Parent and Student Handbook

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INTRODUCTION

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

"The goal of all education should be a wise and eloquent piety." These words were uttered over 400 years ago by Johann Sturm, a Lutheran who was establishing classical schools in Europe. St. Paul's Lutheran School has this same goal today. We pursue piety, knowledge, and eloquence together as redeemed people in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The purpose of the Parent/Student Handbook is to provide to all students and their parents a set of guidelines for such wise and eloquent piety in and around St. Paul's Lutheran School. If we were perfect saints, we might not need any "rules and regulations," but-because of our sinful nature, we maintain these policies in a spirit of submitting to one another in love (Ephesians 4:1-3). We hope that everyone will receive these policies in accordance with Philippians 2:14-16, which says, "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom your shine alights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I didn't run in vain or labor in vain."

The entire contents of the Handbook should be read by or to every parent and student. We recognize that the Handbook is imperfect and silent on some issues, which may arise. In cases of disagreement about a particular interpretation or implementation of certain rules, the Headmaster and/or the Board of Christian Education will render decisions that they deem fair to both the students and the school. Parents or guardians who believe that such policies or their implementation constitute undue hardship have recourse under the grievance policy listed below. In such cases, decisions made by the Board of Christian Education convened in an official meeting will be deemed final and binding.

The Board of Christian Education reserves the right to establish new policies and to modify existing policies contained-herein. The implementation of these policies is subject to interpretation by the Headmaster who carries the responsibility for the welfare of all together. The Headmaster may also establish or modify policies as deemed necessary by intervening situations and circumstances subject to the approval of the Board of Christian Education. These new or modified policies will be in effect upon written notice to all parents and students by the Headmaster, generally through the weekly newsletter or note sent home with the student.

Dave Hall 

Headmaster

THE VISION STATEMENT OF ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran School teaches Classical Lutheran Education in order to cultivate the mind and soul of our students and incline them towards God’s truth, goodness and beauty.

THE MISSION OF ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran School exists to help parents teach the Word of God to their children, and to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School are both affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). Our school is governed, and operated by the congregation and is run by a Board of Christian Education appointed by the congregation's Voters' Assembly. We follow the centuries-old tradition of instructing students in the classical languages, liberal arts, Christian doctrine, and the seven virtues so that they may flourish in faith toward God and love toward their neighbor. Our goal is to bring forth eloquent confessors of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and wise leaders in our community.

THE VALUES OF ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 

• To glorify the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the One True God, who  created a perfect world, redeemed it after its fall in Adam, and has continually  called the people of this fallen world to repentance and new life. 
• To testify to the Lordship of Jesus the Christ, the God-Man who, in taking on a  human nature, has conquered sin and death. He is the focal point of the history  of the world and the key to the understanding of its design. 
• To utilize the power of the Holy Spirit in training children to view both the  history and design of the present world in the light of God's revealed and  perfect Word, the Holy Bible. 
• To apply the kind of discipline that God has prescribed in the Bible so that  children will see Him as a kind and loving Father who reproves and corrects  His children solely because of His love for them. 
• To equip the little ones with the kind of knowledge about God's creation that  enables them to become effective disciples in His Kingdom and good stewards  of the material and spiritual gifts that He has placed at their disposal. 

 AN EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN

St. Paul's Lutheran School prepares children for the future by providing knowledge and skills to achieve academic excellence, personal growth, and success in a safe, positive and classical Christian environment. St. Paul’s Lutheran School offers a basic education in the core disciplines and  humanities: reading, writing, mathematics, science, geography, history, literature,  music, and art. Physical education is also an important part of our curriculum. We have  high academic standards that seek to promote excellence and achievement from all our  students, but we are not an elitist school only for the gifted and advanced learner. We  believe that all children can learn, especially when challenged and motivated by specific  knowledge, high expectations, exceptional teachers, and the discipline and support of  parents. Our low teacher-to-student ratio makes St. Paul’s Lutheran School an ideal  setting for children with varying degrees of ability. 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School does not discriminate against any student on the basis of sex,  race, or ethnic background. Enrollment is not limited to Lutherans, but matters of faith will be taught exclusively in accord with the Scriptures and the Book of Concord.  Because of limited class size and with regard for church whose members are investing their monies and time in this school, priority for enrollment will be given first to families  who are members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Enrollment is then open to the general  public on a first-come-first-served basis. 

