Student Handbook

Parent Communication and Concerns

It is the commitment of Holy Rosary School to ensure that all parent questions and concerns are addressed in a timely manner.

All classroom concerns should be addressed first through the classroom teacher.  Teachers will respond to all concerns within two days of receiving the question. This response could take the form of a phone call or note home and may include a meeting at school.  If a parent needs further assistance, concerns should then be addressed to the Principal.  Further concerns should be addressed to the Pastor and then the Diocesan Superintendent at the Catholic School Department. The Catholic School Department should be used to address concerns only after all other channels have been utilized.

Parents are reminded that the Holy Rosary School Board is an advisory board that works with the Principal and Pastor on all matters relating to the operation of the school.

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Daily Schedule

7:55 Yard duty begins
8:00 Grades 5-8 enter the building (north doors)
8:00 Pre-K morning enter the building (south doors)
8:15 Grades K-2 enter the building (south doors)
8:15 Grades 3-4 enter the building (north doors)

Recess Bells:
10:35 (K-1), 10:55 (2-4), 12:20 (5-8),
12:40 (2-4), 1:00 (K-1)

Dismissal:
2:30 (K-4)
2:35 (5-8)

Students will be considered tardy after the bell for their class has rung and the classes have entered the building.

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Admission and Re-admission

The admission policy concerning entrance age for Holy Rosary School will be the same as the entrance requirements for Gardner Public Schools in accordance with the guidelines and policies of the State of Massachusetts and the Diocese of Worcester. Students who are members of Holy Rosary Parish are given first priority, as are all the students presently enrolled.

Kindergarten:

Children entering kindergarten must be five years of age on or before September 1^st.

Grade One:

Children entering first grade must be six years of age on or before September 1^st. Parents new to the school will need to provide evidence of the child completing a year of kindergarten.

Transfer Students Grades 1-8:

All students new to Holy Rosary School must present the required immunizations and health forms and a copy of the child’s most recent report card. Students who have a learning disability and/or 504 Plans must submit current IEP evaluations and reports for review before being enrolled in the school. Students with a history of academic and/or behavioral problems are placed on probation for the first quarter of the school year. Failure to meet academic requirements or levels of acceptable behavior will result in the student’s withdrawal from Holy Rosary School.

Preschool:

Both a two day (Tues, Thurs) and a three day (Mon, Wed, Fri) program are available. They run from 8:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. To enter the two day program children must be at least 3 years old on or before September 1^st. To enter the 3 day program children must be four years old on or before September 1^st.

Registration Period:

An in-house registration period is held for current families in February or March. After a designated period of time, the registration is then open to the general public. Transfer students are accepted throughout the year if space is available within a given grade.

Re-Admission:

In the spring, all families returning to Holy Rosary School re-register their child(ren) for the new school year. Current families are given preference for a designated period of time before families outside the school may register.

Non Discrimination Policy:

It is the policy of Holy Rosary School to admit students of any gender, race, national or ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, religion, and sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded to students at the school. Holy Rosary School does not discriminate on the basis of race in the administration of its educational policies, athletic or other school administered program.

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Discipline Policies

In order to guide the children during their formative years, and create an atmosphere conducive to learning, Holy Rosary School has established firm but flexible guidelines for behavior.

These are based on consistency, firmness, and respect. To help prepare children for the future, great emphasis is placed on teaching students to realize that consequences follow the use of responsible freedom. Children are expected to show respect to all persons and to accept responsibility and consequences for actions that infringe on the rights of others. The support and backing of parents for an effective discipline program is expected.

The authority of each teacher, substitute teacher, aide, coach, lunchroom or playground monitor, custodian, or parent volunteer, applies to all children at all times and in all places at school, at church, on the school grounds, or at any school sponsored activity. Any student who is disobedient or disrespectful toward any of the above persons, who breaks safety rules, or violates another person's basic rights can expect to receive disciplinary action.

