Academic Empowerment is the Birthright of Every Child!
BAHS not only aims to ensure that all of our graduates are accepted into a college or university, but that they enter college with the skills necessary to attain a degree. We believe this can be accomplished by having our students:
- Attend mandatory after school tutoring/Tuesday & Thursday 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Starting on October 5, 2021
- Attend Saturday Academy if you are identified, starting on October 9, 2021
- Attend all 9 to 9 sessions if identified in January, May and June of 2022
- Complete their Regents requirements by the end of their sophomore year
- Apply to one of our four Academic Majors: Pre- Law, Pre- Engineering, Pre-Medicine, Pre- Education and Liberal Arts
- Take full advantage of all Advance Placement/Dual Credit programs and College Now courses
GRADING POLICY
CHANCELLOR’S REGULATION: The GRADING POLICY in all schools including Bedford Academy is based on Chancellor Regulation No. A-225 which states: "It is the responsibility of the teacher to assess each student's academic performance based upon the established grading criteria and to issue a grade reflective of that assessment". In addition, "At the beginning of each term, every teacher shall explain to students/parents orally and in writing the grading criteria that will be used for evaluating their academic performance. The NYCDOE Student Bill of Rights and the Parent Bill of Rights include the rights to know and be provided written documentation of grading policies and to receive grades based on those policies. All grading policies must explain, at a minimum, how courses should have clearly defined procedures to ensure that students received final course grades (High School Academic Policy Guide 2018).
DEPARTMENT REGULATION
The grades earned by students and given by teachers are very important. They can determine the choice of colleges and careers for graduates. Careful consideration must be given before and while entering grades. Students receive three report cards each semester. The third and final grade, which is an average of all three marking periods is entered on the permanent record.
1. Individual grading policies may not deviate from the established department grading policy without expressed written permission from the assistant principal or principal. Grades are confidential and should be shared only with the individual student, parent or guardian, supervisors and guidance staff.
2. Students may not pass or fail based solely on non-mastery measures (for example, behavior, attendance, and participation), but rather based on how well they demonstrate their understanding of the course content and skills. Grading policies must clearly detail exactly how non-mastery measures of performance contribute to the overall grade.
3. Students must receive written feedback from teachers on a regular basis each marking period. Immediate feedback is ideal. However, in order to provide students, the opportunity to understand the standard and study tasks they have not mastered, student exams are to be graded and returned no more than 5 school days following the exam. Students must be allowed to retain a copy of their work and correct solutions.
4. Students are to be graded based on class work, homework, exams, quizzes, projects and papers. The grades issued each marking period are cumulative. There are three marking periods, per semester. The final grade after the third marking period is averaged and represents the work done for the complete term. For example: The first marking period grade: 75
5. The student's work the second marking period independent of the first is 85. The 2nd report card grade is therefore 80 (the average of 75 and 85). The student's work in the third marking period is independent of the first two is 90. The 3rd report card grade is 85. (The average of 75, 85 and 90 is 83.33). No grade below a 55 can be used. A grade of 45 or NS only indicates that a student has never attended your class, or this mark should be used in egregious situations, when students have been given reasonable chances to make up missed work and their absences are so chronic that only a failing mark is appropriate.
Bedford Academy has a grading policy that is based on a department level philosophy. In developing this philosophy, all departments should include one or more of the following specifications in their policies as outlined below:
The specific assessments, projects, and other measures teachers use to calculate grades
Rubrics that explain how grades are calculated
How non-mastery measures like attendance or participation are included in grades, if at all
Rules around submitted late work or missed work
Policies about "dropping" specific test or homework grades or making up assignments before the end of the term
Behavioral expectations for certain courses
Earning Credit after Previously Failing a Course
Teachers must enter final grades into STARS no later than four weeks (or 20 days) after the end of the term. Within this window, some teachers and schools choose to give students a few extra days right after the end of the course before grades are entered and finalized to turn in work. This option must be clearly outlined for students in the school’s grading policy. Once final grades are entered, even within this 20-day window, they cannot be changed without completing a Transcript Update Form.
After final course grades are officially on student transcripts, students have three options for making up failed course credits.
Students can:
- Re-take the course: Students who have missed significant amounts of class time or have not yet mastered a large portion of the subject matter can benefit from retaking the entire course again. These students can make up the course in another term during the school year or in summer school. They might also be offered the course again as an online or blended course.
