Student Handbook

Welcome to Colorado Military Academy

The Colorado Military Academy (CMA) Student Handbook serves as a guide for students and families to understand school policies, procedures, expectations, and resources. It outlines the responsibilities of students, parents, and staff to create a safe, respectful, and structured learning environment.

Handbook Overview

Download the Student Handbook

Updates & Revisions

Acknowledgment & Digital Signature

Handbook

School Contact Information

Philosophy & General Information

WHAT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL?

CMA is a tuition-free public school chartered by the Colorado Charter School Institute. Charter schools were created in Colorado to offer parents the chance to create innovative schools and run them. They are public schools and receive the state Per Pupil Revenues (PPR) based on number of students served. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools. By law, they may not discriminate based on race, socio-economic status, gender, or ability.

CMA is authorized under the Charter Schools Act (C.R.S. 22-30.5 et seq.), a law passed in 1993 by the State Legislature. A public charter school operates via a contract, or charter, with the local Board of Education or with the State Charter School Institute. The charter stipulates authority and responsibilities given to the charter school’s governing board. Charter schools operate with autonomy while being held accountable for results. Students in charter schools take the same required academic tests (CMAS and others) and School Performance Framework for each school are available on the Colorado Department of Education website. Periodically, typically during a renewal period, charter schools undergo an external evaluation from their authorizer. Additionally, charter schools are ultimately responsible to their consumers—the parents and students who choose to attend.

Public charter schools are mission-led schools with a specific emphasis. CMA’s military emphasis includes the Civil Air Patrol program for seventh through 12th graders blended with research-based curriculum in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grades along with STEAM and Project-Based Learning. Emphasis on Character Education and its integration into real-life is a priority.

A BIT OF HISTORY

CMA was founded by a group of veterans from the Armed Forces and several community leaders in the education field. They consulted with leaders from successful military schools in other states. They believed that the Colorado Springs area offered a unique opportunity for military education with its five military bases and large retired military community. With a desire to serve active-duty military families and to prepare students for future military service, they created this unique school. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education was a natural fit for college prep and future military careers.

The school received its charter from the Charter School Institute and opened in the fall of 2017.

VISION

Colorado Military Academy is a nationally recognized military charter school for leadership and character development and is built upon the American Military Education Learning Model. CMA focuses on a curriculum of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) as well as aerospace studies established in a military structure enabled by the Civil Air Patrol. Colorado Military Academy is a preschool - 12th grade learning institution.

MISSION

CMA’s mission is to prepare students for today’s colleges and tomorrow’s careers by engaging students in a rigorous and high-tech curriculum in science, technology, engineering, Art and math (STEAM) while building strong moral character through an environment of military leadership, while making student and staff safety our top priority.

CORE VALUES Colorado Military Academy Core Values:

P- Positivity, R – Respect, I – Integrity, D – Discipline, E – Excellence (PRIDE)

HONOR CODE

A Colorado Military Academy cadet will not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate such actions.

OUR COMMITMENT and STATEMENT OF COMPELLING INTERESTS

CMA recognizes that while there are other school models available in the Colorado Springs region, we are committed to the military emphasis we have chosen. We will ensure academic excellence within our framework. This model is not for everyone, but it is at the core of what we do.

The statements and purposes that follow here define the identity of Colorado Military Academy. They inform the community of what CMA is about. They guide those who would enroll students in our school and those who would seek employment with us. They are central to our mission and activities. They define and are the measures of our success.

Colorado Military Academy has a compelling interest in maintaining the integrity of the school and its mission. This includes an insistence that persons associated with the school are committed to its educational principles and maintain lives that model strong moral character. This alignment is congruent with and complementary to the statements above that guide our work.

PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE OUR SCHOOL

EDUCATION IS, FIRST OF ALL, A RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS. We recognize that parents are lifelong learners and must choose the product and delivery method that they determine is best for their child and family.

RIGOROUS ACADEMICS: At CMA, we engage students from preK-12 in positive learning, character building, and critical thinking. By exploring their potential through various methods, we instill core values, creativity, and organization, aiming to develop future leaders. Our project-based approach combines STEAM concepts, military studies, and rigorous academics to prepare students for real-world challenges. Through standards-based curriculum and research-based practices, we foster adaptive learning that stimulates and inspires students to apply their knowledge critically and with resilience.

STEAM EDUCATION: "The arts" at Colorado Military Academy (CMA) encompass Science, Technology, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Drama, and Language Arts. CMA is dedicated to offering a balanced and diverse curriculum that enables all students to explore and develop their skills across these disciplines. By fostering discovery and exploration, CMA aims to build a strong foundation for higher education and future careers, ensuring that students are well rounded and prepared for a wide range of opportunities.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: Is an instructional approach where students engage in hands-on projects that are designed to solve real-world problems or answer complex questions. Integrating PBL into a curriculum, especially one focused on STEAM and military leadership can be highly effective.

MILITARY EDUCATION is provided through Civil Air Patrol (CAP), which takes place during the school day for grades 7 through 12. (Optional but recommended for 7th and 8th grade. Required for 9th through 12th grades.) We will develop graduates who are leaders, who are resilient, with strong moral character, core values and discipline so that they can overcome the battlefield of life.

CHARACTER EDUCATION for the development of the whole child will include many traits or Core Virtues (on a two-year rotation) such as:

Respect

Leadership

Integrity

Excellence
Responsibility

Determination

Service

Honor
Generosity

Perseverance

Loyalty

Discipline

These traits will be taught, discussed, modeled, and practiced. Several community service projects will be performed each year. Real-life heroes who exemplify the traits will be invited to speak to our students. Emphasis will be placed on living the things we talk about and making our lives reflect them. Staff will model these traits as well. We know that what we are matters more to children than what we say.

MILITARY LIFE is an integrated part of our school. We have students that are from active-duty families. Peterson AFB provides a Military Life Counselor for these students. We also employ a percentage of active-duty and retired military as staff.

The statements and purposes above define the identity of Colorado Military Academy. They inform the community of what we are about. They guide those who would enroll students in our school and those who would seek employment with us. They are central to our mission and activities. They will define and be the measures of our success.

Colorado Military Academy has a compelling interest in maintaining the integrity of the school and its mission. This includes an insistence that persons associated with it are committed to its educational principles and maintain lives that model strong moral character. This alignment is congruent with and complementary to the statements above that guides our work.

GENERAL PHILOSOPHY

Colorado Military Academy is a Colorado nonprofit educational organization founded on strong principles. It is of utmost importance to the proper functioning of CMA that our parents and students be committed to these principles as described above. Children believe what we do more than what we say. We encourage personal commitment to strong moral character and participation in the educational process with individual loyalty to these guiding principles.

Colorado Military Academy views each enrolled family as a member of the CMA community. Each of us, no matter what our role, must represent our school well whether at the school, at school-sponsored activities elsewhere, or in our lives outside of school hours.

Governance

SCHOOL GOVERANCE

CMA is governed by a board of military and community leaders.

The current Board of Directors are:

∙ Brigadier General Douglas Murray, PhD (ret.): Board President

∙ Dr. Robert Applegate PhD: Secretary & Treasurer

∙ Mark Hyatt: Board Member

∙ Cindy Schaefer: Board Member

∙ Robert ‘Kent’ Traylor: Board Member

∙ Chris Starkus: Board Member and CMA Parent

∙ Brian Scott: Board Member and Community Member

Full Board of Director Biographies can be found on the CMA Website.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

Board meetings are held approximately once per month, usually the third Tuesday of the month from 4-6 PM. Meetings are open to the public. Notification of board meetings are posted at the school, on our website and the CMA Facebook page. Attendees can join the meetings in person or virtually. Occasional Executive Sessions to discuss personnel matters, confidential student matters, contract negotiations and the like are closed to the public.

BOARD COMMITTEES

There are a number of standing Board Committees.

Nominating Committee Stakeholder Committee
Finance Committee Executive Committee

SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE

This committee can be composed of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. The School Accountability Committee meets three to four times per year to review the budget, school growth and staffing needs, and the Unified Improvement Plan. For more information, please email sac@cmacs.org.

GOVERNING DOCUMENTS

The Board gives direction to the program through the vision and mission statements, through evaluation of Charter School Institute and CMA assessment trends, and through its established goals and philosophy. Additionally, the board implements the vision through establishment of policies and procedures for the administration, staff, and students.

All corporate documents (e.g. by-laws, articles of incorporation, Board policies) are in the school offices and are available for public review upon request.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Executive Director: Lt. Col. (ret.) Nicole Roberts

Elementary Associate Principal: Joseph Zokaitis

Secondary Associate Principal: EJ Van Norman

Full Biographies can be found on the CMA Website.

Parent Information

PARENT COMMITMENT FORM

Parents are asked to agree to and sign the CMA Parent Commitment form (sample at back of handbook) when enrolling their student. This identifies parents’ support of and cooperation with all CMA policies and guidelines, especially in the areas of dress, discipline and academics. Parents should encourage students in all their academic endeavors and should give assistance when deemed necessary without doing the work for the child. Special attention should be given with support activities such as oral reading at home and math facts practice.

The responsibility for good behavior rests on the individual student and his/her parents. It is critical that parents assist the school in promoting, developing and maintaining good behavior from each child.

