School Policies
About
School Policies
The strength of our school and academics rest in a healthy school environment — SPJHS holds its students and parents to a high standard.
Parents’ Role
Parents play a vital role in developing student behavior and conduct. It is the school’s expectation that parents:
- Be aware of the school policy and regulations and the school’s expectations for student behavior and conduct
- Review the policy and regulations and the school’s expectations for student behavior and conduct with their student(s)
- Work with the school to resolve student behavioral issues when they affect their student(s)
- Co-operate with the school’s or district’s recommended course of action prior to readmission of the student following a student suspension
Arizona Statute 13-1204 — Conduct toward school personnel: The insult or abuse of a teacher or any school employee is classified as a misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.
Classroom Rules & CHAMPS
SPJHS supports the rules and procedures established by instructors. Copies of such rules and procedures shall be sent home by each teacher. SPJHS believes in Positive Behavior Support structures. Teachers will be using CHAMPS as part of their classroom behavior management system; students are expected to respect and adhere to the teacher’s guidelines. CHAMPS is an acronym for success and stands for all components of student interaction during a given activity: Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, and Participation — adherence to the expectations in each of these areas will equal (S) Success for the student.
Conduct at School
SPJHS students must conduct themselves in a manner that is conducive to the learning environment. All school rules, lunch time rules, classroom, hallway, and restroom rules apply and must be adhered to in order that we maintain a safe and orderly campus.
Respect
Total respect is required at all times by everyone at SPJHS — respectful language, gestures, actions, and attitudes (free from communication that deliberately demeans one’s racial, sexual, ethnic, religious orientation, mental and/or physical incapacity, or otherwise). If a student anticipates a potential problem of any type, the student is expected to seek advice or counseling from staff. The student will be held responsible for any destruction she/he does to school property.
Zero-Tolerance: Violence
SPJHS strictly enforces a zero-tolerance policy concerning any type of violence. This includes verbal altercations.
Zero-Tolerance: Gang Association & Activity
SPJHS strictly enforces a zero-tolerance policy concerning any type of gang association or gang activity. This includes hand gestures/signs, language, clothing, belt buckles, writing, numbers, etc.
Zero-Tolerance: Illegal Substances & Weapons
Any involvement with the possession, use, or sale of any type of drug, alcohol, or other controlled substance will result in notification to the authorities. Weapons, or any other dangerous items, are not allowed on campus.
Markers & “Tagging” · Littering
Students are not allowed to possess any type of permanent markers/paints, pens, or tagging items on campus — the only exception is a school-issued item used in the classroom for verifiable constructive purposes. Students will throw trash in trash cans and assist the staff in keeping the campus litter free.
Electronic Devices & Cell Phones
Arizona Statute 13-3019 — Electronic Devices: SPJHS discourages bringing any electronic devices to school at any time (laser pointers, personal music players, cameras, camera phones, video cameras). In accordance with State law, SPJHS prohibits any audio and video devices being used for recording purposes at SPJHS or any SPJHS-related function. Arizona State law prohibits the use of electronics to depict another person without the consent of the person being depicted — violation of this Statute is a Class 5 felony and must be reported to law enforcement authorities.
The school office phone number is (602) 243-8496 — please use this number to get an important message to your student during school hours. SPJHS does not allow the use of cellular phones during the school day, nor do we encourage students to bring such devices to school. If you allow your child to carry a cell phone for safety or other personal reasons, please know that SPJHS does not take responsibility for the loss, theft, or damage of said items. Cell phones are not allowed on campus or on the buses, and SPJHS cannot take instructional or personnel time to search for stolen or lost phones or other electronic devices. If a parent chooses to allow their child to carry a cell phone, it must not be visible at any time on campus grounds or buses or it will be confiscated — a parent or guardian will need to pick up the phone from school, and repeated violations will result in higher consequences.
Attendance
Success in academics and consistent attendance go hand-in-hand — our goal and standard is a 96% daily attendance rate.
Parents are urged to schedule doctor, dentist, and other appointments for students at times outside the school day. This will reinforce the importance of school and will prevent the student from getting behind in class work. Missing school can affect your child in many ways — students who miss school are more apt to fall behind academically compared to their peers and may be considered for retention based on excessive absences from school.
When requesting work missed during an absence, please contact the school office before 9 a.m. to provide adequate time for the teacher to prepare materials to be sent home or picked up at the end of the school day.
Excused Absences
Excused absences are those that are excused by the parent/guardian and by the school administration. The State of Arizona will only allow the following to be counted as excused:
- Illness
- Doctor/dentist appointments
- Bereavement
- Family emergencies
- Religious holiday observance
- Out-of-school suspensions
Unexcused Absences
- Out-of-town travel taken during scheduled instructional time
- Vacation days during scheduled instructional time
- Doctor/dental appointments without a doctor’s note
- Any other reasons besides the excused list above
Tardy Policy
Students are considered late after the bell has signaled the start of class. Students late to class 15 minutes or more will be admitted but will accrue an absence for that class period. No tardy slip is provided by the office unless the lateness is due to the school bus, the student is detained, or the tardy is approved and excused by an administrator. The teacher should contact the parents of students with excessive tardies.
Signing Students Out
For the safety and protection of the student, a student will only be released from the classroom before the regular dismissal time when the parent comes to the office and signs the student out. Students will not be released on the basis of a telephone call.
Students will only be released to persons authorized by the parent/guardian and those individuals specified on the Emergency Information Card — anyone else requires specific written authorization from the parent/guardian. To avoid distractions to the learning environment, students will not be released early between 2:30-3:00 pm.
Dress Code
At SPJHS our students are required to wear school uniforms — our school colors are purple and gold.
All students are expected to meet community standards and school policies with regard to health, cleanliness, and appearance. All safety rules must be obeyed. Shirts can be short- to long-sleeve oxford and polo shirts with the school crest; white and black shirts with SPJHS’s logo are also available. School uniforms are available for purchase in the front office — we currently have black, white, and purple polos, and sweatshirts.
The Rules
- Shoes must be worn at all times — no flip-flops or sandals
- Shorts must be loose-fitting; no biking shorts, cutoffs, boxer shorts, jersey shorts, “basketball” shorts, or combination thereof — must be hemmed or cuffed, length to the fingertips or longer
- Items with provocative, offensive, violent, or drug-related pictures or slogans are not permitted; items advertising alcoholic beverages or tobacco products are not permitted
- Belts are preferred to not have embellishments
- No hats, caps, bandannas, hoods, wallet chains, or sunglasses — head coverings worn for religious purposes are allowed
- No clothing which has been torn or has holes
- No sagging pants or shorts
- No gang paraphernalia
- No sweats, yoga pants, or other work-out clothing
- No tights worn alone, leggings, or jeggings
- SPJHS t-shirts are NOT allowed except on designated spirit days or dress-down days
- Jewelry and accessories must be conservative and distraction-free
Dress-Down Days
SPJHS sponsors dress-down days for fundraisers and rewards. Dress-down clothing should provide the same coverage as uniforms: short or long sleeve shirt (no tank tops), and modest length-and-fit shorts/skirts/pants that are fitted around the waist (no sagging or leggings).
For a complete copy of the Student/Parent Handbook, please contact the front office at (602) 243-8496, or view it online.