GENERAL INFORMATION:
It is our desire that this handbook aids you in understanding
the rules, regulations, and policies of
SCHOOL HOURS:
The school day begins at 7:55 and ends at 3:00.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT:
“The Sevier County School System does not discriminate on the
basis of race, sex, color, religion,
national origin, age, handicap, or veteran status in provision of educational
opportunities, programs,
activities, or employment opportunities and benefits.”
VISITORS:
All visitors must check in at the main office. Visitors will
be required to log in and will be assigned a visitor’s badge. Upon leaving the
building, visitors will be required to log out and return the visitor’s badge.
For security reasons, visitors are subject to search because of information
received from a teacher, staff member, student, or other person if such action
is reasonable to the Principal.
SCHOOL CLOSING:
In the event of severe weather, Sevier County Schools may be
closed at any time. Announcements concerning the closing or cancellation of
school in
BULLETINS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
All posted announcements or bulletins must be done on
approved material which will be provided by the office. Any bulletins or
announcements must be approved by the Principal or Assistant Principal.
TEXTBOOKS:
Each PFHS student is responsible for the textbooks issued.
Accurate records will be kept of all books and their conditions. All lost or
damaged books must be paid for before the student may take final exams.
SECURITY:
Any student or visitor may be subject to physical search
because of information received from a teacher, staff member, student, or other
person if such action is reasonable to the Principal (state law 49-6-4205). The
search law authorizes searches of vehicles and containers or packages brought
onto school property. Students and visitors may be subject to search by metal
detectors. Trained dogs may be used to search places and things, but not
people.
LOCKERS:
For security reasons, students are encouraged to provide
their own combination locks. Combinations or extra keys must be provided to the
Assistant Principal. Lockers are the property of PFHS and may be inspected at
any time by the Principal or the Assistant Principal.
PERSONAL PROPERTY:
The responsibility for your personal property is your own.
Large sums of money, expensive jewelry, etc., should not be brought to school.
PFHS does not accept responsibility for any valuables left in the open, either
inside or outside the building or for valuables placed in school lockers.
TELEPHONES, PAGERS,
& ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT:
Possession of an electronic pager or telephone or other
electronic equipment by a student on school property without written permission
of the school Principal or Assistant Principal is in violation of state law
49-6-4214. The pay phone in the lobby is for student use. Students will not be
allowed to use the office phones for personal calls except in an emergency.
CARE OF SCHOOL
PROPERTY:
The construction, purchase, and maintenance of school
buildings, facilities, equipment, furniture, transportation vehicles, etc.,
cost the
STUDENT MESSAGES:
Only in cases of emergency will phone messages be delivered
to students. The nature of emergency must be specified to a school official
before normal classroom activities will be interrupted. When it is determined
that a student must receive a non-emergency message, that student will be
notified at the end of second or fourth period. After school arrangements,
meeting places, pick-up times, and so forth, should be made between the child
and the parent before the child arrives at school in the morning.
TELEPHONES:
Office telephones are for school business purposes only. If a
student becomes ill or is injured during the school day, office personnel will
call and notify the parent. Students
will not be permitted to make telephone calls during the school day from the
office.
The
HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE:
Under the State of
reasons for excusable absences:
1. Illness of student
2. Serious illness or death of immediate family
member
3. Religious holidays
4. Impassable roads
5. Medical
appointments (as signed by the physician)
6. Other excusable circumstances
Whether or not an absence not covered by numbers 1 through 5
above is an excusable absence will be left to the sole discretion of the
principal.
When a student’s absence or tardy is unexcused, the student
will be allowed to make up tests missed. Regular class work will not be made
up, and the student will receive a zero for that work. If there is no grade
assignment taken for the unexcused absence, the student will receive three
points off his/her daily grade and for the unexcused tardy, a negative one
point. If a high school student misses more than twenty (20) minutes of a
class, the student will be counted absent. Any student having five or more
unexcused absences will be considered for possible truancy actions including
legal petitions to court.
PERFECT ATTENDANCE:
High school students with perfect attendance in a class will
be allowed to exempt the final exam for that class, excluding those in
mathematics. Students may only exempt two (2) exams per term. High school
students with perfect attendance will have the option to take the designated
exempt exam(s) with the exam grade counting only if it improves the student’s
final course grade.
ATTENDANCE
OFFICE PROCEDURE / SIGN-IN / CHECK-OUT:
When a student returns from an absence, he/she must bring a
note to the attendance officer before being admitted to class. Absences will be
recorded as unexcused until the admit slip is obtained. Parents/guardians are
expected to call the school on the day of the absence. Students must sign in or
check out through the office only. NO STUDENT may leave campus without
following procedure.
