School begins at 8:00 AM with morning assembly where students recite the pledge of allegiance, prayer, our school pledge, and announcements. Students arriving to school after 8:00am must report to the front office for a tardy slip. For safety reasons, children may not be dropped off at the Fifth Street gate or on Massey Street.

School is dismissed at 3:00 PM on regularly scheduled Mondays-Thursdays. Children not picked up by 3:15 PM will be escorted to Extended Care unless they are signed up for after school programs. Every Friday, school will be dismissed at 12:30pm for monthly faculty meetings, professional development, curriculum planning, collaboration, etc. Please check the calendar on the school website for updated information.

SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Schoolyard supervision begins when the drive-thru car lines begin at 7:45am. For safety reasons, students must not arrive at school before this time. Students arriving before 7:45am or not picked up by 3:15pm must check in at Extended Care. Parents may be billed for any time spent in Extended Care, either before or after school

Transitional Kindergarten:
Class begins 8:00am 

Dismissal 11:45am

Grades K-8 (Monday –Thursday) 

Class begins                8:00am

Dismissal                    3:00pm

Minimum Days

Students in grades K-8 are dismissed at 12:30pm on Fridays, as well as several other days throughout the year (parent/teacher conferences, Holy Thursday, etc.). Extended Care is available on those days for parents’ convenience.

After School Play

Students may not remain after school unless they are participating in an adult-supervised activity. No faculty member is on duty after 3:15pm. Any student on the campus at that time will be escorted to Extended Care and parents may be billed.

Recess

Grades K-4                10:00-10:20am

Grades 5-8                  9:40-9:55am

Lunch Periods

Grades TK-4              11:40-12:20pm

Grades 5-8                 12:30-1:10pm

Students may bring their lunch to school or purchase lunch through Choice Lunch. Information on how to sign your child up for Choice Lunch is provided at the beginning of each school year and available on the school website.

If it is necessary to bring a forgotten lunch to school, it must be brought to the school office rather than the classroom or playground. Students are instructed to check in the school office at recess or lunchtime for forgotten lunches. Parents are urged not to bring fast food lunches to school.

Due to issues of liability and supervision, unauthorized adults are not to be on the playground during the recess or lunch periods without prior permission from the principal.

ATTENDANCE

Prompt and regular attendance is essential to your child’s success at Our Lady of Guadalupe School. Please call the school office at (310) 372-7486 by 9:00 AM if your child will not be in school or will need to leave early. Please leave your child’s name, grade, and the reason for the absence or early dismissal. It is not sufficient to notify the child’s teacher or aide of an absence. Parents must notify the school office directly.

Principals and teachers are responsible for checking the regular attendance of all students. Every absence must be recorded on the attendance register and record. Elementary schools record absences according to the instructions on the Student Attendance Register.

Absences with Acceptable Excuse

When a student has been absent, a written excuse signed by the parent or guardian is required, and the excuses are kept on file for a period of one year. An acceptable excuse includes illness, attendance at medical or dental appointments, funeral services for family members, quarantine directed by County or City Officials, or emergency or special circumstances as determined by the school authorities. Excessive unexcused absences may result in loss of academic credit.

Extended Absences

In the event that a child is out of school for an extended period of time, the principal and teacher will discuss with the parents the possible effects of such an absence. If a student is absent 13 or more days in a trimester, official grades may be withheld. Homework/classwork/notes will not be given in advance to students without administrative approval.

Leaving School Early

A student may not leave the school before the regular dismissal time without a written request from a parent or guardian. The request must state the reason for early dismissal. When picking up your child, please sign the release book in the school office. Students will be dismissed only through the school office.

Tardiness

A student is tardy if (s)he arrives after 8:00am. If the student comes after 11:00am(s)he is marked as a half-day absence. A record of all tardiness is kept in the attendance register and student cumulative records.

Truancy

A student who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse three full days in one school year or is tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the attendance office or superintendent of the public school district.

In the event that the school suspects that a student is truant (absent from school, without an acceptable excuse), the school administration will contact the parent or guardian. If the school suspects that the student is a habitual truant (absent three times in a school year, without an acceptable excuse) and all resources at the school level have been exhausted, the school principal will notify the local public Child Welfare and Attendance authorities.