While the Parent Commitment form is not a legal requirement for enrollment at CMA, we believe it identifies a moral commitment to CMA’s principles and direction and to its community.

PARENT CONTACT INFO

Please make sure your address, phone and email information are current so that the school can easily keep you informed and contact you in case of an emergency. If there are any changes that need to be made to a guardian’s contact information to include address, phone, emergency contacts, please log into the PowerSchool parent portal to submit changes electronically. Updates are submitted to the PowerSchool admin for approval. If a parent or guardian needs assistance accessing this portal, please contact powerschool@cmacs.org.

PARENT / SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Teachers and Admin staff will communicate with parents on a regular basis through classroom newsletters, Schoology, ClassDojo, BAND App (CAP), CMA Facebook page, direct messaging via email/text to student contacts on file, and through the CMA Family Briefing (newsletter).

Please excuse students from school through the SchoolMessenger App, by calling 1-877-653-2987, or texting "yes" to the number 67587. Calling the front office will not excuse your student from school.

In addition, parents are encouraged to communicate with teachers frequently, through notes, voicemails, emails, and personal visits (by appointment). Each teacher has a virtual voicemail extension and email that can be found in the PowerSchool parent portal. The standard email address format for CMA is lastname.firstinitial@cmacs.org.

Your communication is welcomed as we assist your student in the learning process. Your participation is vital to your child’s success.

Parent Involvement at CMA

Parent involvement at CMA is important to having a strong, healthy school. We ask parents to attend Parent-Teacher conferences for their student, especially if a student is failing one or more classes. These conferences are held at different times of day so that all can attend, whether working or not. Also at these meetings, teachers share students’ results for NWEA testing and what students will be working on. Parents can help close academic gaps by working on math facts or helping student practice work in weak areas. Teachers will offer suggestions for parent involvement in this process.

Parents can access their student’s assignments, grades, attendance, progress reports, report cards and more through the PowerSchool portal. Please contact our PowerSchool team at powerschool@cmacs.org if you have not yet connected to this resource. This is an extremely important tool for parents. It provides knowledge parents can leverage to help kids be successful and accountable.

CMA offers parents meeting several times throughout the year to include Town Halls, Back to School Night and more. CMA uses Title 1 funds to host these meetings. Watch for announcements in the weekly CMA Family Briefing.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS

CMA asks that the following protocol for student concerns be followed. (If needed, a translator will be provided by the school):

Take the concerns to the supervising teacher or appropriate staff member first. Note: a parent may NOT approach another parent’s student to address an issue. The teacher or staff member must be involved.
- It would be best if issues were addressed within two weeks of the occurrence.
- Both parties / sides will be given the opportunity to express their perceptions of the situation or experience.

If assistance is further needed, a parent/guardian may take the concerns to the following staff within 10 days of the first meeting:
- Academic concerns – Associate Principal
- Behavior concerns – Dean of students

The complaint shall be in writing and shall detail (i) the date of the incident (if applicable); (ii) the School staff member involved; (iii) a description of the incident, decision, or practice that gave rise to the issue; (iv) the conflict resolution strategies that have been attempted thus far; and (v) the grievant’s requested resolution. The School Leader will either issue a written response to the grievant or contact the grievant to schedule a time to discuss the issue within three business days.

- If resolution is not reached, parent/grievant may take the problem to the CMA Board of Directors. You may contact the board at board@cmacs.org.
- If the grievant is not satisfied with the School Board’s determination not to review the written grievance or the written resolution reached by the School Board after reviewing the grievance, the grievant may submit its concerns in written format to the Institute within five business days from receiving the written decision of the School Board.

Charter School Institute

1600 N. Broadway, Suite 1250

Denver, CO 80202

(303) 866-3299

Legalandpolicy_csi@csi.state.co.us

Csi.info@csi.co.state.us

The staff and Board of Colorado Military Academy are committed to this process and will remind parents or other individuals who try to circumvent the steps listed above.

In extreme situations, the CMA Board and staff reserve the right to deviate from the standard policy depending on the nature and severity of the complaint (e.g., a sexual harassment complaint, serious safety issue, discrimination complaint, etc.).

CMA PARENTS AND TEACHERS (CPAT) ORGANIZATION

The purpose of CMA’s Parent and Teacher Organization is to facilitate communication and cooperation between parents and teachers, working together to support the educational goals and well-being of the students.

Key functions and activities of CPAT may include:

Fundraising initiatives to raise funds for school programs, equipment, extracurricular activities, and other needs not covered by the school budget.
Community Building
Volunteer Coordination
Educational Support
Communication
Parental Involvement
Expand the community feeling among the parents and faculty
To promote working together and volunteerism for the education and general welfare of the students
To give financial support to school projects chosen by the membership, in cooperation with the officers, teachers, and committees
To be an advocate for the school's mission, vision, and goals

Members can be parents, employees, volunteers or community members. Examples from other schools include raising funds for playground equipment, hosting a teacher appreciation potluck, assisting with Field Day festivities. For more information on CMA’s Parents and Teachers (CPAT) Organization, please contact the Executive Director.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

The Colorado Military Academy Volunteer Program is designed to encourage community involvement, enhance student learning, and provide additional support to staff and faculty. Volunteers play a vital role in creating a positive educational environment while maintaining student safety and academic integrity.

General Eligibility Requirements

Be at least 18 years of age (unless part of a supervised student volunteer program).
Complete a Volunteer Application form (link to be provided once available).
Complete Volunteer Training to ensure an understanding of the program.
Sign a Volunteer Agreement to protect student privacy.
Undergo a background check.

Background Checks

Volunteers who work directly with students, chaperone field trips, assist with school events, or have unsupervised access must pass a background check. Background checks will be renewed annually as required by school policy. Any individual with certain criminal offenses (e.g., child abuse, violent crimes) will not be eligible to volunteer.

Volunteer Trainings

There are several types of volunteer training required for different volunteer roles.

Volunteer Conduct

All volunteers must:

Check in and out with the front office at each visit.
Follow school policies and procedures.
Wear a school-issued Volunteer Badge at all times.
Maintain student confidentiality and refrain from discussing student progress with anyone except school staff.
Follow staff instructions and never discipline students.
Report any concerns or incidents to a teacher or administrator immediately.

CMA would like to continue the military image even with volunteers. Anyone coming into CMA needs to follow all dress codes that CMA staff and students follow. When in the building please wear business attire, the following is not allowed.

Specifics:

Professional dress and appearance meets the following requirements (list not exclusive):

Clean, pressed, and free of holes, tears, and frays.
Must not advertise tobacco, alcohol, drugs, etc.
Pants may not be excessively tight or baggy; no stretch/yoga pants, or footless tights. Leggings and footless tights may be worn under long tops that cover the hips or under dresses/skirts.
Blouses/shirts: No tanks tops, spaghetti straps, strapless shirts, unless worn under a blazer, dress jacket, or sweater (not sheer or lace); no cleavage showing; no skin showing between top of pants and bottom of shirt.
Women may wear skirts no shorter than 2 inches above the knee.
Outdoor wear, hats, and sunglasses may not be worn in the building.
Women’s hair and makeup must be a natural and conservative color.
Jewelry must be conservative, i.e. presenting a professional image consistent with clothing.

For additional information on the Volunteer Program, please reach out to the Volunteer Coordinator at
volunteer@cmacs.org.

CONFIDENTIAL PARENT SURVEY

As a part of CMA’s commitment to quality education, a confidential survey is distributed to parents periodically. Information gathered will assist the Board and administration in evaluating and improving school operations and productivity. Your participation is appreciated.

General Information

For the most up-to-date information, see the Colorado Military Academy website at www.coloradomilitaryacademy.org.

SCHOOL HOURS

Breakfast Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM Doors open at 7:30 AM
Grades PK-6 Monday – Thursday, 8:00 AM – 3:15 PM / Fridays, 8:00 – 1:30 PM
Grades 7-11 Monday – Thursday, 7:45 AM – 3:15 PM / Fridays, 7:45 – 1:30 PM

Doors open at 7:30 AM and close at 4:00 PM except for after school activities. Classrooms are open 10-15 minutes before and after school. If your student needs extra help, please contact and schedule a meeting with the appropriate teacher at least 24 hours in advance when possible.

ROCKET CLUB BEFORE & AFTER CARE

Rocket Club Before and After Care is a licensed childcare service for children ages 4+. It is open on school days from 6 AM to 7:30 AM, at which time students are released to go to their classes. After school, it is open until 6 PM, with extra charges occurring for late pickup. For more information and fees (sliding scale), see the Rocket Club Handbook posted on our website.

MAKING PAYMENT FOR PRE-K AND ROCKET CLUB

You may make your payment through the electronic system on the CMA Web Store using a debit or credit card. Payment is due by the first of every month.

Pre-K - paid per month, August-May, due by the end of the preceding month.
Rocket Club – sliding scale, see payment schedule and information in Rocket Club Handbook. Payment is due for the upcoming month by the end of the month.
If payment is not made by the 5th of the month, students may not attend beginning the 6th. Your student will be dropped and in order to continue you will need to sign up again online.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Colorado Military Academy is dedicated to working with parents to assist families with attendance difficulties. student absences are lost opportunities for learning. students who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance.

The CMA Board of Director’s Attendance Policy can be found at https://coloradomilitaryacademy.org/board policies/.

