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Harrisburg Global Academy

  • 11774 Harrisburg Rd., Indian Land, SC

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K-6 Charter School in Indian Land
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K-8 Parent/Student Handbook

K-8 Parent/Student Handbook

Academics

Assessment

Assessment is the gathering and analysis of information about student performance. It identifies what students know, understand, can do, and feel at different stages in the learning process. Please refer to the school’s assessment calendar. On assessment days, it is critical that students arrive on time and prepared to do their best. Late students will not be permitted to enter the classroom until the assessment period is complete. Please encourage your student to get a good night’s rest and eat breakfast on assessment days.

Reporting and Progress Monitoring

Progress reports are provided to all students. Students who are struggling and/or receiving a grade of D or below will receive additional reports and notices related to interventions. Failure to meet grade-level standards may result in program limitations, including, but not limited to, restrictions from extracurricular activities taking place during the school day. Failure to meet grade-level standards may also result in program modifications, including participation in remedial instructional programs both during and outside of the school day. At the first quarter progress report, underperforming students in honors or advanced courses will meet with faculty and/or school leadership to discuss their progress and placement. Formal report cards are issued at the end of each quarter. Achievement and progress will be reported as indicated below.

Homework

Homework is designed as a purposeful extension of learning. It provides students with the opportunity to practice skills introduced during the school day independently. The following are general guidelines for the average amount of time students may spend on homework each night:

● Kindergarten:  10 minutes and reading with a caregiver
● First grade:  15–20 minutes
● Second grade:  20–30 minutes
● Third grade:  30 minutes
● Fourth grade:  35-40 minutes
● Fifth grade:  40-50 minutes
● Middle School students should expect 1 hour of homework per night.

Note: Should homework be taking significantly more or less time than indicated, please contact your child’s
teacher.

Grading Policies

Grades K-1: Standards Based Report Cards

A standards-based report card lists the most important skills students should learn in each subject at a particular grade level. Student progress on these standards is reported as follows:

4 = Exceeds grade level expectations for this quarter with accuracy and a high level of quality.
3 = Demonstrates grade level expectations with accuracy and quality for this quarter.
2 = Developing but is not meeting grade level expectations for this quarter.
1 = Beginning to show limited progress & understanding but is not meeting grade level expectations for this quarter.
Blank = Standard did not evaluate this quarter

Grades 2-6 Specials Classes

K-6th Grade Students will receive a grade for each Specials class (Art, PE, Spanish, STEM, and others) at the end of the quarter. Students will be evaluated on their behavior, performance, and content knowledge.

Grades 2-6: Academics / Subjects

Defining “expectations” as the progress toward mastery of the standards and objectives as set forth by the South Carolina Common Core and Essential Standards:

90-100 A Consistently Exceeds Expectations at this time.
80-89 B Exceeds Expectations at this time.
70-79 C Meets Expectations at this time.
60-69 D Inconsistently Meets Expectations at this time.
50-59 F Does not meet expectations at this time.
0 F Student does not complete or submit an assignment by its deadline.

Middle School Late Work / Homework & Projects:

To be eligible for full credit and gain the most out of their studies, students should submit assignments by the assigned due date. Should a student miss the original deadline due to absence, full credit may be earned given that it is submitted following the teacher’s expectations as outlined in their syllabus. Student communication with the teacher is encouraged regarding late work. Late work will only be accepted up to 1 week after the original due date.

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

At the school, all students are included in the MTSS process using the Standard Treatment Protocol (STP).
Students are selected for tiers of support using our Universal Screening Process, and multiple forms of data are reviewed before students enter tiered interventions. Students move throughout tiers based on their progress. The MTSS Child Study team makes the final decision on when and how students move between tiers, when needed.

Intervention:

Teachers, counselors, and leadership will offer support for completion of missing work over the course of the school year. Parents are encouraged to discuss with their students the benefit of this support and help promote attendance at tutoring after school as well as at additional academic boot camps offered during the year. If your family is encountering extenuating circumstances or would like suggestions on how to support your child while catching up on work, please reach out to your assigned counselor for further guidance.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

In keeping with our school’s mission, we desire to create and maintain an ethical academic atmosphere where honest behavior is an expectation for all students. Such behavior must be reflected in all areas of student life, including the completion and submission of all assignments. By holding students accountable for honest behavior in all areas, we will help them grow in integrity and skill as they learn, and practice effective and ethical behaviors connected with the use of information and information technology.

