In Texas, children under the age of 18, depending on date of birth, are required to attend school, unless exempted by law. School employees investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law.

Certain absences are considered excused absences: personal illness or illness or death in the immediate family, weather or road conditions that make travel dangerous, dentist and doctor appointments and any other unusual circumstances acceptable to the principal or superintendent. When returning to school after an absence, a student must bring a note signed by the parent or guardian that describes the reason for the absence. Students returning from a doctor or dentist appointment must bring the "Return to School Form" provided by the dentist or doctor to the principal's office immediately. Students have two or more days to bring a note or documentation from their parent to verify an absence as excused. Unverified absences will be held as unexcused absences. Students must attend school 90% of each semester or risk being denied credit for nonattendance. It is the student's responsibility to make up all work missed due to an excused absence within the time given by the teacher. Failure to make up work can result in academic penalty.

Tests and work missed due to an unexcused absence will receive the grade of zero. Upon the fifth unexcused absence in a class in a semester, the student will lose credit for the entire semester in that class. Examples of unexcused absences include: haircuts, vacations, shopping, hunting, fishing, etc.

CLUBS

Student clubs and performing groups such as the band, choir, and drill team and athletic teams may establish rules of conduct and consequences for misbehavior that are more strict than those for students in general. If a violation is also a violation of school rules, the consequences specified by the school shall apply in addition to any consequences specified by the organization.

TARDIES AND ABSENCES

To school:

1. Teachers must keep records of each student's tardies and absences in their gradebooks.
    
2. If a student accumulates three tardies during a six-week period, the teachers must submit a discipline report to the office, indicating the date of the tardies.
    
3. Three unexcused tardies equals one unexcused absence. There will be no make-up of work for absences and a zero will be given and/or a detention will be assigned.

Students absent from school for any reason will not be allowed to participate in school-related activities for that day or evening.

Students absent from school or from any class without permission will be considered truant and will be subject to disciplinary action. Students who must leave school during the day must bring a note from a parent that morning. Students who become ill during the day should, with the teacher's permission, report to the school nurse. She will decide whether or not the students should be sent home and notify the student's parent or guardian.

REFERENCE: RECORDING OF ABSENCES

Students who have been absent or are tardy to school must check in at the beginning of the day to the principal's office with their note from their parent explaining the reason for their absence. The principal will evaluate the excuse note and provide the student with an absence report form to have signed by each of their teachers. Students who left school with an Early Dismissal (blue slip) should also obtain an absence report form from the principal for each teacher to sign for periods missed the previous day. The teachers will record the status of the student's absence in their gradebook.

HIGH SCHOOL DRESS CODE

1. No dark glasses worn indoors except prescription glasses.
2. All hats must remain in lockers during school hours.
3. Dresses, skirts, and shorts  may not be shorter than three inches above the bend of the  back of the knee.
4. On all shirts that button at the neck, only the first two buttons may be left unbuttoned. On shirts without collars, all buttons must be fastened.
5. No sleeveless shirts, body suits, or extra tight body shirts allowed at school.
6. No plunging necklines on shirts or dresses.
7. Students must not expose flesh between blouse and pants, skirts, or overalls AT ANY TIME.
8. No wearing apparel with any kind of alcohol, tobacco ads, drugs, or other inappropriate messages.
9. Boys may not wear earrings. No student may wear other body piercings at school.
10. No chains, jewelry with spikes, or dog collar type jewelry.
11. No sagging pants may be worn.  No pants with extreme big pockets. No holes in jeans.
12. Boys must wear a belt with all pants with belt loops. No alteration to remove belt loops.
13. No long trenchcoats worn during school.
14. No houseshoes.
15. No mustaches or beards allowed. Boy's hair should not come below the top of the collar nor extend over the eyebrows.  The bottom of the earlobe must be visible.  No tails. No unusual hair color.

POLICY REGARDING ADMINISTERING MEDICATION TO PUPILS

1) Principals        2) Nurses

No employee shall administer any medication to a pupil unless the district has received a written request from the parent, legal guardian or other person having control of the pupil.

No prescription medication shall be administered to a pupil unless written request of the parent has been received by the district as well as a written request from a licensed physician or dentist to administer the medication.

SMOKING

Students shall not possess or use tobacco products on school property or any school-related or school-sanctioned activity on or off school property, as provided by law. Students will be assessed a fine for possession of a tobacco product.

VEHICLES ON CAMPUS

Vehicles parked on school property are under the jurisdiction of the school. The school reserves the right to search any vehicle if reasonable cause exists to do so. Students have full responsibility for the security of their vehicles and will make certain that they are locked and that the keys are not given to others. Students will be held responsible for any prohibited objects or substances, such as alcohol, drugs, and weapons, that are found in their cars and will be subject to disciplinary action. Vehicle searches may be conducted at any time there is reasonable cause to do so, with or without the student's presence.

STUDENT COMPLAINTS

Students or parents who have a complaint should discuss the complaint with the teacher. If the outcome of that discussion is not satisfactory, they can request a conference with the principal. If not satisfied at that level, they can request a conference with the Superintendent or designee and, ultimately, appear before the Board, in accordance with Board Policy.

Students and/or parents who have a complaint regarding possible discrimination on the basis of sex should contact Elton Hightower, Superintendent of Schools at 837-5757. Complaints or concerns regarding handicapped students or the District's program for handicapped students should be brought to Kathy Weaver at 283-3752.

Internet ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Colmesneil High School has actively pursued making advanced technology and increased access to learning opportunities available to our students, faculty and staff. Students at Colmesneil High School have the opportunity to access the Internet which will enable them to explore thousands of libraries, databases and bulletin boards while exchanging messages with Internet users throughout the world. Parents should be aware that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive. While the purpose of Colmesneil High School are to use Internet resources for constructive educational goals, students may find ways to access other materials. We believe that the benefits to students from access to the Internet in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration exceed the disadvantages. Ultimately, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. We support and respect each family's right to decide whether or not to apply for access.

PRIVILEGES

The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges. Colmesneil High School reserves the right to review any material on user accounts and to monitor fileserver space in order to make determinations on whether specific uses of the network are inappropriate. Decisions of the Colmesneil High School administration regarding unacceptable computer use are final. student use of the Internet regarding unacceptable computer use are final. Student use of the Internet may be revoked, denied, or suspended at the request of faculty and staff of Colmesneil High School.

The Acceptable Use Policy sets out how we expect students to use the Internet within Colmesneil High School. Any student who wishes to use the Internet must have returned a copy, signed by the student and parent.