S.P. MORTON ELEMENTARY 

 FACULTY­STAFF HANDBOOK 

 2016­2017 

 

  

Dr. Sherie Davis, Principal Mrs. Teri Pittman, Assistant Principal  

Mr. James Holemon, Assistant Principal          

 

PREFACE  

The purpose of the Faculty Handbook is to provide information, as well as sources of                             

information, which faculty find beneficial. The Handbook describes the school’s history, vision                       

and mission, and defines the school’s principles of governance. In addition, the handbook                         

establishes the organization of the faculty. Faculty responsibilities, academic operating policies,                     

school promotion and retention procedures, and other policies are addressed within the                       

document. Where appropriate, this document links to original source material to ensure                       

current and accurate information. This handbook is the result of the work of many people,                             

complied by the faculty and staff. Corrections and additions to the Faculty Handbook may be                             

made to the electronic version as needed by school administration.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR VISION AT SPM IS THAT EVERY CHILD WILL BE A CURIOUS AND SUCCESSFUL LEARNER

WHO IS RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, AND PRODUCTIVE.

 

 

 

 

OUR MISSION AT SPM IS TO PROVIDE AN ENGAGING, PURPOSEFUL, INSPIRATIONAL, CURRICULUM, IN A NURTURING AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS MOLDED BY HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS TO DEVELOP RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, AND PRODUCTIVE 

STUDENTS.   

SPM FAMILY CREED  AS A MEMBER OF THE S.P. MORTON FAMILY,  

I AM COMMITTED TO BEING  CURIOUS, PRODUCTIVE, RESPECTFUL, AND RESPONSIBLE 

AS WE BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE    

 

      

 

  

  

S.P. Morton Elementary School Morning and Afternoon Duties 

2016­2017 Faculty/Staff Member  Morning Duty (M­F)  Afternoon Duty (M­F) Bond, D.    BS Arrival  BS Dismissal Blythe, W.   BS Arrival  BS Dismissal Ross, L.   BS Arrival  BS Dismissal Green, W.   BS Arrival  BS Dismissal Fournier, R.   Bus 23 Arrival/Cafeteria Hall   Exit Ramp A 

Vinson, K.  Cafeteria    Myrick, A.  Bus 23 Arrival  Bus 23 Dismissal Moore, R.   Main Hall   Denne, S  Bus Loop   Myrick, R.   Cafeteria   Leave 3:10 Hinson, N.  Peanut Duty  Dismissal/Parent Pick room Smith, C.  Cafeteria    Geary, S.  Exit Door to Ramp B/RM  Exit Door to Ramp B Rauchenberger, J  Preschool Students  Bus Loop Rideout, P.  Library – Staff/Students   Parker, W.  Bus Loop  Bus Loop  Wolfe, L.  Bus Loop  Bus Loop Sing, C.  Parent Parking Lot ­ AM  Leave @ 3:10 Dawson, M.  Reading Complex/ Library 

Hall/K Hall Parent Pick­up @ 2:45 

Turner, S.  Gym Hall/Main Hall  Gym Hall/Main Hall Ford, J.   Music Door   Green W.  Exit Door to Ramp A  Leave @ 3:00 Blythe, R.  First Grade Hall/Gym Hall  Floater­ on call Fifth Grade Team    Bus Loop Rickert, A.   Front Main Entrance  Library and K Hall Pittman, T.  Cafeteria  Parent Pick­up room Holemon, J.   Bus Loop  Bus Loop        

 

  PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENTS\PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  Morning announcements will be made daily at 8:05 a.m. and end by approximately 8:10 a.m. It                               is expected that all students\classrooms participate in reciting the pledge of Allegiance. All                         requested morning announcements must be turned in to the office secretary in written form                           prior to 8:00 a.m. Announcements will be read over the phone intercom at the beginning and/                               or the ending of the each day. Teachers are asked to enforce the rule of silence when                                 announcements are being made. Immediately following announcements a moment of silence                     will be observed. Teachers are to remind students to be respectful, no one should be talking or                                 moving during the Pledge of Allegiance. Afternoon announcements will be made at 3:10 p.m.    MENTOR\MENTEE PROGRAM  New teachers to the school will have a mentor to provide answers to any questions, and refer                                 them to the sources needed to address concerns.   

New Teacher  Position  Mentor Teacher 

Sharon Evans      Kindergarten  Melissa Mabry 

Charlene Walker­Briggs       Reading Specialist  Dana Brittle 

Betty Archer­Wright  Kindergarten  Tessa Blow 

Shonda Robbins­Parker  Kindergarten  Cheryl Handshaw­Royster 

Raquez Moore      Computer Skills  Patricia Rideout 

Abygail Staples      Kindergarten  Rhonda Culpepper 

Jarad Ford          Music  Clinton Smith 

Erin Stenger          2nd grade  Kathleen Miller 

Arlesa Johnson      2nd grade  Nicole Greene 

Ida Council  2nd Grade  Rebecca Lowe 

Travis McConnell      3rd grade  Felicia Briggs 

Vacancy  3rd Grade  Ginger Davenport 

Kelly Nolan          4th grade  Sheryl Hardy 

LaQueshia Rawls  Kindergarten 

 

Shannon Wade 

Bobbi Schuermann  2nd grade 

 

Lea Ann Baker 

 

 SCHOOL HOURS OF OPERATION   Staff Hours: 7:40 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.** Bus Arrivals: 7:45 a.m. Student Hours: 8:15 a.m. ­ 3:20 p.m.  Students arriving after 8:20 a.m. should report to the office to receive a tardy pass.  Early Dismissal: 1:20     (Lunch served)  Early Arrival: In an effort to provide a safe and secure environment for students that are                               transported to school, we ask that students not be dropped off prior to 7:40 a.m.  Bus Changes: Without a written request (no phone requests) from parents, a child may not be                               permitted to ride a different bus to or from home.   ** Times may vary due to unforeseen circumstances with afternoon dismissal, meetings, etc.    LEAVE PROCEDURES   Sick Leave ­ All staff members are to notify Ms. Paige before leaving school if you know you will                                     need a substitute the next day. If an illness occurs in the evening, contact Mrs. Pittman (PreK­2)                                 at 757­504­7699 or Mr. Holemon (3­5) at 757­504­7715 by 9:00 P.M. If the emergency occurs                             after 9:00 P.M., contact should be made between 6:00 A.M. and 6:30 A.M. If unable to return                                 to work the next day, call the office by 1:00 P.M. Personal Leave will not be approved on the                                     day before or after a holiday. Sick days taken before or after a holiday will require a note from                                     the physician. Habitual absences will initiate a review conference of your absences with the                           administration.  ACCIDENTS/INJURIES  Anytime a student or adult is injured, the office should be notified, as well as the nurse. Do not                                     move the student or adult if the injury seems severe. Accident Report Forms are available in the                                 clinic and should be completed as promptly as possible. It is better to error on the side of                                   caution instead of getting a phone call from a parent or the superintendent’s office. If possible,                               send the student, accompanied by an adult or fellow student as the situation dictates, to the                               nurse. If you deem it best, ask the nurse and/or administration to come to the student or to the                                     injured staff member. Should a staff member be injured, that injury must be reported                           immediately. 

 SUBSTITUTE LESSON PLANS  Your substitute lesson plans and a copy of your daily schedule and seating chart/groups should                             be left in yellow folder. Each teacher must develop an emergency set of lesson plans for use by                                   the substitute when it is not possible to have regular substitute plans available. These plans will                               be used in the case of an emergency. Emergency plans will be kept on file in the office and are                                       

 

due on September 19, 2016 and January 9, 2017. Up­to­date lesson plans are to be kept in                                 each teacher’s yellow substitute folder.  EMERGENCY LESSON PLANS (Different from Substitute Plans)  All teachers are required to complete an Emergency Lesson Plan Packet.  Information in this packet should include the following:  

● Lesson plans for three days ● Attendance and lunch count procedures (include student lunch #) ● Schedule of activities ● Fire drill procedures ● Names of helpful students ● Names of colleagues who can help ● Dismissal information ● Supplemental activities/additional teacher duties ● Students who require medication ● Students who have a behavioral modification plan or IEP modifications 

 STUDENT ATTENDANCE   Attendance must be completed and submitted in PowerSchool No Later than 9:00 a.m.                         Students are tardy if they arrive after 8:20 a.m. Tardy students must be signed in and receive a                                   tardy slip before going to their classroom. Do not accept tardy students into the classroom                             without a tardy slip from the office. If a student is allowed in the class without an office slip,                                     the school records will not be accurate, and the food service count will be miscalculated. Please                               help to avoid this problem by following the procedures indicated. Your cooperation regarding                         this matter is appreciated. When students return to school from an absence theymust bring a                               note from home explaining the absence. These notes should be sent to the office each day for                                 filing.   The parent of any student logging excessive absences/tardies or exhibiting a pattern of chronic                           absences/tardiness should be contacted and the office should be notified.  It is the responsibility of the teacher to speak with Guidance Services to craft a plan  of how best to serve the student.  Possible consequences and interventions for unexcused absences, tardiness, or excessive  early checkouts may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

● Afternoon Detention ● Community Service  ● Counseling Group Participation ● Isolated Lunch  ● Student/Parent Conferences ● Time­Out ● Referral to School Social Worker  ● Referral to Juvenile Court 

 

Students who must leave school during the day must be signed out through the office.  Do not allow a child to leave school with anyone during the school day without  permission from the office. If parents or persons picking up a child come to your room  or the playground area, please direct them to the office to sign that child out. If the  adult says that they already signed them out, call the office to verify.    BUS NOTES  Bus passes will be issued only to those students with written notes signed by                           parents\guardians. Notes are to be sent to the office. Teachers’ names should be on the note.                               Students who do not have written notes will be sent home by their normal mode of                               transportation. Teachers are not to take a student’s word that they are going home by an                               alternate mode of transportation. Teachers will be responsible for student’s supervision if                       they are left at school. Mailboxes should be checked eachmorning as you sign in, at lunch, and                                   after dismissal if possible .  SOCIAL MEDIA   All staff members are prohibited from interacting with students on all social media platforms. It                             is strongly recommended that you do not interact with parents of students at S.P. Morton on                               social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc. Staff members do so at their own risk. However                             this does not prohibit staff members from joining or being a part of the social media                               community. Please be very careful what you say or email on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Employees                             will be solely responsible for anything that they say or post in the social media community. Do                                 not post student pictures on personal social media pages. If you believe that your identity has                               been compromised please contact Administration immediately.   COMMUNICATION  NEWSLETTER­ Each teacher is expected to develop and send home a newsletter for parents.                           The newsletter should include pertinent information specific to your class. Examples include:                       upcoming activities, lessons, celebrations for good work, items needed for the classroom, etc.                         AT LEAST one newsletter should go home eachmonth. Retain a copy of each newsletter in your                                 portfolio for the principal’s review at mid­year conferences, end­of­the year summative                     evaluations and other times the principal or assistant principal may deem necessary. All parent                           letters must be approved by administration before sending home.  FRIDAY FOCUS ­ Staff members will receive a weekly memo from the administration shared via                             email.   MAILBOXES ­ The mailboxes are located in the staff lounge. Please check your mail box in the                                 morning and before leaving for the day. Please do not send students to pick up your mail, as the                                     mail boxes contain confidential information. 

 

 TELEPHONES ­ The telephones are our intercom. Notify the office immediately if your                         telephone does not work. Use your planning period nor time before or after school to make                               and receive phone calls. Teachers will not be called from class to receive phone calls unless it is                                   an emergency. Otherwise, a message will be sent to you. Calls will not be transferred to your                                 classroom unless there is an emergency.  CELL PHONES – Cell phones should be in the silent or vibrate mode during school hours. Staff                                 should use cell phones only when not supervising students (e.g. planning periods, before                         school, after school). DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE TO TELEPHONE A PARENT DURING                           INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.  CONFIDENTIALITY  Comment and discussion regarding student personalities and records should only be discussed                       with appropriate people in the education setting. Student behavior problems should not be                         part of public discussions or staff lounge conversations. Professional discretion and courtesy                       should be used in discussing all staff and district concerns.  EMAIL ­ Each classroom teacher is encouraged to maintain a parent distribution list for their classroom for general distribution of non­confidential information only. Student names or information should never be included in these communications. Information that should be sent out through this list are testing dates, quiz dates, school events, PTA dates, study guide information, event times and dates, etc. Always send the distribution list names in the Blind Copy box (bc): During orientation a form will be provided to you to ask parents if they wish to be included in this distribution list. Parent participation is not mandatory.   PARENT CONTACT LOGS/COMMUNICATION  Teachers are required to maintain a monthly contact log. Parent contact logs must be updated                             by the 5th of each month. Please include all parent contact on your list. This includes                               impromptu meetings in the grocery store, church, etc. The parent contact log is now located in                               Google Drive.   REPORTING STUDENTS’ PROGRESS TO PARENTS   Grades are to be maintained for each student in each content area for each grading period.                               Power­Teacher is expected to be current at all times. Assignments and tasks should be                           identified and dated five days after being graded . Students have five days tomake upmissed                               assignments, after five days they will receive an “F.” Parents should be notified by phone or in                                 the student’s agenda when assignments have been missed. Periodically, the principal and/or                       the assistant principal may review electronic grade books for review. The principal will make                           the final decision in the grading and placement of all students in the school. Powerschool will                               be used to create interim reports and report cards in grades 1­5. Constructive comments must                             be on each student’s report card. All teachers are expected to send home a Communication                             

 

Folder each Tuesday. Inside the folders teachers are asked to place students’ work, reminders,                           newsletters, weekly progress reports and other information to keep parents informed about                      students’ progress   MEETINGS Agendas and Minutes are required for all meetings. 

 Faculty Meetings  

 Wednesdays are to be reserved for general Faculty Meetings s. Staff meetings will be held on                               the 1st Wednesday of the month. Additional meetings may be called as needed. When                           possible , any additional meetings will be announced in advance. Meetings will usually be held                           in the media center at 3:45 p.m. Staff members who wish to add items to the agenda should                                   see the administration the day prior to the staff meeting. Full staff meetings refer to all staff                                 members attending. Faculty Meetings refer to licensed staff personnel. Please refrain from                       scheduling anything for Wednesday. Administration must be notified at least one day.  

TRANSFORMATION TEAM MEETINGS/PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLC)  S.P. Morton Elementary Transformation Team will meet on 3rd Wednesdays of eachmonth at                           3:45 p.m. Professional Learning Community meetings will be weekly. All agendas will be                         provided by administration and minutes from the PLCsmust be sent toMrs. Pittman andMr.                               Holemon via email by grade level representatives. Only administrationmay excuse attendance                       at these meetings; only literacy specialists may excuse participation in literacy professional                       learning and only Math Specialist may excuse participation in mathematics professional                     learning. 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COLLABORATIVE PLANNING  It is expected that PLC teams plan collaboratively at least once a week. These weekly                             collaborative meetings will be attended by the Catapult Team and a member of the                           administration.    **Collaborative Planning Schedule is forthcoming    DAILY LESSON PLANS/SCHEDULE   Lesson plans are due every Friday evening by 7:00 P.M.** Plans will be reviewed by                             administrators, and comments/feedback will be emailed. Plans should also be available in your                         classroom at all times. Plans should be available in the green folder located on the back of your                                   door. Lesson plans should reflect differentiated instruction. The SOL you are working on should                           be indicated with each lesson. All lesson plans should be completed on the Laser­Focused                           Student­Centered SOL Lesson Plan Template lesson plan and reflect Marzano’s Strategies. Plans                       to start the year are due on September 2, 2016.  Plans are to be uploaded in your Google folder.   