- Take credit recovery: Students who previously failed a course and meet specific eligibility criteria can make up credit through credit recovery. Credit recovery is a targeted experience, specifically for students who attended most of a failed course and mastered the majority of the content. In this option, the student does not retake the full course, but works with a teacher to receive instruction only in the portion of original course content in need of mastery. After instruction in and mastering of the remaining content of the originally failed course, the student may earn credit. However, there are specific NYCDOE and NYSED policies regarding the use of credit recovery. Schools must use the STARS eligibility check function and the Credit Recovery Approval Form when scheduling individual students for credit recovery. See the Credit Recovery guidance for additional information and a detailed description of all applicable policies.
- Receive an incomplete course mark (‘NX’ or ‘NL’) in accordance with the policies for using those marks: Students must successfully complete remaining course requirements by the end of the next semester in order to receive a final grade and credit, if applicable. If the following term is a summer, and the school is not open, or the student is not available for summer school, the student will have until the end of the subsequent term to complete the outstanding course work. These marks may then be updated using a transcript update. See the Transcript Update guidance and the Transcript Update Form for additional details. Please refer to the Academic Policy Guide using this link https://infohub.nyced.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/AcPolicy-HighSchoolAcademicPolicyGuide
INCORPORATING REGENTS EXAMS INTO FINAL COURSE GRADES
For students who complete a course of study culminating in a Regents exam, the Regents exam may not be the only reason a student passes or fails a course, per the NYSED School Administrator’s Manual. As a part of a school’s grading policy, Regents scores may be included in the calculation of a final course grade only if the score is:
Weighted no more than 33 percent of the culminating course for the respective Regents exam
Calculated into the course grade as a component of the weighted average
Schools may not add points to the total grade because the student passed the Regents exam.
1. ATTENDANCE
The Chancellor's Promotional Standards for Attendance states that all students must maintain an annual attendance rate of 90%. While this is established as the minimum standard, BAHS students usually exceed 93% attendance. Attendance cannot be used to determine a student’s grades (High School Academic Policy Guide 2019).
2. GRADE CHANGE REQUEST
If there is an error in the grade, forms to update the grade are available in room 202. Grade changes must be made immediately and cannot be made more than 6 weeks after the grade has been entered.
3. GRADE APPEAL COMMITTEE
Students may file an appeal of a teacher's grade to the Grade Appeal Committee in room 106, the Principal’s office. When there is an appeal student, and the staff member are required to present evidence of the grading policy, assessment and work produced. The committee consisting of three teachers makes a recommendation to the Principal for final review. Both student and teacher are notified regarding the outcome.
Safety in the COVID 19 Era
Prior to entry into Bedford Academy, all students, staff and visitors must perform a health screening. Below you will find the direct link to the health screening and the questions you will be asked. If you cannot complete the health screening on-line, a paper and pen screening will take place upon your arrival to Bedford Academy.
ALL DOE employees, visitors, and families must complete a health screening before entering DOE facilities. This health screening must be completed on each day of arrival. This health screening can also be completed online at: https://healthscreening.schools.nyc/. Upon entering the facility, if you have not completed the online health you will be asked to provide responses to the questions below.
1. Have you experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever of 100.0 degrees F or greater, a new cough, new loss of taste or smell or shortness of breath within the past 10 days?
o No. Go to the next question.
o Yes. No further screening is needed. The employee/guest may not enter the building.
2. In the past 10 days, have you gotten a positive result from a COVID-19 test that tested saliva or used a nose or throat swab? (not a blood test)
o No. Go to the next question.
o Yes. No further screening is needed. The employee/guest may not enter the building.
3. To the best of your knowledge, in the past 14 days, have you been in close contact (within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19?
o No. Go to the next question.
o Yes. No further screening is needed. The employee/guest may not enter the building.
4. Have you traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the New York State Travel Advisory in the past 14 days?
o No. The employee/guest may enter the building.
o Yes. No further screening is needed. The employee/guest may not enter the building.
Upon entering Bedford Academy High School will receive a temperature check from School Safety Agents and proceed to go to the second or third floor. There will also be a staff member on each floor to provide supervision until the classrooms are open.
Staircase A (students will go up to the second and third floors)
Staircase B (Students will go down to the lobby area and exit the building)
Social distancing will be expected at all times.
Additional Attendance Protocols:
Student’s health and safety is one of our most important concerns. To protect student’s health and safety we have some rules and guidelines in effect regarding attendance.
