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Talladega City Schools Student Handbook 2017-2018 Table of Contents

A Message from the Superintendent...... 3 Attendance...... 4 A. Arrival...... 4 B. Dismissal...... 4 C. Definitions...... 4 D. Jurisdiction...... 6 E. Parental Notification Truancy Prevention Program...... 7 Breakfast and Lunch Program...... 8 A. Snacks...... 8 Code of Conduct...... 9 A. General Statements...... 9 B. Civil Liberties and Criminal Penalties...... 13 C. Classification of Violations and Administrative Options...... 15 D. Disposition Definitions...... 20 E. Seclusion and Restraint of All Students...... 22 Curriculum...... 25 A. Career Tech...... 25 B. Grading...... 25 C. Graduation Requirements...... 27 D. Honors Endorsement Standards...... 31 E. InformationNow Home Portal...... 31 F. National Honor Society Qualifications...... 32 G. Pupil/Parent Responsibilities for State-Owned Textbooks...... 32 H. Schedule Change Policy...... 33 I. Weekly Folders...... 33 Dress Code...... 34 A. General Guidelines...... 34 B. Mandatory Uniform Specifications...... 34 Enrollment...... 37 A. Registration...... 37 B. Withdrawal and Drop Out...... 37 Health...... 38 A. Drug Prevention Policy...... 38 B. Head Lice Procedure...... 38 C. Immunization...... 39 D. Insurance...... 39 E. Medication Policy...... 39 Parent Information...... 40 A. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act...... 40 B. Parental Involvement Policy...... 40 C. Parent/Teacher Conferences...... 44 D. Parents’ Right-to-Know...... 44

1 E. Visitors...... 44 Pupil Services...... 45 A. English Language Learners...... 45 B. Gifted...... 45 C. Homeless and Foster Care Students...... 46 D. Migrant Students...... 46 E. Response to Instruction (RtI)...... 46 F. Special Education...... 46 G. Supplemental Educational Services...... 47 H. Title IV...... 47 I. Transportation...... 47 Safety...... 50 A. Asbestos Hazards Notice ...... 50 B. Safe School Plan ...... 50 Technology...... 51 A. Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy...... 51 B. Media Release Permission...... 54 Acknowledgement Page...... 55 Non-Discrimination Notice...... Inside Back Cover Talladega High School Alma Mater...... Inside Back Cover Talladega High Fight Song...... Inside Back Cover School Calendar...... Back Cover

2 A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Students,

I hope that you have had a good summer and are excited to begin the new school year. My hope for you is that this will be your best year yet! I am looking forward to getting to know as many of you as I can as we continue our time together in Talladega City Schools. This year, I encourage you to identify and cultivate your passions. I want you to experience positive growth in all aspects of student life. It will also be important to create personal goals for your future and make plans to get there. We are blessed to find ourselves in a system filled with excitement and hope for change. I believe all students will learn, and with your help, we can build a community of learners who strive for excellence. We, as a faculty, are here for you and want what is best for you. That comes with high expectations, discipline at times, support, and encouragement to help you reach your potential. As with most things, the more you put in, the more you will get out, so make the most of your time here to be proud of your accomplishments and your school. I am excited to be here, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for each of you.

Go Tigers!

Terry L. Roller Superintendent

ATTENDANCE

3 School Arrival Time First Bell Tardy Bell Dismissal Elementary Schools No sooner than 7:45 8:05 8:10 3:10 Ellis Junior High No sooner than 7:20 7:35 7:40 2:50 Talladega High No sooner than 7:20 7:35 7:40 2:50

Arrival Cars are to unload students at the designated locations. Students who arrive prior to the first bell should report to the lunchroom. Students who arrive after the tardy bell must be accompanied by a parent and checked in through the main office.

Dismissal Elementary Students Walkers/Car Riders: All students who are car riders or walk will be dismissed to their parents. Parents should be on time and in the lineup in the designated area. Teachers will direct traffic and supervise children.

If there is a change in the usual method of transportation, the parent/guardian must send a note to the office in the morning in order for the student to be allowed to ride a different bus, daycare van, ride home with a friend, or be dismissed as a car rider.

Dismissal Procedures  Walk on the sidewalk.  Students will be dismissed to the cars in line by staff members.  Students will not be allowed to walk through the parking lot or across the street to meet vehicles.  Running and chasing others is not allowed.  Talking and horseplay is NOT allowed.  Watch for your ride.

Grades 7-8 Car riders will be picked up beside the lunchroom. (At the front gate of Mary Dumas Stadium) Cars should not be on the street in front of the school until all buses have left.

Grades 7-12 Students should exit the building after dismissal. (Exceptions to this are students who are working under the direct supervision of a teacher or sponsor of a school-related organization.) Students will board buses directly in front of the school.

Definitions Absent from school is defined as not being present in class at least half of the day. Students who check out or are absent are not permitted to be on a school campus unless they have been given permission by the administrator. Any student in grades 7-12 who is considered absent will not be able to participate in after-school activities (practice, games, etc.)

4 Excused absence is 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:  Illness of the student  Death in the immediate family of the student  Inclement weather which would be dangerous to the life and health of the student as determined by the principal  Legal quarantine *The school must receive written documentation within (3) school days. (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.) 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.

Unexcused absence is 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 – 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.

Check-in/tardy is defined as arriving at school after the tardy bell has rung. Check-ins will be coded excused or unexcused according to the “excusable absence” policy. All students who arrive late to school must be checked in by their parents through the school office. Late arrivals to school will be unexcused unless the student or parent/guardian presents a doctor's excuse or other documentation consistent with that required for excused status under the Attendance Policy. Each unexcused check-in constitutes a tardy to school for purposes of this policy. Note: A student who has unexcused class absences resulting from unexcused check-ins will not be eligible to make up work missed in such classes.

For students in grades 9-12, when arriving at school during an on-going class period, tardy students will be required to report to In-School Isolation (ISI or a designated tardy room) until time for the next class transition. The ISI and/or tardy room supervisor may determine an appropriate work assignment for the period. Tardiness to school may result in additional disciplinary action. Students who spend a class period in ISI due to tardiness to class shall be responsible to discuss make-up work with the teacher by the next school day and to complete the make-up work for that class within the time specified by the teacher and/or school administrator. Teachers will have discretion with regard to the specific make-up work assigned.

5 Check-out is defined as leaving school prior to the end of respective school’s regular day. Board of Education policy states that students are not permitted to leave the school during the regular school day except in case of emergency or on written permission by the parent or guardian.

A student is permitted to leave the school campus during regular school hours only in accordance with the provisions that follow:  A student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) may come to the school in person and check his/her child out of school.  A student may not be checked out of school by any person other than his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) or someone specifically designated by the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) in the student’s check-out file on INOW.  For students in grades 9-12, a student may be permitted by the principal or designee to leave the school campus in emergency situations if, a) the student brings a written statement signed by the parent(s) or guardian(s) that can be confirmed prior to the student leaving school; or b) if the parent(s) or guardian(s) telephone and request the student be allowed to leave. The principal or designee shall attempt to contact the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) to confirm the request. (Emergencies may include a personal illness or accident of the student, illness or accident involving the parent, or any situation that could affect the student’s health or welfare. Appointments scheduled ahead of time, personal errands, or school activities are not emergency situations. Written requests must remain on file in the principal’s office for the remainder of the school year with documentation of confirmation.) Students will not be allowed to leave campus for any reason(s) other than those set forth in the provisions above except when accompanied and supervised by a school staff member and with written permission of the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) and the school principal or designee.

Expulsion is denial of school attendance by the Board of Education. Expulsion may be recommended when a student’s behavior is extremely disruptive. Upon the receipt of the principal’s recommendation, the principal and Central Office shall schedule an administrative hearing. In the event expulsion is recommended, the custodial parent will be notified by registered mail or called prior to action by the Board.

Suspension (OSS) is denial of school attendance for disciplinary reasons.

Jurisdiction A student shall be under the jurisdiction of the school from the time the student arrives at school each day until he/she leaves the school campus in the afternoon. In case a student rides a bus, he/she shall be under the jurisdiction of the school from the time he/she boards the bus in the morning until he/she exits the bus in the afternoon. In addition, a student shall be under the jurisdiction of the school while attending any school sponsored activity either at school or away from school. This shall apply to all students, including members of athletic teams, pep clubs, band, and other student organizations.

6 State of Alabama Parental Notification Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program A parent, guardian, or other person having charge of any child officially enrolled in Alabama public schools (K-12) shall explain in writing the cause of any and every absence of the child no later than three (3) school days following return to school. A failure to furnish such explanation shall be evidence of the child being truant each day he is absent. The child shall also be deemed truant for any absence determined by the principal to be unexcused based upon the State Department of Education’s current School Attendance Manual. Seven unexcused absences within a school year constitute a student being truant for the purpose of filing a petition with the Court. The Interagency Committee on Youth Truancy Task Force recommendations known as the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program timeline for reporting truancy shall define the truancy status of any student as follows:

First Truancy/Unexcused Absence (School Letter--Warning) Parent/guardian shall be notified by the school principal or his/her designee that the student was truant and the date of the truancy. Parent/guardian shall also be provided with a copy of Alabama’s compulsory school attendance laws and advised of the penalties that can be applied and the procedures that shall be followed in the event that other unexcused absences occur.

No Earlier Than the Fifth Unexcused Absence (Early Warning--Court) The parent, guardian, or person having control of the child shall participate in the early warning program provided by the juvenile court. Attendance shall be mandatory except where prior arrangements have been made or an emergency exists. Failure to appear at the Early Warning Program shall result in the filing of a complaint/petition against the parent under Code of Alabama (1975), Section 16-28-12(c) (failure to cooperate), or a truancy against the child, whichever is appropriate.

No Earlier Than Seventh Unexcused Absence, But Within Ten (10) School Days (Court) File complaint/petition against the child and/or parent/guardian, if appropriate.

7 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. Prices are as follows: Lunch Breakfast Student $2.35 $1.25 Reduced $0.40 $0.30 Teacher $3.00 $1.50 Visitor $3.50 $2.00 Extra milk/juice $.050

Students 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. The Child Nutrition Program will make every effort to make the parent/guardian aware of the low account balance. If those efforts fail, then the child will be served, with a high degree of discretion so as not to make others aware, a nominal meal consisting of a sandwich, milk and fruit item. Students are allowed to bring their lunch; however, food/drink must be in a lunchbox. Students are expected to eat in an orderly manner and make every effort to maintain cleanliness in the cafeteria. When finished eating, students must take their utensils, dishes, and other papers to the disposal area.

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.

Students in grades 7-12 are assigned one specific lunch period per day and may not report to the cafeteria at any other lunch period. All students must eat their lunch in the school cafeteria, including those who bring their lunch. Students may remain in the lunchroom or in the designated area of the campus until the period ends.

Snacks (Elementary Schools) Snacks must be nutritious and may be brought from home or purchased at school. The following snacks are acceptable: carrots, apples, raisins, grapes, celery, bananas, beef jerky, cheese crackers, popcorn, pretzels or cheese. Any snacks that aren’t appropriate will be returned home. Students are not allowed to use vending machines.

8 CODE OF CONDUCT

General Statements Any student who acts in a manner that endangers the health, safety or welfare of students or employees will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in this policy and any laws of the City of Talladega, State of Alabama or the United States that may apply.

Parents or guardians have the right to arrange an administrative hearing with the principal on discipline matters if desired. At this hearing, they have a right to be present, ask any question they wish or to present witnesses or statements in student’s behalf.

Complaints and grievances shall be handled and resolved, whenever possible, as close to the origin as possible. The complaints should be referred through the proper administrative channels for solution before investigation or action by the board. Exceptions are complaints that concern board actions or board operations only.

The board advises that the proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline, or learning material is as follows: 1. Teacher 2. School Principal 3. Superintendent 4. Board of Education Any complaints about school personnel will be investigated by the administration before consideration and action by the board.

