SECTION I: PARENTAL
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This section of the Holland ISD Student Handbook includes several
notices that the district is required to provide to you, as well as other
information on topics of particular interest to you as a parent.
Both experience and research tell us that a child’s
education succeeds best when there is good communication and a strong
partnership between home and school.
Your involvement in this partnership may include:
·
Encouraging your child to put a high priority on
education and working with your child on a daily basis to make the most of the
educational opportunities the school provides.
·
Ensuring that your child completes all homework
assignments and special projects and comes to school each day prepared, rested,
and ready to learn.
·
Becoming familiar with all of your child’s
school activities and with the academic programs, including special programs,
offered in the district.
·
Discussing with the counselor or principal any
questions you may have about the options and opportunities available to your
child.
·
Reviewing the requirements of the graduation
programs with your child, if your child is entering ninth grade.
·
Monitoring your child’s academic progress and
contacting teachers as needed. [See Academic Counseling on page 28 and Academic Programs on page 23.
·
Attending scheduled conferences and requesting
additional conferences as needed. To
schedule a telephone or in-person conference with a teacher, counselor, or
principal, please call the school office at (254) 657-2525 (Elementary); (254)
657-2224 (Middle School); (254) 657-2523 (High School) for an appointment. The teacher will usually return your call or
meet with you during his or her conference period or before or after
school. [See Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 46.
·
Becoming a school volunteer. For further information, see policies at GKG
and contact JoAnn Anderson: (254)
657-2525
·
Participating in campus parent organizations. Parent organizations include: Holland
PTO: Contact Melissa Pistole – (254)
527-4611
·
Serving on the School Health Advisory Council,
assisting the district in ensuring local community values are reflected in
health education instruction. [See
policies at BDF, EHAA, FFA, and information in this handbook at School Health Advisory Council on page 39.
·
Attending board meetings to learn more about
district operations. HISD school board
meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month starting at 7:00 p.m. in the HISD Board Room
located in the Holland ISD Administrative Offices. [See policies at BE and BED
for more information.]
Your child will not be required to participate without parental
consent in any survey, analysis, or evaluation—funded in whole or in part by
the U.S. Department of Education—that concerns:
·
Political affiliations or beliefs of the student
or the student’s parent.
·
Mental or psychological problems of the student or
the student’s family.
·
Sexual behavior or attitudes.
·
Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or
demeaning behavior.
·
Critical appraisals of individuals with whom the
student has a close family relationship.
·
Relationships privileged under law, such as relationships
with lawyers, physicians, and ministers.
·
Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of
the student or parents.
·
Income, except when the information is required
by law and will be used to determine the student’s eligibility to participate
in a special program or to receive financial assistance under such a program.
You will be able to inspect the survey or other instrument
and any instructional materials used in connection with such a survey,
analysis, or evaluation. [For further
information, see policy EF(LEGAL).]
As a parent, you have a right to receive notice of and deny
permission for your child’s participation in:
·
Any survey concerning the private information
listed above, regardless of funding.
·
School activities involving the collection,
disclosure, or use of personal information gathered from your child for the
purpose of marketing or selling that information.
·
Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination
or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered and scheduled
by the school in advance and not necessary to protect the immediate health and
safety of the student. Exceptions are
hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening
permitted or required under state law.
[See policies EF and FFAA.]
As a parent, you may inspect a survey created by a third
party before the survey is administered or distributed to your child.
Requesting Professional
Qualifications of Teachers and Staff
You may request information regarding the professional
qualifications of your child’s teachers, including whether a teacher has met
state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject
areas in which the teacher provides instruction; whether the teacher has an
emergency permit or other provisional status for which state requirements have
been waived; and undergraduate and graduate degree majors, graduate
certifications, and the field of study of the certification or degree. You also have the right to request
information about the qualifications of any paraprofessional who may provide
services to your child.
As a parent, you have a right to review teaching materials,
textbooks, and other teaching aids and instructional materials used in the
curriculum, and to examine tests
that have been administered to your child.
Also see Removing a
Student from Human Sexuality Instruction on page 13 for additional
information.
Teachers may
display students’ work in classrooms or elsewhere on campus as recognition of
student achievement. However, the
district will seek parental consent before displaying students’ artwork,
special projects, photographs taken by students, and the like on the district’s
Web site, in printed material, by video, or by any other method of mass
communication.
Accessing Student Records
You may review your child’s student records. These records include:
·
Attendance records,
·
Test scores,
·
Grades,
·
Disciplinary records,
·
Counseling records,
·
Psychological records,
·
Applications for admission,
·
Health and immunization information,
·
Other medical records,
·
Teacher and counselor evaluations,
·
Reports of behavioral patterns, and
·
State assessment instruments that have been
administered to your child.
See Student Records
on page 17.
As a parent, you may grant or deny any written request from
the district to make a video or voice recording of your child. State law, however, permits the school to
make a video or voice recording without parental permission for the following
circumstances:
·
When it is to be used for school safety;
·
When it relates to classroom instruction or a co-curricular
or extracurricular activity; or
·
When it relates to media coverage of the school.
As a parent, if your child is under the age of 14, you must grant
permission for your child to receive instruction in the district’s parenting
and paternity awareness program or your child will not be allowed to
participate in the instruction. This
program, developed by the Office of the Texas Attorney General and the Texas
State Board of Education, is incorporated into the district’s health education
classes.
Removing a Student Temporarily
from the Classroom
You may remove your child temporarily from the classroom if
an instructional activity in which your child is scheduled to participate conflicts with your religious or moral
beliefs. The removal cannot be for the
purpose of avoiding a test and may
not extend for an entire semester.
Further, your child must satisfy grade-level and graduation requirements
as determined by the school and by the Texas Education Agency.
As a part of the district’s curriculum, students receive
instruction related to human sexuality.
The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is involved with the selection
of course materials for such instruction.
State law requires that any instruction related to human
sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus or
acquired immune deficiency syndrome must:
·
Present abstinence from sexual activity as the
preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for
unmarried persons of school age;
·
Devote more attention to abstinence from sexual
activity than to any other behavior;
·
Emphasize that abstinence is the only method
that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted
diseases, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
·
Direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in
which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most effective way
to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; and
·
If included in the content of the curriculum,
teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead
of theoretical laboratory rates.
In accordance with state law, below is a summary of the
district’s curriculum regarding human sexuality instruction:
Holland ISD has selected a research-based curriculum
entitled “Worth the Wait”. This is an
abstinence-based curriculum created by the Scott and White Medical System. Holland ISD has utilized the Worth the Wait
curriculum for the past 10 years.
As a parent, you are entitled to review the curriculum
materials. In addition, you may remove
your child from any part of this instruction with no academic, disciplinary, or
other penalties. You may also choose to
become more involved with the development of curriculum used for this purpose
by becoming a member of the district’s SHAC.
Please see the campus principal for additional information.
As a parent, you may request that your child be excused from
participation in the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to
the Texas
flag. The request must be in
writing. State law does not allow your
child to be excused from participation in the required minute of silence or
silent activity that follows. See Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of
Silence on page 54. and policy EC(LEGAL).
You may request that your child be excused from recitation
of a portion of the Declaration of Independence. State law requires students in
social studies classes in grades 3–12 to recite a portion of the text of the
Declaration of Independence during Celebrate Freedom Week unless (1) you
provide a written statement requesting that your child be excused, (2) the
district determines that your child has a conscientious objection to the
recitation, or (3) you are a representative of a foreign government to whom the
United States government extends diplomatic immunity. See policy EHBK(LEGAL).
Teachers and other approved employees are
permitted by the district to communicate with students through the use of
electronic media within the scope of the individual’s professional
responsibilities. For example, a teacher
may set up a social networking page for his or her class that has information
related to class work, homework, and tests. As a parent, you are welcome to join or
become a member of such a page.
An employee
described above may also contact a student individually through electronic
media to communicate about items such as homework or upcoming tests.
If you prefer that
your child not receive any one-to-one electronic communications from a district
employee, please submit a written request to the campus principal stating this
preference.
Requesting Notices of Certain
Student Misconduct
A non-custodial parent may request in writing that he or she
be provided, for the remainder of the school year, a copy of any written notice
usually provided to a parent related to your child’s misconduct that may
involve placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) or
expulsion. See policy FO(LEGAL)
and the Student Code of Conduct.
Corporal
punishment—spanking or paddling the student—may be used as a discipline
management technique in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and policy FO(LOCAL) in the district’s policy manual.
If you do not want
corporal punishment to be administered to your child as a method of student
discipline, please submit
a written statement to the campus principal stating this decision. A signed statement must be provided each
year.
You may choose to
revoke this request at any time during the year by providing a signed statement
to the campus principal. However,
district personnel may choose to use discipline methods other than corporal
punishment even if the parent requests that this method be used on the student.
As a parent, if your children are multiple birth siblings
(e.g., twins, triplets, etc.) assigned to the same grade and campus, you may
request that they be placed either in the same classroom or in separate
classrooms. Your written request must be
submitted no later than the 14th day after the enrollment of your
children. [See FDB(LEGAL).]
A parent of a student who uses a service animal because of
the student’s disability must submit a request in writing to the principal at
least ten district business days before bringing the service animal on campus.
If a child is experiencing learning difficulties, the parent
may contact the person listed below to learn about the district’s overall
general education referral or screening system for support services. This system links students to a variety of
support options, including referral for a special education evaluation. Students having difficulty in the regular
classroom should be considered for tutorial, compensatory, and other support
services that are available to all students.
At any time, a parent is entitled to request an evaluation
for special education services. Within a
reasonable amount of time, the district must decide if the evaluation is
needed. If evaluation is needed, the
parent will be notified and asked to provide consent for the evaluation. The district must complete the evaluation and
the report within 60 calendar days of the date the district receives the written
consent. The district must give a copy
of the report to the parent.
If the district determines that the evaluation is not
needed, the district will provide the parent with prior written notice that
explains why the child will not be evaluated.
This written notice will include a statement that informs the parents of
their rights, if they disagree with the district. The district is required to give parents the Notice
of Procedural Safeguards—Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities. Additional information regarding the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is available from the school
district in a companion document, A Guide to the Admission, Review, and
Dismissal Process.
The following Web sites provide information to those who are
seeking information and resources specific to students with disabilities and
their families:
·
Texas Project First, at http://www.texasprojectfirst.org/
·
Partners Resource Network, at http://www.partnerstx.org/howPRNhelps.html
The designated person to contact regarding options for a
child experiencing learning difficulties or a referral for evaluation for
special education is your campus principal at:
254-657-2525 – elementary
254-657-2224 – middle school
254-657-2523 – high school
A student may be eligible to receive specialized support if
his or her primary language is not English, and the student has difficulty
performing ordinary class work in English.
If the student qualifies for these extra services, the Language
Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will determine the types of services
the student needs, including accommodations or modifications related to
classroom instruction, local assessments, and state-mandated assessments.
Children of
military families will be provided flexibility regarding certain district
requirements, including:
·
Immunization requirements.
·
Grade level, course, or educational program
placement.
·
Eligibility requirements for participation in
extracurricular activities.
·
Graduation requirements.
In addition, absences related to a student
visiting with his or her parent related to leave or deployment activities may
be excused by the district. Additional
information may be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=7995.
Both federal and state laws safeguard student records from
unauthorized inspection or use and provide parents and eligible students
certain rights of privacy. Before
disclosing any personally identifiable information from a student’s records,
the district must verify the identity of the person, including a parent or the
student, requesting the information. For
purposes of student records, an “eligible” student is one who is 18 or older OR
who is attending an institution of postsecondary education.
Virtually all information pertaining to student performance,
including grades, test results, and
disciplinary records, is considered confidential educational records. Release is restricted to:
·
The parents—whether married,
separated, or divorced—unless the school is given a copy of a court order
terminating parental rights or the right to access a student’s education
records.
Federal
law requires that, as soon as a student becomes 18, is emancipated by a court,
or enrolls in a postsecondary institution, control of the records goes to the
student. The parents may continue to
have access to the records, however, if the student is a dependent for tax
purposes and under limited circumstances when there is a threat to the health
and safety of the student or other individuals.
·
District school officials who
have what federal law refers to as a “legitimate educational interest” in a
student’s records. School officials
would include trustees and employees, such as the superintendent,
administrators, and principals; teachers, counselors, diagnosticians, and
support staff; a person or company with whom the district has contracted or
allowed to provide a particular service or function (such as an attorney,
consultant, auditor, medical consultant, therapist, or volunteer); a parent or
student serving on a school committee; or a parent or student assisting a
school official in the performance of his or her duties. “Legitimate educational interest” in a
student’s records includes working with the student; considering disciplinary
or academic actions, the student’s case, or an individualized education program
for a student with disabilities; compiling statistical data; reviewing an
educational record to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility; or
investigating or evaluating programs.
·
Various governmental agencies.
·
Individuals granted access in response to a
subpoena or court order.
·
A school or institution of postsecondary
education to which a student seeks or intends to enroll or in which he or she
subsequently enrolls.
Release to any other person or agency—such as a prospective
employer or for a scholarship application—will occur only with parental or
student permission as appropriate.
The campus principal is custodian of all records for
currently enrolled students at the assigned school. The superintendent is the custodian of all
records for students who have withdrawn or graduated.
A parent or eligible student who provides a written request
and pays copying costs of ten cents per page may obtain copies. If circumstances prevent inspection during
regular school hours and the student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals,
the district will either provide a copy of the records requested or make other
arrangements for the parent or student to review these records.
The address of the superintendent’s office is 204 Hackberry Road/P.O. Box 217 Holland, TX 76534.
