Seminole Springs Elementary School

SEMINOLE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FACULTY/STAFF HANDBOOK

2012-2013

Barbara A. Longo, Principal Midge Abston, Assistant Principal Tracy Choy, Curriculum Resource Teacher Lori Myers, Literacy Coach Debbie Ortega, Guidance Counselor Sally Wolford, ESE School Specialist

VISION STATEMENT

“Seminole Springs Elementary School is committed to achieving the highest standards through an expanded family circle.”

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to teach every child to his/her fullest potential in a caring and supportive atmosphere. Our goal is that no child be left behind.

Accelerated Reader Accelerated Reader: All students in grades 1-5 will participate in this program to enhance reading fluency. Each teacher will develop individual student goals for their students. However, no student is to be given a grade. Books in the media center are labeled with colored dots for quick reference. However, these dots are just a guide and we ask the students to always read the first page and use the “five finger rule” before they check out a book. If you need in-service, our media specialist is available. Yellow Dot Book Level 1.0-1.9 (generally K, First, beginning 2nd grade) Blue Dot Book Level 2.0-2.9 (generally end of 1st, 2nd, beginning 3rd) Orange Dot Book Level 3.0-3.9 (generally some 2nd graders, 3rd, 4th, 5th as some SSYRA books fall in this level) Red Dot Book Level 4.0-4.9 (generally 3rd, 4th, 5th grade appropriate) Black Dot Book Level 5.0-5.9 (generally 4th and 5th grade appropriate) Green Dot Book Level 6.0 and higher (generally 5th grade appropriate)

Accidents Staff accidents - Workman’s Compensation-If injured at work, you must report the incident immediately to the bookkeeper. A Workman’s Compensation Form will be completed by the bookkeeper/designee and will be submitted to the county office within 2 calendar days of the accident. An injury requiring you to miss work because of the injury will require a doctor’s excuse. Otherwise, Workman’s Compensation will not pay for missed days. Directions to the Workman’s Compensation doctor will be given to you at the time the form is completed.

Student accidents -The teacher in charge must report all student accidents to an administrator immediately. The parent should be notified, by whomever the administration deems appropriate, of all injuries. The teacher must fill out a student accident report form, located in the office, by the end of the day. Please be very specific when filling out the form.

After-School Activities:The supervising teacher is responsible for students who have not been picked up on time (After-school tutoring, detention, field trips, etc.). The teacher should escort the student to the telephone and call for an approved person to pick up the child. Students are to remain under the supervision of the teacher until they are picked up.

Announcements: General school announcements will be made each morning through our television studio. All announcements should be submitted to the media specialist by 8:00 a.m. Everyone is required to listen intently to the announcements each day as these announcements pertain to everyone on campus, so all classrooms should be quiet during this time. This show is produced by 5 th grade students who are selected by Mrs. Purdham. If you have a special announcement or you would like to have a student appear on the show as a guest, please contact Mrs. Purdham.

Assemblies- Instructions for all school assemblies will be given by office memo/email from the Assistant Principal.

Attendance- Student attendance: School attendance is important and each teacher should encourage students to be here. Excused absences must be accompanied by a parent signed explanation of the absence and should be given to the office upon the student’s return. These notes will be kept on file in the data entry/attendance clerk’s office. The following are excused absences: (a) Illness of the student, or family member, and doctor/dental appointments; (b) Death in a family, (c) Religious observances or judicial actions, (d)Prearranged absences. Other absences will be considered unexcused, but work assigned during the absence may be recorded as a grade. Work missed during excused absences may be made up in 5 school days for a grade. It is the student’s responsibility to request and make up missed assignments in a timely manner. A parent wishing to take a child out of school for a few days (family trip, business out of town, etc.), must request a prearranged absence form from the front office. This form should be completed and returned to the front office for the principal’s signature. When there is a prearranged absence, the classroom teacher will provide makeup work.

2 Teachers should report any students with poor attendance, excessive tardiness, or irregular attendance patterns to their assigned leadership team member or guidance counselor. Children with perfect attendance will be rewarded each grading period with a certificate of attendance. Please refer to the new Student Attendance Policy in the Code of Student Conduct.

Record keeping for students: Keeping accurate attendance records is the responsibility of each teacher. Teachers are urged to observe all policies, rules, and regulations pertaining to attendance so records will always be accurate. This will ensure all students will be accounted for in case of an emergency. Tardiness should be marked in the school’s computerized attendance program. The teacher should mark students tardy who arrive late (8:35 – 8:45). Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will have an admit slip from the office. If a child is tardy and enters the room without a tardy slip, send the child to the office. Do not admit a student to class after 8:45 without a tardy slip from the office. The attendance folder will be picked up from the classroom on a daily basis and should include any transportation or attendance notes from parents. These notes will be kept in the attendance clerk’s office. Please have the folder clipped to the outside of your door by 9:00 a.m. It will be returned to the teacher’s mailbox the following morning. Entries of new students are not official until you have received notification from the office. The teacher is responsible for reporting any errors to the attendance clerk in order for errors to be corrected. At the end of each attendance period, the teacher must sign and date the sheet indicating a complete and accurate record. The attendance sheet will be kept on file in the data/attendance office. Teachers responsible for teaching Pre-K, VE, and speech/language must keep accurate, daily attendance in either their grade books or planners as these are often required for school audits.

Student Release Procedure: Parents signing students out from school must come to the office and show identification. The Identification/Security Code will be checked and the classroom will be called over the intercom to ask the teacher to release the child. Under NO circumstances should a child be released from the classroom without a note. Children will not be released to anyone other than those listed on the information sheet completed by the parents. Any other pickup arrangements must be made in writing prior to the child’s release.

Staff Attendance: Absence of Teacher: If a teacher is unable to perform his/her teaching assignment because of illness, etc. the teacher must call AESOP at 1-800-942-3767 or go online to AESOPONLINE.COM to secure a substitute. Unless you have contacted the school office by 2:00 PM on the day before you are out, it is assumed you will return the following day.

A “leave form” is to be completed by the employee for each day he/she is not on duty. The form may be found in “forms box” in the front office. If you know you are going to be out, please turn in your leave form before you leave. Turn the forms into Pam Cox as soon as you return. Each teacher will be required to have explicit class rolls and lesson plans, detailed enough in nature that a substitute, totally unfamiliar with the teaching assignment, can conduct the class in an orderly and constructive manner. Prepare emergency lesson plans to cover a period between three to five days. A copy of each class’ seating chart should be attached to the inside front cover of each plan book. Teacher edition manuals should be readily available. Workday – The teacher workday will be from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. According to the contract, teachers may leave at the regular student dismissal time the day before a holiday after student responsibilities have been completed for the day. Signing in/out – Every staff member is required to sign in daily. Please note the time you arrive. A leave form is necessary when leaving campus before the end of the day. Leaving campus – Anyone needing to leave the school campus during school hours must check with an administrator first. Staff members must sign out before leaving campus and sign in upon returning. Every attempt will be made to accommodate personal emergencies.

