The Marks of a Marist
The Marks of a Marist Educator
The Mark of a Marist Educator is that he/she embodies all that it means to be a Marist.
We embody faith. Our faith and personal relationship with Jesus is made apparent through our interactions with each other, with our students, and with the parents.
Inside and outside the classroom, we live simply, morally, and with integrity. We respect all of our students, all of our colleagues, and all of our community. We are aware of the presence of Christ in our students and we foster that goodness and love. We live the example of Mary. We exhibit justice and service. We donate our time and talents to best serve our community. We display solidarity with all who suffer, with all who feel lonely or excluded, and with all who need a role model. We lead through service. We offer our experiences and vulnerabilities when we lead a retreat, a Kairos, or a prayer. We give our words of love and encouragement to our colleagues and students in the form of letters, words and smiles. Our Marist Family spirit and sense of community is made apparent through our attendance of games, matches, and events. No success is celebrated by an individual alone, but rather shared at a level of community unmatched by any institution. No failure or loss is mourned alone, but rather grieved in the nurturing strength of our whole family.
Marks of a Marist Student
We are Faith-filled Disciples: Marist students come to possess a strong sense of God and a personal relationship with Jesus, Mary and St. Marcellin Champagnat fostered through religious formation, a sacramental life, and prayer.
We are Empowered Witnesses: Marist students, recognizing Mary as their model and companion, become joyful witnesses to God’s love in their lives, enabling them to see Christ in others, to live simply, morally, and with integrity, respecting all of life and creation. We are Agents of Justice and Service: Marist students grow in their understanding of Catholic social teaching and stand in compassionate solidarity with the least favored.
We are Servant Leaders: Marist students recognize that they are lovingly created by God with unique gifts and talents which, through their Baptism, they are called to develop and share with the Church and wider community. We are Spirit-filled Members of Family and Community: Marist students embody a spirit which celebrates and welcomes all people as members of the one family created by God.
Table of Content
Saint Joseph Academy ..........................4-6 General Policies for All Employees Attendance ....................................................7 Benefits.......................................................7-8 Social Security ..............................................8 Workers Compensation ................................8 Personnel Records ........................................8 Resignations .................................................8 Diocesan Policy on Ethical Behavior ........8-9 Protecting God’s Children ...........................9 Employee Dress Code..............................9-10 Drug Free Workplace ............................10-11 Emergency Drills ..................................11-12 Employee Leave .....................................12-14 Annual Leave .......................................13 Maternity ........................................13-14 Paternity...............................................14 Jury Duty .............................................14 Dismissal in General ..................................14 Grievance Procedures ...........................14-16 Harassment Policy ................................16-18 Investigation of Alleged Employee Sexual Misconduct ...........................................18-19 Lounges .......................................................19 Loyalty/Contractual Responsibility/ Conflict & Disagreement ............................19 Maintenance ...............................................19 Relationships with Parents .........................20 Relationships with Students ...................20-21 School Closings ...........................................21 Smoking ......................................................21 Travel Expense Reimbursement .................21
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Tuition Reduction for Children of Staff .....22 Visitor Policies .............................................22 General Policies for Faculty Required Attendance ..................................24 Accrediting Requirements...........................24 Administrative Leave...................................24 Announcements ..........................................24 Submitting Announcements ................24 Attendance.............................................24-25 Accidents and Emergencies.........................25 Availability to Students Outside of Class....25 Beginning and Ending the School Day.......26 Child Abuse.................................................26 Class to Class Dismissal...............................26 Copyright and Fair Use in Classroom.........26 School Detention.........................................26 Discipline ...............................................27-28 Faculty Bulletins/Updates...........................28 Faculty Meetings .........................................28 Field Trips ..............................................28-29 Guidance Services.......................................29 Hall Pass.................................................29-30 Library Pass.................................................30 Keys.............................................................30 Learning Center..........................................30 Mail Boxes...................................................30 Maintenance ...............................................30 Medicine .....................................................30 Ordering Materials......................................31 Professional Growth Increment ..................31 Social Networking Sites .........................31-32
Stipend for Teaching More than Five Classes .........................................32 Student Regulations ....................................32 Supervision of Students ..............................32 Telephones ..................................................33 Textbooks ....................................................33 Window Blinds ............................................33 Academic Policies Curriculum Design and Teaching Practice ...............................................................34-40 Outcomes Development ........................34-35 Electronic Grade Book and PlusPortals ......35 Curriculum and Instruction...................35-36 Educational Plan .........................................36 Assessment and Grading of Students ...36-40 Other Academic Procedures Absent Students...........................................41 Academic Honors .......................................41 Course Prospectus .......................................42 Grade Books................................................42 Release of Student Information..............42-43 Research Requirements by Grade Level ...43-44 Student Planner...........................................44 Academic Honor Code ...............................44-47 Semester Examinations ...............................47 Students who Struggle – Intervention Procedures.........................47-48 Tutoring .................................................48-49 Writing Portfolio Requirement ..............49-50
Parents.........................................................50 Extracurricular Events and Activities ......50-51 School Vehicles............................................51 Time Limits for Students ............................51 Use and Supervision of Facilities ................51 Use of the Gymnasium ...............................52 End of the School Year Procedures ............52 Faculty Who Are Not Returning for the Following School Year .................................52 Philanthropy and Fundraising at Saint Joseph Academy ......................53-55 Ethical Standards for Financial Matters ................................................56-57 Appendices Appendix I: Appendix II: Appendix III:
Graduation Outcomes .....58 Procedures for Dances 58-59 Report of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect ........59-60 Appendix IV: Map ..................................61 Appendix V: Student Drug Testing Program ......................62-63 Appendix VI: Criminal History and Background Checks .........63 Appendix VII: Employee Arrests and Convictions .......................64 School Song .............................................65
This handbook has been approved by the Saint Joseph Academy School Board. July, 2018.
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Saint Joseph Academy
Mission Conducted by the Marist Brothers of the Schools and serving the children of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Saint Joseph Academy provides religious and moral formation and a college preparatory education in the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. It endeavors to form young men and women who will succeed in university studies, who know and love Jesus, and who actively participate in the worship and mission of the Church, including the Church’s preferential option for the poor. The Marist Brothers In 1817, the Marist Brothers of the Schools were founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat in rural France in response to the needs of the children of his time who lacked schools, capable teachers, and the opportunity to know and learn about Jesus. Today, there are five thousand Marist Brothers providing Catholic Education in over 70 countries around the world including the United States. History of Saint Joseph Academy Founded in 1865 by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Saint Joseph Academy opened and closed several times in its earliest years. In 1906 Marist Brothers from Mexico arrived and reopened the school that has remained open continuously since. It initially operated as an elementary school for boys. By 1916 the Academy accepted boarders, and in 1926 the three-story building known as the “Old Saint
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Joseph Academy” was constructed on a site where the International Bank of Commerce now stands in downtown Brownsville. The first high school students graduated in 1930. In 1940 the Sisters of the Holy Ghost assumed operation of the elementary school. The campus at its current location was opened in 1959 serving boys in grades 7 - 12. In 1971 the school became coeducational, accepting its first female students in grades 7, 8 and 9. From the late nineteen-seventies until the present, the school has undergone a gradual process of growth and transformation evident in the expansion of its student body and the improvement of its programs and facilities. In August 2005, the Academy opened the new Middle Division Building, designed to meet the educational and developmental needs of its middle division students. School Motto: Ad Astra Per Aspera For generations, the Saint Joseph Academy motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera (“To the stars through difficulties”) has encapsulated and expressed the highest ideals of our faculty and students.
The motto is an exhortation to perseverance and a reminder that success, achievement and accomplishment are the fruits of patient and strenuous work. The best results are seldom instantaneous. Although each person‘s talents are varied, it is equally true for all: only through diligent effort do we attain our full potential.
At its most challenging, our motto is an invitation to follow Jesus Christ in his Paschal Mystery. By embracing and imitating the total self-giving of Jesus’ life and death, we are redeemed. “If we die with the Lord we shall live with the Lord.” And so, the Saint Joseph Academy tradition of care for and service to the needy flows from the belief that when we embrace the poor, the marginalized, and the victims of injustice, we embrace the crucified Christ: “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me.” Philosophy of Saint Joseph Academy At Saint Joseph Academy we are dedicated to the total formation of our students.
Religious Formation. The study of Roman Catholicism, central to the curriculum, has two aims. First, students acquire a comprehensive understanding of the Roman Catholic tradition. Secondly, and even more importantly, students gain fuller access to the rich Catholic treasury of resources for developing a meaningful life of faith. These resources include a balanced and informed moral system based on a keen sense of social responsibility. While formal religious education takes place in religion classes, Christian values are reflected throughout the curriculum. Through regular worship as a school community, opportunities for prayer and reflection, and a variety of voluntary projects aimed to serve the poor, the seeds of faith, love and responsibility to the “least favored,” have the opportunity to take root in the lives of students.
College Preparatory Instruction. At the heart of our program is a comprehensive curriculum in the arts and sciences. Instruction emphasizes and builds on fundamental academic skills: the written and oral expression of
ideas, problem solving, critical thought, and the competent use of technology. Thus, our students prepare themselves not only for university studies but also for a lifetime of learning. Our curriculum is not designed exclusively for the intellectually gifted. We accept and work with students at a variety of ability levels, meeting them at their level, and helping them grow in their aptitude for scholastic achievement. Nevertheless, success requires diligence and consistent effort on the part of the student.
Educating the Whole Person. In addition to religious formation and intellectual growth, a complete Catholic education seeks to develop: personal character based on Gospel values, physical health and fitness, aesthetic sensibilities, and kinesthetic, artistic, social and emotional skills. These needs are addressed in various forums including the curriculum, student services, extracurricular activities, and competitive sports.
A Christian Learning Community. Educating the whole person requires more than excellent classroom instruction. For this reason, Saint Joseph Academy continually strives to build a genuinely Christian community in which students are offered love, acceptance, discipline, and challenge. The life example of our faculty and the care, attention and respect they show to students contribute significantly to this atmosphere. In turn, students are expected to treat faculty and each other in a similarly loving and respectful manner.
Governance and Administration of Saint Joseph Academy Saint Joseph Academy is incorporated in the State of Texas as the Franco-American Educational Society whose Board of Trustees is the Provincial Superior and the Provincial Council of the Marist Brothers of the United
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States. The Trustees, in turn, appoint and delegate certain limited powers to a local School Board, while preserving their powers. Among the powers reserved to the Board of Trustees is the power to enter into contracts on behalf of the school. The name School Directory was changed to School Board and the Saint Joseph Academy Community was notified through a letter from Brother Richard Sharpe, FMS, President & CEO of the Academy which was posted on the School’s website on May 8, 2013; as well as shared with SJA parents through Edline on the same date. The Academy is administered by the President and Principal, who are appointed by the Trustees. The President is the Chief Executive Officer and the Principal is the Chief Operating Officer.
The relationship of parents and students to Saint Joseph Academy, a private school, is contractual in nature. As such, the relationship requires the ongoing consent of both parties: school and student/parents. Through registration, parents and students agree to support and act in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook and to pay the stipulated tuition and fees. This contractual relationship is distinct from the constitutional relationship students and parents have with public schools.
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If the school’s mission and program are in conflict with the values of an individual parent or student, or if the student does not contribute positively to the academic and religious environment of the school, it is evident that Saint Joseph Academy is not the appropriate school for that student. Under such circumstances, the administration will ask the family to seek a more suitable educational environment. Accreditation Saint Joseph Academy is accredited by t h e Tex a s C at h o l i c Conference Education Department.
Nondiscrimination Policy Saint Joseph Academy admits students of any sex, race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, and religion to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, or religion in admission policies, the administration of its educational policies, financial aid assistance, and other school administered programs.
The Employee Handbook The Employee Handbook is considered an addendum to the employment contract and is to be consulted and used in determining the standard operating procedure of the items listed herein.
General Policies for All Employees
ATTENDANCE
Anticipated Absences All employees who plan to take a personal day, attend a professional meeting, or who otherwise anticipate being absent from school should: • TEACHERS: submit an anticipated absence form to the Admin. Asst. to the Principal as soon as possible for approval. For an absence of two or more days, whether for professional or personal leave, the Principal’s approval is required. • OFFICE PERSONNEL: submit an anticipated absence form to direct supervisor for approval.
Calling in Sick Please give notice of absence as soon as possible but no later than 7:00 A.M. • If calling in after 7:00 A.M. or close to that time (i.e., an emergency), call the Office Administrative Assistant, ext. 312 • In case of extreme emergency, call the Principal’s personal cell phone at 956-5090500.
If the date of the anticipated absence falls on an in-service day or other required attendance day, before or after a holiday, or on a Monday or Friday, the employee is required to receive the approval of the Principal or direct supervisor for the proposed absence.
When submitting assignments for your classes, please include the following information in your email or voicemail:
• Period and room number. • Course title. • The assignment for that class.
Emergencies/Appointments during the School Day In the case of an eemergency, scheduled appointment, or running errands, an employee should never leave campus during the school day without notifying an administrator and signing out in the front office. Calling in Late. If a teacher realizes he/ she will be arriving late, he/she should call the Principal (extension 319 or 317) or the Receptionist (extension “0”) as soon as possible to ensure that the first period class is covered until the teacher arrives. Seating Charts. All teachers should have seating charts on their desks in a place where they are clearly visible to a substitute or administrator in case of the teacher’s absence.
Assignments for the Substitute Teacher. Assignments of appropriate length must be submitted at the time of an anticipated absence or when calling in sick. Assignments can be emailed to the Office Executive Assistant. It is highly recommended that the assignment be collected by the substitute and given a class work completion grade. BENEFITS
Medical and Hospital Benefits Major medical, surgical, and hospitalization insurance is offered to regular full-time employees. Unless otherwise stipulated, premiums are paid by Saint Joseph Academy
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for each eligible employee. Participants of the health care plan who wish to include their dependents under the plan must authorize a salary deduction to cover additional premiums. Details about the plan and its benefits are found in the booklet distributed by the insurance carrier. Saint Joseph Academy also provides an optional 125 POP through an independent carrier. The premiums for these policies are paid by the employee pre-tax or after tax. Basic Life/ AD&D Policy Employees who are covered by the health care plan have a Basic Life and AD&D Policy. Premiums are paid by Saint Joseph Academy.
401(k) Plan A 401(k) retirement savings plan is offered for all employees at Saint Joseph Academy. This plan is administered by Christian Brothers and is invested in Fidelity funds. Participation in the plan is voluntary. An employee may have a percentage of his/her salary deducted from his/her check monthly to contribute to the plan. There is a one year waiting period before Saint Joseph Academy will provide a match. The school will match one half of this amount up to six percent. For example, if an employee contributes 6% of his/her salary to the plan, the school will contribute 3%. If an employee contributes 4%, the school contributes 2%. The employee is 100% vested in all employee contributions. Employees are vested in employer contributions based on a vesting schedule. Details of the plan, including the vesting schedule, are available through the Christian Brothers Retirement Service.
Social Security/Medicare Saint Joseph Academy participates in the federal Social Security/Medicare program, and it
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makes the required employer contributions to the program on behalf of each employee. Each employee shall have deducted from his/her paycheck his/her share of the Social Security/Medicare payment.
Workers Compensation In accordance with Texas Law, Saint Joseph Academy provides insurance coverage for on- the-job injury. All employees of the school come under the provision of the Workers Compensation Insurance Program. All employees are required to report job related injuries to the school Principal immediately after the occurrence, if at all possible. All Premiums are paid by Saint Joseph Academy.
