Parent information

Parent Connection	Student Code of Conduct
Student Release Procedures	Attendance Policy
Cell Phone Policy	Volunteering
Bus Finder	Visitor Check-In Procedure
VOE/TEA Policy	Tardy Policy

Parent Connection

Promoting higher student achievement by enhancing communication between our teachers and the families of our students is a top priority in the Austin Independent School District. Therefore, a new web-based program called ParentConnection has been implemented at every AISD campus.

What records can parents access through ParentConnection?

You are able to view your child's assignments, attendance records and current grades.  You may also set up "triggers" to alert you of attendance issues and changes in grade averages.

How do parents access these records?

Parents should go to ParentConnection and log in with the username and password that they set up after receiving the notification letter from AISD.

For more information on ParentConnection, please contact the ParentConnection Facilitator at Bowie. For technical assistance with Austin ISD ParentConnection, parents may contact AISD Student Systems Support at 414-9187, Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. You may also view ParentConnection information at the Austin Independent School District website.

Student Release Procedures

Permit to Leave Policy

In order to release students at any time during the school day, a “Permit to Leave” is required.  In order to clarify the process, the administrative staff has identified the following major points:

Parent/Guardian Requests

Requests for students to be released must be processed in person at the Main Office to complete the sign-out process. 

Call Slips:  Because parents/guardians are required to come into the Main Office to sign their student out, student notes requesting to leave are not required.  Please allow 5-10 minutes before the release time for the Main Office to send for your student.

Students Driving Off-campus:  Parent/Guardian notes are required with a “Release of Liability” statement for all students to drive off-campus.  Include requestor’s name and phone number, student’s name and identification number, the exact time to be released, reason, and include a statement such as,  “I release Bowie High School from any liability for (fill in your request).”  

Signout Process

Per student record, the person picking up a student must come into the Main Office, present a photo identification card and complete the sign-out sheet.

A “call slip” will be sent to the classroom to request your student be released to meet you in the Main Office.

A “Permit to Leave” will be issued from the Main Office or the Nurse’s Office if student is present there.

Our Attendance policy should be followed regarding documentation upon student’s return to school.

Nurse/Medical Procedure

• Sick students must be referred to Nurse’s office.
  
• Per student record, person picking up student must come to the Main Office to complete the sign-out process. 
  
• The Main Office will provide a pass to pick up student in the Nurse’s Office. 
  
• The Nurse will issue the Permit to Leave. 
  
• Our Attendance policy should be followed regarding documentation upon student’s return to school.
  

Cell Phone Policy 

(According to AISD Board Policy FNCE(LOCAL) X227901

Definition - For purposes of this policy, "Paging device" shall include a wireless, mobile, or portable telephone.

High School Students - In order to assist high school students in communicating with family members, the district shall allow students to possess paging devices on school property: however, paging devices shall not be used by the student during the school day on school property.

Penalties - When a high school student violates this policy, the paging device shall be confiscated and returned to the parent with notification of violation. Repeated violations regarding the use of paging devices after the parent notification shall result in revocation of the student's privilege of possession of a paging device on school property. Students who violate this policy shall be subject to established disciplinary measures.

Parents and students - Please be aware that due to the above policy by the AISD Board of Education, cell phones may not be used on the Bowie campus during the school day. Student found using their cell phones on campus or in the classrooms will have the cell phone confiscated and surrendered to the school resource officer. The phone will only be released to a parent or guardian. Students may not pick up confiscated cell phones themselves. Repeated violation of this policy will result in the loss of the privilege to carry the cell phone.

This Board policy also appears on page 5 of the Student Code of Conduct that is distributed to each student at the beginning of the school year.

Student code of conduct

AISD Code of Conduct

attendance policy

In order to clarify the attendance policy at Bowie High School, the administrative staff has identified the following major important points:

• In order for students to earn credit, they must be in attendance for at least 90% of the total number of days during a semester. Students must place their documentation of absence in the note box on the front counter within 48 hours of the absence. Please make sure that the documentation shows the student's full name, student I. D. number, and the date of the absence(s). Documentation must be either an official doctor's form including the exact date and time of the visit, a parent note documenting the illness within 48 hours of the absence or other suitable documentation.

• College Visits (maximum of three) - These visits must be pre-approved by a counselor and must be documented by officials at the visited college on the appropriate form and submitted within three days of the visit.

• Doctor's Visits During the School Day – For an absence to be excused as a medical appointment, student must be present in school the same day of the appointment.

• In order for your student to obtain a VOE/TEA form for driver's license purpose, your student must be in attendance for 90% of the school day or semester. Attendance for a TEA Form is based on the previously completed semester. Please refer to the campus VOE/TEA Policy for more details.
  

