US Handbook 2013-2014

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Upper School Student and Parent Handbook 2013-2014

Telephone (757) 539-8789 Upper School Fax (757) 539-5256 Business Office Fax (757) 934-8363 www.nsacademy.org 3373 Pruden Boulevard Suffolk, Virginia 23434

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL As we begin the school year, we are excited about our continued growth and the development of our school. We are thrilled that you will be an integral part of the NSA community.

This year, you will face new experiences, in the classroom, on the playing field and on stage in the performing arts. These experiences will stretch your brain, challenge your strength, and – above all – enrich your life. Along with the privilege of attending Nansemond-Suffolk Academy come responsibilities and expectations for contributing to the betterment of our school community. This handbook is designed to provide you with pertinent information regarding those responsibilities and expectations.

So that you have the most successful experience possible, it is very important that you and your parents read and understand the contents of this manual. If you have further questions that this handbook does not specifically address, please do not hesitate to ask any faculty member or administrator.

Our primary goals include promoting academic excellence, establishing strong character and fostering citizenship in all of our students. Keeping these goals at the forefront will set the tone for a successful school year.

Go Saints!

Mike King ’94 Head of Upper School

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Welcome from the Head of Upper School Administration, Faculty and Staff Board of Trustees Introduction Mission Statement

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 4 5 6 6

Procedures and Regulations Cell Phones Skateboards Tobacco

VII. MAJOR SCHOOL INFRACTIONS 35 Bystander Rule 36 Alcohol and Drug Policy 37 Jurisdiction 37 Parent Conduct 37 Anti-Harassment Policy (Bullying) 37 Dance Guidelines 38 Dress Code/Personal Appearance 39 The Judicial Council 41

I. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Graduation Requirements 7 Curriculum Policies 7 Grading and Reporting 8 Grading Scale 9 Student Schedule Changes 9 Textbooks and Fees 9 Electronic Submission Policy 9 Late/Make-up Work Policy 10 Test Calendar 10 Semester Exams 11 Senior Exam Exemptions 11 Exams for AP Students 11 Academic Probation Policy 11 Retention Policy 12 Academic Recognition 12 Eligibility for National Honor Society 12 Transcript Reporting and GPA Determination 14 College Representative Visits 14 Library Media Center 15 II. ADVISORY PROGRAM School Counseling Services Advisors Class Deans

VIII. GENERAL POLICY INFORMATION Accident Reporting 43 Emergency Closings 43 Field Trips 43 Distribution and Display of Literature and Posters 44 Lockers 44 Parking 44 Carpool Area 44 Senior Privileges 44 Visitors 45 Lost and Found 45 Dining Services 45 Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) 45

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IX. FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING POLICY 45 X. HEALTH CLINIC First Aid and Emergency Care 46 Medication Administration 46 Short-Term OTC and Prescription Medications Policy 47 Long-Term OTC, Prescription and Schedule II Medications Policy 47 School Illness 48 Health Clinic Reminders and Suggestions 48

III. THE ANN S. POWELL OFFICE OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Philosophy and Goals 16 Letters of Recommendation 18 Transcript Reporting and GPA Determination 18 Standardized Testing 18 PSAT Registration 18 SAT and SAT Subject Test Registration 19 ACT Registration 19 IV. ATTENDANCE POLICY General Information Absence Notes Arrival Time Tardies Leaving Campus Medical Leave Policy V. THE HONOR CODE

33 34 34 35

XI. TECHNOLOGY CODE OF ETHICS Introduction 49 General Network Use 49 Student Agreement 50 Parent/Guardian Agreement 50

19 20 20 21 21 21 22-32

VI. SCHOOL RULES AND PROCEDURES Disciplinary Procedures 32 Demerit System 32

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XII. ATHLETICS

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XIII. EMERGENCY CLOSINGS

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XIV. SECURITY CAMERA POLICY Camera Location, Operation and Control Use of Video Recordings Data Storage Notification

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ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY AND STAFF Deborah B. Russell Amy Morrell

Head of School Chief of Staff Executive Assistant to the Head of School

Edie Higinbotham ’85

Chief Financial Officer

To Be Announced

Director of Admissions

Kenda Council ’91

Director of Advancement

Betty Jean Riddick ’72

Director of Girls’ Athletics

T. W. Johnson, Jr. ’92

Director of Boys’ Athletics

Richard Hurd

Director of Risk Management

J. Michael King ’94

Head of Upper School

Rebecca Steigenga

Assistant Head of Upper School Upper School Counselor

Kimberly H. Aston ’88

Upper School Dean of Students

Steve V. Pinto

Director of College Counseling

Jessica Graves

Upper School Office Manager

Michelle Horton ’89

Head of Middle School

Nancy Webb

Head of Lower School

Jean Mauck

Assistant Head of Lower School Director of Pre-Kindergarten

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES R. Scott Carr, Chairman Rob J. Gies, Vice Chairman S. Jane Benton, Secretary Charles R. Birdsong ’88, Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair Patricia P. Hartman, Advancement Committee Chair Brian T. Rowe, Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair Deborah M. McHorney, Governance Committee Chair

G. Robert Aston, Jr.

Crystal H. Jackson

Dr. I. A. “Dimi” Barot ’93

Robert W. Jones

Monica Y. Brothers

Dr. Anne E. Morgan ’90

Harry L. Cross III

Roy “Chip” Runyon III

Carlton L. Cutchin III

W. Douglas Russell ’80

Donald Z. Goldberg

Nancy M. Tuck ’82

William W. Hannah

Kenneth W. Wren, Jr.

J. Carney Hawks ’92

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INTRODUCTION Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, founded in 1966, continues to fulfill its objective of educating young people. The Academy’s programs place a strong emphasis on intellectual, social and physical growth so that its students will take active and consequential roles in society. Drawing on decades of experience as well as current educational research, the administration and faculty have defined the school’s policies and expectations. It is through the combined efforts of home and school that NSA can provide an educational climate in which all students can achieve and be their best.

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is to provide an academically rigorous college preparatory education in an atmosphere fostering moral character, respect, responsibility and compassion. With a commitment to honor above all, the Academy seeks to develop and inspire leaders who value diversity, creativity, scholastic excellence and community service.

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I. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Graduation Requirements • A minimum of 22 credits earned in Grades 9 – 12 is required • A yearlong course earns one credit • The departmental requirements as listed below: o English – Four years o History and Social Sciences – Four years, three of which must be courses in Modern World History, U.S. History and American Government. For the fourth year, students must choose from Ancient World History, Principles of Economics, Psychology or Advanced Placement Psychology o Mathematics – Three years to include an Algebra II-level course o Science – Three years of laboratory science o World Languages – Three years of one language or two years of two languages (including a world language credit earned in Eighth Grade) o Fine Arts – One year; for the Classes of 2014 and 2015, this requirement may be fulfilled by courses taken in Eighth Grade. Beginning with the Class of 2016, this requirement must be fulfilled in Grades 9 – 12) Curriculum Policies 1. Students are required to take a minimum of five academic courses, yet are encouraged to take six courses and a study hall. Any student wishing to take either seven courses or five courses and two study halls must obtain permission from the administration.

2. Any student desiring to sign up for two yearlong courses in the same year in the area of math, science or world languages must first obtain permission from the respective department chair.

3. It is recommended that students sign up for no more than three Advanced Placement (AP) courses in one year. With permission of the school counselor and the administration, an additional Advanced Placement course may be scheduled.

4. All courses in the Athletics Department, as well as Independent Survey of Literature, are non-academic, which means that grades earned during the school year are included when determining Academic Progress, Honors List and High Honors List, but final averages are excluded from yearly Grade Point Average (GPA) calculations. As for all academic courses, final averages are included in yearly GPA calculations, which are sent to colleges.

5. Advanced Placement courses carry a weight of three points and honors courses carry two points. These additional points will be applied to the average grade at the conclusion of each semester. This average will be reflected on the student’s permanent record with the notation, “accelerated course/weighted grade.” All honors and Advanced Placement courses contain these operative terms in their titles.

6. AP and honors course selection is determined by the students completing the individual prerequisites of the course, in addition to a recommendation from the student’s current teacher for the subject in question. Students must also have a 90 average in their current subject. Department chairs and the AP teachers will review all student requests to determine AP and honors eligibility.

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7. Students enrolled in an Advanced Placement course are required to take the AP exam in May. 8. Students may choose to take an AP exam of a class not offered. They should contact the AP coordinator before October 1 for further information. Students will not be provided NSA class credit for these exams, nor will the work be calculated in their GPA. 9. Whenever a student repeats an NSA course in the Upper School due to failure (60 or below) or poor performance (GPA of 60-69%), final averages for both courses appear on the permanent record and are included in the respective yearly GPA computation, yet the student will receive only one credit when the course is successfully completed.

10. Failure of math or English in Grades 9, 10 or 11 will result in retention in the course.

Advancement to the next level may only be accomplished by passing math/English in summer school at NSA or in a program approved by the Head of Upper School. English 12 must be completed at NSA to earn an NSA diploma.

12. Students who fail two or more academic classes, regardless of whether or not they pass English, will not be promoted. In addition, such students may not be permitted to return to NSA for the ensuing year.

13. Any student who leaves NSA because of failure of two or more classes and who wishes to be reinstated must have earned a minimum grade of C in every academic subject for a full academic year at an accredited school. A student will be considered for readmission on the basis of the regular admission policy. Readmission is not guaranteed.

14. Students entering NSA their junior (Grade 11) year with no world language credits will be required to complete two years of a foreign language. International students are exempt from this requirement.

Grading and Reporting The academic calendar is divided into equally weighted semesters with each semester average partitioned into 80% coursework and 20% semester examinations.

Students and their parents may view grades, attendance and conduct information through NetClassroom at any time. Account access information will be provided by the school.

Questions about the NetClassroom account should be directed to the Office Manager of your child’s division.

Teachers are required to update grades on Wednesdays throughout the year, at mid-semester and the semester end. At the end of the semester, parents will be mailed a paper copy of the final report for each course.

At the mid-term of each semester (October and March), teachers will write comprehensive progress reports along with mid-term grades. Advisors will conduct conferences with parents and their child to discuss these reports and school life in general.

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Grading Scale - Academic Grade Marking Numerical Scale

Letter Grade

100-97 96-93 92-90 89-87 86-83 82-80 79-77 76-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 62-60 Any grade 59 or below

A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF

C- (70) is the minimum average required to move on to the next level for sequential courses (math and world languages).

D 60%-69% is the minimum passing grade.

F Any grade below 60%. No credit is given for the course.

Any grade (C-) 72-70 or below for the semester or the exam must be accompanied by a teacher comment.

Student Schedule Changes A student may request a schedule change within the first three weeks from the beginning of the school year without penalty. Any request for schedule change after this time will be determined by consultation with the classroom teacher and school counselor. A student who drops after the drop/add date may have the withdrawal and the grade at the time of withdrawal reflected on the transcript.

Textbooks and Fees Please note that textbooks for the Upper School may be purchased online through MBS Direct at www.mbsdirect.net. Students are not required to purchase their textbooks from MBS, but they are advised to order books by the 13-digit ISBN number to ensure they get the correct edition. A fee is required for certain courses, including an exam fee for the Advanced Placement courses, as listed in the Schedule of Charges in the Admissions Contract. These fees will be billed through the Business Office.

Electronic Submission Policy In light of the trend toward electronic submission of assignments and related risks, NSA requires students to submit every written assignment as either a hard copy or an email attachment. Teachers have the flexibility of deciding the preferable option when the

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assignment is given. Teachers and students can collaborate on Google Docs, but the final submission must be a static document, one that cannot be revised. With the students’ best interests in mind, NSA has implemented this policy to prevent inadvertent editing after the submission date.

Late/Make-up Work Policy ● The student will be expected to do all the homework assigned during an absence. ● If a student is at school at any time during the school day, but misses a class, the student will be held responsible for the assignment. If an evaluation is scheduled for the next day, the student will be expected to take it. It is the student’s responsibility to see the teacher before leaving school or after returning to school. ● Each teacher establishes the suitable due date for major assignments with students. It should rarely be changed after the assignment is given. ● If an occasion arises when a student feels unable to get the assignment completed on time, he or she should resolve the problem with the teacher. ● If a student has one all-day unplanned absence, the student will have two school days in which to make up the work. If the student has a two-day unplanned absence, the student will have four school days. For longer absences, arrangements will be made.