Leaves: Each teacher is given four sick days at the beginning of the year and may earn up to ten (10). Leave forms are also required when attending a workshop or conference during a school day or when going out of the county on a field trip. A request for Temporary Duty Elsewhere, when sent to the County Office, must be accompanied with verification data as proof of the leave. Following the leave, you must complete a form for the County Office supplying information regarding the leave. Verification data must be attached as proof of attendance. Leave forms may be found in the “forms box”. Any information on personal/sick leave may be obtained from the Pam Cox.

3 Personal Leave - Personal leave may be granted to employees under certain guidelines. (Please follow the LCSB/LCEA Agreement.) Personal leave must be requested five (5) days prior to requested date for instructional personnel and three (3) days prior for classified employees. All personal leaves must be cleared by the principal first. Each teacher is permitted to use five days of emergency personal leave to be charged to sick leave. Salary will be deducted for personal leave except for the five days listed above.

Birthday Parties : Families may send in healthy snacks to be shared with the class. Any flower deliveries will be held in the office until the end of the day. Please remember students are not allowed to take anything made of glass or balloons on a school bus. (Safety Hazard). Please do not withhold snacks due to disciplinary issues in the classroom. Under no circumstances should a parent ask a teacher to deliver invitations to a birthday party unless every child in the classroom receives an invitation. In an effort to keep the carpets clean, please have your birthday parties in the dome area or outside your classroom. Limit your classroom parties as students should not be asked frequently to bring money to fund these types of activities. All students should be included in a class party and should not be excluded for disciplinary reasons. Lists sent home such as a Valentines list of names should never include the student’s full name. List only the first name and last initial if there is a duplication of first names within the classroom. All children should receive any kind of invitation given out in class.

Child Abuse: It is mandatory that you report any suspected cases of child abuse to the principal and guidance counselor. Teachers and all other LCSB employees having personal knowledge of suspected child abuse or neglect are required to report this information directly to the State Abuse Registry at 1-800- 962-2873 or Fax # 1-800-914-0004. See Guidance to obtain fax forms for this agency and for assistance in completing the forms.

Child Study Team – School Assistance Team – Response to Intervention (RTI) See RTI

Classroom Management : Each class area should reflect an atmosphere of purpose. It should be evident you have a planned program and the children respond to your direction. Use classroom instructional time wisely. Reduce student down time by giving students a task to do while you are checking roll, setting up technology, etc. Teachers should handle discipline problems within the classroom whenever possible. Each grade level should have the same CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN. A copy of the classroom management plan will be kept on file in administrative offices. It is highly recommended that parent contact be made with each home within the first week of school to establish good relations with parents. Putting a child outside the classroom is not permitted. A student must be under adult supervision at ALL TIMES. Students may be sent to another class for time out, if necessary. Each child should be given a warning, timeout and a parent call before a discipline referral is written. Administering punishment to an entire class (or group) and/or sarcasm to students are not appropriate teacher behaviors. Under no circumstances will teachers/administrators administer paddling. Teachers will fill out the discipline referral form when a student is referred to the office. On the referral forms, please note assistance given prior to the referral.

Clinic: When you have a sick child or suspect a child is sick, see if a little TLC will take care of the situation before sending the child to the Clinic. If you feel care is needed, please have the student escorted to the clinic by two students (buddy system) or an adult. The nurse will contact the parents. No student should be sent home except by the nurse or the office staff. If it becomes necessary for the student to leave school, he/she will be checked out through the office. The classroom teacher will be notified when a student is sent home during the day. The clinic will house first aide supplies and medications. Teachers should not give out first aid supplies as this is the responsibility of the nurse Medications: Teachers are not to accept any medications brought to school. The parent must bring in all student medications to the nurse. The parent must fill out the medication use form. Medications must be in a medical dispensed container with the dosage, quantity, child’s name, and the doctor’s name clearly labeled. Cough drops and Chap Stick are not permitted and fall under the realm of medications. Only the nurse and annually trained staff are permitted to dispense medications. When students are on field trips, trained teachers may administer medications. The medications must be signed out from the nurse in the clinic the morning of the field trip. There should be one teacher from each grade level that

4 is trained in giving meds in the event of any field trips. The school nurse will organize this training.

Committees – see meetings.

Computers: Computers should be used for school and work related activities. The county monitors computer usage and history. Students must have a signed release form before they may use educational programs online. Please do not remove any computer from a classroom without permission from the administration. Please let the tech con know as soon as you have a problem with a computer.

Confidential Information: The nature of the educational process brings about the use of confidential information pertaining to human relationships. All school personnel shall recognize and properly respect confidential information. Things such as cumulative folders, guidance or counseling reports, and lists of names and addresses are NOT considered public property. Such information may never be given to either individuals or organizations without direct consent of the principal. However, please keep in mind these records may be subpoenaed by the courts at any time; therefore, never add any written document to the cum folder that you would not want presented as evidence.

Cumulative Records: Cum folders are confidential legal documents and must only be handled by authorized school personnel. Cumulative student records are kept in the Guidance Office. The records are to remain in the guidance office. Each folder is kept in ABC order behind the grade level group. If you are using the folder in the guidance office area, please return the information to the proper place.

Contract (LCEA or SEIU): Each employee is responsible for knowledge and understanding of the contract under which he/she works. Instructional personnel work under the School Board/LCEA Agreement; classified work under the School Board/SEIU Agreement.

Copy Center/School Copiers: In an effort to limit funds spent on the copy center, all copies will be printed at our campus using our Rizzo machine. Each teacher will be asked to put all copy requests in the black crate in Pam Cox’s office. Please plan for a three-day turn around. Due to limited staff, no collating, stapling, etc. will be done. If any teacher wants colored copies, the teacher should supply this colored paper. Small orders of 20 copies or less will be done from the office copier. These orders should not be expected to be done immediately. Plan ahead. At the discretion of the administration, some copies will be sent to Print 123 for copying. The Print 123 scanner/computer will be housed in the teachers’ workroom. Prior approval from an administrator is necessary for any Print 123 orders.

Copyright Laws must be followed at all times. A Copyright Quick Guide is available for all staff and can be obtained from the media specialist.

