Student & Family Handbook

There is no cost for the children of GSF Missionaries.

The cost to Global Outreach (non GSF) missionary children is:

• Elementary (K-5th grade): $1,750/child per year
• Middle and Upper school (6th-12th): $2,000/child per year

The cost for the children of families not affiliated with Global Outreach is:

• Elementary (K-5th grade): $3,500/child per year
• Middle and High School (6th– 12th): $4,000/child per year

These figures are for the 2024/2025 school year. Tuition is subject to change.

The school day begins at 8:45 with a “morning meeting.” Students may arrive up to fifteen minutes before the beginning of the school day. Supervision will not be guaranteed earlier. Students have 10 minute breaks between classes and a lunch break from 12:50 – 1:30. The school day ends at 3:20. On Fridays students will learn from home with assignments posted online.

Any assignments missed must be made up in a timely manner in coordination with the teachers. Absences in elementary school (K-5thgrade) and middle school (6th-8thgrades) must be fewer than 20 for the year or advancement to the next grade level may be in jeopardy. Absences in high school (9th-12thgrades) must be fewer than 12 per semester or no credit will be awarded for that semester/course. Exceptions may be granted due to unusual circumstances like extended illness. Please contact Cody Fox (+256744661407) by WhatsApp as soon as you know that your child(ren) will be absent so that he communicate with all the teachers who will be affected.

With this in mind, we ask that if you have a child who is sick, that you please keep them home until you are certain they are not contagious. Genera­lly speaking, the guidelines for many illnesses are 24 hours fever-free without fever-reducing medicine and 24 hours without vomiting and/or diarrhea, again, without medicine aiding in this. We kindly request teachers to follow the same guidelines.

For an illness such as a cold, we understand that it can be long-lasting, and we certainly do not expect you to keep your child at home that entire duration. We also recognize that certain illnesses, including malaria and bilharzia, are not contagious even with the above symptoms present. Please use your discretion in these circumstances.

The school year will consist of four quarters for elementary and middle school classes and two semesters for all high school classes. We will divide the school year in half around Christmas break, so that following first semester exams (high school), the students can have a true “Sabbath.” We will begin the school year in early to middle August, end in late May or early June, constituting a total of 180 school days. We will try to take Ugandan holidays into account as we schedule the school year, but we cannot guarantee that these days will be “off.”

We do not have specific graduation requirements. These will be determined by the parents, in consultation with the teachers, and will take into account each student’s particular post-secondary objectives. In light of this, parents should research the admission requirements for the colleges and universities that their child wishes to attend and we will work with the families to prepare the student for admission to the school of their choice. Standardized testing like the SAT is administered by the College Board at various locations in Kampala and it will be the parents’ responsibility to see that their child registers and takes any necessary tests. We are happy to advise and assist with this process.

We recommend the following:

• Math: 4 Credits
• Science: 4 Credits
• History: 4 Credits
• English: 4 Credits
• Bible/Theology: 4 Credits
• Foreign Language: 2 Credits
• Physical Education: 1/2 Credit
• Health: 1/2 Credit
• Fine Arts/Performing Arts: 1 Credit

GSF International School is not accredited by any organization. We are a “member school” of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). We submit transcripts to colleges as a “homeschool.” This is one reason why standardized testing is essential for our students who wish to apply to various colleges and universities. A College Board administered test such as the SAT serves as an independent reference point from which to view a student’s GPA and high school transcript.

Students must dress modestly as defined by the village context of GSF.

• Boys in K-5th may wear pants or modest shorts. After 5th grade, boys should only wear shorts during athletics.
• Boys in 6th-12th grade should wear long pants reaching to at least their mid-calf. These pants can be constructed of any material as long as they are of modest fit.
• Girls in K-4th grade can wear pants or shorts that are at least knee-length. If these are spandex or other similarly stretchy material, she must wear something over the spandex that covers her backside.
• Girls in 5th-12th grade should wear dresses or skirts that come to the knee or below. These dresses/skirts should not have any significant/revealing slits up their side that extend above the knee. Shorts to the knee are permitted in the context of athletics; leggings are permitted for athletics but should be worn under shorts/skirts/dresses.
• Any straps on shirts should be at least two finger-widths wide. This means that shirts with spaghetti straps do not comply with the dress code.
• Shirts should not intentionally display the midriff. Additionally, shirts should not be low-cut or display a lot of cleavage.
• Shirts should not be transparent enough to show a significant amount of undergarments. The messages/images on shirts should also be God-honoring and should not conflict with our cultural context at GSFIS.

