STUDENT GUIDELINES AND POLICIES

| Absences/Appointments/Leaving Early | Academic/Athletic Requirements |
| Book Bags | Cafeteria | Demerits/Detentions | 
| Graduation/Promotion/Retention | High School Visitations & Transcripts |
| Knott Scholarships | Library | Outstanding Debts | School Hours | Student Council | 
| Tag Days | Telephone | Cell Phones | Testing | Security | Back |

Full attendance at school benefits the learning experience. All students should aim for perfect attendance. A fever or contagious disease warrants absence from school. Any other reason needs to be carefully weighed by the parents. It is the parents' responsibility to monitor a child's extracurricular activities. Over- extension of time and energy has adverse effects on learning. Parents must phone the school by 8:15 a.m. to report the child's absence on each day of absence. Please use the following procedure:

When returning to school the child must bring a written note explaining the reason for the absence. These notes are required by the Health Department. A child generally may not be permitted to return to school until he/she is well enough to participate in school activities, including recess at lunchtime. Regular attendance at school is necessary for the total education of a child. It is the responsibility of the student to make up work missed through absence--this includes tests. Frequent absences and/or frequent tardiness may require repeating the grade level or may warrant withdrawal from the school.

A student is considered tardy after the 8:05 bell and must sign in at the School Office. All late arrivals and absences are part of the student's transcript that is sent to the next school a student attends. 

If doctor and dentist appointments need to be made during school time, a request for dismissal is to be made in writing. The child must be picked up by the parent/guardian at the Main Office. Students may not leave the school without first reporting to the Main Office, at which time the parent/guardian must sign the student out. This procedure also pertains to early dismissal due to illness. The office will notify the homeroom that the child is leaving school. A child is considered absent a half day if reporting in after 10:30 a.m. from early morning doctor appointments. A student leaving at lunchtime is marked absent for one-half day. Perfect attendance for the year means no days absent and no days late. This includes leaving early and being sent home ill.

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All students must carry their books needed for homework to and from school in a book bag, backpack, or duffel bag. Students in grades 6 through 8 carry their books in a backpack during the school day.

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  D.  CAFETERIA

The cafeteria is open Monday through Friday. A hot lunch is served on every full school day. A menu for pre-purchasing the student's selections is sent home every two weeks. The school participates in the Government Milk Program. Bag lunches are to be clearly marked with the student's name. If, in an emergency, it is necessary to bring a lunch to school after the start of the school day, please leave it with the Receptionist, properly marked. Fast food lunches are not appropriate for school. Do not send these to school.

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  E.  DEMERITS / DETENTIONS

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An eighth grade student who is carrying a failing average (E) in one major area (i.e., Religion, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading or Spanish) will not receive a certificate from this school until the required course has been satisfactorily completed in summer school.

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An eighth grade student who is carrying two or more failures (E) in the major areas, as listed above, will not be allowed to participate in the graduation (certificate) ceremonies held in the Cathedral. The student must repeat Grade 8 at another school.

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Grades 1-7: If a student fails two major subjects or four teachers recommend retention due to lack of readiness for the next level, the school recommendation will be enforced if the child is to remain at the School of the Cathedral. Summer school is required for failure of one major subject (see above). A conference will be scheduled in January if a student is in danger of failing a grade. In March, a follow-up conference will be held to determine the student's promotion status.

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Each 7th grader is allowed one (1) excused day to visit a high school. Each 8th grader is allowed three (3) excused days to visit a high school. The form documenting this visit must be obtained from the homeroom teacher. Students must also advise their homeroom teacher when they will be absent for a high school visit. The form, signed by the admissions director of the high school visited, and advance written notice to the homeroom teacher are necessary for the student not to be marked absent from Cathedral on the day of the visitation. Students who do not follow this procedure will be marked absent. Students are encouraged to visit on days when Cathedral may be closed and the high school is opened. Students are responsible for any missed work. 

Students may request no more than five (5) transcripts to be sent to prospective high schools. Each transcript beyond five will require a $2 fee per request. No high school application form or transcript is sent before the fall standardized test results have been received. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to obtain application forms from the private high schools as well as completing the supplemental forms as requested by the high school admission process.

Application forms for the Marian Burke Knott Scholarship are given to Grade 4 and 8 parents at the first Progress Report conference in December.

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Application forms for the Marion Burk Knott Scholarship are given to parents of eligible Grade 4 and 8 students with the second trimester Progress Reports. Eligibility requirements include straight As in all major academic subjects for the first and second trimesters, and scoring in the 95th percentile or higher on the previous year's standardized testing.

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Students have a weekly library period at which time they may borrow a book. Students in the Kindergarten through 3rd grade may borrow for one week. Students in Grades 4 through 8 may have a book for two weeks. Books may be renewed once. Students in grades 3 - 8 must pay a fine of 5¢ per day for overdue books. Books must be returned before January and/or June exams are taken. Progress Reports will not be released until all fines are paid in full at the end of each trimester. Students are billed for lost books.

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Progress Reports, graduation certificates, and transcripts will be withheld at the end of the school year when there are outstanding debts. Re-registration for the next year will not be accepted until all monies due are paid in full. Any balance outstanding at the end of the school year in tuition, CED fees, or Capital Maintenance Fund will be turned over to Alacrity Collection Corporation.