PERSONNEL RECORDS It shall be the responsibility of every staff member to provide the Principal with all records required by the school, by the Diocese and by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department. These records shall include up to date official transcripts of all college work complete with the seal of the issuing college, teaching certificates, etc. RESIGNATIONS Resignations by any employee shall be submitted in writing at least one month (30 days) prior to the date of the resignation. DIOCESAN POLICY ON ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
Code of Ethics • Church personnel will exhibit the highest Christian ethical standards and personal integrity. • Church personnel will conduct themselves
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in a manner that is consistent with the discipline and teachings of the Catholic Church. Church personnel shall provide a professional work environment that is free from physical, psychological, written, or verbal intimidation or harassment. Church personnel will avoid taking unfair advantage of a helping relationship for their own benefit. Church personnel will not physically, sexually, or emotionally mistreat or neglect a minor or adult. Church personnel will share concerns about suspicious or inappropriate behavior with their principal. Church personnel will report any suspected abuse or neglect of a minor to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Church personnel will accept their personal esponsibility to protect minors and adults from all forms of mistreatment.
Areas of Importance to All Employees • Church personnel should not transport minors unless written permission from parents/guardians has been obtained. • Church personnel should not use any form of physical discipline when correcting inappropriate behavior of a minor. This includes spanking, slapping, pinching, hitting, or any other physical force. • Church Personnel should never use language which is sarcastic or calculated to bring ridicule on the pupil or his/her parents. • Church personnel should never compromise their position when showing affection to a minor. The following are considered appropriate forms of showing affection to minor: side hugs, pats on the shoulder or back, handshakes, hand slapping, verbal praise, touching hands, faces, heads,
shoulders, and arms, holding hands while walking with small children, sitting beside small children, kneeling or bending down for hugs with small children, holding hands during prayer, and pats on the head when culturally appropriate. • Church personnel should respect confidentiality in both verbal and written communication regarding the right of a person to a good reputation and a person’s right to privacy. Personnel files, student records, application information, performance appraisals, disciplinary measures, as well as information given by parents are to be protected from disclosure.
(Each employee is in-serviced on this policy and a signed acknowledgement is kept in the employee’s file)
Protecting God’s Children All employees participate in the diocesan sponsored program called Protecting God’s Children. This is a mandatory in-service for all employees. Employees who fail to complete this in-service may have their employment suspended or terminated. EMPLOYEE DRESS CODE
General Guidelines. All employees should select apparel, fragrances, jewelry, and hairstyles that do not detract from a professional image. When in doubt, employees should select a traditional, conservative look and be neatly groomed: clothing freshly pressed, fingernails and hands clean, hair clean and professionally styled, shoes polished and shined. If it becomes necessary, a teacher/staff member will be asked to return home to comply with the dress code if the guidelines are not followed.
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Men. Male employees are required to wear dress slacks with a collared dress shirt. Shirts must button down the front and and shirt tails must be tucked into trousers. Shirts designed to be untucked such as Guayaberas and Untuckit shirts are allowed but must look professional. Only the top shirt button may be unbuttoned. Upon occasion (school liturgies, Back-to-School Night, Parent- Teacher conferences, etc.) male employees are required to wear a shirt and tie.. Men should also wear appropriate socks and dress shoes. Hair is to be neat and well groomed. Hair should not touch the collar and should be groomed around the ears. Sideburns must not extend in length farther than mid-ear. Neatly trimmed beards and mustaches are permitted; otherwise, male faculty should be clean-shaven. Women. Female employees may wear dresses, skirts, or pants and blouses in styles which convey a professional and business-like appearance. Necklines should be modestly designed. Dress shoes appropriate with professional attire must be worn at all times; this includes the option of open-toed dress shoes.
PROHIBITED: • Low-cut, clingy, tight-fitting, or transparent clothing • Sleeveless blouses/dresses unless under a sweater or jacket, Capri pants, shorts, and culottes • Cargo pants • Denim attire of any kind in any color • Stirrup, form-fitting, and/or stretch pants. sweat pants, and leggings • Athletic shoes, flip-flops • Visible tattoos • Visible body piercings • Dying hair unnatural colors (pink, green, blue, etc.)
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Jean Days. On school Dress Down days, employees may wear jeans or slacks. SJA logo polo shirts or or SJA collarless shirts are allowed on Jean Days and casual Fridays. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY
Saint Joseph Academy is committed to maintaining an alcohol and drug-free environment and will not tolerate the use of alcohol and illegal drugs in the workplace and at school-related or school sanctioned activities on or off school property. Employees who use or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act during working hours may be dismissed. Saint Joseph Academy prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of controlled substances, illegal drugs, inhalants, and alcohol in the workplace.
Employees who violate this prohibition shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Such sanctions may include referral to drug and alcohol counseling or rehabilitation programs, termination from employment, and referral to appropriate law enforcement officials for prosecution. Compliance with these requirements and prohibitions is mandatory and is a condition of employment.
Saint Joseph may conduct drug and/or alcohol testing under any of the following circumstances:
Random Testing: Employees may be selected at random for drug and/or alcohol testing at any interval determined by the Academy.
For-Cause Testing: The Academy may ask an employee to submit to a drug and/or alcohol test at any time it feels that the employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including, but not limited to, the following circumstances: evidence of drugs or alcohol on or about the employee’s person or in the employee’s vicinity, unusual conduct on the employee’s part that suggest impairment or influence of drugs or alcohol, negative performance patterns, or excessive and unexplained absenteeism or tardiness.
Post-Accident Testing: Any employee involved in an on-the-job accident or injury under circumstances that suggest possible use or influence of drugs or alcohol in the accident or injury may be asked to submit to a drug and/or alcohol test. “Involved in an on-the-job injury” means not only the one who was or could have been injured, but also any employee who potentially contributed to the accident or injury event in any way.
If an employee is tested for drugs or alcohol outside of the employment context and the results indicate violation of this policy, or if an employee refuses a request to submit to testing under this policy, the employee may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and possibly including discharge from employment.
Bus Drivers. Any employee whose duties require a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is subject to drug and alcohol testing. This also includes drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 14 or more people counting the driver, drivers of large vehicles, or
drivers of vehicles used in the transportation of hazardous materials.
Teachers, coaches, or other employees are also subject to testing requirements if they drive school owned vehicles at any time.
Drug testing will be conducted before an individual assumes driving responsibilities. Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted when reasonable suspicion exists, at random, when an employee returns to duty after engaging in prohibited conduct, and as a follow-up measure. Testing may be conducted following accidents. Return to duty and follow-up testing will be conducted if an employee who has violated the prohibited conduct standards or tested positive for alcohol or drugs is allowed to return to duty. EMERGENCY DRILLS
Crisis Management Plan. All employees are expected to follow the procedures outlined in the Crisis Management Plan manuals to help ensure proper execution of protocols in emergency situations. Procedures are outlined in the Safety Spectrum Flip Charts and the Emergency Procedures Folders distributed to faculty for each classroom. The comprehensive crisis management plan has been created and is tailored to meet the particular needs of Saint Joseph Academy. Manuals can be found in the Administrative offices.
Lock-Down. During an emergency or “lockdown,” students are to follow directions. All employees will activate the immediate response emergency plan. Everyone is to remain silent until directions are given. All employees should familiarize themselves with the lock down procedures and periodically review them.
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Fire Drills. Fire drills are indicated by a bell/alarm over the PA system and/or classroom phone system.. All employees should familiarize themselves with the escape route from their classroom or office and periodically review the procedures to be followed during a fire drill. EMPLOYEE LEAVE A. Annual Leave
Annual Leave Employees on 10-month Contract: • There will be a total of nine (9) days annual leave with pay provided within the school year. Unused days up to a maximum of 30 days may be accumulated. Upon resignation or dismissal, the Employer will pay up to fifteen (15) days of accumulated leave.
• One day’s pay will be subtracted from the teacher’s salary for each day of absence from work after the nine days of annual leave have been used. Deductions are made to the first pay check after annual leave is exceeded. • Anticipated absences before or after a holiday or on a Monday or Friday require the approval of the Principal. Other absences taken on those days will require a doctor’s excuse, starting on the second occurrence. For an absence of two or more days, whether for professional or personal leave, the Principal’s approval is required.
• The above leave benefits will be prorated for the regular employee whose contract begins after the start of the school year.
Annual Leave – Employees on 12-month Contract • The professional will earn a maximum of
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maximum of twelve (12) days leave for personal illness or other personal reasons without reduction in salary. Upon resignation or dismissal, the Employer will pay up to fifteen (15) days of accumulated leave.
• The professional shall also be entitled to the following twenty-two (22): Labor Day Feast of the Marist Brothers’ Foundation (Jan. 2) Working day before Thanksgiving Friday of Charro Days Thanksgiving Day Day after Thanksgiving Day Good Friday Monday after Easter Sunday Christmas Break and New Year’s Day Memorial Day Week of Independence Day
• The professional shall be entitled to a total of ten (10) vacation days per year. The scheduling of these vacation days is subject to the President’s approval. Earned but unused vacation days (earned by June 30 of each contract year) must be used by June 30 of that same year. The employer will NOT pay for unused, earned vacation days upon resignation or dismissal.
• One day’s pay will be subtracted from the professional’s salary for each day of absence from work after all days of annual leave have been used. Deductions are made to the first pay check after annual leave is exceeded.
• The above leave benefits will be prorated for the regular employee whose contract begins after the start of the school year.
Annual Leave Full Time Hourly Employees • The employee will earn a maximum of nine (9) days for personal leave. The scheduling of these days is subject to the President’s approval. Upon dismissal the Employer will pay up to twenty-two (22) days of accumlated leave. • The employee shall also be entitled to the following nineteen (19) paid holidays: Labor Day Feast of the Marist Brothers’ Foundation (Jan. 2) Working day before Thanksgiving Friday of Charro Days Thanksgiving Day Day after Thanksgiving Day Good Friday Monday after Easter Sunday Christmas Break and New Year’s Day Memorial Day Week of Independence Day B. Short Term Leaves • An employee shall be entitled to two days funeral leave for the death of immediate family members, parents-in-law, brothers-in law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and grandchildren, close friend or distant relative without deduction from the unused portion of the teacher’s annual leave. • An employee will be entitled to one day of leave for being with a husband, wife, or child leaving for foreign military service. If more than the allowed number of days are taken, those days will be deducted from the unused portion of the employee’s annual leave.
Labor Code, Chapter 505., Sec. 505.060 Government Code, Chapter 661., Sec. 661.202(d) - Sec. 661.202(g) (a) “An employee may elect to use accrued sick leave before receiving income benefits. If an employee elects to use sick leave, the employee is not entitled to income benefits under this chapter until the employee has exhausted the employee’s accrued sick leave. (b) An employee may elect to use all or any number of weeks of accrued annual leave after the employee’s accrued sick leave is exhausted. If an employee elects to use annual leave, the employee is not entitled to income benefits under this chapter until the elected number of weeks of leave have been exhausted.” • All earned annual leave must be used before extended illness leave becomes effective. • All leave claimed under extended illness shall be certified by a doctor who is dully registered and licensed under the Medical Practice Act of Texas. • The deduction from the employee’s daily rate of pay for each day’s absence under extended illness annual leave shall be at substitute teacher’s pay (regular per diem less substitute’s pay.) • Once these ten (10) days have been used, a teacher will be hired to fill the vacancy. Maternity In the event of a pregnancy, an employee determines with her doctor how long it is advisable for her to continue working. She is eligible to receive the annual leave accumulated at the time of her absence. The employee has the privilege of returning to her position
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according to the conditions stated in her contract at such time as she and her doctor deem it proper and advisable.
Paternity A total of two days of paternity leave shall be granted to each male employee. All earned annual leave must be used before extended illness leave becomes effective. The deduction from the employee’s daily rate of pay for each day’s absence under extended illness annual leave shall be at substitute teacher’s pay (regular per diem less substitute’s pay.) The employee has the privilege of returning to his position according to the conditions stated in his contract.
Jury Duty An employee will suffer no loss of salary or days of annual leave as a result of jury duty. However, the jury duty check must be endorsed to the school when it’s received. The employee is expected to report to work on days when the jury is not in session.
DISMISSAL IN GENERAL The employee may be discharged and salary payments terminated by the Employer during the school year for one or more of the following reasons, which shall constitute lawful cause for discharge: • Insubordination. • Immorality. • Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. • Refusal to submit to drug screening. • Conviction of any felony or crime including murder, child abuse, or rape. • Repeated failure to comply with directives of the administration. • Physical or mental incapacity preventing acceptable classroom performance. • Repeated and continuing neglect of duties.
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• Inefficiency or incompetence in performance of duties. • Failure to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church in and out of school. • Failure to comply with such reasonable requirements as the Employer may prescribe for achieving professional improvement and growth, including failure to complete deficiency plans. • Failure to maintain discipline in the classroom. • For good cause as determined by the Employer, good cause being the failure of a teacher to meet the accepted standards of conduct for the profession as generally recognized and applied in similarly situated Catholic Schools throughout the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES A “grievance” is a complaint based on an alleged violation or inequitable application of policy or a dispute with regard to the meaning or interpretation of the terms of a contract.
The primary purpose of this procedure is to secure, at the lowest possible level of authority, equitable solutions to problems that may arise from time to time. Grievance procedures are intended to resolve grievances in informal proceedings in a cooperative, Christian atmosphere. The proceedings are not intended to be adversarial in nature.
No participant is entitled to representation in these proceedings. All parties shall agree that grievance proceedings shall be kept appropriately confidential.
Nondiscrimination No person shall be discriminated against because of filing or participating in the grievance procedure, and no reprisals of any kind shall be taken by the Board of Trustees or
the school administration against any person because of participation in the grievance procedure. Processing Grievances
A. Process of Conciliation through Christian Charity Before allowing differences to become formalized into grievances, every effort should be made to resolve disputes by way of a free and open discussion between the grievant and the immediate authority.
Without exception, an informal settlement between the grievant and the immediate authority shall be attempted prior to formal grievance proceedings. Any complainant having a grievance shall first discuss the same with his/her immediate authority. If not settled to the complainant’s satisfaction, or if the immediate authority fails to or refuses to discuss the grievance promptly, the complainant shall present the grievance in accordance with the procedures outlined herein. B. Grievance Process
Level One: School President If a satisfactory solution has not been reached through Conciliation, the following procedure is to be used:
1. The aggrieved party shall reduce his/her complaint to writing and submit it to the President within five (5) working days following the occurrence of the event on which the grievance is based. The President, in turn, will arrange a meeting within five (5) working days following receipt of the written statement of grievance.
2. No grievance shall be accepted for formal consideration in this procedure unless it has first been presented in writing by the grievant to the President. 3. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as limiting the right of any person having a grievance to discuss the matter informally with an appropriate member of the administration.
4. If a response satisfactory to the grievant is not obtained from the appropriate authority within the specified time set forth in this procedure, five (5) working days, the grievant shall proceed to the next level. Each succeeding level shall receive all materials and information related to the case as accumulated from the preceding levels.
Level Two: School Grievance Committee If a satisfactory solution has not been reached at Level One, the following procedure is to be used:
The grievance shall be presented in writing to the School Grievance Committee within five (5) working days after the decision in Level One was rendered. The School Grievance Committee shall then schedule a conference with the grievant at a mutually agreed upon time, not to exceed three weeks from the date the communication has been received. The decision of the School Grievance Committee shall be communicated in writing to the grievant no more than five (5) days after the scheduled conference has been held. The School Grievance Committee shall be designated by the President. If a response satisfactory to the grievant is not obtained from the appropriate authority within the specified time set forth in this procedure, the grievant shall proceed to the next level. Each
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succeeding level shall receive all materials and information related to the case as accumulated from the preceding levels.