The address(es) of the principals’
offices are: P.O. Box 217 Holland, TX 76534
Any correspondence should be addressed to the campus
principal at the address listed above.
Elementary principal:
Mr. Shane Downing
Middle School principal:
Mrs. Janet Frazier
High School principal:
Mr. Britt Gordon
A parent (or eligible student) may inspect the student’s records
and request a correction if the records are considered inaccurate, misleading,
or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. A request to correct a student’s record
should be submitted to the principal or superintendent. The request must clearly identify the part of
the record that should be corrected and include an explanation of how the
information in the record is inaccurate.
If the district denies the request to amend the records, the parent or
eligible student has the right to request a hearing. If the records are not amended as a result of
the hearing, the parent or eligible student has 30 school days to exercise the
right to place a statement commenting on the information in the student’s
record. Although improperly recorded
grades may be challenged, contesting
a student’s grade in a course is handled through the general complaint process
found in policy FNG(LOCAL). A grade issued by a classroom teacher can be
changed only if, as determined by the board of trustees, the grade is
arbitrary, erroneous, or inconsistent with the district’s grading policy. See FINALITY OF GRADES at FNG(LEGAL,
Report Cards/Progress Reports and
Conferences on page 54, and Student
or Parent Complaints and Concerns on page 27 for an overview of the
process.
The district’s
policy regarding student records found at FL(LEGAL)
and (LOCAL) is available from the principal’s or superintendent’s office or on
the district’s Web site at www.hollandisd.org
The parent’s or
eligible student’s right of access to and copies of student records do not
extend to all records. Materials that
are not considered educational records—such as a teacher’s personal notes about
a student that are shared only with a substitute teacher—do not have to be made
available to the parents or student.
Please note:
Parents or eligible
students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of
Education if they believe the district is not in compliance with federal law
regarding student records. The complaint
may be mailed to:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901
Directory Information
The law permits the district to designate certain personal
information about students as “directory information.” This “directory information” will be released
to anyone who follows procedures for requesting it.
However, release of a student’s directory information may be
prevented by the parent or an eligible student.
This objection must be made in writing to the principal within ten
school days of your child’s first day of instruction for this school year [See the “Notice Regarding Directory
Information and Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information” included
in this handbook OR included in the forms packet.
The district often needs to use student information for the
following school-sponsored purposes: official
recognized activities and sports.
For these specific school-sponsored purposes, the district
would like to use your child’s Student name, address, telephone listing, e-mail
address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, degrees,
honors, awards received, dates of attendance, grade level, most recent
educational institution attended, participation in officially recognized
activities and sports and weight and height of member of athletic teams. This information will not be used for other
purposes without the consent of the parent or eligible student, except as
described above at Directory Information.
Unless you object to the use of your child’s information for
these limited purposes, the school will not need to ask your permission each
time the district wishes to use this information for the school-sponsored
purposes listed.
The district is required by federal law to comply with a
request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education for
students’ names, addresses, and telephone listings, unless parents have advised
the district not to release their child’s information without prior written
consent. A form has been attached for
you to complete if you do not want the district to provide this information to
military recruiters or institutions of higher education.
SECTION II: OTHER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
AND PARENTS
Topics in this section of the handbook contain important
information on academics, school activities, and school operations and
requirements. Take a moment with your
child to become familiar with the various issues addressed in this
section. It is conveniently organized in
alphabetical order to serve as a quick-reference when you or your child has a
question about a specific school-related issue.
Should you be unable to find the information on a particular topic,
please contact your campus principal at:
Mr. Shane Downing: Elementary School - 254-657-2525
Mrs. Janet Frazier: Middle School – 254-657-2224
Mr. Britt Gordon: High School – 254-657-2523
ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make
the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school
activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as
an individual. Absences from class may
result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional
materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid
unnecessary absences. Two state laws,
one dealing with compulsory attendance, the other with attendance for course
credit, are of special interest to students and parents. They are discussed below:
State law requires that a student between the ages of six
and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction
program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is
otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.
A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or
her 18th birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 18 or older has more than five
unexcused absences in a semester, however, the district may revoke the
student’s enrollment. The student’s
presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be
considered trespassing.
Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten
are required to attend school.
State law requires attendance in an accelerated reading
instruction program when kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students
are assigned to such a program. Parents
will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated
reading instruction program as a result of a diagnostic reading instrument.
State law allows
exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of
absences. These include the following
activities and events:
·
Religious holy days;
·
Required court appearances;
·
Activities related to obtaining United States
citizenship;
·
Service as an election clerk; and
·
Documented health-care appointments, including
absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorders.
In addition, a
junior or senior student’s absence of up to two days related to visiting a
college or university may be considered an exemption, provided the student
receives approval from the campus principal, follows the campus procedures to
verify such a visit, and makes up any work missed.
School employees
must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance
law. A student absent without permission
from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional
special instruction, termed “accelerated instruction” by the state; or from
required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance
law and subject to disciplinary action.
A court of law may
also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents if a
school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed
in court if the student:
·
Is absent from school on ten or more days or
parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or
·
Is absent on three or more days or parts of days
within a four-week period.
For a student younger than 12 years of age,
the student’s parent could be charged with a criminal offense based on the
student’s failure to attend school.
If a student
between the ages of 12 and 18 violates the compulsory attendance law, both the
parent and student could be charged with a criminal offense.
If the student is
age 18 or older, the student, but not the student’s parents, would be subject
to penalties as a result of the student’s violation of state compulsory
attendance law. See policy FEA(LEGAL).
Attendance for Credit
To receive credit in a class, a student must attend at least
90 percent of the days the class is offered.
A student who attends at least 75 percent but fewer than 90 percent of
the days the class is offered may receive credit for the class if he or she
completes a plan, approved by the principal, that
allows the student to fulfill the instructional requirements for the
class. If a student is involved in a
criminal or juvenile court proceeding, the approval of the judge presiding over
the case will also be required before the student receives credit for the
class.
If a student attends less than
75 percent of the days a class is offered or has not completed a plan approved
by the principal, then the student will be referred to the attendance review
committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the
absences and how the student can regain credit, if appropriate. See policies at FEC.
In determining whether there were extenuating circumstances
for the absences, the attendance committee will use the following guidelines:
·
All absences will be considered in determining
whether a student has attended the required percentage of days. If makeup work is completed, absences for the
reasons listed above at Exemptions to
Compulsory Attendance will be considered days of attendance for this
purpose.
·
A transfer or migrant student begins to
accumulate absences only after he or she has enrolled in the district.
·
In reaching a decision about a student’s
absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that it is in the best interest
of the student.
·
The committee will consider the acceptability
and authenticity of documented reasons for the student’s absences.
·
The committee will consider whether the absences
were for reasons over which the student or the student’s parent could exercise
any control.
·
The committee will consider the extent to which
the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and
skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
·
The student or parent will be given an
opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and
to talk about ways to earn or regain credit.
The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to
the board of trustees by filing a written request with the superintendent in
accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).
The actual number of days a student must
be in attendance in order to receive credit will depend on whether the
class is for a full semester or for a full year.
When a student must be absent from school, the student—upon
returning to school—must bring a note, signed by the parent that describes the
reason for the absence. A note signed by
the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the
student is 18 or older. A phone call
from a parent will be accepted on the day of the absence.
Doctor’s Note After An Absence for Illness
Upon return to school, a student
absent for more than 3 consecutive days because of a personal illness must
bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or
condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school.
Should the student
develop a questionable pattern of absences, the principal or attendance
committee may require a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the
illness or condition that caused the student’s absence from school.
Driver License Attendance
Verification
For a student between the ages of 16
and 18 to obtain a driver license, written parental permission must be provided
for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to access the student’s
attendance records and, in certain circumstances, for a school administrator to
provide the student’s attendance information to DPS.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The school counselor provides
students and parents information regarding academic programs to
prepare for higher education and career choices. For more information, see Academic Counseling on page 28 of this
handbook and policies at EIF.
BULLYING
Bullying occurs when a student or group of students engages
in written or verbal expression or physical conduct against another student and
the behavior:
·
results in harm to the student or the student’s
property,
·
places a student in fear of physical harm or of
damage to the student’s property, or
·
is so severe,
persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or
abusive educational environment.
Bullying is prohibited by the
district and could include hazing, threats, taunting, teasing, assault, demands
for money, confinement, destruction of property, theft of valued possessions,
name-calling, rumor-spreading, and ostracism.
In some cases, bullying can occur through electronic methods, called
“cyberbullying.”
If a student believes that he or she has experienced
bullying or has witnessed bullying of another student, it is important for the
student or parent to notify a teacher, counselor, principal, or another
district employee as soon as possible.
The administration will investigate any allegations of bullying and will
take appropriate disciplinary action if an investigation indicates that
bullying has occurred. Disciplinary or
other action may be taken even if the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying.
Any retaliation against a
student who reports an incident of bullying is prohibited.
Also see School Hazing
on page 45, and policy FFI(LOCAL).]
The district offers career and technology programs in Agriculture,
Family and Consumer Science, technology (computer applications), business, and
health/science career technology. Holland
ISD will take steps to ensure that lack of English language skills will not be
a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational
programs.
The district has established a plan for addressing child
sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children, which may be accessed by
contacting your campus principal. As a
parent, it is important for you to be aware of warning signs that could
indicate a child may have been or is being sexually abused. Sexual abuse in the Texas Family Code is
defined as any sexual conduct harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or
physical welfare as well as a failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent
sexual conduct with a child. Anyone who
suspects that a child has been or may be abused or neglected has a legal
responsibility, under state law, for reporting the suspected abuse or neglect
to law enforcement or to Child Protective Services (CPS).
Possible
physical warning signs of sexual abuse could be difficulty sitting or walking,
pain in the genital areas, and claims of stomachaches and headaches. Behavioral indicators may include verbal
references or pretend games of sexual activity between adults and children,
fear of being alone with adults of a particular gender, or sexually suggestive
behavior. Emotional warning signs to be
aware of include withdrawal, depression, sleeping and eating disorders, and
problems in school.
A child who has experienced sexual abuse or any other type
of abuse or neglect should be encouraged to seek out a trusted adult. Be aware as a parent or other trusted adult
that disclosures of sexual abuse may be more indirect than disclosures of
physical abuse and neglect, and it is important to be calm and comforting if
your child, or another child, confides in you.
Reassure the child that he or she did the right thing by telling you.
As a parent, if your child is a victim of sexual abuse, the
campus counselor or principal will provide information regarding counseling
options for you and your child available in your area. The Texas Department of Family and Protective
Services (TDFPS) also manages early intervention
counseling programs. To find out what
services may be available in your county, see http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Prevention_and_Early_Intervention/Programs_Available_In_
Your_County/default.asp.
The following Web sites might help you become more aware of
child sexual abuse:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index.aspx?id=2820
http://sapn.nonprofitoffice.com/
http://www.taasa.org/member/materials2.php
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications/txts/childabuse1.shtml
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications/txts/childabuse2.shtml
Reports may be made to:
The Child Protective Services (CPS)
division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
(1 800-252-5400 or on the Web at http://www.txabusehotline.org).
The valedictorian and
salutatorian of Holland
High School shall be
determined on the basis of a four year grade average of all state credit
courses taken. Summer school,
correspondence courses, alternative classes, and credits earned through
advanced placement exams shall not count toward class ranking. However, they do count toward graduation
credit. Courses taken at Temple College
will not be considered for ranking purposes.
These courses may count toward high school graduation credits in certain
circumstances. The ranking period shall
end following the fifth six week reporting period with the final semester grade
being the average of the fourth and fifth six weeks of the senior year.
Ranking Points: Five (5) points
will be awarded each semester for the purpose of ranking for the following
advanced level courses. Physics, Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Higher Math, Spanish II, Algebra
II, Pre-AP Chemistry, Pre-AP Geometry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Spanish III. Ranking points do not appear on the
transcript grades.
All senior students with an
overall four-year average of 90 or above shall be designated as honor
graduates. A student is not eligible for
class ranking unless that student has completed the final five credits in the Holland High School. A student must be classified as a senior
during the first six weeks of the school year to be considered for ranking as
an honor graduate.
For two school years following their graduation, District
graduates who ranked in the top ten percent of their graduating class are
eligible for automatic admission into four-year public universities and
colleges in Texas. Students and parents should contact the
counselor for further information about how to apply and the deadline for
application.
[For further
information, see policies at EIC.]
For two school years following their graduation, district
graduates who rank in the top ten percent of their graduating class are
eligible for automatic admission into four-year public universities and
colleges in Texas except The University of
Texas at Austin.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board allows The University of Texas at
Austin to
consider only the top 75% of the total number of top 10% graduates who apply
for admission. Students and parents should
contact the counselor. For further information, see policies at EIC.
All students are expected to attend school for the entire
school day and maintain a class/course schedule to fulfill each period of the
day. Exceptions may be made occasionally
by the campus principal for students in grades 9–12 who meet specific criteria
and receive parental consent to enroll in less than a full-day’s schedule. Individual
campus schedules are available in any campus office upon request.
Juniors and seniors at Holland High School
have the opportunity to attend classes in college that will enable them to
pursue productive careers.
To qualify for the college early admissions program students
must be in good standing at the high school and meet college admissions
requirements. Various courses can be
taken for dual credit (high school and college credit) as approved by the Texas
Education Agency or students can take courses only for college credit.
The mission of the Holland ISD is to provide educational
opportunities for all its students.
Therefore, it is the policy of the Holland ISD to pay the tuition for
the college course work as long as the student continues to make satisfactory
progress toward the completion of the course.
