West Branch Warrior Alternative Classroom

Transcription

1 West Branch Warrior Alternative Classroom Revised May 2017 Table of Contents Overview 2 1

2 Warrior Alternative Classroom Program Guidelines 2 Warrior Alternative Classroom Guidelines Compliance 3 Student Attitude 3 Student Conduct 3 Attendance and Tardiness 4 Grading Policy 5 Referral & Enrollment Process 6 Daily Schedule 6 Restrictions 7 Miscellaneous Information 7 Appendix 8 Student Referral Form 9 Student/Parent Contract 10 Communication Log 11 Progress Report 12 Student Response Sheet 13 OVERVIEW Our alternative educational opportunity program, titled the Warrior Alternative Classroom, is designed for identified students in grades 9-12 as an educational option as described in the current General Policy Book adopted by the Board of Education. As such, it is an extension of the classroom and is subject to procedures approved by the Board of Education and the Superintendent. 2

3 Specific goals of this program are: 1. Provide an alternative academic educational program for students who are unable to find success in the traditional educational setting because of excessive failures, chronic attendance problems, chronic disruptive behavior at school and at home as determined by the building principal or superintendent. 2. Provide an alternative educational program for students in grades 9-12 who have been expelled or in lieu of expulsion. 3. To provide appropriate counseling services, educational experiences, and interventions that are designed to assist the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s) in coping with social and/or personal problems so that the student will be better equipped to succeed when he/she returns to the traditional classroom setting. Alternative School Program Guidelines The Warrior Alternative Classroom is a program that provides parents and their son/daughter an educational option to lost education due to possible truancy, suspension, expulsion, or court action. These penalties are withheld until the program is successfully completed. With firm expectations of parents and students, as stated in the agreement of the Warrior Alternative Classroom Contract, the program is very structured and each student s conduct and progress is closely monitored. The program affords students an opportunity to receive academic and attendance credit as well as improve conflict resolution and decision making skills. Online instruction is provided in the core curriculum: English, Math, Science and Social Studies, with a skillsbased emphasis. Students are provided with assignments to complete at an independent functioning level. Learning outcomes that prepare students for the state End of Course Exams are a primary focus. All instruction is in accordance with Ohio Department of Education s recommended Content Standards. Counseling may also be provided by local agencies or school personnel. Additionally, students may participate in community service and cooperative learning activities to successfully complete the program. The West Branch Local School District s philosophy is to attempt to resolve discipline problems by corrective means, short of exclusion from school. The Warrior Alternative Classroom will make a strong, positive effort to keep students in an educational setting and pursue the goal of education for every child. Students must recognize, however, that reasonable exercise of authority by school officials is necessary to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning. Good discipline requires mutual respect wherein everyone agrees that no one has the right to disrupt or threaten the education of others. It is with this understanding that students and parents sign the Warrior Alternative Classroom Contract, pledging their cooperation and responsibility to follow the expectations and procedures of the Warrior Alternative Classroom to insure a successful completion of an assignment. Alternative Classroom Guidelines Compliance All of the rules and procedures for Warrior Alternative Classroom are made for the safety and security of students and staff. All students will be expected to know, follow and abide by them. Education must take place in a safe and secure environment. The goal of the program is to provide each student an opportunity to remain current with his/her core academic courses while learning improved decision-making skills. Any act of inappropriate conduct may result in denial of the alternative school assignment and lead to other corrective means as defined in the West Branch Local School s Discipline Policy. The staff of the West Branch Local 3

4 School District and the Warrior Alternative Classroom reserves the right to remove any student who is in violation of the Student Conduct Code and Board adopted discipline policy. The program monitor will outline class expectations, procedures and guidelines to insure an orderly learning environment. The rules in each classroom are: 1. Be respectful of people and property 2. Be here 3. Be productive 4. Students will be accountable for their own behavior at all times. Parents and/or students may schedule a conference to ask questions for clarity about the program or any rules or procedures by contacting the District Coordinator, Mr. Mike Helm, at Student Attitude Students are to be orderly and respectful as they interact with the staff, other students, or our neighbors in the community. Warrior Alternative Classroom wants all students to be a source of pride for themselves and for the school. Successful cooperation in following the Warrior Alternative Classroom guidelines and academic program could result in a recommendation for early release from the alternative school assignment as well as other privileges and positive recognitions. Student Conduct Violation of Major Offenses: Any student who is in violation of the school district s conduct policy, as it applies to Major Offenses, will be suspended for 10 days from Warrior Alternative Classroom and will be recommended for suspension/expulsion from the program. Referral to Juvenile Court may also occur depending on the severity of the incident. Appeals for suspension and/or expulsions will be directed to the District Liaison. Major Offenses include: Alcohol and Drugs Truancy Assault/Fighting Theft Assaulting a Staff Member False Fire Alarm Smoking and/or Possession of Tobacco Material Harassment/Hazing Disrespect and Disobedience (serious offense) Disruption of School (serious offense) Misconduct that is disruptive or harmful to others (serious) Destruction of School or Private Property Violation of Minor Offenses: Any student who is in violation of Minor Offenses will be dealt with in the following manner: 4

