ST. AGNES ACADEMY Founded in 1906 by the Dominican Sisters 2014 – 2015 9000 Bellaire Boulevard Houston, Texas 77036–4683 Main Desk: Attendance: Fax: 713–219–5400 713–219–5413 713–219–5499 School Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. 0 DAILY BELL SCHEDULES Regular Schedule Time 7:55 8:00 – 8:10 8:10 – 9:00 9:05 – 9:50 9:55 – 10:40 10:45 – 11:30 11:35 – 12:20 12:25 – 1:10 1:15 – 2:00 2:05 – 2:50 A.M. Assembly Schedule with late start Time Period 9:10 Bell 9:15 – 9:25 Homeroom 9:30 – 10:05 First 10:10 – 10:45 Second 10:50 – 11:25 Third 11:30 – 12:05 Fourth 12:10 – 12:55 Lunch 1:00 – 1:35 Fifth 1:40 – 2:15 Sixth 2:20 – 2:55 Seventh Period Bell Homeroom First Second Third Fourth Lunch Fifth Sixth Seventh A.M. Assembly Schedule Time Period 7:55 Bell 8:00 – 8:10 Homeroom 8:15 – 9:25 Assembly 9:30 – 10:05 First 10:10 – 10:45 Second 10:50 – 11:25 Third 11:30 – 12:05 Fourth 12:10 – 12:55 Lunch 1:00 – 1:35 Fifth 1:40 – 2:15 Sixth 2:20 – 2:55 Seventh A.M. Pep Rally Time 7:55 8:00 – 8:10 8:15 – 8:50 8:55 – 9:35 9:40 – 10:20 10:25 – 11:05 11:10 – 11:50 11:55 – 12:40 12:45 – 1:25 1:30 – 2:10 2:15 – 2:55 Pep Rally Schedule Time 7:55 8:00 – 8:10 8:15 – 8:55 9:00 – 9:40 9:45 – 10:25 10:30 – 11:10 11:15 – 11:55 12:00 – 12:40 12:45 – 1:25 1:30 – 2:10 2:15 – 2:55 P.M. Assembly Schedule Time Period 7:55 Bell 8:00 – 8:10 Homeroom 8:15 – 8:50 First 8:55 – 9:30 Second 9:35 – 10:10 Third 10:15 – 10:50 Fourth 10:55 – 11:40 Lunch 11:45 – 12:20 Fifth 12:25 – 1:00 Sixth 1:05 – 1:45 Seventh 1:50 – 2:55 Assembly Period Bell Homeroom First Second Third Fourth Lunch Fifth Sixth Seventh Pep Rally Special Noon Dismissal Time Period 7:55 Bell 8:00 – 8:10 Homeroom 8:15 – 8:45 First 8:50 – 9:20 Second 9:25 – 9:55 Third 10:00 – 10:30 Fourth 10:35 – 11:05 Fifth 11:10 – 11:40 Sixth 11:45 – 12:15 Seventh Mid-Day Assembly Time 7:55 8:00 – 8:10 8:15 – 8:55 9:00 – 9:40 9:45 – 10:25 10:30 – 11:10 11:15 – 11:55 12:00 – 12:40 12:45 – 1:25 1:30 – 2:10 2:15 – 2:55 1 Period Bell Homeroom Pep Rally First Second Third Fourth Lunch Fifth Sixth Seventh Period Bell Homeroom First Second Third Fourth Assembly Lunch Fifth Sixth Seventh Table of Contents I. MISSION & HISTORY OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY ........................................................................ 6 Mission Statement Of The Houston Dominican Sisters ......................................................................... 6 The Four Pillars Of Dominican Schools ................................................................................................ 6 Mission Statement Of St. Agnes Academy ............................................................................................ 7 The Philosophy And Goals Of St. Agnes Academy .............................................................................. 7 A St. Agnes Graduate… ........................................................................................................................ 7 Statement On Social Justice Education .................................................................................................. 8 Statement On Sexuality Education ........................................................................................................ 8 History Of St. Agnes Academy .............................................................................................................. 8 St. Agnes Emblem ................................................................................................................................. 8 Tiger Logo ............................................................................................................................................. 9 School Song ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Publications Of St. Agnes Academy ...................................................................................................... 9 II. ACADEMICS .................................................................................................................................... 10 The St. Agnes Academy Veritas Honor Code...................................................................................... 10 Graduation Requirements: 26 Credits ................................................................................................. 10 Transfer Students. ............................................................................................................................ 10 Summer School. ............................................................................................................................... 11 Withdrawal From School. ................................................................................................................ 11 Schedule Changes ................................................................................................................................ 11 Dropping A Class. ............................................................................................................................ 11 Academic Due Process ........................................................................................................................ 11 Grade And Credit Information ............................................................................................................. 12 Evaluation System. .......................................................................................................................... 12 Report Cards. ................................................................................................................................... 12 Failing Grades. ................................................................................................................................. 12 Transcript Requests. ......................................................................................................................... 13 Official Records. .............................................................................................................................. 13 Document Release. .......................................................................................................................... 14 Semester Examinations ........................................................................................................................ 14 Re-Scheduled Examinations. ........................................................................................................... 14 Senior Exemption............................................................................................................................. 14 Grade Point Average ............................................................................................................................ 14 Honor Roll ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Rank In Class ....................................................................................................................................... 15 GPA 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Graduation Honors ............................................................................................................................. 156 The Guidance Program ........................................................................................................................ 17 School Code. .................................................................................................................................... 17 Providing Accommodations For Students. ...................................................................................... 17 The Retreat Program ............................................................................................................................ 17 The Service Program............................................................................................................................ 18 St. Agnes Academy Library ................................................................................................................. 18 Circulation Policies. ......................................................................................................................... 19 Strake Jesuit Library. ....................................................................................................................... 19 School Technology Resources: Introduction ....................................................................................... 19 2 St. Agnes Academy Acceptable Use Policy..................................................................................... 20 Disclaimer. ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Privileges. ........................................................................................................................................ 21 School Email Accounts. ................................................................................................................... 21 Network Etiquette. ........................................................................................................................... 21 Security. ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Privacy. ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Personal Websites And Blogs. ......................................................................................................... 23 III. SCHOOL REGULATIONS .............................................................................................................. 24 Dress Code ........................................................................................................................................... 24 Required Parts Of The Uniform. ...................................................................................................... 24 Optional Parts Of Uniform. .............................................................................................................. 24 Assembly Dress. .............................................................................................................................. 25 Dress Code For Non-Uniform Days. ............................................................................................... 25 Visible Body Piercing And Tattoos. ................................................................................................ 25 Hair. ................................................................................................................................................. 26 Blankets. .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Dress Code For Dances ........................................................................................................................ 26 Formal Dances (Prom, Christmas Dance, Etc.). .............................................................................. 26 Semi-Formal Dances (Homecoming, Etc.). ..................................................................................... 26 Casual Dances (Orientation, Back-To-School, After-Game Dances, Etc.). ..................................... 26 Dress Code Violations ......................................................................................................................... 26 Attendance ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Absences And Notification Of The School. ..................................................................................... 26 Excused Absences ............................................................................................................................ 27 Unexcused Absences ....................................................................................................................... 27 Unexcused Absence To An Individual Class (Skipping) ................................................................. 27 Absence to an Assembly. ................................................................................................................. 27 Absences and Extra-curricular Participation. ................................................................................... 27 Early Dismissal. ............................................................................................................................... 27 Anticipated Absence. ....................................................................................................................... 28 Extended Absence. ........................................................................................................................... 28 Extended Illness. .............................................................................................................................. 28 Excessive Absences. ........................................................................................................................ 28 Saturday School. .............................................................................................................................. 28 Attendance Probation. ...................................................................................................................... 29 Raffle Holidays. ............................................................................................................................... 29 College Visits. .................................................................................................................................. 29 College Representative Visits. ......................................................................................................... 29 School-sponsored Trips. .................................................................................................................. 29 Overnight Trip Behavior Agreement. .............................................................................................. 30 Make-up Work. ................................................................................................................................ 30 Verification of Enrollment and Attendance Form. ........................................................................... 30 Tardiness .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Tardies to School. ............................................................................................................................ 30 Tardies to Class. ............................................................................................................................... 31 Tardies to Class or Open Lab Immediately Following Lunch. ........................................................ 31 Parking Regulations ............................................................................................................................. 31 General Regulations ............................................................................................................................. 32 3 Announcements................................................................................................................................ 32 Birthday Celebrations. ..................................................................................................................... 32 Cellular Phones. ............................................................................................................................... 32 Dances. ............................................................................................................................................. 33 Deliveries. ........................................................................................................................................ 33 Fax Machine. ................................................................................................................................... 33 Food and Drink. ............................................................................................................................... 33 Hall Use. .......................................................................................................................................... 33 Locker Use. ...................................................................................................................................... 33 Lost and Found. ............................................................................................................................... 33 Parent Notification. .......................................................................................................................... 33 Pep Rallies. ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Publicizing Events. .......................................................................................................................... 34 School Property. ............................................................................................................................... 34 Smoke-free Campus. ........................................................................................................................ 34 Strake Jesuit Students on Campus. .................................................................................................. 34 Supervision on Campus. .................................................................................................................. 34 Telephone Calls. .............................................................................................................................. 34 Visitors. ............................................................................................................................................ 34 IV. ORGANIZATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 35 Elected Office ...................................................................................................................................... 35 Removal From Elected Office ............................................................................................................. 35 Texas Association Of Private And Parochial Schools Team Sports .................................................... 35 Cheerleaders......................................................................................................................................... 36 National Honor Society........................................................................................................................ 36 V. STUDENT WELFARE ...................................................................................................................... 37 Student Welfare ................................................................................................................................... 37 Discipline ............................................................................................................................................. 37 Discipline Philosophy. ..................................................................................................................... 37 Discipline Definitions. ..................................................................................................................... 37 Cheating And Plagiarism ..................................................................................................................... 38 Cheating. .......................................................................................................................................... 39 Fabrication. ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Falsification. .................................................................................................................................... 39 Multiple Submissions. ...................................................................................................................... 40 Plagiarism. ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Complicity. ...................................................................................................................................... 40 Abuse And Misuse Of Access And Unauthorized Access ................................................................... 41 Violation Of Departmental Or School Rules ....................................................................................... 41 Disciplinary Action .............................................................................................................................. 41 Discipline Infractions. ...................................................................................................................... 41 Disciplinary Action Due Process ......................................................................................................... 42 Matters Involving Possible Expulsion. ............................................................................................ 42 Sexual Harassment Policy And Procedures ......................................................................................... 43 Bullying And Harrasment .................................................................................................................... 43 Expectations For St. Agnes Students. .............................................................................................. 43 Definitions. ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Substance Abuse Policy ....................................................................................................................... 44 4 Clinic.................................................................................................................................................... 46 Health Records. ................................................................................................................................ 46 Medication. ...................................................................................................................................... 46 Emergency Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 46 School Closing. ................................................................................................................................ 46 Fire Drills And Tornado Evacuation. ............................................................................................... 