Revised1-2-25

WALTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

MONROE AREA HIGH SCHOOL

2024-2025 STUDENT HANDBOOK

Monroe Area High School

2024-2025

Student Handbook

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

        It is our pleasure to welcome you to Monroe Area High School.  We are happy to have you as a part of the MAHS family.  We know this will be a wonderful year!

        The 2024-2025 MAHS Student Handbook is filled with important information regarding school policies and procedures as well as resources to help your student with his or her academic progress.  Together the MAHS Handbook and WCSD Code Of Conduct help guide your son or daughter as they join the MAHS community of students, teachers, support staff, and administrators.  We encourage parents and students to review the content together to become better informed about our school.  If you have questions that remain unanswered after reading the MAHS Handbook, please call the MAHS office and ask for a counselor or administrator.  We believe that open and clear communication between school and home is essential to the success of our educational program.  Working together leads us closer to the goal of developing excellence for all our students.

        We welcome your participation and support during the school year.  Working together, we will be able to reach our collective and individual goals.  We look forward to celebrating with you the achievements of our students!

***Para conseguir cualquiera parte de este documento en espanol, por favor pongase en contacto con el administrador de la escuela.

For additional information, please visit the Monroe Area High School or the Walton County School District websites at:

www.walton.k12.ga.us or  www.monroeareahigh.org.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES

MAHS Mission Statement

 Monroe Area High School strives to help all students reach their highest academic and civic potential by emphasizing a School Culture that involves Community engagement, high Achievement, a Nurturing environment, high Expectations, and a desire to serve others. (C.A.N.E.S. Culture)  

School Mascot: Purple Hurricanes

School Colors: Purple and White

GHSA: Region 8-AAA

Alma Mater

This song is performed at most student assemblies, graduation, and other events.  When performed, all in attendance will stand.

MAHS Alma Mater

Oh Monroe High, the best school in the land

True Patriots love in all thy sons command

With flowing hearts we see thee rise,

A true school strong and free

And stand on guard, oh Monroe High,

We stand on guard for thee.

Oh Monroe High, glorious and free

We stand on guard; we stand on guard for thee!

Oh Monroe High, we stand on guard for thee.

Calendars

For additional information regarding district and school events, please visit the Monroe Area High School or the Walton County Public Schools websites at: www.walton.k12.ga.us  or www.monroeareahigh.org

Parent, Teacher, Student Organization (PTSO)

The PTSO provides additional services to our faculty and staff all during the school year.  Joining the PTSO will enable you to become more actively involved in your child’s school.

Media Center   

The mission of the Monroe Area High School library media program is to support students, faculty, and staff in the pursuit of personal and academic excellence by developing life-long learners that can effectively locate, evaluate, and utilize information, while fostering the love of reading.  The Media Center provides a wide range of materials that represent varied levels of difficulty, cover a diverse range of subjects, appeal to all students, and present varying viewpoints. The Media Center provides comprehensive support, instruction, and materials to all students and staff.  The media specialist acts as a facilitator to provide individual guidance and formal instruction so students learn to access information from a variety of sources and utilize a variety of technology resources.  Students using the Media Center are expected to work quietly on school-related assignments. Students who do not conduct themselves properly in the Media Center may be denied visitation privileges. Students will not be permitted to visit the Media Center during their scheduled lunch time.

        The Media Center has a wide range of current print and electronic materials available for student use. Students may check out books, reference materials, and magazines. Students will be assigned a due date based on the material. It must be returned or renewed before that date. A late fine of 10¢ per day per item is accrued after the due date.  Please be considerate of others and return all materials to the Media Center promptly. Students are responsible for the materials they check out—lost materials must be paid for. The online catalog is located at www.wcpsdestiny.org. Students can sign in to search available titles, place holds, and check out e-books.

Chromebooks and eSMART

As part of the eSMART initiative, all high school students in the Walton County School District will receive Chromebooks to use in the classroom for the 2024-2025  school year.  All students will be issued a Chromebook to be used for the completion of schoolwork. Students are expected to be prepared for class with a charged Chromebook every morning in first block. Students must follow the WCSD Acceptable Use Policy when using these Chromebooks. For the detailed policy, please visit http://wcpsesmart.weebly.com/aup.html.

        Walton County School District offers a $10/year student optional protection plan for the eSMART initiative. Students who choose not to purchase the optional protection plan may be required to check out a Chromebook from the Media Center before first block every morning (no late passes will be written). Chromebooks not covered by the optional protection plan MUST be returned to the Media Center before the end of the school day. Failure to return a loaner Chromebook before the end of the day will result in disciplinary action, which may include ISS, OSS, or other measures determined appropriate by the administrator.

