Faculty and Staff Handbook

2011-2012

We must demonstrate by our attitudes and actions today

that the struggle, the sacrifice, and the suffering of yesterday

were not in vain.

Stephanie Farmer, Principal

Name of Staff Member:

Heritage High School – #425

Faculty and staff handbook

Table of Contents

WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL ...... 3

HISTORY, VISION, MISSION, KEY OBJECTIVES ...... 4

SCHOOL SECTION

S-01 through S-14

TEACHER SECTION

T-01 through T-19

ADMINISTRATION SECTION

A-01 through A-05

STUDENT SECTION

ST-01 through ST-13

August, 2011

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year!

Welcome back to our returning staff and welcome aboard to our new staff.

We hope that you experienced a productive summer that included some rest and relaxation. The school year for staff officially starts on Monday, August 22nd.

Our theme this school year, as we embark on our ninth year of operation, must be: “Whatever It Takes.” Just in case you haven’t noticed, several neighborhood high schools no longer exist. They are being replaced by “higher performing schools or potentially higher performing schools.” The handwriting is on the wall; in the vernacular of the street—we either put up or shut up (or shut down as the case may be.) As for our high school, that would be a travesty, because the potential for greatness lies within these walls. Our staff has the competence, the commitment, and the compassion to meet the needs of our students. Our programs and curricular offerings equal or exceed the offerings of other high schools in our LEA. Our students, in spite of their many challenges, are making progress. We’ve added honors classes and additional AP courses and will continue our focus on literacy infusion. We have purchased additional technology to support instruction. We are moving in the right direction. We simply need to galvanize our collective will and through planning, collaboration, execution, and reflection make our vision and mission a reality. We have to be willing to do

whatever it takes!

Again, welcome to what will be a defining year for our school. Together, we can make it happen!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Farmer

Stephanie Farmer

Principal

School/Office Phone: 410-396-6637/38/39

HISTORY OF HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL:

Heritage High School was founded in the year 2003 as a result of the break-up the Lake Clifton/Eastern High School. The school began its existence in the old Fairmont-Harford building at 2555 Harford Road with an initial enrollment of 310 9th and 10th graders. The following year the school expanded its enrollment to approximately 550 students, encompassing grades 9-11. At the beginning of its third year of operation, the school moved to its present location on the LakeClifton campus—2801 St. Lo Drive. The LakeClifton building had several advantages over the Harford Road building. The school was already wired for the internet, there were science labs, and there was a full service gymnasium and athletic program. Heritage graduated its first group of seniors in the year 2006. Since that time, Heritage has increased its academic offerings to include honors and AP courses and has a pretty consistent enrollment of approximately 650 students. The building also houses a 100-student Pre-K Program which will serve as a model center for early learning instruction. A Head Start center is planned and the career and technology program will be expanded this year to pick up a teacher academy.

HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL VISION:

Graduates of HeritageHigh School will be prepared to pursue a post-secondary education, enter the world of work, or both. They will be literate and articulate—possessing effective reading, writing and speaking skills. They will be critical thinkers—able to discuss, analyze and debate various educational, social, economic, business, and political issues. They will have a functional understanding of important math and science principles and concepts and be able to apply that understanding to every day experiences. They will understand how our government, legal system, economy and business world operate to provide for their needs, the needs of their local community and the needs of our society at large. They will be knowledgeable consumers of goods and services and be exposed to ways that they may become providers of goods and services to benefit themselves and others. They will be well versed in technology and its applications including telecommunications, data entry and analysis, word processing, and presentation. They will be able to utilize the internet as a resource for gathering information to pursue educational, business and personal interests. Students will develop their leadership skills as well as develop their creative gifts, talents and interests through our school’s enrichment program and elective offerings. Heritage graduates will possess the financial literacy and inter-personal skills needed to maintain a household and manage their own personal and business affairs. They will also be able to interact with others in a responsible, socially acceptable and ethical manner. Finally, as our school name implies, our students will explore the rich “heritage” they possess through study, performance and display. With the knowledge and expertise outlined above, they will be better equipped to successfully navigate through adulthood and reach their goals.

HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL MISSION:

To graduate students with the knowledge and skills required for college and career success.

KEY ACTION OBJECTIVES:

  • Establish course sequences and experiences that lead to high levels of student achievement as measured by state and other public assessments.
  • Establish support and advocacy programs and strategies that provide students with the social safety netsnecessary to reach high levels of achievement and stay in school.
  • Provide all students with the academic safety nets needed to meet the challenges of rigorous course work and sequences.
  • Provide all students with caring teachers who know their content well and have the skills and techniques to teach rigorous course work as evidenced by successful student performance.
  • Provide the expert leadership necessary to engage all stakeholders in a continuous school development and improvement process, the stamina to stay focused in a turbulent environment and the moral conviction to do what is right for each student.
  • Provide for the school the materials, partnership opportunities, and consultative expertise needed to create a high performing learning community in the era of increased accountability.
  • Provide parents, caregivers, community members and business owners varied opportunities to participate in the education and preparation of high school students for the adult, world in a global society.

HeritageHigh School– #425

Faculty and staff Handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SCHOOL SECTION

S-01Announcements

S-02Clock and Bell Schedule

S-03Entrance and Dismissal Procedures

S-04Discipline Policy

S-04AStudent Referral and Accountability Center

S-05Academic and Attendance Policy

S-06Tests and Quizzes -- School Policy

S-07School Police Officers

S-08Smoking in City Buildings

S-09Use of Auditorium

S-10Showcases and Bulletin Boards

S-11School Lunch Program – Free Reduced Price Meals

S-12Child Abuse

S-13Visitors to School

S-14Trespassing

Topic: Announcements

Standard Area: School

Standard No: S-01

Notices will be published on a daily basis in The Daily Bulletin. The Daily Bulletin will be posted on TSS. Announcements will be made during homeroom.

Procedures for Daily Bulletin:

  1. The Academic Dean will be responsible for maintaining the daily bulletin.
  2. If a staff member would like to place an announcement in the daily bulletin, fill in the Daily Bulletin Announcement Request found on the counter in the main office.
  3. Place signed requests in the Daily Bulletin mailbox before 12:00 noon for publication the following day.
  4. Notices can be reprinted for a maximum of three days if space allows.

Procedures for P.A. Announcements:

  1. Fill in the Public Address Announcement application found on the counter in the main office.
  2. Place the completed information in the P.A. mailbox by 7:30 on the morning of the planned announcement.
  3. Notices should be clearly lettered and text as brief as possible.
  4. A faculty member or the advisor of the student group should sign all requests.

If you are the advisor to a student group, please be certain to explain these procedures thoroughly. The group advisor should proofread each notice or announcement that is student generated for appropriateness of content and correct English usage.

*Public Address (P.A.) announcements will be kept to a minimum during the course

of the day.

ONLY IN CASES OF EXTREME EMERGENCY WILL WE DEVIATE FROM THESE PROCEDURES.

Topic: Instructional Bell Schedule

Standard Area: School

Standard No: S-02

2011-2012 DAILY BELL SCHEDULE

Breakfast--Cafeteria / 7:40 – 8:00 / 20 minutes
Student Entry / 8:00 – 8:10 / 10 minutes
Period 1 / 8:15 – 9:20 / 65 minutes
Period 2 / 9:25 – 10:30 / 65 minutes
Period 3/Homeroom / 10:35 – 10:50 / 15 minutes
Period 4/Heritage Lunch Choice / 10:50 – 11:35 / 45 minutes
Period 5 / 11:40 – 12:45 / 65 minutes
Period 6 / 12:50 – 1:55 / 65 minutes
Period 7 / 2:00 – 3:05 / 65 minutes
Period 8 (After School Intervention) / 3:15 – 4:15 / 60 minutes

Topic: Entrance and Dismissal Procedures

Standard Area: School

Standard No: S-03

Regular Clock Schedule

7:00 – 8:00Staff members are to sign in, read any announcements posted in the main office, and

remove all materials from mailboxes.

