New Beginnings High School

NEW BEGINNINGS HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENT HANDBOOK 2013-2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mission, Guiding Principles and Purpose / 3
General Attendance Information / 4
Unexcused Absences / Absence Guidelines / 4
Tardies / 5
Illness while at school / 6
Attendance Consequence / 6
Review Panel / 6
Early Dismissal / 6
Withdrawn – Reentry Policy / 7
Code of Conduct / 8
Conceal Carry / 8
School Right to Search / Security Recordings / 11
Hazing / Bullying / 11
Redirection Lab / 12
Out of School Suspension / 12
Appeals / 13
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use / Abuse Policy / 13
Dress Code / 19
Technology Usage Policy / 20
MAC Lab / Class Room Protocol / 22
Cellular Phone Policy / 24
Bus Rules / 24
Loss of Driving Privileges / 28
Procedures to Resolve Parent / Teacher Disagreement / 28
Visitors / 29
Unauthorized Use of the Buildings / 29
Posters / Announcements / Valuable Personal Property / 30
Textbooks / 30
Test Security / Standardized Test / 30
Student Services / 31
Grade Classification / 31
Grading Scale and Policy / 31
Transcripts / 32
Dismissal Procedure / 32
Classroom Motivation and Engagement / 33
Student Progress / 33
Schedule Changes / 34
Intervention Assistance Team / 34
Withdrawal from School / 34
Release of Student Records / 35
Release of Student Photos, Media Interviews / 35
Pupil Rights Regarding Surveys / 36

NBHS MISSION

To be the best educational choice for students who are seeking a New Beginning.

NBHS VISION

NBHS will empower each student academically and socially to be productive members of society.

Core Value

NBHS believes that a holistic approach through strong relationships will result in successful outcomes for our students. We are committed not only in their high school academic success but to their futures. Mediocrity is not an option. Respect modeled through our adherence to NBHS mission, vision and policy. We believe that it is our personal responsibility to care about and guide each and, every student though the barriers of life in the pursuit of excellence.

Social Expectations

•Students will develop self-worth and emotional maturity using positive interpersonal and intra-personal skills.

•Students will develop coping skills that promote self-advocacy and self-confidence in real-life situations.

Civic Expectations

•Students will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and respect for the diversity on our campus, in our communities, and the world beyond.

•Students will have the opportunity to be knowledgeable advocates of their civic obligations and privileges.

GENERAL ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

The high school is in session from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Students arriving before 7:45 a.m. are to wait in either the commons or main lobby areas. No student should be in any other area of the building without permission prior to 7:45 a.m.

If a student is absent from school, a parent must call the Attendance Office to inform the school of their student’s absence. Without this notification, Florida law requires that the school contact parent or guardian by phone or letter to inform them of the student’s absence.

The following conditions may excuse a student from school attendance:

Personal illness or injury (a medical verification note may be required by the principal)

Family illness – an emergency situation requiring the student to be absent from school

Quarantine of the home by local health officials

Death of a relative (limited to three days unless reasonable cause can be shown for a longer absence)

Observance of a religious holiday consistent with student's established creed or belief

Florida law requires that students returning to school after all absences bring a written note from their parent or guardian stating:

The dates of absences;

The reason for the absences;

The parent or guardian signature; and,

The parent or guardian phone number.

The parent or medical verification note should be taken to the Attendance Office the day the student returns to school. Absences documented with medical verification notes for each date absent will be excused.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Students are expected to bring a parent’s note upon their return. Students who fail to bring a written excuse upon their return may be subject to the following consequences for consecutive instances:

2 days: Teacher will make phone call and Student/Parent Advocate (S.P.A.) will send a letterhome.

3 days: S.P.A. Schedules home visit

5 days: the school will send a letter via certified mail requesting parent meet with TruancyPrevention Committee

After 10 days unexcused absences(consecutive or in a 90 day calendar) and after everyeffort has been made to resolve truancy issues, student will be withdrawn. Department of

Motor Vehicles will be notified as according to Florida law (Section 1003.27, Florida Statues)

Any of the above consequences may be waived upon the submission of a written excuse for the absence(s) in question.

Students may be permitted to complete/submit work missed due to an unexcused absence for full credit.

Students leaving school because of illness or other excused reason must still submit a written parental excuse upon their return to school. After repeated absences, a doctor’s note may be required to excuse future absences. Parent and/or doctor absence notes will not be accepted by e-mail; however, they may be faxed to the attendance office. Admit slips for absences should be obtained before the start of the school day. Failure to follow Attendance Guidelines may result in school discipline. It is the responsibility of the school to report all attendance concerns to the Juvenile Court. A court officer will follow procedures to ensure the regular attendance of all students.

Special note regarding students 18 years of age and older:

If, during the school year, the student accumulates 5 (five) or more unexcused absences, the school may proceed with a recommendation to expel the student from school for non-attendance.

ABSENCE GUIDELINES

Definitions

Tardy:Up to 10 (ten) minutes late to school

Absence: Not present in class.

Doctor Appointments/Court Appearances:Under normal circumstances, no more than one day,shall be excused for medical appointments or court appearances. Medical appointments should be scheduled outside the school day when possible.

