STUDENT HANDBOOK
Big Springs Charter
193801 Revised 7/21/2016
STUDENTS
3.0 ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT
Big SpringsCharterSchool offers Open Enrollment. Admission and enrollment of students shall be open to any person between the ages of 5-26 who resides within the geographic boundaries stated in the charter that includes Bandera ISD, Center Point ISD, Kerrville ISD, Knippa ISD, Ingram ISD, La Pryor ISD, Leakey ISD, Medina ISD, Nueces Canyon CISD, Sabinal ISD, Uvalde ISD, and who is eligible for admission based on lawful criteria. Total enrollment shall not exceed the maximum number of students approved by the State Board of Education. Big SpringsCharterSchool’s admission policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, academic, artistic, or athletic ability, or the district the student would otherwise attend. Students who reside outside the geographic boundaries stated in the charter shall not be admitted to the school.
The school program will be open to visits and requests for information from any parent that believes the program would benefit their child and who reside in the designated geographic boundaries.
Big Springs Charter School will serve students residing in the designated geographic area including Bandera ISD, Center Point ISD, Kerrville ISD, Knippa ISD, Ingram ISD, La Pryor ISD, Leakey ISD, Medina ISD, Nueces Canyon CISD, Sabinal ISD, and Uvalde ISD regardless of their participation in a residential facility or program. Admission to any residential facility located in the charter school’s designated boundary is not contingent upon the student’s enrollment at the charter school (i.e. student admitted to the residential facility may choose to attend either the local ISD or the charter school).
Registration requests within the designated geographical boundary for the following school year will be accepted starting the first week in May. New student admission applicants will each be assigned a lottery number. If the total number of student admissions applications is higher than the capacity of the school, then during the second week of July, a lottery drawing will be conducted to determine the students who will be enrolled for the school year. The lottery drawing will be public and anyone wanting to attend is welcome to do so. The time and place will be announced to the public. Student admission applicants not picked through the lottery will be placed on an enrollment waiting list by the first day of school by order of date of admissions application. If the total number of admission applicants is not higher than the school capacity, then all students who registered will be automatically accepted for enrollment. An admissions application deadline will be posted in all local newspapers during the month of May.
3.1Persistently Dangerous School
If the Texas Education Agency determines that any school in the Big Springs Charter School System is a Persistently Dangerous Public School, or if a student becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense while in or on the grounds of a school in the Big Springs Charter School System; then the student is offered and allowed to attend a safe public school within the local education agency, including a public charter school. PL107.110,Section 9532
3.2Video and Audio Recordings
State law permits videos and audio recordings to be taken of students for:
1. academic/classroom purposes
2. safety demonstrations
3. extra-curricular participation
4. media coverage.
Note: This section serves as official notice that the Big Springs Charter School will video and/or record students throughout the school year in an effort to communicate the district’s mission, vision and goals. The taping may occur during regular school operations in an effort to communicate district programs and feature teachers and students at work during the education process. If for any reason a parent does not want his/her child to be taped for district communication purposes, notify the campus administrator in writing. Security cameras will be used for confidential safety and supervision issues only.
For more information on this topic, contact the Superintendent, Albert Hernandez, P O Box 399, Leakey, TX 78873, phone 830-232-7101.
3.3Attendance
“If a student is absent from the charter school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year; or on 3 or more days or parts of days within a 4 week period” (TEC 25.094), the student’s parents and the student may be subject to prosecution.
Children ages 6-18 are required to attend school. State law requires that students be in attendance at least 90% of the time to earn credit. Excessive absences may result in the loss of credit unless the student is able to make up missed work through alternative means such as after school tutoring, Saturday school, and/or summer school. If a student drops below the 90% attendance rate but remains at least at a 75% attendance rate, the student may still obtain credit if they complete a plan approved by the campus principal. This plan may require the student to attend school after school hours, Saturday school, and/or summer school.
The School Management Board shall appoint an attendance review committee to hear student petitions for class credit by students who do not achieve the 90% Minimum attendance. The attendance committee shall establish guidelines (approved by the school Management Board) for evaluation of these petitions and shall have the discretion to award class credit to students who have exceeded the maximum number of absences. Students may appeal negative decisions of the attendance committee to the school Management Board, for purposes of determining whether a student has been in attendance for 90% of the scheduled class time, absence for observation of a religious holiday shall not be counted as an absence.
For students who are 19 years of age or older, Big Springs Charter School may issue a warning letter to the student, may revoke enrollment or implement a behavior improvement plan for the student who has more than 5 unexcused absences in a semester. Big Springs Charter School may revoke the student’s enrollment on a day the student is in attendance.
