Handbook

This handbook has been designed to acquaint you with the philosophy, curriculum, and procedures of the school. It is believed that you can contribute much to the success of the school's program if you understand the goals of the school. The education and training of our children depends upon a cooperative relationship between the school and the home.

**This is the online version of the student handbook and represents only a segment of the information published in the booklety. The handbook is distributed to all students at the start of each school year. Additional copies are available in the school office upon request.

Table of Contents

MISSION STATEMENT
SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION
FACULTY
AUXILIARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
CURRICULUM
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
ADMISSION
ACCEPTANCE
ATTENDANCE/ABSENCE
TARDINESS
DAILY TIME SCHEDULE
TRUANCY
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY - AFTER HOURS
TUITION/FEES
DRESS CODE
LUNCH
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS
HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
Internet Policy

The School Administration, in conjunction with the School Board of Education of Saint Joseph School, reserves the right to amend this handbook. Parents and students will be notified of any necessary changes.

We believe. . .

• that our students are unique individuals with their own strengths, weaknesses, and limitless possibilities.
• that we must help our students become aware of the power of God working constantly in their lives.
• that we must be positive role models in a world of changing values and lifestyles.
• that each student needs to have a strong sense of self worth.
• that students should be heard, cared for, and supported in an atmosphere where they can grow and define their own visions of the future and their roles in it.
• that the school must provide continued assistance and support to parents as they join in the process of educating their children. In turn, the school asks for continued assistance and support from parents during the educational process.

MISSION STATEMENT
'St. Joseph School in Mechanicsburg is committed to offering a quality Catholic, faith-based education to the children in the Diocese of Harrisburg. Our school program is designed to help our children develop spiritually, intellectually, and physically so that they meet the challenges in their lives, applying Gospel values in our ever-changing society.'

SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION

The purpose of this organization is to provide education in accord with Catholic principles to the students of Saint Joseph School; to maintain Saint Joseph School in proper physical condition; and to establish policies for Saint Joseph School under the authority of the Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish, in conjunction with the pastors of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Blessed Katharine Drexel parishes and the Bishop of Harrisburg.

FACULTY

The faculty is composed of the Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius and qualified lay teachers who are dedicated to the task of providing Catholic education in accordance with Diocesan and State Regulations. View the faculty listing.

AUXILIARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

Saint Joseph School shares in special services provided by the State of Pennsylvania for all nonpublic schools under Act 89. These services include counseling, speech and language therapy, remedial reading and mathematics, educational evaluation and psychological testing.

CURRICULUM

The required curriculum subjects are: religion, integrated language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, music, health, computer, library skills, art, handwriting, and physical education in accordance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Diocese of Harrisburg.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

All students enrolled in Saint Joseph School will participate in every aspect of the school's religious education program with the exception of the final phases of the sacramental preparation curriculum. These requirements include attendance at the regularly scheduled classes in religion, fulfillment of course requirements, and attendance at religious functions offered as part of the school program.

ADMISSION

ACCEPTANCE

Children of Saint Joseph, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Saint Katharine Drexel parishioners are given preference over non-parishioners in the order of acceptance. Parishioners are those who have registered with one of the designated parishes and financially support its welfare.

Class size is limited to twenty-five (25) in each kindergarten session and thirty (30) in grades 1-8.

ATTENDANCE/ABSENCE

DAILY TIME SCHEDULE

Grades 1 through 8
8:00 a.m. School begins
2:45 p.m. Dismissal

Kindergarten
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Half Day
8:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. - Full Day Kindergarten

TRANSPORTATION/PARKING

Transportation is provided according to the school district in which you reside.

Walkers or bike riders who need to cross Keller Street on their way to and from school should use the crosswalk at Chestnut and Keller. Bikes should be left at the bike racks outside the SCHOOL. Students should enter the school building by way of the main entrance.

MORNING DROP OFF

BUS: Buses will use the SIMPSON STREET entrance to the school. Children will be dropped off in the school parking lot at the front entrance to the building. Children are to proceed down the sidewalk to the entrance of the school.

CAR: Cars should enter the school parking lot at the KELLER STREET entrance closest to the church. Cars should take an immediate right into the parking lot and proceed through the lane to the end of the parking area to discharge children. Parents should not leave the vehicle while students are disembarking, and children should NOT be discharged from cars in the bus lane. Children should then use the crosswalk to the sidewalk and walk to the main entrance of the school. Cars should exit the school parking lot onto Keller Street.

Do NOT discharge students onto Simpson, Keller, or Filbert Streets. Students are to use the main entrance of the school.

NOTE: If you are accompanying your child into the school, please park in the school parking lot, use the appropriate sidewalks, and enter the school at the main entrance. It is not necessary to accompany your child into the building every day.

