SEWICKLEY ACADEMY CODE OF CONDUCT
At Sewickley Academy we expect students to follow the rules outlined in this document and in
separate publications in print or on the school website. Our rules are straightforward. We insist
on honesty, integrity and respect for others and their property. We hold students to a higher
standard than the community at large. When rules are violated, it is not only the perpetrator and
the victim who are hurt, but the entire Academy community is diminished. We want Sewickley
Academy to be a place where every student, parent, visitor, and employee feels safe, secure, and
respected. If something is taken, or someone is dishonest, or one student is cruel to another, we
lose some of our sense of community and we lose some of the trust that makes us such a
distinctive school.
Sewickley Academy is a caring and supportive community. We realize that students will make
mistakes as they grow to adulthood, and we try to insure that valuable lessons are learned from
these mistakes. We are a forgiving institution and do all we can to help students to succeed in
this environment. We will continue to work with a child so long as the child and his/her parents
demonstrate real progress towards conforming to Sewickley Academy’s standards of behavior.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface…3
Section I - Academics…4
Advisors, Grade Coordinators and Academic Review Committee…4
Assignments…5
Colleges…5
Community Service Program…6
Computer Use -Terms and Conditions…7
Course Selection, Planning and Changes…9
Dissection…12
Examinations and Tests…11
Grading System and Academic Warning and Probation…12
The Hansen Library…16
The Honor Roll…16
Requirements for Graduation from the Senior School…17
Special Study Opportunities…19
Student Records Policy… 20
Study Halls…21
Section II - Activities, Events and Special Assemblies…21
Assemblies…21
Awards and Cum Laude Society…21
Class Sponsored Activities…22
Clubs and Publications…22
Dances…24
Edgeworth Club…25
Peer Counselors…25
School Trips…26
Special Programs…26
Student Council and Class Officers…27
Section III - Emergency Procedures and Important Phone Numbers…34
Emergencies, Illness and Accidents…34
Emergency Phone Numbers…34
Fire drills…34
Hear to Help Committee…34
School Counselor…35
Support Services…35
Snow days…35
Suicide Intervention Emergency Numbers…36
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Section IV - Rules, Regulations and Disciplinary Procedures…36
Alcohol and Controlled Substance Statement…36
Attendance…39
Disciplinary Offences, Procedures and Detention…43
Dress Code…46
Driving and Parking…48
Faculty Room…50
Guests…50
Harassment and Hateful Speech…50
Honor Code…51
Honor Council…53
Lockers…56
Lunch Periods…56
Message Board…57
Office Equipment…57
Outdoor Behavior…57
Photography Darkroom…57
Prohibited Articles…58
Schoonmaker Commons…58
Sign-Out Privileges…58
Smoking…59
Telephones…60
Emergency Phone Numbers… 60
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THE STUDENT HANDBOOK
September 2009
The following guidelines serve to support the mission and core values of SA. Our unique
atmosphere that centers on the bonds of this trust between all members of our community can
only be sustained with clear expectations of performance and behavior. While the handbook
provides a good deal of specificity, one needs only to act as a responsible, considerate, and
ethical citizen to create an atmosphere of respect and trust.
Bruce Houghtaling
Senior School Division Head
A Community of Respect
All members of the Sewickley Academy community; students, parents, faculty and staff, are
expected to be familiar with, and adhere to, the following basic guidelines of behavior at school.
The most essential standard of appropriate behavior is that all members of the community will
treat one another with kindness, honor and respect in all situations. In everything we do, we
will:
Demonstrate Self-Respect by:
 Striving to reach our potential in all areas including academics, extracurricular activities, and
citizenship.
 Taking pride in our behavior and appearance.
 Focusing on our health and safety when making choices.
Respect Others by:
 Helping to create an environment of encouragement and support within the school
community.
 Listening with consideration to the opinions and ideas of others in the community even when
they are different from our own.
 Respecting the privacy and property of others in the community.
Respect Sewickley Academy by:
 Adhering to the rules of the Academy at all times.
 Maintaining the grounds and facilities by cleaning up after others and ourselves when
necessary.
 Being a positive, honorable representative for the Academy in all endeavors and at all times.
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SECTION I - ACADEMICS
ADVISORS, GRADE COORDINATORS AND ACADEMIC REVIEW
COMMITTEE
 Advisors
Each student selects a faculty advisor. First and foremost, the advisor is an advocate for his/her
advisees. Students report to their advisor for attendance at the start of each school day. The
advisor helps the students with course selection, managing workload and other academic issues.
The advisor also encourages the student to become involved in extracurricular activities and
special school programs. Parents should regard the advisor as the first person to telephone for
information about the student. The advisor receives copies of all of the student's report cards and
comments and helps the student who is in difficulty become a more effective learner. Advisors
are also involved in any special personal or academic issues concerning the student.
 Grade Coordinators
Each grade has a grade coordinator who works with the team of advisors for that grade to insure
that each student has a successful and satisfying experience in the Senior School. The grade
coordinator remains at the same grade level each year, becoming an expert on the needs of the
students in that grade. On the other hand, the advising team moves from Grade 9 through the
Senior School with the students in that class. Students may wish to remain with the same advisor
for four years, but, if they wish, they may switch to another member of the team at the start of
the academic year. The grade coordinator and advising team members share their resources,
helping students make a good adjustment to the demands of the Senior School and working
together planning class meetings and class activities.
 Academic Review Committee
The respective Grade Teams, (Grade Coordinator and Academic Advisors) review each student's
academic, citizenship and effort grades at the end of each semester. At the team's request,
certain students are then referred for discussion to the Academic Review Committee, which is
composed of the Grade Coordinators, the Head of Senior School, Director of College Guidance
and the Registrar. The Academic Review Committee may then issue statements of
commendation, concern, and academic warning or academic probation. The Academic Review
Committee may also take other action to ensure a student’s academic success such as placement
in study halls, mandatory tutoring or course changes. Please note that students may be placed in
study halls at the end of quarter or at the end of the academic semester.
The Academy feels that student achievement is, in part, measured by the motivation, effort and
determination a student demonstrates in daily class work. It values effort as an indicator of a
positive attitude and a generator of self-confidence within the school community. The daily
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preparation of assigned work, participation in class discussion, attendance and the desire to
acquire knowledge through inquiry, problem-solving and critical analysis are indicators of high
effort in class. As such, the Academy prizes and awards high effort with privileges and honors.
Students who have difficulty in taking academic responsibility will be asked to consult with their
advisor or teacher in scheduled advisor/teacher meetings and will be assigned to Academic
Warning or Probation.
ASSIGNMENTS
Students are responsible for knowing their daily assignments in each class. Students who miss a
class for any reason are responsible for the assignments given in that class and should contact a
classmate or the teacher as soon as possible to obtain any missed assignment. At the beginning
of each semester, teachers will explain to their classes how such assignments may be
obtained. In most cases assignments may be found on the teacher’s website. For extended
absences, please contact the Senior School Office for assistance.
COLLEGES
 College Advising
Students are assigned a college advisor after Grade 10. During the junior year, the advisors will
meet with their advisees during the college seminar class held spring semester and individually.
The advisors also meet with the parents to explain procedures, deadlines, etc. Parents should
plan to have this meeting after the January college evening presentation. More information
about college advising can be found on the College Guidance website on the Senior School
homepage.
 College Visits
The school permits juniors three days and seniors five days to visit colleges during the school
year, but urges families to plan carefully so there is a minimum number of class days missed.
The Dean of Students and the student's College Advisor should be notified well in advance, and
the student is expected to obtain an excuse slip and check with each of his teachers before the
student leaves. Students who exceed the maximum allowable days for college visits will be
marked as UNEXCUSED. Seniors may ask for written permission for extra days from their
college guidance counselor. Seniors may not schedule college visits that conflict with Senior
Teacher Day. The student is responsible for making up all work missed during such absences. If
a student abuses this privilege or is in academic difficulty, the Dean of Students or the student's
College Advisor will revoke this privilege.
 College Tests and Applications
It is the student's responsibility to register for all necessary college entrance examinations with
the exception of the PSAT/NMSQT, which the school administers to juniors in October.
Registration is automatic, and the test takes place during the school day listed in the yearly
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calendar. Juniors and seniors should plan the rest of their college testing with their College
Advisors. The school posts the College Board tests dates in several places and links to
registration are posted on the College Guidance website Students are responsible for online
registration at www.collegeboard.com and should be aware of their deadlines.
SCHOOL CODE: 394-475
 Recommended Testing Timeline from the College Guidance Office
Grade 10 - PSAT in October
Grade 11 - PSAT in October
- First SAT in December or January
- Second SAT in March or May
- SAT Subject Tests (formerly called SAT II’s) in June
Grade 12 - Final SAT in October or November
It is the student's responsibility to meet the deadlines for college applications and financial aid.
The school will not process the student's records until the student has assured the office (by
filling out a "Blue Sheet") that the application has actually been submitted.
 Meeting With College Representatives at Sewickley Academy
Seniors and juniors are encouraged to make good use of the visits to the school by college
representatives. A SENIOR should sign up for such an appointment at least a day in advance of
the visit and obtain permission from his/her teacher to miss the class. College Advisors may also
request that a student be excused to see a college rep. Unless given permission by the teacher, A
STUDENT SHOULD NOT MISS A TEST IN ORDER TO SEE A COLLEGE
REPRESENTATIVE. JUNIORS MAY MEET WITH COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES
ONLY DURING FREE PERIODS OR UNLESS SPECIAL PERMISSION HAS BEEN
GRANTED BY THE DEAN OF STUDENTS.
 College Information
Information and reference books for colleges may be found in the College Guidance Resource
Room and the Hansen Library.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM
A detailed description of Sewickley Academy’s Community Service Program is available from
the Director of Community Service.
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COMPUTER USE – TERMS, CONDITIONS AND OTHER GUIDELINES
Sewickley Academy strives to provide our students ample, unrestricted computer facilities for
academic use. Behavior that interferes with the use of Sewickley Academy computer facilities
or that may result in the destruction or damage to school facilities or equipment is strictly
prohibited. To protect Sewickley Academy systems from unauthorized use and to ensure that the
systems are functioning properly, activities are monitored and recorded and subject to audit. Use
of the systems is expressed consent to such monitoring and recording. Impersonating another
user or any unauthorized access of these computer systems is prohibited. A violation of the spirit
of these rules will result in the suspension of privileges and may subject the student to other
disciplinary measures.
Information and programs stored on Sewickley Academy computers, storage systems or
peripherals are the private property of the creator or Sewickley Academy. The examination,
duplication, modification or plagiarizing of such information without the express consent of the
owner is a violation of the owner’s rights. Numerous programs and systems in use at Sewickley
Academy provide mechanisms designed to prevent the unauthorized use and access to an
individual’s private property. Attempts to circumvent such protection mechanisms will
constitute a violation of the individual’s rights and a violation of school policy. However,
Sewickley Academy’s Technology Department reserves the right to periodically check, review
and remove improper and non-educational material on the school’s servers.
Students will be issued a user name for various Sewickley Academy computer systems. An email account will be created for the student for the purpose of communicating with other
students, faculty members, and individuals on and off campus. The use of this system for the
purpose of sending obscene or undesirable e-mail is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, the
deliberate falsification of one’s identity or impersonation of another’s identity through the use of
another user name will be considered a violation of school policy. Such activity will result in the
immediate suspension of privileges and subject the student to disciplinary measures. Students
must never share their user name and password with other people and are forbidden from using
another’s user name.
Sewickley Academy’s computer network provides access to other computer systems around the
world via the Internet. Sewickley Academy does not have control over the content of
information stored on these other systems. Students and parents should be advised that some
systems may contain defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually orientated,
threatening, racially offensive, or illegal material. Sewickley Academy does not condone the use
of such material and does not permit usage of such material in the school environment. Students
who knowingly bring such material into the school environment, via download or otherwise, will
be dealt with according to the policies of Sewickley Academy, and such activities may result in
the suspension or termination of their account on the Sewickley Academy network. Any student
who knowingly visits inappropriate sites while using any part of the Sewickley Academy
computer network will face serious consequences.
When visiting sites on the Internet, Sewickley Academy community members must conduct
themselves as representatives of our school and stay true to the concept of Sewickley Academy’s
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“Community of Respect”. Conduct that is inconsistent with the responsibilities outlined in this
document will result in the termination of their account on the school network and may result in
further disciplinary action.
School computers and systems are to be used for educational purposes only. No game playing is
permitted on Sewickley Academy computers except for educational software packages that use a
game format and that are sanctioned by a faculty member for use during that particular class.
Visiting social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, are forbidden. Furthermore,
students are not allowed to visit sites that offer games, support game playing, use MUD (MultiUser Dungeon, Domain or Dimension) or use other multi-player or similar interactive systems.
School computers and networks are never to be used to access chat rooms or any other sites that
allow instant multi-user interaction. Attempting to circumvent the school’s intent to block or
limit access to these types of prohibited sites will also constitute a violation of the policy.
Computer equipment and software are available to support the educational processes at
Sewickley Academy. Software copyright laws are to be followed on all software. The copyright
may vary somewhat from program to program, but essentially, only the original purchaser may
make a copy of the software for archival purposes. All other copying, particularly that allows
more than one person to use the software, is forbidden. Sewickley Academy seeks to adhere as
strictly as possible to this interpretation and expects the same from the students. Students are
never allowed to visit or use the services of open-ended programs that potentially infringe the
copyright of computer programs or other copyrighted material. Sites and services such as
Gnutella, Kazaa or eMule or the use of BitTorrent clients should never be visited or used while
using Sewickley Academy computers or networks. No student is to use school computers or
devices to make, use or share pirated software. Students are to respect the copyright laws of all
school software that may be loaned to them. No illegal copies of school software are to be made
when the software is taken home.
The students must also respect the privacy and integrity of the work of members of the
Sewickley Academy community. Copying another’s work and submitting it as ones own is
plagiarism, and is a serious breach of the school code. This is just as true for computergenerated work as any other medium. Any tampering, copying, or willful destruction of
another’s computer files is a serous offense and will be dealt with accordingly. Any student who
attempts to upload viruses, Trojan horse programs, or attempts to gain unauthorized access to
Sewickley Academy servers, networks, or files will face severe consequences.
