ACES All Children Excel in School After School Program Parent Handbook PANAMA-BUENA VISTA UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT 4200 Ashe Road Bakersfield, CA 93313 Excellence in Education
All Children Excel in School PANAMA-BUENA VISTA UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY The ACES program believes that all children can reach high standards and supports their growth and development by addressing their academic, physical, and safety needs. It is the intent of the program to expand learning beyond the classroom walls and to build participants leadership skills and positive character traits. ACES hopes to support and enhance daily classroom instruction, while encouraging creativity, imagination, and flexibility. The ACES program will support the involvement of 80-100 students in grades 2-8 per elementary site and 60-75 students per junior high site in a safe and nurturing after school setting. Students will participate in a variety of activities: individual and group; indoor and outdoor; quiet and active. ACES will provide students with time to work on homework, activities in math and/or reading, and enrichment activities such as sports, drama, music, and service learning. A Site Manager and three to five Program Leaders will operate the program and support its vision. VISION The Vision of the ACES program is to effectively develop the academic skills, physical abilities, and leadership potential of all participants in a safe, after school setting. The ACES program will provide an engaging academic and enrichment curriculum to accomplish its primary goals of helping All Children to Excel in School. This vision supports the District s Mission Statement, The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District learning community provides a safe, supportive environment where all students can ask questions, find answers, reach their full academic potential and become caring, responsible citizens. MISSION The mission of ACES is to provide a safe after school education, enrichment, and youth development program for second through eighth grade students in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District.
GOALS Our program goals include: Providing an emotionally and physically safe environment to ensure the wellbeing and development of the students Impacting the academic achievement of students and mastery of the California State and Common Core Standards through hands-on lessons, experiments, and staff assistance with student homework, all in alignment with the instructional day Building relationships between students, staff, families, and the community through activities which provide for the development of leadership, communication, and decision making skills Incorporating the values, goals, and expectations of the people who have a vested interest in the creation of a program which strives to meet the needs of students, staff, and community Developing an atmosphere that encourages students to become responsible citizens who reflect on the past, explore the present, and are prepared for the future ACES fosters the development of lifelong learners by integrating content areas through reading and literature; by providing lessons that accommodate multiple learning and teaching styles; and by supporting teaching and learning through the content areas. In support of this mission, ACES recognizes a child s individual needs and attributes; understands the need for active involvement; promotes cultural sensitivity and awareness; encourages participation, cooperation and creative expression, and strengthens academic skills. STUDENT COMPONENTS ACES operates Monday through Friday from school dismissal time to 6:00 p.m., throughout the school year. The ACES staff will remain with the students throughout the afternoon program, which includes snacks, homework and/or tutoring assistance, enrichment activities linked to core academic curriculum, recreation, and prevention/intervention activities. HOMEWORK/RECREATION/ENRICHMENT/ACTIVITIES Students are provided with time to complete homework, specific tutoring in math and/or reading every day, physical education, and enrichment activities such as sports, drama, cooking, dance, and service learning. Children will have an opportunity to complete assigned homework in accordance with District grade level guidelines on appropriate homework time increments. The after school program does not guarantee that all homework will be completed and completed with 100% accuracy. Homework is one of several required program components that must occur each day, so homework time will be limited.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND FIELD TRIPS Special Events and Field Trips are designed to enhance the overall after school program. Events will be designed to promote learning and/or self-esteem. Students will be included in planning these events and trips when appropriate. ATTENDANCE/SIGN OUT The ACES program is NOT a drop-in program. Participation in ACES is a privilege and daily attendance is mandatory. Enrollment means attending five days per week for three hours or until 6:00 p.m. Students with more than three (3) unexcused absences will be asked to leave the program to make room for children on the waiting list. Students may attend the after school program only when they attend school. Students who are suspended from school cannot attend ACES and the absence will count as unexcused. Children are expected to stay for the entire three hour program every day. Excused absences include illness, occasional appointments such as doctor, dentist, and court mandated appointments. Should the number of excused absences become excessive, written documentation will be required from the doctor or court. Parents should send a note explaining the reason for the absence. Legitimate family emergencies such as death, accidents, sudden illness, or hospitalization do occasionally occur and will be counted as excused absences. Excessive emergencies will require a note from a doctor or court or be counted as unexcused. Attendance will be taken each day by Program Leaders. If a student is absent, the Site Manager will check to see if the student was in school during the school day. Immediate follow-up with parents/guardians will occur when students are not in attendance in the after school program, but were in attendance during the instructional day. Students must be signed out of the program each day. At the end of the day, students will be signed out by either parent/guardian or their adult designee. Students will not be released to anyone not listed on the emergency card. Changes or additions to the card must be in writing. The ACES program staff will not accept verbal/telephone requests to allow someone not on the emergency card to pick up a child in the program. Older siblings are not allowed to sign out students unless they are 16 years of age or older. Photo identification is required when signing out students. This is especially important when a parent, guardian or designee is not known to the ACES staff. The ACES staff can be the designee, releasing students to walk home as per written parent/guardian instructions. The child must be picked up promptly at the end of the program or by 6:00 p.m. If the child has not been picked up by the end of the program, the staff will try to contact the parent or the designees or others designated as emergency contacts. If no one is available to pick up the child, the staff will contact local law enforcement to take custody of the child. Three unexcused early or late pick-ups equals one unexcused absence, which may result in a child being dropped from the after school program. Excessively late pick up may result in immediate dismissal from the program.
