Student Handbook

This Parent Handbook is provided for the families of students at MACS, to give you information about our school. The Handbook is based on the Board of Directors Policy Manual and the Employee Handbook, which are available for your review during school hours.

MACS is a charter school which is defined as an independently run public school. Our sponsor is the School Board of Alachua County. MACS, a non-profit 501(3)(c) corporation, was founded in 1997 by a group of community members. Some charter schools are created to serve a particular type of student, such as special needs or at-risk students. MACS was created because the citizens in the vicinity of Micanopy wanted a public elementary school near their homes. Under state law, the program must be secular (i.e. non-religious) and admission is open to any child regardless of race, creed, or gender. An entrance lottery may be held in March in the event that more than 20 children have applied for any grade.

We hope that you and your child make the most of your time here at MACS. There are endless opportunities for you to be involved in your child’s education.

MACS values parent involvement. In fact, part of our mission as stated below addresses parent involvement. In general, the Board of Directors has adopted a policy that asks parents to:

· Ensure that student(s) are dressed appropriately,

· Ensure that student(s) are on time every day,

· Work with school staff to solve academic and behavioral problems pertaining to their child,

· Maintain up-to-date family information at the school, especially information concerning child custody.

· Contribute 8 volunteer hours per school year. A volunteer survey will be sent home during the first couple of weeks for you to fill out your volunteer interests.

Macs Mission Statement:

Our mission, as stated in our contract with the School Board of Alachua County, is to provide elementary students with a community-oriented educational environment that stimulates and motivates them. This environment is to be achieved by:

1. Providing a small student-staff ratio.

2. Incorporating the town of Micanopy as the classroom.

3. Using a performance-based curriculum with individual learning plans for every student.

4. Involving parents and other family members in all aspects of their child’s education.

SCHOOL HOURS

Grades K thru 5 8:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.*

Grades K – 5 on Wednesday 1:00 p.m. dismissal

Office 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

After-School Care 2:15 p.m. – 5:45 p m.

Wednesday early dismissal 1:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Before-School Care 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.

*Classrooms open 15 minutes before official start time. If your child arrives prior to this time they will be directed to the Strobles Center.

PICK UP / DROP OFF

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Students must be dropped off at the designated drop-off spot where they are greeted by the aides and safety patrols. They are then directed to either the Strobles Center or their classroom depending on time of arrival.

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Students dismissed and escorted to cars by teachers, aides, or safety patrols. Students not picked up shall be escorted to the After School Program (Blue Wave). Parents must complete a registration with Blue Wave for insurance purposes and cost accounting.

ACCIDENTS

If a student has an accident while at school, an accident report form will be filled out and sent home to the parent to sign and return to school. If an accident requires immediate medical care above general first aid, the parent will be notified immediately.

ANIMALS

Animals are not allowed on campus without permission of the School Director and teacher.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM

The After-School Program is privately operated under contract with Blue Wave After School, Inc. All After School matters should be addressed to Blue Wave either through the After School Director or the General Director at 352-692-3007

ATTENDANCE

When your student is absent from school, please send in an excuse note to your student’s teacher when your student returns to school.

After a student has accumulated 15 unexcused absences in a 90 day period, MACS considers him/her a potential truant. The teacher should discuss the problem with the parent/guardian in a conference, which can be a phone conference. The School Board of Alachua County also monitors student absences. A form letter will be given to the school by SBAC to forward to the parent when a student has accumulated six unexcused absences. It is the policy of the school to follow SBAC policy by forwarding this letter to the family through the teacher. The teacher will determine the best method of delivery of the letter. A conference will be held with the parent/guardian, teacher, and a school official if the teacher wishes. The SBAC letter can be delivered and explained at this conference.

A doctor’s note will be required for any absence after 20 absences (either excused or unexcused) in a school year to be considered excused. Parents will be informed that their names will be sent to the State Attorney’s Office if any student is absent more than 20 days and no doctor’s note is subsequently submitted.

BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS

Students are expected to behave in a manner that is appropriate for any public place. This makes it possible for them to feel comfortable in other situations, to know what is appropriate, and to be welcome wherever they go.

1. Running is allowed only on the playground, not indoors or on sidewalks.

2. Students should learn to use quiet voices inside.

3. Students are expected to clean up after themselves inside and out.

4. Materials and property must be handled properly at all times.

5. No violent games or play are allowed.

6. Students are to be respectful to others at all times. Hurtful words are as harmful as hitting.

7. If any employee has reasonable suspicion that a student has a weapon or drugs on their person, or in their belongings, the student may be searched for such items. Before searching the student, the employee must contact the School Director.

