Valid reasons for absence include illness and medical/dental appointments.
Although there are other reasons for absence that are justifiable, it is the
responsibility of the parents (Ed. Code 12452, 12154) to keep their children
in school every day possible. The school reserves the right to judge the
validity of “other†absences. Falsifying phone calls, notes, forging a
parent's name or altering a note in any way is a serious violation of school
rules and are grounds for school suspension. Students must be present in
school for at least two full academic class periods in order to participate
in/or attend any after school co-curricular and extra-curricular activity
(this includes, games, dances, and other events).
Full/Partial Day Absences
If the student is to be absent for part or all of the school day, a
parent/guardian must call the Attendance Office BEFORE 9:00AM EACH DAY of
absence and provide the following information to the Attendance Office:
- Student's name and grade
- Reason for absence
- Relationship to student of person calling
- Parent's phone number should confirmation be necessary
A note signed by the parent or guardian with the same information is
required upon the student's return to school. If the student is at a
medical/dental appointment, the school must receive a note on official
letterhead from the medical provider. Notes will not be accepted after seven
calendar days. Unverified absences will be considered truancy.
Extended Illness Clause
If a student misses three or more consecutive days of school, he must
present a written verification from a doctor immediately upon his return to
school.
Re-admittance Procedure
On the day a student returns from an absence he must present a written note
to the Attendance Office BEFORE school begins. The note must contain ALL of
the following information:
- Student's full name and grade
- Date(s) of absence
- Reason for absence
Class Tardy
Class tardy is defined as not being in the classroom when the late bell
sounds. A student who is tardy to a class should report directly to that
class. If a student is late to block one, or to the block after lunch, he
will receive one detention. If a student arrives to class more than 10
minutes late, the student must report directly to the Attendance Office to
get a tardy pass. Students who arrive to class more than 10 minutes late
will receive a tardy cut. Students will receive two detentions for each
tardy cut and when a student has received a total of three tardy cuts in any
one class per semester he will receive a conduct grade of “U†from the Dean.
Students are allowed three excused tardies per semester at the discretion of
the Attendance Secretary in consultation with the Dean. In order for a tardy
to be excused, a parent note must be provided within 24 hours of the tardy.
All tardies beyond the three will be unexcused. Late carpools,
transportation and parking problems are not excused.
An important goal of the school dress code is to teach students that in the
larger arena of life, people draw personal and professional conclusions from
one's attire and grooming. As representatives of ARHS, student appearance
reflects upon the image and good name of the school. Any attire, adornment,
or personal grooming that detracts from or disrupts the learning environment
is prohibited. Ever-changing styles of clothing and grooming, the different
values of parents and students, and individuals' interpretations of what is
acceptable school dress, make judgment in such matters subjective. Parents
and guardians who send their sons to ARHS, and students who choose the ARHS
experience, accept the judgment of the Administration as final in matters of
dress and appearance at school. Since the parent is the primary educator of
the student, it is strictly the parents' responsibility to ensure that their
son is in correct dress code on a daily basis while on the campus of ARHS
and at school functions. In all instances, the school reserves the right to
regulate against upcoming fads or fashions that reflect negatively on the
school and/or person. It is the right and responsibility of the faculty to
enforce the dress code.
All students must attend school wearing a shirt, pants, belt, socks, and
shoes. All shirts and pants must fit properly and shirts must be tucked in
at all times. Students wearing oversized clothing will be sent home.
Students are encouraged to purchase uniforms through our vendors: Dennis
Uniform, Simply Uniform or ARHS Prep Shop.
Shirts
- Polo-type shirts (long or shirt-sleeved) in black, white, navy blue, grey,
purple or any polo purchased from the prep shop.
- Oxford-cloth white dress shirt.
- Riordan activity or athletic collared shirts.
- On Friday's, students will be allowed to wear ARHS t-shirts that are
designated by the administration.
Undershirts
Only white, gray, or black, short- or long-sleeved undershirts may be worn
UNDER the uniform shirt. Writing on tee shirts may not be visible through
the uniform shirt. Thermal or sleeveless undershirts are NOT permitted.
Pants
Pants and shorts may not be oversized, baggy, rolled, torn or non-hemmed.
Pants must be worn at the natural waist and in good repair. Only khaki pants
or walking shorts are acceptable. No cargo type pants or shorts are
permitted. Khaki colored jeans are NOT permitted.
Belts
All students are required to wear a belt. Belts of excessive length or
inappropriate style and large belt buckles may not be worn.
Shoes and Socks
Formal, casual, or tennis shoes that are clean, unaltered, and in good
repair are acceptable. Work boots, military shoes or boots, sandals and
slippers are not allowed. Socks must always be worn and be visible.
Jackets
Only ARHS jackets and coats are to be worn on campus during the school day.
However, ARHS jackets and coats must be free from inscriptions, patches,
embroidery or drawings other than those specifically permitted by the
school. At 7:40, when the first bell of the day rings, all non-ARHS
outerwear MUST be put away in students' lockers. If it is still being worn
after the bell, it will be confiscated and brought to the Dean's Office.
Sweaters and Sweatshirts
- Sweaters and sweater vests must be a solid color and may NOT be oversized,
baggy, or torn.
- Only ARHS logo sweatshirts are allowed. A uniform shirt must be worn under
a sweater or sweatshirt AT ALL TIMES.
Accessories
- No earrings or posts of any kind may be worn in any part of the body.
- Hats, bandannas, headbands, hairnets, or any like adornments are not to be
worn in any of the buildings at any time.
- Jewelry deemed inappropriate is liable for confiscation. Dangling chains
or chains used for key chains are also liable for confiscation.
- Tattoos or other markings, temporary or permanent may not be visible.
