Policies & procedures
Welcome to Garland High School!
- Attendance
- Campus enrollment
- Campus improvement plan
- District policies
- GISD Dress code
- High school ID requirement
- Online student services request
- Title I information
- GHS 2023-2024 Tardy Policy
- GHS 2023-2024 Dress Cody Policy
Attendance
Attendance
Attendance is imperative to ensure students’ academic success. Attendance is required to obtain and keep a parking permit, earn exemptions, qualify for senior release, and/or obtain or renew a driver’s license. Attendance also determines if a student will have loss of credit. (LOC) in one or more classes. Students who maintain perfect attendance are recognized each year. Seniors who have perfect attendance for all four years may receive a campus scholarship.
Please see district attendance policy.
GHS attendance personnel, student last names for which they are responsible, and their phone extensions are listed below. Sherita Rischer is the administrator over attendance. Please feel free to contact her at (972) 494-8492 X 60009 or email SRRische@garlandisd.net.
Felicia Crunk: Ext #60005
Lizeth Hernandez: Ext #60073
Loss of credit
Loss of Credit
The Loss of Credit (LOC) list shows any student who has accumulated 5 or more absences (subject to change per semester) in a course and have fallen below the 90% compulsory attendance law. Please note Loss of credit means a student will not receive the ½ credit for the course due to too many absences. This could require the student to take the course again, even if they have a passing grade. Unfortunately, all absences (Excused, Unexcused) count toward loss of credit.
Excused absences
Excused absences
When a student is absent for a class or for a day, one of the following is required: A note written and signed by the parents, verification provided by the doctor/dentist office, and/or a note from the agency visited or from the organization represented (court, religious holidays, university, etc.) The Attendance Office must receive notes within 3 days of the student returning to school. If it is not received within 3 days, the absence becomes an unexcused absence. FINAL DISCRETION ON EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES LIES WITH THE ATTENDANCE ADMINISTRATOR AND/OR PRINCIPAL. ALL OTHER ABSENCES ARE UNEXCUSED.
Skyward
Parents notes for illness may be entered online or see attendance information via their parent Skyward account. For more information about student attendance in Skyward, visit the district page for Skyward Family Access.
We can only accept six parent generated notes per semester. We can only accept these notes for the three dates following your students RETURN to school. Parent notes may be entered to cover one or two days of absence. No more than 2 consecutive days will be accepted. Three consecutive days of absence require a doctor's note in order to be excused. The original of all doctor's notes must be turned in to the Attendance Office and should not be entered on-line. Notes received not meeting these requirements will be denied.
Please note that any student that arrives after 7:50 AM or is signed out and picked up before 2:15 PM will be marked absent for the first or last period of the day. Also, any student who leaves campus without permission will be considered skipping and will receive consequence. All students leaving campus that are not part of work program, have courses at the GRCTC building, or early release/late arrival must sign out through vestibule.
Students who drive needing to leave campus for appointments or other personal reasons must give attendance office personnel parent authorization.
Feel free to call the Attendance Office with any questions or concerns about this process.
Unexcused absences
Unexcused Absences
Students who accrue 3 unexcused absences at any time during the school year will generate a warning letter which will be mailed home to the address on file. A phone call will be made the evening of which the warning letter was generated.
Students who accrue 10 or more unexcused absences will be subject to truancy court.
Any student who obtained an unexcused absence in any one class or more, will not qualify for exemptions at the end of the semester.
Any student, who arrives to school and is wanting to go home for illness after school has started, must be evaluated by a school nurse.
Verification of enrollment
Verification of Enrollment
Students who are under the age of 18 and are wanting to apply for a Verification of Enrollment for a driving permit must request their VOE at the attendance office 24 hours in advance. Criteria for meeting a VOE is based on the 90 percent state requirement. Attendance is examined for the semester prior to application for the VOE. Students who have 5 or more unexcused absence in the last 30 days will have their request denied an may request a VOE after 30 days has expired.
Campus enrollment
New students can enroll Monday through Friday from 7:00-9:15 a.m.
Students must come prepared to begin or return to school.
