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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 K-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 K-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 R-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.

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SAU 41 OVERARCHING GOALS

1.      Every classroom will become a model of instructional excellence in providing for the range of needs of students.

2.      Teachers' professional goals will target providing for the range of pupil need through differentiated instruction.

3.      Assessment will be used to determine how well student needs are being met.

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 or the SAU office. 

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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. 

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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 New Families Handbook, 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 and has included the following programs in the past: Historical Perspectives, Lowell Mills Tours, Nashua Symphony, Krackerjack Theater, Starlab, Pyramids & Pharaohs, and Artist in Residence Programs.

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 required for elementary school in Hollis exceeds the state of New Hampshire’s minimum standards, which are:

·        Kindergarten                    two and one-half hours

·        Grade 1                            four and one half hours, exclusive of lunch

·        Grade 2-6                        five and one-half hours, exclusive of lunch 

At the Primary School the instructional day for Gr. 1–3 begins at 8:30 and ends at 2:55.  There are two sessions of Kindergarten offered.   Morning Kindergarten is held from 8:40 to 11:15.   Afternoon Kindergarten is held from 12:05 – 2:40.  At the Upper Elementary School the instructional day for Gr. 4– 6 begins at 8:37 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 and HUES students disembark buses and enter the school building at 8:22 A.M  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.

When students are tardy, (after 8:30 at HPS and after 8:37 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.

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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

As a school 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 learners 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 an innovative performance-based assessment report sent to parents on a trimester basis. To support and validate student achievement, our Best School Leadership Team developed a system to document and analyze collected achievement data to assist our assessment of curricula and response to achievement results.

            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 department's school-wide "Helpful-Hurtful" program teaches students to take responsibility for their own actions, how to deal with 'hurtful' actions of others and helps them understand how to affect change. At HPS, the S.T.A.R. program (Stop, Think, Act, & Review) helps students by giving them an outline to use for their actions both in the social and academic venue.

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. Service learning projects occur at all grade levels and are also coordinated school-wide throughout the year. Among them are collections of pennies, outerwear, blankets and mittens for economically less fortunate. Individual classes may collect Box Tops for education or participate in a curriculum connected challenge activity and use the funds generated to support a child in a developing country or contribute to a local charity.  In partnership with Hollis' police department, we provide the DARE program at gr. 5.

            On a daily basis, staff acknowledges 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 meet the needs of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island students. 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 and math. 

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CURRICULUM

A huge commitment has been made in our SAU and district to the continual development of outstanding curricula. Each of our ten curriculum task forces (Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Technology, Fine Arts, Health, Media, and Physical Education) is made up of an administrator and representatives from every school. These Task Forces meet monthly throughout the school year.  Their work includes the review, research and analysis of programs,  Grade Level Expectations, and instructional materials for the purpose of creating and adopting curricula that best meet the needs of our students.

Our school takes the work and products of these Task Forces very seriously and has put in place many supports to insure these curricula are implemented consistently at each grade level.  Grade level team meetings are another extremely effective support that breaks down the isolation of teaching and ensures curricula are taught and implemented well.

Computer labs in each building introduce students to the skills and programs that form the core of their knowledge of technology. These skills, as they are taught in the lab, are regularly integrated into a variety of classroom curriculum projects and assignments.

The Language Arts program consists of three components: reader’s workshop, writer’s workshop, and word study.  We’ve implemented the Fountas & Pinnell Phonics program and the Rebecca Sitton Spelling program to guide our word study component.  Students are exposed to a variety of literature through guided, shared, and independent reading.  Both our math and science curriculums are based on a constructivist, hands-on, process-oriented and problem solving approach to instruction.  Chicago Math’s Everyday Mathematics and kits developed by the Science Task Force are the foundation pieces for these two spiraling curriculums.  Silver Burdett is our Social Studies text.     Back to Handbook

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 accessing 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

·        To raise the overall reading level of the First Grade Class

            Four specially trained Reading Recovery teachers each work with eight first grade students over the course of the school year. Thus, this program directly impacts 32 students or about 25% 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 at least 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. Generally, four students are taken out of one classroom at the same time for their Reading Recovery lesson. This allows classroom teachers to focus on other small groups within their classroom during this time. 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.

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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.

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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, collaboratively written by a committee of teachers and administrators, 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. Continuing contract teachers are invited to become Mentors and participate in a summer training program.  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 to be effective professional development 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 - A PROMISING PRACTICE

            Our school is proud of the fact that we have been recognized by the State Department of Education for being in the forefront of instituting a “promising practice” in education. 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 and his/her curriculum.

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THE SAU #41 COMPUTER NETWORK
ACCEPTABLE USE PROCEDURE

            One component of the SAU #41 Computer Network is a connection to the Internet.  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 for these other systems.  Some information may be controversial and sometimes offensive. The SAU #41 District does not condone the use of such materials and uses filters in an attempt to block inappropriate material.

            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.

            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 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.

The following "Student Rules for Using the Internet/Intranet" is part of our Acceptable Use Policy. If you have any questions about the network curriculum activities, please call your child's teacher.

·        Students will never access online "chat rooms" at school.

·        Students will never give out personal information, such as their address or telephone number.

·        Students will tell their teacher right away if they come across any information that makes them feel uncomfortable.

·        Students will never agree to get together with anyone they meet online.

·        Students will never send anyone their picture or anything else unless they have specific directions or permission from their teacher.

·        Students will not respond to any messages that are mean or that make them feel uncomfortable and need to tell their teacher right away if such a message is received so that he/she can contact the online service.

·        Students will abide by the classroom rules their teacher has laid out for them so that they will be online at educationally appropriate sites and also follow instructions so that they will be online for a reasonable amount of time.

