WCA Student Handbook

All district staff are expected to utilize the Canvas Learning Management System as a primary tool for supporting strong communication with families and promoting transparency in student learning. Teachers must ensure that assignments, grades, feedback, and course materials are consistently updated in Canvas, so parents and guardians can access timely and accurate information about their child’s progress. Staff should actively use Canvas features such as announcements, messaging, and course updates to keep families informed of expectations, deadlines, and important classroom information. Administrators and instructional leaders should also monitor Canvas courses to ensure consistency and support staff in maintaining clear, parent-friendly communication.

MCPSD#1 highly encourages communication between parents/guardians and teachers. Should you wish to talk with one of your child’s teachers, call the school office; if the teacher is in class or not available, you will be able to leave a message and your number. The teacher will return your call at his/her earliest convenience. You may also email the teacher by viewing the staff directory on the district website or contact them through Canvas.

To the extent financially feasible, the district sanctions field trips and trips for school-sponsored activities that are of educational value and are associated with curricular programming offered by the district.  

All requests for travel shall be submitted to the building principal through Frontline, at least three weeks prior to the travel dates.  

Students may be required to pay admissions fees associated with a field and/or school-sponsored trip. These fees may be waived in cases of hardship or, when the trip is part of the curriculum, students may be given an alternative assignment. Requests to waive fees shall be made in accordance with the student fees policy. The superintendent may develop additional regulations related to costs and payment for field and school-sponsored trips. 

Written parental approval shall be obtained prior to each field and school-sponsored trip. 

Students shall be subject to all applicable district policies and regulations while on field and/or school-sponsored trips. The superintendent shall develop criteria for participation in field/school-sponsored trips and develop school trip safety and disciplinary procedures. These procedures shall specifically address trips taken outside the district. Parents and students shall be made aware of these procedures prior to each trip. 

Out of Town Field Trips

Requests for overnight trips or any trip outside of the state of North Dakota (excluding trips for extracurricular activities scheduled as part of the sanctioned season), shall be submitted to the school principal and superintendent for action at least three weeks prior to the travel dates.

A student will have 50 class periods to complete each course. A student who does not complete a course within the allotted 50 class periods (75 hours) will be asked to work only on the course that is not finished. All other courses will be placed on HOLD until the completion of that course. 

If the course remains unfinished at 60 class periods, the student is then required to take the course "Strategies for Academic Success."  While taking this course, the unfinished course will be put on hold. Once the “Strategies for Academic Success” is complete, the student will have 10 additional class periods to complete the unfinished course. If the student still does not complete the course, the student will receive an “F.” 

Students must be enrolled at WCA to be eligible for graduation. 

Students earning a traditional WCA diploma must earn 24 credits. 

Students who qualify and are earning an optional curriculum diploma must earn 21 credits. 

WCA graduates will participate in the WCHS graduation ceremony. 

Traditional Diploma, Alternative Diploma, **Each Course has a part A and B required for a full credit** 

Subject Area: Credits Needed, Credits Needed, Example 

CTE/Foreign Language/Arts: 3, 2, Spanish I, Spanish II, Introduction to Art, Coding, etc 

Total: 24, 21

All district staff are expected to utilize Infinite Campus as the primary system for maintaining and sharing accurate student information in a manner that supports strong family engagement. Staff must ensure that enrollment, attendance, and grade data are entered and updated, so parents and guardians have access to timely, reliable information about their child’s progress. Educators and administrators should use Infinite Campus to monitor student performance and proactively communicate with families regarding attendance concerns, academic progress, and areas needing support. The Parent Portal is a key tool for fostering transparency, and staff are expected to encourage its use and respond to parent inquiries in a timely and professional manner.  

Report cards will be issued for all students following the completion of each term.

Students can enroll in CTE, music, art, and PE electives at Watford City High School (WCHS) if they are able to provide their own transportation. Students in these courses will be subject to all rules and regulations set forth by the WCHS Student Parent Handbook while they are at WCHS. 

