General Expectations

All school rules, as stated in the EPS Family Handbook, apply. For further clarification and/or reinforcement the following also apply:

1. Use or possession of alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or vaping device at any school event is prohibited. Violation of this rule is a serious offense and can result in suspension or even expulsion.
2. Students are at no time to bring weapons of any sort onto the campus. This includes, but is not limited to, all firearms and knives.
3. Cruel, intolerant or overtly aggressive remarks, written or spoken, are in complete violation of the desired environment of the school. Such remarks will entail serious disciplinary consequences.
4. Calls from or to cell phones should be avoided in the buildings during the academic day. Calls should be sent and received outside the building and only between classes or during lunch and free periods. Text messages may be sent/received inside the building, but never during classes. In all cases, these incidences should be brief and infrequent. Phones are never to interrupt class whether making or receiving messages. In the case when phones interrupt or distract in class, teachers may confiscate the device for any period they wish.
5. Students are to respect lockers as the personal storage place for individual students. Combination locks may be used by student choice but are not provided by the school. In no circumstance is any student to open another student’s locker. Removing any item from another student’s locker is a serious offense. Lockers, even when locked by a student, remain the property of the school. As such, they can be subject to school search, even if locked. Combinations for personal locks must be given to the Upper School office and will be held in strict confidence.
6. Students are to eat meals and snacks only in the Levinger-Poole Commons or in designated outside areas provided for such.  Food is prohibited in all other buildings, except when provided by faculty to students. Any adult member of the faculty or staff may request that students not consume food in some areas, as they deem necessary.
7. The goal of the Dress Code is to foster an environment conducive to learning. The Dress Code applies to all school functions, including dances. Some Dress Code guidelines are presented below, but all decisions regarding Dress Code violations are at the discretion of the faculty, staff, and administration.
   • Clothing should be appropriate for a school and learning environment. Clothing should be free of offensive, sexually suggestive, violent, and drug or alcohol references, or other such content that is detrimental to the learning environment.
   • Footwear is required at all times.
8. Dress for PE classes (including sports practices during the school day) requires: (1) an EPS shirt, (2) athletic shorts or pants, and (3) supportive athletic shoes approved by the instructor. Jeans, cargo shorts, or any other non-athletic apparel is not permitted. An EPS sweatshirt is optional. Proper dress is required for each day of PE class to earn credit for the course.
9. Students wishing to raise funds for outside organizations may do so only after obtaining expressed permission from the Upper School Head. Under no circumstance will students be permitted to use the EPS campus, email accounts, or other school resources for personal profit.

Daily School Life

Attendance

Reporting Student Attendance

To report a student’s absence or late arrival to school, parents/guardians should utilize the attendance feature on Four11 (https://four11.eastsideprep.org). If a student’s absence is due to illness, provide a brief list of symptoms to assist in tracking illnesses currently present in our student community. You may also use the Four11 attendance feature to notify the school if a student must leave early for any reason (i.e., doctor’s appointments or special events). If a student is arriving late or leaving early, the student must be signed in/out in the school office by a parent/guardian, or a parent/guardian must provide the student with a written and signed note. In the event of absence, students are expected to take the initiative and work with faculty to address any missed work or assignments.

For additional assistance with any attendance matter, email attendance@eastsideprep.org, or call 425.822.5668 option 2.

Absences: Broadcasting

When recording a student’s absence, a parent/guardian may also request broadcasted classes on a per-period basis. It is important to note that broadcasting enables students to observe classroom activities; it is not participatory. Broadcasting is available to allow students to remain current on topics discussed in class but does not constitute attendance. Students must be in person for 70% of each course to earn credit.

Absences: Planned and Unplanned

Students are asked to respect the school program’s integrity and faculty efforts by arriving on time, being prepared, and using class time productively. Please avoid taking students away from classes other than when illness or other unavoidable circumstances occur. Eastside Preparatory School makes an effort to assist families with vacation planning by publishing the school year calendar as early as possible. If an unavoidable absence is anticipated, complete the Student Absence Request Form as soon as possible. 

Absences: Illness

Eastside Preparatory School prioritizes its community members’ health and wellness, and in the event of illness, families are expected to keep students at home and may receive further guidance from the School Nurse, including the latest guidance for a safe and healthy return to school.  Students who feel well enough to do so may access broadcasted classes. It’s important to note that broadcast allows students to observe classes but is not participatory. For this reason and because we value the community built through in-person attendance, students who access classes through broadcast are still considered to be absent.

Absences: Academic Impact & Extensions

The expectation at Eastside Preparatory School is that students will complete homework and all other assignments on time. From time to time, due to illness or emergency, a student may request an extension of deadline. A request for an extension of deadline on any assignment, via email or in person, should be made directly to the teacher who has assigned the homework. Requests for extended deadlines may be granted or denied by the teacher. Each teacher is responsible for determining the extended due date. In all cases, the teacher’s deadline is the official deadline.

The policy of Eastside Preparatory School is that no assignment deadline may extend beyond seven calendar days from the date on which a student returns to school or beyond the date on which the assignment was due, whichever is later. While no teacher may extend the deadline beyond seven calendar days, a teacher may elect to require an earlier deadline. The purpose of this policy is to prevent students from accumulating more past due assignments than they can reasonably complete. In the case of prolonged illness or other lengthy health-related absences, the Division Head will work with teachers and other support staff to accommodate students and/or modify curriculum.

Excessive Absences

Attendance and participation in class are seminal components of the Eastside Preparatory School experience. Students must be present for at least 70% of a given course to be granted credit. When a student’s absence from class becomes a significant concern, the Division Head and the Head of School will automatically review the student’s achievement as well as any unique circumstances in order to make a decision about whether the student will be allowed to complete the class for credit or whether withdrawal is necessary. When continued progress in the class for credit is allowed, receipt of credit will be contingent upon the expectations determined by the Division Head and Head of School.

Repetitive Tardiness

While occasional tardiness may be reasonable to expect, repeated tardiness is not. In the event that a student is repeatedly late for class, the student and their family will be notified by the Division Head. In some cases, including (but not limited to) when a student is tardy to 30% or more of the trimester’s class meetings, credit may not be granted.

After-School Activities

Students absent for all or part of a school day, with the exception of medical or other excused appointments, may not participate in any extracurricular activities on the day of the absence, including sports games or arts performances. To participate in after-school activities, a student must be on campus by 9:30 am. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Upper School Head.

Closed Campus

Students in grades 9 and 10 are expected to remain on campus during school hours, and to use unassigned time at the school responsibly. Campus is defined as all school buildings, and the areas immediately surrounding those buildings. The 11^th and 12^th graders have some additional privileges in this area (see the chart later in this section).

Student Privileges

Signing In and Out

Students arriving or leaving at times other than regular arrival and departure times should have a parent/guardian sign them in and out at the TALI reception desk. However, because many Upper School students transport themselves to and from school, whether via public transportation or personal vehicle, students may sign in and out of school themselves. When students arrive late, each must present a parental written note of excuse for late arrival or early dismissal or have their parent/guardian send an email to or call the Upper School Office staff. Juniors and seniors, if finished with classes and having no after-school obligations (athletic teams, play practice, etc.), may depart campus for the day. In this case, each student must sign out at the Upper School office. A student who leaves school without following this procedure will be subject to disciplinary action. Further, falsifying records to leave school or arrive late would be considered a disciplinary violation.

Notes on Open Campus:  A student leaving campus must sign out and state a destination. Misrepresentation of this destination is a violation of our Code of Conduct and would subject the student to disciplinary action. Students must also sign back in when they return to campus.

A student marked as late or absent after signing out three or more times in a given trimester will lose Open Campus privileges for a period of time determined by the Upper School Head. If a student who is ineligible for Open Campus privileges leaves campus, they will be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Upper School Head. A senior may leave campus by vehicle during the school day, but they may not under any circumstance, transport students of another grade level.

At the request of parents, a student’s Open Campus privileges may be revoked. Free period and/or Open Campus privileges also may be revoked for any student at any time if, at the discretion of the Upper School Head or the Head of School, the student’s behavior or academic performance reflects impaired capacity to make sound judgments or to accept personal responsibility for actions.

Discipline Policy

Discipline in a school setting is integral to the operation and integrity of the institution. Consistent with expectations that all individuals are respected and valued, the EPS approach to behavioral discipline is intended to be educational and restorative as opposed to retributive. A student who has failed to meet expectations will be addressed directly by a faculty member, an Advisor, or a Division Head—depending upon the seriousness of the infraction and on who has identified the issue. The Head of School is consulted in any matter that blatantly violates EPS expectations and/or that may lead to the temporary suspension or permanent expulsion of a student. The imposition of any consequences for violation of school expectations is at the sole discretion of the Head of School and students are not entitled to any compulsory hearing or grievance process. The Head of School reserves all rights to enforce its expectations as if those rights were expressly set forth in this handbook.

Disciplinary actions are confidential between the school and the student.  Identifying information about individual disciplinary actions will not be shared with other students or teachers.  Allegations made by anyone against anyone else will be managed confidentially. Our aim is to solve the problem rather than to place blame.  Disciplinary actions are not typically announced to the faculty or students, apart from matters with which individuals have direct, personal experience. In some cases, infractions that are widely known already may be addressed to the community for the purpose of re-establishing cultural norms but involved individuals will not be identified.

Disciplinary action is documented in the student’s file and remains there until and unless the Head of School thinks it appropriate to expunge the file of information about disciplinary action.

Disciplinary events, aside from expulsion, are not maintained as part of the permanent transcript. It is the policy of some colleges to ask the school and the student directly about disciplinary incidents. When asked, EPS will answer these questions directly, honestly and fully, and we encourage students to do the same.

Athletics Requirements

Coaches at Eastside Prep seek to guide student athletes through an experience which serves to further the mission of the school:

• Think critically,
• Act responsibly,
• Lead compassionately,
• Innovate wisely

Tryouts & Cuts

All teams at Eastside Prep have a “no-cut based on ability” policy.  While teams may hold traditional “tryouts,” every student who turns out for a sport is guaranteed a spot on a roster.  Tryouts are for the sole purpose of determining leveled rosters (e.g. JV/Varsity).

Playing Time

Assuming good standing with the team (demonstrates commitment, communication, sportsmanship, etc.), every effort will be made to ensure that all sub-varsity athletes have the chance to participate in every scheduled contest, although playing time may not be equal.

Commitment

Teaching commitment is one of the most valuable attributes of interscholastic athletics.  Coaches will clearly communicate expectations to athletes.  At minimum, Eastside Prep athletes are expected to:

• Attend all scheduled practices and contests; and
• Communicate any unavoidable conflicts in a timely manner.

Coaches will communicate any breach of commitment expectations to the athlete’s parent/guardian, Division Head, and the Athletic Director.

Academic Standing

Student athletes are expected to be in good academic standing.  A student on Academic Warning at the end of a term, or on track to be on Academic Warning at a mid-term grading period, may lose eligibility to participate in athletics.  In the event of an academic issue as described above, a meeting will be scheduled with the student, parents/guardians, coach, and Athletic Director.  The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether the student may begin or continue a season, and what academic steps will be necessary to continue participation.

Concussion Management Policy

EPS complies with the WIAA policy for the management of concussions and head injuries in youth sports.  A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game will be removed from competition at that time. A youth athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.

Students who are diagnosed with a concussion generally require a minimum of three days of complete rest. Since students should not have screen time and should not read or be otherwise intellectually stimulated during those three days, students should not attend school during that time. EPS student-athletes who have sustained an injury and may have a concussion must be evaluated by the EPS trainer for an initial assessment and, if necessary, referred to the student’s personal physician. The student may not return to EPS until cleared by the physician to do so.

Fine & Performing Arts Requirements

Fine & Performing Arts faculty at Eastside Prep seek to guide student artists through an experience which serves to further the mission of the school.

Auditions

After-school drama productions require student performers to audition for a part. While not every student is promised a role, every effort is made to find the correct fit for a student performer as part of a production.  Many factors guide the casting process and one of the largest is the availability of the student performer.  Participation in other after-school activities concurrent to a production rehearsal schedule can limit and possibly eliminate any roles available to student performers.  Other factors include readiness, fit and roles available.

Commitment

Teaching commitment is one of the most valuable attributes of in the performing arts.  Directors should clearly communicate expectations to student performers.  At minimum, Eastside Prep student performers are expected to:

• Attend scheduled rehearsals and performances; and
• Communicate any unavoidable conflicts in a timely manner.

Directors will communicate any breach of commitment expectations to the student performer’s parents/guardians, Division Head, and the Director of Fine & Performing Arts.

Academic Standing

Student performing artists are expected to be in good academic standing.  A student on Academic Warning at the end of a term, or on track to be on Academic Warning at a mid-term grading period, may lose eligibility to participate as part of an after-school drama productions.  In the event of an academic issue as described above, a meeting will be scheduled with the student, parents/guardians, director, and the Director of Fine & Performing Arts.  The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether the student may begin or continue being part of an after-school drama production, and what academic steps will be necessary to continue participation.

Technology

Please refer to the Family Handbook for the school-wide technology policy. Below you will find more specific information relating to technology use and privileges in the Upper School.

Upper School Computer Policy

Laptops are a vital part of the EPS education program. Students should value this resource, taking good care of their machine and arriving to school each day with their machine fully charged. To protect these computers, use in the Levinger-Poole Commons during our lunch periods is not permitted.

Students sometimes demonstrate that the distraction of their computer is too great to manage. Computer distraction is one major cause of academic problems. That distraction can come in a variety of forms, including but not limited to, instant messaging, social media use, video games and non-school-related websites. The computer, when used properly, is an integral part of every student’s successful Upper School education. Misuse of the computer will affect a student’s performance in the classroom. Lower achievement and grades are the natural consequence for such distraction.

Upper School students are given relatively free access to our network, and thus the burden of monitoring use responsibly falls on each student. It is understood that there are times that are entirely inappropriate for any computer activity. These times would include, but not be limited to, class time (unless explicitly instructed by your teacher), assemblies and school meetings. EPS reserves the right to monitor student computer activity. We treat all student accounts with respect and privacy but maintain the right to access all facets of account use when circumstances dictate such action. The school will address any misuse individually and pursue disciplinary action when warranted.