Level Three: Board of Trustees (Marist Brothers Provincial Council) If a satisfactory solution has not been reached at Level Two, the following procedure is to be used:
The grievance shall be presented in writing to the Brother Provincial Superior (Marist Brothers, USA Province) in his role as Chairman of the Trustees of Saint Joseph Academy. The grievance shall be presented in writing within five (5) working days after the decision in Level Two was rendered.
All previous materials of the case should be presented to the Brother Provincial Superior for review and disposition. The Brother Provincial Superior, or his appointed delegate, shall then schedule a conference at a mutually agreed upon time, not to exceed three weeks from the date the written communication has been received. In all cases the decision of the Brother Provincial Superior, or his delegate, is final.
HARASSMENT POLICY Saint Joseph Academy is committed to maintaining an academic atmosphere that is free from violence, personal abuse, or any form of harassment, where faculty, staff and students can work and study together comfortably. Saint Joseph Academy forbids any form of harassment, violence, bullying, or intimidation occurring in the school, outside the school, or at school-sponsored events. Such conduct is
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immoral and illegal and will not be tolerated. It is forbidden to harass a student or employee through conduct or communication described in this policy. Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, and/or visual, that is based on a person’s gender, race, ancestry, national origin, religious affiliation, age, physical disability, mental condition, marital status, veteran status, or citizenship status. Harassment can originate from a person of either sex against a person of the same or opposite sex, and from students or employees. Threats of violence and other abusive expressions, physical harassment, corporal punishment, use of inappropriate sexual words, actions or innuendos, and comments directed at a person’s gender are all inappropriate. St. Joseph Academy will not tolerate harassing conduct that affects tangible job benefits, that interferes unreasonably with an individual’s work performance, or that creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment, and violations will be treated as a significant disciplinary matter.
Sexual harassment deserves special attention and is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical conduct, or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when any of these conditions exist: • Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or education.
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis of employment decisions or awarding of a grade.
• Any conduct of a sexual nature is committed between an employee and a student.
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the individual’s work or educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Some examples of such behavior include (but are not limited to):
Written contact – Sexually suggestive or obscene letters, notes, invitations, drawings or computer messages.
Verbal contact – Sexually suggestive or obscene comments, threats, jokes (including jokes about racial and gender specific traits), foul or obscene language or gestures, any sexual propositions, sexual innuendo, comments about another’s body, or sexual characteristics which may be construed as embarrassing to another. Physical contact – Any intentional patting, squeezing, touching, pinching, brushing up against another’s body, assault, blocking movement, or coercing sexual intercourse.
Visual contact – Suggestive looks, staring at another’s body, gesturing, displaying sexually explicit or suggestive or obscene objects, pictures, magazines, printed or visual material.
Sexual blackmail – Sexual behavior to control another person’s actions.
Saint Joseph Academy will quickly investigate all complaints, including formal or informal, verbal or written, of sexual harassment and will discipline any student or employee who is found guilty of sexual harassment. To the fullest extent practicable, complaints, investigations, and
terms of their resolution will be kept confidential unless evidence indicates that a criminal investigation is warranted. In this case, information will be forwarded to the proper authorities. (See Investigation of Employee Sexual Misconduct policy). Any person who reports in good faith any behavior that he/she perceives as sexual harassment will be protected from retaliation of any type.
Reporting procedures – Any person, who believes that he/she has been the victim of sexual harassment or sexual violence by a member of the Saint Joseph Academy community, or any person with knowledge or belief of such conduct, should report alleged acts, either orally or in writing immediately to the Principal. If the Principal is the individual who is believed to be harassing the employee/student, the employee/student should notify the President of Saint Joseph Academy, who will conduct the investigation. If the President is the individual who is believed to be harassing the employee/student, the employee/student should notify the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph Academy.
Saint Joseph Academy considers acts of sexual harassment to be contrary to the Church’s teaching on the dignity of the human person. Consequently, the school will investigate all complaints promptly and aggressively. Where acts of sexual harassment are found, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken which may include warnings, parent conferences, suspension, or expulsion or termination.
False charges – Each person has the right to his/her good reputation. Anyone who purposely does anything to damage the good reputation of another has committed a serious, moral
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wrong. False and malicious complaints of sexual harassment (as opposed to complaints which, even if erroneous, are made in good faith,) will result in appropriate discipline, up to and including termination or expulsion.
Investigation of Alleged Employee Sexual Misconduct After employee sexual misconduct has been reported as described in the school policy on Harassment, the following procedures shall be followed:
1. Student / Employee Shall Notify School Principal / President. Student or Employee shall report suspected sexual misconduct by school faculty or staff employees to the Principal. The Principal will then notify the President. If the Principal or a member of the Academy Advancement staff is the alleged offender, the student/employee shall report the occurrence to the President. As required by state law, the Principal / President shall report sexual misconduct by a school employee constituting child abuse to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
2. School Shall Promptly Begin Investigation. The school shall promptly convene a review panel of administrators and professional consultants to conduct an investigation to be completed as soon as practical. During this process, investigators will gather and document all relevant specific information, such as dates, times, places, witnesses (if any), and nature of misconduct, by: • Interviewing the student(s) involved. • Interviewing the suspected employee. • Interviewing any witness(es). • Preparing or obtaining signed statements from the parties involved.
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• Collecting and maintaining any relevant physical evidence, such as photographs, letters, e-mail correspondence, diary or journal entries, or presents. • Referring the victimized student(s) for medical treatment or counseling when necessary. and • Coordinating investigation with law enforcement officials when necessary.
During the investigation, the investigators will make every attempt to keep the names of the parties involved and the nature of the investigation confidential.
3. Principal / President Shall Determine Status of Employee During Investigation. While the investigation is pending, the Principal (school faculty and staff employees) or President (Principal, development and external affairs staff) shall have the authority to limit the suspected employee’s duties or suspend the employee.
4. Investigators Shall Draft an Investigation Report. The investigators shall draft a report describing the steps of the investigation and summarizing the information gathered. This report shall be filed with the Principal / President within fifteen (15) days of the investigation’s completion. The results of the investigation of each report filed under this policy will be reported to the student(s) involved and/or parents, and the school employee in question, by the Principal / President.
5. Principal / President Shall Report Child Abuse, if Necessary. If, after the investigation is complete, the Principal / President, with the School Attorney’s assistance and advice, determines that the suspected sexual misconduct
constitutes child abuse, he/she shall report that conduct to the appropriate law enforcement officials, as required by state law. If the Principal / President has already notified the appropriate officials about child abuse, he/she shall report any additional information the investigation uncovers.
Principal / President to Decide Appropriate Action. After the investigation is complete and the Principal / President has reviewed the investigation report, he/she shall decide what action is appropriate. If the investigation shows that sexual misconduct occurred, the meeting will also include the employee’s supervisor. LOUNGES
Usage. The Faculty Lounge is designated for the exclusive use of employees. It is intended as a place for employees to relax with one another. Students and alumni are not permitted into the room.
Neatness. Individuals must exercise responsibility for tidying-up after themselves: washing their own plates and utensils, cleaning off table and counter areas after use, returning trays to the cafeteria, etc. In consideration to one another, the lounge should be kept neat and clean. LOYALTY
Contractual Responsibility. By signing a contract, all employees are responsible for supporting and enacting the school’s mission and philosophy, all school regulations, and administrative directives.
Conflict and Disagreement. As a Christian community, we are not expected to be free of conflict. Rather, we are expected to process our conflicts without physical or emotional “bloodshed,” in an open, frank, and charitable manner. Disagreements between and among employees or between employees and administration should be expressed directly rather than becoming the fuel for gossip and back-biting. Criticism of other employees, school policies or administrative decisions to students, parents, or other outsiders is unprofessional and disloyal. The administration reserves the right to facilitate mediation between members of the school community when disagreements arise. MAINTENANCE
Mutual cooperation is imperative in maintaining clean, orderly facilities in good repair. Faculty can set a good example of cleanliness to our students.
Classrooms and Common Areas. Employees must not hesitate to direct students to pick up papers and trash from the floors of corridors and other common areas.
Lawn Areas/Planted Areas. Students should be asked - and reminded non-punitively when necessary - to remain off the lawns. Only a concerted effort by all employees can promote the beauty of the grounds. Maintenance Requests. Requests for painting, repairs, construction, or the borrowing of tools and other maintenance equipment must be made by accessing the Maintenance Service Request site on the Intranet. For certain requests, permission is required of the Principal or President. Employees should never make maintenance requests directly to members of the maintenance staff by email or phone.
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RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS In order to provide a superior education and the religious and moral formation at the heart of our mission, employees of Saint Joseph Academy must foster an active partnership with the parents of our students. In the spirit of this partnership, we expect parents to cooperate with us by supporting school and classroom policies and expectations. Likewise, parents legitimately expect us to keep them informed about their child’s progress, to listen to their concerns, and to respond in practical and feasible ways to the individual needs of their child.
Communication. Communication with parents should be cordial and professional. Letters, notices, and bulletins should contain concise and clearly articulated information designed to avoid misunderstanding. Any communication to parents regarding their children should be specific, verifiable, and articulated in behavioral terms (e.g. “your son did not turn in his assignment”), not subjective terms (e.g. “your son is irresponsible.”)
Responding to Communications from Parents. It is important that all employees respond to parent communications in a timely fashion. When a parent attempts to contact an employee by email or by leaving a telephone message, a response should be made within twenty-four hours. With rare exceptions, a telephone message should be answered by a telephone call from the employee. Every reasonable effort should be made in completing this call. Written records of all contacts with parents (date of initial communication from parents, date of employee’s response, summary of the conversation or copies of emails) should be kept by employees. All employees are
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cautioned about attempting to handle sensitive issues by email. Unpleasant communications from parents should be referred to the Principal. RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS
Philosophical Basis. Our school philosophy states: “Educating the whole person requires more than excellent classroom instruction. For this reason, Saint Joseph Academy continually strives to build a genuinely Christian community in which students are offered love, acceptance, discipline, and challenge. The life example of our employees and the care, attention, and respect they show to students contribute significantly to this atmosphere. In turn, students are expected to treat all employees and each other in a similarly loving and respectful manner.”
Conduct. All employees should be approachable and available to students, treating them with courtesy and consideration. At the same time, employees should always conduct themselves with the dignity that belongs to their profession. Employees should speak to students in the language of a cultured, professional Christian, eschewing at all times profanity, vulgarity obscenity, or demeaning language.
Conduct to Be Avoided. Undue familiarity with students, partiality, and any conduct or physical contact which might create even the possible interpretation of impropriety are to be avoided. Communications with Students: 1. Avoid staying alone in a room with a student unless there is a window permitting others to view the interior of the room or the door is open.
2. Do not allow students to become overly friendly or familiar with you. Students should never call teachers by their first names or nicknames. 3. Do not engage in private communication or correspondence with students by phone, email, or social media. 4. Do not transport students in your vehicle 5. Do not give students your home or cell phone. ALL COMMUNICATION WITH STUDENTS MUST BE VIA REMIND APP OR SCHOOL EMAIL ADDRESS. 6. Remember that boundaries must be respected in written correspondence as well as in oral communication. Don’t push the boundaries of teacher/student relationships.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS In the event of an emergency school closing, information will be released via the SJA Mass Notification System, the school website, or on one of the following news services: Channel 4, Channel 5, Canal 7 (Televisa), K-Tex 100.3, or B-104 Radio. SMOKING Smoking is prohibited anywhere on campus and at all times.
TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT When traveling on business for the Academy, employees will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred such as gasoline, airfare, hotel, meals, parking, and ground transportation.
Meals will be reimbursed at the approved rate for the State of Texas. These rates may
be found on the comptroller's website at: http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/ texastra.html.
The Academy will reimburse the employee for up to $150.00 of the cost of a hotel room. If the employee stays in a hotel at a higher rate, the employee must pay the difference. However, sharing of hotel rooms is encouraged and EACH employee would get up to the $150.00 allowance. So, if a hotel is shared by two employees they would be reimbursed for up to $300.00 per day.
Meal money will be advanced on a per diem basis at the daily rate indicated on the comptroller’s website (currently $50). Employees are not required to submit a receipt for meal expenses. All other expenses must be supported by a receipt. Any questions on the policy may be directed to the finance office. Employees who use their personal vehicles for school business travel may use Saint Joseph Academy’s gasoline cards. The gasoline cards may be checked out from the Finance Department with an approved expense request form. As with any other expense, receipts are required. Mileage will not be paid.
The Academy encourages the rental of a vehicle when traveling by automobile to any location north of the Sarita checkpoint on school business. If an employee wishes to use his/her personal vehicle for school business travel, the Academy will not reimburse the employee for any claims or losses incurred.
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TUITION REDUCTION FOR CHILDREN OF STAFF
Children of staff members at Saint Joseph Academy will receive reduced tuition as fixed by the President. All other fees and remaining tuition must be paid according to school policy. VISITOR POLICIES
General Policies Visits to faculty during the school day should be restricted to matters of school business. All visitors to the SJA Campus during school hours must report directly to the Administration Building for authorization. Authorized visitors on campus during school hours will be identified by a visitor badge. Faculty who see visitors on campus during school hours who are not wearing a visitor badge should direct them to the Administration Building.
Authorization of Visitors with Appointments: • Visitors who make appointments to see faculty may be pre-authorized. Any faculty member may submit to the receptionist notification of his/her appointments. The following information should be provided: Faculty name, visitor name, date/time of appointment, location on campus where meeting will take place.
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• Pre-authorized visitors will be issued a visitor badge when they check in at the Administration Building.
• Faculty who have scheduled appointments should meet their visitors at the Administration Building at the appointed time. Visitors without Appointments: • Visitors who arrive at the Administration Building without an appointment will be screened by an office staff member.
• If the visitor is asking to see a faculty member, an attempt will be made to contact that faculty member to see if she/he is available to see the visitor.
If the faculty member is available to see the visitor, the staff member will issue a visitor badge and direct the visitor to the meeting place. If the faculty member is not available, a message will be taken for the faculty member to call the visitor.
General Policies for Faculty
REQUIRED ATTENDANCE
All-School Functions. When students are called to attend assemblies, religious services, rallies, and other all-school functions, all faculty and staff are expected to be in attendance. Classroom teachers should accompany their classes to the function. The teacher is responsible for the supervision of his/her students at the function and in transit to and from it. Teachers should sit with their students unless they are assigned some other duty. All members of the faculty are required to attend the following school functions: the Back to School Night, Open Houses, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Diocesan In-Services, Ring Ceremony, faculty/staff retreats and Marist In-services, Graduation Mass, and Graduation. Any faculty member who wishes to be excused from attending a school function must make the request in writing to the Principal using the Anticipated Absence form.
Accrediting Requirements The Texas Catholic Conference Education Department (TCCED) accrediting body for Saint Joseph Academy, requires that all teaching staffmaintain on file in the Principal’s office: (1) a complete and current transcript of all post-secondary education; (2) any current Texas teaching certificates held by the employee; ( 3 ) . O n g o i n g re c o rd o f Professional Development
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Administrative Leave The Principal has the right to place a teacher on administrative leave for a time as judged necessary by the Principal if a teacher is arrested, jailed, or accused of an act which is in conflict with the school’s mission and philosophy. ANNOUNCEMENTS/PRAYER
Announcements are made over the P.A. system in the morning and afternoon. Teachers are expected to maintain silence and attentiveness in their classrooms during announcements.
