Hollis School Community

Student Handbook

2011 – 2012

Table of Contents

Click the table of contents to do directly to that area of the handbook!

PHILOSOPHY

THE HOLLIS SCHOOL BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION, IN COOPERATION WITH THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY, IS TO HELP EACH STUDENT DEVELOP TO HIS OR HER FULLEST POTENTIAL AS A HUMAN BEING.

ACCORDINGLY, EACH STUDENT MUST:

·       Be accepted as an individual without regard to race, national origin, creed, sex, or handicapping condition

·        Be encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility

·        Be provided with opportunities to work to the limits of his or her potential

·        Be afforded the opportunity to succeed and to learn how to recover from failure.

FURTHER, OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM MUST:

·      Take advantage of the individual's strong, inherent desire to learn and to make sense of his other environment

·       Be structured to facilitate learning through discovery, exploration and involvement, in addition to abstract experience

·        Strive to maintain the individuality and originality of the learner

·        Provide a structure in which students can learn from and work with each other

·        Encourage learning in other environments

·       Be structured in a manner that reflects the freedoms and responsibilities that citizens have in our society

·        Make available a curriculum that helps each student to:

·        Develop the ability to use language to communicate effectively

·        Use mathematical knowledge and methods to solve problems

·        Reason logically

·        Use abstractions and symbols with power and ease

·        Apply and understand scientific knowledge and methods

·        Make use of technology and understand its contributions, advantages and limitations

·        Express oneself through the arts and understand the artistic expression of others

·        Understand our own nation

·        Understand other nations and their cultures

·        Understand his/her relationship to the space in which s/he exists as well as the relationship of our planet to the universe

·        Apply knowledge about health, nutrition, and physical activity

·        Acquire the capacity to meet unexpected challenges

·        Make informed value judgments

·        Recognize and use his/her full learning potential

·        Prepare to go on learning for a lifetime

·        Emphasize that relationships do exist between all subject areas in the curriculum

·        Establish high expectations for every student(s) in all facets of the program

WE FURTHER BELIEVE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BASED ON THESE TENETS, WILL HELP EACH HOLLIS STUDENT TO BECOME A CONTRIBUTING, PARTICIPATING AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF OUR SOCIETY.

Adopted by School Board 2/1/90                                                     Reaffirmed 9/9/99

MISSION STATEMENT

            Hollis Elementary School is dedicated to educating the whole student.  It is our goal to nurture students and help them become well-rounded, self-respecting, friendly and sensitive individuals.  We seek to provide a challenging curriculum with flexibility to meet the needs of each student.  We recognize and respect different learning and teaching styles.  Our high expectations for academic achievement are balanced with giving students a broader sense of the world and the desire to perform service to others.

Adopted by School Board 2/1/90                                                     Reaffirmed 9/9/99

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT FORTY-ONE

Brookline, Hollis & Hollis/Brookline Cooperative School Districts

            School Administrative Unit 41 (SAU 41) provides the administrative services for the PK-12 schools in our town of Hollis and that of Brookline, New Hampshire. There currently are 6 buildings between the two communities: Hollis Primary, grades PK-3; Hollis Upper Elementary, grades 4-6; Richard Maghakian Memorial, grades PK-3; Captain Samuel Douglass Academy, grades 4-6; Hollis Brookline Middle School, grades 7-8; Hollis Brookline High School, grades 9-12.

            Three school boards provide governance for the schools: The Hollis School Board, grades PK-6 (5 members); the Brookline Board, grades PK-6 (3 members) and the Hollis Brookline Cooperative School Board, grades 7-12 (7 members). The SAU Board, composed of all 15 board members, helps to coordinate K-12 ongoing programs through discussion with SAU staff.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE

            As a rule, the School Board meets monthly throughout the year.  The time, date and place of each meeting are always posted in each school building.  Specific meeting information is also available by calling either school, the SAU office, or online at: http://www.sau41.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=24

ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP

This four person Administrative Team spearheads new programs and grant opportunities, ensures communication and connection between curricula and programs, and is the prime contact between the school community and the governance of the Hollis School District. 

Community/Parent Involvement

            Quality schools have a true sense of community and are characterized by active parent involvement. The Hollis School Community is very proud of being a Blue Ribbon Award recipient since the award’s inception. Our PTA works diligently to support our school by coordinating the following committees and programs: Community Relations, Parent Enrichment, Classroom Volunteers, Winter Ski Program, Halloween Fest, June Field Day, Teacher Appreciation luncheons, and many more. Fund raising efforts have successfully earned up to $25,000 yearly with approximately one half of that amount devoted to wonderful student enrichment programs.

             In addition, our PTA publishes a yearly student directory, monthly newsletters, and maintains a website. The newsletter provides a forum for teachers and administrators to share school news with the community. An enrichment program which is directly linked to specific grade curriculum objectives is also coordinated by the PTA.  We encourage all of our families to be involved with our PTA. 

SCHOOL DAY

Time-on-learning is time during which students are engaged in regularly scheduled instruction, learning activities, or learning assessments of the core subjects. Adequate time-on-learning is essential for student progress. Time-on learning for the Hollis Schools are as follows:

·        Kindergarten        two hours fifty minutes         

·        Grade 1 - 3          five hours thirty minutes                   

·        Grade 4 – 6         five hours forty minutes                    

At the Primary School the instructional day for Gr. 1–3 begins at 8:23 and ends at 2:55.  There are two sessions of Kindergarten offered.   Morning Kindergarten is held from 8:23 to 11:15.   Afternoon Kindergarten is held from 12:05 – 2:55.  At the Upper Elementary School the instructional day for Gr. 4– 6 begins at 8:30 and ends at 3:02.

We expect all students to arrive at school at a reasonable time prior to the start of classes.  HPS students disembark buses and enter the school building at 8:15 A.M.  HPS students who do not ride the buses should not arrive until that same time as there is no supervision available for children who arrive prior to these times. HUES students disembark buses and enter the school building at 8:22 A.M.  Students arriving in carpool at HUES are welcome to arrive at 8am and can wait in the foyer until the first bell at 8:22.  However, there is no supervision available prior to 8:22.

When students are tardy, (after 8:23 at HPS and after 8:30 at HUES) they must report to the office to pick up an admittance slip before entering the classroom. This keeps our attendance records complete and accurate. Students ARE NOT marked tardy, if they are late because their bus arrived after the start of school.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

As a school district where past and present assessment scores verify our students' above-average abilities, assuring students reach their potential as life-long learners is one of two major focuses and challenges. We believe that to teach one must know what is already learned. Assessment of known and learned skills is achieved in a variety of ways. Pre-testing enables teachers to use flexible groups to meet learner’s needs and helps assure that what is being taught has not already been learned. Pre-tests vary by curriculum, but are standardized across grade levels. Post-testing is also standardized across grade levels.  Student work is collected throughout the year to show students and staff examples of various levels of achievement. Some examples of assessment strategies used are: initial gathering of baseline data, periodic individual running records, published language arts pre and post skills and process tests, writing prompts, math prompts, problem solving and process oriented assessments in science and social studies, and a performance-based assessment report sent to parents on a trimester basis.

            A major school focus and challenge is to promote self-discipline, citizenship, and character development so students leave us with a foundation in the skills and abilities necessary to become outstanding citizens of their personal and global world. Class meetings, the use of programs such as Responsive Classroom and Wellesley College's Open Circle, combined with individual classroom management-systems address this issue on a daily basis. Our guidance counselors teach students to take responsibility for their own actions, how to deal with 'hurtful' actions of others and helps them understand how to affect change.

Each month our school has as its focus a specific citizenship trait, which is addressed in morning announcements, throughout the day by staff and in our monthly calendar and PTA newsletter. Regularly scheduled classroom sessions with counselors further explore and develop these traits. Community service projects occur at all grade levels and are also coordinated school-wide throughout the year.

            On a daily basis, staff acknowledge student achievement through positive reinforcement and contact with parents by way of notes, phone calls and visits. School, grade level and classroom performances, museums, plays, presentations and displays are also means of acknowledging and celebrating achievement in a variety of areas. As a school community, we recognize perfect attendance with certificates at all grade levels and award the Presidential Medals for Academic Achievement and Academic Improvement at our 6^th grade promotional ceremony.

Students are required by state law to participate in the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) to meet the requirements of “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB). These tests are designed to access the grade level expectations as set by the State of NH.  The NECAP is a comprehensive test that covers a broad range of objectives in reading and mathematics grades 3 through 8, writing at grades 5 and 8, and science in grade 4.  Students in Hollis (grades 2 – 6)  also participate in NWEA’s (Northwest Evaluation Association) computerized Measure’s of Academic Progress (MAP) testing.  These individualized assessments will help to determine a student’s instructional level and measure academic growth in the areas of reading, math, language, and science. 

CURRICULUM

A huge commitment has been made in our SAU and district to the continual development of outstanding programs for the purpose of creating and adopting curricula that best meet the needs of our students.  The Hollis School District staff have begun the work of curriculum mapping with their Brookline colleagues to ensure that there is a guaranteed and viable set of CORE standards that each child will master.  Curriculum mapping takes several years to evolve and the process is never quite complete as adjustments are continually made to ensure the best for each of our students.  Teams have begun mapping essential standards in the area of math, creating common assessments, and common pacing standards.  The focus this year will be to continue the work in the area of math and begin mapping in the area of language arts. 

READING RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR FIRST GRADE STUDENTS

            Reading Recovery is an early intervention program designed to take the confusion out of reading and writing for first grade students who might be encountering difficulty in acquiring reading and writing skills. The goals of the program are:

·        To support reading in First Grade

·        To help identify students in need of reading support

·        To bring students up to grade level in reading

·        To intervene early to accelerate progress

            Reading Recovery teachers work with first grade students over the course of the school year. This program directly impacts about 10% of the grade level. In addition to their regular classroom reading program, these students work with a Reading Recovery teacher on a one-to-one basis for 30 minutes every day for 12 to 20 weeks.

            Students are selected for the program through an initial reading assessment, classroom teacher observations and parental discussion and agreement. Communication between parents and the Reading Recovery and classroom teachers is an ongoing and integral part of the program.

            Reading Recovery is different for every student, since the teacher designs each lesson for the individual student beginning where s/he is as a reader and writer. Through constant, careful observations, the teacher responds to what each student needs to move forward as a reader and writer. The main focus during the daily lesson is on the student reading many carefully chosen books of gradually increasing difficulty and writing his/her own stories. Students in the program have homework on a daily basis, and individual student success is impacted by the amount of parent participation in these activities.

