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Parent/Guardian Student
Handbook
2007-2008
Table of Contents
Home Page
INTRODUCTION
In an age
where Christian values are being questioned, Catholic/Christian schools
are
needed as much if not more than ever. In the words of the late
Cardinal Bernardin regarding the future of Catholic/Christian schools:
* It is imperative that our schools move from being
institutions to being communities;
* The religious dimension of our schools must make a
distinctive difference;
* The educational climate must be one of excellence;
* We must attend to the personal development of each child
* We must promote a proper relationship between culture and
the gospel; and
* All knowledge must illumined by the light of faith.
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PHILOSOPHY
St. Dorothy
School is a Catholic Elementary School, grades pre-k through eight.
The school admits children of any race or creed. The purpose of
the school is to provide excellence in education within a Christian
environment. The program is designed to meet the spiritual,
intellectual, emotional, aesthetic, and physical development of each
student. The values and lessons of Catholic/Christian life are
infused in every academic course and activity at St. Dorothy School.
The St. Dorothy Faculty appreciates children as individuals--unique in
their differences and gifts. We work diligently at tailoring the
learning environment to meet the academic needs of each student.
We recognize parents as the primary educators of their children.
St. Dorothy School joins in partnership with parents in the religious
formation and academic development of their children.
The first step in a child’s educational development is the home. It is
recognized that the principles of Christian life taught in the classroom
must be reinforced in the home if we are to achieve success in our
institution.
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MISSION STATEMENT
St. Dorothy School's
mission is to promote academic excellence, to inspire its students to be
lifelong learners, and to possess the skills necessary to compete in a
global society. We teach Catholic/Christian values and partner
with families to create a spirit of stewardship and service.
.OUR
IDENTITY
St. Dorothy is a
distinctively faith-based, relationship-centered educational community,
known for its challenging, engaging curriculum and quality of graduates
who have distinguished themselves at the secondary, post-secondary, and
professional career levels. Integral to St. Dorothy's success and
distinction is its clear expression of the ongoing partnership of family
and parish and its deeply rooted Catholic identity and Christian
formation of students grades Pre-K through eight.
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We envision
the St. Dorothy graduate as a student who
* Understands the importance of God in
her/his life
* Is rooted firmly in a Christian
foundation
* Is empowered to make sound judgments
based on Christian values
* Possesses a healthy self-concept and
develops a sense of purpose and motivation
* Is prepared academically to function in
a highly technological society
* Appreciates the richness of all cultures
* Has an awareness of the world in which
she/he lives and gives service to others
* Thinks critically
* Makes intelligent decisions
* Becomes an honest, productive citizen in
the community; and
* Reflects his/her Christian education.
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CURRICULUM AND RELIGIOUS
FORMATION
St. Dorothy School has as its primary emphasis the spiritual education
and development concisely articulated in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A strong, well-rounded curriculum, which is fundamentally based in the
teaching of the Catholic/Christian faith, is the cornerstone of the
academic program. St. Dorothy School has always emphasized
spiritual development and academic excellence.
It is one of the goals of this school to implement student centered
learning techniques that focus on the development of every child.
It is the goal of our educators to stimulate students to maintain high
personal standards, to follow cultural pursuits, to think critically
and creatively, to value the democratic ideals and processes of our
American heritage, to develop spiritually, physically and
intellectually and to regard faith formation and education as a life
long process. We seek to prepare our students to attend any
parochial, private or public high school in the country.
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STATEMENT OF
NON-DISCRIMINATION
St. Dorothy School is operated under the auspices of the Catholic Bishop
of Chicago, a corporation sole, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. St.
Dorothy School admits students of any race, color, sex, and national and
ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities
generally accorded or made available to students. St. Dorothy does
not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, or national and
ethnic origin in the administration of educational policies, athletic,
or other school-administered programs.
In employment practices, St. Dorothy School does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, unfavorable
military discharge, marital status, or mental or physical handicap
unrelated to the ability to perform the duties of the position.
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ADMISSIONS POLICY
ADMISSIONS:
St. Dorothy School may admit students who are not Catholic provided that
these students will not displace Catholic students and that both
students and parents clearly understand that participation in religious
instruction and school activities related to the Catholic identity of
the school are required.
St. Dorothy
School endeavors to educate all students within the limits of the
school's educational program. This school, therefore, reserves the
right to refuse admittance to any student for whom the school cannot
provide an effective instructional program.
