PARAEDUCATOR

HANDBOOK

2012-2013

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Nuts & Bolts ............................................................................................ 3

Professional Development ..................................................................... 11

PD Now! / Provenance On-Line Learning ............................................ 19

My Learning Plan .................................................................................. 21

Para Responsibility ................................................................................ 40

Terminology & Acronyms .................................................................... 47

Notice of Non-discrimination: The Olathe Public Schools prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,

age, or disability in admissions, access, treatment or employment, in its programs and activities as required by: Title IX of the

Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973. Inquiries regarding compliance with applicable civil rights statutes related to ethnicity, gender, the ADA or age

discrimination may be directed to Staff Counsel, 14160 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000; phone 913-780-7000. All

inquiries regarding compliance with applicable statutes regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to the Assistant Superintendent General

Administration, 14160 Black Bob Rd. Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. Interested persons including those with

impaired vision or hearing can also obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities and facilities that are

accessible to and usable by disabled persons by calling the Assistant Superintendent General Administration. (06/10)

3

NUTS AND BOLTS

Special Services

LANIE FASULO — efasuloirc@olatheschools.org

Special Services — (913) 780-7344

Lanie Fasulo is the Director of Special Services. She oversees the administration and coordination

of all special services and related services programs for students with special needs. Lanie serves as

the liaison for the Olathe Special Services Site Council (OSSSC) and is responsible for the

professional development for staff in the special services department. Responsibilities also focus on

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and student achievement; special services finance and

budgets; Medicaid reimbursement; district compliance on the State Performance Plan indictors;

human resources and staff appraisal; and paraeductors.

DEBORAH CHAPPELL — dchappellirc@olatheschools.org

Special Services — (913) 780-8212

Deb Chappell is the Assistant Director of Special Services. She is the administrator for Extended

School year (ESY) and summer school. Deb is responsible for Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA) process interpretation, implementation and dispute resolution processes;

compliance with federal, state regulations, board policies related to the provision of special

education; compliance officer for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; processing of formal

complaints and due process; transportation; and is the liaison to private schools.

DEBBIE PFLUMM — dpflummirc@olatheschools.org

Special Services — (913) 780-7918

Debbie Pflumm is the Paraeducator Specialist for Special Services. She coordinates the staff

development/ professional growth of paraeducators. She helps paraeducators with training needs,

manages paraeducator state required points, and assists paraeducators with My Learning Plan and

PD Now! / Provenance.

Classified Professional Development DENISE HUMPHREY – dhumphreyirc@olatheschools.com

Professional Development -- (913) 780-7859

Denise Humphrey is the manager of Classified Professional Development. She is responsible for

directing professional development programs and services for classified employees. Her

responsibilities include New Employee Orientation, Classified Technology Training programs, 21st

Century Job Skills Development and the DIST Point Conversion to Paid Time Off system. She also

manages the My Learning Plan for Classified Employees and Leadership Development.

NUTS AND BOLTS NUTS AND BOLTS

5

Classified Staffing PATTY MILLER — pmillerec@olatheschools.org

Human Resources — (913) 780-7949

Patty Miller is the manager of Classified Personnel. She is responsible for administering a wide

variety of personnel policies and programs (e.g. advertising positions, processing applications,

verifying employment, transfers, change of status, resignations, retirements, leaves of absence,

contracts, compensation schedules, etc.) for the purpose of conforming to district policies, relevant

laws, contracts, and agreements.

Employee Services TERESA SUDDRETH – suddreth@olatheschools.org

Employee Services – (913) 780-8061

Teresa Suddreth is the Director of Employee Services. She is responsible for overseeing payroll and

contract /work agreement services daily operations, including KPERS processing. This also includes

processing all new hire forms, processing and procedures for ongoing employee transactions, and all

time and attendance policies and procedures. The mission of Employee Services Department is to

provide quality services that are time sensitive, efficient and accurate.

Nut& Bolts

NUTS AND BOLTS

6

Guidelines

ABSENCES – If you will be absent from work for any reason, please call your supervising teacher and your building

office to notify them before the school day begins.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES & EXTRA DUTY WORK – Paraeducators are not required to participate in any

after school activities, but are welcomed & encouraged to do so—especially if the students you work with are involved!

Attendance at building functions such as back to school night would be encouraged. All secondary schools regularly

employ building staff members to work at extracurricular activities in roles like ticket-takers, scorebooks, supervision,

etc. With supervisor/principal approval, paraeducators are welcome to sign up to work these activities.

BENEFITS & INSURANCE -- Any classified employed who is employed at least 17.5 hours per week may participate

in some of the District Section 125 Benefit Options. Further information is available by contacting the Classified Human

Resources Department.

BREAKS -- While district practice does not require breaks during the day, if classified employees are working for at

least 4 hours continuously, a 15 minute comfort break may be arranged through consultation with their teacher. If a

break can be arranged it should be scheduled so as to not disrupt providing services. For employees working beyond 6.5

hours or more, a morning and afternoon comfort break may be taken, with the same conditions. Employees shall not be

required to take a break, nor prohibited on a regular basis from utilizing break time. However, nothing in these

guidelines should be construed as a guarantee of break time every day.

DRESS -- Dress appropriately and professionally at all times. Check with your building on any procedures specific to

your building, including whether jeans are within the dress guidelines for your building. No shorts or rubber flip flops

are acceptable without special permission.

EMAIL & TECHNOLOGY GUIDELINES -- Remember that e-mail and school technologies are property of the

school district. Incidental personal use of district computers must not interfere with any staff member’s job performance.

The school board has established specific guidelines regarding technology use for all staff members to follow. All

paraeducators are expected to review their email on a regular basis.

EVALUATION -- All paraeducators will receive a performance evaluation each year in accordance with the classified

staff appraisal procedures. Paraeducators should meet with their immediate supervisors in the fall to set a professional

goal for the year.

ID CARD -- All district employees are provided a photo identification card and are required to wear it in a safe and

visible location whenever on duty in an employee capacity.

IEP -- The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is defined as a written statement for each student with an

exceptionality which describes the student’s educational program. It is developed, reviewed and revised in accordance

with the laws that govern education. Paraeducators typically do not take part in the meeting where the IEP is written, but

undoubtedly you will be carrying out learning activities and recording progress concerning IEP goals and objectives.

NUTS AND BOLTS

7

LEAVE -- Paraeducators may be granted leaves and absences in accordance with board policy.

PERSONAL – Personal Business Leave is designed as absence from duty because of reasons deemed of personal

importance to the employee, for which approved leave will be allowed without deduction. All classified employees will

begin with 1 non-accumulative personal business leave day at the time of employment. Additional personal business

leave days will be granted in accordance to years of employment. Guidelines are in place governing the use of personal

business leave days, including a requirement that leave must be requested and approved at least 5 days in advance except

in cases of emergency.

ILLNESS & BEREAVEMENT – Illness/bereavement Leave is defined as days of absence from duty because of

personal or family illness or injury. Any employee absent for more than 3 consecutive days due to personal illness may

be required to present a statement from a physician indicating the nature of the illness associated with the absence.

Further, the district may require a physician’s statement indicating the readiness of the employee to resume duties. In

cases of the terminal illness or the death of a member of the employee’s immediate or household family, up to 5 days of

leave in a contract year will be provided to the employee at no deduction from the employee’s yearly or accumulated

Illness/Bereavement Leave. The employee must make written request to Human Resources for this leave credit.

EXTENDED LEAVE REQUIREMENTS – Paraeducators needing to take a leave of absence are requested to contact

the Classified Human Resources department as soon as possible before the leave. Documentation that is needed will

vary depending on the circumstances and Human Resources can guide you through the process.

LEAVING YOUR BUILDING DURING THE DAY – Do not leave your building during the day without first

clearing it through your supervising teacher and your school principal. If leaving for a particular reason is part of your

regular work schedule, let your teacher and/or building secretary know when you leave the building.

MY LEARNING PLAN – All paraeducators are expected to be familiar with MyLearningPlan.com in order to submit

requests for paraeducator points, to check point balances and to enroll in district staff development offerings. Training

classes will be held throughout the year.

NON-RESIDENT STUDENT ENROLLMENT – As a benefit for classified employees who reside in Kansas, but

outside the boundaries of the Olathe Public Schools, children in grades K-12 of those employees may enroll in the school

district. See your building principal or contact the Olathe District Student Services department for specific details.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – All paraeducators who are employed for the entire school year are required to

earn and record 20 clock hours of staff development per school year, regardless of whether they are full or part time.

