2012– 2013

“Moving Forward”

A Message from the Superintendent:

On behalf of the Talladega City Board of Education, I take pleasure in welcoming you to Talladega City Schools. This studenthandbook is published so that all students of Talladega City Schools may have a ready reference to information which is necessary to the understanding of the daily operation of our schools. It is essential that all students and parents read the information contained in this handbook so there may be as few disruptions or misunderstandings as possible. When this handbook does not give you the information you need, please feel free to contact your local school for assistance.

Our goal in the Talladega City Schools is a simple one; to provide a safe, positive and nurturing academic environment so that teachers can teach and students can learn. We believe students cannot benefit fully from an educational program unless they attend school regularly in an environment that is free from physical and psychological harm. Communication between students, parents, and the school is integral to the development of a positive academic learning environment. When all parties are informed of rules, regulations, classroom expectations, and routines, a sense of trust is developed. This handbook has been developed to meet this important goal.

Parents:

It is extremely important that you, as primary stakeholders, become an involved member of our learning community. Show your support for your child by communicating regularly with teachers, counselors and administrators and actively participating in our Parent – Teacher organizations.

Please be advised that our expectations in the Talladega City Schools are high for all students, because we strongly believe with proper guidance, support, and well-defined goals all students can succeed in school. Please don’t forget to talk to your child about this handbook, homework, and your expectations of them in school. This is going to be an exciting, fun-filled year for all of us. We are thrilled to be starting a new school year with you and your family. We have a lot of learning ahead of us!

Our Vision:

Moving forward to meet the demands of a changing world:

  • Through academic programs which meet the needs of all students.
  • Through current technology brining the world to our fingertips.
  • Through facilities which provide a clean, safe, well-maintained learning environment.
  • Through a school culture which fosters qualities of human greatness.
  • Through a community that supports its schools.

Our Mission:

We will educate and develop individuals to their fullest potential to become life-long learners who are successful, responsible, and productive members of a globalsociety.

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If you would like a copy of this document in Spanish or any other language, please contact the Talladega City Schools at 256-315-5600.

Si quisieras una copia de este documento en español, entrar en contacto con por favor las escuelas de la ciudad de Talladega en 256-315-5600.

AFTERNOON DEPARTURE

We ask that parents be on time to pick up children. Children who are forced to wait for parent pick up become anxious and unhappy.In addition, school personnel have many responsibilities after the regular school day and cannot assume responsibility for supervising students who are left behind.

If there is a change in the usual method of transportation, the parent/guardian must send written documentationto the child’s teacher in order for the student to be allowed to ride a different bus, daycare van, or be dismissed as a car rider.In order for students to ride a different bus, the written letter from the parent must be signed by the principal and given to the bus driver as the student loads the bus.

ASBESTOS INSPECTIONS OF OUR SCHOOLS

On October 22, 1986, President Reagan signed into law the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).This law requires all local education agencies throughout the country, public and private, to inspect their buildings for asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM’s) and to take appropriate response actions if necessary to control the release of asbestos fibers into the environment.In compliance with this law, our schools have been inspected and an accredited engineering firm has developed special “Management Plan” reports.Each management plan describes the results of its corresponding school inspection along with recommended response actions in the event of ACBM identification.A copy of the Management Plan foreach school site is available for review in the superintendent’s office during normal office hours.Questions regarding this plan may be directed to Mr. Wayne Mitchell, Director of Maintenance.

ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

Regular attendance is a vital part of a child’s success in school.According to the Alabama State Department of Education, a child should not miss more than 20 days of a school year and expect to be promoted.If a child is sick; however, he or she should be kept at home.When a student returns to school after an absence, a note of explanation from the parent, guardian, physician, or other health provider must be submitted within three (3) school days.Failure to submit notes for absences within this time period will result in the absence being marked unexcused.

Time Limit: Written excuses for absences must be turned in within three (3) school days of the student’s initial return to school from an absence. Arrangements for make-up work must be made within three (3) school days after returning to school from an excused absence. If a parent knows ahead of time that a child must be absent, a note should be sent to the teacher before the absence occurs.The teacher may then be able to assign work that would be missed during the absence.

Talladega City Board of Education Policy 5.43 (Truancy) states: The Board authorizes school administrators to require a student to present a doctor’s excuse to substantiate any absence when there is reason to believe that the student may be violating the intent of the State attendance laws, attendance policies of the Board, OR after (10) absences not medically or legally documented.

Student attendance will be recorded on a daily basis.To be counted present for the day, a student must attend at least half of the school day (11:30).A student must attend a minimum of 155 days to be considered for promotion unless the principal approves excessive absences.

