g sota parent student handbook

8/3/2019 G SOTA Parent Student Handbook

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Gardens School of Technology Arts

Parent Student Handbook

2011 - 2012

v8.31.11-1.0


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GSOTA Parent Student Handbook Page 1

Dear Parents:

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 2011/2012 school year at Gardens School of

Technology Arts. We are extremely excited to open our inaugural year. We congratulateour staff, parents and many volunteers for going the extra mile in bringing the vision for

Gardens SOTA to reality.

This handbook is designed to assist you in understanding the policies and

guidelines used to shape Gardens SOTA. We anticipate changes, revisions and

corrections as we go, and the handbook will be updated periodically to reflect any

changes.

Please read the handbook and discuss appropriate items with your child. Then please

complete the parent contract and the handbook acknowledgment pages and return

them to the school office by Friday, September 9th

, 2011.

We look forward to working with you and your children in order to provide an

environment that will prepare young innovators, one student at a time, with the 21st

century skills they need to succeed. If you have any questions regarding the handbook,

please do not hesitate to contact your childs teacher or the School Office.

Sincerely,

Lana Thormodsgaard & Shane Vander Kooi

Your Co-Administrators


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Our Mission StatementGardens School of Technology Arts is on a mission to prepare young innovators, one student

at a time, with the 21st century skills they need to succeed.

Solid academics Innovative teaching Engaging, relevant learning activities Responsible leadership Family involvement Community connections

Our Vision StatementOur vision is to create a learning environment designed to foster innovation and creativity,

with the goal of developing an inclusive community geared towards developing the gifts,

talents and individual strengths of each one of our students. This will only be accomplishedby partnering staff, students, parents, and the community.

With integrity, we seek to develop responsible K-8 students who are self-disciplined,

self-motivated and socially responsible. Our school will respect diversity and we are

committed to the cognitive, emotional, social and physical development of every child. We

will deliver the highest quality educational experience by setting high goals and embracing

challenge, striving to surpass our previous accomplishments.

Academics will be applied to authentic project-oriented learning that promotes thinking

that is original, critical, collaborative, innovative and reflective. We will embrace advanced

enrichment opportunities in technology, the arts, science and languages. In so doing, wehope to harness the information ages driving force while encouraging creativity and

imagination and in so doing, create a powerful relational connection with every member of

our learning community. We are united in the belief that learning should be a lifelong,

rewarding adventure!


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School Calendar 2011-2012

Holidays when teachers/students are not in school:

September 5 Labor Day

September 29 Fall Holiday

November 23-25 Thanksgiving VacationDecember 23 January 6 Winter Break

January 16 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

March 19-23 Spring Break

April 6 Spring Holiday

May 28 Memorial Day

Dates when there is no school due to teacher planning days:

October 21

November 11 (Veterans Day)

January 9February 20

March 26

Early Release Days

Every Friday school students will be released at 2:00 pm instead of 3:00 pm.

On the following days, students will be released early due to teacher professional

development

August 31 released at 11:30 am

September 15 released at 11:30 am

October 13 released at 11:30 am

January 26 released at 11:30 am

March 8 released at 11:30 am

Regular school hours for all students are:

Early drop-off (students registered into Before School Care) 7:00-7:45 am

Regular drop-off 7:45-8:00 am

Assembly (school starts) 8:00 am

MondayThursday pickup begins 3:00 pm

Friday pickup begins 2:00 pm

MondayThursday aftercare 3:00-6:00 pm

Friday aftercare 2:00-6:00 pm

Elementary Grades K-5 Report Card Distribution Dates

November 30 first trimester

March 5 second trimester

June 7 third trimester


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Middle School Grades 6-8 Report Card Distribution Dates

November 7 first quarter

January 24 first quarter

April 10 third quarter

After June 14 (mailed) fourth quarter

FCAT TESTING SCHEDULE:

April 16-27 is the FCAT testing window for this school year. Please be sure not to

schedule any vacations or appointments during the FCAT testing dates.

School Board Meeting Dates PTO Meeting Dates School Advisory Council

Meeting schedule will be posted on the school website and in school office.

Please note that school schedule dates are subject to change, and special events,

meetings, field trips and other dates will be scheduled and announced throughout the

year. Be sure to check the school website atwww.mysota.comat least every two weeks

for the latest information.

The balance of the content of this handbook has been organized alphabetically for

easy reference. We will update and revise the content regularly.
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Behavior during breakfast and lunch periods reflects a students home training.

Students should eat in an atmosphere that is pleasant and conducive to good habits.

Please discuss good cafeteria manners with your child. Students will receive a glitch or

detention for improper cafeteria behavior. We expect students to

Use low voices during lunch Not play with or throw food Raise their hand if they need something Remain seated during the lunch period at their assigned table

Volunteer Service Hours during breakfast and lunch will be welcome. Please see the

school office for assignments.