If a student is absent from school on 10 or more school days or parts of days within a six month period in the same school year, the student’s parents and the student may be subject to prosecution.
If a student has been absent for 3 days or parts of days without excuse within a four week period, the parent/guardian will receive a notice from the district to inform them that the student is subject to truancy prevention measures in addition to other statutory requirements.
Truancy Prevention Measures
Truancy prevention measures are designed to provide support and encouragement to the student and their family to promote consistent school attendance. Truancy prevention measures may include the following:
- The implementation of a behavior improvement plan that includes a specific behavior required or prohibited for a designated period of time, not to exceed 45 school days.
- Impose a school-based community service.
- Refer the student to counseling, mediation, mentoring, teen-court, or other in school or out of school services aimed at addressing truant behavior.
If it is determined that truancy is the result of pregnancy, homelessness, being in the state foster program or being the principal income earner for the student’s family, the district shall refer the student to additional counseling and may not file for truancy (TEC 25.0915).
For more information on truancy prevention measures please consult with the campus principal or truancy prevention facilitator.
Referral to court for truancy
If a student fails to attend school without excuse on 10 or more school days or parts of days within a six month period, Big Springs Charter School will refer a student between the ages of 12-18 to truancy court within 10 school days of their 10th absence. The district may delay referral to truancy court if truancy prevention measures are currently being implemented successfully or if it is not in the best interest of the student.
Big Springs Charter School can file a complaint for criminal prosecution against a parent who is contributing to their child’s absences. State law has been amended to include that this offense, criminal negligence, may be punishable by fine ranging from $100 up to $500 (TEC 25.093).
Excused Absences
Students shall be excused for temporary absences based on any reason acceptable to the school superintendent or designee, including but not limited to, illness or appointment with ahealth care professional. Students shall be excused for the purpose of observing religious holy days, including travel for that purpose as long as the parent or guardian havingcustody of the student submits a written request for the excused absence.
Absences due to medical appointments are excused if a student returns with a medical note. In order for the district to be reimbursed for that student’s absence, the student is required to attend at least 10 minutes during the day (along with the return of the medical note).
Numerous absences, whether excused or unexcused, may jeopardize a student’s ability to receive credit or final grades for classes per TEC 25.092.
Students shall be allowed a reasonable period of time to complete work missed on days they are absent. For every day absent and excused the student will have two days to make up the work missed. EX. 2 excused days= 4 days to make up work.
3.4Transportation
Transportation from school will be monitored by school staff to help ensure student safety. Each parent will be required to fill out a transportation form at the beginning of each school year indicating the standard mode of transportation approved for that student to and from school (bus, residential van, or private vehicle).
If at any time during the school year the parent/guardian of the student wishes to change the student’s standard mode of transportation, the request must be received in writing, before the mode of transportation can be changed.
If a student rides in a private vehicle and the person picking them up is not on the authorization form, a written notice will be required with proof of identification before the student is released.
Transportation forms will be provided in the enrollment packet at the beginning of each year and can be requested from the registrar or school office.
3.5Nutrition
Big Springs Charter School is dedicated to providing all students with a nutritious meal and guidelines for healthy eating. To help support their efforts the following policies should be followed by all students:
No food or drink is allowed to be brought by students on school bus or van, or allowed on school property during school hours.
Exceptions:
obreakfast and/or lunch may be brought from home.
ofood and/or drink may provided by staff for sanctioned events.
If a student brings breakfast or lunch to school:
oDrinks will be limited to water, milk, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, no more than 12 ounces.
oCandy brought as a dessert must not exceed 1.5 oz in size, no more than 23 grams of fat.
oMeals brought to school may not be shared with other students.
oFoods of minimum nutritional value (FMNV) may not be brought to school except on approved holidays. FMNV’s include, but are not limited to: all carbonated drinks, gum, hard candy, jellied candy, marshmallow candy, fondant, licorice, spun candy, and candy coated popcorn. A complete list of FMNV’s may be obtained from the school office or the Texas Department of Agriculture website.
Students will not have access to coffee or tea at school.
Students may not pickup food from the food service area for another student.
3.6Student Leaving Classroom (OTP-Out of Time and Place)
Student Leaving School Grounds (Runaway from School)
Student Leaving Classroom (OTP)
Definition of OTP (Out of Time and Place):
A student that leaves their assigned classroom or area on the school grounds without teacher permission or does not report to their assigned classroom or area on the school grounds is considered “Out of Time and Place” and or skipping class.
