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The Storm King School
Student & Parent Handbook 2026-2027
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Contents Welcome..................................................... 4 Mission Statement................................................. 5 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging........... 5 Motto.................................................................... 5 Core Values........................................................... 5 A Brief History of The Storm King School............ 5
Section 1: Academics................................... 7 Curriculum Overview........................................... 7 Experiential Education.......................................... 7 Expectations.......................................................... 8 Academic Honesty................................................ 8
Mission Statement The Storm King School, a global community, prepares students by inspiring them toward academic success and confidence in an inclusive and diverse learning environment that embraces character, balance, and trust.
The Storm King School Code of Academic Honesty................................................ 9 The Storm King School Student AI Policy............. 9 Academic Probation............................................ 10 Graduation Requirements................................... 10 Additional Graduation Requirements.................. 11 The Academic Year.............................................. 11 Course of Study................................................... 11 Change of Schedule............................................. 11 Grading & Reporting.......................................... 12 Effort Marks........................................................ 12 Missed Work Due to Absence............................. 13 Invitation to Return............................................ 13 Q-Term............................................................... 13 Independent Study.............................................. 13 Honorary Societies.............................................. 14 Common Work Period and Extra Help............... 14 Study Hall........................................................... 14 Tutors and External Courses............................... 14 Advisory and Faculty Advisors............................ 15
This edition of the student handbook was updated 08/11/2026
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Academic Probation............................................ 15 The Storm King School Cell Phone Policy.......... 15
The Academic Support Program.......................... 16
Section 4: Residential Life......................... 32
Blackbaud............................................................ 17
Guardian Policy.................................................. 32
College Counseling............................................. 17
Breaks and Transportation.................................. 32
Examinations and College Applications.............. 17
Dormitories......................................................... 33
Laptop Requirements.......................................... 18
Dorm Rooms....................................................... 33 Accountability and Evening Check-in................. 34
Section 2: Attendance............................... 19
Lights Out........................................................... 34
Attendance Policy................................................ 19
Gaming in the Dorms......................................... 34
Tardiness............................................................. 20
Shipping.............................................................. 34
Athletics/Afternoon Activities Attendance.......... 20
Summer Storage.................................................. 34
Cutting Class or Afternoon Sport/Activity.......... 20
Dormitory Fire Safety......................................... 34 Fire/Emergency Drills......................................... 35
Section 3: Student Life ............................. 21.
Room Condition................................................. 35
The Student Life Team and Deans on Duty........ 21
Room Searches.................................................... 35
Student IDs......................................................... 21
Keys and Room Security..................................... 35
Leadership........................................................... 21
Guests................................................................. 36
Prefect Program................................................... 22
Laundry............................................................... 36
Boarding Prefects................................................ 22
Student Mail....................................................... 36
Day Prefects........................................................ 23
Weekend Leave Policy......................................... 36
Judicial Board Members...................................... 24 Student Council.................................................. 24
Section 5: Discipline................................. 38
Core Value Pins................................................... 24
General Expectations........................................... 38
The Storm King School Dress Code.................... 24
Formal/Informal Verbal Warnings...................... 39
Athletics and After School Activities................... 25
Dean’s Hours....................................................... 39
Community Service............................................ 26
Saturday Detention............................................. 39
Weekends............................................................ 26
Formal and Expedited Discipline........................ 39
Student Center.................................................... 26
Judicial Board Procedures.................................... 40
School Email Accounts and Communications.... 26
Reach of the School............................................. 41
Student and Parent Cell Phone Numbers............ 26
Anti-Violence Policy............................................ 41
Internet/Network/Technology Acceptable Use Policy............................................................ 27
Anti-Theft Policy................................................. 41
Internet & Media Privacy Appropriate Use......... 28
Reporting Violations........................................... 42
Gaming............................................................... 29
Drug and Alcohol Policy..................................... 43
Meals................................................................... 29
Fire Safety Policy................................................. 43
Ordering Food from Outside Vendors................. 29
Tobacco Policy.................................................... 43
Security and Boundaries...................................... 30
Confidentiality of Disciplinary Action................ 43
The School Store.................................................. 30
Disciplinary Consequences.................................. 44
Automobiles........................................................ 30
Student Dismissal Policy..................................... 45
Day Students....................................................... 30
Departure from Campus and Campus Access Following Separation........................................... 45
Policy on Bullying, Hazing, & Harassment........ 41
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Welcome With this 2026-2027 edition of The Crest, The Storm King School’s student and parent handbook, we would like to welcome you to The Storm King School and to provide the information you will need for the school year. This handbook contains information necessary for students and parents to understand both what is important to Storm King in terms of behavior and community, and all of the structures and processes that help govern our daily lives here at the School. Sections in this handbook include Academics, Attendance, Student Life, Residential Life, and Discipline. This guide serves as a reference for students and parents detailing the expectations of The Storm King School. Please understand that no set of rules or guidelines can cover every conceivable situation that might arise at a school. The rules, policies, and procedures set forth here are intended to apply under most circumstances. From time to time, there may be situations that require responses not fully outlined here. This handbook does not limit the authority of The Storm King School to deviate from the rules and procedures set forth in this handbook, and to deal with individual circumstances as they arise in the manner deemed most appropriate by the School, taking into consideration the best interests of the School, its faculty, employees, students, or overall school community. The policies may also be revised or updated periodically during the School year. All changes in policy will be communicated directly to parents and guardians. Any student or parent with a question about any policy statement should feel free to speak with the Dean of Student Life, the Assistant Head of School for Academics, or the Head of School. We are proud to be a part of an ongoing tradition of excellence in education at The Storm King School. Each member of our community is valued, and each of us is most likely to achieve our goals when the framework in which we are living and working is clear, our responsibilities apparent, and our purpose shared. This handbook will help clarify our shared purpose and individual responsibilities.
Lisa Shambaugh Head of School
Tim Gillett Assistant Head of School for Academics
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Sara Sandstrom Dean of Student Life
Mission Statement The Storm King School, a global community, prepares students by inspiring them toward academic success and confidence in an inclusive and diverse learning environment that embraces character, balance, and trust (Adopted by the Board of Trustees - April 8, 2017).
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging As an extension of our mission, The Storm King School believes in a culture of mutual respect that is fair and free of bias. Our diverse yet close-knit school community thrives on the discovery of new perspectives and embraces uniqueness and individuality. We value every opportunity to learn and grow from the multitude of lived experiences, challenges, strengths, and personal beliefs held by all members of our community, past and present. As such, we are committed to creating a welcoming environment conducive to learning, living, and working where everyone feels they belong and have the support they need to reach their fullest potential.
Motto
Core Values
Esse, Quam Videri - To be, rather than to seem
TRUTH, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY
A Brief History of The Storm King School Established as the Cornwall Heights School in 1867 by Reverend Louis P. Ledoux, an Amherst graduate and pastor of the Cornwall Presbyterian Church, the School later became known as the Stone School when Dr. Carlos H. Stone took over the Headmastership. Its present name, The Storm King School, dates from 1923, during Headmaster Alvan R. Duerr’s tenure, and reflects the name of the mountain where the School is located. Storm King was an all-male boarding and day school until 1970, when the first girls were admitted as day students. Girls became boarding students in 1975, and since then the School has been a coeducational, college preparatory school for grades 8 through 12. The Storm King School was chartered in 1928 by the Board of Regents of the State University of New York as a nonprofit institution governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees. Today, it is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and the College Board, among other professional organizations. A 20-member Board of Trustees, of which approximately half are alumni, governs the School. Located on the West Bank of the Hudson River near the crest of Storm King Mountain, the 51-acre campus offers a commanding view of the Shawangunk Mountains and distant Catskills. The Storm King School is a member of the Black Rock Forest Consortium, which administers the Black Rock Forest, a 3,920-acre wilderness that abuts the campus. The School makes maximum use of these natural surroundings for its science, environmental, and recreational programs. The School maintains its position as a founding member of the Consortium Board. The Consortium membership also includes the American Museum of Natural History, Barnard College, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Browning School, City College of New York, Columbia University, Convent of the Sacred Heart, the Dalton School, Friends Seminary, New York Academy of Sciences, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Newburgh School District, and Teacher’s College of Columbia University.
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Administration
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Business Office Manager: Kathy Syvertsen
Chief Financial & Operations Officer: Andrew Smith
Head of School: Lisa Shambaugh
Director of Facilities: Jamie Smith
Executive Assistant to the Head of School: Anne Marie Coleman
Executive Chef: Andrew Comey
ACADEMICS
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
Assistant Head of School for Academics: Timothy Gillett
English: Alexandra Finn-Atkins, Ph.D.
Director of Studies: Nicole Taucare
Science: Paul Feffer, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Academics: James Bennett
Mathematics: Alanna Rosenthal
Assistant to the Academic Office: Ingrid Ciunga
History & Social Sciences: Timothy Gillett
World Languages: Ellen Van Dunk
COLLEGE COUNSELING
Performing Arts: Anne Fulton
Director of College Counseling: Daniel Constantinidi
Visual Arts: John Carruthers
Assistant to the College Counseling Office: Ingrid Ciunga
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
STUDENT LIFE
English Language Learning (ELL) & International Student Coordinator: Leigh Katz
Dean of Student Life: Sara Sandstrom Director of Residential Life: Coleen Ilano Director of Health Services: Cindy Neville, RN Co-Directors of Community Service: Mark Rigg, D.Min.; Lisa Shrem Director of International Programs: Angelica Centeno ADMISSIONS, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Assistant Head of School for Admissions & Marketing: Marek Pramuka Director of Communications: Elizabeth Wilson Creative Director: Michaela Pramuka ATHLETICS & SUMMER PROGRAMS Director of Athletics & Summer Programs: Nicole Cervantes, Ed.D. Assistant Director of Athletics: Vittoria May ADVANCEMENT Director of Development: Sarah Fulton ’09 Manager of Alumni Relations: Ashley Cabrera ’19 Annual Giving & Special Events Manager: Sophia Grausso ’20
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Academic Support Program: Heather Cosgriff
Section 1: Academics Curriculum Overview Curriculum at The Storm King School is built to spark creativity, encourage risk-taking, promote critical thinking, and foster collaboration. Broad course offerings and a flexible academic schedule allow students to discover their passions and take a leading role in the creation of their own personal trajectories. Their enthusiastic participation, not only in academics, but in everything the School has to offer, results in a love of learning and sets the foundation for them to become life-long inquirers. The ultimate goal for both teachers and students is the achievement of deeper learning. Our faculty relies on approaches that actively engage students as they master the necessary content in various disciplines while encouraging the perfection and application of academic and life skills through traditional, experiential, and project-based learning experiences. Discussion and collaboration are active components of all of our classes. As much as possible, teachers ensure that learning grows from authentic, interdisciplinary problems and projects. While content is a necessary focus, the way information is processed, verified, and used is at the forefront. Students need to understand how they learn and evaluate, make decisions, and master knowledge by actually constructing it themselves.
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How to step beyond one’s comfort zone, take risks, fail gracefully, and succeed through persistence and hard work
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How to collaborate, be flexible, and be adaptable
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An understanding and appreciation for the Arts— music, theater, creative writing, visual arts—as a means of personal and creative expression
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Global and cultural awareness
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How to be effective leaders and citizens of their local and global communities
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How to maximize benefits from using technology, and how to use it responsibly and ethically
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How to use information, conduct research, create a hypothesis, acknowledge sources, and present findings
While students attend classes daily in our classrooms, we also embrace the extension of learning beyond direct instruction. Project-based application, international travel, collaborative and interdisciplinary work, and experiential opportunities such as community service, the use of Black Rock Forest, trips throughout the surrounding Hudson Valley and New York City, as well as extracurricular activities and athletics, are built into our academic and student life programs.
What Our Faculty Teaches and Our Students Learn: •
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Necessary content and skills in the disciplines of Math, Science, Humanities, English, Arts, and World Languages How to think critically, thoughtfully dissect a subject or issue, ask incisive questions, and solve problems/bring solutions
Experiential Education At The Storm King School, we use experiential education to actively engage students in posing questions, investigating, experimenting, being curious, solving problems, assuming responsibility, being creative, and constructing meaning. These opportunities
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are integrated throughout our academic and student life programs and include classroom projects, afternoon clubs and sports, weekend outdoor adventure activities (including overnight trips), special guest lecturers and presenters, domestic and international travel, and regular community service.
Expectations The Storm King School is an academic institution designed to help each student make the most of his or her intellectual abilities in preparation for college. We expect students to take an active role in their own education. This means that students must take responsibility for their own learning and act in an appropriate way both in their classes and in preparing for them each day. Examples of this include: 1.
Attending every class unless ill.
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Working earnestly to complete every assignment to the best of their abilities and in a timely fashion.
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Coming to class prepared to participate in a positive way, which includes entering class in dress code, opening books and notebooks immediately, having technology charged and ready for use, or otherwise preparing themselves appropriately for their classes without being asked.
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Bringing a laptop that meets the minimum requirements set forth by The Storm King School. This laptop is intended primarily for academic use and should be treated as any other academic requirement. All digital texts and applications required by teachers should be downloaded as expected. The acceptable use policy for computers and technology applies to this device.
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Listening actively and participating in class discussions and other activities in an appropriate manner; being polite, positive, and respectful to their teachers and classmates alike. Staying alert and attentive throughout classes, taking notes and focusing on the work being presented, and working in earnest with others when classes are doing group work or laboratory work.
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Responding to criticism, setbacks, and requests in a mature way.