BIRTHDAYS

You are welcome to send invitations for birthday parties to the school if there is an invitation for every member of the class.

CELL PHONES/WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

Definition: Wireless communication devices are defined to include portable two-way telecommunication devices, including cellular telephones, beepers, walkie-talkies, personal digital assistants, and other electric computing devices. This definition will also include any new technology developed for similar purposes.

Possession, Display and Use:

Students may possess, display and use wireless communication devices before or after the instructional day.

To avoid classroom disruptions, students shall not display, use or activate wireless communication devices during the instructional day. The instructional day includes lunch breaks, class changes and any other structured or non-structured activity.

Students are responsible to ensure that the devices are turned off and out of sight during the instructional day.

Before and/or after the instructional day, students may possess, display and use such wireless communication devices as long as the devices are not displayed, activated or used inside a school building or on school buses.

At school-sponsored activities students may activate, display or use wireless communication devices provided they do not interfere with the activity and the use conforms to directives of the school administration. Students will be disciplined for disruptive or inappropriate behavior related to possession or use of wireless communication devices.

The Board of Directors, the School Director or any other staff member is not responsible under any circumstances for the loss, destruction, damage and/or theft of wireless communication devices or any communication bill associated with the authorized or unauthorized use of the wireless communication devices. Students are responsible for locating such lost or stolen items.

CHARTER SCHOOL DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Disputes between the School Board of Alachua County and MACS will be resolved as follows:

1. The persons having responsibility for implementing the Charter will write to the other party to identify the problem, propose action to correct the problem and explain reasons for the proposed action.

2. The other party will respond in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days, accepting the proposed action or offering alternative solution(s) to the problem. A meeting of representatives of the parties may be held to reach agreement on the solution and subsequent action.

3. If the parties are unable to reach agreement, they will jointly appoint a mediator, who will meet with the parties separately and/or together to assist them in resolving the problem. Cost of mediation shall be shared equally by the parties.

4. Upon resolution of the problem, the responsible personnel from both parties will develop a joint written explanation indicating the resolution. This document will be retained with this Charter. If an amendment to the charter is necessary, the amendment will be submitted for action by both parties.

5. If all efforts at agreement within a reasonable time are unsuccessful, the parties may have recourse to their available legal remedies.

CHECK-IN / CHECK-OUT

While students are on campus for a school program, MACS is responsible for their safety. This includes ensuring that the check-in/check-out procedure is closely monitored. Authorization for someone other than the parent picking up a student must be on file in the office. Telephone authorization from a parent is strongly discouraged, but in the event of an emergency, a record will be kept of the date and time of the call.

Anyone wishing to check out a student must receive a check-out slip from the office to take to the classroom. Office staff will check the check-out sheet and may ask for ID. Students will only be released to persons listed on the student’s emergency form.

Any student checking in late must be accompanied by a parent to sign him/her in and the student will receive a late pass to class.

Students are considered tardy if they come to school after their official start time. The tardy student and parent must check into the office, sign-in, and receive a late pass to enter class. Four tardies in a semester will result in one day of missed recess

CONCERNS/QUESTIONS/CONFERENCES

When the School Director or any other Board or staff member receives a parent concern, the first step will be to direct the concern to the staff member involved. If that step has been taken and the parent is still not satisfied, Director will meet with the parent and the staff member. The last resort for the parent is to address the issue as an agenda item at a public Board of Director’s meeting.

MACS will always take parents’ concerns seriously and attempt to find satisfactory solutions for both the parent and the school.

Conferences:

1) Teachers may hold conferences with their students’ parents at the request of the parents or teacher.

2) A sign-up schedule for the school-wide conferences should be set up by the teacher at least a week before a parent conference day.

3) Conferences will not interrupt the normal instructional day.

CORE KNOWLEDGE CURRICULUM

Our school has adopted the Core Knowledge curriculum by E.D. Hirsch. Our primary text to follow will be the “Core Knowledge K-8 Scope and Sequence”. You may find it helpful to consult the books “What Your __ Grader Needs To Know” and “Cultural Literacy”, both by E.D. Hirsch. The Core Knowledge Curriculum will be incorporated with the state adopted Sunshine State Standards.

DISCIPLINE

Classroom strategies and consequences, teacher/student conferences, behavior contracts, parent contracts, withdrawing privileges, verbal reprimand, counseling, and time-outs will all be attempted in disciplining a student. If a “time-out” is longer than 15 minutes, the teacher will provide work for the student. Students may not be put in corners or yelled at for any reason. Corporal punishment is not allowed at MACS.

Suspension of a student is implemented immediately for the following behaviors: biting, choking or injuring others, and leaving the school building or grounds when not given permission by an adult. The student’s teacher will be responsible for imposing a suspension up to 1 day long. A suspension period longer than 1 day requires action by the School Director. The teacher that imposes the suspension may require that a parent or guardian accompany the student to school for one or more entire school days following the suspension. Teachers must write a report of the incident that leads to suspension for the student’s file. Parents will be notified for the following behaviors: fighting, extreme disrespect, or destruction of property. The Director may recommend to the Board of Directors dismissal from MACS.

Music, art, and PE teachers will work closely with the classroom teacher in dealing with discipline problems and are expected to maintain their own classroom management systems.

DRESS CODE FOR STUDENTS

Violence that is portrayed in the media and video games gives students the idea that violent means are acceptable in solving problems. This idea is contrary to the values that MACS seeks to instill. All violent images and pictures of characters that represent violence are inappropriate at school. MACS requests that clothes, shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, and notebooks not portray any violent images. MACS works to develop in its students a sense of responsibility, respect, and concern for all people, all other living things, and property. MACS also works to help students resolve conflicts peacefully with words. Violence is unacceptable and is not tolerated.

Student attire must be inoffensive and must not create a distraction to the learning environment. For this reason, students are also not allowed to wear tube tops, cut-off shirts, midriff blouses, head gear, sunglasses, exposed underwear, saggy/baggy pants, or clothing promoting drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gang identification, and/or sexual behavior. Belts must be buckled and shoes must be worn at all times on the school campus.

Students who are not dressed properly will have three choices:

1. Call parents to bring another outfit,

2. Turn the clothing inside out, or

3. Wear clothing provided by the school, (if available).

EMERGENCY PLANS

In accordance with school policies and state laws, there shall be at least two emergency evacuation drills held during the first two weeks of school and eight additional emergency drills during the school year. Drills shall be held at unexpected times and under varying conditions to simulate the possible conditions attained in case of fire or other emergencies.

END OF SCHOOL DAY

At the end of the school day, the teacher and aide will escort the students outside to the car pick-up area. Those students attending after-school care will be escorted to the after-school employee who is checking in the students. The teacher, aide, or safety patrol will escort all other students to their cars as their family pulls up to the pick-up area. The teacher or aide will check in any students who are not picked up within 15 minutes of the end of school to the after-school program.

Students’ safety is our first concern. Students may not go home with anyone other than the parent unless the teacher has received notice from the office. If you have any question, please consult the “pick-up list” on the student’s emergency form or contact the office.

If you have one student in a lower grade and one in an upper grade, the lower grade student will stay with his/her teacher until the upper grade student is released.

FIELD TRIPS

Teachers will utilize field trips throughout the year as a supplement to classroom learning. Students with discipline problems will not be taken on trips at the discretion of the teacher and the School Director. Permission forms are required for all field trips. If a student does not turn in a permission form, the student will not be allowed to attend the trip and will be sent home.

A general permission form for Micanopy field trips (i.e. to the ballpark, library, historical museum) will be handed out and will cover all trips throughout the year. Teachers are required to give parents at least 24 hours notice of Micanopy field trips.

GOVERNANCE

Board of Directors

MACS is governed by a Board of Directors. Their job is to make and review policy as well as holding the ultimate accountability in making sure MACS meets the terms of our Charter. Board Members cannot act individually on policy or procedure matters, but only as a group during Board meetings. The Board Chairman is responsible for setting the board agendas. Board Members are elected volunteers. The Board meets the 3^rd Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Strobles Center. Meeting agendas are posted at least 7 days in advance of the meeting outside of the office. All meetings are open to the public.

School Director

The School Director manages/leads the daily operations of the school. Duties include overseeing all operations of the school and providing support to the Board of Directors.

Organizations:

SAC (School Advisory Committee)

The SAC is a group of volunteers which can include staff, parents, and community members. The SAC is responsible for conducting the annual school survey, nominating and overseeing the election of Board Members.

Any interested person may attend SAC meetings. Members become voting members by attending two SAC meetings during the current school year or by completing five hours of volunteer work during the current school year and by two weeks prior to an election.

PTO (Parent / Teacher Organization)

All parents are encouraged to participate in the PTO. The PTO assists and promotes the link between teachers and parents through providing classroom resources, volunteers, and encouragement. They also work with the School Director in organizing fundraisers, volunteers, and events.

HOMEWORK

MACS recognizes that homework can be beneficial because it reinforces the skills that are taught during the school day. Homework is not intended to introduce new material that has not been covered in class.

ILL STUDENTS

Students who are ill or injured at school will be attended to immediately. All teachers are given a supply of band-aids for their classroom. For minor scrapes, students should wash the scrape with soap and water and cover with a band-aid. For more serious accidents or illnesses, students will be escorted to the office. Depending on the student’s illness or injury, the office will allow the student to lie down, contact the parent for permission to administer medicine, or contact the parent for pick-up. The office will keep the teacher apprised of the situation.

All medications must be administered through the office. The proper paperwork must be completed and the office is responsible for scheduling and administering all medications. Even aspirin and non-aspirin pain reliever are not allowed without a note from parents. Prescription medication will not be administered unless it is in its original prescription bottle. Over-the-counter medication will not be administered unless it is in its original box or bottle.

A staff member certified in CPR will be on campus during the school day including before and after school care.

INFORMATION

Our primary way of communicating with parents is through e-mail, website, and Friday Folders. Please read the information you find in this folder each week. There is also a bulletin board outside of the office with board agendas, notices, and calendars.

LIBRARY / REFERENCE MATERIALS

Class Libraries are established in each grade level with grade level books and materials. Books and materials are available to all grade levels. Each Teacher is responsible for maintaining the grade level library to which they are assigned.

MEALS

Good manners and appropriate behavior will be taught in the classroom and practiced in the dining room. It is an accepted custom at MACS that before eating, all students are seated and recite together: “For every cup and plateful, may we be ever grateful.”

Simple rules of courteous behavior, which make for a more pleasant, relaxed lunch period are:

1. Walk in a quiet, orderly manner.

2. Maintain an orderly lunch line.

3. Leave a clean table and place the tray, paper, leftovers, napkin, and silverware in the proper receptacle.

4. Observe good table manners.

5. Refrain from loud talking.

6. Wait to be dismissed.

Violations of these simple rules will result in the student having to sit out during free play after lunch.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PRFOGRAM

MACS has been approved as a member of the National School Lunch Program. Lunch and breakfast comes with a milk. Students may purchase milk separately if they bring a home lunch. Students are not permitted to exchange food. No student will ever be forced to eat, but food will be offered.

Breakfast Procedures

Breakfast will be served from 7:15 – 7:45 a.m. each morning. Only white milk or juice will be served with breakfast. Students may play games or do homework quietly during before-school care.

At 8:00 a.m. all students will be sent to their classroom.

MONEY COLLECTION

Fees for all services must be pre-paid. Payments may be made in the classroom or the office.

We prefer that payments be made by check, but we accept cash also. A note must accompany the payment stating whom the payment is from and what it is for. Checks which are returned for “insufficient funds” will require payment in cash for the face amount plus a $25.00 charge for administrative processing. The Director may, if two checks are returned, require that only cash payment will be accepted for services.

PHONE USAGE

Student phone calls to home will be kept brief and only made in cases of emergency with teacher permission.

PHOTOS

In order for students’ photos to be taken and used in publications or videos, a release form must be signed by the parents or guardians. This release form will be given to all students at the beginning of the year.

PLAYGROUND RULES

As student safety is our top concern, playground rules are enforced at all times – before, during, and after school.

Rules:

1. The slide is one way only.

2. Two students are allowed on the swings at a time, except kindergarteners (4 at a time).

3. No chasing.

4. No contact sports.

5. Only soft rubber or sytrofoam balls may be thrown.

6. All sticks and rocks stay on the ground at all times.

7. No sitting on tables.

8. No standing on train tubes.

9. No twisting on swings.

10. No sideways swinging.

11. Overhead bars are one way, starting from the end at the back of the playground and moving towards the Strobles Center. Students may not get on top of bars or play under bars

12. Only 1 boy and 1 girl at a time should be allowed to go in the bathroom from the playground.

13. Students must let a teacher know if they are leaving the playground for any reason, i.e., bathroom, injury, etc.

14. Students must wear shoes at all times.

Students must remove all pencils, pens, etc. from their pockets before going onto the playground.

SPIRIT

Our school colors are blue and gold. Our mascot is the manatee. Each Friday is Spirit Day. All new students are given a MACS t-shirt. Additional shirts may be purchased through the office. Students should wear their shirts on Fridays.

STUDENT RECORDS

Parents may have access to permanent records of their own children upon request. The teacher will assist in interpretation of data at the parents’ request. A staff member must be with the parent while he/she looks at the folder.

