ACP Policies and Incentive Programs

Click on the policies and programs below to view the details

 

$500 Margaret Williamson Scholarship

ACP is proud to give a Margaret Williamson $500 college scholarship to an ACP student. This scholarship is awarded to the applicant that submits a 250-350 word essay explaining their educational goals and plans. Two letters of recommendation – One from an education related person and one from a person known outside of school. Proof of acceptance to a school or proof of application to a school is required. Mail applications and all attachments to Scholarships c/o 433 N. Hall St. Mesa, AZ 85203.

 

 

Student of the Block Awards

Each block teachers nominate one student from each class as their outstanding student of the block. Student of the block nominations are based on attendance, classroom participation, extracurricular activities, overall attitude with students and staff, academic achievement, and level of improvement. All Student of the Block Award winners receive a certificate of achievement. Award winners receive gift certificates to popular restaurants in the Mesa area. See the student of the Block section under “Students”.

 

 

Attendance Competition

When applicable, all morning classes compete against each other and all afternoon classes compete against each other to have the best classroom attendance. This means that all students have to work together to be on time to class! The morning class and the afternoon class with the best attendance at the end of each week wins the competition and earns their reward. The winning morning class receives free breakfast and the afternoon class receives free dessert.

 

Student Referral Program

Any student who refers another to ACP can earn $20 per referred student based on the following criteria:

  • Both students maintain a 3.0 GPA and have 90% attendance in both classes
  • Students must attend ACP for at least 3 blocks
  • Student must be currently enrolled to collect funds
  • Funds will be distributed in block 3 and block 6
  • Agreement must be signed at the time of enrollment and submitted to the administration**Referral agreements can be picked up and signed in the office.
Open Campus Policy

ACP is an open campus; therefore students are allowed to leave campus on their lunch hour only, but not during morning and afternoon breaks. ACP is NOT RESPONSIBLE for any student activities during lunch or any activities that take place off campus.

Grading Policy

The grading policy for Academy with Community Partners is above the state standards set for secondary schools. In order to receive credit for a class, a competency level of 65% must be achieved. Any grade average below 65% receives no credit. Credit is only given when completion of class requirements are met. There will be a minimum of 75 clock hours of direct instruction and 65% mastery results in one-half credit earned.

Grading Scale:
A+ 100-97      A 96-93      A- 92-90     B+ 89-87     B 86-83     B- 82-80     C+ 79-77     C 76-73     C- 72-70    NC 69-0

Students are permitted only 3 excused absences per block. Any additional absences require a 2 hour makeup on Friday or after school to make up the time and or work. Students are not able to make up absences past the last day of the block. When students have more than 3 days absent, he/she will not receive any credit for the block.

School absences will only be excused for the following reasons and documentation of the following will be necessary:

  • Illness
  • Emergency family matter
  • Death in the family
  • Medical and personal appointments
  • Extended travel out of the city, when arranged by calling the office
  • Religious observance
  • Court and legal matters

To be documented as an excused absence a telephone call from parent/guardian must be received in the office within 24 hours of the absence. The same rules apply for prearranged absences.

We follow the 90% attendance policy prescribed by ARS § 15-802. A student may have only three excused absences during a block. Any unexcused absences have to be made up. Skipping class will result in mandatory make-up time; however class work cannot be made up. Excessive tardies must be made up on Friday from 8 A.M. – 12 P.M. Tardies will be handled by the instructor/administration.

Tests and assignments missed while absent must be made up by the time stipulated by the instructor/administration. It is the students’ responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor for make-up work or to get work in advance of missing class.

Policy on Receiving a Grade of Incomplete:

Final Exams CANNOT BE MADE UP, except for a family emergency or a serious illness. A grade of incomplete will only be given if a student has a passing grade when one of the following occurs:

  • Medical illness
  • Family bereavement
  • Prior approval from the Superintendent

If a student is given a grade of incomplete, he or she must make up all assignments, tests, or time within one week of the completion of that block. Grades will be withheld until all work has been made up. Any student who doesn’t take a required final exam will automatically fail the course.

Final Exemption Policy

Students with 100% attendance and a grade of 92% or higher in their class will be exempt from that final exam. To participate in the exemption policy, a student must be enrolled in the class at the beginning of the block. Any student enrolling after the first day will be required to take the final exam regardless of grade or attendance. An exemption form will be given to any student meeting the exemption criteria and must be signed by the legal guardian and returned to the instructor(s).

Attendance and Tardy Policy

Make Up Policy:

Students who are absent in any class must make up the work and/or time on the Friday of the absence. Time must be made up the week of the absence. If that is a problem, students must notify the teacher before Friday to make arrangements if necessary. If there isn’t a scheduled make up session that week, they must make up their absence the following week. Absences are defined as:

  • not attending a scheduled class
  • being more than 20 minutes late to a class
  • leaving school premises during a morning or afternoon break (in this situation students are not allowed to return to that class that day and are counted absent)
  • leaving a class early

Make-up time is based on the following criteria:

1. Missing 1 class (1/2 a school day) = 2 hours make up time
2. Missing 2 classes (a full school day) = 4 hours make up time
3. Being over 20 minutes tardy 1 or 2 times = 2 hours make up
4. Being over 20 minutes tardy 3 or 4 times = 4 hours make up
5. Leaving class early 1 time = 2 hours make up
** Students who are tardy on a regular basis may be subject to additional consequences or disciplinary action.

Friday Make-up:

Students may choose which session they would like to attend if they only have to make up 2 hours. Students needing to make up 4 hours must arrive for both sessions.
Session 1: 8:00 A.M. – 9:50 A.M.                      Session 2: 10:00 A.M. – 11:50 P.M.
STUDENTS MUST BE ON TIME TO EITHER MAKE UP SESSION. IF STUDENTS ARE LATE TO FRIDAY MAKE-UP THEY WILL NOT BE ADMITTED. Students must have work to do and must follow the rules and instructions of the make-up instructor.

Suspensions:

Suspended absences and work missed due to a suspended absence CANNOT be made up.

Detention Policy:

Students who arrive late to school must serve detention according to the criteria below:
0 – 20 minutes late: Detention during break
21 – 90 minutes late: Equivalent to an absence therefore requires a Friday make-up.
3 tardies count as an absence and require 2 hours of make-up time as well.

Detention must be served at the AM break (9:30-9:50) if the student is 0-20 minutes tardy to their morning class. They must serve detention at the PM break (1:30-1:50) if they are 0-20 minutes tardy to their afternoon class.

Students have exactly three minutes from the time the break bell rings to get to the detention room. A single bell will ring at the 3 minute mark and the detention door will be locked. Students who do not attend detention or do not arrive within the three minute time period will have to serve two consecutive detentions beginning with the next detention session scheduled. A detention slip will be given to each student stating the date, day, and time they are required to attend their make up detentions. If a student is absent from school, therefore they cannot attend their scheduled make-up session, they must serve their make-up detention(s) the next school day in attendance. NO EXCEPTIONS!!

It is the student’s responsibility to know when they have detention, though the teachers and the office staff make several efforts to remind students of their detention responsibilities on a daily basis.
                Note: Detention is not held on the first day of the school year, the first day of each block, or on final exam days.

Dress Code

One of the goals of the Administration and Board of ACP is to produce an educated, employable workforce. On keeping with that goal, we will be discouraging multiple body piercing, tattoos, and modes of dress that are not in keeping with the community standard. While we encourage and support all students’ individuality, our main objective is to prepare our youth for their future. Since that future includes employment, freedom of expression in terms of outward appearance must conform to what an employer out in the community would expect. Moderate or conservative dress is recommended. Any student not complying with the dress code may be sent home to change clothes. Their parent or guardian will be notified and that student will be required to make up the missed time.

Clothing which is not permitted includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • Gang affiliated clothing or hats.
  • Clothing which is excessively soiled, torn, or ragged.
  • Clothing displaying vulgar writing or symbols, or sexual reference.
  • Clothing that is excessively revealing such as short-shorts, spaghetti-strap tops, tank tops, loosely fitting clothing, low cut halter-tops, mesh shirts, and shirts which expose the midriff.
  • Clothing with alcohol, tobacco, or controlled substances references.
  • Hats, do-rags, caps, and/or sunglasses will not be worn in the building during school.
Cell Phones

Cell phones must be surrendered at the beginning of class and returned at break and then turned in after breaks as well. If a student is caught using a cell phone during class, it will be reported to administration and confiscated by the teacher for the remainder of the class. Administration will then take the device at the beginning of class for the remainder of the block. Student refusal to comply with the cell phone policy will result in further disciplinary action. Parents are to call the office and not the student.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Behavior Subject to Expulsion:

Possession or use of alcohol and/or drugs, weapons, furnishing or sale of a controlled substance or an imitation of drugs will result in immediate suspension from the block and subsequent expulsion from the school, based on administrative recommendation and board endorsement. Consequences for inappropriate behaviors are listed below. The School Administration and Board reserve the right to expel students for gross violations of student policies. Those violations are covered in ARS§ 15.

Students may not show disrespect, defiance, or threaten a teacher, staff, or administrator. Any obscenity or violence addressed toward a teacher or administrator may result in immediate suspension and subsequent expulsion from the school, based on administrative recommendation and board endorsement.