If a student withdraws from the course or is forced to withdraw because
of non attendance, the student will be required to reimburse the school
district for the tuition expense.
Transportation is provided to the college each day and students are
required to ride the bus unless arrangements have been make in advance with the
principal. Daily attendance will be
checked at Temple
College. Books are purchased by the student unless
otherwise specified.
Students are required by TEA regulations to be enrolled in 4
hours of course work on the Holland
campus to be considered a full time student.
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS
For two school years following
his or her graduation, a district student who graduates in the top ten percent
and, in some cases, the top 25 percent, of his or her class is eligible for
automatic admission into four-year public universities and colleges in Texas if
the student:
·
Completes the Recommended or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program; or
·
Satisfies the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
or earns at least a 1500 out of 2400 on the SAT.
In addition, the student must submit a completed application
for admission in accordance with the deadline established by the college or
university.
The University of Texas at Austin
may limit the number of students automatically admitted to 75 percent of the
University’s enrollment capacity for incoming resident freshmen. For students who are eligible to enroll in
the University of Texas at Austin
during the summer or fall 2012 term, the University will be admitting the top
nine percent of the high school’s graduating class who meet the above
requirements. Additional applicants will
be considered by the University through an independent review process.
Should a college or university adopt an admissions policy
that automatically accepts the top 25 percent of a graduating class, the
provisions above will also apply to a student ranked in the top 25 percent of
his or her class.
Students and parents should contact HISD counselor, Ms. Melany Cearley, information about automatic
admissions, the application process, and deadlines.
Usually student or parent complaints or concerns can be
addressed by a phone call or a conference with the teacher or principal. For those complaints and concerns that cannot
be handled so easily, the district has adopted a standard complaint policy at FNG(LOCAL) in the district’s policy manual. A copy of this
policy may be obtained in the principal’s or superintendent’s office or on the
district’s Web site at www.holland.k12.tx.us.
In general, the student or parent should submit a written
complaint or contact the campus administrator by phone and request a conference
to address any complaint. If the concern
is not resolved following a conference with the teacher or campus principal, a request for a
conference should be sent to the superintendent. If still unresolved, the district provides
for the complaint to be presented to the board of trustees.
As required by law, the board
has adopted a Student Code of Conduct that prohibits certain behaviors and
defines standards of acceptable behavior—both on and off campus—and
consequences for violation of these standards.
The district has disciplinary authority over a student in accordance
with the Student Code of Conduct.
Students and parents should be familiar with the standards set out in
the Student Code of Conduct, as well as campus and classroom rules.
Disruptions of school operations are not
tolerated and may constitute a misdemeanor offense. As identified by law, disruptions include the
following:
·
Interference with the movement of people at an
exit, entrance, or hallway of a district building without authorization from an
administrator.
·
Interference with an authorized activity by
seizing control of all or part of a building.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt
to prevent participation in an authorized assembly.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats to cause
disruption during an assembly.
·
Interference with the movement of people at an
exit or an entrance to district property.
·
Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt
to prevent people from entering or leaving district property without
authorization from an administrator.
·
Disruption of classes or other school activities
while on district property or on public property that is within 500 feet of
district property. Class disruption
includes making loud noises; trying to entice a student away from, or to
prevent a student from attending, a required class or activity; and entering a
classroom without authorization and disrupting the activity with loud or profane
language or any misconduct.
·
Interference with the
transportation of students in vehicles owned or operated by the district.
Social Events
School rules apply to all school social events. Guests attending these events are expected to
observe the same rules as students, and a student inviting a guest will share
responsibility for the conduct of his or her guest.
A student attending a social event will be asked to sign out
when leaving before the end of the event; anyone leaving before the official
end of the event will not be readmitted.
To protect other students from contagious illnesses,
students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while
contagious. If a parent suspects that
his or her child has a contagious disease, the parent should contact the school
nurse or principal so that other students who might have been exposed to the
disease can be alerted.
The school nurse or the principal’s office can provide
information from the Department of State Health Services regarding these
diseases.
Students and their parents are encouraged to talk with a
school counselor, teacher, or principal to learn more about course offerings,
graduation requirements, and early graduation procedures. Each spring, students in grades 8 through 11
will be provided information on anticipated course offerings for the next
school year and other information that will help them make the most of academic
and CTE opportunities.
To plan for the future, each student should work closely
with the counselor in order to enroll in the high school courses that best
prepare him or her for attendance at a college, university, or training school,
or for pursuit of some other type of advanced education. The counselor can also provide information
about entrance exams and application deadlines, as well as information about
automatic admission to state colleges and universities, financial aid, housing,
and scholarships.
The school counselor is available to assist students with a
wide range of personal concerns, including such areas as social, family, or
emotional issues, or substance abuse.
The counselor may also make available information about community
resources to address these concerns. A
student who wishes to meet with the counselor should notify your campus
administrator.
The school will not
conduct a psychological examination, test,
or treatment without first obtaining the parent’s written consent. Parental consent is not necessary when a
psychological examination, test, or
treatment is required by state or federal law for special education purposes or
by the Texas Education Agency for child abuse investigations and reports.
[For more
information, refer to policies EHBAA(LEGAL),
FFE(LEGAL), and FFG(EXHIBIT).]
A student in grades
9–12 will earn credit for a course only if the final grade is 70 or above. For a two-semester (1 credit) course, the
student’s grades from both semesters will be averaged and credit will be awarded
if the combined average is 70 or above.
Should the student’s combined average be less than 70, the student will
be required to retake the semester in which he or she failed.
A student who has
previously taken a course or subject—but did not receive credit for it—may, in
circumstances determined by the principal or attendance committee, be permitted
to earn credit by passing an exam on the essential knowledge and skills defined
for that course or subject. Prior
instruction may include, for example, incomplete coursework due to a failed
course or excessive absences, homeschooling, or coursework by a student
transferring from a nonaccredited school.
The counselor or
principal would determine if the student could take an exam for this
purpose. If approval is granted, the
student must score at least 70 on the exam to receive credit for the course or
subject.
The attendance review committee may also
offer a student with excessive absences an opportunity to earn credit for a
course by passing an exam.
[For further
information, see the counselor and policy EHDB(LOCAL).]
A student will be permitted to take an exam to earn credit
for an academic course for which the student has had no prior instruction or to
accelerate to the next grade level. The
dates on which exams are scheduled during the 2011–2012 school year include:
Dates Scheduled:
Date Scheduled Course
January 10th All
March 27th All
June (2nd week) All
August (2nd week) All
October 4th All
December 6th All
A student will earn
credit with a passing score of at least 90 on the exam.
A student will earn course credit with a
passing score of at least 90 on the exam.
A student in elementary school will be eligible to accelerate to the
next grade level if the student scores at least 90 on each exam in the subject
areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
If a student plans to take an exam, the
student (or parent) must register with the principal no later than 30 days
prior to the scheduled testing
date. The district will honor a request
by a parent to administer a test on
a date other than the published dates.
If the district agrees to administer a test
other than the one chosen by the district, the student’s parent will be
responsible for the cost of the exam.
[For further information, see policy EHDC(LOCAL).]
The district believes that all students
learn best in an environment free from dating violence, discrimination,
harassment, and retaliation and that their welfare is best served when they are
free from this prohibited conduct while attending school. Students are expected to treat other students
and district employees with courtesy and respect, to avoid behaviors known to
be offensive, and to stop those behaviors when asked or told to stop. District employees are expected to treat
students with courtesy and respect.
The board has established policies and
procedures to prohibit and promptly respond to inappropriate and offensive
behaviors that are based on a person’s race, color, religion, gender, national
origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. [See policy FFH.]
Dating violence occurs
when a person in a current or past dating relationship uses physical, sexual,
verbal, or emotional abuse to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control the other
person in the relationship. Dating violence
also occurs when a person commits these acts against a person in a marriage or
dating relationship with the individual who is or was once in a marriage or
dating relationship with the person committing the offense. This type of conduct is considered harassment
if the conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects the
student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or
activity; creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive
educational environment; or substantially interferes with the student’s
academic performance.
Examples of dating violence against a
student may include, but are not limited to, physical or sexual assaults,
name-calling, put-downs, threats to hurt the student or the student’s family
members or members of the student’s household, destroying property belonging to
the student, threats to commit suicide or homicide if the student ends the
relationship, attempts to isolate the student from friends and family,
stalking, or encouraging others to engage in these behaviors.
Discrimination is defined as any conduct
directed at a student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national
origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law, that negatively
affects the student.
Harassment, in general terms, is conduct so
severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects the student’s ability to
participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity; creates an
intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment; or
substantially interferes with the student’s academic performance. A copy of the district’s policy is available
in the principal’s office and in the superintendent’s office or on the
district’s website: www.hollandisd.org
Examples of harassment may include, but are
not limited to, offensive or derogatory language directed at a person’s
religious beliefs or practices, accent, skin color, or need for accommodation;
threatening or intimidating conduct; offensive jokes, name-calling, slurs, or
rumors; physical aggression or assault; graffiti or printed material promoting
racial, ethnic, or other negative stereotypes; or other kinds of aggressive
conduct such as theft or damage to property.
Sexual harassment of a student by an
employee, volunteer, or another student is prohibited.
Sexual harassment of a student by an
employee or volunteer does not include necessary or permissible physical
contact not reasonably construed as sexual in nature. However, romantic and other inappropriate
social relationships, as well as all sexual relationships, between students and
district employees are prohibited, even if consensual.
Examples of prohibited sexual harassment may
include, but not be limited to, touching private body parts or coercing
physical contact that is sexual in nature; sexual advances; jokes or
conversations of a sexual nature; and other sexually motivated conduct,
communications, or contact.
Retaliation against a person
who makes a good faith report of discrimination or harassment, including dating
violence, is prohibited. Retaliation
against a person who is participating in an investigation of alleged
discrimination or harassment is also prohibited. A person who makes a false
claim or offers false statements or refuses to cooperate with a district
investigation, however, may be subject to appropriate discipline.
Retaliation against a student might occur
when a student receives threats from another student or an employee or when an
employee imposes an unjustified punishment or unwarranted grade reduction. Retaliation does not include petty slights
and annoyances from other students or negative comments from a teacher that are
justified by a student’s poor academic performance in the classroom.
Any student who believes that he or she has
experienced dating violence, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should
immediately report the problem to a teacher, counselor, principal, or other
district employee. The report may be
made by the student’s parent. See policy
FFH(LOCAL) for the appropriate district officials to
whom to make a report.
To the extent possible,
the district will respect the privacy of the student; however, limited
disclosures may be necessary to conduct a thorough investigation and to comply
with law. Allegations of prohibited
conduct, which includes dating violence, discrimination, harassment, and
retaliation, will be promptly investigated.
The district will notify the parents of any student alleged to have
experienced prohibited conduct involving an adult associated with the district.
In the event prohibited conduct involves
another student, the district will notify the parents of the student alleged to
have experienced the prohibited conduct when the allegations, if proven, would
constitute a violation as defined by policy.
If the district’s investigation indicates
that prohibited conduct occurred, appropriate disciplinary or corrective action
will be taken to address the conduct.
The district may take disciplinary action even if the conduct that is
the subject of the complaint was not unlawful.
A student or parent who is dissatisfied with
the outcome of the investigation may appeal in accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).
DISCRIMINATION
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination,
Harassment, and Retaliation on page 30.]
Distance learning
and correspondence courses include courses that encompass the state-required
essential knowledge and skills but are taught through multiple technologies and
alternative methodologies such as mail, satellite, Internet,
video-conferencing, and instructional television.
The Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) has
been established as one method of distance learning. A student has the option, with certain
limitations, to enroll in a course offered through the TxVSN to earn course
credit for graduation. In limited
circumstances, a student in grade 8 may also be eligible to enroll in a course
through the TxVSN.
Depending on the TxVSN course in which a
student enrolls, the course may be subject to the “no pass, no play”
rules. [Also see Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations on page 36.]
If you have
questions or wish to make a request that your child be enrolled in a TxVSN
course, please contact the counselor.
The additional
distance learning opportunities available to district students are online
courses via Temple
College and the
Odysseyware online learning system.
Enrollment in these courses is based upon student eligibility and
approval of the high school administrator.
If a student wishes
to enroll in a correspondence course or a distance learning course that is not
provided through the TxVSN in order to earn credit in a course or subject, the
student must receive permission from the principal prior to enrolling in the
course or subject. If the student does
not receive prior approval, the district will not recognize and apply the
course or subject toward graduation requirements or subject mastery.
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLISHED
MATERIALS OR DOCUMENTS
Publications prepared by and for the school may be posted or
distributed, with the prior approval of the principal, sponsor, or
teacher. Such items may include school
posters, brochures, flyers, etc.
The yearbook, “The Weekly Buzz”, is available to students.
All school publications are under the supervision of a
teacher, sponsor, and the principal.
[See Directory
Information for School-Sponsored Purposes on page 19.
Students must obtain prior approval from the campus
principal before posting, circulating, or distributing written materials, handbills,
photographs, pictures, petitions, films, tapes, posters, or other visual or
auditory materials that were not developed under the oversight of the school.
To be considered, any non-school material must include the name of the
sponsoring person or organization. The
decision regarding approval will be made in two school days.
The principal has designated the high school office
doors/windows, trophy case doors and any outside doorway as the location for
approved non-school materials to be placed for voluntary viewing by
students. [See policies at FNAA.]
A student may appeal a principal’s decision in accordance
with policy FNG(LOCAL). Any student who posts non-school material
without prior approval will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with
the Student
Code of Conduct. Materials
displayed without the principal’s approval will be removed.
