PARENT-TEACHER HANDBOOK SECONDARY

GENERAL DRESS STANDARDS

1. Only approved DCS uniforms, purchased exclusively from Dennis Uniforms, may be worn each day. All clothing must be modest and appropriate in appearance.

2. Shoes must be sneakers in solid (black or white, ), dress shoes/loafers in (black), or Sperry’s/Boat shoes in (black, gray, or white) with white or black soles. No crocs, boots, flats, heels, or thong-style sandals are to be worn.

3. All outerwear must be school issued or purchased directly from Dennis Uniforms unless approved by the Headmaster

4. Students must not shave any portion of their head. Hair must be shorter than 6 inches tall or wide.

5. All shorts worn for school activities must be at least mid-thigh in length. The hem of the shorts must be below your thumbs.

6. Solid color leggings in (black, red, gray, or white) may be worn under the uniform.

7. The use of masks is Optional for all students.

8. Pant legs are to be neatly hemmed, not ragged or slit.

9. No hooded sweatshirt is to be worn during school hours.

10. No cut-off shirts or tank tops are to be worn on school property or at school activities.

11. Shirts must be worn at all times on school property and at school activities.

12. No sunglasses or tinted prescription glasses are to be worn in the building unless under physician’s orders.

13. Caps, bandanas, hats and hoods, are not permitted.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

1. An excused absence is defined as an absence due to a court order, death in the family, or a documented student illness, (documentation must be turned in upon the student’s return to school).

2. Extended absences of more than 2 consecutive days, due to illness, must be accompanied by a doctor’s note in order for it to be considered excused.

3. Students are excused for athletic events, class trips, field trips, and special events with the teacher’s permission; however, students are responsible to make arrangements to make up work in advance and to be prepared to participate in class upon return.

4. Juniors are permitted one day, and seniors may use two days of pre-approved absences to visit a college campus. There is no academic penalty for college visits as long as all class work and homework is completed on the day the student returns. Pre-approval must be obtained through the Clinic.

5. At-home suspension is considered a school related absence and does not count toward the total allowable absences per semester.

C. TARDIES

Punctuality is important to the effective management of any situation, and it is also important for an individual to develop a habit of being punctual. Students tardy to class without a note from the school office, secondary teacher, clinic, or administrator will receive an unexcused tardy.

The following steps will be taken each 9-week grading period.

· Four tardies: RenWeb will generate a notification to parents that a 30-minute detention and $10 fee has been issued.

· Seven tardies: RenWeb will generate a notification to parents that a 1-hour detention and $20 fee has been issued.

· Ten tardies: RenWeb will generate a notification to parents that a 1 ½ detention and $30 fee has been issued.

· Thirteen Tardies: RenWeb will generate a notification to parents that a 1 ½ hour detention and a $40 fee has been issued.

ANY EXCEPTIONS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PRINCIPAL

ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIOR SUCCESS PLANS (page 45)

ACADEMIC: Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain academically eligible to remain enrolled as a student. Should a student who receives a grade of D or F in any subject and or whose GPA falls below 2.0 on the quarterly report will be placed on an Academic Success Plan for the duration of the year. Students on this plan WILL NOT be eligible to participate in the Secondary Athletic Program. Students who do not maintain a GPA of 2.0, administration has the right to ask the student to withdraw before the end of the school year and or they will not be invited back for the next school year.

The conditions of the Academic Success Plan are as follows. (Others may apply)

1. Student must not receive any failing grades (D’s and F’s). ON progress or report card during the time of the probation.

2. Parent must maintain regular communication with student’s teachers.

3. No more than 4 unexcused absences in the quarter (5 tardies are counted as 1 absence).

BEHAVIOR: Students on a Behavior Success Plan WILL NOT be eligible to participate in the Secondary Athletic Program. If at any moment after the term of the probation, the student does not display behavior /conduct consistent with the expectations of this handbook they will be removed from the team. If this takes place after the specific sporting season the student will be subject to not be able to play the following school year. They will also forfeit their eligibility to play in any additional sports for the duration of the current school year. In some cases, the student will be asked to withdraw or may not be invited back for the next school year.

GROOMING

All students are expected to be clean and neat in personal appearance with hair clean and neatly combed. Hairstyles must be natural in colors, reasonable in styles and must not be a distraction from the educational environment. No extreme styles are permitted. Administration reserves the right to deem any hairstyle extreme or unnatural in color.

1. Boy’s hair must be neat in appearance. Hair must be trimmed neatly above the collar and eyebrows.

2. Hair must not cover eyes or ears.

3. Colored or bleached hair is not permitted.

4. Male students enrolled at DCS are permitted 1) to wear dreadlocks, as long as it is neat in appearance and pulled back in a bun (Not pulled up) and 2) to maintain long hair as long as it is neat in appearance and pulled back in a bun. (Not pulled up).

5. Tattoos (permanent or temporary CANNOT be visible).

6. Unusual hairstyles such as fades (with designs) are not permitted.

7. Beards are not permitted. Students with mustaches must be neat and consistently trimmed.

8. Sideburns must not extend past the bottom of the ear.

9. Boys who need haircuts will be given 3 days (including the day of the violation) to get their hair properly cut. If the haircut or style is totally inappropriate to DCS standards, it must be corrected before the student will be permitted to return to class.

10. Boys: Facial piercings are not permitted. Other body piercings must be covered at all school-related activities

11. Girls: Facial piercings are not permitted. Other body piercings must be covered at all school-related activities (not including ear piercings)

CELL PHONE USAGE

Cell phones must be powered off (not on vibrate or silent) and stored inside backpack during school hours. Students may not carry cell phones in pockets. Turned off cell phone policy is during school hours.

Any unauthorized use of cell phones during school hours will be dealt with as follows:

o 1st offense- Phone will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the school day. Student will be written up on RenWeb and 5 demerits will be issued along with a $15 violation fee placed on the student’s account.

o 2nd offense- Phone will be confiscated and parent must pick up from Dean’s office. Student will be written up on RenWeb and 10 demerits will be issued along with a $25 violation fee placed on the student’s account.

o 3rd offense- Phone will be confiscated. Student will be suspended from school for 2 days and 15 demerits will be issued along with a $50 violation Fee

o Any additional offense will result in withdrawal