8:00 – 8:15Teachers are to be on duty in classroomsready to receive students—first instructional

period begins at 8:15 a.m. Students should deposit belongings not needed for the school

day in their lockers before entering classrooms.

8:05Contractual start of the school day for 10-month employees.

3:05The end of school day for students. They may go to their lockers and then leave the

building.

3:10Contractual end of the school day for 10-month staff.

3:10 – 3:40 30 minute school wide detention.

3:10 – 4:00 50 minute school wide detention.

3:10 – 4:10Coach Class (at least once per week; time may be shortened or lengthened

as determined by the teacher and the needs of the participating students.

3:15 – 4:15After School Intervention--Targeted

3:10 – 4:30After school and extra-curricular activities. Students engaging in any after school

activity must be under the direct on site supervision of an activity advisor, class advisor, or coach at all times. All after school activities should cease by 4:30 p.m. Once after school activities are completed, students MUST exit the building. It is understood that certain activities (contests, rehearsals, and performances) may continue after 4:30 p.m. within the established school and system procedures.

4:30Main office closed.

8:00 Custodial Staff Exits the Building

Topic: Discipline Policy

Standard Area: School

Standard No: S-04

General Policy and Procedures for Handling Disciplinary Problems

The overall control of the school and its students is the ultimate responsibility of the administration along with the active support of the teachers and all adult staff members if the school is to function as a smooth unit. The overall control of the classroom is the ultimate responsibility of the classroom teacher along with the active support of the administrators and all adult staff members. In addition, each teacher must share responsibility in supervising the area immediately outside the classroom during the change of classes as well as before and after school. Unacceptable behavior anywhere in the building or its environment encountered by any adult must be addressed or challenged. Failure to act on the part of adults amounts to “approval” of the student action or non-action as the case may be. For example, standing around loitering in the hallway or commons area is not permitted. Adults should tell students to move along; if student(s) refuse(s), that behavior represents an infraction and must be reported.

As trained professionals, the classroom teachers’ approach to disruptive and undesirable behavior should seek to be diagnostically helpful instead of immediately punitive. Proper classroom discipline is a prime responsibility of the classroom teacher, as a good climate for learning cannot be created unless the classroom is orderly and the students are respectful and receptive. Here are a few specific suggestions:

  1. Make your classroom a welcoming, inviting, organized and functional environment,
  1. Establish a daily routine that initiates immediate instructional engagement,
  1. Be sure that students understand the classroom and school regulations as well as the rationale for acceptance of same for the mutual benefit of all,
  1. Enforce school and classroom policies, but be considerate, firm, and fair in so doing.
  1. Be ready to take steps to correct students who have committed violations,
  1. Permit, encourage students to self-correct,
  1. Be able to differentiate between what you can reasonably handle and that for which you will need to seek further help.
  1. Recognize positive student behavior that helps to create and maintain a welcoming, organized, and functional classroom environment.

While it is understood that well-prepared lessons, materials presented at the appropriate level of understanding, the dynamic involvement of the teacher in the learning process, and engaged students all tend to reduce classroom disruptions, there will be instances of disciplinary problems. Discipline that has as its objective correction as opposed to punishmentis always more effective in the long run. Students need to understand why certain behaviors are inappropriate and/or unacceptable. Don’t assume that they “know.” Teachers should use the following guidelines when dealing with individual cases:

