WELCOME TO ARLINGTON COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL! This is your 2007-2008 student handbook and should serve as a reference for you and your family during the school year.

I. ATTENDANCE , ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL THE SAME PROCEDURE WILL BE USED FOR ABSENCES

Attendance: Regular attendance should be the goal of each student. Visiting, shopping, vacations, dental appointments or other engagements should be planned so that students will not be away from school any more than necessary. If a student is ill, the parent should inform the school of the reason for absence and send a note when the student returns. An absence of more than three (3) days requires a doctors’ note. A child must be free of fever at least 24 hours prior to return to school. Any absences over 14 days without a valid medical excuse will result in academic failure for participation. All class work must be made up following any absence. Individual teachers will determine make-up work policy, but it is the student’s responsibility to discuss make-up work with the teacher. Upon return a one-week time limit to complete homework will be instituted.

Upper School Absence: Upon the 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc. absence per academic quarter, the parent will be notified by written form or by telephone.

Arrival: School starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. The first bell will ring at 8:20 a.m. Students must be in the classroom ready to begin opening exercises at 8:30. Students arriving early in elementary school will be supervised in designated areas. Students in grades six through twelve wait in gazebo area.

Tardiness: Middle school/high school students who are tardy to 1st period will report to the gazebo and will stay there for the remainder of 1st period. The High School Office will notify the parents of middle school/high school students who are tardy three (3) times in one grading period for any subject area class. This policy stands true for each three (3) subsequent tardies thereafter. These notifications may be verbal or written. A consequence such as lunch detention can be imposed after the third lateness in each subject.

Dismissal: The middle school and high school day will end at 3:10 p.m. Students in preschool through 5th grade will be dismissed at 2:45 p.m. Students will not be permitted to leave campus early without being signed out in the office by a parent or guardian. In elementary school, the student, before school must present a request from a parent to the teacher, the morning of the requested dismissal except in cases of extreme emergency. Middle school/high school students will take request forms to the High School Office. Parents should sign students out in the office before going to the classroom to pick up the child.

DISMISSAL IS AT 2:45 PM AND 3:10 PM: Walkers and bike riders must leave campus immediately. Drop off and pick up is to be carried out in the front area only. If you pick up or drop off in the library area, you must leave your car and escort your child to and from the classroom. It would be helpful to our patrol and would accelerate loading if your child’s name were displayed in the windshield. Carpools are encouraged. Elementary children not picked up during carpool must go immediately to extended daycare. No elementary children will be allowed to wait outside for their parents to arrive after 3:10 p.m.

High School Parking:

Student drivers will park only in the designated high school parking lot. Only seniors are allowed to park in the front lot.

Students are not to loiter in the parking lot before, during, or after school hours.

Students are not allowed to go to the parking lot while school is in session, with the exception of those who are allowed to leave campus for lunch.

Students are not to move vehicles between classes.

Students will observe the 10 MPH or less speed limit.

Students will keep the volume level of music down so that it cannot be heard outside the car.

Students will leave campus only at the end of the school day, or by special conditions of their schedule such as a senior needing only 4 credits.

Vehicles parked on campus are subject to search.

FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THESE RULES WILL RESULT IN SUSPENSION OF PARKING PRIVILEGES.

II. SAFETY REGULATIONS

Patrols will supervise and assist walkers, bike riders, and drivers. Students must follow patrol direction. We ask that parents maintain 10 MPH or less speed limit. Please be patient with our patrol and attentive to their directions as they have been trained to keep our arrival and dismissal procedure safe. Parents must use the right lane all the way through. Do not cut through the left lane at any time as this poses a safety hazard.

III. TUITION, BOOKS AND MATERIALS

Tuition: Tuition is payable in 10 installments. Two payments are made in advance of the school year per the school contract. A late fee of $20.00 will be charged after the 7th of each month.

Textbooks: Books are distributed to students on a loan basis and MUST BE COVERED. The student must pay for lost books at a total replacement cost. There will be an assessment for damaged books.

Consumable Materials: Materials such as workbooks are included in the student’s book fee. Students must have their own supplies (paper, pencils, pens, etc.). Teachers will designate supplies needed for their own classes. Additional supplies may be required for the success of the school program.

