West Fargo Public Schools prepares all learners with the knowledge and skills to be contributing citizens in a rapidly changing world. We are dedicated to continuous improvement, engaging every learner to become problem solvers and lifelong learners. Excellence is achieved through practices based in research, and by aligning all resources to support learning.

Our district’s mission statement, educating all learners for tomorrow’s world, is used as a guide in developing all aspects of the curriculum. Our high schools strive to prepare learners to exhibit global and community awareness, communication and technological literacy, the ability to access and evaluate information, an appreciation of the humanities, respect for the individual, and self-knowledge. The ultimate purpose of all education is to make the learners their own educators.

In addition to the above-mentioned mission statement, our district also operates under three strategic goals:

1. All learners and educators are engaged in safe and compassionate learning environments that foster collaborative relationships and their physical, social, and emotional well-being.
2. All learners are empowered to think critically, reflect, communicate, and achieve academic proficiency across all content areas and develop their Profile of a Graduate dispositions.
3. All learners are empowered to identify their passions, skills, and purpose, set goals, and determine a personalized pathway to thrive and contribute responsibly to the local and global community.

These are accomplished through a balance of excellent broad-based academic, vocational, co-curricular programs that in themselves demonstrate accountability and flexibility necessary to meet the demands of today’s world.

This handbook is intended to inform you of the rules, regulations, and activities of the school, thus enabling you to become a better citizen of your school. It will help you answer many of the questions you may encounter during the school year. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to become familiar with its contents.

We are extremely proud of our high school facility, learners, and educators. Working together we have accomplished many worthwhile goals. Our high school is a great place to learn and enjoy your friends. We welcome you and wish you a prosperous and enjoyable school year.

Whenever an individual expresses a complaint to a district staff member or board member, he or she will be referred to school administration for processing of the complaint at the lowest level of authority possible.

If the complaint is not satisfactorily remedied at the building level, either party may refer the matter to the appropriate assistant superintendent for investigation. The assistant superintendent shall complete the investigation within a reasonable deadline in accordance with any applicable deadline in law.

If all other remedies have been exhausted, a complainant may request that the matter be referred to the Superintendent for final resolution within 10 school days after receiving the assistant superintendent’s decision, however, the Superintendent will not hear, consider, or act upon complaints that have not been investigated at each appropriate level of authority or for which specific complaint resolution procedures have been established that do not allow for review of the complaint by the Superintendent.

West Fargo Public Schools has adopted the following Attendance Policy:

Learners must not be absent more than 10 times from each semester course in which they are enrolled if they are to receive credit that will count toward graduation. Exceptions which may be approved include illness substantiated by a statement from a doctor, supporting a family member, or other special circumstances approved by the principal."

The attendance standard indicated above is a minimum course requirement for successfully completing all courses. When learners’ absences go beyond the required limits, students will be dropped from the course as loss of credit (LC), unless otherwise determined by the learner’s administrator. Loss of credit carries the weight of an F. The administrator will possibly assign the student to a study area for the remainder of the semester during the period they were scheduled for that class. Credits lost due to poor attendance may be made up in the regular school program, in summer school, or via online credit recovery. 

Students who are not yet sixteen years of age and do not attend school regularly will be considered truant and will be referred to the juvenile authorities as the law requires. NORTH DAKOTA LAW "15-34-01 School's Compulsory Attendance Every parent, guardian, or other person who resides in any school district and has control over an educable child of any age of seven years to sixteen years shall send or take to a public school each year during the entire time such school is in session." NORTH DAKOTA LAW ’15-1-20-03 (section #4) states, “Any person who fails to ensure that a child is in attendance as required by this chapter is guilty of an infraction for a first offense and is guilty of a class B misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense.”  

ABSENCES, EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED

The following reasons for absences from school will be excused: 
•    Sickness of learner  
•    Sickness in the learner’s family necessitating their absence 
•    Conditions over which the learner has no control, such as poor weather conditions 

The following reasons for absences from school with be excused and exempt from counting toward the 10-absence limit: 
•    Documented medical note (doctor, dentist, etc.) including the date(s) of absence (code: M) 
•    School-sanctioned activity, field trip, etc. (code: A) 
•    Emergency situations as determined in collaboration with the school administrator, such as a death in the student’s family (code: S) 

West Fargo Public Schools recognizes the need to attend school regularly. Therefore, to miss school because of work will result in an unexcused absence.  

Families are encouraged to take vacations during school breaks so learners will not miss large amounts of class time. If learners plan to be absent for some special reason, the students and their parents/guardians must check with the principal or an assistant prior to the absence if possible. Learners will collaborate with their teachers in advance of the absence to determine the learning they will miss and are to attempt to complete all assignments before their absence. 

