2014-2015
Darlington High School
Teacher Handbook
Table of Contents
Letter to Teachers4
Mission, Vision, Values and Beliefs5
Teacher Expectations6-8
Instructional Expectations9
Meeting Expectations10
Common Sense aint so Common11
Staff Dress Code12-13
Internet Code of Conduct14
Administrative Team Responsibilities15
Administrative Team, Campus Supervisors Duties16
Guidance Duties and Responsibilities17
DHS and DCIS Bell Schedules18
Substitute Procedures19-20
Google Docs and other needed links21-22
Textbook Request link
AESOP website link
Signing out mobile computer labs
Requesting tech support from school Wizard
Library Procedures and Rules23-24
Purchasing Procedures25-26
Receipting Guidelines27
Discipline Guidelines28-32
Student ID Procedures33
Tardy Procedures34
Electronic Devices35
Fire Drill Procedures (monthly36
Lockdown/Intruder Drill (October and April)37
Tornado Procedures (March)38
Earthquake Drill Procedures (November)39
Bomb Threat (never a drill) 40
Bus Evacuation (October and April)
Map (1st floor Main)41
Map (2nd floor Main)42
Map (9th Grade Academy) 43
Clubs44
JV Football Schedule45
Varsity Football Schedule46
Girls Tennis Schedule47
Volleyball Schedule48
Movie Request Form49
Field Trip Forms50-56
Request for Fundraising Form57
Textbook forms58-62
Health Office (Nurse) Referral Form63
Counseling Office Pass64
Darlington High School
An Early College High School
525 Spring Street
Darlington, SC 59532
Dr. Gregory B. Harrison, Principal
Dear Falcon Faculty and Staff,
Welcome to a new year at Darlington High School. I hope you are enjoying a restful, relaxing summer. I have seen many of you working in your classrooms, planning for your students, and expressing excitement about the new year. Last year was a banner year for DHS, as we earned an “Excellent” rating by the state Department of Education, and we received two Palmetto Gold Awards for outstanding gains in academic achievement and closing the achievement gap. DHS was also the highest academic achieving high school in the Pee Dee Area. The graduating class of 2014 received 3.8 million in scholarships, a record total for DHS. I’m excited about the direction DHS is headed, and I’m looking forward to another great year!
You are dedicated professionals of Falcon faculty, and it is my pleasure to represent the work you do in the trenches daily with our children in this community. I am proud to have the opportunity to lead a school that has produced so many outstanding students. I am also honored to serve as principal in the high school I attended as a student. Darlington High school has and will continue to make great progress in helping our young people develop the skills necessary to be successful in life.
The administrative team has been planning for the 2014-2015 school year based on departmental feedback we received at the end of last school year. The vision of Darlington High School is to promote a safe, caring, positive learning environment that supports the belief that teachers have the right to teach and students have the right to learn.
We can be proud of what we achieve at Darlington High School—in our classrooms, in our offices, and on our playing fields—but our achievements are not due to complacency and satisfaction with the status quo. Our program is what it is because a staff of dedicated, aspiring men and women have a common goal, to do what is best for students, and are always looking for ways to achieve that goal.
This year, we must concentrate on the processes that spur continuing advancement: evaluating what we have, determining what we can do to improve, and identifying what we need to make those improvements.
I am looking forward to working with you to make the upcoming school year successful!
Regards,
Gregory Harrison
Gregory Harrison, Ed.D
Principal
MISSION, VISION, VALUES, AND BELIEFS
Our Vision
The vision of Darlington High School is to promote a safe, caring, positive learning environment that supports the belief that teachers have the right to teach and students have the right to learn.
Our Mission
The mission of Darlington High School is to engage all students in relevant learning experiences to prepare them to be leaders and responsible citizens in our culturally diverse society.
We Believe…
All students can learn.
Students learn through active involvement in relevant experiences.
Student success will be enhanced by active support from the school, parents and community.
Cultural diversity enhances lives and society.
Learning is a life-long process.
Instructional strategies should incorporate a variety of learning experiences to accommodate differences in learning styles.
