SCVCS Kindergarten Grade 8 PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 SCVCS Kindergarten Grade 8 PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK South Carolina Virtual Charter School 140 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 420 Columbia, SC (803) (877) (toll free) (803) (fax) The South Carolina Public Charter School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, disability, age, religion, immigrant status, or national origin in its educational programs and employment practices. Questions pertaining to Section 504 and Title IX, may be directed to the Director of Exceptional Student Services at , 3700 Forest Drive Suite 406 Columbia, SC

2 Welcome & Introduction... 3 Student Assessments... 5 School Contact Information... 5 Admission & Entrance Requirements... 6 Student Attendance and Instructional Time... 7 Truancy... 8 Dual Enrollment... 8 Re-enrollment Policy for Withdrawn Students... 9 Student Academic Probation... 9 Physical Education... 9 Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) Supplemental Activities Student Assessments Academic Advancement in K Promotion and Retention Policy Course Level & Grade Assignments Report Cards Request For Student Records and Information Blackboard Collaborate (BbC) - Class Connect Parent-Teacher Communication Change of Contact Information Special Education Services Child Find Query Response to Intervention for Grades K Work Samples School Property Objectionable Materials Policy Optional Outings and Activities Photo Release Parent/Legal Guardian/Student Conduct Technology Troubleshooting Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Staff Directory SCVCS Signature Page Child Find Query Page 2 of 33

3 Welcome & Introduction Dear Parents: Welcome to the South Carolina Virtual Charter School (SCVCS). SCVCS is a public, openenrollment charter school, chartered by the South Carolina Public Charter School District. Our school blends innovative new instructional technology with a traditional curriculum for students across South Carolina. There are many benefits to our unique learning model, including a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum with rich, engaging content, the support of South Carolina certified teachers, and an individualized and self-paced learning program that adapts to your child's unique needs. This challenging and engaging curriculum was developed by renowned learning experts, teachers, and instructional designers and is aligned with the South Carolina Academic Standards. The Parent-Student Handbook is a comprehensive guide to SCVCS policies and procedures. Please read it carefully and refer to it throughout the school year as needed. As a charter school of the South Carolina Public Charter School District, SCVCS is subject to S.C. Code Ann et seq. (2006), amended from time to time (the Charter Schools Act ), the rules and regulations of the South Carolina State Board of Education. Our dedicated staff looks forward to working with your family during the upcoming school year. Please feel free to contact the SCVCS office at any time if you have questions or concerns. Yours in Education, Dr. Cherry Daniel Head of School Page 3 of 33

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5 Student Assessments School: SCANTRON grades 3 8 in Math and Reading Fall within two weeks of enrollment Spring May 11-22, 2015 DOMINIE grades K-2 Fall within two weeks of enrollment Spring - TBA State Required Testing Grades 3 8: SCPASS Writing - March 17, 2015 (tentative date) (Both Parts I & II - Testing Sites to be announced) SCPASS ELA - May 5, 2015 (tentative date) SCPASS Math May 6, 2015 (tentative date) SCPASS Science or Social Studies May 7, 2015* (tentative date) SCPASS Social Studies May 8,2015** (tentative date) * All students in grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will take the science test. Students in grade 3 will take either the science or the social studies test. ** All students in grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will take the social studies test. End of Course Test Dates are for all high school students and middle school students enrolled in high school courses (TBA). School Contact Information SCVCS Main Office 140 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 420 Columbia, SC Phone: Fax: Toll Free: Website: SC Public Charter School District #54005 Main Number: Fax: Web Address: Superintendent: Wayne Brazell Administrative Assistant: Teresa Etheredge Directory of SC School Districts, Schools Page 5 of 33

6 Admission & Entrance Requirements Students participating in the SCVCS program must be South Carolina residents. State law requires a child to be five years of age on or before September 1 st to start Kindergarten. Required Documents for Enrollment in SCVCS: Enrollment Form Birth Certificate Proof of Residence (e.g. current utility bill, lease, etc. showing physical address) Immunizations (contact SC Dept. of Health regarding waiver information) Agreement of Use of Instructional Property Current report card from prior school (excluding K and 1) indicating student withdrew from previous school in good standing Individual Education Plan (IEP) must be submitted to SCVCS office within 10 business days 504 Plan must be submitted to SCVCS office within 10 business days South Carolina Public School Charter District Guidelines for Enrollment in Virtual Schools The virtual schools in the South Carolina Public Charter School District have experienced significant numbers of referrals from students who are not properly counseled on what is expected for success in a virtual school. This is one of the major reasons that over 6,000 students withdrew from the virtual schools during each of the past two school years. The transferring in and out of virtual schools is putting significant strains on the resources of those schools and causing administrative stresses to traditional districts as these students transferred back into the residential districts. The following guidelines are designed to reduce the number of transfers out of the virtual schools and to increase the successes of virtual students. These public charter schools are schools of choice, but they are not capable of being the alternative solution for all students. Virtual schools are proving to be a much needed parental choice program in the public school arena. Guidelines for Admitting Students to Virtual Schools: 1. All virtual schools must require an orientation with parents of students planning to enroll in the school. The orientation must outline academic expectations, the delivery of curriculum to the students, the requirement for students to participate in state testing, and the attendance policy of the school, which will reflect the state attendance law. 2. Parents who enroll students in a virtual school must sign an agreement to participate in state testing with the understanding that the student will be withdrawn from the school for not following this state mandate. Page 6 of 33

