Student and Parent Handbook

For the Ladies: Hairstyles should be neat and appropriate.

• Hair must be long enough so that it does not appear to be a boy’s haircut. Hair is not to be shaved. 
  
• Hair color and highlights must be in natural tones. Hair extensions must also match a girl’s hair color. Hair should not cover the eyes. Headbands and hair bows and other accessories must coordinate with the uniforms and are consistent with school colors.

For the Men: Hairstyles should be neat and appropriate.

• The length of the hair on top should not exceed three inches. 
  
• Hair may not be unnaturally dyed or otherwise colored.
  
• Hairstyles in the form of dreadlocks, spikes, or unnaturally cut patterns/designs are not allowed. Twists should not exceed 2 inches in length, dreadlocks and cornrows are not permitted.
  
• Hair must be above the eyebrow and above the collar. Hair should not cover any part of the ear.
  
• Sideburns should extend no lower than the middle of the ear. Beards and mustaches are not permitted, and boys must always be clean shaven.

For the Ladies: If earrings are worn, they must be a matched set. Girls may wear one sets of earrings which should be worn in the ear lobes only. In a wide earring, the diameter is to be no more than 1¼ inch. In dangling earrings, the length should be no more than 2 inches from the bottom of the earlobe. Gauges should not be worn. Black nail polish may not be worn. Makeup may be worn if it is not excessive.

For the Men: Male students may not wear earrings or make-up, or have any other body piercings. Nails should not have any polish or paint.

Tattoos or other forms of body art are unacceptable.

For the Ladies: Uniform clothing must be worn at school and at all school functions, including field trips, unless otherwise stated. The uniform for young ladies consists of a polo and a skirt or jumper.

• Polo shirts may be short-sleeved or long-sleeved with two or three buttons. These shirts should be navy blue or gray. Only the top button may remain unbuttoned. Girls’ necklines must be modest, no more than one inch below the collarbone.
  
• Skirt or jumper colors for the girls should be khaki or navy blue (no jean/denim skirts). Girls’ hemlines are to be modest in length and are not to be above the middle of the front of the knee or an inch above the line of the back of the knee. Slits in skirts may not be above the skirt regulation length.
  
• Tight-fitting clothing will not be allowed.

For the Men: Uniform clothing must be worn at school and at all school functions, including field trips, unless otherwise stated. The uniform consist of khaki pants (not joggers or any modifications), polo shirts, and tennis shoes. 

• Polo shirts may be short-sleeved or long-sleeved with two or three buttons. These shirts should be navy blue or gray. Only the top button may remain unbuttoned. Uniform clothing must not be oversized. Shirt collars must remain turned down.
  
• Pants may be khaki color or navy blue (no jeans, cargo, or denim pants). Pants may not be tight to the leg (“skinny pants”). The top of the pants may not be worn below the waist (“sagging”). 
  
• Belts must be worn on all pants, and shirts must remain tucked in at all times.

For the Ladies: Girls may wear leggings of solid color coordinating with their uniform of the day. Designs on leggings are not permitted in the secondary.

For the Men: Socks and shoes are to be worn at all times. Boys may wear athletic shoes or dress shoes with a back. Flip-flops and backless shoes are not acceptable footwear for school.

For the Ladies: All girls may wear athletic shoes or dress/leather-type casual shoes. No flip-flops are permitted. Shoes must have a full back or a strap. Rubber or plastic shoes (“Crocs” or “jellies”) may not be worn.

For the Men: Tasteful, color-coordinating athletic, casual, or dress shoes may be worn. Shoes must be laced and tied (if applicable), and they must not be a style that the Administration deems inappropriate for school (hiking or combat boots, gang-related, etc.). Sandals may not be worn.

For both: As the weather becomes cooler, students may wear coats or jackets to or from school as long as they do not endorse people or ideas that do not align with the school’s standards. Heavy coats and sweatshirts are not acceptable uniform apparel and are not to be worn to class. Light jackets, sweaters, and hoodies purchased from the school and matching school colors may be worn during school hours. For high school students, unacceptable uniform apparel should be placed in lockers before homeroom and should remain there until the end of the school day. 

For both: Any accessorizing with items such as hats, hoods, knit caps, gloves, and scarves, are to be worn to and from school only, and otherwise stowed, unless worn at recess or P.E.

For both: Backpacks and lunch boxes must not endorse people or ideas that do not align with the school’s standards.

Birthday party celebrations are allowed only during the normal lunch period.  Parents may bring a cake or other decor for the class to celebrate, but this must be done during lunch in coordination with the teacher. Be mindful of any food allergies students have.

For the safety of the students, any time a home address, phone number, or e-mail address is changed, please notify the school office. In the event of an emergency, the school would need to contact the parent as quickly as possible through either a personal call from the office or through RenWeb.

Classes take field trips at various times during the school year to places of educational interest. Students are required to maintain the same level of self-discipline on these school-sponsored activities as is required at school. Teachers and parents will chaperone these field trips in a ratio of no greater than 10 students to one chaperone. We respectfully request that parents who help to chaperone follow the same standards of dress and conduct as the students.