A student who leaves his/her designated classroom without permission is considered OTP (Out of Time and Place). The student will be monitored by school staff and encouraged to return to the designated classroom or to another area in the school building or school grounds for a cooling off period of time. School grounds include the areas in close proximity to the school buildings where a student can be observed by a school staff member.
Student Leaving School Grounds (Runaway from School)
A student who leaves the school grounds without permission, and cannot be observed from the school building by school staff member or teacher is considered a Runaway from School.
Communication:
OTP: When a ranch student leaves the classroom without permission, the teacher will immediately contact the campus behavior coordinator andappropriate school administrator(s) that the student is OTP. Ranch PCs may be contacted for student OTP report and intervention.
Community students are subject to above communication, less Ranch PC communication.
School Runaway: When a school staff member observes that a ranch student has left school grounds without permission, the school staff member will immediately notify the Campus Behavior Coordinator and appropriate school administrator(s) that the student has left the school grounds and is no longer visible. The Campus Behavior Coordinator and school administrator(s) will notify Ranch PC’s and also call the Ranch Administration Office to report that the ranch student is a Runaway from School. School staff does not notify law enforcement. Ranch staff will be given description and runaway location information by school staff as quickly as possible.
Community students are subject to above information, less the ranch notification. The campus behavior coordinator will notify the community parent immediately and may also choose to notify law enforcement and report the situation.
Consequences:
OTP:
- Refocus and back to class as soon as possible
- Progressive individualized discipline interventions to address OTP behavior (Safety plans; resource assistance, etc.).
School Runaway:
- Suspension (ISS or out of school suspension).
- For ongoing runaway behavior; progressive individualizeddiscipline interventions to address runaway behavior (safety plan, resource assistance, ARD meeting for placement change consideration, etc) shall be considered.
3.7Student Responsibility for School Work and Test Grades
Students are held responsible for completing all school work/assignments which will impact their grade for each class on their class schedule. Students are expected to complete the assigned work on their own, and not receive the answers to the assignments from another student or any other individual. If a student receives answers to an assignment from another person or obtains the answer(s) in a dishonest fashion, then this behavior will be described as "Cheating".
All tests, quizzes, exams and assessments are to be completed independently by the student without any individual giving the student answers to the tests. If a student receives answers to a test from another student or any other individual, or receives answers in a dishonest fashion, then this behavior will be described as "Cheating".
Teachers will inform students when school work/assignments may be completed by working with another individual or team of students. If the teacher does not give explicit directions/permission that a class assignment or test may be completed by working with others, then the student is expected to complete the assignment or test on an individual basis without getting answers from others.
“Cheating” behavior related to class assignments leading to a grade and tests will be considered a serious breach of school conduct.
Consequences for cheating behavior may include, but is not limited to:
- Suspension from school for a time determined by the Campus Behavior Coordinator.
- A grade of “zero” for that assignment or test.
- Failure of that class for the semester.
- Permanent report on school records.
NOTE: A student given a grade of “zero” due to cheating will not be allowed to retest, unless a parent/teacher/school administrator conference is held to discuss the serious breach of school conduct.
The State and Federal regulations in this area can enforce the loss of certification for teachers and counselors as well as loss of license for other professional staff that do not monitor and assure validity in the grading and testing area.
The school system could also be in jeopardy of loss in funding if testing and grade standards are not in compliance.
3.8Computer Use
Use of computers is a privilege and not a right. Due to the expense associated withacquiring this technology, and due to the potential for damage to the equipment throughmisuse, Big Springs Charter School has developed the following specific computer usagepolicy. Violation of any of these rules listed in this section may result in revocation of computer and/or Internet privileges and any other disciplinary consequences as may bedeemed appropriate by the Campus Behavior Coordinator/ school administrator or Superintendent.
1.Students are prohibited from erasing, renaming, or making unusable anyone else'scomputer files, programs or disks.
2.Students are prohibited from using someone else's password or email account.
3.Students may not use the computers to make purchases of any kind or to advertiseany products for purchase or sale.
4.Students may not use the computers for any unlawful purpose such as illegalcopying, plagiarizing, or illegal installation of software.
5.All documents printed by the students will be screened and handed to the student by a staff member.
6.All pages printed that are not school-related material will cost the student 15 cents per page.
7.Students are prohibited from writing or otherwise attempting to introduce anycomputer code designed to self-replicate, damage, or hinder theperformance of the computer's memory or filing system.
8.Students are prohibited from using the computer to annoy or harass others withinappropriate language, images or threats (Cyber Bullying).