All tests and quizzes will be completed at WCA unless otherwise agreed upon. During testing, no phones or other personal electronics are allowed. Students may use handwritten notes during the test/quiz. It is prohibited to use a search engine, artificial intelligence (AI), copy and paste, or take notes during the test/quiz.

Students and parents/guardians have the right to appeal district decisions related to virtual or online learning. This process is designed to be straightforward and fair. Appeals are reviewed promptly, and students' academic progress is protected while a decision is under review.  

Who May File an Appeal

An appeal may be filed by a student's parent or legal guardian, or by the student if they are 18 or older or an emancipated minor.

Decisions You Can Appeal

• Denial of enrollment in a virtual or online course
• Denial of district payment for a virtual course
• Denial of a drop, add, or transfer request for a virtual course
• Removal from a virtual course (for participation, pacing, or academic integrity reasons)
• Placement on virtual course probation
• Denial of a course retake at district expense
• Denial of a course extension or good-cause exception
• Any other adverse decision specific to virtual learning  

Note: Decisions involving IEPs, Section 504 plans, student discipline, or open enrollment follow separate appeal processes and are not covered here.  

Deadline to File

You must submit a written appeal within 10 school days of receiving the written decision you are appealing. If you missed the deadline due to a documented medical emergency, failure to receive written notice, or another circumstance beyond your control, you may request a late filing by explaining the reason in writing to the District office. 

How to File

• Student's name, grade, and school
• Parent/guardian name and contact information
• The specific decision you are appealing and its date
• The virtual course provider and course title (e.g., NDCDE, district virtual)
• A brief explanation of why you believe the decision should be changed
• Copies of any supporting documents (application, decision letter, transcripts, graduation plan, medical documentation, etc.)
• The outcome you are requesting
• Your signature and the date  

Review Process

• The Superintendent, or a designee not involved in the original decision, will review your appeal within 10 school days of receipt.  
• The reviewer may request additional information or schedule a meeting with you and relevant staff.  
• Within 10 school days of completing the review (or meeting, if held), you will receive a written decision. The decision will explain the outcome, the findings of fact, and the reasons for the determination.  
• The Superintendent's written decision is the district's final decision. 

Your Status During the Appeal

While your appeal is under review, your enrollment status at the time you filed will generally remain in place. If your appeal involves a denial of enrollment in a new virtual course, the District is not required to enroll you in that course during the process, but will ensure you remain enrolled in appropriate coursework to protect your academic progress and graduation timeline. 

No Retaliation

No student or family will face retaliation, negative academic consequences, or reduced services for filing an appeal. Any staff member found to have acted in retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action. 

Records

All appeal documents are maintained as part of your student education record under FERPA and North Dakota public records law. Records are retained for at least 5 years after a student graduates or leaves the district. 

Questions

Contact the district office or your virtual learning coordinator for help with the appeals process or to obtain a Notice of Appeal form. 

Students will need to be in attendance 75% of total school days between grade checks. Example, if the period between checks is 30 days, then 23 days need to be marked present to be eligible. This will be made in the weekly check-in emails and explicitly to athlete parents/guardians.

Parents/guardians must inform the WCA of their students' participation in extracurricular activities.

Students are expected to attend every class, every day. WCA has 8 class periods outlined below. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 4 class periods.

Period 8: 2:53-3:43 PM (50 minutes)

The school will address attendance on a student-by-student basis. Students may be required to serve make-up time and/or lose class credit based on attendance. If attendance problems are an ongoing issue for any individual student or if any student has 10 unexcused absences within a semester, he/she will be removed from the roster and placed at the bottom of the waiting list. If there is not a waiting list, he/she will be dropped from current classes and may apply after five full school days.

Guardian (G): Parent requested absences: Family vacations, trips, etc. 

Medical Appointments (M): In addition to receiving prior approval, a student must bring a note from the doctor, eye doctor, orthodontist, dentist, or other medical professional upon return to school and present it to the office.   

Ill (I): The student is too sick to come to school. 3 or more consecutive days will require a doctor’s note.   

