TECHS Staff
Dr. Robin Wheatley, Principal
Mrs. Malenda Hawkins, Counselor
Mrs. Mona Al-Hayani, Social Studies
Mr. Timothy Bollin, Science, TFT Bldg. Representative
Mrs. Paulette Cole, Science
Mr. Markus Dunham, Mathematics
Mrs. Emily Francis, English
Mr. Nick Muehling, English
Mr. Randy Nissen, Social Studies
Ms. Sharon Storm, Mathematics
Mr. Paul Tierney, Mathematics
Mrs. Vernita Lewis-Taylor, Secretary
 

Effective:  August  2009
This student handbook has been written to help students learn what we expect of them socially and behaviorally.  It is not an all-encompassing document.  As the TECHS staff works with students to prepare them for their brightest futures, we ask our parents to support our efforts by encouraging their students to behave responsibly at all times.  In addition, parents are expected to honor their commitment to attend parent conferences as noted on the 2009-2010 School Calendar.

Student Orientation: All students must attend orientation programs. TECHS will not accept students who have not attended orientation programs.

Parent Participation:  Beginning with the 2009 – 2010 school year, parents must volunteer 10 hours each year .  A list of volunteer hours and programs will be published.

Parent Conferences: Parents who refuse to attend two mandated parent conferences or private appointments to discuss their students’ educational progress will result in the dismissal of their students from TECHS.

The School Day
The TECHS school day is from 9:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.  There are three minutes between each period.  Early Bird classes will start at 7:55 a.m.

We expect our students to be on time and in school everyday.  TECHS’ “Excellent” rating was based in part on our 98% attendance rate.  Students who are tardy repeatedly will serve detentions and/or Saturday School.  Every third tardy will result in a 90 minute after school detention (4:00-5:30 p.m.)

Full time college students will report to their advisory periods daily following the UT exam schedule. They are expected to attend advisory regularly during the school year.

When TPS cancels or delays the start of school, students who take UT college courses must still report to their college classes.

Late to School: Students should sign in with the secretary as soon as they enter the building or they will not be permitted to class.

Building Permits:  Signed notes from parents are required that describe why the student needs to be released.  Parents must come to the TECHS main office to sign for their student’s release.

Student Withdrawal:  Students who withdraw from TECHS cannot return. Fees for college courses for students who withdraw from TECHS during the semester will be charged to parents at the rate of 100%.

College and High School Curriculum
Student Failure of College Courses: Students must earn at least a C- in college courses to earn high school credit for the dual courses. Students who need to repeat a college course will be charged 50% of the cost of tuition.

Student Withdrawal from College Courses:  Students must prove they have made every effort possible to use all available resources to pass courses before their requests to drop courses will be considered.  Students may be charged for dropping the course.

Conflicts between high school and college courses will not be permitted  -- no exceptions!

Academic Dishonesty:
 Cheating on assignments, tests, stealing teachers’ answer keys, and or other students’ work and/or plagiarism will result in the student’s removal from the course and/or from TECHS.

All students, including juniors and seniors are expected to report to advisory periods.

Freshmen:  FYI/Study Skills are general education college courses that determine if students are ready to take additional college courses.  The two courses meet on alternating days Mondays through Fridays.  Students, who do not pass FYI and Study Skills courses, will not be allowed to take second semester college courses. Students who pass FYI and the Study Skills courses, and who have demonstrated they are well-behaved and responsible students, will take physical education courses and/or health courses the second semester of the freshman year.  Students should try to take physical education courses that are full semester courses.  Health classes should be three-credit-hour courses.  Students should try to complete physical education and health education requirements by the end of the sophomore year.  Students must earn 5.50 credits each year during the four-year high school experience.

Sophomores/Juniors:  Students are required to report to academic assistance when college courses are not in session.  Students must report to advisory periods when they are not in college classes.  Juniors report to advisory teachers who they reported to as sophomores. Juniors and Seniors with at least 12 college credit-hours are considered full time college students.  However, they are required to report to TECHS daily to attend academic assist period.  Between the hours of 9:05 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., students are still students of TECHS.

Seniors:  Students are required to report to academic assist at least one hour each day and advisory periods three times a week.

Book Reimbursement: College textbooks must be returned within two days of students’ final exam to the TECHS secretary at the UT bookstore.  Students’ who keep books beyond that date will be “X” slipped for the full cost of the textbook(s).  Students who return books two days after their final exam will be responsible for securing transportation to the main campus book to return textbooks.  Note:  The shuttle stops running the last day of the exam schedule.

Students who are truant from college courses will be disciplined according to TECHS and TPS policies.

Students who do not pass their high school and/or college schedules, according to their academic contracts, will be placed on academic probation for a semester. While on academic probation, students will not be permitted to take college courses.  

Summer School information is usually available to students during the second week of April.  If you failed a course the first semester, please inquire about summer school timelines the second week in April.  Libbey Scholarships, which can pay for up to two semesters of summer school, may be available to students on a one-time basis.  Students do not qualify for Libbey scholarships if they failed courses based on attendance and/or were previously awarded Libbey Scholarships.  Students and/or their parents are required to initiate inquiries about summer school.

All students are allowed to recover up to two credits during the high school experience.  The two recovery credits cannot be in the same discipline. For example:  students cannot recover two credits from the mathematics curriculum. Phoenix credits will not be accepted. Upward Bound credits, which are not recovery credits, will not be accepted. Courses for recovery credits must be taken through the TPS Summer Academy Program.  
NOTE:  Students may take physical education as a non-recovery course in TPS summer school.

Rocket Stages:  Students must complete Rocket Stages to graduate from TECHS.
A comprehensive explanation of all Rocket Stages may be accessed on TECHS website. Parents will also be given an end-of-year progress report regarding their students’ Rocket Stages by teacher advisors. Rocket stages must be completed each semester and will determine the number of college courses students may take.

Discipliary Procedures
Suspensions: Depending on the violation or infraction, students may only be allowed one suspension during the high school experience.  Detentions and Saturday School cannot be appealed.  Students who fight, or engage in compromising behavior are expelled permanently from TECHS. Students will be suspended according to the TPS district disciplinary policies.  

Expulsion (Fights, Residence Halls, etc):  Students who fight, visit University of Toledo campus dormitories, or visit locations that are non-educational sites will be permanently expelled from TECHS.  

Students will only be permitted to serve three detentions per semester for tardies, dress code violations and/or violations of the Toledo Public Schools disciplinary code.  Students will be allowed to serve one of the following each semester: Saturday School, Behavior Intervention Center (BIC) and alternate suspension. Students can have only one suspension per year.  If the offense is serious enough or a repeated violation, the student will not be permitted to return to TECHS.  Disciplinary procedures may not be progressive, depending on the offense.  Students in violation of the maximum number of allowable detentions, Saturday School assignments and/or suspensions can be expelled from TECHS.

End-of-the-Year Referrals:
Student who get referrals near or at the end of the year will face one or all of the following disciplinary procedures:  (a) Violations will be carried over to following school year, (b) Courses on the college schedule may be reduced or eliminated, (c) Students will not be able to participate in extra curricular activities during the following school year, including running for officers for various clubs.

Cellular telephones and electronic gadgets are to be left home or placed in students’ lockers when they enter the building.  Lunch periods are still part of the TECHS school day. Cellular telephones and electronic gadgets are not permitted.  Refusal to surrender said items upon request by TECHS staff will result in disciplinary action in accordance the TPS district-wide disciplinary code.

Dress Code Violations: The second dress code violation will result in a 90 minute after school detention (4:00-5:30 p.m.) and each subsequent dress code violation will result in a detention and/or Saturday School.   The TPS/TECHS dress code is in effect for all high school students, including upper classmen with high school and college schedules.  Shoes are a part of the dress code.  Flip flops will not be permitted!
Special Program:  The dress code will be in effect during special programs and/or induction ceremonies, including the National Honor Society and graduation.

Coats/Hats/Gloves/Hoodies/Outerwear     should to be placed in students’ assigned lockers.  Third and fourth year students with mixed schedules must be in compliance with the TECHS dress code.

Food and/or Drinks are not allowed in classrooms or halls during school hours.
Card Playing is not allowed.

Locker Assignments:  Students are required to honor locker assignments and to purchase locks to secure lockers.

Restroom Breaks
Students are expected to take restroom breaks before or after school and/or between classes.  Students are expected to use facilities that are located closest to their assigned classrooms.  

Lunch Breaks
Freshmen and sophomores are expected to report to the cafeteria during the assigned lunch period. Juniors with mixed schedules (high school and college) should report to the cafeteria for lunch when they are in the building.

Lounge Areas  
Students who use lounge or seating areas between classes are expected to behave as though they are in a supervised classroom environment by sitting and/or talking quietly.

Computers and Related Resources: TECHS or UT libraries are to be used to access educational internet sites only. Students who use those sites for other reasons will have their privileges revoked permanently.

Student Shadowing: Students who shadow TECHS students must have approval from the students’ home school principals, the TECHS principal, and can only occur during winter and spring breaks. Only potential TECHS students will be permitted to shadow. To learn how to apply for an application to shadow a TECHS student, call 419-530-3003.  

Students qualify to participate in extracurricular activities based on their academic records, disciplinary history and/or social skills.  Student guests, who are age appropriate and who are invited to such events, must complete an application for approval by the guests’ home school principals and the TECHS principal.  If the guest’s completed application is not on file at the event, the guest will not be permitted to attend the event/function.

Intruders will be reported to UT police, TPS security and/or Toledo Police.