If work is not made up within these time frames, or by the specific date when given special consideration, zeros will be entered for the missing grades. ● It will be to the student’s advantage to take an impending evaluation before a planned absence, but if this cannot be arranged, the student should be prepared to take it as soon as possible after his or her return. ● Teachers will give special consideration to unusual circumstances. ● In the event of extenuating circumstances, a grade of Incomplete (INC) will be entered on the semester grade report whenever coursework is not completed at the end of the semester. A specific date for completing the work will be set in a conference with the teacher and shared with the school counselor. If the student does not complete the work in the established time period, the missing work will be replaced with zeros and the grade will be finalized. Every effort should be made to remove a grade of Incomplete before the end of the semester. Students with a grade of Incomplete when semester grades are due for posting to NetClassroom will not be named to the Honors List or the High Honors List. ● All outstanding work must be submitted within a two-week time frame from the original due date, otherwise the grade becomes a zero. Each teacher may establish penalties for late work for their classes in accordance with this policy. ● Advisors are expected to help track their advisees’ progress in each class. ● It is ultimately up to the individual student to be accountable for their outstanding work.

Test Calendar Teachers log the date of tests, the due dates for term papers and long-term assignments on an online test calendar that is accessible for viewing by students. No student is responsible for more than two major tests, papers or projects in one day. Students who have more than two major tests scheduled on the same day must see their teacher no later than the day before the testing in order to reschedule.

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Semester Exams As the nature of academic assessment has grown, NSA provides flexibility for the teachers to offer various types of assessments in keeping with a challenging academic program.

Alternative assessment must be reviewed by the department chair, school counselor and the Head of Upper School.

Each semester average will be worth 80% of coursework from the marking period grade and 20% reserved for the exam. No exam should exceed 20%. All major papers or projects will be due before semester examinations begin.

Senior Exam Exemptions Any senior who has an average of 90 or higher (without rounding or added points for honors and AP classes) and four or less absences may be exempt from the second semester exam. All seniors are expected to take a first semester exam in each course.

Exams for AP Students All students in AP courses are required to take the College Board AP Exam for that course.

AP courses are exempt from second semester exams, with the second semester coursework comprising 100% of the second semester grade.

Academic Probation Policy Nansemond-Suffolk Academy aims to provide a challenging and supportive academic setting for students. A student’s academic progress is closely monitored by the subject area teacher, the advisor and the administration. Parents are an integral part of this team and are encouraged to check their student’s progress regularly through NetClassroom.

If a student has two or more academic classes with a average of 69 or below in each class, is failing any one academic class or has an overall average of 72 or below at the end of any semester reporting period, that student will be placed on academic probation. Several steps will be taken to assist the student in improving his/her performance.

These steps may include, but are not limited to, the following: • A conference will be held to include the student, his or her parents, the subject area teachers, advisor, school counselor and athletic coach, if applicable, to determine a plan of action.

• The student will be required to attend a supervised study hall during their free period or after school.

• An academic action plan will be formulated with input from the classroom teachers and the school counselor, assigning the student the responsibility of meeting the requirements of the plan.

• The student’s faculty advisor will be named to work with the class dean and school counselor to monitor the progress of the student. The student will be required to meet with the mentor at least weekly.

• If the student is a senior, the privilege of leaving campus during the school day will be rescinded.

• Any student who remains on academic probation for two continuous semesters will jeopardize their continued enrollment. A conference with the Upper School administration, the student and his/her parents will be held to determine the future enrollment status of the 11

student.

A student will remain on academic probation under the guidelines of the action plan until adequate academic progress has been determined by the advisor and the administration.

Action plans will be evaluated and revised as necessary at the end of the next interim or grading period (whichever comes first). If a student does not meet the requirements of the action plan, he or she will not be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities. As stated above, any student who remains on academic probation for two continuous semesters will jeopardize their continued enrollment. A conference with the Upper School administration, the student and his/her parents will be held to determine the future enrollment status of the student.

Retention Policy A grade of 59 or below in a required English course will result in retention in the grade.

Advancement to the next level may only be accomplished by passing English in a summer school course approved by NSA. Failure of two or more academic subjects, regardless of the status of English, will prohibit a student from receiving a grade promotion at NSA for the ensuing year. It may also result in a student being prohibited from returning to NSA for the ensuing year, as explained in the Academic Probation section.

To earn an NSA diploma, English 12 must be completed at NSA during the regular academic year.

Academic Recognition Valedictorian Awarded to the senior with the highest cumulative GPA once final grades are submitted.

Salutatorian Awarded to the senior with the second highest cumulative GPA once final grades are submitted.

Academic Distinction Graduate Any senior who earned a cumulative grade point average of 92 in all academic subjects, will be eligible for academic distinction graduate status upon graduation.

High Honors List Any student who earn a grade point average of 97 or above with no grade below a 90 in all academic courses for the semester are placed on the High Honors List.

Honors List Students who earn a grade point average of 92 or above with no grade below an 85 in all academic courses for the semester are placed on the Honors List.

Eligibility for the National Honor Society According to the constitution of the National Honor Society, “selection for membership is by a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership and service.� Academic eligibility is determined after sophomore year and again after junior year.

Eligible candidates (92 or above GPA) will be emailed an activities information form in July to be filled out and returned in August. Students will schedule a brief interview with the 12

selection committee during which the other three criteria of “character, leadership and service” will be discussed.

The following guidelines are a portion of those used in determining character, leadership and service. Specific guidelines are provided in the letter mailed to candidates.

Character ● Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability and lives the

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Honor Code every day. ● Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior and cooperates by complying with school regulations.

Leadership ● Demonstrates leadership in the classroom, at work and in school and community

activities. ● Demonstrates academic initiative by consistently working hard in the classroom. ● Exemplifies positive attitudes and inspires positive behavior in others. ● Is thoroughly dependable in any responsibility accepted.

Service ● Has participated and continues to participate in a variety of community service

activities both for the school and in the community at-large. ● Works well with others. ● Is willing to represent the school in interscholastic competition. ● Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers and students.

Selection each year is made in the beginning of the first semester. The five-member selection committee, assisted by the NHS sponsor(s), uses the interview and activities form to make their decision. If necessary, the committee is also informed about discipline or honor infractions involving any of the candidates.

Students new to Nansemond-Suffolk Academy must complete at least one-half of an academic year before becoming eligible for selection. National Honor Society members from other schools who transfer to Nansemond-Suffolk Academy are accepted as members as long as a letter from the previous school verifying membership is supplied.

Probation

At the end of junior year and at mid-year of senior year, members’ academic eligibility is verified. Members whose GPA has fallen below 92 are put on probation for one semester.

If the GPA is still below 92 after the probationary period, the student is removed from membership. Likewise, all members have a community service requirement that must be met at mid-year and at the end of the year. Probation is used for members who fail to meet

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this requirement. Additionally, students who violate the Honor Code or face serious disciplinary action may lose membership status.

Please note that after careful consideration, the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Chapter of the National Honor Society will raise its grade point average (GPA) requirement from a 92 to a 93, effective in the fall of 2014 when the class of 2016 becomes eligible for induction.

The requirement has been changed to reflect the lowest possible “A” a student can earn on the new grading scale. (Please note that an “A-” is not the lowest possible “A” that a student can earn. Only a 93 average and above will be considered) All students in the classes of 2014 and 2015 will be held to the standards under which they were originally considered as candidates for induction.

Transcript Reporting and GPA Determination A Nansemond-Suffolk Academy transcript is created for every Upper School student. This transcript lists Nansemond-Suffolk Academy coursework for each academic year and the final grade in each course. Only academic course grades are included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA), however all courses (academic and non-academic) are listed on the transcript.

Beginning with the Class of 2015, when computing the GPA for each student, only NSA grades will be used. For students in the Class of 2014 who transferred into NSA prior to the 2013-2014 academic year, grades from the former school(s) will be included when computing GPA. A similar procedure is in place for summer school transcripts from other institutions.

Beginning with the Class of 2015, if a student transfers into the Upper School, coursework and grades from the former school(s) will not appear on the NSA transcript. Rather, official copies of the former transcript (s) will be included whenever a transcript is requested. For students in the Class of 2014 who transferred into NSA prior to the 2013-2014 academic year, coursework and grades from the former school(s) will appear on the NSA transcript. A similar procedure is in place for summer school transcripts from other institutions.

Students wishing to take a summer school course for NSA credit need prior approval from the Head of Upper School. If a student takes an approved non-NSA summer school course, a separate transcript will be attached with the earned grade on the student’s transcript.

Beginning in 2013, however, the grade for the course will not be used when computing the student’s GPA; approved summer school courses are for credit only.

College Representative Visits College representatives make visits to high schools each fall. We will host about 40-50 visitors at NSA this year. Our policy for these visits is as follows: ● Only seniors and juniors will be allowed to attend on-campus meetings with college representatives. Please note that these visits are for students only. Parents/guardians are not allowed to attend. ● Seniors and juniors must sign up in advance in Naviance to attend these meetings.

Students will be informed about the process for signing up for those visits through an email in the fall.

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Visits take place during the school day. Attendance at these meetings is a privilege, not a right. If you have a class that conflicts with the visit, you must request verbal permission from your teacher at least 24 hours in advance to be excused to attend the meeting. Please note that asking your teacher three minutes before class starts does not count as “in advance!” Your teacher will use his or her discretion in allowing you to attend. Class is always your first priority; students should never miss a quiz, test or any major in class assignments for a Rep visit.

Students are responsible for any work due during that class period.

Attendance will be taken during college visits. Unexcused absences from class may result in academic penalties.

If you are unable to attend a visit but would still like the representative to know that you are interested, you may leave a note with any member of the Office of College Counseling team to give to the representative on your behalf.

These meetings take place in the Turner Conference Room in the Middle Building.

Some visits may also take place in the Nancy Russell Auditorium in the Lower School and the small conference room in the Upper School Front Office.

Library Media Center The Library Media Center’s function in the school is to complement, support and expand the instruction of the classroom. The LMC also hopes to provide a pleasant atmosphere to stimulate independent study and the enjoyment of and appreciation for reading, listening and viewing. The hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For specific library rules and regulations please see the librarian.

II. ADVISORY PROGRAM School Counseling Services The school counselor works in collaboration with advisors and class deans regarding scheduling, parent-teacher conferences, as well as transitioning Middle School students and new students to the Upper School. Serious student counseling matters will be referred to the counselor by the advisor for consideration.

Parents are welcome to call or make an appointment with the school counselor about significant problems or concerns related to their child/children, however the first point of contact for all school matters should be the child’s advisor. Matters concerning learning differences should be brought to the attention of the advisor and the school counselor.

Advisors The Advisory Program is organized collaboratively with the Upper School administration, class deans and class advisors. The Dean of Students, in conjunction with the school counselor, oversees the entire Upper School Advisory Program. The class dean helps to coordinate the grade level advisors and program. The advisor should be the first point of contact for parents, should concerns arise regarding their child.

The advisor is a vital person at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. Advisors act as consultants, confidants, guides and friends during the school year. The relationship between advisor and advisee can take many forms, but central to the relationship must be trust. The advisor serves as a liaison between the student and the administration and parents.

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An advisee’s parents can expect the advisor to be the most knowledgeable person at the school with regard to their child. Telephone calls, written letters at the end of each semester, scheduled mid-term conferences and casual discussions form the contact between advisors and parents. Parents’ confidence in the advisor’s ability to interpret school life as it concerns their child is fundamental for parents’ understanding of the total school program.

The advisor should: ● Be knowledgeable of their advisees, including, but not limited to academic and personal-social information. ● Maintain confidentiality. ● Be the primary point of contact for parents of advisees. ● Meet frequently with advisees during regularly scheduled advisor/advisee meetings and on an individual/independent basis to discuss progress in academic matters or other areas. ● Observe advisees as they go about their school lives and listen to what other faculty members say about advisees. ● Endeavor to establish good rapport. An advisee must have faith in her or his advisor’s discretion. ● Discuss comments with advisees at the end of each comment period and encourage students to see their individual teachers for assistance. ● Keep a file for each advisee with grade sheets and copies of comments made by the student’s teachers. ● Attend the Honor Council or Judicial Council meeting if an advisee is appearing, to act as an advocate. ● Counsel each advisee regarding her or his academic program for the following year (during course registration in the spring). ● Establish open communication with parents. The advisor is the initial point of contact.

Class Deans Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s class dean will build a lasting relationship with students in their grade level class through counseling, mentoring, advocating and communicating with every student throughout their years in the Upper School. He/she will be an additional support person for each of their grade level students. The class dean will be responsible for overseeing the grade level advisory program and will meet with student advisors throughout the academic year. The class dean will report to the Dean of Students for direction, in addition to monthly meetings with the Upper School administrative team.