BullyingGardens SOTA takes bullying seriously and adheres to the Palm Beach County School

district policies, which can be referred to athttp://www.palmbeachschools.org/policies/

Chapter 5 for detailed information. In 2009, the State of Florida enacted the Jeffrey

Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act, which called for districts to enact anti-bullying

policies that prohibited face-to-face mistreatment, as well as cyber-bullying and cyber-

stalking (the use of technology to harass and bully.)

Unacceptable Behavior Bullying means systematically and chronically inflicting

physical hurt or psychological distress in person-to-person encounters and/or by means

of electronic communication or technological devices on one or more students or school

employees. It is further defined as unwanted and repeated written, verbal, or physical

behavior, including any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, by an adult or

student, that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or

offensive educational environment; cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably

interfere with the individual's school performance or participation; and may involve but

is not limited to: teasing, social exclusion, threat, intimidation, stalking, physical

violence, theft, sexual, religious, or racial/ethnic harassment, public humiliation,

damaging or destruction of property, placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to his

or her person or property, cyber-bullying, and cyber-stalking.

Action steps your child should take if he/she is being bullied (advise your child): You can empower your child by listening to and validating his/her feelings, by

acknowledging that the harm he/she experienced is not right, and that he/she

needs to get help in order to stop the mistreatment.

Please do not encourage your child to fight or retaliate. Counter-aggressionrarely works and often escalates the problem.

Instead, encourage self reporting, discuss the distinct difference between
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tattling (snitching, ratting, giving up, narcing) and telling/reporting with

your child. Explain that tattling is when a person intentionally tries to get

another student in trouble for something minor. Telling is completely different

because it means informing an adult of the harmful, immoral, unethical,

dangerous, destructive, hateful or threatening behavior that has hurt the

individual or someone else. If telling adults seems hard for your child, encouragehim/her to ask a friend to accompany him/her to a faculty member to report the

issue.

Help your child strengthen his/her assertiveness skills. If your child is able to write, encourage him/her to file a Bullying/Harassment

Incident Report located in the front office or complete a Bullying/Harassment

Anonymous Drop-Box Report and file it in the drop boxes placed at various

locations on the campus.

In the short run, encourage your child to walk with friends whenever possible. If your child is being bullied online or by text messaging, encourage him/her not

to retaliate or reply, but rather to report the activity to school personnel. Encourage your child to join clubs or take part in activities where she/he can

meet and/or make new friends.

If your child is engaging in bullying behavior:

Make it clear that you take bullying seriously and you will not tolerate thisbehavior.

Develop clear and consistent rules within your family for your childs behavior. Spend more time with your child and carefully monitor his/her behavior. Build on your childs talents by encouraging him or her to get involved in pro-

social activities.

Talk with your childs teacher or administrator to approach this behavior as ateam.

If your child needs additional help, talk with a counselor or mental healthprofessional.

What you should do if your child is bullied:

Most importantly, focus on your child. Listen, be supportive and gatherinformation and the facts related to the incident.

Stay calm and report the incident(s) to your childs teacher or one of the schoolsadministrators. Document all incidents of mistreatment, abuse, cruelty, and/or

disrespectful acts toward your child and or perpetrated by your child.

Complete and/or encourage your child to file a Bullying/Harassment IncidentReport from the front office and/or the Bullying/Harassment Anonymous Drop

Box Report placed throughout the school. Reporting is not tattling when the

intention is to alert teacher and/or administration of any harmful acts of

mistreatment toward your child or others.

Request that you be informed or schedule a follow up conference to discuss


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findings and determine actions to monitor and support all students involved, as

well as to deter continued and/or escalation of incidents.

Seek resources to assist you in strengthening your childs resiliency toward harm.

CommunicationCommunication is absolutely essential to our success and our administration and staff

recognize this and will strive to facilitate open and frequent communication with

parents at all times.

The student agenda book is used for daily communication between teachers and

parents. Please read and sign your childs agenda book daily, and feel free to write notes

and questions for the teacher as well. Certain grades will also utilize a homework and

communication folder. Student work will be sent home along with progress reports as

needed. The parent/guardian will be asked to sign and return this information.

Parents will have access to their childs grades by logging into the schools designated

website and online grade book. Parent User Names and Passwords will be sent home

once orientation is complete. Please do not call the school office for your Parent User

Names or Passwords. Contact your childs teacher via the agenda book with any

questions.

Please feel free to consult with the school office regarding any problems or questions

that concern your child. However, it is imperative you speak with the childs teacher first

for classroom issues. It is the desire of the administrators and the faculty to be of service

to both parent and student, and every teacher welcomes a conference with any parent.