7 3. Students should not be accepted who have already been unsuccessful in a virtual school for academic or attendance reasons. Each school should have an appeal process and work with families on an individual basis. 4. Students will not be accepted who are under an Attendance Court order. In addition, students who did not complete the previous semester in an approved school and/or have been out of school for previous, consecutive semesters may not be approved. 5. Students will not be accepted who are currently expelled from a school district or who are in the expulsion process. 6. Students beyond the kindergarten level will not be accepted who are not currently enrolled in a school or homeschool association. Students should remain enrolled in their current school until they are enrolled for admission to a virtual school. Immunizations S.C. Code Ann. Section and 190 and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Regulation 61-8 mandate that schools, public and private, require entering children/students to present a South Carolina Certificate of Immunization. The DHEC form 2740 must be completed and signed by a licensed physician. This form is available at all county public health departments. A Religious Exemption form (DHEC form 1126) can be obtained by requesting a form in person from any county public health department. Contact numbers for county public health departments can be found at Forms cannot be ed or mailed. Follow the instructions on the form. Please do not forget to have the document notarized. Student Attendance and Instructional Time Public charter schools in South Carolina are required to have at least one hundred eighty (180) days of school each school year. S.C. Regs (II)(D)(5). In addition, public charter schools are required to provide six hours of instruction per day, grades K-12. S.C. Regs (VI)(C)(1). Students must average a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week of attendance. Parents are responsible for logging attendance time daily in the K12 Online School (OLS). Parents access the OLS by clicking on the OLS Login button on the school s webpage, located at and using the username and password created during the online enrollment process. If a parent does not know his/her username and/or password, he/she should contact K12 Customer Care at The SCVCS school week is from Sunday, 12:01 AM, to Saturday, midnight; all attendance entered during that time will count for that current week. SCVCS teachers and administration will monitor student attendance and progress, which will be a determining factor in student advancement to the next curricular level and continued enrollment in SCVCS. If day(s) are being used as vacation day(s), parents must notify the homeroom teacher in writing and will then be given two weeks from that time to make up the missed days and work before an absence is given. If parents know ahead of time that days will be taken it is advantageous to have the student work ahead to get the assignments and hours completed. Page 7 of 33

8 Time taken off, without alerting the teacher in K-Mail, will be counted as absences. Please notify the teacher in writing via K-Mail. Students not in attendance for ten consecutive days, without the learning coach (LC) contacting the teacher, will be automatically withdrawn. Learning coaches/parents should not rearrange the online calendar. Vacation days should be approved and modified on the online calendar ONLY by the homeroom teacher. There exist two types of absences in South Carolina public schools: lawful and unlawful. (S.C. Regs (I)). In SCVCS, an absence is counted for any school day during the week that a student does not log an average of six (6) hours of attendance per school day. For example, if a student only logs twenty-four (24) hours of instructional time for the week instead of the required thirty (30) hours, one absence will be recorded for the student for that week (six hours = one day of school attended). In addition, each day that the student fails to login to the OLS using the student login will be recorded as an absence unless arrangements have been made in advance with the homeroom teacher. The SCVCS teacher will be required to document the reason for lawful (i.e. excused) absences. Lawful absences include: Absences caused by student illness (more than 3 consecutive days require a doctor s note) Absences caused by serious illness in the immediate family Absences due to an appearance in court Absences due to doctor and dental appointments Absences due to a recognized religious holiday of the student's faith, and Absences due to activities that are approved in advance by the principal. Unlawful absences are absences that occur without the knowledge of the parent or any other student absence without a reasonable excuse. State attendance statutes and regulations require SCVCS to keep an accurate record of daily attendance and progress for all enrolled students. An SCVCS student will be considered nonattending if he/she accumulates ten consecutive unlawful absences. On the eleventh consecutive day of unlawful absences, the student will be withdrawn from SCVCS for nonattendance and their home district will be notified. Truancy If a student is consistently not meeting required weekly attendance hours AND progress, then the student is truant. SCVCS policy is that the OLS will be the official recording of hours of attendance, and that the family has the school s calendar for their student s completion of these hours. A student is also truant if the student does not work for ten consecutive days in the system. The student may be withdrawn if the learning coach fails to contact the teacher prior to the ten days. Once withdrawn from SCVCS, the district in which the student resides will be notified. Dual Enrollment Once the student is enrolled with SCVCS, the student should no longer attend any other school. Dual enrollment will lead to automatic withdrawal. Page 8 of 33

