School Policies

ASA’s school culture of respect, inclusion, and strong relationships is a foundation on which the school thrives. Like any strong culture, we reinforce values, beliefs, processes and procedures that support our culture and keep our students safe. It is important for everyone – parents and students- to support the rules and norms that support the environment we have carefully fostered. Especially important is student safety during drop-off and pick-up times, and we appreciate everyone working together to keep our young people safe.

Parent/Guardian Classroom Visits, Tours or Observations Policy

Parents of Enrolled Students

In accordance with Arizona law, parents of students enrolled at the school may request to visit, tour, or observe their child’s classroom (a “campus visit”), subject to the following parameters:

All campus visit requests must be received by the school at least 48 business hours in advance of the proposed visit, provided that the school, in its sole discretion, may waive the 48 business hour advance notice requirement on a case-by-case basis. Request forms are available in the school office or on the website in the Parent Portal.
Campus visit requests will be promptly reviewed by the school principal, with input from the classroom teacher.
Campus visit requests will be approved unless they threaten to interfere with the physical, intellectual, social, or emotional health and/or safety of students and staff.

During any approved campus visit, parents will be subject to all policies applicable to campus visitors generally, including safety requirements for providing identification, signing in and out of the campus, and if applicable, being accompanied by school staff.

Parents of Potential Students

In accordance with Arizona law, parents who wish to enroll their child in the school may sign up for a campus visit on scheduled dates as specified on the school website under Campus Tours on the Enrollment page. Parents of potential students will be required to be accompanied at all times during any campus visit by a current staff member.

Health and Safety Parameters

For purposes of this policy, the following requests threaten to interfere with the physical, intellectual, social, or emotional health and/or safety of students and staff, and are therefore not allowed:

Requests for campus visits during state testing, other testing periods, or at other times that would clearly interfere with educational instruction or disrupt the educational environment.
Requests for campus visits by parents who have demonstrated failure to abide by Parent Behavioral Expectations (set forth below), or who have otherwise failed to abide by campus visitation policies of the school. ASA Parent/Guardian Classroom Visit Policy 2 Approved by the Board of Directors 08/22/2022
Requests that, for other reasons, threaten to interfere with the physical, intellectual, social, or emotional health and/or safety of students and staff.

Parent Behavioral Expectations

During any campus visit, parents are expected to check in at the school office to receive a visitors badge and to comport themselves at all times with appropriate decorum and in a manner that is respectful and conducive to an environment in which the educational objectives of the school can be effectively administered. Consistent with this expectation, any parental behavior that constitutes harassment, bullying, or verbal or physical abuse of staff or students, or that otherwise disrupts the educational environment is expressly prohibited.

In addition, parents may not interfere with instruction or distract from the instructional environment, nor may parents help their child with their schoolwork during a campus visit, unless specifically allowed by the classroom teacher.

Parents who disregard these behavioral expectations while on school grounds will be ejected from campus; may be prohibited from future campus visits or subject to other limitations on future campus visits; and may be subject to other consequences under applicable law or policy.

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Employee Education and Experience Information

Parents and guardians may request to inspect our Employee Education and Experience Information, available through the Front Office (ASRS 15-183(F))

Attendance Procedures

General Statement on Attendance

Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) requires that the parent or legal guardian of the student shall ‘enroll the child and ensure that the child attends a public, private or charter school for the full time of the school.’ To that end, ASA has implemented attendance policies in the spirit and letter of the law. It is imperative that parents understand these policies and how they will affect their child’s evaluations at ASA.

Arizona State law requires that parents ensure that their children between the ages of six and sixteen attend school. On the fifth unverified absence or 19 total verified/unverified absences (regardless of reason) parent and/or child could be issued a citation for a violation of an Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802 or 15-803. The citation would require that both parent and child appear in court regarding this issue.

Per A.R.S. §15-803(B), absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds ten percent (18 days) of the number of required attendance days (180 days). If students exceed eighteen (18) absences in any course, they will not receive credit for that course.

Exceptions may be made for religious holidays, health-related absences with documentation from a medical professional, or for professional engagements with prior approval from ASA Administration. All other absences will be included in the total number of absences.

Daily Attendance and Tardiness

Parents are responsible for the timely attendance of their children to both academic and arts classes. Daily and punctual attendance to all classes (including presentation week), school functions, and performances (including Showcase) is essential for success at ASA. The ASA curriculum requires active participation and often involves group work. For this reason, it is difficult for students to make up work missed due to absence or tardiness.

Absences

Each day a student is absent their parent(s)/guardian(s) must contact the Attendance Clerk via email attendance@goasa.org or call the school attendance line at 602-257-1444 x 4121 before 8:15 AM on the day of absence. Messages should include the student’s name, grade, absence reason, parent name, and phone number.

Note: A verified absence is one that has been reported to the school Attendance Clerk within 24 hours. An unverified absence is one that has not been reported to the school Attendance Clerk within 24 hours.

Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedure

DROP OFF & PICK UP

Notes:
● To avoid traffic congestion, you may want to consider dropping off/picking up older High School students at the Burton Barr Library.
● Please follow the instructions of staff and volunteers wearing yellow/orange vests, unload and load students in the drop zones only.
● Please do not unload and load students on McDowell Street or 3rd Street.

Drop-Off Map (at 7:15-7:40am)

Drop Off Procedures:
● Drop Off your student by 7:40am from E. Willetta Street through the Alley or the Church Curb from 2nd Street, proceeding to the drop point in the Main Lot. Faculty members will be posted along the route for guidance.
● The Main Parking Lot is used as an EXIT ONLY and you may only make a right turn onto 3rd Street.
● Please do not allow your student to exit your vehicle along the drop route for safety and expediency reasons.
● ASA gates will be open at 7:15am for student drop off.

Pick-Up Map (3:20pm – 3:30pm or 4:20pm – 4:30pm)

Pick Up Procedures:
● Pick Up is either at 3:20pm – 3:30pm (if your students does not have a 9th hour) or 4:20pm – 4:30pm (if your student has a 9th hour). Tell your students which lot you will use: Main parking lot or Church Curb.
● The Main Parking Lot is only used as an EXIT and you may only make a right turn onto 3rd Street.

Student Concert Attire

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ENROLLMENT POLICIES & PROCEDURES

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SAFE RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION & SAFETY PLANS

The school’s Covid-19 Task Force and administrative team have developed detailed plans and policies. They will continue to make adjustments based on the evolving guidelines set forth by the Arizona Department of Health Services, local health conditions, the CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Updates have and will be emailed to the school community and saved to this page.

August 1, 2023 – January 7, 2024 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English] [Spanish]
January 4, 2023 – June 30, 2023 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English] [Spanish]
August 1, 2022 – January 3, 2023 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English]
March 28, 2022 – June 3, 2022 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English]
January 1, 2022 – June 3, 2022 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English] [Spanish]
July 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021 – ASA’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan [English] [Spanish]