THE COMMITMENT OF PARENTS 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School exists for the purpose of assisting and supporting Christian  parents in their God-given responsibilities of raising and rearing their children.  Commitment to our Lutheran approach to education is imperative for all parents who  would send their children to St. Paul’s Lutheran School. When parents enroll a child in  the school, they are pledging their support of our confession of faith and promising to be  involved and active with us in every facet of their child’s education. 

CONFESSION OF FAITH 

The teachers of St. Paul's Lutheran School, in carrying out the above stated objectives,  commit themselves whole-heartedly to the Confession of Faith as stated in Article III of  the Constitution of St. Paul's Lutheran Church: "This congregation accepts and  acknowledges all the canonical books of the Old and New Testament as the inspired  Word of God and also all the Symbolical writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church  contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, taken from and in full accordance with the  Holy Scriptures." These Symbolic writings are:  

• The Three Ecumenical Creeds: The Apostolic, The Nicene, and the Athanasian
• The Unaltered Augsburg Confession 
• The Apology to the Unaltered Augsburg Confession 
• The Smalcald Articles 
• Luther's Large Catechism
• Luther's Small Catechism 
• The Formula of Concord 

"This congregation also affirms that 'A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional  Principles', adopted by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1973, is, in all its parts,  scriptural and in accord with the Lutheran Confessions. As such, it expresses the  position of this congregation on the doctrinal issues contained therein. According to this  confession of faith, all matters of doctrine, conscience and Christian life shall be  decided." 

CURRICULUM OF ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School seeks to follow a classical education model for its curriculum  and approach to teaching and learning. What this means is that we believe there are  three stages to learning, commonly called the Trivium: Grammar, which focuses on  learning facts; Logic, which focuses on understanding; and Rhetoric, which focuses on  integration and synthesis. This approach to teaching and learning goes all the way back  to the ancient Greeks, and has served Western Civilization for millennia in teaching and 

integrating knowledge into a cohesive unit. Studying quality literature is another  hallmark of a classical education. St. Paul’s Lutheran School will draw on quality  historical narratives, historical fiction, “living books,” and worthy literature, briefly  annotated, from a number of well-known and respected sources. 

THE BENEFITS OF A MULTI-GRADE CLASSROOM 

While most people today are used to one grade per classroom, St. Paul’s Lutheran  School uses multi-grade classrooms that utilize additional teachers (instructors) as  needs arise. There are many advantages to a multi-grade classroom spiritually,  academically, and socially: 

• In a multi-grade classroom children are always able to review what they have  covered before and work ahead if they are able.
• It lends itself very easily to individual instruction. 
• Children are able to find mentors and friends in older grades who will help  them in many ways. Older students learn patience and helping skills. 
• It better reflects the style of learning in the world, where it is very rare to be in  an environment where all of the people are of the same age and educational  background. 
• Multi-grade research documented that, “Students show increased self-esteem,  more cooperative behavior, better attitudes toward school in general, increased  prosocial (caring, tolerant, patient, supportive) behavior, enriched personal  relationships, increased personal responsibility, and a decline in discipline  problems.”1 

THE TEACHING OF READING 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School believes that the ability to read is the most important skill to  be taught to elementary children to ensure their academic growth and success in school. Our school pledges itself to the teaching of phonics as the foundation for learning to  read. Children are taught the basic building blocks of the English language, including  proper spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure. Literacy is fostered in  our students by grounding them in the skills necessary to read and write the English  language. 