Assembly Students have the right to assemble peacefully so long as the normal operation of the school or classroom is not disrupted. All organizational meetings and school assemblies in the building or on school grounds will have staff supervision and may function only as a part of the educational process as authorized by the school administrator. The administrator must be informed in advance and may impose reasonable restrictions on the time and place of these meetings.

Class Pranks and Disruptions Class pranks can be a serious problem and will not be tolerated. Such pranks cause disruptions of the educational process and reflect a negative image on the class and the school in general. In addition to appropriate disciplinary action taken, graduating seniors may be denied participation in graduation ceremonies.

Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is when a person is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person using the internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.

Students participating in cyberbullying on school campus will face disciplinary action. In addition, students participating in cyberbullying off school campus that disrupts or negatively affects the school environment may also face disciplinary action following a thorough

9 investigation by school officials. Law enforcement officials may be contacted if deemed necessary by school officials.

Gang/Secret Society Affiliation A “gang” is a group of three or more individuals with a common interest, bond or activity. The board of education believes that anti-authority gang related dress and behavior have the potential of endangering the safety and welfare of students and school personnel and of disrupting the educational process. Membership in a gang often is marked by certain colors or distinctive symbols and the use of certain signals and gestures. Students who engage in behavior or adopt dress style or personal appearance suggestive of gang membership not only may endanger the welfare and safety of other students or school personnel and disrupt the educational process, but themselves may become victims of delinquent, criminal or antisocial conduct. The board has no tolerance for gangs and declares that policies, including, but not limited to the code of conduct shall be used and enforced in a manner to prevent the initiation and continuation of gangs in the school system.

Hall Conduct (Grades 7-12) Always observe the following:  Do not run.  Walk to the right of the hall at all times.  Do not gather around lockers to talk.  Do not stop on the hall side of the wall. (THS students)  Do not walk inside the gym retaining wall. (THS students)  Students in the hall without a pass are subject to disciplinary action.  Students must have a written pass stating the date, time, destination and teacher’s initials.

Harassment, Intimidation, and/or Bullying Harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying means any gesture or written, verbal, or physical act that takes place on school property, at any school sponsored function, or on a school bus and that: (a) a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will have the effect of harming a student or employee or damaging the student’s or employee’s property, or placing a student or employee in reasonable fear of harm to this person or damage to his property or (b) has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students or employees in such a way as to cause substantial disruption of, or substantial interference with, the orderly operation of the school or which has the effect of creating an uncomfortable or unwelcoming school environment.

Harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying refers to any unwelcome behavior related to, but not limited to, gender, race, religion, ethnic group, and/or any personal characteristic(s) that makes the recipient feel afraid, embarrassed, helpless, angry or unsafe or upsets the recipient to the point that he/she cannot learn, cannot teach, or be effective at school or at his/her job. Harassment, bullying, intimidation, and violence are prohibited between staff members, between staff members and students, between students, and from members of the public directed at students or staff on school property or at school-sponsored events.

10 Harassment forms may be obtained from the principal, counselor or the Talladega City Schools website.

Inspection of School Property School officials reserve the right to inspect school property, including lockers, to insure the safety and security of the premises and of students. Lockers remain the property of the school. Although a student may exercise exclusive control of his/her locker as opposed to access by fellow students, the control is not exclusive against the school officials. The school officials may inspect lockers at any time to insure school safety and in the interest of the welfare of other students.

Kings and Queens (Grades 7-12) Qualification requirements for Mr. & Miss Zora Ellis and Mr. and Mrs. THS, Homecoming Queen/Escort, and Prom King/Queen:  Student must complete an application.  Student can only win one title.  Student’s current and previous discipline will be considered. (No out of school suspensions.)

Police Interrogation of Students All police interrogations and interviews shall be conducted in a private setting, and an official school representative shall normally be present. In appropriate situations, school officials may permit private interviews with students by police officers. Reasonable efforts shall be made to contact a parent/guardian and/or have a parent/guardian present. In those instances when a parent/guardian cannot be contacted or is not present within a reasonable time period, school officials must allow interviews by law enforcement officials to proceed in the absence of a parent/guardian. If the student is to be removed from the school by police officers, a reasonable effort shall be made to contact the parent/guardian. Questioning or interviewing of students conducted by school officials DOES NOT require parent contact or consent, even if such questioning occurs in the presence or vicinity of law enforcement officials or the information obtained by school officials is later shared with law enforcement.

Search of a Student by School Officials School officials have the right to search a student when there is a reason to believe that he/she possesses articles that might endanger others or believe that such articles are possessed in violation of the law and/or regulations of the Board of Education. Such searches shall be done in private by a school official of the same sex as the person searched and a third party of the same sex.

Student Drivers (Grades 9-12) All automobiles on campus must be registered. The forms to register your automobile may be obtained from the Library. Parking permits are $25.00. Only licensed drivers may operate an automobile on the school campus. The following regulations must be observed at all times. Failure to follow parking and driving regulations will result in at least one or more of the following actions:  removal of driving privileges on campus

11  removal of vehicle by towing  monetary fine of $5 for each offense  suspension from school There will be no warnings issued. Throughout the year, a towing service will come through campus and tow any illegally parked vehicles and vehicles without parking decals or properly displayed decals. Talladega High School and Talladega High School’s staff and administration are not responsible or liable for any fines, damages to vehicle during process of towing, or impound fees associated with student and towing company. Damage and any fees incurred from towing are between student/parent and towing company. Regulations are listed below:  If a student leaves campus in a car without properly checking out, or assists another in doing so, that/those student(s) will lose the privilege of driving and parking on campus.  No student will be permitted to go to his car during school without an administrator’s permission or a teacher escort.  A speed of 5 MPH will be observed on the school campus.  Parking decals must be displayed on the rear view mirror.  Students must park in student parking spaces only; not in teacher parking spaces (Red Zone).  Students who drive must leave immediately after school unless in an extracurricular activity.

Student Use of Communication Devices Unauthorized possession and or use of any communication device during school hours and on school buses are prohibited. Students who violate the policy will be subject to appropriate discipline. A student who uses a cell phone or ECD in a manner to download indecent materials, “text” profane messages, “text” answers to a test, make a bomb threat, or commit any other act that violates Student Code of Conduct Class III offense will be subject to the applicable Class III discipline for the particular offense. Principals may designate certain times where cell phones may be utilized for specific instructional purposes only. School personnel are not responsible for lost or stolen cell phones or any other electronic communication devices. In case of an emergency, students may use the office phone with permission from the administration or office secretary.

The possession of a digital device (including but not limited to cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, or other telecommunication devices capable of capturing or relaying information) is strictly prohibited during the administration of a secure test. If a student is observed in possession of a digital device during the administration of a secure test, the device will be confiscated.

If a student is observed using a digital device during the administration of a secure test, testing for the student will cease, the device will be confiscated and is subject to search, the student will be dismissed from testing, and the student’s test will be invalidated. Any disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Written, Verbal, and Symbolic Expression Students have the right to form and hold their own ideas and beliefs and to express these through written, verbal and symbolic means. The encouragement of this right requires that each student

12 be permitted to disclose or express a reasonable idea in the course of academic dialogue without penalty, embarrassment, or any reflection in academic evaluation. Students who edit, publish or distribute written materials at school must assume responsibility for said material and may be subject to discipline for breach of reasonable standards of journalism, such as libel, obscenity or intentional distortion of the facts. Authorship should be disclosed and opinion shall be identified as such. Posted notices shall be subject to reasonable size, shall be dated and shall disclose the sponsoring individual or organization. Notices that are in violation of any applicable restriction or which are outdated or which have been posted more than 10 days may be removed by school authorities. Students distributing such materials are responsible in the removal of all litter produced. Distribution of materials will take place only at times and in designated areas approved by the school administration. Expression of personal points of view shall not interfere with the freedom of others to express themselves or with the educational process.

Civil Liabilities and Criminal Penalties The following summaries of laws relate to civil liabilities and criminal penalties for violence or other misbehavior by students on school property or against school employees:

Attendance and Conduct (Code of Alabama, Section 16-28-12) The law requires that every child between the ages of 6-17 years shall be required to attend school (§16-28-3, Code of Alabama, 1975). "Each child who is enrolled in a public school shall be subject to the attendance and truancy laws of the State." The law also gives the responsibility for attendance and control of the child to the parent (§ 16-28-12, Code of Alabama, 1975). If the child is truant, there are several actions that can be filed against the parent and/or the child. Actions Against Adults: A. A criminal action can be brought against any “parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of any child. . . who fails to have such child enrolled in school or who fails to compel such child to properly conduct himself as a pupil” and they “shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $100 and may also be sentenced to hard labor for the county for not more than 90 days . . .”(§16-28-12, Code of Alabama, 1975). B. It shall be unlawful for any parent, guardian, or other person to willfully aid, encourage, or cause any child to become delinquent, dependent, or in need of supervision or by words, acts, threats, commands, or persuasions, to induce or endeavor to induce, aid, or encourage a child to do or perform any act or to follow any course of conduct which would cause or manifestly tend to cause such child to become or remain delinquent, dependent, or in need of supervision or by the neglect of any lawful duty or in other manner contribute to the delinquency, dependency, or need of a child. Failure on the part of any parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child to cause such child to attend school as required by compulsory attendance law shall be held to be encouraging, causing, and contributing to the delinquency, dependency, or need of supervision of such child." (§ 12-15-13(a), Code of Alabama, 1975) "Whoever violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $500 or sentenced to hard labor for the county for a period not to exceed 12 months or both." (§12-15-13(a), Code of Alabama, 1975) C. Educational neglect: "Dependent child: A child whose parent(s) guardian, or custodian fails, refuses, or neglects to send such child to school in accordance with the terms of the compulsory school attendance laws of this state .. ." (§12-15-1(10)(h), Code of Alabama, 1975)

13 Action Against the Alleged Truant Child: A child is truant if no explanation is provided for absences or the child is absent for reasons other than those recognized as excusable. "In case any child becomes a habitual truant, or because of irregular attendance or misconduct has become a menace to the best interest of the school . . . and the parent . . . files a written statement in court . . . the attendance officer must file a complaint before the judge of the juvenile court . . . whereupon such child must be proceeded against . . . for the purpose of ascertaining whether such a child is a dependent, neglected, or delinquent child." (§16-28-14, Code of Alabama, 1975)

Attendance Law (ACT 93-368) (With Reference to Driver License) Any student, age 15-19, who withdraws from school, has ten (10) consecutive days absent from school, or who has fifteen (15) unexcused absences within a semester is not eligible to receive a driver’s license. Any student in possession of a driver’s license may have his/her license suspended.

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting (Code of Alabama, Section 26-14-1) Certain persons and institutions are required by law to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect under a penalty of a misdemeanor, fine or sentence. Those who are required by law to report are: hospitals, clinics, sanitariums, doctors, physicians, surgeons, medical examiners, coroners, dentists, osteopaths, optometrists, chiropractors, podiatrists, nurses, school teachers and officials, peace officers, law enforcement officials, pharmacists, social workers, day care workers or employees, mental health professionals, or any other person called upon to render aid or medical assistance to a known or suspected victim of child abuse or neglect.

Drop Out/Driver’s License (Code of Alabama, Section 16-28-40) The Department of Public Safety shall deny a driver’s license or learner’s permit to any person under 19 who is not enrolled or has not received a diploma or certificate of graduation. Exceptions are students who: are enrolled in a GED program, are enrolled in a secondary school, are participating in an approved job training program, are gainfully employed, are a parent of a minor child, or are the sole source of transportation for the parent.

Drugs, Alcohol, Weapons, Physical Harm, or Threatened Physical Harm (Code of Alabama, Section 16-1-24.1) The school principal shall notify appropriate law enforcement officials when a person violates local board of education policies concerning drugs, alcohol, weapons, physical harm to a person, or threatened harm to a person. If any criminal charge is warranted, the principal is authorized to sign the appropriate warrant. If that person is a student, the local school system shall immediately suspend that person from attending regular classes and schedule a hearing within 5 school days.