Sometimes rules can seem burdensome, but keep in mind they are to protect our students, and we take their safety, and our responsibility to protect it, very seriously. We hope parents acknowledge this and support these procedures:
If you become ill during the day or need to check out for an appointment, you will need to:
- Call home so your parent can pick you up. If a student can’t reach a parent, they may remain in the nurse office until contact can be made.
- Parent/Guardian picking up their child will need to have the proper identification and have a health screening to come into the office to sign their child out. This is for the safety of our students.
Arriving to School Late/Tardy:
If you arrive to school after your first period class, you will need to report to (Mr. Phelps) the attendance teacher/coordinator of student affairs for a late slip. Tardiness will be unexcused unless the student brings a parent signed note indicating illness, doctor appointment, court appearance, traffic accident, or other reason that was pre-approved by the administration. Students who are tardy and fail to report to the attendance office for a tardy slip will be marked absent for the entire day.
Absences:
When you return to school after an absence you will need a note from your parent or guardian that explains the reason you missed school. You have 3 school days in which to show your teachers your excused absence and make arrangements for make up work. If a teacher doesn’t see an excused absence from a student within the three school days, the absence is automatically unexcused, and zeros will be recorded for missed work.
Code of Conduct:
- Students must enter, exit and move within the building in an orderly manner at all times.
- Students will enter and exit the building through the designated exits.
- Students must maintain their self-respect and will exhibit respectful behavior towards all staff members and fellow students.
- Students must respect the property of others as well as school property. Graffiti and other acts of vandalism are unacceptable behaviors and will not be tolerated.
- Students must use acceptable language at all times. (profanity is prohibited)
- Students must adhere to all safety regulations and will maintain silence during fire and safety drills.
- Students are not to engage in fighting or horse playing on or near school property.
- Students must carry identification cards each day.
Our school enforces the Discipline Codes established by:
The NYC Department of Education. Appropriate action will be taken against any student(s) who violates the discipline codes.
(Please reference the Citywide Standards of Discipline and Intervention Measures)
Suspension and Disciplinary Action
Infractions of the rules and regulations at Bedford Academy High School will result in the following actions:
- Parent notified by telephone, letter or email
- Student/teacher/supervisor/parent conference.
- Referrals to the in-school suspension program (A.E.P. Alternative Education Program/SAVE program).
- Suspension- Principal’s suspension
- Superintendent’s suspension
- Investigation by security agents and/or referral to the police department.
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism/Cheating:
Academic Integrity
Cheating, plagiarism, and colluding as defined in the NYC DOE Discipline Code (see below), are serious academic offenses that will not be tolerated whatsoever. On the collegiate level, plagiarism can result in expulsion. Any instances of cheating, engaging in plagiarism, and/or colluding at Bedford Academy will automatically result in a mandatory pupil personnel conference and zero credit awarded on an assignment. Additionally, students will be written up, reported to Dean Phelps, and may be subjected to suspension or another form of punishment. Repeated instances of plagiarism may result in failure in the class. For specifics regarding said actions, please see the “Ladder of Consequences for Academic Dishonesty”section below.
NYC Discipline Code regarding Academic Dishonesty:
Code B31: Engaging in scholastic dishonesty which includes but is not limited to:
- Cheating (e.g., copying from another’s test paper; using material during a test which is not authorized by the person giving the test; collaborating with another student during the test without authorization; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting, in whole or part, the contents of an un-administered test; substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self to take a test; bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered; or securing copies of the test or answers to the test in advance of the test)
- Plagiarizing (appropriating another’s work and using it as one’s own for credit without the required citation and attribution, e.g., copying written work from the Internet, or any other source)
- Colluding (engaging in fraudulent collaboration with another person in preparing written work for credit)
Ladder of Consequences for Academic Dishonesty
All instances of Academic Dishonesty result in parent contact and documentation in the NYC DOE’s Occurrence Report System (ORS).
- Any child engaging in their first instance of academic dishonesty will be given an opportunity to make up the assignment but will still receive a zero. When the student re-submits the assignment, it will be graded according to the original rubric. The made-up assignment’s grade will be averaged with the zero given on the original assignment, resulting in a resolved grade for the student’s work.
- Upon the second instance and all subsequent offenses of academic dishonesty (as delineated by the Department of Education’s Discipline Code) result in a zero on the assignment. Students are still expected to re-do the assignment for their own edification and mastery of standards.
