TABLE OF CONTENTS
Academic Assistance Program 19
Academic Honesty Policy 31
Activity Buses 16
Administrative Procedures for Excused Absence 6
Alma Mater 4
Alternative Education 30
Assemblies 56
Attendance/Tardiness 5
Bulletin Announcements 15
Bus Transportation 15
Cafeteria 13
Career Resource Center 23
Closing of Schools 12
Co-Curricular Activities 62
College Entrance Requirements 64
Counseling 20
Daily Schedule 13
Dauphin County Technical School 30
Detention 50
Discipline Code 38
Distinguished Scholars Program 26
Dress Code 51
Drug Detection Dog 51
Dual Enrollment 28
Early Dismissal 10
Electronic Devices Policy 54
Extra-Curricular (Non-Athletic) Academic Eligibility 59
Field Trips 16
Fire Drills 18
Graduation Requirements 23
Harassment/Improper Conduct 51
Health Services 21
High School Enrollment at HACC or Other Colleges 27
Homebound Instruction 11
Homework 25
In-School Suspension 49
Independent Study 31
Interscholastic Athletic Academic Eligibility 58
Intramural Program 61
Keiser-Fearen Library Media Center 21
Leaving School Without Permission 56
Locks and Lockers 14
Medication 21
National Honor Society 62
Obligations 16
Opening Exercises 17
Parking Lot Rules and Regulations 47
Pass Procedures 49
Peer Tutor 31
Phone Usage 17
Possession of Paging Device 54
Principals’ Student Advisory Committee 61
Searches of Lockers 14
Security 18
Six-Day Cycle 13
START Program 31
Student Accident Insurance 17
Student Assistant Team 20
Student Conduct and Discipline Code 38
Student Responsibilities 36
Summer School – Final Exams 24
Tornado Alert 18
Weighted Grades 25
Work Study 29
ALMA MATER
Best of all High Schools
Loud rings her cry
Proud of her students
Is the Susquehanna High
We’ll stand by you
Ever the same,
We’ll always love you
and honor thy name
CHORUS
Dear old Susquehanna
We’re all for you
Dear old Susquehanna
With a heart that’s true
Where ‘ere our paths may lead
We’ll ever cherish, honor you
In word and deed,
So good old, dear old Susquehanna
We’re all for you.
When we shall leave you
For worlds of fame
Oft to our minds will come
Thoughts of thy dear name
When we’ll remember
Times that are gone
Of dear, old, S.T.H.S.
And of this song.
Repeat Chorus
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance at school is essential. The law recognizes this fact and all absences must be declared either excused (legal) or unexcused (illegal). Accumulated minutes/hours of unexcused tardy arrivals may be translated into equivalent days.
If a student fails to bring a note from home within three (3) school days explaining the absence or tardiness, it will be considered unexcused as provided by the Pennsylvania Public School Code. Legal action may also include a fine of $300 or more.
Absences for the following reasons are excused:
1. Illness or recovery from an accident
2. Quarantine of the home
3. Death in the family
4. Court appearance
5. Family emergency (unavoidable)
6. Religious holidays and religious instruction.
The principal, using his/her discretion, could rule
the following reasons as excused:
1. Impassable roads
2. Inclement weather
3. Health care
4. Tutorial work
5. Educational trips and tours
6. College interviews, testing, and orientations.
Absence for other reasons may be ruled excused if the situation is urgent, unavoidable, child-related, and not merely for the convenience of the parent.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Religious Holidays
Upon written parental request, in advance, and approval of the principal, a pupil may be excused from school for religious holidays observed by a bonafide religious group.
A. A pupil’s absence for bonafide religious
holidays will be recorded as an excused
absence. There shall be no penalty attached
to such an excuse.
B. The student is responsible for making up
tests and assignments within the time frame
established in the teacher’s syllabus.
Health Care
Upon written parental request and approval of the
principal, a pupil will be excused for the purpose of obtaining professional health care or therapy if the following requirements are met:
A. Health or therapeutic services are to be
rendered by Commonwealth-licensed
practitioners.
