Frederick J. Furtah Preparatory School"Educating the Whole Student"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Handbook

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5496 Highway 92   •   Acworth, Georgia 30102

678-574-6488         Fax 678-574-6818

Mission

The unique mission of Furtah Preparatory School is to educate the whole student. As an academic community it is our goal to prepare students intellectually, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually by employing a comprehensive curriculum. We are committed to the education of the whole student by encouraging high standards of academic achievement, while developing sound moral values and responsible citizenship. Honor, leadership, self-discipline and integrity are skills practiced in every classroom.

Our Methods & Practices

Furtah Preparatory School is dedicated to providing reading instruction based on research of the most effective approaches to early reading and writing instruction. In addition, we employ intervention methods to offset the crisis in reading that continues to plague students nationwide. Students at Furtah Preparatory School benefit from a multi-sensory approach which encompasses the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile modalities. Instruction is direct and intensive. Each student’s unique talents and interests are nurtured. Our goal is to guide each student to grow into a self-fulfilled adult, confident in his or her ability to make a contribution to the world.

Our Staff

Our staff consists of experienced and innovative professionals from the area. We expect our faculty to be facilitators and co-learners empowering our students to understand their own unique talents and interests. Furtah Preparatory School maintains excellence in teaching and high expectations for learning in an environment which values achievement and scholarship.

 

 

 

ARRIVALS/DISMISSALS

School hours are as follows:                   8:15 am – 2:40 pm

                       

            Teachers and staff will be assigned to morning carpool to assist students with exiting from vehicles safely and quickly. We will begin carpool at 8:05 each morning. Parents should drop off students according to the diagram in the carpool section. Do not drop off or pick up students on the road or in the parking lot. If a student arrives after 8:15, the driver must sign in at the school office and receive a note to take to the teacher. Please have your student at school on time each day.

            Parents must provide written notification to the office of authorized persons responsible for picking up their child. Grandparents, friends, and neighbors will not be allowed to pick up a child without written permission. Please make carpool arrangements before school and always notify the office in writing of any changes.  Notes should be signed by both parents.  Please provide phone numbers and cell phone numbers as well.

Your child’s safety is our first priority.

            Please do not arrive before 2:00 p.m.. All students will return each day to their homeroom before dismissal. We will begin afternoon carpool at 2:40 each day. If a child must leave before dismissal time, parents must check in at the main office and sign out the child. The office will call the classroom to inform the teacher of parents’ arrival. The teacher will prepare the child for dismissal and send her or him to the office. Any student remaining beyond the end of carpool (3:00 pm) will be sent to Aftercare and charged accordingly.

ABSENCES & EXCUSES

FPS recognizes only the following circumstances as excused absences:

1. Personal illness.

2. Death or serious illness in the immediate family.

3. Recognized religious holidays observed by the student’s faith.

4. Absences mandated by order of governmental agencies (i.e. court order).

5. Conditions rendering school attendance impossible or hazardous to the student’s health or safety.

6. Educational trips - must be pre-approved by Administration before the trip.

 

 

FPS requests that you contact the school office as soon as possible when your child will be absent from school. FPS will inform parents following role call of high school students not in attendance.  The school office will begin making calls at 8:45 am. Please inform the office of any changes in your contact numbers and e-mail addresses.

 

A letter written by a parent/guardian and/or licensed physician stating the date(s) of absence, the reasons for absences, and a phone number where the parent may be reached for verification should be presented to school office personnel by all students on the day of return to school. If the letter is not brought to school following an absence or if the reason for the absence is not recognized by this policy, the absence will be unexcused.

 

A. A High School or Middle School student having more than five unexcused absences,  or excessive tardies, may receive an “F” in the classes that are affected; therefore, no credit will be given for those classes in that semester.

B. Students who become ill or injured while at school shall be dismissed from school only if parents/guardians have been notified. For any illness that may be considered contagious, such as pinkeye, fever, etc., the parents must make immediate arrangements for the child to go home. The student will be made comfortable until the parent arrives. Exceptions to this policy shall be made only in cases of emergency.