47 Crisis Plan. ....................................................................................................................................... 47 Asbestos ............................................................................................................................................... 47 VI. FINANCIAL POLICY – TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID ......................................................... 47 Tuition.................................................................................................................................................. 47 Refund Policy ..................................................................................................................................... 47 AMENDMENTS TO HANDBOOK ....................................................................................................... 47 ATHLETIC AGREEMENT…………………………………………………………..............................49 INDEX ..................................................................................................................................................... 56 5 FOREWORD In the spirit of over one hundred years of St. Agnes tradition, the faculty and staff wishes to welcome each of you. It is our wish that your experiences at SAA be heartwarming and profitable, both spiritually and educationally. Your teachers see you as individuals, and it is precisely in your individuality that your Christian womanhood will achieve its fulfillment. May these pages serve as both an introduction to our school as well as a reference for you and your parents. By following the guidelines in this handbook, you will become a personal part of the rich traditions of St. Agnes Academy and apply the following standards to tenure at SAA. I. MISSION & HISTORY OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT OF THE HOUSTON DOMINICAN SISTERS We, the Houston Dominican Sisters, publicly commit ourselves to study and address the crucial justice issues of our times. We assume the risks inherent in preaching and teaching the gospel. We will work to transform social structures that oppress the powerless, ministering with them in our common struggle to remain faithful to the Word of God. THE FOUR PILLARS OF DOMINICAN SCHOOLS Dominican schools are built on a pillar of STUDY. Motivating students to a love of learning through creative and critical thinking Developing intellectual curiosity and competence in each student Providing a welcome and safe learning environment of trust and fairness Studying and addressing the significant social justice issues of our day Dominican schools are built on a pillar of PRAYER. Fostering both communal and personal spirituality and prayer Providing a strong spiritual foundation based on Catholic tradition and teachings Respecting all people in a spirit of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue Celebrating the joy, hope and sanctity of life Dominican schools are built on a pillar of COMMUNITY. Providing an outreaching school community based on shared values of faith, integrity, compassion, and service Promoting and embracing an awareness of and involvement in the cultural, economic, ethnic, religious and physical diversity in the school, local, national, and global communities Building a strong and nurturing school community where all are valued and all live in a spirit of collaboration and cooperation Promoting community involvement to support and enhance the mission of the school 6 Dominican schools are built on a pillar of PREACHING. Witnessing to Gospel values and living Veritas through word and deed Answering the call to study and address issues of peace, justice, and care of the earth Assuming personal leadership and acting with integrity and compassion Developing a lifelong commitment of service to God and others MISSION STATEMENT OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY Rooted in the Dominican tradition, St. Agnes Academy provides a Catholic college preparatory education that encourages young women to develop intellectual curiosity, to work for social justice and to act with integrity and compassion. THE PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY As a Dominican Community, we: Believe every student is unique and valuable, with God-given talents. Are convinced education develops the whole person. Encourage the exploration of spiritual beliefs and moral choices within the context of Catholicism, while honoring each student's spiritual autonomy. Instill the sense of responsibility to act on behalf of social justice in light of the gospel. Facilitate a love of learning and learning for life. Develop a curriculum that balances high standards with responsiveness to students' varying abilities and learning styles. Teach with a balance of challenge and praise. Know that learning best happens in a safe environment of trust and fairness. Create and cultivate opportunities for students to recognize and develop potential and leadership beyond the curriculum. Believe our single-gender learning environment fosters self-respect, self-confidence, and helps students to enter society with the tools and voice to transform the world. Deepen the faith life of students through prayer, theological studies and fostering a sense of community through shared worship and service to educate the whole person. Upon completion of a St. Agnes education, a graduate will embody the following: A ST. AGNES GRADUATE… witnesses Gospel values and lives veritas through word and deed; recognizes her Dominican heritage and incorporates prayer into her daily life; demonstrates intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and a dedication to life-long learning; embraces diversity and champions the marginalized in society; confidently assumes personal leadership and acts with integrity and compassion; recognizes her interconnectedness with Earth and embraces her responsibilities for the children of all species; celebrates life in a joyful, optimistic and productive manner; has a deep commitment to social justice and making a difference in the world. 7 STATEMENT ON SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION To view this statement, please see the St. Agnes website under “School Policy Documents”. STATEMENT ON SEXUALITY EDUCATION To view this statement, please see the St. Agnes website under “School Policy Documents”. HISTORY OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY St. Agnes Academy was founded in 1905 by Mother Pauline Gannon, O.P., Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Houston, Texas. The Academy opened on February 11, 1906 at its former location at 3901 Fannin. It was in operation at that site until September 1963 when the present-day campus opened at 9000 Bellaire Boulevard in Sharpstown. St. Agnes now numbers over 9,000 graduates, many of whom now have daughters, granddaughters, and even great-granddaughters who are Academy students or alumnae. In 1917 St. Agnes was accredited by the University of Texas and the State Board of Education. It is now affiliated with the following educational associations: Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the National Catholic Educational Association, the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the College Board. From its founding until 1939, the Academy offered twelve years of instruction and boarding facilities for its students. In 1939, the boarding facilities were discontinued, and, in 1954, the Academy began to function as a day school for students in grades 9-12. Today, St. Agnes has approximately 875 girls enrolled. ST. AGNES EMBLEM A very important word around St. Agnes is VERITAS, the Dominican motto meaning truth, which permeates the educational endeavors at St. Agnes. It is the name of the yearbook and it is found on the senior rings. Equally familiar is the VERITAS shield, which is a compendium of St. Dominic's life and ideals: the vision of the dog with the burning brand which his mother saw before his birth - the Domini Canes (hound of the Lord) who would spread His truth; the star which emblazoned his forehead (symbol of heavenly wisdom); the lilies of purity and the palm of victory; the swords of justice and of truth; the Rosary, which by meditation on its mysteries leads to oneness with Christ, Who is Truth Incarnate; and the crown surmounting all, symbol of eternal blessedness, with the eight stars representing the beatitudes. 8 The St. Agnes Academy mascot logo was developed by a group of students, faculty, staff and alumnae in 2007 to celebrate the Tiger spirit in athletics, student organizations and campus life. SCHOOL SONG St. Agnes, we are loyal to you; Loyal to your black, white, and gold. Holding high truth’s standards bright; Striving ever for the right. St. Agnes, you will ever be Our symbol of truth and constancy. Your faith we will proclaim, Uphold your honored name. St. Agnes...Veritas! PUBLICATIONS OF ST. AGNES ACADEMY AcadeMyConnections – alumnae e-newsletter The Columns – the school paper Reflections – the literary magazine Tiger Talk – the school blog Tiger Tracks – weekly parent newsletter via email Student Handbook Veritas Magazine Veritas – the yearbook Academic and Behavior Policies Part of St. Agnes Academy’s priorities is the well-being of our students, and St. Agnes recognizes that individual circumstances often require individual approaches. St. Agnes Academy’s faculty, staff and administration will always attempt to do what is right, regardless of the formal rule. The following policies will help to ensure that students are treated fairly. 9 II. ACADEMICS The curriculum of St. Agnes Academy is a rigorous college preparatory course of study. Our highest priority is the wellbeing of our students and we recognize that individual circumstances often call for individual approaches. St. Agnes Academy’s faculty and administration will always attempt to do what is right, regardless of the formal rule. The following policies will help ensure that students are treated fairly. THE ST. AGNES ACADEMY VERITAS HONOR CODE In the pursuit of Veritas in a complex and competitive world, St. Agnes Academy encourages students to strive for personal and academic integrity. Each St. Agnes Academy student agrees that she will abide by the St. Agnes Academy Honor Code: I pledge my word and honor that I will neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on any test, quiz, assignment, paper, project, or exam. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: 26 CREDITS English Mathematics Theology 4 4 4 Science (must include Bio 1, Chemistry 1 and Physics) History/Social Science 4 3 Foreign Language Computer Fine Arts Communications Physical Education Health Service 2 1* 1 ½ 1½ ½ ½ Students receive ½ credit for Computer Applications after 2 years for participation in our laptop program. *Beginning with the class of 2016, only ½ course credit for Computer Applications is required for graduation. Remaining credits beyond those specified above may be earned with any course. Placement depends on previous courses, testing and teacher recommendations. For qualified students honors (H) courses are available beginning at the ninth grade year in English, Science, and Math. History & Social Studies is available beginning at the tenth grade year. AP preparation is available in many subject areas. Course descriptions for all required and elective courses shall be set forth in the academic section of the website. Any student without the required 26 credits listed above will not graduate, nor will she participate in the graduation ceremony. A diploma will be conferred upon completion of the 26 credits. Transfer Students Credit will be given for approved courses taken at other secondary schools. Cumulative GPA will only include grades earned at St. Agnes Academy. 10 Summer School Only credited summer classes taken at St. Agnes will be noted on the permanent record and the grade earned will be included when calculating cumulative GPA. Students may take classes at other schools in order to recover credit for failed classes with the approval of the Guidance Department. The grade received will be noted on the transcript and the credit earned will be included in the total credits, but the grade will not be included in GPA calculations. Withdrawal from School A written request for a student's withdrawal should be made to the registrar. A parent or guardian must confirm the student's withdrawal. Upon request, the student's scholastic record will be mailed to the school of transfer provided all financial commitments to the school have been fulfilled. SCHEDULE CHANGES Student registration is a critical function at St. Agnes Academy. Based upon the registration data, courses are scheduled and teachers are employed for the next year. Course selections made at the time of registration are considered permanent for the academic year. After mid-May, student course requests and student schedules should not be changed. On occasion due to unusual conditions, changing a student’s schedule is justifiable. A change is considered justifiable if: 1. The student was scheduled for a course in which she has inadequate background. (Must be initiated by instructor) 2. The student was scheduled for a course for which she has not completed the required prerequisites. 3. The student was recommended for a specific course but was not scheduled into that course. 4. The student was scheduled for a course for which she has already received credit. 5. The student has special circumstances and the change is approved by the academic dean. Dropping a Class A student who wishes to drop a class must obtain a Schedule Change Request Form from her counselor and acquire the approval of the counselor, teacher, parent/guardian, and the academic dean. For courses dropped after the 10-day period following the first progress report of a semester, the student will receive a withdraw passing (WP) or withdrew failing (WF) grade on her transcript. Any class fees associated with a dropped class are non-refundable. ACADEMIC DUE PROCESS At times, parents may have questions and comments concerning their daughter’s teachers. In the event that a student or parent has a grievance against a teacher, proper procedure should be followed to resolve the grievance. First, the student should approach the teacher directly. If the student is not satisfied, the parent should approach the teacher directly. If the student and parent are still not satisfied, the parent should contact the following (in the order listed) until satisfaction is achieved: the department head, the counselor, the academic dean, and the principal. Some guidelines in presenting a grievance are as follows: 1. In all cases, the concerned parties should contact the teacher, present their grievance, and allow the teacher a reasonable time to deal with the grievance. 11 2. 3. If the issue is not resolved, the parties may consult the department chairperson, counselor, or academic dean. The teacher will be informed by one of these that they have been consulted. If the issue is not resolved, the requests will be taken to the principal who may consult with the Faculty/Staff Advisory Committee and/or hold a meeting with the concerned parties. The teacher will be informed of the meeting in time to prepare a statement and will be given time at the meeting to respond. The principal will decide the issue. GRADE AND CREDIT INFORMATION The St. Agnes Academy school year is divided into two semesters with each semester divided into two quarters. Student grades are given at the end of each quarter. Semester averages include both quarter grades and the final exam. For classes that do not have a final exam, semester averages include both quarter grades. Only the semester grade is recorded on transcripts. Evaluation System. The evaluation system at St. Agnes Academy is as follows: 90-100 indicates excellence in mastery of subject matter; 80-89 indicates above average achievement; 70-79 indicates satisfactory and average achievement; 65-69 indicates less than satisfactory and below average achievement; Below 65 indicates failure and no credit received. Report Cards Report cards will be posted online via NetView at the end of each quarter. Academic progress between quarters will be posted online via NetView. Teachers will have updated grades posted by the middle of each quarter. Access to NetView is available with a unique user ID and password and may be blocked by the business office if financial obligations are not current. Failing Grades Academic Probation: Students may be placed on Academic Probation at the end of a semester. Possible reasons for being placed on Academic Probation include, but are not limited to the following: a GPA lower than a 2.0; multiple Ds and/or Fs; excessive absences; and the discretion of the academic dean. The student and her parents/guardians will be notified in writing of the terms of the probation. Ineligibility: Ineligibility will be determined at the end of each quarter using a point system. (*If the student has a Strake Jesuit class, the Strake Jesuit semester grade will be used to determine eligibility after the 2nd and 4th quarters since Strake teachers typically report a cumulative semester rather than a second quarter grade.) A failing grade is equivalent to two points. A “D” in any course is equivalent to one point. If a student has a total of four points under this system at the end of any quarter they will be deemed “ineligible” until progress reports of the following quarter. An ineligible student will not be allowed to participate in any school activities such as athletics or extra-curricular activities, and any school-sponsored trips, including choir tour, Harvard Model Congress, Close Up and Model UN. The student is ineligible for participation in such activities until the academic dean determines that progress reports indicate 12 eligible status. If a student becomes ineligible during her athletic season, she will not receive Athletic PE credit for that season. Courses Taken at Strake Jesuit Strake Jesuit has a different grading scale than St. Agnes and they require a grade of 70 or higher in order to receive credit for a class. St. Agnes students with a grade lower than 70 in a class taken at Jesuit will receive an F and will not be awarded credit. Course Credit: If a student has failed the first semester of a course, she may receive credit for the year in courses that are sequential and cumulative if she earns a passing grade in the second semester. If a student fails both semesters of a course, the entire course must be repeated in summer school. If a student fails the second semester only of a course, the second semester must be repeated in summer school regardless of the first semester average. See the attendance policy for credit forfeited by absences. End of Year Failures: A student who fails to earn credit for a required course must acquire that credit in an approved summer school. If she does not satisfactorily take care of her deficiencies, she will not be permitted to register for the following year. If a student fails two or more courses, her continuation as a student will be evaluated by the academic dean and her counselor. Transcript Requests Transcripts sent from St. Agnes Academy to various colleges, programs and scholarships, require specific forms and procedures. All transcripts are requested through the guidance office and the point of contact for these requests is the student’s counselor. Seniors: Seniors will meet with the college counselors each fall during group guidance to learn about the process of transcript requests. As they meet with their individual college counselor seniors begin to request transcripts for their individual colleges. All transcript request forms are processed through the guidance department and sent by mail or electronically. The responsibility of deadlines belongs to the senior. However, transcript requests that need supporting documentation (letters of recommendation) require a one month notice to ensure that supporting documentation can be completed prior to the deadline. Any transcript that must be rushed for any circumstance will be charge a $10 rush request that is payable at the time of the request. 9th, 10th and 11th Graders: At certain times, underclassmen need to have transcripts sent to summer programs. These transcripts must be requested from the guidance department at least one month in advance of the deadline for the program. This ensures that any supporting documentation can be completed prior to the deadline. Any transcript that must be rushed for any circumstance will be charged a $10 rush request that is payable at the time of the request. Students should meet with their counselor to determine what is needed for any transcript request. Official Records If a student or parent wishes to review the official record of the student, this request should be made in writing to the principal. We ask that you make such requests at least 24 hours in advance. Non-custodial parents: This school abides by the provisions of the Buckley Amendment with respect to the rights of non-custodial parents. In the absence of a court order to the contrary, a school will provide the non-custodial parent with access to the academic records and to other school-related information regarding the child. If there is a court order specifying that there is to be no information given, it is the responsibility of the custodial parent to provide the school with an official copy of the court order. 