        As with textbooks, students who fail to clear outstanding fines because of a failure to return a Chromebook assigned to them, will not receive grade reports or transcripts, and class schedules may be inactivated. In addition, students who fail to return their Chromebook will not be allowed to take their semester exam until the Chromebook has been returned or paid for. Students failing to return all materials may not be able to participate in extracurricular programs. No parking permits will be issued to students who owe Chromebook fines. Seniors who fail to clear all fines will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremonies. Lost, stolen, or missing Chromebooks must be reported to the school within 24 hours. To pursue a replacement Chromebook the student must file a police report in a timely manner and bring a copy of that report to the school.

        The Media Center is the home of the Chromebook Help Desk at MAHS. Students experiencing problems with their Chromebook should seek assistance from the media specialist or a Help Desk student aide. All eSMART policies and Chromebook information are available through county technology at wcpsesmart.weebly.com. Please see that website for up to date information about the program. If you experience problems outside of school, please email the media specialist at sarah.sapinski@walton.k12.ga.us.

Visitors to MAHS

Students are not allowed to bring visitors to school without prior written  administrative approval and must provide a 24-hour notice of the planned visit.. All visitors must comply with MAHS and WCPS policies and procedures. Parents are always welcome and encouraged to visit throughout the year. Appointments are required for anyone who wishes to visit any classroom,athletic field, teacher,or counselor.  ** Note** all visitors to the campus must first check in at the main office.  Persons found on campus without  permission will be considered in violation and will be asked to leave or face criminal ramifications.

Deliveries to School

Students attending Walton County Public Schools are not allowed to receive deliveries at school from vendors or their locations. This includes, but is not limited to, flowers, gifts from any shops, food deliveries (ex. Door Dash, Uber Eats,etc…), birthday cakes, or articles of clothing. All deliveries will be returned to the vendor.

        Parents and guardians are allowed to bring school supplies such as notebooks, pencils/pens, paper, textbooks, etc., as well as articles of clothing and lunch to their child on an emergency basis. On a case to case basis, a student may be asked to eat lunch in an isolated area if outside food is brought in. Students are expected to be prepared for school every day, which should minimize the number of parent deliveries.

        The administration of MAHS reserves the right to limit the number of deliveries and to discontinue this privilege for students and parents who abuse the policy.

Students Left On Campus

The school is NOT responsible for students left on campus before 6:45 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m. unless they are participating in a teacher supervised extracurricular activity.  Any student who remains on campus and unsupervised after 3:00 will be subject to disciplinary actions.  All students waiting for a ride need to wait outside of the building in the front student pick up area. Once students exit the building, they may not reenter.

        Students remaining on campus, and who are not under the direct supervision of a Teacher, Coach, Club Sponsor, or other MAHS Staff, will be considered out of area and trespassing on school grounds. The student may receive an administrative referral and/or be charged with trespassing. (See WCSD Student Code of Conduct).

        Students who are attending Monroe Area High School on a Permissive Transfer are to provide their own transportation to and from school. Permissive Transfers may be revoked at any time if the parent or student cannot provide a consistent and timely mode of transportation.

Updated Afternoon Daily Release Plan

Textbooks

Students are expected to care for their books and other school property in a manner that will prolong their usefulness.  Loss, unusual wear, or destruction of school property will result in the student being charged a replacement fee.

It is each student’s responsibility to return materials and textbooks to issuing teachers. Lockers will be cleaned out at the end of the year, and schoolbooks and materials retrieved through this process will not be considered returned by the individual students to whom they were issued.

        Students who fail to clear outstanding fines because of a failure to return all materials assigned to them, will not receive grade reports or transcripts, and class schedules may be inactivated.  In addition, students who fail to return their textbooks will not be allowed to take their semester exam until the textbook has been returned or paid for. Students failing to return all materials may not be able to participate in extracurricular programs. Seniors who fail to clear all fines will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremonies.

Debts / Holds

Students are financially responsible for lost Chromebooks, textbooks, library books, school-issued uniforms, cafeteria charges, fund-raising products, etc.  Such debts should be paid immediately.  New textbooks may not be issued until lost textbooks are paid for or arrangements made for payment.

Personal Items

Students should not bring personal items of value to school. The school is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged personal items, including electronic devices. Lockers are available for $5.00 per year to secure valuable items. MAHS will not investigate reports of lost or stolen personal items - INCLUDING CASH, Personal Items, and CELLULAR/ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

Lockers

Lockers are available on a rental basis ($5.00 per academic year).  Excessive damage or abuse to lockers may result in additional costs to the student.  Lockers may be searched by the administration at any time. Students are responsible for all items in their locker at all times. Students taking any Physical Education Course will have the option to rent a secured locker near the gym. Students will have the option to place their eSmart Chromebooks in the secured locker during that class. Administration will not conduct searches regarding lost or stolen items if students fail to use locked lockers.  Students may report stolen items to the school SRO.

Property Searches

Cars on campus, school lockers, book bags, personal belongings - INCLUDING CELLULAR PHONES/ELECTRONIC DEVICES - and students are subject to being searched by school authorities at any time.

School Telephone

Students may use the office phone in an emergency.

ADAP Cards

Initial cards are provided free upon successful completion of the required course(s).  Students needing to replace a lost or stolen ADAP Card will be charged a $5.00 processing fee.  See school attendance clerk  for replacement ADAP Card.

