Student Handbook

At Manual High School, all students are required to complete:
Course work:

• 4 years of language arts (40 credits) 4 years of math (40 credits)
• 3 years of science (30 credits)
• 3 years of social studies (30 credits)
• At least 1 year of Fine Arts or Career Technical Education courses (10 credits)
• At least 1 year of Physical Education or JROTC (10 credits)
• Electives (80 credits)
  
  

Complete an Individualized Career and Academic Plan (ICAP)
Fulfill competency in English, Math and/or Career.

Locker Policy

All students will be given their own locker and are responsible for maintaining cleanliness and appropriate use throughout the year. Manual High School is not liable for any stolen or lost items that are stored in lockers. Lockers can be searched with probable cause at all times by any member of the school administrative team, the deans, or DPS Safety and Security/DPD. Students will be held responsible for damage and could be fined. Students will not share lockers or locker combinations with any other students. All students must fill out a locker agreement before receiving their locker combination during the first week of school.

Passes

All students must have a Manual hall pass at all times when they are outside of the classroom. Students should use the restroom, drink water, and take care of any other business during their passing periods. Students will only be excused from class for emergencies. Students who are consistently abusing pass privileges will be assigned to the schoolwide no pass list and will no longer be granted passes from class.

Electronics Policy

Students should follow individual teacher’s instructions in class for the appropriate use of technology and electronics. All teachers will post a “Technology On/Technology Off” sign in the front of the classroom that will be used to communicate student use of technology during the class period. If a teacher instructs a student to stop using an electronic device and the student refuses or if a student is misusing technology in any way, disciplinary actions will be taken.

Student ID Requirements

All students will be given a Manual student ID and a Manual lanyard at the beginning of the year. All students will be expected to wear their student ID at all times during the school day. If a student loses or breaks their student ID, they can pay $2.00 to replace it. All card replacements should be requested through Mickey Grant during lunch or after school.

Dress Code

Business casual is preferred for all students and staff at Manual High School. The following clothing and/or styles are prohibited, and will result in a referral to the Dean’s office:

• No underwear/shorts showing (no sagging) or excessive bagginess
• Solid blue or red shirts (except on Friday Spirit Day)
• No bandanas of any type either worn or on your person.
• No midriff showing shirts (no shirts above the belly button)
• No low cut shirts
• Any clothing items with profanity, references to drugs or alcohol, weapons, or that are of a sexual or violent nature.
• Anything else that is deemed to be detrimental to the school environment by the school administration.

Students will have the option of removing item and wear a Manual High School shirt for the remainder of the day.

Bell Schedule

Schedule:

Block 1: 8:30 – 9:45 AM
Block 2: 9:49 – 11:04 AM
Advisory: 11:08 – 11:38 AM
Lunch: 11:38 – 12:23 PM
Block 3: 12:28 – 1:43 PM
Block 4: 1:48 PM – 3:03 PM

Off Campus Lunch Policy

All sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are in good academic standing (not on academic probation for two consecutive weeks) are eligible for open campus lunch. All freshmen (including those by credit) will have on-campus lunch only. Any student caught off-campus during lunch who does not have off-campus lunch privileges will serve lunch detention.
Any student who is found off campus while their privileges have been denied will be required to attend the I.S.S. room for the remainder of that day. The parent will be contacted and the Dean may decide to revoke the student’s off-campus privilege for the following six-week period.

Hall Sweeps

Hall Sweeps will be scheduled by the dean/administrative team randomly each week to inspire the culture of readiness to learn. Each week, the deans will send out an email to all staff indicating when the Hall Sweeps will take place. During the designated time, all teachers will close their doors as soon as the bell rings which will allow the Student Support Team (SST) to sweep the students in the halls to one location. Students caught in the halls during a sweep will be assigned lunch detention if the sweep is prior to lunch or after school detention if the sweep is after lunch.

Students who are caught in Hall Sweeps will be escorted into the cafeteria and written a pass to return to class. All passes will be tracked in the Behavior Google Form.
Students who receive three hall sweep tardies will receive lunch detention. Six hall sweeps will receive a day in ISS.

Food in classrooms

Students should not eat or drink during class – water bottles are welcomed. Breakfast is available daily and should be consumed before entering class at 7:30 a.m.

School Building Hours

Manual High School opens daily at 8 a.m. for Scholar Sessions (see above). The building closes at 4:30 p.m. for all students who are not involved in after school sports, College Prep 101, or adult-sponsored activities.

PE Dress Out Policy

Students are required to dress out in the Manual PE uniform. Refusal to do so may result in disciplinary action or a lower grade in the class.

At Manual the classroom is sacred space so the expectations are simple.  Be timely, engaged, organized, learn and respect yourself and others.  Any behavior outside of those simple expectations is not appropriate and a student cannot interrupt the sacred space of a classroom and will be asked to leave as to not be an obstacle to others’ learning.