Written or printed materials, handbills, photographs,
pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory materials not sponsored by
the district or by a district-affiliated school-support organization will not
be sold, circulated, distributed, or
posted on any district premises by any district employee or by persons or
groups not associated with the district, except as permitted by policies at
GKDA. To be considered for distribution,
any nonschool material must meet the limitations on content established in the
policy, include the name of the sponsoring person or organization, and be
submitted to the campus principal for prior review. The campus principal will approve or reject
the materials within two school days of the time the materials are
received. The requestor may appeal a
rejection in accordance with the appropriate district complaint policy. [See policies at DGBA, FNG, or GF.]
Prior review will not be required for:
·
Distribution of materials by an attendee to
other attendees of a school-sponsored meeting intended for adults and held
after school hours.
·
Distribution of materials by an attendee to
other attendees of a community group meeting held after school hours in
accordance with policy GKD(LOCAL) or a non-curriculum-related
student group meeting held in accordance with FNAB(LOCAL).
·
Distribution for electioneering purposes during
the time a school facility is being used as a polling place, in accordance with
state law.
All nonschool materials distributed under these
circumstances must be removed from district property immediately following the
event at which the materials are distributed.
The District’s dress code is
established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards. Students and parents may determine a
student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with
the following:
·
All shirts/blouses must have a sleeve (either
long or short) and must appropriately cover the chest and mid-section.
·
All pants/shorts/skirts must be at least
knee-length.
·
T-shirts with inappropriate(violent, sexual,
discriminatory or drug or alcohol-related) gestures, slogans or words, or
advertisements will not be allowed
·
Boys are not allowed to wear earrings
·
Students are not allowed to wear nose or eyebrow
studs or other jewelry that might not be appropriate.
·
Students are not allowed to wear any type of
waist chain or chain that dangles from any pant pocket.
·
Students may
not decorate/wear any metallic object or accessory that could be a danger to themselves or others.
This applies to any object worn on the body/clothing or attached to any
student’s personal belongings or school supplies.
·
Oversized or excessively baggy clothing will not
be allowed.
·
The principal will have discretion in
determining whether a dress code violation exists and students may face more
severe disciplinary consequences for repeat violations of the dress code. All dress code requirements are in effect at
all school-sponsored or school related activities both on the Holland ISD
campus and at any other location a school activity or event may take place.
If the principal determines that a student’s grooming or
clothing violates the school’s dress code, the student will be given an
opportunity to correct the problem at school.
If not corrected, the student will be assigned to in-school suspension
for the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent
or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school. Repeated offenses may result in more serious
disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
For safety purposes, the district permits
students to possess personal mobile telephones; however, these devices must
remain turned off during the instructional day, including during all testing, unless they are being used for approved
instructional purposes. A student must
have approval to possess other telecommunications devices such as netbooks,
laptops, tablets, PSP’s, or other portable computers.
The use of mobile telephones or any device
capable of capturing images is strictly prohibited in locker rooms or restroom
areas while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored event.
If a student uses a telecommunications
device without authorization during the school day, the device will be
confiscated. The parent may pick up the
confiscated telecommunications device from the principal’s office for a fee of
$15.
Confiscated telecommunications devices that
are not retrieved by the student or the student’s parents will be disposed of
after the notice required by law. [See
policy FNCE.]
In limited circumstances and in accordance
with law, a student’s personal telecommunications device may be searched by
authorized personnel. [See Searches on page 59 and policy FNF.]
Any disciplinary action will be in accordance with the Student
Code of Conduct. The district will not
be responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen telecommunications devices.
In some cases,
students may find it beneficial or might be encouraged to use personal
telecommunications or other personal electronic devices for instructional
purposes while on campus. Students must
obtain prior approval before using personal telecommunications or other
personal electronic devices for instructional use. Students must also sign a user agreement that
contains applicable rules for use (separate from this handbook). When students are not using the devices for
approved instructional purposes, all devices must be turned off during the
instructional day. Violations of the
user agreement may result in withdrawal of privileges and other disciplinary
action.
To prepare students
for an increasingly technological society, the district has made an investment
in the use of district-owned technology resources for instructional purposes;
specific resources may be issued individually to students. Use of these technological resources, which
include the district’s network systems and use of district equipment, is
restricted to approved
purposes only. Students and parents will
be asked to sign a user agreement (separate from this handbook) regarding use
of these district resources. Violations
of the user agreement may result in withdrawal of privileges and other
disciplinary action.
Students are prohibited from possessing, sending, forwarding,
posting, accessing, or displaying electronic messages that are abusive,
obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing, damaging to another’s
reputation, or illegal. This prohibition
also applies to conduct off school property, whether the equipment used to send
such messages is district-owned or personally owned, if it results in a
substantial disruption to the educational environment. Any person taking, disseminating,
transferring, possessing, or sharing obscene, sexually oriented, lewd, or
otherwise illegal images or other content, commonly referred to as “sexting,”
will be disciplined according to the Student Code of Conduct and may, in
certain circumstances, be reported to law enforcement.
In addition, any
student who engages in conduct that results in a breach of the district’s
computer security will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of
Conduct, and, in some cases, the consequence may rise to the level of
expulsion.
See Course Credit on page 24, Grading Guidelines on page 38, Graduation on page 40, and Standardized Testing on page 60.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, CLUBS,
AND ORGANIZATIONS
Participation in school-sponsored activities is an excellent
way for a student to develop talents, receive individual recognition, and build
strong friendships with other students; participation, however, is a privilege,
not a right.
Eligibility for initial and
continuing participation in many of these activities is governed by state law
and the rules of the University Interscholastic League (UIL)—a statewide
association overseeing interdistrict competition. If a student is involved in an academic,
athletic, or music activity governed by UIL, the student and parent are
expected to know and follow all rules of the UIL organization. [See http://www.uiltexas.org
for additional information.]
The following requirements apply to all extracurricular
activities:
·
A
student who receives at the end of a grading period a grade below 70 in any
academic class—other than an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate
course; or an honors or dual credit course in English language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies, economics, or language other than
English—may not participate in extracurricular activities for at least three
school weeks.
·
A student with disabilities
who fails to meet the standards in the individualized education program (IEP)
may not participate for at least three school weeks.
·
An ineligible student may practice or
rehearse.
·
A student is allowed in a
school year up to 10 absences not related to post-district competition. All extracurricular activities and public
performances, whether UIL activities or other activities approved by the board,
are subject to these restrictions.
·
An absence for participation in an activity that
has not been approved will receive an unexcused absence.
Sponsors of student clubs and performing groups such as the
band, choir, and drill and athletic teams may establish standards of
behavior—including consequences for misbehavior—that are stricter than those
for students in general. If a violation
is also a violation of school rules, the consequences specified by the Student
Code of Conduct or by local policy will apply in addition to any consequences specified
by the organization’s standards of behavior.
Offices and Elections
Officer elections for student groups will be held at the
beginning of each school year.
Materials that are part of the basic educational program are
provided with state and local funds at no charge to a student. A student, however, is expected to provide
his or her own pencils, paper, erasers, notebooks and other classroom supplies
necessary for course completion and may be required to pay certain other fees
or deposits, including:
·
Costs for materials for a class project that the
student will keep.
·
Membership dues in voluntary clubs or student
organizations and admission fees to extracurricular activities.
·
Security deposits, including those collected for
student use of technology equipment (calculators, lap-top computers, etc.)
·
Personal physical education and athletic
equipment and apparel.
·
Voluntarily purchased pictures, publications,
class rings, yearbooks, graduation announcements, etc.
·
Voluntarily purchased student accident
insurance.
·
Musical instrument rental and uniform
maintenance, when uniforms are provided by the district.
·
Personal apparel used in extracurricular
activities that becomes the property of the student.
·
Parking fees and student identification cards.
·
Fees for lost, damaged, or overdue library
books.
·
Fees for driver training courses, if offered.
·
Fees for optional courses offered for credit that require use of facilities not available on
district premises.
·
Summer school for courses that are offered
tuition-free during the regular school year.
·
A reasonable fee for providing transportation to
a student who lives within two miles of the school. See Buses
and Other School Vehicles on page 64.
·
A fee not to exceed $50 for costs of providing
an educational program outside of regular school hours for a student who has
lost credit because of absences and whose parent chooses the program in order
for the student to meet the 90 percent attendance requirement. The fee will be charged only if the parent or
guardian signs a district-provided request form.
Any required fee or deposit may be waived if the student and
parent are unable to pay. Application
for such a waiver may be made to the campus principal. [For further information, see policies at
FP.]
Student groups or classes and/or parent groups may be
permitted to conduct fund-raising drives for approved school purposes. An application for permission must be made to
the Superintendent at least 30 days before the event. [For further information,
see policies at FJ and GE.]
Certain criminal
offenses, including those involving organized criminal activity such as
gang-related crimes, will be enhanced to the next highest category of offense
if they are committed in a gang-free zone.
For purposes of the district, a gang-free zone includes a school bus and
a location in, on, or within 1,000 feet of any district-owned or leased property
or campus playground.
GRADE CLASSIFICATION
After the ninth grade, students are classified according to
the number of credits earned toward graduation.
Credits Earned Classification
5 Grade 10 (Sophomore)
10 Grade 11 (Junior)
15 Grade 12 (Senior)
Grading guidelines for each grade
level or course will be communicated and distributed to students and their
parents by the classroom teacher. These
guidelines have been reviewed by each applicable curriculum department and have
been approved by the campus principal.
These guidelines establish the minimum number of assignments, projects,
and examinations required for each grading period. In addition, these guidelines establish how
the student’s mastery of concepts and achievement will be communicated (i.e.,
letter grades, numerical averages, checklist of required skills, etc.). Grading guidelines also outline in what
circumstances a student will be allowed to redo an assignment or retake an
examination for which the student originally made a failing grade.
State law requires a student’s score on an
end-of-course (EOC) assessment to count as 15 percent of the student’s final
grade for the course.
Also see Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 54 for
additional information on grading guidelines.
See Graduation below, Course Credit on page 40, and Standardized Testing on page 60 for
additional information regarding EOC assessments.
GRADE WEIGHTS
Grade Weights will
vary from subject area to subject area with respect for the academic
requirements of a given subject. These
percentages will be used to calculate a students final
term grade. Final grades are calculated
at the end of each six-weeks grading period (6) and will be figured on a 100
point scale using the percentages below.
Final semester grades will be calculated at the end of both the Fall and Spring semesters using the following percentages:
1st
six weeks……………..27%
2nd six-weeks……………27%
3rd six-weeks…………….27%
Semester Final Exam……19%
If a student does
not take a final semester exam in any course, each six-weeks
grade will be averaged as a third of the final semester average and no final
exam grade will be figured into the final semester average.
*** High school
students receive course credit on a semester basis with both semesters averaged
together to determine the amount of credit awarded. Students may receive ½ or 0.5 credit, 1.0
credit or 0 credit on any high school level
course. Students can earn 0.5 credit without earning a full credit on any course. However, if a student receives a failing
grade at the end of the 1st semester and a passing grade at the end
of the 2nd semester, the two grades will be averaged together to
determine whether a full credit can be awarded.
Example 1:
Semester 1 grade = 90%
Semester 2 grade = 65%
Final average = 78%
These two grades
averaged together calculate a final course grade of 78. Although both grades are not considered
passing, credit for the full course will be awarded since the average of both
grades is higher than 70% and the second semester of the course would not need
to be re-taken since the first semester grade is high enough to make-up for the
2nd semester failing grade.
Example 2:
Semester 1 grade = 75
Semester 2 grade = 60
Final average = 68.
In this example, a
student would receive 0.5 credit for semester 1 but 0
credit for semester 2 and would need to re-take the 2nd semester of
the course.
Grading weights by
subject area are listed below. Elective
courses may use different grading scales than the ones listed below depending
on the actual content of a given course, but they will remain very similar to
the core subject areas listed below.
Science courses:
·
Daily work/homework………30%
·
Tests…………………………30%
·
Lab…………………………..25%
·
Quizzes………………………5%
·
Project……………………….10%
Math courses
·
Homework/Quizzes……………………….40%
·
Tests………………………….60%
Social Studies
courses
·
Daily work/homework……….50%
·
Tests………………………….50%
English courses
·
Daily work/homework……….35%
·
Quizzes………………………25%
·
Tests………………………….40%
GRADUATION
To receive a high school diploma
from the district, a student must successfully:
·
Complete the required number of credits;
·
Complete any locally required courses in
addition to the courses mandated by the state; and
·
Depending on the year in which the student is
scheduled to graduate, pass a statewide exit-level exam or achieve the required
cumulative scores on end-of-course (EOC) assessments.
The exit-level test,
currently required for students in grade 11, covers English language arts,
mathematics, science, and social studies and requires knowledge of Algebra I
and Geometry; Biology and Integrated Chemistry and Physics; English III; and
early American and United States History, World History, and World
Geography. Students in grades 10 and 11
during the 2011–2012 school year must pass the
exit-level test to graduate. A student in grade 12 who has not passed the
exit-level test will have
opportunities to retake it.
Also see Standardized Testing on page 60 for
more information.
Beginning with students who enter grade 9 in
the 2011–2012 school year, EOC assessments will be administered for the
following courses and will replace the exit-level test
as mentioned above: English I, English
II, English III, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
World Geography, World History, and United States History. Students graduating under the Minimum Program
must take EOC assessments only for courses in which they are enrolled and for
which there is an EOC assessment. Each
student will be required to achieve certain scores on the applicable EOC assessments
to graduate, depending on the graduation program in which the student is
enrolled. A student who has not achieved
sufficient scores on the EOC assessments to graduate will have opportunities to
retake the assessments.
