Riverside Christian Academy

Dress Code & Student Appearance

Modesty, neatness, and good taste should be reflected in the dress and appearance of all RCA students. In an effort to relieve the peer pressure that some students may feel to dress in ways that are immodest or that reflect materialism or other inappropriate values, RCA has a mandatory uniform policy/dress code which is applicable to all students kindergarten and above.

All uniform clothing must be RCA-approved items from Land's End catalog or substantially similar in style and appearance to the approved items. Please note that not all items in the Land's End catalog are approved. “Substantially similar” means that garments are not noticeably different from a corresponding Land's End item through a general, cursory inspection, i.e., no blatant brand logo on the garment, no added stripes or piping, no unusual cut or style, etc. In addition, approved polo or oxford style blouses/shirts must:

be solid color-absolutely no stripes, piping, visible designs, or patterns
have a collar
have no brand logo visible anywhere on the garment
display the official RCA logo on the student's left chest
all polos should have no more than three buttons

Approved pants, shorts, skirts or skorts must:

be either khaki or navy in color (or hunter/classic navy plaid where applicable)
have no brand logo prominently visible anywhere on the garment
not be higher than two inches above the knee when the student is standing

NOTE: All garments worn above the knee must adhere to the “2-inch rule.” All approved Land's End items will not necessarily meet this requirement depending on height and/or body type of the student.

Jumpers must also conform to the approved styles and color in the Land's End catalogue, display the RCA logo, and cannot be worn so that they are higher than two inches above the knee when the student is standing.

The following standards also apply:

Boys must wear belts and must keep their shirts tucked into their pants.
Undershirts, if worn, should be plain white and visible at the neck only (no long sleeve undergarments shall be worn under short sleeve shirts).
No clothing shall be worn in a manner that is too tight or immodest (binding to the contour of the figure so that under garments are outlined).
No clothing shall be worn that exposes the midriff or underwear.
Coats or sweaters worn during the school day must be approved RCA attire. Coats or sweaters worn only to and from school are not required to be RCA attire but must be removed after the student arrives at school. “Hoodies” are not permitted to be worn during school.
No caps shall be worn indoors.
Clothes shall not be ripped or excessively worn.
Sweat pants, wind pants, leggings, draw string pants, and mesh hose are not to be worn.
Shoes shall be closed-toe and must have a back or back-strap.

The dress code shall be observed by all students at all times while on the RCA campus or as appropriate at school sponsored events, regardless of the location. Parents and students should understand that while RCA staff members do their best to consistently enforce the school's uniform policy, occasionally a violation may occur that goes undetected. Such instances are not intentional and are not intended to establish any precedent contrary to written policy. Ultimately, parents are responsible for making sure that their children are in compliance. In all instances the Administrator's decision regarding appropriateness of dress and appearance is final.

Pre-school students are exempt from the uniform policy/dress code.

Students should maintain a neat and clean appearance. Boys shall keep hair neat and cut out of the eyes and above the collar; no “rat tails.” No student's hair shall be dyed or worn in any way that brings undue attention to the student or is distracting to other students.

Girls are permitted to wear no more than two earrings in each ear. Boys are not permitted to wear earrings. Modest jewelry is permitted, but is subject to the Administrator's approval.

Attendance Policies

Good habits of punctuality and regular school attendance are essential to satisfactory academic performance and are directly related to student achievement. All absences, early dismissals, or late check-ins must be documented by either a note or a phone call from a parent to the school secretary to assure parental awareness of attendance status.

Students who accumulate more than 15 absences in a year may not advance to the next grade, depending upon the findings of an appointed review committee. Upon a student's return to school he or she should bring a note from his or her parents to the school office in order to receive an “excused” absence. Students receiving an excused absence shall be allowed to make up any work or tests that he/she has missed. All work should be completed outside the regular classroom hours and completed within one week of the students return to school.

Students must stay on the RCA grounds from the time they arrive at school until the school day ends. Any child leaving the school grounds before 3:10 p.m. shall be checked out through the school office or have written parental permission to leave campus. Parents must send a signed note to the school if someone other than themselves will check their child out of school. Students are expected to be at school and in class on time. The third time a child is late to school in any term without a valid reason, the child may be marked absent.

