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Student Handbook School Hours Grades 1 – 12 - 8:00 a.m. to 2:52 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 12:42 p.m. Wednesday Kindergarten - 8:00 a.m. to 12:42 p.m. Monday-Friday Pre-Kindergarten - 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday Students leaving school early must be signed out by a parent in the office. Staff Development Balboa Academy subscribes to the theory that informed, knowledgeable teachers are better teachers. To that end, Wednesday afternoons are designated as staff development time. These are afternoons that the entire staff participates in demanding, productive meetings. Telephone Numbers
Grades Pre-K To 6 - General Information Absences Following an absence from school, each student is required to bring a note, signed by the parent to the teacher, which indicates the reason for not being in school. This note is submitted the first day the child returns to school. Each absence shall be entered on the student's record. Make-up work will be the responsibility of the student. It is not the responsibility of the school to provide academic work for anticipated absences. Emergency Telephone Numbers The correct names, e-mail address, addresses of both home and work, telephone numbers of parents must be on file in the office. Please notify the school immediately of any changes. We also encourage all parents to provide the office with the name and telephone number of a neighbor and/or someone other than a parent who may be contacted in an emergency. This is particularly important if a child becomes ill at school. Please keep your emergency information at the school current. Discipline One of the responsibilities of the school is to encourage the development of self-discipline. Self-discipline and the ability to assume responsibility are part of the learning and development process. As a school with good discipline, we emphasize:
Students respond more appropriately when expectations and procedures are clearly communicated and understood. Our school makes every effort to encourage and reward positive behavior. Your cooperation in encouraging your child's development of self-discipline is appreciated. Homework The value of giving homework varies from the younger to older grades. Teachers in Pre-K through second grade are asked to think carefully about homework assignments. There is no available research that identifies any academic advantages to giving students homework in these early years. High school students benefit most academically from homework exercises, given that it's a good assignment and they have the right conditions in which to do homework. Total time allotted for homework is computed based on the formula 10 minutes times the grade level (i.e., grade 5 = 5 X 10 or 50 minutes). (The Battle Over HW. 2d Edition 2001 by Harris Cooper). A schedule follows:
Homework should never be the cause of conflict between parent and child. Our goal is to assign meaningful homework which gives students the opportunity to increase understanding. It is our belief that the quality of the assignment is more important than quantity of homework assigned. Lunch Elementary and junior high students eat lunch in the Bldg 128 multi-purpose room. . High school students eat in the bldg 130 multi-purpose room. Lunch is thirty-minutes. High School students are also permitted to eat lunch at the restaurants across the street from the school. A sandwich filled with protein such as peanut butter, lunchmeat or cheese, a thermos of milk or juice, fruit, raw vegetables and a cookie will provide a nutritious lunch. The school has a contractor who sells healthy lunches with four to five choices daily. Juice and milk are provided with these lunches. Students must select and pay for the lunches that they wish to buy on a monthly basis from the menu provided. The school has removed all soft drink and snack machines from the campus. Parent - Teacher Conferences Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled for all Pre-k to 6th grade students at the end of the first marking period to discuss each child's progress. Report cards will be distributed at this time. Parents should take advantage of the opportunity to meet with their child's teacher. Additional conferences may be scheduled at the end of each marking period at your request. Additionally, your child's teacher is ready to meet with you at any time during the school year. Call the school office to arrange an appointment. Parent Orientation In August prior to the start of school, Balboa Academy will conduct an open house for parents and students. Additionally, during the first month of school, parents will be invited to attend a group orientation meeting conducted by the classroom teachers. Some of the items to be covered during this orientation are: daily programs, discipline, textbooks, report cards, special programs, and curriculum. One of the main objectives of this meeting is to allow both the teacher and the parent time to become acquainted with each other. This meeting is not planned for the purpose of discussing individual pupil problems. It is suggested that parents wishing to discuss their child's progress make an appointment with the teacher for an individual conference at a later date. Recess Recess is scheduled by the classroom teacher for Pre-Kinder to Grade 5 for free play and socialization with other students within the class. Depending on the weather, recess is held in the classroom, play shelter, or on the playground facilities. Teachers provide supervision. Report Cards Progress reports will be given out every nine weeks. Cards should be reviewed, signed and returned as soon as possible. Grade 7 to 12 - General Information Graduation Requirements A minimum of 24.5 units of credit, taken over a four-year period is required for High School graduation. It should be noted that these are minimum graduation requirements. Most students graduate with 28 units. Subject Area Units Minimum Required
Social Studies (to include one unit of US/PA History .........3
and 1 unit of US/PA Government)
Mathematics ..................................................3
Science ......................................................4
English ......................................................4