The following documents are required for enrollment:
- Current immunizations (foreign exchange students and students enrolling from outside the state of Texas) will not be able to start school if immunizations are not current. Our nurses can help you understand what is needed so please bring all recent vaccination records during enrollment.
- Proof of residency: considered proof is a current utility bill, lease/house contract (no phone/cable bills please). If you are currently living with another person and the proof of residency is in that person's name, both you and that person will need to sign a notarized affidavit before the student can be enrolled
- Parent or guardian ID
- Birth certificate
- Social security card (if available)
- Prior school records: withdrawal papers; withdrawal classes/grades; most recent high school transcript; latest report card (if available); if coming from a homeschooled setting, provide homeschooled courses being taken and any credits earned from homeschooling
If your student was receiving any special program services from the previous school (e.g. Special education or 504 accommodations), you must make our office aware of this so we can assist you in these areas. Please obtain and provide these records from the prior school (ARD meetings, etc.) for our review.
Please be patient during this process. Campus enrollments take at least 30 minutes or more.
Contact the data clerk for any additional questions.
Campus improvement plan
District policies
To support our mission of providing an exceptional education to all students, we have created policies designed to help your student have the best possible education experience.
- Student Code of Conduct & Handbook (PDF)
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) (PDF)
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)-Spanish (PDF)
- Parent Involvement Policy
Visit the Policies page on the district website for additional polices and related information.
GISD Dress code
Please see district dress code
High school ID requirement
Name Tag Process
First period teachers will verify all students are wearing their ID’s every day. Students must have their ID on and visible at all times. Students cannot have them in a pocket, purse, wallet or etc.
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If a student does not have a visible ID, the first period teacher is to send the student to the GHS vestibule to purchase a new ID.
Second period teachers if a student does not have a visible ID, confirm with student if they received a paper name tag in first period.
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If a new ID was given during first period and the student is not wearing it, the student will receive an office referral.
Need a replacement GHS Student ID?
Buy a Student ID during the following times in the GHS Vestibule:
- Before school from 7–7:20 a.m.
- 9:06–9:21 a.m. (Only for late arrival seniors)
- During lunches from 10:45 a.m.–1:03 a.m.
- After school from 2:40 p.m.–2:55 p.m.
Price is $3.00 for a replacement ID (comes with a lanyard). Price is $1.00 for a replacement lanyard. They must have the $3.00 to get a new ID, getting on the LOP list and paying later is no longer an option.
Students must wear their current GHS student ID...
- to leave class
- to attend assemblies
- to go through the lunch lines
- to receive your district iPad
- to use phones in the hallway and at lunch
- to check out books in the library
- to use the library computers
- to carry for identification
- to attend school dances
- to get student ticket prices for games
- various testing sessions
Online student services request
Do you need to enroll your child, request a transfer, withdraw or request a transcript? It's easy to start common processes at home. Visit the Online Student Services page to get started.
If you have additional questions, please contact the campus data clerk:
Title I information
GHS 2023-2024 Tardy Policy
GHS Tardy Policy (effective 8/21/23)
Students have a 6-minute passing period between each class. Students are encouraged to take the appropriate route that will get them to their next class on time.
There will be a unique bell tone which will sound 20 minutes into each period to remind teachers to take attendance and denote the end of tardy recording.
Teachers will shut and lock their doors when the tardy bell rings. Teachers are not allowed to permit students to enter after the tardy bell rings without a Green Tardy pass on e-HallPass, or a paper pass.
Tardy Pass Locations- Any staff on duty in each hallway
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If a student is late to class, they are to report to the hall monitor located in the hall in which their current period’s class is located, or the downstairs front Vestibule to get their Tardy Pass approved.
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Students will use their device to enter a “Tardy Pass” in the e-HallPass system, then stand in line and get a tardy pass approved by a hall monitor or administrator. Once approved, the pass will turn Green, and the student will have 2 minutes to report to class. Teachers will close the pass in the e-HallPass system and allow the student into class. This is the only way they are allowed into class after the tardy bell rings. After 2 minutes, students will be considered skipping and will receive additional consequences.
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Please note, students with medical documentation on file with the nurse will have specialized passes if they have to make frequent visits to the restroom, nurse, etc.
