Parent studenthandbook15 16 (1)

Parent-Student Handbook 2015-16 History of St. Francis School St. Francis is an Independent, non-denominational, progressive, co-ed, Preschool–12th grade school located on two campuses: Goshen (Preschool-8th) and Downtown (9th-12th) with approximately 500 students. The origin of St. Francis School traces back to a Preschool established in 1948 by members of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church. In 1965, the Rev. Stephen R. Davenport, along with supportive parents and friends, opened St. Francis School at the church in Harrods Creek, with the Rev. Frank Q. Cayce serving as Headmaster from 1965 to 1975. Their goal was to fulfill a community need for an integrated, co-educational school that provided an innovative learning environment.

In 1970, the school moved from St. Francis in the Fields Church to its present 64-acre site in Goshen, Kentucky, 22 miles northeast of downtown Louisville. Built in the unique "open-classroom" style, the architecture included small amphitheaters in each wing of the school and several raised classrooms called "pods."

In 1976, Tom Pike, then Acting Head of School at St. Francis School, along with a group of parents and Board members, founded St. Francis High School in downtown Louisville. The school was housed in the former Downtown YMCA, a National Historic Landmark building, and was deliberately located downtown so that adolescents, who are preparing to be part of the adult world, would be situated in the adult world and have access to all the cultural and educational opportunities of a thriving metropolis.

Throughout its first 30 years in Goshen, that campus continued to expand, with a second building that held a gymnasium, science labs, a music room, and art room completed in 1974; a new library, computer center, and language lab added in 1982; purchase of an additional 27.5 acres adjacent to the original campus purchased in 1996-97; and a math/science/art wing added in 1997, along with extensive renovation to the existing building. In 2013, the 1

gymnasium was demolished and a brand new state-of-the-art gymnasium facility, designed by Los Angeles-based architects (fer)studio, opens in the summer of 2014.

In 1995, St. Francis Preschool, as part of St. Francis School, was again opened on the grounds of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church in Harrods Creek, and it continued to operate at the Church until July 2014, when the Preschool moved to the Goshen Campus. St. Francis High School purchased the Downtown YMCA building in 1998, completing an award-winning renovation of the space in the 2003-04 school year. In 2007, the High School added the adjacent garage facility to its footprint. The garage was demolished in 2012 and a new parking lot on the space opened in July 2013.

In February 2012, the Boards of St. Francis School and St. Francis High School approved the merger of the two sister schools to form the current Preschool–12th grade St. Francis School.

While discussions of a merger had taken place over several decades, in 2012, the time was right and the two Boards agreed to align the three campuses sharing similar educational philosophy into one dynamic entity centered around a progressive mission.

St. Francis School is characterized by personal attention, small class sizes, diversity, dedication to student voice, commitment to community service, student-centric extracurriculars, and outstanding teachers who are dedicated to their subject areas and to their students. Inside and outside the classroom, the atmosphere at St. Francis School is one of joy that also prepares students successfully for college and for life. The school philosophy is based on the Progressive school movement founded by John Dewey and Francis Parker in the early 1900s as a response to the assembly line, “one-size-fits-all” school model. Progressive schools, on the other hand, believe that students achieve milestones at different rates and therefore that education should be customized for individual students as much as possible. Like St. Francis, Progressive schools are student-centered, community service-minded, diverse, experiential, and participatory; they require students to be fully engaged participants in the learning process.

St. Francis School is fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), certified by the Kentucky Department of Education, and is a member of the following organizations: National Association of Independent Schools, Kentucky Association of Independent Schools, Kentucky Non-Public Schools Commission, and the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education. St. Francis is also one of approximately 100 schools in the U.S. named as a Confucius Classroom for its Chinese language program classrooms on both the Goshen and Downtown Campuses, and its Middle School drama program is nationally recognized by the National Youth Arts Awards. The Preschool received a superior rating in the Kentucky STARS program and is recognized as an exemplary program by the Kentucky Department of Education.

2

Mission Statement St. Francis School cultivates a joyful, compassionate, intellectual community that celebrates individuality and inspires independent thinking for life.

Vision Statement St. Francis High School is the regional center of progressive learning where students grow into mindful, informed young adults.

Core Values Individuality Inclusivity Community Thought Openness Expression Curiosity

Philosophy The philosophy of St. Francis School is rooted in the Progressive education tradition.

Fundamentally, we believe that each student is imbued with strengths and challenges and that each learner must be treated as an individual. Emphasizing active, experiential learning, problem solving, self-expression, critical thinking, collaboration, and healthy discussion and debate in every classroom, St. Francis effectively prepares young people for the challenges of higher education, civic involvement, and a successful life as an adult. As a community composed of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences, we ask of all our members that the tolerance, respect, and imagination required for responsible citizenship and global understanding be elements of daily practice. Throughout our program,​ students learn the ethical dimensions of issues, ​ enabling them to use their talent and knowledge with wisdom, compassion, creativity, and integrity.

This philosophy is articulated distinctively within each division of the School, given the children it serves, as expressed below: The Preschool​ is a joyful place that seeks to foster curiosity and wonder. ​ At St. Francis Preschool, we believe that ​ allowing students to explore, investigate, and create is the perfect medium for motivating learning. ​ Because of these closely held values, our curriculum is one that emerges from the daily experiences and interests of the children. We believe that “everything is developing,” and therefore the focus is on the process of learning rather than 3

the product. Social, physical, and cognitive skills grow freely in this fertile ground of play and exploration. While facilitating these experiences, our expert classroom teachers assure that the children are challenged by utilizing open-ended questions to encourage problem solving, imagination, and creativity. Student artifacts such as photographs, paintings, and clay-work, as well as completed individual and group projects, fill the classrooms. We respect each child’s unique growth process, while also seeking to expand his/her world view. We believe that outdoor play encourages an appreciation for the environment and fosters creativity and a sense of wonder. At St. Francis Preschool, children have a say in what they do and how they do it, and teachers encourage learning to be a fun and exciting journey every day.

In grades JK - 8​ , our goal is to inspire a true love of learning in our students. Our open classroom environment, coupled with our pastoral, rural setting, creates an idyllic educational experience that is positive and joyful. We believe in helping all students build on their strengths while encouraging them to explore and develop new skills and interests. Our small class sizes and low student to teacher ratio allow our dedicated teachers to challenge each student individually and offer student choice in the curriculum and demonstrations of knowledge whenever possible. Deliberately cultivating a sense of community is an important part of the Goshen Campus experience, so aspects of this are woven throughout each school day. Morning Meetings provide opportunities for students and teachers to gather together and discuss the day’s events, share important happenings, and celebrate achievements. It is a time for students to feel connected to and valued as friends, not only by their classmates, but also by those in other grades, as well as the adults in the community. The open classroom setting enhances collaborative learning and helps students to develop critical listening and focusing skills. In addition to traditional academic subjects, we emphasize the importance of the arts, physical and outdoor education, ethical development, and service learning. Our 60+ acre campus allows children to play and breathe the fresh air, enhancing their natural sense of curiosity and appreciation for the environment and nature. The outdoors, including our gardens and chicken coop/rabbit hutch area, are used as an extension of the classroom regularly. Student life on the Goshen Campus is rich with intellectual and creative possibility.

At the ​ High School,​ we believe that the best preparation for higher education and adult life is a challenging academic program within a vibrant urban community. A diverse student body develops creative and critical thinking skills while passionate, talented faculty emphasize and cultivate in-depth investigation, discussion, and writing; active participation in these activities builds students’ confidence.​ The downtown location allows students to interact on a regular ​ basis with the urban community, and the open campus teaches students to balance freedom with responsibility. ​ Coming to know and negotiate their environment, our students develop self-reliance and sophistication. ​ The entire​ High School community is actively engaged in a comprehensive long-term relationship with the city’s non-profit organizations through a four-year community service program. ​ Faculty and staff are attuned to the concept of the teenager as a work-in-progress, and believe that students are well served not only by warm personal support, but also by thoughtful provocation and challenge. While student voice is essential -- and expected -- in the classroom, it is also actively sought and heard in discussions and decisions about school policies and student life. Students leave St. Francis prepared for 4

college not only academically but also personally, because they know how to manage their time and have confidence in themselves and their ideas as they head into the adult world.

Diversity Statement At St. Francis, we believe there is inherent strength in a community, a city, and a world in which members exhibit a breadth of talent, skills, and attributes. We define diversity as differences embodied in (but not limited to) age, ethnicity, race, family composition, gender, gender identity and expression, geographic origin, learning styles, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economics, and ideologies. We seek to prepare student to live in and contribute to their world by acknowledging and celebrating who they are and who they wish to become. In addition, given the fact of profound inequalities of opportunity that still exist in our world, we strive to foster a respectful and welcoming school community for us all as a model for the challenges that face us each day as global citizens.

Contacting Faculty and Staff All faculty and staff can be contacted by email: ​ FirstInitialLastName@StFrancisSchool.org​ (for example, Natalie Bruner at nbruner@stfrancisschool.org; Danielle Tracey at dtracey@stfrancisschool.org).

Fax numbers for each campus are as follows: Goshen: (502) 795-3570 Downtown: (502) 736-1049 A list of individual phone extensions for faculty and staff are below, by campus. All area codes are 502.

Multi-Campus Staff Alexandra Thurstone Greg Borders Tony Butler Kim Hales Charlie Patton Siofra Rucker Goshen/Preschool Main Line Kim Aberle Debbie Adkins Maria Alfaya Kelly Beach Bob Bertke 5

736-1016 795-3369 736-1023 736-1008 795-3473 795-3890

795-3380 795-3366

795-3464 795-3367

Madelyn Blue Joanne Brock Tina Brown Natalie Bruner Richard Butcher Emily Campbell Misty Chanda Sukanya Chandramouli Jason Chlopek Lon Church Rosanne Conlan Shavar Cowherd Julie Dayton Jim DeNicola Sarah Dewberry Rachael Dobring Patrick Donovan Diane Ellison Anne Farra Andrew Frechette Reed Gabhart Jennifer Griffith Renee Hennessy Salema Jenkins Shelly Jones May Khoo Brian Kirby Amy Koloff Pattie Koth Michael Mahoney Julie Marks Claudia McCrocklin Heather McGraw Faith Murphy Angela Ponzio Judy Riendeau Annette Rudd Erika Schneider Lindsy Serrano Erin Staley Alex Taylor Matt Thomas Carey Thornburgh Heather Varda Sarah Wallace 6

795-3368 795-3487 795-3474 736-1007 795-3568 795-3375 795-3468 795-3478 795-3377 795-3569 795-3379 795-3571 795-3381 795-3452 795-3453 795-3455 795-3456 795-3486 795-3466 795-3467 694-9369 736-1043 795-3469

795-3470 795-3465 795-3475 795-3476 795-3604 795-3480 736-1045 736-1048 795-3482 795-3488 795-3378 795-3489 795-3483 795-3479 795-3456 795-3484 795-3485

Kristan White Qianxin Zhu

736-1032 694-9374

Downtown Main Line Trisha Amirault Trent Apple Jenn Buck Archie Borders Emily Boyle Ron Garrett Suzanne Gorman Callie Gray Andrew Dailinger Luke Johnson Bob Jones Rebecca Jones Angela Katz Julie Leidner Kit Llewellyn Maintenance Ralph Marshall Tom Miron Brett Paice Melanie Pugh Juan Ramirez Brian Ray Benjamin Studevent-Hickman Danielle Tracey Cia White Terri White David Word

736-1000 736-1009 736-1047 736-1046 736-1028 736-1013 736-1036 736-1025 736-1037 736-1029 736-1038 736-1018 736-1031 736-1033 736-1028 736-1012 736-1010 736-1019 736-1011 736-1034 736-1042 736-1024 736-1026 736-1030 736-1006 736-1041 736-1015 736-1040

Whom to Contact If you have a question and are not sure of the right person to contact, the following list may be helpful.

7

Absences/Tardies/Address Changes/General Information Preschool – Renee Hennessy Goshen – Natalie Bruner Downtown – Danielle Tracey Academic/Behavioral/Social Concerns Please contact your child’s lead teacher (Preschool), lead teacher, Advisor or subject-area teacher (Goshen) or subject-area teacher (Downtown) with particular concerns or related questions. For more general concerns, contact Preschool – Renee Hennessy, Director th​ JK-4​ Grade – Jennifer Griffith, Lower School Dean th​ th​ 5​–8​Grade – Reed Gabhart, Head of Goshen Campus th​ th​ 9​ –12​ Grade – Suzanne Gorman, Head of Downtown Campus Both the Goshen and Downtown Campuses have Counselors on staff (Julie Marks at Goshen, Terri White Downtown), who are also available to assist.

Admissions/Financial Aid ​ – Trisha Amirault for Downtown; Richard Butcher for Goshen/Preschool. They are responsible for shadow visits, Open Houses, marketing activities, re-enrollment of students for the following year, and financial aid/scholarships.

Advancement Office - ​ The Advancement Office is responsible for marketing, financial aid, fundraising, alumni relations, Parent Association, public relations, and publications. Within the Advancement Office, Siofra Rucker G’84 is the Director and works specifically in Capital Campaign, Major Gifts, Marketing/Advertising, Communications/Publications, and PR; Kim Hales is the Development Director and handles the Annual Fund and Galas ("Our Good Earth" and ​ Imagine!),​ and other special events, and serves as the Parent Association Liaison; Callie Gray is the Alumni Relations Coordinator; Melanie Pugh is the Development Assistant and takes care of donor acknowledgments; and Erika Schneider is the Marketing/Communications Coordinator and manages publications, the Goshen After-School and Enrichment Programs, Derby and Summer Camp.

Alumni​ – Callie Gray Athletics​ - Tony Butler, Athletic Director, and Shavar Cowherd, Assistant Athletic Director Billing​ – Diane Ellison Bus Service​ – Greg Borders Classroom Visits​ – Lead Teacher/Advisor College Advisor ​ – Kit Llewellyn Counseling/Student Services​ – Julie Marks (Goshen) and Terri White (Downtown) 8

Curricular Questions​ – Lead Teacher/Advisor (Preschool/Goshen) and/or Preschool Director Renee Hennessy (Preschool) and Deans of Faculty Jennifer Griffith (Goshen) and Ralph Marshall (Downtown) Discipline​ – Lead Teacher/Advisor (Preschool/Goshen) and/or Jennifer Griffith (Lower School), Reed Gabhart (Middle School) and Suzanne Gorman (High School) The Learning Center ​ - Claudia McCrocklin, Director of The Learning Center Parent Association​ - Kim Hales is the liaison to the Parent Association. Chairs for the 2015-16 school year are Andi McLeroy (Goshen) and Andrea Melendez (Downtown).

Registrar​ – Callie Gray (Downtown and Goshen)

Annotated Calendar of Events Admissions Open Houses​ : These events are held at each campus for prospective parents and students to learn more about SFS. Parents are encouraged to help out at these events and/or to bring prospective parents and students they may know.

Advisee Games​ : The High School’s half-day “field day” in which Advisee Groups compete in a costume contest and a variety of events for the coveted Advisee Cup. Awards Assembly​ : The High School holds this assembly each May at which the majority of the year’s academic awards are handed out. It is an event attended only by students, faculty, and staff.

Back-to-School Picnic and Alumni Games​ : Held each August, the picnic is an opportunity to kick off the school year for all St. Francis families. In addition to fun children’s activities like a bouncy house and face painting, the Varsity soccer and field hockey coaches and teams conduct clinics for Middle School athletes, followed by soccer and field hockey scrimmages.

Book Sale​ : At the High School, families are responsible for purchasing all books for classes, so we hold a Book Sale that includes both new and used books. This is held each August before school begins. Used books are available through the Parent Association’s Used Book Sale and new books are available on-site from Gray’s Bookstore.

Class Day/Goshen Graduation​ : At the Goshen Campus, we recognize our eighth graders at the end of each school year. At Class Day, deserving students are awarded certificates for high achievement in their school subjects and may receive time-honored awards that have been handed out since the School’s inception. These include awards for exceptional performance in athletics, art, drama, character, and perseverance, volunteer service, and the Head of School Award for achievement and all-around contribution to the school community. Each student 9

also has a personal statement about him or her prepared by the faculty and read aloud. We also honor 8th graders at Goshen Graduation with a commemorative abacus - a traditional School symbol.

Fall Sports Picnic​ : Each fall, the school community is invited to come together and watch a Middle School and High School soccer and field hockey games, and enjoy a picnic and camaraderie while cheering the team on. This is our version of “Homecoming”. rd​ th Field Day​ : ​ The traditional end-of-year event on the Goshen Campus, at which 3​ through 8​ graders are divided into teams and compete in various events.

Grandparents’ Day​ : Both the Goshen and Downtown Campuses host a Grandparents’ Day. At the Goshen Campus, grandparents enjoy a musical performance and lead area visits with their grandchildren; at the Downtown Campus, grandparents attend a couple of classes and share lunch with their grandchildren. Grandparents of preschoolers are invited to the Preschool Derby Tea and Race Day in the spring.

Imagine!​ : ​ ​ The ​ Imagine! ​ Art Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser will take place January 30th at the Tim Faulkner Gallery in downtown Louisville. This event draws from the entire community and includes cocktails, an elegant seated dinner and a fast-paced live auction, followed by a silent auction featuring art and jewelry, and a dessert reception to complete the evening.

Incoming 9th Grade and 6th Grade Scholarship Competitions​ : Each January, there is a Scholarship Competition for current 8th graders and 5th graders (both from within St. Francis th​ and outside) who plan to begin 9​ grade or 6th grade at St. Francis in the fall.

LISC Dances​ : The Louisville Independent School Council members rotate hosting a middle school dance at different points of the school year. Students in 6th-8th grades may attend.

Dances are chaperoned by parents and faculty from each of the schools.

New Parent Dinner​ : The Downtown Campus Parent Association hosts a dinner each August to which all parents new to the Downtown Campus are invited.

Orientations​ : Orientations are held for all Kindergartners, new students to the Goshen th​ Campus, all 9​ graders, and new students to the Downtown Campus (and all the parents in these grades). Orientations are held just before the beginning of school in August.

