2017-2018

Parent/Student Handbook

Revised 8/10/17 KF

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WELCOME LETTER 1

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT 1

PURPOSE/PROGRAM DESIGN/APPLICATION 1

CREDITS/GRADUATION STANDARDS/VCS REQUIREMENTS 2

PROGRESS REPORTS 3

CONFERENCES/PRESENTATION NIGHT 3

POSTSECONDARY CREDITS/TRANSFERING OF CREDITS 3

GRADUATION 3

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES/504 INFORMATION 3

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/ATTENDANCE 4

WORKING AT HOME 5

EXITING SCHOOL GROUNDS/ TRESSPASSING/BUILDING ACCESS/ TARDINESS 5

SCHOOL CLOSINGS 6

STUDENT CONDUCT/DISCIPLINE PLAN/ISUBORDINATION 6

DRESS CODE/GANG SYMBOLS/LANGUAGE/THEFT/ASSAULT 10

WEAPONS/THREATS 11

HARASSMENT/BULLYING POLICY 12

HAZING PROHIBITION 14

TECHNOLOGY USAGE POLICY 15

STUDENT SERVICES 17

DRIVING/VISITORS/PERSONAL POSSESSIONS 18

EMERGENCY DRILLS/LOCKDOWN/FOOD/BEVERAGES/MEAL POLICY 18

DNR-DNI ORDERS 20

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS 20

SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY 21

STUDENT RECORDS POLICY 21

PESTICIDE APPLICATION POLICY 22

STUDENT VISITORS 22

TESTING INFO AND OPT OUT 23

WELCOME LETTER TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS

Welcome parents and students to a new year at Vermilion Country School. Our staff is excited for this upcoming year. We have new programming and staff ready to lead us through our fifth year at VCS. This year, we are expanding the math program. We have hired a full time math teacher to specifically focus in on math instruction and remediation. We anticipate great gains in this subject area.

VCS will primarily focus on improving attendance and truancy records this year. After reviewing our data at the end of the year, it became very apparent that a significant portion of students were missing more than ten days in the year. This is problematic for student success and we want to see every child succeed. It’s vital that students make it to school to get the most benefit from the school year.

This year we are using the JMC program for credit accrual, attendance record keeping and progress reporting. To improve our attendance ratings, individual classes will monitor absences and tardies using JMC. This is a step up from previous daily/half day attendance counts. Our PBIS program will reward students quarterly according to this sole accountability piece.

Experience Friday’s are moving to Wednesdays and are going to be planned with a specific focus in mind that ties into Environmental Ed, Community Service, and College & Career Readiness. It’s been a common misconception in previous years that Experience Fridays were ‘optional’ but this is not the case. Students will be expected to attend and will receive grade/ credit for the experiences they participate in.

Throughout the year we will be putting out notices and information to parents about upcoming events and updates regarding student progress. We highly encourage parent participation as your support from home can often have a multiplying effect at school in regards to your student’s success. We are more than willing to sit down and talk to any parents who have concerns or ideas that they wish to share.

Let’s have a great year!

Vermilion Country School

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

It is the policy of the Vermilion Country School (VCS) to provide equal educational opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status and status with regard to public assistance or disability (except when sex and non-disability may be a bona fide consideration).

PURPOSE/PROGRAM DESIGN

VCS is for students, grades 7-12, who desire a more hands-on approach to learning including having choices in the content and manner of study. Most students will attend school Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, class hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. because of meetings. However, some students might leave earlier for approved special projects and/or service learning as part of an approved project and parent approval. The program design is a hybrid of traditional and project based learning. VCS believes in meeting the student where they are at educationally and for some this might mean a more traditional class schedule and for others it might mean some individually designed projects that meet credit standards. It depends entirely upon the motivation and responsibility levels of the student to meet their needs.