ADMISSION
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES 1 THROUGH 8:
All students entering St. Dorothy School for the first time must present
an official copy of their birth certificate. A copy of a recent
medical form, including immunizations; the most recent report card; and
standardized test results must be presented at the time of registration
along with the required registration fee. Students will not be
permitted to attend class until these records have been received by the
school. Registration fees are non-refundable.
ADMISSIONS
FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN:
Registration for Pre-Kindergarten is ongoing. Each student should have a
Student Registration form completed. all students entering the
Pre-Kindergarten program must have a current physical (see requirements
in Medical and Dental requirements section of the handbook).
applications received will be considered for admission as space permits.
Students entering Pre-Kindergarten must be either 3 or 4 years of age at
the time of registration and toilet trained.
ADMISSIONS
FOR KINDERGARTEN:
Students entering kindergarten are ordinarily five years of age on or
before
September 1. Priority of acceptance into Kindergarten is as
follows:
1. Children of parishioners or current
school families;
2. Children of families new to St.
Dorothy School;
3. Children who will be five years of age
after September 1 may be conditionally admitted after an interview and
testing.
An official copy of the child's birth certificate must be presented at
registration along with the registration fee. The registration fee
is non-refundable except in cases when the child is not accepted into
the Kindergarten program.
TRANSFER
STUDENTS,
in addition to the Registration Requirements above, must also provide
academic records from the school previously attended (such as report
cards and standardized test scores). Each transfer student meets
with the Principal prior to admission in order to determine an
appropriate educational program for each student.
STUDENT
RE-ENTRY
is ordinarily not permitted; that is, once a student has transferred to
another school, that student will ordinarily not be considered to be
eligible to attend St. Dorothy School.
STUDENTS WITH
UNPAID FEES AND TUITION
from the previous year will not be admitted to the next academic year
until these obligations have been taken care of.
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STUDENT RECORDS
A parent/guardian has the right to inspect his/her student's permanent
record which includes report cards, health records, accident reports,
attendance records, biographical information (name, address, and so on),
and an Individual Education Plan (IEP), if applicable. The
parent/guardian may call the school office to make an appointment for
this purpose.
St. Dorothy 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, St. Dorothy School will
provide the non-custodial parent access to academic records and other
school-related information regarding the student. 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. (See also Transfers/Release
of Information.)
The
report card is also an official school record. Hand-written
report cards are to be done in black ink. (A report card should
never go home with "white out" unless initialed by the teacher.)
In addition, report cards are to be reviewed by the principal before
distribution.
All
school reports must be signed by parents or guardians. Faculty
members are responsible to ensure that all school reports are returned
within five (5) days. An immediate follow-up call is required if
school reports are not returned. At the end of the school
year, report cards and attendance sheets are filed in the student's
cumulative folder.
Faculty
must complete all cumulative file information before leaving the school
for summer vacation. Teachers are required by contract to be
available for work until June 15, which allows sufficient time to
complete records.
All
faculty and staff should guard against revealing information of a
confidential nature, especially test scores and grades. This
includes keeping record books out of sight and inaccessible.
This is an especially important concern since many of our classrooms are
used by other programs and organizations. While students and
parents/guardians will not be admitted to faculty classrooms if the
teacher is not present, it is still important to safeguard all student
records.
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PARENTAL CUSTODY
AND OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Ordinarily a student will be released from school to either parent
unless the school has a copy of a court order giving one parent
exclusive custody.
St. Dorothy School ordinarily wishes to remain neutral regarding
divorce/custody proceedings since we do not believe it is in the best
interests of students to bring such home issues into the school.
In addition, we do not think it helpful for our students for the school
to be put into a position of taking sides with one parent or another.
Because of the confidential nature of student records–and our obligation
to safeguard them–we will not release student records to a lawyer unless
we receive a subpoena requesting such student records.
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COMMUNICATION
In order to keep the parent/guardian well informed about school
activities, it is recommended that the parent/ guardian become familiar
with the
Parent/Guardian and Student Handbook and the school calendar.
In addition, parent/guardian newsletters and the Family School
Association meetings are helpful ways to remain informed about and
involved in current issues.
St. Dorothy School welcomes parents/guardians and is interested in
arranging formal and informal parent/guardian-teacher conferences.
If a teacher is not available when a parent/guardian calls, the teacher
will return the parent/guardian call if the necessary phone number is
left with the school secretary.
The school office is open from 7:15 am to 3:15 pm on school days to
assist you. At other times (twenty-four hours a day everyday), a
voicemail message can be left for school personnel. Your call is
important to us and will be returned.
