NASHPORTELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3775 CREAMERY ROAD

NASHPORT, OHIO 43830

PHONE: 740-452-3977FAX 740-452-7101

The Education Connection (TEC) 740-754-4060

“Reaching for the Future; One Student at a Time”

NASHPORTMISSION

The mission of NashportElementary School, with community involvement, is to ensure that our students achieve academically and socially in a safe, positive environment.

OUR BELIEFS

Education at Nashport Elementary should be a student-centered environment which:

  1. Is safe and positive.
  2. Is innovative and stimulating.
  3. Is developmentally appropriate and consistent.
  4. Is well rounded and promotes life-long learning.
  5. Encourages and recognizes academic and social success.
  6. Promotes a school, home, and community partnership.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Nashport Elementary is committed to:

  1. Educating all children to be life-long learners and productive citizens.
  2. Encouraging and establishing high expectations.
  3. Providing an atmosphere of support and success.
  4. Establishing a consistent school-wide behavior plan.
  5. Involving parents and community in the learning process.

SCHOOL-WIDE RULES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Nashport Elementary encourages all students to follow our “Guiding Principles”

BE SAFE

BE KIND

BE RESPONSIBLE

The following rules will be enforced as part of our school-wide discipline plan:

  1. Be Respectful
  2. Be Responsible
  3. Be Ready
  4. Be Safe

DAILY SCHOOL SCHEDULE

8:45 a.m. Students are admitted to the building at this time

8:45 – 8:55a.m.Breakfast

8:55 a.m.Morning Announcements

Students admitted to class after 9:00a.m. are TARDY

11:00 – 1:00p.m.Lunch/Recess Periods

3:20 p.m.Afternoon Announcements

3:25 p.m.Parent Pick-up Students Dismissed Bell #1

3:30p.m.Bus Dismissal Top Floor Bell #2

3:33 p.m. Bus Dismissal Bottom Floor Bell #3

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Policy requires that each child (grades K-12) who registers for entrance to school provide:

  1. Birth certificate or similar document
  2. Certified copy of any custody order or decree together with any modification in such an order or decree
  3. Immunization records
  4. Copy of student’s social security card
  5. Proof of residency

ATTENDANCE

Regular school attendance is necessary for student success. Cooperation between parents and the school is needed encouraging attendance on a regular basis. Attendance by all children ages 6-18 years is required every day school is in session. The state of Ohio places this responsibility for school attendance on the parents. Failure of parents to require a child to attend school regularly may result in court or other action.

EXCUSED ABSENCE:
  1. Personal Illness
  2. Illness in Family
  3. Quarantine
  4. Death of a Relative
  5. Observance of Religious Holiday
  6. Superintendent or Principal’s Discretion
  7. Emergency at Home

SCHOOL PROCEDURE FOR ABSENCE:

If your child is absent:

  1. Please call the T.E.C. attendance line at 754-4050 anytime to report your child absent.
  2. If a call is not received, the T.E.C. automated system will call your primary number following the start of school.
  3. If the school does not hear from parents/guardians in this manner, your child will receive an “unauthorized absence.”
  4. You are expected to send a note with your child the day he/she returns to school.

This policy reflects obligation to Missing Child responsibility.

TARDY

Students will be considered TARDY if they have not reported to their classroom by9:00 a.m. School policy states that a parent must sign the student in at the office before the child isadmitted to his/her classroom. This sign in policy allows for more complete records of attendance.

IMPROVING ATTENDANCE

When a child is not attending school, every effort will be made by the school to discover the reason and help with the situation. In cases where a child’s attendance does not improve, the attendance officer will file a formal complaint with the court system.

GUIDELINES:

  1. A letter will be sent to all parents whose child has been absent five (5) days.
  2. A second letter will be sent to all parents whose child has accumulated fifteen (15) absences. Conferences can be scheduled through the school office.
  3. Students absent in excess of eighteen (18) days will be subject to administrative action. Such action will include a conference with parents, student, and principal. The penalty of excessive absences could result in the following:

1)Conference with Administrator

2)Referral to Juvenile Court Attendance Officer

3)Loss of Academic Credit for the year (Student will be retained)

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Birthdays are very special events for our children. If a parent wishes to celebrate a student’s birthday by bringing treats to classmates, please contact your child’s teacher in advance. We ask that birthday invitations only be distributed at school if ALL students in the classroom are invited. Please do not send invitations to school otherwise.

BUILDING EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS

In an effort to provide a safe and productive learning environment, the following school-wide student expectations are in effect:

  1. Be Respectful
  2. Be Responsible
  3. Be Ready
  4. Be Safe

We appreciate parental support with these important educational and social goals.

5517.01 - BULLYING AND OTHER FORMS OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. The Board encourages the promotion of positive interpersonal relations between members of the school community. Aggressive behavior toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes physical, verbal, and psychological abuse. The Board will not tolerate any gestures, comments, threats, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal degradation. This policy applies to all activities in the District, including activities on school property or while enroute to or from school and those occurring off school property if the student or employee is at any school-sponsored, school-approved or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the school's control, or where an employee is engaged in school business.

Aggressive behavior is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough, or serious enough, to negatively impact a student's educational, physical, or emotional well being. This type of behavior is a form of intimidation and harassment, although it need not be based on any of the legally protected characteristics, such as sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, or disability. It would include, but not be limited to, such behaviors as stalking, bullying/cyberbullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion, name-calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing.

Any student who believes s/he has been or is the victim of aggressive behavior should immediately report the situation to the building principal or assistant principal, or the Superintendent. The student may also report concerns to a teacher or counselor who will be responsible for notifying the appropriate administrator or Board official. Complaints against the building principal should be filed with the Superintendent. Complaints against the Superintendent should be filed with the Board President.

Every student is encouraged, and every staff member is required, to report any situation that they believe to be aggressive behavior directed toward a student. Reports may be made to those identified above.

All complaints about aggressive behavior that may violate this policy shall be promptly investigated.

If the investigation finds an instance of aggressive behavior has occurred, it will result in prompt and appropriate remedial and/or disciplinary action. This may include up to expulsion for students, up to discharge for employees, exclusion for parents, guests, volunteers, and contractors, and removal from any official position and/or a request to resign for Board members. Individuals may also be referred to law enforcement officials.

The complainant shall be notified of the findings of the investigation, and as appropriate, that remedial action has been taken.

This policy shall not be interpreted to infringe upon the First Amendment rights of students (i.e., to prohibit a reasoned and civil exchange of opinions, or debate, that is conducted at appropriate times and places during the school day and is protected by State or Federal law).

Retaliation against any person who reports, is thought to have reported, files a complaint, or otherwise participates in an investigation or inquiry concerning allegations of aggressive behavior is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Such retaliation shall be considered a serious violation of Board policy and independent of whether a complaint is substantiated. Suspected retaliation should be reported in the same manner as aggressive behavior. Making intentionally false reports about aggressive behavior for the purpose of getting someone in trouble is similarly prohibited and will not be tolerated. Retaliation and intentionally false reports may result in disciplinary action as indicated above.

The following definitions are provided for guidance only. If a student or other individual believes there has been aggressive behavior, regardless of whether it fits a particular definition, s/he should report it and allow the administration to determine the appropriate course of action.

"Bullying" is defined as a person willfully and repeatedly exercising power or control over another with hostile or malicious intent (i.e., repeated oppression, physical or psychological, of a less powerful individual by a more powerful individual or group). Bullying can be physical, verbal (oral or written), electronically transmitted, psychological (e.g., emotional abuse), through attacks on the property of another, or a combination of any of these. Some examples of bullying are:

A. / Physical – hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, pulling, taking and/or damaging personal belongings or extorting money, blocking or impeding student movement, unwelcome physical contact.
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B. / Verbal – taunting, malicious teasing, insulting, name calling, making threats.
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C. / Psychological – spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, coercion, or engaging in social exclusion/shunning, extortion, or intimidation.
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D. / ""Cyberbullying" – the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging (IM), defamatory personal web sites, and defamatory online personal polling web sites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others." [Bill Belsey(http//
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The Board recognizes that cyberbullying can be particularly devastating to young people because:
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1. / cyberbullies more easily hide behind the anonymity that the Internet provides;
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2. / cyberbullies spread their hurtful messages to a very wide audience with remarkable speed;
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3. / cyberbullies do not have to own their own actions, as it is usually very difficult to identify cyberbullies because of screen names, so they do not fear being punished for their actions; and
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4. / the reflection time that once existed between the planning of a prank – or a serious stunt – and its commission has all but been erased when it comes to cyberbullying activity.
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Cyberbullying includes, but is not limited to the following:
1. / posting slurs or rumors or other disparaging remarks about a student on a web site or on weblog;
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2. / sending e-mail or instant messages that are mean or threatening, or so numerous as to drive-up the victim’s cell phone bill;
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3. / using a camera phone to take and send embarrassing photographs of students;
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4. / posting misleading or fake photographs of students on web sites.
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"Harassment" includes, but is not limited to, any act which subjects an individual or group to unwanted, abusive behavior of a nonverbal, verbal, written or physical nature on the basis of age, race, religion, color, national origin, marital status or disability (sexual orientation, physical characteristic, cultural background, socioeconomic status, or geographic location).

"Intimidation" includes, but is not limited to, any threat or act intended to tamper, substantially damage or interfere with another's property, cause substantial inconvenience, subject another to offensive physical contact or inflict serious physical injury on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.

"Menacing" includes, but is not limited to, any act intended to place a school employee, student, or third party in fear of imminent serious physical injury.

