Lord, Jesus,
in the person of St. Joseph
both the simplicity and the greatness of life were shown.

We pray to you, Joseph,
for all members of the Academy community -
alumnae, parents, friends, present students and faculty.
Keep us in your tender care;
strengthen our faith;
heal our sorrows;
and guide us, finally,
to the fullness of joy and peace.

We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

The School Handbook can be changed during the school year. Students will be notified of changes via email; parents will be notified via the Parents Newsletter.

Click on the link for the School Handbook Acknowledgment Form

Mid-quarter comments are available through NetSJA at the midpoint of each quarter in order to advise students and their parents if students are in danger of failing a particular course. With the support of their parents, students experiencing academic difficulties are then expected to seek the help they need during the second half of the quarter from teachers and/or counselors. Mid-quarter comments are also available on NetSJA at midquarter from teachers for students who have made significant improvement in their attitude and/or performance.

Tuition, fees and registration costs are set each year by the St. Joseph's Academy Board of Directors and approved by the CSJ Ministry Board. These costs are communicated at the time of registration and  are available through the Business Office. These fees can be paid either in advance or through automatic monthly ACH Debit to your checking account.

Tuition for 2008-2009 is $8,349. There is a $500 registration fee for incoming students. There is a $500 registration fee for freshmen, sophomores and juniors and a $400 senior fee, both due in February.

A limited amount of financial assistance is available. Inquiries should be directed to the Accounts Receivable.

Students who have unpaid fees or tuition will not be permitted to take semester examinations. Click here for the 2008-09 Tuition Policy.

St. Joseph’s Academy emphasizes to all students, faculty and staff members that harassment (including sexual harassment) is prohibited behavior and will not be condoned or tolerated. All students of the Academy must be treated with respect. This prohibition against acts of harassment applies to all people engaged in all school-related activities; all students, regular and temporary, part-time or full-time employees, volunteers, itinerant instructors and consultants. It also applies equally to clergy, religious and laypersons.

Sexual harassment can include sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This behavior includes unsolicited written or verbal statements, vulgar or obscene photographs, drawings, jokes or comments, gestures or physical contact of a sexual nature.

Absolute silence must be observed as students, faculty and staff leave the building. All windows and doors should be closed. When the signal is given to return, students must do so quietly.

In case of a general emergency in which school is called off due to dangerous weather or other circumstances, SJA will follow the directives for East Baton Rouge Parish public schools and the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

Students and their parents will be notified of emergency school closures via a phone messaging system. Messages will be sent automatically to the student's phone number, the parents' home number(s), the parents' cell phone number(s) and/or the parents' work number(s).

Students and their parents may also listen to the radio or TV news reports concerning school closures. Since SJA will comply with the directives of the EBRP public schools, there should be no need to call the school or Sisters' residence for further information in such situations.

Blackboard (School Announcements), which is housed in an off-campus server, will be used for communications.

Students may not carry medication on their persons at school. Any needed medication should be brought to the Student Receptionist’s office in a labeled container accompanied by written permission from the parent or guardian for administering the medication. The medication will be dispensed by the Student Receptionist's office according to these instructions.

No school official may supply any other medication to a student without parental permission.

Anyone bringing a student to school or picking her up after school may use the driveway to the west of the Main Building entered on Kleinert Avenue or the Activity Center drop-off area. This ruling is in the interest of safety.

Parents who do not absolutely have to pick up their daughters at 2:47 p.m. are asked to wait until after 3:15 p.m. to do so. This allows time for the lots to empty and helps relieve the bottle neck at the end of the day.

After school hours, students without adult supervision must wait in the library until their ride arrives. For safety reasons, students may not be picked up on Broussard Street. Students may be picked up from the Activity Center after 3 p.m. Parents are asked not to drop off or pick up students from the Mother Alice Hall driveway.

School buses enter the property on Parker and exit onto Broussard. The drop-off points for buses is the covered entrance to the Activity Center. Each student who rides the public school bus is responsible for obeying the bus regulations of East Baton Rouge Parish schools. School buses will only run morning routes. There is no afternoon bus service.

Following are the East Baton Rouge Parish school bus rules:

1. Cooperate with the bus driver.
2. Be on time.
3. Cross the road cautiously when waiting for and leaving the bus.
4. Follow the driver's instructions at all times.
5. Remain quiet enough not to distract the driver.
6. Have written permission and be authorized by the Assistant Principal of Activities or the Student Receptionist to get off at a stop other than your own.
7. Be courteous; be safety-conscious; protect your riding privilege.