 

    PARAPROFESSIONAL PLANS  Daily responsibilities/plans for paraprofessionals must be written in a separate notebook or                       clearly identified in lesson plan books . Plans for paraprofessionals give them a sense of                           direction and eliminate time being taken away from instruction to explain his/her daily                         assignment. Paraprofessionals’ schedules should be posted in all the classes that are visited.                         Paraprofessionals will be observed providing instruction at least twice per year. The principal                         will periodically do classroom visitations and check lesson plans.   CHALKBOARD CONFIGURATION AGENDA/SCHEDULE   Every teacher should post a classroom agenda/schedule in the room and follow the master                           schedule given to you. The agenda/schedule provides students a full picture of their day. It also                               provides clarity to observers/evaluators – where you are in your instructional day, what has                           come before, what will come next, etc. Your agenda/schedule should also reflect your bell                           ringers or “Do Now” activities (activities you have planned for students to engage them in                             immediate instruction once they enter the classroom (e.g. first thing in the morning, after                           lunch, after recess, etc.).  **A diagram for the continuity of the Daily Agenda will be provided to you.    STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOL)   The Standards of Learning developed by the State Board of Education focus on four core subject                               areas: Mathematics, Science, English and Social Science. Teachers are expected to teach the                         SOL’s during lessons along with other grade appropriate skills. Teachers in need of a copy of the                                 new Standards of Learning must make the request. Standardized testing of the SOL’s will be                             administered to all 3rd through 5th grade students. This test will be administered during the                             spring of 2016. Teachers should utilize the Essential Knowledge, Pacing Guides, Curriculum,                       Curriculum Frameworks, and SOL Blueprints in all planning sessions. The Standards of Learning                         may be found at the following website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing   INTERRUPTION – FREE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME   All efforts will be made by the office to ensure that instructional time is uninterrupted. To ensure this, the following procedures will be observed:   

● Parents and visitors will be required to report to the office when entering the building. 

 

● Parents and visitors who are allowed in the building beyond the office must wear a Visitor’s Badge. For security reasons, it is every staff member’s responsibility to ensure that visitors without badges are directed to the office.  

● Parents that wish to visit the classroom during instructional time must make arrangements with the teacher or administration prior to the classroom visit.  

● Students will not be summoned to the office, except in urgent situations.  ● Students will not be withheld from any scheduled class for punishment.  ● Teachers will not be called to receive telephone calls, unless it is an emergency. A 

message will be taken and placed in the teacher’s box.   

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION SUPPORTS   Classroom management is different than discipline! Effectively managing your classroom is an                       essential part of maintaining control and discipline. An effective teacher manages a classroom.                         An ineffective teacher disciplines a classroom. The number one problem in the classroom is not                             discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines. Classroom management deals with the                           procedures that must be established at the beginning of the school year. Students must know                             how you want them to begin the day, pass in papers, sharpen their pencils, line up, etc.                                 Procedures must be rehearsed over and over again until the students do them automatically.                           When this happens, you have a routine.   Think about how children learn. Will telling them a procedure one time allow them the                             opportunity to learn it? That will work for some, but not for all. Your procedures should be                                 visible in the classroom, at least until the procedure becomes routine. List step by step                             instructions so that the students can learn exactly what you expect of them. Earlier grades may                               wish to use pictures, illustrations or photographs.  From the beginning, know what you are going to do every minute of the day, quarter, semester                                 and year, and do it! Students must be shown respect and you must expect it back from them.                                   The key to maintaining classroom control is respect. BE CONSISTENT!Minor discipline cases are                           best handled by the teacher. If trivial items are referred to the principal, his/her effectiveness                             for problems of a more serious nature will be lessened and children soon become aware of the                                 ineffectiveness of the classroom teacher. If there is ever a situation where a child needs to be                                 removed from the classroom, call the principal for assistance. Students should not be                         "removed from the classroom.” Situations of this sort are to be discussed with the principal                             and then a course of action plan will be set up.   If you get to a point that you and/or the student need a break, please make arrangements to                                   send the student to a buddy room. A buddy room is another teacher’s classroom. In that                               classroom, there should be a place for the child to sit and think about what they have done or                                     cool off. This is sort of a “time out.” Youmay want to refer to this space as “The Second Chance                                         Chair,” “The Better Choice Chair,” or by some other positive reference. Students will complete a                             “Think Sheet” to reflect on why they were sent to the classroom.   

 

      FCPS DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES   The Franklin City Administration and teaching staff believes strongly in the idea of helping                           students learn self­discipline and self­respect. They are deeply committed to promoting good                       citizenship and students’ awareness of the rights of others.  The staff is encouraged to provide positive reinforcement of students’ good behavior through                         incentive, rewards, individual behavioral contracts and continual use of appropriate praise for                       students’ positive actions and manners.  When disciplinary action becomes necessary, the following sequence is implemented in most                       cases: 

● The teacher tries to handle the problem at the classroom level and give the student the                               opportunity to resolve the matter. 

● If the problem persists, the teacher is expected to notify the parent/guardians to report                           the behavior and ask for support. 

● If the problem is still evident, the principal or assistant principal confers with the                           student and decides an appropriate consequences. 

● If necessary, the teacher or administrator arranges for a conference with the                       parent/guardian.   

 In the event of disciplinary infractions, a student may be referred immediately to the                           administration using the FCPS Disciplinary Referral Form . Parents/guardians are then notified                     in writing of the infraction and the disciplinary action taken.   Depending on the severity of the student’s misbehavior, consequences may include by are not                           limited to one or more of the following: 

➢ Conduct Notice ➢ Phone call home ➢ Parent/guardian/teacher conference ➢ Loss of free time ➢ Loss of special privileges  ➢ Timeout ➢ Discipline Referrals ➢ After­school detention ➢ Saturday Detention ➢ In­school suspension ➢ Out­of­school suspension ➢ Alternative Placement 

 

➢ Long­term suspension or Expulsion   Principals and administrators can suspend students for up to 10 days. Due process is                           mandatory for all suspensions. The parent can be notified of the suspension writing in person,                             by telephone, and in writing; however, a suspension letter must be sent to the parent on the                                 day of the suspension.  (See attached letters for male and female students)  Any oral or written notice to the parent of a student who is suspended from school shall include                                   notification of the length of the suspension, information regarding the availability of                       community­based education, alternative education or intervention programs, and the student’s                   right to return to school upon the expiration of the suspension.    Due Process  

● The Principal notifies the student and the parent that the child has committed an                           offense. 

● The student is given an opportunity to hear the charges and present his/her case to the                               building level administration. The student should give a written statement of the                       incident using the attached Student Statement form. 

● The student and parent are informed of the suspension.  Behavioral Contract  Any student suspended for five (5) or more consecutive days will be placed under a Behavioral                               Contract by the principal or assistant principal for the remainder of the current school year.                             The contract must be signed by both the student and parent/guardian for re­admittance to                           school.   Discipline Committee Hearings / Placement Steps  Code of Conduct infractions that warrant suspension over 10 daysmust be referred toMrs. Gail                               C. Wade, Director of Human Resources/Administrative Services for a Disciplinary Committee                     hearing.  The principal or assistant principal informs the student and parent that the student will be                             suspended for 10 days, with a recommendation for long­term suspension or expulsion to the                           Superintendent and that a hearing with the Discipline Committee will be scheduled. The school                           sends a Discipline Packet within two working days of the suspension to Mrs. Gail C. Wade,                               Director of Human Resources/Administrative Services. A Discipline Committee Hearing will be                     scheduled within ten (10) days of the first day of suspension.  The Discipline Packet must include: 

➢ Notification if the child is classified as regular education or special education 

 

➢ Student profile from Powerschool  including attendance, schedule, grades ➢ Copy of Suspension letter ➢ Picture of evidence (weapon, drugs or paraphernalia, etc.) ➢ Signed incident reports (see attached forms) This must include a detailed summary                       

of the incident and its investigation and should include written narratives from the                         administrator, student and eyewitnesses or other involved persons when                 appropriate.   

➢ Discipline Record and copies of Disciplinary Referral Forms for the current school                       year only. 

➢ Teacher’s reports for each class ➢ Guidance Counselor report ➢ Report of interventions/referrals attempted ➢ Most recent report card and interim report ➢ If the student has an IEP, attached copy of manifestation hearing minutes. A                         

manifestation determination is required if the school is considering a                   recommendation that constitutes a change in placement for a special education                     student who has violated a code of the student conduct that applies to all                           students. The manifestation hearing must take place prior to the Discipline                     Committee hearing.   

➢ If the student has a 504 Plan, attached copy of the plan. ➢ Copy of receipt of Student Code of Conduct signed by parent and student. 