III. THE ANN S. POWELL OFFICE OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Philosophy and Goals Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is committed to providing a comprehensive college counseling program to students and families in preparation for the college search and application process. The goal of the NSA Ann S. Powell Office of College Counseling is to help each student find a college where he or she will succeed. We foster and guide students throughout the process, encouraging them to build on their strengths. Our approach is student-centered and collaborative. We work with students, their families and the NSA

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community to maximize choices that best suit the students’ interests and aspirations. We believe it is important for students to be the leaders in the college process with the support and guidance of the Office of College Counseling and their families. In helping students navigate the college search and application process, we require that all students use Naviance, a web-based software program, which will organize college lists, facilitate transcript requests and keep track of scholarship information.

Throughout each academic year, the Office of College Counseling team hosts informational presentations for Upper School students and their families. Attendance is required for students and encouraged for families. Families and students are also encouraged to contact the college counselors with questions or to request a meeting at any point. The college process begins in earnest during the winter of junior year when students are assigned to a team member in the Office of College Counseling who will work with the students individually to ensure that students are ready for each step of the college search and application process. Counselors will also write a confidential letter of recommendation for each student; under no circumstances will any letters of recommendation be released to students or parents/legal guardians.

The Office of College Counseling hosts evening educational programs for students and parents during the spring of junior year; families are invited to attend these informative presentations, as well as any other recommended programs. Senior year, students continue the advising process in individual and family meetings, informally as needed, and in class meetings sponsored by the Office of College Counseling. Seniors are permitted to miss school in order to visit colleges if they submit a completed planned absence form seven days in advance of their visit.

If a student decides to submit an early application, she/he does so in late fall, per the college’s deadline. According to our school-approved policy, NSA students must abide by the college’s rules regarding submitting early applications. Some colleges will not allow students to submit an early application to another school if an early application has been submitted to them. Students may submit rolling or priority applications at any time during the application season but must notify the Office of College Counseling as to when. The majority of college applications are filed by early January. Colleges notify students of their decisions in early April and students have until May 1 to submit a deposit/enrollment contract to one college. In late June, NSA will send final transcripts and proof of graduation to each student’s college of matriculation if the student’s account is cleared with the NSA Business Office.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy belongs to the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC). As NACAC members, NSA agrees to adhere to the ethical standards outlined in the Statement of Principles of Good Practice. As secondary school members, NSA agrees to report any significant (as determined by the discretion of the school) change in a candidate’s academic status or qualifications, including personal school conduct record between the time of recommendation and graduation, where permitted by applicable law.

Students must report significant (as determined by the discretion of the school) Honor Council and Judicial Council violations when they apply to college. If the violation occurs after the application has been submitted, the NACAC principles require the student to notify the college(s) as soon as possible.

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Letters of Recommendation Seniors will be required to submit letters of recommendation when applying to college. The Office of College Counseling will write the official school letter of recommendation for each senior. Teachers are also frequently asked to write additional letters for students. In order to maintain the integrity of letters, under no circumstances will any letters of recommendation be released to students or parents/guardians. The Office of College Counseling shall submit all letters of recommendation for a student directly to colleges and scholarship committees.

Transcript Reporting and GPA Determination A Nansemond-Suffolk Academy transcript is created for every Upper School student. This transcript lists Nansemond-Suffolk Academy coursework for each academic year and the final grade in each course. Only academic course grades are included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA), however all courses (academic and non-academic) are listed on the transcript.

Beginning with the Class of 2015, when computing the GPA for each student, only NSA grades will be used. For students in the Class of 2014 who transferred into NSA prior to the 2013-2014 academic year, grades from the former school(s) will be included when computing GPA. A similar procedure is in place for summer school transcripts from other institutions.

Beginning with the Class of 2015, if a student transfers into the Upper School, coursework and grades from the former school(s) will not appear on the NSA transcript. Rather, official copies of the former transcript (s) will be included whenever a transcript is requested. For students in the Class of 2014 who transferred into NSA prior to the 2013-2014 academic year, coursework and grades from the former school(s) will appear on the NSA transcript. A similar procedure is in place for summer school transcripts from other institutions.

Students wishing to take a summer school course for NSA credit need prior approval from the Head of Upper School. If a student takes a summer school course, it will be listed with the earned grade on the student’s transcript. Beginning in 2013, however, the grade for the course will not be used when computing the student’s GPA; summer school courses are for credit only.

Standardized Testing Almost all colleges require standardized test scores from prospective applicants. NSA is responsible for administering PSAT and AP exams. The Office of College Counseling advises students regarding the tests required for college applications. Standardized test results, including the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests and AP examination results must be sent by the student directly from the testing agency to the college. Students do not submit PSAT or ACT Explore Test results to colleges.

PSAT Registration Every sophomore and junior is expected to take the PSAT each October. The 2013 test will be administered at NSA on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 from 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. NSA 18

registers students and pays for the exam. PSAT scores are not required for the college application process, but junior scores are used for qualifying entrances to the National Merit, National Achievement and National Hispanic Scholar recognition and scholarship programs.

SAT and SAT Subject Test Registration The SAT is one of the two standardized tests that are accepted by most colleges as a required part of the college application process. SAT Subject Tests are also a requirement at many colleges.

The SAT and SAT Subject Tests are offered on seven Saturdays each calendar year. Sunday test dates are available for students with specific religious observances. Students may take either the SAT or up to three SAT Subject Tests during a given test administration. Not all subject tests are available at each testing so students should plan accordingly. Students must register for the SAT and Subject Tests on their own. The exams are offered at several test centers in the Tidewater area. NSA is not a test center. There is a fee for the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests. Students interested in financial assistance to take these exams should stop by the Office of College Counseling to request a fee waiver. For more information regarding these tests and to register, please visit www.sat.collegeboard.org.

ACT Registration The ACT is one of the two standardized tests that are accepted by most colleges as a required part of the college application process. The ACT is offered on six Saturdays each calendar year. Students must register for the ACT on their own and they are encouraged to take the ACT with Writing. The exam is offered at several test centers in the Tidewater area.

NSA is not a test center. There is a fee for the ACT. Students interested in financial assistance for this test should stop by the Office of College Counseling to request a fee waiver. For more information and to register, please visit www.actstudent.org.

IV. ATTENDANCE POLICY General Information Attendance in class is of the utmost importance. An NSA diploma not only represents graded work but also time spent learning with peers in classes directed by professional educators. Therefore, the Academy has an obligation to set minimum attendance requirements in order for a student to receive credit for a course. Recognizing that illness, family trips, college visits and unexpected absences may occur, the Academy has established attendance standards allowing for such eventualities. (Absences due to school-sponsored trips are exempt from the attendance policy.)

Parents are asked to call or email the school (USattendance@nsacademy.org) by 9:00 a.m., if their child will be absent that day. At this time, parents may request the student’s assignments be collected. The homework assignments are not automatically collected as they are in the Lower and Middle Schools. If requested, these assignments will be available in the Upper School office at 3:00 p.m. on that day. Students are encouraged to access their syllabi on the teacher’s Google site to stay up-to-date on assignments. Students should also email their teachers to obtain assignments.

Students who accrue seven absences in any course in any one semester are subject to the following: 19

1. The student will be required to meet with the Dean of Students to discuss the student’s absences. A letter will be mailed to parents along with the attendance record.

2. Students who receive further absences will be required to attend academic study hall.

These supervised study halls will take place after school from 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Students are required to complete work assigned by their teachers.

3. Excessive absences may make it impossible to pass a course. An absence of more than seven days in any semester is considered excessive. A student needs to be present in the classroom to benefit from the teacher’s instruction as well as the discussion and exchange among students. If, for whatever reason, excused or unexcused, a student misses more than 14 days of school in an academic year, he/she may be asked to withdraw and the student will lose credit for the school year.

4. Special or extenuating circumstances are considered on an individual basis and require final approval of the administration. Such circumstances include: • Hospitalization of the student • Absences due to a death within a student’s immediate family • Other special situations as they occur Absence Notes Students who have been absent from school must bring a signed note from their parent/guardian giving the date(s) of the absence(s) and the reason for the absence(s). This note must be given to the Upper School Office Manager before the student attends his/her first class. Students should also submit early dismissal notes to the Upper School Office prior to the beginning of the first class.

Excused absences may include one of the following: 1. Illness of pupil – For absence of one or two days, a note from the parent/guardian is all that is required. Extended absences may require a statement from a doctor.

2. Serious family illness that reasonably necessitates absence of the pupil 3. Death in the family 4. Doctor/dental appointments, court appearance – Students who have professional appointments (doctor, dentist, psychologist, attorney, court, etc.) that require the student’s absence, early dismissal or tardiness, should bring a statement from that professional following the appointment stating the pupil’s name, date and time of appointment.

5. Religious holiday 6. Pre-excused absence – Pre-excused absences are defined as absences that occur with the full knowledge and approval of the parents and administration (ex: family trips, etc.) A letter requesting “pre-excused” absences must be given to the Head of Upper School at least five school days prior to the absence or early dismissal.

7. Pre-approved college visitations for juniors and seniors Arrival Time Students are expected to be in class by 8:10 a.m. Additionally, students must be at school by 9:00 a.m. to participate in rehearsals, practices, performances, games and club activities.

Students who are not at school by 9:00 a.m. due to illness must have a note from their doctor in order to participate in all school related activities that day.

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Tardies Students are expected to be on time for each class. Students will receive a tardy when they arrive late. Students arriving to school after 8:15 a.m., must report to the Upper School Office to check-in. Students who arrive between 8:10 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. should report to class and the first bell teacher will record the tardy. Teachers will submit their attendance electronically by 8:15 a.m. each morning. If a student accumulates 6 or more tardies in a semester, the student will be required to attend after-school study hall.

Leaving Campus Any time a student leaves campus, he/she must have parental permission as well as administrative permission. The student should report to the Upper School Office and sign out before leaving campus. Any student who leaves campus without permission will receive full-day detention.

Medical Leave Policy When life situations, medical conditions or psychological conditions impair a student’s ability to function successfully in a school setting, the student’s family or Nansemond-Suffolk Academy has the option of initiating a medical leave of absence for the student. Given the unique nature of prolonged illnesses or injuries, the details of each medical leave will be determined individually with NSA reserving the right to consult with the health professionals involved and the appropriate school officials (nurse, school counselor, advisor, Head of Upper School) before determining the legitimacy of the situation. Each circumstance will meet the following minimal guidelines: • The Head of Upper School and Dean of Students will approve both the student’s leave from and return to NSA. The terms for return will be established when the leave of absence begins.

• A leave of absence may be short-term (fewer than 20 class days) or long-term (20 class days or more).

• During a short-term leave, the student will be encouraged to complete as much work as possible while absent. The family may be encouraged to have an outside tutor work together with NSA teachers to help the student stay current with the work. Upon returning to school, the school counselor, the student and his/her advisor will meet with teachers to determine how the student can best resume his/her place in the class and whether any additional accommodations should be required. The student should make every effort to complete all missing assignments within a reasonable time frame.

• During a long-term leave, the student will be dropped from class rosters and required to withdraw for the remainder of the semester or year. Whether the student completes the semester elsewhere or waits until the following year to repeat the grade, will depend on the nature of the illness or injury. Re-enrollment status will be determined by the Head of Upper School and Dean of Students, in consultation with the school counselor and department chairs.

• In all cases, NSA reserves the right to determine whether the school can support the student’s return from a medical leave.

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V. The Honor Code As a responsible member of the student body of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, I realize that everything I do must be above reproach. I will be honest with myself and with others. I will refrain from all acts of cheating, lying and stealing, and I will not tolerate those acts from others. I will actively encourage my fellow students to follow the highest standards of integrity.

I understand that all students enrolled at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy give their expressed and implied consent to be governed by the Honor Code.

If I am accused of violating any provision of the Honor Code, I fully understand that I will be tried by the Honor Council and subject to consequences.

The Honor Pledge All work is done under the Honor Code. The student's name on an assignment turned in indicates that he or she claims the work as his/her own.

The following Honor Pledge shall be written or implied on all written work done by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy students: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment, nor am I aware of any breach of the Honor Code which I shall not immediately report."

Honor Code Violations 1. LYING: to create, or attempt to create, a false or misleading impression by making untrue or misrepresentative statements, oral or written. Lying includes maintaining silence, or failing to immediately correct a situation when a student is confronted with, or aware of, a known lie, falsehood, or incorrect, untruthful, or partially truthful information. For the accused to lie and/or withhold information from the Honor Council in regard to a case will constitute a separate violation of the Honor Code and may result in a more severe consequence.

