BASIS Charter Schools ParentStudent Handbook 2023-24

PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK

2023–2024

HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK

The BASIS Charter Schools Parent/Student Handbook contains important information for BASIS Charter School

Parents. If you are reading online, we suggest that you download the handbook to your desktop for optimal

viewing.

Printed copies of this handbook are available for review at your BASIS Charter School.

Navigating the handbook: To return to the Table of Contents, click the content icon in the top right

corner of each page. To see a speciﬁc section, click the section title in the Table of Contents. Where

applicable, links to additional resources to help you further understand the content are provided on

the right side of the page.

Green Text: When you see the term SCHOOL INFORMATION printed in green, refer to the links in the column on

the right for state or School speciﬁc information.

Underlined black text: When the text references another section within the handbook, the text will be

underlined. For quick navigation, the underlined text is linked to the page referenced.

Underlined purple text: When you see the term Link printed in purple, an external website will open in a new

window with further information. These Links are not speciﬁc to a state or School. If you are reading online and

wish to return to the handbook, close the window.

Refer: Throughout the handbook, the term refer appears in bold when additional information on the topic is

available on an external website.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK ............................................... II

WELCOME TO BASIS CHARTER SCHOOLS

............................. 1

Mission

Philosophy

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ......................................................... 2

HANDBOOK PURPOSE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

.............. 3

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SERVICE

............................. 4

ON-SITE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

....................... 5

ACCREDITATION AND SCHOOL MANAGEMENT................... 5

How to Contact Us

CURRICULUM AND COURSE ENROLLMENT ........................... 7

Required Courses

Elective Courses

Optional Courses

Changes in Elective or Optional Course Enrollment

Withdrawal from Elective or Optional Course (Grades 8–12 Only)

Late Enrollment in Elective or Optional Course (Grades 8–12 Only)

Drop/Withdrawal Process

Retaking a class

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION ....................................................... 10

Grades

Groups and Sections

Instructional Day

SCHOOL Year

GRADE PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS AND

GRADE REPORTS

...................................................................... 12

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND

DIPLOMA OPTIONS .................................................................. 12

EXAM REQUIREMENTS AND FEES

............................................ 13

OECD Test for SCHOOLS (Based on PISA)

ADDITIONAL GRADE PROMOTION CRITERIA ........................ 14

ACADEMIC RECOGNITION

..................................................... 15

STUDENT SERVICES AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

................ 16

Academic Support Program

Enrichment Activities

Exceptional Student Services

RULES ......................................................................................... 17

Code of Conduct

General Rules

Classroom Rules

Technology Rules

Playground Rules (where applicable)

Dress Code

Student Property on Campus

Physical/Verbal Aggression and Abuse

Harassment and Bullying

Disciplinary Consequences

Other Disciplinary Procedures

Academic Integrity

Student Disciplinary Records

Disciplinary Disclosure

ATTENDANCE ............................................................................ 30

Absences

Tardiness

Late Arrival, Leaving for Part of the Day, and Early Dismissal

Homework

Late or Incomplete Homework

Independent Work Material

Homework and Absences

Make-Up Work Due to Excused Absences

Classes Missed Due to Tardiness or Unexcused Absences

HEALTH AND SAFETY ................................................................ 35

Medications

Contact Made in the Case of Health Issues

Signs of Ill Health: Mandatory Action

Reporting Illness During the School Day

Medical Emergencies

Emergency Preparedness

SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ....................................... 38

School Supplies

Instructional Material

Optional Supplies and Supplemental Material

CUBBIES AND LOCKERS ........................................................... 39

COMMUNICATION

.................................................................. 40

The Communication Journal (CJ)

Electronic Communication

Visitors to the School

STUDENT RECORDS .................................................................. 42

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notiﬁcation

Public Notice Regarding Directory Information

Name Registration Procedure

Changes in Personal and Health Records

COMMUNITY ............................................................................ 45

BASIS Boosters

Donations

Gift Policies

A Commitment to Families who Contribute to the Annual Teacher Fund

MISCELLANEOUS ...................................................................... 46

Lunch, Snacks, and Food in the Classroom

Picking Up and Dropping Off Students

Care of Property

Standard Due Process

Parent Financial Obligations

Non-Accidental Injury/Physical Neglect of a Minor

Notice of Non-Discrimination

Equal Educational Opportunity and Prohibition Against Retaliation

GLOSSARY ................................................................................ 49

About the Cover

WELCOME TO BASIS CHARTER SCHOOLS

We are thrilled that you have chosen a BASIS Charter School as the appropriate educational environment for

your student for the 2023–2024 school year. The ﬁrst BASIS Charter School was founded in 1998 by Olga and

Michael Block in Tucson, Arizona. It has grown from a single, small, family-run charter school with 56 students to

a major player in the advancement of American education in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

BASIS Charter Schools in Arizona include BASIS Ahwatukee, BASIS Chandler, BASIS Chandler Primary North,

BASIS Chandler Primary South, BASIS Flagstaff, BASIS Goodyear, BASIS Goodyear Primary, BASIS Mesa, BASIS Oro

Valley, BASIS Oro Valley Primary, BASIS Peoria, BASIS Peoria Primary, BASIS Phoenix, BASIS Phoenix Central, BASIS

Phoenix Primary, BASIS Phoenix South, BASIS Prescott, BASIS Scottsdale, BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, BASIS

Scottsdale Primary West, BASIS Tucson North, and BASIS Tucson Primary.

Even as we grow, we retain the commitment to excellence and the feeling of family that helped create the

strong foundation for our mission and philosophy.

MISSION

The mission of BASIS Charter Schools is to empower students to achieve at globally competitive levels with a

transformative K–12 academic program.

PHILOSOPHY

Our Schools hold students to the highest possible academic standards, asks them to take responsibility for

their own work, and do so with the guidance of teachers who are both highly qualiﬁed and highly motivated

to help students in every way possible. We understand that the time a student has to prepare for college is

exceedingly short; it is our goal to make the most of that time by providing the best, most focused college-

preparatory education possible.

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

School(s): The information contained within the handbook is common to all BASIS Charter Schools. For the

purpose of this handbook, the term School is used to represent any or all BASIS Charter Schools.

SCHOOL INFORMATION: The handbook provides a direct link to School speciﬁc information in the SCHOOL

INFORMATION list located in the right-hand column of the page. The reader should also refer to their School’s

Guidebook.

Parent: For the purpose of this handbook, the term Parent is used to indicate a student’s caregiver(s)/

guardian(s) as identiﬁed in the student’s registration documents as the person(s) with whom the student

resides. It is assumed that both the Parents have equal rights as legal guardians of the student and all

information will be provided to both Parents when requested during the registration process. If there is a court

order limiting Parent custody, communication, or visitation with the student, it is the responsibility of the sole

caregiver to submit a copy of the court order to the School. Unless a court order is on ﬁle, the School will regard

both Parents as having equal rights to access and information regarding the student.

A student who is 18 years of age or older, or is legally emancipated, may submit written notice requesting the

School not contact their caregiver(s) with regard to grades or other personal information. After submitting

the required notice and documentation of legal emancipation, as appropriate, the term Parent, for the

purpose of the handbook, represents the student and the previously-recognized Parent is excluded from any

further communication. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the written notice and documentation of

legal emancipation, as appropriate. Without the notiﬁcation on ﬁle, the student’s caregiver(s) will continue to

receive communication from the School regardless of the student’s age and consistent with applicable law.

HANDBOOK PURPOSE

AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The purpose of this handbook is to inform students and Parents of the policies, procedures, and operations

of the School. It presents information highlighting policies and guidelines necessary for the academic

achievement, safety, welfare, and well-being of our students. The Parent is required to review the contents

of this handbook and share appropriate information with their student. As a condition of enrollment, Parents

and students are required to sign the Handbook Acknowledgment, which indicates that both the Parent and

student understand and agree to abide by the directions of this handbook. Each student will receive a copy

of the Handbook Acknowledgment from their School to complete. Information, policies, and procedures

pertinent to an individual School campus (e.g., drop-off and pick-up information, etc.) will be provided in the

School’s Guidebook, which applies alongside the Parent/Student Handbook.

Policies published in this handbook are overseen by the School’s governance entity. To learn about the

governance entity for your School, refer to following link:

• Arizona

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SERVICE

The School uses an Electronic Communication Service. A Parent will receive all general information (including

this handbook) and updates, notiﬁcations, announcements, newsletters, etc., through Internet-based

communication. The School uses industry-standard technologies to protect and secure the electronic

information. The use of any electronic communication system, such as the World Wide Web, has a number

of risks that users should consider before use. While the School will use all reasonable means to protect the

security and conﬁdentiality of electronic information sent and received, including the use of encryption

and other security technologies, it cannot guarantee the security and conﬁdentiality of web-based

communications, and will not be liable for inadvertent or improper disclosure of conﬁdential information that is

not caused by intentional misconduct or that is caused by failures of systems outside of the School. Information

can be made availably through the School’s front ofﬁce.

The information provided by the Electronic Communication Service is provided only to the Parent. Only upon

written request, and in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations, will the School provide information

to other parties. For the purpose of this handbook, the term “communicated” means that the Parent is

informed using the Electronic Communication Service. This does not prevent the School from using additional

communication means, (e.g., ﬂyers, signs in the parking lot, or electronic screens in the foyer and cafeteria).

ON-SITE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

School management consists of the Head of School, Head of Operations, Director of Operations, Director of

Academic Programs, Director of Planning & Instruction, and a Director of Student Affairs, Director of Primary

Programs, Director of Middle School Programs, or Director of Upper School Programs (depending on grade

levels served and size of the School). School staff includes teachers and teaching fellows, Deans, Special

Education, and other administrative staff. While every School has a Head of School and a Head of Operations,

in smaller or newer Schools, the role of Director of Student Affairs might be performed by the Head of School or

another administrator. The number of Deans and the grades they are responsible for depends on the grades

the School serves and its population. To ﬁnd out who is in these management positions at your School, refer to

SCHOOL INFORMATION.

The course teacher (or Learning Expert Teacher, when applicable) is the ﬁrst point of contact when Parents

or students need to communicate about academic issues or a student’s well-being in a speciﬁc course. Any

other issues related to general academic performance or a student’s well-being should be addressed with the

student’s Dean.

