Leadership, Clubs, and Activities

Afternoon Activities

St. Luke’s offers a wide array of afternoon activities to enrich the educational experience of our students. These include athletics, as well as theater arts, a school newspaper, and a variety of other programs led by faculty and staff.

Students in grades five through eleven are required to participate in a fall season and a spring season afternoon activity; participation in the winter season is encouraged but optional.

Students in grade twelve may request an exemption from participating in one of the three seasons. In exceptional cases, waivers of the activity requirement may be granted for students who demonstrate a substantial commitment to a sport that the School does not currently offer.

Please refer to, and abide by, the following deadlines for waiver forms to be turned in, and for notification of acceptance or denial:

Fall:

Application due by Friday, 9/10/21 Notification of acceptance or denial by Wednesday, 9/15/21

Winter:

Application due by Friday, 12/3/21 Notification of acceptance or decline by Wednesday, 12/8/21

Spring:

Application due by Friday, 4/1/22 Notification of acceptance or decline by Wednesday, 4/6/22

Clubs

Part of the mission of St. Luke’s School is to provide opportunities that go beyond the academic experience and contribute to the development of the whole student—that is the social, emotional, and physical growth of each student. Clubs broaden students’ experiences at St. Luke’s by providing them with an opportunity to participate in a variety of experiences. Clubs must have a faculty advisor and are overseen by the Director of the Center for Leadership, and the Deans of Students for each Division. Note that participation in a club does not fulfill the fall and spring season afterschool activity requirement.

Student Clubs may engage in fundraising as approved by the Director of the Center for Leadership. For assistance setting up a fundraiser please see the Director of First Impressions. All

money collected needs to be turned in immediately to the Business Office or to the SLS employee supervising the event.

Dances

Dances are scheduled throughout the year and are open to St. Luke’s Upper School and Middle School students. Students must check in with the faculty chaperone when they arrive, and once they leave the dance, they may not return and must leave campus immediately.

Each St. Luke’s student may bring one guest from another high school. Guests are the responsibility of the St. Luke’s student host and must provide their name, enrolled school, parent’s name, and parent’s phone number upon arriving at the dance. The guest and the host must arrive at and leave the dance together.

Separate guidelines for the St. Luke’s Prom are sent to students and families each spring.

Community Service

The St. Luke’s School motto, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve,” is reflected in our community service requirement. Throughout their St. Luke’s experience, students have an opportunity to become involved in service activities which encourage them to share their talents with the community and develop lifelong habits of giving. Our community service program is coordinated by the Director of the Center for Leadership and is facilitated by SLS faculty and parent volunteers.

In the Middle School, the class projects are centered on a theme or project for the year. While classes may adjust their activities according to community need, their activities generally follow certain themes. Examples of recent grade themes include partnering with Kiva on global microloans, addressing local food insecurity, and helping senior citizens with technology.

In the Upper School, each student is required to complete a 20 hours of community service per year that they are in our Upper School. So a student joining our Upper School in 9th grade will complete 80 hours and a student arriving in 11th grade will complete 40 hours. In order for an Upper School student to receive credit for community service hours, the work must be on a volunteer (non-paid) basis and for a nonprofit organization. If a student volunteers at a for-profit agency, the student may have half of those hours count toward this requirement. In each case, the student must document the hours and have the student’s supervisor send a letter to the Director of the Center for Leadership at St. Luke’s. In each case, the student must document the hours through the MobileServe app. In addition to the hourly requirement, all students must complete a reflection on one of their service experiences. In addition, there is an opportunity for students to earn community service hours through a formal reflection on their service work. If there are any questions about this requirement, students should speak to the Director of the Center for Leadership.

We reiterate that while enrolled at St. Luke’s, students are representing the School, on or off campus. Students should therefore remember that at all times, their manner and behavior reflects on the entire St. Luke’s community.

Posters and Decoration of School Spaces

Team captains, club leaders, and others wishing to hang posters or flyers on campus should use bulletin boards where possible. Please take the posters and flyers down promptly after the event.