            At every point in the program the teachers foster the students' development and independent use of a range of flexible strategies used when reading books and writing stories. Through constant practice students learn to apply and use these strategies. As each student is helped to increase his/her control of the reading and writing processes, s/he is able to progress at a more accelerated rate than would be possible without inclusion in the program.

READING SUPPORT FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

            Students in need of extra reading support at Hollis Upper Elementary School participate in an early intervention program entitled Power Reading.  This program utilizes a systematic, multi-sensory approach to help students utilize effective reading strategies.  Our reading specialists in collaboration with our special educators work with small groups of children four days a week to remediate as well as introduce and practice reading, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension skills.

TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS

            Excellence in teaching is viewed as an integral part of our organization and is highly valued by all members of our community of learners. Our staff evaluation process and our program of staff development are just two of the many paths we travel toward this goal. The primary purpose of our Professional Staff Evaluation is to

"…improve teaching, and as a result, the quality of students’ learning experiences. For evaluation to achieve its potential, the evaluator must accept the proposition that all professional staff are capable of becoming more effective and productive, and as professionals, are eager to do so. Success in this endeavor requires trust and support between the professional staff and the evaluator and a similar belief that observation, feedback and goal setting can improve effectiveness."

There are several key components that make our plan somewhat unique. The first is that Professional Standards and Guidelines accompanies our Evaluation Plan. When the question, “What constitutes effective classroom instruction and management?” is asked, we are all on the same page with our answers! Recognizing that change is a complex process, a second key component is the overall design around a three-year period with both short and long term goal setting, observations, progress reports, conferences and assessments spaced throughout the 3-year period.

            We have in place an on-going Mentor/Protégé program to insure the success of new members to our professional staff. To facilitate Mentor/Protégé connection mentors are assigned their Protégé as soon as possible after the hiring process. Protégé and Mentor feedback of this program has been extremely positive. People coming together to help each other can’t help but have a good outcome!

Recent research tells us that for professional development to be effective it must be goal oriented, have as its focus the improvement of student achievement, occur over an extended period of time, allow for modeling and practice and take place primarily within the confines of the school day so that learning is job embedded.  This is, and has been, our model for planning professional development.  We select a focus or topic and develop training and workshops to enhance professional skills to reach our goal.  Literature is researched and current books on the topic are purchased for staff members. Then specialists are contracted to present workshops, meet with teachers during team meetings, visit classrooms, teach 'model' lessons, provide staff with new materials and help plan lessons. This comprehensive approach is typical of the way in which we explore new topics and embed rigor in all aspects of our curriculum.

TEAM COLLABORATION – Professional Learning Communities

            Professional Learning Communities practice collaborative work toward a common goal of student learning. Understanding that collaborative and reflective time is important to ensure that curriculum is taught and implemented consistently and well, we schedule a weekly collaboration time for each grade level team. Administrators attend each of these meetings to participate in discussions and decisions. Agendas are set and these time periods are used to work on curriculum topics, discuss assessments, review student work, share strategies and present professional development workshops. During these periods students are assigned additional time with one of our specialists.

THE SAU#41 COMPUTER NETWORK

ACCEPTABLE USE PROCEDURE

(Revised April 2009)

PREAMBLE:

One component of the SAU#41 Computer Network is a connection to the Internet. The Internet is a vast, global information network, linking computers at universities, high schools, science labs and other sites. Through the Internet one can communicate with people all over the world through a number of discussion forums, as well as through electronic mail. In addition, many files are available for downloading on the Internet - many of which have educational value.

Because of its enormous size, the Internet's potential is boundless. However, with the great potential for education also comes some potential for abuse. Because access to the Internet provides connections to other computer systems located all over the world, users (and parents/ guardians of users who are minors) must understand that neither SAU#41 nor any District staff member controls the content of the information available from these other systems. Some information may be controversial and sometimes may be offensive. The SAU#41 District does not condone the use of such materials.

Families should be aware that some material accessible via the Internet might contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate or potentially offensive to some people. While our intent is to make Internet access available to further educational goals and objectives, students may find ways to access other materials as well. We believe the benefits to students from access to the Internet, in the form of information resources-and opportunities for collaboration, exceed the disadvantages. We cannot vouch for the appropriateness of all materials found on the greater Internet, and it is technologically impossible to filter all access while still retaining a meaningful connection. However, SAU#41 has installed software to block access to those sites that are known to be counter productive to the educational use of the Internet. There will be two levels of access on the computer network. One will be with the privilege to access the Internet with certain sites restricted, and the other will be with NO access to the Internet. The parent/ guardian and the student will sign the appropriate permission slip indicating which level of access is preferred.

Network storage areas may be treated like school lockers. Network administrators may review files and communications to maintain system integrity and insure that users will be using the system responsibly. Users should not expect that files stored on district servers would always be private. The school district reserves, and intends to exercise without prior notice, the right to read, review, audit, intercept, or access any activity on this network.

During school activities, teachers and other staff will guide students toward appropriate materials. Outside of school, families bear responsibility for the same guidance as they exercise with other information sources such as television, telephone, movies, radio and other potentially offensive media.

The purpose of this document is to serve as a statement on the proper and acceptable use of various aspects of the SAU#41 Computer Network, including but not limited to the Internet connection(s) provided.

 EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES:

The purpose of the SAU#41 Computer Network is educational. Users are responsible for ensuring that their activities adhere to generally acceptable educational standards. Within reason, freedom of speech and access to information will be honored.

It is the purpose of the SAU#41 Computer Network to enhance established school curricula. While there will be some need to instruct learners in the skills needed to make use of the network, its purpose will be to serve as a resource for improving, extending, and enriching the teaching and learning in SAU#41.

SAU # 41 does not support student web pages or student e-mail accounts on district servers at this time. Parents should be aware that student work may occasionally be published on the school web site. Students may be identified by first name or by initials only, and no personal information will be released. Students may occasionally participate in classroom projects involving e-mail under a teacher’s direct supervision.

PRIVILEGE:

The use of the SAU#41 Computer Network is a privilege and not a right. Inappropriate use will result in restriction or cancellation of access privileges. The SAU#41 Computer Network shall consist of all computers, servers, printers, scanners, hubs, routers, switches, cabling connections within the SAU # 41 School District, and any device that may be connected to this network.

The school district's acceptable use policy for the Internet and school computers should not in any way be considered to restrict a student's use of a home computer. However, the district takes very seriously its responsibility to protect all students' privacy and personal safety and health interests. The school district reserves the right to investigate any parent or student complaints about potential or perceived violations of either a student's privacy or potential or perceived threats to student safety or health arising from use of a home computer by any student.

COPYRIGHTED AND OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIALS:

All users shall respect copyright and proprietary interests of any materials accessed through the SAU#41 Computer Network. Users may not duplicate copyrighted software, including school owned software, without permission from the copyright holder, whether for personal use or the use of others. Duplicating copyrighted materials or the use of such materials are offenses subject to criminal prosecution.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

All users shall assume full liability - legal, financial or otherwise - for their actions when using the SAU#41Computer Network.

All users of the network will be held fully responsible for the use of their account to transfer or store materials. Any inappropriate activities carried out will be considered to be the actions of the account holder. Therefore, passwords must not be shared or transferred.

All users should not reveal their personal home address, home telephone number, or telephone numbers of any other individuals. E-mail messages are not private. Students must notify a parent/guardian and the system administrator or teacher immediately if any individual is trying to contact them for illicit or suspicious activities.

The responsibility of the user is to familiarize himself/herself with and abide by the rules of the Acceptable Use Procedure and make appropriate use of the available resources.

Behaviors that can result in restriction/revocation of access privileges are categorized as either minor or major infractions. The consequences for exhibiting such behaviors are listed under Disciplinary Actions.

Due to the ever-changing world of technology, parts of this document may be revised to reflect the current trends in technology. Any changes will be noted in this document on our Web site. Please check it regularly, as these changes will be effective immediately. http://www.sau41.k12.nh.us/

Users of the SAU#41 Computer Network will fall into three major groups: Students K-6 and Students 7-12, and All SAU#41 Staff. Policies specific to each group can be found in one of the attached appendices.

Students K - 3

Hollis Expectations

The SAU #41 computer network is a valuable educational tool for learning, sharing, and communication.  We believe that student access to this network for educationally acceptable purposes is an important part of our curriculum.  Staff closely monitors student use of computers and the Internet.

All Primary Grade Students will have access to the school network. The children will be allowed access to teacher approved Internet resources. They will use those resources in teacher directed research and/or activities.

Your child is expected to:

Ø      Work in his/her own document file (network account)

·        Intentionally logging in and/or accessing another child’s file is not acceptable.

Ø      Follow the teacher’s directions

Ø      Treat the technology equipment with respect

Ø      Ask permission before printing or downloading any information

Ø      Follow the Computer Lab Rules

Ø      Never take anyone else’s words or ideas and use them as their own (plagiarism)

Ø      Always tell a teacher or responsible adult if they see inappropriate language or distasteful pictures while on line.

      RMMS and HPS do not support student web pages or student e-mail accounts.  You should be aware that student work might occasionally be published on the school web site.  Students will be identified by first name or by initials only, and no personal information will be released.

Our school has filtering software to assist in the prevention of accessing inappropriate material.  However, due to the ever-changing nature of the World Wide Web, the content of any site cannot be guaranteed. We endeavor to equip our students with the tools to act responsibly while they are on the Internet. Remember, your child will never be left unsupervised while on the Internet!

 Keeping this in mind, please review the following rules with your child:

Ø      I will tell my teacher right away if I come across anything that makes me feel uncomfortable.

Ø      I understand that the school Internet access is provided for learning (educational purposes).

Ø      I will not download any files without my teacher’s permission.

Ø      I will not download games.

Ø      I will abide by the classroom rules.

HPS and RMMS do not support student e-mail accounts or “free” Internet access. However, we feel strongly that the following rules should be discussed for the safety of your children.

Ø      I will never access online “chat” rooms.

Ø      I will never give out personal information, such as my address or telephone number.

Ø      I will never agree to get together with anyone I meet online.

Ø      I will never send anyone my picture or anything else without permission.

Ø      I will not respond to any messages that are mean or that make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do, I will tell a responsible adult right away so that he/she can contact the online service.

Violations can result in disciplinary action. Each case will be considered on an individual basis.

Students 4-6

Hollis Expectations

The SAU#41 computer network is a valuable educational tool for learning, sharing, and communication. We believe that student access to this network for educationally acceptable purposes is an important part of our curriculum. Staff closely monitors student use of computers and the Internet, and we expect all users to abide by the following guidelines.

