Board of Education Policy 1230.01 - DEVELOPMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES
The Board of Education delegates to the Superintendent the function of designing and implementing the guidelines, required actions, and detailed arrangements under which the District will operate. These administrative guidelines shall not be inconsistent with the policies adopted by the Board.
The Board itself will formulate and adopt administrative guidelines and rules only when required by law, and when the Superintendent recommends Board adoption.
The Superintendent may also issue such administrative and student handbooks as s/he may consider necessary for the effective administration of the schools and distribute them to employees and students and/or their parents.
As long as the provisions of these administrative guidelines and handbooks are not inconsistent with Board policies, or with Federal/State law, they will be considered to be an extension of the policy manual and binding upon all employees and students.
A copy of the District's administrative guidelines manual and a copy of each handbook shall be made a part of the Board's reference materials maintained in the District office.
The Superintendent shall maintain a current organizational chart to which immediate reference can be made by the Board or any employee of the Board.
2210.01 Film Opt Out: (for actual form, see Forms, below)
The form for parent notice (see below), including the following bolded wording is to be completed by the teacher and sent home in advance of showing film matter (regardless of medium) that has the potential to be controversial or objectionable due to rating, subject matter, or other reasonable factors. The teacher should consult the building principal if in doubt as to the controversial nature of a film or film segment. ("This note is to inform you that I am planning to show a film/video in class, as described below, of which I would like you to be aware. If you do not wish your student to view this film or film clip, please indicate by signing and returning this notice with your student. An alternate assignment will be provided for your student during this class time".)
3112 Written Communications
In the interest of efficiency and cost savings, all official written communications from the district, its schools and departments to professional staff will be in the form of e-mail via the district e-mail system, unless specifically required otherwise in state or federal law or regulation, master contract, or board policy. This shall not preclude the district from the use of print communication and/or postage in such matters as deemed necessary or expedient by the superintendent.
All professional staff members will be assigned accounts in the district e-mail system and expected to make reasonable and timely efforts to check their e-mail (at least daily on school days and weekly during breaks, including summer). In urgent matters, telephone communication will be used when necessary. Professional staff members should check for regular, expected communications, such as district newsletters, welcome-back-to-school letters, etc.
Any professional staff member who needs assistance with accessing e-mail for any reason should contact the executive assistant to the superintendent and/or the director of information technology for help or alternate arrangements.
Published 06/02/10
3120.04 Employment of Non-faculty Coaches/Faculty & Non-faculty Substitutes
The superintendent may select one or more third-party contractors for the employment of non-faculty coaches and extra-curricular sponsors as well as for teaching and other substitute employees. The superintendent may require that potential non-faculty coaches and sponsors, as well as potential substitute employees, be employed through designated contractor/s. The superintendent may require employment by or through designated contractors of any person in these categories, regardless of past direct employment by the district. For current information of contractors and categories, please contact the district administrative office or consult the employment opportunities page on the district website. 04/19/2012
3120.08 Extracurricular Pay for Non-Faculty:
The Non-teacher base salary for calculation within the Schedule C shall be $27,580.00. 10/06/2010
3120.09 Background Checks for Volunteers:
All volunteers, including parents, guardians, and others wishing to chaperone field trips, will submit a volunteer registration form and allow the district to photocopy and keep a copy of their Michigan driver's license or other valid, state-issued, picture identification. Principals and/or superintendent will have authority to approve or disapprove and volunteer application within state law and board policy. (Rev. 04/04/14)
Volunteer sponsors of school-related (but not school-sponsored) youth activities wishing to use school facilities must submit to criminal background check and approval by the district consistent with parent and other volunteers for school-sponsored activities. Said sponsors must complete a registered volunteer form and agree to abide by the district's decision of fitness to serve as a sponsor, based on the results of the criminal background check. (see also BOE 2430, 3120.09, 4120.09, and 9211). Exceptions may be granted to sponsors if a sponsoring organization has already performed such a background check and will certify satisfactory results to the district (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.). 12/21/11
4430.01 Support Staff Payroll/School Closings:
Education support staff who are members of the Athens Education Association Support Personnel Association (i.e., building secretaries, cooks, and paraprofessionals) will not be docked on payroll for hours missed due to allowable emergencies and should include such hours missed on regular timesheets. Instructional hours required by the School Aid Act to be made up, either by adding time to scheduled days or by adding new days or partial days to the school calendar, will be mandatory hours of work for which education support personnel will not be paid additionally, as personnel would already have been compensated for this time.