A student who has been reported once as a truant and who is absent again from school one or more days, or is tardy on one or more days, without an acceptable excuse, will be reported again as a truant to the attendance office of the local public school district. A student reported as truant three or more times is considered a habitual truant and is subject to dismissal.

If a student has been absent without excuse, and it is impossible to contact the parent or guardian within 24 hours after repeated attempts, the attendance office of the local public school district, the local police department, Child Protective Services or all of those agencies will be notified.

HEALTH PROCEDURES

Health Records

Every school must comply with all Health Department requirements. Every school has a Health Record Card for each student enrolled in the school. Upon transfer to another school, the student health records are forwarded with the student’s transcript to the receiving school.

Emergency Card

Each student shall have an Emergency Card that is complete, current, and readily available to the school. The student’s parent or guardian is required to inform the school when there are changes to a home, cell or work phone number or address, the names of persons to notify in case of an emergency, or to any medication prescription for a student. The Emergency Card shall indicate whether or not the parent or guardian gives the school permission to choose a physician in an emergency.

In case of emergency, the Emergency Card will be shown to the paramedics or emergency room staff to authorize treatment, and to advise them if a student has any particular medical needs or is on medication. Therefore, it is imperative that the information be accurate, complete, and up to date.

When a student becomes ill or is injured, the parent or guardian will be contacted immediately. If the parent or guardian cannot be reached, another person listed on the emergency card will be contacted.

Only minor and very basic first aid will be administered to students at school; no secondary treatment, such as changing or removing bandages, will be administered. Parents or guardians will be contacted immediately if there is any question regarding the seriousness of or complications arising from an injury.

Medication

The school will not furnish medications. All medication administered at school shall be provided by parents.

• ●  A release stating the nature of the medication, signed, and dated by the doctor and also signed by the parent, must be provided. See Medication Authorization and Permission Form.

• ●  Medications administered at school must be in the original container and labeled. The day’s

  dosage must be sealed, labeled, and have the student’s name attached. It shall be in an

  appropriate container and kept in the school/nurse’s office.

• ●  The student shall come to the office for medication

• ●  Because of the risk of students sharing medications, students may not carry medication of

  any kind to be self-administered at school. In the event a student is seriously at risk without

  an epi-pen or inhaler on his or her person, consideration will be given for a variance.

• ●  Students may not be given medicine prescribed for other family members

• ●  The medication regulations apply to both prescription and non-prescription medications

• ●  Students who are diabetic are allowed to test their blood sugar at school in the health room

  or office and self-administer medication as necessary. The parent or guardian of a diabetic child must sign the Diabetic Consent Form and other appropriate medication permission forms and return them to the school. All medications must be kept in the school/nurse’s office and appropriately labeled as described above. School employees may not administer injections to diabetic children except in emergencies.

  No exceptions will be made to the procedure for medication. If parents/guardians do not provide the completed medication form with the prescribed medication, they will have to come to school and personally administer the medication.

  Students carrying inhalers must have a health care provider’s release on file stating that he/she may have it with him/her at school or at a school activity. Please refer to the forms at the back of this handbook.

  Only under these conditions may any medicine be given at school.

Communicable Diseases

The school cooperates with the local health officer in measures necessary for the prevention and control of communicable diseases in school age children – Education Code, Section 49403(a).

A student who has been absent from school because of a reported communicable disease must have a permit issued by the Public Health Department, a physician, or a nurse before he or she is readmitted to school.

Allergies

Some students may have severe, life threatening allergies, such as a peanut allergy. While the school will make reasonable efforts to prevent or minimize an allergic student’s contact with allergens, the school does not promise an allergy-free environment.

Student Sexual Conduct and Pregnancy

A primary purpose of Catholic education, whether in a school or in religious education or other parish programs, is to guide young persons in the growth and formation of Christian values and moral conduct, including Catholic teachings on the sanctity of all human and family life and a recognition that the sanctity of family life is enhanced by a loving, permanent and mature commitment.