Counseling: If you have a child who wishes to talk with the counselor or is in a crisis situation, please send the green referral form to the counselor’s office. (Please only send the child with the green referral form if it is a crisis situation or if the child needs to talk to the counselor immediately.) Once the counselor has received and reviewed the referral form, the counselor will send for the child to discuss the issue.

Custodial/Housekeeping Duties: The custodians have the responsibility for maintaining the safety and cleanliness of the building. They need your help and cooperation. If the rooms are not cleaned appropriately, please email the head custodian and administration. Each day your room should be vacuumed, the restroom cleaned and stocked with toilet tissue, soap, paper towels, and trash should be emptied. A/C filters should be replaced each month and the whiteboards and trays cleaned. Your children may help by stacking chairs on top of desks and picking up crayons, erasers, pencils, etc. from the floor before vacuuming is done. Be certain the room is generally tidy before leaving each day. All lights should be turned off. Windows and doors should be locked. Please report any major spills or “throw ups” on the floor immediately so they can be cleaned before stains set. Please report/email the head custodian should your room need additional cleaning. Instruct the students the necessity of protecting both the inside and outside of the buildings. Encourage the children to take pride in their rooms and the school campus. Teachers are encouraged to use care in attaching items to walls, whiteboards, windows, and floors. Anything that will leave a residue is not an appropriate “attaching device”. Rooms should be neat, attractive and as interesting to the students as the teacher’s imagination and creativity can make them. Just a reminder that only 20% of your wall space can be covered. Please use bulletin boards for display purposes. No Scotch tape and masking tape should be used. All personnel should use the

5 magnet tape. Each teacher is responsible for his/her own classroom and leaving it orderly each day. Teachers should periodically remove outdated and unnecessary clutter from the room. Remember not to store any items on classroom air conditioners or in the classroom bathrooms. Fuse boxes must not be covered. Access to the fire extinguisher as well as exits must be kept clear at all times. Electric coffee pots and hot plates are prohibited by state safety codes. Permission for other appliances needs to be obtained from the administration.

Data Notebooks: Teachers will receive a data notebook, it will contain 8 critical sections. It is your responsibility to keep all sections current and up-to-date with student information. The notebook should be with you at all RTI’s, Teacher Talks, individual teacher data meetings and parent conferences. If you have questions or concerns see an Administrator. These notebooks will be collected at the end of the year.

Discipline: The teacher should contact parents as soon as a pattern of poor behavior is evident. Notes home should not take the place of phone calls unless telephone contact is not possible. Discipline referrals must be sent to an administrator’s office with the student. Each teacher/grade level must have a written discipline plan posted in the room and filed with the assistant principal. Remember, a student cannot be punished twice for the same specific offense. If you punish a child, do not send the student to the office to be punished for that same specific incident.

Dress- Staff Employee dress code: refer to Teacher Agreement, Article X, and Section 34, page 30, in the Agreement between the LCSB and the LCEA Contract. The following dress code is in effect. “Employees should wear clothing that exceeds that of the Student Code of Conduct which is appropriate to their job assignments, including the wearing of specific protective gear when needed. Professional dress should be neat, clean and modest with employees being well groomed. Attire should be non-disruptive, non- offensive, and aligned with safety standards.” Dress should reflect professionalism. “An example of professional dress may include: collared shirts, tailored slacks, dresses, skirts, blazers, pumps, loafers, oxfords. Flip flop (thongs) shoes are not considered professional wear for school days. Please do not wear flip flops during the regular school day. Also, we ask that no teacher wear shorts during the school day when children are on campus. Exceptions are made for field trips/special occasions and the shorts are of modest length. We serve as role models in the eyes of our children and the community, and a well-dressed staff reflects professionalism and respect. “Schools and/or building sites may have one designated casual day that permits wearing jeans and school shirts.” The day for SSES is Friday.

Duty: Every child is everyone’s responsibility so technically we’re all on duty all the time. However, teachers will be asked to assume a share of before and after school supervision. A duty roster will be given out during pre-planning week at the beginning of the school year. It is the responsibility of the teacher on duty to provide coverage for his/her duty when absent. If there is a problem with coverage, please see the administration. Classroom teachers are to be in their rooms by 8:15 a.m. - greeting students and monitoring the sidewalk.

Dismissal Procedures: All teachers are to be on duty for at least the first three weeks until any procedural changes are made, routines are established, and students have settled into a routine. Please DO NOT release students prior to their dismissal call. Teachers, please do not allow students from other classrooms to visit in your room during dismissals.

Bus riders: All bus riders will stay in the classroom until called. Once called, the students will walk immediately to the designated area. Each teacher should stand at his/her door as students are dismissed. One teacher from each grade level will be on duty at the bus area during afternoon dismissals. The team leader should give a schedule to administration before the first day of school.

Car riders All car riders will be called to the car rider area over the school intercom. The students are to sit against the wall in their grade level area until called by the adult in charge. Older siblings should sit with younger siblings so that parents make one stop.

ELC students: They will be dismissed to the cafeteria over the intercom.

6 E-Mail: Please check your e-mail twice daily: in the morning and before you leave school for the day. You are to use the school e-mail for professional use only. You agree to this as you sign onto the system. Never use students’ names in an e-mail. All e-mail is public property. If you use a student’s name in an email you are violating privacy rights.

Emergency Evacuation Drills/ Fire Drills: A minimum of ten (10) drills, as required by state law, will be held at intervals during the year to develop the best techniques for quick evacuations. All teachers will be provided with instructions regarding evacuation of their individual rooms. Each teacher should learn these instructions and keep them posted by the door for ready reference. It is the responsibility of each teacher to go over this information with each group of students being served in the classroom. An extra copy of the fire drill evacuation map is provided and should be placed in the substitute plans folder with a current student list.  Students are to move out quickly, without talking, in an orderly manner and in single file. When students reach their designated area they are to stand with their backs to the buildings. Each student must stay with his/her class under the supervision of the classroom teacher. Silence should be maintained.  All personnel will remain outside at a safe distance of (200’) from the building until the office has given the “all-clear”.  Contact an administrator or a member of the Leadership Team if there is a missing child.  In the case of an extended evacuation of the building, plans will be put into effect to move children to an alternative location. Emergency Response Team will notify you of any changes that might occur. Please see the Emergency section of this handbook for further details.

When leaving the building for any emergency evacuation, including drills, teachers should follow these procedures:  Turns off all lights, close windows, check restrooms, and close but do not lock the door.  Take your emergency packet (located near room exit) with you. A current copy of your roster should be included in the last protector of the packet.  Make sure all of your students are with you when you reach the designated area. Keep your class intact. Remain with your class.