5111.01 Homeless Students: (Dispute Resolution)
The school district of residence is responsible to determine the placement which is in the best interest of the child or youth, and shall give consideration to a request made by the parents, the youth, or other representative of the homeless student regarding school selection. If it is not in the best interest of the child to stay in the school of origin, the school district must give to the parent of the homeless student or the unaccompanied youth in writing the reasons for not allowing the student to remain in the school of origin. In addition, the appeal process must be clearly explained and defined.
(a) Athens Area School’s homeless liaison shall inform the representative of the homeless student or the unaccompanied youth of their rights to an informal hearing with the school district when a dispute arises about the placement of the student. The liaison shall assist the representative to complete a written request for the hearing, which shall be based on a placement that was initiated, or declined to be initiated, by the school district not more than two (2) weeks prior to the request.
(b) The informal hearing shall be scheduled within two (2) days of the written request and shall be convenient to the needs of the representative of the homeless student.
(c) During the hearing, the superintendent shall discuss considerations that led to the placement decision, which may include the ability of the school district to provide continuity in educational programs, the need of the homeless student for special instructional programs, the amount of time and arrangements required to transport the student to the original school district, the age of the homeless student, the school placement of siblings, and the time remaining until the end of the semester or the end of the school year.
(d) In cases where an agreement cannot be reached among all involved parties, either party may request the assistance of the State Homeless Children Education coordinator. Upon written request, the coordinator shall meet with the involved parties to discuss available alternatives and seek to resolve the dispute.
(e) In cases of such a request for the assistance of the state coordinator, the school district of residence shall inform the Michigan Department of Education and shall provide sufficient information as required.
(f) The placement and service for the homeless student shall be continued pending the resolution of the dispute by the Department of Education.
5112.01 Toilet Training Prerequisite for Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten
To be eligible for enrollment in the District's pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten programs, a student must be completely toilet trained (i.e., capable of handling his or her own lavatory needs), unless otherwise specifically addressed in the student's Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan. The student's parent/guardian has the responsibility to ensure that the student's successful toilet training has been completed prior to the first day of school for pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten students. School authorities may exclude an otherwise eligible student from continued attendance if repeated toilet problems provide evidence that a student is not toilet trained.
5200.01 Pre-Arranged Student Absence
The Board of Education considers the following factors to be reasonable excuses for time missed at school (Policy 5200):
1. Illness (verified by note from parent or physician)
2. Recovery from accident (verified by note from physician)
3. Required court attendance (verified by clerk of court)
4. Professional appointments (verified by note from office visited)
5. Death in the immediate family (funeral or memorial arrangements)
6. Observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday (verified by note from parents)
7. Such other good cause as may be acceptable to the Superintendent
The Superintendent delegates discretion under item 7 (above) to each building principal. Types of absences which may be excused on an individual, case-by-case basis, include:
a. Family vacations
b. Trips with non-school-sponsored youth organizations
c. Reward trips for student contests
d. College visitations (for high school students)
e. Needed for work at home
f. Participating in an educationally related non-classroom activity which is consistent with and promotes educational philosophy and goals of the school district, facilitates the attainment of specific educational objectives, is part of the goals and objectives of an approved course or curriculum, represents a unique educational opportunity, cannot reasonably occur without interrupting the school day, and is approved in advance by the school principal
To pre-arrange and obtain excuse for an absence, the student and parents will complete the accompanying form and submit to the principal at least one week prior to the requested absence. If one-week minimum notice is not possible due to circumstances beyond the control of the student and parents, explanation of why the timeline could not be met is also required.
The principal will either deny the request or grant tentative approval. Upon tentative approval from the principal, the student will take the form to all of his or her teachers and ask for their recommendation, to be marked on the form. The principal will consider the teachers’ recommendations in making final approval or denial of the request. Arrangements for make-up work are to be made with each teacher in advance and honored if the absence is to remain excused.
09/30/2014 RF
5320 Immunization
No student shall be allowed to attend school without all current immunizations required by state law, unless one of the circumstances mentioned in BOE 5320 apply or the parent has made reasonable and satisfactory arrangements with the school principal. Noncompliance with immunization requirements will result in exclusion of the student from school and truancy filing with Calhoun Intermediate School District.
