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 Wellness

Questions about school health and wellness policies may be directed to the school nurse.

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. The school will deny access to any child who does not have the appropriate vaccinations by the date prescribed by State of Illinois regulations.

The State of Illinois Department of Human Services requires that all students have a Certificate of Child Health examination on file at the school. Returning students must update the record annually.

The Illinois Department of Public Health requires also the Proof of Dental examination.

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 his/her child.

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

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 closest hospital.

Occasional 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 (Infirmary) in order to establish how the medication is to be administered.

In this case the parents should provide the administration (Infirmary) 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)at the primary level, with the dean of student at the middle school.
- a waiver of responsibility (Medical Administration Form)

The school has an accident-insurance policy covering the students. This is billed to the parents and is mandatory.

If a student will be absent due to unexpected illness or injury, the family must notify the School Office or Dean of students’ office (Middle School) as soon as possible and always by 8:30 AM on the day of the absence.

If a student returns to school within three days, a note from a parent is acceptable as an excuse. If the absence is more than three days, the school may require a doctor’s certificate to explain the illness.

HEAD LICE POLICY & RESOURCES

Fall and spring are typical times of the year when schools see cases of Head Lice.

Our school is no exception.

We are keeping a close watch on classes where we know children have been exposed, but we need your help preventing the spread of head lice.

Please inspect your own child’s hair. If you suspect your child may have nits (eggs) or lice, please notify the school immediately. Lice infestation (pediculosis) may occur in any group of young children. Adults may also be affected. It is not a disease, but a secondary infection may result from the scratching.

The Illinois Department of Public Health’s guidelines regarding the return to school of affected children are as follows: “Exclude case from school until the day after the first shampoo, lotion or cream rinse pediculicide is properly applied.”

At the Lycée Français we follow this guideline and re-check the cases on a daily basis to ensure that the treatment provided is successful and that no live lice are present.

Other children in the classroom are also checked just to ensure that the lice have not spread. A note is also sent home to classmates.

We ask for your assistance in ensuring that all those infected within your home are properly treated.

Our nurse will provide you with additional resources, as needed. In the meantime, she recommends the following websites:
www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/headlice
www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/headlice
www.kidshealth.org/parents/infections/common/lice
www.cdc.gov/lice/parents

Please note that our school policy follows the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

When we learn of a case of head lice in the school, we follow the subsequent procedure:

Step 1: We ask the parents who are reporting head lice cases to e-mail:
- their child’s homeroom teacher (or the Dean of Students, for Middle School students),
- Tony Shaw, our school nurse (tshaw@lyceechicago.org). Starting in September 2009 the nurse will work full time at the Lycee ( Bittersweet campus).
- Jean-Pierre Plaa, Primary School Director (jpplaa@lyceechicago.org) or Carine Guieu, Assistant Head & Secondary School Director (cguieu@lyceechicago.org).

If the case is discovered at school, teachers (including general school staff and after school staff) will also contact the nurse and the Director.

Step 2: As soon as the nurse is informed, she will go to the classroom to check the children for lice and nits. Children will be examined by the nurse one by one. The names of students who are affected will not be divulged.

Step 3: The nurse will inform the parents whose children have lice. She will also provide them with additional resources, as needed. Children will not be accepted back in school until after the first treatment has occurred. The nurse will also re-check the children after their return to school to ensure that the treatment they have received has been successful.

Step 4: In addition, the nurse will send an email to the parents of the classes which are affected and, in the case of students attending the after-school program, to the parents of children participating in the same activities.

Step 5: Friday report: when cases of lice are discovered in the school, a general e-mail explaining to parents that they are expected to check and/or treat their children before sending them back to school the following Monday is sent by the nurse.

Dress Code

The LYCEE COUNTS ON YOUR COOPERATION TO ENSURE THAT YOUR CHILD’S ATTIRE IS APPROPRIATE for THE SCHOOL Environment

Make sure that all clothing & school supplies are marked with your child’s name

TOPS: Solid red, white or navy blue with no prints or patterns (except for the Lycée Français logo)!

BOTTOMS: Solid navy blue – Tights: navy blue or white – No Jeans!

SHOES: Please use slip-on or Velcro shoes if your child cannot tie his shoes by himself.

GYM (starting in 1st grade):

• Navy blue gym shorts or sweat pants
• Lycée Français T-shirt (available at the office)
• Chaussures de sport
• Petit sac de sport

6th to 8th grade

Any student who does not follow the dress code will be prevented from attending class

TOPS: Solid red, white or navy blue with no prints or patterns (except for the Lycée Français logo)!

BOTTOMS: Solid navy blue – Tights: navy blue or white – Jeans are tolerated

GYM:

• Navy blue gym shorts or sweat pants
• Lycée Français T-shirt (available at the office)
• Sneakers
• Gym bag

Attendance and Tardiness

Class schedule:

Pre-School 8:45-3:15

Elementary School 8:30-3:30

Middle School 8:25- 3:45/4:35 (varies according to student's class schedule)

High School 7:35- 5:25 (varies according to student's class schedule)

Each instance of tardiness disrupts the school day. Tardy students must report to the office or the dean of students (middle school) before going to class and obtain a late pass. After several 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 8:30am 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 am in primary school, between 8:10 and 8:25 am in middle school. The pre-school students (including pre-kindergarten, junior kindergarten and kindergarten) arrive between 8:30 and 8:45am.

For security reasons students are not permitted to enter the school before 8:15 a.m. (8:10am for middle school students).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.

The school day ends at 3:30 pm (primary school) or 4:35 (middle school). Children who remain after 3:45 p.m. (4:00 pm in middle school) 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 except if they have an official authorization at the middle school.

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:

In the primary school students (1st to 5th grades): the « Code de Vie »

The Code de vie is inspired by several codes of conduct as well as the behavioral belt system (institutional instruction) already in use at the LFC.

As our students become aware of their rights and duties, to respect the “Code de Vie” must be part of their liability. Responsibility, respect, politeness and excellence in a safe learning environment must indeed be fostered at school.

This code of conduct is meant to avoid problems (yellow and red cards), encourage students’ autonomy and good behavior (green card), ensure justice for all and guarantee consistency. Any infringement of rules will call for consequences (yellow and red cards). Repeated violations will be followed by more severe consequences. However, we prefer sensible and progressive penalties to merely punitive ones. In some instances, students will be able to repair their fault.

Please note that rules specific to each class, established by teachers and students at the beginning of the school year and consistent with our code of conduct, will keep coexisting with the “Code de Vie”. These rules and regulations, intended for a smooth running of each class, are also meant to specify everyone’s expectations.

In the secondary school, disciplinary and academic infractions are recorded on the “carnet de correspondance” the parents will have to sign.

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. Should be these infraction become more frequent and or serious the dean of student or the direction would ask to meet with the family.

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:

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

• 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
• 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 may be asked to come to school but not in his class, and continues to work according to the instructions of his or her teachers.
• Temporary suspension (less than three days) from school.
• Expulsion from school. The action must be taken by the Head of school

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 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

Fire Drills

Each classroom has an assigned exit and exit route on the two Campuses. The appropriate safety procedure is posted in each classroom and in the hallways.

There are regular fire drills planned during the school year. Students must stay in a single-file line and remain with their individual teacher. Students are expected to remain silent during the evacuation procedure. When the signal of okay to return is given, the students will be escorted with their class in a single-file line back to the classroom.

School closing

Due to inclement weather, a power outage or any emergency the school may be closed.

In such case, parents will be notified early in the morning on the website’s homepage.

PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPHS

For publications and for publicity purposes, the school will occasionally have photographs taken of the school facilities and students. Photographs, videos and films may be taken in classes, in the play yard, and at school functions. If you do not wish to have your student photographed, videotaped, or filmed, you may indicate this preference on a form in your student registration packet.