DISMISSAL

After two (2) formal suspensions, a student may be dismissed. Students who are dismissed may apply for readmission after one full year. The School will determine whether re-admittance is appropriate.

In certain instances the infraction may warrant immediate dismissal. The School reserves the right to dismiss any student at any time where the School considers the conduct of the student or parent/guardian to be inconsistent with School policy, the good of the School community, or Catholic teachings.

PROTOCOL FOR HANDLING STUDENTS WHO EXHIBIT VIOLENT AND/OR THREATENING BEHAVIOR

Violent and/or threatening behavior (verbal and/or physical) will not be tolerated and the following protocol will be followed:
1. Student will be immediately removed from the site where behavior (verbal and/or physical) occurred.
2. Parents will be notified.
3. Police will be contacted.
4. An investigation by school personnel will take place, and students or adults who were present during incident will be questioned.
5. Disciplinary action, ranging from suspension to expulsion from school, will occur depending on severity of incident. If student is suspended, counseling to determine if student is a threat to himself/herself or others will be required before student is admitted to school.
6. If guns, knives, or any type of weapon was involved in the incident, and/or infliction of physical harm resulted, police will be contacted and the student will be expelled immediately.

N.B. Any threatening, harassing, or violent acts by parent(s)/guardian(s) would constitute grounds for immediate dismissal of the child. Any student whose behavior, on or off school premises, brings disrepute to St. Dorothy School will face consequences ranging from the reception of demerits to dismissal.

HARASSMENT

The School follows the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Policy prohibiting harassment, including sexual harassment. Sexual Harassment refers to any unwelcome sexual attention, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Sexual Harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated. Any student or parent/guardian who is determined to have violated this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including dismissal of the student.

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DENTAL SCREENING
Students in grades K, 3, and 7 are screened by the Upper Darby School District Dental Hygienist once a year.

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DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The Development Committee focuses on relationship building and fundraising to support St. Dorothy School.

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DISMISSAL
Any student who is not going home in the usual way, or who is being picked up by someone other than his/her parent or guardian, must bring a note to school notifying the teacher of the change. The note should be given to the hormeroom teacher first and then forwarded to the principal.

Students who must leave school early for an appointment are to wait by the office for their parent, or guardian, who is required to sign the child out. Upon the student's return, the parent, or guardian, is required to sign the student in.

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DRESS CODE
A student's appearance, self-respect, and performance tend to complement each other; hence, reasonable care and neatness in regard to dress and appearance are required of all students.

Girls (K-4) - plaid jumper, white blouse with Peter Pan collar, green cardigan sweater, green ankle socks, and campsider, docksider, tan bucks, or loafer shoes. In cold weather, navy, black, or dark green tights may be worn.

Girls (5-8) - plaid kilt (knee length), white blouse with button-down collar, green V-neck sweater; green ankle socks, and campsider, docksider, tan bucks or loafer shoes. In cold weather, navy, black, or dark green tights may be worn.

Boys (K) - grey uniform pants, white golf shirt with logo, green pullover sweater, dark brown or navy docksiders.

Boys (1-8) - grey uniform pants, white shirt, belt, green pullover sweater, tie and dark brown or navy docksiders.

Gym Uniform - green sweatsuit in cold weather; in hot weather, the pants may be replaced by dark green shorts. White golf shirts may be worn.

A summer uniform is permitted in warm weather, consisting of golf shirt for boys and plaid uniform shorts for anyone who wishes to wear them. September through October 1 and May 1 through June are considered summer weather times.

Special Note:
No colored tee shirts, or tee shirts with printing or pictures, are permitted underneath the boys' or girls' shirt or blouse. A plain white tee shirt is permissible. Violation of this will result in the students' being required to remove the tee shirt and the reception of demerits, which will effect the conduct grade on the report card.

Shirts and blouses must be tucked in at all times. The waistband should rest on the waist. The length of the girls' uniform must be no shorter than 1 inch above the knee. Violation of this will result in the reception of demerits and/or conduct referrals.

Pierced Earrings (girls only): One pair of small post earrings; no dangling or hoop earrings or stud earrings are permitted. Earrings must be placed on the ear lobe, not anywhere else on the ear. Boys may not wear earrings.

Make-up: No make-up of any kind is permitted. A student wearing it will be sent to the bathroom to remove it.

