Citizenship, a nd C haracter.
Academic Policy
Teachers, parents a nd s tudents, w orking in partnership t hroughout the course o f t he
school y ear, w ill a ssist the s tudents in a chieving academic success in t he following
subjects defined as: r eligion, r eading, mathematics, s ocial s tudies, e nglish, and science.
A s tudent who f ails t wo (2) t rimesters in a d efined a cademic a rea m ust satisfactorily
repeat t he content of s aid t rimesters in an approved s ummer program. R emediation o f
said c ontent w ill be, but is not l imited to: b efore or after s chool a ssistance, make-up
assignments, assignment c ontracts, m odified c ourse w ork, outside t utoring, summer
school, or a r ecognized i ndependent t utoring c enter. B oth t he p rogram and p rogram
criteria must b e d iscussed with t he c ontent area t eacher a nd Head o f School before
beginning r emediation. Promotion t o t he next grade level will be contingent upon
reassessment of t he s tudent i n A ugust.
Promotion/Retention
While t he decision to promote or r etain a s tudent generally shall be a cooperative one
made b y parents/guardians, teachers, a nd a dministration, n onetheless, t he Head of
School has t he ultimate authority t o m ake such a decision. O rdinarily, parents/guardians
shall be n otified of t he possibility of retention in writing. The f irst w ritten notice will be
given before D ecember 1, the second notice e arly in February, and the f inal n otice o n
May 1 . P ope Francis G lobal Academy w ill f ollow t he Guideline f or R etention e stablished
and approved b y the O ffice of C atholic Schools.
After School or Enrichment A ctivities
Students c an p articipate in a number of a fter school a ctivities. All s tudents m ust b e
picked up at the assigned time. After two tardy p ickups, t he student will n ot b e allowed
to p articipate i n the a fter s chool activity for the r est of the trimester. O ff-campus school
sponsored e vents a re e xtensions of t he s chool’s p hilosophy a nd t herefore, student’s
conduct must reflect e arning the privilege t o represent themselves as members of P ope
Francis G lobal A cademy Christian community. An i ncident t hat i s o f t he most serious
nature, a s determined b y s chool administration, and i s in direct contradiction t o the
school’s p hilosophy d emonstrates that s tudents have n ot earned t he overall p rivilege t o
represent Pope Francis Global Academy at school s ponsored o ff c ampus activities.
School administration i s directed to p rovide notice t hat any s erious incident t hat singles
out a f ellow student a nd/or d isrespects t he v alues o f t he s chool and parish c ommunity
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may result in s uspending students from school related e vents on o r off campus, o utside
of the school d ay. T his s uspension w ill remain in effect u ntil there can b e a p eriod o f
time t o evaluate s tudent b ehavior, a nd t he administration f eels comfortable t hat t hese
students’ f uture conduct a t school s ponsored e vents o n a nd off o f s chool g rounds will
reflect t he school’s values. The following is a l isting of the e xtracurricular a ctivities
offered to the students at P ope Francis Global A cademy
Academic T eam . .................................................................. Grade 8
Band .................................................................................... Grades 4-8
Battle o f t he Books .............................................................. G rade 4 -5
Chess Club .......................................................................... G rades K -8
Choir . ................................................................................... Grades
Math Competition . ............................................................... Grades 7-8
Strings . ................................................................................ G rades K -8
Student Council . .................................................................. G rades 4-8
Rainbows ............................................................................. G rades K -8
Athletic A ssociation Baseball/Softball .................................. G rade 8
Basketball/Soccer ................................................................ Grades
Cheerleading ........................................................................ G rade
Cross Country ...................................................................... G rades 4 -8
Soccer . ................................................................................. G rades 5-8
Volleyball .............................................................................. Grades 4-8
Scouts Daisy G irl S couts ...................................................... Girls, G rade K-1
Brownie G irl Scouts . ............................................................. G irls, Grades 2 -3
Junior Girl S couts . ................................................................ G irls, G rades 4 -5
Cub S couts ........................................................................... Boys, Grades 1-5
Boy Scouts .......................................................................... Boys, Grades 6-8
Student Council
Student l eadership is fostered through involvement i n t he S tudent C ouncil. A ll students
participate in t he a ctivities p lanned b y the C ouncil. These a ctivities i nclude s ervice
projects a nd s pirit b uilding e vents. Participation a s a l eader or r epresentative i n S tudent
Council i s contingent u pon academic eligibility a nd b ehavioral a ppropriateness. There
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will be officers elected o n b oth c ampuses.
Shadow Days
Before m aking that f inal d ecision a bout w hich h igh school to attend, parents may
request that their c hildren a ttend a Shadow Day a t a particular high s chool. T hose
requests m ust be made in writing a nd s ubmitted t o t he A dministration a t l east t hree
days p rior to the v isit. Since t he student is n ot i n a ttendance, it will b e c onsidered an
excused a bsence. T he student w ill be r esponsible for missed homework, tests/quizzes
and classroom work.