Darlington High School
Teacher Expectations
I. The vision of Darlington High School is to promote a safe, caring, positive learning environment that supports the belief that teachers have the right to teach and students have the right to learn.
* The most important variable in a school is the classroom teacher.
II. Show Respect, Be fair, and treat each student like they were your child.
-You do not really have to like your students; just act like you do!
III. Be prepared everyday!
a. Lesson plans & Course Syllabus (Sent home to parents and turn in to Dept. Chairs)
b. Objectives posted
c. Bell to bell instruction
d. Sub plans
IV. Communication with Parents
a. Positive and negative contact weekly (build relationships with parents)
b. Keep a communication log (date, # called, person’s name, notes)
c. Parents are your partner in education. It is expected that parents be notified when students are discipline problems or having academic problems.
V. Student-Centered Instruction
- Multiple teaching strategies to match learning styles of students
- EDI Techniques, Technology
c. Tutoring & Extra help
VI. Be at your door during class change. (Help monitor the students in the hall
VII. Duty, Attendance, Grades
- Be at duty stations on time & actively supervising students
- Be at your door during class change. Help monitor the students in the hall
b. Enter attendance at the beginning of class
c. Follow the tardy policy
d. Keep grades up to date electronically in Powerschool (At least once a
week)
VIII. Plan for failing students/ Make-up Plan
a. Failing is not an option! Take it or leave it approach is dead!
b. Parent communication included
c. Each dept. has a plan; please see your dept. chair
VIII. Classroom Management
a. Have a proactive plan, contact parents, and deal with minor offenses at the
classroom level. (Part of Course Syllabus) School-wide plan.
b. We can’t control your classroom; we will support you.
c. What tools do you have?
-What separates effective and ineffective teachers?
-When is sarcasm useful in a classroom?
-When is disrespect useful in a classroom?
-When is yelling useful in a classroom?
-When is arguing useful in a classroom?
*If you chose to argue you already lost the argument.
IX. Dress Code
a. Professional dress is expected.
b. Jeans only on Friday with DHS shirt only.
X. Administration Communication
a. Check emails a min of 2 times a day. (Morning and afternoon)
b. Monday Memo from me.
c. School Leadership Team
XI. Work Orders
- Something broke damaged in your room; please fill out work order so it can be repaired.
XII. Chain of Command
Board of Education
Superintendent
Principal
Assistant Principal of your Department
Department Chair
Classroom Teacher
XIII. Student Dress Code/ ID’s/Cell Phones
- Teachers monitor every class period
- ID Policy
- No Hats inside.
-IPODS and cell phones
XIV. I will support you; however don’t put me in a position where I can’t.
XV. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way
- Don’t block students from leaving class
- Never put your hands on students
XVI. Calling for an Administrator or Campus Supervisor
-Emergency’s only
XVII. Internet use Policy/ Video Procedures
-lap tops
-Don’t be on CPU during instructional time
-Facebook, myspace, Texting
XVIII. Custodial Issues
-All have to work together
- Food & drinks in classroom
-Workrooms, faculty restrooms
XVIII. Relationships
-Students, parents, colleagues
______
Greg Harrison, Principal
Instructional Expectations
(Classroom Observations)
1) I expect to see all students actively involved in a planned lesson. (Lesson plans available
when you enter the room)
2) I expect to see teachers and aides actively supervising students. (Moving around the class- Facilitating learning)
3) I expect teachers to use multiple teaching methods. (Not just lecture and worksheets) (Collaborative learning, project-based instruction, teacher as facilitator of learning)
4) I expect instruction to begin promptly and continue until the end of the class period. (Bell Ringers, activities, closure, Bell to Bell Instruction)
5) I expect the lesson to be rigorous, challenging, and I expect teachers to help students achieve at various levels of rigor. (High and low-level learners)
6) I expect a classroom to be orderly, clean, and attractive. The room is a place where student’s work is displayed. (Student ownership in the room)
7) I expect to see and feel mutual respect between students and teacher.
8) I expect to see teachers encouraging students to do their best.
