Nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity
The Board of Education does not discriminate in the employment of staff on the basis of the Protected Classes of race, color, age, sex, (including transgender status, change of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity), pregnancy, creed or religion, genetic information, handicap or disability, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, military service (as defined in 111.32, Wis. Stats.), national origin, ancestry, arrest record, conviction record, use or non-use of lawful products off the District’s premises during non-working hours, or declining to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or to participate in any communication with the employer about religious matters or political matters, or any other characteristic protected by law in its employment practices.
The Board designates the following individuals to serve as the District’s "Compliance Officers" (also known as "Civil Rights Coordinator") (hereinafter referred to as the "COs").
Dr. Paul Skofronick Director of Pupil Services 608-374-7007
1310 Townline Rd., Tomah, WI 54660 paulskofronick@tomah.education
Mrs. Angela Plueger, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 608-374-7022 129 W. Clifton St., Tomah, WI 54660 angelaplueger@tomah.education
The COs are responsible for coordinating the District’s efforts to comply with the applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.
Employees are expected to promptly report incidents of unlawful discrimination and/or retaliation to an administrator, supervisor, or other supervisory employees so that the Board may address the conduct. Any administrator, supervisor, or other Supervisory employees who receive such a complaint shall file it with the CO at his/her first opportunity, but no later than two (2) business days.
An individual who believes s/he has been subjected to unlawful discrimination/retaliation may file a complaint, either orally or in writing, with a Principal, the CO, District Administrator, or other supervisory employee. Any complaint received regarding the District Administrator, or a Board member shall be referred to the Board’s legal counsel. Additionally, if the complaint is regarding a CO, the complaint shall be reported to the District Administrator.
REFER TO POLICY 3122/4122 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tomah Area School District MISSION:
Tomah Area School District VISION:
We will provide excellent academics and co-curriculars that develop life-long learning skills for all students preparing them for our community and world-wide experiences.
Tomah Area School District VALUES:
INNOVATION
We are committed to continuous improvement by seeking innovative methods, strategies and programs to meet the needs of our 21st century learners and prepare them for their future.
INTEGRITY
We are committed to fostering open, honest, and transparent communication between all school staff and with students, parents, and community members. We will promote an environment of compassion and understanding in order to demonstrate equity and fairness for each individual and to build trust within and outside of our schools.
RESPECT
We are committed to building respect by assuming positive intent in the ideas and suggestions presented by others and by recognizing the inherent value of each person. All members of our school community will be held to high expectations, and we will provide supportive practices and policies which demonstrate our belief that ALL students can learn.
PASSION
We are committed to the value of public education and the important learning which occurs in our schools each day. We will demonstrate enthusiasm in pursuing the work we do and perseverance in turning challenges into opportunities. We will strive to inspire each other and our students to pursue excellence in all endeavors.
LEADERSHIP
We are committed to building leadership at all levels through collaborative teamwork, partnerships with all stakeholders in the community, and accountability for individual and collective actions and decisions.
GENERAL POLICIES
Statement of Philosophy
The Board of Education believes that the school, as an educational institution of our social system, has been organized to promote the aims and objectives of our democratic society. The Board believes that each person should be accepted into the educational program as is, and that he should be provided with a stimulating environment and opportunity for learning experiences designed to promote behavioral development that will affect continuing satisfactory adjustments to life.
We believe each child is unique and that the school must offer varied experiences and a wide range of acceptable standards to take these differences into account.
We believe the school must provide experiences with regard for their effect upon all aspects of the learner’s development . . . intellectual, physical, and social.
We believe that since our society is a democracy, the school must provide the students with experiences which will (1) help them achieve academic competence; (2) help them to become sensitive to problems of common welfare in the family, the school and the community, the nation and the world; (3) teach them to work with others in the solution of these problems; (4) develop their feelings of individual responsibility for the common welfare; and (5) help them to act in harmony with what they say and believe.
We must believe that each child has worth and dignity, and that the school must continue to develop in the students the understanding that with the privilege of public education goes the acceptance of responsibility for participating in the involvement of society.
School Board Policy
The School Board has determined policies and procedures to aid the governance and operation of the school district. As a condition of employment, all personnel are expected to be familiar with and adhere to these policies. The Board policies are now online at the Tomah Area School District website. You can type key words into the search box to assist you in finding the policy you may be looking to find. For instance, you may type in the word “weapons” and find all policies related to this. It is to the staff members’ advantage to review these policies periodically as they are being updated on an ongoing basis. Questions should be discussed with the building principal.
The Board acknowledges that the U.S. Constitution prohibits it from adopting any policy or rule promoting or establishing a religion or any policy that unlawfully restricts any person's free exercise of the individual right to worship enjoyed by all persons. Within the confines of this legal framework, the Board adopts the following policy to address the scope of these rights and the District's authority within its own facilities or during events.
As public employees, while on duty and acting within the scope of employment or pursuant to official duties, District staff members shall not use prayer, religious readings, or religious symbols as a devotional exercise or in an act of worship or celebration. Staff are expected to avoid circumstances where the staff member's expression of religious views could be reasonably construed as an endorsement or approval of the message by the school or District. Nothing in this policy or its application shall serve to prohibit or interfere with any staff member's free exercise of their religious views in circumstances not covered by this policy.
Nothing in this policy prohibits teaching about various religions and religious practices in a manner consistent with any adopted District course curriculum. This instruction may include discussion of religious holidays and customs in a manner related to the curriculum that does not give the appearance of an endorsement of one religion over other religions or favoring either a system or religious beliefs or of other beliefs, such as atheism or agnosticism. Observance of religious holidays through devotional exercises or acts of worship is also prohibited.
Distribution of any outside organization's materials, including a request by any person wishing to facilitate dissemination of materials on District property may make a request in accordance with Policy 7510 and AG 7510A - Use of District Facilities and Policy 9700 - Relations with Non-School Affiliated Groups and AG 9700A – Distribution of Materials to Students.