Submitting Announcements: Announcements should be concise, written in complete sentences, and clearly readable. They may be turned in to the Receptionist or Assistant to the Middle Division. Announcements that do not bear a faculty signature will not be read. Deadline for morning announcements: 7:45 A.M. ATTENDANCE
Responsibilities for taking attendance must not be delegated to students. Teachers are to take attendance at the start of every period and report the attendance promptly to the office as instructed by the administration. Reporting Tardiness. A student is tardy if he/she enters the classroom after the bell has signaled the start of the period. Tardy
students (upon arrival) are to be sent to the Administration Building to obtain an admit slip.
Teacher’s Attendance Records. Each teacher should maintain an ongoing attendance record in the grade book using the grade book spreadsheet generated through FACTS Portal Attendance records should be turned in along with the grade book to the Principal as a part of the end-of-the-year check-out. ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES
Prevention. Faculty should be aware of potential accident sites in the classroom, particularly in laboratories, gym classes, and areas immediately outside the classroom. Preventative measures should be developed and implemented. The teacher should also be prepared to act quickly and calmly in the event of an accident or emergency. All doors to locker rooms should be locked when students are not inside to prevent others from entering and as to prevent theft. Reporting Incidents. In the event of an accident or an emergency, the teacher should send a student to inform the Administration Building personnel so that the Principal will be alerted.
If requested, the office will send for immediate first aid interim help from a trained staff member. The Principal must be notified if a student has been injured during the school day or at a school-sponsored event.
Injured and Ill Students. If the student is ambulatory, he/she should be sent to the Administration Building accompanied by another student. Injured/ ill students will remain
in the Administration Building until their parents come for them. Incapacitated students must only be moved by trained personnel. Critical Cases. In such cases, the administration will immediately notify parents to determine what steps the parents want taken. Depending upon the seriousness of the case, parents will be asked to pick their child up at school, school personnel will take the child to an emergency medical treatment facility where they will meet the parents, or an ambulance will be called. In life threatening cases, an ambulance will be called via 911.
Statements by Faculty. In the event of an injury to a student, no faculty member should recommend a physician or trainer to the injured party or parents. Faculty should not suggest that the School Accident Plan will cover medical expenses. (The plan is a secondary carrier and covers only part of the expenses that the family’s primary plan does not cover.) Injuries to Faculty and Staff. Injuries to faculty incurred during the school day or at a school sponsored event should be reported immediately to the Principal.
Initiating Claims with the School Accident Plan. Injured parties should report to the Business Manager within 48 hours of the injury in order to initiate such insurance claims. AVAILABILITY TO STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF CLASS
Members of the faculty are expected to be available to their students in their classrooms before the start of the school day (7:45 AM) and after classes until 3:45 PM on Monday – Thursday and 3:30 PM on Friday.
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BEGINNING AND ENDING THE SCHOOL DAY
First Block Teachers. First Block teachers should be in their classrooms by 8:00 A.M. At the start of the day, a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance is recited over the P.A. system. Teachers should assure that their class is attentive and reverent. Members of the faculty and staff who are not in class are also expected to participate in the Morning Prayer.
End of the Day Dismissal. The school day concludes with the afternoon announcements and prayer. Teachers are to keep students in class until the final dismissal is given via the P.A. The teacher should be the last person to leave the classroom after checking that the windows and blinds are closed, the air conditioner is adjusted, lights are turned off, and the door is locked. Teachers are not allowed to leave campus before 3:45, regardless of whether or not they have a last period. CHILD ABUSE
The failure to report suspected child abuse can result in civil and criminal penalties. Faculty members who have suspicions or information about a student being abused must submit a report to Child Protective Services. In the event of a suspicion of abuse, contact the Principal immediately who will facilitate the necessary procedures (see Appendix III).
CLASS-TO-CLASS DISMISSAL
Classes must not be dismissed before the bell signals the end of the period. Teachers are asked to stand in the doorway of their classrooms to help supervise students while they are changing classes.
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COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE IN THE CLASSROOM
Employees of Saint Joseph Academy are expected to comply with the provisions of Federal copyright law relating to the unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of copyrighted materials (i.e. printed materials, videos, computer data, and programs, etc.). Videos are to be used in the classroom for educational purposes only. Duplication or backup of computer programs and data must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement. Teachers are directed to The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education (Center for Social Media, American University) http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org /fair-use/related-materials/codes/code-bestpractices-fair-use-media-literacy-education DETENTION
School Detention. Students are assigned to serve school detention by the Vice Principal, the Principal and classroom teachers. School detention is supervised by the Vice Principal or his/her delegate and may consist of either onehour sessions before or after school or during lunch. Students assigned to school detention who fail to attend will be assigned double the hours missed in addition to the original detention, to be served beginning on the next scheduled school detention. A second consecutive failure to attend school detention will result in more serious disciplinary action, which may include In-School Suspension.
DISCIPLINE
The maintenance of good discipline everywhere on campus throughout and after the school day is a shared responsibility of all faculty members.
Each Faculty Member Is a Disciplinarian. Every faculty member must respond to misconduct or violations of the dress code and other school policies, whether these occur within their own classroom or are observed elsewhere on campus. Each teacher must assume primary responsibility for handling the problems that come his/her way.
Consultation with the Vice Principal. Should a faculty member desire help in handling a disciplinary situation, the advice of the Vice Principal or the Principal should be sought. It is best to seek this consultation in the early stages of the problem when the prospects for remediation are best. The school community is not served if a faculty member attempts to mask a problem that continues to grow. Parental involvement in repeated disciplinary situations is very helpful in bringing any situation to resolution. In most cases, the Vice Principal should not be the first person to contact parents.
Disciplinary Referrals to the Administration. Referral to the Vice Principal or the Principal may be made in cases where: (1) a disruptive student can no longer be retained in class; (2) a disciplinary situation has escalated beyond the teacher’s capacity to effectively intervene; (3) a student has failed to attend a teacher’s detention. Disciplinary Referral forms must be used in any of these cases, adequately detailing the circumstances so that the Vice Principal can take appropriate action. The Vice Principal takes charge of all referred
cases, reserving the right to determine the appropriate course of action. When a student who can no longer be retained in class is referred, he/she should be sent to the Administration Building; the Disciplinary Referral form should be sent via the student. Documentation. Recurring discipline problems should be carefully documented using Disciplinary Referral forms. It is helpful to recall the legal maxim, “If it is not in writing, it did not take place.” Teachers may choose to document some situations, even though the teacher has, for the time being, resolved the situation satisfactorily. The Disciplinary Referral form, clearly noted to this effect, can also be used for such purposes.
Prohibited Faculty Interventions. In keeping with our mission and philosophy, faculty interventions with students must never entail sarcasm, insults, public humiliation or embarrassment, bizarre or demeaning punishments, exclusion from the classroom, or corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is defined as any physical contact that can be construed as punitive. Any faculty member who engages in any of these behaviors is required to self-report this incident to the Principal immediately.
Disciplinary Review Board. The Disciplinary Review Board (DRB) is an advisory group whose purpose is to review the cases of students who have seriously and/or continuously violated the school’s policies and procedures. The (DRB) is made up of faculty members appointed by the principal for a one year term. The DRB will include: • 3 experienced teachers and 2 alternates who possess good classroom management skills and have shown an ability to be discreet
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• School counselor (non-voting member) • The Vice Principal, (non-voting member)
Members of the board and alternates will receive training early in the school year on the purpose for the Disciplinary Review Board and its procedures. The Vice Principal will convene the board and act as the chair.
Under certain circumstances, a member of the DRB may be required to recuse him/herself. A member of the DRB may request recusal, pending the Principal’s approval, or the Principal may require that the member recuse him/herself. Conditions for recusal by a member of the DRB would include the following: • • • •
He/she is a parent of the student. He/she is related to the student. He/she is a personal friend of the family. He/she cannot be impartial for other valid reasons.
Once the Vice Principal or the Principal deems it necessary to convene the board, the student[s] appearing before the board will be treated without regard to the parents’ connection to SJA. Likewise, the number or type of extra-curricular activities that the student is/has been involved in shall not have a bearing on the resultant recommendations.
The board should meet within two school/ business days of the infraction or as soon as reasonably practical under the circumstances. After having met with the appropriate administrator regarding the reason for the DRB’s convening, the student and parent/s should meet with the designated school counselor before the meeting of the DRB to
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discuss the upcoming disciplinary process, and to surface any issues that need to be presented to the board. Voting by DRB members will be in the form of a written recommendation, not a verbal recommendation. The board will make recommendations for family counseling, for student counseling, and or other conditions, such a individualized student contracts, if appropriate. FACULTY BULLETINS/UPDATES
Faculty bulletins and updates are issued periodically from the Administration. These updates may be delivered by email or as memos placed in teacher mailboxes, or they may be posted on the school Intranet page. The matters mentioned in these bulletins are for faculty use only. Under no circumstances should these matters be discussed with students unless faculty members are specifically requested to do so, nor should bulletins be left on desks or in places where students have access to them. Faculty should retain these bulletins until their contents are outdated. FACULTY MEETINGS
The Faculty Meetings are held each Monday at 8:00 am. In general, these meetings will include: General Faculty Meeting, Department Meetings, Marist Mission, and Grade Level Meetings. Each of these formats plays a critical role in the advancement of our mission. Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Faculty meetings may be called at other times at the discretion of the Principal. FIELD TRIPS
Field trips must have a demonstrable and significant educational value and must be clearly
correlated to Course Outcomes. Provisions must be made for both male and female chaperones. Alternate class work and arrangements for supervision must be provided for students who do not receive parental permission to attend the field trip, and this information must be submitted to the school office. The list of students participating in a field trip should be submitted to the Vice Principal or to the Principal for approval and distribution no later than one week prior to the event. Should the event need administrative approval, the list and request for approval must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event. Only students in good standing will be permitted to participate.
Permission Forms. A signed, school permission form for every student participating in the field trip is required. Permissions via telephone are not acceptable. After the field trip, permission forms are turned in to the Attendance Secretary for retention.
Approval. Teachers must apply to the administration for approval prior to the proposed field trip. A copy of the proposal and the permission form created for the proposed field trip must be submitted to the administration at the time of application. Transportation must be coordinated with the Director of Transportation. Field trip proposals must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the trip. GUIDANCE SERVICES
Faculty Referrals. Teachers may refer a student directly to the student’s guidance counselor or to the Director of Guidance using the appropriate referral form.
Student Appointments. Counseling staff will notify teachers of student appointments using official department forms. The teacher should send the student to the appointment promptly. The teacher may prevent a student from attending a counseling appointment only if the student will miss a test. In such cases the appointment form should be immediately returned to the counselor with an explanatory note. Students must never be penalized for attending a counseling appointment and should be given every reasonable opportunity to make up work missed.
Confidentiality. Matters discussed by students with their counselors are by nature confidential. Counselors can provide teachers with information about students on a need-to-know basis only insofar as the limits of confidentiality permit. Faculty must understand that the rights of the individual to privacy are paramount and should collaborate with the counseling staff accordingly. Any situation that threatens the well-being of an individual student, another student, or member of the staff must be brought to the attention of the Principal. HALL PASS
Teachers must retain documentation for students who leave their classrooms for any reason. This may be in the form of a Google doc. or spreadsheet that includes the following information: Student’s full name/grade level/time left/reason/time returned. Only ONE student is permitted to leave the room with the pass. The only other passes to leave class will be issued by the Administration, t h e
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Library, the Guidance Office, the Learning Center, or the Campus Ministry Office. LIBRARY PASSES
During regular class hours, any student visiting the library must present a library pass which has been signed by the current class period teacher. Students should not be sent to the library until the daily work and class lessons have been completed. Blank library passes should be kept in a secure place by the teacher. KEYS
Great care should be exercised in safeguarding school keys provided to faculty members. The loss or theft of keys, or their “disappearance and reappearance” should be reported to an administrator promptly. Keys should not be given to students for even brief periods of time. LEARNING CENTER
In order to be successful in their post secondary studies, students must be independent learners. The mission of Saint Joseph Academy’s Learning Center is to help students with learning differences develop skills in self-motivation, with emphasis on setting goals, taking appropriate risks, monitoring performance, making adjustments when necessary, and assuming personal responsibility. The Learning Center provides college preparatory support services that encourage students to use their individual strengths to improve their academic performance. Reasonable classroom accommodations are offered to students with diagnosed learning differences who meet the guidelines set by Saint Joseph Academy.
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Each teacher will be in-serviced on the procedures for the implementation of approved accommodations. Once a teacher receives an Individual Education Plan for a particular student, the teacher is obligated by school policy and/or by law to abide by the approved accommodations.
Compliance with the Learning Center procedures for students with appropriate documentation is mandatory. It may not be left up to the teacher’s discretion as to whether or not any accommodation is appropriate. MAIL BOXES
Faculty should check their mail boxes after signing-in in the morning and before leaving in the afternoon. Mail boxes should be kept neat to ensure that important notices will be attended to promptly. MAINTENANCE
At the end of the class period, teachers should require students to pick up and dispose of any paper or trash on the classroom floor. The regulation of classroom temperature, window blinds and windows is the teacher’s responsibility and should not be delegated to students.
MEDICINE
The Faculty is not permitted to dispense aspirin or any other kind of medication to students, even if the guardian or parent gives verbal permission. Teachers should familiarize themselves with the policies in the StudentParent Handbook regarding medications.
ORDERING MATERIALS
Selection of Instructional Materials. All instructional materials, whether to be paid for by the school or purchased by students, must be selected in accordance with the Saint Joseph Academy Selection Policy for Learning Resources. In general, this entails submission to the Department Chair and Administration of a request for consideration of new materials detailing (1) the means by which the new materials will support the curriculum and enhance learning, and (2) the reviewing sources which were consulted in making the selection.
Materials to be Paid for by the School. As described in the Selection Policy for Learning Resources, the approval of Department Chairs, Head Coaches, and/or Moderators of Activities is required when ordering materials to be paid for by the school. These individuals are responsible for maintaining the budgets of the departments and programs. Budget information may be obtained from these individuals or the Comptroller. A purchase order should be completed and submitted by the appropriate Department Chair, Head Coach, or Moderator who will approve the order (or not) and submit it to the Finance Office. All orders and invoices should indicate and be addressed directly to the faculty member who originally placed the order. Upon receiving an invoice or bill, the person originating the order should immediately present the invoice to the Finance Office, indicating if the material was received. Where possible, materials should be invoiced with NET 30 DAYS for payment.
Materials to be Purchased by Students through the Outside Bookstore. Requests
for consumable materials to be purchased by students should be submitted to Department Chairs for approval. If the request is approved, the Department Chair will place the order with the Principal. Materials to be Paid for Directly by Students. This practice is generally unacceptable, will be permitted only in unusual circumstances, and requires the permission of the Principal.
Materials for Personal Use. The name, address, and/or official stationery of Saint Joseph Academy are not to be used when placing personal orders of any kind. PROFESSIONAL GROWTH INCREMENT
Any fulltime teacher who earns an “in field” graduate degree will earn a one-time seven (7) percent increase to the base wage/or a maximum stipend of $2,500 (whichever is higher). The base increase would take place in the contract year following completion of the graduate degree (starting in September of the new contract). SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES As a Marist organization with a mission to educate young people, Saint Joseph Academy encourages appropriate online communication.
While Saint Joseph Academy respects the right of employees to use social networking and media sites, as well as personal websites and blogs, it is important that employees’ personal use of these sites does not damage the school’s reputation, its employees, its students, or their
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families. Employees should exercise care in setting appropriate boundaries between their personal and public online behavior, understanding that what appears private in the digital world often has the possibility of becoming public, even without their knowledge or consent.
