Parent/Student
Handbook
2020-21
Witt Elementary School Handbook
Table of Contents
Page 1 Note from the Principal
Page 2 Faculty and Staff Directory
Page 3 Discipline Policy and Consequences
Page 4 School Admissions/Arrival, Departure Times
Page 5 Attendance
Page 6 Chronic Absenteeism/Tardies
Page 7 School Website/Parent Portal/Custody
School Insurance/Supply Fees/Bus Information
Page 8 Dress Code/PTO/Academic Planners/Athletics
Page 9 Items to Leave at Home/Report Cards,
Conferences/Delays, Closures
Visitors to School/School Nutrition Program
Page 10 Guidance/Library and Textbook Usage
Physical Education/School Calendar
Page 11 Procedures for Medications
Page 12 Medical Procedures/Head Lice Policy
Page 13 Emergency Drills/Notification of Unsafe Schools/
Harassment
Page 14 2019-20 Hamblen County School Calendar
Our Vision: All students will become self-sufficient citizens.
Our Mission: All students will strive to reach their personal best.
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome back to school! The faculty and staff look forward to working with you to make the 2020-21 school a year of successful learning experiences for our students.
Our handbook has been prepared to provide families and students with important information regarding the various policies and procedures at our school. Please review the policies with your child and refer to it as needed throughout the year.
Your child has been provided with a blue folder. Students in primary grades will bring home the folder daily, while intermediate grade students will bring them home on Fridays. Please take time to review the items in the folder (behavior reports, graded work, notes from teachers, etc.) with your child.
Communication is the key to your child’s success. Successful students typically have parents who are very involved in their child’s school life who form strong lines of communication with school personnel.
Please feel free to contact us when you have questions. The school phone number is 586-2862. I look forward to working together this school year.
Sincerely,
Lisa Templin
Principal, Witt Elementary School
page 1
FACULTY AND STAFF
Principal Mrs. Lisa Templin
Teachers Mrs. Melissa Mills, Pre-K
Mrs. Kylie Warden, Kindergarten
Ms. Wendy Ford, Kindergarten
Mrs. Kimberly Wright, First Grade
Mrs. Heather Godwin, First Grade
Mrs. Elizabeth Hodges, Second Grade
Mrs. Kim Wallace, Second Grade
Mr. David Breeden, Third Grade
Ms. Ali Lawson, Third Grade
Mrs. Traci Brady, Fourth Grade
Mrs. Michelle Newman, Fourth Grade
Mrs. Stephanie Jarnagin, Fifth Grade
Ms. Robin Roark, Fifth Grade
Special Area Teachers Ms. Karen Cobb, Reading
Mrs. Sharon Bean, Reading
Mrs. Jennifer Goodman, Guidance
Mrs. Janet Killian, Librarian
Mrs. Hannah Voccola, Music
Mr. Donald Wilder, Physical Education
Mrs. Pam Collins, Resource
Mr. Mike Thomas, Band
Ms. Erin Roth, ELL
Secretary / Bookkeeper Mrs. Teresa Helton
PowerSchool/Attendance Mrs. Traci Samples
Educational Assistants Ms. JoAnn Burchfield
Mrs. Kelly Cole
Mrs. Rebecca Nies
Mrs. Emilie Sadlon
Ms. Sheila Spires
Mrs. Kim Woods
School Nurse Mrs. Meghan Brooks
Custodians Mr. Eddie Lamb
Mr. Jeff Sizemore
Cafeteria Workers Mrs. Amy Cantin, Manager
Mrs. Katelyn Baxley
Mrs. Tina Enloe
Mrs. Ellen O’Toole
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Discipline begins in the home at an early age. Parents must introduce and reinforce appropriate behaviors to ensure success in the school setting. Our school promotes a safe, secure climate where children can succeed socially and academically. Quality instruction is dependent upon an orderly environment. Classroom rules and procedures will be established to promote learning at our school.
School Expectations
1. Follow directions the first time given.
2. Be in your seat with proper material ready to work by 7:55 AM.
3. Keep hands, feet, objects, gestures, and inappropriate comments to yourself.
4. Stay in your seat, raise your hand, and wait to be called upon.
5. Complete classwork, homework, and projects on time.
Classroom Consequences (Teacher administered-noncumulative)
*1st consequence: Verbal Warning/Conference with student
*2nd consequence: Abbreviated Time-Out/Recess/Loss of Privilege
*3rd consequence: Extended Time-Out /Loss of Activity/Privilege
*4th consequence: Parent contact via note, phone call, or conference
*5th consequence: Referral to principal
*Severe Clause: Immediate referral to the principal
To encourage students to follow the classroom rules, teachers reinforce appropriate behavior with praise; “good news” notes home, positive phone calls, special privileges, and other rewards. Students will be given opportunities to self-correct behavior, and given guidance to make wise choices.
**Students receiving an office referral within the semester of a field trip will not be permitted to attend the field trip.
Office Consequences (Administrator-Cumulative)
Level 1: Warning/Conference with student
Level 2: 1 day ALP/Detention, Guidance Referral
Level 3: Up to 3 days ALP (Principal’s discretion), Guidance Referral
Level 4: 1 day out-of-school suspension, Guidance Referral
Level 5: 2 days out-of-school suspension, Guidance Referral
Level 6: 3 days out-of-school suspension, Orientation at the Miller-Boyd Alternative School,
Guidance Referral
Level 7: Placement at Miller-Boyd Alternative School
BULLYING
Students who bully others will be subject to our school discipline plan. The principal, teachers, and the guidance counselor work closely to help students who are having issues with bullying. Bullying can include physical attacks, name-calling, threats, extortion, stealing, or exclusion from a group.
We want to empower students to report bullying behaviors which allows our faculty and staff to intervene, deal with the problem, and issue consequences. Failure to follow school rules will result in the following: loss of privileges, conference with guidance counselor and/or principal, parent meeting, behavior contract, in/out of school suspension, or referral to alternative school. Page 3
SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
A child entering school for the first time must present:
1. A birth certificate or officially acceptable evidence of date of birth at the time
of registration.
2. Evidence of a current medical examination: There shall be a complete medical
examination of every child entering school for the first time. This applies to Pre-
Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and other students for whom there is no health record.
3. Evidence of state - required immunization.
4. A copy of the student’s Social Security card.
5. Two (2) proofs of residency in Hamblen County (electric bill, water bill, cable bill, etc. from the
last 30 days)
The name used on the records of a student entering school must be that as shown on the birth certificate unless evidence is presented that such name has been legally changed through court as prescribed by law. If the parent does not have, or cannot obtain, a birth certificate, then the name used on the records of such student will be that as shown on documents which are acceptable to the school principal as proof of date of birth.
SCHOOL DAY / ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
The school building opens daily at 7:10 when the first bus arrives. The school will not be responsible for students who arrive before then. Students who do not ride a bus should normally arrive between 7:30 AM and 7:45 AM. All students should be dropped off in the drop zone outside the gym doors where they will be greeted by school personnel. Students will then proceed to the cafeteria for breakfast. To ensure your child has enough time to eat his or her breakfast, please have them here by 7:30. At 7:45 students will be dismissed from the cafeteria to their classrooms. The tardy bell will ring at 7:55 AM. After 7:55 students/parents will need to enter through the secure entrance and be signed in at the office.
If parents need to enter the school building in the morning, please do so at 7:45 or after when office personnel are available to assist you.
Any student leaving school during the school day must be signed out at the office by the parent. Early dismissals are monitored closely. If possible, schedule appointments for after school. If you are going to be picking up someone’s child other than your own, please have the parent call the secretary or send a note to school. Students will not be released to friends, neighbors, and family members without notification from home.
Car riders will be dismissed at 2:50 p.m. In order to help make the traffic flow more efficiently, please remain in your vehicle, allowing school personnel to escort your child/children to the vehicle. All car riders should be picked up by 3:15.
Please talk with your child before you leave home in the morning about after school plans. Establish a pattern so that your child is familiar with his or her after school routine, so they will not face the confusion of not knowing how they will get home, either by riding the bus or being a car rider.
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The first rule for success in school is regular attendance. Irregular attendance causes problems in school, resulting in children losing interest in their studies. Please help us ensure your child’s school success by making attendance a priority.
ABSENCES: EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED
Absences will be classified as either excused or unexcused as determined by the principal or his designee in charge of attendance. When a student is absent, the school should be contacted by the parent/guardian. Upon return to school the student must present a note signed by the parent/guardian. (Notes will be determined valid based on the judgment of the principal or her designee.)
A student is excused for the day or days absent, but not from the responsibility for the material covered in class. It is the responsibility of the student, not the teacher, for make-up work in all subject matters covered during the absence. Students have the number of days they have missed to complete their makeup assignments AND turn them it. For example, if a child misses two days, he or she has two days to complete the makeup work. In the event a student will be out for more than a day, it is recommended that parents call the school office to arrange to pick-up makeup work. Please call early to ensure teachers will have ample time to gather the makeup materials and have them waiting for pick-up at the office.
1. Personal illness (Parent notes will be accepted for five days each semester. After
five days, a physician’s statement is required.)
2. Death of immediate family (Absences should not exceed three days.)
3. Illness of parent/guardian requiring temporary help. (Physician’s statement required.)
4. Recognized religious holidays.
5. Court summons (Only actual time in court will be excused.)
6. Doctor or dentist appointments (A medical statement is required.)
7. Military
8. Injury
9. Hospitalization
10. Homebound
11. Subpoena
12. Court Order
13. School-sponsored activities
14. School-endorsed activities
15. Extenuating circumstances determined on a case-by-case basis by the school
principal. (Family vacations are discouraged during the regular school year.)
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
Absences for any reason other than those listed above shall be unexcused. Unexcused absences may result in the student being denied credit for classwork due to excessive absences.
Unexcused absences include the following: truancy, cutting class, out of town, no excuse submitted, out-of-school suspension, not checking out in the office, missed the bus, trouble with automobile, unexcused tardy, check in, check out, and absent with parent’s permission. Parents will be notified by letter or phone when their child receives the third unexcused absence. Pupil Personnel Department Staff will contact parents after the fourth unexcused absence. After the fifth unexcused absence, students will be petitioned to juvenile court or face other disciplinary action. Students with excessive absences will be referred to Hamblen County Attendance Review Committee (HCARC).
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CHRONIC OUT OF SCHOOL POLICY
The state of Tennessee has passed a law concerning student attendance. (Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3006 b). School districts are required to implement three tiers of the Progressive Truancy Intervention Plan which includes, but it not limited to the following indicators:
Tier 1 is triggered by three (3) unexcused absences:
*communication by either phone or letter
*a conference with student and parent/guardian
*an attendance contract for 45 days, or until the end of the semester
*regularly scheduled follow-up meetings to track attendance
progress
Tier 2 is triggered by five (5) unexcused absences:
*communication by either phone or letter
*a conference with parent and student and a home visit
*a Progressive Truancy Intervention Assessment
*release signed by the parent for communication between the school
and the medical community, if needed
*regularly scheduled follow-up meetings to track attendance
progress
Tier 3 is triggered by ten (10) unexcused absences:
*communication by mail
*a referral to the attendance review committee
Failure to comply with the Hamblen County Department of Education attendance policies
may result in a referral to the attendance review committee prior to juvenile truancy court. In addition, the Hamblen County Department of Education attendance policy allows five (5) excused notes per semester. After the five (5) parental excused notes have been utilized, a physician’s statement will be required for additional absences.
EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED TARDIES
Students are considered tardy if they arrive at school after the 7:55 AM bell rings. If a student is tardy, they must receive an admit slip from the office before going to their classroom.
EXCUSED TARDIES
a. Late bus b. Illness with doctor’s note
c. Death in family d. Religious holiday
e. Medical / dental appointment
CONSEQUENCES OF UNEXCUSED TARDIES/EARLY DISMISSALS
Tardy #3 Parent contacted by mail
Tardy #6 Loss of perfect attendance status, parent contacted by attendance teacher
Tardy #10 Parent Contact/Referral to Hamblen County Attendance Review Committee
and/or Referral to juvenile court
EARLY DISMISSALS / SIGN-OUT PROCEDURES
Elementary school students are to be checked out by the parent or guardian through the school office. Early dismissal is discouraged except in the event of an emergency. Please attempt to schedule appointments after the school day when possible. The Hamblen County Attendance Review Committee will monitor early dismissals.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR ATTENDANCE
1. Please call the school office if your child will be absent for any reason. This is especially
important if the student will be out for an extended period of time of more than 2 days.
2. For a child to be counted present for a full day, he or she must be in school one-half of a day.
A child must be at school until 11:31 AM to be counted present for the day.
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SCHOOL WEBSITE/PARENT PORTAL
You can access our school webpage through The Hamblen County Board of Education website. Simply go to www.hcboe.net, and locate the ‘schools’ tab at the top. Select ‘Witt’ from the pull-down menu. Our webpage provides a variety of resources including the calendar, lunch menu, news items, supply lists, and other useful items of information.
Parent Portal is another tool that can be accessed on the www.hcboe.net website. Once you sign up, you will receive a password to access your child’s information, such as attendance record, academic grades (for grades 2-5), etc.
CUSTODY
It is the responsibility of parents to notify the school office of special circumstances regarding custody of a child. If there are special court orders, please provide us with a current copy of these records. The school will operate under the guidelines set forth by parenting plans that have been signed by a judge. Non-custodial parents may have access to report cards, calendars, and attendance records.
SCHOOL INSURANCE
School insurance is available for purchase. If you are interested, you may pick up a brochure in the office, or a copy can be downloaded from the school website. Please understand that school insurance is a secondary insurance. The deadline for enrollment is detailed in the insurance information.
SUPPLY FEES AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES
The bus service is an extension of the classroom. The Hamblen County Board of Education has set specific policies that require conduct on the bus to match the standards for classroom behavior. Students are under the supervision of the bus driver and are expected to follow reasonable directions given by the bus driver. Riding a bus is a privilege that can be taken away if a student’s behavior causes disruption on the bus, or when state or local regulations are broken by a student’s misbehavior. You may contact the Transportation Department at 586-2103 for information concerning your child’s transportation services.
When a violation of bus policies occurs, the consequences are as follows:
*First offense- a warning or 5 day suspension from the riding the bus, depending on the violation.
*Second offense-a 15 day suspension from riding the bus
*Third offense-a 30 day suspension from riding the bus
*Fourth offense-a one-year suspension from riding the bus
When students fight on the bus, the consequence for the first offense is suspension of bus privileges for 30 days. The second offense for fighting on the bus will result in expulsion of students from riding the bus for one calendar year.
To maintain a safe environment on the bus, no person will enter onto a school bus except students assigned to that bus or other persons with lawful and valid business on that bus. Students whose parents or guardians violate this policy will be suspended from riding the bus for a minimum of 30 days. A second occurrence will result in loss of bus privileges for one year. Assault, confrontations, or violent acts are subject to prosecution. Parents are NOT allowed to get onto a bus.