All Intermediate grade students in Brookline and Hollis will have access to the school network, using an assigned user ID and password. All students will have access to our school web page and other teacher approved Internet resources. Students will be expected to state their research objectives when using the Internet.

Our school district has filtering software to assist in the prevention of accessing inappropriate material. However, due to the ever-changing nature of the World Wide Web, the content of any site cannot be guaranteed. We endeavor to equip all students with the tools to act responsibly while they are on the Internet.

Your child will never be unsupervised while on the Internet. Keeping this in mind, we ask you to review the following “Rules for Using the Internet/Intranet” with your child. If you have any questions about the network’s curriculum activities, please call the computer lab at HUES (465 - 9182).

The following is a list of our expectations for all students in grades 4-6 who use computers:

            You are to:

♦ Be responsible for all work in your documents file (network account). Intentionally logging in and/or accessing another person’s files is not acceptable. Use your account for school related activities only.

            ♦ Treat the technology equipment with respect.

♦ Follow the computer lab’s rules.

♦ Always follow your teacher’s directions.

♦ Ask permission before downloading or printing any information or files.

♦ Never plagiarize documents or pictures. Plagiarism is copying the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were your own.

♦ Always tell a teacher if you see bad language or distasteful pictures while you are online.

The following is a list of assurances students should make:

♦ I will never access online “chat rooms” at school (CSDA and HUES students do not have chat room access. Please consider discussing the home use of chat rooms).

♦ I will never give out personal information, such as my address or telephone number.

♦ I will tell my teacher right way if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

♦ I will never agree to get together with anyone I meet online.

♦ I will never send anyone my picture or anything else unless I have specific directions or permission from my teacher.

♦ I will not respond to any messages that are mean or that make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my teacher right away so that he/she can contact the online service. (CSDA and HUES students do not have e-mail accounts. Please discuss this for home use).

♦ I understand that the school Internet access is provided for educational purposes only.

♦ I will not download any files without my teacher’s permission.

♦ I will not download games.

♦ I will not tell anyone my password.

SAU #41 does not support student web pages or student e-mail accounts on district servers at this time.

♦ Parents should be aware that students’ work might occasionally be published on the school’s web site.

♦ Students will be identified by first name or by initials only, and no personal information will be released.

♦ Students may occasionally participate in classroom projects involving e-mail under a teacher’s direct supervision.

By signing this agreement, students are stating that they understand the rules and expectations for using technology equipment and accessing the Internet as listed above and will abide by them. They should also understand that a violation of the rules could result in disciplinary actions. Each case will be considered on an individual basis depending on the severity of the infraction. Minor offenses could include, but are not limited to, loss of recess or computer use. Major offenses could be subject to school suspension and/or the long-term loss of computer privileges.

PLAGIARISM & TECHNOLOGY

            Access to the Internet makes written text easily available to students for inclusion in reports.  As with any resource material, text that is copied and incorporated into a report must be adequately identified and credited to the author/source.  This holds true for both exact quotes of material and texts used as source material.  Honesty in writing assignments and how to properly credit sources is taught throughout the elementary school years.  Also taught is the fact that plagiarism is a form of stealing.  It is the theft of intellectual property, and student work found to contain text copied from the Internet, or other resources, without proper credit will not be accepted.  Plagiarism carries even more serious consequences as students move into higher grades and on into life.  It is important for parents and teachers to promote academic integrity at this early stage of academic achievement.  We are committed to helping students avoid the temptation of plagiarism.  We strive to teach students how technology can aid their learning and, with your parental support, guide students down the path of academic honesty.

K-6^th GRADE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The relationship of trust, respect, and honesty between teachers and students is of the utmost importance.  Cheating, copying, plagiarizing, and other examples of academic dishonesty will be taken seriously.

According to Webster’s Third World International Dictionary to plagiarize means: 

In the K – 6^th grade the consequences of such behavior are as follows:

STUDENT APPEARANCE AND DRESS

            Although there is no formal dress code in our school system, we are aware of the fact that student behavior is often a reflection of students’ clothing. Student apparel should not be such that it distracts from the educational process. Tee shirts and other items of clothing that contain sayings or pictures must be respectful and appropriate without reference to violence, drugs or other inappropriate materials. Clothing should also be age appropriate to a classroom setting, especially in warm weather. Examples of possible inappropriate dress include tops with spaghetti straps (thinner than 2 inches), tank/halter tops, pajama pants, or shorts/skirts that do not reach mid-thigh.

            Students are expected to be neat, clean, and orderly in their appearance. When a particular form or deficiency in grooming, appearance or dress is deemed, in the opinion of the staff, to offend reasonable standards of health or safety and are likely to disrupt the teaching/learning process, parents will be contacted and will be asked to take corrective measures.  Hats, Heelies/Skate shoes, and flip-flops are not allowed.  The administration will make the final determination of appropriate and acceptable dress in these matters.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY/BEHAVIOR

Please take time to review our behavior code with your child. Read the rules together and discuss why each one is necessary and helpful in making sure that school is a safe place for learning.

 At all times students are expected to:

·        Be respectful, kind and courteous to adults and to other students

·        Respect the property and belongings of the school and other people

·        Follow the directions of the adult in charge

·        Speak appropriately (inappropriate language and put downs are disrespectful acts and are not tolerated)

·        Behave in a way that does not disrupt the work or the learning of other students.

 Our school rules are simply stated and easy to remember and follow.  All staff members use the same school rules in all areas of the building.  The rules are:

·        Walk and Move Safely

·        Follow Directions

·        Show Respect

·        Keep the School Neat and Clean

RECESS

            Recess is an important part of our elementary school program. It is a time set aside for physical activity and allows for students to develop social skills in a semi-structured setting.  Whenever possible, children go outside for all or a portion of their recess time. Recess offers students a change of pace and an opportunity for physical activity.  Factors such as the outside temperature, wind chill, and the condition of the playground are considered before a decision to cancel outside recess is made. Indoor recess is called when the temperature or wind chill is 20° or below.  Students should arrive at school expecting to be outside for a portion of the day. Dress should be appropriate for coping with the elements. 

Some important things to remember:

·        School rules apply on the playground

·        Toys brought to school for recess should be safe and appropriate

·        For safety reasons, the following are not allowed on the playground: hardballs, baseball bats, hockey/lacrosse sticks, body contact games, snowball throwing, or any games or activities that threaten the physical well-being of the student

·        Radios, tape recorders, ipods, and other electronic/computerized toys are not allowed

·        Skateboards and scooters are not allowed

·        The recess area is for students only during the school day.  Siblings and other children not enrolled at HPS or HUES should not play on the equipment during scheduled recess times as it can become a safety issue

·        Students need to walk carefully within painted lines at the edge of the parking lot at HUES

·        Students must remain within designated playground boundaries. Wooded areas are out of bounds

 Any child not well enough to go out to recess should remain at home unless we have a communication from the child’s physician recommending that s/he remain inside.

Pupil Safety and Bullying/Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy

(In Compliance with RSA193-F)

Please follow the link below to read this new policy:

https://docs.google.com/a/sau41.org/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=c2F1NDEub3JnfGhwc3xneDo2ZmYzNjhiNmZlMDM0OTQ2

Behavior/Conduct of Students

. . . a process of education, remediation and consequences.

            A major developmental task of childhood is the making and keeping of friends. Such a journey is rife with pitfalls and risk. What if no one will sit next to me at lunch? How do I ask if I may join their game? Will my best friend still like me if I let her or him know that I would like to play with someone else, too? Although deeply emotional from the child’s point of view, such issues follow fairly predictable themes (sharing, keeping secrets, and deciding who goes first). These developmental ‘bumps in the road’ represent building blocks which all children must master as they form increasingly complex relationships. The frustration brought on by not yet possessing adequate social skills is a likely source of emotional pain and anger in many childhood disagreements.

            Behaviors which meet different criteria (hurtful, deliberate and persistent) do not carry the same blush of innocence as the developmentally based friendship dispute. Often the motivation appears to the casual observer as “hurtful behavior for the sport of it.”  More likely, the reasons for these harassing behaviors can be found in maladaptive patterns of need fulfillment or modeling by significant others in a child’s life. Such a child is not ‘bad’, but has learned to gain some benefit (attention, power, sense of importance) from seeing another in pain.

            This type of behavior must be stopped promptly because it is a threat to the personal safety of all children whether participants or spectators. Children who live in terror in their heart Will I be the next one to be hurt? are preoccupied with emotional survival and often have little energy left in their school day for learning.

Every student in our school has the right to:

·        feel safe, emotionally and physically

·        learn, work and play without fear of being hurt

·        know belonging, acceptance and friendship

·        expect respect for individual qualities as well as differences

·        ask for help in stopping other's hurtful behavior

·        keep asking for help until the hurtful behavior has stopped

·        learn how to solve problems with others in a way that is helpful, not hurtful

·        be treated politely by others (but … you don't have to be everyone's friend)

 Our schools have a number of strategies which are considered essential to helping students learn to self-advocate, manage their behavior, and accept responsibility for their own behavior and choices. 

·        Children, parents and staff can report or initiate concerns to a School Counselor, Classroom Teacher or Administrator

·        An array of responses are available to staff after observing or receiving notice of unacceptable behavior which is hurtful and deliberate including:

·        Teaching strategies of empowerment to the "victim"

·        Increasing awareness of cause and effect

·        Discussion and a written warning; a 'Response Choice' completed by students

·        Referral to the school counselor for support

·        Parental notification

·        Development of a mediation or ‘no contact’ contract

·        Mandatory meeting with parents

·        Development of support system for children

·        Development and implementation of escalating consequences, until the hurtful behavior ceases.

·        The welfare and safety of both children and sets of children are of concern in every dispute. All efforts to end hurtful behavior are directed in the best interest of the child who is doing the hurting as well as the child who is the victim.

·        Children assign added importance to an issue when they put it and see it in writing.

·        The timing and level of parental involvement is determined on an individual basis.

·        Children are encouraged and taught to be assertive of their own rights rather than have staff ‘do’ the steps for them. Goals are always twofold:

·        To stop the hurtful behavior

·        To teach more adaptive behavior skills to both children

Positive Discipline Pathways to Self-Control:

1. Pathway - Proactive Discipline (creating, modeling, and practicing rules)

Without proactive discipline, the follow-through measures described below will unlikely have lasting effects on students or on the overall school climate. Instead, these measures will continue to be viewed as punishments for student misbehavior rather than as ways to help students regain self-control and refocus on learning. A key to good proactive discipline is establishing a positive relationship between each child and his/her teacher.