If a student fails
to perform satisfactorily on an EOC assessment, the district will provide
remediation to the student in the content area for which the performance
standard was not met.
Also see Grading Guidelines above and Standardized Testing on page 60 for
more information.
Graduation Programs
The district offers the graduation
programs listed below. All students
entering grade 9 are required to enroll in the Recommended Program or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program.
Permission to enroll in the Minimum Program will be granted only if a
written agreement is reached among the student, the student’s parent or person
standing in parental relation, and the counselor or appropriate
administrator. In order for a student to
take courses under the Minimum Program, the student must be at least 16 years
of age; have completed at least two credits each in English language arts,
math, science, and social studies courses that are required for graduation; or
have failed grade 9 one or more times.
[See policy EIF(LEGAL).]
Effective with ninth graders in the
2011–2012 school year, in addition to the credit and
course requirements for each program, performance on EOC assessments will be
linked to a student’s eligible graduation program. To graduate, a student must meet a minimum
cumulative score set by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for each content
area: English, mathematics, science, and
social studies. To determine whether the
student meets the cumulative score, the student’s EOC assessment scores in each
content area will be added together. If
the student’s total score on the assessments within the content area is not
equal to or greater than the cumulative score set by TEA, the student may
retake any of the assessments in that content area until the student achieves
the cumulative score. A student who does
not make the minimum required score on any individual assessment will be
required to retake that assessment.
To graduate on the
Recommended Program, a student must perform satisfactorily on the Algebra II
and English III EOC assessments, in addition to meeting the cumulative score
requirements described above. To
graduate on the Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program, a student must demonstrate
advanced academic performance on the Algebra II and English III EOC
assessments, commonly referred to as college and career readiness standards, in
addition to successfully meeting performance standards on the other EOC
assessments. If this standard is not
met, the student will graduate under the Recommended Program, regardless of
whether the student has met all other requirements for graduation under the
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program.
All students must
meet the following credit and course requirements for graduation under the
programs listed:
|
Courses
|
Number of
credits Minimum Program
|
Number of
credits
Recommended Program
|
Number of
credits
Advanced/
Distinguished Achievement Program
|
|
English/Language Arts
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
|
Mathematics
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Science
|
2 or 3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Social Studies
|
2.5 or 3.5
|
3.5
|
3.5
|
|
Economics
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Physical Education*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
Speech
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Language other than English
|
|
2
|
3
|
|
Fine Arts
|
1 (effective for
grade 9 in 2010–2011 school year and thereafter)
|
1
|
1
|
|
Electives
|
7.5 credits (prior to 2010–2011)
6.5 credits (2010–2011 and
thereafter)
|
5.5 credits
|
4.5 credits
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
Completion of 4
Advanced Measures**
|
|
TOTAL
|
22 credits
|
26 credits
|
26 credits
|
* A student who is
unable to participate in physical activity due to a disability or illness may
be able to substitute a course in English language arts, mathematics, science,
or social studies for the required credit of physical education. This determination will be made by the
student’s ARD committee, Section 504 committee, or other campus committee, as
applicable.
** A student graduating under the
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program must also achieve a combination of
four of the following advanced measures:
1.
An original research project or other project that is
related to the required curriculum.
These projects must be judged by a panel of professionals or conducted
under the direction of a mentor and reported to an appropriate audience. Please note that no more than two of the four
advanced measures may be received from this option.
2.
Test data where a student receives:
3.
A score of three or above on an Advanced Placement (AP)
exam;
4.
A score of four or above on an International
Baccalaureate (IB) exam; or
5.
A score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) that qualifies the student for recognition as a
commended scholar or higher by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship
Corporation, as part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) of the
College Board, or as part of the National Achievement Scholarship Program of
the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The PSAT/NMSQT score will count as only one advanced measure regardless
of the number of honors received by the student.
3.
College academic courses, including those taken for
dual credit, and advanced technical courses, including locally articulated
courses, provided the student scores the equivalent of a 3.0 or higher.
Information
regarding specific courses required or offered in each curriculum area, along
with a description of advanced measures available to students in the
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program from the options listed above, will
be distributed to students each spring in order to enroll in courses for the
upcoming school year.
Please be aware
that not all courses are offered at every secondary campus in the
district. A student who wants to take a
course not offered at his or her regular campus should contact the counselor
about a transfer or other alternatives.
If the parents of at least 22 students request a transfer for those
students to take a course in the required curriculum other than fine arts or
CTE, the district will offer the course for the following year either by
teleconference or at the school from which the transfers were requested.
Certificates of Coursework
Completion
A certificate of coursework completion will be issued to a
senior student who successfully completes state and local credit requirements
for graduation but fails to perform satisfactorily on the exit-level tests.
Upon the recommendation of the admission, review, and
dismissal (ARD) committee, a student with disabilities may be permitted to
graduate under the provisions of his or her individualized education program
(IEP).
A student who receives special education services and has
completed four years of high school, but has not met the requirements of his or
her IEP, may participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate of
attendance. Even if the student participates
in graduation ceremonies to receive the certificate of attendance, he or she
may remain enrolled to complete the IEP and earn his or her high school
diploma; however, the student will only be allowed to participate in one
graduation ceremony.
[See FMH(LEGAL).]
Please also be aware that if an ARD committee places a
student with a disability on a modified curriculum in a subject area, the
student will be automatically placed in the Minimum Program, in accordance with
state rules.
If a student receiving special
education services is scheduled to graduate under the Minimum Program or in
accordance with the provisions of his or her IEP, the student’s ARD committee
will determine whether the general EOC assessment is an accurate measure of the
student’s achievement and progress or whether an alternative assessment is more
appropriate. STAAR Modified and STAAR
Alternate are the alternative assessments currently allowed by the state. [See Standardized
Testing for additional information.]
If a student takes the STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate assessment, the
student’s ARD committee will determine whether the score on an EOC assessment
will count as 15 percent of a student’s final grade, as well as whether
successful performance and a cumulative score on the EOC assessments will be
required for graduation.
Graduation activities will include:
·
Prom
·
Project Celebration
·
Sr. Walk and pictures
·
Commencement
Any student who elects to attend the “Choice” Program at the Bell County
Alternative School will
be eligible to participate in the activities listed above. However, students who are enrolled in the
Choice Program during the annual senior trip will not be eligible to attend this
event.
Graduating students will be
given an opportunity to provide opening and closing remarks during the
graduation ceremony. Only those students
who satisfy the requirements of Valedictorian, Salutatorian, 3rd,
ranking graduate and 4th ranking graduate will be eligible to give
these remarks; however, if the student was assigned to disciplinary placement
at any time during the spring semester, he or she will not be eligible to speak
at graduation.
Students eligible to give the opening and closing remarks
will be notified by the principal and given an opportunity to volunteer. In the event there are more eligible students
volunteering than there are speaking roles at the graduation ceremony, the names
of all eligible students who volunteered will be randomly drawn. The student whose name is drawn first will
give the opening remarks and the student whose name is drawn second will give
the closing remarks.
[For student speakers
at other school events, see Student
Speakers on page 63.]
[See FNA(LOCAL).]
Because students and parents will incur expenses in order to
participate in the traditions of graduation—such as the purchase of
invitations, senior ring, cap and gown, and senior picture—both student and
parent should monitor progress toward completion of all requirements for
graduation. The expenses often are
incurred in the junior year or first semester of the senior year. See Student
Fees on page 36.
·
Students who have a financial need according to
federal criteria and who complete the Recommended Program or
Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program may be eligible under the T.E.X.A.S.
Grant Program for tuition and fees to Texas
public universities, community colleges, and technical schools, as well as to
private institutions.
·
Contact the counselor for information about
other scholarships and grants available to students.
HARASSMENT
See Dating Violence,
Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 29.
Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless
act occurring on or off campus directed against a student that endangers the
mental or physical health or the safety of a student for the purpose of
pledging, being initiated to, affiliating with, holding office in, or
maintaining membership in any organization whose members are or include other
students.
Hazing will not be tolerated
by the district. If an incident of
hazing occurs, disciplinary consequences will be handled in accordance with the
Student Code of Conduct. It is a
criminal offense if a person engages in hazing; solicits, encourages, directs,
aids, or attempts to aid another in hazing; or has firsthand knowledge of an
incident of hazing being planned or having occurred and fails to report this to
the principal or superintendent.
[Also see Bullying
on page 23 and policies FFI and FNCC.]
State law
specifically requires the district to provide the following information:
·
What is meningitis?
Meningitis
is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites,
fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is
most common and the least serious. Bacterial
meningitis is the most common form of serious bacterial infection with the
potential for serious, long-term complications.
It is an uncommon disease, but requires urgent treatment with
antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.
·
What are the symptoms?
Someone
with meningitis will become very ill.
The illness may develop over one or two days, but it can also rapidly
progress in a matter of hours. Not
everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms.
Children
(over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high
temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness or joint
pains, and drowsiness or confusion. In
both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body.
The
diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and
laboratory results.
·
How serious is bacterial meningitis?
If
it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, the majority of people make a
complete recovery. In some cases it can
be fatal or a person may be left with a permanent disability.
·
How is bacterial meningitis spread?
Fortunately,
none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like
the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by
simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. The germs live naturally in the back of our
noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the body. They are spread when people exchange saliva
(such as by kissing, sharing drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes).
The
germ does not cause meningitis in most people.
Instead, most people become carriers of the germ for days, weeks, or
even months. The bacteria rarely
overcome the body’s immune system and cause meningitis or another serious
illness.
·
How can bacterial meningitis be prevented?
Do
not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes. Limit the number of persons you kiss.
While
there are vaccines for some other strains of bacterial meningitis, they are
used only in special circumstances.
These include when there is a disease outbreak in a community or for
people traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting the
disease. Also, a vaccine is recommended
by some groups for college students, particularly freshmen living in dorms or
residence halls. The vaccine is safe and
effective (85–90 percent). It can cause
mild side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to
two days. Immunity develops within seven
to ten days after the vaccine is given and lasts for up to five years.
·
What should you do if you think you or a friend
might have bacterial meningitis?
You
should seek prompt medical attention.
·
Where can you get more information?
Your school nurse, family doctor, and the
staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent sources
for information on all communicable diseases.
You may also call your local health department or Regional Department of
State Health Services office to ask about a meningococcal vaccine. Additional information may also be found at
the Web sites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov,
and the Department of State Health Services, http://www.dshs.state.tx.us.
The district
requests to be notified when a student has been diagnosed with a food allergy,
especially those allergies that could result in dangerous or possibly
life-threatening reactions either by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact
with the particular food. It is
important to disclose the food to which the student is allergic, as well as the
nature of the allergic reaction. Please
contact the school nurse or campus principal if your child has a known food
allergy or as soon as possible after any diagnosis of a food allergy.
Physical Activity for Students in
Elementary and Middle School
In accordance with policies at EHAB,
EHAC, EHBG, [and FFA], the district will ensure that students in full-day
prekindergarten through grade 5 engage in moderate or vigorous physical
activity for at least 30 minutes per day or 135 minutes per week.
Students in middle
or junior high school will engage in [30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per day for at
least four semesters OR at least 225 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical
activity within each two-week period for at least four semesters].
For additional
information on the district’s requirements and programs regarding elementary,
middle, and junior high school student physical activity requirements, please
see the principal.
School Health Advisory Council
During the preceding school year,
the district’s School Health Advisory Council held 2 meetings. Additional information regarding the
district’s School Health Advisory Council is available from the HISD athletic
department at (254)657-2646.. [See also policies at BDF and EHAA.]
The duties of the
SHAC range from recommending curriculum to developing strategies for
integrating curriculum into a coordinated school health program encompassing
school health services, counseling services, a safe and healthy school
environment, recess recommendations, and employee wellness. See policies at BDF and EHAA.
Physical Fitness Assessment
Annually, the district will conduct a physical fitness
assessment of students in grades 3–12.
At the end of the school year, a parent may submit a written request to
Mr. Gary Ramthun, HISD Athletic
Director, to
obtain the results of his or her child’s physical fitness assessment conducted
during the school year.
The district has adopted policies and implemented procedures
to comply with state and federal food service guidelines for restricting
student access to vending machines. For
more information regarding these policies and guidelines see contact Ms. Connie Knaus.
[See policies at CO and FFA.]
The district and its staff
strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of tobacco products by students
and others on school property and at school-sponsored and school-related
activities. [See the Student Code of
Conduct and policies at FNCD and GKA.]
The district works diligently to maintain compliance with
federal and state law governing asbestos in school buildings. A copy of the district’s Asbestos Management
Plan is available in the superintendent’s office. If you have any questions or would like to
examine the district’s plan in more detail, please contact Mr. Larry Coufal, the district’s designated asbestos
coordinator, at (254) 657-0175.
Pest
Management Plan
The district is required to follow integrated pest management
(IPM) procedures to control pests on school grounds. Although the district strives to use the
safest and most effective methods to manage pests, including a variety of
non-chemical control measures, pesticide use is sometimes necessary to maintain
adequate pest control and ensure a safe, pest-free school environment.
All pesticides used are registered for their intended use by
the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are applied only by
certified pesticide applicators. Except
in an emergency, signs will be posted 48 hours before indoor application. All outdoor applications will be posted at
the time of treatment, and signs will remain until it is safe to enter the
area. Parents who have further questions
or who want to be notified prior to pesticide application inside their child’s
school assignment area may contact Mr. Frank Wooley,
the district’s IPM coordinator, at (254) 657-0175.
For more information on services for homeless students,
contact the district’s Liaison for Homeless Children and Youths, Cindy Gunn at (254)
657-0175.
