This is an excerpt from our School Handbook. To download the entire handbook and the administrative forms mentioned in this section, visit our Forms & Documents page.

Health and Emergencies

Emergency Contacts and Illinois State Health Requirements:
Before the beginning of each school year all parents will receive Emergency and Medical forms by mail. It is imperative that the Emergency Form be returned to the office no later than the first day of school. Also, the Medical Form must be returned promptly and kept current, particularly in regard to vaccinations and annual physical examinations required by the Illinois State Health Law. The school will deny access to any child who does not meet the appropriate requirements by the date prescribed by State of Illinois regulations.

The office must be notified immediately of any change of telephone numbers, addresses or pertinent family situation. The school will not be held responsible in the case of an emergency if we cannot reach the parents because they have failed to provide up-to-date contact information.

Illness at School:
Children admitted to the school should be in good health and toilet-trained. A child with a fever or who feels ill should not be sent to school. In case of a problem arising during school (fever, illness, accident), the family will be contacted and asked to immediately come pick up the child.

In case of a contagious disease, parents will be notified by a memo from the school.

Emergencies:
In case of a serious accident, the family will be notified immediately. If the family cannot be reached, the child will be transported to the hospital indicated on the emergency form filled out by the parents. The school has an accident-insurance policy covering the students. This is billed to the parents and is mandatory.

Exceptional Medical Treatment:
The school is not authorized to administer any medication to the children without the express permission of the parents. If a child is subject to specific, significant medical problems, and it is necessary to take medication during the school day, the parents are requested to contact the administration in order to establish how the medication is to be administered. In this case the parents should provide the administration or the teacher with:

• The medication for the day and precise instructions on frequency (for asthma, an inhaler should be kept at school with the student or his/her teacher)
• A waiver of responsibility (Medical Administration Form)

Dress Code

Students are expected to be well groomed and neatly dressed, in keeping with a serious work environment.

All the children up through 8th grade must follow the Lycée's dress code:

• Solid red, white or navy blue top, with no print or pattern
• Navy blue skirt, dress, pants or walking shorts
• Navy blue or white tights
• Dark dress shoes

Students in grades 9 through 12 will not be accepted in school with torn or over-sized clothing, or T-shirts bearing any large emblems or writing (other than the school emblem).

Gym/sport shoes are for Physical Education (PE) classes only. Any student who does not follow the dress code will be prevented from attending class.

For PE classes, students are required to wear:

• Navy blue gym shorts or sweat pants
• Lycée Français T-shirts
• Sneakers

The T-shirts are available at the Lycée office. The gym attire may be left at school in a bag. However, shorts and T-shirts must be taken home once a week for laundering. Do not forget to write your child's name on his/her gym clothing and bag.

Attendance and Tardiness

Class schedule:
Pre-School 8:45-3:15
Elementary School 8:30-3:30
Middle School and High School (varies according to student's class schedule)

Each instance of tardiness disrupts the school day. Tardy students must report to the office before going to class and obtain a late pass. After four unexcused tardies, the student will not be accepted in class for that day.

Regular attendance at school is mandatory. Parents are asked to respect the academic calendar. The half-day option is limited to pre-kindergarten only. Starting in junior kindergarten, full-day attendance is mandatory.

The only excused absences are for sickness or exceptional family events. It is the student's responsibility to make up all missed work.

Families must telephone the office before 9:30 a.m. to notify the office of an absence and indicate the precise reason for the absence. If the family anticipates a prolonged absence from school, the parents should give written notice in advance to the school administration. When a child is sick for three or more consecutive days, or if the child has contracted a contagious disease, parents should provide a medical excuse upon their return to school.

Arrival and Departure

The students may arrive 15 minutes prior to the beginning of class (between 8:15 and 8:30), except for the pre-school students (including pre-kindergarten, junior kindergarten and kindergarten) who arrive between 8:30 and 8:45.

For security reasons students are not permitted to enter the school before 8:15 a.m. Parents should wait with their children until the school door opens; under no circumstances should children be left unattended in the parking lot or elsewhere outside the school.

School is finished at 3:30 p.m. Children who remain after 3:45 p.m. will be placed in "étude" (study hall). Payment coupons must be purchased in advance from the office.

Parents must list on the Emergency Form the names of people other than themselves who are authorized to pick up their child/children from school. When someone not specified on the Emergency Form is going to pick up a child, parents must notify the teacher (using the correspondence notebook) or inform the office no later than 3:00 p.m., indicating the name of the person who will pick up the child. This person must show an ID to the office or teacher.

Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds until the end of the school day.

Students are required to leave school when their classes are finished, unless they are enrolled in an after-school workshop or are going to étude.

A child who needs to leave school before the regular dismissal time (e.g. for a medical/dental appointment) can only do so upon written request from the parents, and only if he or she is picked up at school by a family member or by another authorized adult.

Behavior and Discipline

General Policies:
All qualified students are considered for admission without regard to race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin.

Children and families alike should avoid all behavior, gestures or words which are hurtful or disrespectful toward the school personnel, students or families.

By the same token, the school personnel are forbidden any behavior, gesture or word that would indicate indifference or lack of respect for students or their families.

It is forbidden to chew gum on school premises.

No smoking is permitted in the building, the parking lot or the school yard.
Students are advised to avoid bringing toys or valuables to school. The school will not be responsible for any loss of personal property.

Discipline:
Failure to observe school rules of behavior may result in sanctions given by the teacher(s) (depending on the gravity of the incident). These include:

• Loss of recess privileges
• After-school detention (parents will be informed in writing the day before)
• Supplemental written work signed by the parents (in the case of incomplete or missing homework)
• In-school service

In the secondary school, disciplinary and academic infractions are recorded on a report sheet, which may or may not be sent to the parents depending on the gravity of the incident. Should these infractions become more frequent and/or serious, the student will receive a follow-up sheet on which each teacher will note the student's behavior and schoolwork at the end of each period. These follow-up sheets are to be signed every night by the parents, and will remain in effect until the student has improved his/her attitude.

When behavior seriously and in a lasting fashion disturbs the functioning of the class and/or the school, and indicates an obvious lack of adaptation to the school environment, the situation will be submitted for review by the education team.

Sanctions that can be taken with regard to the student are (in increasing order of seriousness):

• A warning given by the administration in the form of a meeting with the parents
• Suspension from class for one or several days. In this case the sanctioned student is placed with another class, but continues to work according to the instructions of his or her usual teacher.
• Temporary suspension (less than three days) from school. The administration takes this action on the recommendation of an ad hoc discipline committee of teachers after meeting with the parents of the concerned student.
• Expulsion from school. The action must be taken by the disciplinary board.

The disciplinary board consists of representatives of the administration, the classroom teachers and the concerned teacher.

School Property:
Parents are asked to put covers on the books. Students are held responsible for any damage to school books or materials. Students will be charged the cost of the book in U.S. dollars for all lost and damaged library books.

If a child damages an article of clothing belonging to a third party, a sum may be assessed in order to reimburse the family.

Students are reminded that they are expected to do their part in maintaining the school premises (deposit trash in garbage cans, treat all school facilities with care, etc.) Any cost incurred for repairs of damage caused by a student will be billed to the parents.

Security

Safety drills are held regularly following regulations currently in effect.

All violent games are forbidden.

It is forbidden to bring to school dangerous objects. Any such objects will be immediately confiscated.