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Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
Welcome back for another year at Pahrump Valley High School. For those new to our learning community: Welcome! We are excited to have you! We are looking forward to this upcoming year.
Our mission at PVHS is… “to inspire ALL to be positive and productive.” The belief that all students can be successful, productive, and positive members of our community has prompted us to initiate some very successful programs. With your help this coming year, we will continue to transform our school into one of the best in Nevada.
Due to the changes at our school, it is imperative that you review the information in this handbook. It is your responsibility to read and understand the information contained in this book. It is very important that all students and parents/guardians are familiar with and have an understanding of the expectations, so your time here at Pahrump Valley High School will be rewarding and enjoyable. Please be advised that this document is subject to revision at any time during the year by either Pahrump Valley High School or Nye County School District.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school at 775-727-7737. We will be happy to assist you.
Again, welcome to Pahrump Valley High School. We are excited that you chose to be a TROJAN!
Have a positive and productive year!
Revised 5/22/17
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TABLE of CONTENTS
*The following information complies with regulations listed in the Nye County School
District Parent/Student Handbook and/or the NCSD Parent/Athlete Handbook. Some
of the rules and consequences for disciplinary actions are specific to PVHS.
General Information …………………………………………………………………….4
Counseling and Guidance Services……………………………………………………...5
· Academic Load Requirements...... ……………………………………...5
· Academic Letters………………………………………………………………….5
· Credit Recovery…………………………………………………………………...5
· Testing Out ...... 5
· Grading Scale/Grade Points…………………………………………………….....5
· Guidelines for Student Schedule Changes………………………………………...6
· Incomplete Grades………………………………………………………………...6
· Parent/Teacher Conferences……………………………………………………....6
· Progress Reports…………………………………………………………………..6
· Student Class Rank.……………………………………………………….………6
· Twenty-First Century Curriculum……………...…………………………………6
· Graduation Requirements………………………………………………………....7
· Pre-College/Technical Planning…………………………………………………..7
· Millennium Scholarship Requirements……………………………………….…..7
Student Services………………………………………………………………………….8
· 504 Programs……………………………………………………………………...8
· Special Education Services……………...………………………………………...8
· Health Center……………………………………………………………………...8
· Medications …………………………………………………………………….8
Student Attendance ... …………………………………………………………………..8
· Attendance Philosophy ...…………………………………………………………8
· Appeal of Decision to Fail Due to Attendance……… …………………………...8
· Consequences of Absences………………………………………………………..8
· Make-Up Work …………………………………………………………………...8
· Minimum Attendance Required ………………………………………………….9
· Parent Responsibilities for Attendance …………………………………………...9
· Requesting Work……………………………………………………………….....9
· School Responsibilities for Attendance …………………………………………..9
Tardy Policy ……………………………………………………………………………..9
Student Discipline/School Rules…………………………………………………….... 10
· School Disciplinary Action Times and Areas....…………………………………10
· Staff Authority………...…………………………………………………………10
· Classroom Progressive Discipline Plan...………………………………………. 10
o Progressive Consequences for minor offenses ………………………… 11
o Disciplinary Referrals ………………………………………………….. 11
· After School Detention...... ……………………………………………………...11
· In-School Detention…...…………………………………………………………11
· Out of School Suspensions...... 11
· PVHS Mandatory Minimum Nine-Day Out of School Suspensions ……………11
· HDP ...... 11
School Rules…………………………………………………………………………….11
· Auditorium/Assembly Conduct …………………………………………………11
· Automobiles/Parking……………...……………………………………………. 11
· Bus Conduct …………..………………………………………………………....12
· Dress Code……………………………………………………………………….12
· Electronic Devices ………………………………………………………………12
· Loitering ………………………………………………………………………....13
· Lunch-Open/Closed Campus ……………………………………………………13
· Passes ……………………………………………………………………………13
· Personal Relationships …………………………………………………………. 13
· Searches and Loco Parentis ……………………………………………………..13
· Skateboards …………………………………………………………………….. 13
· Smoking on or Adjacent to Campus …………………………………………… 13
· Visitors to Campus …………………………………………………………….. 13
Athletics ……………………………………………………………………………...…14
· Scholastic Eligibility Requirements …………………………………………….14
· Maintenance of Scholastic Eligibility/Grade Checks …………………………...14
· Additional Consideration/Scholastic Eligibility ……………………………….. 14
· Dances/Field Trips/Athletic Contests ………………………………………….. 15
Miscellaneous …………………………………………………………………………..15
· Cafeteria and Lunchroom Hours …………………………………………….….15
· Emergency Drills ………………………………………………………………..15
· Insurance ……………………………………………………………………….. 15
· Lost and Found ………………………………………………………………….16
· Messages ………………………………………………………………………...16
· Student Expenses ………………………………………………………………. 16
· Student Publications …………………………………………………………….16
· Textbooks and Fines …………………………………………………………….16
· Volunteers ...... 16
· Student ID Cards………………..………………………………………………..16
· Stolen/Lost Property …………………………………………………………… 16
The NCSD DISCIPLINE MATRIX, which lists specific consequences for disciplinary offenses, is in the NCSD Parent/Student Handbook.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Physical Address
Pahrump Valley High School
501 E. Calvada Boulevard
Pahrump, NV 89048
(775) 727-7737 – Main Office
Web Address
http://pvalley-hs.nye.k12.nv.us
Office Hours
6:30 AM-3:00 PM
School Mission
WE INSPIRE ALL TO BE POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE!