Funeral (F): Students will have a maximum of 5 days to attend funerals. Exceptions to the limit may be made at the discretion of the Principal.    

Unexcused (U): No parent contact has been made or the student skips class. Students may be given a U if they are more than 10 minutes late, leave class without permission, or are absent from class for more than 10 minutes.     

Special Circumstances (S): Special situations approved by the Principal.    

Weather (W): Weather-related absences (determined by Superintendent). 

In and Out of School Suspension (ISS & OSS): These absences are mandated by the administration as disciplinary action.      

Extracurricular (X): These absences are generally put in by the coach/advisor.   

Other (O): Students are in the building with a staff member, but are not present in class (ex: speaking with principal, make-up testing). 

Tardy (T): Student arrived late to their assigned class.  

When your child is absent from school because of illness or in an emergency, we require that you call the school office to inform us of the reason for the absence. Please call between the hours of 7:45–9:00 am. If this does not occur, the student will be marked unexcused. The student/parent will have 2 weeks to change an unexcused absence (U) to the appropriate attendance code. After that time, the U will stay on the student’s attendance record.

Students that are not in the classroom ready to work at the beginning of the period will be marked tardy. Tardies will be made up during the “break” time between periods. Excessive tardiness will result in a conference with the student, faculty, and, if possible, parents/guardians to determine a course of action that will work with that student.

Parents/guardians must call the school the day that their child misses and inform WCA staff of the reason. If this does not occur, the student will be marked unexcused. The student/guardian will have two weeks to change an unexcused absence (U) to the appropriate attendance code. After the two-week period of time, the U will become permanent on the student’s attendance record.

Whenever students withdraw from school, they must report to the office and pick up a withdrawal form. This form must be taken around to each teacher who will sign it when all school property has been returned.

WCA exists to provide a positive, non-traditional form of curriculum to students. In order for this to take place, student behaviors that are disruptive to the educational process of WCA will not be tolerated. Administration retains the right to remove any student from WCA for disruptive behavior.

The behavior chart has been approved by the school board. View the Behavior Chart.

Students are responsible for the proper care of all books, supplies, Chromebooks, and furniture supplied by the school. Students who disfigure property, books, windows, or do other damage to school property or equipment will be required to pay for the damage done or replace the item. This includes removing keys or modifying the Chromebook in any way.

The district shall comply with all applicable tobacco prohibitions contained in the state and federal law. Smoking in district buildings, district-owned vehicles, and at sporting events, whether indoor or outdoor, is prohibited.

Student Use: Smoking, use or possession of tobacco products—INCLUDING VAPES OR VAPE MATERIALS—by students is prohibited on district property, including district grounds and at all school functions. The school principal is responsible for administering appropriate student discipline in accordance with policy and law (which may include suspension and/or recommendation for expulsion from school).

Services

McKenzie County Public School District #1 provides free, short-term school counseling services to all students. The focus of school counseling may be academic, social/emotional, behavioral, or career guidance. The goal of the counseling program is preventative in nature. To aid this process, the counselors may work with students on an individual, small group, or large group level. Students may be seen by the counselor based on the referral of the student from teachers, parents, school staff, or by self-referral of the student(s). 

Confidentiality

The school counselors of the McKenzie County School District abide by the American School Counseling Association guidelines along with the American Counseling Association code of ethics. We also abide by North Dakota’s Century Code 31-01-06.1, which states that “Counselors shall be immune from disclosing information given by pupils. For the purpose of counseling in a school system, any elementary or secondary school counselor possessing a valid North Dakota guidance credential from the department of public instruction, and who has been duly appointed a counselor for a school system by its proper authority, shall be legally immune from disclosing any privileged or confidential communication made to such counselor in a counseling interview. Such communication shall be disclosed when requested by the counselee.”

What That Means for the Student

The school counselor will keep information confidential, with some possible exceptions (as noted below). The school counselor may share information with parents/guardians and school personnel who work with the child on a need-to-know basis, so that we may better assist the child as a team. The school counselor is required by law to share information with parents or others in the event the child is in danger of harm to self or others. The counselor will make the child aware of these limits to confidentiality and will inform the child when sharing information with others.