ACCREDITATION AND SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

All BASIS Charter Schools are managed by BASIS Ed. To learn about BASIS Ed, refer to this Link. All Schools

managed by BASIS Ed are accredited by Cognia, previously AdvancED(NCA CASI). To learn more about

Cognia, refer to this Link. Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, Cognia provides

accreditation, research, and professional services to 36,000 schools and school systems across the United

States and in 85 countries that educate 25 million students. Cognia accreditation represents the uniﬁed

policies and procedures for accreditation and certiﬁcation from its Accreditation Divisions: the North Central

Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation

Commission (NWAC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on Accreditation and School

Improvement (SACS CASI). NCA CASI, NWAC, and SACS CASI comprise three of the six regionally recognized

K-12 accrediting bodies and together have been accrediting institutions for 125 years. In order to earn Cognia

accreditation, education providers must meet the accreditation performance standards, assurances, and

policies, demonstrate quality assurance through internal and engagement reviews, and engage in continuous

improvement. BASIS Ed received system re-accreditation from AdvancED (NCA CASI), now Cognia, in June

2017 and June 2023. System accreditation recognizes that increasing student achievement involves more than

improving instruction. It is a result of how well all parts of the education system—the community, school, and

classroom—work together to meet the needs of students.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

School Management

BASIS Ahwatukee

BASIS Chandler

BASIS Chandler Primary North

BASIS Chandler Primary South

BASIS Flagstaff

BASIS Goodyear

BASIS Goodyear Primary

BASIS Mesa

BASIS Oro Valley

BASIS Oro Valley Primary

BASIS Peoria

BASIS Peoria Primary

BASIS Phoenix

BASIS Phoenix Central

BASIS Phoenix Primary

BASIS Phoenix South

BASIS Prescott

BASIS Scottsdale

BASIS Scottsdale Primary East

BASIS Scottsdale Primary West

BASIS Tucson North

BASIS Tucson Primary

HOW TO CONTACT US

A Parent may contact any member of the School management or staff by email or written note to the staff in the

School ofﬁce. Ofﬁce Assistants are not authorized to provide anyone, including Parents, with information related to

student attendance or academic performance, but they are available to help connect you with the appropriate

individual or department. Please refer to SCHOOL INFORMATION for ofﬁce hours and contact information.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

BASIS Ahwatukee

BASIS Chandler

BASIS Chandler Primary North

BASIS Chandler Primary South

BASIS Flagstaff

BASIS Goodyear

BASIS Goodyear Primary

BASIS Mesa

BASIS Oro Valley

BASIS Oro Valley Primary

BASIS Peoria

BASIS Peoria Primary

BASIS Phoenix

BASIS Phoenix Central

BASIS Phoenix Primary

BASIS Phoenix South

BASIS Prescott

BASIS Scottsdale

BASIS Scottsdale Primary East

BASIS Scottsdale Primary West

BASIS Tucson North

BASIS Tucson Primary

CURRICULUM AND COURSE ENROLLMENT

All BASIS Charter Schools follow the BASIS Charter School Curriculum. This internationally-benchmarked and

accelerated liberal arts curriculum was developed by BASIS Ed and is managed and continuously developed

by BASIS Charter School Curriculum experts.

The BASIS Charter School Curriculum determines the order in which students are required to take speciﬁc

courses or what courses students can select from the School course catalog. For a speciﬁc School course

catalog, refer to the BASIS Charter Schools Course Catalog link in ParentSquare. The content of each course

is guided by SPORK, a proprietary software platform for storing, organizing, and delivering content. It is the

responsibility of our curriculum experts to align the curriculum with the educational standards required by the

Arizona Department of Education.

It is mandatory for all teachers to be familiar with the educational standards for their state and to implement

the BASIS Charter School Curriculum in compliance with these requirements. Using the SPORK app, the teacher

designs the Course Syllabus. The syllabus explains the content of the course in the form of a course outline,

including lesson units and their instructional objectives. In addition, the syllabus includes the description of

class policies, grading policies, as well as a list of supplies and instructional materials needed for the class.

Students receive the syllabus by the end of the third week of instruction. Each course syllabus is available on

ParentSquare. The BASIS Charter School Curriculum distinguishes three types of courses: required courses,

elective courses, and optional courses. The required and elective courses offered to students at any BASIS

Charter School meet or exceed the requirements of Arizona standards. In compliance with charter laws and

regulations, all required and elective courses are offered free of tuition.

REQUIRED COURSES

Students are assigned required courses. In the event that there are alternatives to required courses for

students in speciﬁc grades, the student’s Dean and/or Director(s) recommends placement based on course

prerequisites and available space. The prerequisites include, but are not limited to, previously attended

courses, academic results in previously attended courses, results of placement tests, and auditions. Based on

a student’s performance, the Dean may recommend a change in the student’s required course enrollment

during the school year. The ﬁnal decision is made by the student’s Director(s). The Parent is informed prior to a

ﬁnal decision.

ELECTIVE COURSES

Starting in grade 6, students must select one elective course from available options. Because some electives

are more popular than others, students are required to list more than one preferred elective. A student’s

preferred elective courses must be approved by a Parent in the form of a signature and may require a

fee for optional materials designed to enhance the student’s experience in the course. The Curriculum

Coordinator and/or Director(s) recommends elective placement based on course prerequisites and available

space; then, the Director(s) makes the ﬁnal decision about placement in an elective course based on the

recommendation.

OPTIONAL COURSES

Students may be offered optional courses as an enrichment to the academic program. As these courses amount

to additional but not essential academic beneﬁts, there may be an additional fee required. Students are not

required to attend any optional course, but once they opt to attend the course, it becomes part of their academic

record. The Parent must approve and agree to pay all fees connected to the course. Optional courses cannot

be taken in place of required courses, and the Dean may recommend that the student does not enroll in optional

courses. The student’s Director(s) makes the ﬁnal decision about enrollment in optional courses.

CHANGES IN ELECTIVE OR OPTIONAL COURSE ENROLLMENT

Only students in grades 8–12 are allowed to petition for changes in elective and optional courses. Students in

grades K–7 are assigned elective and optional courses by the process described above. Based on a student’s

academic results, the Curriculum Coordinator may recommend a change in elective or optional course

enrollment during the school year. The ﬁnal decision is made by the Director(s). The Parent is consulted prior to

a ﬁnal decision.

WITHDRAWAL FROM ELECTIVE OR OPTIONAL COURSE (GRADES 8–12 ONLY)

Students must take at least one elective course per school year; however, students may withdraw from a

second elective course or additional optional course. In the event that a student is enrolled in a second

elective course because they have chosen not to take an AP Science course, the student may not withdraw

from the second elective course at any time.

LATE ENROLLMENT IN ELECTIVE OR OPTIONAL COURSE (GRADES 8–12 ONLY)

Students may petition the Curriculum Coordinator (in writing) for late enrollment in an elective or optional

course. The Curriculum Coordinator will conﬁrm with the course teacher that the course is available (based

on space, academic standing, etc.). The Curriculum Coordinator recommends the petition for approval, or

disapproval, to the student’s Director(s). The Director’s decision is ﬁnal. If the petition is approved, the timing of

the change in course enrollment depends on when the petition was made:

• If the petition was submitted between the ﬁrst day of school and the end of the ﬁrst full week of classes, the

student will be enrolled in the new elective course immediately after the approval is granted.

• If the petition was submitted after the ﬁrst two weeks of the ﬁrst Trimester, but before the end of the ﬁrst

Trimester, the student will be enrolled in the new course at the beginning of the second Trimester.

DROP/WITHDRAWAL PROCESS

How to drop/withdrawal

In some situations, students may remove a class from their current schedule by dropping it or withdrawing from

it. A student may request a drop/withdrawal from a class by contacting the Director of Academic Programs.

Before the drop deadline

A drop request made prior to the end of the Trimester 1 deadline will be considered a drop. An approved drop

will remove the class from the student’s current schedule with no record of enrollment in the class on your

ofﬁcial transcript.

After the drop deadline

A student may petition their teacher and the Director of Academic Programs to withdraw from a course by

the ﬁfth Monday of Trimester 2. When a petition to withdraw from a course has been approved, the student’s

record will carry the notation W for the course. The transcript states: “W indicates permission to withdraw from

the course without completing requirements and credit for the course. The grade of ‘W’ has no impact on

your GPA.”

A student who does not receive permission to withdraw from a course by the ﬁfth Monday of Trimester 2 must

continue attending that course and will receive whatever grade is earned in that class.

RETAKING A CLASS

If a student fails a class required for graduation, they will be required to retake that class. When this happens,

both grades are counted toward the student’s GPA. Under no circumstances does the new grade replace the

original grade in the class.

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION

GRADES

Schools are organized in different grade level conﬁgurations within the K–12 system.

• Grades K–4: BASIS Chandler Primary North, BASIS Chandler Primary South, BASIS Peoria Primary, BASIS

Scottsdale Primary East, BASIS Scottsdale Primary West, BASIS Tucson Primary

• Grades K–5: BASIS Oro Valley Primary, BASIS Phoenix Central, BASIS Phoenix Primary

• Grades K–8: BASIS Phoenix South

• Grades K–12: BASIS Flagstaff, BASIS Goodyear, BASIS Mesa, BASIS Prescott

• Grades 4–12: BASIS Ahwatukee

• Grades 5–12: BASIS Chandler, BASIS Peoria, BASIS Scottsdale, BASIS Tucson North

• Grades 6–12: BASIS Oro Valley, BASIS Phoenix

To simplify communication, High School refers to grades 9–12. For policies regarding promotion from grade to

grade once a student is enrolled at a BASIS Charter School, please see Grade and Course Promotion Criteria.

Students may be transferred between grades during the school year at the recommendation of the Director of

Student Affairs and Head of School. The Head of School has the ﬁnal decision. The Parent is consulted prior to a

ﬁnal transfer.

GROUPS AND SECTIONS

Students in grades K–8 are organized into “groups” based on grade level; for the majority of the day, students

in the same group will attend classes together. Students in grades 9–12 are organized into “sections” for the

purpose of scheduling. Section assignment depends on program requirements, students’ academic readiness,

and scheduling constraints. Additionally, in certain cases (e.g., elective courses), the placement of students in

sections is guided by student or Parent preference. For students in grades K–8, the sections mostly coincide with

the groups. All classes for students in grades 9–12 are scheduled by section. Students may be moved between

groups and sections during the school year at the recommendation of the course teacher or the student’s

Dean. The ﬁnal decision about group and section placement is at the discretion of the Director of Student

Affairs. The Parent will be informed prior to any change.

The School reserves the right to make all ﬁnal decisions regarding the placement of a student in a grade,

group, or section.

INSTRUCTIONAL DAY

The standard instructional day varies depending on grade level. Regardless of the grade level, however, the

day includes courses or classes, transition periods or breaks, and lunch. Depending on grade level, the day

may also include recesses. Students attend regular courses, elective courses, breaks, recess, and lunch during

the times speciﬁed on the student schedule. To learn about the School and grade-speciﬁc schedules, refer to

the student schedule your student receives during the ﬁrst week of instruction.

SCHOOL YEAR

The school year is deﬁned in the school calendar and meets or exceeds the minimum days and hours of

instruction prescribed by relevant laws or regulations. Typically, the school year has a total of 180 instructional

days. Most instructional days are full days. For speciﬁc dates of instruction, early release, and other school year

information, refer to SCHOOL INFORMATION and the School’s Guidebook.

The school year consists of the Academic Term, review periods, Project Term, and optional summer term:

• Academic Term: Starts on the ﬁrst day of school and ends on the last school day before the

Comprehensive exam review period (for grades 6–8), before Final Exams (for non-AP courses in grades

9–12), or before AP Exams (for AP courses in grades 9–12). During the Academic Term, students follow their

regular schedules. The Academic Term is divided into three Trimesters.

- For the purpose of early identiﬁcation for Academic Support Student Program, Trimesters are divided

into mid-Trimesters. During the Academic Term, the School requires students in all grades to take

any standardized examinations mandated by the relevant law or regulation. A test calendar with

detailed dates will be communicated to the Parent as soon as it is available.

• Review periods (Grades 6–8): Begins a minimum of ﬁve school days before PreComprehensive and

Comprehensive exams. During the review period, no new content is introduced, rather this time is spent

preparing for PreComprehensive and Comprehensive exams. Students in grades K–5 and 9–12 are exempt from

both PreComprehensive and Comprehensive exams and, therefore, do not participate in the review periods.

The dates of PreComprehensive and Comprehensive exams are marked in the School Academic Calendar.

• Project Term: Encompasses the four to six school days before the last school day. During this time, students

work on multidisciplinary projects in multi-grade groups. The goal of these projects is to challenge students

to be cooperative, creative learners and to function as a team to achieve a speciﬁc goal. Successful

completion of a Term Project is a requirement for promotion.

• Senior Project Term (grade 12 only): Starts the ﬁrst day of the third Trimester. Seniors who have fulﬁlled

conditions required for participation in a Senior Project may spend the last Trimester participating in

the Senior Project, typically outside school premises. For more information about the Senior Project

requirements and eligibility, please refer to the Graduation and Diploma Requirements link in ParentSquare.

• Summer term: Begins after the last school day and ends the day before the ﬁrst day of the following school

year. During summer term, the School may organize optional summer programs for students.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

School Calendar

BASIS Ahwatukee

BASIS Chandler

BASIS Chandler Primary North

BASIS Chandler Primary South

BASIS Flagstaff

BASIS Goodyear

BASIS Goodyear Primary

BASIS Mesa

BASIS Oro Valley

BASIS Oro Valley Primary

BASIS Peoria

BASIS Peoria Primary

BASIS Phoenix

BASIS Phoenix Central

BASIS Phoenix Primary

BASIS Phoenix South

BASIS Prescott

BASIS Scottsdale

BASIS Scottsdale Primary East

BASIS Scottsdale Primary West

BASIS Tucson North

BASIS Tucson Primary

GRADE PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS AND

GRADE REPORTS

For policies regarding trimesters, grading scales, grade promotion, grade reports, and GPA calculations differ

by grade level, refer to the Grade Promotion link on ParentSquare.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND

DIPLOMA OPTIONS

To obtain a BASIS Diploma, students must fulﬁll the graduation requirements for their graduating year and

their School. Most of these requirements are the same at each School. However, these may be modiﬁed

depending on region-speciﬁc requirements and the School.

To read more about the BASIS Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options, (deﬁned by School and year

of graduation), refer to the Graduation & Diploma Requirements link, listed by cohort, on ParentSquare. It is

crucial for the students and Parents to read this information prior to the student entering grade 9. All students,

including students with disabilities who receive specialized instruction and/or related services under an

Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Plan, must meet the graduation requirements set forth for their

graduating year and BASIS Charter School in order to receive a BASIS Diploma.

EXAM REQUIREMENTS AND FEES

Advanced Placement

(AP) Exams: The College Board assesses a fee for each exam ordered. The BASIS

Diploma graduation requirements compel students to take a minimum of six AP Exams and pass at least one

with a minimum score of 3 (see BASIS Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options). As long as a student

maintains a Cumulative Course Average of a D or above in any AP course (by the end of the third Trimester),

the School will pay for the minimum required number of AP Exams each year.

The School will pay for additional AP Exams when the student meets the following conditions:

• In grade 8, upon teacher recommendation, which is based on the student’s performance on practice AP

Exams and the course in general.

• In grade 9, for the second or any additional, non-required exam, upon teacher recommendation.

• After grade 9, students must maintain an average score of 3 or above on all AP Exams or the student may

not receive full ﬁnancial support for AP Exams beyond the six that are required for graduation.

- If a student leaves the School before graduating, the cost of any non-required AP Exams taken while

attending the School will be charged to the Parent or, if applicable, deducted from the student’s

security deposit.

OECD TEST FOR SCHOOLS (BASED ON PISA)

The highly respected Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, is managed by the

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). The PISA is administered every three

years internationally, while the OECD Test for Schools (based on PISA) is administered in the United States every

year by schools that elect to take it. The PISA test is an internationally benchmarked, school-level assessment

tool that measures critical-thinking skills and how well 15-year-old students can apply their knowledge of

reading, math, and science to real-world problems. The results of the PISA enable the School to compare

their students’ results against international results and earn international recognition. Since the test measure a

student’s problem-solving abilities and is not curriculum-based, it requires no prior preparation. This test is critical

for the School to determine international benchmarking; therefore, all eligible 15-year-old students are required

to take the test during the school year, although they do not factor into students’ grades. For additional details,

refer to the OECD Test for Schools website at this Link.

ADDITIONAL GRADE PROMOTION CRITERIA

Arizona

In Arizona, pursuant to ARS § 15–701, a student in grade 3 who fails to meet the reading standards as measured

by the applicable state assessment shall not be promoted unless the student meets one of the exceptions

to this promotion condition under ARS 15-701(2)(b). The student shall be provided with intensive reading

instruction as deﬁned by the Arizona State Board of Education. For more information, refer to this Link.

Please note: Based on the essential knowledge and skills for each course, and in light of the BASIS Charter School

Curriculum, BASIS Ed retains the right to implement an equivalency scale for the purposes of determining course credit for

high school graduation should the state mandate a grade average.

ACADEMIC RECOGNITION

The School recognizes and celebrates high academic performance at the end of each Trimester. The Director

of Students Affairs organizes an Academic Honors and Awards Assembly at the conclusion of the ﬁrst

two Trimesters.

Student academic achievement is recognized in the following categories:

• Distinguished Honor Roll: Top 5 percent of students with the highest cumulative averages (grades 5–12 only;

not awarded for Trimester 1).

• Honor Roll: Top 15 percent of students with the highest averages for the current Trimester (grades 5–12 only,

awarded during every Trimester).

• Most Improved Honor Roll: Top 5 percent of students in terms of total percentage improvement between

the previous Trimester and the current Trimester(not awarded for Trimester 1).

• 90s Club: All students in grades K–7 earning a cumulative Average of 90% or higher for the current Trimester

(awarded every Trimester).

• Commended Scholar List: All students in grades 8–12 earning a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher for the

current Trimester (awarded during every Trimester).

The Director of Student Affairs and/or designated School staff will recognize each category of academic

achievement independently and will announce the names of the students eligible for the speciﬁc category in

each eligible Trimester.

In addition, at the end of the school year, the Director of Students Affairs organizes an end-of-year Academic

Honors and Awards Assembly for each grade level. Students are recognized for their outstanding academic

performance during these assemblies; these ceremonies include the applicable awards deﬁned above,

earned for Trimester 3. Graduating students also receive awards during the graduation ceremony.

Awards Assemblies will be scheduled during the school day. While the School will make every effort to enable

parent attendance at the Awards Assembly, these events are primarily to give students the opportunity

to celebrate academic success. The School, at its own discretion, may choose to restrict parent/guest

attendance at the Awards Assemblies in response to space, parking, or safety concerns.

At the beginning of each school year, the Director of Student Affairs organizes an awards ceremony to

celebrate AP test scores from the previous school year. The School recognizes students who have excelled in

the AP program at graduation with titles granted by the College Board: AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor,

and AP Scholar with Distinction. For additional details on these acknowledgments, refer to the College Board

website at this Link.

STUDENT SERVICES AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAM

One of the central tenets of the School’s educational philosophy is to create independently motivated

students. The Academic Support Program is one of the general education tools BASIS Charter Schools use to

support the growth of academic independence in students. Academic Support Advisers work closely with

students to instruct them in effective use of resources available to students within the School.

Students are primarily placed on Academic Support when they are displaying systematic deﬁciencies in

turning in assignments, producing quality assignments, or they are failing to perform at a passing level on

assessments. Additionally, students may be placed on Academic Support when they ﬁrst enter BASIS, following

an extended absence, or when they need close monitoring for a variety of reasons. Academic Support

Placement is always temporary, and the goal is to “graduate” students from the program as they take more

and more responsibility for seeking out academic support on their own.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Each School aligns its Enrichment Activities, both clubs (e.g., sports, chess, and string ensemble) and events

(e.g., school dances), with the interests of their students. The School Enrichment Activities serve to provide

academic, artistic, sporting, and community service opportunities and to expand the options offered by the

curricular program. Enrichment Activities are offered in conjunction with academics, and participation in these

activities will not be prioritized over academic success. Information on the available Enrichment Activities

offered at your School will be communicated to your student throughout the school year. If further information

is required, please make an appointment with the School’s Auxiliary Program Coordinator or Director

of Operations.

Please note: Please see the BASIS Phoenix South School Guidebook for more information about the Food Services Program.

EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES

As a public school, the School provides eligible students with disabilities a free appropriate public education

(FAPE). Special education and related services are made available to eligible students under individualized

education programs pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Related aids and services

are made available to students eligible under Section 504 through 504 plans. Contact the School’s Special

Education team for more information on the School’s policies and procedures related to the identiﬁcation,

evaluation, placement, and provision of FAPE to students with disabilities.

RULES

The School’s academic rigor and high expectations demand an environment that is free from disruption and

fosters mutual respect among students and staff members. To accomplish this, the School has developed

clear rules concerning student behavior that are strictly enforced without regard to gender, religious belief,

ethnic background, nationality, disability, gender identity or expression, or other protected class. Any violation

of rules described within this Handbook is considered a violation of School rules. Signing the Handbook

Acknowledgment as deﬁned in the Handbook Purpose and Handbook Acknowledgment section of this

Handbook indicates that both the student and Parent have read and understood all policies and rules. The

Handbook Acknowledgment will be provided by the School.

School discipline is enforced each school day for all students whenever they are on School premises or

participating in School-sponsored activities. This policy is enforced wherever and whenever an organized

School event takes place. The School reserves the right to discipline students for off-campus behavior at School

organized events and for off-campus behavior that disrupts the School environment. The School may also

honor the disciplinary consequences imposed by a student’s previous school or deny enrollment based on

disciplinary status consistent with all applicable state and federal laws.

CODE OF CONDUCT

• Promotes respect for fellow students and staff members: All students are expected and required to

behave in a respectful manner toward other students, staff members, and property. In particular, the

School adheres to a zero tolerance policy toward any language or behavior that intimidates, belittles, or

causes physical or emotional injury to others.

