Welcome to Beacon Hill School

The school is opened at 6:30 a.m. daily. School is in session from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Before- and after-school care is available at no charge for all Beacon Hill School students.

From 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Safety Patrol members are posted at the door to assist with arrivals. Children who arrive from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. are to go to the cafeteria. NO STUDENT MAY GO TO HIS/HER CLASSROOM PRIOR TO 8:30 A.M. STUDENTS ARE DUE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS BY 8:30 A.M. Please make sure that your child is in school on time.

All students must wear school uniforms. Uniform shirts with the school logo are purchased from the school office. Modest bottoms consist of khaki-colored shorts or pants, skirts, or skorts. Pants with belt loops must have a black or brown belt. Beacon Hill color crest hoodies are now the approved uniform jacket and are the mandatory outerwear for JrK-8th grade. No other styles etc. will be allowed.  Although they have hoods, the hoods are NOT to be worn on heads indoors. Shirts must be tucked in. No hats are to be worn in school. No sandals or open-toed shoes are allowed.

Students out of uniform will have parents contacted to bring appropriate clothing.

A $5 charge will be added to the parents’ bill if the proper uniform is not provided. Parents will be informed of this in writing.

Students in Elementary and Middle School are expected to dress out for Physical Education. Beacon Hill School P.E. shirts and black gym shorts are the requirements. P.E. shirts can be purchased in the school office.

Distracting hair color and piercings are not tolerated at school, subject to the administration’s discretion.

Proper attendance is necessary for continuous learning. Attendance is taken and recorded daily by the Homeroom teacher. Excused absences include: illness of a student, illness of an immediate family member, death in the family, religious holidays of the student’s own specific faith, doctor, or dental appointments, and in-house suspension from classes.

Students may not be released before the end of the school day without a signed note from home. Please don’t contact school during the day regarding early dismissal except in an emergency situation.

Teachers will call each absent student after three days. Please inform the office if a student is going to be absent for more than three days.

When the absent student returns, she/he must bring a note from home explaining the reason for the absence. In all absentee situations, teachers are asked to prepare work for the student. All students are expected to make up class work missed during an excused absence. Specific arrangements should be made with the student’s teachers.

The office will be informed if a student is late more than three times. If a student is late to class more than three times, several consequences may follow.

Effective schools involve parents in the education process. Formal parent/teacher conferences and telephone calls will keep parents apprised of their children’s progress.

RenWeb is the school based management software used to facilitate communication between home and school. Once a family is registered, parents are able to log into the system to receive up-to-date information on attendance, grades and homework. Additionally, the school office uses RenWeb to post school calendars and communicate with parents on a variety of issues.

Reports are sent home frequently for all children from Kindergarten through Grade Eight in folders. These give parents information about the student’s progress and conduct in all of their classes, including specials. Papers will be attached. Reports should be signed and returned with the child in their folders on Monday.

Additionally, in Kindergarten through Grade Eight, interim reports are sent home halfway between marking periods. Report cards are sent home quarterly for Kindergarten through Grade Eight. Interims and report cards should be signed and returned to school on the Monday after dispersal.

At Beacon Hill we believe in setting and maintaining high standards. All written work done by students should be done neatly, in complete sentences, and adhere to the rules of grammar and syntax appropriate for the age level. Standard homework format should be used on all submitted papers. We do not accept torn, crumpled or otherwise inappropriate work. It will be returned to be REDONE. Parental support for maintenance of these standards is expected.

Homework is an essential part of the learning process and research bears out its positive effects. Homework reinforces the concepts taught during the day, reviews skills still unmastered, and requires application of critical thinking skills. All students must purchase a Student Planner for the purpose of recording homework and projects.

Clear and precise directions for home assignments are given in class. Teachers have all students record their homework in the Student Planner. Parents may be asked to sign the planner to acknowledge that the work was completed. Homework is given a minimum of three nights a week. Recommended time allotments:

In cases where homework has not been completed, a note will be sent home indicating the assignment or noted in the Student Planner, when assigned and due, and when the redone assignment is due. This note must be signed and returned the next day. If the work is not turned in on the required day, the parents will be called at home in the evening. In cases where homework is consistently not turned in, the student’s parents will be contacted and a conference with the principal, parents, and teacher will be scheduled. This will affect the student’s grades.

Classrooms become Homework Rooms from 3:30-4:00 p.m. Additionally, the Library will be open from 4:00-5:00 p.m. daily.

Students in grades one through eight must attend mandatory Homework Room. Teachers and parents can assign mandatory Homework Room attendance for younger students.

Students will be informed of an upcoming test approximately a week in advance. These will be recorded in the Student Planner. Tests will be graded, sent home for parent’s signature, and should be returned to school. Each subject area will have its own test day (for example: Science – Monday, Math – Tuesday, etc.) this will help avoid multiple tests on the same day. Subject test days refer to major or unit tests only. Teachers may give “pop quizzes” in any subject without advance notice.

The Stanford Achievement Test will be administered each spring to all students in kindergarten through eighth grades.

Principal’s Honor Roll
All As or 90s
No Ns, Us or negative comments
No disciplinary problems/reports

Honor Roll
No subject grade below As or 90%
No specialist grades below 80 or B
No Us or Fs
No disciplinary problems/reports

Students are expected to pass all of their courses. Students who fail one course (Final Average) are expected to attend Summer School for promotion. Students who fail two or more classes (Final Average) will be retained. Parents will be notified in writing.

Beacon Hill School sees each child as an individual with specific needs and interests to be facilitated by experts in curricula. An atmosphere of trust and mutual respect fostered by all, promotes the best learning. Praise, positive reinforcement, encouragement, and kindness are very important to the faculty of Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill maintains a NO SMOKING, DRUGS, ALCOHOL, OR WEAPONS policy. Students are not permitted to carry or use cell phones at Beacon Hill School. Game Boys and electronic toys should be left at home.

It is hoped that all students will conduct themselves in a fashion that is acceptable to Beacon Hill School. The following infractions are cause for disciplinary action:

1. Buying or selling of any item not approved by Beacon Hill School
2. Stealing*
3. Smoking and/or possession of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs*
4. Threatening other students or school personne**
5. Hitting other students or school personnel*
6. Forcing another to give money or things of value that do not belong to the person requesting it*
7. Bringing to school a weapon or any item that may be construed
   as a weapon*
8. Destroying or defacing school property**
9. Fighting*
10. Going into anyone’s personal belongings without permission*
11. Violating the dress code
12. Misbehaving on the school bus
13. Using indecent or inappropriate language
14. Having or giving out indecent or inappropriate material
15. Chewing gum on school property
16. Students are not to bring cell phones, games, toys, cards, recorders, or other electronic devices to school. For the first offense, the item will be confiscated and the parent must pick up the item. The second offense, the item is held for one month.
17. Eating food or drinking soda anywhere in the building except in the cafeteria or on the patio
18. Refusing to clean up after him/herself in the cafeteria or patio area
19. Being unprepared for class (i.e., clothes, homework, books, pens)
20. Being late to class repeatedly or deliberately
21. Running in the halls
22. Being disrespectful to teachers, staff, or other students, that is but not limited to talking back, refusing to obey school personnel, slamming books on the floor, use of profanity
23. Leaving class or building without permission
24. Being tardy to school three or more times, excluding bus tardy
25. General disruptive behavior
26. Not following procedures during a fire drill

* May result in immediate suspension based on the decision of
the Principal and the Executive Director
** May result in immediate expulsion based on the decision of
the Principal and the Executive Director

The normal disciplinary procedures for all infractions (those not designated with asterisks in Code of Conduct) are as follows:

1. The teacher will inform the parent(s) of the possibility of disciplinary action prior to assigning the first disciplinary action. The teacher will keep an anecdotal record of the communication. The teacher will inform the Principal of this matter.
2. The teacher and student will discuss the problem and detention will be assigned. The parent is to sign the detention form and return it to school the following day with the child. If it is not returned signed, another detention will be assigned.
3. If the problem persists, the teacher and the parent will discuss the matter and another detention will be assigned.
4. Continued violation will result in a teacher-parent-principal conference and a third and final detention will be assigned.
5. If the behavior continues after the last step, the student will be suspended.
6. Students who are in detention will be denied bus service and after-school activities.
7. Parents are responsible for picking up their children at 4:30 p.m.
8. Parents are responsible for paying for or replacing any damaged school property.
9. Students who are suspended will be denied field trips or extracurricular activities.
10. Students who are suspended will receive a “0” in all classes on the day(s) of suspension.
11. Records of all detentions and suspensions will be kept in the principal’s office and filed into the student’s cumulative folder at the end of the year.
12. Detained or suspended students are ineligible for Honor Rolls during that grading period.

A suspended student is automatically placed on probation for the remainder of the year. If a student’s conduct, attitude, or lack of effort continues to result in infractions, the student will be asked to leave Beacon Hill School.

Field trips are very important educational experiences. Each child must submit a permission slip for the field trip signed by the parents with proper fees, if needed. NO CHILD WILL PARTICIPATE ON A FIELD TRIP WITHOUT PROPER PERMISSION FORMS. A COPY OF THE PERMISSION SLIP MUST BE LEFT IN THE OFFICE. School uniforms must be worn on trips.

Kindergarten through Grade 8 will each have regularly scheduled assemblies. Each class takes a turn presenting as well as the awarding of Student of the Month, Citizen of the Week, Math Superstars, etc. Additionally, special events like the Earth Day Celebration, Thanksgiving Feast, and other events are scheduled throughout the year. Parents are always invited and welcome.

Students may bring lunch to school from home or sign up for the discounted catered lunch plan available on a 4-week basis. Lunch can be purchased daily. Money should be given to the Homeroom teacher who will make arrangements for catered lunches. Students arriving late are required to make their own lunch arrangements through the office. When available, a catered lunch is given to a student who does not have a lunch and the account is charged.

Proper cafeteria behavior is expected at all times. Misbehavior will result in consequences per the Code of Conduct.

(More details about the hot lunch program in the school cafeteria are coming soon).

Dismissal is at 3:15 p.m. Students being picked up by parents should go to the front door. The school is open until 6:00 p.m. each evening with after-school programs and day care provided.

We do not release any student to anyone other than those approved to pick up the child. All changes in dismissal procedures must be arranged through the office with a note from the students’ parents or a telephone call during the day. If calling to make changes in bus arrangements, please contact the school before 1 p.m.

All early dismissal arrangements are made through the office. DO NOT DISTURB YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM!

All students leaving the premises will be noted on a sign-out sheet and signed out by parent.

Medication will be administered by the Office only at lunch time. Medication must be clearly labeled with the child’s name and instructions for dosage. A signed note authorizing Beacon Hill School to administer the medication must accompany the child and will be kept on file.

In the event that your child is ill, you will be asked to pick up your child and take him/her home. Beacon Hill does not have the facilities to make your child comfortable for a long period of time.

You will also be alerted to any other conditions which are viewed at school such as pediculosis (head lice). We ask that all conditions be treated and that a note indicating the treatment and that it is permissible for your child to return to school accompany the child.

Parents and students are asked to sign the last page of the handbook and return it to the school when requested.