Students are not prohibited by this policy, or any guideline promulgated pursuant to this policy, from engaging in the free, individual, and voluntary exercise or expression of the student’s religious beliefs. However, such exercise or expression may be limited to lunch periods or other non-instructional time periods when students are free to associate, or on an individual basis in a manner that does not disrupt the educational process
Celebration activities involving nonreligious decorations and use of secular works are permitted, but it is the responsibility of all faculty members to ensure that such activities are strictly voluntary, do not place an atmosphere of social compulsion or ostracism on minority groups or individuals, and do not interfere with the regular school program.
The Board shall not conduct or sanction a baccalaureate service in conjunction with graduation ceremonies.
The Board shall not include religious invocations, benedictions, or formal prayer at any school-sponsored event.
REFER TO POLICY 8800 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
INFORMATION CONCERNING SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
What is sexual harassment?
Definition: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
1. submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of a person’s employment or a student’s academic success
2. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment of academic decisions affecting such individuals
3. such conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, or learning environment
Sexual harassment is behavior that:
1. is unwanted or unwelcome
2. is sexual in nature or gender-based
3. is severe, pervasive and/or repeated
4. has an adverse impact on the workplace or academic environment
5. often occurs in the context of a relationship where one person has more formal power than the other (supervisor/employee, faculty/student, etc.)
To whom can I talk about sexual harassment concerns?
1. Your local principal, superintendent, or personnel/human resources office
2. Your City or State office of Anti-Discrimination
3. Your State office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
4. The Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
What are some examples of verbal, non-verbal, and physical sexual harassment?
The following are behaviors which could be viewed as sexual harassment when they are unwelcome:
Verbal
• whistling or making cat calls at someone
• making sexual comments about a person’s clothing or body
• telling sexual jokes or stories
• referring to an adult woman or man as a hunk, doll, babe, or honey
• spreading rumors about a person’s personal sex life
• repeatedly “asking out” a person who is not interested
Non-verbal
• paying unwanted attention to someone (staring, following)
• making facial expressions (winking, throwing kisses, licking)
• making lewd gestures
• giving gifts of a sexual nature
Physical
• hanging around, standing close, or brushing up against a person
• touching a person’s clothing, hair, or body
• touching oneself in a sexual manner when around another person
• hugging, kissing, patting, stroking, massaging
What should I do if I feel I am being sexually harassed?
1. Document all sexual harassment incidents. Record the time, date, place and people involved.
2. Talk to your supervisor or other authority, and report incident.
View Policies: 2260, 2266, 3122, 4122, 5517
TOMAH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS
Tomah School District Office
129 W. Clifton Street Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7004
Camp Douglas Elementary 81 Junction Street Camp Douglas, WI 54618 (608) 374-7091
High School 901 Lincoln Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7961
LaGrange Elementary School 600 Straw Street Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7057
Lemonweir Elementary School 711 N. Glendale Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7847
Middle School 612 Hollister Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7885
Miller Elementary School 813 Oak Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7026
Oakdale Elementary School 217 S. Oakwood Street Oakdale, WI 54660 (608) 374-7081
Robert Kupper Learning Center 1310 Townline Road Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7011
Tomah Area Montessori School (TAMS) 1720 Academy Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-5406
Warrens Elementary School 407 Main Street, PO Box 8 Warrens, WI 54666 (608) 374-7800
Wyeville Elementary School 225 W. Tomah Road Wyeville, WI 54660 (608) 374-7826
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
District Office
District Administrator
Dr. Mike Hanson
Business Manager Michelle M. Clark
Director of Instruction
Director of Technological Infrastructure
High School
Principal
Associate Principal
Associate Principal
Angela Plueger
Paul Potter
Robert Joyce
Jeff Adams
Dr. Jamie Nusbaum
Activities Director Brad Plueger
Middle School
Principal Amy Langner
Assistant Principal Amy King
Dean of Students
Elementary Schools
LaGrange
Lemonweir
Jared Sasada
Melissa McKittrick
Brian Oberweiser
Miller Justina Anderson
Oakdale Lisa Culpitt
Camp Douglas Lisa Culpitt
Tomah Area Montessori School Lisa Culpitt
Warrens Tim Gnewikow
Wyeville Tim Gnewikow
Alternative Education
Robert Kupper Learning Center (RKLC)
District Services
Pupil Services Director
Transportation Director
Custodial Supervisor
Dr. Paul Skofronick
Dr. Paul Skofronick
Tom Dummermuth
Craig Spiers
Director of Building Maintenance & Energy Management Joe Janusheske
Director of Food Service
SCHOOL BOARD
Jesse Bender
Mike Gnewikow President
Spencer Stephens Vice President
Rick Murray Clerk
Susan Bloom Treasurer
Teresa Devine Member
James Newlun Member
Catey Rice Member
TASD Alternative Education Program Description
The Tomah Area School District has five alternative education programs. Crossroads is at the Tomah High School. Compass is at the Tomah Middle School and all other programs are at the Robert Kupper Learning Center (RKLC) located on 1310 Townline Rd., Tomah, WI (in the Industrial Park). Programs at RKLC are Decisions, EXCEL, and Milwaukee Street Academy (MSA). No staff or student parking is allowed in front of the RKLC. Please park in the parking lot.
Compass is at Tomah Middle School, 612 Hollister Ave., Tomah, WI 54660
Compass is an alternative program for students in grades six through eight who have not been successful in the regular education setting. These at-risk students may be uninterested, unmotivated, or disengaged in the academic process and require highly motivating instruction. Classes are small, ranging from eight to fifteen students and may have multi-age classrooms. Compass teaches the district’s curriculum which is aligned to state standards. Students often read and complete work together. Most work is completed at school so there is very little out of school work to complete. This program follows the typical middle school day.