Homework will be assigned to reinforce academic achievement
and ensure student success on the state mandated curriculum. Parental support is recommended and
encouraged.
A student must be fully immunized against certain diseases
or must present a certificate or statement that, for medical reasons or reasons
of conscience, including a religious belief, the student will not be
immunized. For exemptions based on
reasons of conscience, only official forms issued by the Texas Department of
State Health Services (DSHS), Immunization Branch, can be honored by the
district. This form may be obtained by
writing the DSHS Immunization Branch (MC 1946), P.O. Box 149347, Austin, Texas
78714-9347; or online at https://webds.dshs.state.tx.us/immco/affidavit.shtm. The form must be notarized and submitted to
the principal or school nurse within 90 days of notarization. If the parent is seeking an exemption for
more than one student in the family, a separate form must be provided for each
student.
The immunizations required are: diphtheria, rubeola
(measles), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis
(polio), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), and
meningococcal. The school nurse can
provide information on age-appropriate doses or on an acceptable
physician-validated history of illness required by the Department of State
Health Services. Proof of immunization
may be established by personal records from a licensed physician or public
health clinic with a signature or rubber-stamp validation.
If a student should not be immunized for medical reasons,
the student or parent must present a certificate signed by a U.S. licensed physician stating
that, in the doctor’s opinion, the immunization required poses a significant
risk to the health and well-being of the student or member of the student’s
family or household. This certificate
must be renewed yearly unless the physician specifies a life-long
condition. [For further information, see
policy FFAB(LEGAL) and the Department of State Health
Services Web site: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/school/default.shtm.]
When law enforcement officers or other lawful authorities
wish to question or interview a student at school, the principal will cooperate
fully regarding the conditions of the interview, if the questioning or
interview is part of a child abuse investigation. In other circumstances:
·
The principal will verify and record the
identity of the officer or other authority and ask for an explanation of the
need to question or interview the student at school.
·
The principal ordinarily will make reasonable
efforts to notify the parents unless the interviewer raises
what the principal considers to be a valid objection.
·
The principal ordinarily will be present unless
the interviewer raises what the principal considers to
be a valid objection.
State law requires the district to permit a student to be
taken into legal custody:
·
To comply with an order of the juvenile court.
·
To comply with the laws of arrest.
·
By a law enforcement
officer if there is probable cause to believe the student has engaged in
delinquent conduct or conduct in need of supervision.
·
By a probation officer if there is probable
cause to believe the student has violated a condition of probation imposed by
the juvenile court.
·
By an authorized representative of Child
Protective Services, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a law
enforcement officer, or a juvenile probation officer, without a court order,
under the conditions set out in the Family Code relating to the student’s
physical health or safety.
·
To comply with a properly issued directive to
take a student into custody.
Before a student is released to a law enforcement officer or
other legally authorized person, the principal will verify the officer’s
identity and, to the best of his or her ability, will verify the official’s
authority to take custody of the student.
The principal will immediately notify the superintendent and
will ordinarily attempt to notify the parent unless the officer or other
authorized person raises what the principal considers
to be a valid objection to notifying the parents. Because the principal does not have the
authority to prevent or delay a student’s release to a law enforcement officer,
any notification will most likely be after the fact.
The district is required by state law to notify:
·
All instructional and support personnel who have
responsibility for supervising a student who has been arrested or referred to
the juvenile court for any felony offense or for certain misdemeanors.
·
All instructional and support personnel who have
regular contact with a student who is required to register as a sex offender or
who has been convicted, received deferred prosecution, received deferred
adjudication, or was adjudicated for delinquent conduct for any felony offense
or certain misdemeanors.
[For further
information, see policies FL(LEGAL) and GRA(LEGAL).]
A student with
limited English proficiency (LEP) is entitled to receive specialized services
from the district. To determine whether
the student qualifies for services, a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee
(LPAC) will be formed, which will consist of both district personnel and at
least one parent representative. The
student’s parent must consent to any services recommended by the LPAC for a LEP
student.
In order to determine
a student’s level of proficiency in English, the LPAC will use information from
a variety of assessments. If the student
qualifies for services and once a level of proficiency has been established,
the LPAC will then designate instructional accommodations or additional special
programs the student will require to eventually become proficient at grade
level work in English. Ongoing
assessments will be conducted to determine a student’s continued eligibility for
the program.
The LPAC will also determine whether certain
accommodations are necessary for any state-mandated assessments. The STAAR-L, as mentioned at Standardized Testing, below, may be
administered to a LEP student. The Texas
English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) will also be
administered to LEP students who qualify for services.
If a student is
considered LEP and receives special education services because of a qualifying
disability, the student’s ARD committee will make these decisions.
MAKEUP WORK
For any class missed, the teacher may
assign the student makeup work based on the instructional objectives for the
subject or course and the needs of the individual student in mastering the
essential knowledge and skills or in meeting subject or course requirements.
A student will be responsible for obtaining and completing
the makeup work in a satisfactory manner and within the time specified by the
teacher. [For further information, see
policy EIAB(LOCAL).]
A student who does not make up assigned work within the time
allotted by the teacher will receive a grade of zero for the assignment.
A student will be permitted to make up tests and turn in projects or assignments due in
any class missed because of absence.
Teachers may assign a late penalty to any long-term project in
accordance with time lines approved by the principal and previously
communicated to students.
Students will receive one additional day for each day of
class missed to turn-in all assigned make-up work.
Assignments/exams missed by a student due to an unexcused
absence must be made-up but will not receive a grade higher than “70” on any
assignments missed due to the absence.
A student removed to a
disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) during the school year will
have an opportunity to complete, before the beginning of the next school year,
a foundation curriculum course in which the student was enrolled at the time of
removal. The district may provide the
opportunity to complete the course through an alternative method, including a
correspondence course, another distance learning option, or summer school. The district will not charge the student for
any method of completion provided by the district. [See policy FOCA(LEGAL).]
In-school
Suspension Makeup Work
A student removed from the
regular classroom to in-school suspension or another setting, other than a
DAEP, will have an opportunity to complete before the beginning of the next
school year each course the student was enrolled in at the time of removal from
the regular classroom. The district may
provide the opportunity by any method available, including a correspondence
course, distance learning, or summer school.
The district will not charge the student for any method of completion
provided by the district. [See policy FO(LEGAL).]
MEDICINE AT SCHOOL
District employees will not give a student prescription
medication, nonprescription medication, herbal substances, anabolic steroids,
or dietary supplements, with the following exceptions:
·
Only authorized employees, in accordance with
policies at FFAC, may administer:
·
Prescription medication, in the original,
properly labeled container, provided by the parent, along with a written
request.
·
Prescription medication from a properly labeled
unit dosage container filled by a registered nurse or another qualified
district employee from the original, properly labeled container.
·
Nonprescription medication, in the original,
properly labeled container, provided by the parent along with a written
request.
·
Herbal or dietary supplements provided by the
parent only if required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP)
or Section 504 plan for a student with disabilities.
·
In certain emergency situations, the district
will maintain and administer to a student nonprescription medication, but only:
·
In accordance with the guidelines developed with
the district’s medical advisor; and
·
When the parent has previously provided written
consent to emergency treatment on the district’s form.
A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction
(anaphylaxis) may be permitted to possess and use prescribed asthma or
anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or she has
written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed
health-care provider. The student must
also demonstrate to his or her physician or health-care provider and to the
school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device
required to administer the medication.
If the student has been prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis
medication for use during the school day, the student and parents should
discuss this with the school nurse or principal.
In accordance with a student’s individual health plan for
management of diabetes, a student with diabetes will be permitted to possess
and use monitoring and treatment supplies and equipment while at school or at a
school-related activity. See the campus
principal for information. [See policy FFAF(LEGAL).]
A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the diagnosis,
treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. It is intended to have an altering effect on
perception, emotion, or behavior and is commonly described as a mood- or
behavior-altering substance.
Teachers and other district employees may discuss a
student’s academic progress or behavior with the student’s parents or another
employee as appropriate; however, they are not permitted to recommend use of
psychotropic drugs. A district employee
who is a registered nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner, a physician, or a
certified or credentialed mental health professional can recommend that a
student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practitioner, if
appropriate. [For further information,
see policies at FFAC.]
In its efforts to promote
nondiscrimination, Holland ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race,
religion, color, national origin, gender, or disability in providing education
services, activities, and programs, including CTE programs, in accordance with
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the
Educational Amendments of 1972; and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, which incorporates and expands upon the
requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
The following district representatives have been designated
to coordinate compliance with these legal requirements:
·
Title IX Coordinator, for concerns regarding
discrimination on the basis of gender: Mrs.
Cindy Gunn, P.O. Box 217,
Holland, Tx 76534. (254) 657-0175.
·
ADA/Section 504 Coordinator,
for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of disability: Mrs. Janet Frazier,
P.O. Box 217, Holland, TX 76534. (254) 657-2224.
·
All other concerns regarding
discrimination: See the superintendent, Mrs.
Cindy Gunn, P.O. Box 217,
Holland, Tx 76534. (254) 657-0175.
·
[See
policies FB(LOCAL) and FFH(LOCAL).]
It is understood that some students may excel in a
non-traditional classroom setting. This setting will be located at the Bell County
Alternative School and
has been named “The Choice Program”. A
conference will be held including the student’s parent, the school principal,
counselor and one or more teachers to determine whether this type of placement
would be academically beneficial for the student in question and to determine
student eligibility for participation in the “Choice Program”.
All students in grades 7 & 9 must have a physical exam
on file prior to UIL athletic participation.
A school-based clinic is located
on the Holland ISD campus and provides a full-time registered nurse and a staff
doctor from Scott and White who is on campus once each week.
All health problems are referred
to the health center and parents will be contacted before medications are
administered.
Each school day, students will
recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag. Parents may submit a written request to the
principal to excuse their child from reciting a pledge.
One minute of silence will follow recitation of the
pledges. Each student may choose to
reflect, pray, meditate, or engage in any other silent activity during that
minute so long as the silent activity does not interfere with or distract
others. [See policy EC(LEGAL)
for more information.]
PRAYER
Each student has a right to individually, voluntarily, and
silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not disrupt
instructional or other activities of the school. The school will not encourage, require, or
coerce a student to engage in or to refrain from such prayer or meditation
during any school activity.
A student will be promoted only on
the basis of academic achievement or demonstrated proficiency in the subject
matter of the course or grade level, the recommendation of the student’s
teacher, the score received on any criterion-referenced or state-mandated
assessment, and any other necessary academic information as determined by the
district. To earn credit in a course, a
student must receive a grade of at least 70 based on course-level or
grade-level standards.
In addition, at certain grade levels a
student—with limited exceptions—will be required to pass the State of Texas
Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), if the student is enrolled in a
public Texas school on any day between January 1 and the date of the first
administration of the STAAR.*
·
In order to be promoted to grade 6, students
enrolled in grade 5 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading
sections of the grade 5 assessment in English or
Spanish.
·
In order to be promoted to grade 9, students
enrolled in grade 8 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading
sections of the grade 8 assessment in English.
* Because the
2011–2012 school year is the first year of
implementation of the STAAR, students will not be required by state law to
perform satisfactorily on the grade 5 or 8 STAARs for this one year only in
order to be promoted to the next grade level.
If a student in
grade 5 or 8 is enrolled in a course that earns high school credit and for
which an end-of-course (EOC) assessment will be administered or in a course
intended for students above the student’s current grade level in which the
student will be administered a state mandated assessment, the student will not
be subject to the promotion requirements described above for the relevant grade
5 or 8 assessment. However, the
student’s score on the EOC assessment will be used in determining whether the
student meets the minimum cumulative score required for graduation.
If a student is
enrolled in a class or course intended for students above his or her current
grade level in which the student will be administered a state mandated
assessment, the student will only be required to take an applicable state
mandated assessment for the course in which he or she is enrolled.
[See Standardized Testing on page 60.]
Parents of a
student in grades 3–8 who does not perform satisfactorily on his or her exams will
be notified that their child will participate in special instructional programs
designed to improve performance. The
student may be required to participate in this instruction before or after
normal school hours or outside of the normal school year.
With the exception of the 2011–2012 school year, a student in grade 5 or 8 will have two additional
opportunities to take a failed assessment.
If a student fails a second time, a grade placement committee,
consisting of the principal or designee, the teacher, and the student’s parent,
will determine the additional special instruction the student will
receive. After a third failed attempt,
the student will be retained; however, the parent can appeal this decision to
the committee. In order for the student
to be promoted, based on standards previously established by the district, the
decision of the committee must be unanimous and the student must complete
additional special instruction before beginning the next grade level. Whether
the student is retained or promoted, an educational plan for the student will
be designed to enable the student to perform at grade level by the end of the
next school year. [See policies at EIE.]
Certain students—some
with disabilities and some with limited English proficiency—may be eligible for
exemptions, accommodations, or deferred testing. For more information, see the principal,
counselor, or special education director.
A Personal Graduation Plan (PGP) will be
prepared for any student in a middle school or beyond who did not perform
satisfactorily on a state-mandated assessment or is determined by the district
as not likely to earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year
following enrollment in grade 9. The PGP
will be designed and implemented by a guidance counselor, teacher, or other
staff member designated by the principal.
The plan will, among other items, identify the student’s educational
goals, address the parent’s educational expectations for the student, and
outline an intensive instruction program for the student. [For additional information, see the policy EIF(LEGAL).] For a
student receiving special education services, the student’s IEP may serve as
the student’s PGP and would therefore be developed by the student’s ARD
committee.
RELEASE OF STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL
Because class time is important, doctor’s appointments
should be scheduled, if possible, at times when the student will not miss
instructional time.
