Altoona Area High School 2016-2017 PARENT HANDBOOK Altoona Area School District Altoona ...

122 Pages·2016·0.67 MB·English

Altoona Area High School
2016-2017
PARENT HANDBOOK
AND
2016-2017
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
Altoona Area School District
Altoona, Pennsylvania
Please note:
The Altoona Area School District will not have
early dismissals for inclement weather. Parents,
however, do have the option to pick up their
students at school.
PLEASE NOTE:
The smoking or carrying of a lighted pipe,
cigar, cigarette or any other type of smoking
paraphernalia or material is prohibited at ALL
District buildings and facilities by School Board
Policy and Pennsylvania State Law.
946-TIPS
ANONYMOUS
AND
CONFIDENTIAL
REPORT
CRIMINAL AND
DRUG ACTIVITY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abuse Reporting System ........................................................................................... 2
Accident Insurance .............................................................................................26-27
Administrative Areas of Responsibility.......................................................................7
AASD Administrative Message ..................................................................................3
Attendance Policy ...............................................................................................10-13
Board of School Directors ...........................................................................................1
Busing.....................................................................................................................19-20
Central Administration ................................................................................................1
Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Student Organizations ..............................29-30
Counseling .................................................................................................................32
Directory Information Notice ...................................................................................40
Dissecting of Animals ...........................................................................................27-28
Distribution of Student Medication .........................................................................22
Doctor’s Excuses from Physical Education .............................................................22
Early Dismissal ............................................................................................................21
Educational Program .................................................................................................9
Eligibility of Athletes ..............................................................................................31-32
Emergency Closing of Schools ................................................................................21
English as a Second Language Program ..........................................................39-40
Entry and Withdrawal of Students ...........................................................................10
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ......................................................18-19
Field Trips ....................................................................................................................27
Fire Drills ......................................................................................................................27
Health Unit on Human Reproduction ..................................................................9-10
Homebound Instruction ...........................................................................................24
Homeless Education Programs ................................................................................41
Immunizations .......................................................................................................22-23
In-service Calendar ....................................................................................................5
Keystone Requirements ............................................................................................16
Library Services .................................................................................................... 25-26
Locks and Lockers .....................................................................................................21
Lost/Found .................................................................................................................39
Lunch Program ..........................................................................................................26
National Honor Society .......................................................................................43-45
NCLB Compliant Resolution Procedures ................................................................38
Non-discrimination Policy ...........................................................................................2
Notification of Intent to Destroy Irrelevant Educational Records ........................43
Parent Classroom Visitation ................................................................................16-17
Parent Conference Days .........................................................................................16
Parents/Legal Guardians Rights to Curriculum & Assessment .............................17
Philosophy ....................................................................................................................6
*Keystone Requirements ........................................................................................16
Psychological Services .............................................................................................24
Publications ................................................................................................................32
Pupil Personnel ..........................................................................................................23
Right to Request Teacher Qualifications ...........................................................40-41
School Calendar .........................................................................................................4
School Health Program ............................................................................................23
School Visitors ............................................................................................................16
Services to Handicapped Students ........................................................................24
Snow Make-up Days ...................................................................................................5
Special Education Programs/Evaluation Process ............................................24-25
Student Activities .......................................................................................................29
Student Evaluation System ..................................................................................14-16
Student Health Exams, Privacy, and Surveys ....................................................41-42
Student Identification Cards ....................................................................................20
Student Parking .........................................................................................................20
Student Supportive Services ......................................................................................8
Student Unlawful Harassment Policy ..................................................................34-37
Temporary Absence .................................................................................................22
Testing Dates ..............................................................................................................32
Title IX-Notice of Nondiscrimination/Harassment .............................................33-34
Test Information .........................................................................................................33
Varsity Sports ..............................................................................................................30
Work Permit Requirements .......................................................................................46
BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
Mr. John Donley, President
Mrs. Sharon Bream, Vice President
Mrs. Judy A. Berryman
Mr. Dutch Brennan
Mr. William Ceglar
Mr. Wayne Hippo
Mr. Ron G. Johnston
Mr. John Klingeman
Mr. Richard L. Lockard
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION NUMBERS
Dr. Charles Prijatelj, Superintendent of Schools 946-8350
Dr. Luke J. Lansberry, Assistant Superintendent 946-8218
Office of Assistant Superintendent 946-8365
for Elementary Education
Mrs. Camilla Houy, Board Secretary/Business 946-8206
Manager/District Attendance
Ms. Kathy Hazenstab, Assistant to the 946-8207
Superintendent/Business
Office of Director of Human Resources 946-8325
Mrs. Paula Foreman, Community Relations Director 946-8424
ALTOONA AREA HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
Mrs. Patty Burlingame, Principal 946-8305
Mr. David Bufalini, Assistant Principal 946-8287
Mr. Andrew Neely, Assistant Principal 946-8238
Mr. Jason McGinnis, Assistant Principal 946-8312
Mr. Philip Riccio, Athletic Director/Assistant Principal 946-8289
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
Mr. Doug Endler Director of Buildings and Grounds
Mr. Jack Reilly Director of Safety & Security
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NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The Altoona Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution. The
Altoona Area School District does not discriminate in its educational programs,
activities, or employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin,
sex, age (forty or above), religion, ancestry, disability, union membership,
possession of a diploma based on passing a general education development
(GED) test, or any other legally protected classifications. Announcement of
this policy is in accordance with state and federal laws, including Title IX of the
Education amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973. Students, employees and participants who have an inquiry or complaint of
harassment or discrimination, or who needs information about accommodations
for person with disabilities, should contact Compliance Officers at Altoona Area
School District, 1415 Sixth Avenue, Altoona, PA 16602, as follows:
Dr. Luke J. Lansberry, Assistant Superintendent (for secondary student inquiries
or complaints) at [phone]
Office of Director of Human Resources (for employee inquiries or complaints) at
[phone] or 946-8325
ACT 126
According to Act 126, all personnel coming in contact with students must
complete a state mandated training session.