The school mascot is the Trojans.
The school colors are Maroon and Gold.
FIGHT SONG
Cheer, cheer for our maroon and gold
They win their games ‘cause they’re really bold
Mighty Trojans will never say die
But shake down the thunder from the sky
Whether they win or whether they lose
The mighty Trojans won’t have the blues
While our loyal Trojans team
Goes marching to victory
Anything listed on the following pages with an asterisk (*) is specific to PVHS and may differ from the NCSD Parent/Student Handbook.
*COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE SERVICES
· The counseling office is open during regular school hours on regular school days. Students who wish to speak with a counselor may do so by making an appointment through the counseling office before school, during passing periods, or after school. Counselors will speak to individual students on a first come, first served basis. Individual counseling is immediately available in emergency cases.
· We do have a licensed social worker and community health worker on staff. They are here to assist our students and our students’ parents with issues not related to student academic performance throughout the year.
Confidentiality and Access to Records
· Nye County School District complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), under which parents or otherwise authorized persons may inspect, review, contest the accuracy of, and control access to student educational records. Students who are 18 years old or older must give written notarized permission for parents/guardians to access information (NCSD Policy 7370).
*Academic Load Requirements:
· Pupils in 9th and 10th grades must be enrolled in a minimum of seven courses or the equivalent of seven periods per day to be counted as a full-time student.
· An 11th grader may be enrolled in a minimum of six classes per day if he/she has a job which will earn him/her work experience credit.
· A 12th grader must be enrolled in a minimum of four periods per day.
v Students who have early release are required to leave campus or report to the library.
v Early-release students who do not leave campus and have behavior issues in the library or do not stay in the library will have the following consequences:
1) Warning
2) In-House Detention for one day
3) Will lose their early release privilege and will report to In-House Detention during their assigned early release time for the remainder of the semester.
· Academic load requirements take effect for pupils who enroll in ninth grade on or after the first day of school.
· Athletes involved in a sport may earn up to one credit for their participation in a sport. Each sport successfully completed will equal ½ credit. Fall sports are recorded for first semester; winter and spring sports are recorded for second semester. Exemptions from the two credits required in Physical Education may be granted under statutory citations by
v Application presented by the student indicating reasons for an exemption due to physical or mental condition by written request from a licensed physician;
v Religious exemption letter from parent.
· A half credit will be granted if the student has demonstrated competency in the use of computers as evidenced by satisfactory completion of a computer literacy course offered in grades 7 or 8 or by passing a computer competency exam.
*Academic Letters:
· Any student who has achieved a 3.5 or better grade point average for each of the first three-quarters of the school year and who does not have any unexcused absences in a grading period shall be awarded an academic letter.
*Credit Recovery:
· Will be offered at the school site.
· All other credit recovery options and correspondence courses must be approved by the site administrator.
*Testing Out:
Students who wish to test out and receive credit for a class must request to take the final exam within the first two weeks of the semester. The student must receive a B or higher to receive credit.
*Grading Scale/Grade Points:
The following grading scale will be used at Pahrump Valley High School.
A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F 0-59%
*Guidelines for Student Schedule Changes:
· Schedule change requests must be made in the first two weeks of the semester.
· Students or their parents may request a schedule change by submitting a schedule change form which is available in the counseling office. The form must be completed, signed by a parent or guardian, (unless the student is 18 years old), and submitted to the counseling office.
· If the request is denied, parents or 18 year old students may request a conference with the counselor, teacher, and an administrator.