ABSENCES

CMA parents must notify the school of a student’s absence or provide requested documentation concerning the absence or the absence will be considered “Unexcused.”

Please excuse students from school through the SchoolMessenger App, by calling 1-877-653-2987, or texting "yes" to the number 67587. Calling the front office will not excuse your student from school. You can verify your student’s attendance information through the PowerSchool parent portal. For more information on Safe Arrival or assistance with the Safe Arrival procedures, please contact
attendance@cmacs.org.

If a student is absent more than 3 days in a row, the front office will attempt to contact the parent/guardian. Parents may be asked to provide documentation for absences.

TARDIES

Students arriving to class after the start of class will be marked tardy. If your student is late you will be required to sign your student in at the front desk before they may go to class. Students who are tardy more than 4 times per quarter may be given detention. Parents of habitually tardy students will receive a call from the Dean of Students.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST and LUNCH

CMA offers breakfast and lunch service through the Charter School Institute. All families must complete a Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) application regardless of household income. Those who qualify for FRL will also receive discounts for field trips and other services. This also helps with CMA’s funding from the Federal Government. Free and Reduced Lunch applications need to be completed annually beginning early fall. More information on this program including deadlines to complete FRL applications will be sent out via email or text.

IMMUNIZATIONS

CMA follows the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment requirements for immunizations. See more at https://cdphe.colorado.gov/schoolrequiredvaccines. For exemption, information see https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vaccine-exemptions. There will be a deadline after which those without documentation will not be able to attend school. We do NOT require COVID vaccinations.

HEARING AND VISION SCREENING

CMA will conduct hearing and vision screen each year in the fall. If abnormalities are noticed, the school nurse will conduct a second screening and parents/guardians will be notified.

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES AND HEALTH CARE PLANS

The school nurse or her trained designee can give medicine to students during the school day. All medications need to have a medication form signed by a doctor. Please register medicines and leave a supply with the nurse. Any over the counter medications need to be new and sealed. Older students may be allowed to carry inhalers if appropriate forms are signed and students show the mature ability to manage it.

For students who have Individual Health Care Plans or health care conditions, please see the nurse and communicate your student’s needs and concerns. Teachers will be trained to watch for warning signs of particular conditions or need for medical attention.

ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

CMA employs a part-time School Nurse and a full-time Health Aide, whom the nurse supervises. Basic first aid is available if needed. All medications must be left with the Health Aide or front office’s trained workers by a responsible parent or guardian. The school will administer medications that need to be taken during school hours. Children may not carry medication to or from school.

If a child becomes ill at school, a parent will be called to come and pick the student up. If a parent cannot be reached, the school may call 911 for transportation to the nearest medical facility. If the illness is mild, the child may rest in the health room and be returned to class later.

Please do not send your student to school if any of the following is present:

A temperature of over 100.4 degrees F or higher, with no other symptoms present, prior to fever-reducing medications being taken. The student’s temperature must be normal for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications (such as Tylenol) before returning to school.
Abnormal color or abnormal consistency of nasal or eye discharge.
Persistent, uncontrolled cough or unusual cough.
Vomiting or diarrhea in the last 48 hours with other symptoms. Symptoms must be resolved for 48 hours before a cadet may return to school.
If antibiotics are prescribed for an illness, the cadet must have been taking them for 24 hours before the cadet may return to school.
Undiagnosed skin rashes and/or open lesions

Please see the Department of Public Health & Environment’s ‘How Sick is Too Sick?’ document here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RcdCmU4SYXwmVhJrA3Pyk0gP0MTDClkF/view.

STUDENT FEES SCHEDULE

All mandatory fees, fines, and charges shall be waived for indigent students. For purposes of student fees, an indigent student is defined as any child who is eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the federal poverty income guidelines, including homeless and foster children. Waivers for non-indigent students may be requested by contacting the Executive Director.

Charges may apply if a student intentionally or habitually damages school property.

Please see details of possible student fees below:

*students qualifying for free or reduced price lunch under the federal poverty income guidelines, including homeless and foster students, are eligible to receive waiver of all mandatory fees, fines and charges upon request. Transportation fees will be waived for students qualifying for free or reduced price lunch, homeless and foster students, and students with transportation as a related service on their IEP. Teachers and principals will make every effort to ensure that no student is denied the right to participate in field trips or other enrichment activities because of lack of funds. Families who believe they qualify for a fee waiver must contact the School Leader to make such request.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

SNOW DAYS

CMA will send delay information through direct messaging via email and text message to student contacts on file. Delay information will also be sent to local news sources and posted on our Facebook page. See the ‘Change of Address or Phone’ section of this handbook for instructions how to update your contact information. If snow days are exceeded additional school days may be required.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURE

In case of loss of utilities or other safety emergency, CMA will send updates through direct messaging via email or text message to the student contacts on file. Emergency School Closure information will also be posted on our Facebook page. See the ‘Change of Address or Phone’ section of this handbook for instructions how to update your contact information.

CARPOOL / TRAFFIC SAFETY

The building is open for drop-off at 7:30 AM. Pick-up must be completed within 10 minutes of the end of school activities. If you need to drop your student off earlier or pick them up later than 10 minutes after the end of the school day, please contact Rocket Club for on-site before or after school care. A fee will be charged.

Please note the low speed limit and traffic directions during carpool drop-off and pick-up. Cars enter from the east side of the building, circle the building to drop students off at the south entrance, and exit the east side of the building. Staff will be present to assist students as needed.

PLEASE NO cell phones while driving on school property. If you are on an urgent call, please park to finish your conversation.

PLEASE DO NOT smoke, drink alcohol, or use controlled substances or illegal drugs on school property.

PLEASE DO NOT block parking access points at any time. If you choose to arrive early for pick up, please enter the pick-up line no more than 30 minutes before student release.

PLEASE DO NOT stop or park on designated crosswalks.

PLEASE ONLY pickup and drop off in designated areas.

PLEASE NO pets on the property. ONLY service animals are permitted on school property. We kindly ask all individuals with service animals to ensure your animals do not urinate or defecate on the playground, track, or other areas that our students play. We also ask your assistance in maintaining a clean environment for our students by promptly cleaning up after your animal.

If drivers are aggressive or dangerous to our staff or students, CMA will report the license plate numbers to the sheriff’s department. If the issue persists, charges will be filed.

Failure to adhere to traffic safety policy could result in barring parental access to the premises to include picking up and dropping off on school property.

PARKING

Unless otherwise marked, all parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Park your vehicle at your own risk. CMA will not be responsible for theft or damage to any vehicle parked on or near CMA property. CMA will not be responsible for personal property left in vehicles that is lost, damaged, stolen, or destroyed.

STUDENTS WHO DRIVE

All students who wish to drive to school must be legally licensed and insured. Student parking is allowed where marked. Student drivers must follow all CMA traffic safety policies and traffic laws. School administrators may make other reasonable parking and driving regulations as deemed necessary. There has been a growing concern for the safety of our students that drive to and from school. Inappropriate driving can result in a loss of parking/driving privileges. Careless or reckless driving is prohibited and could result in school discipline. Students may park only in designated areas and between the white lines. Students should not park in visitor spaces, reserved spaces, and/or designated handicapped areas. Violators will be issued CMA citations and will be required to move their vehicle to an appropriate parking space. If deemed necessary, El Paso Count Sherriff’s Department will be called and a ticket may be given.

Consequences for normal parking/driving violations:

1st parking/driving offense will be a verbal warning and documented
2nd parking/driving offense will be parent contact by front office
3rd parking/driving offense will be an office referral

*Further offenses will result in additional administrative action. Excessive violations can result in termination of student driving/parking privileges.

These are baseline guides and may be increased by the administration based on extenuating circumstances, such as severity of the incident, damage resulting from the incident, and safety concerns for all parties involved.

Reporting of Accidents on CMA school grounds: It is the responsibility of the student to report any accidents that occur on school campus. Accidents should be reported to the school through the main office, Administration and/or front office, so that the proper authorities can be contacted. It is the responsibility of the driver to notify the proper authorities. The school is not responsible for investigating accidents.

Student vehicles are subject to search in accordance with local laws.

The privilege of bringing a student-operated motor vehicle on to school premises is conditioned on consent by the student driver to allow search of the vehicle when there is reasonable suspicion that the search will yield evidence of contraband. Routine patrolling of student parking lots and inspection of the outside of student automobiles shall be permitted at all times. Students may not return to or hang out in cars during the school day.

Refusal by a student, parent/guardian, or owner of the vehicle to allow access to a motor vehicle on school premises at the time of a request to search the vehicle shall be cause for termination without further hearing or appeal of the privilege of bringing the vehicle onto school premises. In such cases, there will be no refund of the parking fees paid. Refusal to submit to search also may result in disciplinary action and notification of law enforcement officials.

Even if a student is 18, CMA reserves the right not to allow a student to leave campus without parent permission.

TRAFFIC RULES

Observe all posted traffic signs in the neighborhood in which CMA is located. Be familiar with and observe requested traffic patterns during carpool times. Extra caution is needed for small students and their quick movements.

PARKING LOT MAP

PICK UP MAP

EARLY RELEASE

Please do not come to the office seeking to pick your child up between 30 minutes and just prior to carpool. This is a busy time for the office staff, and they will decline to go retrieve students during the 30 minutes prior to student release.

