Additional Policies

Test Day Program

In order to ease the burden of testing and major assignments, and allow students to plan ahead, the Academy has instituted a “test day” program for all major subjects. The goal of this program is that all major assignments should be due, and tests scheduled on that subject’s “testing day.” However, if a test day is not available due to a holiday, assembly, or skip, an alternative day may be assigned. Tests may not be given on fast days.

Day of Week	Judaic Studies Subjects	General Studies Subjects
Mondays	Bible	English
Tuesdays	Talmud/Advanced Jewish Studies	Math
Wednesdays	Prophets	Science
Thursdays	Hebrew Language	History
Fridays

Students who are not in attendance in the morning may not be allowed to take a test in the afternoon for full credit.  Rather, their score will be automatically reduced by 1/2 grade (5 points on a 100-point scale).  Make-up tests may be given on a different day than listed above.

Semester final make-ups will be given on the Friday of finals week (exceptions to this may occur based on the calendar year).

There is no testing on paper for seniors the week of October 28th

Grades Point Schedule

Ida Crown Jewish Academy assigns course grade points in accordance with the schedule below. Grade point average is calculated based on the final semester grade only. Minus (-) or plus (+) has no effect on GPA calculations. Valid transfer credits, while listed on ICJA transcripts, are not included in GPA calculations.

GRADE	REGULARS	HONORS	Accelerated
A	4	5	5
B	3	4	4
C	2	3	3
D	1	2	2

Ida Crown Jewish Academy Guidance Department Director of Guidance – Ms. Susan Weiss (773-973-1450 x 121)

ACT/SAT High School Code: 140-725

Auspices: Associated Talmud Torahs – A beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Chicago

Request for Program or Class Change

Students wishing to change classes must submit a completed “class change” form by clicking here (co-signed by his/her parent) to the Guidance Dept. As a rule, students will have an initial response within 2 class days. All requests for fall class changes must be submitted by Sept 20.

In extraordinary circumstances a student may be allowed to drop a class after the drop deadline. In such cases a grade of “W” (for “Withdrew”) will be assigned. The grade will not be averaged in the GPA but will appear as the semester grade for the course.

Outside Coursework Policy

In order to ensure the quality of the ICJA academic program, the following is the policy on transfer credit.

1. Students who are enrolled in ICJA must receive prior approval from the guidance department when taking outside courses for credit. This approval should be obtained at least 6 weeks in advance of the school year in which the course is to be taken. Approval requests can be submitted via the “Outside Credit” form by clicking here. Pre-high school credits are non-transferrable to ICJA.
2. Transfer courses will be accepted at ICJA only for elective credit and not to meet core requirements. For example, if a student wishes to take a history course outside of ICJA, that course will not fulfill one of the 3.5 history credits required for graduation but will count towards the elective credit required for graduation. Or, a student who takes a regular level chemistry course in the summer, will still be required to take three years of science at ICJA, but may be able to advance to an honors level chemistry or directly to a regular level physics course.
3. If a student failed a required course, s/he may, with the prior approval of the guidance department, be allowed to make-up that course outside of ICJA.
4. Credits from other accredited schools will be accepted based on the number of hours completed. One year of credit is equal to 120 hours of in-class instruction plus any homework.
5. While grades from transfer credits will be recorded on the ICJA transcript, they will not count in the student’s GPA or class rank.
6. During the school year, an outside course may only be taken if it is in a subject that is not offered or cannot be scheduled at ICJA.
7. Enrollment in online courses will be subject to review based on a student’s attendance and demonstration of the ability to work independently.

Students may be granted approval to take external credits under the following conditions:

  1. To move up to another level course for the following year.

  2. To take an AP course that is not offered at ICJA.

  3. To take a core ICJA course that we are unable to schedule. In such an instance, ICJA will bear the online course costs.

  4. Students with an IEP and receiving academic support may be eligible for online classes on a case-by-case basis. A specific recommendation from Academic Support and approval by ICJA administration. Course progress needs to be monitored weekly by Academic support.

Kollel Extra Credit Policy

Kollel extra credit will be available to students who study in the Kollel for 10 documented hours and will grant a grade symbol change only in the subject studied in the kollel. A maximum of one symbol change may be earned by a student each semester.

Kashruth

All food brought into the building must be Kosher in accordance with proper school-sanctioned certification (e.g., cRc, OU, Kaf-K, o-K).

A “K” is not necessarily a valid symbol of Kashruth and therefore is unacceptable. Home cooked foods are not permitted to be served to others during school. All food purchased off-campus during school hours must adhere to school standards of Kashruth, and all restaurants frequented must be under Orthodox rabbinical supervision.