While psycho-sexual development is an important aspect of the transition to Catholic adulthood, Catholic moral teachings frame this process through age-appropriate expressions of affection, friendship, and love. Parents are expected to love and respect each other and their children and are to be the principal role models, examples and educators for their children of these teachings. Sexual activity that is unwelcome, that threatens an individual or involves any misconduct by a youth or an adult toward another person not only violates these moral teachings but also may be unlawful under state law. Misconduct, whether it occurs in the school, church, home or elsewhere, may be subject to mandatory reporting laws and can subject youth and adults to criminal sanctions. In certain circumstances, sexual conduct, even if it is apparently consensual, must be reported and can have criminal implications if one of the participants is not yet 18.

However, should a pregnancy occur, the entire school or parish community should offer Christian support to the mother and father to assure appropriate pre-natal medical and counseling care so that the pregnancy can be brought to term, and the infant will have an opportunity to grow and be nurtured as a child of God. In such circumstances, the principal, pastor, youth minister and other appropriate staff will meet with the pregnant couple and their parents to plan for the pregnancy, including alternatives to school and religious education arrangements that are appropriate for the medical, health and safety of the child in the womb, the pregnant couple and the school or parish community. In schools, the principal, in consultation with the Department of Catholic Schools and the pastor (for elementary and parish high schools) shall review all aspects of each case and make a determination, based on the particular circumstances, of the need for any schooling accommodations or arrangements.

In cases of pregnancy, the mother and father (if known) should be encouraged and assisted in obtaining professional medical care and professional counseling consistent with Catholic teachings, including teachings on the immorality of abortion, relevant to the pregnancy and the future of both parents and the unborn child. The Department of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese can assist in the process and serve as a resource for services and referrals.

SECURITY PROCEDURES

Closed Campus

To preserve the academic environment, minimize disruptions to the learning process, and maintain school security, archdiocesan and parish schools are designated as “closed campuses.” No person may enter the campus unless authorized by the school administration. All visitors must present themselves at the school office if they are seeking information or have business to conduct with the school. Classroom visits, observations, and/or tours are scheduled at the principal’s discretion. All visitors must sign in with the school office and wear a Visitor’s Badge.

Emergency Plan

In the event of an emergency during school hours, please do not telephone the school. Phone lines must be kept open for emergency use. School gates will be closed to keep all non-essential persons outside the school grounds. During any initial evacuation of the building, students will assemble with their appropriate class on the school playground. All students will be cared for in the supervised areas until they are properly checked out.

According to the State Law, a student will be released only to a parent or other specifically designated person on the emergency card. Please be sure that your child knows the person you have designated, and that his/her name is on record here at school.

The following instructions will help us to most effectively deal with an emergency situation and provide for the safety of all students:

If an emergency occurs outside school hours, please watch for email notification via email and check local broadcasts for instructions on school closures. As a general rule, Our Lady of Guadalupe School will follow the same procedures as those designated for area public schools.

Emergency drills are conducted regularly during school hours so that students/faculty are prepared to respond confidently and calmly in the event of a true emergency.

Arrival and Dismissal Safety Procedures

For the safety of our students, faculty, and families, all parents are requested to follow the traffic pattern when dropping off and picking up students. We require your attention and cooperation in following these traffic regulations to provide a safe environment:

Parents who allow students to ride bicycles and skateboards to school must review safety rules with their children. Students must wear a helmet at all times. Students are not allowed to ride bicycles on the school grounds or on the sidewalks bordering the school grounds. If a student fails to comply with these rules of safety, the privilege of riding a bicycle to school may be suspended, and the bicycle may be impounded. Skateboards and roller skates/blades are not permitted at school unless prior arrangements have been made with the principal.

Students who have permission from their parents to walk home, ride a bicycle home, or use public transportation must have a completed and signed authorization form on file in the school office.
Be sure to return the authorization form found at the back of the handbook.

Missing Child Procedures

In the event of a missing child, the school staff will:

COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES

Back to School Night

Annual Back to School Night is held within the first two weeks of school. Parents have an opportunity to visit classrooms and receive classroom policies, procedures, and curriculum. At least one parent/guardian is expected to attend.

Weekly Communication

Each Tuesday, a large white envelope is sent home with the oldest child of each family. This family envelope contains communication from the school and other community organizations. A weekly Principal’s Message will also be available on the school website and sent home via email blast each Tuesday. After you have read the contents of the envelope, please return it to school with your child on Wednesday. Any information to be sent home in the school envelope or posted on the school website, must have approval by the school principal. Lost envelopes will be replaced for a nominal $2.00 fee.