1 “The Multigrade Classroom: A Resource Handbook for Small, Rural  Schools,” educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/multigrade-classroom-books 1-7.pdf, November 1999, page 173 

MUSIC AND THE ARTS 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School teaches music and the arts on a daily basis. Particular  emphasis is given to the art of singing so that the young Christian learns to participate in  the devotional richness of the Church’s liturgy and hymnody. In addition, there are  many opportunities to explore the vast secular musical and artistic treasures from  outside the church. 

CATECHESIS 

St. Paul’s Lutheran School has faithful Lutheran catechesis as its central task. The entire  catechetical program for all grades falls under the jurisdiction and oversight of the  pastors. Catechesis takes place in the school’s worship and prayer life, music program,  Bible studies, and daily integration of the faith into academic subjects. Catechetical  instruction is given by the pastors and reinforced by the teachers. 

Listening to Bible stories, discussing what is heard, praying the Catechism and liturgy,  and singing the hymns of the church is part of the daily life of the school. Children learn  the entire Catechism by heart by the end of the second grade. Children learn a three year cycle of important Bible passages and hymn verses by heart. Children grow in the  Christian faith and life through the integration of that faith into all the academic subjects of the school. They learn to evaluate the real world and our society and culture  on the basis of the Word of God and the Christian confession. Children learn the faith by  doing those things that will be a part of their Christian life as long as they live. 

Foremost in the process of catechesis is the involvement of parents in the catechization  of their children. This requires the ongoing catechesis of parents through the Divine  Service, adult instruction, Bible classes, and special topic presentations, so that the  Word of the Gospel becomes the foundation for their faith and life. This catechesis  assists parents in living their Christian vocation, understanding the Divine Service and  the church’s liturgy, teaching their children to listen to the Word of God, praying the  Catechism in the home, and practicing confession and absolution within the family. 

ADMISSIONS 

All parents who enroll their children here automatically agree to all conditions set forth  in this handbook. As a result of this confessional subscription, St. Paul's Lutheran School accepts its God given responsibility to admit students of any race and color without regard to ethnic or  national origin. In carrying out school-administered policies and programs, it resolves  to grant all its students fair and equitable treatment along with equal access to school  activities without regard to racial or ethnic origin. These resolves do not preclude the preferential treatment, which is due those pupils who  hold membership in our congregation, nor do they set aside the possible existence of  other valid discriminatory factors, which may apply, to non-member pupils. However,  those factors may be determined solely by application of the confessional article of the  congregational constitution. St. Paul's School exists primarily for the training of children of the congregation  members. When space allows, it accepts non-member pupils upon approval of the Board  of Christian Education. Non-member pupils shall be subject to a six-week acceptance  (trial) period in the first quarter of their enrollment.  Kindergarten children must have attained five (5) years of age on or before September 1  of the year of their enrollment. Pupils who have begun their studies in another school and wish to transfer to St. Paul's  must present a transfer and academic transcript from the previous school. The health  records held by the previous school are required of each new non-kindergarten entrant  (see Transfer-in Students under “Miscellaneous” for more details). 

ADMISSION PROCEDURES 

Parents or guardians wishing to enroll non-member students at St. Paul's Lutheran  School must fill out a student application and authorization of release of educational  and health records for each student. After reviewing the student application and  records, a parent interview will be conducted. The Headmaster will notify parents or  guardians of acceptance. Families who are delinquent in payment of tuition to St. Paul's  Lutheran School or who have outstanding balances at other private schools are not  eligible for enrollment at St. Paul's Lutheran School. Parents must read the Parent/Student Handbook and return a signed copy of the  enrollment contract to the School Office. 