Paraeducators can earn two types of professional development points: DISTRICT AND PARA. For paras who do not

work the entire school year, staff development requirements are prorated according to length of employment. Further

detailed information is included in the handbook section devoted to staff development.

RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS – All paraeducators working 630 hours during the school year are members of the

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) and will have a percentage of each pay check deducted each pay

period. Group life insurance and disability insurance are provided for KPERS members.

Nuts & Bolts

NUTS AND BOLTS

8

SNOW DAYS or other emergency work cancellations –Paraeducators scheduled to work on days for which school is

unexpectedly cancelled (i.e. snow days) shall be granted their normal daily pay for the first two such closings per school

year. If the paraeducators was on any absence approved in advance, they are not eligible for this compensation.

TIME & ATTENDANCE/KRONOS – A Time and Attendance system, Kronos, is used to track employee hours

worked. Specific training is provided for all new district employees. You will use your district provided ID card or

computer network to log your time and attendance.

TRANSFER APPLICATION (INTERNAL APPLICATION) – Paraeducators who are interested in transferring to

another position in the district will need to complete an Internal Application form on the Olathe District’s web site. New

employees to the district must complete 60 working days in their original assignment before completing an employee-

initiated request for transfer.

WORK SCHEDULE – A general rule of thumb for paraeducators is that if students are in school, then it is a work day

for paraeducators. Preservice activities are the exception to this rule and provide a complete days of work for

paraeducators before school begins. All paraeducators will leave after students leave on half-days for students.

PARAS ON “THE SPREAD” and ½ DAYS OF SCHOOL - Many paras choose to be paid “on the spread” to have

their pay evenly distributed through the year. The spread is calculated from the 1st full day of school, will end the last

full day of school. EC and Kindergarten paras have two days where they do not have students for a full day because of

parent conferences. These days are included in the spread because most students are in school for a whole day. As

confusing as it is, the guideline is “Early childhood and kindergarten paraeducators who are on the spread should work

on these conference related days (or they will be docked for the day because they have, in effect, already been paid for

the day). It is at the paraeducator’s discretion to not work on these days, but their pay will be adjusted to reflect this.

EC & K paraeducators not on the spread do not work on these days without principal approval. High School finals

provide a similar situation. Paraeducators that are on the spread should work complete days on the days that high school

students attend a shortened day for finals because they have, in effect, already been paid for those days. Paras not on the

spread should leave as students leave.

NUTS AND BOLTS

9

Nuts &

Role of the Paraeducator 1. Monitor and assist students during teacher-directed, whole class instruction.

2. Monitor and support students during independent work or cooperative learning activities under teacher direction.

3. Provide follow-up instruction after teacher-directed instruction.

4. Provide small group instruction (pre-teaching or alternative instruction) to students under teacher direction.

5. Train others (peer partners, peer tutors, volunteers, parents) to provide instruction or assistance to students under the

direction of a certificated staff member.

6. Support students’ instructional program through the preparation of materials and the fulfillment of other clerical

tasks.

7. Monitor students in a variety of settings such as the cafeteria, bus loading area, playground, hallway, or auditorium.

The following chart compares and contrasts the roles of both the teacher and paraeducator.1

Task Roles Performed by Teacher Roles Performed by Paraeducator

Classroom Organization

Plans weekly & daily schedule Plans lessons/activities for entire class and individual children Plans room arrangement and learning centers

Implements plan as specified by the teacher

Assessment

Assesses individual children Administers tests to entire class

Assists with monitoring and scoring objective tests

Setting Objectives

Determines appropriate objectives for class and for individual children

Implements lessons to meet child’s instructional objectives

Teaching

Teaches lessons for the entire class, small groups and individual children

Assists and monitors small groups and individuals with designated lessons

Behavior Management

Plans behavior management strategies for entire class and for individual children

Implements behavioral management strategies using the same emphasis and techniques as the teacher; reports progress

Working with

Parents

Meets with parents Initiates conferences concerning child’s progress

May attend parent conferences and meetings when appropriate

Individual

Educational

Planning

Develops and implements IEP Revises instructional programs Designs instructional materials Attends inservice meetings and professional development trainings

Carries out teacher’s plans for child Monitors student progress in instruction programs and relates findings to supervising teacher Constructs materials designed by supervising teacher May attend professional development meetings for paraeducators

1 Chart Source: Gerlach, Pickett, Vasa, 1990

NUTS AND BOLTS

10

Suggested Code of Ethics for Paraeducators2

A code of ethics defies and describes acceptable practices. A code for paraeducators would examine specific

responsibilities of the paraeducator, as well as the relationships that must be maintained with students,

parents, teachers, school and community.

Accepting Responsibilities

Recognize that the supervisor has the ultimate responsibility for the instruction and management,

and follow the directions prescribed by him/her.

Engage only in activities for which you are qualified or trained.

Do not communicate progress or concerns about students to parents unless directed to do so by

the supervising teacher.

Refer concerns expressed by parents, students, or others to the supervising teacher.

Relationships with Students and Parents

Discuss a child’s progress, limitations and/or education program only with the supervising

teacher in the appropriate setting.

Discuss school problems and confidential matters only with appropriate personnel.

Refrain from engaging in discriminatory practices based on a student’s disability, race, sex,

cultural background or religion.

Respect the dignity, privacy, and individuality of all students, parents, and staff members.

Present yourself as a positive adult role model.

Relationship with the Teacher (Supervisor)

Recognize the teacher as a supervisor and team leader.

Establish communication and a positive relationship with the teacher.

When problems cannot be resolved, utilize the school district’s grievance procedures.

Discuss concerns about the teacher or teaching methods directly with the teacher.

Relationship with the School

Accept responsibility for improving skills.

Know school policies and procedures.

Represent the school district in a positive manner.

_______________________________

2 Source: Gerlach, Pickett, Vasa, 1990

NUTS AND BOLTS

11

Professional

Development

12

Required Para Points

REQUIREMENTS:

All paraeducators must participate in staff development, regardless of the number of hours/day or days/week worked.

The Olathe District requires that all paraeducators complete and document 20 hours of staff development each year.

Paras that are hired after the beginning of the school year will have this requirement pro-rated in accordance with state

guidelines. Paras must complete their required staff development hours by March 1 of each year. FAILURE TO

COMPLETE THE REQUIRED HOURS RESULTS IN THE LOSS OF STATE FUNDING FOR THAT

POSITION AND IS GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION, UP TO AND INCLUDING

TERMINATION.

The state requires that paraeducators have orientation annually. (e.g. confidentiality of student records, important

school policies, etc.) The remaining required hours average about 2 hours of staff development each month. The

contract year begins July 1st of each year and hours must be completed by March 1st. (The State Department gave

specific approval for Olathe paraeducators to use the Olathe Summer Conference for points even though it fell before

the July 1 starting date.)

IF A PARAEDUCATOR ENDS EMPLOYEMENT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, IT IS THE PARA’S

RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE AND REPORT THE HOURS FOR THAT CONTACT YEAR.

TYPES OF POINTS:

All hours of training are referred to as points. Two types of points are available for Olathe paraeducators to earn:

PARA points meet the mandatory Kansas state requirement for staff development training each year, but may not be

used for time off. PARA points may be earned during or outside of the work agreement day.

DIST points meet the Kansas state requirement for staff development training, but also may be used for time off.

DIST points may not be earned during the work agreement day. DIST points are available for district sponsored

training that occurs outside of work agreement hours where the paraeducator is not paid for their time.

EARNING POINTS:

There are many opportunities for fulfilling your required hours. Some examples are:

training on specific needs of a student,

one hour for attending one IEP meeting per year,

attending building-level or district offered staff development sessions,

reading professional articles and/or books or watching training videos related to your job, etc.

There are a variety of resources available for paraeducators at the Instructional Resource Center Library located at

14090 Black Bob Road. Many paras choose to complete their hours by completing courses at PD Now! / Provenance,

an online training service that is offered to you free of charge. PLEASE NOTE: PD Now! / Provenance DOES NOT

NOTIFY THE DISTRICT WHEN COURSES ARE COMPLETED. PARAEDUCATORS MUST SUBMIT A

Professional Development

13

POINTS REQUEST ON MY LEARNING PLAN TO RECEIVE POINTS. For activities other than PD Now! /

Provenance courses, you must complete a reflection form found on MyLearningPlan.com as you submit the point

request. For PD Now! / Provenance courses, you must complete a log and submit the log form when you have

completed all your courses.

Activities completed as part of a paraeducator’s job responsibilities do not qualify as professional development.

However, training done during the work agreement day does qualify. You will need to submit a points request for

individual training completed during the work day.