- Upon the third instance of academic dishonesty, the student will receive a suspension as well as the repercussions enumerated above number 2.
Uniform Code:
We would like BAHS students to dress as young ladies and gentlemen in a manner that is attractive and appropriate for learning therefore students will be required to wear a uniform. BAHS’s uniform is a blue or white polo that has the school’s emblem and motto on the upper left torso and the bottoms are khaki skirts or pants. Student’s attire at BAHS should not present a danger to the student or a distraction to other students. Students are to be dressed in uniform at all times even during the testing period. Failure to wear the required school uniform for grades 9-12 may incur an infraction of insubordinate behavior and be faced with possible disciplinary action responses such as the ones listed below as per the DOE, a student who violates the dress code will be sent to the Dean’s office consequences may include:
- Admonishment by pedagogical school staff
- Student/teacher conference
- Parent Conference
- In-school disciplinary action (e.g., in-house, exclusion from extra-curricular activities, or communal lunch
- Removal from the classroom by the teacher
What is appropriate for weekends and social events is not always appropriate for an educational setting.
Uniform Code Specifics:
For the best learning environment, the following is not allowed at Bedford Academy High School:
Scholars are expected to wear tan, blue or black khaki pants and a white or blue shirt with the school logo. No head attire inside the building such as hats, headbands, bandannas, and head scarves. No clothing that has slogans or graphics depicting or referencing (directly or implied) the following:
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Sex or Nudity
- Offensive imagery that promotes or endorses violence, guns or weapons or which disparages an ethnic group.
- No symbolic dress known by law enforcement to be a marker or indicator of gang involvement. Including: arm bands, one pant leg rolled up, bandannas, beads, etc.
- No short shorts or skirts are allowed
- All pants and skirts must fit and not exposing undergarments.
- No holes in pants, shorts or skirts above the knee that aren’t patched
- No inappropriately loose-fitting clothing which could conceal contraband. This will be a matter determined by the administration.
- No bare feet, flip flops or other plastic/rubber beach shoes.
- No bedroom slippers, sliders or crocs.
- All outerwear must be removed once the students enter their classrooms items include: Jackets, sweatshirts, etc.
- Students will be given an official BAHS physical education uniform, if its available (Due to COVID 19, there will be no changing for gym)
Extracurricular Activities:
Student government, Robotics Team, Step Team, Outdoor Track Team, Girls and Boys Basketball Team, Girls Volleyball Team, Bedford Chorus and Bedford Jazz Band. Due to COVID 19 concerns, all scholars participating in athletic programs at Bedford Academy, must be vaccinated.
BEDFORD ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS/PSAL
In order to engage in any sports activities at Bedford Academy high school, you must adhere to the following criteria:
- Must have an 80 average every marking period to maintain eligibility.
- You must possess an attendance rate of above 80% in order to play.
- Any absences that are excusable, must be accompanied with documentation that includes a note from the following entities (court, doctor, or bereavement issues).
- Any scholar that makes the team, MUST wear their uniform every day. Every day that you do not wear the Bedford Academy uniform, you will not be allowed to play in games.
- If you fail your first period class of the day, due to attendance, you will not be permitted to play for a minimum of three games.
- All scholars MUST attend tutoring every day that tutoring is offered, if you do not attend tutoring, you will not be allowed to play.
- If your absent from your classes on the day of a game, you will not be permitted to play in that particular game.
- All medicals and parent consents must be signed, stamped and dated before the first tryout.
- All medical consents are to be handed in to your coaches at the first tryout.
- If you do not have a medical form, you will not be allowed to try out for the team.
- No faxes, copies or doctor medical forms will be accepted, they must be on the official PSAL documentation that will be provided. No alterations to the sheet can be made
Food/Lunch: (Due to COVID 19 the Lunchroom will be used for classroom space and for eating)
- Our cafeteria provides many options for students. Lunch time can be an enjoyable, relaxing break for students. Our cafeteria is small, in order to keep lunchtime manageable and enjoyable all students, lunchtime rules have been developed. These rules exist to protect our student’s health and to ensure that students are safely supervised at all times.
- Students are not allowed to have fast food delivered to them during the school day. These measures are for security purposes. Traffic of items into our campus creates disruption and could be a means of transmitting hidden drugs. We encourage students with special dietary needs to bring a home-packed, healthy lunch to school.
- Students are not permitted to leave school grounds and go to the store at any time during the school day.