13 Requests for duplicate mailings should be made in writing to the school office at the beginning of the school year. Document Release It is the policy of St. Agnes Academy that all financial obligations to the school must be kept current in order for the student to continue at St. Agnes Academy and/or documents to be released. Financial obligations must be current in order to access student records online through NetView. Students must have cleared all financial commitments in order to participate in graduation ceremonies. In addition, students must have cleared all financial commitments in order for transcripts or other student records to be transmitted to educational institutions, prospective employers, or other third parties. SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS Examinations are given by teachers at the end of each semester. The exam will be comprehensive and will count one-fifth of the semester grade. To obtain the overall average, each quarter is counted as two-fifths of the semester grade. All financial obligations must be current, all athletic uniforms and library books must be returned, and all library fines paid before exam time. Re-scheduled Examinations The school policy is that semester examinations are to be taken at the scheduled time. Emergency situations regarding exams are to be brought to the attention of the academic dean. Only in extraordinary circumstances will exams be rescheduled. Unless a student's rescheduled exam is the result of illness a $50 fee will be charged for each rescheduled exam. Senior Exemption In order to be eligible to be exempt from her final exam, a senior must have a minimum of a 90 average and may not have more than 5 absences, excused or unexcused, in that particular class for the semester in which the student wishes to exempt. School sponsored or sanctioned activities are exempt from and do not count toward her absence total. Students may review their absences on-line. Each department reserves the right to specify their own guidelines to qualify for an exemption from the final. The final decision about exemptions lies with the faculty member. GRADE POINT AVERAGE The grade point average (GPA) is determined using the standard 4.0 system. Bonus points are given for honors courses. The GPA is calculated as follows: 1. Assign a point value to each semester grade according to Table I - GPA Computation Data. Point value for the course is multiplied by the credits earned for that course. Add the resulting decimal figures; the total is the quality points earned for that semester. 2. The sum of the quality points earned is divided by the number of credits attempted for that semester. The result is the grade point average (GPA) for that semester. 3. Quality points for each semester are accumulated from the freshman year and divided by the total of the attempted credits to date. This computation gives you the cumulative GPA which can be found on the report card. (Summer school grades and credits are not used for the computation of GPA unless such courses are taken at St. Agnes summer school. However, the 14 courses are reflected in the accumulated credits earned.) The cumulative GPA, as described above, is not the basis for determining the top 5% and 10% of each class. (See next section.) TABLE I - GPA COMPUTATION DATA Grade Regular Honors 90-100 80-89 70-79 65-69 Below 65 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 0 HONOR ROLL Honors will be determined at the end of each semester. For the purpose of honor roll, the GPA will be rounded to the nearest tenth. A student with a semester GPA of 4.0 or higher, after rounding, will receive High Honors. A student with a semester GPA from 3.3 up to 3.9, after rounding, will receive Honors. Students with any semester grade lower than 70 are not eligible for honors. RANK IN CLASS St. Agnes is a non-ranking school. Due to the policies of many universities, St. Agnes transcripts will identify students who are among the top 5% & 10% of their class. To determine the top 5% & 10%, St. Agnes utilizes a method for grouping and comparing students which more closely discriminates between the differences in grades than does the GPA computation process. A separate computation is done to determine a GPA for this process. This GPA is referred to as GPA2 (refer to Table II). GPA 2 Weight is given to the grade according to the numerical value of that grade with a bonus given for honors courses. For this calculation: 1. Assign a point value to each semester grade according to Table II - GPA2 Computation Data. Point values for each course are multiplied by the number of credits earned for that course. Add the resulting decimal figures; the total is the quality points earned for that semester. 2. The cumulative GPA2 is derived by finding the sum of the quality points earned, and then dividing by the number of credits attempted to date. The resulting figures are placed in numerical order. (Summer school grades and credits are not used in these computations except for courses taken for credit at St. Agnes.) 3. To determine valedictorian and salutatorian, the GPA2 computation will be carried to three decimal places if necessary. 15 GRADUATION HONORS A system of graduated honors based on GPA2 will be bestowed on the students with a GPA2 of 3.4 or above. Each year the administration decides the requirements for the following categories based on GPA2 distribution: Summa cum Laude Magna cum Laude Cum Laude In order to qualify as Valedictorian or Salutatorian, a student must have been in attendance at St. Agnes for two consecutive years prior to graduation. TABLE II - GPA2 COMPUTATION DATA Honors/AP Grade Value 100 Point Value Point Value Honors/AP Grade Point Value Point 4.0 5.0 81 2.2 3.2 99 4.0 5.0 80 2.1 3.1 98 3.9 4.9 79 2.0 3.0 97 3.8 4.8 78 1.9 2.9 96 3.7 4.7 77 1.8 2.8 95 3.6 4.6 76 1.7 2.7 94 3.5 4.5 75 1.6 2.6 93 3.4 4.4 74 1.5 2.5 92 3.3 4.3 73 1.4 2.4 91 3.2 4.2 72 1.3 2.3 90 3.1 4.1 71 1.2 2.2 89 3.0 4.0 70 1.1 2.1 88 2.9 3.9 69 1.0 2.0 87 2.8 3.8 68 0.8 1.8 16 86 2.7 3.7 67 0.6 1.6 85 2.6 3.6 66 0.4 1.4 84 2.5 3.5 65 0.2 1.2 83 2.4 3.4 Below 65 0.0 0.0 82 2.3 3.3 THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM The counseling department of St. Agnes Academy provides comprehensive services to the students. These services are aimed at meeting the needs of students at several levels and include academic counseling, advocating for the learning needs of each of our students, connecting the student and her family with the school, assisting with the emotional needs of our students and facilitating discussions regarding the college and career planning of our students. The counselors meet with students individually and in group sessions to provide necessary information at various times of the year. The counseling department also hosts a variety of events for parents throughout the year. School Code 443-420 is the number assigned to St. Agnes Academy for use on college entrance test registration forms for SAT and ACT, financial aid applications, and some college applications. Use it any time "School Code", "CEEB Code", or "ETS Number" is requested. Providing Accommodations for Students Students at St. Agnes Academy are eligible for individual academic accommodations to facilitate their learning and their ability to demonstrate mastery of academic material. Provision of academic accommodations is undertaken according to general guidelines of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In order to receive formal accommodations, current documentation (within 4 years) should be submitted to the coordinator of academic services at least 2 weeks prior to requesting accommodations. Current documentation must be on file by December 1st to qualify for accommodations for first semester examinations and by May 1st for second semester examinations. Temporary classroom accommodations may be offered to a student by the coordinator of academic services upon the advisement of a student’s counselor and/or teacher when a student is observed to be experiencing undue difficulty meeting academic requirements. Upon completion of the temporary accommodation time period, parents may be advised to pursue having the student undergo a psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation. This assessment is employed to determine factors underlying the student’s academic difficulty, and whether the student will benefit from having on-going accommodations in the classroom. THE RETREAT PROGRAM The retreat program is an important element in the formation of a Christian educational community at St. Agnes Academy. It is an integral part of the school's philosophy and the Theology Department's curriculum. The class retreat is a valuable opportunity for students and faculty to share faith and celebrate their common belief in God through prayer, activity, and liturgy. The four-year retreat program reflects the centrality of faith formation and Christian community at St. Agnes. The presence of each student at retreat is necessary for the fullest expression of Christian community, and for this 17 reason students are required to participate in the retreats. Please do not make travel plans that conflict with retreat days. In the event of illness or family emergency that will cause a student to miss her retreat, the student and parents must meet with the dean of students and the campus minister prior to the retreat, if possible. If a student is absent from any retreat, she will be required to make up the absence by attending a parish or diocesan retreat of comparable length approved by the campus minister, excluding parish retreats for sacramental preparation. Make-up retreats must be completed before the end of the academic year. The retreat fee is included in fees paid at the beginning of the year. Make-up retreats may require an additional fee dependent on the retreat site chosen, and is the sole responsibility of the parent and/or guardian. THE SERVICE PROGRAM All students are required to volunteer 100 hours of service that addresses a social justice issue and takes place outside the home/school community during their junior/senior years. The student will be introduced to the service program during the spring semester of her junior year. All agencies and ministries must be approved by the office of campus ministry. Students must complete the 100 hours of service by December 1st of her senior year. The student will be required to meet in a small group (with service group leader) once a month during lunch for reflection, sharing, problem solving, direction and support. These meetings are an integral component of the service program. All forms and signature deadlines are the student’s responsibility. Upon completion of 100 hours of volunteer service, the student will receive ½ course credit. The grade for this course is pass-fail. If a student has not completed all requirements by the December deadline, she will receive an "F" on her first semester report card, considered academically ineligible and may be excluded from participating in extra-curricular activities until her service hours are completed. That grade will be changed to "P" when requirements are satisfied. No senior will be allowed to graduate until the service program requirements are satisfied. ST. AGNES ACADEMY LIBRARY The Isabel Cameron Library contains a wide variety of print and non-print resources to support the Library's mission to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. In order to maintain a library atmosphere conducive to research, quiet study, browsing and pleasure reading, the librarians reserve the right to ask students not involved in quiet and productive activities to leave the library. The library is open from 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. during school days. Students are welcome to use the library before and after school, during the lunch period and during open labs. To ensure that everyone using the St. Agnes Academy Library has a positive experience, students are asked to follow these procedures: 1. 2. 3. Enter and exit the library from the two main doors leading off of the administration hallway. Put all book bags on the floor. Request a pass from library staff in order to leave the library. 18 4. 5. 6. Help the library conserve resources by printing only school related materials. Respect the RIGHT of everyone using the Library to study, read, or research. All drinks must be in a container with a lid. Each student is responsible for disposing of trash and cleaning up after themselves. Circulation Policies Books & Videos (non-reference): checked out at the circulation desk. Books are lent for 14 days and may be renewed. Videos may be checked out overnight. They are due back before first period the next day. Reference Books: All reference books may be checked out overnight. Reference books and other overnight materials may not be checked out until after 7th period and must be returned before first period the next morning. Reserve Materials: Ordinarily, materials placed on reserve are for library use only and may not be checked out from the library. This includes books, videos, and periodicals on reserve. Periodicals: Current periodicals are available in the open stacks of the library. The current month's periodicals may be checked out overnight. Older periodicals may be checked out for two weeks (or longer if necessary). All periodicals must be brought to the circulation desk for checkout. Fines: The fine for overdue books is 10 cents per day; overnight, reserve books, and videotapes are one dollar per day. All materials must be turned in and all fines paid by the end of each semester or the student may not be allowed to take exams and her access to her grades on NetView will be blocked. The student is responsible for all materials borrowed in her name. Lost materials: Lost materials must be paid for at the replacement cost of the item plus five dollars for processing. Strake Jesuit Library Any student who wishes to use the Strake Jesuit Library must secure a pass from St. Agnes' library staff to do so. She must have this pass signed by the librarian at Strake Jesuit and return it to the St. Agnes Library immediately upon her return to campus. SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES: INTRODUCTION Students and their parents will abide by the St. Agnes Academy Acceptable Use Policy for school technology resources. School technology resources can include but are not limited to: laptops, printers, internet access, scanners, projectors, DVD/VCR players, etc. Any violation of the regulations contained in the policy is unethical and may result in disciplinary actions and/or appropriate legal actions. The ability to use school technology resources from laptops is a privilege; and such use of school technology resources may be suspended at any time, at the sole discretion of the administration of St. Agnes Academy, without any liability or responsibility on the part of the administration, faculty, or staff of St. Agnes Academy. Any misuse of school technology resources must be reported immediately to the dean of students. Misuse can come in many forms, such as any digital media sent or received that indicate or suggest pornography, unethical or illegal solicitation, racism, sexism, inappropriate language, and other issues described below. All the rules of conduct described in the St. Agnes handbook apply while using school technology resources. 19 Access to school technology resources at St. Agnes Academy is intended for educational purposes. It is impossible for St. Agnes Academy to restrict access to all controversial and/or non-educational materials. Neither St. Agnes Academy or its faculty, staff, or administration can be held responsible for materials acquired on the internet. St. Agnes Academy Acceptable Use Policy Internet and Email: St. Agnes Academy has actively pursued making advanced technology and increased access to learning opportunities available to our students, faculty and staff. As such, students at St. Agnes Academy have the opportunity to access the Internet. Access to the Internet will enable students to explore thousands of libraries, databases and bulletin boards while exchanging messages with Internet users throughout the world. With this tool, however, students and parents should be warned that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate or potentially offensive to some people. Therefore, students and staff must understand and practice proper ethical and legal use. While our intent is to make Internet access available to further educational goals and objectives, students may find ways to access other materials as well. It is the user's responsibility not to initiate access to such material. We believe that the benefits to students from access to the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, exceed any disadvantages. St. Agnes Academy will apply a federally approved content filter to users, limiting access to educational information. Ultimately, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. The Internet is to be used for scholarly research and as a means of obtaining needed information. The Internet offers access to inappropriate sites such as those that are pornographic, militant/extremist, racist, and gambling-related. Students are further prohibited from using the school Internet connection for shopping purposes, downloading music or video, social networking and video streaming. Students should not access any information of this sort. St. Agnes reserves the right to monitor the internet usage of all students through specialized software reporting as well as any other means available to teachers and administration. Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks just as they are in a classroom or a school hallway. Communications on the network are often public in nature. General school rules for behavior and communications apply. Copyright Students’ use of the Internet must be in support of education and research and consistent with the educational objectives of St. Agnes Academy. Use of other organizations’ network or computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for that network. Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S. or state regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret. Use for commercial activities, product advertisement, or political lobbying is also prohibited. Students should never copy other people’s work or intellectual property and submit it as their own. Social Networking Students may not use any chat, p2p or collaboration programs to communicate with others through the computer network during class, unless a teacher or administrator expressly authorizes them to do so. The use of email during class, without teacher approval, is strictly prohibited. Likewise, the playing of games during class time, without teacher approval, is also strictly prohibited. Accessing social 20 networking websites (Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, etc.) are off limits during class time. The use of circumventors to get around school network security is prohibited. Computer Content No computer programs, MP3's, pornography, or copyrighted material may be distributed over the network. This rule prohibits sending files through email as well as setting up “servers” on a student’s laptop or by any other physical or electronic means. At no time should a student’s laptop appear under “Network Neighborhood.” Students should not download copyrighted MP3's or non-shareware programs, games, and/or any programs not supported by St. Agnes. Disclaimer St. Agnes Academy makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service it is providing students. St. Agnes Academy will not be responsible for any damages suffered while on this system. These damages include, but are not limited to, loss of data as a result of delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by the system or your errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the information system is at your own risk. St. Agnes Academy specifically disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy of information obtained through its service. All users need to consider the source of any information they obtain and consider how valid that information may be. Privileges The use of school technology resources is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges. St. Agnes Academy reserves the right to review any material on user accounts and to monitor network storage in order to make determinations on whether specific uses of the network are inappropriate. Decisions of the St. Agnes Academy administration regarding unacceptable computer use are final. A student's use of school technology resources may be revoked, denied or suspended at the request of faculty and staff of St. Agnes Academy. School Email Accounts Every student will be issued a school email account. Teachers and school officials who need to communicate with the student will use this account. Students are required to check their school email accounts many times during the day. Teachers will provide a limited amount of time for students to check their email during class. St. Agnes Academy reserves the right to monitor and review school electronic mailboxes in order to make determination on whether specific uses of the email account are inappropriate. Decisions of the St. Agnes Academy administration regarding unacceptable computer use are final. A student's use of school technology resources may be revoked, denied or suspended at the request of faculty and staff of St. Agnes Academy. St. Agnes Academy archives all incoming and outgoing mail in accordance with federal electronic stored data archiving rules. Network Etiquette Students of St. Agnes Academy are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include (but are not limited to) the following: Be polite. Do not get abusive in your message to others. Respond to emails from teachers and administrators immediately upon receiving them. Use appropriate language. Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language. Do not send or display offensive messages or pictures. Do not harass, insult or attack others. 21 Do not send out bulk email. This includes chain letters, advertisements, or any other message that includes many different recipients without their consent. The dean of students must approve beforehand all email that is being sent to the entire school or an entire class. Do not reveal your personal address or phone number or those of other students or colleagues. Do not use the network in such a way that you would disrupt the use of the network by other users. Users shall not play games or use the computer resources for other non-academic activities when other users require the system for academic purposes. Likewise, students may not download large files over the Internet during school hours. Do not damage computers, computers systems or computer networks or engage in other acts of Vandalism. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy the equipment and/or data of another user or any other agencies or networks that are connected to the system. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses. The use of intentionally harmful programs is strongly prohibited and will result in serious disciplinary consequences. Do not intentionally waste limited resources such as paper and printer cartridges that are provided by St. Agnes Academy. Only essential materials should be printed. Limitations may be placed on students’ permission to print if they abuse this privilege. The volume setting on the laptops should be muted or students should use headphones when using the computer in a setting that would be distracting to others. Security To protect the integrity of a computer system involving many users, St. Agnes Academy students are not permitted to: Reveal your password to another user. Use another user's password to gain access to the network or Internet related resources. Trespass into another user’s files. Record another person's voice without express permission from that person. Use another student’s laptop. Students are responsible for their own computers. They must keep their laptops with them or LOCKED in their lockers at all times. Students involved in after-school activities need to insure that their computers are secure. Privacy The laptops are the personal property of the students. However, all information will be accessible to the CAVE staff when given over for repair. Additionally, the school retains the right to look at a student’s hard drive if there is a reasonable suspicion that the computer is being used inappropriately or dishonorably. St. Agnes Academy has a strong Acceptable Use Policy for computer work done while a student is at school or participating in a school function, a policy which monitors all computer use from the school campus or communications related to school classes or activities done from any school computer. St. Agnes Academy sometimes does become involved in student technology use issues that have happened using laptops off the school campus and outside of school time in the following situations: The school becomes aware of slanderous, hurtful, harassing comments in student communication about another individual, especially one in the St. Agnes community. Fundamentally, such conduct is unlawful and unethical. 22 The school becomes aware of improper communication between personnel and students or parents. Interactions between personnel and students or parents must all happen within the jurisdiction of monitored and supervised resources, such as e-mail. The school becomes aware of unethical or illegal activity in which a student might have been involved through an electronic source. In such cases, usually the school administrators will meet with the student’s parents, provided the claim appears viable. Personal Websites and Blogs Students who develop and maintain personal websites and/or blogs, including but not limited to such accessible sites as Facebook and Twitter, and who identify themselves as students at St. Agnes Academy must keep in mind they are representing the school in a public forum. Any personal site which contains the name and identity of the school must not contain personal information about the student, inappropriate images or vulgar language which would contradict the values of the school as stated in the school’s mission statement. The following recommendations are made to students with personal webpages and/or blogs: Since websites/blogs are available to anyone at any time, a student should not post personal information that she does not want everyone to see and be aware of, including parents, college recruiters, and strangers. Whenever possible, students are encouraged to use a privacy feature that ensures that only those people whom the student approves may have access to the website. Students are advised to be very careful about taking surveys which ask them to reveal personal details about the student’s personal life that should not be information available to the entire public at large. St. Agnes Academy encourages all students to use the internet for its educational potential, but to be very careful of its many traps and opportunities for unhealthy and dangerous activity. We are concerned about the safety and reputation of all of our students. When inappropriate websites and/or blogs created and maintained by St. Agnes students mention the school’s name and/or use a school logo, the school can and must hold the student responsible for its content. The school may take the following actions: Call the student in for a conference to request that she modify her webpage/blog and/or take the school’s name and/or logo off of the website; Communicate with a student’s parents/guardians about any inappropriate material on a student’s webpage/blog; If the student will not cooperate with the school administration as to making her webpage/blog free of anything that would cause harm to her and her reputation and/or the reputation of the school, disciplinary action will be taken until compliance is heeded. 23 III. SCHOOL REGULATIONS DRESS CODE The school uniform is worn daily at St. Agnes, with the exception of specified “non-uniform or free dress days.” The uniform must be worn from the time the student arrives on campus until the final bell. The uniform must be in good repair and fit properly. Our goal is that students be neat in appearance and reflect pride in themselves and the school. The school reserves the right to request students to replace their uniform if they are in disrepair or ill-fitting. Required Parts of the Uniform 1. Glen plaid skirt, purchased from Parker Uniforms. Skirts must touch the top of the knee when standing. This skirt must be worn on all days. 2. White oxford shirt, with the school crest on it, purchased from Parker Uniforms. Shirts must be tucked in; cuffs on long sleeves must be buttoned. Oxford shirts (or approved polo shirts) must be worn under all sweaters, vests and sweatshirts. No visible undershirts or visible undergarments may be worn under the oxford shirt with the exception of a solid white turtleneck or t-shirt. 3. Black button down cardigan sweater with school crest purchased from Parker Uniforms. This sweater must be worn at all school liturgies and formal assemblies. 4. Shoes must be worn at all times. Students are required to wear fully enclosed shoes. On Assembly Dress days, students must wear shoes that are black and made of leather or simulated leather material. The heel may be no higher than 1 ½ inch. On all Non- Assembly Dress days, students are permitted to wear any type of tennis shoe, as long as it is a flat-soled sneaker and fully enclosed around the heel, any type of Sperry topsider or any black or brown leather shoe. TOMS are no longer allowed in the dress code. The assembly dress shoe may be worn on any day. Shoes with laces must be tied. No sandals, boots, or shoes of other type or colors may be worn. 5. Socks are not required with the uniform. If student choose to wear socks or tights on Assembly Dress days, they may only wear black or white socks or tights. Leggings and footless tights are not allowed at any time. On Non-Assembly Dress days, students may wear any type or color of socks, but only black or white tights are ever allowed. Optional Parts of Uniform 1. Black cardigan, V-neck pullover sweater, and sweater vest with school crest purchased from Parker Uniforms. 24 2. Long or short sleeved black or white polo shirt with school crest purchased from Parker Uniforms. 3. Outerwear: The 3 black approved sweaters available from Parker Uniform, 3 SAA approved sweatshirts available from the SAA Spirit Store, the SAA black fleece jacket available from the SAA Spirit Store or the official school letter jacket (SAA, SJ or STHS that has been earned by the student) are the only outerwear permissible. The approved black fleece and the approved sweatshirts are available for purchase form the SAA Sprit Store. Non-uniform coats or jackets are not permitted in the building. Illegal outerwear will be confiscated. 4. During school hours, gym uniforms are to be worn only in the gymnasiums and the areas assigned for physical education and only during class. 5. Accessories in good taste. Baseball caps, hats and other headgear will not be allowed during the school day. Make-up must in good taste and not a distraction to the academic environment. Assembly Dress Students must be in assembly dress for all assemblies unless otherwise notified by the dean of students. 1. Black cardigan button down sweater with school crest. 2. Glen plaid skirt and white oxford shirt with school crest. 3. Optional stockings, tights or socks must be solid black or white. You do not have to wear socks. 4. Black leather dress shoes must be worn. Dress Code for Non-Uniform (Free Dress) Days 1. Nice jeans or slacks may be worn with an appropriate blouse, shirt or t-shirt. (No sheer or see through shirts, crop tops or tube tops, halters, spaghetti straps, or blouses that allow undergarments or midriff to be visible. No shorts (even with tights or leggings), athletic/sweat pants, pajamas, boxers, oversized pants, leggings with oversized shirts, or jeans with holes or ragged hems may be worn. No flip flops of any kind. 2. Dresses or skirts must touch the top of the knee when standing. 3. All non-uniform dress should be neat, modest, and appropriate to the work or academic setting. 4. Non-uniform dress will not be allowed on assembly days or during exams. 5. All non-uniform dress is subject to the approval of the faculty, staff and administration. 6. Students in inappropriate clothes will be given disciplinary consequences and may be required to change and/or may be sent home. Visible Body Piercing and Tattoos Visible body piercing other than pierced ears, including tongue piercing, is not allowed. Visible tattoos are not allowed at school or any school function. 25 Hair Hair must be neatly groomed and of a natural color. Final judgment about what constitutes “natural color” lies with the administration. Blankets Students are not to bring blankets to school. DRESS CODE FOR DANCES: Common to All Arch-Diocesan High Schools Formal Dances (Prom, Christmas Dance, etc.) Women: After 5:00 p.m. dress attire. Formal dress must be in good taste, modest and appropriate. No low cut, bare midriffs or backless dresses may be worn. All dresses must be tea or floor length. Dress shoes required. Men: Suit or tuxedo preferred; sport coat, dress slacks, dress shirt, tie, dress shoes, and socks required. No head covering. Semi-Formal Dances (Homecoming, etc.) Women: Dress or skirt and blouse must be in good taste, modest and appropriate. No bare midriffs or backless dresses may be worn. All dresses or skirts must touch the top of the knee cap. Dress shoes required. Men: Sport coat, dress slacks, dress shirt, tie, dress shoes, and socks required. No head covering. Casual Dances (Orientation, Back-to-School, After-game dances, etc.) Women: Jeans and a t-shirt are required unless otherwise specified by the dean of students. Clothing must be in good taste, modest and appropriate. No backless, sheer or strapless blouses or dresses; no halter or tube tops; no bare midriffs. Men: Clothing must be in good taste, modest and appropriate. Jeans and a t-shirt are often required. No cut-off shirts, bare midriffs, or head coverings. Shorts must be below the knee. DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS Dress code violations will result in a lunch detention, except for Assembly Dress violations and short skirts. Please see the section on discipline for a complete explanation. Dress code violations that can be corrected must be corrected immediately. Final judgment about what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable dress lies with the teachers and/or the administration. ATTENDANCE Students are expected to attend all classes at St. Agnes. Attendance will be kept by period. Each period or homeroom missed will count as a fraction of a day. These fractions will be added over time to calculate the total absences. An accumulation of 7 periods absent--regardless of the day on which each occurs--will count as one full day absent. (For example, an absence for one period on each of seven separate days would constitute 1 full day absence.) Presence in the clinic constitutes an absence from class. The dean of students will grant exceptions deemed appropriate. Absences and Notification of the School A parent or guardian (not the student herself) is requested to either call the school attendance office (713-219-5413) or email [email protected] between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. in the event of a student's absence; otherwise, parents may be called. 26 Excused Absences include: 1. Illness of the student; 2. Death in the family; 3. Participation in school sponsored activities (with permission of the administration and the parents); 4. Doctors' appointments that cannot be made other than during school hours (doctor appointments may be verified by the school attendance secretary or dean of students.); 5. Any special situation approved by the administration prior to the absence. A note or email, signed by the parent or guardian, must be submitted to excuse the absence regardless of the reason. Unexcused Absences include: 1. All other absences not approved by the school 2. Absences for which the student does not bring a parent note 3. Truancy for the day: additional consequences may be imposed Unexcused Absence to an Individual Class (Skipping): Missing a class without permission is considered skipping and is unexcused. If a teacher is absent and an open lab is assigned, all students must sign in at the designated open lab. Failure to do so will result in a detention. Skipping a class may result in the deduction of 2 points from the student's quarter average in the particular class. A student will also serve a Saturday Detention for each class skipped. Additional consequences may be imposed. Absence to an Assembly Assemblies are important aspects of the student’s education. Attendance is expected and will be treated as any other class. Any student missing an assembly will be required to serve a detention on the same day as the assembly or at the discretion of the dean of students. A doctor’s note must be provided by a student missing an assembly for that absence to be excused. A parent note will not suffice. Absences and Extra-curricular Participation A student must attend classes for a full school day in order to participate in after-school events and activities, including all athletic events and dances. A doctor’s appointment will be treated as an exception, so long as the dean of students approves and the student brings a doctor’s note to the attendance coordinator on the same day. Presence in the clinic counts as an absence from the missed class and makes the student unable to participate in after-school events and activities, including dances. Coaches, sponsors, etc., are responsible for enforcing this rule. The dean of students, together with the sponsor, may waive this policy when it is in the best interest of all parties concerned. Early Dismissal If a student anticipates leaving campus for any reason, she must either present a note to the office stating the reason for her departure and signed by her parent/guardian or a parent must send an email with the same information. The student will then receive a dismissal slip from the attendance coordinator. The emails and notes must be received in the attendance office by 8:00 a.m. At departure time, the student turns in the dismissal slip and must sign out at the attendance desk. If she returns to school the same day, she must report to the office and sign in with her time of return. Any student who leaves campus for any reason, including illness, without the permission of the front office or dean of students and without signing out at the attendance office will be considered 27 skipping and will be subject to serious disciplinary consequences, including but not limited to Saturday detention and possible point reduction in the class missed. Anticipated Absence If a student anticipates absence from school, she must bring a note, signed by her parent/guardian, at least 24 hours prior to the absence. The note should be brought to the office by 8:00 a.m. The student receives a form for all her subject teachers to sign and to give her assignments. No anticipated absence will be approved on a raffle holiday for students who have not sold quota. Extended Absence Because of the educational importance of class participation, students are strongly discouraged from class absences due to trips or family vacations. If an extended absence is necessary, parents are asked to contact the dean of students at least one week in advance. If an anticipated absence is not secured, the absence may be considered unexcused. Extended Illness If, because of serious illness, the parent or guardian of a student expects an extended absence of three days or more, he or she should inform the dean of students as soon as possible. A doctor's statement may be required. Excessive Absences If a student is absent due to illness, or any excused absence for more than 5 consecutive school days, a parent must contact the dean of students or attendance coordinator to notify. Ten Absences Policy: A student, after missing her 11th day of school, will be required to meet with the dean of students and her counselor. Her parents or guardians may be asked to attend this conference. If absences persist after this counseling session, review by the FSAC may be required for possible dismissal. Because of the importance of class participation to the student’s learning experience, credit may be withheld in the event of fifteen or more absences. A student, after missing her tenth day of school, may be required to make up each day that she is absent thereafter, regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. (Please note the method of calculating absences in the above "Attendance" section.) The day will be made up on a designated Saturday. Excessive Absences may result in non-participation in graduation activities and/or from attending any school field trips. Saturday School A student, after missing her tenth day of school, must make up each day that she is absent thereafter, regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. (Please note the method of calculating absences in the above "Attendance" section.) The day will be made up on a designated Saturday. School sponsored or sanctioned activities are exempt from and do not count toward the total of ten (10) absences. In the event of extenuating circumstances (extended illness or hospital confinement), consideration may be given to extending the limit of ten days. An exemption form must be submitted and approved by the dean of students. The student and her parent may be required to meet with the dean of students or to provide a doctor's statement. If a student has outstanding absences that have not been completed through Saturday schools, she may be prohibited from taking her final exams until they are complete. 28 Attendance Probation A student may be placed on attendance probation because of excessive absences. A meeting with the dean of students, her counselor and her parents will be held to determine the terms of her probation. If the student does not meet the terms of her probation, credit will not be awarded for the classes in which she was excessively absent. Enrollment may be conditional if students are on attendance probation. Raffle Holidays As part of the students’ responsibility for their own education, the school asks students to sell a certain number of raffle tickets. Raffle holidays are reserved for those students who sell the required quota. All other students are required to be in school. Because of the special nature of this day, no anticipated absences, college visits, or planned early dismissals will be allowed; and students who have not sold quota may not participate in school trips, athletic competitions or other special activities on a raffle holiday. If a student is required to attend school that day and becomes ill, her parent is required to call the office before 8:00 a.m. as usual, and will be required to bring a doctor’s note. The day will be rescheduled for her on a Saturday. Any other absence will be considered an unexcused absence and will result in a Saturday detention and 2 point deduction in each class. Students will not be allowed to participate in school-sponsored activities on raffle holidays unless they have sold their raffle quota. College Visits Seniors are allowed 4 college visit days during the school year. Two days are allowed in the fall prior to December 1 and two in the spring prior to May 1. Seniors using college visit days in the spring must have already applied to the school they plan to visit. Juniors are allowed 2 college visit days which must be taken on or before April 1. Students MUST bring a note from a parent or guardian stating the day (s) of the trip and the destination to the counseling office at least 3 days in advance. Emails will not be accepted. The student then requests all of her subject teachers to sign the form and write assignments for the absence and returns that form to the attendance office for final approval. The student MUST obtain an acknowledgement letter from the college and return that to the attendance office upon return to school. If proper procedures are followed, the visit will not count as an absence. Otherwise, the day (s) will count as a regular absence. Exceptions to this policy are at the discretion of the dean of students. No college visits will be granted on a raffle holiday to students who have not sold their quota. College Representative Visits Juniors and seniors are encouraged to meet with college representatives when they visit St. Agnes Academy. Announcements of visits will be posted on the website, sent via e-mail and posted in the counseling office. Permission slips MUST be obtained in the counseling office at least 24 hours in advance of the visit. Students must get teacher approval to visit with the representatives. Any student not obtaining permission a day in advance must ask the teacher for permission the day of the visit. School-sponsored Trips Participation in school sponsored activities is a privilege. Each student is responsible for making up the work of the classes she has missed due to a school-sponsored trip. The student is responsible for informing her teachers in advance of the trip that she will be gone and for completing her work ahead of time. Students that are academically ineligible will be unable to attend field trips or participate in school sponsored trips. (Please see “ineligibility” for the formula used to determine academic ineligibility). An ineligibility list will be given to all teachers for each grading period. Students on trips are governed by the same regulations applicable to all school activities. Likewise, students in danger of failing a course, or with excessive absences to a course, cannot afford to miss several consecutive days of class and may not be allowed to attend the school sponsored activity. These students may forfeit any 29 money paid for such programs if a teacher feels the student should not miss class. These trips include Choir Tour, Harvard Model Congress, Close Up and other school sponsored activities including athletic events. Students will not be allowed to participate without an official field trip form signed by her parent/guardian. Phone calls and e-mail letters will not be accepted. The form is located on the SAA web site, under the “Students” section. NO OTHER NOTES WILL BE ACCEPTED. Permission slips may be faxed in an emergency. No field trips will be allowed after Nov 15th for the fall semester and April 15th for the spring semester. Overnight Trip Behavior Agreement The following policy is enforced for any overnight trips: "I understand that I am to abide by all rules and policies of St. Agnes Academy and the attendant sponsor while on a school-sponsored trip. I understand that I am not to leave my hotel room, the hotel premises, or the activity premises without the permission of the sponsor. If I do not abide by these rules, I understand that I may be removed from my leadership position, the team, or the school club and that I may not be allowed to participate in offcampus school activities for one full school year. In addition, my parents may be notified and I may be sent home at my parent’s expense." Make-up Work Students, who are absent for any reason, will be required to make up the work missed. All work must be completed in the time allotted by the teacher. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the teacher regarding make-up work. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance Form Students requiring a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance Form for driver's education or bus passes should see the receptionist in the main office. By Texas law, the student must sign this form in the presence of the verifying official (receptionist). Parents may not obtain this form for their daughter. Transcripts will not be created for purposes of providing social security numbers to the Department of Public Safety. TARDINESS Tardy to School A student reporting to school any time after the tardy bell (or who is not in homeroom) must report first to the front office or dean of students to receive an admit pass. Excused tardy to school ordinarily include but are not limited to the following: 1. Court appearance 2. Car accident (student herself) 3. Doctor's appointment 4. Car trouble (parent note required) 5. DPS appointments After a certain amount of class is missed, the incident is considered an absence rather than a tardy. The dean of students has final discretion. *A parent note or other form of verification is required for the tardy to be excused. 30 Unexcused tardy to school violations include but are not limited to the following: 1. Traffic 2. Carpool 3. Oversleeping After a certain amount of class is missed, the incident is considered an unexcused absence rather than a tardy. The dean of students has final discretion. A student will be allowed three tardy to school per semester without consequence. After the third tardy, a lunch detention will be given for each tardy to school. If a student is repeatedly tardy to school, a conference may be held with her parents, counselor and the dean of students. Further disciplinary action may be taken. Tardy to Class Excessive tardy to class infractions may result in disciplinary consequences and require a meeting with the dean of students. Tardy to Class or Open Lab Immediately Following Lunch A lunch detention will be given for any students tardy to class immediately following lunch (normally fifth period). Any seniors tardy to class or open lab immediately following lunch (normally fifth period) will lose their off-campus lunch privilege for a period of time. They are required to sign in at the front office at both the beginning and middle of lunch during this time. 1st offense: 1 week 2nd offense: 2 weeks 3rd offense: permanent loss of privilege PARKING REGULATIONS Parking at St. Agnes is a privilege that carries certain responsibilities. This privilege is reserved for seniors and juniors. All parking spaces on campus are assigned. Students must park in their designated parking space with a valid tag issued for the current school year. A properly signed St. Agnes Academy Student Parking Agreement is required. All vehicles must also be registered in the school office. Registration includes make and model of vehicle, vehicle license number for any vehicle driven on campus, and student’s valid driver’s license number. It is the student’s responsibility to update the registration information as vehicles are added. An unregistered vehicle on campus is considered an illegally parked vehicle even if the vehicle displays a valid SAA parking tag. A student may not purchase more than one SAA parking tag, sell their tag or share a tag with other students. This tag must be displayed with the valid tag number facing forward on the rear view mirror of the vehicle. The vehicle is considered illegally parked if the student fails to display the SAA parking tag for any reason. Students are to park in their assigned numbered parking spot only. Parking is prohibited anywhere else on campus. This includes undesignated spaces, parking anywhere on the grass, spaces marked “no parking”, “reserved”, “visitor”, “fire zone”, ”fire lane”, or “handicapped” (unless a valid handicap permit is displayed). The vehicle shall be parked so that the entire vehicle is within the limits of the marked parking space and close to a curb if the vehicle is assigned to park in any of the spaces on the road. 31 Students must obey all campus warning signs including one way and the campus speed limit of 15 MPH. Our campus is one way only except on the west side of the building where travel is two-way. Be extra careful here as large delivery vehicles enter here frequently. The privilege to park on campus may be revoked for driving recklessly on campus, ignoring campus warning signs, parking violations, improperly using an SAA parking tag of another student, or when it serves the best interest of the school. Parking illegally will result in SAA parking fines, disciplinary consequences, and / or towing at the owner’s expense and may result in a citation from HPD officers or other City of Houston personnel. Serious and or repeated violations may result in the loss of parking privileges. Please park carefully. Temporary parking permits issued for one day only are available to registered SAA parking tag permit holders who do not have their tag. This temporary parking permit must be obtained first thing in the morning and must be displayed facing forward on the rear view mirror of the vehicle. Driving and parking on the St. Agnes Academy campus is at the students’ own risk. St. Agnes Academy and any and all of its employees are not responsible to any damage that may occur to vehicles at any time. There will be times throughout the year when we have special events on our campus which attract many visitors. On these days, students will be asked not to park in their assigned space, but to utilize spaces at an arranged location off campus. GENERAL REGULATIONS Announcements Announcements are made at the beginning of the school day by designated students or personnel. Announcements will be made over the school public address system or VTV, and may be submitted through the ELP by faculty members. Any special announcements requiring video clips or “live” participants must be approved in advance with the dean of students or head of VTV. Birthday Celebrations All birthday celebrations must be confined to the cafeteria or the courtyard. Due to the problem of attracting insects, no food items such as cakes, cookies or brownies may be stored in lockers or carried around the building. They may be stored in the student’s homeroom. They may be eaten only at lunch. No balloons may be carried in the building, as they create a hazard in the crowded hallways. Cellular Phone Usage Students are allowed to use cell phones during the school day with the exception of during class. Cell phones must be off and stored away during class time but may be used between classes, during lunch and before and after school. Cell phones must not be visible during class times and students must follow the guidelines for each individual teacher in regard to cell phones in their classrooms. If cell phones are visible or used during class time, they will be collected and kept until the end of the day. On the first offense and second offense, the cell phone will be confiscated by the faculty member and returned to the student at the end of the day and the student will receive an after school detention. On any additional offense, the student will be required to serve a Saturday detention. If a student has 32 multiple cell phone violations greater than 3 per school year, the student will be subject to a behavioral contract or discipline board hearing at the discretion of the dean of students. If a cell phone is confiscated during class, a teacher or administrator has the right to search that cell phone for any inappropriate academic exchanges. Dances At school dances, no person will be permitted to leave the dance area and re-enter prior to the end of the lock-in. Dance hours and lock-in times will be determined by the administration and will be announced. For the Prom and Winter Formal contracts are required. A common dress code has been adopted for dances at all diocesan high schools, found elsewhere in this handbook. Only junior and seniors are allowed to attend prom. Deliveries We cannot accept the delivery of flowers, balloons, food, and other gifts to students. Fax Machine The fax machine is for the use of the faculty and staff only. It may not be used for student business or for faxing in student assignments. Food and Drink Designated eating areas are the cafeteria, pavilion, courtyard, library and those areas designated for seniors. No student may eat in the halls or art wing before or after school or during lunch. Students must assume personal responsibility for cleaning up and disposing of trash. No food or drinks of any kind are to be in lockers longer than 24 hours. Hall Use Students are expected to be in class or an open lab during class periods. No backpacks, purses, books, etc., are to be left in the hallways or foyers before or after school. Locker Use Each student is provided with a locker. Any properties, money and other valuables left in lockers are the responsibility of the student to whom the locker is assigned. All lockers must be locked with school locks at all times. The locker is the property of St. Agnes Academy and is subject to inspection by authorized school personnel. Lost and Found The school is not responsible for lost or stolen articles. A lost and found collection area will be established in a central location and announced to the students at the beginning of each year. If articles are not claimed they will be given to charity. Students are strongly urged to put names on their belongings and are asked to report the loss of valuables or any possible theft. Students may send notification of lost items to the community at [email protected]. Parent Notification As professional educators we are committed to open communication with parents for the wellbeing of our students. When issues arise in students' lives that warrant parental intervention, it is our obligation and practice to inform parents of our concerns. 33 Pep Rallies Students may attend pep rallies at Strake Jesuit or St. Thomas with written permission from their parent/guardian. Permission notes must be turned in to the attendance office before homeroom. Students will be dismissed for the no earlier than allowed by the St. Agnes administration. Arrangements for make-up work must be made with the teachers whose classes will be missed. A teacher has the right to refuse permission. Publicizing Events In order to sponsor any activity in the name of the school, a student or a student organization must receive permission to do so from the dean of students. In order to give publicity to any event through posters, news columns, radio broadcasts, or other means of communication, or to be interviewed on campus by media services, an individual must receive permission to do so from the dean of students. School Property Anyone who accidentally or intentionally destroys or damages anything on campus must pay the cost of repairing or replacing the property. Intentional damage will incur disciplinary consequences. Smoke-free Campus St. Agnes Academy is a smoke-free campus. This includes all forms of tobacco and E-cigs. Strake Jesuit Students on Campus Strake Jesuit students are allowed on campus to attend class, meet with a teacher, participate in extracurricular activities, or eat lunch. Use of the library requires a note from the Strake Jesuit librarian and the permission of St. Agnes library personnel. After 4:00 p.m., Strake Jesuit students are prohibited from being inside the school buildings or in the courtyard unless they are participating in a supervised extra-curricular activity. Supervision on Campus The building is open from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and security is provided on campus from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. After 4:00 p.m., no students are allowed in the rotunda or halls unless they are meeting with a teacher or are participating in a supervised extra-curricular activity. After 4:00 p.m., all students must report to the library or cafeteria until they leave for the day. All students should have arrangements to leave campus by 6:00 p.m. when the library closes. However, official supervision is provided only during school hours (8:00 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.), unless the student is participating in a regularly scheduled school activity. The administration foyer is off-limits to students after school, but students may be in the admin foyer after the library closes at 6:00 to wait for their ride. Telephone Calls Phone calls to students are discouraged. Parents should refrain from calling students on their cell phones during the school day except during lunch. Students will not be called to the school office for a telephone message except in an emergency. Students may use the phone located on the Attendance desk for short calls of an urgent nature. Visitors All visitors must check in at the front Administration desk and receive a badge to wear. Ordinarily visitors are only allowed on campus during the lunch period and only in designated lunch areas. This includes high school students from other schools. Any questions regarding visitors on campus may be directed to the dean of students, who has the right to refuse any visitors. Students wishing to visit St. Agnes Academy for purposes of future admission must contact the Admissions Office in order to set up an appointment for a guided visit of our campus. 34 Unscheduled Interruptions: Unscheduled classroom visits by parents are prohibited. In the event of an emergency, parents should check in at the attendance office. Classes will not be interrupted for delivery of messages to students regarding car pools and other non-emergency personal matters. IV. ORGANIZATIONS Extra- and co-curricular involvement is integral to students' learning and holistic development. Student organizations provide opportunities for students to pursue areas of interest and perform service as well as enjoy peer interaction. Participation in these organizations is voluntary and is based upon the individual’s interests. A list of available organizations is found on the SAA web site, under “Students.” ELECTED OFFICE Any student wishing to run for Student Body President or Vice President, class president or vice president, or SAC representative, shall have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 at the time of running for office. For all other offices a student shall have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the time of running for office. Conduct and attendance will be considered by the faculty and administration to determine eligibility. The dean of students and the club sponsor will evaluate the eligibility of all candidates and have the right to deny eligibility based on leadership, conduct or attendance concerns. If a student has excessive absences, has excessive detentions, or has had other conduct problems, she may be ineligible to run for office due to these offences at the discretion of the dean of students. REMOVAL FROM ELECTED OFFICE While in office, the student must maintain her scholastic average, good conduct and attendance. An officer may be put on probation or removed from office for failure in any course in any grading period or if her conduct or attendance warrants probation or removal. If a student has excessive absences, excessive detentions or has other conduct problems while in office, she may be placed on probation. Any student holding a school office whose public behavior reflects negatively on the school or on the student may be removed from office. This removal is at the discretion of the dean of students and the club sponsor. TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS TEAM SPORTS Basketball Cross Country Golf Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Tennis Track Volleyball 35 Lacrosse (TGHSLL) Water Polo (T.I.S.C.A.) Field Hockey (USA Field Hockey) CHEERLEADERS In addition to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools eligibility requirements, any student wishing to try out for cheerleader at St. Thomas or Strake Jesuit is subject to the policies and rules of those individual schools. Attendance and conduct may be taken into consideration. NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Selection of Members: Membership in the National Honor Society is both an honor and a responsibility. It involves more than an academic average. Membership is based on a student’s outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. These four criteria for selection form the foundation upon which the organization and its activities are built. Juniors and seniors who have attended St. Agnes Academy for the equivalent of one semester are eligible for consideration. Invitations to be considered for selection to the National Honor Society will be extended each year, during the summer before the junior and/or senior year, to all who meet the scholastic requirement. Candidates will be asked to complete an extensive resume detailing community and school activities, work experience, and leadership positions. The faculty selection committee will carefully consider each candidate based on her resume and feedback from faculty and staff. Transfer Students: An NHS member who transfers to St. Agnes and brings a letter from her former principal or chapter advisor to the SAA advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the SAA chapter. Transfer members must meet SAA’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership. Membership Criteria: Scholarship: Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Service: This quality is defined through the voluntary contributions made by a student to a school and community, done without compensation and with a positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit. St. Agnes further stipulates that hours completed in conjunction with any St. Agnes grade-level retreat are not included. Leadership: Student leaders are those who are resourceful, good problems solvers, promoters of school activities, idea contributors, dependable, and persons who exemplify positive attitudes about life. Leadership experiences can be drawn from the school or community activity while working with or for others. Character: The student of good character upholds principles of morality and ethics, is cooperative, demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others, and generally maintains a good and clean lifestyle. If a student has an incident of academic dishonesty, has an alcohol or drug violation, or has other conduct problems, she is ineligible for selection to the National Honor Society for the next school year. If the student has multiple violations of academic integrity, she will be permanently ineligible for NHS membership. Members: Once chosen by the selection committee, a student is awarded membership at a special induction ceremony. With induction, a member assumes certain obligations provided within the bylaws 36 of the St. Agnes Academy Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society. Members must maintain the same high standards of scholarship, leadership, service, and character as were required for selection. Failure to maintain proper standards could result in dismissal. A member will go before the NHS faculty council of she receives excessive lunch detentions or Saturday detentions, or other serious conduct infractions, including an academic