Nail Polish: No colored nail polish is permitted. Students wearing colored nail polish will be sent to the office where they will be required to remove it. No acrylic nails.

Jewelry: No beaded necklaces, bracelets, or chains are permitted for boys or girls.

Hair: Hair must be well groomed and neat with no extreme styles or color. Boys' hair must be no longer than top of collar. Any eighth grade student who comes to graduation with extreme hair styles or color will not be permitted to attend graduation ceremonies or the dance.

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DRESS CODE VIOLATION
Violation of the dress code will result in the student's receiving a violation notice. Upon receipt of 2 notices, the student will receive a Friday detention. Upon receipt of 3 notices, the student will receive a Friday detention plus a Conduct Referral, which will affect the conduct grade on the report card.

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EMERGENCY CLOSING
In the event that the school must close due to an emergency, parents will be notified via the OneCall Now system.  KYW (1060) will also announce closings, using St. Dorothy School's number 491, and the closing will be posted on the St. Dorothy School website http://www.saintdorothy.org/.

Children will be dismissed based on the instructions paarents provided on the Emergency Closing forms which are filled out in the beginning of the school year.

With such a closing, CARES will not be in session.

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FIELD TRIPS
These educational experiences are planned by the teacher to enhance students' academic development. Permission forms for the trip must be signed by the parent; if a child fails to return the signed form to school, he/she will not be permitted to attend. Any student whose behavior has been consistently uncooperative or disruptive may lose the privilege of participating in a field trip. In the event a student is not permitted on the field trip, he/she must come to school and complete work that has been assigned by the classroom teacher.

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GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Act 89 provides us with a Reading Specialist, Speech/Language Therapist, a Counselor, and a Psychologist who administers Educational and Psychological Testing. These services come to us through the Delaware County Intermediate Unit.

Title VI provides us with funds to purchase library books.

Acts 90/195 provides us with instructional materials - workbooks and textbooks. Religion books must be purchased by the school.

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GRADUATION
Graduation usually takes place on Wednesday evening of the last week of school. The ceremony, as suggested by the diocese, is kept simple. Procedures for graduation are determined by the Administration and eighth grade teachers. Participation in closing exercises is a privilege, not a right. The School has the right to withhold participation in closing exercises if, in the view of the School, the student's conduct, academic, or disciplinary record indicates that the privilege should not be extended.

The graduation dance is usually held on Friday evening following graduation and is planned and organized by parents in consultation with the principal. The School has the right to withhold attendance at the graduation dance if, in the view of the School, the student's conduct, academic, or disciplinary record indicates that the privilege should not be extended.

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HEAD CHECKING
Please cooperate during our periodic head checks for lice. It is most helpful if parents check their child's head on a regular basis. If lice are detected, please contact the school immediately so that we can check other children and prevent an outbreak.

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HEALTH INFORMATION
All students are required to have the following immunizations prior to entering school:

Diphtheria/Tetanus - 4 required, including one after age 4
Polio - 3 required
Measles/Mumps/Rubella - 2 required, the first must be after age 1
Hepatitis B - 3 required, properly spaced
Varicella - 1 after age 1 required if under 13, 2 doses required if over 13 years old or history of chicken pox disease.

In addition, students will need:

A physical examination in grades K and 6. Students transferring to the school are required to have a physical examination.

A school nurse is provided one day per week by the Upper Darby School District. If your child has a specific medical problem, it should be brought to the attention of the nurse. The school nurse will screen all students in grades K-8 for height, weight, and vision. In addition, grades K-3 and 6 are screened for hearing and grades 6 and 7 for scioliosis. Any results from these screenings that do not fall within the normal range are reported in writing to parents for a follow-up with a physician. If you receive a report from the nurse regarding a screening, please have your doctor complete it and return it promptly to the nurse via the school office.

Emergency cards are kept on file for each student and new ones are sent home each year in order to keep the information current.

A doctor's note is necessary for the student to return to school following: streptococcal infections, including scarlet fever, scarlatina, chicken pox, measles, mumps, German measles, and eye infections. An absence of three or more days also requires a doctor's note for readmission to the school.

Whenever possible, doctor and dental appointments should be scheduled at a time when school is not in session. If it is absolutely necessary for a child to leave for an appointment during school, the student must bring in a written note requesting permission to leave school.

Any child who leaves school for an appointment must be accompanied by an adult. No child may leave school alone.