 The Discipline Committee must convene the hearing within ten (10) days of the first day of                               suspension. The Discipline Committee will be chaired by the Director of Human                       Resources/Administrative Services and will consist of the Director of Instruction, another school                       principal, the school Guidance Counselor and the Director of Special Education (as needed).                         The student, parent/guardian must be in attendance.  The principal has the burden of proof and shall present the evidence to the Discipline                             Committee first. Five folders should be brought to the hearing. The parties shall produce such                             additional evidence as the Discipline Committee may deem necessary. The Discipline                     Committee will be the judge of the relevancy andmateriality of the evidence. Deliberations and                             recommendation we will be made by the Discipline Committee after the recommending school                         principal, student and parent/guardian leave.  The Discipline Committee shall provide its decision and recommendation, including the                     supporting reasons, to the Superintendent. The Superintendent will make a ruling for regular                         education students based on the information provided by the Discipline Committee. If the                         Superintendent is considering a change of placement for a special education student, he/she                         will make a recommendation to the IEP team for consideration. The IEP team will make                             appropriate placement decisions and inform the Superintendent of their decision. IEP                     procedures must be followed.  Following the ruling of the Superintendent, the student’s parent/guardian shall be provided                       with written notice which shall include: 

 

➢ The disciplinary action applied; ➢ The terms or conditions of re­admission, if any; ➢ The duration of the disciplinary action;  ➢ A statement declaring whether the student is eligible to return to school or attend an                             

appropriate alternative education program approved by the School Board or an adult                       education program offered by the division during or after the expulsion. If neither                         option applies, a statement that the student may petition the School Board for                         re­admission after one calendar year from the date of his expulsion; and 

➢ The availability of community­based education, training and intervention programs. ➢ The student or his/her parent/guardian may appeal the ruling of the Superintendent to                         

the School Board.   If applicable, the appeal to the School Board must be in writing and must be filed with the                                   Superintendent within five (5) calendar days after the notice of the Superintendent’s decision.                         Failure to file a written appeal within the specified time will constitute a waiver of the right to                                   an appeal. The full School Board will decide the appeal upon the record of the case within                                 thirty (30) calendar days of the request for an appeal and communicate its decision in writing to                                 the students and his/ her parent/guardian. Such written notice shall include any changes in: (1)                             the duration of the suspension; (2) the availability of community­based education, training, and                         intervention programs; and/or (3) eligibility to return to school or return to school or attend an                               alternative education program.   No statements, witnesses or evidence may be presented at this appeal unless specifically                         requested by the Chairman of the Board.  SP MORTON HOUSE RULES  

● Be Responsible ● Be Respectful ● Be Productive 

  SP MORTON ELEMENTARY BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS  See appendix A  POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES   THESE CONSEQUENCES ARE INTENDED TO SCAFFOLD  

1. VERBAL WARNING WITH POSITIVE REDIRECTION   

2. TIME OUT WITH PERSONAL REFLECTION   

3. WRITTEN WARNING WITH PARENT CONTACT  

 

 4. CONSULTATION WITH THERAPEUTIC SERVICE (IF APPLICABLE) 

 5. DISCIPLINE REFERRAL  

 6. ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE 

 *FIGHTING, HITTING, USE OF PROFANITY, VULGAR ACTS, BULLYING, OR SEVERE CASES OF DISRESPECT TOWARD AN ADULT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ADMINISTRATIVE ATTENTION.    PROCEDURES FOR REMOVING STUDENTS FROM CLASS  When you determine a student needs to be removed from the instructional environment. Follow the following procedures: 

1. Call the main office and request an administrator 2. Keep the student in your classroom and attempt to de­escalate the situation 3. DO NOT SEND THEM TO THE OFFICE! 4. Do not send students to time­out without instructions from administration. 5. When the administrator or designee arrives, the teacher and administrator will 

confer, and the following may occur: A. Student will be removed from class B. Student will be counseled and allowed to return to the instructional 

environment C. If the student is removed, a referral must be written 

PROCEDURES FOR WRITING REFERRALS  A referral should be written for chronic behavior issues and/or severe misconduct.  Please make sure all PBIS interventions have been documented before resulting to a referral.  Please adhere to the following: 

1. Fill out all relevant components of the referral form (i.e. name, date, address, etc.) 2. Contact the parent to make them aware of the referral.  3. Record dates and times of parent contact. 4. Record an objective, non­judgmental description of the incident.  Refrain from using 

other students’ names.  In recording profanity – write the words verbatim 5. After 1­4 are completed submit the referral to administration (PreK­2 Mrs. Pittman) 

and (Mr. Holemon 3­5).   Do not wait until the end of the day to turn in a referral.  Discipline will be handled on the day of the infraction.   Therefore, it is necessary to provide the referral to the administration prior to student dismissal.     

 

 S.P. MORTON ELEMENTARY EXPECTATIONS OF STAFF   

Staff will be expected to:  

● Listen to students and speak in a calm, authoritative, and respectful voice 

● Treat each student fairly and be available to answer student questions 

● Be a good role model and make contributions for the good of our school 

● Adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the employee handbook 

 

 ASSEMBLIES   Assemblies are a regular scheduled part of the curriculum that are designed to be educational                             as well as entertaining experiences. They also provide one of the few opportunities in school for                               students to learn formal audience behavior. Regardless of the type of program, courtesy                         requires that the student body be respectful and appreciative. In live entertainment, unlike                         radio, television, or movies the performers are very conscious of their audience. It is the                             individual teacher's responsibility to instruct students that all talking, whispering, whistling,                     stamping of feet and booing are discourteous. Teachers are to escort their individual classes to                             the assembly site. All teachers should be seated with their classes and help them supervise all                               students.  A seating chart dictate will where classes will sit for every assembly.   CAFETERIA/FOOD SERVICES   The cafeteria staff works directly under the supervision of the Principal/Assistant Principal. All                         problems related to the operation of the cafeteria should be referred to the Principal/Assistant                           Principal. Staff members are prohibited in the kitchen area. Please do not send students to the                               cafeteria to get your lunch or other materials.  Breakfast Procedures: 

● Breakfast is served from 7:45­8:15. ● All students will report directly to their class from the bus terminal to eat breakfast in                               

the classroom.  

Lunchroom Procedures:  

● Classes will go to the lunchroom (single, straight, and silent) under the supervision of                           the teacher at the time indicated. The lunch schedule must be followed; if your schedule                             

 

calls for time in at 11:00 a.m. and out at 11:25 a.m., children are to be in the cafeteria                                     promptly at 11:00 a.m. and are dismissed from the table by 11:25 a.m. 

● The table and floor areamust be cleaned promptly so that the area is ready for the next                                     class to be seated.  

● K­2 teachers will be responsible for bringing their students scan cards. ● 3­5 students will be responsible for remembering and punching in their numbers. 

 Children should be lined up as follows:  

● Students buying milk first in line.  ● Students buying full lunches next in line.  ● Students bringing lunch and not buying at the end of the line.  

 See Appendix A for cafeteria behavior expectations   

● Students will sit at the assigned tables and leave the cafeteria as a class. ● Students are expected to keep their voices low and to exercise good behavior and                           

manners at all times. Talking at tables will be permitted but if abused, this privilegemay                               be revoked.  