• Promotes respect for all individuals: The School is fortunate to have a very diverse student population from

a variety of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds and strives to provide an environment where all

students feel comfortable and thrive. For this reason, certain behaviors are strictly prohibited on School

premises. These include, but are not limited to, the use of derogatory statements in reference to anyone’s

race, sexuality, gender expression, ethnicity, culture, religious background, disability, or any other

classiﬁcation protected by law.

• Promotes individual and community responsibility: Each student is responsible and will be held

accountable for their own language and actions. This responsibility extends to any knowledge of

misconduct by other students. If a student is aware of misconduct by another student, it is their

responsibility to inform a staff member. Withholding such information may be considered a Disciplinary

Violation. Staff members make every effort to ensure the conﬁdentiality of a student who reports

misconduct by a classmate and will invoke appropriate sanctions against any student who responds to

another in a retaliatory manner. Staff members will not tolerate bullying or cheating and neither should

students. Please note that plagiarism, deﬁned as the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and

passing them off as one’s own, is considered cheating.

• Provides a safe environment for students: Threating conduct of any kind by any medium is not tolerated.

It is the responsibility of all students to immediately inform a staff member about any possible threat to

student or staff member safety, health, or property that they have observed or have knowledge of.

Withholding such information may be considered a Disciplinary Violation.

• Provides a disruption-free, educational environment: No student may disrupt another student’s learning.

Classroom disruptions of any kind may be considered a Disciplinary Violation.

GENERAL RULES

• Compliance with all federal, state, district, and local laws.

• No possession of weapons, objects that could be used as weapons, or simulated weapons of any kind.

• No possession of drug paraphernalia, devices intended to be used for ingestion or inhalation of drugs

or other prohibited substances (e.g., vape pens), or any objects that have been modiﬁed to be used to

ingest or inhale prohibited substances.

• No possession, use, distribution, or attendance under the inﬂuence of tobacco products, drugs (including

marijuana), unauthorized prescription medication, alcohol, or any other dangerous, illegal, or

controlled substance.

• No physical or verbal aggression against or abuse of persons or property, including abuse of the

Communication Journal (e.g., no removing CJ entries or pages).

• No derogatory or suggestive comments about one’s own or another individual’s sexual orientation.

• No display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.

• No public display of intimate affection.

• No use of profanity or verbal abuse of any persons.

• No harassment, bullying, or cyberbullying.

• No use of computer equipment or internet network in a way that violates school policies for

technology use.

• No chewing gum anywhere on School premises.

• No possession or unauthorized use of matches, lighters, or explosive materials.

• Compliance with all written rules and procedures provided and/or posted throughout the School premises,

including emergency procedures.

• Compliance with verbal directions of staff members.

• Arrive at class or any required School activity on time and appropriately equipped.

• Attendance at all scheduled classes and all required School activities.

• No sale of any products or goods on School premises or at School-sponsored activities, except when

authorized by a School Director or the Head of School.

• No unauthorized use of the BASIS

name and/or logo. The BASIS name and logo are trademarks protected

by state and federal law.

• No unauthorized personal photography or recordings, including video and audio, on the School campus or

during School events without the written permission of a School administrator.

• No photos or recordings, including video and audio, taken at the School, whether authorized or not, may

be posted on the Internet or in any other public forum without permission from a School administrator.

• Staff members are authorized to use reasonable physical force in self-defense, defense of others, and

defense of property. Staff members will do so in accordance with School policy and applicable law. The

School may summon law enforcement at its discretion when a student’s refusal to obey School instructions

creates a safety threat.

CLASSROOM RULES

• To enable students to master subject content, the classroom environment must be conducive to learning.

Teachers set standards for student behavior and consequences for violating those standards in their

classrooms. Speciﬁc classroom rules must be compatible with all policies and procedures published in this

Handbook and are communicated to students and Parents via the Course Syllabus. Students must adhere

to the following classroom rules:

• No disruption of another student’s education.

• No eating, drinking (other than water), or chewing anything, including gum.

• No passing notes.

• All personal electronic devices (including, but not limited to, games, radios, portable music players, smart

watches, and cell phones) must be switched off and out of sight during all academic, extracurricular, and

auxiliary programs. The School discourages students from bringing electronic devices to school and is not

responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen devices.

TECHNOLOGY RULES

The Code of Conduct and all school/classroom rules apply to online conduct in classes or activities where

students use computer equipment to engage on school’s educational platforms. This includes compliance

with the Technology Use Contract and Internet Safety policies and rules.

PLAYGROUND RULES (WHERE APPLICABLE)

• Play only in the designated recess areas.

• Do not play near irrigation and/or muddy areas.

• Practice good sportsmanship at all times.

• Play safe, non-violent games (no tackling, grabbing clothing, tripping, or pushing).

• Use playground and sports equipment as intended and only in designated areas.

• Obtain permission from a teacher or staff member before leaving the playground.

• Do not touch or handle broken glass or harmful objects and report such items to a teacher or staff

member immediately.

DRESS CODE

The dress code is designed to promote respect for each student as an individual capable of exercising

discretion and making responsible choices for their attire. All students must wear clothing that is appropriate to

an academic environment and adheres to the following guidelines:

• No clothing may be worn that is not appropriate for school (e.g., revealing clothing, exposed

undergarments, etc.).

• No clothing may be worn that features offensive language; derogatory statements about individuals

or groups of individuals; references to tobacco, drugs, alcohol or gangs; or wording/graphics that are

suggestive of sexual or inappropriate behavior.

• No clothing or footwear may be worn that could threaten the safety or health of the wearer or other

students (e.g., shoes with wheels in the soles, or excessively high-heeled or platform shoes). Students in

grades K–4 are not permitted to wear ﬂip-ﬂops.

• Staff members will determine whether a student’s attire complies with the dress code and will report any

violations to the Dean of Students. The Dean’s decision regarding dress code is ﬁnal. A dress code violation

may be dealt with by requiring the student to cover up clothing or turn clothing inside-out, or by requesting

that a Parent deliver replacement clothing to the School. Other measures include conﬁscation of non-

essential items (e.g., hats) as appropriate. Repeated dress code warnings may be considered a major

Disciplinary Violation.

STUDENT PROPERTY ON CAMPUS

The School strongly discourages students from bringing any personal property including valuables to school

that is not necessary to their education programming such as jewelry, electronic devices (e.g., cell phones,

game systems, radios, portable music players, etc.) The School is not responsible for the loss or theft of any item.

Personal computers or tablets in the classroom are allowed only when the teacher gives explicit permission.

Use of other electronic devices, including mobile phones and smart watches, during classes, is strictly

prohibited. At a minimum, all electronic devices must be switched off and out of sight during classes. Personal

items, print media, or electronic media brought to school must never contain nudity, profanity, excessively

violent or sexual content or content of a discriminatory or harassing nature. Breach of this rule results in

conﬁscation of the item and may be considered a major Disciplinary Violation. Please refer to the School’s

Guidebook for speciﬁc policies regarding the use and possession of electronic devices and other student

property on campus. For further information on the applicability of this policy to students served by Exceptional

Student Services, see the Special Education Policies at the front ofﬁce and contact the School’s Special

Education team.

PHYSICAL/VERBAL AGGRESSION AND ABUSE

Students must immediately report any aggressive behavior to the nearest staff member, who will assess the

seriousness of the problem, stop the offensive behavior, and/or initiate disciplinary consequences.

If a student is the victim of physical aggression, they may use force to defend themselves only if it is necessary

to prevent the offender from further aggression. School administrators have the authority to decide if an

aggressive defense is considered necessary or if the student could have diffused the situation by other means

(e.g., calling a staff member, walking away).

If a student observes aggression against property, they may try to stop this behavior only if this property

damage might put others in immediate physical danger. In any other case, it may be considered a

Disciplinary Violation for students to engage in any restraining, retaliatory, or vengeful behavior. Students who

witness property damage must report it to a staff member.

If a student engages in a behavior that is offensive or inappropriate, including but not limited to seeking or

engaging in physical contact and/or body part exposure, the teacher assesses the seriousness of the problem,

stops the offensive behavior, and derives disciplinary consequences for such behavior. Students who persist in

inappropriate comments or behavior may be removed from class by an administrator.

Students must observe the School’s policies pertaining to behavior, respect, and anti-harassment/non-

discrimination in all interactions with peers and school staff. Students may not engage in speech that is

threatening, vulgar, or harassing.

Staff members make every effort to ensure the conﬁdentiality of a student who reports misconduct by a

classmate. Sanctions may be invoked for retaliatory offenses, irrespective of the cause.

HARASSMENT AND BULLYING

The School will employ the following deﬁnition for harassment and bullying: severe, pervasive, systematic and/

or continued unwanted and annoying actions by a person or group, including threats and demands, that:

• Places a student in reasonable fear for their personal safety or disrupts, substantially interferes with, or

otherwise causes a detriment to the student’s educational environment, physical or mental health,

attendance, academic performance, or participation in and beneﬁt from School activities, programs,

and services.

• May be based on an individual’s actual or perceived personal characteristics such as race, color, national

origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, familial status,

political afﬁliation, etc., or association with individuals who possess those characteristics.

For the Schools’ Racial and Sexual Non-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Policies and Procedures refer to

this Link.

Suspected, observed, or experienced harassment or bullying must be immediately reported to a staff member.

Failing to report harassment or bullying may be considered a Disciplinary Violation. Staff members make

every effort to ensure the conﬁdentiality of a student who reports misconduct by a classmate, and invoke

appropriate sanctions against any student who responds to another in a retaliatory manner.

The School goes to great lengths to prevent bullying, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation of any kind

from occurring among its staff, students, and other community members. The School provides age-appropriate

training to all students on these topics each school year. In connection with that training, the School provides

a consent form to all Parents further emphasizing the School’s commitment to providing a school environment

that promotes the equality, dignity, and respect of every student. By completing the form, Parents read and

acknowledge that commitment while indicating their consent for their students to participate in the training.

The School will hold all students accountable for adhering to its rules, Code of Conduct, anti-harassment

and discrimination policies, and its prohibition against retaliation, regardless of whether the students’ Parents

consent to participation in the training.

DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES

A Disciplinary Violation is deﬁned as non-compliance with any of the sections of this Handbook, the School

Guidebook, and School rules, especially with the Code of Conduct.

Contacting Local Law Enforcement Authorities: If a student is considered an immediate threat to

themself or others, or engages in conduct required by law to be reported to law enforcement authorities,

School personnel will alert administrative staff and may contact law enforcement as appropriate to the

circumstances.

