Student & Family Handbook

The Allentown School District’s Student & Family Handbook serves as a valuable guide to the policies, procedures, and resources available within our school District. It outlines expectations for our students and families in terms of attendance, academic excellence, conduct and community engagement. We strongly encourage all students and their families to familiarize themselves with the contents of this handbook.

This year, we have a renewed dedication to enact our new mission. The content in this handbook is aligned to our mission, vision and core values. The mission of the Allentown School District is to serve the diverse educational needs of each student, by igniting their passion for learning and creating an academic culture. In our pursuit of educational excellence. Our staff is committed to fostering an inclusive atmosphere where diversity is celebrated, and each student’s unique strengths are recognized and nurtured.

Throughout the academic year, students will have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities, sports, and clubs. Involvement in extracurriculars not only complements classroom learning but also provides avenues for personal growth, leadership development, and the exploration of new interests. We encourage every student to explore these opportunities and maximize the learning experiences in our District. Last year, we introduced Brainfuse, the on-demand online tutoring program that is available to every student. Additionally, we increased workforce development opportunities and early college offerings to create more meaningful and rigorous academic programming for our students.

As a District, we are focusing on the whole child. We are dedicated to cultivating conditions where all students feel safe, valued, empowered, and loved. Additionally, we are also focused on nurturing the whole child by fostering the physical and mental well-being of our students, so that they acquire the skills and attributes that are crucial for lifelong success in school and life beyond high school.

As we navigate the opportunities of the coming year, open communication will be essential. This fall, the District intends to transition our Student Information System. This includes a robust portal where families will be able to access student attendance, grades, and other information in real time! As we look to make this change, important information about how to access this platform will be shared with all families.

This year, several major sections of the handbook have been significantly updated. Please be sure to review this information carefully:

Page 4: We are excited to unveil our new District mission and vision, which have been outlined in our Strategic Plan. The completed Strategic Plan, entitled Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030, is available on our website and highlights the District’s areas of focus. We invite all families to review Lighting the Way and learn more about how we plan to transform educational experiences for students using this plan as our roadmap.

Page 5: Schedules for all elementary school students have been adjusted to create greater efficiencies in how we transport our students and increase the number of elementary students who will receive transportation services this year.

Page 17: The Student Responsibilities section has been revised to include information about Academic Integrity and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom.

Page 18: Virtual Campus has been reimagined to provide flexibility and additional opportunities for students who choose to learn online.

Page 25: Increased Mental Health Supports and Resources for Students -Information on how students can access Counslr and Hazel Health has been added to this handbook.

We are excited to learn and grow with you this school year. Have a fantastic year!
We Get Better Together! All of Our Strengths Are Needed!  

Best,