EARLY RELEASE POLICY Funding for the ACES program is generated by attendance. It is critical that the students enrolled attend daily for the three hour minimum time requirement. Parents wishing to pick up their child early may do so for pre-approved activities that are in the best interest of the child. These activities can include, but are not limited to organized sports participation, music lessons, religious activities, or legitimate family emergencies. Parents should provide written proof of participation in the activity to the Site Manager in advance. Students who walk home and have a signed dismissal selection form on file with the ACES Site Manager will be released to walk home 20 minutes before sunset. Early pick up of students by parents prior to the end of the program day without proper advance written notification to the Site Manager will be considered as an unexcused absence and may result in the student being dropped from the program. Families with special situations need to discuss those situations with the Site Manager prior to enrolling the student in the program. DISCIPLINE It is our goal to be able to share something positive about your child with you each day that we have an opportunity for a conversation. However, some days we will need to share with you something about your child s behavior that is inappropriate. Please support our after school program by providing input into ways to help your child. Students, staff, and parents will be required to sign the ACES Commitment to Success contract stating that they will follow the agreements of the program. The agreements include the following: be responsible, be respectful, be safe, and have fun. In addition to these agreements all rules that apply during the instructional school day apply during ACES. Please refer to the school handbook for detailed school rules. We believe in discipline not punishment. The difference, we believe, is that discipline is proactive and punishment is reactive. There is a difference between inappropriate behavior that is unacceptable because it is disruptive, irresponsible, or disrespectful, and behavior that is unsafe and causes harm to others. Therefore, our discipline procedure is two-fold. If your student is causing harm to him/herself or others, he/she will be immediately sent to the Site Manager. This is considered a strike in the Three Strike system. The Site Manager will determine the appropriate course of action which could include a telephone conversation with you, asking that you pick the child up immediately, suspending the child from the program for 1-3 days, and communicating the incident to the principal. If your student is being disruptive, irresponsible, or disrespectful, our discipline procedure is different. The following are the discipline steps: 1. Warning: Inappropriate behavior is discussed with the student and the student is told that continued behavior will result in a time-out. Program Leader restates the program s expectation of behavior. 2. Time Out: Should inappropriate behavior continue, student is given a time-out. Behavior is discussed; Program Leader restates the program s expectation of behavior. Student is advised that should the behavior continue, the student will be sent to another classroom.
3. Sent to Another Classroom: Should the behavior continue, student is sent to another classroom. Program Leader restates the program s expectation of behavior. Parent and student are both advised that should the behavior continue, the student will be sent to the Site Manager. 4. Sent to Site Manager: This is considered a strike in the Three Strike system. The Site Manager will discuss the behavior with the child and the parent. Parents are advised that continued inappropriate behavior will result in removal from the program. After three disciplinary visits to the Site Manager (Three Strikes) the student will be dropped from the program. A letter will be sent to the parents when a child is sent to the Site Manager advising them of the number of strikes the child has received. 5. Site Manager follows up with the parent, advising them of positive changes or the student s removal from the program. Participation in the ACES program is a privilege not a right. Students are expected to behave appropriately at all times. School rules are applicable at each site. There are three offenses that will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic Strike #2 or Strike #3 offense depending upon the nature of the offense. They are: Physical violence/intimidation Severe defiance/disrespect Destruction of school property or theft Each student will be given a fair chance to begin again each day. CUSTODY DISPUTES Occasionally problems arise between parents concerning the contact of a student at school, pick up, or days of attendance by one or the other parent involved in divorce disputes. Parents/guardians must understand that the school district will not be involved in divorce disputes or related issues. Questions, concerns, or information relating to custody matters should be directed to the school principal, the ACES program coordinator, or the school district superintendent. Local law enforcement will be called in the event of a dispute that causes a threat to the ACES staff and students. Should an attorney who represents the minor child(ren) or either parent require information, the attorney will be directed to make initial contact through the school superintendent or school principal. No ACES employee will be required to talk to an attorney without an attorney for the district being present. DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM Although every effort is made to accommodate the children, our program is not designed for all children. When challenges manifest after enrollment, and it is determined that the needs of the child cannot be accommodated by reasonable measures, we reserve the right to require that parents withdraw the child from the program. Acceptance into the program is always conditional upon the child s ability to function within the structure and staffing of the program. Parents are a critical partner with the ACES program, and your support is essential. Parents are expected to be respectful when dealing with the ACES staff. Parents cannot speak to students other than their own, regarding any issues that may have occurred. School staff can never
provide information about other students or their families. Parents cannot verbally or physically threaten another parent, student, or staff member or evoke violence of any sort on campus. Parents not conducting themselves in a mature, respectful manner will be asked to leave the campus and may result in their children being dropped from the ACES program. ADMISSION/ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM Conditional acceptance in the ACES program does not guarantee the approval of an inter-district or intra-district transfer. Prior to enrollment parents/guardians must attend an informational meeting in the spring or meet with the site manager once the school year has begun. If you have questions or concerns, you should begin by discussing those with the Program Leader and the Site Manager. Working together, we can make a difference in the lives of the children we share.