dishonesty violation, alcohol or drug violation; the council will determine disciplinary action of warning, probation, or dismissal from the NHS. A member who resigns or is dismissed is never again eligible for membership or its benefits. V. STUDENT WELFARE STUDENT WELFARE When the student's academic, physical, mental or emotional well-being is in jeopardy, the school will inform the parents of our concern. We reserve the right to require appropriate outside professional intervention as a condition for continuance at St. Agnes Academy. The school reserves the right to collaborate with teachers, administration and other counselors to insure a student's welfare and her success at our school. Known or suspected cases of abuse, neglect, or serious disregard for the welfare of a child by a parent or guardian will be reported to Child Protective Services as required by law. DISCIPLINE Discipline Philosophy All members of the St. Agnes community have the responsibility to create and maintain an atmosphere that encourages learning and growth. Teachers and administrators work together to insure that everyone in the school community respects the student’s right to learn and the teacher’s right to teach. Students share in this responsibility by contributing positively to the classroom atmosphere, treating others and their property with respect, arriving to school and class prepared and on time, and dressing in a neat and appropriate manner. Parents join with the school by encouraging in their children right conduct and a love of learning. Students occasionally make choices that are contrary to the school’s philosophy or guidelines. At such times it is the responsibility of the school to try to help these students understand why their behavior is inappropriate and to help them effect the desired behavior change through a restorative process. Any disciplinary consequences must have these learning goals in mind. Discipline Definitions Detention: A detention is a period of time served by a student for an infraction of school policies. Infractions are classified as Level 1 or Level 2 depending on the severity of the infraction (see Infraction Chart below). Level 1 infractions will result in a 35 minute lunch detention while Level 2 infractions will result in an hour after-school detention. After 3 lunch detentions, a student will be issued an afterschool detention for all future infractions. After 3 after-school detentions, a student will be required to meet with the Dean of Students (the student’s counselor and/or parents may also be present at this meeting when appropriate), at which time the student will enter into an individualized behavioral contract. Terms of the contract may include, but are not limited to, Saturday detention, mandatory 37 community service, and any activity deemed to be appropriate in helping the student restore herself within the community. Level 1 Infractions Shirttail untucked Failure to dress neatly in uniform Backless or incorrect shoes Non-uniform outer garment Visible non-approved undergarment Inappropriate non-uniform dress Chewing gum Tardy to choir Tardy to 5th period In an unsupervised location after 4 pm Level 2 Infractions Not in assembly dress Skirt length too short Cell phone violation Improper use of the computer Disrespectful behavior Inappropriate behavior during an assembly Missed a scheduled lunch detention Other behavior deemed to be highly inappropriate Saturday Detention: A Saturday Detention is a three hour detention where students engage in a redemptive activity such as community service or a reflection assignment. Saturday detentions are given by the dean of students for infractions that are considered severe or chronic in nature. The student will report on a designated Saturday in full uniform (unless otherwise directed) and are not allowed to do homework. They must participate and follow all instructions given by the proctor on their particular scheduled Saturday. Disciplinary Probation: If a student has received multiple violations during her attendance at St. Agnes Academy, or if for other reasons the student’s behavior has caused serious concern, she may be required to appear before the Discipline Board and be put on disciplinary probation. She and her parents will be required to meet with the dean of students to discuss her probationary status and may be asked to enter into a behavior contract. Terms may include, but are not limited to, disciplinary consequences, mandatory therapy, and provisions for consequences or dismissal in the event of a repetition of the offense. If a student's conduct warrants another suspension, she and her parents may be required to appear a second time before the Discipline Board and/or she may face possible dismissal. Out-of-school Suspension: In cases of serious disciplinary infractions, a student may be sent home and required to remain out of school for a designated period of time. These offenses, such as threatening a teacher or a student, certain drug or alcohol offenses, or any other infraction will be determined by the administration. An out-of-school suspension may also result in point loss, determined by the dean of students. Dismissal or Expulsion: In some cases, a student may be asked to leave St. Agnes for behavioral issues. The dean of students, the Discipline Board and/or the FSAC will review the case and make a recommendation. Final authority rests with the principal. CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM St. Agnes Academy students are responsible for authenticating all work submitted to an instructor. If asked, students must be able to produce proof that the item submitted is indeed the work of that student. Students must keep appropriate records at all times. The inability to authenticate one’s work, should the instructor request it, is sufficient grounds to initiate an academic dishonesty case. 38 Academic dishonesty includes the commission of any of the following acts. This listing is not, however, exclusive of any other acts that may reasonably be called academic dishonesty. Clarification is provided for each definition by listing some prohibited behaviors. Cheating Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices or materials in any academic exercise. Examples: During an examination, looking at another student's examination or using external aids (for example, books, notes, calculators, conversation with others, or electronic devices) unless specifically allowed in advance by the instructor. Having others conduct research or prepare work without advance authorization from the instructor. Acquiring answers for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source. This includes, but is not limited to, using the services of commercial term paper companies, purchasing answer sets to homework from tutoring companies, and obtaining information from students who have previously taken the examination. Collaborating with other students in the completion of assigned work, unless specifically authorized by the instructor teaching the course. It is safe to assume that all assignments are to be completed individually unless the instructor indicates otherwise; however, students who are unsure should seek clarification from their instructors. Other similar acts. Fabrication Making up data or results, and recording or reporting them; submitting fabricated documents Examples: The intentional invention and unauthorized alteration of any information or citation in any academic exercise. Using "invented" information in any laboratory experiment, report of results or academic exercise. It would be improper, for example, to analyze one sample in an experiment and then "invent" data based on that single experiment for several more required analyses. Failing to acknowledge the actual source from which cited information was obtained. For example, a student shall not take a quotation from a book review and then indicate that the quotation was obtained from the book itself. Changing information on tests, quizzes, examinations, reports, or any other material that has been graded and resubmitting it as original for the purpose of improving the grade on that material. Providing a fabricated document to any University employee in order to obtain an excused absence or to satisfy a course requirement. Other similar acts. Falsification Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record Examples: Changing the measurements in an experiment in a laboratory exercise so as to obtain results more closely conforming to theoretically expected values. 39 Other similar acts. Multiple Submissions Submitting substantial portions of the same work (including oral reports) for credit more than once without authorization from the instructor of the class for which the student submits the work. Examples: Submitting the same work for credit in more than one course without the instructor’s permission. Making revisions in a paper or report (including oral presentations) that has been submitted in one class and submitting it for credit in another class without the instructor’s permission. Representing group work done in one class as one’s own work for the purpose of using it in another class. Other similar acts. Plagiarism The appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. Examples: Intentionally, knowingly, or carelessly presenting the work of another as one’s own (i.e., without crediting the author or creator). Failing to credit sources used in a work product in an attempt to pass off the work as one’s own. Attempting to receive credit for work performed by another, including papers obtained in whole or in part from individuals or other sources. Students are permitted to use the services of a tutor (paid or unpaid), a professional editor, or the University Writing Center to assist them in completing assigned work, unless such assistance is explicitly prohibited by the instructor. If such services are used by the student, the resulting product must be the original work of the student. Purchasing research reports, essays, lab reports, practice sets, or answers to assignments from any person or business is strictly prohibited. Sale of such materials is a violation of both these rules and State law. Failing to cite the World Wide Web, databases and other electronic resources if they are utilized in any way as resource material in an academic exercise. Other similar acts. Complicity Intentionally or knowingly helping, or attempting to help, another to commit an act of academic dishonesty. Examples: Knowingly allowing another to copy from one's paper during an examination or test. Distributing test questions or substantive information about the test without the instructor’s permission. Collaborating on academic work knowing that the collaboration will not be reported. Taking an examination or test for another student. Signing another's name on an academic exercise or attendance sheet. Conspiring or agreeing with one or more persons to commit, or to attempt to commit, any act of scholastic dishonesty. Other similar acts. 40 ABUSE AND MISUSE OF ACCESS AND UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS Students may not abuse or misuse computer access or gain unauthorized access to information in any academic exercise. VIOLATION OF DEPARTMENTAL OR SCHOOL RULES Students may not violate any announced departmental or school rule relating to academic matters. DISCIPLINARY ACTION If a student is believed by a teacher to have violated this honor policy, the teacher will meet with the student to discuss the incident and will inform the dean of students. The dean will meet with the student and contact the parents. The teacher will give the student a zero on the assignment; and the dean of students will enter the offense into the student’s discipline record and issue a Saturday detention. In the case of complicity, both students will be given a zero on the assignment. If the student disputes the allegation, the dean will determine the next course of action. If the student disputes the dean’s final decision, the FSAC or Discipline Board, will serve as the Board of Appeal. Its decision will be final. If the offense is a repeated cheating offense, or if the cheating involves additional dishonesty or other infractions, additional consequences will ensue and will be determined by the dean of students. Such consequences could include, but are not limited to, Saturday Detention(s), suspension, Discipline Board review, or dismissal from St. Agnes Academy (for matters of dismissal, see “Disciplinary Action Due Process”). The dean will inform the parents of the additional concerns and consequences. If the student disputes the dean’s final decision, the Discipline Board and/or the FSAC will serve as the Board of Appeal; its decision will be final. Note: This honor policy was adapted from the Texas A&M “Aggie Honor System” 2006. Discipline Disclosure to Colleges In accordance with the National Association of College Admission Counseling Principles of Best Practices, St. Agnes Academy will comply with colleges’ requests for information regarding applicants’ disciplinary records by requiring our students to inform colleges in writing of any significant disciplinary or academic misconduct, including actions that have led to out-of school suspension, withdrawal, or dismissal, either before or after their submission of applications. When possible, St. Agnes Academy will include this student communication with our Secondary School Report and letter of recommendation. Full support from St. Agnes Academy is contingent upon the students’ direct communication to all colleges and universities that request disciplinary information. Discipline Infractions Minor infractions will result in a Lunch Detention. Six lunch detentions or more may result in a Saturday detention. Minor infractions include, but are not limited to, the following: uniform violations 41 chewing gum tardy to school or class inappropriate public display of affection disrespectful behavior inappropriate internet usage More serious infractions will result in more serious consequences. They are Saturday Detention, Discipline Board review, Faculty Staff Advisory Committee (FSAC) review, out of school suspension, disciplinary probation and dismissal. The dean of students will meet with the student and the parents as warranted. Major infractions include, but are not limited to, the following: inappropriate language or symbols disrespectful behavior open insubordination to any teacher, staff or administrator leaving campus without permission conduct detrimental to the reputation of the school inappropriate public behavior lying or deception theft or vandalism cheating or plagiarizing skipping or truancy possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs Detentions or other disciplinary consequences may be given for any infraction considered sufficient by the faculty, staff or administration. DISCIPLINARY ACTION DUE PROCESS In cases involving possible dismissal from school, a student is entitled to due process. In most school-related situations, no formal hearing is required. The teacher, counselor, dean of students or principal, can make a fair decision after giving the student notice of the problem and the circumstances related to the problem. The student will be given an opportunity to explain the matter and defend herself. In those cases when a student or her parents are unhappy with the outcome of a disciplinary action, they may appeal the action to the Faculty Staff Advisory Committee (FSAC) and request a hearing with them. The student and her parents may be present at the hearing and will have the opportunity to speak. All decisions of the FSAC are final. Matters Involving Possible Expulsion In matters of possible expulsion, the following procedures are followed: The dean of students will meet with the student and speak with the parents. A Discipline Board hearing will be conducted and the recommendations given to the dean of students and principal. The principal may choose to expel, or not, after consulting with the dean of students, who will then meet with the student and the parents. If the parties involved contest the decision, the matter is referred to the Faculty Staff Advisory Committee (FSAC). All decisions by the FSAC are final. 42 The principal may choose to defer her decision and to refer the matter directly to the FSAC. Ultimately the decision still belongs to the principal. The decision of the principal, in consultation with the FSAC, is final. SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES To view this statement, please see the St. Agnes website under “School Policy Documents”. BULLYING AND HARRASMENT Bullying and harassment are in direct opposition to our mission statement and our Dominican values, and will not be tolerated. It is our desire to provide a safe atmosphere that is conducive to study and respectful of all students. Any form of bullying or harassment will be taken seriously by the teachers and administration. The student involved will be asked to immediately stop their offensive behavior and disciplinary consequences will be determined by the dean of students. Expectations for St. Agnes Students 1. Keeping in line with our school’s mission and motto, students are expected to work for social justice. Bullying of any kind is not in line with our community goals. 2. Students experiencing any type of unwanted behavior should first ask for the behavior to stop. 3. Keep records of any type of bullying that happens through electronic means. 4. If the behavior continues or a student needs help contact the office of the dean of students. Definitions “Bullying” means inflicting physical hurt or emotional distress on one or more students. It may involve, but is not limited to: 1. Unwanted teasing 2. Threatening 3. Intimidating 4. Stalking 5. Cyberbullying 6. Physical violence 7. Sexual, religious or racial harassment 8. Public humiliation 9. Destruction of property 10. Exclusion 11. Rumor spreading “Harassment” means any threatening, insulting, dehumanizing gesture, either in-person or through the use of electronics towards one or more students that: 1. Places a student in fear of harm to her person or property 2. Has the effect of interfering with the student’s ability to learn 3. Has the effect of negatively impacting a student’s mental, physical, or emotional well-being 4. Has the effect of disrupting the school environment/class “Cyberbullying” means the harassment and intimidation of a student through the use of technology, such as e-mail and instant messages, cell phone and text messages, downloaded and/or doctored photographs and videos, and personal websites to humiliate, threaten and degrade a student. One simple 43 guideline is this: If you wouldn’t say it in person, do not say it online. Be the same person online that you are in real life. “Bullying,” “Cyberbullying,” and/or “Harassment” also includes: 1. Retaliation against a student (s) for alleging an act of bullying, harassment, or discrimination. 2. Accessing or providing access to another student’s computer or phone, which includes but is not limited to: a. Email b. On-line grades c. Social networking sites d. IM e. Text message SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY St. Agnes Academy abides by the laws of the United States and the State of Texas. The School does not condone illegal conduct. Possession of, use of, or attendance at school, school-sponsored activities, or in any situation under the influence of, alcohol, marijuana, narcotics, hypnotic or sedative drugs, or chemical depressants or stimulants as defined under the Penal Code of the State of Texas that have not been prescribed by a physician, is against the law and our School policies. St. Agnes Academy is committed to the total development of our students. Substance abuse interferes with a student’s physical and emotional development and has the potential to affect the entire community. It is our desire to protect our students from the serious consequences of illegal drug use and to maintain an optimal learning environment for all students that is drug-free. Prevention, not punishment, is the primary focus of drug testing and testing is used to deter initial use and to identify anyone in need of intervention. There are five goals for the drug testing program at St. Agnes: 1. To keep students safe and free from using drugs and/or alcohol 2. To give our students a reason to say “no” when they are confronted or pressured to use drugs and/or alcohol 3. To affirm our students who are drug and alcohol free and provide them with a reason to continue to do so 4. To educate our students who are choosing to experiment with drugs and alcohol that there are consequences for their unacceptable choices 5. To provide our students who may have a drug and/or alcohol problem with support and an alternative for recovery The administration and Board of Directors has approved a new Substance Abuse Policy that will become effective for the 2014-2015 academic year. The policy includes both random and suspicion based drug and alcohol testing. This policy applies to every student enrolled at St. Agnes. For this 44 reason, all students and parents are required to consent to participation in all aspects of this policy as a condition of their enrollment at St. Agnes Academy. For a full explanation of the Substance Abuse Policy, please click here. Testing for Alcohol St. Agnes reserves the right to use a Breathalyzer to determine alcohol use at school or any schoolsponsored events. A first offense will result in a minimum of two Saturday detentions and suspension from all extra-curricular activities for two weeks. A second offense will require a discipline board hearing with additional consequences which may include expulsion. Testing for Drug Usage Students will be tested for drug usage in the following manner: 1. Random Screening: All students are subject to randomly selected drug testing. On an annual basis, approximately 35% of the student body will be screened. The selection process and the testing are conducted by an outside lab. 2. For Cause Screening: If a student is suspected of using drugs, testing will be required. Failure to comply is grounds for dismissal. Consequences for a Positive Test Result If a student tests positive for a banned substance or is found to be intoxicated at school or school sponsored events, the Dean of Students will inform the student and parents as soon as possible. The following is an outline of procedures for a positive test result: First Offense: A first offense will result in a minimum of two Saturday detentions and suspension from all extra-curricular activities for two weeks. The Dean of Students will meet with the student and parent. The student will be put on automatic probation with a discipline contract for the remainder of the school year. The student will be allowed to remain in school but will be subject to random drug testing throughout the year. The student will also be required to complete an approved drug awareness program at The Council for Drugs and Alcohol Houston. Second Offense: The student will be required to stand before a discipline board and a hearing will take place to determine subsequent consequences which may include expulsion from school. School Grounds and Activities: A student found to be in possession of, dealing or selling drugs or alcohol on school grounds or at any school-sponsored event may be subject to immediate expulsion from St. Agnes Academy. Contesting a Positive Result: If a parent wishes to contest the result, the parent may request a retest at the expense of the parent. The repeat test shall be done by the same lab and collected in the same manner as the initial test. Confidentiality St Agnes Academy’s policy is that all information related to drug testing will be kept confidential. Omega Laboratories will only randomize anonymous student identification numbers and not names of students. Parents will be notified of positive results confidentially and will not be notified if a test is negative. The school will keep no permanent drug testing records and all drug testing records will be destroyed at the end of each school year. It is important that all of our students and their families familiarize themselves with the laws of the State of Texas. St. Agnes reserves the right to call in the appropriate law authorities when confronted with illegal conduct. 