Handbook

The attendance office is located down the hall from the main office. The attendance secretary checks, records, and verifies excused and unexcused absences. They also grant early dismissals for pre-arranged appointments. If a student has a pre-arranged appointment the student should bring a parental permission slip to the attendance office before the first class period.

Excused Absences

Student absences are excused for illness, family emergencies, driver’s license examinations, medical, dental, or other valid professional appointments, and preapproved school activities. Parents should contact the attendance secretary at 359-6562, between 7:15 and 9 a.m. when a student will be absent from school. If a parent does not call, students must report to the Attendance Office with a parent excuse note prior to the first period on the first day of their return to school. Staff may request a doctor’s excuse if a student has excessive absences. Note: The administration reserves the right to make all final attendance decisions.

Parents may excuse their children up to 10 school days under state statute. Notification of such absence must be made 24 hours in advance of the requested absence or as soon as possible after the parent makes the decision to keep the student home. Under state statute, a requested absence of 1 period or more counts as a full day of absence.  Absences after 10 school days missed will be considered unexcused and students will be considered for truancy processes.

Unexcused Absences

Unexcused absences include oversleeping, missing the bus, personal business, senior pictures, car problems, appointments not approved in advance, leaving school without permission, or any unauthorized absence such not being present in class. 

Class Attendance

Academic success results from regular class attendance. Therefore, the school administration has adopted the following policies for unexcused class absences: 1) If a student is unexcused on the absence list, he/she is responsible for clearing it with the attendance secretary. 2) Failure to clear will result in a conference with the attendance Dean and/or consequences such as loss of privileges, ELT restrictions, after school detentions, Saturday detentions, or truancy citations/referrals. 3) A student with 2 or more unexcused absences may face disciplinary consequences up to and including a citation for truancy from law enforcement officials. 4) A truancy citation may be given for skipping Saturday detention or for multiple times of not clearing unexcused absences.

For more information, please see policy 5200 that can be found on the Board Docs website or is available in the school office.

Late Arrival to School

If the student arrives late to school (see excused absences), parents should inform the attendance secretary. Students who arrive tardy to school should report to the attendance office. Unexcused students will receive progressive consequences for actions.

Late Arrival to Class

A one-minute warning bell will sound prior to the start of each class period. Students who have multiple late absences will be subject to disciplinary consequences up to and including a citation for truancy.

D.C. Everest High School Athletics and Activities Handbook

All students planning to participate in athletic competitions or co-curricular activities are subject to the stipulations found in the Athletic and Activities Handbook.  Training rules, eligibility requirements, and penalties for code violations are stated as conditions for participation.

Student Code of Conduct for Bus Trips and Field Trips

• All students will return on the bus that they rode to the activity unless a parent has contacted the chaperone. Parents may only transport their own children.
• All school rules pertaining to proper student conduct on the bus and on school grounds apply to bus trips and attendance at out-of-town activities. If a student breaks a rule, the same consequences will apply as when a student breaks a rule during the school day on campus.

Student Transportation to Out-of-School Activities When School Personnel are Not Present

• When stipulations below are met, students may transport themselves and/or other students or parents may transport students to out-of-school activity sites without school personnel present:
• Parents or age of majority students must comply with all school rules related to field trips, class projects, and out-of-school curricular and co-curricular activities when transporting students by administrative authorization.
• Parents may not transport students to school-sponsored activities in a school vehicle.
• The parents of all students must complete the "Parent Permission Slip" indicating they know who is driving; they understand what the activity entails; they understand the distance being traveled, and they recognize the liability of the owner of the vehicle in case of an accident. A student who has an approved age of majority release with the Attendance Office may complete this slip without parent permission.

Code of Conduct for Overnight Trips

The following procedures will be in effect for all overnight trips:

An authorization form signed by the student and parent must be submitted to the person in charge of the activity two days prior to the trip date.

• Students are expected to adhere to the same rules for which they are accountable during the school day and any specific guidelines given by the activity adviser. The advisers have the right to exercise fair discipline if a breach of good conduct occurs. Serious discipline problems involving insubordination, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or other controlled substances, etc., will be reported to a school administrator. Similar disciplinary consequences will apply as when a violation is committed during the school day. Students violating or ignoring any of the conduct rules may be sent home immediately at their own expense.
• Damages to any property or furnishings in the hotel rooms or other buildings will be paid for by the individual responsible or the student group.
• Students should keep their advisers informed of their activities and whereabouts at all times. Students are not allowed to leave their housing area at any time without the adviser’s permission. 
• The adviser will make his/her whereabouts known to the students for communication in case of emergencies.
• Students should be prompt and prepared for all activities.
• Students shall stay in designated housing, not with friends or relatives.
• Room doors must be kept wide open at all times when other students are visiting.
• The curfew will be 11:00 p.m. unless an earlier curfew is established by the place where students are housed. Advisers will check that all students are in their room by curfew time. Curfew is defined as being quiet in your own room. Students agree to conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner at all times and to follow the directives of adult supervisors and hotel staff.

Responsibility for the personal appearance of students enrolled in the D.C. Everest District shall normally rest with the students themselves and their parents/guardians. Student dress or grooming shall not, however:

• present a hazard to the health or safety of the student himself/herself or to others in the school including by way of communicating threats of harm or depictions of harmful conduct directed at others;
• interfere with schoolwork, create disorder, or disrupt the educational program, including dress that promotes or depicts illegal activity, such as illegal drug use, underage alcohol consumption, or similar activities;
• cause excessive wear or damage to school property;
• prevent the student from achieving his/her own educational objectives because of blocked vision or restricted movement.

In order to ensure a healthy and safe school environment for students, the high school will enforce the following student dress code guidelines:

• Clothing should always completely cover the torso from just below the neckline to mid-thigh. Undergarments must be worn and shall not be visible. Shoes must be worn at all times.
• During the school day, hats, caps, bandannas, head coverings, and jackets are subject to teacher discretion within individual classrooms.  Hoods are not allowed to be worn as they make identification of students in the building difficult, and they allow for concealment of earbuds during class time.
• Students are not allowed to wear or carry flags.
• No student shall be permitted to wear any clothing that contains pictures and/or writing referring to alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, sexual references, profanity, promotion of gambling, illegal drugs and/or gangs.
• Students shall not wear or display medallions or other jewelry that identify gang members or gang affiliation or which have come to represent a gang or other illicit behavior in school or at school events. Also, gang clothing is not always restricted to an item of clothing but may include the way in which the student wears a particular item of clothing. Students may not wear, possess, use, distribute, display, carry or sell gang insignia on school grounds or at school-related activities at any time.

This code does not limit the right of the building and/or district administration to establish rules or restrictions regarding other paraphernalia or dress that disrupts or threatens to disrupt the learning environment of any school. If students and/or parents disagree with school staff regarding the appropriateness of clothing or other paraphernalia, the principal will use his/her discretion to make the final decision.

Students who violate the rules will remove the inappropriate items or be sent home to change. Repeated violations of school rules may constitute grounds of suspension or other appropriate action to correct the situation.

Students have the right and responsibility to express themselves in a manner that is appropriate and not disruptive for a school setting. Students must avoid expression and conduct that can be reasonably forecasted to either materially disrupt the educational environment or infringe upon the rights of other students to access and participate in a safe and welcoming educational environment. This responsibility includes refraining from the display of symbols that are reasonably perceived as promoting intolerance, hatred, or a hostile educational environment including, but not limited to, confederate battle flags, swastikas, and profanity on school property or at school-sponsored events.

Student backpack use in the classroom is at teacher discretion. Students are given a locker at the beginning of the year and are encouraged to use it.

Junior, senior, and second semester sophomore students who meet the criteria for participation are eligible to participate in Earned Privileges during the school day.  Student participation in Earned Privileges will be determined by the previous quarter’s attendance, behavior, and academic standing.  Earned Privileges allow students to participate in open campus during the student’s assigned study hall and lunch. Students may choose to stay on campus during these times as well as long as they stay in their assigned areas (study hall placement).  Students returning from open campus privileges must report to their assigned area.  

Criteria for Participation

Parental Permission: Students wishing to participate must have received parental permission during the registration process.

Academic: Students must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or better during the previous quarter.

Attendance: Students must have greater than 90% attendance during the previous quarter and have 5 or less tardies during that quarter.

Behavior: Students must have zero behavior infractions during the previous quarter as well as have zero community-based infractions during the school day while on privileges.

Process for Participation – Students who have Earned Privileges must scan out and in through the main office.  Students who fail to scan out and in will lose their privileges for the remainder of the quarter.

Administration reserves the right to remove student Earned Privileges at any time for violation of school rules.  Any student who loses Earned Privileges will be required to attend all classes through the next grading period which will determine eligibility for the following quarter.

Students are required to park in the Student Lots A or B. Students parking in other areas not designated as student parking will be ticketed.

Use of the Senior High parking lot will be on a first come, first served basis.  Students may park in any parking stall that is unoccupied in Student Lots A or B. Students must purchase a parking pass for $40 in order to park in the lots.  This includes spots going down the West entrance by the tennis courts and baseball diamond.

Students are not allowed to be in the student parking lot except when going to or coming from their vehicle. Loitering is not allowed in the student parking lot. These rules are established for the protection of student vehicles from damage and vandalism.  Violation of these rules will result in disciplinary measures to include the revocation of parking privileges.  

Any student observed driving dangerously on school property will be referred to local law enforcement for appropriate legal actions as well as being subject to school disciplinary action.  Dangerous driving will result in the revocation of parking privileges.
 
Students are not allowed to park in the Circle Drive Visitor Entrance Lot, Student Council Drive Parking, Greenheck Lot, or in the Faculty Parking Lot behind the school.  Students found parking in these areas will be issued a citation and/or have their parking privileges revoked. 
 

Students can have legal complaints filed against them for violating the town ordinances on school property. Students engaged in disorderly conduct, smoking/vaping, possession or use of alcohol or drugs, engaging in dangerous activities, using profanity that causes a disturbance, etc. on school property may receive a municipal citation for such actions.

Students should be aware that at the age of 17 disorderly conduct citations will be recorded and remain on their permanent criminal record. Violations such as these may have serious repercussions for future admission into military branches, post-secondary educational institutions, or employment opportunities. Seventeen-year-old students should also be aware that more serious offenses such as battery and theft may result in immediate incarceration.

Students may use cell phones in the commons area of the high school building during lunch periods and during passing times. Students must turn cell phones off and put them away during class periods. In approved situations and areas of the building, students may use personal cell phones responsibly, following the rules and guidelines of the Student Acceptable Use Policy for Technology Services, and in a manner to not disturb other students or staff. Failure to meet these expectations will result in the confiscation of the cell phone/device. Repetitive or severe violations of the cell phone and personal music device policy may result in additional disciplinary measures and phone restrictions. In classrooms during the administration of tests or assessments, cell phones are strictly forbidden. Cell phones are legally prohibited from being out in bathrooms or locker rooms.

Laser pens and other laser lights are prohibited on school property. Staff will confiscate laser pens if brought on school property, and students will face disciplinary action if in possession of such items.

D.C. Everest does not permit students to bring friends or relatives to visit during the school day. Unauthorized persons who are in school or on school property between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. on school days may receive a municipal citation for "trespassing" (Weston Ordinance).

On the first day of school, all students receive an assigned locker. Each student has an individual responsibility to secure their personal property. Keep your hallway and gym lockers locked at all times. Do not reveal locker combinations to other students. The school cannot accept responsibility for the valuables of students. If a locker is damaged or articles are stolen from a locker, report the damage/theft to office personnel immediately.

A student locker is provided by the school for the convenience of the student to be used solely and exclusively for the storage of outer garments, footwear, and school-related materials. No student shall use the locker for any other purpose. Items brought to school or those in lockers are not insured for reimbursement by the D.C. Everest Area School District. Respectful use of the locker is expected. Charges will be billed to the student for damages made to the locker during the school year.

The school locker assigned to a student is the property of the D.C. Everest Area School District. The use of a locker other than the one assigned to the student is prohibited. At no time does the D.C. Everest Area School District relinquish its exclusive control of such lockers. Periodic general inspections of lockers may be conducted by school authorities for any reason at any time, without notice, without student consent, and without a search warrant. All lockers and contents therein may be searched for weapons, drugs, other contraband, or any item that may place any student, employee or anyone else on the premises in danger. School personnel shall maintain a passkey to all lockers so that the school shall have access to all lockers at all times. Students shall not be allowed to secure their lockers in any way whatsoever other than the locking mechanism provided by the school.

Any unauthorized item found in the locker may be removed. Items removed from the locker may be held by the school for return to the parent/guardian of the student (without liability to the school for safekeeping) unless the inspecting authority suspects that possession or storage of the unauthorized item found in the locker involves a violation of the law, in which case the suspect material removed from the locker shall be turned over to law enforcement officials. The student and his/her parent/guardian shall be notified by the inspecting authority of items removed from the locker and of the delivery thereof to law enforcement officials in cases of contents so disposed of, and of the parent/guardian's right to obtain other items removed from the locker.

D.C. Everest High School has great concern for the safety of all students and the public on school property. To better provide a safe and healthy environment, the school uses surveillance cameras and recording devices. While staff on occasion may monitor an area, we record areas under surveillance at all times.

Possession or use of tobacco, nicotine, contraband, alcohol or other illegal drugs on school property by students during the school day is strictly prohibited. Failure to obey this regulation will result in suspension and/or expulsion, and a referral to local law enforcement. Alcohol and drug violations may result in restrictions of attendance at all school co-curricular activities, dances (including Prom), and the graduation ceremony. Tobacco, alcohol, and drug education is an important part of our required health course and cessation information/support is available from Student Services. Cigarette lighters and matches are restricted and will be confiscated if found in a students’ possession.

For more information, please see policies 5500, 5512, 5530 that can be found online or is available in the school office.

Possession or use of weapons or look-alike weapons on campus is strictly prohibited. Knives, guns, clubs, brass knuckles, or any other devices that are usually constructed for or can be used to physically harm another will be immediately confiscated and turned over to local law enforcement. Students who have possession of such weapons may be suspended from school until a board hearing is scheduled to consider expulsion.

The D.C. Everest Area School District recognizes the need to deal quickly and appropriately with violent student behavior when it seriously disrupts the educational program and/or has the potential to cause physical and/or psychological harm to other students, school staff or the students themselves. Acts of violence, whether physical, implied non-verbal and/or verbal, toward others will result in discipline ranging from verbal warnings to suspensions and/or expulsion from school depending upon the severity of the act.

Acts of violence include but are not limited to:

• Physical acts (shoving, striking, kicking, throwing of objects);
• Implied non-verbal actions (cutting, shooting, or other similar actions which are interpreted by the receiver to imply harm) or physical contact;
• Verbal statements (threats, figures of speech, or other communication interpreted by the receiver to imply harm).

Students must follow all rules and guidelines of the Technology Acceptable Use Policy/Agreement policy. You can locate this policy (po7540.03) on the D.C. Everest District Technology Page.

Tampering and/or vandalism of computer equipment may result in a fine. This fine will increase if additional resources or outside personnel are needed to repair or replace the damaged equipment. In that case, the student(s) will be responsible for the full cost of that repair or replacement. Computer networks are to be used for educational purposes only. The viewing, retrieving, or printing of inappropriate material from the Internet or other computer programming will result in suspension and/or revocation of computer use privileges.

ELT is scheduled four days a week to provide students with access to their classroom teachers for additional support. If a student is requested to attend ELT by one of their teachers or is in the red in Grade Guardian, attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend may result in disciplinary action, up to and including a truancy citation.

Students who are not requested to attend ELT and are not in the red on Grade Guardian are permitted to attend co-curricular meetings during this time. Additionally, students who meet all expectations and are in good standing may wait in the commons or the IMC for their bus or leave the campus if they have their own transportation.  Sophomores are required to stay in ELT, even if they are in good standing, for the first quarter.

Students are expected to attend their scheduled advisory.  During this time their advisory teachers will discuss their current academic progress, conference with students on quarterly goals, and provide information and resources related to college, career, and life readiness.

Students with outstanding fines and fees will receive periodic reminders via email. Payments of cash or checks can be made to the finance secretary or by credit card on the Infinite Campus Portal. Students will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony until all fines/fees are paid.

All students must carry an ID card in the school building. ID cards are used as tickets to school activities, to check out materials in the library, and for the purpose of identification. IDs are issued to all students at the beginning of the school year. The first card is furnished to the student; if lost, a replacement card costs $9 and may be purchased in the Front Office.

A student who has reached the Age of Majority (18) and who chooses to make changes to their demographic information, MUST complete the Age of Majority Form. These forms can be obtained from the student’s school counselor. Once the form is complete the student must return it to their counselor. The school social worker should also be informed of the completion of the form for all students. Once the student has completed the process for the Age of Majority, their information will be updated in the Student Information System.

Adult students are not exempt from complying with the rules and policies enacted by the D.C. Everest Board of Education or D.C. Everest High School. By State Statutes, school boards have the authority to make rules, including rules pertaining to student conduct, or to delegate this rulemaking function to the district's administrators or teachers. School rules made under the authority of the State Statutes are binding on pupils regardless of age. Adult students also remain subject to the same disciplinary procedures as students under the age of 18.

Withdrawal procedures are initiated in the Student Services Office. Students withdrawing from D.C. Everest need to complete the withdrawal form that requires signatures from the IMC, Attendance Office, Student Services Office, Front Office, and all teachers. All obligations are noted on this form. The completed form is to be returned to the Student Services Office. Students will not be officially withdrawn until all financial obligations are met and required signatures are completed.

Permission to put up any posters at D.C. Everest must be obtained from school administration. Posters should pertain to D.C. Everest’s activities and be of appropriate size, material, and subject matter. No posters or signs will be allowed that promote any type of business or commercial activity.  Administration approved posters may be posted in designated areas as directed by administration.

Students who are under 16 years old are required by law to obtain a work permit. Work permits are issued in the senior high main office as a special service to our students. In order to obtain a work permit the student must be present and the following criteria must be met: 1) a letter of request from the employer stating the type of work and hours of work, 2) a parental permission slip, 3) a birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or driver’s license (a passport may be used only if the others are not obtainable), 4) the original social security card, and 5) a $10 fee (to be reimbursed by the employer to the employee). If all of the following are not obtained, a work permit will not be issued. There are no exceptions.

Participating in the graduation ceremony is a privilege, not a right. Students eligible to participate in the ceremony are students who have:

• Met the requirements set forth by the Department of Public Instruction and the School Board for graduation.
• Have no outstanding fines to the Senior High School.
• Have been enrolled as a full-time student for at least a semester of the year of graduation within the Senior High School.
• Completed their high school enrollment as an enrolled member of D.C. Everest Senior High School.

Participation in graduation may be limited at the discretion of the building principal for any of the following:

• The student was involved in any way in a senior prank or disruption of normal school procedures
• The student was involved in a significant behavior concern at school (including but not limited to a disruption in the building, drugs, alcohol, anything that reflects negatively on the students, the school, or the school community, or anything that threatens the health and safety of any member of the school community).
   

Progressive Consequences

Teachers and principals use a discipline plan that progressively increases the severity of the consequences assigned to students each time a student violates a school rule. Consequences in extreme cases may result in a school board hearing to consider a possible expulsion from school.

Saturday Detention

Saturday detentions will be held from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. Students assigned will be required to follow specific rules and do school work under the supervision of a staff member. Failure to attend an assigned Saturday detention will be considered an unexcused absence from school and may result in a truancy citation.

Out-of-School-Suspension

A one-to five-day suspension from school will result when a student substantially disrupts or distracts the learning atmosphere in school or chronically violates school rules after another disciplinary action has failed.

Appeal Procedures

A student may appeal a disciplinary action if he or she feels the school regulations have been wrongfully interpreted and applied. The appeal must be made to the principal within five days after the occurrence of the event on which it is based. Appeals after five days will be considered waived. The principal will investigate and rule on the appeal. Further appeal may be made to the Assistant Superintendent’s office after the principal’s ruling is made.

For more information, please see policy 5500 that can be found online or is available in the school office.

Academic honesty means being honest in your schoolwork in a way that doesn’t break the rules of fairness and integrity. This includes things like cheating on tests, copying someone else’s work and claiming it as your own (plagiarism), using AI tools in ways your teacher hasn’t approved, or giving false information—such as making up data or sources. These actions are all attempts to gain an unfair advantage and are not allowed in a learning environment.