ADMINISTRATION 

St. Paul's Lutheran School owned and sustained by all the members of St. Paul's  congregation. A Board of Christian Education, the Headmaster being designated as its  chief administrator, administers the affairs of the school. However, final authority for all  matters pertaining to school governance is vested in the Voters Assembly. 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT 

Members of St. Paul's Church contribute to the church and school through their regular  weekly envelope offerings.  At times, patrons and friends may wish to make a memorial donation or gift to the  school. Upon request, the Headmaster will be happy to suggest instructional items that  he could purchase through special gifts.  A tuition fee is not charged to families who are members of St. Paul's congregation. A  tuition fee based upon the number of enrolled children per family is charged to those  who are not members of St. Paul's. Non-member tuition fees amount to less than half  the congregational expense of educating a student at St. Paul's School. Whenever pupil  charges create a hardship, the problem should be discussed with the Headmaster prior  to enrollment. The Board has been empowered to adjust based on his recommendation. It is fervently hoped that all families who avail themselves of the opportunities at St.  Paul's School will with willing hearts, seek to fulfill their financial responsibility to St.  Paul's congregation as God has prospered for them.  Any family facing an unexpected financial emergency such as illness, accidents, or the  loss of a job, is expected to act responsibly and contact the headmaster or the school  office. When these situations occur, the school will work with the family to ease their  burden and to avoid a record of tuition delinquency. If special arrangements are made  in those situations, the family is expected to meet the stipulations, which have been  agreed upon. Failure to do so will result in the student's enrollment being discontinued.  Students whose accounts become two months past due will have their enrollment  discontinued until such time as the account is balanced. St. Paul's Lutheran School will  pursue families of students whose enrollment has been discontinued through a bill  collecting agent or small claims court.  When grant monies are available, families may apply for them. Eligibility will be  determined according to the scale set by the government. A family must make their IRS  tax returns available for verification. Generally speaking, all families are expected to  make some payment toward their fees. Exceptions may be made for those who seriously  desire this education but are in dire need. Cases will be considered for all children who  wish to attend the school. There is no financial aid for the payment of fees and uniforms  except for those in dire need. 

STUDENT FEES 

A registration fee is charged for all pupils. This fee covers the use of all textbooks and  workbooks, and all supplies. Students in grades three through eighth are expected to use  their own Bibles, catechisms, and hymnals. These three items are provided to you at no  cost. Replacements may be purchased at cost if they need to be replaced due to loss or  destruction.  Athletic fees are charged for students in grades 5-8 who wish to participate in the after school sports programs.  Parents may purchase milk for the lunch period for pupils in grades K -8 on an annual  basis for a nominal fee. 

HEALTH AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS 

A health record from a doctor is to be presented by the pupil upon entering  Kindergarten. A second one is to be submitted at the beginning of the sixth grade. In  both instances, a physical examination is required before entering school at these grade  levels. Evidence of professional visual and auditory examinations is also required at  these times.  If a child shows signs of illness (sore throat, unexpected rash, etc.) parents are urged to  keep the child home until the condition is remedied. In case the child has contracted a  contagious disease, parents must immediately notify the school. In the case of communicable or contagious disease/condition i.e., head lice, measles,  staph infections etc., notification will be sent home to all parents if deemed necessary by  the Headmaster. All care will be given not to identify those students who are infected. If a child is instructed to take medicine in school, his/her teacher should be notified in  writing from a responsible adult. If a pupil's physical education activities are to be  limited, written physician's instructions must be presented to the school (see the  Medication section below under “Miscellaneous” for more details). In case a child meets with an accident at school, the home will be notified. If parents  cannot be reached, immediate steps will be taken to provide proper care for the injury. A  series of emergency phone numbers for each child is requested. All absences must be excused with a reason for the absence given by a parent either by  phone or in writing. 

Assignments 

Assignments are given for constructive exercise for mastery of new concepts, skills, or  facts and maintaining previously learned knowledge.  

