Geneva High School provides significant opportunities for students with special abilities and talents. Honors courses and/or Advanced Placement examinations are available in art, English, world languages, mathematics, science, and social studies. Geneva High School students participate in Upstate Eight Conference contests in various extracurricular areas, the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) competition and other regional academic contests. Independent study opportunities are also available.
Students are placed into honors and Advanced Placement courses based on teacher recommendations, standardized achievement test scores, district placement exams, and sometimes a student writing sample.
Sophomore, junior, and senior students will be invited to join Enrich & Empower at the beginning of the school year based on their cumulative weighted GPA and PSAT scores from the conclusion of the previous school year. Sophomore, junior, and senior students need to meet two of the three criteria listed below to be eligible for consideration in the Enrich & Empower program (E2):
• National 95th percentile PSAT 9, PSAT 10, or PSAT score in Reading (administered at GHS)
• National 95th percentile PSAT 9, PSAT 10, or PSAT score in Math (administered at GHS)
• A minimum cumulative weighted grade point average (GPA), rounded up to the nearest tenth of a point as follows:
| |
| 4.1 at the end of freshman year |
| 4.2 at the end of sophomore year |
| 4.3 at the end of junior year |
Students who meet at least two of these criteria will be eligible for participation in the E2 program and will receive an invitation to join. Once students become E2 participants, they will not need to re-qualify in future years and can participate through graduation.
COUNSELING AND ADVISING DEPARTMENT
Our mission as the Geneva Community High School Counseling & Advising team is to provide a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses the personal/social, academic, and post-secondary needs of all students. Through collaboration with all stakeholders, school counselors foster the skills of advocacy, resiliency, and accountability, as well as inspire students to be self-directed, proactive lifelong learners.
COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE VISITS
All college representative visits are listed on Naviance and posted in the Counseling and Advising Office window.
Any Junior or Senior student wishing to attend a college representative visit must sign up through Naviance. Students must first go on to Naviance, click on the “Colleges” tab, click on “View All Upcoming College Visits,” and then click on “Sign up.” Students should then print out the confirmation page to use as a pass to and from class.
THE COLLEGE BOARD ASSESSMENTS AND COLLEGE PLANNING OPTIONS
During their time at GHS, students participate in a variety of school-day standardized assessments from The College Board, including the PSAT 9, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT, and SAT. These are multiple-choice assessments of verbal, mathematics, and writing skills. Students will take subtests in reading, language, and math. The SAT also includes a written essay.
As part of the PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT, and SAT, The College Board gives students access to a student questionnaire and the free Student Search Service program that connects students with colleges and scholarship organizations. The College Board shares student information with eligible colleges, universities, scholarships, and educational opportunity programs, who may in turn communicate with students about topics limited to the following areas:
Enrollment in the Student Search Service is not automatic; sophomore and junior students can select this option when completing their answer sheet. By agreeing to the conditions set forth in this handbook, parents/guardians have given consent allowing their son or daughter to opt into the questionnaire and the Student Search Service. If you do not wish to consent to your son or daughter making this choice on their own, please notify the GHS Main Office in writing of your request before the testing dates each year. More information is available at www.collegeboard.org
The library is open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on student attendance days. Students may use the library:
Students should follow library attendance procedures and are expected to act in accordance with all school guidelines and in a manner that is respectful to library staff, library materials, and each other.
Books/Ebooks: Four weeks or overnight for Teacher Reserve books.
DVDs: DVDs are primarily for classroom use but are available for student checkout with teacher permission. A portable DVD player is available for students to use if they missed watching a program in class.
Magazines: Current issues of magazines are available for in-library use. Older issues of magazines may be checked out. The online database Student Resources in Context has full-text articles and is available to students 24/7.
Phone Chargers: Charging cords may be checked out for in-library use.
Posters: Posters for class projects can be purchased in the library.
It is the student’s responsibility to return materials on time and pay any accumulated fees. Students with overdue materials and/or fines more than 10 school days overdue will be restricted from checking out additional materials or using the library (except with a class) until the materials are returned and fines are paid. Fines are 10 cents per school day. Replacement cost is charged for lost and/or damaged materials.
No school fees will be refunded unless specifically requested by parents or guardians with the following exceptions:
No refunds will be issued for accounts with a balance of less than $5.
For students who leave the District during the school year fees*† shall be refunded according to the following schedule (those dropping out or being expelled no refund will occur):
| | | | Course
(High School & Middle Schools) | Graduation
(High School only) |
| | | | | |
| | | | Semester 1 only – no refund | |
| | | | | |
*All schools reserve the right to handle refunds on a case-by-case basis.
**From Dec 1 – Feb 1, no refund for Graduation Fees if the student is an early graduate or will be receiving a Geneva High School diploma.
†Including transportation student paid-rider fee.