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APPLICATION

Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis. In the event that VCS is full, a waiting list will be made and students will be added by a lottery process. The VCS school board reserves the right to limit enrollment to those students residing in the Tower/Soudan attendance area, or siblings of students already in attendance. When registering, please provide VCS with all the necessary information requested so that we may better serve you. The State of Minnesota requires all students to have been immunized unless otherwise exempt by statute.

CREDITS/GRADUATION STANDARDS

VCS requires a minimum number of credits to earn a high school diploma. Additionally, students must meet any State graduation requirements including earning a passing score on any appropriate assessment.

VCS GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

MNSCU / UofM / STATE / Vermilion Country
Language Arts / 4
Composition
Literature
Speech / 4 / 4 / 4
Math
Algebra
Geometry
Stats
Probability / 3
2 years Algebra
Geometry / 4 / 3 / 3
*Algebra I by 8th
Algebra II
Geometry
Stats/Probability
Science
Biology
2015:
Chemistry, Physics, or Career/Tech Ed (CTE) credit / 3
Biology
Physical
Extensive Lab / 3
Biology
Physical with lab / 3 / 3
Biology
Chemistry
Physical
Or CTE
Social
U.S. History
Geography
Government/Citizen
World History
Economics / 3
Geography
U.S. History / 3
1 year each
U.S. History
Geography / 3.5 / 3.5
U.S. History
Geography
Government/Civics
World History
Economics
Arts / 1
Visual
Performing / 1
Includes history
and interpretation / 1 / 1
Art
Music
Theatre
Electives / 7 / 9.5
*.5 EE required
*.5 CS required
*1 LLL required
*1 PE/Health req.
Single Second Language / 2
Non-English
American Signing / 2 / 0*
Highly Recommended
TOTAL / 16 / 17 / 21.5 / 24

PROGRESS REPORTS

JMC will award credits and report progress quarterly. Guardians and Students will be able to access JMC to check grades, attendance, and lunch account balances. Login information will be sent out at the beginning of the school year.

The link to the login page is: https://vermilioncs.onlinejmc.com/.

If there are any questions, please contact the office or an advisor.

CONFERENCES, OPEN HOUSES, and EXPO DAYS

Parent/guardian(s) are expected to attend events as part of being in the VCS community. The first open house day of the year is required attendance as information will be given out regarding the start of the year. Conference nights are expected attendance as advisors will be going over progress reports and learning plans with students/parents so attendance is a chance to be an active part of your student’s learning process. Expo days are scheduled to show off student work on projects so attendance is encouraged for all to recognize student achievements. These activities are held at least once a year. Dates will be published on the VCS website and posted in the building.

POSTSECONDARY OPTION (PSEO), CAMPS,

SPECIAL PROGRAMS, ONLINE LEARNING, ETC.

All credits earned from an accredited agency outside of the VCS High School curriculum will be transferred in for credit only. Students attending college under Post Secondary Enrollment Option are eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities. Please check with advisors on eligibility criteria.

TRANSFERRING OF CREDITS

VCS accepts credits and grades earned by students at other accredited schools. We will not accept any weighted credits unless they have been earned in International Baccalaureate courses. Credits will be awarded so that they are equivalent to those given at the VCS. In transferring out of VCS, the school cannot make any guarantees as to how the next school will interpret credit amounts.

GRADUATION

A senior student must earn a minimum of 24 semester credits in order to receive a diploma from VCS. The Board of Education allows seniors to participate in the graduation ceremony if he/she has earned 22 credits by the end of their graduating school year if they are enrolled in summer coursework that will fulfill all requirements.

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

Students with special needs from birth to Age 22 are eligible for special education and related services as defined in federal law, P.L. 101-476, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Minnesota State Board of Education Rules, Chapter 3525.0200. Parent/guardians can expect their referral to be processed by the Child Study team in a timely manner and according to due process requirements. The VCS Special Education Director and staff can provide further information and assistance.