Students wishing to decorate for a larger event should coordinate with the Middle School Dean of Students and the Upper School Dean of Students. There is a dedicated space in the Student Commons for festive decorations. All posters and decorations should be tasteful and consistent with the School’s expectations.

Academic and Afternoon Activity Conflicts

Although active participation in afternoon activities is an essential part of the School experience, a student’s first priority at St. Luke’s is academic work and class attendance. Therefore, extra help will take precedence over practice, particularly for students in academic difficulty.

Other School Policies

School Directory

The School has a directory of class lists and contact information for families, faculty and staff, and other members of the community. The Directory is updated each September and made available to families online. The Directory may only be used for School-purposes, and not for personal or commercial purposes. Failure to properly use the Directory may result in restricted use.

Lost and Found

Please be sure to mark students’ clothes with the student’s name in indelible ink or with sewn-on labels. All unmarked clothing will be put into the lost and found box. Anything left unclaimed past a two-week period could be donated to charity or used at the staff’s discretion.

Student Media Information

In order to portray its program accurately and vibrantly, the School makes a concerted effort to highlight the accomplishments of our students and faculty, as well as to publicize the strength of the entire program offered by the School, in a variety of media formats. Student Media Information—including student names, photographic images (for example, portrait, picture, video, or other reproductions), audio recordings of students’ voices, video recordings of students, and/or reproductions of students’ work and likenesses—may be used for educational and/or promotional purposes in print and electronic media. Outlets for publication of Student Media Information may include, but not be limited to, the School publications, marketing materials, the School website, press releases, social media outlets (including, but not limited to, Facebook and Twitter), newsletters, and local newspapers.

While the School strives to abide by parent/guardian wishes, we do not guarantee use of a student’s name or image will never occur. Parents are asked to contact the School if they would like to opt out of the use of Student Media Information.

School Overnight Trips and Rooming Assignments

When planning a trip that will involve an overnight stay, the School may have students fill out a travel form. We make every effort to have students share rooms with classmates/teammates with whom they are comfortable. Sometimes decisions are made by asking students for suggestions and other times, depending on the situation, trip leaders need to make the decisions. For international

trips, we will ask students to identify a few members of the group with whom they would be comfortable to room.

Students Age 18 and Older

Some students enrolled at the School will reach the age of 18 before graduation. In the United States, age 18 is the age of majority, which means that legally, an 18-year-old student is able to enter into contractual obligations on the student’s behalf (and is required to abide by those obligations). Therefore, the School requires all students, upon their 18th birthday, to review the Enrollment Agreement that their parents or legal guardians signed on the students’ behalf and execute an Addendum to that Agreement, which provides as follows: • permission for the School to discuss and release information and records to the student’s parent(s) and legal guardian(s) about any issues relating to the student’s enrollment at the

School, including, but not limited to, academic records, academic performance, health matters, disciplinary issues, and financial matters; and • authorization for the School to interact with the student’s parent(s) and legal guardian(s) as if the student were under the age of 18.

The student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) will also continue to be responsible under the terms of the student’s Enrollment Agreement, including being solely responsible for the payment of all tuition and fees related to the student’s enrollment at the School.

Leave of Absence

Should a student’s extended absence from school be necessary or desired, a leave of absence may be appropriate. A leave for medical reasons will be handled in accordance with the School’s Medical Leave policy in this Handbook. The School may recommend or grant a request for a voluntary leave of absence for other compelling reasons. The initial request for a voluntary leave of absence should be made to the appropriate Division Head. The School requires sufficient supporting documentation prior to the approval of any leave. The sufficiency of any supporting documentation will be determined by the School in its sole discretion.

The School makes the final determination as to whether to grant a leave of absence, as well as the duration of the leave and the conditions necessary for a student’s return (including, but not limited to, whether the student must reapply for admission). Whether the period of leave is counted towards academic requirements for promotion and graduation will be determined by the School in its sole discretion.

Leaves of absence may be noted in the student’s educational record, including on the student’s transcript. A leave of absence will not be used in lieu of disciplinary action to address violations of the School’s code of conduct, rules, or policies. Additionally, a student granted a leave of absence while on academic and/or disciplinary status may return on that same status.

