Athletics (See the Athletic Handbook for more information.  However,  the information in the Student Handbook supersedes the information in the Athletic Handbook.)

Hampton Christian is a member of the Metro Athletic Conference. A variety of interscholastic competitive sports are presently offered: Boys may participate in soccer and football in the fall, basketball during the winter, and baseball in the spring. Girls may participate in volleyball in the fall,  basketball in the winter, and softball and soccer in the spring. Both boys and girls may participate in cross country in the fall, swimming in the winter, and tennis, track and golf in the spring. Both boys and girls may try out in the spring for cheerleading squads which cheer during the winter basketball season.

Students must have school insurance or sign a form indicating that insurance is provided by the parent, if they participate in the athletic program. In addition, all athletes must pass a physical given by a qualified physician before the athletic season begins.

Athletic Dress Code for Game Days

Students must maintain school dress code at all times.  Chapel dress code supercedes athletic dress code on Chapel days.  Based on the coach's instruction, on game days, players will dress as follows:

1. Girls wear dresses, skirts or dress pants. 

2. Boys wear dress pants with a shirt and tie or a turtleneck with a sweater.

3. NO jeans or tennis shoes, except for Junior High (dress jeans).

4. Team shirts (with collars) may also be worn with permission from the coach.   (Not allowed on Chapel Days.)

5. Those students not dressed appropriately at the beginning of a game day may have their playing time reduced or eliminated for that game.  Repeated infractions will result in disciplinary action.

6. After away games, athletes may either stay in full uniform or change back into dress clothes.  No T-Shirts.

Athletic Eligibility (See the Athletic Handbook for more information.)

Students participating in athletics must demonstrate Christian respect for all coaches and officials. Their conduct must demonstrate a Christian testimony in practices, traveling to and from, and while engaged in all athletic competition.

Students must have an overall "S" average, must not have an unsatisfactory conduct grade in any class, and must have a minimum scholastic average of 78%, with no failure in any course, in order to be eligible to try out and participate in athletics. If eligibility requirements are not met on a periodic grade report, the athlete becomes ineligible to practice or play in games.

If eligibility requirements are not met on a progress report, the athlete becomes ineligible to practice or play in games until the teacher(s) inform the coach that the student’s grades again meet the eligibility requirements. If the eligibility requirements are not met on a 9-week report card, the athlete becomes ineligible until the following progress report, if it meets eligibility requirements. If a student fails the exam, but passes the semester, he is eligible. Any student who fails a 1st semester course will be ineligible to participate in athletics during the 2nd semester. If a student fails the 2^nd  9-weeks, but passes for the semester, he/she will become eligible to participate as soon as the teacher reports to the Athletic Director that the student has attained a passing grade.  If a student fails an exam, but passes the semester, he will be eligible.  Final end-of-the-year report card:  A student who fails a semester grade on the end-of-the-year report card must successfully make up that class during the summer, i.e., by the beginning of the first game of the fall sports season, through a HCS approved course of instruction in order to be eligible for that fall sport.

Students who reach their 17th birthday prior to October 1st of the school year are no longer eligible to play junior varsity sports. No junior or senior may play on a junior varsity team, regardless of age. Students who have their 19th birthday prior to October 1st may no longer participate in any high school sports.

Hampton Christian High School monitors students and supervises its students from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. during normal school days. Before 7:30 a.m. and after 3.30 p.m., personnel are not available to supervise/monitor students except for those students involved in organized before or after-school events. Therefore, outside the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. supervisory responsibility for our students shifts from the school to the parents/guardians of the students except for students involved in organized before or after-school events. With this in mind, all other students need to be picked up by 3:30 p.m. Written arrangements must be made with the principal regarding any exceptions. For those cases, students not picked up by 3:30 p.m. need to remain in the front hall until they are picked up.  The parent will not hold the school liable for any complications resulting from these arrangements.

Students are not allowed to be in the gym building, or use any of the gym entrances in the morning before 8:05 a.m.  Violations are subject to a detention.

