To download a copy of the student / parent handbook in which contains the code of conduct, click HERE.
Our
Mission
The mission of Global
Concepts Charter School is to provide a top-quality educational program where
students achieve high academic results; are geared towards higher education and
career opportunities; become responsible, caring family and community members;
are highly knowledgeable of the multicultural world they are part of; and
possess the qualities and problem solving skills to collaborate peacefully in
the community and world.
We will accomplish this
mission through a curriculum that combines a standards-based core curriculum
emphasizing focus on character education in both our academic and fine arts
components; accountability in a results-based delivery of instruction; and a
strong emphasis on family and community involvement. Presented in an encouraging learning environment,
the charter school's mission will guide our students to develop a lifelong love
for learning.
The Global Concepts Charter
School is a top-rated educational institution. Our students' academic progress is designed to meet and exceed the
State's standards. All students will be
held to high standards, and will be supported
to reach and surpass these standards. The Global Concepts Charter School will be known for a curriculum that prepares students
academically, as well as in character, for their future.
· Children will be recognized for their academic
achievement and admirable character. They will exhibit an excitement for learning.
· The school will be renowned for its excellent
educational program.
· Parents will continue to communicate their
desire to enroll their child at the Global Concepts Charter School.
We believe that...
· The sharing of ideas and learning, through
cooperative efforts, enables our youth to take initiative and demonstrate
responsibility while preparing to function in a global society.
· The presence of honesty and respect is essential
to a safe, non-threatening learning environment.
· When a sense of perseverance and optimism
prevails, promoting pleasure in learning, education becomes a life long
journey.
· The hard work of learning skills and aptitudes
enables students to continually meet and raise expectations
· A sense of trustworthiness and loyalty promotes
a sense of community , making school personnel and parents equal partners and
stakeholders in education
· Students are unique individuals who have the
potential to learn
· Students must share responsibility for their
education
· Students can develop self-discipline, pride,
resourcefulness, acceptance of others, responsibility, and confidence
· Students learn to make behavioral choices based
on values, rules, rewards, and consequences
· Parental involvement is essential in promoting
learning and in developing a love of learning
· Parents, schools, and community cooperate for
the benefit of every student
· Teachers and the community create a learning
environment in which students succeed and thrive
· Administrators and school board members promote
open and honest communication within the school and community
· The community and the school are a resource for
each other
GCCS follows New York State Educational
Guidelines for Admissions/Enrollment. Maximum Allowable Enrollment - approved
by the New York State Education Department and is based on 25 students per
class and 3 classes at each grade level, except in an expansion year, as
follows:
2014-2015 School Year K-8 675
Students
If targeted enrollment is achieved for the
particular school year, GCCS will not accept new students after October 1st
of the school year. This is necessary in order to maintain a high level of
education due to increased consistency and stability of the student population.
If targeted enrollment is not maintained
during the school year, GCCS may remain open until targeted enrollment is
achieved. Students will be first selected from the current wait-list. If no
wait-list exists, "outside" students will be selected. Principal and/or CEO
retains the right to close off grade levels as they fill.
For emergency conditions, despite having
targeted enrollment, GCCS will accept additional students at the discretion of
the Principal and/or CEO.
If a parent/guardian of a child decides to
leave GCCS during the school for a period of greater than two weeks, for any
reason whatsoever, they forfeit their place on the roster. This is in
accordance to New York State Educational Regulations and Guidelines. This
position will be filled from the current wait-list.
If no wait-list exists for that particular
grade level, it shall be up to the discretion of the Principal and/or CEO
regarding re-enrolling the student(s). For re-enrollment, the parent must fill
out an application and re-register as a new student to GCCS.
For any reason, if a parent decides to exit
GCCS, an exit interview shall be conducted with the Principal or CEO and the
Parents/Guardians of the student must complete an exit form.
During the first week of
school or upon registration, parents complete the School Emergency Contact
Form; call the school to have a copy sent home with your child. Having this information returned promptly and
correctly is very important. You should immediately contact the school
office staff to update your family's emergency information any time a change
occurs during the school year.
Parents are to notify the
school immediately if there is a change in their address, telephone number, day
care, or person to contact in an emergency. This information is very important in case a
student becomes ill or injured during the school day. The Change of Address Form is
available upon request.
Regular attendance is
essential to success in school. A
student not only misses instruction and class work on the day of absence, but
also is not prepared for the next day's instruction and assignments. Punctual and regular daily attendance is required
of all students. All registered
students are required to attend all classes.
We ask that you notify the
school office by phone (821-1903) before 8:00 a.m. on the morning of your
child's absence.
Students are to bring a
dated, written excuse for every absence signed by the parent or guardian upon
returning to school. Please indicate the
date, the reason for the absence, and the full name of the student and classroom
teacher.