Families remain financially responsible for tuition and other fees while the student is on a leave of absence.

Rideshare Services

Parents should be aware that many rideshare companies, such as Uber, have policies that prohibit transporting unaccompanied minors. The School prohibits the use of these services by students, and will not take responsibility for calling car services for students.

Pets on Campus

Family pets need to be left at home at all times for health and safety reasons. They should not be in attendance during the school day or at special occasions.

Visitors to Campus

For the safety of our students, our Visitor Pass policy includes parents, family members, alumni, and visitors from outside of the School community. Upon arrival, all visitors are requested to check in with the Main Office to obtain a Visitor’s Pass from the Receptionist.

All student visitors must be approved by the Director of Admission or Division Head in advance of their visit. Visitors who have not been approved will be asked to leave the campus. Students may not bring friends to campus unless the visitors are serious admission candidates.

Background Checks

With student safety as a priority at the School, the School conducts state and national criminal history and sex offender registry checks on all current and prospective faculty and staff of the School who may have direct and unmonitored access to children, including any individual who regularly provides School-related transportation to students.

The School requires any volunteers who will work independently with students to undergo a state criminal background check and a state sex offender registry check. It is also School policy to require that volunteers with direct and unmonitored access to students undergo a fingerprint-based check, which is run through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and provides access to national criminal history databases. Examples of the types of volunteer activities requiring a background check include, but are not limited to, field trips and tutoring students one-on-one. A background check is typically not necessary for parent volunteers involved with larger School functions at which many adults are typically present or in instances where there is only the potential for incidental unsupervised contact with students in commonly used areas of the School grounds.

These background checks require the completion of a brief application form and verification of a government-issued photographic identification, and are only conducted with the consent of an individual employee or volunteer. A volunteer’s service, and an individual’s employment, is contingent upon successful completion of the checks, which may take several days or weeks to process.

Completed background check forms must be returned to the Business Office at least two weeks in advance of volunteering.

Emergency Evacuation Drills

Fire drills and lockdown drills will be held during the year to ensure quick and orderly safety procedures are followed in the buildings. Since the unnecessary use of fire extinguishers presents a serious safety hazard to the people inside the School, the School prohibits students from using an extinguisher for any reason other than its intended use. Students should be aware that the pulling of fire alarms is not only against School rules, but it is also a crime. In the case of a fire drill or fire alarm, students must remain outside the building until recalled by a member of the administration.

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

This notification is required by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA, 40 CFR Part 763 of Title II of the Toxic Substances Control Act). Asbestos Management Plans have been developed for the School. These plans are available and accessible to the public at the School’s campus safety office. This notification is required by law and should not be construed to indicate the existence of any hazardous conditions in our School buildings.

Family Communications and Involvement

Communication

St. Luke’s School values and encourages the active involvement and support of its families. In order to foster this relationship timely, honest, and meaningful communication is essential. A number of different vehicles exist to provide the opportunity for this communication.

Relationships with our families are facilitated by regular contact. Parents and students can use either phone or email to regularly communicate with teachers, advisors, and administrators.

Student Advisors Each student is assigned an advisor who is the person for teachers, coaches, and parents to consult when a student concern arises. This faculty or staff member is the student’s and parents’ primary point person for all matters and helps students understand what it means to be a student at St. Luke’s School. Advisors generally contact parents at the beginning of the year and then periodically throughout the year. Advisors strive to have a sense of what is going on with their advisees in School, and any significant events outside of school should be related to the advisor so that the advisor can support the student appropriately. Advisors work closely with Class Deans and the Upper and Middle School Dean of Students to coordinate support for students as needed. The role of the advisor becomes increasingly significant as students become more independent in advocating for themselves. In general, if parents have questions or concerns regarding their children’s experience at St. Luke’s, their first point of contact is the student’s advisor.