Emergency Pamphlets – The district provides a yellow manual which outlines first aid procedures. These manuals are to be easily accessible in areas that house students and should be kept near your exit door. It is the responsibility of the teacher to insure the manuals are in the classroom at all times. All school personnel should be familiar with the contents of this manual and the location in various rooms.

Emergency Lock Down Situations/Plans Unfortunately, an emergency situation may arise where it is necessary to secure the building and keep children out of the halls and inside the classrooms. Any staff member noticing suspicious activity or individuals on campus, or a threatening situation, needs to notify the office immediately. An administrator will be dispatched to check out the situation. Please refer to EMERGENCY PROCEDURES in the Safety section in the back of the handbook. A packet of procedures will be kept at the classroom exit door.

Emergency Tornado Drill: Tornado drill information is in the safety packet kept at your classroom door. Please be familiar with the location of the campus you are to move your students to when this signal is given.

Energy Conservation Air conditioners are to be set at 76-78 degrees and heaters at 68 degrees. Be conservative. Turn out lights when you leave class for other activities. Please remember to keep classroom doors closed. This will aid in the prevention of mold growth due to humidity changes.

Enrichment classes: Each teacher is responsible for escorting his/her class to all enrichment classes, i.e. physical education, music, and media. The classroom teacher should also pick up the students from enrichment. The enrichment teacher is responsible for student behavior and should make parent contact when discipline problems occur in their classes.

7 Equipment: No equipment, desk, tables, files, etc., are to be moved from a room without the permission of the administrator.

Extended Care (ELC) – Before/After School Care: Extended care is offered to students before and/or after school. The extended day staff will be on duty from 7:00 – 8:15 a.m. and from 3:00 – 6:00p.m. Extended day students will be dismissed with second group of buses in the afternoon. ELC is located in the cafeteria.

Field Trips: Field trips must have advance approval by the principal. It is increasingly difficult to reserve busses and schedule the more popular field trips as the year progresses. It is requested all field trips be scheduled for the year by September 30 and paperwork must be completed two weeks prior to the planned trip. NO field trips will be scheduled during the months of March and April for any grade and Third, Fourth and Fifth grades will not be permitted to schedule any field trips from March through April due to FCAT testing. Also, no field trips for any grade level during the week of Florida Writes. When scheduling a trip, please fill out the Field Trip Request form with all the relevant information including signatures from the lunchroom supervisor and nurse before giving it to the bookkeeper to calculate the cost of the trip. The Bookkeeper will give this to the Principal for approval. After given approval, the bookkeeper will place it on the master calendar and request school buses. You are responsible for all paperwork and arrangements for Charter buses. If there is a conflict/problem you will be notified. All walking field trips require the same paperwork at the school and county level as a trip requiring a bus. A field trip is defined as a laboratory experience with a significant educational purpose and with a location other than the home school campus. Parents shall be notified prior to any planned field trip. The parent notice should give the place to be visited, the date, the time of departure and the estimated time of return to school. A permission slip and insurance form signed by the parent or guardian of each child shall be required. Any trip outside of the immediate community requires the bookkeeper to obtain written request approved by the assistant superintendent for instruction. If a handicapped bus is required, indicate so on the field trip form paperwork. Please bring this to the bookkeeper’s attention as well. Remember, if using a charter bus; bookkeeper must have a copy of contract with field trip request form. It is recommended that on campus field trips be scheduled when possible due to the cost of gas. School policy: Children are required to ride the bus to the field trip. The procedure ensures all children share in the transportation costs; learn how to travel as a group on a bus, and will all arrive at the same time for admission at the gate or entrance. All attempts should be made to have every parent pay the same. A fund is available to help defray field trip costs for a few children who otherwise would not be able to go. After discussing each individual case with an administrator, please have the parent write a note asking for assistance. It is hoped that the parent would pay at least half of the trip, if possible. If a parent chaperones, the parent may sign out his/her own child to ride home in the car. The parent signature must be on the class roster provided by each teacher for the field trip. This roster should be turned into the office the day after the field trip to be kept on file. All money collected for field trips should be brought directly to the bookkeeper’s office by lunchtime each day. DO NOT LEAVE CASH AND/OR MONEY ORDERS IN YOUR CLASSROOM FOR ANY REASON! Do not send money with students! Each teacher is responsible for his or her monies collected and keeping accurate account of the money collected. Please fill out the Monies Collected form. The bookkeeper now has envelopes for each child that also serves as a receipt and will give this information to all team leaders.

Finances: Internal accounts: A collection of money from donations, dues, drives, sale of articles, events, etc., and expenditures of money, which are collected from these sources, constitutes this account. During the course of the year teachers will be required to collect money for different things.

Organizations: It is necessary and important that accurate books be kept on the accounts of the organization. All receipts from monies deposited during the year must be kept on file even after being recorded. The teacher-sponsor must submit an annual audit to the school bookkeeper at the close of the school year. NO account may have a deficit balance at the year’s end. The Principal must approve all purchases in writing before the goods are ordered; otherwise the purchaser assumes responsibility for payment. When it is necessary to spend money from a treasury, the person making the purchase should check with the bookkeeper to determine whether the material to be purchased may be charged. If a cash

8 purchase is made, the purchase must have prior written approval from the principal and a signed requisition for the cash purchase. It is county policy not to expend school money for state sales tax; therefore, reimbursement cannot be made on money spent for state sales tax. If a person is making the purchase from his/her own money, gets a receipt, and then comes to the office for reimbursement. NO MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED UNLESS THERE IS A SALES SLIP TO ACCOMPANY THE CHECK REQUISITION. It is not allowed to withdraw the money before the purchases are made. Any material received “on Approval” by a teacher becomes that teacher’s liability.

COUNTY BUDGET: Teachers are not to purchase any material or equipment without the permission of the principal. DO NOT MAKE ANY COUNTY BUDGET PURCHASES WITHOUT PRIOR PRINCIPAL APPROVAL.

Fundraisers: All “FUNDRAISING PROJECTS” MUST HAVE PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE PRINCIPAL. Forms must be filled out and approval received from the county office prior to contract being developed listing fundraiser start date. All monies must be accounted for and turned in to the bookkeeper on a daily basis before noon. If you collect money in the afternoon, you must bring it to the office for safekeeping over night. The person in charge of the fundraiser is in charge of all money and activities. The person in charge must close out the fundraiser form when the activity is completed. Under NO circumstances should any child go “door to door” selling for a fundraiser.

Grade books: Each teacher must keep a record of grades given and grades must be posted within 48 hours of each assignment on esembler. Remember this is the county’s policy that all teachers use this program. If a student transfers into your room, guidance/secretary will try to obtain a copy of the student’s previous grades; but after twenty days, the teacher should have sufficient grades for the report card.