·        Students need to understand that the school Internet access is provided for educational purposes only.

·        Students will not download any files without their teacher's permission. 

·        Students will not download games.

·        Students will not tell anyone their password or access anyone else’s account.

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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.

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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: 

• to steal and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or words of another)
• use (a created production) without crediting the source
• to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source (ideas or products include pictures, audio, video, sound, etc whether from print or non-print sources including the Internet)

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

1. On the first offense the student will meet with the teacher for clarification and instruction of the work in question , including:
   • Proper use of quotation marks
   • Note taking
   • Citing sources
   • Proper use of summarizing and paraphrasing
2. On the second offense, the student’s parent or guardian will be notified and the student will be required to redo the work in question.
3. All subsequent offenses will be considered on a case by case basis.

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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. What is acceptable for a second grader is often inappropriate for someone in an upper grade.  Examples of this include tops with spaghetti straps, tank/halter tops, or shorts 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

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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. 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.

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Pupil Safety and Bullying/Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy

(In Compliance with RSA193-F)

General Statement of Policy

It is hereby established that the policy of the Hollis School District is to oppose and prohibit, without qualification, unlawful bullying or harassment based on race, color, religion (creed), national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability.

The Hollis School District is committed to providing all students with a safe and supportive school environment.  Every member of the School Community is expected to treat each other with mutual respect and to not only accept, but embrace diversity within the community.  Disrespect among or towards members of the School Community is unacceptable behavior that threatens to disrupt the learning environment and decrease self-esteem and shall not be tolerated.

When applied to the developmental levels of the Preschool-6 students within the Hollis School District, some forms of student conduct that might be otherwise construed as inappropriate or unlawful in an older student or an adult may be viewed as learning experiences and opportunities for teaching Preschool-6 students.  These should be handled differently than those forms of conduct which clearly go beyond reasonable conduct of a developmental nature as quantified by their repetitiveness, severity, intention or level of understanding of the student.  Bullying or harassment is an example of an inappropriate form of unlawful discrimination as well as disrespectful behavior that will not be tolerated.  Any unlawful bullying or harassment of any student by a member of the School Community is a violation of this policy.

The Hollis School District shall act to investigate all complaints of bullying or harassment either formal or informal, verbal or written, and instruct, discipline or take other appropriate action against any member of the School Community who is determined to have violated this policy.  The Building Principal is designated as the District’s Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official.  The Principal will be assisted in this duty by the Assistant Principal, who is designated as the Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official. The District will not tolerate unlawful harassment of any type, and conduct that constitutes bullying as defined herein is prohibited by this Policy, in accordance with RSA 193-F.

II.                  Definitions

Bullying means conduct which subjects a student to insults, taunts or challenges, whether verbal or physical in nature, which are likely to intimidate or provoke a violent or disorderly response from the student being treated in this manner.

·        Bullying may involve gang or clique behavior, hazing, threats and violence.

·        Bullying behavior extends beyond actions that target those groups protected by anti-discrimination legislation, including but not limited to: sex, race, creed, color, marital status and national origin.

·        Bullying may rise to the level of harassment if it is severe or pervasive.

Disability Bullying or Harassment includes bullying or harassment based on a person’s disabling mental or physical condition and includes any unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct directed at the characteristics of a person’s disabling condition, such as name calling, derogatory remarks, imitating manner of speech or movement or interference with necessary equipment.

Hostile Environment means establishing an atmosphere in which the victim cannot fully benefit from the educational program.

National Origin Bullying or Harassment is unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct directed at the characteristics of a person’s national origin, such as negative comments regarding surnames, manner of speaking, customs, language or ethnic slurs.

Notice means a school has notice of bullying or harassing behavior when a school employee or contractor has witnessed such behavior or knows of such behavior from a reliable source.

Racial and Color Bullying or Harassment can included unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct directed at the characteristics of a person’s race or color, such as nicknames emphasizing stereotypes, racial slurs, comments on manner of speaking and negative reference to racial customs.

Religious (Creed) Bullying or Harassment is unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct directed at the characteristics of a person’s religion or creed, such as derogatory comments regarding surnames, religious tradition, religious clothing, religious slurs or graffiti.

School means the public elementary schools within the Hollis School District in New Hampshire.

School Community includes, but is not limited to, all students, school employees, contractors, unpaid volunteers, parents and guardians of students and other visitors.

School Day shall include not only the instructional portion of the day, but may also include travel to and from school or a school-related activity, as well as the time spent as a participant or spectator at a school-related activity.

School Premises shall include the school and surrounding school property, including, without limitation, parking areas, athletic fields and playgrounds; school busses or other vehicle furnished by the District or its agents for transportation to or from school or a school-related activity; and/or those premises and surroundings being used for a school-related activity. 

School Employee includes, but is not limited to, all teachers, support staff, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, coaches, school board members and agents of the school.

Sexual Abuse is defined as any act or acts by any person involving sexual molestation or exploitation of a child, including but not limited to, incest, prostitution, rape, sodomy or any lewd or lascivious conduct involving a child.

Sexual Bullying or Harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

·        Submission to that conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of a student’s education.

·        Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a student is used as a component of the basis for decisions affecting that student.

·        The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment.

This applies whether the conduct is between people of the same or different gender.  Sexual bullying or harassment can include unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct, directed at or related to a person’s gender, such as sexual gossip or personal comments of a sexual nature, sexually suggestive or foul language, sexual jokes, whistling, spreading rumors or lies of a sexual nature about someone, demanding sexual favors, forcing sexual activity by threat of punishment or offer of educational reward, obscene graffiti, display or sending of pornographic pictures or objects, offensive touching, pinching, grabbing, kissing, hugging or restraining someone’s movement in a sexual way.  Written communications shall be any form of written exchange expressly including any form of electronic communication.