On-Campus Events, Conferences, and Meetings In September, parents are invited to a Parents’ Night, where, after hearing introductory • comments from the respective Division Heads, they visit each of their child’s classes. Teachers provide an overview of the course curriculum and answer general questions about the course. • Parent-Student-Advisor Conferences are also scheduled in mid-September. • October marks the annual State of the School, which includes a reception followed by a presentation by the Head of School and the Chair of the Board of Trustees. • In November, two days are set aside for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents have the • opportunity to meet with each of their child’s teachers to discuss the student’s progress toward goals for the year. • Parent-Student-Advisor Conferences are scheduled for a half-day in the Spring. • Conferences may also be arranged at other times during the year. If either a parent or teacher

feels the need to meet, a conference involving parents and all of the child’s teachers can be coordinated by the advisor. • The Parents’ Association has meetings during which time is set aside for presentations and questions/answer sessions with different School personnel and departments.

Written Communication • Report cards are prepared and made available online at the end of each semester. Students will receive performance “snapshots” roughly halfway through the semester. • Advisors will also write a one to two paragraph summary of each advisee’s overall development during the school year. This summary will be included as a comment on the second semester report card. • Teachers may send Academic Progress Reports (APRs) at any time to inform parents about significant academic events or trends at School, both positive and negative. Advisors, Division

Heads, and other appropriate administrators receive copies of these reports. • Useful publications are the Curriculum Guide, which includes the St. Luke’s course of study, departmental goals, and course descriptions; this Handbook, which includes school policies, procedures, and other important information; and the Directory. • The School’s website, www.stlukesct.org, serves as a key communication tool for everyone in the St. Luke’s community. The site contains a vast amount of information about programs, faculty, activities, and events. It may be used to check the School calendar for all events and

Parents’ Association activities, review daily homework assignments, view report cards, see photo galleries of recent School happenings, learn about opportunities for giving, read about general School news, and much more. • Publications include The Magazine for St. Luke’s School, and an Annual Report. • The School and the Parents’ Association use email regularly to communicate important news or upcoming events. From the classroom teacher, to the Department Chairs, to the Division

Heads, to the Class Deans, to the Advisors, to other members of the School administration, St.

Luke’s School is committed to communicating actively with parents to keep them adequately informed about their children’s education, growth, and development. • A weekly eNews is sent at the end of each Friday which contains current School information including stories, announcements, scheduling, and more.

The Reception Desk Table

In the spirit of trying to help our students take responsibility for themselves and their own belongings, we hope that they will remember the things that they need before coming to school. There will be times that they forget things. If students forget something at home, such as homework or athletic gear, parents are asked to remember that natural consequences are an important part of how children and teenagers learn, and can be an opportunity for learning and growth. Any pick-up or delivery of student materials may not be left with the Receptionist, or in the front lobby, during normal school hours.

Enrollment Agreements

Enrollment Agreements are generally sent to families each January. Students may not attend classes or participate in any School-related activities unless a properly executed Enrollment Agreement is submitted to the School in a timely manner. Enrollment Agreements will be sent to returning students only if all financial obligations are current and the School is generally satisfied with the student’s academic performance or behavior. Please see the Re-Enrollment Policy below for additional information.

Unless Tuition Refund Insurance is purchased and the Insurance covers the tuition, once an Enrollment Agreement has been signed and accepted by the School, parents are responsible for the full tuition for the academic year, regardless of the reason for withdrawal.

Re-Enrollment

Re-enrollment at the School is not automatic. A decision to re-enroll a student and to subsequently forward a Re-Enrollment Agreement to the parents is based upon a student’s academic record, effort, attitude, and behavior throughout the prior year, and upon the willingness of the parents to accept and exemplify their responsibility in the partnership of education. The Director of Admission will send, via email, the invitation and instructions to complete the online Enrollment Agreement to parents of students in good standing. In the case of a student’s failure to meet these expectations, the School may hold the Re-Enrollment Agreement until the School determines that an appropriate decision about placement can be made, or may not be extended at all, if the School determines that such a recommendation is in the best interests of the student and/or the School community. For students whose Re-Enrollment Agreements are withheld, the School will generally make a final decision about re-enrollment in June and the decision will be communicated to the student’s family by the Head of School or Division Head. The Head of School, in the Head of School’s sole discretion, makes the final decision as to whether a student will be invited to return for another year.

Course registration in the spring will be made only for returning students whose Enrollment Agreement and registration fee have been received and whose current year tuition balances are not in arrears. Families who miss the deadline for turning in their Enrollment Agreements will forfeit their place in the class.

Family Leave

Families who take a leave of absence from the School of a year or more are generally expected to apply to the School for readmission. The student will be considered on a space-available basis, as well as within the context and competition of the applicant pool for the student’s grade level. Strength of the applicant’s file is important, including a strong finish to the student’s last year at the School, as well as a strong record of academic performance and citizenship while the student is away. Ultimately, the School cannot predict the number of openings or competitiveness of applicant pools for specific grade levels, and given the School’s high enrollment, there is never a guarantee of

readmission for the following year. Applications for admission, from both current and new families, must be submitted by January 15. Enrollment decisions, regardless of a family’s prior or current relationship with the School, are always made in the School’s sole discretion.

Parents’ Association Fundraising

The Parents’ Association (PA) conducts numerous events throughout the year, including fundraising events. In the past, PA fundraisers have included a community cookbook, a spring gathering with an auction, and a wishing tree. Gifts to Parents’ Association fundraisers support a number of educational and informational programs, student and parent social activities at every grade level, and classroom and curricular enhancements.

Gift Giving

Gifts from individual families to teachers are in no way required or expected.

Gift giving among students at school can lead both to awkwardness and hurt feelings. We discourage students from exchanging gifts at school, and if students choose to do so, it should be done as privately as is possible.

Charitable Giving

St. Luke’s is able to meet the current needs of its students and plan for the future because of the generous support of parents, alumni, faculty and staff, and friends who include St. Luke’s in their annual charitable giving plans. As an independent school, St. Luke’s is a not-for-profit, 501(c) (3) organization. While tuition is the School’s main source of income, it does not cover the full cost of educating each student. Voluntary giving is integral to the School’s health and is a testimony to a strong community of families that care about St. Luke’s.

Donations to St. Luke’s School directly benefit the student body by providing needed funds to offer better compensation packages to teachers, buy equipment, build facilities, and attract a diverse student body. In aggregate, strong participation among families signifies support for the work of the faculty and is an important benchmark to foundations that fund independent school programs and to prospective families looking at St. Luke’s School.

Throughout the year, there are many opportunities to get involved in the philanthropic life of the School. If you have any questions, please contact the Development Office.

The Annual Fund Voluntary tax-deductible contributions to the Annual Fund help to bridge the gap between tuition revenues and annual operating expenses. Contributions to the Annual Fund support school operations including, but not limited to: • Faculty compensation; • Curriculum development; and • Academic and extracurricular programs, buildings & grounds maintenance.

The Annual Fund is launched each October with the help of a team of dedicated parent volunteers. All parents are asked to support the Annual Fund each year, and their support is recognized in the School’s Annual Report.

Campaigns While the Annual Fund provides “money to live by,” a Capital Campaign raises “money to grow by.” Capital Campaigns are intensive, multi-year fundraising efforts to secure support for special initiatives, such as facility enhancements, endowments, and program development. St. Luke’s periodically conducts Capital Campaigns and it is our hope that community members will consider participating in these efforts in a way that is meaningful.

Special Projects All proposed fundraising initiatives should be explored in conjunction with the Development Office to ensure that fundraising is beneficial and timed for maximum benefit to the School.

Planned Giving Making a bequest to St. Luke’s School allows families to make a significant charitable gift to the School without exhausting assets earmarked for current personal needs. The Hilltop Society includes individuals who have made a planned gift or who have designated St. Luke’s as a beneficiary in their will.

Holiday Gift Giving As a reminder, in lieu of personal gifts, SLS Parents are asked to support two fun and anticipated events: The PA Thanksgiving Pie Day, and the PA Holiday Cookie Stroll. In addition, every family contributes dues to the PA when a student is enrolled for the academic year. A portion of these dues is used to fund generous holiday gifts for each staff member. This monetary gift, along with the Pie Giveaway and Holiday Cookie Stroll, serve as wonderful tributes to the SLS staff.

