School Policies

Athletic Policies And Regulations

ATHLETE: Athlete shall mean all persons in the school district, grades 7-12, that participate in cheerleading or sports that are under the auspices of the SDHSAA. This policy governs athletes from grades 7-12. The rules are in effect during the school year or during the season of practice or play ( before school starts or after school ends). Junior and Senior High athletics are completely voluntary programs. No student is obligated to take part in school athletics. Participation is not required for advancement or graduation. Therefore, to prevent adverse public reaction, prevent dissension on teams and for the general welfare of teams and participants, the following athletic training rules will be enforced. We want to be proud of you and we want you to have PRIDE in yourself. Many things go into making a winning team; one of the most important is adherence to training rules. Nothing breaks a squad's morale faster than the knowledge that one or more of your teammates is breaking training. We do not believe any of the consequences of temptation comes along. Our training rules are as follows:

A. All state SDHSAA eligibility regulations will be posted and followed.

B. School Regulations:

     1. ACADEMICS: The athlete must be passing four full credits per semester.

     2. DRESS: One must realize they represent their school, town, and themselves.

     3. DRUGS, DRINKING, TOBACCO: A student shall not use, consume, have in possession, buy, sell, or give away any tobacco, alcoholic beverages, beverage containing alcohol, marijuana, or any substance defined by law as a drug, unless specifically prescribed by her/his doctor for the student's own use, during the school year or during the season of practice or play rehearsal regardless of the quantity.

     4. CURFEW: Remember, you have a responsibility to your teammates, town, coach and yourself to be able to give 100% of yourself at all times during practice and games. Hours may be set by coaches.

     5. Any athlete determined by the Coaching staff to be in the immediate association with someone who is illegally using tobacco, alcohol or any substance in an intoxicating manner shall be considered in violation of the athletic policy. A common sense approach should be related to the concept of association. Examples may include:

     (A) Being present in a vehicle with alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substance.

     (B) Attending a house or other party which involves alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substance.

Hanson School Extra-Curricular Policy

First Offense: After confirmation of the first offense the student will lose eligibility for the next two weeks or two contests or events; whichever is greater, of his/her first participation season.

Second Offense: If during once calendar year from the first offense, confirmation is received that the student has again violated school policy, it will be considered a second offense. The student will lose eligibility for the next five weeks or four contests or events; whichever is greater. The student will also serve two Saturday detentions. The detentions must be served before the student will be allowed to participate in any contests or events.

Third Offense: If during one calendar year from the second offense, confirmation is received that the student has again violated the school policy, it will be considered a third offense. The student will lose eligibility in all sports for one calendar year. This policy will be in effect from the first day of practice for fall sports to the last day of school or last day of sports activities. In the event the student commits the offense between seasons, the suspension will begin with the first day of practice of the next sport the student participates in  and will include the minimum number of contests or events. In the event the student commits the offense during the school year but after his/her participation is complete, the student will forfeit his/her letter or participation award.

Rules For Suspension The student will participate in all scheduled practices and team meetings. The student will travel with the team and sit with the team in street clothes for all games. The student may not wear any part of the Hanson uniform during this time. This includes during school, after school, or during the game. No student athlete will be allowed to start a sport season late for the purpose of serving a suspension. The coach may not add any time to the suspension but may add extra work as may be appropriate.

Lettering Policy

 Letters may be earned on the Varsity level only.

Basketball: 12 quarters must be played in one season.

Football: 6 quarters must be played in one season.

Track: A participant must score one point in any Varsity Track Meet.

Cross-Country: A participant must finish in the top 20 of 2 Cross Country Meets or finish 4 or all sanctioned Cross Country Meets or road races on the Varsity level.

Volleyball: Girls must participate in one third of all sanctioned games.

Cheerleading: Must participate in three fourths of each sport you cheer for.

Student Managers & Stats: One must fulfill all requirements as determined by the Head Coach.

Note: For all sports, any participant must finish the season, barring injury. 7th and 8th grade will be eligible receive letters in any sport, provided they meet all qualifications.

Athletic Participation

All students, High School and Junior High, may participate on the Varsity level with coaches discretion and School Board approval.

Athletic Insurance

Those students who participate in sports will be required to take out an accident insurance policy or show evidence of adequate coverage. The benefits of the policy are as indicated in a regular schedule for accidents in the policy.

Athletic Physicals

All athletes participating in a varsity event must have a physical prior to the first date of participation.

