SCHOOL HOURS
Hillsides Education Center is open from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm Monday through Friday. The doors open for students at 7:50. Students should not arrive at the school before that time. Classes are in session from 8:00am until 2:00pm.
Once a month HEC will have Minimum Days. These will fall on Wednesdays and students will be released at 12:30pm on those days.
Please contact the school office to make arrangements if a student needs special considerations for arriving at or departing from school.
REPORT CARDS
Report cards will be sent home at the end of each quarter on November 14th, February 6th, April 7th, and June 19th. Two copies will be sent home, one for the student to keep and one to be signed by the parent or guardian and returned to HEC
Grades are assigned for completing class work in the following manner:
A= Excellent
B= Above average
C= Satisfactory
D= Below Average
F= Not passing subject
CR= Credit for completing subject
NC= No Credit
I/C= Incomplete
UPDATING STUDENT INFORMATION
Please notify the school office within 24 hours of any change in the student’s living status. This would include phone numbers, address, cottage changes, emergency contacts, etc.
OUTINGS
During the school year, there may be occasion for the student to go on an educational field trip. Please note that if the school office does not have a current permission slip for each student, that student will not be allowed to go on the outing. Students are responsible for getting the permission slips returned to the school in a timely manner.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
All students will participate in physical education programming. Students will participate unless a current doctor’s note is presented clearly stating reason and duration of student’s non-involvement in the P.E. program.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks will be furnished to the students as a loan for the duration of the class. Damage to or loss of the textbooks will result in the student needing to repay the school for the lost or damaged book.
FIRE AND EARTHQUAKE DRILLS
During the course of the school year fire drills and earthquake drills will be practiced to ensure the students and faculty are aware of the safety procedures and guidelines.
ABSENCE AND TARDINESS
Please notify the school office immediately when a student is going to be absent or tardy.
Acceptable excuses for absence or tardiness include 1) illness, 2) family emergency, 3) dental or medical appointment, 4) court appearance, or 5) religious observance.
An explanatory note from the parent or guardian must accompany any other reason not stated above. Arrangements will be made to get the student’s work home to ensure that the student does not fall behind academically.
Excessive absences or tardiness (more than 5 in one quarter) may negatively impact the student’s ability to be successful in school. Once a student has exceeded 5 absences or tardies in one quarter, the result will be a conference with the school staff to develop a plan to change the problem. Failure to improve will result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
TRANSITION CLASSROOM
The transition classroom will be used for students that are not yet ready to be in their regular classrooms. The transition classroom will provide the student an opportunity to work on class assignments in a more secure and stable setting. Students that come to school late (unexcused), are removed from the class for behavior, or have been to the time out room will all spend time in the Transition Classroom before entering the regular classroom.
Tardy Students — will enter school in the transition room and spend an amount of time equal to their tardiness (up to 90 minutes). Upon completion of the time they will move into their regular classroom. Students from Hillsides Residential program will return to the transition room after school and spend an amount of time equal to their tardiness for that day (up to 90 minutes). Non-residential students will enter the transition room the following morning for an amount of time equal to their tardiness the previous day (up to 90 minutes).
Time out room — students will enter the transition room after spending any length of time in the time out room. Before a student is allowed to return to the regular classroom, the staff will establish a timeline and identify any class work that needs to be completed during the student’s time in the transition room (not to exceed 60 minutes without administrative approval).
Behavior — in some instances classroom behavior may necessitate removal to the transition room but not the time out room. In those instances, staff will coordinate with an administrator the duration of stay and work to be completed in the transition room.
DETENTION
After school detention may be utilized as one of the behavior management techniques utilized by the HEC staff.
This policy shall be specified to the individual needs of each classroom. Students will be provided with supervision during the entire time of detention. Detention will be appropriate for situations only when the student is deemed to be in control of the choices that have been made and the effect that these choices are having (loss of instruction time, incomplete work, etc.)
HOMEWORK AND EVALUATIONS
Homework and evaluations will be sent home on a daily basis. Homework gives the student further practice in the lessons taught during the day and also allows the parent or guardian an opportunity to review the student’s progress and more closely follow the student’s academic successes.
Daily evaluations need to be signed by the parent or guardian and returned the following day to the teacher. Evaluations are a form of daily communication between the teacher and the home.
A student that is regularly not completing homework or regularly not returning evaluations will be disciplined. Continued failure to return homework or evaluations will result in a conference with the parent or guardian and the school staff.
ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY
Student use, possession, distribution, sale, or being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, controlled substances, “look-alike” drugs, steroids, or possessing drug paraphernalia on any school premises or at any school function is strictly prohibited. Violation of this policy will result in immediate suspension or expulsion. Law enforcement officials may also be contacted upon initial investigation and verification of the violation.
VANDALISM
Any student who intentionally defaces, damages or destroys school property will be required to repair or replace the damaged property. The student will also face additional disciplinary measures including suspension and expulsion.
STUDENT ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES
Hillsides Education Center does not have a uniform code but does require all students to dress in a manner that does not detract from the classroom or discourage a positive educational environment. Students will not be allowed to attend school if their attire includes one or more of the following:
Personal Belongings
Personal belongings are not to be brought to school, unless the teacher communicates otherwise with the cottage supervisor/staff. Teacher will utilize the daily evaluation form or send out a memo in the event that a particular item (i.e. materials to support current school lessons (book, music) to be brought to school
Head Gear
No hats, hoods or beanies or any miscellaneous head gear of any kind are to be worn during the school session
Footwear
Students are encouraged to wear proper shoe attire. No shoes without a back strap. High heels are permitted for special occasions
Accessories
No handkerchiefs of any color carried as a clothing accessory
No belt buckles which display letters, symbols, or numbers
No chains which dangle out of pockets, including pocket watch chains, wallet chains, interlocking links, etc.
No beepers, Walkmans, radios or toys of any kind
No backpacks
Tops (Blouses and Shirts)
No shirts or tops with logos or trademarks of alcoholic beverages, suggestive messages or illustrations, (sexual, racial, drug, tobacco, satanic, or “cult” related) or vulgar language
No halter-tops, tube tops, or any shirt that exposes the undergarment, displays excessive cleavage or reveals the bare midriff
No see-through or mesh type tops unless over another shirt
Long Pants
No obviously oversized baggy pants
No pant legs that drag on the ground
No sagging pants, no exposure of underwear
Short Pants, Dresses and Skirts
No tight or short shorts, dresses and skirts can be worn that restrict comfortable movement and activity
Shorts are not to be worn below the knee in conjunction with socks of any color, which are mid-calf of leg or higher
Shorts must be worn under dresses and skirts that are above the knee
CELL PHONES
Students are not allowed to carry cell phones. Students that attend HEC from outside the Hillsides’ residential program may be permitted to carry cell phones based on the need of the student and parent or guardian. If a student needs to have a cell phone please contact the Director to establish the policies for cell phone possession on campus. Students that do not have a previous agreement to carry a cell phone are not allowed to have them on campus and the cell phone will be confiscated.
STUDENT EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Students are expected to be positive in their actions in order to assist teachers in maintaining a classroom atmosphere that best meets the needs of all students. Students will be more successful in the educational process if they:
1. Accept responsibility for their actions and education by adhering to established school rules, regulations and laws of the community, state and nation
2. Respect the authority of the school staff.
3. Come to school with a positive attitude and prepare to accept opportunities for academic and personal growth.
4. Model positive behavior and language.
5. Come to school prepared to learn (being prepared for class reduces interruptions to the classroom procedures).
6. Arrive to time so that class instructions and materials will not be missed and class time can be used effectively.
7. Listen to what is said in order to acquire needed information and to avoid needless repetition by teacher.
8. Participate in class activities in order to gain new knowledge, clarify vital information and reinforce concepts learned.
9. Respect the rights and property of self and others.
10. Practice good citizenship.
11. Exercise self-control and good manners in order to develop positive relationship with others.
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
Parents and guardians are expected to provide a positive role model for the student as to the importance of education and setting and accomplishing goals. Parents and guardians should endeavor to do this by the following:
1. Support and reinforce behavioral expectations and disciplinary policies of the school by assuming the primary responsibility of the discipline of the student.
2. Reinforce learning at home and support academic and extracurricular activities.
3. Ensure that their student attends school every day and arrives on time unless there are unusual or extenuating circumstances.
4. Teach the student to seek positive resolution to problems encountered in the daily living and handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
