OFFICE STAFF

• FX Assistant Principal—Mrs. Holloway— This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• FX Guidance Counselor—Ms. Dias— This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• FX Clerk—Ms. Chance— This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Phone: 727-893-2780, ext.  138
• Website: http://www.bocaciega-hs.pinellas.k12.fl.us/fx/

FX Vision/Mission

The Freshman Experience program will offer an environment where relationships are created amongst students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors and administration to foster highest student achievement and on-time promotion.

Bell Schedule

TARDY POLICY

Unexcused tardies are accumulated per class, per grading period (6 weeks)…meaning your tardy count is on a class-by-class basis—not totaled throughout the day.

Arriving on campus after 1st period:  You should report to the FX (Portable 1) to sign in with Ms. Chance.  You must bring a note signed by parent or doctor’s office, etc., in order to be admitted to class. Late to a class during the day (periods 1-7): You should report to your classroom teacher and sign in.

• 1st tardy—Warning
• 2nd tardy—Teacher’s consequence/parent contact
• 3rd tardy— Teacher’s consequence/parent contact
• 4rd tardy— Teacher’s consequence/parent contact
• 5th  and subsequent tardies—Discipline referral to assistant principal/parent contact (1 day ISS)

PLEASE NOTE:  If you are more than 10 minutes late to a class (unexcused), you will receive a discipline referral for skipping.

DRESS CODE POLICY

Shirts, blouses, tops, and dresses:

• must cover midriff, back, sides, and undergarments.
• must have sleeves and be properly fastened.
• must NOT have holes, tears, or be mesh or see through without proper undergarments.
• must NOT be form fitting leotard, spandex, or pajamas.

Shorts, skirts, divided skirts, dresses, culottes, trousers, and pants:

• must be mid-thigh or longer
• totally cover undergarments
• be worn at the waist
• be properly fastened
• must NOT have holes, tears, or be mesh or see through without proper undergarments
• must NOT be form fitting leotard, spandex, or pajamas.

Clothing, jewelry, or tattoos must be free of:

• profanity
• violent images/wording/suggestions
• sexually suggestive phrases/images
• gang related symbols
• alcohol/tobacco/drugs and advertisements of such products

Footwear

• must be safe and appropriate
• must not be bedroom slippers

Headwear:

• Sunglasses may not be worn inside unless doctor note is provided.  
• Bandanas and sweatbands are prohibited.
• Hats may only be worn during PE activities held outside.

Students are expected to attend school every day.Your parents are expected to report the explanation of absences in writing and within 48 hours, to Ms. Chance in the FX office (Portable 1).  This may be in the form of an email or a hand written note.  Otherwise the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

Extended or repeated absences may require further documentation (doctor’s note, court documents, etc)

Exam Exemptions as related to Absences

• You may have no more than 2 absences during a semester in order to qualify for exam exemptions.
• All absences (excused and unexcused), with the exception of appropriately documented religious holidays and school-related absences, are considered when determining exam exemptions. 

To excuse a religious holiday or religious activity

• At least 1 day prior to absence, send a written note to the FX Office, including the date and reason of the absence.  The absence will be excused and not count with regard to determining exam exemptions.
• If a note is sent in after the absence, the absence will be recorded as an excused absent and will count in regard to determining exam exemptions.

Off-campus activities

Teachers must mark a student absent when off campus, such as a field trip or shadowing experience during the school day.  Attendance is corrected the day of or the day after students return to school.

If a student has more than 3 unexcused absences, they may be referred to the Child Study Team for further investigation.

How to stay informed of your attendance record

• Tell your parents to register for Parent Connect at www.parent.pinellas.k12.fl.us  For Parent Connect user id and password, see Ms. Mogil or Ms. Rampersaud in the Student Services Office.
• Contact your teacher about a specific absence.
• Call the FX office to verify attendance.
• Tell your parents to schedule parent conference as needed.  Call Ms. Dias, FX Guidance Counselor, ext 138.

• Students are expected to stay on school campus once they arrive until school is dismissed.
• Even though lunch is at the end of the school day, many activities occur during lunch such as clubs, tutoring, detentions and conferences.  The lunch period is still part of the school day.  On occasion and in emergencies, students may be required to stay on campus during the lunch period. 
• You must have administrative approval and a “Permit to Leave” slip to leave campus during the school day for any reason.
• When possible, schedule appointments after school hours.
• Complete a clinic card each year and notify the FX Office of any changes in phone numbers or emergency contacts.

If you have an appointment during school:

• Bring in a written note from your parent, with a number at which your parent can be reached, or have them call Ms. Chance, ext. 138, in advance.
• FX office will confirm, by phone, the request to leave campus.
• FX office will issue a Permit to Leave (PTL).
• You will be released or picked up from the FX office (parent must sign you out).
• Your parent should sign PTL and you should return it to the FX Office.

If you get sick at school:

• Ask for a pass to the clinic.
• Clinic will assess your condition.
• Clinic will call your parent.
• Clinic will issue a Permit to Leave (PTL) if you will be leaving.
• Your parent should sign PTL and you should return it to the FX Office.

How you can avoid disciplinary action:

• Ask your teacher for a pass to the clinic if you are sick.
• Do not use your cell phone to call your parent if you are sick.
• Know that your parent cannot give you permission to leave school without calling the clinic or FX Office.
• Remind your parents to pick you up in the clinic if you are sick and administrative permission to leave school.

• It is the student’s responsibility to arrange, with the teacher, for any make up work due to an absence. 
• Students have the same number of days they were absent to make up their work.
• If a teacher gives students advance written notice for a long-term assignment (10 or more days), the student is expected to meet the due date, even if the student has been absent.
• Work made up after an UNEXCUSED absence must be dropped a letter grade.
• If you need make up work for an extended absence, your parent or guardian must contact the teacher directly.

ACADEMICS

In order to participate in extracurricular activities AND to graduate, all students are required to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average.

How to stay informed of your academic performance:

• Tell your parents to register for Parent Connect at www.parent.pinellas.k12.fl.us  For Parent Connect user id and password, you parent can see Ms. Mogil or Ms. Rampersaud in the Student Services Office.
• Use your student planner, which will was provided to you during the 1st week of school.  This is a VERY important time management and communication tool.
• Speak to or email your teachers directly if you have questions or concerns about your grades.  All staff email addresses are posted on Bogie’s website: http://www.bocaciega-hs.pinellas.k12.fl.us/
• If you continue to struggle once you’ve spoken to teachers, ask your parent to schedule a parent/teacher conference.  Call Ms. Dias, FX Guidance Counselor.

BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE

• Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct.  
• Individual teachers will have an in-class discipline plan, which will be provided to you the first week of school.

Administrative consequences

• A discipline matrix is used as a guideline only and assists in maintaining consistency when issuing disciplinary action.
• Most consequences usually include, but are not limited to warnings, lunch and after-school detentions, and in-school suspensions (ISS).  Serious misconduct will result in an out of school suspension (OSS).
• If available, Alternative Bell Schedule (ABS) is offered as an alternative to an out-of-school suspension.  Students attend school from 1:15-6:15PM. 
• Consequences may vary depending on individual circumstances.

How to avoid discipline referrals

• The three most common discipline problems for freshmen are cell phone violations, excessive tardies and not being in class.  You can prevent 90% of discipline problems by keeping a cell phone turned OFF and out of sight during class, arriving to school and classes on time, and by following proper procedures when needing to leave a class or campus.
• Understand and respect the differences between school rules and home/personal rules.
• Review the Code of Student Conduct.
• Sign and return the front page of the Code of Conduct to school.
• Understand that discipline referrals can result in a loss of privileges in many clubs and activities on campus.
• Review each teacher’s parent letters.  Keep a copy at home.

Steps your parents can follow if you have concerns about behavior or discipline

• Contact teacher if the incident occurred in the classroom.
• Schedule parent/teacher conference with FX guidance counselor, Mary Dias.