Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year. I believe the best learning climate is one in which parents, students, and staff work together. Consequently, I will be asking for your assistance and support in providingthe highest educational experience possible. With active participation and cooperation by each of us, we can meet the challenges and responsibilities that this new school year will bring.
Rockford can be very proud of what it has achieved; however, achievements are not due to complacency and/or satisfaction with the status quo. Our program is what it is because of a dedicated staff that has a common goal, and that isto do what is best for all students.
In closing, this handbook is designed for your convenience. We hope that it will be a handy reference foryou as parents and/or students regarding policies and procedures that affect the operations of Rockford School.
May all of you have a most successful year.
Sincerely,
Caron Borba, Superintendent/Principal
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Ed Flory, President
David Gisler, Clerk
Fred Hughes, Member
Management
Borba, CaronSuperintendent/Principal
Miller, DianaBusiness Manager
Thornburg, TracyCafeteria Manager
Certificated Staff
Allen, Deborah6th-8th grade teacher
Benas, Priscilla6th-8thgrade teacher
Britt, Charles6th-8thgrade teacher
Cash, Katie5th grade teacher
Castle, Kimberly2nd grade teacher
Dillard, Terri1st grade teacher
Dowling, Michele3rd grade teacher
Gartung, Chrissy1st grade teacher
Gisler, KatieKindergarten teacher
Hendrickson, SniderMusic teacher
Loer, Robert4th grade teacher
Mueller, Aleta2nd grade teacher
Nix, Krista4thgrade teacher
Patrick, Michele6th-8th grade teacher
Rose, Lindsay3rd grade teacher
Smith, MikiKindergarten teacher
True, Heidi5th grade teacher
West, Douglas6th-8thgrade math teacher
Classified Staff
Baez, HugoMaintenance and Transportation
Clem, HollyCafeteria
DeLeon, ElvieCafeteria
Hicks, CherylSecretary
Luis, DevinMaintenance
Paquette, PattyTransportation and Maintenance
Smith, JudyCafeteria
Instructional Aides
Garcia, Vanessa
Hensley, Kristi
Johnson, Diana
Kissick, Becky
Row, Dorothy
Salinas, Elvida
CountyStaff
Del Toro, MelissaPsychologist
Pallanes, NancyNurse
Pasillas, SusanResource Teacher
Rivas, RaulInstructional Aide/ESL/Migrant
Turner, SaraSpeech Pathologist
ABSENCES
It is very important to your child’s education that he/she attends school on a regular basis. Missed days of school can leave gaps in the educational process that may be very difficult to make up. Please make every effort to get your child to school every day and on time.
Excused absences include personal illness, doctor and dental appointments. Students are also excused from school for justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, a court appearance,attending funeral services for a member of the immediate family, for the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the Superintendent of the school district. If certain conditions are complied with, pupils may also be excused from school in order to participate in religious exercises or religious retreats. Students shall be allowed to make up a reasonable equivalent of all assignments and tests missed during the absence. No pupil may have his or her grade reduced or lose academic credit for any absence or absences excused if missed assignments and tests that can reasonably be provided are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time.
When your child is absent, may we respectfully request you follow these procedures: Upon returning to school after an absence, a child must bring a note signed by his/her parent or guardian who states the date of and reason for, his/her absence. This note is presented to the student’s teacher or office. A telephone call from the parent will also be accepted.
EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR PUPILS OBTAINING CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL SERVICES WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN
The governing board of each district shall, each academic year, notify pupils in grades seven to twelve inclusive, and the parents or guardians of all pupils enrolled in the district, that school authorities may excuse any pupil from the school for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil’s parent or guardian.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD (SARB)
Students who are irregular in attendance, habitually truant, or disorderly, will be referred to the School Attendance Review Board. The School Attendance Review Board includes representatives of school districts, county probation department, county welfare department, and law enforcement agencies.
A School Attendance Review Board conference is a meeting between students, family, and members of the local School Attendance Review Board. It is an effort to deal with creative alternatives for behavior and attendance problems. If the parent of the student fails to cooperate or exercise their responsibility, a complaint against that parent may be filed through the local school superintendent with the District Attorney. If the School Attendance Review Board finds that the pupil fails to cooperate or follow its directives, then a Request for Petition may be filed on behalf of that pupil through the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools to juvenile court.
PARENT/GUARDIAN RIGHTS NOTIFICATION
Selected California Education Codes pertaining to parent/guardian notifications are included in your school enrollment packets. However, the following rights and responsibilities as a parent/guardian of a child enrolled in RockfordSchool have also been included in this handbook.