A student who will need to leave school during the day must
bring a note from his or her parent that morning and follow the campus sign-out
procedures before leaving the campus.
Otherwise, a student will not be released from school at times other
than at the end of the school day.
Unless the principal or superintendent has granted approval because of
extenuating circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the
end of the instructional day.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, the student
should receive permission from the teacher before reporting to the school
nurse. The nurse will decide whether or
not the student should be sent home and will notify the student’s parent.
Report cards with each student’s grades or performance and
absences in each class or subject are issued to parents at least once every 6 weeks.
At the end of the first three weeks of a grading
period, parents will be given a written progress report if their child’s
performance is 75 or below, or is below the expected level of performance. If the student receives a grade lower than 70
in any class or subject at the end of a grading period, the parent will be
requested to schedule a conference with the teacher of that class or subject.
Teachers follow district-approved
grading guidelines pursuant to the board-adopted policy and are designed to
reflect each student’s relative mastery of each assignment for the grading
period, semester, or course. State law
provides that a test or course grade
issued by a teacher cannot be changed unless the board determines that the
grade was arbitrary or contains an error, or that the teacher did not follow
the district’s grading policy. [See
policy EIA(LOCAL) and Grading Guidelines on page 38.]
Questions about grade calculation should first be discussed
with the teacher; if the question is not resolved, the student or parent may
request a conference with the principal in accordance with FNG(LOCAL).
The report card or unsatisfactory progress report will state
whether tutorials are required for a student who receives a grade lower than 70
in a class or subject.
Report
cards and unsatisfactory progress reports must be signed by the parent and
returned to the school within 5 days.
Parents and students may access our online student information
system (Powerschool) at anytime via any internet access point. To access current student assignments, grades
and attendance, please contact your campus office to receive your personalized
username, password
and other instructions for your student.
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination,
Harassment, and Retaliation on page 29.]
SAFETY
Student safety on campus and at school-related events is a
high priority of the district. Although
the district has implemented safety procedures, the cooperation of students is
essential to ensuring school safety. A
student should:
·
Avoid conduct that is likely to put the student
or other students at risk.
·
Follow the behavioral standards in this handbook
and the Student Code of Conduct, as well as any additional rules for
behavior and safety set by the principal, teachers, or bus drivers.
·
Remain alert to and promptly report to a teacher
or the principal any safety hazards, such as intruders on campus or threats
made by any person toward a student or staff member.
·
Know emergency evacuation routes and signals.
·
Follow immediately the instructions of teachers,
bus drivers, and other district employees who are overseeing the welfare of
students.
Soon after the school year begins,
parents will have the opportunity to purchase low-cost accident insurance that
would help meet medical expenses in the event of injury to their child.
Drills: Fire, Tornado, and Other Emergencies
From time to time, students, teachers, and other district
employees will participate in drills of emergency procedures. When the alarm is sounded, students should
follow the direction of teachers or others in charge quickly, quietly, and in
an orderly manner.
Fire alarm sounds/announcement is
made leave the building
Bell rings/announcement is made return to
classrooms
Announcement move quietly but quickly to the designated
locations
Bell rings return
to the classroom
If a student has a medical emergency at school or a
school-related activity when the parent cannot be reached, the school would
need to have written parental consent to obtain emergency medical treatment,
and information about allergies to medications, foods, insect bites, etc. Therefore, parents are asked each year to
complete an emergency care consent form.
Parents should keep emergency care information up-to-date (name of
doctor, emergency phone numbers, allergies, etc.). Please contact the school nurse to update any
information that the nurse or the teacher needs to know.
In case of bad weather, parents
and students are to watch KCEN channel 6, KWTX channel 10, KXXV channel 25, or
listen to Waco-FM 100 for information concerning whether or not Holland will
have school. The usual procedure is for
the administration to call the local stations if there will be no school;
therefore, if there is no announcement, parents can conclude school will be
held on the day in question.
Broadcast messages will be sent
to the phone number parents provide at the beginning of each school year. These messages will communicate emergency
issues, school closings, and other pertinent information.
Notes to parents and/or school
announcements will be used to notify parents of any early dismissal or after
school activity.
See Standardized Testing on page 60.
SCHOOL FACILITIES
Use By
Students Before and After School
Certain areas of the school will be accessible to students
before and after school for specific purposes.
Students are required to remain in the area where their activity is
scheduled to take place.
The following areas are open to students before school,
beginning at 7:30 a.m.
·
Cafeteria (all students)
·
High School Commons (high school students)
·
Middle School Commons (middle school students)
Unless the teacher or sponsor overseeing the activity gives
permission, a student will not be permitted to go to another area of the
building or campus.
After dismissal of school in the afternoon, and unless
involved in an activity under the supervision of a teacher, students must leave
campus immediately.
Teachers and administrators have full authority over student
conduct at before- or after-school activities on district premises and at
school-sponsored events off district premises, such as play rehearsals, club
meetings, athletic practices, and special study groups or tutorials. Students are subject to the same rules of
conduct that apply during the instructional day and will be subject to
consequences established by the Student Code of Conduct or any
stricter standards of behavior established by the sponsor for extracurricular participants.
Loitering or standing in the
halls during class is not permitted.
During class time, a student must have a hall pass to be outside the
classroom for any purpose. Failure to
obtain a pass will result in disciplinary action in accordance with the Student
Code of Conduct.
The district participates in the National School Lunch
Program and offers students nutritionally balanced lunches daily. Free and reduced-price lunches are available
based on financial need. Information
about a student’s participation is confidential. See your campus secretary to apply.
The district follows the federal and state guidelines regarding
foods of minimal nutritional value being served or sold on school premises
during the school day. [For more
information, see policy CO(LEGAL).]
A debit system is in place for school meals. Parents deposit money into the student’s
account and when a student puts in his/her PIN number, the meal cost is
deducted from the account. When the
balance drops below $5.00, the parent is notified that additional funds need to
be sent to school. Contact the Food
Service Director, Mrs. Connie Knaus, at (254) 657-2265 for further information.
The library is a learning laboratory with books, computers,
magazines, and other materials available for classroom assignments, projects,
and reading or listening pleasure. The
library is open for independent student use during the following times with a teacher permission:
·
8:00
a.m. - 3:40 p.m.
Student-organized, student-led noncurriculum-related groups
are permitted to meet during the hours designated by the principal before and
after school. These groups must comply
with the requirements of policy FNAB(LOCAL).
A list of these groups is available in the principal’s
office.
In the interest of promoting student safety and attempting
to ensure that schools are safe and drug free, district officials may from time
to time conduct searches. Such searches
are conducted without a warrant and as permitted by law.
Use of
district-owned equipment and its network systems is not private and will be
monitored by the district. [See policy
CQ for more information.]
Any searches of personal telecommunications
or other personal electronic devices will be conducted in accordance with law,
and the device may be confiscated in order to perform a lawful search. A confiscated device may be turned over to
law enforcement to determine whether a crime has been committed.
[See policy FNF(LEGAL) for more information.]
Students’ Desks and Lockers
Students’ desks and lockers are school property and remain
under the control and jurisdiction of the school even when assigned to an
individual student.
Students are fully responsible for the security and contents
of their assigned desks and lockers.
Students must be certain that their lockers are locked, and that the
combinations are not available to others.
Searches of desks or lockers may be conducted at any time
there is reasonable cause to believe that they contain articles or materials
prohibited by policy, whether or not a student is present.
The parent will be notified if any prohibited items are
found in the student’s desk or locker.
Vehicles parked on school property are under the
jurisdiction of the school. School
officials may search any vehicle any time there is reasonable cause to do so,
with or without the permission of the student.
A student has full responsibility for the security and content of his or
her vehicle and must make certain that it is locked and that the keys are not
given to others. Students are required to park in areas designated by the
campus principal. [See also the Student
Code of Conduct.]
The district will use trained dogs
to alert school officials to the presence of prohibited or illegal items,
including drugs and alcohol. At any
time, trained dogs may be used around lockers and the areas around vehicles
parked on school property. Searches of
classrooms, common areas, or student belongings may also be conducted by
trained dogs when students are not present.
An item in a classroom, a locker, or a vehicle to which a trained dog
alerts may be searched by school officials.
[For further
information, see policy FNF(LOCAL).]
[For further
information, see policy FNF(LOCAL). Also see Steroids
on page 62.]
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The district provides special programs for gifted and
talented students, bilingual students, migrant students,
students with limited English proficiency, dyslexic students, and students with
disabilities. The coordinator of each
program can answer questions about eligibility requirements, as well as
programs and services offered in the district or by other organizations. A student or parent with questions about
these programs should contact their campus counselor or principal.
Many colleges
require either the American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) for admission. Students are
encouraged to talk with the counselor early during their junior year to
determine the appropriate exam to take; these exams are usually taken at the
end of the junior year.
The ACT or SAT may
be available at no cost to students. In
addition, students in grades 8 and 10 may have the opportunity to take the
corresponding preparation assessments at no charge. Please check with the counselor for details.
STAAR
(State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness)
In addition to
routine tests and other measures of
achievement, students at certain grade levels will take state-mandated
assessments, such as the STAAR, in the following subjects:
·
Mathematics, annually in grades 3–8
·
Reading,
annually in grades 3–8
·
Writing, including spelling and grammar, in
grades 4 and 7
·
Science in grades 5 and 8
·
Social Studies in grade 8
Successful
performance on the reading and math assessments in grades 5 and 8 is required
by law in order for the student to be promoted to the next grade level. For the 2011–2012 school year
only, this requirement will be waived.
See Promotion and Retention
on page 53 for additional information.
STAAR Modified and
STAAR Alternate, for students receiving special education services, will be
available for eligible students, as determined by the student’s ARD committee.
STAAR-L is a
linguistically accommodated assessment that is available for certain limited
English proficient (LEP) students, as determined by the student’s Language
Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC).
Beginning with
ninth graders in the 2011–2012 school year,
end-of-course (EOC) assessments will be administered for the following courses:
·
Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II
·
English I, English II, and English III
·
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
·
World Geography, World History, and United States
History
Satisfactory
performance on the applicable assessments will be required for graduation and
will also affect the plan under which the student may graduate.
Normally, there
will be three testing windows during
the year in which a student may take an EOC assessment, which will occur during
the fall, spring, and summer months. For
the 2011–2012 school year, however, there will be only the spring and summer
administrations of the EOC assessments.
In each content
area (English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies), a
student must achieve a cumulative score.
To determine whether the student meets the cumulative score, the
student’s EOC assessment scores in each content area will be added
together. If the student’s total score
on the assessments within the content area is not equal to or greater than the
cumulative score set by TEA, the student may retake any of the assessments in
that content area until the student achieves the cumulative score. A student who does not achieve the minimum
required score on any individual assessment will be required to retake that
assessment.
A student may
choose to retake an EOC assessment in situations other than those listed above
as well.
STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate, for
students receiving special education services, will be available for eligible
students, as determined by the student’s ARD committee. These particular EOC assessments may have
different testing windows than the
general assessments, and the ARD committee will determine whether successful
performance on the assessments will be required for graduation.
STAAR-L, which is a linguistically
accommodated assessment, will be available for students who have been
determined to be limited English proficient (LEP) and who require this type of testing accommodation.
Additional
information will be provided to students and parents prior to the spring 2012
administrations.
Also see Course Credit on page 28, Grading Guidelines on page _38 and Graduation on page 40 for additional
information.
TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills)
TAKS is a
state-mandated assessment currently being transitioned to the STAAR
program. However, depending on the grade
level of the student, TAKS may still be administered to a student.
For a student in
grade 10 or 11 during the 2011–2012 school year, the
student will be assessed with TAKS in the subject areas of mathematics,
English/language arts, social studies, and science. The test
at grade 11 is called “exit-level” TAKS, and satisfactory performance on this test is required for graduation.
Also see Graduation on page 40 for more
information.
THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment)
Prior to enrollment in a Texas public college or
university, most students must take a standardized test,
such as the Texas Higher Education Assessment [THEA]. The
purpose of the THEA is to
assess the reading, mathematics, and writing skills that entering
freshmen-level students should have if they are to perform effectively in
undergraduate certificate or degree programs in Texas public colleges and universities. This test
may be required before a student enrolls in a dual-credit course offered
through the district as well
STEROIDS
State law prohibits students from possessing, dispensing,
delivering, or administering an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids are for medical use only,
and only a physician can prescribe use.
Body building, muscle enhancement, or the increase of muscle
bulk or strength through the use of an anabolic steroid or human growth hormone
by a healthy student is not a valid medical use and is a criminal offense.
Students participating in UIL athletic competition may be
subject to random steroid testing. More information on the UIL testing program may be found on the UIL Web site at http://www.uil.utexas.edu/athletics/health/steroid_information.html.
The district strives to assist any student
who has been placed in either temporary or permanent conservatorship (custody)
of the state of Texas
with the enrollment and registration process, as well as other educational
services throughout the student’s enrollment in the district.
Please contact Cindy
Gunn @ (254) 657-0175.
STUDENT
SPEAKERS
The district
provides students the opportunity to introduce the following school
events: Any home football game. Students are eligible to apply to introduce
these events if they are either a 11th or 12th grade
student leader in good standing.
A student who is
eligible and wishes to introduce one of the school events listed above should
submit his or her name to the high school principal.[include the submission and selection
criteria listed at ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION at policy FNA(LOCAL)].
As determined by
the principal, students who have been selected for special honors, such as
captain of an athletic team, student council officers, leaders of
school-sponsored organizations, homecoming king or queen, or prom king or queen
may also address school audiences at designated events.