General Discipline Policy Statement:

At the beginning of the school year, each teacher will outline classroom rules which will provide the best learning environment for all students, as well as rewards and consequences for positive and negative behavior. The teacher will help direct and stimulate proper pupil behavior within the classrooms by:

1. recognizing the individual worth of the child
2. providing for individual differences
3. preparing pupils to share classroom responsibilities
4. instilling in the child to be Christ-like both physically and socially

While managing student behavior, teachers are expected to correct and handle disciplinary problems that occur within their range of responsibility. Teachers will be in direct contact with parents of children who are having behavioral and/or academic difficulties. Teachers and parents should partner in their efforts to manage and correct day-to-day behavior issues of students before seeking the assistance of the administration. If further disciplinary action is needed, teachers may refer the student to the Principal. The Principal has the right and responsibility to maintain a Christian atmosphere within the school. When further disciplinary action is necessary, the Principal will be fair, just, and consistent within the framework of the details as they are known to him or her. The Principal may use, or authorize the teachers to use, a variety of student management techniques such as, but not limited to:

1. conference with the student with warning about the behavior
2. loss of a minor or major privilege
3. after school detention with teacher with prior parent notification
4. conference with parents
5. develop a behavior contract with the child/parents
6. in-school suspension
7. perform community service within the school
8. suspension from school (Principal only)
9. expulsion from school ( Principal and Pastor only)

Elastic Clause: because it is impossible to foresee all problems that arise, this clause empowers the Administration and Faculty to take disciplinary action for any behavior which violates the spirit, philosophy, and mission statement of Holy Rosary School even though not specified in this code of conduct.

Rules of Conduct as stated in the Parent/Student Handbook are expected to be enforced by faculty and staff. School rules include the following:

1. Students are expected to show respect for peers, faculty, guests, and volunteers through words and actions.
2. Students are to be in proper school uniform as detailed in the handbook.
3. Students are to remain seated if a teacher must leave the room.
4. All property, personal and school, must be given proper care. Textbooks should be covered at all times.
5. Students may not run inside the building.
6. Good manners are to be displayed by all students and should be modeled by everyone on the staff.
7. Chewing gum at school is not permitted in the school buildings or on school property during the school day.
8. Students should consume candy given by a teacher while in the teacher's room, not in the hallways.

Policy Major Offenses:

Holy Rosary School has a zero tolerance policy for possession and/or use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, threatening a teacher, weapons, and realistic-looking toy weapons. Any violation of this policy could result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion.

Other Occurrences of Unacceptable Behavior at Holy Rosary School:

Offenses such as insubordination to any school personnel, coercion of another student, bullying, forgery, fighting, vandalism, theft, lying, cheating (remember that plagiarism is a form of cheating), repeated dress code violations, abusive language and/or actions, unauthorized leaving of school grounds, and/or any violation of established school and/or classroom rules carry the following consequences:

1^st offense: Immediate notification of parents and/or detention (loss of recess or detention after school, the duration of time determined by the principal)

2^nd offense: Parent conference with the possibility of in-school suspension or out-of-school suspension, depending on the offense

3^rd offense: Grounds for suspension or expulsion

Note: In cases where the conduct of a student in or out of school is detrimental to the reputation of the school or the moral good of the student body, the Pastor reserves the right to ask the parents to withdraw the student, or to expel the student himself.

Incendiary Devices on School Property:

All students attending Holy Rosary School are prohibited from having in their possession matches, lighters, or other incendiary devices while on school property. This will not be limited to school hours only but anytime a student attends a school function on school property.

Anytime a question arises that matches, lighters, or other incendiary devices have been used in the school building or on school property that has actually caused an ignition of the listed items or the surrounding materials, the Fire Department will be notified immediately in order to conduct an investigation and document the occurrence for possible legal action.

Bicycles, etc.:

The use of bicycles, skateboards, or in-line skates is prohibited. Students are not to use these items on school grounds.

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Off-Campus Conduct

The administration of Holy Rosary School reserves the right to discipline its students for off-campus behavior that is not in line with the behavior expectations of its students during the course of the school day. This off-campus behavior includes, but is not limited to, cyber-bullying.

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Sexual Harassment and Bullying

Sexual harassment and/or bullying between students will not be tolerated at Holy Rosary School.

Sexual harassment is defined as any conduct containing sexual matter or suggestions, which would be offensive to a reasonable person. Sexual harassment and bullying include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors:

• Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs or unwanted sexual advances, imitations, or comments.
• Visual contact such as derogatory and/or sexually oriented posters, photography, cartoons, drawings, or gestures.
• Physical contact such as assault, unwanted touching, blocking normal movements, or interfering with work, study or play.
• Retaliation for having reported or threatened to report sexual harassment.

