SAGE PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

2014-2015

Please read and review with your parent/guardian pages 1-20.

This handbook contains information about your school and its policies, although not all rules can be codified in this publication.

I understand and consent to the responsibilities outlined in the Districts Student Code of Conduct as stated in the Sage Park Middle School Discipline Code for 2014-2015 on pages 16-17. I also under-stand and agree that my child shall be held accountable for the behavior and consequences outlined in the Student Code of Conduct at school as well as school-sponsored and school-related activities, including school-sponsored travel, accounting for any school-related misconduct regardless of time or location. I understand that any student who violates the Student Code of Conduct shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including referral for criminal prosecution for violations of law.

I have read and reviewed the information contained in the student hand-book with my parent/guardian.

PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THIS FORM BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

STUDENT NAME (printed)____________________________________________________

HOMEROOM TEACHER________________________ GRADE________ TEAM _______

STUDENT SIGNATURE______________________________________________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME (printed)______________________________________________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE____________________________________________

DATE _______________________________________

Please cut this page along the dotted line and return to your Language Arts teacher after you have read and reviewed pages 1-20 with your parent/guardian.

2014-2015

Paul G. Cavaliere, Jr., Principal Ext. 1191

William Fisher, Jr., Vice-Principal Grade 6 Ext. 1129

Jonathan Schneider, Dean of Students Grade 7 Ext. 1355

Liana K. Jorgensen, Vice-Principal Grade 8 Ext. 1192

25 Sage Park RoadWindsor, Connecticut

06095

Main Office: (860) 687-2030 (Ext. 1179, 1192, 0)Guidance Office: Ext. 1361Nurses Office: Ext. 1301Absence Line: Ext. 1179Fax Number: (860) 687-2039

Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. 4:15 p.m.

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SAGE PARKMIDDLE SCHOOLMIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

Welcome to Sage Park Middle School

PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

Dear Parents and Students:

Welcome to Sage Park Middle School and to the beginning of another school year! All staff members wish you a happy and successful middle school experience. Our schools philosophy is one in which each student is treated as a unique individual with special needs and abilities. We hope to prepare you for a fulfilling life by helping each of you to realize your potential academically and socially.

Our parent/student handbook was written to provide you with information about your school. In order to ensure a successful learning experience, it is necessary to have rules and regulations which all students can understand and follow. This is in everyones best interest because it ensures fair treatment for all students and provides the conditions necessary for proper learning to take place. The responsibility that each of you will assume by living in accordance with our schools regulations will help you to grow into mature and responsible citizens.

Our school staff is concerned about you! Open communications between you and your classmates and between you and our middle school staff is one of our goals. We look forward to sharing a successful school year with you.

Paul G. Cavaliere, Jr.Principal

This handbook contains information about your school and its policies, although not all rules can be codified in this publication.

Table of Contents

Principals Welcome Letter/Table of Contents Page 2

Mission and Expectations Page 3

School Hours and Calendar Page 4

2014-15 Day Rotation Calendar Page 5

School Map Page 6

Schedule Information Page 7

Academic Standards Page 8

General Information/Student Services Pages 9-11

Student Activities Page 12

Regulations for theAcceptable Use of Technology Pages 13-14

Positive Behavior Incentive Page 15

Discipline Code 2014-2015 Pages 16-17

Safe School Climate Plan Pages 18-20

Accreditation StatementSage Park Middle School is accredited by theNew England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., a non-governmental, nationallyrecognized organization whose affiliatedinstitutions include elementary schools throughcollegiate institutions offering post-graduateinstruction.

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Sage Park Middle School Mission and ExpectationsThe mission of Sage Park Middle School is to engage all students in opportunities for aca-demic, social, and emotional growth in a supportive learning community* so that they will achieve at high academic levels, make responsible choices, and develop into good citi-zens.

*The learning community includes the school, parents, families, town of Windsor, etc.

Academic Expectations Social/Emotional Expectations

Students will

x Read, view, and listen effectively to interpret information.

x Use oral, written, visual, and artistic modes of expression effectively to share information.

x Question and think, critically and creatively; identify and applysolutions to problems.

x Use appropriate resources to seek, access, apply, evaluate, and share knowledge.

x Apply knowledge and skills in alldisciplines across the curriculum.

x Self-evaluate their performance and choices to make improvements.

Students will

x Work well independently and cooperatively.

x Take responsibility for their choices.

x Respect themselves and others.

x Develop self-awareness and self-discipline.

x Participate in activities that benefitothers.

MAY (20)S M T W R F S

1 23 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

JANUARY (19)S M T W R F S

2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 31

MARCH (22)S M T W R F S1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

SEPTEMBER (21)S M T W R F S

2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30

NOVEMBER (16)S M T W R F S

12 3 PD 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

OCTOBER (22)S M T W R F S

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

DECEMBER (17)S M T W R F S

1 2s 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

FEBRUARY (15)S M T W R F S1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25s 26 27

JUNE (20)S M T W R F S 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26p 27

28 29 30

August 26 - School Opens for StudentsSeptember 1 - Labor DaySeptember 16 - Early DismissalOctober 7 - Early DismissalOctober 13 - Columbus DayNovember 4 - Professional DayNovember 26 - 28 - Thanksgiving RecessDecember 2 - Sage Park Parent Conferences

December 9 - Early DismissalDecember 24 - January 2 - Holiday RecessJanuary 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. DayFebruary 3 - Early DismissalFebruary 16 - Presidents DayFebruary 16 - 20 - Winter RecessFebruary 25 - Sage Park Parent Conferences

March - TestingApril 3 - Good FridayApril 7 - Early DismissalApril 20 - 24 - Spring RecessMay 5 - Early DismissalMay 25 - Memorial DayJune 2 - Early DismissalJune 15 - Tentative Last Day of School

OD - Opening Day for StaffPD - Professional Day WD - Staff Work DayS - Parent Conferences (Early Dismissal 12:50 p.m.)

- No School for Students- All Offices Closed

Early DismissalAll Students

* - Snow Make-Up Days, if needed. If more than ten (10) snow days are needed, additional days will be deducted from the Spring Recess commencing Monday, April 20, 2015.

This decision will be made by the Board of Education at their regular March meeting.

AUGUST (4)S M T W R F S

OD PD24 WD 26 27 28 29

APRIL (16)S M T W R F S

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30

SCHOOL CALENDAR 2014-2015SCHOOL HOURS: 8:05 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.EARLY DISMISSAL: 8:05 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.OFFICE HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Closing and late opening announcements are made between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on the radio stations listed below. Call Sage Park (860-687-2030) and the message machine will provide school closing or delay information. Dont call the radio stations or the police department. Phone lines must remain open for emergency calls. The Board of Education office has a voice message regarding school closings (860-687-2000, ext. 180) or go to www.windsorct.org for more in-formation.

WTIC 1080 WDRC 1360 WKND 1480 WPOP 1410

EARLY DISMISSALWe believe students belong in school during the school day. We ask that all appointments (dental, medical, etc.) be scheduled outside of the school day. If a student must be removed from school:1. Written parental notification of the date, time and

duration of the time out of school must be received by the office the morning of the dismissal.

2. The student must stop in the office on the morning of the dismissal to present the note and to pick up an Early Dismissal Pass which is given to the teacher at the time of dismissal.

3. The teacher signs the pass and sends the student to the office with it to be picked up by the authorized party.

4. The parent or authorized person must sign the student out in the school office.

Students are not allowed to leave school alone to walk to appointments during school hours.