5 Step #1: Step #2: Step #3: Student will have a conference with the district liaison and will be required to fill out a Student Response Sheet (Appendix #1) to identify the problem and help develop a solution. Additional days may be added if the program monitor and district liaison feel that a student is not following established procedures. Furthermore, after-school detention may be assigned by the program monitor for minor offenses. The parent will be contacted. If the student continues to have difficulty, the parent will be contacted and the student will be placed on probation. Additional disciplinary action may be taken. If the difficulty persists the student will be suspended for 10 days from Warrior Alternative Classroom with a recommendation for expulsion from the program. Appeals for suspension and/or expulsion will be directed to the district liaison. Minor Violations Include: Dress Code Violation Class disturbance Physical Display of Affection Hall Pass Violation Profanity or Vulgarity Writing on Desks, Walls, Etc. Tardiness Littering General Misconduct Cheating/Plagiarism Distribution of Unauthorized Materials Attendance and Tardiness Good attendance and academic success go hand in hand. Any absence is certain to have a negative effect on a student s progress and results in loss of learning. The staff of the Warrior Alternative Classroom urges that each student strive for perfect attendance. Students are expected to attend school regularly and arrive on time. When an absence or tardy is necessary, only a parent/guardian must call West Branch High School at or West Branch Middle School at before 7:25 a.m. to report the tardy or absence. Excused absences must be verified by a doctor s note, court summons, or parent s note. This documentation must be presented upon the student s return in addition to the previous notification by telephone. An excused absence allows the student to make up missed assignments/projects without penalty; it does not nullify the absence. Excessive excused absences may affect the successful completion of the program. Early dismissals are handled in the same manner as excused absences. Parents or guardians must telephone to request an early dismissal. The alternative school will then be notified and the student will be escorted for release to the parent or guardian. Unexcused absences are considered truancy and will result in suspension and/or referral to the Juvenile Court. Grades, Report Cards, Promotion, Credits and Graduation Grades: Parents may check progress, at any time, by using the website and student login. Warrior Alternative Classroom uses the grading scale adopted by our district: 5

6 A B C D Below 65 F In order to pass a course and receive credit, the student s final average must be above at or above 65%. Report Cards: Students will receive a report card commensurate with their grade level reflecting their progress in each of the Warrior Alternative Classroom and/or brick and mortar classes they have enrolled in. Promotion/Retention: Students enrolled in Warrior Alternative Classroom will adhere to the West Branch Local Schools Board Policies concerning promotion or retention. Credits: Students earn class status by the number of hours passed per State of Ohio and West Branch Local Schools Board requirements. Graduation Requirements / State Testing Requirements: Students must earn 21 credits to comply with Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and West Branch Local Schools graduation requirements. A student must successfully complete all graduation requirements in order to participate in the graduation ceremony and receive a diploma. This includes successfully completing all local and state requirements. To be eligible for graduation, all required credits must be completed and the student must pass all Ohio Graduation tests. Referral & Enrollment Process The referral process will originate from one of four sources: 1. The Superintendent; 2. The Middle School or High School Administrator; 3. The Director of Special Services; 4. School Guidance Counselors. The party referring a student must complete, in detail, the Warrior Alternative Classroom Referral Form and submit the form to the district coordinator. The district coordinator will then schedule a mandatory meeting with the student, parent/guardian, the person who referred the student, program supervisor, program coordinator and guidance counselor. Unless the student is of majority age, concurrence from the parent or guardian is necessary. This meeting should be scheduled within 48 hours of receipt of the referral. It will then be determined at this meeting if the student will be enrolled in the program. 6