Spanish or French ............................................4 Fine Arts ....................................................1 Physical Education ...........................................1 Computer Science .............................................1 Health......................................................0.5 Electives ....................................................3 Additional units in the required courses that exceed the minimum required number of units also count as electives. Minimum total units needed to graduate is 24.5 Units The majority of students will graduate with 28 credits. One unit is equal to approximately 130 hours of class, lab and field study. Class Schedules Junior High School and High School students will have seven 51 minute classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with a 5 min passing period between classes. On Wednesdays, all Junior High School and High School students will have a shortened 36 Min Class scheduled with no lunch. See schedule on the home page. Teachers will use Wednesday afternoons for training and staff meetings. Attendance Our educational system is organized on the basis that all students will attend regularly and punctually. Adherence to the school attendance guidelines is the responsibility of parents and students. Parents will be informed of student absence in order for them to exercise parental control and responsibility. Students missing more than 10% of the class periods in any semester will not receive course credit without the approval of the Director. The school is responsible for overseeing attendance procedures and insuring that: (1) An adequate and efficient system of attendance records is maintained for each student. (2) All unexcused absences will result in parent notification and appropriate disciplinary action. Excused Absences Excused absences are granted for illness of a student, family emergencies (severe illness or death in the family, and local hardship situations), religious holiday observances, and medical appointments which cannot be arranged for non-school time. Absences due to special family trips or religious holidays require approval by submitting a request to the director at least one week prior to the start of the trip or religious observance. Students will be responsible for making every effort to contact the teachers regarding assignments prior to their absence and are responsible for making up work. Failure to do so may result in loss of credit for assignments missed. Students will not be permitted to participate in scheduled after school/weekend activities if they are absent from school on the day of the activity or on a Friday before a weekend activity. Exception: Proof of medical appointment or prior approval of the school administrator. Tardiness (1) It is our expectation that students will attend class regularly and punctually. Parents and students must work together with the school to make that expectation a reality. (2) Students are expected to be in their assigned seats and ready to receive instruction when class commences. (3) Detentions will be assigned to students for unexcused or excessive tardiness. To avoid such consequences, your cooperation is requested in ensuring your student arrives at school in a timely manner. (4) Students who use class time instead of personal time to secure admit slips will be marked tardy and assigned consequences. Discipline Balboa Academy will maintain an orderly, wholesome educational environment. We believe every student is capable of appropriate behavior. All students have the right to learn and teachers have the right to teach in a safe, positive, and uninterrupted atmosphere. Disciplinary guidelines protect each student's right to an education free from disruptions and harassment. The school is responsible for the discipline of students while they are on campus or engaged in school activities on or off the campus. The staff at the Balboa Academy is involved in a school-wide discipline program which adheres to the four school wide rules and students are expected to follow these at all times. The Four School Wide Rules are:
Disciplinary Guidelines (1) Students will be polite to all staff members and classmates. The use of unacceptable language and any other rudeness to school adults will not be tolerated. (2) Students will move through the office area and hallways in a quiet and safe manner. (3) Students will bring a note from their parent/sponsor or have their parents/sponsor sign them out in the main office prior to leaving campus during the school day. (4) Students will be assigned a locker and will use it. The student will be provided a lock to secure their locker. Locker number and combinations will be registered with the teacher supervising the locker area and maintained in the office. Only school provided locks will be placed on the lockers. (5) Students must follow teachers' classroom policies. (6) Students will refrain from inappropriate demonstration of affection (kissing and caressing) while on campus or attending school activities. (7) Students will not bring Game Boys, Walkman, Discman, pagers, laser pointers, CD players, or other electronic devices to the Balboa Academy. Cell phones may be carried but must be turned off. Cell phones will not be used in the classroom or during class time. If a student brings these devices, the faculty or office staff has the right to confiscate these items, tag them with the student's name, and place them in the school office until a parent comes to the school to claim them. The school will assume no responsibility for the confiscated item or items. (8) For safety purposes, skateboards will not be allowed at the Balboa Academy. (9) Tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, inhalants, drugs or weapons will not be tolerated on school grounds, or any school sponsored function. For this reason, no cigarettes, cigars, any other drug related articles or weapons are allowed on school grounds. Homework Guidelines For Parents (1) Set a regular study time each day with a definite beginning and ending time. Avoid interruptions. (2) Establish a study area, away from household distractions, with good light and space for studying. (3) Be sure the student has the materials needed to do assignments (paper, colored pencils, dictionary, binders, assignment calendar, etc.) and a convenient place to store them. (4) Help the student organize school materials, study notes, assignments, books, papers, etc. (5) Encourage the student to use an assignment calendar so both parents and student can monitor progress on work. (6) Help the student work to find the answer and to understand rather than doing the work just to get it done. (7) Be supportive and give assistance when the student gets frustrated or discouraged with a particularly difficult assignment. Dress Code All students are required to wear a complete school uniform everyday, in accordance with the uniform items listed in the Balboa uniform section of this webpage. Balboa Academy uniforms with the exception of pants and skorts are available in the school uniform store. Grooming Code Uniform: The school uniform (shirt, pants, shoes, and socks,) must be clean, without holes or frayed areas, and must not be faded. Pants will be hemmed to the proper length. Undershirts: Students may wear properly sized, white T shirts under the uniform polo shirt; the undershirt must not extend outside of the uniform shirt. Hair: Hair must be clean, brushed and well kept. Unnaturally colored hair, i.e. blue, green, red, purple is not allowed. Hats or Bandannas will not be worn on the school grounds. Jewelry: For safety sake, students should wear a minimum amount of jewelry. One or two pierced earrings are allowed but no more. Any other pierced body part will not be permitted (pierced nose, tongue, eyebrow, etc.) Although we provide lockers and try to keep a close watch, the school cannot assume responsibility for stolen articles. Please leave expensive items at home. (The school is not responsible for the loss of any personal items) .
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