Grade Reporting: Grading policies are outlined in the Pupil Progression Plan. Academic grades will be based on student performance.  Points shall not be deducted for classroom conduct.  No student may be denied the right to take a nine weeks or semester examination.  Students with unexcused absences will not be given a zero for any work completed in the class during the absence. This also applies to cases of suspension. It is the responsibility of the student to keep his/her assignments current, regardless of the reason for his/her absence. All work missed while absent is to be made up. Teachers should inform and encourage students to make up work upon their return. Seven (7) grades are required per grading period for each subject. It is the teacher’s responsibility to notify the parents if a child’s grade drops more than one letter grade during a grading period. A note in the agenda should not replace a phone call when notifying the parents. Parents are usually more than happy to help their child at home. Do not wait until the day before report cards to notify them! Report cards shall be subject to principal’s review prior to their release. Identify the skill/activity/etc. for which each grade is given. Teachers are to record numerical grades in the class record book. Under the date taken, identify purpose for the grade. Use the following scale for grading: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 0-59 There is a new Kindergarten report card involving a specific point system and all Kindergarten teachers have been trained.

Guidance Services: The Guidance Counselor will provide a school-wide developmental guidance program, which may include:  Monthly Classroom Guidance Theme Presentations  Individual/ Group Guidance Activities  Facilitation of Student Intervention Team Conferences The guidance counselor will give the team leaders a calendar of guidance lessons at the start of the school year.

Health/First Aid Procedures: Remember to use protective gloves if it is necessary to be in contact with body fluids (blood, urine, etc.). All diaper disposals must be handled in an approved secured manner throughout the day. New trash liners are to be used daily in the Pre-K classrooms. Gloves for classroom 9 use are available from the custodian. Gloves should be kept in an easily accessible place. Students should be checked for head lice each Monday morning. Each Friday morning, the teacher or teacher assistant is to send the lice head check form to the clinic noting the results. This will help monitor a very serious matter. If a student vomits in the room or is bleeding profusely, please call for assistance immediately. Vomit and bloody messes are high priority. Buzz the office on the intercom and a custodian will be sent immediately.

Homework: Grade levels will send home a copy of their homework policy at the beginning of the school year. The assignments shall be well planned to provide necessary practice for skills learned at school. “Busy work” assignments are discouraged. Reasonable time should be given for the completion of homework assignments. Teachers should work together to ensure homework assignments are reasonable.

Intercom: Messages given over the intercom are discouraged due to interruption of instruction. Therefore, use of the intercom will be kept to a minimum.

Keys: Each teacher is issued the necessary key(s) to his/her classroom and the gate. No key is to be duplicated and the teacher will be held responsible for the key(s) at all times. Never leave keys where someone could pick them up! Students are not to be given teacher keys under any circumstances. Teachers are given keys to be able to come on campus when needed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to lock the room when you leave. If you come after school hours, lock all gates behind you on arrival and departure. Never assume someone on campus will do it for you.

Lesson Plans: Daily lesson plans are required for each subject taught and will be checked at intervals by the administration. Have your plan book easily accessible. These plans will be kept on file for three years. Either the plan book furnished by the school or a binder with pages created by the teacher may be used. NG Sunshine State Standards, Books used, pages assigned, skills taught, additional worksheets, time for classes, etc., all need to be included in the plans. Teachers of ESOL students must include strategies used with their ESOL students as well as ESE students.

Plans will be checked for relevancy to NGSSS/ Common Core as well as the following:

1. Five Elements of Reading Instruction: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension. 2. ESOL strategies 3. Skills being taught are clearly indicated. 4. Basic materials to be used are indicated. 5. Differences of children are planned for. 6. Continuity of instruction (connection is evident of previous day, today and tomorrow’s objectives).

First week procedures (Code of Conduct, Bus video, review of emergency procedures, and classroom rules should be documented.

Substitutes plans must be kept in a specific location in each teacher’s room and grade chair should know where to find them.. The emergency lesson plans should cover approximately three (3-5) days worth of class assignments. A folder is being provided to you for this purpose. The plans should be on file in Pam Cox’s office by Sept. 4th.

Lost and Found : The school assumes no responsibility for lost articles. When a student has lost an article, he/she should inquire at the office. Textbooks that are found will be sent to the Textbook Manager. It is not advisable for anyone to bring large sums of money or valuable articles such as cameras, radios, etc., to school. If a student brings something of great value to school, please contact the student’s parents to let them know.

Lunch Procedures: Please go over lunchroom procedures frequently with the students. Everything you can do to help enforce the cafeteria rules will help make the lunchtime manageable. Students are to be escorted to lunch by the teacher. The teacher must remain with the class until the person(s) performing

10 lunch duty takes charge of the class. When the lunch period is over, students line up outside the cafeteria where the teacher escorts students back to the classroom. To keep the flow of traffic in the lunchroom at a steady pace, it is important that every teacher brings and picks up his/her class on time. Each morning a cafeteria worker will come to your classroom to pick up any lunch money. Lunch may be purchased as an adult meal or a-la-carte. Refrigeration is available, in the cafeteria lounge for lunches brought from home.

Lunchroom Prices - Lunches are $1.85 (or $.40 reduced or free), breakfast cost is $1.00 (or $.30 reduced or free). Parents are encouraged to pay for lunches by the week on Mondays. Otherwise children pay by the day.

Mailboxes and Bulletin Boards : Each teacher has been assigned an individual mailbox for items such as incoming mail, notices, messages, and bulletins. Messages of an emergency nature will be personally delivered. Mailboxes should be checked each morning, afternoon and during lunch/planning and should be kept cleaned. No material should be placed in mailboxes unless it carries identification of the person placing it in the boxes.

Master Calendar: All events (field trips, special programs, meetings, book fairs, PTO events, deadlines for fund raisers, etc.) should be listed on the master calendar to prevent scheduling conflicts. Submit all dates to the bookkeeper and assistant principal via e-mail as soon as you are aware of them. The bookkeeper makes all additions and deletions to the calendar.

Master In-service Points (M.I.P.): You may attend county classes for M.I.P. points to extend your teaching certificate. Classes are given in a wide variety of subjects, including reading, discipline, legal responsibilities, and learning disabilities. Please see the Media Specialist for details or check for posting of classes on the bulletin board in the mailroom.

