Student Handbook

2023-2024

Nathan Dennis, Principal                               Katie Omercevic, Career Counselor

John Bale, Assistant Principal (A-K)            Ann Marie Waibel, Counselor (A-K)

Erin Kubena, Assistant Principal (L-Z)               Jenny Hanson, Counselor (L-Z)

3608 S. Milwaukee Ln., Boise, ID 83709             http://frankchurch.boiseschools.org

      Main Office - (208) 854-5650                             Attendance Line - (208) 854-5656

Our School

Frank Church High School is an alternative school of choice designed to assist students in developing academic, citizenship and work readiness skills with the goal of earning a high school diploma.

Our Mission

We promote resilience and perseverance.

Our Vision

Preparing all students for college, career, and citizenship.

Our Values

Respect

Responsibility

Honesty

Dignity

Teamwork

Our Colors

Maroon and Black

Our Mascot

Cougar

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL Once students have arrived on campus, they must stay on campus.  Upon arriving, students should enter the building and ask permission to leave the building or campus via a PTL (Permit to Leave) or administrator approval.  

Students who do not follow this protocol could be considered truant and may be searched upon return.

If a student arrives before 8:55am, students must go to the designated areas.

Students can not be in the hallways or classrooms before 8:55am without permission and a staff member present.

BAGS/BACKPACKS Students are ONLY allowed to carry string bags.  One will be provided for you by Frank Church.  All non string bags, skateboards, guitars, etc. must be placed in a locked storage closet immediately upon entry into the building. The school assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items.  

BULLYING AND HARASSMENT Unwanted physical and/or verbal actions and/or behaviors, including those through electronic means, are illegal and not allowed at Frank Church.  See District policy for further information (#3231).

BUSES Buses to and from school are provided for those students who meet the District requirements.  Remember that riding the bus is a privilege, not a right.  The school buses are an extension of the school day, and all school rules still apply.  

CELL PHONES 

• Students will appropriately use (or not use) cell phones as per teacher policy/request.
• Use of cell phones on Frank Church property is a privilege, not a right.  Abuse of cell phone rules and policies could result in loss of privilege to bring cell phones on campus.
• A NO cell phone policy within the bathrooms will be strictly enforced.  
• Cell phones should not be used in the hallways during class time.

DELIVERIES  Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc. are not allowed by students at any time.  If a food delivery arrives it will be held in the office until the end of the school day.  

ELECTRONIC DEVICES Students are required to use the district-issued Chromebooks (provided in each class). Students will respect and abide by their individual teacher’s cell phone policies and expectations.

FIELD TRIPS All students participating in a field trip must arrive at school and attend with their class/group. All students must be checked out from the school attendance office at school.

GANGS Identified gang activity, dress, and/or paraphernalia are strictly prohibited at Frank Church High School.  Any involvement in this type of activity could result in detention, suspension and/or possible expulsion.

HALL PASSES Students must have a signed pass to be in the halls during non-passing periods.  Students will only be allowed to leave class one at a time.

Make Up Work When students are absent, they need to communicate with their teacher and look at Google Classroom to obtain work missed.  Additional academic support is available before school and during the school day to help students catch up.  

ID BADGES  Every student is issued an identification badge that indicates he/she/they are a student at Frank Church High School.  Students will use their ID badge daily and must have it with them at all times.  It will be used in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch, in the library to check out books, in the attendance office, to get in the front door if you are late, if you need to use the City Bus, or to leave the building if you are able.  Different colors of badges will be issued according to grade level and status.    

FCHS will provide the first badge free of charge.    There is a $3.00 charge to replace a badge that is lost or stolen.   

LANGUAGE Appropriate language must be used at all times in and around school, including on the buses. Everything we do can be communicated with kindness and respect.

LOST AND FOUND If a personal item is misplaced, students should contact the Security Officer as soon as possible.  The Security Office is in the main hall near the cafeteria.  The Security Officer will document the lost item and direct students in the appropriate next steps, if any.

MEDICATIONS All prescription medications and over-the-counter medications must be checked in with the school nurse immediately upon arrival of school.

OPEN CAMPUS   Is determined by credits.  Sophomores, juniors, and seniors in good standing can leave campus during lunch with their ID card. Students must enter and exit through the front door and show their student IDs upon leaving and returning to the building.

