Dress Code
The board, administration, faculty, and staff recognize that each student’s choice of dress is an extension of their personal style and preference. Choice of student dress and appearance rests with the parent/guardian and student. The choice of dress and appearance will not be interfered with by school personnel provided that it does not substantially disrupt the educational process (materially interfere with school work, create a disorder, disrupt the educational program) or adversely impact the health and safety of others. Dress and appearance that result in a substantial disruption to the educational process or an adverse impact on the health and safety of others shall be addressed by the faculty and administration in accordance with the Student Discipline Code.
The following dress and grooming standards have been established to enact Board Policy 221:
- Shorts may be worn all year by students in grades 6-12
- Shorts may be worn are permitted to wear shorts before November 1 and after April 1 by students in grades K-5
- Shorts, skirts, and dresses shall be worn to the mid- thigh of the wearer.
- Pants should not expose skin between the mid-thigh and waist of the wearer.
- Tank top straps should be 2 inches wide; arm holes in shirts should not exceed chest line.
The following items are prohibited according to School Board Policy 221:
- Hats, hoods, bandannas, or any other garment covering the hair or head
- Exposure of skin on the torso from waist to neckline (e.g., bare mid-drifts; mesh shirts)
- Clothing that depicts drugs/alcohol/sexually explicit or suggestive material
- Clothing that depicts profanity (inappropriate language)
- Bare feet
- Electronic Devices (within instructional settings – classroom– see TECHNOLOGY/CELL PHONES)
- Playing cards
- Beepers (except for volunteer fire fighters and ems personnel)
- Backpacks/purses/sports bags may be brought into school but must remain in the student’s locker or designated area (AD room; locker rooms) until dismissal
- Personal items and jewelry that may be construed as a weapon
- Clothing that reveals undergarments
In addition, outerwear may not be worn during the school day. Students enrolled in a physical education class are required to wear clothing as detailed by the instructor’s syllabus. Students enrolled in vocational education courses must wear clothing as detailed by the shop instructor’s syllabus. Shoes that contain wheels may be worn, however students may not use the wheels during the school day.
Field Trips – Incentive Reward Trips
Field trips are an integral part of the curriculum and are an educationally sound and important component of the instructional program of the schools. Field trips occur off school premises, are conducted as a firsthand educational experience not available in the classroom, and are supervised by chaperones that include a teacher, district employee, and/or board approved chaperone. Non-school district employee chaperones must be parents/guardians of children on the field trip and must comply with School Board Policy 916 (School Volunteers).
All field trips require Board approval and must adhere to district policies. Field trips shall be governed by guidelines which ensure that: the safety and well-being of students will be protected at all times; permission of the parent/guardian is sought and obtained before any student may participate; the principal approves the purpose, itinerary and duration of each proposed trip; each field trip is properly planned, integrated with the curriculum, and followed up by appropriate activities that enhance its value; the effectiveness of field trip activities is monitored and evaluated continuously; teachers are allowed flexibility and innovation in planning field trips; no field trip will be approved unless it contributes to the achievement of specified instructional objectives.
A field trip shall include curricular based field trips or incentive/reward field trips.
Curricular field trips are offered as part of a course of study, grade level, and/or credit class.
Incentive/Reward field trips include experiences such as the Accelerated Reader reward trips, Stand Tall, 8th grade, Senior Lunch, and Senior class trips. Students participating in school-sponsored incentive/reward trips are expected to meet eligibility requirements regarding grades, attendance, and discipline. Students must be in good academic standing and meet the criteria as established by the trip advisor at the beginning of the school year. Students and parents will have advanced notice of trip criteria in order to ensure ample opportunity and time for students to meet the criteria. Students not in good standing (unserved detentions, more than three (3) maroon, white day absences per nine (9) weeks not medically excused, failing more than one (1) class for the school year) will not be permitted to participate on the incentive/reward trip. Students who contributed financially to the cost of the trip and who become ineligible will not receive reimbursement. Students/parents/guardians wishing to appeal a student’s denial for participation in a field trip must contact the building principal at least seven school days in advance of the trip.