9 Re-enrollment Policy for Withdrawn Students Students withdrawn from SCVCS may request to be re-enrolled through the appropriate SCVCS administrator, provided that space is available, and the student complied with all school policies and procedures. Should the student re-enroll, the parent must work with his/her teacher and administration to create an attendance plan where applicable. Homeroom teachers will monitor the student s attendance plan and provide updates to the academic administrator. Non-compliance with the attendance plan may result in withdrawal. SCVCS is under no obligation to re-enroll a student who has previously been withdrawn. Should SCVCS desire to withdraw a student from the school due to non-attendance or any other severe violation of the school s rules and regulations, the parent/legal guardian of the student will be given written notification of the school s intent to remove the student. Per district guidelines, once school has officially convened for the school year, students enrolled in a virtual public charter school may be ineligible to transfer to another virtual charter school within the district. Student Academic Probation Families who enroll their children in SCVCS must agree to comply with SCVCS policies in order to experience success in the South Carolina Virtual Charter School. The vast majority of families who enroll in public charter schools consistently and conscientiously comply with these expectations. However, as the school year progresses, some families may demonstrate the inability or unwillingness to fulfill one or more of the requirements of the school. In these cases, Academic Probation will be initiated so that SCVCS has a mechanism by which the responsible learning coach can be officially notified of behaviors that compromise the successful school experience of the student. If, after being placed on academic probation, no improvement is noted then the withdrawal process may be initiated. Exploratory Offerings Foreign Language Students who score Met or above on all subject areas of the SCPASS test may elect to participate in foreign language. Students who meet this requirement may choose from Spanish, French, German, or Latin. Art/Music Art or music will be offered to students during the second semester for students in good academic standing. Page 9 of 33

10 Physical Education Students are encouraged to participate in physical education while enrolled in SCVCS. Appropriate physical education activities may be logged as student attendance in the OLS. In order to qualify for school attendance, physical education time must be supervised and organized. For example, soccer practice, dance lessons, or a family bike ride all count for student attendance. A student engaging in free play that does not have any structure or organization does NOT count as student attendance. Students may log up to two and a half (2.5) hours per week of Physical Education in the OLS and have the time count towards the minimum attendance requirements for the school. Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) SCVCS will develop and implement an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for all students enrolled at SCVCS. The ILP will be developed by the SCVCS homeroom teacher and the parent along with input from the student. This plan will be updated quarterly during parent-teacher-student conferences held either over the phone or in BlackBoard Collaborate (BbC). Academic Assistance Students earning below standard on PASS, or scoring in the at-risk level on Scantron, or any other standardized assessments, are required to participate in teacher class connect sessions in the subjects that apply. Students in need of academic assistance are required to participate in teacher class connects. Supplemental Activities Supplemental activities can be logged in the Online School (OLS) as instructional hours up to a maximum of two and a half (2.5) hours per week. These activities can be logged into the student s daily schedule under the appropriate subject area and counted toward his/her mandatory hours of instruction. For example, if a student is studying art through a class at the local art museum, up to 2.5 hours a week of instructional time may be logged in Art, in addition to the time spent working in the K12 curriculum. To ensure that supplemental activities are appropriate and recorded properly, please discuss with your SCVCS teacher. Student Assessments SCVCS students are required to participate in the following tests and programs. Failure to do so may result in courses being locked and/or withdrawal from SCVCS. DOMINIE: Kindergarten -2 nd grade students are administered DOMINIE testing in the fall and spring of every school year. The DOMINIE test may be administered online or face-to-face by the student s homeroom teacher. Study Island: Course work in Study Island is required for all K-8 students. Study Island grades are factored into the final grade at 15%. Scantron: Students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take the Scantron Performance Series tests in Reading and Math in the fall and spring of each school year. Page 10 of 33

