CALHOUN COUNTY
21STCENTURY
COMMUNITY LEARNING
PROGRAM
ASPIRE–After School Program for Inspiration, Recreation, and Education
2017 - 2018
Parent/Student Handbook
Funding for this 21st Century Community Learning Center is provided wholly or in part by
a grant from the United States Department of Education under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, Title IV Part B, with grant administration carried out by the
West Virginia Department of Education.
Background Information
InJune2016, theCalhounCountyBoardofEducation receiveda21stCenturyCommunityLearningGrantfromtheWest VirginiaDepartmentofEducation.
Thisgrant allowsstudentstoremainatschool duringafter schoolhourstoworkonhomework, receivetutoringand participate instructuredenrichment andphysicalactivitiesunder thedirectsupervisionof qualified staff.
Thegrant alsoprovidesassistanceduringthesummer througha6-week summer program andtheopportunityof extendingtheeffortsof theEnergyExpresssummerprograms.
Goals of the Program
Goal 1: To increase academic achievement in reading among regular participants on an annual basis.
Goal 2: To increase academic achievement in math among regular participants on an annual basis.
Goal 3: Through character education, youth development and enrichment activities, regular participants will increase school engagement.
Goal 4: Families of participating students will be empowered to increase their engagement in their children’s education and development.
Parent Involvement
Parent/guardianparticipationisstronglyencouragedat ASPIRE. Volunteersareneededtoserveasguestspeakersandtoofferassistanceto staff and must be volunteer approved through the board of education. Please check with the site coordinator in advance.
Often,wehavecollaborationswithotherorganizationstoprovide familyorientedactivities.Watchfor noticesfromtheschoolsand fromtheSiteCoordinators.
Contact Information
Arnoldsburg School 304-655-8616 Kelley Sampson, Site Coordinator
Calhoun Middle/High 304-354-6148 Deborah Toppings, Site Coordinator
Pleasant Hill School 304-354-6022 Kristie Ritchie, Site Coordinator
Jeannie Bennett, Program Director 304-354-7011 ext. 318
Karen Kirby, Program Coordinator 304-354-7011 ext. 318
Community Partners
CalhounCountyBoardofEducation
Save the Children
WVUExtension
Evaluation
The21stCenturyAfterSchoolProgram mustprovide documentationtotheWVStateBoardofEducationandthe USDepartmentofEducationconcerningtheprogressofthe program. Among theinformationthatwemayneedto access concerning yourchildisattendancerecords,state test scores and STAR scores inmath and reading. All students willbeincludedinthisstudyunlesstheparent or guardiancompletes aformdenying achild’s participation.
Funding forthis 21stCenturyCommunity LearningCenter is provided whollyor inpart byagrant from theUnited States Department of Education under theElementary and SecondaryEducation Act, TitleIV Part B, withgrant administration carried out bythe West VirginiaDepartment ofEducation.
Information orquestionsconcerningthe21stCenturyCommunity Learning AfterSchoolandSummerPrograms,pleasecallJeannie BennettorKaren Kirbyat304-354-7011Extension318.
After School Program
TheCalhounCounty21stCenturyAfterSchool Program will be in session through May. Studentswillbedismissed from theregularschooldayclassroomtoattendtheafter schoolprogram. Studentswillreceivea free, nutritioussupper eachdayfrom theUSDA foodprogram.
Enrichment Activities
Enrichment programs will be offered throughout theschoolyear.Theseprogramsmayincludeartandmusic projects,safetyprograms, technology, andcrafts. Please considervolunteeringtopresentanactivityor program.
Healthy Choices
Studentsat theelementary schools will receive daily instruction in making healthy choices, such as physical activity and healthy eating. One day each week they also have a health class.
EarlyDismissal
The Calhoun County 21st Century After School Policy Guidelines for closing the program are the following:
- When school is dismissed early (for any reason) the after-school program will be CLOSED.
- When school is not dismissed early, the decision to cancel the after-school program will be based upon the recommendation of the superintendent, transportation director, or ASPIRE administrator.
Pleasemakecertainthatyourchild/children knowwhattheyareto do inthe eventoftheclosingoftheafterschoolprogram.
EarlyPickUp
Parents or guardians of children who are being picked up early for the after-school program, must come into the building and sign the children out. No child will be permitted to leave the building without being signed out by a parent or guardian.
Transportation
Buses will leave CCMHS at approximately 5:45 PM with buses traveling the main routes to the northern and southern ends of the county. These buses will collect students at Pleasant Hill School and at Arnoldsburg Elementary at 6:00 PM each day that we hold after school classes.Studentsmustfollowtheschool codeofconductwhenridingthebus.
If you have indicated that you will provide transportation for your child, alwaysbe ontimetopickupyourchildfromASPIRE.Ifyou aregoing to be latedue to an emergency,you must notifytheSite Coordinator.Ifyourchild hasnotbeenpickedupby thestated times,staffwilltryto contactyouand/oranyonelistedonthe schoolemergencyform.
Occasionally wewillhave bustransportation tospecial eventssuchas trips.Anystudentnotfollowing thecodeofconductwillreceivethesamedisciplinarymeasures that governregularschooltrips.
Internet Use
The same internet usage rules and guidelines are in effect during regular school hours apply to after school as well. Students will be using some online academic programs and will be allowed to do research for other assignments with supervision.
Photographs
The21stCenturyAfterSchoolProgramsoccasionallyrequestnewsarticlesbeplacedinthelocalpaper.Photographsortapesmaybe madeof studentsperformingvarious activitiesandplaced in thenewspaperortheschool’s web page.Parents orguardians areaskedto providepermission fortheuseof thephotographsand tapes. TheASPIREprogramwillusethepermissionslipthatyou previously signedfortheschool.
Academics
Students in grades K-6 will receive 60 minutes of literacy instruction and 30 minutes of math or STEAM activities each evening. All students have time for completing homework.
Tutoring
Students in grades 7-12 willhave theopportunitytoreceive tutoring inmathandreading fromacertifiedteacher. Studentsneedtobereferred totutoringbytheregular classroomteacherorbyyou, theparent.
Character Education
Students will receive charactereducation instructionintheafterschool program. The curriculum whichwill beusedistheSkillstreamingProgram and willplaceemphasisonthesix pillarsofcharacter.
Attendance
The 21stCentury after-school program is open to students in grades K-12. Any student who is absent from the regular school day will NOT be admitted to the after-school program on that day.
Parents are asked to encourage their children to attend the program on a regular basis. Once students are signed up for after school, parents must send in a written notice of withdrawal from the program.
Summer Programs
TheCalhounCounty21st CenturyProgram,in collaborationwithWVU Extension and Save the Children supports thesixweeks, Summer Boost ExpressProgram.
Discipline Policy
ASPIREchildrenareexpected tofollowtherules statedintheschoolDisciplinePolicy andany othersite- specific rules established by the Site Coordinator. Depending upon the severity of the behavior problem, stepsmay needtobemodified. TheSafeSchoolPolicywill befollowed. Insomecases,itmaybenecessarytoremove achildfromtheprogram.
Inorder tomaintainasafeandfunenvironment,ASPIREwill work closelywithyouandyourchildtoensure proper behavior. However, iftheproblempersists, aDiscipline Referral willbemade. Youwillreceiveaphonecallornote fromthesite coordinator.Consequencesareas follows:
1stReferral: Conferencewithchild,SiteCoordinator and referringstaff member
2ndReferral:Conferencewith child,parent,Site
Coordinator andreferringstaffmember
3rdReferral:ASPIREsuspension