Drug Dealing (Code of Alabama, Section 6-5-72) A person who unlawfully sells, furnishes, or gives a controlled substance to a minor may be liable for injury or damage or both suffered by a third person caused by or resulting from the use of the controlled substance by the minor, if the sale, furnishing, or giving of the controlled substance is the proximate cause of the injury or damage.

14 Firearms (Code of Alabama, Section 16-1-24.3) A student who is found to be in possession (i.e., on the person, in a locker, book bag, automobile, or other location) of a firearm or weapon in a school, on school property, or at any school sponsored event will be expelled from school for one year or as specified by State legislation. Additionally, local law enforcement officials will be immediately contacted and the student will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Pistol Possession/Driver’s License (Code of Alabama, Section 16-28-40) Any person over the age of 14 who is convicted of the crime of possession of a pistol on the premises of a public school, or a public school bus, shall be denied issuance of a driver's permit or license to operate a motor vehicle for 180 days from the date the person is eligible and applies for a permit or license. If a person over age 14 possesses a driver's license on the date of conviction, the driver's license will be suspended for 180 days.

Teacher Assault (Code of Alabama, Section 13A-6-21) A person commits the crime of assault in the second degree (Class C felony) if the person assaults with intent to cause serious physical injury to a teacher or to an employee of a public educational institution during or as a result of the performance of his or her duty.

Vandalism (Code of Alabama, Section 6-5-380) The parents or guardian of any minor under the age of 18 shall be liable for the actual damages sustained to school property, plus court costs, caused by an intentional, willful or malicious act of the minor.

Weapons in Schools (Code of Alabama, Section 13A-11-72) No person shall knowingly, with intent to do bodily harm, carry or possess a deadly weapon on the premises of a public school. Possession of a deadly weapon with the intent to do bodily harm on the premises of a public school or school bus is a Class C felony. (Note: Deadly weapons include, but are not limited to, a hand grenade, explosive or incendiary device; a pistol, rifle, or shotgun; or switch-blade knife, gravity knife, stiletto, sword, or dagger; or any club, baton, black-jack, bludgeon, or metal knuckles.

Classification of Violations and Administrative Options It is fundamental that an orderly school have clearly defined behaviors to which students must conform. Nonconformity to these behaviors becomes violations of the Code of Student Conduct. Violations are grouped into three classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) which range from the minor to major offenses. Before determining the classification of a violation, the principal or his/her designee will consult with the student(s) involved and other school personnel. After determining a violation and the classification of the violation, the principal or designee will implement the appropriate disciplinary procedure. Violations apply to student conduct on a school campus, at school related events, or while being transported to or from school or school related events. Violations of the Code of Student Conduct by students with disabilities will be addressed in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, Public Law 105-17. Each classroom teacher will deal with general classroom disruption by utilizing in-class disciplinary measures, by telephoning the parent(s) of record or guardian(s) when feasible. Only when the action taken by the teacher is ineffective, or the disruption is

15 severe, shall the student be referred to the principal or his/her designee. The following is a description of disciplinary problems which may occur and administrative options.

A. MINOR OFFENSES – CLASS I 1.01 Failure to follow directions of a teacher or administrator 1.02 Excessive 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. 1.03 Offensive touching of another student (Not including acts of a sexual nature.) 1.04 Non-conformity to dress code as specified in Board of Education policy 1.05 Excessive tardiness to class (Grades 7-12) 1.06 Minor disruption on school bus 1.07 Inappropriate display of affection 1.08 Unauthorized use of school property 1.09 Nuisance items Anything which disrupts the instructional program is not allowed at school. Such items will be confiscated and may be claimed by a parent or guardian. Examples include but are not limited to: any non-school issued digital device, toys, trading cards and hand-held games. 1.10 Any other violation that the school administration may deem reasonable to fall within this category after consideration of extenuating circumstances

MINOR OFFENSES /CLASS I DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS  Parental contact and disciplinary action  Conference with the student  Verbal reprimand  Withdrawal of privilege(s)  Temporary removal from class (including prohibiting the student from attending special events, i.e. field trips, assemblies, etc.)  In-school suspension (Grades 7-12)  Isolation  Detention  Disciplinary probation  School bus suspension (less than 10 days)  Other sanction(s) as approved by the Talladega City Board of Education

REPEATED CASES OF CLASS I OFFENSES WILL RESULT IN ADMINISTRATIVE OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED AT THE CLASS II LEVEL

B. INTERMEDIATE OFFENSES- CLASS II 2.01 Defiance of authority and/or disrespect to school board employees 2.02 Any verbal or non-verbal refusal to comply with a reasonable direction order of a school board employee, including refusal to identify self.

16 Any verbal or non-verbal conduct and/or behavior directed toward a school board employee that is rude or discourteous. 2.03 Intentionally providing false information to school personnel 2.04 Inhibiting 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. 2.05 Vandalism/property damage Intentional and deliberate action resulting in injury or damages to public property or the personal property of another. 2.06 Stealing/theft (Third Degree) Taking and/or carrying away of public or personal property valued at less than $250.00. (See 3.02) 2.07 Possession of stolen property with the knowledge that it is stolen 2.08 Making a written or verbal proposition to engage in sexual acts May be upgraded to 3.11 depending on the judgement of the principal. 2.09 Unauthorized absence from class or school – cutting or skipping 2.10 Use of profane or obscene language or gestures 2.11 Trespassing/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. 2.12 Cheating 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. 2.13 Offensive touching in a sexual manner 2.14 Threats of extortion/bullying 2.15 Unsafe/unlicensed driving Violations of school parking/driving rules 2.16 Gambling Participation in games of chance for money and/or other items of value. 2.17 Possession of pornographic or suggestive material 2.18 Unauthorized possession or use of any communication or electronic device during school hours and on buses This includes posting and/or sharing on these devices. 2.19 Intentionally hitting another person (See 3.09) 2.20 Verbal altercation 2.21 Possession or use of tobacco products or electronic cigarettes 2.22 Threat, harassment or intimidation of a student, employee, or visitor (see 3.03) 2.23 Misuse or abuse of non-prescription medications, inhalants, or over-the- counter products such as herbs that are intended for medicinal purposes 2.24 Inciting or participation in unauthorized demonstrations and/or disorderly conduct activities This includes any gang-related activity.

17 2.25 Possession of gang or hate group writings, drawings, symbols, or paraphernalia 2.26 Violation of multiple Class I offenses 2.27 Violation of Technology Acceptable Use policy 2.28 Any other violation that the school administration may deem reasonable to fall within this category after consideration of extenuating circumstances

INTERMEDIATE OFFENSES /CLASS II DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS  Parental contact and disciplinary action  In-school suspension (Grades 7-12)  Isolation/Detention  Out-of-school suspension  Alternative School  Recommendation for expulsion  Restitution of property and damages where appropriate  Other sanction(s) as approved by the Talladega City Board of Education

REPEATED CASES OF CLASS II OFFENSES WILL RESULT IN ADMINISTRATIVE OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED AT THE CLASS III LEVEL

C. MAJOR OFFENSES-Class III 3.01 Assault on another person (student, employee, visitor, etc.) Striking another person by attacking the person with the intent to cause injury.

3.02 Theft (Second Degree) Intentional and unlawful taking and/or carrying away of property value at $250 or more belonging to or in the lawful possession or custody of another. (See 2.06)

3.03 Threatened physical harm The intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to another student or school personnel. Note: Principals should use their discretion as to the seriousness of the situation, the age of the student involved and the impact on the school as to which classification (Class II or III) the incident should merit. (See 2.21) 3.04 Inciting or participating in major student disorder Leading, encouraging, or assisting in (major) disruptions which result in destruction or damage to private or public property or personal injury to participants or others. 3.05 Burglary of school property Entering or remaining in a structure or conveyance with the intent to steal or commit a crime. 3.06 Robbery/extortion The taking of money or other property which may be the subject of theft from the person or custody of another by force, violence, assault or instilling the fear of same. 3.07 Criminal mischief

18 Willful and malicious injury or damages resulting in repair or replacement costs in excess of $250 to public property, or to real or personal property belonging to another. (See 2.05) 3.08 Arson The willful and malicious burning of any part of Talladega City Schools’ buildings. 3.09 Fighting Any physical altercation between two or more students that is intended to cause injury. (See 2.19 and 3.03) 3.10 Bomb threats Verbal or written communication of the presence of a bomb or other explosive device on school property. (Public Law 91-457). 3.11 Sexual offense Acts of a sexual nature including, but not limited to intercourse, attempted rape, or rape. (See 2.08) 3.12 Misuse or abuse of prescription drugs The unauthorized use, sale, transfer, possession, trafficking, or misuse of prescription drugs. These includes any drug which requires a doctor’s prescription to legally possess. Parents or the emergency contact designee must bring the medication to the school. Any use of required medications must be accompanied by a note from the parent/guardian and kept in accordance with the local school’s medication plan. 3.13 Alcohol Possession, transfer, use or sale of alcoholic beverages, including attendance at school or school events while affected by or under the influence of alcohol. 3.14 Illegal drugs/drug paraphernalia Possession, transfer, use or sale of drugs (including seeds), drug paraphernalia (including rolling papers), including attendance at school or school events while affected or under the influence of such drugs. Note: Law enforcement agencies make periodic unannounced visits to local schools for the purpose of detecting the presence of illegal drugs. 3.15 Altering official school documents or computer information (unauthorized use, misuse, abuse, or accessing or changing information in school records/computers) 3.16 Possession of knife Possession of a knife; including pocket knives, that may be adapted, used, or threatened to be used for attack or for infliction of injury. 3.17 Possession and or use of potentially dangerous devices Possession of scissors, box cutters, lasers, razors, metal knuckles, artificial weapons or any other object not specifically listed that is primarily meant or that may be adapted, used, or threatened to be used, for attack or for infliction of injury including toy firearms, replicas and facsimiles. 3.18 Possession of potentially dangerous objects Possession of lighters, matches and other potentially dangerous incendiary objects. 3.19 Possession of firearms

19 Any firearm (including a starter gun and guns used for the purpose of hunting or recreational activities) which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of any explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; any destructive device. Toy firearms, replicas and facsimiles which student presents as a weapon or could be perceived as a weapon) (See 3.17) 3.20 Possession of firearm components Possession of any firearm component such as, but not limited to, bullets, shells, clips etc. 3.21 Explosives Preparing, possessing or igniting explosives on school board property. Including explosive devices, fireworks, tear gas, chemical weapons or objects designed for use as weapons. 3.22 Unjustified activation of a fire alarm system or fire extinguisher 3.23 Gang or hate group activity Active participation in recruiting, initiation or other active conduct associated with gang or hate group activity that represents a threat to the safety of students or personnel. 3.24 Violation of multiple Class II offenses 3.25 Any other violation that the school administration may deem reasonable to fall within this category after consideration of extenuating circumstances 3.26 Crimes as defined under the laws of the City, State of Alabama, or the United States

MAJOR OFFENSES /CLASS III DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS  Parental contact and disciplinary action  In-school suspension (Grades 7-12)  Isolation  Detention  Out-of-school suspension  Alternative School  Notify law enforcement agencies  Recommendation for expulsion  Restitution of property and damages where appropriate  Other sanction(s) as approved by the Talladega City Board of Education

Disposition Definitions Detention/Isolation Administrators and teachers may assign students to detention for minor offenses.

In-School Suspension (ISS) (Grades 7-12) A student is assigned to ISS by an administrator for violation of school rules. The student will be required to complete activities assigned by the person in charge. If a student refuses to attend ISS he/she will be suspended. Students in ISS are eligible to practice for activities but are not allowed to perform nor compete while they are in ISS. Students are eligible to compete the next

20 school morning following the last scheduled day of ISS. *If a student is in ISS on Friday, they will not be eligible for competition until Monday morning.

Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Suspension refers to the temporary forfeiture of attendance in the school and participation in its activities for a given period of time and until the parent or guardian obtains approval for the student’s reinstatement from the principal. Any student who fails to obey any rule, regulation, or policy of the Board of Education or commits any act that is detrimental to the maintenance of good order of the school is subject to suspension by the principal for up to (5) five school days (Additional days may be approved by the superintendent or designee when appropriate). A student shall NOT be suspended until he has been notified of the charges against him and given an opportunity to tell his side fully and completely. When it becomes necessary to suspend a student, written notice is to be given to the student and his parents. The notice shall include the following:  the reason for the suspension  the length of the suspension period  the conditions of the suspension

While a student is suspended, the student will not be permitted on the premises of the school attended or any other school in the Talladega City school system. Any exception to this policy, not to include extra-curricular activities, must be approved by the principal. Parents must confer with the principal before the student can be reinstated in school. A student on external suspension will have the absences treated as unexcused and is not entitled to make up work which was missed. (Exceptions may include mid-terms, final tests, and/or instructional projects.)

The accumulation of four suspensions by a student in any one school year may be grounds for the principal to recommend the student to the Board of Education for expulsion. In accordance with Section 16-28-12 of the Code of Alabama, suspensions shall be reported to the District Attorney. Students returning to the school campus during suspension will be considered trespassing and a petition may be filed.

Alternative School Students who commit a Major Offense (Class III), as defined by the Code of Conduct, or who repeatedly violate Intermediate Offenses (Class II) such that they frequently disrupt the education of others may be referred to the Alternative School by the school administrators. The referral must be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee. The Alternative School may be used in the place of a long-term suspension and/or expulsion. While a student is assigned to the Alternative School, the student is not allowed on any other Talladega City School Campus during the date of assignment or during extra-curricular activities. Any exception to this policy, not to include extra-curricular activities, must be approved by the principal.

Students (male or female) attending the Alternative School may not bring purses, bags, or other containers onto campus. Students (male or female) attending the Alternative School may not bring or wear jewelry to school. No food, drink, or gum is to be brought to the Alternative School. (Special diets will require physician documentation). Students who do not meet the

21 behavioral guidelines for the Alternative School setting may be recommended for expulsion and/or court referral. Parents are responsible for transportation to and from the Alternative School. Failure to attend the Alternative School in accordance with the attendance policy could result in court referrals. Expulsion Expulsion is denial of school attendance by the Board of Education and is for the duration of the regular school year. Expulsion may be recommended when a student’s behavior is extremely disruptive. Upon receipt of the principal’s recommendation, the Superintendent shall schedule an administrative hearing. In the event expulsion is recommended, the custodial parent will be notified by registered mail prior to action by the Talladega City Board of Education.

Seclusion and Restraint of All Students The Talladega City School District supports a positive approach to behavior that uses proactive strategies to create a safe school climate that promotes dignity, creates authentic student engagement, increases instructional time, and improves student achievement for all students. Unfortunately, students sometimes display behaviors which place them or other students in immediate danger. School programs must implement proactive strategies and interventions to reduce the likelihood of these incidents and must have clearly identified responses to address them when they occur. In December 2011, the Alabama State Board of Education adopted Rule 290-3-1-.02(1)(f) regarding the use of seclusion and restraint for all students and the Talladega City School Board has adopted policy consistent with this Rule. The Rule prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint to those situations in which students are an immediate danger to themselves or others. These procedures were developed in accordance with this Rule and School Board policy.

Seclusion is prohibited in Talladega City’s schools and educational programs. Seclusion does not include situations in which a staff member who is trained in the use of de-escalation techniques or restraint is physically present in the same unlocked room as the student, time-out as defined below, in-school suspension, detention, or a student-requested break in a different location in the room or in a separate room.

Time-out refers to a behavioral intervention in which the student is temporarily removed from the learning activity. Time-out is appropriately used when: 1. The non-locking setting used for time-out is appropriately lighted, ventilated and heated or cooled; 2. The duration of the time-out is reasonable in light of the purpose of the time-out and the age of the student but should not exceed 45 minutes per time-out; 3. The student is reasonably monitored by an attending adult who is in reasonable physical proximity of the student and has sight of the student while in time-out; and 4. The time-out space is free of objects that unreasonably expose the student or others to harm.

The Use of Physical Restraint Chemical and mechanical restraint is prohibited, as is physical restraint if the restraint restricts the flow of air to a student’s lungs. The use of physical restraint is only to be used in those situations where a student is an immediate danger to self or others and when the student is not responsive to less intensive de-escalation techniques. Only physical restraint included in the

22 district’s adopted approach of Glenwood-Managing Crisis Safely is to be used. Appropriate staff at each school will be trained and/or re-certified in the use of MCS. In all instances, the use of restraint will be monitored and documented.

Physical restraint will not be used:  When the student is responsive to less intensive interventions and de-escalation techniques, such as verbal commands and directives  As a form of discipline or punishment or as a means to obtain compliance

Physical restraint does not include providing limited physical contact and/or redirection to promote student safety or prevent self-injurious behavior, providing physical guidance or prompting when teaching a skill, redirecting attention, providing guidance to a location, providing comfort, or providing limited physical contact as reasonably needed to prevent imminent destruction to school or another person’s property. For instance, running after and holding a student who is about to run in front of an oncoming vehicle is not in any way prohibited. Providing physical guidance (e.g., lightly holding a student at the elbow to guide him from one location to another) is also permitted.

Procedures Regarding Restraint The following procedures will apply to the use of restraint in Talladega City’s schools and programs:

Selecting Staff for Training All school staff that reasonably would be expected to be involved in an incident of physical restraint of a student will participate in training provided by district certified by Glenwood-- Managing Crisis Safely. The Special Education Coordinator/designee will be responsible for designating the staff to be MCS trained annually on prevention and positive behavioral management techniques, including the proper use of de-escalation techniques. In addition, training will be provided on the proper use of physical restraint, should it be necessary, to prevent harm to a student or others. Those who have been trained will be recertified every two years and, at each school, those who have been trained must meet during the first semester of every school year to review the information learned in the MCS training. A sign-in sheet must be created for these meetings to document those in attendance.

Documentation of Training All school staff trained in MCS will be required to document attendance by using the sign in sheet provided at the training by the Special Education Coordinator/designee. A list of all participants in each training session will be maintained by the Special Education Coordinator and all records related to the training will be made available to the Alabama Department of Education or any member of the public upon request.

Reporting and Documenting Incidents of Physical Restraint In the rare instance that the use of physical restraint is deemed necessary, the District will follow the following reporting and documentation requirements related to each incident of physical restraint:

23 Written parental notification No later than one (1) school day after the incident of physical restraint occurs, the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student must be notified, in writing.

No later than five (5) school days after the incident of physical restraint occurs, the Principal/designee will convene all staff that participated in or supervised the restraint. This session will be for the purpose of debriefing and for developing preventative strategies to reduce reoccurrence of the behaviors that led to the need to use restraint. If the student is a student who qualifies for special education services, the IEP Team may be reconvened.

24 CURRICULUM

Career Tech The Talladega City School system offers the following career and technical education programs for all students regardless of race, color, national origin, including those with limited English proficiency, sex or disability in grades 9 – 12:

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (9-12) Plant Systems Animal Systems Environmental and Natural Resources Agri-Construction Auto Technology (9-12) Business, Management & Administration (9 – 12) Career Technologies (7-8) Family and Consumer Sciences (9-12) Food, Wellness, and Dietetics Interior Design/Real Estate Program Health Science (9-12) Industrial Maintenance (9-12) JROTC (9-12) Precision Machining (9-12) Welding (9-12)

Persons seeking further information concerning the career and technical education offerings and specific pre-requisite criteria should contact:

Debbie Cochran, Career Tech Counselor 110 Piccadilly Circle Talladega, AL 35160 256-315-5688 [email protected] or

Trisha Turner, Career Tech Director 110 Piccadilly Circle Talladega, AL 35160 256-315-5676 [email protected]

Grading Final Examinations and Exemptions (Grades 7-12) Final examinations will be used to evaluate student achievement and the attainment of the School Systems goals and objectives on which student learning activities are based. All students* in grades 9-12 shall take semester examination in each course (those courses used to determine

25 promotion, etc.) in which the student is enrolled. All final examinations will be administered according to the schedule outlines in the school system’s annual school calendar.

Any student may exempt semester examinations in certain courses based on meeting all of the following criteria:  The student must have a semester average of 80 or above.  Each semester’s average will be computed by averaging the nine-week grades.  The student can have no more than five excused absences per semester.  The student can have no unexcused absences during the semester.

*A special education student’s IEP may or may not require semester examinations.

The grade/score derived from semester examinations will be counted as 20% of the semester’s work.

Grade Point Average/Class Rank (Grades 9-12) Ranking will be determined at the end of December. The following procedure will be used in determining grade point average and rank:  All grades will be averaged  An extra quality point will be added for Honors/AP courses  Grade points for office assistants will not be given

The Talladega City Board of Education observes and encourages academic excellence. The intent of this policy is to recognize and reward a student who goes beyond the minimum standards. Taking more than the required number of units for graduation will allow more quality points to be accumulated by each student. The quality points to be accumulated will be divided by 48 for the purpose of determining the top ten in each graduating class. The following courses must be successfully completed before a student can be included in calculations for class rank:  4 units of English (Four (4) must have the HONORS/AP in the title.)  4 units of Math (One (1) unit of algebra and one (1) unit of geometry must be taken.)  4 units of Science (Honors/Pre-AP Biology, Honors/AP Chemistry, and Honors/AP Physics must be included.)  4 units of Social Science

All courses except those with the descriptor assistant in the title may be used for class rank. The following provisions shall apply:  Grades for each 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade subject are averaged at the end of each term and summer school to determine pass or fail and credit shall be awarded if the student is above the 60th percentile.  A repeating student’s grade assignment is to be re-evaluated at the end of each term and the end of summer school. Special Education Promotion – promotion of any student in a special program must be based on his/her accomplishments of goals stated in the IEP in conjunction with all other regular program requirements. Earned quality points shall be recorded at the conclusion of each term and awarded accordingly.

26 In the event that a tie occurs, the following will be used to determine which student shall be ranked the highest:  The student with the largest number of earned credits shall be ranked higher.  If a tie still exists then a true tie exists and all students who are tied shall be ranked number one (1).

The final class rank will be determined at the end of the school year. The top ten students will be recognized. Students who have earned all A’s will be recognized. A student must be in attendance at Talladega High School for two years prior to graduation to be considered for top ten ranking. Standard Honors / Advanced Placement Courses A = 4 points A = 5 points B = 3 points B = 4 points C = 2 points C = 3 points D = 1 point D = 2 points

Grading Scale The following grading system is used on report cards:  A=90-100  B=80-89  C=70-79  D=60-69  F=00-59 Report cards are distributed approximately one week after the end of the grading period. All elementary student report cards must be signed by parents and returned to the teacher. Students in kindergarten do not receive a report card, but will receive a progress report at the end of the first semester and at the end of the school year. Students in first grade begin receiving report cards at the end of the second nine weeks. Progress reports will be issued every 4 ½ weeks.

Graduation Requirements

(Alabama Administrative Code 290-3-1-02(8) and (8)(a)) Effective for students in the ninth grade in the 2013-2014 school year, all students shall earn the required credits for the Alabama High School Diploma. A local board of education may establish requirements for receipt of diplomas and endorsements, but any diploma or endorsement shall include the requirements of the Alabama High School Diploma. The Alabama courses of study shall be followed in determining minimum required content in each discipline.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS Four credits to include: Credits

English 9 1 English 10 1 English Language Arts English 11 1

English 12 1 English Language Arts-credit eligible options may include: Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses.