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CHANGE OF CONTACT INFORMATION
It is
important that we have your current address, telephone number,
work number, and so on, to facilitate ongoing communication (especially
in the event of an emergency). Should you move during the
school year or change telephone numbers, please notify the school
office, preferably in writing, immediately.
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PARENT/GUARDIAN-TEACHER
CONFERENCES
Communication between teachers and parents/guardians can strengthen the
support and direction provided students in their many and varied
learning tasks.
Parent/guardian-teacher-student conferences are held at the end of the
first and second marking periods in November and January.
If the parent/guardian is not able to attend during these times, he/she
is asked to call or send a note to the teacher(s) to arrange another
meeting.
The parent/guardian is encouraged to contact the teacher if a
problem, misunderstanding, or concern occurs. The parent/guardian
should attempt to resolve issues with the student's teacher first.
Most concerns can be effectively addressed in this manner.
If
the teacher has been contacted and no resolution is achieved, the
parent/guardian may contact the Principal to review the issue and
resolve the concern.
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PARENT/GUARDIAN VISITS
SCHOOL VISITS:
To insure a smooth running and safe school, anyone entering the building
for any reason must report to the school office, sign in, and obtain a
Visitor's Badge if he/she is going to visit in a classroom.
Parents/Visitors will not be allowed to:
-
Walk students to
the classroom in the morning, or pick them up from the classroom
after school, or at anytime during the school day.
-
Visit
teachers/classrooms for any reason without prior arrangement with
the teacher.
-
Deliver items to
their child directly (anything that a child requires must be
at the office, i.e. lunch, homework, P.E. uniforms, etc.).
LUNCH AND
PLAYGROUND VISITS:
St. Dorothy School is a closed campus; that is, students are not
to leave the building or playground without specific administrative
approval.
Similarly, parents are requested not to take students out of
school for lunch. Lunch and recess are important parts of the
school day when students have the opportunity to develop additional
social skills
Ordinarily, parents are not to come to school to have lunch with
their students or to visit them on the playground during lunch recess.
In this day of increased security and background checks, it is
important for the school to strictly limit the access of outside
persons to our students. The parent of one student is a stranger
to another student.
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REPORTING STUDENT PROGRESS
STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
are given to students a few times throughout their elementary school
education. This is coordinated by the Archdiocese of Chicago
Office of Catholic Schools.
REPORT CARDS
are issued four times per year (approximately every nine weeks of
school) and indicate student progress in academic and social areas.
The parent/guardian is asked to discuss the report card carefully with
their student. Questions should be referred to the student's
teacher.
MID-QUARTER PROGRESS REPORTS
are sent home to alert the parent/guardian of students who need some
additional help to improve.
THE GRADING SCALE
used at St. Dorothy School has been established by the Archdiocese of
Chicago Catholic Schools Office.
|
GRADES 1 THROGH 8 |
GRADES 1 - 3 |
GRADES 4 - 8 |
|
A Consistent, superior
work |
A
90-100 |
A
93-100 |
|
B Above average work |
B
80- 89 |
B
85- 92 |
|
C Average work |
C
70- 79 |
C
77- 84 |
|
D Below average work |
D
60- 69 |
D
70- 76 |
|
F Unsatisfactory Work |
F
Below 60 |
F
Below 70 |
REFERRALS
Students who are experiencing serious academic and/or behavioral
problems may be referred to the appropriate agency for possible testing
and evaluation. The school administration will work closely with
the parents/guardians to assure the integrity of this process. The
student, parents/guardians, teachers, school counselor and
administration will all play a vital role in the referral process.
AWARDS
The end of each marking period, students who have attained Honor Roll,
Effort Award, and Perfect Attendance are announced and students are
honored for their achievement(s).
*
Honor Roll guidelines for students in Grades 1 through 8 include
having all A's and B's and no behavior check marks.
*
Effort Award guidelines for students in Grades 1 through 8
acknowledge putting forth much effort to attain grades of C or above
with no behavior check marks.
*
Perfect Attendance guidelines for students in Pre-k through Grade 8
acknowledge having no excused or unexcused absences
or tardies during the marking period.
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ATTENDANCE AND
PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY
Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to ensure an effective
learning environment and enable students to fully participate in the
ongoing educational process. When a student is absent, valuable
instructional time is lost and cannot be recovered; interaction of
students with faculty and other students is essential to the overall
development of the student. Moreover, punctuality forms life
habits for work and family, which will benefit the student.
