Parent Handbook 2012-2013 Visit: www.providenceschools.org
Versión en Español atrás Susan F. Lusi, Ph.D. Superintendent Providence Public School Department 797 Westminster St. Providence, RI 02903
Published for parents of the Providence School Department by the Office of Communications. Questions regarding the Parent Handbook should be directed to: Providence Public School Department - Office of Communications, 379 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 278-2813. Please be aware that policies and practices may change during the year, as they are reviewed by the school board and the school administration. The Providence School Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Providence School Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status. Cover photo: PCTA students. Science teacher Meghan Hollibaugh-Baker. Copyright Š 2012-2013 by Providence School Department. All rights reserved.
Superintendent’s Message Dear Families, Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year! As I begin my second year as the superintendent of Providence Public Schools, my first in an official capacity, I truly look forward to a new year of learning for all of our students. A new school year is a fresh and bright beginning, like a new coat of paint or the first scent of spring. As each school year unfolds, it brings new opportunities for all of our students. I love this time of year and can already feel the excitement that the first day of school brings. Soon, schools will open, buildings and desks will be cleaned, teachers will prepare their classrooms and lesson plans, students will gather their supplies and backpacks, athletic fields and school grounds will be prepared, and, finally, school doors will open. As you and your children step through those doors, I hope you will welcome the new opportunities and challenges this school year offers, such as learning new material, joining new activities or making new friends. For our parents, we hope this school year will enable you to become involved in your child’s school, whether visiting the classroom or helping with the many activities and opportunities offered to families. I believe you will find your involvement highly rewarding.
Dr. Susan F. Lusi, Superintendent
Your role in your child’s education is a vital one and one which we take very seriously. It is our responsibility to engage all of our families and to ensure that you receive timely and accurate information regarding your child’s education and the policies of the Providence School District. We hope this handbook will be helpful to you as one of many ways in which we would like to communicate from our district to your home. Our Parent Handbook is designed especially for families and includes answers to many of the questions you may have. Inside, you will see our school calendar, contact information for each school in our district, our mission statement, as well as resources for parents, including how to get involved and your rights and responsibilities in your child’s education. You will also find our policies regarding registration, school bus safety and conduct as well as our district wide student code of conduct. As you already know, you are your child’s first teacher. There are many simple, yet highly effective ways you can help your child achieve his or her potential, most of which can be done right from home and can be included in your daily routine. We understand how busy our parents may be, working two or more jobs or caring for children or family members with different levels of need. You may worry that your skills are rusty or that the learning material has changed from when you attended school. In my experience, it does not take a great deal of time or formal skills to help a child stay on the path to success. In a five-minute conversation over dinner, before bed or even at breakfast the next day, ask your child for three details about his or her school day. Children, especially teenagers, are infamous for giving a shrug and an “I don’t know” answer. Press them gently. Let them know that you care and that their education matters to you. This “three-detail” method has worked for me with my own children, and for many others. It encourages broader conversations and sets an expectation that will take root as part of your family’s educational experience. Most important to your child’s success is his or her daily attendance. As a parent or guardian, you are the only one who can make sure that your child is in school on time and ready to learn. Missing school means missing out on new skills, new material, conversations and lessons that can never be exactly duplicated through makeup work. More absences multiply this loss. Learning time in school is essential, so I ask that each of you do your very best to ensure that, unless your child has a genuine medical, religious or other unavoidable need to stay home, he or she is in school every day. I look forward to working with each of you in the year ahead and helping our Providence students to succeed in reaching their educational goals and dreams. Best regards,
Susan F. Lusi, Ph.D. Superintendent www.providenceschools.org/superintendent
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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Contents 01 03 04-07 08 09-10 11
uperintendent’s Message S School Calendar SCHOOL DIRECTORY Special Education Center, Charter Schools, Zone Configurations Vision, mission, goals & beliefs School Board Membership and Meeting Information
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ARENT INFORMATION P Parent Involvement in Education Policy Home-School Communications, Family & Community Engagement, Parent Zones Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Resolving Parental Concerns Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) Parents’ Rights Under No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) English Language Learners (ELL)
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TUDENT REGISTRATION S Eligibility Age for Enrollment, Student Assignment Policy Age Requirements, Neighborhoods & School Choice Continuing Students, Guardianship, Residency Requirement & Documentation Demographic Information Siblings, Transfers, Student Placement Administrative Placement, Wait Lists Change of Address, Applying to Classical High School or the Advanced Academic Program
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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS District Aligned Instruction System, Curriculum & Instruction Comprehensive Assessment Framework, Professional Development, Graduation Requirements Support for Students
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sPECIAL EDUCATION Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Physical Restraint Policy, Rehabilitation Act Local Advisory Committee (LAC)
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TUDENT SUCCESS - Districtwide Code of Conduct S Student Attendance, Types of Absences Discipline in Providence Schools, Behavior & Consequences Bullying and Harassment, Dating Violence/Sexual Violence Dress Code, Students with Disabilities, Inappropriate Behavior Consequence Map Definitions for Code of Conduct
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INTERNET USE
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AFETY & TRANSPORTATION S Emergency Contact Information, Closings, Early Dismissals & Late Openings Transportation, Conduct on School Buses School Breakfast & Lunch Program HEALTH & WELFARE Immunization Requirements for K-12, Administration of Medications, Dental Screening Programs Health Insurance, Hearing/Vision Tests, Medical Conditions Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies, MRSA Skin Infections, Swine Flu, Annual Asbestos Notification to Parents Tobacco Free Policy, Reporting Suspected Child Abuse & Neglect
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Contacting the Providence School DepartmenT Contact us by Location Contact us by Department
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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Elementary Schools BAILEY Robert L. Bailey, IV Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 65 Gordon Avenue (02905) Principal: Carolina Creel carolina.creel@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-1735, 1736 Fax: (401) 456-1786 Web: www.providenceschools.org/bailey 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday
FORTES Charles N. Fortes Elementary School Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through 1 The Leviton Complex – 234 Daboll Street (02907) Principal: Lori Hughes lori.hughes@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 278-0501, 0502 Fax: (401) 278-0503 Web: www.providenceschools.org/fortes 8:05-2:15 Monday-Friday
Carnevale Anthony Carnevale Elementary School Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through 5 50 Springfield Street (02909) Principal: Mari-Ellen Boisclair mari-ellen.boisclair@ppsd.org Assistant Principal: Joyce Fitzpatrick joyce.fitzpatrick@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 278-0554, 0555 Fax: (401) 278-0556 Web: www.providenceschools.org/carnevale 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday
GREGORIAN Vartan Gregorian Elementary School Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through 5 455 Wickenden Street (02903) Principal: Susan Stambler susan.stambler@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9377, 9378 Fax: (401) 453-8650 Web: www.providenceschools.org/gregorian 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday
D’ABATE William D’Abate Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 60 Kossuth Street (02909) Principal: Brent Kermen brent.kermen@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9416, 9417 Fax: (401) 453-8647 Web: www.providenceschools.org/dabate 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday FEINSTEIN AT BROAD Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School at Broad St. Grades: Kindergarten through 5 1450 Broad Street (02905) Principal: Thomas Bacon thomas.bacon@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9367, 9368 Fax: (401) 456-9489 Web: www.providenceschools.org/asfeinstein 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday FEINSTEIN AT SACKETT Lillian Feinstein Elementary School at Sackett St. Grades: Kindergarten through 5 159 Sackett Street (02907) Principal: Jose Valerio jose.valerio@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9407, 9408 Fax: (401) 453-8658 Web: www.providenceschools.org/lillianfeinstein 8:05-3:05 Monday-Friday FOGARTY Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 199 Oxford Street (02905) Principal: Carolyn Johnston carolyn.johnston@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9381, 9382, F ax: (401) 453-8649 Web: www.providenceschools.org/fogarty 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday
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KENNEDY Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 195 Nelson Street (02908) Principal: Susan DeAthos susan.deathos@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9403, 9404 Fax: (401) 453-8652 Web: www.providenceschools.org/kennedy 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday KING Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 35 Camp Street (02906) Principal: Derrick Ciesla derrick.ciesla@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Kristen Lussier kristen.lussier@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9398, 9399 Fax: (401) 456-9497 Web: www.providenceschools.org/king 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday KIZIRIAN Harry Kizirian Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 60 Camden Avenue (02908) Principal: Dina Cerra dina.cerra@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Jeffrey Scanapieco jeffrey.scanapieco@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9369, 9370 Fax: (401) 456-9496 Web: www.providenceschools.org/kizirian 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday LAURO Carl G. Lauro Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 99 Kenyon Street (02903) Principal: Linda Reigelman linda.reigelman@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Renee Grant-Kane renee.grant-kane@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Brian Purcell brian.purcell@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9391, 9392 Fax: (401) 456-9246 Web: www.providenceschools.org/lauro 8:05-2:30 Monday-Friday
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
LEVITON Leviton Dual Language School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 65 Greenwich Street (02907) Principal: Javier Montaùez javier.montanez@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 278-2872, 2874 Fax: (401) 278-2862 Web: www.providenceschools.org/leviton 8:05-2:15 Monday-Friday LIMA Alfred Lima, Sr. Elementary School Grades: 2 through 5 The Leviton Complex – 222 Daboll Street (02907) Principal: Mercedes Torres mercedes.torres@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Cheryl Merola cheryl.merola@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 278-0504, 0505 Fax: (401) 278-0506 Web: www.providenceschools.org/lima 8:05-2:15 Monday-Friday MESSER Asa Messer Elementary School @ Samuel W. Bridgham Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through 5 1655 Westminster Street (02909) Principal: Denise Missry-Millburn denise.missry-millburn@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Erica Dickson erica.dickson@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9360, 9361 Fax: (401) 453-8632 Web: www.providenceschools.org/messer 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday PLEASANT VIEW Pleasant View Elementary School Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through 5 50 Obediah Brown Road (02909) Principal: Gara B. Field gara.field@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9325, 9326 Fax: (401) 453-8656 Web: www.providenceschools.org/pleasantview 8:30-3:20 Monday-Friday (K-5) 9:30-3:20 Monday-Friday (Pre-K) RESERVOIR Reservoir Avenue Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 156 Reservoir Avenue (02907) Principal: Socorro Gomez-Potter socorro.gomez-potter@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9406, 453-8664 Fax: (401) 453-8657 Web: www.providenceschools.org/reservoir 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday SPAZIANO Frank D. Spaziano Elementary School Grades: 2 through 5 85 Laurel Hill Avenue (02909) Principal: Eusebio Lopes eusebio.lopes@ppsd.org Assistant Principal: Robin Mathis robin.mathis@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9389, 9390 Fax: (401) 453-8653 Web: www.providenceschools.org/spaziano 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
SPAZIANO ANNEX Frank D. Spaziano Annex Grades: Kindergarten through 1 240 Laban Street (02909) Principal: Eusebio Lopes eusebio.lopes@ppsd.org Assistant Principal: Robin Mathis robin.mathis@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-1783 Fax: (401) 456-1785 Web: www.providenceschools.org/spaziano 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday VEAZIE Veazie Street Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 211 Veazie Street (02904) Principal: Susan Chin susan.chin@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Joseph Cappuccilli joseph.cappuccilli@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 453-8601, 8602 Fax: (401) 453-8660 Web: www.providenceschools.org/veazie 8:05-2:15 Monday-Friday WEBSTER Webster Avenue Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 191 Webster Avenue (02909) Principal: Alicia Jones alicia.jones@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9414, 9415 Fax: (401) 453-8661 Web: www.providenceschools.org/webster 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday WEST George J. West Elementary School Grades: Kindergarten through 5 145 Beaufort Street (02908) Principal: Sandra Stuart sandra.stuart@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Kelly Spaziano kelly.spaziano@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9337, 9338 Fax: (401) 456-9487 Web: www.providenceschools.org/west 9:05-3:15 Monday-Friday Young & Woods The Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr. & Charlotte Woods Elementary School @ The B. Jae Clanton Complex Grades: Kindergarten through 5 674 Prairie Avenue (02905) Principal: Christine Riley christine.riley@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Vacant Tel: (401) 278-0515, 0516 Fax: (401) 278-0541 Web: www.providenceschools.org/youngwoods 8:05-3:05 Monday-Friday
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Middle Schools BISHOP Nathan Bishop Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 101 Sessions Street (02906) Principal: Michael Lazzareschi michael.lazzareschi@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Renee Walker renee.walker@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9344 Fax: (401) 456-9110 Web: www.providenceschools.org/bishop 8:06-2:45 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:05-2:45 Tuesday DELSESTO DelSesto Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 152 Springfield Street (02909) Principal: Dinah Larbi dinah.larbi@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Richard Bensusan richard.bensusan@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Kadesa Huffman kadesa.huffman@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 278-0557, 0558 Fax: (401) 278-0564 Web: www.providenceschools.org/delsesto 8:06-2:45 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:05-2:45 Tuesday
STUART Gilbert Stuart Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 188 Princeton Avenue (02907) Principal: Jeffrey Goss jeffrey.goss@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Michael Marino michael.marino@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Vilai Or vilai.or@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9340, 9341 Fax: (401) 453-8659 Web: www.providenceschools.org/stuart 8:00-2:45 Monday-Friday WILLIAMS Roger Williams Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 278 Thurbers Avenue (02905) Principal: Brearn Wright brearn.wright@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Jennifer Vorro jennifer.vorro@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9355, 9357 Fax: (401) 453-8631 Web: www.providenceschools.org/williams 8:05-3:28 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:05-2:27 Tuesday
GREENE Nathanael Greene Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 721 Chalkstone Avenue (02908) Principal: Nicole D. Mathis, Ph.D. nicole.mathis@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Edward Halpin edward.halpin@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Santa Iadevaia santa.iadevaia@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9347, 9348 Fax: (401) 453-8630 Web: www.providenceschools.org/greene 8:06-2:45 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:05-2:45 Tuesday HOPKINS Esek Hopkins Middle School Grades: 6 through 8 480 Charles Street (02904) Principal: Gloria Jackson gloria.jackson@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Alana Parenteau alana.parenteau@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9203, 9459 Fax: (401) 456-9226 Web: www.providenceschools.org/hopkins 8:06-2:45 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:05-2:45 Tuesday
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
High Schools ALVAREZ Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School 375 Adelaide Avenue (02907) Grades: 9 through 12 Principal: Jesse Rivers jesse.rivers@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Jonathan Mendelsohn jonathan.mendelsohn@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Kerrylin Reagan kerrylin.reagan@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-0676, 0677 Fax: (401) 456-0679 Web: www.providenceschools.org/alvarez 8:10-3:20 Monday-Friday career & tech Providence Career and Technical Academy 41 Fricker Street (02903) Grades: 9 through 12 Principal on Special Assignment: Wobberson Torchon wobberson.torchon@ppsd.org Director on Special Assignment: Ramon Torres ramon.torres@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Judy Valentine judy.valentine@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9136, 9137 Fax: (401) 456-9172 Web: www.providenceschools.org/pcta 7:30-3:30 Monday-Friday CENTRAL Central High School Grades: 9 through 12 70 Fricker Street (02903) Principal: John Hunt john.hunt@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Guy Alba guy.alba@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: K.C. Perry kcperry@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Zawadi Janice Hawkins zawadi.hawkins@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9111, 9112 Fax: (401) 456-9133 Web: www.providenceschools.org/central 8:20-3:00 Monday-Friday CLASSICAL Classical High School Grades: 9 through 12 770 Westminster Street (02903) Principal: Scott Barr scott.barr@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Brian Baldizar brian.baldizar.@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Beth Ann Battey beth.battey@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9145, 9147 Fax: (401) 456-9155 Web: www.providenceschools.org/classical 8:20-3:00 Monday-Friday
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
E3 (E-CUBED) E3 (E-Cubed) Academy (High School) Grades: 9 through 12 812 Branch Avenue (02904) Director: Regina Winkfield regina.winkfield@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: John McCarthy john.mccarthy@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-0694, 0695 Fax: (401) 456-0696 Web: www.providenceschools.org/ecubed 8:20-3:00 Monday-Friday HOPE Hope High School Complex Grades: 9 through 12 324 Hope Street (02906) Principal: Tamara Sterling tamara.sterling@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: James Larson james.larson@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Jose Aleman jose.aleman@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Leonard Kiernan leonard.kiernan@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9161 Fax: (401) 456-1747 Web: www.providenceschools.org/hope 8:20-3:00 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:20-1:41 Wednesday MOUNT PLEASANT Mount Pleasant High School Grades: 9 through 12 434 Mt. Pleasant Avenue (02908) Principal: Scott Sutherland scott.sutherland@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Christopher Coleman christopher.coleman@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Michaela Keegan michaela.keegan@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Oscar Paz oscar.paz@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Robert DeMuccio robert.demuccio@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9181, 9182 Fax: (401) 453-8655 Web: www.providenceschools.org/mountpleasant 8:00-3:05 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:57-3:05 Wednesday SANCHEZ The William B. Cooley, Sr. High School & The Providence Academy of International Studies (High School) @ The Juanita Sanchez Complex Grades: 9 through 12 182 Thurbers Avenue (02905) Principal: Janelle Clarke janelle.clarke@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Nathan Biah nathan.biah@ppsd.org Asst. Principal: Rodolfo Vargas rodolfo.vargas@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-1781, 0652 Fax: (401) 456-1782 Web: www.providenceschools.org/cooleyandpais 8:00-3:02 Monday-Friday
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Special Education Center/Charter Schools/Zone Configurations Special Education Center BIRCH Birch Vocational (High School) 434 Mt. Pleasant Avenue (02908) Coordinator: Larry Roberti larry.roberti@ppsd.org Tel: (401) 456-9198, 9199 Fax: (401) 456-9279 Web: www.providenceschools.org/birch 8:20-3:00 Monday-Friday Charter Schools Career Exploration Academy for Career Exploration (High School) Grades: 9 through 12 130 Broadway (02903) CEO Director: Lawrence DeSalvatore ldesalvator@chambers.com Tel: (401) 456-1738, 1739 Fax: (401) 521-0653 Web: www.providenceschools.org/ace 8:00-2:22 Monday-Friday TIMES2 Times Academy (Children’s Academy) Grades: Kindergarten through 6 50 Fillmore Street (02908) Dean of Students: John Reis jreis@times2.org Academic Director: Thomas Lombardi tlombardi@times2.org Tel: (401) 272-8945 Fax: (401) 272-6014 Web: www.providenceschools.org/times2 8:15-2:30 Monday-Friday 2
Times2 Academy (Middle School) Grades: 7 through 8 50 Fillmore Street (02908) Dean of Students: John Reis jreis@times2.org Academic Director: Katherine Maloney kmaloney@times2.org Tel: (401) 272-5094 Fax: (401) 272-0555 Web: www.providenceschools.org/times2 7:55-2:20 Monday-Friday Times2 Academy (High School) Grades: 9 through 12 50 Filmore Street (02908) Dean of Students: John Reis jreis@times2.org Academic Director: Katherine Maloney kmaloney@times2.org Tel: (401) 272-5094 Fax: (401) 272-0555 Web: www.providenceschools.org/times2 7:55-2:20 Monday-Friday
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Zone Configurations Acceleration Zone Dottie Smith, Executive Zone Director dorothy.smith@ppsd.org (401) 456-1770 •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
Alfred Lima, Sr. Elementary School Asa Messer Elementary School @ Bridgham Charles N. Fortes Elementary School Feinstein @ Broad Street Elementary School Frank D. Spaziano Elementary School George J. West Elementary School Harry Kizirian Elementary School Leviton Dual Language School Reservoir Avenue Elementary School Veazie Street Elementary School Webster Avenue Elementary School William D’Abate Elementary School Advancement Zone Marc Catone, Executive Zone Director marc.catone@ppsd.org (401) 456-9215
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
Anthony Carnevale Elementary School Central High School Classical High School DelSesto Middle School Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School E3 (E-Cubed) Academy (High School) Esek Hopkins Middle School Nathan Bishop Middle School Nathanael Greene Middle School Providence Career and Technical Academy Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School Vartan Gregorian Elementary School Innovation Zone Kregg Cuellar, Ph.D., Executive Zone Director kregg.cuellar@ppsd.org (401) 456-9215
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
Carl G. Lauro Elementary School Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School Gilbert Stuart Middle School Hope High School Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex Lillian Feinstein @ Sackett Street Elementary School Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School Mount Pleasant High School Pleasant View Elementary School Robert L. Bailey, IV Elementary School Roger Williams Middle School Woods Young Elementary School See page 30 of this handbook for more information on our new zone configurations.
