Elon Park Elementary - Endhaven Staff



Endhaven Elementary

Staff Handbook

2017-2018

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6815 Endhaven Lane

Charlotte, NC 28277

(980) 343-5436 [PH]

(980) 343-5437 [FAX]

School Website:

Staff Website: endhavenstaff.

MISSION

Nurturing students’ interests to build, enhance, and sustain 21st century skills while preparing students for a college or career path.

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VISION

Our responsibility is to provide students with a strong foundation in literacy and math, implement differentiated learning across all disciplines, and enhance 21st century skills to prepare students for a global society. The students will gain skills to become effective communicators, collaborators, critical thinkers, and creators through a STEM focus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

|Staff/School Policies and Procedures |Page |

|School Hours & Information |6 |

|Tardiness & Absences |6-7 |

|Arrival/Morning Procedures |7 |

|Dismissal/Afternoon Procedures |7 |

|Arrive Late/Leave Early or Request to Leave Campus |7-8 |

|My Talent/Staff Evaluation |8 |

|Time Clock |8 |

|Dress Code |8-9 |

|Building Security |9-10 |

|Grade Level Team Leader |10 |

|Telephones |10 |

|PTA |10 |

|Attendance at School Functions |11 |

|Staff Members Children |11 |

|Teacher Workdays |11 |

|Bulletin Boards & Classroom Displays |11-12 |

|School Cleanliness |12 |

|Financial Matters |12-13 |

|Supplies |13 |

|Copy/Laminating |13 |

|Workroom |13 |

|Furniture/Equipment |13 |

|Inclement Weather |14 |

|After School Activities/Meetings |14 |

|CMS Board Policy |14 |

|Maintenance Requests |14 |

|Main Office Professionalism |14 |

| | |

|Student Policies and Procedures |Page |

|Attendance & Tardies |15 |

|Dismissal for Students |16 |

|Office Protocols |16 |

|School Safety/Crisis Plan |16-18 |

|Health Room & Medication |18 |

|Accidents |19 |

|Student Discipline |19-20 |

|Student Dress |20-21 |

|Cafeteria Procedures |21-22 |

|Food in the Classroom |22 |

|Birthday Celebrations |22 |

|Hallway Procedures & Expectations |22-23 |

|Recess |23 |

|Field Trips |23-24 |

|School Bus Safety |24 |

|Confidentiality |24 |

|Chile Abuse/DSS Referrals |24-25 |

|Internet Access Policy |25 |

|Book Clubs & Magazine Subscriptions |25 |

|Lost & Found |25 |

|Student ID Tags & Hall Passes |25 |

|Cumulative Folders |25 |

|Class Parties |25 |

| | |

|Curriculum & Instruction |Page |

|Curriculum |26 |

|Atmosphere of Learning |26 |

|Planning |26 |

|Daily Learning Objectives |27 |

|Lesson Plans |27 |

|Daily Schedule |27 |

|MTSS |27-28 |

|504 Plans |28 |

|Exceptional Children & IEPs |28 |

|Grading |29 |

|Report Cards |29 |

|Mid-Quarter Progress Reports |29 |

|Homework |29-30 |

|Projects |30 |

|Promotion & Retention |30 |

|Cursive Writing Expectations |30 |

|Substitute Teachers |31 |

|Technology |31 |

|Talent Development/Gifted Program |31 |

|Video Use in Classrooms |31 |

|Tutoring |31 |

| | |

|In-House Communication |Page |

|General Information |32 |

|Master Calendar |32 |

|Weekly Memo |32 |

|Email Communication |32 |

|Morning Broadcast – CNN |33 |

|Staff Weebly |33 |

|Mailboxes |33 |

|Team Leaders/FAC |33 |

|Staff Meetings/Wednesdays |33 |

|Courier |33 |

|US Mail |33 |

| | |

|External Communication |Page |

|General Parent Communication Information |34 |

|Volunteers |34 |

|Phone Calls |34 |

|Emails |35 |

|Open House & WIN Night |35 |

|Parent Teacher Conferences |35 |

|Weekly Folders |35 |

|Newlsetters |35-36 |

|Cougar Print |36 |

|Classroom Websites |36 |

|School Website |36 |

STAFF POLICIES & PROCEDURES

SCHOOL HOURS & INFORMATION

OPERATING HOURS:

• Students: 8:15 am – 3:15 pm (first bell = 7:45; tardy bell = 8:15 am)

(After 8:15 am, a student is TARDY. If a student leaves for the day before 11:45 pm, he/she is counted absent.)

• Exempt Employees: 7:30 am – 3:30 pm

• Non-exempt Employees: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

• Office: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm

• Building: 6:00 am – 7:00 pm

STAFF MEETINGS:

Please reserve Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for staff meetings, grade chair meetings (if applicable), and/or professional development. Check the master calendar for scheduled meeting dates. Staff members are expected to notify administration if they will be unable to attend a staff meeting of if they will need to leave early/arrive late to a meeting. Please try to avoid scheduling personal appointments on Wednesday afternoons.

Endhaven Staff Weebly: .

TARDINESS & ABSENCES

STAFF TARDINESS:

Certified staff members are expected to report to school by 7:30am except in the case of an emergency, or prior approval for late arrival has been given (see section on Arrive Late/Leave Early passes). If you will be late, please follow the following procedures:

➢ Call the school as soon as you know you will be late. Leave a message if no one answers. Include any relevant information (i.e. anticipated arrival time).

➢ Contact your team and work together to make arrangements for your students.

➢ If you cannot arrive to school by 9:30am, you will need to take a ½ day absence (arrive by 11:30). If you cannot arrive by 11:30, you should take a full day absence or combine a ½ day with an Arrive Late pass (see section on Arrive Late/Leave Early passes).

ABSENCES – CERTIFIED STAFF

Planned Absences

1. It is the teacher’s responsibility to arrange a substitute for planned absences and to provide detailed lesson plans.

2. Fill out a Request for Absence Form (located in the workroom) and turn it in to Shelly as far in advance as possible. Once approved, you will receive the gold copy in your box.

3. Enter your absence and sub in SmartFind

• CMS Intranet (my.cms.k12.nc.us) ( Departments ( Substitute Pool ( SmartFind Express

• OR:

• If you do not have access to the internet, you can also call 980-819-4422 to access SmartFind by phone and enter the absence.

• Contact Shelly if you do not know your ID/password

Unplanned Absences - If you are sick or otherwise did not anticipate being out, please follow the following procedures as soon as you know you will not be at school:

1. Enter absence in the SmartFind Express system ASAP! (See above for how to access SmartFind)

2. Call the school to inform Shelly of absence. If no one answers leave a message!

3. Notify your team and send lesson plans. If no lesson plans are sent, this becomes the team’s responsibility.

4. If you know you will absent again the following day, call the school before 2:00 p.m. and notify Shelly.

5. Complete a Request for Absence Form and submit to Shelly upon your return to work.

ARRIVAL/MORNING PROCEDURES

• Arrival time for all certified staff is 7:30am.

• K-3 Teacher Assistant’s arrival time is 8:00am. (EC & Pre-K TA times vary)

• All staff members are expected to be in their classrooms or assigned duty posts at 7:45am. (See duty schedule on the Staff website, aka: weebly)

• Students will be let off buses and into the building from carpool starting at 7:45am.

• All classroom teachers and other staff members without a specific duty are expected to stand outside their door to greet students and monitor hallways.

• Teachers should have a routine procedure in place for beginning the school day (i.e. morning work)

• Mark student attendance in PowerSchool by 8:30am.

• Submit any afternoon transportation changes to the office as soon as possible.

DISMISSAL/AFTERNOON PROCEDURES

• Dismissal time for students is 3:15.

• Students will be dismissed according to the dismissal schedule posted on the Weebly.

• Teachers are responsible for maintaining updated documentation of how each student goes home. Each classroom teacher should keep an updated dismissal roster in the classroom and provide a copy in the office.

• The classroom environment during pack-up and dismissal should be calm and quiet so that students can ensure that they have all of their personal belongings (lunch box, water bottles, jackets….) as well as all necessary materials to complete their homework (books, notebooks, folders, etc…)

• End of day procedures can include a review of homework assignments, tidying up the classroom/afternoon jobs, etc…

• Any changes in PM transportation must be submitted in writing and turned in to the office prior to dismissal.

ARRIVE LATE/LEAVE EARLY OR REQUEST TO LEAVE CAMPUS

ARRIVE LATE/LEAVE EARLY PASSES:

The staff workday is from 7:30am-3:30pm on most days, exclusive of meetings. If certified staff members find it necessary to arrive late/leave early for any reason, you are to complete an Arrive Late/Leave Early form (located in the teacher workroom) and submit it to Brian or Julie for approval as far in advance as possible. Certified staff is allowed up to 4 hours per semester of arrive late/leave early time. A maximum of 2 hours can be taken in a single day. If you need to leave prior to 1:30 or arrive after 9:30, you will need to take a ½ day absence. This is for licensed staff only. The time you take is tracked and once you reach 4 hours per semester, you will be required to take a ½ day absence. Teachers are responsible for finding coverage for students and duties. Instructional assistants work with small groups throughout the day and cannot be used to cover unless it is authorized by administration. If assistants are unavailable, staff members will need to disperse their students according to their Absorption Plan.  Please be mindful of the impact on your team and your students and use your passes conservatively.

