Faculty Manual

Transcription

1 Candlelight Christian Academy Faculty Manual Mission Statement The mission of Candlelight Christian Academy, a holistic educational institution exemplifying the Body of Christ and accountability to society, is to develop academically and socially responsible individuals, cognizant of their capabilities and contributions to their school and local community, through a project based environment, accommodating the various learning styles of each student. Telephone (863) Fax (863) E. Sessoms Ave. Lake Wales, FL

2 Hello and Welcome to Candlelight Christian Academy! We are very glad that you have chosen to give of your time and talents to our school. It is our prayer that God will continue to bless you and help you to grow to be all that He has planned for you as you in turn help the students, families, and staff as well. CCA is a private school designed to help students who need that extra special tough in their lives. We focus our efforts on strong commitment to God s word and helping the students realize that they must tend not just to their academics, but also their spiritual, physical and social sides. The Bible states in Luke 2:52 that Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. That is our focus here as well. As we strive to meet the mission of our school, we must always keep in mind the individual needs of the child as well as the collective needs of the class. This means that communication between student and teacher as well as teacher and parent is paramount to ensure the success of all. Parents have chosen CCA for their child based on the hope that their children will receive a personal touch throughout their education to help give them that advantage in their learning. Regardless of the individual abilities of the children at CCA, our expectations remain high. We encourage and challenge each student to strive to reach his/her personal best. That looks different for each child, and takes quite a bit of energy, but the results are magnificent for everyone. Again, we thank you for giving of yourself and we look forward to seeing what God will do in and through you! Welcome aboard, Candlelight Christian Academy

3 Policies and Procedures The following should be used to Accidents: Stress to all students that accidents on the school campus are to be reported to the staff member in charge. If a student should be injured in the classroom, please send him/her to the office for assistance. If it is a serious injury or the child is extremely upset, bring the child to the office and the parents will be notified. If it appears that the child should not be moved you are to notify the office if the accident and office personnel will call 911 for medical assistance. Please complete an accident report ASAP and certainly by the end of the school day. Remember that students should never be left unattended. If you must leave the room, contact the office and ask for someone to cover your class. When you and your class are in transition on the school grounds, you must closely monitor what is going on between students, especially at the back of the line. Any staff member who is injured should report it to the office immediately and fill out an accident report. This will allow Workers Compensation to cover any related medical expenses. Agenda Planners: The school has purchased these for the students. If students lose them it will be necessary for them to purchase another copy for $8.00 or use a spiral notebook. It is expected that teachers will use these on a regular basis to communicate with parents. Make sure that your communication is not always negative. Reread what you write and think how you might feel if you were on the receiving end as a parent. Sometimes it is best to talk to a parent on the telephone when there is a problem because what we write might not come out exactly how we intended it. Teachers should check to see if a parent has written a note to the teacher and should respond. Agendas should also be used as hall passes during classes. Arrival and Dismissal: Teachers scheduled hours are from 7:30am to 2:45pm. The actual school day is 8:00 am to 2:15 pm. If you are going to be late please contact the school and one of the administrators. The school number is Please see the administration for their personal contact information. Attendance: Staff: Substitute teachers are very difficult to find for a private school; therefore, it is not easy to fill in the missing person. However, sometimes we do get sick or need a day off for some reason and we can work around that to accommodate your needs. In the event that a day off is needed, please give as much advance notice as possible. You may call Taccara Mauldin or Chris Wiseman to report your absence if it has not been prearranged. It is also your responsibility to have specific lesson plans for each class for the duration of your absence. Any worksheets or other materials needed must be handy and easily accessible for the person filling in for you.

