ABSENCE

When you know in advance that it will be necessary for you to be absent from school enter your request on Workforce. Verbally notify the principal’s secretary (Jane) during the school day so that she can get you a sub. If you must report your absence and/or request a substitute outside school office hours, please call either Alli or Kim. Be sure to contact someone personally; please do not just leave a message. If you feel you will be absent a second or third day, call the school before 2:00 p.m. so that we can see if the same substitute can return to your classroom.

ACCIDENTS

Any accident that a teacher has that occurs on the job must be reported to the principal and the nurse immediately.

ATTENDANCE

If a student arrives at your room without an admittance slip after you send in the attendance, please see that the student returns to the office to sign and obtain an admittance slip. Attendance will be completed on Infinite Campus. Please be sure to complete your attendance by 9:15 a.m. so that we can start accounting for students. Let the office know if you are aware of the reason for a student’s absence. If a student is absent and the office is not aware of the reasons for the absence, the parents will be called.

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

Some audio-visual materials are available for check out through the librarian on first-come, first-serve basis. Please return all materials after you use them so that others may use them also and they are secure. Do not assign students to operate or move equipment. Please see the librarian if there are problems or needs regarding audio-visual supplies or equipment.

BALANCED LIT LIBRARY

Please be sure to put your teacher tags on the outside of the boxes when taking books. Please return them when finished. If you have any questions about the library or would like additional books, please see Carol Boriss or Becca Steinmetz.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast is served from 8:30 – 8:55 a.m. Students should enter the cafeteria in a quiet and respectful manner. There is supervision in the cafeteria during breakfast time. If a student is not arriving at your classroom on time due to breakfast, please let Alli or Kim know.

BUILDING INSERVICE CREDIT

This credit is given by building principals at a ratio of twelve clock hours for one in-service credit. Staff meetings are not considered as building level in-service. In order to advance on the salary schedule, four salary in-service credits must be earned every four years. Applications for in-service approval can be obtained from the principal’s secretary.

CANDY, GUM, AND SODA

Gum chewing is not allowed at school. Candy may be eaten in the lunchroom as part of the child’s lunch or in the classroom when provided by the teacher, however, hard candy is not allowed due to the choking hazard. Additionally, please be a role model for students by not chewing gum in their presence.

CARE TEAM

CARE Team is a problem solving process for students. In order to best serve our students and their needs, there will be a process that involves discussions and significant interventions prior to scheduling a CARE Team meeting. The process will begin through a grade level or administrator/counselor discussion then involve set interventions and data collection on the interventions. If these interventions are not proving to be successful, a CARE Team meeting will be scheduled on either a Monday or Tuesday when our Progress Monitoring Coach is in the building (refer to Master Calendar). The CARE Team will be a “set” team consisting of a primary and intermediate teacher, an SSD staff member, an administrator, the Progress Monitoring Coach, and a counselor. Additional resources may also participate if needed.

CLASSROOM SUPERVISION

Under no circumstances should a class of students be left unattended. If an emergency occurs, it is that teacher’s responsibility to request assistance from the teacher nearest you to provide supervision while you are away from your class. If you need coverage, please talk with Kim in advance to arrange. Teachers will be liable and held responsible for unattended students. This includes time picking up or dropping of students for classes or recess.

COMMON PLANNING

It is an expectation that each grade level team will meet at least weekly to discuss curriculum, data, goals etc. This is a good time to invite Becca or Maried (TIS). Administrators will meet with each grade level on a monthly basis to monitor students and their needs and discuss any interventions that may be needed. Please turn in the days when your team will meet by September 1st. If your team would rather meet before or after school, it is fine as long as long as there is consensus. Extended planning time will once again be offered this year on a monthly basis. Please plan your session at least 2 weeks in advance. Extended planning should be communicated to Alli and Kim and placed on the Master Calendar so that it appears on the MOVE.

In order for this time to truly be collaborative and have an impact on student achievement, it needs to be directly related to curriculum or the teaching and learning process. Planning of events or field trips is discouraged. Agendas or minutes for your sessions may be asked for by administrators.

COMMUNICATION

Please make contact with all parents prior to our Open House Night. Be sure to invite them and alert them to the importance of the evening. Explain that the evening provides crucial information – the foundation of your partnership with them – for the success of their child. Share all classroom letters/newsletters with a principal so that we can support your work. Strong communication with our parents is essential if we are to maximize effectiveness. Maintaining a parent contact log is strongly suggested.