English Language Arts Total Credits 4 Three credits to include: Credits Algebra I or its equivalent/substitute 1

27 Geometry or its equivalent/substitute 1 Algebra II w/Trigonometry or Algebra II, or its equivalent/substitute 1 Mathematics Mathematics-credit eligible options may include: Career and Technical Education/Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses. One credit from: Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics or mathematics-credit eligible courses from Career and Technical Education/Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses. 1

Mathematics Total Credits 4 Two credits to include: Credits

Biology 1 A physical science (Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science) 1 Science Science-credit eligible options may include: Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses. Two credits from: Alabama Course of Study: Science or science-credit eligible courses from Career and Technical Education/Advanced 2 Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses.

Science Total Credits 4 Four credits to include: Credits

World History 1 United States History I 1

Social Studies* United States History II 1 United States Government 0.5

Economics 0.5 Social Studies-credit eligible options may include: Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/postsecondary courses/SDE-approved courses.

Social Studies Total Credits 4 Physical Education Lifelong Individualized Fitness Education (LIFE) or one JROTC Credit 1

Health Education 0.5

Career Preparedness 1

Career and Technical Education (CTE) and/or Foreign Language and/or Arts Education 3

Electives 2.5

Total Credits 24

The Alabama High School Graduation requirements provide the opportunity for students to pursue multiple pathways to earn a diploma. Students will have options to pursue areas of interest through expansion of elective credits. Flexibility in course offerings allows for personalized education plans for all students. Though these options allow increased flexibility, high expectations for Alabama students remain the standard. The ninth graders of 2013-2014 are required to follow the new graduation requirements. Alabama has one high school diploma, with three pathways: General Education pathway, Essentials pathway, and Alternate Achievement Standards pathway. Only students who complete the requirements for the General Education pathway will count in the United States Department of Education (USDOE) Four- Year Graduation rate for 2017 and beyond. The ALSDE recognizes that you have students who will graduate with an Alabama High School Diploma (AHSD), but will not count in the

28 graduation rate for the USDOE. These students will be considered non-graduates, but will not count in the systems drop-out rate.

Each high school student is required to have a four-year plan. It is critical that the plan reflects the student’s aspirations for life after high school. Careful consideration should be given to the selection of electives and specific credit-eligible courses to ensure that a student is prepared for postsecondary school, four-year college, and work. Administrators and counselors should continue to review NCAA requirements for prospective student athletes before approving their electives and specific credit eligible courses.

For clarification purposes, the following definition will apply to specific credit eligible courses:  Credit eligible course – the course is approved as an appropriate replacement, but may not include a 90% match in standards.

The Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE) will continue to expand credit eligible course offerings. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that would like to have a course considered for a specific credit should follow the process below for approval:  Locally-developed Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses must be submitted to the CTE Section.  Locally-developed core courses (Mathematics, English, Science, and Social Studies) must be submitted to the Instructional Services Section.  Once submitted to either section, a cross-sectional team will review courses for alignment to standards and approval for credit.

Other Clarifications: Mathematics It is imperative that a student’s plans for college or postsecondary should be considered when selecting a mathematics- credit eligible course. The Mathematics Pathways memo http://www.alsde.edu/sec/sct/COS/Mathematics%20Pathways.pdf is a document that provides possible mathematics pathways for students, parents, and counselors to consider when preparing for high school mathematics course credits. In an effort to offer more flexibility to school systems, the Flexibility in Awarding Credit for Algebra I and Geometry memo, http://www.alsde.edu/sites/memos/Memoranda/FY13-2121.pdf#search=Flexibility%20in %20Algebra%20I explains how Algebra I and Geometry may be offered to students in Grades 7 and 8, respectively, for high school credit and to meet graduation requirements. If you have questions, please contact Michele Matin at [email protected] or Dawn Morrison at [email protected]. Arts (includes Dance, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts) The current Alabama Course of Study: Arts Education was written to satisfy the previous graduation requirements of 0.5 credit for Arts. There are several options (listed below) for students currently wishing to follow an arts pathway and/or take their electives in arts.  Students may take the half-credit courses back-to-back in one year to meet the one-full credit course.

29  Teachers may add new content to the 0.5 credit course to allow it to count as a one credit course. (A sufficient amount of additional/new content must be documented and kept on file.)  Courses that are used as arts-credit eligible options must contain the three strands— Produce, Respond, and Understand as found in the Alabama Course of Study: Arts Education. These courses may serve for any of the three credits required under the “CTE, Foreign Language, or Arts” category. Arts courses lacking these three strands may serve only as a general elective credit (the 2.5 credit category).

Please contact Andy Meadows at [email protected]. Science The following Career and Technical Education courses are science-credit eligible. Teachers holding the appropriate science certifications and those with appropriate Career and Technical Education certification may teach the courses below for science credit.

 Forensic and Criminal Investigations (410025)  Plant Biotechnology (420053)  Aquaculture Science (420037)  Introduction to Biotechnology (490041)  PLTW Principles of Engineering (560016)

The following Career and Technical Education courses contain similar content as courses in the 2015 Alabama Course of Study: Science. Students may not receive science credit for both courses.  Chemistry of Food (510013)—similar content as Chemistry (220061)  Environmental Management (420026)—similar content as Environmental Science (220029)  Human Body Structures and Functions (490015)–similar content as Human Anatomy and Physiology (220026)  PLTW Human Body Systems (490043)–similar content as Human Anatomy and Physiology (220026) Please contact Collie Wells at [email protected] or Michal Robinson at [email protected] for additional information.

Essentials Pathway Effective with the 2017-2018 school year, only students with disabilities will be allowed to enroll in Essentials courses. Careful consideration should be given before a student is allowed to enroll in one of the Essentials Pathway courses. If a student takes four or more core courses on the Essentials Pathway he or she is required to complete the work component requirements of this pathway. It is important for each student to pursue the coursework that is appropriate for his or her desired post-school outcome. These courses may or may not be accepted by four-year colleges, and will not be accepted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Students who plan to attend a postsecondary institution must meet the admission requirements of the selected institution. For May 2017 graduates, only students who completed the course requirements for the general education pathway which is fully aligned with the state's academic

30 standards will count in the USDOE 2017 Graduation Rate for Alabama. Students who followed the Essentials Pathway and/or the AAS Pathway will not count as graduates in the USDOE Four- Year Cohort Graduation Rate. They will, however, receive an AHSD.

The Courses for the Alabama High School Diploma Pathways and the Work Component Requirements can be found in the Preparing for Life Transition Planning Guide, http://www.alsde.edu/sec/ses/Pages/transition-all.aspx?navtext=Secondary%20/%20Post %20Secondary:% 20Transition.

The Alabama Occupational Diploma is no longer an option for students after the ninth grade cohort of 2012-2013. Some students under this diploma option may continue to be in schools until they reach the age of 21.

Please contact Cindy Augustine at [email protected] for additional information.

Waivers Waivers for the LIFE PE course are still required to substitute Band, Athletics, etc. The standards from the LIFE PE course must be included in the course. A student roster is no longer required to be included in the waiver letter. Please contact Nancy Ray with any questions at [email protected].

Some districts are pursuing innovative schedules, instructional delivery models, etc., that require permission to waive certain policies. Please contact Shanthia Washington with questions regarding these options at [email protected].

Honors Endorsement Standards (Grades 9-12) The responsibility of the Honors Program at Talladega High School is to provide a rigorous academic program aimed at challenging students in many areas. Students who participate in the Honors Program are expected to uphold a standard of academic excellence and personal responsibility. The following standards must be met in order to progress to the next class in each particular subject (ex. To progress from 10th Honors History to AP 11th History):

The students must have a minimum of an 80 average at the end of the term in order to progress to the next course. If the student makes a 60–79, they will be placed on probation. The student must meet the minimum average of 80 during the next course in order to stay on the Honors track. If a student fails an Honors course, they will not be able to stay on the Honors Track. Any student caught cheating or submitting plagiarized work will be placed on probation. If the student is caught cheating again, they will be removed from the Honors Program. Probationary status will be in effect for one year, or until the student reaches the set goal. Each standard is course specific. If a student is on probation for three areas, they will be removed from the Honors Program.

InformationNow Home Portal Using the Internet, parents have the ability to view their child(s) report card grades from previous grading periods, grades from the current grading period, and attendance. At the beginning of the

31 school year, your child will receive a user name and password in a letter. It is also available upon request from the school.

To access the InformationNow Home Portal, visit the Talladega City Schools’ website at http://www.talladega-cs.net. Place your cursor over the word “Department” and select “Student Services.” Click on the box “Chalkable InformationNOW.” Type in the student’s user name and the password provided by the school. (You will be prompted to change the password once you log in.) Assistance with questions or password re-sets should be directed to the student’s school.

National Honor Society Qualifications (Grades 9-12)  Students must have a 3.0 GPA  Student must be enrolled in the Honors Program  No out of school suspensions  No ISI except for detention (not more than 9 detentions)  Student must complete the application form (new inductees)

Pupil/Parent Responsibilities for Care of State-Owned Textbooks In accordance with Section 25 of the Free Textbook Law, Act 221 Alabama Code Title 16 Education § 16-36-70:

1. All textbooks issued are the property of the State of Alabama and the public school system, and shall be retained for normal use only during the period pupils are engaged in the course of study for which the textbooks are selected.

2. Textbooks issued to pupils may be used in the same manner and to the same extent as though such books were owned by the pupil; except that pupils must recognize their responsibility for the care of books checked out to them by observing the following practices:  Keeping the book clean outside and inside.  Refraining from marking the book with pen or pencil.  Keeping the pages free of finger prints.  Avoiding turning down, tearing, or otherwise damaging pages.  Refraining from placing the book where it may become soiled or damaged by the weather.  Keeping the book protected with a book cover (optional).

3. Parents and pupils must accept liability for any loss, abuse, or damage in excess of that which would result from normal use.  For such loss or damage, the pupil will be assessed a variable of: o Full price if new when issued. o Seventy-five percent of full price for books two years old. o Fifty percent for books three years or older.  No textbooks will be issued to any pupil until all charges for lost or damaged textbooks have been paid.

32 4. All textbooks must be returned to the issuing school by the pupil when he/she is promoted or transferred, and when he/she terminates his/her attendance for any other reason.

Textbooks-Lost or Damaged Students will be loaned a set of textbooks after she/he has checked them out with the teacher. It is the responsibility of the student to take care of textbooks to avoid loss or damage. Any book that is lost or destroyed must be paid for before a replacement is issued to the student. Every effort should be made to find lost books prior to paying for them. Damage fees will be charged for books that are damaged beyond the reasonable wear expected during the time they are checked out. Should a student lose or damage a textbook, the student and parents are responsible for paying for the book. Each school has a list of replacement costs for textbooks. Under Alabama law, students may not to be issued textbooks if they still owe money for lost or damaged books.

Schedule Change Policy (Grades 7-12) Teachers are not to agree to accept students or discuss room availability in classes with students or parents. Teachers who feel that a change is in the best academic interest of a student should consult with a counselor. No student is to be allowed out of class for the purpose of a schedule change. The counselors will make schedule changes at an appropriate time with the principal’s approval. Schedule changes are discouraged. For a schedule to be changed:  Changes must be submitted by the end of the second day of the first semester. An error must have been made in typing the course selection into the computer or an identifiable error must have been made on the part of the administrative staff.  The change must benefit the student academically and can be changed within the balance of the total master schedule. (Counselors will work with the student.)  A course can be dropped only through the above stated guidelines or to change to a higher academic class. One cannot drop an academic class to pick up a non-academic class.  A parent, student, and administrative conference will be required in the case of a questionable schedule change.  A counselor must originate the change and the principal must approve/sign the change.  Student must present written request to the principal from parent, guardian, or student in cases where the student has reached the age of maturity.  Student must obtain a withdrawal form from the secretary.  Student must obtain all teachers’ signatures from classes in which he/she is enrolled. (The department head will sign if the teacher is absent.)  Student must turn in all school property to include books and pay debt to include library fines.  The student must schedule a conference with the principal if he/she is attempting to drop out of school.