Students wishing to bring personal laptops to Sewickley Academy must adhere to the same rules
outlined above while on campus and while using school resources. Failure to do so will
constitute a breach of the agreement and be dealt with accordingly. The device in question may
also be confiscated, if there is a believed breach of the school code, while an analysis of the
device is done.
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COURSE SELECTION, PLANNING AND CHANGES
 Course Selection
Early in the second semester students will begin to make course selections for the following
academic year. Students are encouraged to make their academic plans in consultation with their
advisor, teachers and college counselor. Please keep in mind the following rules regarding
course load and selection:
 The minimum course load for each student consists of five major subjects each
semester.
 Students who do not complete a course will not receive any credit for this course.
 A student repeating a course in order to improve a grade must take a minimum of
five major subjects each semester. Credit for repeated courses counts only once
towards graduation requirements.
 Students who are enrolled in year-long courses are expected to complete the courses
before credit is given.
 Seniors must pass all courses in order to graduate.
Students who drop a course after the first quarter of the school year will have "WithdrawnPass" or "Withdrawn-Fail" recorded on their transcript. This does not pertain to a change in
course level recommended by a department head. Course drops after the quarter must be
teacher-initiated rather than student-initiated. "Pass" and "Fail" refer to the work being
done in the semester the course is dropped.
All students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses are required to sit for the AP examination
in order to earn credit for the course and the "AP" designation on the transcript.
Colleges applied to by seniors will be notified of any changes made in their schedules.
The Course Description Catalog lists course offerings, prerequisites, and graduation
requirements.
 The Academic Program
General Guidelines * = required course
Grade 9
* English
* World Civilizations I
* Biology
* Mathematics
* World Language
* Arts
* Health/PE
* Ethics
Grade 11
* English Electives
* U.S. History
* Mathematics (through Algebra II)
* World Language
*Elective Courses in Science, Arts
and/or Computer
* Health/PE
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Grade 10
* Essential English Skills
* World Civilizations II
* Chemistry
* Mathematics
* World Language
* Arts
* Health/PE
Grade 12
* English Electives
*Three elective, major courses in
History, Science, World
Languages, Computer
and Arts
* Health/PE
* Mathematics
Please note: administrators may waive the graduation requirements at their discretion.
Students who have transferred into the Senior School after Grade 9 will be counseled in selecting
a schedule which best fulfills their needs and meets the graduation requirements.
 Double Science Classes
Juniors interested in taking AP Biology or AP Chemistry concurrent with Physics or Honors
Physics may do so if the following criteria are met:

AP Biology with Physics or Honors Physics – Student must have earned an A in
Biology or B+ in Honors Biology along with an A in Chemistry or B+ in CHS.

AP Chemistry with Physics or Honors Physics – Student must have earned an A in
Chemistry or B+ in CHS.
Student must also have the approval of their academic advisor (and parents) AND approval of
the Science Department Chair.
Scheduling two science classes will be permitted only if all lab periods for both science classes
fit the student’s schedule. Labs will not be permitted to be completed independently.
These classes cannot be done as Independent Studies.
 Missing First Semester Science Classes for Swiss Semester
The school prefers that students on Swiss Semester (or absent from the first semester) take the
first semester of chemistry during the summer school course offered at Sewickley Academy. At
the end of that course, the students will take the first semester final exam. Any student who does
not take the summer course at the Academy must still take the first semester final exam (his/her
grade on this exam will be counted as the first semester grade). Students who choose to take
chemistry at another institution should have that course approved by the Science Department
Chair.
 Course Changes
Changes may be made in student schedules by following the procedures outlined below:
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Faculty-Initiated Changes: By the end of the first three weeks of school, teachers will try to
identify students who are having problems and some changes may be made at this time. In such
a change a student may choose from any of the appropriate and available courses. After a review
of the first quarter's work, final changes will be made at the discretion of the department and the
Head of the Senior School. In a change initiated by the department, a student may move into
another course at any time provided that the change is within the department (e.g. French III to
French II) and not moving from one department to another (e.g. French III to English).
Student-Initiated Changes:
1. Students may ask to add, drop or change a course before the end of the third week of school.
These changes will be made only after discussion with the student’s teacher and advisor.
2. Schedule changes after the third week of school for either a year-long course or a secondsemester course can be made only with the permission of the Head of Senior School. Students
should note that it may be impossible to add a new course after the third week of school.
3. Courses dropped prior to the end of the first quarter are not noted on the student’s transcript.
Courses dropped after the first quarter will be noted on the transcript with a “Withdrawn Pass”
or a “Withdrawn Fail”.
4. In the case of seniors, colleges to which they have applied will be notified of any schedule
changes.
DISSECTION OF LABORATORY ANIMALS
Sewickley Academy complies with Pennsylvania School Code 1522 regarding animal dissection.
This legislation gives students in grades K-12 the right to refuse school work which involves
chordate animals or their parts. A minimum of three weeks’ notification will be given by the
teacher prior to all such activities, and alternate activities will be offered to students who choose
not to participate.
EXAMINATIONS AND TESTS
 End of Semester Examinations
There will be a full-scale examination period with two-hour time slots for every discipline at the
end of each semester in 2009-2010. Students are permitted to leave the exam room after 90
minutes. Students, faculty and coaches should note the following guidelines regarding the
examination period:
 No tests or new material that will be covered on the exam will be given two days before
exams.
 All papers and projects must be due two days before exams begin. This policy also
applies to the Senior Exams.
 Practices, rehearsals and extracurricular activities are limited to one hour and must be
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
optional on the second day before exams.
The day before exams and on exam days, there will be absolutely no games, practices,
extracurricular activities, etc.
 Number of tests in one day
Students are required to take no more than two MAJOR tests during one school day. This does
not include quizzes, papers, or lab reports.
If a student is assigned more than two tests on a single day, the student should consult first with
his/her teachers to see if other arrangements can be made. If a reasonable solution is not found,
the student should see his/her academic advisor and together should meet with the Head of the
Senior School for a solution.
Students should receive the results of previous MAJOR tests before they are asked to take
another MAJOR test.
GRADING SYSTEM AND ACADEMIC WARNING AND PROBATION
 Grading System
Reports are sent home at the end of each quarter. Letter grades have the following interpretation:
QUALITY OF WORK
Excellent
Good
Competent
Passing
Failing
GRADE (added percentages)
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
95-100%
92-94%
89-91%
86-88%
83-85%
80-82%
77-79%
74-76%
71-73%
68-70%
65-67%
0-64%
While D+, D, and D- are considered passing grades, they may exclude a student from advancing
to the next level of a course in the same subject. (i.e. A grade lower than C in Algebra I makes a
student ineligible for Algebra II.) The student is expected to repeat the course in summer school
or during the school year. If a student is required to perform summer class work to advance to
the next level, the final grade will be computed by averaging 25% of the summer exam or exams,
and 75% of the year-end grade. Both summer and year-end grades will appear on the official
transcript.
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A student's final grade may not be less than the lower of the two semester grades, unless a
comprehensive examination is computed as part of the final grade. In this case the teacher is
expected to explain the averaging procedure in the final comments. The final grade, however,
may be higher if the teacher feels that such an increase is justified.
All major assignments, as defined by the classroom teacher, must be completed. If a
student does not turn in a major assignment, the student will receive an "Incomplete" for
the semester. All "Incomplete" grades will automatically change to "F" grades two weeks
after the close of the quarter, unless the student completes the work. Any semester grade
of "F" caused by incomplete work will cause the grade for the entire course to be listed as
"Incomplete" at the end of the year. The student will have two weeks from the close of the
school year to complete the work before the course grade becomes an "F". The work must
conform to the requirements of the original assignment. (See also "Requirements for
Graduation and Promotion to Senior School".)
Sewickley Academy computes Grade Point Averages (GPAs) on a traditional 4.0 scale.
Quality points are assigned as follows:
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
D- 0.7
F 0
Total Quality Points divided by Total Credits = GPA
Example:
Class
Grade
Credit
Honors
Biology
English 9
World Civs
Spanish II
Geometry
Ceramics
B
1.0
AB+
A
BA
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.5
5.5
Quality
Points
x 3.0
=
x
x
x
x
x
=
=
=
=
=
3.7
3.3
4.0
2.7
4.0
Total Quality Points
Unweighted Weighted
3.0
3.3
3.7
3.3
4.0
2.7
2.0
18.7
3.7
3.3
4.0
2.7
2.0
19.0
TOTAL
Total Quality Points divided by Total Credits = GPA
18.7 divided by 5.5 = 3.40 GPA
19.0 divided by 5.5 = 3.45 Weighted GPA
If a student has taken honors or Advanced Placement course, he or she will also have a weighted
GPA. The weighted GPA is computed by adding a .3 for an honors course and/or Advanced
Placement course. For example, when computing a weighted GPA, a B in honors biology is
computed as a 3.3. A letter grade of C in AP Spanish Language is computed as a 2.3, not a 2.0,
in the weighted GPA.
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All grade-bearing courses taught at Sewickley Academy are computed into the Sewickley
Academy GPA.
Information about a student's academic performance is transmitted to colleges by detailed letters
from his/her College Advisor describing the quality of the student's academic effort.
 Students in Academic Difficulty
Student grades are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the Head of Senior School, the
Director of Support Services, the grade coordinators, and the Registrar. Probation and warning
status are determined so that appropriate measures can be put into effect to support students and
improve their achievement.
Warning and particularly probation status are serious circumstances that require immediate
intervention by the advisor, Support Services, teachers, parents, and most importantly, the
student. Warning or probation status means that a student is not meeting the minimum standard
of academic achievement and that could jeopardize his/her status at Sewickley Academy.
Parents should expect progress reports well in advance of marking periods to ensure that there is
opportunity to address a grade or series of grades that are at a C- level or below. Prior to report
cards, the following steps might occur at the behest of the parents, teachers, Support Services,
the advisor, or the student:




Help sessions during the academic day
After school help sessions
Regular meetings with Support Services to develop a student improvement plan
A meeting with parents, teachers, coaches, Support Services, and the Head of
Senior School to discuss appropriate strategies for improvement
If, at the end of the quarter, a student finds himself/herself on warning or probation, the
following provides an outline of the steps that will provide a pathway to future success.
 Academic Warning
Students will be placed on Academic Warning with:
1 grade of D+ or lower
2 grades of C- or lower
2 effort grades of S-/U
Consequences of Academic Warning include:
1. Student is placed in supervised study during some or all free periods.
2. Student may not miss any class periods of those classes that resulted in their being placed
on Warning.
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3. Student loses sign-out privileges.
Students will remain on Academic Warning for the entire quarter.
Students improving their grades sufficiently by the end of the next quarter will be removed from
Academic Warning status.
If a student is on Academic Warning at the end of the school year, Academic Warning will carry
forward to the start of the next school year.
 Academic Probation
Students will be placed on Academic Probation with:
1 grade of F
2 grades of D+ or lower
3 grades of C- or lower
3 or more effort grades of S-/U
Consequences of Academic Probation include:
1. Student is placed in supervised study during some or all free periods as determined by the
grade coordinators.
2. Student may not miss any part of the school day for any reason, including study halls.
3. Student may attend field trips only with the permission of the Dean of Students or the
Head of Senior School.
4. Student loses sign-out privileges.
Students will remain on Academic Probation for the entire quarter.
Students improving their grades sufficiently by the end of the next quarter will be removed from
Academic Probation status.
If a student is on Academic Probation at the end of the school year, Academic Probation will
carry forward to the start of the next school year.
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THE HANSEN LIBRARY
Introduction: The library program at Sewickley Academy promotes life-long learning through
library use. Hansen Library serves students in Grades 6-12. The goal of the library is to supply
students with the best age-appropriate materials in print and electronic formats in all curricular
areas. There is also a selection of fiction and non-fiction books to encourage recreational
reading.
Hours: The library is open and staffed from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Thursday
and from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM on Fridays and the days before Winter and Spring Breaks.
Resources and Services: The electronic catalog is available on-line at library.sewickley.org or
from the SA homepage. On the library homepage you will also find links to electronic resources
provided by the state-wide POWER Library project and the full-text New York Times both the
current edition and the historical database. The direct links only work on campus; directions for
accessing these resources from home with usernames and passwords are available in the library.
The library also participates in the state-wide program Access Pennsylvania. We have access to
two million titles from across the state and can borrow books for student or faculty use when
given enough time for the request to be filled.
Circulation: Circulation is for three weeks and books may be renewed as needed. Often when
there is a class-wide assignment (e.g., for all Grade 9 World Civilizations classes), books will be
placed on reserve and must be used in the library to provide access to all students. In that case
students may photocopy information free of charge.
Overdue notices are sent out at the beginning of each month and students are asked to return or
renew the materials. Two times each school year, in January and June, parents and students are
notified of overdue books and it is assumed the books are lost; at that time, the cost of the book
is charged to the student’s account.
Computer Loft: The computers in the loft are available for student use when the library is
open except when teachers reserve the loft for class use. These computers are for academic use
only, and students must sign in and out on the clipboard that is at the librarians’ desk.
Behavior: The library should be quiet at all times, before, during and after school. Personal
music players are never permitted; nor are food, drink, or gum. Students who do not follow the
rules will be reported to the Dean of Students in the Senior School and demerits will be assigned.
Students will be denied access to the library for serious or persistent offenses.
THE HONOR ROLL
Honor Rolls will be determined at the end of each semester and at year-end. Semester Honor
Rolls consider the GPA and grades as well as semester and citizenship marks. The year-end
honor roll will reflect every course taken by a student for credit during the entire year, including
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those grades and effort marks completed during the first semester.
HIGHEST HONORS - 3.7 average with no grade below a B+ in any subject including Fine
Arts and Computer. All Citizenship and Effort marks S or above.
HIGH HONORS - 3.3 average with no grade below a B in any subject including Fine Arts, and
Computer. All Citizenship and Effort marks S or above.
HONORS - 3.0 average with no grade below a B in any subject including Fine Arts, and
Computer except a B- is allowed in an Honors or AP course. All Citizenship and Effort marks S
or above.
All Honor Rolls will be determined by a letter grade equivalent to the average of the student's
grades. Averages will be determined by the point system (4.0) based on all courses. One third
of a point will be added to a grade in an Honors or AP course. Numbers will NOT be rounded
off. Once averaged, the number will be translated back into a letter grade.