RECORDING POINTS:

All paraeducators are responsible for submitting point requests for professional activities online on the My Learning

Plan website. Specific directions are located in the MLP section of this handbook. If you attend a training session

offered by the Olathe School district and sign an attendance sheet at the training, you do not have to submit a point

request form. Your attendance & points will be recorded for you at these events. (Please make sure we can read your

name!) You can view your points on My Learning Plan by signing on and selecting My Portfolio.

HOW TO USE POINTS:

DIST points may be used for time off and are accumulated for 5 years. The points are converted to time off in a

“straight time” fashion—3 hours of DIST points equals 3 hours off. Paraeducators wishing to convert their DIST

points in to time off must request conversion at least 10 days in advance, using the Points Conversion Request form

found on Ozone, Virtual File Cabinet. The process requires approval from your immediate supervisor, your principal

and the Classified Professional Development office.

Every paraeducator is required by the State of Kansas to complete a minimum number of professional development

hours during the school year based on the month you began employment. If you were employed at the beginning of

the school year, 20 hours are required by the Olathe Public Schools.

Professional Development

14

15

Nuts & B

Paraeducator Training Points Summary

PARA vs DIST

PARA DIST Points meet the state

requirements for paraeducator

training, but may NOT be

used for time off.

Points meet the state

requirements for paraeducator

training, and can be used

for time off.

Specific content, skills, or strategy

training that occurs during the work

agreement day. (1 point per clock hour)

Completion of PD Now! / Provenance

courses (1 point per course)

Reading a non-fiction educationally

related book and completion of reflection

sheet on My Learning Plan* (3 points)

Watching an education training video and

completion of the reflection page on My

Learning Plan (2 points)

Reading non-fiction professional educator

articles and completion of the reflection

page on My Learning Plan (1 point)

Attending an IEP team meeting (1 point),

one per year.

Completion of college credit hours

(College hours can only be used one time,

either as PARA or DIST) (20 points) *Exception: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,

by Mark Haddon, is a fiction book that will count for PARA

points. Children’s do not count.

Unpaid district sponsored training that

occurs outside the work agreement hours

(1 point per clock hour)

Completion of college credit hours.

College credits must be directly job

related to count for DIST points (5

points)

Professional Development

16

Nuts B

If you were employed at a later date, the following table can be used to determine the number of

staff development hours needed:

Time of Employment Hours Required

9 months or more 20

Less than 9 months 18

Less than 8 months and 10 days 16

Less than 8 months 15

Less than 7 months and 10 days 14

Less than 7 months 13

Less than 6 months and 10 days 12

Less than 6 months 11

Less than 5 months and 10 days 10

Less than 5 months 9

Less than 4 months and 10 days 8

Less than 4 months 7

Less than 3 months and 10 days 6

Less than 3 months 5

Less than 2 months and 10 days 4

Less than 2 months 3

Less than 1 month and 10 days 2

Qualifying hours for state inservice requirements must be completed between July 1 and March 1 of

your current school year contract.

Professional Development

17

Nuts & B

Each paraeducator’s staff development activities may include various levels of opportunities. Some of the

activities you will see as options for staff development are labeled as “K” (Knowledge/learning), “A”

(Application/skill development), and “I” (Impact). As a paraeducator you have the opportunity to obtain

staff development from all three levels, however, “A” and “I” are not required by the school district. Note:

if you choose to obtain A or I level staff development, you must establish an implementation plan and

you must have prior approval from the Paraeducator Specialist.

What are K, A, and I levels of staff development? How can I get credit for each?

“K” Knowledge/learning: This level of staff development can include inservice, workshops,

study groups, observations, child-specific presentations, courses from PD Now! / Provenance. To

receive credit, follow the established procedures for My Learning Plan.

“A” Application/skill development: This level involves guided practice, implementing

strategies/ideas, peer coaching. (Can only be used with an established plan and prior approval.)

“I” Impact: This involves documented effect of newly learned skills implemented with students.

(Can only be used with an established plan and prior approval.) To receive credit, you must

complete the Impact documentation sheet.

Knowledge hours are based on one hour for each contact hour during live courses. PD Now! /

Provenance courses equal one hour of staff development upon completion of the course.

Application hours should not exceed two times the number of hours of knowledge level training

for the topic. The impact hours should not exceed three times the number of hours of knowledge

level training.

Professional Development

Application and Impact activities follow a Knowledge level course. Application and Impact

hours are awarded for implementation over a period of time, not for “one-shot” uses of what

was learned. Impact hours imply there is student data that indicate students have been positively

impacted by the implementation of knowledge learned. Application and Impact hours must be part of

a pre-approved plan. Documentation for application ad impact hours should be clearly aligned with

knowledge level staff development opportunities.

18

Nuts &

Sample

PD Now! / Provenance Course #105

Understanding the Many Areas of Disability and Exceptionality (Part 1)

Professional Development

K

What did you

learn?

A

How will you apply it?

(On PD Now! / Provenance, this is also

known as “best practice activities”)

I

How did you implement what you learned over a period of time?

Does data show improved student performance as a result?

This is the content portion of the course. In

this particular course, you would learn about

how to identify characteristics of a variety of

disabilities as well as identify teaching

strategies for these disabilities.

Here, you will reflect on the course material

you learned. For example, why is it important

for paras to understand the general

characteristics and general instructional

strategies associated with various disabilities?

On completion, your supervisor will grade

your best practice activities. Once you

receive a “complete” grade, you may turn in

up to two hours of credit under “A” (“A” not

to exceed 2x “K”)

Impact hours require documentation of the positive effect the skills you

learned had on the student. This data as well as supervisor verification

are required before the maximum 3 hours can be credited (“I” not to

exceed 3x “K”).

19

PD Now! /

Provenance

20

& B

Quick-Start User’s Guide

Sign on to the internet.

You will go to http://www.pdnow.net/provenance/ksolathe/.

Log In:

To access the PD Now website, type your email address and pasword into the

boxes provided and click the Sign In button. You will use your entire Olathe

email address. Your password will be changeme until you change it. To change

your password, click on the Edit Profile link in the header. Locate and click on

the Change Password link. Complete the form, and click the Submit button. If

you can’t figure out what your log in is, please call or email the paraeducator

specialist. If you have forgotten your password, please contact the paraeducator

specialist to have your password reset.

Access Your Content:

All courses, assessments, or resources that are avalable to you will appear on the

screen in three categories: Not Started, Started and Completed. Click on the

content title to launch the iteam. If no content appears on the screen, then you

have not been assigneda license and need to inform the paraeducator specialist.

Note: If you see a lock next to any title(s), click on the lock to claim your license to

that content. The lock(s) will disappear for all content associated with the license.

If you receive a message that there are no licenses available, contact the

paraeducator specialist.

PD Now! / Provenance

21

MyLearningPlan

22

Nuts B

MyLearningPlan.com is a web-based service for tracking professional development activities. District staff

members use a private username and password to set up and view individual plans/portfolios, receive

information regarding approval for professional development, in-service, and college course work, and view

transcripts.

From the Main Screen You Can:

Browse catalogs for district activities

Submit point requests for district courses, PD Now! / Provenance courses, college credits, etc.

View Portfolio/Transcript

HELP! The HELP section is located on the top right side of the screen and is represented by the small blue

question mark. Use this section to access tutorials, how-to information and other resources.

MyLearningPlan

23

Nuts & B

Logging In

Sign into My Learning Plan at www.mylearningplan.com

ts

&

B

Your username is your entire email address, example: dhumphreyirc@olatheschools.org Your password the first time is changeme This will get you into the system.

MyLearningPlan

24

Home Page My Learning Plan

General Information for Classified Staff

2012-2013

Shows approved courses and training. Your

Portfolio will not list activities that are still

pending.

Lists upcoming courses. You can register for

courses through the catalog.

Certified Forms ONLY. If you

complete any of these forms,

they will be denied.

Classified Staff point request forms

25

26

On the first screen you should scroll down to the bottom of the page under Account Options: and select Change Password, and then you should change your password to something only you know.

27

Enroll in Classes: On the same screen where you found Change Password, look under Activity Catalogs: Select District Catalog.

28

You will then see View by Month: this is where you may select the current month to see

what classes are being offered, or if you know a class is being offered in a particular

month, you may select that month

Nuts & B

You will then see a class listing, scroll down, find your class and click on the class.

29

This will take you to the next screen where you will see button that says Sign Up Now. Click the button and you will then be registered.

30

My Portfolio

31

Files and Documents – Click on My File Library

32

You will see a list of files. Scroll through until you find the desired file/form.