1. Stand when a seat is available and bus is not in motion.
2. Extend arms, head or objects out of windows or doors.
3. Throw objects in or out of the bus, windows or doors.
4. Use the emergency door except for emergencies.
5. Eat or drink on the bus.
6. Damage the bus in any way.
7. Use the following items on the bus: tobacco, matches, cigarette lighter, obscene materials.

The following items are not allowed on the bus: Alcohol, drugs, pets, glass objects (except eye glasses), weapons (including knives) and objects too large to be held in your lap or placed on your seat.

Throughout the school year, photographs and/or videotapes are taken of students for a variety of purposes, including use in St. Joseph’s Academy promotional materials (fliers, brochures, invitations, etc.), on the Academy’s website and in Academy-produced publications (Connections, Annual Report, Student Prints, The Shield, etc). No remuneration or payment is attached to the use of these photographs or videos.

Additionally, students may be interviewed by the Academy’s Communications Department to gather information for press releases which are published in or posted on the outlets described above.

On occasion, representatives of the media (print and electronic) are interested in a story relating to the Academy and may wish to interview, photograph or videotape SJA students. SJA makes every reasonable effort to supervise interactions between students and the media.

By signing the School Handbook acknowledgment form, you grant permission for your daughter’s photograph, video image and/or interview answers to be used in and on the above-referenced outlets. 

Written objections from parents and/or students to the use of photographs, videos or answers to questions must be received by the Main Office by August 11, 2008.

For more information, contact the Communications Department.

Registration for students presently attending SJA is held in February of each year for the following school year. New students who wish to apply do so by calling the Main Office and requesting an application form.

There is a $500 registration fee.

The Administration reserves the right to regulate admittance to students who meet standards required by St. Joseph’s Academy.

School officials have the right to conduct a reasonable search of the student and her possessions, including vehicles on the SJA grounds, for illegal and/or illicit materials. Additionally, the Administration reserves the right to inspect any and all lockers at any time.

Student ID cards, issued in September, may be required for admission to events announced by the Administration.

The goal of St. Joseph’s Academy is to provide a full range of technology tools, services and experiences to support the school’s mission statement. Each SJA graduate should possess skill in using a wide variety of technology; they also should have developed habits that ensure their use of technology is efficient, respectful, legal and safe. SJA offers elective courses for students who seek advanced technical expertise.

SJA believes a girl will develop good technology skills and habits if she is allowed as much freedom as possible to manage her technology life. On the other hand, technology tools need to be as failsafe and consistent as possible to ensure their productive use in the classroom and for school communication. SJA seeks to balance these sometimes-contradictory needs to develop a policy that supports both.

The technology policy contains standards that foster the school’s mission and goals. The policy is revised yearly to reflect any new technology and issues identified in the previous year. Each year, all St. Joseph’s Academy students, faculty and staff members must read and agree to abide by these standards:

• conducting or participating in any actions which are illegal (according to city, state or federal law)
• violating any of this institution's policies
• threatening, bullying or harassing others
• advocating racial, ethnic, religious or gender-based slurs
• purposely frustrating others from achieving their educational goals
• infringing software copyright or licensing agreements
• purposely viewing, displaying, storing or transmitting any obscene or discriminatory material or material of terrorists, gangs, hate groups, etc.
• conducting commercial or private/personal business enterprises
• promoting private businesses, product advertisement or political lobbying
• sending unauthorized bulk or random messages (e.g., junk mail, ads, etc.)
• soliciting for organizations that are unrelated to the institution’s mission or purpose
• destroying the integrity of computer-based information
• maliciously installing or invoking a computer virus or other disruptive mechanism
• altering system files or configuration to disrupt computer or network functions
• seeking or gaining unauthorized access to network resources or resources on the internet or attempting to breach security mechanisms
• downloading MP3s, movies and any other medium which is against the law
• downloading games, images, etc.
• sharing school-related files when the project, activity or assignment is to be done independently
• communicating via the internet or email in a manner which reflects negatively on St. Joseph’s Academy
  ages, etc.
• posting/sending personal photos or videos which are inappropriate

A student whose behavior or repair record indicates careless use or abuse of tablets or other technical resources, even if repairs are covered by SJA’s damage agreement, will be referred to the Associate Principal of Students for appropriate disciplinary action.

The institution has the right to restrict or terminate network and internet access at any time to protect the integrity of the network or prevent misuse.

Consequences of violations include but are not limited to detention, suspension or revocation of internet access, network privileges and computer access. Other standard disciplinary measures may be applicable to students. Faculty members may be terminated for violations.

No student is permitted to possess any type of weapon while on the school grounds or at any school-related function. A weapon is defined as any instrument that is used or may be used to cause grave bodily harm. Anyone violating this regulation is subject to dismissal.

Students may be placed on Academic Support at the discretion of the grade-level counselor or an administrator. Students will be placed on Academic Support based on academic performance, class participation and teacher recommendation.

Students placed on Academic Support will be required to meet with their counselor at least once every other week. The counselor will determine if more frequent meetings are needed.

Counselors will document each visit. Students who do not keep their appointments will be subject to disciplinary consequences.

Letters from the grade-level counselor will be mailed to parents notifying them of their daughter’s participation in the Academic Support program. A meeting will be scheduled with parents and the counselor.

Each student on Academic Support will be required to sign a contract. Parent signatures will also be required on the contract.

Teachers will write comments at mid-quarter about their students. Students on Academic Support will be re-evaluated each quarter. Students who show improvement will be removed from Academic Support.

Students' report cards will be mailed at mid-semester and the end of the year. Report cards will be published on NetSJA at each nine weeks. The daily work, class participation, assignments, quizzes and unit tests given in a nine-week period are taken into consideration in determining a student’s grade. Numerical grades are given for quarter and exam grades. Letter grades are calculated for final marks at the end of each semester.

The value of each grade is as follows: A = 100-94 B = 93-87 C = 86-78 D = 77-70 F = below 70

Honors and AP courses are weighted.

The final marks for each semester are based on the nine weeks’ grades and the semester examination. The semester examination is worth 20 percent of the grade for the semester. If the exam grade is below 60 percent, the student is eligible to lose her credit for the semester. This decision will be made in a teacher-administration conference. 

At the end of each academic year (after two semesters, four semesters, six semesters and eight semesters), students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher will receive either an academic letter or academic bar. Students who attain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 will first receive an academic letter; students who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 will then receive an academic bar. Qualifying students will be awarded at a ceremony at the beginning of the following academic school year. Graduating seniors will be awarded at Honors Convocation. 

An honors diploma is awarded to any student with a 3.5 grade point average after eight (8) semesters of work, a minimum of nine (9) honors/AP courses over the four years and a minimum of two (2) honors courses per year, excluding the freshman year. The student can earn no semester grade below a C. During the scheduling process, students are reminded about the honors diploma and the requirements.

The valedictorian and salutatorian must meet the criteria for an honors diploma and have the two highest GPAs in the class. They must have attended St. Joseph's Academy for four years.

Students must have prior approval of the Assistant Principal of Records  for make-up credit for courses failed. Grades received in make-up courses do not replace the failed grade but are averaged in as an additional grade.

1. All courses required for graduation must be earned at SJA or in conjunction with Catholic High School.

2. Concurrent enrollment at a university must be approved by the Assistant Principal of Academics.

3. Concurrent enrollment for college credit is available with permission for those students capable of fulfilling the requirements of SJA and a university. The policy regarding concurrent enrollment may be obtained from the Assistant Principal of Academics.

4. Incoming ninth graders who have earned high school credit prior to entrance into St. Joseph's Academy will receive a Carnegie unit with a grade of P. No grade point average is assigned to the course (s). The course will be listed as an honors course on SJA's transcript if it is so designated by the previous school.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is made available to students during the year.

Participate in an email group and receive confidential prayer requests. Members of this committee then pray for those intentions submitted by all members of SJA community. Please submit confidential prayer requests to parentswhopray@sjabr.org.

All students are required to complete 15 hours of service each year. There are two categories of service hours: Category A: Gospel Mission Hours, and Category B: Building Community Hours. The first required 15 hours must come from Category A. Any additional hours earned may come from either Category A or B.

Service opportunities are outlined in the Service Directory, found online under the Parent and Student dropdowns. Please note that some programs have a maximum number of hours that can be earned. Students may participate in opportunities outside of those included in the Service Directory but only with the pre-approval of the Campus Minister. Without pre-approval, students will not receive credit for hours served.

Service hours are due in April. The date is set each year by the Campus Minister. Service hours for the following year will begin one day after the deadline of the current year. For incoming freshmen, service hours begin one day after 8th grade graduation.

Failure to complete service hours will be examined on a case-by-case basis, but meeting St. Joseph's Academy's service-hour requirements is necessary to advance to the next grade level and is a requirement for graduation.