C. Doctor and dental appointments should be arranged after school hours whenever possible. A student may be dismissed before the school day officially ends when a parent/guardian sends a written request explaining the reason for early dismissal to the school office prior to 8:00 a.m.. All written requests must include a telephone number where a parent may be reached for confirmation. All early dismissal requests must be confirmed with the parent.

Students who drive and have permission for early dismissal must sign out in the office. Parents must sign out any student who does not drive. The student sign in/out sheet is located in the school office. If a parent cannot be reached, the student may not leave regardless of the student’s age. Any student who leaves campus after being informed that the early dismissal cannot be verified will be treated as truant and disciplinary action will be taken.

D. Individual students who have situations necessitating their absence from school for a portion of the school day must have been present for one-half of the instructional day in order to be considered present. Students leaving before or arriving after 11:30 am will be considered absent for the entire day.

E. Students shall not leave the school grounds during school hours without permission from the Administration.

F. The Administration may require verification of right of custody of anyone requesting early dismissal of a student.

G. Juniors are allowed one college day and seniors are allowed three college days provided they are pre-approved by the Administration.

STUDENT DRIVERS

All students who wish to drive a vehicle to school must register with the school office. All students must sign in/out in the school office regardless of the fact that they drive to and from school. Driving to and parking at FPS is a privilege and may be revoked due to reckless driving, inappropriate behavior, uniform violations, and leaving campus without the permission of the staff and/or administration of FPS.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips are an effective tool in learning for FPS students. All students are expected to participate in the field trip experience. Students not attending a field trip may be given a zero for the day, as this is a planned activity for the class. We thank our parents for their support in driving for special events. We remind you to sign the field trip permission slip before your child attends a field trip. Parents will be notified of all special events. Students should wear their uniform designated for the field trip (blue jean shirt w/ logo) unless otherwise notified by the teacher.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Watch or listen to local television and radio stations for announcements concerning school closings.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE

A new medical form is required each school year. This form includes a medical release enabling FPS to provide necessary medical treatment in the event of an emergency and the parent cannot be reached. A copy of your health/medical insurance card is also needed for the same reason. In an emergency, the student will be taken to the nearest emergency facility. Please notify the office of any changes in medical information including insurance coverage.

EMERGENCY DRILLS

Fire and take-cover drills at FPS shall be practiced to conform with state, county, city, and local requirements.

ADDING/DROPPING CLASSES

High School students wishing to add or drop a class must do so within the first ten days of the semester and must have the approval of the Principal and/or Headmaster. Changes may be made after this time by administration if deemed necessary for the continued academic success of an individual student.

ENROLLMENT

FPS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national, or ethnic origin. Placement is offered based on availability of space. Class size is limited to fifteen (15) students per classroom; however, at times, our teachers may find it necessary to group students according to their academic level or increase that number to provide each student the enrichment or resource needed for success. The areas where there may be more than fifteen students are the high school homerooms, and the physical education, drama, and music classes.

 

 

 

 

 

CODE OF BEHAVIOR

 

            TREAT OTHER STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF WITH RESPECT

            SHOW RESPECT FOR SCHOOL PROPERTY AND FOR THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS

            DEMONSTRATE RESPONSIBLE SELF-DISCIPLINE

            BEHAVE IN A COURTEOUS MANNER

            COME TO SCHOOL PREPARED AND ON TIME

            FOLLOW THE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN THIS HANDBOOK.

 

DISCIPLINE POLICYRaising Responsibility System

The Raising Responsibility System is proactive. The stage is set for dealing with disruptive behavior before such behavior occurs. In contrast to telling students what to do, a guiding approach is used because improvement is most effective using reflection and self-evaluation. Discipline is viewed and treated as the responsibility of the student, rather than the responsibility of the teacher. Our approach encourages students to exercise self-discipline through reflection and self-evaluation. Students learn to control their own behavior, rather than relying on the teacher for that control. We want our classrooms to be encouraging and conducive to learning at all times.

