Attendance and Tardiness

An absence is defined as any part of a school day when a student is not present in class or at a designated class field trip. This includes early dismissals.  Absences at the very beginning of the school day are tardies. The rules for tardies are listed separately. 

1. Absences that are due to illness, death in the family, or medical appointments.  These absences are excused.  When the child returns, he/she should bring a note.  The work missed may be made up at the discretion of the teacher.  Assignments may be picked up in the Elementary office at 2:00pm if they are requested by 9:00am the morning of the absence.

2. Absences for vacations and other family events are not excused. The work for the missed days may be made up at the discretion of the teacher. The work missed during this time will need to be covered by the parent and not expected to be re-taught by the teacher.

3. Absences due to church trips will be counted as excused. A note from the church must be turned in to the Elementary office. 

A student may have up to twenty absences per year. A student with twenty or more absences per year will have to have the approval of the principal in order to be promoted to the next grade. Three tardies constitute an absence. 

School begins promptly at 7:50am.  A student will be considered tardy after 7:50 unless notified by the office. A red flag will be placed outside at the drop-off locations, signaling that your student is tardy.  If your student is tardy you MUST come into the Elementary office for 1st-5th grade and the Main Office for TK-K5 to fill out a tardy slip. The parent must then take the child to their classroom.
 
A student must be in school for no less than one-half day to be counted present. The half-day ends at 11:30am.  Excessive absences, tardies, and early dismissals will impair the student's acquiring the education needed. All parts of the school day are important! 

Early Dismissal

Parents are expected to write a note to the teacher for a student’s early dismissal, unless there is a family emergency. Please include the date and time of pick-up.
In addition, parents must fill out an early dismissal slip at the office before a student can be dismissed. Students TK-K5 will be dismissed from the main school office. Students 1st-5th will be dismissed from the Elementary office.

Carline AM and PM

• The Student Identification Card must be placed on the dashboard (passenger side of the vehicle at all times.  Any authorized person picking up a student MUST have the students’ identification card.  Please make sure to explain accurate directions and instructions to those who are picking up your child for you.  You may copy your car tag if needed. 
• Never let the child out of a vehicle without school personnel present.  Please be on time for the benefit of the child. Students are not allowed in the buildings before 7:20am without faculty/administration approval.
• At no time should you leave your vehicle unattended in the drive through lanes. If you must come inside, please park your vehicle in one of the many parking spaces. 
• When walking a child to or from the school building, please walk with extreme caution.  SAFETY FIRST!  During traffic time, please cross at the permission of crossing guard.
• Children may leave with the parent who has attended a school-wide event or class party; however please make sure that you have checked your child out with the office and filled out the appropriate form.
• Students may be released only to parents and those adults noted by parents on the Authorized Release Form.  There will be no exceptions.  Please be sure that all authorized persons understand the dismissal/pick-up policies and have a copy of the Student I.D. card.  This includes bus students at North Campus.
• All students must vacate the school premises at the end of the school day

Homework/Make-up Work

Homework is reinforcement of daily work. It is not a punishment.  Homework will be limited, but parents are encouraged to practice reading and other areas with their children as suggested by the teacher.  Parents will be informed in advance of upcoming tests so they will be able to practice with their child beforehand as needed.  Homework will not be given on Wednesdays, nor major tests given on Thursdays.  We encourage students and their families to attend Wednesday night church activities.  If a child is out of school it is the parent’s responsibility to call and obtain the child’s schoolwork.  Work can be picked up at the Elementary office by 2:00pm if the parent has called and requested it by 9:00am.

Communication Folders

On Monday of each week, or the 1st day back in any given week, teachers will be sending home the student folders for the week. This will contain your child’s classroom work. Please review each paper, noticing strengths and weaknesses of your child’s work. Praise your child for good work or good effort and assist them as needed. You are to sign each paper as designated by the teacher and return it in the folder the very next day for the teacher’s file. If you have any questions about your child’s work or behavior, please contact the teacher via a note, voicemail, or email. Each Friday you will be able to receive class information from the goal sheet which can be obtained through our website. This will inform you of upcoming classroom instruction and classroom or school activities. Please print a copy and read carefully.

Lunch/Snacks

HGBCS Food Service provides for your children USDA approved, nutritionally balanced and proportionate meals.

In conjunction with providing healthy meals for our students, parents we ask that you please refrain from sending in or bringing in sodas for lunch.  If your child brings a soda it will be sent back home and replaced with water.  Research has shown that it is more beneficial for children to have juice, milk or water for mealtimes rather that soda.

Please see the Lunch Menu page for information about pricing as well as the lunch time schedule.

Parties/Invitations

On occasion, teachers will have classroom parties for various events.  Classroom parties promoted by parents must be cleared through the teacher. If invitations are given out in the classroom for parties off-campus, all students of invited gender must receive one. Please remember that any contacts made by parents to other parents must refrain from solicitation unless promoted by HGBCS. When bringing smaller siblings to classroom parties, it is the responsibility of the parent to maintain control of behavior and supervise the child.
Parents may ask for money for classroom parties. This may not exceed 2 parties at $5.00 each.