5410 Retention Guidelines
Every student who is being considered for retention should have the following procedures and interventions completed:
_____ Athens Area Schools Board Policy will be followed. (See below)
_____ Teachers and principals will review the grades of all students for the 1st and 2nd marking periods as well as 1st semester grades if applicable. Any student receiving a D- or E (middle School) or an N or U (East Leroy) in any core area (Language Arts, Math, Social Studies or Science) or in any 2 content areas across 2 consecutive marking periods should be considered for a Child Study and retention. It is important that students achieve the objectives for their grade level.
The following meetings will be conducted before a decision is made:
_____ A child study meeting will be held with enough time left in the school year to implement interventions with the student. Remediated and differentiated teaching strategies will be applied and documented. Follow-up meetings will be held to monitor progress and adjust interventions.
_____ A meeting of pertinent staff will be held to specifically discuss retention of the child in question. A Light’s retention scale and available testing/screening information will be completed. Results of all scales and other assessments will be presented and considered at this meeting.
_____ Parents will be notified and consulted that retention is being considered. Parents will be provided with an informational packet on retention. Included in this packet will be blank rating scales, NASP informational articles, the parent guide to the Light’s Retention Scale, and other pertinent information.
_____ The student’s name will be submitted to the principal for a final decision, which will be rendered by letter no sooner than 24 hours after the last meeting.
5410.01 Kindergarten Continuation
Developmental readiness is an important determinant for student success in kindergarten. This means that children do not grow or mature at the same rate. A student who does not possess the readiness to learn will not be as successful as a student who possesses that readiness. This developmental readiness has nothing to do with intelligence or the ability to learn. Because the developmental readiness of a student is one of the main determinants of student success, it is important to the child’s self-concept and future success in school that a second year in kindergarten may need to be considered. Studies have shown that it is more beneficial for students to repeat grades in the earliest grades such as kindergarten and first grade.
The following steps should be followed in considering to give the kindergarten student another opportunity to develop this readiness. This opportunity will be called continuation instead of retention since it is not the fault of the student that the student is not developmentally ready to learn at the next level.
1. The teacher and parents/guardians will discuss the student’s progress and developmental readiness to learn.
2. If both the teacher and parents/guardians determine that it is in the best interest of the child to continue in kindergarten, the student’s name will be submitted to the principal for approval.
3. If the teacher and parents/guardians disagree about the continuation, there will be a meeting scheduled with the parents/guardians, teacher, Curriculum Director, Counselor and/or principal. This team will provide a recommendation to the principal.
4. The principal will have the final decision on student continuation or promotion. (05/09/2014)
5420.01 Child Study Process:
When a student is demonstrating a lack of success in his or her education, the school begins a process called a Child Study. The homeroom teacher initiates this process by contacting the parents or guardians and informing them of the concerns and that they will be collaborating with other staff members to implement interventions to help the student become successful. The homeroom teacher again contacts the parents or guardians to share the plan for their student. These interventions will be for a minimum of six weeks. If these interventions are successful, the Child Study process ends for that student. If the interventions are unsuccessful, the Child Study team will meet and discuss further interventions or steps. If the student continues to have a lack of success, a special education referral may be made. This decision to refer the student for a special education evaluation will be made with the consent of the parents or guardians. The purpose of the Child Study process is to help all students achieve success in the school environment. (04/11/2013)
5531 Section 504 Plans Link to document on 504s. Waiver form for evaluation
6320 Competitive Bidding:
The district will use the figure most recently published by the Michigan Department of Education for competitive bidding requirements. For fiscal year 2014-15, the figure is $$23,126.
6510: Issuance of Payroll:
In the interest of cost-savings, efficiency, and security, all employee payroll will be issued exclusively by direct deposit in the financial institution/s and account/s of each employee's choice. Each employee is responsible to provide the business office with account detail for direct deposit prior to the first payroll of the fiscal year or any desired change, on the form provided by the business office. E-vouchers are available to all employees. Any employee wishing to view or print a pay voucher may do so at their convenience at work or anywhere with Internet access. The district will no longer print or distribute copies of vouchers. It is the individual employee's responsibility to verify payroll information through the e-voucher system. Any questions on payroll should be addressed to Shirley Dowd in the administrative office. (08/15/2009) In accordance with P.A. 323 of 2010, an employee may choose to receive his or her wages by payroll debit card. An employee wishing to receive payroll in this form may contact the Administrative Assistant, Finance, for more information.