Letterman's Club

The Hanson Letterman's Club is an organization made of the athletes and coaches with the purpose of promoting participation, sportsmanship, and excellence in all activities. Money raised will be used to:

     1. Buy athletic equipment to better all programs.

     2. Buy T-Shirts honoring 3 letter/year athletes.

     3. Sponsor:

         (a) Chili Feed

         (b) Junior High Tournaments

         (c) Punt, Pass, and Kick Contest

         (d) Elks Hoop Shoot

         (e) Volleyball Day

         (f) Hershey Track Meet

School Attendance Policy

Attendance is an important part of each student's PERMANENT RECORD. All absenteeism's and tardies are recorded on your permanent record card at the end of each school year. Students who are constantly absent cannot expect to earn passing grades. Students who are absent from school need to have their parent (s) or guardian (s) contact the school by telephone that day. Please call between, 7:45 and 8:25 A.M. The school will contact your home, business, or place of employment if a call has not been received. Once a student has been in attendance at 8:25 A.M.; he/she will not be excused from school without a written parental excuse or phone call. The student's parent (s) or guardian (s) are asked to call the school by 9:00 A.M. if the student is going to be absent that day; unless the student brought from home the day before. Absence is absent from class regardless of the reason; therefore, regular attendance by students is vital. Student-teacher instruction, class discussion, presentations, audio-visual presentations, etc., are integral parts of a well run classroom. A student's contribution to these areas requires being in attendance. Certain absences of students will be excused by the Principal on receipt of a written, signed explanation from the parent or guardian. These absences will include:

1). Illness or quarantine

2).  Bereavement or serious illness in family

3). Weather so inclement as to endanger the health of the child

4). For observance of major religious holidays

With educational and legal requirements in mind, the following attendance policy covering regular enrolled students, Grades 7-12, will be enforced: Any absence, for any reason, for any length of time, means that a student is deprived of contact time with the instructor and the class as a whole. This interaction is a vital aspect of the educational process. With this in mind, in lieu of a set member of permissible absences, the following policy with regard to make-up work will be enforced in an effort to encourage attendance and compensate for the lost contact time brought about by each absence:

A. A student returning to a class following an absence will receive from their classroom partner, the assignment relating to the lesson of the class period/periods missed.

     1). The assignments may be written nature, a class activity, or in the form of actual contact time with the instructor.

     2). The assignments should be of such a nature that the instructor is able to measure and evaluate the student's work.

     3). Instruction will use discretion in cases of prolonged absences to make these assignments manageable with regards to the amount of time missed and the student's course load. In case of extreme absence, a meeting with the parent's, student, staff, administration and Board of Education would be required to determine the student's educational plan.

     4). In the event that the absence involved the taking of a test, the following shall apply: a). If the returning student was aware of the scheduled test and the absence involved only one day prior to the test, the student will be expected to take the test the day they return to the class.

             b). If the student was unaware of the scheduled test and/or the absence involved more than one day prior to the test, the instructor will use his or her own discretion in setting a time for the student to take the test.

B. These policies shall apply to all absences, including those for school sponsored events. Students who are absent from school need to have their parent (s) or guardian (s) contact the school by telephone that day. Please call between 7:45 and 8:15 A.M. The school will contact your home, business, or place of employment if a call has not been received. Once a student has been in attendance at 8:15 A.M., he/she will not be excused from school without a written parental excuse or a phone call. The student's parent (s) or guardian (s) are asked to call the school by 9:00 A.M. if the student is going to be absent that day; unless the student brought a slip from home the day before. Students arriving by bus are not tardy if the bus is delayed. We would like to ask the cooperation of parents of children who don't ride buses. Please help your children gauge their time leaving for school so they do not arrive at school any sooner than 15 minutes before school starts in the morning. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Unexcused Absence

     One Saturday morning detention will be assigned for each of the first five unexcused absences. Five unexcused absences will result in administrative recommendation for expulsion from school.

Tardiness

     Failing to be at the assigned workstation when the final bell rings. Every third tardy per semester, the student will be assigned one Saturday detention period.

Grading

Analysis of Marking System:

A (95-100); A- (92-94); B+ (90-91); B- (86-87); C+ (83-85); C (80-82); C- (78-79); D+ (76-77); D (73-75); D- (70-72); F (Below 70)

A. The grading system used by Hanson School (Grades 7-12) will be A, B, C, D, F, and I for Incomplete work.

B. Plus (+) and Minus (-) may be used with letter grade.

C. ALL assigned work must be completed and handed in before an Instructor will assign a letter grade. Failure to do so will result in a student receiving an I for the course.