Backpacks/Bags
Writing, drawing, slashing, and patches are not permitted. Students may
neatly print their name and/or school name on their bag. The Dean may
confiscate any items inappropriately marked and consequences will be
assigned.
Formal Dress Days
Certain designated school days require students to dress formally. On these
days, students must wear:
- An Oxford-cloth white dress shirt.
- An ARHS logo tie.
- ARHS white V-neck sweater.
- Khaki full-length school pants (no shorts).
- belt
- Black or brown leather dress shoes with dark socks. No boots or casual
shoes allowed.
The Administration is the final judge of what is neat, clean, and
appropriate. Students who come to school with an objectionable haircut or
out of dress will not be allowed to attend class until the hair or dress
violation is remedied. Violators may be sent home to remedy the violation.
Each class missed will be treated as a class cut. If a student persists in
violating the dress and grooming code, he will be suspended from school.
All students must be clean-shaven at all times. Sideburns may not extend
beyond the bottom of the ear. Students may be asked to shave while at
school. A $2 fine will be assessed. Failure to comply with such request
makes a student liable for suspension. Students are only permitted to use
the razor provided by the dean's office, or if a student cannot use the
razor provided (due to skin irritation, etc.), he will be sent home to shave
before he can attend any classes. Any class missed will be considered cuts.
Hair
- Hair may not exceen 2 inches in length
- Hair must be CUT TO: the bottom of the ear on sides, above the eyebrow in
front, and above the collar in the back.
- Ponytails, mohawks (and modified mohawks) are forbidden (even if hair is
braided).
- Students may “cornrow†their hair provided that the braids remain
close-cropped to the scalp and do not extend past mid-ear and the nape of
the neck. No bands are allowed to circumvent the hair policy.
- Shaved lines or designs are forbidden.
- DYED HAIR OF ANY COLOR IS FORBIDDEN.
- Unbecoming, bizarre or distracting hairstyles are considered to be
inappropriate and therefore will not be permitted. It is expected that hair
will be kept neat and clean at all times.
The Administration is the final judge of what is neat, clean, and
appropriate. Students who come to school with an objectionable haircut or
out of dress will not be allowed to attend class until the hair or dress
violation is remedied. Violators may be sent home to remedy the violation.
Each class missed will be treated as a class cut. If a student persists in
violating the dress and grooming code, he will be suspended from school.
Personal listening devices (i.e., iPods, radios, cassette players/compact
disc players, Walkmans, cellular phones, portable gaming systems or similar
electronic devices) detract from the academic environment and it is strongly
recommended that students not bring them to school. Permanent marker pens
and other items deemed inappropriate for school are strictly prohibited.
Also, all non-ARHS sporting equipment, such as basketballs, footballs,
baseballs, etc., is forbidden from school grounds at all times. If any of
the aforementioned are discovered on a person, in a locker or elsewhere,
they may be confiscated. Confiscated items will only be returned to parents
after a conference with the Dean. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity
at the end of each semester.
Cell phones are to be turned off and hidden from sight: any violation of
this guideline is grounds for confiscation. The use of cell phones on campus
is strictly prohibited from 7:40 am until the end of the school day.
Consequences for cell phone use and/or confiscation of cell phones, or other
electronic devices are as follows:
First Offense: $5.00 fine and held for up to one week depending upon
circumstances.
Second Offense: $10 fine and held for one-to-two weeks dieing
Third Offense: suspension and parent conference
THE SCHOOL WILL INVESTIGATE, BUT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR STOLEN
PROHIBITED ITEMS.
Some violations of the disciplinary code are assigned a demerit value. The
number of accumulated demerits will be a factor in determination of
disciplinary status and in matters of dismissal from ARHS. All violations
must be reported in writing to the Dean who will assign the appropriate
number of demerits to be tracked in PowerSchool. Demerits are tracked
quarterly.
1. At the end of the quarter, those students with 7 to 10 demerits will
receive an N in conduct from the Dean.
2. At the end of the quarter, those students with 11 or more demerits will
receive a U in conduct from
the Dean.
Demerit Point System (General breakdown, but may be modified depending on
the infraction. Detentions may be given in lieu of demerits)
Description Demerits
Dress Violation 1 (per infraction)
Shaving Violation 1 (per infraction)
Good Deeds
Good Deeds by students may be used to reduce their demerit total. Good Deeds
must be reported by a faculty/staff member in writing to the Dean who will
decide the appropriate number of credits for the deed. Students are limited
to a total of eight (8) merit points per semester. In addition, merit points
cannot be used to subtract a detention that was assigned prior to awarding
of a merit point.
Detention will be held every day, Monday through Thursday and they will
last one hour. Saturday detentions will begin at 7 a.m. and last two hours.
Failure to show for detention will result in an additional two detentions.
Students who repeatedly cut detention will be suspended. Detention will be
given for the following offenses:
- Tardy to first block
- Tardy to block after lunch
- Teacher referrals for disciplinary infractions: Depending on the nature of
the infraction, a minimum of two detentions may be assigned for discipline
referrals. Repeated referrals may result in additional detentions,
suspension or dismissal.
- Tardy Cuts (2 detentions)
- Truancy (2 per block)
- Accrual of 3 demerits
- Other conduct violations: Any violation of the Standards Of Student
- Conduct (or any other rules herein stated) as stated in this handbook
The student must bring a $1.00 proctoring fee ($2.00 for Saturdays) to the
detention. Co-curricular activities, practices, employment and other such
excuses for missing detention will not be accepted. Students will not be
admitted to detention late, or without their fee (no I.O.U.s). Missing
detention for any reason without prior permission from the Dean will be
considered a cut, and will result in two additional hours of detention.
Students are not to bring coats, food, drinks or electronic devices to
detention.