Stokes Early College High School

Stokes County Schools

In partnership with Forsyth Technical Community College

RESPECT, Responsibility, Rigor, & RELATIONSHIPS

PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK

2015 - 2016

Mrs. Misti Holloway, Principal

1165 Dodgetown Road

Walnut Cove, NC 27052

Telephone: 336-593-5402 Fax: 336-593-2501

The purpose of this Handbook is to present the policies and procedures of Stokes County Schools and Stokes Early College High School to our school community. It is printed with the intent that each student will use the Handbook as a reference to understand and adhere to the policies and procedures which govern ourschool. Stokes County Schools does not discriminate against any persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or handicap in any of its educational or employment programs or activities.

Stokes Early College High School (SECHS)

Welcome to Stokes Early College High School for the 2015-2016 school year! We hope you have a very successful year. In order to succeed at SECHS, you must take your education seriously and know that failure is not an option. We expect you to work diligently in your classes and excel academically.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

School Slogan:FalconsSOAR – Scholarship, Opportunity, Achievement & Respect

School Colors:Red & Black

School Mascot:Falcon

School Mission:The mission ofStokes Early CollegeHigh School is to create successful,

self-advocating, life-long learners who work collaboratively and purposefully in an interdependent world.

Core Values:

We will promote collaboration daily in order to assist in on-going student success.

We believe EVERY student can be successful, and we will provide a means for student success, will foster success among staff as well as students, and together we will be successful as a school.

We will encourage the development of academic and affective habits, creating life-long learners who are prepared for their future.

We will support & encourage EVERY student and staff member to be his or her best self.

We will foster an environment of self-advocacy; everything we do is a personal act of leadership.

SECHS VISION STATEMENT:

  • Our students are mentored by our graduates and our graduates support our institution.
  • The SECHS program serves an innovative learning base for the entire school system and community.
  • SECHS is efficient, yet innovative; students have the opportunity to realize their full potential with adult support.
  • The students will be prepared to attend any university or start some technical vocation.
  • Some students have gone on to get more advanced degrees.
  • Seventy-five percent of our student will have scholarships to help with college costs.
  • We have leaders in our school who actively participate in projects and research designed to improve the community.
  • We create an environment fostering a fluid transition from middle to high school, and from high school into college or career.
  • There is a pervasive educational attitude among students, parents, community/business partners, fostering a community of innovators and productive citizens.
  • Students are actively leading one another.
  • The school is synonymous with challenge, support and success.
  • Our students will achieve growth acknowledging that true growth will always involve a sacrifice, but the sacrifice was worth it in the long run.
  • Parent/community involvement is evident in all elements of the school’s success.
  • Our students graduate and return to benefit our community –bringing quality back into Stokes County.
  • We offer a course of study focused on academics as well as career and life skills -- affective skills that transcend academics -- helping students be their best selves in high school, college and in life.
  • SECHS has a continued strong presence in Stokes Countyfor years to come; SECHS has its own site (building) on Forsyth Tech’s Stokes County Campus.
  • Students are actively engaged in life application projects, creating their own learning plans.
  • All high school classes are taught as collaborative/collective units rather than stand-alone classes.
  • Technology is used to maximize student learning and global perspective.
  • Our students return as teachers and community leaders.

General Information

The Stokes County School system partnered with Forsyth Technical Community College in 2009 to offer an innovative high school initiative for rising 9thgraders. Stokes Early College High School (SECHS) recruits students from every middle school in Stokes County with emphasis on first-generation college students and other high school students who may be underserved in the traditional high school setting. The program offers students a traditional college preparatory high school diploma as well as the opportunity to earn 60 plus college credits and/or a two year Associate degree from Forsyth Technical Community College.

The college is a member of the University of North Carolina Community College System, and therefore, as long as students take classes covered under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement of the North Carolina public universities, their college credits will transfer to the university system. Upon admission within the University of North Carolina system, students enter as Freshman with credit and often become a junior their second year in their respective universities.Some private colleges and universities may also accept some of the college credits as well. Funding for this initiative is made possible by the North Carolina General Assembly in association with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Stokes Early College High School is a high school within Stokes County Schools, locatedon the Stokes County Campus of Forsyth Tech,housing grades 9-13, with students who are dually enrolled in high school and college courses as a freshman. The school operates on the semester schedule, but follows the community college calendar rather than the traditional school calendar. School hours are 8:00-2:35 pm Monday –Friday dismissal is at 2:35 pm. Breakfast is served from 7:55 – 8:10. Seminar is from 8:10-8:20. Core classes begin at 8:25 am. There are four, 80-minute time blocks (periods) per school day. Most students are on our campus by 7:55 and have from 7:55-8:20 to get their breakfast and go to their Seminar class for any additional help with assignments, tutoring, etc. Lunch is served from 11:15-11:45 and students are allowed to take their lunch to work in classrooms with teacher assistance and supervision. Therefore, there are 55-minutes of study/homework/tutoring time built into the regular school day. Also, some students may have a study-hall built into their schedule on days when they do not have a class during certain periods which will give them another 80-minutes of additional support.

Students at SECHS experience a rigorous academic schedule throughout their five year program of study. The underclass schedule is very rigorous with the expectation that most of their high school credits will be attained by the time they finish their junior year. Classes are taught on a modified block schedule with holidays that align with Forsyth Tech's schedule. All students are dually enrollment; they are enrolled in both Forsyth Tech and in the Stokes County school system. Juniors and Seniors take classes largely at Forsyth Tech, which count towards their remaining high school credits as well as college credits.

North Carolina New Schools Project

NCNSP supports educators in innovative high schools to:

•Believe in a common set of high standards and expectations that ensure every student graduates ready for college - schools maintain a common set of standards for all in order to eliminate the harmful consequences of tracking and sorting students.

•Uphold common standards for high quality, rigorous instruction that promote powerful teaching and learning.

•Demonstrate personalization - educators must know students well to help them achieve academically.

•Redefine professionalism, creating a shared vision so that all school staff takes responsibility for the success of every student.

•Work from a purposeful design where the use of time, space and resources ensures that best practices become common practice.

•Empower shared leadership embedded in a culture of high expectations and a collaborative work environment to ensure the success of each student.

STOKES EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL

ADMINISTRATION/FACULTY

Administration

Mrs. Misti HollowayHigh School Principal

Mrs. Ann WattsForsyth Tech Senior Director for Off

Campus Centers

Guidance/Counseling

Mrs. Kevie AyersHigh School Counselor

Mrs. Rhonda MoyerCollege Liaison

High School Instructors

Mr. Samuel BrownEnglish Ms. Elizabeth Guiles English

Mr. Shane CastevensMath

Mrs. Alissa Combs-DraughnSpanish

Mr. Patrick MingesSocial Studies

Math

Mr. Mike ShawChemistry & Physical Science

Mr. Sayrd PriceBiology, Earth Science

Mrs. SalenaHowlettEnglish, Social Studies

Support Staff

Ms. Nancy SmithHigh School Administrative Assistant

Financial Secretary/Data Manager

Ms. Kay HandyCollege Administrative Assistant

Ms. Felicia ShawCollege Secretary

Ms. Carolyne BennettCollege Program Coordinator

Ms. Sally ElliotStokes County EWD Coordinator

Ms. Monica PegramCollege Tutor

Mr. Jeff BolesCustodian

Ms. Lisa BaynesCafeteria Manager, South Stokes HS

Kyoko Doyle, Patty Joyce, Daren MabeChild Nutrition Support

ReneeFulk, Sylvia Kiser

Bus Drivers

Bus 28Cindy YoungBegins @: Sandy Ridge Elementary
Bus 34Bonnie GordonBegins @: Chestnut Grove Middle
Bus 32Abigail WilmothBegins @: Francisco Elementary
Bus 208Kristina PekaraBegins @: South Stokes High
Bus 231Sherry GreinerBegins @: South Stokes High

ATTENDANCE

(Stokes County School Board Policy 4402)

Regular school attendance is a vital component to ensure student success. While home study and make up work aid in the continuation of a student’s instruction, they are not substitutes for continuity of instruction, communication of knowledge through well planned and well taught lessons and participation in classroom discussions.

*Due to the rigor of SECHS’s curriculum, excessive absences will not be acceptable.

Stokes County Early College High School adheres to these Stokes County Schools attendance policies:

1

ABSENCES:

Excused Absences

  1. Personal illness or injury
  2. Quarantine
  3. Death of an immediate family member
  4. Medical or dental appointments
  5. Court or Administrative proceedings
  6. Religious observances
  7. Educational opportunity (Upon written request of a parent or guardian and in a reasonable time in advance of the absence, a student may be excused by the principal to participate in activities such as, but not limited to, a documented educational trip, a visit to a college or military facility, participation in civic or community events, etc. Absences for educational opportunity cannot be excused during the last ten days of a semester.)
  8. Pregnancy and related conditions to parenting, when medically necessary

ATTENDANCE ISSUES

Within 3 school days of a student’s return to school following an absence, he/she should present a written note to the Administrative Assistant in the High School front office before school ( between 7:30 am and 8:15 am) with a parent’s or guardian’s note stating:

The student’s full name

The date(s) of the absence

The reason for the absence (with official documentation attached),

and parent signature.

Students WILL NOT be allowed to enter the classroom without a note following an absence. If notes are not brought to school within 3 days of an absence, absences will automatically be coded as UNEXCUSED.

If a student is absent or is expected to be absent for three or more consecutive days, parents/guardians should notify the school (in writing, fax, or via email) to explain the cause of the absence. Notes being emailed should be sent to

.

A student MUST be present for 80% of the class period (64 minutes) (class period = 80 minutes) to be counted present for the class. A student must be present for 3 classes to be counted present for the day.

