If, for any reason, your child is out of school, please notify the Attendance Office on the day of the absence by calling 858-278-5917 X 2619. After 3 days the absence will be considered marked as unexcused. Absence excuses in the form of notes from parents must be turned into the attendance office, not to teachers.
Out-of-town Trips: Parents or guardians must notify the Attendance Office (not the teacher) of an absence longer than five school days. A Contract of Independent Study must be filed at least five school days in advance of your trip. This will allow you credit for missed classroom time. Contracts will only be approved for students with acceptable grades and attendance.
CPMA offers tutoring and a variety of clubs. There is also a no-cost "Prime Time" after school program that provides supervised homework assistance, arts and crafts, sports, and enrichment until 6:00 p.m. Contact the front office for details.
All students must be off campus by 4:15 p.m. unless they are involved in a supervised activity. Any students on campus after 4:15 p.m. without an after school pass will be assigned a consequence.
Online Math and English support is available by going to LearningUpgrade.com Students will have access to both math and English supplemental instruction that is both fun and guaranteed to raise student achievement levels on the state standardized tests.
It is important to note that riding the bus is a privilege. That means if you do things that take the bus driver's attention away from the road cause problems for other students, or make a mess on the bus, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RIDE. This behavior makes the bus unsafe. The rules are simple and NON-NEGOTIABLE: The bus driver is responsible for the safety of all students on the bus and students must respect the driver's authority on the bus at all times.
• Follow the directions of the bus driver at all times while on the bus or at the stop.
• In the morning, be at your stop 10 minutes before the assigned stop time (the time the bus leaves the stop).
• Have your school ID to ride the bus every morning and afternoon (once IDs are issued).
• Sit properly in your seat: facing forward with your feet on the floor. Do not put feet, legs, backpacks or other objects in the aisle.
• Do not eat, drink, chew gum or leave trash on the bus.
• Cell phones must be turned off and out-of-sight. They can be used only with driver permission.
• Do not put anything out the window: hands, heads, books, trash, etc., or throw anything in the bus.
• Keep talking and singing, to a quiet, conversational level.
• If there is a seating chart, you must sit in the assigned seat every day.
• If the bus has seat belts, students are required by law to use them.
• You may bring a music device on the bus and listen to it. It must be put away for the day at the first bell.
You can only ride your assigned bus and get on and off at your assigned stop. In order to ride a bus other than your assigned bus, or to use a different stop, you must have a note signed by your parent specifying which bus and stop you will use that day and obtain a temporary pass. You should take the note to the office in the morning or by the end of the lunch period on the day the temporary pass is required. For the safety of the students, school officials can only honor change requests from parents or legal guardians. If your child breaks the rules, the bus driver will give him/her a referral and a copy will be sent to you. The counselor or dean of students will also call you. Consequences for breaking the bus rules will be assigned according to the following district policy and guidelines (Procedure #5411):
• #1 referral: parent called, review of rules, warning and/or campus beautification.
• #2 referral: parent called, review of rules, lunch detention.
• #3 referral: parent called, suspended from the bus for two days; will be assigned to sit in the front of the bus.
• #4 referral: parent called, meeting held, suspended from the bus for five days.
• #5 referral: parent called, student not allowed to ride the bus for the rest of the year. Parent is responsible for providing transportation to and from school.
• We reserve the right to override the above consequences if the violation is particularly serious.
For bus changes, contact:
Lynn Spafford at 858-278-5917 Ext. 2201
The counseling office provides individual, group, or classroom support for conflict resolution, bullying, peer mediation, anger management, academic concerns and study skills, or personal issues.
Students must have a pass to see the counselor during school hours. To see your counselor, fill out a "Request to See Counselor" form before or after school. Parents or teachers may also refer students to the Counseling Center. When called in by your counselor, sign in at the counter.
