General Policies Harassment Complaint Procedure   The term harassment includes but is not limited to slurs, jokes, or other verbal, graphic or physical conduct relating to an individuals race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, age or handicap/disability. When a student believes that he is being harassed, the student should immediately inform the harasser that his/her behavior is unwelcome, offensive or inappropriate. If the unwelcome, offensive or inappropriate behavior continues, the student shall follow the established complaint procedure. A student shall report a complaint of harassment, orally or in writing, to the building principal or a designated employee, who shall inform the student of his/her rights and of the complaint process. A substantiated charge against a district student shall subject such student to disciplinary action, consistent with the student discipline code, and may include educational activities and/or counseling services related to unlawful harassment. If it is concluded that a student has made false accusations, the student shall be subject to disciplinary action consistent with the student discipline code. A substantiated charge against a district staff member shall subject such staff member to disciplinary action. The St. Clair Area School District is dedicated to providing each student with a comprehensive and complete education. For most children, the regular classroom activities provide the challenge necessary for academic growth. Other children may need individualized education to help them become more successful. There are various types of exceptionalities. The term exceptional includes children with physical, emotional or mental disabilities and even those who are gifted. You may think your child is exceptional because you have noticed him/her having trouble talking, hearing, understanding or that your child has special, gifted ability. If you suspect that your child is exceptional you should contact the school guidance counselor. The PA Department of Education special education standards and regulations state that each elementary aged student who experiences academic difficulty will have access to instructional support in regular education. The Instructional Support Team is an innovative program whose goals are to maximize individual student success in the regular classroom. IST is a positive, success-oriented program which uses specific assessment and intervention techniques to help remove educational, behavioral, or affective stumbling blocks for all students in regular education. Students are identified for IST services by the classroom teacher, other educators, or parents. If the interventions provided by IST do not help show improvement in the child in the regular classroom setting at the end of 30 days, the student may be referred for a multidisciplinary evaluation (MDE). The multidisciplinary team may recommend special education services. Currently, Saint Clair Area has the following types of special education programs in operation:  Gifted Support Classes  Hearing Impaired Support Classes  Learning Support Classes for Grades K-8  Itinerant Support Classes  Speech/Language Support Classes  Instructional Support Services  Occupational Therapy An exceptional child is entitled to an appropriate program of special education or training which is designed to meet his/her individual needs. This is only a brief description of the special education process. If you desire additional information or if you have a question, please contact the school guidance counselor, or support teacher. They can provide you with literature to explain the programs and your rights under special education. Remember, education is a team effort, and when the home and school work together, child success is the result.     The National Goals of Education 1.  School Readiness:  All children in America will start school ready to learn. 2.  School Completion:  The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent. 3.  Student Achievement and Citizenship:  American students will leave grades four, eight, and twelve having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter - including English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography. 4.  Teacher Education and Professional Development:   The Nations' teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to prepare students for the next century. 5.  Mathematics and Science:  U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement. 6.  Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning:  Every adult in America will be literate and will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. 7.  Safe, Disciplined, and Alcohol-, Drug-free Schools:   Every school in America will be free of drugs, violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning. 8.  Parental Participation:  Every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children. Permission to Leave Building Students are allowed to leave school early for doctor's/dentist's appointments, religious instruction classes, etc.  Parents who wish to have their son/daughter dismissed early from school must send a signed note to school indicating the date(s) of the appointment, the reason for the request, where the student is going, and the time of the requested early dismissal.  Parents must report to the office for their children at the requested time.  When returning to school, the student must report to the office. Tardiness A Little Late Is Too Late.  If you arrive late to school, report to the office for a late slip. Repeated tardiness will result in penalties and may require a parent-pupil-principal conference, and charges filed with the district magistrate. Make-up Work Students who are absent for any reason will be required to make up work missed in each class.  This work should take approximately the same time as the time missed from class. All make-up work must be in by the end of the grading period.  