While some absences can be considered excused, such as illness, a
doctor/dentist appointment, a funeral, a court appearance, and
officially representing the school, students are requested not to miss
school unnecessarily. For example, doctors' appointments should be
made
after school hours.
Vacations during school days are considered unexcused and should
be avoided.
ABSENCES
Parents must call the school office before 8:00 a.m. when a child is
absent. If the school is not notified of a child's absence, a call
may be placed to the child's home or parent's place of employment to
verify the absence.
Students who have twenty (20) or more unexcused absences during the
school year may be retained or required to attend remedial summer
classes.
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TARDINESS
Tardiness is a disruption to the learning environment and is a direct
violation of the school policy. Being on time is a positive work
habit that is expected of St. Dorothy School students. Students
are considered tardy if they are not in their classroom by 8:00 A.M.
-
A
student who has three tardies will be required to serve a half hour
classroom detention either in the morning at 7:15 A.M. or after
school at 3:15 P.M. The time and date served will be at the
teachers' convenience.
-
A student who has
six tardies and has served detention will be required to attend a
parent conference with the discipline board.
-
A student with nine
tardies will be placed on probation, fined $20.00 for each tardy
time and serve a one day suspension.
This policy will be
affective for the 2007-2008 school year.
Homeroom teachers will be responsible for supervision the 1/2 hour
detention, to be held either before or after school at the teacher's
discretion.
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VACATIONS DURING THE
ACADEMIC YEAR
All absences due to vacations will be counted towards the student's
total number of absences.
It is the
student’s responsibility to request missed work from teachers upon
return to class. The teacher in consultation with the
student will determine appropriate make-up work and timelines for the
completion of such work. Missed class discussions,
presentations, and collaborative activities and projects cannot be made
up.
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DAILY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
The usual
daily schedule is as follows:
7:45 Bell rings: Students admitted to building
8:00 Students must be in their seats and ready
for morning prayer
2:55 Dismissal for student riding a bus
3:00 Dismissal
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SCHEDULED EARLY DISMISSAL
For multiple reasons, such as teacher in-service meetings, and
parent/guardian-teacher conferences, students will occasionally be
dismissed early. These dismissal times are indicated in the school
calendar. Please consult the school calendar and weekly
announcements for these dismissal times.
ENTERING
AND LEAVING THE SCHOOL BUILDING
At 7:45, students will assemble at there designated areas (Pre-K and
Kindergarten outside main entrance, 1-8 labeled locations on
playground). Students in grades 1-8 are not to assemble in front
of the school, they are to go directly to the playground. Any
student arriving prior to 7:45 should be enrolled in the before school
program (see EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM). St. Dorothy school will not be
responsible for students arriving at the school prior to 7:45 that are
not in the school as part of the Extended Day Program. The
students will wait at their assigned locations until they are picked up
by their teacher, or another designated staff member, they are not to
leave the school grounds.
Students will enter the building in an orderly fashion; they are
considered tardy if they are not seated and ready for class at 8:00 am.
At dismissal, bus students leave the room at the 2:55 Bus Bell and use
the North Entrance (East Stairs) to exit and line up in the playground.
All other students, including the Extended Day students, line up in the
classroom and leave the classroom at the 3:00 pm bell.
Teachers are to accompany their classes outside daily. Supervision
of Extended Day students begins at 3:00 pm in the designated meeting
area for Extended Day students.
Certain grades exit the building at designated entrances as follows:
|
Main Entrance: |
Pre-K and
Kindergarten |
|
South Stairs to North Entrance (West Stairs): |
Grades 1 and 5 |
|
North Entrance (East Stairs): |
Grades 6
through 8 |
In addition, parents/guardians are asked not to enter the building with
their student at 7:45 am in order to confer with their student's
teacher. Teachers need to supervise and instruct students at this
time; students may not be left unsupervised by teachers for
parent/guardian conferences.
Students not picked up by 3:15 pm will be taken to the After-School
Program; parents must then go the After-School Program to pick up
students (see also EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM and UNSUPERVISED STUDENTS).
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EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM
St. Dorothy's Extended Day Program provides a safe place where students
receive care and attention before school in the mornings (from 6:00 am
until 7:45 am) and/or until their parents pick them up after school
(from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm).
The Before School Program (from 6:00 am until 7:45 am) is held in the
school gym. Students may rest; eat a breakfast brought from home,
or study.
The After School Program (from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm) is organized so
that students are given time for snacks, study, homework, physical
exercise, and activities.