Driving & Parking Privileges

Students with valid drivers’ licenses may use the ICJA parking lot under the following conditions:

• For permission to park any vehicle in the parking lot, students must have their license plate numbers and vehicles registered with the office.
• Drivers may never exceed 5 m.p.h. while on school grounds.
• Do not park in any reserved spaces which are indicated with a sign.
• Illegal parking may result in a warning or the student’s car may be towed. ALL towing costs and fines will be YOUR responsibility.
• Unsafe driving practice is strictly prohibited and will result in suspension of parking privileges and/or detention.

Failure to comply with any of the above rules may result in suspension of parking privileges on Academy grounds, fines and detention.

Lockers

Each locker is equipped with a combination lock. To ensure the safety of one’s valuables, we suggest that students not give out their combinations and keep lockers locked at all times. (If you have any questions or have trouble opening your locker, see Mrs. Nylund.) ICJA lockers belong to the school and from time to time may be checked. Any decorations inside/outside must conform to school standards and writing on inside/outside of the locker is forbidden. The administration will require removal of inappropriate material with penalty for offensive material.

Additional

Ida Crown Jewish Academy is committed to a policy of non-discrimination. No child regardless of sex, disability, race or national origin will be denied an education at Ida Crown Jewish Academy. Nor will any staff member be denied employment because of age, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Employment will be determined by qualifications to fulfill job requirements.

Everyone employed in a field requiring licensure must hold and practice within the scope of the relevant license. All individuals assigned to a full-time teaching or administrative position as of 2011-2012 must hold a bachelor’s or higher degree. All employees are required to be fingerprinted and a criminal background check will be conducted through the Illinois State Police and the FBI. The school will not employ any individual who has been convicted for committing attempted first degree murder or for committing or attempting to commit a Class X felony or any one or more of the offenses enumerated in 105 ILCS s/21-23(a), 105 ILCS 5/21B-80. All employees are checked in the Statewide Sex Offender Database and the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. The school has completed and kept on file the required employment history review documents under 105 ILCS 5/22-94(c)(3) and (4) for any new applicant hired on or after July 1, 2023. All employees must provide evidence of freedom from communicable disease, including tuberculosis. All offers of employment are conditioned on receipt of a background check report that is acceptable to ICJA. All background checks are conducted in conformity with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and state and federal privacy and anti-discrimination laws. Reports are kept confidential and are only viewed by individuals involved in the hiring process. If information obtained in a background check would lead ICJA to deny employment, a copy of the report will be provided to the applicant, and the applicant would have the opportunity to dispute the report’s accuracy. ICJA agrees to comply with any other applicable State or federal law or regulatory requirement.

Teachers and staff are permitted to photograph student activities that further the mission and educational goals of the school.

If transportation is provided to students, ICJA Teachers and/or Staff should be accompanied by another Teacher or Staff member when transporting a student.

ICJA Teachers and/or Staff should not transport students in their privately owned vehicle unless the Teacher and/or Staff member has obtained prior permission from a member of the ICJA administration.

When transporting a student in a privately-owned vehicle, permission from the parent/ guardian should be obtained and documented in writing. If it is not feasible to obtain advance permission or notify a parent/guardian prior to transporting the student (such as an emergency situation or when a parent/guardian cannot be contacted), ICJA Teachers and/or Staff should take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the student; within a reasonable period of time following transportation of a student, Teacher and/or Staff should document what actions were taken and notify ICJA administration in a follow up communication.   

Upon enrollment in the school, parents are notified of this policy and may opt out at any time.

ICJA must check the Illinois State Police Missing Persons Database when receiving a records request for any current or former student.  

Certified copies of transfer students’ records must be requested within 14 days of enrollment; ICJA must send unofficial records of students transferring to other schools within 10 days of the request.

Public Act 103-0348 (effective on Jan. 1, 2025) specifies that all school districts, public schools, charter schools, and nonpublic schools must maintain a supply of an opioid antagonist in any secure location where an individual may have an opioid overdose. ISBE has worked collaboratively with the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on implementation of the Act. On Feb. 22, IDPH released a revised standing protocol, which allows schools to obtain a supply of opioid antagonists without a prescription allowing a school nurse or other trained person to administer the medication to someone exhibiting signs of an overdose on school property. The availability of the opioid antagonist standing order and the recent undesignated asthma inhaler standing order, both instigated by IDPH, have greatly eased the burden for schools in securing the required orders for emergency medications. Schools are seeing an increased number of students with chronic health conditions and there is an increased threat of opioid-involved overdoses, so students will benefit greatly from prompt treatment when minutes count. ICJA reserves the right to administer opioid antagonist if a student shows signs of opioid overdose.