TESTING

Students will not have more than one major classroom test on a single school day.

VISITORS

All visitors, including parents, must check in at the office.

VOLUNTEERS

MACS will distribute a parent survey during the first few weeks of school to determine expertise and/or interests. The Volunteer coordinator will use this information in the volunteer program.

Each MACS family is required to contribute 8 hours of volunteer time during the school year. Parents who are unable to volunteer must provide $10 per hour or $80 total. All volunteer hours must be recorded in the office. Volunteers must come to the office to receive a volunteer badge to wear while you are at the school. MACS reserves the right not to renew any student whose parents do not meet their 8 hours of volunteer service or submit the $80.00 payment.

MICANOPY AREA COOPERATIVE SCHOOL

SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT

The Micanopy Area Cooperative School , and the parents of the students participating in activities, services, and programs funded by Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (participating children), agree that this compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.

This school-parent compact is in effect during school year 2008-2009 .

School Responsibilities

The Micanopy Area Cooperative School will:

Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the participating children to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards as follows:

a. Use research based curriculum texts and materials in line with the Sunshine State Standards.

b. Use alternative research based texts and materials at various levels to accommodate students with special needs.

Hold parent-teacher conferences (at least annually in elementary schools) during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement. Specifically, those conferences will be held:

a. After School on any day scheduled.

b. During Teacher Planning days.

c. Any Wednesday after 1:15 p.m. when pre-scheduled.

d. Anytime in an emergency

e. During teacher planning time when scheduled.

Provide parents with frequent reports on their children’s progress. Specifically, the school will provide reports as follows:

a. Semi quarterly progress reports.

b. Provide quarterly report cards.

c. Provide individual reports as requested by parents or as deemed necessary by the classroom or Title 1 teacher.

Provide parents reasonable access to staff. Specifically, staff will be available for consultation with parents as follows:

a. Every Wednesday after 1:15 p.m

b. On Teacher Plan Days

c. On any day after school or during plan time when scheduled.

Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and to observe classroom activities, as follows:

a. Parents are required to perform at least 8 hours of volunteer time to the school annually. Parents who are unable to volunteer must provide $10 per hour or $80 total. All volunteer hours must be recorded in the office.

b. Classroom visitations are encouraged after checking into the front office and teacher notification.

c. Parents are especially welcomed in classrooms to assist the teacher.

Parent Responsibilities

We, as parents, will support our children’s learning in the following ways:

a. Monitoring attendance.

b. Making sure that homework is completed.

c. Monitoring amount of television their children watch.

d. Volunteering in my child’s classroom.

e. Participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to my children’s education.

f. Promoting positive use of my child’s extracurricular time.

g. Staying informed about my child’s education and communicating with the school by promptly reading all notices from the school or the school district either received by my child or by mail and responding, as appropriate.

h. Serving, to the extent possible, on policy advisory groups, such as being the Title I, Part A parent representative on the school’s School Improvement Team, the Title I Policy Advisory Committee, the District wide Policy Advisory Council, the State’s Committee of Practitioners, the School Support Team or other school advisory or policy groups.

We, as students, will share the responsibility to improve our academic achievement and achieve the State’s high standards. Specifically, we will:

a. Do my homework every day and ask for help when I need to.

b. Read at least 30 minutes every day outside of school time.

c. Give to my parents or the adult who is responsible for my welfare all notices and information received by me from my school every day.]

The Micanopy Area Cooperative School will:

a. Involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s parental involvement policy, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way.

b. Involve parents in the joint development of any school wide program plan, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way.

d. Hold an annual meeting to inform parents of the school’s participation in Title I, Part A programs, and to explain the Title I, Part A requirements, and the right of parents to be involved in Title I, Part A programs. The school will convene the meeting at a convenient time to parents, and will offer a flexible number of additional parental involvement meetings, such as in the morning or evening, so that as many parents as possible are able to attend. The school will invite to this meeting all parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs (participating students), and will encourage them to attend.

e. Provide information to parents of participating students in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon the request of parents with disabilities, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand.

f. Provide to parents of participating children information in a timely manner about Title I, Part A programs that includes a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum, the forms of academic assessment used to measure children’s progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

g. On the request of parents, provide opportunities for regular meetings for parents to formulate suggestions, and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of their children. The school will respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

h. Provide to each parent an individual student report about the performance of their child on the State assessment in at least math, language arts and reading.

i. Provide each parent timely notice when their child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in section 200.56 of the Title I Final Regulations (67 Fed. Reg. 71710, December 2, 2002).

__________________ __________________ _______________

School Parent(s) Student