● Talking is not permitted between tables or with another class.  ● Students are responsible for leaving their tables and seats clean and dry for the class                             

that will follow.  ● Teachers are to go through the line with their students.  ● Teachers will eat with their students until further direction from administration. ● Chewing gum is not allowed in the school unless during a designated day by                           

administration.  DIRECTORY INFORMATION   According to federal law, parent and students are notified that “Directory Information” will be                           released as deemed necessary by school officials. The following items are Directory                       Information: student’s name, parent’s name, address, telephone number, date, and place of                       birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities, and sports, height, and                           weight of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most                           recent previous school attended and photograph. Parents or eligible students will have ten (10)                           school days after the annual public notice to view the student’s directory information and to                             provide written notice to the school that they choose to not have this information released.                             Unless prior written notice is received, the school district may disclose any of those items                             designated as directory information without prior written consent. Check with Guidance and/or                       the office before YOU release any information.   DUPLICATING MACHINES   Copier machines will be located throughout the campus. Extreme care is to be exercised when                             using copiers and any other school equipment. Please do not attempt anymajor repairs. Notify                             

 

the office immediately when a copier is malfunctioning. Put a sign on the copier indicating that                               it is “out of order.”  Machines most often malfunction when they overheat and are overused. Plan well in advance                           and make any copies in advance also. Students should never be left idle or unsupervised                             because a teacher is “making copies.” Students should not be sent to the office with notes                               indicating that a teacher needs a secretary tomake copies immediately. Students should NEVER                           be permitted to use any copiers. Copiers are for school work. No church programs, personal                             items, etc. should be copied using FCPS equipment. Employees will be assigned a CODE and                             must enter that four­digit code BEFORE making any copies. The same code will be effective for                               any and all copiers located on the campus.  EMERGENCY PROCEDURES – Refer to the FCPS Crisis Manual for clarification  All emergency procedures should be posted in the red folder on the back of your door.                               Teachers should instruct their classes in the proper procedure for emergency drills. It is                           important to review the procedures throughout the school year. Teachers will normally be                         alerted when we are planning a test or drill. Remember to take your grade book and log sheet                                   to count students.   Fire Alarm ­ Teachers should lead their students from the building when the fire alarm sounds.                               Take grade books, one sheet of green construction paper and one sheet of red construction                             paper and proceed in orderly fashion to the designated area. Once there, teachers should take                             a head count and keep the classes together pending further instructions. If a child is missing, do                                 not re­enter the building. Notify office personnel and other designees in your area (e.g. Ms                             Stevens, Mr. Smith, etc.). Display your green paper if all is well and every student is out and                                   accounted for. Display your red paper if there is a question or concern. Do not attempt to go                                   back in the building, notify office staff or firemen in charge immediately. Students should stand                             with back to the building – straight line, NO TALKING . The teacher faces her class and the                                 building. Remain in your area until the all clear signature is given.   Tornado – Teachers should lead students to their designated areas (See Appendix D). Once                           there students kneel, place interlocked fingers covering the back of the neck (not the top of the                                 head). If in an area that prevents kneeling (e.g. restrooms), students should stand close                           together, facing the walls with interlocked fingers covering the back of the neck. Remain in                             position until the all clear signal is given. Review these procedures with the students.   Earthquake ­ Immediately take cover under anything that will provide some measure of                         protection from falling objects. Immediately after the crisis, calmly evacuate the building,                       following the procedure for a fire drill. If people are hurt and/or trapped in the room, the first                                   order of business is to get everyone else to safety, then notify the administrator that people are                                 hurt or trapped and their location. Keep your classes together pending further instructions. Stay                           away from power lines, poles, trees, and buildings. Utilities should be shut off, and no one                               should re­enter the building unless it have been declared safe.   

 

Hostage Situation – All doors should be locked throughout the day. You may put a magnet in                                 the door frame to help students with entering/leaving the classroom. In the event of a hostage                               situation, simply take the magnet out and the door will be locked. If a hostage crisis occurs in                                   your room, try to communicate calmly with the perpetrator. Try to get the person to let you                                 relay his demands to the office, thereby alerting the office to the situation. If a hostage                               situation occurs outside the classroom, it is the staff’s responsibility to keep students safe. Until                             other directions are given, lock classroom (lab, media center, etc.) doors and gather students                           against the wall nearest to the hallway. If an intruder attempts to enter the locked room, try to                                   exit by other means. TAKE WHAT ACTION YOU NEED TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE. BE CALM.                             THINK.   Bomb Threat ­ In the event of a bomb threat, notify the office immediately. If the building needs to be evacuated, follow the fire evacuation plan. FCPS has developed a Crisis Plan and has (June 2013) adopted new policies related to crises. It is important that every faculty and staff member be well familiar with these procedures. You may download the Crisis Plan and the policies online at http://www.fcpsva.org/Policy%20Manual/index.html    FAMILIES   Faculty should not have their children, boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses or other relatives in the                           room with them during instructional time, unless there is an emergency and prior approval has                             been granted. Still, this arrangement should be for a limited time. If you have a need, please                                 discuss it with the principals. Faculty should also not have their children in the building after                               school or on teacher work days and professional learning days. Please make arrangements for                           child care.    SCHOOL NURSE/CLINIC   The school nurse, Ms. Patricia Mason will conduct, vision, hearing, and dental screenings                         throughout the year. The clinic is open every day during school hours; however, parents must                             make arrangements to pick up sick or injured children. Emergency cards are due in the office                               andmust be updated as needed. Parents, or emergency contact persons, will be notified in case                               of an emergency. All medication must be brought in by a parent, and picked up at the end of                                     the year by a parent. If the student becomes ill during the school day, the school nurse will                                   assess him\her and determine the best course of action. Upon determining the need to go                             home, the nurse or designee will make the proper arrangements by contacting the student’s                           parents. If the parent cannot be contacted, other person(s) on the student’s emergency card                       will be contacted.  Whenever a student is sent to the office for an injury or sickness the parent will be notified                                   by the nurse’s office that day either by note or by phone.   State law prohibits the school nurse from dispensing any medication to students unless the                           nurse has written permission from the child’s doctor. Parents shouldn’t send cough drops,                         

 

cough medicine or aspirin to school with a child. All students taking medication (including                           inhalers) must have a doctor’s note on file in the clinic at the beginning of the school year.                                   Medication sent to the school must be given to the bus driver and enclosed in a container or                                   bag. All medication must be properly labeled with student’s name clearly printed on the bottle.                             Medication is never to be sent to school by a student.  All students who visit the clinic other than routine medication visits will receive a clinic notice                               that must go home to the parent. Do not send a student to the clinic without this form.   FIELD TRIPS   All off­campus field trips must be approved in advance by the principal, Transportation and                           Curriculum/Instruction Director. Each grade level must decide on at least one grade level field                           trip. The trip must be educational and tied to the curriculum.   Field Trip forms may be secured from the school secretary. A copy of the form should be                                 submitted to the principal for approval at least 2 months in advance.  The Director of Transportation will determine final availability of busses. Teachers should have                         a complete itinerary to be sent home with students with a permission form. NO student may                               leave campus without a signed permission slip. A note signed by the parent will suffice as a                                 permission slip as long as it has the date, parent signature and states that the parent gives                                 permission for the child to go to the specified location.   All trips should be scheduled to depart from school no earlier than 7:00 a.m. andmust return to                                   school no later than 2:45 p.m. No field trips for grades 3­5 will be scheduled betweenMay 1st                                   and whatever is the last day of SOL testing for the given school year.  Field trips and activities are scheduled to be an extension of the school curriculum. All students                               must ride the school bus. Adults may be asked to assist on the field trip if extra supervision is                                     necessary. However, parents may not ride the school bus. Final decision concerning adult                         participation on field trips and activities will be made by the classroom teacher and/or                           principal. Adults who help on a field trip may not bring other children. Parents or relatives who                                 assist are expected to follow the direction of the teacher and follow all school rules.   No non­employee adult should be left alone with a group of students. Please have all groups                               stay together with at least one teacher. All adults are to be amodel for the students. All adults                                     must stay with their assigned group. No drinking, smoking or profanity in the presence of                             students or during the trip. Any parent that will be attending the field trip must receive a letter                                   from the teacher (s) clearly stating the expectations. Students should be aware that field trips                             are an extension of school and therefore all school rules apply. There is a great deal of                                 responsibility on the teacher involved with a field trip. If you are concerned about a student                               attending a field trip, please discuss the matter with the principal BEFORE excluding anyone.                           Before such a decision is made, parents must have been called by the teacher, explaining that                               you are concerned about “Johnny’s” behavior. Youmust explain that if his/her behavior doesn’t                           improve (give specifics), he/she may not be able to attend the field trip. That parent contact                               must be documented in writing. The first communication of a concernmust be at aminimum                               two weeks before the scheduled trip. Students and parents must be given an opportunity to                             

 

improve before the field trip is taken away. If it is decided that “Johnny” is unsafe and unable to                                     go on the trip, teachers will need to make another phone call and explain the decision to the                                   parent. Please be conscious of your responsibilities for supervision on the trip, including the                           bus. Options for any student unable to join a trip because of behavior should be communicated                               to the parent. Options are:  

