Student Handbook

This student handbook has been prepared through the combined efforts of parents, staff, and administration with the intention of providing you and your child with important information concerning Hickory Point School, Shabonee School, Wood Oaks Junior High School, and District 27. This handbook is designed to serve as a guide for parents and students so that they can better understand the policies and procedures designed to assist children’s educational experience.

As the need arises during the school year, additional information will either be emailed, mailed, or sent home with your child. However, the information contained in this handbook should answer most questions you may have. Please carefully review this handbook with your child(ren) so that their rights and responsibilities are understood.

Our Mission

Educating Students to Succeed in a Changing World

Our Core Values

• Pursue learning that develops individual growth, potential, and leadership to the fullest of our capacity.

• Commit to performance excellence as a learning community.

• Use performance results to honor our accomplishments, determine our needs, and improve learning experiences and achievements.

• Share the responsibility to learn and work in a collaborative environment.

• Adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior (both personal and organizational).

• Treat others with respect and value differences.

This mission statement was developed by a steering committee of parents, teachers and community members and was approved by the Board of Education in April 21, 2005.

Physical Education and recess are considered part of the regular school day. If your child has been ill and returned to school, he/she may be excused no more than two consecutive days from PE and/or recess by a written parent request. An absence for more than three consecutive days is necessary; in that case, a note from the treating healthcare provider OR a treating individual licensed under the Medical Care Act, which includes the diagnoses for the extended exemption, is required.

Suppose a child has been ill or disabled in any manner. In that case, the treating healthcare provider OR a treating individual licensed under the Medical Care Act must verify any physical education or recess limits upon that child’s return to school. The treating healthcare provider feels the child can participate in a physical education or recess setting with limitations. In that case, those limitations must be identified in the treating healthcare provider’s note. Once those restrictions have been lifted, a note from the treating healthcare provider is required for the student to resume normal physical education or recess activities.

Throughout the year, parents may have questions about their child’s progress, classroom environment, or other procedural issues. Parents are asked to contact their child’s teacher when questions arise. Parents should also feel free to contact the principal when they have questions or concerns and have first spoken to the teacher.

Students, teachers, administrators and parents must work together to promote a healthy and productive learning climate. A solid partnership between the home and the school is important for the well being of the student.

We believe each student has the right:

• To live and learn in a school environment that is conducive to learning
• To physical and emotional safety
• To be recognized as an individual and be treated with dignity and respect
• To take a risk, accept responsibility for the action, and learn from the experience
• To due process with fact finding
• To pride and ownership in the school
• To discipline that is developmentally appropriate
• To consistent attention to the rules and consequences by staff, administration and Board

The teachers, administration and Board have the responsibility to communicate and work cooperatively with parents regarding student school behavior, but it is recognized that the school has the responsibility to take appropriate measures to assure order and the safety of students and staff.

Students’ behavioral expectations are based upon respect and consideration for self and others. Northbrook District 27 utilizes Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS is built on the belief that most students will succeed when a positive school culture is promoted, informative corrective feedback is provided, academic success is maximized and use of pro-social skills is acknowledged.

Each school in District 27 has documented a matrix of expected behaviors for multiple settings within each building. These expected behaviors are explicitly taught through a series of lessons addressing examples of appropriate and inappropriate school conduct.

Good discipline is a function of a well-managed classroom. In most instances, discipline is a matter between teacher, student, and parent. However, the School District has established a comprehensive discipline policy involving parents, teachers, Board of Education members, and administrators. This policy and students' rights and responsibilities are published in the “Rules of Conduct” handbook and available online. Parents or guardians must review the rules, regulations, and discipline policies governing students with their children. Refer to the “Rules of Conduct ” posted online through the District 27 web page.

The school nurse assists in protecting and improving student health at the school. District 27 health services are designed to serve the following purposes:

1. To determine the health status of individuals within the school community;
2. To counsel students, parents, and staff personnel in health matters;
3. To help prevent or control the spread of communicable diseases;
4. To provide care for sick or injured students;
5. To provide a vision and hearing screening program;
6. To administer medications as directed by individual physicians;
7. To help ensure updated health records and emergency contact forms.

The emergency health form is essential to the safety of all students at school.  It serves as the school district’s primary source of information should an injury occur, or a student becomes ill at school. The emergency health form must be completed and returned to the nurse’s office before school begins. The health form serves as an annual health appraisal to inform school officials of health conditions, medications, and restrictions, if any.

Parents who will be out of town and plan on their child staying with another adult should inform the office by telephone and provide written communication regarding the names of the temporary guardians and additional emergency telephone numbers where they can be reached. The school office needs to be informed when addresses and phone numbers (home, cell, or work) are changed or added.