33

Fill in Forms

34

These forms are for Classified

staff to use for requesting points.

Classified and Certified staff use

different. Forms based on state

reporting requirements.

Note: If CERT forms are

completed, they will be denied

and you will need to re-enter your

information on a Classified form

35

Classified Point Request form:

R

Requesting Points for PD Now! / Provenance Courses

36

Requesting Points for PD Now! / Provenance Courses

N

37

38

39

MyLearningPlan

40

Para

Responsibility

41

BEHAVIORAL AREAS

It is important that the Paraeducator become familiar with the needs of children that they are

serving.

Informal assessment techniques used to give a better understanding of the needs of the students

should be understood by the Paraeducator.

The Paraeducator should acquire a working knowledge of behavior management techniques;

especially those used by the teacher.

ACADEMIC AREAS

The Paraeducator must become familiar with various types of instructional equipment and

materials used with the students.

The Paraeducator should become familiar with the instructional approach used by the classroom

teacher.

The Paraeducator should know the instructional resources available within the building and

district.

PERSONAL & EMOTIONAL STRENGTHS

The Paraeducator must have a positive self-concept and a positive approach when working with

students.

Enthusiasm and sensitivity to the feelings of students is very important.

The Paraeducator should discuss any problem they are experiencing that may influence their job

performance with supervising teacher or building principal.

THE TEACHER/PARA RELATIONSHIP

Mutual respect and support between the teacher and Paraeducator must be evident at all times in front

of the students. A difference of opinion should be discussed after the students have left the

classroom.

There should be consistency between the teacher and Paraeducator in the handling the rules,

procedures, and consequences.

While the teacher is ultimately responsible at all times, a division of responsibility may be worked out

whereby certain times or activities may be the immediate responsibility of the Paraeducator.

Para Responsibility

42

Para Responsibility PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDEWITH STAFF AND PARENTS

The Paraeducator is considered a member of the staff of a school where he/she is assigned and is

expected to take part in any duties or responsibilities expected of other staff, where appropriate.

The Paraeducator should at no time discuss a student’s home or background information with other

members of the school staff or other parents.

The Paraeducator should direct all inquiries from parents regarding their child’s participation or

performance in school to the classroom teacher. It is the certified classroom teacher’s responsibility

to monitor and evaluate student participation and performance in school and to share this information

with parents.

Paraeducators will not typically attend IEP team meetings. This is to keep the size of IEP teams

smaller and less imposing for parents and to ensure continuous supervision of students by staff

familiar with their needs. Paras are encouraged to meet with their supervising teacher prior to IEP

team meetings and share any information that is important to the meeting.

CLASSROOM RESPONSIBILITIES

The teacher and Paraeducator should establish within the first week of school specific activities,

routines, data collection, record keeping,etc… for which the Paraeducator will be responsible.

The Paraeducator may be expected to supervise individual activities or to maintain group focus while

the classroom teacher works with a small group of students or an individual student.

The Paraeducator can contribute to the delivery of curriculum with the use of their specific interests

or talents. These might be in the areas of music, arts, crafts, literature, cooking, sewing, photography,

history, traveling, etc.

The teacher and Paraeducator should work together in rewarding appropriate behavior and

implementing the classroom behavior management plan.

Paraeducators are expected to be flexible members of the school team. Paraeducators may

occasionally be asked to assist with different teachers, children, or classrooms if another staff member

is absent. Working together, we meet the needs of all students.

PROMOTING STUDENT INDEPENDENCE

Paraeducators should encourage students to be as independent as possible in school.

Paraeducators should allow students with disabilities as many opportunities as possible to make their

own decisions during the school day.

It is important that paraeducators avoid interfering with student social interactions, including

opportunities for instruction by other students.

Para Responsibility

43

CHECKLIST: Things to Find Out

What are your regular duties?

What records are you responsible for keeping?

What special services are provided in the classroom and school in which you work?

What schedules are you responsible for following?

What emergency provisions apply to your situation?

When do students arrive? When do they leave?

What are the playground rules?

For what lunchtime activities will you be responsible?

Where are the supplies kept and how are they obtained?

What equipment is available and how is it obtained?

If you are responsible for working with more than one teacher, how is your time divided?

What student records are available to you?

To whom should you direct inquiries concerning school policies?

With whom should you discuss a problem concerning work relationships?

What should be your response when a parent raises a question regarding their child’s functioning in

the classroom?

What is expected in terms of student discipline?

What should you do if you find yourself with spare time?

How does your teacher view the teacher/paraeducator relationship?

Para Responsibility

44

What are some ways that I can get my state required professional development hours?

Some examples are: Training on specific needs of a student, PD Now! / Provenance courses, 1 (one) hour for

attending one IEP meeting, attending building-level or district offered inservice sessions, reading professional

articles and/or books or watching training videos related to your job etc. There are many opportunities for

fulfilling your required hours. PLEASE REMEMBER – your staff development hours must be TRAINING.

Activities that are performed in fulfilling your job requirements do not qualify.

I only work 3 hours per day. Am I still required to complete 20 hours of professional development?

Yes. The State of Kansas requirements are the same for every paraeducator, regardless of the number of

hours you work. “Paraeducators are required to have 20 clock hours of staff development per school year,

regardless of the number of hours/day or days/week worked. . . .if a district cannot produce evidence that a

paraeducator has completed 20 clock hours of staff development (or a pro-rated amount according to the

length of employment for any special education instructional paraeducator who is not employed for a full

school year), or the equivalent amount of college coursework, no reimbursement will be authorized for that

person.” Kansas State Department of Education, Special Education Reimbursement Guide for State

Categorical Aid, FY04.

I have a college degree. Do I still need to complete the 20 hours of professional development required

by the state?

Yes. ALL paraeducators must complete the 20 staff development hours regardless of degrees or certifications

held.

I started my position mid-year and feel a bit lost. What training opportunities are available to me

other than PD Now! / Provenance?

It is the paraeducator’s responsibility to seek training opportunities. Many job related sessions are scheduled

throughout the school year for paraeducators to attend—at the building and district level. For more

information about what is available, contact Classified Professional Development or other paras in your

building.

If I feel I need more training in a particular area, what should I do?

Paraeducators have a professional responsibility to seek out more training if they feel their current level of

knowledge in an area is not adequate. Paras should first contact their supervising teacher and principal to

request additional training in the area of concern. They may also contact Manager of Classified Professional

Development, or Paraeducator Specialist to see if any training in the desired area is available through district

staff development offerings.

Para Responsibility

45

I have completed some college courses. Do those qualify for my professional development hours?

Yes, if they were completed after July 1 prior to the current school year. Any courses completed prior to that

date do not qualify for this year. One college credit equals 20 PARA professional development points or 5

DIST professional development points. DIST points must be approved by the Classified Professional

Development Office and must be directly job related. NOTE: If you use college credit hours to fulfill

your 20 hour requirement, you must also have 2 hours of Orientation/Confidentiality Training.

Which paraeducators must have 2 hours of Orientation/Confidentiality Training?

ALL paraeducators are required to have this training EVERY YEAR.

How do I get the Orientation/Confidentiality Training?

If you are a new Olathe employee, you will need to attend one of the New Para Orientation sessions. Contact

Classified Professional Development Office for dates and times.

You may also receive Confidentiality training by:

1. Watch the KSDE Confidentiality video. If this was not done at the New Hire Orientation, the video

may be checked out by calling Paraeducator Specialist at 780-7918.

2. Complete Course No. 103 “Confidentiality” or Course No. 211, “Confidentiality II” on PD Now! /

Provenance.

3. Attend one of the district sponsored Confidentiality courses offered and posted in the My Learning

Plan catalog.

How do I know what will count for Professional Development and what will not?

All professional development must be training. Daily job expectations and activities are not considered

professional development. If you have specific questions, please contact the Paraeductor Specialist.

Who do I call when I am sick and can’t come to work?

You need to at least call the office and notify the secretary. It is also a good idea to notify your supervising

teacher so he/she can know how to prepare for the day. Ask your supervising teacher how he/she wants that

notification (i.e. via email, home phone call, etc.).

Para Responsibility

46

What is an IEP?

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is defined as a written statement for each student with an

exceptionality which describes that student’s educational program and is developed, reviewed, and revised in

accordance with the IDEA. Each IEP is a vital, confidential document that indicates the special education and

related services each student will receive, among other things. The team that develops the IEP includes

parents, school professionals, the student (when appropriate), and personnel from other agencies as

appropriate (when addressing transition). Each IEP should be developed with careful consideration of each

student’s capabilities, strengths, needs and interests. The IEP should direct the student toward high

expectations and toward becoming a successful member of his or her community and the workforce. It

should function as the tool that directs and guides the development of meaningful educational experiences,

thereby helping the student achieve his or her goals. In short, it should assist the student in meeting the goals

and challenging standards of our educational system as well as identified post-school outcomes.