Incomplete Grades:
· A student must complete the instructor specified amount of work within two weeks after the end of the grading period, unless prior arrangements have been made with the teacher and administration.
· If the work or exam is not made up within two weeks, it will become a zero and may only be recorded by the teacher of record or the site administrator upon written verification of the teacher of record. The semester grade will be averaged to determine the student’s final grade.
*Parent/Teacher Conferences:
· Parents are encouraged to contact their son/daughter’s teachers and counselor concerning any questions about his/her educational, vocational, or personal development. For a parent/teacher conference, please contact the school office at 727-7737.
· In addition, an all-school parent-teacher conference is scheduled in the fall and spring.
*Progress Reports:
· Progress reports will be issued by each teacher not less than twice a grading period. Progress reports will be issued after the third and sixth week of the quarter.
· Non-academic classes include Teacher’s Aide (TA), Library Aide, Office Aide, and Counselor’s Aide. Only juniors and seniors are eligible for these positions, and a candidate must have passed all classes with a D or higher and no major referrals for the previous school year in order to apply. No student is to be a T.A., Library Aide, Office Aide, or Counselor’s Aide for more than one period.
Student Class Rank:
· In order to determine a student’s rank in a particular class, the school uses a grade point average system.
· Under this system, grades are evaluated as follows: “A” = 4 points; “B” = 3 points; “C” = 2 points; “D” = 1 point; “F” = 0 points. Dual Credit, AP and Honors courses are awarded bonus points accordingly.
· These points are evaluated on a semester basis.
· Total points are then divided by the number of the classes to determine the grade point average.
Twenty First Century Curriculum
All students will be placed on a course of study called the Twenty-First Century Curriculum. During the senior year, students will meet with the senior counselor to determine the type of diploma a student will obtain.
21st CENTURY CURRICULUM
English 4 Mathematics 4
Science 3 American Government 1
US History 1 World History 1
Physical Ed 2 Arts/Humanities and/or
Occupational Education 1
Health ½ Use of Computers ½
Electives 4½
Total Credits 22½
*A student may “opt out” of the 21st Century Curriculum in the senior year if the
parent or legal guardian of the student and an administrator or counselor at the
school in which the student is enrolled mutually agree to a modified course of
study for the student (NRS 389.018). A student would then be able to receive a
Standard Diploma which requires 3 math, 2 science and 6 ½ elective credits.
ADVANCED DIPLOMA
English 4 Mathematics 4
Science 3 American Government 1
US History 1 World History 1
Physical Ed 2 Arts/Humanities and/or
Occupational Education 1
Health ½ Use of Computers ½
Electives 6
Total Credits 24
*Students must have a weighted GPA of 3.25 or better to qualify for the
Advanced Diploma.
Graduation Requirements:
· Students in the graduating class of 2018 must take the End of Course Exams, which include ELA I & II and Math I & II. Graduating classes in 2019 and beyond must pass the End of Course Exams.
· All students must take the ACT, the college and career readiness assessment. The school administers this exam during their junior year and is required to graduate.
· Students will normally earn 3-3 ½ credits in one semester of courses. A student can only earn ½ credit in one semester of one course. Each course may be used to fulfill a graduation requirement. No course may be used by a student to fulfill more than one graduation requirement.
· ALL FINES AND FEES MUST BE PAID BY GRADUATION
Participating in the Graduation Ceremony:
In order to participate in the graduation ceremony, a qualifying senior who has met all state course and testing requirements, must be attending Pahrump Valley High School for the entire spring semester of the year of graduation. Exceptions may be granted by the principal for students who transfer to Pahrump Valley High School from outside the attendance area.
Basic 4-Year College/University Admissions Requirements*
4 credits of English
3 credits of mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry)
3 credits of science (Biology and 2 lab sciences)
3 credits of social sciences
2 years of the same foreign language
Ø Please be informed that each college/university has its own admission requirements. Some may require more or less math, science and foreign language credit. Be sure to research the colleges/universities you are interested in to find out the admission requirements. Admission requirements may also include college entrance exam scores, rank in class, grade point average, essays and personal interviews. Do your research well in advance! Do not put it off until the last minute!
Pre-College/Technical Planning:
· Students who plan to attend a university, community college, or technical school, should start making preparations as a freshman.
· If students plan to attend a university, they will need to apply to take the ACT/SAT test no later than the fall of their senior year. However, PVHS strongly recommends application during the junior year. All juniors will take the ACT in the spring of the year as part of their state graduation requirements.