INCLEMENT WEATHER RELEASE

In the event of lightning within 7 miles, students will be released from indoors.
Form carpool line as with normal pick up. Please allow extra time compared to our normal carpool procedures.
All students will exit from the cafeteria (south) entrance once it is known their ride is in the carpool lane.
Staff will assist younger students to their vehicles.
Please do not come to the office asking staff to get your children from their classes.

STUDENTS WHO WISH TO WALK HOME

Due to safety concerns, please do not instruct your student to walk home without notifying your student’s teacher (elementary age). We are responsible for turning them back over to you and will not allow them to walk away from the premises without your prior consent or our notification of the authorities.

PETERSON TURNSTILE

The Peterson Turnstile on the south side of the building will be open and manned by Air Force personnel.

7:30 AM to 8:00 AM
3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Fridays the turnstile will open at 1:30 to 2:00 PM

Be advised that all students who enter the base must have military ID or be accompanied by a parent with a military ID. The turnstile will not be open on Delayed Start days (such as snow days) or the base’s “Family Days” (usually the Friday before a 3-day weekend).

HAVING SOMEONE ELSE PICK UP YOUR STUDENT

Due to safety concerns, only approved persons may pick up students. If you wish to have a friend, relative, or other CMA parent pick up your child, the authorized parent or guardian must add them as an authorized pickup in PowerSchool. For assistance accessing your PowerSchool account, please contact powerschool@cmacs.org.

RECESSES

Pre-K through 4th grade students will have at least one recess per day. These are not scheduled, but may be determined by the teacher and what activities are being accomplished.

Fifth/sixth grade students should have approximately one Specials class and one recess during the day. These may be offset—one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Please be sure your student wears a warm coat on cold days – recess and outdoor carpool happen as long as the temperature and wind chill factor are 20 degrees or above.

CELL PHONE USE

The Board of Directors of CMA acknowledges that parents may wish to be able to get in touch with their child at pick up time or in case of an emergency. Cell phones may not be carried during class time or in the classrooms. They may remain in lockers (middle school & high school) or in backpacks (elementary). They may be used after school. Staff will seize phones present in classrooms and parents will be notified to pick up the phone.

The school is not responsible for students who communicate by phone, text or other social media outside of school hours.

STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

PowerSchool, our Cadet information system, is accessible for parents/guardians and cadets.

Contact powerschool@cmacs.org to get access.

PARENTS’ RIGHT TO KNOW

As a parent of a student at CMA, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teacher who instructs your child. This is a requirement for all districts that receive Title I funds. Federal law allows you to request certain information about your student’s classroom teacher. The law also requires the school to give you this information in a timely manner upon request. Listed below is the information about which you have the right to ask for regarding each of your student’s classroom teachers.

Whether the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has licensed or endorsed your student’s teacher for the grades and subjects taught.
Whether CDE has decided that your student’s teacher can teach in a classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special circumstances.
The teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees, and, if so, the subject of the degrees.
Whether any teachers’ aides or similar para-educators provide services to your child and, if they do, their qualifications.

Please contact the office if you wish to receive such notification.

Additionally, if a school employee is charged with certain crimes that may put children at risk, parents will be notified. When school is not in session, an email bulletin will go out to the families of all registered students.

PARENT VISITS AND CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

We know that sometimes parents would like to visit or observe their student’s classroom. All classroom visits or observations must follow the same procedures for parent volunteers to include the online volunteer application and background check. Please see the ‘Parent Volunteers’ section of this handbook for more information.

For security, all visitors must wear a badge. Classroom visits and observations must be prearranged with the classroom teacher and are subject to delay or cancelation if they interfere with the learning environment.

COUNSELING SERVICES

Colorado Military Academy employs School Counselors who are available to students on an as-needed basis. Students may request to speak with a Counselor and an appointment will be scheduled. By law, these services are confidential.

Peterson Space Force Base also provides a Military Family Life Counselor who works with students from military families. They may assist them with emotions or provide various activities to recognize the unique challenges these children experience, such as moving to various parts of the world, losing friends as they move, or having a deployed parent. A parent permission form is required to access the services of the MFLC and found on the CMA website.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips occur several times throughout the year. There may be a cost involved. Parents will receive at least 2 weeks’ notice of activities. A signed permission slip will be required. Students on Free and Reduced Lunch status will attend without charge based on FRL eligibility.

REPLACING LOST TEXTBOOKS, LIBRARY BOOKS OR OTHER MATERIALS

Textbooks are signed out to each student by name and book number. Your student is responsible to keep a book cover on the book at all times and to return it in good condition. Teachers will explain to students how to cover books using paper bags or other sturdy paper. Covers need not be purchased. Replacement costs for books can be obtained through the purchasing office.

FUNDRAISING/DONATIONS

CMA does a few school-wide fundraising projects per year. We encourage your support in these efforts. As a non-profit, CMA is allowed to accept donations at any time. For more information on ways to give, please visit our donations page on the CMA website at https://coloradomilitaryacademy.org/donations-scholarships/.

While there are many worthwhile causes, fundraising for outside organizations is not permitted at school. Thank you for your support!

MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL LOCKERS AND BACKPACKS

Lockers with locks are available for secondary students (grades 7-12) and are explicitly considered school property. Lockers must be kept clean. Pictures may be posted, but lockers must be in good condition for the next user at the end of the year. Stickers are not allowed. Fines may be charged to repair damages.

School staff will have master keys to all locks, and contents will be monitored through random searches. The school may search a student’s backpack where there is a reasonable suspicion that the search will reveal evidence that the student has violated or is violating the law or school rules, and the search is reasonably related in scope of the circumstances that justified the search. Contraband will be seized and not returned.

PETS AT SCHOOL

For the safety of students and staff, no personal pets (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, rodents, etc.) are allowed inside the building or on school grounds. If you use a service animal, please check in at the front office.

LOST AND FOUND

Lost and found is kept near the front office. Please check periodically for any items you might be missing. Items left more than one month will be donated to a local charity or to our Uniform Sharing closet. (We recommend you label your student’s sweaters, jackets, and other items.)

TECHNOLOGY/INTERNET USAGE POLICY

The smooth operation of computers, networks and the internet depends on users agreeing to and adhering to standards of proper conduct. These guidelines are necessary for the efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of all computer resources. If a CMA user violates any guidelines, the student will be held responsible for the violation and could face disciplinary action and/or lose access to computer, network and internet resources. The use of computer, network, and internet resources is a privilege not a right.

Students and parents will be required to sign a “User Agreement” each year to be granted computer access. Be advised that internet safety and web content filtering protocols are in place at the school. CMA is not responsible for student computer usage at home on a school device. We recommend you consider Parental Control products at home for internet safety. Attempting to bypass these security measures, utilize web proxies, deleting internet history, or any other actions intended to deceive or conceal device usage are not authorized.

Once a Chromebook is issued to a student, the care of that device and its components becomes the responsibility of that student. It is the students’ responsibility to report any lost or damaged school technology items to the IT Department as soon as possible. Do not repair or replace lost or damaged Chromebooks, chargers or other school technology devices. Doing so could void the devices warranty and is the responsibility of the CMA IT Department. Chromebooks should remain in their issued cases at all times. Do not leave the Chromebook or its accessories unattended. Do not leave Chromebooks in places where it could be damaged, for example, on the floor, near food or liquids, in a hot or cold vehicle overnight, etc. Do not draw on, put stickers on, damage or deface CMA Chromebooks, Chromebook cases or other technology items issued by the CMA IT Department.

Students are required to use CMA managed Chromebooks or other devices authorized by the IT Manager for all school related coursework or school activities while on school property. Students are NOT authorized to use personal devices on school property at any time for any reason. CMA managed Chromebooks are for school related work ONLY and should not be used for personal use. Games are not schoolwork.

CMA holds the right to charge technology replacement fees for lost, damaged or defaced technology items. Fees may vary depending on the repair or replacement costs and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Students required to pay a technology replacement fee, will not be issued a replacement device until the payment is made.

LIBRARY

CMA’s library has a wide range of books for student use. Students can use their student ID number to check out books for two weeks. Late fees of $.10 per day and replacement costs will be charged if books are lost or damaged. No additional books may be checked out until fines are paid.

CHILD ABUSE AND MOLESTATION POLICY

CMA staff, volunteer and contract workers are placed in a position of trust, therefore, must act with the highest standards of moral conduct. CMA is committed to the safety of children under its care. Fingerprinting and background checks on CMA and contract staff are conducted through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Law prohibits inappropriate interaction with students. CMA requires that its staff, volunteers, and contract workers follow the following guidelines as well:

Staff may not transport students other than their own, or those with whom they have carpool agreements.
Windows in classroom doors are not to be blocked out, except in the case of lockdown drills or similar emergencies.
Staff and volunteers are encouraged not to meet privately with students unless another adult is nearby or present.
All field trips will be conducted with multiple adult chaperones present at all times.
Staff should use good judgment to avoid situations that might be questionable or leave room for accusations of misconduct.

Complaints or concerns are to be reported immediately to the Executive Director or Commandant/Dean of students (Interim) who will investigate and document the allegations. Under state law, this is a mandatory reporting situation. Law enforcement will be called. The Commandant/Dean of students (Interim) will maintain records of all complaints.

Annual training for prevention of child molestation and mandatory reporting responsibilities will be conducted annually.

