2006-2007 School Year
From the
Principal:
Welcome
to the Rockford Environmental Science Academy (RESA).
We are excited to start another year and hope that this handbook can help
give you an understanding of the policies and procedures that have been designed
to help students be successful learners at our school.
This agenda will also serve as a valuable tool to help sustain academic
success. We
have high expectations for our students at RESA. We
believe all students can be “excellent” students. All
students are entitled to a safe and orderly environment that promotes a positive
educational experience. It is our
job to maintain this type of environment. It
is the responsibility of both parents and students to make the best of this
experience. Students are here to
learn, period. Please indicate
your acknowledgement, understanding and support of the above stated and all
other RESA information contained in this handbook by signing below.
Valid Home
Phone Number_______________________________
Student
Printed Name __________________________________
Parent
Signature _________________________ Date__________
It is very
important that every student carry this agenda to every class except PE
throughout the entire school year.
We
expect Excellence from all of our students here at RESA.
What
is an Excellent Student? An Excellent Student is a student who STRIVES!
S. Self-Disciplines (stays in control, acts responsibly)
T. Tries hard to succeed
R. Respects self and others (peers, teachers, administrators,
school staff)
I. Interacts appropriately with others. (keeps hands and
feet to themselves,
does not use put downs, insults, or
profanity)
V. Values education... you are at school to learn so that you
can be
successful
E.
Expects to be an excellent student. (Students must demand this of
themselves)
S. Stops and thinks before acting or responding to a situation.
Additionally...
Excellent
Students follow the directions of teachers and staff.
Excellent
Students are on time to every class every day; in their seat before the bell
rings.
Excellent
Students raise their hands before speaking in class.
Excellent
Students are always moving to their next location; never standing around in
hallways.
Excellent
Students do not discuss inappropriate topics at school.
Excellent
Students give total effort to complete in-class assignments/activities and
homework.
These
are goals that our staff members are committed to achieving this year…
1.
To provide a positive and engaging classroom
atmosphere where students desire to be
2.
To increase the academic success rate with all
students
3.
To implement positive classroom management
techniques that model, teach, and reward appropriate behaviors
These
are the top three expectations that we have for our students….
1.
Students should be responsible
2.
Students should be respectful
3.
Students know and adhere to the school rules
These
are the three main rules that students must know and adhere to…
1.
Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself
2.
Use appropriate language
3.
Take good care of your school community
Parents…What can you do to meet the educational
and social-emotional needs of your student(s) and make your student’s
education a top priority?
1.
Do not wait until you receive a failing progress report or a report card.
It
is the responsibility of the parent to contact the teachers for this
information. Make sure that you
know how your student is doing in his/her classes EVERY TWO
WEEKS!
2.
Review this handbook and the school’s discipline
code with your child regularly.
3.
Make sure that the school has an updated phone
number of someone to contact in case the school needs to contact you.
This is a safety issue that must be addressed.
4.
Make an effort to be involved in at least one
school activity with your child.
5.
Be a positive example/model for your child.
Speak with your child no less than 15 minutes a day regarding academics.
Ask, "How are you doing in your classes?"
Do not settle for the answer, "I don't know."
6.
Volunteer, Volunteer, Volunteer!!! We have many opportunities for parents to become involved in
your child's school. Examples
include lunchroom supervision, chaperoning REC nights and dances, etc. RESA
Booster Club is the way to go!
General RESA
Information
Rockford Environmental Science Academy
1800 Ogilby Road
Rockford, IL 61102
Phone – (815) 489-5509
Fax – (815) 966-5360
Administration
Dr.
DeLacey Principal
Mr.
Ady
Associate Principal/7th Grade Assistant Principal
Mr.
Ferguson 8th Grade
Assistant Principal
Mrs.
Kloss 6thGrade
Assistant Principal
School Hours
The school
day will begin at 9:30 A.M. and conclude at 3:30 P.M. Students
participating in an after-school activity will be dismissed at 4:50 P.M.
Activity buses will leave the school parking lot at 5:00 P.M.
Students must present their school identification card to ride the
activity bus. Please make sure that
you pick your student up on time from after-school events.