Principal Coffees

In addition to the Back-to-School night, the principal conducts Principal Coffee Meetings with the parent community during the winter and spring. These meetings are informal opportunities for the principal to share updates, advances in curriculum, and answer questions. These meetings are not the appropriate forum for discussing concerns regarding individual faculty members and/or student progress. Parents are urged to contact their child’s teacher directly with such concerns or questions.

Faculty Communication/Appointments

Parents are encouraged to consult with their child’s teacher directly with any questions or concerns. Prompt communication between home and school is essential to student success. Your child’s education is the faculty’s primary concern from 8:00am-3:00pm and it is vital that classroom disruptions be held to a minimum. If there is a family emergency, parents can call the office directly and all appropriate personnel will be notified immediately.

All teachers/aides will check their phone messages, mailboxes, and email daily and respond to all parent communication within 24 hours. Appointments, as needed, will be made at a mutually convenient time and parents are asked to avoid impromptu conferences at morning assembly, in the car lines, class parties, etc. In an effort to maintain effective communication, two household families should schedule a single conference with their child’s teacher.

Cell Phones/Mobile Devices

Students may not take out or use cell phones/mobile devices on campus between the hours of 7:45am and 3:15pm Monday-Thursdays, or 7:45am – 12:45pm on Fridays unless they have explicit permission from an OLG faculty or staff member. If a student needs to call a parent within those hours, they may use the phone in the front office. Cell phones/mobile devices may be confiscated without prior warning, if they are observed out or in use during the times stated above and without permission from an OLG faculty or staff member. Parents, not students, may retrieve confiscated cell phones/mobile devices from the front office. Students who continue to violate this policy may be subject to further disciplinary action.

After school activities such as ECP, sports, etc. have their own rules for the use of cell phones/mobile devices and any questions regarding these should be directed to the program directors.

For safety reasons, parents are restricted from cell phone/mobile device use while in the carpool line during drop off and pick up.

EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY PROGRAMS

The decision to provide an extended school day program shall be made jointly by the principal and, and, in the case of parish schools, the pastor, after careful and thorough consideration of the responsibilities, liabilities, and long-term consequences. If the school decides to offer an extended school day program, the school must consider the following points:

• The program must be consistent with the school’s philosophy and mission

• The principal is the administrator responsible for the managerial aspects of the program, including financial management, and the recruitment, employment and, if required, termination of supervising personnel

• Archdiocesan student insurance covers students during the time of the program

• The school requires an extended school day agreement with participating parents

• Fees charged to parents must be adequate to cover the total cost of the extended school day program

• Programs under the auspices of elementary schools may only serve those students presently enrolled in the formal school program

• Adequate space shall be provided for activities detailed in the program, and this space shall be clean, safe, well maintained, and provide a pleasant, child-centered environment. The facility must have access to a telephone

• Extended school day staff must be at least eighteen years of age and have undergone a tuberculosis check and must comply with the Safe Environment Policy and Archdiocesan Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors at Parish or Parish School Activities or Events. It is recommended that they have formal training in child development, recreation, or education, possess prior experience working with school-age children, and are familiar with age- appropriate behaviors and abilities of children

• Staff shall supervise children appropriately at all times, and a written job description detailing work duties shall be given to all staff members. It is recommended that there be no more than 14 children per one adult staff member. It is also recommended that two staff employees be available at all times in the event of an emergency. At no time should a child be left unattended

• Staff members shall be in-serviced regarding signs of child abuse and neglect, and appropriate reporting procedures. Workers shall be given opportunities to attend workshops in child development, and individual staff members shall meet on a regular basis with supervisory personnel for on-going support and feedback

• Staff members shall carefully maintain appropriate records regarding family information, emergency contact, arrivals, and departures

A school may arrange with independent contractors or entities to provide extended school day programs on a fee basis. Independent contractors and entities must have appropriate licenses, agreements for use of the premises and insurance. All individuals and entities providing extended school day programs must comply with the procedures and policies of the extended day program and the Archdiocesan Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors at Parish or Parish School Activities or Events.