Excessive tardies, illegal activity, sneaking out side doors, or inappropriate behavior off campus during lunch may result in revocation of open campus privileges.

Once students arrive on campus they are to stay on campus except during lunch.

If walking off campus at lunch, students need to stay on the sidewalks until they leave District property and may not loiter on public or private properties.

PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION No excessive public displays of affection are allowed on campus.

PARKING ALL students who drive to school must purchase a parking permit and display it in their front window where it can be seen.  

To get your parking permit you must bring the following to Ms. Allen:

• Your Driver's License
• Vehicle Registration
• Proof of Insurance on that vehicle

Students driving vehicles without a pass will be issued a ticket.  Vehicles parked on campus may be searched by school officials or police at any time.  If students park at West, DTEC or in the neighborhood, they may be ticketed and towed.

SCHOOL BOUNDARIES Boise School District property extends from Trabucco St. (West) to the edge of the neighborhood on the East and from the canal bank (South) to Victory Road.   All District policies apply in these areas.  

WHEELS ON CAMPUS  This includes skates, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters and bicycles.  Please focus on safety as you are arriving and leaving school. Stay on sidewalks and be respectful of car and pedestrian traffic. Skateboards must be placed in the main closet. Bicycles should be locked in the racks provided. The school will not be held responsible for loss or damage.

BSD/FRANK CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL DRESS CODE

Student Dress Code (#3223) -

The Boise School District recognizes that the primary responsibility for a student's attire resides with the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s).

The school district is responsible for seeing that student attire does not interfere with the health or safety of any student, that student attire does not contribute to a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for any student, and that dress code enforcement does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income, or body type/size.

The Boise School District Dress Code Policy prioritizes in-class learning time, student dignity, and positive relationships within the school community. We believe the policy and procedures should be clear and specific so that they are easy to understand and can be applied uniformly and consistently.

DRESS CODE POLICY

Students Must Wear:*

• Shirt or Top: with non see-through fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms
• Bottoms: pants, lounge pants, sweatpants, shorts, boardshorts, skirt, dress, leggings,
• Shoes are required
• Some courses may require assignment and/or safety-specific dress (closed-toed shoes, for example).

Students Cannot Wear:

• Swimsuits
• Visible underwear. However, visible waistbands or straps on undergarments worn
  under other clothing are not a violation of the policy.
• Violent language or images
• Images or overt language depicting drugs, alcohol or any illegal item or activity
• Hate speech, profanity, pornography
• See policy 3234 for dress restrictions related to gang activity

FRANK CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICIES

ABSENCES

• Attendance is critical for students to be successful. Students are expected to be in school every day for each nine (9) week semester. If a student is not attending, they are at risk of losing their credit, being dropped from the class, or losing their spot at Frank Church and being referred to Boise On-Line School.  There is no virtual option at Frank Church, in person learning is the only option.  If you are interested in on-line learning please look into Boise On-Line School..
• Parents/guardians or independent students, must contact the school to excuse all absences.  Please call the 24-hour attendance line at (208) 854-5656.
• Students who arrive to class more than twenty (20) minutes late will be marked absent.
• If a student has a medical or court appointment during the school day, he/she/they must obtain a Permit to Leave (PTL) to leave the school premises.  PTLs are available in the attendance office and can only be issued through a parent note or phone call.

• All students must obtain a PTL in order to leave campus during the school day.  

TARDIES

Students are expected to attend each class on time. Tardy students must report to the attendance office for a time-stamped pass to class. Once they receive their pass, they need to go immediately to class.  Once you have four tardies in one class, detention time may be assigned for every tardy after that.  If time is not completed, credit could be pulled.  If you have excessive tardies after lunch, your ability to leave campus could be revoked.  

TRUANCIES

A truancy is when a student is not where they are supposed to be during the school day.  A truancy is a Major Disciplinary Violation and student/parent/guardian will be         informed that the missed class will be made up on their own time (70 min).

• Students are not allowed to leave campus after arriving at school except for at lunch with their ID badge.  Once they step out of a vehicle and onto district property, they are on campus and must directly enter the building.
• A student who leaves class without permission will be issued a truancy.