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Vision, Mission, Goals & Beliefs Vision The Providence Public School District will be a national leader in educating urban youth. Mission The Providence Public School District will prepare all students to succeed in the nation’s colleges and universities and in their chosen professions. Goals 1. Increasing student achievement through a consistent and comprehensive focus on teaching and learning; 2. Creating capacity within the system to support and nurture a continuous learning environment focusing on student achievement; and 3. Strengthening parent and public engagement. Core Beliefs and Commitments 1. All Providence students can and must learn at high levels, reach their full potential, and succeed in school and in life. We believe— •• The potential to learn is neither fixed at birth nor determined by race or socioeconomic status; it develops over time with opportunity, challenge, and effort. •• Success includes not only academic achievement, but also social, emotional, physical, psychological, and moral development. •• Success means contributing to our society and participating in civic life. •• Schools must cultivate a love for learning, teach students how to learn, and help students develop their talents. •• Disparities in academic achievement along racial and economic lines are morally intolerable. •• Expert instruction, adequate time, and the right support can help every student succeed. We commit to creating the conditions for all students to learn at high levels and to their full potential; we commit to closing the achievement gap. •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
We will— Challenge every student and hold all students to the same clear and high expectations. Create active, vibrant learning communities with strong academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular opportunities. Measure student success by what is learned, not just by what is taught. Provide students with multiple opportunities and options to succeed. Create trusting and respectful school communities. Promote student health and wellness. Form strategic partnerships with external organizations to enhance student support services.
2. We believe Providence teachers and Providence schools can and must have a positive influence and a profound effect on our students’ lives. We believe— •• The student-teacher relationship is central to learning. •• The effective teacher assumes responsibility for what happens in the classroom and accountability for what each student learns. •• Ultimately it is the teacher who makes the difference between student success and failure. •• Schools exist to support the student-teacher relationship; the district exists to support schools. We commit to organizing our schools and all our resources to support the student-teacher relationship as the primary factor in student success. We will— •• Have a highly effective teacher in every classroom. •• Have a strong instructional leader as principal of every school. •• Set policy and allocate resources by asking how our decisions will help students learn. 3. We believe Providence schools can and must be good places to teach and good places to learn. We believe— •• Schools must be safe, caring, and orderly environments that nurture effective teaching and learning. •• Schools must value diversity among students, staff, and families. •• Students, staff, parents, and community partners must demonstrate truthful, moral, and nondiscriminatory conduct.
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The Providence School Board’s Beliefs & Commitments are available in Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer and Hmong. For copies, please call (401) 278-2813. We commit to creating schools that have positive cultures and are housed in high-quality facilities. We will— •• Maintain attractive, clean, and secure schools. •• Renovate or replace buildings as necessary to accommodate 21st century learning and serve as community anchors. •• Hold students, staff, parents, and community partners to clear and high standards of behavior. 4. We believe the Providence school district can and must be a high-performing organization. We believe— •• People and purpose drive high performance. •• We must capture the hearts and minds of our people with a clear and compelling vision for student success as well as opportunities for participation, collaboration, teamwork, and shared decision making. •• We must have visionary and distributed leadership and a relentless focus on results. •• We must deliver measurable results in return for the commitment of public resources. We commit to organizing the Providence School Department around its core business—teaching and learning. •• •• •• •• ••
We will— Hold the entire district and everyone in it accountable for student success. Target resources strictly to district priorities. Recruit, develop, support, and retain the highest-quality personnel. Operate effective instructional and business systems. Use public resources efficiently.
5. We believe Providence families and the entire Providence community can and must support our students’ success. We believe— •• Families are the first teachers of our students. •• Our community has rich cultural resources to support the education of our students. •• The school system and the community are mutually accountable to one another for student success. We commit to partnering with family and community in shaping and supporting the education of our students. We will— •• Welcome and engage families and community as valued partners and advocates for education. •• Establish good home-school communications by providing friendly ways for parents to contact us and by communicating with families in clear, straightforward language. •• Provide a range of ways for families to participate in the education of their children at home and in the schools. •• Partner with the community to connect schools, students, and families with community assets.
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School Board School Board Structure and Management The Providence School Board is a nine-member appointed board with all members serving three-year staggered terms. The Mayor establishes a nominating commission by executive order to seek and screen applicants on an annual basis. The nominating commission recommends candidates to the Mayor for appointment or re-appointment. The City Council confirms the Mayor’s final three selections before the new Board members officially assume office in January of each year. Current members, term expiration dates and e-mails are: Keith Oliveira, President........................................ 12/31/14 Magaly Sánchez, Vice President............................ 12/31/13 Natalia Rosa-Sosa, Secretary............................... 12/31/13 Barbara Wong........................................................ 12/31/14 Julian Dash............................................................ 12/31/14 Nina Pande............................................................. 12/31/13 Maila Touray.......................................................... 12/31/12 Nicholas Hemond.................................................. 12/31/12 Robert Wise............................................................ 12/31/12
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keith.oliveira@ppsd.org magaly.sanchez@ppsd.org natalia.sosa@ppsd.org barbara.wong@ppsd.org julian.dash@ppsd.org nina.pande@ppsd.org maila.touray@ppsd.org nicholas.hemond@ppsd.org robert.wise@ppsd.org
School Board Meetings There are two types of Board meetings: business and workshop. Business meetings are held on the second Monday of each month and workshops are held on the fourth Monday of each month. Meetings are moved to Tuesday if there is a holiday on the scheduled Monday meeting date. Other exceptions are indicated on the Board’s annual meeting calendar. Special meetings may be called by the Board President, by the Superintendent or by not less than four (4) board members. As required by the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act (OMA), meeting notices are posted 48 hours in advance on the Secretary of State’s Web site at www.sec.state.ri.us/etowncrier. Meeting dates and agendas are posted on School Board Web site at www. providenceschools.org/pesb. Unanticipated additions to a meeting agenda will be posted on the School Department’s Web site at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting as required by OMA. Unless otherwise noticed, all business meetings are held in the School Board room located on the 3rd floor of the Providence School Department’s administration building at 797 Westminster Street, Providence, RI, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Right to be Heard – Public Comment at Board Meetings The Board meets in public, as required by law, for the purpose of discussing and taking action on matters for which the Board is responsible. Board meetings consist of discussion among Board Members and members of the administration or invited individuals. Board meetings are meetings in public, not meetings with the public. The Board recognizes and welcomes its responsibility to receive input from the public. At the same time, responsiveness to community input must be balanced with the Board’s responsibility to ensure the integrity of its meetings so that they are both orderly and efficient. The Board seeks to ensure a clear protocol for public comment from the community at Board meetings. The primary purpose of public comment is to provide the community with an opportunity to voice their opinions about items on the agenda. An additional purpose is to provide a forum for bringing policy issues to the Board’s attention. Guidelines for Public Comment •• The Board Meeting is not the appropriate place to raise individual issues and problems. Individual matters should be brought to the Administration using processes and protocols intended to resolve these matters. •• Members of the community may address the Board at meetings on topics, and under conditions, determined by the Board. •• The amount of time allotted each speaker shall be three (3) minutes and the public comment section of the meeting shall last no more than thirty (30) minutes, unless the Board votes to extend the time. •• The Board may limit comments to less than three minutes if many community members wish to address the same issue. Groups or organizations are encouraged to appoint a spokesperson. •• Members of the public must address their comments to the Board, not the audience, and may submit comments in writing as well. •• An individual may address the Board only once during a single meeting. •• No speaker may give unused time to another speaker. •• Members of the community who wish to speak during public comment shall provide the following information in writing prior to the start of the meeting: (1) name; (2) topic to be addressed; and, (3) optional contact information. •• Board approved public comment sign-up forms shall be available in the board room 30 minutes before the start of the meeting. •• Members of the community speaking during Public Comment shall be made to feel welcome and confident that their issues shall be heard and addressed in a timely and proper manner, with appropriate follow-up by School Administration, if necessary. The board may request follow-up reports on public comments made during the meetings. •• Spanish translation is provided upon request for the Public Comment/Right to Be Heard portion of the Board meeting. Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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You have questions? We have answers! Parents, when you see 456-0686 or your school’s number on your caller ID, it’s Providence Schools calling with an important message for you! We’ll call you with important information about school and community events, attendance, test dates, school delays and cancellations, open schools & registration information.
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Parent Information Parental Involvement Research shows that when schools and families work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer and like school more. Providence Schools is fully aware that it will not be successful in reaching its student achievement goals without actively encouraging and supporting strong parent involvement. Parent involvement takes on many forms: •• Engaging in learning activities with children at home, including helping with reading skills and checking homework •• Supervising children and monitoring how they spend their time out of school •• Talking about school and what children are learning •• Attending school events, going to parent-teacher conferences, meeting with teachers, volunteering in the classroom or school •• Attending district-sponsored workshops for parents to learn about the district, curriculum, etc. •• Joining a school-based, district or community parent group •• Participating in school and district decision-making groups, such as School Improvement Teams, School Redesign Teams, Parent Advisory Councils, etc. •• Working with classroom teachers and principals to determine if there are any other creative, nontraditional ways to support students and schools *Parent Involvement in Education Policy The Providence School Board is committed to strong parent engagement and recognizes such engagement as a vital component in improving student achievement. The School Board has charged the Superintendent and staff with the task of building an infrastructure within the School Department to ensure that all parents or guardians of children enrolled in schools within the Providence School District are afforded the resources and opportunities to remain informed and involved decision-makers in the education of their children. The purpose of the Parent Involvement policy is to set forth the framework for the requirements of the District for the engagement of Parents in District programs, activities and procedures. This policy shall apply to all parents or guardians of enrolled children. It shall satisfy the requirements of all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. (*The policy can be found on our Web site at www.providenceschools.org) Administrative Authority and Responsibilities The Superintendent shall ensure that the Department, at both the District and school-based levels, establishes processes and procedures and designates staff to develop and implement meaningful outreach strategies for parent engagement. District Parent Advisory Council (PAC) The Parent Advisory Council ensures that Parents maintain an organized voice in the district; that parents are involved in decisionmaking processes and procedures, as appropriate and permitted by law; and that parent needs, concerns and issues are communicated to, addressed by, and resolved before the School Board and Superintendent regularly and effectively. The Parent Advisory Council is represented by many schools, however the District is working to recruit a PAC member in every school. The Parents within each school shall devise a method for engaging and/or selecting one Parent representative. The Superintendent shall ensure that the selection procedure actually results in a Parent Advisory Council that is roughly reflective of the District’s student population, including its racial, ethnic and socio-economic demographics. One member shall be a representative from the Special Education Local Advisory Committee and one member shall be selected by the Superintendent from the community-at-large. The Parent Council meets regularly throughout the school year. Visit www.providenceschools.org/pac to view meeting dates. Responsibility The responsibility for ensuring that parents are meaningfully engaged in their children’s education and are involved in the district’s programs, activities and initiatives, is shared by the district, schools and the parents themselves. District Responsibilities The District shall conduct, with the involvement of the Parent Advisory Council, an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of this Parent Engagement Policy in improving the academic quality of the schools. This annual evaluation may include a re-evaluation of the Policy’s content and an identification of the barriers to greater participation by Parents (with particular attention to Parents who are economically disadvantaged or disabled, or have limited English proficiency or literacy or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The District shall use the findings of such annual evaluation to design strategies for more effective Parent involvement in the forthcoming year. • •
The District shall ensure that Parents are valued as partners in their children’s education, and that all school personnel and facilities are oriented to making Parents feel welcomed. The District shall provide assistance to Parents in understanding such topics as the State’s academic content and student achievement standards, state and local academic assessments, and the monitoring and improvement of student achievement.
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We are committed to increase parent engagement in the district. For more information, visit the Family and Community Engagement Office Web page: www.providenceschools.org/face • • • • •
The District shall ensure that Parents have opportunities for input in key decision-making processes, including but not limited to, policy development, school review and improvement, school redesign and the hiring of personnel, as is appropriate and permitted by law. The District shall provide materials and training to assist Parents in working with their children to improve achievement, i.e. training/information on such topics as “balanced literacy”, the teaching of mathematics concepts and the use of technology. The District shall provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist schools in planning and implementing effective Parent involvement activities to improve student achievement and overall school performance. The District shall coordinate and integrate its Parental engagement strategies with similar strategies under other city, state or federal programs. The District shall educate school administrators and teachers about the value and utility of involvement of Parents in their children’s schools. It shall provide guidance to school administrators in how to implement and coordinate Parent programs, build strong ties between Parents and their schools, and reach out to, communicate with, and work with Parents as equal partners. The District shall strive to ensure that information conveyed at school and for Parent programs, meetings, and other activities is in a format and, to the extent practicable, language the Parents can understand.
School Staff Responsibilities The staff at each school (e.g. administrators, directors, teachers, librarians, literacy/math coaches, teacher assistants, health, clerical and custodial staff and all other personnel) shall work diligently and in good faith to ensure that Parents are meaningfully involved in the decision-making process of their school. Its efforts shall include, but not be limited, to the following: • • • • •
•
• •
School Staff shall ensure that there are Parent members active on its School Improvement Team (SIT). School Staff shall work to develop and support the efforts of organized parent groups, however designated, that seek to create an organized parent presence at the school. School Staff shall afford Parents opportunities for regular meetings or events at which Parents can formulate suggestions and participate, as appropriate and permitted by law, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and at which School Staff can respond to suggestions from and give feedback to Parents and concerns or problems raised by Parents. School Staff must involve Parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Compact. School Staff shall afford Parents multiple opportunities to meet with administrators and teachers to receive feedback on how their children are doing academically and socially; to have any questions and/or concerns addressed; to learn more about the school’s curriculum, standards and assessment tools; and, to be informed of the school’s performance, as measured by district, state, and federal standards. These meetings shall include, but not be limited to, group meetings, information forums, and individual meetings and parent-teacher conferences. To the extent possible, these meetings shall be held at times that are convenient for Parents and afford enough time so as to be meaningful. School Staff shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents a written parental involvement plan. Parents shall be notified of the plan in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practical, provided in a language the parents can understand. This plan shall be made available to the local community and be updated annually to meet the changing needs of parents and the school. School Staff must provide Parents with a readily understandable description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. School Staff must ensure that communication with Parents remains open and consistent.