This dress code is subject to change for special activities, with administrative approval.

If a student comes to school with attire that is out of correspondence with the above dress code, they will be given a wrap or t-shirt to wear during the school day. If a student has 3 violations of the dress code within a grading quarter, their parents will need to meet at the school with the administration to discuss further actions.

In the elementary school (K-5th) we will use the following grading scale:

4: Exemplary
3: Proficient
2: Developing
1: Emerging
N/A: Not Assessed

In the middle and high school, we will use the following grading scale:

If student work is turned in after it is due, there will be a 10% reduction in grade for each school day that it is late. For example, if it is due on Monday but is turned in on Tuesday, the maximum grade the student can receive is 90%. If it is due on Monday but turned in on Thursday, the maximum grade possible is a 60%. If not turned in by the fifth day, the grade will automatically become a 0%. Extenuating circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis, given communication with parents.

We commit to address outward behavior and internal “heart” problems from a loving and biblical perspective in partnership with the parents. Thus, we require at least one parent to be a professing Christian who agrees with the Global Outreach Statement of Faith which can be found at https://globaloutreach.org/about#statement-of-beliefs. Initial problems will be addressed by the teacher in the classroom. Should this not prove adequate, the appropriate administrator will be included in the conversation. At this point, a conversation with the parents will occur in order to make sure we are all proceeding in unison.

If you become aware of any violation of the following policy please let an administrator or teacher know immediately.

Abuse of any kind is not permitted. This would include verbal, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. We are to treat one another with kindness as we would want to be treated. Conversations should avoid gossip, vulgar or profane language, sexual joking or other inappropriate ways of speaking. Students and teachers should avoid inappropriate physical contact. Students and teachers are asked to treat one another with respect and dignity as each student is an image bearer of God. Abuse takes many shapes and forms. For the purpose of this document, abuse is identified as the maltreatment of any child, often in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power, which endangers or impairs the health or welfare of that child. Child abuse can occur with or without the consent of the victim. In the context of this policy, definitions include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.

Bullying: 

GSFIS does not tolerate bullying of any kind. Students engaged in any form of bullying will be subject to disciplinary action as laid out in the Discipline Procedure section above.

“Bullying occurs when a person or group is intimidated, frightened, excluded or hurt by a pattern of reoccurring behaviors directed at them by others.” “Bullying in Schools – The Hidden Curriculum” Greg Griffiths 2003

Some actions when present in an ongoing form that constitute bullying are:

• Physical aggression (including hitting, punching, kicking)
• Teasing or verbal abuse (including insults, name calling, racial remarks)
• Discrimination based on characteristics such as age, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, family status, physical or mental abilities
• Intentional exclusion from activities or friendship groups
• Putting others in humiliating situations or insulting experiences
• Damaging a person’s property/possessions or taking them without permission
• Threatening a person or his/her belongings through gestures, actions, or words
• Written/verbal/electronic messages that contain threats, putdowns, gossip or slander
• Cyberbullying through social media sites, instant messages, email or other electronic means. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. Cyberbullying also includes using electronic means to harass, threaten, or intimidate someone.

Sexual Harassment: 

GSFIS has adopted the following definition of sexual harassment:

“Sexual harassment means any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature, whether on a one-time basis or in a continuous series of incidents, that might reasonably: (a) be expected to cause offense or humiliation to any individual; or (b) be perceived by the individual as placing a condition of a sexual nature on employment or on any opportunity for training or promotion, academic status or academic accreditation; (c) interfere with an individual’s work or academic performance or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive working, academic or residence environment.” Federal Govt. Policy on Harassment in the Work Place, 1991, Canada

If behavior is identified that raises concerns regarding the treatment and social interactions of a child, but does not meet GSFIS’s definition of sexual harassment, a conclusion of inappropriate behavior will be reached.

As a result of the 2020 pandemic, we have been forced to learn new ways of conducting school. As we have learned this new technology, we have become convinced that some of these techniques need to become a permanent part of how we educate our students. All students will be enrolled in “Google Classrooms” and should be able to participate in “Zoom meetings” if needed. When school is meeting in our physical location, these features will merely supplement our teaching. However, when physically meeting together is not possible due to pandemic, political unrest, or prolonged student illness, etc., we will rely heavily on these platforms for instruction, assessment and communication. We will work with families to learn these new technologies and to ensure that every family has the means with which to use these programs. Fridays will be distance learning days unless communicated differently.