Student Handbook

At W.H. Croxford, we aspire to innovate confidently together. We are a united and caring learning community that is resilient and committed to seizing opportunities to explore new and existing passions and interests in creative and unique ways to achieve personal excellence.

General Attendance 

Please be advised that any absence/s not excused within 24 hours of absence will remain permanently unexcused on the student’s record. It is imperative that a parent or guardian leave a message on the school attendance line regarding a student’s absence, preferably on the day of the absence. If a student has notified his/her teachers of an absence, it is still important that a parent/guardian phone the attendance line. Phone calls go out every evening, through our SYNERVOICE system, informing parents of any absences that have not been excused during the school day. Please report unexcused absences to the school attendance line within 24 hours of receiving a phone call. Once again, any absences not excused within 24 hours will result in a permanent unexcused absence on the student’s record. Parents have 24/7 access to student attendance information through the PowerSchool parent portal. 

Extended Absences 

Parents may wish to have their son/daughter absent from school for an extended period of time (longer than 3 days) for reasons other than bereavement or illness. The school does not grant approval for a student to be absent, but rather records the parent/guardian’s intent to remove a student from the school. An Extended Leave Notification Form is available at the office. Students are asked to check their teacher’s webpage to ensure work is not missed during their time away. Upon returning, it is the student’s responsibility to make up work missed. Teachers may provide assistance during class time but due to the voluntary nature of the absence, they are not required to spend time outside of regular school hours. 

Absence Protocol 

Students’ absences and lates are monitored regularly. Students whose attendance profiles reveal patterns of absenteeism and/or tardiness that are of concern, may meet with teachers, School Counsellors or Administration. Chronic attendance issues may result in disciplinary consequences and may preclude students from being able to participate in co-curricular or extra-curricular activities. 

Excused Absences 

While parent knowledge and permission is important for absences, absences can still impede the ability for the student to keep up with the rigors of the high school curriculum. Students who are frequently absent, even if the absence is excused, can experience similar issues that unexcused absent students do. It is incumbent upon the school to inform parents when absences reach a critical point. If a student reaches an absence rate of 10 or more, whether excused on unexcused, parents may receive a letter of concern from the school. 

Absences Due to Extenuating Circumstances 

From time to time, students need to be away from school for a variety of reasons: illness, bereavement, hospitalization, and so forth. In these cases, it is important to inform the school. By calling the office and stating the issue, the office staff are able to inform the staff affected by the absences. Emailing your child’s teacher is another way of keeping all stakeholders informed of the circumstances. There may be scenarios that arise where the student will be expected to obtain a medical notice to confirm the illness. Should the parent have further concerns of a social emotional nature for their child, please book an appointment with your School Counsellor. 

Late Slip Procedure

If students arrive to school after 9am, there are late slips located in the front foyer of the school. Before arriving to class, students must complete the late slip with their name, class they are attending, and the time they arrived. Once they arrive to class, they will give their late slip to their teacher who will update the students attendance in PowerSchool.

W.H. Croxford students are guided by the "Cavalier Way" with respect to how they behave. We have worked with our school community to create our positive behaviour, intervention and supports matrix to support common expectations in the school. 

Students will learn about how these expectations are lived out in various situations and places in our school, to support us in maintaining a positive learn ing environment for all. 

At the beginning of each school year, families must complete the annual School Engage form to gain network access for the school year. The school also makes available loaned devices for students who do not provide their own device for learning. 

Students must comply with the following expectations while using school owned devices and network resources: 

Students will not; 

1. Damage computers, computer components, computer systems or the network through physical means or through the use of software. 

2. Install or uninstall any programs, add-ins, plug-ins, or updates without express permission of the school technologist or teacher. 

3. Bypass any Rocky View Schools Internet Security Measures. 

4. Intentionally waste limited resources such as the school’s internet connection by downloading personal files or streaming video unrelated to course work. 

5. View, share, send, or post any violent or obscene messages, pictures, videos or web sites. 

6. Download any illegal or offensive material. 

7. Use someone else’s password or trespass in another person’s folders, work or files. 

8. Violate copyright laws. 

The computers at W.H. Croxford are maintained by network administrators, therefore THERE IS NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY ON A SCHOOL COMPUTER. Files and communications of students are reviewed periodically to maintain system integrity and to ensure that users are using the system responsibly. Personal devices in use at school can be subject to a search of contents by school administration. 