Parent Rights and Responsibilities Parents have the right to submit comments and complaints about this policy to the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, RI Department of Education, The Shepard Building, 255 Westminster Street, Providence (02903). The District shall submit all Parent comments/complaints that it receives with this Parent Engagement Policy when it submits said Policy to the State. Parents also have the right to submit comments/complaints to the District if a school-based plan for improving parent involvement is not satisfactory to them, or if the performance of their school under this Parent Engagement Policy or their Compact is inadequate or problematic. Parents will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning by ensuring that their children attend school; monitoring the completion of homework and other assignments; attending school meetings, events and parent-teacher conferences; and, maintaining open and consistent communication with teachers. Shared Responsibilities for High Student Achievement Each school shall jointly develop with and distribute to Parents a School-Parent Compact that outlines the ways in which Parents, School Staff, and Students share responsibility for improved academic achievement and the means by which School Staff and Parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards. This Compact shall describe the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment
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Our Parent Involvement in Education policy is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer and Hmong. For more information, please call (401) 278-2813. that enables the children served under this part to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards, and the ways in which each Parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching; volunteering in their child’s classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time; and address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum — • • •
Parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement; Frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress; and Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities.
Parents shall be notified of the Compact in a format and style that is clear, understandable, and uniform, and to the extent practicable, written in a language that Parents can understand. The Compact shall be made available to the local community and updated annually to meet the changing needs of Parents and the school. Home-School Communications When parents and teachers stay in touch—through telephone calls, conferences, notes, and letters—students benefit. Your interest and involvement in your children’s education is vital to their academic success. Please make every effort to get to know your child’s teachers. Attend back-to-school nights, open houses, parent-teacher conferences and other school events and programs. Also we urge you to listen to all of the district’s “Parent Link” telephone messages. We realize that the responsibility to maintain active and healthy lines of communication does not rest solely with parents. The school district has a responsibility to foster strong home-school communication as well. Your requests for information–through telephone calls or in writing–will be promptly acknowledged and responded to by school district staff. If you are experiencing problems getting through or receiving a response from a school district employee, please notify your child’s principal. If the problem still persists, call the Parent Call Center at (401) 456-0686. Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) The school district’s Parent and Family Resource Center is located at 379 Washington Street, in Providence. Resources available to parents include a resource library with materials to assist parents in understanding curriculum, guides on how to help their children learn, access to community resources and multi-cultural reference books. The Center has meeting space for school personnel to meet with parents in a comfortable, welcoming setting. Center staff is available to work with parents, individually and in groups, to ensure that their needs are being met by the school district. Workshops, district monthly meetings and training opportunities for parents are held on a regular basis. The Center is also available for use by parent organizations for meetings, trainings, discussion groups, speaking engagements, etc. For more information, call 456-0686. The goal of the District’s Parent and Family Resource Center is to strengthen communications with parents and to help them become more involved in their children’s education. The Center helps to ensure that parent inquiries and concerns are answered promptly and accurately. Managed by the Family and Community Engagement Office–where appointments and walk-in services are available–the Center assists parents with specific issues and questions about their children. Parents can call (401) 456-0686 for information such as addresses, telephone numbers and hours, as well as important dates and school and district events. The Center is also available to help with parent inquiries on issues such as early dismissals, weather-related school closings, school-based issues and more. The Center is staffed by English, Spanish and Hmong speaking individuals. The hours of the Center are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, including any regular business day that the schools are not open (such as during school vacations). Parent Zones A Parent Zone in every Providence Public School is a powerful new resource for Providence families, staff and students. A Parent Zone creates opportunities for schools to welcome families into their buildings and are a strong lever to build productive partnerships with parents to support student achievement, as well as the school. A Parent Zone is a place where parent volunteers, community partners and school faculty can comfortably meet and plan activities for students and families – supporting what is being taught in school. It will be the space where parents can obtain general information about the school and other resources available to them. This space will be the go-to office to improve outreach efforts through volunteerism and easy access for networking opportunities. For more information, please call your child’s school. Volunteering Providence Schools encourages parents to volunteer at their children’s schools. There are a number of ways they can get involved. These opportunities include assisting teachers in the classroom, chaperoning on field trips, planning and running school programs, volunteering in the school office, making donations and sharing career experiences. Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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If parents are interested in volunteering in their children’s schools, they should contact their children’s school principals for more information and guidance. Our first priority when bringing in any volunteer into the schools is to ensure the safety of our students. All parent volunteers must be registered with the Family and Community Engagement Office. If a parent is interested in volunteering as a tutor or mentor he/she must be registered with Inspiring Minds. This will ensure that parents receive volunteer training, if appropriate, and are also screened through background checks. Applications are available in all schools. For more information regarding volunteering, parents should contact their children’s teacher, school principal or the Parent and Family Resource Center at (401) 456-0686. For tutoring and mentoring opportunities, call Inspiring Minds at (401) 274-3240. Resolving Parental Concerns and Complaints If you have a concern or complaint about your child’s teacher, you should first contact the teacher to resolve the issue. If you do not feel that the teacher has resolved your complaint or concern, or you simply do not feel comfortable approaching the teacher, you should then contact your child’s principal to resolve the issue. If you have a concern or complaint about your child’s principal or one of the central administrative offices, district policy, practice and/or initiatives, you should contact the Family & Community Engagement Office at 456-0686 or send an e-mail to joyce.o’connor@ppsd.org Parents also have the right to appear before the School Board to voice complaints and/or concerns. (To view the Board‘s meeting dates visit www.providenceschools.org/pesb) Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification of Parental and Family Rights FERPA is a federal privacy law that gives parents certain rights and protections with regard to their child’s education records, such as report cards, transcripts, disciplinary records, contact and family information, and class schedules. Parents have the right to inspect and review their child’s education records and to request changes under certain circumstances. The law also gives these rights to students who have reached 18 years of age. Process for Reviewing Student Records Parents must submit to their child’s principal a written request that identifies the records that they wish to inspect and review. The principal shall make arrangements for access and notify the parent of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Per law, the records must be made available to the parent within 45 days of receipt of their request. Parents have a right to special education records within ten (10) calendar days of the receipt of their request. Process for Amending Student Records Parents may also request that the school district amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. To request an amendment to student records, parents must submit a written request to the school principal. Written requests should clearly identify the part of the record to be amended and the reason(s) why this part of the record is inaccurate or misleading. If the request to amend is denied, the parent will be notified by the principal and advised of their right to a hearing to appeal the decision. Release of Student Information To protect our students’ privacy, Providence Schools cannot disclose personally identifiable information about its students to anyone other than parents or guardians without written permission (from the parent or guardian). Under FERPA, there are 10 exceptions in which personally identifiable information may be disclosed including: •
• • • • • •
Disclosures made to school officials with legitimate educational interests. School officials include: A person employed by the School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the School has outsourced services or functions it would otherwise use its own employees to perform (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, therapist, community-based organization or service agency); a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Disclosures to an organization with which PPSD has entered into an agreement to conduct a study or research on behalf of PPSD for the purpose of improving instruction. Disclosures made to another school at which the student intends to enroll. Disclosures made to state or local education authorities for auditing or evaluating federal (or state) supported education programs, or enforcing federal laws that relate to those programs. Disclosures including information the school has designated as “directory information.” Disclosures in connection with the application for or receipt of financial aid. Disclosures made to state and local juvenile justice systems or their officials. Disclosures made to accrediting organizations. Disclosures in compliance with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. Disclosures in connection with a health or safety emergency.
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• • •
If you are not receiving messages from your school, please contact your child’s principal. Please provide your child’s school with updated contact information. Student Directory Information FERPA requires that Providence Schools, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, PPSD may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow PPSD to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include: • • • • •
A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production; The annual yearbook; Honor roll or other recognition lists; Graduation programs; and Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.
Student Directory Information is information contained in a student’s education record that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. As allowed by the FERPA law, Providence Schools has identified the following items as directory information: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Name of student Address of student Student grade level Student school of attendance Participation in officially recognized activities and sports Weight and height of members of athletic teams Degrees and awards received, including honor roll and graduation lists Telephone listing (released to military only unless parent ‘opts-out’)
FERPA gives parents the right to have their child’s directory information kept private and not released to anyone, which means that the school district will not provide any of this information to the public, including military recruiters. By law, military recruiters upon request are provided with three directory information categories for high school juniors and seniors – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised PPSD that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. Parents have two options for withholding their child’s directory information. They can choose to withhold information from all sources or they can choose to withhold information from the military only. Process for Parents to ‘Opt-Out’ of Releasing Student Directory Information Parents must complete the Student Directory Information “Do Not Release” form in order to keep their child’s student directory information private and not released to the public. This form is sent home with students during the first week of school. This form must be completed and returned to the child’s school by October 15th of this school year. Providence Schools begins releasing Directory Information upon approved request by November 1st of the school year. An opt-out form can be completed at any time during the school year; however, Directory Information is available as of November 1st. Please contact your child’s principal or the Parent Call Center at 456-0686 if you have not received the Student Directory Do Not Release form. FERPA Complaint Process Parents have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school district to comply with FERPA requirements. Complaints should be sent to: Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920. Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) gives parents and students (18 years or older or emancipated) certain rights when a school conducts student surveys, collects and uses information for marketing purposes, and administers certain physical exams to students. These rights are as follows: Parental Consent is required before students can be given a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”), if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the US Department of Education – • Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; • Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family; • Sex behavior or attitudes; • Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior; • Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships; • Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers; • Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or • Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.
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Parents must receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of – • Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others. • Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding; • Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and Parents may inspect the following, upon request and before administration or use – • Protected information surveys of students; • Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and • Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum. The Providence Public School District has adopted a policy to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. Providence Schools will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. The District’s Office of Research, Planning and Accountability reviews all internal and external requests to conduct surveys to ensure that ethical procedures are documented and PPRA is followed. PPSD will also directly notify parents of students who are scheduled to participate in specific activities or surveys and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey. Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920. *Parent Rights under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) *Rhode Island has a new waiver. All NCLB requirements may not be applicable going forward from July 2012. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – the principal federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school. As part of this law, parents have clearly defined rights and choices regarding their children’s education. Specifically, NCLB includes provisions that parents be notified by the Providence School Department of the following: Right to request teacher qualifications Parents of students in Title I schools (schools that receive federal assistance due to their high poverty level) have a “right to know” about the qualifications of their child’s teachers. Parents have the right to know the following: • • • • •
Whether the teacher has met the state requirements for licensure and certification for the grade levels and subject matters in which the teacher provides instruction; Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; The college major and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher; The field of discipline of the certification or degree; and Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals (teacher aides), and if so, their qualifications.
If any parent is interested in obtaining any of the above information, he/she should submit the request in writing to: Providence Public School District, Attn: Human Resources – Teacher Qualifications, 797 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903. Right to be informed when their child is taught by a teacher who is not “highly qualified” for four or more consecutive weeks. There should be a well-prepared teacher in every classroom. A prepared teacher knows what to teach, how to teach and has command of the subject matter being taught. The definition of “highly qualified” is determined by the Rhode Island Department of Education. For more information call (401) 456-0686. Right to transfer their child from a “persistently dangerous school” or if their child is the victim of a violent criminal offense while in or on the grounds of his or her school. Parents of children in schools defined as “persistently dangerous,” according to criteria established by RIDE, will have the option to transfer their child out of the school; however, transportation is not provided. The same option is provided to parents of a child who is the victim of a violent criminal offense while in or on the grounds of his or her school. For more information call 456-0686. 18
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Questions for Your Child’s Teacher: What are my child’s strengths? Do you have concerns about my child? How does he/she get along with others? How can we work together? –RIPIN Tips Right to be part of the development of and/or review the Providence School Department parent involvement policy. Parents have a right to know about and be involved in the development of the School Department parent involvement policy, which sets forth the district’s framework for parent engagement. For more information call 456-0686. Right to be notified about the performance of their child’s school on the annual state assessment. Parents are entitled to annual updates about the performance of their child’s school on the state assessment, including information about the school’s overall strengths and weaknesses. This notification will be provided annually in writing. In addition to information about the overall school performance, parents will receive detailed information about their individual child’s assessment results. Right to receive a description of the English Language Learners (ELL) program and their options for their child. Parents of students who are currently participating in ELL programs, as well as parents whose children who have been newly identified for participation in ELL programs, are entitled to a description of the program and their rights under the law. For more information, please call 456-0686. English Language Learners (ELL) A Home Language Survey (HLS) is administered at the time of registration to identify potential English Language Learners (ELL) and their needs. The WIDA ACCESS Placement Test is also administered at the time of registration to determine if the student is in fact an English language learner and to determine the student’s level of academic English language proficiency. When possible, ELLs are also assessed in their primary language. If the student is deemed to be an English language learner, the ELL Language Assessment Teacher informs the parents of all instructional program options. ELLs are annually assessed with the ACCESS to measure English Language Proficiency progress. Parents are annually notified of their child’s test results and program placement. They may request a conference with the principal to discuss test results, program placement, or other program options. Once students exit the program, they are monitored for two years to ensure that they are progressing adequately. If students are falling behind than a plan will be put in place to ensure that the needs of the student are met either in the general education setting or, if appropriate, back in an ELL program. If your child is a student with a disability which requires an Individualized Education Plan (IEP, see page 35) or a 504 Plan (see page 37), the language instruction educational program will be utilized in coordination with your child’s existing plan. All ELL instructional programs are designed to ensure that ELLs acquire full English proficiency and meet grade-level content standards.
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High Expectations = New Requirements
The Providence School Board has adopted a policy in keeping with state regulations requiring new college –and workforce– ready performance-based graduation requirements which establish a uniformly high standard for graduation for all students in the Providence School District.
»» »» »» »» »»
Beginning with the class of 2014, to graduate students must: Earn a minimum of 21 credits. Select courses from a district-approved course of study. Complete comprehensive course assessments. Achieve at least partial proficiency on the 11th grade NECAP reading and math tests (with Level 2 proficiency or better). Successfully complete all Senior Exhibition requirements (includes written and oral presentations that demonstrate the student’s knowledge and skills).
4 4 3 3 2 2 1 2 MATH
ENGLISH
HISTORY
SCIENCE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
ART & TECHNOLOGY
ELECTIVES
See pages 32-33 of this handbook for information on current requirements.
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Student Registration Student Registration and Placement Center The Providence School Department offers one central location for all families to come and register their children to attend schools in our district: 325 Ocean Street, Providence, Rhode Island (Formerly 650 Prairie Avenue, behind the BJ Clanton School Complex/Young and Woods Elementary School) Telephone: (401) 456-9297 Fax: (401) 278-0553 Web: www.providenceschools.org/registration Hours of Operation: (As of September 2012. Please check our Website) Regular hours: Monday–Friday from 8:00am–4:00pm Summer hours: Monday–Friday from 8:00am–3:30pm Eligibility Age for Enrollment Every child who is five years of age on or before September 1st of each school year shall be eligible to attend kindergarten. For the 2012-2013 school year, a child must have been born on or before September 1, 2007 in order to be eligible for Kindergarten. There are no exceptions to this policy. Requirements for enrollment in our Schools To be able to register a child to attend our schools you must provide the following: • Proof of student identification (Birth Certificate, Passport, Green Card or Federal I-94 card) • Proof of parent / guardianship • Proof of Providence residency • Immunization and health screening records • Most recent report card / transcript for High School students who have previously attended school in another district, state or country • Most recent IEP, if applicable Student Assignment Policy The Providence Schools student assignment policy is intended to achieve four major goals: • To be fair and equitable for every child in Providence; • To provide families with greater input into the school their child will attend; • To provide students with a greater opportunity to attend neighborhood schools; • To allow siblings to attend the same school. Registration for School How do I register my child for Providence Public Schools? To register your child for attendance in Providence Public Schools, you must visit the Student Registration and Placement Center to complete the necessary forms and provide the required documents. The registration forms are available to print and fill out prior to your visit. Who may register a student for school? A parent or legal guardian is required to sign registration forms and be named on the student identification and proof of address documents provided at the time of registration. When can I register? Students who move to Providence and need an assignment for the current school year may register once Providence residency has been established. Registration for the upcoming school year has several registration periods. Please consult with the online calendar for important dates. Where can I register? The Student Registration Center is located at 325 Ocean Street, Providence, RI 02905, adjacent to the South Providence Recreation Center. What are the hours of the Student Registration Center? Regular hours for the Student Registration Center are Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm. Registrations are accepted until 3:45pm. The Registration Center is closed or has different hours for holidays and school vacation weeks, including the summer break; please check www.providenceschools.org/registration or call the Registration Center (401-456-9297) for current hours.