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Actively seeking help from teachers and attending tutorials or other extra help sessions when needed.
All academic work must be completed with integrity. This means that students must acknowledge sources or help received in an appropriate fashion, and neither give nor accept help without permission or knowledge of teachers. In addition, the consumption of food, beverages, and chewing gum in class is not allowed. When participating in off-campus trips for classes, school dress code and classroom decorum are expected.
Academic Honesty As part of the School’s ongoing commitment to honesty, integrity, and the long-term development of good character, all students are expected to adhere to The Storm King School Code of Academic Honesty. Students are expected to follow the letter and spirit of the Code in all academic work. As an academic institution, The Storm King School holds the integrity of academic work as sacrosanct and part of an inviolable trust between students and teachers. Academic honesty is a natural extension of our core ideals of Truth, Respect, and Responsibility. Consequently, any violation of this trust is considered a very serious matter, and acts of academic dishonesty are viewed as violations of a major school rule. Soon after their arrival at The Storm King School, students are required to sign the Code of Academic Honesty. The Code outlines the basic principles of academic honesty and defines critical violations. Faculty members in each class review the basic tenets of the Code and help students understand how to avoid plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty in their particular discipline. All violations, regardless of the sanctions imposed, will be reported to the Assistant Head of School for Academics. The School’s response is determined by the Assistant Head, the teacher, and the appropriate department head. Consequences generally include a failing grade on the work involved without the opportunity to make up the work and may include additional restrictions. It is common for the School
to require students to notify their parents personally about a violation before a formal letter of notification is sent by the Assistant Head of School for Academics. In most cases, first offenses will be limited to these consequences. However, students who repeatedly violate the Code of Academic Honesty may be required to leave the School. Students involved in more significant violations— for example, sharing test answers with many other students—may also be required to leave the School based on a single offense.
The Storm King School Code of Academic Honesty All work submitted by a student must be done by that student. If the student turns in academic work that reflects help from someone else, including parents, friends, consultants, agents, dorm parents, faculty, or classmates, or from any other source, that help must be acknowledged. It is generally inappropriate to receive any help on a test or a quiz from anyone but the teacher administering the test. Authorized help can be determined only by the teacher of the course where the questions occur, or by those responsible for overseeing the work in question. Practices may vary somewhat among the disciplines, but there are certain principles that the student must keep in mind. Violations of trust include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: It is dishonest to:
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Give another student information about questions on a test
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Give unauthorized help to another student during a test
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IPlagiarize. Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s ideas or words as though they are your own. The student should avoid:
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Using the exact written words of someone else without using quotation marks and acknowledging the source (including textbooks)
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Changing a single word or a few words of someone else’s written work without acknowledging the source (including textbooks)
In applying for college, it is dishonest to submit essays or other materials that are not the applicant’s original work. Help with editing is permitted, but the application must be the applicant’s work. It is also dishonest to violate the rules protecting the integrity of standardized tests such as the SAT, PSAT, or ACT. If any testing organization (such as the College Board or ACT) reports a breach, the School reserves the right to take disciplinary action. When writing a research paper or any other kind of paper in a course, the student should ask the teacher for help in avoiding plagiarism. To be on the safe side it is a good idea for the student to acknowledge any help he or she has received in writing the paper. For example, on a sheet attached to the paper, the student might state that a teacher helped in the editing process or in organizing an outline. Violations of this code will lead to disciplinary action as outlined later in this handbook.
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Copy and submit someone else’s homework or inclass work as one’s own (e.g., exercises, lab reports, math problems, computer programs)
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Get test questions before a test unless having those questions beforehand has been authorized by the teacher
The Storm King School Student AI Policy
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Employ, during a test, any “crib sheet” or unauthorized notes of any kind
PURPOSE
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Receive unauthorized help from anyone during a test, or consulting standardized tests such as the SAT, PSAT, or ACT
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Allow another student to copy or submit one’s homework or in-class work
The Storm King School is committed to academic integrity, authentic learning, and the responsible integration of new technologies. This policy clarifies appropriate and inappropriate uses of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support student growth and maintain academic honesty.
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Guiding Principle: Authentic struggle is an essential part of learning. While AI can be a helpful tool, it must not replace critical thinking, creativity, and original work. Acceptable Student Uses of AI vary by department, and will be specified by faculty and department chairs.
according to the Storm King School Code of Academic Honesty. Consequences include the following: First Offense: Zero credit for the assignment and a meeting with the Associate Head of School. Second Offense: Disciplinary action as determined by the Associate Head of School.
PROHIBITED STUDENT USES OF AI Students may not use AI tools (such as ChatGPT, MagicSchool, Grammarly AI, paraphrasers, summarizers, translation software, image generators, etc.) in the following ways:
Academic Probation Continued Offenses: Dismissal from The Storm King School.
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Submitting AI-generated text, images, or multimedia as original work.
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Paraphrasing or lightly rewording AI-generated content and presenting it as original work.
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Using AI to fabricate citations, references, data, or research findings.
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Using AI translation tools to translate work from one language to another and submitting it as their own.
Mathematics .......................... 4 credits
Using AI to create assignments with minimal genuine engagement or effort.
History/Social Sciences .......... 4 credits
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Considerations •
Do not automatically trust information coming from AI.
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Be aware of “AI hallucinations.” Hallucinations are instances where a generative AI system produces inaccurate, biased, or otherwise unintended information.
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If you try to use AI to produce work it could disseminate copyrighted information; anything put into AI can become a part of the language model. Citations are always necessary.
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Submitting generative AI content as your own without proper citation is a form of plagiarism.
CONSEQUENCES Using AI without the express consent of your teacher is a violation of this policy. Violations of this policy will be treated as academic dishonesty and handled
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Graduation Requirements All students that enter The Storm King School in ninth grade, or continue from eighth grade, must complete a total of 24 graduation credits from among these areas: Science .................................. 4 credits English .................................. 4 credits World Language*................... 2 credits Visual Arts ............................ 1 credit Performing Arts ..................... 1 credit Additional Credits ................. 4 credits In addition, students must complete at least 20 hours of community service per year. Students starting after the ninth-grade complete graduation requirements on a prorated scale. Each student must complete at least one Mathematics class, at least one Science class, at least one English class, and at least one History/Social Science class each year. Students whose first language is English must also complete two semesters of a world language. International students are not required to take a world language, but may request these classes as electives. Students must carry at least six credits per year with at least three per semester. Eighth, ninth and tenth graders have a number of required classes to complete; eleventh and twelfth-
graders have more choice in areas of concentration within the yearly guidelines.
Additional Graduation Requirements VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS Students who attend The Storm King School in grades 8-12 are expected to meet both a visual and performing arts requirement. This can be accomplished by taking a class in each area, but also through a number of other means. One student might be active throughout the year in the theater program; another might come as an accomplished guitar player or vocalist and perform frequently at school events; a third might have experience as a photographer and contribute significantly to school publications. Faculty and activity advisors will determine whether students have met the criteria for this requirement. Students who enter The Storm King School after their sophomore year are only required to meet or earn one credit in visual or performing arts. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH Students are required to participate in after-school activities each term. Because students in grades 8-12 meet their physical education credit through our after-school athletics program, two seasons of physical activity are required. These include: interscholastic and club sports, outdoor activities, dance, and other physical activities. Sports and activities are listed on student transcripts. Our Health Program is delivered through our student life curriculum, which includes a freshman and sophomore-targeted health course, speakers on key health topics, specific advisory discussion topics, and presentations by coaches and teachers.
opportunities are delivered through the Student Life Office. Community service hours are listed on student transcripts.
The Academic Year The academic year is divided into two semesters and a Q-Term. Each class lasts one semester, which consists of three grading periods. Each grading period tracks progress from the start of the semester until the end of that grading period. Grades and effort marks are awarded at the end of each of the grading periods. Semester grades are determined by the grading period grades together with a final exam or final project. Some classes may also include a term project or term paper as a major part of the semester grade.
Course of Study Each new student is provided a schedule by the Assistant Head of School for Academics based on the student’s previous academic record. This can be adjusted, if possible, when the student receives the schedule for approval or at registration for the year. Returning students work with advisors in the spring to determine an appropriate program of study, and this list is reviewed and finalized during the scheduling process in the summer. All students are required to carry a minimum of six full credit courses. All students will be enrolled in at least one class in the fields of Mathematics, Science, History & Social Sciences and English each year that they attend The Storm King School. In general, at least four of the full credit courses must be academic in nature, while the fifth and sixth class may include performing, visual, or creative arts classes. In order to graduate from The Storm King School, students must meet the requirement of six full credit courses in the senior year, even if they have already obtained the credits required for graduation.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Change of Schedule
Each student is required to complete 20 hours of community service per year. This requirement provides an extraordinary opportunity for students to connect their classroom learning to their ability to create positive change in the world; thus, empowering them in their own educational journeys. Community service
Students who wish to change their course schedule must explain the proposed change to the Assistant Head of School for Academics. The Assistant Head of School for Academics, the student’s advisor, and all teachers involved must discuss all proposed changes with the student before a decision will be made.
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Schedule changes must occur within one week of course matriculation. In addition, juniors and seniors must get approval for a change in course schedule from the College Counselor. No schedule changes will take effect until the form has been returned to the Assistant Head of School for Academics and approved. A student receiving a final grade in the D range may need to complete a review before moving to the next level in some disciplines. If a student fails a course, he or she may earn a passing grade and credit through an approved summer course or the completion of coursework through an approved tutorial. Credit will be granted only through the Academic Office.
Grading & Reporting Letter grades
GPA value
% Range
A+................................ 4.33.........................>94.6 A.................................. 4.00......................91.6-94.5 A-................................. 3.67......................88.6-91.5 B+................................ 3.33......................85.6-88.5 B.................................. 3.00......................82.6-85.5 B-................................. 2.67......................79.6-82.5 C+................................ 2.33......................76.6-79.5 C.................................. 2.00......................73.6-76.5 C-................................ 1.67......................70.6-73.5 D+............................... 1.33......................67.6-70.5 D................................. 1.00......................64.6-67.5
lower, or who have moved by a letter grade or more in either direction. During Semester Two, reports of progress are sent home in February and at the end of the semester in May. An interim report is sent in late March for students with a C- or lower, or who have moved by a letter grade or more in either direction. All reports provide detail on student progress and teacher recommendations regarding student improvement. Progress reports are the primary means by which the School communicates with parents about student academic progress. Parents should email their child’s advisor or the Assistant Head of School for Academics if any concerns arise. Students review their progress reports and interim reports with their advisor.
Effort Marks Effort marks assess student behaviors such as class attendance, participation, and preparation; homework; initiative and motivation; and the degree of care put into the work. 5 Outstanding Student demonstrates most or all of the following: exceptional class participation, consistent thoroughness in preparation, work over and above course requirements, consistent requests for extra help, attempts to relate the course material to other discipline areas, or exceptional initiative in making up work missed because of absences. 4 Above Average Student demonstrates most or all of the following: very good effort represented by class participation, thorough preparation, an eager attempt to master the material of the course, and regular requests for extra help when appropriate.
D-................................ 0.67......................60.0-64.5 F.....................................0...........................<60.0 Progress reports are sent home a minimum of four times per year: During Semester One, reports of progress are sent home in early October and at the end of the semester in December. An interim report is sent home in early November for students with a C- or
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3 Average Student demonstrates most or all of the following: acceptable class participation and adequate fulfillment of course requirements with consistently prepared work and assignments carefully prepared and submitted on time.
The student has met Storm King’s normal expectations for class involvement and academic effort. 2 Below Average Student demonstrates most or all of the following: below normal effort, reflected in occasional absence or lateness, occasional lack of preparation for class or inattentiveness in class, or the student may fail to submit required work or the work may be poorly prepared. The student neglects to ask for extra help. 1 Unsatisfactory Student demonstrates most or all of the following: consistent failure to complete assignments, a lack of class participation, reluctance to ask for extra help, consistent inability to participate in class when called upon, and a lack of initiative in making up missed work.
Missed Work Due to Absence ANY WORK MISSED DUE TO AN ABSENCE, INCLUDING TESTS AND QUIZZES, MUST BE TURNED IN OR COMPLETED UPON RETURNING TO CLASS OR WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME AS DETERMINED BY THE TEACHER. If at all possible, students should communicate with their teachers in person prior to missing a class. In the event that prior communication is not possible, the student should, via email to the teacher or another student, or through Blackbaud, find out what was missed in order to prepare for the next class. Students are expected to be proactive in keeping up with all assignments in any situation.
Invitation to Return As a self-selecting, independent school, The Storm King School reserves the right to invite back, year by year, only those students who show an effort and desire to make The Storm King School a happy, healthy and cooperative community, and those students who show the ability and motivation to progress in preparation
for college acceptance. Academic achievement, contributions to the School community, attitude and manner, tolerance and charity toward others, and a willingness to work with the School are all factors in this decision.
Q-Term The Q-Term takes place at the end of the school year between final exams and graduation. Q-Term classes are short, intensive courses that provide Storm King faculty and students a chance to explore more deeply subject matter for which they have a particular passion and curiosity. During the Q-Term, students meet with the same class and instructor every day and pursue the subject of their choice. This focus creates an arena for hands-on learning, outdoor adventure, creative design, and service opportunities that enrich and deepen students’ connections to the subject matter at hand. Each year, The Storm King School faculty create an engaging roster of Q-Term courses that appeal to a wide range of interests from engineering and the sciences to history, art, music, travel, and many others. All Q-Term courses are graded as pass/fail and are included on each student’s academic transcript.