Hampton Christian Elementary School students are not permitted on high school property without adult supervision except for students participating in organized before and after-school events. Day care is available at Hampton Christian Elementary School for those students needing before/after-school care.

Hampton Christian High School belongs to God. The way property is maintained and cared for is important in affecting the Christian testimony of the school and of its students.

1. Willful damage, defacing, or destruction of school property will not be tolerated. All damage must be paid for, whether willful or accidental.

2. No signs, banners, plaques, pictures, posters, or other objects may be hung on walls of any buildings without explicit permission from the office.

3. No furniture may be moved from any room without permission.

4. Students are to keep all rooms, halls and bathrooms clean and free from trash.

Students are required to attend weekly chapel and expected to participate. Studying or completing homework during chapel is prohibited. Students are to bring their Bible to chapel.

Students, faculty, and staff needing to go to and from the elementary school must use the crosswalk at the light.

Students will not leave the school building other than at regular dismissal time, except by permission of a teacher and the school office. A student who needs to be released early must submit a note of explanation signed by a parent to the school office for approval. It must also be signed by the teacher who dismisses the student to the office for sign-out. Students must sign out in the office before leaving the building. Students returning from appointments will sign in at the office and obtain a pass to enter class.

Students who become ill during school will be encouraged to stay until the end of the school day unless vomiting, high fever, or other indications of a potentially contagious illness exist.

Periodic fire drills will be held. At the sounding of the alarm system, each student should leave the room and walk quietly and briskly to the designated exit along the route outlined by the plan for that room. All doors and windows should be closed; lights and air conditioners should be shut off. Quiet must prevail during the entire procedure. Students are to stay together in their particular area outside with the teacher. Roll will be taken and a report filed. Students are to remain in their group and return to class quickly and quietly when directed.

Request for field trips must be submitted to the principal at least two weeks prior to the projected trip date. Permission slips must be turned in by all students no later than the day before the outing. A student will not be allowed to go on the trip if the permission slip is not turned in, and the student will remain in the classroom designated during class time. Permission slips will be available from the trip sponsor or the school office.

Students are not to be outside the classroom at any time during classes without a hall pass. A student must report to an assigned class or lunch and obtain a pass before going anywhere else.

Unless announcements are made during school hours, all persons concerned should watch the following TV stations:  WTKR - Channel 3, WVEC - Channel 13 or WAVY - Channel 10 for information concerning school closing. The automated school recording will also be updated to reflect school closings due to inclement weather.  If inclement weather results in early dismissal during school hours, these radio stations will also be notified:  Radio Station WTAR - AM 790; WNIS - AM 850; WPTE - FM 94.9; WVKL - FM 95.7; WWDE - FM 101.3; WNVZ- FM 104.5; WHRO - FM 90.5 AND FM 89.5.  

Note: If there is a hurricane and the City of Hampton is placed on a WARNING status, then Hampton Christian High School WILL BE CLOSED.

Accident insurance is available for every student. Information and application forms are sent home with students during the first week of school. Any student participating in a competitive sport must be covered by insurance.

Any student wishing to access the Internet must have a signed Internet Policy agreement on file with the Librarian. The agreement must be signed by both student and parents. These agreement forms are available in the library. No student is to change any setting on any school computer.

Lockers are furnished for all students. They may be periodically inspected by school authorities to insure compliance with the following policies:

1. A student must never enter another student's locker, book bag, or gym bag without  specific permission from a faculty or staff member. (Removing an item from another student's locker, book bag, or gym bag without proper permission may be considered an act of theft.)

2. Students should take enough books for several classes to avoid using the lockers between every class.

3. Lockers must be kept clean and neat.

4. Nothing may be posted on the outside of lockers unless permission is granted by school administration and that will normally just be for a day at a time.

5. Anything posted inside or on the outside must be morally and ethically appropriate for a Christian school environment. Questions regarding the acceptability of posted items will be decided by the principal.