Main
Office 489-5509
Unable
to Attend School? - A parent or guardian must report their child’s
absence by calling our main number, 986-2010 or 489-5509, between the hours of
8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on the day of the absence.
If these hours are not convenient, please leave a message on our
voicemail system indicating the student’s name and the reason for the absence.
If we are not contacted, our automated call system will contact the home
in the evening. RESA’s educational program is built on the
premise that regular attendance is vital to a student’s success.
We hope that you will work with us to ensure your child’s regular
attendance.
Late
To School? - Any student arriving at school after the beginning
of 1st period should report directly to the Main School Office to be
issued a pass. If a legitimate
reason exists for the tardiness, parents should write a note or call to indicate
the reason for the tardiness. Tardy excuses are not accepted the day after the
tardy has occurred. Tardy students will be issued a consequence per the
discipline code.
Check-in/Check
Out- Because the safety of your child is paramount, no
student is allowed to leave school without being excused through the Main
Office. If leaving school early, students need to bring a note to the office
upon entering school. This note
should be written and signed by parents. The note should explain the reason and
time for student to be picked up. Parents
must come to the Main Office and sign their child out of school. Students
waiting to be picked up by a parent will wait in the Main Office.
Students returning to school during the day must return to the Main
Office to sign in.
School
Buses-
Students are not permitted to “stand around” after school. THE
BUS DOORS CLOSE AT 3:36PM! At
that point the student will be directed to call home for other arrangements.
We do not allow students to ride any bus other than their own.
Students are expected to speak and act appropriately on the bus.
They must be seated keeping their hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
Inappropriate behavior
may result in a suspension or complete loss of riding privileges.
Feeling
Sick? - Unfortunately students do, from time to time,
become ill at school. If a student
becomes ill during the school day, he or she should obtain a pass from a teacher
and report to the Nurse’s Office. If
the school nurse deems it is in the student’s best interest to go home, the
nurse will call parents to pick up the student.
Parents must
come to the Main Office to sign students out of school.
Please make sure that the school has a current phone number and address.
Inclement
Weather and Emergency Procedures-
School cancellation due to inclement weather will be announced over local radio
and television stations.
Television
Stations:
WIFR 23/WTVO 17/WREX 13
Radio
Stations:
WROK 1440 AM/WQFL 98.5 FM
Homework/Make-Up
Work- We are happy to prepare homework for a child who
is going to be absent for two days or more.
Core teams will
need one-day notice to prepare this homework for students.
When
requesting homework, please specify the student’s name, grade and team.
We also offer the services of a Homework Hotline 967-7127.
If
your student is suspended out of school, it is their (and the parents’)
responsibility to request make-up work no later than 48 hours after the first
day of suspension.
Entering
and Exiting the School Building- All
students should enter and exit the school building through their designated
entry door….
·
Sixth
Grade: east
entrance, to the left as you face the building.
Closest to bus loading
·
Seventh
Grade: main
entrance, or doors directly in front of the flagpoles
·
Eighth
Grade: west
door, to the right as you face the building
Students
will not be allowed to enter the building until the first bell rings. Unless
participating in one of our many after-school activities, students should
immediately exit the building at dismissal. Students
found loitering in the building after school hours will be considered
trespassers. Please understand that we are responsible for providing a safe
environment for all students and staff. We
must maintain appropriate security measures.
Curriculum-
Students
will participate in a curriculum that blends the environmental science theme of
our school into the standard District 205 core curriculum. The teachers work as
a team to plan instructional delivery.
All
RESA students attend classes in Mathematics, English, Language
Arts, Social Studies and Science. Students
will also have encore classes: P.E., Art, Health, and Environmental Science.
Students may also opt for a full year band class.
Physical
Education- P.E.
students are required to dress each day. When assigned to the pool, students
will need appropriate swimwear. Swimwear
that is too revealing and two-piece swimsuits are not allowed.
Towels are provided for new students.
Students who fail to dress in the appropriate gear will be issued a
consequence per the discipline code. All
students will have PE as a semester course, except for those who have band or
art.
Locks &
Lockers- All
students are assigned hall lockers and P.E. lockers.
All lockers are equipped with a combination lock.