WORK PERMITS

Under California law and other relevant laws, a minor student may not work without a work permit issued by the appropriate authority. To obtain a work permit, certain information is required from the student’s school. Information regarding work permits and how to apply is available from the California Department of Education website: www.cde.ca.gov.

The minor/student, after obtaining a promise of employment, must obtain a “Statement of Intent to Employ Minor and Request for Work Permit.” The minor, the employer and the parent or guardian must each complete their sections and submit the completed application to the school. The school will verify the information entered on the application by the minor and parent or guardian and will also examine the student’s records and consult the teacher to confirm the student’s satisfactory academic achievement to date. The student must then submit the form to the “work permit issuing authority.” If all requirements are met, the work permit issuing authority may issue the “Permit to Employ and Work.” The “work permit issuing authority” is the Superintendent of the local public school or those persons authorized in writing by the Superintendent to issue the permit. A copy of the signed work permit must be kept in the student’s file. For additional information and forms see http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSE/ChildLaborPamphlet2000.html

PRIVACY AND ACCESS TO RECORDS

Maintaining confidentiality is the legal, ethical and professional responsibility of every member of the school community, including students, parents or guardians, teachers, aides, and all other employees. Every member of the school community must respect the privacy of all students, families, employees, the principal and the pastor.

Pupil Records

“Pupil records” means any record related to a student that is maintained by a school or one of its employees. It includes health records. It does not include “directory information” or a school employee's informal notes, if the notes remain in the sole possession of the maker and are not made available to others, except to a substitute.

Only the principal, as custodian of the records, authorizes the release of pupil records. Only teachers or administrators charged with pupil oversight have the right to view or use pupil records. A teacher’s aide may view or use pupil records only with direct teacher supervision. Pupil records may be released by judicial order such as a subpoena or a search warrant. In specific cases, such as suspicion of kidnapping, police officers may be given access to records.

Parents and legal guardians of minors have the absolute right to access their child’s pupil records in accordance with the school’s reasonable procedures for providing such access. Parents or legal guardians may grant any specified person written consent to access specifically identified pupil records. In cases of legal separation and/or divorce, California state law gives the custodial parent and a non-custodial parent with visitation rights, the right to access and examine pupil records. However, only the custodial parent may consent to the release of records and has the right to challenge the content of the records and to write responses to information regarding disciplinary action. A non- custodial parent without visitation rights has no right of access to records of any kind.

Directory Information

"Directory information" means one or more of the following items: pupil's name, address, telephone number, date and place birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous public or private school attended by the pupil.

The school will, to the extent possible, minimize access to student telephone numbers or personal email addresses, unless the parents or legal guardians consent to broader access. To the extent possible, users should try to minimize access to or distribution of student telephone numbers or personal email addresses, unless the parents or legal guardians consent to broader access

Room parent rosters, class lists, telephone numbers, email address lists or any other personal information about families and students are considered confidential and may be used only for the purposes specified. In no cases should commercial enterprises be given access to Directory Information.

Verbal/Written Confidences

Confidential information may be provided by students or parents or guardians to school employees in many ways. Students may confide in staff verbally, in writing, such as a note or a writing/journal assignment. All school employees must respect the verbal or written confidences of adults and students, except in cases where the health or safety of the student or others is involved. If the confidence received relates to a health or safety issue, the pastor, principal or other person in charge or appropriate authorities must be notified promptly, keeping in mind the rights of privacy that apply. Archdiocesan policy on reporting suspected abuse of children or vulnerable adults must be followed when applicable.

TRANSFER OF RECORDS

Student Transfers, Withdrawals and Graduation

Whenever a pupil transfers from one school to another, a copy of the Cumulative Student Report and the original Health Record shall be transferred by the former school upon a request from the school where the pupil intends to enroll and a release from the parent or guardian. The original Cumulative Student Report will remain at the school.

A record of the transfer, the reason for the transfer, and the name of the school to which the student is transferring or entering after graduation should be entered on the original copy of the Cumulative Student Report and in the Student Attendance Register.

Official transcripts are not given to students or parents. The school grants full credit for all work a student accomplishes up to the time of transfer.

Principals may be required by the County Board of Education to report the severance of attendance by any student.

