Policies and Procedures

Code of Conduct

All members of the Bronx High School for Writing and Communication Arts community are expected to abide
by three basic rules: 

          Be Responsible – Conduct yourself in a way that commands the respect of others,
          by acting with integrity and honesty, and by caring for yourself and your future. 

          Be Respectful – Show respect to peers, adults, and visitors by listening, showing compassion,
          monitoring your actions and behavior, and by remaining aware of each others’ space and boundaries.

          Be Ready to Learn – Come prepared with supplies and use resources appropriately, caring and
          maintaining them as instructed, cleaning up after yourself, and returning what you use or borrow.

For any issues in the classroom, a faculty member will take appropriate steps to ensure a safe and mutually respectful
learning environment.  Families should review teachers’ course syllabi for more detailed, class-specific policies and
consequences.  Multiple breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in formal teacher-student conferences, sometimes including the advisor and parent.  In serious cases the Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Principal will become involved.

  
Each BHSWCA Student is expected to:

    1.   Be at school and be on time. Attend all classes and be in your seat on time.
          There will be consequences for students who are tardy to class.

    2.   Be prepared for class. Bring all the materials required for the class with you
          (textbook, paper, pen, pencil, PE clothes etc.).

    3.   Be attentive. Pay attention throughout the class period. Learn as much as you can.

    4.   Be cooperative. Make your best effort to actively participate in, and contribute to the class.

    5.   Be courteous. Show respect for your fellow students and staff. Avoid profanity, bullying,
          sexual harassment, defiance, harassment, and racial/ethnic intolerance. These types of comments
         and behaviors are unacceptable at our school.

    6.   Be honest. Be truthful and trustworthy. Do your own work: no lying, cheating, or plagiarizing.

    7.   Be reliable and dependable. Turn in work on time. When you are absent, be responsible
          in obtaining the missed assignments.

    8.   Be neat. Take pride in your school. Keep classrooms, restrooms, and the school grounds
          free from litter and vandalism. Be aware of rules regarding food and beverages in each classroom.
          Take care of school lockers, equipment, and property.

    9.   Be self-disciplined. Follow all school and classroom rules.

   10.   Be responsible. As a member of the Bronx High School for Writing and Communication Arts School
          community, practice this Code of Conduct in all your school activities.

Electronic Devices

Cell Phone Policy

Prohibited Items
In addition to the above mentioned items, the New York City Department of Education regulations include drugs, alcohol, tobacco products, weapons, chains, beads, gang-related items, headgear and hats as prohibited items. 

Alcohol and Drug Policy
As with all New York City public schools, BHSWCA will be an environment free from the usage, possession,
transfer, or distribution of drugs, drug paraphernalia, and alcohol. Possessing and/or using controlled substances without appropriate authorization, illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and/or alcohol is considered a “dangerous or
violent behavior” according to the New York City Department of Education’s Citywide Standards of Discipline and Intervention Measures and can result in a principal’s suspension, and/or further disciplinary action.  For more
information about the Citywide Standards of Discipline, please go to:
http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-101/Disc%20Code%202006.pdf.

Food/Drink/Candy/Gum
Students should NOT have candy, gum, food or drinks other than water, in the classrooms. Students may bring and
consume water in plastic bottles during classes; other drinks can only be consumed in the cafeteria.  Students
are prohibited from selling drinks and candy or gum at school. Students who have medical conditions that require them to eat/drink at other times during the day must provide written proof of such condition and specific request from a physician.  It is expected that students will clean up after themselves when drinking in classrooms as it is important that we maintain our space.

Discipline Policy
Violations of the BHSWCA School Code of Conduct, or of the New York City Department of Education Discipline Code, will result in sequential disciplinary action by the BHSWCA administration.

Bathroom Pass Policy

Students may request to use the bathroom during class by raising their hand and being granted a pass by the teacher after the 1st 10 minutes and before the last 10 minutes of the class. Bathrooms will be open for use during lunch, and dire emergency situations.  

Hat Policy

Hats, do-rags, bandanas, scarves, are not to be worn in the school building unless for religious reasons. 

Confiscated items will be returned only to a parent.

Lateness Policy

Students entering the classroom after the official start time must sign the Late Log. Three lateness’s will result in
a telephone call to parent. Excessive lateness will result in a parental conference and possibly failure of the course. Teachers will have a Late Log affixed to a desk in front of the classroom at all times.

Cutting 

Cutting is an unauthorized absence from an assigned period during a day in which the student was officially in school.  An absence from class will be reported by the student’s teacher through the school’s computerized attendance reporting system.  Cutting will affect the student’s participation in class which may affect the overall grade awarded.  Parents will be informed of any cut classes and students will have to meet with their advisor and the Dean of Students to discuss the infraction as well as appropriate consequences.  Students earn high school credit based on the number of hours of coursework they complete.  Students who cut class are in danger of not receiving the full number of hours needed for the course.  Please be advised that leaving school early without permission or staff notification from a parent is considered cutting. 

Uniform Policy

The Bronx High School for Writing and Communication Arts uniform policy helps promote safety, ease of
identification, equality, and school pride. Furthermore, a school uniform presents a professional image and distinguishes our students from the other learning communities within the Evander Childs Campus. The required royal blue or purple polo shirt with the school logo can be purchased at the Uniform Shop @ Kids Place located at 1450 Metropolitan Avenue, Bronx, New York 10462 (718) 430-6751.

