FOCUS: ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY NEWS : BREA

Brea Olinda High School officials are making sure that parents are no longer caught by surprise when their children receive failing grades in one or more of their classes.

Before teachers can fail a student, they have to contact the child’s parent by telephone, mail or e-mail to break the news.

And if the lines of communication between teacher and parent break down, the school district restricts its teachers from failing the student. Instead a D or D-minus is given.

The policy, which has been in place for several years but never enforced, states that when students are in danger of failing, parents must be notified.