Crossroads is at the Tomah High School, 901 Lincoln Ave., Tomah, WI 54660
The Crossroads program is designed for nontraditional learners ages 14 to 16 who have had or are having difficulties in the regular classroom. Students work in a self-paced/self-directed manner under the guidance of a teacher to complete computer-based courses using the NovaNet curriculum in the major academic areas of English, mathematics, social studies, and science. Students receive the majority of their instruction via the computer (additional off-line activities and assignments are required). Students attend for half of the day and are required to take elective classes, work, or volunteer for the other half of the day. There is a morning and an afternoon section. The goal of the Crossroads program is to help the student successfully transition back into the regular classroom and earn the credits needed for a high school diploma, or transition to another alternative program. Crossroads is located in the high school and follows the high school schedule.
Decisions I is at the RKLC, 1310 Townline Rd., Tomah, WI 54660
Decisions I is an alternative program for middle school students grades sixth through eighth that have been removed from the middle school. These at-risk students are removed from the middle school because they have a pattern of disruptive, non-complaint and/or disrespectful behavior that result in a continuous disruption of the educational process, or have engaged in a serious violation that endangered the health/safety of others. Students in DI require highly motivating instruction with teachers possessing strong classroom management skills. Students in DI may earn their way back to the middle school when they have demonstrated the ability to function appropriately. DI students follow a strict behavior point system that logs their performance. Students in the DI program may not be on middle school property at any time except for bus drop-off and pick-up times. DI uses a combination of NovaNet computer instruction and other hands-on activities. Classes are very small, ranging from one to eight students and is multi-aged. Classes are in session from 8:00 to 11:00AM.
EXCEL is at the RKLC, 1310 Townline Rd., Tomah, WI 54660
The EXCEL program serves at-risk students age 16-20 who are not successful in the traditional school setting. Students will work on a competency-based curriculum designed to integrate rigorous academic standards with emotional, social, and life skills instruction in an individualized, small group manner. EXCEL students often have struggled with academic skills and require highly motivating, real life based instruction. Students will earn a Tomah High School diploma in one to two years by successfully completing 54 competencies in the areas of language arts, social studies, math, and science. Each competency will include career exploration and a culminating project which may take the form of an essay, oral presentation, or computer presentation. Additionally, all students will be required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of community service each semester. Students will attend school half a day, and be required to work or volunteer the other half day. Students attend the AM class, 8:00 to 11:00 or the PM class, 12:00 to 3:00.
Milwaukee Street Academy (MSA) is at the RKLC, 1310 Townline Rd., Tomah, WI 54660
The Tomah High School Milwaukee Street Academy (MSA) is an alternative education program for at-risk youth designed to serve students age 17 to 20 who are not successful in the traditional school setting. The program will offer students the opportunity to earn a Tomah High School diploma in one to two semesters by utilizing the GED Option II. Students will prepare in a self-paced/self-directed manner in the areas of social studies, science, reading, writing, math, civics, and health for the HSED tests while they work on employability skills, life skills, financial literacy, and civic responsibility. Additionally, students will be required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of community service each semester. Students will attend the program for half the day and work or volunteer for the other half day. The goal of the Milwaukee Street Academy is to help students successfully transition from school to work while earning a high school diploma. Students attend the AM class, 8:00 to 11:00, or the PM class, 12:00 to 3:00.
ABSENCES
Absence Management-Also Known as AESOP
We have the pleasure of notifying you that Tomah Area School District is using an automated service that greatly simplifies the process of finding and managing substitute jobs in this district. This service from Frontline Education utilizes both the telephone and internet to assist you in locating jobs. The Frontline Absence Management solution is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Web Access
You will receive a personal invitation email with the Subject Line: Tomah Area School District invites you to Absence Management. If you have an existing Frontline ID account click “Sign in with your Frontline ID.” Otherwise, click “Create a Frontline ID.” Create a username, password, email address, and click “I accept the terms and conditions." Then click “Create Frontline ID” and you are in!
You can search for and accept available jobs, change personal settings, update your calendar, and personalize your available call times by visiting Frontline on the internet at https://app.frontlineeducation.com If the employee has uploaded lesson plans, you will be able to view them online once you take the job!
Telephone Access
You can interact with the Frontline system via a toll-free, automated voice instruction menu at 1-800942-3767. Here, you can proactively search for jobs. We recommend calling in to check the computer recording of your name by pressing Option 4.
The system will also make phone calls to substitutes to offer jobs. The administrative office has selected the following hours as standard call times when the Absence Management service may call for substitutes: 5:30:00 AM - 12:00:00 PM in the morning and 6:00:00 PM - 10:00:00 PM in the evening. The phone number we have on record for you is (608) 344-1334.
Your ID and PIN for the phone are as follows:
ID Number Your Phone # PIN Number 4 digits
* If you accept a job, you will be issued a confirmation number. Please remember that your transaction is not complete until Frontline supplies you with a confirmation number.
Note: You are NOT required to create a Frontline ID for telephone access (you automatically have telephone access). However, to gain Web access, you must create a Frontline ID via your personal invitation email.
We are confident that you will find the Frontline Absence & Time experience beneficial and enjoyable.
Should you experience difficulty using the system in any way, please contact Beatrice Seely by phone or email as listed below:
BeatriceSeely@tomah.education (608) 374-7016
Personnel Policies for Substitute Teachers
Salary
The daily rate is set by the Board of Education. If a substitute (sub) is long-term (more than 10 days) in the same position, they are paid the base hourly rate on the teacher salary schedule.
Pay
The pay periods for subs are the same as the teacher pay dates. The actual pay dates are the 15th and the last day of the month or the last business day preceding that for the district office.
A sub is paid after bookkeeping receives the Substitute Teacher Payment Report. It must be completed by the sub and turned into the office of the school where the sub worked: the sub keeps the goldenrod copy.
If there is a late start or early dismissal due to inclement weather or another emergency, substitutes who are booked in advance will be paid for the time they were scheduled to work. However, this is not the case if school is not held at all due to inclement weather conditions/emergency.