St. Dorothy Extended Day is a self-supporting program that operates
under the administration of the school principal. Parents pay for
the Extended Day Service and may use the program daily, several times
per week, or on occasion. The day-to-day operation is managed by
the Extended Day
Coordinator
according to the guidelines in the Extended Day Handbook.
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UNSUPERVISED STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER
DISMISSAL
Students are to be supervised by a designated, responsible adult at all
times. Students should not be in the building unsupervised prior
to 7:45 am. Also, only students who are participating in the After
School Program, a school-sponsored event (such as Drama Club), an
athletic event (such as basketball practice), or a scheduled meeting
(such as scouts) are to be in the building after school.
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BUSES
Private bus transportation is financed by parents who use the service.
The following buses ordinarily provide transportation to and from school
for student whose parents contract service with the company:
A & L:
928-5210
Ransom: 374-4527
Neal: 375-1200
Smitty's: 928-9024 -25
K & K: 734-0388
Rodney: 221-2727
Lewis: 491-9924
St. Dorothy School assumes no responsibility related to the performance
of these bus companies. Parents with concerns/complaints about
service should contact the bus company immediately.
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DAILY PRAYER AND LITURGY
Since
Christian values and living are our priority, the habit of daily prayer
should be fostered in the classroom. A routine of prayer before
class in the morning and again (over the public address system) before
dismissal should be followed. Grace before meals should also be
said with the students before going to the lunchroom.
Formal
prayers such as the Our Father, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition, and Glory
Be to the Father should be among the prayers that students know.
In addition to these, students are to have an opportunity for informal
and spontaneous prayer.
An all-school
liturgy takes place on a weekly basis and a Family Mass at 10:00 am on
the Third Sunday of every month. It is important that teachers
practice with scheduled student readers for these Masses. The
Eucharistic Liturgy is a focal point for our Catholic/Christian
educational community; every effort is to be made to ensure that it is
celebrated to the best of our abilities.
Parents/guardians are always invited to the school Masses and
paraliturgies.
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BOOKS FORGOTTEN IN THE
CLASSROOM
Students and their parents/guardians are not permitted in classrooms
after school if the teacher is not present. Teachers have
confidential material in their rooms (for example, tests, student
work products, and student grades). By federal law, students
and/or their parents/guardians may not have access to these materials.
HOMEWORK RATIONALE (FOR
ALL STUDENTS)
Homework is a necessary supplement of regular classroom instruction and
provides necessary reinforcement of the curriculum. Homework,
which may take the form of reading, studying, creating, collecting data,
researching, problem-solving, working with other students, and/or
writing, will be given at all grade levels. Teachers at the
various grade levels regularly collaborate with each other in order to
appropriately and effectively plan this important aspect of the
educational process for the greatest benefit for students.
Homework, which provides instructional support and practical experience
for students, also joins together the individual roles of
parent/guardian, teacher, student, and occasionally other students (for
example, during a collaborative project). While the teacher
defines the purpose of the homework, assigns reasonable homework with
definitive time expectations, and assesses homework in a meaningful
manner, the parent/guardian can provide a quiet, well-lit study area,
allow for necessary study time, encourage and support the student, and
communicate student difficulty to the teacher. Finally, the
student's role includes adhering to the teacher's instructions and
assuming responsibility for accurate and complete work, positive study
habits, and the efficient use of time.
Since parents regularly request advice on helping with homework, the
following ideas are offered:
*
Parents are essential to making homework a positive experience for their
children; they are the ones who can make homework a top priority at
home.
*
Parents should set a daily routine for students regarding
homework. Students should know when they are to do homework
and where.
*
Parents should provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework
environment with outside distractions turned off (e.g., TV) or made
unavailable (e.g., telephone calls).
*
Students who are not particularly self-motivated should not study
alone in their rooms, especially if they are surrounded by possible
distractions (for example, a computer, computer games, TV, a telephone,
books, and magazines). Not surprisingly, such students would
rather engage in e-mailing friends, for example, rather than completing
Math problems. These students do better when supervised by an
adult in the same or a nearby room.
*
Wherever students study, distractions should be kept to a minimum, since
most students work well without additional stimuli (for example, TV,
radio, CD’s, telephone calls, and so on).
*
Students (and parents) should get in the habit of expecting some
homework every day. Some subjects such as Language Arts and
Mathematics require steady, ongoing practice for maximum achievement;
parents can help students understand this and accept the need to
progress steadily.
*
As the policies below outline, parents are expected to review
students’ homework assignment books on a daily basis. Some
teachers may require a daily parent signature; some teachers use this
medium to send parents important messages. And all students profit
from parent interest in their daily work and progress.