If complaints of child abuse arise, staff will follow required Mandated Reporting procedures, which may include a report to the county Department of Human Services or law enforcement. All our staff are mandated reporters.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

CMA offers a number of after school clubs that vary depending on several factors. For a full list of clubs or more information on a specific club, please contact the front office at frontoffice@cmacs.org or visit our Athletics and Clubs page on the CMA website at https://coloradomilitaryacademy.org/athletics-clubs/.

Academic Information

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS

CMA’s staff is trained in differentiating instruction. Assignments to enrich the gifted and talented student or to strengthen the weaker student are a part of the classroom experience. Our NWEA Measure of Academic Progress is an electronic testing system that aids us in determining students’ needs and projected growth.

HOMEWORK

The classroom teachers determine homework loads. Often assignments are given at the beginning of the week and not due until the end of the week. Parents are encouraged to assist students in learning good time management skills in these instances. Classwork may become homework if not completed in class.

Homework is the responsibility of the student. It is not the parent’s job to remind the student to do the homework. Young students may need help at first but encourage students to take initiative in doing homework shortly after school.

HOMEWORK TURNED IN LATE

Teachers explain to students at the beginning of the year what their policy is on homework turned in late (other than for excused illness).

MAKE-UP WORK

If a child is absent from school, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the classroom teacher to request make-up work for the day(s) missed. You may pick up the make-up homework at the school office at the end of the school day after contact has been made with the classroom teacher.

READING AT HOME

Students who are learning to read need time to re-read the stories and selections they have read at school during the day. This improves fluency and comprehension. All student should have 15-20 minutes reading time in the evening after school.

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled in fall and spring. See the school calendar for specific dates. At least one parent from each family should attend. Please bring your student to participate in the discussion. If you cannot be there during the requested period, another time may be scheduled with classroom teachers.

GRADING SCALE

CMA uses the following grading scale. Grades are visible to parents through our PowerSchool parent portal. Every parent or guardian should have their own login to see their student’s grades and work turned in. Contact the PowerSchool team for assistance with this at powerschool@cmacs.org.

90 – 100% A

80 – 89% B

70 – 79% C

60 – 69% D

Below 60% F

Incomplete I no grade given until work is completed

Pre-K will be graded using a S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory) grading scale.

SPECIALS CLASSES

CMA offers “Specials” classes such as Art, PE, STEAM and Music for grades PK-6.

ASSESSMENTS

Colorado Military Academy administers several tests including NWEA MAP (North West Evaluation Association Measure of Academic Progress), a nationally normed instrument that helps us track how our students are doing. We are required by law to administer the CMAS (Colorado Measure of Academic Success), the PSAT, and the SAT tests. READ and ACCESS tests are also given. CMA uses electronic formats for test taking in most cases. COGAT testing to determine Gifted and Talented status is also administered to all 2nd, 6th, and 9th graders as well as students who tested in the 95th percentile in any area on the NWEA assessment.

We encourage families to participate and assist the school in managing academic growth. We understand that a test is a snapshot in time, and just like a photo, sometimes we have a bad one. Yet taken together over several tests and years, we can tell how students (and our staff) are doing.

If a student is absent during testing, a make-up time will be planned when the student returns to school. Testing dates are published on the school website.

If parents wish to opt out of one or more state assessments (CMAS, PSAT or SAT) an Opt Out form must be completed and submitted to the office by the deadline to request the exemption. Specific instructions and deadlines to Opt Out will be communicated to families during the third quarter. By state law, no negative consequences of electing to opt out can occur. We cannot require that student remain at home during testing.

PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCES

Occasionally family events or medical procedures necessitate a pre-arranged absence. Parents are encouraged to plan such times for regularly scheduled school vacation days when possible. A form must be filled out at the office, and parents may request homework three or more days in advance. Teachers may provide it if it is available. If it is not available in advance, work will be given upon return to school, with one school day allowed for each school day missed before work is due back to the teacher. Absences or work spanning the end of a quarter may not be counted after that quarter is closed out and report cards issued.

CREDIT RECOVERY FOR HIGH SCHOOL

Students who have failed courses or received grades of “Incomplete” will be enrolled in a credit recovery course to make up credit. This may be one semester or two semesters depending on the terms failed. In some cases, students will be required to do credit recovery during summer school or in place of elective courses.

PLACEMENT, RETENTION AND PROMOTION

Incoming students may be tested for placement. CMA Administration and staff will decide on placement in math and reading groups, and on promotion and retention of students through the use of various assessment tools, some nationally standardized and some teacher-created.

Promotion to a higher-grade level is viewed and determined on two areas: academic performance and emotional and social readiness. students who show decided and documented deficiencies in both areas will be considered for retention. Retention decisions will be based upon:

Teacher documentation and anecdotal information
Parent anecdotal information
Developmental and achievement test scores.

Retention concerns will be discussed beginning no later than third quarter by staff and with parents. CMA reserves the right to determine final placement of any student. “Social promotion” of students who have not completed academic work is not allowed. We recognize the social and emotional pressures created by retention, but affirm the priority of academic success for each students’ future well-being.

CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS

From time to time topics may arise in class or coursework that parents may find controversial. Teachers will make every effort to inform parents ahead of time so that they may discuss the material with the student. If a parent/guardian wishes to have a student opt out of that content, CMA asks that requests are made in writing. An alternative assignment may be suggested by the parent that would satisfy state content standards for that lesson.

VIEWING OF MOVIES

CMA has approved no movies for viewing with stronger than a PG rating. All other movies must be approved by the Executive Director and requires parent permission.

GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM

CMA offers individualized programs that provide enrichment materials for our Gifted & Talented students. Placement in the GT program is based on test scores and other evidence, including, but not limited to teacher observation.

This material is not graded and does not constitute additional homework. It is designed to stretch and broaden students learning opportunities. If you have questions, please contact the GT Coordinator.

SPECIAL SERVICES

Student Services helps to support our students by providing accommodations and interventions based on the student's needs. We help support students with disabilities by working in conjunction with related services from physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech services, and mental health professionals in order to serve the whole child. Per Colorado law, IEPs and 504s will be followed and renewed each year, with evaluations as needed. If you have questions or concerns related to your child's success, please reach out to the front office and they will direct you to the correct case manager. CMA will additionally identify students as required by law who may have a disability. Parents who suspect their child may have a disability are encouraged to contact their pediatrician.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

CMA provides ELL services that are designed to support students who are non-native English speakers in acquiring proficiency in English language skills. Students identified as ELL on enrollment documentation will take the ACCESS assessment to determine language proficiency and assist with the development of an individualized Language Instruction Program.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To receive a high school diploma from CMA, Cadet must:

Meet or exceed the state and school academic standards by completing the school’s minimum course and credit requirements, AND
Complete an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP), AND
Demonstrate College and Career Readiness through one of the following:
1. Meet or exceed the cut score or criteria on a state-approved measure of College and Career Readiness in English and Math; OR
2. Complete a Capstone projects as developed by CMA’s staff and guidelines.

Graduation requirements can be found on our website at https://coloradomilitaryacademy.org/college-career/

TRANSFER CREDIT

Students entering from outside the school must meet the school’s course requirements. The Executive Director shall determine whether credit toward course requirements shall be granted for courses taken outside CMA.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER AND ACADEMIC PLAN (ICAP)

ICAP is a multi-year process beginning in 9th grade that includes a career planning, guidance and tracking component, and portfolio with postsecondary and career goals. Students are required to participate in and successfully complete the ICAP process.

COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS DOMONSTRATIONS

The Colorado State Board of Education has adopted state graduation guidelines that identify college and career readiness measures in English and Math. The Board has selected its own measures from these state graduation guidelines.

Students must complete at least one of the measures and meet or exceed the measure’s corresponding cut score or criteria to demonstrate college and career readiness in each of the content areas: English and Math.

These can be found on the CDE Website at www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduationguidelinesmenuofoptions09-21-22pdf

VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN

Due to the introduction of early graduation, students graduating early will compete alongside students graduating on time for the honorary titles of valedictorian and salutatorian. These titles will be determined using cumulative GPAs at the end of Semester 1 of the student’s graduation year. The student with the highest cumulative GPA will be Valedictorian, and the student with the second highest will be Salutatorian. In the event of a tie, CMA will allow for a co-valedictorian and/or salutatorian. Students must continue to demonstrate excellent performance and attendance through Semester 2 in order to maintain their titles; therefore, they will not be announced until close to the end of the semester. The students awarded these titles will be asked to give speeches at the graduation ceremony.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE BOARD'S REQUIRED MEASURES

If a student has demonstrated college and career readiness by completing an assessment or other measure that is not included in this policy but is included in the state graduation guidelines, the Executive Director may determine that such assessment or other measure is acceptable and meets the school’s graduation requirements.

EARLY GRADUATION

The Board of Education believes that most students benefit from four years of high school experience and are encouraged not to graduate early. However, in some cases, students are ready for postsecondary education or other opportunities at an earlier age. Therefore, the Executive Director may grant permission to students wishing to graduate early, provided the student has met all district graduation requirements in accordance with this policy.

Students seeking Early Graduation must submit an application through the Career Counselor to include a 500-word essay. Applications will need to be signed by a parent/guardian and must be approved by the Executive Director. For more information, contact the Career Counselor at career@cmacs.org.