Independent Study Independent study at The Storm King School offers coursework that enables students to explore their passions and deep-dive into their areas of interest. Independent study is allowed on a case-by-case basis for students who work well independently and have high academic performance overall. Students interested in earning credit toward graduation through independent study take the lead by finding a faculty member to advise the study. Then, the coursework is developed in collaboration between the student and the teacher to supplement the School’s departmental offerings. Recent examples of Independent Study areas have included Environmental Science Policy, International Relations, Physics, Mechanics, Photography, Psychology, English Literature, Law, and Fashion.
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Honorary Societies
Study Hall
Students who distinguish themselves over the course of their secondary school careers may be recognized by receiving membership in the Cum Laude Society and/ or National Honor Society, if they qualify.
DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
CUM LAUDE SOCIETY The purpose of the Cum Laude Society is to promote learning and sound scholarship in secondary schools. The primary requirement for membership in the society is academic excellence. The society was founded in 1906 and patterned after Phi Beta Kappa of the college level. The Storm King School has the distinction of having one of the oldest chapters in the nation, enrolling members since 1921.
All students at The Storm King School, regardless of year or grade point average, are required to attend daytime study hall during periods in which they do not have a scheduled class or other commitment. Students will be assigned to report to a dedicated space on campus. A complete set of behavioral expectations governing study hall will be posted and reviewed regularly. All students who are struggling academically may have additional study hall time assigned at any point during the afternoon or even on weekends if deemed necessary. Missing a study hall carries the same disciplinary consequences as missing a class.
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
IN THE EVENING
The Storm King Chapter of the National Honor Society was formed in 1981. Qualified juniors and seniors who have compiled an outstanding record in several aspects of school life are elected to the society. A cumulative grade point average of 3.4 is the minimum academic criteria for consideration. Leadership, scholarship, service, and character are the other criteria for membership.
The Storm King School believes in providing an appropriate environment in the evening for the student body to focus on their studies. Boarding students will be assigned to one of two evening designations regarding their evening study hall. Students who meet minimum grade requirements and behavioral standards including attendance will be assigned “room study” from 8 PM-9:30 PM. These students are able to study in their rooms, in their dorm common room, or may go to Ogden hall to study in groups or alone. New students and students that do not meet the requirements for “room study” will be expected to attend proctored study hall in the Dining Hall from 8-9:30 PM each evening. Proctored study hall is supervised by multiple faculty members.
Common Work Period and Extra Help The Common Work period occurs each academic day with the exception of Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Common Work period is a dedicated time when students can seek out teachers for extra help. Teachers can also require students to report to their classroom during this period. Students may also use the time for quiet study or for group projects. This is a dedicated block during the School day, unfettered by outside commitments, in which students can stay ahead of their workload and decrease stress. Teachers may also be available at other times such as free periods or in the evenings or weekends when on duty, and students who need extra help should work with their teachers to identify appropriate times to get extra help. Faculty members are expected to post these “office hours” in which students can seek additional help.
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Tutors and External Courses Students occasionally may seek additional enrichment by employing external tutors or taking courses outside of The Storm King School. Before committing to tutoring or coursework, it is imperative that students know that such ventures always come second to Storm King commitments (classes, athletics, events). Boarding students who wish to be given the privilege of having their door closed during study hall in order to attend a tutorial or class must clearly communicate this to their
dorm parents and show proof of registration. No more than one weekly exception will be granted.
Advisory and Faculty Advisors The advisor system is a fundamental element of The Storm King School experience; students and parents are urged to take full advantage of this special arrangement. Faculty members have a small group of advisees with whom they interact with frequently, including a weekly group meeting. The faculty advisor serves as an academic counselor and mentor, as well as the primary liaison between the School and the student’s parents. Parents are encouraged to contact the advisor should a situation need immediate attention. At the beginning of each advising relationship, the advisor will contact a student’s parent or guardian and establish the most effective means of communication specific to that relationship. One of the primary responsibilities of the advisor is to monitor the academic performance of each of his or her advisees. In the event that a student begins to struggle academically, the advisor and Assistant Head of School for Academics communicate about the best way to improve the student’s performance. When a student has problems with motivation and/or managing his or her work in specific academic courses, or he or she requires acute supervision of his or her academic program, other teachers or staff members are brought into the discussion as necessary. They may include classroom teachers, administrators, the dormitory parents, and the director of health services, among others. In this situation, an individualized Academic Support Plan is created through communication with all parties with the specifics clearly communicated to the student and progress of the plan regularly checked. In this way, each student has a working group of adults ready to respond as necessary. The team’s goal is to help the student improve his or her work habits and achievement. The student may be assigned additional supervised study halls, required to work with a tutor or the academic support staff. Restrictions on weekends and during other times may also be required. In the end, each student must become responsible for his or her work. If grades remain below an acceptable level and adequate effort is not demonstrated, the student will be placed on academic probation.
Academic Probation If a student’s cumulative GPA falls to C- or below in any semester, he or she is placed on academic probation for the following semester. At the beginning of each marking period that a student is on academic probation, the student will meet with her or his advisor and the Assistant Head of School for Academics in order to develop a study strategy, usually in the form of an Academic Support Plan referenced above. This will include structured and assigned study halls as well as other time restrictions. If a student remains on academic probation for a second semester, the student’s invitation to return will be reviewed at the end of the academic year. At any point during a student’s academic career, they are returned to academic probation, the invitation to continue as a student will be reviewed. As a result of that review, the School may not invite the student to return the following year, or the Assistant Head of School for Academics may require additional coursework or remediation during the summer before the student is eligible to return. To be removed from academic probation, a student needs to maintain a C (2.0 GPA) or better for a full semester and demonstrate more consistent work habits. In particular, regular daily assignments and long-term assignments need to be completed in a timely manner throughout the semester.
The Storm King School Cell Phone Policy The Storm King School desires to build and maintain a community with a focus on meaningful, face-to-face engagement and judicious use of technology. While cell phones allow us to connect with one another in important ways, they can also be a source of distraction and hamper efforts towards learning, fostering community, good mental health, and staying present in the here and now. At The Storm King School: •
Cell phones may not be used or visible during class time, advisory, school-wide meetings, and study hall. All phones must be silenced, put away securely, and not be easily accessible during these times
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Cell phones are also prohibited from formal sitdown meals, assemblies, school programs, music ensembles, productions, and any other schoolfunctioned activity where wall pockets are available unless otherwise indicated by those leading these events.
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During class time, instructors may require that cell phones be collected and held during any period. Students must silence or turn off their phones prior to any class, meeting, or study hall so as to eliminate distraction.
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Student cell phones must be silenced and “not on their person.”
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Parents or guardians who need to get in contact with a student are asked to do so without distracting the student during school or study hall hours. In the case of a family emergency, parents or guardians should contact The Storm King School’s Dean on Duty phone number at +1 845-629-0344
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Students needing to contact home for any reason during a scheduled class or study hall must get explicit permission from their teacher and proceed to the Administration Building If a cell phone violation occurs during one of the prohibited periods listed above, the teacher or staff member will collect and take the phone to an administrator and it will be kept for 24 hours. Day students may take their phones after 5 PM from the DOD but will be asked to turn in the phone again in the morning and pick it up after 5 PM on the next day At the beginning of the school year, all members of the SKS community (students, parents, and faculty) must agree to abide by our cell phone policy
Consequences for non-compliance: • •
Failure to follow the cell phone policy results in an infraction on the Blackbaud system.
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The Academic Support Program The Academic Support Program (ASP) at The Storm King School is designed to work with college-bound students who need additional support. All students in the Academic Support Program enroll in our base class. While this class is dependent on the learning needs of individual students, it generally focuses on helping each student understand the student’s learning differences. The class is taught by a teacher who has experience working with students who have language-based learning differences, executive functioning needs, or other similar challenges that sometimes stand in the way of a student’s preparation for college. The goals of the Academic Support Program include: •
Practicing strategies for critical reading and reasoning
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Enabling students to strengthen self-esteem and self-monitoring in the academic arena
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Guiding students to develop and maintain systems for managing schoolwork, extracurricular responsibilities and free time
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Providing them with organizational techniques to fit their needs and styles
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Providing support so that their natural talents may be demonstrated
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Teaching students to be constructive self- advocates in and out of the classroom
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Working together with the Academic Office to secure testing accommodations for College Board tests, including the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams and the ACT, in cases where students have documented learning differences
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College planning and transition support for students with documented learning differences Involvement in the Academic Support Program is by recommendation only.
Students who have multiple cell phone violations will be required to hand over their cell phones to the administration office at the beginning of the day and retrieve them at the end of the day.
Subsequent infractions will lead to Dean’s Hours or Saturday Detention at a time determined by the Dean of Student Life.
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Students who continue to accrue cell-phone infractions will be summoned to a BISC meeting and face more formal disciplinary action.
Blackbaud The Storm King School uses Blackbaud as its online educational platform. Students and parents can access various elements of this robust system, thereby monitoring homework, academic development, and achievement, as well as necessary health and admissions forms. Parents will receive instructions on how to access this system during the enrollment and registration processes, and students will learn how to navigate this system during student orientation.
College Counseling The Storm King School takes great pride in the amount of personal attention each student receives when planning for life after secondary school. The most important aspect of the process is matching each student with the appropriate undergraduate program. There are several “right” colleges for each student, and graduates of The Storm King School enroll in a variety of diverse institutions. Our college counselor coordinates and manages the college search process, working together with students and their families, the Assistant Head of School for Academics, the Assistant to the Academic and College Counseling Office, and the faculty and staff. All juniors and seniors and their families should work closely with the college counselor to ensure the college application process goes smoothly. Prior to the junior year, the college counselor is available to parents and students to discuss any questions about the college search process. Parents are encouraged to be very active participants throughout this extended process and to contact the college counselor as early in the process as possible. Parents may schedule appointments in person or by phone and attend information sessions when they are held on campus. In the college search process, much of the focused work with students, families and the college counselor takes place during the winter and spring semester of a student’s junior year and continues through the spring of a student’s senior year. During the summer before the student’s senior year, if not earlier, families are encouraged to visit colleges and, if possible and where necessary, have formal interviews. Although it is possible, students are discouraged from taking time off while The Storm King School is in
session, as missed classes may affect grades, which, in turn, could affect chances of acceptance to college. As visiting colleges may be difficult during the school year, the college counselor coordinates visits from universities across the country during the Fall semester. In the fall of a student’s senior year, frequent group and individual conferences take place, often with parents. Some families choose to engage an outside consultant to help coordinate their child’s college search process. While this is not necessary, the School will work with this outside support as long as the consultant coordinates their work with our college counselor. It is particularly important to remember that all college applications, including essays, must be the original work of the students. Teachers, the college counselor, and others may help with editing and proofreading to a reasonable extent, but the work must be the applicant’s own original creation. Because students applying to college represent The Storm King School, all application, records, recommendations, and other documents associated with the college search process must go through our College Counseling and Academic offices. In order to coordinate all elements of the college search, we manage the process through the Scoir software system. We help all students establish a Scoir account. Parents also have access to view this account.
Examinations and College Applications The College Counseling Office works with students to establish a College Board Account to facilitate signing up for the PSAT, SAT, and AP Exams. It is important to maintain only one account with the College Board to ensure all test scores are forwarded when needed. All students in the 10th and 11th grades take the PSAT each year. Students may also take the American College Test (ACT) if they wish. Although standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT are not required for graduation, students are strongly encouraged to take either test at least twice (either once in the Spring of Junior year and once in the Fall of senior year, or twice in the Fall of Senior year). As many universities have adopted test optional policies, students are encouraged to work with the college counselor to determine whether it is in their best interest to submit test scores.
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All seniors must apply to at least two colleges, unless accepted to their first choice through early decision
Laptop Requirements
-MacBook Neo: -MacBook Air: Retina, 13-inch, 2020 Intel Core or any Apple Silicon models M1 and above. -MacBook Pro: 2018 or later
Each student is required to bring a laptop. The primary purpose of technology at SKS is for education and research. SKS’ robust wireless network supports all types of wireless devices. SKS does not provide any wired Ethernet connections.
Minimum Requirements for WINDOWS LAPTOPS •
The language for the Windows laptop must be English or support changing the display/keyboard to English.
The Storm King School’s platforms are compatible with Apple Mac laptops and Windows-based laptops. Email any questions to skstech@sks.org.
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Must be able to connect to a wireless network connection.
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Laptop that supports Windows 11
Minimum Requirements for MACINTOSH LAPTOPS
These laptop requirements can also be found on the School’s website. Laptop usage is governed by the School’s Internet/Network/Technology Acceptable Use Policy.
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The language for the Mac must be English or support changing the display/keyboard to English.
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Must be able to connect to a wireless network connection.
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MacOS 15 (Sequoia) or higher. ***(Sequoia supported MacBook models listed below)
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Section 2: Attendance Regular attendance is fundamental to a successful and rewarding experience at The Storm King School. Learning extends well beyond the classroom, and students are expected to participate fully in all aspects of school life, including academic classes, afternoon athletic or co-curricular activities, advisory meetings, assemblies, performances, recitals, Commencement, and other required School events. These shared experiences are an essential part of our educational program, foster personal growth, strengthen our community, and prepare students for the responsibilities of college and life beyond Storm King. Consistent attendance demonstrates responsibility, respect for others, and commitment to one’s education. Students and families share the responsibility of ensuring that absences are limited to those that are truly necessary and are communicated to the School in accordance with the School’s Attendance Policy.
