Student Conduct

Students
Spiritual Experience
Spiritual Activities
Dorm Experience
Leadership
Music Organizations
Sports & Physical Fitness
Technology
Student Conduct
Student Dress
Request Information

Social Development

SVA is committed to the concept that positive social development needs to take place during the teenage years.  We believe it is important for high school students to develop their social skills and build friendships with a wide range of other students.  We provide a varied program of cultural and recreational opportunities for wholesome association.  Our basic policy for such association is “hands off.”  We do not encourage relationships that become romantically involved.  Such relationships nearly always lead to blocking the development of relationships with other students, contrary to our philosophy of social development.

Behavior and Accountability

As the boarding high school of the Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Shenandoah Valley Academy is dedicated to building committed Christians and responsible citizens.  With this in mind, the SVA Administration and Staff have established policies and standards of conduct that will promote spiritual growth, healthy minds and bodies, strong personal relationships, safety for all of our students, and a smoothly operating program.  Many of our policies and standards are based on Scripture while others are our “house rules” that have no connection to spiritual matters.  It is important to recognize the difference between these two bases for policies.  Where possible, we have correlated Scripture with policies and standards.  The other policies and standards are how we choose to operate this Christian school.
 
While many of our students live in the New Market community, the Standards of Conduct and Accountability apply equally to dormitory students and community students.  The exception to this, of course, is that SVA’s Standards of Conduct and Accountability that specifically apply to only SVA dormitory students will be replaced by policies and rules established by the parents of our community students while at home (i.e., use of cars, study periods, selection/use of music/games, etc.).  Community students and parents, we greatly appreciate your accepting and supporting the policies and standards in your homes that we have adopted for SVA.  While we attempt to provide a loving home environment for our students, we recognize that some of the policies and standards of conduct are not the same as some parents and students follow in their own home.  However, while enrolled at SVA, students and parents are responsible to acquaint themselves with the policies and standards contained in this Student Handbook and consistently follow them.  A student’s enrollment at the Academy is a commitment to the policies, standards, and procedures that SVA promotes.

Statements of policy announced and/or posted are as valid as, and may supersede, those printed in this book.  Such policy addendums and changes will be communicated to SVA students and parents.  Whenever, in the judgment of the administration, a student’s influence is detrimental to others, or when attempts to help the student have not brought the necessary results, parents may be requested to withdraw the student from school.  A student who has been dismissed or encouraged to withdraw for any reason is required to make advanced arrangements with SVA’s administration before revisiting the campus at any time within the school year.
A student who is enrolled at Shenandoah Valley Academy will model ethical and moral behavior both on and off the campus.