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‘It is the Hamblen County School Board’s belief that a learning environment is maintained when students wear clothing that is neat, modest, moderate, decent, and does not draw attention to the individual rather than the learning environment. In matters of opinon, the judgment of principals, exercised in a reasonable manner, shall prevail. Principals have the right to take appropriate actions to correct any student whose clothing appearance, while not specifically covered by this policy, is considered by said principal to be out of compliance with the Board’s stated goal or to be disruptive to the
educational process.
The student dress code is as follows:
*Pants shall be hemmed and worn at the waist.
*Skirts and dresses shall be a minimum length of mid-thigh.
*Shorts shall be a minimum length of mid-thigh (below the middle fingertip) and shall be worn at
the waist.
*Tank tops and halter tops shall not be permitted.
*Clothing must be neat; no holes, rips, or tears shall be allowed.
*Clothing shall fit properly and shall not be unreasonably tight or unreasonably baggy.
*Students shall wear appropriate undergarments, and undergarments shall not be visible.
*Students shall wear shoes.
*Flip-flops shall not be permitted.
*Hair shall be worn in a manner that does not disrupt the educational process and does not call
attention to the individual.
*No headwear of any type shall be worn inside the building.
*Hair bows and barrettes shall be permitted, provided they are of reasonable size and subtle
color.
*Facial jewelry shall be limited to the ear; Three earrings per ear shall be permitted.
*Symbolism-The Board prohibits the display of any symbol on school property or any object, such
as a book bag, school locker, etc., that promotes racial discord or is related to gang activity.
The PTO supports the education of our children. Members include parents, grandparents, teachers, and community members. The PTO meets to discuss ideas for fundraising and community involvement. Information about meetings will be communicated through monthly newsletters which will come at the beginning of each month. The Witt PTO provides financial support to our school by helping raise funds to purchase technology and instructional resources. The PTO also assists with special events, educational experiences, and volunteering opportunities. Please consider becoming involved in our Parent-Teacher Organization.
ACADEMIC PLANNERS
A planner is provided for students in grades 3-5. The planner is an excellent communication tool. Students are required to record daily assignments. Please review the planner each evening, and sign it as directed by your child’s teacher. Lost planners may be purchased for $5.00.
SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Students in grades 3-5 may choose to try out for either basketball or cheerleading. Basketball try-outs will take place in the fall. Cheerleading tryouts take place in the spring. Basketball season runs from October to February. Any student wishing to tryout MUST have a physical exam BEFORE tryouts occur. Parents are responsible for transportation after practices and to/from games. Students who make the basketball or cheerleading team are required to remain in good academic standing to continue to participate.
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Students are not permitted to carry cell phones or any other electronic devices (mp3 players, radios, hand-held games, etc.) that could be considered a distraction to the learning environment. If a student brings an electronic device to school, it will be held until a parent can pick it up.
Other items to leave at home would include: toys, games, trading cards, pocket knives, lighters, fireworks, any other explosives, etc. Dangerous items are subject to discipline referrals according to school board policy.
REPORT CARDS/PARENT CONFERENCES
Report cards are issued four times yearly, every nine weeks. We will notify you of these dates in the monthly newsletter. Progress reports, or mid-terms, are sent home in the middle of each grading period.
WHEN SCHOOL IS DELAYED OR CLOSED…
Inclement weather may cause school to be closed or delayed. The same conditions can also cause an early dismissal. School closings, delayed starting times, or early dismissals will be announced over local radio stations. You can listen to the following radio stations:
WCRK (1150AM), WMTN (1300AM), WMXK (95.9), and WJDT (106.5). Local television stations (channels 6, 8, and 10) will also display school closings at the bottom of the screen; simply watch for Hamblen County. We receive our notifications for these announcements the same way you do, so please refrain from calling the school.
VISITORS TO SCHOOL
You are welcome at our school. All visitors must enter through the security entrance, sign in with office personnel, and be issued a visitor’s pass. Visitor sign-in will begin daily at 7:45 when office personnel is available to help you. If you need to speak with a teacher, we request that you make an appointment. Parents should not be speaking with a teacher after the tardy bell has rung at 7:55, unless an appointment has been made. We appreciate your cooperation.
The board and school policy is to only allow visitors who have legitimate business at our school. Visitors’ passes are issued at the discretion of the administrator or her designee. Administration may refuse to issue a pass anytime she feels it is in the best interest of the school to do so.
Breakfast is free for all students. Lunch is $2.05 per day or $10.25 per week for all grade levels. If possible, please pay weekly. The cafeteria manager collects lunch money every Monday morning. You may choose to pay the cafeteria directly or online. (Online payment is available through our website and is located under ‘My Payments Plus.’ If you are interested in free/reduced lunches, please fill out a lunch form and return it to your child’s teacher as soon as possible. Reduced lunches are $0.40 daily or $2.00 weekly. Ice Cream is $0.50 and is available on Wednesdays and Fridays.
If you wish to eat with your child in our cafeteria, please feel free to join us. It will help out the cafeteria staff if you could notify them of your plans to come eat by calling 585-3813. The cost of your lunch will be $4.05.
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GUIDANCE
All students participate in classroom guidance activities. Lessons address personal safety, conflict resolution, bullying, drug awareness, and career development. Group and individual counseling are provided when students have specific issues that are impacting their educational experiences.
We love to put books in the hands of children. The library and classrooms are full of books for students to use. Students need to be responsible when they are borrowing books to read at home, making sure that the books are returned in a timely fashion. If our books are lost, stolen, or damaged, students will need to pay to replace them. Textbooks and many library books are very costly, so please see that borrowed books are cared for appropriately.
All students are required to meet the state physical education requirements. If any limitation is to be placed on student participation, a written statement from a doctor should be presented to the teacher. The statement should clearly explain the student’s limitations. Students must wear tennis shoes on P.E. days. At Witt, P.E. days are Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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MEDICINE
1. Medications should be limited to those required during school hours and necessary to maintain the child throughout the school day.
2. All prescription drugs given in school will be prescribed by a licensed prescriber on an individual basis as determined by the child’s health status. Form JGCD - Exhibit 3 must be filled out in its entirety for the school to administer the medication. This form is included in the registration materials at the beginning of the school year.
A. Prescription medication must be brought to school in the original, pharmacy-
labeled container. The container will display:
*child’s name
*prescription number
*medication name and dosage
*administration route or other directions
*date
*licensed prescriber’s name
*pharmacy name, address, and phone number
B. All prescriptions for long-term medications will be renewed annually.
C. Changes in prescription medication must have written authorization from the licensed prescriber.
3. All nonprescription drugs given in school will:
A. Be brought in with the manufacturer’s original label with the ingredients listed and
the child’s name affixed to the new/unopened container.
B. Require a written parental/guardian request (form JGCD - Exhibit 2; form included in registration materials) which will include the following:
*child’s name
*name and signature of parent/guardian
*name of medication
*dosage
*route of administration
*frequency and time of administration
*discontinuation date
*reason medication is needed
*parent/guardian’s phone number(s) in case of emergency
4. Students are not permitted to bring over-the-counter medications, vitamins, or other drug-
store related items, to school without proper documentation. Any student who possesses
these items without school permission is in violation of the Medication Policy and is subject
to the Assertive Discipline Plan.
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MEDICAL PROCEDURES
1. If your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or over in the morning before school, please do not send your child to school that day - not even after giving them Tylenol or other fever reducers. A child with a temperature of 100 degrees or more should not be in school exposing other students and teachers to his/her illness. Also, if your child becomes ill or develops a temperature of 100 degrees or over while at school, we will contact you to pick them up. If we cannot reach you, we will use the emergency contact information you have provided us.
2. Please be sure to send any nonprescription medicines to school in their original containers. We cannot dispense medicines sent to school in anything other than the original package. In addition, the proper paperwork must be filled out with the school nurse.
3. If your child is absent from school, please notify the school, and when the child returns, he/she MUST have a note stating why he/she was absent in order to be counted as an excused absence. Students who do not have a note will be counted unexcused until a note is brought in to the school.
HEAD LICE POLICY
Below you will find the school board policy for principals on Head Lice Control. Please read over this policy and keep in mind, we will be having a school - wide head check for lice and/or nits on the first full day of school. If your child is found to have head lice OR nits, we will contact you immediately by phone to pick up your child. Information on the procedures to follow will be given to you when you pick your child up.
1. Initial head checks of all students will be completed periodically each year.
2. Any suspected case of head lice will be rechecked by the school nurse or the principal / designee (who will be trained by the school nurse).
3. After treatment, a parent / guardian or other responsible adult is requested to accompany the student to the school office. It will be determined by the school health staff or the principal / designee whether the student may be readmitted to school.
4. If head lice is found, students will receive a letter explaining the school board policy.
No more than two (2) days will be considered excused when head lice are found per
occurrence.
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Emergency drills will be practiced on a regular basis.
Lock down drills, tornado drills, and fire drills will be
practiced for preparedness in the event of a real situation.
In the event of an evacuation, students may be
transported to another location for pick-up. School and
emergency officials would assist in the evacuation of all
faculty, staff, and students, as well as, securing the
building for students to return when possible.
NOTIFICATION OF UNSAFE SCHOOLS
Under the Tennessee State Board of Education’s Unsafe School Choice Policy, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act, public school students who are the victims of a violent crime as defined under the TCA 40-38-111 (g), or the attempt to commit one of these offenses as defined under TCA 30-12-101, will be provided an opportunity to transfer to another school within the district. Additional information may be obtained through Hamblen County Board of Education.
HARASSMENT
Harassment is any behavior or action exhibited toward a person that is unwanted and uncalled for and makes that person feel uncomfortable. It may include, physical contact, verbal abuse, graffiti, writing rumors, etc. Sexual behavior is any behavior of a suggestive nature making someone feel uncomfortable. Racial harassment is any inappropriate behavior that is based on ethnic differences. Racial slurs, jokes, and name-calling are included. Religious harassment is any inappropriate behavior that is directed toward an affiliation of a specific religion.
The school principal is responsible for receiving complaints about harassment, sexual harassment, or discrimination at the school level. The principal or designee will conduct an investigation of the situation and prepare a report.
If the complaint cannot be resolved at the school level, it will be forwarded to the complaint coordinator at the Hamblen County Board of Education. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of Hamblen County Schools to maintain a learning environment free from all forms of harassment and discrimination.
Any action taken by the school system pursuant to this policy will be consistent with requirements of federal law, Tennessee statutes, and other system policies. The school system will take such disciplinary action, as it deems necessary and appropriate to prevent its recurrence. Any person who knowingly makes a false accusation for any reason would be subject to immediate disciplinary action. A complete copy of the policy can be found on the HCBOE website and obtained from the school principal.
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Hamblen County Department of Education
2020-21 School Calendar
July 31 First Student Day (Full Day)
August 6 Administrative Day for staff/ No school for students
August 20 1:00 PM Student Dismissal
September 7 Labor Day Holiday
September 24 1:00 PM Student Dismissal
October 12-16 Fall Break
October 29 1:00 PM Student Dismissal
November 3 Election Day/No School
November 25-27 Thanksgiving Holidays
December 18 11:15 AM Dismissal
December 21-January 4 Winter Break
January 5 Return to School
January 14 1:00 PM Student Dismissal
January 18 Martin Luther King Day Holiday
March 16 1:00 PM Student Dismissal
March 22-26 Spring Break
April 2 Spring Holiday
May 4 Election Day/No School
May 19 Last Full Day of School
May 21 Grade Card Day and High School Graduation
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