Graduation requirements adopted by the CMA Board 3-18-2025.

LEGAL REFS:

C.R.S. 22-1-104 (teaching history, culture and civil government)

C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1) (kk) (board to establish graduation requirements that “meet or exceed” state graduation guidelines) C.R.S. 22-32-132 (discretion to award diploma to honorably discharged veterans)

C.R.S. 22-33-104.5 (home-based education law)

C.R.S. 22-35-101 et seq. (Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act)

C.R.S. 22-30.5-525 (ICAP)

C.R.S. 22-2-136 (ICAP)

Student Data Privacy

Uniform Guidelines

UNIFORM DRESS CODE

The uniform dress code is an important part of the culture of CMA.

Uniforms set a tone for disciplined learning.
Uniforms minimize socio-economic differences and place all students on a level playing field, giving them the opportunity to prove themselves through performance and demonstration of character.
Research has shown that learning increases in schools that use uniforms.

Uniforms must be worn during school hours, including field trips, except under special circumstances or as announced.

Grades Pre-K through 6th grades and for 7th and 8th graders not in CAP

CMA uniform polo must be baby blue with the CMA logo on the left chest worn with navy blue slacks. The uniform polo’s can be purchased on the CMA Webstore at https://cmacs.revtrak.net/ or Advanced Impressions at https://advancedimpressionsinc.com/colorado_military_academy/shop/home using the parent passcode CMA2025.

Pants can be purchased from any retailer. Pants will be a loose fit, straight leg Chino style. No jeans, leggings, or yoga pants are allowed.

Skirts, jumpers, shorts and skorts are not a part of CMA’s uniform and may not be worn.

Parents/guardians are responsible to keep student’s uniforms clean and in good repair. Items that are ripped, torn, or dirty will be considered uniform violations. Students will be sent home for a change to appropriate clothing. If finances are a challenge for replacing worn or torn items, contact the front office for assistance.

Proper hygiene is also required. Students need daily showers, fresh undergarments and socks daily. Students who arrive at school with body odor or other uncleanliness will be at a disadvantage with other students. Parents will be called to pick up the student and remedy the situation.

GENERAL UNIFORM GUIDELINES

Low-riding or baggy pants are not allowed.
No leggings or skinny-fit pants.
Appropriate undergarments must be worn and may not be visible.
Make-up may be worn beginning in 7th grade
Tattoos and body piercing may not be visible. Facial piercings are strictly prohibited. Male students are not authorized earrings. Large dangling or hoop-type earrings are not allowed. Earrings must be limited to one earring per ear.
Jewelry other than watches and small earrings on girls may not be worn. Necklaces/chains are not allowed for safety reasons.
Hairstyle and hair color must be conservative in nature. See details that follow.
Shirts must be worn tucked inside the pants, skirt or shorts. Pants may not have holes in the knees.
No pocket chains or hats may be worn in the building.
Vests are not allowed.
Hoodies, sweaters or sweatshirts other than CMA or plain navy ones are not allowed. If worn to school, they must be removed before class begins.
Furry boots are not allowed while wearing the uniform. These are only allowed during non-uniform or jean days.
Light-colored nail polish may be worn as long as it is in good repair.

UNIFORM VIOLATIONS

First time: Parent will be called to bring student appropriate clothing.
Second offense: Parent will be called to bring student appropriate clothing. student will serve detention.
Third offense: Student will be given suspension.

HAIR GUIDELINES

CMA uses military guidelines for hair length and appearance.

Boys: When hair is pulled straight, it must not extend below the top of the shirt collar in back, the tops of the ears on the sides or touching the eyebrows in front. Hair on top may not be more than 1 ¼” in length. If hair is dyed, it must be conservative in style and a natural color.

Girls: Those in grades K-6th may wear hair down. In 7th grade and up, girls whose hair is longer than shoulder-length must either wear it up in no more than two ponytails, in a bun, or in a clip. Ribbons and barrettes will be conservative in style and present a neat and orderly appearance. If hair is dyed, it must be conservative and of a natural hair color.

JEWELRY

Males are allowed to wear a watch on their wrist, one ring on one hand, and one necklace. Males are not allowed to have visible piercings when in uniform or during any CMA activity.

Females are allowed to wear a watch on their wrist, one ring on one hand, one necklace and may wear a single small earring of conservative shape and color in the lobe of each ear. Earrings will be approximately 4mm in sized and present a neat and orderly appearance. No hoop or dangly type earrings are allowed.

Facial piercings are strictly prohibited.

COSMETIC AND NAIL POLISH STANDARDS

Tattoos and Henna designs must not be visible while in school uniform.

Males may not wear nail polish or makeup in school uniform. Nails will be clean and trimmed.

Females may wear a natural single color of nail polish or white-tip French manicures are authorized. Nail jewelry or designs are not authorized. Fingernails must not exceed ¼ inch in length beyond the tip of the finger and must be clean and well groomed. Fingernails must not interfere with the performance of assigned duties. Fingernails must not hinder proper fit of prescribed safety equipment or uniform items. Cosmetics must be conservative.

Makeup must be natural. No heavy liners, extreme shadow colors or artificial cosmetic additions are authorized (lases, skin patches, etc).

SHOES, SOCKS, AND BELTS

Students may wear black dress shoes (closed toe) or mostly black tennis shoes with black socks with CMA uniform. There can be no characters, lights, or wheels. No high heels or wedges.

Belts (black or navy) are required with CMA uniform except for Pre-K and Kindergarteners. Belts will be of a plain, conservative style with no large belt buckles or excessive length left hanging down.

To ensure student safety, all students will be required to change to tennis shoes for PE.

PE UNIFORMS

PE uniforms are required for grades 7-12. All middle and high school students will change into the CMA PE uniform for PE class. Students who do not dress out for PE class will not be able to participate in class and will receive a zero for the day. The only authorized CMA Shorts and shirt are required. Sweatpants are optional but must be Navy Blue. These items may be obtained from the CMA WebStore at https://cmacs.revtrak.net/.

It is the student /family’s responsibility to see that all uniforms are laundered regularly.

BACKPACKS

6.3.1.4.3. Back Packs. Black backpacks may be worn with any uniform combination. Only solid-color black backpacks will be worn with blue uniform combinations. Small logos are authorized. Members may wear a backpack on the left shoulder or both shoulders (not to interfere with rendering the proper salute). Backpacks will not have ornamentation, a high-gloss, designs, or hanging/dangling objects. Small gold or silver clasp authorized, but chains are not authorized.

DRESS CODE FOR SPECIAL DRESS-UP DAYS

The following general rules apply to approved civilian clothes days, unless otherwise published by the Executive Director.

Picture Days: Business casual. For other events, minimum standard equal to uniform dress code or nicer.
Jeans (regular or skinny) are ok for non-uniform days, but absolutely no holes or tears. No sweats, leggings or yoga pants.
No sleeveless tops. Midriffs, halter-tops, spaghetti straps, backless clothing, tube tops, tank tops, or camisoles may not be worn. No visible lingerie. No tops that can be offensive or insensitive.
No sheer, tight or low-cut clothing. No immodest or provocative clothing.
Shoes must be closed-toed. No crocs.
Spirit days - The only thing allowed on a spirit day is jeans and a CMA shirt ONLY. If you do not have aCMA shirt, you can wear a solid blue or solid yellow shirt without any kind of wording or photos. Solid means plain.

Students who choose not to comply with these guidelines will be sent home for a change of clothing or may wait in the ISS rooms until parent/guardian arrive with appropriate clothes. Administration reserves the right to make the final judgment call on all clothing selections for the day.

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS

Students may be asked to wear dress shirts and ties for boys or dresses for girls in honor of athletic competitions. Those in Civil Air Patrol may be required to wear “dress” uniform.

Particular dress for music concerts or plays may also be required. Please note – general rules for special days dress applies.

CADET CORPS UNIFORM GUIDELINES

See CMA Cadet Corps Uniform Guidelines regarding proper uniform guidelines and appropriate accessories while in uniform.

Discipline & Code Of Conduct

OPEN CAMPUS – SENIORS ONLY

CMA has a closed campus. Students are not allowed to leave unless accompanied by an approved adult.

Seniors in good standing at the discretion of the Dean of students may be allowed to leave campus during their lunch hour. All bell schedules must still be observed. Tardies will not be excused. A student who is repeatedly tardy may lose this privilege.

APPROPRIATE PLAYGROUND & LUNCHROOM BEHAVIOR

Students must follow guidelines expressed by staff in the lunchroom and on the playground. No roughhousing or play fighting is allowed.

INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE

Disrespectful, crude or vulgar language, swearing, or use of gang-style expressions is prohibited.

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION

Handholding, kissing, hugging, or other public displays of affection by students are prohibited.

DETENTION

When Detention is issued by a teacher or the Dean of students, parents will be notified.

Detention time will be served by the student on Friday after school.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Do not bring game consoles, ear buds or other valuable items to school unless they are part of an academic project. Large sums of money should be left at home. CMA will not be held responsible for loss, damage, or theft.

No weapons or other items that can cause physical harm may be brought to school. No drugs or alcohol, tobacco, vapes, vape nicotine, marijuana, THC vape, or other controlled substances are allowed.