Harassment and bullying are not limited to actions and words used in school, but to any whose results, consequences, actions and behaviors carry over to the school setting. This can include the following:

• Blogs: Engagement in online blogs such as, but not limited to, MySpace.com®, Xanga®, Friendster®, Facebook®, etc., may result in disciplinary actions if the content of the student's blog includes defamatory comments regarding the school, the faculty, other students, or the parish.
• Sexting: Students involved in possession or transmission of inappropriate photos on their cell phones or other electronic devices face suspension and/or expulsion.
• Texting: Students should at no time be involved in texting during the course of the school day. Students involved in texting at school face detention, suspension, and/or expulsion.
• Virtual Reality Sites: Virtual reality sites such as, but not limited to, There.com® and SecondLife.com® pose a developmental and moral risk to the life of a student. Parents are cautioned to be aware of the online sites visited by their children, knowing that often predators are not living in a neighborhood, but within the home via a computer.

All allegations will be taken seriously and promptly investigated. The confidentiality of the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator will be kept. Any student who feels that he/she has been a victim of sexual harassment should report the incident to a teacher, the principal, assistant principal, or school nurse.

Holy Rosary School attempts to provide a safe environment for all individuals. Verbal or written threats made against the physical or emotional well-being of any individual are taken very seriously. Students making such threats (seriously or in jest online) face detention, suspension, and/or expulsion.

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Child Abuse Laws

Holy Rosary School abides by the Child Abuse Laws of Massachusetts. This law mandates that all cases of suspected abuse and/or neglect be reported to Child Protective Services.

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Custody

In the case of a divorce or separation, a certified copy of the entire court order, stating who has custody of the child, should be sent to the Principal to be kept on file in the office. This also includes restraining orders and visitation rights. Should changes occur at any time, the school must be notified and a copy of all documents sent to the school office.

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Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to learning. The required attendance of children at Holy Rosary School is equivalent to that of children in the public school and is based on the attendance laws of the State of Massachusetts. Seven (7) absences are considered excessive and require the attention of the parents and the school. School begins at 8:20 a.m. each day. Students are tardy after their class bell has run. An Extended Care Program is available before school at 7:00 a.m. and after school hours until 6:00 p.m.

School staff will be on duty in the schoolyard at 8:00 a.m. and 15 minutes after dismissal. Any student in the schoolyard before or after these times will be sent to the Extended Care room and families will be invoiced accordingly. Parents are responsible for their children before 8:00 a.m. Please do not drop off your child before that time unless you place them in extended care.

Parents are not to bring their child(ren) to the classroom in the morning after the first week of school as this is disruptive to establishing morning classroom routines.

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Tardiness

Tardiness is disruptive to both the teaching and the learning processes. A student is considered to be tardy when he/she arrives in the classroom after attendance is taken. Students who arrive after the outside bell has rung and the lines have gone in must report to the office for a tardy slip. A total of three tardiness slips within the same marking period warrants a parent conference to address the concern.

Parents are responsible for getting their children to school on time. Repeated and unexcused tardiness may result in detention and/or a parent/principal/headmaster conference. Excused tardiness occurs when a valid or serious reason exists as judged by the Principal such as a late bus, inclement weather and slippery roads, etc.

Students who are repeatedly tardy and/or absent from school and their parents will be reported to the Department of Children and Families (formerly DSS) for follow-up.

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Daily Dismissals

Students in grades K-4 exit the building in lines from the side door facing the church. Students in grades 5-8 exit opposite the church side door at the north end of the building.

Walkers are crossed on Regan and Nichols Streets.

Drivers picking up students are expected to be on time. Parents of students in grades K-3 are expected to be waiting for their child(ren) in the schoolyard. Students who are not picked up fifteen (15) minutes after the end of the school day will be brought to the Extended Care Program and parents will be appropriately charged. School policies will be in effect whenever students are in the school yard.

Bus students will assemble promptly at the designated area near the stairs at the edge of the schoolyard facing Regan Street.

Note: A Bus Lane is marked with NO PARKING (which includes "no waiting") signs at the bus stop curb along the wall and no vehicles are to be driven into the schoolyard while students are waiting for buses.

Students missing the bus are to go to the teacher on duty to report that they do not have a ride home. The teacher on duty will send the student to the office to make arrangements for transportation. The student is not to make his or her own arrangements through cell phone or other parents. We must know where each child is at all times. Missed your bus? You must report to the office to arrange transportation.