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Please be aware that policies and practices may change during the year, as they are reviewed by the school board and the school administration. Age Requirements How old does my child need to be to register for kindergarten? Children who are five years old on or before September 1st are eligible for Kindergarten. There are no exceptions to this cut-off date. Proof of birth date is required to complete registration. Does a child who turns 6 on September 1 register for grade 1? Children who are six years old on or before September 1st are eligible for grade 1 only if the child has completed a state-recognized or an accredited kindergarten program. How old does a child need to be to stop attending school? Rhode Island state law requires students to attend school until their 18th birthday. Can a parent choose to delay the start of kindergarten so that the child starts kindergarten when he/she ordinarily would start first grade? Yes, however, a parent cannot elect for the child to start kindergarten prior to being age-eligible. Neighborhoods & School Choice What is “School Choice”? Providence School Board policy allows for parental input with the selection (“choice”) of school. For “transition grades” – students entering kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9 – parents must complete a choice form to indicate school choices, and will have the opportunity to list four (4) schools in order of preference. For these grades only, a non-neighborhood school may be among the choices. Providence School Board policy divides available seats in the transition grades (kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9): • 80% of general education and ELL seats in each school are allocated for “neighborhood” students • 20% of general education and ELL seats in each school are allocated for “non-neighborhood” students For all other grades, choice forms are not used, and parents choose from neighborhood schools, which are designated based on the student’s residence of record. What is a neighborhood school? Providence School Board policy defines a neighborhood school as those schools that meet the School Board Transportation policy “walk zone” based on a student’s residence of record: • Kindergarten – grade 5: within 1.0 mile from the student’s residence • Grades 6 – 8: within 1.5 miles from the student’s residence • Grades 9 – 12: within 3.0 miles from the student’s residence Distances are calculated as walking mileage, using street mapping software (i.e., NOT “straight-line” / as the crow flies). Each student will have a minimum of two (2) neighborhood schools; the two (2) schools closest to the student’s residence of record will be defined as the neighborhood schools if the distance is greater than the distances defined above. Additionally, students who are enrolled in an educational program that is not offered at all schools (for example, bilingual education) will have up to two (2) schools closest to the student’s residence that offer such program defined as the neighborhood schools. How do I find my neighborhood schools? You may call or visit the Student Registration and Placement Center to obtain a listing of neighborhood schools based on your residential address. Be sure to inform the staff of your child’s educational program (e.g., regular education, bilingual, ESL) in order to identify schools appropriate for your child. Are students required to attend the school closest to their home address? Not always. For transition grades – kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9 – students are allowed to choose from both Neighborhood and Non-Neighborhood schools. For other grades, students are required to choose from Neighborhood schools only. Family preferences are one of several factors that determine a student’s placement. Are students guaranteed a seat in the school closest to their home address? PPSD makes every effort to place students at a Neighborhood school, based on the family’s preferences, however sometimes seats are not available in a particular grade or educational program, resulting in a Non-Neighborhood placement.
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The child being registered only needs to be present if the primary language spoken at home is not English. If that is the case, the child must be tested for proficiency in the English language. Continuing Students & Choice Forms Does a child need to submit anything if he/she is currently in PPSD grades PreK – 11 now and plans to be enrolled in PPSD the upcoming school year? Current PPSD PreK students entering Kindergarten: • Kindergarten choice forms will be distributed by the child’s current school for kindergarten entry. Students entering grades 6 or 9: • Transition grade choice forms will be distributed by the child’s current school for selecting the next level school (middle or high school). All other grades: • Students who are enrolled in PPSD and are not changing educational programs will be automatically advanced to the next grade in the same school • Students who are changing educational program will be advanced to the next grade in the new program in the same school to the extent that seats are available. If seats are not available, an administrative assignment to the closest school with the appropriate program will be made. Registration Timing & Placement Periods Do students who apply at the beginning of an application period have a better chance of getting into a school than a student who applies at the end of an application period? No. All applications submitted during an application period are batched together and processed according to a set of placement rules. Therefore, the point within the period when a parent/guardian submits the registration/choice form/transfer request will not affect the child’s prospects for placement in that period. However, earlier periods have an advantage over later periods. Does it matter during which period a student applies? Yes. At the end of each period, students are placed into open seats in schools. Therefore, after each period there are fewer seats available for subsequent periods of placement. Guardianship Does the name of the parent on the birth certificate need to match the name of the person registering the student? No, but if it does not match, then a legal document establishing guardianship must be presented. Only a parent or legal guardian is allowed to register a child for school. What happens if the person registering the child, requesting a transfer or entering a change of address is not in the system as the guardian? Only the parent/guardian on file may submit changes to a student file. I am a foster parent and do not have access to some of these documents. What do I do? Student Registration and Placement Center staff will work with individual cases to acquire all necessary information and documentation in order to place students with as little delay as possible. Please bring all guardianship and health information that you received for your foster child with you at the time of registration. What if the child is not living with the biological parent or legal guardian? Rhode Island state law provides guidance for these situations. However, only a parent or legal guardian is allowed to register the child for school. Residency Requirement and Documentation Are notarized letters acceptable for proof of address? PPSD requires specific documentation to prove Providence residency. If none of the standard documents are available, a notarized affidavit of a residential address attesting that you reside with someone else may be provided along with one of the required proofs of residence for the individual with whom the family lives. What should a parent/guardian do if he/she has a new address and no mail or bills have been delivered yet? The parent/guardian must submit proof of residency. Please bring all available residency information with you to the Student Registration and Placement Center at the time of registration. What if a parent states that proofs are only in the name of the spouse? If all the proofs are in the spouse’s name and the parent/guardian presents a valid marriage license, the documents will be accepted.
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What if the family lives in Section 8 or Providence Housing Authority housing and does not have rent receipts or utility bills? An original Section 8 agreement showing the parent/guardian name and dated within the past 60 days is an acceptable substitute for a copy of a lease or rental agreement. If a parent/guardian states that the family is living in a doubled up situation, what is done about proofs? There are two options: 1) The family can get provide a notarized affidavit of residential address, along with proof of residency for the person listed on the affidavit; or 2) The family can declare homelessness. What if a family is homeless? The McKinney-Vento Act details provisions for students to attend school while homeless. What if I cannot obtain a proof of residency? If you are unable to provide required proof of residency, please bring any proof you have and a full description of the circumstances that make it impossible for you to provide the required proof, and consult with the staff at the Student Registration and Placement Center. What if a parent, who completed registration six months ago but did not like the placement and therefore did not enroll their child in school, would like to try again? Do they need to bring all the residency documentation again? Yes, all documentation, including proof of residency, must be re-submitted. Immunizations & Health Screenings What are the required immunizations for entrance to schools? Are there any other requirements in addition to immunizations? Providence Public Schools follows Rhode Island Department of Health guidelines for its health requirements. In addition to upto-date immunizations, proof of physician’s exam and vision and lead screening are required for certain grades. A detailed list of required immunizations is available in the parent handbook, at the Student Registration & Placement Center, and on the PPSD website. Please review with your health care provider to ensure your child’s immunizations are current and up-to-date so that placement is not delayed. Registration and placement may be delayed if compliance with health requirements is not met. What if my child is not immunized for medical or religious reasons? A student may only be exempt from the immunization requirements for either of the two (2) reasons stated below: (i) a physician, a physician assistant, a certified registered nurse practitioner, or other licensed practitioner acting within his/ her scope of practice signs the Rhode Island Department of Health’s “Medical Immunization Exemption Certificate” provided by the school attesting that the student is exempt from a specific vaccine because of medical reasons, in accordance with ACIP recommendations, AAP guidelines, or package insert instructions; or (ii) a parent or guardian completes and signs the Department’s “Religious Immunization Exemption Certificate” provided by the Student Registration Center, attesting that immunization conflicts with the tenets of their religious beliefs. Demographic (Race & Ethnicity) Information Can a parent choose more than one category? A parent can choose only one category for ethnicity, but may choose multiple categories for race. What if a parent is insistent on choosing a category that is not listed? The categories listed are stipulated by state and federal law; in order for PPSD to be in compliance, parents must choose from among the choices provided. If a parent does not make a selection, a member of the Student Registration and Placement Center staff will make a determination and enter this information. Can a parent/guardian change the racial category of his/her child? Yes. In order to change any of the information submitted during the registration process, the parent/guardian must visit the Student Registration and Placement Center in person. English Language Learners My child is an English language learner. Do I need to do anything different for registration? How does s/he get assigned to a school? A home language survey is required for each child who is registered for Providence Schools. The survey identifies children who are in need of language assessment in order to determine appropriate educational program. Appointments for language assessment are made through the Student Registration and Placement Office at the time of registration.
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For more information on registration requirements, please visit www.providenceschools.org/registration. You can also call (401) 456-9297 or visit 325 Ocean Street, Providence. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Special Education Services My child requires Special Education Services. Do I need to do anything different for registration? How does s/he get assigned to a school? Families with children who have an IEP or require special services as part of their educational plan must register at the Student Registration and Placement Center and bring a copy of the IEP along with other registration documents. The IEP is reviewed by the Office of Special Populations in order to determine how the child’s needs will be met in Providence Schools and which schools offer provide appropriate educational services for the child. Siblings What if a parent is registering twins, triplets, etc? PPSD makes every effort to assign siblings to the same school. What if a parent wants two siblings considered for the same school, but neither child is currently assigned there? The parent must submit applications/transfer requests for each sibling. Although younger siblings are given priority at schools to which their older siblings attend, due to space constraints they are not guaranteed a seat with their sibling. Do foster children qualify as siblings? Yes. Do cousins who live in the same household qualify as siblings? No, unless they have the same legal guardian. Transfers When are parents notified if a transfer request was successful? Or not successful? Transfer requests on file are made automatically. Notices for upcoming school year transfers (i.e., effective on the first day of school for the subsequent school year) are mailed approximately 2 – 3 weeks after the close of regular placement processing periods (Periods 1 – 5). For transfers made for the current school year (such as during the last week prior to the open of school, during the month of September, at the end of the 1st marking periods and any other off-cycle processing periods), notice will be made by phone and backpack letter. There are no notifications for unsuccessful transfer requests. How many transfer requests may be submitted? Transfer requests are not limited, however, the number of wait lists one can be on is limited, and the number of actual physical transfers (“successful transfers”) is limited. My child receives special education services. Do I follow the same transfer process? It depends: Students receiving special education services and/or 504 accommodations can follow the same procedures. Students who are in a specialized classroom (either self-contained or an inclusion-type program) must be assigned to a program consistent with the student’s IEP; these transfer requests are handled by the Office of Special Populations. Contact the Special Education coordinator at your school to discuss your specific circumstances. Student Placement How are school assignments (“placements”) made? Student placements are made based on the number of seats available in a particular school, in each grade and in each educational program. For non-transition grades (grades 1 – 5, grades 7 – 8, grades 10 – 12), current students are automatically advanced to continue in their current school unless there is a transfer request, change of address or change in educational program that requires a change of school. For students newly registering for non-transition grades, students are assigned to a neighborhood school based on space available. The staff at the Student Registration and Placement Center will assist you with identifying a neighborhood school with seats available for your child’s grade and education program. If there is no space available in a neighborhood school, the Student Registration Center will assist you with identifying an appropriate school in a non-neighborhood location. For transition grades, placements are made by computerized assignment, based on the number of seats available in the school/ grade/education program and the number of students who have requested that school/grade/education program. If there are more students who have listed the school as a choice than seats available, the computer assigns students based on certain “priorities” and “random numbers.” Does a child with a “better” random number always have a better chance of getting a seat at a school? No. Random numbers are only used to break a tie between students who have the same priority.
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School Priorities If all Neighborhood seats are not filled in Placement Period 1, are seats held for future placement periods? If Neighborhood seats remain, a Neighborhood “set-aside” is made for future periods. For future periods, any other open seats (not including the set-aside) are available for both Neighborhood and Non-Neighborhood students, subject to the assignment plan. What if there are enough Neighborhood applicants to fill both Neighborhood and Non-Neighborhood allocations? The 80% Neighborhood / 20% Non-Neighborhood allocation is held throughout placement period 1. If the non-neighborhood seats are not filled, the open seats are available both Neighborhood and Non-Neighborhood students, subject to the assignment plan. Can a child assigned during transition grade placement pull in a non-transitional grade sibling during a later placement period? No. Sibling priority is applied when siblings are registering at the same time to attend Providence Schools (i.e., all are new to PPSD) or for a student who is entering a transition grade (Kindergarten, grade 6 or grade 9) and has a sibling who is already assigned and will continue to attend that school in the subsequent school year (i.e., at the time of school entry for the student entering the transition grade). What if there are more applicants than available seats for a particular school? For transition grades, placements are made by computer, based on the number of seats available in the school/grade/education program and the number of students who have requested that school/grade/education program. If there are more students who have listed the school than seats available, the computer assigns students based on certain “priorities” and “random numbers.” A wait list is created for students who do not get a seat at a school that was listed on the choice form. Placements are processed in periods according to first choice, second choice, third choice and fourth choice, and by priority status within each period. What is a “random number”? The computer assigns a random number to each student. This number is used to randomly order students who have the same priority for particular school so that school placement is equitable among those students with equal priority. Administrative Placements What happens if a student does not get a seat at any of his/her choices? If a student does not get assigned to any of his/her choices, then the student is placed at the school that is closest to the student’s residence of record and has space available. This is called an administrative placement. Wait lists Does PPSD keep wait lists when a child doesn’t get into a school? Yes. Will Neighborhood preference still apply to wait lists? Neighborhood preference applies when ordering students within a placement period. Students are first ordered by placement period – thus, any student in an earlier period has priority over any student in a later period. How and when are parents notified if their children are offered a seat in a school at which they had been wait listed? Students on wait lists are moved to an open seat via the transfer process. Transfer requests on file are made automatically. Notices for upcoming school year transfers (i.e., effective on the first day of school for the subsequent school year) are mailed approximately 2 – 3 weeks after the close of regular placement processing periods (Periods 1 – 5). For transfers made for the current school year (such as during the last week prior to the open of school, during the month of September, at the end of the 1st marking period and any other off-cycle processing periods), notice will be made by phone and backpack letter. There are no notifications for unsuccessful transfer requests. Does a parent have to take the seat if it is offered to the wait listed child? Students are automatically assigned from the wait list into the new school during placement periods and the prior school seat is forfeited. If a student no longer desires a seat at another school, the parent/guardian must notify the Student Registration and Placement Center by completing a Request to be removed from a wait list form. How much time will a parent be given to make a decision about accepting a wait listed spot in a school? None; placements are made automatically. How do parents take a child off a wait list? They must visit a Student Registration and Placement Center and sign a form. Can a student stay on a wait list even if he/she does not attending a PPSD school? Yes, so long as the child remains a Providence resident. Wait lists are open to all Providence residents regardless of their current school. 26
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Please be aware that policies and practices may change during the year, as they are reviewed by the school board and the school administration. Change of Address Our family has moved to a new address. Does my child need to change schools? It depends. Providence School Board student assignment policy requires that students who move beyond the “Neighborhood” zone for a school must transfer to their new Neighborhood school upon change of address. The policy also allows the family to choose to have the student continue at the current school through the highest grade offered, however, if the school is beyond the walk zone as defined by the School Board Transportation policy, the student may be ineligible for transportation for the remainder of his/her attendance at that school. Students who attend a school selected through the transition grade choice process (kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9) are not required to change schools upon change of address. These students may remain in the school through the highest grade offered at that school. These children are eligible for transportation throughout their attendance according to the School Board Transportation policy. Transportation Issues What happens if parents sign the waiver to provide their own transportation but later find they cannot transport their children to school? They should visit a Student Registration and Placement Center and transfer their child to a school that is within the designated walk distances. Will my child receive transportation to school? Transportation on a school bus is provided from designated bus stops for elementary school students who live more than 1.0 mile from their school and for middle school students who live more than 1.5 miles from their school. High school students who live more than 3.0 miles from their school are provided Rhode Island Public Transit Authority bus passes for transportation. Students are assigned specific busses, bus stops, and pick-up and drop-off times at the beginning of the school year and students are given bus passes reflecting this information. Can I request a special bus stop for my child? Can I request a bus stop that is based on an address other than the home address (e.g., the babysitter’s address)? Students with special health conditions may be provided transportation from their home address, rather than a bus stop, to their school. A special request for transportation must be submitted, accompanied by information from a medical professional explaining the circumstances. The Providence School Department Health Coordinator must approve the request and notify the Transportation Director of the decision before special accommodations can be made. In general, transportation is not provided to alternative locations; however, exceptions may be made based on the following criteria: • If a student is eligible for bussing, i.e., lives the required distance from school, and the parent requests an alternate site for pick-up or drop-off stop (the nearest bus stop to a day care center or a babysitter’s residence), the alternate site will only be considered if there is room on the bus that services the alternate stop. • Students who are not eligible for bussing will not be transported to accommodate alternative addresses. • A transportation waiver request may be submitted to the Transportation Department for review and a decision. Getting Your Placement How do you find out which school a student is assigned? For most of the year, notifications are mailed after each period is processed. The exception is for the week prior the opening of school through September 30th, when notice is by telephone message and backpack letter. Appeals What if a parent is unhappy with a placement? If a parent is unhappy with a placement, they may submit a transfer request. A parent may also speak with the Registration Center or the Family and Community Engagement Office. What if a parent believes the student has a health issue that makes the PPSD placement unmanageable? Individual health concerns may be discussed with the PPSD Health Office. Please call (401) 456-9317. Applying to Classical High School or the Advanced Academic Program Should students who are applying to Classical High School or the Advanced Academic Program participate in the student assignment process? Students who are applying to Classical High School or the Advanced Academic Program should participate in the student assignment process. If they do not participate and are subsequently not admitted to the desired school or advanced program, they will be eligible only for available general education seats.
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Classical High School Admissions Process All eighth (8th) grade students who wish to apply for admissions to Classical High School must take the High School Placement Test and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test the year before anticipated admissions. All students must be residents of Providence and register with the school department in order to attend. Classical High School works directly with the sending (middle) school. The sending school will receive information about testing dates, acceptances and rejections and forward a completed profile to Classical High School. After the High School Placement Test and Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test are scored, applications are reviewed and voted on by the Admissions Committee. Criteria for Admissions: • High School Placement Test • Naglieri Non-Verbal • No grades below a C • Absences – Less than 15 • Other standardized test scores (such as NECAP, Stanford 10, or Terra Nova) • Teacher Comment/Recommendation Notifications of acceptance or rejection are sent to homes and the sending schools in the middle of January. For students who have moved to Providence after the initial testing, there will be additional test dates in May and August. Appeals of the Admissions Committee (Classical High School) Parents can appeal a rejection through the sending school. Appeals of the Admissions Committee decision are made by the sending school Principal to the Principal of Classical High School after 3rd quarter or 2nd trimester report cards are issued in the Spring. Appeal letters should discuss the student’s academic ability. Middle schools must also include current standardized test scores. Decisions are issued within 4 to 6 weeks. All students must be residents of Providence and register with the school department in order to attend. These students taking the late admissions tests must provide Classical with 7th grade grades, and current 8th grade grades and current standardized test scores. Upper-class Transfers (Classical High School) Students may apply to Classical as an upper-class transfer after the end of the 3rd quarter. Grades from the prior grade, current grade and current standardized test scores are to be submitted to the Director of Guidance. A subset of the Admissions Committee evaluates upper class transfer applications. All students must be residents of Providence and register with the school department in order to attend.