MY TALENT/STAFF EVALUATION

MyTalent is an online application that supports performance evaluations, goal setting, professional development, performance feedback, mentoring/coaching and career exploration for all CMS employees. Through MyTalent, you can register for professional development courses, track renewal credits, access current and archived performance evaluations, set goals through your Professional Development Plan, track mentor/mentee activity and get licensure information.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

All certified staff as well as TAs are required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP) each year in MyTalent. PDPs are intended to ensure that each staff member is working toward his or her own professional growth and development. Beginning teachers must work with their mentor to develop and review their PDP. In some cases, a teacher may be required to develop his/her PDP in consultation with the administrative leadership team in light of teacher need, interest, and evidence supported by all available data. All PDPs must be reviewed and signed three times a year by the teacher and an administrator (BOY, MOY, EOY).

INSERVICE/PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPORTUNITIES

Staff members are expected to complete all PD required by the district and register for courses via My Talent. School-based professional development will also be provided with the opportunity to earn CEUs towards licensure renewal.

NC TEACHER EVALUATION PROCESS

Depending on your years of experience and licensure renewal cycle, certified staff members will be observed either two or three times per school year, on either an abbreviated evaluation (Standards I and IV only) or a standard/comprehensive evaluation (Standards I-V)..Some of these observations will be announced while others will be unannounced. Announced observations require a pre-conference and all observations require a post-conference. The evaluation schedule will be available on the staff Weebly. Observations will be managed through the MyTalent online system.

Instructional Assistants will be evaluated using the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Assistant Performance Appraisal Instrument once per year. This is also managed through the My Talent system.

TIME CLOCK

The time clock will be used to monitor assistant hours. Actual time of arrival and departure must be accurately recorded each day. If for any reason during the school day, TAs must clock out and clock back in once you return to school. It is the responsibility of the instructional assistant to work with Shelly to ensure that proper procedures are being followed regarding the time clock.

DRESS CODE

Remember that being an educator means being professional. Look critically at your dressing style before you leave the house. If anything is questionable, change into something that is neutral. Dressing professionally will help you to gain the respect of your students, parents, and colleagues. Please keep the following in mind:

T-shirts, shorts, jeans, tank tops less than 3 fingers width, athletic pants, and clothing that is tight fitting or revealing should not be worn to school (see exceptions for spirit/themed days below)

Dresses/skirts should be of sufficient length such that they meet the finger tips when standing and arms are extended at the sides.

1. Undergarments should be covered at all times. Clothing that is revealing is considered unprofessional.

2. Hats, scarves covering the majority of the head, etc. are not to be worn unless it is a designated day.

3. Each Friday is a spirit day. School colors or staff shirts may be worn with jeans, or attire appropriate for the monthly themed spirit day. (See school calendar/weekly memo for themed days.)

4. Jeans, t-shirts and/or shorts may be acceptable for teacher workdays, unless you have meetings with parents. Shorts can be worn on Field Day.

5. If you are attending a professional development opportunity off campus, please remember that you are representing Endhaven.

6. The appearance of all staff members should be a credit to our profession. Research indicates that the teacher's manner of dress has a significant impact on the school climate as well as the student's attitude and performance at school. Students will behave in a manner that shows more respect for the teacher who is dressed professionally than for those who are not. Please use good judgment and remember that you are not only representing yourself, but also our school and profession. Staff members should not wear clothing or shoes that are not permitted of students---We provide the example.

BUILDING SECURITY

KEYS:

Each staff member is responsible for his/her room key issued at the beginning of the school year. All classrooms and tutor rooms should be locked when they are not in use.

DOORS:

All doors permitting access to the building should remain locked at all times. This includes exterior classroom doors, which should not be left propped open or unlocked. Interior classroom and tutor room doors are to be locked during the day when the room is not in use, but may remain unlocked when in use. Staff should access the building by using their ID badge at the front entrance. The building is secured each evening at 7:30 p.m. All staff members should plan to be out of the building by 7:00 p.m. at the latest. All staff members must lock their classroom door at the end of the day.

VISITORS:

All parents and visitors must only access the building through the main, front entrance by ringing the bell. The front office must buzz-in all visitors. Please do not open the door for parents or visitors, even if you recognize them. All visitors must immediately report to the main office and sign-in to receive a visitor’s badge. If a visitor walks in the building with you, you must escort them to the office and notify a secretary that a visitor is in the front office. Visitors must have a valid driver’s license or ID to sign-in. All visitors must wear a visitor’s badge for the entire duration they are in the building.

STUDENT SUPERVISION:

Children must be supervised at all times. A student cannot be left alone in the hallway, classroom or tutor room to work.

GRADE LEVEL TEAM LEADER

Each team has a team leader/chairperson. The responsibilities of team leaders are as follows:

1. To represent their team members at monthly grade level chair meetings.

2. To facilitate planning and business meetings with their team.

3. To communicate information to team members.

4. To cooperatively plan with team members for the organization and implementation of the curriculum in accordance with CMS expectations.

5. To requisition, inventory, coordinate, and distribute materials for their grade level.

6. To coordinate the team’s lesson planning with respect to School Improvement Plan initiatives.

7. To assist with the orientation of substitute teachers and new teachers.

8. To serve as the contact person for the grade level.

9. To perform any other duties as assigned by the Administrative Team.

TELEPHONES

CELL PHONES:

Please use professional judgment when using cell phones throughout the school day. Students should be supervised at all times. Cell phone use, including texting, should be kept to a minimum when students are present or during meetings.

PERSONAL CALLS:

When personal calls for staff are received, generally, a member of the office staff will take a message and place it in your mailbox. You will not be called to the telephone unless it is an emergency or you have advised the office staff that you are expecting an important call (please be specific with the time and nature of call). This information should be recorded on the message board in the front office. The office staff realizes that unusual circumstances do arise and they will do their best to accommodate you.

PARENT CALLS:

When communicating about students, always consider making a phone call versus sending information via email or written format. It is often difficult to discern tone in an email. All parent phone calls are to be returned within 24 hours. Make every effort to make good news calls as often as possible.

LONG DISTANCE:

Select telephones in the office have long distance access. If you need to make a long distance phone call, you can do so from one of these phones in the office.

PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA)

The PTA is an integral part of our successful school operation. Certified staff members are expected to support the PTA by their membership, attendance and involvement.

ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL FUNCTIONS

Certified staff members are expected to attend and support school and PTA functions throughout the year as follows:

• Open House – All Licensed Staff

• WIN Night – Classroom Teachers, Licensed Support Staff

• Fall Concert – All Special Area, 2nd & 4th Grade Teachers

• STEM Night – STEM Committee Members

• Holiday Concert – All Special Area, 1st & 5th Grade Teachers

• Family Fitness Night – Health and Wellness Committee

• International Night – Special Area Teachers & SLT/Cultural Outreach Committee

• Spring Concert – Special Area, K & 3rd Grade Teachers

• Math Night – Math Committee Members

• PTA Events such as “Endhaven Eats Out.” Pizza Bingo, Daddy/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Bowling, Spring Carnival, etc, are optional for all staff. However, please remember that our PTA does a lot to support us and they take great care to plan fun events for our families. Please consider supporting these events whenever possible.

The above represents the minimum requirements for attendance at school functions. All staff members are encouraged to attend as many school functions as possible. If you are unable to attend a required function, the principal must be notified.

STAFF MEMBERS’ CHILDREN

• Staff members’ children are not to attend committee or staff meetings that are held on Wednesdays, or attend staff social events.

• On teacher workdays, staff member’s children can be brought to school, but should remain in your classroom/office throughout the day. Children are not to attend any meeting or luncheon the staff is having. Please make arrangements to feed your children another way.

TEACHER WORKDAYS

• If you are taking annual leave on a teacher workday, you should enter the absence in SmartFind as “No Sub Required” (code 20) as well as complete a Request for Absence form and submit to Shelly prior to the workday.

• If you are attending an off campus meeting/PD, you need to enter the absence in SmartFind as “No Sub Required” (code 4) as well as complete a Request for absence form and submit to Shelly prior to the workday.

• If you are working at Endhaven, you must sign-in no later than 10:00am. Staff members who are not signed in by 10am will have an absence reported in SmartFind by Shelly. Shelly will then place the Request for Absence form in your box to be completed where you can indicate the type of leave you would like to take.

BULLETIN BOARDS & CLASSROOM DISPLAYS

Bulletin boards and hallway displays should be kept neat, kid friendly and updated regularly. Kids love to see their work on display so please try to incorporate student work regularly. Check student work for spelling, punctuation, etc., before the work is displayed. This includes club posters, announcements, signs, etc. that may be displayed at different times throughout the year. Keep your standards high and students will live up to them! If unedited work is displayed on bulletin boards, this should be noted on the board.

Appropriate displays should be featured in the classroom as well. Children’s work samples, including are and curriculum displays are ideal, Use of commercial, store-bought items should be limited. Do not hang materials from the ceiling. Classrooms should be inviting to students but not cluttered.

SCHOOL CLEANLINESS

Care and maintenance of the school building is the obligation of every member of the staff. Teachers should show and express pride in their classrooms, and throughout school grounds. Setting high expectations and cleanliness can do this.