The Head of the Senior School or whomever he/she personally selects to complete the task will
do the averaging of the grades.
To be considered for Honor Roll all students must:
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Pass any pass/fail courses.
Complete every course in which he/she is enrolled after the official time of
withdrawal without penalty as stipulated elsewhere in the Student Handbook.
Take a minimum course load of five (5) full-credit courses per semester.
Students on Honor Roll may have their names removed from any of the Honor Rolls for a
serious academic infraction such as cheating or plagiarism. This action will be taken at the
discretion of Head of the Senior School, who will consult with the student's advisor.
Students earning a place on the Honor Roll will receive letters of commendation from the Head
of the Senior School, will have their names posted in an appropriate place in the Senior School,
and will have the honor noted on their transcripts.
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE SENIOR SCHOOL
In order to be graduated from the Senior School a student must have completed a minimum of 18
credits (Carnegie Units), excluding physical education.
Departmental graduation requirements are as follows:
ENGLISH: 4 credits. One must be in Essential English Skills, normally a Grade 10 course.
Students who enter the Academy in their junior year are required to take English 10 (identified as
English 11 on the official transcript). Juniors who score a B+ or higher in their first semester of
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English 10 may, with their English teacher’s recommendation, leave English 10 to take a juniorsenior elective in the second semester.
MATHEMATICS: through Algebra II. A minimum of four credits in mathematics in the
Senior School is strongly recommended.
HISTORY: 3 credits: World Civilizations I and II, and United States History.
WORLD LANGUAGES: 3 credits in the same language. Students may continue the language
started in the Middle School or begin a new language in the Senior School.
SCIENCE: 3 credits.
FINE ARTS: 1 credit.
HEALTH: All students are required to participate in the Senior School Health program.
COMPUTER: All students must demonstrate a proficiency in computer applications.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: A detailed description of Sewickley Academy’s Community
Service Program is available from the Director of Community Service.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION: 1 credit. 1/4 credit in physical education is earned each year.
Students in Grades 9 and 10 must take regular PE classes during the year. Students participating
in a JV or Varsity sport are exempt from PE during the entire time in which the sport is played.
Students in Grades 11 and 12 must take regular PE classes, or undergo an independent study that
meet pre-approval from the Head of the Senior School Physical Education program. Students
participating in a JV or Varsity sport are exempt from PE while the sport is in season. Managers
must take PE.
ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO CARRY A MINIMUM OF FIVE FULL CREDIT
SUBJECTS EACH SEMESTER (NOT INCLUDING PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND
HEALTH).
A STUDENT REPEATING A COURSE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE A GRADE MUST
TAKE A MINIMUM OF FIVE MAJOR SUBJECTS EACH SEMESTER. CREDIT FOR
A COURSE THAT IS REPEATED COUNTS ONLY ONCE TOWARDS GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS.
STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN YEAR-LONG COURSES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMPLETE THE COURSES BEFORE CREDIT IS GIVEN.
SENIORS MUST PASS ALL COURSES. IF A STUDENT HAS A GRADE OF "F" OR
"INCOMPLETE" BY THE DAY OF GRADUATION AND THAT GRADE HAS NOT
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BEEN CAUSED BY AN EXTENDED, DOCUMENTED ILLNESS, THEN THAT
SENIOR WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRADUATION
CEREMONY.
ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES ARE
EXPECTED TO SIT FOR THE AP EXAMINATION. SEE INDIVIDUAL COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS TO IDENTIFY THOSE COURSES WHERE THE AP EXAMINATION
IS REQUIRED.
STUDENTS TRANSFERRING INTO THE ACADEMY FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL
WILL HAVE THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS DETERMINED AT THE
TIME OF ENTRY IN CONFERENCE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE
GUIDANCE.
Please note: administrators may waive the graduation requirements at their discretion.
SPECIAL STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
Foreign Experience Programs:
Sewickley Academy is affiliated with the following programs and institutions that offer
opportunities for study to students with special interests:
Congress-Bundestag Exchange
French Exchange
Chinese Exchange Program
German Exchange in Munich
Oxford Summer Program
Australia Exchange: Central Coast Grammar School
Rocky Mountain Semester
Swiss Semester: located in Zermatt, Switzerland, is a coeducational program for the first
semester sophomores from thirty of the finest independent schools in the United States. Swiss
Semester offers adventure, personal and physical challenge, and a temporary change of routine,
without any sacrifice of rigorous academic preparation for competitive colleges. Course related
travel (Italy, France, Austria) and outdoor activity (especially mountain climbing, hiking and
skiing) are an integral part of the Swiss Semester experience. Application to Swiss Semester
must be made during fall of the freshman year.
Maine Coast Semester: This is a one-semester program for juniors in either half of the year. The
program focuses on environmental concerns, but students take all the required junior year
courses, studying in a small residential community on the coast of Maine. Participating students
come from public and independent schools all over the country.
Domestic Exchange Program: Students in Grades 10 and 11 are encouraged to see the Division
Head if they would like to explore the possibility of spending a quarter/trimester of the year at
another independent school in another part of the country. Sewickley Academy belongs to this
exchange program and inquiries are encouraged. Participating Schools include: Albuquerque
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Academy, NM; Catlin Gable School, OR; Charlotte Latin School, NC; Cincinnati
Country Day, OH; Hamden Hall School, CT; Kentucky Country Day, KY; Lakeside
School, WA; Princeton Day School, NJ; St. John's School, TX; St. Paul's School for Girls,
MD; Seven Hills School, OH; Tower Hill School, DE.
Senior Projects:
Seniors meeting prescribed requirements participate in an internship program that begins after
AP exams have been given. Students are reminded that they must be in dress code any time they
are at Sewickley Academy during the project period.
STUDENT RECORDS POLICY
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (the “Act”) accords to parents of
students who are, or have been, in attendance at Sewickley Academy, until their child attains age
18, and to the student after his/her 18th birthday, the right to inspect and review the educational
records of the student. Non-custodial parents have the same right as custodial parents unless
state statute or court order has revoked it.
The educational records to which the Act applies include: the student’s application form, reports
from a previous school, all term grade and comment forms, and the student’s Health Assessment
Record. The Act does not pertain to records written and maintained by faculty and
administrative personnel for their own use. Nor does the right to inspect and review extend to
admissions and financial aid materials that were solicited under promise of confidentiality and/or
materials to which the parents and student have waived their right of review.
To inspect a student’s record, a parent or guardian should submit a written, dated request to the
appropriate Division Head or Registrar (in the Senior School). Within 45 days of receipt of such
a request, the person making the request will be notified of a time and place when the records
may be inspected and reviewed.
In accordance with the Act, the school may release a student’s educational record, without the
prior written consent of the parent or student, to Sewickley Academy faculty and administrative
personnel, to officials of other schools at which the student seeks or intends to enroll, to certain
federal, state and local officials, and to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf, of,
educational agencies or institutions for specified purposes. It is understood that records
maintained by the school subject to the Act will not be released until all obligations, including
but not limited to academic, extracurricular and financial, have been met.
The Act also provides that personal information including the student’s name, address, telephone
listing, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight
and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and
the most recent previous educational institution attended by the student may be made public by
the school. Parents who do not want this information released without their prior consent must
so inform the Registrar in writing.
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After a student graduates or leaves the Academy, his/her educational record is retained according
to the following guidelines: the Sewickley Academy application, transcript, and school letter of
college recommendation are kept permanently (N.B. if the parents and student have waived their
right of review, the college recommendation will not be available for inspection; the waiver will
also be maintained in the file); the remainder of a student’s file is preserved for five years
beyond his/her scheduled date of graduation from the Academy, after which it is destroyed.
STUDY HALLS
Study halls are designed to help students structure their time. Therefore, guidelines for behavior
in study halls are as follows:
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The period must be devoted to academic work.
No reading of magazines or newspapers is permitted unless they are part of a class
assignment.
Quiet study conditions must prevail at all times.
Any student who needs to study in another place (computer room, library) must have a
note from the teacher who gave the assignment.
Section II - Activities, Events and Special
Assemblies
ASSEMBLIES
All students are expected to attend assemblies held during the school year, unless specifically
excused by the Dean of Students. When at an assembly in Rea Auditorium, Senior School
students should be particularly conscious that they set the example for the younger students.
Therefore, the conduct of Senior School students before, during and after an assembly should
reflect their maturity and their leadership in the school. A block of seats will be reserved in Rea
Auditorium for each class and their advisors. Students should try to get seated and settled as
soon as possible so the assembly can start promptly; and when it is over, they should move
quickly to their next class.
AWARDS AND CUM LAUDE SOCIETY
The following awards are among those that may be presented at graduation:
The Academy Award
This award is for a deserving senior who displays the distinguishing qualities of moral goodness
and perseverance, and who above all, is sincere in academic pursuits.
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The Faculty Award
The award is given to the graduating student who has constantly displayed with a cheerful and
mature attitude, or unselfish service to the entire school community and a sincere concern for
others.
James E. Cavalier Award
The award is chosen by the Senior School faculty and is given to a senior who has achieved a
record of combined excellence in scholarship, sportsmanship, and citizenship, thereby bringing
credit to the Academy and distinguishing himself/herself as the best all-around graduate.
Cum Laude Society
The high school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa, members are elected by the faculty members of
the Cum Laude Society once yearly from the junior class and once yearly from the senior class.
Criteria include an honor record for the junior and senior years with consistently good grades in
citizenship and effort and fulfillment of Community Service requirements. Students whose
grades are worthy of consideration will be further evaluated on the overall strength of their
academic program. Up to 20% of the senior class may be elected in any one year.
CLASS SPONSORED ACTIVITIES
Each class has four officers (president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer) who are elected
by their peers. Each class president is a member of the Student Council. The class president
should have attended the Academy for one semester and be in good academic standing. Officers
of each class represent and are the spokespersons for the class to the school and at faculty
meetings. The grade coordinator is the class advisor. As a group, the classes organize social
activities, fund-raising and community service projects.
Class meetings are held on a regular basis or as called by the president and the faculty advisor.
Attendance is mandatory. The meetings are an important class function and serve as a forum for
discussing class problems or projects. The junior class is responsible for arranging the Prom in
the spring and the senior class is responsible for arranging the Semi-formal Dance in December.
It is each student's responsibility to take an active part in class activities. NO CLASS
MEETINGS CAN BE HELD WITHOUT PRIOR CLEARANCE BY THE CLASS ADVISOR
AND THE ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR.
A class or any group wishing to hold an event to raise money for the group must first clear its
plans, date and time with the Activities Coordinator and the Director of Advancement.
Generally speaking there should be at least one week's notice at a minimum for any event to be
properly scheduled.
CLUBS AND PUBLICATIONS
Clubs are established according to the needs and interests of the student body. All clubs and
activity groups must have a faculty sponsor. Student clubs and activity groups are encouraged to
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plan activities both during the school day and after school. All the events sponsored by the
various clubs and classes must be cleared through the Activities Coordinator.
The following guidelines were developed by a faculty-student committee during the 2000-2001
academic year.
1. Students should consult with college guidance regarding participation in clubs and the
college admissions process. Usually, quality not quantity is what colleges seek.
2. Faculty advisors and student club officers will meet before the first club meeting to establish
a list of the club’s goals for the year. This list will be publicly posted (on the web and/or on
paper) at the beginning of the school year before sign-up. This will allow students to see
what each club plans to do and to make an informed decision about what kind of clubs are
offered and what kind of participation is required.
3. Active participation is required of anyone signed up for the club. More than simply
attending, this means participation in all club activities. Students are not permitted to sign up
for more than one club per time slot.
4. Clubs will have two meeting times per month, without exception. If assemblies or other
events are needed, an activities day schedule on a different day of the week will be
implemented so as to not interfere with clubs.
5. Student club leaders and participants will concentrate on fulfilling the club goals for the year.
The teacher will serve as an active advisor, which involves taking attendance, maintaining
control during meetings and requiring participation of all students.
A list of some of the clubs and special interest groups in the Senior School follows:
PUBLICATIONS
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The Seventh Pillar - newspaper
Kaleidoscope - yearbook
Ephemera - literary magazine
History Journal
CLUBS
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African-American Awareness Club
American Youth Foundation
Amnesty International
Facade: a drama group
Forensics Club
GSA Gay-Straight Alliance
German Club
Head of School's Forum
Indian Awareness Club
Key Club is a service organization, part of the State and National Key Clubs
sponsored by the Kiwanis Club.
Math League
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Mock Trial involves interscholastic competition among area schools where each
school fields a team of lawyers who compete in real courtrooms with contrived cases.
Model UN
Sewickley Asian Youth
S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving)
Student Council
Teen Leadership Council
Student Ambassadors
Wall Street/FBLA
Women's Issues Group
DANCES
 General Guidelines
Student officers, club officials or groups wishing to hold dances must follow these guidelines:
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Students planning dances should check the date and arrangements (i.e. time, contracts,
etc.) well in advance - a minimum of three weeks. These should be cleared with the
faculty advisor, the Head of the Senior School, the Dean of Students, the Dean of Student
Activities and the Business Manager. Faculty and parent chaperones must be secured
before final approval is given.
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Arrange for chaperones and student monitors.
-One parent couple and three faculty members are needed.
-Give their names to the faculty advisor and to the Head of School at least one
week in advance.
-See that the chaperones receive the printed guidelines which are available
in the Senior School Office.
-On the day of the dance have the Senior School Office notify the police
department of the time of the dance.
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Notify the DJ or band of the time and arrangements. All people who accompany the DJ
or the band must observe school rules.
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Set up the committee.
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Get proper keys from Business Manager, including keys to the clean-up materials.
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Arrive at least one hour before the dance.
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Have arrangements in place by the start of the dance - tables, money, stamp, etc.
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Student monitors should arrive at the dance 15 minutes prior to the start and meet with
the chaperones to plan their duties.
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Guests: Academy students may bring one outside guest to the dance. They should sign
in and register their name and the name of their guest. It is a matter of courtesy for
students to introduce their guest to at least one of the faculty chaperones.
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During the dance, the sponsoring group should assist with the supervision. No food is
permitted in the gym itself. The gym lobby and the area immediately in front of the gym
should be used for eating.