ATTENDANCEGood attendance makes learning easier. Absence from school should be limited to reasons of personal illness or emergencies. The parent/guardian of an absent student must call the school (ext. 1179) on the day of the absence by 9:00 a.m. Students absent from school during the day cannot return to the campus to attend after school activities. The office contacts home to verify absences.

PROMPTNESS/TARDINESSGood attendance and promptness are basic to establishing solid work habits. We expect students to report to school on time, ready to work and learn as part of their preparation for life. Students are expected upon arrival to school to report directly to their lockers and then to homeroom. Students are not to loiter and socialize in the hallways. School attendance is taken in homeroom each day. A detention is assigned each time a student is tardy to homeroom beginning with the thirdtardy each semester. This is a lunch detention. Tardies caused by medical/dental appointments are excused and not counted in the total. Late buses will be provided Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.Continued tardiness leads to increased discipline.

3 tardies = 1 office detention 6 tardies = Extended detention (2:50 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Students who arrive after 11:00 a.m. will be marked absent.

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School Hours and Calendar

Tentative Date: June 15 - Last Day of School (Early Dismissal). High School Graduation to be determined by Board of Education in April.

2014-15 Day Rotation Calendar 5/27/2014

Date R Date R Date R Date R Date R8/25/2014 8/26/2014 1 8/27/2014 2 8/28/2014 3 8/29/2014 49/1/2014 9/2/2014 5 9/3/2014 6 9/4/2014 1 9/5/2014 29/8/2014 3 9/9/2014 4 9/10/2014 5 9/11/2014 6 9/12/2014 19/15/2014 2 9/16/2014 3 9/17/2014 4 9/18/2014 5 9/19/2014 69/22/2014 1 9/23/2014 2 9/24/2014 3 9/25/2014 4 9/26/2014 59/29/2014 6 9/30/2014 1 10/1/2014 2 10/2/2014 3 10/3/2014 410/6/2014 5 10/7/2014 6 10/8/2014 1 10/9/2014 2 10/10/2014 310/13/2014 10/14/2014 4 10/15/2014 5 10/16/2014 6 10/17/2014 110/20/2014 2 10/21/2014 3 10/22/2014 4 10/23/2014 5 10/24/2014 610/27/2014 1 10/28/2014 2 10/29/2014 3 10/30/2014 4 10/31/2014 511/3/2014 6 11/4/2014 11/5/2014 1 11/6/2014 2 11/7/2014 311/10/2014 4 11/11/2014 5 11/12/2014 6 11/13/2014 1 11/14/2014 211/17/2014 3 11/18/2014 4 11/19/2014 5 11/20/2014 6 11/21/2014 111/24/2014 2 11/25/2014 3 11/26/2014 11/27/2014 11/28/201412/1/2014 4 12/2/2014 5 12/3/2014 6 12/4/2014 1 12/5/2014 212/8/2014 3 12/9/2014 4 12/10/2014 5 12/11/2014 6 12/12/2014 112/15/2014 2 12/16/2014 3 12/17/2014 4 12/18/2014 5 12/19/2014 612/22/2014 1 12/23/2014 2 12/24/2014 12/25/2014 12/26/201412/29/2014 12/30/2014 12/31/2014 1/1/2015 1/2/20151/5/2015 3 1/6/2015 4 1/7/2015 5 1/8/2015 6 1/9/2015 11/12/2015 2 1/13/2015 3 1/14/2015 4 1/15/2015 5 1/16/2015 61/19/2015 1/20/2015 1 1/21/2015 2 1/22/2015 3 1/23/2015 41/26/2015 5 1/27/2015 6 1/28/2015 1 1/29/2015 2 1/30/2015 32/2/2015 4 2/3/2015 5 2/4/2015 6 2/5/2015 1 2/6/2015 22/9/2015 3 2/10/2015 4 2/11/2015 5 2/12/2015 6 2/13/2015 12/16/2015 2/17/2015 2/18/2015 2/19/2015 2/20/20152/23/2015 2 2/24/2015 3 2/25/2015 4 2/26/2015 5 2/27/2015 63/2/2015 1 3/3/2015 2 3/4/2015 3 3/5/2015 4 3/6/2015 53/9/2015 6 3/10/2015 1 3/11/2015 2 3/12/2015 3 3/13/2015 43/16/2015 5 3/17/2015 6 3/18/2015 1 3/19/2015 2 3/20/2015 33/23/2015 4 3/24/2015 5 3/25/2015 6 3/26/2015 1 3/27/2015 23/30/2015 3 3/31/2015 4 4/1/2015 5 4/2/2015 6 4/3/20154/6/2015 1 4/7/2015 2 4/8/2015 3 4/9/2015 4 4/10/2015 54/13/2015 6 4/14/2015 1 4/15/2015 2 4/16/2015 3 4/17/2015 44/20/2015 4/21/2015 4/22/2015 4/23/2015 4/24/20154/27/2015 5 4/28/2015 6 4/29/2015 1 4/30/2015 2 5/1/2015 35/4/2015 4 5/5/2015 5 5/6/2015 6 5/7/2015 1 5/8/2015 25/11/2015 3 5/12/2015 4 5/13/2015 5 5/14/2015 6 5/15/2015 15/18/2015 2 5/19/2015 3 5/20/2015 4 5/21/2015 5 5/22/2015 65/25/2015 5/26/2015 1 5/27/2015 2 5/28/2015 3 5/29/2015 46/1/2015 5 6/2/2015 6 6/3/2015 1 6/4/2015 2 6/5/2015 36/8/2015 4 6/9/2015 5 6/10/2015 6 6/11/2015 1 6/12/2015 26/15/2015 3 6/16/2015 6/17/2015 6/18/2015 6/19/20156/22/2015 6/23/2015 6/24/2015 6/25/2015 6/26/2015

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Schedule InformationTime Schedule

2014-2015

Homeroom 8:058:10 Lunch Waves

Period1 8:139:02 1 10:4911:19 (Grade 6)

2 9:059:54 2 11:4012:10 (Grade 7)

3 9:5710:46 3 12:321:02 (Grade 8)

4 10:4911:38/11:2112:10

5 11:4112:30/12:131:02

6 1:051:54

7 1:572:45

Time Schedule, Early Release2014-2015

Early Release days: 9/16/14, 10/7/14, 12/9/14, 2/3/15, 4/7/15, 5/5/15, 6/2/15

Home Room 8:058:10 Lunch Waves

Period7 8:138:43 1 10:2510:59 (Grade 6)

1 8:469:16 2 11:0611:36 (Grade 7)

2 9:199:49 3 11:4112:15 (Grade 8)

3 9:5210:22

4 10:2511:03/11:0611:36

5 11:0611:39/11:3912:16

6 12:1912:50

90 Minute Delay School Start Time: 9:35 a.m.

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GRADINGThe grading system is as follows:

A+ 97-100 C+ 77-79A 93-96 C 73-76A- 90-92 C- 70-72

B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69B 83-86 D 63-66B- 80-82 D- 60-62

F 59 and below

P = Passing M = Medical I = Incomplete W = Withdrawn

Teacher comments are recorded for each subject on the report card. Incompletes must be converted into a grade within two weeks of the closing date of the marking period.

HIGH HONORSA student must earn at least four As in academic subjects that meet five times per week and a minimum of a B in all other subjects. No Cs.HONORSA student must earn all Bs or a combination of As and Bs (one C must be offset by an A) in academic subjects that meet five times per week. No Ds or Fs.PARENT CONFERENCESParents/guardians are encouraged to become partners in their childs educational successes. Conferences with teachers may be held at any time during the school year. Parents/guardians and students as well as teachers, counselors, or administrators may initiate a conference. A parent/guardian or student may arrange a conference with an individual member of the school staff or a group conference with school staff members. Confer-ences are held during school hours, but every effort will be made to accommodate parent/guardian schedules. In addition, an afternoon and evening of conferences will take place on December 2, 2014, and February 25, 2015. Parents/guardians will receive information with their childs first report card about how to schedule a brief conference with their childs team teachers on that date.MISSED WORK DUE TO ABSENCEThe responsibility and initiative for making up work rests with the student and the parent/guardian. Students are expected to speak to each teacher and make up all assignments following a one day absence. After a longer absence, students are expected to have all assigned work made up within a period of time equal to the length of the absence.