MEDICATION

School District policy, in accordance with PA School Law requires school personnel, including the school nurse, to give medication ONLY when a doctor's note is on file at the school. The note from the physician must indicate the name of the drug, dosage, how it is to be given, time to be given, along with the student's name and written permission from the parent to give the medication at school. The medication must be in the original container and clearly labeled with the child's name, the name of the drug, and the dosage. This policy includes all medication, even non-prescription items. Medication must be dropped off by a parent or responsible adult.

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HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
A vital arm of the Saint Dorothy School Community is the Home and School Association whose service to the school is invaluable. The Association follows the guidelines of the Archdiocesan Home and School Association via elections and by-laws. They support the school through various fund-raisers, the annual Walk-a-thon being the most successful. They provide in-service for the teachers during the school year by financially supporting workshops, conferences, etc. They give monetary gifts to the faculty on various occasions and provide books to each classroom at Book Fair time. Because of the Home and School's efforts, educational programs, such as Young Author's Day, have been introduced into our school. H&S Executive meetings are held on the first Monday of each month in the Library.

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HOMEWORK
Educational research has shown that homework is an essential ingredient to academic success. Homework is assigned so that concepts and material previously taught will be reinforced. Homework includes both written and study assignments. Students should work independently on homework assignments and projects. While this does not preclude parental help or interest, the assignment should not require undue parental assistance or supervision. Parents should not complete the student's assignment because this action deprives the student of an important educational experience and it teaches them to be dishonest.

Following are the time allotments for homework:

Grades 1-2 -- 30 minutes
Grades 3-4 -- 60 minutes
Grades 5-6 -- 90 minutes
Grades 7-8 -- 120 minutes

A structured, scheduled homework period is strongly recommended, and homework should always take precedence over or other activities. The message should be that school is the number one priority.

A homework grade is incorporated into the subject mark at the end of each quarter. Failure to complete homework assignments will adversely affect the student's grade.

When students are absent, it is their responsibility to obtain homework and whatever else was missed. Regulations regarding this will be discussed in each homeroom early in the year. If, in an emergency, you must call the office for homework do so before 9:30 a.m., so that the teacher has ample time to gather the student's work and books for pick-up after 1:30 p.m.

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KINDERGARTEN
Our Kindergarten follows the curriculum presented to us by the Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We offer a full day program. Age for entrance follows the policy established by the local public school district.

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LEGAL CUSTODY ISSUES
Parents are asked to inform school personnel when legal custody of the child/children resides with one parent. It is important for the school to have a copy of the custody decree. This will help school personnel to make effective decisions when the need arises. Custodial parents are likewise asked to supply the school with copies of restraining orders, if the need arises.

Those individuals who have legal custody of the student may attend school meetings, participate in educational decisions and review educational records regarding that student. Persons who do not have legal custody (including those with visitation rights but not legal custody) have no such educational rights and may not participate in these matters.

The School requires parents/guardians to sign an agreement regarding the administration of parental participation issues and payment of tuition.

This school abides by the provisions of the Buckley Amendment in respect to the rights of the non-custodial parent. In the absence of a court order to the contrary, a school will provide the non-custodial parent with access to the academic records and to other school-related information regarding the child/children. If there is a court order specifying that there is to be no information given, it is the responsibility of the custodial parent to provide the school with an official copy of the court order.

If there is a divorce or child custody litigation, the custodial parent is required to file a court certified copy of the child custody information with the school.

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LUNCH
Children eat their lunch in the annex and there are two lunch periods:

K, 1 - 4 -- 11:45 - 12:25
5 - 8 -- 12:15 - 12:55

In the event of severe inclement weather, the children eat in their classrooms.

A hot lunch program, organized by volunteer parents, is available to students on Mondays beginning in October. A listing of lunch offerings for the month is sent home with each child. Milk and orange drink may be purchased.

Following are lunchroom rules:

o Observe good table manners
o Converse quietly while eating
o Remain in seats while eating and waiting to go to recess
o Leave the table and surrounding area clean
o Place trash in the proper containers
o Leave the cafeteria in an organized manner

No student is permitted to go back into the building at lunchtime because there will be no supervision. If a child forgets to bring his/her lunch to the annex, a lunch volunteer will escort the child back to the school. If a child leaves stationery money in the classroom, he/she may not go back to get it.

If a student forgets to bring his/her lunch to school, it may be dropped off at the school office. Please write the student's name and grade on the lunch.

