ASBESTOS POLICY

Although we are in a new facility, we are still required to have and maintain an asbestos plan.  We have received verification from the builder that to the best of their knowledge, no materials or products were used in the construction of the building that contained asbestos.  You may view our asbestos management plan in the principal’s office at any time.

ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

Attendance at school is critical to the success of the student.  Lectures, discussions, and activities are carefully planned by the teacher to enhance lessons and book work.  These are the things that help school “click” for a student.  Some work can be made up, but the student may  be unable to recover all that was lost in a particular school day when he or she is absent.

Mid-America Union Code states that each student is expected to attend school punctually and regularly.  Attendance for grades K-6 will be taken at the beginning of each school day.  Attendance for grades 7-12 will be taken at the beginning of each class period.  Excused absences only include illness of the student, attendance at a funeral, and unavoidable doctor’s appointments.  A total number of unexcused absences equaling 15% of the school days in a semester (14 days) may result in a failing grade for the student for that semester.  Citizenship points will be lost for absences and tardies.

If your student is absent, excused or unexcused, a phone call to the school should be made before 8:30 a.m. the morning of the absence.

Students sent from class for disciplinary reasons will be given an unexcused absence.  Grades largely based on participation and cooperation may also be affected.  Any student in grades seven through twelve who is more than five minutes late to class without an excuse from another faculty member will be considered absent from that class.

Vacations and family outings are unexcused absences; please try to plan these events during school breaks.  Up to five days per semester may be granted for family leave reasons due to extenuating circumstances.  Notification of planned absences should be done through the school office by filling out a Planned Absence form before the event occurs.  Work may be required to be completed and submitted in advance of a planned absence at the discretion of the teacher. 

CITIZENSHIP GUIDELINES

Guidelines of conduct at the school are an essential part of education because they set the atmosphere for learning through mutual respect.   It is the goal of the school that students will develop self-control and take responsibility for their behavior; build a sense of community and concern for one another; and obey the school guidelines established for their health, safety, and development of moral character. 

Parents and legal guardians provide a great service to their students when they support the staff by clarifying the need for respect with their children. 

Anti-Bullying Program

Faculty, parents, and School Board members have developed a program to address character development on campus.

Mission:  The purpose of this program is to create a school environment that is safe both physically and psychologically.  Students will feel part of a caring community that uplifts, supports, and strengthens each other. 

Students should not participate in bullying behavior which includes verbal abuse, inflicting physical harm, social alienation, intimidation, fighting, or hazing (willfully attacking, disturbing, tormenting, or forcing another student to do something he/she does not want to do).

Definition of Bullying

• Bullying is the act of targeting another person for repetitive negative actions.   
• It is an imbalance of power so the victim cannot defend himself/herself.
• Bullying includes physical aggression (includes destroying property and threatening with a weapon), social alienation (spreading rumors, racial slurs, excluding from group), verbal aggression (name calling, teasing, threatening, intimidating phone calls), and intimidation (graffiti, a dirty trick, taking possessions, coercion).

Discipline

Should students violate the trust placed upon them to abide by the rules of the school, disciplinary action may be necessary.  This action is not a condemnation of the individual, but of the undesirable behavior that produced the discipline.  It is the desire of the school to hold students responsible for their actions.  It is the purpose of the disciplinary action to:

• Stop and prevent a reoccurrence of the specific misbehavior.
• Protect the rights and safety of others at the school.
• Assist the growth and understanding of the student by educating him/her of appropriate behavior.
• Preserve the integrity of the school by creating an atmosphere where standards are maintained.
• Direct the student toward a more meaningful relationship with Christ.  A balance of justice and mercy will be sought.

Harassment Policy

The school is committed to maintaining a learning environment in which all individuals treat each other with dignity and respect and which is free from all forms of intimidation, exploitation and harassment, including sexual harassment.

Bullying or harassment of any student by any other student or group of students is unacceptable.  The school will treat allegations of harassment seriously.  Students expressing such behavior may be suspended from school.  If the behavior continues or is of a nature deemed very serious, expulsion may become necessary.

