The Vanguard School 1605 S. Corona Street Colorado Springs, CO 80905

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1 The Vanguard School 1605 S. Corona Street Colorado Springs, CO Office Phone: x200 Fax: The mission of The Vanguard School is to help guide students in development of their character and academic potential through academically rigorous, content rich educational programs. This is a partial list of The Vanguard School policies and procedures. It is provided as part of this planner to assist students and parents with some of the most frequently asked questions. Not all policies or procedures are published here, and some are published only in part. All items are subject to change. Please see the front office for any particular policy or procedure. Academic Load The academic course load in high school shall consist of a minimum of six (6) classes per day. Exception may only be made by the principal. Vanguard Athletics The Vanguard School offers the following athletics: Fall Sports Winter Sports Spring Sports Boys and Girls Cross Country Boys Basketball Boys and Girls Track & Field Girls Volleyball Girls Basketball Girls Soccer Boys Tennis Girls Tennis Students may participate in sports that are not listed at their resident high school or Cheyenne Mountain High School. The Athletic Director must be notified of the sport and school where the student is participating. The following forms and fees must be completed and turned into the Athletic Director before the student may participate in after school sports. These forms include: Participation Contract Parent Permission for Athletic Participation Athletic Insurance Waiver Driver s Authorization Physician s Statement Athletes must have a physical once a year and it must be on file with the athletic department. The packet of information needs to be completed once a year. Fees must be paid when turning in the athletic forms. The sport fees, per child, are $100 for each sport. Vanguard After School Activities Class Officers Musical Drama Club Student Council Integrity Council Yearbook Matchwits Academic Lettering Students who earn a weighted GPA of 3.5 or above for two consecutive semesters will be awarded an academic letter. Students are eligible for additional lettering recognition by achieving the required GPA for two additional, consecutive semesters. Accidents If an accident occurs on the school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity, it must be reported to the main office or the administrator in charge. The student will receive care consistent with the severity of the injury. Parents will be notified by the school when major accidents occur. The Colorado Springs Fire Department will be called for serious accidents. Attendance Procedures Regular, daily attendance at school is crucial to a student s academic success. Students are expected to attend and participate in class every scheduled school day. Frequent absences have a negative impact on student grades, and it is difficult for students to catch up on missed instructional time. To report an absence, the parent or guardian of the

2 student must call the school on the day of the absence. All absences should be reported to the school within 24 hours. The phone number is x 200. Parents must call each day a student is absent. Students are expected to be in their seats with all material ready at the start of each class period or students will be considered tardy. Lunch detention may be given to any student with an unexcused tardy. A student is declared habitually tardy when he accumulates four or more tardies per month. Continued tardiness will result in the student s loss of good standing, and the student s priority status for the following year will be forfeited. Students who arrive late to school or need to be picked up during the school day must be signed in or out by a parent or a guardian. Students are responsible for checking with their teachers to obtain missed homework due to absences. Students have two school days to make up the homework missed for each day of an excused absence. Teachers are not required to provide homework in advance for vacations taken during school time. If a student driver is late to school, a note from a parent must be given to the main office stating the reason for their tardiness. High School Drivers If a student needs to leave any time during the school day, a note from a parent must be presented to the main office stating time of departure, time of return, and reason for leaving BEFORE the student leaves. Failure to do this will result in an unexcused absence. Campus Guidelines The Vanguard School has a closed campus. Once a student arrives on campus, he is not allowed to leave without a parent or guardian signing him out. A hall pass is required each time a student leaves a room during class time. Students who are not currently enrolled at The Vanguard School are not allowed to visit during the instructional day without prior permission from the principal. Cheating and Plagiarism Cheating and plagiarism are very serious violations of the academic integrity at The Vanguard School. Vanguard students are held to the expectation that they shall be honest and refrain from cheating on any academic assignment. If found guilty of cheating or plagiarism (copying and passing off ideas or works of another as one s own without crediting the source), the student will receive a grade of zero on the assignment or paper and may also receive additional disciplinary action to include detention or out of school suspension. Checks All checks for school fees or sponsored activities should be made payable to Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy (CMCA). Please note in the memo line what the fee is covering. Class schedules All students will be issued a class schedule at the start of each semester and must follow this schedule unless a schedule change is made with a teacher. Classification Students shall remain in the same classification throughout the entire year. Sophomore- a minimum of 10 credit hours Junior- a minimum of 22 credit hours Senior- a minimum 34 credit hours To graduate- 46 credit hours, minimum Clinic The school secretary provides basic medical assistance to our students. Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen will be available to students who have a signed medication permit on file. Verbal permission, by law, is not permitted. All other medication must be accompanied by a signed physician s prescription, be in the original container, and be kept in the front office in a locked cabinet. Any medication not picked up by the last day of school will be thrown away. Any student with a contagious condition or a temperature of 100 degrees or above should stay home. If a student becomes ill during the school day, please make arrangements to pick up the student as quickly as possible. Please make certain that all emergency numbers remain current. Closing of School The Vanguard School will be bound by D-12 decisions on whether to close, delay opening, or announce early dismissal because of bad weather. In the event of bad weather on a day The Vanguard School would normally be in