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Bus Safety and Conduct Standards Our main goal is... Our main goal is to transport students safely to and from school. We are committed to maintaining a safe environment for all students and the key to that is ensuring that students demonstrate acceptable conduct and are aware of safety procedures while traveling on school buses.
The number to call regarding bus passes, routes, etc. is 456-9269. The number to call if a bus is late or didn’t arrive is 943-7536. For more information on transportation, view page 51 of this handbook.
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Students are expected to... 01. Follow bus safety rules. 02. Board and exit the bus at their assigned stop. 03. Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled time of the bus arrival. 04. Respect the property and privacy of others while at the bus stop. 05. Go directly to a seat and remain seated while the bus is moving. 06. Talk quietly, without making loud noises. 07. Avoid playing with school bus equipment. 08. Refrain from throwing objects at, on or from the school bus. 09. Never do anything that could distract the driver or other students. 10. Refrain from fighting anywhere, including on the school bus.
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new zone configurations...
We are pleased to announce a new organizational structure designed to increase and tailor supports for all schools district-wide. Providence Public Schools will reorganize schools into three zones: the Acceleration Zone, the Advancement Zone, and the Innovation Zone. This new zonebased approach allows the district to more thoughtfully allocate staff and resources to better serve and support its schools. Our primary objective through the reorganization is to support educators as we strive to reach the district’s goal of preparing all students for success in their chosen colleges and careers.
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The following beliefs and goals are foundational to this new design: Targeted support. Increase and expedite central office supports and/or services from supporting partners; provide targeted and differentiated supports based on need. Accountability. Promote mutual accountability between central office staff, school staff, and partners; design robust data systems that promote accountability for student growth. Communication. Promote transparency and clear and frequent communication between the central office and schools. Earned autonomy. Allow for flexible decision-making regarding people, time, money, and programming; afford increased autonomy in exchange for results and heightened accountability. Alignment and integration. Create better integration between school and district initiatives and programs; ensure that all activities align with school and district-wide goals. Collaboration. Instill a culture of collaboration and customer service at the central office. Resource ingenuity. Strategically allocate resources and leverage people, time, money, and partners to drive results; invest in highyield activities. Talent management. Promote teacher and leader effectiveness and provide staff with tools and strategies to be successful. Community engagement. Actively engage family and community members in school improvement efforts.
We look forward to working closely with all of you during the upcoming school year as we forge a new relationship between schools and the central office. Sincerely,
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Academic Programs Directive from Providence School Board regarding Student Instruction and Curriculum Providence will create a high-performing school district that educates all students to high standards and eliminates the achievement gap. Creating a high-performing school district requires that we redesign all of our systems to directly and effectively manage our core business of teaching and learning. We will make fundamental changes from our current loosely-coupled system of schools to a tightly-integrated high-quality school system that provides equity and access to all. We are not satisfied with incremental improvement and must create system-wide coherence and stability that effectively supports our students, teachers, administrators, parents and school communities. To bring about dramatic positive improvements in student outcomes and to enact the School Board’s Core Beliefs and Commitments, we have adopted a Strategic Direction that articulates an organized, coherent framework for an Aligned Instruction System. This Aligned Instruction System addresses the following key components for supporting teaching and learning in our schools: curriculum and instruction; comprehensive assessment framework; and professional development for teachers and principals. What is an Aligned Instruction System? An Aligned Instruction System is a set of organized strategies designed to create dramatic positive improvement in student outcomes. Establishing and operating an effective Aligned Instruction System is not simply making the current system work better. Providence’s Aligned Instruction System is not envisioned to prescribe all elements of instruction, but to give teachers freedom to teach within an environment that trains, supports, and promotes evidence-based practices and expectations for quality instruction. Curriculum and Instruction In 2008, Providence Schools initiated a multi-year initiative to develop and implement a rigorous core curriculum for each of the following subjects: math, science, English Language Arts, social studies, and physical education and health. Providence Schools chose to develop its own core curriculum, involving teachers, principals and district administrators. While it is an expensive and labor intensive process; we believe that this collaborative approach will have the greatest long-term impact. The K-12 math and science curriculum was implemented in 2009-10 with secondary English Language Arts and social studies following in 2010-11. The district began its transition to the newly adopted Common Core State Standards in 2010-2011 and began to implement Common Core aligned curriculum in English Language Arts and mathematics during the 2011-12 academic year. A newly adopted reading program aligned to the Common Core K-5 core ELA curriculum was also implemented in all elementary schools. The physical education and health curriculum will be implemented in the 2012-2013 school year and the fine and performing arts curriculum will be piloted during this school year as well. Key elements of Providence’s comprehensive curriculum and instruction are as follows: • Standards that establish clearly defined expectations for all students at all grades, as well as determine performance expectations and proficiency levels. Standards address “What must students learn?” and “How well must they learn it?” • The core curriculum includes a clearly established, system-wide set of goals and objectives that are implemented in all schools within the district. The core curriculum is aligned with national and state standards and guides instruction in all content areas at all grade levels. • Instructions varies on the needs of students. District administrators and teachers work together to identify and use instructional practices and strategies for teaching the curriculum that are grounded in current research. • The district uses high-quality, research-based instructional programs and tools to support schools in the consistent and timely delivery of the comprehensive core curriculum for all grades. English Language Arts Grades K – 5: ›› Reading Street is a comprehensive core Reading and Language Arts program. ›› My Sidewalks and Corrective Reading are intensive intervention programs for at-risk elementary students. Grades 6 – 8: ›› Glencoe Literature Anthology and Selected Core Novels are the instructional materials for core English courses. ›› Literacy Navigator is an intervention program for students who need to target specific skills in reading. ›› Writing Aviator is an on level support that focuses on students’ writing skills. ›› Language! is an intensive intervention program for students who are two or more grades behind in reading. Grades 9 – 12: ›› Glencoe Literature Series and Selected Core Novels are the instructional materials for core English courses, including Introduction to Literacy, American Literature, British Literature and World Literature. ›› Literacy Navigator is an intervention program for students who need to target specific skills in reading. ›› Writing Aviator is an on level support that focuses on students’ writing skills. ›› Language! is an intensive intervention program for students who are two or more grades behind in reading. Math Grades K – 5: ›› enVisionMATH is a comprehensive core math instructional resource that supports core mathematics instruction.
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Grades 6 – 8: ›› Connected Mathematics 2 (CMP2) is a comprehensive core math resource that supports core math instruction. ›› V-Math is a math intervention program that provides students with targeted instruction, in addition to their core math courses. ›› Transmath is an intensive math intervention program designed to support students who are performing two or more years below grade level standards in math. Grades 9 – 12: ›› Glencoe Math Series are the instructional materials for core math courses, including Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and Pre-Calculus ›› Transmath is an intensive math intervention program designed to support students who are performing two or more years below grade level standards in math. ›› Modeling with Mathematics: A Bridge to Algebra 2 is an academic course designed for students who have taken Algebra 1 and Geometry who may need practice and motivation to succeed in Algebra 2 ›› Advanced Mathematical Decision Making (AMDM) is an academic course, an alternative to Pre-Calculus, emphasizes statistics and financial applications, and prepares students to use algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and discrete mathematics to model a range of situations and solve problems. Science Grades K – 8: ›› FOSS Science Kits and McMillan Science Series Text Books are the instructional materials used to support inquiry-based science instruction. Grades 6 – 8: ›› FOSS Science Kits and Glencoe Science Series Text Books are the instructional materials used to support inquiry-based science instruction. Grades 9 – 12: ›› Pearson Biology Text Book, Glencoe Chemistry Concepts and Applications Text Book and Holt Physics Text Book are the instructional materials used to support instruction in the lab-based science courses. Comprehensive Assessment Framework The district must continually assess and review student results to determine how they are performing and what changes need to be made to meet their needs. The district will perform ongoing program evaluations to determine if the curriculum is meeting district standards, to determine that student achievement is meeting expectations and to determine that instructional programs are effective in teaching the curriculum. Professional Development The district fosters the professional growth of our teachers by implementing a Professional Development model based on adult learning research and national professional standards to better prepare district teaching staff to be highly effective, as well as “highly qualified.” Graduation Requirements The Providence Public School District has a new graduation policy, which establishes a uniformly high standard for graduation for all students. Those requirements, however, have not changed for the classes of 2012 and 2013. What are the graduation requirements for the classes of 2012 and 2013? Students must earn a minimum of 20 credits in a College/Career Ready Course of Study (4 in English, 3 in Math, 3 in Science, 3 in Social Studies, 2 in World Language, 2 in Physical Education, .5 in Art, .5 in Technology, and 2 Electives). To further support college and career readiness for all students, all will be expected to complete the following, though these are not yet formal graduation requirements: • Students must complete comprehensive course assessments. • Students must reach partial proficiency on the 11th grade NECAP reading, writing and math tests (with Level 2 proficiency). • Students must successfully complete Senior Exhibition requirements. What are the graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2014? A new graduation system has been created in an effort to support college and career readiness of students. The new graduation system provides students with two pathways for graduation, dual enrollment opportunities, an option to test-out of World Language courses, access to enhanced learning opportunities such as Advanced Placement courses, virtual learning opportunities, and internship/apprenticeship opportunities. Beginning with the graduating class of 2014, students are expected to complete four requirements to graduate. 32
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For more information regarding Academic Programs, please contact the Office of the Chief Academic Officer at (401) 453-8676. 1. Students must select courses from a district-approved course of study and must earn a minimum of 21 credits in the following areas: • 4 credits in Mathematics • 4 credits in English Language Arts • 3 credits in History • 3 credits in Science • 2 credits in Foreign Language • 2 credits in Physical Education • 0.5 credits in Art • 0.5 credits in Technology • 2 credits in electives courses 2. Students must reach partial proficiency on the 11th grade NECAP state assessment for both the reading and math tests (level 2 proficiency). 3. Students must successfully complete a Senior Exhibition. 4. Students must successfully pass their comprehensive course exams. The Providence School District high school diploma will represent a high standard of student learning based on rigorous curriculum content and instruction. For students who may be at-risk for not meeting these requirements, the Providence School District will implement an Early Warning System, a Multi-tiered System of Supports, and individualized student learning and improvement plans to identify students in need of support and the appropriate academic or other interventions that may be needed to ensure that all students are ready to succeed in their chosen paths, whether it be college or the workforce. Our students deserve no less. Support for Students School Responsibilities Your child’s school is responsible for providing you and your child with clear information about the graduation requirements. In addition, the school is responsible for providing academic support and is required to contact you if your child is falling behind or is not on-track to graduate. Student Advisories: Trusting, Personal Support Settings Student advisories support students both academically and emotionally by giving them an opportunity to bond with a trusting adult in a small group setting. Advisory groups are comprised of 12-15 students that meet with the same adult advisor for 22 minutes a week in middle school and 40 minutes a week in high school. Advisory sessions are organized around common grade-level themes, resources and lessons. Individualized Learning Plans: Setting Goals to Meet Each Student’s Needs Individual learning plans (ILPs) must be developed for every student, beginning in the sixth grade. These plans allow teachers, students and parents to set student goals related to academics, career and other personal goals. Schools must review these plans with parents at the beginning of each year to make sure that students are on track. Tips to help your child succeed Families share responsibility for their child’s success. There are several important steps you can take immediately. • • • •
Make sure that your child attends school every day, on time. Review your child’s grades and most recent state test results (NECAP). This will provide you with enough information to know if your child is on-track to graduate or falling behind. If your child scored at Level 1 (substantially below proficient in reading or math), contact your child’s guidance counselor to discuss his/her academic needs. Talk with your child about the graduation requirements. Make sure that you both understand the requirements and that you both know whether your child is on-track to graduate. Stay in constant contact with your child’s school to keep track of his/ her performance
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Your Tobacco Free Zone
Providence Schools believe that preventing tobacco use on school campuses and at school events is critical to creating and maintaining a safe, and healthy school environment and maximizes the health of students, employees and visitors and protects them from the known hazards of tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Providence Schools aim to promote and model healthy behaviors for the youth of Providence and promote a healthy learning and working environment. Research has shown that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. Our Tobacco Free policy applies whether in the classroom, on school premises, immediately adjacent to school premises, when a student or staff person is traveling to or from school, on any school bus or school related vehicle.
TOBACCO FREE ZONE
Helping Those Who Want to Quit Contact your insurance provider for assistance with smoking cessation. For more information, you can call the state quit line at (800) 784-8669. See page 55 of this handbook for more information.
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Special Education Special Education As defined by federal law, special education refers to specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. A “child with a disability” is defined as a child who is at least 3 but less than 21 years of age, who has been evaluated and found to have a disability and who, because of the disability, needs special education and related services. Providence Schools provide a continuum of special education and related services (occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, counseling, etc.) to students with disabilities. Special education services are provided in the least restrictive environment and include specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. If a parent suspects that their child may be in need of special education services, they should contact the school-based special education evaluation team. The school-based special education evaluation team includes a special education administrator, a school psychologist, school social worker and related service providers and teachers as appropriate. Overview of the Special Education Process A parent, teacher, or other individual having knowledge about the child may refer a child for consideration for special education services. When a child is referred to special education, the parent will receive a written notification receipt of this referral. The parent will also receive a formal invitation to participate as a member of the school’s evaluation team to review current academic and behavioral information and data regarding the child and determine whether there is a need for any additional data or information. The referral meeting takes place within ten (10) school days of the team’s receipt of the referral. Parental participation in this process is very important. The referral should include the following information as appropriate: • • • • • • • • •
Area(s) of concern Documentation of the modifications and interventions Documentation of the student’s response to the interventions Medical history Attendance and Assessment data Implemented behavior plans results and data School history Personal Literacy Plan Other pertinent information as needed
At the conclusion of the referral meeting, the evaluation team may decide that a comprehensive evaluation is warranted, in which case parental consent is needed to proceed. The referral team may also decide that they do not suspect the child to have a special education disability but the child may need an intervention plan to be implemented to assist the child to be successful. The team will assist with devising the intervention plan for implementation and will set a date to reconvene as appropriate. Evaluations If the school-based evaluation team and parent decide that evaluations are warranted, the evaluations should begin no later than ten (10) school days after the receipt of parental consent. This process involves collecting/analyzing psychological, medical, social history, educational, and other information and assessment, which are used to determine if the student has a condition which may significantly impact his or her educational performance, and must be conducted within sixty (60) calendar days from date of parental consent. If it is determined that a student is eligible for special education services, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) must be developed within fifteen (15) school days. Individualized Education Plan (IEP) All students with disabilities must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a written plan describing a student’s special learning needs and the special education services provided to meet those needs. The IEP team consists of parents; the student, as appropriate; a general education teacher; a special education teacher and/or provider; a local educational agency representative who can commit agency resources and is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum; and others as requested. IEP Publications and Resources can be viewed on the Web site: www.ritap.org/iep Regulations require that an IEP contain the following: • A description of the student’s present level of educational performance, as well as any concerns of the parent. • A statement of annual goals, which may also include short-term objectives. • A statement of the specially designed instruction and related services to be provided to the student. • A statement concerning the extent to which the student will participate in the general education. • The date when special services will begin including the frequency of services. • Information about how and when the student’s progress toward IEP goals will be evaluated. • A list of needed curriculum, testing and classroom modifications and accommodations. • A statement concerning the extent to which a student will participate in district and state-wide assessments. • A statement of needed transition services and goals for students 14 years of age or older.
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Easy IEP EasyIEP is a Web-based system that Providence Schools utilizes that allows users to create, store, and manage accurate Individualized Education Plans for students from any Internet access point. Student data is available within the system, eliminating duplicate data entry. The process is easy to learn and provides electronic progress tracking against IEP goals, necessary special education forms, and e-mail alerts when key IEP updates are coming due, as well as many other convenient features. The system can be accessed at the following Web site: https://go1.pcgeducation.com/riprovidence Annual Review An annual review is a scheduled IEP meeting which includes an IEP team that meets to develop, review, and revise the IEP of a student with a disability. Re-evaluation A re-evaluation is a review to decide if additional and/or updated information and evaluations are needed to determine individual needs and continued eligibility for special education and related services. A re-evaluation is required at least every three years. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - State and Federal Regulations have been published in the Federal Register and are available at www.ride.ri.gov For further clarification regarding special education please call: ›› Elementary Special Education Director: Lisa Vargas-Sinapi at 456-9263 ›› Secondary Special Education Director: Karen Vessella at 456-9413 ›› Special Education Main Office: 456-9330 Child Outreach The Providence Public Schools conducts free Child Outreach Screenings for children 3 to 5 years of age. The program provides families with information about their child’s development and offers information about other resources that are available in the community. Child Outreach is a program sponsored by the RI Department of Education and the Providence Public School Department. There are five components of the screening which are as follows: 1. Developmental – this component shows your child’s learning skills in a variety of areas: movement, language, thinking, socialization, and behavior. Your child will be doing special activities such as hopping, counting, drawing, following directions, identifying pictures and copying shapes, to name a few. 2. Speech – this screening shows how your child expresses himself/herself. After warming up through conversation your child will be asked to say a number of words. This helped to check his/her ability to pronounce certain sounds that are appropriate for your child’s age. This is called articulation. The second part of the speech screening focuses on expressive language: your child’s ability to verbally express him/herself. 3. Hearing – a screening which shows how your child’s hearing is at the time of the screening. This should never take the place of an audiological exam if you suspect your child may have a hearing loss. 4. Vision – utilizing a saving sign vision screener camera 5. Social/Emotional – this screening is a questionnaire that you are asked to fill out in helping us to determine the needs of your child, if any, in this area. Public screenings are held throughout the year at the end of each month and during a two week span of time during June. All public screenings are conducted by appointment only. If you would like to schedule an appointment you may call (401) 278-0517 or email: childoutreachscreening@ppsd.org. If you require further information, contact Mindy Mertz at (401) 456-9132 or mindy. mertz@ppsd.org. Early Childood Special Education Program The Early Childhood special education program for the Providence School Department provides and oversees services for children ages 3 to 5 who experience developmental delays or other disabilities. The Early Childhood program has five main functions: 1. Collaborate with early intervention to transition children from infant services to school district special education services as mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 2. Maintain ChildFind activities as mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 3. Assess children for eligibility for special education and related services. 4. Provide a continuum of educational placements for preschool students based on the students’ least restrictive environment. 5. Design and implement special education services (IEP) for preschool students.
