classmates with respect and dignity. They must refrain from leaving their seats without explicit permission by the teacher. They must refrain from the use of foul language or physical conduct that would be considered offensive, harmful or dangerous. Students are expected to arrive on time, participate in classroom activities, wait to be dismissed by their teacher (not the bell), and not sleep in the classroom. Students exhibiting behaviors or language that is disruptive to the teacher, the other students or the instructional goals of the classroom may be dismissed and face disciplinary action.

Substitute Teachers

Substitute teachers are an important part of our school system. They are part of the school staff when they are assigned to the Gateway Institute of Technology. Your conduct in their presence should be as good as your conduct when the regular teacher is present. Your cooperation, behavior, and consideration reflect on you, our school, and the image people have of us. We want to have a good image that we can share.

Assembly Expectations

Students are expected to attend assemblies as requested by the administration. Regardless of the activity, students are expected to treat speakers, performers, and audience members with respect and dignity. Students must remain in their seats during the presentation and must seek permission of school staff to leave for any reason. Sleeping or socially unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated. Students are expected to sit up and face forward and act in a mature manner.

Excuses from Classes

High school students should not expect to be given permission to go the restrooms, use the telephone, etc. during a class period. Likewise, students are expected to bring all the equipment they need with them to class and should not expect to go to their lockers during the class period. Time is provided before school and during the scheduled lunch period for students to prepare themselves for class.

Media Release

All students ofGateway Institute of Technologyare required to sign waivers indicating their willingness to be videotaped for pedagogical study and public relations by both SLPS staff and public media agencies.

Cafeteria Procedures and Guidelines

All students will report to the cafeteria before school and during the lunch period assigned to them (unless they choose to visit the library). Students may not be in the hallways, gymnasium, classrooms, lobby, stairwells, or outside during the lunch periods. Restrooms are to be used only with the permission of the cafeteria supervisors.

In order to eat school provided lunches, students must bring their student I.D., know their pin access identification number, and/or bring funds from home to purchase off-menu items. Funds can also be deposited into a meal account from which money can be deducted. Students are not to disclose their pin access identification number to other students. Vending machines will be available for juices, waters, and healthy snacks until 7:09 a.m., during the scheduled lunches (10:21 a.m. – 12:29 p.m.) and after school.

Appropriate and expected cafeteria behavior includes:

  • Students must select the table at which they wish to eat. Students are to remain seated at their chosen table and not wander from table to table during their lunch period.
  • Crowding or jumping in line will not be permitted and may result in loss of cafeteria privileges.
  • All garbage must be disposed of in the provided trash receptacles.
  • Students are responsible for the table at which they choose to sit.
  • Tables are to be left clean and ready for use by other students and staff. Students who leave their area messy may be asked to assist in cleaning up the cafeteria, not only their own table.
  • Students will refrain from loud, unnecessary talking in the cafeteria. The lunch period should be a pleasant break in the day and an excellent opportunity to socialize with friends. Please converse at your table in normal conversational tones.
  • Food or drinks areNOT to be taken out of the cafeteria. Onlybottled water may be removed from the cafeteria.
  • Food from home is permitted. Food from outside restaurants is not permitted in the cafeteria due to state health codes.

Emergency Procedures

Emergency procedures for fire and severe weather are posted in each room. Drills and practices will be conducted regularly according to a schedule to ensure that all students are familiar with safety and procedures.

Students have three very important precautions to remember during an emergency drill or situation.

  1. Remain calm and quiet at all times.
  2. Carefully follow the directions of the teacher in charge.
  3. Move quietly and quickly without pushing or shoving.

EMERGENCY DRILL signs and maps detailing the exit routes for each room are located next to the door of each classroom door on the right as the student exits the classroom.

Attendance Policy

The St. LouisPublicSchool District is committed to the philosophy that students should attend all classes every day. Regular attendance is expected in all classes and is essential to good performance.The correlation between regular attendance and academic success has been well established by research. Through regular attendance students are expected to develop habits of self-discipline and responsibility.These habits lead to learning to participate in group discussions, developing appreciation for the views and abilities of other students. Students should be aware that attendance is part of their evaluation in each class. Students should understand excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, will drastically affect their class grades.

Attendance at school everyday is critical for student learning, progress, advancement, and program completion.Absence from school is the greatest single cause of poor achievement. If students are not regular in attendance, their performance lags, they soon lose interest, and then tend to fall further behind in their work. Successful students are seldom absent. It is also part of state and city law. In accordance with school board policies R5119.6, R5113.2, and P5110, the following attendance policy will be enforced.

Attendance for Extra-Curricular/Sports Activities

Students are required to be in attendance for the ENTIRE school day in order to participate in any extra-curricular or sports event or competition (this includes dances). Attendance is required for the ENTIRE regular school day before any Saturday competition. In the case of emergencies students may appeal to the principal.

Absences from School

Note: Reference to “Parent” refers to actual parent and/or legal guardian.

  1. Parents of students must telephone the school’s absence hotline345-5775 whenever it is necessary for a student to be absent, arrive late or be dismissed early during the school day. Calls should be made any time from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. but preferably as early as possible. The number to call is 314-776-3300. In addition to notifying the school on the day of the absence, on the day the student returns to school, the parent must provide the office a signed note explaining the absence. The teachers take attendance each period and the names are reported to the school office. Any absence not reported or verified by the parent/guardian by 10:30 a.m. will be subject to an automatic call home to notify home of absence.
  1. Students who expect to be absent for an extended period of time (3 or more days) may request homework assignments by calling the main office at 314-776-3300 between 7:30 a.m. and10:30 a.m. and make arrangements to have assignments picked up fromtheir counselorby the end of the day.
  1. Excessive Absences
  1. When a student is absent from school, regardless of the reason, it is the student’s responsibility to contact his or her teachers to make arrangements for making up assignments, tests, etc. missed during the absence.
  2. Once a student exceeds fifteen (15) total absences per semester in a class, credit can be denied. Total absences include both excused and unexcused absences.
  3. Parents will be notified with a warning letter on the third (3rd), fifth (5th), seventh (7th), tenth (10th) absence.
  4. Students will not be withdrawn from classes due to absenteeism until the 10th absence.At that time the parent and student will need to reenroll with a reasonable explanation for the absences. The student will be dealt with in accordance to the discipline code. The student needs to remain in the class or classes to provide for the continuity of his/her education.
  5. Referral to Authorities: In cases where a student accumulates ten (10) unexcused absences from school, that student will be referred to Juvenile Court and/or Family Court for truancy. In cases where parents/legal guardians are unwilling or unable to cooperate with the school in ensuring that the student maintains regular attendance, a prompt referral for educational neglect may be made to the Division of Family Services or to the Juvenile Court.

4. Perfect Attendance