Withholding of Records

Under California law, a private school cannot refuse to provide student records to a requesting school because of any charges, including tuition or fees that are owed by the student or parent. However, the school may withhold from parents or guardians the grades, diploma, or transcripts of a pupil pending payment of certain amounts for damaged property, the return of loaned property or unpaid tuition

or fees, in accordance with school policy.

STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

The Student Accident Insurance Program is provided for all full-time students in archdiocesan schools/parish. This program assists only with medical expenses incurred because of accidental bodily injury sustained by students while attending school, while traveling to or from school or while participating in a school sponsored and supervised activity, including school sponsored sport and extended day programs

ACADEMICS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

ALTAR SERVERS
Students in Grades 5-8 have the privilege of being altar servers. Training is scheduled by the parish. 

CARE OF BOOKS AND PROPERTY

Students are responsible for school textbooks loaned to them. Books should always be neatly covered and free of writing and logos. Students will be held accountable for lost books, damaged books, damage resulting from intentional misuse and/or excessive carelessness to the property of others or to school property, including desks, laptops, tablets, etc. Lost books must be paid for before replacements are given. All sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, coats, lunch boxes, and other personal property should be marked with the family name and grade.

CURRICULUM

Our Lady of Guadalupe School adheres to the curriculum adopted by the Department of Catholic Schools as well as the Common Core Academic Standards for mathematics and language arts. The curriculum prescribed for the elementary school includes Religion/Family Life, Reading, Language Arts, Spelling, Handwriting, Science, Health & Safety, Social Studies, Art and Music, Physical Education and Computer Literacy. In addition, Our Lady of Guadalupe School provides Spanish instruction at all grade levels.

WEEKLY LITURGY

As a Catholic school, we recognize that there is no greater opportunity for fostering parent-directed religious education than a family’s presence at the weekly community celebration of Liturgy. As a parish school, it is understood that a family’s weekly attendance at parish Liturgy provides tremendous opportunity for community building in a Christ centered environment. It is therefore essential to our mission as Catholic educators, in a partnership with parents for the Catholic education of children, that families attend Mass on a regular basis. As the primary religious educators of their children, parents are encouraged to consistently follow through on this most serious obligation.

Students in third grade through eighth grade will attend Mass once a week. The entire student body will celebrate Mass together once a month. These monthly Masses will be planned by the children. Parents and family members are welcome to attend these school Masses. In addition, school families are also encouraged to attend Family Masses with families from the School of Religious Education. These Family Masses occur Saturdays at 5pm and are posted on the school calendar.

Students attend additional prayer services during the school day throughout the year (Lent, Rosary, etc.)

FIELD TRIPS AND TRANSPORTATION

Field Trips

The field trip policies listed below apply to class trips, school group trips (e.g., choir, academic decathlon) and trips for school sport teams.

Schools may plan field trips for one of more days including overnight field trips. Schools, at their option, may decide not to offer overnight field trips. All field trips, whether day or overnight must comply with the following requirements:

• Prior permission of the principal

• Preparation, follow-up, and specific educational goals for students

• Signed and dated Student and Youth Activity Permission Forms and Emergency Medical Authorizations from parents All Permission and Authorization Forms must be in the possession of the supervising adult during the trip

• All participants should have appropriate identification and travel documents

• All archdiocesan policies on safe environment must be followed, including background checks for

  vendors providing the trips, as applicable.

• For trips outside the 100-mile radius of the school, guidelines must include consideration of the ability of parents to incur cost, the financial impact of the trip on other school fundraising activities and class work missed by students

• State law requires that a first aid kit be immediately available to the supervising adult on all excursions and field trips. First aid kits must be carried in all vehicles transporting students to school sponsored activities. Student emergency information must be immediately available to the supervising adult. At least one adult chaperone shall be in possession of a cell phone. A snake bite kit must be included in any area where there may be poisonous snakes.

• Transportation may be by personal car, school or chartered bus or van, boat, or airplane.

• Although discouraged, school employees, including teachers and coaches, may drive two or more students to or from athletic and co-curricular trips or events in their personal vehicle. School employees may not be alone with a student in a vehicle.

• School employees and parent or guardian volunteers driving students in their own cars must be at least 25 years of age, have a clean driving record for the past three years, a valid Class C driver’s license and current, valid California automobile insurance. Each vehicle must have individual seat belts for each student. A copy of the parent or guardian’s driver’s license and insurance declaration page must be kept on file at the school.