Should I attend IEP Meetings?

Paraeducators do not typically attend IEP team meetings. Parents sometimes feel overwhelmed by the

number of staff members in IEP team meetings. In an effort to limit the size of IEP teams and help parents

feel more comfortable, paras are asked to share important information with their supervising teacher before

IEP team meetings. In addition, it is important that students with exceptionalities be supervised by staff

familiar with their needs during meetings. Since general and special education teachers are required members

of the IEP team, it is important that paraeducators be available for students during these meetings.

Can I share IEP information with my co-workers if they ask about a student?

It depends on the situation. If the other para is asking because they will be assisting with instruction or

supervision of the student, it is then appropriate to share educationally relevant information they need to

know. If the other para is asking out of curiosity, the information may not be shared. If unsure, ask your

supervising teacher before sharing any information.

Para Responsibility

47

Terminology

&

Acronyms

48

Olathe Public Schools

Dictionary of Educational Abbreviations and Terms Updated July 2010

Educators, like other professionals, use abbreviations and terms in their daily conversations to quickly

communicate programs and services. While useful to those who know what the abbreviations or terms

stand for, they may be confusing to others who do not understand their meaning. Abbreviations and educational terms should used sparingly or explained when communicating with parents

or community patrons.

A AC — Arbor Creek Elementary School, 16150 S. Brougham Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7300 ACCESS — The Adult Career Community Education Services and Supports program prepares

students with cognitive disabilities to develop skills to function more fully in the community. Services include

community-based instruction, vocational opportunities, opportunities for self-advocacy, and individualized

programming. Contact: Special Services Accommodations — Changes in design or administration of tests based on the special needs of students

with disabilities or students who are learning English. Contact: ELL or Special Services Accreditation — Official recognition that required standards are met; all schools are accredited by the

State of Kansas. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement Achievement Gap — Differences in achievement among different groups of students as indicated by

scores on tests, grades, graduation rates, and other data. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement ACT — The American College Testing exam measures the skills of English, mathematics, reading and

science reasoning, the academic areas traditionally identified with college preparatory high school

programs. A composite score is an average of the four academic areas. Contact: School Counselor Active Participation — Instructional strategies that call for students’ engagement in the learning process.

These strategies may include writing-to-learn, cooperative learning, Every Pupil Response (EPR), and

calling on students at random. Contact: Teaching & Learning ADA — Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against people with

disabilities in areas of employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation and

communication. Contact: Special Services ADD/ADHD — Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Condition is a syndrome characterized by serious and

persistent difficulties in three specific areas: attention span, impulse control and hyperactivity. People with

this condition generally display some difficulty in each area to varying degrees, though not all ADD children

show hyperactivity. They may have problems with organization and distractibility. Contact: Special Services AED — Automated External Defibrillator is a device created for use in the community setting by trained

individuals to externally shock the heart of an individual who is unconscious and in cardiac arrest (no

breathing and no pulse). Contact: Health Services AIA — Autism Instructional Assistant is a uniquely trained and experienced classified support staff

member who provides individualized support and training for specifically identified students with autism and

the classroom staff in need of such intense support and training. Contact: Special Services

49

AP — Advanced Placement (AP) is an internationally recognized standard of academic excellence that

can enhance a student's opportunities for scholarships, career possibilities, reduction in college costs, time

to obtain a degree and admission into recognized universities and post-secondary programs. The Olathe

School District offers AP courses in language arts, mathematics, social studies and science. Contact:

Teaching & Learning/High School Counselors APE — Adaptive Physical Education is physical education that is modified to accommodate the particular

needs of children with disabilities. Adaptive Physical Education staff work in collaboration with General

Education Physical Education staff in developing and adapting physical education curriculums to assure that

students with disabilities are afforded to the fullest extent possible, opportunities to access the general

curriculum and successfully participate in physical education classes/activities along with their non-disabled

peers. Contact: Special Services AT — Assistive Technology is a Special Services consultation (assessment and training resource). Focus

is on evaluation of a student’s need to access curriculum and activities through augmentation using

technology (alternative communication and environmental contracts). Contact: Special Services AT & L — Advanced Teaching & Learning is a series of after-school workshops for educators new to the

Olathe School District. A master’s degree (through Emporia State University) may be earned by

participating in AT & L and other courses. Contact: Teaching & Learning/New Educator Induction AUG — Acceptable Use Guidelines is a Board of Education-approved policy included in the Student Code

of Conduct Handbook outlining terms and conditions of school computer and Internet use. Contact:

Technology AVID — Advancement Via Individual Determination prepares select students who may not be

considering college and some who may be the first in their family to consider college for four-year college

eligibility. Academic support assists students in the completion of rigorous coursework. AVID is currently

available in all high schools and select middle school sites. Contact: School Counselors AWE — Alternative Work Experience is an in-district community worksite created for students with

cognitive disabilities to provide the opportunity to develop a variety of workplace skills and experiences

needed for transitioning into their targeted post high school setting. Contact: Special Services AYP — Adequate Yearly Progress is specified by the state of Kansas to fulfill the requirements of the

―No Child Left Behind‖ law. AYP, defined differently in each state, is the percentage of students achieving

proficient on state reading and math assessments. Student participation and attendance are also factors in

making AYP. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement

B

BBP — Blood borne Pathogens are bacteria and viruses carried in the blood and certain other body fluids

of an infected person. They may be transmitted to a healthy person when the infected fluid comes in contact

with the healthy person’s non-intact skin and/or mucous membranes. Contact: Health Services BE — Bentwood Elementary School, 13000 Bond, Overland Park KS 66213, (913) 897-8830 B.E.A.M. — Bridging Education and Medicine is a partnership between the Olathe Medical Center and

Olathe high schools. Representatives from OMC and each high school make up an Action Team to

determine and coordinate educational activities during the school year, as approved by the B.E.A.M.

Advisory Committee. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Career and Technical Education

50

Benchmarks — Any specific, measurable goals for students to meet at various points during the school

year. Best Practices — Instructional methods and strategies that have been proven effective based on

educational research. BIP — Behavior Intervention Plan is based on the functional behavioral assessment for students for

whom there are behavioral concerns. The BIP is developed by the school team and includes the

identification of the target behavior, positive behavioral interventions, and behavioral supports that will be

implemented when behaviors surface in the school setting. Contact: Special Services Blackboard is a course management tool that allows instructors to create web-based courses. Contact:

Instructional Technology Block Scheduling — Organizing the school day, usually in secondary schools, into blocks of time longer

than typical class periods. BLT — Building Leadership Teams are the school improvement team in each building. Teams consist of

the principal and certified representatives responsible for providing leadership for ongoing school

improvements. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement BOE — The Board of Education is comprised of seven elected community representatives functioning

under the statutes of the State of Kansas. Contact: Clerk of the Board BR — Brougham Elementary School, 15500 S. Brougham Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7350 BSC — Balanced Scorecard is an item reviewed monthly at the Quality Council meeting. The scorecard

covers many areas of district performance. It provides a quick snapshot of areas that need attention or that

meet or exceed comparative benchmarks. Contact: General Administration Building Report Card — A summary of select indicators showing how a school and students are

performing. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement BW — Briarwood Elementary School, 14101 S. Brougham Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7330

C Career Cruising is a Web-based career guidance, educational planning, and portfolio development tool

used by students and parents in the creation of a student’s long term (six to eight years) career/academic

plan. Contact: School Counselors CBI — Community Based Instruction is the educational practice of implementing the Life Skills functional

curriculum within the actual community site rather than the classroom environment. Contact: Special

Services CBM — Curriculum Based Measurement is a system for determining the instructional needs of a student

based upon the student’s ongoing performance within existing course content, in order to deliver instruction

as effectively as possible. It facilitates the alignment of instruction with student learning needs and

enhances teachers’ decision-making. Contact: Special Services CC — Cedar Creek Elementary School, 11150 Clare Rd., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7360 CE — Central Elementary School, 324 S. Water, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7370

51

CLA — Computer Learning Associate program provides elementary students with access to the

computer lab every week. The CLA is responsible for supervising students in the computer lab, facilitating

meaningful activities to develop students’ technology skills and knowledge, and troubleshooting / reporting

computer problems within the lab. Contact: Instructional Technology CO3 C = Cyber, O = Olathe, 3 = strands of safety, security and integrity — This district initiative targets

awareness of the issues of Cyber Bullying, Cyber Integrity, and Cyber Safety through curriculum, resources,

and educational support for students, families, and staff. Contact: Safe and Drug-Free Schools College Now is the name of some high school classes that are approved for college credit through Johnson

County Community College (JCCC). Contact: School Counselors CONNECT — Collaborative Opportunities for Natural Networking Experiences and Community

Transition is a special education transition program for students ages 18-21 with severe multiple needs.

