Parent-Student Handbook

Transcription

1 Parent-Student Handbook Appropriate Dress for School Guidelines for student dress are established by Saudi Aramco to comply with the customs and traditions of the citizens of Saudi Arabia. These guidelines require modest dress for adult males and females. Since adulthood in Saudi Arabia is a factor of physical maturity, many of Saudi Aramco Schools students are considered adults. With this in mind, it is extremely important that all students adhere to the dress standard both in fact and spirit. Kindergarten - Grade 9: 1. Shoes or sandals are to be kept on your feet. 2. Wearing hats and/or sunglasses is not allowed in the building. 3. Slogans, logos, patches, or advertising on clothing are not allowed if they are controversial, obscene, contrary to company standards, disruptive, or support the use of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. 4. Inappropriate insignia or medallions are not allowed. Grades 5 9: 5. Shirts and blouses will be appropriately buttoned. 6. Short shorts, short skirts, tight-fitting clothing, muscle shirts, or other brief attire are prohibited. Shoulders must be covered. Shirts must cover the midriff even when bending or stretching. Shorts and skirts must be longer than your fingertips when standing. 7. Low-cut or revealing clothing such as transparent, see-through, strapless, halter or tank tops, and half shirts are prohibited. No underwear should be revealed, even when bending, leaning, or stretching. As a general rule, if there are any questions as to the appropriateness of certain clothing, they should not be worn to school. The school administrator or his/her designee will make the determination about dress code concerns. Attendance Absence due to repat: Parents should advise the office as soon as they know their vacation dates, so we can plan for the student s absence. Absence due to illness, or late to school: Please call the school at to let us know that your child will be absent or late. If your child is not in school, we call to make sure that we (parents and school) both know the student is not in school. Departing school early, or during the day: The student should come to the office to obtain permission to leave the campus. Both on leaving the school and returning, the student is to go to the office to sign out and to sign back in.

2 Departing due to illness: Students who become ill during the school day should obtain permission from their teacher to report to the office. The office will then contact the parent to let them know their child is ill. Generally, parents are advised to come to the school and to take their child home. In emergency situations, we will attempt to contact a parent, and will see that the student is taken to the clinic. Boarding School Visitations Several schools and their representatives are invited to visit the Saudi Aramco Schools each year. Students are given the opportunity to schedule interviews with any of the representatives between 1:00-4:15 on the day of the visit. Boarding school presentations are then held, usually at 4:30 PM at the school for parents and students. Please check with the office staff or the counselor to schedule your interview(s). We hope you will attend the presentations to learn more about these schools. Information regarding boarding school presentations is also printed in the Bulldog Bulletin. Do not hesitate to contact the school counselor with questions or requests for information regarding boarding schools. Extras of last year s Boarding School Directories are available for students and parents to peruse, and all eighth grade students will receive a copy of the newest version in his or her "Secondary Education Awareness I" class during the first trimester. Additional information is available on the web. Extra-Curricular Activities Saudi Aramco Schools believe in developing the total student, and providing opportunities for participation and exploration in a variety of activities. We are excited about the activities that you will be participating in here at Abqaiq School, as well as the programs offered by self-directed groups in the community. Our after school athletic program is on-going throughout the school year with almost no overlap of seasons so that students can be involved in as many activities as they desire. Saudi Aramco Schools offers the following competitive sports: Trimester 1 Volleyball, Golf; Trimester 2 - Cross Country Running, Track & Field; Trimester 3 Basketball. The organizations included in the co-curricular program meet outside the school day on a regular basis throughout the school year. Participation is open to all students at appropriate grade levels. Co-curricular activities at Abqaiq School compliment and enrich the curriculum. In a number of organizations you will be given the opportunity to explore areas in which your talents and abilities may be expanded. Through these activities, you may acquire leadership training, provide service to school and community, and increase your sense of personal worth. Some of the co-curricular activities and clubs offered in the past include chess, chorus, rock band, quilting, computer, guitar, AV, math Olympiads, French, model-building, and dance. To encourage involvement and participation, we offer you an opportunity to earn points for attending and taking part in extra and co-curricular activities. The accumulation of 125 points per year shall earn you an award which is presented at the annual awards ceremony in July. Earning points in the activities is based upon participation and attendance. The criteria for each activity s points are outlined below. Basketball & Volleyball - 25 points: Students must be in attendance 75% of all practices and must attend one jamboree, and all round robin tournaments or Saudi Aramco tournaments. Cross Country - 5 points: Must attend 80% of practices and one Cross Country meet. Track and Field - 20 points: Must attend 75% of all practices, the final event and the social tournament in order to receive points.

