School Policies

Policy is an important part of any organization, and at our school, we are no different. Below are some of our policies. As new policy is made available, it will be placed here as well.

School jurisdiction in academics and behavior is detailed on this website but is not limited to it. Additional policies developed by the Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School administration are equally binding.

School jurisdiction is not limited to school hours or school property. A student at Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School is considered a student 24 hours a day. Any behavior in which the school reputation may be affected falls under school jurisdiction; this includes any fighting or misconduct that involves Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School students.

Students involved in behavior contrary to school policy or school philosophy are subject to the same academic and disciplinary policies that regulate the school day and the school grounds, including the possibility of expulsion.

Communication Devices

Cell phones, I-Pods, MP3 players, CD Players, Game Boys, PSPs ARE PROHIBITED!

All of the above must be kept out of sight at all times. They must be kept in the student’s locker or in the student’s bookbag.

The following disciplinary actions will occur if a student has one of the above devices in plain sight:

First Offense:

Device is taken from student; student can retrieve the device at the end of the day (3 demerits issued)

Second Offense: Device is taken from student; parent must come in to retrieve the device (3 demerits issued)

Third Offense: Device is taken from student; device will not be returned until the end of the school year. (3 demerits issued)

* Any student who refuses to hand over a device when requested by a school employee will be sent to the disciplinarian, parents will be notified, and the student will be suspended.

Communication Devices are the responsibility of the student! The school is not responsible for lost or stolen devices.

Confidentiality

Written consent from a parent/guardian shall be required prior to the release of any student records or any personally identifiable information contained therein to any individual, agency, or organization.

Parents/Guardians have the right to inspect and request copies of all educational records, and under the regulations established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the rights of parents/guardians regarding these same records are to be transferred to the student upon reaching the age of eighteen (18).

Demerits

The demerit system has been established to enable students to act responsibly and to be accountable for their own performance and behavior. By implementing this system, it is the hope of the Administration that students will learn to appreciate the importance and the need for self-discipline.

It is the responsibility of the student to notify and advise their parents/guardians of any infractions incurred with regard to the school's Code of Conduct or the school's regulations.

Every student will begin the semester with 100 points. The passing grade in discipline is seventy (70). Violations of the Code of Conduct or of school rules and regulations will result in points being deducted from a students conduct grade.

More serious violations could result in more serious penalties. Point deductions can vary from one (1) point for a minor violation to thirty-one (31) points for more serious violations. In any event, the Disciplinarian will make the determination as to what measures will be taken in the event of persistent conduct violations. As a student begins to lose points, the following action will begin:

When a student accumulates twenty (20) points, a detention will be issued and the parents will be notified by mail. When a student reaches thirty-one (31) points, the student and the parents will be advised that their child is failing conduct.

The following is a list of some infractions and the number of points that may be assessed:

One Point: sleeping in class, chewing gum, wearing headphones, stairway or corridor disruption, failing to follow directions, using profanity

Three Points: classroom disruption, cafeteria disruption, carrying and/or using a cell phone, defiance, bringing food or drink into the classroom, failing to carry your school I.D.

Five Points: being removed from class, smoking within the building, missing detention

Ten Points: cutting a class or block, disrespecting a teacher or staff person,leaving school property without permission, verbally threatening another student

Thirty Points: physical violence, truancy, drug use and/or possession, bringing into school or harboring any weapon, vandalism, burglary or theft, directing verbally offensive, threatening or profane remarks towards any staff person

Detention

Any student who violates the school's Code of Conduct or the school's rules and regulations will have points deducted from their conduct grade. In addition, the student may also be issued a detention. Any student who does not attend an assigned detention will be subject to disciplinary action.

This may include, but not limited to, suspension, referral to the Discipline Committee and/or the Discipline Review Board. Students who fail, or refuse, to serve an assigned detention will have five (5) points deducted from their conduct grade. In addition, they will be reassigned & and must serve & the original detention.

Any student who repeatedly refuses or fails to serve assigned detentions will be referred to the Disciplinarian for further action.

** Unless there is specific approval by the Disciplinarian, detentions will be served the same day that they are issued !

** Detention is automatic for the following infractions:

Late for school or any class

Unauthorized use of the elevators

Being referred to the C.R. room

** Students who are serving detention are not permitted to participate in extra-
curricular activities that day.

Dress Code

After much collaboration with parents, staff, student organizations, and the Board of Trustees, the dress code policy will go into effect immediately. All students must purchase and wear correctly sized white and/or blue oxford style dress shirts with the school logo. The only available shirts will be the blue and/or white oxfords.

All students incoming and returning will be required to wear black slacks.Note: Carpenter pants, jeans, and sweat pants are not acceptable !Blue or any other color slacks are not acceptable.The dress code policy will be strictly enforced with no exceptions. Footwear:All students (incoming and returning) must wear black shoes!Black sneakers are permitted.Shoes must be all black.NO EXCEPTIONS!

The only allowable jewelry will be a watch and small post earrings.No visible body piercing is permitted on any student.This includes piercing of the tongue, chin, eyebrows, lips and nose. Hoop earrings, hanging earrings, chains, pins, etc are not permitted.Hats, headgear, scarves, etc are not permitted.

Parents take note: the dress code policy will be strictly enforced !Any student who fails to conform to our dress code policy and/or abuses this policy will be referred to the Disciplinarian.

Clothing purchases can be made exclusively at the following locations:

CRAMER'S UNIFORMS
GALLERY II 12TH & MARKET STS.
215-238-1400

CRAMER'S UNIFORMS
1704-06 PASSYUNK AVE.
215-468-2400

Drugs

The possession, use, sale and/or transmittal of any alcohol, tobacco, tobacco product, or any controlled substance is strictly forbidden.

This prohibition includes the school building, surrounding grounds, travel to and from school, as well as any school sponsored program or activity regardless of location.

The Administration and the Board of Trustees fully endorses a zero tolerance policy regarding the possession and/or use of any illegal substance.

Any possession and/or use of any illegal substance will result in the enforcement of all school and legal policies.

Any student found to be using, selling or in possession of any illegal substance or prescription medication will be immediately escorted to the Disciplinarian.

An immediate determination will be made by an Administrator and a Guidance Counselor to contact parent/guardian and legal authority.

Results of this action can include suspension, expulsion and possible arrest.

Fire Drills and Safety Plans

Quiet and mature conduct is expected at this time in order to provide a safe exodus for all students and staff in the event of a hazardous and dangerous situation. Signs are provided in each classroom with emergency evacuation procedures. The following must be observed during all fire drills:

All lights out; all windows closed…

Walk rapidly and in single file…

Walk to the nearest stairwell

Stay with your class or group; return to the same classroom or area from which you came without talking, laughing, etc.

NOTE: Deliberately turning a false alarm is a criminal offense….

Our school has carefully crafted a plan for a variety of emergencies and/or crisis situations. The procedures for these plans include a lock down, shelter in place, and other plans in the event of an emergency. Plans will be reviewed in all Homerooms with students as part of the instructional plan at the beginning of the school year and practiced in the form of drills throughout the school year.

Hall Passes

Students are not permitted to be wandering about the building, the corridors, etc. or exit the building without authorization. If a student needs to leave a classroom or an assigned area, they must first secure a pass from their teacher or staff person in order to do so.

ID Cards

For security and safety reasons, every student will be required to wear a school-issued photo-identification badge.

This identification card will also be required at school functions off- site such as sporting events, dances, etc.

The retention and care of this badge is the responsibility of the student; any student who defaces and/or loses the I.D. card will be required to purchase another.

Interrogations and Searches

The Administration and Security personnel reserve the right to question any student or students regarding their conduct or behavior as well as the conduct or behavior of others.

They also reserve the right to search any student or students as well as their property if reasonable cause exists that any illegal or unauthorized items, substances, contraband, or materials are in their possession that may jeopardize the well-being and/or safety of others or the safe operation of the school.

Lockers

Every student will be provided with a locker. The lockers are the property of the school and are provided to store outerwear, books, personal belongings, etc.

While the lockers remain the property of the school, the maintenance of the locker is the responsibility of the student. Students are not permitted to use another student’s locker, nor are they permitted to share a locker with another student. Tampering with another student’s locker is a very serious issue.

Lockers may be searched by the Administration and Security Director if reasonable cause exists that the locker contains something harmful or illegal. Searches of this nature will be conducted in the presence of one or more witnesses.

Students are to provide their own lock and every locker is to remain locked throughout the day. The school assumes no responsibility for any materials or belongings that are missing or stolen from a locker as a result of the locker not being secured.

PSSA Testing

Based on the PSSA Test a student must be proficient in mathematics, reading and writing.

Proficiency will be met by one of the following three alternatives:

Proficient or Advanced rating in all areas of the 11th grade PSSA (Mathematics, Reading, Writing).

For any senior scoring at the basic or below basic level in any and all areas of 11th grade PSSA, attendance at Fall-After School Support Remediation (12 hours per area) is mandatory.

For any senior still scoring at the basic or below basic level in any and all areas of the 12th grade PSSA Retest, attendance at Spring After-School Support Remediation (12 hours per area) is mandatory. Proficient rating on the Local Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (LASK) in all areas in which Proficiency on the PSSA or PSSA Retest has not been established.

The School and Law

An unlawful act taking place on or off school property may result in suspension or expulsion, as well as police involvement in addition to penalties from the court.

If a student is presently attending or applying to Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School, and is found guilty of a juvenile or adult crime, and is reported to school administration, the student is liable for dismissal from Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School or may be refused admission.

Senior Fee

Seniors are required to pay a senior fee of $285.00 to PE&T Charter High School. This fee will be used for various items that will be purchased for them throughout their senior year. Senior Prom is NOT included in the senior fee. The senior fee includes but is not limited to the following:

Senior Yearbook (personalized)

Senior Class Mug (personalized)

Senior Class T-Shirt

Senior Trip / transportation

Senior Barbeque / Battle of the Sexes<

Senior Phillies game ticket

Senior Parent Dinner (2 parent tickets/ 1 student ticket)

Senior jacket

Graduation Materials

Graduation announcements

Senior Key Chain

SENIOR FEE IS MANDATORY!

Three payments of $95 can be made throughout the school year on due dates that are designated on the school calendar or one final payment of $285 can be made by January 19th, 2007. Payments can be cash, checks or money orders made out to PE&T Charter High School”and given to the Activities Director, Mrs. Rosemarie DeFelice.

SENIOR FEE REFUNDS

There are NO COMPLETE REFUNDS OF SENIOR FEE! Seniors who fail to meet graduation requirements will receive a refund of $50 for their graduation materials. All other materials must still be paid for since they have been previously ordered and paid for by the school.

Summer School

Any PE&T student who fails an academic course will be required to make up that course in summer school. Any PE&T student who fails conduct or exceeds the maximum number of absences(15) will be required to attend summer school.

Summer school is 24 days and begins the week after the close of school. Each academic class is 75 minutes in length with 75 minutes of assigned homework.

Discipline/Attendance Courses are conducted for 2 weeks. Each class is 2 hours per day. A failure to complete summer school will result in dismissal from PE&T.

Rules of PE&T Summer School

Students are dismissed from academic summer school after 3 absences. After their 3rd absence, a student's parent/guardian will have to begin the transfer process. Two lates to class equals one absence. There are no excused absences in summer school.

Discipline/Attendance summer school does not permit any absences.

Students must be properly dressed for summer school. The building can be very cool in the summer months. Students are not allowed to wear short-shorts, tank tops, sleeveless shirts to school. All items must be appropriate for school.

If a student has to attend for discipline and/or attendance, that student can only be scheduled for a maximum of 3 failures. Please make sure your student is aware of this policy! If a student does not have to attend for discipline and/or attendance, they can be scheduled for a maximum of 4 failures.

Any questions regarding summer school should be directed to Mr. Thomas Conway, Director of Summer School.

Violations With Aggravating Circumstance

Certain types of student behavior are beyond the norm of student behavior as covered by the school policies.

These would include but are not limited to: violent behavior, terroristic threats(whether written, verbal or via computer), thefts of large amounts of money or items, thefts from faculty or staff, public drunkenness or drug use at or associated with school activities or behavior outside of school that is scandalous to the reputation of the school.

At the discretion of the administration, these types of behavior will result in dismissal from school and in certain situations the involvement of the police.

In the event the student is retained, in addition to suspension, demerits and detentions, the student will be subject to administrative review and may also be subject to: an immediate failure in conduct, discipline summer school, immediate removal from teams and extracurricular activities, no participation in socials, dances or proms.

If the student is a senior, she/he may lose the right to graduate in public with the class.