1. Regular library hours: 6:50 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

2. Quiet/silent study time will be from 4 until 5 p.m.  Students are expected to observe this quiet/silent time.

3. Parents, please pick up your daughter by 5:30 p.m. If there is any reason why you are running late, please call the library supervisors at 388-2293. It is very important that you are on time. Persistent tardies will be handled by the Associate Principal of Students.

4. Please call your daughter when you arrive on campus, not when “you are on your way” or “around the corner.” This is for her safety.

5. All students on campus not involved in club meetings, athletics or other events are expected to sign in with the library by 3:30 p.m. After their activity ends, students waiting for their parents must come to the library.

6. Students must sign in and sign out.

7. Students must ask permission to leave the library after 3:30 p.m. for any reason.

8. Students must respect the library supervisors. They are here for your help and safety. Be respectful of other students doing homework, projects or reading.

9. Do not move bean bags, chairs, rockers, power strips or other library items.

10. Please be courteous and pick up after yourself. This includes picking up any trash and loose papers and pushing in your chair before you leave.

11. Food and drink are not allowed in the library. 

12. Please remember that all rules/regulations are for the well being and safety of our students.

Regular attendance in classes and school-related activities helps to promote better academic performance and to build school and community spirit. Excessive absenteeism and tardiness prove costly in terms of lost productivity. While a certain amount of absenteeism and tardiness is inevitable in any organization, students and parents are expected to cooperate in maximizing attendance.

If the student and/or parents know in advance that the student will be missing any classes, they must notify the Assistant Principal of Academics in writing or via email in advance of the absence in order for it to be considered excused. Once a decision has been made in regard to the absence, the student must bring the note to the Student Receptionist for an absentee form.

Early Dismissal for School Activities/Athletics
Students who consistently leave school early for a school-sanctioned activity must meet with the Assistant Principal of Academics prior to the start of the athletic season or event to establish an alternative schedule during the athletic season or for the duration of the activity. This alternative schedule will include time within the school day for making up missed work and attending the class that is most often missed. The alternative schedule will be designed by the Assistant Principal of Academics and may not be altered or revised without permission. Students who do not follow the revised schedule will be subject to exclusion from the sport or activity.

Students are encouraged to visit colleges of interest during school holidays. College visits by freshmen and sophomores during school hours are considered unexcused absences.

Seniors and juniors are allowed one excused absence for college visits during the academic school year. Written notes from a parent or guardian must be given to the College Advisor and the Associate Principal of Students at least one week prior to the college visit. Seniors invited to attend LSU Spring Testing are allowed an additional excused absence(s) if they have followed proper check-out procedures. No college visits will be approved during the month of December or after April 15 of the student’s senior year.

A student who marries is not allowed to remain at St. Joseph’s Academy.

SJA follows the Diocesan policy regarding pregnant students.

If a student becomes ill during the day and must leave campus, she must report to the Student Receptionist, who will call the student's parent. Any student who checks out during the day must bring a note from her parent when she returns to school.

Most routine visits to the doctor should be scheduled outside of school hours. If a student knows in advance that she must leave early for a doctor's appointment, written parental permission must be presented to the Student Receptionist. When the student returns to school, she must also present a note signed by the physician to the Student Receptionist in order to receive an excused absence.

Students are expected to abide by the policies and procedures outlined in this handbook and to assume responsibility for their actions at all times. Students are expected to be prepared for class and to hand in materials requested on time.

All final decisions pertaining to the SJA uniform policy, including accessories, hair color and jewelry are made by the Associate Principal of Students.

SJA uniform vendors:

The academic uniform consists of the following required garments and may include any of the following optional ones. 

1. SKIRT
   Plaid uniform skirt is required on Mass days and designated assembly days. Length should be no shorter than two inches above the knee.
2. BLOUSE
   Plain white oxford button down with long or short sleeves and school emblem on the collar will be required for all dress uniform days. T-shirts worn underneath must be solid white.
3. SWEATER
   Red V-neck sweater with monogramming is required for all dress uniform days.
4. SOCKS
   White socks with the SJA logo are to be purchased from uniform vendors. Both designs below are acceptable.
   
5. SHOES
   Light brown Sperry/generic-brand topsider must be worn with uniform socks for all dress uniform days.
   
6. P.E. UNIFORM
   a. Regulation shirts must be purchased through the school on Shop SJA.
   b. Red or navy shorts suitable for exercise
   c. White socks and tennis shoes

No student is permitted to wear nose, tongue or eyebrow rings to school. The student will be asked to remove the jewelry, and disciplinary action may be taken. Modest jewelry is appropriate for school days.