*
On days when there is no homework, it is recommended that some time be
spent reviewing what is being learned in school; even a few minutes
spent reviewing spelling or vocabulary words for the week can help
students progress academically, as well as increase short and long-term
study skills.
*
If your student consistently says that he or she completed all the
homework in school, please ask to see the completed work. This
can also be an opportunity for the parent to show interest in and
discuss the material being covered.
*
If your student never seems to bring homework home, please let his or
her teachers know. Perhaps the student is not being challenged
enough. Many interventions ranging from encouraging a student to
do some additional reading to having the student prepare a presentation
for his/her class can challenge a student to get more involved with
his/her learning.
Suggested
Archdiocesan homework guidelines include:
Grades 1, 2, and 3 are to spend approximately 30 minutes each night.
Grades 4, 5, and 6 are to spend approximately 60 minutes each night.
Grades 7 and 8 are to spend approximately 90 minutes each night.
*
If your student always seems to have too much homework, please let
his/her teachers know right away. Many explanations are possible
and should be investigated: the student may not understand
the assignment(s), the student may not know how to effectively study;
the student may be setting goals that are too high; the material may be
too difficult; a tutor may be necessary; and so on.
*
Do not allow students to lose sleep doing homework and do not accept
their offers to complete it in the morning before school.
*
Students should do their homework; not parents. The
purpose for homework, as stated above, is to provide students with
practice that is essential for acquiring new skills. Students who
do not get this practice will fall behind in their ability to complete
increasingly complex tasks on their own. On the other hand, many
students do better when assisted by parents while doing their
homework. Parents can offer guidance and support about how
to complete an assignment or
how to solve a problem, without actually doing the
homework or just providing the answers.
*
If you are notified that assignments are not being completed, there
should be consequences at home. First, students need to know
that you value and support their educational program. Second, a
student who receives the same message at school and at home may be more
likely to put that message into practice.
* If you or
your student have any questions about study skills, how to
complete assignments, work being too easy or too difficult, etc., please
contact your student’s teachers right away. In a student-centered
learning environment, we recognize that the needs of every student are
different . . . and we want to work to maximize every student’s learning
style, achievement, and success. The more communication that takes
place between the school and home, the better we can all “fine tune” a
successful educational experience for your student.
Students on IEP's or who have conditions which impair their ability to
perform are to be given consideration when homework is assigned.
(This is a Christian expectation as well as a federal, state, and
Archdiocesan mandate).
Students are expected to record all homework assignments in an
assignment book purchased at the beginning of the school year.
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ATHLETIC PROGRAM
Participation in the St. Dorothy School Extra-Curricular Athletic
Program is a privilege, not a right. Failure to conform to the
personal, academic, and disciplinary standards of the school may be
cause to remove a student from participation in the Sports Program.
These sports are offered in the St. Dorothy Athletic Program:
Biddy Basketball (K-4 boys/girls); Boys Basketball (Grades 5-8); Girls
Basketball (Grades 5-8); Cheerleading (Grades 5-8); and Volleyball
(Grades 5-8), when numbers permit. The day-to-day operation of the
school's extra-curricular athletic programs is managed by the St.
Dorothy School Athletic Organization.
Criteria for eligibility to participate in the St. Dorothy School
Athletic Program include
1. Submitting completed permission forms when due;
2. Providing proof of student accident insurance;
3. Payment of required fees;
4. Submitting signed agreement in support of the guidelines
and policies of the Athletic Program;
5. Meeting the school's academic and behavior requirements;
and
6. Submitting a current sports physical or letter from the
physician attesting to the student's physical fitness.
An athlete who was absent from class due to illness or suspension may
not attend practice or play in a game on the day(s) of absence or
suspension.
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ACADEMIC PROBATION
Probation occurs either (a) when a new 5th through 8th
grade student is accepted to St. Dorothy School or (b) when a student’s
academic or behavioral performance is characterized by a serious lack of
responsibility (on the part of the student or parent).
Students in 5th through 8th grade who enter St.
Dorothy School are admitted on a probationary status, pending their
academic and behavioral performance during the first semester of the
academic year. If a student fails to perform well either
academically or behaviorally, the student may be asked to leave St.
Dorothy School at any time during the probationary period.
Any student whose academic or behavioral performance is characterized by
a serious lack of responsibility (on the part of the student or parent)
may be put on academic or behavioral probation. If there is no
improvement regarding the performance of concern, the student may be
asked to leave St. Dorothy School at any time during the probationary
period.