Cell phones are expected to be turned off during classes unless the are directed to be used by a teacher or administration. This is in accordance with Rocky View Schools Administrative Procedure 148 and the Ministerial Order from Alberta Education.

Students are requested to leave personal mobile devices at home including cell phones, headphones, smart watches, etc. If you need to contact a student during the school day please contact the office. The office staff will inform the students by calling down to the classroom or passing a message on through the teacher.  AP 148 discusses steps that will be taken in supporting students who use their devices inappropriately during class. If this happens several times, the device may be confiscated as outlined in the procedure. 

The school will take no responsibility for lost or stolen electronic equipment such as iPods, personal computers, laptops, cell phones, etc. If brought to school, these should be left in lockers or backpacks at all times unless required in class. Students are discouraged from bringing digital devices, money, or other valuables into the change rooms, unless locked in a locker. 

Due to the growing population of the school, all parking at W.H. Croxford High School is in assigned stalls only. Students may request a spot in the fall of each school year and the school will issue as many spots as are available. Students without an assigned pass must park off school grounds in the community. Students are not to park at the education centre across the street as the parking needs in this lot vary through the day and is needed for operations there. 

The parking of student vehicles on W.H. Croxford property is a privilege and students are asked to comply with the guidelines in the interest of public safety and security, including operating a vehicle in an area where many and younger children are present. These parking lots are wholly owned by Rocky View Schools and as such, are subject to school policy. Students who do not follow the rules and directives may be suspended from school, lose parking privileges, and/or have the vehicle towed at owner’s expense. While vehicle search and seizure is applicable to law enforcement, students may face school consequences should items in vehicles be clearly visible that are in contravention to school procedures, including the Prohibited Substances and Items policy. Students may sign up for a parking pass at the office to allow them to park in the school parking lot. 

Parking Lot Procedures and Expectations:

• All vehicles shall display a parking pass for the current school year.
• Vehicles may park only in lined, marked and assigned stalls, there is no parking in any unmarked areas
• Administration reserves the right to ask for any vehicle to be removed from the parking lot at any time for any reason.
• Vehicles must not impede the movement of traffic through the parking lot or entry/exit of emergency vehicles.

Any vehicles that do not comply with the above may be subject to removal of parking privileges, ticketing, or removal, at the owners cost, from the parking lot.

Student drop off and pickup is not allowed in the school parking lot. All pick-up and drop-off must occur on the street in front of the school. Parents who are attending the school for meetings may be assigned a visitor location if available, but otherwise may park on the street to the north of the north exit from the school parking lot. This location allows for parked, unattended vehicles.

With various activities taking place at any given time, hallways and shared spaces must be used in ways that are respectful to others. This includes moving through hallways efficiently and quietly and minimizing disruption during transitions. With our large school population, hallways cannot be used as locations to gather or spend considerable time over lunch. There are various designated spaces in the school for students to eat lunch, or students may leave the school and spend time outside during lunch. Students are expected to eat in designated (seated) areas only. 

Gym strip is required for physical education classes.  Students may bring their own gym strip or purchase one from the school through SchoolCash at a reasonable cost.  We also offer other wearables that can be ordered at an additional cost through our Spirit Wear store on the homepage. The hoodies and sweats are not part of the gym strip, but they are acceptable substitutes during inclement weather. 

Grade 9 students are issued lockers at the beginning of the school year. Grade 10-12 students may be assigned a locker upon request based on availability. Requests for lockers can be made at the office. 

Care of personal items brought to the school, including technology, are the responsibility of the student

Bike racks are provided at the south end of the school. Students are encouraged to bring their own lock and lock their bicycles. Skateboard racks are located at the north end of the school. Students are encouraged to also lock their skateboards and scooters on the racks. Bicycles, skateboards, scooters are not to be ridden inside the school building, nor on the sidewalk in front of the school. Safety would dictate that wearing a helmet and other protective equipment is a practice we recommend. 

Individual photographs will be taken in September. Retakes are taken in October/Early November. 

Students are requested to dress appropriately for a learning environment. Principals have the authority to require any student to be sent home and change to more suitable attire before being readmitted to class. 

• Footwear must be worn at all times.
• Heavy outdoor clothing and footwear should not be worn in class and is to be stored in lockers if possible.
• Students must not wear items that include suggestive or distasteful slogans or images.
• Physical Education classes and various options classes may have specific dress requirements.
• Shorts and skirts should be of a modest length.
• No accessories that pose a potential danger to self or others are permitted.

