About Guilderland High School

Daniel Mayberry, District Superintendent
Michael Piscitelli, Principal

Ann-Marie Holmes, Assistant Principal 

Brian Mazza , Assistant Principal 

Meghan Rivers, IA for Secondary Special Education

The Guilderland High School community is dedicated to fostering an equal opportunity to attain academic excellence in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Guilderland students will recognize the importance of life-long learning and be prepared to take their places as responsible citizens of the world. To this end the Guilderland High School community strives to empower students to:

Guilderland High School does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, weight, religion, creed, handicap, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race or gender. Any student or employee in the district who wishes to file a complaint regarding alleged discrimination based on sex or handicap will find forms available in any school office. Forms will be forwarded to the District Title IX and Section 504 Compliance Officer.

Principal: Michael Piscitelli

Assistant Principal: A-M Holmes

Assistant Principal: Brian Mazza

Assistant Principal: Crystal Martin

IA for Secondary Special Education: Mehgan Rivers

As a New York State Public High School, we here at GHS all share the responsibility of accounting for Student Attendance both in school and individual classes. Accounting for classroom attendance is the responsibility of the classroom teacher and will be conducted each Block, every day.

As a result of New York State Education Department mandates, GHS has established a comprehensive Attendance Policy that will impact student attendance on a period-by-period basis. Students and parents should be aware of the following guidelines with regard to both school and class attendance.

We believe that class attendance and participation are vital to successful learning. Class cutting of any part of the school day will result in disciplinary consequences. (See Class Cutting) The legal school day is from 7:30 a.m.-2:28 p.m. Though formal classes end at 2:28p.m., a student may be required to stay with a teacher until 3:10 p.m. for that day. Our activity period is considered an extension of the school day and a student must stay if assigned.

Excused Absences according to Commissioner’s Regs 175.6:

The reasons and applicable documentation deemed acceptable for an excused absence when school is in session, include, but are not limited to, the following:

All other absences for any other reasons will be deemed unexcused absences, unless otherwise approved by a school administrator.

Excused absences do not mean that students are exempt from school work. Students still have the responsibility to make up missed work as well as communicate with their teacher about what was missed. Items due on the day of the absence may be due on the day of return.

If an absence remains UNEXCUSED for up to five consecutive school days, the student may forfeit the opportunity to make up any class work, tests, or quiz missed as a result of that UNEXCUSED absence from class.

When absent from school, the:

If a student is going to be absent from school for more than five days due to a medical situation, please contact their school counselor. Absences longer than ten days require the approval of the district Medical Director.

Vacations during other than school breaks will be recorded as unexcused and are strongly discouraged. It is impossible to make up for missing the teacher-directed instruction and class discussion.

A student will be unenrolled after 20 consecutive days of absence for reasons such as long vacations or other travel plans.

Teachers, advisors, and coaches are responsible for monitoring a student’s absence and tardiness. A student may not participate in after school activities on days he or she has been absent for the entire school day unless there are special circumstances and permission is granted by the appropriate school administrator. Students must attend at least two full blocks.

Juniors are advised in advance of the senior year that a parking permit may be denied based on the junior year attendance record. Once issued, a permit may be rescinded based on a student’s senior year attendance record.

Recording of Tardiness, Early Departures
Any absence for the school day or portion thereof shall be recorded. In the event that a student arrives late for or departs early from scheduled instruction, then such tardiness or early departure shall also be recorded as excused or unexcused.

Reporting of Absences
A parent/legal guardian is expected to contact the attendance office if the student will be absent. A note is not required if a reason is provided at which time the length of the absences should be estimated and provided to the attendance clerk. A health provider’s note may be requested as proof of an excused absence.

Truancy From School
Truancy from school is defined as absence from school without parental permission. Class participation, class discussion and the classroom atmosphere are all an essential part of the educational experience. A student truant from school will be subject to disciplinary consequences.

Students may forfeit the opportunity to make up any class work, test or quiz missed as a result of any truancy from class.

Every absence from class without permission will result in disciplinary action. Any class missed as a result of an illegal tardy to school is also considered a class cut. Class cutting may result in a loss of makeup privileges.

All classes begin promptly at 7:30 a.m. and any students entering school after 7:30 a.m. must first report to the Attendance Office. Students entering after 7:30 a.m. will be considered an unexcused tardy unless medical office documentation is provided. Students may be subject to consequences by their teacher and/or administrator.

After six (6) unexcused tardies (first semester), an administrative consequence will be assigned. Additional late arrivals will result in administrative consequences which include lunch detentions, loss of off-campus privileges, extended detentions, etc. In the second semester, the students attendance record will be reset and after six (6) unexcused tardies administrative consequences will begin again.

Any student who finds that some EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES are causing unavoidable recurring tardiness to school should discuss the problem with the appropriate administrator BEFORE the student reaches six (6) tardies. These will be dealt with at the discretion of the administrator.

Tardiness to Class
Teachers will follow the rules below when addressing tardiness to class:

If a student has arrived late to school (marked in eSchoolData as tardy), the teacher has discretion on applying their late policy since the tardiness is being addressed by the building.

Board of Education policy prohibits students from leaving the school grounds during their scheduled school day. Leaving campus without permission will result in disciplinary consequences.

No student may leave school grounds before the student’s normal dismissal time without an early dismissal slip. Dental and physician appointments should be made for after school hours except in cases of emergency. Requests for early dismissal should be made to the attendance office by a parent or guardian. Students who have early dismissal requests will be given a special pass which is shown to the teacher prior to leaving. Students returning to school must sign in at the Attendance Office.

The Guilderland High School Building Cabinet has continued the conversation around the homeroom period in an effort to maximize the usefulness of this time. Cabinet has now established specific objectives for homeroom which will be communicated to staff and students at the beginning of each school year.

It is the policy of Guilderland High School that harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated. This is in keeping with efforts to establish an environment in which the dignity and worth of all members of the school community are respected. The goal of GHS is to provide a community in which all students are accepted and judged as individuals.

The Dignity for All Students Act (§§10-18 of Education Law) defines harassment as the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being; or conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety. The harassing behavior may be based on any characteristic, including but not limited to a person’s actual or perceived:

• race
• color
• weight
• national origin
• ethnic group
• religion
• religious practice
• disability
• sex
• sexual orientation
• gender (including gender identity and expression)

For more information on the Dignity for All Students Act, please see our Board of Education Policy 0115, and this link to New York State Department of Education, http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/.

Any person committing any form of harassment will be subject to disciplinary action if:

Any instances which can be perceived as harassment should be reported immediately to a faculty member or an administrator.

A copy of the detailed Harassment Policy and Reporting Procedures is available upon request from any Administrator or Social Worker.

The Board of Education is committed to safeguarding the rights of all employees and students within the Guilderland Central School District to a working and learning environment that is free from all forms of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a violation of federal and state law, and School District policy, and will not be tolerated.

Sexual harassment is generally defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Sexual harassment does not only depend upon the offender’s intention but also upon how the target perceives the behavior or is affected by it. The Board recognizes that sexual harassment can originate from a person of either sex against a person of the opposite or same sex, and from peers as well as supervisors.

Sexual harassment can take many forms and occurs in a variety of situations where there is an interaction in which one person is subjected to:

The Board of Education condemns all unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature which is either designed to extort sexual favors from an employee or student as a term or condition of employment or academic standing or which has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. The Board also condemns retaliatory behavior against complainants or any witnesses.

Students or employees of the Guilderland Central School District who feel they have been sexually harassed may speak in confidence to a teacher, social worker, counselor, supervisor or administrator who will provide information and explanation. A student or an employee may bring a person of his/her own choosing along for support. People will have the option of bringing the complaint under the informal or formal complaint procedures.

The purpose of this Integrity Policy is to foster those values and practices that help to promote personal and academic integrity in all Guilderland High School students. An essential component to any Integrity Policy is to recognize that cheating is a violation of both personal and academic integrity. 

What follows is a summary of the Integrity Policy generated by the Guilderland High School Building Cabinet. It is the policy of Guilderland High School that cheating of any kind is contrary to the principles of this Integrity Policy:

Cheating is defined as any act of either giving or receiving information through which any student gains an unfair or unsanctioned advantage in any situation that is being used for grading or evaluation.

Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to the following: 

Generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) is defined as a type of AI that can create new content and ideas, including conversations, stories, images, and music.

To best support your own learning, you should complete all assignments in courses yourself, without any use of generative artificial intelligences (AI). Please refrain from using AI tools to generate any content (text, video, audio, images, code, etc.) for an assignment or classroom exercise. Passing off any AI-generated content as your own (e.g., cutting and pasting content into written assignments, or paraphrasing AI content, etc.) constitutes a violation of GHS’s integrity policy. (Adapted from Carnegie Mellon)

Each department has a consistent set of subject specific guidelines regarding cheating. These guidelines include articulation on the following items:

A copy of these guidelines will be distributed at the beginning of the year to students and parents. A copy of these guidelines must be on file in the Building Principal’s office.

While it is recognized by this policy that teachers and Instructional Administrators have some discretion in addressing the issue of cheating, teachers are expected to dfile a report on each incident of cheating with the appropriate Assistant Principal. Any incident of cheating may affect the student’s status in National Honor Society or college recommendations. This policy encompasses all academic years of high school.

All incidents reported promptly to the building administration will incorporate the following measures:

While the provisions of this policy will serve as general operating guidelines, some cases of cheating may result in more severe consequences.

The district website, www.guilderlandschools.org, provides a manual of those policies approved by the Board of Education. Included in the manual are such policies relating to Student Privacy, Title IX Student Complaints, Bullying Prevention, Instructional Goals, Computer Acceptable Use, Textbook Adoption, and much, much more.

You have the right to an education free of payment of tuition through graduation or until the age of 21, whichever occurs first.

You have the right to equal protection under the law and the responsibility to live by that rule of law, in school and in the larger society.

School officials have the duty to provide for the protection and safety of students and of school property. Any person in the building without permission from an administrator is trespassing.