Attendance Policy The Storm King School recognizes myriad reasons that cause both boarding and day students to be occasionally absent from school. Absent students will either be considered excused or unexcused. Examples of excused absences include a medical appointment or illness, a Storm King athletic event or field trip, or documented transportation/visa difficulties. Students with unexcused absences may face disciplinary action including restrictions, loss of privileges, Dean’s Hours, Saturday Detention, Campus Restriction, and more formal discipline if unexcused absences persist.
The Storm King School does not consider recreational travel, undocumented late return/early departure from school breaks, or engagement in external sports teams/ activities as excused absences. Excessive absence of any kind compromises a student’s quality of education and the contribution that students are able to make to the Storm King School community. Students must attend 80% of each of their required commitments in order to receive academic or athletic credit. This means that a student must not have absences, either excused or unexcused, that add up to more than 20% of the total meeting periods for a particular commitment. Should a student miss more than 20% of their required commitments, their transcript will reflect that they have not received credit for that particular class, team sport, or afternoon activity. Should a student fall into this category, they risk needing to repeat a grade or make up credit during the summer months in order to meet our graduation requirements. The Storm King School administration does recognize that students may have a serious medical condition that necessitates prolonged or multiple absences from school. In these cases, we work directly with the family to minimize the impact of these absences with the goal of completing the academic year. When a student misses a commitment without an approved excuse, the Student Life office will investigate to ascertain the reasons. One unexcused absence will result in a conversation with their advisor or a member of the Student Life office with the assumption that the student made a one-time mistake and will adjust their behavior accordingly. A second unexcused absence is
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followed with parental notification and a more formal conversation with the Student Life Office. Unexcused absences after the first two will result in a Behavioral Intervention and Support Committee (BISC) meeting as well as parental notification. Should a student continue to struggle to meet their commitments, further behavioral interventions will apply, up to and including a Judicial Board, which could result in consequences up to and including suspension and dismissal.
day and assigned that value according to the policy explained above.
It is important to note that all academic classes at Storm King have attendance as part of their grading rubric. Missing class can result in both disciplinary action and a lowering of one’s grade.
Athletics/Afternoon Activities Attendance
Parents who utilize the Orah app have access to their student’s attendance records in real time. Using the Orah app allows parents to see any absences (excused or unexcused), as well as any tardies. We encourage parents to take advantage of this feature so the School can partner with families in supporting our students.
All students are required to attend and participate in all scheduled after school activities (barring illness or injury).
Tardiness All students, both boarding and day, are required to report to all commitments. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each day, class, study hall, All School Meeting, and sport/activity. Students arriving after the appointed start time for any class, sport/activity or required event will be reported tardy. Students who accrue three or more ‘unexcused tardies’ will be assigned Dean’s Hours, Saturday Detention and/ or Weekend Restriction. Subsequent tardiness will incur consequences that increase in severity in accordance with the School disciplinary program. Students arriving more than two hours late or departing more than two hours before the end of the School day will be considered as absent for one-half of the School
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Students are responsible for checking their attendance record and ensuring that any absence that was actually a tardy is amended within an appropriate amount of time. Chronic tardiness is grounds for disciplinary action.
Absence without proper notification, will subject the student to disciplinary action. Continued unexcused absences from activities could result in the loss of the activity credit in its entirety. Questions regarding this requirement should be directed to the Athletic Director’s Office.
Cutting Class or Afternoon Sport/Activity Students who willfully “cut” or skip class or after school commitments may face immediate consequences on campus, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent loss of automobile privileges for day students, campus restrictions for boarding students, Dean’s hours and/or Saturday detention. Chronic offenders will have a BISC meeting and face more serious disciplinary consequences, up to and including dismissal from The Storm King School.
Section 3: Student Life Student Life at The Storm King School is vibrant and challenging. The School offers a multitude of programs and opportunities to its students. There are interscholastic sports, fine and performing arts, clubs, leadership positions, guest speakers and performers, and campus activities. Students who are successful at The Storm King School have great appetites for new experiences. The Storm King School teaches its students how to best manage their time. The highly diverse population also offers our students the opportunity to expand their understanding of the world by building relationships and networking with individuals from around the globe. The Storm King School functions well when its members act with honor and treat one another with respect. Individual expression is encouraged and lauded at Storm King, as long as students maintain a healthy respect for the community as a whole.
(DODs) and their small team of faculty members. Correspondence with the DODs is conducted in person or via the Dean on Duty phone: +1 (845) 6290344. This phone number is intended for signing out and signing back in, urgent questions only when other resources have been exhausted, and emergencies. Students may text or call the DOD phone for nonemergencies between the hours of 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Contacting the Dean on Duty during the overnight hours is prohibited unless there is an urgent need. For example, if a student is experiencing a sudden onset/serious worsening of an illness or has a fall/accident or is experiencing a mental health crisis, they should not hesitate to call, rather than text, the DOD phone. Overnight texts will not be responded to until the morning and should never contain urgent or emergency correspondence.
Student IDs The Student Life Team and Deans on Duty Led by the Dean of Student Life and Director of Residential Life, members of the team include (but are not limited to) the Athletic Director, seasoned faculty, and the school nurse. During the school day, the Dean of Student Life and Director of Residential Life are the main points of contact for student well-being, activities and permissions, and any non-academic student concerns. When the academic day ends and on weekends, duty of care transfers to the assigned Deans on Duty
During the registration process, students pose for pictures that will enable the creation of a Storm King School ID card. This card will enable all Storm King School students to have an additional photo ID when in transit and when taking standardized tests. Lost IDs must be replaced immediately for a fee.
Leadership The Storm King School recognizes the importance of developing leadership skills among its student population. Consequently, there are several opportunities for students to hold leadership positions.
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In addition to the official positions listed below, we expect students to emerge as leaders in their classrooms, as captains on the athletic fields, and as leaders in all activities on campus.
Prefect Program
confidentiality, reporting and documentation, conflict mediation de-escalation, using Orah, and more. Supervision & accountability: Each Prefect reports to and works in conjunction with their assigned designated Dorm Parent team and the Student Life Office, and is expected to meet with these supervising bodies regularly to discuss dorm/community concerns.
The Prefect Program includes both boarding prefects and day prefects. These are student leaders who dedicate themselves to being of service to The Storm King School community. They are returning members of the student body who apply for a one-year position in the spring.
Confidentiality: Prefects are expected to use – and will be trained in – discretion with sensitive student information and to report concerns about student safety or wellbeing promptly to the appropriate adult rather than handling them independently.
Prefects are charged with fostering connections amongst fellow students, assisting faculty and administrators with supervision in dorms and around campus, and educating students about school rules, policies, and procedures. They should always strive to cultivate a warm, safe, and meaningful community culture, and hold themselves to the highest standards of a Storm King student.
Boarding Prefects
Prefects may also be asked to participate as voting members in Judicial Board hearings. These leaders are given certain privileges, but the role of Prefect is largely about leadership experience and service. Prefects may lose these privileges, or their positions, if they do not meet the required expectations and standards. Both boarding and day students may apply to become Prefects.
Boarding Prefect responsibilities include assisting with evening check-in; educating residents about dorm and School rules and procedures; enforcing dormitory and School rules; and helping struggling students and connecting them with the appropriate resources on campus, in addition to modeling appropriate behavior.
Eligibility: applicants should be in good academic, behavioral, and disciplinary standing at the time of application and throughout their term of service, as determined by the Student Life Office.
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Supporting Dorm Parents with opening and closing routines for the dorm, including movein day, move-out day, holiday breaks, and other events as directed.
Selection process: applications are reviewed by the Student Life Office in consultation with Dorm Parents and/or faculty advisors, and may include a written application, faculty recommendations, and an interview.
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Helping welcome and orient new boarding students, particularly new international students, to dorm life and routines.
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Mediating in student conflicts within the dorm, such as roommate or dorm disagreements.
Term & renewal: the Prefect position is a one-year commitment; continuation is not automatic and is contingent on meeting expectations, subject to a midyear check-in with the supervising administrator.
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Communicating relevant updates to boarding students within their assigned dorm.
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Assisting in fostering dorm community activities and traditions in coordination with the Dorm Parents.
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Planning and executing at least one dorm community event each semester.
Training: all incoming Prefects must complete the Student Leadership Training sessions prior to the start of the school year; this training covers elements such as but not limited to supervision expectations,
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Boarding Prefects assist Dorm Parents in running dormitories and are role models for the entire Storm King community. They serve as the head of each residential hall or floor and help to maintain accountability and care for their group.
Other duties and expectations include:
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Communicating promptly with Dorm Parents, and particularly the Dorm Parent on duty, regarding any concerns, incidents, or missing students identified during check-in, as well as with any emergent dorm or school situation that may arise.
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Respectfully and productively engaging with students and adults.
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Supporting staff in the implementation of registration, orientation, and day student locker assignments; day student relevant dorm routines and procedures, as well as other dorm events; and creating and facilitating unity between the boarding and day student populations.
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Once a month, performing a “Day Proctor Duty Shift,” extending from the end of the school day up to 5:30 PM, when dinner begins (Day Proctors will have the option of staying through for dinner). During this time, the Day Proctors make themselves available to answer questions, attend meetings, perform check-ins, and more with Day Students.
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Practicing confidentiality and discretion with sensitive student information and not participating in gossip and rumor dissemination, particularly with other students.
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Using Boarding Prefect privileges and tools (dorm access, etc.) only according to their designated use and design.
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Monitoring “Room Study” one night a week and conducting “Room Checks” one night a week.
Day Proctors will operate out of an assigned room to conduct this Duty Shift.
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During this shift, Day Proctors will also walk through and monitor campus and their affiliated Dorm, evaluating anything of note and communicating these observations in a report to the Student Life Office.
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Liaising with the Student Life office on day student-specific concerns (e.g., transportation, late-day supervision, community concerns) and relaying relevant updates to the day student body.
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Collaborating with Day Prefects to monitor and enforce School-wide rules and boundaries, as well as in promoting a healthy and engaging community culture.
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One prefect per dorm “on duty” in the dorms - to make sure things are quiet
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Room study students may be in the common room, their rooms, or Ogden.
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One faculty member will be walking through all dorms during this time as a roaming supervisor.
Communicating relevant updates to the day student body as needed.
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Serving as a point of contact for new day students during their first weeks, helping them navigate schedules, campus logistics, and their dorm affiliation.
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Help coordinate day student participation in evening and weekend campus events to strengthen connection with the boarding community.
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Assisting in fostering dorm community activities in their affiliated dorm with the Dorm Parents and the Boarding Prefects.
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Planning and executing at least one Day Student community event each school year.
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Respectfully and productively engaging with students and adults.
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Practicing confidentiality and discretion with sensitive student information and not participating in gossip and rumor dissemination, particularly with other students.
Day Prefects Day Prefects take on a leadership role in service to the day student community and help bridge the connections between day and boarding students. Day Prefects are role models for the entire Storm King community and hold themselves to the highest standard, paying particular attention to the day student body. Day Prefect responsibilities include assisting with educating students about dorm and School rules and procedures; enforcing dormitory and School rules; and helping struggling day students and connecting them with the appropriate resources on campus, in addition to modeling appropriate behavior. Other duties and expectations include:
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Using Prefect privileges and tools (e.g., dorm access) only according to their designated use and design.
Any school member (student, faculty, or staff) can nominate any other member.
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Collaborating with Boarding Prefects to monitor and enforce School-wide rules and boundaries, as well as in promoting a healthy and engaging community culture.
Nominations include a brief description of the act and how it exemplifies the core values. Awards are not presented on any schedule, but rather when they are earned. The person who submitted the nomination will be offered the opportunity to present the award at an All School Meeting.
Judicial Board Members Prefects, both Boarding and Day Students, generally comprise the pool of students who are called upon to participate in Judicial Board hearings. Other students in good standing may be called upon to participate as voting members of a Judicial Board. This is at the discretion of the Dean of Student Life. A full description of the role of the Judicial Board can be read in the Discipline portion in Section 5 of this handbook.
Student Council Student Council is composed of elected grade level representatives, led by the Student Council President and overseen by the Student Life Office or its appointees. It is an honor and a privilege to serve the community as a member of The Storm King School Student Council. Typically, elections are held in the autumn for grades eight and nine and elections are held in the spring for the next academic year’s grade ten, eleven, and twelve representatives. Due to fluctuations in the student body and enrollment, the timing of each grade’s elections may change. Additionally, if a Student Council representative resigns or is removed from their position prior to January 31, then midyear elections will be held; after January 31, the remaining Student Council representatives will cover the vacancy,
Core Value Pins The Storm King School Core Value Pin award informally recognizes acts that exemplify the tenets of our core values: TRUTH, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY. The award is a legacy SKS school crest lapel pin that can be worn on the SKS blue blazer uniform jacket. Nominations for the award are submitted to the Student Life Office on a rolling basis.
