Out-of-county Attendance Policy

Smith County has a closed policy on out-of-county students.  No student residing in another country will be permitted to attend Smith County schools unless they were enrolled on or before September 14, 1993.  Siblings may be enrolled until the year 2000.

 

Student Transfers Within The County

The board recommends that each child attend the school in the home area;  however, at the beginning of each school year, parents may enroll their children in the school of their choice.  Once a student has enrolled, transfers to other county schools will be permitted only under the following conditions:

1. The student’s parents/legal guardian move to a new school area.

2. A student begins school outside his/her home school area at the beginning of the school year and then decides to transfer back to his/her home school.

3. If there is a school-related problem that prompts the transfer, the problem must be resolved before a transfer can occur.

4. The parents may request, in writing, to be placed on the board agenda, then appear, with the student, before the board and describe a valid reason for their request to change schools.

 

After School Detention

Detention shall constitute a feasible means of discipline or punishment by any teacher provided the following procedures and instructions are observed:

1. If detention is to be administered after the end of a school day, the student must have one day in which to advise his parents (or guardian) so that they shall be responsible for the transportation of the student home.

2. Detention shall not exceed one (1) hour after the official closing of the school day, but may be administered any number of days in succession.  This shall be at the discretion of the administering teacher.

3. If a student, with his parents’ or guardians’ support, fails to meet the detention measures, the principal may, at his discretion, suspend said student from school. If the student, after being suspended, will not be subjected to detention, the procedure for handling grievances shall be initiated.

The principal of each school has the authority to organize detention hall at his/her discretion.

 

Field Trips And Excursions

Field trips designed to stimulate student interest and to provide opportunities for social growth are considered appropriate extensions of the classroom.

To be educationally beneficial , a field trip requires thoughtful selection, careful advance preparation of the class, and opportunities for the student to summarize the experience at the conclusion of the trip. To this end, teachers and principals will be expected to consider the following factors in selecting field trips:

1. Value of the activity to the particular class group or groups.

2. Relationship of the field trip activity to a particular aspect of classroom instruction.

3. Suitability of the activity and distance  traveled in terms of age level.

4. Mode and availability of transportation.

5. Cost.

 

The following guidelines shall be followed in planning and conducting field trips and excursions:

1. Any teacher desiring to take a group of students on an educational field trip must first obtain advance approval of the principal.

2. The trip must have a definite purpose and reflect careful planning. Students should be prepared by general class discussion and/or research.

3. If bus transportation is required, the principal or his designee shall make the necessary arrangements . A fee will be charged to the school for mileage and drivers when school buses are used.

4. Signed permission forms must be obtained for every student making an off-campus trip beyond the immediate vicinity of the school. The principal shall ensure that these forms are kept on file for the remainder of the school year. The form for parental permission must include: purpose, date, time of departure and return, travel plans, destination, number of chaperones, personal expense involved, and other facts necessary for parents to be fully informed. This information is to be completed by the school before the form is signed by the parent.

5. Overnight educational trips and chaperones must be approved by the principal and board in advance. These groups must be accompanied by at least one regular staff member and other from the school who are appropriate for adequate supervision and shall be responsible for student conduct while away. There must be at least one female and one male chaperone if the trip is for a mixed group.

6. Students shall not be penalized for participating in approved school-sponsored trips and activities. Teachers shall permit students to make up class assignments missed because of a trip or activity.

7. All accidents that occur on a school-sponsored trip must be reported by the teacher to the principal immediately upon returning to school. Serious accidents involving personal injury must be reported promptly by the teacher or other members of the school staff by taking appropriate action, including sending the student to the hospital or summoning medical aid or ambulance . In cases where it is necessary to send the student to the hospital, reasonable effort must be made to notify the parents.

8. Any school-sponsored trip not meeting “educationally beneficial” criteria as defined in this section must have prior approval of the board.

Any school-sponsored trip which is both out-of-state and over-night must have prior approval of the board.

 

HOMEBOUND

The Homebound Instruction Program is for students who, because of health impairments, are unable to attend the regular instructional program. The program consists of three hours of instructions per week provided by a certified and properly endorsed teacher.

To qualify for the Homebound Program, a student must have a health impairment of sufficient seriousness to anticipate that the student will be absent minimum of ten consecutive school days. The student will be certified by an appropriate health care provider as being health impaired and unable to attend the regular instructional program. The principal, or his designee, will conduct the M-Team meeting and will develop an IEP for the student.

 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF STUDENT

Sexual harassment activity toward any student will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment is defined as conduct, advances, gestures, or words of a sexual nature which:

1. Unreasonably interferes with the student’s work or educational opportunities.

2. Creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive learning environment.

3. Implies that submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term of receiving grades or credit .

4. Implies that submission to or rejection of such conduct will be used as a basis for determining the student’s grades and/or participation in a student activity.

Victims of sexual harassment shall report these conditions to the immediate supervisor of the offending person. Confidentiality will be maintained and no reprisals or retaliation will occur as a result of good faith reporting of charges of sexual harassment.  In determining whether alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, all of the circumstances, including the nature of the conduct and the context in which the alleged conduct occurred, will be investigated.  The superintendent shall be responsible for investigating all complaints of sexual harassment. If satisfactory resolution of the complaint is not reached, the student may appeal the matter to the superintendent, and ultimately, to the board.

GRADUATION/FINAL EXAM POLICY FOR SENIORS

No high school senior shall be allowed to participate in graduation

exercises unless they have fulfilled all state requirements for a diploma as set forth in the State Minimum Rules and Regulations.

In order to finalize records, exams for seniors may be given up to five (5) days early as in accordance with the State Attendance Accounting Procedural Manual, p. 14.

Any exception to this policy must have prior approval form the Smith County Board of Education.

 

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