Bristol Eastern High School 632 King Street Bristol, CT 06010 860-584-77876 "Home of the Lancers" STUDENT / PARENT HANDBOOK 2020-2021 Mr. Michael Higgins Mr. Victor Rivera Principal Assistant Principal ​ Mrs. Melanie Vetrano Assistant Principal ​ BRISTOL EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL 632 KING STREET BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT 06010 Telephone: (860) 584-7876. FAX: (860) 584-4886 Dear Parents/Guardians, ​ I cannot tell you how excited we are to have our students rejoin us for the 2020-2021 school year. With a year ahead full of uncertainties we will do all we can to ensure our students have a safe and successful experience whether we are in school full-time, part-time or in a full distance learning scenario. However, in order to ensure this safe and successful environment we need your help and the help of the students when it comes to the new and unique COVID-19 protocols that we now have in place. Adhering to social distancing guidelines, following through with wearing protective masks and other precautionary measures that must be taken are of the highest importance. We do expect each member of our BEHS community to strive to be the best they can be and to do this, it is important to adhere to the expectations outlined in this Student-Parent handbook. This outlines important information regarding academic expectations, athletic activities, attendance guidelines, discipline guidelines, health protocols and selected Board of Education policies. This year brings a continued emphasis on attendance and arrival time and a new emphasis on keeping people healthy and safe. As you know, we may be expected to teach and learn under changing guidelines and environments. ​ Regardless of the circumstances, we will continue to stress the importance of taking appropriate safety measures and being present in class whether it’s in the classroom or in the virtual setting. Please discuss with your child the importance of daily, on-time attendance and best practices for reducing the spread of COVID-19. Working together, we can maximize their learning experiences at B.E.H.S. and create a unique but wonderful environment for our students to learn in. At Bristol Eastern High School, we value all members of our learning community and believe that the learning environment should be safe yet challenging. We expect all members of our learning community to treat each other with respect and kindness. This respect should be clearly present in the daily interactions that occur before and after school, in hallways and cafeteria, but especially in the classrooms and in virtual-space interactions. If and when students face adversity during the school year, whether they are academic or social-emotional, we have a wide variety of supports in place to help ensure the success of all of our Lancers. Welcome to the Class of 2024! You are the newest members of our community and I personally want to wish you the very best. All staff and faculty take a personal interest in your success and seek opportunities to help you achieve it. I look forward to meeting each of you throughout the year and I know this school year will prove to be another great year for Bristol Eastern High School and its students and staff. Please use this handbook as a reference for important information and as a guide to help you BE the best that you can be. Sincerely, Michael Higgins, Principal 1 “Learning today, Leading tomorrow” TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL BELL SCHEDULES 6 PREFACE 7 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 7 ADMISSION/PLACEMENT 7 QUICK REFERENCE 8 DAILY BELL SCHEDULES / ARRIVALS /DISMISSALS /EARLY DISMISSALS 9 SPECIAL BELL SCHEDULES 10 SCHOOL CALENDAR 11 TESTING CALENDAR 12 EDUCATIONAL/PERSONNEL DIRECTORY 13-16 Bristol Eastern SPORTS 17 Bristol Eastern CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS 18 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS 19 ACADEMIC INFORMATION 20 Marking System 20 Class Rank and Grade Point Average (GPA) 20 Honor Roll/Academic Awards 20 Graduation Requirements 21 Annual Credit Requirement 23 Criteria for Promotion 23 Common Assessments: Mid Year/Year End 24 Course Withdrawal 24 Exemption from Instruction 24 Independent Study Program 24 Final Examination Exemptions 24 Physical Education Requirement 25 National Honor Society 25 Other Honor Societies 26 CO-CURRICULAR & EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES / ATHLETICS 26 Definitions of Activity Types 26 High School Extra-Curricular Activities/Athletics 27 Eligibility 31 Code of Behavior (Athletes) 31 Code of Behavior (Spectators) 32 ATTENDANCE 32 Absence 32 ​ Chronic Absenteeism 32 ​ Definition of Excused Absences 33 ​ ​ ​ Definition of Unexcused Absences 33 Leaving School Grounds 33 Tardiness 33 Truancy 33 ​ Teacher Responsibilities 34 ​ Administrator Responsibilities 34 ​ ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES 34 2 Arrival at School 34 Call/Contact Attendance Office 34 Class Cuts 34 Co-Curricular Attendance 34 Courtesy Desk 34 Dismissal 35 Early Dismissal/Late Arrival/ Flexible Schedule Option for Grades 11 & 12 35 Regular Dismissal 35 Extended Excused Absences (15 days or more) 35 Make-up Work 36 Tardy Policy 36 ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS 37 DISCIPLINE 37 Dangerous Weapons and Instruments 39 Dress Code 39 Expulsion 39 Out of School Misconduct 40 Smoking 41 Substance Abuse 41 Suspension 41 Teacher Detention 42 DISCIPLINARY GUIDELINES 43-45 GENERAL INFORMATION 46 Accountability Index 46 Advanced Placement and/or UConn Early College Experience Courses 46 American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 46 Asbestos 46 Assessments and Progress Reports 47 Automated Phone Messaging System 47 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) 47 Bulletin Boards and Posters 48 Bullying 48 Cafeteria Behavior 49 Channels of Communication 49 Change of Student Information 49 Child Abuse, Neglect, Sexual Assault 50 Class Placement 50 Computer Passwords 50 Computer Resources 50 Curricular Use of "R" Rated Videos/Films 51 Dances and Social Events 51 Defibrillators in Schools (AEDs) 51 Digital Photograph 52 Directory Information 52 Dress Code 52 Driver Education 53 Electronic Devices and Games 53 Elevator Usage 53 Emergency Procedures 53 3 English Language Learners 54 Exemption from Instruction 54 External Course Credit 54 Extra Help 54 Facilities 54 Family Educational Rights and Privacy 54 Fees 55 Field Trips 56 Financial Assistance 56 Fire Drills and Emergency Preparedness 56 First Amendment Rights 56 Food Allergies 56 Free and/or Reduced Lunch Program 57 Fundraising 57 Games, Playing Cards, Toys, etc. 57 Green Cleaning Procedures 57 Homeless Students 57 Homework 59 Insurance 59 Laser Pointers 59 Library Media Services 59 Littering 60 Lock Down Procedure 60 Lockers 60 Loitering 60 Lost and Found 60 Make-up Work 60 Materials for Non-Required Projects 60 Military 60 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 61 Nondiscrimination in the Instructional Program 61 Parent Conferences 61 Parent Involvement/Communications 61 Parent-Teacher Associations and Organizations 61 Passes 61 Pesticide Application 62 Physical Exercise 62 Planners 62 Positive Sustained School Climate 62 Posters 62 Proms 62 Promotion, Retention, and Placement 63 Property, Lockers, and Equipment 63 Psychotropic Drug Use 63 Public Complaints 63 Safety/ Accident Prevention 64 School Announcements 64 School Ceremonies and Observances 64 School District Records 64 4 School Security and Safety 64 Schools in Need of Improvement 65 Scientific Research Based Instruction/Intervention (SRBI) 65 Search and Seizure 65 Seclusion/Restraint, Use of 66 Sexual Harassment 66 Skateboards/Scooters 67 Smoking 67 Special Networking Sites 67 Special Programs 67 Staff Qualifications 68 Student Automobile Use/ Parking 68 Student Complaints/Grievances: Due Process 69 Student Fees, Fines, Charges 69 Student Publications 69 Student Records 70 Student Safety 72 Student Success Planning 72 Student Support Services 73 Suicide Prevention 73 Summer School 73 Surveys of Students 73 Telecommunication Devices 73 Testing 73 Title I Comparability of Services 73 Title I Parental Involvement 74 Transfers and Withdrawals 74 Transportation 74 Transportation Safety Complaints/Procedures 75 Tutoring 75 Vacation 75 Valuables 75 Video Recorders on School Busses/ School Campus 75 Video Recording, Photography and Web Site Publication Notice 75 Visitors to School 76 Websites 76 Wellness 76 Withdrawal from School 76 Working Papers 76 HEALTH SERVICES 76 Administration of Medication 77 Communicable/Infectious Diseases 77 Disabilities 77 Emergency Medical Treatment 78 Health Records 78 Homebound 78 Homeless Students 78 Immunizations 78 Physical Examinations 78 5 SCHOOL COUNSELING SERVICES 79 Career Resource Center 79 College Admissions Testing 79 Computerized Service 80 Library Materials 80 Scholarship Information 80 APPENDICES 81 Appendix A – Substance Abuse Policy 83 Appendix B - Search and Seizure Policy 84 Appendix C - Student Records Policy 85 Appendix D – Student Use of the District’s Computer Systems 86 Appendix E – Computers:Responsible Computer, Network and Internet Use 88 Appendix F - District Parent Involvement Compact 94 Appendix G - Cheating/Plagiarism (Academic Integrity) Policy 96 Appendix H - Sexual Harassment Policy 98 Appendix I - Bullying Policy 99 Appendix J - Student Safety Policy 102 Appendix K - Truancy Policy 103 Appendix L - Nondiscrimination: Instructional Program Policy 104 DISCRIMINATION GRIEVANCE FORM 105 Appendix M - Summer School 106 Appendix N- Excused Absence Form 107 Appendix O-Student-Parent Handbook Agreement 108 Appendix P- BEHS Appeal of Loss of Privileges 109 Appendix Q - Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Protocol for 110 ​ the Use of Personal