Dismissal During School Hours:

Appointments, dental or medical, etc., should not be made during school hours except in the case of emergency or extreme hardship.

The procedure for students being dismissed during school hours is as follows:

• Students must present a note to the teacher explaining the reason for requesting the dismissal.
• Notes must be brought to the office in the morning during homeroom.
• Students will be issued a dismissal slip.
• The dismissal slip must be brought to the class from which the student is being dismissed.
• Dismissal slips must be given to the teacher at the time of dismissal; the student will not be called out of class.
• Parents must sign students out in the office at the time of dismissal.
• Students must leave as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the other students.
• It is the student's responsibility to find out homework assignments that are given out after the time of dismissal.

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Inclement Weather

If the Gardner Public Schools find it necessary to cancel school or dismiss early because of weather conditions, Holy Rosary will also cancel or dismiss early. In the event that this occurs, it will be announced on television and radio. Parents will also be contacted through the Connect-Ed phone system with details about school closings. It is very important that parents keep the school informed of any changes in phone contact information to keep this system current and you contacted when needed.

In the case of dismissals, students who travel by bus will call home before they are allowed to leave on the school bus. If parents cannot be reached the child will be kept at school.

Students who travel to school by carpool will be dismissed upon the arrival of their ride. Students will call their parents (or carpool) after the bus students have made their phone calls.

Parents are asked to please listen to the local radio or television stations for such cancellations or dismissals and, in the case of dismissals, to try to avoid calling the school while children are attempting to call home or a Connect-Ed message is being sent.

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Crisis Plan

Holy Rosary School has implemented a "crisis plan" in case of a lockdown emergency. All teachers and staff are aware of the procedure to follow to keep your children safe.

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Absences and Illnesses

For the safety of our students, the school requires that parents call the school office on the morning of the student's absence. Upon the student's return to school, he/she must present a written, signed excuse.

There are general guidelines parents can follow to determine if your child should be kept home from school. If your child has been unable to sleep due to discomfort, flu symptoms, cold symptoms, vomiting, or fever s/he should rest at home and be seen by a doctor if the symptoms continue.

Parents are to follow closely the medical guidelines below:

• A rash of unknown origin must be evaluated by a physician, who must send a note stating it is non-contagious before the child returns to school. The school nurse is required to dismiss any child who may expose others to infection.
• If fever of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit is present, your child must be sent home.
• If your child is seen by a doctor, please inform the school nurse regarding such conditions as strep throat (keep home 24 hours after treatment has begun and 24 hours with no fever), contagious pinkeye (home for 24 hours after treatment has begun), and other contagious diseases. Please also remember, under Massachusetts state law, no medications can be given in school (including over-the-counter drugs) without a doctor’s order, a signed parental consent form, and the medication in an original labeled container. Blank forms are available in the nurse’s office at school or may be found on the Health Policies page.

Parents or their designees will be notified should their child become ill or is injured in school and conditions warrant dismissal. It is important that the directives of the parents be indicated on the child's emergency card (issued at the beginning of the school year). Parents need to be sure that current telephone numbers, place of employment, and the names of other responsible persons to act on the parent's behalf are made available to the school.

Excused and unexcused absences are determined according to the follow guidelines:

• Students absent due to illness will have 2 days to make up missed assignments. Work will be available for parents and siblings at the end of the day.
• Vacations during school schedule are discouraged. Students absent because of vacations taken apart from the scheduled school vacations will be given a week to make up missed assignments.
• No work will be given out ahead of time. Any assignments not completed after the allotted week will be given a failing grade.
• Excessive absence (40 days or the equivalent of 40 days including tardies) can be cause for a student to be retained in the current grade for another year.

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Busing

The bus company providing transportation for our students determines the rules for behavior and safety on school buses. We support these policies. Students remain in their seats at all times, and courteous behavior is in order at all times. Infraction of bus regulations results in a written notification to parents. Repeated unacceptable behavior may result in suspension from bus transportation for as long as is determined by the bus company. Parents then become responsible for transporting their student to and from school.

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Homework

Homework teaches responsibility and self-discipline and involves the parents in the learning process. Homework is needed to reinforce skills that have been taught in the classroom. Holy Rosary follows the Diocesan guidelines with regard to the amount of homework appropriate for each grade level. It is a parent responsibility to see to it that students complete all written assignments and studies to the satisfaction of the respective teacher giving the assignment.