Defining Cheating/Plagiarism

Cheating is the act of using any unauthorized means, including but not limited to digital tools, material, information, notes, study aids, devices, or communication, to complete any form of academic exercise. This includes acquiring answers from any unauthorized online sources in completing any assigned work or examinations. Plagiarism is using and claiming someone else’s material without giving credit to that person.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Copying any portion of another student’s answer or work and/or allowing someone to copy one’s own answer or work, including working together on an independent assignment and/or copying the work of another person that has already been submitted as that person’s own.
Using and claiming another person’s ideas, opinions, theories, words, sentences, paragraphs, or entire work without appropriate acknowledgment of the source. This includes failing to use parenthetical in-text or in-project documentation and/or using documentation that is invalid and/or does not match the Works Cited page.

Plagiarism & Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • All work submitted by students must be their own. Using AI tools (like ChatGPT or image generators) is only allowed when approved by a teacher and must be clearly acknowledged. Per South Carolina guidelines, failure to disclose AI assistance or copying AI-generated content without permission may be considered plagiarism.
  • Students and staff are expected to use AI responsibly, thoughtfully, and with academic integrity.
  • Submitting work generated by artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT or other AI tools) without proper acknowledgment or citation and representing the content as entirely original or authored solely by the student.
    This includes copying AI-generated essays, answers, or code and failing to disclose that an AI tool was used in the creation of the assignment.
  • The school utilizes plagiarism monitoring software to ensure original work by students and addresses student misconduct in accordance with the school discipline plan.

School Hours, Attendance, & Before/After School Care

School Hours

The instructional day for students in grades K–2 is 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. The instructional day for students in grades 3–6 is 7:45 a.m.–2:45 p.m. The school office can be reached at 980-505-8344 during the school day. It is recommended that students arrive at school 30 minutes before class begins to be ready to start instruction. All students must be picked up from the car line by 4:00 p.m. We understand that emergencies may arise, and the school will accommodate those. Drop-in care is not available on campus. Families will be charged a late fee of $20 for every instance of late pickup.

Remote Learning Attendance Policy

If the school provides remote learning, the school will implement a fully remote technology platform which includes an attendance function, progress reports and alerts for staff, students, and parents. Daily attendance will be taken for ALL students, regardless of their physical or remote presence on campus and this tool will be used to track attendance each day. Each student and parent will be trained in how to check in daily to demonstrate attendance and participation. Absences will also be recorded in this tool and then updated.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is a key factor in student achievement; therefore, students are expected to be present each day that school is in session. Regular attendance is mandatory for every student. The State of South Carolina requires that every child in the state between the ages of seven (or younger, if enrolled) and sixteen attend school. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for ensuring that students attend and remain at school each day. When unexcused, students absent for half or more of the school day will not be permitted to participate in after-school events on that date. All absences must be verified by sending communication and documentation to attendance@hgacharter.org.

Absences are excused for the following reasons:

● Student illness or injury. Students with a fever of 100.4°F or higher, vomiting, and/or diarrhea may not return to school until 24 hours after symptoms have subsided. Health guidelines may be modified by the school at any time to align with federal, state, or local guidance.
● Quarantine
● Death in the immediate family
● Doctor or dental appointments that could not be arranged outside of school hours.

● Pre-authorized absences, including educational opportunities. Contact your child’s School Leader at least five days prior to the absence.
● Religious Holidays not observed by the school calendar.
● Court or administrative proceedings
● Absence related to deployment activities


In the event of an excused absence, send a written notification or doctor’s note to attendance@hgacharter.org. Written notification must be received by the office within 5 days of the student’s return to school. School leadership may pre-authorize an excused absence in situations when it is demonstrated that the purpose of an absence is to take advantage of a valid “educational opportunity,” such as travel. Approval of such an absence must be granted prior to the absence. Additionally, should a student miss three or more consecutive school days, a doctor’s note may be required to render the absences excused.

When students reach 3 days of unexcused absence, parents will be contacted via a notification letter/email.

When students reach 6 days of unexcused absence, parents will be contacted via a notification letter/email.

When 10 days of absence (either excused or unexcused) have been reached, school personnel will contact parents to review the student’s academic status, discuss factors surrounding the absences, and make recommendations for corrective action as needed.

Should any student reach 20 days of absence (either excused or unexcused), the student and parents will meet with school leadership to discuss the impact on the child’s education and to review the potential for grade retention and/or course failure. The school reserves the right to retain or fail a student based on absences and tardies according to state law.

Tardiness

Students who report to class after the start time will be counted as tardy. Tardies to school are excused for the reasons listed above for which absences are excused.

When students reach 3 days of unexcused tardies, parents will be contacted via a notification letter/email.

When students reach 6 days of unexcused tardies, parents will be contacted via a notification letter/email.

When 10 days of tardies (either excused or unexcused) have been reached, school personnel will contact parents to review the student’s academic status, discuss factors surrounding the absences, and make recommendations for corrective action as needed.
Should any student reach 20 days of tardies (either excused or unexcused), the student and parents will meet with school leadership to discuss the impact on the child’s education and to review the potential for grade retention and/or course failure. The school reserves the right to retain or fail a student based on unexcused absences and tardies.

