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Program Policies

Medical Services/Health Center
Health Insurance
Medication
Permissions
Parents and Family Visitors for Boarding Students
Transportation and Extracurricular Activities
Alcohol, Drug & Tobacco Policy
Behavioral Expectations
Study Hours Guidelines
Personal Computer & Network

The information below is an abbreviated version of the “Guidelines for Community Living”. Please refer to the complete “Guidelines” for full information about boarding program policies.

Medical Services/Health Center

Each parent must complete a “Parental Authorization & Doctor Authorization” form and the “Emergency Information Form” at the beginning of the school year. For routine illnesses students are escorted to the UIW nurse for treatment. If illness occurs after the UIW Health Center is closed, on-duty staff will contact the nurse and determine whether to take the student to the doctor’s office. Students are escorted to the doctor’s office by residential life staff. All medicines and other fees incurred are the responsibility of the student’s family.

If a student has a serious medical emergency or an extended sickness, their parents or guardians will be contacted and asked to come be with the student and potentially take him/her home until he/she has recuperated. If the parent or guardian is not able to come a student may be sent home with an escort at the parents expense.

Health Insurance

All students attending St. Anthony Catholic High School or Incarnate Word High School must have American insurance that would be covered in the San Antonio area. International students are required to purchase the school’s insurance. Domestic students must present proof of insurance that has coverage in the San Antonio area. If they do not have this, there is a domestic insurance policy available for purchase. The insurance premium must be paid at the beginning of the school year and is effective for the entire school year.

If a student plans to participate in school athletics, there is an additional sports insurance that must be purchased before the student can practice or compete. This insurance offers additional coverage for sports related injuries.

The residence life staff and health services center on campus handle all of the insurance paperwork involved with your students claim. Parents are responsible for all health related expenses and will be expected to pay for whatever portion health insurance will not cover.

Medication

Students taking medicines must have a doctor’s prescription and the original container for the medicine. All prescription medication is dispensed by boarding program staff. Parents must complete the “Medicine Instruction Sheet” to ensure that the staff knows how to dispense the medicine properly. Students are NOT ALLOWED to bring medication, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements and similar items from home to the boarding program. All labels must be in English or have an approved English translation so that all staff and medical personnel can understand what the student has been taking in the event of an emergency.

Permissions

Curfew Times are as follows:
     10:00 pm – Freshman
     10:30 pm – Sophomore
     11:30 pm – Junior
     12 (midnight) - Senior

Sunday through Thursday Evenings
All residential students are expected to return to campus by 6 pm on Sunday when there is school the following day. Study hours are on school nights from 7 pm until 9 pm. Followed by quiet hours and chores. All students are to be in their rooms and quite by 11 pm. If a student has a school sponsored activity or other weekday event they must inform the residence life staff on duty 24 hours in advance. Typically, students are only granted permission to leave with parents or on school sponsored activities during the week.

Weekend Off-Campus Permission
All students wishing to leave with friends or family for all or part of the weekend must submit a weekend out form. This form must be completely filled out and turned in by Thursday night. The staff will then check the permission forms that have been submitted by the parents or contact the parents and legal guardians to obtain permission for the student. All students must check in and out properly during the weekend and are expected to return by 6 pm on Sunday night. The boarding program staff reserves the right to cancel or change permission as they see fit in keeping with the safety, health and education of the student.

Overnight Off-Campus Permission
No resident will be allowed to spend the night or weekend at another student’s home or any other home without the written or verbal consent of the parent or legal guardian of the student. Parents or guardians must email or call in their approval by Friday at noon.

Completing a weekend out form does NOT give a student permission to leave campus; the RLC must check and approve the students plan and then the student must check out properly when they leave campus.

Parents and Family Visitors for Boarding Students

We encourage family to visit their students, but parents are not permitted to stay on the hall. Due to limited space, the use of community bathrooms and access issues to the hall, parents must find alternate housing arrangements for their visit. Parents are welcome to contact the ICC hotel facilities on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word at (210) 829-6026, which are available on a first come, first serve basis. There are also numerous hotels near to the school that parents may choose to stay in. Students are expected to follow proper check in and out procedures while their parents are visiting. If a student will be staying with the parent the parent must contact the RLC to inform them.

Transportation

Transportation and Extracurricular Activities
The office of Residence Life owns a 7 passenger van that is used primarily by the boarding program to take students to events, shopping and to and from the airport. Students must request transportation as soon as they know of an event and at least 24 hours in advance. Priority is given to medical emergencies, then school related events/ service events, airplane and bus drop offs and then personal needs, Students must have a permission slip on file in order for them to be transported by residential life staff.

Vehicles on Campus, Driving Privileges and Riding with Friends
High school boarders are not authorized to have or store a vehicle in the San Antonio area. Students are not allowed to drive other student’s vehicles at any time. Students are only allowed to drive a vehicle with their guardian or parent in the car regardless of their age or licenses status.

Students are only allowed to ride in the vehicles of friends if they have obtained prior written permission from their parents to do so. The driver must have a valid driver’s licenses. Students are not to take public transportation or taxis unless they are accompanied by an RA or in extenuating circumstances.

