Student Handbook

Absence Policy/Guidelines 

In Case of Illness/Sickness 

Parents are encouraged to keep sick children at home until all signs and symptoms of illness cease (including fever, nausea, diarrhea, etc.). Parents will be contacted if a child is running a fever of 100 or above. Please make sure the child has been fever free without fever reducing medicine for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Children will be placed in a quiet isolated area until picked up if they are running a fever or sick. If your child is absent, please call or email the school and notify the front office of your child’s absence. When your child returns to school please send in a written note explaining the reason for his/her absence. Notes need to be in no later than 3 days after the absence. If we do not receive notes about absences they will be coded as unexcused. If your child has 10 or more unexcused absences we MUST have a doctor’s note to excuse any further absence. 

For any illness, children may not remain in care at school if they have any of the following symptoms: 

● Temp. of 100 degrees when taken under arm or 101 when taken orally 

● If a child gets a sudden onset of diarrhea, or has 2 or more episodes of vomiting within a 12 hr. period 

● Red or Pink eyes with white or yellow eye discharge/may return 24hrs. after treatment has begun 

● Scabies or lice (remain home until clear and treated) 

● Chicken pox or a rash suggestive to chicken pox 

● Tuberculosis, may return to care after a health professional states the child is not infectious 

● Strep Throat may return 24 hrs. after treatment has begun 

● Pertussis or whooping cough, may return 5 days after appropriate antibiotic treatment 

● Hepatitis A virus infection, may return 1 week after onset of illness or jaundice 

● Impetigo may return 24 hrs. after treatment has begun 

● Flu Diagnosis, may return after a healthcare professional says it is not infectious 

Letters/Phone Calls/Meetings regarding Absences 

When a child is absent for any reason you will receive a phone call letting you know your child was absent. Absences are addressed in the following manner: 

1. After 3 unexcused absences parents/guardians will receive a letter from the school through mail. 

2. After 6 unexcused absences parents/guardians will be notified by the school attendance administrator and will be mailed a letter discussing our policy and the Compulsory Attendance Law. The letter goes over our policy and explains the NC Carolina School Law, Article 26, 115c-378 (Compulsory Attendance Law). 

3. After 5 unexcused absences parents/guardians are required to have an in-person meeting with the Student Support Team to discuss ways of improvement. 

4. After 10 unexcused absences only doctors notes will be accepted. 

5. If a parent or guardian does not make a good faith effort to come in for a meeting after 10 unexcused absences, the attendance administrator may file a truancy charge with the magistrate. 

6. Any child with 20 days or more of excused or unexcused. absences may be retained in his/her current grade level. (This is also stated on letters that are sent home from the school.) 

Please understand the importance of attending school. We try to work with parents and families as much as we can in regard to sicknesses and other health issues, but excessive absences can result in violating the NC Compulsory Attendance Law. 

Tardy and Early Dismissal Policy/Guidelines 

Students that are not in their classrooms by the 7:45 then they will be counted tardy. After 7:45 you are required to park and come in to sign your child in at the front desk. 

Any student that is not signed in before 11:30 a.m. or checks out before 11:30 and does not return to school will be counted absent for that school day 

Unexcused tardiness and unexcused early dismissals that impact instruction will be addressed in the following manner: 

1. After 3 instances, students will have a letter sent home that goes over the policy. 

2. After 6 instances, parent contact will be made by the school social worker and a letter will be sent home. 

3. After 10 instances, parents/guardians are required to have a face to face meeting with the Director/Designee to discuss further action. 

Educational Opportunities 

We understand that families plan vacations and other trips throughout the school year that may be considered educational opportunities. Parents must fill out the educational opportunity form no later than 2 weeks prior to the trip. Failure to meet the deadline will result in unexcused absences. Please turn the form into the front office. The Director will determine if the trip is considered educational and give approval. The classroom teacher will prepare assignments and what will be 

expected of the student during their time out of school. Please understand that work is involved and it is up to each individual teacher on what will be required for their class, while the student is absent. A student can receive up to 5 excused absences or educational opportunities per school year. Educational opportunities request forms will be posted online and kept at the front desk. If you have any questions regarding this policy please contact the Office. 

New Dimensions Charter School Dress Code Policy: 

New Dimensions Charter School recognizes that student dress significantly impacts behavior, academic engagement, and the overall learning environment. Additionally, the school acknowledges the role of parents in guiding their children to make appropriate choices regarding clothing, accessories, and personal appearance.

To foster an atmosphere conducive to learning, all students are expected to dress in a manner that reflects good taste, respect for themselves and others, and adherence to school expectations.

