Curie Metro High School

Welcome to the Marie Sklodowska Curie Metro High School!

Student Services

Success at Curie High School

Knowledge of the rules and regulations is a necessary part of your success at Curie High School. The purpose of all policies relating to student behavior is to provide a safe and orderly environment that will facilitate the teaching/learning process so that all students are able to benefit from the educational program. It takes everyone�s cooperation to accomplish this goal.

Be Prepared!

Students please note: Do not purchase a backpack; you will be issued a Curie backpack (which is included in your activity fee). No other backpacks will be allowed. A replacement fee of $10.00 will be charged if the backpack is lost.

SQUIRT
Sustained Quiet Uninterrupted Independent

SQUIRT, sustained, quiet, uninterrupted independent reading time, is a program in which students select books and read independently. Silent reading is practiced in each of the four core subject areas for 15 minutes per week. The primary goal of the program is to encourage students to become lifelong readers. Secondary goals include development of reading fluency, vocabulary, critical reading, and skills necessary to perform well on college entrance and other standardized tests. In preparation for the SQUIRT program, students are required to bring the book they have selected to their classes.

Student Behavior

The Curie administration, faculty, and staff demand high standards of student behavior because of Curie�s responsibility to provide a safe environment that is conducive to learning. The cornerstone for this behavior is respect for all schoolmates, teachers, and staff. This respect recognizes the diversity of Curie�s faculty and student body in social, economic, religious, cultural, linguistic, and educational background. Such differences are a strength that promotes sharing and learning from one another.

Personal Responsibility

The successful Curie High School student:

Treats others with the dignity and respect with which he/she would like to be treated and respects the rules and policies outlined in this handbook.
Attends class regularly, completes assigned work, and actively participates in class. THERE IS NO WAY TO FULLY DUPLICATE THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE AFTER SUCCESSIVE ABSENCES. If a student is to succeed in high school, regular attendance is vital.
Comes to school and every class well prepared, well rested, and well nourished. Every class teacher specifies what is required, but students should always bring paper, pencil/pen, and books to each class.
Takes advantage of the school community. Each student should explore the many avenues providing assistance: Student Council, clubs, teams, PTSA, and our extensive co-curricular programs.
Keeps this Student Handbook as a reference and is aware of its content.

Junior Academy

To achieve the �School Within a School� concept, Curie has a Junior Academy, which includes the freshman and sophomore grade levels. The Junior Academy will be on closed campus and is located in a specific area of the school. This area will provide a nurturing and supportive environment for students.

Student Advisory System

Regularly scheduled, noncredit advisories provide students with personalized guidance and support in study skills, life skills, and career education. Teacher-advisors, supported by counselors, use specially created activities and resources that emphasize student development. Small groups foster a sense of family, collaboration, connection, and caring among students and staff. To the extent possible, bilingual and ESL teachers serve as teacher-advisors for students with limited English proficiency. Participation in the advisory is a graduation requirement.

ACT Review Classes

The ACT! Prairie review prep class is a service offered to Curie juniors. The classes are held for six consecutive weeks, meeting for two hours once a week. The classes are free of charge. Students are expected to attend all classes in order to benefit from instruction. A $50.00 penalty may be charged to those who do not attend all six classes.

National Honor Society

The National Honor Society is open to all seniors, juniors, and sophomores. The criteria for eligibility in the NI-IS is as follows: students must receive a letter of invitation, have a 3.3 GPA, and show evidence of performing community service and participating in extracurricular activities. Students cannot have a record with the dean. (In-house suspensions for hail sweeps and tardy suspensions do not constitute a record.) All students applying for NHS membership fill out an information sheet; once complete, the sheets are assigned numbers and any information that might identify the students is detached. A panel of five members, known as the Faculty Council, reviews the applications.

Counseling/Guidance

Counselors enjoy working closely with all students. Students are encouraged to see their focal point counselors to discuss personal concerns, get help with school and future plans, and develop greater understanding about values, strengths, and goals in life. An open-door policy encourages discussion of both major and minor concerns. In utilizing the guidance services at Curie, the following guidelines are helpful:

Students should plan to meet with their counselors during lunch or before or after classes so valuable class time is not lost. Appointments are not necessary unless students and/or parents need to meet with class teachers, deans, or Attendance Office staff.
Counselors issue passes to class only to those students who have been detained by the counselor.
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their counselors regularly to facilitate planning and prevent problems.

Grade Advisors

Each student is assigned a grade advisor. The grade advisor follows the division for all four years. The grade advisor assists the counselors with summer/night school registration. Prior permission to go to another summer school or night school must be obtained from your grade advisor. The grade advisor evaluates transcripts for new students and monitors credits for all students in order to determine promotion, demotion, and graduation status. During grade pick up, the grade advisor notifies parents of credit deficiencies.

The College and Career Center

The College and Career Center (Room 270) is a valuable tool for students throughout their four years at Curie. The Center features a computer lab with programs to help in college selection, career choice, scholarship information, financial aid preparation and test registration (ACT and SAT). In addition, each computer has Internet access, which allows students to complete ACT/SAT registration and college and financial aid applications electronically. The Center is home to regular visits from college and career representatives. Students� individual information is entered on computers to generate passes for these visits. Career Path portfolios are stored in the College and Career Center, which is open from second to ninth periods everyday.