7 In order for the Warrior Alternative Classroom to be successful, the parents must agree to support all of the conditions related to their child s participation in the program. The parties involved in the meeting will be informed of the existing conditions and develop any additional conditions agreed upon by all parties. The student and the parent must then sign a Warrior Alternative Classroom Contract that contains these conditions. Violation of any of these terms could result in the removal of the student from the program. Daily Schedule 7:30am-11:30am If a student uses school transportation, they can continue to do so in the morning unless their referral to the alternative classroom was based on bus misconduct. If this is the case, the parent will be responsible for transportation. Upon arrival, students will meet in the West Branch High School Office/Cafeteria each morning. Attendance will be taken by the Warrior Alternative Classroom Staff, and the students may eat breakfast if they so choose. The students will remain in the front of the cafeteria prior to being escorted to the school site. The Warrior Alternative Classroom will hold its classes at West Branch High School complex located at: Main Street Beloit, Ohio The daily schedule will be: 7:15-7:30 Arrival, Attendance, Administrative Duties, Breakfast 7:30-11:30 Academic Periods (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies, etc.) 10:30-10:50 Lunch Break (students escorted to W.B.H.S. cafeteria) Restrictions Students who are enrolled in the Warrior Alternative Classroom are not allowed to be on school property at any time other than their scheduled class times. They are not allowed to participate in or attend any school activities such as: sporting events, dances, plays, concerts, club meetings, banquets, etc. If the student is not using school transportation, arrangements must be made by parents to have their child arrive no sooner than 7:05 a.m. and be picked up no later than 2:30 p.m. (Students may report directly to the Warrior Alternative Classroom and be picked up there as well.) Miscellaneous Information 7

8 Medication Policy - Except as otherwise required by federal law and except for administering emergency care of treatment at the scene of an emergency, West Branch School Employees and employees of the Warrior Alternative Classroom will not administer medications of any kind to students. In the case that students must take prescription medication at school, they must obtain the proper form from the school office and have it filled out by their parents and physician. Electronic Games, Gadgets, and Players are not to be brought to class. This includes, but is not limited to: beepers, computer games, radios, televisions, tape players, personal stereos, headsets, cellular phones, laser pointers, etc. Such items, if brought, will be confiscated by the Warrior Alternative Classroom staff. Fire Drill Regulations - If the fire alarm is activated during class time, all students should exit the room in an orderly fashion and leave the building through the nearest exit. Class Capacity - No more than 10 students will be allowed to be enrolled at any one time. If the class is at capacity, new enrollments may be denied or delayed. 8

9 APPENDIX and FORMS PACKET Warrior Alternative Classroom STUDENT REFERRAL FORM Student Name: Date: Current Address: Phone # D.O.B.: Age: Sex: Grade: Parent/Guardian: Parent Work Phone (if applicable) Social Security Number Home School Principal Counselor Method of Transportation 9

10 State Tests Passed: Reason for Referral: Juvenile Court Status: On Probation Probation Officer s Name Phone Number Not on Probation Court Referral Pending Please include copies of all of the following items where applicable: Emergency Medical Card Report Card/Interim Report Attendance Data Class Schedule Discipline Report Court Report IEP Person completing referral: Date Send completed form to: Building Counselor Building a Brighter Future Warrior Alternative Classroom STUDENT/PARENT CONTRACT We understand that West Branch Local School District s alternative educational opportunity program, Warrior Alternative Classroom, is a privilege and not a right. We hereby agree to follow all of the rules, regulations and guidelines as stated in the Warrior Alternative Classroom Student/Parent Handbook. In addition to the terms set in the handbook the parties involved have agreed upon the following conditions or goals: 1. That will complete courses in this program as stated in the referral. We further agree to maintain attendance and to comply with the rules and regulations of the program 2. Students will make entries in their completion log on a daily basis. 10

11 3. An accurate record of all work completed will be kept by both the student and staff (Warrior Alternative Classroom - Assignment Sheet). Ultimately it is my responsibility to complete all assigned work and return it to the proper teacher. Failure to do so will result in a loss of credit.. (Student Initial ) 4. I understand the reasons for my placement at the Alternative School is due to and will make every attempt to correct this problem by following the goals that I have set for myself: a. b. c. d. ** We further understand that violation of any of the terms and conditions listed above may result in the removal of the student from the program or expulsion. Student s Signature Parent s Signature District Liaison Date Date Date Classroom Supervisor Warrior Alternative Classroom Student Completion Log Date To insure that each student that is enrolled in the Warrior Alternative Classroom is successful in his or her endeavors, it is imperative that the lines of communication remain open between the parent/guardian, students, classroom teachers, and building administrators. Each student enrolled in the Warrior Alternative Classroom will be required to keep a daily log of activities to share with all parties involved. Date Activities Completed Staff Initials 11

12 Warrior Alternative Classroom Progress Report Reviewed Weekly/Monthly Name Date Reason for enrollment in alternative school: PROGRESS: CONCERNS: SPECIAL PROBLEMS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS(if any): 12

13 OTHER COMMENTS: ANY DISCIPLINARY ACTION TAKEN (if so please describe): OTHER OBSERVATIONS: Supervisor s Signature Student Signature Date Date STUDENT RESPONSE SHEET Name Date 1. In your own words describe what happened. 2. How did the people involved react to your behavior? 3. What were at least three things you could have done to avoid the situation? 13

14 4. What will you do in the future to avoid similar situations? Signature of Student Signature of Staff Involved 14