General Guidelines

The following dress code provides guidance for students, parents, teachers, and administrators. While this list outlines specific expectations, it is not exhaustive. The school director reserves the right to determine whether any attire violates the principles of this policy. Decisions will consider the student's developmental level and ability to understand the significance of appropriate dress.

Prohibited Clothing and Accessories

Students may not wear clothing, accessories, or footwear that:

• Are disruptive, provocative, indecent, vulgar, or obscene.

• Promote illegal substances, alcohol, tobacco, or controlled substances.

• Display offensive language, symbols, or imagery related to race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or any other protected category. Lettering must align with the school’s commitment to respect, kindness, and academic excellence. 

• Pose a safety risk to the student or others.

• Students must wear clothing that adequately covers the body, ensuring that private areas remain fully covered at all times.

Specific Dress Code Restrictions

The following attire is not permitted during school hours:  

• Shirts/Tops: Halter tops, tank tops with straps less than 3 fingers and large armholes, bare-midriff tops, backless tops, or see-through clothing. Shirts, tops, and dresses must fully cover the torso, including the chest, back, and midriff.

• Bottoms: Shorts, skirts, and dresses must extend to the fingertips when arms are relaxed at the sides (at least mid-thigh in length). Jeans and pants cannot have any holes, rips or tears Slashed, excessively torn, or cut-up clothing is not allowed. Sagging pants and exposed undergarments are prohibited. Leggings can only be worn under skirts, dresses, short or with a top that comes to mid thigh 

• Undergarments: Must not be worn as outerwear or be visible.

• Footwear: Proper footwear is required at all times; shoes must be safe and appropriate for school activities.

• Accessories: Chains attached to wallets, studded collars or bracelets, and any jewelry or accessories that may be used as a weapon or hinder movement are not allowed.
  Headwear: Dark sunglasses may not be worn indoors unless medically necessary. Hats, hoods, or other head coverings or head gear are not permitted unless for religious or medical reasons. Exceptions for religious or medical headwear or clothing must be documented through written communication from a parent/guardian or medical provider and submitted to the school administration for approval.

• Other Attire: Any clothing or accessories that fall under the category of "disruptive behavior" or pose a foreseeable disruption to the school environment. No items that are costumes, such as but not limited to animal tails, face mask, unitard

Enforcement & Consequences

Students found in violation of the dress code will be required to change into appropriate attire. A guardian will be notified to bring replacement clothing or the student may borrow from the school's uniform and donation closet as available.  Repeated violations may result in disciplinary action, including parental contact, ISS, or other appropriate measures as determined by school administration.

The school administration reserves the right to interpret and enforce this dress code policy to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all students.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT 

I. OVERVIEW 

The New Dimensions Board ("Board") is committed to discipline practices that encourage the development of self-control, personal responsibility and respect for the dignity of all individuals. The Board is committed to maintaining effective discipline in order to establish positive learning environments within which students have the opportunity to receive an appropriate public education. In order for effective discipline to be maintained in each school, the Board acknowledges that cooperative relationships must be established among students, parents and school personnel. Each is expected to work positively toward this goal and to respect the individuality and the rights of all people. Parent(s)/guardian(s), students and school personnel are also expected to deal effectively with behavioral concerns. To carry out this commitment, the Board has established the following 

Discipline Procedures ("Procedures") and Code of Student Conduct ("Code") for all students in grades K-5. 

School personnel shall make efforts to ensure early identification of students at risk for potential disciplinary problems. When it is recognized that a student is behaving in a manner which indicates potential disciplinary problems, school personnel shall make reasonable efforts to initiate preventive measures. Preventive interventions should attempt to identify and address the sources and cause of the potential discipline problems. Possible ] interventions may include but are not limited to: 

● conferences with students 

● conferences with parents/guardians and school personnel 

● change of schedule or teacher 

● change of instructional methods 

● change of educational setting 

● use of daily or weekly progress reports to parents/guardians 

● visit by parents/guardians in the classroom 

● referral to student support team 

● referral to appropriate support personnel (i.e. counselor, school resource officer, school social worker, juvenile services) 

● referral to school-based assessment committee 

● referral to and/or consultation with community agencies 

School personnel shall actively seek effective, positive methods and strategies to help each student learn to behave in a manner that is conducive to effective learning and that respects the rights of others. School administration shall systematically identify potential problem areas with his/her school that may contribute to discipline problems within the school. The Board encourages the administration to continue to work with appropriate community agencies in dealing with discipline problems. 

Cell Phones/Other Smart Devices 

To maintain a focused and respectful learning environment, New Dimensions Charter School has established the following rules regarding student cell phone/smart devices use during instructional time: 

● Cell phones must be turned off or on silent mode and kept out of sight during class time. This includes placing phones in lockers, backpacks, or designated storage areas as instructed by teachers. 