Schools must conduct 8 evacuation drills and 4 lockdown drills each year, as mandated by the state. All students are expected to cooperate with staff members during emergency drills, and to leave the building in a silent, orderly manner. The exit route is posted in each room.

During Assigned Times:

During Unassigned Times:

Students not following these procedures or who are disruptive will be considered insubordinate and shall be subject to discipline.

Parents and students and other community members may want to have specific information about the schools in this district. Interested persons should direct requests for such information to the District Office.

A student, parent or legal guardian is entitled by appointment to inspect the student’s cumulative record in the presence of an authorized member of the school staff.

When police are permitted to interview students in the school, the students must be afforded the same rights they have outside the school. They must be informed of their legal rights and must be protected from coercion and illegal restraint.

New York State law grants School Authorities with the right of Search and Seizure when there is reasonable suspicion. Lockers, book bags, outer clothing and cars may be searched at the discretion of School Authorities.

A student must be given due process including an opportunity for an informal conference with the Principal. However, after due process of law, a student over 16 years of age may be excluded and the Board of Education need provide no further instructional program.

From time to time, school district officials may release student information (name, grade, address, photograph, academic interest, artwork, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, terms of school attendance and graduation, awards received, and future educational plans) for use in school district publications and within district websites, or to the media for public relations purposes. Parents who object to the release of their child’s information and/or photograph should notify both their child’s building principal and the district’s communications office in writing on or before September 15th of the upcoming school year.

As a student of Guilderland High School, it is your responsibility to create a better environment for learning and living, for yourself and for others. If you see that one of your peers has a drug, alcohol or other problem that is interfering with his/her health and well-being, you should seek help from the appropriate authorities. You will have full confidentiality if you so choose.

To get help for a peer with a drug, alcohol or other problem, retrieve a questionnaire from the Social Worker’s Office. Complete the form and return it to the Social Worker’s Office. After you turn in this form, you will be asked to attend a meeting with the Social Worker in order to determine how to best help the peer at risk. From this point on the peer will receive treatment for his/her problem while appropriate confidentiality is maintained.

Your Library Media Center contains thousands of varied materials for your use from 7:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. While in the Library, you are expected to work quietly or you will lose Library privileges. You will need your ID to sign out materials. Feel free to make special requests for materials from the Librarians.

Staff and students are expected to follow these guidelines when using computers at school:

Staff and students must understand that if they violate these rules, their computer privileges may be suspended. Violations of these guidelines will result in a referral to school administration for further disciplinary action.

Use of the facilities in the Computer Lab is open to all students at the following times:

All staff members, regardless of title, have a job responsibility at GHS that contributes to the total operation of the school. A student must show respect to all staff members, regardless of title. Verbal abuse, profanity, or any conduct that is disruptive or threatening is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. In addition, courtesy and respect for peers is expected. Detention or suspension may result from failure to follow these guidelines.

Fighting creates a potentially dangerous situation and will result in automatic, immediate Out of School Suspension for all parties actively involved. The length of time will be determined by the particular case. A parent conference may also be required.

Smoking is defined as having a lighted cigarette or smokeless/electronic cigarette in one’s hand or mouth. In addition, being in a confined area in which smoke is seen by a staff member will constitute smoking on the part of students in the area. Smoking on school grounds or a school bus during the school day or at a school function will result in disciplinary action.

Electronic vaporizers or other devices which use liquid or other substances that may contain nicotine, chemicals, and other potentially hazardous material are illegal and are not permitted on school property. These devices, and their contents, violate our drug and tobacco free school zones. Vaporizers and their contents are considered paraphernalia used to inhale unsafe chemicals, and they pose a health risk for all students. 

Being in possession and/or use of this paraphernalia, liquid, and other related materials will result in disciplinary action which can include school suspension. Any device/substance that is not permitted in school is considered contraband that will be confiscated.

No one may possess or use alcoholic beverages or controlled substances on school property. Students found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on school grounds will be subject to discipline.

Any offense (use, possession or sale) will result in a five day Out of School Suspension, parent conference, counseling recommendations, notification of law enforcement authorities and a Principal’s Hearing or Superintendent’s Hearing. Students who refuse to fully cooperate with a Drug or Alcohol investigation will be considered insubordinate and may face up to a five day Out of School Suspension.

Additional occurrences (use, possession or sale) will result in a five day Out of School Suspension pending a Superintendent’s Hearing to consider the continuance of schooling and/or legal prosecution as applicable.

All medications which students might be required to take during school hours must be left with or under the control of the school nurse and taken under the nurse’s supervision. Failure to do so can be considered use/possession and result in an Out of School Suspension.

Public Displays of Affection may be considered disruptive behavior. Students being asked to refrain from Public Displays of Affection by any staff member should comply with the request willingly.

Dangerous weapons, firecrackers, smoke bombs, incendiary devices or instruments of any sort may not be brought to school by students. Any such articles will immediately be confiscated by a member of the staff or law enforcement officer, the incident reported to the parents and significant disciplinary action taken.

