Recommended Practices for Schools

OVERVIEW

The following document provides guidance on correct implementation procedures when students are released before the end of the school day. Also included are action steps to ensure that formal suspension procedures are followed, including recording incidents of suspension and discipline or uniform violations (see Code of Conduct Manual).

City Schools’ students should remain in classes for the entire school day to build social skills, access community resources and gain necessary knowledge in order to be successful in school and in life. Therefore, whenever possible, the scheduling of medical or other appointments for students should be made for after school hours. However, in instances when parents must request an early dismissal, it is essential that proper protocols are followed consistently. If a student misses instruction as a result of frequent early dismissals an informal conference is recommended with parents to determine if additional supports are required so that the student can remain in the learning environment. It is important to note that if students are removed from school for behavior or other Code of Conduct infractions there must be a corresponding record in the Student Management System (SMS). If not, an undocumented suspension will occur.

RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR SCHOOLS

PreK through Grade 8

• Students in elementary and K8 schools, regardless of age, should only be released to a parent, guardian or emergency contact. This includes students who walk to school or use transportation services.
• Requests for early release should be submitted in advance of the day of early dismissal. Notes from parents or guardians must include: the reason for the dismissal, the date and time the child is to leave school, how the child is to leave or be picked up, and a parent/guardian contact number. In addition to reviewing written notes school staff must contact the parent or guardian by telephone.
• A parent or guardian that walks-in, requesting an early dismissal on the same day must sign the early dismissal log and provide identification.
• A student in the nurse’s office should only be released to the care of a parent, guardian, or emergency contact person. This includes elementary and K-8

students who walk to school or use transportation services. Parents must sign the early dismissal log and provide identification.

• If a student leaves school without permission the parent or guardian should be contacted immediately and the incident documented by the school on the early dismissal log.

Grades 9 through 12

• Students in high school can be released without having a parent or guardian present. However, the school must receive a written request from the parent or guardian regarding the early dismissal, verifying the request by telephone.
• Requests for early releases should be submitted in advance of day of early dismissal. Notes from parents or guardians must include: the reason for the dismissal, the date and time the high school child is to leave school, how the child is to leave or be picked up, and a parent/guardian contact number. If the school is unable to verify or make contact with the parent, the student should not be released from school.
• A parent or guardian that walks in, requesting an early dismissal on the same day must sign the early dismissal log and provide identification.
• If a student leaves school without permission, the parent or guardian should be contacted immediately and the incident documented on the early dismissal log.
• A homeless unaccompanied youth is defined as a youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and who fits the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless. High school students that are considered emancipated or unaccompanied do not require a parent note or verification by telephone. The student is responsible for signing the log.

A student in the nurse’s office and too ill to attend class, unless emancipated or unaccompanied, should only be released to the care of a parent, guardian, or emergency contact person. Parents must sign the early dismissal log and provide identification.

ROLES, REPSPONSIBLITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Schools

• Each school should have a designated staff person to oversee the early dismissal logs and SMS entry process
• Schools (Pre-K through Grade 8 students) must ensure that the person picking up the student is the parent, guardian, or emergency contact by requiring a picture identification document (i.e.; driver’s license, work identification, etc.). In an emergency situation, if someone other than the person designated on the emergency card is to pick up the student they will also be required to show identification.
• Review and verify by telephone all notes from parents or guardians.
• Use only the designated log to record early dismissals.
• Complete all required information elements except the Parent Signature on the day of early release. Note: use the log key to determine reasons for early release and type of documentation provided. For reasons of discipline and suspension, proper procedures as detailed in the Code of Conduct manual must be followed.
• Review log entries with person designated to pick up student and then obtain a parent or guardian signature.
• Place original logs and parent notes in a binder within five business days of the last day of each month. Logs and notes should be categorized by month and kept in the front office for future reference.
• Enter log data into SMS daily and compare SMS reports weekly for consistency
• Each school principal should: review and sign logs before they are placed in binders, determine if entries that detail reasons of behavior, fighting, uniform, or suspension have been entered into SMS, ensure that each log entry has been submitted into SMS module, and review SMS reports.

Network Student Support Liaisons

• Serve as liaisons between schools and central office on procedures of early dismissals.
• Determine if assigned schools have a designated staff person to oversee the early dismissal logs and SMS entry process
• Ensure that schools are organizing logs in binders within five business days after the last day of each month
• Perform school audits on assigned schools to ensure that appropriate fields are included, determine completeness, acceptability of reasons listed and the existence of notations that indicate a dismissal for discipline related issues to ensure that incidents are documented in SMS, and to determine if schools are entering logs into SMS. Determine if each log entry of suspension, discipline or uniforms has an SMS incident date.
• Specific areas of focus are schools that appear in the prior month’s Encounter Tracker (ET)/SMS discrepancy report.
• Meet monthly with principals to review early dismissal logs with three look fors: blank spaces, coordination between discipline, early dismissals and SMS, and reasons not listed in the log.
• Work with Office of Special Education and Student Support on the correct procedures, providing additional support to schools of concern, and ensuring that assigned schools are following recommended procedures each month.
• Request additional assistance and training from central office for schools of concern.
• Notify appropriate central office staff for additional tier of accountability
• Executive Directors to schedule a conference with principals of schools that are consistently found to be noncompliant or where recurrent issues are noted.
• Director or Suspension Office to email Code of Conduct Violation letters to appropriate Principals and Executive Directors
• Monitor Code of Conduct Violation letters and follow-up with schools to ensure resolution.

Central Office Accountability

• Provide support to student support networks on ensuring that schools are following procedures for early dismissals and have the appropriate staff assigned to complete the task.
• Support Student Support Liaisons when performing school audits
• Communicate to Student Support Liaisons certain schools that should submit logs to central office for additional tier of audits. During this review, schools are targeted based on discipline related data that has been flagged through Special Education Stat, Attendance Stat, Safety Stat, parent complaints received by the Special Education Parent Response Unit, or Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) complaints.
• Specific attention is paid to any school that appeared in the prior month’s Encounter Tracker (ET)/SMS discrepancy report.

• Schools that are consistently found to be noncompliant or where recurrent issues are noted will attend a conference with the Executive Director of the appropriate network.
• When undocumented suspensions are flagged by Student Support Liaisons, a Code of Conduct Violation letter is sent from Office of Suspension Services to the principal and executive director of the appropriate school. The letter details the findings related to the specific students and directs the school to resolve the issues.
• Ensure that Student Support Liaisons are monitoring schools and Code of Conduct letters.

FURTHER QUESTIONS??

• Dr. Tanya Williams, , Office of Attendance and Truancy
• Chris Cichan, , Office of Suspension Services
• Dr. Kim Hoffman, , Office of Special Education

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