CUMULATIVE RECORDS

Student’s files are kept in locked file cabinets located in the office. These files are to be handled with extreme care. The following practices will reduce liability:

  1. Authorized personnel may remove files from the cabinets daily between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30. Parents or legal guardians may review the file in the presence of authorized personnel upon written request from the parent/guardian. Review the file to avoid problems. Confidential personal notes shall not be kept in the record.
  2. Do not send a student to the office for such records nor return student records to the office by a student.

For detailed information on student records, please review the Board of Education Policy JOP and related guidelines. The recording of grades and attendance is the responsibility of the teacher.

CURRICULUM

All staff members should be delivering the Board Adopted, Parkway School District Curriculum. This includes literacy through a Readers/Writers Workshop format and Investigations in math. Curriculum can be accessed through the Online Curriculum Guide (OCG). Teachers are encouraged to check the OCG frequently as it is frequently being modified and updated.

Additionally, lessons should be designed through a UBD (Understanding By Design) format. Teachers should state/post Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions for lessons.

DISCIPLINE

Teachers have the primary responsibility and authority for pupil discipline and control in the classroom, the school building, and the school grounds.

Teachers have the authority to remove a pupil temporarily from the classroom provided the principal or assistant principal is notified of such action.

Unless the offense is serious, a teacher should make an attempt to deal with the situation and students involved. In this case, every teacher should uphold the expectations outlined by the PBISSchool wide Behavior Plan. Each student should be treated with fairness and consistency.

Generally, the following procedures should be followed when working with your students:

  1. Talk to the students involved. Try to resolve the difficulty.
  2. Get the parents involved. Let them know that a pattern of misconduct is developing.

There are serious cases when a student should be referred to the office immediately. Examples of this are when students are involved in a fistfight, students call a teacher a name, or the safety of another person is at stake. At this time the teacher needs to send or bring the student to the office with an office discipline referral slip. Please give details when completing the referral. This referral will be filed in the student’s discipline file.

Do not resort to punishing your whole class for an incident. It is important to make consequences relevant and constructive.

The principal will make the decision if a student needs to spend time in in-school or out of school suspension.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURE

For safety reasons, teachers are ultimately responsible for their students during dismissal.

Dismissal will begin each day at 3:30 p.m. as follows:

  1. Announcements—always minimal at day’s end unless an emergency occurs.
  2. Dismissal of Day Care Vans to front hallway
  3. Dismissal of Kids Net Students to cafeteria
  4. Dismissal of walkers and Parent pick up students to the Art room door
  5. Dismissal of buses to the front hallway.

Buses will be announced several times, however, if a child misses their bus it is the teacher’s responsibility to stay with their student until their ride arrives.

Any student leaving the building prior to regular dismissal must be signed out by a parent/ guardian in the office. Never dismiss a student directly from your classroom. The procedure is to send the parent to the office and have the secretary call over the intercom for the student to report to the office. Never allow a child to go home in a different manner unless a note is in the office from that child’s parent.

DRESS

Teachers are expected to dress in a professional manner. Attire should reflect the pride we feel for our colleagues and ourselves.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

The following are suggestions for energy saving:

  1. Turn off lights when not needed for ten or more minutes.
  2. Close blinds each evening.
  3. Temperatures in the building will be 55 degrees in the winter and 85 degrees in summer ON THE WEEKENDS or extended vacations.
  4. Close exterior doors and windows.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

A copy of the Emergency Manual for McKelvey is included in this handbook. Familiarize yourself with the areas of your responsibility. Also, laminated copies of fire, tornado, and earthquake evacuation procedures must be posted in your room.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips provide educational opportunities coordinating with the curriculum. Teachers should plan the trip after securing permission from the principal or assistant. The secretaries will provide the necessary forms and assist teachers in completing them. The following school staff should be notified:

school nurseart/music/PE teachersSSD teacherscooks

office staffgifted teacherstrings teacherslibrarian

If students do not have a signed consent form, verbal (phone call) or faxed permission must be given to an administrator. Teachers should have a passenger list of the pupils who attend, and the office should have a completed attendance list.

Additionally, please leave all staff cell phone numbers in the office in case we need to contact you while you are on the trip.