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The clean-up committee should sweep the floors, clean and return the tables, check the
rest rooms, check the parking lot, return chairs and other items, and turn out lights and
lock all doors.
EDGEWORTH CLUB
The Edgeworth Club is not to be used as an alternative lounge or cafeteria. Students should not
visit the Club during free periods and should have permission from the Dean of Students or Head
of the Senior School to eat lunch there. This is a procedure that has been worked out by mutual
agreement of the Club management and the school.
PEER COUNSELORS - RESPONSIBILITIES
Peer Counselors is a group of approximately 30 juniors and seniors who represent the different
interests and activities of Senior School life. Students must apply and go through an interview
process in order to be selected as a Peer Counselor. The goal of Peer Counselors is to help the
freshmen and new students make an easy transition into Senior School. Peer Counselors are also
asked to set a good example with the decisions that they make inside and outside of school.
Responsibilities of a Peer Counselor:
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Peer Counselors are assigned to a freshman homeroom and meet with them during the
homeroom period every other Monday. Each Peer Counselor is expected to get in
touch with their freshmen advisees over the summer and to be a good listener during
the year about problems (social, academic, etc.).
It is mandatory that every Peer Counselor attend an overnight training retreat in the
summer and visit the freshmen at Linsly. Regular meetings, round table discussions
and other related activities are also mandatory.
New students are paired with a Peer Counselor at the beginning of the year. Peer
Counselors are asked to invite the new student to lunch and introduce them to other
students. They are to check in with the new students periodically throughout the year.
Peer Counselors should encourage freshmen and new students to participate in sports
and other activities.
It is expected that Peer Counselors will be friendly, inclusive, respectful and good
listeners.
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SCHOOL TRIPS
School trips are an important part of the academic and extra-curricular program. Permission
slips from a parent or guardian are required. Faculty and/or parent chaperones are present on all
trips.
The following guidelines must be followed in order to insure that everyone will benefit from the
trips:
All Senior School rules apply to students while on school trips, (the Dean’s Office may
grant special permission for relaxed dress code on some school trips). STUDENTS MUST
USE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION TO ATTEND ALL EVENTS. Before leaving on an
overnight trip, students will be asked to reaffirm the statement on complying with school
rules (particularly those involving use of alcohol or drugs) that they signed on their
enrollment contract. Any breach of the contract will result in disciplinary action that may
include disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion.
Students may be denied permission to go on school trips if they are on Disciplinary Probation or
if the Academic Review Committee believes that these students should not miss academic
classes.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
 Linsly Outdoor Program for Freshmen
All freshmen participate in a three-day residential program at the Linsly Outdoor Center in
Raccoon Creek State Park. Activities include the experiencing of a confidence course, group
problem solving and initiatives, backpacking and environmental education. The purpose is to
integrate the class into a cohesive, cooperative whole, while strengthening the individual
student's self-esteem and self-confidence.
 Paideia
Paideia is a unique educational program that allows students and faculty to discuss in a
roundtable setting some topic of global interest. The entire senior school first views a movie or
reads a book that provides the setting for the discussions that will follow. Although students
chair the discussion groups, all members of the community, including administration, are
encouraged to participate. A full morning in the fall is devoted to this program.
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STUDENT COUNCIL AND CLASS OFFICERS
The Student Council is composed of students elected by their peers. It is meant to encourage a
spirit of cooperation among students, faculty and administration, to offer a forum for student
opinion and to foster student involvement in school activities.
In addition to fund raising, the Council also sponsors such activities as the opening-of-school
picnic, Bizarre and Extreme Day at Halloween, and the Coffee House. Council meetings are
announced and the agenda posted in advance. All meetings are open to members of the student
body and faculty unless otherwise noted by the president. The minutes of the meetings are
posted after each meeting.
STUDENT COUNCIL BY-LAWS:
I. PROCEDURE FOR AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION:
Three-Fourths of the Student Council must vote in favor of the amendment in order for it to pass.
II. LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE FOR REVISING, DELETING, OR ADDING TO THE BYLAWS:
A) When proposals are being discussed, Student Council meetings will always be open
unless three-quarters of the Council decides there is a reason for having the meeting
closed. If three-quarters of the Council votes to close a meeting, the reason it is
closed shall be included in the minutes of that meeting.
B) When a proposal is brought to the Student Council, it will be considered and voted
upon. A proposal cannot be passed without the prior knowledge and presence of at
least one of the Council’s faculty members. If three-fourths of the entire Student
Council vote in favor of the proposal as it stands, it then goes to the Head of the
Senior School for final approval. If less than three-fourths of the Student Council
votes in favor of it, it will be returned to the originator with suggestions for revisions.
If the Head of the Senior School does not approve of the proposal, it will again be
returned to the originator with suggestions for revisions. If the Head of the Senior
School approves it, the proposal will go into effect and be entered into the official
Student Council file.
III. ELECTION PROCEDURES:
A) Membership to the Student Council:
1) At least four weeks before the start of final exams Article III of the By-Laws
shall be posted.
2) It shall be announced that all positions on the Council are open for the
upcoming school years.
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3) In the following week, nominations for the position of Student Council
President shall be accepted. The following guidelines shall be followed
during Student Council President election procedure:
a) All candidates for president must be upcoming seniors.
b) Any student may nominate oneself or another student in the upcoming
senior class.
c) Nominees must collect a designated number of signatures from
members of the student body.
(Candidates for President – 40 from entire student body)
(Candidates for Representative – 30 from respective class)
1) These signatures must be handed to the Dean of Student
Activities five school days before school election.
2) In no less than two days prior to the election, all nominees must
meet with the Student Council advisor(s).
d) To be on the ballot, each candidate must accept the nomination and
agree to serve if elected.
e) Nominations may be made up to five school days before the elections.
f) All candidates will speak for no less than three and no more than five
minutes before the Senior School two days before the election.
g) The student body will then vote by official secret ballot – each student
has one vote.
h) The present Student Council representatives will oversee the voting
process. The results will be final – whoever has the most votes wins.
i) No vote will be counted that is not submitted on an official ballot.
Absentee voters must also use official ballots that must be handed to
the current Student Council President or an advisor by the end of
Election Day.
j) If the winning margin is less than four votes, the candidates may
demand a recount within one day of the election.
k) The final vote count shall be made available to the candidates.
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4) After the Student Council President elections, nominations for the class
officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) in the upcoming
freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes will be accepted.
5) The voting procedure for the class officers will take place as the presidential
election did. Instead of voting as a single student body, though, each class
will vote for class officers.
6) Candidates for Class President must meet with the appropriate Grade
Coordinator and turn in a copy of their speech no less than 2 days before the
election.
7) All Council members are elected to serve for the entire school year unless
circumstances arise that end the student’s term early.
8) Class representatives for the upcoming sophomore, junior, and senior classes
shall be elected in the manner in which the class officers were elected. If
needed, each class will hold a run-off to bring the number of representative
candidates down to six. It shall only be held if the number of candidates
running is nine or greater. The three receiving the most votes wins. They
shall become members of the Student Council in the upcoming year, exofficio.
9) Following the elections, the Student Council will vote on advisors with a
majority. Other teachers are always welcome to attend, provided the meeting
has not been closed.
10) Each person may run for a maximum of one class officer position and one
Student Council position other than Student Council President. In addition,
seniors may also run for Student Council President.
C) Eligibility for Membership in the Student Council
1) Students must be enrolled as a student at Sewickley Academy for at least one
semester during the year of the election.
2) Attendance is required at each Student Council meeting for the time stated in
the agenda. No member may have more than three unexcused absences. If a
member of the Council is not present within the first 10 minutes of the
meeting, he or she will be considered absent. Any member arriving between
the schedule start time and ten minutes will be marked tardy. Three tardies
equal one unexcused absence. If a member must be excused from a meeting,
he shall report this to the president or secretary before the meeting. Any
member having more than the allowable number of unexcused absences shall
be automatically removed from the Council. In addition to attending the
Student Council meetings, the members of the council must participate
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substantially in an adequate number of activities and committees throughout
the year, as determined by the council, president, or faculty advisors.
3) If any member of the Student Council is removed or resigns from office, the
class he or she represented will elect a replacement by preferential ballot
before the next scheduled meeting. If the president is removed or resigns, the
vice-president shall become president, even if he or she is not a senior. The
Council shall elect a new vice-president from the Council.
4) If any member of the Student Council is disciplined, the class will hold a vote,
requiring a simple majority, deciding if the student is to remain on the council.
In the case of Student Council President, the entire Senior School shall vote.
5) If a faculty member is removed or resigns, the Council shall elect a new
faculty member by a majority vote.
6) Students, who for any reason are dismissed from the Student Council, are
ineligible to run for Student Council offices of the subsequent year.
STUDENT COUNCIL CONSTITUTION:
(Amended and ratified May, 2004)
I. PURPOSE:
The Purpose of the Student Council is to represent the opinions of the students in assisting the
trustees and administration in the formation and alteration of school policy. The final
responsibility for school policy rests with the trustees and Head of School; the Council’s role is
strictly advisory. The Student Council also is to take a leadership role in organizing certain
student activities.
II: SIZE
The Student Council consists of:
A) Five members from each class: each Class President and Vice-President, plus three
representatives from each class.
B) Faculty members, elected by the Student Council ex-officio.
C) One Student Council President, a senior who is elected by the entire Senior School.
D) Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are elected by the Council from either inside
or outside the Council at the beginning of the school year.
III. OFFICERS:
A) The President of the Council will be a member of the senior class, elected by the
students and cannot hold a class office. The President will preside at all Council
meetings, oversee all Council activities, and nominate committee chairpersons.
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B) The vice-president will be elected by the members of the Council and will preside in
the absence of the President and must also be a student. The person does not have to be a
member of the Council at the time of election and can be in any grade.
C) The Secretary will take minutes of all meetings and see that they are posted in the
school. The Secretary will post the agenda for the meeting and the minutes from the
previous meeting on the student bulleting board before each meeting. The person does
not have to be a member of the Council at the time of election and can be in any grade.
D) The Treasurer will be responsible for handling all Student Council receipts and
keeping track of the Student Council budget. The Treasurer is also responsible for
dispensing money to groups outside the Council who ask for financial assistance.
The person does not have to be a member of the Council at the time of election and
can be in any grade.
IV) MEETINGS:
A) When school is in session, the Council meets every Thursday at 7:30 AM.
B) Meeting structure will be decided upon by the president before the meeting. Other
Council members may present proposals. Representatives from other groups may also
present proposals.
V) RESPONSIBILITY:
A) The Student Council shall serve as the primary liaison of student opinion to the
administration and special interest groups.
B) The Student Council may itself initiate proposals concerning school policy or
activities.
C) The Student Council will make recommendations for the Student Handbook.
E) Any suggestions or alterations to existing policy are to be considered by the Student
Council and voted upon. After a change is approved, Student Council will take it to
the administration. Any proposed changes to those alterations should be presented by
the Student Council to the administration.
F) The Student Council will be responsible for conducting the Student Council elections
in the spring of each year.
G) The Student Council will oversee the Activities Fund and make recommendations to
the Head of the Senior School.
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VI) STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF COMMITTEES:
A) The Student Council will delegate responsibilities to Committees, made up of
students (from the entire student body) and (Senior School) faculty. The responsibilities
of a committee include suggesting legislation, organizing activities, and maintaining the
orderly functioning of the school.
B) Committees can only make suggestions to the Student Council for a change in policy.
Implementation can only occur after the approval of the Student Council and, if
necessary, administrative approval.
C) All committees will report to the Student Council at each regular meeting, or when
the committee itself deems necessary at extra meetings.
D) At any time the Student Council may set up, revise, or dissolve committees.
E) The membership of a committee shall consist of a chairperson, a faculty member, and
student members. In special instances, a majority vote of the Student Council can alter
these membership requirements for that particular committee. The membership of
committees shall be determined by the Student Council at the time of the committee’s
formation.
F) The Council reserves the right to dismiss any member of a committee through the
legislative process.
G) The attendance rules for a committee shall be determined by a majority vote of the
committee upon its formation.
VII. BUDGET:
The Student Council will be budgeted certain monies each year from the activities fund. The
exact amount will be determined at the beginning of each year by the Student Council with the
approval of the Head of the Senior School. All Student Council expenses will come from that
account. The Student Council must raise additional funds it desires.
STUDENT COUNCIL REFERENDUMS
The purpose of the referendum will be to get the entire student body’s opinion on issues deemed
necessary by the Student Council. The vote will be monitored by Student Council
Representatives. The student body’s vote does not represent whether the issues will be passed or
vetoed; it simply provides the Student Council with further opinions to help place their vote
during its meetings. A Student Council vote of 60% passes the proposed issue, with 55% to 65%
votes demanding a recount.
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STUDENT COUNCIL TOWN MEETINGS
Town Meetings are intended to promote an atmosphere of understanding and communication
about topics of concern among all members of the Sewickley Academy community. Students
must attend so that they have the opportunity to recommend changes, as they discuss, criticize,
and celebrate actions within the school and beyond.
Town meetings will occur on an as-needed basis, as determined by the Student Council or class
officers.
The focus of discussion for town meetings will be determined by the student body. The agenda
for Town Meeting will be prepared by class officers, and Student Council members will lead the
meetings.
CLASS AND STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICERS, 2009-2010
Student Council President
Jack Howes
Senior Council Members
Toby Arriaga
Emma Jordan
Maddie Sproull
Junior Council Members
Alex Bailey
Will Hogan
Meghan Torrence
Sophomore Council Members
Emma Diehle
Caite Howes
Annie Magovern
Freshman Council Members
TBA
Senior Class: President
Vice-President
BK Koh
Zoha Imam
Junior Class: President
Vice-President
Aurley Morris
Melanie Trecha
Sophomore Class: President
Vice-President
Chrissy McGinn
Caitlin Bungo
Freshman Class: President
Vice-President
TBA
TBA
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Section III - Emergency Procedures
EMERGENCIES, ILLNESS AND ACCIDENTS
All accidents and injuries should be reported immediately to the nearest teacher or the Senior
School Office. The school will then call the school nurse, the student's parents, or the ambulance
as necessary, and follow emergency procedures.
Should a student become ill during the day he/she should report to the office. The student may
then choose to lie down in a space provided for such occasions or go home. The Dean of
Students will call home first to notify the parents and to make whatever arrangements are
necessary. Students are not permitted to leave school until a parent or guardian can be reached,
or the parent has previously given explicit permission.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE SCHOOL IS NOT ALLOWED TO DISPENSE
MEDICINE, EVEN NON-ASPIRIN. ALL MEDICINES ARE DISPENSED BY THE
SCHOOL NURSES.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Emergency numbers are printed on pages at the end of this handbook.
FIRE DRILLS
The prime concern is to be sure that absolutely everyone clears the building and moves quickly
and quietly to the designated areas. When the alarm rings, students should leave their belongings
behind and exit the building in a quiet and orderly fashion. Each class should line up in an
orderly fashion and remain quiet until the all clear is given.
Students who are not scheduled to be in class and are in the Commons at the time of the drill
should line up in the designated area.
Any student who is disruptive during a fire drill may receive demerit points or more serious
consequences.
Emergency exit routes and meeting areas will be posted throughout the Senior School.
HEAR TO HELP
In the Senior School, a network called Hear to Help, a non-disciplinary support group, is
available to students, faculty members, and parents who wish to express a concern or seek help
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regarding a student's emotional or physical health in the areas of drugs, alcohol, eating disorders,
or depression. Members of the team have been trained by professionals at St. Francis Medical
Center. The team can receive referrals from any member of the Sewickley Academy community.
All referrals are strictly confidential. Names of team members are available in the Senior School
office and on the website.
SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Douglas Jones, Ph.D. is an independent contractor who provides psychological screening,
parenting and behavior management consultations, and short-term counseling, at no charge, for
Sewickley Academy students, parents and faculty members. Students aged 14 and above may
provide their own consent to consult with Dr. Jones. Students aged 13 and under may consult
with Dr. Jones with written permission from his/her parents. Permission forms are sent home
annually in the August back-to-school mailing and signatures must be renewed each year. Dr.
Jones is on campus Monday and Wednesday each week. Consultations with Dr. Jones may be
arranged through the Division Heads or by calling him directly at 412-784-8878. All
consultations are confidential. After talking with a student, if Dr. Jones believes a more extensive
evaluation or continued counseling is indicated, arrangements will be made to contact parents in
order to make recommendations. On occasion, in urgent situations where student safety may be
an issue, Dr. Jones, in conjunction with the appropriate Division Head, may take action to ensure
student safety.
SUPPORT SERVICES
“…helping children, teachers and families discover each child’s learning profile in order to
promote the use of strategies and skills which will allow them to grow in confidence,
motivation, and proficiency as students.”
The Support Team consists of six specialists who are available to students and parents. All
members work in collaboration with the division heads and faculty. These qualified individuals
are able to offer academic, emotional, and social support to Senior School students. The focus of
the department is to provide students with strategies which foster their individual strengths and
allow them to reach their full potential. The department is also available to faculty for
consultation.
Members of the Department Available to Senior School
Director of Support Services- Shannon Mulholland
Counselor - Lynn Sanborne
Learning Specialist - Leslie James
Consulting Psychologist - Doug Jones
SNOW DAYS
The Academy strongly urges parents to listen to the following stations rather than to call the
school office: KDKA (1020 AM), KDKA (Channel 2), WTAE (Channel 4) and WPXI (Channel
35
11) for announcements of school closings or delays due to snow or inclement weather. The
school website also provides notices about school closings and weather-related delays and
cancellations. Parents may sign up on the website for “Weather Watch,” which provides
automatic notification via e-mail of school closings and delays. Our first concern is for the safety
of our students. Any parent who feels that local road conditions are not safe for travel should
feel free to keep a child at home. However, please call the school office to advise us of your
decision. No child will be penalized for missing school because of dangerous road conditions.
SUICIDE INTERVENTION
 Places To Call If You're Not In School
CONTACT PITTSBURGH
412-820-4357 (24 hrs)
TEEN HOT LINE
412-361-8336 (7-11 PM)
FAMILY DOCTOR OR LOCAL EMERGENGY ROOM
 People To Contact If You Are In School
SCHOOL COUNSELOR, DEAN OF STUDENTS, SS DIVISION HEAD, HEAR TO
HELP, TRUSTED TEACHER.
SECTION IV - RULES, REGULATIONS AND
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED-SUBSTANCE STATEMENT
Sewickley Academy takes the position that all students must be chemically free to develop and
grow in the most productive and healthy manner. Accordingly, the Academy is committed to
educating students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and other substances and to working to
intervene and prevent their use. We strive to accomplish this goal through a combination of
appropriate curriculum, classroom activities, family and community support and resources, a
strong and consistent administrative and faculty effort, and both non-disciplinary/rehabilitative
and disciplinary procedures.
The Academy also recognizes that alcohol and drug use by minors is illegal, and our students
and their parents face criminal prosecution for such violations. Because such behavior can
impact more than one Academy family, we strongly urge all parents to abide by the laws of the
land and prohibit alcohol and drug use while students are under their supervision.
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The Academy prohibits the use, possession, or sale of alcohol, drugs, and any other moodaltering chemical on or in the vicinity of school property or at any school function, except as
properly prescribed and taken under the supervision of a treating physician. Where suspicion
exists that a student may be involved, the student and his/her parents will be apprised of our
concern and urged to seek professional help. In those instances where a student’s behavior
strongly indicates drug or alcohol use, the school may require a drug test, professional
intervention, and/or subsequent treatment, if indicated, in order for the student to continue
enrollment at the school.
A student on school grounds during a school session or anywhere at a school-sponsored activity,
who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or mood-altering substances or possesses, uses,
dispenses, sells, or aids in the procurement of alcohol, narcotics, restricted drugs, and moodaltering substances, will be liable to the penalties imposed in accordance with Academy policy.
These offenses will result in disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the Academy.
(See Disciplinary Consequences on Page 38.) While the Academy will impose its own
disciplinary measures, students are reminded that they are equally liable to prosecution by civil
authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Involvement with drugs or alcohol will be treated as a health issue as well as a disciplinary issue.
It is our hope that any student who has a concern about drug and alcohol issues for
himself/herself or a friend will consult with the Hear to Help Team in the Senior School.
The Head of School reserves the right to use any extraordinary measures deemed necessary to
control substance abuse even if the same is not provided for specifically in any rule or regulation
enumerated herein. These measures may include search of lockers, book bags, and drug testing.
Guidelines for behavior on off-campus trips, which are consistent with these policies, will be
established by the Academy and enforced by faculty sponsors.
 Non-Disciplinary Procedures
Students, faculty, or parents who wish to express a concern or seek help regarding drugs and
alcohol without disciplinary consequences may work with the Academy’s Hear to Help Team.
Composed of six faculty members, the school nurse, and the school psychologist, this team is
designed to promote health and wellness in the Senior School. The Hear to Help Team has been
trained by the St. Francis Medical Center and receive periodic updates from the St. Francis staff.
The Hear to Help Team may receive referrals or concerns from any member of the Academy
community: students, friends, faculty, staff, or parents. The Team will then follow up to see if
there is sufficient cause for concern. If the Team believes that intervention is necessary, parental
permission will be sought to allow a member of the group to interview the student of concern.
Interviews with students may reveal that there is no need for further action; however, if a serious
problem seems to be developing, the group will make recommendations to the family and to the
school that will be designed to promote the health and wellness of the student. These
recommendations may include formal outside evaluations or counseling and will be kept outside
the disciplinary system.
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 Disciplinary Consequences
Consequences will be severe and can result in expulsion from the Academy. The following
guidelines for offenses will prevail:
FIRST OFFENSE for distribution of drugs or alcohol – subject to expulsion.
FIRST OFFENSE for possession or use – (No minimum: possession or a sip is the same as
consumption of a larger quantity – being in the presence of such activity may bring disciplinary
measures as well.)

Student is required to be assessed by a qualified professional and submit a letter of results
of assessment from the qualified professional within 30 days. Continued enrollment at
the Academy is contingent upon following the professional’s recommendations.

Student will be subject to disciplinary action. Minimum – suspension; maximum –
expulsion.

Student is on disciplinary probation for a year.

Student is placed on Social Probation for at least 28 calendar days beginning the first day
following the offense. Social Probation is the exclusion of the student from all cocurricular activities and programs for a period of no less than 28 days. The probation
may be lengthened at the discretion of the school. Furthermore, students who are holding
an office in school organizations at the time of the offense will, in addition to writing a
letter of resignation, resign the office acknowledging a breach of the drug and alcohol
policy in front of the club or organization affected.

Athletes will be subject to discipline by their coaches. Such discipline may include
suspension or expulsion from the team. The Athletic Department will be consulted to
ensure consistency throughout the athletic program.
SECOND OFFENSE:

Student will be expelled.
For offenses committed outside the aegis of the Academy, the Academy presumes a concern but
not a disciplinary concern. The responsibility for students while not at school lies in the hands of
the families. The Academy asks families to support the laws of the land and policies of the
school. Parents are encouraged to acknowledge that their influence extends beyond their own
children to those under their supervision after school hours and beyond the school boundaries.
We will inform families if we hear of incidents that allegedly concern the behavior of their
children while not under school jurisdiction. (In extreme circumstances, the Academy reserves
the right to exercise discipline over off-campus offenses when they affect the well-being of the
school community.)
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The Academy will work with students to help them lead healthy, drug and alcohol free lives. For
a list of Academy and community resources on drug and alcohol concerns, students and families
may consult pages of the Senior School Handbook or contact the Hear to Help Team at the
Academy.
 Pennsylvania's Underage Drinking Law
The following is provided for informational purposes only.
Your driving privilege will be suspended if you are convicted of any of the following:
...Lying about your age to obtain alcohol.
...Purchasing, consuming, possessing, or transporting alcohol.
...Carrying a false identification card.
Your driving privilege will be suspended for the following time periods:
First Offense
90 days and/or $300 fine
Second Offense
1 year
Third and Subsequent Offenses
2 years
Individuals who do not have a driver's license will be ineligible to apply for a learner's permit for
the time period of the suspension. Suspensions for individuals under 16 years of age do not
begin until their 16th birthday. In addition to serving a suspension, a $25 restoration fee must be
paid before your license will be returned or your application for a learner's permit considered.
After your driving privilege is restored, your driving record will show five points, regardless of
the number of points which appeared on the record before your driving record was suspended.
In addition to a fine of up to $300, the police are also required to notify your parents. The court
may then require you to be evaluated to determine the extent of your involvement with alcohol
and may require you to successfully complete a program of alcohol education, intervention or
counseling. Adults who buy alcohol for persons under 21 - even their own children - as well as
anyone who makes or sells false identification will receive a mandatory fine of $1,000 for the
first offense and $2,500 for the second or subsequent offenses.
REMEMBER: You do not have to be in or near a car, have a driver's license or even be old
enough to drive for this law to apply. Merely being caught with fake ID, drinking, intoxicated,
transporting alcohol or having alcohol in your possession will result in your driving privileges
being suspended.
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to arrive by 8:10 AM. Students MUST check in with their own advisor
every morning. Students who are tardy but arrive before 8:20 AM should check in with their
advisor before going to class. Students who arrive after 8:20 AM must check in at the Senior
School Office or with the Dean’s Office. IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO
CHECK IN EVERY DAY. STUDENTS WHO DO NOT CHECK IN WITH EITHER
THEIR ADVISOR OR THE SENIOR SCHOOL OFFICE WILL RECEIVE THREE
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DEMERIT POINTS. Parents are expected to call the Senior School Office before 8:20 AM to
report a student’s absence. (The Sewickley Academy telephone number is 412-741-2230.)
Otherwise, the Dean of Students will call the student’s home. If the parent is not at home, the
Dean will call the parent’s office.
 Excused Absences
The Senior School faculty has a commitment to help students make up schoolwork missed due to
excused absences. These are defined as follows:
1. Emergency
a. Illness
b. Family emergency
2. Prearranged by the Family
At least one day in advance by a note from the parent and at the discretion of the
Dean of Students or the Senior School Division Head.
a. Religious holidays
The school honors all religious holidays.
b. Medical and dental appointments
Please do everything possible to arrange medical and dental appointments
outside of school hours.
c. College Visits
The school permits juniors three days and seniors five days to visit
colleges during the school year, but urges families to plan carefully so
there is a minimum number of classes missed. Students who exceed the
maximum allowable days for college visits will be marked as
UNEXCUSED. Seniors may ask for written permission for extra days
from their college guidance counselor. Seniors may not schedule college
visits that conflict with Senior Teacher Day. (See COLLEGES for
procedure.)
d. Sports or cultural events not sponsored by the school but sanctioned by it.
3. School-sponsored activities for which pre-arrangement by parents is not
necessary:
a. Sporting events or field trips.
b. Students should adhere to the following guidelines when meeting with college
representatives who are visiting Sewickley Academy. Juniors may meet with
representatives during their free periods while Seniors with permission from
teachers are encouraged to attend these meetings. Students are not excused
from tests to visit with college representatives.
To be excused for a prearranged absence a student must obtain an excuse slip from the Dean of
Students, have his/her teachers initial the slip to acknowledge the request to miss class, and
40
return the slip to the Dean’s office before leaving school. The purpose of the slip is to notify
each teacher of the planned absence and insure that the student has instructions about make-up
work. Students will be expected to make up missed work the next class day unless the teacher
and the Dean of Students make special arrangements. However, in all cases make-up work will
have to be done at the convenience of the teacher(s) involved.
Students will be permitted to make up tests missed during an excused absence. However, it is
not always possible to provide make-up opportunities for missed quizzes or laboratory work.
While teachers will make every effort to help students make up missed class work, it is
impossible to reproduce completely a class presentation or discussion. Students are expected to
assume responsibility for catching up as quickly as possible. In the event of an extended absence,
the student’s advisor and the Head of the Senior School will establish a reasonable schedule to
permit the student adequate time to catch up and prepare for missed tests. All major
assignments, as defined by the classroom teacher, must be completed. If a student does not turn
in a major assignment, the student will receive an “Incomplete” for the semester. All
“Incomplete” grades will automatically change to “F” grades two weeks after the close of the
semester. Any semester grade of “F” caused by incomplete work will cause the grade for the
entire course to be listed as “Incomplete” at the end of the year. The student will have two
weeks from the close of the school year to complete the work before the course grade becomes
an “F”. The work must conform to the requirements of the original assignment. (Also see
Graduation Requirements.)
PLEASE NOTE: ANY STUDENT WHO ACCUMULATES ABSENCES (EXCUSED OR
UNEXCUSED) THAT EQUAL OR EXCEED 20% OF THE TOTAL CLASS PERIODS
(PARTIAL OR FULL) FOR A SINGLE QUARTER JEOPARDIZES THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR COURSE CREDIT. THE DEAN OF STUDENTS WILL MEET WITH THE GRADE
COORDINATORS AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER AND REVIEW THE
ATTENDANCE RECORDS OF ALL STUDENTS. RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE
MADE TO THE SENIOR SCHOOL DIVISION HEAD WHO MAY DENY COURSE
CREDIT.
For the purposes of assessing missed classes, double science periods count as ONE class period.
 Other Absences
Parents who request that the student be absent from school for personal reasons such as family
events, vacations during scheduled school days, jobs, etc. should consider the consequences of
missing class time. Students frequently have difficulty making up missed work. These absences
are considered UNEXCUSED. Students who are absent from school and UNEXCUSED on
the attendance list are expected to make up all assignments, but will lose a full letter grade
from each graded assignment or test. This rule applies to ALL graded work and includes,
but is not limited to quizzes, tests, labs, reports, performances, homework, project
submissions, etc.
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 Vacation Periods
The dates for vacations are listed on the school calendar. Parents are asked to adhere strictly to
the published vacation dates. While parents may exercise their legitimate authority to absent
their children from classes when they judge it important enough to do so, in the case of
vacations prior notice does not constitute an excused absence. Moreover, the student must
recognize the obligation to meet all stated deadlines for homework, papers, and projects due on
the days to be missed. By extending their children’s vacations, parents jeopardize the children’s
chances for meeting obligations, and increase the risk of possible failure on tests and quizzes
missed, or for work past due. The Academy has no obligation to give a student the opportunity to
make up work or tests missed by not observing the stated dates for vacations and holidays.
 Class Attendance
Attendance is taken each day and a record is attached to the student’s report card. At the
beginning of each period teachers should report to the Dean of Students the names of absentees
who do not appear on the master list for that day.
A student is expected to attend every scheduled class. The School has a “no cut” policy;
therefore, a student who has cut a class will not be permitted to make up the work missed,
including quizzes, tests, or papers. Cutting a class is a serious matter and will result in
disciplinary action.
ON DAYS ON WHICH A STUDENT IS ABSENT FROM SCHOOL OR ARRIVES
AFTER THE BEGINNING OF FIRST PERIOD, HE/SHE MAY NOT ATTEND OR
PARTICIPATE IN ANY AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED
FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, I.E. YEARBOOK,
LITERARY MAGAZINE, ETC. MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS ARE THE ONLY
EXCEPTION.
 Penalties for Class Cuts
Students will receive seven demerit points for each class cut including PE and Study Halls.
Cutting class indicates that the student is having difficulty conforming to school policies. The
Senior School Division Head, the Dean of Students, and the student’s advisor will decide
additional penalties.
A DAYLONG CUT is a serious infraction of school rules, and the student will receive 30
demerit points and all other disciplinary consequences indicated on the chart of accumulated
demerits. A SECOND DAYLONG CUT will lead to very serious disciplinary consequences
that may include further suspension or expulsion. The Dean of Students and Head of School
may also impose any other penalties that they deem reasonable should a student cut school for an
entire day.
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 Penalty for Cutting Physical Education
Same penalties as regular class cuts, except after the third cut, the student will fail PE. Since
PE and Health are state-mandated courses, that credit will have to be made up before graduation.
The student’s physician must renew medical excuses for Physical Education each semester.
 Tardiness
If a student comes to school late, but before 8:30 AM, the student must check in with the Senior
School Office before going to class; any student arriving after 8:30 should report to the Dean of
Students; otherwise, the Dean, assuming the student is absent, will call the home. Parents are
requested to write a note explaining the reason for tardiness.
A STUDENT WHO IS NOT AT SCHOOL BY THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST
PERIOD WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY AFTER-SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES UNLESS HE/SHE HAS BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE DEAN OF
STUDENTS TO ARRIVE LATE. MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS ARE THE ONLY
EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE.
All students are expected to be on time for each class. Repeated lateness shows a lack of
consideration both for the teacher and for the other members of the class.
 Penalties for Tardiness
Students are permitted three late arrivals per semester without penalty. Students will receive
three demerit points for all subsequent tardies.
Students who are late at the beginning of the day will have to present a written excuse from their
parents by the next school day. Teachers responsible for a student’s being late to class should
write an “admit” note for the student’s next teacher.
At the beginning of each period teachers should report to the Dean of Students the names of
absentees who do not appear on the master list for that day. Attendance is taken each day and a
record is attached to the student’s report card.
DISCIPLINARY OFFENCES, PROCEDURES AND DETENTION
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
Senior School Merit / Demerit System
All students are responsible for helping to create and maintain a school environment that is
conducive to excellence and learning. Students should endeavor to conduct themselves at all
times in a manner that adheres to the guidelines explained in the Head of School’s document
“Sewickley Academy, A Community of Respect” and the Sewickley Academy Honor Code.
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Therefore, the Senior School has established a merit/demerit system that endeavors to promote
the security and well being of all members of our community. In order for the Senior School to
function in an orderly and efficient manner, each member of the community is expected to know
the rules explained in this handbook and to abide by them.
The Senior School uses a merit/demerit system to monitor and record student behavior. This
system was developed by a group of Student Council members working with faculty and the
Dean during the summer of 2000. Each academic year all students begin with 100 points. All
violations of school rules are assigned a demerit value and are subsequently subtracted from the
student’s overall merit score. Students should understand that no system can be expected to list
each and every offense that may lead to disciplinary consequences and that some major
violations of school rules will be handled directly by the Dean of Students and the Head of
School.
Merit points may be awarded by the Head of School or Dean of students at specific times each
semester and may be added to the student’s overall merit score. Only the Dean of Students and
Head of School may award merit points.
Demerits - Faculty will notify the Dean any time that a student violates a school rule. A Demerit
Slip will be sent home and the appropriate number of demerits will be subtracted from the
student’s merit score.
Demerits are subtracted automatically for the following violations:
Violation
Demerits Violation
Demerits
Gum
1
Other minor violation 1-3
Dress code
2
Not checking-in
3
Calculator games
1
Login violations
4
Late to school
2
Failure to sign in/out
5
Late to class
2
Driving during school 6
Food or drink in
2
Inappropriate physical 6
prohibited areas
contact
Parking violations
3
Cutting class, PE,
7
study hall
Cell phone use
3
Other serious violation 4-8
Inappropriate
3
Driving or riding with 9
computer use
other students
Student in Faculty
3
Other major violations 10+
Room
Inappropriate language 3
All day school cut
30
Missing detention
3
Use of tobacco
30
product
Littering
3
The Dean or Head of School will assign demerit points for some major violations of school rules.
Such violations may include disrespectful behavior or language, harassment, unruly behavior, or
44
vandalism. Repeated offenses may also warrant further demerit points. Consequences for drug
and alcohol violations are explained in the “Alcohol and Controlled Substance Statement”.
Students will receive the following disciplinary consequences for accumulated demerits:
Score
97
94
91
88
85
82
80
79
76
75
73
70
67
65
64-
Consequences
Detention
Detention
Detention
Detention
Detention
Detention
Detention – Disciplinary Warning
Detention
Detention
Letter and phone call home
Detention
Detention – Disciplinary Probation
Detention
Immediate suspension
Review of enrollment contract
Disciplinary Warning – A student is placed on Disciplinary Warning after receiving 20 demerit
points. The Dean may also place a student on Disciplinary Warning, under special circumstances
or after violations of major school rules. Consequences are a loss of sign out privileges for at
least 28 calendar days beginning the first day following the offense, the student may be placed in
study halls for some or all of his free periods and a letter will be sent home that explains the
severity of the situation. Finally, should the student be involved in any major infraction of
school rules, the student should expect severe consequences that may include suspension or
expulsion from the Academy. This status remains in effect for at least 28 calendar days
beginning the first day following the offense and may carry over to the next academic year.
Disciplinary Probation – A student is placed on Disciplinary Probation after receiving 30
demerit points. The Dean may also place a student on Disciplinary Probation, under special
circumstances or after violations of major school rules. Consequences are a loss of sign out
privileges for at least 56 calendar days beginning the first day following the offense, the student
will be placed in study halls for all of his free periods and a letter will be sent home that explains
the severity of the situation. Finally, should the student be involved in any major infraction of
school rules, the student should expect severe consequences that may include suspension or
expulsion from the Academy. This status remains in effect for at least 56 calendar days
beginning the first day following the offense and may carry over to the next academic year.
Merit Points – at the end of each quarter the Dean of Students will post a list of jobs that are
available for Merit reward points. Such jobs may include community service, help with the
45
grounds crew, cafeteria duties, etc. Priority will be given to those students on Disciplinary
Warning or Probation. No student may have more than 100 merit points.
Suspension is a severe punishment reserved for major violations of school regulations. Students
who are suspended ARE ALLOWED to make up any missed work or tests unless otherwise
specified by the Deans of Students.
ANY STUDENT WHO IS ON SUSPENSION IS NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND OR
PARTICIPATE IN ANY SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITIES. NO SUSPENDED
STUDENT IS PERMITTED ON OR NEAR THE CAMPUS.
Expulsion is reserved for major violations of school rules. The action is a drastic step taken only
after consideration of all the circumstances. A student who has received a disciplinary warning
or is on probation is liable to expulsion for any subsequent violation of school rules.
DETENTION
Students receive detentions for every three demerit points that they accumulate.
Detention is held daily at the following times:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
7:30 AM – 8:10 AM
Tuesday and Thursday
3:15 PM – 3:55 PM
Students who receive detentions must serve them either they day they are assigned or the next
day. Any student who fails to serve a detention within the allotted time will receive three
demerit points (equal to another detention), and must attend the next detention, regardless of
whether it conflicts with sports practices or morning meetings. The Dean of Students decides
where detention will be held and the activities permitted during that time. All detentions will be
served in quiet study. It is very important that students bring school materials to the detention
room. Students will not be permitted to sleep, sit on the floor, read magazines or leave the
detention room for work in the computer room or library. In very special cases, the Dean of
Students may assign detention during school hours.
The Dean’s office records all demerit points, detentions and disciplinary consequences in the
student’s disciplinary file. Students begin each academic year with clear files except in cases
where a student has been placed on Disciplinary Warning or Probation
DRESS CODE
The dress code applies to all students in Grades 1-12. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
students may wear clothes that are appropriate for play and outdoor activity. In keeping with the
Community of Respect, all students are to be well dressed, neat, and tidy. The dress code is in
effect throughout the entire school day (8:10 AM - 3:13 PM) and on all school trips, unless
otherwise specified. Furthermore, all clothing must be clean and appropriate, free from rips,
fraying or patches.
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Please be advised that should any questions arise about what is acceptable dress at Sewickley
Academy, the Division Heads, the Head of School, and the Deans of Students will make all final
decisions.
Acceptable Dress:
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Shirts and blouses may be worn with or without collars and may be plain colored,
patterned or striped. Acceptable shirts include non-stenciled T-shirts, Polos,
Henleys, and Oxfords. Shirts must be at least waist length. Boys must tuck in
shirts that have tails or that are excessively long.
Pants, trousers and shorts are to be worn at waist level. Girls may wear skirts and
shorts that are no shorter than three inches from the knee.
Spandex shorts or pants may only be worn under shorts or skirts of appropriate
length.
Denim dresses, shirts and blouses are acceptable, as are sleeveless dresses for
girls (no spaghetti straps).
Traditional sweaters (cardigans, v-neck, crew necks, etc.) may be worn over
appropriate shirts in cool weather.
Traditional, plain colored, non-hooded sweatshirts may be worn over appropriate
shirts in cool weather.
Seniors may wear traditional sweatshirts with logos from colleges and
universities.
Unacceptable Dress:
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Any clothing with logos, writing, printing, or insignias, with the exception of a
small manufacturer's label or crest.
Blue or black denim jeans or shorts, work pants, overalls, painters pants, military
attire, pajama pants, or underwear as outerwear.
Outerwear or jackets in class.
Hats or headgear. (This rule is enforced 24 hours a day in campus buildings
except in the gymnasiums.)
Jogging, warm-up or sweat suits except for athletics.
Open-toed footwear where the heel is unsecured. In science labs, including the
Lower School lab, no open-toed shoes whatsoever.
Clothing or jewelry that by words, signs or pictures advocates or promotes sexual
activity or violence; or the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco; or demeans or degrades
anyone because of race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, handicap
or disability.
If Senior School students have any questions about the dress code, they should speak with the
Dean of Students. Only clothing that clearly adheres to the rules above may be worn to school.
 Enforcement
A student inappropriately attired is sent to the Dean of Students in the Senior School. Students
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may also receive demerit points resulting in detentions or other consequences.
Once there, the students must contact his/her parent to bring in proper clothing. The student is
not permitted to return to class until he/she is properly attired in accordance with the dress code.
If a parent cannot be reached, the student will be detained by the Dean of Students. Repeated
violation of the dress code will be considered an indication that the student does not wish to be
part of the Academy community, and suspension or dismissal may result.
During exams in the Senior School, jeans may be worn, but all other dress code rules apply,
including those regarding neatness.
The Dean of Students urges every student to bring in a set of acceptable clothing and leave it in
his/her locker in the event that parents cannot be reached. It is the responsibility of every parent
to send his or her child to school properly attired. Every staff member will be observant of
student attire and will be expected to send students to the respective office for infractions of the
dress code.
Senior School Dress-Up Days – Acceptable dress for these days is strictly jackets and ties for
boys and dresses or skirts for girls. Shorts and athletic shoes may not be worn.
DRIVING AND PARKING
 Driving
Students may not drive during the school day without the signed permission of their parents and
approval of the Head of the Senior School. These driving privileges are legitimate only if the
parental permission form provided by the school is on file in the Senior School Office.
