Allendale Columbia School Student /Parent Handbook Revised 2017-12-17 Allendale Columbia School STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK Table of Contents Section 1: General School-Wide Information 3 - 34 Welcome from the Head of School 4 Disclaimer 5 Mission/Core Values/Diversity Statement 5 History 6 – 8 Non-Discrimination Policy 8 Essential School/Parent Expectations 9 Harassment Policy 9 – 10 Social Media Policy 11 – 15 Health and Safety 15 – 20 Campus Map 21 Drop Off and Dismissal 22 – 25 Lunch Program 25 Snack and Break 25 Communication with Faculty 26 Dress Code 26 Privacy and Non-Solicitation Policy 26 PACK 27 – 30 Special Events and Traditions 31 – 34 Section 2: Pre-Primary and Lower School 35 - 97 Welcome and Introduction 36 Pre-Primary and Lower School Dress Code 37 Pre-Primary School Framework for Learning 38 - 39 Lower School Framework for Learning 40 - 97 Section 3: Middle School 98 - 155 Welcome and Introduction 99 Middle School Philosophy 100 Who’s Who 100 Common Situations and Who to Contact 101 - 102 General Information 103 Expectations for Middle School Students at Different Times of the Day 104 - 105 Lockers 105 Middle School Announcements 106 Communication Home from the Middle School 106 Contacting the School 106 Schedules and MyAC 106 Planners and Organizational Tools 106 Library 107 Homework 107 Exams 108 Attendance Policies 109 - 110 Emergency Procedures 110 Illness During School 110 Medication at School 111 Snow Days 112 Building Security and Student Fobs 112 Messages and Cell Phone Usage 113 1 to 1 iPad Program 114 - 116 Rev. 2017-12-18 1 Allendale Columbia School STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK Middle School Academic Program 117 - 122 AC Encore Program 122 HAC Sports Program 123 - 124 Middle School Advisory Program 125 Middle School Club Program 126 Middle School Advocacy Time 126 Middle School Disciplinary Policy 127 - 131 Chemical Substances Policy 132 Middle School Dress Code 133 Middle School Curriculum Guide 134 - 155 Section 4: Upper School 156 - 242 Welcome and Introduction 157 Whom to See 158 Academics 158 - 163 Upper School Laptop Program Policies 164 - 165 Daily Schedule 166 Attendance Policy 167 - 168 Where Upper School Students Can Study Quietly When Not in Class 168 Dining on Campus 169 Expectations for Upper School Students at Different Times of the Day 169 Student Extracurricular Opportunities 170 Upper School Policies/Rules 171 Upper School Dress Code 172 Driving Privileges 173 Fire Drills 173 Lockers 173 Lounges 174 Lunch 174 Personal Technology Devices 174 Upper School Overnight Trip Guidelines 175 Discipline 176 - 179 Academic Integrity 180 Chemical Substances 181 Emergency Procedures 182 Residential Life 183 - 188 Upper School Curriculum Guide 189 - 242 Rev. 2017-12-18 2 SECTION 1 General School-Wide Information Allendale Columbia School STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK Welcome from the Head of School Dear Students and Parents, It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to Allendale Columbia School for the 2017-2018 school year! We have been hard at work preparing for this school year for some time now, and it is very rewarding to see our plans come to life as students and families return to campus! Now in our 127th year, we are more excited than ever to offer students new opportunities as we continue to put our updated strategic plan into action and live our bold vision for AC. Students are at the center of everything we do, and as always it is our goal to provide leading-edge educational opportunities and ensure that we are educating children to make an impact locally and around the world. I’m sure that you have many questions as we approach the new school year. We have made an effort to compile many details that AC students and parents need to know into this one convenient handbook. Here you will find information about a variety of topics – such as important policies, health and safety information, details about our curriculum, dress code guidelines, and more – that will be helpful to you throughout the year. This guide has been designed to serve as a resource for you, and we encourage you to refer to it frequently. We truly appreciate you putting your trust in us and for your commitment to AC. Please don’t hesitate to contact us as questions arise. Sincerely, Mick Gee Head of School Rev. 2017-12-18 4 Allendale Columbia School STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK Disclaimer The Student/Parent Handbook provides essential information about the school for students and parents. It is meant to be both a reference and a guide for you. As a reference, the Handbook provides answers when a specific question arises. As a guide, the Handbook is where you will find the school’s expectations, and the names of the people who can help you meet those expectations. This electronic document is also subject to change during the academic year to meet the needs of the school. The Allendale Columbia School Handbook is intended to provide information and guidance to all members of the Allendale Columbia School community. It is not a contract. Provisions may be changed at any time at the sole discretion of the administration of Allendale Columbia School. Mission/Core Values/Diversity Statement The Mission of Allendale Columbia School Allendale Columbia offers a strong coeducational liberal arts and sciences program for students in nursery through twelfth grade. Our college preparatory curriculum allows teachers to challenge students to reach their potential and gain a sense of responsibility to themselves, the school community, their families, and society in general. We foster scholastic and personal independence within a structured atmosphere in which students can experience confidence and trust. Such trust enables students and teachers to be responsive to each other and to take risks. We believe that structure should liberate, not confine. Excellence is our goal. Core Values We live our core values daily. At Allendale Columbia we believe in: • The importance of connections. • Mastering strategies for learning. • Minds that are curious and creative. • Developing a resilient spirit that dares to take risks. Diversity Statement Allendale Columbia is a community that affirms the dignity of each person. We believe the best education takes place when academic standards are high, individuality is supported, and diverse populations are understood and respected. We aspire to reflect our metropolitan area and to enroll and employ individuals drawn from a variety of social, religious, racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds. We value a school community where individuals may share and express a variety of perspectives in ways that enhance the education and experience of everyone within the community. We are committed to an environment of equality, dignity, and respect, all of which will enhance the mission of the school. Rev. 2017-12-18 5 Allendale Columbia School STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK History The history of Allendale Columbia began in the fall of 1890, when Miss Caroline Milliman and Miss Alida Lattimore opened the doors to what would go on to become the Columbia School. Starting with 13 students in the elementary grades attending classes in a private home located on Brighton Street in the Park Avenue area of Rochester, the Columbia School soon expanded to become a kindergarten through grade 12 women's preparatory school with its own facility, known for its quality academics. In only five years, the school’s growing enrollment required a need to move to larger facilities. Land was purchased on North Goodman Street and noted architect J. Foster Warner was commissioned to draw plans for what would become the Columbia School. As the 20th century arrived, grade levels were added. Boys were included through the third grade, but Columbia School earned its reputation as a women’s preparatory school, “pioneering in the field, with wonderful results in the record of their graduates.” The Collegiate Course was arranged to meet the highest requirements made by any colleges in Latin, French, English, German, history, science, and math; Greek was optional. In 1905, Miss Lattimore sold her interest to Mary Milliman Woodbury, who joined her sister as co-proprietor of Columbia School. In 1926, a group of Rochester businessmen and other interested individuals founded the Allendale School for Boys on a 24-acre site on Allens Creek Road. The opening enrollment was 64 boys in grades four through nine, and Barclay H. Farr was named first headmaster. The objective of the new school was “to assist a boy toward attaining his maximum as a useful and respected citizen of a democracy. To this end, the school pays strict attention to thoroughness, accuracy, reliability, character training, self-discipline, and community responsibility.” The boys' school espoused the innovative “country day” philosophy that was then in vogue: students spent mornings studying academic subjects, early afternoons participating in athletics, and late afternoons completing their homework in a supervised setting. Different grade levels were added, and Allendale gradually became a college preparatory school like its sister school, Columbia. A Short-Lived First Merger The Great Depression affected both schools, both dropping in enrollment and facing financial strain. In 1936, Miss Milliman and Mrs. Woodbury announced their retirement, and for the next three years, the schools were merged under one Board of Trustees. The two schools parted again in 1939, and remained separate for the next 30 years. The two schools continued to exist separately, with Allendale on its original site on Allens Creek Road, and Columbia moving to the Wareham Whitney Estate on South Goodman Street. Mrs. Della Simpson was named headmistress of Columbia, and John R. Webster succeeded Farr as Allendale headmaster. Each school pursued its independent mission for the next three decades. During that time, Allendale headmasters were Hollis Scofield, Peter A. Schwartz, and Buell Critchlow. Joan Twaddle replaced Mrs.