6610 Student Activity Funds: The following procedures and forms govern fundraising and expenditure for student activity funds and funds held by school-related but not school-sponsored funds that support student activities. (BOE 6610, 5830, 9700). The District will not support, endorse, or be held responsible for any actions or activities in regard to these subjects unless all administrative guidelines are read and followed. (07/12/2014)
6610.01 Procedures
6610.02 Accounting & Cash Controls
6610.03 Fundraising
6610.04 Boosters
6610.05 Student Fund Raising Form
7310 Disposition of Surplus Property:
If the superintendent determines a piece of equipment to be no longer serviceable or usable to the district, in accordance with Board of Education Policy 7310, he or she may post same for sale at sealed bid, a specified price, or best offer for a definite or indefinite period of time on the district's website and award the sale accordingly. The superintendent will direct the deposit of proceeds into the appropriate general fund, special fund, or activity account. (02/17/2014)
7450 Property Inventory:
Prior to leaving for the summer but not later than June 30, each teacher or staff member will complete and submit to the building principal or business office Form 7450 (Inventory) for each classroom or area for which he or she has primary responsibility. The form may be completed and submitted either electronically or in print (see below). The district is not responsible for personal items left on district property. (05/05/2010).
7540.02 Student Photographs on the Web:
Photographs of students may be posted on district or district-affiliated web pages without specific permission or notice per posting, if names do not appear with the photographs. If a student's name is to be used, prior permission from a parent will be required.
8220 School Closings, Delays, and Early Dismissals:
In accordance with BOE Policy 8220 (School Day) the superintendent or his/her designee will order the closing of school when weather, road, or other conditions make the transport of students to school or their continued presence in school unsafe or unwise.
In the event that the National Weather Service issues a tornado watch or warning or severe thunderstorm warning for all or part of the school district before school begins for the day, the superintendent shall order the delay or closing of school.
If a tornado watch is issued once students are at or on their way to school, the superintendent will monitor developing conditions and may commence procedures for the safe transport home of students. If a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning is issued once students are at or on their way to school, students will be sheltered or housed according to plan until the warning is lifted, and the superintendent will make a determination to continue with school or dismiss early as appropriate.
With regard to winter weather conditions and warnings, the superintendent will check road conditions and monitor the National Weather Service and local forecasts in making the decision to delay the start of school or to cancel school for the day.
If a severe weather warning or deteriorating weather conditions make it unsafe to dismiss students at their normal time, the superintendent will order that they be held at school and sheltered according to plan until such time as the warning is lifted and/or conditions are safe for the release and transport of students.
The East Leroy Elementary School principal or his/her designee will have discretion on the holding of recess indoors or outdoors throughout the day. Official temperatures, Real Feel, and wind chills will be taken from the National Weather Service or AccuWeather.
When school is closed due to weather conditions, all student activities for the day and evening are automatically canceled. This includes athletic practices and contests, concerts, club meetings, etc. If school is delayed in the morning, activities for the afternoon and evening may be presumed to proceed as scheduled, unless otherwise notified. Afternoon and evening activities may also be canceled due to weather or other conditions, even if school was held that day, based on conditions and circumstances. With regard to state tournaments or contests (e.g., MHSAA district, regional, etc.), the administration reserves discretion to allow participation or hosting if deemed safe for student participants. (Rev. 02/03/14)
8500.01 Hot Lunch Prices:
The food service director will complete the PLE tool from the Child Nutrition Program of the USDA each year to determine any need for change in hot lunch prices. (12/16/2014)
9150 School Visitors:
In accordance with Board of Education Policy, all visitors to school are required to check in at school offices. Any person wishing to visit a classroom should schedule that visit at least twenty-four hours ahead of time through the office, which will consult with the teacher. Agency visitors who need to see students are requested to schedule twenty-four hours in advance when possible, call ahead if a same-day visit is necessary, or be prepared to wait until the student may be called to the office without disrupting his/her educational process or that of the class. State and county agents with legal authority to see students will not be refused. (09/17/2013)
9210 Charitable Organizations & Solicitations:
Consistent with revisions to the Charitable Organizations and Solicitations Act made the Michigan Legislature in December 2010, any charitable organization wishing to use the name or symbols of the school district must first obtain written permission by applying in writing to the superintendent and satisfying any and all questions the superintendent may pose. All charitable organizations that receive such permission remain independent legal entities and are not under the direction or control of the school district. (06/01/11)
The Board of Education delegates to the Superintendent the function of designing and implementing the guidelines, required actions, and detailed arrangements under which the District will operate. These administrative guidelines shall not be inconsistent with the policies adopted by the Board.