PUPIL RECORDSAND PARENT ACCESS
Pupil records maintained by the RockfordElementarySchool District consist of personal identifying information, subjects taken, grades received, standardized test results, attendance record, and health record. The school principal or his/her designee is responsible for maintaining each type of pupil record and the information contained therein. Pupil records are accessible only to parents or legal guardians. Parents/Guardians have a right to review and challenge the contents of their child’s records. Parents/Guardians also have a right to add a written statement or response to the cum file when any record of disciplinary action is placed there. Copies of the pupil record may be obtained by the parent/guardian.
IMMUNIZATION FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
The governing board of each school district shall require that every child entering a school must be fully immunized against Diphtheria, Haemophilusinfluenzae type b, Measles, Mumps, Pertussis (whooping cough), Poliomyelitis, Rubella, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Varicella (chicken pox), and any other disease deemed appropriate by the California Department of Public Health. A written immunization record of each required vaccine, including date and provider must be presented at school entry.
Commencing July 1, 2011, the governing board of each school district shall require full immunization against Hepatitis B for any pupil entering the 7th grade level. Also commencing July 1, 2011, the governing board shall require any pupil entering 7th through 12th grade, inclusive, to be fully immunized against pertussis, including all pertussis boosters (Tdap) appropriate for the pupil's age.
(b) The governing board of the district shall notify the parent or guardian of the pupil that they have two weeks to supply evidence either that the pupil has been properly immunized, or that the pupil is exempted from the immunization requirement pursuant to Section 120365 or 120370 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) The governing board of the district, in the notice, shall refer the parent or guardian of the pupil to the pupil’s usual source of medical care to obtain the immunization, or if no usual source exists, either refer the parent or guardian to the county health department, or notify the parent or guardian that the immunizations will be administered at the school of the district.
INSTRUCTION IN TOPICS INCLUDING HEALTH, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, SEX EDUCATION, AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/AIDS
All pupils in grades 7-12, inclusive, shall receive comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education from trained instructors at least once in junior high/middle school and once in high school.
At the beginning of each school year, or at the time of enrollment, the parent or guardian of each pupil shall be notified about instruction in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education and research on pupil health behaviors and risks planned for the coming year. The notice shall include all of the following:
- Advise the parent or guardian that written and audiovisual educational materials used in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education are available for inspection.
- Advise the parent or guardian whether the comprehensive sexual health education or HIV/AIDS prevention education will be taught by school district personnel or by outside consultants.
- Information explaining the parent’s or guardian’s right to request a copy of Chapter 5.6 of the Education Code (commencing with Section 51930 et seq.).
- Advise the parent or guardian that the parent or guardian may request in writing that his or her child not receive comprehensive sexual health education or HIV/AIDS prevention education.
Anonymous, voluntary and confidential research and evaluation tools to measure pupils’ health behaviors and risks, including tests, questionnaires, and surveys containing age-appropriate questions about the pupils’ attitudes concerning or practices relating to sex may be administered to pupils in grades 7-12. Parents or guardians shall be notified in writing and given the opportunity to review such tests, questionnaires and surveys.
A parent or guardian has the right to excuse his or her child from all or part of the above.
A pupil shall not be subject to disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other sanction if the parent/guardian does not permit the pupil to receive the instruction. While the instruction is being delivered, an alternative educational activity shall be made available to those pupils whose parent/guardian have requested that they not receive the instruction.
Please note: The upper grade Family Life and/or HIV/AIDS prevention education is taught by nurses and/or personnel employed by the Tulare County Office of Education.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND SCOLIOSIS SCREENING
State law requires that the parent/guardian of a pupil entering the first grade must submit to the school written proof that his/her child had a physical examination with the time period of eighteen months prior to entry and ninety days after entry to the first grade.
The school district is required to screen every seventh grade girl and eighth grade boy for scoliosis (curvature of the spine). The school district nurses (via the CountyOffice of Education) will screen all fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The parent/guardian has the right to submit to the school a written request that the pupil not participate in this screening program.
The parent/guardian has the right to sign an affidavit of personal beliefs exempting his/her child from a physical examination, including vision, hearing, and scoliosis screening.
VISION AND HEARING APPRAISAL
Your child’s vision and/or hearing will be checked by an authorized person between grades kindergarten through eight, unless you present to the school a written denial of consent.
NONDISCRIMINATION
District programs shall be free from discrimination based on disability (including, but not limited to blindness or severely impaired vision, physical or mental disability or medical condition), age, gender or sex, gender identity, gender expression, nationality or national origin (including surname or language-minority status or ethnic group identification), color, race or ethnicity, ancestry, genetic information, religion or religious creed, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crime set forth in Penal Code section 422.55, or the perception of one or more of such characteristics or lack of English skills.
