Rights and Responsibilities for All Members of the Weymouth School Community WEYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS September 2009

 Educational Rights and Special Populations ◦ Civil rights, harassment, diverse learners, section 504, special education, limited English proficiency  Student and Staff Wellbeing ◦ Physical restraint, universal precautions, fire safety, crisis management, reporting child abuse, bullying prevention  Professional Expectations ◦ Confidentiality, acceptable computer/network use, attire, class planning requirements, professional development

Educational Rights and Special Populations

 All students have the right to access the general curriculum regardless of their gender, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion or disability.  All students and staff are to be treated equally without regard to sex, race, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.  Teachers are expected to compensate for any bias which they may encounter in their classrooms.

The following is a list of laws that prohibit discrimination for the identified special populations as well as the district coordinator responsible for insuring compliance: Title VI (race, color, national origin)Mary Ann DeMello, Asst. Super. Title XI (gender)Matt Ferron, Asst. Super. McKinney-Vento (homeless)Mary Ann DeMello, Asst. Super Title I (low-income)Jeremy Burm, Title I Director EEO Act of 1974 (LEP)Mary Ann DeMello, Asst. Super Section 504/ADA (disabled)Mary Ann DeMello, Asst. Super

 Level One: Meet with supervisor/principal within 15 school days. The supervisor/principal shall investigate and submit a report within 15 school days.  Level Two: Formal complaint in writing to the Assistant Superintendent. The Assistant Superintendent will investigate and submit a report within 15 school days.  Level Three: File an appeal, within 15 school days, in writing, to the Superintendent. Within 15 school days of receipt of the appeal, the Superintendent will render a decision.  Level Four: File an appeal in writing within 15 school days to the Weymouth School Committee. Within 30 days the School Committee will meet with the grievant in an effort to settle the grievance. Further information can be found in the Employee Handbook

Differentiated Instruction is the practice of delivering content using a variety of strategies so that students can access the curriculum in a way that matches their unique learning styles.

 Students with clear or probable indicators of a disability should be promptly referred to the Student Intervention Team. When A Student is Having Difficulty …  Your Student Intervention Team can review a student’s progress and suggest additional strategies and accommodations.

 Schools provide a variety of services through General Education, including classroom accommodations to meet learner needs.  Some students require additional supports, including specialized instruction, that are provided through Special Education.

Disabled students with substantial limitations who require accommodations have these documented on 504 plans. Students Needing Specialized Instruction Disabled Students All Learners Students learn in different ways! Disabled students who require specialized instruction or related services have specific learning goals and objectives detailed on IEP’s.

 A person is considered eligible for services under Section 504 when he/she has a physical or mental impairment that SUBSTANTIALLY limits one or more major life activities.  Major Life Activities include: * caring for one’s self* seeing * learning * speaking * hearing * breathing * working * performing manual tasks

 Section 504 plans delineate reasonable accommodations that are delivered through regular education supports.  Section 504 plans are legally binding contracts between the district and the parent and must be implemented as written.  When a student is suspected of having a disability that substantially limits a major life function, either the teacher or parent should refer the student to the building principal and/or building 504 coordinator.

 A student is eligible for special education services when all three are true: ◦ The student has one or more disabilities AND ◦ The student is NOT making effective progress in school as a direct result of the disability(ies) AND ◦ The student requires specialized instruction in order to make effective progress.

 Either a staff member or a parent has the right to request an evaluation to determine the presence of a disability.  Requests by parents DO NOT have to be made in writing.  Referral requests from staff members MUST be initiated through the Student Support Intervention Team.  All referrals for special education evaluation MUST go through the building administrator.  TIMELINES ARE CRITICAL! The parent must receive a procedure letter and consent to evaluate form within 5 days of the request.

 Students on IEP’s and 504 Plans are protected by civil rights law regarding discipline.  Students may be disciplined similarly to general education peers UNLESS their behavior is a manifestation of their disability.  Students protected by IEP’s and 504’s can only be excluded from their educational program for a MAXIMUM of 10 days total in a school year.

 Communications with parents MUST be in their native language.  Students with LEP can also have special education needs and must be evaluated in their native language, as well as in English.  Students should not be referred for a special education evaluation solely due to their Limited English Proficiency. LEP is not a disability.  LEP students who experience significant lack of progress should be referred to the Student Intervention Team.

HEY, WAKE UP…I CAN HEAR YOU SNORING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM!

Student and Staff Well-Being

Physical Restraint: Definition  Physical Restraint “The use of bodily force to limit a student’s freedom of movement.”  Not Physical Restraint “Touching or holding a student without the use of force” –includes physical escort, touching to provide instructional assistance, and other forms of physical contact that do not include the use of force.

Physical Restraint: When is it necessary?  Other, non-physical, interventions have been tried and failed or are judged to be inadequate to the circumstances. AND  A student’s behavior poses a threat of IMMINENT, SERIOUS, PHYSICAL HARM to self and/or others.

 When non-physical interventions could be used.  As a means of punishment.  As a response to property destruction, school disruption, refusal to comply, or verbal threats. HANDS OFF!

Physical Restraint should only be used as a last resort!

Some staff members have received in-depth specialized training including :  Prevention techniques  De-escalation strategies  Proper restraint techniques Know who they are… they can help. HELP!

 All applications of physical restraint must be reported verbally to the school administration immediately.  A completed Physical Restraint Report Form (available in school office) must be submitted to the principal no later than the next school working day.  The principal will verbally inform the student’s parent/guardian of such restraint as soon as possible, and by written report postmarked no later than three school working days following the use of such restraint.

 Extended restraints (over 20 minutes)  Any time there is a serious injury.  Within 5 school days of the restraint, the district must send a report to the DESE along with a log of any restraints that occurred in the prior 30 days.

Physical Restraint: Special Circumstances For students with disabilities (with IEPs or 504 plans), physical restraint can be used for different reasons (other than danger) if reasons are detailed and part of the accepted IEP or 504 Plan. Certain limits and reporting requirements still apply.

All staff members will be given a Universal Precautions Kit to be kept readily available containing gloves, gauze pads, etc. to be used in case of emergency. Wear gloves when handling blood or any bodily fluids.

Carpets: Carpeting is difficult to maintain. If necessary, small carpets may be used in classrooms only if they are certified as Class I. Exits: Know where your primary and secondary classroom exits are located as well as building evacuation procedures. Decorations and Student Work: No more than 20% of classroom walls should be covered with paper materials (only 10% in corridors) HVAC: Keep ventilation units (under window ledges) free from papers and books to allow air to circulate properly.

Crisis Management In an emergency, your students are counting on you to be calm and keep them safe. They are your first priority. Know the members of your building crisis team. KEEP COOL, MAN!

 Psychologists and nurses  Public or private school teachers  Educational administrators  Social workers and counselors  School attendance officers  Other agency personnel THAT’S YOU! WHO IS A MANDATED REPORTER?

 All teachers, school nurses, administrators, and guidance personnel are required to report suspected cases of child abuse  Teachers and other staff should report suspected child abuse orally to the building principal.  After investigation the principal will report the incident to Central Office and DCF.  A written report on the appropriate form (51A), shall be filed with DCF within 48 hours of the initial call.

Students have the right to feel safe, valued and respected at school. Bullying is the repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture that does one of the following:  causes physical or emotional harm to the victim or damage to the victim’s property  places the victim in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property  creates a hostile environment at school for the victim  infringes on the rights of the victim at school  materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school. (Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010)

You are the caretakers for our students. If you observer bullying taking place or are made aware of it, the following steps must be implemented: Step One:Assess for immediate safety Send a completed Incident Report Form to building administrator (Forms are in employee handbook) Step Two:Administrative investigation – interviews with students, contact parents Step Three:Administrator monitors safety of target, assigns consequences to aggressor if warranted Step Four:Document actions and notify parents and teachers of actions taken No one should be afraid to come to school.

N N COME ON! IT’S NOT THAT BAD!

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

 A school district and its employees may not release any information from a student record without the informed, written consent of the eligible student or parent/guardians.  Only staff who are currently providing services to a student have the right to access a student’s record.  Staff may not discuss the behavior or disabilities of a student with anyone other than the student’s parent/guardian without written consent.

All records and correspondence, including electronic records AND , that pertain to a student, are subject to the state and federal laws that regulate public records and student records. These records are subject to production upon request by a parent or subpoena.

Do not put anything in an that you would not want to be made public or read on the front page of the newspaper.

The school network and equipment is to be used for teaching, learning and class management. All passwords must be kept confidential and changed frequently. Never leave your password in an unsecured location (a desk drawer or under your keyboard). Personal phones and mobile devices should be off or set to receive silent messages during instructional times. Please review the detailed acceptable use policy available on the WPS website.

Professional Attire You are a role model for your students. Dress in a manner that is appropriate and professional.

Planning for Instruction  Plan books and seating charts must be kept current and readily available. Plan books should be specific enough to enable a substitute teacher to carry on effectively for a week in your absence.  All teachers are required to keep seating charts and records of assessment, which should be started as soon as possible, but no later than September15th.

THE END !