Cafeteria

During lunch students are restricted to the cafeteria and courtyard. Additional areas are designated by staff for inclement weather. Students must have a completed lunch pass from a teacher to be in a classroom. Students are NOT allowed to eat lunch in the Bulldog Commons.

Due to safety concerns, food and beverage drop-offs by parents and vendors will not be permitted. The school will not hold or return any food that is dropped off.  

Parents are encouraged to establish a lunch account online. 

Visit: http://palmbeach.schoolcashonline.com.  

Application forms for free or reduced price lunches are available online at  Palmbeachschools.org/sfs and are available from the Cafeteria Manager.

School lunches are available for students and faculty through the Federal School Lunch Program Act. A variety of foods are served and many items are offered a la carte. In order to retain a pleasant atmosphere in the cafeteria, the following guidelines have been established.

1. Students are to enter and leave the cafeteria in an orderly manner through the designated doors.

2. Students are to take a place in the serving line as they enter the cafeteria. NO skipping or cutting in line is permitted. While a student is in the cafeteria, he/she must be seated or exit to the courtyard.

3. Conversations are to be confined to persons at the table where the student is seated; no yelling across the cafeteria.

4. After students have finished eating, all garbage is to be cleared from the tables and deposited in garbage cans.

5. Tables and floors are to be left clear and clean. Each student is responsible for the table area where he/she is seated.

6. Students are responsible for leaving all lunch areas clean.

7. Students are to use the restrooms in the cafeteria. Additional student restrooms will be located in Building 2 during lunches.

8. A limited number of students may go to the Bulldog Commons during lunch using the exterior staircase only.

Electronic Device Policy

Recently, the State of Florida introduced House Bill 379 regarding the use of cellular devices in schools. 

“A student may possess a wireless communications device while the student is on school property or in attendance at a school function. A student may not use a wireless communications device during instructional time, except when expressly directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes.” (HB379)

It is important to note that the following from HB 379 - TikTok may not be used to communicate or promote any District school, school-sponsored club, extracurricular organization, or athletic team.

While electronic devices are allowed on campus during the school day, there are limitations. Students will be allowed to use their phones before and after school, during lunch, and during class change. 

Cellphones MAY NOT be used during classroom instruction for any reason unless directed by their teacher for academic purposes. 

Any student who refuses to follow classroom cell phone policies may face disciplinary consequences including silent lunch, after school detention, and/or in school suspension.

Late Arrivals/Early Dismissal

Procedures for Leaving Campus:

If a student is transporting him or herself:

If a student has a doctor, dentist, or other approved appointment during school hours, the parent/guardian must send a note with the student. The student must turn in the note in the morning to Student Services to receive a pass. The pass will then be shown to their teacher at the time in which they need to leave campus.  The student must report to the Main Office prior to leaving and properly sign out. 

Students under the age of 16 will not be permitted to walk off campus or be transported by another student. Therefore, parental pick up is required.

If a student is getting picked up early:

If a student has a doctor, dentist, or other approved appointment during school hours, the parent/guardian or listed contact on SIS must report to the Main Office to sign out the student. There are no early releases after 2:25 p.m. This prevents early releases from blocking the entry and exit of school buses and backing up traffic. 

Once a student comes onto school property in the morning, he/she must follow the sign-out procedure.

All students who become ill are required to check-out with the clinic. Students must have a telephone number listed on their parent contact screen where a parent can be reached in order to obtain parental permission to go home or to get picked up.

Note: Updates for parental contact must be made by parents/guardians in person in the Guidance Office.

Caller-ID is used by Main Office Staff to verify parents calling to release students early.

Late Arrival:

All students are expected to be on time to school and in class when the tardy bell finishes ringing. Students who arrive late to campus must report to Student Services to sign in via Student Conductor. Habitual tardiness and consequences are addressed in our Tardy Policy.   Tardies will be tracked through the Student Conductor System. All students MUST have their Student IDs on them at all times which allows them to use the system. 

Dr. Joaquín García High School does not accept parent notes or phone calls to excuse tardies. Oversleeping, missing the bus, traffic, car problems or illness not confirmed by doctor, etc. will not be excused. All students receive 6 free passes per semester.

Late Buses: Student Conductor Stations will be available for students to sign in and receive a pass. (Late Bus issues DO NOT count towards the tardy policy) 

Tardy Policy

Students are expected to arrive to class on time. Tardiness will be logged through the Student Conductor System. Students are required to have their Student IDs when using this system.

*Tardies will restart each semester.

Dress Code Policy

The school’s administration reserves the right to make the final determination on what is and is not appropriate. 

District Dress Code Policy 5.182 (Student and Families Handbook)

District-Wide Student Dress Code To help create the best learning environment for District students, the District-wide Dress Code must be observed in all District schools. This Code provides a minimal District-wide dress code, which should apply even if a school implements a School Specific (Standard) Dress Code or Higher Standard (Uniform) Dress Code as provided in this Policy. Specifically, the following attire is unacceptable in virtual classrooms or District schools:

 i. Attire with language or images that are crude, vulgar, profane, lewd/obscene, sexually explicit, or sexually suggestive. 

ii. Attire with symbols, mottoes, words, or acronyms that promote illegal or violent conduct, such as gang symbols, the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia, or clothing that contains threats. 

iii. Attire associated with discrimination based on age, color, handicap, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, race, religion, or sex. 

iv. Clothing traditionally designed, as undergarments, such as boxer shorts or sleepwear, may not be worn as outer garments.

v. Clothing that is sexually suggestive or revealing (examples include, but is not limited to, clothing which exposes the midriff, exposes one’s undergarments, have plunging necklines, muscle tops, backless clothing, and are constructed of see-through materials). 

vi. Attire that may be used as a weapon, including but not limited to, steel toed shoes; large, long, or heavy waist or other chains; studded or chained accessories; items with spikes; and other items deemed inappropriate by an individual school site. 

vii. Articles of clothing that cause excessive maintenance problems for school property, such as, shoe cleats that scratch floors or tear rugs, trousers with metal rivets that scratch furniture, etc. 

viii. Clothing which, because of fit, design, color, texture, inadequate coverage, or some other factor, creates classroom or school disorder or distract the attention of another student or students in any class in session from the lesson being presented or from any other assigned school activity, or which creates a safety or health hazard for any student in the school.

ix. Jewelry worn in a manner that presents a safety health hazard or causes a major disruption to the educational process. Examples may be chains hanging from the belt pocket or attached to the wallet.

Non Negotiables at Dr. Joaquín García High School:

1. Clothing may NOT be sexually suggestive or revealing.

2. Leg coverings (e.g., shorts, skirts, dresses)  must be at arm’s length or longer.

3. No sunglasses indoors.

4. No hats, bandannas, picks, combs, wave caps, or any type of head coverings.

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