Only in extreme cases of prolonged absence will more than one week be allowed for work to be made up unless permission is granted by the school office.   Grades will be withheld in case make-up work is not turned in, and lead to failure if the situation is not remedied immediately. It is the student's responsibility to obtain all make-up work from his/her teachers immediately upon return to school.  Failure to obtain make-up work is no excuse for not doing work missed. Absences and Attendance Regular attendance at school is very important.   Please help your child develop a commitment for regular school attendance and getting to school on time.  If your child is going to be absent, call the school (429-2716, ext. 4) any time; if no one is here, an answering machine will record your message.   If we do not hear from you after the first two hours of school, state law requires us to contact you.  If you have no phone, we must call your emergency numbers, place of employment, etc., in an attempt to make contact.  Until such contact is made, the cause of your child's absence will be listed as "unknown."  If you have contacted the school by phone or in writing within 48 hours, the absence will be listed as a "truancy."  Children arriving at school after 8:20 a.m. must be taken to the office by a parent/guardian.  The parent/guardian must sign the child in and state the reason for tardiness.  Tardy children must obtain a tardy slip from the office before entering the classroom. Students will not be excused from school except in case of emergencies.  All work missed by students must be made up as soon as possible after returning to school. Steps to follow when returning to school: 1. Students should report to their homeroom teacher following an absence. They must bring with them a signed excuse note from their parent/guardian stating the reason for the absence and listing the dates of the days they missed.  They must submit this note within three days following the absence.  Absentee reports not signed and returned within three days will automatically make the absence unexcused.  After three unexcused days, a formal warning will be issued from the district office notifying the parent that the next offense will be subject to a fine. 2. Students who are absent more than ten (10) days in a semester will be sent a letter informing them that further absences may require a doctor's excuse. 3. Parents' who call the office to inform them of their child being ill must also send in a signed excuse note when the child returns to school. Excused Absence The following reasons for absence are valid:   illness; serious illness, death in immediate family; emergency medical or dental attention; absences approved in advance with school principal; authorized religious holidays. The following are not excusable absences in accordance with state attendance laws:  truancy; suspension; missing the school bus; trips not approved in advance; shopping; birthday or other celebrations; gainful employment. A. Educational Trips-request for educational trips which are not school sponsored, including hunting and fishing, will be considered as excused absences if prior approval is requested and granted by the principal and the duration and frequency do not interfere with the child's educational progress.  Any educational trips for which prior approval is not obtained may be considered as unexcused and/or unlawful and, if in excess of three (3) days, an official notice will be served on the parent or guardian. 1. Parents of students requesting permission for a non-school sponsored educational/family trip must complete an educational/family trip approval form which when completed will explain the reason for the request and the duration of the trip.   Parents or guardians of the student may be requested to appear personally in the office of the school principal to complete and/or submit an educational/family trip approval form and discuss the request prior to the student absence for said vacation. 2. Conditions of approval: a. Students who travel with parents after receiving prior approval of the principal shall be considered as an excused absence. b. Students will be given the opportunity to make up any class work, assignments, projects or tests that are part of the prescribed course.      1. The teacher will provide an outline of the material covered and assignments for the period of absence upon request by the student.      2. Make-up tests will be administered at the teachers' convenience.      3. All make-up work must be completed before the end of the current marking period after completion of vacation. c. Students accumulating absences of 5 or more days in the first 9 week period, 10 or more the second, 15 or more the third and 20 or more the fourth 9 week period may be refused permission. d. Educational trip policy is to be limited to no more than ten (10) days of approved absence. e. No more than one educational trip approval will be granted to a student within one school year. B. Unexcused Absences-Absences for the following reasons are either unlawful or unexcused: 1. Absence because of parental neglect, such as skiing, visiting out of town, oversleeping, missing the school bus, working at home, shopping, attendance at games, etc. 2. Absence because of any illegal employment such as pupils over sixteen years of age working in industries without a General Employment Certificate. 3. Absence because of truancy. Assemblies All students must behave courteously during school assemblies.  Students should give full attention to performers on stage and show appreciation only through clapping hands.  Whistling, shouting, and foot stomping is not appropriate and will not be tolerated.  Visitors often form a lasting impression of our behavior during an assembly program.  Students in violation of assembly rules may lose their privilege to attend future programs.