B. It is not practical or possible for the student
to receive the services outside of school
hours.
C. The time of necessary absence from school
involves a minimum of interference with the
pupil’s regular program of studies.
Tutorial Work
Upon written parental request, a pupil may be excused during school hours for the purpose of receiving instruction in a field not offered in the district’s curricula only under the following circumstances:
A. The excusal does not interfere with the student’s
regular program of studies.
B. The qualifications of the instructor are approved
by the superintendent.
C. Any instruction or transportation costs associated
with receiving tutorial instruction shall be the
responsibility of the parent/guardian involved.
Educational Trips and Tours
Educational trips will be considered for approval
if the principal determines that the trip will be
educationally significant to the student. In order for the
principal to make such a determination, the parent/guardian
shall complete the district form seven (7) school days prior
to the trip. The building principal may not approve the request for any of the following reasons:
A. The principal feels that the trip is not
adequately educational to warrant an
absence from school.
B. Student’s prior attendance record is not
adequate to approve additional days out
of school.
C. The principal determines that the trip
would be detrimental to the student’s
progress or success in school.
D. The trip takes place during the final two
weeks of the school term, unless an
emergency exists.
E. Requests exceed a total of five school
days in one school year.
It is the student’s responsibility to get assignments
from his/her teachers. The teachers will need at least one
week’s notice prior to departure. All work must be turned
in within five days of the student’s return to school.
Students who have not been granted an excused absence
will be considered unexcused. They will not be permitted
to make up assignments or tests during such absence.
College Interviews, Testing, and Orientation
Upon written parental request and approval of the
principal, a pupil will be excused from school for a college
interview, college testing, or college orientation if the
following requirements are met:
A. The student is a junior or senior and his/her
counselor has verified that the absence is
for an interview, testing, or orientation.
B. Upon the student’s return, he/she must
present a letter on college stationery
indicating that the purpose of the college
visit was to be interviewed, tested or
to participate in an orientation program.
Excused Absence Procedure
Following a student’s absence, a written excuse
from a parent should be submitted the day that the
student returns to school. A doctor’s note is required
for three or more consecutive days of absence. The
mere fact that a parent has sent a written excuse does
not necessarily mean that the absence is excused. A
pre-printed 3”x 5”attendance card must be presented to the
attendance clerk before the student may attend class. Students have three school days to hand in the 3”x5” attendance card. All absences will be recorded as unexcused if the card has not been turned in before the fourth school day.
Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities
A student who is absent from school or reports after
11:00 a.m. on a school day may not participate in any form
of extra-curricular activity that day. Any student sent home
during the day for medical or disciplinary reasons is not
able to participate in any extra-curricular activites that day.
Any student in ISS or on OSS is not permitted to
participate in extra-curricluar activities. If the ISS or
OSS spreads over the course of a weekend a student will
not be able to particpate in activities over the weekend
other than an assigned weekend detention.
Unexcused Absences
Students are not permitted to make up assignments
or tests given on days when their absence has been declared
unexcused. Students are not permitted to turn in
assignments, term papers, etc., which are due on days when
their absence has been declared unexcused.
Students with three or more unexcused absences
are subject to official notification by the school district and
possible fines by the District Justice for violating the
compulsory school attendance law. The District Justice
may fine families up to $300 and suspend a student’s
driving privileges for three to six months.
Any student accumulating ten unexcused absences
in a marking period will be denied credit for all courses
for which he/she is registered unless the student can
satisfactorily make up the time missed through attendance
in the Academic Assistance Program. (This option is only
available if recommended by the principal and
accompained by a written contract outlining the makeup
requirements.) Students absent for ten consecutive days without a valid excuse will be dropped from the rolls.
Corrective Measures for Excessive Absences
When a student has been absent for a total of
fifteen days without a doctor’s excuse during any school
year, a referral will be made to the principal. The par-
ents will be notified by a letter informing them of
excessive absences. The principal has the prerogative of
requiring a medical excuse for each absence beyond the
level of fifteen days if they are to be declared legal.