HALL
AND CLASS PROCEDURES:
Students are encouraged to be prompt to class. You must be in
your seat when the bell rings. Only the teacher dismisses the class. All
non-essential materials should be placed under your desk or left in your
locker. Students are not to leave the classroom without a pass from the
teacher. Classes in session are not to be disturbed; therefore, no running,
scuffling, or distractions in the halls or restrooms will be tolerated. Each
teacher will post a set of class rules to be reviewed and followed.
GUIDANCE:
Upon entering PFHS, each student is assigned to a Guidance
Counselor. The PFHS Guidance Counselors provide a variety of services and
resources. The PFHS Guidance Counselors
have one major goal, which is to help you derive the most possible benefit from
your years at PFHS.
SCHEDULE CHANGES:
Courses selected during registration should be considered as
final. Class withdrawals or transfers will be considered only after the request
has been initiated by the parent or guardian. The request must be reviewed by
the Guidance Office Counselor to ensure that a balanced schedule is achieved.
The Principal must approve or reject the request. Withdrawals with or without
penalty will be decided by the Principal with Instructor and Counselor input.
Students may repeat a course that has been failed first term
by taking the course second term. The higher of the two grades will be
calculated in the GPA. Under some circumstances, repeating courses may be
determined on a space available basis.
GRADE
SHEETS / DEFICIENCY REPORTS:
Grade sheets will be sent home via the student following the
end of each six weeks-grading period. The grade sheet must be signed by the
parent or guardian and returned to school within three days or as soon as
possible, Grade sheets may be held back if a student owes for lost or damaged
books, lunch charges, library fines, etc.
Deficiency reports may be sent any time during a grading
period. These reports do not necessarily mean that a student is failing.
FEES:
Some classes do require lab expenses. These may include, but
are not limited to, driver education, home economics, industrial arts, visual
art, and most sciences. Occasionally, students will pay to attend student
activities such as plays, concerts, dances, ball games, etc., presented during
school hours. Similar after school activities generally have admission fees.
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS:
Students are encouraged to study the catalogs of colleges
and/or universities to determine specific admission requirements. Catalogs of
many schools can be found in the PFHS Guidance office.
COLLEGE
VISITS:
College visits taken by seniors will normally be limited to
two school days and will be considered school-related activities. Students must
check with the Guidance Department in advance to insure that appropriate
procedure is followed.
FAMILY:
Parents should make written requests for family vacation
directly to the school Principal or Assistant Principal. The Sevier County Board
of Education allows the Principal or Assistant Principal to approve one family
vacation for up to five days.
DRESS AND GROOMING:
Clothing should be appropriate to the season and should be
neat, clean, inoffensive, and decent. Some examples of inappropriate attire
include, but are not limited to, head-ware, sunglasses (unless prescription
type), bare midriff clothing, clothing with obscene or profane language, lewd
pictures, or symbols of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, drugs, or drug
paraphernalia or representations thereof. Chains, including metallic and other,
will not be tolerated and will be confiscated.
Clothing which allows undergarments to be visible when the student is
standing, sitting, or walking, and tank tops or mesh shirts worn as outer
garments are not allowed. For health and safety, some type of sanitary footwear
is necessary. House shoes (slippers) are not allowed. No items may be worn
which may be used as a weapon. These items include but are not limited to
chains, ropes, cables, etc. A student
shall not dress, groom, wear or use emblems, insignias, badges, or other
symbols where the effect is to distract unreasonably the attention of other
students, or otherwise to cause the disruption or interference with the
operation of the school. Belts are required if pants have belt loops. Shorts
and skirts are permitted but must not be shorter than approximately two (2)
inches above the top of the knee. Purposely frayed clothing or clothing with holes
is not allowed at PFHS. Any clothing or
use of clothing to depict gang affiliation will result in immediate
disciplinary action. Dress and grooming policies will be strictly enforced.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to enforce the PFHS dress code before allowing
students to leave home for school or school related activities. Please see revised copy.
SPORTS / ELIGIBILITY:
1) Cross Country 7) Wrestling
2) Girls Soccer 8) Baseball
3) Golf 9) Boys Soccer
4)
Football 10) Track
5)
Girls Volleyball 11) Girls Softball
6)
Boys Basketball 12) Girls
Basketball
According to TSSAA rules, a student is eligible to participate
in an approved sport if he or she has successfully completed three (3) classes
or their equivalent the previous semester.