Northbrook School District 27 nurses and school personnel will administer medications and prescribed drugs to students at the schools only upon receipt of written instructions from the physician and the parents. The following guidelines for administering medications and prescribed drugs to students have been established:

1. A written request from the parents, together with a letter from the physician indicating the need for medication during the school day, the type of illness, benefits of medication, side effects (if any), physician’s description of medicine, the pharmaceutical trade name, and the telephone number where the physician may be reached, must be filed with the school health office.
2. Medication must be brought to the school in a container labeled by the pharmacy or the physician. The amount or dosage to be brought to the school at any time shall be at most two weeks.
3. Medications such as aspirin, cough drops or syrup, ear, nose, eye drops, or other drugs not prescribed by the physician will not be permitted or administered at the school.
4. School District 27 maintains the right to reject the administration of medicine. Under no circumstances shall it assume liability for any act or omission in carrying out the instruction of any physician.

Students who have medication in their possession, whether or not prescribed by a physician, and who have not notified their building principal or nurse are subject to discipline.

Asthma inhalers and EpiPens are the exceptions; however, the regular physician’s form must be completed and filed with the health office, just as with any other form of medication.

For a complete copy of the medication policy, please visit the Health Office page on the District site.

The Board of Education approves a contract with a single bus company to serve the entire District 27 area during a school year. The contractual agreement is between the bus company and District 27. Rates are set annually by the Board of Education and billings are sent directly to parents along with their registration fees. Only those students whose parents have paid the bus fee may ride our school buses. Bus passes must be kept in student backpacks at all times.

Students may not ride any bus other than that to which they have been assigned. This means that children may not ride another bus for any reason, and are asked to arrange special transportation privately. The office should be notified in writing if such arrangements have been made. In the interest of safe and orderly transportation to and from school, the following bus rules have been established.

1. All students must arrive at the designated bus stops on time. Time schedules will not permit the bus to wait at a stop for students who are late.
2. While waiting at the scheduled stops, students must remain in the loading zone areas or on the sidewalk. Student should not stand or run into the street.
3. When boarding the bus, students should proceed to an empty seat, filling the vehicle from the rear to front.
4. All students must remain seated while the bus is in motion. Students are not allowed to change seats on the bus.
5. At no time shall a student place any part of their body or throw any object out of an open window or in the bus aisle.
6. Food or snacks may not be eaten on the bus.
7. Conversation in a normal speaking voice is acceptable. Shouting, whistling, or fighting is not acceptable bus behavior. Such behavior is unsafe and will result in a disciplinary action.
8. Students should obey all school rules on the bus.

The building administration will be notified by the bus company if there are infractions of the above rules. Students will meet with the building administration to discuss the discipline referral from the bus driver. The building administration has the authority to remove a student from the bus for not following these rules.

If at any time your child’s normal transportation pattern is altered, please be sure the office has been contacted with a note or phone call an hour before dismissal. If the office is not notified, your child will be required to use their standard transportation method to get home.

Children who have not signed up for regular bus transportation cannot ride the bus at any time.

In keeping with middle school philosophy in developing the unique talents of all students, Wood Oaks offers a variety of extracurricular activities such as:

• Art Club
• Billiards Club
• Chess Club
• Creative Writing
• Debate Club
• Fiber Arts Club
• Gaming Club
• Math Club
• Sports Card Club
• Tabletop Games Club
• Tech Club

Clubs change from year to year and over the course of the school year. Any student wanting to start a club should contact the Assistant Principal.

Wood Oaks Junior High School's administration and teaching staff places a high priority on students' academic achievement and learning. Academic competency is a prerequisite for participation in any extracurricular activity, sport, or other related event. Students are expected to maintain a "C" average or better in all of their classes throughout the duration of the extracurricular activity. If a student's average in any class drops below the "C" level, the student will not be permitted to continue in any extracurricular activity. The suspension will result in full removal from all extracurricular activities or events. For example, athletes will not be allowed to practice or travel with the team while on academic suspension. The sponsor/coach, administration, and/or teachers will notify parents and students if a grade drops below the "C" guideline. Extracurricular activity lists will be checked by the staff every Friday. If a student's grade falls below a "C" in any class at the end of that week, the student will not be eligible to participate in the extracurricular activity for the entire following week, beginning on Monday. This list will only be checked on Friday and eligibility will be determined on a week by week basis. There shall be no probationary period. It is the student's responsibility to maintain grades that will enable him or her to remain eligible for participation each week. Students may continue to try out for any sport or activity, regardless of their academic status.

The Student Technology Device Program is designed to help students succeed academically as well as to help prepare them for their future. It is crucial that students care for and use their devices in accordance with these guidelines. During the school year, each student will have full use of a District-owned device for purposes relating to their participation in the District 27 instructional program. The device issued to each student will remain the property of Northbrook School District 27. As with all materials issued to students by the District, the student is responsible for the daily/ordinary care of the device.