Students should never leave the building without permission or without signing out in the Academic Guidance Office.

Students have the same number of days to make up work equal to the days absent from school (i.e., if a student is absent three school days, he has three school days after his return to make up work).

During enrollment, students will meet with the Academic Guidance Officer where they will discuss how they will travel to the school. If decided public transportation will be used, and, it is clearthat, because of the bus routes, the student will be unable to make it to the school on time, the student will be marked tardy and the receptionist will allow the student entry.

TARDIES

•After school begins, students are required to report to the front office immediately upon arrival to obtain an Admit Slip.

•Each student will be permitted 3 (three) tardies per quarter.

•On the third unexcused tardy in a quarter that counts as one unexcused absence.

Unexcused Tardies

Excessive Tardies will be handled in the following manner:

Step 1: Teacher Redirection/Intervention-Teacher must implement options to discourage student behavior. Examples include relocation of students’ seats, removal from class, or written assignments.

Step 2: If Step 1 does not resolve issue, teacher will then contact student’s parent/guardian.

Phone call made by teacher to any agency partnering with the student (i.e. probation officer). Step 3: If Step 1 or 2 does not resolve issue, Staff member will make a home visit.

Step 4: If Step 3 does not resolve the issue, a work detail will be issued.

Step 5: If Step, 1, 2, or 3, does not resolve issue, then a teacher, student, parent/guardian, Administrative Conference will be required. This conference will discuss if New Beginnings High School is a good placement.

ILLNESS WHILE AT SCHOOL

If the student should become ill or injured during school, he/she must ask his/her teacher for a pass to the Clinic. The school must obtain parental permission in order for a student to be released from school due to illness. Prior to leaving the Academic Guidance or Clinic for home, students and parents must sign out in the Academic Guidance Suite. A parent note may be requested to be presented upon return. If, at the building clinic aide’s request, the student is sent home from school for medical reasons, the absence for that school day will be counted as excused.

Being ill in the restroom for any extended period will not be accepted as an excuse to miss classes. If the student is too ill to report to the Clinic, the School Office must be notified immediately. Parents are requested to report all communicable diseases to the Clinic.

ATTENDANCE CONSEQUENCES

The teacher should notify the Truancy Team via email after the student has been absent from class three times in a nine-week grading period, but it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the number of days he or she has missed in each class. Upon the third absence, the teacher will notify the Truancy Team that the student has missed three class periods and may be subject to the consequences as outlined in the Student Handbook. Grades earned in a course that a student has failed due to attendance will be replaced with an incomplete.

REVIEW PANEL

Parents or students may request that a review panel examine their case if, in their opinion, there were extenuating circumstances that caused the student to exceed three absences in a class. The request for review must be received within 5 (five) days after the end of the grading period.

EARLY DISMISSAL

Students must never leave the school building without permission and without signing out in the Academic Guidance Office with parent approval. Failure to follow this procedure may result in school discipline.

Legitimate reasons for early dismissal from school will be accepted provided a note signed by a parent is presented at school. A student must also submit a parent’s note to the Attendance Office upon returning to school the next day.

Students seeking an early dismissal should report to the Academic Guidance Office before first period with a parent note stating the reason and time to be excused. The student must sign out on the "sign-out log." The student will be given a pass that is to be shown to the classroom teacher before leaving. The student must sign out in the Academic Guidance Office before leaving the building. Failure to sign out may result in school discipline.

The reason for early dismissal must be explicit in order to be considered excused.

3 (THREE) DAY SUSPENSION FOR LEAVING EARLY WITHOUT PERMISSION AND SKIPPING SCHOOL

WITHDRAWN RE-ENTRY POLICY

A student who voluntarily or administratively is withdrawn from the School must go through entire enrollment procedure upon Re-Entry and meet with the Dean of Teachers and the Director of Operations for pre-approval.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The image a school portrays is often determined by the behavior of its students and the physical appearance of the building. We must all – students, teachers, administrators, support staff and community members – show pride by doing our share to make the high school a better place in which to learn and work. One of the main goals of the high school staff is to develop self-discipline in all students.

The following rules apply while on school premises, school buses or any other school property during school activities at or away from school, or off the school grounds if the situation is initiated at school. Students shall be given due process before a disciplinary action is taken.

Any student conduct that would constitute criminal conduct under the Florida Revised Code is also a violation of the Code of Conduct. The rules also apply to any form of student misconduct directed at a school official or employee or the property of a school official or employee, at any place, at any time.

A violation of any rule may result in discipline including, but not limited to:

•Redirection Monitoring

•In School Suspension (ISS)

•Out of School Suspension

•Court Referral

•Expulsion

•Compensatory payment of damages

•Loss of bus privileges

•Loss of credit for assigned work or tests

•Assigned work related to the offense

•Loss of other privileges

CONCEAL CARRY

UNLESS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY LAW, NO PERSON SHALL KNOWINGLY POSSESS, HAVE UNDER THE PERSON’S CONTROL, CONVEY, OR ATTEMPT TO CONVEY A DEADLY WEAPON OR DANGEROUS ORDNANCE INTO A SCHOOL SAFETY ZONE.