Ero.eschoolsolutions.com: You must register for all in-services through this service. You may go to the LCSB web site for an uplink. Points will not be awarded until this is done. Use the following information to access this site:  Organization ID # 18617  Personal User ID # (your EIN number)  Pin # (your own number which allows you access to this site).  Click the “log On” button

Media Center: Goals: The goals of the Seminole Springs Elementary School Media Center are to provide curriculum support, research and technology guidance, enrichment through literature appreciation, and other meaningful learning experiences. The media center program fosters a positive environment that encourages inquiry and discovery through the use of organized, accessible resources and teaches students to be independent lifelong seekers of knowledge who are capable of retrieving information and value libraries and learning. Circulation: Students are encouraged to check out books for pleasure reading and research on their scheduled media visit; however, students may visit the media center during the school day to exchange books or use the media center research computers. Please send no more than four students at a time with a pass indicating purpose of visit and time students are to return to class. Please note that the BEST time to send students for book exchange will be between 8:15 am and 8:35 am and also between 2:30 pm and 3:15 pm as there are not scheduled classes at those times. Teachers may arrange for special research class time to be scheduled with the Media Specialist in addition to their regular media time. Please allow 24 hour notice. Teachers/Staff may come in at their convenience to check out materials for classroom use. **No more than 30 items may be checked out to teachers at one time. Students and teachers are responsible for materials borrowed from the Media Center. Lost or damaged items will be paid for or replaced by the student per Florida Statute 233.43 (also noted in the Student Code of Conduct) and a receipt shall be issued according to The Media Specialist Handbook, Lake County Schools, and page 149.

MEDIA EQUIPMENT: Digital Cam, Video Cam, etc.: Equipment such as a large TV with VCR/DVD player, digital camera and video camera may be checked out on a daily basis. Please reserve equipment at least 24 hours in advance. Other equipment available for check out includes: cassette tape players, cassette/cd players with headsets, language masters and overhead projectors.

11 Please let Mrs. Purdham know as soon as equipment needs repair or if you need assistance with operating any equipment.

SUNLINK: Check with media specialist.

Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award(SSYRA) is a motivational reading program cosponsored by the Florida Department of Education Instructional Media Office and the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME). This program, which correlates with the Sunshine State Standards in the area of Language Arts, provides encouragement for students to read for pleasure and helps to develop an awareness of current literature for children in third through fifth grade. All of these books will be available in our media center on a limited basis so students and teachers may want to visit the local public library to obtain a copy. More information will be provided by the media specialist.

Meetings: Please keep the first Wednesday of the month open for faculty and other meetings. Faculty meetings will be held in the Media center at 2:30 p.m. Teachers are requested not to schedule pupil or parent conferences, doctor or dental appointments on days designated for faculty meetings. Classrooms are to be secured and each teacher is to report promptly for the meeting. Please bring your Data notebook to each Faculty Meeting. Staff children are not to be at meetings. Grade-level meetings will be held at a designated time convenient for all grade level staff.

Committees: Committees are critical to the operation of our school. All teachers should participate in at least one committee. If a committee member is unable to attend a meeting, please secure a substitute from their grade level to attend the meeting in their absence. Assistants are invited and encouraged to join committees that are of interest to them. The following are committees which function throughout the year at SSEE:

1. Media/Technology - This group will meet periodically to address the media/technology needs. 2. Safety Committee - The Safety Committee will meet at least six times throughout the year on scheduled Wednesday afternoons. Any and all safety issues should be brought before this committee. The Assistant Principal will chair this committee. 3. Sunshine Committee - The committee makes all faculty/staff social arrangements throughout the year. Dues are to be paid at the beginning of the school year. 4. Yearbook Committee – This committee will meet as needed. One representative from each grade level should be a minimum serving on this committee. 5. Math/Science Committee- This group will meet with the CRT periodically to work on best practices and related topics. 6. Literacy Committee- This group will meet with the Literacy Coach throughout the year to consider best practices and other related reading topics.

Each grade level should be represented on each of the committees. All teachers are expected to be an active member of at least one committee. The chairperson of that committee will keep minutes and turn them in to the Assistant Principal

Names: Full legal names should appear on all forms, records, referrals concerning students. Address all staff members by their last names in the presence of children.

Notices Going Home: Grade level and any whole-class notices or letters should have prior approval by administration before being printed and sent home. Please send a copy to the office so they may answer parent questions concerning classroom information .

Observations/Assessments: Observations and assessments will be done in accordance with Article XI of the School Board/LCEA Agreement. Your evaluation as a teacher will be based on county policy. An in-service will be given each school year to provide you with information on the process. Each teacher will develop an individual researched based plan (IPDP) specific to his/her individual professional growth. In-service on the form will occur in the fall.

Office Visit: The school office is a Business Office and must reflect that school business is a worthy and serious endeavor of the public. Please be mindful of this fact. Excessive noise should be avoided at all times.

12 Parent/Teacher Conferences: Parent/Teacher conferences are to be held to give positive information to the parents as well as to express concerns regarding the child. School board policy states that you, as a teacher, are to have a minimum of two documented parent conferences per year with each of your student’s parents/guardians. The CRT will set up two parent conference nights throughout the school year. Keep a sign in sheet for all conferences and turn this sign-in sheet to CRT upon completion of your conferences. Should a parent call the school and request a conference, the secretary will leave a note in your mailbox with a telephone number where the parent may be reached. If you have been unable to reach a parent to request a conference, please advise administration. Parent conference forms will be turned in at the end of the school year.

Parking: Staff parking must be in the designated faculty/staff parking area which is on the parking lot side (east side) of building 300. Parking in the back of the cafeteria is for custodians, cafeteria workers and county personnel. Each staff member will be issued a hang tag for his/her vehicle and should be visible at all times when parked on campus. For safety purposes, all employee vehicles must be locked whenever parked on campus. Handicapped parking is located in the front of the school as well as in the back lot.

Passes: Children traveling through the halls unaccompanied by a teacher or adult are required to have a pass and should have a buddy. Do not permit students other than your students to enter your classroom without a pass from another teacher. Teachers are not authorized under any circumstances to give permission to a pupil to leave the school grounds. Teachers are not to send students off campus for any purpose. No student may leave campus under any circumstances without prior permission of parent/guardian and facilitated through the main office.

Paychecks: Checks are to be picked up and signed for from the bookkeeper/designee in the front office on the 15th and 31st of each month, or the last work day before the 1st and 15th. No one else may obtain your check without prior written consent from you.

Pets : No pets are allowed in the classroom with the exception of small fish. Certain animals spread airborne diseases and may create allergy problems (Health and Safety Department). This includes no animals for “Show and Tell.”

