Handbook

Refer to your Cibola Student Handbook 2022-2023 (PDF) for school policies and processes.

For information about Athletics eligibility, please refer to the: Athletic Eligibility and Substance Abuse Policy

For additional information refer to the: APS Student Policies and Procedural Directives

Attendance

Report an Absence:

• Parents can excuse absence through Synergy via ParentVue . Can you include language about that for parents? And then, add if they have questions about excusing absences through ParentVue , to contact Judith Garcia at (505) 897-0110 Ext. 40001

On time, daily attendance is a critical component of this educational process. New Mexico law dictates that:

Students between the ages of five (5) and eighteen (18) years of age are mandated to attend public school, private school, home school or a state institution.

The Albuquerque Public School District reports habitual truants to the Children’s Court Liaison office and to the State of New Mexico.

Attendance Policy

• Teachers will take attendance each day and each class period. Parents/guardians can review their child’s attendance record through ParentVue online. Any questions about excusing absences through ParentVue , to contact Judith Garcia at (505) 897-0110 Ext. 40001
• Students who miss more than 50% of the class period are considered absent.
• A parent/guardian must notify the appropriate grade level using the online admit within 48 hours of the student’s absence. Phone calls will NOT be accepted. See cibola.aps.edu, for the admit form.
• Attendance will be monitored by administration via attendance reports, and students will be contacted by counselors and administration on case by case basis. Teachers will contact families when there is an uncharacteristic pattern of unexcused absences for students routinely attending class.
• Following the 10th consecutive unexcused absence from all classes, student is at risk of being withdrawn from school.
• CHS consequences for unexcused absences include but are not limited to: Lunch detention, ISS, CHS attendance contract, loss of credit and loss of the privilege to participate or attend school activities. (consequences at the discretion of the administrator)
• Consequences for attendance violation in NM law include: fines, and/or loss of NM Works Program monetary assistance.

Excused Absences

Absences may be excused for the following reasons with appropriate documentation:

• Illness (including chronic illness documented on a health plan, IEP or 504 plan)

• Limited family emergencies; family deaths

• Medical, health or legal appointments

• Suspensions

• Religious commitment

• College visit (11th and 12th grade students)

All Absences For Other Reasons Are Unexcused Including

• Non-school sponsored activities or trips

• Family vacations outside of the normally scheduled school break

Excessive Absences

• Excessive absences are defined as more than 5 days in a semester or 10 days in a year.

• Schools will support students with interventions to help stop excessive absences.

• School related activities (Cougar absences) that take a student out of class will not count toward excessive absence totals.

• Schools will not allow a student to miss more than 10 school related absences per class per semester.

• Schools may not suspend students for excessive excused or unexcused absences.

• Schools may withdraw for absences only if the student has missed 10 days in a row, the parent has not contacted the school, and the school cannot reach the student or family to provide supports.

  • 2 unexcused absences – automated call to families

  • 5 unexcused absences – automated call. School staff must make contact with the family and schedule an appointment to team with the parent on strategies and support.

  • 10 unexcused absences – families will receive a written letter. Parents/guardians will need to meet with school staff to review prior strategies and develop a more intensive support plan.

  • Students that receive more than 10 unexcused absences may be referred to Juvenile Probation.

Make-Up Work

• On the first day back to a class, students are responsible for requesting make-up assignments. Students will have the opportunity to complete the work in a period of time equal to the number of days absent unless other arrangements have been mutually agreed upon by the student and the teacher.

• It is expected that students will take semester finals on the days that they are scheduled. Students will be permitted to make up finals if they are missed due to an excused absence as listed in the handbook. Requesting permission to take a final exam early is discouraged. Approval of such a request will rest with the teacher in consultation with the principal.

• Teachers will need 24 hours from the time of the request to compile assignments when a student will be out of school three (3) or more consecutive days.

• Makeup work for students with more than 10 unexcused absences in a year (5 in a semester) may be givev only after a parent attends an Parent/Teacher conference.

Tardy Policy

• Timeliness is a quality that we are attempting to instill in our students as practice for conventions required after high school.

• Cibola will run reports and issue consequences upon the 5th tardy in a class, and upon a 10th tardy in a class.

• Students will receive progressive consequences for excessive tardiness.

• Cibola will conduct sweeps of hallways and when a student is tardy to class and in the hall without a pass during these sweeps, students will be swept to In School Suspension.

• If students are caught in a tardy sweep, they will be in ISS for that class period only unless permitted back to class.

APS Attendance Policy

Cell Phones Policy

Complete Cibola Cell Phone Policy Information

Cibola High School is dedicated to creating a culture of learning which requires students to be fully engaged in their education and interact face-to-face with their peers and teachers. It has been proven that students who are on cell phones or other personal electronic devices during instructional time are not fully participating in their learning.  In addition to disrupting the educational process, personal electronics have created security and safety issues, including, but not limited to, academic integrity/cheating, bullying, and harassment. In order to ensure an environment conducive to learning, the use of personal electronic devices will be regulated, and their use is prohibited during instructional time. 

Cell phones must be stored in classroom pocket holders or put away in backpacks as per teacher’s directive. They are not to be on the student’s person during instructional time. 

Violation of the cell phone policy will result in the following:

• 1^st Violation – Teacher issues a verbal warning. The warning is issued only one time per teacher per student, not one time per day. 
• 2^nd Violation – Teacher confiscates cell phone or electronic device, documents confiscation, parent notification, and returns to the student at the end of the period.
• 3^rd Violation – Teacher confiscation, documents second confiscation, parent notification, and returns to the student at the end of the period.
• 4^th Violation – Teacher confiscation, turned into front office, returned to the parent.
• 5^th Violation – Teacher confiscation, turned into front office and returned to parent after completion of community service.

Cell phones and other personal electronic devices are the responsibility of the student. If items are lost or stolen, Cibola High School is not responsible for searching for it, replacement, or reimbursement.

Dress Code

The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education supports equitable and equal educational access and a student dress code that fosters an educational environment that values, affirms and welcomes ALL students. Dress codes shall be enforced consistently. equitably, equally, and in a manner that does not lead to differential treatment on the basis of racial identity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, cultural or religious identity and observances, household income, body size/type or body maturity. All students should be able to dress comfortably and the primary responsibility for a student’s dress lies with the student and the family, with the exception of schools that require a uniform. Schools shall not impose punishment related to student dress and dress code enforcement should not result in barriers to student attendance or participation, unless related to safety. Student dress choices should respect the district’s intent to sustain an inclusive community. Student attire shall not interfere with students’ health or safety, nor contribute to a hostile or intimidating learning environment. All students and staff are responsible for managing their own distractions without regulating another student’s dress.

Individual schools may adopt student uniform dress codes. If a school adopts a student uniform dress code, the school shall develop, implement and document processes used to ensure student, family, and community input and support for a student uniform dress code. Albuquerque Public Schools shall provide accommodations for families who require financial assistance with the cost of uniforms.

While each individual school may adopt its own dress code, no student in any APS setting may wear clothing that contains:

• Obscene or violent language or images
• Depictions of alcohol or drugs or other illegal item or activity • racist content, hate speech, profanity or pornography
• Accessories that could be considered dangerous or used as a weapon

School dress codes are an opportunity for student, family, and community engagement.

Please refer to aps student success handbook for all other APS rules and regulations