The GCS library is filled with approximately 4,000 volumes which are available for students to check out for book reports, research projects, and pleasure reading. The library is open for students during two days each week. Books may be checked out for two weeks after which they must be returned or renewed. A library fine of $0.50 per book per library day will be assessed for overdue books. Students with overdue books and/or unpaid fines will not be permitted to check out additional library materials. Students who lose or damage a library book will be charged a replacement fee.

Each student will be assigned a locker, a lock, and a locker combination. Students are responsible for keeping their lockers locked at all times and must not share their locker combinations with other students. GCS is not responsible for lost or stolen items resulting from an unlocked locker or the sharing of a locker combination. Students who lose their assigned lock will be charged a replacement fee of $7.00.

Students may not write on, place stickers on, or display inappropriate images or materials in their lockers. Lockers are subject to periodic inspection throughout the school year, and students are expected to keep them neat, clean, and orderly at all times. Failure to maintain a locker properly may result in a warning for the first offense and demerits for subsequent offenses.

During the final month of the school year, all lockers and locks will be inspected for cleanliness and damage. Students will be financially responsible for any damage, excessive cleaning, or replacement costs, and such charges may be added to the student's account.

Students may retrieve their lost articles from Lost and Found for $0.25 per item. Parents are encouraged to clearly mark all personal belongings with permanent ink for clear identification. The Lost and Found is kept locked, but teachers can open it (at their availability) to check for an item with a student. Retrieving items from Lost and Found does not excuse a student from being tardy to class. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he has ample time before visiting Lost and Found. At the end of the school year, GCS will sell or donate any remaining unclaimed items from the Lost and Found.

All students riding with student drivers must submit written parental permission to that effect. The student driver should also submit written parental permission. Each driver should demonstrate courteous, careful driving habits. Cars are to remain parked until students leave for the day. Students may not sit in parked cars on school property after 8:00 a.m. or past 3:15 p.m. Administration reserves the right to deny parking to any students violating these policies.

GCS reserves the right to photograph, videotape, or otherwise record students participating in school activities, programs, events, athletic competitions, performances, chapel services, field trips, and other educational settings. Such photographs, videos, and recordings may be used by the school for educational, promotional, publicity, recruitment, yearbooks, newsletters, brochures, the school website, social media platforms, and other school-related publications without compensation to the student or family.

Students are expected to present themselves in a manner consistent with the school's standards of conduct, appearance, and dress whenever photographs or videos are taken. Any student whose appearance, attire, or conduct is determined by the Administration to be inconsistent with school standards or otherwise inappropriate for inclusion in school publications may be excluded from the photograph, required to retake the photograph, and may be subject to disciplinary action. If a retake is necessary because the student failed to comply with school standards, the student or parent may be responsible for any additional costs incurred. The Administration reserves the right to determine the suitability of all photographs and recordings used in school publications and promotional materials.

GCS recognizes and complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Parents or legal guardians have the right to refuse permission for the school to use their student's photograph, video, or likeness in school publications and promotional materials. Parents who do not wish for their child's image or likeness to be used must indicate their decision by submitting a written request to the school office. This request will remain in effect until the parent or legal guardian submits written notice revoking or changing the decision. GCS will make every reasonable effort to honor all media opt-out requests. However, parents acknowledge that the school cannot guarantee that a student will not appear incidentally in photographs or videos taken during public events, athletic competitions, performances, graduation ceremonies, or other activities where large groups are present. Likewise, the school cannot control photographs or recordings made by news organizations, visitors, spectators, or other third parties attending school events.

GCS provides new textbooks to students for a textbook fee which is due by the first day of school. If a textbook is lost or needing a replacement throughout the school year, the replacement fee for that particular textbook will be added to the student’s account.

Students are encouraged to seek additional academic assistance when needed. Teachers may offer tutoring or academic assistance outside of regular school hours at their discretion. Parents are responsible for arranging the details of any tutoring sessions with the teacher, including scheduling and any associated fees.

All tutoring arrangements involving GCS teachers must receive prior approval from the Administration. The school reserves the right to approve, modify, or discontinue tutoring arrangements as deemed appropriate.

During school hours, all visitors must report to the main office upon arrival, present valid identification if requested, state the purpose and anticipated length of their visit, and receive authorization before entering any part of the campus. Visitors must also sign out through the school office before leaving campus.

Visitors wishing to observe or enter a classroom must first obtain approval from the school office or Administration. Permission to visit classrooms may be granted or denied at the discretion of the Administration based on the needs of the school and the educational environment.

For the protection of our students, individuals who are not enrolled at GCS, including school-age children and teenagers, are not permitted on campus during school hours unless they are accompanied by a responsible adult and have received authorization from the school office.

Any person found on campus without authorization, or who fails to comply with visitor procedures, may be asked to leave the premises immediately. The Administration reserves the right to deny or revoke campus access to any visitor when deemed necessary for the safety, security, or orderly operation of the school.