OUR LADY OF THE BLESSED

SACRAMENT ACADEMY

 

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Catholic education is an expression of the mission entrusted by Jesus to the Church he founded. Through education, the Church seeks to prepare its members to proclaim the Good News and to translate this proclamation into action (To Teach as Jesus Did, November 1972). The policies and procedures contained in this handbook are a result of a concerted effort to provide guidelines and assistance to the students and parents of this school. This information has been carefully prepared to assist you in knowing and understanding the policies of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy and to solicit your continued support and cooperation.  Education is a partnership made up of student responsibility, parent responsibility, and only a part of that responsibility is delegated to the school. A student’s success in this school is directly related to his/her continued and consistent efforts. Note: The principal reserves the right to amend the Student Handbook at any time during the course of the school year with the approval of the Pastor and School Council.

 

  Drugs and Alcohol

Students, who possess drugs and alcohol at school or at any school function, face suspension and/or expulsion.

 

Emergency Drills

Fire Drills

As required by State Law, fire drills are conducted at the school on both a scheduled and unscheduled basis.  During these drills, the school is completely evacuated in an orderly and timely manner.  Students walk silently in a single line and exit according to the directions that are posted in the classroom. All windows, classroom doors, outside doors, and any fire doors that are open must be closed. Once outside, students join their homeroom teacher who checks the roll. Everyone stays in the designated area in silence until signaled to return to the building. Students adhere to the following regulations during fire drills: Rise in silence when the alarm sounds and assigned person closes windows and doors;  Walk to the assigned place briskly in single file at all times, and in silence; Return to building when signal is given.

 

Tornado/Disaster Drill

Students walk silently in an orderly single line. Exit following directions posted in the classroom. Students join their teacher who checks the roll. Take a position of kneeling with hands covering head until signal is given for return to classroom quietly.  Tornado Drills are also held periodically.  The procedures are:  Rise in silence when the alarm sounds; Walk briskly to the assigned place in single file; Kneel facing the wall, and put hands over head; Return to classroom when signal is given.

 

Field Trips

Field trips are a privilege, not a right, and students must be reminded of this.  Failure to follow school rules or the display of any inappropriate behavior will result in the loss of this privilege.  Students should, therefore be on their best behavior on all field trips. The purpose of a field trip is to enrich, foster knowledge of the community, and develop and refine student behavior appropriate to a variety of social situations.  By the time students leave OLBSA, they should have visited many of the major cultural resources of the Shreveport-Bossier area. Teachers will invite parents to accompany the class on the trip.  However, siblings of children are not allowed to accompany a class on a field trip even if the parent is a chaperone. To be allowed to go on a field trip, students must turn in a signed permission form.  These forms will be provided by the office to the teacher planning the trip.  They should be requested at least two weeks prior to the field trip.  Signed slips should be returned to the teacher at least one week prior to the trip. Teachers must file these permission slips until the end of the year.

 

NOTE:  No student is permitted to call home for permission to go on a field trip.  A FAX of the original permission slip is acceptable.  The office will assign a faculty member to supervise students not attending a field trip. Students who misbehave may lose all field trip privileges for the year or a parent may be required to attend all remaining trips with the student.

 

Finances

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy fully expects all of its parents to meet their financial obligations in a timely manner. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

Registration and Fees - due in January of each school year

Tuition - All tuition payments are made through the SMART Tuition Management Service ONLY.  Tuition payments are not made through the school office at any time. The first month’s tuition must be paid by August 10^th of each school year before students arrive for the first day.  Students who have delinquent tuition will not be allowed to start school until the tuition for the first month is brought current. All other monthly tuition payments must be made on time each month.  Students with delinquent tuition will not be allowed to attend school or take exams until the tuition is brought current. The May Tuition Payment must be paid by the 10th of the month.  Students with delinquent tuition in May, will not be allowed to participate in any end-of-the-year ceremonies, which include but not limited to, Field Day, Kindergarten Graduation, Awards’ Day, etc.

Fundraising - each family is expected to support all fundraisers

Breakfast and Lunch Money – may be paid weekly or monthly and must be paid on time

 

Please Note: There is a $30 fee for all NSF checks. After two NSF checks, the school will no longer accept checks.  The school will only accept money orders or cash. After a reasonable time frame, which is designated by the principal, in which to resolve the issue of the NSF check, children will not be allowed to attend school until the matter is resolved.

 

Forbidden Items in School

Items such as, but not limited to, questionable books and pictures, white-out, knives, guns, matches, cigarettes, radios, toys, trading cards, pagers, cell phones, laser lights or anything that will detract from the learning environment are not allowed at school at any time.  Key chains and toys may not be attached to student backpacks. The principal reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of an action if any doubt arises. The school administration, in accordance with state laws, will determine the appropriate disciplinary measures to be taken concerning the presence of these items in the school.  Items that are taken away from students will be returned only to the parents/guardian. Should the item be brought to school again, it will be discarded.

 

The following are also forbidden in school

No Emblems and letters cut into the hair.

No Spiked hair, dread locks, ducktails, bright colored hair and hair below the collar.

No sagging pants, shirt tails and blouses outside pants and skirts.

No baggy jackets 

No earrings may be worn by boys.

No radios, head phones, boom boxes, tape recorders, CD players, beepers or video games.

No prescribed sunglasses and any gang paraphernalia.

No pornographic material (books, pictures, etc.)

No baseball caps, and no caps or hats or any kind to be worn in the classroom.