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The Storm King School Dress Code During the academic day, all students are required to wear a collared top. Tops may be an Oxford (full button-up) shirt, a polo, or a collared blouse. Tops may be long-sleeve or short-sleeve. Acceptable colors are white or navy blue, and shirts with the official SKS logo (available for purchase through the link provided below, on the SKS website, or in the School Store) are preferred. Shirts without the SKS logo that meet the other criteria are acceptable but shall not have oversize brand logos (non-SKS logos must be smaller than a U.S. quarter). As a second layer, students may wear a classic navy or gray sweater, preferably with the SKS crest, or an SKS sweatshirt/hoodie. For formal dinners and some school events, a navy blazer with or without the SKS crest is recommended. Ties or neck scarves in SKS plaid or matching colors may also be worn. In cold weather, coats or jackets worn outside must be taken off during classes. BOTTOMS Pants and shorts must be navy or khaki-colored in a straight-leg chino style, appropriately fitted, with tops tucked in. The hem of shorts must fall no higher than two inches above the knee. Cargo shorts are not permitted. Skirts/skorts must be navy, khaki, or SKS plaid, and appropriately fitted. The hem must fall no higher than two inches above the knee. Solid colored leggings/ tights may be worn under skirts. Permissible colors of leggings/tights include navy, nude, white, and black. Fishnets or visible undergarments of any kind are not allowed.
Students are not permitted to wear denim jeans, leggings, athletic pants/joggers, yoga pants, or jeggings during the academic day. Approved clothing embroidered with the Storm King School crest can be ordered here: https://www.globalschoolwear.com/ FOOTWEAR Students should be able to transition easily from interior spaces to our outdoor pathways and classrooms. The weather and school schedule often impact what footwear is appropriate on any given day. Therefore, the following types of footwear are permissible during the school day: •
Dress shoes, boots, work shoes, or hiking shoes,
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Sneakers; must be solid-colored with no conspicuous branding in white, brown, black, navy, or tan.
Sandals, open-toed shoes, and Crocs are prohibited for safety reasons. HEADCOVERINGS No hats or head coverings are allowed in the School’s academic buildings: Art Center, Theatre, and Orr Commons. Exceptions will be considered for religious and/or cultural reasons. Students seeking an exception should speak to the Dean of Student Life. Clothing items that are not acceptable on campus at any time: •
Shirts that expose the chest or midriff
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Clothing that displays any offensive or derogatory language or imagery
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Clothing that references drugs/alcohol
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Clothing that displays violent imagery
Tops must be worn at all times, including sports practices.
ATHLETIC PRACTICE APPAREL All students are required to purchase SKS athletic practice apparel for the 2026-2027 school year. Only students attired correctly in official SKS athletic practice apparel will be permitted to participate in afterschool athletic practices. It is recommended that each student purchase at minimum: •
1 sweatshirt
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2 t-shirts
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2 pairs of shorts
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2 pairs of athletic pants
The Storm King School’s athletic apparel can only be purchased here or in the School Store: https:// stormkingsch.itemorder.com/shop/home/ For questions, please email the Athletic Director, Dr. Nicole Cervantes, at ncervantes@sks.org.
Athletics and After School Activities The Storm King School offers a full program of after school activities, including interscholastic athletics, visual and performing arts, and various recreational and instructive clubs. Interscholastic teams are fielded in soccer, cross country, volleyball, fencing, basketball, lacrosse, tennis, outdoor adventure, baseball, and crew. We believe that participation develops self-esteem, self-discipline, confidence, and sportsmanship in our students, and contributes to their overall growth as individuals. All students are required to participate in an interscholastic sport or non-competitive physical activity in each season (fall, winter, spring). This participation constitutes satisfaction of the physical education requirement necessary for graduation. However, students may substitute a non-physical afternoon activity, such as an academic club or class, during one of the three seasons. Attendance at a student’s afternoon activity is taken daily and students are required to attend every practice or meeting scheduled by the coach or club leader. Failure to attend afternoon activities is treated the same
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way as failure to attend class, and students who do not attend will be given consequences as outlined in Section 2: Attendance of this handbook.
Community Service The Storm King School places a great value on service learning, requiring each student to complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service during each academic year as referenced in Section 1: Academics. This graduation requirement is tracked individually by students and their faculty advisors, and school-wide by the Community Service Committee. Opportunities are presented regularly as part of the Weekend Activity schedule, and numerous other opportunities are available throughout the school year. Students participating in service activities not sponsored by the School are required to provide proof of the work completed to their advisors.
Weekends The Storm King School values students who have a breadth of experience, and weekend activities are organized so that students have regular opportunities to participate in a variety of activities. Specifically, each regular open weekend at Storm King will include several scheduled activities in one or more of the following areas: outdoor recreation/education, fine and performing arts, and community service. For example, a fall weekend might include a kayaking trip, a Broadway show, and a day’s work for a local charity. In some cases, these activities will either be fully or partially funded by the School while at other times, it is the responsibility of the student and their parents/guardian to cover the cost upfront or via billing. In addition to these outings, The Storm King School regularly offers weekend shopping and movie trips to various local destinations. All sign-ups and accounting for these activities will be coordinated through the Student Life Office.
Student Center The Student Center is located in the basement of Orr Commons, and includes a snack bar, eating area, lockers for day students, and a lounge area. The student center rules and hours of operation will be posted and discussed during Orientation. Failure to follow
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these rules may result in a student’s prohibition from the student center. In addition, all boarding students ordering food from off-campus vendors are required to receive deliveries and eat in the student center. Students are never allowed to have food delivered to their dormitories.
School Email Accounts and Communications All students are assigned a Storm King School email address. Students are required to check this email account multiple times each day, as it is the School’s official means of communication. The School email account is central not only to communication within the School community, but also to access and use many of the School’s online platforms and services, including Blackbaud; Orah for attendance, student life, and weekend leave; MobileServe for tracking community service hours; and other systems and apps used throughout the academic year. Students are expected to use their School email account consistently for important communications from the School, correspondence with teachers and staff, notifications from School systems, and other official business. Usage of this email account is governed by the School’s Internet/Network Acceptable Use Policy. Inconsistent checking of a School email account does not exempt a student from any consequences resulting from missed information, deadlines, or required actions communicated by email or through School platforms. Any issues accessing or using a School email account must be reported promptly to the Technology Department at skstech@sks.org.
Student and Parent Cell Phone Numbers For safety reasons, all students, including international students, must provide the School with a domestic (United States) cellular phone number where they can be reached and/or can receive emergency and nonemergency communications and notifications.
Internet/Network/ Technology Acceptable Use Policy All students and parents must read, understand, and abide by this Acceptable Use Policy. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action. Internet and technology use is a privilege, not a right, and may be restricted if abused.
NETWORK & TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE In compliance with the general principles outlined here and in support of the School community and mission the following rules are in place for using School networks and the devices that access these networks. 1.
All Internet traffic will be routed to the web filter. This device is designed to filter out known inappropriate websites. Sites that contain offensive, illegal and or dangerous content are strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions. Any traffic that does not pass inspection by our web filter cannot be allowed on The Storm King School technology systems. If you find a site you need for academic work blocked, please see your teacher. Access can be provided for genuine academic activity.
2.
The School reserves the right to inspect any electronic devices, including but not limited to personal computers, tablets and mobile devices that access The Storm King School network, and/ or access the Internet via this network. The purpose of this is for compliance with this policy as well as inspection for illegal and dangerous software. We reserve the right to remove any such software.
3.
The School is not responsible for loss or damage to a file due to unauthorized access or usage.
4.
Students are strongly encouraged to use appropriate security and backup procedures to ensure the authenticity of their files and protection of their data and documents. Students are required to have current antivirus and anti-spyware programs, whether the device has built-in security features or third-party software for enhanced data protection. The School is not responsible for any data loss or unauthorized access from outside sources.
5.
Students may not use devices such as hotspots, wireless repeaters, network extenders, etc. which interfere with SKS Wi-Fi signals. The use of these devices is prohibited; they are subject to confiscation.
6.
Users shall not use computer programs to decode passwords or to access information. Personal electronic devices or programs/software are not permitted that have the capabilities to emulate,
GENERAL PRINCIPLES The Storm King School considers technology to be a valuable tool for education and encourages the community to use it to further the educational goals of the School. As part of Storm King’s commitment to academic excellence and technology, students and faculty are provided with access to the Internet to support instruction, conduct research, enhance curriculum, and communicate with scholars around the world. The School’s Internet services are designed to guide users in navigating through vast resources while minimizing the possibility of accessing information that is inappropriate in a school setting. While The Storm King School utilizes blocking technology and strives to prevent access to inappropriate content, the swiftly evolving nature of technology and sites makes it impossible for the School to guarantee that inappropriate material cannot be accessed. The Storm King School cannot guarantee that such material will not be accessed. When a student at The Storm King School accesses devices, networks, accounts, and educational technology owned or operated by the School, they assume certain responsibilities and obligations. All access of this type is subject to school policies and to local, state, and federal laws. The Storm King School expects that student use of technology, whether provided by the School or supplied by students and their parent/guardian, will be ethical, for educational pursuits, and will reflect academic honesty. Students must demonstrate respect for intellectual property, system security, and privacy.
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read/write/copy, transmit, clone, script, or steal credentials for hacking or other illicit purposes. 1.
Students may not use any device that has internet capability to complete an assessment or assignment without explicit permission from a faculty or staff member. The use of wearable or portable AI devices such as smart glasses or AI transcription tools is strictly prohibited.
2.
Users shall not use technology/devices to access personal entertainment, social networks, and game playing during academic times.
3.
Users shall not attempt to circumvent or subvert system security measures.
4.
Users shall not copy files, data, or programs without permission.
5.
Users shall not install software or download unauthorized files, games, programs, or other electronic media.
6.
Accounts may be used only by the authorized owner of the account. Access to accounts owned by others is prohibited.
Users shall not engage in any activities that might be harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating viruses, damaging files, or disrupting service.
7.
Users are responsible for the file content, downloading file data (video, music, etc.), programs and email communications of the account(s).
Users shall respect copyright laws and licensing agreements pertaining to material entered into and obtained through the SKS system or personal means. Software piracy and plagiarism are illegal.
8.
The use of the network for personal profit, commercial purposes, or illegal activities is prohibited.
9.
Users shall respect the integrity of the Storm King telecommunications infrastructure. Unauthorized access to The Storm King School information systems, Internet or other networked computers is not permitted. Attempts to hack into the Storm King network, damage the functionality of the network or to bypass its restrictions are illegal. Violation of these restrictions may be prosecuted as a criminal offense.
Internet & Media Privacy Appropriate Use All community members must adhere to the same code of ethics that govern all other aspects of the School. This includes, but is not limited to, the following list of expectations regarding decorum, privacy, respect and the law. 1.
2.
3.
require the consent of all parties. No student shall ever have an open line, streaming, recording, etc. without obtaining clear permission in advance from all involved.
Users shall not use their accounts or the network to create, view or distribute images, sounds, messages or materials which are obscene, pornographic, harassing, racist, sexist, inflammatory, malicious, fraudulent, demeaning, or slanderous.
4.
Cyberbullying and bullying of any kind are absolutely forbidden.
5.
The data protection of others is paramount, and users should never access, modify, or copy passwords or data belonging to other users. Users shall never use computer programs to decode passwords or to access information.
6.
With respect to the privacy and wellbeing of our community, users must never record, upload/share or promote information of any kind (text, photos, media, etc.) of or about students, faculty, staff and/ or other community members without express permission.
1.
Recordings, group calls and/or any correspondence
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10. Users are prohibited from tampering with school systems, electronic devices, other hardware, or associated components such as network access points installed in designated classrooms/dorm rooms, intercom systems, and phones. Vandalism of equipment, network access, or programs will result in disciplinary action as defined in the School’s policies. The Storm King School monitors online access and retains the right to review and edit any materials that
are stored, posted or emailed through its network infrastructure. Any user who does not comply with the Internet Acceptable Use Policy will be subject to one or more of the following consequences. The disciplinary action depends upon the infraction and is not limited to this list. •
Conference with parent(s) or guardian(s)
•
Compensation equivalent to the cost of repair or replacement as determined by the School. This includes labor time needed for the repair
•
Loss of network privileges for a determined period of time or permanent revocation
•
Disciplinary action including the possibility of suspension, dismissal, or expulsion
•
Legal Action
Breakfast is served from 7:15 AM until 8:10 AM Monday through Friday. There are two lunches served during the week, the first from 11:35 AM to 12:20 PM, and the second from 12:40 PM to 1:25 PM. There is a 20-minute period between lunch services when the Dining Hall is cleared and cleaned, preparing for the second service. Students may be asked to help coordinate this effort. On Wednesdays, due to sports schedules, there is only one lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. When weather permits, students are allowed to eat on the terrace and in the Student Center. This permission is suspended for all if students do not responsibly clean up after themselves.
Students must obtain the approval of their parent(s) or guardian(s) before access to the School’s Network and Internet resources can be granted. The School’s detailed Internet/Network/Technology Acceptable Use Policy above is also published on the School’s website for easy access.
Dinner begins at 5:30 PM and ends at 6:30 PM during the week. Periodically, the School hosts formal dinners; these dinners are mandatory for all boarding students. Dress is formal (i.e.- nice academic dress code). Students are given ample notification of these formal dinners. Occasionally, the formal dinners are accompanied by a presentation or event which is also required for boarding students.
Gaming
On weekends, students are served two meals daily. Brunch begins at 10:30 AM and concludes at 11:45 AM, while dinner is from 5:00 to 5:45 PM.
The playing of video games is not permitted during any academic class, study hall, or school meeting. Students in violation of this policy may be reported for an infraction via Blackbaud and required to serve Dean’s hours or Saturday Detention. Chronic offenders of this policy will meet with the BISC and face additional disciplinary consequences, including restrictions, loss of privileges, and if unchecked, dismissal from The Storm King School. Students who display a serious addiction to gaming may be required to participate in counseling if deemed beneficial. For rules regarding gaming in residential houses, please reference Section 4: Residential Life of this document.