Notice to students: The use of video surveillance equipment may be used in the investigation of violations of the Code of Conduct and may be used by school officials for educational purposes and safety therefore these records will remain in possession of the school/district. Students may receive discipline as a result of what is recorded.

Disruption of School: Students shall not cause disruption or obstruction to the normal operationof this school or any other school or school district.

Harassment/Bullying: Students shall not harass other students, school employees, persons thatare guests of the school or persons conducting business for the school. This category also applies to remarks or actions of a sexual, racial, ethnic or religious nature that are deemed offensive.

Intimidation/Threats: Students shall not, through verbal, written, technological or any othermeans, make statements that state that physical or emotional harm may come to another person or to an institution.

Bomb threats will result in expulsion from school.

Use of Obscene Language/Materials/Actions/Gestures: Students shall not use obscene,vulgar or profane language, make inappropriate gestures/actions or possess vulgar materials.

Attendance: No student shall fail to comply with state attendance laws including, but not limitedto, truancy or tardiness from a specific class or school. No student shall leave school property or an assigned educational location once he or she has come under the supervision of a school employee, prior to specified dismissal times, without official permission.

Forgery: Students shall not misrepresent a signature on any document.

Damage of Property: Students shall not cause or attempt to cause damage of school property,including buses and bus seats, or personal property. Students shall not touch or handle another person’s property without their authorization. Students must pay for any damages they cause to school equipment, materials or facilities and may be subject to additional disciplinary action.

Assault: Students shall not act or threaten to act in such a way as to cause physical injury toother students, any school employee or other persons. Specific violations include but are not limited to:

Fighting/Violence

Serious bodily injury
Threats of fighting, violence, or serious bodily injury (see #3 – Threats)
Sexual assault

Failure to Obey Instructions/Insubordination/Disrespect: No student shall fail to comply withany lawful instructions or requests of teachers, student-teachers, principals or other authorized personnel during any period of time when he or she is properly under the authority of such school personnel. No student shall fail to provide information, or supply false information, when it is requested.

Dangerous Weapons and Instruments: Students shall not possess, handle, transmit orconceal any dangerous weapon or instrument on school property, in a school vehicle or at any school-sponsored activity. Board policy requires that building administrators recommend the expulsion of students in violation of said policy. Firearms (including starter pistols), objects that are indistinguishable from and/or represented as firearms, explosives, incendiary devices and knives (any object with a blade and a handle) are considered dangerous weapons.

Other instruments/devices may also be defined as dangerous weapons depending on their use or intended use. Should a student have knowledge of a weapon or dangerous instrument on school property, in a school vehicle or at a school-sponsored activity and not report it to a school employee, the student may be held to the same disciplinary measures as that of the perpetrator.

Specific violations include but are not limited to:

Use, possession, sale or distribution of a firearm

Use, possession, sale or distribution of any explosive, incendiary or poison gas

Use, possession, sale or distribution of a dangerous weapon other than a firearm or explosive, incendiary or poison gas (including knives and any other object with a blade and a handle)

Use, possession, sale or distribution of objects that are indistinguishable from and/or represented as firearms, explosives, incendiary devices and knives.

Narcotics, Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs: Students shall not possess, use, transmit,conceal, make arrangements to sell or purchase, or use the aforementioned items immediately prior to or during school or a school function. Look-alike drugs and drug paraphernalia are included and will be dealt with accordingly. (See Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use/Abuse Policy (ATOD) in the Code of Conduct section.) Specific violations include but are not limited to:

Use, possession, sale or distribution of intoxicating alcoholic beverages

Use, possession, sale or distribution of drugs other than tobacco or alcohol

Tobacco: Tobacco, in any form, shall not be carried or used by any student on school propertyor at school events, home or away. Paraphernalia used for the consumption of tobacco products is prohibited. Per Senate Bill 218, administrators may refer violators of the tobacco policy to the Florida Juvenile Court.

Theft: Students shall respect the personal ownership rights of others. Students shall not takeownership of items of others. The principal may exercise the prerogative of reporting thefts to local authorities.

Academic Dishonesty: Students shall not give or receive unauthorized information regardingclass work or class activities, misrepresent the results of researched or laboratory assignments, or give or receive unauthorized assistance on assignments. Use of electronic translators without permission is a violation of this rule. Repeated violations may result in failure of academic subjects.

Driving: Students driving a vehicle on school property shall follow the rules and regulationsestablished for this privilege. (Refer to the Code of Conduct – Driving Regulations section).

Dress Code: Refer tothe Dress Code, in the Code of Conduct section.

Inappropriate Display of Affection: Students shall refrain from displays of affection.Students are not to hold hands, hug, kiss or demonstrate other similar acts of affection. In unusual circumstances involving sorrow or extreme joy, hugging is natural and acceptable.

Unauthorized or Unsupervised Areas: Students may not be in areas, which they have not beenauthorized, or areas that are unsupervised.

Hazing (Initiations): Initiations of any sort are prohibited. Initiations and/or hazing are thoseactivities into which students are coerced in order to become part of a group or activity or to avoid harm.