Illness During the School Day

When a student becomes ill during the school day, he/she should notify the teacher, and the teacher will send the student to the front office. The office staff will call the parent or guardian or emergency contact for parent pick-up. Pick up should occur within one hour of notification.

Family Death or Terminal Illness

If there is a death, terminal illness, or similar traumatic situation in your family that may affect the student’s attendance, emotional well-being, and/or level of concentration, please notify the office and classroom teacher.

Make-Up Work

Students, with support from the parents, have an obligation to complete all assignments missed due to absence.

Students are guaranteed two school days to make up their work for each day absent from school. In the case of a prolonged absence, parents are encouraged to contact the teacher to decide to have assignments picked up. If a parent would like to come in to pick up work for their child while the child is out, parents must contact the teacher to provide work and give teachers at least two school days to assemble the assignments.

Students who miss an announced test during their absence will take the test within two school days upon their
return to school unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.

Early Dismissal

Please check in at the school front office when you come to pick up your child. In no case will a student be allowed to leave school with anyone other than a parent, guardian, or emergency contact unless the school has received communication from the student’s parent or guardian. To ensure an orderly dismissal process, early dismissals after 2:00 p.m. for grades 3–6 are not permitted.

K–8 Before/After School Care

The HGA Before and After School Program is available to families who wish to have their K–8 child(ren) on site at HGA for an extended day. Illness and conduct policies in place during the school day will also be held during the Before/After School program. Fee information and applications are on the HGA website. Before School opens at 7:00 a.m. for students in grades K–6; before care stops accepting students at 7:35 a.m. If parents arrive after that time, they will need to join the car line because doors open for students at 7:30 a.m. After School is available for grades K–6 and closes at 6:00 p.m.

Communication

Effective communication between school and home is vital to students’ academic, social, and emotional well- being. HGA communicates regularly through a variety of channels to keep families informed about school events and student progress. The following are examples of communication methods used by HGA:

● Weekly “Go Home” Folders for students in Grades K-2
● Weekly newsletters for students in grades K-8

Online Resources

We use online communication tools that provide information about our school, your child’s classroom, and your child’s progress. General information is available at www.hgacharter.org.
For all students, appropriate credentials for PowerSchool Student and Parent Portal, the school will provide our online gradebook program. A specific school link will be provided at that time.
Our School-wide communication system we utilize is Parent Square (https://www.parentsquare.com).

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher Conferences may be scheduled as needed to allow parents and teachers to discuss a child’s performance at school. Conferences may take place before or after school, as well as during the school day based on teacher availability. After the end of the first quarter, a teacher workday provides an opportunity for Parent/Teacher conferences. Additional conferences may be scheduled throughout the remainder of the school year. Parents or guardians should contact their child’s teacher(s) to schedule a conference.

Adverse Weather Communications and Other Closures

The School Leader determines whether to close school, delay the start of the school day, or release students early for safety reasons, primarily when inclement weather is predicted and road conditions are unsafe for travel. In most cases, the school will follow the lead of the local school district unless extenuating circumstances require a different decision. Any decision to close school or delay the start of the school day, including the length of the delay, will be communicated through the following channels no later than 6:00 a.m. that morning:

● HGA Website
● HGA Parent Square
● Social Media

● Local News Affiliates (weather-related events only)
● Telephone Notification System

If no announcement is made, the school schedule remains as normal.

If inclement weather is predicted after the school day has begun, a decision regarding early release will be made as quickly as possible. In the event school is dismissed for the day, notifications will be announced through the lines of communication listed above.

Please remember to make plans for childcare if weather closes at school during the day.

If school is already in session when a severe weather watch or warning is issued, the school will remain open.

Staff will take appropriate safety precautions.

School Phones

Students may use school phones to call home with permission. If a student is ill, the school office will contact the parent/guardian. Important messages will be given to students or staff members upon request.

Student Cell Phones and Electronic Devices

Student technology may not be used at school and must remain silent and away unless explicit staff permission has been granted at that time. “Silent” refers to the absence of any kind of noise generated by the device and “away” refers to the device and accessories being completely out of sight. Headphones, air pods, and/or Bluetooth devices must be removed when inside any building. Please refer to related sections in the Discipline Plan including but not limited to sections 2g, 4g and 6c for additional details regarding student technology. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged cell phones or any electronic devices.

Grievance Policy for Parents/Students

Purpose: To provide the procedures parents/students will follow when they have an issue at the school that constitutes a grievance.

This policy is in place to respond to parent/student or volunteer grievances (referred to as parent/student hereafter). It is expected that any parent/student with an issue will try to resolve the issue by using open communication with those directly involved (see Pathways of Communication). This means that if a parent or student disagrees with any policy or procedure within the classroom, the first level of grievance is with their student’s Teacher; likewise, the first level of grievance of an athletic or Parent Teacher Partnership would be
with the coach or PTP committee chair, respectively. If the student/parent is not satisfied with the teacher’s response, they will then proceed to the second level of grievance by setting a meeting with the grade-level School.

Leader or the grade level administrator.

At that meeting, the teacher, student, grade-level School Leader, and parents must be present and the issue at hand will be fully discussed. If the parent or student wishes to pursue the matter further, they will proceed to the third level of grievance by setting a meeting with the School Leader. Similarly, if a parent/student disagrees or has an issue with a policy or procedure at the school, the parent/student will set up a meeting with the School Leader or Director. If the parent/student feels that their issue is still a concern after meeting with the School Leader and the issue meets the definition of a grievance set forth below, the parent/student may initiate the grievance procedures as described below. Many issues that a parent/student has with the classroom, teacher or School will not rise to the Board level of a grievance and appropriate resolution will be found with the teacher and/or grade-level School Leader.

Definition of a grievance: a grievance is defined as a formal written complaint by a parent/student stating that a specific action has violated a school policy, board policy, or law/regulation. A complaint under Title IX is not grievance and this policy does not apply to such complaints. Please refer to the School’s Title IX policies and procedures for Title IX matters (www.hgacharter.org). In addition, this procedure does not apply to complaints that fall under the School’s Non-Title IX policies, including bullying and harassment. Please refer to the School’s Non-Title IX Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying complaint process for such matters (Appendix).

Time Limits: a grievance will only be heard if the complaint has been filed within fifteen business days of the meeting with the School Leader. The fifteen-day deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of the School Leader.

The grievance process is as follows:

Step 1: If the parties are not satisfied with the decision of the School Leader and the grievance meets the definition set forth above, the parent/student must submit a letter in writing stating the school policy, board policy, or law/regulation that was violated including details of the actions and the place, date, and time of the violation. The parents/students should make every effort to include any details about the event that may be helpful in the decision-making process. The written letter should be submitted to the School Leader and to the Board Representative. If the School Leader is implicated in the grievance, the grievance should only be submitted to the Board Representative.

Step 2: The Board representative will review the facts and notify the parties in writing (email accepted) if further action is necessary or if further information is needed. The Board reserves the right to appoint a committee to investigate any grievance, to appoint an investigator, or to take any other action to investigate grievance and issue a decision. If the Board considers the matter should be heard, the parties will be called to meet with the Board. After the hearing, any decision of the Board will be communicated to the School Leader or Director and the parent/student who filed the grievance within five days. If the board issues a decision without a hearing, the Board will communicate such a decision to the School Leader or Director and the parent/student who filed the grievance within five School days. The Board’s decision concerning grievance is final.

School Governance and Leadership

The governance of HGA involves several groups and individuals. Each is listed below with a description of their function.

Authorizing Agency

The Authorizing Agency, the South Carolina State Board of Education, grants a charter to the nonprofit corporation, Fort Mill Academy of Arts and Sciences, Inc.

School Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the governing body of the school. School policy is created between the Board of Directors and the Administrative Team.

The School Leader

The School Leader functions primarily in the role of providing leadership in all areas of the school, including teachers, staff, students, parents, and curriculum. The School Leader is the general manager of the school and leads the school in site-based decision making.

Parent and Family Engagement

HGA is a strong advocate of parent support and involvement. The support of our families is critical to the success of HGA and is warmly welcomed and very much appreciated.

Parent Partnership Committee

All HGA parents, teachers, and staff members are automatically members of the HGA Parent Teacher Partnership and membership is free. The HGA PTP is a place for parents/guardians and staff members to come together and support student development by providing a positive environment to share resources and inspire involvement in school activities and projects, especially within parent committees. The purpose of the HGA PTP is to support teachers and staff, to fundraise with the purpose of enhancing the education of every student, and to promote positive communication.

General Guidelines for Visitors and Parent Volunteers Visitors

The following guidelines apply to visitors while they are in the building:

  • All guests must sign in with a valid photo ID at the office upon arrival at the campus to complete a Level I clearance. This also applies to student sign-out.
  • All guests must wear a name badge. For security purposes, any guest on campus without a name badge will be escorted back to the office to obtain one.
  • The distribution of literature or solicitation of any kind is not permitted.
  • Prior to leaving the campus, guests must sign out in the office.
  • Former students that withdrew from HGA or otherwise no longer attend HGA are not permitted to visit during School hours without prior written approval from the School Leader. Alumni, however, will be allowed to sign in under normal visitor procedures.
Volunteers:

Volunteers are the key to making a wide array of opportunities beneficial for our teachers and students. These opportunities include classroom and special event activities, front office support, fundraisers, clubs and activities and field trips.

  • All HGA volunteers must complete volunteer training each year.
  • All Tier 2 and Tier 3 HGA volunteers must complete the volunteer application found on our website.
  • All Tier 3 HGA volunteers are required to complete a criminal background check as directed in the parent volunteer application.
  • HGA shall not accept voluntary services from any individual whose certificate or license has been denied, suspended, or revoked by the SBE or any other licensing board or agency on the grounds of unethical or immoral behavior, including improper sexual or physical conduct with children or students.
  • Volunteers must sign in at the office when entering the building and wear a name badge while volunteering.
Expectations for Adult Visitors While on Campus or Attending School-Sponsored Events (On
or Off Campus)
  • Visitors may not disrupt or attempt to interfere with the operation of a classroom or any other area of a School.
  • Adult visitors must respect and not infringe upon obligations and time constraints of School staff and faculty.
  • Only service animals as defined by ADA.gov (dogs and miniature horses that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities) are permitted in all areas of campus where members of the public are allowed.
    • A service animal must be under the control of its handler. In addition to other requirements outlined by the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animals’ safe, effective performance of tasks. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
    • Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort, companionship, or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
    • Any other animals or pets are not permitted on or off campus, unless safely confined inside of a vehicle, without an exception granted by the appropriate School Leader. For any scenarios not defined explicitly in this document, HGA will follow the ADA’s guidelines on special needs animals found here: https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements

 

Anyone on School property or at a School-sponsored event (on or off campus) that displays disruptive behavior
is subject to being directed to leave or removed from the school property or outside event property by a school
administrator or other authorized School staff member at any time for any reason. If a visitor/volunteer violates
these or other expectations/rules/laws/etc. They may have limitations placed on their access to any future campus
or School-sponsored events (on or off campus). Loitering on School property is prohibited.

Disruptive behavior is any action that interferes with or may be expected to interfere with the normal, orderly operation of the school and/or School sponsored event, including but not limited to:

  • Profane, lewd, obscene, abusive, and/or slanderous/libelous language, gestures or other written or electronic communication
  • Rude or riotous noise
  • Disorderly or assaultive behavior
  • Vandalism or the defacement of public property
  • Overt or implied threats to the health or safety of others; and
  • Any other conduct that violates any applicable law or School policies

Safety

Safety of the students, staff, and visitors at HGA is extremely important. The following are some of the measures that will be in place to secure the HGA campus.

General Safety
  1. All HGA employees must pass criminal background checks and drug tests.
  2. Volunteers/visitors who may be in any unsupervised position with students will undergo further criminal background checks or otherwise will not be allowed to be placed in such roles (e.g., coaches, tutors, chaperones).
  3. Access to the campus and to our facilities is monitored.
  4. All teachers/staff wear ID badges.
  5. All visitors are required to check in at the office at the beginning and end of each visit.
  6. Students are not permitted to receive visitors during the school day without prior approval except for parents/guardians.
  7. For students wishing to bring a guest to a school event (e.g., dances or socials), the guest must be pre- approved via the submission of the “Student Guest Approval Form.” A new form must be completed for each event.
  8. All medications are kept in a locked location in the school office and dispensed only as authorized.
  9. Emergency supplies, including a first aid kit and other emergency needs, are kept in each classroom.
  10. Access is granted to local health and fire department officials for inspection of the premises or operation of the school on a regular basis.

Safety Regulations
  1. HGA is in full compliance with all federal, state, and local fire and safety regulations, including but not limited to conducting fire drills, tornado drills, lockdown drills, and other applicable drills.
  2. All exits and stairways will be always kept clear to facilitate evacuation.
  3. All emergency procedures and evacuation plans will be posted in each classroom. All procedures and plans will be consistently evaluated and refined.
  4. All combustible and/or potentially harmful materials such as chemicals and cleaning supplies will be safely stored, maintained, and disposed of.
  5. HGA does not condone students leaving campus in third-party car services, specifically, ridesharing services whose own policies explicitly prohibit minors from using them, such as Uber and Lyft. The school will not approve of or otherwise facilitate any student to be picked up from School in a third-party car service, such as Uber or Lyft, and if encountered will turn away such ride sharing services from the school.

Immunization of Students

HGA will comply with all state and federal immunization requirements. All students will be required to produce a record of current immunizations within thirty days of enrollment. Failure to provide this record will result in suspension until such an immunization record is submitted. HGA will provide parents with immunization information as specifically required by the state.

Medications

Prescription or over-the-counter medications cannot be dispensed by the school or brought to School without an approved written medical authorization form. Blank forms are available in the school office. Medications must be brought to School in their original container with a prescription label (if applicable). Students may not carry or otherwise have possession of medicine of any form, except inhalers or Epi-pens (provided the authorization for student self-medication form is on file in the office), in their possession on campus. Students must turn in their medications at the office, and a designated staff member will administer medications provided all requirements are met. Administration of non-prescription medications at School is discouraged.

Tobacco Policy

HGA is a tobacco-free School. To this end, the use of any tobacco product, electronic cigarette, vapor pen, or similar device is prohibited on campus or during School events. This applies to anyone on campus, including faculty, parents, staff, and visitors.

General Information

Breakfast and Lunch Payment Options:

To facilitate the purchase of school meals, funds must be electronically deposited into your child’s cafeteria account. Students are permitted to buy an extra meal, milk, or a la carte items provided the account remains in good standing. Please note that cash and checks will not be accepted. To manage your account, visit the school’s payment portal via https://hgacharter.org by selecting the Parent Resources tab, followed by the Café and Payments sections. Once on the portal, follow the prompts to create an account and deposit funds. Mobile access is also available through the smartphone application linked to the site. Alternatively, you may utilize the direct link: https://schoolpaymentportal.com/Default.aspx.

Current meal menus are accessible at the following link: My School Menus – Select your Site and Menu.
Important nutrition documentation, including the Special Meal Accommodations Policy, Fluid Milk Substitution guidelines, and the Medical Statement, can be found on our website. Navigate to the Parent Resources and Café tabs to download the necessary forms.Direct links to School Nutrition Forms are provided below:

Special Meal Accommodations Policy: Med statement HGA and mcsa .doc (1) (2).pdf

Fluid Milk Substitution Form: fluidmilk-sub-eng-MCSA HGA 792024 (1) (2).pdf

Medical Statement: Med statement HGA and mcsa .doc (1) (2).pdf

Other Fees

Cash or Check Payment to Front Office: Place payment in a sealed envelope with student/teacher name(s) and reason for payment noted on the envelope. Teachers, coaches, or other School employees can pass along payments to the office, but only designated HGA employees should process cash and check payments. When you provide a check as payment to HGA, you authorize the school either to use information from the check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction. You authorize us to collect a fee (to the maximum allowed by the state) through an electronic fund transfer from your account if your payment is returned unpaid.
Always include the following on your check: Full Name, Address, Phone Number, and Child’s Name / Grade / Teacher (Homeroom).

Donations and Donation-Based Fundraisers (e.g., Dress Down Days): Payments for School based fundraising should be made on the ParentSquare portal. Donations through outside vendors such as Boosterthon should be made directly to the vendor through their payment portal.

Outside Programs Approved to Collect Payments (e.g., lunch accounts): Payments should be made directly to these programs Lunch Time Payment Portal on the website for lunches, and ParentSquare for everything else. Payments should not be sent to the front office unless directed to do so by an HGA employee.

HGA Fees and Collections

Fee Discounts: Children of employees and those on free and reduced lunch are entitled to 50% off participation fees for School sponsored sports and extracurricular activities for which they are eligible. These benefits do not stack. Free and reduced lunch fee discounts do not apply to business type activities (e.g., before and after School care) or activities not directly sponsored by the school.

Late Balances: When outstanding balances are equal to at least one activity participation fee AND are 30 days or more past due, that student will no longer be eligible for participation in fee based extracurricular activities until their account is in good standing, unless eligibility is granted for extenuating circumstances. Parents/guardians with student balances equal to at least one activity participation fee will be referred to by an outside collection agency.

HGA Fundraisers: All School fundraisers benefit HGA and its student community and are all pre-approved by School leadership and the Board of Directors before the start of School unless a special circumstance exists. Fundraising activities for personal/individual matters or outside charities at HGA are expressly not permitted. Students are encouraged to support charitable causes outside of HGA through available service activities through the school as a part of our core values.

Personal Items: The school will not accept responsibility for any personal items of students, including electronic devices. Items brought to School or a School sponsored event that the school judges to be unsafe or inappropriate for School will be confiscated by School leadership and held in the office until the parent can retrieve them.

Breakfast and Lunch: HGA providesfresh breakfast and lunch service in conjunction with the National School Lunch Program. Students may also bring a nutritious lunch from home, including a drink. Students may not bring caffeinated soda or energy drinks. Food delivery directly to students from vendors (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.) is not permitted.

Celebrations: To provide opportunities for celebrations while also maintaining continuity within the school day, all classroom celebrations must occur during a time deemed appropriate by faculty and/or School leadership. In response to student allergies and health concerns, food/snacks may not be shared in the classroom, in the cafeteria or at other School events unless it is a pre-approved celebration. To ensure the safety of all students, parents and guardians may provide commercially prepared food items or prepackaged and washed fruits and vegetables for classroom/building food celebrations.

Extracurricular Clubs: Students in the middle School may initiate an extracurricular student club provided that the club supports the general curriculum of the school and that the students have the support of a staff sponsor.