Saint Joseph Academy strongly encourages all employees to carefully review the privacy settings on any social networking and media sites they use (such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), and exercise care and good judgment when posting content and information on such sites. When using a social networking site, an employee may NOT include current students as “friends,” “followers,” or any other similar terminology used by various sites or post/share any information or pictures of current students on their accounts. Additionally, employees should adhere to the following guidelines: • An employee should not make statements that would violate any of the school’s policies. • An employee must uphold the value of respect and avoid making defamatory statements about the school, its employees, its students, or their families. • The employee must be supportive of all teachings of the Catholic church.
STIPEND FOR TEACHING MORE THAN FIVE CLASSES
A fulltime teacher who teaches more than the normal load of five (5) classes may earn one sixth of the base salary stipend not to exceed $5,500 for a full year course, or half of one sixth
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of the base salary stipend not to exceed $2,750 for a semester course. STUDENT REGULATIONS
The regulations concerning student expectations, behavior, and procedures are published in the Student and Parent Handbook. The Faculty is expected to be familiar with these and to play an active role in their enforcement. If a rule is unclear to a faculty member, clarification should be sought from the administration. SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
Faculty members are legally responsible for the safety of the students in their care. At no time is it allowable for students to be left unsupervised.This responsibility cannot be delegated to another student. Whether in class, at school functions, or in the discharge of any supervisory responsibility, faculty must remain alert and proactive in preventing dangerous situations from arising.
Faculty members are encouraged to participate in class retreats and are responsible for providing support to the campus ministers for the day of the retreat from beginning to end. If it is not possible to remain until the retreat concludes, the faculty member must make arrangements with the campus ministry team prior to the day of the retreat. At least one week prior to the retreat day an anticipated absence form must be completed and submitted to the Administrative Assistant to the Office. TELEPHONES
Telephones are available in the faculty rooms and administrative conference rooms for faculty use. These telephones should be used for school business only. Long-distance calls must be
placed through the receptionist/secretary who can then transfer the call to the appropriate location. Cellular Telephone Use: The use of personal cellular telephones by faculty and staff during conference periods or while not teaching is acceptable. Use of cell phones during instructional time must be avoided except in case of emergency.
Telephone Messages/E-mail Messages. Most faculty members will not have individual voicemail accounts. Telephone messages taken by the receptionist will be left in faculty mail boxes. Faculty e-mail should be checked throughout the day, as this is a frequent means of communication by both Administration and parents. Mail boxes should be checked after signing-in and before signing-out. Individual voice mail accounts will be reserved for faculty members with direct phone extensions, including secretarial staff, Counseling, Campus Ministry Department, Learning Center, Library Media Center, Athletics, Admissions and Advancement Offices and Finance Office.
TEXTBOOKS
Teachers must keep a listing of assigned book numbers for administration. This information must be verified for accuracy. Teachers should see that students keep their textbooks free from writing and from stuffing with papers. WINDOW BLINDS
During class (or whenever teachers are in their classrooms with students) at least one set of window blinds - preferably those closest to the door - should be opened in a manner that allows for easy and unobstructed visibility into the classroom from outside. At the end of the school day, the window blinds should be closed for classroom security.
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Academic Policies
CURRICULUM DESIGN AND TEACHING PRACTICE
At Saint Joseph Academy, the design of curriculum, and the instruction, assessment, and grading of students is related in a specific and cyclical way. OUTCOMES DEVELOPMENT
The starting point of all our endeavors is a clear and agreed-upon set of outcomes. Outcomes are statements of what students are able to do as a result of our efforts.
Three Levels of Outcomes. Graduation Outcomes (see Appendix I) state what students are able to do after completing the course of studies offered at Saint Joseph Academy. Departmental Outcomes specify what students are able to do as a result of a program in a specific discipline, for example, as a result of a three-year sequence of required science courses. Course Outcomes enumerate what students are able to do at the end of each quarter in a given course. Course Outcomes, Departmental Outcomes, and Graduation Outcomes must be aligned.
Challenging and Realistic. Outcomes at each level should be both challenging and realistic. Of course, most outcomes will explicitly or implicitly expect students to “know” and “comprehend.” As a collegepreparatory institution, many other outcomes
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must also expect students to utilize higherlevel cognitive skills: to “apply,” “analyze,” “synthesize,” and “evaluate.” Where appropriate, outcomes will entail students’ multiple intelligences, including social, emotional, and creative intelligences.
Course Outcomes. Course Outcomes guide each teacher’s activities with respect to the course(s) he/she is teaching. Course Outcomes are designed and revised at the department level, with the approval of the administration. All sections of a particular course, regardless of who teaches the various sections, adhere to the same set of outcomes.
Assessment. Outcomes define what students will be expected to do as a result of instruction. The second step in curriculum design is to decide how student performance of these outcomes will be observed and measured. Authentic assessment requires that students demonstrate their level of performance in each and every course outcome. Likewise, authentic assessment avoids the measurement of student behaviors extraneous to the course outcomes. Assessment tools include, but are not limited to tests, quizzes, projects, homework assignments, demonstrations, oral presentations, essays, research papers, performances, specific accomplishments, and class participation.
Alternative Assessments. It is appropriate, when feasible, to allow students more than one kind of opportunity to assess an outcome or
outcomes. One student might demonstrate course outcomes as thoroughly in a project as another student might in a written examination. Alternative assessments can be particularly helpful when the class includes students with learning differences. When alternative assessments are employed, care must be taken to ensure that the alternative assessment is an equivalent assessment.
Common Assessments and Data Analysis. To ensure a “guaranteed and viable curriculum” (Marzano 2003), teachers who are teaching the same course will assess students based on the standard course outcomes which have been designed for the course. In order to maintain this guaranteed, consistent curriculum and assist teachers in data analysis and instructional planning, all major assessments for the same course must be common assessments, regardless of which teacher is teaching the class. It will be the responsibility of the members of the teaching team to analyze and maintain student performance data from major assessments and demonstrate how this data is used in instructional planning.
Instruction. Intelligent instructional decisions can only be made after course assessments (based on Course Outcomes) have been designed. Teaching strategies and learning activities are selected that will coach students to optimal performance on these assessments. After the assessment has been given, analysis of student performance data should be employed in future instructional decisions to maximize student learning.
GRADES
Grades should authentically represent the level of student performance with respect to Course Outcomes as demonstrated in assessments. The authenticity of grades depends heavily upon the authenticity of assessment. A detailed discussion of grading policies and procedures may be found in Assessment and Grading of Students. ELECTRONIC GRADE BOOK AND FACTS PORTAL
At the start of the school year, each teacher will receive instructions on the use of the electronic grading system. Once classes are set up, the teacher is to keep the grade book up-to-date. Each teacher is required to enter all grades/ assignments into the PlusPortals system, indicating the date and the description of the assessment (assignment, test, etc.) that produced the grade. In addition, teachers are required to post all grades to the Portal. With the sole exception of major research papers which require more time to evaluate, the grades for all assessments must be recorded in FACTS Portal, reported to students, and posted to PlusPortals no later than 7 days after the assignment /assessment is given. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Ongoing Evaluation and Development In their dynamic relationship to one another, these four elements - outcomes, assessment, instruction and grades - provide the basis for ongoing evaluation and development of both curriculum and instruction. Analysis of student performance (as quantified in quarterly grades and semester examination grades) allows the faculty and administration to evaluate both
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curriculum and instruction. Extreme aggregate student performance (e.g., inordinately low grades or unrealistically high grades) stimulate several questions. Outcomes. Are Outcomes unrealistic? Are they too challenging? Or not challenging enough?
Assessment. Do assessments authentically match the stated course outcomes? Have the outcomes been assessed comprehensively or only partially? Are students being assessed on criteria extraneous to course outcomes? Are we testing “above” the outcomes or “below” them? Instruction. Is it possible that teaching strategies and learning activities do not adequately prepare students to perform well on the assessments? THE EDUCATIONAL PLAN OF THE WIDER STRATEGIC PLAN
As part of the Academy’s commitment to continuous improvement, the Strategic Plan will be updated. Saint Joseph Academy will participate in a collaborative engagement to include School Board Orientation, Administrative Audit, Advancement Audit, Curriculum Review and Audit, Enrollment Management, Financial Audit towards the development of an inclusive Strategic Planning Process.
ASSESSMENT AND GRADING OF STUDENTS
Quarterly Grades in Context
The Quarterly Grade, within the context of Saint Joseph Academy’s outcomes-centered approach to curriculum and instruction, is understood as the fourth element in a dynamic sequence:
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• Course Outcomes • Assessments • Instruction • Quarterly Grades Quarterly Grades are derived from the grades students have earned on the various Assessments during the nine-week quarter. They are calculated according to the Grading Scheme the teacher has published in his/her Prospectus for the course. ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING
Students should have numerous opportunities to demonstrate their mastery of course outcomes and their progress in this regard. Thus, the Assessments in each quarter will include a mix of “major” and “minor” assessments. Quarterly Grading Requirements.
Minimum grading requirements for each course include the following: • Three major assessments per quarter: Note: when a course is taught by more than one teacher, all major assessments are to be common assessments which have been developed by the teaching team. Thus, all students enrolled in a particular course will have the same major assessments. • Six minor assessments per quarter. • The significance of the assessment in terms of the amount of material covered and the amount of time/work/thought required on the part of the student will determine the number of points assigned to it and the resulting impact on the student’s quarterly average. • Each department may develop more specific criteria for their own purposes.
• Teachers should take care that all assessments represent a measure of authentic student learning of course content and skills. • Once an assessment has been given, the opportunity to review the results must be made available to students and parents. It is recommended that the procedure for such a review be included in the course prospectus. • Students should not be graded on their compliance with classroom procedures, such as the signing of a course prospectus or the purchase of a book. • Teachers are required to use a pointsbased grading system rather than weighting grades by category since the use of a weighted grading scheme can skew reported grades and can lead to misunderstandings on the part of students and parents. EXTRA CREDIT
Extra credit will be limited to test corrections on major assessments only. A correction will be worth ½ point per answer correction with a limit of 5 points per major assessment.
If a teacher intends to use this extra credit opportunity in a course, these must be included in the “Assessment” and “Grading Scheme” sections of the Course Prospectus. HOMEWORK
Students should be expected to do a total of two hours of written and/or study homework each school day. All teachers should contribute to this expectation by assigning homework regularly. Homework for the week is posted on FACTS Portal by the end of day on Friday for the following week.
Written Assignments. Written assignments should be directly related to Course Outcomes. Ideally, they are short and intellectually challenging, requiring students to demonstrate skills beyond the level of knowledge/ comprehension. Assignments that require students to regurgitate factual information directly from the textbook are not useful. Rather, assessments should require students to use what they learned in class or offer conclusions and critical responses from what they have read. If students are expected to care about what they are writing, then teachers need to guarantee that someone will care enough to read what they have written. Thus, written assignments should be graded. They can be corrected by the teacher, read by other students, used in class, or utilized in some other way. Teachers are encouraged to consult with the Writing Across the Curriculum coordinator for assistance in incorporating writing into their courses in a meaningful way.
Reading and Study Assignments. Reading assignments should likewise be directly related to Course Outcomes, and the fruit of what has been read should in some way be incorporated into class discussion, written assignments, or testing.
Projects. Carefully designed projects can be excellent opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of Course Outcomes, particularly those outcomes which entail skills beyond the level of knowledge/comprehension: i.e. application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. All projects should be listed in the Assessment section of the Course Prospectus.
Proportionality. The extent of the project (time and effort), the scope of the quarterly outcome(s) which it assesses, and the relative value of the grade associated with it must all be
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proportional. Thus if a project demands 20% of a student’s effort in a course for a given quarter, the project should be related to at least 1/5 of the quarterly outcomes and should constitute roughly 20% of the student’s quarterly grade.
Outcomes-Measurability. The project must be designed by the teacher so that the students’ level of performance with regard to the related course outcomes can be measured according to stated criteria. Student Presentations. The amount of class time devoted to student presentations of projects must be carefully evaluated. Does the value of the presentation to the other students in class (i.e. the extent to which this learning activity directly assists them in their own performance in course assessments) justify the amount of class time devoted to it?
Cautions: • Projects should be planned so that the time required for completion is reasonable. • The extent to which the project will require students to secure transportation from parents should be considered. • Long-term projects should require interim, graded check-points to monitor student progress. • Note: If a written research report is a part of a group project, each member of the group must be required to write and submit his/her own paper to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to become proficient in the research/writing process.
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QUARTERLY GRADING GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES
Quarterly Grading Guidelines. The following guidelines shall apply to quarterly course grades: • A passing Grade is 70. • A quarterly grade below 60 may be raised to 60 for a student only once a year per course. • The highest quarterly grade that a student may receive is 100. • Teachers should expect that quarterly grades of 84 and 89 will tend to invite challenges from parents since quarterly grades of 85 and 90 are required for students to be included on the Second or First Honors list. • A quarterly grade, semester examination grade, semester grade or final course grade of 69 must be adjusted to 70.
Grade Changes. Upon occasion, a quarterly grade may be changed due to the completion of late work or other compelling circumstances approved by the Principal. All grade changes must be completed no later than five days after the completion of the grading period in question. All grade changes must be approved by the Principal. Grade Reporting. The school year is divided into four quarters of approximately nine weeks each. At the conclusion of each quarter students receive report cards.
Incompletes. Occasionally, circumstances may warrant the posting of a grade of “Incomplete” on a student’s report cord or progress report. If such a grade is given, the Incomplete must be cleared by the time of the next grade report. For example, if the Incomplete is given on a progress report, it must be cleared by the time the report card for that
grading period is issued. Likewise, an Incomplete posted on a report card must be cleared by the time of the subsequent progress report.
Unexcused Absence Consequence. All students will be allowed nine (9) absences per semester. Students are responsible for communicating with their teachers about missed assignments and make-up work and tests. Should a student exceed the nine days allotted, he/she will lose credit for the semester.
Progress Reports. Four weeks into the quarter, teachers issue progress reports to parents. This gives parents and students an indication of progress in each class. Report Card Grades. At the end of each quarter, teachers will be required to report quarterly grades for each student in each course to the Principal. These grades will appear on the student’s report card. SCHEDULING TESTS
In order to allow students sufficient time to prepare for major assessments, it is school policy that no more than TWO such assessments be scheduled for a particular grade level on the same day. Teachers should schedule major assessments on the test sign-up calendar which is posted on the SJA Intranet. There are separate calendars for MD and UD courses.
Submitting Assessments All assessments fall under the general supervision of the Principal and the Department Chairs. Copies of tests and major assignments given to students are to be submitted to the respective Department Chairpersons. Principal may periodically review exams SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS
Scope of Semester Examinations: Semester examinations should comprehensively assess all Course Outcomes for the semester. Criteria
unrelated to course outcomes should not be included in semester examinations.
Formulating Semester Examinations. Semester examinations are formulated at the department level, are reviewed and approved by the Department Chair, and are submitted to the Principal to be kept on file. A single semester exam is prepared and given for each course regardless of the number of sections in that course and whether or not they are taught by the same instructor. Each test item will be assigned and labeled with a specific point value. In support of the school’s commitment to Writing Across the Curriculum, all semester exams should contain a significant writing component. Altering Exams. Once approved, individual teachers may not alter semester exams in any way.
Format for Semester Exams. When formatting semester examinations, a standard heading should be used. To ensure readability of the exam, the following formatting guidelines should be followed: • Font should be no smaller than 12 pt. • Use Arial or Times New Roman font. • Spacing between test questions should be 1½ or double spaced.