Students writing Provincial Achievement Tests and Diploma Exams must adhere to the following guidelines for each exam session they write:

• Students are to arrive early for their exam with school or government issued identification to be permitted into the exam.
• To support exam security and management, we will not allow backpacks, hoodies, jackets or other unnecessary clothing into the exam rooms.
• Phones and other technology are not allowed in the exam room, except where allowed by Alberta Education exam rules. (ie: calculators for certain diploma exams)
• Students must be prepared to store items they cannot bring into the exam in their locker or vehicle.
• Please bring to all exams: identification, pencil, eraser, water bottle if needed, snacks as needed, tissues if needed.

Students will be admitted into writing spaces prior to the exam time and will receive instructions from the supervisors on guidelines for the exam. Prior to the exam, information will be posted on writing rooms, timelines, and expectations once exams are completed. We ask students to carefully review all expectations prior to entering the exam room and follow all directions of supervisors carefully.

Exemptions for Provincial Achievement Tests must be sent to school administration by parents well in advance of the exams being written. Requests for exemptions for Diploma Exams require specific information and a form to be sent to Alberta Education and are generally rarely approved.

Students with spare periods in their schedule have the option of leaving the school grounds or signing in at the office to indicate they are remaining in the school during the spare period. Students signed in on spare will be required to carry a ‘spare pass’ to show they are signed in. Expectations for student behaviour during spare periods are the same as in a classroom setting, meaning respectful behaviour; appropriate levels of discussion and maintaining a positive impact in the school are required. Should students not behave in an appropriate manner, they will be asked to leave the school during their spare period.  

No Smoking Policy 

All students are prohibited from having or utilizing tobacco products at school, or at school sponsored events including field trips and off-campus activities. Students are not allowed to smoke on the school grounds. This includes possessing or using e-cigarettes and vaporizers of any sort. Any violation of this regulation may result in suspension. Students are not allowed to use chewing tobacco in or near the school. Repeated violation of this policy may result in further suspension and recommendation for expulsion. 

Alcohol & Other Intoxicants 

The possession, consumption and/or trafficking in narcotic drugs, alcohol or other intoxicants, on school time or when involved in school activities, will result in a suspension. Ongoing concerns may result in expulsion and referral to the appropriate outside authorities. Possession or use of the aforementioned may also lead to removal of other privileges, i.e. field trips, and extracurricular participation. Rocky View Schools and WH Croxford High School are committed to dealing with possession, trafficking and being under the influence of narcotic drugs, alcohol or other intoxicants in the school environment in the serious manner it deserves. The issue of any drug use is a school and community issue and all members of this community need to be involved in educating our youth to refrain from this kind of activity. Parents and guardians will be contacted immediately and, if deemed appropriate, the RCMP will be involved. 

Students are encouraged to take pride in, and care for, their school.  Every effort will be made to discourage vandalism, however, when vandalism can be attributed to specific individuals, recovery of costs and/or support in rectifying the damage will be pursued. Vandalism will be considered grounds for suspension and possible expulsion. Full restitution will be required. Please note many of our school locations are monitored by video surveillance, which supports us in assessing these occurrences. 

Students are informed as to the quickest and safest routes from the school. Practice drills are carried out throughout the year for various emergency situations.  Exit maps are available in each classroom and gathering spaces in the school. W.H. Croxford incorporates Hour Zero practices in its emergency planning. 

Rural students requiring busing must complete a Transportation Form and mail it to Rocky View Schools.  The forms are available on the webpage, at the school office, or you may contact the Transportation Department at Rocky View Schools office @ 945-4000.  School bus policy will be implemented by the bus driver. Parents are advised to phone the driver to discuss concerns. 

W.H Croxford has a school nurse with AHS who supports the school with health questions and provides immunization and information to students and parents about health-related issues. 

SCHOOL COUNCIL 

The School Council is comprised of parents, community members, administrators, at least one teacher and our local trustee. School Council executive members usually are elected from the community. 

 
VOLUNTEERING 

Parents and community members are invited to share their expertise and interests by becoming volunteers in a variety of ways. Please note all volunteering requires a current criminal record check including vulnerable sector check and a signed privacy form. These documents can be found in the front office. Further information is available in the school office and by emailing our volunteer coordinator at: croxfordvolunteercoordinator@gmail.com

Parent Society

WHC parents are currently in the process of reincorporating the fundraising society. If you have any questions, please reach out to our school council chair, Tricia Lovegrove.