Specific information regarding the type and nature of the field trip will be communicated to both parents and students by the school immediately following Board approval of the trip. This information includes: student costs (fundraising activities to be completed by students to earn money for the trip); final amounts due must be paid prior to a student participating on the trip; detailed trip agenda/itinerary; parents/guardians and students are required to sign the field trip agreement. All student handbook regulations, RASD policies regarding discipline, alcohol, tobacco, controlled substances, apply and are in force during field trips. The Parent Consent Form must be signed by parents/guardians in regards to transportation.
For overnight trips, specific guidelines are outlined in advance regarding expectations. Chaperones and advisors will strictly enforce room checks and “lights out.” Students will be restricted to assigned rooms between 11:30pm and 6:30am. Luggage for overnight trips must be brought to a designated area 24-48 hours in advance of departure for search by designated school personnel. Carry-on luggage will be searched at departure.
Medications on Field trips – medications necessary for a trip must be brought to the nurse’s office no later than the day prior to the trip. It must be in the original container (prescription or over the counter) with only the necessary amount for the trip being supplied. A physician order and written parental consent must be provided for all medications, including over the counter medications (allergy medication, motion sickness medication, etc.). The school’s medication consent can be found on the school’s website, under the middle-high school nurse page.
The student’s name and date of birth must be placed on any over the counter medication that is being supplied.
Prescription medications must be in their original prescription bottle. Medications must be brought in by a parent or parent designee. Students are not permitted to transport
medication. Medications brought in plastic bags or other non-original containers will not be administered.
While participating in a Board approved field trip, students in violation of behavioral expectations are subject to possible immediate suspension of all field trip activities (placed in direct supervision of a chaperone), school discipline, and/or being sent home at parent expense. The Board directs planning for field trips to start early in the school year and to include collaboration between administrators, teachers, nurses, parents/guardians and other designated health officials.
Food And Drink / Water Bottles
RMHS Water Bottle & Beverage Policy
Students are prohibited from carrying personal water bottles or open liquid containers during the school day. To accommodate students, cup dispensers are available at all water fountains and bottle-filling stations.
Exceptions & Rules:
- Medical Need: A doctor’s excuse must be submitted to the office at the start of the school year. Approved students must use a clear water bottle (the office will provide one if the student does not have their own).
- Cafeteria Only: Unopened beverages are allowed only in the cafeteria and are prohibited in classrooms.
This policy ensures a clean, safe learning environment while maintaining full access to drinking water.
F.S.G. Water Bottle Policy
Students are permitted to have water bottles in the classroom. Water bottles should remain in the classroom throughout the school day and should not travel with students to other areas of the building unless directed by a staff member. Parents are encouraged to provide a clear, reusable water bottle labeled with their child’s name. Water bottles should contain water only
Homeless Students
The Pennsylvania Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program (PA ECYEH Program) assures execution of the federal legislation, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1988; also incorporated into the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. Implementation of this program ensures that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same, free, appropriate, public education; including preschool education, as provided to other children and youth.
What meets the definition of homelessness?
Lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. Examples Include:
- Sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.
- Living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternate adequate housing.
- Living in emergency, domestic or transitional shelters.
- Abandoned in hospitals.
- Using a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places.
- Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.
- Living as run-away children, abandoned or forced out of homes by parent/guardians or caretaker, or separated from parent/guardian for any other reason.
If you have concerns that your child or another student may be experiencing homelessness, please contact Erica Heindl, Supervisor of Special Education and Director of Student Services/Homeless Liaison for the Ridgway Area School District, 814 776-4255. She will be able to assist you with putting processes in place to eliminate barriers for enrollment, attendance, transportation, resources, and success in school for identified homeless students.
