Handbook and Policies

Student Handbook (please click to open for the 2020-2021 Summit Academy school year)

Summit Academy Dress Code & Electronics Policy

Students are expected to practice good personal hygiene and have clean clothing and footwear that meets dress code standards. Any form of dress or grooming that attracts undue attention, distracts from instruction and/or interferes with health and safety will be considered unacceptable and the student will be referred to the School Administrator.

Outerwear (i.e., coats, jackets, gloves, boots, hats, sweatshirts) and book or gym bags must be stored in the assigned location during the school day.

Acceptable dress code (Monday-Friday)

PANTS/SHORTS – khaki (tan), black, or navy only – Jeans can be worn with special permission only. Summit Academy students should wear pants that are modest. Skirts and shorts must be knee-length.

SUMMIT ACADEMY SHIRTS– are required and should be tucked in. Each school location will provide information on acquiring uniform shirts. Solid colored (white, black, navy, green) polo shirts with a collar are also acceptable to wear with dress pants.

SHOES – tie, loafer or tennis shoes are acceptable. NO platform shoes, high heels/wedges, sandals, open-toed shoes or flip flops. Tennis shoes must be tied at all times. No loose, dragging laces will be permitted. Tennis shoes must be worn in gymnasiums.

*Uniforms are required on all field trips, unless alternative dress is approved by the School Administrator.

Miscellaneous

• NO large earrings, gauges, charms, necklaces at any time.

• NO jewelry is to be worn in body piercings. Clear piercing retainers may be worn if necessary.

• NO jewelry during Martial Arts or Physical Education classes.

• NO hats/head coverings or sunglasses. These items must be removed before entering the building, stored in a book bag, and may be put on after exiting the building.

• NO clothing or footwear that may damage flooring and/or furniture

• NO sleepwear or bathing suits (unless specified for camp, field trip or special day activities) bathing suits must be modest and one piece suits.

  • NO see-through or sheer clothing, exceptionally tight or potentially distracting clothing, and spandex or yoga wear.

• NO low-cut necklines

• NO gang-associated attire as determined by the School Administrator.

PERSONAL PROPERTY (Xenia addendum 6/16)

Students are discouraged from bringing items such as electronic devices (cell phones, i-pods, MP3 players, pocket video games, etc.) to school unless otherwise agreed upon by the IEP Team. Exceptions to this rule may be special occasions whereby the School Administrator or teacher gives permission (i.e. video game day). Parents should receive notice in advance. The school is not responsible for any damage or loss of personal property. The School Administrator has the right to search the property of any student at any time.

Cell phones and other electronic devices must remain in book bags or turned into the teacher at the beginning of the school day. Failure to follow this policy will result in the following consequences:

1. First time caught with the device = a warning is given and the device is immediately turned in to staff

2. Second time caught with device = the device is given to staff, a phone call home is made, and the student gets the device back at dismissal

3. Third time caught with device = the device stays with staff until a parent/guardian is able to come retrieve it from school

Attendance Policy

1. ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL (EXCUSED)

The following categories are recognized as excused absences from school:

- personal illness

- illness in the family

- quarantine of the home

- death of a relative

- observance of a religious holiday

- students of active duty military personnel shall have additional excused absences at the discretion of the school administration for visitations relative to leave or deployment

- other emergencies or circumstances which constitute good and sufficient cause as determined by the School Director or designee

Children should not attend school if they have a fever, rash, obvious symptoms of cold or flu, lice, or if they have vomited during the night, to avoid the spread of illness to others.

An unexcused absence will be considered any absence not in the categories of defined excused absences.

When the student has accumulated five (5) days of unexcused absences, the school will send a “Truancy Notice and Warning” letter, in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3321.19, to the parent/guardian. Subsequent unexcused absences may result in a referral to the appropriate county or government reporting agency. (please refer to #6 in this section for additional information on truancy)

Timely arrival at school is important to academic and social success. Excessive tardiness will almost certainly negatively affect your child’s school experience. Chronic tardiness may lead to administrative action.

Students failing to participate in 105 consecutive hours (or per your county’s requirement) of learning opportunities without a legitimate excuse may be automatically withdrawn from the school. The student will also be reported to their local public Board of Education.

2. ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

Emergency medical forms must be on file for all students. It is essential that the information be accurate and kept up to date throughout the year. Only those persons named on the Emergency Contact form can be contacted in the event of an emergency. Every attempt will be made to contact the parent first. Parents are responsible for notifying the school office to update the emergency contact information as changes occur.

3. ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL

Students must arrive at the designated arrival time and must be picked up at the designated pick-up time. Adult supervision is not available before or after school. For those parents/guardians providing transportation for their child, you must drop off or pick up your child at the designated area. Please refer to the supplement accompanying this handbook for detailed information regarding arrival/dismissal procedures specific to your school. If you arrive early, please do not block the flow of traffic around the building. If a student is to ride home with another, a note must be sent to school that morning. Students may not plan after-school activities on the spur of the moment and expect to call home for permission. (Please also refer to section “Signing In/Signing Out Students”)

Early Dismissal—Students will only be released for early dismissal to the parent/guardian or an adult who has been pre-authorized by the parent/guardian.

4. ATTENDANCE POLICY/CALL-OFF PROCEDURE

On the morning a student is ill or otherwise absent, the parent/guardian shall call the school between 8:00-10:00 a.m. to report the child off in order to comply with the Board of Education’s policy and the Missing Children’s Act. If you get an answering service or voice mail, please give your name, student’s name, grade and reason for absence. The parent/guardian must follow-up with a written note or doctor’s note for student’s file. If a child has a physical condition or impairment that could cause periodic or frequent absences from school, the parents are required to notify the school at the beginning of the school year or within five (5) school days after the condition or impairment develops. The notification shall be in the form of a written statement signed and dated by the physician. It must also include the expected duration of the condition or impairment. Students failing to participate in 105 consecutive hours (or per your county’s requirement) of learning opportunities without a legitimate excuse may be automatically withdrawn by the school.

5. SIGNING IN/SIGNING OUT STUDENTS

If you must drop off your student late or pick up early, you MUST COME INTO THE OFFICE to sign in/out the student. Do not call and ask to “have your child ready”. Students cannot be pulled out of class and have him/her wait for parents or guardians to come. Upon arriving late, the student must come into the office for an admittance note.

6. TRUANCY (Policy #251)

A student is excessively absent from school if a student is absent from the School with or without legitimate excuse for thirty-eight (38) or more hours in one (1) school month or sixty-five (65) or more hours in one (1) school year. Within seven (7) days of a student becoming excessively absent from School, the attendance officer shall notify the student’s parents of the student’s absences in writing.

A student is habitually truant if the student is absent without a legitimate excuse for thirty (30) or more consecutive hours, for forty-two (42) or more hours in one (1) school month, or seventy-two (72) or more hours in one (1) school year.

If the student is habitually truant and the student’s parents have failed to cause the student’s attendance, the School will assign the student to an absence intervention team (“AIT”) within ten (10) days. More information on Truancy is available in Policy 251 and is available by request from the school office.

7. VACATIONS

Vacations are encouraged to be taken during the interim breaks. If it is necessary to take a vacation during the school year, the School Administrator or his/her designee must approve the absence prior to leaving or the absence will be considered unexcused. A maximum of five (5) excused vacation days will be allowed under this policy. If vacation days cause the student to exceed 15 days absence, a warning letter will be sent. Exceptions to this would be for students of active duty military personnel, who may have additional excused absences at the discretion of the school administration for visitations relative to leave or deployment. Please refer to your school office for appropriate forms and required authorizations.