Study Guides for Semester Exams. Because the scope of a semester examination is comprehensive, students are entitled to accurate information from the teacher in the form of a study guide as to: • What they will be expected to do/know. • The approximate relative grade value associated with the material they will be expected to do/know. • The kinds of questions and performance tasks they will encounter on the examination. Uniform Grading. The same standards and methods of grading will be applied to all students taking the same examination,
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guaranteeing a standard value of the grade on that examination. • Curving grades of individual students or of students in a particular class section is never permitted. • Each test item is assigned a specific point value. Teachers must strictly adhere to these point values when grading exams. • All test items must be graded. No questions may be “dropped.” • The grading of all portions of the semester exam must be undertaken solely by the teacher. No portion of this responsibility may be delegated to students or anyone other than the teacher.
Curving Semester Examination Grades. The curving of semester examination grades is a practice that may be undertaken under highly unusual circumstances. If a teacher believes that circumstances may warrant curving semester examination grades, the teacher will consult immediately with the Principal. The Principal will then confer with the Department Chair and the other members of the Administration. If permission to curve examination grades is granted by the Administration, the grade of every student (in every section) taking the examination must be curved uniformly. Subsequently, the department will be expected to undertake an evaluation of the circumstances which called for such measures. The evaluation will account for the relative impact of inadequacies in: (a) course outcomes. (b) assessment (the design of the examination). and (c) instruction. The evaluation will also include a plan for remediation. This evaluation will be presented in writing to the Principal in a timely manner with prior approval of the Department Chair.
Unexamined Students. Students who fail to take a semester examination will receive a grade of “0” for the examination. Exceptions may be made for valid absences and will require the approval of the Principal.
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Semester Examination Grades. Grades for semester examinations will be reported on the second and fourth report cards.
Semester Grades. Semester grades are derived as follows: • The average of the two quarters which comprise the semester (80%). • The semester examination (20%). If no semester examination is given, the semester grade is the average of the two quarters.
Final Grades. For full-year courses, final grades are the average of the two semester grades. For one-semester courses, the semester grade and the final grade are identical.
Course Weighting. Courses are weighted as follows: Honors 1.05 Dual Enrollment 1.10 Standard College Prep: 1.00 Advanced Placement 1.05 * Beginning August 2023, Advanced Placement courses will be weighted at 1.05. Students in grades 9-11 who score a 3 or higher on the AP exam will have their course weighting adjusted to 1.10. Suspended Students. Suspension is imposed on students for serious or repeated offenses. It is the philosophy of Saint Joseph Academy that the academic achievement of a student who has been suspended should not be affected by disciplinary action. Suspended students will be required to make up the instruction time missed during suspension, under the supervision of Vice Principal. Contesting Grades. A grade, whether a test grade or a report card grade may be contested by a student, parent, or legal guardian only up to five days after the report card is issued.
Other Academic Procedures
ABSENT STUDENTS
At the outset of the school year, teachers should apprise all students of class policies regarding absences for tests, absences on days when tests are announced, and on making up work missed during an absence. These policies should appear in writing in the Course Prospectus.
Primary responsibility for work missed during an absence rests with the student. Teachers should be willing to provide reasonable assistance to students who request help after an absence. If after consultation with the Vice Principal or the Principal an absence is deemed to be needless, the student may not be given the opportunity to make-up work, including tests, quizzes, and projects. ACADEMIC HONORS
Quarterly Honors. Honor Roll students are recognized at the quarter. Parents are invited to attend Honors Recognition held at the designated Liturgy. First Honors are awarded to students who in a given quarter have earned a grade of 90 or higher in every course. Second Honors are awarded to students with a minimum quarterly average of 90 and who have no course grade below an 85.
Annual Honors. In the fourth quarter an Awards Assembly is held to recognize distinguished academic performance. In each grade, a gold medal of excellence is presented
to the student with the highest average for the first three quarters of the year. A silver medal is presented to the second highest average for the first three quarters of the year in each grade. Students who have earned honor roll membership in two of the three completed quarters are also recognized
Graduation Honors. At graduation, the class valedictorian and salutatorian are honored. To qualify for this honor, a student must have attended Saint Joseph Academy for the entirety of sophomore, junior and senior years. The valedictorian is the student with the highest cumulative average in the class. The salutatorian is the student with the second-highest cumulative average in the class. The cumulative average of these students is determined on the basis of all courses taken during the four years of high school, up to and including the third quarter of senior year. It is understood that a student entering Saint Joseph Academy in the 12th grade cannot be considered for a position in the top 10% of the class.
Ranking of students. Effective in the 2014-2015 school year, students will not be ranked in any grade. Ranking positions will not be published on report cards or transcripts of any student. Verification for those students who fall in a particular position, such as top 7% will be provided individual documentation if needed for applying for scholarship or to the college of their choice.
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COURSE PROSPECTUS
In each course taught, a Course Prospectus should be prepared and distributed/explained to the students. The prospectus should contain all of the Information indicated in the Outline for a Course Prospectus. A copy of the prospectus for each course taught must be submitted to the Principal by the announced date. GRADE BOOKS
Grade books are official school documents and are not the personal property of the teacher. At the completion of the school year a complete hardcopy print-out of the FACTS Portal grade record for each class must be submitted to the Executive Assistant to the office who will store the grade book for six years.
Recording Grades in a Timely Manner. All grades assigned to a student must be recorded in FACTS Portal indicating the date and the requirement (assignment, test, etc.) that produced the grade. In addition, teachers are required to post all grades to FACTS Portal as soon as they are graded. With the sole exception of major research papers which require more time to evaluate, the grades for all assessments must be posted to FACTS Portals no later than 7 days after the assignment/ assessment is given.
Lesson Plans and FACTS Portals. Teachers should maintain written lesson plans for each class period and should always have their lesson plan binder with them at school. Lesson plans
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are to be completed at the beginning of each week. The administration reserves the right to examine a teacher’s lesson plans at any time. Each lesson plan should relate to one or more Course Outcomes. Electronic copies of lesson plans should be uploaded to a digital file at the end of the school year. Lesson plan information must be posted to FACTS Portals each Monday by 3:30 PM and updated throughout the week as necessary. The posting must contain at least the following information for each class day: • Lesson topic/objective of the day; • Class work; • Homework Daily assignments should also be posted in the classroom, and teachers should require that students record assignments in their Student Planners as a regular part of the classroom routine. RELEASE OF STUDENT INFORMATION
Release of Student Grades. Saint Joseph Academy will send to colleges, scholarship programs, and other entities an official transcript of the student’s courses, as well as the grades received in those courses, only with the written permission of the parent. This policy is explained in the Student & Parent Handbook, and parents give their authorization for the release of academic information through their signature on the annual Student & Parent Handbook Contract. In accordance with Texas State law, neither parents nor students may deliver an official transcript. Regulations require that official transcripts be sent directly from the school. However, parents and/or
students may deliver unofficial transcripts. For underclassmen, the processing fees are $5.00 for each official transcript and $3.00 for each unofficial transcript.
student’s obligation to be honest with the college counselor and with the colleges to which the student is applying if there are serious incidents of academic or behavioral misconduct.
Release of Disciplinary Information to Colleges. Students and parents understand that teacher and counselor recommendations are confidential documents and waive access to them during the application process. It is the policy of the school, as a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling, to inform colleges, if requested to do so, of serious disciplinary matters which result in probation, out-of-school suspension, or dismissal from Saint Joseph Academy. It is the
Grade 7 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper with an electronic submission (Social Studies) Grade 8 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper with an electronic submission (Social Studies) Grade 9 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper (Social Studies)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission Grade 10 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper (Science)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission
Release of College Entrance Test Scores and AP Test Scores. Recent changes in the policies of testing agencies such as the College Board and ACT, Inc., allow students the option of withholding SAT, ACT and/or AP Test scores from colleges and/or electing to send only selected scores. Saint Joseph Academy does not send SAT, ACT, or AP scores to colleges as a part of the student’s official transcript. Students applying to college will have the following option for submitting test scores: For the many colleges and universities that require scores be sent directly from the testing agency, it is the responsibility of the student to make sure the required scores are sent to colleges. Students may send scores at no charge at the time they register for the test. After that, there is a fee that will be charged by the testing agency for each college to which scores are sent. Due to the fact that colleges look for the highest test scores, students are advised to take advantage of the option to send scores to colleges and universities when they register for the test.
Research Requirements by Grade Level. Preparing students for the types of research required in higher education is an important facet of the college preparatory curriculum. Saint Joseph Academy students are to be provided frequent and multiple opportunities to develop and practice current information literacy skills, and teachers are encouraged to work closely with members of their grade-level team, as well as the Writing Across the Curriculum Coordinator and the Library Media Center staff in designing meaningful, grade-appropriate research projects. The following is an updated (2014-2015) outline of the MINIMUM research required of students in each grade level:
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• Research paper (Social Studies)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission • Research paper (Religious Studies) minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission Grade 11 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper (Science)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission • Research paper (Social Studies)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission • Research paper (Religious Studies) minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission Grade 12 • Research paper with an electronic submission (English) • Research paper (Science)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission • Research paper (Social Studies)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission • Research paper (World Religions)- minimum 2 pages plus Works Cited and electronic submission STUDENT PLANNER
The Student Planner, which is sold at the fall book sale and in the school bookstore, is required in grades 7 – 11 and optional in grade 12. Seniors are required to have a planner of their choice. All teachers in grades 7-11 should make the use of the planner to record assignments a part of the daily classroom routine and should monitor its consistent use by students.
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NOTE: The posting of lesson plans to FACTS Portal is NOT a substitute for the use of the Student Planner. It is each teacher’s responsibility to help students develop good organizational and study skills as a part of the classroom routines and procedures. ACADEMIC HONOR CODE
In 2014-2015 the Saint Joseph School Community implemented the Academic Honor Code. All members of the community, administration, faculty, students and parents will take part in upholding this code. At Saint Joseph Academy, we believe honesty and integrity are fundamental in a community dedicated to learning, personal development on all levels, and the search for understanding. We revere these values and hold them essential in promoting personal responsibility, moral and intellectual leadership, and pride in ourselves and the Academy. Saint Joseph Academy is a small community in which trust and honesty are of the highest value and in which any form of cheating or dishonesty creates undercurrents of distrust throughout the students and faculty. The Academy is an institution of learning and moral development established with the purpose of establishing the Marks of a Marist Student, intellectual growth and ethical awareness. Dishonesty and cheating both impede and work against the creation of trust and the practice of Gospel Values. • Honesty is a value that holds each person to the truth, to tell the truth, and to defend the truth. • Honesty results in fairness for each member of Saint Joseph Academy. • Integrity is firm adherence to our Catholic and Marist values with or without the presence of others.
• Respect is treating others as we would like to be treated. • Respect is being mindful when speaking only Spanish not to isolate/exclude those that are monolingual English speakers. • In an environment of respect, work we turn in as our own – is our own. • Responsibility is the quality of being accountable for our actions and accepting the consequences of our actions.
The purpose of the code is to help students develop habits of moral character. Each student is an important member of the Saint Joseph Academy Family and must make the ethical and moral commitment to ACT HONESTLY AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER STUDENTS TO ACT IN THE SAME WAY.
The Honor Pledge “As a member of the Saint Joseph Academy Family, I pledge to live by and to support the letter and spirit of the Saint Joseph Academy Honor Code. I pledge that I will not lie, steal or cheat, engage in dishonest or unlawful behavior or any behavior intended to inflict physical or emotional harm on another person and I will report any other student that does.” This binds a group of individuals into a community of trust. Good faith reporting of a suspected violation of the Honor Code is an Honorable Act.
Reminder Statement To be written by all students on their tests, papers, quizzes, exams, and homework below the very last sentence. The statement is: “I have upheld the Code.”
Faculty Pledge “I pledge to actively promote student honesty by explaining the importance of academic and personal honesty by maintaining vigilance, keeping test materials secure and varied, and assessing penalties as prescribed in the Course Prospective and the Student/Parent Handbook. To: • Clearly outline and define unacceptable academic behaviors within the course. • Address the degree to which students may collaborate and on the completion of assignments, making distinctions where necessary as to assignment types. • Address the use of study aids (e.g. CliffNotes, Online Websites, etc.) in course work.”
Parent Pledge Parents are expected to support Saint Joseph Academy in its goal of helping students to grow in moral values by encouraging academic honesty in their students, reading the honor code, and understanding and accepting the consequences for students’ failure to abide by the code. FORMS OF ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL DISHONESTY
Plagiarism Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else’s words, ideas, images or data as one’s own work. When a student submits work for credit that includes the words, ideas or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references and, if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks as well. By placing his/her name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgements. Plagiarism covers unpublished as well as published sources. Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
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• Quoting another person’s actual words, complete sentences or paragraphs, or entire piece of written work without acknowledgment of the source. • Using another person’s ideas, opinions, or theory even if it is completely paraphrased in one’s own words, without acknowledgment of the source. • Borrowing facts, statistics or other illustrative materials that are not clearly common knowledge without acknowledgment of the source. • Copying another student’s essay test answers. • Copying, or allowing another student to copy a computer file that contains another student’s assignment, and submitting it, in part or in its entirety, as one’s own. • Working together on an assignment, sharing the computer files and programs involved, and then submitting individual copies of the assignment as one’s own individual work. • When in doubt about rules concerning plagiarism, students are urged to consult with individual faculty members, academic department chairs, or recognized handbooks in that field.
Fabrication Fabrication is the use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings. Fabrication includes but is not limited to: • Citation of information not taken from the source indicated. This may include the incorrect documentation of secondary source materials. • Listing sources in a bibliography that are not directly used in the academic exercise. • Submission in a paper, thesis, lab report or other academic exercise of falsified, invented, or fictitious data or evidence, or deliberate and knowing concealment or distortion of the true nature, origin or function of such data or evidence.
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• Submitting as your own any academic exercises (e.g., written work, printing, sculpture) prepared totally or in part by another.
Cheating • Cheating is an act or an attempted act of deception by which a student seeks to misrepresent that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered. Cheating includes but is not limited to: • Copying from another student’s test paper. • Allowing another student to copy from a test paper. • Unauthorized use of course textbook or other material such as a notebook to complete a test or other assignment. • Collaborating on a test, quiz or other project with any other person(s) without authorization. • Using or possessing specifically prepared materials during a test, e.g., notes, formula lists, notes written on the student’s clothing, that are not authorized. • Using electronic instruments, such as cell phones, pagers, etc., to share information when prohibited. • Taking a test for someone else or permitting someone else to take a test for you.
Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct is any other act that disrupts the educational process or provides a student with an academic advantage over another student. Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to: • Stealing, buying or otherwise obtaining all or part of an unadministered test. • Selling or giving away all or part of an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministred test.
• Bribing any other person to obtain an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministered test. • Entering a building or office for the purpose of changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, or on other work for which a grade is given. • Changing, altering or being an accessory to the changing and/or altering of a grade in a grade book, on a test, a “change of grade” form or other official academic records of the Academy which relate to grades. • Entering a building or office for the purpose of obtaining an unadministered test. • Continuing to work on an examination or project after the specified allotted time has elapsed.
Personal Dishonesty In addition to all of the above behaviors, personal dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: • Stealing the personal belongings of a teacher or another student. • Destruction or abuse of school property. • Failure to report instances of theft or destruction of school property.
Violations & Consequences For all violations not adjudicated by the Course Instructor must be reported to the Vice Principal.. The disciplinary protocols as outlined in the current Student/Parent Handbook will be initiated.