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PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND
FAILURE
Promotion
and graduation apply to students who complete the academic,
attendance, and/or behavioral expectations for their grade level
outlined in this handbook (and elsewhere). These students are
promoted to the next grade for the next academic year.
Placement
applies to students who have not satisfactorily completed the academic,
attendance, and behavioral expectations for their grade level outlined
in this handbook (and elsewhere), but who, after a period of
remediation (such as tutoring), may be able to successfully deal
with the increased expectations of the next grade level. These
students are, therefore, placed in the next grade level for the
next academic year, which means that the assignment to the next grade is
on a
probationary status, pending their demonstrated ability to
successfully meet the academic, attendance, and behavioral expectations
for their new grade level outlined in this handbook (and elsewhere).
If students who are placed do not appear to be able to meet the
expectations for their new grade level, administrative intervention is
warranted, during which time students’ academic programs are
re-evaluated.
Failure
applies to students who have not completed the academic, attendance, and
behavioral expectations for their grade level outlined in this handbook
(and elsewhere). These students are not promoted to the next grade
for the next academic year. The administration, in consultation
with the students’ teachers, will determine on a case-by-case basis
possible courses of action–which may range from repeating a grade to the
recommendation that the student withdraw from St. Dorothy School.
In general, a
student must pass all classes each quarter; comply with State,
Archdiocesan, and St. Dorothy School attendance policies; and observe
the behavioral expectations outlined in this handbook (and elsewhere).
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TUITION AND FEES
For a parochial school, the primary source of funding is tuition.
Since the tuition contributed does not cover the actual cost of
educating St. Dorothy School students, it is, therefore, extremely
important that
all families contribute at the specified tuition rate for their
children. And since the tuition collected is used primarily for
faculty salaries, it is critical that tuition be contributed in a
consistent and timely manner.
Tuition and school fees are collected either quarterly during the months
of August, November, January, and March, or monthly. Payments are
to be made at the school office. All payments of tuition and
school fees must be paid by the published due date.
Any parent/guardian unable to pay tuition or school fees on time must
apply for an extension. Extension request forms are available in
the school office and should be filled out and returned to the school
office
before the due date of said tuition. Tuition extensions are
granted for a maximum of two weeks beyond the published grace period.
During this time, a family unable to meet its contractual financial
obligations should make an appointment with the School Board Finance
Committee to work out an acceptable payment plan. Students whose
families have not requested the extension and whose tuition is not
up-to-date will not be allowed to attend school until an acceptable
payment plan has been mutually agreed upon.
ENROLLMENT POLICY
In order for a student to be registered and begin a new school year, any
previous outstanding tuition and fees, and current tuition and fees must
be paid in full.
No monies will be collected during announced days prior to beginning the
new school year. Therefore, any student not meeting criteria
stated in the paragraph above will have to defer attendance until the
school office is available to properly and accurately collect tuition,
fees, and any other monies due.
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TUITION REBATE PROGRAM
Parents who contribute more than $100 to St. Dorothy Church during the
calendar year (January 1 to December 31) will have one-half of that
total amount credited toward the fourth quarter tuition.
A rebate exceeding the amount due will be credited to the next school
year if the child returns to St. Dorothy School. Any parent whose
child is graduating and whose rebate exceeds the fourth quarter tuition
may have the excess amount applied to the third quarter payment
if the family requests it before the third quarter due date.
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FUND RAISING
Each family
is expected to fund raise $350 during the course of the school year.
The School Board policy is as follows:
1.
St. Dorothy School will, as need is determined by the school board,
engage in fund raising events. All school families are required to
participate in announced fund raising events and be responsible for
collecting and/or paying the obligatory funds. The yearly fund
raising goal for each family will be determined before the start of the
school year and communicated to the school families with the announced
tuition rate.
All fund raising will be operated on a net profit basis unless stated
otherwise for any given reason.
2. The St. Dorothy School Board and school
administration will determine which fundraisers can be applied to the
fundraising obligation, and the percent of the funds raised that will
contribute to each family's commitment amount. Please note that
since some fundraisers have a cost involved, only a portion of the funds
collected will be applied to the fundraising obligation.
3.
The school office will be responsible for the receiving and receipting
of funds, and maintaining records. The Principal will report to
the Board on the progress of collections.
4.
All fund raising events will have a due date. Each family must
turn in to the office any and all collected funds from each event by the
due date of that event. All families must complete their yearly
obligation no later than one month before the due date of the April
tuition payment, or the balance of the commitment will be applied to the
April tuition payment.