 

Students who are disruptive or display inappropriate behavior will be given an essay exercise and/or a referral form to complete. These give the student the opportunity to reflect and express the feelings and circumstances that led to the behavior. If a second referral form is required for the same behavior, parents will be informed. In the event there is a third occurrence, a conference will be required with the administration, parents and student.

 

The Raising Responsibility System is based on a system developed by Dr. Marvin Marshall, and explained in the book Discipline without Stress Punishments or Rewards. We have copies available in the school office for anyone that would like to borrow one. There are copies of all student referral forms available as well.

Please visit Dr. Marshall’s web site at www.DisciplineWithoutStress.com for additional information.

DETENTION

Detention is served on Tuesday and Thursday from 2:40-3:40.  Detention will only be assigned to middle school and high school students. If your student is assigned detention, it will be served the next Tuesday or Thursday. For example, if assigned detention on Wednesday, your student will serve detention on Thursday and if assigned detention on Friday or Monday, your student will serve on the following Tuesday. Detention will be assigned for the following:           

                        Accumulation of 3 tardies for homeroom or classes

                        Accumulation of 3 zeros on assignments or tests

                        Chronic uniform violation

                        Behavioral Misconduct

You will be given a notice of detention to be served. Any student assigned detention will not be allowed to participate in after school activities for the day they are serving detention.

 

If serving detention does not correct the behavior in question, your student may be assigned

in-school suspension or Saturday School. There will be a charge of $25 for Saturday School.

BULLYING

The Administration reserves the right to dismiss any student who commits an act of bullying. Bullying is defined as “any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so,” or “any intentional display of force that would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm.”

CONFERENCES

Regularly scheduled conferences are set up during the school year. Please check the calendar for these dates. Teachers may notify you in writing, by phone or by e-mail, as to the day and time of your conference. Teachers will be available for conferences at other times by appointment.

DRESS CODE

All lower, middle, and high school students are required to wear uniforms. Teachers will notify parents of circumstances where the uniform would be inappropriate or other dress may be required. Uniforms and uniform items must be purchased from Academic Fashions. All clothing must fit properly (neither under nor oversized - to be determined and pre-approved by Administration) and be neat, clean, and free from holes, tears, tatters or excessive wear.

Jackets: The only jackets permitted to be worn while in the school or classrooms are FPS jackets as listed on the uniform list with school logo and letter jackets. A winter coat may be worn when traveling to and from school; however, once inside the school, the coat must be removed and placed in homeroom.

Shirts and Sweaters: All shirts must be tucked in at all times and not be loosened excessively to cover the belt. Logos will be required on all shirts.

Shoes: Shoes are to be closed-toed. White or non-skid black soled tennis shoes can be worn provided they are clean and show minimum wear. No sandals and only “Birkenstock Boston” style clogs with closed toes are allowed.  No heelies will be permitted.

Other: No extreme hairstyles or hair coloring for students is permitted. Male students must wear their hair above their ears. If hair is longer, it must be secured in a ponytail. Hats, caps, or sunglasses may not be worn in the school building. The only body piercing allowed is pierced ears (NO pierced tongues), although extreme piercings of any kind are not allowed. If there is any question, please seek the approval of the administration.

The Administration reserves the right to authorize or prohibit any individual item of apparel even if it is not specifically prohibited by the dress code.

Out-of-Uniform Dress Code Requirements

Students will be allowed to be out of uniform on Fridays and other designated days announced by the Administration. The following are guidelines for appropriate dress when not required to wear school uniforms:

1. Clothes must fit properly. No oversized or undersized clothing. Clothing must be neat, clean and free from tears, holes, tatters or frayed edges.

2. Proper fitting shoes must be worn at all times. No sandals or open-toed shoes will be allowed.

3. Shirts: Boys: All shirts worn to school must have sleeves. Shirts must be tucked in at all times. Shirts may not be open more than six inches below the neck. Shirts must remain buttoned at all times. T-shirts may be worn provided they meet the guidelines in this policy. No novelty t-shirts may be worn.

Girls: Shirts must be tucked in at all times. Tank tops or shirts designed like tank tops, crop tops, or see-through shirts, backless or off-the-shoulder garments are not permitted. T-shirts may be worn provided they meet the guidelines in this policy. No novelty t-shirts may be worn. Shirts may not be opened more than six inches below the neck.