D. INCOMPLETES: Incompletes will become a permanent part of a student's record until removed through completion of the course requirements.

E. 3.6 Semester Grade Average will determine Honor  Students.

F. The quarterly A and B Honor Roll will be published in the Alexandria Herald. Teachers are encouraged to use a percentage grade through the grading period. This grade must be converted to the letter grade at the end of the grading period. The pint system will be used to determine the Honor Roll. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure the students understand this grading system.

Policy For Determining Honor Students

The Honor Roll Policy for the Hanson School District shall be as follows: Honor Roll of Excellence- Any student who receives a Grade Point Average of 3.667 to 4.0. There will be one exception- a student cannot receive a grade in any class of C+ or below. If this does occur, the student is automatically disqualified from this Honor Roll. The Honor Roll of Merit- Any student cannot receive a Grade Point average of 2.0 to 3.666. There will be one exception- a student cannot receive a grade in any class of a D+ or below. If this does occur, the student is automatically disqualified from this Honor Roll. Students with an Incomplete at the time of publishing of the Honor Roll, will automatically be disqualified from the Honor Roll.

(A) Junior High (7-8)

      1. Certificates to student achieving 3.6- 3.9+

      2. Certificates placed in a frame for G.P.A. of 4.0 to students in Grades 9-11.

      3. Senior Honor Students will receive medallions.

      4. Gold Medallions will be given to the top two Senior. When G.P.A.'s are equal for more than two students, each student involved will receive a Gold Medallion.

      5. All G.P.A's will be included when determining Honor Students for Grades 9-12.

Nine Week Tests, Semester Tests And Grades

Nine-Week Grades will count 2/5 of the student's semester grade. Semester tests are given at the end of each semester. Semester tests count 1/5 of the semester average. There are many possible grade combinations that may occur. If a student passes both nine weeks and fails the semester test, he/she could still pass the semester. A student who passes only one nine week period, fails the next nine week period and semester test, will more than likely fail the semester. When a failing grade is involved, grades must be figured using percentage.

Make-Up Work

One day for each day absent if the absence is no more than 5 days. Six or more days, the Instructor and student will set up a schedule as to when the make-up work must be completed. If the Work is not made up, no grade or credit can be given for the course. It is very important that students meet required time lines.

Home-Work

Homework assignments must be meaningful and appropriate for each student and not be simply additional work. Homework may include the following three areas:

1. Extension of class-work- to practice and reinforce skills or concepts introduced in class.

2. Preparation for class-work- to prepare for in-class discussions or experiments.

3. To expand and enrich- to allow students to explore in-depth subjects of personal interest.

Pop Machine Policy

The use of the pop machine is a privilege and should not be considered a right. It is something that can be taken away at the discretion of the instructor of that class. A whole group or single individuals may lose this privilege. The Student Council will receive the profit of the pop machine and will be used for student activities or to benefit the school. All expenditures must be approved by the advisors and council members. Soda pop will be allowed in study halls only, unless there is a special occasion in class. This can only be done with the permission of the Principal. Empty pop cans must be put into the building unless there is special permission by the Principal. If the above rules are not followed, the administrator or the student council advisors may take this privilege away.

Transportation Policy

The Superintendent is responsible for the routing of the bus and the routes are set up to serve the greatest number of people in an efficient manner. All residents of Hanson School District 30-1 may ride the bus without charge under the Laws of South Dakota. Riding the school bus is a privilege. Policies pertaining to safe transportation are:

1. The buses shall be kept in good mechanical order with proper servicing and employment of licensed drivers. The buses will be covered by adequate insurance. It is not a good policy to have students drive to school in cars when transportation is available.

2. Drivers shall operate the buses in a safe manner, observing speed limits.

3. Parents are asked to see that the students are on time so that the bus routes may be run according to schedule.

4. Students are expected to show respect to other passengers, drivers, and chaperones.

5. Students shall keep the bus neat and avoid any damage to the bus. Parents will be notified as soon as a problem arises of which they should be aware.

6. Students riding the buses in cold weather should dress accordingly.

7. For activities we recognize that there are circumstances that make it necessary for students to ride with parents; however, these occurrences should be limited as much as possible and personal contact between parent, coach, or advisor is mandatory. (NO NOTES)

8. It is a privilege, not a right, for a student to ride on a school bus.

9. The first time a student misbehaves on a bus, the driver reports the name of the student involved to the Principal and the Principal will mail home a warning form to the parent/guardian disciplinary action will be taken.