School Bus/Van Information

Bus/van ridership is provided for all students and we expect that proper behavior will be maintained. The same principles of behavior that prevail on campus extend to School buses, vans, and other modes of transportation to and from School-sponsored events.

Drop Off/Pick Up

The School asks that parents assist to improve the drop-off and pick-up process. Following these steps may alleviate long car back-ups, particularly at the beginning or end of the school day: • Carpool, if possible, or use School bus/van transportation, when available. • Parents should discuss with their children a pickup location and have their children wait for them there. (St. Luke’s discourages Middle School students from meeting their parents by the

Art House, as that area is not regularly supervised.)

• If parents arrive at the agreed-upon location and their child is not there, parents should move out of the road or circle and allow others to move up to those students who are ready and waiting. • Parents should not arrive for pick-up earlier than the end of the school day, as early arrivals may lead to long lines and delays.

No Idling

To support the School’s commitment to being as environmentally friendly as possible, all drivers who are waiting in their cars for student pick-up must turn off their engines if they anticipate being stationary for more than two minutes.

Parent/Child Communications During School

Parents and students are expected to be clear about their after-school pick-up time and place to avoid confusion prior to coming to School.

In the event of an emergency, if parents need to contact their child during the day, they may leave a message with the Receptionist. Students do not have access to their cell phones during the school day, so please call the School first. While messages will not be hand-delivered to students in class, except in the case of an extreme emergency, the School will deliver the message to the student during the appropriate time. Please be aware that students cannot be paged over the public address system unless it is an extreme emergency.

Current Family Contact Information

The School must have current contact information for parents/guardians and caregivers. If parents move during the year, or if a home, office, or mobile number or email address changes, parents should email new information to websiteupdates@stlukesct.org. All address and contact information changes are required via email to help ensure the information is accurate.

Dual Households And Disagreements Between Parents

In order for the School to communicate most effectively with parents and support each student, teachers and administrators need to be aware of students who spend time in multiple households. Additionally, information regarding who the primary caregiver is should be communicated to the School, in the event of an emergency, and whether special co-parenting arrangements exist. To that end, St. Luke’s requires that the names and contact information of both custodial parents be given to the School upon enrollment. If there are court-ordered guidelines regarding visitations, picking up a student from school, parent involvement in field trips or other issues, the School should be informed. Unless otherwise specified and supported by proper documentation, each parent for whom the School has current contact information will receive a copy of the student’s report card

as well as other informational mailings and electronic communications during the year. When scheduling Parent-Advisor, Parent-Teacher or Parent-Student-Advisor Conferences, divorced and separated parents are expected to attend together, rather than using separate scheduling time slots.

Parent Involvement in Disciplinary Matters

Disciplinary matters and student issues are handled directly by teachers, administrators, and appropriate staff. If a student is having a School-related issue with another student, parents should not attempt to deal with the other student directly about that matter. Doing so may put a student in an intimidating situation and is best resolved, when appropriate, through a School administrator. Please speak to the appropriate School administrator for guidance with any questions about contacting another student or parent about a School-related matter.

Parental Comportment and Support for School Policies

At St. Luke’s, we believe that a positive relationship between the School and a student’s parents or guardians is essential to the fulfillment of the School’s mission. We recognize that effective relationships are characterized by clearly defined responsibilities, a shared commitment to collaboration, open lines of communication, mutual respect, and a common vision of the goals to be achieved.

The School understands and appreciates that parents and guardians may employ different means to meet the expectations and responsibilities expressed in this policy. Nevertheless, St. Luke’s at all times, may dismiss a student whose parent, guardian, family member, or other adult involved with the student, in the sole judgment of the School, fails to comply with this or any other policy or procedure of the School, engages in conduct either on or off the School’s property that could undermine the authority of the School’s administration, and/or otherwise behaves in a manner that is unbecoming of a member of the School community. The School may refuse re- enrollment of a student if the School, in its sole discretion, believes the actions of a parent or guardian on or off the School’s property make a positive, constructive relationship impossible, or otherwise may interfere with the School’s accomplishment of its mission and/or educational goals.

To assist in creating the most effective relationship, the School expects that parents will observe the following guidelines:

1. Share in the School’s vision.

• Support the mission of the School. • Understand and support the School’s philosophy, policies, and procedures. • Support the School’s disciplinary process, and understand that the School’s authority in such matters is final. • Be supportive of the School’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive community. • Acknowledge that the payment of tuition is an investment in the education of the student, not an investment of ownership in the School. • Support the School’s emphasis on sustainable practices.

2. Provide a home environment that supports the intellectual, physical, and emotional growth of the student.

• Create a schedule and structure that supports a student’s study and completion of homework requirements. • Be aware of the student’s online activities and use of computers, television, and video games. • Encourage integrity and civility in the student. • Be a role model, especially when it comes to behavior at School and at athletic events. • Encourage the student’s participation in events that promote high standards; actively discourage participation in events that can lead to illegal or unwise behavior.

3. Participate in the establishment of a home/School and School community relationship built on communication, collaboration, and mutual respect.

• Provide a home environment that supports positive attitudes toward the School. • Treat each member of the community with respect, assume good will, and maintain a collaborative approach when conflicts and challenges arise. • Help build and maintain a positive School environment by not participating in or tolerating gossip. • Maintain tact and discretion with regard to confidential information. In cases when students or others are in imminent danger of harm, when there is a compelling reason for doing so, or when legal requirements demand that confidential information must be revealed, information may be disclosed to the Head of School, administrators, outside professionals, or law enforcement officers. • Respect the School’s decision to maintain the confidentiality or privacy of certain information, whether in the interests of the School, a student, or its community. • Respect the School’s responsibility to do what is best for the entire community, while recognizing the needs of an individual student. • Seek to resolve problems and secure information through appropriate channels (i.e., teacher/ advisor/counselor, Head of School, in that order). • Acknowledge the value of the educational experience at St. Luke’s by making regular and timely School attendance a priority and scheduling non-emergency appointments outside the classroom day. • Support the School through volunteerism and attendance at School events. • Financially support the School to the best of one’s ability. • Share with the School any religious, cultural, medical, or personal information that the School may need to best serve students and the School community. • Understand and support the School’s technology policies.

School Gatherings Off Campus (Not Sponsored by the School)

It is important to remember, through their quest for acceptance from peers and their desire for greater independence, that students still need clear boundaries and guidance, and the following

section provides some ideas to consider. They are designed to be practical and, more importantly, are based on the values that we, as a school, stand for as part of our mission. In this sense, we hope that all our parents will support these in spirit, if not in letter.

1. Always be at an event or party in your own home.

• The parents should be the greeters. During the party, parents should casually make their presence known. • Have the party in a part of the house where the guests will be comfortable and where you can maintain adequate supervision. • Be the ones to bring in the food and beverages. This will keep the party running smoothly, and it will allow you to meet your child’s friends. • Occasionally walk around outside.

2. Clearly establish ground rules and expectations with your child before the party takes place (before your child goes to any social event).

• Let students know your expectations: they want guidelines, though you may hear something quite different. • Give students options, but with clear guidelines. Discuss their responsibilities and discuss what the consequences are for inappropriate behavior and what the rewards are for appropriate behavior. • Stress the concept of shared responsibility. • Parents should take the responsibility of “playing the heavy,” if there is inappropriate behavior.

3. Make sure there is plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages and plan activities.

4. If your child is invited to a party, you should contact the parent giving the party and:

• Verify the location. • Verify that parents will be present. • Verify the starting and ending time. • Offer assistance (e.g., chaperone, food, etc.). • If there is to be a sleepover, find out what the ground rules will be.

If parents must be away for any length of time, make arrangements for quality supervision in the home to ensure that parents, students, and the home are protected. Too many parties occur in homes when parents are away. Let the School and neighbors know if parents are away.