"Harassment, intimidation, or bullying" means any act that substantially interferes with a student's educational benefits, opportunities, or performance, that takes place on or immediately adjacent to school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school–provided transportation or at any official school bus stop, and that has the effect of:

A. / physically harming a student or damaging a student's property;
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B. / knowingly placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student or damage to the student's property; or
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C. / creating a hostile educational environment.
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"Staff" includes all school employees and Board members.

"Third parties" include, but are not limited to, coaches, school volunteers, parents, school visitors, service contractors, vendors, or others engaged in District business, and others not directly subject to school control at inter-district or intra-district athletic competitions or other school events.

For a definition of and instances that could possibly be construed as hazing, consult Policy 5516.

Privacy/Confidentiality

The School District will respect the privacy of the complainant, the individual(s) against who the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the Board’s legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action, and to conform with any discovery or disclosure obligations. All records generated under this policy and its related administrative guidelines shall be maintained as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Notification

Notice of this policy will be annually circulated to and posted in conspicuous locations in all school buildings and departments within the District and discussed with students, as well as incorporated into the teacher, student, and parent/guardian handbooks. State and Federal rights posters on discrimination and harassment shall also be posted at each building. All new hires will be required to review and sign off on this policy and the related complaint procedure.

Education and Training

In support of this policy, the Board promotes preventative educational measures to create greater awareness of aggressive behavior, including bullying. The Superintendent or designee shall provide appropriate training to all members of the School District community related to the implementation of this policy and its accompanying administrative guidelines. All training regarding the Board’s policy and administrative guidelines and aggressive behavior and bullying in general, will be age and content appropriate.

The Superintendent is directed to develop administrative guidelines to implement this policy. Guidelines shall include reporting and investigative procedures, as needed. The complaint procedure established by the Superintendent shall be followed.

Adopted 3/8/07

CAFETERIA

A nutritional and balanced breakfast and lunch are prepared and served at NashportSchool each day. Parents are informed of daily selections through a monthly menu sent home with each student.

All students are required to eat in the cafeteria during their assigned lunch periods. Free and/or reduced lunches are available to children who qualify with state and federal regulations. All students are issued an application for free and/or reduced lunches during the opening weeks of school. For your convenience, lunch money can be sent to school in weekly, monthly or even yearly amounts and applied to your child’s account. When one (1) day or less is left on the account, a reminder will be sent home with the child as well as a stamp on their hand. Please remember to send money with your child that next school day.

Costs Are:

Breakfast$ .80

Reduced Breakfast $ .35

Student Lunch$ 1.70

Reduced Lunch $ .40

Extra Milk $ .30

CHARGES- SCHOOL LUNCH

Lunch “charges” are not encouraged. District and building policy will allow a student to “charge” their lunch once. The child will normally have the opportunity to call a parent to see if the lunch money can be brought to school that morning. If it cannot, the student will receive a hot lunch that day. Charge information will be sent home and the parent will be asked to send the money to school the next day. The charge must be paid before the student can charge again. If the student needs to charge again and the previous charge has not been paid, the student will be given a peanut butter sandwich and milk for a fee of $.75. The amount owed the school will be sent home to the parent.Please send CASH for all charges.

This policy is intended to reduce the number of charges during the school year while making certain that a child will have something nutritious to eat. Your cooperation will be appreciated.

CARE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY

Classroom furniture, materials, and textbooks are expensive and your child will be instructed in the proper care and use of school equipment. The Tri-Valley Board of Education provides textbooks for each student, and the student is responsible for the care while they are in his/her possession.

Students are expected to take care of all school property and there is to be no willful destruction of property, however minor, such as writing in books or on tables or walls. Students will be held responsible for any damage to school property.

Any item owned by the school district, such as books, materials, and equipment that is borrowed by a student, must be returned to the school. Students are responsible and will be expected to pay a fine or fee for anything lost or damaged beyond normal wear.

CHILD CUSTODY

Parents have an obligation to inform the school any time the custody of a child changes. A copy of court order pertaining to a child’s custody is required. If appropriate, parents should review the custody situation with the child’s teacher at the beginning of each school year. A record shall be kept indicating the legal custodian of each student. Such custodian is responsible for informing the office of any change in the student’s situation.

If one parent has been awarded custody of the student, the parent in custody (R.C. 3313.64) shall inform the school of any limitations in the rights of the non-custodial parent. Without such notice, the school will presume that the student may be released into the care of either parent.

COUNSELOR AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

A counselor and school psychologist work with individual children and groups of children to help with problems or to help prevent future problems. If you feel either one of these professionals might be of assistance to your child, please contact the principal.

DRESS CODE

Tri-ValleySchool District adopts a common dress code at all of its buildings. The revised, Board adopted dress code is part of this handbook following page 17.