6. Food may NOT be kept in student lockers for more than one day at a time. Open soda cans are not acceptable outside the lunchroom area.

A small fee will be charged on all articles, including books, recovered through the Lost and Found. Students may only claim their own possessions After two weeks, items not claimed will become school property and may be disposed of. 

1. Students are not permitted to leave the campus during the lunch period.

2. Students bringing lunches must eat them in designated eating areas.

3. Students must stay in the lunchroom during the entire time of the lunch period unless excused by the lunchroom monitor.

4. There will normally be no charging of lunch.

5. Cutting in line or shoving is not permitted.

6. Each student is to be polite and courteous to those serving lunch.

7. No food or drink may be taken from designated eating areas.

8. Students are responsible to clean up the eating area and push the chairs under the table.

9. Disruptive behavior in the lunchroom will be dealt with in the same way as misconduct in the classroom.

10. Seniors have the privilege of eating their lunch outside at the picnic tables or gazebo during nice weather.

11. The cafeteria monitor will dismiss students when it is time to go back to class.  Students will remain seated until their table is dismissed.

Medication will be administered by the school office personnel only if there is written authorization by an attending physician and written permission from the parents. In addition, the medication must be in a clearly labeled container from the pharmacy that includes the child's name and administering instructions. Students are not permitted to carry medication, but MUST turn in any medication to the school secretary.
Students carrying inhalers must have a current, signed Physician's Medication order Form (PMOF) on file in the school office.

We believe that God's Word places the responsibility of educating children on the home, particularly the father. Our school is an extension of the home and each student's education is a joint effort between the school and the family. We ask parents to train their children at home according to the principles set forth in the Word of God just as their training in school is also based on a biblical perspective. We ask parents to pledge their loyalty to the goals and ideals of Hampton Christian High School, to support school policies, and to bring all questions, suggestions and concerns to the proper school personnel.

We ask parents to directly discuss with a teacher any concerns or questions related to his/her classroom management or teaching before contacting the principal. We also ask that if parents disagree with any school policy, or actions taken by the school that they will not complain or discuss the issue with another party, but will, in the spirit of Matthew 18: 15-17, go to the person involved to resolve the issue. We welcome and encourage parents to contact the principal on issues that have not been satisfactorily resolved after taking the above steps.

Conferences are scheduled each school year as necessary. Conferences may be requested at any time by parents or teachers and will be scheduled at a convenient time for all participants.

Parent-Teacher Fellowship Meetings are held regularly throughout the school year. Normally, three PTF meetings will be scheduled each year. Parents are required to attend these important meetings and to be actively involved in PTF activities. Attendance will be monitored.

Parental Visits

It is the desire of the administration and faculty to be of service to both parent and student. The school welcomes and encourages parents to visit our classrooms to observe teaching and learning. We do require that all visitors obtain permission, normally 24 hours in advance, from the administration prior to visiting classrooms. We also request that parents visit at convenient times that will ensure uninterrupted classroom instruction.

School doors will open to all students at 7:30 a.m. Hallways will be open at 8:05 a.m., at which time students will be permitted to go to their lockers and classrooms. At the end of the school day, students must leave the hall area by 3:30 p.m. unless under the supervision of a teacher. At dismissal, students are to exit the building only through the main front doors.

Student safety and building security are paramount. Therefore, upon arrival each morning to school, all students need to enter the building through the front doors only regardless of arrival time. To ensure adequate staff supervision of all students before school, students may either congregate only in the front hall or along the front of the building. When the 8:05 bell rings, students need to proceed to their classrooms via the main hallway only.

All school-sponsored parties, socials, etc. will be scheduled with the Principal. No school activity will be scheduled without the proper faculty supervision. Hampton Christian does not sponsor dances, and dancing is not permitted at school functions. School sponsored functions are defined as any activities sponsored by a class or organization of the school, or any social function publicized at the school in verbal or written form, regardless of where the event takes place. It is requested that dancing not be included in activities sponsored by any group or individuals when the impression may be created that the activity is a Hampton Christian High School function. All school rules and codes of conduct apply to any social function associated with Hampton Christian High School.

