Updated October 18, 2024
The following is a description of BCS guidelines and the Student Code of Conduct to which we expect BCS parents and students to adhere. Adherence to the guidelines and Student Code of Conduct will provide a safe learning environment for the BCS community. Thank you for your cooperation.
Coming to BCS
BCS is located at Tenafly High School, 19 Columbus Drive, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
School is in session on Sunday afternoons from 1:00pm to 3:45pm. Students should be picked promptly at 3:45pm.
Upon arriving at the Tenafly High School, please enter the building at the main entrance, which is the entrance at the front of the building. Doors open at 1pm.
The school day is divided into 3 periods:
- Period 1: 1pm – 1:50pm
- Period 2: 2pm – 2:50pm
- Period 3: 3pm – 3:45pm
There is a 10-minute break between Period 1 and Period 2 and then another one between Period 2 and Period 3. During break time, students may go to the cafeteria to have a snack/drink. Please make sure your children know where to go during break time. Under no circumstances should any student exit the building during the break times. If your child requires assistance or needs to see you during break, we recommend you stay in the cafeteria for the day.
BCS staff is usually stationed in the cafeteria when school is in session. If you need to talk to BCS staff, you can find us in the cafeteria.
- Principal: Raymond Chung (鍾文祥), principal@bergenchineseschool.com
- Registrar: Chloe Wen (文思蘋), admin@bergenchineseschool.com
- Academic Dean: Sheupin Lin (林淑萍), bcs.sheupin@gmail.com
Parking
General parking is available on the left side of the school as you face the entrance (Westerly Dr.) and in the extended parking lot (Tenafly Middle School lot) which is a short walk away. Please note that the parking lot closest to the entrance (on the right as you face the front entrance) is reserved for teachers and staff. Please do not park in the lot reserved for teachers and staff as it disrupts the teachers’ ability to start classes on-time due to unexpectedly having to find parking elsewhere. The extended lot is only a short walk away and there is plenty of parking there.
Please also do not park near the curb at the front of the entrance. This area is a fire lane and cannot be used for parking. You can temporarily stop for drop-off or pick-up, but you cannot park here as Tenafly police will come by if they see vehicles parked in this area. Drivers should not exit their cars. There should be no double parking at any time. Please be mindful of the traffic by helping us move the traffic along the front of the school. If your child needs assistance getting out of the car, it is best that you park in the designated areas and walk your child to the entrance. Please allow plenty of time for pick up/drop off. Everyone’s complete cooperation will help strengthen the safety of our children. Please obey all traffic signs and parking rules. This will help facilitate a quick and smooth drop-off or pick-up for everyone in the BCS community. Please model patience, safety, and etiquette for our children by treating all community members respectfully.
http://bergenchineseschool.org/contact-us/parking-and-entrance/
Attendance
Please be aware that attendance will be taken by teachers every week. It is important for students to attend school every week in a timely manner. BCS gives out a perfect attendance award at the end of the year to students who satisfy the requirements for perfect attendance.
Requirements for perfect attendance:
- Students who start on the first week of school must attend all 30 weeks of the academic year.
- Students who register and start on the second or third weeks of school must attend all remaining weeks of the academic year.
- Students who register and start on or after the fourth week of school are not eligible.
- Total time missed per week (being late or leaving early) cannot exceed 15 minutes.
- Requirements for perfect attendance do not change for students in third grade and up who attend cultural classes.
- Students must be present at the annual Chinese New Year celebration.
- Participation at a BCS-approved scholastic competition is not counted as an absence.
Doors will be locked for safety
Please note that the front and side doors will be locked after school starts. Doors open at 1pm, but will be closed and locked at 1:30pm for the safety of our students. Doors will be reopened at 3:30pm in preparation for dismissal and remain open afterwards. Please notify staff if you or your child need to enter the school between 1:30pm and 3:30pm.
While the doors are locked, they cannot be opened from the outside, but can still be opened from the inside in case of emergency. Please do not prop any of the doors open during these hours as it compromises the safety of our school. If you should see any doors propped open, please let BCS staff know.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us make BCS a safe learning environment.
Respectful use of classrooms
Teachers and students should refrain from using any equipment in the classrooms, including dry erase markers, erasers, pens, pencils, etc. BCS will provide all materials for teachers. Teachers should also not use electronic equipment, like smart boards or document scanners, for liability reasons. Students are reminded that there should be no writing on the desks and desks should be returned to their original positions if they are moved. Respectful use of the classrooms is essential for maintaining the privilege extended to us by Tenafly High School.
Family restroom available
The all-gender restroom has been made available for use as a family restroom. The family restroom is located across from the principal’s office (right turn at the Pit on the way towards the main gym). We hope that this will enhance the convenience and safety of younger students who require the assistance of an opposite gender parent.
Dismissal procedure
Depending on the grade of your child, please observe the following:
- PreK-2: Parents should wait outside of the classroom to pick up their children. Students will not be escorted to the cafeteria at dismissal. Students will not be allowed to leave the building alone.
