The School Will:

·          Provide the educational opportunity for every student to earn a high school diploma.

·          Provide parents with services to assist their child to succeed in high school.

·          Maintain contact with parents to work together to support student efforts to earn a diploma.

·          Assist in the college application process.

·          Provide for the student’s security, by issuing a photo ID and a program card, which remains the property of the Board of Education.

The Student Will:

·          Attend school daily and arrive punctually.

·          Attend all classes on his/her schedule.

·          Follow all procedures and rules.

·          Wear school uniform.

·          Bring only class related materials: notebooks, pens, pencils, etc.

·          Show respect for all school personnel and classmates.

·          Care for books distributed in class and return them in good condition at the end of the semester/year.

·          Carry the school photo ID and student program card that must be presented for inspection at all times when entering the school building and when stopped in hallways.

The Student Will NOT:

·          Bring any type of beeper, cell phone, radio, tape/CD player, Walkman to school.

·          Bring any type of weapon into the school building.

·          Fight in school or within the school zone.

·          Engage in any form of vandalism or defacement of school property.

·          Be disruptive or argumentative in class

·          Utilize the school lockers for the storage of inappropriate items.

The Parents Agree To:

·          Ensure that their child attends school regularly and punctually.

·          Keep in close contact with the school regarding their child’s progress.

·          Ensure student adheres to the school uniform policy.

·          Attend and participate in the activities of the Parents’ Association.

·          Attend fall and spring Parent-Teacher Conferences.

·          Cooperate with school personnel to remedy any difficulties that may develop.

·          Be available for meetings or conferences if the need arises.

·          Be familiar with all the information in this Handbook.

·          Volunteer when possible for school decision-making committees.

·          Keep student’s immunization current.

·          Provide school with an alternate contact in case of emergency.

Report Cards and Grading Policy

                Life Sciences Secondary School is an annualized school. This means that the students academic program is for the entire year, and all grades are cumulative.

                Cumulative grading means that each grade includes all of the work done since the beginning of the year. Therefore, the work of the first week is just as important as the work of the final week.

Three report cards are issued each semester, at six or seven week intervals. The first report is an indication of how the student is performing. Poor grades serve as a warning, and indicate that a visit with the guidance counselor is necessary. Progress reports will be sent out notifying parents of projected failures prior to report card distribution. The January report card signals the end of the first semester.  The first and last report cards of the school year are mailed home.

Some students feel that the first marking period is NOT important. This is not true! Since all marks are cumulative, work done in the first marking period is just as important as work done in the final marking period. In some subjects like math or foreign language, the skills taught early in the semester are essential for the students to do well later in the term.

Honor Roll Policy

All students are expected to earn a placement on the Principal’s Academic Honor Roll.  The criteria for placement on the Honor Roll is as follows:

        High Honor Roll

·          Overall average of 89.5% or higher

·          No subject grade lower than 75%  

·          Good conduct

·          Good attendance/punctuality

·          No “Unsatisfactory”  grade

Honor Roll

·          Overall average of 85% or higher

·          No subject grade below 65%

·          No “Unsatisfactory” grade

·          Good conduct

·          Good attendance/punctuality

In order to be awarded a Life Sciences Secondary School New York State high school diploma, all students must achieve the following:

English                    8 credits

Social Studies          8 credits

Math                       8 credits

Science                    8 credits

Foreign Language    2 credits

Art                          1 credits

Music                      1 credits

Health                     1 credits

Electives                  3 or more

Physical Ed.            7 semesters

Passing a minimum of 5 Regents in the following courses:  English,

Science  (Living Environment), Math A, American History and Global Studies.

In addition to earning 40 credits (plus 7 semesters of physical education), all Life Sciences students will be responsible for 100 hours of  community service spanning over 4 years as indicated below:

9^th            10 hours

10^th          20 hours

11^th          35 hours

12            35 hours

Students are informed how their grade is derived. Many components make up a grade. As you work with your teachers this year, you will know which of the following elements are used to make up your grade. Some of the areas that are essential to grading are: class participation, homework assignments, attendance, punctuality, and various forms of assessment (i.e. tests, quizzes, presentations, long/short term projects, etc.). Because of this grading policy, students must fully participate at every level to achieve academic success. This academic excellence will ensure your movement to the next grade. You and your parent will receive a more detailed summary of LSSS grading policy at the end of September.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Attendance and punctuality is essential. Coming to school late, or being excessively absent interferes with your educational growth. Research shows that students who attend school daily, ready to participate in class, are more successful than those who don’t. Our formula for your academic success is for you to attend school daily, on time, with all assignments completed and ready to partake in the day’s lesson. Any student who is absent must bring in a note from home the following day.  It is the students responsibility to obtain all assignments for the missed day, and make up all work. We keep accurate records and attendance will be taken every period and scanned daily. This procedure allows the school to generate cut-class reports, which are kept on file, and these cuts are  recorded on the report card.     

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE CODE

ATTENDANCE

Absence from school may result in failure due to missed instruction, low grades on tests and lack of class participation. Student achievement is dependent upon regular attendance.

Students are expected to:

·          Be present in every class in order to have their daily attendance recorded accurately.

·          Upon returning to school after an absence:

·          Bring a note from a parent, doctor, etc. to show to your subject teacher.

·          Present the note to all classroom teachers who will sign it.

·          Give the note to the main office where it will be placed on file.