5.
All families have the option to pay the required fund raising as part of
their tuition installments. All such funds must be paid by or with
the April tuition payment.
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TUITION/SCHOOL FEES REFUNDS
The tuition cost is an annual amount and not the cost for a particular
quarter. Student who withdraws from St. Dorothy School during the
year will be charged for each school day during the attendance period.
The registration fee, the instructional materials, special programs, and
hospitality fees are non-refundable.
BOOK
RENTAL
The book fee–which is due in August–is for the rental of all hard-bound
books and purchase of workbooks. In an effort to defray the high
cost of the parent/guardian’s purchasing hard-bound textbooks, St.
Dorothy School, therefore, purchases the books and makes them available
to students on a rental basis. These textbooks, therefore,
remain the property of St. Dorothy School. Lost or damaged
textbooks are the responsibility of the individual student.
Fees will be assessed before the end of the school year for any lost or
damaged books.
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STUDENT ILLNESS OR INJURY
AT SCHOOL
If a student becomes seriously ill or injured, the parent/guardian is
called. If the parent/guardian is not available, the persons
listed on the student's emergency card are then contacted.
Students will only be released to the parent/guardian as listed on the
emergency card (it is strongly recommended that at least three
persons and their contact information be listed on the emergency card).
In addition, the parent/guardian must sign the student out of the
school.
The school should be notified immediately of any changes of phone
numbers, addresses, or persons authorized to supervise the student in
the absence of the parent/guardian.
If a student has a chronic illness such as asthma or an allergy, this
information should be on file in the office, and the student's teacher
should be informed.
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COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
The school should be notified immediately if a student has a
communicable disease. Information should be verified by a
physician.
Students are to be excluded from school according to the physician's
recommendations for chicken pox, mumps, measles, head lice, and German
measles. Other contagious diseases such as strep
throat, eye infections, skin conditions, and impetigo require a written
release by a physician; students will not be permitted to return to
school without such a written release.
RE-ADMITTANCE TO SCHOOL AFTER ADMITTANCE TO A BEHAVIORAL/PSYCHIATRIC
FACILITY
Students who have been out of school because of admittance to a
behavioral unit or psychiatric facility may be readmitted to school in
one of the following ways as deemed appropriate by the school
administration: (a) written correspondence to the school
administration from the student’s doctor, therapist, or case worker
including a diagnosis and treatment; (b) a meeting with the
school administration and the student’s case worker to discuss diagnosis
and treatment; and/or (c) a phone call to the school
administration from the student’s doctor, therapist, or case worker
including a diagnosis and treatment.
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MEDICATION
(See
new State and Office of Catholic Schools policies in appendix.)
Students should NOT be in possession of ANY
medication--prescription or non-prescription--at any time.
(This includes over-the-counter medications such as cough drops
and aspirin.)
Only a licensed physician can give medication. School personnel,
including teachers, therefore, should generally not be involved with
administering medication. If a student requires medication during
the school day, therefore, it is recommended that the parent/ guardian
come to school and administer the medication.
In an effort to accommodate the needs of an individual student who
requires medication during the school day and whose
parent/guardian is not available, St. Dorothy School is willing to
designate a school employee (that is, a school secretary) to administer
medication under the following conditions:
1. A
licensed physician must indicate in writing (a) that a specific
medication (by name) is necessary for the student, (b) the condition for
which the medication is needed, (c) specific medication administration
directions (dosage), and (d) the number of days (duration) the
medication is to be administered to the student.
2. The
parent/guardian must request in writing that St. Dorothy School
administer the medication to the student in accordance with the licensed
physician's directions.
3. All
medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be provided to the
school office by the parent/ guardian.
4. All
medication must be in its original container. If it is a daily
routine medication, the amount that is turned in should be counted and
signed by the parent/guardian. When the medication is
received, it will again be counted and signed.
5.
Any medications for allergies should have guidelines as to amount and
frequency of administration. Inhalants should be in the box with
instructions on administration. Inhalers will be labeled
with the student’s name.
6.
Over-the-counter drugs may be given by the designated school employee
(usually the school secretary). The medication should be delivered
in unopened packages or blister packs with the student’s name on it.
If a regularly dispensed drug is also administered, the over-the-counter
drug should have a note from a medical doctor or pharmacist stating that
it is acceptable to take the two drugs together.
Necessary and pertinent information regarding drugs and emergency
medication will be shared with the appropriate school personnel.
Permission to take medication cannot be granted over the
telephone.
(See also FIELD TRIPS.)
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