11 This test is taken online and may be taken in the home setting. It is important that the students work without assistance to be recorded for accurate interpretation. SC Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS): Students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take standardized tests in the core courses of English/Language Arts, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies every spring. SCVCS will administer the tests in face-to-face settings in convenient locations in South Carolina. Failure to participate in PASS testing will result in withdrawal from SCVCS. Please find additional PASS information at the following link: End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP): Students in 8 th grade and above who are enrolled in high school courses are required to take End-of-Course examinations in Algebra 1, English 1, Biology, and US History and Constitution. These tests count 20% of the final grade for the course and are administered in face-to-face settings around the state following completion of the course. Please find additional EOCEP information at the following link: urse/end-of-courseexaminationprogrameocep.html Academic Advancement in K-8 SCVCS requires that four core courses per student per year are to be mastered (ELA, math, science and social studies). Due to the accountability requirements for public schools, the policies of SCVCS, and the design of the K12 curriculum, students are expected to complete the entire set of assigned courses before advancement to new course(s) may be considered. All courses are expected to be completed within the school calendar year unless there are exceptional circumstances or Special Education provisions, which have been discussed, agreed upon, and approved, by the parent/guardian, teacher and SCVCS administration. Advancement of a student from one course level to the next requires the approval of SCVCS administration. Progress in all courses is required before course level advancement in one area will be considered. Sufficient progress will be determined by the total number of hours of instruction completed, the total number of lessons completed and the mastery level of the student on the lesson assessments. When a parent requests advancement in a course (s) within the same school year, the teacher will evaluate the student in each course, review the progress and attendance record, and verify appropriate pacing of lessons. Hours of instruction, the completion and submission of all lesson activities, mastery level of the student on all OLS assessments and activities at 100%, and the completion of all Study Island lessons and assessments are expected. The student is to maintain a binder of all completed lesson activities and assignments to be reviewed upon request. Page 11 of 33

12 Pacing- the OLS calendar (K-2) and Weekly/Monthly Calendars (3-8) The teacher and learning coach must work together to determine the appropriate pace for the student. Typically, students enrolled at the K-2 level follow the OLS calendar and should not progress more than 3-4% a week. At the 3-8 level, students are required to follow the weekly calendar (3-5) or monthly calendar (6-8) as provided by the homeroom teacher via kmail and posted on the teacher s website. This calendar should be used in place of the OLS calendar and provides students with the exact lessons that should be completed each school day. This helps to ensure that material is presented in a manner that provides for long term retention and long term mastery of the standards. Advanced progress will NOT be accepted without prior written (in kmail or IEP, when appropriate) consent from the homeroom teacher. Work completed outside of the school calendar (ie vacation), unmonitored by certified SCVCS staff, and without the approval of the administration, will not be counted. Any special requests must be made through the homeroom teacher and approved by the administration. Unmastered Lessons: Remediation and Rapid-Fire Retakes In the event a student fails a lesson or unit assessment, the student may be required to attend tutoring or additional focus group class sessions to receive remediation and additional help. These sessions are vital to the student s growth and attendance is expected. Rapid-fire retakes are when a student takes a failed assessment multiple times within minutes of each other to improve the score without reviewing the lesson. Rapid-fire retakes are not allowed under any circumstance and will be reset by the homeroom teacher. When a student does not master an assessment, it is important that the student seek additional assistance from the Learning Coach or from the content-area teacher. Promotion and Retention Policy Students must pass three of the four core courses (Math, English Language Arts/Literature, Science & Social Studies) to be promoted to the next grade level. Students who have not successfully completed Math and ELA will not be recommended for grade promotion and will repeat their grade level the next fall. Course Level & Grade Assignments Course level assignments and grade level assignments are not always the same. Previous standardized test scores, school records, submission of course activity requirements, lesson pacing, and completion of Study Island, custom assessments, and parent/teacher conferences are used to determine course level assignments. SCVCS recognizes that students grade levels are based on age and/or previous school grade level. Students must participate in the state standardized testing program based on their appropriate grade levels, not based on their course level assignments. Some courses are required for specific grade levels. Courses Students are required to participate in the following: Page 12 of 33

