Information & Announcements for Current Parents and Students

Daily Annoucements

Friday May 31, 2019

All Students and Families: We have extra yearbooks available for sale in the school office for $25 dollars. Pick one up as a keepsake, for a gift, or to get those extra signatures and notes! The last day for yearbook sales will be Friday May 31^st.

All Students: Please pick up your artwork from Mrs. Keeney. All artwork must be picked up from the art room by dismissal on Friday, May 31. Any artwork left after 11:00 am that day will be discarded.

All Students: Email accounts will remain active throughout the summer for those who are transferring within LMS. For students not returning to LMS, accounts will expire June 30, 2019.

All Students: lockers should be cleaned out by the last day of school. Thank you for taking home anything you want and throwing out things that you do not want to keep as we will provide trash liners for discarded items. Thank you for your help.

Upcoming Events

5/31        Early Dismissal at 11:00am: Last Day of School!!!

Attendance

All students enrolled in Lancaster Mennonite Hershey Campus are expected to attend school and classes on a regular basis. Pennsylvania law requires school attendance until the age of 17. Students absent from class have the responsibility to make up missed work.

Legal or Excused Absences

Excusable absences include illness, death in the immediate family, impassable roads or other urgent reasons approved by the principal or the principal’s designee. With pre-approval, educational trips, church activities and college visits may also be excused. Unexcused absences include those for job interviews, care for younger children, oversleeping, missed bus, personal problems, hunting or fishing, shopping, hair appointments, farm shows (unless exhibiting) and trips (unless educational and pre-approved).

Illegal or Unexcused Absences

When a student is under 17, Lancaster Mennonite Hershey Campus is required to report excessive unexcused absences to the public school district in which the student resides. School district officials may take action against the student and the parents that could result in fines, participation in court mandated programs and/or suspension of the student’s driving privileges. After age 17, unexcused absences are no longer illegal. More than three days of unexcused absences for students above 17 are considered excessive and will not meet minimum attendance requirements. Underclassmen 17 or older who accumulate more than three unexcused days may need to make up each unexcused day prior to the next academic year. Seniors who have enough academic credits for graduation but fail to meet the minimum attendance requirements will be allowed to participate in commencement; however, these students will not receive an LM diploma until the days of excessive absence have been made up. LM does not give a penalty for the first three unexcused absences during the school year; however, each additional unexcused day results in a 1% point deduction from the quarter grade in each course. Truancy from school and/or individual classes (unexcused absences without parental permission prior to the absence) results in a 2% point deduction from the quarter grade in each class missed. Students have the option of completing community service at a local non-profit organization, one hour for each percentage point for each class, in place of receiving grade deductions. Community service hours need to be verified by a supervisor at the non-profit organization, and must be completed before the end of the academic quarter to avoid grade deductions. After the fifth absence for illness in a school year, the administration may require a note from a physician for all future absences for illness in order to record the absence as excused.

Educational Trips

A request for excusing an educational trip is to be made at least five school days in advance of the requested absence. This policy applies to college visits, church activities and educational trips with a parent or other responsible adult. Educational Trip Request Forms can be printed but are also available in the school office. To maintain satisfactory academic performance, the maximum number of days excused per school year should not exceed five.

Tardy to School

A “tardy to school” is classified as excused or unexcused using the same criteria as for general absences. Each student is permitted one unexcused tardy to school per semester without penalty. Students are assigned to an after-school detention for their second through fifth tardy to school. Parents will be notified when the first detention (for the second tardy) is assigned. For the sixth and any subsequent tardy to school, the student will meet with an administrator to devise a plan to modify the behavior.

Moms Prayer

The Hershey Campus Moms Prayer Group meets once a month for a time of prayer and fellowship. Grandmothers are welcome to attend to pray for their grandchildren. The group meets from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month beginning in October.

Questions can be directed to Jo Davidson at 717-413-0570 or 8davidsons@gmail.com.

Scrip Program

Scrip can help you with tuition costs and provide money for the school–at no additional cost to you!

Scrip allows you to purchase gift cards at the face amount; each card gets a percentage given back to the school.  The school then allows you to use half of that money towards music lessons, tuition, etc.  It’s really a win-win situation!!

To learn more about the Scrip Program be sure to check out their website or contact Carrie Shreve at 717-533-4900 or shreveca@lancastermennonite.org.

Site Councils

Each LM campus has a local site council composed of parents that meet regularly to advise the principal and administration. New members are chosen annually.