When a student is absent, without prior
notice, the designated staff member will notify the student's parents by phone
during the day of the absence.
Students arriving after the
official start of the school day (8:00 a.m.) are tardy. The parent and student go directly to the
Front Desk upon their arrival. The
parent must sign the student into the school, and the student obtains a hall
pass. Students should bring a dated
written excuse, signed by the parent or guardian, for every tardy. Students on late busses are not tardy.
Please send a written request to have a student
excused from class early with the student on the morning of the early
dismissal. If a written request is not possible, please call the school by
12:00 to arrange for early pick up. The time and reason for leaving should be
included. Parents should report to the
front desk to meet their child. Students are expected to be in school until
3:30pm. Early release is discouraged
from school and is tracked on student report cards.
All absences, tardiness, and
early departures from school are classified as excused or unexcused.
· An excusedabsence, tardiness, or early dismissal includes one of the following
reasons: personal illness, medical/dental appointment, death/illness in the family,
delay in school bus transportation, or religious observance.
· An unexcused absence, tardiness, or
early dismissal may include one
of the following reasons: being sent home for improper hygiene/head lice, lack
of transportation, babysitting duties, family vacation, shopping, missed bus,
oversleeping, lack of proper clothing, and lack of written excuses for absences
or tardiness.
Regular attendance is
essential to success in school .Students who are absent more than 20 days per
school year may be recommended to repeat their current grade level as
determined by the Student Support Team (SST) with approval from the school
principal. The student must complete all class work due to an absence in a
reasonable amount of time.
Promotion and Retention
Grade
Promotion: Students in Grades K-2 are promoted based on performance in the core
subjects of reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Students in
grades 3-6 are promoted based on an overall passing grade (65%) in all core subjects
(reading, writing, math, science, social studies). Students in grades 7-8 are
promoted based on an overall passing grade (65%) in four (4) out of five (5)
core subjects (English, math, science, social studies, foreign language). All
New York State requirements must also be met in addition to these GCCS
requirements.
The following procedures
apply when a student's absence rate, tardiness, or early dismissal (excused or
unexcused) exceeds 10 days during the school year:
· Written notification of the total days absent,
tardy, or early dismissal and a summary of the attendance policy will be mailed
to the home.
The following procedures
apply when a student's absence, tardiness or early dismissal rate reaches 18
days during the school year:
· Written notification of the total days absent, tardy,
or early dismissal and a summary of the attendance policy will be mailed to the
home.
· A parent conference will be held with the
principal, counselor and where appropriate the classroom teacher.
· Academic standing and grade promotion will be
discussed
A variety of strategies,
other than those mentioned above, may be employed when a pattern of absences,
tardiness, or early departures have been identified. These strategies include, but are not limited
to:
· Referral to Child Protective Services for
educational neglect.
· Referral to the Family Court System for Person
in Need of Supervision (PINS) petition.
· Classroom instruction begins at 8:00 am for
grades K - 6, 7:55 am for grades 7 and 8.
· The breakfast program operates between 7:15 a.m.
and 7:45 a.m.
· Students driven to school by parents should not
arrive before 7:45 a.m., unless they are participating in the breakfast
program.
· All students arriving prior to 7:45 a.m. should
proceed directly to the cafeteria area or designated area.
· Students are not to arrive before 7:15.
Supervision is not available.
· Dismissal for students who walk or who are being
picked up by a parent/guardian is 3:30 p.m. Students who will not ride the bus must be picked up between 3:30 p.m. and 3:35 p.m. Bus dismissal starts promptly at 3:40
p.m. Any student not picked up by 3:40
p.m. will be placed on their scheduled bus.
· Dismissal for students riding the bus is between
3:35 and 3:55 p.m.
· If a parent or guardian is picking up their
child, the parent or guardian is to report to the front desk and sign the
Dismissal Log between 3:20 and 3:30.
· Parents must provide written notification in
advance of any changes in their child's dismissal schedules. While written notification is preferred, the
school will honor "emergency" requests to the school office personnel from
parents by telephone. Please contact the
school with emergency requests before 12:00 p.m.
In order for a child to be
released to a family member/friend whose name is not listed on the Emergency
Contact Form, the office must receive a note from the parent/guardian approving
such release or a phone call from a number listed in our database. The adult must show identification to the
front desk receptionist before signing out the student.
The principal of Global
Concepts Charter School is responsible for school closing. All school closings will be announced on
television channels 2, 4, & 7 and radio station WBEN as soon as possible in
relation to the emergency. In some
cases, students may need to be dismissed before the end of the regular school
day without prior notice. Families
should be prepared with an emergency plan for such occasions. Contacting the school to set up last minute
arrangements should not be part of
your family plan. It is vital that all students
know where to go in case no one is home when they arrive. All students should know their family's
emergency plan and its alternatives.