Before inviting a guest, i.e., a person who does not attend HCHS to a school function (e.g., homecoming banquet, ring banquet, etc.), the inviter must first obtain prior approval from the administration. If the administration does now know the guest, the school will provide the inviter with a recommendation form verifying the guest's character. All guests will fall under the same rules and regulations as HCHS students.

Senior Christian Retreat, Baccalaureate, and Commencement

The Administration is re-assessing the manner in which we are conducting senior class Christian retreats. More information will be forthcoming as the school year proceeds. Qualifying seniors are required to participate in the Baccalaureate service and the Commencement practice and ceremony. 

Student Leadership and Organizations

NOTE: The Student Council Association Constitution contains further details regarding student leadership and organizations.

The SCA consists of an Executive Board of elected officers and all elected class officers. Elections are held during the 4th quarter of the current year to fill offices for the following school year.

The office of SCA President carries with it numerous responsibilities. Therefore, the SCA sponsor, in conjunction with the administration, will evaluate whether the student who served as SCA Vice-President during the previous school year should serve as SCA President the following year. If so, that student will be appointed as SCA President. If not, other rising seniors who have served as a class officer or SCA executive officer during grades 10-12 will be eligible for nomination.

The SCA Vice-President is elected from the rising junior class, and the positions of SCA Secretary, Treasurer, and Chaplain may be filled by students from the rising 10-12 grade classes. Each candidate must meet minimum requirements listed in the SCA Constitution. Each candidate must have been a student at HCHS by the beginning of the second semester of the current year to be eligible to run for office.

Each grade will elect its own officers during the 4th quarter of the current year for the following school year. Class officers will consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Class Chaplain.

Elections are held during the 4th quarter of each school year for positions with terms that begin the following school year. All candidates must meet the following qualifications for approval to run:

1. Must exhibit qualities of initiative and leadership. They must be willing to give whatever time is necessary for fulfilling their responsibilities to the council.

2. Are expected to set a good example for other students. Therefore, their attitude and conduct in the past should have warranted the respect of students and teachers.

3. Must maintain a C- scholastic average during the first semester of the year in which they are running, and candidates for president must maintain a B- scholastic average. No candidates may have failures in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd nine-week grading periods of the current school year.

4. Must have a "S" average in conduct in all classes during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd week grading periods.  A student with one "N" may run with the approval of the SCA sponsor and the principal.  If a student has received a "U" in any class, he may not run.  .

5. A student receiving any of the following suspensions of the current school year would not be eligible to run for a Student Council or Class Office for the following school year (except with special permission from the principal):

a. More than one ISS (N)
b. An ISS (R)
c. An OSS

In summary, all of the above criteria must be met to run for office. If extenuating circumstances exist, special approval to run may be granted only by the principal if it is determined by the administration, staff, teachers of the student, and the SCA sponsor that special consideration is warranted.  In addition, if elected, students must maintain qualification requirements throughout their term of office.  

(See Suspensions section of handbook for more information.)

School telephones are for school business only. Students are not permitted to use the office phones. Students should not be called during school hours except in case of an emergency. During school hours, students must get permission from the school office and classroom teacher to use the pay phone.

Textbooks

Hard bound textbooks and some selected softbound books are supplied by the school for student use. Other materials such as workbooks, pencils, paper, notebooks and some paperback books must be purchased by the student. All textbooks and workbooks must be covered. For textbook life, paper covers are preferred over book sox. Charges will be assessed when textbooks belonging to the school are damaged or lost.

All students participating in school events will ride in the vehicles designated by the school. Students will travel to and from school events as a group in the designated school vehicle unless they are transported by their parents, or an adult designated by their parents, only at the discretion of and after prior arrangements have been made with the coach, sponsor in charge, or the school administration.