- Dean Referral: the student is required to report immediately (or in the time interval indicated by a

staff member) to the Dean for a potential disciplinary action. Prior to disciplinary action, the staff

member referring the student to the ofﬁce verbally informs the Dean of the violation or completes a

referral report describing the event. The Dean, or a designated person, then informs the student of

the policies violated, invites the student to explain their understanding of the event, instructs them on

disciplinary due process, and decides the remedy or the disciplinary consequences, as listed on the

next page.

Consequences of a Disciplinary Violation may include, but are not limited to, the following disciplinary actions:

• Minor disciplinary consequences

- Notice of Disciplinary Violation: the student is reminded of the next level of consequences for any

subsequent Disciplinary Violation and may be excluded from the class for additional time and

required to write a letter of apology or an essay to demonstrate that they understand the nature

of the Disciplinary Violation. There is no requirement to inform the Parent about this action. In more

severe cases, the Dean might request that the student perform additional academic or school

service activities during the period of exclusion, before or after school the following day, and/or be

excluded from an Enrichment Activity. In this case, the Dean writes a notice regarding the Disciplinary

Violation in the CJ and the student is required to obtain a Parent signature by the next school day.

Failure to follow instructions or obtain the signature may result in more serious consequences.

- Temporary Exclusion: the student is temporarily excluded from school spaces, physical or virtual,

at the school’s discretion, due to a Disciplinary Violation. The student spends an assigned time in

a designated area under the supervision of a staff member. During this time, the student may be

required to work on additional academic tasks or School service activities (usually activities related to

the upkeep and maintenance of the School). Each exclusion is considered a Dean Referral. Failure to

follow instructions during exclusion may lead to major disciplinary consequences.

• Major disciplinary consequences

- Short-Term Suspension (1–9 school days): When the School is considering imposing short-term

suspension, absent extraordinary circumstances the School will notify Parents and communicate with

the student to give them an opportunity to explain their perspective. This conversation may occur

immediately prior to the imposition of the suspension. The student must remain away from the School

premises, classes, and all other School activities. Short-term suspension does not excuse the student

from any academic work required during the suspension. Suspended students must make up missed

assignments to receive credit for them. The Dean will set up procedures to ensure that the student

has all the material and information necessary to perform independent study. This material and

information will be available for the Parent to collect at the end of each school day. The Parent may

call the School front ofﬁce to verify that new material is available to be collected and to determine

when the material will be available. Upon returning to School, the student is required to deliver all

ﬁnished assignments they received during the suspension and coordinate any make-up tests or

quizzes with the teacher of each subject. The student must make up these tests/quizzes on dates

speciﬁed by each teacher.

When the Director of Student Affairs imposes a short-term suspension, the suspended student’s

Parent is informed of the suspension by telephone, in writing, or in person. The Parent may be

required to remove their student from the School immediately, or the Director of Student Affairs may

postpone the start of suspension until the next day (or a later date). The Director of Student Affairs

may also postpone the ﬁnal decision regarding the length of suspension due to a pending incident

investigation. The School reserves the right to suspend, without prejudice, any student subject to

such investigation. If a student is subsequently found not at fault of a Disciplinary Violation or the

violation proves to be signiﬁcantly less serious than suspected, they are allowed an opportunity to

make up and receive credit for missed assignments; however, there is no other compensation for

the time spent on suspension during the investigation (e.g., no private tutoring, no more than regular

additional time for make-up work). Once the incident investigation is completed, a conference

between the Director of Student Affairs and the Parent is required before the student is allowed to

return to the School.

Please note: State and local laws restricting the use of exclusionary discipline are followed in all jurisdictions.

- Long-Term Suspension (10 or more school days): The student must remain away from School premises,

classes, and all other School activities. Long-term suspension does not excuse the student from

academic work assigned during the term of suspension. As in the case of short-term suspension, the

same procedures are employed to ensure the student has access to adequate resources necessary

for independent study. The student might be required to come to the School after regular hours

to take exams and quizzes during their long-term suspension. Prior to any long-term suspension,

the student is placed on short-term suspension and the same rules described in the short-term

suspension paragraph above are invoked. During the short-term suspension, appropriate School

personnel conducts an investigation of the incident. This investigation will not exceed the length of

the short-term suspension absent extraordinary circumstances. Once the investigation is completed,

the Vice President of Charter Schools, or designee will select up to three individuals to serve as the

Discipline Hearing Committee. These individuals will be unbiased third parties who may be employees

of BASIS Ed and who were not involved in the underlying events giving rise to the suspension

recommendation. The student and their Parent(s) will receive written notice of the of the hearing,

which shall include: date, time and place of the hearing; statement of offense(s); parental rights,

and list of witnesses, and exhibits expected to be presented at the hearing. The Discipline Hearing

Committee will issue a ﬁnal written decision following the hearing.

- Expulsion: The School permanently withdraws the student’s privilege of attending the School.

Expulsion is initiated at the recommendation of the Head of School or other appropriate School

personnel, following an investigation of the incident. The Vice President of Charter Schools, or

designee will select three individuals to serve as the Discipline Hearing Committee. These individuals

will be unbiased third parties who may be employees of BASIS Ed who were not involved in the

underlying events giving rise to the expulsion recommendation. The student and their Parents will

receive written notice of the hearing, which shall include: date, time and place of the hearing;

statement of offense(s); parental rights, and list of witnesses and exhibits expected to be presented at

the hearing. The Discipline Hearing Committee will issue a ﬁnal written decision following the hearing.

OTHER DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

In general, the School follows a progressive discipline process. Depending on the severity of the conduct and

proposed disciplinary consequence, school staff or hearing ofﬁcials will determine the disciplinary consequence.

The most common type of infraction is disruptive behavior in the classroom. While such misconduct is generally

considered relatively minor, repeat violations may be damaging to the classroom environment and may interfere

with the learning process. Therefore, repeated minor infractions may lead to disciplinary consequences.

Following a decision on a Disciplinary Violation, a Parent may request a meeting with the Dean of Students

and may ask the Dean for a further explanation of the decision, in writing. The meeting shall occur as soon as

schedules permit, and the Parent will receive the explanation within 10 school days. Should the Parent require

further information, they may request a meeting with the Director of Student Affairs to discuss the Disciplinary

Violation and resulting consequence.

Whenever the Director of Student Affairs imposes a short-term suspension, the Parent has the opportunity to

discuss the incident and the disciplinary decision with the Director of Student Affairs during the mandated

meeting prior to the student returning to the School. If the Parent does not support the decision, they may

email their objections to the Director of Student Affairs. The Director of Student Affairs will forward the email to

the Head of School. The Parent will then receive a response from the Head of School within 10 school days, but

during this time, the Director of Student Affairs’ decision stands. If the Head of School supports the Director of

Student Affairs’ decision, that decision is ﬁnal and there will be no further appeal.

If the Parent believes that the School violated any charter or other applicable regulations or laws and believes

that their concerns were not properly addressed by the Head of School, the Parent may contact the Vice

President of Charter Schools, or designee. For the contact information of the Vice President of Charter Schools,

or designee, please refer to this Link.

Some disciplinary processes are different for students with disabilities. For information on when these processes

will differ and in what form, please see the School’s Special Education Policies (available upon request at the

School front ofﬁce).

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The School takes issues involving academic integrity very seriously. If a student is caught cheating or

plagiarizing (or is strongly suspected of cheating or plagiarizing), the student will receive a zero on the

assignment, test, or quiz in question, no matter the extent of the cheating. Subsequent violations involving

cheating or plagiarizing may result in additional disciplinary consequences.

STUDENT DISCIPLINARY RECORDS

The Dean of Students and the Director of Student Affairs make every reasonable effort to thoroughly

investigate, accurately document, and fairly adjudicate all allegations of student misconduct. Disciplinary

records related to the current school year are maintained by the Dean in the student’s disciplinary ﬁle. The

student’s disciplinary ﬁle is made available for inspection by the Parent upon request. Before a Parent inspects

the disciplinary ﬁle, the ﬁle will be adjusted to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

(FERPA). In compliance with FERPA, all documents with information pertaining to other students involved in

disciplinary events are redacted from the ﬁle prior to such inspection. When responding to requests for student

disciplinary records and information from law enforcement agencies, court ofﬁcials, other regulatory bodies, or

any external entity, the School follows state requirements regarding records and the procedures mandated

by FERPA.

DISCIPLINARY DISCLOSURE

Colleges and other schools routinely request information from Schools on disciplinary infractions. When

speciﬁcally asked, the School may provide information related to disciplinary incidents that have resulted in an

out-of-school suspension or expulsion. The School does not report disciplinary actions that occurred at previous

schools attended. Students who have had disciplinary infractions prior to their Senior Year are expected to

respond honestly when completing a college application. The College Counselor will be available to assist in

this process. In a student’s Senior Year, the School will report any signiﬁcant changes in a student’s academic

status or disciplinary record between the time of recommendation and graduation.

ATTENDANCE

The School believes that a student’s presence in the classroom is extremely important to success. All

documents regarding absences and tardiness are maintained by the School’s Registrar and ﬁled in the

attendance binders. Each State or District may have individual regulations or policies regarding attendance.

Please refer to your School’s Guidebook for these policies.

ABSENCES

To support learning and valuable classroom time, we urge Parents to align family vacations and other events

for which students must miss school with the school calendar. The School academic program is very rigorous,

so absences of any length are likely to jeopardize academic performance. Students are, therefore, required to

attend all classes at all times. If this is not possible, students are required to complete all of the assigned make-

up work.

The School complies with applicable state attendance reporting mandates. If a student is absent, a Parent is

required to call no less than 30 minutes prior to the start of school to notify the School front ofﬁce and provide

the reason and the anticipated length of the absence. If the Parent does not make contact, the School will

make a reasonable attempt to contact the student’s Parent. Until the School front ofﬁce receives notiﬁcation

from the Parent, the absence will be considered unexcused regardless of the reason. Any unexcused absence

is considered a violation of School rules.

Skipping one (or more) class is considered an unexcused absence unless a prior arrangement has been

agreed upon between the School and the Parent. If a student accumulates excessive absences (that

jeopardize the student’s academic success, according to the course teacher), the Parent will be required to

meet with the Director of Student Affairs. The purpose of this meeting will be to determine how to remedy the

consequences of absences to assure the student’s progress.

Concrete goals and a timeline will be summarized in an Absence Recovery Plan. If the student does not

follow the goals and timelines of the Absence Recovery Plan, the Parent will be required to meet with the

Director of Student Affairs again. At this meeting, the student may be declared chronically absent. A student’s

chronically absent status will not change until the goals of the Absence Recovery Plan are satisﬁed. Chronically

absent students do not fulﬁll the requirements for grade promotion in grades K–8, or for full credit in grades

9–12. Students who do not attend school may be withdrawn and/or reported to law enforcement pursuant to

applicable state law.