IV. PROGRESS REPORTING

Parent Conferences: During the year, parents have two scheduled parent/teacher conferences. However, grades or difficulties may be discussed at any time during the year by scheduling an appointment with your child’s teacher. Please do not call teachers at home or interrupt class time. Call the office and request that the teacher return a call to you to schedule a meeting. If it is imperative that you see a faculty member, all full-time faculty arrive daily at 8:00 a.m. Parent conferences with high school teachers may be scheduled from 12:40 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. Conferences with middle school teachers may be arranged for the 11:40 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. time period.

Grading Scale and Report Cards: Parents will be given a handout at Open House regarding the grading scale. Additionally, report cards will be discussed at that time.

Academic Probation: At times it may be necessary to place a student on academic probation because of poor grades or failure to do assigned work. Some privileges will be taken away until assignments are completed. This is primarily used for repeated failure to do assignments. Students may be assigned to a homework make-up hour after school on Monday through Thursday.

Homework/Classwork: Three late or missing assignments in any subject area will result in the student receiving an academic notification form in that subject area. This year, for students in grades 6 through 12, the opportunity for an assigned after school homework hour is available on Monday through Thursday from 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. Professional teachers will staff this homework period.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

An attempt is made to offer a variety of activities. Not all activities are offered each semester.

Cheerleaders: Middle and high school girls are given the opportunity to try cheerleading.

Yearbook: The Apache yearbook is published annually. Please contact the school in September if you are interested in supporting the yearbook with an advertisement.

National Honor Society and Junior Honor Society: Middle and High School students are selected according to academic standing, service, and scholarship.

Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT): This program is designed for middle and high school students interested in participating as teacher aides throughout the school year. Older students assist younger ones in various projects and activities under the supervision of a teacher.

School Newspaper: Students assist publishing Smoke Signals, the school newspaper.

Music Lessons: Are available – ask in the office.

Science Club: Students in grades 2 through 5 with a special interest in science are invited to join the after school science club.

Assemblies: Assembly programs are held. Students are able to participate in their own programs. Parents are welcome to attend assemblies.

Community Service: Children learn to serve the needs of the community through such projects as Red Cross Kans from Kids, and food drives for the needy. Participation is encouraged.

Athletics: Seasonal sports teams, such as soccer, tennis, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, golf, and football are organized for students in 6th grade and above.

Spelling Bee: An annual school spelling bee is held for grades 5 through 8. The winner will compete in the Duval County Spelling Bee.

VI. CONDUCT AND SOCIAL PROBATION

There is a relationship between discipline in a school and the quality of education offered by that school; therefore we maintain high discipline standards. Parents have a direct responsibility to actively support disciplinary policy and procedure.

Students at ACDS are expected to practice good citizenship at all times. In all of your relationships, both on and off campus, your behavior should reflect a conscientious, moral attitude about yourself and others. Exhibit the following traits:

Show respect for others’ feelings and beliefs.

Cooperate with one another and respect the rights of classmates.

Be honest in all of your school relationships.

Assume responsibility for your own actions.

Be obedient and respectful in your relationships with all teachers and staff members. Rudeness, discourtesy and impertinence will not be tolerated and will receive disciplinary action.

Show respect for personal and school property. Keep personal belongings in order. Respect and keep clean your classroom and the campus.

Students are to pass quietly on the walkways from class to class, when going to P.E., lunch, library, or other activities, and may not cut through grass, shrubs, etc.

Each classroom teacher will deal with general disruption by taking in-class disciplinary action, by making a personal call to the parent or guardian, and/or by scheduling parent conferences. If the action taken by the teacher is ineffective or the disruption is sufficiently severe, conduct referral will be given to the student. Further disciplinary action may include detention or suspension. Any student who behaves in such a way that warrants immediate removal from the classroom may be sent to the office for the remainder of the class and may receive an automatic detention or suspension.

Lunch or after school detention can be assigned by a faculty member. The student will be given at least one day’s notice, and he must keep the assigned detention. Failure to serve detention will result in additional detentions, out of school suspensions, or expulsion. After school detention is held Monday-Thursday from 3:10 – 4:00 p.m. Students who are late will not be allowed in the room. Students who are dismissed from detention due to inappropriate behavior will be suspended immediately.