Scope of Practice 

These services are aimed at providing the most effective education and socialization of the child within the school community; they are not intended to substitute a diagnosis or treatment for any mental disorder. 

Under North Dakota Immunization Law, no child will be admitted to a public or nonpublic kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, junior high school or senior high school unless she/he has a Certificate of Immunization on file. The law requires that the certificate be signed by a physician or local health department representative and be presented to the school officials by the parents or guardian of the child. The Certificate of Immunization states that the child has been vaccinated against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis B, meningitis, and chickenpox. Students that are not up-to-date by October 1 will be held out of school until the student(s) meet enrollment requirements as determined in NDCC.   

The McKenzie County School District #1 does not carry medical or hospital insurance to cover accidents to students while at school or on school activities; however, the NDHSAA provides Catastrophic Insurance coverage for those students participating in NDHSAA sponsored activities.

All medications must be administered by school personnel under appropriate procedures designated by school administration.

Students are required by school policy to keep all medication in the office.   

Parents or legal guardians will request in writing that school personnel may administer medicine to the student. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medication. Forms are available in the school office. 

Medicines authorized by parents will be kept in the office at the school. The label on the container must include the name of the drug, the prescribing physician, the pharmacy and phone number, student's name, dosage, and when the medication is to be taken. All medication must be in the prescription bottle or original package. School personnel will not be responsible for modifying any medications, such as splitting pills. 

Students will be responsible for going to the office to get their medication.

• Students must wear shoes. 
• Written or pictorial messages that are suggestive, belittling to any race, religion, nationality, or gender are not acceptable. 
• Obscene or vulgar clothing of any kind is not allowed.
• Articles that promote tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs are not acceptable. 
• Administrators and staff may deny a student the right to wear a hat, hood, scarf, or other clothing if, in their professional judgment, the article interferes with the educational process.
• Chains (including chains attached to clothing and other accessories), studded jewelry, safety pins attached to clothing (excluding emergency reasons), or items that pose a potential hazard are not allowed.
• Clothing that may be interpreted as “gang” apparel is not appropriate for the classroom.
• Pajamas, slippers, or other lounge wear are not appropriate for school unless agreed upon by school staff for special events.

The school does not accept responsibility for lost/stolen items, including texts, instruments, personal property, etc. Found articles should be turned in at the school office or to the Lost and Found area of the school. Items that have been turned in may be claimed by identifying them. Clothing items left in the lost and found will be kept for one month. At the end of each month, any items not claimed will be given to local charities. Students are advised not to bring anything of personal value or large amounts of money to school to avoid having them lost or stolen. If it is necessary to do so, please check your valuables with the school office for safekeeping and pick them up after school.

Students have 33 minutes for lunch. Students may receive school lunch, bring their own, or leave for lunch. Students that fail to return in time for 6th period will make up the missed time during the next break. Three consecutive tardies following lunch will result in a one-week revocation of open campus privileges. Upon the fifth tardy from lunch, he/she will lose open campus privileges for the remainder of the year.

Unless there are special circumstances, teachers are generally not available during the lunch hour. Students are more than welcome to use the break area for the lunch session as there are items for student use. Any messes are the responsibility of the student to clean up.

• Personal headphones
• Chromebook and appropriate charger

The principal must approve all signs before being posted.

The first Tuesday of every month will be reserved to conduct safety response protocol drills in all school buildings.

• Standard Response Protocol Parent/Guardian Handout in English
• Standard Response Protocol Parent/Guardian Handout in Spanish
• Standard Response Protocol Parent/Guardian Handout in Filipino-Tagalog

No personal devices can be used in class or at home to complete work due to Go Guardian not being able to monitor them. Only school issued devices are to be used for any and all classwork. Repeated offenses will prompt a meeting with parents/guardians.

The device (Chromebook) being issued to students is for educational purposes. Students must fill out and sign the Technology Policy for School Issued Device contract prior to receiving their Chromebook. Students will be charged for any damage to their Chromebook based on the cost of repairs or replacement. Charges will be determined after an assessment of the device by the school’s technology department.  