2. Pathway  - Reminding and redirecting

When students act inappropriately, teachers and other adults will give students reminders and redirection. Some children will need more than one reminder, but it’s generally more effective to limit the number of reminders.

When misbehavior is flagrant or frequently repeated, it may be appropriate to skip the reminding and redirecting, going directly to “take-a-break” or other pathways instead.

3. Pathway -  Logical Consequences I Take a Break

Logical Consequences: Logical consequences are ways to help fix problems that result from children’s words and actions when they break or forget rules. They are used when it takes more than a simple cue to stop a behavior or fix a problem. Logical consequences help children regain control, reflect on their mistakes, and make amends for them. Logical consequences should be respectful of the child, relevant to the situation, and reasonable.

Logical Consequences:

• “You break it, you fix it” children are expected to fix it if they break something or make a mess, whether intentional or not.

• “Apology of action” is used when a child hurts another through words or actions to solve problems between students.

• Loss of Privilege is the temporary removal of a privilege to help a child understand the connection between privileges and responsibilities.

• “Take a break” in the classroom is a brief time away from the class activity to allow the student to regain self-control.

Take a break: When reminders are ineffective, teachers will tell students to take a brief break to regain self-control. Afterwards, the students will return to the lesson or activity. When the student is productively re-engaged in learning, the teacher may check in briefly to be sure the student understands why the break was necessary. If the student went to “take-a-break” without first given a reminder, the check-in may need to be longer and more detailed.

4. Pathway - Take-a-break in a buddy teacher’s classroom

Sometimes it is easier for children to regain control when they are away from their class. If the student continues to behave inappropriately in take-a-break, the classroom teacher will send the student to buddy teacher’s room. Once the student is resettled and the teacher has a moment, the two will talk together about what caused the problem and how it can be prevented in the future. Student can fill out an age appropriate “think sheet” during time away from classroom. Teachers will use their best judgment to decide if a phone call or written note should be sent home. Teachers will fill out a FYI form and send it to the office.

5. Pathway - Involve the Principal or Assistant Principal

If a student becomes disruptive in the buddy teacher’s room or continues to be disruptive upon returning, the Principal or Assistant Principal will be called to take the student to the office. The student will stay there until the end of the period or until the Principal or Assistant Principal determines that the student is ready to re enter the classroom. The classroom teacher will talk with the child about the incident and welcome the child back to the class. The Principal or Assistant Principal will fill out a discipline form if necessary. If behavior is not disruptive but persistent see Pathway #6.

6. Pathway  -  Develop an individualized behavior management plan or social skills training programs

The previous pathways may not be effective in changing all children’s behavior patterns. In some cases, families, teachers, specialists, and administrators may need to work together to develop an individualized behavior management plan or social skills training program for the child.

Schools are often most concerned with students who need frequent interventions- students who don’t seem to respond to the usual discipline approaches. These children often benefit from direct instruction in social skills, just as children who lack reading skills benefit from extra help in reading. (Two possible programs are Paths and Skillsstreaming).

*A referral is made to the school counselor

7. Pathway - Involve additional assistance

In extreme situations, where a student may be physically out of control, a teacher may remove his/her class from the situation and ask for assistance.  Students will never be sent on their own from a classroom in an extreme situation but will always be escorted by an adult. Adults will not use physical restraint to escort a child unless the physical well-being of a child or adult is threatened. The school will provide several personnel with state-approved training in the use of physical restraint.

** Guidance Forms: If students are in need of support to resolve a conflict, they can be sent to the guidance office or the Guidance Form can be filled out to notify school counselor. School counselor will respond as soon as possible.

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

            In response to input from our parent community, Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled into the school calendar. The conference schedule is outlined each year on the school calendar.  In each instance your child’s classroom teacher will contact you to set up a conference time.  During the first conference, teachers are anxious to learn more about their students from a parent’s perspective and hear of goals parents feel are appropriate for the current school year. Teachers also discuss their plans and goals and share observations of your child in a school setting.  The second conference period is an opportunity to reflect on the school year thus far, revisit goals talked about previously and plan for the rest of the year.  Your attendance and input at each conference is very important to us.

Some helpful hints for Parent Teacher conferences:

·        Start thinking about questions before the conference. One way to get ideas is by talking to your son or daughter. A question you might ask is how s/he feels about school and her/his own abilities.

·        Some basic questions you might ask a staff member include:

How is my child doing in class?

What are his/her strengths?

Is s/he having any problems?

How can I/our family help at home?

How well does my child work independently and in a group?

Are school work and homework assignments being completed as expected?

·        Let the teacher and staff know your concerns

Whatever the purpose of your meeting, you need to discuss your concerns with staff.  It is very difficult, if not impossible, to address concerns you may have if they are not brought to the attention of your child's teacher or guidance counselor.  If, for instance, your child doesn’t seem to get along with other students or your child seems uninterested in schoolwork, let your child's teacher or guidance counselor know this so s/he can work with you to address your concerns and those of your child.

·        Work through disagreements

When your child is hurting, we hurt. Disappointment over grades and problems in school is a natural reaction.  If a child comes home very upset, his/her emotions can color the explanation of incidents at school. Take the time to help your child share the problem accurately and then clarify your understanding by discussing the incident with the appropriate teacher. By remaining calm until you have all the information, you can avoid a situation, which causes a strain in the home-school partnership. If for some reason the issue is not resolved through discussion with your child’s teacher, discuss the matter with the building administration.

Please don’t feel like you must wait for a problem to contact your child’s teacher. In fact, teachers appreciate it when you make an effort to write or call them. The key is to establish an early positive relationship with your child’s teacher so that it is easier for you to talk with and understand each other if a real concern does arise. To contact a child’s teacher, please send a note asking the teacher to call, or leave a message with the office secretary. Teachers and classroom schedules are not interrupted during the school day for phone calls, however the  teacher will return your call as soon as possible. Sometimes this may mean that, due to prior commitments, the teacher will not be able to return your phone call until the next day. We encourage you to contact the teacher as soon as questions or concerns arise.

COMMUNICATION CHAIN

      Parent questions and concerns should first be directed to the classroom teacher. Your child’s teacher has the most contact and, therefore, knowledge about your child and what occurs in school on a daily basis. Arrange for a conference through a phone call to the office as noted above, so that both you and your child’s teacher have the opportunity to openly share information. You may also want to schedule some type of follow up meeting or conversation to further understand how your concerns are being addressed. If a concern remains after these contacts, or if there is a concern outside the realm of the classroom, please notify the classroom teacher of your intent to contact other appropriate staff (school counselor or administration) for assistance in handling a particular situation or problem. A meeting or conversation may then be scheduled to further review your concern. Meetings with administration will often include the classroom teacher to facilitate resolution of an issue. In those rare instances where the issue is still not resolved, parents may choose to bring the concern or question to the attention of the Superintendent of Schools.

ATTENDANCE/TRUANCY

            We would like to reinforce the importance of time-on-task learning for all children. The Hollis Elementary Schools have always considered consistent and regular student attendance as one of the most important factors for helping your children reach their potential. We ask you to make every effort to have children at school on time each day they are in good health and to refrain from having your children released early.

As much as we would like to see every student have perfect attendance, we ask that you please not send your child to school if s/he is sick. We have over 600 children in our schools and the flu, strep throat, etc. can easily be spread during the school day. If your child is not feeling well, please do not send him/her to school to "see if s/he can make it". We strive to provide a healthy environment for all our students and need your help in this endeavor.

MONITORING OF ATTENDANCE/TARDINESS/EARLY DISMISSALS

Student absences, tardiness, and early dismissals are part of the official attendance records, which are required by the State of New Hampshire. If your child is frequently tardy or dismissed early, progress and achievement are affected due to loss of time on learning. Tardiness and early dismissals also affect all students in a class, as they are disruptive to the classroom activity. Children who report to school after 10:15AM will be considered absent for the morning session.  Likewise, students who are dismissed before 1:30 PM will be considered absent for the afternoon session.  Please make good attendance a priority. The administration closely monitors absences, tardiness, and early dismissals.  Attendance records of all children; inclusive of absences, tardies, or early dismissals are reviewed and you may received a letter from school administration.  Students with 5 full or 10 half days of unexcused absences are considered truant under State of NH RSA 189:35-a and may received a letter from school administration. 

REPORTING STUDENT ABSENCE

PRIMARY SCHOOL – 465-3305

UPPER ELEMENTARY – 465-6572

Both school buildings have a designated telephone line to use to report a student’s absence.  Each morning the list of absent students is compared with the list of phone calls or notes we have received concerning student absences.  When a student is absent without a call or note from home, a school nurse will phone parents to verify that the student is safe at home.

Telephone lines to report absences are available 24 hours a day so you may call whenever you know your child will be absent or tardy. Please call the appropriate school before 8:30 A.M. (or 12:30 P.M. for afternoon kindergarten students) and leave a short message including your child’s name, grade and reason for the absence. Example: "Sue Smith, grade 2, will be out today. She has a bad cold." You must call every day your child is absent unless you specify the dates your child will be out. Example: "Sue Smith, grade 2, will be out November 1^st through the 10^th. She will be recuperating from her recent operation." Please also call when you know your child will be tardy. Knowing that a student will be late because of a dentist appointment or other scheduled event saves us the worry of a child not appearing at school and there being no answer at home.

Hollis School Board Policy JH defines an excused absence. Please use the link below to visit the Hollis School Board's Policy Website. Should the link not take you directly to the JH policy, type JH in the search box and you'll be redirected there.

(Policy JH http://policy.ctspublish.com/hollis-nhsba/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-hit-h.htm&2.0)

The school board considers the following to be excused absences: 

·        Illness

·        Recovery from an accident

·        Required court attendance

·        Medical and dental appointments

·        Death in the immediate family

·        Observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday

·        Such other good cause as may be acceptable to the Principal or permitted by law

Any absence that has not been excused for any of these reasons will be considered an unexcused absence.

Please note the following important attendance related procedural requirements at HPS/HUES: 

Please direct any attendance related questions to building administration.   

MISSED WORK DURING ABSENCE

When absent, student’s miss the entire teaching/learning experience presented by staff, not merely the assignments completed.  Parents are requested to plan family trips/vacations to coincide with school vacations. It is not possible for teachers to prepare work ahead of time for students to complete while on vacation. Should parents still choose to have their child(ren) miss an extended period of school, it is recommended that they deepen the educational benefits of the vacation or trip by requiring that a daily journal be kept and shared with the classroom teacher upon the student’s return to school. This journal would be most beneficial if it contained a variety of illustrations and information on the culture and monetary systems of places visited, personal interviews, historical perspectives, etc.

Teachers make every effort to review with students the concepts and curriculum covered during an absence. Parents are encouraged to check with their child and his/her teacher to understand if there are specific assignments or work that needs to be made up so that their child does not fall behind. As students progress in age and grade level, more responsibility for this should be expected and given to the student.

 STUDENT EARLY DISMISSAL PROCEDURE

·        Regular dismissal time for students is 3:05 at the Primary School and 3:12 at the Upper Elementary.

·        Early dismissals are discouraged and should not occur on a regular basis. It is important that your child complete a full day in school. The end of the school day is an important time for students. Teachers review the school day, complete lessons and/or review assignments. Repeated early dismissals send the wrong message about the importance of school.

·        If there is a valid reason for your child to be dismissed early, please send a note with your child clearly indicating the time of dismissal and the name of the person who will be picking up your child.

·        When you arrive to pick up your child, please do not park in the Fire Lane or other ‘No Parking’ areas.  Report directly to the office to sign your child out.

·        DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS, PARENTS MAY NOT GO DIRECTLY TO CLASSROOMS TO PICK UP STUDENTS.

·        Students will not be dismissed without clearance from the office. Any last minute changes to a student’s dismissal plans must be made prior to 2:00 PM. All changes must be made by phone or by FAX if you call the office first. There are many factors that influence timely receipt of e-mails, therefore e-mail changes will NOT be accepted.

·        In all instances of early dismissal, parents must sign the dismissal log.

CARPOOL PROCEDURE

We encourage all parents to allow their children to ride the school bus to and from school.  This facilitates both the entrance and dismissal of students and ensures that your child will not miss instructional time. The safety of our students and school buses is our first priority during carpool times. Please be aware of the following:

All NH traffic rules and laws pertaining to school buses remain in force on school property. The Chief of Police in Hollis supports our need to have these laws followed precisely. The license plate number of any car not in compliance with these rules will be reported to the Chief for further action. School buses always have the right of way on school property and should never be passed. Passing school buses when they are loading or unloading students is against the law whether in front of our schools or on public or private roads. Driveways in front of the schools are one-way loops. Please do not drive the wrong way or pass buses in front of the school to save yourself a few minutes. It may end up being more costly than we want to think about.

 Carpool lines have been set up to ensure the safe dismissal of all students being picked up by automobile.  Discharge or pick up of students while buses are being loaded or discharged is not allowed.  We urge parents to allow their children to ride the bus to and from school whenever possible.  Please use the carpool alternative only on an occasional need basis.

Always expect the unexpected from children entering or exiting a school bus. We all know that there are basic safety rules in place for these procedures, but it takes just one child, one forgetful or playful moment, to have a tragedy occur. Once a school bus begins to load or unload students it CANNOT be passed. This is particularly germane to the carpool at the Upper Elementary, which uses the same driveway as the school buses.

We ask that you drive defensively and model driving courtesy and respect when you participate in one of our carpools. This can be one of the most stressful times in the day for our staff, students and you, but it needn’t be if we all understand the limitations of driving children to school.  Please remember, we do provide bus transportation for all students and urge you to allow your children to take advantage of this service.

Carpool is not a game of “Beat the Buses.”  Your first concern cannot be being late for an appointment or a job. This is a time to safely and appropriately have your child(ren) begin or end their school day and it may take longer than you would like. Please take as little time as possible greeting or saying good-byes when it’s your turn to drop off or pick up your child(ren). Long hellos, good-byes and instructions can/should be taken care of before or after arrival at the school door. The car in front of you may take more time than you think necessary to drop off or pick up their child(ren) . Patience is the virtue needed here. Please stay in line! At the Primary School you may be stopped to allow the buses to move from the Primary to the Upper to unload or pick up students there. This will mean that you may wait longer than you would like.

Please make two lines behind the Primary School for the carpool lane. Drivers who will also be picking up students at the Upper Elementary should occupy the lane on the right. This allows these cars to safely take the right hand turn onto Drury Lane. The left-hand lane should be used for those cars that will not proceed to the Upper Elementary and will exit left onto Drury Lane. Please minimize space between cars as you wait for students to enter or disembark your cars. There is only a finite length to our Primary carpool lane before it begins to interfere with the flow of traffic on Rte. 122.  DO NOT fill the entrance to the carpool lane at the Primary School to the point where entrance to our property is no longer available to buses.  Our larger buses need to utilize that entire portion of the driveway entrance to turn into the front driveway in preparation for drop off or pick up of students.  DO NOT block Rte. 122. If you are unable to pull into the school property because of limited space, please pull over to the side of Rte. 122 so that non-school traffic may pass and late buses can enter the school property.

Please be polite and courteous to other drivers in our carpools. They, too, are concerned about safety and time. They, too, have children to pick up, errands to run, and schedules to keep.  Cell phones can be distracting while driving and we encourage you to be “hands free” if using a cell phone during car pool times or refrain from using a cell phone during drop-off or pick-up times. 

Walkers – HUES does have a few students who walk to and from school…please watch extra carefully for these students.  For safety purposes, students may not walk to the HPS parking lot area after school.  Parents are to meet their children on Drury Lane if asking them to walk down for pick up.  Students who are walking are dismissed after busses leave the parking lot area.

PARENTAL VISITS/APPOINTMENTS AND PARKING

Parents are always welcomed and encouraged to visit our schools to volunteer or become familiar with opportunities to enhance our students’ educational experience, join their child(ren) at lunch, discuss services available and/or become acquainted with staff members. Please call the office to schedule a visit with a teacher, a school counselor, or an administrator. 

Parking lots at each school are closely regulated for your child’s safety.  When accessing the area please:

·        Obey all traffic and no parking signs.  Pay particular attention to fire lanes and one-way driveways.

·        Park only in designated areas.  The entire front of the parking lot at HPS and the first parking lot across from the playground on Drury Lane are reserved for staff parking only.  Visitor parking for HPS is located a short distance down Drury Lane on the right hand side of the road.  HUES visitors are welcome to park in any open spaces in front of HUES or in the parking area on Drury Lane.

·        Note that the speed limit on all school property is 5MPH.

·        During winter weather, please exercise extra care when driving on school grounds.

Thank you for your continued cooperation! This ensures the safety of all of our students!  J

TELEPHONE/CELL PHONE USE BY STUDENTS

Students are permitted to use the phone in the office only with staff supervision and permission. Students are not allowed to receive phone calls during school hours. Emergency messages will be relayed to students through teacher notification. We ask that you phone to leave a message only in an emergency or unexpected situation.

We understand that many students have cell phones to stay in touch with their families before and after school hours. Should students have a cell phone that comes to school they are required to keep their cell phones off and put away in their lockers during school hours.  At no time will any student operate a cellular phone or other electronic device with video capabilities in a locker room, bathroom, or other location where such operation may violate the privacy right of another person.  Inappropriate use will result in the cell phone being held in the office until dismissal time.

SCHOOL CANCELLATION PROCEDURE

            Schools will be open during stormy weather unless it is considered too dangerous for students to commute to school. In the event of stormy or questionable weather, please keep tuned to the listed radio and television stations for school information. The decision to keep school open, delay opening, cancel or close school for the day is made by the Superintendent of Schools in collaboration with the police and highway departments. It is not a decision that is made quickly or lightly. We prefer that school be in session as scheduled, but understand that weather conditions may be such that student safety would be compromised. In the event of a major snowstorm, schools may be canceled as early as 6:00 A.M.  You will receive an Alert Now message from our Superintendent to your home phone number of any cancellation or delay of school. 

Announcements of school closing are also broadcast on the following radio and television stations. 

DELAYED OPENINGS

            If weather conditions are stormy at 6:00 A.M. but are expected to improve by mid-morning, a delayed school opening will be announced on the same radio and television stations as no-school announcements.  You will also receive an Alert Now message on your home phone number.

On a delayed opening:

·        Schools will open two (2) hours after the regular starting time.  HPS opens at 10:23 and HUES opens at 10:30

·        Bus pick-ups will also be delayed two hours

·        The A.M. session of BOTH PRESCHOOL AND Kindergarten will be canceled, EDK students will arrive on the 2-hour delay schedule.

·        Hot lunch will be served as usual

·        Grades K - 6 will be dismissed at the regular time

If weather conditions do not improve as forecast, the delayed opening may be changed to a "No-School" announcement. This change will be announced over local stations and via Alert Now prior to 8:30 A.M.  

EMERGENCY EARLY RELEASE PROCEDURE

            The Superintendent of Schools in collaboration with the Bus Contractor, local Police and the highway department also determine if an early dismissal from school due to inclement weather is appropriate. When it has been determined that children will be dismissed early, the same radio and television stations will be notified.  Parents should tune to radio/television stations if weather is stormy and they are concerned about whether school might be dismissed. This occurs very infrequently and only as the result of an unexpected storm and road conditions that are determined to be increasingly dangerous.  Quite often the highway department will advise the Superintendent of Schools that it is safer for students to remain in school until normal dismissal time. This often allows the highway department time to plow and/or treat road surfaces.

            As soon as a decision for early dismissal is made we begin to implement the emergency plan that was developed by you and your child in September.  Because of the limited number of phone lines it is impossible for us to call families of our students from school to inform them of an early dismissal. Therefore, we urge you to review the plan you developed for your children (each fall your plan is updated) to follow should school be dismissed early.  The emergency plans take precedence over any other arrangement for that day – including play dates and other plans made for that particular day. 

KINDERGARTEN CANCELLATION PROCEDURE

            Morning sessions or kindergarten are cancelled when school is delayed and the EDK program will arrive after the 2-hour delay. The afternoon sessions of kindergarten will be canceled when the forecast indicates inclement afternoon weather would negatively impact road conditions. This decision is usually made between 10:00 and 11:00 AM. The same radio and television stations will broadcast the cancellation. Please watch your television if the weather is worsening. The information is given to the radio and television stations at the same time the schools are notified of the decision.

REGISTRATION, WITHDRAWAL, and RECORDS

            New students are registered at the appropriate school office. To enroll a student the following are required:

·        An original birth certificate (a copy will be made and the original returned to the parent)

·        Proof of residency (driver’s license, tax bill, etc.)

·        Signed release of records from previous schools

·        Copy of Immunization Record

·        Copy of physical exam within previous 12 months

·        Completion of student emergency card and additional forms provided by the school office

Records of school progress, test data, and health issues are maintained for each student. Parents are at liberty to review these records and may do so by making an appointment with the Guidance Counselor.

            We ask parents who plan to move or transfer their children to a new school to notify the office and the classroom teacher at least one week in advance so that forms can be promptly processed. Once a release of records has been signed, student records will be forwarded by mail to the new school.

STUDENT HEALTH

            The school nurse has the authority to exclude from school any child who appears to have an infectious condition. When the onset of illness occurs during the day, it is important for parents to be available to pick students up.   Students will be dismissed only to a parent or designated adult.

            If a student is absent because of illness but is able to complete some schoolwork, parents may call the school office and request materials and assignments be readied for them to pick up at the school office. If this request is made prior to 11:00 a.m. these materials may be available on the day of the request, depending on the teacher's schedule. Otherwise, materials and work will be available the following day.  Teachers cannot talk with parents or prepare work during instructional class time.

            No student will be excused from gym or recess unless a directive is received from the student's physician to the effect that due to recent illness or injury the student should not participate in either or both activities.

MEDICATION

            In order to have medication administered to students during school hours, permission forms must be completed and medication must be given to the school nurse in the original prescription container or original package with completed Parental Permission and Physician’s Permission forms.  Only the nurse or her designee will administer medication. Most medications are kept locked except for Epipens and inhalers.  These items need to be accessed quickly in an emergency situation.  Students are not allowed to keep medication on their person or to self-administer medications without the express knowledge and permission of their physician and school nurse.

            The nurse or classroom teacher is responsible for handling school-related emergencies. They are not responsible for accidents that happen outside of school hours or off school grounds. Information concerning where parents can be reached, work phone numbers, an emergency number and the family physician’s number must be available. This information will be requested on emergency forms provided parents.

IMPORTANT – EMERGENCY FORMS MUST CONTAIN CURRENT INFORMATION AND BE KEPT UP-TO-DATE.

FOOD ALLERGIES

Peanut and Nut allergies are beginning to increase in our schools as they have in other schools across the nation.  In some instances, these allergies can be life threatening.  We ask you to refrain from using peanut butter or nuts in baked goods you send to school to be shared with others.  Additionally, parents of students in designated nut-safe active classrooms will not be allowed to send any snacks or foods containing peanuts or nuts to be consumed in their child’s classroom, even when the snack won’t be shared.  Your cooperation is needed in this important matter and is greatly appreciated.  Please refer to our Life Threatening Allergies Procedures Manual for complete details. 

HOLLIS school district and the law

The Hollis School District complies with all applicable Federal and State laws. Four federal laws, and two State laws important to mention here are: the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”), 29 U.S.C. § 794,  the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.SC. § 12132 et seq, the Child Protection Act, RSA 196-C:1, et seq., and the Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Act, RSA 193-F:1 et seq.  Brief information concerning these laws follows.  Additional information is available through numerous government sources and through the schools.

FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) affords parents and students over 18 years of age certain rights with respect to the student’s education record.  These rights include:

The office that administers FERPA is:  Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920

For additional information on FERPA, see U.S. Department of Education Summary of FERPA, http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

Additional information can also be found in the District’s Annual Notification of Rights under FERPA, which is available at: which is available on the SAU 41 and all the SAU 41 school building websites.

Child Find Notice: CHILDREN with DISABILITIES

UNDER IDEA OR SECTION 504 and the ADA

It is the policy of the Hollis School District to generate public awareness of the rights of students with disabilities and to ensure that all students with disabilities are referred to the School District.  All referrals will be directed to the School Principal/Assistant Principal and the child’s parent or guardian will be notified of any referral.

The Hollis School District provides special education, related services and accommodations to eligible children with disabilities who reside within the District. Hollis desires to identify, locate, and provide notice of its responsibilities to every qualified child with disabilities in its jurisdiction, including children who are homeless, who are wards of the state, and who are being home-schooled.  Hollis also seeks to identify and locate children with disabilities attending private schools located within the District.

If you suspect that your child or any child living within the boundaries of these school districts, ages 0 through 21, is or might be a student with disabilities, please contact the Coordinator listed below.

The District works with you to evaluate your child, determine if he or she qualifies for special education or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or is a qualified person with a disability under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and to provide a free, appropriate public education to your child to the extent he or she is eligible under these laws.  Upon request, the District will provide you with a detailed notice of your procedural safeguards under the applicable law(s). 

If you have questions, would like more information, or wish to make a referral, please contact:

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Primary School

36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049

465-2260

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Upper Elementary School

12 Drury Lane

Hollis, NH 03049

465-9182

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Under New Hampshire law, RSA 186-C:16-b, if you want to bring an action to enforce state or federal special education laws – including those involving identification, evaluation, determination of disability, individualized education programs, placement, or the provision of a free, appropriate education for your child – you must request an impartial due process hearing from the department of education within two years of the date you discovered or reasonably should have discovered the alleged violation.  If you want to bring an action to recover the costs of a unilateral special education placement, you must request an impartial due process hearing within 90 days of the unilateral placement.  If you have not been given proper notice of your special education rights, including the time limitations, these limitations shall run from the time such notice is properly given.  Failure to comply with these timelines could result in the loss of your right to bring these actions.

If you wish to file a complaint regarding with the New Hampshire Department of Education, your must do so within one year of the date the alleged violation occurred.  Ed 1121.01(b).

Other limitations periods apply to claims and complaints under Section 504, FERPA, the ADA, and other laws. 

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT

In 1975, Congress enacted the law now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”).  This law was reauthorized in 1977, 1997, 2000 and 2004 and is intended to ensure that a free, appropriate public education is available to all eligible children from ages 3 to 21 with disabilities.

The law establishes a two-prong eligibility standard.  Special education and related services are available to eligible children with disabilities who, by reason of their disability, need special education and related services.  Once a child is found eligible, a team including the child’s parents and representatives of the public education system develops an individualized education program (IEP) or individualized family service plan (IFSP) that includes the services and supports necessary to meet each child’s unique needs.  The Hollis School District fully complies with this law.  For more information or to initiate a referral for your child, contact:

School Principal/Assistant Principal or Special Education Coordinator

Hollis Primary School

36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049

465-2260

School Principal/Assistant Principal or Special Education Coordinator

Hollis Upper Elementary School

12 Drury Lane

Hollis, NH 03049

465-9182

A copy of the procedural safeguards under the IDEA can be found at the New Hampshire Department of Education website:

 http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/instruction/SpecialEd/Memos/documents/ProceduralSafeguards122308.pdf

SECTION 504 of the REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is an anti -discrimination statute.  In the educational system, it prohibits districts from discriminating against qualified students with disabilities, on the basis of disability.  It is the policy of the Hollis School District not to discriminate on the basis of disability in its educational programs, activities or employment polices.  Section 504 requires the School District to locate, evaluate and determine if a student is a qualified individual requiring accommodations and services necessary to provide access to educational programs.  For more information, please see the Child Find Notice: Children with Disabilities under IDEA or Section 504 and the ADA, above.

The Assistant Principals and guidance counselors at each building are designated as the Section 504 Coordinators.  They may be contacted at:

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Primary School

36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049

465-2260

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Upper Elementary School

12 Drury Lane

Hollis, NH 03049

465-9182

Parents, guardians, or students eighteen years of age or older, who disagree with the decisions reached by school personnel regarding eligibility under Section 504, or accommodations and services necessary for access to educational programming and/or facilities, may either file a grievance in accord with the Section 504/ADA Grievance Procedure by notifying the school principal in writing, requesting a Section 504 impartial hearing, filing suit in federal court (please note that you may be required to exhaust administrative remedies prior to taking this action), or filing a complaint with the United States Department of Education, Boston Office, Office for Civil Rights, 33 Arch Street, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02110-1491.

SECTION 504/ADA, TITLE II GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

The Hollis School District has an internal grievance procedure providing for the  prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).

Both Section 504 and the ADA prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability.

Complaints should be addressed to the respective building principal who has been designated to coordinate Section 504/ADA compliance efforts within their respective buildings.  Contact information is set forth at the end of these procedures.

1. A complaint must be filed in writing, contain the name and address of the person filing it, describe the alleged discriminatory action and identify the date the action occurred and the names(s) of the person(s) believed to be responsible, as well as recommendations for the resolution.

2. A complaint must be filed within a reasonable time period after the complainant becomes aware of the alleged discrimination. The complainant shall informally discuss the complaint, in person, with the building principal or at the principal’s discretion, with the 504 building committee.

3. Unless the matter can be promptly resolved informally, an investigation will be conducted with respect to all timely filed complaints which raise issues under Section 504/Title II. The investigation shall be conducted by the building principal, or an alternate SAU 41 principal, and the 504 building committee. These rules contemplate informal but thorough and impartial investigations, affording all interested persons and their representatives, if any, an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to a complaint.

4. A written determination as to the conclusion of the investigation and a description of the resolution, if any, shall be issued by the building principal or assignee and a copy forwarded to the complainant no later than forty-five days after the building principal receives the written complaint (unless the complainant provides written permission for extension of time for said investigation.)

5. The Section 504/ADA coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the Hollis School relating to the complaints filed.

6. The complainant can request a reconsideration of the case in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution. The request for reconsideration should be made in writing, to the School Principal, within twenty days of receipt of the written determination.

7. Upon receiving a request for reconsideration of any decision involving the student’s identification under Section 504 or the ADA, or the evaluation or placement of a qualified student with a disability, the school district will schedule an impartial hearing.  The district will select an impartial hearing officer, and the hearing shall be conducted within a reasonable time after the District receives a written request for a hearing.  The Section 504 Coordinator shall provide the party requesting the hearing with advance written notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing. 

8. The complainant shall have an opportunity to review all relevant records.  Both parties shall have a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the request.  Both parties may, at their own expense, be represented by an attorney.   If the complainant will be represented by counsel, he or she must notify the Section 504 Coordinator, in writing, at least 5 days prior to the hearing. 

9. The hearing officer will issue a written decision within a reasonable time period after the hearing.  The hearing officer’s decision shall be based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing, and must include a summary of the evidence and the reasons for the decision.

10. Any party may appeal the final decision of the impartial hearing officer to a court of competent jurisdiction.

11. The right of a person to a prompt and equitable resolution of the complaint filed hereunder shall not be impaired by the person’s pursuit of other remedies such as the filing of a Section 504 or ADA complaint with U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights or the NH Department of Education. Utilization of this grievance procedure is not the prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.