·  Tops must be SOLID Royal Blue or Purple in color with the school logo.

·  Sweaters, sweatshirts and vests of the uniform top colors with the school logos may be worn.

·  All tops must extend past the student’s waistline, which is defined as below the navel.

Bottoms

·  Bottoms must be SOLID Khaki/Beige in color.

·  Style may be pants, skirts (to the knee), shorts, skorts, or capris.

·   All pants must be tailored with a waist and must have a hem that falls above the floor.

·  All bottoms must be worn on a student’s waist; a belt cinched at the waist is preferable.

·  All skirts / shorts / skorts / capris must be within 2 inches of the knees of the student.

Restrictions

·  No patterns, words or logos are allowed on school uniforms, with the exception of the Bronx High School

   for Writing and Communication Arts.

·  Hats, scarves, bandanas, “do-rags” or similar hair accessories or coverings, may NOT be worn.

·  Inappropriate wearing of any clothing is UNACCEPTABLE; this includes but is not limited to:

          o  items worn backward or inside out,

          o  pants worn with their waistlines below student’s hip

          o  extremely baggy pants

          o  clothing with inappropriate words or pictures

Notes

Students who are out of uniform will be referred to administration and their parents/guardian will be contacted.

​

Metro Cards

MetroCards are available for students who are eligible. Eligibility for a MetroCard is set by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  If a student lives one and a half miles or more from the school, a free fare card will be provided.  If a student lives a half mile to one and a half miles from the school, a half-fare card will be provided. Students entitled to the half-fare MetroCard contribute half of the normal bus fare, and are provided with one free transfer to any other bus.  The MetroCard half-fare does not provide a free transfer from the bus to the subway. 

Students must lost or stolen MetroCards immediately to Ms. Jackson.  Upon notifying Ms. Jackson, your MetroCard will be deactivated. If there are MetroCards available in the school, a new card will be issued immediately. If not, a new card will be ordered. It can take up to two weeks for the new card to arrive.  To report a missing MetroCard or to request a new one, see Ms. Jackson in room 242 after school.

Student IDs

BHSWCA student ID’s are extremely important and need to be used by all students as they enter the Evander Childs Campus.  The first student ID is given to students free of charge. If it is lost it must be replaced at the student’s expense for $5.00. To report a missing ID or pick up a new one, see Mr. Edwards as you enter the scanning area in the morning.

Religious Accommodations

Pursuant with Chancellor's Regulation A-630, requests for accommodation of religious observances and practices must be submitted in writing to the school principal. Such requests should be submitted well enough in advance to allow the school to make appropriate arrangements and scheduling adjustments, where reasonable.  Upon receipt of a written request to allow time off for religious observance outside the school building and grounds, Ms. Grey will evaluate the request and make any decisions allowing students time off for religious observance during regular school hours.  For more information about the Chancellor's Regulations regarding religious accommodations, please go to http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-27/A-630.pdf.

This paperwork must be completed prior to the religious observance to avoid having the student marked for cutting.

Health 

Any student who needs to take prescription medication on a regular basis during the school day or who has

a medical condition that requires monitoring must file a 504 form. Please notify the Wellness Team, Special

Education Coordinator, and School Nurse.

Any student who needs to take a prescription drug on a short-term basis must bring a note from his/her
parent, guardian, or doctor.  Any medication taken by a student during the school day must be directed by

the parent or guardian. 

Any student who is not feeling well during the school day, should get excused from class first by the
teacher of the course.  The student should then obtain a Health Center pass from the Main Office in order

to schedule an appointment at the Montefiore clinic.  The building nurse, will make a determination about the student’s condition and will contact a parent/guardian or instruct the student to return to class. Please note that a permission slip must be on file with the health center before the student is able to be seen at the Health Center.

Emergency Procedures

Fire Drills- BHSWCA follows all required regulations set forth by the New York City Department of Education 

pertaining to fire drills.  Bells ring and teachers escort their students silently to the designated exits.  It is
expected that students will cooperate with faculty during such drills; students must remain with their assigned teacher and should refrain from talking during the drill.  Staff members are also posted at sites inside and outside of the school building along routes where the students walk. Staff members guide the students as they walk down the stairs or away from the building along designated routes. 

Academic Integrity

Honesty is perhaps the most important virtue with respect to a students’ academic work.  BHSWCA students are expected to understand that dishonesty on exams, projects, papers, and homework is a form of fraud.  Students are expected to avoid all forms of cheating including allowing other students to cheat off of them (including giving work to others to copy or use as their own).  Before collaborating, students should verify specific course policies and assignment requirements.  

Plagiarism

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:

1. to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
   
2. to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
   
3. to commit literary theft
   
4. to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source 

Plagiarism is an act of fraud and it is unacceptable for any BHSWCA student to plagiarize any of their work.  If a student uses someone else’s work, whether it was found in a published book or periodical, on the Internet or was acquired from another student, he or she must properly cite the source.  It is not enough to change wording.  If a student has any questions about academic honesty, it is his or her responsibility to ask a teacher for clarification before submitting the affected assignment.