Student Expectations

1. Students will be responsible for the security and care of the device from the time of issuance until returned to the school.
2. Students will be expected to bring their device to class on a daily basis unless otherwise directed by the teacher.
3. Students will be responsible for ensuring the device is charged and ready for learning at all times during the school day.
4. Students will be responsible for managing the available storage in the device and for ensuring that file storage is managed in such a way that it does not impede access to required applications. It is recommended that students save documents to school-provided cloud-based storage for retrieval as needed.
5. Students will utilize the device as directed by their teachers and in a manner that is educationally appropriate.
6. Students will abide by all school rules as outlined in the Student Handbook and Acceptable Use Policies.
7. Students acknowledge that MCPSD#1 may access school-issued devices at any time to verify contents.
8. Students will not use the device to take or view inappropriate, illicit or sexually explicit photographs or videos, nor will it be used to embarrass, harass or bully anyone in any way.
9. Use of the Chromebook camera and microphone are strictly prohibited in the classroom and hallways unless directed by a teacher and for a specific educational purpose. Use of the camera or microphone in private areas such as restrooms and locker rooms is strictly prohibited.
10. Students leaving/withdrawing from MCPSD#1 will return the device to the school immediately. Those in violation of this expectation will be lawfully prosecuted.
11. Devices that are stolen must be reported immediately to the Office and the Police Department.
12. Misuse or willful destruction of the device may result in school discipline. Inappropriate use includes but is not limited to the following:
    1. Intentionally damaging the device
    2. Visiting inappropriate websites
    3. Sending, forwarding, or sharing inappropriate content
    4. Possessing, taking, or sending inappropriate pictures and/or media files
    5. Cheating
    6. Installing unapproved apps
    7. Attempting to hack/break intended security
    8. Defacing the device with stickers, carvings, drawings, etc.  

Take Home Rules  

1. Only the student to whom it is issued will use the device.
2. Students are allowed to connect to other wireless networks.
3. Parents/guardians assume responsibility for monitoring student use of the Internet while using the Chromebook on their home network.
4. Students and parents may decline take-home privileges by contacting the office.
5. Students/parents/guardians who decline take-home privileges will be required to check out their Chromebook at the beginning of the day and check in at the conclusion of the day. Declining take-home privileges does not excuse the student from due dates for any task that may require the use of the device.
6. Failure of the student to meet expectations for care or responsible use of their device may result in take-home privileges being temporarily or permanently suspended.  

Technical Difficulties, Damage & Repair  

1. If technical difficulties occur, the device will be restored from backup. The school does not accept responsibility for the loss of any software or documents deleted.
2. The software originally installed must remain on the device in usable condition and be accessible at all times. The school may add applications for use in a particular course.
3. A loaner device may be issued to students when students leave their device for repair in the technology department.
4. Chromebook repair/replacement costs:
   1. Entire Chromebook: $300
   2. Charger: $40
   3. Screen: $60
   4. Keyboard: $75
   5. Bevel: $35
   6. Port (USB or audio): $50
   7. Hinge and Hinge Covers: $50
   8. Camera: $50
   9. Battery: $65
   10. Protective Case: $40 

Returning Your Device

1. Devices will be returned during the final week of school. If a student transfers out of MCPSD#1 during the school year, the device will be returned upon withdrawal.
2. Individual school devices and accessories must be returned to the school. Students who graduate early, withdraw, are expelled, or terminate enrollment at MCPSD#1 for any other reason must return their school device on the date of termination.
3. If a student fails to return the device at the end of the school year or upon termination of enrollment at MCPSD#1, the student will be subject to pay the replacement cost of the device. Failure to return the device or pay for the device will result in a theft report being filed with the Watford City Police Department.
4. The student will be responsible for any damage to the device and must return the computer and accessories to the MCPSD#1 technology department in satisfactory condition. The student will be charged a fee for any needed repairs, not to exceed the replacement cost of the device.