PROMOTION/RETENTION STANDARDSRetention is determined by considering ability, academic performance, effort, maturity and attendance. Retention recommendations are made to the principal by a team of people, including the guidance counselor, the school social worker, the school psychologist, the teachers and the vice-principal. The following are guidelines concerning promotion and retention:x Failure of one team subject = required to take and pass

one subject in summer school.x Failure of two team subjects = required to take and pass

two subjects in summer school.x Failure of three team subjects = required to take and pass

three subjects in summer school.x Failure of four or five team subjects = retain.*Please note: Team subjects are language arts, reading, math, social studies, and science.

HOMEWORK/HOMEWORK REQUESTBoard of Education policy for homework in grades 6, 7, and 8 is 60 - 120 minutes each day, five days a week. In addition, stu-dents are expected to read 30 minutes per day, five days a week.Homework requests for students who might be absent for more than two days should be made through the office. Allow 24 hours for assignments to be collected before picking them up in the office. Homework will not be collected for students absent for one day. We encourage students to have a homework buddy to call for missed assignments.Student of the MonthStudents are selected for Student of the Month based on the following criteria:x Overall improvementx Positive attitudex Classroom participationx Leadershipx Good citizenship

Demonstration of respect for othersAppropriate conductResponsibilityHelpful toward peers and adults

x Demonstration of consistent effortx Academic achievement

Academic Standards

MARKING PERIOD SCHEDULE 2014-2015

1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter

Quarter Dates 8/26-10/30 10/31-1/21 1/22-4/2 4/6-6/15Progress Report Period 8/26-9/26 10/31-12/8 1/22-3/2 4/6-5/12Progress Reports Mailed Home 10/1 12/12 3/5 5/15Report Cards Mailed Home 11/10 2/2 4/14 6/19

Report cards are issued to all students at the end of each marking term. Progress reports are issued to all students at approximately the halfway point of each marking term. Although it looks like a report card, the progress report contains comments and mid-quarter grades. Progress reports inform parents/guardians of their childs progress to date. All progress reports and report cards will be mailed home. A receipt signature block, which must be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to the school, will be included on the envelope with each of the hand carried progress reports.

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GUIDANCE SERVICESWe have guidance counselors who work with students in large groups, small groups, and individually.Counseling is a chance to talk with someone about things that are important to students. These may be personal, social, educational or career related concerns. Counselors respect students desire for trust and confidentiality. Appointments can be arranged by filling out an appointment request form in the guidance office before school, between classes and/or after school.Other topics that students and counselors may become involved with are: educational and career planning; decision-making;peer relationships; testing; and coordination of school, home,and community agencies.

SCHOOL CEREMONIES AND OBSERVANCESAn opportunity will be provided, at the beginning of each school day, for students to observe an appropriate period of silent meditation and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Participation in these activities is voluntary. Non-participants are expected to maintain order and decorum appropriate to the school environ-ment. The school district recognizes the value of certain cere-monies and observances in promoting patriotism and good citi-zenship among the students. Therefore, activities in schools commemorating national holidays such as Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Presidents Day are encouraged.

PHYSICAL EDUCATIONState law requires all students to take Physical Education. Students may be excused by the nurse upon presentation of a signed parental excuse, medical excuse, or a physical education teachers excuse. Required gym attire, including gym shorts and T-shirt, warm ups or a sweat suit, and sneakers must be worn. Cutoff shorts, jeans, and buttoned shirts are not allowed. Jewelry is also not allowed in gym class for safety reasons. Please leave expensive jewelry at home on gym days.Students are issued a lock and gym locker to use. They are not to be shared with anyone. All valuables should be locked in lockers at gym time. The school is not responsible for the loss of any valuables.

BUSESStudents may ride the bus only if they are eligible. They may only ride the bus on which they are assigned. Students should not ask for permission to ride a bus to a friends house.The bus driver is in charge of the bus and the students riding the bus. The driver is responsible for enforcing all bus rules and regulations and has the authority to have students report to the office for bus violations.A copy of the bus rules and regulations is sent home with students at the start of the school year. The consequences for violation of the bus rules may result in the loss of bus riding privileges. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to provide transportation to and from school for students who have lost their bus riding privileges.

PEER MEDIATIONPeer Mediation offers students an opportunity to discuss differ-ences and concerns in small, non-threatening group settings. Students, staff members, principals, or parents may initiate me-diations. Referral forms are available in the principals offices, from team leaders, the guidance office, and Room 213. Completed forms go to the Main Office.

LATE BUSESLate buses run on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Students meet the bus in the front of the school at 3:50 p.m. Schedules for late buses are posted in the main entrance to the school and in classrooms.

BICYCLES/SKATEBOARDSThere is a bicycle rack for students to use at the front of the building. Students are asked to use caution when riding their bicycles to and from school. Riding skateboards and bicycles on the sidewalks is prohibited. Students are reminded that it is their responsibility to lock their bicycles at all times, as the school accepts no responsibility for theft or damage to bicycles.

LOCKERSThe use of lockers is a privilege. All lockers are the property of the Board of Education. If the administration suspects students arent maintaining their lockers, or they are using them to hold contraband, it has the right and responsibility to open and examine them without student permission. There is plenty of time for students to use their lockers without being late to class or the buses. No personal locks are allowed.

xx Do put your name on your belongings.x Dont give your locker combination to anyone.x Dont share your locker with anyone, not even a relative.x Dont vandalize your locker.x Dont store food in your locker for more than one day.x Dont switch lockers with anyone.x No backpacks with wheels will be allowed. They do not fit

into the lockers.

The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items. You are responsible for your locker and its contents. If your locker is out of order, report it immediately to the guidance office. SeePhysical Education segment for information on gym lockers.

TO UNLOCK LOCKERS:- Turn right two or more whole turns and stop at first number.- Then turn left one whole turn, pass above number, and stop at second number.- Now turn right and stop at third number.

DRESS CODE (See Board policy for full description)Prohibited attire is included but not limited to: x Shirts and/or blouses which reveal the abdomen, chest,

cleavage, or undergarments.x See-through clothing, tank tops, spaghetti straps or stra-

pless shirts or dresses.x Shorts, miniskirts, or pants which reveal the upper thigh or

undergarments.x Coats, head coverings (unless worn for religious reasons)

such as scarves, do-rags, bandannas, masks, kerchiefs, hats, caps, or hoods shall not be worn, carried, hung on belts or around the neck, or kept in the classroom during regular school hours.