2. CHEATING: to distort or represent someone else’s work as one's own without a teacher's authorization to do so, or willfully use unauthorized material during a quiz, test, examination or allow another student to use one’s work as his/her own. Cheating may consist of any of the following offenses: A. Copying involves the willful use of (a) one’s own material, (b) another's material (c) crib notes, (d) the textbook or (e) class notes during a quiz, a test, a paper, an examination, a speech, a project, a laboratory assignment or on any homework or workbook assignment without the teacher’s authorization to do so. Also included is the unauthorized electronic storage or transfer of material such as through unauthorized use of calculators or computer disks. Any attempt to copy one’s own or another’s material without the teacher’s authorization is cheating, even if the student gains no advantage from the attempt.

B. Unauthorized collaboration is working with another person or persons in the execution of a test, examination, paper, oral presentation, report, laboratory report or any homework or workbook assignment without authorization to do so. Included herein is the

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unauthorized exchange of information retrieved electronically, such as material downloaded from the Internet. Except in those situations when joint effort is encouraged or permitted by the teacher, all work must be completed independently and in its entirety by each student.

For cooperative work to be acceptable under the Honor Code, the teacher must specifically make such an assignment. Otherwise, the student is to assume that he or she must work individually. Individual work not only precludes students from working together, but parents, siblings, other teachers, peer counselors and tutors, etc. are also not permitted to provide any assistance at all.

C. Plagiarism is the appropriation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of another author and the representation of this material as one’s own work. At any grade level, such material submitted to the Spectrum or to any other publication or contest in which the student represents Nansemond-Suffolk Academy will be treated as a serious violation of the Honor Code. However, the special case of plagiarism in junior and senior research papers will be handled through a three-step process described in Article VII. Members of the First Review Board and the Plagiarism Council are listed under Article IX. Where appearing throughout the Honor Code, "research paper" refers to any term paper, report, research paper, etc. that an Eleventh or Twelfth Grade student authors and submits as his or her own work.

1. The seriousness of academic dishonesty and ways to avoid plagiarism will be addressed in detail in Tenth Grade English.

2. Thereafter and in all subjects, Eleventh and Twelfth Grader students are held accountable for plagiarism in their research papers.

3. The procedures for addressing questions of plagiarism in research papers are described in Article VII. 4. Any student found guilty of plagiarism must present himself to the Honor Council at a date to be arranged by the Faculty Advisor. He or she is subject to Honor Code consequences under Article V. D. Specific individual classroom policies concerning whether the student may use as study resources any tests and other graded material from previous years shall be established and explained by the individual teacher at the beginning of the course. Teachers shall also establish and explain collaboration guidelines or policies tailored to their course clarifying what work, if any, students are authorized to complete working with another person or persons. See Article III. 3. STEALING: The taking and/or withholding of property, or the attempt to take and/or withhold property from the real owner, permanently or temporarily depriving the rightful owner of his/her possession.

A. The taking and/or withholding, or the attempt to do so, or borrowing without permission of money, books, notebooks, clipboards, clothing (including gym clothes and shoes), lunches, computer-related items and other personal articles from their rightful owner without authorization to do so is an Honor Code violation.

B. The removal of books, magazines, newspapers or other reference material from the school library without proper authorization is an Honor Code violation. Likewise, the

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deliberate removal of pages or portions of pages from library materials shall be considered theft of resources that belong to the entire student body.

C. The removal of any materials or articles from any classroom, office or storage area without proper authorization by a teacher or administrator will be considered a violation of the Honor Code.

Consequences 1. Recommendations of consequences: Upon the Honor Council’s finding that a student violated the Honor Code based on the evidence presented at an Honor Council hearing and /or upon admission of guilt by the accused, the Honor Council will recommend consequences to the Head of Upper School, who will have the discretion to accept, alter or void the recommendation. The Honor Council recommendations will be forwarded based on a majority vote of Council members present. The Head of Upper School will communicate regularly with the Dean of Students and faculty advisors to the Honor Council, who will inform the Council of his decision in each case.

2. Consequences: The following summarizes possible consequences for Honor Code violations that apply at all student grade levels.

A. A letter of notification mailed from the Head of Upper School to the student’s home, which may be preceded by a conversation between the Head of Upper School and the parents of the student involved; B. A conference held by the Head of Upper School with the student and, if necessary or desirable, the student’s parents, and/or the teacher involved; C. For cheating convictions, a zero issued on the assignment in question; D. For plagiarism convictions, an essay on the importance of intellectual property, in addition to the assignment of a zero grade; E. For stealing convictions, full financial restitution or restoration of property, the value of said property to be determined by the Head of Upper School; F. A student may receive full day detention, or suspension from school with duration recommended by the Honor Council and determined by the Head of School.

G. Prohibition from running for or holding a subsequent student leadership position of any class, group, team, squad or any organization sponsored by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy [the phrase “school organization” is used as a general term representing any of the student organizations sponsored by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy]. The duration of this prohibition, to be determined by the Head of Upper School, may vary depending upon the recommendation of the Council. Following a probationary period of one calendar year from the date of the conviction, the student may petition the Head of Upper School to remove any remaining prohibitions regarding student leadership positions; H. Expulsion from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, which must be approved by the Head of Upper School and the Head of School.

Please note: Honor Council offenses may be reported to the National Honor Society Sponsors and Selection Committee to determine eligibility and/or status.

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Reporting Honor Code Violations 1. Any student who has committed, witnessed or been involved in any way in a breach of the Honor Code shall report the violation immediately to a teacher, the student Chair of the Honor Council, the Dean of Students, Honor Council Faculty Advisors or the Head of Upper School.

2. Likewise, it shall be the duty of any teacher, administrator or staff member who has witnessed or discovered evidence of or has strong reason to suspect an Honor Code violation has occurred to report the violation to the Dean of Students or Honor Council Faculty Advisors immediately.

3. After consulting with the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors, the teacher or administrator concerned will conduct a preliminary investigation of the incident by contacting those involved, and if he or she is of the opinion that an Honor Code violation did occur, then the situation will be referred to the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors. The teacher or administrator will inform the individuals involved if referral is made to the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors. Honor Council Faculty Advisors will then work together in conjunction with the Dean of Students, if practical, and conduct a detailed investigation of the situation to determine if it appears that an Honor Code violation has occurred. If the Honor Council Faculty Advisors/Dean of Students believe an Honor Code violation has occurred, the case will then be referred to the Honor Council and all parties to the case will be so informed.

4. In the case that a student or staff member brings evidence, the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors will confront the accused with the charge.

5. Alternatively, a student who has evidence that another student has violated the Honor Code may urge that student to turn him or herself in to the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

6. To fulfill his or her obligation as described in the Honor Pledge, a student who strongly suspects that the Honor Code has been breached shall discuss his or her concerns privately with the teacher or the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors. The teacher shall take action to prevent future breaches of the Code and may discuss his or her concerns with the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors. Whenever a suspected Honor Code violation is being investigated, or if a determination is made not to bring the issue before the Honor Council, the identity of any students involved (whether they be accuser, accused or witnesses) must remain confidential at all times.

7. A student, teacher or staff member who has directed a student suspected of having violated the Honor Code to report to the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors, shall follow up with the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors within 24 hours to ensure the accused has come forward.

8. Whether or not the accused has come forward to acknowledge the suspected violation the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors will meet with the accused as soon as possible, normally within 48 hours of the referral, to discuss the alleged offense. After this meeting, the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors have the discretion to

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dismiss the incident, or continue the investigation to determine if the case should or should not be referred to the Honor Council.

Honor Council Procedures 1. The Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors to the Honor Council will, to the best of their ability, investigate the alleged violation and determine if the case should be referred to a hearing before the Honor Council. The Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors have discretion as to the manner in which the investigation will proceed.

The investigation of each alleged violation shall be completed in a timely manner and as soon as possible after the first meeting with the accused, seeking approval from the Head of Upper School should an extended investigation period be required.

2. Once the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors have decided to refer a case to the Honor Council, the accused will be issued a form that notifies him or her of the charge. The accused will provide a written and signed statement of the situation on this form.

3. Once the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors have decided to refer a case to the Honor Council, the accuser and/or witnesses will be provided with a form that notifies them of the referral and seeks their written and signed statements of the situation.

The accused and accuser/witnesses will have their forms signed by their parent(s) and returned to the issuing Honor Council Faculty Advisors by the beginning of the school day after the form was issued.

4. A student accused of an Honor Code violation is encouraged to enlist the assistance and advice of a trusted faculty member, his/her school advisor or his/her school counselor. If requested by the accused, the Honor Council Faculty Advisors may provide direction in finding such support.

A. If the student has decided to confer with a trusted faculty member concerning the alleged Honor Code violation, he/she may invite the faculty member to accompany him/her to the hearing and be present when the accused is before the Council. The accused must be aware of the role of the trusted faculty member as described in sub-paragraph 4.B below.

B. A faculty member who is asked to confer with a student concerning an alleged Honor Code violation is expected to provide moral support to the student. The faculty member is not to be involved to defend or excuse the student's actions. The faculty member is not expected to fill the role of a character witness. If asked to accompany the student to the Honor Council hearing, the faculty member will not enter into any dialogue between Council members, accused or witnesses. The principle of strict confidentiality concerning Council members in paragraph 5 below will also apply to the trusted faculty member in all aspects of the case.

5. Honor Council members are on their honor to maintain strict confidentiality regarding Honor Council hearings. Council members are not to mention, discuss or acknowledge any

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information pertaining to any matter, past or present, except with other Honor Council members at meetings that have been scheduled for that purpose.

6. The Honor Council Faculty Advisor(s) will notify the accuser, accused and Honor Council of the time and place of the hearing. Hearings before the Honor Council will be held as soon as possible after completion of the investigation by the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

7. Plagiarism: In the case of plagiarism hearings (for juniors and seniors only), any student whose research paper is questioned will be informed immediately by the teacher or an Honor Council Faculty Advisor that his paper has been submitted to the First Review Board, the Chair of which will present its findings to an Honor Council Faculty Advisors within three school days. See also Article IV:2C. A. First Review Board: By simple majority and with the name of the student masked, this Board will examine the evidence to determine if sufficient evidence is present to justify bringing charges. For members of this Board, see Article IX:7A. B. An Honor Council Faculty Advisor will inform the student whether his paper has been cleared or, in the case that the First Review Board feels a hearing is warranted, will schedule a speedy hearing before the Plagiarism Council and will immediately inform the student of its outcome. If the accused is informed that the Plagiarism Council found him or her guilty, an Honor Council Faculty Advisor will issue a form for the accused to write and sign a statement to be returned to the Honor Council Faculty Advisor by the beginning of the following school day. Additionally, on a form furnished by an Honor Council Faculty Advisor, the Chairman of the Plagiarism Council will summarize in writing the rationale and finding of his/her Council.

C. The Plagiarism Council: If the case is presented to the Plagiarism Council, a twothirds vote (4 of 6) is required for a plagiarism conviction. If the Plagiarism Council returns a finding of guilty, the student must appear before the Honor Council to hear the verdict and the Honor Council’s recommendation for consequence. For members of this Council, see Article IX:7B. D. The Honor Council Hearing: At the hearing, the findings of the Plagiarism Council will be presented by its chair (the Honor Council Faculty Advisor member of the Plagiarism Council) and/or by the senior student member. The Honor Council is bound by the verdict of the Plagiarism Council. However, the Honor Council shall listen to an oral statement from the accused before deciding on its recommendation for consequences. Other than deciding guilt or innocence, procedures for this hearing shall follow those required in these bylaws for other Honor Council hearings.

8. Honor Council Hearings: The accused and/or the accuser may present witnesses whom he or she feels will enhance his position, although these witnesses must have factual evidence concerning the alleged violation. No parent or counsel outside the school community may attend the hearings, nor are general "character" witnesses permitted. If requested by 9:00 a.m. on the morning of the hearing, the Honor Council Faculty Advisor

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will provide an opportunity for the accuser and/or accused to review the other’s statements prior to the hearing.

9. Each party to the alleged violation will give an oral statement and answer any questions posed by members of the Honor Council in an attempt to clarify the issues involved.

10. The accused and accuser shall not be permitted to ask questions during the hearing. Only members of the Honor Council shall be permitted to ask questions of the accused, accuser and/or any witnesses.

11. The Honor Council Faculty Advisor has complete discretion regarding whether to permit a witness to testify and whether to permit evidence to be heard by the Honor Council.

12. Parties in the case and their witnesses will be excused after their testimony. The accused must remain on school grounds and accessible until a decision is reached by the Honor Council.

13. Quorum: For any Honor Council decision to be valid and binding, at least nine Council members must be present and voting. Ideally, a full Council of eleven members will hear a case involving an alleged Honor Code violation, and nine votes will be required for a conviction.