Phone Usage: Telephones for the personal business of the staff members are provided in the lounge and the teachers’ plan areas. Calls should be limited to 3-5 minutes. Please do not make personal long distance calls from school. All long distance calls on behalf of SSES are to be made from the phone in the plan area and must be logged. If a phone log is not available, please let Pam Cox know the date, time, and reason for the call. All FAX transmissions must be logged. Faxes not related to SSES business must have administrator approval. Special Note: The use of cellular phones during instructional time is strictly forbidden. If you have an extenuating circumstance please see administration. This applies to instructional as well as non-instructional.

Physical Education : PE time is an important part of the total school program. Students are expected to participate in physical education unless they have a parent note. Most students will be able to go out for fresh air and assist with keeping score, etc. If a student must remain inside, please send them to another Specials classroom to preserve teacher-planning time. If a child has a doctor’s note not to participate in physical activity during physical education class, then this child may not participate in recess.

Pledge to the Flag: Each morning at 8:35 am the Pledge to the Flag will be on the morning announcements. All students are to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States, unless prohibited because of religious/personal beliefs. All student and staff are to show proper respect at this time each day. After the pledge there will be a short moment of silence followed by the morning news. All Classrooms are expected to respectfully watch the entire newscast each day.

Professional Code of Ethics: It is crucial everyone at SSES is professional when talking about school and school related issues in the community. Confidentiality about students’ academic work, their home life, and personal problems are of utmost importance. Teachers need to be professional in the use of the teachers’ lounge – time spent, keeping voices down, care of facilities, use of the telephone, topics discussed, etc. In order for the lounge to be a place

13 where teachers and staff can relax, it will be off-limits to all children at all times. Please do not send children to the lounge to get drinks/snacks for you.

Progress Reports: Teachers will use “Esembler” for all grades and attendance. If a student is failing, please makes sure you see the guidance counselor about RTI. Parents should be notified any time a student’s performance has shown a significant drop (more than one (1) letter grade). This is LCSB policy. Parents will be able to monitor their child’s grades/attendance on this new program.

Public Relations We certainly want to earn and maintain a positive image in our community. We need to let the public know about the good things happening at SSES. One way this is done is by submitting short articles or photos for publication in our local papers. Our CRT will handle this for you. BEFORE submission of any information to the press please clear the information with the principal. Parent permission must also be given in writing before any publication of student information or photo is permitted.

Repair Work: Inform the front office and the custodians of the repair work which needs to be done. You are not to take repair work upon yourself.

Retention/ Placement Committee Meetings: Each school year during the months of February, April, and/or May, Possible Retention/Retention meetings are held for the purpose of discussing a child’s need for retention or alternative placement. The administrators, guidance counselor, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Literacy Coach and teacher will individually discuss the child’s needs. SSES adheres to the LCSB Pupil Progression Plan.

RTI (Response to Intervention): During the school year, you may find a child has learning difficulties that you need assistance with in the classroom. This includes students below grade level or their grade is D or below. The counselor will discuss each individual case with you and make recommendations. One of those might be to schedule an RTI MEETING. These are held in the guidance office/conference room as needed. Your job will be to follow through with the discussed plan and documented interventions prescribed for the child and hold two documented parent conferences with the parents. These students must be given additional help (intervention) within the classroom for 20 instructional days. Monitoring of the student’s progress using the intervention must be done by the teacher weekly. If no progress is shown the teacher must conference with the parent to inform them that the child will be referred to the Response to Intervention team (Counselor, CRT, Literacy Coach, Classroom teacher, and Administrator). The teacher may request the RTI meeting by turning in a copy of the conference form to the Guidance Counselor. A meeting will be scheduled for the team to review the intervention and the progress of the student. At this time the student is considered a level 2 RTI student and the team will discuss the next steps of the RTI process which will include intervention(s) and a monitoring plan for the student. The intervention documentation process must be completed before a child can be retained.

Safety Patrols: Our very responsible 5th grade students are honored to be named as Safety Patrols for a period of time during the school year. These students escort Kindergarten and First Graders to their car rider area, lead students to the buses and assist with other duties as needed.

Safety Procedures: Each teacher is responsible for the enforcement of safety rules at all times. There will be a minimum of ten drills throughout the year. When you leave your classroom with your class for these drills, please take with you a class roll and means of transportation for each child just in case we are not allowed back in the building. At no time should a student have a teacher’s keys. Please place a sign on your door letting us know where your class is located if not in the classroom: media, physical education, music, computer lab, lunch, playground, etc. For your convenience, these signs will be supplied to you by the office staff. Parents will be asked to supply the office a four-digit security code to be used when the parent needs to call the office and obtain information on his/her own child. This security code is located on the right side of the registration form that is completed by the parents at the start of the year. Teachers should make sure this code has been written in the proper area before accepting the registration form from the student. It is the teachers’ responsibility to obtain a form from each student.

14 Screening of Students: Please discuss this with your grade level guidance counselor if you feel one of your children need assistance. Do not speak to the parent about any screening. Each individual case is taken into consideration and may result in starting the Response To Intervention (RTI) process.

Insurance - See Accidents TEACHERS: All teachers are covered by Workman’s Compensation insurance while on duty at school. The county pays for this. Any school accident must be reported and the proper papers completed immediately following the injury. See our Bookkeeper if this occurs. STUDENTS: STUDENT insurance pays for most school-connected accidents while the student is at school or on the way directly to and from school. Please encourage the parents to purchase Insurance.

Smiley Face Math: All students in grades k-5 should participate in the 10-week Smiley Face Math program. This challenging program is used to reinforce essential math curriculum and is an important component in our schools standing as a STEM School. The CRT and a group of volunteers grades student papers and maintains a record of points earned. All student copies and answer keys are provided to the teachers. Teachers should review the math problems in class each week.

Smoking: LCSB employees are not permitted to smoke in any room, hallway, walkway, office, or on the general campus. No smoking is permitted on any LCSB school campus or in any LCSB vehicle.

Social Worker Assistance: If you have a child who needs glasses, or has other health related needs that the family can’t afford, please contact the guidance counselor for assistance. The social worker will be contacted by the guidance counselor for these needs.

Special Classes (P.E., Media, Music) No child is to be kept out of special classes except for illness or doctor’s request. No special classes are to be cancelled without the approval of the administration.

Student Conduct: Each teacher must assume the responsibility for correction of any violations of policies observed at any time. Defacing or destroying school property or behavior problems outside of class may be considered administrative problems, but are also the duty of all teachers to address and/or prevent. Pupil movement from one area of the school to another is not to be faster than a walk, especially during inclement weather. White lines are painted on the sidewalk to assist with a quiet and orderly line. Right of way should be given to lower level classes. Teachers set the tone for good student behavior on a daily basis.