9) I expect to see an effective classroom management plan at work to rewards as well as deals with negative classroom behaviors.
10) I expect objectives/ agenda of the lesson to be posted, so anyone who walks in your room can tell at a quick glance what is going on in that days lesson.
______
Gregory Harrison, Ed.D.
Principal
Meeting Expectations
DHS
- Be on time
- Focus on speaker
- Bring requested materials/calendar
- Turn phones on silent/off
- Avoid doing other work during the meeting
- Only share concerns that pertain to the whole group
- Keep background talk to a minimum
Common Sense aint so Common
- Mandated Reporter!
-you as a teacher/assistant are mandated by law to report cases of child abuse. (Penalty for not= $ and Jail)
- Corporal Punishment:
-Don’t go there!
-beat your own kids if you feel the urge, don’t touch other
people’s kids.
- Cell Phones:
-If you take it; it now belongs to you.
- Turn all phones over to campus supervisors, AP’s, SRO
- Sex with Students:
-Sexual Battery with a Student Act 16-3-755
- Texting, Myspace, Facebook- Don’t do it! Protect you!
- Helpful Hints:
- Do not remain alone with a student in the classroom outside the regular school day without notification of Principal.
- Do not remain alone with student behind close doors
- Do not meet student outside of school for meals, drinks, or other social events.
- Do not counsel students in non-academic matters
- Do not transport students in your personal vehicle
- Do not engage students in conversations regarding romantic or sexual activities
- Do not entertain students in your home
- Do not make sexual comments, comments about students bodies, tell sex jokes, or share sexual oriented material with students.
Policy GBEBA Staff Dress Code
Purpose: To establish the board's vision for an appropriate dress code for staff.
There are dress code expectations and requirements to be followed in the school environment which reflect the high standards of Darlington County School District. The district expects employees' dress to be guided by what is most generally acceptable in the business and professional world. Teachers and staff serve as role models for students and should maintain professional standards of dress and grooming. All staff should recognize that they are being continuously observed by students and that their personal appearance should promote health and safety, contribute to a climate conducive to teaching and learning, and project a positive image of the district in the community.
Staff members are expected to wear clothing during school hours that demonstrates the employee's high regard for education and presents an image consistent with the employee's job responsibilities. Staff members are to appear neat, clean and appropriately dressed at all times in keeping with the dignity and responsibility of their respective positions. Support staff and instructors in special areas will wear clothing appropriate for their instructional environment. Physical education, career technology, special education, transportation, nursing, food services, custodial or maintenance should dress as needed for their particular work assignment.
Discretion, sound judgment and common sense call for an avoidance of any extreme in dress or grooming that would interfere with the normal educational process. The following dress is considered to beinappropriatefor district employees.
• jeans (pants/overalls/shorts/capris), wind suits, pajamas and sweat clothes (exceptions would be Spirit Day, field day, field trips and/or other days appointed by the building administrator and those employees in particular work assignments)
• dresses, shirts and blouses that have cutouts or see through elements and/or reveal cleavage, tank tops, spaghetti straps
• shower shoes, bedroom shoes
• tight or clinging garments which are excessively revealing and/or reveal undergarments
• clothing that promotes alcoholic beverages, tobacco, the use of controlled substances, depicts violence, is of sexual nature or is of disruptive nature
• shorts, skirts and/or dresses that are distractive in length and fit (shorts, skirts and dresses should reach the vicinity of the knee)
• pants not worn on the waist
• shirts, blouses and dresses that do not cover the back, waist or midriff
• hats worn in the building
• unusual body piercing, nose/lip to ear chains and body tattoos that are disruptive to the order of the school or are a distraction to the learning environment
Reasonable accommodations will be made by the appropriate supervisor for those employees who, because of a sincerely held religious belief, cultural heritage or medical reason, request a waiver of a particular part of this dress code.