Destruction, theft or abuse of school or personal property is a very serious issue. Suspension from school, a parent conference and criminal charges may result.

If you are assigned a piece of school property, you are responsible for that item. Property and items belonging to Guilderland High School should be treated and used as intended. Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property, or stealing or attempting to steal property will result in billing the student for the cost to replace or repair the property.

Any item belonging to another individual at Guilderland High School is considered private property. Damaging or attempting to cause damage to private property or stealing or attempting to steal private property will result in billing the student for the cost to replace or repair the property.

In accordance with New York State Law the Guilderland Central School District is creating distraction-free learning environments. One measure being implemented is the use of Yondr pouches at Guilderland High School.

The Board of Education recognizes that students may have personal electronic devices that can perform different functions. Such devices include any cell phone, smart watch, Bluetooth/wireless headphones, or other mobile communication device. These devices can create significant distraction to the school environment and reduce student engagement. Additionally, in an emergency, the use of personal electronic devices can distract students from following the directions of staff or emergency responders, contribute to the spread of misinformation, create congestion in the emergency response system, and interfere with the district’s emergency response protocols.

To reduce unnecessary distraction, the display and/or use of personal electronic devices is prohibited from the start of the school day until the end of the regular school day. Student personal electronic devices must be turned off and put away from the time students enter the school building until the end of the school day, including time spent in class, lunch, study hall, detention, in-school suspension, and between classes. Exemptions may be granted as outlined below.  Students will be issued a district-provided individual locked pouch where students will keep all of their devices during the school day.

If students need to make a routine call during the school day, they should use phones available in the principal’s or assistant principals’ offices or the counseling center. Similarly, parents/guardians should call the principal’s or assistant principal’s office if they need to contact their child for urgent reasons during the school day.

Parents/guardians may request an exemption for their children to use personal electronic devices during the school day for bona fide medical, educational, or disability-related reasons. Requests must be made to the Building Principal and must include documentation from an appropriate medical or education professional. The district must first determine that a district-issued device cannot reasonably be used instead of the student’s personal electronic device. The least disruptive device possible may be used. If an exemption has been granted, personal devices may only be used for the purposes outlined in the exemption, and the device must be silenced and put away when not in use.

Enforcement of this policy is the responsibility of building administrative staff; however, all employees are expected to assist in enforcement and modeling the behavior of students. Students in violation of this policy must stow/secure their device or will have the device removed by administrators and retained in a secure location until the end of the school day. Administrators will discuss the aims of this policy with students and their parents/guardians, the benefits of a distraction-free environment, the reasons the student had difficulty following this policy, and how the district can help the student. Subsequent violations may also result in consequences under the district’s Code of Conduct.

The GHS Activity Period runs from 2:28 – 3:10 every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. This affords students another block of time to work with their teacher(s).

Students will not be allowed to ride the 3:25 bus without a pass signed by a member of the GHS staff. In accordance with the After School Activity Period procedures, students are required to be in a supervised location from 2:28-3:10. Students will be allowed to ride the 3:25 bus only if they can produce a pass which can verify that they were engaged in a supervised activity.

Buses are provided for students living beyond an established minimum distance from school. Since a bus is school property, all rules that apply to school also apply to the bus. Proper behavior and actions must be displayed in order to continue receiving transportation.

All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and all other District personnel should exemplify, and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting.

A student’s dress, grooming and appearance, including hair style/ color, jewelry, make-up and nails, shall:

Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item and, if necessary or practical, replace it with an acceptable item. It may be necessary to counsel students and notify their families as to the inappropriateness of chosen dress and/or item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline, up to and including In-School Detention. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the dress code shall be subject to further discipline, up to and including Out of School Suspension.

If, in the judgment of any teacher, monitor or staff person, a student’s appearance is not in compliance with the Student Dress Code, that student may be referred to the appropriate Administrator.

Examples of noncompliance with the Student Dress Code may include: 

A student is eligible for high school athletic competition in a sport for each of four consecutive seasons of that sport beginning with the student’s entry into Grade 9. Participation in interscholastic athletics is an elective activity and therefore a privilege. Each student-athlete must accept the responsibility that goes with being a member of a team.

Generally speaking, participation in athletics has a positive effect on the athlete’s performance in the classroom. It is the responsibility of parents to determine whether the student-athlete will continue participation if marks are below what they feel to be acceptable.

All school sponsored social activities are provided for GHS students. All GHS students are expected to be able to produce a school ID at any school sponsored event. If a GHS student wishes to bring a non-GHS guest to any social event, they should obtain an approved permission form from the East or West Office prior to the event. All school rules apply during the event.

Once inside the activity, students must remain or else leave school property. Failure to abide by these rules will result in dismissal from the event and/or additional discipline. Students may be asked to submit to a Breathalyzer prior to entry.

Social Workers are available at the high school to help students cope with stress and feel better about themselves. Learning how to work things out or get help when you need it will help you be more successful in school and in life. Confidentiality is always maintained unless the situation is dangerous or life-threatening. Referring a friend or scheduling an appointment for yourself can be done in the Guidance and Counseling Center.