Definitions:

  1. Tardy to school is defined as not being in attendance in home room by the tardy bell.
  2. Check-out is defined as leaving school prior to the end of respective school’s regular day.
  3. Absent from school is defined as not being present in class at least half of the day (11:30).
  4. Excused absence–An absence is excused when the school receives a documented written doctor’s excuse, legal excuse, or prior permission of the principal. The school will also accept a written note from the parent which documents one of the following:
  5. Illness of the student.
  6. Death in the immediate family of the student.
  7. Inclement weather which would be dangerous to the life and health of the student as determined by the principal.
  8. Legal quarantine.
  9. Unexcused absence – An absence is unexcused when the parent/legal guardian does not send a written note explaining the absence within three (3) days following the absence or when the nature of the absence is not for legitimate reasons as defined by Alabama law.

Make-up Work – Excused Absences

If a student is absent for any excused reason as previously defined, the student shall be allowed to make up all major assignments and other work missed during said absence or absences at a time agreeable to the teacher(s).Teachers shall not be required to re-teach lessons, but students shall be given a reasonable opportunity to learn the lessons missed due to excused absences.

Make-up Work – Unexcused Absences

Teachers shall not provide make-up work or examinations for students absent for unexcused reasons.Teachers at their discretion may require students absent for unexcused reasons to make-up homework, class work, etc. on a non-credit basis in order to help such students maintain academic pace.Teachers shall not assign zeros to students absent for unexcused reasons on an automatic basis. Zeros may be assigned to such students only when other students in general receive grades for homework, class work, examinations, recitation, etc.

Absences due to School-Approved Trips

Students on school approved trips are not counted absent from school while participating in activities under the supervision of a school system employee.The student is responsible for making up all classroom work missed while on the approved trip within the same time frame as other make-up work.

Tardies/Check In/Check Out Procedure

Excessive tardies to school may be considered truancy. Students with 15 or more tardies per semestermay be referred to Juvenile Court.

Any student who checks-in during the day should report to the office for a tardy pass before going to class.A parent/guardian will need to accompany the child to the office, take care of the appropriate sign-in requirements, and supply the reason for the tardy.

Persons checking out a student will be asked to show a driver’s license and must be listed on the approved check-out list for that student.Absences from class incurred due to check-ins/outs should be kept to an absolute minimum because they impact negatively on a student’s progress.

Attendance Awards

At the end of the year, several types of attendance awards will be given:

  • “Perfect Attendance” certificates will be given to those students who have no absences, no tardies, and no checkouts.
  • “Exemplary Attendance” certificates will be awarded to those students who have no absences and no more than three tardies.
  • Individual schools may also present additional awards.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM

The breakfast program has made it possible for all students to have a good breakfast before going to class.When busses arrive each morning, students eating breakfast at school go directly to the lunchroom.If a student does not ride a bus, he/she must be at school by 7:30 in order to eat and be in class before the tardy bell rings.

Prices are as follows:

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Lunch$20.00 for 10 meals

Reduced Lunch$4 for 10 meals

Breakfast$10.00 for 10 meals

Reduced Breakfast$3.00 for 10 meal

Visitor Lunch $3.25

Visitor Breakfast $2.00

Extra Milk $0.25

Juice $0.25

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Daily Student Breakfast: $1.00 Breakfast begins on Monday, August 27, 2012

Daily Student Lunch: $2.00

Please keep extra milk and juice money separate from breakfast and lunch money.Please help us by paying for these separately.

A student may deposit money in his/her account any day by bringing cash or check to the lunchroom.Checks should be made payable to the school.The lunchroom is not allowed to charge meals.When a student’s account runs low, the student is given a reminder note to take home. Students are allowed to bring their lunch; however, food/drink must be in a lunchbox.

We welcome parents to come and have lunch with their children; however, food from an outside source is not allowed in the cafeteria.It does help the lunchroom staff in knowing how much food to prepare if you can call in advance.If you have questions concerning the breakfast or lunch program, or have a question regarding your child’s account, please feel free to call the lunchroom.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS/TELEPHONE

The school office maintains an accurate file of information on each student.Should important information change, such as an address, telephone number, or persons authorized to check your child out of school, please notify the school office immediatelyin order for school records to remain accurate. School cast calls will go out to numbers on file in the school office. You may not receive information regarding special events, programs or decisions regarding inclement weather if you do not provide up-to-date information to the school office.

CODE OF CONDUCT

We are glad to have your child as one of our students this year. Our teachers take seriously their responsibility to teach their students. You can expect the very best their training and experience have to offer. Your child will grow in knowledge and understanding. He or she will also grow in the important life skills of functioning as a member of a group and getting along with peers.

The following rules will insure that every student’s right to learn is protected. These rules go hand-in-hand with the idea that self-discipline is one of those important life skills.

Classification of Violations of Student Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Actions

Violations of the Student Code of Conduct are grouped into five (5) categories. After determining the classification of a violation, the principal/designee(s) will implement the disciplinary procedure specified for the violation. Should implementation of a disciplinary procedure result in a change of placement for a student with a disability, additional procedures will be followed.

In the elementary schools, weekly conduct grades will be communicated to parents. Principals and teachers will establish an objective method of arriving at the conduct grade using the district grading scale (90-100=A, 80-89=B, etc.). Each classroom teacher will deal with general disruption within the classroom, following uniform school procedures (Teacher contact with the parent/legal guardian, scheduling a conference with student, parent/guardian, and/or other proper school personnel as needed). Only when the action taken by the teacher is ineffective or the disruption is sufficiently severe should the student be referred to the principal or his/her designee.

Requirement to Distribute Code of Conduct to Parent(s)/Legal Guardian(s)/Custodian(s) – In accordance with Legislative Acts 94-782 and 94-784, the Board requires that these codes of conduct be printed annually in local school student/parent handbooks for distribution to parents/legal guardians/custodians and students, and discussed with parents/legal guardians/custodians at PTO.

The following behaviors are prohibited in the Talladega City Schools:

Class 1 Offenses

1.1Failure to follow directions of a teacher or administrator.

1.2Excessive distraction of other students.(Any conduct and/or behavior that is disruptive to the orderly educational process in the classroom or any similar grouping for instruction.Examples:talking excessively, making noises, provoking, or harassing other students, interrupting class functions, etc.)

1.3Offensive touching of another student.(Not including acts of a sexual nature.)

1.4Non-conformity to dress code as specified in board of education policy.

1.5Excessive tardiness to class (Ellis and THS).

1.6Minor disruption on school bus

1.7Inappropriate display of affection

1.8Unauthorized use of school property

1.9Any other violation that the school administration may deem reasonable to fall within this category after investigation and consideration of extenuating circumstances.

Class 1 Disciplinary Actions

Parents/guardians notification is required. The discretion of the principal or his/her designee for the following sanctions will include but not be limited to the following:

  • Conference with the student
  • Verbal reprimand
  • Withdrawal of privilege(s)
  • Parents/guardians conference(s)
  • Temporary removal from class (including prohibiting the student from attending special events, i.e. field trips, assemblies, etc.)
  • Detention
  • In-school suspension
  • Disciplinary probation
  • School bus suspension (less than 10 days)
  • Other sanction(s) as approved by the Talladega City Board of Education

Class 2 Offenses

2.1Defiance of authority and/or disrespect to school board employees.(Any verbal or non-verbal refusal to comply with a reasonable direction or order of a school board employee, including refusal to identify self.Any verbal or non-verbal conduct and/or behavior directed toward a school board employee that is rude or discourteous.)

2.2Intentionally providing false information to school personnel.(Forgery of parent’s names; providing false information to parents such as changing grades, forging notes, passes or forms, etc.)

2.3Inhibiting resolution of a fight.(Willful obstruction or interference of parties trying to stop a fight through any means such as locking arms, refusal to move, etc.)

2.4Vandalism/Property damage.(Intentionally defacing or damaging the property of another – public or private up to $50.00).

2.5Stealing/Theft (Taking and/or carrying away of public or personal property.)

2.6Possession of stolen property.(With knowledge that it is stolen)

2.7Written or verbal propositions to engage in sexual acts.(May be upgraded to 4.6 depending on the judgment of the principal.)

2.8Unauthorized absence from class or school—cutting or skipping. (Leaving class or school grounds without following proper procedure.)

2.9Use of profane or obscene language or gestures.

2.10Trespassing/Loitering/Unlawful assembly.(Students assigned to the school being present in an unauthorized place in the school or on school property or refusing to leave the premises when ordered to do so by school personnel, or presence on school property at unauthorized times.)

2.11Cheating (Receiving of information from an unauthorized source on assignments, verbal or written communication during an exam, and/or actions, activities, or conduct that violates the instructions of the test administrator.)

2.12Offensive touching in a sexual manner.

2.13Bullying

2.14Unsafe/Unlicensed driving

2.15Gambling (Participation in games of chance for money and/or other items of value.)

2.16Any other violation that the school administration may deem reasonable to fall within this category after investigation and consideration of extenuating circumstances

Class 2 Disciplinary Actions

Parents/guardians notification is required. The discretion of the principal or his/her designee for the following sanctions will include but not be limited to the following:

  • Temporary removal from class (including prohibiting the student from attending special events, i.e., field trips, etc.)
  • Detention
  • In-school suspension
  • Alternative Education Program
  • Out-of-school suspension (parent/guardian contact required)
  • Referral to outside agency, including the criminal justice system
  • School bus suspension
  • Restitution of property and damages where appropriate
  • Other sanction(s) as approved by the Talladega City Board of Education

Class 3 Offenses