INFORMATION REGARDING SECTION 504 OF THE

REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

Section 504 is an Act which prohibits discrimination against persons with a handicap in any program receiving Federal financial assistance. The Act defines a person with a disability as anyone who:

1. Has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (major life activities such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working);

2. Has a record of such an impairment; or

3. Is regarded as having such an impairment.

In order to fulfill its obligation under Section 504, VCS recognizes a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and students. No discrimination against any person with a disability will knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices in the school system.

VCS has specific responsibilities under the Act, which includes the responsibility to identify, evaluate, and if the child is determined to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate education services.

If the parent/guardian(s) disagrees with the determination made by the professional staff of the School District he/she has a right to a hearing with an impartial hearing officer.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FOREPAW) also specified rights related to educational records. This Act gives the parent/guardian or guardian the right to:

a) inspect and review his/her child’s records;

b) make copies of these records;

c) receive a list of all individuals having access to those records;

d) ask for an explanation of any item in the records;

e) ask for an amendment to any report on the grounds that it is

inaccurate, misleading, or violates the child’s rights; and

f) a hearing on the issue if the school refuses to make the amendment.

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact the Special Education Director at 612-356-6593.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Minnesota statute requires instruction in the proper etiquette, display, and respect for the United States flag. Students in a school district shall recite the pledge of allegiance one or more times each week. Anyone may decline to participate in the recitation. Students must respect the individual’s choice to recite or not recite the pledge.

ATTENDANCE

VCS believes that regular school attendance is directly related to success in academic work, benefits the student socially, provides opportunities for important communications between staff and students, and establishes regular habits of dependability important to the future of the student. We recognize that school attendance is the joint responsibility to be shared by the student, parent or guardian, and staff. Parents/guardians will notify the school in the morning by no later than 8 a.m. if their child will be absent and notify the van/bus driver by 6:15 a.m. if no ride is needed. Absences of more than a day will require written verification (doctor’s note, appointment receipt, etc) in order to be excused.

Absences will be excused if they are caused by the following reasons: illness, serious illness in immediate family, death in the immediate family, medical or dental appointments, counseling appointments, court appearances, family vacations, planned educational experiences, religious instruction (< 3 hours per week), physical emergencies (flood, storm, etc.), official school sponsored outings, or suspension. VCS recognizes that getting appointments in this region is difficult but asks for the guardians’ help in trying to schedule those appointments after school or during breaks where possible. In general, appointments shouldn’t take the student out of class the entire day unless the appointment is more than an hour away, students should make all efforts to return to school the same day so as to not miss out on class.

Absences considered unexcused are: truancy, failure to receive an advisor’s approval for at-home work, being out of the building without signing out, leaving early, or any other absence not included in the excused section of this policy. Two tardies will be considered an absence. Staff will make an effort to notify parents of all unexcused absences as soon as possible. If a student should accumulate 3 unexcused absences, the parents will be notified by letter and after 5 unexcused absences a conference must be held. The school will continue to notify parents through the 7th unexcused absence during which a truancy petition will be filed with the county. Following 15 consecutive unexcused absences, the student will be dropped from the school attendance roll and will need to complete a school application in order to return at which time the application will be reviewed by the academic committee.

Minn. Stat. 260A.02 provides that a student who is absent from instruction on three or more occasions on three separate days without a valid excuse within a single year will be considered continuing truant. At this time parents/guardians will be notified by letter. They will have time to notify the school if there should be a valid excuse for the child’s absence. If there is not a valid excuse, parents/guardians will be notified that they are obligated to compel the attendance of the child pursuant to Minn. Statute 120.101 and parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be subject to prosecution under Minn. Statute 127.20. The parent has the right to meet with staff to discuss solutions to the child’s truancy. If the child should continue to be truant, the parent and child may be subject to Juvenile Court proceedings under Minn. Statute Ch. 260 and the child may be subject to suspension, restriction. or delay of the student’s driving privilege pursuant to Minn. Statute 260.191.

A student under the age of 17 years who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for any part of seven school days, shall be considered a habitual truant and will be subject to referral to appropriate services and procedures under Minn. Stat. Ch. 260A.