COUNSELORS

Mrs. Ryan Grade 6

Mr. Vnuk Grade 7

Mr. Scanlon Grade 8

General Information/Student Services

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FIRE DRILLSFire drills are held at regular intervals. When the signal is given, students are expected to leave the building by the prescribed route as quickly as possible. Staff gives directions. There is no talking during a fire drill.TELEPHONESStudents will be allowed to use the office phone only in case of an emergency. Calling home for forgotten items is not an emergency. Cellular phone use is prohib-ited by students during the school day. Any parent/guardian who wishes to contact his or her child should call the main office at (860) 687-2030.EXCUSED ABSENCESStudent absences from school are excused when they occur for the following reasons:1. Death in the immediate family.2. Serious illness of a family member.3. Illness or injury of the student.4. Mandatory legal obligations.5. Other reasons subject to the discretion of the building

principal.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES/TRUANCYUnexcused absences, or truancy, are those that do not come under any of the definitions of excused absences. Students who have an unexcused absence may be denied the privilege of making up missed assignments or tests. State law and Board of Education policy require identifica-tion and reporting of students who are habitually absent without excuse. Please note: Family vacations during school time are not considered excused absences. When in session, they should not expect teachers to provide assignments prior to going on vacation. Students will be given an opportunity to make up work and tests upon their return.DRUGS AND ALCOHOLBringing controlled drugs or alcohol to school activities, into school buildings, or onto school grounds is prohibited. Distribution, sale, or use of drugs or alcohol at school ac-tivities, in school buildings, or on school grounds is prohib-ited.The following procedure, as described in Board of Educa-tion policy, shall apply for any violation of this regulation:The pupil will be suspended for a period of 10 school days.Parents/guardians will be referred to a licensed substance abuse counselor or agency.The pupil and parents/guardians will be asked to meet with the principal or his or her designee to review any assess-ment and/or recommendations resulting from step two.The principal or designee shall inform the superintendent of the suspension. The superintendent will review the case and may recommend to the Board of Education the expul-sion of said student.The Windsor Police Department will be notified.SMOKINGIndividuals shall not smoke or use tobacco products on school property or at any school-related or school-sanctioned activity, on or off school property, as provided by state and federal law.DANGEROUS WEAPONS AND INSTRUMENTSNo guns, knives or any other objects, including martial arts weapons, capable of threatening or causing injury or death may be brought onto school grounds. Any object used to cause injury will be considered a weapon. Violators will be subject to arrest and prosecution, as well as appropriate

disciplinary action. Any student found to possess a weapon on school grounds or during a school activity will be expelled from school.

DETENTIONDetention may be assigned on the same day that misbehavior occurs. Teachers notify parents as to the reason(s) for the detention. A teachers detention is served before an office detention in the case of a conflict.Office detentions are assigned by the administration in compliance with the school discipline code. Office detentions are held Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If students fail to serve assigned administration detentions or comply with the rules, they may be suspended from school. Office deten-tions are from 2:50 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. Extended detentions are from 2:50 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

THE RICHARD SEABURG LIBRARY The Library Resource Center (LRC) is equipped with both print and non-print materials to serve the Sage Park community. Materials are selected to both support the curriculum and to provide students with recreational reading.AFTER SCHOOL LIBRARY HOURSThe library is open after school until the late bus on Wednes-days and Thursdays. Specific procedures for using the library after school are distributed to all students at the beginning of the school year. Each student must possess a pass from their teacher to enter the library after school, to work on that as-signment for that individual teacher.BORROWING POLICIESOur school library has implemented state of the art identifica-tion equipment to allow your student to check out books with-out using an ID card. This new form of identification uses the finger and its image to uniquely identify the student. The sys-tem measures many aspects of the finger to do this, and it does not store the fingerprint image. This form of identifica-tion is called Biometrics, which is the measurement of human characteristics. This is not fingerprinting. The system is one directional. The finger is enrolled and our system takes a variable amount of measurements based on the style of the fingerprint and places these in storage by creating a number that represents these measurements. There is no way to re-verse the process and to recreate a fingerprint from this infor-mation. The measurements are only stored on two library computers. Without the finger being placed on the reader, we have no knowledge as to the style of the fingerprint or how many measurements went into the matching process to cre-ate this unique number. Your student can only be identified by placing their finger on the reader.At the beginning of the school year, students will bring home a letter that will allow them to opt out of the finger enrollment. If students decide to opt out, students may verbally give their student ID at check out in order to borrow books.

ALLERGIES/FIELD TRIPSParents/guardians of students with life-threatening allergies should familiarize themselves with the procedures for Manag-ing Life Threatening Food Allergies in School, which can be found under Health Services on the Windsor Public Schools website (www.windsorct.org). For safety reasons, students with a known life-threatening allergy for which they have pre-viously been prescribed medication will not be allowed to attend field trips if they have not provided both the medication and the Administration of Medication Order from a medical provider to the school nurse.

General Information/Student Services

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HEALTH SERVICESTwo full time nurses care for the health needs of all the students. Students may consult them during school hours for illness or injury. Parents/guardians will be notified of any deviations from the normal pattern of health and sug-gestions given for follow-up. Students must have a pass from a teacher to enter the nurses office. Students should not come to the nurses office until after morning an-nouncements.The school health office is designed to provide care to students who become ill or injured during school. Stu-dents who become ill at home should not be sent to school. Students injured outside of school should be treated by outside health care professionals. The school health office is not equipped to be more than a service to student school-related problems.In the event that a student needs to be picked up from the nurses office, the school will attempt to reach parents/guardians or emergency contacts by the phone numbers provided on the emergency information sheet. Parents/guardians should keep emergency contact information up to date and be available to pick up students in a timely fashion.No medication can be administered in school without a doctors order, including over-the-counter medications. Forms for administration by school personnel and self-administration forms are available in the nurses office and on the Windsor Public Schools website. A new form is required each school year. All medications must be picked up by the last day of school by a parent/guardian or will be destroyed.Parents/guardians should inform the nurse if a child has a serious disability so that that information can be available to the staff. In case of illness or injury where physical ac-tivity will be limited for an extended time, a parent/guardian must provide a note from the doctor. The nurse will notify the physical education staff of this accommoda-tion. A parent/guardian may write a physical education excuse for a single period.State mandated screening is performed in school unless a parent/guardian provides a note excusing the student. Vision and postural screenings are conducted in grade 6, postural screening in grade 7, and hearing and postural screenings in grade 8.During grade 6, a complete physical exam and updated immunizations are required. This request will come in the mail at the end of the fifth grade year and must be com-pleted by May 1st of the current school year. During grade 7, students must provide proof of completion of the Hepa-titis B series. Physical forms are available on the Windsor Public Schools website.The school nurses are available to parents/guardians and students for conferences regarding health problems. For more complete information, call the health office at (860)687-2030, ext. 1301.

PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGSSchool personnel are prohibited from recommending the use of psychotropic drugs for any student enrolled within the school system. School nurses, nurse practitioners, district medical advisor, school psychologists, school so-cial workers, and school counselors may recommend that a student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practi-

tioner. (BOE Policy P-5141.231)

CHILD ABUSETeachers, principals, coaches of intramural or interscho-lastic athletics, paraprofessionals and other professional school staff including guidance counselors, social workers and psychologists are obligated by law (C.G.S. 17a-101) to report suspected child abuse, neglect, or if a child is placed in imminent danger of serious harm, to the Con-necticut State Department of Children and Family Ser-vices. Specific procedures governing the reporting of abuse and neglect are in effect, and staff receives training yearly in their use.Reporting of child abuse and neglect is a responsibility which is taken seriously. If there is any doubt about re-porting suspected abuse or neglect, a report will be made. The school will work with the parents/guardians and ap-propriate social agencies in all cases. Child abuse is defined as any physical injury inflicted by other than accidental means or injuries which are not in keeping with the explanation given for their cause. Im-proper treatment such as malnutrition, sexual molestation, deprivation of necessities, emotional abuse, cruel punish-ment, or neglect are also considered child abuse.

FOOD SERVICESWindsor School Food Service offers breakfast for $1.75 and a complete lunch, including milk, to each student at a cost of $2.50. Up to two meals may be charged at the discretion of the manager. Menu items vary daily and lunch includes no less than two hot entrees and a deli line featuring sandwiches, fruit and yogurt cups, salads and wraps. Milk, juice, ice cream, and healthy snacks are offered on an a la carte basis and are priced accordingly. All charges need to be paid at the end of each week. No meal charging after June 1st.

