We at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, believe that the image of the school is very much dependent on the decorum of its students both inside and outside of the school building. We expect our students to represent us with the utmost respect and dignity. We see our responsibility to be in a partnership with parents. Our role is to enforce our code of conduct in school and during school events. While the administration is always available to provide guidance to parents, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their children’s appropriate behavior outside of school.
In order to provide everyone in the school with a safe and nurturing environment in which learning is encouraged, students are expected to follow these guidelines. The administration at its discretion will impose consequences on students who act in any way that breaches school rules and standards.
Religious Observance
- Boys must bring Tefillin daily.
- Everyone attends all Tefillot.
- No food may be consumed during “fast days.”
- Saying thank you is a value we embrace. Students say thank you after class to teachers, and to fellow students when they are shown kindness. That same level of appreciation is expected regarding our students’ relationship with Hashem. To this end students are expected to make all proper blessings when appropriate.
- Non-kosher food is not permitted.
- The halachot of yichud should be observed at all times. This means no boy or girl may be alone together in a room or stairwell at any time.
- Seforim must be treated with the utmost respect.
- No use of North Shore Hebrew Academy High School email during Shabbat and holidays.
- No “religious bullying,” which involves degrading or mocking a student’s level of religious observance.
Dress Code
Modesty at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School is a reflection of individual character. We expect our students to behave in a manner that demonstrates a compliance with the dictates of modesty. Whenever they are in school, boys and girls must adhere to the published dress codes. This includes during special after-hours events, during school trips and during exam weeks.
Students who do not comply with the dress code will have one or both of their parents called by the school. The student’s parent will have to come to school and bring the child appropriate clothing. If the parent cannot come to school, the child will be sent home and may return only when appropriately dressed. If neither of these two options can be accommodated, the child will receive an in school suspension for the remainder of the day and will be required to remain in the office of the Dean of Students.
Our Expectations for Boys:
- Dress pants or non-blue jeans
- No t-shirts including pocketed tees
- No sweatpants, joggers, or athletic pants
- Sweatshirts only over acceptable shirts
- Tzitzit and kippot at all times
- Hair neat and of approved length
- No shaved sideburns or dyed hair (in accordance with Halacha)
Our Expectations for Girls:
- Skirts that hit the knees in any position
- No slits in skirts above the knee
- No divided skirts, slacks, tight fitting or sheer clothing
- No cap sleeves
- No tops that are lower and wider than the perimeter of the collarbone
- No exposed midriffs—front or back
Attendance and Lateness
- The parents of absent students will be contacted by phone or email.
- Students who arrive at davening after 8:05 are considered to be late to school.
- All scheduled classes must be attended every day.
- Students who do not report to their assigned classes are cutting,
- There are no unassigned periods. Students who are not assigned to a class must go to the Library for study periods.
- A student must always report to his or her assigned room for attendance even when there is a substitute teacher.
- No student is excused from class without documented permission. Students who are excused from classes must be cleared officially.
- It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that his or her attendance record is cleared.
- Prompt arrival to class is essential to ensure correct attendance records.
- A student who is detained by a faculty member or administrator must bring a note to the class he or she is late for
Security and Driving Privileges
- Students may not bring friends or relatives to school without permission.
- Students must comply with instructions given to them by security personnel.
- During fire drills, lockdown drills and other safety drills, students must refrain from making noise.
- Students may not leave the campus without permission from their parents or guardians, who must come into the school and sign them out at the security desk.
- A student is permitted to sign out early from school a maximum of three times per semester. After the third time, an administrator must approve the student’s leaving.
- If a student has study periods or substitute teachers at the end of the day, after having their attendance recorded, they may have a parent sign them out (according to the procedure explained above) without it affecting the three permitted sign-out rule.
- Only seniors may park on campus, but only after completing a registration card and receiving a parking tag which must be displayed prominently.
- Students may park only in assigned spaces.