Harassment occurs when an individual is subjected to treatment, or to a school environment, which is hostile or intimidating because of the individual’s age, race, creed, color, national origin, medical condition, physical disability, or gender.  Harassment can occur any time during school or during school-related activities.  It includes, but is not limited to, any or all of the following:

• Social alienation: Spreading of rumors, racial slurs, exclusion from group.
• Verbal harassment: Derogatory comments, jokes, threatening words spoken to another person.
• Physical harassment: Unwanted physical touching, contact, assault, deliberate impeding or blocking movements, or any intimidating interference with normal work or movement.
• Sexual harassment: Includes unwelcomed staring; gestures; shoulder massaging; touching of clothes, hair, or body; patting; pinching; hitting; wrestling; constant brushing against another’s body; bodily lifting, invading a person’s personal space, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Students who observe conduct of a harassing nature or are being subjected to any form of harassment by an employee, fellow student, or teacher are encouraged to report the matter to a teacher or staff member.

Because some forms of harassment are considered a form of abuse, school employees are required by Colorado law to report allegations of this nature to the authorities.

Student Responsibilities

Students are expected to behave in ways becoming a Christian and are not allowed to hurt themselves, others or to destroy property.  Following is a list of some specific expected behaviors of students during school and school sponsored functions: (This list is not limited to just the listed behaviors.)

• Bicycles/Skateboards - Due to insurance regulations, skateboards cannot be used on campus.  Inline skates may be used, but only under direct supervision of an adult and only with the appropriate protective gear.
• Cell Phones & Pagers – Cell phones and pagers are to be turned off and put away upon arrival at school until the student leaves school.
• Classroom Rules - Rules made by individual teachers for their own classrooms or by the faculty for the school as a whole apply equally with the rules printed in this bulletin
• Criminal Offense - Any criminal offense will be considered very serious and appropriate measures will be taken.
• Dishonesty - Students shall refrain from cheating on tests and class work or forgery of school documents including falsification of signatures.
• Facility Safety - For safety reasons, no one is to be on any of the school roofs, trees, or fences without specific permission of the supervising staff member.
• Fire Equipment - Students should not activate fire equipment including extinguishers and alarms without permission or due cause.
• Language:  Students will maintain language, behavior, dress, and a Christian lifestyle that shows God’s love both on campus and while representing the school off campus.   Profanity, indecent or disorderly behavior, and possession of questionable material is not acceptable. Students will not undermine the religious ideals of the school.
• Leaving School Early - Students may leave the school grounds by permission only of the school administration.
• Personal Listening Devices - Students are not to bring radios, recorders, tape/CD players, or other unusual things to school unless permission is obtained from their teacher(s).
• Pets - Students are not to bring pets to school unless permission is obtained from their teacher(s).
• Respect:  Students are to show Christian courtesy toward all teachers, staff members, and fellow students. Respect for all teachers, teacher-aides, staff, and volunteers is expected from the students at all times and in all places.
• School Bus/Car Pool Conduct - Students shall comply with driver’s requests while on the school bus or other designated vehicles.  Any behavior that distracts the driver and reduces his or her capacity to drive safely will not be tolerated.  Students must remain seated, show respect for other passengers, and keep all body parts inside the bus and out of the aisles.
• Social Conduct - Students should maintain a proper conduct with persons of the opposite sex.  Students are expected to refrain from displays of affection involving physical contact at all school functions.  Students shall not participate in or encourage involvement by others in sexual harassment or abuse.   (See specific policy on harassment).
• Substance Free - Students are to abstain from liquor, tobacco, and recreational use of drugs.
• Supervision:  Students shall attend all assigned classes regularly and on time.  Students are not to be in any unsupervised areas. 
• Theft and Vandalism - Students shall refrain from attempting to damage, destroy, or mutilate objects or materials belonging to the school or other students; picking/breaking locks, doors, or windows;  tampering with school property or computers.
• Weapons - Students are not to bring knives, fireworks, guns, or other potentially dangerous items to school.

