Gage Park - An Avid High School

SCHOOL DRESS CODE

The reputation of a school is based to a great extent upon the behavior and appearance of its student body. Student dress should reflect the importance that education plays in students’ lives. All students are expected to dress and groom themselves neatly and modestly in clothes that are appropriate for an academic environment. When there is a question about the suitability of a student’s attire, it is the final authority of the school principal or designee to determine whether a student’s attire or general appearance is acceptable.

ALL 9^th grade students will wear a school uniform as follows:

Top: Maroon or White Gage Park Polo (No t-shirts) – Each student will receive 1 polo shirt

(Additional shirts are available for purchase.)

Bottom: Black – All students are required to wear black pants.

Grades 10, 11 & 12 will adhere to the following dress code policy:

Students must wear shoes—no “house” shoes. Picks/combs in hair, sweatbands, do-rags, etc. are not allowed. Clothing or apparel that has inappropriate or offensive words, lettering, images, etc. or suggests gang affiliation is not permitted.

Caps, hats, hoods or any head coverings are not permitted in the school building. This rule applies to male and female students. These items are to be placed in student lockers and not carried during the school day. Confiscated items will be returned to parents only.

Coats are not to be worn in the school building. Students should put coats in their lockers upon arrival to school.

Other examples of inappropriate dress include: halter/tub/tank tops, bare midriffs, revealing shirts/blouses/pants, team jerseys without a shirt underneath, gym-type shorts or walking shorts that do not extend down to the top of the knee, skin-tight clothing, short-short skirts or dresses and undergarments worn as outerwear.

Violators of these rules are subject to disciplinary action.

Every student is expected to be appropriately dressed on the first day of school, Tue., Sept. 8, 2009.

SCHOOL FEES

The activity fee for the 2009 – 2010 school year is $125.00. The fee should be paid during student registration. Please make money orders to Gage Park High School. NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Activity Fee will be used in the following ways (Item #1 ONLY):

1. Activity/Class Fee - $125.00 - The purpose of one activity/class fee is to provide support to the educational program in a uniform and equitable manner. Includes school identification, school planner, school lock, school newspaper, special publications, postage for home communications and programming materials. The school yearbook is NOT covered in the Activity Fee.
2. Other Fees – Music: $25.00

Drivers’ Education Lab Fee: $50.00

Replacement Lock: $5.00 (Only Gage Park locks may be used on lockers)

Gym Uniform: $20.00

P. E. Rental: $0.50 per item (t-shirt/shorts)

Lost/Misplaced Receipt Fee: $3.00

3. Senior Fees – Information will be distributed by the Senior Activity Advisor at the beginning of the school year. Senior fees are not included in the Activity/Class Fee.
4. School Yearbook – Cost information will be provided by the Yearbook Sponsor. Yearbook fee is not included in the Activity/Class Fee.

TRANSPORTATION -C.T.A. Bus Pass The C.T.A. offers students a reduced fare on public transportation if they carry a special photo ID pass. These passes can be obtained at school during the first weeks of school. Afterwards the passes can be purchased at the Merchandise Mart Plaza at a cost of $5.00.

LUNCH APPLICATION FORMS

To qualify for free or reduced meals, parents/guardians must complete separate lunch application forms for each child living within the household. A separate application is also necessary for each foster child residing within the household. As an incentive for returning the lunch application form, CTA Bus Pass will be given to students who return the form within the first three weeks of school.

If you need assistance with the form, please contact the Registrar at (773) 535- 9230 Ext. 109 or 163.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is one of the main ingredients for academic success and personal growth. Therefore, coming to school and arriving on time is a high expectation for our students at Gage Park High School. Our goal for the 2008 – 2009 school year is for each student to achieve a 95 – 100% rate of daily attendance.

Enrollment at Gage Park High School is a privilege. Class cuts are counted as a half-day absence. A class cut occurs when a student is in the building but has not reported to class and has not been officially excused from his/her class.

1 Cut = ½ Day Absence

Attendance is important to your continued enrollment at Gage Park High School.

“Don’t Lose Your Privilege”

Emergency Numbers Every student is required to complete a Chicago Public School Emergency Form to be kept on file at Gage Park High School. All students are required to provide three (3) working telephone numbers in case of emergencies. These forms are kept in the Attendance Office.

Advisory/Division Attendance Advisory/Division is one day per week. At this time, information will be shared with all students. Advisory/Division attendance is extremely important.

Advisory/Division begins immediately following 4^th period on Thursday ONLY.

Students must be in Advisory/Division on time.