TARDINESS

Students who do not arrive to school or class on time are tardy. Students should arrive to school ten minutes

prior to their ﬁrst class. Students should be in the classroom and in their seats when class begins. Under extreme

circumstances (e.g., major trafﬁc accidents, adverse weather conditions, sickness, or unexpected family issues), the

Dean of Students may excuse tardiness. Students arriving after their class has started may be required to wait in a

designated area until the start of the next class. This is often necessary to assure the quality of the education process

for other students in the class. Tardiness can cause a student to miss valuable instructional time, and often creates

disruption and a distraction to the learning environment for other students; therefore, the Dean of Students reserves

the right to take disciplinary action against a student anytime they are tardy. Possible disciplinary actions may

include exclusion from Elective (or Optional) Courses or Enrichment Activities, such as ﬁeld trips or guest lectures.

Chronic tardiness may lead to suspension or other disciplinary action.

As tardiness approaches the point of becoming chronic, the Director of Student Affairs informs the Parent in

writing that if the student is late to class again they will be marked as chronically tardy.

LATE ARRIVAL, LEAVING FOR PART OF THE DAY, AND EARLY DISMISSAL

If a student arrives late, it is the Parent’s responsibility to accompany the tardy student to sign in at the front

ofﬁce, provide a written note, or call the front ofﬁce explaining the reason for the student’s late arrival. Students

in grades K–4 must be accompanied by a Parent; a note or a call will not sufﬁce. A student who arrives late to

school without a Parent, a written note, or a call explaining the late arrival may be held out of class until their

Parent can be reached to explain the reason for the late arrival.

Students leaving early or leaving for part of a day must be collected and signed out by a Parent during a

passing period and not during class time. If the Parent does not know when passing periods are, they should

call the front ofﬁce for this information.

A student returning to school after their class has started may be required to wait in a designated area until the next

class. This is often necessary to assure the quality of the education process for the students present in the class.

HOMEWORK

Homework is an integral part of the learning process. It is the best way for the student to verify that they

understand what was learned in the class and is able to use this knowledge independently. Homework assists

students in developing self-discipline, self-direction, and effective study skills.

• Student Responsibilities:

- Listen carefully to teachers’ instructions, write down all homework assignments in the CJ, including

due dates, and ask questions when something is unclear.

- Take home all assignment instructions and all necessary materials.

- Schedule a time to complete homework.

- Complete homework independently, according to the teacher’s instructions.

- Communicate any difﬁculties with an assignment to the teacher the following day.

- Communicate any difﬁculties with material on which students will be tested as soon as a test is

announced.

- Return assignments and related materials on or before the due date.

• Teacher Responsibilities:

- Communicate homework and testing policies and procedures to students at the beginning of the

course.

- Give clear homework instructions.

- Notify students at least ﬁve school days in advance of any test (quizzes excluded).

- Coordinate testing days with other teachers to ensure students do not have more than two tests in

one day (one test per day for courses in grades K–4).

- Monitor and evaluate homework.

- Communicate missing assignments via the CJ.

- Return homework to students in a timely manner.

• Parent Responsibilities:

- Schedule a time for homework/studying and provide an environment that is well-lit and free from

distractions.

- Allow your student to complete work on their own.

- Communicate with teachers using the student’s CJ, email, telephone, or a personal conference

when speciﬁc academic difﬁculties arise.

- Help the student to prioritize assignments and support the improvement of organizational skills over

the course of the school year.

- Promote development of the student’s sense of personal responsibility for their education by

gradually withdrawing from any participation in the student’s organization of their homework and

study time.

LATE OR INCOMPLETE HOMEWORK

When students fail to complete homework assignments, for any reason other than an excused absence, it

may result in a low or failing grade. When a student displays systematic deﬁciencies in fulﬁlling homework

responsibilities, it is the responsibility of the Parent and the School to help the student develop efﬁcient study

skills and the discipline necessary to ensure homework is completed on time. Upon a recommendation from

any teacher, the Dean of Students may place a student on the Academic Support Program.

INDEPENDENT WORK MATERIAL

To support the work that students are expected to do at home, teachers distribute worksheets, reading

material, and other valuable information in the form of handouts. This material is crucial to support students

when studying independently at home, during study time embedded into the regular school day, or during

the Late Bird program. It is the responsibility of the student to organize this material as instructed by the teacher

(e.g., “insert this handout into your three-ring binder under the Independent Study tab”) and be able to

produce it when requested to do so. Learning how to organize school supplies and independent work material

is an important skill that students are taught at the School.

To help students develop efﬁcient organizational skills and the discipline necessary to use the Independent

Work Material effectively, the Dean of Students, based on the recommendation of any teacher, may place

the student on the Academic Support Program.

HOMEWORK AND ABSENCES

When a student in grades K–8 is absent due to illness, injury, or family reasons, the School will use Homework

Buddies/SPORK (please see your School’s Guidebook for more information). Students in grades 9–12 are

expected to organize contact with the School on their own, but may contact the Dean for assistance in the

case of a long-term, excused absence.

MAKE-UP WORK DUE TO EXCUSED ABSENCES

In primary grades, the Kindergarten Teaching Fellow or the Learning Expert Teacher will organize students’

make-up work. For students in grade 4 without Learning Expert Teachers and grades 5–12, each teacher

outlines their policy for the completion of missed homework assignments, quizzes, and tests in the Course

Syllabus. However, the general policy is as follows:

• The student is responsible for asking the teacher about all missed homework, quizzes, and tests upon return.

• The teacher is responsible for outlining a time schedule for the completion of missed assignments, quizzes,

and tests and clearly communicating this information to the student. The time available for completion of

assignments depends on the length of absence.

• The teacher may require the student to attend Student Hour sessions to set up a schedule for missed work

or to take missed quizzes and tests.

• The teacher identiﬁes which tests and quizzes must be taken during Student Hours.

• The student must complete all homework assignments within the timeline designated by the teacher.

CLASSES MISSED DUE TO TARDINESS OR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Students who miss class due to tardiness or unexcused absences may receive a score of zero for any missed

assignments, quizzes, or tests. Remedial assistance and credit for any missed assignments, quizzes, or tests is

available at the discretion of individual teachers.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

MEDICATIONS

Students may only take medication during school hours if it is essential to maintaining their good health. Staff

members are prohibited from giving medicine to a student unless the following requirements are met:

• All prescription medication must be in the original sealed container, labeled with the student’s name,

date, name of medication, dosage to be given, and the pharmacy’s prescription number. All prescription

medication must be accompanied by a doctor’s note. All prescription reﬁlls must fulﬁll the same criteria.

• All non-prescription medicine must be in its original container. Over-the-counter medicine must be labeled

with the student’s name, date, dosage, and time to be given at school.

• Medication must be brought to the School front ofﬁce by a Parent and an Authorization to Administer

Medication form must be completed for each medication to be dispensed.

• No more than a one-month supply may be kept at the School for any student who receives medication on

a regular basis.

Students are strictly prohibited from providing or administering any medication to themselves or any other

student. The only exception to this rule applies to students who require anaphylaxis medication (e.g., an epi-

pen) or asthma medication; state law allows these items to be carried and administered by the student. The

School will consider any necessary and reasonable modiﬁcation of this policy on a case-by-case basis for

students with disabilities.

To comply with the rules outlined above, a Parent must come to the front ofﬁce to complete the appropriate

paperwork for any student who requires medication during school hours. Staff members are not authorized to

call Parents for consent to take over-the-counter medications (e.g., aspirin, Tylenol, Tums, cough drops).

At the end of the school year, all remaining medication must be picked up by the Parent. Any medication

remaining at the School one week after the last day of school will be discarded.

CONTACT MADE IN THE CASE OF HEALTH ISSUES

If a student experiences injury or illness during the school day, the School may contact the Parent. If a Parent

is unavailable, a contact listed on the Emergency Contact form will be contacted. The order of contact may

vary from the Emergency Contact form.

It is essential for Parents to provide reliable emergency contact information. Parents must inform their School’s

front ofﬁce immediately of any changes in home/work address, home/mobile phone numbers, or emergency

contact listings. Anyone listed as an emergency contact is responsible for deciding if, when, and how the

student leaves the School in the event of an illness when a Parent cannot be reached.

SIGNS OF ILL HEALTH: MANDATORY ACTION

Students experiencing any of the following symptoms should not attend school. Additional requirements may

be imposed in accordance with guidance from health authorities. If a student displays any of these symptoms

during the school day, the School will call the Parent or Emergency Contact to request that the student be

collected immediately.

• Fever over 100 degrees. The student must be fever-free for a full 24 hours, without medication, before

returning to school.

• Persistent cough.

• Sore throat with fever and/or white spots on the throat.

• Rash with fever indicating signs of chicken pox, measles, etc.

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The student must be free from symptoms for 24 hours before returning to

school.

• Red, itchy, draining eyes.

• Swelling or pain at a level that may interfere with learning.

• Earache.

• Toothache.

• Head lice.

Students diagnosed with conjunctivitis (pink eye) must be on prescribed medication for 24 hours before

returning to school. Students with head lice must remain at home until treated with medical lice shampoo and

all traces of lice are gone.

REPORTING ILLNESS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

If a student comes to the School front ofﬁce reporting illness, the ofﬁce staff may take the student’s

temperature and notify the Parent or emergency contact. If the student is not experiencing any signs of ill

health covered by mandatory action, or does not have any serious injury, then it is the Parent or emergency

contact’s decision to determine whether to collect the student or have the student return to class.

If the ofﬁce staff is unable to reach the Parent or emergency contact and the student is not experiencing any

signs of ill health covered by mandatory action, or does not have any serious injury, the student will be asked

to return to class.

If the student is experiencing any sign of ill-health covered by mandatory action or has a serious injury, and

the student has not been collected within a reasonable amount of time (depending on the seriousness of the

situation) after the Parent or emergency contact was notiﬁed, or if the School was unable to reach the Parent

or any of the emergency contacts listed on the Emergency Contact form, the School will follow the Medical

Emergencies Procedures outlined below.

If the Parent or emergency contact decides to collect the student, the student waits in a designated area,

supervised by ofﬁce staff. If the student has not been collected within 50 minutes and is not experiencing fever,

diarrhea, or vomiting, or does not have any serious injury, the student is sent back to class.

The School has limited options to make sick students comfortable, so students should be collected as soon as

possible after the Parent or emergency contact is notiﬁed of illness. Additional requirements may be imposed

in accordance with guidance from health authorities.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

In the event of a medical emergency, the following procedures are followed:

• A qualiﬁed adult starts ﬁrst-aid procedures immediately. (All full-time teachers and ofﬁce staff are trained in

basic ﬁrst-aid procedures.)

• If further emergency aid is required, a staff member will call 911.

• After steps have been taken to resolve the immediate medical emergency, the ofﬁce staff notiﬁes the

Emergency Contact.

• A staff member may accompany the student to the hospital to offer assistance or comfort.

• If a serious injury is not accidental, is self-inﬂicted, or caused by assault, the police or other proper authority

are notiﬁed and a report is written.

• If a 911 dispatcher sends an ambulance and the Parent does not want their student transported by

ambulance, the Parent must cancel the ambulance by calling 911.

• Staff members are prohibited from canceling an ambulance request.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Since each School facility and location has unique needs, emergency preparedness and disaster protocols

vary by School. Students and staff will conduct regular safety drills throughout the school year to ensure

emergency preparedness.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Students are required to come to School equipped with sufﬁcient school supplies (e.g., pens, pencils,

sharpeners, erasers, and notebooks). Students should also come with any additional supplies indicated on

the Course Syllabus or communicated to the students in class, the CJ, or the required school supplies list. This

requires substantial organizational skills and self-discipline on the part of the student. Learning how to organize

their school supplies and independent work material is an important skill every student must master as a part of

their education.

To help the student to develop efﬁcient organizational skills and the discipline necessary to comply with the

organization of school supplies, the Dean of Students, based on the recommendation of any teacher, may

place the student in the Academic Support Program.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

The School provides students with instructional materials, which students can take home or use during class,

independent study time, or the Late Bird program. Students are responsible for the careful handling of all the

materials provided to them. All instructional materials furnished by the School are provided only once. If a

replacement is requested by a student or Parent, the Parent is responsible for the School’s incurred cost to

replace the requested item.

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

While all the instructional material necessary for student’s participation and success in the academic program

is provided to students by the School, the School may, from time to time, encourage but never require students

to purchase supplemental materials that may enhance their learning. Such materials include, but are not

limited to: workbooks, resource books (such as novels, anthologies, and dictionaries), software, art supplies,

science lab supplies, etc. Families are only required to pay for materials or activities that are necessary for

fulﬁlling optional academic requirements. Optional academic requirements are requirements that are imposed

on the student only after the Parent agrees that the student be involved in the optional program. There is

always a free option (with an equivalent academic impact) available to students who opt not to participate in

a fee-based optional activity.

Examples: Where applicable, the school may ask families to contribute to cover the costs for participation in

optional electives (e.g., 3D Art Studio or Robotics). There is always an elective offered at the same time that

does not impose any additional ﬁnancial burden. When the School organizes an activity or ﬁeld trip requiring

a student’s ﬁnancial participation, the School always offers a free, on-campus alternative activity during the

same time.

CUBBIES AND LOCKERS

CUBBIES

All students in grades K–3 (and, in some Schools, students in grade 4) are assigned cubbies for storing books

and personal items. Cubbies are the property of the School. At no time does the School relinquish its exclusive

control of the cubbies, which are provided as a convenience to students. Students must use the cubby

assigned to them. The School is not liable for any items missing from a student’s cubby. There is no right to

privacy in cubbies. Staff members may conduct periodic, general inspections of cubbies at any time for any

reason without notice, student consent, or a search warrant.

LOCKERS

Where possible, each student in grades 4–12 is assigned a locker at the beginning of the school year for

storing books and personal items. Students are required to use the lock provided by the School. Under no

circumstances may a lock other than the one assigned by the School be placed on a locker. This may be

considered a Disciplinary Violation. There is a nominal annual locker fee.

Lockers are the property of the School. At no time does the School relinquish its exclusive control of the lockers,

which are provided as a convenience to students. Nonetheless, students have full responsibility for the security

of the lockers assigned to them and are responsible for the contents. It is the student’s responsibility to properly

lock their locker and to keep the lock combination conﬁdential. Sharing the lock combination with other

students may be considered a Disciplinary Violation. The School is not liable for items missing from a student’s

locker. There is no right to privacy in lockers. Staff members may conduct periodic, general inspections of

lockers at any time and for any reason without notice, student consent, or a search warrant.

Students may only use the locker assigned to them by the School. All locker changes or exchanges must be

approved by the Dean of Students or a designated staff member. Using a locker other than the one assigned

to the student by the School without approval from the Director of Student Affairs may be considered a

Disciplinary Violation.

COMMUNICATION

THE COMMUNICATION JOURNAL (CJ)

The CJ is the primary method of communication between Parents, teachers, and staff with regard to a

student’s academic performance or classroom behavior. CJs are used by students in grades K–12. Students

must bring the CJ to every class, every day. The CJ is essentially a day planner, but it is also the most important

tool for students to manage their assignments and to take responsibility for their own learning. Students can

purchase the CJ through the school or choose to purchase a similar day planner elsewhere. The CJ available

for purchase from the School is designed to serve speciﬁc School needs. Both students and teachers are

trained on how to use it consistently and efﬁciently so that all homework assignments, quizzes, and tests are

recorded. Students are responsible for alerting their teachers of notes from their Parent and alerting their Parent

of notes from the teachers or the School. If the CJ is lost or missing, the student should inform their Parent so

that a replacement can be obtained. Failure to bring the CJ to School, destroying the CJ, or removing pages

from the CJ may be considered a Disciplinary Violation.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

Faculty and staff email addresses are available from the School ParentSquare Directory. Parents should not

use email in the case of an emergency; rather, they should call the School front ofﬁce directly. While Parents

may use email to communicate any issues of concern, the demands of the School staff may limit their ability

to address such communication or concerns immediately. Nevertheless, the staff member will acknowledge

the communication within three working days and provide information on when the Parent can expect a

full response. If a Parent does not receive an email response within three working days, the Parent should

inform the Head of School via email of the communication issue. If the Head of School does not address the

communication problem within two working days, the Parent should call the School front ofﬁce and schedule

a meeting.

Parents should not request that teachers email assigned homework or due dates for their student. To develop

the student’s sense of personal responsibility, the School policy is to provide this information only to the

students. As a result, teachers will not respond to these requests. The only exceptions to this rule are grades

K–4 student absences and any student experiencing a long-term absence. Absent students in grades 5–8 are

provided with information on missed work and assignments through the Homework Buddy system/SPORK.

Communication on school-provided platforms is for students only. Parents are required to communicate

through modalities mentioned in this section and not through the school-provided student accounts.

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL

All visitors must check in at the School front ofﬁce and comply with the School’s requirements for entry. If an

individual is permitted to enter beyond the general foyer space, as indicated by the School front ofﬁce, the

visitor is required to wear a visitor’s badge at all times. Visitors are not generally permitted to enter classrooms

during instructional time. Visitors are not generally permitted to enter during instructional classroom time except

pursuant to an approved visit as indicated in the visitor policy.

The School will terminate visiting privileges for anyone who interferes with academic instruction during the visit

or who does not comply with the rules described in this Handbook or pursuant to the visitor policy.

In order to support the dress code and set a good example for our students, visitors to the School are expected

to wear attire corresponding with the School dress code rules.

Visitors must be 18 years or older. Minors (under the age of 18 and not a School student) can only enter the

School premises if accompanied by their Parent, invited by the registrar during the student recruiting process, or

participating in enrichment events designated as ‘open to minors’ who are not students at the School.

STUDENT RECORDS

The School abides by the relevant laws and regulations (e.g., immunizations). Please see your School’s

Guidebook for more information.

Student records include:

• Historical records: Records received from the student’s previous school.

• Attendance records: Daily attendance records for the current school year and Absence Recovery Plans.

• Academic records: All Final Reports issued by the School in previous years, the last progress report (if the

student leaves before the end of the school year), and any ofﬁcial external test score reports.

• Special education records and Section 504 records.

• Discipline records: Any disciplinary decisions or participation in disciplinary investigations documented

during the school year, short and long-term suspension notices, and expulsion notices.

• Health records: Immunization records, medication instructions, etc.

• Parent/Student assurances: Parent/Student Handbook Acknowledgment, permission forms, etc.

• Personal records: Records received from Parents during the registration or enrollment process, including the

Emergency Contact Form.

Note: Parents must provide required documentation for enrollment, as required by state and local laws. Failure to do

so may impact the student’s ability to attend the school.

• Parent information: Information regarding the student’s caregiver(s), as identiﬁed in the student’s

registration documents as the person or people with whom the student resides.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA) NOTIFICATION

FERPA affords Parents and students over 18 years of age the following rights:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education records.

• The right to request amendment of the student’s education records.

• The right to consent to the disclosure of personally identiﬁable information contained in the student’s

education records.

• The right to ﬁle a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the

School to comply with requirements of FERPA.

PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING DIRECTORY INFORMATION

FERPA generally prohibits the School from releasing or providing access to a student’s educational record or

personally identiﬁable information without Parent consent. The School may, however, disclose appropriately

designated “directory information” without consent, unless Parents instruct us otherwise in accordance with

this section. The deﬁnition of directory information at BASIS Charter Schools is limited, meaning that information

designated as directory information will be disclosed only for speciﬁc purposes.

“Directory information” means the student’s name, photograph, physical address, grade level, dates of

attendance, honors, awards, participation in activities and sports ofﬁcially recognized by the School, height

and weight of athletic team members, awards or placement in school-organized or supported competitions,

and cumulative and current grade average (in the case of students who qualify for academic recognition).

This information will be disclosed for the following purposes:

• For use in the annual yearbook.

• School publications, including school/class directories, lists, newsletters, ﬂiers.

• For honor roll or other awards or recognition lists.

• Graduation programs.

• Extracurricular programs, including sports rosters, playbills, concert programs, etc.

• Military recruiters and institutes of higher education, for upper school students only.

We take students’ privacy seriously and, in strict compliance with FERPA, we do not grant requests for student

directory information for commercial purposes.

If, for this academic year, the Parents do not want the School to disclose any information from the student’s

educational record without prior written consent, please sign and return an Opt-Out Form, which is available

at the School’s front ofﬁce.

Please note that the Parents’ express consent will be sought and obtained before the student is asked to

participate in any survey that involves protected survey information as deﬁned by the U.S. Department of

Education. Any such survey materials and surveys created by third parties will also be available for Parent

review upon request.

NAME REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

The ofﬁcial registration must carry the names as recorded on the birth certiﬁcate, unless adoption or another

legal name change is supported by documentary evidence.

CHANGES IN PERSONAL AND HEALTH RECORDS

It is the responsibility of the Parent to inform the School promptly of any changes that include, but are not

limited to: home address, Parent telephone numbers and email address, marital status, guardianship, health

status, immunizations, and medication needs. The Parent can bring the new documents to the School front

ofﬁce (in a sealed envelope if appropriate), mail it to the School (addressed to the School Registrar), or

email the School directly. The Parent must supply a copy of the document (notarized, if original document is

required); the School is not required to copy documents and does not have a notary available.

COMMUNITY

BASIS BOOSTERS

Each School draws from many neighborhoods and, in some cases, many towns to build its student body.

Because of this wide distribution, the School relies on Booster Clubs. Booster Clubs are not-for-proﬁt, site-

speciﬁc, parent volunteer organizations that act as the “social glue” between the School families. By planning

and coordinating social events and having a presence at many school-sponsored events, the Boosters provide

students with opportunities to meet and socialize outside of the school day and help integrate Parents into the

School culture.

In addition to fostering the School community spirit, the Boosters also provide practical help. Booster Clubs

have bought and donated classroom supplies and teaching equipment through their own fundraising events

and projects. The chairperson of each Boosters group may meet with the Head of School to discuss

relevant issues.

Parents who wish to join or otherwise contribute to the School via the Boosters should visit the Booster website,

which contains information about membership, events, and general news.

DONATIONS

Fundraising initiatives are implemented at the School level. Parents, relatives, and friends are encouraged to

contribute in a variety of ways. Since every BASIS Charter School is a part of a 501(c)(3) organization (BASIS

Charter Schools, Inc.), all donations to BASIS Charter Schools are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. For

example, all Parents can donate under the public school tax credit for extracurricular activities. To learn more

about fundraising opportunities in your School, see your School’s “Support Us” web page.

GIFT POLICIES

Staff members are prohibited from accepting gifts of more than nominal value from any member of the

community. If Parents wish to show appreciation for a job well done, please consider making a donation to the

Annual Teacher Fund (ATF) or to one of the other fundraising events at the School. Parents may also support

Booster Club initiatives.

A COMMITMENT TO FAMILIES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ANNUAL TEACHER FUND

All charter schools accept donations to the Annual Teacher Fund (ATF). All money donated to this fund helps

to recruit, retain, and reward valued teachers at the speciﬁc School. For additional information about the ATF,

please refer to the “Support” page of your School’s website.

MISCELLANEOUS

LUNCH, SNACKS, AND FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM

Each School facility has different options regarding food services, time designated for lunches, and the area

designated for the students to have lunch or snacks. Each School, therefore, has its own rules and information

related to lunch, snacks, or food in the classroom, which are posted at the School site and are detailed in the

School’s Guidebook.

PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF STUDENTS

Each School facility has designed its own pick-up and drop-off procedures based on speciﬁc School locations

and local trafﬁc arrangements. For information regarding rules related to pick-up and drop-off procedures,

please see your School’s Guidebook.

CARE OF PROPERTY

Students and Parents are responsible for the cost of replacing any materials lent to the student by the School,

which are subsequently lost or damaged through vandalism or negligence. All instructional materials and

documents (including syllabi, worksheets, and informational ﬂyers) furnished by the School are only provided

once. If replacements are requested by a student or Parent, the Parent is responsible for the School’s cost to

replace the requested item.

STANDARD DUE PROCESS

For disciplinary decisions in situations not otherwise addressed in this Handbook, described above, a Parent

may request, in writing, that the Director of Student Affairs review a staff member’s decision related to their

student. The Parent will receive a written response to their request within 20 school days.

For situations not otherwise addressed, if the concern is related to any of the Directors, the Parent should send

the request to the Head of School. If the concern is related to the Head of School or Head of Operations, the

Parent should send the request to the Vice President of Charter Schools, or designee. In both cases, the Parent

will receive a written response to their request within 30 school days. If the Parent believes that the School

violated any charter or other applicable laws or regulations, they may bring it to the School’s attention and/or

directly contact the appropriate charter authorizing or regulatory entity.

PARENT FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

As a method of recording payments from Parents for allowable fees and deposits, the School utilizes a third-

party payment system. The School employs this service to provide clarity in billing, as well as to provide ﬂexibility

and convenience for families to deliver payment. In most cases, the School is not authorized to collect cash

payments or checks. Once a student has secured and accepted a space at the School, the Parent is required

to set up a payment account. This account assures 24/7 access and allows the Parent to sign up for any

optional activity or additional services for their student.

The School may impose the following sanctions against students for non-payment of fees and charges:

• Deducting outstanding fees and charges, or the costs of damages from any applicable security deposit.

• Denying participation in the end-of-year assembly.

• Denying the privilege of obtaining a yearbook.

• Denying participation in enrichment and optional activities.

• Taking legal action against the Parent.

As outlined in our registration documents, BASIS Charter Schools requests security deposits to ensure

instructional materials provided by the school are properly returned, or to cover the costs of damaged

property or unpaid charges. Financial aid is available if the security deposit poses a ﬁnancial hardship. Security

deposit refund request forms are provided at the time a student graduates or withdraws. Each School will

communicate with Parents directly regarding the refund request forms. Security deposits are donated to

the Annual Teacher Fund if Parents do not request a refund within 180 days after the student’s graduation or

withdrawal.

NON-ACCIDENTAL INJURY/PHYSICAL NEGLECT OF A MINOR

School Personnel are required by law to report any suspected abuse, neglect, and or non-accidental injury of

minors to the proper agencies and/or authorities. Failure to report such suspicions or observations may carry a

criminal penalty. Reports are made conﬁdentially to the applicable agency for follow-through pursuant to their

protocol. School personnel are not allowed to disclose the nature of these reports or subsequent action taken

by agencies or authorities to the Parents. For more information, refer to this Link.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with

Disabilities Act of 1990, the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act and applicable state law, BASIS* does not

discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender

identity or expression, or any other classiﬁcation protected by law in any of its business activities, including its

educational programs and activities which comply fully with the requirements of state and federal law and

Title IX. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding BASIS’ non-discrimination

policies: Beverly Traver, Compliance & Equity Investigator, 7975 N. Hayden Road, Suite B202, Scottsdale, AZ

85258, [email protected].

*As used in this policy, the term “BASIS” refers to: BASIS Educational Group, LLC, BASIS Charter Schools, Inc.,

BDC, A Public School, Inc., BBR Schools, Inc., and all afﬁliated entities.

EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND PROHIBITION AGAINST RETALIATION

The School will not tolerate retaliation against any individual who ﬁles a good-faith complaint of discrimination

or harassment, on any basis, even if the investigation produces insufﬁcient evidence to support the complaint

or if the allegations cannot be substantiated. Likewise, the School will not tolerate retaliation against any

individual who participates in the investigation of a harassment or discrimination complaint against anyone

else. Any perceived retaliation should be immediately reported to the Associate Vice President of Compliance

Services or designee for investigation.

BASIS Ed and BASIS Charter Schools will take all steps necessary to ensure strict enforcement of all

nondiscrimination and non-retaliation policies, including the racial and sexual harassment policies.

Disclaimer

The School has made every reasonable effort to ensure the policies in this Handbook comply with all

applicable state, district, and federal laws and regulations. If this Handbook contains a policy that does not

comply with applicable law, that law takes precedence over the Handbook policy.

If any part of the Handbook is for any reason held to be unenforceable, such provision is severable and the rest

of the Handbook remains fully enforceable.

GLOSSARY

90’s CLUB: All students in grades K–7 earning a Cumulative Average

of 90% or higher for the current trimester (not awarded for students in

grades 8–12).

ACADEMIC TERM: Starts on the ﬁrst day of school

ACCREDITATION: A voluntary method of quality assurance developed

more than 100 years ago by American universities and secondary

schools, and designed primarily to distinguish schools adhering to a set of

educational standards.

ANNUAL TEACHER FUND: An annual opportunity for parents and

community members to get involved and invest in the success of BASIS

Charter Schools. The Annual Teacher Fund is the only major fundraising

program we have and the proceeds we raise each year go directly to

recruit, retain, and reward high performing teachers.

BASIS Ed: Management organization for BASIS Charter Schools, Inc., BBR

Schools, Inc., BDC, A Public Charter School Inc., and BASIS Texas Charter

Schools, Inc.

BEST AND BRIGHTEST: A collection of educational background and

teacher biographies for current school year Teachers.

BOOSTER CLUB: Parent-run, non-proﬁt, volunteer, organization that supports

each school through fundraising events, programs, and activities.

COMMENDED SCHOLAR LIST: All students in grades 8–12 earning a

cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher for the current Trimester.

COMMUNICATED: The information is conveyed to the Parent.

DISCIPLINE VIOLATION: Noncompliance with any of the following: the BASIS

Code of Conduct, General Rules, Classroom Rules, Dress Code, Materials

Brought to School Rules, Response to Physical Aggression, Abuse of Persons or

Property, Verbal Aggression, or Harassment and Bullying.

DISTINGUISHED HONOR ROLL: Top 5 percent of students with the highest

Cumulative Averages; not awarded for Trimester 1.

EARLY BIRD: Before-school program available to all students who arrive at school early.

FERPA: Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

HEAD OF OPERATIONS: Responsible for the operations of the School, all

school programs complementing the education process (e.g., the Early

and Late Bird programs). Manages ﬁnancial transactions between the

students and the School.

HEAD OF SCHOOL: Responsible for the overall education process in the

School, as well as the school culture and environment. Responsible for

ensuring that the education process at the School matches the scope and

quality of the BASIS Charter School Curriculum. Supervises School Directors,

faculty, and other school staff-members participating in the education

process, and remits payments to suppliers of goods and services.

HOMEWORK BUDDY: A student assigned to record daily assignments and

class notes for any students that may be absent from class.

HONOR ROLL: Top 15 percent of students with the highest averages for

the current trimester.

LATE BIRD: After school, fee-based, supervised study program for students

who cannot be picked up from school at their normal dismissal time.

MOST IMPROVED HONOR ROLL: Top 5 percent of students in terms of

total percentage improvement between the previous trimester and the

current one (not awarded for Trimester 1).

OECD/PISA: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/

Program for International Student Assessment.

PARENT: The student’s caregiver(s)/guardian(s) as identiﬁed in the

student’s registration documents as the person or people with whom the

student resides.

PLAGIARISM: The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and

passing them off as one’s own.

PRIMARY SCHOOL: Term used for BASIS Charter School grades K–4.

SCHOOL DIRECTOR: Positions that include the Director of Student Affairs,

Director of Academic Programs, etc. Responsible for educational

services delivered to students.

SENIOR PROJECT: The program that eligible grade 12 students participate in

during the ﬁnal Trimester of their senior year. For more information about the

Senior Project/Senior Research Project requirements and eligibility, please

refer to the graduation requirements for your student’s cohort.

SPORK: A platform all BASIS Charter Schools use to access and organize

curriculum, create course syllabi, develop daily lesson plans, make

announcements and share homework assignments as well as share and

receive content between colleagues and students.

TARDY: When a student does not arrive on time to school or to class.

TRIMESTER (Tri): Grading period of (roughly) 12 weeks that applies to all

grades K–12.

ABOUT THE COVER

The cover art was created by BASIS Scottsdale student, Divya Verma

during their fourth grade year, 2022 at BASIS Scottsdale Primary West.

BASIS

is a registered trademark of BASIS Educational Group, LLC., and BASIS Charter Schools, Inc.

23SMA006 | version 0723

7975 N. Hayden Road, Suite C-240

Scottsdale, AZ 85259

Cover art by

Divya Verma

BASIS Scottsdale Primary West, 2022