The Honor Code is a physical representation of the values that Saint Joseph Academy students should encompass. At any educational institution, a code of conduct must be established so that people, teachers and students alike, know the proper way to behave. An honorable community is essential to our educational and Gospel message objectives. The
learning process flourishes in an environment where mutual trust and respect prevail. We expect our students to support the Honor Code. Our commitment to the principle of honor is firm, and MEMBERSHIP IN THE STUDENT BODY SIGNIFIES COMMITMENT TO THE HONOR CODE. The behavior students acquire through their actions is the most valuable gift they can carry with them after graduation, and it is the most valuable gift any educational institution can give. Formulas and facts can carry students only so far in life. True success lies in one’s desire to be good for the sake of being good – doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. The Honor Code is not meant as an imposition, but rather as a standard to which all students and faculty should be held. At Saint Joseph Academy we push each other to higher academic achievement; this code asks that we hold each other, with the same rigor and passion in academics, to a standard of integrity and of personal achievement.
Violations of the code may give cause for both academic and disciplinary penalties. Teachers should carefully consider appropriate responses. Any student suspected of cheating should be referred to the Vice Principal.
Semester Examinations. In cases of substantiated cheating on a semester examination, the Administration may determine that a grade of “0” will be given for that examination. STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE – INTERVENTION PROCEDURES
As a Marist school community, Saint Joseph Academy takes seriously its responsibility to support students who are experiencing academic difficulties. (“While providing for all, we give special attention
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to the personal capacity of weak and vulnerable students. We create learning situations where each one can succeed and be affirmed." In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat, #132.) Teachers are expected to work in collaboration with administrators, counselors, students, and parents to respond promptly and consistently when a student’s academic performance is less than satisfactory. Among other interventions, the following steps should be taken in dealing with struggling students: • Teachers will notify a student’s grade level counselor promptly regarding any issues of concern – academic, behavioral, or personal – that may be affecting students’ learning. Counselors will follow up with students and/or parents as appropriate. • Teachers will meet promptly with a student who is experiencing difficulty to discuss strategies for improving the student’s performance. • The Grade level counselor serves as a resource referral agent as the primary point of contact for academic support, maintaining current information on resources for students, i.e., Tutoring, Academic Counseling, Academic Advising, and information on community resources. • Academic Probation; students who are failing three core courses or more subjects at the quarter upon recommendation of the Academic Review Board, may be placed on academic probation. The parent or guardian will be notified of the student’s probationary status and the conditions attached to it. If the student fails to meet the conditions of the probation during the specified time, the student will be required to withdraw from school. • Teachers will contact parents by telephone to discuss concerns involving students’ performance. This contact will be made
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promptly when a student’s performance indicates a cause for concern. • Teachers, counselors, and administrators will meet as grade level teams at progress report time and at the end of each quarter to discuss students who are failing one or more courses and to initiate the appropriate response. • At progress report time, progress reports will be mailed to parents of students who are failing one or more classes. The progress report will be accompanied by a letter suggesting possible strategies to help remedy the situation. TUTORING
Teachers are expected to make themselves available to work with students who need extra help before or after school. Office hours for tutoring should be included as a part of the course prospectus, and teachers may arrange additional study sessions with students as needed. However, in order to preserve an appropriate teacher/ student relationship and avoid the appearance of partiality, a teacher may not accept payment for tutoring a student who is currently enrolled in his/her class. In addition, teachers are welcome to conduct group study sessions in preparation for exams with their own students. However, teachers may not accept payment for any group study sessions for Saint Joseph Academy students. Saint Joseph Academy provides students the opportunity to receive subject-specific tutoring by faculty members. Tutoring by faculty members is available Monday through Thursday. Each faculty member is required to post tutorial times in the course prospectus.
Tutoring is also available for referred students through the school’s Federal Programing funds. Information about these services can be obtained through the counselors. WRITING PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT
Helping students become skilled writers is an important part of Saint Joseph Academy’s mission of preparing our graduates for success in their college studies. All students in Grades 9 – 12 are required to complete a yearly writing portfolio containing specific samples of their writing. The compilation of the writing portfolio will be under the direction of the student’s English teacher. The completion of the annual writing portfolio is a graduation requirement for all students. In order to graduate, students must have a completed portfolio for each year in Grades 9-12 in which they attended Saint Joseph Academy. Students whose portfolios are incomplete at the end of a semester will not receive an exam pass for semester exams until the portfolio requirement has been met.
Responsibilities for All Teachers: • Include writing and research as an integral part of your curriculum, providing opportunities for students to complete their portfolio requirements through the types of writing appropriate to your subject. • Use Jane Schaffer terminology and guidelines when creating writing assignments. In the upper grades, work with the WAC coordinator to help students move away from strict Jane Schaffer format while retaining essential common elements.
• Participate in grade level planning, including cross-curricular writing and research assignments. It is important that, at each grade level, teachers ensure that students are doing the writing necessary to complete their portfolios. • Communicate with your grade level English teacher about the writing you are assigning each quarter so that the English teacher can help students keep their portfolios up to date. • Communicate regularly with the WAC coordinator regarding questions about writing assignments.
Responsibilities for English Teachers: • Work with grade level teachers to ensure that the necessary writing and research assignments are spread throughout the curriculum. Keep track of what writing is being assigned in the various classes to ensure that portfolios are being kept up to date. • Assist students in the management of the portfolios. Help keep students on schedule, see that they follow instructions, and check portfolios regularly to ensure that students are accurately reporting the contents of their portfolios. • Encourage students to review their portfolios periodically and replace what is there with better samples of their writing, if they choose. • Keep the portfolios in a safe place. The integrity of each portfolio is essential. There should be restricted access to the portfolios. Students should not remove their portfolios from the classroom. Store the portfolios securely over the summer. • Communicate regularly with the WAC coordinator so that students’ questions can be answered.
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• Turn in the names of students whose portfolios are incomplete by the designated day at the end of each semester so that their exam passes will be withheld. • Work with students and WAC coordinator to bring incomplete portfolios up to date as quickly as possible.
during the earliest stages of the problem. In this way, the parents are informed and have the opportunity to cooperate with the teacher in resolving the situation.
A student’s portfolio may be read by parents and school personnel with a “legitimate educational interest.” These people include but are not limited to teachers, administrators, and counselors. In general, a “legitimate educational interest” includes an interest directly related to classroom instruction, teaching, student achievement and progress, discipline, and student health and welfare.
Parent-Teacher Meetings Parent-Teacher Meetings are scheduled in conjunction with the distribution of report cards in October. All faculty must be present for these important opportunities to communicate with parents about their children’s progress.
Readership and Privacy Students will be instructed not to include in their portfolio any papers with deeply personal information or anything that would insult or defame another individual.
Teachers should respect the privacy of students. Portfolios should not be used for purposes other than those described above. The portfolio generally is not intended to be a counseling tool. It is not a means for someone to gain personal information about a student.
It is, however, very appropriate for teachers to read students’ work, not only to determinate its appropriateness for a given portfolio category, but also, as interested readers, to encourage them and affirm their progress. PARENTS
Contacting Parents Regarding Problems with Students If a problem develops with a student (academic, disciplinary, or otherwise), the faculty member should contact the parents
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Parent Conferences Requests for an in-person conference with a faculty member should be honored within two school days. A written record of the conference should kept by the teacher. If a conference becomes unpleasant, the faculty member should politely terminate the meeting and suggest that it be continued at a later date. Notify the Principal immediately.
Faculty Members who are Parents of Academy Students Members of the faculty who are parents of Academy students are obliged to keep personal and professional boundaries very clear. Members of the faculty, socializing as friends or peers, should avoid commentary on Academy affairs in social situations. EXTRACURRICULAR EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Away Events Transportation Updates All trip itineraries must be submitted for approval to the Principal and the area Director. Itineraries should include approximate departure time, arrival time, and hotel information if overnight stay is required. An emergency number should be provided. Students should be permitted to communicate with parents via cell phone should arrival delays be expected.
Dance Procedures Any school club or organization that is sponsoring a student dance must follow the Dance Procedures outlined in Appendix II. Eligibility Regulations Participation in interscholastic activities is governed by the rules of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. • To be eligible for participation, a student must currently carry 5.0 credits. • Two failing grades in a single quarter render a student ineligible. • Eligibility is determined on the day report cards are issued or at the beginning of the tenth day after report cards are issued with the approval of the Administration. • Ineligible students may attend scheduled practices but may not participate in any competition until eligibility has been restored. • An ineligible student remains ineligible until the next progress reports or on the tenth day following the date the next progress reports are issued. If progress reports indicate that the student is failing no more than one of the courses which had rendered him/her ineligible, eligibility is restored. • If eligibility is not restored at the progress reports, it will be reviewed at the next report card (see 2 and 3 above). SCHOOL VEHICLES
Drivers of School Vehicles. Bus drivers and other employees who drive a school vehicle to transport students will be required to undergo drug testing at some point during the school year.
Use of School Vehicles. The use of school vehicles is to be cleared with the Director of School Transportation. A written Transportation Request Form must be submitted at least 5 days in advance of the event. The faculty member who reserves a vehicle for use with students is expected to return it in a clean and orderly condition.
TIME LIMITS FOR STUDENTS Coaches, extracurricular moderators, and faculty who, for any reason, are working with students after school hours must give careful consideration to the length of time they require students to spend in these activities. The student’s first obligation is to his/her studies. In general, practice should not exceed the hour of 7:00 PM, unless permission is granted by the Administration. USE AND SUPERVISION OF FACILITIES Faculty who use school facilities (such as fields, gym, weight room, Student Center, classrooms) for student activities must ensure that an authorized adult supervisor is present at all times during the activity. The faculty member must also ensure that the facility is left in a clean and orderly condition and that all lights are extinguished and doors and windows are closed and locked. The usage of school gyms, fields or track are to be scheduled with the Calendar Coordinator and Athletic Director. The UD Library can be reserved using the Library Calendar on the SJA Intranet and communicated to the school administration. The use of other facilities is to be scheduled through the School Administration.
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USE OF THE GYMNASIUM Faculty who use the gym for student activities of any kind must ensure that the floor is swept before being used. Only rubber-soled athletic shoes (e.g. tennis shoes, running shoes) may be worn when playing on the gym floor. The use of the gym is to be coordinated by the Athletic Director and Calendar Coordinator and must be communicated to the school administration. END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR PROCEDURES
General Procedures 1. Final exams, FACTS Portal grade book spreadsheets, and attendance records must be submitted to the Principal. 2. Lesson plans, file copies of semester exams with answer keys and outcome correlations, course prospectuses, and course curricula must be submitted to the Principal. 3. Library books, audiovisual materials, and computer software are to be returned to the Library. 4. Classroom walls and bulletin boards are to be stripped of all materials. 5. Textbooks are to be returned to the designated classroom and an inventory is to be submitted to the Department Chair who will submit the department’s inventory to the Principal.
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6. Teacher editions of textbooks are to be turned in to the Department Chair if it is not certain that the teacher will be teaching that course the following school year. 7. Hall passes and any changes to voice mail security codes should be turned in to the Executive Assistant to the office. 8. Keys should be returned to the office. Returning teachers may fill out an inventory of keys to be kept over the summer. 9 The final clearance checklist needs to be turned in to the Executive Assistant to the office. 10.Faculty members who fail to complete check-out procedures will have their June paycheck withheld until all steps have been satisfactorily completed. Faculty Who Are Not Returning for the Following School Year
Faculty who are not returning for the following school year must follow all of the procedures listed above. In addition to these they must: 1. Arrange an exit-visit with the Principal in which they will: (1) Review the above end-of the year procedures. (2) Return their keys. (3) clear their voicemail box; (4) return teacher editions of textbooks and other school-owned teaching materials.
Philanthropy & Fundraising at Saint Joseph Academy A. Principles of Philanthropy: 1. Saint Joseph Academy is a non-profit religious and educational entity. As such, it depends upon philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, and businesses to operate each year. 2. Tuition and related income alone are not sufficient to cover the Academy’s annual operating budget and to allow the SJA School Board and Administration to fulfill the vision of faith, scholarship, stability, and coherence. While tuition covers about 90% of the Academy’s operating costs, it does not cover the complete cost of educating our students and maintaining our facilities. In the upcoming 2022-2023 school year, there is a gap of about $1,200 between tuition and the actual cost per student. We rely on contributions to our annual fund, from alumni and other benefactors to help close the gap and cover our costs. 3. St. Joe depends on the generosity of our parents with their time, talent and treasures. We could not provide the same diversity and quality of student life without our parent involvement and support. As such, we have restored the parent participation fee and student accounts will be automatically charged $200 in July of each new school year. Once a parent has completed his/her volunteer service to the school, and that service is confirmed, a 100% refund will be credited to the account. A parent may also elect to not volunteer and waive the option for the $200 refund.
4. A school of character, service, and achievement, Saint Joseph Academy endeavors to meet these tenets while showing a preferential option for the poor. In order to continually achieve its mission, Saint Joseph Academy must identify and secure philanthropic sources of support each year.
B. Philanthropic Practices of the Academy: 1. Certain student organizations (Campus Ministry, Honor Societies etc…) are chartered to undertake limited fundraising activities in support of outside charities, under the supervision of the Principal. 2. While Saint Joseph Academy applauds the generosity of faculty, staff, and students who support charitable organizations, the school does not have the resources to financially support all of the charitable activities of such individuals. 3. Faculty and staff members are prohibited from soliciting donations from students, parents of students, SJA School Board Members, or major donors of Saint Joseph Academy or enlisting such individuals in any fundraising activities in support of personal philanthropic causes. Faculty and staff are permitted to solicit their SJA colleagues for such support.
C. Fundraising Policies and Practices: 1. The Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs serves as the designated fundraising department of the Academy. This Office plans, organizes, and manages
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all programs intended to raise funds for Saint Joseph Academy. No fundraising effort for any purpose may be initiated independent of this Office. 2. The Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs, under the Office of the President, is responsible for creating a culture of philanthropy at Saint Joseph Academy through business activities which foster awareness and an environment of giving and participation among students, parents of current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. 3. The Office of Academy Advancement coordinates the activities of the following organizations and events that are sanctioned to raise funds on behalf of Saint Joseph Academy: Advancement Committee, Athletic Boosters (including but not limited to Taste of the Town), Style Show, Alumni Golf Tournament, and the Endowment Board. 4. Athletic teams and other student organizations are not permitted to engage in fundraising activities to supplement their budgets without prior approval of the Principal and President. Exceptions for in-kind contributions may apply in some circumstances. The solicitation of in-kind contributions must receive prior approval from the Office of Academy Advancement. D. Procedures for Grant Applications and Grant Administration:
1. The Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs endeavors to collaborate whenever possible for the betterment of the Academy, its students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Teachers are encouraged to seek grant opportunities with prior consultation of their Department Chair.