• All contracts with bus companies or other transportation vendors must be submitted to the Archdiocesan Legal Department for review prior to signature

  Schools may only use buses or vans with valid California State approved licenses or charters. Verification may be obtained on the state Public Utilities website at http://www.CPUC.ca.gov. In addition, schools must verify insurance coverage of the transportation company.

GRADING

The purpose of grading is to provide useful feedback for students and their families indicating areas of strength and areas for growth. Recognizing that we are all lifelong learners, the administration and faculty of Our Lady of Guadalupe School seek to measure total student performance in class work, homework, quizzes/tests, class participation, projects, as well as overall conduct.

Report cards are completed each trimester (approximately every 13-14 weeks). Dates are posted on the school website. Report cards may not be distributed early.

If a pupil is absent for fifteen (15) days or more, regardless of cause, during a trimester, official grades may be withheld.

Students in Grades TK-5 are graded on an “E” (Exceeds grade-level standard), “M” (Meets grade-level standard), “AM” (Approaches grade-level standards), and “N” (Does not meet expectations) scale.

The students in Grades 6-8 are graded by percentages. According to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the correlation between letter grades and percentages is the following:

GPA equivalents are:
A 100-96%      A- 95-93%      B+ 92-90%      B 89-87%      B- 86-85%

C+ 84-80%      C 79-75%      C- 74-70      D 69-65%      F 64% and below

A diploma will be issued to those students who have satisfactorily completed the course of studies for students attending Our Lady of Guadalupe School as prescribed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. A student must receive an “A” through “D” average in academic subjects to qualify to receive a diploma.

PROGRESS REPORTS

Mid-way through each trimester, individual student progress is updated online. Progress report dates are noted on the school calendar. This progress reporting helps both students and parents determine areas of strength and for growth throughout the reporting period. Regular home-school communication is an essential part of every student’s success.

Effort is the key to a student’s academic success. Clear and frequent communication between home and school is also vital. Any matter involving a student’s work or behavior should be addressed directly with the teacher first, and then with the teacher and principal, as necessary.

HONORS/AWARDS

At the end of each trimester, students may be eligible for honorary recognition.

Academic Honor Roll – 5th – 8th

Students must have a 3.5 average in the six (6) core subjects and maintain at least a B average in conduct.

California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF)

The California Junior Scholarship Federation was founded in 1967 to recognize outstanding 7th/8th grade students. CJSF exists to promote and recognize high standards of scholarship, service, and citizenship on the part of students in California schools. Candidates for CJSF are required to demonstrate excellence in academics and service to others. Candidates must apply for admission each trimester and fulfill the following standards set by the Federation:

1. 1)  Earn three A’s, one B, and no letter lower than a C in literature, English, math, science, and social studies for the trimester

2. 2)  Earn and A or B in conduct for the trimester.

3. 3)  Promptly submit completed application showing three hours of service to the school

   during that trimester. These 3 hours are in addition to and separate from Servant Leadership projects. Forms are available in the 8th grade classroom and due to the principal by the posted due dates. Late and incomplete forms will not be completed.

4. 4)  Honor Membership will be awarded to those eighth-grade students who have been members of CJSF for at least 4 trimesters in junior high, including the last trimester of eighth grade. A gold seal will be placed on the diploma indicating Honor Membership and noted on their cumulative school records.

Saints’ Awards

Students from each grade are recognized with these highest honors for demonstrating faith values throughout the trimester. Students receive these awards from the principal during a school-wide mass or assembly.

PROMOTION/RETENTION/GRADUATION POLICIES

The decision to promote a pupil to the next grade or to retain him/her in the present grade should be based upon progress in the present grade, and consideration of the overall welfare of the student.

In the event that retention is under consideration, the following guidelines should be applied:

1. The teacher is responsible for the consistent evaluation, and attempts to scaffold instruction, use differentiated strategies and offer remediation. If a student continues to struggle, the teacher will immediately consult the principal to determine the next step.

2. The teacher will make the principal aware of any significant concerns regarding individual student’s performance as soon as possible. Special assessment and/or testing may be suggested.

