JTFS AGREEMENT POLICY

The JTFS Agreement Policy was developed by a committee of parents and staff to reinforce practices and to develop habits within our students that would nurture academic success and ensure the best possible learning environment for them.  Each year, students, parents, and staff are asked to sign our JTFS Compact committing to upholding their part of this agreement. As a school of choice, compliance with the tenets of this agreement is a requirement. It is our responsibility to monitor student compliance and to intervene in order to bring students and families along to meet our expectations.  We will be working closely with students and parents on an ongoing basis to assist in addressing any problem areas before considering probationary status for a student.  Our goal is to work together as a team to find successful interventions and solutions.  Thorpe’s staff makes recommendations in cases where infractions are occurring regarding tardiness, attendance, homework, class work, behavior, and dress code.  In some cases, when our progressive interventions have not been effective, students will be placed on probation and will ultimately lose the opportunity to continue at Thorpe, returning to their neighborhood school.

In monitoring this agreement, teachers maintain records for each child, recording infractions as they occur, so that they can intervene and communicate with the student and family to bring about awareness and change as needed. 

ATTENDANCE

Students will be punctual and in attendance for all classes and will remain in school for the full instructional day unless ill or previously excused for a family emergency.

A.    Tardiness

·          By State and District guidelines, students are marked tardy when they arrive late to school or when they are released early from school, before the end of the instructional day. All tardies count on a student’s permanent attendance record.  Parents will receive written parent notification on the day of each tardy.

·          After the 4^th tardy for the school year, a formal letter will be sent home for parents'signature and a conference with parents(s), student and the teacher will be held to work out strategies to alleviate the ongoing tardy pattern.

B.      Absences

·          Since good student attendance is a proven important factor in students’ academic success, and state funding is based only on actual student attendance in school, all students are expected to attend school every day when they are well.  Students are expected to remain at home only if they are visibly ill, have a significant temperature and/or are contagious.

·          Family vacations are considered unexcused absences and, therefore, expected to be scheduled on non-school days. Principal pre-approval is required for special circumstances/emergencies.   A parent letter of request is needed at least one week in advance, if possible.  Continued enrollment during extended unexcused absence cannot be guaranteed.

·          Ongoing absences due to illness will be monitored by the classroom teacher and the school nurse.  A parent letter will be sent following the 3rd absence.

·          Contact by the nurse may take place on the 7^th absence.

·          A second conference will be scheduled following the 8^th absence to address the continuing absences to determine if a probation warning is indicated.

·          A probation meeting may be held after 9^th absences and the student may be required to bring a doctor’s note for each future absence.  The school may also send the District attendance representative for a home visit. Students with excessive absences may be referred to the District School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

·          ·Violation of the probationary status will result in a student transfer to the neighborhood school or other school or parent choice.

·          Consideration will be made for students who have an extended absence due to illness such as chicken pox, mumps, chronic or more serious diseases or injuries.

C.      Early Drop Off/Late Pick Up

·          Student supervision is provided to insure student safety during school drop off before school and pick up after school.  Parents are responsible for dropping off and picking up students during supervised times and, according to the arrival and dismissal schedule outlined earlier in this document.  A student will receive a parent notification to be signed by a parent and returned by the next day. Early drop off and late pick up incidents are recorded separately.

HOMEWORK and CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

Missing or Incomplete Homework or Class Assignments refers to assignments that are either not completed or the wrong assignment was done. Students will receive a parent notification for any homework or class work violations.  Missing or incomplete work (including not following directions) will be completed at recess on the day it was due.  Notifications need to be signed by a parent with the white copy returned to the teacher the following day.

2^nd & 3^rd Trimesters

Progressive interventions are as above unless the student has received 5 or more violation notices during the previous trimester.  With 5 violations in the previous trimester, the number of violations allowed is reduced by one (1).  With 6 or 7 violations in the previous trimester, the number of violations allowed is reduced by two (2).

BEHAVIOR 

Misbehavior in the Classroom, Library, Restroom, on the Playground or other Areas of the Campus

Based on classroom rules and school Code of Student Conduct, students will miss recess and receive a parent note of behavior violations.  Notifications need to be signed by a parent and returned to the teacher the following day. 

Violations:

1^st-3^rd Violations: Parent notification to be signed and returned to the teacher

4^th Violation: Teacher notifies parent of violation.

5^th Violation: Conference with and parent(s) to develop an improvement plan to address the problem. Parent receives a Violation Letter.

8^th Violation: Conference with student/parent(s) to adjust/update the improvement plan

9^th Violation:  Probation letter.

12^th Violation: Meeting to discuss exit.        

Unacceptable behavior that is a direct violation of the State of California Education Code 48900 can result in immediate home suspension from one to five days. Consideration will be made for Special Needs students according to their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Accommodation Plan.