Analysis of Communication Tools

2020 - 2021

Stronger Together

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and the Perkins Act of 1998); or disability (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Students, parents, employees and the general public are hereby notified that the Bartow County Board of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.

The following individuals have been designated as employees responsible for coordinating the school system’s effort to implement this nondiscriminatory policy for students.

Deputy Superintendent Executive Director of Exceptional Education 65 Gilreath Rd NW Section 504/ADA

Cartersville, GA 65 Gilreath Rd NW (770) 606-5800 Cartersville, GA

(770) 606-5800

Board of Education

Fred Kittle, Chair, District 4

Derek Keeney, Vice Chair, District 3

Tony Ross, District 1

Terry Lee Eggert, District 2

Anna Sullivan, District 5

Bartow County Board of Education Phillip D. Page, Ed. D.

Superintendent

Board Members

Fred Kittle Derek Keeney Terry Lee Eggert Tony Ross Anna Sullivan Chairman Vice-Chairman

August 2020

Dear Bartow County Families, Welcome to the 2020-2021 academic year! Commitment and collaboration drive our narrative. We are committed to academic excellence through the collaborative investment of faculty, staff, students, parents, and community. Our school system, rich in high-quality educators, continues to work towards a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all students. With an emphasis on “our students,” instead of “my students,” all staff members engage in efforts to improve every child’s life both in and out of the classroom. Our success as a school system is predicated on the success of all students regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomics, and/or exceptional needs. With the understanding that our school system is a cornerstone of the community, it is imperative we provide all of our students the highest quality education so they may, through their future investments, continue making Bartow County an exceptional place to live. This year’s Student Handbook includes our school system policies and code of conduct for all students. Our staff’s commitment to the enforcement of these policies provides the foundation for your child’s safety and security. Along with the student code of conduct, you will also find valuable information regarding our curriculum and attendance expectations. Please review the contents of this handbook with your child, as it will help in providing an academic environment where your child feels encouraged, empowered, and prepared for a productive school year. Once you and your child have read the Student Handbook, we ask that you sign and return the consent/acknowledgement forms to your child’s school. Please contact your child’s principal if you have additional questions or concerns regarding the contents of this handbook. I look forward to working with you toward another highly successful school year.

Sincerely,

Phillip D. Page, Ed. D. Superintendent

Table of Contents Attendance Procedures .......................................................................................................................................................................1 Class Changes .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Online Course Option ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Test-Out Option for High School Credit ........................................................................................................................................ 3 High School Credit Recovery ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Grade Scales and Grade Calculations ............................................................................................................................................. 4 School Year Calendar ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Calendar for State Tests ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Student Code of Conduct..................................................................................................................................................................... 9

I. Expectations for Student Behavior .............................................................................................................. 10 II. General Misconduct............................................................................................................................................ 12 III. Expulsion ................................................................................................................................................................ 14 IV. Students with Disabilities ................................................................................................................................ 16

Guidelines for Student Misconduct ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Categories of Misconduct ................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Bus Discipline ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Offense of Disorderly Conduct Ordinance ................................................................................................................................ 27 Dress Code ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Alternative School Placement Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 29 Technology Initiative/Internet Acceptable Use ..................................................................................................................... 33 Notification of Rights for Elementary and Secondary Students ...................................................................................... 35 Notice of Directory Information ................................................................................................................................................... 36 District Parental and Family Engagement Plan...................................................................................................................... 37 Homeless Education Program ....................................................................................................................................................... 45 English to Speakers of Other Languages Program ................................................................................................................ 46 Gifted Education Program ............................................................................................................................................................... 46 Governor’s Honors Program .......................................................................................................................................................... 47 Notification of Rights......................................................................................................................................................................... 47 Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.............................................................................................................................................. 48 Change of Address/Phone Number ............................................................................................................................................. 49 Emergency School Closings ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 Asbestos Management Plan ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 School Nutrition Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Gender Equity in Sports – Grievance Procedures ................................................................................................................. 55 Notice of Section 504 Procedural Safeguards & Parent/Student Rights ..................................................................... 57 Sexual Harassment Policies ............................................................................................................................................................ 59 Disability Discrimination – Grievance Procedures ............................................................................................................... 60 Student Medication Guidelines ..................................................................................................................................................... 62 Consent/Acknowledgement Forms ............................................................................................................................................ 63

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Attendance Procedures In order to receive maximum benefit from instructional activities, students are expected to be in school each day and on time unless excused as provided by Georgia law. Good attendance habits positively impact the learning process and carry over into the workforce. It is the position of the Bartow County Board of Education that every day at school is important and that no student should be absent except for extraordinary reasons.

To be considered present, a student must be in attendance for at least 4 hours of the school day. Students that do not meet this requirement will be absent for the day.

When a student is absent from school, it is the student’s responsibility to collect and complete all missed work and turn it in within three (3) days of their return to school, unless other arrangements have been made by the student and teacher or administration.

A student is tardy when the student is not in the classroom ready to learn when the school day begins. A check-

out occurs when a student leaves school before the end of the school day.

In accordance with Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-5-1-.10, students may be temporarily excused from school. The following constitute legally excused absences, tardies, or check-outs from school, with proper documentation:

(1) Personal illness or attendance in school endangers a student’s health or the health of others. Local school boards may request students to present appropriate medical documentation upon the return to school for the purpose of validating the absence is an excused absence. With proper verification, a student may be eligible for hospital/homebound instruction as outlined in State Board of Education Rule 160-4-2-.31 Hospital/Homebound (HHB) Services.

(2) A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family necessitating absence from school. In the event of a serious illness in a student’s immediate family, local boards of education may request students to present appropriate medical documentation regarding the family member upon return to school for the purpose of validating that the absence is an excused absence.

(3) Observing religious holidays, necessitating absence from school. (4) Pre-induction physical examinations for military service. (5) Court order, court subpoena, or other required court appearances. (6) Voter registration for a period not to exceed one day. (7) A student whose parent or legal guardian is in military service in the armed forces of the United States or the

National Guard, and such parent or legal guardian has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted excused absences, up to a maximum of five school days per school year, for the day or days missed from school to visit with his or her parent or legal guardian prior to such parents’ or legal guardians’ deployment or during such parents’ or legal guardians’ leave. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require a local school system to revise any policies relating to maximum number of excused and unexcused absences for any purposes. (OCGA § 20-2-692.1)

(8) Conditions rendering school attendance impossible or hazardous to student’s health or safety. (9) Any other absence not explicitly defined herein but deemed by the local school board to be excused based on

circumstances.

An absence, tardy, or check-out for any other reason is unexcused. For example, family vacations, traffic, missing the bus, oversleeping, car trouble, personal convenience, or family emergencies without proper documentation are not valid reasons for absences, tardies, or check-outs. Absences incurred as a result of a suspension are considered unexcused but do not count in the compilation of absences that are counted for truancy.

Three (3) unexcused tardies, three (3) unexcused check-outs, or any combination of the two shall constitute one (1) unexcused absence.

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Very Important- Please Review Carefully!!!!

If a student has more than five (5) unexcused absences in a school year, the parents are subject to the following penalties under Georgia’s Compulsory Attendance Law:

➢ A fine between $25 and $100 for each unexcused absence over five (5); ➢ Up to 30 days of jail time for each unexcused absence over five (5); ➢ Community service; or ➢ Any combination of these penalties

Documentation: In order for an absence, tardy, or check-out to be excused, proper documentation must be submitted promptly and no more than three (3) days after the student returns to school. An example of proper documentation is a doctor note, dentist note, court order or subpoena, or an obituary.

Parent Notes: A parent may submit parent notes to explain up to four (4) days of student absences each semester. Whether the absence is excused or unexcused will be determined based on this Attendance Procedure. If the student is out for more than two (2) consecutive days due to illness, a medical excuse will be required. All parent notes must be submitted no more than three (3) days after the student returns to school.

Family Vacations: Family vacations are not excused absences based upon State Board of Education Rules.

Service as Page of the General Assembly: A student who serves as a Page of the General Assembly shall be counted present and not absent on the day of service.

Children in Foster Care: A student who attends court proceedings related to his or her foster care shall be counted present and not absent for any day or portion of the day missed from school.

Field Trips or Other Activities: A student who is participating in a school approved field trip, school approved event, or school approved program shall be counted present and not absent for any day or portion of the day missed from school.

Driver’s Permit or License: A student under 18 who wishes to obtain a driver’s permit or license must be enrolled and not under suspension from school.

Custodians and Guardians: In this Attendance Procedure, the word “parent” shall also include legal custodians, guardians, or anyone else who has control or charge of a child.

Notification of Absences: When a student has three (3) unexcused absences for any reason, and again when a student has five (5) unexcused absences for any reason, the school will make reasonable attempts to notify the parents. This notification may include notification by first class mail or telephone contact.

Consequences of More Than Five (5) Unexcused Absences: If a student has more than five (5) unexcused absences, the parent and/or student may be required to attend an Attendance Support Team meeting. The parent and/or student may also be subject to referrals to the School Social Worker, Juvenile Court, Magistrate Court, and/or the Department of Family and Children Services for truancy and/or educational neglect.

Acknowledgement of Receipt: All students 10 years or older by September 1 and all parents shall sign the Acknowledgement Form at the end of this handbook which verifies that they have received a copy of this Attendance Procedure and are aware of the possible consequences and penalties for violating the Georgia Compulsory Attendance Law.

For Additional Information: If you have any questions about the Attendance Procedures, please contact your child’s school. You may also review O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1 through O.C.G.A. § 20-2-694, Georgia State Board of Education Rule 160- 5-1-.10, and the Attendance Protocol adopted by the Cartersville-Bartow County Student Attendance Protocol Committee.

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Class Changes No class changes may be made once school starts as teachers are hired and retained based on student requests. Master school schedules are built on student requests. If you feel your child has been incorrectly placed, please contact your student’s counselor immediately.

Online Course Option

In July 2012, Senate Bill 289 passed allowing students in grades 3 -12 the option of taking online courses during the school day. Students are provided this option at no cost if taken during the school day and reasonable accommodations are available. Additional fees may apply if a course is taken outside the regular school day. For additional information, please see your local school counselor.

Test-Out Option for High School Credit

Student may earn up to 3 high school credits through the Test-Out Option. Students are allowed ONLY 1 opportunity per course to demonstrate subject area proficiency. Students who do not reach the achievement level of “Distinguished Learner” on the associated Georgia Milestone End-of-Course (EOC) must enroll in and take the entire course as well as retake the EOC even if the student received a passing score. If you are interested in this option, please see your counselor as there are additional Test-Out Option requirements.

High School Credit Recovery

Credit recovery is traditionally defined as a way to “recover” credit for a course that a student was previously unsuccessful in earning academic credit towards graduation. This differs greatly from programs that allow students to earn “first time credit” as students have already taken the course and were not successful. Credit recovery courses focus on earning credit based on competency of the content standards for that particular course. Students wanting to participate in credit recovery courses must have earned a minimum grade in the course previously taken.

Credit recovery courses may not be taken as “first time/new credit.”

Please contact your local school counselor for additional information, requirements, and credit recovery procedures.

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Grading Scales:

Grade Scales and Grade Calculations

• All K-2 subject areas will use the letter grading scale. • All K-5 Special Areas courses (Art, Music, Physical Education, Technology) will use the

letter grading scale. • Grades 3-5 will use numerical grades in academic subject areas. • All grades for grades 6-12 will be recorded numerically on the report cards.

Bartow County uses the following letter grading scale:

E (Excellent) 96-100 S+ (Very Good) 9095 S (Satisfactory) 80-89 N (Needs Improvement)70-79 U (Unsatisfactory) 69 and below

Bartow County School System uses the following numerical grading scale:

A = 90 - 100* B = 80 - 89 C = 70 - 79 F = Below 70** N/A = Does not apply at this report period

* No grade above 100 will be recorded on the report card unless the additional points are a result of the honors weighting formula.

** No grade below 50 will be recorded on the report card.

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Student Code of Conduct PURPOSE

Education in this community represents a significant commitment of financial and human resources. The benefit a student derives from this investment depends greatly on the student’s attitude toward learning and the student’s adherence to high standards of behavior. This Code is an outgrowth of collaboration among school system staff, parents, and other community members. This Code, adopted by the Bartow County Board of Education, provides information and direction to students and parents regarding standards of behavior as well as consequences of misconduct.

It is the Bartow County Board of Education’s hope that parents and guardians, teachers, and school administrators will work together to improve and enhance student behavior and academic performance and will communicate freely their concerns about, and actions in response to, student behavior that distracts from the learning environment.

Parents who have questions or concerns about student discipline decisions arising from violations of the Code should contact the school principal or assistant principal.