If there is a question about the appropriateness of dress of a staff member, the school administration will counsel the individual regarding suitable, appropriate, acceptable and professional dress. If the employee ignores the school administrator's warning and continues to wear inappropriate dress, the action will be documented and the employee will be referred to the superintendent and/or his/her designee for noncompliance of district policy
Darlington County School District
FILE: IJNDB-E(1)
INTERNET CODE OF CONDUCT
Use of the Internet by students and staff of Darlington County School District will be in support of education and research that is consistent with the mission of the district. Internet use is limited to those persons who have been issued district-approved accounts. Guest users must follow guidelines established for access to the Internet through district resources. Guest access will be monitored in the same manner as DCSD students and staff. Use will be in accordance with the district’s acceptable use policy and this code of conduct.
• Protect your log-on information from others.
• Respect the privacy of other users. Do not use other users’ passwords.
• Be ethical and courteous. Do not send hate, harassing or obscene mail, discriminatory remarks or demonstrate other antisocial behaviors.
• Maintain the integrity of files and data. Do not modify or copy files/data of other users without their consent.
• Treat information created by others as the private property of the creator. Respect copyrights.
• Use the network in a way that does not disrupt its use by others.
• Do not destroy, modify or abuse the hardware or software in any way.
• Do not develop or pass on programs that harass other users or infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage the software components of a computer or computing system. Do not “hack” the system.
• Do not use the Internet to access or process pornographic or otherwise inappropriate material.
• Do not use the Internet for commercial purposes.
The district reserves the right to suspend any account for purposes of investigating possible violations of district technology use polices and to remove a user’s account if it is determined that the user is engaged in unauthorized activity is violating this code of conduct.
The district reserves the right to review content of all files stored, of all information accessed via the Internet and/or of e-mails sent or received through DCSDNet.
Darlington High School
Administrative Team and Areas of Responsibility
Dr. Gregory B. Harrison, Principal
Instructional Leader
School Leadership
School Organization
Public Relations
1
1
Ms. Nicole Jones
(Assistant Principal)
Hours: 7:00am-3:30pm
Evening Academy- Monday
Curriculum & Instruction
Curriculum Development
School Website
Substitutes
Gear-Up Liaison
Graduation
Staff Development
PTO
Title I/ CT’s
Report Card Data
Maintenance, Custodians, & Facilities-Main
Evaluations/ Classroom Observations
Guidance, English, Math Departments
11th grade & 12th Students
Ms. Jane Lloyd
(Assistant Principal)
Hours: 7:30am-4:00pm
Freshman Academy
Evening Academy- Wednesday
Textbooks- 9th grade building
Advisor/Advisee
Testing
School Improvement Council
Certification Renewal
School Calendars
Staff Handbooks
Drills/OSHA
Maintenance, Custodians, & Facilities- 9th grade
504 Coordinator
Evaluations/ Classroom Observations
Science & Electives & Freshman Academy
9th grade students
Ms. Cassandra Poole
(Assistant Principal)
Hours: 7:30am-4:00pm
Evening Academy Coordinator
Evening Academy- Tuesday
Credit Recovery/ APEX
New Teacher Mentor Program
Student teachers
Homebound Instruction
Home base Instruction
Falcon PRIDE Coordinator
Awards Night
Testing
DCIS Liaison
Evaluation Coordinator
Evaluations/ classroom Evaluations
Special Education Department
Special Education Students
Mr. Robert Smith
(Assistant Principal)
Hours: 7:30am-4:00pm
Evening Academy- Thursday
Scheduling
Early College Liaison
Textbooks- Main Campus
Attendance
Teacher Duty Coordinator
Adult Education
Technology
Transportation-Student Parking
Student Organizations
DCIT Liasion
Campus Security/Supervisors
Lockers
Evaluations/ Classroom Observations
Social Studies, Media Center, Classified Employees
9th grade repeater and 10th grade Students
1
Darlington High School
Administrative Team and Areas of Responsibility
Ms. Nicole Jones
AM- Courtyard
Upstairs halls and bathrooms during class change
Lunch- 3rd lunch
PM- Student Parking Lot
Ms. Cassandra Poole
AM- Cafeteria
Upstairs balcony and bathrooms during class change
Lunch- 2nd lunch