Parents' Homework Responsibility:

1. Providing adequate time and space to complete assignments.
2. Showing interest in the child’s work.
3. Checking for neatness and completion of work.
4. Giving guided help to a child who is struggling, always remaining patient and understanding.
5. Encouraging the child to do his/her own work rather than doing it for him/her. Parents, you do not help your child by doing the assignment for him/her.
6. Supporting the authority of the teacher who assigns the work. 

If your child is continually struggling with assignments, it may be time to arrange a conference with the child’s teacher to discuss issues.

Students are required to record their daily assignments in their agenda book. This is not the teacher’s responsibility. Teachers will make daily homework assignments and extended time assignments available on the board for students to copy into their agendas. A missing assignment or one unsatisfactorily completed may result in a parent notification and/or teacher held detention. A student who repeatedly has missing assignments may be given an after-school teacher held detention.

Time allotments for homework depend on the type of assignment and grade level of the student. No definite time limits can be determined for all, as children work at different rate of speed. Work that must be completed at home should not exceed the following times:

• Grades 1-4: 30-45 minutes per night
• Grades 5-8: 60-90 minutes per night

Parents have available to them 24/7 access to their child’s grades through the IEI Schools website. Teachers will post grades on a weekly basis. Poor grades and or zeros should be red flags for parents and should signal the need to discuss with the teacher and student poor academic progress.

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Grading Scale

Holy Rosary School uses the following grading standards in its assessment of students:

A+ 100 – 95
A    94 – 90
B+  89 – 85
B    84 -80
C+ 79 – 75
C   74 – 70
D   69 -65
F    64 and below

Grade reporting is available to parents 24/7 on the IEI Schools website with the use of a password. Parents are encouraged to check academic progress often to stay abreast of their child’s progress.

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Honor Roll

The honor roll is published each grading period and sent to the Gardner News for publication. The guidelines for honor roll are the following:

Holy Rosary School has always emphasized high academic standards and achievement. The levels of academic excellence will be recognized for grade 6,7, and 8.

• The Principal’s List*: an overall average of 96 percent or better.
• High Honors*: all A’s
• Honors*: All A’s and B’s

*Does not include physical education, music, or art classes.

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Promotion and Retention

Advancement to the next grade at Holy Rosary School is based on a student’s daily performance, test results, recommendations of teachers, and the student’s ability to complete work successfully on the more advanced level.

Promotion to the next grade depends on successful completion of all subject areas. The Administration may recommend the repetition of a grade, tutoring, or summer school classes as requirement for promotion when, after conferences with teachers and parents, it is believed that such action will better prepare the student academically or emotionally for the next grade.

Students may also be transferred to the next grade. A student who is transferred to another grade may not be allowed to continue as a student at Holy Rosary.

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Academic Probation

A student whose academic performance indicates serious deficiencies may be place on academic probation. Students on academic probation will be placed on a two week improvement plan. At the end of the two week period, the student’s academic progress will be assessed. Students whose average is a D or F will not be allowed to participate in any sport or activities until the grade has improved to a passing grade of C.

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Suspension

Students who are given and in-school suspension will be required to report to school each day and work with a substitute teacher paid for ($75.00) by the suspended student’s parents. Students who receive an out-of-school suspension will not be allowed on the campus during the time of their suspension. Students must complete all class work and tests from the days of suspension but failing grades will be recorded for this work.

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Field Trips

The rules governing field trips are as follows:

1. Field trips are designed to be educational in nature.
2. A field trip is a privilege and not a right.
3. All grades do no always have the same number of field trips.
4. Field trips are permissible for all grades when advanced planning, location, and experience insure a successful learning opportunity.
5. Individual teacher, in consultation with the Administration, reserve the right to restrict or deny student participation on any field trip due to, but not limited to, poor academic performance and/or poor conduct.
6. A written official permission slip, signed by the parent, is required before a child will be permitted to attend a field trip activity. Verbal permission cannot be accepted.
7. Parents may refuse to permit their child from participating in a field trip by stating so on the proper form. Students who do not attend a field trip will remain at home with the parent and will be marked absent for the day.
8. Students who are participating in the field trip must ride the bus to and from the field trip with their class.
9. All monies collected for the field trip are non-refundable.
10. Cell phones are not allowed on field trips unless otherwise directed by the teacher and/or administration.
11. Parents who are not “official” chaperons may not drive their car to a field trip destination with the plan of accompanying the class on the field trip.
12. Parents who chaperone a field trip may not bring pre-school or school-age siblings on the field trip.
13. All chaperones must have taken SAFE environment training and have a CORI on file.

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Parent Conference Procedures

School wide conferences are held in November of each year. All parents or caregivers are required to attend. Face-to-face conferences with your child’s teacher are essential to the establishment of good communication about the child’s progress.

Special Conferences:

The following procedure must be taken if a student has a particular problem and the parent would like to resolve the issue:

1. The parent should request in writing or through phone calls to the teacher(s) the need for a conference. The teacher will within two (2) school days arrange a date and time to meet with the parent. This is a time when both parents and teacher(s) share their concerns and expectations for the student. The student should be present. Every effort should be made to resolve the problem at this level in a reasonable amount of time. If the problem is not resolved to the satisfaction of the parties, follow step two.
2. Request a conference with the principal. At this conference, it will be necessary to have the student present. The principal reserves the right to have the teacher and any other personnel working with the student present at the meeting.

Parent conferences must be held before or after school, not during the instructional day. Morning conferences will be scheduled between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and must be concluded by 8:00 a.m. to begin the school day.

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Student Dress Code

Holy Rosary School is committed to ensuring that students follow the established dress code.  Students who come to school out of dress code may be given a parental notification slip, asked to remove the item that is not allowed (jewelry, make-up, etc.), or asked to call the parent to bring in the correct uniform item. Continued violation of the dress code will result in a parent meeting to discuss appropriate dress and consequences.

Teachers will identify students out of uniform during the homeroom period each morning  and take appropriate measures to address the noncompliance in the classroom setting through verbal warning (step 1), note home or phone call (step 2), disciplinary form sent to principal (step 3) . Major noncompliance violations that require immediate change of clothes should be directed to the office.

Girls:

Kindergarten:  Navy blue "skorts" or pants, short or long sleeve HRS white or navy blue polo shirt.

Grades 1 – 5:  School uniform jumper (knee length which is when standing from the bottom to the top of the knee) with short or long sleeve HRS white or navy blue polo shirt.  A white collared blouse may also be worn.

Grades 6 – 8:  School uniform plaid or navy blue "skort" (knee length). Short or long sleeve HRS white or navy blue polo shirt.  A white-collared blouse may also be worn. The shirts or blouses are to be worn tucked in at all times.  In addition to the navy blue school sweater is a gray pullover school sweater.

Girls in All Grades:  School sweater (no fleece):  Navy blue (cardigan, v-neck pullover or vest) with school logo. Grades 6 – 8 have the option to wear a gray pullover school sweater.  HRS ankle socks only. Ankle socks must go above the ankles. Blue or white knee socks or tights.  Leather type shoes – non-skid (w/backs), blue, black, or dark brown for daily wear. Sneakers on gym days only.

Nov. 1^st – April 15^th:  Girls may wear a white turtleneck under the school sweater or jumper.  During this time they may wear navy blue pants with a school sweater, vest or HRS polo shirt. During this time girls may wear plain navy blue pant or sweatpants under their uniforms during arrival, recess, and dismissal only, not during the school day. Pajama pants may not be worn at any time.

Earrings: Only studded earrings may be worn, one per ear.

Not permitted:

• Makeup, lip gloss, nail polish.
• Jewelry other than studded earrings for girls or necklaces (other than a religious medal/cross). This includes cause bracelets and silly bands.
• Dangling earrings.
• Backless shoes, sandals, Crocks, or hi-top sneakers or shoes.
• Neon colors, bandanas, scarves, headbands or beads in the hair.
• Hair color or dyes – fad haircuts. Hair should not interfere with eyesight.
• Nylon stockings.

Boys:

Kindergarten:  Navy blue pants with short or long sleeve white or navy blue HRS polo shirt.

Grades 1 – 5:  Solid navy blue dress pants or dress Dockers with short or long sleeve white or navy blue HRS polo shirt.  A white shirt with the school tie may also be worn.

Grades 6 – 8:  Solid navy blue dress pants or dress Dockers with short or long sleeve white or navy blue HRS polo shirt.  A white shirt with the school tie may also be worn.  In addition to the navy blue school sweater is a gray pullover school sweater.

