Calendar 2008=9 - The School District of Philadelphia

FAQsCan my child be barred fromcommencement exercises,a graduation trip and/orthe prom?Some students, due to their actions inand out of school, may lose the privilegeof participating in commencementexercises, graduation trips, proms andother special activities. For more informationon this topic, and the specific criteria,please refer to your child’s 2008-2009school handbook, Student Code ofConduct or contact the school principal.If I won’t be home at the time, canmy child stay at the school afterthe school day ends?Parents need to exercise responsibility fortheir children’s welfare and whereaboutsafter school. Make standing contingencyarrangements with a relative or a neighborto be used in case of an emergency.Make sure your child knows where to goafter school if you or another responsibleadult will not be at home after schoolhours. The school will attempt to reachyou using the information you provide.The School Police Dispatcher will notifythe City Department of Human Services(DHS) or the Philadelphia Police Departmentif negligence or abuse is indicated.What is the process forhome schooling a child?To begin the process, contact yourRegional Office (see pages 37 and 38).The documents you will be asked toprovide to complete this process include:a copy of the parent’s high schooldiploma; immunization records for thechild; the proposed curriculum; and asigned and notarized affidavit.What are alternativediscipline schools?They are schools with structured environments,designed to teach studentsappropriate and responsible behavior. Theprogram models address the reason forthe referral. Parents cannot enroll theirchildren in this program. Students arereferred to alternative discipline schoolsas a result of Code of Student ConductLevel 2 violations. Alternative disciplineschools feature a higher ratio of adultstaff members to students; behaviormodification and character educationteaching that supports personal responsibilityfor behavior infractions; additionalsupport services for students and theirfamilies; and an academic programthat is aligned with the standards of bothThe School District of Philadelphia andCommonwealth of Pennsylvania.What is the School District’sattendance policy?The School District of Philadelphia iscommitted to providing a qualityeducation. A criticalcomponent of achievementis regular andprompt attendance. Itis mandated by thePennsylvania StateCompulsory School Attendancelaw which requires:• Students attend schoolevery day on time.• Parents/guardians notifythe school when their childmisses any instructionaltime. (Parents/guardians willbe notified from the localschool by phone and inwriting after their child’s unlawfulabsences.)• Students must submit a note from theparent/guardian to their teacher/advisorstating the date and reason for theabsence immediately upon their returnto school but no later than 3 days aftertheir return. (The District records lawful(excused) and unlawful (illegal) absencesdaily in compliance with thelaw.) A child who is absent from schoolwithout a valid written reason isconsidered truant. If a child is absentunlawfully (truant) the following eventswill take place:• Parents/guardians will receive telephoneand written notification, beinvited to attend a parent teacherconference, be invited to participate ina Comprehensive Student AssistanceProcess (CSAP) Team meeting, orreceive a visit from Parent TruancyOfficers to determine the nature of theabsences.• At sixteen (16) or more unlawful(unexcused) absences a referral will beforwarded to the Department of HumanServices, Office of Truancy andDelinquency Prevention and to TruancyCourt.• The student as well as the parent/guardian will be compelled to complywith the procedures and orders of theFamily Court’s Truancy Program.• Parents/guardians may be subject to afine, community service or parentingclasses.Under what circumstances canI transfer my child out of theneighborhood school?The School District has separate processesby which children may be transferredto schools other than theirneighborhood schools.ExtenuatingCircumstancesA parent may obtain fromthe neighborhood school acopy of the form EH-36E, fill itout and return it to the neighborhoodschool, along with documentation that:there is physical/psychological danger tothe child in the current school; there is aSchool District Serious Incident reportthat justifies this move; there is a recordof past efforts by the school and parentsto remedy the situation, with valid39