Abuse Reporting System
Ways for Students to Report Physical or Sexual Abuse
• Contact our Student Advocate Officer: Drew Yingling at 946-8277.
• Call the designated phone line at 946-TIPS.
• Email at [email protected]
• Text message at 814-329-1331.
• Drop off a concern in the red “tip” boxes located on the cafeteria
side of the bridge and by the Guidance Office.
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ALTOONA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
In every school system there are many rules and regulations, policies and
procedures which parents should be familiar with. The Altoona Area School
District has attempted in this pamphlet to gather appropriate information for
parents of School District students.
Please read the information carefully so that you have an understanding of
our policies. If you have any questions that are not answered in the pamphlet,
please call your child’s principal.
We will make every attempt to secure an answer for you or direct you to the
appropriate office or personnel.
We wish your child every success in school. Education is a cooperative venture,
and the School District is always available to work with the parents for the
betterment of the child’s education.
Altoona Area School District
Administration
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ALTOONA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
SCHOOL CALENDAR 2016-2017
August 23-26 Teacher In-service
August 29 First Student Day
September 5 Labor Day – No School
October 14 Secondary Conferences – No School for students
October 28 Teacher In-service – No School
November 11 Veteran’s Day – No School
November 22,23 Elementary Conferences
November 24, 25, 28 Thanksgiving Holiday – No School
December 23 Teacher In-service – No School
December 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Winter Break – No School
January 2 New Years - No School
January 16 Martin Luther King Holiday - No School
February 17 Winter Break
February 20 Presidents’ Day Holiday – No School
March 3 Secondary Conferences – No School for students
April 14, 17 Spring Break – No School
May 29 Memorial Day Holiday
June 1 Last Student Day
June 2* Last ½ Teacher Day
*SNOW MAKE UP DAYS, IF NEEDED
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ALTOONA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Secondary In-service Calendar
2016-2017
2016
August 23, 24, 25, 26
October 28
December 23
Snow Make-Up Days
In-service Days or days at the end of the school year may be used as snow
make up days at the discretion of the Administration.
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ALTOONA AREA HIGH SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY
The Altoona Area High School community is cognizant of the fact that the primary
objective of a comprehensive and contemporary educational program is to
prepare thoughtful, active citizens who can function productively in a multi-cultural,
rapidly changing, and increasingly interdependent and technological world.
Our school recognizes that each student is a unique mixture of cultural,
environmental, psychological, and social forces and should have the opportunity
to accomplish everything that is within the scope of his or her capabilities. Our
curriculum, through a humanistic and individualized approach, has the flexibility
to provide a meaningful educational experience for students with varying
degrees of motivation and ability. A variety of activities are provided with each
planned course to help achieve the aim of good citizenship in the classroom,
home community, nation, and world.
We believe that a climate conducive for learning must constantly prevail
for teachers to teach and students to learn. This climate is created by the
establishment and impartial enforcement of fair rules and regulations for both
staff and students. We believe that in a school as large as ours, the qualities
of courtesy, kindness, friendliness, tolerance, and patience take on added
importance and that these qualities should be exhibited by our staff as examples
of positive human behavior.
The Altoona Area High School is committed to the following: (1) identifying
and providing experience in the daily life-skills required for students to enter
our adult society; (2) encouraging the utilization of a student’s creative talents
by providing a meaningful fine arts program with lifelong recreational and
vocational impact; (3) promoting individual talent and interest though an
active approach to competition with other students who have similar talents
and interests; and (4) identifying those students who cannot or will not conform
to the school’s policies, rules, and regulations in order to provide them with
in-school support and/or an alternative program of study more meaningful to
their particular lifestyles and less disruptive to other students.
We are committed to a liberal education by which we mean not only schooling
that imparts skills of numeracy and literacy and knowledge of historical,
scientific and artistic traditions, but also education that communicates social
and democratic values, fosters ethical conduct and critical thinking, and
develops awareness in students of their own individual natures and motivations.
We believe it is the task of our school to make capable, literate citizens of all
students by nurturing in them important values, skills, and knowledge.
We are dedicated to preparing out students to meet the social, economic, and
technological challenges of the Twenty-first Century. The Altoona Area High
School community fully understands that our students’ future may by beyond
their vision, but by participating within the educational program that the
community offers, it is not beyond their control. As progress cannot be realized
without change, we in education must be prepared to meet all new challenges.
Patty Burlingame, Principal
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