Sexual Orientation Bullying or Harassment is unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct directed at the characteristics of a person’s sexual orientation, such as negative name calling and imitating mannerisms.

Student means a child through age 21 in attendance at a school during the school day.

Unlawful Bullying or Harassment means verbal or physical conduct based on a student’s actual or perceived race, religion (creed) color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability which has the purpose or effect of substantially (1) interfering with a student’s educational performance (2) creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment or (3) discriminating against a member of the School Community.  Bullying or harassment can include any unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct, which offends, denigrates or belittles any individual because of any of the characteristics described above.  Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, unsolicited derogatory remarks, jokes of an inappropriate or hurtful nature, demeaning comments or behavior, slurs, mimicking, name calling, graffiti, innuendo, gestures, physical contact, stalking, threatening, bullying, extorting or the display or circulation of written materials or pictures. 

III.                Procedures for Implementation of Bullying/Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy

Reporting

A.)  Any School Employee who observes, overhears or otherwise witnesses bullying or harassment or to whom such bullying or harassment is reported or who has good and valid reasons to believe that a violation of this policy has occurred, whether such violation is deemed to be conduct of a developmental or unlawful nature, must take prompt and appropriate action to stop the bullying or harassment and to prevent its reoccurrence.  In the event that the School Employee is unable to personally take prompt and appropriate intervention, the employee must immediately report the incident or complaint in writing to the appropriate Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official or District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official verbally or in writing.  However, no action shall be taken on anonymous reports unless such anonymous reports can otherwise be substantiated by an independent source. 

B.)  Any student or other person who believes that bullying or harassment of a student has occurred, whether developmental in nature or unlawful, may inform any School Employee or the appropriate Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official or District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint official verbally or in writing.  However, no action shall be taken on anonymous reports unless such anonymous reports can otherwise be substantiated by an independent source.

C.)  Any student who believes that s/he has been the target of unlawful bullying or harassment as defined in this policy may bring their complaint to the attention of any School Employee.  Any student who believes that the corrective action taken by a School Employee was ineffective or inadequate may bring their complaint to the attention of the Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official.  The complaint may be made either orally or in written, signed form.  The following are the Bullying and Harassment Complaint Officials:

District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official:  Gail E. Paludi, Principal, HPS

District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official:  Carol Thibaudeau, Principal, HUES

Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official: Susan Astone, Assistant Principal, HPS

Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official: Candice Fowler, Asst Principal, HUES

D.)  Upon receipt of a report of bullying, the Principal or designee shall notify the Superintendent and within twenty-four hours forward a written report to the Superintendent of the incident and the Principal’s or designee’s response to the incident.  The Superintendent shall in turn notify the School Board of the incident.

E.)  Additionally, the Principal, or designee, shall by telephone and in writing by first-class mail, report the occurrence of any incident of bullying as defined by this policy to the parent or legal guardian of all pupils involved within 48 hours of the occurrence of such incident, unless this requirement is waived by the Superintendent when such a waiver is deemed to be in the best interests of the student.  Any waiver granted shall be in writing and any such notification must be consistent with the student privacy rights under the applicable provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

F.)   If one of the Bullying and Harassment Complaint Officials is the person alleged to be engaged in the bullying or harassment, the complaint shall be filed with one of the alternative officials or any other School Employee the student chooses.

Informal Procedure

For conduct deemed to be of a developmental nature, School Employees will utilize the District’s Helpful/Hurtful Program as an initial means to teach students both the seriousness of bullying/harassing conduct and to support students in eliminating such conduct.  The reporting system outlined within the Helpful/Hurtful Program shall be used in all such cases, with a third report of unacceptable behavior under this policy resulting in further intervention and consequences through contact with the school guidance counselor and/or the Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official or District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official. 

It may be possible to resolve a complaint through a voluntary conversation between the complaining student and the alleged harasser that is facilitated by a School Employee or by a designated Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official.  The Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official should notify the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) if, after initial consultation with the student, it is determined to be in the best interests of the student.  Both the complaining student and the alleged harasser may be accompanied by a person of their choice for support and guidance.  If the complaining student and the alleged harasser feel that a resolution has been achieved, then the conversation may remain confidential and no further action needs to be taken. The results of an informal resolution shall be reported by the facilitator in writing to the Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official or District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official.

If the complaining student, the alleged harasser, the School Employee or Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official chooses not to utilize the informal procedure, or feels that the informal procedure is inadequate or has been unsuccessful, s/he may proceed to the formal procedure.  Any complaint against a School Employee shall be handled through the formal procedure.

Formal Procedure

Any School Employee who observes, overhears or otherwise witnesses bullying or harassment which may be unlawful and which goes beyond behavior that is deemed developmental in nature or to whom such bullying or harassment is reported, must take prompt and appropriate action to stop the bullying or harassment and to prevent its reoccurrence.  A written report of the incident and the action taken by the School Employee in response to it must be given to the Building Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official or District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official, who will determine whether further action is called for.

A Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official shall fill out and sign a bullying or harassment complaint form based on the written or verbal allegations of the complaining student or reporting School Employee.  Completed complaint forms shall be kept in a centralized and secure location within the District Senior Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official’s office.

A.)  The complaint form, which shall be treated as sensitive information on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis, shall detail the facts and circumstances of the incident or pattern of behavior.

B.)  Parents of all involved students shall be notified immediately unless, after consultation with the students, it is determined not to be in the best interests of a particular student or students.

C.)  An investigation shall be completed by a Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official as soon as possible and within 14 calendar days from the date of the complaint or report.