4 All teachers are expected to have ONE FULL WEEK of substitute lesson plans ready at all times. Please have a specified folder for these plans and any materials that go with it in your classroom. A copy of these plans will remain in the office with Taccara Mauldin. Our school year is 180 student contact days. Built into the year are various teacher workdays as well. Teachers have a maximum of 10 days to be absent before their compensation is affected. There are a number of school events and meetings that occur throughout the year. Teachers and staff members are expected to attend these events and meetings. Students: Teachers should pick up their attendance folder each morning from their mail box. Attendance sheets are due in the office by 8:10 am everyday. Please verify your sheets each week by signing and dating the sheets each Friday. You are also required to keep a record of attendance in your grade book as well. If a student is absent for three consecutive days for unknown reasons, the teacher should call the parents. Cafeteria Teachers are to send the lunch count to the office each morning by 8:10. All teachers are expected to teach and practice the cafeteria procedures as much as necessary the first three weeks of school and then to review them periodically throughout the year. Every teacher will take his/her class to the cafeteria and stand with them until the students are settled. It is expected that teachers will take students to lunch on time and pick them up on time. Teachers are expected to share lunch duty tasks. It will be necessary for students/teachers to eat in the classrooms or have picnics when the cafeteria must be used. Calendar Each teacher is provided both a teacher and student calendar for the school year. Classrooms and Conditions for Learning Your classroom should be an indication that you have high expectations for your students and that you take pride in its appearance. It should be kept neat and uncluttered. It should be an attractive and inviting area that children enjoy and one that reflects a visible focus on current learning. It should be student-centered. Agendas and procedures should be evident. It should be a place where the teacher is positive and enthusiastic. Planning areas should also be kept neat and uncluttered. Drink bottles, coffee cups, cafeteria glasses, or food containers should not remain in rooms. Be aware that there are at least two unannounced Health and Safety inspections conducted each year by the Polk County Health Department and the Fire Marshall. Although we may not agree with their rules, we really do not have a choice in the matter. The following is a list of areas to consider for inspection. No decorations or flammable materials can be suspended from ceiling No paper or other decorations on windows or blinds

5 The glass in the doors may not be covered with paper; must be able to see in and see out. Only 20% of the wall space may be covered with paper/displays Paper products cannot be stored on the floor/rugs Paper products cannot pile up around the rooms Rugs must be those purchased by Candlelight or one must prove that they are flame retardant: rugs cannot have frayed edges Curtains/window treatments must be nonflammable. No upholstered furniture is allowed in classrooms or faculty lounges Lamps, coffee pots, hot plates, microwaves, and refrigerators are not allowed in the classrooms. Small refrigerators and microwaves are allowed in the planning areas as long as a circuit is not overloaded and they are not stacked on top of each other. It is recommended that extension cords be used. TV cannot block the pull station (move TV cart from the front of the fire alarm pull station) Duct tape cannot be placed over receptacles; must use plastic plug ins Do not block fire extinguishers No animals except for fish or a hermit crab There must be a clear walkway for students to evacuate a classroom Products cannot be stored on top of an oven, microwave, TV, or VCR No large flammable structures No live plants No potpourri plug-ins or oil plug-ins are allowed All electrical cords must be zip tied and out of the way. Certainly, teachers are expected to have a print-rich environment that promotes literacy. In addition, there are instructional tools that must be displayed. If I know in advance I will notify you of planned inspections. Clinic All medication (over the counter and prescription) must be kept in the office. If a child tells you that he/she does not feel well, please check out the situation. You might want to feel the child s head. If you feel it s necessary for the child to phone home you may send him/her to the office. Each classroom is equipped with band-aids, alcohol pads and kitty litter (this is used to sprinkle on vomit). Sometimes you may be able to handle small situations in the classroom. If an emergency should occur in your classroom just send a pair of students to the office to get help. Committee/Team Meetings It is our goal not to have unnecessary meetings and to respect your time. However, monthly faculty meetings will be necessary to keep open lines of communication amongst all faculty

6 members. Also, if you see a need or feel you would like to sponsor a team or student club, feel free. The Parent Teacher Coalition is our school-wide team that includes all teachers and parents. You are expected to attend scheduled meetings. Notices of meetings are posted and ed to all teachers. Cumulative Records All students cumulative records are located in the office. These records are never to leave the office area. It may be helpful for you to look over your students records to note any special information such as learning disabilities, health issues, etc. At the end of the year please be sure that a copy of the final midterm report, final report card, and test cards are filed in the students record. Curriculum We have many different curriculum and reference books that can be found in the teacher resource area of the office. Please feel free to look on the bookshelves as well as the filing cabinets for unit ideas as well as reference books and other instructional materials. Everyone has been provided with the Sunshine State Standard for their grade or subject area. So, please feel free to enhance your teaching with projects that bring learning to life and encourage the students to take responsibility for their education. Also, please feel free to use each other as resources as we all have many collective years of experience. Custodial Services Everyone is asked to help keep our campus clean by making sure that their particular areas are neat and tidy each day. Do not leave perishable food items in your classrooms over night. Please take any leaky trash bag or food items directly to the dumpster daily. Dress Code Modest and conservative dress attire is appropriate for this environment. Clothing that is either too tight or too loose can be rather distracting to our students and other faculty members. Please also be mindful of the message we send with our dress attire. Please wear only clothing that is reflective of our organization and not of others. We want to maintain a professional atmosphere and not cause our brothers/sisters to stumble.