Homework 

The pupils are given the opportunity to complete in school many of their assignments. If a  child seems to have an excessive amount of homework, parents should arrange to  discuss the problem with the teacher.  Absences from school are not an excuse from completion of assignments. It is the  obligation of the child and the parents to see that all assignments are satisfactorily  completed. Assignments given during the absence of a student may be required at the  discretion of the teacher. A morning phone call before school hours between 8:00 and  8:40 on the day of an absence will allow the teacher to collect assignments for after  school pickup.  Parents should also check their children's work regularly. It is essential for building  character that the children submit school work on time and work through assignments  thoughtfully and neatly.  St. Paul’s Lutheran School may assign some amount of homework to many of its  students at any given time. Below are the primary reasons or causes for homework being  assigned: 

• Students often need some amount of extra practice in specific, new concepts,  skills, or facts. In certain subjects (e.g., math, reading, or languages), there is  not enough time in a school day to do as much practice as may be necessary for  mastery. Therefore, after reasonable in-class time is spent on the material, the  teacher may assign homework to allow for the necessary practice.
• Repeated, short periods of practice or study of new information is often a better  way to learn than one long period of study. 
• Since St. Paul’s Lutheran School recognizes that parental involvement is critical  to a child's education, homework can be used as an opportunity for parents to  actively assist their child in his studies. This will also keep the parents informed  as to the current topics of study in the class. 

Homework may also be assigned to students who, having been given adequate time to  complete an assignment in class, did not use the time wisely. The homework, in this  situation, serves a disciplinary purpose but is not to be considered as punishment.  Homework directly related to the curriculum/syllabus (such as extra problems or  questions on a unit the rest of the class is working on) is not to be assigned as a  punishment for improper behavior, lest homework be identified in the student's mind as  punishment rather than a constructive exercise for mastery of a subject. The teacher  may, however, assign work that is to be done outside of class such as writing sentences  or writing a report -this, however, is not to be considered as homework. Since  homework, by its nature, takes time at home, it is not to be assigned due to the teacher's  poor planning or in place of an assignment, which could have been completed in school.  The student's time at home is to be encroached upon for only the best of purposes. The  necessity for doing homework will vary from grade to grade and even from student to  student.  The guide below should be regarded as maximum times, not as required minimum  times, and then, only homework is assigned. In any event of homework normally being  assigned, a Weekly Homework Assignment Sheet should be used in Grades 1-3 and a  student-owned assignment book should be used in Grades 3-8. 

GRADE MAXIMUM APPROXIMATE TIME PER WEEKNIGHT2 

• K – 10-20 minutes 
• 1st – 2nd 20-30 minutes 
• 3rd – 5th 30-45 minutes 
• 6th – 8th 45-60 minutes 

The parent is responsible for making certain that the child has a suitable environment  for study. Sounds from audio devices, the television, and unnecessary conversation  should be eliminated while the student studies. When possible, provide encyclopedias,  dictionaries, and other reference works. A wholesome attitude toward homework should  be developed in the home and given high priority by the family. 

Parents should show a vital interest in the work, encouraging children, but never doing the work for them. Parents are encouraged to take their children to libraries, museums,  and other educational sites. Parents should strive to understand the purposes of  homework and discuss this with their child. The parents' attitude will do much to help  the child be successful. Teachers are willing to assist parents in this regard. 

Parents need to take time to sit and read with their children every night. Children enjoy  this more than most people realize. Parents should read to the children if the children  cannot read for themselves. They should also sit and listen to their children read, not  interrupting too frequently with long explanations. Simply correct or pronounce a  difficult word and let the child go on. When the chapter or reading is concluded, go back  to review the pronunciation or meaning of difficult words. If you don't know the  meaning yourself, show your child the importance and ease of looking it up in a  dictionary. 

For math concepts, casually drill math facts in everyday situations. These may include  trips to the grocery store, the gas station, or even in the kitchen with simple recipes.  Encourage children to share their memory work Scripture passages, catechism, or hymn  verses as well as the Shurley Grammar jingles and History timeline when applicable. 

