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Student/Parent Handbook
2014-2015
(Unabridged)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT US ............................................................................................................................................... 4
MISSION STATEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 4 THE ST. LUKE’S WAY ........................................................................................................................................ 4 HONOR CODE ................................................................................................................................................. 4 NON-‐DISCRIMINATORY POLICY ........................................................................................................................... 4 DIVERSITY AND EQUITY STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 4 CONTACT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................... 5
ACADEMICS ............................................................................................................................................ 6
ATTENDANCE .................................................................................................................................................. 6 ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL .................................................................................................................................... 6 EARLY ARRIVAL ................................................................................................................................................ 6 DAILY SCHEDULE .............................................................................................................................................. 7 GRADING AND EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................... 7 GRADE REPORTS .............................................................................................................................................. 8 STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................................................. 8 ASSESSMENT POLICY ......................................................................................................................................... 8 PLAGIARISM AND WRITING ................................................................................................................................. 8 PROMOTION AND RETENTION ............................................................................................................................. 9 PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING SEMESTER FAILURES ................................................................................................ 9 HOMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................. 11 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 14 SERVICE LEARNING ......................................................................................................................................... 14 RECORD REQUESTS ......................................................................................................................................... 15 TUTORIAL (MIDDLE LEVEL) ............................................................................................................................... 15 EXTENDED LIBRARY HOURS (MIDDLE LEVEL) ......................................................................................................... 15
CAMPUS LIFE ........................................................................................................................................ 15
CARPOOL ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 ADVISORY ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 BIRTHDAYS ................................................................................................................................................... 16 CELL PHONES ................................................................................................................................................ 17 CHAPEL SERVICE/ASSEMBLIES ........................................................................................................................... 17 CO-‐CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS .............................................................................................................. 17 DANCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 LOCKERS ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 LOST AND FOUND .......................................................................................................................................... 17 LUNCH ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 OUTDOOR SCHOOL ......................................................................................................................................... 18 TRADE FAIR ................................................................................................................................................... 18 DECLAMATIONS AND CHAPEL TALK ..................................................................................................................... 18 SNACKS ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 STUDENT VOICE ............................................................................................................................................. 19 VISITORS ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 IN-‐SCHOOL DANCE ......................................................................................................................................... 19 DRESS CODE ................................................................................................................................................. 19
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PARENT COMMITMENT ........................................................................................................................ 21
ADHERENCE TO SCHOOL RULES ......................................................................................................................... 21 ATTIRE ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 CONFIDENTIALITY ........................................................................................................................................... 21 FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 21 FUNDRAISING FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS .......................................................................................................... 21 CHARITABLE GIVING ........................................................................................................................................ 21 CAR SAFETY .................................................................................................................................................. 22
COMMUNICATION IN THE SCHOOL ....................................................................................................... 22 PARENT-‐TEACHER COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................................. 22 CONFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................... 23 TEACHER REQUESTS ........................................................................................................................................ 23 COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND CONCERNS ........................................................................................................... 23 THE ROLE OF A TEACHER AND THE ROLE OF AN ADVISOR (INTERMEDIATE AND MIDDLE LEVEL) ........................................ 23 ROLES OF PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE BOARD ........................................................................................ 27 PARENTWEB AND STUDENTWEB ........................................................................................................................ 28
DISCIPLINE ............................................................................................................................................ 28
HEALTH AND WELLNESS ........................................................................................................................ 33
SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER ................................................................................................... 33 IMMUNIZATION, VISION, AND HEARING .............................................................................................................. 33 MEDICATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 33
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ABOUT US
MISSION STATEMENT St. Luke’s Episcopal School is a Christian community dedicated to academic and personal excellence, lifelong learning, and service to others.
THE ST. LUKE’S WAY As members of a Christian community, our conduct is guided by love and respect for God, our school, our neighbors, and ourselves. We demonstrate the St. Luke’s Way through behavior that is courteous and cooperative.
HONOR CODE As a member of the St. Luke’s Episcopal School community, I will be trustworthy, respectful, and honest. I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I tolerate those who do.
NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY St. Luke’s Episcopal School admits qualified students of any race, color, ethnicity, and national origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. St. Luke’s does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of educational policies, admission policies or financial aid programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY STATEMENT St. Luke’s welcomes diversity and respects differences in ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds; the languages we speak; our sexes, genders, and ages; the traditions we observe; the structures of our families; our financial and educational resources; and the special needs and gifts that we have. Welcoming people with diverse points of view and being sensitive to the interests and traditions of others emulates Christ-like principles of living and enhances the quality of the entire St. Luke’s experience.
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CONTACT INFORMATION 15 St. Luke’s Lane San Antonio, TX 78209 Main School Office 210.826.0664 Direct Line (Voicemail) 210.832.9224 + extension Office Fax 210.826.8520
Name Title Ext Email
Thomas McLaughlin Head of School 240 [email protected]
Christopher Bertha Assistant Head of School & Director of Intermediate and Middle Levels
Sherrye Macha Director of Early Childhood & Elementary Levels
Robin Davenport Director of Student Life 233 [email protected]
Rosa Baker Business Manager 237 [email protected]
Lynn Bobbitt Director of Advancement 218 [email protected]
Deb Isabelle Assistant to the Administrative Team
Meredith Lopez Administrative Assistant 230 [email protected]
Mary Ann Randolph Director of Admission 239 [email protected]
Angelica Rossi Director of Public Relations 225 [email protected]
Linda Sledge Administrative Assistant 232 [email protected]
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ACADEMICS ATTENDANCE Regular attendance at school is essential to the progress of our students. In an effort to ensure that students are receiving the instruction and feedback needed to maintain pace with their class, students may not miss more than 7 days per semester. In the event that a student misses more than 7 days, parents will be contacted to arrange a conference.
The timely arrival of students in the morning is similarly important. Students not present in their homeroom or advisory at 8:00 a.m. will be counted as tardy. Three tardies will count as one absence.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL Parents are expected to call the school no later than 8:30 a.m. to notify us of an absence. Parents also have the option to email Meredith Lopez in the school office to notify us of a student’s absence.
Anticipated absences Students who know that they will miss a school day due to family trips, athletic events and/or religious holidays should see their teachers prior to that absence to obtain upcoming assignments and expectations. However, teachers are not expected to provide instructional materials ahead of time to students whose families have elected to travel for prolonged periods. Students will secure make-up work upon their return. While teachers will provide appropriate support, they cannot be responsible for gaps in learning that may occur when a family has opted to travel during the school year.
Make-up work Students are required to make up all school work missed due to an absence. As a general guideline, a student will have the same number of days to complete the make-up work as the number of school days missed. For example, a student who misses a Monday and Tuesday will have Wednesday and Thursday to complete the missed work and will be expected to turn in all missed work by Friday of that week.
Parents or students should email teachers directly to request make-up work. If a student is absent for only one day, it is not necessary to request work. Teachers will email related notes and handouts, or provide instructions for gathering required material if requests are made in a timely manner. Teachers will also be available during normal school and after school hours to work with students who may have missed school.
EARLY ARRIVAL Supervision is provided before school from 7:30 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. in the Parish Hall. St. Luke’s faculty and staff will not be available for supervision of students arriving prior to 7:30 a.m. If a student arrives prior to 7:30 a.m., a parent or guardian must remain with them until the buildings are officially opened and appropriate supervision is in place on campus.