Title IX requires each school district that receives federal funds to have a Title IX coordinator, to notify all students and employees of the name, office address, and telephone number of the designated coordinator, and to adopt and publish a grievance procedure to resolve student and employee complaints under Title IX.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
In order to provide a specially designed instruction program to meet the unique needs of students with exceptional needs whose needs cannot be met with a modification of the regular instructional program, the district will provide a special instructional program at no cost to the parent. Individuals, with exceptional needs, are considered “handicapped children.” This term encompasses children evaluated as being mentally impaired, hard of hearing, deaf, speech impaired, visually handicapped, seriously emotionally disturbed, orthopedically impaired, or other health impaired, deaf-blind, multi-handicapped, or having a specific learning disability. Any individual, public agency, or organization may file a written complaint with the District Superintendent or with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction if they believe the school district has violated federal or state laws regarding special education.
SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT
No pupil will be discriminated against on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, national origin, or lack of English skills. If necessary, reasonable accommodations are available for handicapped students.
PUPILS WITH TEMPORARY DISABILITIES
A pupil with a temporary disability, which makes attendance in the regular day classes or alternative education program, in which the pupil is enrolled impossible or inadvisable, shall receive individual instruction provided by the district in which the pupil is deemed to reside.
The district shall consider provisions for a pupil with a temporary disability, in which it may or may not be advisable to attend a school or an alternative education program. Such pupils shall be provided individual instruction, as deemed necessary, that may include instruction in the pupil’s home, hospital, or health facility in the pupil’s district of residence. If the hospital or health facility is outside the pupil’s district of residence, the district where the hospital or health facility is located shall be the pupil’s district of residence. It shall be the responsibility of the parent or guardian of a pupil with a temporary disability to notify the school district in which the pupil is deemed to reside, pursuant to Section 48207 of the pupil’s presence in a qualifying hospital.
TESTS ON PERSONAL BELIEFS
Unless you give written permission, your child will not be given any test, questionnaire, survey, or examination containing any questions about your child’s or his/her parents’ or guardians’ personal beliefs or practices in sex, family life, morality, or religion.
CONSENT FOR EVALUATIONS
Your child may not be tested for a behavioral, mental, or emotional evaluation without your informed written consent.
PUPILS’ RIGHTS TO REFRAIN FROM HARMFUL OR DESTRUCTIVE USE OF ANIMALS
Any pupil with a moral objection to dissecting or otherwise harming or destroying animals, or any parts thereof, shall notify his or her teacher regarding this objection. Alternative education projects will be authorized.
GENERAL HARASSMENT
Harassment of or by any student shall not be tolerated. RockfordSchool considers harassment to be a major offense which may result in disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion of the offending student.
RELEASE OF STUDENT TO PEACE OFFICER
If Rockford School releases your child from school to a peace officer for the purpose of removing him/her from the school premises, the school official shall make a reasonable effort to notify you or a responsible relative of your child, except when a student has been taken into custody as a victim of suspected child abuse. In those cases, the peace officer will notify the parent or guardian.
PARENT RESPONSIBILITY
Parents or guardians are liable for all the damages caused by the willful misconduct of their minor children which result in death or injury to other students, school personnel, or school property. Parents are also liable for any school property loaned to the student and not returned on demand of the District.
If your child commits an obscene act or engages in habitual profanity or vulgarity, disrupts school activities or otherwise willfully defies the authority of school personnel, and is suspended for such misconduct, you may be required to attend a portion of a school day in your child’s classroom.
TOBACCO-FREESCHOOL
RockfordSchool is a Tobacco-FreeSchool.
SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD
The School Accountability Report Card is available upon request. The report card, which is issued annually by local school boards for each elementary and secondary school in the state, provides for parents and other interested people a variety of information about the school.
RELEASE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION
The law allows schools to release directory information to certain persons or organizations. Directory information may include a student’s name, address, telephone information, date and place of birth, dates of attendance, and the most recent previous public or private school attended by the student. If you wish that the district withhold any of this information, contact the school principal.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
The district has a primary responsibility to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. The district will investigate complaints alleging failure to comply with these laws. We will seek to resolve these complaints while ensuring that complainants are protected from retaliation. If you believe a state or federal law has been violated, you may file a written complaint describing the failure with the district’s superintendent.
After the local investigation, you may appeal to the California Department of Education. Some complaints may involve civil law remedies, direct State intervention, or the withholding of funds from the district if it fails to comply with the law.
COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM
The Governing Board believes that the quality of the educational program can improve when the district listens to complaints, considers differences of opinion, and resolves disagreements through an established, objective process.