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LOST AND FOUND
All students should have their names on all personal belongings: coats, sweaters, hats, etc. All unclaimed articles of clothing will be placed in a Lost and Found box in a hallway behind the stage.

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MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION
St. Dorothy School is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

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REGISTRATION
Registration for kindergarten students and other students new to our school takes place usually in February. This registration is for new students only. Registration information is communicated through the school communication envelope and the parish bulletin. There is a non-refundable fee due at the time of registration for kindergarten students only. That fee will be applied to tuition. The following documents must be presented at registration:

• Birth Certificate
• Baptismal Certificate (if not baptized at St. Dorothy Church)
• Complete record of immunization

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RE-REGISTRATION
Families registered in our school are required to re-register annually. Registration information for the following year is forwarded to each family through the weekly communication envelope prior to the next school year. All financial obligations must be current before re-registration can be processed.

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RELEASE OF A CHILD
A child will not be released to a parent/guardian who does not have physical custody, without the written consent of the custodial parent/guardian. To determine the custodial parent/guardian, all separated or divorced parents of children enrolled in the school must provide the school with a copy of the court order or custodial agreement adjudicating that determination of custody. This Court Order/Custodial Agreement is placed in a confidential file.

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REPORT CARDS
Report cards are issued three times a year, usually in December, March, and June. Parents are asked to sign the report card and return it to school the following school day. One conference is scheduled prior to the issuance of the first report card ; however, conferences will be held at any time during the year at the request of parents or teachers.

ACADEMIC HONORS - Students in grades 5-8 will be awarded honors at the end of the third trimester.

First Honors - 93 cumulative average or above in each subject and a 3 or 4 in effort and conduct.

Second Honors - 88 cumulative average or above in each subject and a 3 or 4 in conduct and effort.

An Awards Assembly will be held during the last week of school and the following awards will be given:

Highest General Average - One child in grades 5-7 from each homeroom.

Effort - one boy and one girl from each homeroom - grades 1-7

Christian Attitude - one boy and one girl from each homeroom - grades 1-7

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

FIRE DRILLS

Fire drills are required by law and are an important safety precaution. It is essential that when the alarm is sounded everyone (including parent volunteers) obeys promptly and clears the building as quickly as possible by the prescribed route. Absolute silence must be observed during the drill. Fire drills are conducted on a frequent basis.

LOCKDOWN DRILL

All external doors and classroom doors are locked for protection. Lockdown drills are practiced once a year.

SHELTER-IN-PLACE

Students are removed to designated location (annex) where all doors are locked. Shelter-in-Place occurs if there is a release of a chemical substance into the air. Shelter-in-place practice occurs once during the school year.

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SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated. All students are responsible for ensuring that this school is free from all forms of sexual harassment. The school will investigate all allegations of sexual harassment and will take appropriate corrective action when warranted. Any student who is determined, as a result of such and investigation, to have engaged in sexual harassment in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

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STANDARDIZED TESTING
The Terra Nova Test is administered to students in grades 2-8. In Fall 2008, testing will be conducted in grades 5, 6, and 8; in Spring 2009, testing will be conducted in grades 2 through 4 and 7.  Beginning with the2009-2010 school year, all testing will take place in the Spring.  The results are communicated to parents and are utilized by the school for curriculum planning.

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STATIONERY
As a convenience to parents and students, stationery supplies are sold in the annex on Mondays via their homeroom teachers.

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STUDENT RECORDS
Unless a court or custody agreement specifies otherwise, each parent/guardian with legal custody is entitled to access all school records of the child. Absent a subpoena or court order, school records of the child/children may be disclosed only upon written consent of the parent/guardian with legal custody.

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TECHNOLOGY
Acceptable User Policy for the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

PURPOSE

Technology is a valuable educational vehicle. Our schools are committed to teach its students, faculty, administrators, staff, and school community to work and to learn effectively with technology and to ensure responsible use of technology. The policy outlined below applies to all technology use including, but not limited to Internet use. The Acceptable Use Policy for Technology applies to all students, faculty, administrators, staff, volunteers or community members allowed access to school technology resources.