"Our Good Earth" Gala​ :​ The Gala will take place at the Goshen Campus on October 10th and ​ will be an elegant Farm-to-Table dinner catered by Wiltshire Pantry (owned by St. Francis alumna Susan Hershberg) as well as an auction. There will be delicious gourmet fare, gorgeous décor, live music, and signature cocktails, all in the gorgeous fields of the Goshen Campus. The evening will include an exciting live auction and a multi-faceted silent auction. During the weeks leading up to the event, we will once again have online the beloved Uniquely St. Francis Teacher Experiences.

10

Back-to-School-Night (-Lunch) Programs​ : These events are held separately for Lower School, Middle School, and High School. Parents receive a copy of their child’s schedule, meet teachers, and gain a better understanding of what each class and the year as a whole will involve. Preschool parents are invited to a Parent Luncheon in September to experience a typical day with their child.

Parent-Teacher Conferences​ : Conferences at the Goshen Campus are held in late October and early March; at the Downtown Campus, they are held in late October. Parents book appointments online with any teachers they wish to see. They may see one, several, or all of their child’s teachers; it is up to them to decide.

Prom​ : The Prom, a Downtown Campus event, is put on by the Senior Class, but the other three high school grades are encouraged to attend. The Junior Class sells the tickets and receives the ticket revenue from this event, which helps to fund their Prom the next year.

Senior Auction/Taste of St. Francis​ : The Downtown Campus Parent Association and Senior Class sponsor this event each November, which a potluck representing families’ favorite dishes and a silent auction of a variety of items to help fund the all-school prom. All school families are welcome.

Senior Luncheon​ : Each May, a luncheon is held at a nearby site to honor and celebrate the graduating seniors. Attendees include the seniors, their immediate family, and the faculty and staff.

Sports Banquets​ : Celebrations are held at the end of the year for Middle School and after each High School sports season to honor the teams, players, and their accomplishments.

St. Francis Day​ : In honor of the Saint for whom the school is named, the Goshen Campus hosts a multi-faith blessing of animals in early October. Parents are invited to bring pets for their students to have blessed.

Women’s Retreat​ : The High School faculty/staff offer an overnight retreat, usually a Friday night through Saturday morning in March, to all interested High School female students for community bonding and an opportunity to discuss gender-specific issues

11

ALL-SCHOOL MATTERS This section contains general information that pertains to both campuses and all divisions.

Following this section are sections specific to the Preschool, the JK-8 Goshen Campus, and the Downtown Campus, as well as listings of the Board of Trustees and the faculty/staff, and an All-School Appendix.

Attendance/Absences Preschool hours are 8:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. every day (see extended hour options in the Preschool section). Goshen JK-8 and Downtown Campus hours are 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. every day (see enrichment options in the Goshen section).

At both campuses, regular and timely attendance is valued. If your child needs to miss school or will be late, for any reason, please call or email Renee Hennessy (Preschool), Natalie Bruner (JK-8) or Danielle Tracey (Downtown) by 8:45 a.m.

Likewise, if a Downtown or Goshen student will be leaving during the school day for medical appointments or other reasons, both the lead teacher/advisor and Natalie Bruner should be notified for Goshen, and Danielle Tracey should be notified Downtown. More detail on this is in the individual campus sections.

Preschool students should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. in order to make a good transition into the school day.

At the Goshen Campus, students should arrive by 8:30 a.m. and check in immediately with their lead teacher or advisor. Students arriving after 8:35 a.m. must come into the school office with a parent and sign in before going to class; they will be considered tardy. At the Downtown Campus, students must be in Morning Meeting, checked in with the designated person by grade level, or (on Fridays) in Advisee Groups by 8:30 a.m. ​ Specific consequences ​ for tardies are outlined in the Goshen Campus and Downtown Campus sections.

At both campuses, excessive tardiness for any reason is disruptive, both to the late student and to his/her classmates. A conference with parents will be necessary if excessive tardies occur.

At the Goshen and Downtown Campuses, if parents wish to take their child/ren on a vacation that falls during school time, it is their responsibility to notify the school and teachers and make arrangements for all assignments. It is essential that students keep up with classwork and homework. When absences are anticipated for any reason (vacation, college visit, etc.), both the lead teacher/advisor an​ d Natalie Bruner (Goshen) and Danielle Tracey (Do​ wntown) should be notified at least a week in advance. At the Downtown Campus, students must have each teacher sign the Permission for Extended Absence form.

12

It is the school’s policy not to schedule events on major Christian or Jewish holidays, although school itself may be held. Students of all faiths are excused from school upon parental request to attend religious celebrations. Homework is due and missed tests must be taken on the student’s second day back after missing school due to a religious holiday. At the High School, long-term assignments may still be due on their original dates.

Behavior/Discipline St. Francis School is a community of administrators, teachers, students, and parents working together to develop the whole child. It is our hope that St. Francis students will exhibit personal maturity and responsibility commensurate with their age. Key to a student’s satisfactory conduct at St. Francis is the student’s ability, as appropriate based on age, to make the distinction between different types of social situations: those that require observance of social etiquette (the classroom, formal functions), and those that by their nature allow for more informal self-expression (after-school events, recess). It is vital that each member of the school community respects him/herself, others, and the environment; follows basic rules of expected behavior (commensurate with the student’s age); and develops a set of personal ethics. ​ In all disciplinary situations, at all campuses, the emphasis is on solving problems.

The behavior of students outside of school and school activities is the responsibility of parents, and St. Francis School will generally not involve itself in such matters. However, parents should report to the school any legal action taken against or illegal action engaged in by a St. Francis student. The school reserves the right to discontinue a student’s enrollment at St. Francis on the basis of the student’s involvement in a legal situation. Specific approaches to discipline are outlined in each campus’s section.

Custody/Information St. Francis School assumes that both parents have full rights to both physical custody of a student and all information regarding the student unless legal documentation indicating otherwise is on file with the school.

Dress Code Students at all campuses should wear clean, comfortable, practical attire. Clothing should not be disrespectful to others or disruptive to the learning process. In practice, this may mean different things at different levels: for example, overly dressy clothing that interferes with children’s play at the Preschool level, clothing depicting alcohol or drugs, clothing deemed too revealing, etc. The School reserves the right to determine which dress styles are appropriate for our educational environments. All students must wear shoes at all times. nd​ Students in Preschool – 2​ Grade should bring a complete change of clothes to keep at school.

Preschool children should keep an extra change of clothing in their backpacks.

Outdoor time is a daily occurrence at the Preschool and Goshen Campuses, so during cold weather, students need jackets, hats, mittens/gloves, etc. Please put students’ names in all outerwear.

13

Preschool students must wear shoes with enclosed toes and pliable soles, suitable for running and climbing. Athletic footwear is required for all PE classes at the Goshen and Downtown Campuses.

Extracurricular Activities St. Francis School offers a wide variety of athletics and other extracurricular activities, mostly occurring after school. To participate in an extracurricular activity, students must attend at least a half-day of school. If there are extenuating circumstances, participation will be at the discretion of the the appropriate Head of Campus.

Please see the appropriate campus section for more details about after-school offerings, including extended hours at the Preschool and enrichment/study hall at Goshen.

Financial Aid St. Francis School awards financial aid to those families who qualify on a need basis. Awards are determined by the school’s Financial Aid Committee, with use of recommendations from the FACTS Tuition Aid Service (​ www.factstuitionaid.com​ ). Financial aid forms and instructions will be sent to current recipients each January, and are available at that time to all families who request them from the Business Office; forms are also available in the Admissions, Affording St. Francis page on the website any time. All information pertaining to a family’s financial aid application or status is kept confidential; information is only imparted th​ on a need-to-know basis. Financial aid applications are due by February 15​ and grant letters st​ will be sent out by May 1​ . Late applications will be considered as funds are available. The financial aid granting process follows the ISACS Principles of Good Practice. Please see the Appendix for the entire Financial Aid Policy.

Fundraising St. Francis School is a non-profit Independent school, which means that we rely on tuition dollars and our fundraising activities to support our amazing school. The following are our primary fundraising activities each year.

The Annual Fund: ​ Tuition provides for the excellent education St. Francis School provides; it does not, however, fully fund the operating costs of the School. The Annual Fund and our fundraising efforts both large and small are so important because they truly make a difference in our children's experience at school. Instead of a full year of an Annual Fund, this year will mark our second Five-Week Annual Fund pledge-a-thon. During those five weeks, we will be collecting pledges for the Annual Fund (which may be paid anytime up through June 30).

Then, at the end of those five weeks, we conclude and celebrate our success! Our goal is 100% parent, faculty/staff and Trustee participation.

Galas:​ Our two biggest events of the year, ​ "Our Good Earth" Gala​ and ​ Imagine! ​ Art Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser, are explained in detail in the Annotated Calendar of Events section of this Handbook. While the primary purpose of these events is to raise needed funds for our School, it is equally important that these events increase the School's visibility in the Louisville metropolitan community, build stronger connections within our school community, 14

and, of course, deliver an unforgettable evening to our guests!

Capital Campaign:​ ​ A school engages in a Capital Campaign in order to make significant improvements to the facilities, as well as to fund endowment, which provides for the future of the school. St. Francis is currently involved in a Capital Campaign, which has already provided for the renovation of the High School’s parking facility, new natural Playgrounds for the Preschool and Lower School, a renovation of the the Lower School spaces to incorporate our Preschool, and the Gymnasium in Goshen. We have more big plans in store! Additional projects we are raising funds to complete include a renovated theatre and lobby entrance on the Goshen Campus; additional space in our High School building that would allow our main entrance to be re-located to Broadway; more beautiful public spaces; a theatre and additional classrooms; a new Gymnasium in the current parking facility on the Downtown Campus; and finally a new Primary/Preschool wing on the Goshen Campus. Gifts to the School’s Capital Campaign are the gifts that will transform the future of the School.

A note about students raising money at school for various causes: we ask that students only solicit others at school to raise money for a school group/team/class/etc., as approved by the Heads of Campus, or for a non-profit approved by the school (e.g., a community service/service learning project). Individual students should not solicit or fundraise on their own.

Health When students are ill, they should not attend school. Illnesses/symptoms may include (but are not limited to) fever, flu, severe cold/nasal discharge, red/draining eyes, sore throat, diarrhea/vomiting, enlarged glands, and rash. Students should be non-contagious/ fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

If your child has a communicable disease/condition (e.g., mononucleosis, lice, etc.), please share that information with the school as soon as possible so that we may alert the larger parent community if necessary.

If a child becomes ill at school, parents will be notified and should arrive promptly to pick up the sick child. Preschool students will be removed from classrooms to rest in the office until a parent’s arrival. Students will be given an illness return form noting the earliest the child may return to school. At the Goshen Campus, students may rest in the Sick Room near the office until a parent arrives. At the Downtown Campus, students may sit on the couch near the front door and wait for parent pick-up. If students are diagnosed with any particularly contagious disease or flu (e.g., mono; hand, foot and mouth disease; lice. etc), please notify the relevant School Office so that we may notify any other potentially affected students/parents. As noted above, students should be non-contagious/ symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school. Students with lice should be nit- and bug-free before returning to school and should continue treatment as needed.

If a child becomes injured at school, and the injury is not serious, school staff will apply ice/bandages. Preschool parents will receive a note or call informing them of the injury. For 15

all students, if more significant medical treatment is needed, we will attempt to contact parents and, if parents cannot be reached, emergency contacts. If no one can be reached, staff may transport a student to the hospital/doctor’s office. If an injury presents an emergency, we will call 911.

Prescription medications should be taken at home if at all possible. If a student must take a prescription medication at school, the medication must be brought in its original container with clear label instructions. Parents should provide written instructions, as well (and in the case of Preschool parents, fill out the ​ Daily Change Form/Medicine Permission Form​ ).

Prescription medications must be left in the school office. For the Goshen and Downtown campuses, students should attempt to take medication during lunch or other breaks so that class is not disrupted. ​ Any prescribed medication that may interfere with a student's ability to function at school (e.g., pain medication) should be taken at home, and staying home should be considered. If a student seems negatively affected at school while under the influence of prescribed medications, a call will be placed to the parent/guardian to discuss whether the student should continue at school for the day.

At the Goshen and Downtown Campuses, parents sign a form at the start of each school year indicating whether or not students have permission to be given common over-the-counter medications that are available in the school office. At the Preschool, a ​ Daily Change Form/Medicine Permission Form​ is needed for over-the-counter medications, and those medications must be provided by parents and kept in the school office.

At the beginning of each school year, parents are asked to fill out a form for each student regarding allergies and other pertinent medical information. Parents must update the School if medical conditions change throughout the year.

In addition, the School must comply with Kentucky statutes, which require Immunization Certificates on file for each child prior to the opening of school. All new students should provide an Immunization Certificate; for returning students, parents will be notified each summer if a new Immunization Certificate is needed. If your child has not been immunized for religious reasons, you may be granted religious exemption under Kentucky law from the required immunizations if you provide a religious exemption form signed by a physician and health facility.

The Goshen Campus is nut-free, meaning that no peanuts or other tree nuts, or products containing these nuts, are permitted at school at any time. Members of our community have severe allergies to peanuts and tree nuts. Our approach does not seek to provide a completely allergen-free environment, but instead seeks to minimize the probability of exposure while maintaining heightened awareness about how to avoid exposure and deal with exposure if it occurs. As always, parent support, understanding, and participation are key to the success of our policy.

Please see the school’s Communicable Disease Policy in the Appendix to this Handbook.

16

Inclement Weather St. Francis School uses the Blackboard Connect Notification System, via which parents will be notified of closings and delays by phone calls and emails. ​ There may be different decisions made for different campuses​ as to whether a given campus is open, closed, or on a delay.

One Blackboard Connect message will go out and contain details for both campuses. We will also notify local television stations, which will post any delays or closings both on-screen and on their websites.

The Learning Center ​ - A Partnership of St. Francis School and the Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers The Learning Center (TLC) is a partnership between St. Francis School and Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers, which began in 2012 on the Goshen Campus and moved to the Downtown Campus as well in 2014. Langsford was co-founded by SFS Goshen alumnus Stephen McCrocklin G‘80, and has at its core a skill set in reading and learning that is unmatched in this region. This partnership allows St. Francis to offer services to its students unlike anything offered at any other school in town. Langsford’s other co-founder, Claudia McCrocklin, serves as the Director of The Learning Center at St. Francis School. Claudia’s role is to assess the needs of any students with learning difference profiles and recommend, in conjunction with TLC Team (Head of School, appropriate Campus Head/Lower School Dean, appropriate Counselor), what services might be used to address a need. Parents will then determine what, if any, services they would like to use. The Director of TLC, along with TLC Coordinator Emily Boyle on the Downtown Campus, and Ann Mundt on the Goshen Campus, then monitor students’ progress, communicate that progress to the TLC team and parents, and work with each student’s teachers to ensure seamless integration of TLC work in the classroom. Offerings differ slightly on each campus but include remediation in reading, writing, and math (Goshen); content tutoring in various subjects; academic support; organizational skills training; ESL and ACT/SAT prep (Downtown); and the services of an occupational therapist and speech therapist (Goshen). We also plan to offer services for gifted students in the future. Most services are offered on a fee-basis, although homework management programs are offered on both campuses for free. Homework Hall is also an after-school program offered on both campuses for a fee.

Parent Association The Parent Association (PA) serves as ambassadors to support the St. Francis School mission, in addition to hosting a full calendar of fun activities for students, parents, and families throughout the school year. PA fundraising events assist in funding important items for the school, from chicken coops to reading rooms. Always remember that at St. Francis School, every parent is a member of the Parent Association!

This year’s Parent Association chairs are: ● Andrea Melendez, Downtown Campus ● Andi McLeroy, Goshen Campus Parent Communication 17

Communication with parents about our students is a top priority. Each parent will receive a monthly electronic newsletter entitled “Thoughts!” and weekly electronic newsletters called the “Wyvern Weekly”. Please see the individual campus sections for details about the best ways to communicate with teachers and details about parent-teacher conferences, grade reports, etc. Parents will also receive a printed magazine-style publication called the ​ Wyvern Report ​ published three times a year.

Privacy At St. Francis School, it is our desire to respect the privacy of our students and their belongings. However, this desire must be balanced by faculty and administration with overall safety and discipline in the school. When it is deemed necessary, the school reserves the right to search student lockers, desks, purses, backpacks and other private property to ensure the health and safety of the community and compliance with state and federal law.

A student or his/her personal effects (i.e. backpack, purse, pockets) may be searched by a staff member with a witness present in order to determine whether the student is in possession of items in violation of school policy. Searches may be performed without notice, without consent, and without a search warrant.

Students are also advised that there should be no expectation of privacy in electronic communication conducted on school grounds, whether on the student’s own device or a School-owned device.

School Governance In any Independent school, the Board of Trustees is the guardian of the school’s mission. They are responsible for the development of basic policy for the school, the orientation of new Trustees, and continuing self-evaluation of the school. The Board also approves the annual budget, grants diplomas, and hires and evaluates the Head of School.

The 2015-16 Board includes a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, as well as other members, the Parent Association Presidents from Goshen and the High School, non-voting Emeritus Trustees, and a non-voting General Counsel. The Board is made up of current parents, alumni, alumni parents, and friends of the school​ .​ The Deans of Faculty from each Campus serve as ​ ex-officio ​ members of the Board, as do the Preschool Director and the Head of School. The Business Manager, Director of Advancement, and Development Director also attend all Board meetings and relevant committees. Standing committees include: ● Governance, which is charged with recruiting and orienting new Trustees and monitoring the bylaws, as well as evaluating the Board; ● Marketing and Relationship-Building, which oversees increasing the school’s visibility in the community, primarily through the areas of admissions, marketing and public relations, and building relationships with constituents that can influence the school’s reputation and enrollment; ● Development, which partners with the Development Office to accomplish the school’s fundraising activities; ● Finance, which assists in preparing the annual budget, overseeing the school’s 18

investments, and other business-related matters; ● Facilities, which oversees facilities-related issues and conducts strategic planning with regard to facilities; ● Executive, which consists of the Board and committee leadership A list of this year’s Board of Trustees members can be found following the individual campus/division sections.

Service Learning/Community Service The value of serving others is one particularly important to the St. Francis School community.