LATENESS TO SCHOOL

Students are expected to:

·          Arrive to their class every day on time. When a student misses one or more classes due to lateness, he/she is considered to have cut those classes and will be referred to the Dean/Guidance.

·          Receive a late pass and show it to their subject teacher upon entering class.

·          Serve the required after school study hall, when late to school.

TO CLASS

Students are expected to:

·          Be in their classrooms before the late bell. Those found in the halls after the late bell are considered cutting and will be referred to the Dean.

·          Be in their seat, ready to work.  Lateness to class results in students missing valuable instruction.

·          When late to class, students must sign a late book provided by their subject teacher. The Dean, Guidance Counselor and teacher will follow up continued lateness.

·          Have a valid pass when in the hall for any reason other than during a change of class. Without an appropriate pass a student is considered cutting his/her class.

CUTTING

Students are expected to be in class at all times.

·          Classroom teachers record attendance daily.

·          Any student present in school but absent from a subject class is considered cutting.

·          A computerized system records cuts.

·          Cutting class will result in parent notification/meeting with school official.

BEHAVIOR

Students are expected to conduct themselves properly as good citizens of the school and the community. Students are responsible for their behavior to and from the school, while on field trips, as well as in the building itself. Any violation of the schools’ rules in or out of the building will result in disciplinary action following the Citywide Standard Discipline Code.

The following behaviors will not be tolerated and may result in expulsion, suspension, or transfer from Life Sciences Secondary school:

·          Engaging in disruptive behavior.

·          Verbally abusing any student or staff member.

·          Vandalizing school property.

·          Engage in robbery or gambling.

·          Bringing weapons to school.

·          Selling, distributing, possessing or using illegal drugs or controlled substances in and around the school.

·          Smoking in the school building.

·          Engaging in sexual harassment and aggression toward any student or staff member.

STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:

·          To eat or drink in classes - All food is to be consumed only in the cafeteria.

·          To wear hats or any other headgear (i.e.: doo-rags, headphones, bandanas, etc.) anywhere in the building.

·          REFUSAL TO TAKE OFF A HAT MAY RESULT IN:

·          The headgear being confiscated. When headgear is confiscated, it will be returned when a parent comes in to school and meets with school officials.

·          A referral being made to the Dean.

·          A parent being notified.

·          Students are not allowed to wear or use audio devices (i.e. MP3, CD player, Walkman, etc.) in the school building.  If  an audio device is in use, it will be confiscated, and will be returned only to a parent.

·          Students are not allowed to carry or use beepers or cellular phones anywhere in the building-BEEPERS AND CELLULAR PHONES ARE BANNED IN ALL SCHOOLS.  The school will not be held responsible for the loss of any prohibited items brought to the school by any student.

·          Beepers and cellular phones will be confiscated.

·          Students will receive a receipt for their belongings.

·          A letter will be sent to the parent to arrange for a conference with the Dean/Assistant Principals/Principal.

·          The beeper or cellular phone will only be returned to a parent/guardian.

·          Students refusing to comply with these procedures will be subject to suspension.

·          Students are prohibited from bring inappropriate materials within the school’s educational setting. Students must be prepared daily to present for inspection any bags, boxes, or, materials they bring to school.

TRANSPORTATION

Students are expected to:

·          Have a valid Metro Card if using public transportation.

·          A Metro Card must be shown and turned in upon request by any staff member and/or transportation officer/police officer.

·          Report immediately a lost or stolen Metro Card to Mr. Gilhooley, Room 411.

LOCKER POLICY

Students are expected to:

·          Utilize lockers to store school-related materials only; there will be no storage of money, jewelry or valuables of any kind.

·          Use the locks and lockers assigned to them by the security office.  Student may not change locks or lockers or share lockers with other students. Any lock other than the assigned lock used on an LS3 locker will be cut.

·          Adhere to the Chancellor’s regulations regarding the following:

1.        All lockers are subject to unannounced searches to ensure the NYCBOE Chancellor’s regulations and all applicable school regulations, are being complied with.

2.        Students are obligated on a daily basis to present all packages, boxes, or bags for inspection upon entering the building.

3.        As stipulated in Security Memorandum No. 8 students may not possess communication devices such as cellular telephones, beepers or tele-radios, in the school building or grounds.  These items will be confiscated, and returned to parents only.

·          Submit a Locker Usage Contract that will be signed by the student and the parents, or legal guardians.  Without this signed agreement, no student will be issued a locker and a lock.

·          Submit a $5.00 combination lock deposit that will offset the replacement of the lock should the lock be lost or damaged while assigned to the student.  The deposit will be returned to the students upon graduation, or the transfer from Life Sciences, with their locks returned in acceptable working condition.

UNIFORM POLICY

As of September 2004, Life Sciences Secondary School  adopted a uniform policy.  The uniform policy is mandated for all students.  Students who fail to wear a Life Sciences’ uniform will be out of compliance.

Parents will be notified daily when students are not in  uniform. Any student out of uniform will receive a grade of  U (Unsatisfactory) on their report card under the school-wide Uniform Code.

MARKING POLICY

Any student found to have a permanent marker in their possession will face the following consequences:

·                      The marker will be confiscated immediately and not returned!

·                      Locker and belongings will be searched to ensure our no graffitti policy.

·                      Notebooks and schoolwork will be reviewed for graffiti “tags”.

·                      Parents will be notified.

·                      Suspensions may be imposed!