At no time is it appropriate for a teacher to meet with parents while other students are

present, including during arrival or dismissal/pickup time. Therefore, conferences need

to be scheduled ahead of time, so the teacher and/or an administrator will be available

to meet with you. It is parents responsibility to stay informed. We endeavor to become

a paperless school. Important information will be posted on our school website. If you

do not have access to the internet, a copy of the information will be posted in the front

office area. Also, please check your childs backpacks daily for emergency notices and

www.mysota.comweekly for new information.

Discipline ProcedureDiscipline is the process of changing a student's behavior from inappropriate to

exemplary. We are never satisfied with merely stopping poor behavior. We desire to

teach the student to do what is right. Students are not disciplined out of anger or for the

sake of convenience, but with the intention of helping the student make appropriate

choices. Though few students desire discipline, they often need it in order to reach their

full potential.
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Each teacher will establish appropriate procedures for discipline in his/her classroom

based on the following guidelines. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive.

1. Students are expected to respect the authority of school personnel, whichincludes but is not limited to: administration, teachers, staff and substitutes.

2. Malicious destruction of school property results in the replacement, repair orpayment for damages by either the student or his/her parents. The placement of

stickers on school property is forbidden.

3. Students shall help keep the school clean at all times. There is to be no gumchewing in the school building or on the school grounds.

4. Items such as water pistols, matches, radios, media players, skateboards,electronic gaming devices, ipods, trading cards, Silly Bandz, toys, weapons of any

sort, etc. are not permitted at school unless specifically requested or authorized

on certain times and days by your childs teacher.

5. No notebooks, albums, magazines, lunchboxes, etc. will be permitted that carrypictures or slogans referring to the drug culture or alcohol. Profane, abusive or

slang language is not permitted.

6. Zero tolerance for aggression, drugs and alcohol. (Students that push, hit, bite,kick, harass, bully or use the internet or any other form of communication in a

negative way will be suspended or withdrawn from the school).

7. Cell phones are not permitted to be used at school and should be shut off andput away unless specifically requested by a teacher in relation to an educational

activity. School phones are available for emergencies. Students not following

this policy will have their cell phones confiscated and the phones will only be

returned to a parent. They will also lose the privilege of bringing their cell phone

to school. Gardens SOTA is not responsible for any lost or stolen cell phones,electronics or personal items of value. Any student bringing these items to

school does so at their own risk.

The Palm Beach County School Board passed a Code of Student Conduct that lists

violations and disciplinary actions that must be taken in order to deal with the

misconduct (may be downloaded or viewed at www.palmbeachschools.org).

Detentions will be given by administration, teachers or school staff, which will be served

after school in a designated, supervised room. In addition to regular detentions, middle

school students may receive work detentions to be served on specific days and times.Failure to fulfill the terms of any work detentions may lead to an in-school or out-of-

school suspension. Detentions will be given for the following infractions, but not limited

to the list below:

Missed Homework: For each missed assignment, a child will receive 1 glitch.Children with chronic homework infractions are referred to the school

administration for possible suspension.


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Uniform: The first time a student is in breach of the uniform code, a warning willbe given to the student and parent. A warning will be written in the childs daily

agenda. The second time a student is out of uniform, a glitch will be issued.

Behavior: The first time a child demonstrates improper behavior a warning willbe given. Upon receipt of a second warning, the warning will be written in the

childs daily agenda and a glitch will be issued. Note that a misbehavior may

warrant a referral the school administration for disciplinary action which may

result in suspension.

When the child receives the second glitch, teachers will advise parents that the next

infraction will result in a detention. Parents will receive this notification in their childs

agenda book.

Once the detention has been assigned, it is the childs responsibility to return the signeddetention notification form to the teacher within 24 hours. Failure to return the signed

detention form will result in additional consequences.

Suspensions may be issued by the school administration for specific infractions after a

student has accumulated a number of detentions. Upon being issued a suspension,

parents will be contacted for a conference with school administration. In rare and

unfortunate circumstances, students may be dismissed (recommended for withdrawal

from the school). The schools dismissal policy may be found posted on our website.

Dismissal & Student PickupStudent pickup will begin at 3:00 pm on regular days (2:00 pm on Fridays except for field

trips and special event days). Students must leave the school grounds immediately after

dismissal, unless enrolled in our After School Care program or Enrichment activities.

From the dismissal area, children will be escorted either to the After School Care (ASC)

program, released for pickup or released to walk or bike ride home. Please avoid calling

the front office during dismissal and pickup time (2:45 through 3:15 pm).

Students may not be picked up early after 2:30 pm Monday through Thursday or after

1:30 pm on Fridays. Please do not call ahead, as we will not have students wait in the

office for early pick-up. Any child picked up early must bring a doctors note thefollowing day or it will be an unexcused early dismissal.