Classroom C elebrations
Class p arties d uring s chool h ours s hould be l imited i n number and should take p lace
during t he last period o f the day. (with the exception of Pre- K) I f a teacher wishes
his/her s tudents t o celebrate t heir birthdays w ith their classmates, he/she s hould e nsure
that t he celebrations are simple a nd n on-disruptive to the c lass schedule or o ther
surrounding classes. N on-edible treats are w elcome. Treats a re distributed to the
birthday c hild’s h omeroom only. A t no t ime s hould a child’s b irthday party b e t he
occasion in t he c lassroom for p ractices w hich have t heir proper place i n the h ome
during a f amily sponsored p arty. A v isit to a class by an entertainer a s a w ay o f
celebrating an i ndividual child’s birthday, for example, w ould n ot be appropriate. H ealthy
snacks at s pecial holiday parties needs approval and permission from all p arents i n t he
classroom.
Toys/Electronic Devices
Students a re discouraged from b ringing toys o r electronic devices to school. T he school
assumes no r esponsibility f or missing i tems. R egarding e-readers such a s Kindles or
Nooks, if a student brings an e-reader to s chool, he/she may r ead a b ook already
downloaded. Students are p rohibited f rom accessing t he s chool’s Wi-Fi connection
without the expressed permission o f the teacher. I f a student i s f ound to b e u sing W i-Fi
without permission and/or i nappropriately, t he d evice will be h eld by t he teacher t o b e
returned to the parent a nd t he s tudent w ill l ose t he privilege of bringing the device t o
school.
If a s tudent i s granted p ermission t o a ccess t he Wi-Fi, he/she will do s o i n a ccordance
with the Pope Francis Global A cademy Acceptable U se Policy and no s ocial n etworking
sites a re to b e accessed at a ny time.
Bringing M oney to S chool
Students should n ot carry l arge sums of m oney to school. M oney f or s uch t hings,
should be h anded in d uring t he homeroom period, f irst t hing in the m orning. M oney that
a student must carry should be kept w ith t he child o r i n the locker. T he s chool is not
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responsible f or l ost m oney.
Athletics
Generally, t he Athletic A ssociation s ets t he g uidelines and r ules for e ligibility and
participation i n sports. S pecific r equirements are l isted i n the Athletic H andbook.
Attendance at s chool is a p rerequisite f or s chool team p articipation. This a lso applies t o
day-to-day participation. H ence, a student who i s a bsent f rom s chool, either full or
partial day, is n ot eligible t o participate in a school s ponsored e vent that occurs that
same d ay/night.
Philosophy o f A thletics
● The primary goal o f o ur a thletic p rogram is as a m eans t o further enhance
Catholic values a nd t eachings
● Aligned w ith t he m ission o f P ope F rancis Global Academy
● To instill i n t he student athlete a s ense o f responsibility by demanding
consistently high s tandards o f b ehavior a nd m aking t he s tudent-athlete aware
and r espectful o f t he n eeds of others
● Our athletic program w ill promote a nd develop good sportsmanship, t eam play,
competitive spirit, a nd school loyalty
● Athletic shall help s tudents maintain good health t hrough physical fitness
● We t each the proper attitude toward winning, losing and c ompeting with dignity
Academic/Behavior E ligibility for Extracurricular Activities/Field Trips
The s tudent’s a cademic success has priority a t P ope F rancis Global A cademy
Extracurricular activities enhance t he e ducational experience a nd give children
opportunities t o d evelop s kills a nd e xperience achievement. However, extracurricular
programs should n ot i nterfere with the s tudent’s academic w ork or i nhibit h is/her ability
to a chieve success in t he c lassroom. T herefore, these a re guidelines f or extracurricular
eligibility:
Off-campus s chool s ponsored events a re extensions o f the s chool’s philosophy, and
therefore, students’ c onduct must r eflect e arning the p rivilege to r epresent t hemselves
as m embers o f o ur Christian c ommunity. An incident that i s of the most serious nature,
as determined by school a dministration, a nd i s i n direct c ontradiction t o the school’s
philosophy d emonstrates that students h ave n ot earned t he o verall p rivilege to
represent Pope Francis G lobal A cademy a t s chool sponsored o ff c ampus a ctivities.
School administration i s directed t o p rovide notice t hat a ny s erious i ncident that singles
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out a f ellow s tudent a nd/or d isrespects t he v alues of t he school and/or parish
community m ay result in suspending s tudents from school r elated e vents o n o r o ff
campus, o utside o f the s chool d ay. This s uspension will r emain in e ffect until t here can
be a period o f t ime to e valuate student b ehavior a nd the administration feels
comfortable that t hese s tudents’ f uture conduct a t s chool sponsored events o n and o ff
of school g rounds w ill reflect the s chool’s values.
At t he b eginning o f each season, a r oster o f t eams and clubs w ill b e made a vailable t o
school a dministration. P articipation i s u nderstood a s attending meetings, practices, and
games. T eachers w ill r eview p erformance at t he middle and a t the end of each
trimester. A s tudent w ho h as (2) o r more g rades b elow a C w ill b e placed on probation
and a sked to formulate a plan f or improvement to be p resented t o the A dministration.
The probationary p eriod w ill extend until the next c heck-in, e ither mid-trimester or
trimester. I f a s tudent d oes not improve his/her p erformance d uring t he p robationary
period, h e/she may be i n-eligible for p articipation i n e xtracurricular a ctivities u ntil t he
next check-in, either m id-trimester o r trimester. A dministration will notify p arents.
