A.H.S. Student Handbook - Student Services

Computer Technology
Allentown High School has taken a holistic approach to education that reflects a high degree of reliance upon computer technology.  There are six computer labs throughout the school, numerous mini-labs and networked personal computers in the library, writing clinic, guidance office, administrative offices, and faculty workroom.

To meet the demands of the workplace, computer science and business technology courses are part of the curriculum.  As a result, Allentown High School has developed a technology model that enhances the curriculum through computer use and sets the stage for integration of subject materials.

Each student and teacher is given access to the Internet from school in two ways:

  • Internet via the Worldwide Web
  • Internet Electronic Mail (e-mail) and Worldwide Web access.

The students have access, by way of a login, to the school district’s computer network system.  Through this system, students are able to access many applications including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint), Passkey, the Internet and e-mail.

Due to the complexities of technology use, there are also procedures to follow and appropriate actions to be taken when the privileges to use the systems are abused.

  • Students are not permitted to download files and programs from the Internet or keep any of them on the network e-mail or local drives.
  • Students are not permitted to use their own personal laptop or desktop.  In some special cases, upon administrative review, a student may use his/her personal laptop in standalone mode.  If the student uses his/her personal laptop in the school district network, hard wired or wireless, he/she will be           subject to disciplinary action.
  • Students are not permitted to possess or use any type of malicious software (i.e., hacking tools, utilities, viruses, etc.).

Because Upper Freehold Regional Schools provide, through connection to the Internet, access to other computer systems around the world, students and their parents must understand that the district and system administrators have no control over content.

While most of the content available on the Internet is innocuous and much of it a valuable educational resource, some objectionable material exists.  Students and their parents/guardians are advised that some systems may contain defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, or otherwise illegal material.  The Upper Freehold Regional School District and the system administrators do not condone the use of such materials and do not permit use of such materials in the school environment.  Parents of minors having accounts on the system should be aware of the existence of such materials.  Students who knowingly bring such materials into the school environment will be dealt with according to the discipline policies of the district, and such activities may result in termination or limitations of such students’ accounts on the network.

E-Mail/Internet
Parents/guardians may request that a student be taken off the users’ list for Internet and/or e-mail.  However, parents/guardians are advised that e-mail and the Internet may be used within the classroom for learning applications.

Abuses of Internet and e-mail access such as harassment, illegal activity and the like will incur administrative action including police notification and/or suspension.  Harassment:  emotional, physical, verbal or cyber related will result in Administration action.

Playing games on our system is not permitted.  Students are subject to disciplinary action if they fail to follow this rule.

Guidance/Counseling
The purpose of the Guidance and Counseling Program at Allentown High School is
concerned with the whole child.  The Guidance Office is here to assist students in their own personal growth.  The staff will assist students in course selection, post secondary options, workplace readiness and personal/social development.

You will be assigned a counselor who will be available to you when you need him/her; simply contact the secretary in the Guidance Office to arrange a meeting.  Your counselor is the central figure who coordinates the efforts of parents, teachers, and students in realizing goals.  It is by listening to and working with you that your counselor can help you be successful.

At times, you will find that your counselor will seek you out.  Your talks together may include a review of test results, grades, program planning, college selection, personal problems, plans after high school, or one of the many school related topics.

Since guidance and counseling is concerned with preparing all students for employment or further education after graduation, both post secondary information and vocational briefs are kept in the Guidance Office for your use.  If you plan to attend a post secondary institution, you should work very closely with your counselor so that your high school program will include those courses necessary for placement.  In addition, students expecting to attend a four-year college should plan to take the College Entrance Examination Board Admissions Test (S.A.T.) at least twice in the spring of their junior year.  The PSAT is taken during the fall of their sophomore year and junior year so that the results can be used for counseling purposes and college entrance.

Your counselor wants to help you in many ways; selecting the proper course of study, preparing scholastically for the future, having a pleasant school life, and making a wise career choice.  You and your parents are encouraged to make full use of the Guidance Department.

Course Changes
All course changes must be made by August 31st.

Permanent Records
The Guidance Department will maintain a cumulative record folder on each student in accordance with applicable state and federal statutes and Board of Education policies, copies of which are available upon request.

Access to Pupil Records

  • Only authorized organizations, agencies or persons as defined herein shall have access to pupil records.  Proof must be provided.
  • The local Board of Education may charge a reasonable fee for reproduction not to exceed the actual cost to the Board of Education for reproducing such copies.
  • Copy of material such as test protocols, which are subject to copyright laws, is prohibited.
  • Authorized organizations, agencies, and persons shall include only:
    • The parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of a pupil under the age of 18, and the pupil who has the written permission of such parent(s) or guardian(s)
    • Pupils at least 16 years of age who are terminating their education in the District because they will graduate secondary school at the end of the term or no longer plan to continue their education.
    • The adult pupil and the pupil’s parent(s) or guardian(s) who have the written permission of such pupil (except that the parent(s) or guardian(s) shall access without consent of the pupil as long as the pupil is financially dependent on the parents or guardians and enrolled in the public school system.
    • Certified school personnel who have assigned educational responsibility for the pupil.
    • Accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions.
    • The Commissioner of  Education and members of the New Jersey Department of Education staff who have assigned responsibility which necessitates the review of such records.
    • Officials of other public school districts in which the student is registered or intends to enroll.  Written consent of the parent or adult pupil is required prior to the transfer of permitted records to another school district except where a formal sending-receiving relationship exists between the school districts.  Copies of records shall be forwarded to the administrative official of the school to which the child has been transferred within 30 days after the transfer has been verified by the requesting school district.
    • Organizations, agencies and persons from outside the school if they have written consent of the parents or adult pupils (except that these organizations, agencies and persons shall not transfer pupil record information to a third party without the written consent of the parent or adult pupil).
    • Organizations, agencies and individuals outside the school upon the presentation of a court order.
    • Bonafide researchers who explain, in writing, the nature of the research project and the relevance of the records sought, and who satisfy the chief school administrator that the records will be used under strict conditions of anonymity and confidentiality.  Such assurance must be received in writing by the chief school administrator prior to the release of information to the researcher.

Retention and Destruction of Pupil Records
Upon graduation or permanent departure of a pupil from the school system:

  • The parent or adult pupil is hereby notified that a copy of the pupil record will be provided upon request.
  • Information in pupil records other than that described below will be destroyed in accordance with The Destruction of Public Laws, N.J.S.A. 47:3-15.
  • No additions will be made to the record other than access documentation.
  • The N.J. public school district of last enrollment shall be responsible for maintaining in perpetuity a permanent record of a pupil’s name, date of birth, sex, address, telephone number, grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, year completed, name of parent(s)/guardian(s) and citizenship status.

Location of Pupil Records
Pupil records are kept in the following locations, while a student is registered in A.H.S.
Academic – Guidance Office
Attendance – Attendance Office
Discipline - Vice Principal’s Office (Main Office)
Health – Nurse’s Office
Child Study Team (if applicable) – The Child Study Team Office

Health Office
If a student becomes ill in school, that student should report to the nurse, who will decide what should be done.  In the absence of severe symptoms and/or fever, a parent may still decide to pick up the student, but his/her absence will not be excused unless a doctor’s note is presented on return to school.  Students must not leave the building because of illness without authorization.  If the nurse is not in, students are to report to the main office.

STUDENTS MUST HAVE A PASS TO ENTER THE HEALTH OFFICE.  DO NOT COME TO THE HEALTH OFFICE BETWEEN CLASSES EXCEPT FOR A GYM  NOTE OR SEVERE SYMPTOMS.

All students are given an emergency form to be filled in by parents and returned to homeroom teachers the first week of school.  This is essential in the case of serious illness or accident.

Parental notes excusing a student from gym are only acceptable for a day or two.  Beyond that, a doctor’s note will be necessary to excuse a student from participating in gym class.  Students should report first to the gym teacher.

One physical exam for the school year for participation in sports is necessary prior to practice.  Parents are notified of any problem and all parental permission forms must be received prior to participation.

No student is allowed to take medication in school unless he or she has a doctor’s note stating the name of the medication and the reason for which it is being taken.  The nurse is not allowed to dispense medication of any type (this includes aspirin) without a doctor’s note.  (Exception:  Tylenol, only with parental permission.)  The medicine will be kept with the nurse who will issue passes to students so that they may come to the health office and take the medication at the proper time.

Regarding self-administration, the student’s physician must certify in writing that the child has asthma or another life-threatening illness that the child is capable of and has been instructed in the proper administration of the required medication.  The parent/guardian must sign a statement indemnifying and holding the district harmless against any injury or claims that arise as a result of the pupil’s self-administration.

Permission is effective for the school year for which it is granted and must be renewed annually following the above-mentioned process.  Medications that can be given at home 2 or 3 times a day, should be given at home.  For school administration, the doctor must state it must be taken during school time.

New Jersey State Immunization Requirements

  • Three (3) oral Tri Valent Polio, the last one 6 months after the preceding one, or one Tri Valent booster if a series of Mon Valent Savin was given at an earlier date.
  • Three (3) DPT or three DT within the last 10 years are required as well as measles vaccine, mumps and rubella.
  • Two (2) doses of each (measles, mumps, rubella) after the first birthday or preferable MMR after the first birthday.
  • Vision screening and audiometric testing in Grades 10.  All those failing the test will be contacted later in the year to determine if a further examination has been made.
  • Every student between the ages of 10 and 18 shall be examined biennially for scoliosis (curvature of the spine).
  • Every student grades 9-12 is required to have completed the Hepatitis B series.

Injuries/Accidents
All injuries and accidents must be reported to the school nurse in order for an accident report to be completed.  If the nurse is not in, students are to report to the main office.  If follow-up is necessary, the parent will be notified.

Special Services
The Special Services Department is made up of the following components:  Child Study  Team (CST); Basic Skills Improvement Program (BSIP); ESL Programs; Special Education Programs; the Alternative School Program; and Student Assistance Program.

The Child Study Team is comprised of a school psychologist, social worker and two learning consultants.  Their role is to evaluate students to determine if they qualify for special education services and, if so, place them in appropriate programs.  They also provide counseling services to students and parents.  Their assistance can be requested through the Guidance Department.

The BSIP Program provides additional assistance to students to help prepare them in the areas measured by the High School Proficiency Assessment.  There are classes in reading, math and writing.  A computer lab is used in this program to provide computer-assisted instruction.  Basic Skills teachers are responsible for assisting in the identification and remediation of students who are in need of additional instruction in the areas of reading, writing and math.

1.  Identification of Students: Students are identified for the BSIP program from multiple criteria which includes:

  • Achievement Testing –GEPA (Grade 8), HSPA Practice Test (Grades 9 and 10) and HSPA (Grade 11)
  • Teacher recommendation
  • Report card grades
  • Guidance recommendations

2.  Out-of-Class Project: Students identified in reading or writing are enrolled in reading/writing courses in addition to a regular English course.

3.   In-Class Project: This program operates within the regular class.  The BSIP teacher or an instructional assistant goes into the regular class and works with the teacher to provide extra instruction to the BSIP identified students.  It is not the intent of the program for teachers who work within this program context to take the role of the teaching assistant, but to have equal responsibility for the BSIP students.

Intervention and Referral Services (IRS)
The school’s program, Intervention and Referral Services (IRS), is designed to be a student support service to help address student learning behavior and health concerns.

Teachers and other school personnel refer students to the IRS Committee for
interventions.  The students at risk receive interventions designed to accommodate their individual learning behavior and/or health needs in the context of the general education setting.  If appropriate, the IRS Committee will refer to the Child Study Team or other school personnel for assistance.

Special Review Assessment (SRA)
For those students who have not passed the HSPA and have met all other graduation requirements, the State of New Jersey has established a procedure called the Student Review  Assessment.  The Department of Education has developed an alternative assessment procedure in which the district must use specific alternative assessments developed by the State for each cluster.  A criteria has been developed to determine the student’s mastery.

The following Special Education Programs comprise the primary components of the Special Education Department.  These programs provide instruction in the least restrictive environment to students who have been identified by the Child Study Team as learning disabled.

Resource Center:  Out-of-Class Support: This program is designed for our most mildly learning disabled students.  These students can function successfully in most regular education courses with some academic support.  Out-of-class support is always offered in addition to and in conjunction with one or more of those regular education courses.  The content of the course is determined by the proficiencies that are required in the regular courses.  It is permitted for students to go to the out-of-class support classroom to have tests read to them.  This necessitates frequent consultations between the out-of-class support teacher and each of the appropriate regular education teachers.  It is important to emphasize that this is not a study hall, but a program in which the teacher is very involved in instructing the student in the proficiencies of the regular education course as well as study skills and organizational skills.  This support will be offered on a full and part time basis according to the determination made.

Resource Center:  In-Class Support: In an effort to improve the success of learning disabled students in regular education classes, there will be an in-class support teacher in several classes in the high school.  The in-class support teacher actually participates in the instruction of the regular education program as a viable teaching staff member.  It is important to distinguish this position from an assistant.   The in-class support teacher is responsible for planning supplemental activities and modifications for the classified students in those classes and participating in the evaluation of that student’s progress.  This service is designed to assist the student directly and indirectly.  It is the in-class support teacher’s job to assist the teacher in his or her planning and strategies to improve the success of instruction for the special education students in that class.  Direct instruction shall be offered as well as supplemental instruction and modification.  There is no limit on the number of in-class support classes that a student can be assigned in the school day.

Resource Center:  Replacement: This program is offered for those students who are not able to function successfully in general education classes in a particular subject area.  These students need to receive their primary instruction in a small class in which individual and small group instruction can be offered that is appropriate to each student’s learning style.   This program replaces a general education class.  Although this program has its own curriculum, each student has an IEP which determines the particular instruction and strategies that the child received.  Subject areas may not be mixed unless the class size is reduced to 4 students and no work from other classes may be performed in these classes.  Replacement classes in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science are offered through the department.  Students may be assigned to the Resource Center for up to one-half of their school day.

Self-Contained Classes: This program is offered for those students who need a special education program for more than one-half of their school day.  In our district, we operate a high school ED program. 

Out–of-District Program: When a disabled student’s needs are greater than any of the program options that we provide, we send students to either other school districts with appropriate programs or private schools that deal with a more severely disabled population.

Related Services: Our Special Education Program also offers many related services:

1.   Individual and Group Counseling: At each building, a social worker and psychologist are available to do group and individual counseling with classified children.   The school psychologist also provides these services to the students located at the Imlaystown School.  School counseling differs from out-of-school counseling in that it is usually short term and deals with school related problems.  The appropriate professional to determine if counseling is needed will screen each classified student who is recommended for counseling.

2.  Physical and Occupational Therapy: These services are provided to students who have been identified through an evaluation by a certified physical and/or occupational therapist.  A prescription for services is provided and goals and objectives within the IEP are developed.

3.  Speech and Language Services: We offer this service to identified children on a district-wide basis.  Our speech and language clinicians screen and evaluate children who have been referred by classroom teachers.

The Connections Program at Imlaystown Campus
An alternative program is operated by the district for students from Allentown High School who are disaffected in a traditional setting and may function better in a modified school environment.  Any student who is eligible to attend Allentown High School may apply to the program.  The school is an off-campus, satellite program emphasizing individualization of instruction.  Interested students should contact their guidance counselor.

Student Assistance Program
The goal of the Student Assistance Office is to provide education, prevention, intervention and referral services in areas of high-risk behaviors including violence, vandalism, the use of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and addictive behaviors to students, parents and staff.  We offer a number of student support groups  which teach coping strategies and healthy expressions of feelings and thoughts.  Other services available are:  the Lifesavers Club (which promotes substance use prevention), the Natural Helpers Program (which promotes community unity), and a substance prevention resource library.  The Student Assistance Office is located in 4th hall.

Job Placement
Job Placement assists students in acquiring career and vocational information and helps students and graduates find meaningful employment.  Since Job Placement frequently receives requests from employers for part-time help, interested students should contact the vice principal in the Main Office.

Library Media Services
The Allentown High School Library Media Center is committed to providing the highest levels of service to its students and staff.  The goals of the program are to encourage its users to view learning as lifelong and unending and ensure that students and staff are accomplished, self-reliant users of ideas and information in all forms of media.  The
mission of the Library Media Program further strives to promote literacy and the love of reading and learning while maintaining a nurturing, creative and collaborative environment.

Students’ Responsibilities Statement
The students of Allentown High School share in the responsibility of maintaining an environment which allows the Library Media Center to serve the needs of all students.

  • Students’ behavior should be respectful of other persons and property.
  • Students’ behavior and actions should respect the rights of others to study or use the Library Media Center.
  • Students are expected to observe technology guidelines as outlined in the UFRNET Acceptable Use Policy.  Access to network services is given to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner.

Technology use within the Library Media Center does not support:

  • Computer games
  • Use of personal CD-ROM’S
  • Chat rooms
  • Monopolizing technology by listening to Real Audio Archives, et.al.

Students who use the Library Media Center during the school day must present a pass from a subject teacher at the circulation desk and sign their name and time of arrival on the sign-in sheet.  This is the only official record the school has of your presence.  Be accountable.  Having a pass, however, does not guarantee access if the Library Media Center is full to capacity with pre-scheduled classes.

Books may be borrowed for two weeks and may be renewed.  Demerits and detention will be assigned to students with overdue books past one month.  Students who have not returned overdue library books by the end of the school year will not receive their report card and schedules for the following year.  Graduating seniors who do not satisfy all outstanding obligations to the Library Media Center will not receive their diplomas.  Failure to follow the guidelines of the Library Media Center will result in the consequences listed on the Library Media Center Discipline Policy Statement.

The appropriate study hall teacher or classroom teacher will be notified when a student’s library privileges are withdrawn.  Likewise, any disciplinary measure imposed by the study hall teacher or classroom teacher will be respected by the Library Media Center staff.

After School Hours

After school hours for A.H.S. students are Monday through Thursday until 3:45 p.m.  The Library Media Center is not open after school on half days or the day before an approved school closing.  Consider using the computer lab or homework lab when the Library Media Center is not available after school.