CLASSROOM CLEANLINESS/CUSTODIAL SERVICES

Bathrooms, classroom sinks and floors will be cleaned daily. Students and teachers can assist our custodial staff greatly by establishing routine, end-of-day procedures for picking up paper, clips, pencils and crayons from the floor, cleaning out desks and cubbies, and putting materials away properly before leaving. All chairs should be stacked at the end of the day. Food, bottles and lunch boxes in classrooms and desks attract insects. Please see that these are removed or thrown away at the end of the day.

OUTSIDE

When coming in from recess, please remind students to gather all personal belongings and dispose of any trash they see lying around. Each grade level will be responsible for keeping an area of the school grounds free of trash and litter. The Health and Wellness committee will assign areas. Grade levels should develop a schedule to be sure they are keeping up with their assigned area.

TEACHER’S LOUNGE

The staff lounge should be kept neat and tidy for all to enjoy. When you have finished with sodas or snacks, be sure to discard all trash so that the next person can enjoy a clean room. Do not leave dirty dishes, pots, or trays in the sink or on the counter. All cafeteria dishes, utensils, and trays must be returned immediately to the cafeteria. The faculty lounge and soft drink machine are off-limits to students. If you use the microwave, please be sure to clean up any spills or splatters in the microwave.

Refrigerator: At the end of each Quarter, it is the responsibility of the Sunshine Committee to clean out the refrigerator. Anything left in the refrigerator at the end of each quarter will be thrown out at the discretion of the Sunshine Committee.

FINANCIAL MATTERS

TEACHER RECEIPT BOOKS AND TURN-IN SHEETS

Any money collected from students must be receipted and turned in to Shelly by 10:00 a.m. the day the student gives it to you. Do not take money home with you to write the receipts. This includes money for field trips, lost/damaged textbooks, or library books, etc. The original receipt (top, white copy) should be given to the student at the time money is collected. All money must stay at school and be turned in for processing on the day it is received from the student.

Please complete the money turn-in form (provided by Shelly) and submit to Shelly, who will return a receipt to you for your day’s collection.

It is imperative that everyone follows these guidelines for receipting money. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask for assistance.

Insurance and picture money do not need to be receipted. Picture money should be submitted to the office on a daily basis. Student Accident Insurance forms will be distributed in the student orientation packets. Parents and/or guardians should mail the application with payment directly to the insurance company.

SUPPLIES

As you need supplies such as staples, pencils, etc., fill out an order form (located in the workroom & on the Weebly) and submit it to Shelly. Any supplies not used should be returned to Shelly for restocking. Students are responsible for supplying the following: crayons, colored pencils, notebook paper, pencils, scissors, and glue sticks.

COPYING / LAMINATING / CLERICAL

Ms. Bukhari is the designated TA for clerical work, including copying and laminating. Please utilize her for clerical needs as our other TAs work closely with student groups throughout the day and have limited time for clerical work. Ms. Bukhari will share the procedures to follow for submitting items to be copied or laminated at the beginning of the year. Please be sure to read and follow those, and be mindful of turnaround time for receiving your copies. Also, Ms. Bukhari is also pulled to sub for teachers in emergency situations, which may cause further delays in receiving copies. It is best to be prepared with a back-up plan and also plan well in advance!!

COPYING:

While teachers are encouraged to utilize Ms. Bukhari for copying, teachers are permitted to make their own copies. Please adhere to the following:

• Each teacher has their own specific code (5 digit CMS employee number) to use when copying.

• Copy machines should be used for 15 or less copies of each original item copied.

• The Risograph (RISO) machines should be used for making class sets of copies (15+)

• Worksheets should be kept to a minimum and should only be used to reinforce skills learned. They should not be the only tools used for assessment. Cooperative learning, hands-on activities, research and group projects, etc. are expected.

• Paper will be kept with the copiers. Teachers will not receive cases of paper.

LAMINATING:

Please submit items to be laminated to Ms. Bukhari. Student work, materials that will be used for only a short time, or materials that are purchased laminated, are not to be laminated.

WORKROOM

Supplies such as pens, pencils, tape, scissors and staples will be available for your use in the workroom. Please make sure you return all of these supplies to their proper location so the next person will have the convenience of using them. If materials need to be replenished, please notify Shelly or Lisa.

FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT

PLEASE do not move furniture to another location in the building without permission from administration. You will be asked for an inventory at the beginning of the year and at the end of the school year. Please do not remove any equipment from your room without permission from Mr. Marino as these are assigned and inventoried to your particular location in MMIS. Computers may never be moved from one location to another.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Occasionally, inclement weather conditions created by snow or other storms may make it difficult for employees to get to work.  The Board of Education, however, makes every effort to remain operational in case of poor weather and will not be closed due to such conditions unless employees have obtained information to the contrary.  If the Board of Education is forced to close schools or other facilities due to adverse weather, employees and students will be notified in accordance with procedures established by the Superintendent. Although no employee should take unnecessary risks, employees are encouraged to report to work as close to their regular work time as possible if facilities remain open. (See Inclement Weather Procedures in CMS Policies & Procedures section.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS

We have several after school clubs and activities sponsored by teachers. The sponsor is responsible for student supervision including safely dismissing all students. It is also the sponsor’s responsibility to remain with any students who are late being picked up and for verifying identity of the person picking the student(s) after the club. If you have meetings with parents after school, please meet them in the office/lobby and escort them up. Keep in mind that the office closes at 4:00 and there will not be anyone to buzz-in visitors after this time.

CMS BOARD POLICIES

All staff members should be familiar with all CMS board policies. The Board of Education Policy Book is available here: and can also be accessed through the Endhaven Weebly.

MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

All maintenance requests must be submitted in writing to Shelly.

MAIN OFFICE PROFESSIONALISM

The school office is for conducting school business. Please do not hold conferences, long conversations, or make phone calls in the office as it interrupts normal operations. When you do have business to conduct in the office, please do so quietly so as not to cause disruptions to office staff, allowing them to conduct normal operations such as phone conversations, front door management, and assisting parents and visitors. A professional work environment must be maintained at all times. Specific students should never be discussed in the main office.

STUDENT POLICIES & PROCEDURES

ATTENDANCE & TARDIES

ATTENDANCE

Maintaining accurate attendance records is the responsibility of the classroom teacher as mandated by North Carolina Statutes. Students or parents should never be given the responsibility of taking daily attendance. Teachers should enter attendance into PowerSchool daily by 8:30am. Students who arrive after 8:15am must be marked tardy by the classroom teacher.

Students are required to be in school each day we are in session unless illness or some other important event prevents attendance. Excused absences, as directed by the State Department of Education, include the following:

• Illness of student

• Death in immediate family

• Quarantine

• Observance of a Religious Holiday

• Court or administrative proceedings

Upon returning to school, the student should provide the teacher with a written excuse note from the parent or guardian indicating the specific reason for the absence, and submit to the office. Teachers should remind students and parents to bring in a note if they do not have it the day they return. We must allow the parent five school days to submit an excuse. The classroom teacher should closely monitor all student absences. The teachers are responsible for making attendance referrals to the counselor. The teacher, counselor and attendance secretary share responsibility for sending out official letters to parents when a student has three, six and ten unexcused absences. The attendance secretary or counselor will assist in getting these letters prepared and mailed at the appropriate times.

TARDIES:

The tardy bell rings at 8:15am.

• Students arriving after 8:15 should report to the office to sign-in and obtain a tardy/admit slip.

• If a student enters the class after 8:15 without a tardy slip: Occasionally, students will be in the hallway on the way to class when the bell rings, or will slip in just after the bell. If a student enters the class without a slip, the teacher should mark the student tardy in PowerSchool and notify the parents (note or email). Please do not send a student to the office for a slip once he/she arrives in your classroom.

• If a student arrives to your class with a tardy slip, that means the parents have signed-in the child in the main office. In this case, the front office will mark the student tardy and there is no need for the teacher to notify parents.

• Students arriving late for school due to a delayed bus are not to be marked tardy or penalized for incomplete morning assignments.

DISMISSAL FOR STUDENTS

PROCEDURES FOR DISMISSAL

Please also see page 7 for dismissal procedures. Teachers should learn how each student in your classroom leaves school each day.

EARLY DISMISSAL OF STUDENTS

For the safety of each child, parents/guardians must come to the office to sign students out for early dismissal. The classroom teacher will be notified by intercom to send the student to the office for dismissal. Do not release students to parents who come to your classroom.

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION

All parents should complete a transportation form at the beginning of the school year. All requests for transportation changes (permanent or temporary) must be sent to the office each morning in your attendance envelope for approval. All transportation changes must be in writing from the parents. Students are not permitted to ride home on a different bus in order to attend a play date. Teachers should check with all students at the beginning of the day concerning transportation changes.

OFFICE PROTOCOLS

The front office area is high traffic area. Please adhere to the following procedures in order to enable the front office run efficiently and effectively:

• When sending students to the office for any reason, always send them with a pass. If the student(s) need assistance from office personnel, please include on the pass who they need to see, the nature of what they need, as well as their full name. Sometimes children find it difficult to articulate their needs which can be frustrating to both the student and office personnel, especially in busier times in the office.