4. Shorts, pants, and skorts:

Shorts and skorts may not extend below the knee or be shorter than three inches above the knee. Athletic shorts are not permitted except during physical education classes and must be purchased from Academic Fashions.

5. Hats, caps, and sunglasses are not to be worn in the school building. These items will be confiscated.

6. The following items are not permitted on campus nor at any school activity:

            a) Body piercing other than pierced ears              b) Tattoos

            c) Bare midriffs                                                  d) Crop/tube tops

            e) See-through clothing                                       f) Halter tops

            g) Clothing with profanity or suggestions of profanity or suggestion of illegal activity

            h) Potentially dangerous items such as spikes, chains, or spurs.

If a student does not adhere to this dress code, the student will not participate in the field trip or school activity. The parent will be notified to pick up the student. Anything deemed inappropriate by the staff or administration is not allowed. Please see that your child dresses appropriately when representing FPS.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

In order to participate in extra-curricular activities, a student must be counted present on the day of participation. Students must be passing all subjects or demonstrate effort in order to be considered eligible to play on any of the sport teams. Anyone receiving Out of School Suspension will not be allowed to participate in sports, or in any other extracurricular activities, until the day after the Out of School Suspension has been completed. Furtah Preparatory School is a member of the Georgia Independent Schools Association and all students desiring to participate in extra-curricular activities through the association are subject to the following rules and regulations:

GISA REGULATIONS

Section 1.  Any Student is Eligible:

1.  Who is a regular student taking four (4) or more units in grades 9 through 12. The eight (8)

     semester rule begins in 9th grade. This means the student must complete eligibility within eight (8)

     consecutive semesters from the date of entrance into the 9th grade.  Under the eight (8) semester

     rule, students are eligible to participate in all athletic and literary events.  Eighth (8th) graders who

     participate on a varsity level shall meet the eligibility requirements of GISA.  Eligibility in the eighth

     (8th) grade repeaters who take more than half of their academic subjects on the ninth (9th) grade

     level are considered to be ninth (9th) graders for eligibility purposes.  (NOTE:  Students below

     grade 8 are not eligible to participate in any GISA sanctioned varsity sports or literary events.)

2.  Who is not a migrant student.  Any student who changes schools after entering the ninth (9th) grade

     is a migrant student and subject to the following stipulations:

            a) Students entering the ninth (9th) grade for the first time are eligible, except for those who

              participate on a varsity level while in the eighth (8th) grade.  Any eighth (8th) grader who

              participates on a varsity team is immediately subject to the migratory rule.

            b) Transfer from one member day school to another member day school.  A student is ineligible

              for one calender year unless a bonafide move is made.

            c) Transfer from one member day school to a boarding school.  A student who transfers as a

              resident student into a boarding school will be eligible, if all other eligibility requirements are

              met.

            d) Transfer from a boarding school to a day school.  A student who transfers from a resident

              program in a boarding school to a member day school will be eligible, if all other eligibility

              requirements are met.

            e) Transfer students from a non-member school to a member school.  Transfer students from

              non-member schools are eligible for competition in contests only if the transfer occurs at least

              thirty (30) calender days prior to the State Play-off in that activity in which the student might

              compete.

            f) A student who transfers from a member to a non-member school and back to the original

              member school is eligible after two weeks provided the student has not attended another

              member school in the last calender year.

            g) A student who transfers from one member school to another because of a bona fide change

               in custody from one parent to another parent is eligible in the high school of the new parent’s

               residence provided he/she meets all other requirements and provided that such change in

               custody is in the best interest of the child.

 

                        INTERPRETATION:  Bona fide change in parmanent parental custody must be

                        accomplished by court order and signed by the appropriate judge in the court of

                        jurisdiction.  If a standing court order (as described above) states joint parental custody,

                        the student is eligible at either residence.  However, if a legal change of residency from

                        one parent to the other parent is made, this may be permitted once a year.  In all cases,

                        a copy of the court order must accompany the Eligibility Form.

 

            h) A student whose custody is transferred from a parent to guardian or from one guardian to

               another will be ineligible.  Such instanes will, of course, be subject to review by the Appeal

               Board.  If such cases are appealled, the appealing school must demonstrate conclusively

               that such a transfer or change is not made to establish eligibility.

           

3.  Whose parents move their place of residence so that:  (A) They are located nearer to the school to

     which they are transferring than they were to the school previously attended is eligible

     immediately.  (B) The new  residence must be nearer the school to which they are transferring than

     the old residence was.  (C) The new residence must be farther from the old school than the old

     residence was.  (D) Any move that is not bonafide and is made from the purpose of creating

     eligibility shall be considered illegal and the student shall be ineligible in any school GISA for a

     period of one calender year.

 

4.  A student who has passed in 5 unit subjects for the first semester (approximately one-half of the

     academic school year) is eligible for the second semester.  A student who passes in 5 unit

     subjects, or their equivalent, for the second semester or for the year is eligible for the following

     year.  If a school is on the quarter system, a student must pass 5 unit subjects, or their equivalent,

     for the first quarter (approximately one-third of the regular academic year) in order to be eligible for

     the second quarter.  A student must pass 5 unit subjects, or their equivalent, for the second quarter

     to be eligible for the third quarter.  A student must pass 5 unit subjects, or their equivalent, for the

     third quarter or for the year in order to be eligible for the first quarter of the following year.  Of the 5

     unit subjects, 3 units MUST be in the following subject areas: Language, Science, Social Studies,

     Mathmatics, and Business Education.  Excluded from any credit are the following: teacher’s aide,

     office aide, or their equivalent.

 

            INTERPRETATION:  For transfer students whose earned credits are from schools on block

            schedules, simply count the units of credit earned and multiply times two.  Example: A student

            transferring at mid-year with credits from a school using block scheduling has one credit in

            Algebra I, one credit in History, and 1/2 credit in Science.  Multiply each credit by two for a

            total of five.  Enter 5 on Transfer Student Eligibility form in place designated for number of

            credits earned in previous semester.

 

            INTERPRETATION for JOINT ENROLLMENT:  Student jointly enrolled in both a GISA school and

            a local college must meet the following criteria to establish eligibility:

            A. More than 1/2 of the students’ schedule or course load must be scheduled and pursued at

              the GISA school.

            B. The school and school head must maintain full and complete discipline and control during

              the students’ day.

            C. Both the local college and school must agree in advance to award the student full and

              graduation credits for jointly enrolled courses.

 

5.  Who is not a four-year senior high school graduate.

 

6.  Who has not attained his or her 19th birthday prior to May 1, preceding the school year of

     participation.

 

7.  Who has not participated in any athletic contest as a professional under contract.

 

8.  Who is listed on a properly certified eligibility list filed with the GISA Executive Director.  Eligibility

     is considered effective on the date certified by the GISA Executive Director. 

 

9.  If the parent of a student is an employee of a member school, the student is eligible to compete in

     GISA competition.

 

10.  Whose deportment satisfies the requirements of the school authorities.

 

11.  The GISA Office will establish a list of nationally recognized Foreign Exchange Student Programs

     to be used by member schools.  Foreign Exchange Students who otherwise meet GISA Eligibility

     Rules and transfer to a member interscholastic school under the auspices of one of the nationally

     recognized Student Exchange Programs (listed at the back of this book) will be declared eligible so

     long as they have begun classes by September 15 at the school.  Such students will be listed on a

     separate Eligibility Form and submitted, with a copy of their transcript, to the GISA Office for

     certificiation.  Students who transfer to member interscholastic schools through some other means

     and are not going to reside with their family, or those arriving after September 15, would be subject

     to review by the GISA Interscholastic Appeal Board following the normal appeal process.  Foreign

     students (non-US nationals) who transfer permanently to a member school and reside with their

     parents or legal guardians would be declared eligible just as any other US student who transfers. 

     (The nationally recognized list, as used by most educators is entitled “Advisory List of International