GRADING SCALE 

The following grading scales are used. Grades may be recorded per the letter scale of A– F or on a number scale from 1–3. Which scale is used is determined by the teacher based  on the amount of course time and assignments completed. An “N” indicates that grading  for that course or grade level is not appropriate. 

2 New homework is not normally assigned over the weekend or over holidays and vacation periods for students in Grades K-5. However, if students fail to complete their daily seat-work for which the teacher has given ample time,  they may be expected to complete that work over the weekend or holiday. Students in Grades 6-8 may have some  homework over the weekends that should not last more than 30-45 minutes total - or some minor research work on  special occasions (though not over vacation periods). These guidelines assume the average student your child's  average may differ.

AUTHORITY AND DISCIPLINE: Parents and the School

We believe that children's lives, discipline, and upbringing are ultimately entrusted by the Lord God to their parents. This relationship is testified in the Bible:

(Deuteronomy 6:6-7) "And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. "

(Ephesians 6:1-4) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (this is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.' Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

(Colossians 3:20-21) "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. "

The authority and discipline maintained corporately in the school is viewed as the extension and augmentation of parental authority and discipline. Martin Luther explains the Fourth Commandment, "We should fear and love God that we may not despise our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them in love and esteem." 

The faculty and staff do not function above parents but rather with the authority delegated to them from the parents. This parental authority is delegated when parents agree to the terms and conditions stated in this handbook for the care and education of their children.

The Bible states that:

(Proverbs 12:1)"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."

(Proverbs 29:17) "Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart."

(Hebrews 12:5-11) "And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? -'My son do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.' It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Discipline at the School is not considered in negative terms. Discipline is understood to be  a firm, loving admonition and training to know and do what is right. It has absolutely nothing to do with physical or verbal abuse, or manipulation of behavior by intimidation and ridicule. Rather, it has reasonably unpleasant consequences for poor performance or inappropriate behavior to deter such performance and behavior in the future, while offering encouragement and positive examples to achieve success. In practice, classroom management is the preferred method of discipline at the School. Classroom regulations are summarized by the following 5 rules:

Listen the first time.

Obey right away.

Respect people and property.

Do your personal best.

Keep a place for everything and everything in its place.

These rules may be remembered using the following mnemonic device: L-O-R-D Keep, which are the first two words in a favorite hymn at the school, "Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word."

Normally, teachers will note the breaking of these rules with a name or mark being written on the board and will note the keeping of these rules with positive reinforcement. Sitting quietly, paying attention, asking questions respectfully and working hard will be encouraged by compliments.

CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE

Each student is responsible for his or her own actions. Students are expected to conduct themselves in ways that honor the Ten Commandments and the Words of Christ from Matthew 22:36-39:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The behavioral expectations established by the school are designed to prepare students for the responsibilities and situations they will face later in life; and to prevent interruptions to learning caused by unpreparedness or behavioral disruptions. The school encourages all to conduct themselves in attitude, demeanor, and work as befits their God-given vocations.

We expect that our students will develop and exhibit the following behaviors:

1. Honor and obey all authorities.
2. Worship God faithfully during the school week and at the regularly scheduled services.
3. Obey the Ten Commandments, and repent when they do not.
4. Respect and care for all property and materials.
5. Follow the school dress code.
6. Keep personal areas neat.
7. Be cheerful in their work as young Christian students.
8. Respect their classmates in word and deed.
9. Have the safety of others in mind at all school functions.
10. Complete assignments on time and follow all directions.
11. Bring required materials or supplies to the classroom on time.
12. See further explanation of directions from the teacher if assignment directions are not clear.

We expect our students will avoid the following behaviors:

1. Class disruption, such as talking without permission, distracting fellow students, verbal outburst, food consumption outside of lunchtime, and running in authorized areas.
2. The use of unchristian language, such as profanity, vulgarity, cursing, swearing.
3. Disregard for the emotional and physical welfare of classmates through verbal abuse or physical threat, written or oral.
4. Disregard for authority, such as disrespectful response to adult correction by word, tone of voice, non-responsiveness, belligerence, improper dress, or the abuse of shared school properties. Unlawful conduct, such as possession and/or use of controlled substances and/or weapons, and assault and/or battery of anyone on school grounds or at any school-related activities. Violations of any of the above may result in teacher-lead correction, a meeting with the Headmaster, a parent/student conference, after-school detention, some form of suspension, and, in extreme cases, expulsion. In any disciplinary action, teachers shall respond in a manner appropriate to the type of misconduct, its severity, and the degree of frequency with which it occurs. All suspensions will result in school board contact with the appropriate parties. Repeated suspensions may result in expulsion.
5. Unlawful conduct, such as possession and/or use of controlled substances and/or  weapons, and assault and/or battery of anyone on school grounds or at any school related activities. Violations of any of the above may result in teacher-lead correction, a  meeting with the Headmaster, a parent/student conference, after-school detention,  some form of suspension, and, in extreme cases, expulsion. In any disciplinary action,  teachers shall respond in a manner appropriate to the type of misconduct, its severity,  and the degree of frequency with which it occurs. All suspensions will result in Board of  Christian Education contact with the appropriate parties. Repeated suspensions may  result in expulsion. 

Any un-Christian conduct by students or family members away from the school which  brings untoward public scrutiny of St. Paul's Church or School will be dealt with in  appropriate manner up to and including expulsion as determined by the Board of  Christian Education whose decision is final.

Non-classroom disciplinary actions may be described as follows: 

• Detentions may be issued either by the teacher in charge or the Headmaster.  Students will nominally serve detentions on the school day the offense was  committed or on the school day following. They are served after school from  3:15 to 4:00. Repeated detentions will result in an in-school suspension and/or  parent/student conference involving the Board of Christian Education. 
• In-school detentions are served during the school day. A student reports to  the teacher, collects the assignments for the day, and reports to a supervised  area outside the classroom for the remainder of the school day. 
• Out-of-school suspensions are served off school grounds under supervision  from the student's home. The student is not allowed on school grounds for the  entire day, receives no credit for schoolwork due, and is marked absent for the  duration of the suspension. 

Maintaining discipline in the classroom is not inconsistent with the practice of  forgiveness and unconditional love which is central to the Christian faith and life.  Behavior consequences are administered fairly by teachers as appropriate to the  situation and the student’s need for correction; thus, consequences may not be the same  for similar infractions by different students or different time of year. 

Parents will be notified by the teacher of behavioral situations that have not responded  to correction, missing school work, poor assignment quality, and chronic dress code  violations. 

Students may be sent home for the remainder of the day for situations of bullying,  cheating, fighting, disrespect of authority, lying, stealing, or physical violence. Headmaster will document each time a student is sent home as a result of the student  violating the discipline policy. This record is kept in the student’s file in the office to be  removed and destroyed at the end of the school year. 

Expulsion 

Expulsion removes a student from the school for the remainder of the school year  because of repeated suspensions, because of gross misconduct and/or insubordination,  when a student cannot/will not abide by the foregoing standards of conduct and  behavior, or if parents do not honor their commitment to the school. Expulsion is a  decision made by the Board of Christian Education after investigation by the board. The  parents of the student involved shall receive a fair hearing before the final decision is  made: The students may not be re-enrolled in a subsequent school year without board  approval. 

Promotion and Retention Policy 

Students who achieve passing credit in all subject and skill areas are eligible for promotion to the next grade level. Students who fail to achieve passing credit in one or  more subject or skill areas may be promoted provisionally or may be subject to retention  or discontinuation of enrollment. The teacher will make initial recommendations; the  Headmaster will make final determination. 

Every effort is made so that a student succeeds at St. Paul's Lutheran School. Retention  is to be avoided if possible. A student may be considered for retention in grades K-8 if  the following criteria are met: 

Grade point average remains below C for three of the four quarters Less than  10% improvement in grades during the fourth quarter Remedial work such as  summer school or tutoring are refused; Diagnostic Testing for learning  disabilities has been completed; Light's Retention Scale has been considered;  Achievement tests have been taken into consideration. 