7 Each teacher has been set up with a CCA address. It is requested that you use to notify Taccara, or Chris of any school related problem, question, or concern. This way we have a written record of your needs. Teachers are expected to check daily and respond within 48 hours. For any sensitive issues you are encouraged to CC Taccara, or Chris so we can be aware and offer support where needed. If you would like your CCA account forwarded to another account, please let Chris know and he can set that up for you. End of the year checklist Please be sure that you complete all items on your checklist before leaving for the summer. The End of the Year Checklist will be provided for you during the 4 th quarter. Please be sure to fulfill all requirements indicated in the End of the Year Checklist. Failure to meet all requirements will result in compensation being withheld until all requirements are met. Energy Please turn your lights off when you leave your room. Please keep the temperature in your room comfortable but remember that when you leave for the day to turn AC off. We want to be good stewards and not waste energy. Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Many students who attend CCA receive the McKay Scholarship which is awarded to students with special needs. When they come to us they each have an individual education plan (IEP). This outlines their basic disabilities and goals. Being aware of these goals can make their classroom experience more successful. While the nature of our program tends to serve these students well, strong communication between the parents and the school is critical to keep everyone informed. Please feel free to ask for advice from other teachers as well for best practices for serving these children. Field Trips and Activities Fieldtrips are a fun part of the CCA curriculum and are strongly encouraged whenever possible. Teachers may feel free to plan a fieldtrip or invite a guest speaker in whenever a fieldtrip is not possible to enhance the learning in the classroom. Permission Slips: any student going on a fieldtrip must have a permission slip. You must carry the permission slip as well as emergency contact information with you on all fieldtrips. CCA will have a blanket permission slip to cover trips to the Lake Wales Library and park. All of the permission slips can be teacher generated. Transportation: Teachers must arrange transportation. We can walk to the park or the library. Parents can drive on fieldtrip; we just have to have proof of insurance and a copy of their driver license in the office.

8 Money Collected: If a fieldtrip has a cost please make sure that the parents are aware of this in plenty of time. Teachers need to keep track of which students have paid and the total can be turned into the office. There may be other questions so, feel free to ask as the need arises. Chaperones: All chaperones must be 21 years of age or older. They must NOT bring other children with them. In an effort to keep everyone informed of what is going on around campus, please always let the office know of any activities or field trips you are planning. Hall Passes Students who are moving about the campus should be given a pass. It would be helpful if everyone could monitor students who are out and about by seeing if they have hall passes (agendas should be used as passes). Try to keep student movement during instructional time to a minimum. Homework Homework activities are beneficial to the academic growth of the students. Students should be assigned meaningful assignments frequently to aid in their comprehension of concepts. Lesson Plan Books Each teacher is expected to keep a plan book that outlines the general content of the lessons taught. You may use the plan books provided by CCA or use another but all plan books must be turned in at the end of the school year to be kept for CCA records. It is important to keep our plan books up to date. Also, teachers need to have a substitute packet that should contain a seating chart, a schedule, classroom procedures, lesson plans, lunch room procedures, etc. Please be sure that you post grades to Moodle weekly. You can let parents know when to expect to see these grades (i.e., Thursday or Monday evenings). Also be sure that you post weekly updates to your classes this will help parents and students be more prepared for what is coming up. Please also check daily for questions/concerns. Midterm & Grade Reports Students will receive midterm reports periodically throughout the year. These are designed to give parents information before the actual report cards are distributed. Information will be sent to you to let you know when the grades are due and any specific procedures that need to be followed. Comments MUST be made on student s progress and actions to be taken to improve grades if necessary. You must have comments that indicate why a student has a D or F on any grade report. Weekly reports will then be given for any student who is either failing a class or has received the grade of D in two or more classes. Moodle

9 CCA is using this platform for addend parental communication. Each student is given a user name and password to allow them access to the classes in which they are enrolled. They can view the weekly events, homework assignments; Internet links etc. that you provide. Students and parents can also view grades and see if there are missing assignments as well. Teachers are required to post weekly notices and grades as a minimum. Training is available for this just ask in the office if you have questions. This is a great tool to use and make communication much more convenient for you and the parents. Parent Communication Parent/Teacher communication is important for the success of the students and of our school. CCA will send home monthly newsletters and calendars geared to address the entire student body. All teachers are expected to keep open lines of communication with parents regarding students progress. Please use all means necessary to communicate with parents, phone, , face-to-face, letters. You may wish to send home weekly letters to inform parents about classroom activities or assignments. You can use the agenda folders to send home individual notes. We also have our web page that parents will use for . Projects can also be posted on the web board by ing them to Chris. If a student fails a test or an assignment the parent MUST be notified. **Nobody likes surprises on their report card** Please be sure to keep track of your communication either in your plan book or on the parent / teacher communication log provided with this manual, or in some other place that can be used for records if necessary. This will be turned in with your grades and lesson plans at the end of the year. This will also allow you to keep track of who you are speaking with and what was decided at that time. If you need assistance with this, please contact Taccara. Report Card Conferences/Reporting To Parents-- Formal conferences will be held at the end of the first and third nine weeks. It will be necessary to meet with each parent at these times. We will use a conference log to track our meetings with the parents to ensure we are touching base with each family at least once a quarter and formally once a semester. Safety Drills and Disaster Procedures An evacuation map must be posted in each room indicating the evacuation path and designated meeting place. Routine drills will be held once a month; please follow the procedures below: 1. Students will quickly leave the room, single file, no talking.

10 2. The teacher or other supervisor will lead the students to their designated safe area. 3. The teacher will take role. 4. Students and teachers will remain silent in the designated area until the ALL CLEAR signal is given. 5. The teacher will lead the students back to their room once again, in single file, no talking. **This procedure shall be explained and practiced thoroughly throughout the school year** Inclement Weather The office will notify teachers of inclement weather (Tornados, Hurricanes, etc.). Please prepare your students for the action if necessary if a tornado warning should occur. Please follow these procedures: 1. Do NOT allow students to leave your room. 2. If there is a tornado warning (or a tornado has been sighted) the students are to take cover preferably under the tables and away from the windows to protect their selves from glass. 3. Blinds are to be lowered. 4. Anyone that is on the playground is to seek immediate shelter. 5. No one is allowed on the sidewalks during a warning. 6. These precautions are to remain in effect until the warning had been lifted. Lock Down Procedure You will be notified if there is a reason that we need to be on lock down. At that point there will be absolutely NO movement around campus. Whoever is in your classroom at that moment will stay, teachers will lock/secure all doors to the rooms. If you are located near a restroom, please make sure those are empty and locked. Those students should come directly to your room. An administrator will be by to account for all students. You will be notified when conditions are clear and it is again safe to move about the campus. Textbooks and Other Material Inventory We have ordered several new books this year for classes. Some are consumable and some are not. The books in your room have been inventoried (for the most part) and you will receive a copy of that information. Please be sure that you take a good count of textbooks, number them and assign them to the students. Teachers are expected to conduct quarterly textbook checks with students. This will ensure we are keeping track of all student textbooks and other materials. At the end of the year, they will need to check them back in or pay for missing books. The office needs to be notified of this ASAP to contact the parents if you can t resolve the situation. Track what you have--if you need materials or if you borrow them from the resource room or other teachers, please be sure to track what you have and return it promptly to the owner. We have so many resources at CCA, but we need to be sure that they are accounted for and used. Please help us with this.

11 Visitors On Campus All visitors MUST sign in before entering the campus area. They will be given a sticker to wear. Please help us by asking anyone who is NOT wearing a sticker if she/he needs directions to the office for the safety of our students. EVERY person is required to sign in. Students are NOT to be released from the classroom or from the cafeteria you will need to inform the parents that they will need to be checked out from the office. We MUST be consistent with this policy.