STUDENTS MUST NEVER TRANSPORT OTHER STUDENTS AS PASSENGERS
DURING THE SCHOOL DAY EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES MAY HAVE
PERMISSION TO DRIVE. The speed limit on campus is 5 mph. A student's driving
permission may be revoked if he/she is guilty of speeding or reckless driving on or in the vicinity
of the campus. All students who drive to school will be issued a parking tag that must be
displayed on the windshield of their car when parked on or near campus.
Only seniors may drive their cars during the school day. Sophomores and juniors must
have a note from a parent to drive on a specific day (medical appointments, etc.).
In accordance with Board policy, no team member is allowed to drive to "away" games.
Students should anticipate the possible inconvenience caused by this rule, for no exception
will be granted. This regulation is the result of directives from both our insurance company and
legal counsel.
 Driving to Practices
Once students arrive at school, they are to travel with their team to and from practice on school
48
provided transportation. The only exception to this is that with a coach's permission students can
be released to their parents to come home from practices and games. On weekends or on days
when school is not in session, students are permitted to drive to and from the site of the practice.
This includes driving to the main campus, Nichols Field, or some outside venue as in the case of
the hockey team that practices off campus.
 Driving and Field Trips
Students must travel on school transportation with the group to and from the location of the field
trip. Students are never permitted to drive themselves, nor are parents permitted to drop students
off at the location of the field trip.
 Driving to Games
It is essential for teams to travel to away games together and only in the most extraordinary
circumstances may students receive permission to travel to a game with their parents. This
exception may only be granted by the Head of School or Division Head, and again only in the
most extraordinary circumstances.
 Parking
All student drivers must register their cars with the Dean of Students and receive a parking
sticker. This sticker must be displayed in the windshield of the car driven to school. ALL
STUDENT DRIVERS MUST REGISTER AND DISPLAY SEWICKLEY ACADEMY
PARKING STICKERS WHILE PARKED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE
SCHOOL.
Several “Carpool” spaces are available for any member of the Sewickley Academy community
who drives to school with three or more people in the same car. These spaces are not available
to those students who drive to school but who live within walking distance to the school.
Furthermore, those students who live within walking distance to the school are STRONGLY
DISCOURAGED from parking on or near campus.
Any student who would like a reserved space in the Hazel Lane lot may request one from the
Dean at the beginning of the academic year. There is a limited number of these spots and they
will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis.
A limited number of parking spaces for seniors will be available on the campus. There is to be
no student-parking in the spaces in front of the Senior School or anywhere else on campus
except in those spaces that will be designated as Senior-parking. Violators will be towed.
Students who park on the streets are reminded to observe street sweeping days, and our
neighbors' driveways and crosswalks. Parking on a crosswalk is a moving violation.
During the school day, students are not permitted to sit in cars parked either in the parking
lot or on adjacent streets.
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FACULTY ROOM
Under NO circumstances are students ever permitted in the faculty room. Students who wish to
place materials in a faculty mailbox should deliver them to the Senior School office.
GUESTS
Students are permitted to bring friends to visit the school. However, permission must be obtained
from the Division Head at least a day in advance, and the guest should be introduced to the
Division Head, the Dean of Students and to each teacher whose class the visitor will attend.
Guests must observe all school rules, including conforming to the dress code.
All visitors to the campus must report to the respective division office, and sign in and out.
HARASSMENT AND HATEFUL SPEECH
Sewickley Academy is a community in which all individuals have the right to live, work, learn,
and be respected in an environment that is free of all forms of harassment. It is the responsibility
of the students, faculty, and administration to respect the rights of all members of the
community. Each person, regardless of his or her race, gender, socioeconomic level, national or
ethnic origin, religion, political beliefs, disability, or sexual orientation, is entitled to safe
surroundings.
Harassment by any student, teacher, or staff member in any form will not be tolerated.
Unwelcome, repeated physical gestures or advances, spoken or written derogatory comments or
suggestions, and discriminatory comments may constitute harassment. Any action that is, or
implies, a threat to any member or group in the community will be considered harassment. Thus,
any form of racist behavior, sexual harassment, hazing, physical or verbal abuse, and other
inappropriate behavior is considered a violation of our school community’s expectations and will
be grounds for disciplinary action. Such action may include suspension or expulsion.
Some examples of inappropriate behavior are: hazing (to pressure someone into performing
humiliating tasks), threats, comments, drawings, or graffiti that are demeaning with respect to
race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or sexual orientation.
Students who feel they have been harassed should do the following:
Let the offending person or people know you want the behavior to stop. Do not apologize.
Keep a record of when, where and how you have been mistreated. Include witnesses, direct
quotes, actions, evidence, and any written communication.
Promptly contact your advisor, the Dean of Students, a teacher, a coach, the appropriate Division
Head, or the Head of School if you feel you have been subjected to harassment by any student,
teacher, or staff member.
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Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted and unwelcome sexual behavior that interferes with
someone else's learning environment at Sewickley Academy.
Examples of sexual harassment include: sexual or obscene comments, gestures, jokes; touching,
grabbing, brushing up against, or pinching in a sexual way; targeting someone for sexual rumors;
rating other students as to sexual activity or appearance; written sexual messages, graffiti or
computer publications; pulling someone's clothes off or down in a sexual way; leaving, showing,
or giving unwanted sexual pictures, email, or notes.
Students should follow the procedure above if they feel that have been sexually harassed.
Hateful Speech
Any slur debasing an individual or group is unacceptable and does not advance the purpose of
our Community of Respect. Hateful speech encompasses, but is not limited to, such behaviors as
offensive jokes, remarks, and derogatory terms the deliberate effect of which is to degrade a
person or group of people. Terms which are used to devalue individuals are highly inappropriate
and will not be tolerated. Disciplinary responses to this infraction of school rules are at the
discretion of the Dean of Students, the Division Heads, and the Head of School.
Insensitive Speech
Sewickley Academy recognizes and respects individual differences in backgrounds within the
community. Although insensitive speech may not be intended deliberately to insult others, the
use of such language may degrade certain individuals or groups. However, legitimate and
respectful academic discourse involving controversial subjects does not constitute hateful and
insensitive speech. Disciplinary responses to this infraction of school rules are at the discretion
of the Dean of Students, the Division Heads, and the Head of School.
HONOR CODE
Introduction
Sewickley Academy's Honor Code serves to define a high standard of integrity, respect,
and honesty in an effort to promote the greater good. In signing the honor pledge, students
pledge to not lie, cheat, or steal and to adhere to the principles set forth in “A Community of
Respect.” Violations of the Honor Code are referred to the Honor Council for review. The
Honor Code applies to all academic, social, and extracurricular areas of the Sewickley Academy
community.
The Honor Code and Honor Pledge
Every member of Sewickley Academy’s student body, upon his/her enrollment in the
school, will sign his/her contract and agree to accept and uphold the Honor Code. The Honor
Code is simply stated:
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“On my honor as a Sewickley Academy student, I pledge that I will
neither lie, nor cheat, nor steal.”
New students and freshmen will sign again in the Honor Book during a Signing
Ceremony which takes place in the fall.
Furthermore, an Honor Pledge and student signature will accompany all work (graded or
not graded) that is turned in to a teacher. This statement may be included by the teacher or the
student may write it at the end of the test, quiz assignment, etc. This statement reads as follows:
“On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received
unauthorized help on this assignment nor have I presented someone
else's work as my own.”
For purposes of clarification and definition, lying, cheating, and stealing are defined as
follows:
Lying is deceiving others by intentionally falsifying written and/or spoken statements.
Lying by omission or making statements that are exaggerated or intentionally misleading or
deceitful are also forms of lying.
Cheating is the giving or receiving of unauthorized information on academic material and
includes failure to follow proper test-taking procedures. Receiving and/or giving help on tests,
quizzes, papers, projects, homework, class work, or other work designated by the teacher is an
Honor Code violation.
Unauthorized information includes the improper use of technological equipment such as
programmed calculators, digital watches, computer programs, etc. Improper test-taking
procedures include failure to secure and remove any study aids from the testing area. Discussion
of general or specific information pertaining to graded material, which may be overheard by
those who have not yet completed the assignment, is a violation of the Code. In addition,
cheating includes copyright violation, plagiarism, or the representation of another person’s work
as one’s own.
In the interest of fairness to all students, the World Language Department will institute
the following policy regarding the use of foreign language translation software, web sites or
other electronic services either paid or private:
Students are expected to turn in work that is based on their own knowledge and
understanding of the target language. Therefore, the use of any of the above listed
services or electronic devices for translation of any portion of any assignment or
homework will not be tolerated. If, in the estimation of the faculty or department, a
student’s work demonstrates use of any of these aids or devices, the faculty member will
regard the incident as “cheating” and follow proper school procedure as outlined in the
sections titled Honor Code and Honor Council. Furthermore, the Language Department
may choose to take other measures as deemed necessary based on the severity of the
52
incident. Such measures may include specific referrals to the Head of School and Deans’
Office, removal from an Honors or AP class, automatic failure in the course, etc.
To plagiarize (whether consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or inadvertently) is to
steal what another student, scholar, or author has thought, spoken, or written and to present it as
one's own. Any time one tries to convince one's reader that what someone else has thought,
spoken, or written is one's own, that individual is plagiarizing. It is a particularly disagreeable
form of stealing and cheating, since it deprives the creator of credit for what he has created. The
academic community looks upon plagiarism as a very serious offense.
Plagiarism can occur in various forms and degrees, but generally it takes one of three
forms: verbatim copying; paraphrasing, wherein words are changed but the sense of the original
material remains the same; or the lifting from the original of an apt word or phrase which
expresses the meaning one wants more accurately and expressively than one can do oneself.
One can avoid the problems of plagiarism with relative ease, however. Acknowledgment
of indebtedness to the work of others can be made in proper footnote and bibliographic entries.
Materials quoted directly, materials paraphrased, and ideas or concepts "borrowed" from
another's writing must be given recognition in both footnotes and bibliography, except in the
case of very short papers in which correct footnoting may suffice by itself. Passages, sentences,
or phrases taken verbatim from others' writings must be set off in quotation marks or placed in
block quotation form if the passage is of considerable length. If one is uncertain whether an
element of an essay should be given a footnote, he/she should assume that it should be.
It is particularly important that the student recognize that the above discussion pertains
not only to the use of scholarly materials and book-length works, but also to the uses of so-called
"study-guides," "student aids," and "critical outlines" commonly available for many works.
These "aids" and "guides" include Cliffs Notes, Monarch Notes, College Outline Series, Barron's
Guides, and all such supplementary materials (including online resources).
Stealing is the act of taking property or belongings of others. This includes school
property such as textbooks, lost and found items, equipment, and/or keys to campus buildings
and facilities.
HONOR COUNCIL
Composition. The Honor Council consists of the following members: four seniors, three
juniors, and two full-time Senior School faculty members. The Honor Prefect is chosen by the
seven student members after they have been elected in the fall. The Honor Prefect will preside
over all proceedings of the Honor Council. A student may not hold both the positions of
President of Student Council and Honor Prefect at the same time.
Eligibility/Elections. To be eligible for membership on the Honor Council, a student
must have an outstanding academic and disciplinary record while at Sewickley Academy. Only
those students who are free of any conviction of an honor offense during their high school career
are eligible for election. Furthermore, any student who was on any probationary or warning
53
status (academic, disciplinary or social) in the academic year prior to elections, or who is
currently listed on such status, IS NOT eligible for election. Representatives are elected by a
majority vote in the fall of each year by all students in a general election. If needed, a second
election may be held to resolve any tie votes. Faculty members are elected by a majority vote of
the Senior School faculty.
In order to be placed on the ballot a student must sign a “Petition for Election” in the
Dean of Student’s office. This petition states that the student has met the above criteria (which is
verified by the Dean of Students), and affirms that if elected, the student will place the
responsibilities of Honor Council before ALL OTHER extracurricular or social activities.
Advisor. The Dean of Students serves as sole advisor to the Honor Council and functions
as a non-voting member. The Dean of Students is present during deliberations of the Council to
ensure that proper procedures are followed. The Dean of Students will also appoint a secretary
from the Honor Council to take detailed notes of all proceedings. Finally, the Dean of Students
will monitor the academic and disciplinary record of the Council members to verify eligibility.
Replacement. In the event that a Council member is unable to remain on the Council for
reasons of academic or disciplinary ineligibility, code violations, or withdrawal from school, the
class represented will immediately conduct a special election for a replacement.
Duties and Responsibilities. The Honor Council maintains and enforces the Honor Code
through investigative procedures and through education of the Sewickley Academy community.
Educational aspects of the Council’s duties include:




Orientation of new students;
School division assemblies to discuss the Code;
Special sessions in ninth grade advisee meetings;
Faculty presentations.
Honor Council Proceedings
Notification. When a possible violation is reported to the Dean of Students, the Dean will
makes an initial investigation into the facts bearing on the case. If in the Dean’s opinion
sufficient evidence exists that a violation has occurred, the Dean will notify the Honor Prefect
and the case is brought before the full Honor Council. The Honor Prefect will notify the accused
student’s advisor of the allegation. The student’s advisor will then locate the student and take
him/her to an office or place of privacy to explain the alleged infraction and to act as his/her
advocate during the Honor Council proceedings. The student’s advisor will stress the need for
truthfulness and honesty in the hearing.
Proceedings. When a quorum of the Council is present (seven members), the student
accused of violating the Honor Code is entitled to present his/her version of the facts. The
Council may determine the need to gather additional information.
Any and all proceedings of the Council are strictly confidential; Council members may
not discuss any part of the hearings outside of the Council. Witnesses and alleged violators are
54
instructed to respect the confidentiality of the hearings as well. All proceedings and
deliberations of the Council are recorded by the Council Secretary in written form. The Dean of
Students maintains the records of all meetings of the Council.
Testimony. The Honor Prefect will lead the questioning, but any member of the Council
may ask additional questions when the Prefect has finished.
The faculty advisor of the accused, or a faculty representative approved by the accused,
will be present at all times during the questioning, and the accused will be presumed innocent
until proven guilty. At the end of the accused student’s questioning, he/she will be dismissed to
remain with his/her advisor until the Council is prepared to make a determination and
recommendation. The Council may call additional witnesses, recall previous witnesses, or recall
the accused for further clarification of the alleged incident.
Decision. When sufficient testimony has been heard, the Council will conduct
discussions and vote on a decision. In the event they determine that a student has violated the
Honor Code, the Council will determine the punishment to be applied.
When the Council has reached its decision, the Honor Prefect presents the Council’s
recommendation to the Dean of Students, who may accept or modify it. The Dean of Students
will then notify the Senior School Division Head. If a student has been found to have violated
the Honor Code, the Dean of Students informs the violator of the decision and the punishment to
be applied. In the case that a student is found not to have violated the Honor Code, the student is
so informed, and the student’s name is removed from all records of the proceedings.
Consequences of Infractions
In cases resulting in a finding of guilt, the Council may recommend discipline ranging
from but not limited to, demerits, one or more days of suspension or expulsion. In cases of
expulsion in which the Senior School Division Head is in agreement with the recommended
penalty, the case is presented to the Head of School who has the sole authority to expel a student.
Appeal. Honor offenses determined by the Council as severe infractions of the Sewickley
Academy Honor Code may be appealed to the Appeals Board. Appeals by the student must be
made in writing to the Senior School Division Head’s office within 24 hours after final decision
of the Honor Council. The Appeals Board, consisting of the Head of Senior School and the
Head of School, will meet and review the appeal. The Appeals Board will reach a decision
within 24 hours. The Appeals Board may choose to modify, deny, or accept the appeal. The
decision of the Appeals Board will be final.
Graded work and Cases of Academic Dishonesty. For any graded work on which the
Honor Council has determined there was academic dishonesty, the assignment will receive a zero
and be averaged in to a student’s grade according to the same formula applied to all work of a
similar type in the class. However, the student will be required to do over the assignment and
resubmit it for a grade.
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Replacement work will be given an objective grade based on the student’s performance
(with no late or other penalties assigned). Both grades will be entered into the grade book. The
average for this student will be the total for all major work divided by the total number of items,
one more than for other students (i.e., if there were 9 major assignments in the semester, this
student will have an extra grade, and the grade will be determined by dividing by 10).
Furthermore, additional sanctions may be imposed by the Honor Council.
Notification and Records. The Dean of Students composes and sends a letter of
notification to the parents of the guilty student informing them of the results of the hearing and
the consequences imposed. A copy of the letter is placed in the student’s disciplinary file which
is maintained by the Dean of Students until the student graduates or leaves Sewickley Academy.
LOCKERS
No student should change a locker without permission from the Senior School office. Lockers
should be kept as clean and orderly as possible. No decals, stickers, etc. are permitted on the
doors of the lockers, but students may attach photos, etc. inside the locker doors with masking or
cellophane tape. The lockers are the property of the school, and school officials have the
right to inspect them any time with or without the permission of the student.
Students are urged not to bring valuables to school, but if they do, they should store them with
the Dean of Students or in the Senior School office. The school is not responsible for cameras,
computers, calculators, and any other items left in the school offices or the faculty area.
While leaving such things in the office is a convenience and a safeguard of sorts, it is not a
guarantee of their protection. Sewickley Academy does not accept responsibility for items left in
either the Senior School office or the Dean of Student's office
Because the gym locker rooms are open to the public, students are advised to place locks on their
gym lockers. THE SCHOOL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF VALUABLES.
LUNCH PERIODS
Students are expected to eat lunch at school, either in the dining room or outside on the campus.
Lunch may be purchased in the Robinson Dining Room for Lower School students and the
dining facility in the Nichols Snyder School Center for Middle and Senior School students. A
price list is published and items purchased will be charged to the student's account. Food, plates
and trays should not be taken out of the dining areas. Students should be conscientious about
keeping the eating areas free of litter, and should be especially conscious of their conduct and
good manners.
Senior School students who bring their own lunch may eat in the courtyard behind the Senior
School where picnic tables are available or in the Partenheimer Room. In the Senior School,
blanket permission may be given to go home for lunch to those whose parents request the
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permission in writing. A student who has such permission is expected to use it only if he/she is
going to his/her own home for lunch. On occasion, permission may be granted to sophomores
and juniors to go to lunch off-campus, provided their parents have placed an approval form on
file in the Senior School office. Sign-out regulations must be observed. Students who have such
permission are expected to use it only if they are going to their own homes for lunch. A student
may not go to another student's home for lunch without permission from both sets of
parents and the Dean of Students.
MESSAGE BOARD
A student whose name is posted on the bulletin board near the lockers, should report to the office
as soon as possible. Students should check the message board repeatedly, especially in the late
afternoon hours and before leaving for the day. IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY to
pick up any messages that have been left for him/her.
OFFICE EQUIPMENT
Unless specifically authorized to do so, students are not permitted to use any copying or
duplicating machines in the Senior School office; they are NEVER permitted to use the office
computers. Copies for personal use may be made on the copier installed in the Senior School
library for the students' convenience. Students are expected to observe the copyright laws posted
by the copiers.
OUTDOOR BEHAVIOR
Good judgment should be used when playing on the school grounds to avoid injury to persons or
damage to buildings. Bicycle riding, skate boarding, or roller blading near any of the buildings,
in the front of the Academy, or along Academy Avenue is prohibited. The open spaces of the
playing fields may be used for recreation during free periods. Snowball throwing is strictly
prohibited. Students should not lounge on the front lawn, or the sidewalk, or the steps at the
immediate entrance to the Senior School.
PHOTOGRAPHY DARKROOM
Permission to use the darkroom must be obtained from an authorized instructor or from the Dean
of Students. Each student using the room is responsible for the careful use of equipment and
supplies. The use of the room can be restricted at any time at the discretion of the instructor of
the Senior School Division Head. The darkroom cannot be used on weekends or in the evenings
unless special permission is granted and there are faculty or staff members in the building.
Further information and policies will be posted in the Photography Darkroom.
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PROHIBITED ARTICLES
 Beepers, MP3 Players, and Cell Phones
MP3 Players and other private listening and viewing devices are only permitted in the Art Room
at the teacher's discretion. Use of cell phones, pagers and beepers is prohibited at all times in
school buildings. Cell phone use is permitted outside after 3:15 PM. Cell phones will be
confiscated from students who violate this policy, and returned to them at the end of the day.
Students will also receive three demerit points and a detention.
For obvious reasons, the use of camera phones to record digital pictures is NEVER
PERMITTED on campus. Should a student use a camera phone to record digital pictures,
it will be confiscated and turned over to the Dean of Students. The phones will not be
returned to the student, but parents may personally pick up the phones from the Dean’s
Office located in the Senior School.
 Other Prohibited Items
Weapons, combustibles, and other articles that are inherently dangerous are prohibited on
campus. These include, but are not limited to: guns, knives, matches, firecrackers, chemicals,
mace (and its derivatives). Consequences for possession of the above articles will be severe!
SCHOONMAKER COMMONS
The Schoonmaker Commons is an area where Senior School students may socialize and read
when they are not in class. It is also the one of first areas visitors see when they enter the Senior
School. Although the Schoonmaker Commons is an informal area, students should exercise
good taste in their behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the following guidelines when
using that space.





Noise level should be kept at conversational tones.
No music is permitted except during announcements and on special occasions.
As in all areas of the Senior School, NO FOOD OR DRINK IS PERMITTED.
The furniture should never obstruct the exits or corridors.
The cushions on the furniture should not be removed.
SIGN-OUT PRIVILEGES
Please note: The Senior School Division Head may suspend these privileges at any time if
all members of the community do not follow them. It is the student's responsibility to read,
understand and follow these rules. Failure to do so puts these rules in jeopardy for
everyone.
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The sign-out privilege is as follows:





Freshmen have NO sign-out privileges.
Sophomores, juniors and seniors who have permission slips signed by their parents on
file in the Senior School Office may leave campus during the day under the following
conditions: Sophomores and juniors may leave if permission is granted by the Head
of Senior School, Dean of Students, or the Dean of Activities. Sophomores are
permitted off campus ONCE a week. Juniors are permitted off campus TWICE a
week.
Seniors who have parental permission slips on file and are not on probation may leave
campus any time during the day without specific permission from an administrator,
but must observe the sign-out procedures. Unless given specific permission, seniors
should not stay off campus longer than 45 minutes at a time.
Only seniors may drive their cars during the day. Sophomores and juniors must have
a note from a parent to drive on a specific day (medical appointments, etc.).
Students are to fill out all parts of the Sign-Out Book. That includes using first and
last name, exact times, who granted permission, etc. Failure to sign IN will result in a
detention. THE SIGN-OUT BOOK IS LOCATED IN THE DEAN OF
STUDENT’S OFFICE.
Leaving the campus without permission or not signing out are major disciplinary offenses and
students will receive five demerit points for each incident.
The Dean of Students or the Academic Review Committee may restrict sign-out privileges for
some students. Sophomores and juniors must obtain permission from the Dean of Students or
other Senior School Administrator and then sign their name, destination, time signing out, and
estimated time of return in the Sign-Out Book located in the Dean of Student’s office. In addition
they should indicate in the designated column from whom they received permission to leave
campus. STUDENTS ARE NEVER PERMITTED TO TRANSPORT OTHER
STUDENTS AS AUTOMOBILE PASSENGERS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. Upon
returning students should write down the time they actually returned.
Unless scheduled to attend classes in another building, students should not leave the main
building of the Senior School without observing the sign-out procedure.
Freshmen, sophomores and juniors may not leave campus before 3:13 PM without permission
from the Dean of Students and a parent. A student whose parents have not signed the offcampus permission statement should not ask for permission to leave campus.
DURING EXAM PERIODS, STUDENTS ARE FREE TO COME AND GO AS THEIR
EXAM SCHEDULE DICTATES.
SMOKING
In the spring of 1989 the Sewickley Academy Faculty and Trustees declared the Academy a
"smoke free zone." There is positively no smoking or use of smokeless tobacco allowed during
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the school day or school activities by students at school on campus or in sight of the school.
Visitors to our campus are not permitted to smoke in any school buildings.
Students caught violating these rules will receive 30 demerit points and may face other
disciplinary action.
TELEPHONES
There is a phone available in the Registrar’s Office for student use. The phone in the Dean of
Student’s Office may be used WITH PERMISSION to call home if a student is ill, or to call
colleges.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
DEAN OF STUDENTS
OFFICE: 412-741-2230 ext 3129
Mr. Goleski
HOME:
724-378-2213
DR. DOUGLAS JONES, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
OFFICE:
412-784-8878
STAUNTON CLINIC
412-749-7330
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY CLINICS
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL POISON CENTER
GATEWAY REHABILITAION CTR.
412-681-6669 (24 hours)
412-766-8700
HEALTH SERVICES
PITTSBURGH AIDS TASKFORCE INC
AIDS (ALLEGHENY COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.)
PERSAD
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
AIRPORT AREA PREGNANCY CARE CENTER
OutProud, The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual & Transgender Youth.
PITTSBURGH ACTION AGAINST RAPE
412-242-2500
412-687-2243
412-441-9786
412-741-7626
724-457-1220
outproud.org
412-765-2731
RUNAWAYS SUPPORT SERVICES
NATIONAL RUNAWAY SWITCHBOARD
THREE RIVERS YOUTH
1-800-621-4000
412-243-4466
(Continued on next page)
60
SUICIDE HOT LINES
CONTACT PITTSBURGH
TEEN HOT LINE
ALLEGHENY CRISIS EMERGENCY SERVICE
412-820-4357 (24 hrs)
412-361-8336 (7-11 PM)
888-424-2287 (24 hrs)
computer
use, terms and conditions…7-8
course
changes…10-11
selection…9
Cum Laude…22
INDEX
absences…39-41
academic
probation…15
program…9-10
review committee… 4
warning…14-15
accidents…34
activities…22
advisors…4
alcohol and controlled substances…36-38
assemblies…21
assignments… 5
attendance…39-43
awards…21-22
dances…24-25
detention…46
disciplinary
probation…45
procedures…43-46
for alcohol and drugs…36-38
for class cuts…42
for cutting PE…43
for dress code
violations…47-48
for tardiness…43
social probation…38
warning…45
dissection…11
double science classes…10
dress code…46-48
violations…47-48
dress-up days…48
driving…48-49
beepers…58
camera phones…58
cell phones…58
cheating…52-53
class
activities…22
attendance…42
cuts…41-42
meetings…22
officers…30-31, 33
clubs…22-24
Code of Conduct…i
college…5-6
advising…5
applications…5-6
information…6
meetings…6
representatives…6
tests…5-6
visits…5
community service program…6
Edgeworth Club…25
emergencies…34
emergency phone numbers…34, 36, 60-61
examinations…11-12, 59
excused absences…40-41
expectations of community…3
expulsion…46
faculty room…50
fire drills…34
foreign experience programs…19
61
grade coordinators…4
grades…12-14
grading system…12-14
graduation requirements…17-19
guests…50
and Swiss Semester…10
senior projects…20
sign-out privileges…58-59
smoking…59-60
snow days…35-36
social probation…38
standardized tests schedule…6
stealing…53
student council…27
by-laws…27-30
constitution…30-32
officers…33
referendums…32
town meetings…33
student records policy…21
study
halls…21
opportunities…19-20
suicide…36
Support Services…35
suspension…46
Hansen Library…16
harassment…50-51
hateful speech…50-51
Hear to Help…34-35, 37
Honor Code… 51-53
Honor Council…53-56
proceedings…54-56
Honor Pledge…51-52
honor roll…16-17
illness…34
library…16
Linsly Outdoor Program…26
lockers…56
lunch…56-57
lying…52
tardiness…43
telephones…60
tests…11-12
theft…53
town meetings…33
translation software and World Language
classes…52-53
trips…26
MP3 players…58
Merit / Demerit System…43-46
message board…57
office equipment…57
outdoor behavior…57
Paideia…26
parking…49
Peer Counselors…25
photography darkroom…57
plagiarism…53
prohibited articles…58
publications…23
underage drinking laws…39
vacation periods…42
school
code…6
counselor…35
trips…26
driving to…48-49
Schoonmaker Commons…58
science classes…10
62