No colored nail polish and no artificial nails

 

Note: Students will be sent to the office for disciplinary matters only after the teacher has exhausted all possible means of dealing with the situation. 

 

Lockers

Students will be assigned a locker in which to store their belongings. The school reserves the right to inspect lockers at any time.

 

Lost and Found

Any items found in the school building or on the school grounds should be given to the secretary or placed in the Lost and Found.  All personal articles should be clearly marked with the child’s name.

 

Medication/Illness

All medication (prescription, aspirin, cough drops, throat spray, etc.) must be kept in the school’s office and must be accompanied by a set of instructions.  A medical consent form must be filled out by the parents or guardian and will be placed on file in the school’s office.  The staff is NOT ALLOWED TO PROVIDE MEDICATION ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.  Medication should be taken to the school secretary before school. If a child has to take any medication in school which is prescribed by a doctor, that medication must be sent to school in the container received from the pharmacy which have on its label the following: a) child’s name, name of child’s doctor, frequency and dose, and date.

Note: Parents will be called to pick up children who are sick. This includes children who have colds or any other childhood illness that may pose a health problem. We strongly encourage all parents to keep children home until they are well.

 

Office Records: [MUST BE KEPT CURRENT]

Parents/Guardians are requested to notify the school office in writing of any change of home telephone numbers and/or addresses, business telephone numbers, and telephone numbers of emergency contacts so that office records may be accurate complete, and up to date at all times.

 

Parties

Scheduling of parties must be approved by the principal. Once approved, parties may only take place at the end of the day, under the breezeway near the cafeteria. Remember: Eating is not permitted in the classrooms at any time. Room parents may be contacted to assist with the parties.  Birthday treats may be brought to school for the class.  We request that birthday treats be in individual sandwich bags.

 

Safety Issues and Concerns

Emergency Preparedness Plan

OLBSA takes every precaution to ensure the safety of all students and staff. Safety drills are held periodically and an Emergency Preparedness Plan has been established and a copy given to the nearest Fire Department and Law Officials.   The basic procedures according to a given Code are:

* Lock classroom door

* Stay in the room and sit on the floor away from the door.

* All doors, including the garage-type entrance doors will be locked and will remain locked until an

   all-clear announcement

   is made by the proper authorities

* The Emergency Preparedness Plan can be examined by any parent/guardian. A copy of the plan is  

   kept in the office.

 

NOTE: In the event of a lock-down, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will be allowed in or out of the building until an all-clear announcement is given by the proper authorities.

 

Harassment

 Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy provides a safe environment for all individuals.   Verbal or written threats made against the physical or emotional well-being of an individual will be taken seriously.  Students making such threats (seriously or in jest) face detention, suspension and/or expulsion. Harassment of any type, from anybody, will not be tolerated.  The Principal will investigate all complaints of harassment.  Students involved in harassing behavior face detention, suspension, and/or expulsion. Please see: Discipline Policy and Procedures - Code of Conduct for Parents.

 

Intruder in the Building

A Coded announcement will be given. All classroom doors will be closed and locked. All students and teachers will remain in the classroom until otherwise notified. Students will not be allowed to leave the room or the building until an all-clear announcement has been issued.

 

School Pictures

School pictures are taken two (2) times during the school year.  All dates will appear on the annual school calendar.

 

School Property

The parent of a child who carelessly destroys or damages any furniture, equipment, buildings, or anyone’s personal property will be obligated to pay the full amount of repairs and labor or replacement.  The student will pay a fine or replacement for damaged or lost texts.

 

Sick Room

The school’s sick room serves as a temporary resting place for sick children and to administer first aid for minor injuries.  Parents will be called to pick up children if the child is unable to return to class.

 

Snow or Ice Days

Announcements regarding school cancellations will be made on televisions stations KSLA, KTBS and KTAL.  Please listen carefully for Catholic School closings.

 

Telephone

Permission to use the phone must be obtained from the secretary or other authorized personnel.  Students must submit a note from their teacher.  The office phone is a business phone and students will be permitted to use it only in case of an emergency.  Forgotten homework, forgotten athletic equipment, etc. do not constitute an emergency.  Arrangements for after school visits with friends should be made at home.

 

Textbooks

Textbooks are selected after a thorough evaluation of available publishers. It is based on the scope and sequence developed by the school for the students. The schedule for reviewing and adopting textbooks follows the Adoption schedule for the State of Louisiana. Religion textbooks come from a list of approved textbooks. Textbooks are on loan to the students from the school. They are checked at the beginning of each school year and issued to students. Students are expected to give proper care to them. Each student is to write his or her name and the book level on the inside front cover. Textbooks are to be covered at all times. Students who do not have their books covered will be given a warning. The student will have two days to cover the book or the student will receive a Saturday detention. Some of the books are property of the State of Louisiana. Textbooks are not to be marked nor written in with ink or pencils. Textbooks may not be marred in any other way (e.g. torn pages). It is the student’s responsibility to prevent their books from being lost or damaged. Either will result in the parents of the student paying for the replacement of the book. Books are to be carried in a waterproof book bag. Only consumable workbooks are to be covered with clear contact paper. Do not cover hardcover textbooks in clear contact paper.

 

 

 

Valuables, Money in Classroom

Students are not allowed to bring any valuables to school. Money in the classroom must be kept secure and we advise students not to bring any money at all if possible. Parents may leave money for additional snacks, items etc for the cafeteria with the Cafeteria Manager.