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For tardies returning from lunch, teachers will write a referral in review 360, if it is a recurring issue.
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All students who are tardy are subject to a search.
Tardy Consequences (each grading cycle)
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5 tardies overall=Thursday school and admin makes parent contact
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10 tardies overall= Friday school and admin makes parent contact
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15+ tardies and every 5 tardies afterwards= Parent/Student meeting with assistant principal is required/ ISS/ Saturday School.
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Students will be placed on Loss of Privilege (LOP) after 15 tardies during each grading cycle. Examples of LOP may include, but are not limited to:
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Revoked parking permits and early release for seniors.
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Revoked exam exemptions
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Students will not be allowed to attend or participate in school-sponsored activities such as pep rallies, school-sponsored balls/dances, class/club-sponsored field trips, and may have limited participation in UIL activities.
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Parents and Students will be notified by email and call out if they receive Thursday/Friday/Saturday school or ISS.
Tardy/Absent Hold Locations
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Students caught in the halls without a pass after the first 20 minutes of class will be escorted to the cafeteria by hall monitors or admin during periods A1,A2,A3,B5,B6,B7,B8,B10. During periods A4 and B9, students will be escorted to the AD Gym or ISS.
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Students will be marked absent in Skyward, per the GISD attendance policy.
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Students will remain in these locations with an admin or staff on duty until the next class period, and are expected to work on assignments their teachers have posted in Canvas .
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Phones are required to be put away or turned in. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary consequences, primarily suspension for insubordination.
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Teachers are following the 20/20 Rule (No one leaves their class during the first or last 20 minutes of the class period) and only allow students in the hallway with the appropriate e-HallPass pass. Students in the halls without a pass will be escorted and held in the Tardy/Absent Hold Locations until the next class period.
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All students who are tardy are subject to a search.
G-Town Advisory Period
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All G-Town Duty Staff / Admin will sweep students into the cafeteria.
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Teachers will mark students ABSENT and not allow any students in for any reason.
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There are NO Tardy Passes issued during G-Town, so students should not be admitted into class late. If the student has a legitimate reason for being out of class at the start of the period (ie. office, counselor, nurse visit), the student will be coded “present” and sent to class with a Green Tardy pass on e-HallPass.
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G-Town teachers do not send students to other teachers' classes, the restroom, the office, etc unless it is an actual emergency.
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The hallways must remain empty (no student movement) during G-Town, unless it is an actual emergency.
GHS 2023-2024 Dress Cody Policy
There are some items in the dress code that are non-negotiable and are expressly prohibited at Garland HS. That list includes but not limited to the following.
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Garments must allow for participation in all regular school activities while maintaining dignity and modesty.
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Apparel that advertises or depicts alcohol, drugs, nudity, tobacco products, any other substance prohibited under FNCF (Legal), violent or criminal themes, gang membership, obscene language and/or obscene graphics, will not be permitted. Any disruptive or distractive mode of clothing or appearance that adversely impacts the educational process is not acceptable. Extremes in modes of dress, such as see through clothing, exposed midriffs, or clothing normally considered as undergarments are not acceptable.
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All articles of clothing must be worn as they are designed to be worn.
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Shirts/Tops should cover the midriff, cover undergarments, and not have a low cut at the neckline.
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Pants should be worn at the waist and no undergarments showing.
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Shorts, skirts, dresses should be of appropriate length (extend beyond fingertips).
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Pajama bottoms and pajama tops, house shoes, slippers, and extremely ripped/torn and revealing clothing.
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All students must have their school ID visible at all times during the school day.
These dress code expectations have been reviewed, enhanced and supported by Garland ISD School Board Policy. You may review the complete GISD dress code policy by clicking here.
Students, families, school staff and administrative team have the responsibility to keep the dress of students appropriate for school and its environment. If you need clarification as to whether your student’s dress code is acceptable or not, please contact one our our Assistant Principals. You can find their emails on the school’s website by clicking here. Please note that violations, deliberate or not, of these dress code expectations may result in disciplinary action. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in complying with the dress code and making this an outstanding school year at Garland High School!