The T-Bolt Way is:
T – Timely
B – Be Engaged
O – Organized
L – Listening and Learning
T – Talk with respect and dignity

Academic Probation

Students who are failing two or more classes will be placed on academic probation. When a student is placed on academic probation, he/she is required to attend College Prep 101 after school until grades are improved.

Academic Honesty

Manual High School expects its staff and students to be honest in all their behaviors and decision making.

Infractions of the academic honesty expectation would be:

1. Looking on another’s paper during a test/quiz.
2. Allowing someone to look at your paper during a test/quiz.
3. Copying, using text-messages, verbally sharing, or using a cell phone camera to share any ideas or items on a test, quiz, or assignment.
4. Using any kind of notes or information to complete a test or quiz without the instructor’s permission.
5. Turning someone else’s work as your own.
6. Allowing another to turn in your work as their original work whether in part or as the whole assignment.
7. Misrepresenting information from another source as your own whether it’s a phrase, sentence, or paragraph.
8. Sharing/showing another student a test, quiz, or assignment that another student has not completed.
9. Asking another student to show you a test, quiz, or assignment you have not completed.
10. Turning in work done with others when the assignment was to be completed independently.
11. Buying, stealing, or borrowing someone else’s work and claiming it as your own work. For example, using/accessing someone’s server file to copy that person’s work.
12. Selling any portion of your work for another student to use.
13. Hiring someone to write your paper or do your assignment.
14. Seeking credit for work that is not your own.

PLAGIARISM

Merriam Webster Definition: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own:  use (another’s productions) without crediting the source.  This includes writing, but not limited to photography, music and drawings.

NOTE: If you need additional information regarding this definition of plagiarism, please refer to the MLA HANDBOOK and the Manual High School Writing Style Guide. Faculty and staff at MHS will help you eliminate plagiarism and dishonesty as an accident or a practice in your school experiences. DON’T TAKE ANY RISKS!

CONSEQUENCES of Plagiarism

Students who do any of these identified behaviors is violating the Manual High School Honesty Code. The consequences of the behavior will be as follows:

a) A zero on the assignment, test, or quiz with no opportunity to make up the work for credit
and/or
b) Referral by an MHS Faculty member to the Dean of Students and documentation into the Infinite Campus conference log.
c) Parent notification

College Prep 101

Students who do not turn in homework or assignments will be assigned College Prep 101 after school per teacher discretion. This is mandatory until a student completes the necessary assignments. Please see the bus schedule below.

Homework Policy

Homework is expected to be completed per individual teacher assignments. Independent reading is stressed across all classes, students should be reading 45 minutes per night. 9th grade has a separate homework policy which is detailed below. For all 9th grade core classes (social studies, science, and math), homework will be treated as an enrichment activity. All core classes will support reading logs and students will be expected to independently read 45 minutes minimum per night to be collected by the language arts teacher. Major assignments for 11th and 12th Grade students will not be accepted late as identified in the syllabus. Extensions will be allowed per teacher discretion.

Discipline Ladder and Procedures

1. Relationship: Teacher and student will work together to form a strong, personal and transcendent relationship.
2. Refocus #1: Verbal reminder of classroom and academic expectations.
3. Refocus #2: Student has a conference with teacher in the classroom or outside of the main door.
4. Removal: Student is removed from class and spends the remainder of the class doing academic work in the L.I.G.H.T. Center.

STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO BRING WORK DOWN TO BE COMPLETED IN THE L.I.G.H.T. CENTER FOR THAT PERIOD.

Scholar Session

Tutoring is available to all Manual students from 8 to 8:45 a.m., and from 4 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in the library. Mandatory tutoring will be assigned to students based on academic probation, and credit recovery.

The Freshman and Sophomore Experiences at Manual

9th and 10 graders at Manual will participate in highly engaging, integrated learning that will push their thinking, their reading and their writing. Students will use inquiry to explore complex problems and become experts in real-world issues. The goal of both the 9th and 10th grade experience is to engage students so deeply and in such a meaningful way that students want nothing more than to connect with the curriculum and one another as they explore these concepts.

Manual Early College

Manual High School Early College is designed to increase college graduations and career preparation for Manual Students. Every student that graduates from Manual High School will finish with a certificate or college credit.

The Medical School at Manual

Manual High School’s Medical School is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore careers in the medical field and also experience hands on learning. Students have the opportunity to obtain a Nursing Certificate through our program.

Absence Policies

Excellent attendance is an expectation at Manual High School. Because excellent student attendance is correlated to high levels of student learning, we encourage students to be in every class, on time, every day of the school year.

The school will contact parents regarding student attendance problems and will respond with the appropriate consequences when non-attendance becomes problematic. An “Auto-Dialer” will be sent out to parents when a student has been marked absent.  Parents can request their student’s attendance report in the Main Office and an attendance report can be obtained from the student’s Infinite Campus account.

To excuse an absence:

• Leave a message at on the Manual Attendance Voice-Mail at 720-423-6335
• Email the Manual Attendance Office at manual_attendance@dpsk12.org
• Write a paper note within two days of the absence, to be delivered to the Manual Attendance Office.