Volunteering

Junior Achievement

Volunteer with youth in your community to ensure they have a bright future. Junior Achievement of Central Texas needs volunteers from all walks of life to teach career exploration and financial literacy at Bowie High School during the school day. All training and program materials available free of charge. No prior teaching experience needed. For more information call Christine Kempff at 499-8025.

PTSA

There are many volunteer opportunities for PTSA members.  The best way to volunteer is to fill out a volunteer form.

Bus Finder

Find your son or daughter's bus number and bus stop location at the AISD website.

visitor check-in policy

Bowie High School is now utilizing the Safety Check Visitor Management System, which enables schools to produce visitor badges, monitor volunteer hours, and electronically check all visitors against registered sex offender databases. The goal of Safety Check is to protect the safety of students and staff in a manner that welcomes participation and protects the privacy of all members of the AISD community.

Each campus visitor is required to check in at the front office and present some form of identification.  A driver’s license, state-issued ID, consulate-issued ID, or AISD-issued ID will be accepted.  That identification will be scanned and entered into the system, at which time Safety Check will screen each visitor’s identity against the registered sex offender databases in 48 states, as well as local alerts, such as court ordered restraining orders.

Once the check is performed, an adhesive visitor’s badge will be printed with the visitor’s name and photo. All visitors will be expected to wear this official badge during their time on the campus.  Should the check determine that a visitor is a registered sex offender, an administrator will be contacted to assess the visitor’s ability to access the campus.

Parent involvement is a key component to student success in school.  It is my hope that this system will increase safety and not deter parental involvement in any way.  Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information about Safety Check.  If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school at 414-5247 or send an e-mail to safetycheck@austinisd.org.

TARDY POLICY

Teachers, counselors, students, administrators, and others play a very important role to ensure that the tardy policy is a meaningful, purposeful component of instructional day.

The purpose of the student tardy policy is:

• to ensure that students maximize all learning opportunities.

• to ensure that teachers maximize all teaching opportunities.

• to ensure that administrators and others maintain a safe and orderly climate that focuses on punctual student attendance and student achievement.

1. After the bell rings the halls will be swept by:
• Administrators 
• Monitors 
• Teachers 
• SRO
2. Students will report to the tardy room to receive a tardy pass.
3. When a student accumulates 3 tardies, the student must attend Saturday School.
4. On the 6th tardy, the same applies, the student must attend Saturday School.
5. On the 9th tardy, student will be assigned to In-School Suspension.
6. On the 12th tardy and above, students will be referred to their Assistant Principal to determine course of action.
7. Parking permits and Senior Off-Campus privileges may also be revoked for excessive tardies.

Verification Of Enrollment and Attendance Form

(For Obtaining or Renewing a Driver's License)

In order for a student to obtain a Verification Of Enrollment and Attendance Form (VOE/TEA Form) to obtain a driver's license, the student must be in attendance for 90% of the days the class was offered in the previous semester. For example, if the student is seeking a VOE/TEA Form for the Spring, issuance of the form will be based on attendance of each class in the previous fall semester.

Requirement to receive a VOE/TEA Form to obtain a driver's license are as follows:

• Any student who was in attendance 90% of the days the class was offered in the previous semester will be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form.

• Any student who has passed all classes and has not exceeded 20 total class periods above the 90% criteria set by the state may be allowed to make up the periods missed to clear the excess absences will be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form.

• Any student who fails at least one course and has not attended that class 90 % of the days the class was offered will not be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form

• Any student who has exceeded the maximum of 20 class absences above the 90% criteria set by the state will not be allowed to make up the excess class absences and will not be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form.

TEA Policy States:

19 TAC, Subchapter C. - 61.43 Absences - a student must be in attendance 90 percent of the days the class is offered. If a student has a absences that the district recognizes as excused or as an extenuating circumstance and the student satisfactorily makes up work missed, the student shall be considered in attendance for the purpose of computing compulsory attendance and for the driver's license eligibility.

The VOE document is a governed record as defined under the Texas Penal Code 3.01(2). Any misrepresentation by the applicant or person issuing the form may result in denial of the application for a Texas driver's license and/or criminal prosecution.

In accordance with TEA, Laura Lea Bauer, Program administrator for the Safety and Driver Education Division of the Texas Education Agency, stated the following about the TEA policy on the issuance of VOE/TEA Forms:

School enrollment and attendance as a condition of licensing a student to operate a motor vehicle applies to persons under 18 years of age unless a high school diploma or its equivalent has been obtained.

Schools can issue a VOE form to students who fail a class if the student attended at the minimum of 90% in each class they were enrolled. School cannot issue a VOE form to students who fail a class if the student failed because they did not attend the class a minimum of 90 percent.