Windsor School Food Service uses a computerized ca-shiering system to expedite service. Each student has a student identification number which will stay with them until they leave Windsor Public Schools. Deposits can be made in any denomination for food and beverage pur-chases. Account money may only be used for school cafeteria purchases. Refunds cannot be given. Checks should be made payable to Windsor School Food Ser-vice and include the students name and ID number on each check. Deposits may be made at the time of purchase. All returned checks will incur a $25.00 service charge from Food Service in addition to any bank fees. Online credit card deposits can be made directly into your childs account. Visit www.mymealtime.com, set up a user ID and a password, then click on add a student. Credit card payments incur a 4.9% fee, however viewing is always free. Emailed low balance alerts are also available through mymealtime.com.

Applications for free and reduced meals ($.40 lunch and $.30 breakfast) are sent home at the beginning of the school year and are available year round in the school office. A new application must be completed every year. Payment for meals charged starting October 1stdue to new meal forms not being completed on time are the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

General Information/Student Services

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All Sage Park rules apply to all school activities. Parents/guardians and students are asked to read and adhere to all directions given by the teachers and by the school. Students must be picked up promptly at the end of an activity that ends after school hours.

DRILL TEAM is a precision performing group open to all students. The team competes in area events.

ENRICHMENT CLUSTERS are after-school sessions that allow students who share a common interest and purpose to pursue in-depth learning, using an inductive approach in solving real world problems.

FIELD STUDY TRIPS are enjoyable learning experiences. Students must behave responsibly in school and on the school buses to be eligible for trips. We are responsible for students safety on trips, and to insure their safety we must be certain they will obey staff directions. Team teachers determine eligibility for trips.

GRADE 6 JAZZ BAND is open to grade 6 students with instrumental musical talent. Participants are chosen by audition.

HOMEWORK CLUB is an after-school homework assistance program. Certified and non-certified staff assist students three days a week in an effort to increase student achievement.

THE HOOFBEAT is the school newspaper and an opportunity for students to indulge interests in writ-ing, interviewing, and photography. It is published four times during the school year.

INTERSCHOLASTICS are open to all students, and team members are chosen via tryouts. Sports include boys soccer, girls soccer, boys basketball, girls basketball, softball, baseball, and co-ed track.

INTRAMURALS are open to all middle school students who are interested in improving their athletic skills and enjoying peer competition. Intramurals begin in September and run through the spring, offering soccer in the fall; basketball and volleyball in the winter; and track and softball in the spring. Each session runs about six weeks and culminates with a championship tournament; awards are given to the winners. Our program is a successful one that attracts many students and is an integral part of the middle school experience.

MATHCOUNTS provides opportunites for students to participate in organized mathematics competitions. In 2008-2009, this club was recog-nized as fourth in the state!

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY is open to eighth graders who are invited to apply for mem-bership based on their academic achievements in grades 6 and 7. The purpose of this organization is to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimu-late a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership and citizenship, and to encourage the development of character in students of Sage Park Middle School.

SAGE PARK PALS is a club that seeks to foster and build friendship opportunities between students with and without disabilities.

SCHOOL STORE is run by Student Council volunteers. It is located outside the cafeteria. Days and times of operation will be announced or posted.

SELECT CHOIR is open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 with vocal musical talent. Participants are chosen by audition.

STAGE BAND is open to students in grades 7 and 8 with instrumental musical talent. Participants are chosen by audition.

STUDENT COUNCIL membership is open to all students, with representatives elected from each homeroom. Meetings are held monthly. Special activities and projects may require more frequent meetings.

SUMMIT ensures that all students achieve at a higher academic level. Developed by the leader-ship team, the Summit Educational Program (SEP) is an intervention program being offered to all Sage Park students.

UNIFIED SPORTS provides an opportunity for stu-dents with and without disabilities to play team sports together.

YEARBOOK STAFF produces an annual pictorial memento that highlights students and the years activities.

Student Activities

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GUIDELINES FOR ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTERS, NETWORKS, AND THE INTERNET

Introduction The tools and resources provided by computing equipment, networks, and the Internet support the goals and objectives of Windsor Public Schools. The district supports their use by students for productivity, information access, communication and problem-solving. Technology provides new tools and exciting opportunities that truly enhance teaching and learning in our schools.

While actively supporting the use of available tools by all students, the district also recognizes that there may be use that is inappropriate or objectionable. Although regulations cannot totally eliminate the possibility of such use, they can significantly limit unacceptable utilization of equipment, networks, and the Internet. Our intent is to maximize the educational value of all electronic resources. These regulations provide direction for the privilege of using these powerful resources in ways that are effective, safe, responsible and legal.

User Access and Explanation of Guideline Access to information technology through the Windsor Public Schools is a privilege, not a right. Students, parents, and staff shall be required to read the WPS Technology Use Agreement form and sign and return the Statement of Responsibilities.

The Windsor Public School Acceptable Use Regulations shall govern all use of technology devices, digital resources, and network infrastruc-ture. Because information technology is constantly changing, not all circumstances can be anticipated or addressed in this AUR. All users are expected to understand and comply with both the letter and the spirit of the AUR and show good judgment in their use of these re-sources. In Section 7, these regulations also address topics regarding the district website including the release of student information, work or images.

1. Regulations

A. Technology is provided for educational purposes in keeping with the academic goals of Windsor Public Schools, and student use for any other purpose is inappropriate.

B. The data, files, and Internet access of all students are considered to be the property of the school district. Administration reserves the right to access, monitor and review all use of district computer resources, including the overriding of passwords when neces-sary. Students should not have any expectation of privacy in the use of district technology resources.

C. In order to ensure that technology use is effective, safe and responsible, certain activities and behaviors are not permitted. The following are prohibited:

1) Creating, communicating, using or knowingly accessing media or text that are obscene, profane, pornographic, inflammatory, harassing, threatening, bullying, degrading, defaming, harmful to minors or promote violence or illegal activities.

2) Creating, communicating, using or knowingly accessing media or text that are offensive because they are based on slurs or stereotypes related to race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

3) Creating, using, or knowingly accessing sites that are used to post personal information or initiate personal relationships or dating.

4) Vandalism of equipment. 5) Attempts to bypass or circumvent Internet filtering. If a web site is blocked by the district filter, it is not to be accessed through

other means such as proxy servers or the use of cellular networks. 6) Attempts to disrupt the performance of equipment, software, or networks including attempts to access any resource or tool for

which the user is not authorized. 7) Tampering or unauthorized modification of hardware, software, or networks including the uploading, creation and spread of

computer viruses. 8) Tampering with data and files belonging to or being used by others. Unauthorized access to others files is also prohibited. 9) Installation of any programs or online services on district computers. 10) Use of file-sharing software or networks unless they have been set up by the district for school purposes. 11) Sharing of personal data. See Section 7 for regulations on release of student information on the district website. 12) Making personal plans to meet any person or persons contacted via the Internet even if they have been part of a school

activity which involved interaction on the Internet. 13) Sharing of passwords, using others accounts, or other activities that compromise the security of the computer systems, in-

cluding leaving computers signed on while unattended. 14) Intentional wasting of network resources. 15) Use of school technology for commercial purposes or financial gain, including selling or buying. Students should not enter

credit card or Social Security information. 16) Use or transmission of any resource that constitutes a violation of copyright laws as described in district copyright regulations. 17) Use of school technology for any form of illegal behavior including accessing dangerous information that, if acted upon, could

cause damage or danger to others. 18) Saving any files to district computing resources for which you do not have a legal license or that violate copyright laws.