Weekly Folders (Elementary Schools) Student folders requiring a parent’s signature will be sent home each week. The folders are intended to provide weekly progress and to inform parents of upcoming events, important dates, etc. Classwork, homework, test papers, conduct grades, newsletters, calendars,

33 information from the office, and teachers’ comments may be included. Parents should review the papers with the student and discuss the teachers’ comments. Folders should be signed and returned with the student the following school day.

DRESS CODE

The Talladega City Board of Education believes that acceptable grooming and dress are essential elements in the teaching and learning process. Students are expected to dress in such a manner that will ensure health and safety and not distract from the learning environment. Dress and personal appearance are not to be disruptive or interfere with the educational interest and welfare of the students or purpose of public school education. Students will not wear any article of clothing or display any insignia or sign that shows disrespect for any person, creed, race, color, sex or nationality. Parents/guardians are expected to monitor students’ dress. Students in violation of the dress code will be reported to the principal’s office and subject to disciplinary action. The school administration has the authority to determine whether or not a student’s clothing is in compliance with the intended dress code.

General Guidelines 1. Headgear including, but not limited to hats, caps, headbands, sweatbands, bandanas, visors, do rags, hoods, and sunglasses, must be removed upon entering the school building and shall be properly stored. No head wraps. 2. Hair must be clean, combed, and well-groomed. Hair must not be in the eyes of the student or impair his/her vision. Appropriate safety precautions must be observed in all classes. If long hair is a safety hazard, students will receive directions from the teacher/instructor. Eye protection may be required in some classes. Whenever a student’s hairstyle becomes a disruptive issue, the principal will address the problem on an individual basis. Etchings in the hair are unacceptable. 3. Facial hair must be well-groomed. 4. Insignias, buttons, and clothing that are suggestive (alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vulgarity, nudity, drug related, innuendo, etc.) are not permitted. 5. Clothing or other items that may inflame racial tension, incite a significant group of students in the student body, and/or depict any form of hatred/disrespect of others shall not be worn. 6. Any hairstyle, clothing or pattern of dress or other items that identify a student as being a member of a gang, or could be perceived as a threat or represent a hate or subversive organization are prohibited. 7. No piercing, other than the ear, is acceptable. Jewelry may not be worn by any student when safety factors are an issue. Facial piercings to the nose, eyebrows, tongue or any other part of the body will not be allowed. Band-Aids cannot be worn to conceal unauthorized jewelry, plugs, etc. used to keep pierced holes open. 8. Coaches will direct students with appropriate attire for game days.

Mandatory Uniform Specifications (Grades 7-12) Students who move into the District must be in compliance with the mandatory uniform specifications within five (5) school days of enrollment. The principal may determine appropriate occasions during the school year in which students will be given the opportunity to wear other attire or spirit shirts in adherence with the school dress code.

34 Coats/Jackets  Students may wear any jacket without a hood  Must not have alcoholic, fraternity, sorority, or any other inappropriate logos or lettering as deemed by the principal  Shall not be oversized  No trench coats Hats/Caps  Hats, caps, visors, do-rags, etc. are not allowed in the school building  No athletic headbands can be worn on campus (arms, legs, etc.)  No bandanas Pants, Shorts, and Skirts Female student may wear pants, shorts, skorts, skirts, and jumpers. All of these shall be hemmed and shall not be more than three (3) inches above the top of the knee (including PE). Skirts and shorts must meet the length requirement even with leggings/tights. Male student may wear pants and shorts. All of these shall be hemmed and shall not be more than three (3) inches above the top of the knee (including PE).  Shall fit properly at the natural waistline and in length (no slacking)  Over-sized pant and shorts are not permissible (including PE)  Shall not be overalls or have bellbottoms  Shall be worn with belts of appropriate length, if belt loops are included  Shall not be made of denim or jean fabrics  Shall not have cuts, splits, or holes  Pants, shorts, and skirts shall be khaki, navy, or black  No jogging, sweat/wind pants, or pajamas Pullovers and Sweatshirts  Sweatshirts are not required to be tucked inside clothes  Sweatshirts and sweaters shall not be oversized  No hooded sweatshirts are allowed on campus  Sweatshirts must be solid colored and may not have any design Shirts  Shirts cannot be see-through  Must be a solid color collared shirt (any color)  Low-neck lines are not permissible  Must be long enough to stay tucked inside clothes properly (no midriff showing)  Must have sleeves (can be long or short)  Must not have cuts, splits, or holes  T-shirts (sports, organization, or club shirts are only allowed on to be worn on Fridays)  Hooded shirts are not allowed on campus  Solid undershirts are permissible Shoes, Socks, and Belts  No oversized belt buckles  No flip-flops. Shoes must be laced and strapped.  No slides

35  No house shoes  Shoes must be worn at all times, and shoes designed to be laced must be laced and tied  Shoes may not contain any type of wheel or roller blades Miscellaneous  ID badges must be worn at school and school-sponsored events  All book bags must be placed in the locker  Totes, athletic bags, or oversized purses must be placed in a locker or designated area before homeroom and remain there until after the dismissal bell  No purses allowed in class  All visible body piercings must be removed with the exceptions of earrings  Grills (gold teeth coverings) cannot be worn on campus  No dark glasses or sunglasses allowed on campus  Bracelets or belts with spikes or studs are not allowed. Chains will not be allowed to connect wallets to clothing.  Logos and labels shall be small and unobtrusive  Logos, graphics, and labels on undergarments which show through the outer clothing are prohibited

Students in violation of the dress code will be asked to call home immediately for proper clothing to be brought. In cases where appropriate clothing cannot be obtained, the student will be referred to In-School Suspension for the remainder of the day. Habitual dress code violations may result in disciplinary actions.

36 ENROLLMENT

Students who apply for enrollment in a Talladega City School must attend school in the attendance zone where they reside (legal domicile) with a parent or legal guardian. Any exception must be approved by the superintendent in accordance with applicable Board Policy. All students who seek to enroll in a school of the school system for the first time must present proof of legal residence. (Homeless children as defined by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Act 1987 will not be denied enrollment in the school zone in which they reside regardless of status of legal residence.) It is the parents/guardians responsibility to provide school officials with verifiable student information. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to notify the school immediately in writing of any change of student information. This would include updating contact information (phone numbers), change of address, and persons authorized to check the student out. Failure to do so will result in an investigation and appropriate action, i.e., student being withdrawn. All transfer students must be in satisfactory disciplinary standing from their previous school(s) with no outstanding suspension or expulsion offenses pending. The Talladega City Board of Education honors alternative program placements, suspensions and expulsions from other official Boards of Education. It is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to inform school officials of any disciplinary action. Students approved by the superintendent to attend school in the district may have their right to attend revoked for flagrant and / or persistent violations of the district's Code of Conduct and Attendance.

Registration The following documents are required at the time of registration: 1. An original certified birth certificate. 2. Student’s valid Social Security card. Disclosure of a Social Security number is voluntary and will be used solely for the purpose of student information transfers and tracking of information. 3. Proof of residency by deed, lease, and/or current utility bill in parent/guardian’s name. Student’s name must be on the parent/guardian’s lease. 4. Certificate of Immunization (“blue slip”) (can be obtained from the Health Department or your physician). 5. All legal guardians (anyone other than birth parents) must provide legal proof of guardianship.

Withdrawal and “Drop Out” To receive a clear withdrawal, a student must satisfy all obligations. Working papers, transcripts, or recommendations will be issued only for those students who have been given a clear withdrawal. Students in grades 9-12 must provide information regarding their new course of study or transfer school.

37 HEALTH

Certificate of Immunization (Blue Slip) The Alabama Certificate of Immunization (IMM 50 or “blue slip”) is required for entry into a licensed day care, Head Start, and public or private school (K-12). It is to be used for documentation of age-appropriate vaccinations and temporary or permanent medical exemptions. A list of these required vaccines can be found on the back of the certificate. The Pneumococcal vaccine is now a required vaccine. Children attending daycare must have 4 doses of Pneumococcal vaccine up to age 15 months (see the vaccine schedule for previously unvaccinated children > 7 months of age). Additionally, for students entering sixth grade, a booster dose of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) must be given at 11 or 12 years of age. The Alabama Department of Public Health has transitioned to a revised blue slip. All students who have up to date blue slips on file will not be required to submit a new blue slip until their blue slip expires.

For more information on this and other vaccine recommendations go to: www.adph.org/immunization

Drug Prevention Policy The Talladega City School System places highest priority on the elimination of substance abuse in the schools and the community. The use, possession, or transmitting of illicit substances in the schools will not be tolerated and will be met with firm and consistent disciplinary and legal measures. The school system will provide without penalty available information to any student seeking drug and alcohol treatment or advice and will protect, in accordance with the law, the due process rights of all students. However, once it has been determined that a student has used, possessed, distributed, sold, or is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in school buildings, or on school property, or at school sponsored events, disciplinary sanctions, up to and including expulsion and referral for prosecution will be imposed.

Head Lice Procedure The Alabama Department of Public Health’s recommended guidelines for control of head lice in school will be followed: 1. When head lice are found, the student is sent home with instructions as to proper treatment. 2. The student should return to school the following morning accompanied by a parent or responsible parent designee. The student will be rechecked. The student will not be allowed to return to class until he/she is rechecked and found to be lice free; or, presents a Health Department or physician’s statement of verification that the student is lice free. 3. If nits/eggs are present, the student will be sent home with treatment instructions. The student will be allowed to return to school the following day with a parent/parent designee to be rechecked. If it is determined by the principal/designee or the school nurse that there are no nits/eggs present or that there is a significant improvement as a result of treatment, then the student may remain at school.

38 4. Students are excused the first three (3) days of treatment. Unless extenuating circumstances are approved by the principal, all other absences due to lice are unexcused. 5. Students who continue to have unexcused absences due to lice should be referred to the Department of Human Resources and Juvenile Court.

Immunization Requirements According to Alabama law (§16-30-4, Code of Alabama) Boards of Education shall require each pupil who is otherwise entitled to admittance to present an Alabama Certificate of Immunization. Therefore, no student will be admitted to Talladega City Schools without this certificate of immunization. These certificates may be obtained from the Health Department or your local physician.

Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by bacteria. It is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2-18 years old in the United States. MCV4, or the meningococcal vaccine, is recommended for all children 11-12 years of age and for unvaccinated adolescents at high school entry (15 years of age). Please consult your physician or local health department for more information.

Insurance School insurance is provided at a nominal cost to the student. Students are encouraged to buy this insurance. All athletes are encouraged to take the school insurance. Students must have insurance to participate in Career Tech shop work.

Medication Policy There are several requirements that parents need to meet in the event that a child needs to take medication during the school day. Medication will be given by the school nurse or their designee. Provider/Parent Authorization Forms may be obtained from the school nurse, the physician, or the school office. Medication is required to be renewed each year. Students are prohibited from carrying prescription or nonprescription drugs on their person while on the bus or on school campus. Therefore, all medication must be delivered to the school office by a parent/guardian and delivered to a designated school official. Policy and procedure violations will be considered a Class II or Class III offense.

Prescription medication, on school property, must be in the original container and properly labeled (pharmacy label) with the student’s name, physician’s name, date of original prescription, name of medication, and dosage. Prescription and nonprescription (Tylenol, Advil, etc.) medication, and controlled substances (Ritalin, etc.) on school property must be registered with a designated school official and kept in a secure area under the supervision of a designated school official. Any leftover medication should be picked up at the end of the school year. Medication not picked up will be disposed of properly by the school nurse.

Medication will be given until an order is received from the physician to discontinue the medicine or until the supply is depleted.

39 PARENT INFORMATION

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) give parents certain rights regarding their child’s educational records. If you would like to review the material in your child’s cumulative folder, you may call the school and schedule with the secretary a time to review the records. To review an IEP, you should contact the special education teacher who works with your child.

If you feel that any information in the records is false or misleading, you may request to have the information changed by discussing the issue with the principal.

Talladega City Schools limit those who have access to the files or their contents to those persons who have legitimate educational interest in the child. These people would include the principal, counselor, teacher, and the secretary who maintains the records. When requested, we share needed information with the Department of Human Resources and supply any information subpoenaed by a court of law. Should the child transfer to another school, we honor a “request for records” from the child’s new school.

If you wish us to release information in your child’s records to anyone else or any other agency (such as a member of the medical community), we will do so provided you have signed a release. (Generally, the requesting agency will have you sign a release, and they will send us a copy of that release).

If you wish to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school to comply with the requirements of FERPA, you may do so by contacting:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Parental Involvement Policy-- District Title I The Talladega City Schools agrees to implement the following statutory requirements:

The Talladega City Schools will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

Consistent with section 1118, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required schoollevel parental involvement policies meet the requirements of section 1118(b) of

40 the ESEA, and each include, as a component, a schoolparent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.

The Talladega City Schools will incorporate this district wide parental involvement policy into its LEA plan developed under section 1112 of the ESEA.

In carrying out the Title I, Part A parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developed under section 1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.

The school district will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent, and will ensure that not less than 95 percent of the one percent reserved goes directly to the schools.

The school district will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, twoway, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring- (A)that parents play an integral role in assisting their child's learning; (B) that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's education at school; (C) that parents are full partners in their child's education and are included, as appropriate, in decisionmaking and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; (D)the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

The Talladega City Schools will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district-wide parental involvement plan under section 1112 of the ESEA:

 Use the district’s Federal Program Advisory Team ( At the current time there are six schools in the Title I Program and each school will have at least one parent representative. These parents will serve as a point of contact for parents, and will work with the local schools to ensure that parents receive information in a timely manner and have input into the development of this policy.)  Have schools conduct surveys

41 The Talladega City Schools will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA:

 Encourage all schools to form PTAs or PTOs or other parent groups that can be used to respond to issues of interest to parents.  Require schools to provide parents with current information regarding school policies, and practices.  Require schools to provide parents with current information regarding students and school performance data (solicit parent input and feedback).  Train staff and parents to be collaborative partners (that share decision making in areas such as policy, curriculum, budget, school reform, school improvement and safety).

The Talladega City Schools will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance:

 The Director of Federal Programs or her designee will work with principals to provide oversite, coordination of services, and technical assistance in the areas covered under this section.  When applicable, the district will conduct workshops and/or provide in-service and other support at the request of Title I funded schools.  The District will bring in state department resources on an as-needed basis.  The district’s advisory team will be utilized as a resource to help review, monitor, and discuss parent involvement issues.

The Talladega City Schools will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under the following other programs: [Title IV, Technology, Special Education, Gifted, and Head Start programs], by:

 Using a Federal Program Advisory Team  Contracting with a school interventionist (liaison between home, school and outside agencies)  Employing a school nurse

The Talladega City Schools will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement policies.

42  A survey or questionnaire will be administered as a part of the evaluation process. (Parents will be asked to participate in the evaluation.) The principal of each participating Title I school will be responsible for data collection and the tabulation of results. The District’s Advisory Team will also be used to review the data collected and to provide feedback.

The Talladega City Schools will build the schools' and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities specifically described below:

(A)The school district will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school district or school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph –  the State's academic content standards  the State's student academic achievement standards  the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments, the requirements of Part A  how to monitor their child's progress and  how to work with educators

Schools will conduct workshop(s) on content standards, achievement, and assessment as needed. Schools will be required to address these topics at one or more of the following events PTA/PTO, Open House or Parent Conferences.

(B) The school district will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by:  Publishing a web site  Establishing a Family Resource Center  Budgeting funds at the school level for purchasing materials  Encourage PTOs or PTAs to offer workshops  Provide an app for parents to stay abreast of events and activities happening at the schools

(C) The school district will, with the assistance of its schools and parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools by:  Providing collaborative partners training to teachers and staff with a focus on shared decision making in areas such as policy, curriculum, budget, school reform, school improvement and safety.

43 (D)The school district will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public preschool and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children, by:

 Employing a school nurse  Distributing parenting information at parent-teacher conferences  Hosting awareness activities at school  Public service announcements via social media, the newspaper and radio

(E) The school district will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand:  The District will use the state department’s online program to ensure that parents receive documents in the appropriate format

Parent/Teacher Conferences Parent/teacher conferences may be requested by e-mail, a written note, or by contacting the school’s secretary. Requests should include parents’ contact information so that the teacher can make contact and arrange a conference for a day and time convenient for both of you. Teachers and administrators will meet with parents or legal guardians only. Teachers and administrators are not required to discuss academic or behavioral concerns with grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends of the family, etc.

Parents’ Right-to-Know The "Parents’ Right-to-Know," Title I, Part A, Section 1111(h)(6), requires at the beginning of each school year, school districts to notify parents of each student attending a Title I participating school that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child's teacher(s). Additionally, the school must provide to each individual parent (1) information on the child's level of achievement on annual state assessments and (2) notice that the child has been assigned to, or has been taught by, a teacher who is not highly qualified for four or more consecutive weeks Title I Part A Section 1112(g).

If you would like to receive this information, please contact your local school principal and ask for the form, “Parents’ Right-to-Know” or download the form from our district website, www.talladega-cs.net. Complete the information and return it to the principal.

Visitors Visitors to the school must report to the principal’s office for permission to visit. Appointments should be scheduled in advance through the principal’s office. Unauthorized visitors will be considered trespassers. Persons who become physically or verbally abusive or disruptive on school property will be subject to legal prosecution.

44 PUPIL SERVICES

It is the policy of the Talladega City Board of Education to provide all students, including language minority students, migrant students, and homeless students, with meaningful and appropriate educational programs, allowing all students the same benefits and rights of participation regardless of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age. The Board of Education will admit the aforementioned students regardless of their residential status and will take steps to assure that any barriers that may unduly impede or prohibit their enrollment or school attendance will be eliminated. Policy FILE: 5.10.1. Basis For Admission or Exclusion A student shall not be admitted to, or excluded from, any federally assisted education program on the basis of a surname or language–minority status.

English Language Learners (ELL) A language minority student is defined as a student who understands or speaks a language other than English which was learned from his/her family background; or a student with a family background where a language other than English is spoken in the home. The Talladega City Schools will use Title I funds to ensure that children who are LEP (score Level 1 or 2 when given the district’s language assessment instrument) attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic proficiency and meet the same challenging State academic achievement standards as all children.

Once LEP students have become proficient in the English language adequate for their effective participation in the regular education program, they must be identified and reclassified as English proficient. At this point, they are no longer in need of special services to help them overcome their language deficiency and will be transferred totally to the regular educational program.

Prior to placing a student in an alternative language program, the school will notify parents in writing regarding: 1) the benefits of the program 2) program options, 3) parents’ right to visit the program and 4) the parent right to waive or withdraw their child from the program.

Gifted The Talladega City Board of Education provides services for intellectually gifted students. It is the belief of this school district that gifted students are those who perform or who have demonstrated the potential to perform at high levels in academic or creative fields when compared with others of their age, experience or environment and who, by reasons thereof, require services not ordinarily provided by the regular school program. It is also the belief of the Talladega City Board of Education that students may be found within any race, ethnic group, gender, economic class or nationality. In addition, some students with disabilities may be found to be gifted. Talladega City Schools shall prohibit discrimination against any student on the above basis with respect to their participation in the gifted program.

Teachers, counselors, administrators, parents or guardians, peers, self, or any other individuals with knowledge of the student’s abilities may refer a student. Additionally, all second grade

45 students will be observed as potential gifted referrals. Students, K-2, receive services in the regular classroom setting through enrichment activities developed by the gifted education teacher and provided by the regular classroom teacher. Students, 3-6, receive services through scheduled pullouts by the gifted education teacher. Students, 7-12, do not receive services through a gifted education plan. Schools have a variety of course offerings leading to an advanced diploma, as well as dual enrollment, early college enrollment, and extra-curricular offerings to meet the needs of students previously identified as gifted. Additionally, school personnel, the parent or guardian, or the student may request consideration for acceleration through the district acceleration procedure.

The school counselor or principal may be contacted for additional information.

Homeless Children and Foster Care Students Homeless children and foster care students will receive services through the district’s Title I program. In the Talladega City Schools identified homeless and foster care students will be provided academic services on the same basis as all other students.

Migrant Students Migrant students are identified at registration according to the work one or both parents perform. The state migrant specialist is then contacted and the state recruiter will visit with the families to determine their eligibility for services. Once identified, Migrant students will receive services through the district’s Title I program. The same process will be used to identify migrant children as is used for all students. Migrant children will participate in all assessments grade appropriate. If migrant students are at risk academically, the same services will be provided for them as for all students. Additional assistance will be provided based on the priority of services needed as identified by school personnel.

Response to Instruction (RtI): Alabama’s Core Support for all Students All students in Alabama schools are provided with standards-based, research-validated core academic instruction. A tiered system of academic and/or behavioral assistance or intervention is provided based upon identified student needs. Interventions typically include specialized, research-based teaching strategies provided within the classroom or in small-group settings.

As required by the Alabama Department of Education, a problem solving team consisting of teachers, administrators, and other support personnel reviews student data regarding need for assistance; recommends the type of assistance to be provided; reviews data reflecting progress being made by student; and informs parent of any progress and recommendations regarding necessary changes in interventions.

Special Education This program offers specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique educational needs of a child with disabilities. The specially designed instruction is at no cost to the parent but does not preclude incidental fees that are normally charged to non-disabled children or their parents as part of the regular education program. Eligible students receive an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) outlining specially designed instruction.

46 If, at any time, you wish to request an evaluation for special education or Section 504 services, you may do so by contacting the Central Office, at 256-315-5674.

Supplemental Educational Services Supplemental educational services are additional academic instruction designed to increase the academic achievement of students in lowperforming schools. These services may include academic assistance such as tutoring, remediation and other educational interventions, provided that such approaches are consistent with the content and instruction used by the local educational agency (LEA) and are aligned with the State's academic content standards. Supplemental educational services must be provided outside of the regular school day. Supplemental educational services must be high quality, researchbased, and specifically designed to increase student academic achievement Section 1116(e) (12) (C)J.

Title IV This program is designed to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools; that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; that involve parents and communities; and that are coordinated with related Federal, State, school, and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drugfree learning environment that supports student academic achievement.

Transportation Safety is the primary concern for us. State law requires that a transported student be under school supervision from the time he/she steps on the bus in the morning until stepping off in the afternoon. As a result, classroom behavior is expected while on the bus, and drivers will report any misbehavior to the principal. Parents and students should be aware that the sole purpose of a school bus is to transport students safely to and from school. Bus riding is a privilege. Students who do not abide by the rules and regulations will be denied the convenience of bus transportation.

Bus Rules 1. The driver is in charge of the students and the bus. Students must obey the driver promptly. The bus driver may assign seats. 2. Students must be on time. The bus cannot wait beyond its regular schedule for those who are tardy. 3. Students should never stand in the roadway while waiting for the bus. 4. Smoking, drugs, weapons, violence, and profanity are prohibited. 5. Unnecessary conversations with the driver are prohibited. 6. Classroom conduct is to be observed by students. No “horseplay” is permitted. 7. Students must not at any time extend arms or heads out of the bus windows. 8. Student must remain seated while the bus is in motion. 9. Books, packages, coats, band instruments and other items must be held in the student’s lap and must not occupy the seat of another student. 10. Any damage to a bus by a student must be paid for by the student responsible for the damage.