Generative AI Tools

ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Photomath—can be helpful, but only when used in the right way and with teacher permission. Misusing these tools is also considered academic dishonesty.  See table below for allowed and not allowed AI tool use: 

Allowed with Instructor Consent

• Brainstorming, developing, and refining your own ideas.
• Fine tuning your research questions.
• Searching for reliable information related to your topic.
• Drafting an outline to help organize your thoughts.
• Reviewing grammar and writing style using appropriate tools that do not alter or rewrite your original content.

Not Allowed

• Using AI to complete tasks that are meant to reflect your own thinking, such as discussion posts, group work, or assignments submitted through platforms like Canvas, Zoom, or Webex.
• Having AI generate a draft of a writing assignment.
• Using AI to write any part of your assignment, including sentences, paragraphs, or full essays.

DCE Senior High will strictly enforce the following expectation:

• Students are responsible for making sure any information they submit from an AI tool is accurate, follows copyright laws, and does not include false, biased, or inappropriate content.
• If AI tools are used, students must clearly show that by properly citing the source—such as in MLA or APA format—to follow school academic honesty policies.
• If a student is unsure whether a certain use of AI is allowed, always ask a teacher before submitting your work.

Failure to follow these expectations will result in progressive consequences involving classroom teachers and administration.
 

Academic Letter

Students may earn an academic letter by maintaining a 3.90 cumulative grade point average as a freshman, a 3.75 CGPA as a sophomore, and a 3.50 CGPA as a junior with at least one semester of the qualifying year of 3.9/3.75/3.5 GPA respectively, and by being involved in an academic contest or project.

Honor Roll

A student needs to earn a 3.5 GPA for a semester to earn the distinction of the honor roll.

Local Scholarships

In order to be eligible to apply for scholarships on the D.C. Everest Local Scholarship Application, students must be enrolled at DC Everest Senior High for at least four semesters. Students can find applications and information on Student Services Canvas and in the Student Services Office.

National Honor Society

Students who meet the standards established by the faculty in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character may earn induction into the program.

National Honor Society Selection Procedures:

• General Guidelines: 
  • candidates must have attended D.C. Everest High School the equivalent of one semester.
  • junior and senior students qualify for membership.
• Staff reviews students’ academic records to determine student scholastic eligibility for membership. To meet the standard, students must have an accumulative GPA of 3.5 or above.
• Staff will notify scholastically eligible students that for further consideration of selection to this chapter they may complete the student activity information form outlining their accomplishments in the areas of service and leadership.
• All faculty members have the opportunity to write their comments about the character, service, and leadership traits of eligible students.
• The 5-member faculty council reviews the student activity information forms and faculty comment forms. In addition, the council reviews the leadership, service, and character of all candidates carefully. Candidates receiving a majority of the vote of the faculty council earn induction into the National Honor Society. 
• Selected candidates will receive notice in writing about their selection and the timing of the induction ceremony. Non-selected students will also receive written notice about their non-selection into the National Honor Society.

Note: The faculty of the school through the faculty council Members select students to join the Chapter. Individuals do not apply for membership but rather submit information, via the Student Activity Information Forms for use by the faculty council in determining membership. Membership, therefore, is an honor bestowed upon an individual and thus a privilege and not a position for which one applies, nor to which one is elected or the right of any individual.

Report Cards

Report cards are issued every nine weeks using the following system:

• Semester standing in grades 10-12 are final grades.
• Letter grades will be used as prescribed by School Board Policy.

Letter Grade: Point Value

A: 4.0

AB: 3.5

B: 3.0

BC: 2.5

C: 2.0

CD: 1.5

D: 1.0

F: 0 - Fail

I: Incomplete

S: Satisfactory performance in lieu of grade

U: Unsatisfactory

Note:  Alternative classes do not count in grade point average.

Library/IMC (Instructional Media Center)

The IMC is located on the third floor next to the main north stairwell. It houses a computer lab with available reference databases, reference books, periodicals, and leisure reading material. The attached Production Lab houses AV software and hardware, along with a second computer lab. Assistance and equipment can facilitate a variety of production needs. Staff work in the IMC/Production Lab 6:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. Monday through Friday to further assist students.