3 session, but D-12 is not, the Executive Director or his designee will make the decision and will announce closure or delay on local radio and television stations as well as implement the Clientdial Phone Notification System. In all cases of bad weather, parents should exercise their own judgment about whether to transport their children to school. Tardy arrivals or absences on such occasions will be excused. Also, if you call The Vanguard office at , any change in normal status will be announced on the phone message. Communication Devices/ Electronic Equipment Communication devices and electronic equipment (cell phones, pagers, laser pointers, ipods, cameras, etc.) are not allowed on school property without PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION from the assistant principal. If a student s parent feels his child requires a cell phone to use to and from school, he must submit a request in writing to the assistant principal. If approved, the cell phone ringer must be off while on school grounds and phones must be kept in lockers during school hours. This includes inside school buildings and outside on school grounds, before and after school. Violations of this policy will result in the confiscation of the item(s) and more severe penalties for repeated violations. Parents may retrieve confiscated item(s) after school. The Vanguard School is not responsible for any property lost while at school or at school events. Conferences Parent/Teacher conferences are required for each student in October. Parents may schedule meetings with the teachers on an individual basis throughout the year. Sign up sheets are located outside each classroom. Cooperation with Persons in Authority Students are expected to cooperate with persons in authority, including all members of the staff. Disobedience to a person in authority or the use of abusive or disrespectful language or action toward any person in authority, including any administrator, staff member, or volunteer will not be tolerated. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Dress Code The Vanguard School is the student s place of business, and students are expected to dress accordingly. Apparel that interferes with or endangers self or others while participating in school or school sponsored activities is not allowed. If a student s dress is inappropriate, the student will be asked to change his apparel. Parents may be called to assist the student in obtaining the appropriate attire. Please see the Dress Code Standard for ladies and gentlemen for specific details about the dress code. Driving and Parking Students driving to school are required to follow the student driver policies. Approved drivers and parents must sign the Student Driver Policy. Students in good standing and with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, qualify for parking privileges. Proof of insurance and a copy of the student s driver s license are required and must be on file in the office. Any violation of the contract will result in revocation of parking privileges. Any student who loses parking privileges will not be refunded the cost of his parking permit. Parking permits for on-campus parking are $50 per year. 1. Cars must be parked in the designated student lot. The car must be within the designated parking space. 2. Parking is not allowed in the FIRE LANE. 3. Students are not permitted to go to their cars during school hours. 4. Students are not to loiter in parked cars before or after school. 5. Careless driving will not be permitted (speeding, hot roding, burning rubber, etc). 6. Students must display their parking permit at all times. Dropping/Adding classes Classes may be dropped or added within the first two weeks of the beginning of the semester. All changes must be approved by administration, the teacher involved, and the student s parents. A request form to change a class schedule may be obtained from the principal. Eligibility All extra-curricular activities that have public performances or competitions are subject to the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) academic eligibility guidelines. Students cannot be failing any classes to participate in practice or performances. If a student receives a D, he may practice but not play in games. Eligibility is checked on the 1 st and the 15 th of every month and will be effective the following day. If the day falls on a weekend, eligibility will be checked on the previous Friday and will be effective on Monday. If a student becomes ineligible, he will not participate in his sport or activity until the next eligibility period. Emergency Information The front office maintains all student information. It is important that your information be kept up to date in the event of an emergency requiring us to contact the parents.

4 Fire and Emergency Drills Fire and emergency drills are conducted throughout the year to prepare students and staff in case of an emergency. Everyone in the building is expected to comply with the proper emergency procedures. Gang Policy The Vanguard School is committed to maintaining a safe and positive environment. Any negative activity that threatens the safety or disrupts the education of students is prohibited and will be subject to disciplinary measures. The wearing of clothing, jewelry or a style of grooming that is identified with membership in a gang will not be tolerated in school or at school sponsored events. Any hand gestures that could be gang related are not permitted. Graduation Requirements All high school students will complete the following requirements to be eligible for graduation. English 4 years 8 credits History 4 years 8 credits Math 4 years 8 credits Science 3 years 6 credits Foreign Language 3 years 6 credits Must be the same language (one year of Latin required) Physical Education 1 year 2 credits Art History 1 semester 1 credit Music History 1 semester 1 credit Electives 6 semesters 6 credits Total Credits required = 46 credits Hall Passes Students who are in the halls during class time must have a signed pass indicating their destination. Homework Homework is an integral part of The Vanguard School s instructional program. It is the teacher s responsibility to assign relevant homework. The student is responsible to know what homework has been assigned, to complete the homework, and to be prepared for class each day. Late assignments will not be accepted. Homework assignments are posted outside of each classroom. Students who have approved planned absences or extracurricular absences need to turn in their homework in advance or make arrangements with the teacher prior to missing class. It is the student s responsibility to procure assignments from the teacher for days missed for extracurricular activities. Those assignments will be due the day the student returns to classes. Students have two school days to make up homework missed for each day of an unforeseen absence or illness. Honor Roll Each semester students will be recognized for outstanding academic achievement. Students who receive all A s and are at grade level will be recognized on the Principal s List. Students who receive an equal or greater number of A s than B s will be recognized on the Honor Roll. Immunization Requirements Immunizations are required and strictly enforced for all students. The immunization requirements for Kindergarten through 12 th grade are as follows: Dpt (Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus) 5 shots Polio 4 shots MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) 2 shots Hepatitis B 3 shots Varicella 1 shot or a statement that the student has had the disease Also starting in the 2007/2008 school year, all sixth and tenth grade students will need to have a Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis), and all students entering kindergarten will need a second Varicella shot or proof documented by a health care professional that the student has had the disease. Internet The Vanguard School may provide access to the internet as a learning resource to educate and inform students. There are many exciting and appropriate opportunities on the internet for students; others are unsuitable for school use. Therefore, use of the computers and internet is for educational purposes only. Misuse of the computers and internet includes but is not limited to, visiting inappropriate sites, the unauthorized reproduction of school or legal documents, copyright violations, attempts to harm or destroy data of another user, improper use of the internet or electronic mail,

5 vandalism, solicitation, uploading, downloading, or creation of computer viruses, and tampering with the operating system or data will result in disciplinary action. Language Students shall refrain from using profane, harassing, or abusive language or gestures at school or school sponsored activities or events. Lockers All Vanguard students will be assigned a locker to store their books and other personal items. The locker is school property and may be inspected as needed for safety, health, and maintenance purposes. If a student s locker becomes inoperable, he should inform the front office of the locker number for maintenance. The school assumes no responsibility for students property. Lost and Found Clothing and other items that are found in and around the school are kept in the lost and found container in the multipurpose room. Several times during the year, all unclaimed items will be donated to a charity. Non-Discrimination Policy Students can learn best in a school where all persons are treated with respect. This positive environment will help maintain a good reputation at our school and in the community. The Vanguard School does not tolerate disrespectful or discriminatory behavior. If a student is found to have treated another student disrespectfully, disciplinary action will be taken. If a student feels he or she has been treated with disrespect or witnesses an incident of disrespect, it is important for the student to discuss the situation as quickly as possible with a staff member so that appropriate action may be taken. Office Hours The office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The main office phone number is x 200, and the fax number is Pick Up All Vanguard students are expected to be picked up punctually after school is dismissed. After 30 minutes, students will be considered a late pick up. Students will then wait for their ride outside. Public Displays of Affection (PDA) The Vanguard School does not allow any public displays of affection. This includes hand holding, hugging, and kissing. Safe and Drug Free School Zone By federal, state and local law, and school board policy, The Vanguard School is a safe and drug-free, weapons-free, tobacco-free environment. No drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or weapons are permitted on school property. Violators will be dealt with as laws and policy permit. School Song We re The Vanguard School Making a difference in this world today Striving to learn We will persevere with excellence and discipline. We re The Vanguard School And we know that we re reaching for our goals. We ll succeed We ll lead the way We are The Vanguard School We are the Coursers Champions of our day Swift and spirited, Leading the way Our bar is set high We will overcome Fight, Coursers, Fight We ll succeed We ll lead the way We are The Vanguard School.

6 Student Sexual Harassment A learning environment that is free from sexual harassment will be maintained. Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to, sex-oriented kidding, abuse, or harassment, pressure for sexual activity, repeated remarks to a person with sexual or demeaning implications, unwelcome touching, such as patting, pinching, or constant brushing against another s body, or suggesting or demanding sexual involvement. Telephones Classroom and office phones are NOT intended for student use. Due to the amount of phone calls coming in to the main office, please do not assume your student will be allowed phone use other than for emergencies. Textbooks Textbooks are furnished by The Vanguard School. Textbooks are extremely expensive and must be properly cared for by the student. Books covers are REQUIRED for all textbooks. Once a textbook has been checked out to the student, it becomes his responsibility. Fines will be assessed for damaged books. Lost or destroyed books will need to be replaced. Report cards will be released when the books have been turned in or fines have been paid. Transcripts Copies of student transcripts are printed at the end of each year and mailed home with the student s report card. Students may also request a copy of their transcripts at any time to be included with college applications for scholarships or awards for which they are applying. Unlawful Behavior Students shall not engage in criminal behavior, including, but not limited to, robbery, assault, extortion (demanding something of value, with threat of physical force or intimidation), and gambling. Withdrawal Notification of withdrawal should be made to the registrar as soon as possible. All obligations (fees, textbooks, uniforms, etc.) must be cleared before transcript information will be released.