You may also contact Sarah Schroth, Region 6 Coordinator for Students Experiencing Homelessness: Phone 724.463.5300 x 1203 Email: sschroth@iu28.org or Storm Camara, State Coordinator for Students Experiencing Homelessness: Phone (717) 772-2066. Additional information will be distributed annually from the Office of Student Services and will be available in the main office.
Lockers
Lockers are assigned to each student. Students are to occupy lockers assigned to them. Students should be aware that lockers are school property and subject to search. When reasonable suspicion exists that a student is in possession of contraband or has violated the student code of conduct, school officials or other authorities directed by school officials will search lockers. The administration reserves the right to remove anything which is contrary to school rules or is detrimental to the school’s orderly function. BOOK BAGS AND GYM BAGS ARE TO BE KEPT IN LOCKERS AT ALL TIMES.
Loitering
Students not participating in an extracurricular activity or not supervised by a staff member must be out of the building by 2:20 pm. Students are not to loiter in or around the building before 7:00 a.m. or after 2:20pm. This includes the student parking areas.
Playground Regulations
*Using the playground is a privilege and not a right! Rough playing will not be tolerated on the playground at any time. Students placing themselves or others in danger of injury may lose playground privileges.
* Proper footwear of sneakers or closed-toe shoes with socks must be worn when playing on the playground.
Public Display Of Affection
In the interest of good taste and common courtesy, students are not to engage in public displays of affection while at school. Hugging, kissing, embracing or exhibiting other physical contact in the school building, on school buses, on school property, or at school-sponsored events is not permitted.
Survey Policy
Any effort to obtain information from a student in the form of survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals information concerning the following information must have the prior written consent of the parent or student (if the student is not an emancipated minor):
- Political affiliations;
- Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or his family;
- Sex behavior and attitudes;
- Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;
- Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).
Technology / Cell Phones
The Ridgway Area School District encourages the use of technology to advance student learning. A clear distinction exists between educational technology and entertainment technology. The use of entertainment technology such as radios, CD players, earphones/buds, electronic games, iPods, MP3 players, pagers, cellular phones, watches and other technologies that connect to cellular devices, laser pointers, etc. is not normally permitted to be used during classroom instruction.
High School Students:
Cell phones must be off/silenced and concealed during the instructional periods 1-5 and common remediation unless a teacher has integrated cell phone use into the instructional lesson plan (legitimate educational purpose). Students are permitted to use cell phones in the hallways between class transitions, traveling to and from the cafeteria during lunch periods, and while in the cafeteria during lunch.
F.S.G Elementary and Middle School Students:
Cell phones must be off/silenced, and stored in the student’s locker and/or backpack at all times. Students are not permitted use of their phones during the school day. If a student needs to contact a parent, they may use the phone in the office.
Students who violate the cell phone exception and who fail to surrender their cell phone will earn a discipline referral for insubordination and will be subject to disciplinary action as per the student code of conduct.
Educational technology (may only be used in coordination with classroom instruction (designated in lesson plan as a legitimate educational purpose) and when granted permission by the course instructor/supervising professional staff. Professional employees/supervising professional staff have the discretionary authority to determine whether student use of technology has a legitimate educational purpose or whether it is being used for entertainment.
Cell phones/electronic devices may never be used by students to take pictures or videos during the instructional day.
Bringing technology to school is a risk assumed by the student. The Ridgway Area School District nor its employees are responsible for lost, stolen or damaged technology brought to school by students.
The Ridgway Area School District provides students and employees with a wireless high-speed computer network for internet and e-mail. To access the internet, all students are provided a yearly user agreement and sign a release indicating their awareness and understanding of this document and their understanding of and willingness to abide by the district’s procedures and regulations. Network storage accounts and folders are treated like a student locker. The administration and network administrators audit student use logs to maintain security, system integrity and responsible use. If a student violates the rules of appropriate use, they will be held accountable for their actions and may lose network privileges if the Rules of Appropriate Use are violated.
TELEPHONE USE
School phones may only be used for urgent purposes and use must be approved by the main office. Use of a school phone without permission during the school day is a disciplinary offense and will be treated accordingly.