Handbook

Attendance

Absences

Report Absences:

1. Login to your ParentVue account.
2. Click the Report Absence button.
3. Complete the Form.

Please note that it takes up to 24 hours for the updated attendant to show in Parent/StudentVUE.

Policies

• If a student is absent for more than 3 days in a row, a doctor’s note is required.
• APS students are allowed no more than five (5) unexcused absences per semester and no more than ten (10) unexcused absences per school year.
• Follow our established notification procedure. Notify us in writing.

Absences may be excused for the following reasons, with appropriate documentation:

• Doctor’s appointment
• Limited family emergency; Family Death
• Religious commitment
• Illness
• Illness/Diagnostic testing
• Medical, Health, or Legal Appointment
• Suspensions
• School or College visit

When students miss school days, they miss important lectures, notes, quizzes, test, assignments, or discussions in the classroom. Stay in school. It is important!

Cell Phones and Personal Electronics

The student who possesses a personal electronic device shall be solely responsible for its care at all times. Student possession of personal electronic devices is permitted on all school campuses, including athletic fields, school buses, at school-sponsored activities, and while the student is under the supervision and control of school district employees.

All students may use these devices on campus:

• Before school begins
• After school ends
• During their lunch
• On school buses, as authorized by the driver, unless use of the personal electronic device causes a disruption

However, these devices shall be kept out of sight and powered off or silenced during the school day and during any school-sponsored activity, meeting or practice held on Albuquerque Public Schools property. Cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited from being used, heard, or seen in the classroom.

The requirement that personal electronic devices be turned off may not apply in the following circumstances when the student obtains prior approval from the administrator:

1. The student has a special medical circumstance for self or family member.
2. The student is using the device for an educational or instructional purpose with the teacher’s permission and supervision.

Prohibited Use & Confiscation

Cell phones are prohibited from being used in some circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

• Locker rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, and swimming pool areas
• To access and/or view Internet websites that are otherwise blocked to students at schoolwhile on school property or at a school-sponsored activity.
  • Blocked sites include, but are not limited to, social networking sites
• Student use of personal electronic devices that disrupt the instructional day may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device.
  • When the device is confiscated and turned over to administration, it shall only be released and/or returned to the student’s parent/legal guardian. It is the student’s parent/legal guardian’s responsibility to retrieve the device according to school procedures.
• Individual teachers may have additional policies/requirements regarding personal electronic devices usage. See course syllabus for details. Administration will support teacher directives.

If a student violates the Student Acceptable Use of Personal Electronic Devices Procedural Directive, the device will be confiscated. Confiscated cell phones will only be returned to parents or legal guardians— no exceptions.

The unauthorized use of personal electronic devices includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Possessing, viewing, sending or sharing video or audio information having sexual, violent or threatening content on school grounds, school events, or school buses shall be prohibited and may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device.
2. Transmitting school materials for unethical purposes such as cheating.
3. Any activity, which may be in violation with the Albuquerque Public Schools Bullying Prevention policy and procedural directive.

Consequences

Consequences for violating Valley's cell phone policy:

1. First Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device from the administrative office after Twenty-four (24) hours. Parents/legal guardians must sign the personal electronic device out from the log kept in the administrative office.
2. Second Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device no sooner than five (5) days after the date of confiscation. (This may carry over a weekend and Holiday) Parents/legal guardians must sign the personal electronic device out from the log kept in the administrative office.
3. Third Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device at the end of the semester in which the device was confiscated.

Dress Code

The Board of Education expects student dress and grooming to reflect high standards of personal conduct so that each student’s attire promotes a positive, safe, and healthy atmosphere within the school. Student dress may not present a health and safety hazard, violate municipal or state law, or present a potential for disruption of the educational process. In an attempt to create a positive educational environment, students are limited to what they may wear to school. All rules apply to all students.

The following are prohibited on campus and all school related events:

• Clothing or accessories that display insignias which suggest illicit behaviors, gang affiliation or abuse. Clothing in “uniform colors” or displaying symbolism such as name shirts or memory shirts.
• Clothing or accessories, which advertise, display or promote any drug (including tobacco and alcohol), gang affiliation, sexual innuendo, violence, weaponry, profanity, hate, or bigotry towards any group. Tattoos fitting this description must be totally covered at all times.
• Headgear such as hats, bandannas, do rags, scarves, hair nets
• Pant legs must not be wider than the shoe is long. Sagging pants(pants below the waistline) that allow underwear or bare skin to show, and “bagging” pants with low hanging crotches. If the shirt is too long to determine if pants sag below the waist, student may be required to tuck in their shirt, pants must fit at waist.
• Spiked hair may not be taller than 1 inch.
• Students must wear shoes. No cleated shoes or bedroom slippers.
• Team sports jerseys must be worn with a sleeved shirt at all times.
• Trench coats are not allowed.
• Sleeveless shirts may not be worn on campus. (Examples are tank tops, basketball jerseys, etc.)
• Clothing, hairstyles, or jewelry that disrupt the educational process are prohibited, including but not limited to:
  • excessive body piercings
  • off the shoulder, low cut, see-through, or minimal clothing
• Cleavage must be completely covered.
• No pajamas can be worn to school.
• No sheer clothing or skin exposing holes in clothing.
• No bare midriffs, tops should have at least 1 inch straps (no spaghetti straps).
• The shortest length of shorts, skirts, dresses, and slits in skirts must be at the middle of the thigh. All attire should be no shorter than the point where the fist ends when the student is standing up straight.
• No skin should show between the bottom of the shirt/blouse and the top of the pants/skirt.

Consequences

Handling dress code violations:

• 1st Offense:
  • Parent contact
  • "Correct the Situation:" Student is sent to office to change into a VHS t-shirt and shorts or a parent/guardian bring appropriate clothing.
• 2nd Offense:
  • 1 day ofAfter School Community Service
  • Parent contact
  • "Correct the Situation"
• 3rd Offense:
  • 2 days of After School Community Service
  • Parent contact
  • "Correct the Situation"