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2. The Department Chair should then submit a brief written proposal to the principal which includes the following: a clear description of need, how need relates to implementing elements of Educational Plan, and an estimated budget. 3. The Principal will review, and if in agreement, submit the proposal to the President for final approval. 4. Approved proposals will then be directed to the Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs for review by the for review by the Dir. of Academy Advancement 5. During this process, it will be determined if the proposal is viable and an appropriate fit in the context of the prospective funder’s interests. The Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs is responsible for making the final recommendation as to whether or not to fully develop and submit the grant request to the identified prospect. The decision will be communicated to the President, Principal, and Department Chair. 6. The Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs is responsible for the timely completion and submission of the proposal and will work with the Principal, Department Chair, and/or teacher to complete the proposal and/or application. 7. In cases where grant applications have been submitted, the Dir. of Academy Advancement will keep the President, Principal, and Department Chair informed of its status through the grant review and approval process. 8. In cases where a grant application has been approved, the Dir. of Academy Advancement will review this decision at a meeting of the President’s Cabinet. The relevant Department Chair will be required to attend this portion of the cabinet meeting. All present will be provided copies of the
funder’s written notification of the grant and accompanying documentation. The funder’s requirements for accountability with respect to the grant will be reviewed at the meeting and specificresponsibilities for accountability will be assigned to the finance officer and department chair. 9. The Administration and President must approve all expenditures of grant monies, ensuring that such expenditures are fully consistent with the requirements of the grant. 10.Grant money must always be utilized only for the purpose stated in the application and within the guidelines provided by the funder. The only exception to this is if the funder has approved to the contrary. This approval
must be in writing. 11.The Dir. of Academy Advancement is responsible for ensuring that all documentation related to the grant is maintained on file in the Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs. The Finance Department must provide the Office of Academy Advancement & Alumni Affairs with a copy of expenditures or a report detailing such expenses in order to complete the grant application file. 12.The Dir. of Academy Advancement will coordinate all correspondence with the funder and, along with the President, Principal, and Department Chair, will conduct all stewardship and reporting activities to the funder.
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Ethical Standards for Financial Matters
Saint Joseph Academy is committed to conducting all business in an ethical and moral manner and utilizing procedures and standards that are congruent with current established financial policies and procedures. The Finance Department is headed by the Comptroller. The Business Manager and Bookkeeper report directly to and are responsible to the Comptroller.
The Comptroller is directly responsible to the President of Saint Joseph Academy. In addition to the Comptroller, the School Board shall establish an audit committee whose membership will be determined by the School Board.
A code of conduct is applicable to all staff and they are responsible to comply with this code in all of their business practices, procedures, decisions, transactions and interactions with people with whom they come in contact.
Rules, Regulations, Laws All rules, regulations, and laws applicable to finance offices shall be adhered to without compromise or exception. This includes internal rules, regulations and State and Federal laws and regulations.
Honesty Financial decisions shall be made with sufficient information to make an accurate, informed, and honest decision, so as to be above reproach.
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Gifts and Additional Compensation No employee of Saint Joseph Academy shall accept gifts or additional compensation for any service and no one shall be given preferential treatment in the bid or purchasing process. A minor courtesy is acceptable.
Confidentiality The financial records are confidential and not to be shared with anyone except authorized individuals. This includes confidentiality of written records or verbal or electronic communication. Care should be taken that financial records are secured to insure privacy. Records may be subject to subpoena by courts and will be relinquished after discussions with counsel.
Expenditures All expenditures shall have a receipt or other adequate documentation to verify payment, as outlined in the Saint Joseph Academy accounting manual. All purchases should be made to insure best value for monies expended. Items or services beyond $5,000 will require that a bidding process be initiated and presented to the finance committee.
Hiring Practices and Employee Treatment Proselytizing is unethical and shall not be acceptable. Hiring procedures shall be applied equally to all applicants. Hiring a family member either by blood or marriage will not be tolerated. All finance office employees shall be treated with respect and dignity. Discrimination based on gender, age, religion,
ethnic background, nationality or color will not be tolerated. Salary increases are based on merit.
Availability of Records Records should be up to date and available upon request to the President of Saint Joseph Academy and the chairman of the finance committee within a reasonable time frame. Audits Audits shall be conducted annually or upon the request of the President of Saint Joseph Academy. Audit deficiencies shall be corrected expediently.
Deposits Limited money should be available in the finance office. Deposits should be made daily and accounts balanced on a monthly basis.
Unprofessional Practices Employees must not make or engage in any false record or communication of any kind, whether internal or external, including, but not limited to: • False expense, attendance, financial or similar reports and statements. • False advertising, deceptive marketing practices, or other misleading representations.
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Appendices
Appendix I: Graduation Outcomes
Graduates of Saint Joseph Academy will be able to: 1. Apply Roman Catholic teaching to the analysis of personal and social issues. 2. Speak and write English. 3. Use critical thinking, mathematical problem-solving, and scientific methods to draw and apply conclusions. 4. Apply a comprehensive understanding of our world - its geography, cultures, histories, and the natural and social processes that govern it - to the analysis of current events. 5. Conduct and report research across disciplines. 6. Use with skill the techniques of one (performing or visual) artistic medium. 7. Utilize calculators, computers, and the internet as tools for research, word processing, data management, multi-media presentations, and reference.
They are prepared to: 1. Participate in the worship and mission of the Church - particularly in service to the least favored - in an active and informed manner. 2. Employ the principles and skills of fitness and exercise, wellness, safety, teamwork and good sportsmanship. 3. Lead productive lives marked by respect, generosity and compassion, effective planning and decision-making, fruitful collaboration with others, and functional processes for solving personal, interpersonal and situational problems. 4. Succeed in university studies. 58 Saint Joseph Academy 2023-2024 Employee Handbook
Retention Eligibility: Passing summer school courses may remove a student’s ineligible status incurred during the previous school year. Eligibility would begin ten days following the date report cards are issued. School Clubs and Activities. School clubs and activities which are not governed by TAPPS rules are nonetheless required by school policy to follow the same minimum standards for eligibility to participate. Exceptions may be allowed by the Principal for spiritual and Christian-service activities under the auspices of the Department of Campus Ministry. Appendix II: Procedures for Dances Students must arrive no later than one hour after the announced start of the dance and may not be dismissed from the dance earlier than one hour before the announced end. • At reservation-only dances (e.g. Homecoming, MORP, Prom), students who arrive late will not be allowed admission. Parents of high school students will be called and notified. Parents of middle division students will be asked to leave with their child or will be called and asked to pick up their child. Students whose dates are not currently enrolled students at SJA will be required to complete and submit a dance permission form for their date at least 2 days prior to the event.
• At non-reserved dances, high school students who arrive late will not be admitted. Parents of students will be called. Parents of middle division students will be asked to leave with their child or will be called and asked to pick up their child.
Students who, on the day of a dance, are absent or sent home early from school, may not attend the dance. • Exceptions may be made by the Principal under certain circumstances (e.g. early dismissal for a doctor’s appointment. • If a faculty chaperone encounters a student who was absent from school or was dismissed early from school, the chaperone should dismiss the student from the dance, and inform an administrator immediately. If the student is “stranded” without transportation, his/her parents should be called.
At all dances, a sign-in/sign-out log will be kept. • All students attending the dance must sign in upon arrival and sign out as they leave. • Students are not to be readmitted once they leave. Students may not leave the designated area for the dance (e.g. the Student Center) while in attendance. • Limited exceptions may be made only if the student is supervised by a sponsor.
Possession of drugs/alcohol at a dance or use of drugs/alcohol/tobacco products prior to attending a dance is a grievous violation of school policy. • Students who violate this policy can expect severe disciplinary consequences.
Prior to reservation-only dances, Dance Policies will be reviewed with both students and parents. • All students who plan to attend such dances must be present for a meeting conducted by the Sponsors and Administration for the purpose of reviewing dance policies. • The Sponsors will prepare a letter reviewing dance policies that will be signed by the Principal and Dean of Students and sent to the parents of these students. Appendix III: Report of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect Saint Joseph Academy complies with the Texas state law requiring immediate reporting, by all persons, of suspected child abuse or neglect. Laws governing the reporting of child abuse or neglect are found in Chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code. A report of child abuse is not an accusation or a proven fact, and Texas does not require a reporter to know or to be certain that a child has been abused or neglected. In Texas the degree of certainty must be met is that the person has “cause to believe” that abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur. This standard is based on the reasonable person’s convictions. The report is made to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Child Protective Services Division). The investigation and determination of the child’s safety are the responsibility of Child Protective Services. If a student is no longer considered a minor by the law but still attends Saint Joseph Academy, a report may be filed if it is determined that the
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student is threatened as a result of nondisclosure. The principal will have the discretion to require a report to the appropriate person(s) any conduct that could jeopardize the well being of any student not considered a minor by Texas law and consequently falling outside the protection of Chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code. Professionals specifically are mandated to report not later than 48 hours from the moment the abuse is discovered or suspected. “Professional”, in the Texas reporting statue, is any “individual” who is licensed or certified by the state, or who is an employee of a facility licensed, certified, or operated by the state, and who, in the normal course of official duties, or duties for which a license or certification is required, has direct contact with children. In accordance to the Texas Family Code, the reporting person has immunity. “A person acting in good faith who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of alleged child abuse or neglect or who testifies or otherwise participates in a judicial process arising from a report, petition, or investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.”
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Steps to take if there is a suspicion of physical or sexual abuse or a written or verbal disclosure: • Report the information to the Principal immediately. • A report to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (CPS) must be made directly by the person suspecting abuse or receiving information from the student within 48 hours. Contact information: 1-800-252-5400 or www.txabusehotline.org. - CPS will need the following information: What, when, where, who was involved and who was notified. - Describe the incident as reported by the child. - Answer any other questions posed by CPS. - Write down the identification number given by the intake person as well as the name of that person.
Grotto
ce
Lot
an a Entr Retam Calle
Parking
n Divisio Middle ilding Bu
107 108 109
Administration Building
Book BG 102 103 104 105 106 Store
Gym
253 252
Student Center
Second Floor
158
251
Stage Craft / Drama
Maintenance
Courtyard
Dance
Weight Rm
112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 G GPE 125 126 127 128 129
133 134 135 136 137 Cantu Library
Concession Stand
Field House
24 25 Chapel 11 12 13 14 Faculty
Second Floor 21 22 23
132 110
Middle ym nG Divisio
LK Room
Canales Field
Band Hall
Baseball Field
Coach Donald J. “Ted” Gray Alumni Pavilion
Soccer Field
Appendix IV: Map Saint Joseph Academy Campus Map
Campus Ministry Rm 135 Classroom RM 133 Guidance Rm 134 Learning Center Rm 136 and Rm 137 B G
Boys Restroom Girls Restroom
Ringgold Street Entrance
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Appendix V
SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY DRUG TESTING PROGRAM
Student Selection All high school students grades 9, 10, 11, 12 and second semester 8th graders will participate in a hair follicle drug test. The students will be selected randomly by computer. A list will be generated the company conducting the test. The specimen collection will be performed by a trained company representative. In addition, any student may be selected for testing with or without probable cause at any time. Refusal to test is considered non-compliance and will result in a student’s immediate withdrawal from school.
Hair Follicle Test While the urine analysis test is more commonly used, the best effective and most current drug test is the hair follicle test. The hair follicle test consists of a professional specimen collector obtaining strands of hair cut at the scalp and sending the strands to a laboratory where they can be analyzed for evidence of drug use. The hair follicle test will detect drugs for a period of 90 days.
Test Results Once the specimens are sent to the laboratory, results are generally available to authorized school officials and parents/guardians within 48 to 72 hours. All results will be considered confidential and privileged information.
Negative Test Result Parents will be notified by letter and a phone call should a student’s drug test return positive. No
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action required by the parent or student if the results are negative. The student’s name will be placed back into the student population database where his or her name could be chosen again at random.
Positive Test Result A positive test result from a student will prompt the Vice Principal and the appropriate school Counselor to schedule an immediate confidential meeting with the student and his/her parents/guardians. In this meeting the parents will be informed of the positive drug test result and explain the necessary steps that must be taken in order to assist the student to remediate the issue.
A first positive drug test will require the student to seek treatment through substance abuse counseling. Saint Joseph Academy will provide contact information for substance abuse counselors should the parents need assistance in locating a provider). Proof will be required that the student is receiving professional help. The student will be retested in ninety (90) days: • If the test at 90 days yields a negative test result and the student has successfully completed the substance abuse counseling program, the Administration will deem all requirements for continued enrollment at Saint Joseph Academy to have been met and place the student’s name back into the student population database where his or her name could be chosen again at random. • If the test at 90 days yields a second positive test result, Administration will refer the student and their family back to the substance abuse counselor for continued treatment. The student will be retested a third time in (90) days. Should the student
test positive a third time, he or she will be asked to withdraw from Saint Joseph Academy. The parents of the student will be responsible for all expenses incurred for the treatment and testing of the student.
Disclaimer: “In the service of the safety of Saint Joseph Academy students, the goals of our policies regarding drugs are to (1) maintain a campus free of drugs and (2) to support our students in choosing not to use these substances”. Though it is the intent of Saint Joseph Academy to follow due process and act in good faith when handling all positive drug tests, we reserve the right to supersede any rule or policy as deemed necessary to protect our students.
Test Results Appeals If a parent does not agree with the results of a drug test, he/she may request a retest of the student’s initial hair follicle sample for a second confirmation analysis. The retest will be conducted by the school assigned laboratory. “A MRO (Medical Review Officer), licensed physician, reviews every test result and will make contact with the donor to see if any prescription medications may be the result of the positive test result. This is the time that the donor has to prove or disprove the result.”
• “The testing that is performed is done so in a DHHS certified laboratory utilizing scientific instrumentation. No human interpretation is utilized; such as that of instant testing.” The cost to do this is extremely high and parents will be responsible for all expenses incurred for the retesting.
Co-Curricular Activities Students will be allowed to continue participating in co-curricular activities as long as they are complying with the requirements of
the substance abuse counseling program. Should the student fail to comply with any of the requirements of the substance abuse counseling program, he/she will immediately be prohibited from continuing with any cocurricular activities and further corrective action will be taken.
Confidentiality Policy Any and all information pertaining to any student and their family obtained as a result of the drug testing program will be treated as confidential and privileged. Only the designated Administrators and the appropriate school Counselor will have access to the information concerning testing results. Information will never be released without the written consent of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the student. All information gathered from the Drug testing Program will be destroyed upon Graduation or withdrawal from Saint Joseph Academy. Appendix VI: Criminal History and Background Checks All employees and volunteers are required to comply with the law requiring a criminal background check. Beginning in 2017, all new employees/volunteers must submit a full and complete set of fingerprints for analysis through the Texas Department of Public Safety Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS and have their names run through the TEA Do Not Hire Registry.). Paperwork will be completed by applicant and submitted to the Administrative Assistant to the Principal and results will be sent to the Diocese of Brownsville Catholic Schools Office. IF after the criminal history information check, the Superintendent communicates a judgement of non-clearance, the principal may be required to terminate immediately any and all relationships between the school and the employee/volunteer.
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Appendix VII: Employee Arrests and Convictions An employee must notify his or her principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of any arrest, conviction, no contest or guilty plea, or other adjudication of any felony and any of the other offenses listed below: • Crimes involving school property or funds • Crimes involving attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit that would entitle any person to hold or obtain a position as an educator • Crimes that occur wholly or in part on school property or at a school-sponsored activity • Crimes involving moral turpitude; moral turpitude includes the following:
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- Dishonesty - Fraud - Deceit - Theft - Misrepresentation - Deliberate violence - Crimes involving any felony possession or conspiracy to possess, or any misdemeanor or felony transfer, sale, distribution, or conspiracy to transfer, sell, or distribute any controlled substance. - Felonies involving driving while intoxicated (DWI)
Saint Joseph Academy Fight Song
Music & Lyrics: Frank J. Manna
Saint Joseph Academy we’re true to you we fight for a victory and honor too – with courage and pride we stand as one strong band – to show we are the best in all the land – our motto is all for one and one for all – we bravely await the sign – to meet the call – no matter how great are the odds – we will not fall – go reach for the stars with all our might – we’ll always be true to you Saint Joe
GO FIGHT
GO HOUNDS
Saint Joseph Academy (repeat….)
© January 20, 2012
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