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DAILY SCHEDULE 7:30 a.m. Early Care Begins in Parish Hall (No Earlier!)
7:50 a.m. All students dismissed to classrooms 8:00 a.m. School officially begins
8:15 a.m. Chapel Service for 1st-8th Grades 9:00 a.m. Chapel Service for PK3-K
11:45 a.m. PK3-PK4 Carpool (extended care available until 3:15 p.m.) 3:15 p.m. End of school day for K-8
K-5th Carpool in North parking lot (after school care available until 5:45 p.m.)
3:20 p.m. 6th-8th Carpool in North or South lot (Tutorial available until 3:50 p.m., extended library hours until 5:00 p.m., after school care available through 5:45 p.m.)
*Special schedules may be used during special events or on early dismissal days.
GRADING AND EVALUATION PK3-PK4 are assessed the second and fourth quarters using the following system: B Beginning skills or knowledge
D Developing proficiency of skills or knowledge
S Secure in proficiency of skills or knowledge
Kindergarteners are assessed each nine weeks using the following system: B Beginning skills or knowledge D Developing proficiency in skills or knowledge
S Secure in proficiency in skills or knowledge NI Skills not introduced during this assessment period
Elementary Level grades are assessed each nine weeks. First Grade students receive letter grades on the report card and all numeric grades given on weekly assignments/evaluations will be converted to a letter grade for the report card.
Elementary Level (2nd-3rd) students receive a numeric grade for each subject.
A 90-100 B 80-89
C 70-79 F 69 and below
All numeric grades given on weekly assignments/evaluations will be converted to a letter grade for the report card for 2nd-3rd grade students.
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All specialist classes, as well as 1st grade, use the following letter grade system: E Excellent progress/achievement
S Satisfactory progress/achievement N Needs Improvement in progress/achievement
U Unsatisfactory progress/achievement Intermediate and middle level students receive a number grade for each subject:
A 90-100 B 80-89
C 70-79 F 69 and below
Middle level student GPA calculations are based on 6th-8th grade semester averages in math, science, English, and history as well as foreign language averages in the 7th and 8th grades. Elective course grades are shown on report cards, but are not used in this calculation.
GRADE REPORTS
Course grade books are available to parents and students via ParentWeb and the school’s website. Grades will be entered as soon as possible. Report cards will be made available at the end of each marking period through the ParentWeb portal. While report cards will be generated every 9 weeks, official school transcripts only display semester and year-long averages. STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT The NWEA-MAP (http://www.nwea.org/) assessment is given to students in grades one through eight, twice per year (fall and spring). The purpose for administering this test is to track student performance over time and compare individual performance internally and nationally.
ASSESSMENT POLICY
All core academic classes (math, science, English, history, and foreign language) will provide students with ample opportunity to display progress through major assignments in each marking period. Teachers will provide students with at least one week’s notice when scheduling a test. No student will be asked to complete more than two major grades (tests, major essays, projects) on a given day, but quizzes are not considered major assessments. Honors option assignments are exceptions to this rule.
PLAGIARISM AND WRITING All writing submitted by a student must be his or her own. While students may use outside resources and paraphrase the work of published authors, proper credit must be given. Failure to do so is a violation of the St. Luke’s Honor Code and will result in an honor council hearing. In an effort to help students fully understand plagiarism, the following statement is discussed at the start of the year and is subsequently written and signed on major writing assignments.
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This essay contains only my own words and ideas. When I have paraphrased someone else’s words or ideas, I have used completely original wording and correctly cited my source. When I have used someone else’s exact words, I have used quotation marks properly and have correctly cited my source. I understand that any evidence of plagiarism will result in a “0”.
PROMOTION AND RETENTION Early Childhood Level Every child goes through stages of development in a unique way and by a particular timeframe. St. Luke’s recognizes that a variety of innate, environmental and traditional factors play a role in school readiness. Our Early Childhood students are promoted to the next level when they exhibit the emotional, social, physical and intellectual development that will allow success in the next grade level. Teachers, parents, and the Director of Early Childhood will meet to discuss options if there are concerns about the promotion of a specific student. These may include retention or counseling to another school.
Elementary Level Students are promoted to the next level when they demonstrate curriculum mastery as well as satisfactory social and emotional progress. Classroom teachers, parents, and the Director of the Elementary Level will meet with parents of any student who does not meet the above standards to discuss what is in the best interest of the child. These measures may include retention, academic probation, or counseling/referral to another school.
Intermediate Level Students are promoted to the middle level when they demonstrate curriculum mastery as well as satisfactory social and emotional progress. Classroom teachers, parents, and the Director of the Intermediate Level will meet with parents of any student who does not meet the above standards to discuss the best interest of the child. These measures may include retention, academic probation, counseling or referral to another school.
Middle Level Middle Level students must earn a passing final grade in each core subject to be promoted to the next grade level. Students who fail a course may still be promoted via the path outlined in the “Procedures for addressing semester failures” section. All final decisions about student promotion and retention will be made by school administration.
PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING SEMESTER FAILURES This section outlines the responsibilities of an intermediate or middle level student who has received one or more failing grades (<70%) in a core academic class for the fall and/or spring semesters. The procedures that follow are not intended to be punishments. Rather, the goal of this policy is to ensure that all students entering a new course will have mastered the requisite knowledge and skills to advance successfully.
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Students with One Failing Grade A student receiving a failing grade in the fall semester will be required to:
● Attend office hours at least once a week with the teacher of the failed course and provide proof of attendance.
● Keep a digital, weekly log of her/his grade in that course throughout the entirety of the spring semester.
o This digital document must be shared with the student’s advisor and student’s parent(s) on a weekly basis.
● Pass the second semester of the course and attain a final average ≥ 70%. If a student fails to meet one or more of these requirements, or if the student fails a course in the spring semester, she/he will be required to complete summer work for that class. This summer work will be determined by the teacher of the course and:
● Will be disseminated by the school in early summer ● Will culminate in early August with an assessment where the student will have the
opportunity to demonstrate that she/he has gained an acceptable level of mastery. o A grade of 70% or better will be accepted as evidence of mastery
Failure of a student to meet the above requirements may result in the creation of an academic contract, academic and/or co-curricular probation, or the student being unable to matriculate.
Students with Two or More Failing Grades A student receiving two or more failing grades in the fall semester will be placed on academic and co-curricular probation. Though not intended as a punishment, this is intended to make sure that the student’s primary focus is on academics. A student on probation will:
● Attend office hours at least once a week with the teacher of the failed course and provide proof of attendance.
● Keep a digital, weekly log of her/his grade in those courses throughout the entirety of the spring semester.
o This digital document must be shared with the student’s advisor and student’s parent(s) on a weekly basis.
● The student will be suspended from all co-curricular activities through the midpoint of the 3rd academic quarter.
o Athletic and extracurricular privileges may be earned back if the student has less than two failing grades at this point in time, and if the student’s teachers vouch for the student’s increased performance in the failed classes.
● The student must pass the second semester of the failed courses, and his/her final average in each of the classes must be ≥ 70%.
If the student fails to meet one or more of the requirements above, or if the student fails two courses in the spring semester, she/he will be required to complete summer work for those classes. This summer work will be detailed by the teachers of the courses and:
● Will culminate in early August with an assessment where the student will have the opportunity to demonstrate that she/he has gained an acceptable level of proficiency.
o A grade of 70% or better will be accepted as evidence of proficiency.
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Failure of a student to meet one or more of the above requirements may result in the student being unable to matriculate to the next grade at St. Luke’s.
HOMEWORK Students at St. Luke’s should plan on having three different types of homework: work meant for practice, work meant for preparation, and work meant for extension. Homework is an opportunity for students to develop personal responsibility and autonomy. Our homework expectations align with the recommendations from the National Education Association that a first grade student have 10-20 minutes of homework per night, with 10 minutes per night added with each successive year (i.e. a 7th grader should expect 70-80 minutes per night). These numbers are general timing benchmarks; some students will require more time, and others less, than this targeted amount. Parents should keep teachers informed about any observations/concerns regarding their child’s homework completion.
Homework for practice and extension provides students with the opportunity to independently engage in activities that will lead them towards mastery of topics covered during their school day. This type of work is fairly common and will be connected to classroom instruction. Students should expect to have practice work in most or all subject areas on a regular basis. Student homework assignments should be designed to advance student learning and should not be used as an opportunity to assess mastery.
Homework for preparation includes studying for tests, researching for projects or papers, or practicing for events like declamations or chapel talks. Teachers do take this kind of work into account, but it is difficult to determine how much time an individual student should spend on preparation work. The answer to the question, “How much should my child study?” is a function of how well your child knows material in advance of a studying session and/or how efficient she is at reading, writing, and/or working on the computer. Teachers are aware that our students lead busy lives, but how an individual student (along with his family) allocates time to study is a matter of both ability and preference. For example, some students space out studying for a test over a 3-5 day period of time (a practice we highly recommend) while other students do the majority of their studying the evening before an assessment (not recommended).
Reading and other media consumption are the final types of homework. For reading assignments that will be discussed in class, our teachers consider the material and factor estimated reading times into homework load. Students at many grade levels are asked to practice individual reading on a nightly basis; these activities are not included in homework time estimations. From time to time, teachers may employ a “flipped classroom” model for certain topics of study. This model asks students to watch short videos that introduce or extend topics from class, and time spent on these videos does count towards the timing benchmarks outlined below.
For those students who seem to consistently complete homework in less time than benchmarked, we recommend supplemental reading. A recommended reading list can be found in the library section of our website. Our teachers and our librarian are excellent resources for parents searching for searching for reading materials that will be educationally relevant and age appropriate.
Responsibilities of Teachers St. Luke’s teachers are responsible for estimating the length of time a given homework assignment should take. There will be days when homework load is higher than the benchmark;
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conversely, there will be days when it is lower. This fluctuation is completely normal and teachers will make efforts to keep the variation within reasonable limits.
Teachers are also responsible for clearly communicating homework assignments and due dates. This will look different in a 2nd grade classroom than in a middle level classroom. Regardless, parents and students have the ability to reference homework assignments on a daily basis. Mistakes or miscommunications on the part of the teacher will not result in penalties for students.
Teachers are responsible for noting patterns of unsatisfactory homework completion. If such a situation arises, a teacher will reach out to a parent, and the student’s advisor, to assist in helping the student make adjustments to his homework practices.
Responsibilities of Parents Homework provides opportunities for practice and preparation. Timely and successful completion of this work is a part of each student’s evaluation process. Thus, parents should not be “re-teaching” material to their children. The best thing that a parent can do if a student experiences a pattern of difficulty with his homework is to communicate with the teacher. Parents should help their children structure their homework environment and time allocation responsibly. However, parents should not give much help with the work itself. Encountering some struggle with homework is normal and developmentally appropriate. Students will greatly benefit from persisting through the more challenging topics and working toward mastery. As your partners in the education of your children, we welcome feedback about your child’s homework experience. If parents have any questions or concerns about homework they should communicate directly with the teacher.
Responsibilities of Students Students are ultimately responsible for the completion of homework assignments. We understand that there are times when circumstances prevent homework completion and simply ask that students (or parents for our younger learners) send a note or email to the teacher when these situations arise. If a teacher begins to notice a pattern of failure to complete homework, he or she will communicate with the student and parent about it.
Elementary Level Homework Homework at the elementary level is an opportunity for reading practice and for reinforcement of previously introduced concepts. Regular homework also helps students develop positive study skills and time management practices. Moreover, this is a pivotal time for parents to set expectations for their children about the local environment in which homework is completed. St. Luke’s strongly recommends that homework be completed in a place with minimal visual or auditory distraction so that your child can focus on the work in front of him. Parents of elementary students should know what is going on with their child’s homework and should work with their child to bring up difficulties with the teacher.
Elementary Level Timing Benchmarks ● 1st grade: 10-20 minutes ● 2nd grade: 20-30 minutes ● 3rd grade: 30-40 minutes
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Intermediate Level Homework Homework at the intermediate level becomes more substantive. Individual practice can help students recognize gaps in understandings that can be addressed by the student and teacher. Parents at this level should know what is going on in their students’ homework and should encourage students to seek our teacher assistance when needed.
Intermediate Level Timing Guidelines
● 4th grade: 40-50 minutes ● 5th grade: 50-60 minutes
Middle Level Homework Homework for middle level students is designed to help students progress towards topic mastery. Our schedule permits teachers to devote some class time to homework activities. This allows teachers to request a student’s presence during tutorial if the teacher identifies knowledge gaps that could make homework completion overly challenging. As we prepare these learners for the increased independence required for high school, middle level parents should avoid helping their students with homework.
Middle Level Timing Guidelines
● 6th grade: 1 hour – 1 hour and 10 minutes ● 7th grade: 1 hour and 10 minutes – 1 hour and 20 minutes ● 8th grade: 1 hour and 20 minutes – 1 hour and 30 minutes
Late Homework Elementary Level Late homework in the elementary level will be discussed with families during parents’ night. Parents of elementary students can expect late work to be addressed in a consistent manner by teachers at each grade level.
Intermediate and Middle Levels
The intermediate and middle levels have grade-specific policies for late homework. Homework is considered late if it is incomplete or not turned in at the time designated by the teacher.
● 4th Grade o Maximum credit for late work is 80%. o Work not submitted within 48 hours of the assigned time will be counted as a
zero. ● 5th Grade
o Maximum credit for late work is 70%. o Work not submitted within 48 hours of the assigned time will be counted as a
zero. ● 6th Grade
o Maximum credit for late work is 60%. o Work not submitted within 24 hours of the assigned time will be counted as a
zero.
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● 7th and 8th Grade o Maximum credit for late work is 50%. o Work not submitted within 24 hours of the assigned time will be counted as a
zero. Types of work that count as homework and count toward timing benchmarks
● Homework for practice, preparation, and/or extension ● Overnight reading in preparation for a class activity
Types of work that might be completed at home but do not count toward timing benchmarks
● Research ● Long-term reading assignments ● Work toward completion of projects or papers ● Honors option assignments
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS To graduate from St. Luke’s Episcopal School, a student must complete all prescribed courses prior to the start of 6th grade, and must meet the following requirements by the end of their 8th grade year:
● Three years of English, mathematics, science, and history ● Three years of physical education or St. Luke’s in-school dance
● Two complete years of Latin or Spanish
● Service to the St. Luke’s and local community as programmed and required by the school
● Earn a final grade of 70% or above in all courses
St. Luke’s offers students ample opportunity to serve others. Throughout the year, students engage in meaningful work that will benefit our local community, the larger San Antonio community, and our national and international communities. This service learning component of the St. Luke’s experience is required for all students. St. Luke’s takes responsibility for the programming of this strand of the curriculum, and there will be some occasions when this work occurs outside of normal school hours.