The investigation may consist of personal interviews with the complaining student, the alleged harasser and any other individuals who may have knowledge of the alleged incident(s) or circumstances giving rise to the complaint.  In determining whether alleged conduct constitutes a violation of this policy the Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official should consider the following surrounding circumstances:

·        Any relevant documents

·        The nature of the behavior

·        Past incidents or past or continuing patterns of behavior

·        The relationships between the parties involved

·        The context in which the alleged incidents occurred

Whether a particular action or incident constitutes a violation of this policy requires a determination based on all the facts and surrounding circumstances.

In addition, the School District may take immediate steps, at its sole discretion, to protect the complaining student, alleged harraser, witnesses and School Employees, pending completion of an investigation of alleged bullying or harassment and may make any appropriate referrals for assistance, including but not limited to counseling.  The investigation will be completed as soon as practicable.  The complaining student and the alleged harasser shall be informed of the results of the investigation, including whether the allegations were found to be factual, whether there was a violation of the policy and whether disciplinary action was or will be taken.

The Principal, Superintendent or School Board (as appropriate) will take such disciplinary action as is deemed justified, including, but not limited to, reprimand, detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, long-term suspension or expulsion, in order to end bullying and prevent its reoccurrence.  Any such disciplinary action shall be taken in accord with applicable School Board policy and legal requirements.

The Principal shall maintain the written report of the investigation and results in his/her office.  The Superintendent shall receive a copy of the investigation report and results.  If a Bullying and Harassment Complaint Official concludes that the policy has been violated by a professional educator or administrator, a report of the findings shall be filed with the Superintendent, who will determine if the report should be sent to the New Hampshire State Department of Education.

Mandatory Reporting of Potential Physical and/or Sexual Abuse

Several behaviors listed as sexual bullying or harassment (i.e. sexual touching, grabbing, pinching, being forced to kiss someone, being forced to do something other than kissing, sexual assault) may also constitute physical or sexual abuse.  Thus, under certain circumstances alleged bullying or harassment may also be possible physical and/or sexual abuse under New Hampshire law.  Such bullying or harassment or abuse is subject to the duties of mandatory reporting and must be reported to the New Hampshire Division of Children and Youth Services within 24 hours of the time the educator becomes aware of the suspected abuse.

IV.               Right to Appeal

The parent or legal guardian may appeal the Principal’s decision to the Superintendent within 10 days of notification.  If the parent or legal guardian is not satisfied with the Superintendent’s decision, they may appeal in writing within 10 days to the School Board.

If the parent or legal guardian is not satisfied with the local School Board’s decision, they may appeal to the State Board of Education, pursuant to 193-F.  Such an appeal shall be in writing and filed with the Commissioner of Education, with a copy to the Superintendent of Schools, and mailed to Stephen Berwick, NH Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 033012.  The State Board of Education shall notify in writing all parties involved of its decision.

V.                 Retaliation

It is a separate and distinct violation of this policy for any member of the School Community to retaliate against any person who reports alleged bullying or harassment or against any person who testifies, assists or participates in an investigation, proceeding or hearing relating to such bullying or harassment, whether or not it is ultimately determined that such allegations were proper.  It shall also be a violation of this policy if any such allegation is determined to be a willful intent on the part of the alleged victim to hurt or embarrass another person with unfounded allegations by filing a false report.  It is possible that an alleged harasser may be found to have violated this anti-retaliation provision, even if the underlying complaint of bullying or harassment is not found to be a violation of this policy.   Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal, bullying or harassment, and may be redressed through application of the same reporting investigation and enforcement procedures as for bullying or harassment.  In addition, a person who knowingly makes a false report may be subject to the same action that the Hollis School District may take against any other individual who violates this policy.  The term “false report” refers only to those made in bad faith and does not include a complaint that could not be corroborated or which did not rise to the level of unlawful bullying or harassment.

VI.               Immunity

A school employee or employee of a company under contract with a school or School District who has reported violations of bullying to the Principal or designee shall be immune from any cause of action which arise from making the report or the failure of the school to remedy the reported incident.

VII.             Training

Appropriate methods of discussing the meaning, substance and application of this policy with staff and students shall be developed by each Principal and staff in order to effectively prevent bullying, minimize the occurrence of bullying and respond to any such incidents. 

VIII.           Confidentiality

The School District recognizes that both the complaining student and the alleged harasser have strong interests in maintaining the confidentiality of the allegations and related information.  The privacy of the complaining student(s), the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed and the witnesses will be respected as much as possible, consistent with legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action and to comply with any discovery or disclosure obligations.

IX.               Alternative Complaint Procedures

In addition to, or instead of, filing a bullying or harassment complaint through this policy, a person may choose to exercise other options, including but not limited to filing a complaint with outside agencies or filing a private lawsuit.

X.                 Outside Agencies

A charge of bullying or harassment may also be investigated by the New Hampshire Commission on Human Rights, New Hampshire Department of Education, or the Office for Civil Rights of the US Department of Education.  Contact information follows:

·        Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Region 1 McCormack Post Office and Courthouse Room 222, Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-4557  (617) 223-9662

·        New Hampshire Commission on Human Rights, 163 Loudon Road, Concord, NH 03301  (603) 271-2767

·        New Hampshire Department of Education, Concord, NH 03301

XI.               Litigation

A student who has been harassed may file a lawsuit under a number of federal or state statues (including Titles IV, VI and IX of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1913).  S/he or his/her parent should consult with a private attorney about these rights and options.

