IMPORTANT CAMPUS INFORMATION

CampusReportCard

CampusAccreditation

TexasAcademicPerformanceReport

HouseBill5Survey

2017-18StudentHandbook

2017-18SchoolSupplyList
**Students are responsible for replacing lost items**

You can click on it the above links to view the information. If you would like to download a document, click on the “download” button at the top of the pop-up window that the list appears in.

Student Council trip to Texas Tech and Adreneline City

2018 FJH Spring Dance

Friona JH 2017-18 Parent Survey

ATTENDANCE RULES AND EXPLANATIONS

Good attendance is important for many reasons. Your child receives the maximum benefit of education by being in school every day, and numerous studies show a strong link between academic performance and consistent attendance. Because attendance is so critical for the quality of your child’s education, Texas has a compulsory attendance law.

State law requires children to attend school each day that instruction is provided. The law applies to children ages 6–19. If you voluntarily enroll your child in prekindergarten or kindergarten before age 6, school attendance laws apply to your child, too. A person who voluntarily enrolls in or attends school after turning 19 is also required to attend for the entire period of the program of instruction.

The following are a few exceptions:

• Children who are enrolled in a private or parochial school
• Children who are home-schooled
• Students who are 17 years old and enrolled in a GED (high school equivalency) program
• Students who are 17 years old and have received a high school diploma or GED certificate
• Most other students of Texas public schools must comply with the compulsory attendance law.

Absences excused by law

Although perfect attendance is the goal, it’s not always possible. School districts are required to excuse a student’s absence for reasons listed in state law, such as to:

• Observe a religious holy day
• Attend a required court appearance
• Serve as an election clerk
• Attend a healthcare appointment
• Parent changing military deployment

The Texas Education Code describes these reasons in greater detail and lists additional statutorily excused absences.

Absences excused by district

Your school district has its own criteria for determining what else is considered an excused absence. Generally, an absence may qualify as excused in cases of:

• Personal illness
• Death of an immediate family member
• Medical treatment

Excessive absences

Both the child and parent are responsible for unexcused absences. Yes, even if your child is 16 years old and skips class without you knowing, you are considered responsible! A note from a parent informs the school that the parent knows where the child is. HOWEVER, the state of Texas only recognizes the above “EXCUSED BY LAW” reasons to consider the absence “excused” in the eyes of the law.

After too many absences, the school is required to notify the parent. A compulsory attendance notification will be sent to the parent if a student has absences on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period or three days or parts of days during a four-week period. Notice it says “parts of days.” This means that leaving school early, or arriving excessively late in the day, even if the child attended for some of the day, may count as an absence.

The compulsory attendance letter gives the parent notice that the student has accumulated too many absences and gives the parent a chance to correct the child’s attendance record.

A student with excessive absences may also be subject to truancy prevention measures. These measures may include a behavior improvement plan, school-based community service, or a referral to counseling, mediation, or teen court. A student who is between the ages of 12 to 18 may also be referred to a truancy court within 10 school days of the student's tenth unexcused absence. In addition, parents may be criminally charged or fined if their child continues to miss school.

The 90 percent rule

In addition to compulsory attendance law, districts are required to enforce the 90 percent rule, which states that students in grades K-12 must attend class for 90 percent of the time it is offered to receive credit or a final grade. The 90 percent rule applies to all absences, including excused absences. If the student doesn’t meet this requirement, an attendance committee may grant the student credit or a final grade, depending on the circumstances.

The Student Handbook explains your school’s guidelines on absences, tardies, and making up missed schoolwork. Becoming familiar with the school’s policies will help you manage your child’s attendance and ensure that he or she avoids too many missed school days.

SPRING SEMESTER AT FJH

2017-2018 FJH Bell Schedules

The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards. Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with the following:

• Hair is to be neat, well-groomed, and styled in such a manner that will not be detrimental to the health or safety of the individual or to others. Designs cut into hair, Mohawks, and dyed or streaked hair of unnatural color is not allowed. Earrings are not acceptable for male students. No visible body piercings (other than earrings for girls) are allowed and any tattoos on students must be covered and not visible.
• Clothing with inappropriate writing or designs is not to be worn. No writing, advertising, pictures, or logos will be permitted that name, symbolize, or refer directly or indirectly to alcoholic beverages, tobacco, Satan, sex, or drugs. Dismemberment or other death-depicting items are not allowed. No obscene, racial, or suggestive words, phrases, gestures, or sentences will be allowed on any apparel or any of the same written on the body (arms, hands, etc.) that would disrupt the normal operation of the school.
• Pants and shorts will be worn at the natural waistline. Sagging shorts or pants will not be permitted. Shirts of excessive length (longer than fingertip length when are at rest) will be tucked in. Shorts and dresses should be of modest length and in good taste. Shorts must be hemmed. Athletic shorts like the type worn in P.E. and athletics are not permitted in the academic building.
• Some type of footwear or shoes must be worn at all times. House shoes, flip-flop, and slides are not permitted for safety reasons.
• Clothing should cover undergarments at all times. All shirts and blouses should be buttoned in a manner that maintains the modesty of the individual. Mini-skirts and low-cut tops will not be permitted.
• Outdoor head cover (caps, etc.) should not be worn in the building during school hours.
• Logos, colors, or any other symbol of possible gang involvement will not be permitted.
• Jeans, slacks, or shorts must not have slits, holes or distressed areas that are not the result of normal wear.

The following are not considered appropriate school wear:

• Muscle shirts or underwear-type tank tops. Boys may not wear sleeveless shirts.
• Bare midriffs or exposed navels
• Fishnet-type shirts, dresses, or leg coverings.
• Items of see-through material without a translucent item of clothing underneath
• Chains, wallet chains, etc.

If the principal determines that a student’s grooming or clothing violates the school’s dress code, the student will be given an opportunity to correct the problem at school. If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school. Repeated offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.