45 CLINIC In the event of an accident, injury or sudden illness of a student, someone should contact the dean of students, staff, or someone in authority immediately. If the emergency appears serious, an administrator or designated person will call 911; a parent will be notified. If a student becomes ill and needs to go to the clinic, she must obtain a pass from the current period teacher or teacher whose class is about to begin. A student who goes to the clinic without permission or without signing into the clinic may be considered unexcused and “skipping” the classes missed. Consequence for skipping will be enforced. The student may stay in the clinic for only one period per day. If the student is too ill to remain in school, or is involved in an emergency situation, she must obtain permission from the school nurse to leave school. The parents/guardian will be notified before the student is allowed to leave campus. Contact with a parent or guardian must be made by a school staff member before a student will be allowed to leave. Health Records Students must have complete health records on file in the school office in order to be admitted to class. These records are required by law and are regularly audited by the State Health Board. Medication We only administer over the counter medication to a student with a signed consent form on file. If a student requires a prescription medication or other medication which is not listed on the SAA medical information permission form, her parent must complete and sign a personal medication form for the student. Prescription medication may be kept in the nurse’s office or carried by the student, whichever the parent prefers. If kept in the nurse’s office, a prescription medication form must be signed by a physician. If the student has a chronic medical condition, or requires special accommodations due to a health condition, her parent must fill out a special accommodation form that includes specific instructions and details. All health forms are located on the website in the health section of parent forms. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES School Closing There are several locations where you can find St. Agnes school-closing information. 1. St. Agnes will send an IRIS alert to all students and parents through both text and voice messaging. 2. Critical updates will be posted to the main page of our website. 3. Local news websites have timely data on the school closings link. In our effort to provide our parents, vendors and community organizations with reliable information regarding school closures due to weather, human-made disasters or natural disasters, St. Agnes uses a mass communication system to notify our community by phone call and text message. If we should have to close because of an emergency, we will list the closing immediately on the websites above when possible. In most cases, St. Agnes will also notify parents by phone, text or email. Make sure to log on to AcademyConnection and verify your email address in your profile so that you don't miss any messages. 46 If an emergency situation occurs during the school day, the administration will decide whether or not to dismiss school. Fire Drills and Tornado Evacuation Evacuation plans are posted in classrooms, assembly areas, and halls. All students are urged to consider the seriousness of fire drills and tornado evacuations. Such drills are preparation for the reality of fire or disaster. Silence, order, and speed are of the utmost importance in any emergency evacuation. Crisis Plan St. Agnes has developed an extensive plan for responding to various crisis situations. The decision to enact the plan rests with the principal in conjunction with other administrators. ASBESTOS The Environmental Protection Agency requires that all school buildings be inspected to determine if any asbestos-containing materials are present. St. Agnes has complied with this regulation and the buildings have been inspected by an EPA certified inspector. St. Agnes Academy has additionally complied with the directives of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston by adopting and maintaining an AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act) Management Plan. VI. FINANCIAL POLICY – TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID TUITION The St. Agnes Academy Board of Directors has set the tuition at $15,450 for the 2013-2014 school year. A non-refundable $600 payment is due at registration. This amount includes a $100 non-refundable registration fee and a $500 non-refundable tuition down payment. An additional deposit for laptops is also due at registration. Tuition Policies: Tuition must be paid in full each semester before your daughter will be admitted to class. All financial obligations must be current for the student to continue at St. Agnes Academy. All financial obligations must be current for all documents to be released, such as grades, transcripts and NetView access. REFUND POLICY If a student withdraws from St. Agnes Academy, a prorated tuition balance refund will be granted only in the case of: An extended illness A move of the student’s family from the Houston area Withdrawals requested by St. Agnes Academy The tuition is prorated by month, with 20% of the semester tuition balance charged for each month or partial month a student is enrolled at St. Agnes Academy. Tuition balance refunds for withdrawals other than the reasons listed above will be granted as follows: First semester withdrawals: 47 o In August – 75% semester tuition balance refunded o In September – 50% semester tuition balance refunded o After September 30, 2010 – Will not be granted Second semester withdrawals: o In January – 75% semester tuition balance refunded o In February – 50% semester tuition balance refunded o After February 28, 2011 – Will not be granted AMENDMENTS TO HANDBOOK St. Agnes Academy retains the right to amend this handbook for just cause. Students and parents will be notified if changes are made. 48 Athletic Mission The St. Agnes Academy Athletic Department is committed to the total development of our student-athletes. We foster the cultivation of skills that prepare student-athletes for the ultimate competitive challenge: life. Based on the founding principles of the school, SAA implements programs and activities designed to develop intellectual curiosity, to work for social justice, and to act with integrity and compassion. Athletic Vision The St. Agnes Academy Athletic Department will provide opportunities for our student-athletes to develop the skills necessary to successfully transition into the school, their athletic program, and the community. Through educational programming and a host of other additional resources, SAA will empower all participants to make positive decisions in order to reach their full potential as students, athletes, and citizens. Values Service – Serving others mentally, spiritually, and physically is paramount to student development. Relationships – Developing and maintaining trusting and loyal relationships with student-athletes, coaching staff, athletic administrators, faculty, community partners, and all support services is essential to the success of those served. Diversity – Maintaining an inclusive culture that is supportive and respectful of individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, nationality, disabilities, and socio-economic status. Education – Fostering and nurturing an environment where traditional and nontraditional means of education are supported. Leadership – Cultivating an environment that pursues excellence. Character – Athletes are confident Academy women who make good decisions regardless of peer or culture pressure. They are proud to model responsibility and treat others as they want to be treated. ATHLETIC AGREEMENT As representatives of St. Agnes Academy Athletics, students are expected to demonstrate exemplary behavior and dedication, whether at school or away. Participation in athletics is a privilege, not a right, and student-athletes will be held to a higher standard of commitment and decorum. In addition to the rules and regulations set forth by the SAA Student Handbook, all student-athletes will be required to comply 49 with the following guidelines and disciplinary regulations 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. Non-compliance could result in forfeiture of any honors or awards, including lettering, disciplinary action, loss of PE credit, and/or removal from the athletic program. Our athletic programs are also governed by T.A.P.P.S, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial schools, T.I.S.C.A., Texas Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association, USA Field Hockey, and US Lacrosse. Off-Season/Pre-Season Expectations St. Agnes does not have an athletic period built into the regular school day. However, in an effort to compete with schools having athletic periods, the coaching staff at St. Agnes expects every student-athlete to make a commitment to attend any scheduled, 45 minute off-season/pre-season workouts after the regular school day. These workouts are designed to prepare the student for season competition, facilitate team building/bonding, and prevent injury through proper strength and conditioning. Participation in other school sport practices and/or competitions will take the place of these workouts. Game/Practice Attendance Every player is important to her team, and attendance is always expected and required. If you are early, you are on time, and if you are on time, you are late. Being late or missing games and/or practices for anything other than family emergencies or serious illness is never acceptable and is seen as a sign of disrespect towards the team. Communication with the coaching staff by phone and/or email is expected as soon as a problem arises. Unexcused absences/tardiness will result in extra conditioning, and could warrant dismissal from the team and a loss of PE credit. Excused absences/tardiness will incur an appropriate amount of conditioning to make-up for lost practice time. Players who miss practice the day prior to a game or who are absent from school the day of a game should not expect to participate in that game. Please communicate with the coaches well in advance with known conflicts or issues. Athletic Physicals All athletes must receive an annual physical examination from their doctor prior to the beginning of their competition. St. Agnes also provides an annual athletic physical night held on campus in May. The appropriate physical form and accompanying paperwork can be found online at www.st-agnes.org under “Athletics”. Completed forms must be turned in to the athletic trainer, not the coach, prior to athletic participation. 50 Athletic Injuries Injuries of any kind should always be reported to the coaches immediately. Unless it is an emergency, our athletes should always visit our athletic trainer prior to visiting the emergency room or a personal doctor. It is the responsibility of the athlete and coach to speak immediately with the athletic trainer should a concussion be suspected. The athletic trainer and a physician will then work together to determine when the athlete can return to play based on concussion management protocol outlined through TAPPS. TAPPS requires physicians and athletic trainers to follow a course of treatment and tests before a concussed athlete can return to play. This includes gradual introduction back into physical activity and contact after symptoms have resolved. For more information, please refer to the following: http://tapps.net/PDF/Education/concussioninfo.pdf or discuss any concerns with the athletic trainer. Conduct/Disciplinary Action All athletes must meet the standards for conduct as set forth in this Athletic Agreement and the St. Agnes Student Handbook. Any behavior which is not conducive to good sportsmanship, including disrespect towards her teacher, coach, or member of the school administration, may disqualify a student from trying out, and/or result in the removal of the athlete from that contest, and/or include removal from all athletics for the remainder of the school year. If the offense occurs at the end of a sport’s season or at the end of the year, other action (including the withholding of a letter for that sport, loss of PE credit, and/or others honors and awards) could be enacted. Loss of Participation Privileges Students shall lose the privilege of participation in athletics and/or receiving honors and awards at St. Agnes Academy for the following: 1. Academic Dishonesty (cheating); 2. Using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol and/or tobacco; 3. Using, possessing, or being under the influence of marijuana, illicit drugs, non-prescribed medication, or any other mood-changing, mind-altering, or behavior-affecting drug; 4. Engaging or participating in bullying and/or cyberbullying; 5. Theft or stealing; 6. Engaging in lewd, disruptive or other offensive conduct that affronts St. Agnes Academy’s standards of propriety. This also includes inappropriate 51 behaviors, pictures, videos, and any other communications through social media sites. Please refer to the St. Agnes Student Handbook for more information and for a list of consequences. Additionally, the head coach of each sport will address disciplinary concerns as appropriate. Students who quit a team prior to the completion of the season forfeit the right to try out for another sport for the remainder of season and will also not receive PE credit. Students who are removed from an athletic team must gain approval from the head coach of that team and the Director of Athletics prior to future participation. Ejections from Contests If a player is ejected from a contest, she will be suspended for the next game and must pay a $50 fine for the first offense according to TAPPS, TISCA, USAFH, and USL guidelines. Any other ejections could result in dismissal from the team and/or the St. Agnes Athletic Program. Academic Eligibility Ineligibility will be determined at the end of each quarter using a point system. A failing grade is equivalent to 2 points. A “D” in any course is equivalent to 1 point. If a student has a total of four points under this system at the end of any quarter, she will be deemed “ineligible” until progress reports of the following quarter. An ineligible student will not be allowed to participate in athletics until the Academic Dean and Director of Athletics determines that progress reports indicate eligible status. If a student becomes ineligible during her athletic season, she will not receive Athletic PE credit for that season. Students and coaches will work together to come up with a plan to achieve academic success. Travel and Overnight Trips Athletes are expected to uphold the highest standards of behavior and character while representing St. Agnes Academy. Athletes should always remain with the team unless the coaching staff has granted permission for alternatives. Any violation of team and school rules will result in a loss and/or suspension of athletic privileges that will be determined by the head coach and the administrative team. Individual Team Rules/Expectations Head coaches will provide additional rules and expectations for the participants in their respective programs. They will provide a clear understanding of these guidelines to players and parents prior to the beginning of their season. 52 PARENT/COACH RELATIONSHIP Both parenting and coaching are very difficult vocations. By establishing an understanding between coaches and parents, both are better able to accept the actions of the other and provide a more positive experience for everyone. Parents have the right to know and understand the expectations placed on them and their children. Coaches have the right to know that if parents have a concern, they will discuss it with the coach at the appropriate time and place. Communication parents should expect from their child’s coach: 1) Coach’s philosophy 2) Expectations the coach has for your daughter, as well as other players on the team 3) Locations and times of practices and contests 4) Team requirements, i.e., fees, special equipment needed, school & team rules, off-season expectations 5) Procedures that will be followed if your daughter becomes injured during participation Communication coaches expect from parents: 1) Concerns regarding your daughter expressed directly to the coach at the appropriate time and place 2) Specific concerns in regard to the coach’s philosophy and/or expectations 3) Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance 4) As your daughter becomes involved in athletics, she will experience some of the most rewarding moments of her life. It’s important to understand there may be times when things do not go the way you or your daughter wishes. These are the times discussion with the coach is encouraged. 53 Appropriate concerns to discuss with a coach: 1) The mental and physical treatment of your daughter 2) What your daughter needs to do to improve 3) Concerns about your daughter’s behavior. Coaches make decisions based on what they believe is in the best interests of all students participating. As you can see from this list, certain things can and should be discussed with your child’s coach. Other things, such as those listed next, must be left to the discretion of the coach. Issues NOT appropriate for discussion with your daughter’s coach: 1) How much playing time each athlete is getting 2) Team strategy…game plans, line-ups, offensive and defensive plays, etc… 3) Any situation that deals with other student-athletes 4) There are situations that may require a conference between the coach and parent. These are not discouraged, as it is important for each party to have a clear understanding of the others’ position. If a parent has a concern to discuss with the coach, the following procedures should be followed: 1) Call or email the coach to set up an appointment 2) Think about what you expect to accomplish as a result of the meeting 3) Stick to discussing the facts as you understand them 4) Do NOT confront the coach before, during, or after a practice or contest. These can be emotional times for both the parent and coach. Meetings of this nature do not promote resolution of the situation, but often escalate it. EXPECTATIONS OF SPECTATORS Remember that you are at the game to support and yell for your daughter’s team, to enjoy the skill and competition, and not to intimidate or ridicule the officials, the other team, coaches, or its fans. Remember that school athletics are a learning experience for students and that mistakes are sometimes made. Praise student-athletes in their attempt to improve themselves as students, as athletes, and as people, just as you would praise a student working in the classroom. Please refrain from “coaching” (as this is a T.A.P.P.S. rule violation) or engaging your daughter in conversation during the games and/or practices. Her focus should be with her team and coaches until her practice and/or game obligations have been completed. 