Unexcused Absences

Absences for reasons other than the ones listed above will be coded as unexcused. Failures to bring documentation for an absence, “Skip Days” are examples of unexcused absences.

Failure to submit proper documentation on time for absences will result in an unexcused absence. Unexcused absences impact exam exemption.

All 9th-12th grade students will be required to attend a Seminar class from 7:55-8:20 AM EACH morning. This will be a graded class and attendance will be taken. Graduating seniors will attend Seminar EVERY Friday during either 1st or 2nd period.

****Stokes Early College High Schoolwill follow attendance procedures and policies established under“Section VI: Attendance and Tardy Guidelines” of the Stokes County Schools Student and Parent Handbook.

1

Attendance [Forsyth Tech]

Forsyth Tech regards class lectures, demonstrations and other in-class experiences as vital ingredients of the educational process. For this reason, students are expected to attend and arrive on time to all class, laboratory, shop, practicum, cooperative education work sites and clinical experience sessions. Students are responsible for accounting to their instructors for any absence and should report to their instructors following any absence to determine if and when work may be made up. Habitual tardiness may, at the discretion of the instructor, be considered in computing attendance.

Students must satisfy the instructor that they should be permitted to remain in a course and attend classes after incurring absences in excess of the following:

  1. five hours of class,
  2. three practicum (shop, laboratory or clinical experience) sessions that meet for two or more hours or
  3. three hours of class and one practicum (shop, laboratory or clinical experience) session that meets for two or more hours.

When students are absent from a class and a practicum (shop, laboratory, clinical experience) session that meets consecutively, each session missed will be counted as an absence.

Special attendance rules, different from those listed above, must be noted in the instructor’s attendance policy included on the course syllabus. Students with questions or concerns should consult with their instructor.

SIGN IN/SIGN OUT PROCEDURES:

Late Arrivals to School

If a student arrives after 8:25 am the student must sign in at the main office.

Early Dismissal from School

If a student has a planned reason to leave school early; for example doctor or dental appointments, etc., the student must bring a note to the Administrative Assistant in the high school front office between 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The note should contain the student’s name, the reason for early dismissal, parent signature and a telephone number where the parent may be reached. Administrators may call to verify an early dismissal.

CHECK IN/OUT SYSTEM

Juniors/Seniors/Super-Seniors Leaving/Returning to Campus
Students who leave and return to campus during the school day will be required to sign in and out in the front office using the Ident-A-Kid system. ALL JUNIORS/SENIORS/SUPER-SENIORS arriving or leaving MUST sign in or sign out. Students who violate this policy will face disciplinary consequences (3 DAYS OF In-School-Suspension for the 1ST OFFENSE). Students are required to have Off Campus Permission Form completed and signed by parents to be eligible to leave.

TARDIES:

Students who are tardy will be admitted to class with a signed tardy pass from the High school front office. A student arriving to class after the designated time is considered tardy and must provide a pass for the instructor. Teachers are responsible for monitoring and recording tardies in Power School. After multiple tardies, teachers will assign students to mandatory before/after school tutoring.

MAKE-UP WORK:

Board policy for make-up work states: Within three days after returning to school following an absence, a student and his or her teachers may develop a written plan for the student to make up missed assignments; this plan may outline the work to be made up and include due date(s). It is the responsibility of the student and/or parent to request missed assignments for any absence. Generally speaking, for each day that a student is legally absent, he/she will be given the same number of days to complete and turn in make-up work. Make-up work should not interfere with regular instructional time. Homework and make-up work may be obtained through the high school office. One day’s notice is required to obtain assignments.

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE SERVICES

Change of Address or Telephone Number

If, at any time during the school year a change of address or telephone number is made, the parent or student must inform the High School Administrative Assistant/NCWise Data Manager of the change so that accurate, current records can be maintained. Because schools deal directly with parents for emergency, attendance, and disciplinary situations, it is crucial that school records show work and/or cell numbers as emergency numbers.

Neighbor and relative phone numbers are not the best numbers to record with the school. Direct contact with the parent/guardian is paramount. This includes email addresses and physical addresses.

Counselor Assignments and Services

The guidance staff at Stokes Early College High School is dedicated to meeting the individual needs of all students: monitoring four and five-year plans, giving advice for college preparation; informing students of job opportunities; giving support in student decisions; and assisting with solutions to problems. The counselor and college liaison also give special attention to the student's progress toward meeting graduation requirements. They are knowledgeable of admission requirements to colleges, scholarships, and required admission testing programs. The counselor welcomes conferences with parents and students.

Students will find that our counselors are receptive to academic, attendance, behavioral, safety, physical and emotional concerns of each student in our school. An open door policy is maintained in order to assist with personal concerns, high school requirements and college or career plans. The counseling department acts as a support service for the entire school community. Our counselor serves as members of a Student Support Team (SST) committee and refers students, when appropriate to other services in the school system, such as special education, psychological services, and community services, such as a social worker. The counseling department assists in providing programs for students in the affective area of our curriculum through the Peer Mentoring Program, and the Mediation Program.