Contact: Special Services Cooperative Learning — Specific instructional structures that call for all students to be engaged in the

learning process. These structures may include line-ups, think-pair-share, round robin, and jigsaw, just to

name a few. Contact: Teaching & Learning COTA — Court Of Tax Appeals is the state agency that hears school district appeals for additional local

funding for the operation of new schools constructed for extraordinary growth. The district makes these

appeals during the spring prior to the actual opening of the new facilities. Contact: Business & Finance CPI — The philosophy of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) is to provide care, welfare, safety and

security for everyone involved in a crisis moment. CPI provides training in safe, respectful, noninvasive

methods for managing disruptive and assaultive behavior. Contact: Special Services CPR — Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is the first aid measure combining chest compressions and

rescue breathing to circulate oxygen to the brain if a person’s heart has stopped beating. Contact: Health

Services CPS — Classroom Performances System/ “Clickers” is a software/hardware system that allows you to

easily get instant feedback from your students, using remote control devices and a portable receiver.

Contact: Instructional Technology CREWS — Career Related Experiences With Students is a community-based vocational experience for

secondary students with significant disabilities. Contact: Special Services CS — Countryside Elementary School, 15800 W. 124th Terr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7390

CST — Chisholm Trail Middle School, 16700 W. 159th St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7240

CT — California Trail Middle School, 13775 W. 133rd St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7220

CTE — Career and Technical Education is an umbrella term that refers to secondary classes/programs

falling under guidelines of the federal Carl Perkins’ legislation. Organized around career pathways, CTE

classes/programs provide real world context and application for academic theory. Contact: Teaching &

Learning/Career and Technical Education CTS — Career Transition Specialists are secondary special education staff who serve secondary

students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and support IEP teams with regard to transition

services needed to prepare the student for their postsecondary setting. Contact: Special Services

52

Curriculum — The district document all teachers use to define what students will know, understand, and do

to demonstrate learning in each subject area. Contact: Teaching & Learning CW — Clearwater Creek Elementary School, 930 Clearwater Creek Dr., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-

7380

D DBQ — Document Based Question (DBQ) assess the ability of a student to work with historical sources in

multiple forms. The DBQ requires many of the same skills used in developing a research paper –

interpreting primary and secondary sources, evaluating sources, considering multiple points of view, using

historic evidence, and developing and supporting a thesis. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Social Studies D/HH — Deaf/Hard of Hearing means a loss of auditory function sufficiently severe to affect the ability to

communicate with others or to develop communication or learning skills. Contact: Special Services Differentiated Instruction — Maximizing each student’s growth by supporting different classroom learning

experiences in response to student needs. Contact: Teaching & Learning Disaggregation of data — Organizing and reporting data into segments based on the characteristics of the

entire group (gender, race or ethnicity, disability, economic status, first or primary language). Contact:

Assessment and School Improvement DS Distinguished Scholar — The Distinguished Scholar 21st Century High School Program provides an

opportunity for the district’s top scholars to apply for enrollment in six highly specialized and advanced

academic areas of study: international languages, English/language arts, math, political science, science,

and the visual arts. This program, located at Olathe North High School, is available to a limited number of

qualified high school students throughout the district. Contact: School Counselors DWQA — District Wide Quality Assessment is a survey given every two years to students, parents,

certified and classified staff. Contact: General Administration

E eAcademy is a variety of online courses accredited by the Kansas Department of Education and available

to students who live within Olathe School District boundaries. Contact: eAcademy Facilitator ECD — Early Childhood Disability programs are designed to provide appropriate intervention services to

meet the needs of individual children identified with disabilities, age 3 to 5. Contact: Special Services ED — Emotionally Disturbed, previously referred to as BD (behaviorally disturbed), relates to a condition

with one or more behavioral characteristics: 1) exhibited at a much higher or lower rate than is age-

appropriate, 2) documented as occurring over an extended period in different settings, and 3) interfering

consistently with the student’s educational performance. This interference is not the result of intellectual,

sensory, cultural or health factors that have not received appropriate attention. Contact: Special Services ELA — English Language Arts ELL — English Language Learners is the current name for English as a Second Language students. The

name recognizes that many of these students knew several other languages before learning English. Most

people require one to three years to acquire a new language for use in social settings and five to seven

years to acquire full academic use of a new language. Contact: Teaching & Learning/ELL

53

ERI — Early Reading Intervention is a building-level team that analyzes data to identify students needing

extra reading support, develops and implements strategic small group instruction, and meets on a regular

basis to monitor progress and adjust instruction. Contact: Teaching & Learning ESY — Extended School Year are special education services made available to students identified with

disabilities during summer vacation as determined necessary by each student's IEP team in accordance

with Kansas ESY eligibility criteria. The purpose of extended school year services is to prevent significant

regression during summer vacation that the student will not be able to recoup within a reasonable time

frame upon return to school in the fall. Contact: Special Services Extended Learning — Learning is extended through strategic instruction before and after school, and

through tutoring sessions during the day. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement

F FBA — Functional Behavior Assessment is an assessment that identifies and defines the target

behaviors or patterns of behavior in observable, descriptive and operational terms. It involves collecting

information from multiple sources and settings, and recognizing circumstances, events and consequences

resulting in the identification of the function and purpose of target behaviors. FBAs are necessary to develop

a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP). Contact: Special Services FERPA — The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part

99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that

receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. Contact: General

Administration F.L.I.P. — Families Learning In Partnership is a primary grade family literacy program. Sessions are

offered to all families in Olathe with students in grades K-3. Programs focus on how parents can help their

students with reading and writing and support what is happening with literacy at school. Contact: Teaching

& Learning/Language Arts FLSA — Fair Labor Standards Act is the federal agency which oversees compliance of organizations with

hiring and compensation practices with employees. An example would be the oversight of how employers

manage the collection and accurate payment of non-exempt employees for overtime worked. Contact:

Human Resources FRV — Forest View Elementary School, 12567 Canyon Dr., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7440

FT — Frontier Trail Middle School, 15300 W. 143rd St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7210

FV — Fairview Elementary School, 600 N. Marion, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7430

G GED — Test of General Educational Development is a high school equivalency test administered by

Johnson County Community College to students who are at least 18 years old and have not graduated from

high school. Contact: Alternative Education GPA — Grade Point Average is the average of a student’s grades over a set period of time. Contact:

School Counselors

54

Guided Reading is a component of the elementary reading program with small group instruction at

students’ instructional reading level. A strategic lesson format is utilized. Contact: Teaching &

Learning/Language Arts H HC — Havencroft Elementary School, 1700 E. Sheridan, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7470

Head Start is a federal program for preschool children whose family income falls below the federal poverty

guidelines. This educational program is designed to meet each child’s individual needs. Children receive

vision, hearing, developmental, height and weight screenings. Dental and physical exams and

immunizations are completed. Children receive breakfast and lunch to meet a third of their daily nutritional

needs. Contact: Head Start

H.E.L.P. Clinic — Help Each Live (Learn) Productively Clinic is an evening referral clinic staffed by

district personnel. Opportunities for study skills, social skills, self-concept groups, anger management and

limited counseling are available. Contact: Student Services

HIPAA — Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The act set national standards

for the privacy of personal health information. Contact: Health Services

HIV / HBV — Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the virus that attacks the body’s immune system causing

the disease known as AIDS. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a blood borne virus that causes inflammation of the

liver and may lead to liver damage but can be prevented by with a vaccine. Contact: Health Services

HN — Heatherstone Elementary School, 13745 W. 123rd St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7480

HRC — Human Relations Committee recommends and undertakes activities designed to foster

understanding and cooperation within the diverse student body and community of the Olathe School

District. Contact: Teaching & Learning/ELL

HT — Heritage Elementary School, 1700 E. Pawnee Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7490

I IC — Indian Creek Elementary School, 15800 W. Indian Creek Pkwy., Olathe KS 66062 (913) 780-7510