13 Math, Science, Social Studies or History, English/Language Arts, and Literature. All lessons, except those specified by the content teachers, including ones listed as optional, are required as part of the completion requirement. Block Scheduling Students are required to complete Math and English-Language Arts (Spelling, Literature, Language Skills, Phonics) daily. If you would like to inquire about how to do a block schedule with science and history, please contact your homeroom teacher. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY South Carolina Virtual Charter School seeks to establish and maintain academic integrity. SCVCS has identified the following as unacceptable practices, including, but not limited to: 1. Cheating Copying another student s work Allowing your own work to be copied Using unauthorized aids (book, internet, tutor, parent) on an assignment, essay, quiz, or test Having someone else complete an assignment, essay, quiz, or test for you and submitting it as your own Rescheduling a test on a false excuse Falsely reporting completion of reading assignments Submitting the same work for more than one course or assignment without prior written approval from the instructor(s) 2. Plagiarizing Presenting the words or ideas of another person as your own including inadequate documentation of sources (electronic, internet, or print) Excessive dependence on the language of sources even when documented Relying on similar order of sentences while altering a few words or word order Turning in someone else's work as your own Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not 3. Fabricating Data Falsifying or manipulating data to achieve desired result Reporting results for experiments not done Falsifying citations in research reports Destroying, tampering, or altering another student s work to impede academic progress 4. Violating Copyright Laws Using copyrighted material without appropriate citation Copying software or media files (such as music, movies, etc.) without permission 5. Abusing Class Connect Code of Conduct Logging in for another student who is not present Page 13 of 33

14 Leaving a Blackboard session without logging off (i.e. not using the away feature) All students who violate the principles of academic integrity will be reported to the appropriate administrative authorities. Upon the first violation, students will receive a 0 on the assignment. Violations may also lead to further disciplinary action. Middle School Students Enrolled in HS Courses Middle school students enrolled in HS courses who are not meeting adequate progress at the conclusion of first quarter will automatically be placed in the middle school level course. Students will direct questions regarding the high school courses to the 7 th /8 th grade advisor. Report Cards The SCVCS K-8 Program uses the South Carolina mandated Uniform Grading Scale effective for all students on report cards: A B C D F 69 and below Grade Calculations: Progress in the OLS = 70% Study Island Blue Ribbons = 15% Custom Assessments/Electronic Work Samples = 15% *Students enrolled in grades 3-5 science may have quarters where there are not OLS assignments. In the event of this, the student s grade will be 50% Study Island and 50% custom assessments. Request For Student Records and Information An organization requesting student records/information may submit the request on the appropriate letterhead. This request may be faxed to SCVCS Registrar s Office (Fax) Blackboard Collaborate (BbC) - Class Connect SCVCS uses Blackboard Collaborate, a company providing proven, best in class solutions for real time online learning, to conduct classes and tutorials. The conduct for these sessions follows conduct rules stated above. In addition: Students must login to the Class Connect session through the Online School Attempting to log in as someone other than yourself is an act of fraud Page 14 of 33

15 Students will use the microphone and whiteboard in an appropriate manner i.e. taking turns and only using the Class Connect tools for class related and requested activities If profanity or any other inappropriate behavior is observed in Class Connect sessions, SCVCS administration will take disciplinary action Please note that SCVCS has the capability of identifying the computer from which misbehavior has occurred. Students are required to have a microphone set for use during class connect sessions. Microphones greatly enhance class connect sessions and increase student learning. Microphones can be purchased at many local stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, etc. Class Connect Attendance and Custom Assessments Live classes are offered in each of the core subjects throughout the week. Attendance at these sessions is strongly recommended. All classes will be recorded in the event there is a schedule conflict, doctor s appointment, or just for review as needed. During Class Connect sessions, teachers will be making assignments in one of the following ways: completion of an OLS lesson assessment, completion of a Study Island assessment, or completion of a custom assessment or assignment. Some assignments may include an electronic submission of a work sample. All assignments will be based on the content covered during the live sessions. Attendance in the live classes will enable students to achieve success on the assignments. Parent-Teacher Communication SCVCS teachers are responsible for monitoring and validating student attendance, curricular progress and educational growth. The homeroom teacher is the FIRST POINT of contact for all issues regarding the school. K-mail, a secure, internal messaging system used by SCVCS, is the primary method of communication between the SCVCS teachers and the parents; therefore, it is essential that parents check their K-mail at least twice a day. It should be checked each morning and before logging off for the day by both the Learning Coach and student. K-mail can be accessed through the Online School by clicking on the messages link, or through the MyInfo application ( using the same username/password as is used for the OLS. Parents should promptly (within 48 hours) reply to K-mails or voic s received from SCVCS. Students and Learning Coaches have separate log-ins and passwords. Students should not have access to the LC log-in and are required to use their own log-in and password. Lessons completed under the LC log-in will be reset and/or not accepted as progress. Students not logging into the OLS with the student account daily will be marked as absent. All communications between SCVCS administration, SCVCS teachers, the parents/learning coach, students, and other parties directly related to SCVCS must be conducted with Page 15 of 33