Students are to report security or technical problems as well as other violations of regulations to an appropriate staff member. Students will be instructed that if they inadvertently access objectionable materials on the Internet or other locations, they should report this im-mediately to the staff member in charge. Students shall not demonstrate problems to other student users.

Regulations for the Acceptable Use of Technology

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2. Student Disciplinary Action

As previously stated, students are expected to follow these regulations at all times when using computers, networks, the Internet and all district technology. Failure to follow acceptable use regulations will lead to disciplinary action up to and including suspension and expulsion as well as possible loss of privileges to use technology in one or more locations within the school for specific periods of time. Illegal activity will also be reported to appropriate authorities.

Students who engage in misconduct using personal technology outside of school may be subject to discipline. Any disciplinary action shall be based upon whether the conduct is determined to be severely disruptive of the educational process so that it markedly inter-rupts or severely impedes day-to-day operations of the school. In addition, such conduct must also be a violation of a publicized school policy.

3. Bring Your Own Technology

Technology plays a large role in our students lives. Personal devices, defined as privately owned portable electronic devices, can enhance and enrich learning opportunities both at home and at school. Windsor Public Schools is committed to allowing responsible, learning-centered use of personal devices at school so as to provide as many pathways to understanding as possible for our stu-dents.

A) Guidelines for Use Use of personal devices during the school day is at the discretion of teachers and staff.

The primary purpose of the use of personal devices at school is educational.

The use of personal devices falls under the Windsor Public Schools Acceptable Use Regulations, found in the student handbook. Students shall make no attempts to circumvent the schools network security and/or filtering policies. This includes setting up proxies and downloading programs to bypass security.

Students shall not distribute pictures, audio, or video of students or staff without their permission (distribution can be as small as email-ing/texting one other person or as large as posting images or video online).

Only the Internet gateway provided by the district may be accessed while on school grounds. Personal Internet-connected devices such as but not limited to cell phones/cell network adapters are not permitted to be used to access outside Internet sources at any time.

Students are required to have updated anti-virus software running on their device. Free virus protection products are readily available online.

Personal technology may be searched by school personnel if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that a student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school.

There is no expectation of personal privacy in the use of personal technology at school. The Districts information technology staff have the ability to identify users and monitor all BYOD devices logged on to the network.

B) School Liability Statement Students bring their devices to use at Windsor Public Schools at their own risk. It is their duty to be responsible in the upkeep and protection of their devices.

Windsor Public Schools is in no way responsible for:

Personal devices that are broken while at school or during school-sponsored activities. Personal devices that are lost or stolen at school or during school-sponsored activities. Maintenance or upkeep of any device (keeping it charged, installing updates or upgrades, fixing any software or hardware issues).

Contact Information for the School Librarian: Rachel Bray Sage Park Middle School 25 Sage Park Road Windsor, CT 06095 Telephone (860) 687-2030, ext. 1165 Email: rbray@windsorct.org A copy of the complete AR-6340 can be found on the district web site. The link to this document can be found at: http://www.windsorct.org/pages/Windsor_Public_Schools/District/Technology/Acceptable_Use_Regulations_for You may also contact Katrina Palazzolo at kpalazzolo@windsorct.org to request a copy. The acceptable use regulations adopted by the Windsor Public Schools are in compliance with the Childrens Internet Protection Act (CIPA).

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Regulations for the Acceptable Use of Technology (continued)

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Sage Park Middle School Positive Behavior Incentive

Sage Park Student Mission Statement: At Sage Park Middle School, we strive to make positive choices and to develop into good citizens by demonstrating Respect, Responsibility, and Safety in all areas of our school community.

1. Very Invested Person or VIP program

Program GoalThe program goal is to enhance the school climate and student success by promoting positive choices and pro-social behaviors.

Program FeaturesCreate opportunities to teach and practice the universal values of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY andSAFETY.

Provide rewards and incentives for consistent demonstration of VIP behaviors.x Identifying wristbands for VIPsx Special privileges for VIPs (using wristband rather than hall pass, express lunch line, eat lunch in

the outdoor courtyard, VIP lounge during lunch, wearing a hat to school on Fridays)

What does it take to be VIP?*Students earn VIP status by not receiving any office referrals during a five week grading period. (*Reminder: 3 Minor Infraction Reports = 1 Office Referral)

2. Charger Tickets

Program GoalThe goal of the program is to immediately recognize and provide positive reinforcement to students who are demonstrating positive choices and pro-social behaviors in any and all areas of Sage Park Middle School.

How does the program work?When a student is observed meeting behavior expectations, they may be given a Charger Ticket. The student will place the ticket into a raffle box to have the chance to earn prizes that include but are not limited to gift cards, free choice seating at lunch, and other prize options. Raffles will be held weekly throughout the school year.

Respectx Listen when others are talkingx Treat all others in a positive/

polite mannerx Take care of school propertyx Follow all adult directions

Responsibilityx Use appropriate languagex Be on timex Always do your best workx Come prepared

Safetyx Keep hands, feet, and objects

to yourselfx Follow all school rulesx Read and understand all emer-

gency procedures

In general, Sage Park students are well behaved and exhibit proper school behavior. In the unfortunate case that a student chooses to commit a level one offense, a teacher administers a Minor Infraction Report and contacts the parent/guardian. When a student receives Three Minor Infraction Reports for any three level one offenses, it is an automatic office referral, where an administrator will determine a consequence based on the Sage Park Middle School Discipline Code. For more serious misbe-havior, the student is immediately sent to the designated administrator who will determine a consequence based on the Code below. This Discipline Code does not represent all actions which may require a disciplinary response. If such a situation arises, the designated administrator determines an appropriate consequence which may require a disciplinary response.

Teacher Managed Referrals Infraction Cheating/Plagiarism (First offense)

Horseplay (First offense/minor)

Use of cell phones, gaming devices, or electronic music devices during school hours.

Disrespectful to Peer Minor Inappropriate Behavior Public Display of Affection

Disruptive Behavior Minor Insubordination/Defiance Not following staff requests

Tardy/Late to Class (3)

Failure to Return School Documents Obscene, Abusive/Vulgar Language or Gesture

Teasing (First offense)

Teacher Intervention (Mandatory Phone Call Home) Conference with Student Conference with Parent

Reteach Expectation Removal from Class

Consult Support Staff Teacher Detentions

Sage Park Middle School Discipline Code 2014-2015

Office Managed Referrals Infraction First Offense Second Offense

Arsonsetting fire to any part of the building or grounds

5 - 10 days OSS, police notification, and possible recommendation for expulsion

10 days OSS, police notification, and recommendation for expulsion

Assaultcausing bodily harm or injury 5 - 10 days OSS, police notification, and possible recommendation for expulsion

10 days OSS, police notification, and recommendation for expulsion

Bullying 1 - 3 days ISS 2 - 3 days OSS

Cheating/Plagiarism Teacher managed Extended detention - 2 days ISS

Computer/Internet Misuse 1 detention - 1 day ISS and/or loss of computer privileges

2 - 3 days ISS and loss of computer privileges

Creating public disturbance (Major)

1 - 10 days OSS and police notification 5 - 10 days OSS and police notification

Defiance (Overt)/Insubordination (Major)

Extended detention - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS

Disrespect to Staff 1 day ISS - 3 days ISS 3 - 5 days ISS

Dress Code Violation Change to appropriate clothing and parent noti-fication and/or 1 detention

1 extended detention - 2 days ISS

Failure to Serve a Lunch/After-School Teacher Detention

1 office detention Extended detention

Failure to Serve Office Detention Extended detention 1 extended detention - 1 day ISS

Failure to Serve Extended Detention 1 day ISS 2 days ISS

False Fire Alarm/School or Bomb Threats

10 days OSS, police notification, and recommendation for expulsion

10 days OSS, police notification, and recommendation for expulsion

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ISS = In School Suspension; OSS = Out of School Suspension. For extended detention (2:50 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.) a parent/guardian must provide transportation. For any incident of a serious or threatening nature, the first incident may lead to a recommendation for expulsion hearing depending on the severity of the offense. Expulsions may be up to a period of 180 school days.

