Student Handbook - The Taft School

SENIOR SPRING TERM
During the Spring Term, certain special regulations for seniors will go into effect. The school reserves the
right to withhold these privileges for a student whose conduct has been irresponsible during the senior
year. The school also reserves the right to ask a senior to spend the Spring Term away from Taft.
RULES & CONDUCT
1. Seniors are excused from dinner, Morning Meetings and Assemblies.
2. Seniors may be downtown between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily, but must be back on
corridor by 10:15. As is the case during the school year, students going downtown after 5:45
p.m. must be accompanied by another student. Seniors returning to school from weekends
must be back by 7:30 p.m. If they wish to go downtown after a weekend they may do so, but
they must sign in first at 7:30 in the School Duty Office.
3. During Spring Term, seniors in good standing are allowed two Friday weekends. Weekend cards
must be filled out by the Wednesday before departure. These cards should be taken to one of
the Senior Class deans for approval. Deans reserve the right to deny weekend permission to
seniors who are not in good standing or who will be missing a crucial academic obligation.
A Friday weekend begins after a senior’s final commitment (academic or non-academic) on
Friday. Seniors taking Friday weekends are responsible for their work. It is never appropriate for
seniors to take a Friday weekend before a Monday Advanced Placement Exam. Furthermore,
seniors who play on interscholastic teams may not leave on Friday and return for a Saturday
game. Seniors who have taken more than three college days will lose the privilege of taking a
Friday weekend in the Spring Term.
SMOKELESS TOBACCO
For well-documented reasons of student health and because of the sanitation hazard it poses, use of
smokeless tobacco is not permitted anywhere on the Taft campus or in the vicinity of Watertown.
The penalty for violation of this rule will be 9 grades for a first offense. In addition, as a health
response, students found using smokeless tobacco will be required to see the school’s physician
assistant for an oral examination and to see a school counselor. Further offenses will be referred to
the office of the dean of students and the response may be more severe. All students found present
when the Smokeless Tobacco Rule is being broken are considered to be in violation of the rule. If
there is uncertainty regarding a student’s knowledge of the rule breaking, a committee composed
of the headmaster, the dean of students, the class dean and the faculty advisor will determine if the
student should be held in violation of the rule.
SMOKING
Students are not permitted to smoke at Taft or in the vicinity of Watertown. Students found smoking outside
the school buildings will be penalized 9 conduct grades for a first offense. In addition, as a health response,
students found smoking will be required to see the school’s physician assistant for an oral examination and
to see a school counselor. All students found present when the Smoking Rule is being broken are considered
to be in violation of the rule. If there is uncertainty regarding a student’s knowledge of the rule breaking,
a committee composed of the headmaster, the dean of students, the class dean and the faculty advisor will
determine if the student should be held in violation of the rule.
Smoking within any of the school buildings will be referred to the dean of students as a violation
of the school’s Fundamental Rule with regard to creating a fire hazard.
28 The Taft School