Meals
Ordering Food from Outside Vendors Storm King School students are permitted to receive food deliveries only during specified weekend hours. Deliveries are prohibited between Sunday evening at 7 PM and Friday afternoon at 5 PM. Therefore, students are permitted to order food from off-campus vendors on Friday from 5 PM to 9:45 PM (time of last delivery), Saturday until 9:45 PM and Sunday until 6:45 PM. For safety and security reasons, all deliveries from off-campus vendors must be made to Orr Commons. Students are prohibited from receiving deliveries at the dormitories or in any other part of campus besides Orrs Commons.
Storm King students are expected to be respectful of their peers and staff in the dining hall at all times. Students are not permitted to cut in line or save a spot for another classmate.
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Security and Boundaries Students should not leave their belongings and valuables unattended on The Storm King School grounds. Lockers are available in the Student Center for day students to store their belongings. Please see a member of the Student Life Office to register for a locker. There are also lockers available in the basement of the gymnasium for students who are members of in-season athletic teams. Students are not permitted to leave belongings in the front entryway of Orr Commons. These items will be confiscated and brought to the Administration Building. The Storm King School recommends that student passports and I-20s be kept in the Administrative Offices for safekeeping. Each dorm room is equipped with one safe per room for student use. Students should utilize these safes for any cash, jewelry, or other valuables. The Student Life Office reserves the right to ask a student to unlock any safe or other locked box, bag, or container. All dormitories are locked until the conclusion of the academic day. Students are not permitted in the dormitories while they are locked. If found inside, students will meet with a member of the Student Life Office and will be given disciplinary consequences. Storm King students are residents of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. They must respect private and public property, and show respect to all residents and visitors. Any visitor or guest to campus must first enter the Administration Building and sign in with the Dean of Student Life or the Executive Assistant to the Head of School. All students should be familiar with the boundaries of the School. The northern boundary is the boys’ dormitories Dempsey and McConnell. The eastern boundary is Mountain Road and Spy Rock House. The southern boundary is Route 9W and the western boundary is the Art Center and Abbott Lane. Boarding Students exiting these boundaries must always communicate with a faculty member on duty. Students are not allowed to go off campus without prior permission. This includes excursions into nearby Storm King Mountain, Black Rock Forest, and trails west of campus. Students who wish to explore these areas must ask the Dean on Duty and must always travel with at least one other student or staff member.
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For safety reasons, skateboards and drones are prohibited on campus. Boarding students may bring a bicycle to campus but must wear a helmet while riding at all times and follow the Dean on Duty’s instructions as to where they can ride.
The School Store The Storm King School Store is located on the bottom floor of Orr Commons. It sells school uniforms and dress code appropriate clothing, snack food, beverages, personal items, and some nonessentials as well as Storm King athletic apparel and academic supplies. The store hours will be posted regularly. Students may purchase items using cash, credit, debit cards, or Apple Pay
Automobiles Boarding students are rarely allowed to keep a car on campus. Occasionally a student will be granted specific permission to have a car on campus, and should that be the case, the student will follow very specific procedures. A boarding student with a vehicle on campus must leave their keys with the office of Student Life at all times until permission is granted to drive said car. The car must be parked where directed to by the Office of Student Life and remain there at all times. Boarding students who have cars on campus may never drive another student in their vehicle. There are no circumstances in which a day student or another boarder may ride in the car belonging to another boarding student. Boarding students may not ride in cars belonging to day students without express permission from a parent/ guardian or the Office of Student Life. This also applies to vehicles belonging to the parents of day students. A boarding student is under the care and responsibility of the School, and explicit permission must be given to ride in a car belonging to anyone other than the students’ family or the School.
Day Students The day student population at The Storm King School represents a vital portion of our student body. Day students are subject to the same rules and policies as boarding students. Day students are encouraged to
enjoy all meals during the academic week, and to attend all contests, activities, and productions that occur on campus. Day students must communicate regularly with the Student Life Office so that accountability is maintained. All day students are required to report to their first commitment promptly. Absent day students must have a parent or approved guardian email attendance@sks.org prior to the start of school to report the absence or submit the absence notification via our Orah platform. Please refer to Section 2: Attendance for more information. In addition, when leaving campus early for the day for any reason, day students are required to check out in the Administration Building with a member of the Student Life Office or the Executive Assistant to the Head of School. Students requiring bus transportation to and from school must communicate regularly with their respective public school districts and/or bus garages to ensure consistent service. Day students wishing to drive to and from campus must register their vehicle with the Assistant to the Head of School and sign a driving contract at the
beginning of the school year. Required parking stickers will be distributed. The parking sticker must be displayed on the vehicle. All day students are required to park in areas designated by the administration. Once their academic day has begun, day students are not allowed to leave campus without permission until their final commitment is complete. Students who abuse these rules will lose their driving privilege and/or face disciplinary consequences. Lastly, students are not permitted to exit the campus on foot without express permission from parents and the Student Life Office. Day students are not permitted to enter residential student housing on campus without obtaining permission from a member of the Student Life Office or the Dean on Duty. Day students are permitted to spend a night on campus, but this must be coordinated in advance through the Student Life Office. There is a 3-night limit per semester. Exceptions to this limit will only be made in extraordinary circumstances and will be decided upon by the Dean of Student Life. The Student Life Office retains the right to deny a student this privilege for a variety of reasons, including behavioral concerns, space in the dorms, and others.
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Section 4: Residential Life The Storm King School boarding population is a multicultural community of students, faculty, staff members, and their families. In order to maintain a safe, working, and happy community, it is absolutely essential that all members of the community remain respectful and honorable in their actions toward each other and themselves. With so many people living in a relatively small space, occasional discord is inevitable. It is in these situations we must remember our core values of truth, respect and responsibility, and take care in how we resolve disputes and handle adversity.
the School; Coming to campus to provide assistance or support when the need arises; Providing proper permissions for off-campus trips as needed; Responding promptly to all communications from the School.
Guardian Policy
The Storm King School also reserves the right to require a change of guardian should a conflict of interest or problem arise.
The Storm King School requires international students in the 8th and 9th grades to have a US-based guardian and strongly recommends that all international students retain a guardian. This ensures continued care and safety for students while off campus during vacations, weekends, and, in the case of a local guardian, if a student develops a moderate to severe illness. Guardians help the School communicate with families overseas as well as support the School with students on campus. Ideally, this person would be a family member or a family friend. Understandably, this is not a possibility for all students. The Storm King School may be able to refer students to local families, including present and former parents, who have experience as guardians and may be able to provide some or all of the services described below. A guardian should provide services to include but not limited to the following: Facilitating communication between the School and family; Providing home stays during weekends or breaks; Assisting in formulating vacation plans; Managing transportation to and from
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Any arrangements or agreements made between a family and a student’s guardian are made separate from The Storm King School. Therefore, it is understood that The Storm King School is not responsible or accountable for the relationship or agreements made between the family or a family member and the guardian.
Parents of 8th and 9th grade students are required to complete and sign the Storm King School Guardian Form made available through the Blackbaud/Magnus Health Parent Portal to ensure the School has the most current and accurate information on file.
Breaks and Transportation All Storm King School students must vacate the campus for the three major school breaks: Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break. Thanksgiving Break November 21 – December 1, 2026: Students may leave after their last commitment on Friday, November 20 and all boarding students must depart campus by 12:00 PM on Saturday, November 21. Campus
reopens for boarding students at 12:00 PM on Monday, November 30. Classes resume Tuesday, December 1. Winter Break December 18, 2026 – January 5, 2027: Students may leave after their last commitment on Thursday, December 17 and all boarding students must depart campus by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 18. Campus reopens for boarding students at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, January 4. Classes resume Wednesday, January 5. Spring Break March 6, 2027– March 22, 2027: Students may leave after their last commitment on Friday, March 5 and all boarding students must depart campus by 12:00 PM on Saturday, March 6. Campus reopens for boarding students at 12:00 PM on Monday, March 22. Classes resume Tuesday, March 23. For vacations and long weekends, students may not leave prior to their last regularly scheduled class, assessments, co-curricular assignment or athletic commitment; schedule changes should not be requested to accommodate travel plans. All students should arrange to be off campus by the time dorms close.
Prefects have a variety of specific responsibilities within their hall, and work in conjunction with dormitory parents and the various faculty members who supervise student leaders. In general, Prefects act as role models for each hall, and are charged with the responsibility of helping to organize and encourage those students within their group.
Dorm Rooms Each room is equipped with the essentials: a bed, regular size twin mattress, closet, desk, chair, bookshelf, and window blinds. Students should be careful not to overpack; bring only what is necessary at the beginning of the school year, and then acquire additional items as the year progresses. Boarding students should bring, ship ahead of their arrival, or purchase upon arrival the following necessities: •
Regular twin size sheets/blankets/bedspreads
•
pillows/pillowcases
•
towels/washcloths
Transportation to and from local airports may be provided by the School for a fee for major school breaks (Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring). Shuttles are also available for a fee at the beginning and end of the school year. There are no SKS provided shuttles for long weekends or other off-time departures. Students will be sent information about these shuttles prior to each break and must respond in order to secure transportation.
•
laundry bags or basket
•
clothes hangers
•
desk lamp
•
digital alarm clock
•
any music/sports/art equipment that the student may need for courses and/or sports
For safety and security reasons, note that taxis, Ubers/ Lyfts, and other car services are never allowed to pick students up at their dorm. Students should meet these drivers in front of the Administration building at all times.
The amount of non-academic dress code clothing brought by each student should be kept to a minimum, as space is limited, and superfluous clothing can overwhelm a room. Students should have some warm weather clothes for the first and last month of the school year, but more importantly, students should have appropriate cold weather clothing and outerwear.
Dormitories The Storm King School has six dormitories on campus in which students are housed by gender. Each dorm has common rules and is overseen by two faculty dorm parents with assistance from other faculty members and student prefects.
All students should have the following items: •
winter hat and gloves
•
winter jacket
•
waterproof winter boots
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•
wool (or other warm fabric) sweater/ long underwear/lined pants
Accountability and Evening Check-in Students have free time in the evenings after dinner until 8 PM, when study hall begins. Students may go to the gym, hang out in the student center, visit others in dorms of the same gender, or relax outside when weather permits. Students who are eligible for room study must be in their rooms/dorms or in Ogden at 8 PM. Students who are required to attend proctored study hall must be in the Dining Hall at 8 PM to be checked in by the faculty on duty. All students check back into their dorms with a faculty member at 9:30 PM when study hall ends. On Friday and Saturday nights, students must return to their dorms by 10 PM to check in with the faculty member on duty. On Sundays, dorm check in is at 7 PM to allow students enough time to prepare for the week ahead. Students are required to be in their dorms at these specific times so that Prefects and Dorm Parents can account for them. Dorm Parents conduct nightly room checks during these appointed hours.
Lights Out Lights out times are consistent for the entire campus. From Sunday through Thursday, students are required to be in their own rooms with overhead lights out at 10:00 pm. Students may work at their desks with the use of a desk lamp until no later than 12:00 am. At this time, all lights must be out in student rooms. The internet will be cut off to each dormitory at 11:00 pm on school nights, and 1:00 am on the weekend.
Gaming in the Dorms Boarding students, while permitted to play video games during free time in the student lounges, must maintain a respectful noise level in the dorm. Any student found to be gaming past 10:00 PM on weekdays and 1:00 AM on weekends (appointed time for all room and
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desk lights to be off) will be made to surrender their laptops and/or other gaming devices at lights out for a to-be-determined period of time.
Shipping Trunks and other baggage may be sent to: Student’s Name The Storm King School 314 Mountain Road Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520-1899 USA
Summer Storage Returning students may box and store items at school over the summer for a fee. These items are returned at the beginning of each school year. Storage is limited so students should plan ahead to ensure they have enough luggage space and storage space to accommodate their belongings.
Dormitory Fire Safety For everyone’s safety, students must not: •
Have an open flame in any building
•
Use a fireplace
•
Be in possession of or use any weapons, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, or other explosives
•
Tamper with or cover over fire extinguishers, smoke/heat detectors, fire alarms, etc.
•
Hang tapestries in the rooms or hang anything from the ceiling or sprinkler pipes
•
Arrange furniture in such a way that it hinders their ability to exit quickly
•
Have electrical appliances for cooking, heating, or making food (i.e. a blender) in the room
•
Use any electrical cord not UL-approved
A faculty member who notes a fire safety violation will warn the student(s) responsible, point out the
consequences of a continued violation, and may confiscate the item(s) violating the guideline. Students must immediately correct any violations. Continued noncompliance or repeated offenses may result in the student being placed in the School’s formal disciplinary process.
Fire/Emergency Drills Fire Drills are required by the State of New York and students and faculty are required to respond appropriately to any and all alarm bells. All students and faculty will be expected to treat them with the utmost seriousness. When students hear a fire alarm ringing, they should immediately exit the building in a quick and orderly fashion and report directly to the designated area to check-in with the appointed faculty member or designee. When students hear a fire bell ringing, they should report to the following places at the following times: 8:00 AM–3:45 PM: The main field between Orr Commons and the Administration Building, unless in their dormitory (see below). 3:45 PM–9:00 PM: Outside the building they were in and report to the faculty member in charge of the building. 9:00 PM–8:00 AM: Cottage: The athletic field in front of the dorm Highmount: The lawn between the dorm and Art Center road McConnell: The lawn between the dorm and Deer Hill Road Dempsey: Next to McConnell Stone: The lawn in front of Ogden Hall Spy Rock: the front lawn in front of the dorm
Room Condition Whenever a student is either moving in or moving out of a dormitory room, a room condition form must be filled out by the dorm head or another faculty member
together with the student. This ensures that any and all damage to the dorm room is charged to the appropriate person responsible. Keeping a clean room is one of the most important factors to a successful boarding experience. Rooms will be inspected regularly by dorm parents. If a room does not meet the agreed-upon standard, the student(s) responsible may be reported to the Student Life Office. The Student Life Office, in conjunction with the dormitory parents, is responsible for tracking and implementing consequences for room cleanliness.