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The services include: • Specially Designed Instruction • Speech and language services • Physical therapy services • Occupational therapy services • Adaptive physical education services • Vision services • Hearing services In order to be eligible for any of these services, your child must be referred to the Office of Special Populations, be evaluated and must qualify for service, per Rhode Island regulations. When determining the level of service, we must look at the strengths and needs of the child and serve the child in the least restrictive environment, or as close to the natural pre-kindergarten setting as possible. All of Providence Public Schools pre-kindergarten classes align activities with the Rhode Island Early Learning Standards. Integrated Pre-Kindergarten Peer Program Providence Schools recruits regular education students as typical peer models for its English and Bilingual Inclusion classes. There are two types of programming for Inclusion– Full Day and Half Day. The ratio of children with disabilities and the children who do not have disabilities range from 7:8 to 7:10. In order to be selected as a typical peer model for the inclusion program, a child must complete and be considered age appropriate in the following areas: • • • • •
Developmental Speech and Language Hearing Vision Social/Emotional Development
After the screening is completed, if the child’s results are age appropriate the parent is given an application. Parents can choose their first two choices of where they would like their child to attend. A lottery is conducted at the end of June in order to place the children. Due to the limited nature of the program, every child does not always get into their first or second choice. Priority is given to children who turn four by September 1. These classes are currently located in four of our elementary schools in the district – Bailey, Carnevale, Fortes, Lima, Messer, and Pleasant View. In order to schedule a screening appointment, parents should call the child outreach screening office at 278-0517 or email child outreach at childoutreachscreening@ppsd.org. Physical Restraint Policy The Providence School Department is committed to maintaining a safe school environment. We have developed procedures regarding the promotion of safety, including prevention crisis intervention, and physical restraint. These procedures promote the use of positive, preventative behavioral supports that significantly limit the need for physical intervention and restrict the use of physical force. For the complete policy, please visit the Providence Public Schools Web site: www.providenceschools.org under parents. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) is a federal civil rights law that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. The purpose of Section 504 is to ensure that no individual is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or denied access to, any program or activity based solely on their disability, regardless of whether or not the program is a direct recipient of federal funds. This includes access for students with disabilities to district before-school, after-school or summer programs. A student with a physical or mental impairment that causes substantial limitation of a major life activity may be eligible for a Section 504 plan. Referrals can be made to the school principal when there is reason to believe that the student might be disabled and require reasonable accommodations or services to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) that give the same access of a public education to all students. A parent/guardian, teachers, school staff and others concerned can make a referral for a Section 504 evaluation. For further assistance regarding this process please contact: • Your child’s School Principal • The District’s 504 Coordinator in the Office of Special Education 797 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 456-9263.
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The Local Advisory Committee, a group of parents, teachers, administrators and service providers, works on behalf of children with Individualized Education Plans. Visit www.providenceschools.org/lac for information. Local Advisory Committee (LAC) The Providence Local Advisory Committee (LAC) is a group of Providence parents, teachers, school administrators and related service providers (social workers, psychologists, speech/language pathologists, etc) working together on behalf of children with IEPs. The LAC plays a vital role in the success of special education programs and services by providing resources to parents as well as to special education staff. These resources help parents and staff deliver the best and most appropriate services to the children in their care. The LAC holds regularly scheduled meetings where child care is provided. For meetings dates, times, and locations please call Susan Hartson, Parent Liaison at 453-8628 or susan.hartson@ppsd.org or visit the Providence Schools Web site at www. providenceschools.org The LAC By-Laws can also be accessed on the Providence Schools Web site.
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Student Success District-wide Code of Conduct Grades PK-12 Community Expectations & Responsibilities All members of the Providence Public Schools community have the right to be treated respectfully by one another and have the right to a safe, orderly environment in which to learn, work or entrust their children. A Community of Learners A positive school environment is safe and encourages student engagement in learning, family and community engagement in school and supports a professional work environment. Based on the four Providence Schools’ expectations of Preparation, Respect, Future Planning, and Asking for Help, healthy school communities focus on student learning, value the contributions of each member, and support student access to an appropriate education. Schools will purposefully foster the development of relationships between students, faculty, administration and support staff around the common mission of becoming a Community of Learners. Expectations of Students Students have the responsibility to: • Come to school on time, prepared and ready to learn; • Respect self, others and property; • Plan for the future; and • Ask for help when needed. Student Rights Students have the right to: • A free and appropriate education; • Examine their school records and participate in developing their academic program; • Be free from discrimination and harassment in school; • Freedom of speech unless such expression imposes on the rights of others; • Be free from unreasonable searches and seizures; and • Be informed of, respond to, and appeal any disciplinary action taken against them. Expectations of Families Families have the responsibility to: • Ensure their child arrives at school on time, prepared to learn; • Respect their child’s education and school professionals; • Help their child plan for each day, week and year in school; • Ask for help when unable to meet the educational needs of their child; and • Reinforce Providence Schools’ conduct expectations. Family Rights Families have the right to: • Participate in planning their child’s academic program and examine school records; • The confidential maintenance of their child’s records; • Be informed of their child’s academic progress and behavior; • Visit their child’s school according to school-based protocol; and • Be informed of, respond to, and appeal any disciplinary action taken. Expectations of Teachers Teachers have the responsibility to: • Come to school on time prepared, and ready to teach; • Behave professionally and treat all members of the school community with respect; • Model and teach Providence Schools’ conduct expectations; • Create a positive learning environment; • Evaluate the progress of students; and • Communicate with parents, staff, and administrators regarding student learning and support needs. Teacher Rights Teachers have the right to: • Be treated as professionals; • Be provided with equipment, tools, and/or support necessary to perform their responsibilities; • Collaborate with parents/guardians, administrators and support staff regarding the needs of individual students; • Be informed by administrators regarding student discipline outcomes; and • Be free from discrimination and harassment.
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Administrator and Support Staff Expectations Administrators and Support Staff have the responsibility to: • Come to school on time, prepared to work; • Behave professionally and treat all members of the school community with respect; • Model and teach Providence Schools’ conduct expectations; • Create a positive learning environment; • Support effective and efficient school operations; and • Act as ambassadors for the school to students, families, faculty and community partners. Administrator and Support Staff Rights Administrators and Support Staff have the right to: • Be treated as professionals; • Be provided with equipment, tools and/or resources that will enable them to perform their responsibilities; and • Be free from discrimination and harassment. Expectations of Community Partners Community Partners have the responsibility to: • Register with the Office of Parent and Community Engagement before working directly with students in our schools; • Model and teach Providence Schools’ conduct expectations to students and collaborate with school personnel to create a positive learning environment; and • Communicate any and all concerns to school personnel and/or district staff. Community Partner Rights Community Partners have the right to: • Be treated as professionals; • Be members of the school community; • Be free from discrimination and harassment. Student Attendance Daily school attendance is a critical factor in student academic and social success. Students who attend school regularly are more successful academically, socially and emotionally. They are less likely to drop out of school and more likely to continue their education beyond high school. On May 20, 2012, Section 16-19-1 of the R.I. General Education Laws in Chapter 16-19 “entitled Compulsory Attendance,” was revised to include that no school shall use a student’s truancy or absenteeism as the sole basis for using an out-of-school suspension as a disciplinary action. According to *RI State law, students are required to regularly attend school until their 18th birthday. In January of 2011 the General Assembly of Rhode Island enacted a change in the Compulsory Attendance law. This law came into effect in July of 2011. The change in the law now requires all children who turn six (6) years old on or before September 1 of any school year and up through their 18th birthday to attend school regularly. A student is considered truant if they are not attending school regularly or if they do not have an approved alternative learning plan. (*The law can be found on our Web site at www.providenceschools. org/compulsoryattendance) The Providence School Board requires that any student who has more than ten (10) unexcused absences during a semester or twenty (20) during the entire school year shall be denied course or grade level credit unless he/she is able to demonstrate course or grade level proficiency consistent with the Providence Schools’ academic performance framework document as determined by the class teacher. Regardless of a student’s attendance record, no member of the school community should ever advise a student to stop coming to school. Types of Absences Excused: any absence verified by written note due to illness; medical, counseling or court appointment; family emergency or death; religious holidays; school-sponsored conferences and events; and school-issued suspensions. Unexcused: any absence due to family vacation, employment, poor planning or cutting class. Three (3) unexcused late arrivals equal one (1) unexcused absence. Intervention Communication with families regarding any unexcused absence is the most important intervention by schools, but ensuring regular and timely attendance requires school and family collaboration. Families have a responsibility to work with the school or ask for help from the school to develop a support plan. Students identified as having habitual attendance problems may be referred to the Student Affairs Office, Truancy Court, RI Family Court and/or the Office of Student Opportunities. 40
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Providence Schools will inform you via phone if your child is not present in class or school. Daily attendance is a critical factor in student academic and social success. Absences Up to 5 days per Semester • It is the responsibility of a parent/guardian to call the school when they know their child will be absent, and follow up with a verified letter in the case of an excused absence. • If they do not do so, it is the principal’s or designated staff’s responsibility to notify the parent/guardian of the consecutive absences by telephone and/or letter. Absences of 6 or more cumulative days or patterns of chronic unexcused absences • The principal or designated staff will attempt to determine the cause of the prolonged absences and help prevent more absences. Strategies may include home visits, daily calls, letters or referral to the Student Affairs Office and/or Rhode Island Family Court. • Any information necessary to the determination of appropriate action will be viewed by the principal, parent/guardian and necessary staff. • A parent/guardian conference will be scheduled. • At the discretion of the teacher, make up assignments can be assigned. Discipline in Providence Schools The right of each student to learn will not be compromised. Every school must ensure the safety of all members of its community. Maintaining school connectedness is the driving value for all disciplinary action. Providence Schools’ Discipline Strategy: • Maintain Clear Expectations • Teach Expectations & Related Skills • Model Expectations • Provide Positive Recognition • Consistently Deliver Consequences and Interventions Effective discipline will be implemented through effective partnerships with students, families and the community. Expectations and consequences for student conduct will reflect a balance between the responsibilities and rights of the individual and the responsibilities and rights of the school community. Providence Schools will maintain positive environments that are conducive to effective and efficient learning and value the need of students, families and staff members to feel proud of, connected to and safe in their school. Scope of Discipline It is the responsibility of all school personnel to maintain student discipline before, during and after the school day in school buildings, on school premises, at other locations while attending school-sponsored activities and while in transit to or from school. School-based Decisions Each school in the Providence Public School District has its own unique culture and community of individuals. It is essential to the success of all of our students that the individuality of each school be nurtured and celebrated. At the same time, Providence Schools understands that students move from elementary school to middle then high, and families have multiple children in multiple schools. In order to support the successful engagement of families and community partners with the Providence Schools, districtwide expectations are necessary. Therefore, every school will follow the District-wide Code of Conduct.* Schools may add additional expectations when those expectations meet the following criteria, are submitted to the District, and pass legal review: • • • •
Are enforceable; Aid teaching and learning; Can be modeled by adults; Are agreed to by the school community.
As part of each school’s school improvement plan, school-based initiatives will be designed to increase attendance and decrease disruptions to teaching and learning by building positive school cultures and maintaining school connectedness. (*The Districtwide Code of Conduct is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer and Hmong. For more information, visit the Providence Schools’ Web site at www.providenceschools.org) Behaviors and Consequences A Community of Learners The mission of public schools is to provide every student with a free and appropriate education. In order for schools to maximize the engagement of students in their education, schools must purposefully foster the development of relationships between students, faculty, administration and support staff around the common mission of becoming a Community of Learners. This prevents disruptions to teaching and learning by creating a positive learning environment, ensuring the safety of all members.
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Language of Learners It is the expectation of Providence Schools that all members of the school community refrain from swearing, or using language that stereotypes, generalizes or violates the confidential rights of others. Individual student needs should be discussed between school professionals only when discussion is intended to improve the educational outcomes of those students. It is expected that all members of the school community use language that promotes human dignity and respects individuality. Cell Phones and Personal Music Devices Cell phones must be turned off during the school day. Students may not use cell phones during the school day. All emergency calls must be directed to and from the school office. The use of personal music devices/electronics is never allowed during class time or passing time, project-based activities or cooperative learning experiences. Teachers retain the right to select and play music during class. Bullying and Harassment The Providence School Department believes that preventing bullying and/or harassment is critical for creating and maintaining a safe, secure, positive school climate and culture, which supports academic achievement, increases school engagement, respects the rights of all individuals and groups, and purposefully builds community. To protect the rights of all individuals to engage in teaching and learning, bullying and/or harassment of/by any student, teacher, administrator, staff member, parent, or community partner, participating in any sanctioned school activity is prohibited. If a student feels that he or she is being bullied and/or harassed, the student and/or his/her parent or guardian should notify the school principal and/or specific identified person in each school building responsible for receiving and following up on such incidents. If the identified staff are not available, the student and/or his/her parent or guardian may call the Parent Call Center at (401) 456-0686. Definition of Bullying and Harassment • Bullying is defined as the victimization, intimidation or mistreatment by others in the school community, based on unequal physical, psychological or social power or perceived power. • Bullying implies behaviors that can cause physical and/or emotional harm, are unwelcome, intentional, unprovoked, and usually repeated. Bullying can be verbal, physical, direct (face to face), or indirect (e.g. through another person, in writing, etc). Bullying includes cyber-bullying. • Cyber-bullying is defined as any willful and repeated harm inflicted through, but not limited to, the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. • Harassment is defined as unwelcomed, intentional, unprovoked discriminatory behavior toward an individual or individuals, motivated by prejudice based on any one or more of the following real or perceived characteristics and/or legally protected categories: race, color, religion, ethnicity/natural origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and age. Harassment includes cyber-harassment. • Cyber-harassment is defined as any willful harm inflicted through, but not limited to, the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices, motivated by prejudice based on any one or more of the real or perceived characteristics and/or legally protected categories listed above. Dating Violence/Sexual Violence The Providence School Department believes a positive school culture which respects the rights of all individuals, purposefully builds community and values school connectedness is the best way to prevent dating violence and/or sexual violence. To protect the right of all students to learn in each Providence Public School, no dating violence and/or sexual violence will be tolerated. Each member of the Providence schools’ community is responsible for reporting any observation of dating violence or sexual violence or credible information that such an act has taken place. This information should be reported to the school principal and/ or specific identified person in each school building responsible for receiving and following up on such incidents. If the identified staff person is not available, the student and/or his/her parent or guardian may call the Parent Call Center at (401) 456-0686. All school community members shall treat any allegation of dating and/or sexual violence as a confidential matter in order to protect the privacy of the victim, the alleged perpetrator, and any other involved parties. Definition of Dating Violence/Sexual Violence • Dating violence is a pattern of behavior where one person uses threats of, or actually uses physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to control his or her dating partner. • Sexual violence means sexual harassment, sexual assault, or rape. In cases of sexual violence, the perpetrator may be a stranger, acquaintance, friend, family member, or partner. ZERO Tolerance for Weapons and Violence Any students found to be in possession of a weapon, or involved in an aggravated assault will immediately be referred to the Student Affairs Office for a hearing that may result in exclusion from school from 60 days to 180 days, or for a duration in accordance with Rhode Island State Law.