16 appropriate professionalism. Demeaning or profane language, derogatory remarks/innuendos are not acceptable. Teachers are required to respond to parent or student s kmails or phone messages within business hours. In respect, SCVCS asks that parents and students respond to teacher kmails or phone messages within hours. (Ex: If you call or Kmail on Friday, it will be answered on Monday.) Parent/teacher and student/teacher relationships are professional in manner. Teachers should be addressed as Mr./Mrs./Miss/Dr. by both the parent and the student. Teachers will address parents as Mr./Mrs./Miss/Dr.. K-8 Parent-Teacher Conferences Parents of students in grades K-8 are required to participate in scheduled conferences. Conferences may be held on the phone, in Blackboard Collaborate (BbC), or face-to-face. The conference will be held at a mutually agreeable time. SCVCS teachers will conference with the parents and students. Parents are asked to keep all scheduled conferences, or provide a 24 hour notice if a cancellation is necessary and reschedule a new appointment (at the time of cancellation). Note that teachers are available between the hours of 8am 4pm Monday Friday. Any conference scheduled outside of this time is at the discretion of the teacher. Change of Contact Information Parents are required to notify their homeroom teacher immediately of any change in name, guardianship, mailing and/or shipping address, , phone number, emergency contact, responsible adult, or any type of court order. This information is part of the child s educational record and must be kept current. Failure to notify the teacher of any sudden changes in the contact information will result in possible non-compliant status. Special Education Services The South Carolina Virtual Charter School is responsible for providing free and appropriate education under the federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). SCVCS is committed to providing an appropriate education for all students, regardless of disability. Parents or other knowledgeable persons are able to make a referral of a student for special education services by contacting their SCVCS teacher or the SCVCS main office. The SCVCS Director of Exceptional Children will ensure compliancy with state and federal guidelines. Child Find Query SCVCS has the responsibility to identify children who have special needs by making parents aware of how to make a referral if they suspect their child has a disability. Parents should call the SCVCS school office at for further information or assistance. Parents are to complete the Child Find Query form found in the rear of the handbook and return to the homeroom teacher. Response to Intervention for Grades K-12 To better accommodate the learning needs of all students, SCVCS has adopted a school-wide approach called Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI is a flexible problem solving model in which schools provide timely assistance to students that is matched to the level of need. RTI is an efficient way to deliver educational assistance to at-risk learners to close the performance gaps Page 16 of 33

17 with peers. It allows students access to more intensive and individualized support and in some cases provides evidence that there may be a significant learning delay. Work Samples Work samples continue to be a vital part of an SCVCS student s academic growth. Submitted student work helps teachers understand students better, provides the student with additional accountability for high quality work, provides the student an opportunity to develop pride and satisfaction in work well done, and assists teachers in best helping students and their learning coach in the ongoing learning process. Should the teacher not receive requested work samples for a particular lesson, the teacher will reset the lesson in the OLS. Work samples may be requested by the teacher or the administration at any point during the school year. Students/parents should keep ALL written work until the final report card has been received. *Please note that for the school year, all work samples will be submitted electronically. School Property SCVCS provides materials, books and other curricular supplies. These materials are SCVCS property and must be kept in good condition. Parents are responsible for the repair or replacement of all lost, stolen or damaged school property. All property and equipment must be returned in good, working condition upon withdrawal from the program. All printed materials are copyrighted and unauthorized copying of that material is a copyright infringement. Materials cannot be sold or transferred and are to be used solely by the student while enrolled in the SCVCS program. Missing Materials - The South Carolina Virtual Charter School provides students with complete sets of materials for each subject. Families are provided with a packing list for each subject, and it is the responsibility of the parent/responsible adult to check the packing list against the items shipped. If items are missing, the parent/responsible adult is responsible for notifying K12 within two weeks of receiving the materials so that a missing materials report can be submitted to have the item provided. Missing materials that are reported mid-year may be considered lost materials and could result in charges to the family for replacement. Lost or Damaged Materials - Materials that are lost or damaged should be reported to K12 Inc. as soon as possible. The parent/responsible adult is responsible for the cost of replacing lost or damaged materials. SCVCS Computer Equipment/Internet Usage - Computer Equipment/Internet Usage must be used for SCVCS related matters only. Internet access, K-mail, and all information and software contained on SCVCS computer equipment are the property of SCVCS and can be viewed and checked at any time by SCVCS. The following is prohibited: Page 17 of 33