Student Parking

Students who have valid driver’s licenses and proof of insurance must purchase parking permits if they wish to park on campus. Students may only park in the main parking lot (to the right of the building as you face the front entrance) and only in the student assigned area of that lot. Student Assigned Area: Student parking spaces will be used on a first-come, first-served basis. All vehicles must have a valid, assigned parking permit. All Parking places located between the yellow line (marked on the pavement) and the school building are for faculty and visitor use only. Students may not park in these spaces under any circumstances and may be subject to a fine if they do so.  In addition, the spaces marked “VISITOR” are not for student use. After parking their vehicles, students are to leave the vehicles and come into the building.  Students are not to go to their vehicles during the school day. Reckless driving will not be tolerated. Students who abuse their parking privileges will be subject to disciplinary action and may include:

• Parent or owner of the vehicle will be contacted and will be required to move the vehicle from school property.
• Warning stickers applied to windshields of improperly parked cars.
• Vehicle towed.
• Fines up to $100 per infraction for repeated infractions will be assessed by the school.
• Ultimate revocation of parking privileges for any period, ranging from 5 days to the remainder of the year.
• Students can lose driving privileges if they do not pay their debts or fines in a timely manner.
• Students with excessive tardies can lose their parking permits for an extended period.

Parking permits are available for purchase from the school for $70 for the school year; $35 if purchased after March 1, 2024  Students who wish to purchase parking permits must fill out an application and return it with payment. Students found not to have purchased a parking permit will be required to purchase a permit and will be assessed a $20 penalty. A $20.00 Penalty will be assessed for all required permits purchased after August 9th, 2024.  Students who leave campus in their vehicles without permission may have their parking privileges revoked for the remainder of the school year and face additional disciplinary action.

Students who purchase parking permits during the first semester and fail to meet the academic standard of passing three out of four classes may have their permits revoked for the remainder of the school year.

        Students who park on school property without a permit or students who continue to park on school property after their permit has been revoked will be subject to disciplinary action such as ISS and/or OSS. In addition students may have their vehicles towed at the owner’s expense. In addition, students will face further disciplinary action.   Vehicles found improperly parked will also be towed at the owner’s expense.  Parking violations may result in parking privileges being revoked for the remainder of the semester.

No Items visible on the exterior or from the interior of any vehicle shall contain the following:

Suggestive language, graphics, symbols, or slogans.

Profane language, graphics, symbols, or slogans.

Any references (language, graphics, symbols, or slogans) to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or gangs.

Any references (language, graphics, symbols, or slogans) that are demeaning to others.

Any language, graphics, symbols, or slogans that are not in keeping with the values of the community.

Student parking privileges may be revoked at any time for code of conduct violations, attendance issues, excessive tardiness, lack of appropriate academic progress, and other violations of school rules and policies.

“DRIVING AND PARKING A CAR on SCHOOL GROUNDS IS A PRIVILEGE”

Any student whose parking privileges are revoked for any reason will not be entitled to receive a refund of parking fees.

Scholarships/Grants

Every year Monroe Area High School works with corporations, small companies, government agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and private benefactors to secure scholarships and grants for our students. Many of these organizations assign specific eligibility criteria to the selection process and, at times, the award criteria may change. Parents and students are asked to view specific award criteria at the webpages provided or consult their counselor. The Scholarship Committee will  continually work to update the list of school awards and outside scholarships/grants on the counselor website.   

School-Level Honors See the MAHS website for complete list of honors and further information.

ATTENDANCE

Arrival to MAHS

When students arrive at MAHS, they must immediately enter the building through the front doors of the school. Students who do not report directly inside the building will be subject to disciplinary action such as ISS and/or OSS.

When students arrive at MAHS via WCSD bus transportation, students must exit the WCSD bus and report directly inside the MAHS building. Students who exit the WCSD bus and do not report directly inside the building will be subject to disciplinary action such as ISS and/or OSS.

Absences  

Students with 5 or more unexcused absences from any one period will face consequences up to and including OSS.  

Poor attendance negatively affects student success in school.  Please see that your child is in school every day possible and remains in school the entire day.  Requests for early dismissal should be made only when an emergency exists.       Any unauthorized absence from school will constitute an act of truancy.  Students with 5 or more unexcused absences and all cases of students with 10 or more total absences will be submitted to the School Attendance Officer for further options.

Parents/guardians must let the school know within three (3) days (in writing) the reason for any absence.

The statement should give the reason and list the date of absence as well as the student advisor’s name and student number.  The student should place the excuse in the secured Student Excuse Box located in the front office. This must be done upon returning from any absence. The attendance office may contact parents by phone to verify reasons for an absence and to promote communication between the school and the home. All notes are kept on file in the office for the remainder of the school year and are NOT returned to the student.

All serious illnesses, doctor’s notes, surgery, injuries due to accidents, etc. should be brought to the attention of the school nurse.  Any diagnosed illness such as strep throat, mononucleosis, flu, conjunctivitis, etc. requires a note from the doctor allowing the student to return to school. In addition to placing the doctor's excuse in the Student Excuse Box, a copy of the note should also be given to the school nurse when the student returns to school.

It is the student’s responsibility to arrange with teachers to make up all work missed during an absence.  Students have 3 school days, beginning with the date of return, to turn in make-up work from an absence unless the classroom teacher has granted an extension.  After 3 days, partial credit or no credit will be recorded for missing assignments. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange a time, convenient for the teacher, to receive any assignments immediately upon their return to school. Please refer to individual teachers’ course syllabi for more information regarding make-up work policies. Students are not allowed to complete missed assessments at home.

Students who encounter long-term illness may be eligible for the Hospital Homebound program (HHB).

Tardiness

Tardies will only be excused with a doctor’s note.

1st block: All students must be in class by 7:30 A.M. each day. All students arriving to class after 7:30 A.M.,without an Excused Tardy Slip, will be counted as unexcused tardy.

2nd, 3rd, and 4th blocks: All students must be in class when the tardy bell stops ringing. All students arriving after the tardy bell stops ringing, without an Excused Tardy Slip, will be counted as tardy. Students who were absent during 1st Block MUST check-in at the front office before reporting to subsequent classes; students are NOT allowed to report directly to 2nd/3rd/4th blocks.

The following dispositions will be used in dealing with tardiness:

Checking In to School (Student Check-In)

1. Students must sign in with the attendance office staff upon arriving late to school:

1. Students checking in after missing one or more complete classes must be checked in by a parent or guardian.
2. Any student checking in after missing one or more complete classes without being checked in by a parent or guardian will be counted as unexcused.
3. Any student with 7 or more unexcused morning tardies will need to be checked-in by their parent.

2. Students with 5 or more unexcused absences from any one period will face consequences up to and including OSS.  

Checking Out of School (Parent / Guardian Check Out)

Parents may check out their child  at any time and without prior notice before 2:00pm, by coming into the building, providing proper identification, and signing the checkout roster in the attendance office. With the exception of an emergency situation, the student may be delayed from immediately joining the parent in cases such as testing, redressing during PE, or teacher delay. *No Student Check Outs after 2:00pm  with exception of it being an emergency.

Checking Out of School (Other)

To check out of school without the presence of a parent or guardian, a written request signed by the parent or legal guardian must be brought to the office before 7:30 AM for verification.  

The note must contain the following information:

1. Student’s full name, student’s advisor, student number and date
2. Exact reason for checking out and requested time of check out.
3. Phone number at which parent or guardian can be reached during the morning.  If the parent cannot be reached by phone, the student will not be permitted to leave.

Students must follow these steps: 

4. Students remain in class until called to the attendance office for checkout.
5. Any student checking out must sign out at the attendance office after providing an approved check out slip from the attendance clerk.
6. Students leaving school without properly signing out will receive a disciplinary referral for leaving campus without permission.
7. No student will be allowed to check out based on a phone call or faxed note without an administrator's approval.
8. Students at least 18 years old and legally emancipated by the court, with the decree on file at MAHS or WCPS, are required to see their counselor for possible exceptions to check-in/-out procedures.

WCPS BOE policy JBD –4/11/2014  ABSENCES AND EXCUSES, CHECK OUTS AND TARDIES

A student shall not be absent from school or from any class or other required school hours except for illness or other providential cause, unless with written permission of the teacher, principal, or their duly authorized school official.  No student or employee shall encourage, urge or counsel other students to violate this policy.

As permitted under state law and State Board of Education policies, pupils may be excused for the following reasons:

1. personal illness and when attendance in school would endanger their health or the health of others;
2. serious illness or death in their immediate family which necessitates absence from school;
3. mandated order of  governmental agencies, including pre-induction physical examinations for service in the armed forces, or by court order;
4. celebration of religious holidays;
5. conditions which render attendance impossible or hazardous to their health or safety; and
6. voter registration or voting, for a period not to exceed one day.
7. prior permission of principal and consent of parent or legal guardian.  (It is the responsibility of the student to secure and makeup all work for this type of absence, not the teacher.)

For perfect attendance purposes, students serving as pages of the Georgia General Assembly shall be counted present on the days missed for this purpose.  In addition, students who are present for at least one-half of the instructional day shall be counted present.

Excuses for absences shall be furnished in writing to the school within three school days of return to school and shall be signed by the student’s parent or guardian and shall specifically state the reasons for the absence.  All excuses will be evaluated by the principal or a designee to determine if the absence is excused or unexcused.  The principal has the authority to require additional proof of the legitimacy of the excuse.  For example, the principal may require a doctor’s statement justifying the absence of the student, and may require proof that the child’s condition rendered the child incapable of attending school.  Absences due to out of school suspension shall be unexcused.  Medical excuses will be accepted when provided.  Students are expected to complete necessary work missed in order to meet standards for the course.

A student who has excessive tardies to school and/or to class shall receive disciplinary action according to the Student Code of Conduct.The principal has the authority to require additional proof of the legitimacy of excessive requests for early checkouts. Students with excessive tardies and/or early checkouts may be referred to the school social worker for educational neglect.

ACADEMICS

Honor Code

WCPS recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic function of the school.  The following regulations are in place in the interest of protecting the fairness and validity of our schools, grades, and degrees and to help students in developing standards and attitudes that are appropriate to our society.

1. No student should give or receive help on an essay, lab report, test, or other assignment included in any class offered by the school without permission from the teacher and/or administrator.
2. No student should take or share any materials pertaining to the day-to-day conducting of a class, including, but not limited to, tests, lab equipment, roll books and teacher's edition textbooks without permission from the teacher and/or administrator.
3. No student shall take, sell, give, or lend any material that contains the questions or answers to any quizzes or tests in any class offered by the high school without the permission of the teacher and/or administrator.
4. Plagiarism is prohibited.  Essays, term papers, tests, and other similar requirements must be the work of the student submitting them.  When direct quotations are used, they must be correctly acknowledged using the defined citation style of the class.
5. Failure of any student to abide by the principles set forth in this Honor Code may be subject to disciplinary action.  The consequence for each Honor Code violation may include a grade of “0” for the work involved.

Curriculum

WCPS offers a varied curriculum that is continually refined and updated to meet the needs of our students.  Following the tenets of the Learning-Focused Schools initiative, students will be asked to work towards mastery of a defined set of essential objectives in all of their coursework.  Learning will be expected to go beyond simple recall.

Grading System

A  90-100                B  80-89        C  70-79        F  Below 70

Credits Needed For Grade Classification

To be promoted to:           Units needed:                Units needed To Graduate: 

Grade 10                        6                           28 units  (Max. possible = 32)  

Grade 11                       13             

Grade 12                       20  

Pathway Completion

The GA DOE has placed an emphasis on students completing at least one pathway, such as in CTAE, academic, and fine art. More information is provided below and will also be discussed during student advisement.

Exam Exemption Procedures(24-25)

9th/10th grade - may exempt ELECTIVE COURSES only if they meet the following criteria:

• Grade is 85 to 89 with 3 or FEWER absences (for that class)
• Grade is 90 or higher with 5 or FEWER absences (for that class)                                                

11th/12th grade - may exempt their exams if they meet the following criteria:

• Grade is 85 to 89 with 3 or FEWER absences (for that class)
• Grade is 90 or higher with 5 or FEWER absences (for that class)

Absences are defined as both excused and unexcused.

Additional Exam Information:

• Exam Exemption is calculated separately for each semester.  
• Students must attend and complete all standardized tests given in any EOC and AP courses in which they are enrolled.
• Students enrolled in an AP course who elect not to take the AP exam will be required to take a final exam in that course. Students who elect to not take the AP exam and fail to take the class final exam will receive a zero in the final assessment category in Infinite Campus.

Make-Up Work:

We will implement Saturday School as an option for students to complete work. Assignments completed during Saturday School will be accepted within the make-up work dates listed above. Assignments and quizzes will be completed via Schoology. Summative assessments cannot be completed during Saturday School. Teachers will contact parents and sign students up. More information will be shared soon. Please note that the Saturday School dates are tentativefor the time being. Students and teachers will adhere to the Make-Up policy schedule that has been shared with students and staff.

MAHS Make-Up Work Policy

Fall 2024

Any assignments assigned between August 1st and August 30th will not be accepted after Friday, September 6th. 

Saturday School: 9.7.2024   8-12 noon

must

Any assignments assigned between September 3rd and September 30th will not be accepted after Friday, October 4th.

Saturday School: 10.5.2024   8-12 noon

Any assignments assigned between October 1st and October 31st will not be accepted after Friday, November 8th.

Saturday School: 11.9.2024   8-12 noon

Any assignments assigned between November 1st and December 9th will not be accepted after Friday, December 13th.

Saturday School: 12.14.2024   8-12 noon

MAHS Make-Up Work Policy
Spring 2025

Any assignments assigned between January 6th- January 31st  will not be accepted after Friday, February 7th. 

Saturday School: 2.8.2025   8-12 noon

Any assignments assigned between February 3rd-February 28th will not be accepted after Friday, March 7th. 

Saturday School: 3.8.2025   8-12 noon  

Any assignments assigned between March 3rd-March 31st  will not be accepted after Friday, April 4th. 

Saturday School: 4.5.2025   8-12 noon

 Any assignments assigned between April 1st-May 5th will not be accepted after Friday, May 9th. 

Saturday School: 5.10.2025   8-12 noon

Individual teachers will define late work, make-up work, and subsequent penalties; however, it’s best to be consistent with your colleagues who teach the same course. Your policies must be incorporated into your course syllabus. Teachers have the discretion to accept assignments at any point in the semester if they choose to do so.

New this year, we will implement Saturday School as an option for students to complete work. Assignments completed during Saturday School will be accepted within the make-up work dates listed above. Assignments and quizzes will be completed via Schoology. Summative assessments cannot be completed during Saturday School. Teachers will contact parents and sign students up. More information will be shared soon. Please note that the Saturday School dates are tentative for the time being.

Georgia End-Of-Course (Milestones) Tests

All students enrolled in American Literature, Algebra I, U.S. History, and Biology are required to take the Georgia Milestones EOC for that subject in order to earn credit for the course.  The student’s EOC score will count 15% of the total grade for the course.  These tests are administered at the end of each semester.

Senior Information - Graduation / Senior Activities

Seniors will not be allowed to participate in the Commencement Ceremony if they have not met all graduation requirements set forth by the State of Georgia, WCSD, and MAHS. In order to participate in senior activities, seniors must be on track to graduate.  In order to participate in the Commencement exercises, seniors must attend and participate in all graduation rehearsals.  The principal may dismiss any senior from participation in the graduation ceremonies for poor behavior during rehearsals or failure to follow the WCSD / MAHS Code of Conduct.

Student Recognition Program

The student recognition programs are designed to reward and recognize those students who excel academically or who exhibit significant improvement in academics, behavior, attitude, and/or attendance.  These programs are just one way the school encourages students to work to their potential and put forth their best effort in all that they do. Information on recognition programs are distributed to students prior to the start of each program.

Athletics and Extracurricular Activities and Contests:

Interscholastic activities are a very important part of any high school program.  Students who participate increase their leadership and social skills and learn to work in harmony with others.  They help create greater school spirit among faculty and the student body. Students participating in interscholastic activities must meet the requirements of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA).

Grades/Transcripts (9-12)

Transcripts and grades are always available to view and access through Infinite Campus. Printed transcripts are available at the end of each semester upon request.  The semester grade is recorded on the student’s permanent record, which is kept in the office and used to compute the student’s grade point average and to figure eligibility status under Georgia High School Association guidelines. Grades are available on-line (Infinite Campus) to students and parents. Students who have unreturned materials (textbooks, uniforms, library books, etc.) or other outstanding debts to the school will not have their report cards released until all debts are cleared.

Schedule Changes

Once the scheduling process is complete, request for a change in schedule will NOT be allowed with the exception of the following:

• Classes that have already been taken and passed (including summer session).
• Failure to meet prerequisites for class scheduled.
• A change in study that reflects an increase in academic rigor.
• An inability to meet the requirements of a class due to health limitations.

Once the designated schedule change deadline has passed, students will not be allowed to request schedule changes.

Advisement

Students are grouped by grade level and assigned a faculty adviser who, along with the guidance counselors and classroom teachers, will assist the student in making decisions about course of study, post-secondary considerations, career choice, and monitoring academic achievement. The students will meet in advisement periodically and stay with the same advisor for their high school career as is feasible. The advisor and counselor will serve as a consistent contact point for students and parents.

DISCIPLINE PROGRAMS

Lunch Detention:

Lunch detention is assigned by a teacher, administrator or an administrative designee.  The program is offered Monday through Friday during each lunch period. Failure to serve the entire lunch detention or non-attendance for a lunch detention may result in additional lunch detention days, assignment to after-school detention, or administrative referral. Consequences for an administrative referral may include ISS, OSS, or other measures determined appropriate by the administrator.

After School Detention:

After school detention is assigned by a teacher, administrator or an administrative designee.Failure to serve the entire detention or non-attendance for a  detention may result in additional detention days, or administrative referral. Consequences for an administrative referral may include ISS, OSS, or other measures determined appropriate by the administrator.

No Flow List

Students who have accumulated 7 or more tardies will be placed on the MAHS No Flow List. Students on this list will not be allowed to leave their classrooms for miscellaneous reasons due to the number of tardies and/or AWOLs that have been accumulated. Students will have the opportunity to have their name removed from the No Flow List if they have met the tardy improvement goal set forth by administration.

In-School Suspension Program (ISS):

The In-School Suspension Program (ISS) is a discipline approach that utilizes the removal of a student from the regular school setting to a supervised setting away from the mainstream of regular school routines. ISS may be assigned for a portion of the day or for the entire day. All students begin ISS with an orientation. This orientation examines the expectations and rules of the program. Students in ISS are counted present and complete regular classroom work for credit.  The ISS teacher will also have materials for remediation or enrichment that can be used when low achievement is contributing to students’ behavioral or adjustment problems.  In the event that certain assignments or tests are not suitable to be given in ISS, the student may be afforded opportunities to complete these under the supervision of the classroom teacher.  Students must properly complete all assignments provided by the teachers and, if applicable, additional assignments given by the ISS teacher, and serve all assigned days before they may return to regular classes.  Any time missed from ISS due to absence, checking out, arriving late, etc., must be made up before a student is released back to regular classes. Students entering ISS  must follow the school wide cell phone/electronic policy. Students who receive ISS must turn in their cell phones upon arrival.  A student’s behavior in ISS determines if additional days must be served beyond the original assignment or if the student must be suspended Out-of-School (OSS).  Students and parents must understand that ISS is an alternative to OSS and that repeated referrals to ISS are an indication that a student’s inappropriate behaviors are not being corrected.

Out-of-School Suspension (OSS)

Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) is a discipline approach that utilizes the removal of a student from all classes and activities of the school.  Students under OSS are required to complete all missed work. Students under OSS are allowed access to their assignments through Schoology and complete work while on OSS. Students under OSS are not to be on campus unless they are accompanied by a parent/guardian and report to the office. Students under OSS who come on campus without the expressed permission of the administration will be referred to local law enforcement officials as trespassers. Students under OSS are not allowed to attend any WCPS extra-curricular activity.

Prohibited Items

1. The following items are expressly forbidden at all times and will be confiscated immediately with possible legal action taken against the person(s) found to be in possession:

2. This list includes examples and is not limited to these specific items.
3. Students are to notify school staff immediately when prohibited items are found in the school or on the school grounds.  Students are advised not to handle these items.
4. Any prohibited item that is confiscated from a student will be returned to the parent unless the item is turned over to local law enforcement in accordance with state and local mandates.
5. Students are not allowed to sell any items, food or non-food, at school during the school day without prior approval of an administrator.
6. Students are advised that the administration has the legal authority to conduct a search of students, their lockers, their possessions, and their automobiles when on school grounds.  The administration is required to have only a “reasonable suspicion” to conduct such searches.  Students failing to comply with school officials in conducting such searches will be turned over to law enforcement authorities.
7. Students are advised that any adult employee of the Walton County School System, including bus drivers, custodial staff, paraprofessionals, school secretaries, substitute teachers, as well as regular teachers and administrators, has the right to give reasonable instructions to students and expect these instructions to be carried out.  Failure to carry out reasonable instructions will result in serious disciplinary action.
8. In a continuing effort to maintain drug-free schools, school officials will work cooperatively with local police in soliciting and allowing drug dogs to search all areas of the school campus (including personal items, lockers, vehicles), and conduct other searches as allowed by law.

Cell Phones / Electronic Communication Devices and Other Electronic Devices Used By Students

“If possession of an electronic communication device by a student in school is permitted, the local board policy shall not permit the use by a student of any personal electronic communication device during classroom instructional time.”     (O.C.G.A. 20-2-1183 (2009).

The policy stated below will be the common policy used by all staff with the exception of those specified by the teacher within his or her classroom and related to specific instruction.

Cell phones and all other electronic devices are not to be visible or used during class time. These items should be placed and remain in a bookbag, the teacher cell phone lockbox, or teacher cell phone pouch.

New Cell Phone Policy as of 1-2-25

• Procedure:
  Teachers will collect cell phones at the beginning of each class as students enter the classroom. Phones will be stored in either a hanging pocket organizer secured to the wall or a 36-slot lock box, depending on each teacher's preference.

• Medical Exceptions: Students with documented medical needs will be allowed to keep their phones, with proper administrative approval. Documentation has to be on file with the school nurse.
• Restroom / Lunch Policy: Students will not be allowed to access their phones during use of restroom passes. Phones will remain accessible during lunch periods; Students can retrieve them before going to lunch and upon return from lunch students must turn in their phone to the teacher.

Discipline Protocol

• First Offense: Minor referral and assignment of lunch detention.
• Second Offense and Beyond: Major referral with the consequences ranging from in-school suspension (ISS), office time out,  or others.

The updated Monroe Area High School Cell Phone policy will begin on January 6th, 2025.

The principal has the right to modify or revoke the terms and conditions for the possession and use of Cell Phones/Electronic Communication Devices and other Electronic Devices at any time. Changes to this policy will be communicated through daily school announcements and will be posted on the Monroe Area High School Website.

Monroe Area High School Dress Code

Walton County Board of Education Policy JCDB states students are to dress in a manner that is reasonable and not distracting to other students and teachers.  Any dress of an extreme nature will not be tolerated.  Each school principal will make final decisions regarding student dress in his or her school.

The following guidelines are the regulations that support WCPS Policy JCDB:

1. Students must be in compliance throughout the entire school day (i.e. students may not make temporary adjustments to their clothing in an attempt to correct clothing already deemed unacceptable.The correction must last the remainder of the school day.)
2. Clothing should not cause a distraction to the educational environment.
3. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times.
4. The highest point of any dress or skirt length must be no shorter than 5” above the knee.
5. The highest point of any pants, short, or gym short length (including slits, rips, and/or tears) must be no shorter    than 5” above the knee.
6. Any holes 5” above the knee must not reveal skin or tights must be worn underneath.  
7. Skirts, pants, shorts, gym shorts, shirts, and blouses:

8. Headgear is prohibited and shall not be worn inside the building. These restricted items include but are not limited to hats, hoods, durags, sunglasses, bandanas, scarves, bonnets, kerchiefs, shower caps or hoods (connected or  not connected to a sweatshirt or a jacket).
9. A student’s face shall not be covered at any time except for an approved COVID or medically related mask.
10. Headbands, meeting all other dress code criteria, are allowed. Scarves or other items cannot be used as a makeshift headband. Headbands must be used appropriately and cannot cover the entire head.
11. No chains shall be worn or be visible outside the clothing.Examples include choke chains, wallet chains, studs, dog collars, heavy metal jewelry, etc.
12. Blankets will not be allowed.
13. No item of clothing, jewelry, headgear, or other visible personal items shall contain the following:

• Suggestive language, graphics, symbols, or slogans. (examples but not limited to: Playboy, MILFs, etc…)
• Profane language, graphics, symbols, or slogans.
• Any references (language, graphics, symbols, or slogans) to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or gangs.
• Any references (language, graphics, symbols, or slogans) that are demeaning to others.
• Any language, graphics, symbols, or slogans that are not in keeping with the values of the community.

14. Any “dress” (clothing, hair color, jewelry, accessories, piercings, etc.), determined, by an administrator, to be of an extreme nature is prohibited and is a violation of the Dress Code.
15.  All students taking Physical Education classes will abide by the dress code as outlined above.
16. Students violating the MAHS Dress Code will be referred to an administrator.
17. Violations of the MAHS Dress Code will result in the following:

• First Offense: Offense will be documented and the student asked to correct the dress code issue in a timely manner. A parent/guardian may be contacted to assist in resolving the dress code issue.
• Second Offense:  Offense will be documented and the student will be asked to correct the dress code issue in a timely manner, a parent/guardian will be contacted to assist in resolving the issue. Student will be assigned Detention or ISS.
• Third Offense: Offense will be documented and the student will be asked to correct the dress code issue in a timely manner, a parent/guardian will be contacted to assist in resolving the issue. Student may be sent home for the remainder of the day. Student may be assigned ISS, OSS or other punishment that may be required to avoid repeated violations of the Dress Code Policy.
• At any time the student may be sent home for the remainder of the day due  to a dress code issue.
• On all levels of Dress Code Offenses: 

• If the student is unable to correct the Dress Code violation in a timely manner, he or she may be placed in ISS for the remainder of the day or until such time as the issue is resolved.
• Upon correcting the Dress Code violation, the student may be permitted to return to their scheduled classes.  

The principal has the right to modify or revoke the terms and conditions of the MAHS Dress Code Policy at any time. Changes to this policy will be communicated through daily school announcements and will be posted on the Monroe Area High School Website.

Bullying Policy

For additional information on Bullying, please visit the Walton County School District website at: www.walton.k12.ga.us

MAHS Bullying Reporting Procedures

Bullying happens when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose. The person being bullied has a hard time defending him or herself. The negative behavior happens over and over.  Students, parents, or bystanders who report bullying will complete the Student Bullying Report form.

First Accusation of Bullying, Counselor is to do the following:

1. Investigate the incident to determine if this truly is a bullying situation. (Refer to definition of bullying.) Have student fill out a Student Complaint of Bullying Incident Form.
2. If the incident is substantiated as bullying, speak with the child accused of bullying, inform the child of the specific behavior that is considered bullying and remind student of the code of conduct.
3. Develop a student contract and get each student to sign.
4. Call the parents of both students involved to inform them of the situation.
5. Start a folder and scan a copy of Student Contract and send an electronic copy to the appropriate administrator.

Second Accusation of Bullying (if first complaint was substantiated)

1. The Student Complaint of Bullying Incident should be sent to the guidance counselor.
2. The guidance counselor will investigate
3. Parents of the accused will be called and asked to attend a conference with their child.  Counselors will provide resources for student and parent.  
4. Student will be placed on strict administrative probation.
5. Referral will be sent to an administrator for disciplinary action.

Third Accusation of Bullying (if two incidents have been substantiated)

1. The Student Bullying Report should be sent to the appropriate administrator by the counselor.
2. The administrator will investigate and conference with the alleged student and parent.
3. Students with 3 substantiated and documented bullying incidents will face disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from WCPS.

WCSD Nondiscrimination Policy

It is the policy and practice of the Walton County School District to provide opportunities without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, handicap, disability, genetic information or veteran status in its educational programs and activities. This includes, but is not limited to: admission, educational services, financial aid and employment. Questions related to the application and compliance of this policy may contact the school system’s coordinator, Dr. Lance Young, at 200 Double Springs Church Road, Monroe, Georgia 30656 or at (770) 266-4520, or lance.young@walton.k12.ga.us.

                                                              Important Website

The MAHS Student Handbook covers many of the school’s policies and procedures but not all. Please check the MAHS and WCSD websites frequently for updates and additions. The principal has the right to modify the policies of the school as the need arises. Changes to these policies will be communicated in a timely manner through daily school announcements and will be posted on the Monroe Area High School Website.