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Possession of weapons, knives, firearms on school grounds

10 days OSS, police notification, Recommendation for expulsion

Mandatory Expulsion

Racial slurs /Abusive /vulgar language or gesture

1 - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS

Office Managed Referrals Infraction First Offense Second Offense

Fighting/Altercation/Physical Aggression

3 - 10 days OSS and possible police notification 5 - 10 days OSS and possible police notification

Hall Sweep 1 warning 1 detention - 1 extended detention

Harassment/Threatening 1 day ISS - 5 days OSS and police notification 3 days ISS - 10 days OSS and police notification

Horseplay 1 detention - extended detention 1 - 3 days ISS

Inappropriate Behavior (Major)

1 detention - 1 day ISS 2 - 3 days ISS

Inciting a Fight/Instigation 1 extended detention - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS

Leaving Class Without Permission Extended detention - 1 day ISS 2 - 3 days ISS

Leaving School Without Permission 1 - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS and possible police notification

Misbehavior in Detention 1 extended detention 1 - 2 days ISS

Misbehavior in/Removal from ISS 1 - 2 days OSS 2 - 5 days OSS

Misuse of Recording Devices 1 detention - 1 day ISS 1 day ISS - 10 days OSS and possible expulsion

Possession or use of drugs, a controlled substance, and/or alcohol on school grounds

5 - 10 days OSS, police notification, and possible recommendation for expulsion

10 days OSS, police notification, and recommendation for expulsion

Possession or use of tobacco products, lighter, matches

1 - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS

Posting of inappropriate material on social media sites which impacts school

1 detention - 10 days OSS and possible recommendation for expulsion

1 detention - 10 days OSS and possible recommendation for expulsion

Sale of drugs, and/or alcohol on/off school grounds

10 days OSS, police notification, and Mandatory Expulsion

Skipping Class Extended detention 2 days ISS

Tardy/Late to Homeroom Lunch detention (3 times) Office detention (6 times)

Teasing Teacher managed 1 extended detention - 1 day ISS

Theft 1 - 2 days ISS/restitution and possible police notification

3 days ISS/restitution and possible police notification

Truancy 1 day ISS - police notification 2 - 3 days ISS - police notification

Vandalism/ Destruction of personal property

1 - 3 days ISS/restitution and police notification 3 days ISS - 5 days OSS/restitution and police notification

Verbal Altercation 1 detention - 2 days ISS 3 days ISS

SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATE PLAN

The Board of Education is committed to maintaining a physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe educational environment free from bullying, harassment, and discrimi-nation. In order to foster an atmosphere conducive to learning, the Board has developed the following Safe School Climate Plan, consistent with state law and Board Policy. This plan represents a comprehensive approach to addressing bullying and cyberbullying, and it sets forth the Boards expectations for creating a positive school climate and thus preventing as well as intervening and respond-ing to incidents of bullying.

Bullying behavior is strictly prohibited, and students who are determined to have engaged in such behavior are subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspen-sion or expulsion from school. The districts commitment to addressing bullying behavior, however, involves a multi-faceted approach, which includes education and the pro-motion of a positive school climate in which bullying will not be tolerated by students or school staff.

I. Prohibition Against Bullying and Retaliation

A. The Board expressly prohibits any form of bullying behavior on school grounds; at school-sponsored or school-related activities, functions, or programs whether on or off school grounds; at a school bus stop; on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased, or used by a local or regional Board of Education; or through the use of an electronic device or an electronic mobile device owned, leased, or used by the Board of Education.

B. The Board also prohibits any form of bullying behavior outside of the school setting if such bullying (i) creates a hostile environment at school for the student against whom such bullying was directed; (ii) infringes on the rights of the student against whom such bullying was di-rected at school; or (iii) substantially disrupts the educa-tion process or the orderly operation of the school.

C. In addition to prohibiting student acts which constitute bullying, the Board also prohibits discrimination and/or retaliation against an individual who reports or assists in the investigation of an act of bullying.

D. Students who engage in bullying behavior in violation of Board Policy and the Safe School Climate Plan shall be subject to school discipline, up to and including expulsion, in accordance with the Board's policies on student disci-pline, suspension and expulsion, as consistent with state and federal law.

II. Definitions

Bullying means the repeated use by one or more stu-dents of a written, oral, or electronic communication such as cyberbullying, or a physical act or gesture directed at another student attending school in the same district that:

1. Causes physical or emotional harm to such student ordamage to such students property;2. Places such student in reasonable fear, whether of harm to himself or herself or of damage to his or her prop-erty;3. Creates a hostile environment at school for such student;4. Infringes on the rights of such student at school; 5. Substantially disrupts the education process or the or-derly operation of the school.

Bullying shall include but not be limited to: written, verbal, or electronic communication, or physical act or gesture, based on any actual or perceived differentiating charac-teristics such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical appearance, or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability; or by association with an individual or group who has or is perceived to have one or more of such characteristics.

III. Other Definitions

Cyberbullying means any act of bullying through the use of the Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone, or other mobile electronic de-vices or any electronic communications.

Electronic communication means any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelli-gence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic or photo-optical system.

Hostile environment means a situation in which bully-ing among students is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the school climate.

Mobile electronic device means any handheld or other portable electronic equipment capable of providing data communication between two or more individuals, including but not limited to: a text messaging device; a paging device; a personal digital assistant; a laptop com-puter; equipment that is capable of playing a video game or a digital video disk; or equipment on which digital im-ages are taken and/or transmitted.

Outside of the school setting means at a location, activity, or program that is not school related; or through the use of an electronic device or a mobile electronic de-vice that is not owned, leased, or used by a local or re-gional Board of Education.

Prevention and intervention strategy may include but is not limited to: (1) implementation of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) process or another evi-dence-based model approach for a safe school climate or for the prevention of bullying; (2) school rules prohibiting bullying, harassment, and intimidation and establishing appropriate consequences for those who engage in such

Safe School Climate Plan

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acts; (3) adequate adult supervision of outdoor areas, hallways, the lunchroom, and other specific areas where bullying is likely to occur; (4) inclusion of grade-appropriate bullying education and prevention curricula in kindergarten through high school; (4) individual interven-tions with the bully, parents/guardians, and school em-ployees, as well as interventions with the bullied child, parents/guardians and school employees; (5) school-wide training related to safe school climate; (6) student peer training, education, and support; and (7) promotion of parent/guardian involvement in bullying prevention through individual or team participation in meetings, train-ings, and interventions.

School climate means the quality and character of school life with particular focus on the quality of the rela-tionships within the school community between and among students and adults.

School employee means (1) a teacher, substitute teacher, school administrator, school superintendent, guidance counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physician, school paraprofessional, or coach employed by the local or regional Board of Education or working in a public elementary, middle, or high school; or (2) any other individual who, in the performance of his or her duties, has regular contact with students and who provides ser-vices to or on behalf of students enrolled in a public ele-mentary, middle, or high school, pursuant to a contract with the local or regional Board of Education.