• Do not send students to the front office for a timeout or to wait for an administrator. If you need assistance with a student, teachers should call or otherwise notify the office who will send the first available administrator to assist you (emergency situations excluded).

• Please advise the office of anything happening in your classroom that may cause parents to call the office with inquires (special events, field trips, celebrations, etc.)

• Please advise the office if you are going to be in a location other than what is indicated on the master schedule or alternate schedule provided by admin (i.e. outdoor activity, another team member’s classroom, etc.)

• Turn in immunization records or health assessments to the office as soon as they are brought in by students. Do not hold these forms in your classrooms.

SCHOOL SAFETY/CRISIS PLAN

All staff members must be familiar with the School Safety Plan located on the staff Weebly.

SAFETY AUDITS

CMS auditors will conduct two safety audits each year. Teachers and staff are responsible for being familiar with audit procedures and following the safety/monitoring guidelines provided in the School Safety Plan. Remember to position yourself so that all students can be monitored at all times. In addition, please adhere to the following with regard to student and staff safety:

• Students must be supervised at ALL times by a certified teacher or instructional assistant.

• Lock classroom doors and tutor room doors when rooms are not occupied.

• All visitors must have an official VISITOR BADGE visibly displayed.

• Strangers should be reported immediately to the office.

FIRE DRILLS

The purpose of fire exit drills is to ensure the safe evacuation of the building through all available exits. Order and control are the top priorities of the drill. While speed is desirable, it is secondary to the maintenance of proper order and calmness. Proper drills, therefore, should establish habits for an orderly exit and prevent panic in case of an actual fire. Upon the sound of the fire alarm and as directed by the teacher, each class should:

1. Quickly and quietly form a line, without obtaining personal items, and move in an orderly line, without running, toward exits. Teachers should walk beside the class.

2. Have the first child in line hold the door for the remainder of the class; have the last student out of the room shut the door.

3. Leave in an orderly fashion and return likewise.

4. Staff members must be familiar with all exit maps. Exit maps must be posted in each classroom.

5. Proceed to a pre-determined point on the grounds, sufficiently far away from the building and out of the way of other groups and fire department operators.

6. Students should stand in a silent and orderly line until the signal for return to the building is given.

7. All staff members must exit the building during a fire drill except for those who have a duty, specific to the fire drill.

LOCKDOWN DRILLS

Part of our Safety Audit requires that the building go into “Lockdown Mode” successfully. We will practice a lockdown as a school prior to the Audit team coming in. We would also be required to go into “Lockdown” in the event of an immediate or potential threat to the safety of our staff and students. During a Lockdown, all doors must be secured (locked) and no students or staff should be visible or audible from outside the locked room. An announcement will be made over the intercom for a “Lockdown.” All doors must be locked, including tutor room doors. Cover any interior windows (i.e. windows on classroom doors), close blinds, turn lights off, and gather students in a location where they cannot be seen, typically in a corner of the room on the floor. Make sure that all students remain silent throughout the lockdown. An “ALL-CLEAR” announcement will be made when normal operations can be resumed.

• Substitute teachers must be made aware of lockdown procedures. To ensure the safety of all students, teachers must leave detailed information concerning “LOCKDOWN” procedures in the substitute folder. You are also encouraged to post lockdown procedures near the classroom door.

TORNADO DRILLS

We will have an announced tornado drill each year in accordance with the state-wide tornado drill. Please review procedures for tornado drills in the school safety plan. Please note that at “tornado watch” indicates that weather conditions are appropriate for a potential tornado. A “tornado warning” means that a tornado has been sighted within a 20-mile radius. If our area is under a “tornado warning” all staff and students will follow the protocol for a tornado found in the school safety plan.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

If a medical emergency occurs in the classroom, the front office should be called immediately. Be prepared to give a brief description of the emergency and your room number or location so that the information can be conveyed to our first responders. An Accident Report must be completed for all accidents that occur at school for both students and staff members. This is a liability issue – please make sure you always complete this form.

If you are on the playground when a medical emergency occurs, seek help from another adult on the playground and walkie-talkie the office. If another adult is not available to assist, the teacher should remain with the injured student while sending two students to the front office for help or to obtain the walkie-talkie. In life threatening situations, call 911 immediately and notify the front office.

EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Evacuation maps must be posted by the classroom exit doors. Review procedures with students periodically. Whenever the fire alarm sounds, everyone must evacuate the building immediately. Teachers should take a head count and make sure all students are out of the building. The office staff will call school security and the fire station. We must remain outside until the Fire Marshall has inspected the building and gives the “ALL-CLEAR” to re-enter.

EMERGENCY LOCATOR CARDS

Emergency locator cards are kept on file in the office. It is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure each child has a card on file and that the student’s phone number, address, and parent work numbers are up-to-date.

HEALTH ROOM & MEDICATION

The health room is to be used for emergencies only. Students who appear to be sick or hurt should be sent to the office with a Health Room Pass and the parent/guardian called. Please use sound judgment to determine if a student really needs the services of the health room. Some students are chronic complainers and are frequently sent to the health room unnecessarily. Simply sending students to the health room for a bandage or to wash their hands is not necessary.

A teacher should be reasonably sure that a student’s trip to the health room is required. If you feel that an injury or illness is serious enough to warrant a visit to the health room, parents must be notified. A visit to the health room does not automatically result in a parent contact. It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that parents are contacted.

Teachers will be given a basic supply of first aid materials to use in the classroom for minor emergencies. Please review each child’s cumulative folder carefully and make note of any physical problems (asthma, allergic reactions, etc) of which you should be aware.

A procedure is in place for students who require medication during the course of the school day. A medical plan must be in place for students with severe medical conditions.

Bloodborne Pathogens

The nurse will require all staff members to complete online Bloodborne Pathogens training and sign-off in the health room. All staff members are trained not to touch or attempt to clean up blood, vomit, or any other bodily fluid that doesn’t belong to the individual. Be sure to call to office should you need assistance with any type of bodily fluid that isn’t yours.

ACCIDENTS

A Student Accident Report is to be completed whenever a student is injured on school property or away from school property if the student is being supervised or transported by staff members or volunteers. Minor injuries are to be reported whether or not the child requires treatment from a physician or hospital. The accident report must be completed and filed by the end of that school day. Accident report forms are available in the office. Anytime a student is injured, the office and student’s parent should be notified. It is the teacher’s responsibility to call the parent even if an office staff member has already called the parent.

STUDENT DISCIPLINE

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HANDBOOK

Every staff member should be familiar with the CMS Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Character Education Handbook. This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the expected behavior of students while they are on the bus, at school, and involved in school-sponsored activities. Consequences for inappropriate behavior are clearly spelled out. Please plan to review this handbook with your students on a regular basis.

ENDHAVEN SCHOOL-WIDE DISCIPLINE PLAN

Endhaven’s School-Wide Discipline Plan located on the Weebly. Each teacher is responsible for Tier I of the school-wide behavior plan. While teachers will vary in their individual tolerance levels for certain behaviors, all staff members should:

1. Keep students actively engaged throughout the class period with meaningful learning activities. Your enthusiasm and sincerity toward your own lessons and activities will go a long way toward positive student behavior.

2. Use positive rather than negative means to manage student behavior whenever possible

3. Maintain quiet and orderly hallways at all times

4. Review and enforce cafeteria expectations regularly.

5. Review and post procedures for morning arrival and afternoon dismissal

6. Post class and school rules – let the students know your expectations and be consistent with the enforcement of the rules.

7. Arrive on time to pick up your students from lunch, special area classes, etc

8. Develop alternate or individualized behavior plans when the established classroom management plan is not effective.

Students must not be escorted or dropped off in the office for misbehavior. Teachers should call the office to request and administrator if a child needs to be removed from the classroom. Discipline should be handled in private and with professional dignity. Other children in a class do not need to be exposed to a teacher/child confrontation. Please be aware of guests and parents who may be visiting. It is inappropriate to discuss discipline problems in the front office or common areas as student confidentiality must be maintained at all times. Do not discuss a child with another parent for ANY reason.

OFFICE REFERRALS

In the event that a student needs to be immediately removed from the classroom, or other location in/around the school, the teacher should:

1. Call the office for an administrator.

2. Complete a Discipline Referral Form and have it ready when the administrator comes to remove the student, if possible. This form should be completed by the staff member who witnessed the event. If you are not able to complete the Referral form prior, please do so as soon as possible and send it to the office. Administrators cannot assign consequences or make a determination on disciplinary actions until the Referral form is received.

3. If deemed a “think-room” (minor, non-recurring behaviors) administration will not contact the parent. The referring teacher must make contact. Refer to the school wide discipline plan for further details.

4. If an “administrative consequence” is assigned (i.e. ISS, OSS, other escalated admin consequence) an administrator will contact parents. It is advised that the referring teacher also follow-up with the parent on the specific circumstances of the behavior. This will help to build good relationships with our parents and hopefully reduce the likelihood of these behaviors recurring.

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE PHILOSOPHY

Positive discipline is the foundation of our school-wide discipline program. All staff members are expected to foster cooperation, problem-solving skills, and mutual respect in children. Every adult in our school is responsible for every student in our school.

Positive discipline will help you to:

1. Create a climate that enhances academic learning

2. Instill valuable social skills and positive behavior through the use of class meetings

3. Understand the motivation behind students’ behavior instead of looking for causes.

Classroom procedures are to be taught and practiced with students during the first two weeks of school. Classroom rules, consequences and rewards should by displayed prominently in the classroom.

SPECIAL AREA CLASSES

Special area teachers and classroom teachers should communicate on a routine basis concerning behavior of students and curriculum objectives. If discipline problems arise during a special area class, it is the responsibility of the special area teacher to address the behavior issue, alert the teacher and contact parents. Special area teachers should also notify administration about behavior challenges if necessary. It is critical that all teachers adhere to the schedule and meet required pick-up and drop-off times.

STUDENT DRESS

Students are expected to adhere to the standards of cleanliness and dress that are compatible with the requirements of a productive and safe school environment. A student’s appearance, mode of dress, or condition of personal hygiene will not be permitted to disrupt the educational process or constitute a threat to the health or safety of others. Therefore, the following is included in our student dress policy:

• The best shoes are those which hug the whole foot. Thongs and beach style rubber flip flops are safety hazards and are NOT permitted. No Heelies or wheeled shoes. Sneakers are required for physical education.

• T-Shirt logos must be appropriate for elementary school. This means no tobacco or alcohol advertising, no drug or sexual messages, and no profanity.

• Net shirts, bare midriffs, or other revealing attire are not acceptable. No spaghetti strap tops, tube tops, backless tops, halter tops allowed. Straps on tank tops and tank dresses must be the width of three fingers—or at least 2 inches.

• Pants and shorts must be worn at the waistline. No underwear should be revealed.

• Shorts, Skirts, and dresses should be of reasonable length. A good rule of thumb to use is to let both arms hang naturally by your side. The shorts, skirt, or dress should touch the end of your fingertips.

• Headgear, hats, sunglasses should not be worn inside the school except for medical, religious, or safety reasons.

• No clothing, jewelry, or buttons with letters, initials, symbols, or wording that is obscene, offensive, inflammatory, or detrimental to the instructional process are allowed.

CAFETERIA PROCEDURES

Breakfast:

Breakfast is served from 7:45-8:15am and is available to all students. Provisions will be made for bus riders who arrive late. Students who eat breakfast should report directly to the cafeteria and then to their classroom, however, please use reasonable judgment in making exceptions. We do not want any of our students going hungry. If a child asks you to go to breakfast once in your classroom, he/she should be allowed to do so. Just remind him/her to go to the cafeteria first next time.

Lunch:

The lunch period is one to enjoy. Students should remain seated during lunch and use “inside voices” to talk with those at their tables. All staff members are to teach children self-management skills to maintain an appropriate noise level in the cafeteria. It is essential that classroom teachers and lunchroom monitors teach and reinforce behavior expectations daily. Appropriate manners are expected and we must constantly reinforce high expectations, as well as model what we want students to do. Please adhere to the following guidelines:

← Teachers are expected to accompany students to and from the cafeteria. Teachers should physically walk their class to the lunch line before exiting the cafeteria.

← Each class has an assigned table. Check the Weebly for the Lunch Schedule containing table assignments, as well as the cafeteria map.

← It is critical that each class arrives at their scheduled time, sits at assigned table, and exits the cafeteria (walking out the door) at the scheduled time.

← Students should not get up out of their seat once they have sat at their table. Remind students of this regularly and to make sure to get everything they need the first time through the line. If they need something after they have sat down, they should raise their hand for a lunch monitor’s assistance.

← Teachers should arrive 2 minutes before the end of their lunch time so that classes are supervised and cleared from the lunchroom hallway at the end of their lunch period.

← Cafeteria bathrooms are for student use before entering the cafeteria. Students are not allowed to use the cafeteria bathrooms after lunch. Teachers may choose to do a whole class bathroom break after lunch, but not at the cafeteria bathroom location.

← Helpers should be responsible to see that tables and chairs are wiped clean and the floor is swept before the next class sits down to have lunch. These helpers should also have a hall pass so that classrooms do not have to wait for the helpers.

← Students are expected to wear their nametags each day to lunch.

← Students who pay for lunch by the week should report to the cafeteria each Monday morning. Checks should be made payable to the Endhaven Cafeteria and should include the student’s name, lunch number and the teacher’s name.

← We welcome parents to come eat lunch with their children. Parents and their child only must eat at designated parent tables. Friends of the student are not permitted to sit at the parent tables. Parents are not permitted to sit at tables assigned to classrooms.

Cafeteria Management Ideas You May Like to Consider:

• Select topics of conversation for the day for your students to discuss

• Think of creative ways for teaching rules

• Provide restroom breaks before./after lunch (not at cafeteria location after lunch). While emergencies are always an exception, students are not permitted to use the restroom during lunch.

• Invite the cafeteria manager to your class to explain the duties of each employee and teach respect for the work of the cafeteria staff

• Think about seating arrangements and assigning seats at first. You can always loosen up on assigned seats as well as return to them throughout the year as needed.

• Plan to repeat lessons in cafeteria rules often.

Lunch Applications/Status

All students with a previous status of free or reduced lunch will receive this same status for the first 10 days of school while new applications are processed. Please send all lunch applications to the office as soon as you receive them.

FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM

Recent changes in society and our environment necessitate that we use foods in the classroom with a measure of caution. Increases in food-borne pathogens that can cause severe illness and a great increase in the number of children with potentially lethal food allergies dictate that care be taken with foods brought from home and eaten in school. The following cautions are to be followed in all schools in order to protect the health and safety of children and staff:

• Any food shared in school must be from an inspected commercial facility and must be labeled with its contents (Ex: Harris Teeter cupcakes, with a printed list of ingredients from the HT bakery).

• Fresh fruit and vegetables may be shared, but must be thoroughly washed.

• Avoid using a knife that has been used to cut sandwiches with peanut butter, cheese, or meat, to cut anything else. Cross contamination could lead to allergic reactions or food poisoning.

Under no circumstances should the following foods be brought in from homes:

• ground beef products – hamburgers, casseroles, or any dishes containing ground beef

• venison (deer meet) in any form

• unpasteurized milk, juices, or products made with unpasteurized milk (such as butter, cheese, or ice cream)

• Food products made from peanuts and/or tree nuts

SNACKS

Whenever foods are brought to school for students’ snacks, choices that are low in sugar and fat content should be encouraged. Healthy nutrition needs to be taught by example in school and at home. Research has shown that healthier children perform better in school.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

It is school policy that birthday celebrations will not be held at school. Parents should be informed of this policy and reminded that special treats (cupcakes, cookies, etc) can only be provided for the class to honor birthdays at lunch time.

HALLWAY PROCEDURES & EXPECTATIONS

Classes should walk without talking in a single file line, on the right-hand side of the hallway. Teachers should walk towards the back of their line such that you have an unobstructed view of your whole class. Also, please stand at corners to monitor all students at all times. Teachers must monitor students while students are changing classes. Hallways must remain quiet at all times. Unless a student is with an adult, no student is to be in the hallways without a hall pass. Students are not required to walk in the hallway with a partner. A hall pass is sufficient. Please use teacher judgment to determine if a partner is necessary. This includes going to the restroom, media center, health room, office, another classroom, etc. Procedures can also be found in the school wide discipline plan.

RECESS

The state of North Carolina mandates a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week for students. At Endhaven, we value physical activity, health and nutrition and strive to provide our students with opportunities for movement in excess of the state requirement. Each grade level has 2 recess blocks built in to their master schedule. One 30-minute block (known as “recess”) and one 15-minute block (known as “mini-recess”). Teachers are encouraged to also incorporate brain breaks and kinesthetic learning into the instructional day as much as possible.

The Health and Wellness committee is responsible for providing resources for class games and activities during mini-recess time, as well as for classroom energizers, brain breaks, and “rainy day recess.”

The following general rules and guidelines should be followed to promote a safe and enjoyable recess experience.

1. It is critical that teachers and/or teacher assistants monitor students at all times while at recess. Active supervision with consistent enforcement of rules is required.

2. Make sure to take a “walkie” from the front office to your recess location in the event that the office needs to locate a student, or in the event that you need to contact the office for a student emergency situation. Every class should be reachable by walkie while at recess.

3. Classroom teachers must accompany students to their designated play area and circulate to monitor students.

4. Students are asked to stay within their designated areas.

5. An organized play activity should be provided during your “mini-recess” time, within your designated “mini-recess” area.

6. Students are not permitted to play rough games (i.e. tackle football, burn ball, dodge ball, etc.).

7. Students are not permitted to play on the steps, near the stair rails, or near the mobile units.

8. Students cannot be denied the mandated amount of physical activity (25 mins/per day) for disciplinary reasons

9. Exercise should not be used as punishment.

Schedules and assigned locations for recess and mini-recess can be found on the Weebly.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips are important educational experiences for all children. A Field trip Request Form should be submitted to the financial secretary four weeks in advance of the trip date. If using chartered buses, a requisition must be completed at the time you fill out the Field Trip Request form.

Shelly will process and then give the Field Trip Request form to the Julie who will submit field trip requests to be approved by our Zone Superintendent and then the Transportation Department. Teachers are responsible for completing and sending home the permission forms for field trips at least two weeks before the scheduled trip.

According to CMS Transportation, school buses can be requested to leave campus no earlier than 9:15 and they must be able to return to school by 1:30. Otherwise, approval from our Zone will not be granted. There are some exceptions and special cases where it may be possible to have buses outside of these times. See Julie if you need special approval for bus times, although be aware that it may not be possible. May 31 is the last day to take a field trip using CMS buses.

Field trips should support curriculum objectives and be an extension of classroom activities. All requests must be submitted by May 1st.

It is the Grade Level Chair’s responsibility to notify the Cafeteria Manager of any changes to the grade level’s lunch procedures, or of any special requests (i.e. bag lunches) at least two weeks prior to special activities and field trips in order for lunches to be ordered or cancelled.

Signed permission forms should be turned into the front office the morning of the field trip. Please put your name on the top permission slip. Teachers are responsible for making arrangements for any student who will not be participating in the field trip. A child will not be kept from attending a field trip for financial reasons. Please see an administrator or counselor for assistance. Every effort should be made to include all students.

Field trips are not to be used as an incentive for behavior. If a field trip is an educational experience, all children will have the opportunity to participate. If you anticipate having problems with a particular student, parents should be contacted and given the opportunity to go with their child on the trip. Additional staff members can also be assigned to go with the student if necessary. This must be approved by an administrator. Administrative approval must be given before a student is not allowed to participate in a field trip.

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

School Bus Safety is important for all our students, regardless of whether this is their mode of transportation to/from school. Please teach school bus rules and procedures to your students as you would all other school rules and procedures.

• Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the stop arm is out, and to look both ways before moving to cross the street to board the bus.

• Stay in your seat at all times

• Keep hands and feet to yourself, and inside the windows

• Keep noise/talking to a reasonable level

• No eating or drinking is allowed on the bus.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Comments and discussions regarding students’ personalities and records should only be discussed with appropriate people in the education setting. Student behavior problems should not be part of public discussions. Professional discretion and courtesy should be used at all times in discussing all staff and district concerns. Parent volunteers who assist with managing Thursday folders are required to sign a confidentiality statement at the beginning of the year.

CHILD ABUSE/DSS REFERRALS

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education recognizes the serious problem of child abuse and neglect and the crucial role that school personnel play in reporting such suspected incidents. In compliance with state law GS 115C-400, any school employee who has reasonable cause to suspect that any child is being abused or neglected shall report the case of such child to the Department of Social Services (704-336-2273), Youth Services Division. Please also notify Mr. Slattery, Ms. McKinney, Ms. Clarke and/or Ms. Rowe.

INTERNET ACCESS POLICY

CMS requires that each school keep on file an Acceptable Use Policy form signed by each student and his/her parent or guardian. Teachers are expected to review the policy at the beginning of each year and send home the Acceptable Use Policy for any student that does not have one on file.

BOOK CLUBS & MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

Book clubs (Scholastic, Troll, etc) are permissible if a parent volunteer handles the bookkeeping (collecting of money and ordering of books). Students may bring in checks made payable to the book club and the volunteer may write a personal check for cash collected. Do not receipt in your school receipt book. It is advisable that the classroom teacher review all orders before being mailed to the vendor.

Students are responsible for paying for classroom magazine subscriptions (i.e. Time for Kids)

LOST & FOUND

The “lost & Found” for student items is located beside the side doors to the bus lot. There is a large bin as well as racks for hanging items like sweatshirts. Please have your students regularly check the Lost and Found for their belongings as you pass by this area for recess. Items will also be periodically displayed in the front lobby during events so students and/or parents can claim their belongings. Items not claimed at the end of the first and second semesters are donated to a charitable organization.

STUDENT ID TAGS AND HALL PASSES

All students are required to wear a student ID / Nametag at all times. If a student loses or destroys their ID once they are provided, he / she will be required to purchase a replacement for $3.00. Teachers must provide a replacement nametag (ex: masking tape) until a permanent replacement is made.

Students should have a hall pass at all times when not in the classroom or traveling with the class, including trips to the office, health room, media center, or restroom.

CUMULATIVE FOLDERS

Cumulative folders are legal documents. They are to remain in the school’s administrative wing at all times and stored in the office filing cabinet overnight. If a student withdraws from school during the year, the cumulative folder must be updated and ready to be sent to the receiving school within 24 hours. Teachers will be issued a form on which to complete pertinent withdraw or transfer information. All cumulative folders must be updated at the end of the school year.

CLASS PARTIES

The PTA sponsors two class celebrations each year, one at Winter Break and one at the end of the year. Our PTA will also sponsor Fall Treats and Valentine Treats. Please limit your class celebrations to these. While having fun and celebrating is an important part of building classroom camaraderie and the Elementary School experience, instructional time is also valuable and is to be protected.

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

CURRICULUM

The basis for all instruction at Endhaven is the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (currently the Common Core State Standards). Teachers should develop and implement lesson plans that meet the NCSCOS/CCSS and reflect on assessment data to determine the educational needs of students.

ATMOSPHERE OF LEARNING

Learning thrives best in a friendly atmosphere that makes children feel welcome and comfortable. The teacher is the key in creating a classroom environment that is emotionally and socially wholesome.

Children are quick to reflect the attitudes of the teacher. If (s)he is pleasant and friendly, they usually respond the same way; if (s)he is genuinely interested and enthusiastic about the work of the class, they tend to react accordingly. Each teacher needs to:

1. Respect each child as a person and encourage all children to respect one another.

2. Accept students as they are and be genuinely interested in promotion of their all-around development.

3. Plan lessons thoroughly and stimulate all children to remain actively engaged in the learning process.

4. Help each child to capitalize on his/her strengths and to recognize and try to overcome his/her weaknesses.

5. Differentiate the learning process to further students’ feelings of worth and accomplishment.

Remember that student achievement at the end of the year can be correlated with the degree to which the teacher establishes good control of the classroom procedures in the very first week of the school year.

PLANNING

At Endhaven, we use the Professional Learning Community (PLC) cyclical approach to planning, teaching, assessing and decision making. Each grade level is provided one 90-minute planning block each week to discuss teaching strategies, daily learning objectives, mini-lessons, etc. Additionally, each grade level is provided one 120-minute planning meeting per month to analyze data, make instructional and grouping decisions, determine learning objectives for the upcoming month, and create a grade level common assessment to gauge student progress. All grade-level planning meetings should be focused on student learning and should center around these questions:

1. What do our students need to learn?

2. How will we know if they learned it?

3. What will we do for those who did learn it?

4. What will we do for those who did not?

All needed materials necessary for planning should be prepared in advance. Grade level chairs are responsible for setting and sharing a planning agenda with the team prior to planning sessions.

DAILY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learning objectives should be posted each day for each subject. Learning objectives inform students as to what they will be able to do at the end of the lesson and should:

1. Include what students should be able to do by the end of the lesson, and how they will engage in the content

2. Be written in child-friendly language

LESSON PLANS

Lesson plans must reflect district grade-level expectations, goals and objectives. All certified staff members are required to have lesson plans for the week completed by Monday morning. In addition, when an assistant is working with a small group of students during workshop times, a written plan must be available that includes the names of the students and lesson description. All lesson plan books should be accessible to administrators during informal and formal observations.

Lesson plans should be neatly written or typed and detailed enough to be clearly understood. Lesson plan formats must include the elements of effective lesson plan design:

• Lesson Objective – Indicate the specific objective from the Common Core or Essential Standards along with a student friendly description of the targeted skill/concept(s) (see “Daily Learning Objectives” above for more information)

• Teacher Input/Mini Lesson/Concept Development – A detailed description of what the teacher will do and how the teacher will teach and model the objective.

• Student Exploration/Guided/Independent Practice – A detailed description of a student activity that clearly reflects application and/or practice of the objective/skill/strategy being taught

• Assessment – How the teacher will measure whether or not students have achieved the objective. This can be formal, informal, formative and/or summative, but should be present in every single lesson.

• Differentiation – Identification of the flexible groups based on analyzed data, and how the teacher plans to meet the instructional needs of each student.

DAILY SCHEDULE

A daily schedule should be posted in each classroom and outside classroom door and updated daily to reflect the day’s events. Please adhere to your daily schedule (i.e. Master Schedule) and notify the office of any schedule changes ASAP. Please also adhere to the following with regard to the posting of your daily schedule:

• Include the date (vary the format… 8-25-10; August 25, 2010, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2010).

• Display in a prominent place (preferably in front of room).

• Use large print.

• Use the Master Schedule as a basis for how to schedule time in the classroom.

Class schedules will be used for scheduling observations and for locating students. All permanent changes in schedules must be approved by administration. In the event of a permanent schedule change, the teacher must revise their posted schedules accordingly.

MTSS

The Multi-Tiered System of Support is the process for identifying students who are below grade level and for putting in place interventions to help them reach grade level.

• Tier I – General classroom instruction that all students receive

• Tier II – A “Tier II Plan” is required for students who are at-risk academically. A Tier II plan is similar to a PEP in that it should be developed by the teacher as well as the paren. Tier II plans should be reviewed regularly. All Tier II plans should be created using the online platform, “EdPlan.” Official Tier ii development and monitoring letters can be accessed in EdPlan as well. See Ms. Alexander if you need assistance with developing Tier II plans for your students.

• Tier III – If a student does not show adequate progress on his/her Tier II plan, he/she should be referred to Tier III. Tier III is similar to what was formerly known as “Intervention Team.” In Tier III, interventions can be intensified or changed based on the student’s progress. After 4-6 weeks on a Tier III plan, determiniations will be made for EC referral, continue Tier III, or exiting the student back to Tier II or Tier I.

504 PLANS

A student is eligible for a 504 plan when he/she is professionally diagnosed as needing special services or programs because he/she is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as learning (ex: ADHD, diabetes, broken limb, etc.). Please look carefully at 504 plans in the cumulative folders. Accommodation plans are placed in yellow folders in the child's cumulative folder. The Counselor will alert you if a student is put on a 504 Accommodation plan during the school year. Classroom teachers are legally responsible for enacting the specified accommodations for the student.

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN & IEPs

The EC Folder

Each child who is enrolled in the Exceptional Children’s (EC) Program has an Exceptional Children’s folder. The EC folder contains all of the information concerning the child’s referral and placement. All original Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are housed in the child’s EC folder. All information in the EC folder is confidential. All information must be maintained in a certain order for audit purposes, so teachers should not change the placement of any information in the EC folder. Teachers are encouraged to review their students’ EC folders on a regular basis. All classroom accommodations documented on a child’s IEP must be provided exactly as written in the plan. These plans are legal documents.

The IEP Team

The IEP Team is a group of professionals familiar with the student, exceptional children's programs and guidelines in North Carolina and knowledgeable about learning or behavior difficulties. The team includes one or more EC teacher, one or more regular education teacher, the school psychologist, parents and an LEA (typically a school administrator). To begin the IEP/EC process for a child, an initial IEP team meeting is scheduled. The focus of this meeting is to discuss the child's strengths and as well as the area(s) of concern, in order to determine if a complete evaluation is warranted. If it is determined that an evaluation should be conducted, the team obtains parental consent to begin. The IEP Team has 90 days from the date the consent is signed to complete all necessary evaluations and determine eligibility and certification. Once all evaluations are completed by the school psychologist, a results meeting is scheduled for the IEP team. At this meeting all evaluation results will be discussed and the team will determine if the child meets the North Carolina guidelines as an Exceptional Child. If the child is eligible for services, the team will develop an IEP for the child detailing the specifics of his/her service time, goals, and classroom as well as testing accommodations. If the child is not eligible further interventions will be discussed.

GRADING

Grade books are instruments of legal public record. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), every student has the right to know his/her grades. Grades are to be recorded in PowerSchool within 5 days of giving the assignment. A date that the grade was given should be indicated as well as a description of the skill/ assignment. There should be consistency among a grade level regarding the number of grades entered for each subject area. Refer to the CMS grading policy located on the Endhaven Weebly for more details.

A student who misses homework assignments or other assignments or due dates because of absences, whether excused or unexcused, must be allowed to make up the work.  Arrangements for completing the work should be made within five school days of the student's return to school and should include a schedule for completion of the work. For elementary students, the teacher should initiate contact with the student regarding make-up work if necessary. 

In all circumstances, homework and other assignments must be accepted, even when turned in after the designated due date. In keeping with CMS policy, credit for late work shall be awarded according to the following guidelines:

a. If the student was present in class on the due date, the work may be given less credit;

b. If the student was not present in class on the due date because of an excused absence, full credit shall be given for the completed work;

c. If the student was not present in class on the due date because of an unexcused absence, the work may be given less credit.

REPORT CARDS

Official report cards are issued every nine weeks according to dates on the district calendar. The purpose of report cards is to inform parents of the student’s achievement, his/her individual effort set forth, and evidence of his/her being self-motivated. All final grades should be supported with easily interpretable data recorded in a grade book. Teachers are expected to adhere to the state grading scale for letter grades. Remember that the report card is a permanent record and comments should be carefully thought out before they are written. Comments are not required for the first quarter report card only since parent/teacher conferences are held. Comments are required for report cards, quarters 2, 3, and 4.

MID-QUARTER PROGRESS REPORTS

Mid-Quarter Progress Reports are issued midway through each nine-week grading period to inform parents of their child’s academic progress before final grades are assigned. We encourage you to talk with your students and their parents/guardians if problems are indicated on the report. Progress reports are to be signed and returned promptly. Parents must be kept informed of student progress.

HOMEWORK

Homework assignments should help a student develop responsibility and independent study skills. If you choose to assign homework, the teacher should check it and give feedback to students in a timely manner. Grade levels should establish guidelines for homework assignments to ensure consistency and fairness from class to class.

Guidelines for Teachers:

1. Homework assessment and grading procedures must be clearly defined and communicated to students and parents.

2. Grades for homework should have a limited effect in determining a student's final grade.

3. Each homework assignment should have clearly stated purposes and be an extension of class work.

4. Homework should be age-appropriate in terms of content, activities, and length of assignment. 

5. Homework should be assigned with awareness of the home resources available to a student and the family.

6. Homework shall not be assigned for disciplinary purposes.

7. Students should be able to complete homework assignments independently, with little if any help from parents/siblings.

Suggested Homework Times: Please be mindful and respectful of family time at home and of students’ extracurricular activities by adhering to the following homework times for each grade level:

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade – No more than 15 min each night (which can include reading time)

• 2nd Grade – No more than 20 min each night (which can include reading time)

• 3rd Grade – No more than 30 min each night (which can include reading time)

• 4th Grade – No more than 40 min each night (which can include reading time)

• 5th Grade – No more than 50 min each night (which can include reading time)

PROJECTS

When assigning long-term projects, please be mindful of the guidelines for the number of minutes spent on homework. Projects assigned should be consistent across the team and/or grade level. Close collaboration among team members is vital in ensuring that students are not assigned excessive amounts of homework/projects. A grading rubric should be shared with students and parents when the project is assigned. A maximum of two outside of school projects (1 per semester) may be assigned each year.

Consideration should be given to children who may need extra support or resources in completing assigned projects. Teachers should make every effort to ensure that all children are successful. Class time for working on projects should not take priority over providing direct instruction during curriculum blocks. Instructional time devoted to individual or group project presentations should be limited in duration, purposeful, and efficiently managed. Quality time-on-task for all students must be a priority.

& RETENTION

PROMOTION AND RETENTION

As soon as it becomes apparent that retention may be a possibility the following should occur:

• Parents and the principal should be informed of your concerns.

• Child should be placed on a Tier II plan and taken through the MTSS process.

• Frequent and specific communication with parents. ALL contact should be documented.

The principal of the school is ultimately responsible for placement of all students. The teacher is responsible for early identification of any student having learning difficulties. He/she is to inform the student and parent of these difficulties and follow the MTSS process. Students in grades K-5 may be retained when, in the judgment of the teacher and principal, additional academic reinforcement would benefit the student.

CURSIVE WRITING EXPECTATIONS

Students are introduced to cursive writing during the spring semester of the second grade. The review of individual letters, combined with procedures for joining letters, continues through the third grade. Cursive writing continues to be reinforced with instruction in fourth grade. Re-teaching and remediation are provided as necessary. All 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms are to post the cursive alphabet banner provided by the system.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS

To facilitate order in your classroom during your absence, be sure to furnish the substitute with clear and definite assignments. It is the responsibility of the grade level chair to check with a sub at the beginning and end of the day to get details regarding any issues or problems that day. In an obvious place, leave a substitute folder containing the following:

1. General expectations and classroom rules;

2. A list of daily routines/procedures (morning routines, lunch, restroom use, outdoor recess, dismissal, etc.);

3. Student rosters along with pertinent medical concerns and instructional needs;

4. Your daily schedule (special schedules for students – resource, speech, etc.);

5. Location of books, A.V. equipment needed, etc.;

6. Suggested classroom helpers;

7. Lockdown procedures;

8. Name and room number of a colleague who the sub can call on for help

If an emergency arises and the teacher is unable to provide substitute plans, it is the responsibility of the grade team to provide relevant plans and materials for the substitute that day.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology should be an integral part of planning and instruction, and can be a great way to engage your 21st Century students. The classroom teacher is responsible for monitoring student use of technology in the classroom. Student use of the Internet must be monitored at all times. Students must have returned an Acceptable Use form in order to access the Internet at school. Our school Web site will be updated by the our Webmaster, Mr. Marino.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT/GIFTED PROGRAM

The goal of the TD program, known as the "Catalyst" model at the elementary level, is to provide rigorous curriculum and academic opportunities whereby each student may reach a classroom performance consistent with his/her intellectual ability. The implementation of the program at Endhaven is a joint effort by the classroom teacher and talent development teacher who use the technique of "consultation and collaboration" as they develop curriculum and deliver instruction.

VIDEO USE IN CLASSROOMS

All teachers are required to follow CMS guidelines in the use of classroom videos. Videos must serve an instructional purpose and must correlate to the Essential Standards and/or Common Core standards.

In most cases, excerpts should be selected rather than showing an entire video. Prior approval from the principal is required for any video that is not housed in the Media Center collection. Under no circumstance is a PG, PG-13, or R-Rated movie to be shown in any elementary school.

TUTORING

Staff members may not tutor students in their current class for pay. Tutoring of a student in another class for pay must occur off campus. School resources and facilities may not be used to tutor students for pay.