Unless on duty volunteering, parents must remain outside the school building at

dismissal time and inside their vehicles. Designated school staff or teachers will bring

students to the designated area for pickup. Please do not begin forming a driveway

pickup line before 2:50 (1:50 Fridays) so that we may keep the fire lanes free from


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appropriate school uniform during normal school days. Gardens SOTA reserves the right

to interpret these guidelines and/or make changes during the school year. Students are

expected to follow these guidelines. Every student in attendance shall wear the Gardens

SOTA official school uniform shirt from Harris School Uniforms and abide by the schools

dress code.

Shirts

Grades K, 1, 2 - Royal Blue or White school shirt Grades 3, 4, 5 - Teal or White school shirt Grade 6 - Black or White school shirt

Must be purchased through the school at reduced cost of $14 each. Size/color samples

are available at the school office.

Bottoms

Boys - Shorts or pants in khaki, navy, black - four pockets or less - neatly tailoredstyle. No denim, cargos, sports styles or sweats. Girls - Shorts, skorts or pants in khaki, navy, black - shorts or skorts near the

knee. No denim, sports styles or sweats.

These items do not have to be purchased at the uniform store, but articles in question

will be subject to the administration's discretion.

Socks/Shoes

Closed-toed neutral-color shoes with neutral-color socks. No blinking shoes, bright

colors, crocs, sandals, roller skate shoes, military or workboot style footwear.

Accessories

Girls may wear stud earrings. No other jewelry is permitted. Conservative hair

accessories in school colors or neutral colors are permitted. Hats are not permitted.

Boys may not wear jewelry, watches or hats, unless specifically authorized by the school

(e.g. for a field trip).

Warm Clothing

A white or black long-sleeved knit shirt may be worn under the uniform short as an

extra layer during cold weather. Neutral-colored sweaters may be worn indoors. A

jacket, scarf and warm hat will be permitted for outdoor activities during cold weather.

Grooming & Modesty

Hair must be neat and clean with no "unnatural" colors, i.e. fluorescent, bright green,

etc. Hair must be combed down without spikes. Students may not have hair hanging in

their face that obstructs their eyes. Hairstyles disruptive to the learning environment

will not be permitted. No hats or bandanas may be worn. Headbands may only be worn


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if holding hair back and may not be worn across the forehead. At no time are students

to wear anything offensive, immodest or deemed inappropriate by the faculty.

The first time a student is in breach of the uniform code, a warning will be given to the

student and parent. A warning will be written in the childs daily agenda. The second

time a student is out of uniform, a glitch will be issued.

All uniforms must be purchased through the uniform vendor and embroidered with

proper school logos. Uniforms may not be purchased nor monogrammed at any other

location. The approved school vendor is Harris School Uniforms.

Early Classroom DismissalAny student leaving school prior to classroom dismissal will have an early dismissal

logged to his/her record. Excused early dismissals are given for doctors appointments

with notes from the doctor. To receive an excused early dismissal, a doctors note mustbe brought to school the next day. No doctors notes will be accepted late. If you need

to take your child out of school before the end of the school day, come to the school

office and sign him/her out and a school employee will send for your child. Parents need

to sign their child out on the sign-out log and wait for their child to come to the main

office. Parents will not be allowed to pick up their child directly from the classroom. No

child may be dismissed early from the classroom after 2:30 pm Monday through

Thursday (1:30 pm on Fridays).

Emergencies (Illness)The importance of regular school attendance cannot be over-emphasized; however,

students should not be sent to school when they are ill or it is suspected that they have

a communicable disease. Your child should not attend school if he/she exhibits any of

the following symptoms:

Fever of 99.6 or higher (Note: the use of fever reducers does not make a childwell enough for school)

Colored nasal discharge or chronic cough Flu symptoms such as malaise, achiness, nausea, lethargy, paleness Diarrhea twice or more within 24 hours Vomiting more than once within 24 hours (or in the morning before school) Rash or open sores Red/pink eye or discharge from the eye Throat pain or ear pain


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If a student becomes ill during the school day and it appears that they would be best

cared for at home, the parent will be contacted to pick them up. In order for a child to

return to school, he/she must be free of symptoms for a minimum of 24 hours. There

are very limited facilities in the school, making it impossible to keep sick students for

long periods of time.

School personnel must be notified of any student's chronic illness (i.e. asthma, diabetes,

heart conditions or seizures). This heightens awareness in case of an emergency. Please

update Emergency Contact Information whenever changes occur. Students will not be

permitted to take calls from parents to see how they are feeling. If the school has not

contacted you, your child is feeling fine.

Emergency EvacuationYour childs safety is paramount. We need to be prepared for the unexpected. We hold

regular fire drills, lockdowns and extreme weather procedures drills. Under extremecircumstances should we need to evacuate the building, the local police will assist in

determining the location the students would be held. For information during such an

emergency you may contact 561-290-7661 or our school web page. The media is always

helpful with disseminating information regarding evacuations and procedures as well.

Students will only be released to the people identified on the emergency contact

form. Please bring proper identification (a picture ID) when picking up your child.

Keeping this in mind, please notify the office immediately when there is a change in

home/cell phone numbers.

Enrichment ProgramThe enrichment program will be provided in addition to the regular After School Care

program; therefore, it is not a requisite to be enrolled full time in the After School Care

program to participate in enrichment activities. These activities will include extra-

curricular activities, clubs, teams and lessons. Students will have opportunities to

participate in our enrichment programs throughout the year and we encourage parents and

community members to participate in supporting and leading these activities and clubs.

An enrichment and extra curricular guide will be posted on our website which will

include the activities offered, the days, time and cost. Enrichment programs for 2011-2012 will begin in September.

Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)The revised Family Rights and Privacy Act became a Federal law in November 1974. The

intent of this law is to protect the accuracy and privacy of student educational records.


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Without your prior consent, only you and authorized individuals having legitimate

educational interests will have access to your child's educational records. In special

instances, you may waive this right of access to allow other agencies working with your

child to have access to those records.

Field TripsAs a learning experience, teachers will plan field trips. Parents may be asked to assist

the teacher as chaperones. Parents serving in this capacity may not have other children

accompany them.

Parents who are officially selected to be chaperones may count their hours on the field

trip as volunteer hours. The Guidelines for Chaperones form must be signed prior to any

parent chaperoning a field trip. Parent chaperones are required to adhere to these

guidelines.

All parent chaperones must be pre-screened and cleared through Palm Beach County

School District parent volunteer screening process. Teachers must submit the

chaperone list to the office in advance, prior to each field trip.

Participation on field trips is a privilege. Students serve as representatives of the school;

therefore, they may be excluded from participation in any trip for reasons relating to

academics, behavior/conduct and/or attendance. Students with fees owed to the school

for Before Care Program/After School Care Program, NSF checks, lost books, etc., may

not be permitted to attend field trips until these fees are paid.

Written parental permission must be given for students to participate on field trips. The

teacher will generally send home permission slips and information about each field trip

well in advance of the field trip date. Money and permission slips must be turned in

according to the teacher's instructions, prior to the field trip, or the student will not be

permitted to take part. Students will be advised if there are any specific dress code

requirements for each field trip.

Field trips must be paid according to the provided instructions and field trip fees are

non-refundable.

Grading ScaleEach teacher will communicate grades via our electronic grade book. Parents will be

provided access instructions shortly after the start of the school year. Report cards will be

distributed per the district calendar. Gardens SOTA will use the following grading scale:

A 94-100%

A- 90-93%


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B+ 87-89%

B 83-86%

B- 80-82%

C+ 77-79%

C 73-76%

C- 70-72%D+ 67-69%

D 63-66%

D- 60-62%

F 0-59%

Special classes may be marked:

E=Excellent

S=Satisfactory

N=Needs Improvement

U=Unsatisfactory

Students and Parents should not be surprised when they receive mid-term, trimester or

quarter/semester grades as you will be kept informed and up to date about progress or lack

thereof of your child. Conduct "grades" will be based on attitude, cooperation, citizenship,

etc. and will be reported separately from the regular subject grade.

Grievance ProcedureMost parental concerns can be addressed through open communication. If parent(s) or

students feel they have a grievance or complaint, they should do the following:

1. Carefully analyze the problem and be sure you have ALL the facts.2. Ascertain that you have a rational attitude about the problem.3. Seek to resolve the problem with the teacher, if applicable.4. If you believe the problem is not resolved, request a meeting with administration.5. If still unresolved, the parent should submit a written grievance to the Gardens

SOTA Governing Board designee, who will present the appeal to a review team

that will include, but not be limited to a teacher, the Governing Board designee

and a parent.

6. If still unresolved, the Governing Board designee or the parent may request thematter be presented to the full Governing Board. The Board will not consider or

re-hear the case, but simply determine if the appropriate procedure and policywas adhered to prior to rendering a decision.

7. The Governing Boards response will be considered final.8. At any point in the process, the school may inform the Palm Beach Charter

School Department.


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As a charter school, Gardens SOTA is a choice school, meaning that parents send their

students to the school by choice. Parents that do not adhere to the above procedure or

seek to circumvent this process are demonstrating that Gardens SOTA may not be the right

choice for them and their child and they may lose the privilege of automatic re-enrollment.

Home Learning Policy (Homework)The purpose of home learning is to develop study habits for children early on in their

academic lives. It is also used to reinforce concepts that have been taught or to work on

projects that have been assigned. If a child does not understand his/her assignment

after trying to do it at home, please send a note to the teacher indicating the problem.

Teachers may use the following time schedule as a guide when assigning home learning:

Home Learning and Reading Log

Grade K: 10 minutes 10 minutes Grade 1: 20 minutes 10 minutes Grade 2: 20 minutes 20 minutes Grade 3: 30 minutes 30 minutes Grade 4: 45 minutes 30 minutes Grade 5: 45 minutes 30 minutes Grade 6-8: 60 minutes 30 minutes

These times are a guide only and are based on the average child's ability and on

concentrated, undistracted time for doing home learning. Some days home learning

assignments may take less time and may take slightly more time on another day. A childwho does not complete class work in class may have to complete class work in addition

to home learning. Reading Log requirements will be sent home by the

Reading/Language Arts teacher.

Assignments must be completed on time and properly written. The only acceptable

excuse for not completing home learning is the student's illness or a written note stating

an emergency, which prevented home learning from being completed. If a student fails

to bring in home learning, he/she should complete it for the following day. Teachers

keep daily records of home learning assignments which are used in determining term

grades. If a child fails to complete home learning, there may be consequences in the

classroom. If a child continually fails to complete home learning, consequences may

include detention or suspension.

It is important to note that home learning is the students responsibility. Assignments

will not be accepted at the office from parents.


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Grades K-8: Gardens SOTA Excellence Award - One student per grade level foroutstanding achievement in academics, citizenship and effort

Additional awards will be presented for student achievements in specific clubsand enrichment programming.

Hallway BehaviorStudents should travel through the hallways quietly to avoid interrupting ongoing

classes. Students should always arrive to class on time. Students are NOT permitted to

show public display of affection. For safety reasons students should walk as directed

along the hallway and keep their hands, feet and other objects off the corridor walls.

InjuryAn accident report will be completed and filed for everyday accidents. The procedures

listed below will be followed for an injured student:

1. Teachers will send the student to the office for first aid treatment if the injury isminor. Teachers will notify the office if the student is unable to be moved.

2. School personnel will administer basic fist aid.3. The parent(s) will be called and the injury described. For minor injury, the parent

will make the decision about removing the student from the school. An injury to

the head requires the student to be picked up by the parent. Emergency contact

persons will be called if parent cannot be reached.

4. Emergency personnel will be called for critical injuries that require the type ofcare that school personnel cannot offer, and the parent or emergency contactwill be notified.

Instructional Books, Equipment, Materials and SuppliesAll textbooks, curriculum resources and software needed by students for school and

home learning assignments are furnished by the school through tax funding, grants,

donations or other forms of funding.

Students need to realize that all instructional materials are expensive and that they

should be cared for properly. Unless otherwise directed, students must not write in

textbooks. Charges will be made for damaged or lost books and/or materials. Students

must learn to be responsible for the care of personal and school materials. Students will

not be granted transfers prior to returning all books and paying any fees owed to the

school when due.

Students will be expected to provide all basic supplies such as paper, pencils, crayons,

rulers, scissors, markers, glue, etc. Any additional supply needs will be requested in


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writing by the classroom teacher. Please help your child come prepared for school by

packing his/her homework and supplies in the evening to avoid the last minute morning

rush. Ultimately, it is the student's responsibility to check and be sure that everything

needed for the next day has been packed.

LabelsPlease have your child's name on all personal property such as: lunch boxes, jackets,

raincoats, school uniform shirts, etc.

Lost and FoundThroughout the school year, items which have been lost will be turned into the school

office. Many problems will be solved if clothing and personal belongings are labeled

with the student's name. Students may claim lost and found items through the school

office. Unclaimed items will be donated monthly to various charitable institutions.Therefore, please label your child's personal belongings and retrieve lost items

promptly. Uniform items not labeled and in good condition will be washed and resold

for $5.00 each.

MedicationThe administering or dispensing of any medicines (including non-prescription

medication) to students by employees of Gardens SOTA without specific written

authorization by the physician and parents of the student is forbidden. If it is absolutely

necessary that the child take any medication while he/she is in school, and aphysicians form is not signed, the parent may come to the school to administer

medication personally. A Physicians Form may be obtained from the school office or

website. The medication will be kept in the office and will be administered by office

personnel. Students are not allowed to have any medication (not even over the counter

medication) in their possession. Parents must pick up and drop off medicine in the

office. Students are responsible to come to the office at the appropriate time to ask for

their medication. It is not the responsibility of the office staff to remind the student.

Please inform the school office of any medication procedures. The school does not have

the services of a nurse and is not able to provide the services of a school nurse.

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)A great portion of each child's day is spent at school; therefore, his/her growth and

development becomes a joint responsibility between the home and school. Everyone is

urged to become active in helping further the goals and growth of the Parent Teacher

Organization (PTO). The faculty, staff and administration hope that all of the parents will

become active members supporting the school and organization. Officers will be elected


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yearly according to the PTOs bylaws. The PTO will sponsor fundraisers throughout the

school year. Monies generated by fundraising events will be used to purchase items

voted on by the PTO members. According to the parent contract, you must participate

in a minimum of one school fundraising activity. If you are interested in serving on the

PTO, we ask you to contact the school office.