Intellectual Honesty
North Shore Hebrew Academy High School takes academic integrity very seriously both as an ethical and as an academic issue. Breaches of academic integrity will be dealt with as follows:
- 1st Offense: student will receive a 0 for the exam, quiz or assignment. That grade will be averaged into the student’s semester grade. The offense will be recorded in the student’s permanent file.
- The administration reserves the right to remove this record from the file based on good behavior.
- 2nd Offense: the administration reserves the right to take appropriate disciplinary action, including suspension.
- 3rd Offense: student will receive a failing grade for the semester. Re-admission for the following year is contingent upon retaking the course in summer school.
- Please refer to the following guidelines with respect to homework, exams and papers.
- Failure to comply with these guidelines is considered a violation of the Intellectual Honesty Policy.
Homework
- Students are expected to complete all homework independently. Copying homework from another individual or providing homework for another student to copy is considered a violation of the Intellectual Honesty Policy.
Exams
- Students must complete all exams individually without outside help or assistance.
- Students must not utilize unauthorized written materials during exams.
- Students must not utilize any communication devices during exams.
- Students must not use recording devices during exams.
- Students may not keep their cell phones near them during exams. Appropriate places to store phones will be provided.
- Papers
- Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity and is not permitted. For clarity, the following is considered plagiarism:
- Copying or paraphrasing without attribution is considered plagiarism.
- Presenting the ideas of others as one’s own is considered plagiarism.
- Recycling materials that others have written is considered plagiarism.
- Recycling materials created for other classes is not permitted.
- All student papers must be run through the antiplagiarism website turnitin.com.
- Students are not permitted to work together or collaborate unless given express permission by the teacher.
Bullying
North Shore Hebrew Academy High School takes bullying in all its forms very seriously. Such behavior is inappropriate and will NOT be tolerated at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School.
Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance in the following four areas: physical assault, verbal assault, sexual harassment and cyberbullying. The behavior is either repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Please note that this list is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive.
Physical Assault:
- Defined as: any unwanted or unwelcome physical behavior of a non-sexual nature directed at another
Verbal Assault:
- Defined as: uttering slurs, threats, or negative descriptions, spreading rumors, social bullying, name-calling, teasing, embarrassing others, shunning, and making derogatory comments of any kind.
Sexual Harassment:
- Defined as: suggestive comments, sexual innuendo, jokes of a sexual nature, or inappropriate and/or unwanted touching
Cyberbullying:
- Defined as: electronic communications that involve but are not limited to slurs, threats, negative descriptions, sexting, derogatory comments, inappropriate photographs, images, video or audio, rumors, social bullying, name-calling, teasing, or shunning
Students who feel they are being subjected to bullying should report such behavior to Dr. Vitow or Rabbi Weinberg.
The North Shore Hebrew Academy High School will undertake a prompt and thorough investigation of any such reports and will take appropriate remedial action.
Punishments for bullying may involve: parental meetings, withdrawal or limitations of school privileges such as participation in teams, activities, loss of driving privileges, probation, mandated professional counseling, suspension or expulsion.
Alcohol and Substance Abuse
North Shore Hebrew Academy High School has a zero tolerance policy for alcohol and substance abuse. Students who are in possession of, under the influence of, or trafficking in alcohol, illegal substances or drug paraphernalia during school hours or in the school building will face disciplinary action, including but not limited to immediate expulsion. The administration reserves the right to deal with each specific situation on a case by case basis
We firmly believe that parents need to be active participants in the upbringing of their children. Accordingly, our parents are held to certain standards. North Shore Hebrew Academy High School expects all of our parents to partner together with us in teaching our children appropriate behavior around alcohol. Parents who encourage, facilitate, or are party to unacceptable behavior outside of school undermine the hard work we, as educators do on a daily basis and do not reflect the values and standards we expect for our school and for our community. While we have no interest in policing the conduct and judgment of our parent body, parents must understand that their actions and in action with respect to their children’s use of and exposure to alcohol and illegal substances have consequences. Parents should review this policy and be guided accordingly.