Medical Information
Immunizations a nd S chool Physicals
The I llinois Department of Public Health requires health e xaminations conducted
between 8/22/15 a nd 8/22/17 f or all new s tudents, prekindergarten, k indergarten and
6th g rade s tudents. Because m any p hysicians require that a school physical
appointment b e m ade two m onths i n a dvance, parents a re e ncouraged to c all t heir
child’s doctor t o make a n appointment a s s oon as possible. T he C ertificate of Child
Health Examination f orm is d ue in t he school o ffice b y A ugust 22, 2 017 f or s tudents i n
grades prekindergarten through eighth. Incomplete f orms w ill b e r eturned to you f or
completion and w ill not b e considered as p art of y our c hild’s p ermanent health f ile u ntil
they a re properly completed a nd returned. Students w ill b e excluded f rom c lasses
beginning with the f irst day o f school i f t he required form is n ot f ully c ompleted a nd on
file in the s chool o ffice. B efore you l eave y our doctor’s o ffice, please c heck the d ates o f
all i mmunizations because state l aw r equires: D PT - f our or more d oses a t the
appropriate intervals w ith t he last b eing given o n o r after t he f ourth birthday. O PV/(Oral
Polio) - t hree or more d oses administered at a ppropriate i ntervals w ith the last b eing
given on o r after the fourth b irthday. M MR ( Measles, Mumps, R ubella) - g iven at 1 2
months of age or l ater. M easles, second dose one month after f irst d ose. K-12 students
must show evidence of having r eceived t wo doses o f measles v accine.
HIB - children entering s chool below kindergarten l evel only. H epatitis B - t hree doses o f
vaccine with the f irst two s hots occurring a t least f our w eeks apart. T he interval b etween
the first and third d oses must b e at least f our months. C hicken P ox Vaccine (Varicella) -
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dose of varicella v accine at o ne year or l ater for children entering a t k indergarten level
and below for t he first t ime. I f P arents or p hysician c hooses not t o g ive y our child any of
the above i mmunizations, a n ote written o n a prescription b lank o r h is/her office
stationery i s required t o be a ttached t o the p hysical form. Please h ave t he p hysician
specify w hy immunization has n ot b een g iven. I f n on-immunization is d ue to allergy,
please s tate t he child’s a llergy. P hysical exam requirement f or all ages a re: height,
weight, B MI ( body m ass i ndex), B /P ( blood p ressure) and Diabetes S creening. I n
addition, a L ead R isk Questionnaire must b e completed a nd a b lood t est performed i f
indicated, for all students six years o f age or younger. A ll of t he c hild’s h ealth problems
should be n oted o n t he physical form. T he physician must sign a nd d ate the
immunization a nd t he physical p ortion of t he f orm. The d emographic i nformation and t he
child’s h ealth h istory portion must b e completely filled out and signed by a parent or
legal guardian.
Dental E xaminations - S tate l aw r equires d ental e xaminations f or all s tudents entering
kindergarten, second, or sixth grade a nd students transferring i n from other s tates or
countries. I llinois State law r equires t hese children to have a n ew d ental e xamination
between 5 -15 and 1 2-16. P lease have a D ental Examination Record c ompleted b y your
dental provider a nd return t his c ompleted f orm t o the s chool office. This form i s due i n
the school office b y M ay 15. An incomplete f orm will b e r eturned t o you f or completion
and will not be c onsidered as part of your c hild’s file u ntil they a re r eturned a nd p roperly
completed. Failure to submit a c ompleted form m ay c ause y our c hild t o b e e xcluded
from s chool and all school related activities.
Eye E xaminations – D iagnosing e ye and v ision p roblems and providing timely t reatment
ensures that students m aximize t heir a cademic performance. To a ccomplish this g oal o f
the students of I llinois, a new law requires c omprehensive e ye exams f or all s tudents
entering k indergarten a nd any s tudents transferring in f rom other s tates or c ountries.
These students m ust have an e ye examination p erformed o nly b y q ualified e ye
doctors-such a s o ptometrists and ophthalmologists between the d ates, 10/16. T he Eye
Examination R eport m ust be r eturned t o the s chool office by October 15, 2017.
Incomplete f orms w ill be returned t o y ou f or completion a nd w ill not b e considered a s
part of your child’s f ile until t hey are p roperly completed and r eturned.
Medical T reatments
In the e vent a s tudent s hall become i ll o r injured o r otherwise n eed immediate m edical
attention t hat i s n ot c ontained in the Medical A uthorization F orm o n f ile w ith t he school,
the school shall a ttempt t o contact t he student’s p arent/guardian utilizing the information
provided on the s tudent’s Medical I nformation a nd E mergency Notification F orm. If the
student’s p arent/guardian c annot be contacted, t he s chool shall a ttempt t o contact t he
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person i dentified b y t he parent/guardian as the s tudent’s emergency contact. I n either
event, s uch contact shall b e made t o advise o f t he observed illness or injury or need for
medical attention a nd to o btain f urther instructions f rom the student’s parent/guardian or
emergency contact. Therefore, it is i mportant t o have s chool emergency f orms filled o ut
completely and t o be u pdated throughout the year as n eeded. T he H ead of School o r
other certified s chool p ersonnel m ay call l ocal e mergency m edical services b efore o r
after attempting t o call the s tudent’s parent/guardian or emergency c ontact if, in t he
exercise o f school r elated s upervision of t he s tudent, t he student’s i llness, injury, or
need for i mmediate m edical attention is p erceived to be in n eed o f emergency m edical
care.