Should the lock be lost, the student will be charged a lock replacement
cost. Please remember the following
locker tips:
·
Do not give
your locker combinations to other students.
·
Do not share
your locker with other students.
·
Make sure
your locker is locked at all times.
·
Keep your
locker clean and organized.
Lockers are the
property of the school and may be inspected at any time by a school official
without notification or permission.
Don’t bring
things to school that don’t belong on school property: This
excludes materials that are required for specific projects. Your teachers must give you permission to bring such.
These items will be confiscated. Parents
must pick the item up from school.
·
Radios,
cassette players, headphones, electronic games, communication devices, pagers,
cell phones, cameras or laser pointers
·
Skateboards,
roller blades, Trading/Game cards, cologne and toys
·
Chains,
valuables of any type, cash in excess of $10.
The
school is not responsible for money or valuables that are lost or stolen.
If it is valuable or important, don't bring it to school!
·
Playing
cards
·
Permanent
markers are not allowed in school.
Computer Use-
Computer technology is an essential tool in the curriculum at RESA.
We are very excited about the state of the art technology equipment that
has been installed in our building. This
equipment will provide many unique educational opportunities.
Responsible and ethical use of this system will be expected of every
student and adult in the RESA family. Every student will be required to have a parent/guardian sign an Internet
Access Waiver in order for students to access the Internet at school.
Would you
like a work permit?
You must be at least 14 years of age and
demonstrating academic success in your classes to obtain a permit. Ask your counselor for more details.
Grading
Practices- Each
teacher or team of teachers is expected to communicate clear guidelines to
students and parents as to how student work is graded and assessed.
If you are not sure about these guidelines, please ask the teacher or
team of teachers for additional information.
Report
Cards/Progress Reports-
Report cards will be sent home every nine weeks.
Progress reports will be mailed at the midpoint of the grading period to
students in danger of failing. At
this point, teachers, parents and the student need to develop a plan of
remediation to address the student’s areas of need.
Please do not feel that you must wait for progress reports and report
cards in order to determine how your student is doing.
January
12
November 27
January 22
March
23
February 12
April 2
June
4
April 30
June 11
Parent/Teacher
Conferences-
We have 4 parent-teacher conferences scheduled for the 2006-2007 school
year.
Fall Dates:
Tuesday,
November 7th from 4:00 to 7:00 and Thursday, November 9th
from 4:00 to 7:00.
Spring Dates:
Tuesday,
March 6th from 4:00 to 7:00 and Thursday, March 8th from
4:00 to 7:00.
Additional
conferences between parents and teachers can be arranged at any time by
contacting your student’s teachers or counselor.
Food
Service/Lunchroom Procedures-
Students enter an individual access code into a keypad to purchase their lunch.
This technology offers students the option to prepay for lunch.
To pay for lunch in advance, send cash or a check (payable to RESA
Cafeteria) to school. The amount is
credited to the student’s account.
A
hot lunch program is operated daily. Ala Carte items, snack bar and submarine
sandwiches are also available. Prices
will be posted in the lunchroom. Students
may also bring their own lunches. A free or reduced lunch program is available
for those who qualify. Confidential
applications are available in the Main Office.
Cafeteria
Behavior-
Students are expected to use common sense and courtesy while eating lunch.
We have more than 450 students per lunch period.
Students must conduct themselves in the same manner they would while
dining at home or in a restaurant. The
following rules govern cafeteria behavior and will
be enforced:
·
Students
must stay seated until their table/team is called.
Students are required to remain in their assigned seats until dismissed.
Students must raise their hands if they need to be excused.
·
Students
must stop talking when someone is addressing them on the microphone.
·
Students are
not allowed to “beat” on tables, braid/comb hair, “scream/yell”, or sit
more than 9 persons at a table.
·
Students are
responsible for keeping their table area clean.
·
Contents of
trays are to be dumped in trashcans, and trays are to be taken to the window by
one student from each table. Placing
trays in the trashcan is unacceptable.
·
Unless
students have staff permission, they must remain in the cafeteria for the entire
lunch period.
·
Unless
students have permission, no food or beverage may be taken out of the cafeteria.
·
Improper
conduct will result in alternative seating or removal from the cafeteria.
Severe misbehavior will be cause for immediate office referral.
Consequences will be at the discretion of the principal or assistant
principal.
·
Stealing
from the cafeteria will result in disciplinary action.
·
Throwing/flicking
food or any other items, no matter how small, in the cafeteria will result in a
disciplinary consequence.
Responsibilities
& Expectations- It is
the responsibility of every student to:
·
Respect
Him/Herself
·
Respect
others and their personal property
·
Respect the
environment, both physical and natural
·
Preserve and
improve for future generations that which has been preserved for us.
If everyone in
the RESA community accepts these responsibilities, students will:
·
Have a
chance to be the best they can be.
·
Feel safe in
the classroom, cafeteria, hallways, bus, school grounds and walking to and from
school.
·
Be able to
seek and receive support when they need assistance.
Discipline
Code- RESA
administrators closely follow the District 205 Discipline Code.
Consequences are assigned according to the seriousness and persistence of
the infractions.
The most
commonly assigned consequence for disruptive behavior is Lunch Detention.
However, a student’s failure to attend the detention will result in
harsher consequences.
Students who
have been suspended from school are not to return to school until their
suspension is over. Students who
come on school property during their suspension are considered trespassers and
may be arrested.
Student
Tardy Policy- Students
who are not seated in their scheduled classroom when the bell rings will be
considered tardy. Students will
have a five-minute passing time between classes. This is ample time for students to get to electives,
exploratory classes and core classes. Students
who are chronically late are forming an unacceptable habit that needs to be
addressed. Consequences will be assigned for students late to class.
We want our students to be in a successful environment and prepared for
the “real world.” In the
“real world,” when you are late, you are simply late.
Eventually it will lead to consequences (i.e. loss of job, loss of pay.)
We have high expectations for all of our students. A successful RESA student needs to be on time and present
every day.
RESA
Mandatory School Uniform
All RESA
Students must wear the uniform every day. This includes during field trips and picture days.
NO
EXCEPTIONS will be made.
Students out of uniform will be directed to call home for a parent to
bring the appropriate school uniform. If
we are not able to reach a parent or guardian the student will not be allowed to
attend classes; other arrangements will be made by the administrator. (Ex.
Student may be required to sit in the main office or an administrator's office
for the day.) Any student who is repeatedly out of uniform may receive out of
school suspension. Dress code violations are listed in the Rockford Public
Schools Discipline Code. The dress
code has contributed to better academic performance and fewer disciplinary
infractions.
The following is what is
expected of our students in regard to the school uniform:
-
Boys and girls may wear plain (solid in color, no
logos, stripes etc.) khaki or navy blue pants or shorts. NO CARGO PANTS! Pants must
be worn at the waist!
-
Girls may wear plain (solid in color) khaki or navy
blue knee-length skirts.
-
Boys and girls may wear plain (solid in color)
white, navy blue or forest green collared “polo style” shirt/blouse that
must be tucked in.
-
Boys and girls may also wear plain (solid in color)
white, navy blue or forest green crewneck sweaters, or crewneck sweatshirts.
-
Zippered sweatshirts or sweatshirts with a hood
(hoodies) may not be worn.
-
Sweatshirts and sweaters must be appropriate
length, falling no more than 8 inches below the waist or belt line.
-
No jeans, no logos, stripes…only what is listed
above!
-
Shirts must be long enough to be tucked
in!!!
-
Shirts must fit appropriately! (Not too tight, long
enough to cover midsection and to be tucked in!)
-
T-shirts worn underneath uniform shirts MUST be
solid white…NO EXCEPTIONS!
-
School lanyards with ID cards are a part of the
uniform and students are required to wear these around the neck and visible at
all times. (lost lanyards may be
purchased for $1.00, lost ID cards may be purchased for $5.00)
We require our students to tuck their shirts in.
We want our students to take pride in their appearance and in RESA.
We do not want students to wear their shirts untucked and down to their
knees. This does not look
appropriate. We are preparing our
students for life. Part of that
preparation is for students to take pride in their appearance.
Parents, please enforce this at home with your child.