Driving to school is a privilege, not a right. Observing safety and caution in the parking lot is expected at all times.

All automobiles must be registered with the school office if they are to be driven to school by any student. Failure to register a vehicle may result in administrative consequences. Student parking in the school parking lot is authorized in accordance with the following regulations:

1. Students are authorized to park only in the two large designated parking areas in front of the building and soccer field (not along the side of the gym, behind the portable classrooms or in the teacher parking area).

2. All cars are to be locked.

3.  No loitering at any time is permitted in vehicles or the school parking lot. Students will not socialize in or near vehicles in the parking lot upon arrival or prior to departure.

4.  Cars are not to be used during school hours without permission of parents and the school office.

5. Cars will be properly parked only in designated spaces.

6. Double parking is not permitted.

7. Students are not to drive other students' vehicles. 

8. Failure to operate a vehicle in the appropriate manner will result in disciplinary measures and/or suspension of driving privileges.

Bus transportation is available (within certain limits and at designated stops to be determined by the administration) to students. Bus schedules, including stops, and a tentative time schedule will be sent out about a week before school starts. It is understood that the bus cannot wait at the morning stops for any student, as that would disrupt the time schedule, causing all the students on the bus to be tardy. All students are to cooperate totally with the bus driver concerning all rules and regulations regarding the bus. Due to safety as well as our testimony to the area, no improper behavior will be tolerated. Correct behavior includes being in the seat at all times and wearing a seat belt. There is to be no loud talking, nor throwing of anything. Nothing is to be put out of windows, including hands and arms. Any of the above offenses may result in the student being suspended from bus transportation. If any problem ensues with their children on the bus, parents should contact the bus driver, then the office, in that order. Please do not request changes in afternoon transportation after 2:00 P.M. The school administration reserves the right at any time to make any bus route changes that are in the best interest of the school.

Use of the Gym/Gym Floor

A. Organized gym activities must be pre-approved by the athletic director or high school principal. There will be no athletic activities in the gym unless supervised by a coach or faculty member.

Gym shoes will be worn during physical education classes and other athletic activities in the gym.

B. Gym Floor:  To preserve the wood surfaces and avert costly repairs, the following procedures have been implemented:

1.  Each student who has a physical education class or is involved in a gymnasium sport needs to wear, on the floor, a pair of non-marking gym shoes.  These shoes are to be used solely for physical education/gym sports.  (Please note:  If a family is financially unable to meet this requirement, please contact the principal who will work out an alternative procedure for your students.)

2.  Persons not participating in an official activity on the gym floor need to walk along the perimeter of the floor (on the mats), not on the playing surface.

3. During the school day, the gym will not be used by students as a passageway to transit to and from class or the office.  The exception would be during lunch with the express permission of the lunchroom monitor.

All visits of students to the classroom must receive approval from the administration at least one day in advance. Visitors must report to the office upon arrival at the school. Prospective students and house guests visiting students from out of town will normally be the only visitors allowed to attend class. Former students who still live in the area may on occasion be allowed to have lunch at the school. All visitors must obtain permission to visit from the office and meet our dress code requirements while they are at the school.  Visitor tags will be issued by the office.  

Parents are always welcome to visit our school (Please refer to Parental Visits section of handbook). Youth Pastors of our students are always welcome to join them for lunch. We request that you call the school in advance of your visit and sign in and out at the school office.

Withdrawal Procedures

Notification of withdrawal must be received by the school office prior to the withdrawal date. The student must return all textbooks, school uniforms, and complete necessary assignments, tests, etc., to receive a final grade and credit in each course. Arrangements for withdrawal must also be made through the Business Office at 2419 N. Armistead Avenue for determination of final account information. No records will be forwarded to another school until all financial obligations have been met.

After the student and parents have carefully read the contents of this handbook, please print, sign, and return the Student/Parent Statement of Cooperation to the school office by the due date. Returning this signed statement is considered part of the enrollment or re-enrollment procedure.