IDEA — Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL94-142) outlines special education law and

regulations. Contact: Special Services

IEP — Individualized Education Program is an annual written statement for each exceptional child that

describes the child’s unique educational needs and how these needs are to be met. The IEP is developed

by a team including educators and parents. Contact: Special Services

ID – Intellectual Disability is typically diagnosed early in a child’s life, and includes a significantly

below-average IQ and delays in adaptive (social) behavior which combine to affect a child’s educational

performance. Children can be served in Life Skills or and Interrelated Model. Contact Special Services

IGPRO is the electronic grade book used in Olathe. Contact: Instructional Technology

IRT — Instructional Resource Teachers (K-12 and special education) facilitate the district New Educator

Induction Program and work closely with new educators to promote effective instruction and district

curriculum/school improvement implementation. IRTs support the technology used in the classroom,

curriculum implementation, and the district and building school improvement process. Contact: Teaching &

Learning

55

ISS — In School Suspension is the interruption of classroom attendance and regular school participation

for a period of time. A designated, supervised, academically conducive but restrictive atmosphere will be

substituted. Contact: Student Services IST — Intervention Support Teacher(s) are special education teachers who support students with various

disabilities at the home schools. Contact: Special Services IT — Indian Trail Middle School, 1440 E. 151st St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7230

ITS — Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County serves children up to age 3. Concerns and questions

can be addressed to its main office, (913) 432-2900. Contact: Special Services/Early Childhood

K KBOR — Kansas Board of Regents is a nine-member body which governs, supervises and coordinates

state education institutions. The following state universities are Regents institutions: Emporia State

University, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, University of

Kansas and Wichita State University. KSDE — Kansas State Department of Education generally supervises public education and other

educational entities in the state. KSHSAA — Kansas State High School Activities Association advocates principals and sponsors

services which assures that the state's middle level and highs school students gain a balanced preparation

for life, work, and post-secondary education. KSHSAA is the association that provides statewide regulations,

supervision, promotions and development for high school interscholastic activities and athletics. Contact:

Student Services

L LEA — Local Education Agency is the local unified school district. Contact: General Administration LD (Specific) Learning Disability is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes

involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written. The disorder may manifest itself in having

difficulties listening, speaking, reading, writing, spelling or doing mathematical calculations. The term

includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and

developmental aphasia. Contact: Special Services Lexile — This is a measure that indicates a range of ability levels, based on vocabulary and sentence

complexity, for both readers and texts. Using this measure, teachers may successfully match student

readers to appropriately challenging texts. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Language Arts Life Skills is a Special Services program serving students with autism, mental retardation, and other

developmental disabilities with a focus on the teaching of functional life skills. Contact: Special Services LMS — Library Media Specialist is a more accurate term for a school librarian. Contact: Teaching &

Learning LRE — Least Restrictive Environment is the placement of exceptional children in educational programs

with non-exceptional children, to the maximum extent appropriate. The placement is 1) determined

annually, 2) based upon a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), and 3) as close as possible to

the child’s home. Contact: Special Services

56

M MA — Mahaffie Elementary School, 1300 N. Nelson Rd., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7530 MD — Madison Place Elementary School, 16651 Warwick, Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7520 ML — Meadow Lane Elementary School, 21880 College Blvd., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7550 MP — Manchester Park Elementary School, 9810 Prairie Creek Rd., Lenexa KS 66220, (913) 780-7540

MT — Mission Trail Middle School, 1001 N. Persimmon Dr., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7260

MTSS — Multi-Tier Systems of Support (also called RTi- Response to Intervention) is a Kansas State

Department of Education term referring to a systemic approach to helping all students learn. MTSS is a

continuum of increasingly intense research-based interventions provided to students that respond to their

academic and/or behavioral needs. It includes ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of the interventions

provided. Contact: Teaching & Learning

N National Board Certification — A certificate awarded by the NBPTS (National Board for Professional

Teaching Standards) validating that a teacher meets the National Board standards for professional teaching

excellence. Contact: Teaching & Learning or Human Resources.

NCAA — National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary organization through which the nation’s

colleges and universities govern their athletic programs. Graduating high school students who seek to

participate in athletic program at an NCAA institution must meet scholastic eligibility requirements. Contact:

Student Services NCLB — No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act) was signed by President George W. Bush in an effort to improve student achievement

nationwide. It is based on four points: accountability for results, doing what works based on scientific

research, more choices for parents, and more flexibility for states and communities. Contact: Assessment

and School Improvement NV — Northview Elementary School, 905 N. Walker, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7570

O OE — Olathe East High School, 14545 W. 127th St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7120

OHI — Other Health Impaired is a special education category referring to limitations of strength, vitality or

alertness that interfere with participation in educational experiences. Contact: Special Services ON — Olathe North High School, 600 E. Prairie, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7140

ONW — Olathe Northwest High School, 21300 College Blvd., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7150

57

OPSF — Olathe Public Schools Foundation is a non-profit, charitable fund supported by private

individuals, businesses and other organizations that seek to provide resources beyond tax funds to

stimulate excellence in the Olathe Public Schools. The foundation offers special programs and funds to

enhance the learning environment, increase the effectiveness of instruction including co-curricular activities,

and to help strengthen and broaden ties between the schools and community. Contact: Olathe Public

Schools Foundation

OS — Olathe South High School, 1640 E. 151st St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7160

OSS — Out of School Suspension is the interruption of school attendance by official directive from the

chief building administrator or the designated representative for a period of time not to exceed 10 school

days. Students may not participate in extra-curricular activities or be on school district property during

suspension. Contact: Student Services OSSSC — Olathe Special Services Site Council is a group of staff and parents of special needs students

who work to support parents of students receiving or requesting special education services, to provide

training for parents to enhance their ability to fully participate in the IEP team, to foster positive

relationships, to provide advice to the district in the continuous improvement process, and to act as a

sounding board for legislative issues that pertain to special education.

OT — Oregon Trail Middle School, 1800 W. Dennis Ave., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7250

OT — Occupational Therapy is a service that provides for the remediation, restoration or compensation of

functions lost through illness or disability injury. Services may focus on early intervention and programming

to prevent advancement of additional disability and address overall improvement in the ability to perform

tasks that would lead to independent functioning. Adaptations or modification of materials and / or

equipment may be necessary to give increased independence to a student. Contact: Special Services

OTL Opportunity to Learn — An opportunity for students who do not meet the assessment standard

(proficient) to retake the Kansas Reading and Kansas Math assessment during different semesters.

Contact: Assessment and School Improvement

P P.A.T. — Parents As Teachers is an early childhood program designed to teach parents about the

development of children from birth to 36 months. Contact: Parents As Teachers PBS — Positive Behavioral Supports is a research-based approach to provide a schoolwide system of

support to create a safe, positive learning environment for all students. PC — Prairie Center Elementary School, 629 N. Persimmon, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7610 PI — Physical Impairment is a physical disability severe enough to affect educational performance.

Contact: Special Services

PLC — Professional Learning Community is a collaborative team focused on student learning, results-

based decision making, and instructional strategies and interventions to meet common goals and curriculum

standards, benchmarks, indicators. Contact: Teaching & Learning

PLC — Prairie Learning Center is a day treatment program in an alternate school setting serving students

with significant behavioral/emotional challenges. Located at 10975 Lone Elm Rd., Olathe KS 66061, (913)

780-7014. Contact: Special Services

PR — Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, 12235 Rosehill Rd., Overland Park KS 66213, (913) 897-7595

58

PRT — Prairie Trail Middle School, 21600 W. 107th St., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7280

PSAT — Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test is a qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholar

program. Contact: School Counselors PT — Pioneer Trail Middle School, 15100 W. 127th St., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7270

PT — Physical Therapy provides assistance to children whose physical disability, motor deficit, and / or

developmental delays interfere with learning and physical management of the school environment. Training

may include development of motor skills, ambulation and gait training, postural awareness, use of

wheelchair, braces or other assistive devices. Adaptation or modification of equipment may be needed to

increase independence. Contact: Special Services

PTA / PTC / PTO — Parent Teacher Association / Parent Teacher Club / Parent Teacher Organization

are organized to promote the welfare of students, to work toward better communication and greater

understanding between school and home, and to further the growth of cooperation between parent and

teacher in the education of children. Contact: Building Administrators

Q QC — Quality Council is a group primarily of senior leaders who meet monthly to review data and

information on school district performance. Contact: General Administration QPA — Quality Performance Accreditation began in March 1991 when the Legislature replaced its

former accreditation process. The QPA process is designed to address school improvement, accountability,

and individual student performance at the building level. The process requires a school district to implement

an improvement process. The district's School Improvement Process meets local needs and fulfills state

responsibilities related to accreditation. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement QRI — Qualitative Reading Inventory II is an informal reading inventory used to assess word accuracy

and reading comprehension. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Language Arts QUEST — Questioning, Understanding, Expanding, Synthesizing, Thinking is the name of Olathe’s

program for academically gifted students. Contact: Special Services Quick Step is an educational opportunity for high school students to attend Johnson County Community