SERVICE LEARNING Service learning is an educational practice aimed at integrating community service, academic instruction, and personal reflection. Part of the mission of St. Luke’s is “service to others,” and we believe that our students should leave St. Luke’s with both the knowledge and practical experience to be constructive agents of change in their communities. This goal compels us to be a community that integrates service into its curricular and co-curricular offerings. As our program grows, we will endeavor to connect service projects to specific curricular goals being pursued in our classrooms and vice versa. Making the adjustment to this augmented and programmatic approach to service has lead us away from “service hours” requirements and towards a program where student service to the community will be scheduled by the school and will become more significant each year.
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We understand that there may be times when a record of student “community service hours” may be needed. We will keep internal records of the number of hours we program for our students, and if an SLES middle level child completes community service outside of school please see an office staff member for a documentation form. We will continue to record all “hours of service” completed by our students. For questions and comments related to all service learning initiatives at St. Luke’s, please contact our Director of Student Life.
RECORD REQUESTS Administrative operations staff members conduct all requests for school records. This includes transcript requests, confidential school reports, and teacher recommendations. Please call the school with any questions. Transcripts will not be released unless financial obligations with the school have been met.
TUTORIAL (MIDDLE LEVEL) Tutorial is an extra help session available to all middle level students Monday-Thursday from 3:20-3:50 p.m. Middle level teachers hold three tutorial sessions per week, with their fourth day used for club sponsoring activities. Teachers may request student attendance at these sessions and students are additionally encouraged to use tutorial on their own to complete homework, complete make-up work, and ask teachers for individual instruction. All middle level students present on campus from 3:20-3:50 p.m. are expected to remain upstairs in the Chris Jones Middle School. The library is not open to middle level students during this time.
Friday afternoons are reserved for administrative purposes. Tutorial will not be available unless a teacher has specifically made arrangements with a student.
EXTENDED LIBRARY HOURS (MIDDLE LEVEL) The library will be open for middle level students from 3:50 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through-Thursday and 3:20 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. Students using the library may engage in one of three activities: work on school assignments, read books quietly, or relax in silence. Disruptive students will be immediately relocated to After-School Care (ASC) and families will be appropriately charged for the time students spend there. At 5:00 p.m., all remaining middle level students will be escorted to ASC and families will be billed at the ASC daily rate.
CAMPUS LIFE CARPOOL Morning Students are received in the north and south parking lot/carpool lane by the 5th grade Safety Patrol and staff from 7:40-7:55 a.m. Parents wishing to escort their children into the school may park in the south parking lot and walk in with their child. St. Luke’s staff members DO NOT monitor the south lot.
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PK3-PK4 students are dismissed at the end of their regular school day at 11:45 a.m. Teachers escort students to be picked up in the north parking lot/carpool lane. Students staying for Extended Day and/or After School Care are escorted to appropriate rooms.
Afternoon Elementary, early childhood, and intermediate carpool begins at 3:15 p.m. and middle level carpool begins at 3:20 p.m.
Students will be grouped by level during afternoon carpool. Adults entering the carpool lane will encounter Middle level students first, followed by intermediate level students, with elementary and early childhood students waiting closest to the church. In the case that there is more than one child being picked up, the older student will find their younger travelling companion(s) and wait together. Faculty and staff will be present to supervise the carpool process.
ADVISORY St. Luke’s advisory program is designed to ensure that every student has at least one adult who knows him/her extremely well. Advisors are personal and academic mentors, role models, and advocates for students. Additionally, advisors are the primary school contact for parents. The advisor’s role is to advocate for and oversee the holistic experience of each student to ensure that he/she achieves maximal growth. Advisors are responsible for mentoring students, individually and as a group, and maintaining an open line of communication with our families.
Advisory meets every morning from 8:00-8:15 a.m. Students will sit in chapel by advisory group.
BIRTHDAYS Birthdays are special days in a child’s life. Families are welcome to recognize birthdays during the school day. St. Luke’s has established the following set of guidelines to ensure that these occasions are celebrated in a responsible, safe, and fair manner:
● Students are invited forward during chapel for birthday blessings. Summer birthdays are acknowledged at the end of the school year. Parents are invited to chapel to witness their child’s blessing.
● Parents may deliver a small snack or dessert to lunch for the entire grade level. ● Birthday banners may not be displayed. ● Balloon bouquets, flower bouquets, and singing telegrams should not be sent to students
at school. ● Party invitations for birthdays may be sent home from school only when all students in
the class receive an invitation. Otherwise, they should be distributed directly by the family.
● Locker decorations for birthdays are permitted. Decorations cannot interfere with the functionality of the locker. All decorations must be removed by the end of the week (Middle and Intermediate levels only).
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CELL PHONES Student cell phone use is not allowed from 7:30 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. for any reason. The Director of Student Life will hold any cell phone that is seen or heard during these hours. From 3:20 - 5:45 p.m., cell phones may be on silent and used to contact parents regarding transportation. During this time, students are encouraged to be present and attentive to their immediate peers rather than being “focused” on their phones. If students need to make a phone call during the day, they are expected to do so from the school office.
CHAPEL SERVICE/ASSEMBLIES Chapel services are conducted every morning and attendance is mandatory for all students, faculty and staff. Assemblies are built into the schedule as needed.
Students are expected to behave respectfully and attentively during chapel and assemblies. Backpacks and other personal items are not permitted in the sanctuary during chapel service.
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS
Co-curricular activities at St. Luke's provide enrichment opportunities in areas of interest that may not be fully explored during the school day. Classes offered range from taekwondo to the Sound of St. Luke’s. For our older students, clubs like robotics and model UN, as well as organizations such as the Student Voice and the National Junior Honor Society will continue to be options.
DANCES St. Luke’s hosts two middle level dances per year. These events are open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from St. Luke’s and other area schools. St. Luke’s administration works closely with parent council to organize these events and details about dates and times are provided well in advance of the dances. School dress code for non-uniform days applies.
LOCKERS Intermediate and middle level students at St. Luke’s are issued lockers for books, binders, and personal items. Lockers will be kept neat, organized, and closed. The school reserves the right to check/inspect lockers at any time. St. Luke’s issues each student a small clip at Tiger Tracks to keep lockers closed. St. Luke’s locks may be purchased for five dollars. The school needs to have locker combinations on file, thus only St. Luke’s locks may be used. If a locker is left open, a St. Luke’s lock will be placed on the locker, the student’s account will be charged five dollars for the lock, and the student will have to use the lock for the remainder of the year. Gym bags or sports equipment must be kept stored in gym lockers or another designated area.
LOST AND FOUND Misplaced items of clothing are placed in the Lost and Found. The Lost and Found is located at the bottom of the stairwell in the Jones Lobby. Students or parents requesting access to the Lost and Found should see the administrative assistant at the school entrance for the key.
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Please label all clothing with the student’s first and last names. If found clothing is labeled, it will be returned to the owner. Unclaimed articles are donated to the Uniform Exchange or given to charity at monthly intervals during the school year.
LUNCH Student lunches are included in the tuition payment. Lunch menus are available on the school website. Parents and other family members are invited to join children for lunch for a $5.00 fee. Lunch tickets may be purchased at the school entrance.