3. If retention is a possibility, the teacher should consult with the principal as soon as possible. A conference will be arranged involving the parents/guardians, teacher and principal to discuss both retention and other alternatives.

4. The teacher will complete and retain copies of appropriate forms and all correspondence with parents/guardians to document their actions.

HOMEWORK POLICY

The time allotment for homework is generally as follows:

                     TK/Kindergarten                   optional

                     First and Second                   not to exceed 30 minutes

                     Third through Fifth               not to exceed 60 minutes

                     Sixth through Eighth             not to exceed 90 minutes

This homework allotment is in addition to any reading requirements assigned by individual teachers. If a student is unable to complete his/her homework within the allotted time, parents should notify the teacher so the appropriate steps can be taken (reteach lesson, extend time, etc.).

Assignments are not typically given on holidays or weekends unless a student needs more time to complete missed work, weekly assignments, long-term projects, test preparation, etc.

If a student is absent from school, (s)he has one day per absent day to complete any missed work. For example, if a child is absent for two days, (s)he has two days to complete any missed assignments. This rule does not apply to tests, long-term projects/writing assignments, unless specific arrangements have been made with the teacher. It is the student’s responsibility to check in with the teacher upon their return to verify all missed work and ask for support if necessary.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

In addition to teacher-designated tests, school-wide assessments are administered each year during four testing windows. Students in Los Angeles Archdiocesan schools take the STAR Assessments from Renaissance Learning. Information relative to individual student growth is shared with parents during conferences and utilized by the classroom teacher throughout the school year.

Students in the fifth and eighth grades also take a standardized religion test, the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (ACRE). Fifth grade students take the Level I and eighth grade students take the Level 2 test.

SERVICE PROGRAM

Our junior high Servant Leadership program focuses on leadership development through service to others. The goal was to replace the simple “counting of hours” of hours with opportunities for meaningful service experiences, spiritual growth, personal reflection, leadership development, and rigorous collaboration. Also see CJSF (p.30).

SPORTS PROGRAM

Our Lady of Guadalupe School is a member of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) League which is a competitive sports program involving all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

There are three major sports for boys: Flag Football, Basketball, and Volleyball.
There are three major sports for girls: Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball.
Other sports may be available dependent upon student interest and the availability of coaches.

In order to help the students manage their responsibilities and prioritize their time, the following rules apply to all student-athletes:

Student council elections take place each year during the first week of school. The purpose of the council is to train students in leadership, to encourage a high standard of scholarship, to promote school spirit, to demonstrate the practical application of democracy, and to advance the welfare of the school and its members. In their position as council members, students are expected to be role models for the student body. Members and candidates for Our Lady of Guadalupe Student Council offices must maintain a “B” average in conduct, have no grade lower than a “C” in any subject, and fulfill Student Council responsibilities to the satisfaction of the Student Council Faculty Advisor and Principal. Any student council member unable to meet the requirements may be subject to probation and/or removal from Student Council. Conduct unbecoming to student leaders may be cause for immediate removal from office.

SUMMER PROGRAMS

The principal is responsible for the overall administration of all summer programs. All Archdiocesan policies are applicable to summer programs. The principal may delegate the day-to-day operations of the summer programs.

Each year the decision to have a summer program is left to the sole discretion of the principal and, in the case of parish schools, the pastor. Considerations for implementing a summer program must include financial feasibility, purpose (e.g., enrichment, remedial, etc.), and demand for the summer programs. Teachers have no right to employment in the summer program. Teachers employed in past summer programs have no tenure rights.

The following practices shall be observed in all summer programs:

• All summer programs shall have a budget that includes payroll, classroom materials, student activities, school maintenance costs, and utilities

• Students enrolled in the regular school program are automatically covered by school insurance. Prior to the beginning of summer activities, a listing of non- covered students (i.e., students from other schools) shall be sent to the insurance carrier accompanied by the special coverage fee.

• All summer program finances shall be posted in the school ledger

• The summer program staff shall participate in an orientation that includes: the mission of the Catholic school; Child abuse reporting requirements; Safe Environment and the Archdiocesan Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors; Field trip policies; Safety and health procedures; i.e., first aid and CPR; supervision of students; Emergency/Disaster plans.