● Use of cell phones/Smart Devices during instructional time is not permitted, unless explicitly authorized by a teacher for instructional purposes. 

● Unauthorized use of a cell phone/smart device during class (texting, calling, taking photos/videos, browsing the internet, using social media, etc.) will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. 

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES 

A. Definitions and Procedures 

1. Parent – Parent is the student's parent(s), guardian(s) or individual(s) standing "in loco parentis" as appointed by a court of law. 

2. Principal/Director – Principal/Director shall include Assistant Principals. 

3. Parent Visitation – A student who breaks the Code of Conduct may be given the opportunity by the Principal/Director to have one of his/her parents attend school with him/her for a day and attend class with him/her. This disciplinary action is decided solely by the Principal/Director and will not be used when serious conduct infractions have occurred. 

4. Restitution – The replacement of, or payment for, property taken, damaged, or destroyed shall be sought. 

5. Search of Student Lockers – Student lockers are school property and remain at all times under control of the school; however, students are expected to assume full responsibility for the security of their lockers. Periodic general inspections of lockers may be conducted by school authorities for any reason at any time without notice, without student consent and without a search warrant. 

6. In-School Suspension ("ISS") – In-school suspension is used as a disciplinary procedure which allows students to remain in the school environment where their conduct and academic progress can be closely supervised by school personnel. In-school suspension also prevents the student from accumulating excessive days of absence. Any student assigned to in-school suspension will not be allowed to participate in school sponsored activities during the time of his/her in-school suspension. 

7. Immediate Removal from School – If the Principal/Director witnesses or is made aware of serious student misconduct and believes that immediate removal of the student is necessary to restore order or to protect persons or school property on the school grounds, he/she may suspend the student immediately. In all cases, minimal due process (notice of the charge and an opportunity for the student to explain his/her version of what happened) must be given to the student as soon as is reasonably possible. 

8. Short-Term Suspension – A short-term suspension is removal from school for a period of ten (10) school days or less. The Principal/Director may invoke a short-term suspension only after investigating the misconduct, confronting the student with the charges and allowing for the student's response. A short-term suspended student shall be provided an opportunity to take any quarterly, semester or grading period examinations missed during the suspension. Once a Principal/Director has decided to invoke a short-term suspension, he/she shall make every effort to talk by telephone with the parent and shall mail or hand deliver a timely notice to the parents and Superintendent stating the charges against the student. 

9. Long-Term Suspension – A long-term suspension is removal from school for more than ten (10) days. If the offense leading to the long-term suspension occurred before the final quarter of the school year, the suspension must be no longer than the remainder of the school year in which the offense was committed. If the offense occurred during the final quarter of the school year, the suspension may include a period up to the remainder of the school year and the first semester of the following year. 

Following an investigation, if the Principal/Director determines that long-term suspension is appropriate, he/she shall invoke a short-term suspension of ten (10) school days and inform the student and parent(s) that he/she is recommending to the director long-term suspension. The student and parents shall be provided a copy of the Due Process Procedures. Once a Principal/Director has decided to invoke a long-term suspension, he/she shall make every effort to talk by telephone with the parent and shall mail or hand deliver a timely notice to the parents and director stating the charges against the student. 

Disciplinary reassignment of a student to a full-time educational program that meets the academic requirements of the standard course of study established by the State Board of Education and that provides the student with the opportunity to make timely progress toward graduation and grade promotion is not a long-term suspension requiring due process procedures. 

10. 365 Day Suspension – A 365 day suspension is the disciplinary exclusion of a student from attending his/her assigned school for 365 days. The director may only impose a 365 day suspension for certain weapons. 

11. Restrictions during short-term/long-term/365 Day Suspension – The student is not to be on the campus of New Dimensions without special permission and cannot participate in or attend any school sponsored activity without written permission from the school Director. 

12. Expulsion – Expulsion is the indefinite exclusion of a student from school enrollment for disciplinary purposes. Upon recommendation of the director, the Board may expel a student who is 14 years of age or older for certain types of misbehavior if the student's continued presence in school constitutes a clear threat to the safety of other students or employees. During the expulsion, the student is not entitled to be present on education property and is not considered a student of the school system. 

13. Appeal for Long-Term and 365 Day Suspensions and Hearing Rights for Expulsion – prior to any long term or 365 day suspension or expulsion, a student is entitled to due process including the opportunity for a hearing before an impartial hearing officer, the right to testify and present evidence (both witnessed and documentary evidence) in his/her defense and the right to be represented by an attorney.