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Expectations for Student Behavior

Each student is expected to comply with the following:

♦ Demonstrate courtesy and respect for others. ♦ Behave in a responsible manner. ♦ Attend all classes regularly and on time. ♦ Be prepared for each class; take appropriate materials and assignments to class. ♦ Pursue and attempt to complete the course of study prescribed by the state and local

school authorities. ♦ Dress and groom to meet fair standards of health and common standards of decency. ♦ Respect the rights and privileges of other students, teachers, and other Bartow County

School System staff. ♦ Respect the property of others, including Bartow County School System property and

facilities. ♦ Cooperate with or assist the school staff in maintaining safety, order, and discipline. ♦ Avoid violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

A student, whose behavior shows disrespect for others, including interference with their access to a public education and/or safe environment, will be subject to disciplinary action. The Bartow County School System or individual schools may impose school or classroom rules in addition to those found in the Student Code of Conduct. These rules may be posted in classrooms and may or may not constitute violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

Discipline Authority School rules and the authority of the Bartow County School System to administer discipline apply whenever the interest of the school is involved on or off school grounds in conjunction with, or independent of, classes and school sponsored activities.

The Bartow County School System has disciplinary authority over a student in the following situations:

♦ During the regular school day and while the student is going to and from school. ♦ While the student attends any school related activity, regardless of time or location. ♦ For any school related misconduct, regardless of time or location. ♦ When retaliation against a school employee is involved, either on or off school property. ♦ When the student commits a felony offense, as provided by the Official Code of Georgia

Annotated.

In general, discipline will be designed to correct the misconduct and to encourage all students to adhere to their responsibilities as citizens of the school community. Disciplinary action will draw on the professional judgment of teachers and administrators and on a range of discipline management techniques. Examples of discipline management technique includes referral to a counselor and/or Student Support Team. Disciplinary action will be related to the seriousness of the offense, the student’s age and grade level, the frequency of misbehavior, the student’s attitude, the effect of the misconduct on the school environment, and requirements of law. Because of these factors, discipline for a particular offense (unless otherwise specified by law) may bring into consideration varying techniques and responses.

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A student who violates school or classroom rules that are not Student Code of Conduct violations may be disciplined by one or more of the following discipline management techniques. These techniques may be used alone or in combination for Student Code of Conduct and non-Student Code of Conduct violations:

♦ Verbal correction. ♦ Cooling-off time or “time-out.” ♦ Seating changes in the classroom. ♦ Counseling by teachers, counselors, or administrative personnel. ♦ Parent-teacher conferences. ♦ Confiscation of items that disrupt the educational process. ♦ Behavioral contracts. ♦ Sending the student to the office or other assigned area, or to in-school suspension. ♦ Assignment to another classroom. ♦ Detention. ♦ Assigned school duties other than class tasks. ♦ Withdrawal of privileges, such as participation in extracurricular activities and

eligibility for seeking and holding honorary offices. ♦ Techniques or penalties identified in individual student organizations codes of conduct. ♦ Withdrawing or restricting bus privileges. ♦ School assessed and school administered probation. ♦ Referral to the local school’s Student Support Team. ♦ Referral to an outside agency and/or legal authority for criminal prosecution in addition

to disciplinary measures imposed by the Bartow County School System. ♦ Other strategies and consequences as specified by the Student Code of Conduct.

Students shall be disciplined for engaging in off-campus conduct that affects the safety and welfare of the school, staff and/or students, or that has a direct effect on the discipline or education environment of the school. Off-campus misconduct for which a student shall be disciplined includes, but is not limited to, any off-campus conduct that is prohibited by the Georgia or United States criminal codes, is punishable as a felony or would be punishable as a felony if committed by an adult, and for which a student has been arrested, indicted, adjudicated to have committed, or convicted. The Bartow County School System or an authorized representative possesses the authority to conduct inspection of students’ school lockers, vehicles, or articles carried upon their persons, including bags and purses. Such search shall be based on reasonable suspicion of the presence of harmful items.

When disciplinary consequences require a conference or hearing, the Bartow County School System will make a good faith effort to inform the student and the student’s parent or guardian of the time and place of the conference or hearing. The school system may hold the conference or hearing regardless of whether the student, the student’s parent or guardian, or another adult representing the student attends.

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General Misconduct

A. DEFINITION OF GENERAL MISCONDUCT Students are prohibited from the following:

♦ Cheating or copying the work of another. ♦ Throwing objects. ♦ Leaving school grounds or school sponsored events without permission. ♦ Use of profanity, vulgar language or obscene gestures. ♦ Fighting. ♦ Stealing. ♦ Damaging or vandalizing property owned by others. ♦ Disobeying rules for conduct on school buses. ♦ Failing to comply with directives given by school personnel. ♦ Committing extortion, coercion, or blackmail (obtaining money or another object of

value from an unwilling person) or forcing an individual to act through the use of force or threat of force.

♦ Name-calling, ethnic or racial slurs, or derogatory statements that school officials believe will disrupt the school program or incite violence.

♦ Engaging in inappropriate physical or sexual contact. ♦ Engaging in conduct that constitutes sexual harassment or sexual abuse whether the

conduct is by word, gesture, or any other sexual conduct, including requests for sexual favors.

♦ Possessing or using matches or a lighter. ♦ Possessing, smoking, or using tobacco products or e-cigarettes. ♦ Possessing or selling look alike drugs or items attempted to be passed off as drugs and

contraband. ♦ Possessing a laser pen. ♦ Behaving in any way that disrupts the school environment or educational process. ♦ Violating safety rules. ♦ Repeatedly violating other communicated school or classroom standards of behavior. ♦ Inappropriate and/or illegal use of the Bartow County School System’s electronic

communication system(s), including the Internet. ♦ Violating any local, state or federal laws. ♦ Using pocket pagers and other electronic communication devices other than before and

after school. ♦ Bullying/Cyberbullying.

Serious or Persistent Misbehavior Students will also be disciplined or removed for “serious or persistent” misbehavior. The Bartow County School System defines “persistent” to be two or more violations of the Student Code of Conduct in general or repeated occurrences of the same violation. The school system defines “serious” offenses to include, but not limited to, the following:

♦ Vandalism. ♦ Robbery or theft. ♦ Assaulting a teacher or other individual. ♦ Retaliation against a school employee.

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♦ The use, gift, sale, delivery, possession, or being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, other controlled substances, dangerous drugs, or abusable glue or volatile chemicals.

♦ Engaging in conduct that constitutes criminal mischief. ♦ Extortion, coercion, or blackmail. ♦ Aggressive, disruptive action or group demonstration that substantially disrupts or

materially interferes with school activities. ♦ Hazing. ♦ Profanity, vulgar language, or obscene gestures directed toward teachers or other

school employees. ♦ Fighting. ♦ Public lewdness. ♦ Sexual harassment of a student or school system employee. ♦ Possession of knives, bladed instruments, air guns, chemical dispensing devices,

fireworks, matches, replica firearms, firearms, electronic stunning devices, and other dangerous items.

♦ Falsification of records, passes, or other school related documents. ♦ Possession or distribution of pornographic materials. ♦ Bullying/Cyberbullying.

B. CONSEQUENCES FOR GENERAL MISCONDUCT Students who engage in general misconduct will be disciplined. General misconduct violations may result in a referral to school administration, the use of any appropriate discipline management techniques, or a request for formal removal. Any student committing behavior resulting in in-school or out-of-school suspension shall be prohibited from participating in any school sponsored or school related extracurricular and non-curricular activities for the length of the punishment.

A teacher who has knowledge that a student has exhibited behavior that repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher’s ability to communicate effectively with the students, or with the ability of such student’s classmates to learn, must file a report with the school principal. The report will be filed within one school day of the most recent occurrence. The principal will send a copy of the report to the parent, if possible, within one day of receiving it. A reasonable attempt shall be made to confirm that the notification has been received. The notification will include information regarding how the student’s parent may contact the principal.

If a student has been suspended for (1) threatening, striking, or causing bodily harm to a teacher or other school personnel; (2) possession or sale of drugs or alcohol on school property; or (3) possession or use of a weapon on school property; a Certificate of Non-Compliance will be filed with the appropriate state authorities for the purpose of revoking the student’s Georgia driver’s license or permit.

Any time a teacher or principal identifies a student as a chronic disciplinary problem student, the principal shall notify the student’s parent or guardian by telephone call and by either certified mail or statutory overnight delivery with return receipt requested or first class mail, invite such parent or guardian to observe the student in a classroom situation, and request at least one parent or guardian to attend a conference with the principal or the teacher or both to devise a disciplinary and behavioral correction plan. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-765

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A. OFFENSES SUBJECT TO EXPULSION

Expulsion

A student may be expelled for the following:

♦ Criminal mischief if punishable as a felon, whether committed on or off school property or at a school related event.

♦ Using, giving, selling, delivering, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other controlled substances; or engaging in conduct that contains the elements of an offense relating to abuse of glue, aerosol paint, or volatile chemicals.

♦ Serious or persistent misbehavior if a student is already in an alternative program setting and continues to violate the school system’s Student Code of Conduct.

Mandatory Expulsion

A student must be expelled if they are found guilty of any of the following offenses if committed on school property or while attending a school sponsored or school related activity:

♦ A firearm violation as defined by federal law and includes: • Any weapon (including a starter gun), which will, or is designed to, or which may readily

be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. • The frame or receiver of any such weapon. • Any firearm muffler or firearm silencer. • Any destructive device, such as any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas bomb, or

grenade.

♦ Use, exhibition, or possession of the following, under the Georgia Criminal Code: • A firearm. • An illegal knife, such as a knife having a blade of two or more inches, any dirk, bowie

knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, straight edge razor, razor blade, sword, or spear. (At the discrepancy of the administration based on intent)

• A club. • A prohibited weapon such as an explosive weapon, a machine gun, a short barrel

firearm, a firearm silencer, knuckles, armor piercing ammunition, or any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; or any disc or whatever configuration having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart, or any weapon of like kind; and any stun gun or taser.

♦ Behavior containing the elements of the following under Georgia Criminal Code: • Aggravated assault, sexual assault, or aggravated sexual assault. • Arson. • Murder, capital murder, or criminal attempt to commit murder. • Indecency with a child. • Aggravated kidnapping. • Behavior related to an alcohol or drug offense that can be punishable as a felony. • Retaliation against a school employee combined with one of the above listed offenses on

or off school property or a school related activity. • Third bullying offense.

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B. EXPULSION

The Bartow County Board of Education delegates the authority to expel students to the disciplinary tribunal. This is under the direction of the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee.

A student may be subject to expulsion or long-term suspension for a period in excess of ten school days for violations of school rules, rules of the Bartow County Board of Education, or for any other act of misconduct or insubordination only by action of the board of education. A decision to suspend the student for more than ten days shall come only after the student has been afforded notice, an opportunity for a hearing, and the other procedural requirements set forth below.

1. If a principal determines the misconduct of a student may require suspension for

more than ten days, or permanent expulsion, the lead hearing officer shall cause a written notice of the charges to be prepared. This notice shall be delivered to the student and the student’s parent or guardian by certified mail US Mail to the last known address of the parents or guardian and/or can be hand delivered by the school system. The notice is the Charge Letter. The letter will state and include the following documents:

A. Charge Letter: A description of the acts of the student and the rule allegedly

violated, time and place for the hearing, the names of any witnesses expected to be called at the hearing shall be given. (In the case of a student witness, the student’s name will not be given if it is anticipated that the student will be threatened or harmed.) Also, the maximum penalty which may be administered for the alleged misconduct, and a statement that the student is entitled to be represented by counsel, as well as the right to present evidence and cross- examine witnesses.

B. A copy of the hearing procedures.

C. Copy of parental rights.

D. Witness Subpoena Form.

E. Student Waiver Form.

F. Copy of the Student Code of Conduct.

2. The burden of proof shall be on the school. Any party, including the principal,

superintendent, parents or guardians, students, any attorney representing any party, or any tribunal member, is entitled to question witnesses about any matters which may be relevant or related to the charges against the student or the appropriate discipline. The hearing officer shall have the authority to limit irrelevant or unrelated questioning.

3. The lead hearing officer shall be responsible for recording the proceedings either

through the use of a recording device or by providing a court reporter to transcribe the evidence.

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4. The lead hearing officer shall appoint a tribunal of three professional, certificated employees of the Bartow County Board of Education. The tribunal appointed by the lead hearing officer shall consist of employees of the system not assigned to the school which the student attends, and the tribunal shall serve in lieu of the Bartow County Board of Education to hear the case, determine the facts, and reach a decision regarding the appropriate punishment.

5. The student shall be entitled to all of the procedural rights and notices set forth

above. The tribunal shall render a decision and shall furnish a copy of the decision to the student, the parents or guardian, the principal, and the superintendent within ten days. The decision of tribunal shall be final and shall constitute the decision of the Bartow County Board of Education unless either party should appeal the decision of the tribunal. Any party may appeal the decision of the tribunal to the Bartow County Board of Education by filing with the superintendent a written notice of appeal within 20 days from the date the decision is rendered. Such notice of appeal shall set forth the decision of the tribunal as the basis for the appeal. Any decision of the tribunal not appealed in this manner shall be final. The superintendent, in his sole discretion, may suspend the disciplinary action imposed by the tribunal pending the outcome of the appeal.