Currently, a sub is paid $140.00 per day. This equates to $20.00 per hour. A normal full substitute day begins at 7:30 a.m. with a ½ hour duty free lunch period and ends at 3:30, or after the busses have departed.
If you work a partial day, indicate the time started and time finished. The time is necessary for calculation of pay.
$140.00 – a full day
$ 70.00 – less than ½ day (3 ½ hrs.)
Paid by the hour in ¼ hour increments - if you sub more than ½ day, but not a full day
If a sub works at two different schools on the same day for a full day, pay will be $140.00 and it is divided hourly between the schools.
Middle School and High School: A sub might be asked to sub in another class during your prep or team time.
If a sub works during the teacher prep time, they will not receive additional pay because they were hired for the day. The exception is for a long-term sub expected to do the lesson plans for the next day
Substitute Teacher Payment Report
This report is obtained from the school secretary upon arrival at the school. A sub must complete the report, return it to the school secretary, and keep the gold copy.
Benefits
Insurance, retirement, and days for absences (Personal Leave, Family Medical Leave, Sick days, etc.) are not a benefit through the district. The exception for this is if they sub the required number of hours in a specific time frame (one year), they will receive retirement benefits and have the option to take life insurance through the district.
Illness
See Aesop information.
Sign-In and Sign-Out
Subs are required to sign in and sign out with the building secretary.
Name Tags
The building secretary will provide you with a name tag.
Lunch
A sub receives 30 minutes duty free lunch. They bring their own breakfast and lunch or check with the building secretary upon arrival about obtaining either meal. You may leave the building during your lunch break. But, if you leave during prep or team time, you must sign out with the building secretary.
Special Activities
Check with the building secretary for any special activities for the day—assemblies, drills, etc.
Attendance, Breakfast and Lunch Count
Elementary schools need attendance, breakfast, lunch, and milk count. Middle and high school need attendance taken hourly. Forms will be provided by the building secretary.
Sub Files – Lesson Plans
If there are no lesson plans readily available, see the building secretary for emergency substitute plans.
Arrival/Departure Time
Please do your best to arrive at your school assignment by 7:30 a.m. This provides you with some time to review lesson plans and get organized for the day. You are then free to leave at 3:30 p.m. or as soon as the buses have left the school premises.
Access to Technology
All substitute teachers can access the internet by using the substitute teacher access code. Usernames are: Camp Douglas- cdsub; LaGrange- lasub; Lemonweir- lesub; Miller- misub; Oakdaleoasub; RKLC- rklcsub; TAMS- tamssub; THS-hssub; TMS- mssub; Wyeville- wysub; Warrens- wasub; Password is: startsub
By getting to the internet, you can then go to the District webpage and access Tech Kids which contains programs like RAZkids, IXL Math, and other resources. You can use a flash drive to provide a hyperlink to Mimeo or Think Central. The teacher you substitute for can also download their lesson plans into AESOP and have hyperlinks in their plans. Please understand that anything you create will not be retained once you log off the substitute account so do not plan on saving information with this account.
Essential Information for the Classroom
LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE JOB
An overall consideration when substitute teaching is your legal responsibility in the classroom and school. The following are some legal responsibilities you should be aware of. An understanding of these responsibilities will require some questioning on your part as to specific school/district policies.
• Supervision of Students: The substitute teacher who has physical control of a classroom has a duty to keep these children safe and orderly. In many states, a teacher acts in loco parentis in the place of a parent—and is allowed to use his/her judgment in a manner similar to a parent. The standard is the reasonable use of professional judgment for the safety and orderly education of students.
• Due Care and Caution: A teacher is required to exercise due care and caution for the safety of the students in his/her charge. Essentially, this means acting reasonably and with safety in mind, being able to explain circumstances and your actions, and following school safety policies and procedures.
• Release of Children: Due to possible restraints on who may have custody of a child, children should not be allowed to leave the building during the school day without express consent from the office.
• Administering Medication: Medication should only be administered by the school nurse or other appropriate health personnel, not the classroom or substitute teacher. If you know of medication requirements of a student, the health professional should be notified.
• Confidentiality: It is unprofessional and against the law in many states to disclose confidential information about your students. Generally, a substitute teacher should avoid comments about individual students that convey private information: grades, medical condition, learning or discipline problems, etc.
• Anecdotal Records: Maintaining notes on particular incidents in the classroom can protect you in problematic situations. If you feel that a classroom occurrence might be questioned, note the date and time, the individuals involved, the choices for action considered, and the actions taken.
DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
• Discipline Policies: Corporal punishment is not allowed in the state of Wisconsin. As a substitute teacher, who understandably lacks a thorough understanding of each child in the classroom, it is very important that you do remain calm and in control, modeling for students the type of behavior we want them to exhibit. You should not physically restrain a student unless there is eminent danger to the child or to others in the classroom. All classrooms have a telephone so you should call the office for immediate assistance if you are experiencing a classroom disruption that you are unable to manage. The different buildings in our district have building procedures for dealing with inappropriate behavior on the part of students. Familiarize yourself with those procedures. Students do not have the right to prevent you from teaching or to prevent other students from learning. If this is happening, possible actions include calling the office, sending a child to the office to bring someone to your room to intervene, or having another teacher monitor your class while you take a child to the office. You must maintain your duties of supervision and due care for both the individual child and the remainder of the class.
• Dangerous Situations: A substitute teacher is responsible for making sure the learning environment is safe. This includes things such as the arrangement of desks so as not to block exits and proper supervision during the use of potentially dangerous classroom equipment. A teacher must also consider the potential for problems in certain kinds of classes. Planned activities in a physical education, science, shop, or home economics class may be uncomfortable for the substitute teacher. In such cases, the substitute teacher may choose to do an alternative activity which they feel they can conduct safely.
• Safety Drills: While schools are a place of learning and personal growth, they are not immune from societal problems. As a result, educators and law enforcement must cope with numerous challenges to school safety. In order to maintain a safe environment for students and teachers, we implement practice drills to assist us in responding to a crisis or emergency situation. Just as we conduct regular practice fire and tornado drills to ensure that we can safely evacuate the building or get students to a safe area quickly, practice safety drills will be conducted. These drills will help students and staff become better equipped to deal with a crisis situation in as calm and controlled a manner as possible. For specific protocols, please reference the Standard Response Protocol (see next page) which is posted on the back of each classroom door or hanging near the classroom door.
PBIS: Positive Intervention and Supports
MANDATORY REPORTING - Child Abuse or Neglect
In compliance with Board of Education policy and Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin State statute, professional staff members are required to report to the proper legal authorities any reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect. The child may suffer from physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, and/or emotional maltreatment. Basically, physical abuse is the non-accidental, physical injury of a child; physical neglect is the failure to provide proper parental care, support medical attention, and education for a child; sexual abuse is any indecent sexual activity in the family; and emotional maltreatment is failure to provide warmth, attention, supervision, and/or normal living experiences for a child.
All professional staff who have reasonable suspicions of abuse or neglect of a child must report as soon as possible to Child Protective Services in the County in which the child resides, even if documentation is not available. Reporting staff may consult with the building principal/supervisor, school social worker, school counselor, or Child Protective Services staff prior to making a formal report. Reporting staff (professional staff member who has suspicions of abuse or neglect) is responsible for making a formal report to Child Protective Services; do not assume others will make the report because you have consulted with them.
Monroe County: (608) 269-8854
Jackson County: (715) 284-4310 x360
After business hours: (715) 284-5357
Juneau County: (608) 847-2500
After business hours: Mill Bluff Medical Center (608) 847-6161 Contact: Children’s On-call Access Worker
MANDATORY REPORTING - Threat
In compliance with Wisconsin State statute, all staff members are required to report to the proper authorities school violence threats. School employees must report if the person believes in good faith, based on a threat made by an individual seen in the course of professional duties regarding violence in or targeted at a school, that there is a serious and imminent threat to the health and safety of a student, school employee, or the public. School employees must immediately inform a law enforcement agency of the facts and circumstances contributing to the belief that there is a serious and imminent threat.
Tomah Police Department: (608) 374-7400
Monroe County Sheriff’s Dept.: (608) 269-8854
Juneau County Sheriff’s Dept.: (608) 847-5649
FIRST AID
Most classroom and playground accidents should be handled with common sense. Students who are injured should be sent to the office where a school nurse or secretary can administer first aid. Don’t fall into the “band-aid” or “ice” trap, where students are continually asking to go to the office for ice or band-aids for take injuries. In the event of a severe injury, do not move the student. Remain with the student, send another student or teacher for help, and try to keep the other children calm.
You should never give medication to a student, not even aspirin. If a student requires medication, it should be administered through the school nurse, secretary, or other designated medical personnel.
Learn how to handle situations involving blood and other bodily fluids. Listed below are the OSHA Universal Precautions for dealing with these situations. Contact the school district to find out their specific policies and procedures which should be followed.
OSHA Universal Precautions for Handling Exposure to Blood/Bodily /Fluids
1. All blood/bodily fluids should be considered infectious regardless of the perceived status of the individual.
2. Avoid contact with blood/bodily fluids if possible. Immediately notify the school nurse, administrator, or his/her designated first aid person.
3. Allow the individual to clean the injury if possible.
4. If it is not possible for the individual to clean the injury, disposable gloves should be worn. Gloves are to be discarded in a designated lined bag or container.
5. Clothing that has been exposed should be placed in a plastic bag and sent home with the individual.
6. Upon removal of gloves, hands should be washed thoroughly with warm water and soap.
7. Surfaces contaminated with blood/bodily fluids should be cleaned thoroughly with disinfectant. The cleaning should be completed by the custodian, administrator, or his/her designated individual responsible for clean-up.
As a general rule: Do not touch a student who is bleeding even if you use gloves. For example, if a student has a nose bleed, hand him the box of tissues and have him hold his nose. Then send him to the office for further care.
Please familiarize yourself with the practices which students may engage in as part of their religious expression in school. The Board has adopted the guidelines below. In addition, specific information to educate you on the practices of students who adhere to the tenets of the Jehovah Witness religion are provided.
8800B - RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE DISTRICT
The following guidelines apply to religious practices in the District in accordance with the "Statement of Principles" issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
Student Prayer and Religious Instruction
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not prohibit purely private religious speech by students. Students have the same right to engage in individual or group prayer and religious discussion during the school day as they do to engage in other comparable activity. For example, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray before tests to the same extent they may engage in comparable non-disruptive activities. Local school authorities possess substantial discretion to impose rules of order and other pedagogical restrictions on student activities, but they may not structure or administer such rules to discriminate against religious activity or speech.
Generally, students may pray in a non-disruptive manner when not engaged in school activities or instructions and subject to the rules that normally pertain in the applicable setting. Specifically, students in informal settings, such as cafeterias or hallways, may pray and discuss their religious views with each other, subject to the same rules of order as apply to other student activities and speech. Students may also speak to, and attempt to persuade, their peers about religious topics just as they do with regard to political topics. School officials, however, should intercede to stop student speech that constitutes harassment aimed at a student group or a group of students.
Students may also participate in before or after school events with religious content, such as "see you at the pole" gatherings, on the same terms as they may participate in other noncurricular activities on school premises. School officials may neither discourage nor encourage participation in such an event.
The right to engage in voluntary prayer or religious discussion free from discrimination does not include the right to have a captive audience listen or to compel other students to participate. Teachers and school administrators should ensure that no student is in any way coerced to participate in religious activity.
Graduation Prayer and Baccalaureates
: Under current Supreme Court decisions, school officials may not mandate or organize prayer at graduation nor organize religious baccalaureate ceremonies. If a school generally opens its facilities to private groups, it must make its facilities
available on the same terms to organizers of privately sponsored religious baccalaureate services. A school may not extend preferential treatment to baccalaureate ceremonies and may in some instances be obliged to disclaim official endorsement of such ceremonies.
Official Neutrality Regarding Religious Activity: Teachers and school administrators, when acting in those capacities, are representatives of the State and are prohibited from endorsing particular religious beliefs. Teachers and administrators also are prohibited from discouraging activity because of its religious content and from soliciting or encouraging anti-religious activity.
Teaching About Religion: Public schools may not provide religious instruction, but they may teach about religion, including the Bible or other scripture: the history or religion, comparative religion, the Bible (or other scripture) as literature, and the role of religion in the history of the United States and other countries all are permissible public school subjects.
Similarly, it is permissible to consider religious influences on art, music, literature, and social studies. Although public schools may teach about religious holidays, including their religious aspects, and may celebrate the secular aspects of holidays, schools may not observe holidays as religious events or promote such observance by students.
Student Assignments: Students may express their beliefs about religion in the form of homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free of discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance, and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school.
Religious Literature: Students have a right to distribute religious literature to their schoolmates on the same terms as they are permitted to distribute other literature that is unrelated to school curriculum or activities. Schools may impose the same reasonable time, place, and manner or other constitutional restrictions on distribution of religious literature as they do on non-school literature generally, but they may not single out religious literature for special regulation.
Religious Excusals: Subject to applicable State laws, schools enjoy substantial discretion to excuse individual students from lessons that are objectionable to the student or the students' parents on religious or other conscientious grounds. School officials may neither encourage nor discourage students from availing themselves of an excusal option.
Released Time: Subject to applicable State laws, schools have the discretion to dismiss students to off-premises religious instruction, provided that schools do not encourage or discourage participation or penalize those who do not attend. Schools may not allow religious instruction by outsiders on school premises during the school day.
Teaching Values: Although schools must be neutral with respect to religion, they may play an active role with respect to teaching civic values and virtue, and the moral code that holds us together as a community. The fact that some of these values are held also by religions does not make it unlawful to teach them in school.
Student Garb: Students may display religious messages on items of clothing to the same extent they are permitted to display other comparable messages. Religious messages may not be singled out for suppression, but rather are subject to the same rules as generally apply to comparable messages, subject to accommodation for religiously required attire, such as yarmulkes or head scarves.
Revised 5/7/13
Remember that students have a First Amendment right to NOT stand or say the Pledge of Allegiance. Do not assume that a student is being noncompliant or naughty if they refuse to stand or say the Pledge of Allegiance. Your personal thoughts and opinions on this matter should be kept to yourself. It doesn’t matter what you think, this is a constitutional right each of us possesses.
Please note however that students do not have the right to disrupt others in class during this time. If a student is acting inappropriately (jumping up and down, waving their arms, yelling out other words, etc…) during the Pledge, you can take appropriate disciplinary action (referral to office, phone call home, etc…).
In addition, there are a number of situations which have created problems for substitute teachers in the past in regard to students who practice the tenets of Jehovah Witnesses. Please note the following:
1) Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate the following events:
• Halloween
• Veteran’s Day
• Thanksgiving
• Hanukkah
• Christmas
• New Years
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Good Friday/Easter
• Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Flag Day
• Birthdays
2) There is not a problem with our Jehovah Witness students learning about important people in history (i.e. Martin Luther King, Columbus, Presidents, etc…). Often these
history lessons fall on the individual’s birthday. Provided the lesson does not become a birthday celebration, there is not a conflict.
3) Classroom teachers will typically provide you with information on potential conflicts with any school activities for our Jehovah Witness students. Please make sure to read the teacher’s notes so you know what action is necessary (i.e. student leaves room for a few minutes and waits in hallway, student given alternate assignment and goes to LMC, etc…).
4) To demonstrate sensitivity to students’ feelings about being singled out in the classroom due to their religious tenets, it is best to discuss any questions you may have with the student outside of the classroom and not in front of the entire class.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Inclusion
Definition: Placing children with mild, moderate, or even severe disabilities in regular classrooms.
Five affective or attitudinal benefits:
1. The non-disabled learn to be more responsive to others
2. New and valued relationships develop
3. Non-disabled students learn something about their own lives and situations
4. Children learn about values and principles
5. Children gain an appreciation of diversity in general
Public Law 94-142
Passed in 1975, it is called “The Education for All Handicapped Children Act”. It has been amended now called ”IDEA” or the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” provides that all handicapped children between the ages of 3 and 21 are entitled to free public education. Presently, the terms disability and disabled are used in place of handicap and handicapped.
The law defined disabled individuals to include those who are mentally retarded, hard of hearing, deaf, speech-impaired, visually handicapped, seriously emotionally disturbed, or orthopedically impaired; have multiple handicaps; or have other health impairments or learning disabilities and therefore need special educational services.
IDEA also provides that all students with disabilities have the right to be served in the least restrictive environment. This means that disabled children must be educated and treated in a manner similar to their non-disabled peers. This usually consists of mainstreaming which is placing disabled children in the regular classroom.
Who decides which children are disabled and, if so, how they will be educated? Federal Law requires that a team consisting of the student, his/her parent(s), teachers, principal, and other professionals develop an IEP (individual education plan) detailing the goals and objectives of the educational services to be provided. The IEP lists all special and regular activities that the student will participate in.
Federal Law states that NO ONE has access to a student’s IEP without the parent’s permission. It is always a good idea to check with the permanent teacher and/or administration ASAP, or preferably before taking over a classroom to determine how best to deliver educational services.
Adapting games and activities for students with disabilities
Guidelines:
1. Often, children with disabilities already know their capabilities and limits. Simply encourage them and be ready to assist if needed.