- No late passes are issued for students from lunch. Students should be proactive.
- No jumping lunch lines.
- Students should keep valuables on them while they are in line, rather than leaving items at a lunch table unsupervised. This will reduce the chance of theft.
- No food or drink is allowed out of the cafeteria area, unless lunch is being served in classes due to COVID 19.
- Due to COVID 19, SCHOLARS WILL EAT LUNCH IN THE CLASSROOMS WHEN NEEDED.
Guidance and Parent Conferences:
We always encourage parents and students to first communicate directly with teachers when they have a concern. This can head off many problems. Email is an excellent option for reaching our teachers. Should the problem not be resolved by communicating directly with the teacher, you should immediately contact your child’s guidance counselor. Our counselors are here to serve your child’s needs.
If you would like to set up an “in-person” face to face meeting with one of your child’s teachers or a group meeting with your child’s teachers - this must be set up by your child’s guidance counselor. Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled through the Guidance office.
The following services are also available through our Guidance Office:
Enrollment, withdrawal, and scheduling assistance, transcripts for scholarships and post-secondary institution enrollment and academic counseling in the following areas:
- 4-year planning, course request advisement
- Research of Post-Secondary Institutions
- Scholarship Information and Assistance with form completion & letters of recommendation
- Testing advice and information
- Dual Enrollment Information (College Now) & advising
- Personal Counseling (Peer Pressure, grief, abuse, etc.)
- Summer Enrichment Programs/ Internships
Hallway Protocol:
- In school, students will not violate social distancing (No hugging, kissing, sitting on each other’s laps, etc.)
- Lockers, Items Brought to School & Lost and Found (During COVID 19, Locker use will be modified)
- Lockers are a privilege, if you are assigned a locker, you must use the lockers during designated times only. Sharing lockers is prohibited. Abuse of lockers will result in the revocation of the privilege. Certain items are NOT allowed in the building. Drugs, Alcohol, tobacco, and anything that could be considered to be a weapon. Additionally, any item deemed to be a disruption or dangerous by administration will not be allowed and parents will be called to come and pick up the item(s). If a staff member suspects that a student has any of these items, we have the automatic right to search the student, and their locker. As a courtesy, after the search, the parent will be notified.
- Certain items are NOT to be out, visible or turned on at school-Accept with the permission of a teacher. Cell phones, IPOD’s, personal digital recorders, and any electronic device. (Due to COVID Computers will be utilized daily in addition to teacher instruction)
Consequences:
If a teacher or staff members sees one of these devices out, they will confiscate the item and it will be held until the end of the day or until a parent comes in to pick up the item. There are many reasons these items are not allowed to be used or to be visible at school. They lead to problems for the school such as: distractions in class, cheating on tests, and they are a target for theft.
Medication at School:
Students are not allowed to keep their medication on them during the school day.
All medication must be kept in the Nurse office – Room C04A and the students will report to the nurse office to receive the medication. At no time will any staff members issue non- prescribed medication to a student.
Metro Cards:
Our school uses the Automate, The School (ATS) System for determining the eligibility for issuing Metro Cards.
- Any student that lives more than ½ mile but less then 1-½ miles from the school is entitled to a half-fare Metro Card.
- Any student that lives more than 1-½ miles from the school is entitled to a full-fare Metro Card.
- Any student that lives less than ½ miles from school is not entitled to a Metro Card.
- Proof of new address must be submitted for students who have moved since the last school year. Any utility bill can be used to verify change of address. (Except Telephone bill).
Metro Cards should be kept in a safe place at all times. The NYC Department of Education makes all decisions on students’ eligibility for Metro Cards. After the passes/cards have been issued, the student is responsible for the transportation pass/card. In the event, the pass/card is lost; the student will receive a newly issued pass on the first day of the following month.
Textbooks:
You will be held responsible for the proper care of all textbooks that are issued to you. If you fail to return a book in proper condition, you will be assessed a fee to replace the book. Students who owe fees will not be issued new books, will not participate in any extracurricular activities, and will not be allowed to participate in graduation exercises. (During COVID we will be utilizing more digital resources)
YMCA:
Bedford Academy has a school partnership with the Bedford- Stuyvesant YMCA. However, due to YMCA protocols that demand all individuals entering must be completely VACCINATED, we will not be using the YMCA until the policy is amended. Further details will be provided. Our gym classes will be on our atriums and in the lunchroom.