In keeping with the mission statement of St. Joseph’s Academy and the philosophy of the Sisters of Saint Joseph calling all to oneness with God and community, SJA has established an Honor Pledge. The measure of a St. Joseph’s Academy young woman is her adherence to the Honor Pledge. The Pledge defines the St. Joseph’s Academy student as guided by honesty, honor and personal integrity in all matters pertaining to her life as a member of the Academy community.

St. Joseph’s Academy Honor Pledge The mission of St. Joseph’s Academy is to educate young women as responsible and unifying members of the world community in the spirit and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Therefore, I commit to Respect myself and all members of the Academy community. Respect the property of others and be a responsible steward of the earth’s resources. Submit only work that is my own and give proper credit when using the words, ideas or efforts of another.

In keeping with the mission faith development, academic excellence and personal growth, students at SJA are encouraged to research ideas, seek information, analyze data, document facts and develop their skills and talents to their fullest potential.

Students must understand that intellectual theft is illegal, unethical and immoral. Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. Cheating is defined as using deceptive means to complete an assignment such as but not limited to copying, using someone else’s work, working with someone else on an individual assignment, looking at someone else’s paper during a test and plagiarism in any form.

“Plagiarism is a significant form of dishonesty in which a person uses someone else’s words, ideas and/or efforts without giving that person credit; in other words, plagiarism is intellectual theft.” 
       From SJA’s Information Literacy Committee Policy Statement

St. Joseph’s Academy Academic Honesty Agreement As a student of St. Joseph’s Academy, I understand and agree to the following terms as I undertake this research assignment. I understand that cheating is defined as using deceptive means to complete an assignment, such as but not limited to copying another’s work, submitting another’s work as my own, working with someone else on an assignment intended to be completed individually and plagiarism in any form.  I further understand that  plagiarism is defined as intellectual theft, a significant form of dishonesty in which one uses another’s words, ideas and/or efforts without giving credit to the original source.  I agree to follow the documentation form (MLA or APA) required by my instructor for this particular assignment. I agree to acknowledge all sources used in my research and any ideas not entirely my own.  I agree to use parenthetical documentation (in-text citation) where it is necessary to acknowledge my use of direct quotations, paraphrases and synopses from any outside source. I further agree to submit a correctly formatted, works-cited page or bibliography, as specified by my instructor, listing all sources consulted  and/or cited during my research.  If I do not understand any of the aforementioned  requirements, I agree to ask my teacher for clarification before I hand in the assignment. I understand that failure to meet the agreed-upon criteria for intellectual honesty will result in disciplinary action. ____________________________ Student Signature

When an infraction occurs, the responsibility for education and communication moves up the hierarchy to the Associate Principal of Students. When infractions are repeated, the responsibility changes from education of and communication with the student to assigning consequences for infractions. Category II, III and IV infractions should be immediately referred to the associate principal of students.

Under ordinary circumstances, punishment is progressive in nature. That is, second offenses are generally treated more harshly than first offenses. If a student continually violates a school rule, the administration may take more serious action than is specifically described in this system.

Checklists
All students get one warning checklist per year (not per semester). If a student receives a Category I checklist after the first semester and already has had a warning, she must serve detention for that checklist. Category II, III, IV or V checklists remain on the student's record.

Category I: Personal Responsibilities

Category V: Major Infractions

• Step 1: Written checklist issued to and signed by student and parent, returned; phone call or meeting with parents, all-day Saturday suspension, lose Special Privilege, meet with level counselor or outside counselor if needed, possible disciplinary contract.
• Step 2: Two days of Saturday suspension, student and parents meet with Principal and Associate Principal of Students.
• Step 3: Possible expulsion.

Detentions will be held every Friday from 3 to 3:45 p.m. and will be supervised by an assigned faculty member. A lunch detention may also be held at the discretion of the Associate Principal of Students.

Students may not study or talk to others during this time. If a student cannot make a Friday detention, parents must call either the Associate Principal of Students or Assistant Principal of Activities at least one day prior to the student’s assigned detention date to ask permission to be excused. A student who misses Friday detention will automatically by issued a Category II checklist and required to make up the detention as well as serve the consequences for the Category II checklist.

Those students who receive more than five Category I checklists per semester or any Category II checklist will be required to serve a 45-minute detention on the day assigned by the Associate Principal of Students. Upon receipt of a Category III, IV or V checklist, a student may be required to attend school on an assigned Saturday as part of her consequences. In this case, she will be asked to pay of fine of $15 for 2 hours and $30 for all day.

Students may choose to eat outside the Dining Hall. Trash should be disposed of in the proper containers.