Parent Service HoursWe are grateful for all of the volunteer support the school has already received. Parents

will be given many opportunities to volunteer their time both at school and at home in

order to play a part in launching the school. Volunteer sign-ups will be available

throughout the school year and for various events.

Parents that have one child in the school are required to volunteer a minimum of 25

service hours each school year. Parents that have two or more children at the school are

required to volunteer a minimum of 35 service hours per school year. For students thatare enrolled after the school year has begun parent hours will be prorated at two hours

per month for one child and three hours per month for two or more children.

Ten service hours must be completed by January 14. Students whose parents have not

completed these hours may lose automatic re-enrollment privileges and be placed back

in the lottery. Students whose parents have not completed the remaining hours by

May 9may also lose automatic re-enrollment and be placed on the waiting list. Students

participating in any end-of-year trips must have their parent service hours completed

prior to the trip date. Please check with the school office to make sure your hours are

completed on time. Specific instructions will be provided for you to log your hours.

To volunteer in classrooms, please make prior arrangements with the teacher so that

instructional time is not lost. We suggest that a minimum of 2 hours of volunteer

service be spent working on school fundraisers and special activities. Parents will

receive volunteer time for attending workshops and general parent meetings conducted

in the school, open meetings of the schools Governing Board and PTO meetings.

Payment of School Account FeesIn order to ensure proper credit is posted to your childs account, please be sure to print

on all checks the students name, service being paid and include copy of registrationform when necessary. If a students account is not current, he/she may not be able to

attend school functions and may lose automatic enrollment status for the following

school year. Please read Returned Checks section in the handbook. Separate

payments are required for each program e.g. lunch, aftercare, enrichments etc.


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Student Progression PlanGardens SOTAs student progression plan will be aligned with the Palm Beach County

School Districts Student Progression Plan requirements and procedures for K 8thgrade

students. The districts progression plans can be found at the district website,

www.palmbeachschools.org.

Students RightsStudents have the right to feel safe from threats and bodily harm. Disruptive behaviors

are never acceptable, and when they occur, they will result in time out, exclusion from

participation in class activities or field trips, detention, suspension or school withdrawal

or other disciplinary action.

Parents who have a conflict with a student other than their own child and/or another

parent are requested to speak to the administration. At no time may parents

approach or confront another student directly.

All students and employees will be treated with respect. Slurs, innuendoes, hostile

treatment, violence, harassment, misuse of internet (Facebook, YouTube, etc.) or other

verbal or physical conduct against a student or employee will NOT be tolerated. Police

will be called when necessary.

Suspension and DismissalThe schools current dismissal policy may be found online at the schools website. In

addition to the Gardens SOTA Parent Student Handbook and related code of studentconduct, The Palm Beach County School District Student and Family Handbook specifies

consequences for certain violations. A student shall be subject to dismissal (a) if the

student commits a Level Four offense as defined in the School District of Palm Beach

County Student and Family Handbook (the Handbook), or (b) if the student commits

repeated and chronic Level Three offenses as defined in the Handbook. A copy of the

handbook may be viewed or downloaded in its entirety by visiting

www.palmbeachschools.orgor by requesting to view a copy at the school office.

Prior to suspension or dismissal, the student has the right to a fair hearing. Offenses for

which a student may be suspended or dismissed include but are not limited to the

following:

Fighting or other dangerous and/or disruptive behavior (hitting, kicking,harassing, pushing or biting).

Possession or use of drugs and tobacco. Being under the influence or having alcoholic beverages on school grounds. Defacing or vandalism of school property.
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Igniting any flammable substance. Continual disruption of class. Emotional outburst Profanity Insubordination Disrespect Peer Conflict Any other conduct deemed by the administration to warrant suspension or

dismissal in the interest of providing for a safe, orderly and peaceful educational

environment for the student population.

Please note that Gardens School of Technology Arts reserves the right to dismiss any

student from its program for disruption of any other students ability to fully participate

in the schools instruction. Once dismissed, a student is not precluded from enrolling at

a different public school unless the student has been expelled from all Palm Beach

County Public Schools.

Tardy PolicyA child is tardy when he/she is not in the classroom/assembly in his/her seat at 8:00 am.

A student who enters a classroom with a late pass is considered tardy. A student who

enters the building before 8:00 am but reports to the assembly/classroom after 8:00 am

without a pass may be marked tardy by the classroom teacher and then logged as such

by the school office personnel.

Students may not be dropped off when tardy; parents must sign in the tardy student.Excused tardies are given for doctors appointments with notes from the doctor. A

doctors note must be presented at the time of arrival to receive an excused tardy. No

late doctors notes will be accepted.

Students exceeding a combination of 20 unexcused absences, tardies or early dismissals

will lose automatic re-enrollment privileges and additional consequences may apply.

TelephoneThe school has a business telephone to help transact the business of the school and the

lines must be kept open. Students may not personally make or receive calls at any time.

This means students may not call home for lunch, field trip money or any other reason.

If an emergency arises, school personnel will contact parents or guardian.


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Testing and AssessmentAs a public charter school, Gardens SOTA is required to participate in the Florida

Comprehensive Assessment Test schedule along with the rest of the district schools.

Testing information can be found at the districts website, www.palmbeachschools.org

and will also be posted at the schools website throughout the year. In addition to FCAT

testing, the school will administer various assessments, including benchmark diagnosticassessments at the start of the year.

Severe Weather InformationGardens SOTA will carefully monitor reports and decisions issued by the Palm Beach

County School District in case of severe weather emergencies and then make a decision

it feels to be in the best interest of student, staff and parent safety. Parents should

watch the local news for information about school closings and check for email,

backpack and website messages from the school.

VisitorsVisitors, including parents,are notpermitted to go to a classroom unannounced during

school hours because this disrupts normal routine and instruction. For the safety and

protection of all students, school visitors (including parents) must sign in through the

schools visitor check-in system and may be required to present valid identification.

Parents must also sign in and out, state whom they are visiting, state the purpose of the

visit, and obtain a pass before proceeding to a classroom. Cooperation will enable the

school to provide a safe and orderly learning environment for all students.
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Gardens School of Technology Arts (Gardens SOTA)

2011-2012 PARENT CONTRACTPlease complete a separate contract for each child.

I the parent/guardian of __________________________________ have read and agree to abide by the

Student Code of Conduct, the Dress Code and all of the other policies and expectations of Gardens School

of Technology Arts.

Whereas, in order to provide my child with a unique educational opportunity; whereas, by choosing to

enroll my child at Gardens SOTA is a decision of my personal choice and not a privilege; whereas, my

desire to enroll my child at Gardens SOTA is premised upon my desire to become an active partner in the

education of my child; now, therefore, in consideration of the foregoing:

1. As a parent of a student at Gardens SOTA, my commitment is to abide by the following resolutions:

a) To abide by all school rules and regulations stated in the parent student handbook andelsewhere, which may be revised at the sole discretion of the school from time to time as the

school deems necessary,

b) To recognize and embrace my role as the primary educator of my child,c) To participate in parent workshops, events, functions and school fundraisers,d) To attend all conferences scheduled with any member of the Gardens SOTA staff,e) To participate in the Parent Service Hours, including volunteering 25 hours (1 child) 35 hours

(2 or more children), at a rate that is sensitive to the needs of the school, and in all cases to be

completed by May 9th 2012 (ten hours must be completed by January 14, 2012),

f) To provide transportation to and from school for my child unless transportation is provided byGardens SOTA. I understand that if I am late picking up my child, he/she will be placed in the

after school care and charged a fee. (If my child is continually tardy/absent/released early, the

attendance policies will be enforced and I understand that for the benefit of my childs

education, he/she may be required to transfer to a school that is more accessible for my child),

g) To purchase uniforms for my child from the designated vendor and ensure that my child isadhering to the school dress code on a daily basis,

h) To supply lunch each day to my child, either from home or purchased from the Gardens SOTAapproved vendor, and

i) To be responsible for timely payments of any fees accrued at Gardens SOTA (cafeteria payments,before/after care, enrichments etc.).

2. To do the following things to enhance my childs academic growth, I agree to do the following:

a) To read and use information sent home by the school to keep parents informed of the academictopics to be introduced and studied in the classroom.

b) To provide a suitable time and place within the home for home learning.c) To limit television, video games, and phone usage during the week in order to allow for sufficient

time for reading, studying and family time.

d) To check my childs home learning and sign the agenda nightly.I understand that not fulfilling my contractual obligations to the school and to my child may result in mychild being withdrawn from the school at the sole discretion of the Co-Administrators as approved by the

Gardens School of Technology Arts Governing Board of Directors.

Signature of Parent /Guardian 1 Date

Signature of Parent /Guardian 2 (if applicable) Date


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Handbook Acknowledgment

Dear Parent,

Please complete the bottom portion of this page and return it to the school office by

Friday, September 9th, 2011.

Thank you,

Lana Thormodsgaard & Shane Vander Kooi

Your Co-Administrators

Student 1 Name

Student 2 Name

Student 3 Name

I acknowledge that I have read the Gardens School of Technology Arts 2011-2012 Parent

Student Handbook. I agree to comply with all of the policies set forth in this handbook.

Parent/Guardian Signature 1

Parent/Guardian Signature 2 (if applicable)

Date

g sota parent student handbook

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