SLATE VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 33 Mechanic Street Fair Haven, VT 05743 Tel: 802.265.4905 Fax: 802.265.2158 FAIR HAVEN UNION HIGH SCHOOL HOME OF THE SLATERS Our Mission We are dedicated to the academic excellence of every student by empowering them with the means for the successful completion of standards, and by challenging them to be productive members of our global society. We are committed to a comprehensive system of support to assure each student has the opportunity to develop the skills and talents necessary for college and career readiness. Parent/ Student Handbook Updated August 2019 Parent/Student Handbook Page 1 Fair Haven Union High School Parent/ Student Handbook 2019-2020 SLATE VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 33 Mechanic Street Fair Haven, VT 05743 Tel: 802.265.4905 Fax: 802.265.2158 Parent/Guardian Signature Requested The daily operations of the school require the cooperation of families and school personnel to provide our children with a safe, efficient educational setting. This requires effort on the part of all, and we appreciate you taking the time to read this handbook. Once again we are offering parents/guardians two options: The handbook may be read online at slatevalleyunified.org, or a hard copy may be requested. In either case, we ask that once you have read the handbook please sign and return this page to school with your child. Thank you. Please read and check one of the following: I have read the Student/Parent Handbook online. Please send home a hard copy with my child. ​ Parent/Guardian Name: ____________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________ Date: ______________ Student Names: __________________________________________________________ Please sign and return this page to school with your child. Thank-you Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 2 ​ ​ ​ Message from the FHUHS Administration Welcome to Fair Haven Union High School, proud home of the Slaters! As our society changes, so too must our educational system, and last year we made significant systemic changes here at Fair Haven Union High School consistent with our mission: to assure that each student has the opportunity to develop the skills and talents necessary for college and career readiness. The academic bell schedule is one noticeable change to begin the year. The rotating schedule was eliminated allowing our students more flexibility within their schedules to access opportunities outside of the building. We are dedicated to the academic excellence of every student… To this end our highly ​ qualified and caring staff have worked diligently to align and sometimes redesign courses as we made the shift to Proficiency-Based Learning and Assessing. Students are clear about what it is that they need to know and be able to do, and structures have been put in place for students to redo work and retake assessments when necessary in order to demonstrate their knowledge and ability. We are committed to a comprehensive system of support… In addition to the academic supports already in place for all students we have added a Work-Based Learning position and a district Personalized Learning coach. We are excited that these positions will provide even more opportunities for our students helping us utilize the various flexible pathways of Act 77. Our focus remains to be on our students - ALL of our students - and how we can provide a safe, welcoming environment where learning is personalized, rigorous, and engaging. Having implemented Proficiency Based Learning last year, All courses have been converted and our educational portal, Powerschool, reflects these changes. A Clean, Well Lighted Place The physical and emotional safety of everyone in our building is of the greatest importance. Learning and teaching cannot occur in an environment that is unsafe. In addition to the updates to our building and grounds - new flooring, new paint, new lockers, new blacktop - safety protocols and procedures have been revised and will remain to insure everyone’s physical safety. Emotionally the challenges that teenagers face today are as complex as they are numerous. While we have dabbled with its elements in the past, the 2019-2020 school year will mark our inaugural Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) year. We would appreciate your support and reinforcement as we establish our positive behavior expectations: Safe, Respectful, Responsible (SRR). Ready to LEARN As an educational institution we are tasked with educating all students, and while cell phones are an incredible resource, we also know that they can be an incredible distraction. Students in class unable to disconnect after two warnings will be sent to ISR (In School Restoration) where their phone will be confiscated for the day and a plan created to get them back to class as soon as possible. Repeat offenders will be reported to administration for additional restrictions. Working together I would simply ask you message your son or daughter before or after school or during lunch only during the academic school day. Otherwise messages should be sent through the main office. Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3 ​ ​ ​ SLATE VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 33 Mechanic Street Fair Haven, VT 05743 Tel: 802.265.4905 Fax: 802.265.2158 Slate Valley Board Of Directors Name Email Term Expires Michael Bache [email protected] 2020 Glen Cousineau (Vice Chair) [email protected] 2022 Tara Buxton (Clerk) [email protected] 2021 David Carpenter [email protected] 2020 Angela Charron [email protected] 2022 Trevor Ezzo [email protected] 2020 Julie Finnegan (Chair) [email protected] 2020 Joshua Hardt [email protected] 2022 Toni Lobdell [email protected] 2021 Timothy Smith [email protected] 2022 Amy Munger [email protected] 2020 Patricia Beaumont [email protected] 2021 Peter Stone [email protected] 2021 Richard Wilson [email protected] 2020 Rebeckah St. Peter [email protected] 2020 Slate Valley Administration Brooke Olsen-Farrell, Superintendent [email protected] 265-4905 Kristin Benway, Director of Special Services [email protected] 265-4905 Cheryl Scarzello, Director of Finance [email protected] 265-4905 Chris Cole, Director of Operations [email protected] 265-4905 Casey O’Meara, Director of Curriculum [email protected] 265-4905 Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 4 ​ ​ ​ T able Of Contents [Select a topic to link to the content] ​ Our Mission 1 Parent/Guardian Signature Requested 2 Message from the FHUHS Administration 3 Slate Valley Board Of Directors 4 Slate Valley Administration 4 Directory Information and Right of Refusal 8 Slate Valley A to Z 9 Academic Honesty 9 Access Control 9 Access To Student Records 9 Achievement Testing & Assessment 9 Athletics 10 Attendance 11 Attendance Procedures 11 Slate Valley Board of Directors Meeting Schedule 13 Bus Transportation 13 Chaperones 15 Concussions 15 Dress 15 Drug Free School 17 Emergency Response Actions 17 Emergency Response Commands 18 Field Trips 19 Fundraising 19 Prevention of Harassment, Hazing, & Bullying of Students 19 Home Learning Opportunities 20 Desks & Lockers 21 Parent Visits 21 PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) 22 Personalized Learning Plans 22 Promotion & Retention of Students 22 Recess 24 Reporting Student Progress & Parent/Teacher Conferences 25 Role of Religion in Schools (Policy D34) 25 School Closings 25 Security Cameras and Video Surveillance 26 Student Insurance 26 Telephone Use 26 Valuables 26 Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 5 ​ ​ ​ Health Services 26 Health Emergency Cards 27 Medications 27 Students Ill At School 27 Health Notes 27 Opting Out of Hearing Tests 27 Special Programs & Student Support Services 28 Act 157 28 Educational Support Team (EST) 28 Guidance Services 28 Math & Reading Support 28 Migrant Education Program 28 Nurse 29 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 29 Special Education Services 29 Student & Parent Rights 29 Buckley Amendment 29 Civil Rights Compliance /Non-Discrimination 30 Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) 30 Mandatory Reporter/Child Safety 30 Seclusion & Restraint 30 Teacher Qualifications 30 Policies 31 Procedures 31 Field Trip Procedures 31 Food Allergy Protocol 36 Meal Charge Procedure 36 Parking Procedures 39 Fair Haven Union High School at a Glance 40 Faculty & Staff 40 Custodial Staff 42 Academic Programs 42 I. Personal Learning Plans 42 II. Multi-year Plan 44 III. Repeating Courses 45 IV. Failure/Makeup/Redo’s 45 V. Exams 45 VI. Senior Final Exam Exemptions 46 VII. Challenge Courses 46 VIII. Adult Diploma Program 46 Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 6 ​ ​ ​ IX. Accelerated placement for courses in Grades 7 and 8 46 X. Advanced Placement 47 Academic Recognition and Extracurricular Eligibility 47 Academic Recognition 47 Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities 47 Breakfast & Lunch 48 Cafeteria Expectations 50 Communication 50 Delivering Items And Messages To Students 50 Chain Of Command Procedures 51 Daily Schedule 51 Discipline 51 Slate Valley Unified School District Discipline Plan 51 Specific Discipline Guidelines 56 Dismissal Guidelines 57 Handheld Devices 58 School Records 58 Vehicles 58 Parent/Student Handbook RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 7 ​ ​ ​ Directory Information and Right of Refusal SLATE VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 33 Mechanic Street Fair Haven, VT 05743 Tel: 802.265.4905 Fax: 802.265.2158