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The school hours are 7:55 a.m.- 2:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. Students may arrive no earlier than 7:30 a.m. The students remain in the Marian Foyer until 7:40 a.m. At that time, all students are taken to the gym by the teacher on before-school duty, where they will be under supervision. At the 7:55 a.m. bell, the students are dismissed to their respective homerooms for a quiet study period under teacher supervision. Class begins at 8:05 a.m. promptly; therefore, students must be in their homerooms by 8:05 a.m. to avoid being considered late. Conduct at this time is to be the same as at any other time during the school day. Demerits may be given for misconduct. Orderliness and safety are primary concerns at all times.

The school day ends at 2:45 p.m. (On scheduled early dismissal days, the children are dismissed at 11:45 a.m.) The school is not responsible for the supervision of students before or after the times stated above. Therefore, children must be picked up from the parking lot by 3:00 p.m. (by 12 Noon on scheduled early dismissal days). Children are not permitted to wait in the Marian Foyer to be picked up. Safety of the children is a prime factor and this policy will be strictly enforced. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension or dismissal of the student. Parents are required, therefore, to follow the times stipulated when dropping off or picking up students. If a student is participating in a scheduled, supervised activity before or after the hours noted above specific arrangements must be made for drop off and or pick up at the designated times of the event or activity. If students are participating in CED, parents must comply with the rules established by CED for arrival and pick up.

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The purpose of the Student Council is to promote good citizenship, to encourage a high standard of scholarship, to arouse school spirit, to demonstrate the practical application of democracy, and to advance the welfare of the school and its members in every possible manner. Students interested in running for a position on the Student Council must meet all of the following criteria:

Only As or Bs on Progress Reports
No Is or Us in effort, conduct, or unstructured time conduct on Progress Reports
No demerits

Student campaigns and elections are held in the spring, providing all students in the school with some knowledge of a democratic election. Students who are lected attend monthly meetings where projects are presented and discussed.

The elected members have a Constitution that has been ratified by Faculty and Student Council members. Their qualifications are listed below.

1. Student must maintain an overall B average with no individual grade lower than a C.
2. Review of possible probation will occur if student receives an I or U in effort/conduct and/or receives an I in achievement and/or receives a demerit.
3. Definite probation will occur if student receives two or more Is or Us in effort/conduct and/or if student receives two or more Is in achievement and/or if student receives two or more demerits. Definite probation means a student may not attend Student Council meetings. This remains in effect until improvement is noted on the mid-trimester Interim Report.
4. Student will be removed from office if the Interim Report does not show improvement in the area signifying a problem.
5. Student must have an S or better in both effort/conduct and achievement in order to remain in office.
6. Student may not hold the same office for two consecutive terms. If eligible, a student may run for another office.
7. Failure to successfully fulfill the obligations and duties of the office stated will be subject to removal from office.

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The Student Council conducts several Tag Days during the school year. On these days, students are allowed to attend school out of uniform, dressed in the designated costume or colors for the day. Students make a donation (25 cents), which permits them to be at school out of uniform. The monies collected are donated to various community outreach projects. Tag Days are indicated on the School Calendar and usually have a theme, for example Halloween, St. Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day. Msgr. Whelan Program Tag Day money is collected in one lump sum at the beginning of the year. In lieu of a monetary donation, some Tag Days may be designated for collection of canned goods or other nonperishable items.

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A pay phone is located in the gym foyer for emergency use. Phones are available in each classroom. With the teacher's permission a student may make a phone call if there is a need. The teacher will access an outside line as all phones are security protected.

Pagers and beepers are not permitted for students.

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Students are permitted to bring a cell phone to school. However, no cell phone may be used during the school day, which includes class, lunch, recess, and after school activities. Phones of all types must be kept in the student's bookbag/backpack and turned off. Only under extreme conditions, with the approval of a teacher or administrator, will a student be permitted to use a cell phone to contact parents or guardians. At dismissal, cell phones are not to be used on the parking lot for the obvious safety reasons; however, cell phone use is permissible when the student is in the car.

Students who violate this policy will have the cell phone sent to the Main Office. Phones will be returned at the end of the school day. On a second offense, the phone will be sent to the Main Office and parents will be notified and required to come to school to pick up the phone. The student will lose the privilege of having a cell phone at school for the remainder of the school year.

In order to have a cell phone at school, a special form must be filled out and turned in to the Main Office, listing the student's name and cell phone number, a parent's daytime phone number, and a parent's signature.

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The school building is locked at all times. Access is through the electronically controlled front door or the electronically controlled Amberly Way door for CED pick up. All visitors must sign in at the Main Office. When school is in session, students may not be outside the school building unless they are involved in a class or recess and accompanied by a school staff person. Empty classrooms and the Faculty Room are restricted areas to students.

Altar servers and Student Council couriers to the Parish Center generally walk together in pairs to the Cathedral or Parish Center.

Lockers and desks are property of the school and can be searched at any time. The Principal or designee, shall request the student's consent for search of personal belongings. Failure of the student to give consent may result in automatic suspension and/or expulsion.