Parents

The Parent Portal will take you to secure resources for parents. This is the hub of school resources and where you will find archives of email communications, calendars, daily schedules, access to college counseling resources, grades, and more. Every two weeks, the school will send a newsletter that includes important reminders and links. 

Throughout the year, you will also receive occasional emails from the College Office, the Student Life Office, or other school departments. Make sure that you regularly check your email and keep us updated on any changes to your contact information.

(Many of these items are also available in the School Store)

pens, pencils, erasers (with a pencil bag/pouch) 
starter supply of paper (lined and graph) 
3-ring binders: D ring with clear cover pocket on front (1.5") 
a few spiral notebooks 
assignment book (the Asheville School planner available in the bookstore upon arrival) 
seat cushion for desk chair 
ruler 
backpack (wide enough to carry a few textbooks and binders at the same time) 
index cards (3 x 5) for flash cards or a box of blank flash cards
Laptop cover for MacBook Air 
Calculator – TI-83+, 83+ Silver Edition, 84+, or 84+ Silver Edition

Mathematics Department Calculator Policy

Calculators are an essential tool for most math and science courses at Asheville School. All Asheville School students are required to have a Texas Instruments calculator of model 83+ or 84+ (any version of those basic models). Students are required to have the calculators in class with them each day unless otherwise noted by the teacher.

All new Asheville School students receive a 13” Apple MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and a 256 GB Hard Drive on opening day. This computer will come preloaded with Microsoft Office 365, and all students will use it for their classwork. Families will not be asked to pay for these laptops.

If a student would like to bring another computer to use in addition to the school provided laptop, it must be cleared with the technology department. Read the technology handbook for more information: https://www.ashevilleschool.org/parents/technology-handbook. 

Select Your Room to See the Layout

Suggested Packing List for Boarding Students

For returning students, the course selection process begins in February when teachers review their students’ academic records and make recommendations for the following year. Students then review these recommendations with their advisors, at which time they can request alternative courses if necessary.

In April, parents can review and approve those courses within NetClassroom.

As new students are enrolled over the summer, our Registrar will review their previous transcripts and standardized test scores and, based upon that information, make an initial recommendation for appropriate courses. For placement into some math classes and upper level foreign language classes, new students might need to take an online placement test; our Registrar will contact those students individually with specific instructions.

Student class schedules will be available on opening day.

Over the summer, our Registrar will be working to build the academic schedule; adjustments to that schedule and to class enrollment will continue right up until the first day of school to ensure that sections are balanced and that students are enrolled in the appropriate courses.

After classes begin, all students will have the opportunity to modify their schedules if necessary. That process requires the input of the student’s advisor, the relevant teachers, and the student’s parents. The “Drop/Add” window closes after the mid-term grades are released in late October.

2019-2020:
Our goal is to maintain criteria for dress and grooming that fosters pride in self and respect for School standards and helps our students to find their places here at Asheville School based on their accomplishments rather than on their outward appearance. Students are expected to dress in clean, neat clothes that fit well and are in good repair, modest in style, and appropriate for the occasion. An unkempt appearance and/or extremes of dress or appearance are not acceptable at Asheville School.

Members of the faculty and administration reserve the right to request students to comply with the guidelines or change specific articles of clothing if they believe that the students' dress and/or appearance is not in compliance with the spirit of the dress code.

Details for all dress:

• All clothing worn during the academic day must be clean, in good taste and good condition, and not excessively revealing. All athletes are expected to have showered and/or changed clothes after practice prior to entering the Dining Hall.
• Clothing or accessories with printed statements or symbols referring to drugs or alcohol, or containing racist, sexist, sexual, insensitive or divisive remarks may never be worn.
• Undergarments (sports bras, bra straps, slips, boxer shorts, etc.) should never be visible.
• Boys may not wear earrings at any time. Other forms of body piercing are prohibited.
• Girls may wear earrings only in their ears. Other forms of body piercing are prohibited.
• Students may not have any visible tattoos.
• Any radical hairstyle is prohibited. Hair must remain within a slight variation of the person's natural color.
• For boys, hair must be combed and neat. Hair should fall above chin level when hanging freely and must stay out of the face. 
• Boys must be clean-shaven.