Employee’s children supervision - We have always tried to accommodate employees who have children going to our school. Students are the responsibility of the parents and must be supervised. Arrangements must be made with the day care center or other alternative means so as not to interfere with the school day. ELC is available to our employees. If a teacher has their child in the classroom for a short time before or after school, he/she must be supervised at all times.

Student Supervision: You are leaving yourself open to the possibility of a lawsuit should you choose to leave any student unsupervised.  No student should be in the buildings before or after school w/o a teacher being present.  STUDENTS MUST NEVER BE IN A CLASSROOM OR IN ANY SCHOOL BUILDING UNLESS PROPERLY SUPERVISED BY THE ASSIGNED TEACHER. Leaving a class or group of students should never be practiced except in a dire emergency. In the event such an emergency does arise, make absolutely certain a neighboring teacher supervises all students. Students are not to be in the hallways without supervision. Please call the office if you need assistance.

Teachers’ Lounge Please do not ask children to go into the lounge to get you a snack or cold drink. The teacher’s lounge is off limits to all children. When you are finished eating, please clean up after yourself. Any items left in the refrigerator longer than two weeks will be thrown away. The lounge is located in the cafeteria building. Food left in the refrigerator on Fridays will be thrown away.

15 Testing: The counselor is responsible for all standardized testing that takes place at SSES. The teacher’s job is to administer the tests and to assist the teacher’s assistant who will help proctor during the testing period. A record of the testing results will be filed in each child’s cumulative folder.

Textbooks: The Assistant Principal is in charge of textbooks and will work directly with the team leaders to request additional texts as needed. Teachers are asked to maintain an accurate book count and are responsible for the end of the year accounting of missing student and teacher textbooks/materials in the annual inventory. Students are responsible for paying for lost or damaged texts and the cost is the original cost of the book. See the Assistant Principal for a form letter to send home if a book is lost or damaged.

Textbook Procedures: Textbooks will be issued to the teachers as needed by the grade-level chairperson. Each teacher will be responsible for all textbooks checked out from the grade- level chairperson. At the close of the school year, teachers will be accountable for the number of book requisitions during the school year. These books plus lost book forms will be returned to the textbook manager following the final student day. The books collected at the end of the year plus money collected for lost books plus books lost and not paid for must equal the books issued at the beginning of the year. All communication to parents will be handled by the Assistant Principal concerning costs and recovery.

Toys or Electronics: Toys, Walkman radios, video games, etc. are not allowed at school. Kindergarten and First Grade show and tell items need to go home the same day they come to school. No Pets should be brought to school for show and tell due to liability and safety reasons.

Transportation: It is the school policy for the parent to notify the school in writing of any change in the normal pattern of going home for their child. The notes must be sent to the data/attendance office daily. The data/attendance clerk will log them on a daily sign out sheet. The notes will be returned to the teacher’s mailbox before the end of the day. Students cannot ride a bus other than their own, or get off at a stop other than their own without bus permission note signed by an administrator. It is important the student have the note in hand as he/she boards the bus in the afternoon. (This is one reason why you should check your mailbox at lunchtime.) A classroom chart indicating the usual method of going home for each child is most helpful to substitutes and should be posted in your classroom and updated as needed.

Tutoring: No member of the staff shall receive compensation for services offered to pupils or to patrons of the school with whom he/she is in any way directly associated in a professional way. Nor shall he/she promote in the school any activity or project from which he/she is likely to receive compensation. This does not include homebound instruction programs. Teachers are permitted to tutor any student with whom they do not have academic contact.

Vandalism: In the event your room is vandalized, report the incident to the principal IMMEDIATELY, and prepare an inventory of the missing item(s).

Videos: All videos must be shown for instructional purposes and noted in your lesson plan for copyright protection. All programs must be “G” rated unless previously approved by administration and the proper paperwork has been completed for documentation. Videos may be your personal copy, checked out from the media center or ordered from the Lake County Video Library. These forms are available in the share folder.

16 Visibility: When working with students individually, make sure you are in a highly visible area. Never enter a totally private space alone with a child. Keep windows clear of decorations or blinds in a turned upward position, so you will be openly visible to anyone passing by. Whenever changing a student or assisting with other personal care tasks, make sure an adult witness is available. To the extent possible, students should complete personal care and grooming tasks independently. Consider both the developmental level and the chronological age to guide verbal and physical interactions with children. It is important that adult – student contact be as appropriate as possible.

Visitors: All visitors (including relatives of employees) must secure a pass from the office before visiting any classroom. School hour visitations by relatives, friends, and former students may be denied except in emergency cases. Parents must pick up students at the office during the student day. Visitors must have advance consent from the teacher and administrator to observe in the classrooms. Parents should not go to the classrooms during the day unless volunteering.

Volunteers: Please remind all volunteers in your classrooms to sign in with the office when on campus and to document at home volunteer hours. Volunteers will be issued visitor passes when on campus. The Curriculum Resource Teacher/designee facilitates the program All persons wishing to become a Volunteer for Lake County Schools must have an application and background clearance on record before attending an event or working in the classroom.

Level I Volunteers All Level I Volunteers must undergo a standard FDLE background search. A Level I Volunteer is anyone who will be: A chaperone on a field trip. A helper in a classroom or at the school site. A helper in a Department. A person who may be working with the students in a SUPERVISED atmosphere.

Level II Volunteers All Level II Volunteers must be Finger printed by Lake County School Board and be processed through a background search with FDLE. A Level II Volunteer is anyone who will be: A chaperone on an over night field trip. A mentor/chaperone working one on one with a student. An athletic volunteer.

Website (http://lake.k12.fl.us/sse): Our school maintains a website that includes up to date information for the school community. Teachers are encouraged to maintain a classroom page. In- service will be provided.

Withdrawals: Students are not officially withdrawn until you have received notification from the office. Do not remove a child’s name from your roll until proper notification is given. If a child is absent for several days in a row, please inform the data/attendance clerk. You must continue to mark the student absent until data/attendance clerk removes the student’s name from you attendance sheet.

Working Hours: School work hours are from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. These hours will be in effect during each school day unless special meetings are called. Should normal working hours change, you will be notified. Please sign in on the appropriate sign in sheet. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN IN FOR ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER. By signing in, we can be certain you are present and your classroom responsibilities are being fulfilled, this is also, a safety measure to ensure who is here. Teachers, unless assigned another duty, should be in the classroom by 8:15 a.m. All personnel needing to leave during school work hours must see an administrator before leaving for insurance coverage purposes. There is a “sign-out” sheet in the office requesting departure and return times as well as destination off campus.

17 Workdays: There are designated teacher workdays required by the LCSB/LCEA contract. Five of these days will be required as preplanning and three for post-planning. On a workday, teachers must sign out when leaving campus for a one and one half hour lunch.