Medication
Parents/guardians h ave the primary responsibility f or the administration o f medication t o
their c hildren. The administration of m edication to s tudents during r egular school h ours
and d uring s chool related activities is d iscouraged unless necessary for t he critical
health a nd w ellbeing o f t he student. Teachers, a dministrators a nd administrative staff
shall n ot administer medication to students e xcept as p rovided in these S chool
Medication P rocedures.
Compliance with the S chool M edication P rocedures established for the administration o f
medication i s t he r esponsibility o f the parent/guardian.
Administration
No school personnel shall administer any p rescription or n on-prescription m edicine
unless t he School has t he student’s c urrent and c omplete Medication Authorization
Form a pproved a nd signed b y t he H ead o f S chool.
A Medication Authorization F orm i s distributed f or each s tudent at the beginning of e ach
school y ear or enrollment of a new student during t he y ear. Copies o f t he Medication
Authorization Forms are available i n the school offices.
The School r etains t he r ight to deny requests to a dminister medication t o the s tudents
provided t hat such denial i s indicated on t he M edication A uthorization Form. If t he
School denies a r equest and a uthorization for t he a dministration of m edication,
parents/guardians must m ake o ther a rrangements for t he a dministration of medication
to students, s uch as a rranging f or medication to b e a dministered b efore or a fter s chool
or having the p arent/guardian o r d esignee administer the medication i n s chool.
Self-Administration
A student m ay self-administer m edication a t school i f so ordered by his o r h er l icensed
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prescriber per t he student’s c urrent a nd completed Medication Authorization F orm.
Students w ho suffer f rom a sthma, a llergies o r o ther c onditions t hat r equire t he
immediate use of m edication shall be permitted t o carry such medication a nd t o
self-administer s uch m edication without supervision by s chool p ersonnel only if the
School h as o n file for t he s tudent a current a nd c ompleted Medication A uthorization
Form. Otherwise, s uch m edication m ust b e s tored i n a l ocked c abinet under the c ontrol
of t he S chool a nd the s elf-administration of m edication s hall b e u nder t he supervision o f
the School.
Appropriate C ontainers
It i s t he responsibility o f t he parent/guardian to p rovide the S chool with a ll medication in
appropriate containers that are: a . P rescription-labeled by a p harmacy or licensed
prescriber ( displaying Rx number, s tudent n ame, medication, d osage, direction f or
administration, date a nd refill s chedule, p harmacy label, and n ame/initials o f
pharmacist) Manufacturer-labeled f or n on-prescription over-the-counter medication.
Storage of Medication
Medication received by t he School i n accordance w ith a c ompleted Medication
Authorization Form a nd i n a n a ppropriate c ontainer s hall be s tored in a locked cabinet.
Access t o t he l ocked cabinet shall b e l imited t o t he H ead of School, his/her designees,
and the school nurse (if applicable).
Medication requiring refrigeration shall be stored i n a r efrigerator t hat cannot b e
accessed by s tudents and shall be k ept s eparate from food items.
At t he e nd o f the school year, or the end of the treatment regime, the student’s
parent/guardian will be r esponsible for r emoving a ny u nused medication from the
school. I f t he p arent/guardian d oes not pick u p t he m edication b y t he e nd of the school
year, the School will a ppropriately d iscard the m edication.
Returning t o School after an Illness
Any s tudent w ho i s a bsent due to a contagious illness that must be r eported t o the local
health authority w ill n ot be allowed b ack in school w ithout a physician’s note. T hese
illness are: C hickenpox (varicella), Chlamydia, E. c oli 0 157:H7, Giardiasis, Gonorrhea,
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C , H IV or A IDS, Measles, M eningitis ( bacterial o r
viral), M umps, P ertussis, P olio, Rubella, Salmonellosis, Shigellosis, Syphilis, a nd
Tuberculosis. Parents a re r esponsible f or asking the doctor f or a note. I f t hese children
return t o school too e arly, they may n ot h ave fully recovered and may place their
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classmates a nd t eachers a t r isk o f contracting t he d isease.
Physical Education a nd R ecess E xcuses
All students must p articipate i n physical e ducation c lasses a nd outdoor recess u nless
they have a written e xcuse from t heir physician.
Guidelines f or S tudents w ith F ood Allergies
Recently, there have been a number of stories in the news about the growing trend of
food allergies in young children. This trend is also true at Pope Francis Global
Academy. Also, in the interest of promoting good nutrition and health habits, the
following is in place :
• Parents s hould not s end f ood treats t o s chool for t heir children’s birthdays.
• Teachers h ave b een directed n ot t o u se c andy o r t reats a s rewards, o nly n on-food
items will be used.
• Teachers have b een directed n ot t o g ive s tudents food.
• Teachers p roviding f ood t o s tudents a s part o f a class lesson a ctivity w ill send a
permission slip h ome t o p arents i n a dvance.
• P arents are encouraged t o h elp their c hildren with f ood allergies to be a dvocates f or
themselves a nd to be aware of their allergies. A llergies can b e life-threatening. T he risk
of a ccidental e xposure t o foods can b e reduced in the school setting i f s chools w ork
with s tudents, parents, and physicians t o minimize risks a nd p rovide a s afe educational
environment for food a llergic students.
Family’s Responsibility
• E ducate t he c hild i n t he self-management o f their f ood allergy including: safe a nd
unsafe foods, strategies for a voiding exposure to unsafe foods, s ymptoms of a llergic
reactions, how and w hen t o t ell an a dult they may b e h aving an allergy-related problem,
and h ow to read food l abels.
• Notify t he school of t he c hild’s a llergies.
• Work with t he s chool team to develop a plan t hat accommodates the child’s needs
throughout t he s chool, i ncluding i n the classroom, the lunchroom, a fter-care p rograms,
during school sponsored activities, and on the school bus.
• Work with the child’s physician t o develop a F ood A llergy Action Plan. S ubmit this p lan
to the school.
• Complete n ecessary w ritten medical documentation a s r equired b y t he A rchdiocese
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include: Medication A uthorization F orm, Parent/Guardian Permission and A uthorization
Form, Physician Request for S elf-Administration of M edication F orm, and M edical
Information a nd Emergency N otification Form.
• In c oordination with t he h omeroom teacher and A dministration, d evelop a l etter to b e
sent h ome t o families in the s ame g rade, d escribing the child’s a llergies and a ny f oods
that s hould be r estricted in c lass o r a t s chool sponsored activities.
• R eplace medications a fter u se or u pon expiration.
• Review policy/procedures w ith the school staff, the child’s p hysician, and the c hild (if
age appropriate) after a r eaction h as o ccurred.
• Provide the child with a safe snack to be eaten a t snack time.
• Provide a fanny pack ( labeled w ith t he child’s name) containing the F ood A llergy
Action Plan s heet, a nd Epipen/Benadryl ( if n ecessary). The child may wear t his f anny
pack during lunchtime or when f ood is consumed. In the classroom, t he f anny p ack
should be g iven to t he t eacher, or b e kept i n the school office(s).
School’s Responsibility
• B e knowledgeable about a nd f ollow a pplicable federal and s tate l aws a nd any d istrict
or Archdiocesan p olicies t hat a pply.
• P ut u p posters of food a llergies/symptoms.
• R eview health r ecords s ubmitted by parents and physicians.
• I nclude food-allergic students i n school activities. Students should not b e excluded
from school a ctivities solely based on t heir f ood allergy.
• Coordinate a meeting, to establish a n individualized p revention and management p lan.
Attendees should i nclude, b ut a re n ot limited to, the Head o f S chool, all
teachers t hat will b e in contact w ith t he student, lunchroom s upervisors, the parents,
and t he s tudent (if a ge appropriate).
• Assure t hat a ll staff w ho i nteract with t he s tudent on a regular b asis understand the
food allergy, c an r ecognize s ymptoms, know what to do i n a n emergency, and work with
other school staff to eliminate the use o f f ood a llergens i n t he allergic student’s m eals,
educational tools, arts a nd crafts projects, or i ncentives.
• Create a s eparate table i n t he lunchroom/classroom f or those students with f ood
allergies t o reduce t he possibility of a ccidental exposure. T his table should be
appropriately c leaned p rior t o e ach use.
• P ractice t he e mergency treatment prescribed by the s tudent’s physician pursuant t o
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the F ood A llergy A ction Plan.
• E nsure t hat a ll m edications are appropriately stored.
• Notify all faculty and staff o f t hose students w ho have f ood allergies.
• D esignate school p ersonnel w ho are p roperly t rained and a uthorized to a dminister
medications in a ccordance w ith A rchdiocese p olicies, State Nursing and G ood
Samaritan Laws governing t he administration o f e mergency medications.
• B e p repared to handle a r eaction and ensure that t here i s a s taff member available
who i s properly trained to administer m edications during t he school d ay, r egardless of
time or location.
• R eview p olicies/prevention plan with the appropriate s taff, p arents/guardians, s tudent,
and p hysician after a reaction h as occurred.
• Discuss field t rips with t he f amily of t he f ood-allergic s tudent to decide a ppropriate
strategies f or m anaging the f ood a llergy. A llow the parent/guardian to attend the f ield
trip.
• Ensure that s ubstitute t eachers understand the f ood a llergy, can r ecognize i ts
symptoms, a nd know w hat t o d o in a n e mergency.
• Follow f ederal/state/district l aws and regulations regarding s haring medical information
about the student.
Student’s Responsibility
• Should n ot trade food w ith o thers.
• S hould n ot eat anything n ot p rovided by t he h ome.
• Should be proactive in t he c are a nd management o f t heir f ood allergies a nd r eactions
based on their d evelopmental l evel.
• S hould n otify an adult i mmediately i f they eat s omething they b elieve may c ontain the
food t o which they a re a llergic.
• Should w ear their fanny p ack to a ny p lace outside t he homeroom.
Sudden I llness or A ccident
Parents w ill b e n otified of s ickness or if t here w as an a ccident a t s chool. A n incident
report w ill be f illed o ut if a student is s eriously i njured a t school. A s econd p hone
number must be o n file for emergencies only. N ames and p hone numbers o f f amily
physicians s hould a lso b e recorded on the emergency form.
Hearing a nd V ision S creening
This t esting i s done every other y ear by t he C ook C ounty Department o f P ublic H ealth
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for s pecific g rades. P arents/guardians w ill be contacted only i f testing i ndicates a n eed
for professional ear o r e ye examinations.
Head Lice
Head l ice is n ot a disease, but is a n uisance. I nfestation caused b y h ead lice occurs in
students o f a ll a ges. Most commonly, h ead l ice is d irectly transmitted t hrough close
contact f rom a p erson w ho is i nfested o r i ndirectly transmitted through contact w ith a n
object that has b een c ontaminated with t he l ice ( hairbrushes, c ombs, s hared clothing or
towels). T he symptoms o f i nfestation include an itchy s calp a s well as e vidence of n its
that a dhere t o t he scalp. The p eriod o f c ommunicability l asts a s l ong as l ice o r eggs
remain alive o n t he infested p erson or c lothing.
Exclusion from school: Those who h ave become i nfested with head l ice are t o be
excluded f rom school. P arents a re a dvised to s eek treatment for their child/ren f rom
either t heir f amily physician o r through over-the-counter medicated s hampoo
recommended by a p harmacist. T he s tudent may r eturn t o school when the
parent/guardian p resents either a b ox l abel o r note f rom the physician i ndicating t hat the
child/ren have been treated. S tudents are re-checked for h ead lice before re-admission
to the c lassroom. A dvice to P arent/Guardian: P arents/guardians a re a dvised to c heck
other f amily m embers and disinfect combs and b rushes w ith medicated shampoo.
Disinfect c ontaminated a rticles such a s clothing a nd bedding b y machine washing the
articles i n H OT w ater and detergent o r h aving items dry-cleaned. T horoughly v acuum
rugs, u pholstered f urniture, mattresses o r o ther articles that c annot b e laundered or
dry-cleaned. S chool f amilies will b e n otified when a case of head l ice o ccurs i n t heir
child’s grade.
Transportation/Safety
General Arrival
MORNING ARRIVAL A T S CHOOL
❖ Adult supervisors w ill b e on duty s tarting at 7 :45 A .M. each d ay. Students should
not arrive to school b efore t he supervisors a re o n duty.
❖ All s tudents s hould go directly to t heir d esignated area upon arrival.
❖ Students should n ot enter the b uilding until the 7 :50 A .M. u nless t hey have the
permission o r a re involved i n a s pecial activity a t t he request o f a teacher.
❖ During i nclement w eather, s tudents s hould e nter the building u pon arrival at
school, report t o t heir a ssigned a reas o utside their c lassrooms, a nd wait until the
8:00 A .M. bell rings.
❖ Students a re e xpected to enter t he b uilding q uietly a nd orderly.
Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures
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Drop-off a t both c ampuses w ill b e “ Kiss and G o” s o t hat traffic m oves slowly and safely.
Students should n ever c ross b etween c ars. All children m ust e xit t hrough t he car’s
passenger side door. Parents may park t heir c ars a way f rom t he drop-off area to w alk
their c hildren t o the d oor. Teachers will b e o utside to s upervise and greet t he children
beginning at 7 :45am. Please d rive s lowly and s afely and express p atience.
Remember w e are all modeling t he behavior w e’d like to s ee in o ur k ids.
North Campus “Kiss and Go” Traffic flow will be f rom the E ast to West o n A rdmore.
Ardmore will b e one w ay one l ane during d rop-off and p ick-up. Please do n ot g et o ut o f
your car. We will h ave staff outside to a ssist s tudents out o f t he cars. If you w ant t o
walk you children t o the door, please find parking o n the side s treets away from the
drop-off area.
Pre-K s tudents a t the North Campus will e nter and exit at d oor 2 . G rades K -5 will e nter
and exit a t door 3. K indergarten w ill enter a nd e xit at d oor 4 . 6 th - 8th grade w ill enter
and e xit at d oor 1 0 p ast the m ain office entrance.
South Campus “Kiss a nd Go” T raffic f low will go f rom E ast to West o n Dakin Street
which is o ne b lock s outh o f I rving Park. There w ill b e cones set up f or drop off and p ick
up. Please pull a s far up t he lane before you let y our child out. Have y our child(ren)
ready to exit o n the curb s ide o nly. We will h ave staff o utside t o assist s tudents o ut o f
the c ars and i nto the b uilding. Drivers please stay in y our c ars to let traffic f low
smoothly. If you w ould like t o w alk y our c hild to t he door, please find p arking o n t he
side s treets away f rom t he drop-off area.
For pick-up, the s ame p rocedure will apply. Children will g ather in the b ack p arking l ot
and w ill be r eleased t o t he parent’s car u pon a rrival.
Upon arrival s tudents will enter through d esignated d oors o ff t he parking lot. T eachers
will b e o utside to g reet their s tudents a nd bring t hem into the building t hrough the
designated doors beginning a t 7 :50am..
Parents p lease stay behind t he p erimeter o f the f ence a nd d o not e nter the p arking lot
during drop off and p ick u p.
No parents are allowed to enter the school through the side doors when they are
dropping off their children. If parents need to come into the school, they must
enter through the main doors. All parents and visitors must sign in and out at the
school office.
Under normal conditions, students are not allowed in the building after 3:05 P.M. If a
child stays w ith t he teacher a fter s chool h ours, a dvance n otification is given t o parents.
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Students are required to attend school regularly and on time.. Absentees miss valuable
class instruction, discussion, and continuity of work. Regular attendance is necessary if
one is to be successful in school. Consequently, parents should consider it a serious
obligation to have their children attend school daily. Vacations during school time
should be avoided. The school should be informed and permission granted by the
Head of School at least two weeks in advance if you find it necessary to take vacation
time during the school year. No work will be given in advance. The work must be
made u p w hen the s tudent r eturns.
*If a student is out for one week, he or she has one week to finish missed assignments.
Make-up work is the responsibility of the student. If a student is absent, the parent must
call the school office before 9:00 A.M. to report the reason for the absence. If a call is
not received, the parent will be called, even if the parent is at work. The child/children
have one day to make-up work for each day they are absent. If you would like
homework for the student, you must inform the office at the time of your call. When the
necessity for an absence is known in advance, the student must present a written
request from the parent or guardian asking that he/she be excused for the necessary
time. This regulation applies when medical or dental appointments can be made at no
other time. Since our schedule calls for a 3:00 P.M. dismissal, we urge you to make
dental and medical appointments after school hours. T he parent must come to the
school office to identify himself/herself before the student will be permitted to
leave the building. All students must be signed out at the time of early dismissal
by a p arent o r g uardian.
Bicycles
Students a re p ermitted t o ride their bicycles to school, p rovided they observe t he
regulations governing t his p rivilege. N o “ wheels” (skateboards, scooters, i n-line skates)
are t o b e r idden on t he s chool p roperty. H elmets are s trongly encouraged, a s the s chool
accepts no responsibility f or s tudents who r ide b icycles.
• B icycles are to be kept i n t he r ack provided at North campus n ear the r ear e ntrance t o
the rectory. South campus t hey can be locked o n the f ence.
• E ach s tudent is e xpected to have a lock for his/her b icycle.
• The s chool a ccepts n o r esponsibility i f bicycles are damaged and/or stolen from t he
premises.
• A ll bicycle t raffic rules and regulations are to b e o bserved.
• A ll bicycles m ust be w alked o n and off school grounds.
• S tudents m ay n ot r ide a bicycle on s chool property:
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Dogs
An animal’s b ehavior m ay b e u npredictable when p laced in a confusing or f rightening
situation. Because o f the inherent activity o f hundreds o f children and a dults around t he
school b uildings at a rrival a nd dismissal t imes, dogs a re n ot permitted o n s chool
property.
Emergencies/Disasters
An e mergency f orm is kept on f ile i n both school offices. Students w ill only b e r eleased
to individuals l isted on t hat form. L ockdown p rocedures are practiced each y ear a nd
reviewed w ith the l ocal police.
Fire and Tornado Drills
Fire d rills a re c onducted o n a r egular b asis and tornado d rills a re conducted t hroughout
the year. Detailed escape plans a re p osted inside the door of e ach classroom. For fire
drills, each class has a n escape r oute to an outside a rea t hat is a s afe distance f rom t he
building(s). Children are moved to these d esignated a reas i n a s afe, quiet, a nd orderly
manner. During tornado drills, e ach classroom g oes to a d esignated a rea w ithin the
building(s).
Tornado W arnings
If a t ornado warning is in effect in t he locality of , Pope F rancis Global A cademy
students s hall be t aken t o the d esignated safety area. C hildren s hall not be released
from t he school b uilding during a tornado w arning. P arents/guardians w aiting to pick up
children during such a warning a re e ncouraged to e nter the s chool building and t ake
cover with t he students and s taff.
Snow
Students h ave t he r esponsibility of respecting the rights o f i ndividuals a nd property.
Picking u p or throwing snow on school p roperty is forbidden. S tudents in violation will b e
referred t o the H ead of School for d isciplinary action. S chool c losing i nformation will b e
available t hrough various l ocal news stations, w ww.EmergencyClosings.com,
www.pfgacademy.org, community and p arent notification through t he S choolMessenger
notification system.
Federal Asbestos P rogram
In accordance w ith t he U.S. EPA Asbestos Hazard E mergency Response Act (AHERA)
and t he I llinois A sbestos Abatement A ct & Rules and R egulations, i nspections and
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management plans have been m ade f or Pope Francis Global Academy School
concerning materials c ontaining asbestos. A c opy of t hese d ocuments m ay be
examined in t he main s chool office d uring school hours.
Reporting C hild Abuse
By l aw, t he S tate o f I llinois requires s chool personnel to inform the D ept. of Children and
Family Services of any allegation/suspicion o f c hild abuse.
Dress Code
Students a re expected to be i n uniform o n all school d ays u nless otherwise noted. T hey
are e xpected to be n eat and clean i n appearance at all times. It is the r esponsibility o f
the parent t hat y our child i s dressed a ccording t o t he uniform c ode. T his r esponsibility
includes r eplacing uniforms t hat are n o longer i n g ood c ondition (faded, torn, o r
outgrown.)
Blouses a nd shirts a re t o be tucked in. B anded o vershirts do n ot n eed t o be t ucked i n.
Hooded s weatshirts m ay not be w orn d uring the s chool day. Make-up m ay n ot be w orn
to s chool. J ewelry: one watch, o ne p air of s mall, studded earrings, one n ecklace, o ne
crucifix or r eligious medal o n a small chain, o ne r ing. Boys may n ot wear e arrings. Hair
touching s hirt collar o n b oys i s u nacceptable. Hair e xtending b elow eyebrows or
extreme hairstyles is u nacceptable f or b oth boys a nd girls. Administration r eserves the
right t o define e xtreme. N o tattoos, drawing o n h ands o r arms i s permitted. Facial
piercing, e ar c lips, dangling e arrings are not a llowed. No m ustaches, b eards, o r
sideburns a llowed.
Founding S chool Uniforms
For the 2 017-2018 academic c alendar, founding s chool u niforms a re not to b e w orn.
Last school y ear there w as a special allowance made in order to help keep costs and
stress d own for parents.
Physical E ducation Uniform ( K-8)Gym U niforms
Going f orward, W olf Run t -shirts may b e u sed a s an approved s hirt option o n gym days.
Other t eam a nd s pirit wear w ill b e reserved for o ut o f u niform d ays.
Shorts m ay not b e worn a fter O ctober 1 .
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Hoodies/Yoga P ants
As a reminder, h oodies are n ot t o be w orn during t he s chool d ay. I f w orn a s a "jacket", i t
must b e r emoved b efore t he school day b egins. E ven on out of uniform d ays. T ight
leggings o r y oga pants are not allowed a s uniform p ants, a nd o n out o f u niform days,
they are n ot allowed unless they a re worn with long tops t hat c ome down to m id-thigh
length.
Academic Competitions-Field T rips
When s tudents are representing P ope f rancis Global Academy a t academic
competitions or f ield t rips t hat d o n ot r equire special clothing, students w ill be i n the
proper school uniform.
Shoes
Gym s hoes o r comfortable dress s hoes m ay b e worn d aily. For s hoes, think s olid colors
and conservative in appearance.
Unacceptable s hoe a ttire i ncludes: s andals, flip flops, s hoes with w heels (“wheelies”),
clogs, boots, s lippers, moccasins, back o f s hoe t urned d own, shoes not fastened, no
socks, etc. Uggs® o r boots are not acceptable during t he school day. Shoes with h eels
above one inch are u nacceptable d uring the s chool d ay. A dditionally, s hoes that l ight
up, h ave distracting designs, o r t hat are significantly casual i n nature a re n ot a llowed.
High S chool Spirit W ear/Clothing
Students a re n ot allowed t o wear a ny h igh school clothing, public or p rivate institutions,
as a uniform option. After high school acceptance letters a re sent o ut, we will d esignate
one special d ay as “ High School Declaration Day” w here the 8th g rade class c an dress
in t he w ares of t he high s chool in w hich t hey have b een a ccepted.
Special D ays
On special d ays w hen students a re a llowed to b e out o f uniform, they should w ear
clothes a ppropriate for school. If a n o ut o f uniform day h appens to occur o n a day when
students w ill b e going t o c hurch, they s hould w ear clothes a ppropriate for c hurch.
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Students will w ear appropriate, clean c lothing. Unacceptable c lothing includes, b ut is
not l imited t o, bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, a nd low-cut, tight a nd s hort a pparel. H ats,
scarves, bandanas and ripped c lothing, flip- f lops, slippers, m occasins, a nd s hoes
without backs a re u nacceptable. T ight leggings or yoga pants a re n ot a llowed u nless
they are w orn with long t ops that c ome down to mid thigh length. The Head o f S chool
makes decisions on acceptable a ppearance. D etentions m ay b e given for o ut of uniform
infractions.
Out o f Uniform C onsequences
Neatness a nd p ride of a ppearance are t he r esponsibility o f the s tudent, w ith guidance
and e ncouragement f rom p arents and teachers. Teachers will e nsure that t heir s tudents
are in uniform each d ay. Students w ho a re not w earing part o f the required uniform a re
“Out o f U niform.” B ehavior consequences noted i n t his handbook w ill b e a pplied for
uniform violations.
Closing S tatements
It is very i mportant t hat p arents, s tudents, faculty a nd parishioners w ork t ogether to
begin new traditions f or P ope Francis G lobal Academy.
Call t he office between 7 :30 a .m. a nd 3:15 p.m. on s chool d ays w ith your i deas and
suggestions.
Amending Handbooks
Statements i n this handbook a re s ubject t o a mendment without notice. T he s chool w ill
attempt t o keep y ou i nformed o f all changes as s oon as practical. S ome changes might
be made i mmediately due t o unforeseen c ircumstances.
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PFGA student handbook 2017-2018
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