The Board itself will formulate and adopt administrative guidelines and rules only when required by law, and when the Superintendent recommends Board adoption.
The Superintendent may also issue such administrative and student handbooks as s/he may consider necessary for the effective administration of the schools and distribute them to employees and students and/or their parents.
As long as the provisions of these administrative guidelines and handbooks are not inconsistent with Board policies, or with Federal/State law, they will be considered to be an extension of the policy manual and binding upon all employees and students.
A copy of the District's administrative guidelines manual and a copy of each handbook shall be made a part of the Board's reference materials maintained in the District office.
The Superintendent shall maintain a current organizational chart to which immediate reference can be made by the Board or any employee of the Board.
2210.01 Film Opt Out: (for actual form, see Forms, below)
The form for parent notice (see below), including the following bolded wording is to be completed by the teacher and sent home in advance of showing film matter (regardless of medium) that has the potential to be controversial or objectionable due to rating, subject matter, or other reasonable factors. The teacher should consult the building principal if in doubt as to the controversial nature of a film or film segment. ("This note is to inform you that I am planning to show a film/video in class, as described below, of which I would like you to be aware. If you do not wish your student to view this film or film clip, please indicate by signing and returning this notice with your student. An alternate assignment will be provided for your student during this class time".)
3112 Written Communications
In the interest of efficiency and cost savings, all official written communications from the district, its schools and departments to professional staff will be in the form of e-mail via the district e-mail system, unless specifically required otherwise in state or federal law or regulation, master contract, or board policy. This shall not preclude the district from the use of print communication and/or postage in such matters as deemed necessary or expedient by the superintendent.
All professional staff members will be assigned accounts in the district e-mail system and expected to make reasonable and timely efforts to check their e-mail (at least daily on school days and weekly during breaks, including summer). In urgent matters, telephone communication will be used when necessary. Professional staff members should check for regular, expected communications, such as district newsletters, welcome-back-to-school letters, etc.
Any professional staff member who needs assistance with accessing e-mail for any reason should contact the executive assistant to the superintendent and/or the director of information technology for help or alternate arrangements.
Published 06/02/10
3120.04 Employment of Non-faculty Coaches/Faculty & Non-faculty Substitutes
The superintendent may select one or more third-party contractors for the employment of non-faculty coaches and extra-curricular sponsors as well as for teaching and other substitute employees. The superintendent may require that potential non-faculty coaches and sponsors, as well as potential substitute employees, be employed through designated contractor/s. The superintendent may require employment by or through designated contractors of any person in these categories, regardless of past direct employment by the district. For current information of contractors and categories, please contact the district administrative office or consult the employment opportunities page on the district website. 04/19/2012
3120.08 Extracurricular Pay for Non-Faculty:
The Non-teacher base salary for calculation within the Schedule C shall be $27,580.00. 10/06/2010
3120.09 Background Checks for Volunteers:
All volunteers, including parents, guardians, and others wishing to chaperone field trips, will submit a volunteer registration form and allow the district to photocopy and keep a copy of their Michigan driver's license or other valid, state-issued, picture identification. Principals and/or superintendent will have authority to approve or disapprove and volunteer application within state law and board policy. (Rev. 04/04/14)
Volunteer sponsors of school-related (but not school-sponsored) youth activities wishing to use school facilities must submit to criminal background check and approval by the district consistent with parent and other volunteers for school-sponsored activities. Said sponsors must complete a registered volunteer form and agree to abide by the district's decision of fitness to serve as a sponsor, based on the results of the criminal background check. (see also BOE 2430, 3120.09, 4120.09, and 9211). Exceptions may be granted to sponsors if a sponsoring organization has already performed such a background check and will certify satisfactory results to the district (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.). 12/21/11
4430.01 Support Staff Payroll/School Closings:
Education support staff who are members of the Athens Education Association Support Personnel Association (i.e., building secretaries, cooks, and paraprofessionals) will not be docked on payroll for hours missed due to allowable emergencies and should include such hours missed on regular timesheets. Instructional hours required by the School Aid Act to be made up, either by adding time to scheduled days or by adding new days or partial days to the school calendar, will be mandatory hours of work for which education support personnel will not be paid additionally, as personnel would already have been compensated for this time.