The use of tobacco and/or Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) by students, teachers, staff, and visitors in or on school property or at any student activity sponsored by CMA is prohibited. It is illegal for students under 21 to possess or use such items. See the Tobacco and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Free Policy on the CMA website here: https://coloradomilitaryacademy.org/board-policies/

All medication is to be kept and administered by the main office.

Any other items deemed unsafe will be confiscated and may not be returned. The police may be notified. Other disciplinary action may include suspension or expulsion.

SEARCHES OF SCHOOL GROUNDS OR PROPERTY

Use of a CMA locker or parking on school property by a student grants the school permission to search any and all such places. The search will take place where there is reasonable suspicion that the search will reveal evidence that the student has violated or is violating the law or school rule, the search is reasonably related in scope to the circumstances that justified the search. It includes vehicles, lockers, backpacks, computers, phones or other personal items.

DAMAGE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY/VANDALISM

Misuse of school equipment that causes damage will require its replacement by parent/guardians and can result in disciplinary actions.

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, TRUANCY, AND HABITUAL TRUANCY

‘Chronic Absenteeism’ is defined as missing 10 percent or more of a school year approximately 18 days a year, or just two days every month.

If a student is absent without a valid and verifiable excuse from the parent/guardian or if a student leaves school or class without permission, this is truancy. Truancy is synonymous with “Unexcused absence.”

A habitually truant student is one who accrues 4 total days of unexcused absence in a calendar month or 10 total days of unexcused absence during a school year (not including suspension).

Daily, Weekly and Monthly Attendance reporting submitted to the Executive Director by CMA Office staff will identify students who are or are at risk of becoming Chronically Absent, Truant, or Habitually Truant.

Students who are unexcused for 3 days within a given month without reason will be contacted by the CMA office staff and a letter will be sent home to the parent/guardian.
Students who are unexcused for 5 days not within a given month will receive a notice in writing.
Students who are unexcused for 7 days not within a given month will receive an invitation to meet with a member of the CMA Administration to discuss non-compliance. CMA will also file a notice of non-compliance with our attorney and the El Paso County courts.
Students who are unexcused for 4 days in a given month or 10 total days in a school year will be identified as ‘habitually truant.’ CMA will file a petition with our attorney and the El Paso County courts, which will result in a mandated court appearance.

Consequences of chronically absent, truant, and habitually truancy will be determined on a case-by-case basis and can include the following:

Retention in current grade
Withdrawal and coded as a drop out (after 10 days of absences and no successful attempts to reach the family)

BULLYING

The Board of CMA wants a safe and secure learning environment. Harassment, repeated teasing, gestures, intimidation, threats, or other action, whether written or verbal, are cause for disciplinary actions, including suspension or expulsion. This includes school grounds and events, before and after school, and at school-sponsored activities. CMA Staff will provide Anti-Bullying Training for students at least once a year.

Bullying is defined as a form of aggressive behavior characterized by the use of force or coercion to affect others, typically when the behavior is habitual and involves an imbalance of power. It often includes repeated acts intended to intimidate, harm, or distress someone perceived as vulnerable. Bullying can take various forms, such as physical, verbal, emotional, or cyberbullying, and can occur in various settings, including schools, workplaces, online platforms, and communities.

Aggressive or violent behavior, including that made over the internet or through electronic apps, which threatens another student’s safety or security, is not allowed. All CMA staff and students will treat one another with respect and kindness. If differences of opinion or disagreements arise, students will work through them with calmness and kind expression. If an adult is needed to mediate, the Dean of students or another administrator is available to assist.

Students found to be bullying may be placed on a behavioral contract for improvement. If the behavior continues, disciplinary action up to and including expulsion may result.

CMA INCLUSION POLICY

Colorado Military Academy is committed to ensuring that every member of our school community is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or personal attributes. We seek to foster a community where diversity is revered and celebrated, as it is critical for academic and social-emotional success. Educational inclusion at CMA means equal opportunities for all learners, while scaffolding materials and experiences to account for individual needs and situations. The environment at CMA is one where all members should feel safe, welcome, and valued. No member of the CMA community shall ever be discriminated against due to disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, language, religion, ancestry, need for special education services or any other protected class.

GANG INVOLVEMENT OR ASSOCIATION

Involvement, association, or identification with an illegal gang or violent group or other group that advocates illegal activity is prohibited and cause for suspension or expulsion.

THEFT, CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM

Students found to be guilty of theft, cheating, or plagiarism may be suspended or expelled.

HARASSMENT

Harassment concerning ethnicity, sexual or gender orientation, or religion are prohibited by State and Federal law. Suspension and/or expulsion may result.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Jokes, innuendoes or comments of a sexual nature, whether made to staff or students of either gender are not permitted.

HABITUALLY DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS

Students who cause a disruption on school grounds, in a school vehicle or at a school activity or sanctioned event are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the classroom. Upon a third such removal from a teacher’s class, the teacher may request the student be removed for the remainder of the semester. The Dean of students will develop and implement a behavior intervention plan for that student.

A behavior plan may be developed after the first such removal from class and shall be developed after the second removal from class. Parents/guardians will be contacted as soon as possible after any student is removed from class and a parent conference will be requested. Any additional action shall comply with applicable federal and state laws, including but not limited to laws regarding students with disabilities.

If physical restraint of a student is necessary for the safety of others, a staff member certified in CPI restraint will perform that duty. Other conditions of CMA’s physical restraint policy will be applied.

SUSPENSIONS

A suspension of one to five days may be instituted for a severe behavior problem for students. Suspension time may be served at home (Out-of-school suspension – OSS) or at school (In-school Suspension- ISS). The Dean of students will make the determination for which type of suspension. ISS may include separation from other students at lunch time or doing schoolwork in a separate room from other students.

A re-entry conference with student, parent, and administration is necessary before returning to class following suspension. The conference may also include others, as administration deems necessary.

In cases of students in Pre-K-second grade, no more than 3 days suspension is allowed. Suspension may only be for the following infractions:

Involves the possession of a dangerous weapon without the authorization of the school;
Involves the use, possession, or sale of a drug or controlled substance, as defined in C.R.S. 18-18-102(5); or
Endangers the health or safety of others.

When 10 days total suspension has been accumulated in one year, whether during a school year or a calendar year, the CMA Board may refer the student to the Board’s designee for expulsion proceedings.

In cases of Special Needs students, a Manifestation hearing will be held to determine if the behavior is due to disabilities named in the student’s IEP or if it is a “choice” behavior.

EXPULSION

A student who has been suspended a total of 10 days in 12 months will be automatically referred to the Board’s designee for Expulsion proceedings. Due process shall include parent letter of notification of a hearing to be presided over by a hearing officer. The parent / student may have an attorney present at the proceeding. CMA’s attorney will attend.

Serious infractions, such as violence, drug possession or sales, or possession of weapons for other than lawful purposes may be cause for immediate expulsion.

Potential expulsion procedures are handled in conjunction with the state Charter School Institute and follow their due process systems, as per CMA’s contract with CSI.

A student who is expelled will be offered other educational services, not including school attendance. Students who have been expelled may not be eligible to attend any public school in the area for the period of the expulsion, which may be up to 12 months.

Enrollment Procedures

ENROLLMENT

Colorado Military Academy is a Colorado Choice School requiring all students to re-enroll every year. As such, currently enrolled CMA students will be required to complete an Intent to Return form electronically through the PowerSchool Parent Portal informing the school whether the student will be returning to CMA or attending another school for the following school year. All students who are returning to CMA the next school year will have guaranteed seating if an Intent to Return form has been submitted notifying the school of that student’s returning enrollment. If a student’s form is not completed and submitted within the deadline provided by the school, the student's guaranteed spot will be forfeited to allow enrollment for new incoming students. For assistance with obtaining guardian access to a student’s PowerSchool profile, please contact powerschool@cmacs.org.

PRE-K REQUIREMENTS

Colorado Military Academy (CMA) offers a full-day preschool program designed for children who turn 4 years old by October 1st. Enrollment is available through the Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) program, with tuition-free and reduced-tuition options based on eligibility.

Each classroom is led by a qualified early childhood general education teacher and a teacher’s assistant, providing a supportive learning environment with personalized attention.

PRE-K ENROLLMENT PROCESS

Families must first apply through the Colorado Universal Preschool Kindergarten (UPK) program. Once approved, CMA will provide instructions to complete the school’s preschool registration forms.

What is Colorado UPK?

The Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) program provides financial assistance for preschool tuition. It is available to all families, regardless of income level or residency, and operates on a lottery-based enrollment system.

Selecting CMA as your #1 choice increases your chances of securing a spot.

PRE-K TUITION AND FEES

15 Hours of UPK Funding → Families pay reduce tuition
30 Hours of UPK Funding → No additional tuition required
Full-Tuition Option → Families not applying for UPK funding pay full tuition

KINDERGARTEN REQUIREMENTS

Any child who is five years of age on or before October 1 is eligible to enter Kindergarten at CMA. Special considerations may be made for gifted students to start kindergarten a year early or first grade a year early. See our Early Access information on our website.

A “readiness” evaluation may be given to determine if a student is ready for the academic nature of the CMA program. It is usually advisable for students who are not truly ready for school to wait a year for enrollment.