Room Searches The Storm King School may conduct a search of a student and/or the student’s belongings, including personal items, such as bags and backpacks, personal electronic devices and other effects, if the School suspects a student may be violating a school rule or putting themselves or others in danger. Dorm rooms are the property of the School. Students exercise control over their dorm rooms with respect to other students, but not with respect to the School and its officials. As a result, dorm room searches may be done as the School deems appropriate or necessary to keep the community safe. This may include random searches and will be done by a member of the Student Life team in conjunction with a second faculty member or by law enforcement officials should it be deemed necessary. The School and law enforcement officials may confiscate items that may jeopardize the safety of others or property, constitute a health hazard, or are otherwise prohibited by the School’s policies. Items found in room searches that are illegal or against school policy will subject the student to the School‘s disciplinary process.
Keys and Room Security Room keys are issued at the beginning of the school year. Fees will be assessed for each lost key and any lock damaged due to student usage. Students who lose their keys must report the loss immediately to their dorm parent or the Student Life Office. They will then be directed to the Business Office to have their key replaced. Any student in possession of keys reported lost or stolen may be subject to dismissal or severe consequences that include the replacement of
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recently missing items. Failure to turn in found keys immediately is a punishable offense. Students who exit their dorm room and building must lock their room, and conversely, students in their rooms must leave their door unlocked. This is a fundamental rule to dormitory life at The Storm King School. Anyone entering a room must knock first before entering.
members are encouraged to limit the number and scope of packages sent to campus, remembering that dormitory rooms are limited in size and space. Packages may be opened with the student present in the Student Life Office if the staff believes the packages contain over-the-counter medications, supplements, narcotics, or any other items prohibited on campus.
Weekend Leave Policy Guests If a student wishes to have a guest on campus, they must obtain permission from the Student Life Office or the Dean on Duty in advance in addition to signing them in and out of campus in the Administration building or with the Dean on Duty phone. Day students are the only people who may be authorized to stay overnight as boarding student guests. Only day students and immediate family members are allowed to visit students in the dorm. All other guests must sign in and out of campus before evening check-in, and are only permitted to visit in the Student Center or Dining Hall during open hours, unless permission is granted by the Dean on Duty.
Laundry The Storm King School provides washers and dryers free of charge for students to use. Students are reminded not to overload machines or leave laundry in them for extended periods of time. Detergent is available in the school store. Students who wish to pay for a laundry service must communicate with both the Student Life Office and the Business Office. They will be assigned a day for drop off and pick up and will be responsible for bringing their laundry bag to the Orr Commons delivery porch for pick up. Clean laundry will be returned via the Mail process outlined below.
Student Mail All student mail, both incoming and outgoing, is received by Security and sorted by the Business Office. Mail is delivered to the dorms Monday through Friday (except on post office holidays). Students and family
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Students in good standing, who do not have academic, athletic, or other school obligations, are permitted to leave The Storm King School on weekends unless the weekend has been designated a “closed weekend.” Closed Weekends require students to remain on campus as a way of acclimating them to boarding school life after vacations, or to promote participation in large school events such as Homecoming or theater productions. Other weekends are considered “open weekends,” and students are permitted to sign out and leave campus with permission. Any boarding student wishing to leave campus for personal reasons (i.e. non-school activities), must use the Orah platform to request leave by no later than Wednesday evening at 9:00 PM. There is a two-step approval process for any requested leave. Parents and guardians are required to approve their child’s requested leave using the Orah platform followed by approval by the Student Life Office before any leave request is considered final. Leave requests must be fully approved no later than the Thursday at 12:00 noon preceding the weekend. Phone calls or text messages are not sufficient to sign a student out for the weekend. Please note: students may NOT leave campus until all approvals have been granted. Additionally, the age of the student is irrelevant – students who are 18+ are still required to obtain permission. Students are never permitted to approve their own Orah leave request either openly or on behalf of their parents/guardians. If parents and guardians are having difficulty with Orah then they or the student should contact us. The Student Life Office reserves the right to deny a leave request if it is made too late or if there are inconsistencies or uncertainties in the travel plans. Weekends begin after a student’s last obligation on Friday. Once a student has left campus for the weekend, they are not to return temporarily for any reason unless
given permission by the Dean on Duty. Students who return from a weekend early are to check in with the Dean on Duty immediately. Students must be back on campus from their weekend no later than 7:00 PM Sunday (or 7:00 PM Monday in the case of longer school vacations) to report to their dormitories for check-in. Students returning late from a weekend without communication will face disciplinary action from the School. If, for any unavoidable reason, the student cannot return to campus by the specified time, students/parents must call the Dean on Duty
to inform the School of the student’s expected return time to campus. If a student has not reported for Sunday check-in, the Dean on Duty will contact the student’s parent or guardian to determine the student’s whereabouts. Day permissions, in which students venture off campus and return on the same day, are only granted with parental permission and the authorization of the Student Life Office or the Dean on Duty, using the Orah leave process (see above). Students are required to be back on campus by check-in.
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Section 5: Discipline Discipline at The Storm King School revolves around the School’s core values of Truth, Respect, Responsibility. The School recognizes that, as emerging adults, students will make mistakes. In these cases, the disciplinary process is meant to educate and support them in their quest to improve themselves, and to live up to the expectations of the community. However, some violations of the disciplinary code are so egregious that separation from the School is necessary to maintain order and uphold our values as a community. All members of The Storm King School community have a hand in maintaining our high standards. Students are expected to manage both their own discipline, and to help their peers when they stray from the School’s core values. The Dean of Student Life is the point person for all alleged violations of the disciplinary code. In all cases, an accurate record of behavior is kept to help ensure consistency in the administration of the process. In addition to the Student Life Office, there are other committees and structures that help to maintain discipline. The Behavior Intervention and Support Committee (BISC) meets regularly to discuss general discipline issues as well as specific incidents and students. The goal of this committee is to provide strategies and guidance to students in violation of the disciplinary code so that they may better understand the expectations of the community. Students may be required to meet with the BISC committee as part of their disciplinary process. The Judicial Board (JB) is composed of both faculty and student leaders. This Board may be convened when there is a question of fact regarding an alleged violation, or when a student reaches a point in the discipline process when separation from SKS is a strong
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possibility. Finally, the Head of School is sovereign with respect to determining whether a violation has occurred and the appropriate discipline for such violation. At their sole and absolute discretion, students may be disciplined up to and including immediate dismissal from The Storm King School or be remanded to a different committee or step in the formal discipline process.
General Expectations The Storm King School is committed to providing all students a safe school environment in which all members of the community are treated with respect. Thus, The Storm King School recognizes that some actions are absolutely unacceptable, as they threaten the safety of the community and its individuals. As a result, The Storm King School has deemed the following to be violations of major school rules. These violations may result in the dismissal of the student responsible: •
Theft
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Distribution, possession or use of drugs or alcohol
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Violation of fire safety policies
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Sexual harassment, hazing, or bullying
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Physical violence
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Possession of weapons or explosives
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A demonstrated unwillingness to abide by school rules
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Computer/internet/technology/social media abuse
The following are breaches of expected conduct at The Storm King School. Consequences for these infractions may range from a verbal warning to dismissal, depending upon the behavioral record of the student in question: •
Dishonesty
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Check-in/sign-out/curfew violations
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Sexual impropriety
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Vandalism
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Unlawful entry
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Disrespect/insubordination
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Unexcused absences
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Excessive tardiness
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Dormitory violations
Formal/Informal Verbal Warnings Prior to placing a student at Step One of the formal disciplinary processes, a student may be verbally warned and counseled by a member of the Storm King School faculty or staff. These warnings are known as informal warnings, and may or may not be reported to a member of the Student Life Office. A formal warning is always administered by a member of the Student Life Office and noted in the Student Life records.
Dean’s Hours The Student Life Office or the Dean of Student Life may assign students Dean’s Hours for behavior that contradicts the expectations and policies of the School. Dean’s Hours are designed to be specifically tailored to a student’s needs and indiscretions while also supporting the needs of the School. For example, a student may be assigned to a supervised study hall, clean-up crew, etc. Dean’s Hours generally cannot be contested by a student. A student who skips their Dean’s Hours will be considered truant, incurring further penalty. A student who accrues multiple sets of Dean’s Hours may be
placed at Step One of the formal disciplinary process thus necessitating a BISC meeting, parental contact, and one or more of the consequences outlined at the end of this section.
Saturday Detention The Student Life Office or the Dean of Student Life may assign a student to Saturday Detention for behavior that contradicts the expectations and policies of the School. Saturday Detention might be issued on its own or in addition to Dean’s Hours and/or Campus Restriction. Saturday Detention is typically held at 9:00 AM and lasts two hours. Failure to attend Saturday Detention will result in further disciplinary action. No exception is made for Day Students and, if assigned a Saturday Detention, they are expected to get to campus at the assigned time and date.
Formal and Expedited Discipline The Storm King School’s disciplinary process is intended to assist students to learn from their mistakes and develop into mature, responsible adults. Our formal disciplinary process takes into account the need for equitable treatment and an ethic of care. The formal disciplinary process is designed to be developmental in nature and provides a structured context in which a student can learn healthy values and sound decisionmaking skills. Incidents requiring disciplinary action often involve more than one student, and students and their families must understand the importance of conducting an impartial and even-handed investigation before drawing any conclusions or opinions. In all cases, the Head of School is the final arbiter and retains sole discretion in determining the proper course of action based on the facts and circumstances of each situation. In general, the formal disciplinary process is a twostep system. The two-step process is designed to enable students to examine their behaviors and take appropriate, supported actions to modify these behaviors. The placement of a student at either step of the formal process represents a clear indication from The Storm King School administration that the student is not meeting the expectations of the community. Depending on the nature and severity of the incident in
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question, and on the history and record of the student involved, a student may be placed directly at Step Two of the formal process. Despite the availability of the formal disciplinary process, the Head of School may take expedited disciplinary action including the determination of whether a violation has occurred and the appropriate discipline for such a violation. At the Head of School’s sole and absolute discretion, students may be disciplined up to and including immediate dismissal from the School and thus bypassing the formal disciplinary process entirely, or be remanded to a different committee or step in the formal disciplinary process. STEP ONE A student placed at Step One of the School’s formal disciplinary process has either accrued multiple infractions which, in the aggregate, indicate a lack of understanding of appropriate behavior or the School’s policies, or has committed a violation of a school rule or policy warranting a structured response commensurate with the nature and seriousness of the violation. Step One generally consists of: •
•
Parental notification: Parents and/or guardians will receive email notification of the Step One placement and that a BISC meeting has been scheduled. BISC meeting: the student will meet with the Behavioral Intervention and Support Committee to develop and plan strategies to improve behavior. Parents will be advised of the BISC determination and recommendations. Parents are not permitted to attend BISC sessions.
STEP TWO Placement at Step Two of the formal disciplinary process is a clear indication from The Storm King School that a student’s position at the School is in jeopardy. A student will be placed at Step Two as a result of a refusal to cooperate in the disciplinary process, or a failure to improve unacceptable behavior. A student may ~~also~~ be placed immediately at Step Two for egregious infractions or violations of major school rules.
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Step Two generally consists of: •
Parental notification: Parents and/or guardians will receive email notification of the Step Two placement prior to a Judicial Board hearing.
•
Judicial Board hearing: The student will appear before a joint student/faculty committee to discuss the specific incident and/or cumulative behavioral record. The Judicial Board hearing yields a disciplinary recommendation, which is forwarded to the Head of School for a final decision.
DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES Depending on the nature of the violation and its degree of seriousness, as determined by the School in its sole discretion, the discipline accorded the Student may range from a written warning to a temporary suspension of specified privileges or to the establishment of specific rules and conditions the student must satisfy. If the student is allowed to remain a member of the community, the student may be placed on probation, meaning that any subsequent violations may result in immediate dismissal from The Storm King School.
Judicial Board Procedures Depending on the nature of the violation, the Head of School or Dean of Student Life may choose to convene an all-faculty or all-student Judicial Board or a combination of the two. Typically, two students and two faculty members are chosen from a preselected pool of eligible members, and constitute the voting body of the Judicial Board. The Board is chaired by the Dean of Student Life or designated proxy. The Dean of Student Life will have conducted the investigation and gathered incident reports and any related materials, and will lead the questioning of the student. Before appearing at a Judicial Board hearing, the student in question is given appropriate notice, and encouraged to communicate with the student’s advisor regarding the hearing. The student may choose the advisor or another trusted faculty member to accompany the student to the hearing and to speak on behalf of the student during the hearing. A student may substitute the advisor for another faculty member as long as the Student Life Office has been notified. In addition, the Student Life Office will attempt to notify a parent or guardian of the student in question prior to
the hearing. Parents and guardians are not permitted to participate in the Judicial Board hearing.
Anti-Theft Policy
Students are expected to be forthright and honest during Judicial Board proceedings. Dishonesty or lies of omission during these hearings shall be viewed as a clear indication that the student is not capable of being a member of The Storm King School community.