Students may be considered for retention based on behavior or maturity, especially in  Kindergarten. In the case of a student who willfully and persistently refuses to do the  work necessary to succeed, one recommendation will be that the student be enrolled at a  different school. If there will be no substantial difference in educational approach for  the student if the student is retained, one recommendation will be that the student seek  enrollment at a different school. 

The following procedure must be met if there is any likelihood that a student may be  retained: 

If the student's grade point average is below C for the first semester, a written notice  indicating the possibility of retention must be completed by the teacher and reported to  the Headmaster. Once the notification has been signed and returned by the parent, a  copy will be supplied to the parent, the Headmaster, and placed in the student's file. 

A case conference with the parents, teacher, Headmaster and other professionals  deemed necessary will be called to meet no later than January 31 of the current  academic year to discuss what must be done to help the student progress, such as an  individualized educational plan (IEP). 

If after the third quarter the student's grade point average remains below C, a case  conference will be held to discuss improvements necessary during the fourth quarter  and arrangements made for summer school and any other remedial work. Intent to  Retain letter must be filled out by the teacher and signed by the teacher and  headmaster. A copy will be given to the parent and placed in the student's file. 

The final decision whether to retain a student or to discontinue a student's enrollment  based on grades will be at the discretion of the headmaster in consultation with the  Board of Christian Education. Notification regarding retention will normally be made within two weeks of the last day of the academic year, but the decision to retain may be  arranged earlier with the parent's consent. 

In the event that a parent is not satisfied with any decision regarding the retention of the  student, recourse is available by mailing a letter to the chairman of St. Paul's Lutheran  School's Board of Christian Education within 30 days of the end of the academic year.  The Board of Christian Education will consider the parent's request for review at the  regular meeting following receipt of that letter. A final and binding response will be  mailed to the parent within 10 days of that meeting. 

Enrollment Review: After the academic year has been concluded, the faculty will  convene with the Headmaster and other support staff as deemed necessary to review the  enrollment applications for all returning students. This committee may choose to  discontinue the enrollment for students who have been disruptive or destructive during  the academic year or who, in their judgment, would be served better at another school.  Notification of this decision will normally be made prior to July 1. Those who wish to  contest this decision have recourse by writing to the Chairman of the Board of Christian  Education who will address the matter at the next regularly scheduled Board of  Christian Education meeting. The Secretary of the Board of Christian Education will  notify the family as soon as possible after that meeting. In the event that the decision of  the Enrollment Review is reversed, the Headmaster may stipulate a probationary plan  for the student, as he deems necessary. 

Generally, students receiving passing semester grades in all core subjects will be  promoted and students with two or more failing semester grades in core subjects will be  retained. If, for any reason, a student does not demonstrate proficiency, it is the  responsibility of the classroom teacher to recommend retention. This is to ensure the  student has mastered grade level expectations and will have a good chance of being  successful at the next grade level. Students failing to meet the above requirements may  be promoted in special circumstances. If the parent(s) of the child do not agree with the  teacher’s recommendation, they may bring their concerns to the Retention Review  Committee for consideration. All decisions made by this group are final. 

The Retention Review Committee will consist of one Board of Christian Education member, the Headmaster, and up to three teachers. These teachers will be the current  teacher, the teacher in the grade level below the student, the teacher in the grade level  above the student, and one other teacher (if staffing makes this possible). 

When parents challenge the teacher’s recommendation, their concerns are brought to  the attention of the Retention Review Committee and both parties will meet with the  Committee simultaneously. Each party will have a chance to speak without interruption.  The Committee will discuss the matter privately. The Headmaster will inform all parties  of the Committee’s decision. Appeals to the Board of Christian Education may be made  by either party if, and only if, they feel that proper procedures were not followed.