- Grade 3+: Students may go out on their own through the front entrance or meet with parents in the cafeteria.
For early dismissal, please notify your child’s teacher in advance. In addition to notifying the teacher that your children will need to leave early, please make sure your children know to stay in the classroom until you pick them up. If you plan to pick up your children during a break, your children will wait in the classroom for you. Students will not be allowed to exit the building alone while school is in session, i.e., you cannot wait outside for your child to come out.
Withdrawal and refund policy
Please note that the enrollment commitment is for the entire academic year (September to June).
BCS will refund 100% of the tuition and parent duty security deposit (excludes registration fee, textbooks, and any processing fees) if a student withdraws from BCS within the first 3 weeks of the school year. We will deduct online payment service fees, if any.
No refund is provided if withdrawal is after week 3.
The cost of textbooks may be refunded only if they are still in brand new, unused condition. There must be no writing, highlighting, or eraser marks in any textbooks for which a refund is sought.
Eating/drinking
Eating or drinking is allowed only in the cafeteria. No eating or drinking is allowed in the classroom.
Food allergen notice
It is important to be aware that BCS is not a peanut-free school. Bergen Chinese School, PTA, and Chinese Service Center USA are aware and appreciate that some individuals may have serious allergies to certain foods. Bergen Chinese School, PTA, and Chinese Service Center USA will not knowingly purchase foods intended for distribution to the school community that clearly contain peanuts. In the unlikely case that food purchased by Bergen Chinese School, PTA, or Chinese Service Center USA contains peanuts, it will be clearly labeled. However, donated food or food brought in by parents, students, food vendors, sponsors, and other external sources is out of the control of Bergen Chinese School, PTA, and Chinese Service Center USA. Please plan accordingly.
Medical emergencies
Please be aware that Bergen Chinese School is not equipped to handle medical emergencies, so please take appropriate precautions if your child requires any special medical treatment, especially with respect to food allergies. It is the sole responsibility of the parents to manage their children’s food allergies in case there is an accidental exposure. Bergen Chinese School staff, including teachers, will not dispense any medication to students. In the case of serious medical emergencies, Bergen Chinese School staff may call 911 to assist and any financial consequences will be the sole responsibility of the students’ parents.
No smoking or tobacco products use in school building
Smoking or use of tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, in the school building is strictly prohibited. Smoking includes the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping devices, and “e-cigarettes”.
No pets on school premises
In accordance with Tenafly Board of Education policy, pet animals are not permitted on school district grounds, except by the express permission of the Building Principal. Without such permission, a pet owner who brings or permits his/her animal on school grounds has committed an act of trespass. BCS does not have express permission of the Building Principal to allow the presence of any pet animals on school property. Therefore, no pet animals are allowed on school grounds, including inside the school building and on the school fields.
Parent duty and volunteering
A parent duty deposit is paid at the time of registration. The parent duty deposit is refunded when students leave the school or can be applied to the parent duty deposit the following academic year if the parents have performed parent duties throughout the school year. There are many parent duty roles to choose from and we ask that each family sign up for 5 parent duty slots during the school year to fulfill the parent duty obligation. The school and the students benefit greatly when parents volunteer their time to help run the school.
Parents are encouraged to get involved! We encourage you to get involved and to seek out opportunities to support the BCS community. Whether it is as a class parent, a PTA officer, or a dean of students, any involvement will serve to build the very environment that nurtures your children’s learning and growth here at BCS.
Remind
BCS uses Remind as a way to get important announcements to parents in a timely manner. This tool will be used for emergency notifications such as snow day, school closure, and other important notifications outside of our weekly newsletter. We will not be spamming you. Details on signing up for Remind are available in our weekly newsletter.
COVID-19 Guidelines
Following CDC, NJ & Tenafly Schools, masks are optional for everyone, including teachers.
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not to wear a mask, please be respectful of others’ choices.
Self-check for symptoms before coming to school.
People who have symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, should stay home. Seeing a medical professional to find out whether the symptoms are due to COVID or other illness is recommended. If you or your child tests positive for COVID-19, please stay home to minimize transmission. Currently, the standard COVID recovery time remains five days from symptom onset. Staff and students are expected to be fully recovered and 24 hours fever-free before coming to school.
If you have any questions about whether or not to come to school, please contact the Principal (principal@bergenchineseschool.com).
Please note that the above is subject to change depending on CDC guideline updates and allowing some time for the school to gauge the risk of changing guidance.
Student Code of Conduct
The following behaviors are considered inappropriate for students. However, these are only examples of inappropriate behaviors; other offenses will be dealt with on an individual basis.
It is of utmost importance that we respect the rental facility’s properties (Tenafly High School) and that students exhibit proper behavior towards teachers and fellow classmates.
Both students and parents are not permitted to touch, play with, or damage the rental facility properties in classrooms, restrooms, and hallways. In classrooms, students are not permitted to touch or use anything in the classrooms except for the desks and materials provided by BCS or by teachers.
No students should be in a classroom in which a teacher or TA is not present.
