School Policies

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 has one Minimum Day. 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 includes phone numbers, address, cottage changes, emergency contacts, etc.

Outings

During the school year, students may go on an educational field trip. Please note that if the school office does not have a current permission slip for a 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 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(s).

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 an 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 five in one quarter) may negatively impact the student’s ability to be successful in school. Once a student has exceeded five 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 who 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 who 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 --  Students late to school 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 Services 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).

Behavior -- In some instances classroom behavior may necessitate removal to the transition room. In those instances, staff will coordinate with an administrator to determine the duration of stay and work to be completed in the transition room.

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 who is regularly not completing homework or 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 possession of 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. The following are prohibited:

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 an 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

Shorts, Dresses and Skirts
No tight or short shorts, dresses and skirts that restrict comfortable movement and activity should be worn
No shorts worn below the knee in conjunction with socks of any color that are  mid-calf of leg or higher
No dresses and skirts that are above the knee unless shorts are worn underneath

Head Gear
No hats, hoods, or beanies or any miscellaneous head gear of any kind

Footwear
No shoes without a back strap. High heels are permitted for special occasions. Students are encouraged to wear proper shoe attire.

Accessories
No handkerchiefs of any color carried as a clothing accessory
No belt buckles which display letters, symbols, or numbers
No chains that dangle out of pockets, including pocket watch chains, wallet chains, interlocking links, etc.
No beepers, Walkmans, radios, or toys of any kind
No backpacks

Cell Phones
Students are not allowed to carry cell phones. However, students who attend HEC from outside the Hillsides Residential Treatment Services 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 Jay Bechtol, HEC’s director, to establish the policies for cell phone possession on campus. Students who 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.

Personal Belongings
Personal belongings are not to be brought to school unless the teacher communicates otherwise with the cottage supervisor/staff. The 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 such as a book or music)needs to be brought to school.

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 on 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 students. 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 daily living and handle conflicts without resorting to violence.

Nondiscrimination Statement

The U.S Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age disability sex, gender, identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public  assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department.

To  file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found at http://www.ascr.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form.

Or write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to: U.S. Department of Agriculture , Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Rev 2014