When possible, it is best to communicate excused absences to the Manual Attendance Office prior to the absence or the day of the absence. Absences will remain “unexcused” if the request for an excuse is not accepted within two days of the absence.

All “excuses,” either written or verbal must include:

1. parent/guardian’s name
2. the name and ID number of the student
3. the dates(s) of the absence
4. the reason for the absence
5. a telephone number where the parent can be contacted during the school day.

The absence will remain unexcused if the request for “excused” status is not accepted within two days of the absence.

Absences are approved by the principal for these reasons:

Illness
Doctor’s Appointments
School Event
Requests for any other reason must be approved by the principal or his/her appointee. Requests for continued excused absences may require a note from a doctor.

Partial-Day Absences

Students may not leave school early without parent/guardian communication to the Attendance Office prior to leaving. Students must check out of school with approval from the Attendance Secretary. If this is not done, students will be marked with unexcused absences for the class periods that they are out of school. Partial-Day Absences for illness will be handled through the Nurse, or the Dean’s Office when the nurse is not available.

Policy Towards Excessive Absences

Attendance Referral will be completed when student has five consecutive unexcused absences. A mandatory parent meeting will be required for all students with consecutive unexcused absences.

Assignment Request

Requests for assignments for a student whose extended absence results from illness should be addressed to the Main Office at 720-423-6300. Requests should be made if the absence will be for more than three days.

The L.I.G.H.T. Center at Manual (Learners Inspired to Get Help Today) The L.I.G.H.T. Center is a one of a kind location for student to access social, emotional and academic supports. Within the L.I.G.H.T. Center students will find the school psychologist, social worker, deans and restorative justice coordinator. These are all supports for students to use in order to receive the social and emotional supports they need in order to get back into the classroom and become learners once again.

Restorative Approach at Manual

On the Manual campus we believe that students are far more alike than they are different. Students will have conflict because of their stage of life and differences of opinion but at Manual conflict is handled face-to-face and not with physical or verbal assault. Students who have a conflict will sit down with the restorative justice coordinator or a dean and be part of a facilitated conversation in which they will work to get at the root of the issue. If students can come to a working agreement on their conflict then they will return to class, if not then they will remain in the academic refocus room and separated until a resolution is found.

Safe-to-Tell Safe-to-Tell

This a place where students can leave anonymous messages if they know of a student who is in danger or one that poses a threat to themselves or others. This line is an essential part of keeping students safe throughout Denver Public Schools and students can access the tip line at 1-877-542-7233

Student Voice Box

The Manual faculty and staff are committed to improving and are in need of feedback. A student voice box is a place to leave anonymous feedback, concerns or ideas for the staff to learn from. The student voice box is located in the main office and will be checked once each week on Fridays.

Manual High School Athletics Athlete’s Code of Ethics Contract As an athlete, I understand that it is my responsibility to:

1. Make academic achievement my highest priority.
2. Represent myself and my school well, knowing that I am setting an example for others to follow.
3. Display good sportsmanship and exhibit courtesy, fair play and proper conduct on and off the playing field at all times.
4. Respect myself, my team, my school, opponents, coaches and game officials. Always obey by the judgments and directions of coaches, officials and other staff members.
5. Refrain from profanity and any offensive language or gestures.
6. Attend all practices and games. Communicate with my coach if I must miss a practice or game. I understand that failure to attend a practice may result in reduced game time.
7. Notify my coach before an away contest or have my parents talk to the coach after the game if I have traveled with the team to a game, but will not be returning with the team.
8. Return all athletic equipment clean and on time. I am responsible to pay for lost, stolen or damaged equipment and for late fees.
9. Refrain from hazing other students or athletes, including any ceremony, punishment, initiation, or other act which risks physical or emotional harm.

Any violation of the above responsibilities will be handled by the coach and the athletic director. Parents may be notified. The severity of the consequences will be determined by the coach and the athletic director. Consequences may include, but are not limited to, suspension from games or the team, extended practices, study tables or school disciplinary referrals.

I also understand the following rules of the Manual Athletic Program:

1. All day school attendance on game day is a requirement for participation in the game.
2. Fighting during an athletic activity will result in suspension for the remainder of that game and for the following game.
3. The use of any illegal chemicals (such as alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco) during an athletic activity (including travel associated with athletics) will result in suspension from the team for the remainder of the season and possible expulsion from the athletic program.
4. Serious disciplinary violations or criminal acts, even if not associated with the athletic program, may result in suspension from the team or athletic program at the discretion of the coach or athletic director.
5. Students may earn P.E. credit for satisfactory completion of an athletic season in a sport. Students who are suspended from the sport, or whose participation is unsatisfactory, will not receive credit.
6. Students are subject to all school rules and disciplinary policies while participating in athletic activities, including travel. Student and Parent Consent I have read and understand the “Athlete’s Code of Ethics Contract.” I understand and support these expectations. I also understand that students may not participate athletics until this signed form is received by the Athletic Director.

Student name:
Signature:
Date:

Parent/guardian name:
Signature:
Date: