Rights

Olympia School District’s policy 3200 addresses guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors in compliance with statues and State Board of Education policy. They are designed to protect the rights of all members of the school community in the exercise of their responsibilities. Effective implementation of these guidelines requires the exercise of good faith on the part of students, parents, and school personnel. Copies of Policy 3200 may be obtained from the main office.

At the beginning of each new school year, the Olympia School District provides every student and staff member with its policies related to student rights and responsibilities. These policies are contained in a district publication, "Olympia School District Student Rights and Responsibilities". This publication or handbook is distributed to all students and is used as guidance for staff when orienting students at the beginning of the school year. It is the expectation of the district that each student will share the publication with parents and the parent and student will acknowledge receipt of the handbook by reading and signing the parent acknowledgement form enclosed in the handbook and by returning that signed form to the school during the first ten days of the school year.

 

CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Attendance Policy
A parent/guardian should call the attendance secretary before 9:00 a.m. on the day of any absence. Absences must be cleared within 24 hours of a student’s absence. Notes will not be accepted for excusing a student’s absence. A parent/guardian may call the attendance secretary’s voice mail at any time within the 24 hours and leave a clear, distinct message excusing the student’s absence. Please include the following information when leaving a message: Student name, student number, parent name, reason for absence, and phone number where the parent/guardian can be reached.

Acceptable Excused Absences
Religious reasons, family emergency, illness, approved extended absences

Upon the student’s return to school, the student must report to the Attendance Office to check the list of excused absences. If the student is NOT excused then it is his/her responsibility to get the absence cleared within 24 hours. Any absence not cleared within 24 hours via the Attendance Office will be considered UNEXCUSED.

Other Absences
If a student needs to leave for an appointment during the school day, please call before 9:00am. The student will be given a pass to leave class at the appropriate time. The student must then sign out BEFORE leaving campus and sign in upon return with the Attendance Office. Students who leave school without permission are considered unexcused.

If the absence from school will be an extended one, such as three or more days, please contact the Attendance secretary and ask for an extended absence form. The parent, a principal, and all of the teachers should sign the form. After the form is signed, it is to be taken to the Attendance secretary. Teachers and Administrators are not obligated to excuse an extended absence.

Tardiness
When a student is tardy it interferes with his/her education. Teachers will utilize classroom management tools to deal with tardiness. If this becomes excessive, an administrator will respond with appropriate discipline. Students may be assigned to campus service, in-school suspension, Saturday school and/or short-term suspension. Three (3) tardies within a class period equals one (1) unexcused absence.

Parent Notification:
In an effort to keep parents informed, a computer generated call will be made to the parent of every student who misses one or more periods of any school day. This phone call will be made the same day of the absence.

Attendance Procedures:

Step 1 Warning - 1st truancy from a class – Teacher conference with student. Parent notified.
Step 2 - 2nd truancy from a class – Student will be assigned to campus service. Parent notified.
Step 3 - 3rd truancy from a class -- Student will be assigned to Saturday School. Parent notified.
Step 4 - 4th truancy from a class – Administrator Action -Student will be assigned to TWO Saturday Schools. Parent notified.
Step 5 - 5th truancy from a class – Administrator Action. – Conference with student and parent. Student will be placed in ISS/OSS for 1-3 days. BECCA letter sent home.

State Compulsory Attendance Law “BECCA Bill”
The 1992 legislature revised the Compulsory Attendance Law. All students aged 8 – 18 are expected to attend classes on a regular basis. Daily attendance is one of the most important keys to a student’s educational success.
School officials must enforce the State Compulsory Attendance Law Chapter 28A.225RCW. Parents’ duties are to send their children to school daily, or excuse their absence for illness, or other legitimate reasons such as; injury, quarantine, or death in the family, family emergencies, and professional appointments.
When a student fails to attend school as required by law, the school must:
Inform the parent in writing and/or by phone.
Attempt to schedule either an in-person on phone call conference with the parent and student.
Take steps to reduce or eliminate the student’s absences.
File a petition with the juvenile court alleging a violation of the State Compulsory Attendance Law by the student. This may occur upon the fifth unexcused absence within any month, and must occur upon the seventh unexcused absence within any month or the tenth unexcused absence in the school year. (Parents could be subject to legal action if found to be aiding in the student’s absenteeism.)

Campus Service
Students are assigned to campus service for attendance and/or discipline consequences. Students will pick up litter around the campus. Campus Service is assigned Monday-Friday from 2:45-3:30.

Saturday School
Students are assigned to Saturday School for attendance/discipline consequences. Students complete three
hours of campus clean up during their assignment. An unexcused absence from Saturday School will result in
a one-day suspension from school.

In School Suspension (ISS): This is administered by the assistant principal. The student is permitted to come to school but is kept in a room apart from other students. Parents are contacted by the assistant principal. Students will receive credit for school work completed during the suspension.

Out of school Suspension (OSS): This is administered by the assistant principal or principal. The OSS will include, for discipline reasons, a denial of admission to, or entry upon, real and personal property that is owned or controlled by the district.

 

CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL DISCIPLINE RULES & POLICIES

A student shall comply with all District policies and school rules and with the reasonable directions of all authorized school personnel during any period of time when he/she is under the authority of school personnel, on or in reasonable proximity to any school district property to include before, during, and after school; or on any form of approved school district transportation; or at any school or school district-sponsored activity on or off school district property.

Any student who willfully performs any act which is reasonably certain to materially interfere with or be detrimental to the orderly operation of a school, a school-sponsored activity or any other aspect of the educational process within the District shall be subject to discipline, suspension or expulsion. Such acts shall include, but not be limited to, those enumerated herein. Exceptional Misconduct is listed as follows:

Disruption of School/Disruption of the Educational Process
Damage or Destruction of School Property/Vandalism
Damage or Destruction of Private Property/Vandalism
Occupation of School Property
Assault or Causing Physical Injury
Weapons and Dangerous Instruments
Explosive Devices
Alcohol and Other Drug
Truancy and Unauthorized Absence from Class
Harassment, All Forms
Sexual Harassment
Profanity/Inappropriate Language
Threats
Criminal Acts
False Alarms
Fire/Arson
Trespass
Gangs
Insubordination
Lewd Conduct
Reckless and Dangerous Driving
Tobacco Products
Leaving School Grounds
Cheating/Plagiarism
Dress and Appearance
Forgery
Personal Protection Spray Devices
Skates/In-line Skates, Skateboards and Scooters.
Mischievous Conduct/Pranks


(See OSD Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook pages 2-7 for definitions of the above)

Please refer to the Olympia School District Students Rights and Responsibilities Policy 3200 for further clarification of discipline policies and procedures.

Bus Rules
The same standards of conduct that apply in the classroom apply on the school bus.

Cafeteria Rules of Conduct
Students are to use the cafeteria in the following manner:

Take your correct place and turn in the lunch line.
Adhere to common rules of courtesy.
Leave the table where you ate clean and orderly. Put milk cartons, napkins, etc. in the waste container provided for that purpose.

Closed Campus
Capital High School has a closed campus policy. All students are required to remain on school grounds from the time of arrival until officially excused. If students leave campus they are subject to discipline, suspension, or expulsion. Anyone leaving campus during the school day (including lunch and break) must have authorization from the attendance office prior to leaving. On “Schedule D” days, students are not required to be on campus until 9:55 AM.. However, once students are on campus they MUST REMAIN on campus.

Dress Code
The administration and staff at Capital High School are committed to providing a quality learning environment for all students and teachers. To help us maintain this goal, the following dress expectations will be enforced.

Student dress should be appropriate for school. Specifically:
Shorts and skirts must be mid-thigh length or longer.
Shirts must cover the stomach, back, shoulders, and chest. Tube tops halter-tops, spaghetti strap tank tops with only one shoulder strap are not appropriate for school.
Cleavage must not be showing.
“See-through” material is not appropriate for school.
Undergarments or clothing worn as undergarments must not be showing. This includes pants worn so low that garments worn under the pants are showing.
Shoes or sandals must be worn at all times.

Students may not wear clothing or accessories that:
Advocates or conveys alcohol or drug usage messages
Promotes violence or illegal activity
Demeans or degrades individuals or groups of people
Exhibits sexual innuendos, blatant sexual messages, vulgarity, profanity or other inappropriate language
Interferes with the operation of the school or classroom
Is determined by local law enforcement to be affiliated with gangs

Students referred to the office for dress issues will be asked to change into appropriate clothing or cover the offensive clothing or message. A second or repeated offense of this policy may result in disciplinary action in accordance with school policy and procedures.

Loitering
Students are prohibited from loitering on any school district property (including parking lots, before school, during lunch or after school) without the permission of a school authority.

Capital High School has a progressive discipline policy.

Warning First Infraction: Teacher conference with student
Step 1: Second Infraction: Teacher conference with student, teacher phones parent. Teacher may send student to in-house suspension for the remainder of the period.
Step 2: Third Infraction: Teacher refers student to administration. An administrator will conference with student and take action. Action may include: in-school suspension, campus service, Saturday school, and/or parent conference. Parent notified by Administrator.
Step 3: Fourth Infraction: Student is sent to administrator. Student may be given a short-term suspension (in-school or out-of-school) Parent notified by Administrator.
Step 4: Fifth Infraction: Further administrator action. This action may include: 5-10 day suspension, removal from class, or long-term suspension. Parent notified by Administrator.
Teachers or Administrators may skip one or more steps if the infraction is serious.

Assigned Disciplinary Action/Campus Service
Students who are assigned to in-school suspension are to complete a letter of learning and are expected to follow suspension room rules. Students who are unable to abide by in-school suspension room rules will be short-term suspended out of school.

Repeat Violations and Progressive Discipline
The repeated violation of school policies, rules, and/or regulations increases the seriousness of the violation; therefore, a disciplinary action on repeated offenses will be more severe.

Electronic Devices; Pagers, Cell Phones, Tape and disc players, Laser pointers, etc.:
Students are allowed to bring these electronic devices to school. However, cell phones must be shut off during the class period. Cell phones and other electronic devices are to be stored in back packs, purses, pockets, etc. during the instructional period. Teachers may confiscate the above named items if students do not adhere to this policy. No student will be released from class to answer a page or cell phone. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen cell phones/pagers or other electronic devices. STUDENTS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO KEEP EXPENSIVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS AT HOME.

Smoking and Chewing Tobacco
R.C.W. 28A.210.310. It is against state law for any student under the age of 18 to smoke or be in possession of tobacco products. If apprehended by police, they will receive a ticket for a minimum of $95.00. If the infraction occurs on school grounds there will be consequences according to the following: Step 1 – Saturday School/parent notification. Step 2 – Short-term suspension/parent notification. Step 3 – Long-term suspension/parent notification/smoking cessation program recommended.

Internet Code of Conduct
Use of the Internet by students and staff of Olympia School District shall be in support of education and research that is consistent with the District’s Strategic Plan. Internet use is limited to those people who have been issued district-approved accounts. Use will be in accordance with the District’s Acceptable Use Procedures and the Internet Code of Conduct as outlined in the Student’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

The District reserves the right to remove a user’s account if it is determined that the student is engaged in unauthorized activity or is violating the code of conduct.