A. If ten are present and voting, eight votes are necessary for conviction; or, if only nine members are present and voting, seven guilty votes are necessary for a conviction.

B. A quorum may be waived only under unusual circumstances and in an uncontested case.

14. Only one vote will be taken. All votes are final.

15. An audio recording of the testimony during the Honor Council hearing will be made.

The audio recording shall remain the property of the Honor Council and in the possession of the Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

A. In cases of acquittal, any audio recording shall be destroyed by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

B. In cases of conviction, the Honor Council Faculty Advisors shall retain any audio recordings.

C. In cases that are appealed, the Head of Upper School may use the audio recording to assist him in determining whether or not to grant the appeal.

D. The Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors, the Head of Upper School and the Head of School are the only people entitled to review any audio recording of an Honor Council hearing. The accused is not entitled to hear or obtain a copy of such.

16.In cases of acquittal, all written statements shall be destroyed by the Faculty Advisors to the Honor Council.

17. In cases of conviction, until his/her graduation or departure for other reasons from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, the accused and accuser's original written statements, any other written evidence submitted during the Honor Council hearing and any audio recording that exists shall be maintained by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

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18. The accuser’s and the accused’s original written and signed statements and any other written evidence submitted to the Honor Council hearing shall be maintained by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors during the pendency of the Honor Council proceedings and appellate process, until a non-appealable determination has been made.

19. Honor Code violations are not recorded upon any of the student's permanent records maintained by the Registrar.

20. As a matter of clarity and transparency for the student body, the general outline of an Honor Council hearing, originally developed as an administrative aid to the Council Chairman, is provided below.

Appeals 1. The student convicted of an Honor Code violation has the right to appeal that conviction.

2. All appeals must be written and received by the Head of Upper School within one week/five school days of the Honor Council's decision.

3. An appeal received by the Head of Upper School after one week is untimely and invalid.

In the case of an untimely appeal, the Head of Upper School will have discretion either to refuse the appeal, thereby affirming the decision of the Honor Council or to accept the appeal as timely. The Head of Upper School’s decision is final and not subject to appeal. The decision of the Head of Upper School will be communicated to the accused in writing.

4. In order to be eligible for an appeal, the accused must present a timely written appeal with a description of the new evidence (evidence not brought out in the original Honor Council hearing), which would be material to absolving the accused of the Honor Council conviction. The Head of Upper School has sole discretion to determine if there is new evidence, if it is material and if it warrants a new Honor Council hearing. Procedural irregularities are not a basis for appeal.

5. If an appeal is granted and the Head of Upper School requests a new hearing, the hearing will proceed within three school days after the Head of Upper School’s decision. The Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors shall submit the previous written evidence of the accused and accuser to the Honor Council. Neither the accused nor the accuser shall be able to alter his or her previous written statement. Any existing audio recording may not be used by the Honor Council but may be retained by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors for future use by the Head of Upper School. (See Article VII, Paragraphs 15C and 17.)

6. If a student convicted of an Honor Code violation is recommended for expulsion by the Honor Council, and if the Head of Upper School upholds the recommendation, the student may appeal to the Head of School.

Make-up of the Honor Council 1. Membership: The Honor Council shall consist of eight student members, all elected by their respective classes. Additionally, three faculty members and one faculty alternate will be elected by the student body on a ballot submitted to them by the Faculty Advisors, with the

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Head of Upper School’s approval. Faculty members will serve three-year rotating terms; the Faculty Alternate shall serve a one-year term.

2. Officers: The Chairman, the Recording Secretary and the Corresponding Secretary shall be elected by the student body from among the three members from the Senior Class.

3. Student Elections: Once elected to the Honor Council, student members serve for the duration of their high school careers unless removed for cause by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors, Dean of Students or the Head of Upper School. Elections to determine which rising seniors will fill the Honor Council leadership positions and to elect two rising juniors to the Honor Council are held in April or May. The Freshman Class representative election will be held in September. Should a student vacancy occur, it will be filled promptly by a special election or, at the discretion of the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors, by the runner-up in the most recent class election of Honor Council representatives(s). (The following is a summary of the detailed procedures used to elect student members to the Honor Council. All Honor Council elections are held in English classes to create a formal and consistent environment for the elections.)

A. Because class officers cannot hold certain Student Council leadership positions, and the Honor Council Chair cannot also be the leader of the Student Council, Honor Council Leadership Positions elections are held after class officer and Student Council elections. The three Honor Council leadership positions are elected by the rising Tenth through Twelfth Grade student body based on a ballot with the names of the three rising seniors prepared by the Faculty Advisers. The Chairman, Vice Chair and Secretary positions are filled based on the highest number of votes received, respectively.

B. A straw ballot will be prepared by Honor Council Faculty Advisors and distributed to the rising Junior Class members who will nominate two students to serve as the two new juniors on the Council. The straw ballot will not include names of students ineligible to serve on the Honor Council, such as members of the Judicial Council. Based on the straw ballot results, interviews with potential candidates and Head of Upper School’s approval, the Honor Council Faculty Advisors will prepare a final ballot consisting of 3-5 candidates’ names. This ballot will be distributed to the rising Junior Class for final selection of the two new classmates to serve on the Honor Council.

C. The Freshman Class straw ballot and final ballot will be developed and administered in the same manner as described above for electing the new Junior Class members. The Freshman Class election process will select one freshman to serve on the Honor Council.

4. Faculty Elections: Three faculty members elected to the Honor Council serve a three-year rotating term and one faculty member serves a one-year term as an alternate. Faculty members are elected by the student body (rising Tenth through Twelfth Graders) using a ballot developed from a straw ballot submitted to the faculty from an Honor Council Faculty Advisor and approved by the Head of Upper School. Faculty elections are also held in April or May. In order to preserve continuity and corporate knowledge, a faculty member vacancy may be filled by a teacher who has recently completed his/her term in office; or if not

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practical, then the vacancy may be filled by the runner-up in the most recent student body election of the faculty Honor Council representatives; or filled by either a special election or the normal end-of-year elections. (The following is a summary of the detailed procedures used to elect faculty members to the Honor Council.)

A. Because of the rotating terms of office, two faculty members are elected to the Honor Council each year – one for a three-year term, and one for a one-year term.

Approved by the Head of Upper School, the Honor Council Faculty Advisors provide a straw ballot to the faculty listing potential candidates. Each faculty member responds by indicating if he/she would like his/her name placed in nomination on the ballot distributed to the rising Tenth through Twelfth Grade student body.

B. The names of Judicial Council faculty members and part-time faculty members are not placed on the straw ballot. It has also been the practice of the Honor Council not to place the names of those faculty members just completing terms of office on the straw ballot.

C. The final ballot candidate receiving the most votes serves a three-year term, and the person receiving the next highest number of votes serves a one-year term in office as an alternate.

6. Duties: As well as serving as a model of ethical behavior, each member of the Honor Council is expected to attend and vote at all hearings, attend and participate in all organizational meetings, and maintain the strict confidentiality required by this Constitution.

7. Plagiarism First Review Board/Plagiarism Council: Members of the two boards who hear plagiarism cases for junior and senior research papers are listed below. When acting in this capacity, all members shall abide by the Honor Council bylaws requiring confidentiality.

A. Members of the First Review Board shall be as follows: the Dean of Faculty (chair), the English Department chair, the Upper School head librarian and the chair of the department in which the alleged violation has taken place.

B. Members of the Plagiarism Council shall be as follows: one faculty member of the Honor Council who will chair the Plagiarism Council, one Twelfth Grade Honor Council member, one Eleventh Grade Honor Council member, two Upper School English teachers, one Upper School history teacher, all appointed by the Honor Council Faculty Advisors.

Honor Council Faculty Advisors 1. The Head of Upper School shall appoint two non-voting Honor Council Faculty Advisors to guide the operations of the Honor Council in conjunction with the Dean of Students.

2. Duties: It shall be the duties of the Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors to: A. investigate suspected Honor Code violations and, if appropriate, refer such cases to the Honor Council as described in Articles VI and VII. B. issue and receive statements from the principals at Honor Council hearings; C. schedule Honor Council hearings at the earliest possible date; D. verify that a quorum is present for Honor Council hearings;

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E. furnish photocopies of statements to participants in hearings and, if appropriate, destroy said copies after decisions are rendered; F. report to the Head of Upper School decisions of the Honor Council; G. maintain records of each conviction until the graduation of the student concerned; H. preserve the impartial and confidential treatment of each student accused of an Honor Code violation; I. safeguard the discipline and integrity of the Council; J. supervise the election and orientation of new Council members; K. oversee periodic review of this Constitution.

The Dean of Students/Honor Council Faculty Advisors shall have complete discretion in the administration of their duties.

VI. SCHOOL RULES AND PROCEDURES Disciplinary Procedures In matters of discipline, the guiding principle at NSA is to balance the learning of the individual student with the values of the community. NSA seeks a process that works with families and students to reach the best outcome for all involved, yet maintains the Academy’s commitment to high ethical and community standards.

Minor violations of school rules and regulations will be reported on a demerit notice form.

The Dean of Students will refer more serious violations of school rules as well as repeat offenders to the Judicial Council.

Demerit System Disciplinary infractions will receive demerits as follows: Minor Infractions – 1. Eating or drinking in undesignated areas (Food or drink is only allowed in the cafeteria or outside of the school building before, during or after school.)

2. Littering 3. Public display of affection 4. Tardy to school (Students who accumulate more than six tardies in a semester, even with an excused note, will receive a demerit for each additional tardy.)

5. Tardy to class 6. Dress code violation 7. Disruptive behavior 8. Chewing gum 9. Profane, offensive or inappropriate behavior 10. In restricted area without permission 11. Defacing school property 12. Cell phone infraction 13. Leaving class without permission 14. Loitering outside of class 15. Parking in a restricted area

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Procedures and Regulations Demerit Assignment: Demerits are cumulative throughout the semester. Parents will be alerted through NetClassroom when their child receives a demerit. Students will be alerted of their demerit by the teacher or faculty member who issues the demerit.

Detention is issued upon accumulation of demerits, in which a student will be assigned either after-school detention (3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) or Saturday detention as follows: Second, third and fourth demerit infraction: After-school detention Fifth demerit infraction: Saturday detention Additional demerits infractions beyond five: Judicial Council referral Saturday Detention: When a student has accumulated five minor infractions during a semester, the student will be required to serve Saturday detention. Saturday detentions will be held twice a month and will take place from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. The student should report to the Upper School Office no later than 8:00 a.m. on their assigned Saturday detention. If a student cannot attend the assigned Saturday detention, he/she must attend the next available Saturday detention by making prior arrangements with the Dean of Students.

Disciplinary Probation: A student who violates school rules and regulations, or violates community standards, may be placed on Disciplinary Probation. In addition to carrying disciplinary consequences that may affect the student’s privileges, participation in school activities and re-enrollment, Disciplinary Probation is a notification to the student and his/her parents that the student’s actions and behavior have been seriously inappropriate.

Disciplinary Probation carries a warning that subsequent inappropriate actions and behavior or violations of school rules and regulations may result in suspension or expulsion. In some cases, a student may be suspended at the same time that he/she receives Disciplinary Probation. A student who is on probation will not be allowed to run for a leadership position and may be removed from his or her leadership position if he/she already holds one. The Honor Council and Judicial Council Advisors, the Dean of Students and the Head of Upper School will review the student’s conduct after the probation sentence is complete.

If the student has had exemplary conduct during the probation phase, the student may be released from probation and have privileges or statuses reinstated.

In addition, any senior who is placed on probation after May 1 may be required to forgo commencement exercises. A student may be placed on probation only ONCE during his/her time at NSA. A second probationary offense usually results in dismissal.

Full-Day Detention: A student whose behavior is inappropriate may be placed in full-day detention. A student in full-day detention will be on campus throughout the term of the detention and will be working on his/her academic work. Students may not bring computers, iPods or other electronics to the full-day detention. Students will be allowed to make up work missed due to full-day detention. Students must pack food for break and lunch. They will eat in the detention area. Students on full-day detention must leave campus at the end of the school day (3:00 p.m.) or at the time designated by the Dean of Students. In some cases, the student may be required to serve time after school hours as determined by the Dean of Students. The student will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular 33

activities while on full-day detention.

A student who skips class will receive a day of full-day detention. The student will not receive credit for any graded work missed during the skipped class.

In addition to carrying disciplinary consequences, which may include restrictions of privileges, participation and re-enrollment, full-day detention is a notification to the student and his/her parents that the student’s actions and behavior have been seriously inappropriate. Full-day detention carries a warning that subsequent inappropriate actions and behavior or violations of school rules and regulations may result in suspension, dismissal or expulsion.