Boys in All Grades:  School sweater (no fleece): Navy blue (cardigan, v-neck pullover or vest) with school logo. Grades 6 – 8 have the option to wear a gray pullover school sweater. White, navy blue or black ankle socks.  Ankle socks must go over the ankle. Leather type shoes – non-skid (w/backs), black or dark brown for daily wear.  Sneakers for gym only. Black/brown/navy belt.  A white turtleneck may be worn under the school sweater during the winter months. Shirts are to be tucked in at all time and pants should be supported by a belt.

Not Permitted:

• Jeans/cargo or carpenter pants.
• Earrings of any type.
• Jewelry of any type except a religious necklace. This includes cause bracelets and silly bands.
• Chains.
• Fad haircuts – colors – dyes, or exceptionally long hair. Hair that extends over the ears, over the shirt collar, or bangs that extend below the eyebrows are not permitted.
• Sandals, backless shoes, Crocks, or hi-top sneakers or shoes.

Boys and Girls:

Gym Uniform:  Navy blue (w/logo) sweatpants and sweatshirt.  Light blue school tee shirt.  Navy shorts (w/logo)-optional during warm months. Shorts should be fingertip length. Long sleeve gray tee shirt w/logo–optional during winter months.

The Holy Rosary gym uniform must be worn on gym days only. Students wear their gym uniform all day on the day of their gym class. In the warmer months, uniform gym shorts may be worn. Sneakers may be worn on gym days only.

Students who repeatedly violate the uniform policy will be denied participation in the next non-uniform day or will serve a detention.

Non-uniform and School Activity Dress Code: 

Students may wear:

• jeans-no rips, holes, or tears
• short socks
• shorts no shorter than three inches above the knee
• skirts no shorter than three inches above the knee
• "skorts" no shorter than three inches above the knee
• sweatshirts
• jogging suits
• nail polish
• jewelry
• dresses-no spaghetti straps or strapless dresses
• slacks
• Crocs
• tasteful makeup

Students may not wear:

• flip-flop sandals
• open back shoes
• tank tops
• T-shirts with inappropriate writing
• tennis shoes that convert to roller skates
• biker shorts
• pajama pants
• low cut blouses/tops
• clothing that is extremely tight or too thin
• hats

A good Rule: If you think you shouldn’t wear it, you shouldn’t.

All uniform regulations and guidelines are subject to the discretion of the principal.

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Uniform Purchasing

We now have three options for purchasing school uniforms that meet our student dress code:

1. John's Sport Shop – (Gardner, MA): Embroidered polo shirts, gym suits, and white ankle socks with school letters.
2. Allen's Department Store – (Leominster, MA): All uniform items except gym suits and ankle socks.
3. Land's End – (Online): Go to the online "school uniforms" site at Land's End to outfit your boys and girls in clothing that meets dress codes and exceeds expectations!

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Gum in School

Students should not chew gum at any time that they are at school. This includes before school, during school, and after school on school property. Disciplinary action will occur for students chewing gum during the course of the school day or on the playground.

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Recess

Students must follow playground rules as set by the principal and teachers on duty. Students must be appropriately dressed for the weather especially in the winter months when the playground at Holy Rosary School becomes extremely cold. Holy Rosary believes that fresh air and exercise promotes good health and will make every effort to have children outside at recess time. However, in inclement weather or extreme cold students will remain in their classrooms during recess periods. Temperatures and/or wind chills of twenty degrees will signal in-door recess times.

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Sacramental Programs

In accordance with the diocesan guidelines, candidates for sacramental programs participate in the program provided by their home parish.

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Image Use Policy

Holy Rosary School, from time to time, may use a student’s image (either a photograph, movie or sound recording) for educational or advertising purposes. Examples of this are:

• School projects
• Promotional brochure
• School web site
• School and/or Parish newsletters
• Community and local newspapers
• Catholic Free Press

Holy Rosary School promises to adhere to the following rules, with respect to students’ images:

1. Holy Rosary will not associate any identifying information (name, etc.) with a student’s image in mass media (e.g. school web site, commercial television).
2. Holy Rosary may associate identifying information (name, etc.) with a student’s image in local media (e.g. community and local newspapers, Catholic Free Press, School and Parish newsletters).
3. Holy Rosary will not use a student’s image for any profit making enterprise.
4. Holy Rosary will not use a student’s image for any political advertising.
5. Holy Rosary will not give or sell a student’s image to other organizations – exclusively Holy Rosary Parish will retain the image copyright.