54 Attendance and observance of a competition is a privilege, not a license to verbally assault others or be generally obnoxious. Learn the rules of the game so that you may understand and appreciate why certain situations take place. Show respect for the opposing players, coaches, spectators, officials, and support groups. Respect the integrity and judgment of the officials. Understand that they are doing their best to help promote the student-athlete, and admire their willingness to participate in full view of the public. Recognize and show appreciation for an outstanding play by either team. Refrain from the use of any controlled substances (alcohol, drugs, etc.) before, during, and after the game on or near the site of the event (i.e. tailgating). Use only cheers that support and uplift the teams involved. Be a positive role model at events through your own actions and by censuring those around you whose behavior is unbecoming. Parents and spectators should be aware that the school can (and should) remove them from the premises and can prohibit them from attending future contests due to undesirable behaviors. Game officials can ask that school administrators have unruly fans removed from a contest facility. There is no such thing as a “right” to attend athletic events. Athletic events are considered a “privilege” and the spectator who avails themselves of it is expected to conduct him or herself accordingly. Keep in mind that you are a guest of the school, and that while winning is certainly an admirable goal, it is hollow if it comes at the expense of morals, ethics, and just plain common sense. The school is responsible for the behavior of their spectators. The school can and will be punished for actions of patrons in violation of T.A.P.P.S standards and rules. 55 INDEX Absence to an Assembly ........................................................................................................................ 27 Absence and Extra-curricular Participation ............................................................................................ 27 Absence and Notification of the School .................................................................................................. 26 Absence, Anticipated .............................................................................................................................. 28 Absence, Excused and Unexcused .......................................................................................................... 26 Absence, Extended Anticipated Absence ................................................................................................ 28 Absence, Extended Illness ....................................................................................................................... 28 Academics ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Academic Probation ................................................................................................................................. 13 Accommodations ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Alcohol or Illegal Drugs ................................................................................................................... 44, 45 Amendments to Handbook ...................................................................................................................... 47 Announcements for Students ................................................................................................................... 32 Asbestos ................................................................................................................................................... 47 Assembly Dress ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Attendance ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Attendance Probation ............................................................................................................................... 28 Behavior Agreement for Trips ................................................................................................................ 30 Birthday Celebrations .............................................................................................................................. 32 Bullying ................................................................................................................................................... 42 Cellular Phones ........................................................................................................................................ 32 Cheating and Plagiarism .......................................................................................................................... 37 Cheerleaders............................................................................................................................................. 36 Clinic........................................................................................................................................................ 45 College Visits .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Course Credit ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Crisis Plan .............................................................................................................................................. 47 Curriculum ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Cyber Bullying ......................................................................................................................................... 44 Daily Bell Schedules .................................................................................................................................. 2 Dances...................................................................................................................................................... 32 Deliveries ................................................................................................................................................ 33 Designated Eating Areas .......................................................................................................................... 33 Detention............................................................................................................................................ 38, 41 Disciplinary Action ................................................................................................................................. 40 Disciplinary Probation ........................................................................................................................... 38 Discipline, Disclosure to Colleges ........................................................................................................... 41 Discipline ................................................................................................................................................. 37 Discipline Infractions ............................................................................................................................... 41 Document Release ................................................................................................................................... 14 Dress Code ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Dress Code for Dances ........................................................................................................................... 26 Dress Code for Non-uniform Days ......................................................................................................... 25 Dress Code Violations ............................................................................................................................. 26 Drinks ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 Dropping a Class ...................................................................................................................................... 11 56 Drug Test ................................................................................................................................................. 44 Due Process, Disciplinary ....................................................................................................................... 42 Due Process, Academic .......................................................................................................................... 11 Early Dismissal ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Elected Office ......................................................................................................................................... 35 Elected Office: Removal from Office ..................................................................................................... 35 Email ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 Emblem, St. Agnes .................................................................................................................................... 8 Emergency Procedures............................................................................................................................. 46 Evaluation System ................................................................................................................................... 12 Examinations, Re-scheduled ................................................................................................................... 14 Examinations, Semester ........................................................................................................................... 14 Exemption, Senior ................................................................................................................................... 14 Expulsion ................................................................................................................................................ 42 Extra-curricular Eligibility ....................................................................................................................... 13 Failing Grades .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Failures, End of Year ............................................................................................................................... 13 Fax Machine ............................................................................................................................................ 33 Field Trip ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Fifteen Absence Policy ............................................................................................................................ 28 Financial Policy. ...................................................................................................................................... 47 Fire Drills and Tornado Evacuation ......................................................................................................... 46 Food ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 Four Pillars of Dominican Schools ............................................................................................................ 6 Foreword .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Free Dress ................................................................................................................................................ 25 General School Regulations ..................................................................................................................... 32 GPA II ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Grade and Credit Information .................................................................................................................. 12 Grade Point Average ................................................................................................................................ 14 Grad at Grad............................................................................................................................................... 7 Graduation ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Graduation Honors ................................................................................................................................... 16 Guidance Program ................................................................................................................................... 17 Hall Use ................................................................................................................................................... 33 Harassment............................................................................................................................................... 42 Health Records ......................................................................................................................................... 45 History of St. Agnes Academy .................................................................................................................. 8 Honor Roll ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Inappropriate Language or Symbols ........................................................................................................ 41 Ineligibility .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Insubordination ........................................................................................................................................ 42 Internet Policy ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Leaving Campus without Permission....................................................................................................... 42 Library .................................................................................................................................................... 18 Locker Use ............................................................................................................................................... 33 Lost and Found ........................................................................................................................................ 33 Lying or Deception .................................................................................................................................. 42 Make-up Work ......................................................................................................................................... 30 Medication ............................................................................................................................................... 46 57 Mission Statement of St. Agnes Academy ................................................................................................ 7 Mission Statement of the Houston Dominican Sisters .............................................................................. 6 National Honor Society............................................................................................................................ 36 Non-custodial Parents .............................................................................................................................. 14 Official Records ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Organizations ........................................................................................................................................... 35 Parent Notification ................................................................................................................................... 33 Parking Regulations ................................................................................................................................. 31 Pep Rallies ............................................................................................................................................... 33 Personal Websites and Blogs ................................................................................................................... 23 Philosophy and Goals ............................................................................................................................... 7 Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................................... 39 Professional Intervention, Substance Abuse ............................................................................................ 44 Public Behavior........................................................................................................................................ 42 Public Display of Affection ..................................................................................................................... 42 Publications, St. Agnes .............................................................................................................................. 9 Publicizing Events ................................................................................................................................... 33 Raffle Holidays ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Rank in Class ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Report Cards ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Retreat Program ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Saturday Detention ........................................................................................................................... 38, 42 Saturday School ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Schedule Changes .................................................................................................................................... 11 School Closing ........................................................................................................................................ 46 School Code ............................................................................................................................................ 17 School Dances.................................................................................................................................... 26, 33 School Property........................................................................................................................................ 34 School Regulations ................................................................................................................................. 24 School Song ............................................................................................................................................... 9 School-sponsored Trips ........................................................................................................................... 30 Searches of Students ................................................................................................................................ 45 Service Program ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Sexuality Education, Statement on ........................................................................................................... 8 Skipping or Truancy .............................................................................................................................. 27 Smoke-free Campus ................................................................................................................................ 34 Sobriety Test ............................................................................................................................................ 44 Social Justice Education, Statement on ...................................................................................................... 8 Sports ....................................................................................................................................................... 36 Stealing .................................................................................................................................................... 42 Strake Jesuit Library ................................................................................................................................ 20 Strake Jesuit Students on Campus ........................................................................................................... 34 Student Welfare ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Substance Abuse ...................................................................................................................................... 44 Summer School ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Supervision on Campus ........................................................................................................................... 34 Suspension, Out-of-school ................................................................................................................. 38, 42 Tardiness .................................................................................................................................................. 30 Technology .............................................................................................................................................. 19 Telephones ............................................................................................................................................... 34 58 Ten Absences Policy ................................................................................................................................ 28 Tiger Logo ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Transcript Requests .................................................................................................................................. 13 Transfer Students ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Tuition...................................................................................................................................................... 47 Uniform, Required and Optional Parts .................................................................................................... 24 Unscheduled Interruptions ....................................................................................................................... 35 Vandalism .......................................................................................................................................... 34, 41 Verification of Enrollment ....................................................................................................................... 30 Veritas Honor Code ................................................................................................................................ 10 Visitors ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Websites and Blogs .................................................................................................................................. 23 Withdrawal from School .......................................................................................................................... 11 59
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