For accounts with a credit balance at the conclusion of a school year, the balance will be credited to next year’s beginning balance. For any unpaid student balance, PushCoin automatically applies fee payments to the oldest debt first. Any prior year unpaid fees must be paid off before applying to the current year fees.
The PushCoin system processes District payments including student fee payments, food service, school store, field trips and webstore purchases. Refunds for payment or purchases will be made to your student's PushCoin Wallet. Balances in a student's wallet can be used to pay for food service, school store, field trip(s) and webstore purchases. Money in a student wallet can be transferred to “fees” pay for any incurred fees, the parent just needs to transfer the money to the proper account (or request assistance from the school’s front office).
Contributions to a student's PushCoin wallet should be made in amounts that can be reasonably expended by the student each school year. No automatic refunds will occur.
Refunds from a student wallet will only be processed when there is a qualifying event: graduation or transfer out of the District. Parent/Guardian of students transferring out of the District must complete a refund request to receive a refund. Graduating seniors, any remaining balance will be transferred to a sibling’s account and notice of the credit sent to the parent/guardian of record via email. After receiving the credit notice, the parent/guardian may opt for a full refund if the balance exceeds $5. If a senior’s account has a credit balance of more than $5 and no younger sibling is enrolled, a full refund shall be issued to the parent/guardian of record. No automatic refunds will occur. All refunds will be made by check to the requestor. No refunds will be issued for accounts with a balance of less than $5.
In order that no student is denied education services or academic credit due to the inability of parents/guardians to pay student fees and fines, fees are waived for students who meet the eligibility criteria for a waiver as described in Geneva CUSD 304’s Board Policy 4:140: Waiver of Student fees.
During registration, fees for all students will be billed to their PushCoin account for the full amount. If you feel you may qualify, a Fee Waiver Application must be completed on a household basis. Geneva CUSD 304 asks that parents/guardians complete the paper application and supply the required documentation requested in the application. All applications and documentation can be dropped off at your student's school or sent to:
Fees will be waived 100% for students with an approved Application for Fee Waiver on file prior to the final day of the first semester.
A family that is paid in full but qualifies for a fee waiver after the start of the second semester, under the above circumstance, will receive a refund of 50% of the fee waiver eligible fees paid to date upon request.
Eligibility is effective the date the application is received by the Business Office. Any fees accumulated from past school years are still owed. If you need further information concerning waiver of school fees, please contact the Business Office at 630-463-3030.
Lost books should be taken to the Main Office and may be claimed there. All other items should be inquired about in the Deans’ Office.
Geneva High School offers the services of a full-time school resource officer to the students. As an officer in the Geneva Police Department, the school resource officer will work to establish a positive working relationship between the police department and the school community. The goal of the police liaison officer is to assist in the maintenance of a safe and secure school environment which would allow for the educational process to occur in a natural and uninhibited manner. In addition to general supervision and assistance, this liaison is available to counsel students, complete interventions, when necessary, make referrals when appropriate, and provide law related education.
Bus transportation is provided for students who live more than a mile and a half from school. Bus routes are arranged by the Director of Transportation. Students are required to walk to pick-up points. After a.m. bus drops off, all students are to report to the building. The bus driver is responsible for the students during transportation to and from Geneva High School. The right of students to ride on the bus is based on good behavior and observance of rules and regulations. The safety of all passengers and the driver requires the cooperation of all students. The driver has the authority to designate assigned seating to ensure bus safety and compliance with bus and school rules. If a student persists in violating rules and regulations, he/she may lose bus privileges. The length of time for removal from the bus will
be determined by the high school administration.
NOTIFICATION OF ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS
Through the 1970’s, asbestos was used in many building materials until its use was discontinued in many applications. Governmental guidelines were established in the 1980’s that require public building owners to periodically inspect and, if necessary, remove asbestos that could pose a potential risk. Properly maintained, asbestos-containing building materials do not pose a health threat. When asbestos must be removed in any District 304 building, it is done by professionals licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health and disposed of in accordance with federal regulations. District 304 complies with the governmental guidelines. For all buildings erected before 1990, an asbestos management plan and inspection report is available for public review in the school. Additionally, a complete set of the district’s records is maintained in the office of the Director of Facility Operations. Should you have any questions or wish to review these records, please contact the Director of Facility Operations at (630) 463-3000.
USE OF PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES
Geneva School District participates in the Integrated Pest Control Management Program for each school facility. This program uses a variety of non-hemical pest control methods as well as limited use of pesticide, when needed, to reduce pest infestations and to minimize children’s exposure to pesticides. Also, the School District does use herbicides to treat the lawn for crabgrass and dandelions. If you need to be notified by District 304 prior to the use of a pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, or rodenticide, please call the office of the Director of Facility Operations at (630) 463-3020. The Director of Facility Operations working with the Technology department will maintain a registry of parents and employees who want prior notification. In addition, the District will post notice of pesticide and herbicide application(s) four business days prior to the action on the “Home” and “Facility” web pages located on Geneva 304’s website. (www.geneva304.org)