XII.             Notice and Publication

The School Board shall provide notice of the policy and procedures to students, custodial parents or guardians and School Employees.  Notice to students shall be in age-appropriate language and should include examples of bullying or harassment.  At a minimum, the policy shall be conspicuously posted throughout each school building in areas accessible to all members of the School Community.  The notice shall also appear in the school handbook and any other publication of the school district that sets forth the comprehensive rules, procedures and standards of conduct for the school.  There shall be procedures for publicizing, on an annual basis, the identity of the Bullying and Harassment Complaint Officials who are designated to receive complaints.  The Board shall use its discretion in developing and initiating age-appropriate programs to effectively inform students and School Employees about the substance of the policy and procedures in order to help prevent bullying or harassment.

XIII.           Statutory and Regulatory References

RSA 193:13, Suspension and Expulsion of Pupils

RSA 193-F,  Pupil Safety and Violence Protection

NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed 317, Procedures of Suspension and Expulsion of Pupils

See Appendix JICD-R

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OUR HELPFUL / HURTFUL PROGRAM

. . . 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.

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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 Helpful/Hurtful program has a number of components, which are considered essential to its application with students.

·        Children, parents and staff can report or initiate concerns about behaviors that meet the criteria for our Helpful/Hurtful program to a School Counselor or Classroom Teacher.

·        An array of responses is 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.

·         The policy provides an important tool for staff by serving as a written record or ‘paper trail’ of efforts made to deal with the hurtful behaviors. Confidentiality of each child is protected by limited disclosure.

·        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 of the policy for them. Goals are always twofold:

·        To stop the hurtful behavior

·        To teach more adaptive behavior skills to both children

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PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES             

            In response to input from our parent community, Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled into the school calendar. The first conference period falls at the mid-point of the first trimester, while the second conference period is scheduled for the mid-point of the school year.  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 first half of the school year, revisit goals talked about in October and plan for the last half 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 and, if necessary, with the Superintendent of Schools.

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.  

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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. As a last resort, after working with the school staff, a parent may bring the issue to the attention of the School Board.        

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ATTENDANCE

            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. Vacations that do not coincide with our school calendar are not excused absences.

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 800 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.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARDS

Perfect attendance awards are given to children at the end of the school year. In order to receive a perfect attendance award the child must not have been absent, tardy, or dismissed early during the school year.

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. Please make good attendance a priority. The administration closely monitors absences, tardiness, and early dismissals. Monthly attendance records of all children having three or more absences, tardies, or early dismissals are reviewed. Parents of children with nine (9) or more absences or nine (9) or more tardies per trimester will receive a letter of concern due to their child’s attendance and lost learning time.

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.

PROLONGED ABSENCES

After an absence of ten (10) days, a doctor’s note is required for a student to return to school. Please check with the school nurse as to the requirements for return to school after a contagious infection or disease.

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. Absences due to participation in family vacations/trips planned during the regular school year are recorded as unexcused absences. 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.

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 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.

• Should your child be outside on the playground at the time of the requested dismissal, please wait in the office until students have returned to class. When dismissal from the playground is necessary, a school employee will go to the playground to get your child. A dismissal slip for your child will be given to a playground supervisor who later sends them to your child’s teacher.

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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 insure 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.

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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

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TELEPHONE/CELL PHONE USE BY STUDENTS

Students are permitted to use the phone only with staff supervision and permission or in case of emergency situations. 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.

Students 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. 

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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.

Announcements of school closing are 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.

On a delayed opening:

·        Schools will open two (2) hours after the regular starting time.  HPS opens at 10:30 and HUES opens at 10:37

·        Bus pick-ups will also be delayed two hours

·        The A.M. session of Kindergarten will be canceled

·        Hot lunch will be served as usual

·        Grades 1 - 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 prior to 8:30 A.M.  

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                                                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 to follow if they are dismissed early or if they should arrive home to an empty house. The emergency plans take precedence over any other arrangement for that day.  There is virtually no carpool on an emergency early dismissal day.

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KINDERGARTEN CANCELLATION PROCEDURE

            Morning sessions or kindergarten are cancelled when school is delayed. 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. We ask you not to call the school; the information is given to the radio and television stations at the same time the schools are notified of the decision.

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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.

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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 usually 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.

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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.

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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. 

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HOLLIS school district and the law

The Hollis School District complies with all Federal and State laws that apply to schools. Four federal laws important to mention here are: Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Brief information concerning these laws follows. Additional information is available through numerous government sources and through the school.

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FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) afford parents and students over 18 years of age certain rights with respect to the student’s education record.  They are:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the School District receives a request for access
• The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading, and the right to request a formal hearing if the request to amend is denied.
• The right to consent, or to deny consent, to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with requirements of FERPA

The office that administers FERPA is:  Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW , Washington , DC 2002-5901.  For additional information on FERPA, see the U.S. Department of Education Summary of FERPA: 

• http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html 

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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, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and provide a free, appropriate public education to your child to the extent he or she is eligible under these laws.  Federal Regulations implementing the IDEA are scheduled to be finalized within the next few months.  These regulations may increase your rights under the IDEA.  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. 

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INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)

In 1975, Congress enacted the law now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This law was reauthorized in 1977,1997 and 2004 and provides eligible children from ages 3 to 21 who have a disability adversely impacting their educational progress, with a free and appropriate education via a special education program and related services.

The law establishes a two-prong eligibility standard.  Special education and related services of IDEA are available to students who have documented disabilities and who need special assistance to benefit from education.  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 the building Principal, Assistant Principal or the building Special Education Coordinator at 673-4640 or 673-0122. A description of parents’ rights under the IDEA can be found at the New Hampshire Department of Education website. Listed below, by clicking on the Procedural Safeguards Handbook link or by contacting your local school to receive a hard copy.

• www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/instruction/SpecialEd/DocumentsAvailable.htm

• Procedural Safeguards Handbook

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SECTION 504 of the REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a non-discrimination statute barring discrimination on the basis of one’s disability.  As required by Section 504, 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.

The Assistant Principals and guidance counselors at each building are designated as the Section 504 Coordinators.  They may be contacted at 673-4640 or 673-0122.  Parents are entitled to review their child’s relevant educational records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  Parents, guardians or students eighteen years of age or older, who disagree with the decisions reached by school personnel regarding eligibility or accommodations and services necessary for access to educational programming and/or facilities, may either request a Due Process Hearing before an impartial hearing officer, file a grievance by notifying the school principal in writing, or file a complaint with one of the agencies noted on page 7.

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SECTION 504/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 Title II prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability.

Complaints should be addressed to the respective building principal who has been designated to coordinate Section 504/Title II compliance efforts within their respective buildings.

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 complainant provides written permission for extension of time for said investigation.)

5. The Section 504/Title II 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 within twenty days to the School Principal.

7. Upon receiving a request for reconsideration of any decision involving identification, evaluation or placement of a student who is believed to need Section 504 accommodations, special education or related services, the school district will schedule an impartial hearing.  The district will select an impartial hearing officer, and the complainant shall have an opportunity to review all relevant records, to participate in the hearing and to be represented by counsel.

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

9. 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 Title II 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.

10. These rules 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. Please contact the following staff if you need file a complaint: School Principal/Assistant Principal -Hollis Primary School, 36 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, NH 03049 (603)465-2260 or School Principal/Assistant Principal - Hollis Upper Elementary School, 12 Drury Lane, Hollis, NH 03049 (603)465-9182

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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 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 inquires regarding the non-discrimination policies: Administration Team, Hollis Primary School, 36 Silver Lake Road , Hollis , NH 03049, (603) 465-2260 or Administration Team, Hollis Upper Elementary School, 12 Drury Lane, Hollis , NH 03049 (603) 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.

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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 2000.

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, United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Region I, John W. McCormack Post Office And Courthouse, Room 701, Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-4557, NH Commission for Human Rights, 2 Chennel Dr., Concord, NH 03301 or the Special Education Bureau, NH Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301.

Grievance procedures are available which provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging violations to Titles VI and IX, Section 504, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997.  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.

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NOTIFICATION REGARGING DESTRUCTION OF

PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

            The District may destroy personally identifiable information that is no longer needed to provide educational services under the following circumstances and timelines:

·        Early dismissal forms, electronic mail and emergency information forms may be destroyed at the end of each school year.

·        Registration forms and health and physical records, including immunization records and medical reports may be destroyed the year the student turns 21 or receives a high school diploma, whichever is earlier.

·        Special education records and disciplinary records may be destroyed four (4) years after the student’s twenty-first birthday.

            Destruction of the records will occur at the discretion of the district unless parent(s)/guardian(s) or eligible student has requested copies of the records by June 1 of the year that the record may be destroyed.  If the information is no longer needed to provide educational services to the child, then it must be destroyed at the request of the parent(s)/guardian(s) or eligible student.  Requests to destroy information and requests for copies of records must be made in writing to the building principal or his/her designee.

            Pupil registers shall be retained as a permanent record of the school district in accord with RSA 189:27-b.  In addition, the District may maintain a permanent record of the student’s name, address, telephone number, grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed.    

Upon request, the District discloses education records without consent to officials of a school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

The District may disclose, without consent, “directory information,” which is information not generally considered to be harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.  Directory information includes:

·        Name and address of the student

·        Phone number

·        Junior or Senior Class status

Parents may request, in writing, that the School District refrain from making all of the directory information on their child available to the public.  Such requests should be made to the child’s building principal or his/her designee by October 1 of each school year.

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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, 1979), it is the policy of the Hollis School District that any employee who suspects that a student’s physical or mental welfare may be adversely affected by abuse or neglect must report to the Division of Children and Youth Services.  Under RSA: 169-C. 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

United States Department of Justice, A Guide to Disability Rights Laws,

•  http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm

United States Department of Education, Summary of FERPA, 

• http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html 

A description of parents’ rights under the IDEA can be found at the New Hampshire Department of Education website, 

• www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/instruction/SpecialEd/DocumentsAvailable.htm

Procedural Safeguards Handbook

• Procedural Safeguards Handbook

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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.

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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.

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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 are able to purchase lunch and are assigned a student ID # upon entering grade 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 1-6.  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.  Please feel free to call the cafeteria for your child’s balance or to request an account history.

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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 extort, persuade, or involve students in a religious observance

·        Teachers must 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.

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PARTIES

            Classroom parties are held before Winter Recess and on Valentine's Day. Teachers often elicit assistance in planning these parties from room parents.

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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 across from the Computer Lab at HPS.  At the end of each trimester and prior to school vacation periods, unclaimed articles are donated to a local charity.

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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.

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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 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.  

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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 wrong. We teach students how to settle conflicts without resorting to violence and do not tolerate harassment or bullying. Our “Helpful/Hurtful” program 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 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 his 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.

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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, school board representatives 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. Everyone must be concerned with behavior on the school buses because of the safety issues involved. 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.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS FOR BUS TRANSPORTATION

            There are a number of student expectations, which assure the safety of all while the school bus is in operation:

·        All students are expected to comply with the following rules while waiting for, boarding, riding and disembarking from the school bus:  Show respect, Follow directions, Walk and move safely, Keep the school bus neat and clean.

·        Students should be at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is due to arrive

·        Students must remain  a safe distance from roadways at bus pickup points

·        Students must wait until the bus is completely stopped before moving toward the bus door

·        Students must go directly to their seats after entering the bus

·        Students must remain in their seats until destinations are reached; keeping aisles clear for possible emergency exiting

·        Students should speak in 6” voices and limit talking to other students on their seat

·        Students must keep hands, heads and objects inside the window at all times. This includes while waiting to load and unload at the schools.

·        Eating any kind of food on the bus is not permitted.

·        Electronic devices, skateboards/scooters, baseball bats, lacrosse/hockey sticks, and school projects that don’t fit on a student’s lap are not allowed on the bus.

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

STUDENT RULES OF CONDUCT WHILE ON THE BUS

The following is a list of rules from 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.

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

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BUS POLICY

            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 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.

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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.

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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.  

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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.

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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.

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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 problem 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 has 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. 

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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 twofold.

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:

• Consistently produces work of high quality that meets or expands upon grade level expectations
• Consistently applies learned skills and strategies  with independence
• Shows thorough understanding of concepts
• Demonstrates critical & creative thinking skills

“A” = Achieving:

• Frequently produces work of high quality that meets grade level expectations
• Frequently applies learned skills and strategies with independence
• Shows solid understanding of concepts

“M” = Meeting Expectations:

• Produces work that meets grade level expectations
• Applies learned skills and strategies with occasional teacher support
• Shows good understanding of concepts

“R” = Reaching:

• Produces work that is progressing towards grade level expectations
• Applies learned skills and strategies with regular support
• Shows basic understanding of concepts

“L” = Learning:

• Progressing, but produces work that does not meet grade level expectations
• Needs significant teacher support to learn skills and strategies
• Shows limited understanding of concepts

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:

• Consistently produces high quality grade level work
• Consistently exhibits initiative and interest in learning
• Consistently applies learned skills
• Shows thorough understanding of concepts
• Demonstrates critical & creative thinking skills

“B” Performance:

• Frequently produces high quality grade level work
• Frequently exhibits initiative and interest in learning
• Frequently applies learned skills
• Shows a solid understanding of concepts

“C” Performance:

• Produces satisfactory quality grade level work
• Exhibits initiative and interest in learning
• Applies learned skills with some support
• Shows a basic understanding of concepts

“P” Progressing Performance:

• Produces work below grade level
• Exhibits a moderate level of initiative and interest in learning
• Applies learned skills with regular support
• Shows limited understanding of concepts
• Progressing toward grade level with effort

“D” Performance:

• Produces work below grade level

  Exhibits minimal initiative and interest in learning Applies learned skills infrequently Shows limited understanding of concepts Work tends to be late, incomplete or inaccurate

   

   

   

  RUBRICS FOR ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT WORK

              Rubrics are tools that help students assess their work and understand what is required to improve achievement.  They also help teachers teach and evaluate student work. A rubric is usually a one or two page document that describes varying levels of quality, from excellent to poor, for a specific assignment. One purpose is to give students information about the criteria for an assignment.  Another is to guide students and teachers in the assessment of assignments.  Although the format of a rubric can vary, all rubrics have two features in common: a list of criteria in a project or assignment and gradations of quality with descriptions of student work. The gradations of quality allow students to understand and see their personal strengths and help students understand concrete ways to improve.

   

  STUDENT PROGRESS REPORTS

              There are three reporting periods each school year. Progress Reports are issued in December, March and on the final day of school in June. Should a student miss a major portion of the instruction due to prolonged absence, an “Incomplete” may be given. The progress report shows how well a student has achieved the grade level learning goals/objectives that were expected during each trimester of the school year. These learning goals/objectives are taken from the grade level curricula. Each school, HPS and HUES, have different but complimentary report cards and grading systems. See each report card for further clarification of performance descriptors. If you have questions regarding the report cards, please direct them to the classroom teacher first, but feel free to contact the Assistant Principal or Principal as well.  Parents who do not have physical custody of their child(ren) may obtain copies of report cards and conference appointments by sending self-addressed envelopes to the school counselor.

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  PORTFOLIOS

              In addition to Progress Reports, teachers at all grade levels K-6 also utilize Portfolio Assessment. Portfolios are collections of children’s work that show progress and demonstrate special interests and talents as well as areas in need of development. Their purpose is to:

  ·        Show the quality of children’s work and thinking across the curriculum

  ·        Demonstrate individual children’s progress and growth over time

  ·        Involve children in assessing their own work

  ·        Assist teachers with instructional planning.

   

              A Portfolio Day for parents is scheduled in the spring so that students have an opportunity to share their work and progress with their parents.

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  FIELD TRIP POLICY

              It is the policy of the Hollis School Board that a field trip is defined as an educational activity taking place under the auspices of the school and conducted off school premises, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Schools or his designee. All field trips are considered to be an integral part of the curriculum.  No student will be denied the opportunity to participate in a field trip due to lack of funds.

              Trips that do not meet field trip criteria are considered private trips and will not be sponsored or sanctioned by the Hollis School District. Private trips take place under agreement between student(s), parent(s)/guardian(s) and trip leader(s). Planning, actively soliciting, organizing, discussing, or financing of private trips is not permitted on school district premises. Posters and other passive advertising may be placed on a designated bulletin board with the approval of Administration.

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  FIELD TRIP COSTS

              Every attempt will be made to keep costs of field trips to a minimum. Provision will be made for students who might not be able to afford a particular field trip; no student will be denied the opportunity to participate because of lack of funding. Please do not hesitate to let teachers know that you would like to access scholarship funds for any specific field trip.

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  FIELD TRIP ITINERARY

              A detailed itinerary of all field trips will be made available to parent(s)/guardian(s) and the school administration specifying when and where the group will be and how contact may be made with faculty sponsors. All students who go on a trip must return to the school with the group. There will be no exceptions without the Principal’s prior written approval.