Additional Hours: The IMC is open on Monday - Thursday evenings until 6:30 pm. 

School Code Number

Scholastic Aptitude Test, American College Testing Program, Financial Aid Form, and Family Financial Statement Code Number: 502-060.

The Police-School Liaison Office Program

The Police Liaison Officer serves as a resource person and an educational aide in addition to serving as a law enforcement officer, who by definition has an obligation to serve, protect, and uphold the law. The liaison officer fulfills an important task as a resident friend and listener to youth with personal problems that they may bring to his or her attention. This role is carried out in cooperation with authorized school officials.

The Police Liaison Officer also serves as a referral agent. The officer has knowledge of health and service agencies available on a local level to young people and their families. He or she will help students contact local agencies that can aid them in matters beyond the officer’s or school’s capacity to solve.

The liaison officer will also serve an educational function by assisting school staff in the provision of courses of study or programs designed to acquaint students with the law, the ways in which it operates on the local/state level, and how it touches their lives. The officer can also provide parent groups with information to acquaint them with the law.

The following characteristics should apply to a student who wishes to partake in the Early College Credit Program or Start College Now:

• Student who ranks in the top 25% of his/her class and has completed the coursework offered at the high school level. 

• Students who select university courses offered at or similar to those offered at D.C. Everest will not receive reimbursement for tuition expenses.

• Evidence exists that the student will benefit from the experience and that the time spent at these institutions will not unduly conflict with participation in the high school graduation requirements.

• Students must apply for enrollment for obtaining high school credit courses by February 1 for the fall semester and by September 1 for courses taken during the spring semester.

• Students must start an application with an admissions counselor from the post-secondary institution.

• The principal (or their designee) will grant high school credit and the student must receive approval prior to taking the course.

Note: According to state statute, “If a pupil receives a failing grade in a course, or fails to complete a course, at an institution of higher education or technical college for which the school board or the governing body of a participating private school has made payment, the pupil's parent or guardian, or the pupil if he or she is an adult, shall reimburse the school board or the governing body the amount paid on the pupil's behalf upon the request of the school board or governing body. If a school board or governing body that requests reimbursement of a payment made under this section is not reimbursed as requested, the pupil on whose behalf the payment was made is ineligible for any further participation in the program under this section.”

The Student Services department has counselors to assist students with a variety of tasks and concerns. The program includes individual and group counseling in which personal, academic, career, college, and educational concerns may be discussed in a confidential manner. Appointments can be made using the online Counselor Scheduling program in Student Services. Counseling time is available during a student's study hall, unscheduled time, and before or after school.

Groups are a part of the Student Services Delivery Model. Some groups are facilitated by Marathon County Consortium approved therapists. Please contact the main office during registration if you do not wish for your child to participate in any groups facilitated through D.C. Everest Senior High Counseling Department. Students will be invited to participate as they choose without notification to the parent/guardian.

Senior Graduation Requirements

Subject Area: Credits

Mathematics: 3

Science: 3

English: 4

Social Studies: 4

Physical Education: 1.5

Health: .5

Finance: .5

Required Credits: 15.5

Elective Credits: 8

Total Credits: 23.5

Student Services Resources

Online resources are available through Canvas which is located on the Senior High Website.

Early Graduation

Students who plan to complete high school in less than eight semesters must complete a written application form (available in Student Services). Students seeking early graduation must apply and complete this form prior to their senior year. A statement of reasons for early graduation in addition to a letter of approval from parents or guardians must accompany this application form. The school counselor will schedule a conference with the applicant and his/her parents. High school administration will determine approval or disapproval.

Course Add/Drop Practice 

The Senior High makes every effort to develop a master schedule according to student needs and interests. Each student must recognize that the scheduling process is complex, and their selections determine curriculum offerings, the final master schedule, and teacher contracts. Considerable time and effort go into creating a flexible schedule, and once the Senior High establishes final student schedules in the spring, schedule changes will rarely receive approval. 

Any student requesting course changes must read this section thoroughly and meet all requirements for a change. A request for change is merely for consideration. A change is not guaranteed. Any courses dropped after the deadline or not approved for a drop will result in a Withdrawal Failure (WF) on the student transcript which calculates as an “F” in the cumulative GPA. The list below are considerations to be aware of when requesting course changes.  

The list below are considerations to be aware of when requesting course changes.  

• Only full year courses for the 2nd semester may be requested for change. Courses that are only a semester long are not permitted to be changed unless there was a data entry error, misplacement due to ability, enrollment in a school approved program (Youth Apprenticeship, etc.), or need for another graduation requirement.  
• Any senior requesting a change who has been admitted to a college must contact the college themselves to verify that a course change will not impact the admission offer. Students should email the college admissions, inform them of the change they want to make with courses and ask if it will impact the admission offer.  WARNING - making course changes after being admitted to a college and NOT informing them of a change can result in the admission offer being rescinded. Students are 100% responsible for working with their college admissions to inquire if the change will impact their admission offer.

Incompletes

School staff will change Incompletes not made up within 2 weeks from the end of the semester to an F.
 

Information Services

Information is available from the Student Services Office through several sources. Announcements are made over the public address to the homerooms. Bulletin boards with guidance information are located throughout various areas of the building, inside and outside the guidance office, and also within the main lobby of the school building. Guidance news and information may also be found within our school parent newsletters issued through the principal's office. Counselors are also involved with individuals, small groups, classrooms, parent conferences, and large group orientation information activities.

Student Records

Student records will reflect the student's physical, emotional, social, and academic growth in the educational process. Any student interested in reviewing his/her records should see his/her counselor to discuss what they can review and to interpret any information that the student may question.

Career Exploration Services

Student Services provides students and their families with a host of resources and services to assist in the career development process. The student services office houses a Career Center highlighting a wide range of career opportunities and choices available to students through self-discovery, market research, action planning, and making community connections. The counselors can help students with individual career planning, job shadowing, finding a college, and job-hunting strategies, all of which can provide a successful transition from high school. The D.C. Everest High School purchases an online career web resource for students to assess their interests, skills, aptitudes, and values. The Career Center provides many resources such as 2-year/4-year college information, specialty school literature, military options, ACT/SAT materials, local business references and promotion, scholarships, and financial aid information.

The D.C. Everest School District continues to create academic and social-emotional support systems linked directly to the assessed needs of our students. This system, known as the Everest System of Supports (E.S.S.), provides all students with timely and targeted instruction and intervention based upon the data-driven results of universal screening tools. 
 
The primary purpose of universal screening is to help all students be successful. By identifying students who are in need of more specialized academic or behavioral interventions, we can provide assistance and preventative measures as early as possible. Likewise, by identifying students with higher reasoning skills and talent potential, we can provide them with opportunities to participate in Honors, Advanced Placement, or Dual Enrollment programs as appropriate for the individual student.  In addition to universal screening tools, specific grade levels participate in annual assessments required by the state of Wisconsin.

Universal Screening Tools:

• The 7 Mindsets survey measures student perceptions and attitudes in categories representing the seven mindsets (Everything is Possible, Passion First, We Are Connected, 100% Accountable, Attitude of Gratitude, Live to Give, and The Time is Now). The results show areas for growth and development in mindsets at the individual student, school, and district levels. Each mindset is assigned three questions that determine the strength and level of student self-awareness. The results will help guide instruction for mindset lessons and language.  This survey is administered two to three times per year.

Wisconsin State Assessment System:

• The Wisconsin Forward Exam will be administered to all students in grade 10 in spring. The Wisconsin Forward Exam is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards in social studies. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in order to be college and career ready.
• ACT Suite: Through collaboration between the ACT organization and Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction, the ACT Suite includes assessments that measure what students have learned through the Wisconsin Academic Standards.
  • PreACT Secure will be administered to all students in grade 10 in spring and measures what students have learned in the areas of English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. 
  • ACT with writing will be administered to all students in grade 11 in spring and measures what students have learned in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. It also includes an essay test that measures student writing skills..

Thank you for supporting the D.C. Everest School District’s efforts to build a system of student supports linked directly to data. This initiative will ensure each of our students has the opportunity to receive the assistance they need to achieve academic and social-emotional success. Please do not hesitate to contact your building principal if you would like to discuss any of the assessment processes or the options of opting your child out of a specific assessment/survey.