6. On appeal, the Bartow County Board of Education shall review the record before the

tribunal, the decision of the tribunal, and the notice of appeal and shall render its decision in writing within ten days from the date it receives the notices of appeal. The decision of the board of education shall be based solely on the record before the tribunal, and the board shall not consider any other evidence in ruling on the appeal. The board may find the facts to be different than those found by the tribunal, and the board may change the punishment. The decision of the Bartow County Board of Education shall be final, unless the student appeals to the Georgia Board of Education.

Students with Disabilities

In the event the student being brought before the Bartow County Board of Education or the tribunal is identified as having a disability or is receiving special education services from the school system, the foregoing procedures shall be modified in accordance with the requirements of state and federal laws. The Executive Director of Student Support and the Executive Director of Exceptional Education (or designee) shall be consulted and appropriate steps taken pursuant to the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/2008 Reauthorized. This process will be followed to provide guidance to the student’s IEP or 504 Team in order to determine an appropriate placement for the student and to ensure that all of the student’s procedural rights are protected.

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Guidelines for Student Misconduct

Definitions of Terms

1. Warning – First step in addressing inappropriate behavior which may lead to additional consequences if not following guidelines addressed in the student handbook.

2. After School Detention – student will be required to stay after school for a period of designated time with supervision by one or more teachers.

3. In-School Suspension – (Alternative Learning Setting) – exclusion of a student for a minimum of one class period.

4. Suspension – the short-term suspension of a student from a public school for not more than ten school days pursuant to Code Section 20-2-751. (Code 1981, § 20-2-764, enacted by GA. L. 1995, p. 240, § 2; Ga. L. 1996, p. 6, § 20)

5. Long Term Suspension – Suspension of a student for more than ten consecutive school days but not beyond the current school quarter of semester. Due process procedures must be followed. (Code Section 20-2-751)

6. Expulsion – expulsion of a student from a public school beyond the current school semester or term. Due process procedures must be followed.

7. DJJ – Department of Juvenile Justice

PRE-K

Discipline steps in Pre-K are left up the discretion of administration in accordance with state guidelines.

GRADES K-12

Conference with the student ................................................................................................. 1

Conference with the parent ................................................................................................... 2

Detention ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Community/School Service ................................................................................................... 4

In-School Suspension ............................................................................................................... 5

Short Term - Out of School Suspension (1 period –

to 10 days) .................................................................................................................................... 6

Long Term out of School Suspension (Out of school suspension for more than 10 school days but not beyond the current school quarter or semester. Subject to due process hearing.) ....................................................................................................................... 7 Expulsion- expulsion of a student from a public school beyond the current quarter or semester. (Subject to due process hearing.) ....................................................................................................................... 8 Referral to Appropriate Authority...................................................................................... 9

Bartow County School System 18

Categories of Misconduct

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Plagiarizing, cheating, or gaining unauthorized access to material.

Tampering with information (e.g., computer files, teacher records).

1-5

3-6

1st Offense: 1-2

2nd Offense: 1-5

3rd Offense: 1-6

3-6

◆ ARSON

**Contact Campus Police

Unlawful and intentional damage or attempted damage to any real or personal property by fire or incendiary devices as defined by Code OCGA § 60 and 61

8-9 7-9

◆ ASSAULT

**Contact Campus Police

An unlawful physical or verbal attack upon school personnel, persons attending a school- related function, or other students; a verbal threat, attempt, or offer to do violence to another with or without battery. For example, biting, kicking, slapping, or spitting.

Student – Student Student – School Personnel Student – Others

1-9 5-9 5-9

5-9 5-9 5-9

◆ BATTERY

**Contact Campus Police

Intentional touching of another person to intentionally cause bodily harm. Note: The key difference between battery and fighting is that fighting involves two mutual participants (OCGA § 1605-23.1)

5-9

1st Offense: 6-9

2nd Offense: 7-9

3rd Offense: 8-9

◆ BEHAVIOR DANGEROUS TO SELF OR OTHERS

Any behavior that can be construed as threatening the safety or well-being of anyone.

1-9 1-9

Bartow County School System 19

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ BULLYING The term “Bullying” means an act that is:

1. Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so

2. Any intentional display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm.

3. Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act which a reasonable person would perceive as being intended to threaten, harass, or intimidate that

• Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening education environment, or

• Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.

4. The term applies to acts which occur on school property, on school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school related functions or activities, or by use of data or software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network, or other electronic technology of a local school system. The term also applies to acts of cyberbullying which occur through electronic communication, whether such electronic act originated on school property or with school equipment, if the electronic communication

a. is directed specifically to students or school personnel

b. is maliciously intended for the purpose of threatening the safety of those specified or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school

c. creates a reasonable fear or harm to students’ or school personnel’s person, property, or has a high likelihood of succeeding in that purpose.

For the purpose of this Code Section, electronic communication includes but is not limited to any transfer of signs, signals, warnings, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic, or photo optical system.

1st two offenses: 1-6

3rd offense: 7-8

1st two offenses: 1-6

3rd offense: 7-9

Bartow County School System 20

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ BLACKMAIL/ EXTORTION

Any attempt to extort by payment or intimidation as by threats of injury or accusations.

1-9 1st Offense: 5-6

2nd Offense: 6-9

3rd Offense: 7-9

◆ CHRONIC DICIPLINARY PROBLEM STUDENT

Any accumulation of infractions detracting from or interfering with the school/classroom environment. See O.C.G.A. 20-2-765.

Behavior Contract must be established.

1-8 6-8

◆ DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER

False statements or slander about another person based on deliberate falsehood and/or rumor or innuendo.

1-5

1-9

◆ DESTRUCTION OR DEFACING OF PROPERTY

Personal or school. 1-9

5-9

◆ DISTURBANCE An outbreak of disorder, a breach of public peace. Leading/Supporting. 1-7 3-9

◆ ELECTRONIC DEVICES

The Bartow County School System is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen electronic devices.

General Use 1st Offense – Warning. Device taken up but returned to the student at the end of the day.

2nd Offense – Device returned at the end of the day.

3rd Offense – Device returned at the end of the day.

4th Offense – Device only returned after parent conference.

5th Offense – Device is confiscated and returned at the end of the year.

Major Offenses (Sexting, sharing of inappropriate material)

1-5

3-5

5-6

6

8-9

1-5

3-5

5-6

6

8-9

◆ FALSE ALARM Intentional initiation – fire alarm and/or bomb threat

1-9 1-9

◆ FIGHTING Mutual participation in a fight involving physical violence where there is no one main offender and an intent to harm. (Note: The key difference between fighting and battery involves mutual participation.)

1st Offense: 1-5

2nd Offense: 5-9

1st Offense: 5-6

2nd Offense: 6-9

◆ FIREWORKS Use, possession, and/or sale.

Damage or injury.

8

9

8

9

Bartow County School System 21

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ FORGERY The alteration of writing by which the legal rights or obligations of another person are apparently affected. Signing of another person’s name to any such writing without permission.

Making a copy of something, especially money, in order to defraud or deceive people.

1-8

3-9

◆ GAMBLING Playing a game for money, property, or other contingent reward.

1-6

1st Offense: 3-6

2nd Offense: 5-6

3rd Offense: 6-9 ◆ GANGE RELATED Gangs are groups that pose a threat to public

safety and order through violence, intimidation, or other illegal activities. There is no toleration of gangs or gang activity in the Bartow County School District. Students who violate other Disciplinary Guidelines as a result of gang activity shall receive a more severe penalty of at least one step higher. A Gang is defined as any group of three or more persons with a common name or common identifying signs, symbols, tattoos, graffiti, or attire with engage in criminal gang activity. (O.C.G.A. 16-15-3) Behavior may involve:

Membership (suspected/confirmed)

Clothing, symbols, signals, paraphernalia Threats/Intimidation Gathering (as a gang or for gang related action or disturbance) Defacing school property/graffiti Initiation

1st Offense: 1-5

2nd Offense: 5-9

1st Offense: 1-6

2nd Offense: 5-9

5-9 for all categories listed here

5-9 for all categories listed here

Bartow County School System 22

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ HARRASSMENT/ INTIMIDATION

RACIAL/ETHNIC/ RELIGIOUS

Any gesture or written, verbal, or physical act, or any electronic communication that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic including race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability or disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-related functions or activities or on a school bus and that • A reasonable person should know, under

the circumstances, will have the effect of harming a student or school employee or damaging his or her property

• Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, or school employee’s work performance, or either’s opportunities, or benefits

• Has the effect of having a substantial negative impact on a student’s or a school employee’s emotional or psychological well-being; or

• Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or school employee in such a way as to cause substantial disruption in, or substantial interference with, or the orderly operation of the school.

1st Offense: 1-6

2nd Offense: 5-9

1st Offense: 1-6

2nd Offense: 5-9

◆ INAPPROPRIATE PHYSICAL CONTACT

This includes kissing, fondling, consensual or non-consensual touching of another student.

1-9 1-9

◆ INSUBORDINATION Refusal to comply with reasonable class or school rules or directions of school personnel* related to school activities. *Including hall monitors, cafeteria staff, teachers, custodians, secretaries, parking lot attendants, administrators, etc.

1-6 1-9

◆ INTERNET VIOLATIONS

Violation of the BCSS Internet Acceptable Use Policy.

1-9 1-9

◆ INTIMIDATION To force into or deter from some action by inducing fear.

1-9 3-9

◆ LOITERING/TRESPAS SING

Unauthorized student presence on campus, parking lots, halls, restrooms, campus grounds, etc.

1-7 1-9

◆ MISUSE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY

Use of an item for other than its intended purpose.

1-9 1-9

Bartow County School System 23

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY

Being in possession of or accepting stolen property.

1-9 3-9

◆ PROFANITY/ OBSCENETIES

Verbal, written, and/or gestures.

Student to Student Student to Staff

1-6 1-6

1st Offense: 1-6

2nd Offense 5-8

◆ RECKLESS DRIVING/ INAPPROPRIATE USE OF VEHICLE

Before, during or after school. Will result in loss of privilege to drive on campus. Middle School students are not allowed to drive on campus.

N/A 5-9

◆ ROBBERY

**Contact Campus Police

The felonious taking of the property of another individual against his/her will by violence or intimidation. Also, the felonious taking of school items.

6-9 6-9

◆ SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

**Contact Campus Police

Behavior including unwelcome sexual advances, requests, or attention that makes another person feel uncomfortable, threatened, unsafe, angry, powerless, and/or demeaned.

Sexual harassment is considered a form of sexual discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments.

Behavior may include, but is not limited to: Nonverbal: Staring, pictures, suggestive gestures, looks, poses, and clothing with a sexual message.

Verbal: Insults, jokes, stories, pressures, comments, noises, notes, obscenities, requests, and demands of a sexual nature.

1-6 1-9

◆ SEXUAL MISCONDUCT (CRIMINAL)

**Contact Campus Police

State Law Rape 16-6-1 Sodomy; aggravated sodomy 16-6-2 Statutory Rape 16-6-3 Child Molestation 16-6-4 Enticing a child for indecent purposes 16-6-5 Sexual Assault 16-6-5.1 Public Indecency 16-6-8 Prostitution 16-6-9 Pimping 16-6-11 Pandering 16-6-12 Solicitation of Sodomy 16-6-15 Fornication 16-6-18 Sexual Battery 16-6-22.1 Aggravated Battery 16-6-22.2

8-9 8-9

Bartow County School System 24

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ SEXUAL OFFENSES

**Contact Campus Police

Unlawful sexual behavior, sexual contact without force or threat of force, or possession of explicit images. This sexual behavior could be consensual.

1-6 1-9

◆ SUBSTANCE ABUSE

**Contact Campus Police

Category I: Tobacco, tobacco/nicotine related products.

Category II: Alcohol (Possession, consumption, under the influence)

Category III: Substances (Included but not limited to: Drugs, glue, steroids, inhalants, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, LSD, counterfeit or simulated substances, oils such as CBD and like substances, and any other substance that is illegal by law and/or intended to change and/or alter behavior or mood such as caffeine and diet pills) Under the influence/use, Paraphernalia Possession on Campus/Distribution and/or sale.

1-6 1st Offense: 1-5

2nd Offense: 5-7

1-9

5-9

8-9

8-9

◆ SUBSTANTIAL PHYSICAL INJURY TO SCHOOL OR CONTRACTED PERSONNEL

Any act of physical violence resulting in substantial physical injury to school personnel or contracted personnel.

6-9 6-9

◆ THEFT

**Contact Campus Police

Act of stealing; the wrongful taking and/or carrying away of the personal goods of another; larceny.

5-9 5-9

◆ TRUANCY

**Consult Truancy Protocol

Absence from class or school without permission.

*Behavior Plan where applicable.

1-6, 9 1-9

◆ UNAUTHORIZED MATERIAL

Any material detrimental to the educational process.

1-9 1-9

Bartow County School System 25

CATEGORIES OF MISCONDUCT

DISCIPLINE STEPS

K - 5 6 - 12

◆ WEAPONS

**Contact Campus Police

The Gun Free Schools Act of 1994 (US Code: Title 20, Section 8921)

“Weapon” means and includes any pistol, revolver, or any weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind including a dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, any other knife having a blade of two or more inches, straight-edge razor, razor blade, spring stick, metal knucks, blackjack, any bat, club, or other bludgeon-type weapon, or any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nun chaku, churiken, or fighting chain, or any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star, oriental dart, or any weapon of like kind, and any stun gun or taser as defined in subsection (a) Code Section 16-11-106.

7-9 7-9

◆ PARTIES TO THE OFFENSE

No student shall urge, encourage, counsel, promote, assist, cause, advise, procure, abet any other student(s) to violate any section or paragraph of the Bartow County School System Categories of Misconduct.

Same punishment as Guilty Party

Same punishment as Guilty Party

Tobacco, nicotine-related products, vape, vaporizers, e-cigarettes, or other devices used to inhale vapor by means of an electronic device in students’ possession will be considered contraband and turned over to the Bartow County School Police to be destroyed.

Parents are not permitted to view videos as it would infringe on the privacy of the other students in the educational setting, as protected under the Family Education Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA). Videotapes

will be strictly controlled by the school system. Videos also include Transportation Department’s bus videotapes.

Bartow County School System 26

Bus Discipline: Grades Pre-K – 12

Be Respectful … Use Self-Control … Stay Safe

Prior to an Administrative Referral – PBIS processes should be followed. Conference with the student ....................................................................... 1

Conference with the student/parent ....................................................... 2

1-3 days Bus Suspension .............................................................................. 3

5-10 days Bus Suspension ........................................................................... 4

15-30 days Bus Suspension ......................................................................... 5

Remainder of school year Bus Suspension ........................................... 6

1st Offense 2nd Offense 3rd Offense 4th Offense

Lesser Offenses 1-3 2-4 4-5 5-6

Severe Offenses 3-6 4-6 5-6 6

*NOTE: Any or all categories of misconduct listed in the student

handbook may apply. The school bus and bus stop are considered an extension of the classroom.

Lesser Offenses(s) – Refusal to follow directions, talking/making noise at railroad crossing, yelling /being loud/name calling, inappropriate language/actions, late for morning pick up, disrespectful toward driver, eating/drinking, pushing/slapping/hitting (not fighting), or other as may apply.

Severe Offenses(s) –Failure to remain in seat, having body parts out window, not following proper loading/unloading procedures including the use of earbuds/headphones, fighting/hitting, profanity, tobacco/e-cigarettes/vapes, drugs/alcohol, vandalism, throwing objects, weapons, threats regarding a weapon/death assault of driver or other categories of misconduct as may apply. See Student Code of Conduct.

• Usage of any electronic devices during the operation of a school bus in a manner that might interfere with the school bus communications or the school bus driver’s safe operation of the bus is prohibited.

• Usage of mirrors, lasers, flash cameras, or any other lights or reflective devices in a manner that might interfere with the school bus driver’s operation of the school bus is prohibited.

• Bus suspension apply to all BCSS buses, morning and afternoon routes.

NOTE: SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS - A student’s driver’s license will be suspended for one year or until their 18th birthday if the student has been found in violation by a hearing officer, panel, or tribunal of one of the following offenses, has received a change in placement for committing one of the following offenses, or has waived his or her right to a hearing and pleaded guilty to one of the following offenses:

• Threatening, striking, or causing bodily harm to teacher or other school personnel. • Possession or sale of drugs or alcohol on school grounds or at a school sponsored event.

Bartow County School System 27

• Any sexual offense prohibited under Chapter 6 of Title 16. • Causing substantial physical or visible bodily harm to seriously disfiguring another person,

including another student.

Offense of Disorderly Conduct Ordinance The Commissioner of Bartow County passed Ordinance 95-2, Offense of Disorderly Conduct, which went into effect on October 7, 1995. As it relates to public schools, students who are involved in acts of violence, or any other such disorderly conduct, could be charged with a violation of this ordinance. Please be advised, the following steps will be taken when a violation occurs:

1. The school resource officer, or other authorized officer, will issue an official citation which will include details of the incident.

2. Students will be suspended for the appropriate number of days. Parents will be required to attend a hearing at either Juvenile Court, if the child is 16 or under, or Magistrate Court, if the child is 17 or older.

Those found guilty of the ordinance may be punished by the following:

1. A fine not to exceed $1,000, or imprisonment for 60 days, or both. 2. Community service in lieu of, or in addition to, any fine or incarceration as ordered by the

court. 3. Supervisory or court costs, which may be assessed by the court in addition to related

fines or fees.

Bartow County School System 28

Dress Code Grades K-12

Clothing in General

◆ Clean and well kept. ◆ No aggressive and/or violent graphics. ◆ Must not display alcohol, drugs, weapons, tobacco, or obscene/profane language. ◆ No racially divisive or inflammatory symbols such as swastikas, or gang signs. ◆ No see-through clothing of any kind. ◆ Must not display the midriff, sides, or back. ◆ Must be appropriately sized.

Pants and Slacks ◆ Tailored pants or jeans. ◆ Must be worn at the natural waistline. ◆ No holes, frays or patches above the knee and that allow skin, underwear, or undergarments to

be seen are permitted. ◆ Must not touch floor. ◆ Spandex or fish net leggings/jeggings should not be worn as stand-alone clothing.

Shirts and Blouses ◆ Blouses must extend to the end of the shoulder. ◆ Anything T-strapped, spaghetti-strapped, halter tops, or tank tops must always be covered by a

jacket . ◆ No halter tops or tank tops.

Skirts, Dresses, and Jumpers ◆ No more than 4” above the knee. ◆ No longer than the top of the shoes. ◆ Pleats, vents, slits or buttoned openings cannot be open more than 4” above the knee.

Shorts, Culottes, and Skorts ◆ No shorter than 4” above the knee. ◆ No cutoffs or spandex shorts.

Shoes ◆ Must be worn at all times. ◆ Laces must be laced and tied. ◆ No shoes with wheels/roller skates/etc.

Coats, Jackets and Sweaters ◆ Oversized outerwear must be removed after entering the building.

Jewelry ◆ Nothing obscene or violent in nature. ◆ No visible body-piercing that is considered dangerous and/or disruptive to the educational

environment as determined by administration. Body piercings covered by surgical tape, Band- Aids, etc. are prohibited.

Head Gear ◆ No hats, sun-visors, bandanas, hair rollers, hoodies, or non-prescription sunglasses can be worn

inside the building. Exception: Designated spirit days as determined by administration.

Disciplinary action will be taken to ensure compliance with dress code requirements. The principal or any other duly authorized school official shall determine whether any particular mode of dress or grooming results in violation of the spirit or intent of this rule.

Bartow County School System 29

Alternative Education Program Transition Center Placement Procedures

Middle and high school-aged students are eligible to apply to participate in the Alternative Education Program.

The Transition Center is designed to serve as a non-traditional program for alternative school students. The Transition Center, located at the Registration Center (86 Registration Drive, Cartersville, GA 30120), provides students with a technology enhanced learning environment. The Transition Center is equipped with computers and individualized workstations to ensure each student’s ability to be fully engaged in learning. The individualized attention that each student receives while at the center allows for each student to be successful.

Students who are long-term suspended or expelled may have the option to apply to the Transition Center.

A. TRANSITION CENTER

The Transition Center is designed as an alternative educational opportunity for students who have been long term suspended or expelled from their home school

1. First time long-term suspended/expelled students may apply to attend the Transition Center in order to continue their education during the time of their long-term suspension/expulsion.

2. A meeting with the Executive Director of Administrative Services is required

before any student is admitted to the Transition Center.

3. The decision of admittance to the Transition Center is the sole responsibility of the Executive Director of Administrative Services and will be based on student academic achievement, progress towards graduation, attendance, and student behavior history.

4. Parents and student must agree to the policies and procedures of the Transition

Center before admittance to the Transition Center will be approved.

5. Students admitted to the Transition Center are subject to search of self and all belongings, including vehicles used for transportation.

6. Violation of the Student/Parent Contract will result in the student being dismissed

from the Transition Center.

7. Students who have attended the Transition Center previously are ineligible for re- admittance to the Transition Center.

Bartow County School System 30

B. BEHAVIOR SUBJECT TO ASSIGNMENT TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL

A student may be referred to a Bartow County School System Disciplinary Tribunal for possible referral to the Transition Center Program if the student commits any of the following offenses on school property or while attending a school sponsored or school-related activity on or off of school property:

◆ Engages in conduct punishable as a felony. ◆ Committing an assault. ◆ Making a terroristic threat. ◆ Selling, giving, delivering, possessing, using or being under the influence of marijuana, a

controlled substance, or a dangerous drug. ◆ Selling, giving, or delivering an alcoholic beverage; committing a serious act or offense

while under the influence of alcohol. ◆ Possessing, using, or being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. ◆ Behaving in a manner that contains the elements of an offense relating to abuse of glue or

aerosol paint or relating to volatile chemicals, inhalants, or other chemicals, such as markers.

◆ Behaving in a manner that contains the elements of the offense of public lewdness. ◆ Behaving in a manner that contains the elements of the offense of indecent exposure. ◆ Committing the third offense of bullying.

In addition, a student may also be referred for the following:

◆ Engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of retaliation against any school employee, regardless of where or when the conduct occurs.

◆ Is placed on deferred prosecution by the Juvenile Court for conduct defined as a felony or returning from a Youth Development Center. (Note: Youth Development Centers are different from Youth Detainment Centers)

◆ Is found to have engaged in delinquent conduct as specified by the Penal code. ◆ Is believed by the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee to have engaged in a

conduct defined as a felony offense in the Georgia Criminal Code.

A student may also be removed from class and placed in the Alternative Education Program based on conduct occurring off campus and while the student is not in attendance at a school sponsored or school related activity if

◆ The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee has a reasonable belief that the student has engaged in conduct defined as a felony offense other than those defined in the Georgia Criminal Code, and

◆ The continued presence of the student in the regular classroom threatens the safety of other students or teachers or will be detrimental to the educational process.

◆ Students returning to public school from youth detention facilities. In addition, the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee may recommend placing students in the Alternative Education Program who are found to be

◆ Involved in a secret society or gang activity, including participating as a member or pledge, or soliciting another person to become a pledge or member of such a group.

Bartow County School System 31

C. PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVITIES

Students who are enrolled in the Alternative Education Program because of committing a violation are not permitted to participate in any school-sponsored or school-related extracurricular and non-curricular activities.

D. PARENT RESPONSIBILITY

Under Georgia Law, it is the parents’ responsibility to assure that their child(ren) receives an education. Transportation to and from the Transition Center program is the responsibility of the parent.

E. TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students who are currently under long term suspension/expulsion from another school system and are assigned to an alternative school setting will be required to fulfill the length of time administered by the previous school system at the Bartow County Transition Center.

Bartow County School System 32

BARTOW COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL PROCEDURAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

A. The tribunal shall hold disciplinary hearings following an incident of:

1. An alleged assault or battery by a student upon any teacher, other school official, or employee;

2. An alleged assault or battery by a student upon another student if, in the discretion of the school principal, the alleged assault or battery could justify the expulsion or long-term suspension of the student;

3. Substantial damage alleged to be intentionally caused by a student on the school premises to personal property belonging to a teacher, other school official, employee, or student if, in the discretion of the school principal, the alleged damage could justify the expulsion or long-term suspension of the student; or

4. In any other discipline matter when the principal or Superintendent of Schools determines the alleged offense should be punished by expulsion or long-term suspension.

B. The tribunal shall be in addition to the requirements of Georgia Code Annotated 20-2-752, and ensures that:

1. All parties are afforded an opportunity for a hearing after reasonable notice served personally or by mail. This notice shall be given to all parties and to the parent or guardian of the student or students involved and shall include a statement of the time, place, and the nature of the hearing; a short and plain statement of the matters asserted; and statement as to the right of all parties to present evidence and to be represented by legal counsel;

2. All parties are afforded an opportunity to present and respond to evidence and to examine and cross-examine witnesses on all issues unresolved; and

3. A verbatim electronic or written record of the hearing shall be made and shall be available to all parties.

The tribunal shall conduct hearings for instances as specified in paragraph A and after receiving all evidence, render its decision, which decision shall be based solely on the evidence received at the hearing. The decision shall be in writing and shall be given to all parties within ten (10) days of the close of the record.

Any decision by the tribunal may be appealed to the Bartow County Board of Education by filing a written notice of appeal within twenty (20) days from the date the decision is rendered. Any disciplinary action imposed by the tribunal may be suspended by the Superintendent of Schools pending the outcome of the appeal.

Bartow County School System 33

BCSS Technology Initiative

Bartow County School System provides a laptop device to all students in grades 3 – 12. The purpose of our one-to-one student to laptop device environment in the classroom is to:

◆ Promote student college and career readiness.

◆ Increase student engagement.

◆ Provide equal access to technology for all students.

◆ Utilize digital resources for student learning and lesson completion.

Over time, we have seen the elimination of a single source textbook for each content area and the emergence of digital content along with digital platforms as the foundation for teaching and learning. Consequently, the school system no longer purchases print textbooks for mass distribution to students.

Laptops are distributed in the same fashion as textbooks were in previous years. Students and parents of minor children (18 years and younger) are asked to sign an agreement for school and home use of these devices. There is no fee during the year for the use of the device; however, the user is held responsible for damages. Fees for damage are assessed and charged to the user at the school level in the same manner students were held accountable for book damages in previous years. The highest fee charged for repair or replacement is $250.

All are encouraged to take advantage of our one-to-one initiative to increase academic success.

Acceptable Use Agreement

Bartow County School System provides computer(s), a computer network, and telecommunications, including the Internet for all users. Use of the computer(s), computer network, and Internet must be in support of education and research and consistent with the educational mission, goals, and objectives of the school system. All users must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of the Internet. Inappropriate use of the computer(s), computer network, and Internet may result in school discipline, loss of the privilege of use of the computer(s), computer network and Internet, and/or criminal prosecution.

General guidelines for use: All users must abide by the rules of network etiquette which include being polite and using appropriate language.

Do not assume that a person who is e-mailing you is also giving his or her permission for you to forward or redistribute the message to third parties or to give his/her e-mail address to third parties. This should only be done with permission.

Be considerate when sending attachments with e-mail (where this is permitted). Be sure that the file is not too large to be accommodated by the recipient's system and is in a format that the recipient can open.

Bartow County School System 34

Examples of unacceptable use include but are not limited to the following: 1. Uses that violate the law or encourage others to violate the law in any way. 2. Transmittal of offensive or harassing messages. 3. Any use which is commercial in nature. 4. To use the Internet to view, transmit, or download pornographic or otherwise

objectionable materials. 5. To use the Internet to transmit confidential or copyright materials. 6. To use the Internet to download any program, partial program, or game without the

permission of the supervising teacher and Bartow County School System Technology Department.

7. Any use of the Internet which causes harm to others or their property. 8. Any improper use of passwords. 9. Any programming vandalism. 10. Any “hacking” activities which include unauthorized access to other computers or

computer systems, or to attempt to gain such unauthorized access. 11. Any activities designed to expose School System or other computers to computer

“viruses.” 12. Providing your own private information or private information about others over the

Internet including telephone numbers, addresses, credit card information, or social security number.

13. Use of vulgarities, suggestive, obscene, belligerent or threatening language, or swearing.

14. Distributing or redistributing jokes, stories, or other material that is based upon slurs or stereotypes relating to race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation.

Computer(s), computer network, and Internet access are provided as tools for the education of Bartow County School System students. The School System reserves the right to monitor usage at all times. All information files shall remain the property of the School System, and no user shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials.

Bartow County School System monitors and filters Internet use according to the Internet Acceptable Use policy IFBG.

The School System makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, in connection with its provision of access to and use of its computer network and the Internet provided. It shall not be responsible for any claims, losses, damages, or costs (including fees) of any kind suffered directly or indirectly by any user. By signing this Agreement, users are taking full responsibility for their use. If the user is a minor, the user's parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to cooperate with the school in the event of an investigation of a user's computer system.

In order to maintain compliance with this agreement and Bartow County School System policies, the use of personal devices is not recommended and is not the responsibility of the Bartow County School System.

Users, and if appropriate, the user's parents/guardians, may be asked from time to time to sign a new Agreement, for example, to reflect developments in the law or technology. Such new Agreement must be signed if the user wishes to continue computer(s), computer network, and Internet use. At a minimum, this agreement must be signed each school year.

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Notification of Rights for Elementary and Secondary Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to the student's education records:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the School receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the School principal or other designated official a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The School official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the School principal or appropriate official; clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the School has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The following are the name and address of the Office that administers FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-4605

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Notice for Directory Information The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Bartow County Schools, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child's education records. However, Bartow County Schools may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Bartow County Schools to include this type of information from your child's education records in certain school publications such as the following:

◆ A playbill, showing your student's role in a drama production. ◆ Annual yearbook. ◆ Honor roll or other recognition lists. ◆ Graduation program. ◆ Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team

members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent's prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require the Bartow County School System to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories - names, addresses, and telephone listings - unless parents have advised us that they do not want their student's information disclosed without their prior written consent.

Parents who do not want Bartow County Schools to disclose directory information from their child's education records without prior written consent, must notify the District in writing. Bartow County Schools has designated the following information as directory information:

◆ Student's name. ◆ Address. ◆ Telephone listing. ◆ Weight and height of members of athletic teams. ◆ Electronic mail address. ◆ Photograph. ◆ Degrees, honors, and awards received. ◆ Date and place of birth. ◆ Dates of attendance. ◆ Grade level.

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Bartow County School System 2020-2021 Parent & Family Engagement Plan

Revised May 29, 2020

Purpose Parent and Family Engagement Plan Evaluation

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, the Bartow County School System(BCSS) receives Title I, Part A funds and, therefore, must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents of participating children a written Parent and Family Engagement Plan that contains information required by Section 1116(a)(2) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This plan establishes the District’s expectations and objectives for meaningful family engagement and guides the strategies and resources that strengthen school and family partnerships in the District’s Title I schools. Additionally, this plan describes BCSS’s commitment to engage families, including neglected and delinquent facilities, in the education of their children and to build the capacity in its Title I schools to implement family engagement strategies and activities designed to achieve the District and student academic achievement goals. Title I, Part A provides for substantive family engagement at every level of the program, such as in the development and implementation of the District and school plan, and in carrying out the District and school improvement provisions.

Each year, the Bartow County School District (BCSS) will conduct an evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this Parent and Family Engagement Plan and the family engagement activities to improve the academic quality of the Title I schools through an annual parent survey and the Title I Revision Meetings. In the spring, each Title I school will provide a survey and email a link to the survey for parents to provide valuable feedback regarding the parent and family engagement activities and programs. These surveys will also be posted on the school websites for families to complete. In addition to the annual survey, each Title I school will also use the Title I Revision Meeting to gain input from stakeholders regarding Title I services to design evidence-based strategies for more effective family engagement. Bartow County School System will use the stakeholder input from the Revision Meetings and the survey results to design strategies to improve effective family engagement, to remove possible barriers to parent and family participation and to revise its Parent and Family Engagement Plan.

What is Family and Parent Engagement?

The participation of parents and families in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring that:

• Parents and families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; • Parents and families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education; • Parents and families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate,

in decision-making and on advisory committees in the education of their child; and • Other activities, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA.

Title I, Part A – Improving the Academic Achievement of ALL Students

The purpose of Title I is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high- quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic assessments.

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Jointly Developed and Reviewed

Bartow County School System (BCSS) will take the following actions to involve parents and families in the joint development of its District Parent and Family Engagement Plan as required by ESSA: Notify all stakeholders of the District Parent and Family Engagement Meeting through multiple means of communication; Conduct a meeting of District stakeholders to provide input into the District’s Comprehensive Needs Assessment, the District Improvement Plan and the District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan; and Gain input from Title I schools during their annual Title I Revision Meetings.

BCSS will take the following actions to involve parents and families in the process of school review and improvement required by ESSA: Invite and encourage parents and stakeholders to attend school level and District annual Title I Revision Meetings in the spring; Provide and distribute Annual Report of District Progress; Notify parents and families that a school has been identified as needing improvement and the implications of this status; Survey parents and families annually at the Title I schools to determine strengths and areas for improvement; Administer District surveys, as needed, (i.e. AdvancED accreditation and student health); Select parent representatives for Superintendent Ad Hoc Committees as appropriate; Share each school’s Executive Summary of the School Improvement Plan with parents and families at Board of Education meetings, which are open to the public; Establish and build relationships with businesses in the community by fostering partnership agreements and securing additional re- sources to support teaching and learning, including alternative sources of funding such as the Bartow County Educational Foundation; Work with School and County Council Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), as well as community-based organizations, to cultivate and establish relationships that support District initiatives; and Increase awareness of the BCSS as the education option of choice in Bartow County through focused communication

Parents were also provided the opportunity to provide input in the developing of the parental engagement budget and the Comprehensive LEA Improvement Plan (CLIP). These meetings take place through district meetings, school meetings, and announced through district & school websites. Upon final revision the plan is incorporated into the CLIP which is submitted to the state. Comments and feedback regarding the plan are always welcome and comments can be submitted to your child’s school at any time.

All feedback received was included with the plan revisions for this school year. The district parent & family plan is posted on the district and school websites, distributed to ALL Title I schools, and made available in the school’s parent resource centers.

Additional written comments can be submitted at any time and we welcome parental feedback.

The school system and its Title I schools will ensure that the required school-level Parent and Family Engagement Plan meets the requirements of Section 1116(b) and each include, as a component, a teacher- parent-student compact consistent with Section 1116(d) of the ESSA.

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District Support to Strengthen Our Title I Schools

The Bartow County Title I Parent Engagement Coordinator will provide support to all Title I schools. The planning and carrying out of programs in partnership with each Title I school will be provided with technical assistance to all Title I schools to ensure parental involvement requirements are being satisfied and that parent engagement strategies and activities are being implemented. The district will ensure that all parental requirements of Title I Part A are met and that parent engagement initiatives are being implemented through regular school visits, monitoring of documentation and provision of specific school support as needed. Engaged families are an integral part of school success, and as such, are offered opportunity for input in the development of school-level parent and family engagement plans and budgets, school improvement plans, and family – school learning compacts, which outline jointly developed responsibilities and actions the school, families, and students will take to support academic success and increased student achievement. Title I schools will receive notifications and resources from the district to help them improve and strengthen this family engagement. In addition to frequent communication and school visits, the district and schools will consult with parents throughout the year and provide opportunities for input and feedback on activities and initiatives. Frequent communication and school visits with Title I schools will be offered and supported by:

• Meetings and trainings with its Title I schools’ principals and Parent Involvement

Professionals • Principals and administrators will be provided resources to review family engagement plans

and activities specific to Building Capacity in schools’ staff • Parent engagement publications and newsletters • Provide guidance to help strengthen and improve family engagement practices • Frequent school visits in support of compliance

Reservation of Funds

Bartow County Schools will reserve 1 percent from the total amount of Title I funds it receives in Fiscal Year 2021 to carry out the parent and family engagement requirements listed in this plan and described in Section 1116 of the ESSA. Furthermore, at least 90 percent of this amount will be reserved for all Title I schools to support their local-level parent engagement programs and activities. The district will provide clear guidance and communication to assist each Title I school in developing an adequate parental involvement budget that addresses their needs assessment and parent recommendations.

Each Title I school will provide opportunities annually and throughout the year to participate in the schools’ School Improvement planning, needs assessment, Title I spending guidelines, parental activities, and how parents can be involved.

Parents can provide suggestions on how these parental involvement funds will be used in the upcoming year at the district and school-level. Comment cards, feedback, forums, suggestion cards, input, surveys, and minutes from these meetings will be reviewed by the district and schools to determine areas of need for the upcoming school year and used to consider changes for improvement to the parental involvement budget.

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Opportunities for Parent & Family Collaboration

Input and suggestions from parents and family members are an essential component of the district and school improvement plans that are developed each year. All parents of students eligible to receive Title I services will be provided the opportunities for parents to provide input in the development of the Title I school improvement plans, parental involvement plans, compacts, the CLIP and family engagement budgets.

All parents of students attending Title I schools will be provided the following opportunities to provide input to share their ideas and suggestions to help the district, schools, and students to reach our student academic achievement goals.

• Annual Evaluation: Each Title I school will make available, in multiple ways (on-line, paper copies distributed to all families, and paper copies available in parent resource centers), a parent survey. The survey will allow for responses that provide an opportunity for parents to evaluate the existing program and provide input that will be applied in the development of school improvement plans, compacts, the CLIP, the district and school parent and family engagement plans and budget.

• Parent Feedback: Throughout the school year, at planned parental engagement meetings and family academic-focused events, opportunity for parents to provide feedback on the value of the event and make suggestions on the offerings and activities in place will be made. Parents will also have the opportunity to provide additional suggestions on future meeting topics, resources, and academic family events. Parent feedback provides input for planning to work with parents throughout the school year.