The School has two categories to its dress code: Classroom Dress and Spirit Dress. 

Classroom Dress
Classroom Dress is worn on all class days from 8 a.m. through the end of the academic day, at Sunday services, and at community seated meals. Classroom Dress does not include any athletic wear, hats, hoodies, rompers, jumpers, overalls, or clothing made from denim or leather.

Classroom Dress for Girls:

• Dress shoes, skirt, dress blouse or button-down shirt, blazer or
• Dress shoes, dress pants, dress blouse or button-down shirt, blazer or
• Professional-style dress

Shirts: Only dress, collared, button-down shirts with long or short sleeves are acceptable. Button-down shirts must be tucked in at all times and must be buttoned all the way to and including the neck button when wearing a tie. Button down shirts must be a loose and professional fit and do not include shirts primarily made of corduroy, denim, or flannel. 

Ties: Ties must be properly tied at the neck. Bowties are acceptable. 

Pants: Pants must be neat and properly fitting. Dress pants do not include blue jeans, joggers, hip-huggers, spandex, or cargo pants. Pants must be worn at the waist and with a belt. 

Blazers: Blazers or sport coats must be of a professional style and worn, not carried. Sweaters or outerwear jackets may not be worn in place of a blazer or sport coat. 

Sweaters: Crew neck sweaters, quarter zip sweaters or sweater vests may be worn with a collared shirt underneath. Neckties must be showing. Sweaters do not replace blazers. 

Shoes: Shoes must be a conservative dress shoe or dress boot. No cowboy boots, athletic style shoes with/without any athletic logo, Vans, Uggs boots, work style boots, slippers or open-toed Birkenstocks. During inclement weather, appropriate cold/wet weather shoes may be worn. Laces must be tied.

Shirts: Dress shirts are commonly collared and button-down, but loose-fitting, professional-style blouses are also acceptable.  Dress shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Dress shirts do not include t-shirts or shirts primarily made of lycra, corduroy, denim, spandex, leather, flannel, or fleece. 

Pants: Pants must be neat and properly fitting. Dress pants do not include jean-cut pants, joggers, hip-huggers, spandex, leggings or cargo pants. Pants must be worn at the waist and with a belt when there are loops in the original design. 

Skirts: Dress skirts should be equivalent in style to dress pants.  Skirts must be no shorter than 3” above the knee when standing and seated.

Blazers: Blazers must be of a professional style and worn, not carried, with pants or skirts. Sweaters or outerwear jackets may not be worn in place of a blazer or sport coat. 

Sweaters: Turtleneck sweaters may be worn in place of a dress shirt during the cooler months. Cardigan sweaters may also be worn with dresses and may not be oversized or extend beyond the length of the dress. Pullover sweaters may be worn with a visible collared blouse underneath. Sweaters do not replace blazers. 

Shoes: Shoes must be a conservative dress shoe or dress boot. No cowboy boots, athletic style shoes with/without any athletic logo, Vans, Uggs boots, work style boots, slippers, or open toed Birkenstocks. During inclement weather, appropriate cold/wet weather shoes may be worn. Laces must be tied. 

Dresses: Professional-style dresses likely have a defined waist. They are neither tight-fitting nor billowy (they would not fly up in a breeze). They are likely made of a heavier weight fabric. Dresses that are sleeveless have shoulder fabric that reaches the shoulder edge. Dress length must be no shorter than 3" above the knee. Shift dresses are allowed only if they are the appropriate length. T-shirt dresses (made of jersey fabric and t-shirt style top) are not considered classroom dress.  

Classroom Dress for boys:

• Classroom Dress for boys includes dress shoes, pants, belt, button-down shirt, tie and blazer. 