Here are some skills we recommend that parents work on in preparation for kindergarten:

Know the alphabet, such as the ABC song or other
Begin writing some letters
Able to write own name
Count to 10
Begin to write some numbers
Be able to sit still for 10-15 minutes at a time

WAITING LIST

CMA maintains a waiting list by grade. As spots become available, families will be notified via email and will have three (3) days to respond and accept the offered seat.

Seats will be offered based on the following priority order:

Students affiliated with a staff member
Siblings of currently enrolled students
All other applicants

If a seat becomes available for your student, you will receive further instructions on the next steps for enrollment once you have responded and accepted the seat.

CLASS PLACEMENT

Class placement and teacher choices are at the discretion of the administration. Parent-provided information about student learning styles and needs is requested in the registration process, and will be considered.

Students entering from homeschooling or other schools may be given a placement test to determine grade level.

Office Procedures

PRE-K DROP-OFF & PICK-UP PROCEDURES

All Pre-K parents must walk their student into the building for drop-off and pick-up. Please do not drop off Pre-K students before 7:45.
Parents will be issued a badge from the front office.
Lost badge replacement fee: $5

LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY

Parents needing to pick students up early for appointments should communicate that with your student’s classroom teacher. The parent/guardian must come in and sign out the student. Parents are encouraged to schedule such appointments on Friday afternoons or other times when the student will not have to miss class.

Students will not be release within 30 minutes of the end of the school day.

ABSENCES

Please be sure to excuse your student in the Safe Arrival portal/app if your student is absent due to emergency, illness, or other excused situation. You must excuse you student by the end of the school day, or your student will be mark as “absent – unexcused.” Each day, attendance notification messages will be sent to the parent/guardians on record for students with unexcused absences.

Parent must opt-in to receive text messages from School Messenger/Safe Arrival. To opt-in text ‘Y’ or ‘Yes’ to 67587.

Parents can excuse their student from school through the following methods:

Free SchoolMessenger App: download from https://go.schoolmessenger.com/
SchoolMessenger Webportal: https://go.schoolmessenger.com
Toll-free Phone number: 1-877-653-2987

Students with more than 10 absences annually, excused or unexcused, may be considered for retention (not passed on to the next grade.) students with more than four unexcused absences per month or 10 days per school year will be termed “habitually truant” under Colorado law. Truancy court proceedings will be instituted with El Paso County.

VISITORS

Visitors must sign in and sign out using a valid government-issued ID at the office. Tours must be scheduled in advance. All visitors must wear an identifying badge at all times while on school property. Former staff and students are not authorized access without Executive Director approval.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR PHONE

If there are any changes that need to be made to a guardian’s contact information to include address, phone, emergency contacts, please log into the PowerSchool parent portal to submit changes electronically. Changes submitted through the portal will be reviewed by the PowerSchool admin and approved if there is no additional information required. If a parent or guardian needs assistance accessing this portal, please contact
powerschool@cmacs.org.

TRANSFER OR WITHDRAWAL

Transfer / withdrawal forms can be found on the CMA Website or at the front office. All fees and/or fines must be paid and materials checked out to your cadet returned. Permanent cadet records will be forwarded to the new school upon their request. To request records, email records@cmacs.org. Records request must be submitted by an authorized parent/guardian on record.

Parent Letter Of Commitment

All parents who enroll their children at Colorado Military Academy will be expected to read and sign the following letter:

We believe that by taking shared responsibility for learning, we can ensure that the children enrolled at Colorado Military Academy will be successful learners and members of our community.

At CMA the Board of Directors, staff, parents and students pledge to work together to meet the school’s mission, which is to:

Provide an academically challenging, content-rich curriculum that holds high expectations for all students.
Train military leadership and character
Offer opportunities for STEAM and aerospace education.
Provide a safe environment where all students are known, respected, and valued as individuals of great potential.
Establish a community that models and encourages character development, and a sense of responsibility towards self and others.

Specifically, parents agree to:

Ensure that their child(ren) are in school every day, except for illness or other legitimate reasons. Parents agree to make every attempt to schedule appointments after school whenever possible.
Ensure that their child(ren) come to school each day on time, neatly dressed in their uniform, and prepared to learn. ∙ Provide a regular time and quiet atmosphere for child(ren) to complete homework.
Monitor homework completion on a nightly basis.
Support learning at home by reading at least 15 minutes with their child(ren) every night.
Assist their child(ren) with projects and attend cadet presentations and performances whenever possible.
Attend all parent-teacher conferences each year.
Support the school’s programs by volunteering when possible.
Purchase the school supplies required by the teacher and agree to pay, on time, any fees associated with field trips, the before/after school program, or other fees *. Cadets who are on Free and Reduced Lunch, including homeless and foster Cadets, do not pay these fees.
Support the rigorous Core Knowledge curriculum by regularly asking their child(ren) about their activities at school.
Discuss classroom concerns or conflicts with the teacher(s) before going to the Executive Director (Interim) or an administrator.
Support CMA’s policies, procedures and philosophy.

Parent Commitment:

By signing this Letter of Commitment, I _______________________________ (parent/guardian) acknowledge that my family is committing to CMA and that CMA is committing to my family. I understand that this is not a legally binding document for my family or CMA, but does represent an understanding of the information presented above.

Signed: ______________________________________________ Date: _________

Please list the names and grades of all children you have enrolled at the school:

_____________________________________________________________________________

*If you qualify for free or reduced lunch per federal guidelines, your fees will be waived. ** Waived for deployed families, families with serious illness, or other exemptions through meeting with Executive Director.

Notification of Rights under FERPA for Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Colorado Military Academy receives a request for access.
Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit to the Executive Director a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
Parents or eligible students who wish to ask Colorado Military Academy to amend their child’s or their education record should write the Executive Director , clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. The criteria for determining who constitutes a school official and what constitutes a legitimate educational interest must be set forth in the school’s or school district’s annual notification for FERPA rights. A school official typically includes a person employed by the school or school district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board. A school official also may include a volunteer, contractor, or consultant who, while not employed by the school, performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school or school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Colorado Military Academy to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202

See the list below of the disclosures that elementary and secondary schools may make without consent.

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the parent or eligible student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in § 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the parent or eligible student, § 99.32 of the FERPA regulations requires the school to record the disclosure. Parents and eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A school may disclose PII from the education records of a student without obtaining prior written consent of the parents or the eligible student –

To other school officials, including teachers, within the educational agency or institution whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in § 99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) - (a)(1)(i)(B)(3) are met. (§ 99.31(a)(1))
To officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of § 99.34. (§ 99.31(a)(2))
To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as the State educational agency (SEA) in the parent or eligible student’s State. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of § 99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf, if applicable requirements are met. (§§ 99.31(a)(3) and 99.35)
In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary for such purposes as to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. (§ 99.31(a)(4))
To State and local officials or authorities to whom information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed by a State statute that concerns the juvenile justice system and the system’s ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records were released, subject to § 99.38. (§ 99.31(a)(5))
To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction, if applicable requirements are met. (§ 99.31(a)(6))
To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. (§ 99.31(a)(7))
To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes. (§ 99.31(a)(8))
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena if applicable requirements are met. (§ 99.31(a)(9))
To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to § 99.36. (§ 99.31(a)(10)
Information the school has designated as “directory information” if applicable requirements under § 99.37 are met. (§ 99.31(a)(11))
To an agency caseworker or other representative of a State or local child welfare agency or tribal organization who is authorized to access a student’s case plan when such agency or organization is legally responsible, in accordance with State or tribal law, for the care and protection of the student in foster care placement. (20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1)(L))
To the Secretary of Agriculture or authorized representatives of the Food and Nutrition Service for purposes of conducting program monitoring, evaluations, and performance measurements of programs authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, under certain conditions. (20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1)(K))

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) - Notice for Directory Information

[Note: Per 34 C.F.R. § 99.37(d), a school or school district may adopt a limited directory information policy. If a school or school district does so, the directory information notice to parents and eligible Cadets must specify the parties who may receive directory information and/or the purposes for which directory information may be disclosed.]

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Colorado Military Academy, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, Colorado Military Academy may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the Colorado Military Academy to the contrary in accordance with Colorado Military Academy procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Colorado Military Academy to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

A playbill, showing your Cadet’s role in a drama production;
The annual yearbook;
Honor roll or other recognition lists;
Graduation programs; and
Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their Cadet’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [Note: These laws are Section 9528 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. § 7908) and 10 U.S.C. § 503(c).]

If you do not want Colorado Military Academy to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the Colorado Military Academy in writing within 30 days after your child’s enrollment. Colorado Military Academy has designated the following information as directory information:

Cadet’s name
Address
Telephone listing
Electronic mail address
Photograph
Date and place of birth
Major field of study
Dates of attendance
Grade level
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Degrees, honors, and awards received
The most recent educational agency or institution attended
Cadet ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user
A Cadet ID number or other unique personal identifier that is displayed on a Cadet ID badge, but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user.

Ready to Enroll?

Take the first step toward becoming part of the Colorado Military Academy community by submitting your Pre-Registration Form. For a detailed look at the full enrollment process, visit our Enrollment Process page here.

Quick Links

General Inquiries

info@cmacs.org

Front Office

719-576-9838

School Contacts

360 Command View
Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Phone: (719) 576-9838
Fax: (719) 466-6537
Email: info@cmacs.org

Office Hours

In session: 7:30-4:00 (M-F)

Summer: 8:00-12:00 (M-Th)

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