TARDINESS
A student is tardy to school when not in his/her
homeroom by 7:55 a.m. A student must report to the
attendance office if he or she has not arrived at school prior
to the end of homeroom at 8:06 a.m. Failure to report to
the attendance office when arriving to school after home-
room has ended will result in a series of escalating
penalties starting with in-school suspension and parent
notification.
Unexcused tardies fall under the same definitions as unexcused absences, and must be documented (see page 5). In addition to a written note, the parent must call the attendance office or appear in person to explain the circumstance for the tardy. In a limited number of unusual circumstances the principal will grant an excused tardy. The principal will make the final determination.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES FOR
TARDINESS TO SCHOOL
Any unexcused tardy will result in the following disciplinary action:
1st through 3rd - no disciplinary action
4th through 6th - one detention for each
7th through 9th - weekend detention for each
10th and on - ISS
20th - Hearing
EARLY DISMISSAL
No student may be excused from school during school hours unless a parent calls before 9:00 a.m. or the parent is personally picking up his or her son/daughter and the reason for the early dismissal is one of the following:
1. An appointment with a doctor, medical, or
dental (appointment card is needed)
2. A sudden family emergency
3. Driver’s examination
4. Prior approval of the principal
5. School sponsored events (athletic – approved by Athletic Director).
Parents are urged to make medical and dental
appointments that will cause a minimum of interference with the student’s school program.
A limited number of requests will be honored for interviews at institutions of higher learning or for full-time employment upon evidence that an appointment has been scheduled. All such requests must be processed through guidance as explained in the section on college visitations.
Prior to being excused, the student must present a parental note to the administration, and upon return, certification of the visit must be presented to the attendance clerk.
HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION
A student of school age, physically incapacitated
for a prolonged period and unable to attend regular classroom sessions, may qualify for homebound instruction. Parents of students whose physicians have recommended homebound instruction should contact the principal or guidance counselor to make the necessary arrangements.
WITHDRAWALS AND TRANSFERS
The school law of Pennsylvania requires that accurate records be kept for all students in each school. This is possible only with the full cooperation of parents. Please report promptly any change of address within the school system, or the date of withdrawal if the family is moving from the school district. This is imperative during both the school term and the summer vacation period.
When a withdrawal from a school is to be affected because of a move from the school district, parents should supply the school with the exact date of withdrawal, their new address, and the name of the school district to be entered. Written parental permission for release of records must be made prior to withdrawal.
Pupils who make a school transfer within the last 60 days may normally complete the term in the school in which they are currently enrolled.
CLOSING OF SCHOOLS
FOR EMERGENCY REASONS
Whenever schools must close because of heavy snowfalls or other emergencies, parents will be informed through an automated telephone system, or through radio and television announcements. Please do not call the school office. If you do not hear any announcements, you will know our schools will be open.
During heavy snowfalls every effort will be made to announce a decision prior to 6:30 a.m. If feasible, a delay of one or two hours will be announced rather than closing schools for the full day. Students who walk to school or arrive by car should adjust their arrival time.
Weather conditions also make it necessary at times for early dismissals. Radio and television stations are informed and the automated telephone system may call the number provided by the parent.
In case parents cannot be home at the time of an early dismissal, provisions should be made with neighbors for the care of children upon their arrival at home; it is very important that parents make adequate provisions for child care in case of bad weather.
GENERAL INFORMATION
DAILY SCHEDULE
Homeroom 7:47-7:57
Period 1 8:01-8:43
Period 2 8:47-9:29
Period 3 9:33-10:15
Period 4 10:19-11:01
Period 5/6 11:05-11:47
Period 6/7 11:39-12:21
Period 7/8 11:51-12:33
Period 8/9 12:25-1:07
Period 10 1:11-1:53
Period 11 1:57-2:40
Period 5 Period 7 Period 9
1st Lunch 2nd Lunch 3rd Lunch
11:05-11:35 AM 11:51-12:21 PM 12:37-1:07 PM
SIX-DAY CYCLE
The high school year is composed of 30 six-day cycles. When a day of school is missed due to a holiday or snow day, school resumes with the next consecutive cycle day.