[See policy FNA(LOCAL).]
The district is
committed to partnering with parents to support the healthy mental, emotional,
and behavioral development of its students.
If you are concerned about your child, please access the following Web
sites or contact the school counselor for more information related to suicide
prevention and to find mental health services available in your area:
·
www.texassuicideprevention.org
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhservices-search/
SUMMER SCHOOL
Elementary and Middle School campuses provide a summer
enrichment program as well as options for acceleration. The High School provides opportunities for
credit recovery through various forms of curricula.
TAKS (TEXAS ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS)
See Standardized Testing on page 60.
TARDINESS
A student who is tardy to class by more than 15 minutes will
be counted absent for that class.
Excessive tardies will result in assignment to after-school detention or
more severe disciplinary action, in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
State-approved textbooks are provided to students free of
charge for each subject or class. Books
must be covered by the student, as directed by the teacher, and treated with
care. Electronic textbooks and
technological equipment may also be provided to students, depending on the
course and course objectives. A student
who is issued a damaged item should report the damage to the teacher. Any student failing to return an item in
acceptable condition loses the right to free textbooks and technological
equipment until the item is returned or paid for by the parent; however, the
student will be provided textbooks and equipment for use at school during the
school day.
TRANSFERS
Students who reside in other school districts must complete
a transfer request application on an annual basis. All student transfers must be approved by the
superintendent and appropriate state agencies.
Transfers will be approved based on the following considerations: student attendance, academic standing,
disciplinary record and performance on state mandated assessments. For more information, consult the board
approved transfer policies at www.holland.k12.tx.us
and click on “TASB”.
Students who participate in school-sponsored trips are
required to use transportation provided by the school to and from the
event. The principal, however, may make
an exception if the parent makes a written request that the student be released
to the parent or to another adult designated by the parent.
The district makes school bus transportation available to
all students living two or more miles from school. This service is provided at no cost to
students. Bus routes and any subsequent
changes are posted at the school.
Further information may be obtained by calling Mr. Shane Downing, elementary principal, at 657-2525.
A parent may also designate a child-care facility
or grandparent’s residence as the regular pickup and drop-off location for his
or her child. The designated facility or
residence must be on an approved stop on an approved route. For information on bus routes and stops or to
designate an alternate pickup or drop-off location, you may contact Shane
Downing at (254) 657-2525.
Holland ISD will make transportation available to any
student assigned to the DAEP or JJAEP programs for disciplinary or other
reasons.
Students are expected to
assist district staff in ensuring that buses remain in good condition and that
transportation is provided safely. When
riding in district vehicles, students are held to behavioral standards
established in this handbook and the Student Code of Conduct. Students must:
·
Follow the driver’s directions at all times.
·
Enter and leave the bus or van in an orderly
manner at the designated stop nearest home.
·
Keep feet, books, instrument cases, and other
objects out of the aisle.
·
Not deface the bus, van, or its equipment.
·
Not put head, hands, arms, or legs out of the
window, hold any object out of the window, or throw objects within or out of
the bus or van.
·
Not possess or use any form of tobacco on school
buses.
·
Observe all usual classroom rules.
·
Be seated while the vehicle is moving
·
Fasten
their seat belts, if available.
·
Wait for the driver’s signal upon leaving the
bus or van and before crossing in front of the vehicle.
When students ride in a district Suburban or passenger car,
seat belts must be fastened at all times.
Misconduct will be punished in accordance with the Student
Code of Conduct; bus-riding privileges may be suspended.
The taxpayers of the community have made a sustained
financial commitment for the construction and upkeep of school facilities. To ensure that school facilities can serve
those for whom they are intended—both this year and for years to
come—littering, defacing, or damaging school property is not tolerated. Students will be required to pay for damages
they cause and will be subject to criminal proceedings as well as disciplinary
consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
For safety purposes, video/audio equipment may be used to
monitor student behavior on buses and in common areas on campus. Students will not be told when the equipment
is being used.
The principal will review the video/audio recordings
routinely and document student misconduct.
Discipline will be in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
Parents and others are welcome to visit district
schools. For the safety of those within
the school and to avoid disruption of instructional time, all visitors must
first report to the principal’s office and obtain a visitor’s pass.
Visits to individual classrooms during instructional time
are permitted only with approval of the principal and teacher and only so long
as their duration or frequency does not interfere with the delivery of
instruction or disrupt the normal school environment.
All visitors are expected to demonstrate the highest
standards of courtesy and conduct; disruptive behavior will not be permitted.
On High School Career Day the district invites
representatives from colleges and universities and other higher education
institutions, prospective employers, and military recruiters to present
information to interested students.
A student under 18 may be withdrawn from school only by a
parent. The school requests notice from the parent at least three days in
advance so that records and documents may be prepared. The parent may obtain a withdrawal form from
the principal’s office.
On the student’s last day, the withdrawal form must be
presented to each teacher for current grade averages and book clearance; to the
librarian to ensure a clear library record; to the clinic for health records;
to the counselor for the last report card and course clearance; and finally, to
the principal. A copy of the withdrawal
form will be given to the student, and a copy will be placed in the student’s
permanent record.
A student who is 18 or older, who is married, or who has
been declared by a court to be an emancipated minor, may withdraw without
parental signature.
Accelerated instruction is an intensive
supplemental program designed to address the needs of an individual student in
acquiring the knowledge and skills required at his or her grade level and/or as
a result of a student not meeting the passing standard on a state-mandated
assessment.
ACT refers to one
of the two most frequently used college or university admissions exams: the American College Test. The test
may be a requirement for admission to certain colleges or universities.
ARD is the
admission, review, and dismissal committee convened for each student who is
identified as needing a full and individual evaluation for special education
services. The eligible student and his
or her parents are members of the committee.
Attendance
review committee is sometimes responsible for reviewing a student’s
absences when the student’s attendance drops below 90 percent of the days the
class is offered. Under guidelines
adopted by the board, the committee will determine whether there were extenuating
circumstances for the absences and whether the student needs to complete
certain conditions to master the course and regain credit lost because of
absences.
DAEP stands for disciplinary alternative education program, a
placement for students who have violated certain provisions of the Student Code
of Conduct.
EOC assessments
are end-of-course tests, which are
state-mandated, and are part of the STAAR program. Successful performance on EOC assessments
will be required for graduation beginning with students in grade 9 during the
2011–2012 school year.
These exams will be given in English I, English II, English III, Algebra
I, Geometry, Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, World Geography, World
History, and United States History.
FERPA refers to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act that grants specific privacy protections to student records. The law contains certain exceptions, such as
for directory information, unless a student’s parent or a student 18 or older directs
the school not to release directory information.
IEP is
the written record of the individualized education program prepared by the ARD
committee for a student with disabilities who is eligible for special education
services. The IEP contains several
parts, such as a statement of the student’s present educational performance; a
statement of measurable annual goals, with short-term objectives; the special
education and related services and supplemental aids and services to be
provided, and program modifications or support by school personnel; a statement
regarding how the student’s progress will be measured and how the parents will
be kept informed; accommodations for state or districtwide tests; whether successful completion of
state-mandated assessments is required for graduation, etc.
ISS refers to in-school suspension, a disciplinary technique for
misconduct found in the Student Code of Conduct. Although different from out-of-school
suspension and placement in a DAEP, ISS removes the student from the regular
classroom.
LAT stands for
linguistically accommodated testing,
which is an assessment process for recent immigrant English language learners
who are required to be assessed in certain grades and subjects under the NCLB
Act.
NCLB Act is the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
PGP stands for
Personal Graduation Plan , which is recommended for
all students entering grade 9 and is required by state law for any student in
middle school or higher who fails a section on a state-mandated test or is identified by the district as not likely
to earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year after he or she
begins grade 9.
SAT refers to one
of the two most frequently used college or university admissions exams: the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The test
may be a requirement for admissions to certain colleges or universities.
SHAC stands for School Health Advisory Council, a group of at least
five members, a majority of whom must be parents, appointed by the school board
to assist the district in ensuring that local community values and health
issues are reflected in the district’s health education instruction.
Section 504 is
the federal law that prohibits discrimination against a student with a
disability, requiring schools to provide opportunities for equal services, programs,
and participation in activities. Unless
the student is determined to be eligible for special education services under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), general education with
appropriate instructional accommodations will be provided.
STAAR is the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, the
state’s system of standardized academic achievement assessments, effective
beginning with certain students for the 2011–2012 school year.
STAAR Alternate
is an alternative state-mandated assessment designed for students with severe
cognitive disabilities receiving special education services who meet the
participation requirements, as determined by the student’s ARD committee.
STAAR Modified is
an alternative state-mandated assessment based on modified achievement
standards that is administered to eligible students receiving special education
services, as determined by the student’s ARD committee.
STAAR Linguistically
Accommodated (STAAR L) is an alternative state-mandated assessment with
linguistic accommodations designed for certain recent immigrant English
language learners.
State-mandated
assessments are required of students at certain grade levels and in specified
subjects. Successful performance
sometimes is a condition of promotion, and passing the grade 11 exit-level test or end-of-course assessments, when applicable,
is a condition of graduation. Students
have multiple opportunities to take the tests
if necessary for promotion or graduation.
Student Code of
Conduct is developed with the advice of the district-level committee and
adopted by the board and identifies the circumstances, consistent with law,
when a student may be removed from the classroom or campus. It also sets out the conditions that
authorize or require the principal or another administrator to place the
student in a DAEP. It outlines
conditions for out-of-school suspension and for expulsion. The Student Code of
Conduct also addresses notice to the parent regarding a student’s violation of
one of its provisions.
TAKS is the Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, the state’s standardized achievement test currently given to students in certain subjects
in grades 10 and 11 and required for graduation for students at these grade
levels.
TELPAS stands for
the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, which assesses the
progress that English language learners make in learning the English language,
and is administered for those who meet the participation requirements in
kindergarten–grade 12.
TxVSN is the
Texas Virtual School Network, which provides online courses for Texas students to
supplement the instructional programs of public school districts. Courses are taught by qualified instructors,
and courses are equivalent in rigor and scope to a course taught in a
traditional classroom setting.
UIL refers to the
University Interscholastic League, the statewide voluntary nonprofit
organization that oversees educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and
music contests.
Acknowledgment of Electronic
Distribution of
Student Handbook
My child and I have been offered the option to receive a
paper copy or to electronically access at www.hollandisd.org
the Holland ISD Student Handbook Holland ISD Student Code of Conduct for 2011-2012.
I have chosen to:
¨ Receive a paper copy of the Student Handbook and
the Student Code of Conduct.
¨ Accept responsibility for accessing the
Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct by visiting the Web address listed
above.
The 2011-2012 UIL Parent Information Manual will be
available via the UIL website @ www.uil.utexas.edu
I have chosen to:
¨ Receive a paper copy of the UIL Parent
Information Manual.
¨ Accept responsibility for accessing the
Student Handbook by visiting the Web address listed above.
I understand that the handbook contains information that my
child and I may need during the school year and that all students will be held
accountable for their behavior and will be subject to the disciplinary
consequences outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. If I have any questions regarding this
handbook, the Code of Conduct, or the UIL Parent Information Manual, I should
direct those questions to the principal at:
Holland
Elementary School Shane Downing, Principal sdowning@holland.isd.tenet.edu
Holland
Middle School Janet Frazier, Principal jfrazier@holland.isd.tenet.edu
Holland
High School Britt
Gordon, Principal bgordon@holland.isd.tenet.edu
Printed name of
student:
Signature of
student:
Signature of
parent:
Date:
Notice Regarding Directory Information
and
Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information
State law requires the district to give you the following
information:
Certain information about
district students is considered directory information and will be released to
anyone who follows the procedures for requesting the information unless the
parent or guardian objects to the release of the directory information about
the student. If you do not want Holland ISD
to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without
your prior written consent, you must notify the district in writing September 6,
2011.
This means that the district must give certain personal information
(called “directory information”) about your child to any person who requests
it, unless you have told the district in writing not to do so. In addition, you have the right to tell the
district that it may, or may not, use certain personal
information about your child for specific school-sponsored purposes. The district is providing you this form so
you can communicate your wishes about these issues. [See Directory
Information on the following page for more information.]
Please
read and follow the instructions on the other side of this form and return the
completed form to your campus office
Holland
ISD has designated the following information as directory information:
Student’s name
Address
Telephone listing
E-mail address
Photograph
Date and place of birth
Degrees, honors, and awards received
Dates of attendance
Grade level
Most recent school previously attended
Participation in officially recognized activities and
sports
Weight and height, if a member of an athletic team
Enrollment status
Student
identification numbers or identifiers that cannot be used alone to gain access
to electronic education records
Directory information identified only for limited
school-sponsored purposes remains otherwise confidential and will not be
released to the public without the consent of the parent or eligible student.
Parent: Please circle one of the
choices below:
I, parent of ______________________________ (student’s
name),
(do give) (do not give) the district permission to use the
information in the above list for the specified school-sponsored purposes.
Parent
signature Date
Parent’s Response Regarding Release of
Student Information to
Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education
Federal law requires that the district release to military
recruiters and institutions of higher education, upon request, the name,
address, and phone number of secondary school students enrolled in the
district, unless the parent or eligible student directs the district not to
release information to these types of requestors without prior written
consent. [See Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions
of Higher Education on page 25 for more information.]
Parent: Please complete the following only if you do
not want your child’s information released to a military recruiter or an
institution of higher education without your prior consent.
I, parent of ______________________________ (student’s name), request that the
district not release my child’s
name, address, and telephone number to a military recruiter or institutions of
higher education upon their request without my prior written consent.
Parent signature Date