In grades JK-8, service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Service learning perfectly builds on the tradition of the St Francis Progressive education and the mission of our school. Our children are encouraged to learn in cooperation with their teachers and classmates and the community at large. The stages include: 1) Inventory and Investigation; 2) Preparation and Planning; 3) Action; 4) Reflection; and 5) Demonstration. The students develop considerable ownership over the projects and process and their ideas are celebrated and discussed. Students become active learners as they choose to learn about real life issues and incorporate it into their curriculum adding real life skills. Each grade level participates in service learning, choosing a focus and planning activities with the assistance of teachers. In addition, Middle School students are asked to complete at least eight hours of additional service per year on their own (through, for example, youth groups at their house of worship, participating in a walk or run to raise money for a cause, collecting items for the poor, serving food at a soup kitchen, or working around the house to raise money to donate to a non-profit).

At the Downtown Campus, the entire school performs an afternoon of service six times per th​ th​ th​ school year. 10​ , 11​, and 12​ graders are assigned to agencies according to their interest in a particular strand of community service (environmental stewardship, human services, civic th​ literacy, and green ventures), while 9​ graders are assigned where spots exist and asked to consider what might most interest them the following year. Students wishing to complete community service work beyond the six required days are invited to organize an independent program with a faculty advisor. Successful completion of community service is a graduation requirement; students must attend five of the six designated days and satisfactorily contribute to the projects at the service site. If a student misses the equivalent of more than one day or doe not actively participate, s/he must work with the Community Service Coordinator to make up the time missed, either at the community service site or another pre-approved organization.

Student Leadership Leadership is certainly a quality prized and cultivated in the St. Francis community. Beginning nd​ nd​ rd in 2​ grade, students have the opportunity to serve as elected class representatives. 2​ , 3​ th​ th and 4​ grade elected representatives comprise the Lower School Student Council, while 5​ th​ th through 8​ grade elected representative make up the Middle School Student Council, led by 8​ th​ th​ th​ grade officers. The 9​-12​grade elects representatives to the School Committee. 5​through 19

th​ 12​ grade representatives have specific responsibilities, as well, in terms coordination of th​ activities for their grades (e.g., planning the 8​ grade fundraising carwash, and in high school raising funds to put on the Prom in Senior Year and for their class gift).

Technology It is the policy of St. Francis School to provide Internet and computer access to all students, staff and faculty whenever possible. We use mobile Chromebook carts that can be used in any classroom. We also provide school email addresses to all students in the 4th grade and up, with the following format: ​ firstnamelastname@stfrancisschool.org​ . School-provided Internet privileges, such as computer systems and networks, are school resources intended for the purpose of educating young people, developing faculty and staff, and conducting the necessary business of the school. Use of the internet/network is subject to monitoring for security and/or network management. Members of the school community may further be subject to limitations on their use of such resources. Students should refer to the harassment and bullying policies outlined in this Handbook and be aware that harassment and bullying occurring online among members of the school community, whether during or outside of school hours, is subject to disciplinary action.

The following conditions apply to all school-owned devices, as well as personal devices used on the St. Francis network: ● Students may not use the Internet for any illegal purpose, or upload/download/transmit any commercial software of copyrighted materials belonging to parties outside the school or to the school itself. ● Students may not visit Internet sites that contain illegal, obscene or hateful content which is objectionable or inappropriate for school. Neither shall users send or receive material that is obscene or defamatory or which is intended to annoy, harass, sexually engage, or intimidate another person. ● Students may not attempt to gain access to any network resources for which they are not authorized. ● Students may not attempt to circumvent, disable, or otherwise defeat any security measures present on school-owned devices or the St. Francis network. ● Students are prohibited from downloading or installing software or other applications onto school-owned devices. ● St. Francis provides printers for student use. Students are not to use the printers for personal use without prior approval from the Front Desk. St. Francis discourages excessive printing of images or pages with non-white backgrounds. ● Students are expected to treat all school property, including computers and related equipment, with care and respect. Any intentional damages will require payment for repair/replacement. ● Students are expected to treat each other’s computer folders and files with respect.

Tampering with or deleting others’ folders or files is considered a serious offense. ● All files, folders or other work created at school, or housed on any cloud-based services or computers owned or controlled by the school, are property of the school and subject to school review. All Internet sites visited at school are subject to school review. ● No food or drink is allowed while using any school-owned computer.

20

In addition, at the Goshen Campus: ● Students may use computers only when supervised by an adult​ . ● All social networking sites are blocked. ● All student use of computers, Internet, and printers must be for school-related purposes only. ● Students are prohibited from participating in personal chat groups, instant messaging, and sending non-school-related e-mail, except as directed by a teacher.

At the Downtown Campus, consistent with the belief that teenagers need to learn how to best manage their free time, students are permitted to use social networking and other non-academic sites during free periods/lunch on designated school computers in the Atrium Commons and Reading Room or on their own computers. ​ Students must comply with posted ​ notices regarding what specific computers may be used for (i.e., some computers may be reserved for academic use only).

Tobacco/Alcohol/Other Drugs Tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs (both illegal drugs and prescription drugs that are not prescribed for the person in question or not taken as directed) are health hazards to students and are incompatible with learning, in addition to being illegal for all (alcohol and other drugs) or the vast majority (tobacco) of our students. Use of these substances is not tolerated at school or at any School event, and students of any age will face serious disciplinary consequences as a result of such use. Please see the Downtown Campus section and Middle School section for additional information regarding disciplinary policies at the high school and middle school levels.

Tuition Tuition for the following school year is set each January by the Board of Trustees. A comprehensive statement regarding enrollment, re-enrollment, financial aid, and other details can be found in the Appendix at the end of this Handbook.

Visits to Campus Parent visits are welcomed at all campuses, although as the ages of the students change, so too do the tenor of these visits. Specific policies and requests are listed in each campus’s section.

Weapons No firearms or deadly weapons are allowed on the campuses of St. Francis School.

Additionally, the Preschool does not allow students to bring toy guns or other fighting-oriented or violent toys to school.

21

GOSHEN CAMPUS Preschool Credentials St. Francis Preschool is licensed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Human Resources and is recognized as an exemplary program by the Kentucky Department of Education. We are accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and are members of Community Coordinated Child Care. The Kentucky State Fire Marshal inspects the building annually. We have monthly fire drills and quarterly disaster drills for earthquake and tornado. The Jefferson County Health Department inspects us semi-annually.

We use a co-teaching model in our preschool program. Each age group has two experienced teachers working together as a team. Most of our teachers have college degrees and / or a minimum of 10 years working with young children. Our staff receives a minimum of 15 hours of continuing education each year, in addition to training in CPR and First Aid. Schedule Options Two Days Three Days Four Days Five Days

2 year olds 2 and 3 year olds 4 year olds 2, 3, and 4 year olds

Arrival and Departure A staff person will greet your child at the door between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m. Please have your child at school on time, by 9:00 a.m., as this aids in the transition between home and school, and our experience shows that late arrivals can cause children to have difficulty at school.

You may choose to drive through the carpool line to drop off your child or park in the lot and walk your child into his/her class. ​ Please do not park in the driveway​ .​ Do not leave your child if you do not see a staff person. If you arrive at school before 8:45 a.m., please walk your child(ren) into the building and leave them with a staff person in the 2s room.

Carpool identification will be given to those who participate. A staff member will walk your child to your car in carpool line. While you stay in the car, we will help your child with his or her car seat. If your child stays beyond 4:00 p.m. carpool, you will need to come into the building to pick up your child. Please park in the parking lot, not in the driveway. Please notify us in writing if a different person is picking up your child. Any time you come into the building, you will be required to sign in.

Please call and notify us if you will be late picking up your child.​ There is a late charge of $1 per minute. Please pay the staff person when you arrive at school. If a parent is consistently late in picking up his or her child, a conference will be scheduled with the Preschool Director to 22

address this concern.

Extended Hours Preschool morning hours for our Twos, Threes, and Fours students are from 8:45 - 11:45 a.m.

There are a variety of options, both morning and afternoon, which can extend the day for your child: ● Early Drop-off: 7:15 to 8:45 a.m. ● Lunch Bunch add-on: 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ● Full Afternoon add-on for morning preschoolers: 4:00 or 5:30 p.m.

Children may be signed up for one to five days a week, but you must select the same day(s) every week for a full semester or school year. There are no refunds or make-up days. The fees cover Extended Care on regular school days; during most vacation breaks, optional childcare is offered at additional cost if the service is needed by an average of 10 children per day.

Emergency drop-ins, at an additional charge, will be accepted if space is available. Drop-in charges are to be paid on the days they occur. Children will need a 2-inch mat, blanket and crib sheet for rest time; the mats may be purchased from us for $35 or a local school-supply store. Discount store mats typically don’t meet minimum requirements. No pillows, please.

Behavior/Discipline We use positive methods of discipline to help children develop self-control, self-direction, self-esteem and cooperative behavior. We try to help children learn to solve problems and use words to discuss their frustrations. We set consistent and simple rules that define the limits of behavior. We don’t use physical discipline or techniques that may threaten, shame, frighten or damage the self-esteem of a child. Discipline will not be associated with rest, food or bathroom use. Any behavior that can’t be managed at school will be discussed confidentially with the parents.

Children’s Records To satisfy Kentucky law and to meet the individual needs of our children, we keep health, attendance and development records on your child. All of the following must be turned in by the child’s first day: 1. Current Kentucky Immunization Certificate or exemption (medical or religious) form from physician 2. Copy of legal certificate of birth 3. Emergency treatment and field-trip permission form 4. Emergency contact number list, including cell phone numbers 5. List of persons authorized to pick up your child 6. List of food allergies Evacuation If emergency evacuation is ever needed, the children will be escorted to the school gym. Once the children are safely in their designated location, parents will be contacted. In case of tornado or earthquake, we will move away from windows and indoor hazards and seek cover 23

in designated tornado shelter areas are marked with a “T” on the Goshen campus. As with all inclement weather, radio stations will be monitored for the most up-to-date information.

Field Trips Outside excursions are an important, enjoyable extension of our program. Field trips provide the children with cultural opportunities and experiences that feed classroom learning. The four-year-old classes go on field trips. Teachers will notify parents of dates via classroom newsletters. Permission slips will be sent home well in advance of any field trip. Children will not be able to participate without a signed slip. We ask that all children wear their St. Francis School shirt on field trip days as a safety precaution that allows for quick recognition. Parents are welcome to chaperone on any field trips, but there may not be room on the bus for them to ride. Siblings may not ride the bus.

Food Snacks We provide nutritious morning and afternoon snacks that will include skim milk, water, or juice. The children might have muffins, crackers with cheese, cereal, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, or snack mix. Occasionally, as a class activity, the children will prepare their own snacks. If your child has allergies, please furnish appropriate snacks.

Lunch Sage Dining Services, which staffs a certified culinary arts manager and employs a certified staff nutritionist, manages our food service program. A nutritious lunch is provided for all children registered for lunch bunch and extended day programming. Preschoolers will eat lunch family style in preschool classroom areas. Skim milk will be served with lunch.

Birthdays Birthdays are special events at school. A nut free cookie cake can be purchased in advance from the school for birthday celebrations for $10. Cookie cake request forms can be picked up from the main office. Please give Food Services a five-day notice for all cookie cake requests.

We would welcome the gift of a hardcover book in honor of your child’s birthday. Parents may choose to purchase the book or to send in $15 and we will purchase a book for you.

Parents are invited to come in and read the story to their child’s class.

Parent Communication with Teachers Parent conferences are scheduled twice a year – in late fall and spring – but we are happy to set up other meetings with you.

Before the start of school each fall, the teachers invite each family (parents and children) to visit the classroom to get acquainted with the surroundings and learn more about the classroom activities. Teachers set appointments with each family.

If you have a classroom concern, please approach the teacher about the issue. If you feel the issue was not resolved, then contact the Preschool Director. If you have a policy concern, please contact the Preschool Director. If the issue still remains unresolved, then the Head of 24

School may be contacted.

Rest Time According to licensing regulations, Preschool-aged children who attend school all day must have a rest period. Children in the 4s have a 45 minute rest period after lunch. Children in the 2s and 3s rest for a maximum of two hours, each year our teachers evaluate the group’s needs in determining appropriate rest times.

Toilet Training If your child is still in diapers or potty training, please send five to six diapers or training pants daily in your child’s backpack OR you may leave a full package at school. Also, each parent will need to supply diaper wipes during the school year. If your child is potty training, send in three to four pairs of extra pants and underpants, plus extra shoes and socks.

Toys Every class has Show-and-Tell. We do not allow toy guns or other fighting-oriented or violent toys. We welcome books, CDs or board games at any time.

Transportation School bus transportation is provided for all field trips. State child-adult ratios will be enforced at all times. Parents are welcome to chaperone on any field trips, but there may not be room on the bus for them to ride. Siblings may not ride the bus.

Visiting the Preschool We love to have you accompany us on field trips or come see our periodic puppet shows and participate in our monthly school-wide sing-a-longs. During the year, we plan many family activities that you are invited to attend, including a Halloween parade, Thanksgiving luncheon and a Derby Tea at school.

If a parent or other family member wishes to visit a child’s classroom, it is necessary to arrange with the director and/or teacher in advance. For our youngest students, it is helpful to prepare them in advance for a special visitor. If you wish to join us for lunch, it is helpful to know ahead of time, so food service can send the appropriate amount of food.

25

Junior Kindergarten-8th ​​Grade Grades JK-4 are considered Lower School. Lower School students are assigned a lead teacher, who is the primary point of contact for both parents and students. This lead area is where the student’s belongings are housed and where s/he will begin and end the day.

Jennifer Griffith serves as the Lower School Dean and oversees all Lower School teachers, curriculum, and student progress.

Grades 5-8 are considered Middle School at St. Francis. Middle School students are assigned an Advisor, who changes each year, and is, like the Lower School lead teacher, the primary th​ th​ point of contact for parents and students. 5​ and 6​ graders keep their belongings near their th​ th​ Advisor’s area and 7​and 8​graders are assigned lockers.

Reed Gabhart, Head of Goshen Campus, oversees all Middle School teachers, curriculum, and student progress.

Academic Program The Elizabeth Archibald Effort Award It has long been a tradition at St. Francis School to recognize students’ effort instead of academic performance. Every quarter each subject area breaks down the effort in their course along two key areas. Students will receive effort marks on a 1-5 scale in those different areas.

This allows for specific feedback related to observable behaviors. Here are components the faculty take into consideration in assigning these numbers: ● arriving on time ● using time productively ● having a positive attitude toward learning ● demonstrating positive participation in large/small groups ● listening and following directions ● completing work and turning it in on time ● organizing materials; using planner ● cleaning up ● following the rules the class has generated ​ At the end of the year, the Elizabeth Archibald Effort Award, named for a long-time St. Francis teacher and administrator, is awarded in grades 5 - 8 to a select group of students the faculty choose who are deemed to have shown the highest effort towards their classwork throughout the entire school year. This special certificate is awarded by the Head of Campus at the final assembly of the year, and the list is published in year-end publications.

Homework St. Francis School recognizes that for most JK-8 children, homework in ​ limited​ quantities 26

reinforces concepts, work habits, and good time management. Too much homework actually diminishes learning.

Weekly homework assignments can be found on our website. For Lower School students, the assignments listed on the site may be general and further contact with the teacher may be necessary. For example, spelling words are determined weekly based on the skill level and interests of each student. The lead teacher’s website may say spelling words are assigned on Monday and spelling sentences are due on Wednesday. However, you would need to contact the teacher to determine your child’s spelling words. For Middle School students, teachers will list the following week’s assignments on their websites not later than Friday of the preceding week. Faculty websites are accessed through the school website (www.stfrancsschool.org).

Please do not fax or email homework to school. We want students to be responsible for their own work.

Library Located at the heart of the school, our library media center is a place to read, study, socialize, and dream. In the Lower School, each grade has a weekly, 50-minute library media class. In addition to B.E.A.R. (Be Excited About Reading) Story Time, children are introduced to and continue building basic library skills. Middle School students have a flexible library schedule and use the library as needed.

Parent volunteers are very welcome and needed to help with the ongoing shelving and to organize our book fairs. Children love having their parents in the library.

Every member of our St. Francis community is invited to celebrate our library and help build our collection by donating already-purchased books to honor birthdays, special holidays, grandparents, or teachers.

Standardized Testing Program The primary purpose of standardized testing at St. Francis is to assess the school’s curriculum against national norms, not to compare students to their peers. Students in grades 4-7 take the Stanford Achievement Tests each spring. Test results will be made available to parents on an individual basis during fall conferences the following year.

Summer Reading Reading is the single most effective summer activity to prevent learning loss. Research shows that students who spend as little as 20 minutes a day reading over the summer months gain or maintain reading skills achieved during the preceding school year, while those who do not read may fall back as much as a grade level in their skills.

Summer reading assignments and optional recommendations are available at the start of summer. The lists are grade-specific, and usually combine required and elective texts with writing assignments.

27

Supplies All students are responsible for coming to class prepared with appropriate books and supplies. Books are provided by the school and are distributed periodically to students.

General, grade-specific school supply lists are available on the website.

Lost or damaged books and any other school-provided items must be replaced at the parents’ expense.

Attendance As noted in the All-School section of this Handbook, being at school and being on time are extremely important to the learning process. If a student accumulates an excessive number of absences or tardies in any one trimester, a phone call or conference with the parents will be requested. There is no substitute for classroom attendance in regard to comprehension of academic material. Excessive missing of class may hamper academic performance and could result in an incomplete grade on the student’s progress report.

When students will miss school, Natalie Bruner in the Main Office must be notified by 9:00 a.m. If a student must leave early for an appointment, please communicate that to both Natalie and to the lead teacher/advisor. Students must sign out in the Main Office before leaving.

Students absent due to illness will be able to make up homework assignments given on the day(s) missed. If a child will be absent for an extended period of time, books and assignments will be gathered by the lead teacher/Advisor and will be available for pickup in the Main Office.

Behavior/Discipline The most comprehensive expression of student expectations is contained in the St. Francis Eagle Code: As a member of the St. Francis Community, I practice compassion, cooperation, and responsibility. I respect myself, others, and the environment. I act with honor and integrity.

