The School Handbook provides information about school policies, procedures, and programs.

Attendance and Tardy Policy
Please call the school if your child will be absent, or write a note to the classroom teacher
explaining the absence.  A new stricter attendance policy is now in effect. Students are required to attend school for 180 days. These changes are listed in the DoDEA Regulation 2095.01 which can be found on the DoDEA website at the Be Here Policy.

Discipline Policy
We expect students to treat each other with respect. As children mature, they become increasingly capable of judging accurately which conduct is appropriate in any given situation. The guidance of parents and teachers helps students develop self-discipline.
Discipline will be maintained at an appropriate level, which will result in (1) maximum growth of the student in self-control, (2) high regard for student body and faculty, (3) pride in the school and community. We expect all students of J.N. Darby School to abide by the rules and regulations as established by the administration, faculty and student government. School rules apply at all school functions. DoDEA Regulation 2051.1 governs all school discipline.

Dress Code
Students are expected to be neatly groomed and dressed in clothing that is appropriate for the activities in which they will be participating on any given day, and to the climate and time of year. Clothing items considered unsafe, unsanitary, vulgar or offensive are prohibited. Examples of clothing that might be deemed inappropriate: string halters or tank tops; tops that show bare midriffs; pants that show underwear and/or are in danger of falling down, etc. For health and safety reasons, students must wear appropriate shoes to school. Thong-like sandals, shower shoes, and bedroom slippers are prohibited. Too often, children trip and fall while trying to run at recess. Girls’ skirts should reach the tip of the fingers when the arms are resting at their sides.
Student dress and personal grooming are the responsibility of the student and the parents. The school administration reserves the right to advise parents when students come to school dressed in a manner that is disruptive, in poor taste or affecting the health of the individual or classmates. Parents will be called to bring appropriate clothing or to take the student home to change.

Homework
Homework should be meaningful, related to and an extension of what is being taught
in the classroom; not untaught material. It should be evaluated promptly with feedback provided to the student. “Homework” in the primary grades may not always be paper and pencil tasks. Some of the homework in primary grades will be students reading to parents and parents reading to students, or taking part in host nation and creative art activities.
Questions about the appropriateness, amount or level of difficulty of homework should be immediately brought to the teacher’s attention. Parents can help by providing a specific time and place for doing homework that will have a minimum of interruptions and distractions. Parents will ensure that students have concrete ways to organize homework, i.e. folders, spiral notebooks, memo pads.
The time required for completing homework assignments should be approximately 10 minutes for each grade level. Example: 1st grade (10 minutes), 2nd grade (20 minutes). Student ability and work habits may cause the time spent on homework to vary greatly. When a student has difficulty with a homework assignment, parents should help. Parents/students should contact the teacher or counselor if signs of frustration and failure occur. The teacher will endeavor to provide homework that can be done within the students’ resources. From time to time, teachers may send home Interactive Homework which encourages parent-child cooperation to complete.

For information about all school policies or additional information on the items above, please download the full document in PDF format here: Parent and Student Handbook (pdf, 532KB)