Every attempt to provide for the safety of the students should be taken. Sites should be previewed by teachers. A teacher or supervisor / pupil ratio of 1:10 is necessary for most trips. All students should be accounted for by roll check before departing. A nurse’s first aid kit and any student medications should be secured before departing for the field trip.

FOOD/CANDY REWARDS

In order to maintain a healthy environment for all students and manage multiple health and allergies, food and/or candy should not be given out for rewards. Class parties and birthday treats should be arranged through classroom teachers at all times as the classroom teacher will have responsibility for these events. It is strongly encouraged that a set time is devoted for birthday treats (ie end of the day or during lunch time). Any class party will need to be communicated by letter to parents in the event that other snacks or arrangements need to be made. Additionally, please know that students sharing food of ANY kind will not be allowed in the classroom, at recess or in the cafeteria. Please discuss this with your students frequently.

GRADE REPORTING

Grades should be justifiable and should be substantiated by test results, assignments, participation, etc. Teachers should make every effort to indicate to students that their work has some degree of success. When you discover that a student is experiencing academic difficulties, refer the matter to a counselor and/or parents. Parents must be informed when a student is in danger of receiving a failing grade or a substantial drop in grade. This is also a way to involve the parents in the progress of their child (ren).

Report cards and parent/teacher conferences should be a generally positive experience for students, teachers and parents. There should be at least one positive comment on every report card. If there are major concerns, they should also be documented in writing on the comment section of the report card. Where concerns are noted, suggestions for improvement should also be given in writing.

It is the responsibility of all teachers to keep some sort of record book that is neat and orderly. Record books will be turned in to the office at the end of the school year.

HATS

Hats are not to be worn in the school building. Please ask any child wearing one to remove it.

HOMEWORK

Homework is described as essential in the learning process according to board policy IKB.BP. “It is the intent of the board of education that appropriate homework be assigned at all grade levels and that such assignment reflect increasing responsibility and skill development on the part of students.” Homework guidelines should be articulated between grade levels.

HOUSEKEEPING

At the end of the day, have students put away their personal belongings and pick up any trash. In order to clean off desks, students should have all items cleared from the tops of their desk. The custodian’s primary responsibility is to maintain a healthy environment. Teachers should set the example by maintaining their material in a neat orderly manner and engaging students in class clean-up procedures.

IEP DOCUMENTATION

Regulations from IDEA require that teachers document they have read the IEP of incoming students. If you have any questions, please talk with the case manager of the IEP.

INDOOR RECESS

In the case of inclement weather, recess will be held in the classroom. Please establish expectations and procedures for your own class prior to the recess. Students should be prepared to participate in quiet activities such as reading books, drawing or playing games. Adults on duty will expect a safe and orderly recess with good listeners.

LAPTOPS

Our laptops have significant value. At no time should there be students walking with laptops or left with laptops unattended. Please be sure to follow the proper check out procedure through our CRS< Connie. We expect that you walk with your students to bring them back AND plug them in. If you need assistance, please see Connie.

LEAVING EARLY

Occasionally it will be necessary for a teacher or employee to leave before dismissal, or with the buses. If it is a short period of time and coverage can be provided, no sub may be necessary. Please inform the assistant principal of the need and notify the office before you leave.

LIBRARY

All classrooms are set up with a 40 minute library time each week. During the first 30 minutes, classroom teachers may leave and use it as planning time. However, it is an expectation that teachers return, on time, for the final 10 minutes in order to help support the book selection and check out process.

MEDICATION

No student is to have medication of ANY kind in the classroom (this includes cough drops). Please see that students bring medications immediately to the nurse. See the McKelvey Parent/Student Handbook for further information on medications.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

A successful conference should provide you and parents with a feeling of satisfaction and a better understanding of the child. In general, parents are appreciative of your help and interest in their son or daughter. If a teacher desires additional assistance with conferences, please contact the principal, assistant principal, counselor or specialist.

Parent/teacher conferences may be scheduled any time during the school year and may be initiated by the principal, counselor, teacher or parent. Conferences are scheduled for the first and second trimester. The most effective conference occurs when both parent and teacher work together to help the child. We will again have 100% face to face contact during the first trimester conferences. Report cards are not released until this meeting takes place. Please see Win to arrange transportation for VST parents.

A few suggestions for conferences are as follows: