Open Campus

Open Campus is a privilege granted by parents and Hanover High School administrators to sophomores, juniors, and seniors to leave school grounds during their unscheduled time. The goal of this privilege is to give students the opportunity to develop personal responsibility for their unscheduled time. Open Campus is an important privilege and will last only as long as students treat it with respect. Parents give permission for Open Campus in the annual registration process. Sophomores may not leave campus until they have had their introductory meeting with the Associate Principal.

Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible students are in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade and are passing in all their courses at the end of each semester (mid-year and end-of-year). Ineligible students are notified by mail during the summer.
• Final marks at the end of the school year determine eligibility for the first semester of the following school year. At the end of each semester, parents and students with Open Campus are notified if there is a change in the student’s Open Campus privileges.
• Incompletes: A teacher must give formal notice that an incomplete has been made up.
• The student has had no serious disciplinary problems or violation of school policies and regulations as outlined in the Handbook. These regulations are in effect during school hours and during school activities and are not limited to school grounds.
• Parent(s) give permission to their student, and the signed permission form is on file at the office. Parents may withdraw their permission at any time.

Facts about Open Campus

• Open Campus time is unscheduled time.
• Unscheduled time is school time (school in session)
• School is in session until 3 PM for all students with the exception of Wednesday when school ends at 2 PM.
• A student who is off campus during their unscheduled time is still subject to school rules and to the consequences of violating these rules.

• Know the eligibility requirements, procedures, and consequences as outlined in the annual registration forms and to comply with these rules.
• Sign the permission form in the annual registration form indicating they have read and understand the rules.
• Sign-out before leaving school grounds in one of the two sign-out books located in the main office and in the atrium.
• Avoid the following off-limits areas: the grounds and buildings of the Senior Citizens Housing between Lebanon and South Park Streets, the sidewalk bench on Summer Street, the Lutheran Church property on Summer Street, the Friends Meeting House (parking lot, lawns, or buildings) on Lebanon Street; the driveways and parking lots of these buildings are not to be used as a pass-through for either vehicles or pedestrians.
• The student while off campus will not actively, in words or actions, condone illegal activities.

The Council defines “School grounds” as follows:

• The school side of Lebanon Street from the Friends Meeting House driveway to Hovey Lane is a campus boundary. (The sidewalk is on-campus, but the road is off-campus.)
• The driveway at the English Department end of the school building is a campus boundary.
• The outer edge of the athletic fields, including the fields for Football, Track, and Soccer, is a campus boundary. (Areas in the adjacent woods are off-campus.)

Other areas may be considered off-limits when the Administration receives complaints about student loitering.

Appeal: Any student who becomes ineligible for Open Campus for academic or behavioral problems has the right to appeal directly to the administration provided that parents support the appeal. Administrative decision may be appealed to the Judiciary Committee of the Council.

Ninth Grade Students
School rules that apply specifically to ninth grade students are as follows:

• For the first semester, ninth grade students are expected to be at school from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays). A ninth grade student who needs to leave school during an unscheduled period for an appointment must have a note from a parent.
• Ninth grade students have open campus for the second semester.
• The consequence for going off-campus during the first semester, first offense, is a five-day schedule-up. The consequences for a second offense are a two-week schedule-up and the loss of open campus privileges for the second semester of freshman year.
• Exams: Ninth grade students may leave school grounds when they do not have a scheduled exam.