The use of the rental facility’s electronic equipment, such as smart boards, TVs, projectors, computers, and the like, for any purpose is strictly forbidden. Disciplinary actions, including expulsion with no tuition refund, will be considered for violation of the rules identified in this Student Code of Conduct depending on severity.
Footwear having wheels or capable of having wheels are not allowed to be worn in school. Heelys are essentially sneakers with wheels installed in the heel of the shoe and allow the user to skate or walk. Footwear having wheels or capable of having wheels are not allowed to be worn inside the school building.
While the dangers of roller skating or roller blading indoors are apparent, the dangers arising from the use of Heelys are less obvious. Potential injuries to self and others are the main concerns. Some common injuries associated with Heelys include:
- Upper-limb injuries
- Slipping backwards on level ground
- Wrist injuries, which are common for new users
- Injuries to others due to collision
Injuries sustained by users of Heelys are similar to those of roller skating, but heelers are less likely to wear the same safety gear that roller skaters or roller bladers would wear. Skating indoors increases the risk of hitting hard objects when falling causing a more serious type of injury. Therefore, footwear having wheels or capable of having wheels will not be allowed to be worn inside the school building. Violations will be handled as a level 1 offense in accordance to the BCS Student Code of Conduct.
Use of cell phones, including wireless accessories, like earbuds and headphones, are not allowed in the classroom. All students, including teaching assistants, will not be allowed to use their cell phones, including wireless accessories like earbuds and headphones, in the classroom.
Student use of wireless communication devices in school, particularly cell phones, has negative effects on academic performance, focus, and mental health. At the very least, the user not only distracts himself or herself from classroom instruction, he or she also distracts others in the classroom from the teachers’ instruction and distracts the teacher as well. In order to create an environment focused on learning, BCS will not allow students and teaching assistants to use their cell phones in class unless it is for instructional purposes. Use of cell phones in the bathroom will also not be allowed.
We appreciate that cell phones are an important communication tool, especially in cases of emergency. If any student or teaching assistant needs to make a call or send a message, he or she must seek the teacher’s permission. Otherwise, cell phones and wireless accessories must be stowed away during class time. Students may use cell phones during the break times, but they must be stowed away promptly when class begins. They cannot be late to class due to their cell phone use. Violations will be handled as a level 1 offense in accordance to the BCS Student Code of Conduct.
LEVEL 1
- Playing or tampering with the rental facility’s properties in classrooms and hallways
- Tardiness
- Unexcused absence(s)
- Cheating
- Classroom disruptions (talking or walking around the room without permission)
- School disruptions (misbehaving in the cafeteria, hallways, or on school grounds)
- Running in hallways; throwing objects
- Entering unauthorized sections of the school or rental facility
- Being present in a classroom in which a teacher or teaching assistant is not present
LEVEL 2
- Use of the rental facility’s electronic devices without consent
- Damaging and/or destroying the rental facility or school property (toys, supplies, etc.) or school displays (including but not limited to art displays, student projects)
- Stealing; possessing stolen property on school grounds
- Harassment, bullying and/or intimidation, including but not limited to behaviors such as making or writing comments about someone’s race, national origin, religion, color, sex, or handicap to make him or her feel bad or fearful
- Failure to comply with warnings or instructions of any teacher or person having authority over the student
- Having or using tobacco products on school grounds
- Engaging in aggressive physical or verbal behavior
- Leaving class/campus without permission
- Engaging in behaviors that jeopardize the safety of others
- Repeated Level 1 violations
LEVEL 3 (Serious Misbehavior)
- Vandalism of the rental facility’s property including but not limited to electronic devices
- Damage caused by use of the rental facility’s computers, such as installing harmful or illegal files or using the computer for illegal activities
- Fighting or any careless/harmful action which causes danger and/or injury to a person or persons; or damaging property
- Threatening school staff, students, guests of the school and/or rental facility staff with violence or other harm
- Using, selling, or possessing alcohol, controlled dangerous substances, drugs, drug-related items, or look-alikes on school grounds
- Possessing weapons or dangerous objects in school
- Setting fire on any part of school property or the rental facility
- Making or sending bomb threats or false fire alarms
- Committing crimes or illegal conduct at school or at school activities
- Repeated LEVEL 2 violations
Consequences
The school’s administrators will consider the seriousness and cause of the offense as well as the attitude of the student when determining the consequences for students who break BCS rules. The following disciplinary consequences will be among those invoked and applied by BCS:
LEVEL 1, 2 or 3
- Correction and/or counseling by the teacher
- Telephone call or letter to the parents by the teacher
- Referral to principal who may counsel the student and/or contact the parents
- An agreement among the student, the parent(s), and BCS officials of specific behavior improvement and changes
- Detention
- Reimbursement of cost suffered by the rental facility or BCS
LEVEL 2 or 3
- Suspension (removal from school for a period of time without tuition refund)
LEVEL 3
- Referral to law enforcement officer
- Expulsion (permanent removal from school without tuition refund)