PK3-PK4 students staying for Extended Day/After School Care are served lunch from the school cafeteria in their rooms. Students are served family style. Lunch fees are included in the additional Extended Day/After School Care fees.
Students may bring lunches from home, but the purchase and delivery of food to students is highly discouraged except on special occasions. If parents do bring outside food, it should be for their children only.
Dining Procedures Courtesy and good table manners are expected. Teachers review lunchroom procedures with students at the beginning of the school year. Students are not permitted to bring soda, caffeinated, or sugar-rich drinks on campus (excluding sporting events, dances, or other after-school events). When assigned lunch duty, students will begin cleanup 5-10 minutes before the official end of lunch to ensure timely arrival to their next class.
OUTDOOR SCHOOL Outdoor School is an additional learning opportunity for 4th-8th grade students. Classes spend three days off-site (one day for 4th grade students) in fellowship with their peers while learning about nature, themselves, and God. Students participate in activities designed to teach problem solving skills and build cohesiveness. Details about this event are shared with families in the weeks leading up to the event.
TRADE FAIR Trade Fair is a signature event for the St. Luke’s community. The event provides 5th-8th grade students the opportunity to design, create, and sell items. Fourth grade students participate by selling refreshments during the event. Younger students participate by attending and purchasing produced items. Details about this event will be shared with families in the weeks leading up to the event.
DECLAMATIONS AND CHAPEL TALKS Declamation is a unique feature of a St. Luke's education. Declamation provides students practice in public speaking and lifelong appreciation of poetry and true literary craft. Through their participation, students learn the elements of successful recitation; sufficient volume, voice inflection, proper speed and pauses, good eye contact. Students in 1st grade have one declamation opportunity and students in 2nd through 8th have three opportunities to memorize a
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poem and/or scripture verse to share with their class. From each class declamation, one or two students are chosen to perform his or her poem on a designated day in chapel.
Eighth grade students also write and prepare one original chapel talk to give before graduation. This talk is both a summative demonstration of the public speaking skills each student has acquired at St. Luke's, as well as a personal reflection on the most meaningful aspect of the student's educational experience. Students respond to the same prompt: "What is the most important lesson you have learned in your time at St. Luke's?" Students submit his or her talk to the chapel talk advisor at least one week before the assigned presentation date. The chapel talk advisor helps edit/revise the talk prior to the student addressing the larger community.
SNACKS Snack schedules and procedures vary by grade level. The school only provides snacks for early childhood students. For special snacks or birthdays and other special occasions, see the “Birthdays” section.
STUDENT VOICE Student Voice is a leadership organization within the school comprised of student representatives from sixth through eighth grade. Student Voice officers are elected by fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students in May, while grade level representatives’ elections are held in August. All students are invited to run for office and Student Voice representatives are expected to exhibit our espoused values of scholarship, citizenship, and leadership.
VISITORS Parents and friends of the school are welcome at St. Luke’s. As part of our security plan, all visitors must obtain a visitor’s badge from the school office to wear while on campus.
IN-SCHOOL DANCE
St. Luke’s offers middle level students the convenience of staying on campus to receive dance instruction by professional dance instructors. The in-school dance classes are attended in lieu of PE, but on days when the dance class does not meet, students are required to attend PE class. Students interested in this opportunity will pay a semester fee. The in-school dance classes will also offer the opportunity to learn dance history and work with guest dance artists.
DRESS CODE
Overview Students are responsible for wearing daily and dress uniforms as outlined in the Parker Uniform brochure and school uniform guide. All clothing should be in good repair, clean, and appropriately sized. Students may wear solid white t-shirts or turtlenecks under clothing. Solid white or natural colored undergarments should be worn under white blouses. SLES’s fleece jackets/sweaters are worn inside the school building.
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Appropriate jewelry items include a watch, religious necklace, and/or a ring. Dangling earrings are not permitted. Hairstyles must not hamper or create a distraction. Hair must be kept clean, combed, out of the eyes, and of natural color.
Dress uniforms are worn in grades 1st – 8th on “C” schedule days. PK 3 through Kindergarten students do not wear a dress uniform. The first C schedule day is Wednesday, August 20th, the first full day of the 2014-2015 school year.
Please refer to the attached visual guide for uniforms required for student’s grade level. School uniforms must be purchased at Parker Uniform Supply, 2108 Northwest Military Highway, (210) 530-0087. Shoes may be purchased at School Shoes Unlimited, 2019 Vance Jackson, (210) 734-9003.
Clothing ● All articles of the school uniform (with the exception of shoes) are available at Parker
Uniform Supply, 2108 Northwest Military Highway, (210) 530-0087. ● Clothing should be neat, clean, of appropriate size, and in good repair. ● Shirts are to be fully tucked-in. ● Only St. Luke’s fleece jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts are worn inside the school
building. ● Commercial logos/external labels are not permitted on any item of clothing. ● Dangling earrings are not permitted. ● Jewelry items include an unadorned watch, one religious necklace, one bracelet, and one
ring. ● Students may wear only clean, solid-white, t-shirts or turtlenecks under clothing and only
clean, solid-white or natural colored undergarments beneath white blouses. ● Scouts may wear the Scout uniform on Scout meeting days. ● The overall hemline of skirts must fall within two inches of the front and back of the
knee, measuring from the top of the kneecap. ● Body art and body piercings are not permitted. ● Hairstyles must not hamper learning or create a distraction. The hair must be out of the
eyes, clean-cut, combed, and of natural color. ● Students may wear light shades of nail polish.
Free Dress Days Free Dress Days will be periodically scheduled throughout the school year in all levels.
● All clothing is neat, clean, of appropriate size, and in good repair. ● All clothing must be school appropriate and cannot contain any references to drugs,
alcohol or behaviors that do not reflect the St. Luke’s Way. ● All shirts and blouses must have sleeves or be worn with a cardigan or cover-all (no
sleeveless, spaghetti straps, or small straps allowed). ● Fingernail polish, jewelry, watches, and hair accessories may be worn if tasteful and not
distracting. ● Students will dress out during PE. ● Body art and body piercings are not permitted.
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Pep Rally and T-Shirt Dress Students may wear a St. Luke’s t-shirt, a school team shirt, a jersey (a t-shirt must be worn under sleeveless jerseys) or a regular school uniform on pep rally days. When wearing t-shirts or jerseys, students may wear jeans and tennis shoes.
PARENT COMMITMENT ADHERENCE TO SCHOOL RULES The school expects and requires parents to adhere to the policies, standards, and guidelines in this handbook. In signing an enrollment agreement, parents acknowledge that their failure to abide by school policies may result in the termination of their child’s enrollment and the forfeiture of any tuition or fees paid.
ATTIRE Parents are asked to dress appropriately when in chapel, classrooms, and at school functions. St. Luke’s enforces a dress code for students and faculty, and therefore, requests that parents be appropriate role models.
CONFIDENTIALITY When misconduct occurs, the school allows the student and family to deal with the consequences in private. School administration will not disclose personal, disciplinary, or financial information about our families. We appreciate parental cooperation in being similarly discrete if/when situations arise.
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS Parents are expected to pay all tuition, fees, and charges in a timely manner. The school will withhold report cards and/or transcripts until all financial obligations have been met and all library books have been returned. Student may re-enroll only when all financial obligations are met.
FUNDRAISING FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Requests from parents or students to conduct third party fundraising operations must be cleared through the appropriate division head.
CHARITABLE GIVING As with all independent schools, tuition does not cover the full cost of a St. Luke’s education. The school relies on the charitable contributions from current parents, grandparents, faculty and staff, alumni, past parents, foundations and organizations to bridge the financial gap and to keep tuition within the reach of as many families as possible. St. Luke’s is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and donations to the school are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. The Office of Advancement administers a development program to raise needed funds to deliver a cutting-edge education to each student.
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The development program raises funds through a combination of unrestricted donations, special events, and funds restricted to specific programs. The most important and first place for each family’s philanthropic dollars is The St. Luke’s Fund. This perpetual fund is the major source of annual unrestricted giving and provides the greatest impact on the education of all children in the school.
Two special events, Kaleidoscope and the Spring Scholarship Event, raise funds that are important to St. Luke’s. Kaleidoscope is a fund-raiser and friend-raiser that supports the general operating budget. The Spring Scholarship Event supports the John R. Foster Service Scholarship Fund, created by his family to honor his memory. Once fully endowed, this scholarship will support the education of several middle level students from families with limited financial resources. This event is open to the St. Luke’s community and to the San Antonio community at large. St. Luke’s has a Permanent Endowment Fund (PEF) that is managed by a separate entity. The John E. Newman Memorial Endowment for Education supports professional development for teachers, staff, trustees, and even volunteers as they work and volunteer in support of the school. In addition, bequests from the Estates of Dorothy “Fritzi” Abbot and Maxine S. Thom support literacy, financial aid and general operating expenses. The PEF also manages The John R. Foster Service Scholarship Fund. Donations can be restricted to the PEF.
All gifts are important to the ability of the school to deliver the highest standard of education and spiritual growth. Parents are requested to support The St. Luke’s Fund annually and as many of the other activities of the development program that coincides with personal priorities.
CAR SAFETY Your children's safety is top priority. For that reason, we want our teachers to be able to focus their full attention on the children, especially at greeting and dismissal time. Texas state law prohibits the use of “all handheld devices in school crossing zones,” and we strongly encourage all individuals picking up children to remain off of both handheld and Bluetooth electronic equipment as they enter our carpool area.
All students must wear proper safety equipment (seat belts, booster seat, and car seats) while in a moving vehicle.
COMMUNICATION IN THE SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION Communication between teachers and families is essential to the maintenance of our partnership, and St. Luke’s teachers and advisors will communicate with families on a regular basis. We have created the following protocols to enhance our sharing of information about your child’s experiences with you.
Class Newsletter: “St. Luke’s Snapshots” St. Luke’s teachers and advisors will be producing and sharing “Snapshot” newsletters with families on a regular basis. These newsletters will combine images and text in a consistent format for easy viewing. Teachers and advisors will share Snapshots with families every two
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weeks. The point of these newsletters is to give you a glimpse into the life of your child’s class or advisory group. There will be times when faculty have very exciting things to share, and there will be times when classes are bearing down and having more intense work weeks. Reporting about the range of class activities between these two poles is completely appropriate.
Student Comments Personal and individualized feedback about students is vital to our partnership with parents and guardians. Depending on your child’s grade level, his/her homeroom teacher or advisor will provide you with narrative comments every three weeks. These comments will include relevant academic and social updates on your child and will be emailed to you directly.
Advisory Assessments (Middle Level) Advisors in the middle level will also provide parents a more extensive set of comments at the end of the 2nd and 4th marking periods. These Advisory Assessments will provide a more holistic evaluation of your child’s life as a student at St. Luke’s and will look more like the traditional comments teachers have written in previous years.
CONFERENCES Conferences are held at the end of the first and third marking periods for all divisions. Parents will receive notice about conferences and instructions on how to select a conference period two to three weeks prior to conference day. In general, conferences are held between a teacher and a student’s parents, however, intermediate and middle level students are required to attend their conference.
TEACHER REQUESTS St. Luke’s does not accept requests for teachers. However, if you have specific information regarding your child that will help us understand his/her needs, we will take this information into account when placing your child for the following year.
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND CONCERNS As our partners, we always welcome and encourage your feedback about your experience. We understand that there are times when parents will have questions and this guide is intended to direct you to the proper person to have your questions answered. If issues arise that are not covered in this section, please contact the Director of Student Life or the appropriate level director.
THE ROLE OF A TEACHER AND THE ROLE OF AN ADVISOR (INTERMEDIATE AND MIDDLE LEVELS) Faculty and staff at SLES serve as teachers, advisors, or in a dual capacity. At the middle and intermediate levels, students see many teachers throughout the course of a given week. This makes the advisor-advisee relationship very important. The roles of teacher and advisor are related, but they are marked by different responsibilities with regard to student relationships. In his/her role as a teacher, a staff member at SLES is primarily charged with the delivery of a portion of our academic program. In this capacity, teachers are expected to model the St. Luke’s Way and promote collegial interactions among the student body, but teachers are not always
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ideally positioned to form deep personal bonds with their 40-80 students. We understand that this is a significant change from an elementary model where a student will primarily work with one or two teachers; this reality is one of the main reasons for having an advisory program.
Because we strongly believe that every student at SLES should have at least one adult in the school who knows her/him extremely well, our advisory program is designed to guarantee that every student has a consistent adult advocate and confidante. In his/her role as an advisor, a staff member at St. Luke’s makes a commitment to a group of five to nine students at the middle level, and homeroom students at the intermediate level, to keep a finger “on the pulse” of the lives of his/her advisees. The primary responsibilities of an advisor are to know what is happening in the lives of his/her smaller group of students, to serve as an advocate for each of his/her advisees, and to serve as the nexus of communication between the school and the family in matters related to the overall experience of the student.
There will be occasions when a single individual holds the dual responsibilities of teacher and advisor in balance for one or more students. This gives a faculty member at SLES powerful insights into the academic, social, and intrapersonal life of his/her advisees. When enacted with consistency and thoughtfulness, the advisory model gives us the best opportunity to serve each child in these multiple capacities. Ultimately, it is our goal to provide all students with the support for him/her to reach their full personal and academic potential.
Student Communication If students have something on their mind, the following should help to figure out whom to talk to at school in order to address issues that arise.
If students have questions, compliments, or concerns about any of the following topics, they should communicate their thoughts directly to the teacher of the class:
● A specific incident that occurred in a class ● Expectations, due dates, or clarification on course assignments ● Studying practices or strategies for a specific class ● A grade on a test, project, paper, or any other piece of work submitted for grading ● A classmate who is distracting or bothering you in a specific class ● A classmate who you may be working with on a group assignment
If students have questions, compliments, or concerns about any of the following topics, they should communicate their thoughts directly to their advisor:
● Questions about schedules ● Having a rough day (or week) and need to talk to someone about thoughts and feelings ● Feeling as though performance is not meeting personal expectations and/or effort level ● Advice about how to talk to a teacher/adult whom you do not feel you are connecting
with ○ This can include asking advisors to facilitate conversations with other adults
● Advice about how to resolve conflict with peers ● Advice about elective courses ● Someone who will listen and offer advice or feedback ● Having a great day and want someone to give you a high-five :) ● Feeling sad or discouraged ● Questions about school rules
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If students have questions, compliments, or concerns about any of the following topics, they should communicate their thoughts directly to the Director of Student Life or the division director: ● Highly confidential matters ● Opportunities for community service ● Evidence of a classmate violating the Honor Code ● Assembly ● Special Events
Parent Communication While important at all levels, the special nature of the middle level (and to some extent, the intermediate level) necessitates a system to ensure that the best possible faculty or staff member address your questions. Parents of students at the intermediate level are similarly encouraged to seek out the advisor, but parents of elementary and early childhood students should think of the homeroom teacher as the advisor. While we are always willing to work with parents in the best interests of the students we serve, we strongly encourage parents to empower their children to be the primary communicators with their teachers and advisors.