Three detentions during any one semester can result in consideration to dismiss the student from ACDS. Any upper level student (grades 6-12) assigned to a table or timeout position outside the classroom as a consequence of misbehaving in class may not leave the table without explicit approval from the teacher. Failure to abide by this rule will result in suspension from school.

The damage of school property or the use of items listed in the “Taboo” section of this handbook would also result in detention, suspension, or expulsion from school. The school administration reserves the right to expel any student who exhibits undesirable behavior considered by the administration to be possibly injurious to the education, health and/or safety of the school community.

VII. VANDALISM AND PROPERTY DAMAGE

Our school building and equipment cost money to maintain. You and your parents would be upset if someone wrote on your walls, stole from you, or damaged your property. Our school is your home away from home; you should be just as concerned when you witness stealing or vandalism here. We need your help; please report any incidents to the nearest adult or to the office. Students who destroy or vandalize school property will be required to pay for losses or damages. If a student willfully destroys school property, suspension and possible expulsion may be necessary.

VIII. TABOO ITEMS

No alcoholic beverages are permitted on school property.

There is no smoking or possession of tobacco products on school grounds.

The following items may not be brought to school:

Drugs will not be tolerated at ACDS. Possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia or alcohol will be cause for immediate expulsion.

Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication must be checked in at the office. Parents must complete a medication form in the office.

ACDS reserves the right to search any student, automobile, backpack, purse, locker, or desk for suspicion of illegal or unauthorized materials at any time the Headmaster or his designee determines.

IX. DRESS CODE

Dress codes for elementary and upper school have been mailed home.

Students are required to be in dress code on field trips.

High school students will be sent home when dressed inappropriately.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Parent visits: Parents are welcome to visit their child’s classroom, but prior arrangements should be made with the teacher. Parents bringing items to students should stop at the office before delivering the item to the child.

Lost and Found: ALL Jackets, sweaters, hats, bookbags, and other items should have the student’s name indelibly printed or sewn. This cannot be emphasized enough to ensure the return of lost items. Students may visit the office to check lost and found for a particular item.

Student Records: All students must have one file the first day of school:

• Copy of birth certificate
• Updated HRS Immunization Form (Blue) (Available from your physician’s office)
• Current Health Physical Examination Form (Gold) (Available from your physician’s office)
• Copy of Social Security Card

Students without these records will be sent home.

Illness: Students who are ill should not be sent to school. Students must be free of fever for at least 24 hours before returning to school after an illness. You will be contacted if your child becomes ill at school. In case of emergency, if no contact can be made with parents, a local clinic, doctor, or hospital will be employed.

Fire Drills: For the safety of our students, fire drills are held once a month. No talking is allowed during drills.

Bad Weather Conditions: If public schools close because of inclement weather, ACDS will close also. School closings will be announced over the following television stations: Channel 12 (WTLV), Channel 4 (WJXT), and Channel 25 (WJXX). Radio stations WAPE and WQIK will also be used to announce a school closing.

Lunch: Students in grades Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten will eat lunch in their classrooms. Grades 1 through high school may be permitted to eat outdoors. This is a privilege and certain rules must be followed:

Throwing food or showing lack of courtesy is forbidden. Students are to speak in a conversational tone; loud talking will disrupt surrounding classes.

No one will be dismissed from the tables until the tables are in order. Students are to place their trash in the cans as they leave.

Students must stay in the assigned area and remain seated (grades 1 through 5).

Pine bark is to be left on the ground.

Middle/high school students are to remain in the designated lunch areas.

Students in Kindergarten through high school may purchase hot (plate) lunch or modified lunch. Menus will be handed out at Orientation and Open House and are available on this site.

ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PARENTS: We encourage you to show an interest in your child’s work by reviewing school work with him/her and by helping to develop good study habits at home. Parents are a vital source of talent resources for our learning experiences. Please share your talents with us.

Volunteer services are always welcome in the office, library, cafeteria, and classroom. We need room mothers, chaperons, typists, etc.

The Parent Teacher Organization helps match parent talent with the various needs of ACDS. Get involved with the PTO and help your children grow!