5111.01 Homeless Students: (Dispute Resolution)
The school district of residence is responsible to determine the placement which is in the best interest of the child or youth, and shall give consideration to a request made by the parents, the youth, or other representative of the homeless student regarding school selection. If it is not in the best interest of the child to stay in the school of origin, the school district must give to the parent of the homeless student or the unaccompanied youth in writing the reasons for not allowing the student to remain in the school of origin. In addition, the appeal process must be clearly explained and defined.
(a) Athens Area School’s homeless liaison shall inform the representative of the homeless student or the unaccompanied youth of their rights to an informal hearing with the school district when a dispute arises about the placement of the student. The liaison shall assist the representative to complete a written request for the hearing, which shall be based on a placement that was initiated, or declined to be initiated, by the school district not more than two (2) weeks prior to the request.
(b) The informal hearing shall be scheduled within two (2) days of the written request and shall be convenient to the needs of the representative of the homeless student.
(c) During the hearing, the superintendent shall discuss considerations that led to the placement decision, which may include the ability of the school district to provide continuity in educational programs, the need of the homeless student for special instructional programs, the amount of time and arrangements required to transport the student to the original school district, the age of the homeless student, the school placement of siblings, and the time remaining until the end of the semester or the end of the school year.
(d) In cases where an agreement cannot be reached among all involved parties, either party may request the assistance of the State Homeless Children Education coordinator. Upon written request, the coordinator shall meet with the involved parties to discuss available alternatives and seek to resolve the dispute.
(e) In cases of such a request for the assistance of the state coordinator, the school district of residence shall inform the Michigan Department of Education and shall provide sufficient information as required.
(f) The placement and service for the homeless student shall be continued pending the resolution of the dispute by the Department of Education.
5112.01 Toilet Training Prerequisite for Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten
To be eligible for enrollment in the District's pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten programs, a student must be completely toilet trained (i.e., capable of handling his or her own lavatory needs), unless otherwise specifically addressed in the student's Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan. The student's parent/guardian has the responsibility to ensure that the student's successful toilet training has been completed prior to the first day of school for pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten students. School authorities may exclude an otherwise eligible student from continued attendance if repeated toilet problems provide evidence that a student is not toilet trained.
5200.01 Pre-Arranged Student Absence
The Board of Education considers the following factors to be reasonable excuses for time missed at school (Policy 5200):
1. Illness (verified by note from parent or physician)
2. Recovery from accident (verified by note from physician)
3. Required court attendance (verified by clerk of court)
4. Professional appointments (verified by note from office visited)
5. Death in the immediate family (funeral or memorial arrangements)
6. Observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday (verified by note from parents)
7. Such other good cause as may be acceptable to the Superintendent
The Superintendent delegates discretion under item 7 (above) to each building principal. Types of absences which may be excused on an individual, case-by-case basis, include:
a. Family vacations
b. Trips with non-school-sponsored youth organizations
c. Reward trips for student contests
d. College visitations (for high school students)
e. Needed for work at home
f. Participating in an educationally related non-classroom activity which is consistent with and promotes educational philosophy and goals of the school district, facilitates the attainment of specific educational objectives, is part of the goals and objectives of an approved course or curriculum, represents a unique educational opportunity, cannot reasonably occur without interrupting the school day, and is approved in advance by the school principal
To pre-arrange and obtain excuse for an absence, the student and parents will complete the accompanying form and submit to the principal at least one week prior to the requested absence. If one-week minimum notice is not possible due to circumstances beyond the control of the student and parents, explanation of why the timeline could not be met is also required.
The principal will either deny the request or grant tentative approval. Upon tentative approval from the principal, the student will take the form to all of his or her teachers and ask for their recommendation, to be marked on the form. The principal will consider the teachers’ recommendations in making final approval or denial of the request. Arrangements for make-up work are to be made with each teacher in advance and honored if the absence is to remain excused.
09/30/2014 RF
5320 Immunization
No student shall be allowed to attend school without all current immunizations required by state law, unless one of the circumstances mentioned in BOE 5320 apply or the parent has made reasonable and satisfactory arrangements with the school principal. Noncompliance with immunization requirements will result in exclusion of the student from school and truancy filing with Calhoun Intermediate School District.