Students are to respect and follow the directions of every adult on campus at all times. The discipline code is in effect doorstep to doorstep and whenever a CPMA student is on campus. The following behaviors are absolutely forbidden at any time and will result in corrective action:
• Disrespect at any time to anyone
• Defiance of authority*
• Bullying/Harassment/Cyber-bullying*
• Habitual tardiness/Leaving campus without permission
• Truancy
• Possession or use of weapons*
• Fighting*
• Use of drugs, alcohol or tobacco products *
• Extortion or threats*
• Theft*
• Vandalism/Graffiti*
• Profanity/Cussing/Abusive Language
• Inappropriate use of technology
• Misbehavior going to or from school
• Spraying of aerosols (health reasons)
• Gum chewing
• Running other than during supervised PE
• Littering (Students who litter will receive either two lunch detentions or immediate campus beautification)
• "Play fighting," pushing, shoving
• Public displays of affection including hugging and/or kissing, sitting in laps, and inappropriate touching.
*Incidents indicated by an asterisk are considered no-tolerance offenses on campus and will result in an automatic referral to the office for disciplinary action.
Students who violate CPMA's rules will be subject to progressive discipline including the following:
Phone call home to parents or guardian
• In-class consequences
• Referral to the office
• Campus Beautification or detention
• In-School Suspension
• Placement on the School LOP list
• Out of School Suspension
The goal of the CPMA dress code is to create a positive, safe and academic environment conducive to learning and working. Our students' choice to attend CPMA means that they willingly accept responsibility to follow these school rules. The CPMA dress code is in effect any time students are on campus, including after school and evening events. All clothing and footwear is to be safe and appropriate for a school setting. The following items are some examples of unacceptable school attire:
Immodest Clothing
Underwear and bras cannot be visible. Students may not wear any variation of those items listed below:
• tube tops, strapless tops, halter tops, backless tops
• tops with spaghetti straps, low cut tops exposing cleavage or bare midriff
• short shorts or extremely short skirts
• sagging pants
• pajamas
• too-tight clothing
• see-through clothing
All rules pertaining to "tops" also pertain to dresses. Leotards are to be worn only in the dance studio and locker rooms, or for performances. All shirts must adhere to dress code, including shirts worn under sweaters, jackets or sweatshirts. Clothing cannot be ripped, shredded, or cut.
Any clothing deemed inappropriate or distracting to the professional and/or learning environment by any staff member on campus will be addressed and the student will be asked to change into P.E. clothes.
Headgear
Appropriate headgear, including hats and beanies may be worn outdoors only. Bandanas, curlers, "do-rags" and other non-appropriate or gang-related headgear are not to be worn on campus at any time.
Footwear
House slippers and flip flops are not acceptable school footwear. Appropriate athletic or dance shoes must be worn for P.E. and dance classes.
Inappropriate Material
Clothing or accessories which advertise or promote sexual topics or innuendo, alcohol, tobacco or drugs, gang affiliation, profanity or violence may not be worn at any time.
Dangerous Items
Chains (including wallet chains), spikes, safety pins, and any other objects that could be unsafe or used as a weapon are not to be worn or brought to school.
Students may possess an electronic device on campus. However, electronic devices may only be used before school begins and after school ends. They may NOT be used during school hours unless incorporated into a classroom lesson by the teacher. Other than that, they must be kept out of sight and turned off. During school hours, they may not ring, vibrate or be seen. Any staff member who hears or sees an electronic device MAY confiscate it.
For the first offense, the item will be returned to the student only after a cell phone usage policy form has been completed, signed by the parent, and returned to administration. For the second offense, the electronic device will be returned only to the parent and then, only after a policy usage form has been completed and returned to administration. For repeated offenses, the electronic device will only be returned to the parent, the electronic device policy must be completed, and the student may be assigned additional consequences.
CPMA is not responsible for electronic devices that are lost, stolen or damaged at school. Students bring them at their own risk. CPMA is under no obligation to search for missing or stolen electronic devices.
All students in attendance at evening performances, including those who volunteer, must be supervised by a responsible adult. Students wishing to attend a show may only do so if they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult. Students who are in attendance must sit with the adult throughout the performance.
Any student who is on campus without a parent or guardian will be escorted off campus and parents notified.
Student volunteers must remain with the adult for whom they are volunteering throughout the performance. Volunteers are responsible for the actions of those students who are there to assist.
Report cards will be distributed to students one week after progress period ends EXCEPT semester grades which will be mailed home.