SKIP CLASS 

Learners who skip classes will be given time in detention to make up for at least every minute 
they miss. A pattern of skipping will result in a meeting to consider educational alternatives for a 
learner. 

TARDINESS

Every fifth unexcused tardy will convert to an unexcused absence and the learner will be 
assigned one and a half hour of detention. This is per class period and will adhere to the attendance 
policy. 

ABSENCES, PROCEDURES WHEN RETURNING TO SCHOOL

When learners are absent, a parent/guardian must call the office before 9:00 AM on the day the 
learner is absent and indicate the reason for the absence. If the high school does not receive a 
phone call, the school will call to inform the parent/guardian their learner is not in school. The 
bring-a-note-from-home system will not be used. Fake phone calls from someone other than 
parents/guardians will result in one hour of detention. Learners who return to school on time 
from being absent the day before need not check into the office.

Learners who are absent will be reported to the educators. If the absence is excused, the 
learner will be allowed to make up the work missed for full credit if completed within
the given period of time, which is at least one day more than the length of the 
absence. Learners who do not complete make-up work on time cannot receive full credit for the 
work unless otherwise determined by the educator and administrator.

Learners who arrive or return to school after the school day has begun must check into the 
Main Office so the school knows they are here. Learners who are absent for only part of a school day 
should be responsible for assignments for the entire day. Learners should contact the educators 
whose classes they miss to hand in any assignments that are due and to receive any 
assignments that may be due the next day. Whenever learners are at an appointment or under 
a doctor's care during an absence from school, they should bring a note from the doctor 
involved when returning to school, since these days are not considered in the limit of ten 
absences mentioned in the attendance policy. Learners must not in any way alter the excuse 
provided by the doctor. Any attempt to do so will result in the appropriate administrator calling 
the clinic and doctor to verify the excuse or to report the altering of the doctor's statement. 
Parents/guardians will be notified, and detention may be given. Learners should access 
Schoology to find assignments and other information from their classes when absent from 
school. Each learner has a Schoology login and username. If internet access is not available, 
parents/guardians may call to get work for their learner after the second day a learner is absent. 

PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE BUILDING 

WFPS is legally responsible for learners during the school day. The school must give 
permission for learners to leave school before they are allowed to leave school when a learner
is not on an open period or their lunch period. Learners who need to leave the building during 
school hours must have the permission of the principal, or administrative assistant. In 
order for this to occur, parents/guardians must communicate in person or by phone with the 
Main Office. If a learner leaves the building when they are supposed to be in class and do not 
check out in the Main Office, they will be assigned detention. 

DOCTOR AND DENTAL APPOINTMENTS 

Whenever possible, doctor and dental appointments should be made at times other than during 
the school day. However, we realize that this isn't always feasible and if appointments must be 
made during the school day, we ask that learners try to make them during study hall time. A 
telephone call from parents/guardians stating the time of the appointment must be received in 
the Main Office before permission will be given to leave the building

The School Board and administration of West Fargo Public Schools have multiple policies in place that govern the operations of the school district. District policies are available via the website below OR a paper copy can be requested from the administrative assistant of your school.

https://www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/policy

Advertising & Fundraising – HBCC-AP
Attendance – FFB-B
Bullying – ACEA - AP
Carrying Weapons – FFD-AP
Comprehensive School Policy for Tobacco Use – ABBA-AP
Corporal Punishment, Student Conduct and Discipline - FFL
Education of Special Education Students - FDE
Emergency Plans and Drills – ACAB-AP
Food Service Program – IB-AP
Graduation Requirements – GDA-AP
Medication Administration – ACBD-AP
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment – AAC-AP
School Attendance Areas – FAB-AP
Storm Warning Announcements – ACAA-AP
Student Alcohol and Other Drug Use/Abuse – FFA-AP
Student Dress Code – FFH-AP
Student Education Records and Privacy – FGA-AP
Student Restraint – FCC-AP
Student Rights & Responsibilities – FG
Student Transportation Services - IEA
Suspension and Expulsion– FFK-AP
Use of Animals in District Schools and in Curricular Programs – ACBC-AP
Use of the West Fargo School District Computer Network – ACDA-AP
Visitors – KAAA-AP

The policies mentioned above represent a fraction of the comprehensive policy manual of West Fargo Public Schools. The ND Department of Public Instruction requires that every district specifically mention available policy regarding learner rights and responsibilities, and policies on parent and learner issues that include attendance, discipline, promotion and retention, and graduation requirements.