In the case of theft in a dormitory or on school grounds, a student should immediately report the theft to the dorm parent on duty, and as soon as possible thereafter to the Student Life Office. An incident report must be completed, and the School will do what is reasonable to locate the missing or stolen items. In some cases, it may be necessary to involve the local police department. The School assumes no responsibility for money or personal property stolen from students. In order to reduce the risk of theft, it is important that students lock their doors when they are absent from the room and keep cash and valuables locked up, preferably in the safes provided.
After deliberation and vote, the Judicial Board gives a recommendation to the Head of School, who ultimately makes the final decision in collaboration with the Dean of Student Life. Parents and guardians will be advised of the decision.
Reach of the School By belonging to The Storm King School community, students are no less subject to the jurisdiction of all local, state, and federal laws and are expected to obey them. Students are responsible for their actions regardless of their location, and will be held accountable. Thus, The Storm King School reserves the right to discipline students for acts committed while not under the School’s direct jurisdiction or supervision, as well as on the School’s premises. Such acts will be evaluated at the sole and absolute discretion of the School.
Anti-Violence Policy Students must never resort to physical confrontation to resolve their differences. Fighting for any reason will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action including possible suspension or dismissal, loss of privileges, parental conference, probation, or other disciplinary action deemed appropriate. Likewise, threatening another student will not be tolerated. Threatening includes any behavior which purposely places or attempts to place another in fear of bodily injury or physical contact. The possession of a weapon or other dangerous object in a school building or on school property, or at school functions is prohibited and may result in suspension, police intervention, and possible dismissal. Dangerous objects include (but are not limited to) items such as guns, firearms, explosive devices, knives, slingshots, and pepper sprays.
Theft is not tolerated at The Storm King School. A student found in violation of this major school rule may be dismissed immediately.
Policy on Bullying, Hazing, & Harassment Bullying, hazing, and harassment of any kind are not tolerated at The Storm King School. Any student found to have engaged in these activities shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. The Storm King School may also be bound to report such actions to the appropriate authorities to the extent possible criminal conduct may be implicated. Bullying occurs when a student is the target of negative actions, usually in the form of intentional, repetitive, hurtful acts, words, or other behavior such as, but not limited to: •
Intimidation
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Name-calling
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Social alienation
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Physical aggression
Hazing is defined as any conduct, coercion, or intimidation used as a method of initiation into a group, organization, team, or activity which is likely to endanger the mental or physical health of any student. It is a crime to participate in any student hazing. Under the law, the implied or express consent of any person
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toward whom any act of hazing is directed is not a defense to a student or students committing an act of hazing.
Take immediate action: Tell the person, if it is safe to do so, to stop the unwelcome or offensive behavior. Remove yourself from harm’s way.
Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Some examples of sexual harassment include:
If the unwelcome or offensive behavior is by a student and persists, or it is not safe to confront the person: Immediately advise a member of the faculty of your complaint and the details of the occurrence. Your complaint will then need to be made in writing and signed by you. The faculty member will bring your written complaint to the attention of the Dean of Student Life. If for any reason you do not feel comfortable discussing the matter with a faculty member or the Dean of Student Life, find a member of the School’s administrative team with whom you are comfortable talking.
•
Sexual innuendo
•
Verbal harassment, including derogatory comments or slurs of a sexual nature
•
Inappropriate comments of a sexual nature about a person’s body or appearance
•
Physical harassment of a sexual nature such as unwanted touching, patting, pinching, or physical interference with movement
•
Visual harassment such as drawings, posters, or graffiti of a sexual nature
•
Similarly, harassment based on race, ethnicity or religion can be defined as unwelcome and demeaning treatment of others on those grounds
Any student who believes in good faith that having been the victim of bullying, hazing, or ~~sexual~~ harassment must report the incident to the Dean of Student Life, dorm parent, advisor, Head of School, or any trusted faculty member. In addition, any student who is aware of harassment of any kind involving other members of the community is obligated to honorably report this information to one of the aforementioned authorities on campus.
Reporting Violations Each student is required to follow the School’s procedures for registering a complaint about any act of unlawful discrimination or harassment to enable the School to deal swiftly, efficiently, and fairly with the situation and the fellow students, faculty, or staff involved, and to maintain a safe and nurturing educational setting. Students who believe they have been subjected to wrongful discrimination or harassment must do the following:
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If the unwelcome or offensive behavior is by a faculty member: Immediately advise the Dean of Student Life or another member of the School’s administrative team of your complaint and the details of the complaint. Your complaint will then be made in writing, and signed by you. The Dean of Student Life or the administrative team member will assist you in writing your complaint, if you request. They will bring your written complaint to the attention of the Head of School. The Dean of Student Life and the Head of School or their representative will investigate your written complaint and make a determination as to the charges and the appropriate remedy, which may include disciplining, expelling, or terminating the alleged offender, providing counseling, or modifying the alleged offender’s schedule, depending on the circumstances. The complaining student will be notified of the determination. A student, guardian, or parent of a minor student making any complaint may ask that the student’s name not be disclosed to the harasser or that nothing be done about the alleged harassment. Requesting confidentiality may limit the School’s ability to respond. Notwithstanding any confidentiality request, the School will take all reasonable steps to investigate and respond to the complaint consistent with the student’s request as long as doing so does not prevent the School from responding effectively to the harassment and preventing harassment of other students. Retaliation against a student complaining of harassment is prohibited by law. A student should notify the School if they are afraid of reprisals from the alleged harasser.
The School will take steps to prevent retaliation and respond strongly against any retaliatory action.
Drug and Alcohol Policy The Storm King School is a drug-free and alcoholfree campus. Students who distribute alcohol or drugs on campus will be subject to immediate discipline including possible dismissal. In addition, students shall be subject to disciplinary consequences if they are found using or test positive for or are in the possession or the presence of drugs, alcohol, or related paraphernalia. Students who violate this policy are placed at Step One or Step Two of the disciplinary process based on the severity of the transgression. Both steps necessitate parental notification and mandatory counseling. The Student Life Office and the School’s health professionals will work closely with the student’s family and Head of School to take appropriate action. The Storm King School reserves the right to administer drug and alcohol testing to any of its students consistent with prevailing law. This testing may only be mandated by the Student Life Office or the Head of School, and is executed on campus by the Director of Health Services/School Nurse in conjunction with the Student Life Office. Should a student refuse the screening, the School retains the right to dismiss the student. Students who violate the Drug and Alcohol Policy may be placed on regular testing schedules to ensure compliance. Students and their families are responsible for the cost of these tests. A second drug and alcohol violation may result in the placement of the student at Step Two of the formal disciplinary process or immediate dismissal from the School.
Fire Safety Policy Students shall not jeopardize the safety of all by creating fire hazards on campus. This includes, but is not limited to, using an open flame or heating element (candles, irons, hotpots) in or around the dorms; smoking or burning any substance inside a school building; and tampering with any fire and/or safety equipment. Students who violate this important rule are subject to immediate dismissal from The Storm King School.
Tobacco Policy The Storm King School is committed to a nicotine and tobacco-free campus. Therefore, Storm King School students may not smoke cigarettes, use smokeless tobacco, possess any tobacco products, or knowingly be in the presence of such behaviors while under the School’s jurisdiction. Electronic cigarettes and vape pens, regardless ~~of~~ whether the oil contains nicotine are included in this prohibition. Smoking on the School campus also violates the School’s fire safety policy and will not be tolerated, and offenders may be dismissed from The Storm King School. Disciplinary action may include undergoing a health evaluation by the School nurse or other professionals. Repeat offenders may be mandated by The Storm King School to enroll in and complete an accredited smoking cessation program as a condition to continued enrollment at the School. Students and their families are responsible for any fees associated with this program. Refusal to enroll in a smoking cessation program will be considered noncompliance by The Storm King School, which reserves the right to dismiss any non-compliant student.
Confidentiality of Disciplinary Action The School endeavors to maintain the confidential nature of complaints, investigations, witness statements, disciplinary proceedings, recommendations and determinations to the extent practical and will not disclose records relating to disciplinary matters except to the extent required by law or for the School’s internal or administrative purposes. The School will inform students subject to disciplinary proceedings, along with their parents and/or guardians, of the outcome of the proceedings and the related consequences. The School will not share disciplinary information related to one student with any other student or family member that is not related to the student subject to the disciplinary process.
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Disciplinary Consequences Students who violate The Storm King School community standards are subject to disciplinary consequences based on the two-step formal process previously outlined or by expedited disciplinary action. These consequences are not intended to be punitive, but are rather intended to reinforce student understanding of the School’s policies, the expectations of the community, and to protect the community as well as the student. The following are some examples of disciplinary actions: Dean’s Hours Students may be assigned Dean’s Hours as described in the preceding pages. Saturday Detention Students may be assigned a Saturday Detention as described in the preceding pages. Campus Restriction Students given this consequence are allowed to leave campus only on trips approved by the Student Life Office. Weekend restriction includes any work mandated by the Dean on Duty including community service or campus work. Room Restriction Boarding students on room restriction lose their free hour in the evenings and are required to remain in their rooms unless reporting to an obligatory event or meal. This consequence is used when it is deemed necessary to separate individuals to allow time for conflict to abate, or as a means of keeping individuals more closely supervised. Loss of Privileges Students may lose their right to participate in athletics, arts, room study, student leadership, or other community events if in violation of community standards.
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Counseling and Outpatient Education Students may be required to meet with professional counselors either on or off campus if in violation of certain school rules. In some instances, outpatient education programs (at the cost to the student) may be required before a student can continue or re-enroll at The Storm King School. Formal Warning A formal warning signifies that the behavior at issue fails to meet the expectations of the School and must be corrected. Probation Probation alerts students that their enrollment at The Storm King School is in jeopardy. Students may be given probation when they reach Step One of the disciplinary process or following a Judicial Board determination. A student on probation who incurs a major violation or repeated minor infractions may be immediately dismissed from The Storm King School. Suspension School suspensions may be either internal or external and are intended to provide the student and their family with time to reflect on the behavior that resulted in the suspension and the importance of adhering to the School’s expectations and rules moving forward. An external suspension requires physical separation from the School, and students will be released into the custody of their parents or guardians. Upon returning from an external suspension, students must meet with the Dean of Student Life to discuss their standing at SKS. An internal suspension requires the student to remain in the Administration Building during classes, attend meals with faculty members, and follow additional restrictions, including the loss of privileges and room restriction for boarding students. While on suspension, students remain responsible for completing all academic assignments and must make up any missed tests or quizzes immediately upon their return to the School. Following a suspension, students will be placed on “social probation” for a period of time determined through the disciplinary process. During social probation, any further violation of a major School rule may result in dismissal or expulsion.
Student Dismissal Policy The Storm King School recognizes that students sometimes make poor decisions that may result in a required separation from the School. Because there is a range of behaviors that may warrant separation, the School has established two levels of separation: dismissal and expulsion. The Head of School has sole authority to dismiss or expel a student from The Storm King School and may take expedited disciplinary action when circumstances require.
or their designee, will communicate with the student’s parent or guardian to facilitate the earliest possible departure. Any student who is dismissed or required to withdraw from The Storm King School for disciplinary reasons may not return to campus or participate in School activities for any reason without prior approval from the Student Life Office. The Head of School retains sole and absolute discretion regarding all decisions related to dismissal, expulsion, and any conditions for return or readmission.
Dismissal Students who have committed an egregiously serious offense, or who have violated a major School rule while on social probation, may be dismissed from The Storm King School. Dismissal is a complete separation from the School; however, after a period of time determined by the Head of School, a dismissed student may petition to reapply for admission. Any application for readmission will be reviewed in the same manner as those of other prospective students and will be considered based on the student’s academic and social progress since leaving The Storm King School, as well as any other circumstances deemed relevant by the Admissions Office and the Head of School. If readmitted, a student may begin their enrollment under probationary status at the sole discretion of the Head of School. Expulsion Students who have committed the most serious offenses may be subject to expulsion. Expulsion is a complete and permanent separation from The Storm King School. Expelled students may not reapply for admission and are prohibited from being on School property for a period of time determined by the Head of School.
Departure from Campus and Campus Access Following Separation Students who are dismissed or expelled are required to leave campus immediately. The Dean of Student Life,
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Important Contact Information MAIN PHONE NUMBER: 845.534.7892 TOLL FREE: 800.225.9144 DEAN ON DUTY CELL: 845.629.0344 ADMISSIONS: 845.534.9860 CAMPUS SECURITY: 845.762.6213
HEAD OF SCHOOL Lisa Shambaugh, 845.458.7511, lshambaugh@sks.org ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS Tim Gillett, 845.458.7539, tgillett@sks.org CHIEF FINANCIAL & OPERATIONS OFFICER Andrew Smith, 845.458.7518, asmith@sks.org DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE Sara Sandstrom, 845.458.7576, ssandstrom@sks.org DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Daniel Constantinidi, 845.458.7515, dconstantinidi@sks.org DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS & SUMMER PROGRAMS Dr. Nicole Cervantes, 845.458.7544, ncervantes@sks.org ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ADMISSIONS & MARKETING Marek Pramuka, 845.458.7542, mpramuka@sks.org EXEC. ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Anne Marie Coleman, 845.458.7534, acoleman@sks.org DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES Cindy Neville, R.N., 845.458.7524, cneville@sks.org
The Storm King School 314 MOUNTAIN ROAD | CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, NY | 12520 | SKS.ORG
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