CITIZENSHIP PLAN

Each student begins each quarter with an “A” for his/her citizenship grade.  The grade is easily maintained throughout the school year.  However, if the student is involved in an incident and a report is filled out, points will be lost from the student’s citizenship grade.  A copy of the incident report will be sent home for the parents’ records.

Each letter grade is worth the following points:
                        A = 16 – 20 points
                        B = 11 – 15 points
                        C = 6 – 10 points
                        D = 1 – 5 points
                        F = 0 points

If a student should lose enough points to receive a C for their citizenship grade for the quarter (or at any time during the quarter), the student will be required to meet with the discipline committee.  At that time, the student will need to present a plan for improving their behavior.  The student will be required to meet with a member of the discipline committee each week for the remainder of the quarter to give an account of their current behavior. 

If a student should lose enough points to receive an F for their citizenship grade for the quarter (or at any time during the quarter), the student will automatically be suspended until the next school board meeting.  The school board will then decide whether to allow the student to continue attending school or to expel the student. 

Citizenship grades will appear on each report card.  However, the citizenship grade does not affect a students' GPA. 

The following list is an example of the ways that points may be lost during each quarter.  Please remember that incidents may occur that are not specifically listed.  These incidents will be dealt with during staff meetings.

• The following items are examples that will result in the loss of 1 point:
• Chewing gum in school
• Minor incidents of disobedience
• Throwing items in class
• 3 tardies to school = 1 point
• 1 unexcused absence = 1 point
• The following items are examples that will result in the loss of 2 points:
• Dress code violations
• Personal listening devices (i.e. radios, MP3 players)
• Electronic games
• Possession of obscene literature
• Gambling paraphernalia
• The following items are examples that will result in the loss of 1-5 points (depending on severity; subject to staff meeting):
• Undermining the fundamental principles of the school
• Constant and obstinate violations of school regulations
• Insubordination
• Use of communication devices at the inappropriate times
• Intentional damage to school property
• Entering locked places without authorization
• Stealing
• The following items are examples that will result in the loss of 5 points:
• Cheating
• Any form of dishonesty
• Possessing cigarette lighters or matches
• Knives
• Skateboards, bicycles, and scooters used inside the school building or used inappropriately
• The following items are examples that will result in the loss of 10 points and probable suspension:
• The use, handling or possession of intoxicating beverages, tobacco or narcotics in any form
• Fighting
• Threats to people or property in any form
• Leaving the school grounds without permission
• Absence from supervised areas without permission

COUNSELING

Each teacher and staff member on campus is available and willing to provide guidance services to students.  The church pastors provide worship several times a week and are also available to students for spiritual and/or personal counseling.  The school has a professional family counselor who is on call to students as needed.

FIELD TRIPS

Teachers often plan off-campus field trips to enhance classroom learning.  Day trips to the Natural History Museum in Denver, the Zoo, Ocean Journey Aquarium, the Butterfly Pavilion, NOAA, NCAR and other local sites are taken by various classes each year.  Older students may also take extended overnight trips. These trips are planned for educational opportunities and students electing not to go on major trips are expected to attend school and complete a major alternate project.

FUNDRAISING AND GIFT DONATIONS

It is the goal of the school to keep tuition and extra-curricular costs as low as possible for the benefit of families.  Fundraisers are conducted to provide money for classroom needs, clubs, trips, and designated school projects.  We appreciate student, parent, and constituent support of these activities. Donations to the school are tax deductible.

GRIEVANCE PROCESS

Matthew 18:15 says, "...if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone."

The following steps should be taken for grievance resolution:

1. If a student or parent has a question regarding something at school, it should first be discussed with the teacher or staff member.
2. If a satisfactory solution cannot be agreed upon, a three-way conference including the principal should be arranged.
3. If a satisfactory solution has not been reached, a conference should be arranged including the student and/or parent,  teacher, principal and conference superintendent.
4. Finally, the issue may be presented to the School Board chairperson, and the matter will then be taken to the School Board to determine if action against a staff member is necessary or if further disciplinary action toward a student will be taken.  The conference Education Superintendent must be present when personnel is discussed at a School Board.  The Conference Executive Committee is the final hiring/firing authority for all teaching staff.

General Information - H-Z