Student Parent Handbook 2019-2020 as of 8.13.19

Absence, Lateness or Tardiness
Classroom attendance is important. We expect students to be here, and the state
of New Mexico requires students to be here. Teachers will take attendance each
period, and the Dean of Students will handle unexcused absences. Parents will
be informed by the School of any unauthorized class absences. The School is
required to report cases of truancy and habitual absences.
ABSENCES:
If a student will be absent, parents must email the school at spsattendance@
sandiaprep.org or call the front office at 338-3000 before 9:30 a.m. If the school
does not hear from parents, we will contact them either by email or phone call.
Students are responsible for contacting their teachers and collecting work that is
due. An absence due to illness, family emergency, funeral, medical appointments
,or religious holiday will be excused. Family vacations are not considered
excused absences.
TARDINESS:
Students should be on time for school. Lateness to class is very disruptive. In the
event the student has to be tardy, the parent must notify the front office by email
or call to advise us of the students arrival time. Upon arrival, the student should
be signed in with the Welcome Center/Security booth and should check in with
the front office to receive a pass to class. If students' arrive between 8:00 - 8:20
a.m, they are instructed to go straight to their first-period class. An unexcused
tardy of 20 minutes or more is considered an unexcused absence. The Dean
of Students will confer with a student and their parents if there are excessive
tardies, which could result in disciplinary action.
Although all students are urged to be on campus by 8:00 a.m., as study periods
provide an excellent opportunity for meetings with teachers and collaborative
work with other students, Upper School students who have a study period first
block may arrive in time for their second block class. They must sign in at the at
the Welcome Center/Security booth when they arrive.
LEAVING CAMPUS EARLY:
Students are expected to be on campus for the entirety of the school day,
including study and activity periods. The exception is for illness, family
emergency, medical appointments, school business, or Senior Privileges.
Students that are non-drivers will need to meet their parent or authorized person
on their pick up list in the front office to be signed out for appointments. Students
can excuse themselves from class to meet their party in the office. We do not
have the ability to contact classrooms to dismiss students, therefore we ask
parents to give their students' advance notice of appointments. Upon return,
students can be signed back in at the Welcome Center/Security booth and
come to the front office for a pass to class.
Students that are drivers will need a parent or authorized person to call or email
us using the attendance email address to advise us of an excused dismissal.
A permission to leave campus form will need to be signed by the Dean of
Students and given to Security before leaving campus
Upper School students are not required to be on campus until their first
scheduled class period (or until Assembly, should they have a study period
during the first two sessions), although all students are urged to be on campus
by 8:00 a.m., as study periods provide an excellent opportunity for meetings
with teachers and collaborative work with other students. It is critically important
that the School knows who is on campus at any point in time, and we ask that
students with a study period at the start of the day check-in with the School’s
security staff upon arrival on campus. Students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. and
are tardy for class are required to check-in at the front desk in the main office
and request a “pass” to bring to their teacher.
Sandia Prep values the participation and involvement of all students at school
each day. Helping students balance their academics and student life activities
at SPS is important to the School and the integrity of our program. As stated
in our Mission Statement, Sandia Prep provides the chance for intellectual
and personal growth within a challenging and balanced program. To do
this, students need to participate by attending school daily. When absences
are excessive, at the school's discretion, a student may not participate in
extracurricular activities, including sports, Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP),
theater, and clubs.
A student may not receive credit for any class if more than 13 class sessions
per semester are missed for any reason. These reasons may include, but are not
limited to, absences due to illness, school trips (such as field trips or OLP trips),
sports, college visits, and family vacations (already considered an unexcused
absence). If a student misses more than 13 classes during a semester, she or
he will be withdrawn from the class. If withdrawn, a notation will appear on
the student's transcript that says: NC. This notation has an explanation on the
transcript as:
NC = No Credit / Excessive Absences.
In the case of extended absences due to physical or emotional illness, the
School may grant a medical leave of absence. See Medical Leave of Absence
on page 30.
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