GOAL

The school's goal is to prepare its members for life in an electronic, global community. To this end, the school will:
• provide a variety of technology based tools
• teach technology skills
• integrate technology with curriculum
• encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills
• facilitate evaluation and synthesis of information
• encourage ethical practices

RESPONSIBILITIES OF USER

Our schools will make every effort to provide a safe environment for learning with technology including Internet safeguards. The students, faculty, administrators, staff, and school community are granted the privilege of using the computer hardware and software, peripherals, and electronic communication tools including the Internet. With this privilege comes the responsibility to use the equipment correctly, respect the name and intellectual property of others, and follow the policies outlined below.

TECHNOLOGY USE GUIDELINES

• Educational Purpose/ Appropriate Use: All technology use and Internet access at schools for all faculty, staff and students is provided solely for educational purposes. Educational sites and teacher created assignments are to be used to enhance student learning. Students must not access entertainment sites, for example social networking sites or gaming sites, except for educational purposes under teacher supervision. Expressed permission to use the Internet and hardware/software in any area of the school must always be obtained.

• Copyright/Intellectual Property: All sources obtained for teacher and student work should be properly cited. Users are to respect the rights of and the intellectual property of others in accordance with Federal Copyright Law. Transferring copyrighted material to or from a school without expressed permission of the owner is a violation of Federal Law.

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY FOR TECHNOLOGY

BEGIN HERE

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TELEPHONE
The school telephone is used for emergency and business calls only. Students may use the telephone only with permission from the principal. Forgotten books, gym uniforms, lunches, etc. are not considered emergencies, and students will not be permitted to call home for these items. If a younger student has forgotten his/her lunch, the teacher will notify the secretary who will place a call home. No child may be called to the phone, and we strongly discourage telephone messages to them. Faculty members may not be called to the phone during school hours.

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TEXTBOOKS
All textbooks are provided at great expense. For this reason, as well as the desire to instill into the child a sense of responsibility in regard to the property of others, all textbooks and those workbooks designated by the teacher must be covered at all times. All covers must be neat and clean and free from inappropriate material. All lost or damaged books must be paid for in full by the student and parents/guardians. A charge will be made at the rate at which the books were purchased by the School.

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TUITION
The tuition for St. Dorothy Parish School is determined by the pastor in consultation with the parish Finance Committee. It is reassessed each year and presented to the people several months before it becomes effective. Every effort is made to keep the tuition within the scope of the parent's ability to afford the cost. Families who are delinquent in tuition may be asked to withdraw their children from school. Tuition alone does not cover the cost of educating a child; parish funds also contribute.

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VISITS TO SCHOOL
Parents are always welcome in the school to help with many volunteer projects and activities. Parents, however, are not permitted to visit classrooms during instruction time as this causes a distraction to the students and teacher and interferes with the proper teaching of the students. If parents need to deliver something to their child, they are asked to bring the item to the office where the secretary will make sure it is taken to the child. Anyone visiting the school must register in the school office upon arrival and before leaving the building.

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VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are valuable assets of a school program. The assistance of parent volunteers is greatly appreciated and encouraged.  Any adult who wishes to work with children must attend the Archdiocesan Child Abuse Prevention Training program. A volunteer should enjoy working with children and relate well with people.  In respecting the rights of children and their parents, confidentiality is essential on the part of any volunteer. Any disciplinary action involving students will be handled by teachers or the administrator.

ST. DOROTHY PARISH/SCHOOL COMPLIANCE POLICY FOR ADULT/CHILD ACTIVITY  

As mandated by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, St. Dorothy Parish has established the following standard of practice for adults who by virtue of volunteer status are in contact with children.

All adults over the age of 18 are required to have on record at the rectory prior to initiation of activity with children the following forms:  a State Police Criminal Background Check, a Child Abuse History Clearance and verification of attendance at the workshop Protecting God's Children and, when indicated, an FBI Fingerprint Clearance. The Criminal Record and Child Welfare Abuse Screens are to be renewed every 5 years.  Three to four months prior to the expiration of forms, the adult will be notified by the rectory of the need to renew such forms.  Lack of these forms will prevent adult participation.

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WEATHER-RELATED SCHOOL CLOSINGS
The OneCall Now system will be used to notify parents of closings or delayed openings. KYW radio (1060) will also announce if the school is closed, or if it will have a delayed opening. Listen for our school number (491). The information will also be posted on our school website www.saintdorothy.org.

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SCHOOL/PRINCIPAL RIGHT TO AMEND HANDBOOK
St. Dorothy School reserves the right at anytime to amend or add to the policies, rules and regulations contained in this handbook and to make such changes applicable to current and new students when the situation dictates.

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