• Annual State of the District Family Engagement Spring Planning Meeting: Parents and Stakeholders will be given the opportunity to attend and provide input to help support Bartow County’s Title I schools. All parents of students attending Title I schools will be invited to attend a planning meeting taking place in in the spring of 2021 for the opportunity to provide input on the development of the 2021-2022 LEA Parent & Family Engagement Plan and budget. Results of the Annual Title I Parent Survey will be shared, and the Parent & Family Engagement Plan will be open for revision, in addition to the family engagement budget and the CLIP. Parents will collaborate with one another to create recommendations/changes as needed. The plan will remain available for input on development until approved. Each school will also host opportunities for input on the development of school Parent & Family Engagement Plans, the family-school compact, the School Improvement Plan, the family engagement budget, and the CLIP.

• Yearlong Input: Parents are welcome to provide suggestions and comments on all parent engagement endeavors throughout the year by contacting the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Coordinator and the schools’ principal at any time. Contact information is provided on school and district websites, in newsletters, and on all specific event/activity notifications. A suggestion box is available in school parent resource centers.

• School Improvement Forums: March – May: During these months, each Title I school will host school-based forums for parents and family members to participate in roundtable discussions to review the schoolwide plan, the school’s parent and family engagement plans, the School-Parent learning compacts as well as provide input on the family engagement budget and programs. Each Title I school will send invitations home as well as email and use social media to notify ALL parents about the date and time of the forums.

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• Parent input on the use of Title I funds to support family engagement programs may also be provided through the annual surveys. The survey will contain questions related to the family engagement budget as well as a section for parents to provide their comments and provide their feedback.

Building School and Parent Capacity The Bartow County School System will build the capacity for strong family engagement, to ensure effective involvement of parents and promote partnerships among the Title I schools, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement.

This capacity will ensure effective engagement of parents and family members in supporting partnerships among the Title I schools, parents, and community with the goal of improving student academic achievement.

To build this capacity, the Bartow County School System will implement and set student academic goals through specific activities described below:

Of Parents and Families-

The District will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents and families of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the State’s academic content standards, the State and local assessments including alternate assessments, the requirements of Title I Part A, how to monitor their child’s progress, and how to work with educators and providing materials to connect academic information to student learning and progress.

➢ Curriculum Night will be held in the fall at all Title I school to provide information to parents and

families regarding content standards, district and school goals, assessments and how to monitor their child’s progress.

➢ Technology and Schoology training opportunities will be offered to all parents and families in Title I schools.

➢ Title I schools will provide ongoing parent and family workshops and forums throughout the year (examples: STEM, Math/Science Night, ESOL/Family Night, Schoology)

➢ Parents and families will be notified in multiple ways of parent and family engagement activities (newsletters, flyers, website, marquee, email, Remind 101, FB, Twitter)

➢ Coordination and integration of the district’s family engagement programs with the preschool program and other federal and state funded preschool programs in the district. The district will invite faculty and staff from these programs to attend planning meetings to share focus areas and opportunities for parents and families.

➢ In the summer BCSS offers transition programs for rising Pre-K students that includes family coaches. Parents may tour the schools and receive information to help prepare them and their children for kindergarten on back to school nights. Coordination with these programs will also ensure that parents are informed about available resources.

➢ Title I schools will hold transition nights or visits to prepare parents for the next grade level or school.

➢ To assist parents with understanding the online student information system and other digital educational resources, the BCSS technology specialists will partner with Title I schools to host workshops for parents. Dates and times for these workshops will be determined and announced by each individual Title I school.

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➢ To ensure that information related to district, school, and parent programs, meetings, and activities is available to all parents in an understandable and uniform format, each Title I school will send home a school calendar of events with information for parents at the beginning of the year.

➢ The district will also utilize school websites, Schoology, Parent Portal in PowerSchool, local news media, and other school message systems to post information for parents.

➢ The district & Title I schools will utilize SchoolMessenger, a communications platform to unify parents and the community across devices to strengthen parental engagement, provide district and school information and connect parents with opportunities through partnerships for success in student achievement. In addition, the district will coordinate pages on the district and school websites that will contain resources and materials, including parent guides, study guides, and practice assessments. Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) will be implemented in the BCSS to help parents work with their children at home at Hamilton Crossing Elementary School.

➢ Hamilton Crossing Elementary School will participate in Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT), an evidenced-based family engagement model that strengthens teacher-family relationships by focusing on student academic growth and achievement.

Of School Staff-

The District will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools and families, will educate its teachers, student services personnel, principals and other staff on the following:

How to reach out to, communicate with and work with parents and families as equal partners and valuable contributors as we build and improve upon parent and family programs and practices that build ties between parents, families and schools and school staff.

➢ Parent & Family Engagement Coordinator and/or District staff will provide ongoing staff

training to the Title I schools on communicating and working with parents and families. ➢ Trainings during the year for principals and leadership will be provided to learn and discuss

strategies to increase family engagement, improve school-family communication, and build ties with parents and the community.

➢ Hamilton Crossing Elementary School will participate in APTT, and along with the school Parent Involvement Facilitator, the Parent & Family Engagement Coordinator and other district staff will conduct the training;

➢ CTAE and the Student Services Department will provide training for counselors and Social Workers for student support.

➢ Technology Specialists will provide instructional and technical support to all schools to help classroom teachers utilize and integrate technology.

➢ The district & Title I schools will utilize SchoolMessenger, a communications platform to unify parents and the community across devices to strengthen parental engagement, provide district and school information and connect parents with opportunities through partnerships for success in student achievement.

Bartow County School System will conduct three trainings during the school year for principals to learn and discuss strategies to increase parent engagement, improve school-family communication, and build ties with parents and the community. These trainings will be redelivered to the faculty and staff of Title I schools. The district parent involvement coordinator will also provide opportunities for visits to each Title I school to review and discuss parental involvement requirements and initiatives. Bartow County School System will host a training for appropriate school staff and faculty that will focus on creating welcoming environments and improving two-way communication with families.

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Bartow County School System has created strong community partnerships with the Bartow Collaborative, community leaders and business partners that serve as representative stakeholders that provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in Title I, Part A programs.

Reaching Out

Bartow County will work toward the integration of programs such as state-funded preschool programs and other preschool programs by inviting faculty and staff from those schools to plan together with focus on building parent capacity to support their child’s academic development. We will share information with families in those programs who have children who will be transitioning to Title I schools regarding what they may access at Title I schools including materials in Parent Resource Centers, attending parent and family engagement opportunities, website information, tips and information to support their child’s learning, and other offerings as requested or as they are available. In addition, in spring, Title I schools will present specific opportunities for parents who are registering children for kindergarten in Title I schools, such as school tours, sharing of Kindergarten readiness tips, providing information on accessing supporting resources, math and reading readiness activities, and other information as parents may request.

Title I program and school staff will also work closely with other district departments to expand of the quality of offerings to families. This includes working in partnership with Title III to allow for comprehensive provisions for ESOL families, with the curriculum department to provide expert support for parents in math and reading skill development, and with the Family Connection department in providing community support contacts and assistance.

Accessibility

In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements stablished by section 1116 of ESSA, the District Parent & Family Engagement Coordinator along with the Federal Programs Department to communicate and collaborate to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand.

➢ Provide school tours at local schools; ➢ Collaborate with private daycare and pre-K programs to schedule school tours; ➢ Provide transition meetings and family workshops at local schools; and ➢ Offer parent and family resources with educational opportunities posted via the district and school websites.

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Adoption

This District Parent and Family Engagement Plan has been developed jointly and agreed upon with parents and family members of children participating in Title I, Part A programs. It will be in effect for the 2020-2021academic school year. The District will distribute this plan in multiple ways to all parents and families of children attending Title I, Part A, schools by October 1, 2020.

For additional information regarding this plan or the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Program, please contact: Paula Camp, Title I Parent and Family Engagement Coordinator, [email protected]

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Homeless Education Program

Homeless Liaison 770.606.5800, ext.

5326

Contact Information

Information

The Homeless Education Program is funded by the McKinney-Vento sub-grant through the Georgia Department of Education. It ensures educational rights and protection for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Educational stability for the homeless child is a key element of McKinney-Vento.

Definition of “Homeless Children and Youth”

According to McKinney-Vento, the definition of “homeless children and youth” means an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. It includes the following:

• Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic

hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals.

• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for humanbeings.

• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.

• Migrant children who live in the above mentioned conditions.

Children and youth in homeless situations have the right to the following:

• Attend school and participate in school programs with children who are not homeless.

Children cannot be separated from the regular school program because they are homeless. • Choose between the local school where they are living or the school last attended before becoming

homeless, based on the best interest of the student. • Enroll in school without proof of residency, immunizations, school records, or other documents. • When attending the school of origin that is determined to be in the best interest of the student,

the parent or guardian may request transportation to the school of origin. • Receive all the school services available to other students.

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English to Speakers of Other Languages Program

The purpose of the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is to help students, for who’s primary or home language is other than English, to acquire the English language skills necessary to be successful in school. In order to succeed, students must develop English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing across all areas of the curriculum. Prior to entry into a school in Georgia, each student’s parent or guardian completes a Home Language Survey. All students whose native language, first language, or language spoken in the home includes a language other than English are assessed for English language proficiency using the state- adopted WIDA Screener. The ESOL teacher at each school follows eligibility criteria outlined by the State Department of Education in Rule 160-4-5-.02 to determine if ESOL services are needed for a particular student through approved instructional delivery models.

For further information, contact the ESOL teacher at your child’s school, or

Coordinator for ESOL Bartow County Schools 65 Gilreath Road Cartersville, GA 30121 770 606-5800 ext. 2063

Gifted Education Program

The Bartow County School System’s Gifted and Talented Education with Accelerated Youth (GATEWAY) program serves students in grades K-12. Students identified in the GATEWAY program are provided an academically enriched and differentiated curriculum according to the Georgia Board Rule 160-4-2-.38. A gifted and talented student is defined as one who demonstrates a high degree of intellectual and/or creative ability(ies), exhibits an exceptionally high degree of motivation, and/or excels in specific academic fields. The curricula for gifted students shall focus on developing cognitive learning, research and reference, and metacognitive skills at each grade grouping, using principles of differentiation. The mission of gifted education is to maximize the potential of gifted and talented students by providing programs and services that accommodate their advanced learning styles. Students identified as gifted and whose participation has received parental consent shall receive services in the GATEWAY program using GaDOE approved models of instruction. Each school has a screening committee to review test scores and other data that will aid in determining eligibility. Students who are referred for further evaluation are assessed in mental ability, achievement, motivation, and creativity. Students must meet the criteria in at least three of these four areas in order to be eligible for gifted services. The State Board of Education determines eligibility criteria for placement in the gifted program. For a summary of those criteria or for further information, please contact the GATEWAY Program teacher at your child’s school or

Coordinator for Gifted Bartow County Schools 65 Gilreath Road Cartersville, GA 30121 770 606-5800 ext. 2063

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Governor’s Honors Program

The Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) is a four-week summer residential instructional program designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities. The program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly and operates through the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.

Bartow County participates in the program by teachers nominating rising juniors and seniors in specific instructional areas in which their abilities, aptitudes, and interests lie.

For more information on the nomination, selection, and interview process, please contact your high school counselor or Governor’s Honors Program Coordinator located at Central Office.

Coordinator for Governor’s Honors Program Bartow County Schools 65 Gilreath Road Cartersville, GA 30121 770 606-5800 ext. 2063

Right to Know Professional Qualifications of

Teachers and Paraprofessionals

In compliance with the requirements of the Every Students Succeeds Act, the Bartow County School System would like to inform you that you may request information about the professional qualifications of your student’s teacher(s) and/ or paraprofessional(s). The following information may be requested:

Whether the student’s teacher—

• has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

• is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and

• is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you wish to request information concerning your child’s teacher’s and/ or paraprofessional’s qualifications, please contact the Chief Human Resources Officer at 770-606- 5800 or [email protected].

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Sincerely,

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship June 2020

Dear Parent:

If your child receives special education services in our school system, you have the right to know about your options to exercise public and private school choice. Under a state law passed by the Georgia State Legislature in 2007, parents of students who receive special education services may choose to transfer their child to another public school or Georgia Department of Education approved private school in Georgia. Eligibility is only for students who have an Individualized Education Plan under the IDEA.

To newly qualify for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program for the 2020-21 school year, a student must meet ALL the following requirements: ➢ Student Eligibility Criteria 1- A student have must a parent/guardian who currently lives in Georgia

and has been a resident for at least one calendar year. ➢ Student Eligibility Criteria 2- A student was enrolled and completed the 2019-20 school year in a

Georgia public school in grades kindergarten through twelfth. ➢ Student Eligibility Criteria 3- A student was reported as attending a Georgia public school by

a school district(s) during mandatory student counts conducted in October 2019 and March 2020.

➢ Student Eligibility Criteria 4- A student does not need to have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the entire school year to qualify for the GSNS Program. A student must have received special education services at some point during the 2019-2020 school year through an IEP. A student must be reported by a school district(s) in either the October 2019 OR March 2020 student counts OR in final student record as a student receiving special education services by the end of the 2019-2020.

At the end of the school year, school systems update student records for students served by an IEP after the March count to reflect that they are special education students. By mid-July the database for the scholarship calculator is updated to include these students.

If a student meets the eligibility criteria for the GSNS Program; a parent/guardian has the right to request a transfer from a student’s current public school to the following: ➢ Another public school within their district of residence. ➢ Another public school district outside their district of residence. ➢ One of the three state schools for the blind or deaf. ➢ A private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program. Funds received through the GSNS

Program can only be used to pay for tuition and fees at a private school authorized by the State Board of Education to participate in the program.

Funds cannot be used to pay the costs of out of district tuition, charter schools, or other options available under public school choice.

For more information on the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, your child’s eligibility for the program, and the parent application process, please visit the Georgia Department of Education’s website at the following URL: www.gadoe.org and click on the “Georgia Special Needs Scholarship” link under the Programs & Initiatives column of the DOE Homepage. If you have additional questions, please contact the Bartow County Schools Department of Exceptional Education at 770-606-5800.

Phillip D. Page, Ed. D. Superintendent

Bartow County School System 49

Change of Address/Phone Number It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the school whenever the family experiences a change of address/phone number(s). A family’s correct address and phone number(s) are vital for safety and security of the students at the school.

Emergency School Closings

For possible school closings, check Bartow County Schools Facebook or Twitter accounts. We will also send out emergency alerts through SchoolMessenger. To subscribe, text “Y” or “Yes” to our short code number, 67587.

You are also encouraged to listen to the local radio (WBHF 1450, WYXC 1270, WSB 750) or television (WAGA, WSB, WXIA, WGCL) stations for details. It is very important that parents discuss with their children what they should do if they get home early due to inclement weather.

Parents are asked to cooperate with school personnel during an actual emergency or during an alert. Children are generally safer at school than at home or in a car during most of these possible emergencies. Please do not call the school, as the phone lines must remain open for safety purposes.

Asbestos Management Plan

Bartow County School facilities have a prepared inspection report and management plan in accordance with the mandated requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations (40 CFR Part 763) published by the Environmental Protection Agency on October 30, 1987

A management plan outlining the location of the material and steps taken to assure that this material will present no threat to building occupants is on file at each school and at the Maintenance office. Copies may be obtained at a cost of 25 cents per page or may be viewed at each school administration office.

Bartow County School System 59

School Nutrition Information “Feed the body, fuel the mind”

The School Nutrition Department is composed of a team of food and nutrition professionals that are dedicated to students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn. We support learning by promoting healthy habits that encourage the development of lifelong nutrition and fitness practices. We encourage you to visit our website at www.bartowcountyschoolnutrition.com to find menus, meal applications, and online payments options. You will also find nutrition newsletters, interactive games, and activities that can be used to encourage children to develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

Bartow County School Nutrition takes important steps to ensure that the food served today are good for our students' health tomorrow. A comprehensive nutrient analysis is performed on all menus to ensure that our meals meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Our menus:

 Do not exceed the guidelines for calories as specified by USDA  Provide no more than 30% fat with no more than 10% saturated fat  Offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat and skim milk with each meal  Contain whole grain bread, pasta, and cereals  Are safely prepared by trained School Nutrition Employees  Do not contain deep-fried foods

Bartow County School System 51

BREAKFAST PRICES

MEAL PRICES FOR 2020-2021

Elementary $1.50 per day

$10.00 per week

$30.00 per month (20

days) Middle $1.50 per

day $10.00 per

week $30.00 per month (20

days) High $1.50 per

day $10.00 per

week $30.00 per month (20

days) Reduced Price

$0.30 per day

$2.00 per week

$6.00 per month (20

days) Adult $2.00 per

day $10.00 per

week $40.00 per month (20

days)

LUNCH PRICES Elementary $2.40 per

day $12.00 per

week $48.00 per month (20

days) Middle $2.60 per

day $13.00 per

week $52.00 per month (20

days) High $2.60 per

day $13.00 per

week $52.00 per month (20

days) Reduced Price

$0.40 per day

$ 2.00 per week

$ 8.00 per month (20

days) Adult $3.25 per

day $16.25 per

week $65.00 per month (20

days)

Extra-Sale food prices change annually and are based on the raw cost of the ingredients. These prices are available in the school cafeterias.

MEALS PREPAYMENTS

Bartow County School System is committed to providing you with the information and convenience needed to manage your child’s school meal account and nutrition decisions. Prepayments for students’ meals may be made by cash, check, or online payment.

CASH Cash prepayments must be placed in a sealed envelope with the student’s name and/or student ID number and teacher’s name. If the payment is to be split between siblings, please indicate the amount per student on a piece of paper and place inside the envelope.

Bartow County School System 52

CHECK Check prepayments must be written to Bartow County School Nutrition (Bartow SN) and placed in a sealed envelope with the student’s name and/or student ID number and teacher’s name. If the payment is to be split between siblings, please indicate the amount per student on the check. Checks must contain the following information:

• Full Name • Street Address • Home/Daytime Phone Number

Please note that counter checks and checks over $150.00 are not accepted. The Bartow County Board of Education has an agreement with Payliance, Inc. for the collection of all returned checks issued to school cafeterias. If the bank returns your check, it will be automatically forwarded by the Bartow County Board of Education’s bank directly to Payliance after the first presentation. Payliance will contact you in order to collect the face amount of the bad check plus the state-allowed collection fee of $30. This fee is subject to change as allowed by law. If you do not respond to Payliance or if Payliance is unable to contact you, Payliance may re-present your check to the bank electronically along with applicable collection fees. Contact Payliance directly at 877-892-4325.

ONLINE Online prepayments may be made at www.mypaymentplus.com using a check, credit card, or debit card. Funds are generally available for student use within minutes. However, to ensure funds are available, make payments 24 hours prior to use. Customer Support for My Payments Plus may be reached by phone at 887-237-0946 or email at [email protected]. My Payment Plus also gives parents the option to:

• Monitor their child’s meal account purchases and balance • Set up automatic payments • Create settings to receive email notifications for low balance

If you DO NOT wish for prepayment money to be used for a la carte or extra foods items in the school cafeteria, please notify your School Nutrition Manager in writing.

Tip: Check your child’s meal account on a regular basis to ensure adequate money is on his/her meal account, especially if prepayments funds are used to buy a la carte and extras in the school café.

FREE AND REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION

Households may submit Free and Reduced Meal Application at the beginning of the school year or any time during the school year. The Free and Reduced Meal Application should be submitted to the School Nutrition Manager at your child’s school or the School Nutrition Department at the Central Office: 65 Gilreath Road, Cartersville, GA 30120. Please note that a new application must be completed each School Year. Applications may be submitted through paper or online.

Bartow County School System 53

PAPER APPLICATION Paper Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available at the school in the front office and in the School Nutrition Manager’s Office.

ONLINE APPLICATION Online Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available at https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/BARC02. Online applications offer an efficient and economical way for parents to submit Free and Reduced Applications and start receiving benefits faster. This secure website may be accessed anywhere using a computer or mobile device.

When completing a Free and Reduced Application, please only submit one application per household. All household members, including students of the household, must be listed on the application to receive benefits, if approved. Benefits are based on the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines.

MEAL CHARGES

It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to ensure their child has sufficient funds to cover all school meals and any meal charges that accrue. Parents/Guardians will be notified when their child has a low and/or negative balance. Allowable charge limits (in days) are listed below.

Elementary Six days Middle Three days High One Day

After a child exceeds the charge limit and/or has accumulated excessive charges over $20, a referral will be made to the principal or his/her designee will contact the parent. If a successful resolution has not been reached after the parent has been contacted by the administration, the child may be served a substitute meal of a cheese sandwich or peanut butter sandwich and carton of milk or juice. The parent will be notified prior to serving the child an alternative meal. A referral will be made to the School Social Worker and/or the School Nutrition Director.

Please note extra sales items such as ice cream, beverages, a la carte food, and participation in school extracurricular events may be denied until charges are paid.

Bartow County School System 54

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 Fax: (202) 690-7442; or Email: [email protected].

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Bartow County School System 55

Gender Equity in Sports - Grievance Procedures 1. It is the policy of the Bartow County Board of Education to prohibit discrimination based

on gender in its school athletic programs, in accordance with the Georgia Equity in Sports Act. The following grievance procedures are hereby adopted to provide for prompt and equitable resolution of written student complaints, including those brought by a parent or guardian on behalf of his or her minor child who is a student, alleging any action which would be a violation of the Georgia Equity in Sports Act.

2. The student, parent, or guardian must submit a complaint on the form included and

submit the completed form to the sports equity coordinator. The sports equity coordinator shall date-stamp the complaint when received.

3. The sports equity coordinator shall take all reasonably necessary steps to ascertain the

essential facts regarding the circumstances surrounding the complaint. The sports equity coordinator may obtain additional information from the complainant and/or other individuals that may have knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the alleged violation. The confidentiality of any information obtained shall be maintained in accordance with federal and state law and the school system's policies on confidentiality of student and employee information.

4. The sports equity coordinator shall render a decision in writing no later than 30

calendar days after receipt of the complaint, and such decision shall set forth the essential facts and rationale for the decision.

5. A copy of such decision shall be provided to the complainant within five calendar days

of the date of the decision, either by certified mail or hand delivery to the address provided by the complainant on the complaint form.

6. A complainant shall have the right to appeal such decision to the Board within 35

calendar days of the date of the decision. The request for appeal must be submitted by the complainant in writing to the Superintendent. The Superintendent's office shall date- stamp the complaint when received.

7. The Board shall review all materials related to the matter and render a decision in

writing no later than 30 calendar days or at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting after receipt of the appeal, whichever is later, and such decision shall set forth the essential facts and rationale for the decision.

8. A copy of such decision shall be provided to the complainant within five calendar days

of the date of the decision, either by certified mail or hand delivery to the address.

9. A complainant may appeal a decision of the Board to the State Board of Education in accordance with the procedures specified in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1160.

Bartow County School System 56

Gender Equity in Sports Grievance Form It is the policy of the Bartow County Board of Education to prohibit discrimination based on gender in its elementary and secondary school athletic programs. Any student or student's parent or guardian may file a complaint with the following form if he or she feels that the school system has violated the Georgia Equity in Sports Act.

(Please print all information)

ALLEGED ACTION BY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIOLATION OF GEORGIA EQUITY IN SPORTS ACT:

Date: Date received by sports equity coordinator:

Name of individual filing Address of individual filing

Telephone number of individual filing

Name of

Name of parent or Student's

Bartow County School System 57

Section 504 Procedural Safeguards

1. Overview: Any student or parent or guardian (“grievant”) may request an impartial hearing due to the school system’s actions or inactions regarding a child's identification, evaluation, or educational placement under Section 504. Requests for an impartial hearing must be in writing to the school system’s Section 504 Coordinator; however, a grievant’s failure to request a hearing in writing does not alleviate the school system’s obligation to provide an impartial hearing if the grievant orally requests an impartial hearing through the school system’s Section 504 Coordinator. The school system’s Section 504 Coordinator will assist the grievant in completing the written Request for Hearing.

2. Hearing Request: The Request for the Hearing must include the following:

a. Name of the student. b. Address of the residence of the student. c. Name of the school the student is attending. d. The decision that is the subject of the hearing. e. The requested reasons for review. f. The proposed remedy sought by the grievant. g. The name and contact information of the grievant.

Within 10 business days from receiving the grievant’s Request for Hearing, the Section 504 Coordinator will acknowledge the Request for Hearing in writing and schedule a time and place for a hearing. If the written Request for Hearing does not contain the necessary information noted above, the Section 504 Coordinator will inform the grievant of the specific information needed to complete the request. All timelines and processes will be stayed until the Request for Hearing contains the necessary information noted above.

3. Mediation: The school system may offer mediation to resolve the issues detailed by the

grievant in his or her Request for Hearing. Mediation is voluntary, and both the grievant and school system must agree to participate. The grievant may terminate the mediation at any time. If the mediation is terminated without an agreement, the school system will follow the procedures for conducting an impartial hearing without an additional Request for Hearing.

4. Hearing Procedures:

a. The Section 504 Coordinator will obtain an impartial review official who will conduct a hearing within 45 calendar days from the receipt of the grievant Request for Hearing unless agreed to otherwise by the grievant or a continuance is granted by the impartial review official.

b. Upon a showing of good cause by the grievant or school system, the impartial review official, at his or her discretion, may grant a continuance and set a new hearing date. The request for a continuance must be in writing and copied to the other party.

c. The grievant will have an opportunity to examine the child’s educational records prior to the hearing.

d. The grievant will have the opportunity to be represented by legal counsel at his or her own expense at the hearing and participate, speak, examine witnesses, and present information at the hearing. If the grievant is to be represented by legal counsel at the hearing, he or she must inform the Section 504 Coordinator of that fact in writing at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing. Failure to notify the Section 504 Coordinator in writing of representation by legal counsel shall constitute good cause for continuance of the hearing.

Bartow County School System 58

e. The grievant will have the burden of proving any claims he or she may assert. When warranted by circumstances or law, the impartial hearing officer may require the recipient to defend its position/decision regarding the claims (i.e. A recipient shall place a disabled student in the regular educational environment operated by the recipient unless it is demonstrated by the recipient that the education of the person in the regular environment with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. (34 C.F.R.§104.34). One or more representatives of the school system, who may be an attorney, will attend the hearing to present the evidence and witnesses, respond to the grievant testimony, and answer questions posed by the review official.

f. The impartial review official shall not have the power to subpoena witnesses, and the strict rules of evidence shall not apply to hearings. The impartial review official shall have the authority to issue pre-hearing instructions, which may include requiring the parties to exchange documents and names of witnesses to be present.

g. The impartial review official shall determine the weight to be given any evidence based on its reliability and probative value.

h. The hearing shall be closed to the public. i. The issues of the hearing will be limited to those raised in the written or oral

request for the hearing. j. Witnesses will be questioned directly by the party who calls them. Cross-

examination of witnesses will be allowed. The impartial review official, at his or her discretion, may allow further examination of witnesses or ask questions of the witnesses.

k. Testimony shall be recorded by court reporting or audio recording at the expense of the recipient. All documentation related to the hearing shall be retained by the recipient.

l. Unless otherwise required by law, the impartial review official shall uphold the action of school system unless the grievant can prove that a preponderance of the evidence supports his or her claim.

m. Failure of the grievant to appear at a scheduled hearing unless prior notification of absence was provided and approved by the impartial review official or just cause is shown shall constitute a waiver of the right to a personal appearance before the impartial review official.

5. Decision: The impartial review official shall issue a written determination within 20

calendar days of the date the hearing concluded. The determination of the impartial review official shall not include any monetary damages or the award of any attorney’s fees.

6. Review: If not satisfied with the decision of the impartial review official, any party may

pursue any right of review, appeal, cause of action or claim available to them under the law or existing state or federal rules or regulations.

Bartow County School System 59

Sexual Harassment Policies

All persons associated with the school system including, but not limited to, the Board, the administration, the staff, and students are expected to conduct themselves at all times so as to provide an atmosphere free from sexual harassment. Any person who engages in sexual harassment while acting as a member of the school community will be in violation of this policy. There will be zero tolerance of sexual harassment. All matters involving sexual harassment complaints shall remain confidential to the extent possible. Individuals who believe they are being sexually harassed should report it to a building or department administrator or Human Resources in person, by telephone, and/or in writing immediately. If reported to a building or department administrator, the Chief Human Resources Officer Human Resources should be contacted immediately if the report involves a school system employee. Retaliation against a complainant for making a complaint is strictly forbidden. Reference Policy: GAEB

Bartow County School System 60

Disability Discrimination - Grievance Procedures

1. It is the policy of the Bartow County Board of Education to prohibit discrimination based on a disability in all school district sponsored activities. The following grievance procedures are hereby adopted to provide for prompt and equitable resolution of written student complaints, including those brought by a parent or guardian on behalf of his or her minor child who is a student, alleging any action which would be a violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

2. The student, parent, or guardian must submit a complaint on the form included and submit the

completed form to the section 504 Coordinator. The section 504 Coordinator shall date-stamp the complaint when received.

3. The section 504 Coordinator shall take all reasonably necessary steps to ascertain the essential

facts regarding the circumstances surrounding the complaint. The coordinator may obtain additional information from the complainant and/or other individuals that may have knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the alleged violation. The confidentiality of any information obtained shall be maintained in accordance with federal and state law and the school system's policies on confidentiality of student and employee information.

4. The section 504 Coordinator shall render a decision in writing no later than 30 calendar days

after receipt of the complaint, and such decision shall set forth the essential facts and rationale for the decision.

5. A copy of such decision shall be provided to the complainant within five calendar days of the

date of the decision, either by certified mail or hand delivery to the address provided by the complainant on the complaint form.

6. A complainant shall have the right to appeal such decision to the Board within 35 calendar days

of the date of the decision. The request for appeal must be submitted by the complainant in writing to the Superintendent. The Superintendent's office shall date-stamp the complaint when received.

7. The Board shall review all materials related to the matter and render a decision in writing no

later than 30 calendar days or at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting after receipt of the appeal, whichever is later, and such decision shall set forth the essential facts and rationale for the decision.

8. A copy of such decision shall be provided to the complainant within five calendar days of the

date of the decision, either by certified mail or hand delivery to the address.

9. A complainant may appeal a decision of the Board to the State Board of Education in accordance with the procedures specified in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1160.

10. No above action supersedes any Federal or State rights to file a complaint with other governing

authorities.

Bartow County School System 61

Disability Discrimination Grievance Form

It is the policy of the Bartow County Board of Education to prohibit discrimination based on disability in all its elementary and secondary school programs. Any student or student's parent or guardian may file a complaint with the following form if he or she feels that the school system has discriminated against the individual based on disability.

(Please print all information)

ALLEGED ACTION BY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIOLATION OF IDEA 2004, SECTION 504 AND/OR ADA:

Date: Date received by section 504 coordinator:

Name of individual filing complaint: Address of individual filing complaint:

Telephone number of individual filing complaint:

Name of student:

Name of parent or guardian:

Student's school:

Bartow County School System 62

STUDENT MEDICATION & CLINIC CARE ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES

1. The Bartow County School System does not provide any over the counter medication for

students to take at school. The parent/guardian must provide any medication needed at school.

2. The Medication Permit must be completed and signed before any medication is

administered at school, this includes over the counter medication.

3. Administration of prescription medication requires a Medication Permit Form to be completed by the parent/guardian and a Physician’s Medical Diagnosis/Medication Dosage Verification Form to be completed and signed by the physician. This must be completed before any prescription medication is administered at school.

4. All medication must be brought to the school in its original container.

• MEDICATIONS RECEIVED IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER WILL NOT BE ADMINISTERED AT SCHOOL.

• All medications must remain in the original container until dispensed to the student as directed (no medicine cups, pill boxes, etc.).

• Each time a prescription medication dosage is changed, the prescription bottle label must be changed to reflect the dose ordered by the physician.

5. All medications must be kept in the clinic. Medication must be given to the school nurse

upon arrival to school. Parents are required to transport prescription medications to and from school. Students are allowed to keep asthma medications (inhalers) and/or injectable epinephrine once the parent signs the release at the bottom of the BCSS Medication Permit and provides physician documentation for the prescribed medication.

6. Medications administered at school must be FDA approved and age appropriate.

7. The Bartow County School System has adopted the recommendations of the National

Association of School Nurses and the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding the administration of medication. These include: • Whenever possible, medications should be given at home, before or after school; • The first dose of a new medication or new dosage should be administered at home

where parents can monitor potential side effects and adverse reactions. •

8. Students who become ill at school and have been evaluated by the school nurse need to be picked up from school as soon as possible. A parent/guardian or designee authorized via local school procedures should plan to pick up the student. Students that are deemed too ill to remain at school will not be placed on the school bus to go home. This procedure is important to assist in reducing the spread of infectious illnesses to other students, staff, and stakeholders.

Bartow County School System 63

(Please Print) Student Handbook Parent and Student Acknowledgment Form

Student’s Name: Last First Middle

Grade Level Student Signature (if 10 years or older by September 1)

I have received a copy of the Bartow County Schools Student Handbook and have reviewed the information contained therein with my child. I further acknowledge that I have read the attendance procedures and am aware of its requirements.

Parent/Guardian(s)Signature Date

Student Agreement

Every student, regardless of age, must read and sign below:

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the terms of the foregoing Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy. Should I commit any violation or in any way misuse my access to the School District’s computer network and the Internet, I understand and agree that my access privilege may be revoked, and school disciplinary action may be taken against me.

Student Name Home Phone

Student Signature

Address

I am 18 or older

Date

I am under 18

If I am signing this Policy when I am under 18, I understand that when I turn 18, this Policy will continue to be in full force and effect and agree to abide by this Policy.

Bartow County School System 64

Parent or Guardian Agreement

_ STUDENT’S NAME

To be read and signed by parents or guardians of students who are under 18:

As the parent or legal guardian of the above student, I have read, understand and agree that my child or ward shall comply with the terms of the School District's Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy for the student's access to the School District's computer network and the Internet. I understand that access is being provided to the students for educational purposes only. I understand that it is impossible for the School to restrict access to all offensive and controversial materials and understand my child's or ward's responsibility for abiding by the Policy. I am therefore signing this Policy and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the School, the School District, and the Internet provider against all claims, damages, losses, and costs, of whatever kind, that may result from my child's or ward's use of his or her access to such networks or his or her violation of the foregoing Policy. Further, I hereby give permission for my child or ward to use the School District's computer network and the Internet.

Parent or Guardian Name(s) Home Phone

Parent or Guardian Signature(s)

Address

Date

ADOPTED: 06/17/2002 REVISED: 04/20/2009

Legal References:

Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 (H.R. 4577, P.L. 106-554) Communications Act of 1934, as amended (47 U.S.C. 254[h],[lJ) Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 6801 et seq., Part F)

Consent for Picture/Print/Video/Radio Release for All Students

The Bartow County School System from time to time develops and/or participates in presentations and events for positive educational purposes concerning the various instructional and extracurricular activities that take place during the course of the school year. These presentations/events may include photos, slides, tapes, videos, and articles. These may be utilized in faculty in-services, parent programs, staff development, and community relations (newspaper articles, TV presentations, brochures, etc.) The information and/or photographs may also be used as part of the school’s Internet web page.

The media (newspaper, radio, television) sometimes make requests to videotape, interview, and/or take photographs of students for news purposes. Instructional time will always be protected. In the rare event a media request of this nature is granted, your student will be under the supervision of a school staff member during the on-campus interview/photography session. Your student may reserve the right to refuse to answer any question that may make him/her feel uncomfortable or that could potentially put him/her or our school family in an embarrassing light.

In order to comply with the rights of you and your child, please indicate your approval/disapproval for the possible use of your child’s picture and/or name for these purposes.

I approve of the use of my child’s name and/or picture as stated above.

I do not approve of the use of my child’s name and/or picture as stated above.

Name of Child School

Parent/Guardian Signature Date

Medical and Health Insurance Bartow County School System is not responsible for providing medical and health insurance coverage to students. Student medical and health insurance may be purchased through an independent provider, Markel Insurance. An insurance packet containing a description of coverage and application forms is provided to each child. It is mandatory that you complete the following statement acknowledging receipt of this packet.

I have received the student information packet, and

I will purchase the student insurance for my child.

I do not choose to purchase the student insurance for my child.

Failure to mark this form acknowledges your rejection of the student insurance.

Name of Child School

Parent/Guardian Signature Date

Bartow County School System 65

❶ Adairsville Elementary School 770-606-5840

❷ Allatoona Elementary School

770-606-5843

❸ Clear Creek Elementary School 770-606-5886

❹ Cloverleaf Elementary School

770-606-5847

❺ Emerson Elementary School 770-606-5848

❻ Euharlee Elementary School

770-606-5900

❼ Hamilton Crossing Elementary School 770-606-5849

❽ Kingston Elementary School

770-606-5850

❾ Mission Road Elementary School 770-606-5863

❿ Pine Log Elementary School

770-606-5864

⓫ Taylorsville Elementary School 770-606-5867

⓬ White Elementary School 770-606-5869

⓭ Adairsville Middle School

770-606-5842 ⓮ Cass Middle School

770-606-5846 ⓯ Red Top Middle School

770-606-5865 ⓰ Woodland Middle School

770-606-5871 ⓱ Adairsville High School

770-606-5841 ⓲ Cass High School

770-606-5845 ⓳ Woodland High School

770-606-5870 ⓴ Bartow County College

and Career Academy 770-606-5182

21 Central Office

770-606-5800

22 Central Registration 770-606-5175

21

Bartow County Vision Statement: The Bartow County School System will be a high functioning professional

learning community that will graduate all students career and college ready, prepared to contribute to their community.

Bartow County Mission Statement:

The Bartow County School System collaboratively engages all students and staff in relevant learning experiences and empowers

them to succeed.

Bartow County Collective Commitments: We are committed to providing a quality education to all students, which

is essential to the prosperity of our community.

We are committed to providing a safe, secure, and supportive learning environment.

We are committed to hiring, developing, and supporting high quality

educators.

We are committed to academic excellence through the collaborative investment of faculty, staff, students, parents, and community.

Empowering Our Children To Succeed