A school store is located next to the small cafeteria. Assorted school supplies and snacks may be purchased. It is open from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

A lost and found box is maintained in the Health Office and the East Office. Lost/Stolen Article Report Forms are in the East and West Offices. Items not claimed within the month will be donated to charity.

Announcements are given every day in conjunction with the TV broadcast. If an organization wishes to submit material for an announcement it must be submitted to the Media Department by 3:00 p.m. one school day before broadcast (except for emergency announcements).

Each student is issued a plastic coated ID card which includes the student’s photograph and special barcode. It serves as identification during school functions and for checking out library materials.

Students have the right to express their views in speech, writing, or through any other medium or form, limited solely by those restrictions imposed on all citizens generally and those specifically applicable to children and youths in a school setting.

All student publications must comply with the rules for responsible journalism. Libelous statements, unfounded charges and accusations, obscenity, false statements, materials advocating racial or religious prejudice, hatred, violence, the breaking of laws and school policies and/or regulations, or materials designed to disrupt the education process will not be permitted.

The Building Principal, or designee, reserves the right to establish the time and location during which any student publication may be distributed. No literature may be distributed unless a copy is submitted in advance to the Superintendent of Schools and the Building Principal.

All students are assigned one lunch period. During lunch time, students must eat in one of the cafeterias. Students must clear their table and floor area before leaving. When in the cafeteria, students are to manage themselves without misusing the food or utensils and comply with the reasonable requests of the monitors/teachers on duty. Students assigned to the Senior Lounge during Block 3 should spend only one lunch mod in one of the three Cafeterias.

Gambling is prohibited on school property.

Student visitors are permitted in the building after school hours starting at 2:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for academic reasons or to attend previously scheduled appointments with staff. A full day student or guest visitation may occur if it is sponsored and facilitated by a Guilderland High School staff member for academic reasons only with prior approval submitted to the Instructional Administrator who will notify the front lobby. All visitors must sign in and out with the front lobby upon arrival and departure and are expected to carry a visitor’s badge while in the building.

The Health/Nurses’ Office is available to help students who are ill, have a school related accident or wish to sign up for a school sport. A student desiring to see the nurse must secure a pass from his/her classroom teacher and sign in at the Health/Nurses’ Office, except in the case of emergency. If it is necessary for a student to go home because of illness, the student must be released by the nurse who will get permission to do so from a parent or guardian.

Students are not allowed to carry prescription or over-the-counter medications (including cold medications, aspirin, etc.) while in school. In the event that you should need medication during the school day, please follow these guidelines:

Medication permission forms are available on the website.

Students who wish to participate in a high school sport are required to sign up in the Health/Nurses’ Office. Students will be given a sport packet to complete and return before being cleared by the nursing staff prior to participating in try-outs for a particular sport. Students need:

Students who have not completed the above process and have not been approved by the Health/Nurses’ Office will be considered ineligible for sports until they are cleared by the nursing staff.

If a student is seen by a doctor for any injury, accident or serious illness, the parent/guardian must notify the school nurse. This is required whether or not the injury/illness occurred on school grounds. Upon the student’s return to school, the student must present to the school nurse either a written release or restriction filled out by the doctor. If a student is out of PE for more than three weeks, their doctor should fill out a PE Modification Form which can be obtained from the Health/Nurses’ Office or online. The school nurse will review all medical notes and then copy same for the appropriate staff (PE and coaches). The original note is kept on file in the Health/Nurses’ Office.

State Education Law requires that all students entering 9th grade, 11th grade and new students transferring to our school district are to have a physical examination. These students should have their own physician complete the physical and bring it to the Health/Nurses’ Office or have it faxed or mailed directly to the High School Health/ Nurses’ Office. Health/Nurses’ Office fax is 861-5151.

Students are assigned a hall locker for the school year and are responsible for that locker. Lockers are a privilege and remain the sole property of the school and can be searched by school officials. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen articles. For your own protection, keep a lock on the locker at all times. Each student is provided a locker for PE classes as well. Those should be locked during use. School officials may open and inspect a locker if there is reasonable suspicion that it: 

An UNSUPERVISED area on campus will be considered an area UNAUTHORIZED for student use. ANY student in an unauthorized area will be subject to referral to the appropriate Administrator’s Office and may be subject to discipline.

Students are required to register their car and complete necessary paperwork through the School Store. No student vehicle may be parked on campus (between the hours of 7:30 am and 2:30 pm) without a legal GHS Parking Permit which must be displayed at all times on the vehicle. Registration must be completed for both the Fall and Spring semesters.

Driving Restrictions:

VIOLATIONS OF THESE RULES OR INJURIOUS OR ILLEGAL USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE MAY RESULT IN THE SUSPENSION OF PARKING PRIVILEGES, DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES AND POSSIBLE POLICE REFERRAL.

Student Parking on campus is a privilege and a choice left to each individual student. Thus, it becomes the decision of the individual student to assume all risks and responsibilities associated with parking on school property. Therefore, neither Guilderland High School nor the Guilderland School District will be held responsible for any damages, theft or destruction of students’ personal property or possessions while parked on GHS property.

Detention may be assigned by a classroom teacher and will be held 2:28 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. in the teacher’s room unless otherwise instructed or in a Detention room if assigned by an Administrator. Students must remain on school grounds on afternoons when they have after school detention.

In-School Detention occurs when the Principal denies a student the opportunity to attend regular classes. The student and parents are informed of the behavior that resulted in the detention. In-School Detention can be for part of the day or for the whole instructional day. If it is assigned for the full day, the student reports to the In-School Detention room prior to first block. Students will be dismissed from In-School Detention at 2:28 p.m. and must promptly leave school grounds. Students may not participate in any extracurricular activity after that time. Assignments during the day will be provided by teachers and the student will be required to work silently on class work, which will be returned to the teacher and graded. Students will be allowed to purchase lunch from a limited list of options. Violation of In-School Detention rules will result in an Out of School Suspension and could also result in a Principal’s or Superintendent’s Hearing.

Out of School Suspension occurs when the Principal denies attendance at school to a student for up to five days. (If a longer suspension is recommended, it must be acted upon by the Superintendent of Schools.) The student and parents are informed of the behavior and the resulting consequence. Additionally the parent and student are given the opportunity to request an informal conference. Once suspended, you may not participate in any school activities or be on school property. You may return to school when instructed to do so by the Principal.

Students and parents may check a student’s in-progress average and individual assignment grades in eSchoolData. Interim reports will be available on-line on:

October 10, 2025

December 19, 2025

March 13, 2026

May 21, 2026

Report cards will be available on eSchoolData approximately every 45 days at the end of the 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th week.

End of Marking Period	Report cards available
November 7, 2025	November 14, 2025
January 23, 2026	January 29, 2026
April 2, 2026	April 17, 2026
June 26, 2026	June 30, 2026

GHS will display a weighted GPA along with the unweighted GPA on transcripts only under the following parameters:

A cumulative average will be computed for all students based on final averages of all numerically graded high school courses as follows:

In September following grade 11 In June of the Senior year

The passing mark in all numerically graded courses in grades 9-12 is 65.
Please refer to individual course grading policies for specific criteria.

This can be found in each course syllabus.

If students are absent just prior to the end of the marking period and miss tests, quizzes, and/or assignments, the teacher may record “INC” (incomplete) with appropriate comments on the report card for that quarter. The students will have five weeks in which to make up the necessary work with the exception of 3rd Quarter grades which must be made up within four weeks.

Work not made up may be averaged in as zero to determine the average for the quarter which will be reflected in eSchoolData by the end of five weeks.

In order to allow students an opportunity to earn an overall passing average in a class, the minimum grade policy will be as follows:

“M” may be used to denote medical when a student is absent due to illness or accident. In June, teachers will average the marking period marks and substitute a grade for the “M” to compute the final grade. A Medical must be approved by the principal. Per Commissioner’s Regulations regarding minutes of instruction, a student can only be awarded “M” for one quarter of the school year and still earn credit for a course. If a student qualifies for a “M”, it will apply to all courses taken during a quarter.

In some rare cases, students/courses are graded with a S/U sequence (i.e., some non-English speaking students). In addition, as noted in the Curriculum Handbook, some courses will be graded on a S/U basis. A S/U grade is not calculated in the GPA.

The district shall provide Academic Intervention Services to students who have been identified as being at risk of falling below the state learning standards in English/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and/or science. Such services may include additional instruction services and/or student support services such as guidance, counseling, and study skills. A student’s eligibility for Academic Intervention Services will be determined based on his or her performance on state assessment examinations and/or in accordance with district assessment procedures.

When it has been determined that a student needs Academic Intervention Services, the parents will be notified in writing, by the Building Principal or Instructional Administrator. The notice will outline the reason the student needs such services, the type of services to be provided and the consequences of not achieving the performance standards. In addition, the district will provide the parents with opportunities to consult with teachers and other professional staff, regular reports on the student’s progress and information on ways to monitor and work with teachers to improve the student’s performance.

All students may drop a course only if it is replaced by another course no later than the end of two full ABCD class cycles. It is not always possible to change a class. Therefore, it is essential that students and parents select the most appropriate classes at course request time.

All students in grades 9-11 will only be allowed a maximum of one and a half study halls each semester. This entails a minimum of seven courses including PE. Seniors will only be allowed a maximum of two and a half study halls which means all Seniors will take six courses including PE.

All students will qualify for a School Diploma if they meet the criteria for graduation. All students who receive a diploma must meet the testing standards as prescribed by the New York State Education Department.

*+  1 Regents exam in Math and Science required for graduation

**++ 3 Regents exams in Math and 2 Regents exams in Science are required for an Advanced Regents diploma.

** Students who earn 5 units in occupational studies or the arts may be exempted from the 3-4 unit requirement in second language and the Regents exam. However, they would have to earn at least one unit in second language either by passing a high school second language course or passing a proficiency exam.