Suspension: A student whose behavior is inappropriate may be suspended from school. A student who is suspended may not be on campus throughout the term of the suspension without the expressed permission of the Dean of Students. In addition to carrying disciplinary consequences, which may include restrictions of privileges and participation and re-enrollment, suspension is a penultimate notification to the student and his/her parents that the student’s actions and behavior have been seriously inappropriate. Suspension carries a warning that subsequent inappropriate actions and behavior or violations of school rules and regulations may result in dismissal or expulsion.

Dismissal: A student whose violation of school rules is severe may be dismissed from the school for the remainder of the academic year. A student who has been dismissed may not be on campus for the remainder of the academic year. The Head of School and the Upper School administration will decide the status of the student’s academic work and the notification to colleges. A student who has been dismissed may apply for readmission to the Head of School.

Expulsion: A student whose violation of school rules is severe may be expelled from the school. A student who has been expelled may not be on campus. The Head of School and the Upper School administration will decide the status of the student’s academic work and the notification to colleges. A student who has been expelled may not be readmitted to the school.

Cell Phones Cell phones are permitted at school but are not to be used during an academic class. They are only permissible during free bell, break and lunch. The phone should be turned off during class, unless an exception is granted in the classroom at a teacher’s discretion for instructional use. The cell phone will be confiscated for the remainder of the academic day and will be returned at 3:00 p.m.

Parents are reminded that the Upper School Office will alert your child whenever you call with a message. Please do not call or text your child during school hours.

Skateboards Skateboards are not allowed in any NSA building.

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Tobacco Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is a tobacco-free campus. Students, faculty and guests are forbidden from using tobacco products on campus.

VII. MAJOR SCHOOL INFRACTIONS In matters of discipline the guiding principle at NSA is to balance the learning of the individual student with the values of the community. NSA seeks a process that works with families and students to reach the best outcome for all involved, yet maintains its commitment to high ethical and community standards.

Each student at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is required to accept responsibility for his/her own conduct and in doing so, accepts the responsibility for the consequences of his/her choices. While all infractions are serious, lying to the Honor Council or the Judicial Council may lead to dismissal.

The following rules and regulations shall be enforced, unless otherwise specifically stated, on the school grounds during and immediately before and after school hours; on the school grounds at any other time when the school is being used by a school group; off the school grounds at a school activity, function or event; or when students are traveling to or from school, or to or from a school activity. Disciplinary action, including suspension and/or permanent expulsion, may result from any violation of the law and/or NSA rules, policies and/or Honor Code.

1. Lying – Lying is to create or attempt to create a false or misleading impression by making untrue or misrepresentation statements, oral or written, intended to deceive. Lying includes maintaining silence, or failing to immediately correct a situation when a student is confronted with, or aware of, a known lie, falsehood or incorrect, untruthful or partially truthful information. Lying also includes altering any school records or other official documents. For the accused to lie and/or withhold information from the Honor Council in regard to a case may result in a more severe consequence, including dismissal.

2. Illegal Drugs – Students may not possess, sell or distribute illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia at any time, whether on or off school premises, or in vehicles parked at school or at school-sponsored functions. Students may not attend any school-sponsored event having used illegal drugs in any quantity. Students who are knowingly in the proximity of students using or possessing drugs should expect the same consequences as a student found using or possessing these substances. Violation of these policies may result in suspension or expulsion.

3. Alcoholic Beverages – Students may not possess, sell or distribute alcohol at any time.

Students may not be in vehicles parked at school or at school-sponsored functions and have possession or be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance. Students may not attend any school-sponsored event having consumed alcohol in any quantity. Students who are knowingly in the proximity of students using or possessing alcohol should expect the same consequences as a student found using or possessing these substances. Violation of these policies may result in suspension or expulsion.

4. Firearms or Weapons – Firearms or weapons of any description are not permitted on 35

school property or at school-sponsored functions at any time. Violations may result in suspension or expulsion.

5. Damage, Theft or Destruction of Private or School Property – A student shall not cause or attempt to cause damage to school property or steal or attempt to steal private or school property. Violation of this policy may result in suspension or expulsion.

6. Fighting – Threats, threatening behavior, intimidation or acts of violence against another community member will not be tolerated. Such behavior can include written and oral statements, gestures, expressions or anything that communicates a direct or indirect threat of physical and/or mental harm. Violators may be subject to suspension or expulsion.

7. Disruption of School – A student shall not, by use of violence, force, noise, coercion, threat, intimidation, passive resistance or any other conduct cause the disruption or obstruction of any lawful mission, process or function of the school.

8. Tobacco Products – The use of or possession of all tobacco products is prohibited.

Violation of this policy may result in suspension.

9. Other School Violations – A student shall not fail to comply with the lawful directions of teachers, substitute teachers or other authorized school personnel during any period of time when he/she is under the authority of the school.

10. Sexual Harassment – Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated by NSA and will be considered a disciplinary violation.

Sexual harassment is also a violation of laws against discrimination (state law and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Nansemond-Suffolk Academy supports the NAIS Policy on Sexual Harassment. Violations of this policy may result in suspension or expulsion.

11. Social Networking sites - Students and teachers should not friend each other through any social networking site.

Bystander Rule The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy student is encouraged to act conscientiously and courageously in situations where he or she perceives the following: • another person is the subject of or instigator of teasing, bullying, verbal abuse, harassment, physical abuse, unsportsmanlike conduct, lying, cheating or stealing • property is taken or destroyed • other behavior which is clearly disrespectful of another person’s property or person Courageous action in these instances often requires overcoming fear of being wrong or of being belittled by peers. Teachers will foster the students’ understanding of these situations and of appropriate actions through counseling, role-playing and revisiting specific situations.

When, however, the student bystander is deemed to be an enabler or encourager in such situations, he or she will be subject to disciplinary action at a level less than or equal to the person(s) actively involved.

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Alcohol and Drug Policy The Academy takes a very strong position against alcohol and drug use by adolescents; distribution, possession or use of these substances is illegal in addition to being harmful. In particular, possession or use of alcohol or drugs, possession of alcohol or drug paraphernalia, including empty containers of either and/or being intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited. Any student who is believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in the opinion of two adults, or denies such consumption, may be required to undergo a drug and/or alcohol test at the discretion of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. Failure to undergo testing may result in expulsion from the school. Any student found misusing or having unauthorized possession of prescription or sports enhancement drugs or over-the-counter medications is also in violation of the NSA alcohol and drug policy. Violations of this policy may result in suspension or expulsion. Any student selling or distributing drugs or alcohol can expect to be dismissed from school. Students who are knowingly in the proximity of students using or possessing drugs/alcohol should expect the same consequences. Out of concern for the health and safety of our students, the school will notify parents or the local authorities if it learns of an unchaperoned party or gathering.

Students who suspect that their own involvement with drugs/alcohol may be endangering their health or their effective performance in or out of school, or who are concerned for the well being of others, are encouraged to approach a school counselor, their advisor or any member of the administration in order to receive treatment for this problem. This action will be on a confidential basis and without risk of disciplinary action as long as there is no imminent danger to self or others. Students should realize that receiving such assistance would not shield them from disciplinary consequences in the event they are found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Jurisdiction Nansemond-Suffolk Academy reserves the right, in extenuating circumstances, to hold students accountable for public behaviors (i.e., away from school) that are infractions of the standards of the school community or state or federal law.

Parent Conduct A positive and constructive relationship between NSA and its parents is essential to the mission of the school. Parents who fail to be civil and/or become disruptive in their relationships with NSA place that relationship in jeopardy. NSA reserves the right to dismiss a student if the Head of School concludes that the actions of a parent impede NSA’s ability to meet its educational objectives or make a positive and constructive relationship impossible.

Anti-Harassment Policy (Bullying) Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is committed to providing a safe, equitable and harassmentfree school environment where all members of the community treat each other with respect and dignity. The Academy does not tolerate harassment or hazing of any kind and seeks to promote an environment that is free from actions and comments that demean a person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, economic status or personal qualities. Such conduct is demeaning and contrary to the school’s philosophy of providing a respectful environment for all and it will not be tolerated.

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To harass or bully means to annoy, attack or bother someone with the purpose, effect or outcome of unreasonably interfering with another person’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Harassment or bullying can be in the form of any gesture or written, verbal, graphic or physical act (including electronically transmitted acts, i.e. Internet, cell phone, personal digital assistant or wireless hand-held device.)

Any student who believes another person has harassed or bullied him/her should report the violation to his/her school counselor, administrator, school nurse or teacher. The administration will take prompt action and, if appropriate, take disciplinary measures.

Harassment and bullying may result in suspension or expulsion.

Harassment may take many different forms. Examples of inappropriate behavior include, but are not limited to, the following: • Obscene, suggestive, intimidating or demeaning remarks, jokes or insults • Display of offensive, explicit or demeaning materials • Unwelcomed touching or violation of a comfortable personal space • Name calling of any kind, specifically sexual or racist, whether implied or perceived • Making comments about someone’s anatomy, clothing, looks or alleged reputation • Circulating pornography or obscene drawings • Standing too close, cornering, blocking or preventing someone from leaving an area • Text messaging or emailing offensive comments or language • Offensive or inappropriate electronic correspondence including, but not limited to: social networks, images, videos, email, text messages, chats, wikis, nings and blogs.

In addition, using technology to threaten, intimidate or harass any member of the NSA community has the potential to affect adversely the learning atmosphere and the safety and well being of students, faculty and staff. As a result, any harassing, threatening and/or intimidating use of school technology resources by any member of the community will result in disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion. Furthermore, the Academy reserves the right, in circumstances it deems appropriately serious, to investigate claims of harassment and threatening and/or intimidating uses of technology even though they may take place off campus, after school hours and using non-school equipment. Where the Academy determines that such conduct has harmed the learning environment and/or adversely affected a member of the community, the offending student will be subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion.

Dance Guidelines School dance environments are provided to allow students to enjoy the social atmosphere in a safe and healthy setting. Except for Prom, all school dances end at 11:00 p.m. or earlier.

The following guidelines will apply: 1. A student must arrive within the first hour of the dance to be admitted. Upon arriving, students are to enter the dance; students are not to be in cars, the parking lot or wandering the campus.

2. Students leaving the dance are not permitted to return.

3. Each student may invite one non-NSA student. Guests must at least be in the Ninth Grade and also under the age of 20. A non-NSA guest must be a high school student in 38

good standing or an enrolled college student. A form obtained from the Upper School Office and approved by the Dean of Students is required, prior to the day of the dance.

4. The dance sponsors will approve the disc jockey and discuss the music selection. Class sponsors and students will identify what is or is not appropriate music for the dance.

5. Sexually suggestive dancing will not be tolerated. Any dancing moves or behavior a chaperone deems improper and/or indecent will not be permitted.

Dress Code/Personal Appearance The Academy expects its students to dress in a manner that is in good taste and appropriate for the school setting. Cleanliness and neatness help to develop pride in one’s appearance and a positive self-image. We ask that each student dress for his or her own sense of selfrespect, as well as for the consideration of others. For this reason we have specific requirements for standards of dress. Hallmarks of our dress code are being neat, clean and well groomed. NSA reserves the right to determine whether clothing conforms to the “spirit” as well as the “letter” of the dress code. Due to the frequent changes in fashion, it is impossible to specifically describe all clothing styles that might be considered unacceptable.

The school reserves the right to prohibit any clothing found to be inappropriate for school.

The preferred dress for boys is as follows: Chino style pants with a polo or button-down shirt, belt, socks and dress shoes or clean tennis shoes. The preferred dress for girls is as follows: Chino style or dress pants, a dress or skirt (no shorter than 4 inches from the knees), polo, blouse or button-down shirt and dress shoes or clean tennis shoes. If a student is unsure about whether an article of clothing is acceptable, he/she should ask the Dean of Students prior to wearing the clothing.

Appropriate Dress For Boys ● Collared shirts, turtlenecks or sweaters must be worn at all times. (Tee shirts and sweatshirts are not permitted during the academic day from 8:10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) ● Pants and Bermuda shorts should be belted at the waist and be the appropriate size.

Neither blue denim material or colored denim is permitted. All clothing should be in good repair. Hems should be neat/not frayed or cut-off. ● All shirttails must be long enough to stay tucked in. ● Young men should be clean-shaven (no exceptions) with no earrings, no visible tattoos, no body piercing, no fingernail polish, etc. Tattoos must be covered at all times when a student is attending or representing NSA. ● Shoes should be clean and safe for the school setting. Dress shoes, tennis shoes, sandals and flip-flops are allowed. ● Hair should be worn out of the eyes and not exceed the collar in length.

Appropriate Dress For Girls ● Pants, skirts, shorts, Bermuda shorts and dresses of relaxed fit are permitted. The length of skirts and dresses must be no shorter than 4 inches above the top of the kneecap. Blue denim skirts, pants, shorts and dresses are prohibited. Colored denim is not permitted. ● Clothing should not be form-fitted. (Students who wear tight clothing will be required to change into an outfit provided by their parent.)

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● ● ● ●

Shirts that are not tucked in, must at all times pass the waistband of slacks, skirts or skorts. (Tee shirts and sweatshirts are not permitted during the academic day from 8:10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

Shoes should be clean and safe for the school setting. Dress shoes, tennis shoes, sandals and flip-flops are allowed.

No bare shoulders, bare backs, bare midriffs or low-cut necklines.

All clothing must be in good repair. Hems should be neat, not frayed or cutoff.

Sleeveless shirts must have a strap of two inches or more on the shoulder. Tank tops are not permitted (i.e., racer backs, spaghetti straps and halter tops). A tank top may be worn only as an undergarment to a shirt or sweater that meets the dress code.

Prohibited Clothing For Boys and Girls ● Hats, sweatshirts and coats must be removed while in the school building. ● Colored hair of an unnatural color is prohibited (i.e. purple, pink, blue). ● Form-fitted clothing is not permitted. ● Body piercings (other than earrings for girls), visible tattoos and/or radical hairstyles are prohibited.

Required Professional Dress Days Certain days and special occasions at NSA require that students wear professional dress.

NSA students will be expected to dress professionally on the following occasions: • NSA Convocation • Team banquets • Evening programs • Underclass awards program • A variety of field trips • Special assemblies • Other times at the discretion of the faculty, coach or administrator Dress Code for Professional Days Boys: ● Button-down or plain collar shirt with a tie is required. ● Shirt must be tucked in at all times. ● Dress pants with a belt are required. ● Shoes with socks are required. (No flip flops) ● Sweaters may be worn, but students are still required to wear a tie. ● Sport coats may be worn but are not required.

Girls: ● ● ● ●

Dresses or dress skirts that fall close to the knee or below are required.

Tops must be modest and completely cover the midriff at all times.

Dress shoes or sandals must be worn.

Dress pants and blouses may be worn. Chino style pants do not constitute dress pants.

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Spirit Days Boys and Girls: ● Denim of any color is permitted. The denim must be in good repair – not torn or frayed. ● NSA sweatshirts or tee shirts may be worn.

Blue/Gold Spirit Days Boys and Girls: ● Students must wear blue or gold NSA shirts or sweatshirts in their team color. ● Denim of any color is permitted. The denim must be in good repair – not torn or frayed.

Senior Friday Dress-Down Days Boys and Girls: • Denim of any color is permitted. The denim must be in good repair – not torn or frayed. ● NSA sweatshirts or tee shirts may be worn. ● College sweatshirts or tee shirts may be worn. They must be respectable in design.

The Judicial Council In matters of discipline the guiding principle at NSA is to balance the learning of the individual student with the values of the community. NSA seeks a process that works with families and students to reach the best outcome for all involved, yet maintains its commitment to high ethical and community standards. Designed to promote student responsibility and accountability, the Judicial Council is comprised of five faculty members and eight student members. A senior serves as Student Chair of the Council. The role of the Judicial Council is to review more serious violations of school rules and recommend a course of action to the Dean of Students.

Judicial Council Procedures: 1. Student Members A. Council Members shall be made up of two students from the Sophomore Class and three members from the Junior and Senior Classes who will be elected by their class for their tenure at NSA. B. Members will be notified in writing of the hearing at least one day in advance.

C. Members will not discuss content of case or evidence with any members of the NSA community, especially the accused, before or after the case.

D. Members shall discuss the case only within the confines of the Judicial Council hearing.

2. Faculty Members A. Council members consist of five members appointed by the administration. The Upper School Dean of Students will appoint the Faculty Chair of the Council.

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B. Faculty will be notified in the same way as students and held to the same confidentiality standards as the student members of the council.

3. Students appearing before the Council A. Students appearing before the Council will be notified by the Dean of Students.

B. Students are expected to answer all questions during a case truthfully and completely.

C. Students will be required to write a factual statement, signed by the parents, which is submitted to the Dean of Students and presented to the Judicial Council.

D. Students may write (or give orally) a personal statement to be presented to the Judicial Council during the hearing.

4. Advisors’ role A. Advisors will be notified of a hearing involving one of their advisees and, if asked by their advisee, attend the hearing to act in a supporting role.

B. Advisors may be in contact with the parents and students before the hearing to answer questions but cannot comment on the case itself or predict the recommendation of the Judicial Council.

5. Parents’ role A. Parents should support the student in the student’s relationship with the school.

B. Parents will be notified of a pending hearing by their child and by the Dean of Students.

C. Parents should understand that the school does not proceed in the same way as the legal system in terms of standards, sequence or philosophy.

D. Parents are not invited to the Judicial Council hearing but may set up a meeting with the administration after the hearing.

E. Parents should not contact any members of the Judicial Council, faculty or students before, during or after a case.

6. Documentation presented to the Judicial Council A. Parent notification form—outlining the charge against the student B. Dean’s factual statement, including statements from faculty, students, etc.

C. Student’s factual statement D. Advisor’s statement if requested by the student (may be written or oral) E. Student’s personal statement (may be written or oral) F. Previous consequences for similar infractions 7. Judicial Council Case Outline During the Hearing A. Dean presents charge against student.

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B. Council members question Dean, witnesses and the student about the nature of the charge and the circumstances.

C. Advisor speaks on behalf of student if requested by the student (written statement if applicable).

D. Student speaks or reads personal statement.

E. Student, Dean and advisor are further questioned by the Council about the nature of the student and the case.

F. Dean, advisor and student leave the room.

G. Judicial Council discusses case, reviews similar cases and prepares recommendation.

After the Hearing A. Judicial Council Chair delivers recommendation to the Dean of Students.

B. Dean informs student and parents of the school’s decision in writing.

Please note: Judicial Council offenses may be reported to the National Honor Society Sponsors and Selection Committee to determine eligibility and/or status.

VIII. GENERAL POLICY INFORMATION Accident Reporting Any time a student is injured or is involved in an accident anywhere on NSA grounds or during a school-sponsored activity, the student should immediately notify his/her teacher, sponsor of the activity or Dean of Students. All accidents must be reported on an accident report form and promptly turned in to the Upper School Office. Accident forms may be obtained from the nurse.

Emergency Closings In the event of an emergency closing the following will be considered standard policy: 1. Every attempt will be made not to close until 12:00 noon once school is in session for the day.

2. Announcements will be made on radio and TV stations immediately (WTKR, WAVY, WVEC, WTAR).

3. Email will be sent from the school to each family’s @nsacademy.org email address.

It is the family’s responsibility to forward this account to another preferred email account if the @nsacademy.org school account is not frequently checked.

4. In the event of closing for bad weather before school opens: a. an announcement will be made on the above stations by 6:45 a.m. b. an email will be sent to your family’s @nsacademy.org account by the school’s administration c. information will be posted on the school’s website 5. If school is cancelled, all after-school and evening activities are also cancelled.

Field Trips Field trips are planned throughout the year. These enriching activities are age-appropriate and support academic and cultural development. In order for a student to be able to participate, the “Permission and Release for Off-Campus Activities” form must be on file.

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Also, please be sure to provide the requested contact information when filling out the digital Student Information Forms online.

Distribution and Display of Literature and Posters No posters, literature, leaflets or the like will be distributed or posted without the Head of Upper School’s approval. All postings should be fastened to bulletin boards; leaflets should not be taped to walls, doors or windows.

Lockers Lockers are provided for general student use in school corridors and locker room areas for athletic teams. Locks may issued by the Upper School Office upon request. The following rules apply: ● Student lockers are the property of NSA. ● Student lockers remain at all times under the control of NSA. ● Students are expected to assume full responsibility for their school locker. ● Students may not change lockers without the permission of the administration. ● The Academy retains the right to inspect student lockers for any reason at any time, without notice, without student consent and without a search warrant.

Parking ● A student will register his/her car on the digital Student Information Form online in order to receive a parking pass. ● Students are permitted to park on school premises as a matter of privilege, not of right. ● Students must park in a designated area. ● Students are not allowed to return to their vehicles during the school day. ● Students are not permitted to move their vehicles to another lot after school hours. ● The Academy retains authority to conduct routine patrols of student parking lots and inspections of the exteriors of student vehicles on school property. ● The Academy may inspect the interiors of student vehicles, without student consent and without a search warrant, whenever a school authority has reasonable suspicion to believe illegal or unauthorized materials are contained inside the vehicles.

Carpool Area The Upper School carpool area has been established in the football field parking lot from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please pull up as far as possible when loading and unloading students. Parents are asked to discharge students as quickly as possible, as others are waiting to pull into the lot for drop-off. Students should not be discharged or picked up in front of the Upper School during these designated time periods.

Senior Privileges The seniors are awarded many different privileges during the course of their senior year and one such privilege is the opportunity to leave campus during their free period. The days for which they may leave campus are identified to the seniors at the beginning of each semester and the senior may only leave campus with parental permission. The administration may revoke such privileges should the senior class abuse them.

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Visitors NSA alumni or members of a student’s family are always welcome on campus but must check in through one of the divisional offices. Alumni are asked to check-in with the Alumni Coordinator upon their arrival to campus. No other visitors are allowed during the academic day.

Lost and Found Items of jewelry, cell phones and iPods will be turned in to the Upper School Office. Other lost items, such as textbooks, workbooks, notebooks and clothing will be stored in the Upper School Office. The student’s name should be written on all belongings to facilitate the return of items to his or her owner. Unclaimed items will be donated to a community service organization at the end of the year.

Dining Services SAGE Dining Services operates the school’s food services. Information regarding the SAGE program will be sent to each family in the summer back-to-school mailing. This information also explains that parents will have the opportunity to make deposits for students to participate in a declining balance plan. Students not purchasing lunch will be permitted to purchase beverages and/or `a la carte items. SAGE Dining Services information and menus can be found at www.nsacademy.org.

Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) Every parent is a member of the PTO. Participation on committees is voluntary and encouraged. The organization is active in sponsoring workshops and seminars for the school community, as well as providing volunteer assistance for many school projects.

IX. FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING POLICY The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Annual Fund is an important element in the school's operating budget that supports the mission of the school and is the key component to the school’s continued growth and success. In an effort to ensure that the Annual Fund receives top priority in the school’s fundraising efforts, to avoid conflicting fundraising practices and to standardize the look of all of NSA’s printed and branded materials, the Board of Trustees adopted a Fundraising and Marketing Policy in 2006.

Any fundraising, marketing or special advertising activity sponsored by a NansemondSuffolk Academy club, class, athletic team, parent or alumni group must be approved in advance by the appropriate Division Head, Director of Athletics and the Office of Advancement.

All items (baseball caps, tee shirts, uniforms, literature, invitations, handbooks, pamphlets, etc.) featuring the name, initials or logo of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy must be approved by the Office of Advancement prior to the order being placed.

Applications for fundraising activities or marketing requests are to be completed at least two weeks in advance for each activity and must be filed on an annual basis, including previous or recurring events, with the Director of Advancement before solicitation commences or orders for printing of materials are placed.

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To receive a list of official NSA approved colors and logos or to obtain a copy of the Fundraising, Marketing and Advertising Request Form, please contact the Office of Advancement at 539-8789 x3234.

X. HEALTH CLINIC When a student becomes too ill to remain in class, he/she should get a note from the classroom teacher to report to the nurse’s office. At no time should a student leave school because of illness without permission from the nurse or Head of Upper School.

The following information will help to explain our clinic policies in order that we may provide care that has your child’s best interest at heart.

The digital Student Information Form is critical to us in caring for your child as it contains a medical history section for each enrolled NSA student. It is very important that the medical history section is completed. Thorough and accurate information provides valuable insight in caring for your child. This form is to be completed online. Information on accessing the digital Student Information Forms will be emailed to your @nsacademy.org family email account.

Additional information may be requested regarding your child’s condition/need for medication with regard to conditions like asthma, allergies, diabetes and seizure disorders, etc. We ask your indulgence with these additional parent and physician forms. This information is vital to the formulation of an effective care plan for your child, as well as meeting legal requirements for administering medical care, long-term and federally regulated medications.

First Aid and Emergency Care We are prepared to handle numerous first aid situations from simple scrapes and splinters to bug bites and blisters. However, it is our policy to notify parents when the nature of the injury is beyond our realm of care and requires further medical assistance, e.g. fractures, lacerations requiring stitches, etc. All critical emergencies will be processed through 911 and transported to Sentara Obici Hospital. Parents are notified immediately in order that they may dictate further medical care, e.g. requesting specialists or transfers to the hospital of their choice, etc. It is not at all unusual to receive a call from us to simply confer with you regarding your child’s medical care. Very often an injury may appear to be minor initially, but can develop into a more serious situation. Therefore, we frequently notify you of a minor injury that may need to be observed upon your child’s arrival at home, e.g. a blow to the head.

Upper School students typically receive no written notice of treatment on a day-to-day basis for minor first aid visits/medical care.

Medication Administration The Student Information Form, accessed on the school’s website, must be completed and the Medical Release Form, which was included in the summer backto-school packet, must be signed for each student by a parent and submitted to school for any medical assistance to be provided or for medication to be dispensed.

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For Upper, Middle and Lower School students, Tylenol, Motrin, Tums, Chloraseptic spray, Polysporin, Benadryl gel/spray and Visine, are the only “over the counter” (OTC) medications that are administered with your Medical Release Form.

If the administration of medication(s) is required/desired for an Upper School student (other than those listed previously), an NSA Written Medication Consent Form is required and the following policies regarding further medication administration must be adhered to; for more information about the Written Medication Consent Forms, please contact the Health Clinic.

Short-Term OTC and Prescription Medications Policy An NSA Upper School Written Medication Consent Form must accompany all other medication(s) from home. Sections A and C must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian for short-term medications (those OTC’s or prescriptions given for 10-14 days only). All OTC medicines must be in their original container/packaging and unopened, along with the package insert. All prescription medicines must be supplied in their original (Rx labeled) container along with the package insert/pharmacy label.

In the Upper School, the student or his /her parent/guardian may deliver short-term OTC/Rx medicines and the required permission form(s) to the clinic. No Upper School student should have medicines in his/her possession unless he/she is in the process of delivering them to the clinic.

It is allowable for an Upper School student to deliver short-term OTC/Rx medicines and permission forms to the clinic for a Lower or Middle School sibling. No Lower or Middle School student should have medicines in his/her possession at any time.

Long-Term OTC, Prescription and Schedule II Medications Policy Long-Term OTC medications, those given for the duration of the school year per parental request, require Sections A and C of the Medication Permission Form to be completed by the parent. For example, a parent may elect to bring PRN or “as needed” OTC medicines for the clinic to keep on hand throughout the year, e.g., Dimetapp, etc. We welcome this practice because it helps us to care for your child more effectively. As above, all OTC medicines must be in their original container/packaging and unopened, along with the package insert.

All Long-Term Prescription and Schedule II Medications must accompany an NSA Medication Permission Form. Section A must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian and the attending physician must complete and sign Section B. All prescription medicines must be supplied in their original (Rx labeled) container along with the package insert/pharmacy printout.

In the Upper School, the student or his/her parent/guardian may deliver prescription medications and the required permission forms to the clinic. However, the parent/guardian must hand deliver all Schedule II medications to the clinic. No Upper School student should have a Schedule II medication in his or her possession at any time and is only in possession of other prescriptive medicine(s) if he/she is in the process of delivering them to the clinic.

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School Illness There are certain symptoms that require a child to be excused from school due to illness. It is typically not one symptom alone, but several, that suggest a child is ill and needs to go home. We generally look for one or more of the following: • Temperature of 100 degrees or above • Vomiting/persistent nausea • Persistent/recurring diarrhea • Migraine/unresolved headache • Severe menstrual cramps • Cold with nasal congestion or earache/infection • Coughing with chest congestion • Persistent sore throat Strict guidelines will be adhered to with regard to students returning to school once sent home from the clinic with a fever of 100 degrees or higher or after being diagnosed with a contagious illness. For a child with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, he/she may return to school after 24 hours have passed in which they have maintained a normal temperature of 98.6 degrees without the influence of fever-reducing medications, i.e., Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Motrin/Advil (Ibuprofen).

Health Clinic Reminders and Suggestions • All medications must be administered through the clinic unless special arrangements have been made with the school nurse.

• Requests for alterations in the dosage of prescription medications require a new Written Medication Consent Form to be completed by the attending physician.

• Written Medication Consent Forms are available in the Health Clinic.

• Please immediately inform the Health Clinic if your child should contract a contagious illness especially if he/she was not seen in the clinic. Notifying the clinic will not only allow for the possible prevention/spread of the contagion but also assist in diagnosing students with similar symptoms.

• If your son/daughter has not been feeling well or is concerned and upset about something, let his/her teacher, school counselor and/or the clinic know. Some children complain readily while others suffer in silence. Keeping us in the know helps us to do our job more effectively.

• Supply medicine to help your child cope with minor symptoms while in school, e.g. colds, etc. A stuffy nose can make a child miserable all day and a little decongestant from home helps keep him/her in the classroom.

• If bringing medicine is inconvenient, try to schedule your child’s medication outside of school hours. Administer it before and after school and then at bedtime.

• Ask your pharmacist for two labeled bottles when filling prescriptions. You will then have your own and the one needed for school.

Please inform the clinic if your son/daughter should experience sudden illness or incur an injury outside of the school day, so that we are prepared to anticipate as well as accommodate any subsequent need they may have upon returning to school. The Athletic Trainer forwards student-athlete updates with regard to sports injuries; however, your input and updates with regard to non-school related injuries, sudden illness and/or surgeries is essential.

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XI. TECHNOLOGY CODE OF ETHICS Introduction Nansemond-Suffolk Academy believes that all students should have access to technology when they act in a responsible, efficient, courteous and legal manner. The Academy provides computer, network, Internet access and email accounts to students as part of the learning environment. Internet/email access and other online services, as well as various forms of technology equipment, offer students and teachers a multitude of global resources. Our goal in providing these resources is to enhance the educational development of and foster 21st century learning experiences for our students.

Google Apps for Education is used throughout the Academy; this secure suite of tools is designed to encourage collaboration and communication while developing 21st century learning skills and facilitating dynamic classroom activities. Google Apps is provided under the following agreement www.google.com/apps/intl/en/terms/education_terms.html and students receive access to the following tools: SaintsNet: A secure, dedicated school email address through which teachers can send announcements and students can collaborate on assignments with one another.

Google Calendar: Students can organize their schedules and share events and calendars with others.

Google Docs: Share documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Collaborate in real-time with classmates or with the whole school.

Google Sites: Work together to keep related documents, web content and other information in one place, on one site.

Google Video for Education: A video hosting and sharing solution that enables schools and other organizations to use video as an effective medium for internal communication and collaboration.

General Network Use The network is provided for students to conduct research, complete assignments and communicate with others. This technology is the property of the Academy and is provided to students as a privilege, not a right. It is the expectation of the Academy that students will use these resources in a manner that is both responsible and lawful. Uses that might be acceptable on a user’s private, personal account on another system may not be acceptable on the Academy’s network. If a student is uncertain whether or not something is inappropriate, he/she should consult a faculty member.

The Academy utilizes filtering systems and software to block inappropriate sites in compliance with the Child Internet Protection Act. However, on the Academy’s network, it is impossible to control all materials and an industrious user may discover controversial information. Students are required to notify an adult if they access an inappropriate site so that the site can be blocked. CDs and flash drives are acceptable for student use; however, the Academy is not liable for any negative results from their usage.

The Academy reserves the right to inspect any material stored on the Academy network and edit, or remove, any materials that do not comply with this usage policy. Intentional or repeated misuse of Academy technology will result in consequences that may or may not include suspension of technology privileges, payment of damages, discipline under Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Code of Conduct and/or the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy 49

Honor Code or possible legal action. Students are responsible for all use of their Academy issued accounts.

The Academy does not prohibit personal technological devices; however, the Academy does not permit unauthorized use of the network and is not responsible for damage or theft of these devices.

Student Network/Internet/Email User Agreement Acceptable uses of technology are devoted to activities that support teaching and learning.

The following is NSA’s agreement with students in Grades 9-12 concerning the use of technology in the school setting.

As a student, I agree: - to use the hardware and software provided by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy solely for educational purposes.

- to protect the privacy of my username and password from others.

- to follow the rules of copyright law and guidelines as well as trademark laws and licensing agreements in the copying of text, images or other files from the Internet or other resources.

- to notify immediately the supervising teacher if I access something questionable.

- not to copy or modify files, data or passwords belonging to other users and/or not to use their usernames and passwords.

- not to reveal personal information or images online such as my name, email address, house address and telephone numbers without written permission from my parent or guardian.

- not to reveal personal information or images of any other individual online such as the name, email address, house address or telephone numbers.

- not to illegally install licenses or copyrighted software.

- not to vandalize any hardware, software or data including hacking into the school network and/or creating and transmitting computer viruses.

- not to change any computer setting without permission from the supervising teacher.

- not to participate in any actions which may be considered obscene, profane, pornographic, discriminatory, defamatory, harassing, malicious or dangerous to the integrity of technology/information resources of the Academy.

- not to post or contribute any content to any social networking or Internet site that reflects negatively on myself, another person or NSA. Parent/Guardian Agreement The Academy has provided Google Applications accounts to all parents; these will be subject to the same agreement as above. As this platform will become the main communication channel between parents and the Academy, @nsacademy.org accounts must be checked weekly or have emails forwarded to an alternative preferred email account.

All students are provided with access to Academy computer resources.

In addition to the student user agreement above, as the parent or legal guardian, I grant permission for the Academy to: - provide my child restricted access to the Internet.

- provide my child with a school issued Google Apps for Education account.

- allow my child to publish work/material on the World Wide Web such as the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy or teacher’s website.

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XII. ATHLETICS Athletics are an integral part of student life at NSA. NSA believes that an educational curriculum should create sound bodies as well as sound minds. Through the athletic program and physical education classes, NSA develops students who are prepared for healthy competition and academic performance. The correlation between a physically fit body and outstanding academic performance has been demonstrated in research. NSA provides both opportunities.

NSA Athletics also serves to unify the student body. NSA students come from such a widespread area of Hampton Roads and from such diverse backgrounds, it is often difficult for students to find many things in common. Our athletic teams provide that unity with students, parents, coaches and faculty joining together in support of our teams.

Detailed Athletics Handbook information can be found on the Academy website under the “Athletics” tab at www.nsacademy.org/athletics.

XIII. EMERGENCY CLOSINGS Basic Procedures In the event of an emergency closing the following will be considered standard policy: 1. Every attempt will be made not to close until 12:00 noon once school is in session for the day.

2. Announcements will be made on radio and TV stations immediately (WTKR, WAVY, WVEC, WTAR).

3. Email will be sent from the school to each family’s @nsacademy.org email address.

It is the family’s responsibility to forward this account to another preferred email account if the @nsacademy.org school account is not frequently checked.

4. In the event of closing for bad weather before school opens: a. An announcement will be made on the above stations by 6:45 a.m. b. An email will be sent to your family’s @nsacademy.org account by the school’s administration c. Information will be posted on the school’s website XIV. SECURITY CAMERA POLICY Nansemond-Suffolk Academy has an obligation to provide a safe environment for faculty, staff, students and visitors. Nansemond-Suffolk Academy supports the use of video surveillance to promote the safety and security of students and staff, the protection of school property, deterrence and prevention of criminal activities and the enforcement of school rules.

Camera Location, Operation and Control ● The security camera system is installed in public areas only. These areas may include grounds, athletic areas, exterior entrances or exits to school buildings and large gathering spaces such as classroom corridors, cafeteria, lobby and main entries.

Use of Video Recordings ● The Head of School or his/her designee shall oversee video surveillance.

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The security camera system will be in operation and may be monitored by school personnel throughout the year.

Video recordings of actions by students may be used by administrators as evidence in any disciplinary action brought against students arising out of the student's conduct in or about Nansemond-Suffolk Academy property.

In compliance with the law, recorded information will be available for use as necessary by appropriate school officials and/or law enforcement personnel.

Information obtained through video surveillance may only be used for disciplinary investigations, security or law enforcement purposes.

Data Storage ● All video recordings are stored in a secure place to avoid tampering and ensure confidentiality in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. ● The Office of Technology shall be responsible for maintaining cameras, monitors, storage, computers used to store images and computer diskettes. ● Any video recordings used for security purposes in school buildings or grounds are the sole property of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. Release of such videos will be made only as permissible pursuant to applicable law and with the permission of the Head of School or his/her designee.

Notification ● All staff, students and parents shall be made aware of the video surveillance guidelines and practices. ● Appropriate signage will be posted at major entrances to school buildings that notify students, staff and the general public of the schools use of security cameras. Students and staff will receive additional notification at the beginning of the school year regarding the use of security cameras in the schools and on school grounds.

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