Absences: Students are expected to be in regular school attendance. Students who are absent must submit a doctor’s note or a written note signed by a parent or guardian explaining the reason for the absence with a current phone number. There are four acceptable causes of absence: 1) illness, 2) family emergency, 3) death in the immediate family, 4) observation of a religious holiday. Failure to provide either form of documentation with proper explanation will result in an unexcused absence. Three (3) consecutive unexcused absences, five (5) unexcused absences in one month, or seven (7) unexcused absences during one school marking period are all considered truancy. When a student is absent 3 days or more, a parent/guardian MUST meet with the student’s counselor to reinstate the student to school.

Early Dismissals: An early dismissal is given when a child becomes ill during the school day. A parent or legal guardian is notified and the student must be picked up from the Attendance Office in Room 128.

Excessive Absences Regular school attendance is essential for maintaining satisfactory academic progress and to develop work habits required for successful employment. Absences exceeding ten (10) days per semester are considered excessive and will be reported to the Area Office for further action.

Truancy Policy (Unexcused Absences)

1. 3 Days: Attendance Official/student conference with phone call to parent.
2. 5 Days: Letter sent to parent requesting conference with Attendance Official.
3. 10 Days: Letter sent to parent requesting conference with Attendance Official and student placed on Parent/Student contract agreement. Students will not be allowed to return without a parent or guardian.
4. 18 Days: Principal/Designee must proceed with Truancy Adjudication after the 18^th day of unexcused absences.

Entry to School Building

Students are encouraged to arrive to school on time. Students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:00 AM for breakfast and at 7:15 AM to prepare for classes.

ALL students displaying school ID’s AND wearing appropriate attire will enter through the designated male/female entry doors.

Male and female students will go through metal detectors, x-ray machines and scanners at these entrances prior to admittance into the school building.

At this point, students will proceed to class or lunchroom, depending on starting period.

TEMPORARY ID INFORMATION

Students (all grade levels) needing temporary ID’s will obtain the ID from the Attendance Office. Payment of $3.00 should be made at that time. If a student does not have the $3.00, an IOU will be issued.

Temporary ID will be issued as well as late arrival to school (as necessary) from this point.

After student receives temporary ID and late arrival to school (as necessary), he/she will proceed to class.

Debts will be entered for students who do not have the fee at the time of either temporary or permanent ID service. Debts must be paid before the end of each quarter.

Locks and Lockers All students will receive a locker assignment from their division teacher. Students are expected to occupy only their assigned locker. All locks & lockers are the property of Gage Park High School and are for the sole purpose of storing coats and books. Locks will be provided by GPHS according to the Student Activity Fee Structure.

Closed Campus Policy Students are not to leave the building for any reason until their program has been completed for the day. Closed campus is designed for the safety of the students, as well as to assure parents that their child/children are receiving the full benefits of an educational environment. Violation of this rule will result in disciplinary action.

HOMEWORK POLICY The Chicago Board of Education requires that all high school students spend time each day engaged in homework; whether it is assigned by a teacher, reading, or completing an unfinished project. In order to actively participate in classroom activities, it is essential that students are prepared.

Homework Policy Specifics

The following are suggested time allocations for teacher-directed homework assignments.

Grade 9 120 minutes per day*

Grade 10 130 minutes per day*

Grade 11 140 minutes per day*

Grade 12 150 minutes per day*

*Total time across all subject areas.

UNIFORM DISCIPLINE CODE

The Uniform Discipline Code is designed to ensure equitable treatment of students citywide. Students, parents, guardians, teachers and administrators all have rights and responsibilities under this code. All students will receive a copy which they should read. It is always the goal for each student to meet his/her responsibilities as an individual student and member of the school community and to abide by all school regulations and policies.

Gang activity will not be tolerated in or around Gage Park High School. Students who engage in gang activity will be reported to the police and can be suspended up to ten days. Repeat offenses can result in expulsion from school.

Illegal Paraphernalia: Water balloons, water guns, toy guns, fire crackers, weapons, beepers, markers used to deface school property, white-out or any other personal items that interfere with the educational programs are not allowed on the school premises. No balloons and/or flowers should be delivered to school for students at any time.

IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION This program will identify and remediate the causes of attendance and classroom behavioral problems for high school students who would otherwise be suspended from school. This program provides educational and learning activities for students in a supervised and engaged manner.

DETENTION Detention is an innovative approach designed to modify infractions of school policies. Detention is generally assigned by the Disciplinarian and/or Attendance Office. The guidelines for assignment are failing to abide by school rules & regulations and/or attendance violations.

Electronic Device Policy ALL cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off and concealed by the students when entering the building. These items (except cellphones) may be used in the lunchroom during the student’s assigned lunch period ONLY. All emergency calls should be directed to the Attendance Office.

If a student violates this policy, the following will occur:

1. The cell phone/device is taken by security, labeled with the student’s name, date and division number. Security will give the confiscated device to an Administrator.

Confiscated items will be returned to the guardian of the student at the discretion of the Administration.

2. If the student refuses to cooperate with Security, he/she shall be suspended.