● Stay with another class/teacher at school.  ● Time­Out 

 If the parent decides to keep the child at home, (s)he will be marked absent. It will be an unexcused absence.   GRADE LEVEL CHAIRPERSONS  Grade level chairs are responsible for facilitating grade level team meetings, distributing                       supplies, making grade level concerns/needs known, ordering textbooks and materials and                     other duties not specifically specified. They will represent their grade level team at a monthly                             meeting with the principal, assistant principal and instructional and discipline leads – Reading                         Specialists, Math Specialist. The lead school counselor will also join these meetings.   The Grade Level Representatives will serve as liaison between their team and the principal. Grade Level Chairpersons for 2016­2017:   Bright Stars Rep. – Rhonda Culpepper Kindergarten Rep. ­ Shannon Raiford­Wade First Grade Rep. – Melissa Mabry Second Grade Rep. – Lee Ann Baker Third Grade Rep. – Felicia Briggs Fourth Grade Rep. – Sheryl Hardy Fifth Grade Rep. – Rebecca Lowe Resource Rep. – Pat Rideout Teacher Assistant Rep. ­ Calvin Sing  GRADING & REPORT CARDS   All teachers should keep an accurate record of each student's progress during the school year.                             Each teacher is responsible for recording accurate grades whether using an online system or                           paper documents. During 2016­2017 school year, SP Morton Elementary will operate on a                         nine­week grading system. Students and parents should not be surprised when they receive                         report cards or final end­of­the­year promotion or retention notices. Please keep them                       informed and up to date about progress or lack thereof.   Do not make the mistake of thinking that only a fixed percentage of students can receive A's,                                 B's, etc. Conduct "grades" based on attitude, cooperation, citizenship, etc. should be reported                         

 

separately from the regular grade for that subject. A student should never fail because of his or                                 her behavior. Report card comments should be clear, concise, specific and reflective of the                           student’s performance. There should be alignment between/among grades, comments and                   test scores (benchmarks, teacher­made, formative assessments, SOLs).   Since grades are a reflection of what students know/don’t know, grades should be taken from                             work finished in class, not from homework. It is our belief that grades should reflect what a                                 student knows. Therefore, things that inflate or deflate grades will not be included in the grade                               book – e.g. penalties for late work, penalties for behavior, penalties for not putting names on                               papers, etc.  ABSENCES & GRADING   Absences shall not penalize student grades if the following conditions are met:  1 Absences are justified and validated for excused reasons.  2. Make­up work for all absences is completed satisfactorily.  (Although an absence may be considered “unexcused,” make­up work for approved,                     prearranged absences will be permitted. The parent should see the teacher(s) within five (5)                           days to secure make­up work and must adhere to the teacher’s procedures for completion and                             timeline for submission.  When students are suspended short­term (1–10 days), work missed will not count for or                           against their final grade. Suspended students shall make up those tests and assignments that                           the teachers determine will have an impact on the student’s final grade andmastery of course                               content. Assignments that the teacher does not require to bemade up will not count toward a                                 student’s final grade. Students are responsible for making arrangements and completing                     make­up work within the timeline specified by the local school.    GRADING SCALE   Student progress is reported at the end of each grading period (Report Cards) and periodically                             during the grading period (Interim Reports).  SP Morton Elementary will operate a nine (9) week grading period during the 2016­2017 school                             year. Progress Reports will be sent home at the end of each third week. These reports are                                 designed to keep parents informed of student progress and any teacher concerns. It is the                             expectation that parents sign and return these reports the day following receipt. Parents are                           also encouraged to contact teachers and schedule student/parent/teacher conferences at the                     first sign of student struggle.     GRADING SCALES – (FCPS Policy IKEA) The following scale is used to assess Kindergarteners and                             1st graders’ progress:   E = Exemplary (Surpasses Standards)  

 

N = Needs to Improve  S = Satisfactory  U = Unsatisfactory   For students in grades 2–5, student performance is graded using the following scale:   90%­100%                        A excellent progress 80%­89%                                 B above average progress 70%­79%                                 C average progress 60%­69%                                 D below average progress Below 60%                              F failure  Teachers will schedule a face­to­face student/parent/teacher conference any time a grade of D                         or F is reported. Documentation of such conferences will be filed with the principal.   GRADES DISTRIBUTION  The number of grades are subject to change.    

Grades 1­2 Subjects  Minimum Number of Grades 

Reading  10 

Writing  10 

Mathematics  10 

History/Social Studies  9 

Science  9 

Total  48 

       

Grades 3­5 Categories  Minimum Number of Grades 

Percentages 

Homework/Class Participation 

7  10% 

Classwork=open book/closed book 

8  30% 

 

Quizzes  5  20% 

Tests/Benchmarks  3  25% 

Project  1  15% 

Total  24  100% 

   GRADE SCHEDULING   Elementary schools grade schedule. — The grade schedule for elementary schools will be as follows:  Grades per nine weeks: Kindergarten students are graded in the core content areas of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, History/Social Studies and Science. Students are assessed based on the division’s pacing guide. Student portfolios are maintained.  Grades per nine weeks: There will be aminimum number of grades per nine weeks for students                                 in grades K through 5 in the core content areas of Reading, Writing, Mathematics,                           History/Social Studies and Science as set forth below. Students should have ample guided                         practice time and review before being given the test for mastery of a given concept or skill. The                                   teacher is expected to re­ teach when necessary.   HOMEWORK   Homework extends learning activities beyond the classroom. It reinforces learning by giving a                         child an opportunity to use his or her knowledge. It also provides an opportunity for parents to                                 become involved in the educational development of their child. Homework should be well                         planned, purposeful, and not repetitious. It should not be monotonous, time consuming, busy                         work. Homework assignments should be reasonable. Teachers should consider students’ home                     resources when assigning homework.   All students can be assigned homeworkMonday through Thursday only. Homework is not to be                             assigned on PTA nights. Homework should be checked each day but not graded, and count no                               more than 10% of students’ grade.   SCHEDULING   This year we have a school­wide master schedule in place. The master schedule must be                             followed and may not be deviated from without permission of the principal. During the                           Reading block time should be allotted for reading aloud, shared, independent and guided                         reading. It should also include interactive, guided and independent writing.  

 

 

STUDENT SUPERVISION  The following guidelines have been established to help determine homework assignments:   Purpose of homework 

● To meet individual student needs ● To strengthen skills ● To aid in establishing and furthering responsibility ● To reinforce work to be done in the class ● To carry on class related activities 

 Recommendations 

● Assignment of work which has been explained and is understood by the student ● Consider suggestions made by the students for homework  ● Necessary resources should be available at school for students who do not have them at 

home  ● Consider the child’s home environment, extracurricular activities, and hobbies 

 *Homework guidelines will be determined during grade level meetings and they will be data                           driven.*   Students are to be supervised at all times during the day. Assigned staff members will supervise                               bus arrivals according to the Duty Schedule. At dismissal, students will be supervised until they                             have boarded the bus. Each teacher homeroom is expected to stand in their classroom                           doorway during arrival and follow afternoon dismissal procedures. Teachers are too closely                       supervise their class while on the playground. Assistants are not to take students outside on a                               regular basis.   Bright Start/Kindergarten students should be accompanied by a teacher, teacher assistant, or                       another student when in the hallway with a pass. If any student must travel in the hall without                                   an adult the sending teacher must also give them a hall pass.   Students are to be escorted by a teacher to and from their resource classes. It is important to                                   follow the schedule to avoid a period of no supervision. It is also important for resource                               teachers to be ready to receive students when they arrive, and to dismiss students on time.   Students will use restrooms according to the teacher’s scheduled restroom break and established procedures. Students who must go individually must have a hall pass.   Students will be escorted to the cafeteria by the classroom teacher and will be supervised until                               the class has passed through the line.   *Teachers need to actively supervise students while on the playground and grade level teams will have the autonomy to delineate supervisory positions* 

 

 

STUDENT WORK DISPLAYED   Student work should be displayed on the wall in the hallway aligned with the appropriate SOL standard.  Displays should be changed every two to three week.       PROMOTION/RETENTION  

● See FCPS policy IKEA 

 While the principal may make a recommendation to the superintendent for promotion with                         exception, there must be justification for the decision (evidence that the student can                         successfully navigate the next grade’s curriculum).   It is absolutely crucial that:   

● There is alignment between report card grades, test (benchmark, formative assessment, other teacher­made, etc.) scores, report card comments and other communication with parents.  

● That parents be kept informed of the student’s progress or lack thereof.  ● That documentation of parent communication (letters, telephone calls, face­to­face 

conferences) be maintained over a period of time – not just the last few days of school.  ● That documentation of intervention including, as appropriate, referral to Child Study 

and inclusion in other school­based interventions (or at least the recommendation to parents for such) be maintained over a period of time.  

 SP Morton will adhere to these procedures:   

1. List of possible retentions is given to the principal at the end of the second nine                                 weeks. This list should be accompanied by the student’s RTI package 2. The office drafts a letter for each teacher to send home.  3. New list of possible retained students to the office after 3rd quarter. Note: This is the                                 last time to add a student to the list. The same documentation from #1 above must                               accompany the list.  4. The office drafts a second letter for each teacher to send home.  5. Final list of retainers, along with documentation, to the office by the 2nd Friday in                               May.  6. The principal shall have the final say as to who will be retained.  

 While the principal may make a recommendation to the superintendent for promotion with                         exception, there must be justification for the decision (evidence that the student can                         

 

successfully navigate the next grade’s curriculum). In the event that the teacher fails to provide                             justification, any documentation or accurate documentation, the student will be promoted. 

 

GUIDANCE SERVICES   Guidance services are available to every student in the school. The student determines                         directions and goals in counseling. With the counselor, a student may discuss and explore freely                             and in confidence any problem or feelings that are personally important. During counseling,                         these concerns may be talked through and examined, alternatives explored, and decisions                       made about future courses of action. Should the student find that special and/or additional                           assistance of some sort is needed, the counselor will assist in finding such help as may be                                 needed. Should you have concern about any of your students, check with the counselor.                           Together, you can form a plan to best serve the needs of the student. 

 

 PARENTS, VOLUNTEERS & VISITORS   Guests are welcome in our school building. In order for these guests to be received properly,                               the office should be notified in advance. All guests are required to sign in the office and receive                                   a visitor's pass before reporting to the classroom. Parents desiring to volunteer must be                           approved through the FCPS Human Resource Office. Please note: parent volunteers are NOT to                           grade papers or have access to private student data. This is a FERPA violation. Do not allow                                 parents to enter student grades or attendance or perform any activities in PowerSchool or any                             other data system. Parent volunteers are not to be left alone with children unless a background                               check has been performed.  RECESS   Recess schedules are included in this handbook. Teachers should adhere to this schedule. If                           times are changed, the office staff should be notified. Children should not be sent to the office                                 to spend their recess time. ALL teachers share playground supervision. Teachers should be                         constantly moving to monitor the full play area. This is not a time for teachers to sit and chat                                     without supervising students. Parents should be sure that their child’s clothing is suitable for                           outside activities. Indoor activities should be planned during inclement weather. Recess is not                         optional – children need to go outside, and their teacher needs to take them. Follow these                               guidelines for weather restrictions on taking students outside for recess. Please note that these                           temperatures include the heat index/wind chill. It is your responsibility to check the weather                           conditions prior to going outside.  

● 90­100 degrees – Children can stay out but please be sure children have plenty of water  ● 32­90 degrees – Children can stay out for an unlimited amount of time  ● 20­32 degrees – Children can stay out for 5­10 minutes  ● <20 degrees – Plan an inside movement activity.  

 

 

Virginia mandates physical education in grades K­7, and requires daily recess in elementary                         school. The state requires all school districts to implement a minimum of 150 minutes of                             physical activity each week for elementary students, but this may be any combination of                           physical education classes, extracurricular athletics, or other programs and physical activities                     deemed appropriate by the local school board.  Going outside is not an option unless the weather prevents such.  Fifth grade students will not be permitted on the playground, they will access the area on the                                 Oak street side.    PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION   General P.T.A. meetings will be held each month, except January. All staff members are asked to continuously encourage parents to join our PTA. All teachers and staff members are encouraged to join the PTA. All licensed personnel are encouraged to attend at least four of the nine P.T.A. meetings, two each per semester.   ROOM PARTIES   Our primary mission is teaching and learning, thus we will make every effort to protect our instructional day. We ask that staff respect the following guidelines for parties and celebrations.   Birthdays:  Birthdays will be celebrated outside the school day. A parent may provide packaged cupcakes to be enjoyed during school lunch, however, no other snacks may be shared and no other time of the day may be taken for these occasions.   Holidays:   SP Morton teachers will celebrate two holiday seasons – winter and spring. Winter parties will occur within the last week of school before the winter break (December) and within the last week of school before the spring break (March or April).   NOTE: Flowers and/or balloons for events such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, end­of­the­year promotion, etc. should be shared at home. They may not be allowed in classrooms, in the cafeteria, on the bus or in the promotion services area (cafeteria or gym). Invitations to out­of­school parties and events must be distributed outside the school.   Other: Other celebrations will occur as follows:   

● End­of­the­Year parties (planned by teacher)  ● Earned parties (e.g. March of Dimes, fundraisers, etc.)  

 SECURITY   

 

The safety of the students and staff is very important. All outside doors will be locked. There                                 will be two access points for visitors to the building. The access point by the Oak Street                                 playground and the Morton Street main entrance are the ONLY two entrances for parents and                             visitors. 

 Instruct students that they should NEVER open the door to allow a parent or visitor into the                                 building. Inform parents of the same. ALL visitors should buzz for entrance and wait for the                               secretary or other office personnel to provide building access.  Key cards must be kept secure at all times. Key cards are assigned to FCPS employees only.                                 Cards are not assigned to substitutes, PTA members, volunteers, vendors, consultants, etc.                       Employee children should also not have key cards in their possession. No student is to have the                                 access code. Parents and visitors will be admitted into the school building by office staff. Do not                                 wedge any door open. All staff must enter the building through the front door. Staff should not                                 go out the door by the Art Room and try to re­enter by the front door. All classroom doors                                     should be pre­locked in case of an emergency.    CLUBS AND ORGANIZATION – Subject to be changed  

Safety Patrol 

The S. P. Morton safety patrol, sponsored by American Automobile Association, was established                         

to provide 4th and 5th grade students the opportunity to assist in supervising the day­to­day                             

morning and afternoon movement in the building. It also provides the “juniors and seniors” at                             

S. P. Morton the opportunity to serve as role models to the younger students. The chance to                                 

serve as a safety patrol is a privilege provided to those students who work hard in class, and                                   

who have respect for themselves, their classmates, and their teachers.  

Fourth and fifth grade students are initially chosen for safety patrol through teacher                         

recommendations. Students may also submit a letter of interest if they would like to be                             

considered for safety patrol. All students submitting their own personal request must be                         

approved by their teachers and an administrator before being allowed to be a safety patroller. 

Recycling 

In order to promote awareness of alternative methods of paper waste disposal at S. P. Morton                               

in Franklin, all students at S. P. Morton engage in recycling of fine paper through our paper                                 

recycling program. Each homeroom has two SCA representatives that are in charge of                         

maintaining their classroom’s bins. They are to monitor the items being put in the bins and                               

remove any non­recyclable materials; they must educate their homerooms on what can and                         

cannot be recycled; and take the bins to the storage area located on the stage for bagging one                                   

day a week. During these times 5th grade recycling captains are stationed on the stage to                               

oversee the bagging process. A partnering system is used for those classrooms not having                           

 

homerooms. Certain homeroom representatives are in charge of monitoring and picking up                       

their partner’s bins, along with their homerooms. 

Student Council Association 

The S. P. Morton Student Council Association has been established to provide students the                           

opportunity to plan and implement ideas that will benefit the school and/or the community.                           

The SCA meets after school throughout the school year to monitor their plan, update the                             

progress of events, and to solicit new ideas. The two SCA representatives per class are voted in                                 

by their peers in grades 3, 4, and 5. Fourth and fifth graders are eligible to run for an SCA                                       

officer position. The 5th graders may run for all offices; the 4th graders may run for all offices                                   

except President. The offices are – President, Vice­President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Safety                       

Patrol.   