In an effort to prevent sickness from spreading among students, children should NOT attend school if they:

are febrile (temp more than 100°)
have had more than one episode of vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
have a constant, barky or disruptive cough
have a bad sore throat
have a rash that is believed to be from infectious cause

Students may return to school when they:

are fever free for 24 hours (temp less than 100°)
have had no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours
have no constant or disruptive cough
for chicken pox—1 week and if all lesions are crusted/scabbed over
feel like participating in normal activities (a child may be excused from P.E. if so ordered by a physician)

RCA's Attendance Policy Supplement should be reviewed by each parent in order to clarify specific procedural matters regarding attendance.

Discipline Philosophy and Procedures

RCA's unique Christian purpose sets it apart from other schools. RCA seeks to provide an atmosphere of high academic and Christian standards. Biblical principles form the basis of the guidelines for student behavior. Careful consideration should be given to all school regulations and policies. Enrollment in RCA constitutes student and parent acceptance of all RCA policies.

As a matter of Biblical principle, discipline should be fair, consistent, and strict. The best discipline is self discipline. Proper training helps develop self-control, character, and respect for others. Individual classroom teachers administer their own classroom rules and discipline policies which are approved by the Administrator. Teachers and staff of RCA are granted full discretion with regard to discipline. Parents who disagree with a disciplinary decision may meet with the Administrator who will review the action. The Administrator's decision is final in all matters of student discipline. Parents who do not wish to accept disciplinary decisions involving their children must remove them from school immediately.

Items that are safety hazards or potentially disruptive to the learning environment will be confiscated. Parents may claim confiscated items from the Administrator's office. Any student possessing a dangerous weapon of any kind, including firearms, large knives, brass knuckles, mace, or other such items may be immediately suspended and law enforcement officials may be notified.

A student's overall lifestyle reflects on RCA as an institution as well as on his or her fellow classmates. The possession or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs, stealing, and sexual promiscuity/immorality are inconsistent with the principles of Christianity and RCA. Students who are found to be engaging in such behavior, on or off campus, may be suspended pending an investigation period. At the completion of the investigation, students may be reinstated, placed on probation, or expelled. All tuition or other fees paid in advance are forfeited for expelled students.

Disruptive behavior during chapel, disrespect of authority, lack of honesty in any form, fighting, cheating or aiding someone to cheat on schoolwork or exams, the use of vulgar or profane language, and similar activities shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action. Likewise, smoking or the use of tobacco in any form anywhere on campus or at school-sponsored activities will be grounds for disciplinary action. All students are subject to the same rules of conduct and behavior regardless of whether the student is on the RCA campus or at another location as part of an RCA sponsored event or activity.

Enrollment of a child at RCA implies consent from the parents for appropriate corporal punishment to be administered by the Administrator or teacher. Corporal punishment will be administered as a last resort.

All students must show proper respect to adults. Using “Ma'am” and “Sir” when addressing adults is mandatory. RCA's Demerit Policy Supplement should be reviewed by parents of middle and high school students in order to clarify specific procedural matters regarding discipline.

Cell Phones and Electronics

Bringing cell phones to school is discouraged. If a student needs a cell phone for after-school use, it must be checked in at the office when the student arrives at school and may be checked out at the end of the day. STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING SCHOOL, including in their backpacks, purses, lockers. No electronic devices such as iPods, CD players, MP3 players or any other device are permitted at school unless specifically authorized by the administrator.

Academic Policies

Consistently poor academic performance is grounds for dismissal from RCA. Students are expected, as a matter of Biblical principle (Colossians 3:22-23), to do their best in all academic subjects. Participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege. Those students whose academic performance is substandard may be placed on suspension from extracurricular activities as deemed appropriate by the student's teachers and the Administrator.

RCA will utilize the following grade scale for 3rd grade and above:
A: 93-100
B: 85-92
C: 75-84
D: 70-74
Below 70 is considered a failing grade.

Kindergarten through 2nd grade students will be evaluated using an age-appropriate scale that measures their mastery of specific academic and physical skills.

Academic Honors

Students in 3rd grade and above who achieve excellence in their academic performance will be recognized for either Honor Roll or High Honor Roll. The criteria are:
Honor Roll— a nine-week average with no more than two “B's”
High Honor Roll— a nine-week average with all “A's”

Graduating seniors may receive academic honors for class standing based on predetermined criteria. The Valedictorian shall be the student who graduates ranked number one in his or her class, and the Salutatorian shall be the student who graduates ranked number two in his or her class based on the following criteria: students must have attended at least four full semesters at RCA, must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 (unmodified), must be pursuing an advanced academic diploma, and must have received all high school credits at a SACS or other regionally accredited school.

Rankings will be determined in the following order: GPA, academic average, and ACT composite score.