47 11. The driver will not discharge riders at places other than the regular bus stop near the home or at the school unless proper authorization from the parent, the superintendent, or the principal of the school. 12. All students must be quiet when the driver stops at railroad crossings. 13. The driver shall report any case of misconduct on the bus to the principal and/or transportation supervisor. 14. Students are to load buses immediately upon leaving the school. 15. Students are not allowed to use cell phones on the bus and other electronic devices except in emergency situations. (mechanical breakdown of school bus, accidents, or other possible safety issues) 16. Students are not allowed to eat or drink on the bus. (Students are allowed to drink water during days of extreme heat.) 17. Students must ride their assigned bus. When requesting a change in transportation, guardians must provide a written note to the principal. This note must be turned in the morning of (or sooner) the day the change of transportation is requested. The note must include a phone number where the guardian can be reached in order for the principal to confirm and approve the change of transportation. Any change in request for change in transportation must follow this procedure. 18. Fighting is not allowed on the bus or at the bus stop. Fighting will warrant an automatic bus suspension and/or school suspension.

No Trespassing on a School Bus Individuals who trespass on a school bus will be subject to the legal ramifications of the Charles Poland, Jr. Act (Alabama Act 2013-347). Those found entering a school bus without permission will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law which can result in a fine of up to $6,000 and one year in jail. No one is allowed to step on a school bus unless given permission to do so by school personnel. This law is in place to help keep our children safe and prosecute those who break the law. ANY bus-related issue must go through the local school administrators. School bus drivers are not allowed to communicate with parents at the bus stop because this creates a safety issue while loading and unloading children.

Safe Loading and Unloading a School Bus:  Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive  Stand at least 10 feet away from the curb and line up away from the street/traffic  Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver signals/waves before approaching the bus  If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road at least 10 feet ahead of the bus  Be sure the driver can see you and you can see the driver  Use the handrails to avoid falling  When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bag straps are secured to avoid getting caught by the handrail or door  Never walk behind the bus  Walk at least 10 feet away from the side of the bus  If you drop something near the bus, tell the driver. NEVER try to pick it up because the driver may not see you.

48 Use of Video Cameras on a School Bus The video cameras on Talladega City School buses are used as an aid to monitor student and driver behavior. They do not replace the discipline policy, the authority of the driver, or the responsibility of the school officials. The basic safe riding rules must prevail and the consequences of misconduct will be carried out.

This shall serve as notification to parents that students and drivers are subject to be videotaped on the school bus at all times. Student conduct prohibited by state and school district will result in appropriate consequences as defined in policy. The actual taping shall be audio and video. Drivers will be notified as to the extent of their use and for what purpose they will be used.

49 SAFETY

Asbestos Hazards Notice The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) 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 for each 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, at 256-315-5897.

Safe School Plan Security Doors All visitors must enter through the main entrance to the school, report to the main office, sign in, and obtain a visitor’s pass.

Severe Weather/Drills Fire, severe weather, intruder and chemical accident drills will be conducted periodically. These will be both announced and unannounced. In the event of severe weather during the school day, children will go into the prescribed bad weather procedure. Parents who are at the school during such a time should also observe the bad weather procedure.

When in the opinion of the superintendent, weather conditions are too hazardous for safe operations, schools will not open. The decision will be released to the news media by the superintendent. Parents should listen to the radio or local news for announcements. A telephone message may also be sent.

If conditions become hazardous during the school day, the superintendent will consider the best interest of the students in deciding whether the schools should stay open or close. Should the superintendent elect to close the schools, the principals will be notified by the office of the superintendent. Parents should inform their children where to go should buses have to run early. Car riders, walkers, and day care participants should have definite instructions from their parents in case of school closing early.

50 TECHNOLOGY POLICY

The primary goal of the educational technology program is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools. It is also designed to assist every student regardless of race, ethnicity, income, geographical location, or disability in becoming technologically literate by the end of eighth grade, and to encourage the effective integration of technology resources and systems with professional development and curriculum development to promote researchbased instructional methods that can be widely replicated.

Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy for the Computer Network of the Talladega City School District To facilitate achieving a quality education for its students, it is the policy of the Talladega City Board of Education to provide all students and employees with opportunities to access a variety of technological resources. A large and varied technological environment requires that technology use by employees and students be legal, ethical, and safe. Technology use must be consistent with the educational vision, mission, and goals of the Board. I. Ownership of Technology Resources and Data – All technology resources, including network and Internet resources, e-mail systems, and computers or other access devices owned, leased, donated, or maintained by Talladega City Schools are the sole property of the Talladega City Schools. Talladega City Schools personnel may, at any time and without prior notice, access, search, examine, inspect, collect, or retrieve information of any kind from the district’s technology resources, including computer or related equipment, files, and data, to determine if a user is in violation of any of the Board’s policies, rules, and regulations regarding access to and use of technology resources, for or in connection with any other matter or reason related to the safe and efficient operation or administration of the school system, or for any other reason not prohibited by law. Users of school system technology resources have no personal right of privacy or confidentiality with respect to the use or content of such resources

II. CIPA Compliance: It is the intent of the Board to be in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All internet use will be filtered and monitored for all students and adults. It will be the responsibility of all teachers employed by the Talladega City School Board to educate minors about appropriate online behavior, including the interaction with others on social networking websites and chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.

III. Copyright Law: It is the obligation and intent of the Board to comply with the copyright laws of the United States. Talladega City School system employees and students shall use technology resources in accordance with Board policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal laws and guidelines governing the use of technology and its component parts.

51 IV. Electronic Mail: The Board provides access to electronic mail for students as requested by teachers for special projects and for employees whose normal work activity requires access. That access is intended to support only educational, instructional, extracurricular, or normal administrative activity.

a. Board policies and procedures shall apply to the use of electronic mail. The Board cannot guarantee the privacy, security, or confidentiality of any information sent or received via electronic mail. The Board will use a filtering device to screen e- mail for spam and inappropriate content. Contents of electronic mail cannot be considered private. All contents of electronic mail are the property of the Board.

b. To insure the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, locally housed chat rooms (others are prohibited), and other forms of direct communication, only Board approved sources will be used. All other communicative sources will be blocked.

V. The Internet: The intent of the Talladega City Board of Education is to provide access to resources available via the Internet with the understanding that faculty, staff, and students will access and use only information that is appropriate, beneficial, and/or required for his/her various curricular or extracurricular activities or staff duties. Teachers will screen resources that will be used in the classroom for content prior to their introduction. Board policies and procedures shall apply to the use of the Internet.

a. Internet access is provided to allow students, faculty, and staff to conduct research. Users will gain access to the Internet by agreeing to conduct themselves in a considerate and responsible manner. Students must provide written permission from legal custodial parents, a signed copy of permission to use Internet resources for each student in the household. Students will not be allowed to conduct independent research on the Internet until receipt of the signed form.

b. The Board provides technology protection measures that include blocking or filtering Internet access to visual depictions and text that are obscene, pornographic, or harmful to minors. These measures cannot be considered 100% effective. Teachers must preview required web sites and observe students using the Internet. Sites that are deemed inappropriate or a disruption of the learning atmosphere should be reported to the Technology Coordinator. Teachers may also request that sites be opened for periods of research.

c. Network users are prohibited from accessing external networks or alternate Internet service providers within the Talladega City School’s internal network unless expressly authorized by the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee and properly protected by a firewall, other appropriate security device(s), and appropriate filtering software.

d. All school rules and guidelines for appropriate technology use shall apply to use of the Internet. Because communications on the Internet are often public in nature,

52 all users must engage in appropriate and responsible communications with particular regard to avoiding disruption of the educational environment.

e. Student posting of personal information of any kind about themselves or others is prohibited. Personal information includes home and/or school addresses, work addresses, home and/or school phone numbers, full names, social security numbers, etc.

f. The Board cannot guarantee the privacy, security, or confidentiality of any information sent or received via the Internet.

VI. District, School, and School-Sponsored Activity Web Sites: Because any school system websites can be globally available and represent the community at large, the designated Technology Coordinator will review all websites and/or new features and links before adding them to the system web server. Review includes coordination with and approval of the school principal and Superintendent. The Technology Coordinator may reject all or part of proposed home pages and/or new features and links for technical reasons.

a. The legal and ethical practices and responsibilities of appropriate use of technology resources will be taught to all students and employees in the system (i.e. during lab orientation, network orientation, faculty meetings, etc).

b. Individuals are expected to report any violations of this policy and/or problems with the security of any technology resources to the Principal and/or Technology Coordinator.

c. All Board technology resources, regardless of purchase date, location, or fund sources (including donations) are subject to this policy.

d. Students who misuse the school system’s technology will be subject to normal disciplinary procedures in accordance with student code of conduct.

e. Employees who misuse the school system’s technology may be denied computer usage, and/or may be subject to monetary charges, reprimands, and/or loss of employment.

f. All students, parents/guardians, and employees will be required to sign that they have read and agree with the acceptable use policy every school year.

g. Violation of civil and/or criminal law relating to technology and its use will result in the notification of law enforcement officials.

For the student: Your signature on the acknowledgement page indicates that you agree to abide by the acceptable use policies. Students who violate this policy will not be allowed to use the school system’s computer network and may face additional disciplinary action.

53 For the parents: Your signature on the acknowledgement page indicates that you have read, understand, and agree that your child will comply with the terms of the School District’s Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy for the student’s access to the School District’s computer network and the Internet and understand that access is being provided to the students for educational purposes only. However, it is impossible for the School to restrict access to all offensive and controversial materials and it is therefore important for you to understand it is your child’s responsibility for abiding by the Policy. By signing the acknowledgement page, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the School, the School District and the Data Acquisition Site that provides the opportunity to the School District for computer network and Internet access against all claims, damages, losses and costs, of whatever kind, that may result from your child’s use of his or her access to such networks or his or her violation of the foregoing Policy. Further, your signature indicates that you accept full responsibility for supervision of your child’s use of his or her access account if and when such access is not in the School setting, and that you give permission for your child to use the building-approved account to access the School District’s computer network and the Internet.

Media Release Permission Children are often pictured in the newspaper, television, or on a school website in conjunction with positive activities at the school and with honors the child has received. We are extremely careful about protecting the privacy of children and using their pictures in a way that brings dignity and honor to the child.

Your signature on the “Acknowledgement Page” indicates your permission as follows:

I hereby give the Talladega City Schools the right and permission to publish/use photographs or video and/or audio tapes of my child, a student, registered in a Talladega City School.

I understand that such reproductions could be used to publicize/promote the school district through its own media productions or through the commercial media.

I waive any right to inspect and/or approve the finished product and do release the Talladega City Schools from any liability by virtue of distortion by processing. I further agree that these items may be used for publication, broadcast or reproduction without limitation, or reservation or any fee.

In addition, I accept responsibility, knowing that I have given my permission, and to rescind that permission when and if I deem it disadvantageous or inadvisable to have my child featured in such a manner.

If you prefer your child not be involved in these types of activities, we will respect your wishes. If you do not grant permission as listed above, please simply indicate that on the “Acknowledgement Page.”

54 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PAGE 2017-2018

The primary purpose of this handbook is to establish clear communication between the school, parents, and the community. Please take time to discuss this handbook with your child. This page of the handbook should be signed by the parent or guardian and sent back to the school by Friday, August 18, 2017.

Please sign below to indicate that you received and read the following information:

 Talladega City Schools Student Handbook  State of Alabama Parental Notification Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program  Immunization Requirements  Federal Programs and Special Education Services  Parents’ Right-to-Know  Pupil/Parent Responsibilities for Care of State-Owned Textbooks  Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act  Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy  Civil Liabilities and Criminal Penalties  Media Release  District Title I Parental Involvement Plan  Student Code of Conduct

Your signature indicates you have received, read, and agree to abide by the policies and procedures contained within the above-mentioned documents.

______Student’s Name Date

______Parent’s Signature Date

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