2. Focus on children’s abilities, not disabilities.
3. It is okay to modify the game/rules to meet the needs of the entire group.
4. Keep the game/activity as complete and original as possible.
5. Be sensitive, especially with new students/disabilities—start slowly and develop gradually.
Ideas for adapting games/activities
• Reduce the size of the playing area
• Adjust the boundaries; change the number of players; lower the net
• Use walls, fences, or designated “helpers” to aid in keeping ball inbounds
• Throw underhand, roll the ball, bounce the ball, hold the ball still, use a batting tee
• Allow an extra bounce, count before throwing, use “left” (or right) hand, no hands
Adapting assignments and activities for student with disabilities
Guidelines:
1. Generally, the permanent teacher and/or resource person will already have policies in place. Find out what they are and use them.
2. Focus on the children’s abilities, not disabilities.
3. It is okay to modify the assignment for certain students and not others.
4. Keep assignments as similar to the rest of the class as possible.
5. Be sensitive, especially with new students/disabilities; start slowly and develop gradually.
Ideas for adapting activities/assignments
Reduce the number of pages or questions:
• Half the page/problem—every other one; the first page/problem-last page/problem; only pages/problems with pictures; pick your own
• Reduce the difficulty of activities/assignments
• Read out loud; write on board; use overheads; move desk for better hearing, seeing; speak more slowly; speak louder; repeat, rephrase, redirect
• Increase confidence, compassion, and cooperation
• Use lots of examples; use “warm-ups”; model; review and practice, practice, practice; I do one and you do one; provide patterns or steps to follow; be patient; smile
Substitute Responsibilities And Helpful Hints
SUBSTITUTE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Report to the school office when you arrive at school.
2. Arrive at the designated time.
3. Become familiar with the routine of the school, policies, rules and the curriculum.
4. Follow the teacher’s lesson plans as closely as possible.
5. Seek guidance from the principal in any unusual situation.
6. Correct all papers completed during the day, and leave them in a conspicuous place for the teacher.
7. Leave the room in an orderly condition with all supplies and equipment returned to storage areas.
8. Leave a note for the regular teacher regarding the activities of the day.
9. Perform the regular teacher’s extra duties.
10. Report any major disciplinary problems (ones that grossly interfere with the learning process) to the principal.
11. After the children have been dismissed, remain in the building until all responsibilities have been completed.
12. Before leaving, check with the principal or secretary to see if your services will be requested for the next day.
THE SUBSTITUTE AND THE STUDENTS
1. Be enthusiastic - students mirror your attitude.
2. Motivate your students. Relate to them as individuals. Incorporate your experiences.
3. Keep activities moving. Make the students feel cheerful and successful. Encourage students to work together when this will generate success.
4. Involve students who are not interested. Try to find ways to motivate them. Should a student refuse to become involved, don’t force the issue. Let him/her observe quietly.
5. Go to the students when they need help. This avoids confusion and needless commotion.
6. Encourage student direction. Enlist student advice in a structured way.
8. Use lesson plans plus. Have a game or activity in mind to make the day special.
Before You Arrive:
SUBSTITUTES: HINTS FOR SUCCESS
1. Be meticulous about your clothing clean and well chosen.
2. Avoid the extreme in clothing and make-up.
3. Keep yourself well groomed.
After You Arrive:
1. Go over lesson plans left by the classroom teacher.
2. Secure the materials and the equipment necessary for carrying out the planned activities.
3. Consult the seating chart; identify any children that have been designated to assist you.
4. Familiarize yourself with the recess times, lunch period, Music and Art periods, and the schedule and routine of the class.
5. Welcome the students at the classroom door when they arrive.
6. Try to learn each student’s name.
7. Start class immediately with the assigned work.
8. Be sensitive to the mood of the class if a special situation exists.
9. Be prepared to assume all responsibilities of the classroom teacher, including special duties.
10. If asked to administer specialized or standardized tests, spend extra time going over the instructions. Grade these types of tests only if an answer key is provided.
11. Use “free time” to plan and prepare materials.
12. Check for posted fire drill, tornado, and other safety related instructions.
13. Introduce yourself to teachers in nearby classrooms.
14. Keep notes, bulletins, and other communications for the classroom teacher.
15. Turn in all money collected to the office, with detailed notes concerning who turned in the money and why.
16. At the end of the day, leave the regular teacher a note of what was accomplished and what needs to be completed.
17. Before leaving the building, check with the school secretary to see if you are needed the following day.
EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM & BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Tradition has it that substitute teachers should arrive wearing sturdy armor, a helmet and combat boots to meet the rigors of a school day. However, having a successful experience as a substitute teacher doesn’t depend on your choice of war gear, but rather on you and your leadership abilities.
Your leadership of a class is largely defined by classroom and behavior management skills and strategies. Effective management of the classroom environment (use of time, organization of events, etc.) will greatly influence the behavior of students. Similarly, the skills and strategies you use to direct and manage student behavior will affect your ability to manage the classroom.
Here are some tips for starting the day, five skills for effective behavior management, and strategies for dealing with challenging situations. These guiding principles and skills have proven successful in classroom management.
Classroom Management: First Impressions
Making a good first impression is important for setting the tone for the class. Students should perceive you as professional and friendly. Greet them as they enter the room. Shuffling through papers or looking ill at ease give the impression of being unprepared.
Establish your credibility as a teacher by giving a brief resume of experience: “I am a teacher and I have taught every grade from first to sixth last year.”
Plan for the Day
Outline for students your plan of activities for the day. Review expectations, rewards, and consequences of student behavior and introduce any special activities you have brought along. Share information left by permanent teacher regarding what they should accomplish during the day. Assignments may be listed on the board.
Once you have started the plan, stick with it! Students will remember and expect you to carry out the plan. Firmness, fairness, and consistency are the keys.
Making a Seating Chart
If you cannot locate a seating chart to assist you in calling students by name, you can make one using small Post-it Notes. Distribute Post-it Notes to the students and have them write their names. Collect and arrange the names on a file folder in the same configuration as the desks in the classroom.
Get Students Doing Something
Try to minimize the time spent on procedural matters such as taking attendance and lunch count. Too much time allows students to get bored and start behaving inappropriately. Introductory activities provide a means for you as the substitute teacher to assess the personality of the class. This assessment can help you as you begin implementing the lesson plans left by the permanent teacher.
Behavior ultimately responds better to positive than negative consequences.
Educational research shows that the most effective way to reduce problem behavior in students is to strengthen desirable behavior through positive reinforcement rather than trying to weaken undesirable behavior using unpleasant or negative processes.
ADVICE FROM SPECIAL EDUCATORS FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
In some cases, you may be assigned to teach in a special education “resource room” where all of the students have been identified as having special needs. In other cases, you may be teaching in a regular classroom where there are particular students with identified needs. Whichever is the case, here are some thoughts on how to facilitate the learning of these students.
1. Respect is the key attitude for success with all students.
2. These students may have a variety of learning challenges. Do not think first of their special needs, but think of them first as learners.
3. All children respond to sincere encouragement, but don’t overdo it. Be sensitive to the fact that learning is more difficult for these students than for many others.
4. Depending on the grade level you are teaching, these students may have experienced years of school failure. Be aware of that as you respond to their needs and work to help them find success.
5. Depending on the student’s learning challenge, you may find you need to repeat yourself more often. Be patient. Check for student understanding after giving directions.
6. If there are problems, do not single out a child in front of the class, but deal with him/her privately.
7. Many children with special needs have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Consult these plans when available, as they provide structure for the students’ learning. The teacher should have daily plans drawn from these IEPs.
8. You often may be privy to confidential information about students with special needs. It is critical that all information you obtain about students during your teaching day remain confidential. Depending on the grade level, the students may feel self-conscious that you know they have learning challenges, which can set up defensiveness on their part.
9. During your teaching day, you may need to locate yourself in close proximity to these children to offer assistance and help them stay focused. A gentle reminder will oftentimes suffice for them.
10. An instructional assistant or aide may be in the classroom. Such a person can be of tremendous help because they have a history with the students and are aware of routines, personalities, and other important background information.
11. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance from the principal or another teacher if you have concerns or questions during the day.
12. Carefully note the daily schedules for special needs students. They often have support personnel (language or hearing specialists) come into the classroom. At other times, they may leave the classroom to attend regular or special classes.
13. There may be teaching equipment or machines in special education classrooms. Check with the instructional assistant, the principal, or another teacher before using these items.
14. Sometimes students are allowed to use certain learning aids to assist them with their work. Hopefully, the regular teacher will leave information instructing you as to which students may use the aids, and under what circumstances.
15. In some special education classes, behavior reports go home daily to parents that record the behavior of the child throughout the day. Become as familiar as possible with the system, or ask the assistant to focus on or give the feedback for the particular student(s) for the day.
16. In class discussions, if a student responds with an incorrect answer, provide clues or a follow-up question to help him/her think of the correct answer. Look for ways to praise students for their thinking and behavior as well as correct answers.
17. Present short and varied instructional tasks planned with students’ success in mind.
18. Have on hand an ability-appropriate book to read, audio tapes, flash cards of facts, games, puzzles, mental math exercises, or other activities for substituting in these classes.
ADVICE FROM SCHOOL NURSES FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
1. Do not dispense medication (prescription or over-the-counter) to any students. Send them to the office where they will have record of written permission to give the student medication, the prescribed amount, and a system for recording times and dosage administered.
2. Refer all students with injuries (even minor ones) to the office so school procedures can be followed. In an emergency, you may need to escort the student to the office.
3. Check with the office to find out where the disposable latex or vinyl gloves are stored in your room in the event of an emergency that requires you to come in direct contact with a student’s injury.
4. Always wear protective gloves when you come in contact with blood, bodily fluids or torn skin, or when handling materials soiled with the same.
5. If you come in contact with bodily fluids from a student, throw your gloves away in a lined garbage can, or seal them in small plastic bag first. Wash your hands for 10 seconds with soap and warm water after you remove the gloves.
6. Encourage students to wash their hands before meals and when using the restrooms to reduce exposure to germs.
7. Do not allow students who are bleeding to participate in class until the bleeding has stopped and the wound has been cleaned and covered.
8. You will need to complete an accident report form which is obtained from the school office. Leave a copy for the permanent teacher.
9. Prevention is the most important antidote for medical emergencies. Always stay with the students or contact another teacher to stay with students. If you have recess duty, be mindful of potentially dangerous behavior on the playground. You are the adult in charge!
TOMAH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Public Notification of Nondiscrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Tomah Area School District that no person may be denied admission to any public school in this district or be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil service, recreational, or other program or activity because of the person's race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, sex (including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity) or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability (“Protected Classes”) as required by s. 118.13, Wis. Stats. This policy also prohibits discrimination as defined by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race and national origin), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the ADA of 1990.
The district encourages informal resolution of complaints under this policy. A formal complaint resolution procedure is available, however, to address allegations of violations of the policy in the Tomah Area School District.
Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to:
Dr. Charles M. Hanson II, District Administrator
Tomah Area School District
129 West Clifton Street Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7004
Questions concerning s. 118.13, Wis. Stats., or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, should be directed to:
Dr. Paul Skofronick, Title IX Coordinator
Tomah Area School District 1310 Townline Road Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7011
Inquiries related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the ADA of 1990, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap, should be directed to:
Dr. Paul Skofronick, Section 504 Coordinator
Tomah Area School District 1310 Townline Road Tomah, WI 54660 (608) 374-7011
All career and technical education (CTE) courses and programs are offered without discrimination. For a summary of courses, please see www.tomah.education.