Transportation for extra-curricular activities beyond regular school activities
Students who engage in extra curricular activities or regular appointments outside of the normal school day may be charged a per trip fee. This can include SAT classes, music lessons, night school or other activities. This fee is determined at the beginning of the school year. All monies collected cover the costs of paying drivers, gas and vehicle maintenance.

Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Policy

The high school has a zero tolerance policy for alcohol, tobacco and drug use by students. Students should not purchase, possess, distribute or use alcohol, drugs or tobacco products at any time.

Texas state law prohibits the sale, possession or consumption of alcohol to minors, people under the age of 21. The ONLY exception to this is if the student is with their legal guardian or parent. Older friends who provide alcohol to high school students can be charged with aiding in the delinquency of a minor.

High school students found drinking alcohol or suspected of being intoxicated or using drugs will face serious consequences. All students who violate this policy will be placed on behavioral probation and can be asked to leave the Residence Halls. If another serious infraction of this rule or another rule occurs they can be expelled from the boarding program. Students who have alcohol or have been drinking, may be subject to a room search to make sure that they are not in possession of any other items.

Alcohol consumption is considered a crime if a person is under the age of 21. We therefore cannot allow students to go to establishments that have bars or where alcohol is being served as a main form of entertainment. This may mean that at times we will not give permission to students who seek to go to places like Karaoke Bars, night clubs and other locations.
Students using, selling or possessing illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia will face immediate dismissal from the boarding program.

Tobacco and tobacco products are not to be used by students who are under our care, regardless of their age. In the state of Texas, students must be 18 to purchase and use tobacco products. The school maintains a zero tolerance policy and regardless of age, students should not purchase, possess, distribute or use tobacco products while under the supervision of the boarding program. Students who are caught using tobacco will face consequences up to and including being dismissed from the boarding program.

Behavioral Expectations

The Residence Life Staff Boarding Staff, Director of Residence Life, Dean of Campus Life and Dean of Preparatory Programs have the responsibility for enforcing all boarding program rules and procedures which affect the well being and rights of individual students and assure good order in the day-to-day operations of the boarding program.

At all times staff and students are expected to treat each other with respect and to function within our community. Our aim is to help students take responsibility for their own health, studies, and attitude. Often, we try to allow students to learn from the natural consequences of their actions and choices: good grades or bad grades, tardies, in school discipline, missing events, etc. However, if a violation is frequently repeated or if it is potentially harmful to the health and well being of the studentsand community, other actions must be taken. In these instances punishment beyond the natural consequences of the action will take place. Any offense of federal, state or local law (for example theft, bribery, etc.) will be dealt with as a serious offense and outside parties might be required to intervene in the discipline system.

Please be aware the major disciplinary problems in the dorms can result in possible sanctions at the school. This can include the possibility of not participating in graduation ceremonies if you have committed a major offense.

If students have repeated behavior problems, are found in violation of the drug, alcohol and tobacco policy or commit another act deemed inappropriate they may be suspended or expelled from the boarding program. This decision is only made after consultation with the school. Depending on the circumstances, students who are dismissed from the boarding program may remain at the school if they live with a relative over the age of 25.

Personal Computers & Networking

Each student room comes equipped with two ports that connect to the University network system and the Internet. All of the networking resources at Incarnate Word High School and St. Anthony’s Catholic High School are overseen by the University of Incarnate Word computer center. Students choosing to use the campus wide Internet network are expected to know and follow the University’s “Policy on Responsible Use of University Computing Resources”. The University of Incarnate Word network administrators have the right and responsibility to review files to maintain system integrity and to be sure that the system is being used within stated limits.
Having a personal computer connected to the network is a privilege. Students can lose this privilege by:

downloading or using large files (including videos, music, on-line video games, on-line streaming of music and sometimes video email)
creating, accessing, downloading, editing, viewing, storing, sending or printing materials that are illegal, offensive, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, sexually explicit or graphic, obscene
contracting a virus that interferes with the functioning of the network.

For any of these reasons a student’s personal computer can be denied access to the network and the Internet. In order to have access re-instated they must agree not to download large files of information from the Internet and install the proper virus protection software. The computer help desk of the University requires students to use Norton Antivirus to help protect the student’s computer and the network from viruses. If the student is found to have broken their agreement to stop downloading large files, they will loose their Internet connection permanently and face other sanctions. We urge students to not send or open forwards and to be careful about who they are receiving messages from. If you do not recognize the person sending it, do not open it. Serious or continued infractions of this policy or abuse of computer privileges can lead to removal from the boarding program and possibly the school.

Many students also engage in on-line chatting and instant messaging. Students need to be cautioned about this practice. The Internet offers many resources but it also can be a dangerous place. Students should really only use these programs to converse with people that they already know. If a student is found chatting or forming relationships with people online that could lead to unhealthy consequences, that student will loose access to the Internet. At no time should a student meet with someone personally that they “met” over the Internet. This is very dangerous and is not permissible.