Expectations regarding student behavior are not limited to the regular school day, but also include conduct on the bus, at any extracurricular activities at school or elsewhere, and at any other St. Francis-related function. When off campus, students represent not only themselves, but also all members of the St. Francis community. Behavioral guidelines will be explained prior to any trip or function. Behavior that jeopardizes the safety of anyone will result in immediate removal from the trip or function.

Disciplinary action will be taken according to individual circumstances and usually follows a hierarchy of increasing consequences. For more routine disciplinary situations (not turning in homework, disrupting the learning process, etc), students may receive a performance memo or “pink slip” that is signed by the student, parent, and issuing teacher or administrator.

Conduct more serious in nature will require a meeting with the Head of School and Head of 28

the Goshen Campus and may warrant immediate consequences up to, and including, detention, suspension or expulsion at the discretion of the Head of School.

Detentions: Students receiving a detention stay after school supervised by the Head of Campus until 4:30 p.m. The student will reflect on their choice of behavior and write a response to several prompts about their choices and future actions. ​ Parents must pick up the student in person at 4:30.

Suspensions: Suspensions can either be in-school, or out-of-school. In-school suspensions are generally for one day and are more common. Again, the student will receive counseling and supervision from the Head of Campus, or School Counselor, or teachers involved and will again write a reflection on their choices. They may be allowed to do homework during the day, but will not interact with their peers. Parents will pick them up at the end of the school day.

Out-of-school suspensions are more rare and are reserved for when students may pose a threat to classmates or for major violations. The duration of an out-of-school suspension is up to the Head of School and Head of Campus.

Examples of these types of serious behavior include: 1. Fighting or behavior that threatens the safety of others 2. Stealing 3. Vandalism and/or destruction of property 4. Cheating/plagiarism/dishonesty (see Appendix for the Cheating and Plagiarism policy) 5. Making threats of harm (in any venue: in-person, via text or email, through social media, etc.) against a member of the SFS community 6. Using any kind of alcohol or other drugs or tobacco (including e-cigarettes) at school or a school-sponsored event 7. Bringing any kind of weapon to school 8. Multiple Serious Offenses Students are reminded that they are expressly forbidden to leave the Goshen Campus at any time, unless picked up by a parent or approved guardian. The same holds true for any St. Francis-sponsored function away from campus.

The Goshen Campus, along with the Downtown Campus, adheres to the School’s Harassment and Bullying Policies, which can be found in the Appendix to this Handbook. Students should be aware that both these policies are in full effect as regards St. Francis students at all times (e.g., if two St. Francis students are involved, it does not matter whether the harassment/ bullying takes place during school hours and on campus, or outside). Parents should familiarize themselves with both policies. While we take harassment and bullying very seriously, not all incidents between children fall into these categories. Harassment and bullying have specific definitions, which are outlined clearly in the policies.

Birthdays Students are invited to the office to receive a special ribbon or sticker on their birthdays. The school can provide a nut-free giant celebration cookie to mark birthdays and special events for 29

a $10 fee. The students love these cookies! You can get a form to request a cookie from the office or the website. Requests for cookies are due at least five days in advance, which allows enough time for Food Services to order what is needed.

We invite every member of our St. Francis community to celebrate children’s birthdays by donating one of the library’s already-purchased books on our gift list. A bookplate is placed inside the front cover to honor your child, and the book is then placed on the shelves.

Carpool and Bus Procedures Carpool Morning Drop-Off - 8:15 - 8:30 a.m.

Students are tardy at 8:35. When determining when to leave home, please consider the time needed to safely progress through the carpool line. ● All students are to enter the building at the Main Entrance. ● Parents wishing to accompany their child/ren into the building on the first few days of school must park in a regular parking space.

Afternoon Dismissal – 3:30 – 3:45 p.m. ● All bus riders​ board and leave from the gym parking lot th​ ● 5th – 8​Grade car riders​ will be picked up from the gym parking lot. ● K- 4th Grade car riders​ will be picked up from the front of the school.

Families picking up both Lower and Middle School students​ will pick them up at the front of the school.

Picking your child/children up late from school causes a hardship for teachers on duty. Many of them have after-school obligations. As always, when there is a change in your child’s schedule, you must communicate this to the lead teacher/Advisor. Each day, a Daily Sheet is typed listing these notes. This allows the bus drivers and school personnel to know what is planned for the child. It makes dismissal easier and prevents frantic last-minute calls to parents. It is very upsetting to young children if they are unsure what to do at the end of the school day.

Since no child can be left unsupervised on campus, if you are late picking up your child, s/he will be sent to our Enrichment Program or Homework Hall. (See details on those programs for related charges.) If you know you will be late, please call the school office so we can inform your child ahead of time of the arrangements made.

We ask all parents to abide by these rules of arrivals and dismissals to allow for a continuous traffic flow. Visitors and parents wishing to park and enter the school should park in designated parking spaces. Handicapped parking is reserved for vehicles displaying a handicapped emblem. Do not park in an unmarked spot in order to walk a child in or out of school.

30

Parking is not allowed at the school entrance at any time—blocking this Fire Lane is a major safety hazard.

When lightning is present during morning or afternoon carpool, faculty and staff may not be able to assist students at the curbside. The school advises parents to wait in their cars for the danger to clear. No student will be counted tardy for waiting out a lightning storm.

Bus Service Bus rates and routes for each school year are determined in July. Bus contracts are sent to parents at that time as part of a large summer mailing.

The price structure includes transportation for one-way or round-trip contracted riders for five days. We do not offer part-time packages.

Each child riding the bus must have a contract. Bus tags are distributed early in the year for contracted children to attach to their backpacks. Students without tags may not ride the bus until a contract is arranged. Purchasing activity bus tickets in place of contracting for the yearly ridership is not allowed.

If you have any questions considering ridership or fees, contact Greg Borders, Director of Director of Business Operations (795-3369 or gborders@stfrancisschool.org)​ .

It is our policy that no child is left at a contracted bus stop if a parent is not there, nor is a child allowed to walk home from the stop. However, if you feel your child is old enough and responsible enough to walk home from his/her contracted bus stop, please send Greg Borders a written letter of permission that will be kept on file for the school year.

If a parent fails to retrieve their child or inform the school of other arrangements, the child will be returned to school.

Parents who fail to pick up their children on time will forfeit their bus privileges.

Activity Bus An activity bus/van is available at an additional cost for transportation following after-school enrichment/study hall and extracurricular activities. The bus leaves from the Goshen Campus at 5:30 p.m. Families may purchase individual tickets from the school office at $6.00 each or a packet of 10 tickets for $54.00. Students must have a ticket before boarding the bus. The Activity Bus stops are St. Francis in the Fields Church, The Temple (Lime Kiln and US Hwy 42), Christ Church United Methodist (Blankenbaker and Brownsboro Rd.), and Rite Aid (Chenoweth and Brownsboro Rd.).

Conduct on Buses Student behavior on school buses falls under the same guidelines as general school behavior.

The bus driver has responsibility for the well-being of students while they are aboard, and thus has absolute authority during bus rides. Following are a few guidelines: 31

● If a discipline problem occurs on the morning route, the student(s) involved will meet with the Lower School Dean, Head of Campus, and/or Head of School. ● Children must remain seated at all times. ● Nothing may be put outside the window at any time. This includes appendages and possessions. ● A student may be asked to sit in front for discipline reasons, regardless of grade. ● No food, drinks, or candies are allowed on the bus. Bottled water is fine. ● Students may listen to small portable music devices or play hand-held video games, provided they use headphones or turn the sound down.

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices Use of cell phones, including both calling and text messaging, is not permitted ​ during the school day.​ ​ If a student brings a cell phone to school, it must remain in the student’s locker or backpack during school hours.

If students need to contact parents for any reason during the day, they must get permission to use the office phone. We do ask that all personal arrangements (going home with another student, etc.) be made the night before. Students may use the office phone to communicate with their parents when an after-school activity is cancelled or for other such reasons. Also, Middle School students may text or phone their parents ​ after school hours​ for convenience and to ease the demand on the office phone.

All other electronic devices (iPods, handheld video games, etc.) must also remain in backpacks/lockers during school hours. If a student is a repeat offender in violating these requests, his/her phone may be confiscated, with it being returned to parents after school.

Emergency Drills Fire Drills The signal for a fire drill is the continuous sound of the fire alarm horn. Faculty members guide their students quietly to the nearest available exit. The entire school assembles on the far sideline of the soccer field, where students are then matched with their lead teachers.

Preschool faculty will guide preschoolers to the far side of the natural playground. An all-clear signal for returning to the building will be given at the conclusion of the drill. Fire drills occur at least monthly.

Tornado Drills The signal for a tornado drill is the air horn alarm. When this alarm is sounded, faculty members guide their students to a designated shelter area. These areas are marked with a “T” on the wall near the door. Everyone is instructed to avoid windows and exterior doors and walls. Students and faculty remain in their designated shelter areas until an “all clear” message is received. Designated shelter areas are updated annually. Tornado drills are performed several times during the year.

32

Extracurricular Activities Sports Lower School students generally compete on teams organized by the school through various community organizations. Interscholastic competition begins in Middle School for most sports at St. Francis. Every student is encouraged to develop skills and to be an active member of a team. All students who regularly attend practice will participate in games. A brochure explaining the options available at each grade level is produced each year.

Extracurricular Activities A regular brochure details extracurricular offerings at each grade level, ranging from our very successful drama program to chess, Legos, science, and other opportunities.

Enrichment Program (JK-4) The St. Francis School Enrichment Program provides activities that promote physical fitness, creative problem solving, socialization, communication skills, and, above all, fun! The structure of the Enrichment Program follows the standards set forth by our mission statement.

Enrichment Options for the 2015-16 School Year: â—? 3:35 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. $22 per day Please notify the school office as early as possible, but not later than 9:00 on the day of service, to schedule Enrichment attendance. In order to serve our students well and safely, space is limited and made available on a first come basis.

Billing invoices are mailed monthly by the Business Office. Monthly billing is based on the prior month’s attendance record.

All students must be signed out each day with the Enrichment Director. Enrichment closes at 5:30 p.m. each day and a late fee may be assessed for all late pick-ups.

The Enrichment Program may be offered at an additional fee during Parent Teacher Conferences, the ISACS Conference, Fall Break, Winter Break, and/or Spring Break, provided there is sufficient interest.

Homework Hall (5-8) A program of The Learning Center, academic and organizational assistance is provided to students from class dismissal until 5:30 p.m. The daily fee is $17.

Students are expected to arrive immediately after their last class. They should bring their planners and study materials. If they do not have any unfinished assignments, they should bring an activity that can be done quietly. Portable music and handheld game players are not permitted.

Parents who wish their children to attend Homework Hall will be invoiced by the Business 33

Office once per month, based on the prior month’s attendance. Daily attendance records will be maintained by the Homework Hall Monitor.

Students who wish to use Homework Hall on an occasional basis must notify the office by 9:00 that school day. Drop-in requests are honored, if space is available.

Homework Hall closes at 5:30 p.m.

Field Trips Parents sign blanket permission slips for field trips at the beginning of each year, as part of the Student Family Information Form. These forms are kept on file. Parents are advised of plans and schedules before all trips. Transportation for field trips is either by contracted bus or St. Francis school bus.

The annual Middle School grade level trips are designed to be a value-added experience for each specific class. They offer the students the opportunity to travel off campus and share in experiences that help to bond each class into a tighter knit group within the context of the larger school community. Our trips are unique given the fact that St. Francis School teachers lead and run each grade program. Given the nature of these trips, parents should expect separate fees to cover travel, equipment, food, and lodging expenses. ● The annual 5th grade trip travels to Natural Bridge State Park where they explore the historic trails with Park Rangers/Naturalists. The trip is typically two days long and students will stay overnight in the Park lodge. ● Our 6th grade adventure takes place at the Pine Mountain Settlement School, where, over the course of a week students are immersed in the ecology of the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Students will be housed in the dormitories on the School campus. ● The 7th graders journey to Mammoth Cave National Park for three days of exploration of the expansive cave system. This trip also gives the students an opportunity to sleep under the stars in the Park campground. ● Our 8th grade trip is the culmination of our Outdoor Program and takes place in the Big South Fork National Recreation and Wilderness Area in northern Tennessee. The students will practice "no trace camping" skills during this week long backpacking adventure through the winding trails of the Cumberland Plateau, cooking their own meals and purifying water. The retreat like emphasis of this trip also offers students an opportunity for continued personal growth making it one of the touchstone St. Francis experiences alumni fondly recall​ .

Health Please also refer to the Health section in the All-School section of this Handbook.

The Goshen Campus is a peanut-/tree nut-free campus. We have students with severe allergies to these and other foods. Any foods brought in for birthday/class/special event parties should be commercially prepared or store-bought with legible ingredient lists. ​ We strongly recommend ​ that parents order a peanut- and tree nut- free birthday cookie from the school kitchen for $10. A five-day advance notification is requested. Orders can be placed 34

online from our website, or hard copies are available in the main office.

Students: Help be a PAL (Protect A Life) by: 1. Never take food allergies lightly.

2. Don’t share your food with food-allergic friends.

3. Wash your hands after eating.

4. Ask what your friends are allergic to and help them avoid it.

5. If an allergic schoolmate becomes ill, get help immediately!

Allergic symptoms include: ● Vomiting ● Swelling of the face and lips ● Difficulty breathing ● Coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes ● Skin that’s bumpy, red, and itchy Responsibilities of Families with Food Allergies: 1. Food Allergy Action Plan: Notify the school of your child’s allergies on the information form sent out before the start of each school year. If the allergies are severe, fill out a Food Allergy Action Plan (form available from the main office). Please fill out the form completely, have it signed by a physician and attach a current photo of your child. Be sure to provide current emergency contact information.

2. EpiPens/Medication: Please provide four sets of properly labeled medication, medicine dispensers and a copy of the Food Allergy Action Plan in a Ziploc-type bag for the following locations throughout the school: child’s classroom, main office, multipurpose room, and gymnasium. Please do so for each child with a food allergy. Parents are responsible for checking the expiration date of the medication provided.

3. After-School Care: Please provide an additional set of medication if your child stays for Enrichment.

4. “Safe” Treat Box: If necessary, please provide “safe” non-perishable treats for your child in a small plastic box with a lid, labeled with your child’s name. This box will be kept in your child’s classroom. If your child attends Enrichment, provide a box for that area as well.

5. Educate your child on the self-management of their food allergy, including: a. Safe and unsafe foods b. Strategies for avoiding exposure to unsafe foods: i.

No trading food with others ii.

No eating anything with unknown ingredients iii.

No eating anything known to contain any allergen c. Symptoms of allergic reactions d. How and when to tell an adult they may be having an allergy-related problem e. How to read food labels 6. Communication: Please discuss your child’s food allergies with your child’s teachers, the food service team, Enrichment Director, club or team coach, and any other school faculty/staff member you feel appropriate. This should be done at the beginning of the 35

school year and anytime throughout the year as necessary.

Lost and Found Articles and clothing lost at school are kept in the “Lost and Found” areas. These areas are found next to the exit near the Library, and in the entry to the Gymnasium. Small items, such as cell phones or jewelry, are generally turned in to the front office.

Remember to mark your child’s name in all clothing. Parents are asked to check the “Lost and Found” occasionally during the year. At the end of the school year, unclaimed items are donated to an area charity.

Lunch/Snacks/Food Services St. Francis School provides a balanced and nutritious daily snack and lunch menu. SAGE Dining Services, which staffs a certified culinary arts manager and employs a certified staff nutritionist, manages our food service program. Monthly dining menus are available on the St. Francis School website. Mid-morning snacks are provided to all St. Francis School students.

Primary students (K-2) also receive an afternoon snack.

If your child has allergies or special dietary requirements, please discuss those with the main office and the child’s lead teacher or advisor. St. Francis School does not serve food that contains peanuts or tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.). Thorough hand washing after eating will help minimize the probability of allergic exposure.

Students are allowed to bring their own lunches, but may not bring candy, soft drinks, or gum.

Parent Communication/Progress Reports/Conferences Communication with parents is a top priority. Faculty and staff are expected to return phone messages and emails within a business day of their receipt. Phone extensions and email addresses are listed earlier in this Handbook.

Progress reports are sent electronically to parents four times during the year, at the completion of quarters ending in October, December, March, and May. An interim progress report is sent mid-quarter to parents of any new students, or for students who need commentary on academics and/or behavior.

Parent-teacher conferences are held twice each year (October, March). An email link is sent out in advance of conferences so that parents can sign up for times for the teachers they wish to see.

Parents are always encouraged to contact the lead teacher/Advisor or a particular subject-area teacher directly with any concerns or questions. Any general concerns or questions, including academic, behavioral, and social issues, should be communicated about with the lead teacher/Advisor. If necessary, after communication with the lead teacher/advisor, parents may wish to contact the appropriate division head (for Lower School, Jennifer Griffith, Lower School Dean, and for Middle School, Reed Gabhart, Head of 36

Goshen Campus).

Visits We welcome parents to join their children for lunch and birthday celebrations. Please contact the lead teacher/Advisor to schedule a visit. If you wish to visit a class, please contact the teacher of that class or coordinate through the lead teacher/Advisor. Upon arrival at school, all visitors – including parents – must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor’s tag. If a parent or other family member wishes to visit a child’s classroom, it is necessary to make arrangements in advance. We ask that these visits be limited to one or two per school year so that classes are not disrupted.

Prospective student visits (shadow days) can be scheduled through the Admissions Office.

Alumni are always welcome to visit the school and can make arrangements with the Head of the Campus, via Natalie Bruner in the Main Office.

37

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS 9th ​​– 12th ​​Grades The Downtown Campus houses grades 9-12 of St. Francis School. Suzanne Gorman is the Head of Downtown Campus, overseeing all High School teachers, curriculum, and student progress. Ralph Marshall is the Dean of Faculty for the High School, and has responsibility for faculty and curriculum.

The two cardinal rules from which all others derive at the High School are these: What you do, say, or wear may not disrupt the learning process; and Respect yourself, others, and others’ property.

Academic Program Curriculum St. Francis offers a challenging academic program, requiring a total of 22 credits for graduation with the following minimum distribution requirements: English Four credits History Three credits, one of which must be U.S. History Mathematics Three credits in high school, including required credits in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II; students must enroll in math all four years (beginning with the Class of 2017) Sciences Three credits, including one laboratory biological science and one laboratory physical science World Languages Two consecutive years of the same language in high school Art One credit of Foundation Studio Art Fitness, Health & Skills One credit in the freshman year Athletics Three athletic activities (see below for more info) Senior Project One credit in the senior year All students wishing to be granted a diploma at the St. Francis graduation ceremony must have all of their credits awarded by the Monday of graduation week. They must also remain in good overall standing through the date of graduation.

Seniors must still carry a full course load (at least 5 academic classes) even if they do not need all of those course credits toward the 22 required for graduation.

Registration for returning students will take place in the spring with assistance from the Head of Downtown Campus and the Registrar. Course selection forms must be signed by the student, parent and Advisor. Students can consult with the Head of Downtown Campus and the Registrar with any questions about challenging/appropriate course loads or graduation requirements; they also may want to speak with their Advisors and with teachers of courses they are considering. Returning students should be aware that anyone who fails a required course and does not show evidence of completion of that credit by August should expect to be re-enrolled in that course (or enrolled in a course that provides equivalent credit), regardless 38

of their course selections.

Students should note that all due effort to meet their course requests will be made, but requests for enrollment in specific courses cannot be fulfilled in every situation.

Registration for new students may include review of previous high school transcripts, discussions with previous teachers, and/or math and world language placement tests/interviews.

Athletic Activity Requirement Policy​ At St. Francis School, we believe that participating in athletics is an important component to a well-rounded secondary education. The concepts of teamwork, ethical play, discipline, and time management are invaluable to one’s future success in college as well as the global arena.

In addition, we believe that robust support for the athletics program is important in fostering a healthy school community. ​ th​ All students who enter St. Francis in the 9​ grade must complete three athletic activities (one in each year—9th, 10th, and 11th grades—until the requirement is met) in order to be eligible th​ for graduation. Requirements are pro-rated for transfer students (transfers into 10​ grade th​ need two; transfers into 11​grade need one). Students transferring into a grade after the first th​ quarter are bound by the requirements of the following year (e.g., a transfer into 9​ grade in November is considered a sophomore for these purposes and needs two).

One athletic activity can consist of any of the following; other options are also possible and can be discussed with the Athletic Director. ● Participating on a varsity, junior varsity, or freshman athletic team during the academic year. (The athletic participation requirement will not be met for student-athletes whose attendance at team practices, games, events, or other functions falls below 70%.) ● Acting as a full-time manager of a varsity athletic team during the academic year. ● Participating in the weightlifting club, or other approved athletic extracurricular offering, for a minimum of thirty-six hours or the equivalent of a semester, with each session lasting at least one hour in duration. ● Serving as an athletic administrative aide during a free period for a minimum of 36 hours in one semester or the equivalent of a semester; duties would include tasks like website maintenance and office support. ● Serving as a photographer for athletics covering a complete sports season (e.g. fall, winter, or spring). ● Providing 50 hours of documented athletic support in one calendar year (support includes attending an athletic event for at least half of the contest, and volunteering to help the athletic department in any of its fundraising capacities and events). ● Participating substantially in an athletic endeavor outside of school (application to have an outside-school activity count must be made to the Athletic Director at the beginning of the school year; requests will be reviewed and decided on a case-by-case basis by the Athletic Director) 39

The Freshman Health/Fitness class does not fulfill an athletic activity requirement, although students will earn academic credit for the course.

Books, Lockers and Supplies Textbooks and supplementary materials for full-year courses are purchased by students in August prior to the start of school. Used books are sold by the Parent Association at SFS and new books are sold at school through Gray’s Bookstore. ​ While it is certainly true that books can be procured online and elsewhere, we provide this as a convenience service to our parents and it is important to note that the School receives a portion of the sales of books through Gray’s.

Consumable supplies such as paper, pencil, pens, and notebooks are provided by the student.

At the Book Sale, each student selects a locker for his or her use throughout the year, with locker areas designated by grade. Students provide their own locks, if desired.

Credits from Other Schools Students who do not receive credit for a course during the school year may be required to make up the credit. The Head of Downtown Campus will contact parents of students who need to complete summer work in the weeks immediately following the end of school and will provide appropriate options and referrals. While credit will be granted for summer work done through appropriate channels, any grade received in a summer course will not factor into the student’s grade point average.

For students who transfer from other high schools, credit will be counted toward graduation and the transcript from the previous school will be attached to the St. Francis transcript.

Letter grades from courses taken outside St. Francis will not count in the St. Francis grade point average.

Dropping/Adding Courses Students may drop or add non-required courses by meeting with the Head of Downtown Campus and/or Registrar during the first week of the semester. Students wishing to drop or add courses after the first week of the semester must obtain a Drop/Add form from the Registrar. The form must be signed by the student, the student’s parents, all teachers involved, the student's Advisor, and the Head of Downtown Campus. Courses may be dropped or added after the second full week of the semester only with special permission from the Head of Downtown Campus and/or Registrar.

Students in their 9th and 10th grade years follow a mostly proscribed schedule of classes. In the 11th and 12th grade years, students take at least five academic classes (not including art) and may take six if they wish. Students and parents with any questions about course load or overall credits should contact the Head of Downtown Campus or Registrar.

Exams At the end of each semester, a written examination or, in occasional cases, alternative 40

demonstration of mastery is scheduled for each core curricular course. Exams are considered a natural extension of classroom learning that create connections and synthesize themes and elements of a course. Exams count at most 20% of a student's semester grade, and no less than 10%, at the discretion of the teacher. All students will take a written exam in each core subject area course, although in the spring semester, seniors will be allowed to complete their exams prior to their week off in May (see Senior Privileges below). Students in Advanced Placement courses who choose not to take the AP exam will have a final assessment; exams for students who are taking the AP exam are at the discretion of the teacher.

Each of the five core subject areas will be covered during exams. The following regulations will govern semester exam taking at St. Francis: ● No food or drink is to be brought into the exam room, with the exception of bottled water. ● Backpacks, purses, cell phones, etc. are to be stowed in a designated area. Cell phones must be turned off. ● Headphones are not permitted. ● Bathroom trips are to be allowed only in the case of an emergency and with an escort. ● Any laptop/computer use needs to be pre-arranged with the teacher and the Head of Downtown Campus ahead of time. Only students whose Learning Difference Accommodations permit may use laptops (see below). ● Teachers determine if any extra materials (texts, index cards, etc.) are allowed for their exams. ● Special exam accommodations are permitted if either of the following criteria are met: 1. The student has a certified learning difference and has previous permission for a specific accommodation 2. The student and teacher have an agreement on a specific accommodation based on their experience throughout the year in that particular course.

AP exams occur on nationally set days, usually during the first two weeks of May. Students taking an AP exam are exempted from attending other classes that day, except if they have other AP courses meeting for which the AP exam has not yet occurred, or if they are in danger of not achieving credit for a course, in which case they must attend those classes if they fall outside the AP exam time.

Grades The High School uses letter grades, together with teacher comments, to describe what students have learned and to identify areas of deficiency. Our goal is for students to master the knowledge and skills that are the objectives of the courses they are taking. This mastery, at a satisfactory level of achievement, is the meaning of a C, and a C should be considered by parents as genuinely acceptable if it represents good effort. An A is difficult to achieve and is evidence of outstanding effort and scholarship.

A B C 41

Truly outstanding work.

Mastery of course requirements at a level significantly higher than satisfactory.

Completion of course requirements at a satisfactory level of achievement.

NC (No Credit) Course work has not been satisfactorily completed.

INC (Incomplete) Due to factors beyond the control of the student, some number of course requirements have not been met. Students need to make up this incomplete work in timely fashion.

Teachers who grade on a percentage scale use the following conversion: A+, 98-100; A, 92-97; A-, 90-91; B+, 88-89; B, 82-87; B-, 80-81; C+, 78-79; C, 72-77; C-, 70-71; NC, 0-69.

St. Francis School calculates grade-point averages each semester on a 4.0 scale. Letter grades are translated to grade points as follows: A+ 4.3 points, A 4.0, A- 3.7, B+ 3.3, B 3.0, B- 2.7 C+ 2.3, C 2.0, C- 1.7, NC 0.0. Letter grades for AP courses are weighted an additional one point.

Students who wish to appeal a grade or question a comment should first speak with the teacher involved. If not satisfied, the student can then appeal to the Head of Downtown Campus.

Homework/Tests/Papers In order to achieve the goals of a course, work needs to be done outside of class. The amount of this work will vary from day to day and course to course, and will generally increase as a student progresses through the grade levels. All teachers are expected to post upcoming homework assignments on their web pages. Teachers are also expected to evaluate all of the work they assign and return it to the student with meaningful feedback. ​ Students should know the school’s Plagiarism and Cheating policy (see Appendix) and consult teachers any time they have questions about what is acceptable and what is not.

No student will be required to have more than two major tests given and/or papers due on the same day.

Assignments over Fall and Semester Breaks are not to be made by any teacher. Assignments over Winter and Spring Breaks are at the discretion of teachers.

It is school policy that assignments will not be accepted for passing credit after the due date set by the teacher. This means that late work will earn a grade of less than 70. But failure to turn in an assignment at all results in a zero, so students are reminded that late is better than never.

Honor Roll The Honor Roll in the High School at St. Francis consists of students who earn grades of B- or higher in all their classes and is determined on a semester basis. Seniors who make the Honor Roll for their final four semesters in high school will be recognized at the graduation ceremony as Honors Graduates.

The Learning Center (TLC) Emily Boyle is TLC Coordinator on the Downtown Campus; TLC Director is Claudia McCrocklin. TLC services include contracted one-on-one academic support in the areas of 42

organizational skills, executive function skills, study skills, clarifying/managing assignments; content tutoring; standardized test prep for PSAT/SAT/ACT; and ESL tutoring. After-school Homework Hall (supervised study/planning time) is also available from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Standardized Testing th​ th​ The PSAT is administered to all 10​ and 11​ grades on the nationally designated day, usually th​ mid-October. 10​graders also take the PLAN (pre-ACT) test, usually in the spring. The College Advisor can provide information about these tests and will communicate with parents regarding the results. She will also work with families to determine the best timeframe for students to take the ACT and/or SAT. Summer Reading Every year, a book is designated as mandatory summer reading for the whole school th​ (students, faculty, and staff), including incoming 9​ graders. Students also complete sketchbook entries regarding the book. Details are made available in May, and posted online.

In addition, students read a book of their choice from a provided list. Students taking AP classes for which there is assigned summer reading may substitute an AP book for the book of choice. The all-school book is always mandatory, regardless of other reading load.

Teacher Web Pages Each teacher will maintain a classroom web page, accessible through the school web site, that should be checked regularly for assignments, homework, documents, and files that teachers wish to share with their students. Tests and project due dates may also be checked on the teacher web pages. Students are expected to check the web pages for their respective classes regularly for updates and information. Parents may also access these pages to inform themselves about curriculum and assignments. Pages are accessible through the school’s website.

Arriving and Departing Students are given key cards that access the building between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Students must depart by 4:45 p.m. unless they are staying for a particular activity under the supervision of a faculty or staff member.

With a permission slip signed by a parent, students may leave early when they have a free period at the end of the day. They must sign out, and ​ this privilege is revoked if they are grounded.​ A student’s permission to leave early may be revoked by the Head of Downtown Campus or Head of School.

Students are encouraged to use public transportation or form carpools. If asked, students must produce a TARC ID to receive the student fare rate. The Louisville Free Public Library issues PowerPlus cards that double as library card and TARC ID. These are issued to students by the library through the school, and generally are issued in the late winter of each year.

New students may wish to obtain a TARC ID on their own before this time.

Students who drive their own cars or ride their own bicycles to school may not use them during 43

the school day for any reason other than returning home after all classes are finished, going on pre-arranged school trips, or leaving with permission of parents for an appointment.

Students may drive their own cars or ride in another student’s car on school-sponsored trips only when permission has been granted by the faculty or staff member in charge of the trip, and parents have indicated on the information sheets filled out at the start of the school year that this is acceptable.

Students may contract with the Business Office for parking space in the school’s lot or may make arrangements to park elsewhere.

Attendance As noted in the General section of this Handbook, regular and timely attendance is vital to the learning process for our students. Students should arrive at school in time to check in​ by 8:30 ​ a.m. with a designated teacher in Morning Meeting (Monday – Thursday) or their Advisor (Friday). We suggest students plan to arrive by 8:20 a.m. Students who have two free periods as the first and second periods in the day may come in late (in time for their third period class or Flex time, for which they must be at school) on Mondays through Thursdays. (Being grounded revokes the privilege of coming in late with two free periods.) All students, regardless of free period timing, must be at school by 8:30 on Fridays because of Advisee Groups.

If students arrive after 8:30 a.m., they must sign in on the sheet at the Front Desk, and will be considered tardy.

We believe that students of high school age should be responsible for getting themselves up and to school on time. Excessive tardiness​ for any reason​ is detrimental to the student who is habitually late, as well as to classmates and teachers. We understand that traffic, among other things, may sometimes cause tardiness, and therefore we do not penalize students for their first four tardies in each quarter. ● After a student’s fourth tardy, s/he is grounded for one day for each subsequent tardy in a quarter. ● After the seventh and eleventh tardy in one quarter, parents will be notified ● Upon a student's ninth tardy of the quarter and for each subsequent tardy, the student will have a one-hour afternoon detention in addition to the automatic grounding. ("Grounded" students lose their privilege to sign out of school.) ● Upon a student's 13th tardy of the quarter, a family conference with the Head of School and/or Head of Downtown Campus is convened, and the student is suspended for a day.

Any tardiness that results in a student's missing a class will be arbitrated under the class cut policy (see the Behavior and Discipline section).

Medical appointments and illness (both with parental notification to the school) are the only reasons a tardy will generally be excused.

44

Following an excused absence, students will be allowed the same number of days to make up assignments given during the absence as the number of days of school missed. Students are expected to take ​ any missed tests​ within ​ two school days​ after their return to school unless the student arranges otherwise with the teacher. At the teacher’s discretion, ​ longer-range assignments may still be due on the appointed day even if a student is absent.

Students will not be allowed to make up missed work (including quizzes and tests) during a period of an unexcused absence. Helping students make up work is time-consuming for teachers, and is an unfair imposition when a student's absence was unexcused.

Considering the academic problems caused by an absence, we feel that it is a reasonable expectation that families schedule their vacation within the school holiday periods. For special cases, such as college visits, students are expected to pick up a "Permission For Excused Absence" sheet to be signed by all their teachers and returned to the front desk.

Failure to make specific arrangements with teachers in advance of such an absence may result in zeros for assignments due and tests given during the absence.

Students who miss more than 25% of the meetings of a class during a semester will not be given credit for the course​ unless extenuating circumstances warrant an extended absence, in which case supplementary tutoring and/or additional coursework may be arranged to compensate for the class activities and discussions missed during the absences.

Chronic tardiness and/or absenteeism may result in suspension, dismissal, and/or loss of the privilege of participating in the graduation ceremony.

Students will not be permitted to participate in an extracurricular or social activity after school (practice, rehearsal, competition, performance, dance, etc.) if they have not attended at least a half-day of school on the day in question. Exceptions may be made for certain events (e.g., funerals, religious holidays) but must be approved in advance by the Head of Campus.

Behavior and Discipline As stated in the introduction to the Downtown Campus section, there are two primary guidelines governing student behavior: 1. Students are expected to engage in activities that promote their learning, both academic and personal, and are expected to avoid doing anything that disrupts anyone else's learning.

2. Students are expected to respect one another's persons and property.

We believe that people can best learn responsibility through experience. For this reason, St. Francis School’s Downtown Campus students are given a substantial amount of freedom so that, with the help of guidelines and role models, they can make decisions and be held accountable for the appropriateness of the results, and in this way learn to be responsible for themselves.

Discipline is handled in three ways: 45

1. Some minor offenses​ are handled directly by the staff member encountering them.

Other minor offenses have automatic consequences.

2. Serious offenses​ are handled by the Disciplinary Review Board (described below).

3. Major offenses​ are handled directly by the Head of the Downtown Campus and/or the ​ Head of School.

Minor Offenses​ include, but are not limited to, such things as: 1. Being late to class 2. Cutting Morning Meeting or Advisee Group 3. Cutting a class 4. Cheating or plagiarism, in some cases 5. Unintentional sign-out violations 6. Causing minor disturbances in the halls or classrooms 7. Riding the elevator without permission 8. Cell phone infractions 9. Jaywalking 10. Smoking (including e-cigarettes or similar) outside anywhere in the vicinity of the building or at a school-sponsored event 11. Inappropriate recreational courtyard activities 12. Inappropriate public displays of affection 13. Sleeping during school (in or out of class) 14. Eating/drinking in the computer lab or Reading Room 15. Eating/drinking/inappropriate activity in the Sacred Space Serious Offenses​ include, but are not limited to, the following. Serious Offenses require an ​ appearance before the Discipline Review Board, which will determine appropriate consequences.

1. Causing major disturbances in the halls or classrooms 2. Smoking (including e-cigarettes) or possessing tobacco or smoking-related products inside the building 3. Leaving school when grounded 4. Falsifying an excuse 5. Failing to comply with a DRB decision 6. Being in any garage or parking facility during school hours without explicit permission from a faculty or staff member 7. Driving or being a passenger in a car or riding a bike during school hours without permission 8. Intentional sign-out violations 9. Facilities violations (as described in the Guidelines for Facilities Use section) 10. Multiple Minor Offenses Major Offenses​ include, but are not limited to, the following. The Head of Downtown Campus ​ and/or Head of School handle Major Offenses directly on an individual basis. Consequences for Major Offenses may range from suspension and/or probation to immediate dismissal. In 46

cases involving substance use, a drug/alcohol evaluation and completion of any follow-up treatment recommended will be required.

1. Cutting school for a day 2. Stealing 3. Vandalism and/or destruction of property 4. Cheating/plagiarism (see Appendix for the Cheating and Plagiarism policy) 5. Being under the influence of or using alcohol or other drugs at school or at any school function 6. Selling or providing alcohol or other drugs (including prescription drugs not prescribed for the person in question or not used as directed) 7. Fighting or behavior that threatens the safety of others 8. Making threats of harm (in any venue: in-person, via text or email, through social media, etc.) against a member of the SFS community 9. Multiple intentional sign-out violations 10. Bringing any kind of weapon to school 11. Multiple Serious Offenses Consequences Consequences often take the form of ​ grounding ​ and ​ detention.​ Grounding is the loss of sign-out privileges, includes losing the right to sign out during school hours, and requires the student to spend the lunch period with a teacher in a designated classroom free of cell phones, music players, and non-academic computer use. Non-grounded students may not spend lunch with grounded students. Students who are grounded may ​ not come in late if they have two free periods or leave early when they have a free period at the end of the day.​ Detentions come in ​ two forms. Morning detentions are held from 7:35—8:20 a.m., and are considered to be a more severe consequence than afternoon detentions, which are held from 3:35-4:35 p.m.

Afternoon detentions ​ take precedence over participation on school athletic teams or other school activities. ​ Detentions may be held on other mornings or afternoons as necessary, at the discretion of the Assistant Dean of Students.

The only excuse for not attending a detention is a written excuse from a parent for a previously scheduled appointment that cannot be rescheduled. If students feel they have a conflict, it is their responsibility to discuss this with the Assistant Dean of Students or Head of Downtown Campus.

Students who have received afternoon detention as a consequence, but who have a conflict and would like to serve it in the morning instead, may do so with specific and pre-arranged permission from the Head of Downtown Campus or Assistant Dean of Students.

While in detention, students must sit quietly or work on school assignments in the detention room. There is no sleeping, no computer gaming, no cell phone usage, no idle chit-chat, etc.

Any student who fails to attend a detention will be given an additional detention for the first offense. Failure to attend detention on subsequent occasions will result in parental notification and increased consequences.

47

In addition to the preceding guidelines and consequences, the school, through the Head of School, reserves the right to suspend or expel, at any time, a student whose behavior or attitude is judged to be a detriment to the community. This includes, but is not limited to, students facing criminal legal action. The school also reserves the right to communicate its decisions to the school community, particularly in order for the community to learn from others’ mistakes and to avoid rumors.

Students and parents should be aware that most colleges (as well as other secondary school, summer programs, and the like) ask whether a student has been suspended or expelled and that when asked, St. Francis School will inform institutions of this fact as necessary.

The school reserves the right to raise at any school meeting any issue of discipline regarding a student for the purpose of furthering the educational and learning experience of students and the school community overall.

The Discipline Review Board (DRB) The Discipline Review Board, a peer-jury panel, plays a vital role in ensuring a productive learning environment at St. Francis School. Maintaining appropriate behavior and encouraging mutual respect is the responsibility of all members of the school community. For this reason, all students have the opportunity to serve on the DRB. DRB members are chosen at random (two per grade) on a regular basis throughout the school year. The DRB convenes when necessary to meet with those students whose actions, either repeated minor offenses or a serious offense, bring them before the Board, and determines consequences for those actions.

Determinations of the DRB may be appealed to the St. Francis School Supreme Court by either students or staff members. This appeals court consists of the Head of the Downtown Campus and four student members from the junior and senior classes, nominated by the faculty and then elected by the entire student body. It is convened only when necessary, and members serve for the entire year. The Supreme Court’s decision is final.

If a student has excessive overall referrals to the DRB or multiple referrals for the same offense, s/he may be taken out of the system and have offenses dealt with by the Head of the Downtown Campus and/or the Head of School.

Harassment and Bullying The Downtown Campus, along with the Goshen Campus, adheres to the school’s Harassment and Bullying Policies, which can be found in the Appendix to this Handbook. Students should be aware that both these policies are in full effect as regards St. Francis students at all times (e.g., if two or more St. Francis students are involved, it does not matter whether the harassment/ bullying takes place during school hours and on campus, or outside). Parents should familiarize themselves with both policies, as while we take harassment and bullying very seriously, not all incidents between students fall into these categories. Harassment and bullying have specific definitions, which are outlined clearly in the policies.

48

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices Cell phones, iPods, etc. may be brought to school and used during lunch, between classes, and students’ free periods, so long as they do not disrupt the learning process and are not used during classes or meetings. Cell phone ringers should be turned to silent or vibrate.

Violations of this policy may result in the phone being confiscated and/or a DRB referral.

Counseling and Advising Academic Counseling The Head of Downtown Campus and Registrar advise students regarding course selection, course sign-up and scheduling. If a student is having academic difficulties in a class, the individual teacher will notify parents. The Head of Downtown Campus is also notified in such cases, and may determine a course of action to be taken. Parents are encouraged to contact the teacher of any class in which they are concerned about their child's academic status or progress, or the Head of Downtown Campus for more general/global questions.

College Advising The mission of the college advising program is to guide and advise students and their parents through the formulation of their post-secondary goals and plans. Among the offerings of the College Advisor are meeting one-on-one with each family; providing college-related tips and information for all grade levels via the school newsletter and portal; offering opportunities for students to meet with visiting college representatives at school; and providing necessary information and interpretation regarding SAT, ACT, TOEFL, AP tests; and providing information and assistance regarding financial aid, scholarships, and other opportunities for funding a college education.

The secondary school transcript is a record of a student's academic work, community service, athletics, and Senior Project evaluation, in grades 9-12. In addition to the transcript, each college is forwarded a comprehensive profile of St. Francis School, a supporting letter of recommendation composed by the College Advisor, recommendations written by St. Francis faculty and staff, and any other supplementary materials that would enhance the student's application, such as writing portfolios, additional letters of support, or a specialized resume detailing dramatic, artistic or athletic achievement.

Students may wish to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to meet with visiting college representatives during the first semester. A schedule of meetings is posted on a calendar in the College Resource Room. Daily announcements during Morning Meeting also will apprise the students of these meetings.​ Note: Students must obtain permission from the teacher whose class the student will miss in order to attend a meeting with a college rep.​ The ​ teacher must be notified at least one day in advance of the meeting. College meetings are hosted in the College Resource Room.

Touring and interviewing on college campuses are important aspects of the college-selection and college-admissions processes. Students are encouraged to use Fall, Winter and/or Spring Breaks for college visits, and are encouraged to begin doing so by their junior year or even earlier. For visits during other times when school is in session, students need to obtain a 49

college visit/absence request form from the front desk, secure the necessary signatures of the College Advisor, teachers and parents, and return the form to the front desk ​ at least one week in advance of the proposed date of departure.

Guidance Counseling The Director of Counseling Services, Terri White, is available to students for any reason that a student may have to speak with her. Some students will see the Counselor regularly; others, on an as-needed basis. In addition, students can be required to see the counselor by the Head of the Downtown Campus or Head of School. However, meetings with the Counselor are not a substitute for ongoing therapy outside of school for students who may need that.

The Counselor is also available to talk with parents on issues regarding their children, and can make recommendations for outside counseling and academic testing. She holds monthly parent discussion groups on various topics regarding parenting and adolescence. All parents are invited to attend, and are welcome to contact the Counselor with questions or suggestions.

Emergency Drills Fire Drills Students exit through either the main entrance, the alley door by the admin area, or the back stairwell emergency exit door,, and line up by grades in the parking lot, where they are checked in. An all-clear signal for returning to the building is given at the end of the drill. Fire drills are run monthly.

Tornado Drills Faculty/staff members guide students to the basement next to the Commons Room, via a route that avoids windows and exterior doors and walls. Students line up by grade level and remain in the basement until an “all clear” message is received. Tornado drills are performed twice per year.

Extracurricular Activities Although a small school, St. Francis School offers a variety of extracurricular activities. While the offerings vary from year to year, depending upon student and faculty interest, the following activities are currently planned for the 2015-16 school year: Drama, Chess Club, Math League, Yearbook, Science Olympiad, Governor’s Cup, Quick Recall, Guideverns, Sacred Space Committee, KYA/KUNA, Improv Team, Literary Magazine, Athletic Committee, Outdoor Activity Club, Film Society and School Committee.

Athletics at St. Francis are no-cut, meaning that all students are welcome to join the team.

Athletic offerings include golf, soccer, field hockey, basketball, bowling, tennis and track.

Field Trips/Retreats Particularly because of our downtown surroundings, giving us proximity to the University of Louisville, Actors Theatre, and many other cultural and business opportunities, field trips are worked into the curriculum whenever appropriate. The form signed by parents at the start of the school year grants permission for students to attend these trips.

50

In addition to curricular field trips, we sponsor student retreats. The purposes of such retreats are to build class unity, practice teamwork, interact in ways not possible in the school setting, set goals for the class, and confront issues and problems within the group. Attendance at grade level retreats is mandatory; conflicts must be brought to the Head of the Downtown Campus, and students who miss the retreat will be required to attend school (if in session) during the time of the retreat. All regular school rules/guidelines apply to retreats, as to any other school function.

Annually, we hold the overnight School Committee Retreat in August, in order to work on th​ school issues and set an agenda for the upcoming year. The one-day 9​ Grade th​ Retreat/Orientation is held in August, before the start of school. The 12​Grade Retreat is a th​ th​ three-day, two-night whitewater rafting trip held in the fall. 10​ and 11​ grades and their Class Advisors will plan and hold overnight retreats in the fall.

General Facility Guidelines 1. There is no smoking in or around the building.

2. Having food and drink in school is a privilege, which can be rescinded for misuse. In classrooms, individual teachers set their own food and drink rules. Food and drink are not allowed in the Sacred Space or the Reading Room.

3. The Sacred Space is just that – an area set aside for quiet study, reflection, prayer, etc.

There are many spaces in the school where more active pursuits are permissible; the Sacred Space is not among them.

4. Lockers may be decorated using only magnets – no writing with markers, or use of stickers or tape. Displays must be respectful of individuals and groups and use setting appropriate language.

5. Students are not allowed in the building, unless supervised by a staff member, except for during regular school days from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

6. Recreational activities like hacky-sack and cornhole are allowed in the Courtyard so long as they are not distracting to classes or the administrative staff. These kinds of activities are not allowed elsewhere in the school. Activities involving soccer, hockey, basketball, or lacrosse balls or hard frisbees are not allowed in the Courtyard or elsewhere in the school. Courtyard activities are at the discretion of the Head of Campus and will be permitted or prohibited based on safety and whether or not they disrupt the learning process.

7. Students are allowed in the Fitness Room only when supervised by a staff member 8. Students are not allowed on the 4th floor roof at any time unless accompanied by a staff member.

9. Sleeping is not permitted in school at any time.

10. Students are welcome to leave backpacks and other bags in the hallway near their lockers, as long as these do not block access to the lockers or impede passage down the hallways or through doors. However, some items may not be left in the hallway: ● Sports equipment and other large items should be stored in the closet across from the Commons Room. ● Books and papers are not to be left scattered on the floor; they must be inside a 51

â—?

backpack or bag – or, even, in a locker!

Food and related trash may not be left sitting in the hallway.

Violation of any of the above may result in items being transported away from where students left them and deposited into the Lost and Found; food privileges being rescinded for a given hallway; and/or DRB referrals.

Parent Communication/Grade Reports/Conferences Communication with parents is a top priority. Faculty and staff are expected to return phone messages and emails within a business day of their receipt. Phone extensions and email addresses are listed earlier in this Handbook.

The High School is on a quarter/semester system. Grade reports and comments are sent electronically to parents at the end of each quarter (October, December, March, June). Interim comments and/or grades are also sent four times each year as needed; in September for all new students, and in September, November, February, and/or April for students who need commentary on academics and/or behavior.

Because we believe students are ultimately responsible for their own education, we show students all grade and interim reports before emailing them home. Students will see their reports in the morning, and parents will receive them that afternoon. The exceptions are the end of semester reports (December and June) because students are not at school then.

Parent-teacher conferences are held each year in October, following parent receipt of the first quarter grade reports. An email link is sent out in advance of conferences so that parents can sign up for times for the teachers they wish to see. Beyond this official conference time, teachers are always glad to meet with parents if necessary; please contact them to schedule meetings.

Parents are always encouraged to contact a particular teacher with questions about his/her class. Any general concerns or questions, including academic, behavioral, and social issues, can be directed to Suzanne Gorman, Head of Downtown Campus.

Safety and Security While the downtown area around the school is typically quite safe, students still need to be alert and use good common sense. Students should travel in groups when walking downtown.

Since the greatest likelihood of injury is from motor vehicles, students should be careful at intersections and abide by the no-jaywalking rule below. Students and parents also need to familiarize themselves with the sign-out guidelines detailed in this Handbook.

Two basic safety rules are required of students at St. Francis: 1. Jaywalking is prohibited. (See below.)

2. Students are ​ not allowed to go to cars, sit in cars, or drive cars during school hours unless they have permission to leave school when they have no more classes for the rest of the day.

52

Jaywalking Jaywalking means crossing any street anywhere other than at the marked crosswalk, or crossing against a crosswalk signal. For safety reasons, this prohibition is in effect during the school day and before and after school​ . ​ While the school is making a special effort to educate students about the dangers of jaywalking, we would appreciate having this reinforced at home. Students who are observed jaywalking will be turned in to the Assistant Dean of Students. A first offense will result in a warning; the second, and any subsequent offenses, will result in one day's grounding. Persistent offenders will be referred to the Discipline Review Board. We do not enforce the prohibition against jaywalking in the Theatre Square area of 4th St. because there are no stoplights and vehicle traffic is more limited.

Security System The school's facilities are equipped with a state-of-the-art security system, which uses a number of surveillance cameras and access control/monitoring devices. ​ The only access to and exit from the school’s facilities will be through the Third Street entrance.​ Access through ​ this door is monitored by a surveillance camera and an intercom system, as well as by the school's Office Manager/Receptionist. Students are issued a key card that will allow them access to the school between the hours of​ 7:45 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. Key cards must be turned in to ​ the school at the end of the year. Any students who lose their key cards will be billed for a replacement Senior Privileges and Graduation Senior Privileges St. Francis has always believed in granting significant privileges to all students rather than merely parceling them out to the seniors. However, in recognition of the significant cumulative accomplishments of seniors at St. Francis, there are certain rewards given to members of the senior class ​ who are in good academic and behavioral standing.​ These include the ending of the school year one week earlier than the other students and the right to take second semester exams/alternative demonstrations of mastery before said week off. Students who are not in good academic and/or behavioral standing will have requirements for graduation that must be met during that week. Any other senior privileges are to be negotiated with the faculty and staff by senior class representatives based on the significant accomplishments of that particular class.

Graduation Seniors will be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony only if they have met all requirements for graduation by Monday of graduation week and have no outstanding balances on their school accounts. In addition, a student must also follow all school policies, as outlined in this Handbook, up to and through the graduation ceremony, in order to receive a St. Francis School diploma. Seniors pay a graduation fee to help cover the costs of graduation. ​ Participation in the graduation ceremony is a privilege that may be withheld at the discretion of the Head of School​ .

Sign-Out System 53

Learning to make sound decisions about the use of one's time is crucial for success in college and beyond. For this reason, St. Francis School Downtown Campus students are allowed to sign out of the school during lunch and free periods. This privilege helps set St. Francis apart from other high schools and demonstrates a great deal of trust on the part of the school administration. The privilege must be exercised with care. Students unable to use the privilege responsibly will lose it.

Sign-Out Guidelines ● Failure to sign out or in is a sign-out violation. ● Students must sign ​ themselves​ out and back into the building. ● Students must sign out to ​ exactly where they are going. “Theatre Square” is the only appropriate general sign-out destination. ● Sign-outs are not permitted during Flex time. ● Students are not permitted to sign out to the Crescent Centre, to be on Crescent Centre grounds, or to use the Crescent Centre stairs to cross the street. ● Students are not permitted to sign out to the DBZ Hookah Lounge. ● If a student has to leave school early for a doctor’s appointment, he/she must bring in a note from a parent ​ before the appointment. If the student does not have a note, he/she should have parent call the office before leaving the school. ​ Students are never to leave school in these circumstances without making sure the Office Manager/Receptionist has received the appropriate parental permission. ​ Students must sign out accordingly when they leave for their appointment. ● If a student is ill and wishes to leave school early, he/she must first call a parent and have a ​ parent speak to someone in the school office. After receiving permission to leave, students must sign out. ● As previously stated in the Handbook, students are not allowed to be in the parking lots or garages at any time during the school day, including lunchtime. If, however, a student needs to get something from his or her car and has explicit permission from a teacher or staff member, the student will be permitted to sign out, go directly to the car, and return immediately. ● Students may not sit in cars while signed out, whether in garages/parking facilities or on the street. ● Students must walk to their signed-out destinations unless 1) they drive their own cars to school and are leaving for an appointment about which the school has received parental notification; or 2) they take the trolley down Fourth Street. No other means of transportation are permitted during the school day. ● Unless a student has a permission slip signed by a parent, he/she may not leave early when he or she has a free period at the end of the day. ● If a student is grounded, permission to leave early is automatically revoked until the grounding is over. ● Students are allowed four inadvertent sign-out violations per year. ● Deliberate sign-out violations are considered Serious Offenses and are handled by the DRB and, if they become multiple, by the Head of the Downtown Campus ● Chronic violators (deliberate or inadvertent) of the sign-out system may have their sign-out privileges revoked for the semester or the remainder of the year, or may 54

face other consequences.

Visits Parents are welcomed at the High School, just as they are at the other levels of St. Francis School. If parents wish to observe a class, please contact us in advance to arrange for this.

Parents who work downtown may wish to meet their students for lunch, too!

Upon arrival at school, all visitors – including parents – must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor’s tag.

Prospective student visits (shadow days) can be scheduled through the Admissions Office.

Alumni are also welcome to visit, although with younger alumni in particular, care must be taken that the visit does not disrupt the learning process for those who are still students at St. Francis.

We welcome our students to have friends visit the school for a day, but all such visits must be prearranged through the Admissions Office on a day when the friend in question does not have school (unless it is an official shadow day). Friends may not visit more than once per semester.

55

2015-16 Board of Trustees Lee Middendorf, CP, Chair Ginny Frazier, CP, Vice-Chair Denise Ragland, CP, Secretary Wes Johnson, CP/AP, Treasurer Bonita Black, CP, Executive Committee Ken Edwards, CP,, Executive Committee P.R. Lancaster, CP, Executive Committee Bethany Major, CP, Executive Committee Heather McHold, CP, Executive Committee Joel Beres, AP Kim Diamond, CP Annie Edwards, CP Scott Gregor, AP Sarah Harlan, AP Rob Harvey, F Jennifer Mackin, CP Dace Maki ‘90, A/CP James Mason G’83, ‘87, A James Melhuish, CP Oliver Rutherford, CP Bill Scarfe, CP Scott Schwartz, G’82, ‘86, A/CP Olivia Sleadd, CP Jane Tierney, CP Andi McLeroy, CP, Goshen Parent Association Representative Andrea Melendez, CP/A, High School Parent Association Representative Emeritus​ : Ellen Rosenbloom (AP), Laura Linkous (AP), Nancy Keck (AP), Ben Holt (AP) Ex-Officio​ : Alexandra Thurstone ‘84, A/CP/AP/S – Head of School Lisa Fleming, CP – General Counsel/Executive Committee Renee Hennessy, CP/S – Preschool Representative Jennifer Griffith, S – Goshen Faculty Representative Ralph Marshall, CP/S – High School Faculty Representative

​ (A = Alumni, CP = Current Parent, AP = Alumni Parent, F = Friend, S = Staff)

56

2015-16 St. Francis School Faculty and Staff ( ) Indicates year of appointment Kim Aberle (2007) Lower School Music M.A.T. Bellarmine University; M.A. Indiana University; B.S. Indiana State University Debbie Adkins (2015) Lower School/Middle School Science B.S. Eastern Kentucky University, B.S California State Fullerton Maria Alfaya (2015) Lower School/Middle School Spanish M.A. Western Kentucky University, B.S. Instituto Superior, Argentina Trisha Amirault (2015) M.Ed, B.S. Mercer University

Admissions Director - High School

Trent Apple ‘92 (2013) High School History J.D. Tulane University; B.A. New College Erin Staley​ (2014) ​ Middle School Math, Math Department Chair - Goshen M. Ed. Jones International University; B.A/B.S. Miami of Ohio University David Beard (2000)

Preschool 3s

Bob Bertke (2008) Middle School/High School Music M.M.E. University of Louisville, School of Music; B.M.E. University of Louisville, School of Music Madelyn Blue (2011) B.A. University of Arizona

2nd ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies

Archie Borders (2008) High School Artist-in-Residence (Filmmaking) B.A. Southern Illinois University of Film Greg Borders (2002) B.S. University of Louisville

Director of Business Operations

Emily Boyle (2013) The Learning Center Coordinator - Downtown M.Ed. University of Louisville; B.S. Centre College Christine Brinkmann B.A. Southern Illinois University

Garden Coordinator

Joanne Brock (2015) 1st & 3rd Grade Language Arts/Social Studies B.S. Western Kentucky University

57

Kelly Brooks (1998) B.A. University of Louisville

Preschool- 4s

Tina Brown G’99, ‘03 (2013) Lower School Art and Spanish M.A.T. Maryland Institute, College of Art; B.F.A. Maryland Institute, College of Art Natalie Bruner (2013) Office Manager/Assistant to Head of Campus - Goshen B.A. Eastern Kentucky University Jenn Buck (2015) High School French M.A. University of Louisville; B.A. University of Evansville Richard Butcher (2013) Admissions Director - Goshen/Preschool M.B.A. Georgetown University; B.A. Harvard University Tony Butler (2006) M.S., B.S. University of Louisville

Athletic Director, High School Fitness

Emily Campbell (2015) Lower School Science M.A. Bellarmine University, M.Div. Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, B.A. Presbyterian College, South Carolina 3rd ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies, Lower School Language Arts Co-Chair M.Ed. University of Louisville, M.A.T. Spalding University, B.A. University of Louisville Misty Chanda (2012)

Sukanya Chandramouli (1982) Lower School Math M.Ed. University of Louisville; B.S. University of Madras, India; B.T. University of Madras, India Jason Chlopek (2014) Middle School Science M.A.T University of Dayton; B.S. University of Dayton Lon Church (2014)

6th & 7th Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Drama Project Assistant Director

B.A. Beloit College Rosanne Conlan (1996) B.S. Campbellsville College

Physical Education – Goshen

Shavar Cowherd​ (2012) B.S. University of Louisville

Assistant Athletic Director/Physical Education – Goshen

Andrew Dailinger (2015) A.B. Kenyon College

High School Artist-in-Residence (Photography)

58

Julie Dayton (2010) B.A. University of Kentucky

1st Grade Language Arts/Social Studies

Walter Denham (2011)

Bus/Maintenance Service

Jim DeNicola (2010)

Facilities Manager – Goshen

Sarah Dewberry (2000) 4th ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies M.Ed. Xavier University; B.S. Centre College Rachael Dobring (2009)

5th & 8th Grade Language Arts/Social Studies – Goshen, Theatre Program Director – Downtown M.A.T. Spalding University; B.F.A. Western Kentucky University 8th ​​Language Arts/Social Studies and Outdoor Education Coordinator M.A.T. University of Louisville ; J.D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville; B.A. Gettysburg College Patrick Donovan ‘83 (2003)

Beth Dunn (2014) The Learning Center – Academic Support B.A. Eastern Kentucky University Gifted and Talented Education Endorsement ​ –​ Northern Kentucky University

Diane Ellison (2000) B.B.A. Eastern Michigan

Accounting Manager

Anne Farra (2007) LS & MS Humanities, Fine Arts Chair M.A. Bellarmine University; B.A. Centre College Andrew Frechette​ (2012) Junior Kindergarten B.A. Western Kentucky University Reed Gabhart (1990)

Head of Goshen Campus, Goshen Drama Project Director, Middle School Math M.S. Indiana University Southeast; B.S. Indiana University Southeast; B.A. Indiana University Ron Garrett (2005) High School Math M.A. California State University; B.A. University of California-San Diego Suzanne Gorman (2000) Head of Downtown Campus, Health and Skills M.A. University of Michigan; B.A. Loyola University Chicago Callie Gray (2014) Registrar/Alumni Coordinator B.A. Loyola University New Orleans 59

Jennifer Griffith (2010)

Dean of the Lower School, Dean of Faculty – Goshen, Lower School Math M.A. Ed. Washington University in St. Louis; B.A.. Washington University in St. Louis Kim Hales (2015) B.A. University of Iowa

Director of Development

Ryan Hanley (2007)

Bus/Maintenance Services

Ray Harris (1999)

Facilities Manager - Downtown

Paul Harshaw (2015) B.F.A. Denison University

Preschool 4s

Renee Hennessy (1995) B.S. University of Louisville

Preschool Director

Salema Jenkins (2014) Lower School Spanish M.S. Bank Street College of Education; B.A. Wellesley College Luke Johnson (2009) High School Chemistry, Assistant Dean of Students Ph.D., M.S., B.S. University of Louisville; B.A. Washington University Bob Jones (2005) High School Chinese M.A. National Taiwan University; B.A. San Francisco State University Jane Jones (2015) B.A. Smith College

High School Artist-in-Residence (Playwriting)

Rebecca Jones (2015) High School Math M.A. Western Michigan University; B.A. Indiana University 6th ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies, MS Language Arts Department Chair - Goshen M.A. Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College; B.A. University of North Carolina Shelly Jones (2010)

Angela Katz (2000) High School Spanish M.A. University of Louisville; B.A. University of Crimea Brian Kirby (2015) Middle School Science M.Div. Church Divinity School of the Pacific, CA; B.S. Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Amy Koloff (2007) Lower School Math M.A.T. University of Louisville; B.A. Centre College 60

May Koo (2015) High School and Middle School Chinese B.A., B.Ed. Chinese University of Hong Kong Pattie Koth (2013) LS & MS School Math M.A. University of Phoenix; B.A. Northwood University Kit Llewellyn (1977) College Advisor M.A.T. University of Virginia; B.A. Mary Baldwin College Julie Leidner (2015) High School Artist-in-Residence (Painting/Drawing) M.F.A. Rhode Island School of Design; B.F.A. University of Louisville Noelle Lunte (2000) B.S. Murray State University

Preschool – 2s

7th ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Social Studies Department Chair M.A. The Queen’s University of Belfast; B.A. University of North Carolina Michael Mahoney (2004)

Julie Marks (2005) Director of Counseling Services – Goshen M.Ed. University of Louisville; M.S.W. University of Louisville; B.A. University of Louisville Ralph Marshall (2005) Dean of Faculty – Downtown, High School History Ph.D., M.A Temple University; B.A. Dickinson College Claudia McCrocklin (2012) Director of The Learning Center M.Ed University of Louisville, B.A. Bellarmine College Heather McGraw (2002) Kindergarten M.A.T. Bellarmine University; B.A. University of Kentucky Tom Miron (1980) B.A. Miami University

High School History

Charlie Patton (2014) B.M. University of Louisville

Director of Technology

Ann Mundt B.S. Eastern Illinois University

The Learning Center ​ –​ Academic Support

Faith Murphy (2014) B.M./V.P Belmont University

Preschool/Lower School Music

Penny Nowotny (1995)

Preschool - 2s

61

Brett Paice (2009) High School English/Film Studies Ph.D. University of Notre Dame; M.A. University of Maryland; B.A. Cornell University Angela Ponzio (2014) B.A. Loyola University

Middle School Spanish, World Language Chair

Melanie Pugh (2015) B.A. Mississippi State University

Assistant Development Director

Juan Ramirez (2014) High School English, Spanish M.F.A. Sarah Lawrence College; B.A. Florida State University Brian Ray (2015) High School Math M.Ed Northwestern University; B.S. Xavier University Judy Riendeau (2015) Lower/Middle School Art M.S. London School of Economics, B.A. Tufts University Annette Rudd (1990) Kindergarten M.A. College of William and Mary; B.A. University of Louisville Judith Rudd (2015) Kindergarten/1st Grade Language Arts/Social Studies M.A.T Spalding University, B.A. Kenyon College Siofra Rucker G’84 (2012) B.A. St. John’s College

Director of Advancement

Lindsy Serrano (2014) School Librarian M.L.I.S. University of Kentucky; B.A. University of Northern Kentucky Benjamin Studevent-Hickman (2012) High School Physics, History Ph.D. Harvard University; M.A. Vanderbilt University; B.S. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Pat Sweeney​ (1999) ​

Maintenance – Downtown Campus

Alexander Taylor (2004) Middle School Art & Humanities M.F.A. Yale University School of Art; B.F.A. Arizona State University; Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes Carey Thornburgh (2013) Lower School Science; Science Department Chair B.S. Butler University; B.A. Purdue University

62

Danielle Tracey (2015)

High School Office Manager/Receptionist/Assistant to the Head of School

B.A. University of Louisville Alexandra S. Thurstone G’80, ’84 (2001) Head of School M.B.A University of Chicago; B.A. Harvard University Heather Varda (2011) 5th ​​Grade Language Arts/Social Studies M.A.T. Spalding University; B.A. University of Kentucky Sarah Wallace (1996) B.A. Purdue University

Middle School Math

Holly Whitaker (1997) B.A. University of Louisville

Preschool - 3s

Cia White (1998) High School English M.A.T. Spalding University; B.A. Stanford University Terri White (2006) Director of Counseling Services - Downtown M.S.W., L.C.S.W. University of Louisville; B.A. Hanover College David Word (2008) High School Biology, Community Service M.S. University of Louisville; B.S. Tennessee Technological University Xiao Yongtao (2014) B.A. Yunnan Normal University

Middle School Chinese

Faculty Emeriti Bob Foshee (1977) B.A. Centre College Ron Mikulak (1977) M.A. University of North Carolina; B.A. Bowdoin College

63

ALL-SCHOOL APPENDIX ADMISSION AND TUITION PAYMENT POLICIES St. Francis School admits qualified students of any race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded to students at the School. St. Francis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, financial aid program, or any school-administered program.

Re-enrollment Timeline For students who are not in good standing, St. Francis School reserves the right to determine whether a student will be offered an enrollment contract and/or what provisions must be met in order for the student to return to St. Francis for the following academic year. Mid-year enrollees will receive enrollment contracts after their initial grading period to ensure for both the family and the School that St. Francis School is a good fit.

St. Francis School offers Enrollment and Financial Contracts to all re-enrolling students in good standing and to new students in January of each year. All returning students not applying for financial aid will be issued re-enrollment contracts in January of each year, which will be due by the second week of February along with the stated deposit amount on your contract.

Returning students who intend to apply for financial aid will be issued a letter of intent in January, which will be due in February. Financial aid applications for returning students are due by the second week of February. Re-enrollment contracts with financial aid awards will be issued to returning families in March and will be due to the school with the stated deposit amount on your contract within two weeks.

Re-enrollment deposits are 10% of the stated tuition obligation and the amount can be located on your re-enrollment contract. This fee is due along with your signed contract and non-refundable, non-transferable, and will be applied toward tuition. June 1, signed re-enrollment contracts become binding and the full stated tuition obligation will be due to the school. Enrollment may be canceled without penalty (except forfeiture of the enrollment deposit) provided that cancellation notification is sent, in writing via certified mail, to the Director of Admissions prior to ​ June 1​ .

Current St. Francis Preschool families will receive a registration form in December of each year, which will be used in January to issue a Re-enrollment and Financial Parent Contract for the following academic year. Class placement is based on the following priority: current preschoolers; children whose older siblings attend school at our Goshen or Downtown Campuses; and children of alumni. In addition, we try to balance the numbers of boys and girls in each classroom.

64

Preschool Extended-Day enrollment is held under a separate contract and will be issued to parents in July of each year. A $250 enrollment deposit is due with the signed contract, and is applied toward tuition. Additions to the Extended-Day Contract may be made at any time; however, a reduction of contracted services may only be made at mid-year.

Tuition Obligation and Dewar Tuition Refund Insurance When enrolling your child(ren) at St. Francis School, your financial obligation to the School is for the full annual tuition and fees as stated and agreed upon in the Enrollment and Financial Parent Contract. Families selecting a payment plan other than the Full-Payment option are required​ to purchase Dewar Tuition Refund Insurance. The policy will be purchased on the signee’s behalf, for an additional cost of 1.5% of the student’s tuition balance. This insurance policy is subject to terms, conditions, and limitations, and is done so on a pro-rated basis as outlined in the Dewar Tuition Refund Insurance policy. Eligibility, Benefits, and Terms are determined by the Dewar Tuition Insurance Policy (​ www.tuitionrefundplan.com​ ).

While Full-Pay families are not required to purchase Dewar Tuition Refund Insurance, St. Francis does recommend all parents purchase coverage in case of an unexpected student withdrawal. The Dewar Refund Insurance policy ​ generally​ provides a refund of 60% of unused tuition at the date of separation, and does require a minimum of 14 days of school attendance by the covered student. Please note that all refunds are sent directly to St. Francis School and will be applied against any outstanding customer ledger balance.

Payment Plans St. Francis School offers two payment plans: single payment due June 1, and ten month or twelve month payment plans due beginning June and ending March and May respectively.

Staff may also utilize payroll deduction for tuition. A five percent service charge is administered for all payments made after June 1. Monthly payments must be made using FACTS Tuition Management service.

FACTS charges a $43 annual fee per contract. Please note that parents who are currently enrolled in FACTS will automatically be re-enrolled for the following year, unless the St. Francis School Business Office is otherwise notified. A 1.5% per month ​ late fee​ will be assessed on customer account balances that are 30 days or more past due​ .​ Parents enrolled in the school’s FACTS payment plan service for their tuition may have Extended-Day fees rolled into their monthly payment. For further information, please contact the Business Office at (502) 795-3369.

All other significant and essential fees such as bus, overnight field trips, and Graduation fees that are not included in tuition are eligible for proportionate reduction. All OPTIONAL After-School Activities will be invoiced at the regular fee and are not eligible for a reduction.

Additional Fees The following is a partial listing of additional fees that may be incurred by families and are not included in tuition: 65

Downtown

Books, Transportation/Parking Fees, Student Activity Fees, Lunch, Parent Association Dues, Athletic Equipment, Senior Rafting Trip, Senior Luncheon, Graduation, Yearbook

Goshen

Transportation/Bus Fees, After-School Classes, Classroom supplies (grade-specific), Paperback novels (grade-specific), Overnight Field Trips (middle school), Yearbook

In cases where there is a student with a delinquent customer account, please note that St. Francis School reserves the right to withhold a student’s ability to attend class, receive grade reports, receive student transcripts, receive transferable academic credits, and/or receive his/her diploma.

FINANCIAL AID POLICY The St. Francis School Commitment St. Francis School is committed to making a St. Francis education available to children and families who are well-matched to our Mission and philosophy. We demonstrate that commitment in part through the offering of need-based financial aid. A share of the School’s operating budget each year is dedicated to funding scholarships for students who demonstrate need. This amount is approved annually by the St. Francis School Board of Trustees as a part of the annual operating budget.

Financial Aid and Admissions St. Francis School makes admissions decisions completely separately from financial aid decisions; in other words, admission to the School is need-blind. Financial aid files are reviewed and awards are made only ​ after ​ a student is admitted.

Financial Aid Committee ​

The Financial Aid Committee reviews and approves all grants. The Committee is comprised of the Head of School, the Business Manager, the Director of Advancement, and the Directors of Admissions.

Form of Aid All aid is awarded as grants, which do not require repayment.

Eligibility Any member of the St. Francis community is eligible to apply for financial aid.

Priority of Financial Aid Recipients As financial aid funds are limited each year, the School must determine the priority order in which funds are allocated. Priority is given to returning students, faculty/staff children, and siblings of enrolled students (assuming they have each applied for aid by the February 15 deadline). After that, students applying by the February 15 deadline will be reviewed and priority is given to those applicants whom the Financial Aid Committee believes will contribute the most to the School.

66

Confidentiality Any forms or documents submitted in the financial aid process will only be used to arrive at a fair determination of financial need and will be held confidential. In addition, all grants are confidential and known only to the Committee. ​ St. Francis School also expects families to keep the receipt of any grant and the amount confidential.

Third Party Partner/Determining Need St. Francis School is a member of FACTS Grant Aid & Assessment, which assists Independent Schools in determining student and family financial need. Student and Family Need Reports, which are computed by FACTS, are reviewed by our Financial Aid Committee and serve as a guideline in making financial aid decisions. The Student and Family Need Reports do not bind St. Francis School to a specific award. The Committee takes the Student and Family Need Reports, plus all the additional information a family provides (see below under Process of Applying for Financial Aid), and determines a grant amount.

Financial need is determined as the difference between what it costs to attend St. Francis School and a family’s ability to pay. The FACTS Student and Family Reports of Need are available to St. Francis and provide the School with a general assessment of a family’s ability to pay for education. Major factors in determining financial need include, but are not limited to, income, assets (including home equity, college funds, and investments), family size, and the number of children attending tuition-charging institutions.

Process of Applying for Financial Aid Financial Aid applications are due by ​ February 15​ each year. Parents should complete the FACTS application online at​ www.factstuitionaid.com​ ​ . Parents will also be required to ​ submit to FACTS​ the following information: 1. Copies of your federal tax forms, including all supporting tax schedules.

2. Copies of your year-end W-2 form for both you and your spouse.

3. Copies of supporting documentation for Social Security Income, Welfare, Child Support, Food Stamps, Worker’s Compensation, and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).

Parents should also ​ submit to St. Francis School​ a letter that speaks to: 1. Financial information recorded on your FACTS application needing additional explanation/clarification.

2. Relevant social or family background information for committee consideration.

Financial Aid Applications After the February 15 Deadline Late applications for financial aid will be considered, but priority is given to returning students who submit their application by the February 15 deadline. We begin considering new families for financial aid in March. After the February 15 deadline, not all requests may be granted, as financial aid funds are limited.

April 15 Tax Deadline and Financial Aid Families applying for financial aid will need to complete their taxes early enough to meet the 67

February 15​ deadline in order to receive a financial aid award. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent someone from meeting the filing deadline, families may write a letter explaining those circumstances to the Financial Aid Committee and include the previous year’s tax return, plus an explanation of any anticipated changes.

Renewal of Financial Aid St. Francis School requires families receiving financial aid to re-apply for aid each year.

Changes in a family’s circumstances, such as income, family status, and the number of children attending tuition-charging institutions may result in an increase or decrease in a financial aid award. Every family’s award is reviewed annually. However, if a family receives aid from St. Francis, and there is no change in their aid application or family circumstances, the family can expect to continue to receive aid from St. Francis.

Multiple Children The FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment application inquires about ​ all ​ children in a family for which tuition is charged, and need will be determined taking all tuition into account, not just St. Francis tuition. A separate student identifier will be assigned to each child applying for a grant at St. Francis School.

Each grant is made base on a family’s overall ability to pay, regardless of the number of children at tuition charging schools. In other words, adding a second child at St. Francis may not dramatically increase the total tuition paid.

Change in Family Circumstances After an Award Is Made/Application Submitted If family circumstances change after the FACTS application has been submitted, a family can contact the Financial Aid Committee, which will update FACTS with the most current financial information. If the changed circumstances indicate a change to the Student and Family Need Report, the Financial Aid Committee will review the new information and determine if an adjusted grant should be issued. The School’s ability to issue a new grant may also be impacted by the availability of remaining financial aid funds.

Divorced or Separated Parents Parents’ obligation to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent that they are able takes precedence over the School’s responsibility to provide financial assistance. The Financial Aid Committee considers the assets of both legal parents, if living, before making an award, and is not bound by the belief that one parent has disclaimed any responsibility for educational expenses.

The School will expect full tuition from the two parents if either or both of the parents can afford it. If one parent is contributing towards tuition and requires financial aid and the other does not, St. Francis will expect the one parent to apply for financial aid and contribute what they are able, according to the Financial Aid Committee, and the other parent to make up the difference. If both parents require financial aid, they must both apply; they will each be awarded grants based on their ability to pay.

68

If either parent has remarried, the Committee will also consider the income and assets of the step-parent, always bearing in mind the obligation of that step-parent to his or her own natural children, if any.

Non-Working Spouses and Financial Aid Because families bear the primary responsibility for financing the education of their children, it is our policy to expect both parents to contribute financially. If a spouse chooses not to work, then an annual salary based upon a 40-hour position paying minimum wage will be added to the annual income calculations for evaluation. There are circumstances, such as disability or caring for a disabled dependent or preschool-age/stay-at-home child, that may exempt a family from this policy. Such circumstances would need to be explained in a letter to the Financial Aid Committee.

Award Notification All families will receive a letter or email indicating whether they have qualified for financial aid, and if so the amount of their grant from the Financial Aid Committee by the first week of May. Letters of intent to enroll, however, will be received with an admission notification/re-enrollment request, and must be returned by the date indicated (generally in February for existing families and March for new families.)

BULLYING POLICY St. Francis School believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment in which students show respect for and tolerance and acceptance of one another.

St. Francis does not condone and will not tolerate bullying in any form among its students, and encourages anyone who witnesses or is aware of bullying at school to report it to school authorities.

A bully uses aggression and intimidation with the intent to harass and to cause pain and distress to another person. Bullying usually involves a pattern of behavior over time and a perceived power imbalance between the student(s).

Students shall not intimidate or harass other students through words or actions (e.g., teasing, name-calling, threats, physical contact, shunning). Forms of bullying include, but are not limited to, ● ● ● ● ●

Emotional (being blatantly unfriendly, actively excluding, tormenting) Physical (any use of violence – e.g., hitting, pushing, kicking) Racial (racially oriented taunts, graffiti, gestures) Homophobic (because of, or focusing on, another’s sexuality) Gender (because of, or focusing on, another’s gender, gender identity, or gender expression) ● Sexual (unwanted physical contact or comments) ● Verbal (name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors) ● Cyber (all areas of internet, such as email and internet chat room misuse; threats via 69

text messages or calls; misuse of camera and video technology) Students who feel they are being bullied or would like to report bullying are encouraged to talk with the Head of the Campus or the School Counselor. Faculty and staff members who believe bullying is occurring also have the responsibility to report it to the Head or Counselor​ .

Any student who witnesses an act of bullying can make an anonymous report to the Head, Counselor, or another trusted adult in the school. It is important that as a community we speak out against bullying.

Bullying is an extremely serious matter and a violation of school policy. Reports of bullying will be investigated and those who are found to have bullied another student will be disciplined. Possible disciplinary actions include, but are not limited to 1. Warnings or counseling setting forth the offense, its significance, and the consequences of future violations of school policies; 2. An apology to the person who was bullied and/or the entire school community; 3. Participation in an appropriate plan of education (e.g., workshops or courses to reduce prejudice, psychological counseling, etc.); 4. Probation or suspension; 5. Non-renewal of enrollment for the following year; 6. Expulsion.

No student may retaliate against anyone who reports bullying or who cooperates in an investigation of alleged bullying. Retaliation is as serious an offense as bullying and will be grounds for separate or additional disciplinary action, including those consequences listed in the prior section.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE POLICY This policy applies to students and employees who have been diagnosed as having a serious communicable disease.

Upon receiving notice that an employee or enrolled student has been diagnosed as having a serious communicable disease, the decision as to what, if any, restraints or conditions shall be placed upon the employee's or student's continued enrollment in, attendance at, or employment by the school shall be made on a case-by-case basis (and re-evaluated from time to time as necessary) by a committee called for that purpose. In the case of an employee, the committee shall consist of the employee's physician, a member of the Personnel Committee, the Head of School, and such consultants as the committee may require in reaching a decision.

In the case of a student, the committee shall consist of the treating physician, the student's faculty advisor, the Head of School, and consultants as the committee may require. The committee should also consider the perspective and desires of the student's parents or guardian. In making their determination, the team shall consider (a) the physical and mental condition of the employee or student; (b) the expected type of interaction with others in the school setting; and (c) the impact on both the infected school employee or student and others 70

in that setting.

Persons who pose significant risk of communicating a serious infectious disease to others shall be restricted from the school community. In determining whether a significant risk exists, the committee shall take into consideration the findings of the attending physician and other consultants as to the nature and duration of the risk of contagion, the severity of the risk (of potential harm to others), and the probabilities that the disease will be transmitted to others.

In addition to the foregoing considerations and procedures, the following requirements shall be met as a condition of continued attendance, enrollment or employment of infected individuals: 1. The infected individual or the parent or guardian of the infected individual shall sign a written authorization for the release to the Head of School and to the committee of medical and hospital records, including express authorization for the release of information regarding communicable diseases, and further permitting the Head of School to receive periodic reports and records on the infected individual's medical condition.

2. The infected individual's attending physicians shall agree to furnish to the Head of School a written statement as to the nature of the communicable disease or condition, including an opinion as to the nature and extent of risk posed by the infected individual to others within the school community.

3. Both the infected individual and the treating physicians must agree that the physician shall apprise the Head of School in the event of changes in the infected individual's condition which increase the risk of illness or harm to others in the school community.

4. While the school shall make reasonable accommodation to the needs of an infected individual, the school shall not be required to incur exorbitant costs or expenses to accommodate special health needs of the infected individual nor to take difficult or extraordinary measures to permit the infected individual to remain in school or be employed by the school.

5. The identity of the infected individual and all medical records with respect to such individual shall be held confidential to the extent reasonably practicable. However, the Head of School and committee may, in their discretion, advise those persons involved with the instruction, care, or supervision of the infected individual or the school/workplace population of the infected individual.

HARASSMENT POLICY St. Francis School seeks to be a community in which every individual is treated with sensitivity and respect with the right to be free from harassment.

Harassment is unwanted and unacceptable behavior that is intended to or has the effect of harassing, denigrating, or intimidating on the basis of characteristics including ethnicity, religious background, gender, gender identity or expression, race, sexual orientation, physical disability, age (40 and over), socioeconomic level, sexual orientation, or any other category 71

protected by law, when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or school performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment.

Sexual harassment is uninvited or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, occurring in person, through writing, via the Internet or cell phone, or in any other communication form. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to sexually explicit language or gestures, suggestive comments, unwelcome sexual innuendos or sexually oriented “kidding” or “teasing,” the use of vulgar language, the presence of sexually explicit photographs or other materials, and the telling of sexual stories, when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or school performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. Sexual harassment is not social courting behavior. It is uninvited and unwanted and is best seen as an assertion of power.

Harassment can come from students, employees, visitors, guests, independent contractors, vendors, or other persons. Males as well as females can be victims of harassment, including sexual harassment.

Violations of the harassment policy are viewed as an extremely serious matter. All students and employees are responsible for reporting incidents of harassment. There will be an investigation into the matter, and if the allegation is sustained, the responsible person(s) will be disciplined. Depending on a harasser’s relationship to the school (e.g., student, employee, third party, etc.), potential disciplinary actions include, but are not limited to: 1. Warnings or counseling regarding the offense, its significance and the ramifications of future unacceptable behavior; 2. Requirement of an apology to the individual(s) involved and/or the entire school community; 3. Participation in an appropriate plan of education (e.g., workshops or courses to reduce prejudice, psychological counseling, etc.); 4. Probation or suspension; 5. Non-renewal of appointment or enrollment; 6. Dismissal or expulsion; 7. Immediate termination or non-renewal of employment or contract; 8. Temporary or permanent exclusion from school premises and/or events; and/or 9. Termination of any and all association with St. Francis School.

No sexual contact between faculty/staff and students will be tolerated and violations of this policy will result in termination.

The school forbids retaliation against anyone for reporting harassment, assisting in making a harassment complaint, or cooperating in a harassment investigation. Retaliation provides a separate basis for disciplinary action to be taken.

If investigation reveals that sexual or other harassment continue despite prior discipline, all 72

associations between the responsible person(s) and St. Francis School may be immediately terminated.

This policy is not to be construed in such a way as to suppress respectful thought, study, or discussion concerning controversial issues. The policy's purpose is to prohibit harassment so that each member of the school community has an equal opportunity to work, learn, and develop to his or her fullest potential.

Complaint Procedure for Harassment and Other Types of Discrimination St. Francis School cannot respond to harassment, sexual or otherwise, of which it is unaware, nor can the school respond to mere rumors. Thus, it is imperative for a student or employee with a concern involving potential sexual or other harassment to make use of the complaint procedure in this policy as promptly as possible. Harassment should be reported before it becomes severe or pervasive.

Reports of harassment may be made by contacting one of the two staff members appointed annually to serve as mediators in all harassment complaints.. The harassment mediators are Jennifer Griffith, Goshen Campus Dean of Faculty and Lower School Dean, and Ralph Marshall, Downtown Campus Dean of Faculty. If a staff member mediator is the person whose behavior gives rise to the complaint, or if the student or employee is uncomfortable complaining to the staff member mediators, the student or employee may make a complaint to the Head of School.

An investigation will be conducted as soon as possible. The investigation will be conducted by one of the staff member mediators. However, if a staff member mediator is the person accused of harassment, the other staff member mediator will conduct the investigation or the Head of School will appoint an alternate mediator. Confidentiality will be guarded to the extent possible, although it may be necessary to discuss the allegations in order to conduct a thorough and fair investigation. All persons involved in this process are expected to maintain confidentiality regarding the matter and to make disclosures solely on a need-to-know basis.

Following a full investigation of the circumstances, the mediator shall prepare a written report summarizing the investigation and stating a determination that the alleged violation did occur, that the alleged violation did not occur, or that that the mediator is unable to determine whether the alleged violation did or did not occur, and make recommendations regarding further actions to be taken or sanctions to be imposed. The mediator’s report shall be delivered to the Head of School for final decision and disposition. However, if the Head of School is the person accused of harassment, the mediator’s report will be delivered to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, who shall then be responsible for final decision and disposition of the matter.

If the investigation confirms the allegations, the school may take disciplinary action against the harasser. Disciplinary action taken will be based on the circumstances of each case including the harasser’s relationship to the school (e.g., student, employee, third party, etc.), the severity of the offense, and the harasser’s previous record or conduct. The wishes of the 73

person(s) harassed may also be taken into account in determining appropriate disciplinary action.

In cases where the mediator determines the alleged violation did occur or that the mediator is unable to determine whether the alleged violation did or did not occur, the Head of School will seek to meet with the alleged harasser (in the case of a student, with the student and his/her parents) to discuss the investigation findings and any contemplated discipline or other actions prior to making a final decision and taking disciplinary or other action.

The investigating mediator or Head of School will meet with and inform the student or employee who was the subject of the alleged harassment of the ultimate conclusion of the investigation and any action(s) being taken, subject to the limitations of the need-to-know confidentiality provisions of this policy and or those that may be imposed by law.

If during or after the investigation, the complaining student or employee experiences repeated or continued harassment or retaliation, they are to notify one of the staff member mediators or the Head of School immediately.

NOTIFICATION OF ASBESTOS RE-INSPECTIONS (DOWNTOWN CAMPUS) In compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), St. Francis - Downtown Campus has been performing inspections of our school building for asbestos-containing building materials since 1988.

Asbestos management plans are on file in the school business office.

During the renovation completed in 2003, all asbestos-containing materials were removed from the building except for a small amount encapsulated in the original boilers in the sub-basement. This presents no hazard to the inhabitants of the building, and in compliance with EPA regulations is checked by our facility staff every six months and re-inspected by an accredited asbestos management firm every three years. At our most recent re-inspection, an accredited management planner reviewed the results of the re-inspections and recommended actions we should take to safely manage any remaining asbestos materials in the building.

The results of the most recent re-inspection are on file as part of the management plan in the School’s business office. If you have any questions, please contact Greg Borders.

PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAM St. Francis School is committed to providing a healthy environment for all students. Per Kentucky law, parents now have the opportunity to be notified in advance of any pesticide applications.

We have instituted an Integrated Pest Management program, which is designed to limit the amount of pesticides used. The program will be administered by a professional pest management service. They are committed to using the least amounts and the most prudent 74

types of materials necessary to keep our school pest-free.

All sprayed pesticides will be applied to campus locations after school hours on Friday afternoons. If you would like information regarding the specific dates of application, please contact Greg Borders in the Business Office.

PLAGIARISM/CHEATING POLICY Plagiarism and cheating involve taking or using as one’s own the ideas or words of another.​ They are consequential offenses – intellectually, professionally, morally and (when ​ copyright is violated, for example) legally. In addition, plagiarism and cheating are contrary in a special way to what St. Francis School stands for: first and foremost, we think for ourselves.

Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated at St. Francis School. Please carefully read the sections below.

Plagiarism and cheating are dealt with depending on the individual circumstances and also upon whether it is a first or subsequent offense. Determination that plagiarism or cheating has occurred is at the discretion of the teacher. Once this determination has been made, it will be reported to the Head of Campus. The Head of Campus and/or the Head of School will decide upon the consequences. Consequences can include, but are not limited to, reduced or zero points on the assignment or assessment in question, probation, suspension, and expulsion. Parents will be notified in the case of any cheating or plagiarism incident.

Cheating and plagiarism include, but are not limited to, the following examples: ● Turning in a paper with paraphrased or borrowed ideas without citation. When the idea is not your own, you must cite the source. Simply having a bibliography is ​ not​ the same as citing sources in the body of a paper. Whenever you use someone else’s material either as a direct quote or as an idea, you must cite it. ● Turning in a paper that has sections lifted verbatim – word for word – or nearly verbatim from another source (book, magazine, internet, another student), with or without appropriate citation. Paraphrasing does not mean retyping another’s words and changing a few of them. It means reading, processing, and writing in one’s own words. ● Turning in an entire paper that is not your own – written by another student or bought or borrowed from any source, internet or other. ● Passing off as your own any work that is not—including but not limited to papers, PowerPoints, other presentations. ● Copying from a classmate’s paper, asking a classmate for answers, using online translators. ● Allowing someone to copy your homework, giving someone an answer on a quiz or test, alerting other students (beyond the information given by the teacher) to material that will be covered on a quiz, test or exam. ● Working with another student on an assignment, when not specifically permitted to do so. ● Using a cheat sheet or other resource not specifically permitted by the teacher on a 75

quiz, test or exam. ● Copying quiz, test or exam questions in order to alert other students to material that will be covered. ​ ​

76