18 Any use that violates federal, state, or local law or regulation. Knowingly or recklessly interfering with the normal operation of computers, peripherals, or networks. The use of SCVCS Internet-related systems to access, transmit, store, display, or request inappropriate materials. Accessing or creating written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex or disability. Any use that is reasonably deemed to adversely affect SCVCS. COMPUTER/ISP DISTRIBUTION Families qualifying for Free Lunch according to the USDA Free and Reduced Lunch Income Eligibility Guidelines may be eligible to receive a loaner computer and printer while enrolled in SCVCS. A computer request form must be submitted by the parent with required income documentation. A limited number of computers are available each year and are distributed on a first come, first served basis. Multiple computers may be provided to qualifying high school families, based on the number of students enrolled. Families qualifying for more than one loaner computer must provide documentation of multiple phone lines or a high-speed Internet access, utilizing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) enabling multi computer usage of the high-speed line. To qualify for an ISP stipend, a family must have previously qualified for USDA Free or Reduced Lunch and have an active student through the last day of school with an enrollment date no later than February 1. The stipend is $10 per month, prorated according to enrollment date (i.e. student is enrolled January May the maximum stipend is $50). Only one stipend is allowed per family and per address. Checks are mailed at the end of June to the address on file for a family so it is important to keep your address updated with SCVCS. ISP subsidy checks may not be provided to families who fail to comply with the attendance, progress, and teacher communication policies. Objectionable Materials Policy If a parent finds certain lessons, books or materials to be objectionable, he or she should contact his/her SCVCS teacher and utilize the feedback option within the OLS. The teacher will work with the parent to find alternative lessons to meet the lesson objectives. The assessment for the lesson in the OLS must be completed to show that the objectives have been met. Optional Outings and Activities Outings SCVCS will sponsor optional outings for students and families on a regular basis that enhance the curriculum/learning activities. While attendance is not mandatory, it is an opportunity to meet other school participants, have conversations and share practices that work. Parents are Page 18 of 33

19 responsible for the cost of transportation and any entrance fees associated with optional outings. SCVCS expects students will dress appropriately when attending outings. Examples, of inappropriate dress include: Clothing, apparel, or jewelry that by words, signs, pictures, or any other combinations thereof, advocates or promotes sexual activity, violence, death, suicide, gang membership or the use of alcohol or drugs, or demeans, degrades, or intimidates another because of race, sex, religious persuasions, national origin, or disability. Apparel that reveals or exposes the midriff/lower back or sides of the upper body or torso and/or undergarments. Any clothing that is excessively tight, is of transparent material, see through material, or that is ripped or torn, or has suggestive signs or symbols. Any clothing through which underwear or any type of undergarment may be seen. Spandex, clothing which does not cover backs, clothing which permits viewing of cleavage, halter tops, tank tops with open sides, spaghetti strap tops, and muscle/tank shirts. Spikes, dog chains/chokers, ball bearing chains, wallet chains or other jewelry that increases the risk for accidents. SCVCS parents/legal guardians and students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately at all optional student outings. Parents are responsible for supervision of their children at all times. Student Activities The South Carolina Virtual Charter School will provide student participation opportunities that are designed to meet the students academic, recreational, and social interests. Activities may include, but will not be limited to, K12 Virtual Clubs, service projects, and scholastic activities such as spelling bees and science fairs. An adult sponsor, approved by the Academic Administrator, will supervise each school-related club/organization. Students are encouraged to participate in organizations endorsed by the school, which are formed to share common interests or are an integral part of the educational program of the South Carolina Virtual Charter School. All student organizations will operate according to approved guidelines and procedures and will not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, disability or national origin. Photo Release SCVCS students are photographed at outings in order to share the photos and feature these activities on the website. These involve a variety of activities, such as outings, science fair, spelling bee, to name a few. If you do not wish to have your student photographed at outings, please remove your child from any group photos and/or notify the teacher at the event. Page 19 of 33

20 Parent/Legal Guardian/Student Conduct The following is a list of behaviors not permitted by the South Carolina Virtual Charter School: Disregard or disrespect for directions of teachers or administrators. Disruption and/or interference with the normal and orderly conduct of school and school-sponsored activities. Use of profanity, vulgar language or obscene materials. Engaging in insults, verbal abuses such as name calling, ethnic or racial slurs or using derogatory statements to other students, school personnel or other individuals. Bullying-behaviors that are intended to harass, intimidate, ridicule, humiliate or instill fear in another individual. The Safe School Act 2004 requires principals to report to the police crimes committed by students on school campuses or while under school supervision. SCVCS sponsored-events are held in a drug-free and weapon-free environment. Students eligible for protections under IDEA and Section 504 are subject to the same disciplinary procedures as their non-disabled peers in accordance with the regulations specified by IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Technology Troubleshooting All technology problems related to loaner computers should be reported to the K12 Technical Support team at 866-K12-CARE and then to the SCVCS teacher. Curriculum Troubleshooting Guide Topic Issue Point of Contact Expectation Course change or Kmail - Homeroom Teacher will discuss placement course promotion Teacher change with parent. If teacher recommends placement change, teacher discusses with school administration/advisor for approval. Curriculum comments, suggestions, or mistakes in the curriculum Course Scope and Sequence Feedback button in Online School/LMS Submit feedback in the Online School by select the Feedback button Under What We Offer tab: Select K-8 Course or High School Select specific course subject Select specific grade level Select Download Scope & Sequence Teacher will contact proper personnel Curriculum questions Kmail - Homeroom Teacher Materials Materials shipments to Learning Coaches with materials Page 20 of 33

21 or computer hardware check the status of material shipments and view tracking information questions, go to TotalView School account. Parents can check on the status of their own materials by accessing their My Info account. Parent material questions or issues (missing or damaged items) List of materials Backordered items to check the status of material shipments and view tracking information OLS Account Customer Support at OLS Account Visit to view backordered items Check TotalView School to see if materials were ordered, if the item wasn t ordered contact your Homeroom Teacher. Customer Support will help troubleshoot the damaged or missing materials that were ordered Click on Materials Lists Choose Virtual Academy Materials (K-8) or Virtual Academy High School Materials View lists by Subject and grade level Click on Materials Lists Select Backorder Status for All Materials Reclamations Missing or incorrect course(s) Family needs to return materials (end of year or promotion during school year) Kmail - Homeroom Teacher Labels are automatically generated and sent within business days following the last day of the school, at promotion or following withdrawal from SCVCS. Academic Liaison will respond to issue. Once student is promoted or withdrawn by the school, parent will receive labels, instructions, and list of materials to return. Online School or LMS Families experience problems accessing OLS/LMS account or logging into the OLS/LMS K 12 Customer Support K12 Customer Support will troubleshoot the issue. Please ask the name of the Customer Support Representative who is assisting. Questions about to Page 21 of 33

22 computer and/or printer shipment status check the status of material shipments and view tracking information May also check status in OLS account Study Island Scantron Blackboard Collaborate School Records Technical Issues Trouble accessing the Grolier's Online Encyclopedia Support or technical assistance for using My Info All inquiries Technical Support Update personal contact information in My Info or TotalView Assign, change or delete Learning Coach Family needs to withdraw Receiving school needs a copy of SCVCS records Parents experience hardware or software problems (on K12 issued computers) Questions about computer and/or printer shipment status Kmail - Homeroom Teacher K 12 Customer Support Kmail - Homeroom Teacher Kmail Homeroom Teacher K12 Customer Support My Info or Total View School Kmail - Homeroom Teacher K-mail - Homeroom teacher Kmail - Homeroom teacher Receiving school submits records request to registrar K12 Technical Support K 12 Customer Support K 12 Customer Support will troubleshoot the issue Homeroom Teacher will contact appropriate administrator K12 will troubleshoot the issue Change phone number and addresses in My Info or Total View Schools Teacher will change mailing/shipping address and phone number with school Teacher will follow local school process for updating Learning Coach information Teacher submits withdrawal request to appropriate person at school level Receiving school will receive records upon receipt of signed request K12 Tech Support will troubleshoot the issue My Info will provide tracking information; K 12 Customer Support will provide questions to parent questions regarding materials. Page 22 of 33

23 Family needs support for using My Info Family has technical issues with My Info Homeroom Teacher Homeroom Teacher Homeroom teacher will contact Teacher Effectiveness with questions regarding My Info Use Teacher will contact SCVCS contact who will report to K12 operations. We kindly request that you give your homeroom teachers, as well as K12 representatives at least 24 business hours to respond to requests for assistance. For SCVCS to better serve your needs, please be sure to get the ticket number and the name of the customer care representative should you need to call K12 Customer Care. (OLS)Online School (LMS) Learning Management System Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) give parents and students over 18 years of age ( eligible students ) certain rights regarding the student s education records. These rights include: The right to inspect and review the student s education records within 45 days of the day the School receives a request for access. To request an inspection and review, the parent or eligible student should submit a written request to the program director that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The program director will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The right to request an amendment of the student s education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the School administration, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student s education records, except to the extent that FERPA allows disclosure without consent. One exception which permits SCVCS to disclose information without consent is when the School discloses information to school officials with legitimate educational interests. Page 23 of 33