Grading System

Kindergarten

E = Excellent
S = Satisfactory
MP = Making Progress
NI = Needs Improvement
NA = Not Applicable

Elementary

A = 100 – 93  (Exceptional Achievement)
B = 92 – 85 (Above Average Achievement)
C = 84 – 77 (Average Achievement)
D = 76 – 70 (Below Average Achievement)
F = 69 – 0 (Very Low Achievement)
E = Excellent
G = Good
S = Satisfactory
N = Needs Improvement
U = Unsatisfactory
I = Incomplete
NA = Not Applicable

Semester grade: Average of both quarters.
Yearly grade: Average of both semesters.
Progress Reports are no longer being sent home. 
It is the responsibility of the parent to carefully review the weekly folders.

Conduct Grade Codes

E = Excellent
G = Good
S = Satisfactory
N = Need Improvement
U = Unsatisfactory

Dress Code Grades TK – 2nd

Our goal is to guide our students to dress neatly and to glorify God.

Dress Code Grades 3rd-5th

Our goal is to guide our students to dress neatly and modestly to glorify God.

Please note: The administration has the final authority on the dress code. They will handle all persistent problems or questions.

Parent Conduct

The administration, faculty, and staff  will strive to maintain an atmosphere and guidelines for the students that will promote positive behavior.  The teacher will be spiritually prepared and enthusiastic about classroom management. Therefore, it is imperative that parents cooperate and reinforce the same. 
Following are some suggestions:

1. Pray daily for teachers, administration, and the children.
2. Be positive about the school in front of the children.
3. Be encouragers; build one another up.
4. Do not gossip. Know the facts and support them.
5. Don’t assume. If you don’t understand something, ask the right people.
6. Be a team player, not an individual.
7. Remember, your suggestions are important. Let us hear from you.  School administration does not read unsigned letters.
8. When there is a concern or suggestion, please take the following steps:
• Pray; seek the will of God.
• Get all the facts (do not assume that your child or the person who gave you the information has given you all the facts).
• Make an appointment to meet with the teacher to discuss your concerns. Then if you are not completely satisfied, the teacher and the administrator will meet together with you to address the situation. Please do not meet with or challenge the classroom teacher or assistant teacher without first making an appointment.
• Your concerns are not everyone else’s concerns. Therefore, do not involve others with concerns of your family.
• We have an open door policy. Therefore, please be assured that we do care about your concerns and suggestions, and will treat these with integrity and fairness.
9. Remember to have Christ-like character at all HGBCS activities on or off campus. Please be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Remember, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers of the air.

Ephesians 6:12

Student Conduct / Discipline Process

Students are asked and required to:

• Respect authority
• Respect others
• Respect property
• Use appropriate language
• Cooperate with administration/faculty
• Maintain integrity

Students will be given class procedures to obey in order to maintain
proper classroom management by the teacher. The teacher will treat each child with respect, love, and genuine concern.
Should a discipline concern arise, parents will be contacted for communication purposes and to work with the teacher to establish positive behavior of the child. The faculty will do everything possible to meet the needs of the children.  Should you need to make an appointment with your child’s teacher, please make it during the teacher’s planning period or after school.
The administration reserves the right to dismiss a child if, after a Teacher-Parent-Administration Conference there seems to be a point at which the school can no longer meet the needs of your child, the administration reserves the right to request the withdrawal of your child with options and recommendations for further services.
Corporal punishment is not allowed at HGBCS. The teacher will inform the parents of serious or consistent behavioral problems and seek parental suggestions before taking further action. When the children see the parents and teachers working together for them, it makes all the difference in the world.
It is expected that students take care of the facilities and property of HGBCS and the church.  Damage to property of facilities will not be tolerated. Parents of any students involved will absorb the cost of damages. School Administration will determine consequences.

Parent Commitment

1. We have read and understand the school’s philosophy of Christian education and the statement of faith. We are in agreement with the purpose and philosophy of HGBCS.
2. We, as parents, accept the challenge to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6), and we do state that this training will be carried out in the home. We place our trust in HGBCS to extend that training more completely.
3. We do hereby state that we have made a thorough investigation of the school’s program, curriculum, discipline, dress code, etc., and we agree to make them our full-hearted choice for the coming year.
4. We understand that we have an obligation to be actively involved in the education of our children. We agree to uphold and support the high academic standards of this school by providing a place at home for our child to study, and to give our child encouragement in the completion of homework assignments.
5. We will faithfully support the school through our prayers and a positive attitude, and in keeping with Matthew 18:15, we are committed to giving a good report by sharing any complaints and negative comments only with people involved.  Unresolved issues will be taken care of using the school’s chain of command.
6. We understand that the standards of HGBCS do not tolerate profanity, obscenity in word or action, dishonor to the Trinity and the Word of God, disrespect to the personnel of the school, or continued disobedience to the established policies of the school.
7. We believe that discipline is necessary for the benefit of each student as well as for the entire school.  We give permission to the teachers and administration to make and enforce school regulations in a manner consistent with Christian principles and discipline set forth in the Scriptures. We further agree that we will cooperate and discipline our child in the home as needed.
8. We pledge that if, for any reason, our child does not respond favorably to the school, we will do everything in our power to cooperate with the school to help our child make the necessary adjustments. If these adjustments cannot be made, then we agree to quietly withdraw our child.
9. We understand that assessments will be made to cover damages to the school, including breakage of windows, book damage, and the abuse of other personal property. All hardback and reading books are the property of the HGBCS and must be returned at the end of the school year.
10. We will support the school by involvement in the Parent Council, Open Houses, Parent-Teacher Conferences, workdays and other school sponsored meetings and activities.
11. We give our permission for our child to take part in all school activities, including sports and school sponsored trips away from the school grounds.