Shirts: Only dress, collared, button-down shirts with long or short sleeves are acceptable. Button-down shirts must be tucked in at all times and must be buttoned all the way to and including the neck button when wearing a tie. Button down shirts must be a loose and professional fit and do not include shirts primarily made of corduroy, denim, or flannel. 

Ties: Ties must be properly tied at the neck. Bowties are acceptable. 

Pants: Pants must be neat and properly fitting. Dress pants do not include blue jeans, joggers, hip-huggers, spandex, or cargo pants. Pants must be worn at the waist and with a belt. 

Blazers: Blazers or sport coats must be of a professional style and worn, not carried. Sweaters or outerwear jackets may not be worn in place of a blazer or sport coat. 

Sweaters: Crew neck sweaters, quarter zip sweaters or sweater vests may be worn with a collared shirt underneath. Neckties must be showing. Sweaters do not replace blazers. 

Shoes: Shoes must be a conservative dress shoe or dress boot. No cowboy boots, athletic style shoes with/without any athletic logo, Vans, Uggs boots, work style boots, slippers or open-toed Birkenstocks. During inclement weather, appropriate cold/wet weather shoes may be worn. Laces must be tied.

Spirit Dress
Spirit Dress is worn on White Fridays and Service Saturdays unless otherwise specified by the Student Life Office. 

Spirit Dress for all students includes: an official Asheville School T-shirt or sweatshirt with jeans, khaki pants, khaki joggers, track suit bottoms, or dress shorts (none of which may be torn or frayed). Shorts must be 2” above the knee or longer. No athletic shorts or leggings are allowed. We wear Spirit Dress to show our school spirit; therefore, your AS spirit top must be worn on top of other layers. Feel free to wear appropriate outwear when you are walking outside buildings or doing outdoor service projects.

Director of Parent Engagement Lynn Gilliland is here to help you find an answer to questions and listen to any comments or suggestions you might have. Contact Lynn at gillilandl@ashevilleschool.org or by 828-254-6345 x4075.

The Warner Arms Health Center is located on the first floor of Anderson Hall. The school’s doctor visits the infirmary on Mondays and Fridays, and a nurse is on duty at all times when school is in session. The school's nurses approve and record all medical appointments for both day and boarding students, and the nurses are responsible for dispensing all medication.

The school employs an on-campus, full-time professional school psychologist who is available to students, families, faculty and staff for the purpose of assisting with various emotional and social concerns that may arise.

Short-term, individual counseling is provided by the school psychologist and can be obtained by self-referral or through consultation with another community member. Should more extensive or longer-term counseling be needed, the school psychologist coordinates the referral to an appropriate outside professional and arranges for transportation to the practitioner’s office.

The school psychologist subscribes to a policy of confidentiality in all dealings with persons who seek help, though safety concerns provide an exception to such a policy. When issues regarding safety arise, the confidentiality policy will defer to safety concerns.

The school psychologist’s office is located on the middle level of Skinner Library.

The Learning Center is a resource for students and teachers. We work with students on developing their organizational and study skills in an effort to help them become independent learners. We also provide daily help in specific subjects.

For most students, the Learning Center is a voluntary resource. Students may be assigned for a period of three weeks to 10 months, depending on their progress. These students come in daily during their free period and work with the Learning Center staff.

Most students stop in for help with:

• Math
• College essays
• Lab reports
• English papers
• Study skills
• Time management

The goal of the College Office is to support, inform, and encourage students and their families as they navigate the exciting, complex, and ever-changing process of college admissions. We educate students and families about the nuances of admission, advise students about appropriate and interesting college options that best suit their needs, and support students as they successfully complete the application process. 

Check out the College Office Page.

All new students receive an Apple laptop on Opening Day as part of the school's 1-to-1 laptop program. Student laptops are pre-loaded with Microsoft Office. Robust wireless access is available across campus for students, faculty members, alumni, and guests. Besides the school-issued laptops, students have access to an iMac computer lab in the Library. All dorm rooms are equipped with high-speed Internet connections and wifi access. SMART Boards are equipped in most classrooms. Apple TV devices support Airplay from teacher laptops and iPads.

Technology Handbook