10. The second time a student misbehaves, the driver will bring the student to the parent/guardian by letter or telephone that the student will not ride the bus until that parent/guardian has come to the school and met with the Principal and student involved.

11. The third time a student misbehaves, the student will not ride the bus until such time that the parents/guardians have met with the school board at a regular scheduled meeting. A decision will be made at this meeting.

Transportation Policy- Extra Curricular Activities 

The school provides transportation to all extra-curricular events. The administration, directors and coaches feel strongly that all participants should ride with the team To and From all events for several reasons:

     A.    Team Unity- being part of a team involves more than just participating. Being together as a group is important.

     B.     Communication- may important announcements are made to the group while on the bus.

     C.     Supervision- it is difficult to keep an accurate count of the number of bus riders when several parents tell the coach that they will be taking their child home with them. ( We would hate to leave someone inadvertently, but it could easily happen.)

     D.     Liability- There is a liability question in the event of an accident, if the child is not with a parent.

We also recognize that there are circumstances that make it necessary for students to ride with parents; however, we feel that these occurrences should be limited as much as possible, and that personal contact between Parent and High School Principal is mandatory and contact should be made before teams leave for their activity.( No Notes!)

School Lunch Policy

School Lunch money is due the 1st of each month. You pay for 20 meals the 1st of each month. The first eight months you pay. In May you do not pay, but are billed at the end of the month, with credits taken off for the days you did not eat during the year. You have ten school days from the1st of each month to get your lunch money in. If it is not paid within that time, you will not be able to eat lunch until the bill is paid.

Offer vs Serve Lunch Policy- Offer vs Serve for lunch is offered to Grades K-12. Students must be allowed to decline up to two of any of the five offered items. They must have at least three items in full quantity on their plates. The school may not dictate which food items a child must take. Elementary students will be encouraged to try the other food items in smaller quantity. Students must be informed of Offer vs Serve.

Offer vs Serve Breakfast Policy- Offer vs Serve for breakfast is offered to Grades K-12. All four required items must be offered. Students may be allowed to decline one of the four items and must have at least three items in full portion. The school may not dictate which food items a child must take. Students must be informed of Offer vs Serve.

Student Locker Policy

There will be no writing, engraving, stickers pasted or any other vandalism to the inside or outside of student lockers. Lockers will be assigned according to grade level. There will be no alcoholic beverages, drugs, tobacco, or other contraband in lockers. Lockers are intended for school purposes only; such as books, clothing, and personal items. The Administration has the right to inspect lockers either periodically or an ad hoc basis in the interest of making the school a safe place in which to study. All lockers will be inspected by the Administration upon completion of the school year. Lockers not passing inspection will result in disciplinary action. Violation on any of the above acts will result in the following punishment:

A. A fee will be paid for damages incurred by the offender.

B. The fee will be determined by the Administration according to the damage.

C. The fee will consist of money, labor or both.

FHA Chapter Policy

FHA is mainly an out-of-class club, with some objectives being fulfilled in class. To be eligible for membership in FHA, a student must be presently enrolled in Home Economics or have already completed a course in Home Economics or plan to enroll in the future. Six officers are elected in the Spring. A program of work or yearly activities are planned in September. Each FHA officer must present an illustrated talk, job interview, or Power of One Module. Other members have the option to participate. Participation includes District and State Competition. Dues of $5.00 are paid by individual members with the remaining $3.00 coming from club funds. Fundraising is done strictly through football concessions until a time comes when more funds are needed. The group will meet on the second Monday of each month for an organizational meeting. Other activities will be planned at this time.

Activity Pass Policy

All students need to purchase Activity Tickets or pay admission at the door.

Progress Report Policy

Hanson School will send Progress Reports to parents or guardians for the purpose of improvement and to keep parents informed of student progress. Reports will be filled out in triplicate with one copy for the parent, one copy for the guidance office, and one copy for the teacher. Progress Reports will be due in the Guidance Office on Friday of the third and sixth week of the nine week grading period. Progress Reports will be sent out by Wednesday of the following week.

THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE PROGRESS REPORTS

1. Any student who receives a D or an F grade for the grading period that we are in (third or sixth week).

2. Any student who drops two letter grades.

3. Parents who have requested them.

Senior Visitation Policy

This policy will allow the seniors two days of visitation without being counted absent. The seniors will be allowed any two of the following options:

     1. Job shadowing

     2. College visits

     3. Vo Tech visits

     4. Military visitation/physicals

To be granted this visitation without being counted absent, the student must do the following:

     1. Make up school work in advance

     2. Set up the job shadowing, visitation or military visit through the Hanson School counselor. ( the senior or their family member is not allowed to set up the day.)

     3. Fill out the proper form and have the counselor and the Principal sign the form at least two days before the leave takes place.

     4. Must have taken the act prior to college visit.

In addition the following will apply:

     1. A follow-up by the counselor, such as a phone call to the shadowed employer or College/Vo Tech/military representative will take place the following day.

     2. Job shadowing cannot be done with a family member.

     3. Visitation will not be allowed during a state activities event.

     4. Visitation forms may be obtained from the guidance counselor.

Hanson Public School Bus Policy

1. It is a privilege- not a right for a student to ride o n a school bus.

2. The first time a student misbehaves on a bus, the driver reports the name of the student involved to the Principal and the Principal will mail home a warning form to the parent/guardian and disciplinary action will be taken.

3. The second time a student misbehaves, the driver will bring the student to the Principal of the school that he/she attends and the Principal will inform the parent/guardian by letter or telephone that the student will not ride the bus until that parent/ guardian has come to the school and met with the Principal and student involved.

4. The third time a student misbehaves, the student will not ride the bus until such time that the parents/guardians have met with the school board at a regular scheduled meeting. A decision will be made at this meeting.

Internet Acceptable Use Policy (Terms and Conditions)

Acceptable User: The purpose of the Internet is to support research and education in and among academic institutions in the US by providing access to unique resources, and education in, and opportunity for collaborative work. School use must be in support of education and research and consistent with educational objectives. Use of other organization's network and computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for that network. Transmissions of any material in violation of any US or state regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret. Use of product advertisement or political lobbying is also prohibited. Use of commercial activities is generally not acceptable. 

A. Privileges: The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in cancellation of those privileges. Each student who receives access will participate in a discussion with a Hanson School District faculty member pertaining to the proper use of the network. The system administrator and teachers will deem what is inappropriate use and their decision is final. 

B. Netiquette: You are expected to aide by the general accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to the following: 

-Be polite. Your messages should not be abusive to others. -User appropriate language. Do not swear, use vulgarities, or any other language deemed inappropriate. -Do not reveal your personal address or phone number. Do no reveal the personal addresses and/or phone numbers of fellow students or colleagues. -Illegal activities are strictly forbidden. -Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be private. People who operate the system have access to all mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities. -Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt network services for other users. -All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property. 

C. Non-liability: Hanson School District makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or Implied, for the service it is providing. Hanson School District will not be responsible for any damages suffered. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, nondeliveries, misdeliveries, or service interruptions caused by negligence, errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via Hanson School District is at the user's own risk. Hanson School District is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of information obtained.

D. Security: Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. If you feel you can identify a security problem on the Internet, you must notify a teacher who will in turn notify a system administrator. Do not use another individual's account without written permission from that individual. Attempts to login to Internet as a system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to internet. Any attempt to access or send immoral  material in pictorial, written, or verbal form will in immediate termination of privileges. In addition, the violator can and will be subjected to school, state, and federal disciplinary actions. 

E. Vandalism: Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware, data of another user, Internet, or any agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.

F. Exception of Terms and Conditions: All terms and conditions as stated in this document are applicable to the Hanson School District. These terms and conditions reflect the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings of the parties.

Student Council Policy

(1) Student Council membership at Hanson School shall be determined as follows for Grades 9-12:

A. Students may obtain application forms from Student Council Directors.

B. Elections will be held in each class where students may choose among those students who have submitted applications. Vote totals will not be published.

C. Student Council shall consist of 12 members: 2 from each class, and 4 at large to be chosen from Grades 11 and 12. This may be adjusted depending on the number of applicants.

(2) Officers- President, Vice-President and Secretary Treasurer

A. Shall be chosen by a vote of each new Student Council at its first official meeting.

B. The President shall be chosen from those Senior Student Council members who have expressed an interest in the position on their application forms.

C. The Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer shall be chosen form the remainder of the Junior and Senior members.

D. Vote totals will not be made public.

(3) Any student who is unable to fulfill his/her role as a Student Council member may be removed, based on the discretion of the advisors. The replacement member will be the second highest vote getter in that class or selection of advisors.

Chorus Policies

As the chorus director, I have the right and responsibility to prohibit a singer from a public performance if their performance is at a substandard level or their classroom behavior is unacceptable. They will be able to return to public performance when their performance or behavior has improved.