STUDENT
INSURANCE:
All students enrolled in a shop class or those participating
in athletics must be covered by school insurance. It is recommended that all
students participating in wellness or physical education participate in the
program. A group accident policy is available to all members of the student
body at a nominal cost.
Changes in state law require students to maintain passing
grades in at least half of their classes to get the certificate required for
their learner’s permit and driver’s license. (T.C.A. 55-50-321). If unexcused
absences equal more than five (5), the Drop Out Prevention Coordinator will be
contacted and additional steps will be taken to remedy the attendance problems.
(T.C.A. 49-6-3001)
PARKING
& DRIVING:
Personal vehicles must be registered with the main office.
Parking will be allowed only in designated areas. Driving a vehicle to school
is a privilege not a right. The local laws of the road will be strictly
enforced for safety. Any vehicle parked or driven on the school grounds without
being registered, or parked out of designated areas, is subject to being towed
at the owner’s expense. No loud music is allowed from vehicles either parked or
moving while on school property. The administration reserves the right to
revoke driving/parking privileges at any time. The school is not responsible
for any theft or damage to student vehicles.
LOSS
OF DRIVING PRIVILEGES:
Loss of driving privileges may be used as disciplinary
punishment for any school violation, not just driving violations. Loss of
privileges can last from one week to the end of the school year.
FIRE
DRILLS:
The signal for a fire drill is three short rings of the bell.
Students and teachers should move toward the designated exit (exit instructions
are posted on all exits from the classrooms). Do not run or talk but walk
swiftly and quietly to a distance of at least 100 feet from the building.
CAFETERIA AND LUNCH:
Lunch period is treated as a regular class. You must report
to the cafeteria during your scheduled lunch period. Tardies will be issued if
you are late. Students are expected to be courteous to others including the
lunchroom staff. Students are expected to leave the area in a clean condition.
Students are responsible for the disposal of their own trash, trays, etc.
Students are not allowed to take food or drink outside of the cafeteria.
ACCIDENTS:
Accidents should be reported immediately to the teacher in
charge. Office personnel should also be notified immediately. Temporary care
will be provided by office personnel or the school nurse. Parents will be
notified at home or work. In case of extreme emergency, the student will be
taken to the nearest medical facility.
MEDICATIONS:
All
over-the-counter and prescribed medicine must be checked in and dispensed
through the main office. Parents or guardians must supply written instructions
for administering the medication.
IN-SCHOOL
SUSPENSION:
Any student who has previously served two In-School
Suspensions may be assigned a Saturday ISS or Campus Clean-up on his/her third
referral (unless the violation requires a more stringent punishment). Saturday ISS or Campus Clean-up will be held
from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
English 4
units American History 1 unit
Science 3
units U.S. Government 1 unit
Math 3
units Computers 1 unit
World
Geography or Lifetime
Wellness 1 unit
Ancient/Modern History 1 Unit
Students must earn a minimum of 28 credits while enrolled in
a normal course load. Every effort will be made to ensure that PFHS students
have a balanced schedule. Under normal circumstances, a student will take eight
classes each school year.
Students must select one of two paths:
1) Technical path: 4
Technical classes
8
Electives
2) University path: 2
Foreign Languages
1
Fine Art
3
Math (Algebra I, II, and Geometry)
9
Electives
Beginning with the class of 2005, students must pass Gateway
Exams in Mathematics, Language Arts, and Science. Honors diplomas will be
awarded to students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS:
The graduation for high schools in the Sevier County School
System must be all those units required by state law and State Board of
Education regulations. In addition, the Sevier County Board of Education requires
that each student complete one unit in software tools.
GRADE
CLASSIFICATION:
Students must pass the preceding grade level before moving on
to the next grade level. Student grade level status is based on earning the
following number of credits:
Sophomore 7
Junior 14
Senior 20
REQUIREMENTS
FOR TOP TEN PERCENT:
4 credits English (3 credits
must be honors on the sophomore level and above)
4 credits math
(Algebra I and above)
4 credits science (one must be
chemistry)
Plus all other graduation requirements
LANGUAGE ARTS
Skills English I:
This course provides students with remedial work in basic
grammar and reading skills. Special emphasis is placed on preparing students
for the TCAP End of Course Test.
Placement in this course is determined by teacher.
Skills English II:
This course is designed to continue exploration of topics
studied in Skills English I. The course is recommended for students who my have
trouble passing the TCAP Gateway Test.
Skills
English III and IV:
These courses are designed to summarize and
review foundation language art skills necessary for functioning in the work
place. Reinforcement of reading comprehension skills will be provided.