PARENT HANDBOOK Cotting School Revised November 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS WHERE WE CAME FROM: A BRIEF HISTORY OF COTTING SCHOOL ................................... 6 WHO WE ARE: MISSION AND VISION, PURPOSE, AND PHILOSOPHY ................................. 7 COTTING SCHOOL MISSION AND VISION ............................................................................................... 7 POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION .......................................................................................................... 7 PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY ...................................................................................................................... 7 IN THE BEGINNING: PAPERWORK AND WHY WE NEED IT EACH YEAR ...................................... 8 HOW TO REACH US ........................................................................................................................................ 9 ABSENCES, LATE ARRIVALS, AND EARLY DISMISSALS ...................................................................... 9 LONG TERM ABSENCES .............................................................................................................................. 10 SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 10 PUTTING OUR HEADS TOGETHER: PARENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION .................... 10 EXPECTATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 10 PHONE CONTACT ......................................................................................................................................... 11 EMAIL .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 PLANNING A MEETING ............................................................................................................................... 11 MAXIMIZING TIME ON LEARNING: POLICY ON SCHOOL/CLASSROOM VISITS ........................ 12 QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ....................................................................................................................... 13 RESOLVING CONCERNS .............................................................................................................................. 13 COTTING SCHOOL COMMUNITY CODE OF RESPECT ........................................................................ 14 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING .................................................................... 15 GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL: TRANSPORTATION ........................................................ 16 TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY: STUDENT SAFETY/CONFIDENTIALITY .............. 20 FEEDING THE BODY AS WELL AS THE MIND: DINING ROOM/LUNCH/SNACKS ........... 21 KEEPING STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY HEALTHY: WELLNESS AND SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICES ........................................................................................................................... 22 WELLNESS ...................................................................................................................................................... 23 DENTAL AND VISION CLINICS .................................................................................................................. 23 SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICES .................................................................................................................... 24 IMMUNIZATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 24 HEALTH SCREENINGS ................................................................................................................................. 24 DISPENSING OF MEDICATIONS ............................................................................................................... 25 PRIVACY OF STUDENT HEALTH INFORMATION ............................................................................... 26 HIPAA PRIVACY REGULATIONS .............................................................................................................. 26 COTTING SCHOOL SICK CHILD EXCLUSION/RETURN POLICY ...................................................... 27 POST-HOSPITALIZATION PROCEDURES FOR RETURNING TO SCHOOL .................................... 28 POLICY REGARDING ILLNESS OCCURRING PRIOR TO COMMUNITY TRIP ................................ 30 BATHROOM POLICY .................................................................................................................................... 30 TOILETING POLICY ...................................................................................................................................... 30 TOILETING OFF CAMPUS ........................................................................................................................... 31 GETTING DOWN TO LEARNING: THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AT COTTING ............. 31 CURRICULUM ................................................................................................................................................ 31 BUILDING THE SKILLS TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM: INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL PLAN (IEP) ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 2 THREE YEAR RE-EVALUATIONS .............................................................................................................. 33 SUPPORTS FOR LEARNING ............................................................................................................. 35 THERAPIES .................................................................................................................................................... 35 ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY .......................................................................................................................... 35 “REAL LIFE”: TAKING LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM ............................................ 36 COMMUNITY INCLUSION EXPERIENCES ............................................................................................... 36 PROJECT BRIDGES ....................................................................................................................................... 36 ACTIVITIES PROGRAM ..................................................................................................................... 36 POLICIES FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND SCHOOL EVENTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 36 AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................................... 37 FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................................................... 38 DETERMINING AND REPORTING STUDENT PROGRESS ....................................................... 38 PROGRESS REPORTS .................................................................................................................................. 38 STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS .............................................................................................................. 38 GRADE DESIGNATION ................................................................................................................................ 39 GRADING POLICY ......................................................................................................................................... 39 GRADUATION ................................................................................................................................................ 39 ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS .................................................................................................... 40 REVIEWING RECORDS ................................................................................................................................ 40 MAINTAINING RECORDS ........................................................................................................................... 41 LEGAL STATUS OF STUDENTS ....................................................................................................... 42 CHANGES AT THE AGE OF MAJORITY ......................................................................................... 42 COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY: CORE VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS .............................. 43 RESPECT, HONESTY, and DIVERSITY .................................................................................................... 43 BULLYING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION .................................................................................. 43 ANTI-HAZING POLICY ................................................................................................................................. 43 EXPECTATIONS FOR CONDUCT AT SCHOOL FUNCTIONS: .............................................................. 44 WORKING WITH BEHAVIOR: STRUCTURE ......................................................................................... 45 WORKING WITH BEHAVIOR: APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCES .................................................... 45 PROTOCOL FOR MAINTAINING SAFETY ..............................................................................................