In the event that Holy Rosary wishes to use a student’s image outside of the above restrictions, the school must contact the child’s parent or guardian and obtain prior permission.

If you do not wish your child’s image to be used as outlined above, please contact the school office.

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Athletics and Extracurricular Activities

Grades 5-8 - Basketball (boys and girls) in the North Worcester County Catholic School League.

Grades 6-8 - Intramural soccer, whiffle ball, kickball.

Grades 4-8 - Skiing.

The same rules apply to athletics and extracurricular activities as to public school sports.

Participation in Public School Sports:

Holy Rosary School believes the education of the whole child is vital to the future success of the student. To that end, our students will be allowed to participate in sports at the public schools. The following conditions must be fulfilled in order to participate:

1. The student must be maintaining passing grades in all subjects and/or not receive more than one D in any core subject which includes Math, English (all subcategories), Social Studies, Science, French, Religion and Computers.
2. The student will be allowed to leave early to participate if all assignments are current. It is the student's responsibility to obtain homework or other class work missed because of an extracurricular activity.

Students are expected to remain on school property when participating in any after school activity. Failure to follow this rule may result in dismissal from the program.

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Possession and Use of Electronic Devices While At School

Cell phones, beepers, Ipods, walkie-talkies, digital recording devices and other devices that are of this nature are not to be used during the school day, including recess at Holy Rosary School or on any school related trip.

The student should not expect the contents of such devices to remain private or confidential if brought to school. The school reserves the right to inspect the contents for the purposes relating to school health, safety or general welfare of the student or school community. Any disciplinary measures resulting from the inspection of the device are within the rights and responsibility of the school as based on the disciplinary code established.

Cell phones will be turned in at the office upon arrival in the morning to park the cell phone in the off position for the day. The cell phone may be picked up by the student at dismissal. At no time during the day should a cell phone be in a student’s backpack or in his/her possession. The use of any function of cell phones is prohibited on school property and all school sponsored events. Students in the school have access to a phone for emergency purposes, and parents may get messages to their children via the main office phones.

Should the policy be violated the device will be confiscated and kept in the school office. The parent will be notified and given the opportunity to pick up the device. The privilege of being allowed to have the device or other similar devices will be lost for the remainder of the current school year. Any device not claimed by the end of the school year will be disposed of in a proper way.

The school will not be assuming responsibility for any device in terms of damaged, or loss.

Videotaping:

Any videotaping by the school is solely for furthering the educational purposes of Holy Rosary School and requires the school’s consent and authorization by the completion of a written release form. At no time is any student permitted to videotape at any school sponsored or school related activities on and off school property.

Students who violate this policy are subject to the established disciplinary policies in the code of conduct and those of the State and Federal laws governing such matters.

Holy Rosary School/Parish and the Diocese of Worcester shall not be liable for users’ inappropriate use of electronic devices, users’ mistakes or negligence, or cost incurred by users. Furthermore the above parties can not regulate behavior that occurs outside of the school situation but reserves the right to proceed with disciplinary action if it involves students in an identified school setting.

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Classroom Rewards

Holy Rosary School supports the classroom teacher in his/her efforts to encourage students to do their best in all endeavors. It is the belief of the board and administration that rewards for work accomplished, if not over done, promote a student’s self esteem and desire for continued excellence in school.

The practice of birthday treats brought in to school by students for the purpose of celebrating, is not within the scope of this policy; however, parents are certainly encouraged to consider treats that are lower in sugar content and possibly more nutritious.

The sale of snacks by the eighth grade class as a fundraising activity on the third floor of the school also resides outside the parameters of this policy.

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Student Records

Holy Rosary adheres to the Buckley Amendment (Family Education Rights and Privileges) regarding access to student records.  Records of students transferring to other schools will only be sent through the US Mail. No records will be given to parents to transport to the new school.

No records will be sent to transferring schools of students whose financial commitment is in arrears.

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Right to Amend

Holy Rosary School reserves the right to amend this Handbook. Notice of amendments will be sent to parents via Friday Folder News, through e-mail, or ConnectEd.

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