Pilot Elementary School

Staff Policies and Procedures

Workday Schedules

All staff members are expected to be at school on time. A regular school day for a teacher begins at 7:45am and is completed at 3:15pm. Half-day point for teachers is 11:30am. A regular school day for a teacher assistant begins at 7:30am and is completed at 3:00pm. Half-day point for the teacher assistant is 11:15am.

Sign-In – Sign-out

ALL certified staff members should sign in on TimeKeeper each day. Classified staff members must sign in and out daily. This is mandated by the County Office and is necessary for insurance and timesheet purposes. When signing out during the day, please let someone in the office know you are leavingand sign out on the google doc in the office. This information is helpful in dealing with telephone calls and in locating staff members in case of an emergency. If an emergency arises and requires you to leave theschool campus, you must have permission from Dr. Hall or Dr. Lohr.

Staff Absenteeism

Sick Leave can only be used for illness for the employee, OR immediate family members, appointments, children’s appointments, etc. Teachers using sick leave for a family trip or a vacation day will lose a day without pay. See Mrs. Poindexterif you have questions about leave days, etc.

Teacher Absences

Teachers who are absent from school are responsible for calling and arranging for their substitute teacher. Make sure to notify your sub of any duties that you have. The following procedures should be used when utilizing a substitute teacher.

  • Planned absences should be arranged in advance.
  • Teacher should fill out appropriate leave forms before the absence
  • Arrangements for illnesses occurring overnight that requires a substitute teacher the next day should be made by the teacher. The office personnel should be notified of your substitute no later than 7:30 am. If after tryingmultiple substitutes without success, you may call the school office for assistance. Tell the office the names you have called.
  • Arrangements for emergencies or illness occurring during the school day should be made by contacting the office for assistance in securing a substitute teacher.
  • Each time a substitute teacher is used the following expectations apply – without exception:
  • Comprehensive, clear instructional plans
  • Prepared materials and resources
  • Daily schedule and class list
  • Emergency Information
  • Duty Schedules (If applicable)

Assistant Absences

It is the responsibility of each assistant to inform the office and the teacher(s) you work with when you are absent for any reason. Assistants have the following type days to use at any time during the school year provided you have enough days to cover the absence. Please complete your time sheet accordingly for each absence.

1)Sick Leave – for a doctor appointment or sickness/death of an immediate family member.

2)Annual Leave – Dr. Hall must approve this type day.

3)Without pay- Must conference with Mrs. Poindexter.

4)Compensatory Time – in accordance with DCS Board Policy, this time must be taken prior to use of other accrued time.

If you are absent you must have someone cover your morning and afternoon duties. Be prepared to tell the office when you call.

Compensatory Time for Teachers

Awarded for specific items found on the county list. Must complete form and turn in to Dr. Hall.

Compensatory Time for Teacher Assistants

Teacher Assistants may be awarded Comp Time anytime that they work over regular working hours (40 hour week). ALL extra time past 37.5 hours should be approved by Dr. Hallinadvance. Examples could include:

  • Meet the Teacher Day
  • Staff meetings
  • Open House / Parent Nights
  • Staff Development Opportunities
  • Other times as awarded by the Principal

Procedures for receiving comp time:

  • All Teacher Assistants must sign in and out on TimeKeeper.

To Redeem comp time:

  • You must use you comp time before using Sick Leave or Annual Leave after accumulating 7.5 hours.
  • TimeKeeper will keep your comp time balances.
  • All comp time balances must be used before the end of the 2017-18 school year.
  • If used on a regular school day, then sign out at the actual time you leave on TimeKeeper.

To Redeem comp time on an Optional Workday:

  • Turn in time used with your signature and date to Mrs. Poindexter.

COMP TIME MAY NOT BE USED ON REQUIRED WORKDAYS.

Communication

  1. Communication with parents is essential. Please establish a routine for communication with parents. Suggestion are: newsletters, E-mail, web page, agenda notes, Remind 101 and phone calls. Please proof everything!Communication between parents and teachers during the school day is sometimes necessary. The office will handle all calls and take messages when necessary. To receive messages, please check your mailboxes, email, and voicemail at least twicea day (morning, and after school are suggested times)
  2. Your classroom may be interrupted by the telephone or intercom for certain situations and emergencies. If you are expecting a call, please let the office staff know, so these calls will be forwarded to you. We will make every effort to keep interruptions to a minimum.
  3. When something happens in your room that could result in a call from a parent please prepare the administration and provide a brief description of the circumstances. We can best support each other when we know the details.
  4. Classroom typed newsletters are a requirement for all grades– preferably weekly. Please supply Dr. Hall a copy of your newsletters (electronic copy is fine). Remember these documents represent the school and the school system. Always be conscious of spelling and grammar as well as content and clarity. You should update your webpage monthly with a copy of your current classroom newsletter.

Instructional Responsibilities

The Common Core State Standards are your guide for establishing curriculum goals for every lesson. Plan your objectives and activities according to this guide. Get organized to implement those plans and present them in a manner in which your students best learn. Creativity, imagination, enthusiasm, and positive attitudes are important in meeting the needs of all students.

Instruction should take place for the entire day (8:00 – 2:30). The last 15 minutes of the day should be used purposely. This should not be wasted time or “pack up” time.

Grade level planning is an integral component of effective classroom instruction and management. Each teacher has their own teaching style, but grade levels must meet together to plan. It is the expectation of both the county and the administration that grade level teachers will plan together at least once a week for the purpose of sharing strategies and implementing curriculum based on the comprehensive literacy initiatives and SCOS. Planning meetings should take place in the PLC room where resources are readily available and the administration can have the opportunity to engage in planning with you. Have your SCOS at all weekly planning sessions.

Physical Education is an instructional time. The NC “Healthy” Active Children” legislation REQUIRES that all children have at least 125 minutes of physical education each week. It is recommended that structured activities be planned to minimize the number of student accidents on the playground. ALL areas of the playground, including the equipment must be supervised at all times. Outside physical education IS NOT a time to socialize with other staff members. You, as well as the school, are legally liable if there is an accident and your students were not being properly supervised.

Recess/ physical education MUST NEVER be taken away from a student for punishment or to complete work. It is inappropriate to assign an entire class to “walk” for punishment.

Lesson Plans

One of the keys to being a successful teacher lies in the area of planning and preparation. There is no substitute for effective planning, as this is the cornerstone of your instruction.

The lesson plan book/website is for your personal use, however, it should be kept in such a manner that a substitute or administration could determine not only the lessons for the day, but also where you have been and where you are going.

Daily preparation of teaching plans, schedules, procedures of instruction, and subject material should be carried out by all teachers. Be sure you have at least one week of plans in advance, in case a substitute teacher has to be called. If a substitute teacher notifies the office that there are no plans, you will be called at home for this information. The administration has the right to request that plans be turned in, if he /she does not feel that proper planning is taking place.

All lesson plans should contain plans and learning targets for each subject, small group plans, and follow the comprehensive literacy plan for DCS.

Observations and Evaluations

Teachers will be assigned to an observation/evaluation group according to the year your license expires. All BT and probationary teachers must have four observations plus a summative evaluation. One of these observations will be a peer observation. Career teachers whose license expires this year will have three observations and a summative. All other career teachers will have two shorter observations on standards 1 and 4 and a summative. All teachers must complete a Self-Assessment and PDP prior to September 30th of each year with PDP follow-up meetings as designated by the administration.

Grading and Homework

Homework should be limited to essential review of daily class work. Students should know and understand how to complete assignments and should need minimal assistance at home. Many of our students do not have the support system at home to give major help on assignments. Pages of homework that take hours or “busy work” is not appropriate. Our goal is for students to succeed, not to fail because of “poor homework grades”.

Criteria for Homework Assignments

  • Does the homework serve a valid purpose and is it basically a review or extra practice?
  • Is the assignment actually homework and not classroom assignments that were incomplete?
  • Is the length of the assignment within the DCS Board Policy (see below)?
  • Are students clear about what they are to do?
  • Can they do the work with minimal help of parents or others?

Davidson County Schools Homework Policy

The Davidson County School’s Board of Education recognizes theimportance of homework in supplementing classroom instruction andfurthering the goals of the educational program. Homework should be aneffective way to help students learn the material they are responsible for inschool. It should also help prepare them to be lifelong learners by helpingthem develop the skills they need to study independently. As such,teachers should assign homework for many reasons. These include

  • review and practice of material covered in class,
  • preparation for future classes,
  • more in-depth exploration of subjects introduced in class,
  • application of skills they already have to new situations.

1. In order to make certain that communication regarding homework isclear:

A. Homework guidelines should be communicated toparents/guardians in the

student/parent handbook or otherappropriate forms of communication. Teachers are

encouragedto take advantage of e-mail and online resources as well aspersonal notes

and phone calls to communicate homeworkassignments to parents/guardians so that

they can supportthe school by monitoring the completion of assignments.

B. Expectations for any feedback regarding homeworkassignments and if homework

affects the student’s gradeshould be communicated.

C. Teacher follow-up on homework assignments should be done ina timely manner.

D. Teachers should take into consideration the differences infinancial, education,

and technological resources of studentsand their parents/guardians when making

assignments. Homework assignments should not require materials that arenot

readily accessible to the student.

E. When feasible, in middle or high school, a weekly or unitsyllabus with homework

assignments should be provided forstudents. Both middle and high school teachers

should bemindful that others are assigning individual student’shomework; therefore,

communication and planning with otherteachers is important.

2. Grade level of a student should help be a general guide to the amountof homework assigned each night. While realizing that time may varyfor an individual student that works at a slower or faster pace thanclassmates, research and best practices suggest that the totalamount of homework assigned to an individual student each nightshould generally follow the “10-Minute Rule.” This rule conveys tostudents and parents the expectation that homework assignmentscombined last about as long as 10 minutes multiplied by thestudent’s grade level. For example, first graders could expect 10minutes per night, second graders could expect 20 minutes, thirdgraders 30 minutes, etc.

3. Principals or their designee will be responsible for ensuring thathomework assignments are made in accordance with this policy. Principals should involve the School Improvement Teammembers and/or staff members in discussing this policy andprocedures at the beginning of each school year. In addition,schools are encouraged to develop specific homework proceduresfor their school in accordance with this policy.

Legal References: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -307

Adopted/Revised: April 15, 1999; May 7, 2007

Progress Reports

Report Cards are issued at the end of every nine weeks. In addition, you are expected to use the “Interim Progress Report” to inform parents about unsatisfactory work during the grading period or to recognize significant improvement in the quality of work being done. Please send work samples home on a continuing basis so that parents are informed of their child’s progress. It is also important for parents to know the status oftheir child’s behavior.

Progress Reports should be sent home on the following dates:

September 27, 2017

December 13, 2017

March 7, 2018

May 9, 2018

Report Cards will be issued on the following dates:

November 8, 2017

February5, 2018

April 13, 2018

June 19, 2018 (mailed)

Grades

Grades should be recorded in a timely manner. For grades 3-5, grades should be entered into PowerSchool once a week. With the new parent portal, it is essential that grades and assignments be entered correctly and reflect student progress. Follow the DCS grading guidelines.

Grading Scale

The numerical grading scale in Grades 3-5:

1)A (90-100)

2)B (80-90)

3)C (70-80)

4)D (60-70)

5)E (Below 60)

Parental Conferences

Parental conferences are an extremely important and necessary aspect of education, especially in regards to the elementary school. Conferences develop good rapport with parents, keep lines of communications open, and help establish the school as an open, caring, and professional organization. Please remember that the purpose of the conference is to inform the parent of the student’s progress. It is inappropriate for the teacher to “diagnose” learning problems, or suggest that a child should be “on medicine”.

Good News Calls

Each teacher is asked to contact all parents of their students within the first month of school. This is a “Good News” call, welcoming their child to your class. This is good PR and paves the way if we have to make a “Bad News” call. Teachers should log these calls on the “Good News Phone Log” and turn the form in toDr. Hall on or before September 15th. Please try to speak to a parent even if it means trying more than one time. Speaking to the parent directly instead of leaving a message on an answering machine goes a long way.

Staff Meetings

Faculty meetings and staff planning sessions bring us together to communicate information that strengthens our school. We will need regularly scheduled times to work on principals’meeting information, and staff development. The monthly faculty meetings will be held on the third (3rd) Thursday of each month. All faculty and staff are REQUIRED to attend these meeting, unless approved by the principal. Pertinent information and dates will be placed on the staff meeting agendas.

I ask that you mark your calendars now for staff meetings and DO NOT schedule any other activity for those Thursday afternoons (doctor appointments, dentist, hair, parent conferences. IEP Meetings, etc.) All staff meetings will begin at 3:00 and will be held in the media center.Plan for these meetings to last until 4:00 (they may finish earlier). If someone on your grade level is absent, please inform him/her by taking good notes and getting him/her an agenda. *Notice will be given when possible if a change in day is required.

Monthly Meeting Schedule:

1stTuesday: School Improvement Team

2nd Thursday: Mentor/Mentee

3rd Thursday: Faculty

4th Thursday: PBIS and/or other committees as needed

Announcements

Announcements will be made every morning immediately following the 8:00 morning bell. Announcements should be written down and given to Mrs. Hedrick in the media center or given to the announcement team by 7:30am. Teachers are responsible for making sure that students are in the room and attentive to announcements at these times.

Staff Breaks

Due to the nature of our business, it is important to remember that flexibility is a necessity. Together, teachers and their assistants should arrange a workable break schedule

Inclement Weather Procedures

Listen to the radio or television announcements.

You are expected to report to school at regular time if school is on a delayed schedule due to inclement weather conditions, unless told differently according to DCS Weather Codes. On days when students are not to report and teachers have a workday (optional or required) due to weather conditions, teachers should report to work at regular time. However, use your good judgment for safety in traveling to school. You may choose to use a vacation day for an absence on a teacher workday due to weather conditions.

When school is dismissed early due to snow or ice, teachers will be permitted to leave according to directions from the superintendent.

Professionalism

Remember that you represent yourself, Pilot Elementary, and Davidson County Schools. Professionalism also refers to how we act and what we say. Gossip and stories can never be considered to be professional. Unfortunately, gossip does take place at ball games, at the pool, on social media, and at community gathering places. Please be an ambassador for Pilot Elementary School and make positive remarks about our school, our students, and your colleagues. If you are put on the spot about something going on at school, ask the person to call Dr. Hall. Please let us know to expect them.