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  FIELD TRIP LIABILITY

              The Hollis School District, faculty sponsors, and chaperones will be protected against liability for accidents through the District’s insurance program.

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  FIELD TRIP SUPERVISION & CHAPERONE RESPONSIBILITIES

              Adequate adult supervision will be provided for all trips. A faculty sponsor must be present on all off-campus trips. The ratio of adults to students will be at least one-to-ten. Supervision will be provided both in transit and at the site at all times while students are on the trip. Students are not allowed to leave the trip site to go off alone.

   

  Chaperones make field trips possible for our students and the Hollis School District is grateful to have many volunteers for each of our trips.  However, chaperones must be responsible for the supervision of students assigned to them. 

   

  Some important guidelines to follow while chaperoning:

  ·        Bus drivers are not chaperones.  Their only responsibility is to get to the destination safely.

  ·        Students are to follow the same rules as if they were in school.  For example: no shouting, no hitting, no leaving trash, respectful behavior.

  ·        Students needing extra supervision to control his/her attitude/behavior should always have an adult nearby.

  ·        If riding the bus, chaperones should spread out so that all areas of the bus are within listening/visual range.

  ·        Chaperones are to be aware and responsible for assigned students for the ENTIRE trip.

  ·        When field trip is over, chaperones should help to close all bus windows and check the bus for trash.

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  PARENTAL RELEASE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT

              Care is taken to insure that all students and adults are in good health when a field trip begins. All students are required to have a signed parent release allowing staff to authorize medical care in the unlikely event of a medical emergency. The school district is not responsible for any medical expenses incurred by students, chaperones, or faculty sponsors.

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  FIELD TRIP BEHAVIORAL POLICIES

              Prior to departure, all students and adults will be apprised of pertinent policies. School rules apply to student behavior during the duration of the trip. School rules include School Board Policies, individual class rules, and the Student Contract for Overnight Trips. In addition, laws of the country, countries or states being visited, and rules of the places being visited (i.e. museums, camps, etc.) must be obeyed. Disciplinary matters while on trips will be handled in a manner consistent with the way such matters are handled at school. Each chaperone, together with the faculty sponsor, is responsible for enforcing the rules and will receive appropriate guidelines to safely chaperone students.

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  TRANSPORTATION FOR FIELD TRIPS

              All student transport for field trips will be by bus or walking only. On approved trips, there will be no more than two (2) students assigned per seat. Seating capacity on any bus shall be determined after ensuring there is a twelve-inch (12”) clear aisle to the rear emergency exit. Luggage, baggage and other material taking up seat space shall reduce the capacity accordingly.

   

  LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER

              The mission of the Library Media Center is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The Library Media Center is not a special subject, but is an integral part of the instructional program of the school. Class visits to the Library Media Center are scheduled to facilitate use at points of need. Additionally, individuals or small groups of students may access the Library Media Center with teacher permission.

              The library is open all day, every day, for independent use by individual students and small groups. A flexible schedule is posted in the library. Classroom teachers and the Media Specialist plan together to determine resources and information skills necessary to meet a curricular objective. The library media center program provides for the enjoyment and appreciation of literature through stories, book talks and special programs. All classes use the Library Media Center periodically. Book talks and story programs are provided as part of the school curriculum.

   

  PHOTOGRAPH & VIDEO RELEASE INFORMATION

              The Hollis Elementary School has on occasion the need to use photographs and or videotape of various school activities and classes. The school district may produce video programming designed for instructional and informational purposes, which may be shown on Charter Communication, Pepperell. Therefore, unless a written objection is received in the office, we will assume the right to use videotape and/or photographs in which students may appear or be heard.

   

  SCHOOL SAFETY/EMERGENCY DRILLS

              We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for your children. Events at schools across the country in recent years have created a climate of fear in many communities. We have taken steps to prevent such incidents from happening here in Hollis. Building security limits access to the schools to the main entrances. All visitors, parents included, must sign in and out at the office and wear an identification badge. Meetings have been held with both the police and fire department to put emergency equipment in place and to establish emergency procedures at each building. 

              A number of procedures give students a better opportunity to learn in a violence-free environment.  We practice several types of emergency drills during the school year to help all students and staff prepare for any type of situation.  We practice evacuation drills, lockdown drills, shelter in place drills, reverse evacuation drills, drop and cover drills, and relocation drills. 

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  WEAPONS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY

  (School Board Policy JICI)

              Weapons are not permitted on school property, on school vehicles, or at school-sponsored activities.  Student violations of this policy will results in both school disciplinary action and notification of the police.  Suspension or expulsion from school could result.

              The term “weapons” includes, but not limited to firearms (rifles, pistols, revolvers, pellet guns, BB guns, shotguns, paintball guns, etc.), knives, slingshots, metallic knuckles, firecrackers, billies, stilettos, switchblade knives, sword canes, pistol canes, black jacks, daggers, dirk knives, explosives, incendiaries, martial arts weapons (as defined by RSA 159:24), self-defense weapons (as defined by RSA 159:20), or any other substance, object, or thing which, in the manner it is used, or threatened to be used, is known to be capable of producing death or bodily injury.

              In addition, any student who is determined to have brought a firearm (as defined by 18 US 921) to school will be expelled for not less than one year (365 days).  This expulsion may be modified by the Superintendent upon review of the specific case in accordance with other applicable law.

              Weapons under control of law enforcement personnel are permitted. 

                                                                                                                                                  Handbook Updated 8/08

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Last Updated: 09/14/2008 by Mrs. Rogers