SCHOOL BASED DECISION MAKING (SBDM)

The SBDM Council is a form of school management in which teachers, parents, and administrators collaborate for educational change and improvement.  The school council is made up of two parents, three teachers, and the principal.  Elections are held in the spring of each year.

Everyone is invited to attend SBDM meetings.  The public may address the council during the discussion phase of any motion and may ask to have a relevant item placed on the agenda by making a request to the principal or SBDM member at least five school days before the meeting.  The monthly agenda and minutes are posted on the Natcher News bulletin board and on the website.  Special called meetings may take place during the school year as needed.  Watch the Natcher Notes newsletter for published dates.  

The SBDM Council needs concerned family members to actively serve on Consolidated School Improvement Plan Committees (Curriculum/Instruction, Closing Achievement Gaps, School Culture, and Technology).  If you would like to serve on a committee, please contact the principal.

SBDM MEMBERS 2008 / 2009

Stephanie Martin stephanie.martin@warren.kyschools.us – Principal / Chairperson

Emily Cassady emily.cassady@warren.kyschools.us – Teacher Representative

Neesa Richardson neesa.richardson@warren.kyschools.us – Teacher Representative

Ashley Hurt ashley.hurt@warren.kyschools.us – Teacher Representative

Diane Adams dadams@coverhaul18.com – Parent Representative

Nicole Guthrie nicoleguthrie@insightbb.com – Parent Representative

Jen Graves jennifer.graves@warren.kyschools.us – Council Secretary (not a voting member)

NATCHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL POLICIES

1. CURRICULUM

The school council shall adopt the curriculum of the Warren County Board of Education as the curriculum that shall be implemented at the school. It is our opinion that this curriculum is aligned with the state standards and is appropriate for our instructional needs. This school council policy shall also be consistent with applicable indicators from the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement. All issues related to the curriculum of the school shall be referred to the school principal for discussion that leads to a recommendation on the issue to the school council for consideration and possible adoption.

2. STUDENT ASSIGNMENT

It is the policy of Natcher Elementary School to assign students to classes heterogeneously. All regular classes are to be as evenly balanced as possible based on the following:

Number of boys and girls

Minority or non-minority students

Students having I. E. P.s. (Individual Education Plan)

Students for whom English is a second language

Students who require remediating or other special assistance

Students who are high, average, or low achieving

Teachers input regarding assignment of students is provided at the end of each school year. The rosters are based on the variables listed above and other pertinent information.

Students who enroll during the summer will be assigned to classes based on class size with consideration to variables listed above.

3. SCHOOL SPACE USE

By May 1, the principal shall prepare a school space use plan and present the plan to the school council for approval. The school council may amend the plan prior to approval. The principal shall implement the plan subsequent to the approval of the school council. The principal can alter the plan if a need arises due to enrollment and hiring of teachers.

4. DISCIPLINE AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

A school wide discipline plan will be developed, implemented, reviewed and modified as needed subject to school council approval.

•Classroom procedures, along with rewards and consequences, should be posted in each classroom.

•Discipline and classroom management procedures will address the following areas: Student behavior in classroom, on playground, in halls, lunchroom, restrooms, gym, assemblies, and any other areas outside the classroom.

•Students will be encouraged to develop self-discipline.

•Staff will enforce procedures with consistency and fairness.

•Classroom teachers will discuss with their students the reasons for each of the procedures.

5. ALIGNMENT WITH STATE STANDARDS, TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION AND PROGRAM APPRAISAL

Please see Warren County Board of Education policy on technology.

6. COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

Committees will be formed under the 3 major components of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP): Curriculum/Instruction, School Culture (Discipline) and Technology.  Committees will rotate so all members of the staff are involved and parents will be invited to join committees.

7. STAFF TIME ASSIGNMENT (INSTRUCTIONAL AND NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TIME)

The Principal shall assign each staff member’s time in a manner that supports implementation of our CSIP.  Achievement of school council goals and effective management shall be the basis for assignments of staff time.  All staff time assignments shall be published annually by June 1 of each year.

8. SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Based on recommendations from the principal and teacher input the council will approve a schedule, which allows time to meet goals and requirements of curriculum.  The schedule will utilize the time of school day and calendar year as established by the Warren County Board of Education to meet needs and interests of students, curriculum, extracurricular activities and school programs.

9. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES

Faculty, in collaboration with the principal, shall select the appropriate instructional practices to be utilized in their classroom, to ensure that the school’s curriculum is fully implemented. Best practice instructional strategies that are selected by teachers must be included in lesson plans and monitored by the principal. This school council policy shall also be consistent with the applicable indicators from the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement.

10. HOMEWORK POLICY

Teaching teams at each level shall coordinate to ensure that homework does not exceed 10 minutes per grade level.  For example, 3rd grade = 30 minutes.

Homework is an extension of classroom instruction and will consist of additional practice of skills taught during classroom instruction, parent-child activities that contribute to classroom units, and daily reading logs that record the time students spend reading at home. Teachers will monitor homework completion and habits of individual students. Team leaders should follow up with any parent or student request for assistance with homework assignments.  Students in Primary will not be given a letter grade for homework. Intermediate students may be given a letter grade for homework. Students who consistently turn in completed homework may be rewarded.

Class work will only become homework if class time is not used efficiently. It is the responsibility of the student to record in their agenda: instruction time, class work assignments, and homework.

It is the policy of Natcher Elementary that there will be no homework or additional classroom testing during the CATS testing window for the students participating in the assessment.  There will be no homework on nights that school programs are scheduled.

11. EXTRA CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

The Principal shall ensure that all students have a wide range of opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics, musical and dramatic performances and service opportunities.   Each activity shall have a faculty sponsor or coach, who will be present throughout the activities.

12. CONSULTATION POLICY

The school council shall be consulted by the principal on all certified and classified vacancies that occur at the school. The principal will review available applications and present the screened applications to the council. The administration will do reference checks. The chosen applicants will be interviewed by the principal, appropriate team members and council members will be invited.

The school council shall consider the principal’s recommendations and shall provide its advice to the principal on who to select to fill the vacancy in a closed meeting of the council.

If a quorum of the members of the school council is not available to attend a meeting for the purpose of consulting for the vacancy, the principal shall call a special meeting and conduct consultation with the council members who can attend.

13. WELLNESS POLICY

All students shall participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity each day as follows:

Teachers shall make all reasonable efforts to avoid periods of more than forty minutes when students are physically inactive.  When possible, physical activity should be integrated into learning activities. 

Each student shall participate in physical education class for at least 40 minutes each week. Each student shall have at least 15 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which school staff shall encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity. Appropriate accommodations shall be made for students with special needs.

The President’s Physical Fitness Challenge, including fitness testing for muscular strength, endurance and cardio respiratory endurance, will be given each year to the students during PE classes.

Our school shall encourage healthy choices among students using the following methods:  Our school shall implement the nutritional standards required by federal and state laws and regulations. Those rules apply to our food program and to other food and beverage available during the instructional day.  Teachers will encourage students to have water available throughout the instructional day and bring healthy snacks from home.  Students only have access to vending machines with milk, water and 100% fruit juices.  Students are offered fresh fruit and vegetables daily at lunch in the school cafeteria.

Food rewards/incentives are limited to PAWS rewards, STAR parties and holiday parties.

Our practical living curriculum shall address the full Core Content and Program of Studies including health, consumerism, and physical education.

The provisions of this policy shall be implemented to comply with provisions required by federal law, state law, or local board policy.  If any specific requirement above does not fit with those rules, the principal shall notify the council so that the policy can be amended.

The principal shall share this policy with the Kentucky Department of Education.

14. DRESS CODE

The staff, administration, and family members will deal with any situation that arises that is disruptive to the instructional process on an individual basis.

Shorts, skirts, and dresses: must be no shorter than mid thigh length.

Hats: (of any kind; i.e. ball caps, hats, scarves) may not be worn in school unless they are necessary for health, cultural or safety purposes. Hats may be worn outside during recess for sun protection, cold weather or on designated hat days.

Shoes: are required at all times. Sneakers are required for physical education class and greenway activities being conducted by the whole class. Flip flops (rubber beach type) and roller blade shoes are not allowed. Wearing of sandals and shoes with high heels are discouraged due to safety concerns.  Due to playground safety, students must wear shoes/sandals with straps on the back of the ankle in order to play on the equipment. Consequence for not following the policy: students will not be allowed on the equipment for that recess period.

Sunglasses: shall not be worn inside the school building without a medical excuse; a doctor’s note must be presented beforehand.

Hair: shall be clean and well groomed. Distracting extremes shall not be permitted.

Pants: must be worn at the waist and must remain there consistently through normal activity, without having to be held up by the hands.

Shirts: should cover the midriff with all normal movement and be an appropriate neck length. If the shirt is sleeveless, it must have wide shoulder straps and no large armholes. Thin “spaghetti” straps are not allowed for grades 3rd through 6th. Tank tops and Athletic jerseys: must be worn over a tee shirt or another shirt with sleeves.

Hooded shirts: may be worn, but inside the building hoods will not be worn.

Patches, emblems, and clothing depicting vulgarity or advertising alcoholic beverages or illegal substances shall not be permitted.

15. COUNCIL OPERATIONAL POLICY

Selection of Principal

When the council learns that the school needs to hire a principal, the council will:

1.  Obtain training in recruitment and interviewing techniques from the trainer of its choice.

2.  Hold at least one afternoon and one evening meeting to receive suggestions from parents, staff and other interested parties on what traits will make the best leader for this school.

3.  Meet in open session to agree on criteria and develop interview questions that fit those criteria.  Those criteria shall not in any way discriminate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, political affiliations, or any other illegal grounds.

4.  Meet in open session with the superintendent to discuss the criteria and other steps in the hiring process.

5.  Meet in closed session to review applications and references of candidates recommended by the superintendent and select persons to be interviewed who appear reasonably capable of fitting the council’s criteria.

6.  Schedule an interview with each selected applicant at a time when all council members can attend a special meeting.

7.  Conduct each interview in a closed session, using the interview questions.

8.  Meet in closed session to discuss how well each applicant meets the criteria.

9.  If necessary, request additional applicants from the superintendent and repeat steps 4-8 above.

10.  Meet in open session to make the final choice of principal.

11.  Notify the superintendent immediately of their choice.

After receiving notice of the council’s choice, the superintendent will complete the hiring process.