3 Tennis, Golf, Bowling - 5 to 15 points: Must attend 80% of all practices, and the social tournament in order to receive points. Knowledge Bowl - 15 points: Must attend 80% of all practices and one of the two events listed: 1) All Kingdom Knowledge Bowl 2) Teacher Student Knowledge Bowl Choir and Band - 5 to 15 points: Must attend 80% of all practices per trimester; attend evening sponsored events and one of the two following events: 1) All Kingdom 2) All Aramco Student Council - 5 to 15 points: Must attend 80% of all meetings each trimester and chair or co-chair at least one student sponsored activity. Officers must attend Intra-Kingdom event. Drama - 10 to 25 points: Must attend 80% of all assigned rehearsals and all dress rehearsals. Points are determined by director based upon level responsibility and time commitment. Clubs - 5 per trimester: Must attend 80% of all scheduled meetings. Community Activities - 25 points: Criteria are consistent with those required for the sports activities offered by the school. Verification of participation must be submitted by the activity sponsor to the school principal for consideration. Community activities include but are not limited to baseball, and swimming. Field Trips Field trips are an essential enrichment component of the education of all students. The intent of these trips is to provide an opportunity for students to travel to areas around the kingdom or to other countries for the purpose of enhancing a particular area of study from the SAS curriculum. Every attempt will be made to coordinate trips so as not to duplicate visits to key areas while students attend Abqaiq School. Student field trip guidelines are clearly established for staff and chaperones. Parents will be required to sign a permission slip for all students who attend a field trip. Field trip attendance is not mandatory but every effort will be made to make these trips relevant, informative and a minimal cost to the family. Grading System/Reports to Parents Report Cards are mailed the second Tuesday following the end of each trimester. Letter grades are used to designate students' progress in grades 4-9. Students in grades K-3 will have marks which tell what level of achievement they have made. The Saudi Aramco Schools grading system is explained below. Academic Progress Reports in every subject are issued to students and parents at the end of each three week period during the trimester. Parents receive them at parent/teacher conferences the first and second trimester and they are mailed and/or ed home at all other times. A ; A 93-96; A : The student meets or exceeds the highest standards. All work is turned in on time, is of excellent quality and shows mastery of the subject matter. The student makes significant contributions to class discussions and exerts a positive influence on his/her classmates. B ; B 83-86; B : The student's work is of superior quality and all required work is well done. His/her work more than meets the standards of the class, and s/he exerts a positive influence on the class. C ; C 73-76; C : The student does his/her work satisfactorily. S/he submits most work on time and it is of average quality. S/he is showing achievement.