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK 

It is your responsibility to become familiar with the information in the Student/Parent Handbook. Classroom practices should follow the information contained in the handbook.    

FCPS POLICIES Faculty and staff members are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with all Franklin City Public Schools local Board Policies.  These can be found at www.fcpsva.org          

 

 

S.P. Morton Elementary School

Schedule 2016-17 

 

Kindergarten  First  Second 

Breakfast/Read­Aloud/Homeroom 

8:00­8:30 

 

Breakfast/Read­Aloud/Homeroom 

8:00­8:15 

Breakfast/Read­Aloud/Homeroom 

8:00­8:15 

 

 

Specials  

8:30­9:20 

 

Reading  

8:15­9:52 

Math 

8:15­9:20 

Reading 

9:25­11:00 

 

SSR & Writing 

9:55­10:15 

Specials  

9:25­10:15 

Specials 

10:20­11:10 

Lunch 

11:00­11:30 

 

Lunch  

11:15­11:45 

Reading 

10:20­11:55 

Recess 

11:50­12:00 

Reading 

11:35­11:55 

Math 

12:05­1:25 

Lunch 

12:12:30 

Math  

12:00­1:00 

Recess 

12:35­12:45 

Remediation 

1:05­1:55 

 

 

Remediation/Enrichment 

1:30­2:30 

Remediation/Enrichment 

12:50­1:50 

Recess 2:00­2:20 

 

 

Science/Social Studies 

2:30­3:20 

SSR & Writing 

1:55­2:30 

 

Science/Social Studies 

2:25­3:20 

 

  Science/ Social Studies 

2:30­3:20 

   Third Grade 

  McConnell (Reading) 

Greene 

(Math) 

Vacancy 

(Social Studies/Science) 

  Briggs  Latta 

8:00­8:15  Drop Everything and Read 

(Homeroom 

Drop Everything and Read 

(Homeroom 

Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom 

8:00­8:15  Drop Everything and Read 

(Homeroom) 

Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom) 

8:15­10:10  Reading 

(McConnell 

HR) 

Math (Greene’s 

HR) 

8:15­9:52 

Science/S.S (McKenna HR) 

8:15­9:15 

8:15­10:10  Reading 

(Briggs HR) 

Math (Latta HR) 

8:15­9:52 

SuccessMaker Math 9:55 

­10:10 

Remediation 

9:15­10:10 

9:55­10:10 

Math Successmaker 

10:12­12:05  Reading (McKenna’s 

HR) 

Math (McConnell’s 

HR) 

10:12­11:50 

Science/SS (Greene’s HR) 

10:12­11:12 

10:12­11:12  Social Studies (Briggs HR) 

Science 

(Latta HR) 

SuccessMaker Math 

11:55­12:05 

Remediation 

11:15­12:05 

11:15­12:05  Remediation 

12:07­12:22  Recess  12:07­12:22  Recess 

12:25­1:05  Specials  12:25­1:05  Specials 

1:07­1:32  Lunch  1:07­1:32  Lunch 

1:35­3:20  Reading (Greene HR) 

 

Math (McKenna’s 

HR) 

1:35­3:00 

Science/SS 

(McConnell’s HR) 

1:35­2:35 

1:35­3:20  Reading 

(Latta HR) 

Math 

(Briggs HR) 

1:35­3:00 

SuccessMaker Math 

3:05­3:20 

Remediation 

2:35­3:20 

SuccessMaker 

Math 

3:05:3:20 

 

 

 

  

  

 

  Fourth Grade 

  Hardy 

(Reading) 

Fillhart 

(Math) 

Nolan 

(Reading) 

Jones 

(Math) 

8:00­8:15  Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom) 

Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom 

Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom 

Drop Everything and Read (Homeroom 

8:15­10:15 

 

Reading(Hardy HR)  Math (Fillhart HR)  Reading (Nolan HR)  Math (Jones HR) 

10:17­12:17 

 

Reading (Fillhart HR)  Math (Hardy HR)  Reading (Jones HR)  Math (Nolan HR) 

12:20­12:45  Lunch 

12:50­1:00  Recess 

1:02­1:45  Social Studies (Fillhart HR)  Science (Hardy HR)  Social Studies (Jones HR) 

Science (Nolan HR) 

1:47­2:30  Specials 

2:32­3:20  Back to Home Room ­ Remediation 

 

 

  Fifth Grade 

  Lowe  Miller  Taylor  Davenport 

8:00­8:15  Drop Everything and Read  Drop Everything and Read 

Drop Everything and Read 

Drop Everything and Read 

8:15­9:30  Reading (Lowe’s HR)  Math (Miller’s HR)  Social Studies (Taylor’s HR) 

Science (Davenport’s HR) 

9:32­10:47  Reading (Davenport HR)  Math (Lowe’s HR)  Social Studies 

 (Miller’s HR) 

Science (Taylor HR) 

10:49­12:04  Reading (Taylor’s HR)  Math (Davenport HR)  Social Studies 

(Lowe’s HR) 

Science (Miller’s HR) 

12:06­ 1:20  Reading (Miller’s HR)  Math (Taylor’s HR)  Social Studies (Davenport HR) 

Science (Lowe’s HR) 

1:25­1:50  Lunch 

1:50­2:00  Recess 

 

2:05­2:35  Back to Home Room Remediation/Enrichment 

2:37­3:20  Specials 

Specials schedule

2016-2017 Kindergarten (8:30­9:20) 

Day  Raiford­Wade 

Rawls  Evans  Archer­Wright  Robins­ Parker 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 5 

Monday  Art  Library  Computer Lab  PE  Music 

Tuesday  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab  PE 

Wednesday  PE   Music   Art  Library  Computer Lab 

Thursday  Computer Lab 

PE   Music  Art   Library 

Friday  Library  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  Art 

 First Grade (10:20­11:10) 

Day  Gurganus  Handshaw­ Royster 

Cross  Mabry  Dover 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 5 

Monday  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

PE  Music 

Tuesday  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab  PE 

Wednesday  PE  Music  Art  Library   Computer Lab 

Thursday  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  Art  Library 

 

Friday  Library  Computer Lab  PE  Music  Art 

 Second Grade (9:25­10:15)  

Day  Staples  Council  Stenger  Schuermann 

Baker  Johnson 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 5  Sec 6 

Monday  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  SPLIT 

Tuesday  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

PE  STUDENTS 

Wednesday 

PE  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

 

Thursday  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  Art   Library   

Friday  Library  Computer  PE  Music   Art   

 Third Grade (12:25­1:05)  

Day  Latta  Cooper  McConnell  Briggs  Vacany 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 5 

Monday  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

PE  Music 

Tuesday  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

PE 

Wednesday  PE  Music  Art  Library  Computer Lab 

Thursday  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  Art  Library 

Friday  Library  Computer  PE  Music   Art 

   

 

 Fourth Grade (1:47­2:30)  

Day  Hardy  Fillhart  Jones  Nolan 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4 

Monday  Art  Library  Computer Lab  PE 

Tuesday  Music   Art  Library  Computer Lab 

Wednesday  PE  Music  Art  Library 

Thursday  Computer Lab 

PE  Music  Art  

Friday  Library  Computer Lab  PE  Music 

 Fifth Grade (2:37­3:20)  

Day  Lowe  Taylor  Davenport  Miller  Moore 

  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4   

Monday  Art  Library  Music  P.E.  AVID 

Tuesday  Music  Art  P.E  Library  AVID 

Wednesday  P.E.  Music  Library  Art  AVID 

Thursday  Library  PE  Art  Music  AVID 

Friday  Art  Library  Music  P.E  AVID 

 

  Lowe  Taylor  Davenport  Miller 

Blue Week  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4 

Gold Week  Sec 2  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 1 

Red Week  Sec 3  Sec 4  Sec 1  Sec 2 

Green Week  Sec 4  Sec 1  Sec 2  Sec 3 

 

**Monday­Wednesday selected Fifth grade students will report for AVID with Mr. Moore. Thursday and Friday they will report to their regular Specials with their homerooms**