  1. Where inappropriate behavior has to be addressed more than once, engage the student in a private conversation/conference at the end of the class period or at the end of the day—whichever seems most feasible. This conference will be used to establish a basis for future understanding and expectations in the classroom.
  1. If your attempt(s) to correct the behavior is not successful, contact the home and discuss the behavior with the parent and solicit his/her support in correcting the negative behavior. Document each contact on the Parent Contact Log.
  1. If the behavior continues after you have spoken with the parent, using the Disciplinary Referral Form, refer the student to the Student Support and Accountability Center. This will result in administrative intervention. The student will be subject to the appropriate level of disciplinary action under the direction of the BCPSS Student Code of Conduct. The parent may be required to come to school for a personal conference with the teacher(s).
  1. No student should be sent from the room unless his/her presence in the classroom makes it impossible for class work to continue. If it is necessary to remove a student for disruptive behavior, call the SSAC and inform the facilitator that you are sending the student (make sure you give the student’s name). If a student refuses to leave, call the office for assistance. Appropriate staff will come to the room to remove the student.
  1. Never tell a student to “get out.” They must be directed to a specific location after notifying the office or escorted out by designated staff.
  1. No teacher should re-admit any student sent out of the classroom, unless he/she has a reinstatement from the appropriate staff.
  1. Teachers should make themselves keenly aware of students mistreating each other; that cannot be tolerated and the teacher needs to address it immediately, e.g., “we don’t do that . . . talk like that, in here.” The teacher must be perceived as the “defender,” that way students won’t be forced to defend themselves.
  1. The teacher assigned to a class during an auditorium program is responsible for checking roll and for effectively supervising student auditorium behavior during the program unless otherwise assigned.

Standard Area: School

Standard No. S-04A

Topic: Student Support and Accountability Center

The Student Support and Accountability Center operates as the one-stop operation to handle issues dealing with student behavior that requires more intervention that what is routinely handled in the classroom by the classroom teacher. The Center Staff will provide consultation and where necessary mediation. Referrals will also be made to appropriate administrative and support staff.

Processes and procedures for its effective functioning are under review and revision.

Standard Area: School

Standard No. S-05

Topic: Academic and Attendance Referrals

At the first sign that a student is struggling academically, an academic referral needs to be initiated. Evidence that intervention is needed includes, but is not limited to: inattentiveness in class, unresponsiveness, failure to attempt/complete assignments (class work or home work), failure or barely passing grades on assessments. Many of the negative behaviors classified as disciplinary problems are actually academic problems being masked. “I don’t understand what is going on, so I act out.”

Teachers should complete the academic referral form and forward it to the accountability center. Center staff will direct it to the appropriate school personnel.

Similarly, on the 3rd occurrence of absence from class, an attendance referral must be completed and forwarded to the accountability center.

Students are permitted 5 minutes between classes, students who show up 5 or more minutes after the start of class should be marked late and should be required to sign the late log. Chronic (3 or more/frequently occurring) and/or extreme lateness (10 or more minutes late) should generate an attendance referral.

Example:

First Period Ends at 9:20; Second Period Begins at 9:25; student is marked late starting at 9:30. Three (3) or more occurrences of this generates an attendance referral.

Please Note: Unless, appropriate referrals and/or documented communications with parents have been made, teacher may notgive students failing grades, regardless of the reason for failure.

Topic: Tests and Quizzes – School Policy

Standard Area: School

Standard No: S-06

  1. All full period tests are to be announced 3-5 days in advance.
  1. Unannounced quizzes of approximately five (5) to fifteen (15) minutes in length may be given periodically; however, announced quizzes are strongly encouraged. Quizzes, in general, may cover content from homework or class work of the proceeding few days.
  1. Only teachers are to grade tests and quizzes.
  1. Tests and quizzes are to be returned in a timely fashion so student may know their grades and review their work. Grades should be clear and intelligible to all readers. Tests and quizzes may then be collected and placed in student folders.
  1. Make-up test/quiz policy:
  1. A student legally absent from an announced test or quiz must be given the opportunity to take a make-up. A student missing a test/quiz because of cutting class or an unexcused absence the day of the test/quiz may make it up, but will not receive full credit.
  2. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher concerning the date and time of the make-up test/quiz. Absentee test/quizzes should not be given during class if at all possible.
  3. It is recommended that the make-up test/quiz differ from the original.

Topic: School Police Officers