5410 Retention Guidelines
Every student who is being considered for retention should have the following procedures and interventions completed:
_____ Athens Area Schools Board Policy will be followed. (See below)
_____ Teachers and principals will review the grades of all students for the 1st and 2nd marking periods as well as 1st semester grades if applicable. Any student receiving a D- or E (middle School) or an N or U (East Leroy) in any core area (Language Arts, Math, Social Studies or Science) or in any 2 content areas across 2 consecutive marking periods should be considered for a Child Study and retention. It is important that students achieve the objectives for their grade level.
The following meetings will be conducted before a decision is made:
_____ A child study meeting will be held with enough time left in the school year to implement interventions with the student. Remediated and differentiated teaching strategies will be applied and documented. Follow-up meetings will be held to monitor progress and adjust interventions.
_____ A meeting of pertinent staff will be held to specifically discuss retention of the child in question. A Light’s retention scale and available testing/screening information will be completed. Results of all scales and other assessments will be presented and considered at this meeting.
_____ Parents will be notified and consulted that retention is being considered. Parents will be provided with an informational packet on retention. Included in this packet will be blank rating scales, NASP informational articles, the parent guide to the Light’s Retention Scale, and other pertinent information.
_____ The student’s name will be submitted to the principal for a final decision, which will be rendered by letter no sooner than 24 hours after the last meeting.
5410.01 Kindergarten Continuation
Developmental readiness is an important determinant for student success in kindergarten. This means that children do not grow or mature at the same rate. A student who does not possess the readiness to learn will not be as successful as a student who possesses that readiness. This developmental readiness has nothing to do with intelligence or the ability to learn. Because the developmental readiness of a student is one of the main determinants of student success, it is important to the child’s self-concept and future success in school that a second year in kindergarten may need to be considered. Studies have shown that it is more beneficial for students to repeat grades in the earliest grades such as kindergarten and first grade.
The following steps should be followed in considering to give the kindergarten student another opportunity to develop this readiness. This opportunity will be called continuation instead of retention since it is not the fault of the student that the student is not developmentally ready to learn at the next level.
1. The teacher and parents/guardians will discuss the student’s progress and developmental readiness to learn.
2. If both the teacher and parents/guardians determine that it is in the best interest of the child to continue in kindergarten, the student’s name will be submitted to the principal for approval.
3. If the teacher and parents/guardians disagree about the continuation, there will be a meeting scheduled with the parents/guardians, teacher, Curriculum Director, Counselor and/or principal. This team will provide a recommendation to the principal.
4. The principal will have the final decision on student continuation or promotion. (05/09/2014)
5420.01 Child Study Process:
When a student is demonstrating a lack of success in his or her education, the school begins a process called a Child Study. The homeroom teacher initiates this process by contacting the parents or guardians and informing them of the concerns and that they will be collaborating with other staff members to implement interventions to help the student become successful. The homeroom teacher again contacts the parents or guardians to share the plan for their student. These interventions will be for a minimum of six weeks. If these interventions are successful, the Child Study process ends for that student. If the interventions are unsuccessful, the Child Study team will meet and discuss further interventions or steps. If the student continues to have a lack of success, a special education referral may be made. This decision to refer the student for a special education evaluation will be made with the consent of the parents or guardians. The purpose of the Child Study process is to help all students achieve success in the school environment. (04/11/2013)
5531 Section 504 Plans Link to document on 504s. Waiver form for evaluation
6320 Competitive Bidding:
The district will use the figure most recently published by the Michigan Department of Education for competitive bidding requirements. For fiscal year 2014-15, the figure is $$23,126.
6510: Issuance of Payroll:
In the interest of cost-savings, efficiency, and security, all employee payroll will be issued exclusively by direct deposit in the financial institution/s and account/s of each employee's choice. Each employee is responsible to provide the business office with account detail for direct deposit prior to the first payroll of the fiscal year or any desired change, on the form provided by the business office. E-vouchers are available to all employees. Any employee wishing to view or print a pay voucher may do so at their convenience at work or anywhere with Internet access. The district will no longer print or distribute copies of vouchers. It is the individual employee's responsibility to verify payroll information through the e-voucher system. Any questions on payroll should be addressed to Shirley Dowd in the administrative office. (08/15/2009) In accordance with P.A. 323 of 2010, an employee may choose to receive his or her wages by payroll debit card. An employee wishing to receive payroll in this form may contact the Administrative Assistant, Finance, for more information.