Sept. 6-Oct. 21: 1st Progress Period of Fall Semester
Oct. 24-Dec. 9 2nd Progress Period of Fall Semester
Dec. 12-Jan. 27 End of First Semester
(Report Cards mailed home by district by Feb. 10)
Jan. 30-March 9 1st Progress Period of Spring Sem.
March 12-Apr. 27 2nd Progress Period of Spring Sem.
Apr 30-June 12 Spring Semester ends
(Report Cards mailed home by district by July 9)
The Health Office is available to students from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm each school day. During class hours, students must have a pass from their teacher, including passing period and lunch.
If students require any medication, including asthma inhalers, during school hours, they must have a 'Physician's Recommendation for Medication' form and/or 'Asthma Action Plan' on file. All oral medications must be kept in the health office. The school nurse will review the physician orders with the student and parent, and then determine if the student may self-carry a rescue inhaler or Epi-Pen.
In order for the school nurse to administer Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol to the student, a current completed 'Health Information Exchange Consent' form must be on file.
All requests to excuse a student from PE are to be taken to the Health Office. A parent may excuse his or her child for up to three consecutive days, at which point a physician's note is required.
A LOP list is generated every six weeks. If you are placed on the LOP list you will not be allowed to participate in any school activities including: dances, field trips, and after-school activities. Students on the LOP may not purchase tickets to any school performance nor will they be allowed to participate in any school performance. Students are placed on the LOP after:
• Falling below a 2.0 citizenship G.P.A.
• Receiving 2 or more N's or U's in Citizenship
• Falling below a 2.0 academic G.P.A.
• Excessive referrals (bus or school—assigned at the discretion of the administration.)
• Any suspension (bus or school)
• Excessive tardies
PE uniforms, including shirts, shorts and sweats, can be purchased at the Financial Office. Locks for PE lockers are not needed.
PE Uniform: Set $18.00 with ASB card/$20.00 without
Shirts: $6.00 with ASB/$7:00 without
Shorts: $12.00 with ASB/$13.00 without
Sweatshirts/pants: $13.00 with ASB/$14.00 without
Dance clothing can also be purchased at the Financial Office. Prices to be determined.
It is not mandatory that students purchase and wear CPMA specific PE uniforms. They may, if they choose, wear a plain white or grey t-shirt with navy blue mesh or PE style shorts. Appropriate athletic footwear is required at all times during PE classes.
Attendance and getting to school and class on time are critical to achieving success. Students who exhibit excessive tardiness will be subject to increasing levels of discipline, up to and including, possible loss of placement at CPMA.
Excessive tardies will result is lower citizenship grades and possible loss of campus privileges, and may affect academic standing as well.
Textbooks are furnished free of charge. They are to be used only by the student to whom they are issued. Students may be required to pay for damage beyond normal wear. Failure to meet financial obligations regarding textbook damages may result in report cards and student activity privileges being withheld.
The Board of Education has approved the following Zero Tolerance Policy which will result in students being recommended for expulsion who possess weapons, engage in repeated fights or acts of violence, or are found in repeated possession of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
A weapon is defined as a firearm, pistol replica, starter pistol, stun gun, BB gun or pellet gun, a knife of any size or type, a dirk, a dagger, razor, slingshot, any explosives or fireworks. Any object used in a dangerous manner will also be considered a weapon. Use or possession of a weapon will result in your recommendation for expulsion.
Repeated incidents of fighting, violent acts, or causing serious injury to another person will result in a recommendation for expulsion under the Zero Tolerance Policy.
If you are found in possession of drugs or alcohol you will be recommended for discipline. Your third offense of possession of drugs or alcohol will result in a recommendation for expulsion. If you are found to be in possession of tobacco you will be recommended for expulsion on your fourth offense.
If you are found to be selling or furnishing controlled substances you will be recommended for expulsion on your first offense.
In addition to discipline, if you are found to have violated the law you may be arrested and taken to a juvenile detention facility.
Expulsion from San Diego City Schools will result in the loss of your privileges to attend school or extracurricular activities. You may be placed in an alternative school or program.