If you have a question, compliment, or concern about any of the following topics, you should communicate directly with a specific classroom teacher:
● Positive feedback about you or your child’s experience with a class and/or teacher ● A specific assignment or assessment (including the posting of assignments) ● A specific set of classroom expectations ● Grade(s) in a specific class ● Thoughts about how your child is performing and/or behaving in a specific class ● Tips and advice for success in a specific class ● Clarification on disciplinary action taken in a specific class
If you have a question, compliment, or concern about any of these topics, you should communicate directly to your child’s advisor: ● Positive feedback about you or your child’s experience with advisory ● Feedback on your child’s general disposition, social connectedness, and/or overall
academic performance ● Information about events in your child’s life outside of the school that may have an
impact on his/her attitude, behavior, and/or general disposition ● A desire to have a meeting with multiple classroom teachers ● Feedback about your child’s overall experience at SLES
For questions, compliments, or concerns about any of these topics, you should communicate your thoughts directly to the Director of Student Life: ● Positive experiences you are having with a specific teacher and/or advisor ● Serious discipline and/or honor scenarios ● Grade-specific events ● Dances, parties, etc. ● Confidential topics or issues related to your child’s physical, mental, and/or emotional
well-being ● Complimentary or constructive thoughts about level-specific programming or functions
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For questions, compliments, or concerns about any of these topics, you should communicate your thoughts directly to the division director:
● Positive experiences you are having with a specific teacher and/or advisor ● Unresolved communications/interactions with classroom teachers or advisors ● Level-specific programming ● Assembly, scheduling, lockers, curriculum, etc. ● Confidential topics or issues related to your child’s physical, mental, and/or emotional
well-being ● Complimentary or constructive thoughts about level-specific programming or functions
Teacher Communication The primary role of a teacher at SLES is to help students attain proficiency and mastery over the requisite skills and content encompassed by specific subject areas. Most teacher communication will be focused on individual classes and the events that transpire during class meetings.
In scenarios related to the following, a teacher should communicate directly with a student:
● Positive feedback about observed actions and/or behaviors ● Student disposition or attitude in the classroom ● Performance in a specific class or on a specific assignment
○ Includes observed “patterns” related to HW completion, testing strategies, etc. ● Changes in the schedule of daily events
○ This includes adjustments to homework assignments, project guidelines, etc. ● Student attendance during tutorial
In scenarios related to the following, a teacher should communicate with a student’s advisor: ● Observations and/or questions about general student disposition ● Feedback about how to best reach or work with a specific student ● Praise or concern about student performance in a specific class ● Positive or constructive observations related to student behavior in a specific class ● Observations about interpersonal relationships a student is experiencing with classmates ● Patterns of exemplary or subpar performance in class
In scenarios related to the following, a teacher should communicate directly with a student’s parent(s):
● Positive or constructive observations related to student behavior in a specific class ● Feedback about how to best reach or work with a specific student ● Praise or concern about student performance in a specific class ● Failing or anomalous performance on major assessments ● Patterns of exemplary or subpar performance in your class
In scenarios related to the following, a teacher should communicate directly with the Director of Student Life or the division director:
● Positive feedback about a student ● Serious disciplinary infractions ● Honor violations ● Serious concern for the physical, mental, academic and/or emotional well-being of a
student
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Advisor Communication The primary role of an advisor at SLES is to provide every student with a stable adult figure who knows them well and who takes an active interest in their lives. For this reason, most incoming and outgoing advisory communications deal with “big picture” personal and academic issues related to his/her advisees.
In scenarios related to the following, an advisor should communicate directly with an advisee:
● Overall well-being of a student ● Scenarios involving peer and/or adult interactions at school ● Feedback and/or advice about a student’s approach to academics, athletics, and/or
extracurricular pursuits ● Praise for sustained patterns of exemplary behavior
In scenarios related to the following, an advisor should communicate directly with a classroom teacher(s):
● Insight about a particular student’s mental and/or emotional disposition ● Conveying appropriate general concerns of families
○ Example - Bill is struggling with time management at home and could use a few pointers about how to better approach your class
● Facilitation of meetings where a particular advisee is reticent to approach a teacher on his/her own
In scenarios related to the following, an advisor should communicate directly with parents of advisees:
● Positive feedback ● Feedback related to the general disposition of an advisee ● Identification of patterns of action or behavior manifesting themselves in multiple school
environments ○ Example - Two to three teachers have communicated a similar concern to an
advisor ● Reminders about upcoming school events
○ Special dress days, Service learning projects, field trips, exams, celebrations, etc. In scenarios related to the following, an advisor should communicate directly with the Director of Student Life or the division director: ● Consultation regarding a particular advisee who seems to have consistent struggles ● Concern about the physical, emotional, and/or mental health of an advisee ● Positive and/or constructive feedback about a particular advisee
ROLES OF PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE BOARD The partnership between school and parents functions best when the distinct roles of the Board, administrators, and parents are clearly articulated and maintained. Parents’ roles are to help the school meet its current needs through volunteering, upholding school policies, bringing children to school “ready to learn” (well-rested, nourished, and on-time), and participating in philanthropy. The role of the Administrative Team is the day-to-day management of the school, including decisions about curriculum and personnel. The Board’s role is to preserve the school’s
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mission, to set its strategic direction, to oversee finances, and to hire and evaluate the Head of school.
PARENTWEB AND STUDENTWEB ParentWeb serves as a resource and communication tool for the school’s parents. This portal, accessible via a link in the upper right corner of the school website, keeps parents up-to-date on student’s grades, assignments, schedules, and report cards. Through the website and ParentWeb, families can also view academic and school calendars and submit or update directory, emergency, or health information for students.
The StudentWeb portal serves as a resource and communication tool for the school’s students. It is a valuable tool for the school to keep students up-to-date on their grades, assignments, schedules and report cards.
DISCIPLINE Philosophy
St. Luke’s offers students a high quality education in a safe, healthy and supportive environment where students are asked to make responsible, moral choices. To accomplish this, we insist that our students respect the dignity, rights, beliefs and property of all members of the St. Luke’s community.
The school expects the full cooperation of parents/guardians in all aspects of the student’s educational life at St. Luke’s.
Students need to know what behavioral expectations are required to function successfully in their classroom. To this end, students, with their teachers, will design their classroom discipline policies. Expectations and consequences will be posted in each room so they can be referred to when necessary.
As a general rule, 90% of all disciplinary action will happen in the classroom. When a student’s actions are disruptive to the class, the teacher will address the situation as he or she deems appropriate. Consequences will be developmentally appropriate and it is our expectation that calling attention to student actions in a timely and constructive manner will change the behavior. If, however, disruptive behaviors continue, teachers will use the steps below.
Early Childhood Level
Repeated offenses will accelerate this process.
1. The student will be redirected by the teacher and/or moved to another place in the classroom.
2. Time out will be given. Time out is a loss of privilege. Time out should not exceed 10 minutes.
3. Teacher and student will have a private discussion. Teacher will email parents explaining the child’s poor choice in behavior. A copy of email will be sent to the Director of Early Childhood.
4. Student will be sent to the Director of Early Childhood.
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1st grade – Fifth grade These are steps that will be taken within the classroom prior to a student being sent to the Director of Student Life:
1. Redirect the student – this could be moving them to another seat in class, calling attention to the behavior, standing near the disruptive student, making “eye contact” with the student.
2. Have a one-on-one conversation with a student about his/her behavior in your class.
3. Teachers have a soft communication (email and/or writing in planner) with parents to inform them about what is going on in class and to check on the home situation.
4. Have student personally communicate with parent, explaining what happened in class today and “own” his/her behavior.
It is important that we offer clear, firm and supportive guidelines for those students who occasionally fall short of our standard. Inappropriate student behavior is divided into three categories; Level I, Level II, and Level III. The types of infractions and the possible consequences are listed below.
Level I Infractions These will result in a teacher calling or emailing the parent and or a lunch time-out.
Lunch time-out – student will eat lunch in school office with Director of Student Life.
● Leaving class without permission ● Consistent failure to obey classroom rules ● Continual disruption of class ● Inappropriate language ● Consistent dress code violations
Level II Infractions These will result in the student being sent to the Director of Student Life where the parent will be called, letter of apology will be written, and a 15 minute Community Time assessment will be given.
● Insubordination ● Disrespect towards faculty-staff, and classmates ● Cheating ● Theft ● Fighting ● Verbal altercation with another student
Level III Infractions
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These will result in the student being sent to the Director of Student Life where one or more of the following will occur; call or email to parent, 30 minute Community Time assessment, and in school suspension. Repeated violations may escalate the consequence.
● Bullying ● Swearing at faculty/staff ● Threatening remarks toward students/faculty/staff ● Visiting inappropriate sights on computer ● Possession of firearm or weapon
Lunch Detention – The student will be required to spend lunch, recess or free time with a grade level teacher or Director of Student Life.
Community Time Assessment - Students will serve a given amount of time with a teacher or the Director of Students for certain infractions. Time can be served before school or during lunch. Students will have one week to complete assigned Community Time, and failure to do so will result in additional time.
In-School Suspension (ISS) – ISS is assigned to students who persistently disregard rules listed in levels one and two or other violations of school policies. Students who are serving an ISS will be not allowed to attend co-curricular events, including athletic practices, and games. Students are responsible for bringing schoolwork or reading to detention. Students will NOT be allowed to access their lockers during the day. Eating except at lunch time, which is served in ISS, sleeping and talking are not permitted. No cell phones allowed.
Middle Level
Level I Infractions
These will result in a teacher warning, phone call to parent, and/or a Lunch Detention or 15 minute Community Time assessment. ● Three tardies to a specific class ● Disrupting class ● Leaving class without permission ● Inappropriate language ● Dress code violations ● Using electronic devices in class without permission ● Failure to obey classroom rules ● Running in buildings ● Mischief ● Lockers not locked on a repeated basis
Level II Infractions These will result in one of the following; a 30-45 minute Community Time assessment or In school suspension. ● Insubordination ● Disrespect towards faculty-staff
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● Leaving building without permission ● Skipping Lunch Detention ● Failure to complete Community Time assessments ● Vandalism ● Theft ● Verbal altercation with another student ● Excessive in-between class tardies (Student will receive a 15 minute Community
Time assessment for every five)
Level III Infractions Will result in multi-day in school suspensions and/or 40 minutes of Community Time.
● Bullying ● Swearing at faculty/staff ● Fighting ● Visiting inappropriate sights on computer ● Threatening remarks ● Assault – in anger, a student places his/her hands/body on another student ● Sexual harassment by one student against another
Level IV Infractions Will result in extended suspension and immediate referral to Head of School. Possible dismissal. Repeated violations may escalate the consequence.
● Assault on faculty/staff ● Possession of a firearm or weapon ● Distribution of and/or possession of drugs/alcohol ● Under the influence of drugs and alcohol
Lunch Detention The student will be required to spend lunch, or free time with a grade level teacher or Director of Student Life.
In-School Suspension (ISS) ISS is assigned to students who persistently disregard rules listed in levels one and two or other violations of school policies. Students who are serving an ISS will not be allowed to attend co-curricular events, including athletic practices or games. Students are responsible for bringing schoolwork or reading to detention. Students will not be allowed to access their lockers during the day. Eating except at lunch time, which is served in ISS, sleeping and talking are not permitted. No cell phones allowed.
Community Time Assessments Students will serve a given amount of time with a teacher or the Director of Student Life for certain infractions. Time will be served before school or during lunch. Students will have one week to complete assigned Community Time; failure to do so will result in additional time.
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Responsibilities of Students Specific responsibilities for achieving a positive and productive learning environment at school or at school-related activities shall include:
1. Attending all classes daily and on time. 2. Being prepared for each class with appropriate materials and assignments. 3. Being properly attired. 4. Exhibiting respect toward others and toward church and school property. 5. Obeying all school rules.
Responsibilities of Parents Specific responsibilities for achieving a positive and productive learning environment at school or at school-related activities shall include:
1. Actively supports the philosophy and mission statement of the school. 2. Are sure their child attends school regularly and promptly report and account for
absences and tardies. 3. Teach their child the importance of obeying rules. 4. Participate in parent/teacher conferences to discuss their child’s school progress. 5. Be sure their child is appropriately dressed at school and for school-related
activities.
Responsibilities of Teachers Specific responsibilities for achieving a positive and productive learning environment at school or at school-related activities shall include:
1. Actively supports the philosophy and mission statement of the school. 2. Use discipline techniques recognized in the school’s discipline plan. 3. Set the stage for good student discipline by being in regular attendance and on
time. 4. Perform their duties in a manner evidenced by appropriate preparation. 5. Maintain an orderly classroom atmosphere conducive to learning. 6. Teach students to strive towards self-discipline. 7. Establish rapport and an effective working relationship with parents, students and
other staff members.
Responsibilities of Administrators Specific responsibilities for achieving a positive and productive learning environment at school or at school-related activities shall include:
1. Actively support the philosophy and mission statement of the school. 2. Ensure effective and timely school communication with parents. 3. Respond to student management problems referred by the Specific responsibilities
for achieving a positive and productive learning environment at school or at school-related activities shall include:.
4. Make decisions that are in the best overall interest of students and the school.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER Should weather conditions make it necessary for the school to close, such closing or delays in starting time will be announced via email, push notification, local radio and/or television stations. Information about delayed starts and school closings will also be posted on the school website by 6:00 a.m.
IMMUNIZATION, VISION, AND HEARING Up-to-date immunization records are required for all students prior to the first day of school. The school’s policy follows the requirements set forth by the Texas State Board of Health that all students have these records on file prior to their first day of school.
MEDICATIONS Medications (prescription or over-the-counter) must be stored with and administered by the school. All medications will be kept in the school clinic on campus or with school chaperones during field trips (including Outdoor School). Children are not permitted to carry their own medications for self-administration while under school supervision.
● All medication is to be brought to and kept in the school office. ● All prescription medications require a note from the student’s physician and must be
brought in the original container. ● Over-the-counter medications must be provided by the parent in original containers and
will be administered only if in accordance with label directions and a non-prescription medication form is on file in the school clinic.
● Any change in prescription dosage requires documentation from the student’s physician. Faxes from the physician’s office are acceptable.