Inappropriate
Items- The
following items are inappropriate for school and are not allowed:
·
Clothing or
jewelry that is gang identifiable
·
Headbands,
neckbands, wristbands
·
Socks or
shoelaces that do not match (ex. A red sock and a black sock)
·
Clothing or
jewelry with racist, sexist, satanic or any other inappropriate or derogatory
message
·
Clothing or
jewelry that depicts and/or promotes drugs, alcohol, tobacco or violence
·
Shorts,
skirts or dresses that are too short (with arms at sides, these items
must be at least equal to the middle finger; hands extended)
·
Clothing
that is too tight and “revealing”.
·
Pants or
shorts that are worn in such a way that undergarments are exposed.
No pajama pants.
·
Bicycle
pants or leotards
·
Clothes with
excessive holes
·
Picks,
combs, hair rollers, bandanas, hats and outdoor headwear of any type are not to
be worn in school
·
House shoes/
slippers are not allowed.
Any item that
has been confiscated will only be returned to parents.
If items are brought back a second time they may be kept until the end of
the year.
Book Bags,
BackPacks, Purses & Coats-
Book bags, backpacks, purses, coats, along
with other outdoor accessories, are to be left in lockers during the school day.
These items are not permitted in classrooms or P.E. areas.
Bathroom Passes - Students have 5 minutes to pass from class to class. This is plenty of time to use the restroom and get to class with time to spare. Teachers will not issue a bathroom pass during class-time unless it is an emergency! We ask that our students and teachers use discretion when asking for or issuing a bathroom pass. Students are allowed to use the restroom during their lunch hour. After lunch, students are to go directly to class… restrooms will be off limits immediately following lunch.
Intramural
Program- RESA’s intramural program offers a wide variety
of clubs and hobby activities as well as athletics.
We believe these programs are an important part of the educational
process and critical in our efforts to address the various interests of our
students.
Competitive
Athletics- We offer many opportunities for our students to
participate in sports. We offer
soccer, track, swimming, girls’ and boys’ basketball, and girls’
volleyball. Additionally we will
offer football during the 2006-2007 school year for the first time!
We encourage all of our students to take advantage of the many great
opportunities to participate in athletics here at RESA.
School
Dances- There will be four school dances. The first three dances will be for all three grade levels.
The last dance is for eighth grade students only.
Visitors- All visitors will be required to sign-in (you may
be asked to provide photo identification) and state the reason for their visit.
Visitors will be given a visitor’s badge to wear while visiting our
building. Photo identification will
be returned, after signing out.
August 23rd – Teacher’s Institute
August 24th – First day of school for
students
September 4th – Labor Day – No
School
October 3rd (Tuesday) – Parent Math
Event – Introduction to
the Connected Math program for parents
5:30
to 7:00
October 9th – Columbus Day – No
School
October 10th – Teacher’s Institute
October 27th – Last day of the 1st
quarter grading period
November 7th
& 9th – Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4:00 to 7:00 (Tuesday
and Thursday)
November 10th
– Veterans’ Day – No School
November 14th
(Tuesday) – Family Reading Night from 5:30 to 7:00
November 23rd
– Thanksgiving Day – No School
November 24th
– No School
December 21st
to January 2nd – Winter Break
January 12th
– Last day of 2nd quarter grading period
January 15th
– Martin Luther King’s Birthday – No School
January 16th
– Teacher’s Institute – No School
January 30th
– Family Math Night (Pi Night) from 5:30 to 7:00
February 13th
and 15th – Conferences from 4:00 to 7:00 (Tuesday and Thursday
night)
February
19th – Presidents’ Day – No School
March 5th
– Casimir Pulaski Day – No School
March 6th
& 8th – Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4:00 to 7:00 (Tuesday
and Thursday)
March 12th
to March 23rd – ISAT Testing
March 23rd
– Last day of 3rd quarter grading period
March 26th
to March 30th – Spring Break
April 9th
– Special Holiday – No School
April 12th
(Thursday) – Lighted Libraries from 5:30 to 7:00
May 28th –
Memorial Day – No School
June 1st
– Teacher’s Institute – No School
June 4th –
Last day of 4th quarter grading period (LAST DAY OF SCHOOL)