Handbook Section 1
General Rules of Conduct
For the benefit of the common good and so that justice will be done, you are expected to act respectfully toward teachers, school employees, and fellow students. You are forbidden to bring to school any kind of weapon including knives and sharp instruments. You may not use or possess (whether on campus or at any school activity) alcohol, marijuana, narcotics, hallucinatory or hypnotic drugs not prescribed by a physician, or any controlled substance. You may not possess or disseminate pornographic material. Stealing is forbidden, as is fighting or rowdy behavior, whether in the school, on the grounds, or at school-sponsored activities. In addition, if you bring radios, cassette or CD players, Walkman (or is that Walkmen?) or clones thereof, miniaturized televisions, or other audio and video marvels as yet unknown to those over twenty, they will be confiscated. Unless you want to lose it for a month, don't play games on your calculator or any other technological marvel during class. Of course, that includes study halls. Confiscated calculators will be in the possession of the principal. You may not interfere with instructional procedures. That means if you cause a class disturbance, you're in trouble. Also, you may not deliberately neglect your schoolwork (Students with more than two semester failing grades are subject to being dismissed from the school). You must take tests and examinations fairly and do your homework honestly. Don't litter the campus or deface school property. Related to this is the larger issue: you must avoid conduct outside of school that would bring unfavorable criticism or publicity to the school or that would introduce unhealthy influences into the student body. You may not visit other schools when they are in session without prior approval of proper school authorities. We attempt to provide firm, fair, fast, consequences for negative behavior. Depending on the frequency and/or seriousness of the offense, suspension or expulsion may follow the infraction of the preceding general rules and particular rules that follow.
Mission
We are a quality, Catholic college-preparatory high school for boys. Our two main goals are Christian formation and quality academics.
Philosophy
Catholic High's basic philosophy is To Teach as Jesus Did, which is the title of a pastoral letter written by America's Catholic Bishops. This title provides us with a goal which may be beyond our power to achieve, but which should be sought nonetheless. Catholic High School for Boys is thereby dedicated to the person and ideals of Jesus Christ, recognizing our obligation to foster His way and to promote His truth.
More Blue News
You will also need to report to the attendance office between 7:15 and 7:45 to get a "blue slip" (Admission Slip) if you were late for school the previous day and missed one or more full classes or if you checked out the previous day and missed one or more full classes. Those teachers whose class (or classes) you missed should be given the slip to sign, and you should give the slip to the teacher or study hall monitor whose class or period you last missed the previous day.
Check This Out
If you must leave school for part of the day for a medical appointment, you must bring a note from a parent to the attendance office between 7:30 and 8:00 on the day you plan to check out. The note should identify the time of dismissal, the name of the medical practitioner, and the approximate time of your return. Don't figure that after-lunch appointments mean that school is out for the day. We expect you back!
Cell Phones
You may not possess a cell phone at any time during school hours. If you have your cell phone on your person during school hours, it will be confiscated. If your cell phone causes any type of disruption (ringing in a locker, alarm activating), it will be confiscated. To retrieve your cell phone, a parent must arrange an appointment with the principal or vice-principal between the hours of 7:45 and 3:45. At the appointment, the parent will be notified that if the student again has the cell phone on his person during school hours, the student will be suspended for one day and the parent will be required to retrieve the phone through another similar meeting. Cell phones may be used before school or after school, but only in the main lobby or gym lobby. Cell phones may never be used in any other part of the building or campus, including before or after school.
Better Late Than…
If you arrive late to school, you must check in with the attendance office before going to class. If you have a legitimate reason for being late, bring a note from a parent explaining. Unexcused lateness is a potential problem After your third offense per year, you become a member of "the Dollar Club." You'll be fined one dollar for every subsequent time you are late without a written excuse. After five times late without excuse, the fine escalates to $5.00 for each tardiness. If you should be tardy ten times without excuse in the course of a year, you will be notified that your eleventh such lateness will require that you and a parent have a 7:45 a.m. meeting with the principal to discuss your problem. Unexcused tardiness following the eleventh will oblige you to serve two hours in detention hall for each instance and possible suspension for a day.
What could you have been thinking?
You are also truant (that is to say, in trouble) if you skip even a part of a day - just a single class or study hall. This counts also as a double-time make-up punishment and so it's a bad idea, too.
No Thanks Ferris
Truancy: an old-fashioned word for skipping school. Our advice is "forget it!" The first and second time you're caught will result in suspension (that means you and a parent must come to school to discuss with the principal your lapse of judgment). And that's just the start of it! You must also make up on Saturdays double the amount of time you missed, not only the skipping time, but also the time suspended! Talk about forever in terms of wasted Saturdays mornings!! Hate to even bring this up, but for the really profoundly flawed thinker who gets caught skipping the third time, the penalty is the worst one: expulsion.
Detention
Detention Hall is held about every other Saturday. Starts at 9:00 - on the dot! Sharp! If you're late, you have to add ten minutes to your sentence. So if you stroll in at 9:15, and are scheduled to serve one hour, can you figure what time you'll see the light of day? If you knew it was 10:25 that bodes well for your Math SAT score. D-Hall lasts from 9:00 to 12:00 noon, and if you should happen to have more than three hours to serve, don't worry! The Lord High Executioner of Detention Hall will let you go at noon and invite you back to the next D-Hall until justice is done. You wonder about what happens if you skip D-Hall? It's horrible to contemplate! Your time is doubled, and you must pay a $5.00 fine. If you think you have a legitimate reason for missing D-Hall, you must bring a parent-written request for moving the time served to the next session prior to the detention in question. A job on Saturday or a trip are examples of reasons for missing Detention Hall that will not be excused. Good behavior is the solution to Detention Hall Blues. Remember, all teachers are empowered to enforce school rules, so you can run afoul of the laws with more than just your classroom teachers. If you're assigned to D-Hall, be prepared for punishment! What you do there for one, two, or three hours is absolutely... NOTHING. You stare at the wall, your hand, or a fly on the wall, but you can't do homework, catch up on your reading, or write Petrarchan sonnets. It's a drag.