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The Bullying and Harassment and Dating Violence/Sexual Violence policies can be found in their entirety at www.providenceschools.org/pesb If the weapon involved is a gun or look-alike gun or falls into a category covered by the federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, a mandatory one-year exclusion (a period of one hundred eighty calendar days) will be in effect after due process requirements are met. In all cases involving weapons or aggravated assault in school or on school grounds, the local police will be contacted. School grounds include, but are not limited to, actual property owned by the school, areas around the schools, parking lots, school-sponsored events (whether on or off school grounds), school buses and school bus stops. Dress Code Students must come to school in appropriate attire: • Pants, shirts and blouses must not be revealing/see-through. • Exposed undergarments or midriffs (belly shirts) are not acceptable. • Tank tops and tube tops must be worn with a shirt with sleeves. • Shorts and skirts must come down to the length of the student’s extended fingertips. • Spandex clothing is permitted in physical education classes only. • Hanging pocket chains, sunglasses, hats, do-rags, handkerchiefs, bandanas, gang paraphernalia and clothing that displays profanity, encourages violence or the use of drugs, alcohol or tobacco, or has sexual connotations are not permitted. • Words or images on clothing may not be vulgar or advertise alcohol, drugs or gang affiliation. • Students participating in physical education shall be allowed to wear any color of shorts or sweatpants and T-shirt without penalty. • Scarves and/or hats for religious or medical purposes are accepted and respected. Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities are expected to follow the behavioral expectations/codes of conduct specified in District’s Code of Conduct and Parent Handbook. The behavioral expectations/codes of conduct should be taught, enforced, advocated and monitored with all students so that s/he is aware of what behavior is expected at school. If a student with a disability is having behavioral concerns at school, parents and/or school personnel should request a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) to determine the function of the student’s behavior and appropriate strategies to teach and support replacement behavior. Following the assessment, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting is held to discuss appropriate instruction, behavioral interventions and supports to assist in improving the student’s learning and behavior. Students with disabilities have extra legal protections when a student’s disciplinary removal constitutes a change of placement. The maximum number of days a student with a disability can be suspended shall not exceed 10 cumulative days in a school year. Prior to the 10th day of suspension, an IEP team must meet to conduct a manifestation determination review to discuss services and determine whether the student’s behavior is a manifestation of his/her disability. If the District removes a student with a disability from a placement as result of disciplinary action, the District must continue to provide educational services so as to enable the student to continue to participate in the general education curriculum and to progress toward meeting the goals in the student’s IEP. The District must also provide, as appropriate, a functional behavioral assessment, behavior intervention services and modifications that are designed to address the behavior and improve the student’s learning and outcomes. If a parent or student has further questions or concerns regarding this process, please call the Office of Special Education at 456-9330 and ask to speak to the Special Education Director. Delivery of Consequences All members of the school community need to teach, reinforce and model expectations. They must also respond swiftly and with authority while delivering consequences to unacceptable behaviors in order for schools to facilitate the development of self-discipline in students. Systematic recognition of students’ social and academic improvement and successes may limit incidents of misbehavior. Clear and concise expectations are essential for the understanding and support of an orderly school environment by students, families, school personnel and community partners. Consequences should match the severity of the behavior as defined in the Code of Conduct. Inappropriate Behavior Consequence Map (Levels 1, 2 & 3) Every member of the Providence School Department is responsible for addressing student behaviors observed in the Scope of Discipline that compromise any student’s right to learn or threaten the safety of the school community. By School Department we mean the full complement of adults in any given building at any given time before, during or after normal school hours. Those adults include administrators, itinerant teachers, substitute teachers, non-academic instructors, evaluation and support teams, administrative substitutes and visiting central office staff. In Providence Schools, inappropriate behaviors will have consequences. Restitution is the expected foundation for building our consequence map. Choices for Making Restitution • Sincere apology (verbal or written) • Written apology includes the identification of inappropriate behavior, the identification of rule violated and an understanding of why this is unacceptable Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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• • • • • • •
Clean graffiti Return property Repair/replacement of damaged or stolen property Assisting teacher/student/custodian before or after school Make-up of academic assignment Change of seating/out of group work for a defined period of time Behavior contract
Level 1: Student behaviors addressed by the observing adult that do not meet Providence Schools’ expectation of respect and compromise the Community of Learners. The teacher is encouraged to deal with the Level 1 behaviors but retains the right to call upon an administrator to assist in the delivery of consequences or to model strategies for managing Level 1 issues in the classroom. Violation Defiance Out of seat Dress Code violation
Talking back Refusal to follow directions
Non-Compliance Cutting class No pass Calling out, yelling
Eating in class Late arrival to class Teasing, name-calling
Disrespectful language or gestures Refusal to follow directions
Possession or use of any tobacco product Coming unprepared to class Leaving class without permission Inappropriate use of personal electronics
Pushing, shoving Throwing items Bullying
Aggression Inciting violence Minor property theft Harassment
Cheating
Academic Integrity Plagiarism
Verbal arguments Minor graffiti
CONSEQUENCES to be determined in concert with administrators: Home contact Detention – before school, after school, during lunch Restitution Parental visit at school Loss of non-academic privileges School-based community service Level 2: Student behaviors requiring interaction with administration that do not meet Providence Schools’ expectation of respect and compromise the Community of Learners. All alleged criminal behaviors will automatically result in referral to the Providence Police and the Office of Student Affairs. Violation (Depending on Severity)
Gang harassment or recruitment Throwing items resulting in injury Immediate threat of harm to self Inciting physical violence Possession of weapon Leaving school building
Chronic Level 1 Behavior Fighting Sexual assault Bullying Major graffiti Threats of violence Harassment
Physical assault Extortion Major property theft Destruction of property Leaving school grounds without permission
CONSEQUENCES applied as appropriate to the severity of the offense: In addition to all those consequences and restitutions offered in Level 1: ›› In school suspension with behavior supports ›› Mediation ›› Referral for learning supports ›› In school interventions (i.e., timeout, focus room following district protocols), behavior contracting/monitoring by teacher/ teams/administrators) 44
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For more information regarding student success and the Code of Conduct, please call Roxanne Archibald, Director of Student Affairs, at (401) 456-9293. ›› ›› ›› ››
Mandatory social skills training (i.e., anger management, problem solving, aggression replacement therapy) Referral to SAO/Police/Office of Student Opportunities Two hour Friday detention with anger management workshops or other appropriate skills training program Out of school suspension (any out of school suspension requires an in-school plan for prevention/intervention to avert further problems)
Level 3: Student behaviors requiring interaction with administration and automatically resulting in a referral to the Providence Police and the Office of Student Affairs that do not meet Providence Schools’ expectation of respect and compromise the Community of Learners.
Possession of controlled substance Possession of a gun
Violation (Depending on Severity) Physical assault Sexual assault
All of the above, including: ›› Student/family advisement/counseling ›› Exclusion
CONSEQUENCES
Definitions for Code of Conduct Accommodations: Adjustments made in the classroom or learning environment of a school that provide appropriate supports for students struggling with teaching and learning by creating conditions for success. Appeal: An opportunity to formally challenge any disciplinary action. Assault: A physical act of aggression on another that is not precipitated by any physical aggression of the victim. Chronic: Three (3) or more instances of a similar behavior defined in Levels 1, 2 and 3 for which interventions are not having observable impact. Community Service: Organized and structured opportunities for students to contribute to the betterment of the school community. Conference: A non-public one-on-one conversation between a school professional and a student and/or family member regarding observed behavior that is disrupting the learning environment. A conference should include both members describing their concerns, with the responsible adult specifically describing how the observed behavior is a barrier to learning or is disrupting the learning of others. Each conference should be resolved with an agreed-upon plan for improvement. Conferences should never involve public humiliation of a student. Disability: Evaluated determination of mental retardation, hearing impairment including deafness, speech or language impairment, visual impairment including blindness, emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairment, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or requires special education and related services. Fighting: A mutually agreed to or mutually spontaneous eruption of physical aggression between two or more individuals. Intervention: Any attempt to involve the student, family, teachers, school-based support staff, community providers and/or agencies to help support improvement in behavior, teach new behaviors, motivate, and/or hold students accountable who are not upholding the expectations defined in the Code of Conduct. Graffiti: Minor - Writing or painting on property other than one’s own that cleans up easily. Major - Writing, painting or carving on property other than one’s own that is permanent. Theft: Minor - Any theft of small items such as school supplies. Major - Any theft of valuable items or school equipment involving destruction of school property, physical harassment and/or malicious intent. Non-Academic School Privileges: Any student privilege that is not an element of the fundamental education program. This does not include food, physical education class, art class, music class or field trips. Restitution: Describes a type of consequence that is developmentally appropriate, directly related to the misbehavior and intends to recover any emotional, social or physical harm inflicted. Verified Letter: Any written note on professional letterhead and/or with a parent’s signature which includes an explanation for absence that falls under the definition of Excused Absences. Weapon: A loaded or unloaded firearm or look-alike firearm or pistol, knife, razor, martial arts device, gas repellent, mace, stun gun and/or any tool or instrument that school administrative staff could reasonably conclude as being capable of inflicting bodily harm.
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United Way of
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Let your fingers do the walking Open 7 days a week 24 hours a day On the World Wide Web ProvidenceSchools.org
Visit www.providenceschools.org and find the most current news and information about the Providence School Department. Find links to our calendar, upcoming events, registration information, school profiles, newsletters, Facebook page, Parent-Teacher Organizations, School Improvement Teams, community partnerships, Parent Zones, School Board meetings, and much more! 46
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Internet Acceptable Use Policy Policy and Purpose • The Providence School Department provides access to our computer network to students and staff so as to promote and enhance the learning of our students through communication, innovation and sharing of resources. • The Providence School Board supports access by staff and students to rich educational resources available on the Internet. The use of the internet must be for educational and research activities and be consistent with the educational objectives of the Providence School Department. • Staff and students will be instructed on the appropriate use of the internet. Parents will be required to sign a permissions form to allow their students to access the internet. Staff and students will sign a form acknowledging they have read and understand the Internet Acceptable Use Policy which includes submittal of PPSD online forms (IAUP), that they will comply with the policy and understand the consequences for violating the policy. • All staff and students of the Providence School Department take full responsibility for their own actions in regards to the use of handling of the technology and the use of the internet, network and email • The Providence School Department makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service it is providing. The Providence School Department will not be responsible for any damages the user suffers, including but not limited to the loss of data, delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence or the users’ errors or omissions. • Individual users are solely responsible for all charges and fees that they may incur in using the network, including outside telephone, printing, and merchandise purchases made through the network. The Providence School Department is not a part to such transactions and shall not for any costs or damages, whether direct or indirect, arising out of the network transactions by the user. • The Providence school Department’s computer network belongs solely to the Providence school Department, and any files, records, electronic mail or other communication may be examined, edited, or deleted by the Providence School Department at any time, in accordance with the Providence School Department’s policy or regulations. In general, electronic mail in personal accounts will not be inspected without the consent of the sender or a recipient, except as necessary to investigate a complaint. Acceptable Use of the Internet • Acceptable use of computers and related devices, networks, and internet access is any use, which is consistent with the educational objectives of the Providence School Department. The internet offers a wealth of information, the opportunity for the exchange of ideas and information, and the possibility of collaborative work. • All communications should be polite with appropriate language use. Use of computers, networks, network equipment and internet access is a privilege for staff and students and not a right. We expect staff and students to use these tools in a responsible manner for educational purposes and to be considerate of all other users. • Student personal information (including, but not limited to; names, phone numbers, addresses, etc.) will not be entered, transmitted, or posted over the internet for public use without prior written authorization by school administration. • Students will never agree to meet someone they have met on-line without parental written approval. Parents who agree to such a meeting are responsible for arranging appropriate supervision. Staff and students will not use the network or the internet in such a way as to disrupt access by others (such as downloading huge files, sending mass email messages, or annoying/harassing other users). Respect the privacy of other users – all communications and information is the property of the Providence School Department. Unacceptable Use of the Internet • The following regulations for unacceptable use of computing devices using voice, video, and data networks, including the internet, will apply to all PPSD administrators, faculty, staff, and students. • It is unacceptable to use the network and the internet in any way to promote or engage in any activities which are deemed criminal under federal, state, or local laws, including but not limited to copyright, credit card and electronic forgery laws or anything that is not within the scope of education use. • It is unacceptable use to maliciously attempt to hard or destroy the hardware or data of another user, whether in school or any site connected to the internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the creation and spreading of computer viruses. It is also unacceptable use to attempt to use or discover another’s password or account. • It is unacceptable for users to let other persons (other than authorized staff members) use their name, logon password, or files for any reason. User passwords do not guarantee confidentiality. • It is unacceptable for users to impersonate another user or attempt unauthorized entry into a network. • Users will not knowingly spread viruses and/or attempt to destroy shared files, or files not belonging to them. • It is unacceptable for users to delete, erase, rename, or make unusable another person’s computer files, programs, or storage media, including department shared documents. Personal use of the computers for non-work related activities such as game playing is not acceptable during the work day. • It is unacceptable and prohibited for users to disclose, use and disseminate personal information of another person, or any information (i.e., social security numbers, pictures, full name, home address, or home phone number) regarding students, administrators, staff, and employees of the district without permission of the individual /parent/guardian or when required by law. • It is unacceptable for users to install wireless access points and/or wireless routers without the authorization from the Technology office. Technology configures, secures, and manages devices on the network. Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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Obtain a copy of the Internet Acceptable Use Policy at your children’s schools or the School Board Policy section of the Providence Schools’ Web site at www.providenceschools.org/pesb •
•
Prior to the use of personal computers/laptops/tablets/or any other electronic devices on the district’s network, users due to security and network safety reasons, must get approval from the technology department /and have one’s personal equipment processed and checked before logging on to the PPSD network (i.e. Do not attempt to connect personal computers to the network by wired cable or wireless access). It is unacceptable use to send or receive any data which is profane or obscene that advocates illegal acts, that advocate violence or discrimination toward people or organizations, or that is not within the scope of educational use. It is unacceptable use to engage in activity for private or financial gain.
Filtering • The Providence School Department complies with CIPA, the Children Information Protection Act. CIPA requires that schools and libraries receive specific federal funds must certify to the funding agency that they have in place an Internet Safety Policy. This policy requires blocking access to obscenity, child pornography, or, as to students, material harmful to minors. *In accordance with all elements and regulations of CIPA. This policy also prohibits hacking, disclosure of personal information concerning children, and unlawful activities involving children online. It also provides for the safety and security of minors while using electronic mail and other forms of electronic communication. It also mandates that schools must educate minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and also include cyber bullying awareness and response. • The internet will be filtered, in accordance with CIPA to limit users to educationally appropriate sites, as determined by the Providence School Board. At the same time, the Providence School Department is aware that material on the internet is uncensored and we can make no guarantee that information found on the internet will be reliable or inoffensive. The filtering system may be disabled by a teacher for students and by the administration for bona fide research or other lawful purposes • In addition to the filter, Staff members will exercise sound judgment and responsibility when giving students assignments using the Internet as a resource. Students should have specific information objectives and search strategies formulated before they access the internet. The staff member initiating the assignment must diligently supervise students using the internet to prevent unacceptable or inappropriate use of this resource. This supervision should be understood to mean continuous monitoring of students in computer labs, classrooms or media centers. Staff should guide students in the selection and evaluation of education materials. Assist students to develop safe practices while learning in an online world, particularly when the educational experience involves email, and other forms of direct electronic communications. Responsibilities of School Staff While Working With Students: • Staff members assigning or permitting Internet use to meet an information need will review and evaluate on-line resources to assure they are appropriate and applicable to the curricular needs of the assignment and the developmental level of the student(s). • Staff member in charge of the activity must monitor student computer use. • Staff members will provide instruction to students (appropriate to the student’s ability/developmental level) on the following topics: Guiding students in the efficient use of appropriate on-line resources. Notifying students that the use of computers, the PPSD network, and the internet is a privilege and not a right. Providing information to raise student awareness of cyber safety issues. Providing information related to plagiarism and the use of on-line sources and/or information. Following established PPSD Internet Acceptable Use Policy. Ensure that all use of technology is instructionally appropriate and supports PPSD outcomes. E-Mail • E-mail is a communication tool and should not be used as a file store. • E-mail communications sent or received on PPSD school system computers may be subject to public disclosure and may be subject to use in legal proceedings. • Users agree not to allow others to use their PPSD account. • Users are required to maintain individual mailboxes and are expected to purge messages no longer needed on a regular basis this includes PPSD Spam Filter. • E-mail users are prohibited from initiating or propagating electronic chain letters. • Inappropriate mass-mailings are prohibited. This includes multiple mailings to distribution groups or individuals within PPSD e-mail address book. This also includes mass-solicitation for personal activities or personal gain. • E-mail Archive is maintained to meet Federal Guidelines on all incoming and outgoing e-mail on each user’s account. Violation of Policy • General school rules and policies apply to all school computer use, internet activity and communication. • If a user is found to be in violation of any of the statement detailed in the above mentioned policy, all network and internet rights and privileges will be suspended until an investigation is conducted. • Upon completion of the investigation a decision will be given by the Building Administrator(s) to revoke or reinstate the computer user’s privileges. Such violations may also result in further disciplinary measures or legal actions.
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Volunteering In Our Schools Parent involvement is needed in various ways at our schools. Volunteering in school can be a fun and rewarding experience! Plus, students will be encouraged to do their best knowing you will be there to help. If you’re interested in getting involved, contact your school for more information. We know that it may be difficult to participate because of other obligations, but helping out, even for an hour, makes a huge difference in our schools and to your child. If you have questions, speak to your child’s principal or call the Parent Resource Center at (401) 456-0686. Parents can get involved in parent groups (PTO/PTA), the Parent Advisory Council (PAC), the School Improvement Team, after-school programs, by helping in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, planning and assisting with school activities.
Helping Families and Students
For information on parental involvement, view pages 13-16 of this handbook.
If you’re a parent or high school student and have lost your home due to fire or other circumstances including domestic violence, hardship, or if you are living in a shelter, with other family members or friends, call the Parent Resource Center at 456-0686. Many of our families are facing difficult times. The Parent Resource Center has up-to-date information on local resources and services that can help families get on their feet again. Sometimes you just don’t know where to go or who to call. We can help you! We can help you: ›› Find temporary housing in local shelters and group homes ›› Find counseling and transportation ›› Find crisis intervention counseling ›› Find individual counseling ›› Find resources in the school and district
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Our school profiles are easy to read and made just for you...
School Profiles are booklets for parents of children in Providence Public Schools. Our booklets are issued right before the registration process begins and feature important information from each school in the system: our students, administrators, programs, student life, learning supports, partner organizations, and adequate yearly progress. This important information can help you choose the school that is right for your child. Visit www.providenceschools.org/profiles to find the most current profile booklets or call (401) 278-2813.
Call (866) 208-9465 and listen to your messages If you’ve missed a call from your child’s school or the district, you can call (866) 208-9465 and listen to any and/or all the messages we’ve sent to you. We call to invite you to parent-teacher meetings, parent conferences, school board sessions, and special events. 50
Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Safety & Transportation Emergency Contact Information It is important that parents provide the school with up-to-date telephone numbers, addresses, e-mails and the names of people to contact in case of emergency. If any of the information changes during the course of the school year, including those people with permission to pick up a child from school, parents must contact the school office immediately. School personnel will require photo identification from anyone who comes to school to pick up a child. Emergency School Closings, Early Dismissals and Late Openings Schools may be closed or school schedules may be changed due to inclement weather or a building emergency, such as a fire, a boiler failure or a water problem. School closings and changes will be posted on our Web site: www.providenceschools.org, shared on our district Facebook page, and communicated through the following media outlets affiliated with the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association: Television: WLNE (ABC – Channel 6) WJAR (NBC – Channel 10) WPRI (CBS – Channel 12) WSBE (PBS – Channel 36) Telemundo 50 (Spanish) WNAC (FOX – Channel 64)
FM Radio: WRNI FM 88.1 WPRO FM 92.3 WSNE FM 93.3 WHJY FM 94.1 WBRU FM 95.5 WCRI FM 95.9 WCTK FM 98.1 WJZS FM 99.3 Latina FM 100.3 (Spanish) WWBB FM 101.5 WRNI FM 102.7 WEEI FM 103.7 WWLI FM 105.1 WWKX FM 106.3
AM Radio: WPRO AM 630 WSKO AM 790 WHJJ AM 920 WPMZ AM 1110 (Spanish) WRIB AM 1220 WOON AM 1240 WELH AM 1290 (Spanish) WNBH AM 1340 WNRI AM 1380 WADK AM 1540 WARV AM 1590
Additionally, parents will be contacted via the district’s “Parent Link” telephone message system. There will be no announcement if school hours are not being adjusted. No special broadcast or message is made for an early closing or late opening that is published in the school calendar. Transportation For the 2012-2013 school year bus passes will only be given according to Providence School Board policy. The following is the mileage requirements for student transportation: Elementary School 1 mile and above
Middle School 1 ½ miles and above
High School* 3 miles and above
*For the 2012-2013 school year, PPSD will be conducting a pilot study for school Freshmen. Ninth grade school students will be eligible for a bus pass if they are 2 miles and above from school. Exceptions to this policy will only be for students with special needs. For medical issues, a student’s physician must submit a written document stating the reason why the student must be provided transportation. Please note that the document must be sent directly to the attention of: Donna O’Connor, 182 Thurbers Avenue, Providence, R.I. 02905. For all students who have a special education case manager, the request for transportation must come from that manager or a Special Education supervisor. For additional information contact Special Education at 401-456-9330. Conduct on School Buses Appropriate student behavior is essential to the safe operation of the school bus. The slightest distraction to the driver may have significant student safety consequences. Riding the school bus is a privilege. This privilege may be temporarily denied or permanently revoked if misconduct jeopardizes the safe operation of the school bus or the safety of students riding the bus. School suspension is a possible sanction for bus misconduct. Student Supervision The school district has supervisory responsibility of elementary and middle school children once they board the bus in the morning. Parents are responsible for the supervision and safety of elementary and middle school students receiving bus transportation from the time these children leave home in the morning until the time they board the school bus. The same rule applies at the time of discharge from the bus on the way home from school. Students 7 years old and younger will not be left at the bus stop unless a designated adult is there to greet them. If no adult is present at the time the bus arrives at the bus stop, the bus driver and bus monitor will keep the child on the bus and bring him/her to the bus yard where the parents may then pick up their child. Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
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Please be aware that policies and practices may change during the year, as they are reviewed by the school board and the school administration. Protocol on Bussing to Day Care/Babysitting Sites If a student is eligible for bussing to their home, i.e. lives the required distance from school (1 mile for elementary students, 1 ½ for middle school students) and the parent requests an alternate site for drop off at the nearest bus stop to a day care center or a babysitter’s residence, the alternate site will only be considered if there is room on the bus to the alternate address. Students who are not eligible for bussing will not be transported to accommodate alternative addresses. Alternative drop off sites will only be considered if the student is eligible for bussing. School Breakfast and Lunch Program School meals are an extension of a school’s health and nutrition program and help children develop a taste for nutritious foods. Providence Schools offers breakfast (at no cost) and lunch daily to students at full price, reduced-price, and at no cost, depending upon eligibility standards established by the federal government. Breakfast meals include a half pint of milk, a half cup serving of fruit or juice, and two servings of a bread product. The lunch meal includes a half pint of milk, two or more servings of fruit or vegetable, one or more servings of bread, and a serving of a protein food such as chicken, fish, beef or cheese.
2012 – 2013 School Breakfast/Lunch Prices Breakfast Lunch
Elementary
Free
Elementary
$1.35
Secondary
Free
Secondary
$1.45
Milk
$ .50
Reduced Lunch
$ .40
Free and Reduced-price Meals If you believe your child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, you are encouraged to complete a Meal Benefit Form and return it to your child’s school. The information provided on the application is confidential. All children are treated the same regardless of ability to pay. In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age, economic status or disability. Families may apply for free or reduced-price meals any time during the school year by requesting an application from their child’s school. Parents will be notified when the application is approved or denied.
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Health & Welfare Immunization Requirements for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Effective August 1, 2012, students must receive the following immunizations prior to their enrollment: • Hepatitis B #1, Hepatitis B #2, and Hepatitis B #3 • Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTap) (series) • Tdap vaccine (7th grade) • Inactivated Polio Vaccine (series) • Varicella (VAR) (commonly known as Chicken Pox) (two doses in K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grade) • Meningitis (7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grade) • Tuberculosis Skin Test (P.P.D) - (all children who have immigrated from outside the contiguous United States, families with known TB infection and children known to have lived or been outside the contiguous United States for longer than 90 days must provide evidence of current P.P.D.) • Lead Screening (required for Kindergarten students only) • Measles, Mumps and Rubella (two doses are required upon school entrance) School & Sports Physicals All students enrolling in the Providence Public School District are required to present an up-to-date written physical administered by a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse-practitioner if coming from outside the state of Rhode Island. Additionally, students entering the 7th grade are required to provide an updated physical (there is a six-month grace period to make one available). Prior to trying out for a school sport, all athletes must provide a sports physical administered by a doctor or physician’s assistant within 30 days prior to the start of the sports season. One sports physical per year is sufficient. Forms for the physicals may be obtained from the student’s coach or school nurse/teacher. Administration of Medications Parents must provide written authorization for school nurse/teachers to administer medicines and prescription medications. All forms must be completed by a physician with a diagnosis and directions for dispensing the medication. Authorization forms must also be signed by the parent/guardian. All medication is dispensed by the school nurse/teacher unless specified on the form that older students can self-medicate. Authorization forms may be obtained from the school nurse/teacher. All such medications must be turned in directly to the school’s nurse/teacher by the parent or guardian prior to the start of school. Dental Screening Programs Providence Public School students in grades K-5 receive dental screening annually. Students will be screened at least once between 6th and 10th grades. Students who have their own private dentist must show proof to be exempt from the school screening. Health Insurance At the start of school each year, Providence Schools makes school health and dental insurance available to each student enrolled in the district. A variety of options are provided to each parent/guardian for consideration. Hearing Tests School children in pre-kindergarten programs operated by public school districts, as well as school children in grades K-3, and any students new to a school without prior record of hearing screening shall be given a hearing screening courtesy of the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Vision Tests Upon entering Kindergarten or within thirty (30) days of the start of the school year, the parent or guardian of each child shall present to the school nurse certification that the child has passed a vision screening within the previous twelve (12) months. The screening must have been conducted by a health care professional, licensed by the Department or a comprehensive eye examination must have been performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. Every student will be given a vision screening at least upon entry to school and in the 1st through 5th, 7th and 9th grades. Medical Conditions If your child has a chronic health condition, such as asthma, allergies or diabetes, you should notify the school nurse immediately so that proper procedures can be developed to assist your child. For more information, call your school principal or school counselor. Home & Hospital Instruction Home and hospital teaching services are provided to a student who is temporarily unable to attend school for certified medical or emotional reasons. Home/hospital teaching is a short-term, itinerant instructional service with specific guidelines. Home/hospital teaching is provided to a student who is convalescing or receiving treatment at home, in a therapeutic center, or in a hospital. Requests must be submitted to the school nurse.
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Parents and Guardians: It is important that you immediately notify your child’s principal if your child has a known allergy to peanuts or tree nuts. Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies In accordance with the General Laws of Rhode Island, all school districts must have a policy and protocols designed to provide a safe environment for students with peanut/tree nut allergies, including the development of an individual health care plan and an emergency health care plan for each student with a peanut/tree nut allergy. Depending on the nature and extent of the student’s peanut/tree nut allergy, the individual health care plan may call for the following measures to be taken in the school: posting of signs in the school; the prohibition of the sale of particular food items in the school; the designation of special tables in the cafeteria; all individual health care and emergency health care plans must be developed collaboratively and be signed by the student’s parents/guardians, school nurse, the student’s health care provider, and the student (if appropriate). MRSA Skin Infections MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics including methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. As long as the germ stays only on the person’s skin, MRSA is not usually a problem. However, if the germ gets inside the body through a cut or a scrape, it can cause a skin infection. The skin infection looks like pimples or boils that are red, swollen and may have pus or other drainage. Most MRSA infections are treated by good wound and skin care that includes keeping the area clean and dry, washing hands after caring for the area, carefully disposing of any bandages, and allowing the body to heal. Sometimes treatment requires the use of antibiotics. If antibiotics are needed, it is important to take all the doses. If parents suspect that their child may have a MRSA infection, they should call their healthcare provider. The Providence School District asks that parents also notify the nurse or principal at their child’s school. This will help the schools to monitor the number of students who may have the infection, as well as allow the school nurses to make sure all MRSA skin infections are being treated properly to minimize the possibility of spreading the infection. Students with MRSA skin infections may attend school, unless directed by a physician. Exclusion from school should be reserved for those with pus or drainage that cannot be covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage and for those who cannot maintain good personal hygiene. Students with active infections should be excluded from activities where skin-to-skin contact is likely to occur (i.e., sports) until their infections are healed. Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) Swine Flu in people is characterized by fever, sore throat, cough, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. The illness may last up to seven days, and people are considered to be contagious as long as symptoms persist. If you or your child are showing mild flu-like symptoms, we recommend that you consult with your health care provider. Providence Schools wants to remind parents and staff members of the importance of reinforcing prevention actions to stay healthy. Please continue to communicate the importance of these behaviors to your children. What Each of Us Can Do To Prevent the Spread of Swine Flu: • Sneeze or cough into a tissue, elbow or sleeve. Throw the tissue in the trash immediately after its use. • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way. • If you or your child are sick, you should contact your health provider and stay home. Students should stay home when they have any of the following symptoms: fever (temperature 100 degrees or higher), vomiting or diarrhea, blistery rash, heavy nasal congestion or frequent cough, and if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s principal or school nurse. For current information on Swine Flu protocols and procedures, please visit the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Web site: www.health.state.ri.us or the Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s Web site: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu Annual Asbestos Notification to Parents The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires all school districts, public and private, grades K through 12, to inspect each of their school buildings for asbestos-containing materials. Also, school districts must develop management plans that outline how asbestos-containing materials will be handled in each of the school buildings. The Providence School Department (PSD) is committed to remaining a safe and healthy environment for all children, employees and guests in our schools. PSD will continue, as it has in the past, to monitor, inspect and repair any asbestos containing materials. Copies of the Management Plan and Inspection Reports are available upon request for review at each school office, as well as the Office of Plant Operations, located at 797 Westminster Street, Providence, R.I. 02903.
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Contact Donna O’Connor, Nurse/Health Services Administrator, at 456-9318 or donna.o’connor@ppsd.org for more information on health and safety topics or if you have any questions/concerns. PPSD intends to have its Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Program updated every six (6) months and shall notify staff and families, in advance, if abatement will be performed within your child’s school building. Unless an emergency arises, all asbestos abatement will be performed during the weekend or school holiday period. If you would like more information regarding the AHERA Program, you may contact George Doyle at 456-9227. Tobacco Free Policy The Providence School Board approved a Student and Staff Tobacco Free Policy in December 13, 2010. Preventing tobacco use on school campuses and at school events is critical to creating a maintaining a safe, healthy school environment, and maximizes the health of students, employees and visitors by protecting them from the known hazards of tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The Tobacco Free Policy prohibits tobacco use at any and all times that school properties are being used for educational and/or department-related activities, by all persons (students, staff, parents, visitors and other non-school personnel); on school property (buildings, grounds and fields); in school vehicles and those used for school purposes; and at school-sponsored events, both on and off school property. Reporting Suspected Child Abuse & Neglect In accordance with Rhode Island law, any person who suspects that a child has been subjected to abuse shall immediately notify the school principal, who will in turn notify the appropriate individuals in Central Administration and the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families. An abused child is defined as follows: a child whose physical health, mental health, or welfare is harmed as a result of the actions, or inactions of a parent, sibling or other person responsible for the child’s welfare. Types of abuse include excessive corporal punishment; a risk of physical or mental injury; sexual abuse; failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care; failure to provide supervision or guardianship; and abandonment or desertion.
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The Parent Zone The Parent Zone is a place where parent volunteers, community partners and school faculty can comfortably meet and plan activities for students and families. It is the space where parents can obtain general information about the school and other resources available to them. A Parent Zone in every Providence Public School is a powerful new resource for Providence families, staff and students. The Parent Zone has available resources for parents (helpful guides to supporting student success). It is a meeting space for parents and community members, and furnished with general office supplies and equipment.
For more information, visit: www.providenceschools.org/parentzones
B e a p ar t of the PAC!
The goal of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is to ensure that parents maintain an organized voice in the district; that parents are involved in decision-making processes and procedures, as appropriate and permitted by law; and that parent needs, concerns and issues are communicated to, addressed by, and resolved before the School Board and Superintendent regularly and effectively. For more information on the PAC, view page 13 of this handbook or call 456-0686.
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013
Contact Us By Location Dr. Robert F. Roberti Administration Building 797 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903 xx Academics ›› Advanced Academics ›› Elementary School Education ›› Middle School Education ›› High School Education ›› Special Populations xx English Language Learners (ELL) xx Finance ›› Controllers ›› Payroll ›› Purchasing xx Human Resources xx Maintenance xx Office of the Superintendent xx Operations xx School Board xx Teaching & Learning xx Technology Parent and Family Resource Center 379 Washington St., Providence, RI 02903 xx Central Records xx Communications xx Family and Community Engagement ›› Parent Call Center, Family Resource Center xx Food Services xx Transportation Registration Center 325 Ocean Street, Providence, RI 02905 xx Student Registration and Assignment Central High School 70 Fricker Street, Providence, RI 02903 xx Research, Planning & Accountability (Testing) Juanita Sánchez Complex 182 Thurbers Ave., Providence, RI 02905 xx Health Office xx Student Affairs xx Student Opportunities Providence Career and Technical Academy 91 Fricker Street, Providence, RI 02903 xx School Operations & Student Support/Athletics Bus Yard 3 Ricom Way, Providence, RI 02909 xx First Student, Inc. District Web Site xx www.providenceschools.org
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Contact Us By Department Advanced Academics............................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-456-9286 Athletics................................................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-456-9243 Bus Yard................................................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-943-7536 Career & Technical Education................................................................................. ......................................................... 401-278-2850 Central Records....................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9239 Communications...................................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-278-2813 Elementary School Education................................................................................. ............................................................ 401-456-1770 English Language Learners.................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9256 Equal Employment Opportunity.............................................................................. ........................................................... 401-456-9222 Facilities................................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-278-2820 Family & Community Engagement Center............................................................. .......................................................... 401-456-0686 Federal Programs................................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-278-0524 Finance..................................................................................................................... ............................................................ 401-456-9435 Food Services........................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9311 Governmental Relations.......................................................................................... ........................................................... 401-456-9476 Guidance & Counseling........................................................................................... ........................................................... 401-453-8685 Health Office............................................................................................................ .......................................................... 401-456-9317 High School Education............................................................................................. ........................................................... 401-456-9215 Human Resources................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9100 Middle School Education......................................................................................... ......................................................... 401-456-9434 My Learning Plan/Professional Development........................................................ ........................................................... 401-456-9255 Operations................................................................................................................ .......................................................... 401-456-0658 Purchasing………………………………………..................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9264 Research, Planning & Accountability (Testing)....................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9128 School Board............................................................................................................ ........................................................... 401-453-8600 Science..................................................................................................................... ........................................................... 401-456-9386 Social Studies.......................................................................................................... ........................................................... 401-278-2838 Special Education.................................................................................................... ........................................................... 401-456-9330 Student Affairs (Disciplinary Hearings, Truancy).................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9293 Student Opportunities (Credit Recovery, Drop-out Intervention)........................... .......................................................... 401-456-9126 Student Registration................................................................................................ ........................................................... 401-456-9297 Superintendent ....................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9211 Technology............................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-278-0595 Transportation......................................................................................................... .......................................................... 401-456-9269 Youth Development (District Wide Student Government)....................................... .......................................................... 401-278-2802
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Providence Public Schools | Parent Handbook 2012-2013