Field Trips: Whenever students are traveling away from School, they are subject to the same expectations and rules observed at HGA. As in the classroom, the teacher will judge acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Every facet of the Discipline Plan will be enforced on field trips just as it is in the classroom. Signed permission slips must be on file for each field trip. We encourage parents to serve as chaperones. Should the supply for chaperones be greater than the demand of the venue, a lottery will be held. Chaperones are expected to serve in a supervisory capacity and are asked not to bring additional children on the trip. In some cases, additional parents may attend as participants. Parent participants would be responsible for their own transportation and fees. Please check with your child’s teacher. Parent chaperones may not bring additional children or adults along to any field trip.

Multi-Day Field Trips: Learning at HGA goes beyond the classroom walls. Beginning in fifth grade these extended extracurricular field trips are designed to integrate and expand our core academic curriculum. These extended studies have as one of their goals to educate in a real environment with hands on learning. There are many other kinds of learning and growth in this program which include students developing independence within a nurturing framework, practicing social group living skills, activities that involve development of self and group awareness, and practicing good manners and behavior in new environments. These experiences provide valuable life-learning opportunities, help to bond students, and build positive memories.

Enrichment Programs: Fee-based after School enrichment opportunities (music lessons, etc.) and summer camps will also be offered by our Enrichment program. Details are posted on the HGA website as these programs are available.

State and Federal Compliance

Promotion and Retention

The school will follow the South Carolina statutes and the State Board of Education regulations regarding
promotion and retention.

Students are required to meet promotion standards in grades K-8 that include demonstrated grade level proficiency in local assessments, standardized tests, report cards, and student work. In determining the best educational interests of a student, appropriate grade placement decisions shall be based upon the mastery of critical knowledge and skills including reading and mathematics. To be promoted to the next grade levels, students in all grades should be proficient in reading and mathematics, which may be demonstrated through South Carolina End-of-Grade tests, School assessments, student portfolio of work, and report card grades. A promotion decision should not be made solely based on a state assessment. Parents will receive quarterly report cards and progress reports and data reports from benchmark assessments. Parent conferences will provide face-to-face conversations related to student progress. Additional parent meetings will be held related to SPED and ML student progress. If a student appears likely to be retained, then the parent/guardian of the student shall receive at least two (2) notices. The first notice may be a conference; the second notice must be in writing and provided by the end of the third quarter. The School Leader’s office must provide in writing an official notice of retention to the parent/guardian by the last day of School. It is the School Leader’s responsibility, when evaluating a student for retention or promotion, to consider information, such as the student’s classwork and grades, along with the student’s scores on the K-2 Literacy and Math assessment. In grades 3-8, the state SC READY assessment, observations, grades, other formal and informal assessments, and classwork will be used to consider promotion. Students in grades 6-8 may obtain high school credits by taking advanced level courses but are held to the high School standards for those courses. Students must meet local and state graduation requirements, which include passing scores on state-mandated exams of essential skills. In addition, students must meet a proficiency score of
level 3 or above on the SC Ready Exams.
Students must achieve a letter grade of a D or higher in each semester in core subject areas to be promoted to the next grade level. A student who does not meet the minimum required grade may enroll in course recovery.
Students who are not proficient on the SC READY for ELA must receive remediation in the form of an intensive reading course to strengthen reading strategies. Students who are not proficient on the SCREADY for Mathematics must also receive remediation, which may be provided in the Summer.

Students with Disabilities and Limited English Proficiency Students

Students with disabilities who cannot participate in the South Carolina Essential Standards Assessments may be exempt from certain promotion standards. However, exempt students must be enrolled in a functional curriculum and demonstrate evidence of progress on alternate assessments. All recommendations regarding special needs students will be made in conjunction with the IEP Committee or the Section 504 Committee.
Students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP), as identified by state and federal standards, shall meet the same standards as all students; however, per federal law, English language proficiency cannot be the factor that determines whether a student has not met performance standards. All retention recommendations regarding Limited English Proficient students will be made in consultation with the English Language Learner Coordinator

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. p 1232g; 34 CFR part 99) is a Federal Law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all Schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of eighteen or attends a School beyond the high School level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

  1. Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
  2. Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a School correct any records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the School decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
  3. Schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows Schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties under the following conditions (34 CFR p 99.31):
    • School officials with legitimate educational interest.
    • Other Schools to which a student is transferring.
    • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes.
    • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student.
    • Organizations conduct certain studies on behalf of the school.
    • Accrediting organizations.
    • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
    • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies, and.
    • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.


Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, and date of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, Schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each School.

Americans with Disabilities Act—TITLE II

The school does not discriminate against any person based on disability in admission or access to the programs, services, or activities of the school, in the treatment of individuals with disabilities, or any aspect of operations.
The school does not discriminate based on disability in its hiring or employment practices. This notice is provided as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Questions regarding the ADA and Section 504 may be forwarded to the school office.

Bullying

Includes, but is not limited to, any pattern of gestures or written, electronic, or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication, which takes place on School property, at any School-sponsored function, or on a school bus, and that: (1) Places a student or School employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or (2) Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits. For purposes of this section, “hostile environment” means that the victim subjectively views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior and the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is bullying or harassing behavior. Bullying or harassing behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.

Bullying also includes cyber-bullying.

If an allegation of bullying is made, procedures outlined in the Non-Title IX Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying Complaint Process (Appendix) will be followed.

Non-Discrimination Policy

With respect to the services provided to our student population and staff, no person shall be discriminated against in any education program, activity, or other related service based on race, color, religion, gender, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Health and Wellness

The school provides students and families with information related to student health and well-being with regards to meningococcal meningitis, influenza, cervical cancer / dysplasia, human papillomavirus, preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies, and lawful abandonment of a newborn baby. This information is contained on the “Health and Wellness” page under “Parent Resources” on the school website.

Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento)

In 2015, Congress reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to help people experiencing homelessness. The federal law includes the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program that entitles children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence to a free, appropriate education and requires Schools to remove barriers to their attendance and success in School.
If you or someone you know is in transition and would like to speak with someone about the program, please contact the McKinney-Vento Liaison or your School counselor.
Examples of living situations that may qualify are:

  • Living with a friend, relative or other person
  • Hotel or motel
  • Shelter or transitional housing
  • Car, park, or another public place
  • Campground, storage unit, abandoned building, or other inadequate home
  • Youth living on their own, runaway youth.


The living situations above do not include all situations that may qualify.

Access to Programs & Services: Students will have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students, including:

  • Transportation
  • Supplemental educational services
  • Child Nutrition
  • All eligible McKinney-Vento students will receive free meal benefits. There is no Free & Reduced Application required.


Visit the School website for information on Parent and Student rights.

Dispute Process: If the parent/guardian/youth disagrees on the McKinney-Vento eligibility, a process is in place to appeal the decision.

Please refer to the liaison for the HGA Dispute Process guidelines.

Cindy Gittens at cindygittenslcsw@gmail.com
HGA Homeless Liaison

Uniform Policy

Daily Uniform Expectations
  • Tops
    • Green, blue, or white collared polo shirts with the HGA logo, purchased through the school uniform vendor.
  • Dresses
    • Jumper-style dresses with a solid white, green, or blue collared undershirt.
    • Skorts or polo dresses with the HGA logo, purchased through the school uniform vendor.
  • Bottoms — These items may be purchased from any retailer.
    • Solid khaki or navy pants
    • Solid khaki or navy shorts, skirts, or skorts
    • Plaid skirts or skorts purchased through the school uniform vendor
  • Footwear
    • Shoes must fully cover the foot, including the toes, bridge, sole, and heel.
  • Sandals, slides, Crocs, and other footwear with holes are not permitted.
  • Outerwear (logo, embroidered)
      • Full-zip fleece jackets with the embroidered logo, purchased through the school uniform vendor
      • Additional options may be available through the school uniform vendor, including:
      • Sweaters
      • Sweatshirts
      • Quarter-zip, half-zip, and full-zip jackets
      • Vests
      • Hoodies or pullovers

Spirit Day Uniform Expectations
  • Students may wear either the regular uniform or blue jeans paired with an official HGA Spirit Shirt or appropriate college gear (grades 6–8 only).
  • Bottoms must be secured at the waist and may not sag or reveal undergarments.
  • Clothing must be free of rips or holes, including jeans and pants.

Additional Dress Code Guidelines
  • Hats, hoods, bandanas, scarves, bonnets, du-rags, and athletic headbands must be removed inside all buildings.
  • Pants and shorts must be secured at the waist and may not sag or reveal undergarments.
  • Clothing must be free of rips and holes. This includes jeans and pants on designated Spirit Days.
  • All clothing must fully cover undergarments, shoulders, the areas around the waist, the back below four fingers from the base of the neck, and the chest below four fingers from the collarbone; visible cleavage is not permitted.
  • If sheer, mesh, lace, or similar materials reveal what is underneath, appropriate clothing that meets the coverage guidelines above must be worn underneath.
  • Leggings and legging-style garments may be worn only under shorts, skorts, skirts, and dresses that meet length requirements. Leggings must be solid white or black.
  • All clothing must be free of words, sayings, slogans, or graphics (symbols, images, etc.), except for official HGA spirit wear.
  • Elementary students may not carry purses.


These guidelines are intended to ensure that the school learning environment reflects respect for the educational process. Clothing should not be distracting to the wearer or to others.
School leadership reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of student dress at all times, including designating certain days, such as Spirit Days, when greater flexibility in dress is permitted.