6610 Student Activity Funds: The following procedures and forms govern fundraising and expenditure for student activity funds and funds held by school-related but not school-sponsored funds that support student activities. (BOE 6610, 5830, 9700). The District will not support, endorse, or be held responsible for any actions or activities in regard to these subjects unless all administrative guidelines are read and followed. (07/12/2014)
6610.01 Procedures
6610.02 Accounting & Cash Controls
6610.03 Fundraising
6610.04 Boosters
6610.05 Student Fund Raising Form
7310 Disposition of Surplus Property:
If the superintendent determines a piece of equipment to be no longer serviceable or usable to the district, in accordance with Board of Education Policy 7310, he or she may post same for sale at sealed bid, a specified price, or best offer for a definite or indefinite period of time on the district's website and award the sale accordingly. The superintendent will direct the deposit of proceeds into the appropriate general fund, special fund, or activity account. (02/17/2014)
7450 Property Inventory:
Prior to leaving for the summer but not later than June 30, each teacher or staff member will complete and submit to the building principal or business office Form 7450 (Inventory) for each classroom or area for which he or she has primary responsibility. The form may be completed and submitted either electronically or in print (see below). The district is not responsible for personal items left on district property. (05/05/2010).
7540.02 Student Photographs on the Web:
Photographs of students may be posted on district or district-affiliated web pages without specific permission or notice per posting, if names do not appear with the photographs. If a student's name is to be used, prior permission from a parent will be required.
8220 School Closings, Delays, and Early Dismissals:
In accordance with BOE Policy 8220 (School Day) the superintendent or his/her designee will order the closing of school when weather, road, or other conditions make the transport of students to school or their continued presence in school unsafe or unwise.
In the event that the National Weather Service issues a tornado watch or warning or severe thunderstorm warning for all or part of the school district before school begins for the day, the superintendent shall order the delay or closing of school.
If a tornado watch is issued once students are at or on their way to school, the superintendent will monitor developing conditions and may commence procedures for the safe transport home of students. If a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning is issued once students are at or on their way to school, students will be sheltered or housed according to plan until the warning is lifted, and the superintendent will make a determination to continue with school or dismiss early as appropriate.
With regard to winter weather conditions and warnings, the superintendent will check road conditions and monitor the National Weather Service and local forecasts in making the decision to delay the start of school or to cancel school for the day.
If a severe weather warning or deteriorating weather conditions make it unsafe to dismiss students at their normal time, the superintendent will order that they be held at school and sheltered according to plan until such time as the warning is lifted and/or conditions are safe for the release and transport of students.
The East Leroy Elementary School principal or his/her designee will have discretion on the holding of recess indoors or outdoors throughout the day. Official temperatures, Real Feel, and wind chills will be taken from the National Weather Service or AccuWeather.
When school is closed due to weather conditions, all student activities for the day and evening are automatically canceled. This includes athletic practices and contests, concerts, club meetings, etc. If school is delayed in the morning, activities for the afternoon and evening may be presumed to proceed as scheduled, unless otherwise notified. Afternoon and evening activities may also be canceled due to weather or other conditions, even if school was held that day, based on conditions and circumstances. With regard to state tournaments or contests (e.g., MHSAA district, regional, etc.), the administration reserves discretion to allow participation or hosting if deemed safe for student participants. (Rev. 02/03/14)
8500.01 Hot Lunch Prices:
The food service director will complete the PLE tool from the Child Nutrition Program of the USDA each year to determine any need for change in hot lunch prices. (12/16/2014)
9150 School Visitors:
In accordance with Board of Education Policy, all visitors to school are required to check in at school offices. Any person wishing to visit a classroom should schedule that visit at least twenty-four hours ahead of time through the office, which will consult with the teacher. Agency visitors who need to see students are requested to schedule twenty-four hours in advance when possible, call ahead if a same-day visit is necessary, or be prepared to wait until the student may be called to the office without disrupting his/her educational process or that of the class. State and county agents with legal authority to see students will not be refused. (09/17/2013)
9210 Charitable Organizations & Solicitations:
Consistent with revisions to the Charitable Organizations and Solicitations Act made the Michigan Legislature in December 2010, any charitable organization wishing to use the name or symbols of the school district must first obtain written permission by applying in writing to the superintendent and satisfying any and all questions the superintendent may pose. All charitable organizations that receive such permission remain independent legal entities and are not under the direction or control of the school district. (06/01/11)