12. These procedures shall be construed to protect the substantive rights of interested persons, to meet appropriate due process standards, and to ensure that Hollis School District complies with Section 504, Title II, and their implementing regulations.

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Primary School

36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049

465-2260

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Upper Elementary School

12 Drury Lane

Hollis, NH 03049

465-9182

NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS UNDER SECTION 504 AND THE ADA

The Hollis School District does not discriminate on the basis of disability in their programs and activities.

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), an individual with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. The district is obligated to provide a free, appropriate public education to each child eligible under these laws.

In accordance with Section 504 and the ADA, you, as the parent or guardian, are entitled to receive the following procedural safeguards in relation to your child:

A.                 You have the right to receive a copy of this notice with notification of any district action regarding identification, evaluation or placement of a student pursuant to Section 504. This includes any time that the district intends to screen, evaluate or reevaluate, make changes in classification, placement or any component of the child’s free, appropriate public education (“FAPE”), or upon refusal to act on any parental request.   

B.                 If your child needs or is believed to need special education or related services, you have the right to an evaluation of your child (1) before the initial placement, and (2) before any subsequent significant change in placement.

C.                You have the right to an opportunity to examine all relevant records for your child.

D.                You have the right to an impartial hearing, with participation by you and representation by counsel, concerning the identification, evaluation or educational placement of your child.

E.                 You have the right to appeal the final decision of the impartial hearing officer to a court of competent jurisdiction.

The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Primary School

36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049

465-2260

School Principal/Assistant Principal

Hollis Upper Elementary School

12 Drury Lane

Hollis, NH 03049

465-9182

The Procedural Safeguards Notice will be distributed to parents or guardians as follows:

A.  Whenever the district takes any action regarding identification, evaluation or placement of a student pursuant to Section 504.  This includes any time that the district intends to screen, evaluate or reevaluate, make changes in classification, placement or any component of the child’s FAPE, or upon refusal to act on any parental request. 

B.  Annually, for all students who (1) have refused services and are attending private schools, home schooling programs, or regular education classes; (2) have dropped out of school; or (3) have been identified as 504 eligible.

NONDISCRIMINATION AND NOTIFICATION OF GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

It is the policy of the Hollis School Board and School District not to discriminate in education programs, activities, or employment practices on the basis of race, language, sex, age, creed, color, marital status, national origin or disability status, under the provisions of Title VI and Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, as amended in 2004.

Inquiries concerning implementation of 504, Title VI, Title IX and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act may be directed to the School Principal, the Superintendent of Schools, 4 Lund Lane, PO Box 1588, Hollis, NH 03049, the United States Department of Education, Boston Office, Office for Civil Rights, 33 Arch Street, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02110-1491, the NH Commission for Human Rights, 2 Chenell Dr., Concord, NH 03301-8501 or the Special Education Bureau, NH Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301-3860.

Grievance procedures are available which provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging violations of Titles VI and IX, Section 504, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  Grievance procedures may be obtained at a school or SAU office.  It is also the policy of the Hollis School Board and School District that all employees and students in the school district should be able to work and study in an environment that is free of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment.

CHILD NEGLECT AND ABUSE

Because of their sustained contact with school-age students, school employees are often in a position to identify abused or neglected students and to refer them for treatment and protection.

To comply with the Child Protection Act (RSA: 169-C:1, et. seq.), it is the policy of the Hollis School District that any employee who suspects that a student has been abused or neglected shall file a report to the Division of Children and Youth Services in accord with RSA 169-C:29-30.  Under RSA 169-C:31, school personnel who in good faith make a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, have immunity from any liabilities, civil or criminal.  The good faith of the reporter is presumed.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Additional information is available at:

United States Department of Justice, A Guide to Disability Rights Laws, http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm

United States Department of Education, Summary of FERPA, http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

SMOKE FREE SCHOOLS

            It is the policy of the Hollis School Board that smoking and other use of tobacco products shall be prohibited in accordance with RSAs 78:1, XIV and 78:12-b, II as amended June 20, 1991.  Smoking is prohibited in all school buildings at all times, on all school district vehicles, including buses at all times, and on all school grounds effective January 1, 1997.

            Further, possession of tobacco products by anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited on all school property and vehicles including buses, at all times, in accordance with RSAs 78:1, XIV and 78:12-b, II as amended June 20, 1991.

            Players, coaches, trainers, managers and anyone officially participating in an athletic event shall be prohibited from smoking or using other tobacco products during practice sessions or games.

DRUG FREE SCHOOLS

            It is the policy of the Hollis School Board to discourage and prevent the unlawful possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees as mandated by PL 101-226.

LUNCH PROGRAM  

            Our schools serve meals everyday as part of the state and federally funded Child Nutrition Program. All meals served must meet guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture. In order to receive additional federal funds, our schools must document the number of children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, after school snacks, or milk. Guidelines and applications for free or reduced price meals are sent home with every student at the beginning of the year. Snacks are also available for purchase with costs varying between ten cents and a dollar.  Parents may limit the number of snacks their child(ren) may purchase on any one day by calling the school and speaking with Amy Cassidy, our Cafeteria Supervisor.

             All students in grades 1-6, AND EXTENDED K STUDENTS are able to purchase lunch and are assigned a student ID # upon entering grade K /1 or enrolling for the first time from another grade.  This number is also used in the library and remains with a student during his/her years from grades K-6.  The Hollis Lunch Program is based on a PREPAY system.  Money (in the form of cash, check or money order) is held on account and applied to daily purchases through the use of student lunch cards, which are provided to your child upon payment to their account.  Please make checks payable to Hollis Hot Lunch.  We are able to accept one check for siblings within the same building, but our computerized system will not allow us to accept one check to be split between siblings at different schools.  Rest assured that if your child tells us that he/she forgot his/her lunch, and does not have any money in his/her account, a lunch will be provided for your child.  Please remit payment the next day to avoid receiving a negative balance letter.  Negative and low balance letters are sent home weekly.  We encourage you to open an account online at https://www.mylunchmoney.com/ .  This allows families to prepay lunch accounts with debit and credit cards and personalize food purchasing for their children.  Of course checks can be sent in as well.  All monies are put onto your child’s lunch account.  These funds may be used for snack purchases, milk purchases along with lunch purchases. 

            Please feel free to call the cafeteria for your child’s balance or to request an account history. You can also check the lunch menus at the following website:  http://www.sau41.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=6

            At HUES, students are able to purchase a breakfast meal instead of just a snack should you need to use this service.  We know that bodies that are fueled well work and think well!  J

ACCOUNT BALANCES/LATE and LOST MATERIALS

            Student lunch accounts should not carry a balance, however, at times we do understand that funds get low or parents are busy and forget to add money to the account.  Notices are sent out each week to all students who are in need of additional funds on their lunch accounts. At HUES, sixth grade students who still have a lunch account balance due before the end of the school year will not be able to participate in end of year activities such as field trips nor receive final report cards until this balance is paid in full. 

            The Hollis School District expects that any students who have missing or lost materials such as textbooks or library books pay for replacement materials before leaving for the summer.  This is especially important for our grade six students who are moving on to another district. At HUES, sixth grade students who still have missing materials before the end of the school year will not be able to participate in end of year activities such as field trips nor receive final report cards until materials are found or funds are received to replace the missing materials. 

HOLIDAYS

            The School Board supports the study and appreciation of the artistic and cultural aspects of holidays of a religious nature. When such events are planned, including choral and orchestral music, they are implemented in accordance with the following provisions:

·        There will be no attempt to persuade, or involve students in a religious observance

·        Teachers will emphasize the artistic and cultural aspect of the holiday and be sensitive to the feelings of students and parents who may not celebrate a particular holiday or holidays

·        When the study of religious holidays is appropriate to the instructional program, teachers will emphasize respect, appreciation and understanding the beliefs of others as the primary instructional reason for the inclusion of these studies.

·        No students or teachers will be required to participate in any such event if it is contrary to their convictions.

PARTIES

            Teachers often elicit assistance in planning classroom celebrations from room parents.  Our focus will continue to be on healthier foods along with some traditional favorites. 

LOST AND FOUND

            Children’s outer clothing, footwear and lunch boxes should be clearly marked with first and last names. Lost & Found areas exist at each school.   Misplaced articles are placed in the Cafeteria at HUES or in the hallway NEAR THE CAFETERIA AT HPS.  At the end of each trimester and prior to school vacation periods, unclaimed articles are donated to a local charity.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

            Textbooks and essential instructional materials are funded through the school budget and are loaned to students.  Students are held responsible for the loss of textbooks and materials or for damages beyond normal wear.  Parents are notified of the replacement price for lost or damaged books or materials and are asked to submit a check to the school for the requested amount.

USE/RENTAL OF SCHOOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS

            The Principal is directly responsible for the rental and use of facilities to out-of-school groups or organizations. Use of Facility Forms must be completed and approved prior to use. Forms are available in each school office. A cafeteria staff person must be present (or their designee) whenever the use of a school kitchen is required. Any group utilizing the kitchen will be required to pay the staff member a set hourly fee.  A more complete outline of procedures, policies and fees relating to the use of the buildings and grounds is available in school and SAU offices.

DISCIPLINE

            Prerequisites to effective instruction are preparation, organization, order and discipline. We believe in the disciplined caring of our students. Therefore, there exists a set of reasonable school and classroom regulations by which all students are expected to abide. Our teachers are knowledgeable regarding age-appropriate behavior that can reasonably be expected from children. Each teacher is also responsible for maintaining classroom discipline and appropriate behavior by their students in other areas of the school. Most discipline problems are handled by the classroom teacher in concert with the parents.

            We also clearly communicate to all students that violence is not acceptable. We teach students how to settle conflicts without resorting to violence and do not tolerate harassment or bullying. Our approach is intended to teach both the victim and the aggressor more appropriate reactions to difficult situations. We will take any threat of violence seriously and will respond to verbal taunts or threats with appropriate consequences. These consequences will vary depending on the age and understanding of the student, but the excuses, “Everybody says that” or “I didn’t really mean that I’d do that” are not acceptable. Consequences may range from discussions with administration, referral to a school counselor and loss of privileges, to suspension from school. Weapons of any form, whether toy or real, are prohibited from the school, the school bus, and the school grounds.  It is our intention to fairly administer all procedures and consequences dealing with issues of security and safety. Schools are for children.   Your children and the children of other families must have every opportunity to learn in a safe environment.

            Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner reflecting a sense of responsibility, good citizenship, and consideration for the rights of others. The school will not tolerate rudeness or violence in any form. Should student action necessitate referral to the office, a Discipline Referral Form will be used to inform the Administration of the nature of the infraction. The Administration will provide appropriate action based on a review of the situation.

            Administration is responsible for establishing or approving general school and classroom rules and regulations. They serve as a resource to both teachers and parents in improving student behavior. In instances where the teacher and/or parent have been unable to effect a positive change, the Administration will become more directly involved in the disciplinary process.

            For persistent disregard of the rules of the school, the Principal may recommend action under the conditions of RSA 193:13 Suspension and Dismissal of Student(s) to the Superintendent of Schools.  The Superintendent, or a representative as designated in writing, is authorized to suspend student(s) from school for gross misconduct. Where there is a suspension lasting beyond five school days, the parent or guardian has the right to appeal any such suspension to the local board.  Any suspension to continue beyond twenty school days must be approved by the local board.  Any student(s) may be dismissed from school by the local school board for gross misconduct or for neglect or refusal to conform to the reasonable rules of the school, and said student(s) shall not attend school until restored by the local board.  Any dismissal shall be subject to review if requested prior to the start of each school year and further, any parent or guardian has the right to appeal any such dismissal by the local board to the State Board of Education.

BUS TRANSPORTATION

            All questions concerning overall bus discipline, procedures and other transportation concerns should be brought to the attention of Administration.  Parents should not board the busses to discuss situations with the driver as this presents a safety issue.   Administration will assess the concern and determine appropriate actions to be taken.  Actions may include discussions with students, teachers, bus drivers and/or the bus contractor.

            A change in the location of a bus stop must be requested in writing and must state the reason for the change.  This letter will be forwarded to the Superintendent of Schools and the bus contractor for a decision.

BUS SAFETY GUIDELINES

            The school bus contractor and school administration support the maintenance of discipline on buses to ensure a safe and secure ride to and from school.  Bus drivers generally issue a verbal warning to students for their first infraction.  Students are issued a written report if subsequent infractions occur.  These reports are given to the Administrative team who meets with each student or group of students.  Students who violate the rules will lose their bus riding privileges if behavior issues continue. 

Cooperation of parents is critical to appropriate behavior on the buses. Parents are asked to discuss school and bus safety with their children and to review the school and bus rules of conduct.  Together as a team we can make positive changes in behavior for a smooth and safe bus ride each day.

STUDENT RULES OF CONDUCT WHILE ON THE BUS

There are a number of student expectations, which assure the safety of all while the school bus is in operation.  The following is a list of rules from the Handbook for NH School Bus Drivers, NH Department of Safety. Parents should review these rules with their children and stress their importance.

1. Students shall follow directions of the driver, the first time they are given.
2. Students shall arrive at the bus stop at least five (5) minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
3. Students shall wait in a safe place, clear of traffic and at least ten feet away from where the bus stops.
4. Students shall wait in an orderly line and avoid horseplay.
5. Students shall cross the road or street in from of the bus only after the bus has come to a complete stop and upon direction of the driver.
6. Students shall go directly to an available or assigned seat when entering the bus.
7. Students shall remain seated and keep aisles clear.
8. Students shall exhibit classroom conduct at all times.
9. Students shall refrain from throwing or passing objects on, from or into buses.
10. Students are permitted to carry only objects that can be held in his/her lap.
11. Students shall refrain from the use of profane language and obscene gestures on the bus.
12. Students are prohibited from using tobacco products, alcohol or drugs or any controlled substance on the bus.
13. Students shall refrain from eating or drinking on the bus.
14. Students shall not carry hazardous materials, nuisance items and animals on the bus.
15. Students shall respect the rights and safety of others.
16. Students shall refrain from leaving or boarding the bus at locations other than the assigned stops at home or school.
17. Students are prohibited from extending head, arms, or objects outside bus windows.
18. Students are prohibited from hitching rides via the rear bumper or other parts of the bus.

Any violation of these rules may cause students to lose their bus riding privileges, commensurate with RSA 189:9-A.

BUSES ARE CLOSED TO ALTERNATE RIDERS

            Due to bus capacity and issues of safety and accountability, students may not transfer to another bus unless it is required for regular, scheduled childcare and the proper form has been completed and approved. Buses cannot be used for transportation to meetings, to visit friends, etc.

The following conditions for riding any bus other than a student’s assigned bus apply:

·        A request form signed by parents must be on file in the office. Parents should indicate where the child care is taking place and name the care provider

·        It is understood that this privilege is subject to available space on the buses

·        Emergency situations are handled by the Administrative team as needed

BUS INFORMATION

            Bus transportation of students is provided by the Hollis Transportation Company. The bus driver is in charge of the children at all times while they are on the bus. Bus rules are explained to the children at the beginning of each school year and reviewed during the year. Assigned seats fall within the purview of the bus driver and generally follow a numerical pattern by grade level with K and first grade students at the front of the bus and sixth grade students seated at the back.

            Students are expected to act in a responsible manner at all times whether on the bus or while waiting for the bus. Children who fail to cooperate with the bus driver or who misbehave on the bus run the risk of having their riding privileges revoked.

BUS DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

            After an initial verbal warning, students will receive a written warning notice for an infraction of bus conduct regulations. The bus driver sends the written warning notice to Administration who discusses the warning notice with the student(s) involved. Consequences are issued and documented. Warning notices are sent home for parent signature and must be returned to the school. Serious misconduct or repeated violations of bus conduct regulations will result in suspension from riding the bus for a period of one to five days. The outlined regulations and disciplinary action also apply to behavior at all bus stops. Please keep in mind that, according to state statute, parents are responsible for transporting students to and from school if they are removed / suspended from a bus for disciplinary reasons.

            If a bus driver files a written referral for disciplinary action, the following procedure is generally implemented:

·        1^st referral – The Administration speaks with the student, or students involved. The written referral is then sent home to be signed and returned.  Students at HUES are notified that another bus slip will result in a 3 day suspension of bus privileges.

·        2^nd referral –Students at HPS are notified that another bus slip will result in a 3 day suspension of bus privileges.  Students at HUES receive a 3 day suspension of bus privileges and parents are called.

·        3^rd referral – Students at HPS receive a 3 day suspension of bus privileges and parents are called.  Students at HUES are suspended for 5 days and parents are called.

·        4^th referral – Parents must come in to speak with the principal and the student loses bus privileges for up to 10 days.

BICYCLES

Students are allowed to ride bicycles to school if the following procedures are observed:

·        A note, written & signed by parents, giving student permission to ride a bicycle to/from school is sent to school to be kept on file in the school office

·        All bicycles should be parked in racks provided

·        Bicycles are brought to school at a student’s own risk.  The school does not assume responsibility for bicycle damage

·        Each student riding a bicycle to school should wear a helmet

·        Bicycles should be ridden in single file and on the extreme right side of the road

·        Bicycles are not to be ridden on the school grounds while school is in session or during the arrival and dismissal of school buses.

HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS AND GUIDELINES

            The purpose of homework is to help students become self-directing, independent learners and to provide practice with what has been taught in school.  Homework assignments shall support clearly defined school and classroom objectives and shall be used to reinforce or enhance school experiences. The emphasis shall be placed on the value of the assignment to the student. Homework shall not be assigned simply for the sake of providing busy work for students. When homework is assigned, there will be timely and meaningful follow-up and feedback by the teacher. Regular homework assignments throughout the school year assist in helping students become independent learners.

STUDENT HOMEWORK RESPONSIBILITY

·        Complete all assignments on a timely basis

·        Schedule work on long range assignments over a period of time

·        Listen carefully and follow directions provided by the teacher

·        Use study aids and materials provided by teacher and parents

·        Study in a well-lit, distraction-free area

·        Study at a specific time daily

·        Discuss homework assignments with parents

·        Talk with your teacher if you have problems completing homework

·        Be neat, organized, and keep track of school materials and assignments

·        Complete your part of a group assignment in a timely and appropriate manner.

PARENTAL IDEAS TO ASSIST WITH HOMEWORK

Make sure your child has:

·        A quiet place to work with good light

·        A regular time each day for doing homework - help your child select the time

·        Basic supplies such as paper, pencils, pens, markers and a ruler.

Questions you might ask your child:

·        What are your assignments today? (Gr. 4-6 students should have their assignments written in their Agenda Books.)

·        Do you understand the assignment?

·        When is it due?

·        Do you need special resources?

·        Have you begun your assignments? Finished them?

·        Do you have any long-term assignments?

·        Should we write out a schedule or steps to take to help you complete your assignments on time?

·        Would a practice test be helpful?

Other ways to help:

·        Help your child empty his/her backpack each day

·        Have your child put completed homework immediately into his/her backpack for return to school

·        Make sure you are aware of the teacher's homework policy

·        Contact the teacher if there is a homework issue you can't resolve

·        Check homework for neatness and understanding

·        Estimate the time it will take to complete a task and check progress occasionally

·        If necessary, set a timer for motivation to complete work in a timely fashion

·        Add a note to the homework, if your child has experienced difficulty completing or understanding the assignment.

RECOMMENDED HOMEWORK TIME FRAMES:

            For every child at every grade level a daily minimum reading period of 15 minutes is recommended. This period is very beneficial to improving reading and, in fact, in some studies have been found to be the number one factor in reading improvement. For beginning or reluctant readers making this a family reading time is especially worthwhile. Listening to a story, telling a story by looking at the illustrations, choral reading, predicting upcoming events, imagining how the sequel to the story might be written and discussing changes you or your child might have made in the story had you been its author, are just some ideas to share this time together.

GRADING SYSTEM

Our reporting system provides an opportunity to consistently communicate with families in a positive and constructive manner.  The intent of this progress report is two-fold.

Our first goal is to report student performance.  Your child’s grades on this progress report are based upon his/her understandings and application of knowledge and skills as taught through the District’s curriculum, which reflects grade level expectations from the State of New Hampshire. 

Our second goal is to provide feedback that is clear and helpful to ensure continued growth and success.  This feedback is reflected in effort indicators and in the comment section.  

At Hollis Primary School, students earn “E, A, M, R, and L” to indicate their performance.  Below are descriptions of each letter grade.  

“E” = Expanding:

“A” = Achieving:

“M” = Meeting Expectations:

“R” = Reaching:

“L” = Learning:

At Hollis Upper Elementary School, students earn “A, B, C, P, and D” to indicate their performance.  Below are descriptions of each letter grade.  

“A” Performance:

“B” Performance:

“C” Performance:

“P” Progressing Performance:

“D” Performance: