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To download the student handbook, click here: 2006-07Student Handbook
Below is the General Information and Policies & Procedures from the handbook:
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Academic Opportunities:
Advanced Placement Courses
Several
advanced placement courses are offered for students to take advantage
of. Some of the courses are offered annually and others are
offered on a two-year rotating basis. In order to receive
weighted credit for an AP class, students must be enrolled in the
course for two semesters and take the exam. The test schedule
will be available at the beginning of the school year. Students
are expected to purchase their AP textbooks and pay for the
tests. Students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 score on the test
are usually awarded college credit when they attend a college or
university. Seniors, then juniors, then sophomores have first
preference for these classes.
CU Succeeds Classes
“CU
Succeeds” allows students to take college classes at DSA for high
school and college credit. Students can earn five high school and three
college credits through this program. Tuition for each “CU Succeeds”
class is approximately $300.00 and students are required to pay the
tuition prior to the beginning of each class. A minimum of 18 students
per class is required to offer a “CU Succeeds” class at DSA. Students
in need of financial assistance may be eligible for partial
scholarships through the DSA administration.
Independent Study for Credit
Independent
study is only approved in rare cases. Independent study can be used for
irresolvable conflicts or for courses not offered on the DSA schedule.
Independent study courses must be approved by an administrator.
Advanced placement and accelerated courses as independent study will
not be allowed.
On-Line Courses
DPS offers a wide-range of on-line courses which are available for DPS / DSA credit. See the counselor for a catalogue.
Post-Secondary Options
Post-Secondary
Options allow students to take up to 2 college classes while completing
high school courses. High school juniors and seniors are allowed to
enroll in this option. Students will be reimbursed tuition costs upon
successful completion of the course. Students will not be reimbursed
for books, supplies or other items required by the instructor. Only two
courses can be taken per semester. Students must check with their
counselor for deadlines for enrolling in these classes that are
typically the semester before the classes are taken.
Arts Endorsed Diploma
To receive an arts endorsed diploma, the following requirements must be accomplished:
• Complete a senior project
• Attend DSA for at least three years and remain in the same major for at least 3 years.
• Maintain an “A” in the major during the senior year and at least a “B” every other semester at DSA.
Additionally, all arts endorsed students must have at least three of the following four requirements:
• Complete a 90 hour internship or be a member of the National Honor Society
• Complete two years of a single foreign language
•
Complete two years in an arts area other than the major area (middle
school arts areas can be included for those students who attended DSA
during middle school).
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of second semester of the senior year.
Athletic Opportunities and Extra Curricular Activities
DSA students have the following options for playing sports during the 2006-2007 school year:
DSA
students (DPS and out of district) can participate in athletics at
their home high school or at George Washington High School (655
South Monaco St., Denver). They are required to register for
athletics at their chosen school (GW or home school) and remain
with that school’s sports team the entire term.
The Denver School of Science and Technology will accept eligible DSA students in grades 9-11
in their athletic programs.
Contracts
All
students and parents sign the DSA contract when they register for
school in the fall. Students and parents are bound by this
contract. Since DSA is a magnet school violations of the contract
can result in losing a spot at the school. Students must maintain a
2.25 grade point average overall and a 3.0 (B) average in the major.
When
students are placed on probation they are required to sign a contract
with an outlined plan for improving their academic or arts performance
at DSA.
When
a student has been suspended from school they must sign a contract upon
being reinstated in school. The contract deals specifically with
the area(s) of concern that caused the student’s suspension.
Changes in Schedule
Students
may request a schedule change during the first two weeks of the
semester only. Changes after this date will result in a
withdraw/fail (WF) grade. Changes should only be made if a
student has been placed in the wrong class or if it is not in the best
interest of the student’s academic program to remain in the
class. Changing classes to be with friends is NOT a legitimate
reason to request a course change.
Counseling Services
The
school counselors are available to work with students and their
families regarding class schedules, academic plans, and general
concerns. Students and parents should make appointments to meet
with the counselors. The counselors hold a number of after school
and evening sessions that address academic planning, college admission
processes, college searches, etc. that are great opportunities for
parents and students to get valuable information.
Dropping Classes
Students cannot drop a class without signed permission from their parent / guardian.
A dropped class must be approved by an administrator.
Excursions
Students
and parents sign a general excursion permission form when they
register. This form covers in town regular excursions that are a
part of the school program. A student can be denied permission to go on
an excursion that would keep a student from attending other classes if
the performance in other classes is not satisfactory.
Teachers
will notify parents in advance when an excursion is planned.
Students are expected to follow all school rules and regulations while
on the excursion.
Fundraising
Unfortunately,
fundraising is a practical reality in schools today. We rely on
fundraising to provide the monies needed to fund the supplemental
activities in our school. However, in order not to solicit the
same donors, fundraising is controlled through Mr. Castillo’s
office. A fund raising form must be completed for all on and off
campus fundraising efforts. Fundraising efforts are exclusively
for DSA approved activities, and not for personal entrepreneurial gain.
Gifted and Talented
All
gifted and talented activities are available for all students.
Announcements of activities will be made during the daily announcements
and posted on bulletin boards or in the halls.
Grade Point Expectations
It
is expected that DSA students maintain both academic and artistic
excellence; a 3.0 GPA is the standard in the Arts Major. If a
student falls below an overall 2.25 GPA or has a C or lower in their
Arts Major at the close of a semester, the student will be placed on
academic probation and all required stipulations will be applied.
Homework
Teachers
publish their own homework expectations. Students should be
encouraged to schedule time at home to complete their work. It is
reasonable to expect homework every night. Homework assignments
are posted on the web-page for each class.
Internet Use
DSA
computers are available for student use. However, students are
expected to use the computers for school use only. If a student
uses the computer to visit unauthorized sites or for person use will
lose the privilege of using school computers.
Lost and Found
Lost
and found items will be held in the Student Advisor’s office
area. Items will be held for two weeks and then given to a
charity.
Media Release
Parents will be asked to sign a media release annually during registration.
Medical Release
Parents
must sign a release form granting permission for the nurse to dispense
any medication to students during school hours. This includes
Aspirin, Advil, Tylenol, etc.
Medical Needs
It
is imperative that parents inform the school nurse of any medical
condition(s) that could affect their student’s school day. The
nurse will dispense all medications. If a students experiences a
life threatening injury or illness, 911 will be called first, then the
parents will be called. If the situation is not life threatening
the parent will be called to determine the course of action.
Parking
Approximately
180 student parking spaces are available at DSA. Parking permits
may be purchased at registration. Students can park only in designated
areas, and they may not park in front of a neighbor’s house.
Anyone who parks without a permit will be subject to a ticket.
Visitor spaces will be provided. Students and visitors are
expected to be considerate to our neighbors.
Parent Portal
Parents
and students can have immediate access to student records through the
Infinite Campus Parent Portal. In order to gain access the
parent must sign an agreement form. Forms are available on the
DSA website or you can pick one up from Colleen Jackson in the
Counseling Center at DSA. The form must be signed in front of
Colleen or notarized before submitting. Once the form is
submitted, the parent / student will be given an ID # to use to create
an account. Attendance history, current class grades, health
records, student schedules, and standardized test scores are all
available through this portal. Parents are welcome to use DSA
computers to access this service.
Parent Teacher Conferences
School-wide
parent teacher conferences will be scheduled in October and in
February. You may also schedule conferences with teachers to
discuss progress. To schedule a conference call the school’s main
office or visit the website for teacher contact information. To
contact a teacher please phone their voice mail number or contact them
via email.
Scholarships
All
students will have access to information about scholarships, grants and
other assistance. The information is located in the Counseling
Center.
Telephone Messages
Only
EMERGENCY messages will be delivered to a student by calling the main
office at 720-424-1700. An emergency is a situation that requires
the student to leave school during the school day. All other
messages will not be delivered. The use of the main office
telephone is restricted.
One phone will be provided in the office for phone calls. Please limit calls to 2 minutes.
Visitors
Parents
are welcome to visit the school and the classrooms of their children at
any time; however, all visitors, including parents, must sign in at the
main office and are reminded to abide by all DSA school rules and
policies. Parents are also reminded that this is not the time for
parent-teacher conferences; appointments should be made with the
teachers. Students are not allowed to have friends from other
schools visit at any time.
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
DPS Policy Information
For
detailed descriptions of DPS policies regarding attendance, conduct,
discipline, health-safety, and interscholastic activities please
download the DPS Parent Handbook at:
http://www.dpsk12.org/parent_handbook
DSA Procedures
DSA follows district policies. Specific detailed emphasis is described below:
Artistic Etiquette
Student
work is displayed and celebrated continually at DSA. Students
should respect other students’ work by leaving displayed work
intact. During performances students should treat the performers
with respectful attention and polite response. Talking during
performances is rude; coming into or leaving a performance should only
happen before it begins or in between acts/songs/etc. No one should
enter or leave during a performance.
The
Schomp Theatre, the Dance Studio, and the Concert Hall are special
venues where the furnishings and floors are to be treated with great
respect. (no food or beverage except water, no feet on furniture
etc.)
Attendance
We expect students to be in class and on time for every period on every day of the school year.
The only excused absences in DPS and at DSA are the following:
• Temporary illness or injury
• Physical, mental or emotional disability or condition
• School approved excursions or school business
To
report a student’s absence, a parent/guardian must telephone the
attendance line by noon of the following day at (720-424-1846 ).
Written documentation is not necessary. A blanket excuse at the
end of a grading period will not be accepted.
•
In order for students to participate in school activities they must be
present in classes for at least one-half of the school day to be
eligible to participate.
•
Students with three unexcused absences will be subject to disciplinary
action which could include lack of eligibility to participate in school
performances or suspension. The penalty will be determined in a
parent/administrator conference.
• Attendance is the responsibility of students and parents.
Behavior
Willingness
to listen to others’ thoughts and feelings fosters an acceptance of
divergent points of view which leads to an appreciation of various
forms of artistic expression. Differences in age ethnicity,
gender, physical ability or sexual preference provide richness to the
school, and richness is necessary for art to reflect the reality of our
diverse culture.
It
is the responsibility of every member of the DSA community to approach
each other as equal individuals and to respect each other’s
beliefs. Disruptive behavior is not tolerated. The Student
Advisors will arrange mediation or counseling if behavior problems
occur with a student(s). Students will be suspended if involved
in a fight, agitating a fight, engaged in bullying or other
intimidating behavior(s) under the following circumstances:
• before during and/or after school hours
• on or off school property
• at school activities and/or bus stops
• at areas which endanger other students or the community.
Because
many DSA classes require students to spend time working on projects,
activities, etc. in the hallways, disruptive behavior (horseplay, loud
talking/laughing, bullying) in the hallways will not be tolerated.
Dress Code
In
art, as in the rest of life, appearances count and first impressions do
matter. Students are reminded that a part of professional
training is learning to present oneself well. The following rules
apply to the daily dress of staff and students:
•
For safety and health reasons, everyone is required to wear footwear,
shirts and appropriate clothing while on school grounds.
•
Students wearing clothing that “makes a statement” are expected to
respect the rights and beliefs of our diverse school community.
•
Clothing that is disruptive to the educational climate is not
appropriate and students will be asked to change. A second
infraction will result in disciplinary consequences. Disruptive
clothing includes but is not limited to:
• Sexually provocative clothing
• Clothing exhibiting obscene wording or graphics or promoting illegal activities
• Gang identifying clothing
Drugs* and Alcohol
Students,
staff, and visitors are forbidden to possess, sell or use the following
on school property: alcohol, narcotics or other harmful
substances and habit forming and/or prescription drugs.*
Suspension
and independent court action will be taken against a student involved
in the distribution, possession or sale of alcohol or narcotics.
Police will be called as appropriate to the situation. Upon
return to school from suspension, the student will sign a substance
abuse contract and will participate in a substance abuse treatment
program.
* the school nurse must dispense prescription drugs to the students
Food & Beverages
Food
or drink are not allowed in any area except the lunchroom and
designated eating areas. Only water is permitted in ALL
classrooms and in the Schomp Theatre and the Concert Hall.
Students are expected to clean up their eating area when finished.
Littering and Graffiti
DSA
is your community and is a reflection of you. We expect that you
take care of the school and keep it neat and clean. Please do not
litter and be sure to clean up any mess you make. Graffiti is
punishable with serious disciplinary action. Law enforcement may
be involved.
Off Campus Privileges
Sixth
through ninth grade students stay on campus during lunch and will face
a one-day suspension for leaving campus. Tenth through
twelfth grade students are allowed to leave campus provided they behave
as responsible individuals and treat neighbors and merchants with
courtesy and respect.
Plagiarism / Cheating
Plagiarism
is stealing! A student caught plagiarizing will receive an “F”
for the project plagiarized and will face further disciplinary action
on a second infraction, which could include losing a spot at DSA.
Cheating will result in the same consequence.
Posters and Flyers
Posters
and announcements should not be posted anywhere but on the cement
pillars, on bulletin boards, and on the boards that line the
hallways. NOTHING should be posted or taped to the painted walls
or to the art cases or murals. Masking tape is the only
adhesive that should be used to post signs or announcements. All
posters and flyers must be approved by the administration.
Smoking and tobacco
State
law prohibits students, staff and visitors to use any tobacco in any
form in the SCHOOL BUILDING, ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, AT SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES OR IN SCHOOL VEHICLES. It is unlawful for students
under 18 ears of age to possess or to smoke any kind of tobacco
product. If a student possesses a tobacco product he/she will be
given a police citation. DSA will not tolerate the use of
tobacco in the community surrounding the school, especially when it
offends or infringes on personal property. Violation of the
no-smoking policy will result in disciplinary action.
Suspension
Suspension
is a disciplinary action used to stop unacceptable behavior in the
school environment and is used when school policies and rules are
violated. Suspension points out to the student the seriousness of
the misconduct and informs the parent or guardian to ensure parental
cooperation in dealing with the problem. Suspension is a
temporary action to protect the staff and students, school property and
the orderly function of the school. If a student is suspended,
he/she may not participate in school activities for the length of their
suspension. DPS policy states that suspensions are an unexcused
absence. Suspended students shall be given the opportunity to make up school work during
periods of suspension. School principals or their designees may suspend students for up to five (5)
school days for disciplinary purposes except that suspensions up to ten (10)
school days are authorized for more serious violations occurring on school
property. the
following behavior infractions which include but are not limited to:
• continued willful disobedience or open and persistent defiance of proper authority
•
engaging in behavior, on or off school property, which is detrimental
to the welfare and safety of students or school personnel
• destruction or defacing of school or an individual’s property
• participating in theft or plagiarism
• possession of alcohol or illegal drugs or cigarette smoking
• possession of firearms, knives or weapons of any kind
• sexual, racial or physical harassment.
The chief administrative officer for purposes of student discipline under this
policy shall be the appropriate Area Superintendent of Schools, the Assistant
Superintendent of Schools for students enrolled charter schools, and the
Assistant Superintendent of Schools for student services for students enrolled
in alternative schools. The chief administrative officer may extend any
suspension by ten (10) school days. If expulsion has been recommended, the chief
administrative officer may extend a suspension for an additional ten (10) school
days, not to exceed twenty-five (25) days suspension in total, if necessary, to
present the matter to the Board of Education.
Tardiness
Students are expected to be in class on time.
A
student who arrives at school after 7:35 a.m. or to any class after
start time will be counted tardy. A tardy is unexcused unless it
is due to an illness or a doctor’s appointment. A phone call to
the attendance office or written documentation is required to excuse a
student for illness or a doctor’s appointment. A student must
have either an excused or unexcused tardy slip to enter class.
Each teacher has developed their own classroom tardy policy.
Theft and Valuables
Theft
and/or larceny in the school building and breaking and entering will
result in suspension, restitution and citation by police.
Students
are cautioned not to bring valuables or large amounts of money to
school. DSA is not responsible for students’ personal
property brought to school.
Weapons
Carrying,
using and/or wearing of any dangerous or deadly weapon is expressly
prohibited by DPS Policy. The possession or use of any weapon
requires school officials to initiate proceedings to suspend or expel
the student involved.
Parents,
be aware that some objects not normally thought of as weapons
(plastic water guns, small utility knives, etc.) may be construed
as such.
At
DSA fake weapons or knives are frequently used as props in school
productions or for student classroom presentations. It is
important that a student bring their “prop” to the office first thing
in the morning to check in for administrative approval for use.
At the Denver School of the Arts, people and things are treated with dignity and respect.
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