COMMUNICATION - IN HOUSE

STAFF & STUDENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

The following avenues are used to communicate within the school:

• Master Calendar

• Weekly Memo

• Email

• CNN (Cougar News Network – Morning Announcements)

• Classroom phones and intercom

• Staff Weebly (endhavenstaff.)

• Mailboxes

• Grade Level Chair/FAC

• Staff Meetings

Please know that your administrators have an “open door” policy. If you have needs, concerns or suggestions, always feel free to address them with Brian or Julie.

MASTER CALENDAR

The school’s master calendar is kept electronically and can be accessed directly through Google Calendar (when signed into Google Drive from your CMS google account) as well as through the Endhaven Staff Weebly: . If you cannot access the master calendar, please let Julie know. Additions and deletions to the master calendar should be submitted via email or in writing to Julie or Brian. The calendar is updated instantly as changes are made.

WEEKLY MEMO

A weekly staff bulletin, known as the Weekly Memo, will be published by Brian each Friday and send to all staff via email. All staff members are required to read the memo as it contains important information for the upcoming week, as well as a reflection of the previous week. If you have information you would like published in the Weekly Memo, please email Brian by Thursday afternoon. Make sure to type the information exactly as you would like it to appear in the memo.

EMAIL COMMUNICATION

Important email announcements and reminders will come from administrators, grade chairs, and colleagues. All staff members are expected to check their email at least twice per day. A weekly staff bulletin (Weekly Memo) will be sent via email each Friday. If you do not have a computer in your tutor room/office, computers are available in the media center and technology lab. For help with email issues please see Mr. Marino.

Please be mindful that your CMS email is public and “searchable” by the news media. It is against the Testing Code of Ethics to send secure testing information, including student scores (EOG, BOG, TRC, ACCESS, W-APT, PPVT, NCFE) via email.

The use of school system computers to communicate chain letters, religious communication, political messages or any messages containing inappropriate language or graphics is against CMS policy.

MORNING BROADCAST - CNN

The morning announcements are an important means of communication with both staff and students. Mr. Marino works hard to create an engaging, upbeat, informative broadcast where students are involved and showcased, and that we should be proud of. All classwork should cease during the broadcast and all students and staff members should pay attention and listen to the broadcast – we set the example! Students and staff are also encouraged to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning. If you have newsworthy events or would like one of your students recognized on CNN, please let Brian or Julie know. The morning announcements will air at 8:05am so that your instructional day may begin at 8:15.

STAFF WEEBLY

Important information and documents such as the master schedule, special area schedules, TA schedules, duty schedules, staffing list, campus and cafeteria maps, important websites, instructional resources, professional development resources, and more can also be found on the staff weebly at . If you would like a document or resource added to the weebly, please let Julie know.

MAILBOXES

Staff mailboxes should be checked twice daily for memos, information, and communication for students’ weekly folders (see section on Thursday folders). Mailboxes are located in the office workroom.

TEAM LEADERS/FAC

Each team’s leader serves as the team’s representative on the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC). Teams should share any and all school-wide concerns with their team leader, who will in-turn bring those concerns to the monthly FAC meeting. The FAC will work together to problem solve to address concerns and come up with possible solutions, which will then be discussed with administration. The FAC Chairperson will share monthly FAC meeting minutes, including concerns and solutions discussed, via email following the FAC meeting. Minutes will also include any updates shared by administration.

STAFF MEETINGS/WEDNESDAYS

Wednesday afternoons should be reserved for staff meetings. Please do not make appointments on Wednesday afternoons that will necessitate you missing a meeting as valuable information is shared and/or professional development facilitated. In general, we will have one Full Faculty meeting, one Grade Chair/FAC meeting, and one Professional Development meeting per month. Check the Master Calendar for scheduled meeting days. If there is no need to meet, a meeting could be cancelled, however, in general, please reserve the time from 3:30-4:30 on Wednesdays for meetings.

COURIER

System-approved communications can be sent to and from schools within CMS using a daily courier system according to the CMS schedule. Each school and CMS office has a courier number. Our courier number is #385.

US MAIL

US Mail is delivered daily in the office. You may place outgoing mail in the box located in the main office. Stamps are available from Shelly for school related correspondence.

COMMUNICATION – EXTERNAL

PARENTS & COMMUNITY

GENERAL PARENT COMMUNICATION INFO

Open and frequent communication with parents is an expectation at Endhaven. By establishing a warm and open relationship with parents, we enable our students to experience greater success and help to establish ourselves as partners in educating our students. There are several methods of communicating with your students parents:

• Phone Calls

• Email

• Open House & WIN Night

• Parent Teacher Conferences

• Weekly Folders (Thursday folders)

• Newsletters

• Cougar Print

• Classroom Websites (Wikis/Weeblys)

• School Website

Written communication to parents should be proofread and written in a professional manner. It is advised to keep a copy of all written communication between home and school. If you have any reservations about a letter or email you plan to send, an administrator should read it. Remember that all written communication, including email, are permanent.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are an invaluable component of our overall school success. Children whose parents are involved in school value education more because they see that their greatest role models, their parents, value education. CMS has developed the Volunteer Management System as a means to ensure the safety of our students with regard to outside volunteers being in our buildings and on field trips. Please be sure that all classroom volunteers have registered to volunteer on the CMS website and ahve received clearance through CMS. If you have questions about whether a volunteer is approved, please contact Rebecca Economan.

PHONE CALLS

Teachers should make phone calls to parents regularly, especially to communicate about more sensitive topics, such as student behavior and discipline. Teachers are required to call home in the event of a “Think Room” (see school discipline policy). Please also consider calling home to report positive information about your students. It is best practice to keep a record of phone conversations, including the date and topic of conversation.

Additionally, please consider making phone calls to the homes of your students prior to Open House to introduce yourself as their child’s teacher. Doing so will help you set the tone and begin to establish positive relationships with your students’ parents from day one. This is a great time to ask the parent/guardian about the goals they have for their child this school year as well as any special information they would like you to know prior to the first day of school.

EMAILS

Email can be an efficient way to communicate between school and home. When crafting e-mails to parents, please be aware that your “tone” can often be difficult to decipher when reading an email. Teachers should not sent emails to parents when upset or angry. If you have questions about whether an email is appropriate, send it to an administrator for feedback before sending to parents. Always consider making a phone call rather than sending an email when the topic is more sensitive in nature and use professional judgment when communicating with parents through email. Also, keep in mind parents’ preferences with regard to communication. Some may have limited proficiency and access to email and other forms of technology.

OPEN HOUSE & WIN NIGHT

OPEN HOUSE/CURRICULUM NIGHT

Open House at Endhaven is run much like a “Curriculum Night” except it takes place prior to the start of school. Parents are invited to the school to not only “meet and greet” their child’s teacher, but also to learn valuable information about field trips, curriculum, homework policies, classroom discipline procedures, communication protocols, etc. Teachers will hold several 20-25 minute sessions with parents where they will present this information and allow time for questions.

WIN NIGHT

Rather than hosting a traditional “Curriculum Night” a few weeks into the school year, Endhaven holds a WIN (What I Need) night following the first round of BOG/MAP/TRC testing. This is your opportunity to explain these assessments to parents, share their child’s performance in relation to benchmarks, and answer any questions parents may have about the nature and format of the assessments. WIN Night will precede parent teacher conferences, where parents will have the opportunity to address concerns and questions relating specifically to their child.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

It is a requirement that all teachers hold parent/teacher conferences at the end of the first grading quarter. First quarter report cards should be shared along with other information about their child’s academic and social skill development. Be prepared to share resources with parents to use at home to help their child with any difficulties they may be having. Also, be sure to share compliments and positive comments about the child as well. Teachers should make every effort to schedule a face-to-face conferences with each student’s parent(s)/guardian(s). If all efforts to schedule a face-to-face conference have been exhausted, a phone conference is permissible.

WEEKLY FOLDERS

Each student will receive a folder that is to go home once every week on Thursday. This folder will contain communications from the school, PTA and/or CMS. Classroom/Grade Level newsletters as well as graded student work samples should also be sent in the Thursday folder. Students are to return the folders on the next school day.

NEWSLETTERS

At a minimum, each classroom is required to send home a newsletter every two weeks. Your classroom newsletter should be in collaboration with your grade level news. Newsletters should include:

• Curriculum updates

• Important dates

• Assessment information

• Student recognition

• Other important information

Special area teachers should also collaborate to send home a special area newsletter once per quarter for each grade level sharing what students are learning in their special area classes and any upcoming dates parents should be aware of.

COUGAR PRINT

The Cougar Print is a newsletter created by the PTA and sent via the parent listserv every two weeks. This is another great avenue to communicate with the Endhaven community. If you have information that you would like published in the Cougar Print, please send it to the applicable PTA representative.

CLASSROOM WEBSITES

Each classroom teacher, special area teacher and certified support staff member is encouraged to create and update a CMS Widi or Education Weebly for communication purposes. Wikis/Weebly’s should be updated on a regular basis.

SCHOOL WEBSITE

You can access our school website here: . Please share this information in your initial parent communication. If you would like something added to the school website, please contact our school’s Webmaster, Mr. Marino.

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