College. Contact: High School Counselors

R READ 180 is a reading intervention program for middle school and high school students who need reading

support. The program utilizes rotations involving technology, independent reading/listening, and small

focused direct instruction by a trained instructor. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Language Arts RP — Regency Place Elementary School, 13250 S. Greenwood, Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7620

RR — Rolling Ridge Elementary School, 1500 W. Elm Terr., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7650 RV — Ridgeview Elementary School, 1201 E. Elm St., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7630 RW — Ravenwood Elementary School, 12211 S. Clinton, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7640

59

S S.A.I.L. — Summer Adventures in Learning is the elementary summer learning program. The program is

designed to enrich the learning of all students. Sessions feature a wide range of integrated learning

opportunities in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Contact: Assessment and School Improvement SASH — Students Achieving Social Harmony is a student activity at the secondary level. Contact:

Building Administrator SAT — Scholastic Aptitude Test is a program of the College Board. It consists of the test of standard

written English, the student descriptive questionnaire and the achievement tests. High schools use the

reports to help students plan for college. The SAT provides a verbal, math and composite score. Typically

East and West Coast post-secondary schools require the SAT for admission. Contact: School Counselor SC — Scarborough Elementary School, 2000 S. Lindenwood Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7670

School Site Council — A group of parents, teachers, and administrators working together to provide advice

and counsel in evaluating state, school district, and school performance goals and objectives; and, in

determining the methods used at the school to meet goals and objectives. Contact: Principals SDC — Staff Development Council is a representative body of certified staff that coordinates, supports

and communicates the Professional Development Program. Contact: Teaching & Learning Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that guarantees specific rights in federally funded

programs and activities to people who qualify as disabled. It states: ―No otherwise qualified

handicapped individual . . . shall, solely by reason of his handicap be excluded from participation in, be

denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal

financial assistance.‖ Contact: Special Services SFT — Santa Fe Trail Middle School, 1100 N. Ridgeview, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7290 SIP — School Improvement Process is used to promote the concept of achieving excellence through

continuous improvement. The process involves three aspects: developing and articulating a shared vision of

excellence; determining how the school is doing; and developing and monitoring a School Improvement

Plan which includes goals and strategies for improvement. Contact: Building Administrators or Assessment

and School Improvement SIT — Student Improvement Teams Process: 1) provides immediate attention and intervention to

educational concerns, 2) provides staff with a model of problem-solving for addressing concerns, 3) allows

for systematic data collection to substantiate need for, and response to, interventions, and 4) targets

specific areas of educational need and matches those needs to appropriate intervention(s). The SIT

Process is aligned with both federal and state regulations related to the mandated pre-referral process for

the evaluation and identification of students with exceptionalities. Contact: Building Administrator SL — Speech Language services are provided to students in need of improving communication skills to

impact classroom success. Contact: Special Services SMART Goals — An acronym that describes goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable (or

achievable), Results oriented, and Time-bound. Contact: Teaching & Learning Smart Technology is a term used by the district to describe rooms which contain a LCD projector,

computer, wireless keyboard and mouse, DVD/VCR, and either an iWrite device or Mimeo. Contact:

Instructional Technology

60

SRI — Scholastic Reading Inventory is a computerized reading assessment used to determine a student's

reading level (Lexile score) and to monitor reading growth over time. It is available in middle schools and

high schools and through the Read 180 program. Contact: Teaching & Learning/Language Arts SRO — School Resource Officers are law enforcement officers present in the schools to provide

information and intervention to students and their families. Contact: School Resource Officer SS — Sunnyside Elementary School, 16025 S. Lindenwood Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7680 SSS — Seniors Serving Schools is a volunteer program which brings older adults with a lifetime of

learning and experience into the schools. The program is supported by the Retired Senior Volunteer

Program of Johnson County and the school district. Contact: Safe and Drug-Free Schools

T 21st Century High School Programs — Center-based programs organized around career themes that are

offered at each high school. Within the 21st Century High School Programs there are three different types:

transfer, enhancement, and site specific. Contact: Counselors TBI — Traumatic Brain Injury is an injury to the brain caused by external physical force, resulting in a total

or partial functional disability or psycho-social maladjustment that adversely affects educational

performance. This includes open or closed-head injuries resulting in a range of impairment. Contact: Special

Services TH — Tomahawk Elementary School, 13820 S. Brougham Dr., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7690 Title I is a federally funded program for schools in the United States. The Olathe Title I program receives

money from the government to provide supplemental instruction in reading and math. Schools qualify for

this funding based on the percentage of students on free and reduced lunches. Contact: Teaching &

Learning Title II federal funds are for the purpose of "preparing, training and recruiting high quality teachers and

principals." This legislation was also designed to hold schools accountable for improving students' academic

performance. Contact: Teaching & Learning Title III federal grants are for English Language Acquisition programs for non-English speaking students.

Contact: Teaching & Learning/ELL Title IV federal program supports efforts to create safe schools, respond to crises, prevent drug and alcohol

abuse, ensure the health and well being of students, and teach students good citizenship and character.

Contact: Safe and Drug-Free Schools Title IX prohibits gender discrimination in federally funded educational programs and activities. Contact:

Student Services T & L — The Teaching and Learning Department is responsible for leadership related to general and

special education, curriculum development, instructional materials selection, assessment, and professional

growth, as well as providing assistance to schools at all levels. Contact: Teaching & Learning

61

V VI — Visual Impairment is the limited vision that interferes with educational or developmental progress.

―Partially seeing‖ means a visual limitation which constitutes an educational disability but does not

prevent the use of print as the primary educational medium. ―Blind‖ means a visual limitation that

requires dependence on tactile and auditory media or learning. Contact: Special Services

W WA — Washington Elementary School, 1202 N. Ridgeview, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7730 WG — Walnut Grove Elementary School, 11800 S. Pflumm Rd., Olathe KS 66062, (913) 780-7710

WL — Woodland Elementary School, 11601 S. Woodland Rd., Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7770

WV — Westview Elementary School, 601 Lee, Olathe KS 66061, (913) 780-7750

Y YF — Youth Friends is a school-based mentoring program that connects young people with caring adults

in weekly meetings. Contact: Safe and Drug-Free Schools

62

OFFICIAL SCHOOL ABBREVIATIONS

OE Olathe East High School ON Olathe North High School ONW Olathe Northwest High School OS Olathe South High School CT California Trail Middle School CST Chisholm Trail Middle School FT Frontier Trail Middle School IT Indian Trail Middle School MT Mission Trail Middle School OT Oregon Trail Middle School PT Pioneer Trail Middle School PRT Prairie Trail Middle School SFT Santa Fe Trail Middle School AC Arbor Creek Elementary BE Bentwood Elementary BB Black Bob Elementary BW Briarwood Elementary BR Brougham Elementary CC Cedar Creek Elementary CE Central Elementary CW Clearwater Creek Elementary CS Countryside Elementary FV Fairview Elementary FRV Forest View Elementary GS Green Springs Elementary HC Havencroft Elementary HN Heatherstone Elementary HT Heritage Elementary IC Indian Creek Elementary MD Madison Place Elementary MA Mahaffie Elementary MP Manchester Park Elementary ML Meadow Lane Elementary NV Northview Elementary PR Pleasant Ridge Elementary PC Prairie Center Elementary RW Ravenwood Elementary RP Regency Place Elementary RV Ridgeview Elementary RR Rolling Ridge Elementary SC Scarborough Elementary SS Sunnyside Elementary TH Tomahawk Elementary WG Walnut Grove Elementary WA Washington Elementary WV Westview Elementary

WL Woodland Elementary

CLC Claire Alternative Learning Center (includes TLC & Connections)

HLC Heartland Early Childhood Center HMC Harmony Early Childhood Center JD Juvenile Detention Center MCC Millcreek Learning Center PLC Prairie Learning Center P SOR Project SOAR P CHC Project CHOICE CBAC College Boulevard Activity Center ODAC Olathe District Activity Center Non-Student Buildings: EC Education Center FPC Food Production Center IRC Instructional Resource Center NLSC North Lindenwood Support Center OSC Operations Service Center OTC USD233 Transportation Center WD-COM Communications WD-LC Project HOPE WD-PRIN Graphic Communications/Printing