AFTERNOON PICK UP

(Including Half-day Kindergarten Pick Up)

BUS: Buses will be lined up in the school parking lot, and students will be dismissed from school to buses near the main entrance. Buses will exit the school parking lot with a LEFT onto Keller Street. NOTE: Mechanicsburg School District will not pick-up Kindergarten Half-day students in the afternoon.

CAR: All car riders and walkers will be dismissed together. Parents are to enter the parking lot at the KELLER STREET entrance closest to the church and park in the school parking lot. Cars should exit the school parking lot onto Keller Street. Students will be permitted to cross Keller Street only at the crosswalk at Chestnut Street (by the church).

NEVER ALLOW CHILDREN TO RUN BETWEEN PARKED OR MOVING VEHICLES.

NOTE: There is NO STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING on the school side of Keller Street.

PARENTS OF STUDENTS IN THE PRIMARY GRADES SHOULD BE SURE THAT THEIR CHILD KNOWS THE BUS NUMBERS HE/SHE IS TO RIDE. A TAG WITH THE BUS NUMBERS PINNED ON THE YOUNGER STUDENTS WOULD BE HELPFUL.

Please note that school buses will transport only those students assigned to ride a particular bus and who reside in that school district. DO NOT ASK BUS DRIVERS TO TRANSPORT STUDENTS FROM ANOTHER DISTRICT TO YOUR HOME.

CUMBERLAND VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT families who have children riding a transfer bus must provide their own transportation to the Cumberland Valley High School lot on the days Cumberland Valley is not in session. Bus service from the Cumberland Valley High School will be provided directly to St. Joseph School. Cumberland Valley will provide direct bus service home from Saint Joseph School. Please allow for additional time on the homebound trip on these days.

USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY - AFTER HOURS

Due regard for the safety of our students requires that unsupervised students may not remain on school property after they have been dismissed for the day. Any unsupervised student on school property after dismissal will be placed in the After-School program for that day. Parents will be billed at the full-day rate for the After-School program, regardless of the time spent by the student in the program.

It is understandable that emergencies will arise which prevent the timely pick-up of students. A note or call to the school office will allow the school to provide appropriate supervision for students.

TUITION/FEES

The Pastors of each parish, with the School Board, determine the tuition fee for each school year based on a realistic assessment of the cost of education. Tuition schedules are distributed each year so that each family may select the payment plan that best suits their needs.

A registration fee is required in order to register or re-register a child in order to reserve a space in his/her respective class. This registration fee is non-refundable.

In the event of delinquent tuition accounts, the Board policy states that no student will be permitted admission to Saint Joseph School for a new school year until such time as the parent or guardian has fully paid any outstanding tuition balance. Furthermore, requests for academic records made by any person or institution will be denied until outstanding tuition payments are fully satisfied.

This policy is mandatory and may not be modified except by the pastors of the supporting parishes.

Monies are allocated by the State of Pennsylvania through Acts 195 and 90 for the purchase of secular textbooks.

For more information, please click on the link Tuition/Fees

STUDENTS WITH HIV/AIDS OR RELATED DISEASES

Students who are HIV positive, or have AIDS or other related diseases, who wish to attend a diocesan elementary or secondary school will not be denied admission to or discriminated against solely due to their medical condition.

However, the school does reserve the right to dismiss a student or curtail a student's activities (curricular, co/extra curricular) if it is determined that the student presents a substantial risk to himself/herself or others.These considerations will be made on a case-by- case basis by the school principal and in consultation with the student's attending physician. If, for reasons of health or safety, a student can no longer continue to attend classes, arrangements for alternative instruction will be determined by the school principal and the parents/guardians.

Universal Precautions to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease to reduce the risk for employees, volunteers, and students.

LUNCH

Students bring their own lunch to school daily. Lunch bags and boxes should be clearly marked with the student's name and grade. We suggest that you pack food your child will eat. If he/she is a light eater, do not over pack the lunch because much of it will be wasted. Discuss this with your child to determine the best lunch choices for him/her. Remember, even the best lunches will have little value if they are not eaten.

Hot lunch is served once per week, on Thursdays, throughout the school year. Dates and menus for hot lunches are provided on the SJS website at www.sjsmch.org as well as on the monthly calendars which are distributed to students at school.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

Saint Joseph School provides religious education in preparation for the sacraments of the Catholic Church as a part of the religion curriculum. However, administration of the sacraments is the obligation and responsibility of the individual parishes. Students are therefore required to receive the sacraments in their respective parishes.

EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM

Saint Joseph School offers an extended day program for students in Grades K-6. The program runs from dismissal to 5:30 p.m. each day. Students are supervised by qualified personnel and are provided with a snack, play time, and homework time. For further information on the Extended Day Program, please contact the school office.