**+++ Students must additionally pass a Checkpoint B exam.

To earn an Honorary High School Average Notation, students must meet the following criteria after 3 3/4 years: 

In order to be advanced to the next grade level, students must earn the appropriate number of credits listed below: 

College-level courses prepared by the College Entrance Examination Board and local colleges (SUNY, HVCC, SCCC, Syracuse and RIT) are offered at the high school. Successful completion of the course and appropriate exams, in addition to payment of tuition fees by the student, entitle the student to credit for the course at the participating college. Advanced Placement tests are given in mid-May. These AP tests are open to any college-bound student for a nominal fee. Seniors are encouraged to discuss taking these AP courses with their school counselor. Many colleges give credit toward graduation to students who achieve high scores on AP or college written tests. Complete information on the AP program and on the college courses offered is available through the school counselor.

Honors level courses are designed to challenge academically strong students by providing enrichment through in-depth study. Emphasis is placed on the quality of achievement.

Courses at this level meet the New York State Regents standards. Average to above average students successfully completing these courses are well prepared to pursue higher education. Please note: Not all academic courses are approved by NCAA. If you plan to play a Division I or Division II sport in college, please check the course catalog on-line for approved courses.

Most students are enrolled in Regents level courses. Assignment to Advanced Placement, Honors and Core courses is based on abilities and skills evidenced by standardized tests, achievement in previous courses, and Teacher/Counselor recommendations.

Student evaluation is a continuous process. Due to the differences of abilities, interests, and needs within individuals, students may be placed in different levels for different subject areas. The instruction level of the course is noted on both the report card and the permanent record card.

Requests for a change of level in any area in which a student, parent or teacher sees a need for relocating the student must be done through an application. Information regarding the process is available from the School Counselor or Instructional Administrator.

All students take these tests which are prepared and/or authorized by the New York State Department of Education. It is Guilderland High School’s practice to include all Regents exams and Checkpoint B exams on a student’s transcript.

These tests are locally prepared examinations which are approved by the Instructional Administrators in their respective departments.

A course audited is listed on the permanent record card as an “Audit” with no credit issued. Students may audit courses under special circumstances. The “Audit Course Request” form is available from the counselor and must be signed by the student, parent and Instructional Administrator prior to the beginning of the course.

In grades 9-11, students may not take two courses simultaneously in the same academic area where one is the prerequisite for the other. An exception is made for the “bona fide” accelerated student and for physical education make up.

The Board of Education, in certain instances, shall grant students who wish to graduate from high school in less time than the ordinary four-year sequence permission to complete graduation requirements on an alternative schedule. To this end, all normal graduation requirements must be completed for early graduation. Furthermore, if a student wishes to complete the usual four-year course of studies in three years, then the student will be ranked with that graduating class.

In regard to individual student requests, the following factors may be considered: the student’s grades, performance in school, the student’s future plans, and benefits that would accrue to the student if the request for early graduation were to be approved. The High School Principal shall make the fial decision on whether to grant permission after consultation with the individual student’s Counselor, the student and parent(s).

The Board of Education recognizes that participation in a commencement ceremony differs from the issuance and receipt of a diploma. The issuance of a diploma indicates that a student has successfully met all local and state requirements to graduate from high school. The commencement ceremony is a public celebration which is traditionally held in June.

The Board of Education authorizes the extension of an invitation to participate in the District’s annual commencement ceremony to all students who, by the graduation date in June, are in good standing and who have successfully completed all requirements for the receipt of a diploma.

In addition, the Board of Education authorizes the extension of an invitation to participate in the District’s annual commencement ceremony to all students who are in good standing and who have no more than two classes to complete by August of that school year.

The Superintendent, in collaboration with the High School Principal and the High School Building Cabinet, is charged with the development of regulations necessary to implement this policy. “Good standing” refers to the student’s disciplinary record and applies to participation in the commencement ceremony.

Students who fail certain full-year courses may take the course in summer school, if offered. The other option is to retake the course for an entire year during the next school year. In order to enter summer school, a student must have remained in the course during the previous school year for the full year and have maintained at least a 50 unweighted average or have passed two quarters. Any exceptions to this rule must be reviewed by a Teacher-Counselor-Administrative panel.

After a student fails a course and retakes it according to the above mentioned policy, the higher grade will be recognized. For students choosing to retake the Regents exam to improve their grade, the higher of the two Regents grades will be official.

Transcripts may be requested by completing the “Authorization for Release of Records” form. This form should be returned to the Counseling Center. 

At the end of the Junior Year, cumulative averages are computed. These averages are reported on college applications. Final averages will also be calculated in June of the Senior year.

Students who withdraw must see their School Counselor to obtain a “Parental Permission Withdrawal” form and a “Parent/Student Consent for Release of Information to Third Parties” form. These forms must be signed by the Parent/Guardian and returned to the Counselor. The student must next obtain a “Sign Out” form to be signed by designated classroom teachers and offices. All books and materials must be returned before students may obtain signatures.

CTE is an occupational education program available to students. There is a stringent attendance policy enforced in order to allow students to remain in the program. Information is available through the School Counselors and the North Office. If you are enrolled in this program, you are considered a student at both CTE and Guilderland High School and must follow the rules and procedures of both schools.

Students interested in receiving vocational training must apply through their School Counselors for one of a number of CTE programs offered at BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). Students with certain special educational needs may also receive their education through a CTE program. There is a listing of all CTE offerings in the Counseling Center.

The Focus program is for students in grades 9-12. It is the mission of the program to foster personal responsibility for students who struggle in a traditional school environment by providing community support in an alternative setting. This is done in order to improve academic achievement, attitude and attendance.

Academic Tutorial/Resource Room programs are for the purpose of supplementing the regular or special classroom instruction of students with disabilities. The Committee on Special Education identifies students who qualify for this program.

The purpose of study hall is to provide a quiet work place for students to focus on academics. The following guidelines are to assist in creating such an environment.

Honor Society is the only organization in school whose members are chosen by the faculty. Students need to demonstrate that they have completed 20 hours or more of community service and have maintained at least a 90.0 unweighted average in traditional academic classes. The third and fourth criteria for membership are character and leadership. Leadership can be demonstrated by the taking of responsibility and the making of decisions. Leadership in the classroom is an important part of a well-rounded person. Taken into consideration are many aspects of character including honesty, responsibility, fairness, courtesy, tolerance and cooperation. Juniors will be admitted in the Spring of their Junior Year. Seniors will be admitted in October of their Senior Year. Students must also have a clean disciplinary record.

National Honor Society may be able to connect peer tutors with students who would benefit from additional academic assistance. Please see the National Honor Society advisors for more information.

Fall Sports	Winter Sports	Spring Sports
Cheerleading	Basketball	Baseball
Cross Country	Bowling	Softball
Golf	Cheerleading	Lacrosse
Football	Cross Country Skiing	Tennis (Boys)
Soccer	Gymnastics (Girls)	Track & Field
Tennis (Girls)	Indoor Track	Unified Basketball
Swimming (Girls)	Swimming (Boys)
Volleyball	Wrestling
Field Hockey	Ice Hockey
Unified Bocce	Unified Bowling

Guilderland has a multitude of student clubs and activities which will help to make your high school experience enjoyable. The complete list of Clubs can be found on the district website.

Class of 2029

Class of 2028

Class of 2027

Class of 2026 

Alliance

Animal Conservation

Art Club

Artificial Intelligence Club

Asian Student Union 

Astronomy Club

Aviation Club 

Badminton Club 

Best Buddies

Black Student Union 

Chamber Choir Chamber Strings (Select) Chemistry Club

Chess Club

Civil Conversations 

Connect4Cancer 

Donate Life

Dungeons and Dragons 

Environmental Club 

Fall Play

Feminist Club (Gender Equity Collaborative)

Film Club

Future Educators Club

Garden Club

Guilderland Players/Musical International Club/Cultural Fair Investing in DECA (II-DECA)

Hot Potato Club

Italian Club

JAVAClub (Programming Club)

Jazz Ensemble/Stage Band 

Journal, (The)

Key Club

March for Our Lives 

Masterminds

Math League/Club Med 

Mock Trial Club

Cross Club 

Media Club 

Model UN

Muslim Student Association 

National Art Honor Society 

National Honor Society 

North Stars

PEP Band Photography

PULSE (formerly STATIC) 

SADD

Science 

Olympiad 

Shakespeare Society 

Ski Club

Student Government

Students for Inclusion 

Tourettes Awareness

Tri-M Music Honor Society 

Vex Robotics

Yearbook

Recognition for exemplary academic achievement will be awarded to all members of the Senior class who achieve a 95.0 unweighted average at the end of three and three-quarter years of high school. They will be recognized for their achievement at the commencement ceremony.

The Recognition Program is a way of rewarding students for their efforts while enrolled at GHS. Scholar Award is given to any student who has a 90 or above unweighted average for the preceding marking period.

Department Award is based upon nominations that your teachers make for students who are performing well within a given subject area. Deserving Dutchman is given to any student nominated by anyone else. If you think that someone has completed a particularly noteworthy activity either in school or the community you can nominate this person for this award. The Deserving Dutchman can be given at any time during the school year, whereas other awards are received by students at the beginning of the marking periods for efforts made during the preceding marking period. Catch somebody doing something good and nominate him/her for the award. Nomination forms are available in each of the offices at GHS and on the Intranet.

The Guilderland High School Honor Pass is awarded to students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement during the previous grading period. To qualify for the pass, students must have obtained a 90.0 unweighted average or above and have a clean disciplinary record. These passes need to be revalidated at the beginning of each marking period. An Honor Pass entitles a student to certain privileges and discounts at the school store and athletic events.

Students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in a Community Service program to recognize student commitment to their school and their community. Students may count volunteer hours from pre-freshman summer forward. Documentation of hours must be turned in to the Counseling Center by May 1 of their Senior year.

Students may accumulate as many hours as possible above the 200- hour minimum. Each participant will receive an award certificate and a pin to wear on his/her graduation gown. Official forms and a complete list of qualifying Community Service sources are available from the College & Career Center, Honor Society Advisor or Key Club Advisor.