4 D ; D 63-66; D : The student is not doing all of the assigned work. His/her efforts are inconsistent and his/her work is below average, but shows some evidence of growth. F below 60: The students work is unsatisfactory, with little growth taking place. The student shows a lack of interest and low motivation. I Incomplete: "I" will be given when the trimester's work is incomplete. (Incomplete work must be completed by the end of the second week of the following trimester.) Honor Roll Honor Rolls are calculated from Report Card marks for grades 6-9. To be eligible for Honors the grade point average (GPA) must be 3.0 to 3.49; for High Honors, 3.5 to 3.99; and for Honors with Distinction, 4.0. In order to be an Honor Roll student, in addition to the GPA requirements there can be no grade below a C. Honor Graduates Honor Graduates are 9 th grade students who have maintained a GPA of 3.75 or higher during their 7 th, 8 th and 9 th grade years. These students receive special recognition during the graduation ceremony. A minimum of three trimesters at Aramco Schools is required and grades from previous school districts are averaged in to determine the GPA. The cut-off date for determining honor graduates is midterm of the third trimester of the 9 th grade year. Lockers Each middle level student is assigned a locker to house text books and other materials when they are not in use. We suggest you plan your locker visits prior to first period in the morning, after second period, after lunch, and at the end of the day. You are responsible for maintaining a clean, orderly locker which may be inspected periodically. Lost and Found Check with the office for lost items as articles of clothing, books and other valuables found on school property are to be turned in to the office. At parent conference times and at other events that occur at the school, lost items will be displayed in the hope that they will be reclaimed. After a reasonable period of time has elapsed, items are given to charitable causes, or discarded. Out Of Kingdom Field Trips One of the benefits of being a Saudi Aramco student in grades 7-9 is the opportunity to go on overseas field trips designed by teachers especially for students. All trips are School Board approved. If you are interested in any of the trips you are encouraged to attend the presentations designed by the sponsors for your information. Presentations are generally held in the library beginning at 4:30 PM. Registration forms will be distributed at each presentation, or upon request from any of the tour sponsors. Spots on these trips will be limited. Parent School Partnership (PSP) Meetings Our PSP (Parent School Partnership) meetings provide an opportunity for parents, teachers and administrators to come together to explore the educational issues which impact the quality of education in

5 our school. All parents are encouraged to attend and to become involved in learning about the school, sharing opinions and beliefs about education, and giving input for decision-making regarding the operation of the school. Playground Rules Please arrive at the playground after 7:20 A.M. in the morning and after 12:20 P.M. in the afternoon, as supervision does not begin until then. 1. Safety first, at all times, on all playground equipment. 2. Show respect for your playmates. 3. Share the playground equipment with your playmates. 4. Refrain from throwing sand or other objects. 5. Keep your hands and feet to yourself at all times. 6. Stay within the designated playground area. 7. Help to keep the playground neat and tidy. P.E. Class Information It's simple for middle school: wear your PE uniform (school T-shirt and approved shorts); include appropriate gym shoes/socks and a swim suit for swim activities. For elementary school, your clothes need to be comfortable, appropriate, and include gym shoes, shorts, socks, a suitable tee-shirt or blouse, and a swim suit for swim activities. School Photographer A photographer is at Abqaiq School in September during and after school hours. A notice is mailed to the post office boxes of all school families regarding the exact date school photos will be taken. Family photos and pictures of pre-school children will also be scheduled, generally at lunch time and after 3:00 PM. Student pictures will be taken during the school day. Individual packages, class photos, and family packages are all available for purchase. Student Council The purpose of the student council is to provide a means of expressing student opinion, to clarify the rights and responsibilities of students and to provide and promote activities for the general welfare of the school. The student officer positions are: President; Vice-President; Treasurer; Secretary; NJHS President. Throughout the year, the middle school student council will sponsor activities for the 6th through 9th grade students. As these are official school functions, ALL school standards of behavior and dress code rules apply. Textbooks/Library Books In the event of a lost textbook or library book, the following charges are assessed: Library Book (Hard Cover): 100 SR; Library Book (Paperback): 75 SR Text Book (Hard Cover): 200 SR; Text Book (Paperback): 150 SR Paperbacks: 25 SR; Magazines: 50 SR Library Reference Books: 200 SR; Organizer Notebooks: 30 SR

6 Damaged Books: 1/5 of lost book fee Audio Visual Software: Twice replacement costs Books have a life expectancy of five years. Undue abuse and damage will be assessed at 1/5 the lost book rate per year. Lost textbooks will be replaced by the respective teacher. If, after a replacement book has been supplied, a lost book is later found, any money paid for losing a book will be refunded. Transportation to School (1) Bus riders: riding the bus is a privilege and not a right; please be safety conscious. -Be on time. -Stay in assigned seat. -Check for belongings. -Obey the bus driver. -Be careful exiting the bus. (2) Walkers: remember, there are no crossing guards within the Abqaiq community. -Be alert. -Cross at intersections or cross walks. -Don t run or dash into the street. (3) Bike riders: follow bicycle safety rules. -Park in the bike racks. -Walk bike on school grounds. (4) Skateboard Riders: follow skateboard safety rules. -Store boards in designated areas.