School-sponsored activity shall mean any activity conducted on or off school property (including school buses and other school-related vehicles) that is spon-sored, recognized, or authorized by the Board of Educa-tion.

Safe School Climate Specialist

The principal of each school (or principals designee) shall serve as the Safe School Climate Specialist. The Safe School Climate Specialist shall investigate or supervise the investigation of reported acts of bullying and act as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying, and responding to reports of bullying in the school.

IV. Development and Review of Safe School Climate Plan

The principal of each school shall establish a committee or designate at least one existing committee in the school to be responsible for developing and fostering a safe school climate and addressing issues relating to bullying in the school. Such committee shall include at least one parent/guardian of a student enrolled in the school, as appointed by the school principal.

The committee shall: 1) receive copies of completed re-ports following bullying investigations; 2) identify and ad-dress patterns of bullying among students in the school; 3) review and amend school policies related to bullying; 4)

review and make recommendations to the coordinator regard-ing the Safe School Climate Plan based on issues and ex-periences specific to the school; 5) educate students, school employees, and parents/guardians on issues relating to bully-ing; 6) collaborate with the coordinator in the collection of data regarding bullying; and 7) perform any other duties as determined by the principal that are related to the prevention, identification, and response to school bullying.

V. Procedures for Reporting and Investigating Com-plaints of Bullying

A. Students and parents/guardians may file written reports of bullying. Written reports of bullying shall be reasonably spe-cific as to the basis for the report, including the time and place of the alleged conduct, the number of incidents, the target of the suspected bullying, and the names of potential witnesses. Reports may be filed with any building administra-tor.

B. Students may make anonymous reports of bullying to any school employee. Students may also request anonymity when making a report, even if the students identity is known to the school employee. In cases where a student requests anonymity, the Safe School Climate Specialist or his/her des-ignee shall meet with the student (if the students identity is known) to review the request for anonymity and discuss the impact that maintaining the anonymity of the complainant may have on the investigation and on any possible remedial action. All anonymous complaints shall be reviewed, and reasonable action will be taken to address the situation. The extent such action may be taken will not disclose the source of the complaint and will be consistent with the due process rights of the student(s) alleged to have committed acts of bullying. No disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous complaint.

C. School employees who witness acts of bullying or receive reports of bullying shall orally notify the Safe School Climate Specialist, or another school administrator if the Safe School Climate Specialist is unavailable, no later than one (1) school day after such school employee witnesses or re-ceives a report of bullying. The school employee shall then file a written report no later than two (2) school days aftermaking such oral report.

D. The Safe School Specialist shall be responsible for review-ing any anonymous reports of bullying and shall investigate or supervise the investigation of all reports of bullying to ensure that such investigation is completed promptly after receipt of any written reports. In order to allow the district to adequately investigate complaints filed by a student or parent/guardian, the parent/guardian of the student suspected of being bullied should be asked to provide consent to permit the release of that students name in connection with the investigation proc-ess, unless the student and/or his or her parent/guardian has requested anonymity.

E. In investigating reports of bullying, the Safe School Climate Specialist or designee will consider all available information known, including the nature of the allegations and the ages of the students involved. The Safe School Climate Specialist will interview witnesses, as necessary, reminding the alleged perpetrator and other parties that retaliation is strictly prohib-

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F. If the allegations of bullying involve acts that may also constitute unlawful harassment based upon a students race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, the investiga-tor shall notify the districts Title IX Coordinator.

VI. Responding to Verified Acts of Bullying

A. Following investigation, if acts of bullying are verified then the Safe School Climate Specialist or designee shall notify the parents/guardians of the student(s) against whom such acts were directed as well as the parents/guardians of the student(s) who commit such acts of bul-lying of the finding no later than forty-eight (48) hours after the investigation is completed. This notification shall include a description of the schools response to the acts of bullying. In providing such notification, however, care must be taken to respect the statutory privacy rights of other student(s), including the perpetrator of such bully-ing. The specific disciplinary consequences imposed on the perpetrator, or personally identifiable information about a student other than the parent/guardians own child, may not be disclosed except as provided by law.

B. In any instance in which bullying is verified, the Safe School Climate Specialist or designee shall also invite the parents/guardians of the student(s) who commits any verified act of bullying and the parents/guardian of the student(s) against whom such act was directed to a meet-ing to communicate the measures being taken by the school to ensure the safety of the student(s)/victim(s) and to prevent further acts of bullying. The invitation may be made simultaneous with the notification described above in Section A., as it must include a description of the schools response to such acts, along with consequences, as appropriate. Normally, separate meetings shall be held with the respective parents/guardians; however, at the discretion of the Safe School Climate Specialist and with written consent of the parents/guardians involved, the meeting(s) may be held jointly.

C. If bullying is verified, the Safe School Climate Special-ist or designee shall develop a student safety support plan for any student against whom an act of bullying was di-rected. Such support plan will include safety measures to protect against further acts of bullying.

D. A specific written intervention plan shall be developed to address repeated incidents of bullying against a single individual or recurrently perpetrated bullying incidents by the same individual. The written intervention plan may include counseling, discipline, and other appropriate re-medial actions as determined by the Safe School Climate Specialist or designee, and it may also incorporate a stu-dent safety support plan, as appropriate.

E. Notice to Law Enforcement

If the principal of a school (or his/her designee) reasona-bly believes that any act of bullying constitutes a criminal offense, he/she shall notify appropriate law enforcement.

Notice shall be consistent with the Boards obligations under state and federal law and Board policy regarding the disclosure of personally identifiable student informa-tion. In making this determination, the principal or his/her designee may consult with the school resource officer, if any, and other individuals the principal or designee deems appropriate.

If a bullying complaint raises concern about discrimination or harassment on the basis of a legally protected classifi-cations (such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or gender identity or expression), the Safe School Climate Specialist or desig-nee shall also coordinate any investigation with other per-sonnel within the district as appropriate (e.g. Title IXAsst. Superintendent of Human Resources, Director of Pupil Services etc.)

Improving School Climate

Each school in the district has developed a School Im-provement Plan, which includes a section on school cul-ture. Within that section, schools have identified their work in implementing Positive Behavioral and Intervention Sup-ports (PBIS), which is a district-wide initiative to address school climate. PBIS works to increase positive student behaviors and reduce disciplinary referrals. All schools also have in place student assistance teams (SATs) to help address student-specific academic and behavioral concerns. Additionally, each school analyzes student be-havior referrals to determine types of behaviors that are frequent and to identify and implement strategies to teach proactive behaviors to students. This is done by class-room lessons at the elementary level, as part of develop-mental guidance lessons at Sage Park, and during advi-sory periods at the high school level. School climate sur-veys will be distributed to all parents/guardians, staff, and students at each school during the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter every two years. These surveys will be compiled and analyzed by the school, and the data gath-ered will be used to inform current practices and revise those practices based on the findings of the surveys. Na-tional School Climate Standards provided by the State Department of Education will be utilized to help inform each schools plan and the strategies developed and im-plemented as part of the school improvement.

The entire School Climate Plan can be found on the dis-trict website at http://bit.ly/1qkNuK7, under Bullying Pre-vention and Intervention Policy (P-AR-5131.911).

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Cover page parent sign FinalPage 1 FinalPage 2 FinalPage 3 FinalPage 4 FinalCopy of Page 5 Rotation Day Calender FinalPage 7 Time Schedule FinalPage 8 Academic Standards FinalPage 9 Student Services FinalPage 10 Student Services FinalPage 11 Student Services FinalPage 12 Student Activities FinalPage 13 & 14 FinalPage 15 FinalPage 16 & 17 FinalPage 18 19 20 School Climate Plan Final