Global Concepts Charter
School's Café serves lunches and
breakfasts every regular school day. We
invite all students to take part in the breakfast program. Allstudents participating in breakfast
arrive in their classroom before 8:00 a.m. for attendance.
Free or reduced-priced
lunches and breakfasts are available to those who qualify. Application forms are sent home at the
beginning of the year and may be obtained during the school year by calling the
school office. Students that do not have a cafeteria account paid in full may
be served an alternative lunch until payment is made.
Free transportation is
available for all pupils in grades K-8 who live more than one-half mile from
the school, and grades 7-12 who live more than 1 1/2 miles from the school, in
accordance with NYS Educational Transportation Guidelines.
GCCS will attempt to limit a
student's one-way bus ride home to no more than 60 minutes as measured from the
time a student gets on the bus to the time that the student gets off the bus.
Special transportation
provisions will be arranged based upon the Individualized Educational Plan
(IEP).
Transportation is a
privilege and students may be prohibited from riding a school bus, either
temporarily or permanently by the Principal, Dean of Students, or designee,
when the actions, activities or behavior of the student necessitate such
action. Removal from the bus may be progressive,
with a verbal warning, 1, 3 or 5 day suspension. After a suspension is served, the following incident
may result in permanent removal from the bus. For any suspension, it shall be the parent's responsibility to transport
their child to and from school. This is
necessary in order to preserve the safety of all children at GCCS. Based on the nature of the incident, the
Principal and / or Dean of Students retains the right to remove a student from
the bus immediately.
It is the parent's
responsibility to provide transportation home. For all after school activities,
it is the parent's responsibility to provide transportation home. Global Concepts offers a wide variety of
After School Activities for students in grades 5 to 8. A child assigned
detention is excluded from all activities until the detention is served. Students must be picked up on time from after
school activities, or they may be excluded from participating.
It is the parent's
responsibility to provide transportation home. Detention is served for one hour
after school is over, from 4 to 5pm. If the child does not attend detention on
the designated day, the Dean of Students will assign a make-up day of
detention. Saturday Detention will be assigned as a consequence when necessary.
Saturday Detention
Saturday Detention runs from
8:30-11:30. It is the parents
responsibility to provide transportation to and from school for Saturday
Detention. If a student is assigned Saturday Detention and does not attend,
then an administrator may assign a one-day suspension from school.
Bus transportation is
available only within regularly scheduled bus routes.
Students are expected to
ride the same route to and from school. However,
if the parent fills out a transportation change verification form, GCCS will
consider transporting the student if the change is regular and consistent from
week to week. Requests for permanent
changes in the established drop off/pickup points must be made in writing to
the school one week before the change is to occur. Regarding unexpected temporary emergency
changes, notice should be given to the building secretary prior to 9:00 am for
a change in the student's delivery to other than the regular (existing) drop
off point, and will be granted at the discretion of the Principal or
designee. This should be made in writing
if possible, and include the contact person, address and phone number, 1 day
prior to change.
For a safe and enjoyable
ride to and from school, students should be aware of and follow the listed
rules for good behavior on the school bus. Please review the expectations listed below with your child:
· Remain seated until the bus comes to a stop and
door opens.
· No food or beverages are to be consumed on the
bus.
· Use quiet voices, appropriate language, and
refrain from fighting or throwing anything.
· Follow the directions of the bus driver and wait
for a signal before crossing the street in front of the bus.
· Keep hands and personal belongings inside any
open bus windows.
· No live animals or glass containers are allowed
on the bus.
· Violins may be carried, but must be placed on
the students lap or held vertically on the floor between the seats.
· The bus driver or a school representative may
assign bus seats as required.
GCCS encourages all students
to behave appropriately and act with individual responsibility. When individuals treat others with mutual
respect, we enhance the teaching and learning environment. When individuals abide by the school's Code
of Conduct, they help create a safe environment.
Student
Expectations
Students share the
responsibility for making their school a safe and secure environment for living
and learning. They should take an active
part in the development of the expectations and the consequences of a code of
behavior.
Students
are expected to:
· Treat others with courtesy, kindness, and
respect
· Attend school regularly and be on time
· Come to class with appropriate materials
· Be prepared for class with the appropriate
materials and homework completed. Students will not participate in cheating or plagiarizing their work or
the work of others
Prohibited
Student Conduct:
Engage in a conduct that is
disruptive, insubordinate or disorderly
Engage in conduct that is
violent
Engage in any conduct that
endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of others
Engage in harassing
behaviors that are physical, verbal or sexual
Students have the right to
learn in an environment where they are treated with respect and dignity. GCCS does not tolerate misconduct of a sexual
nature in the school, on the way to or from school, or on the school bus. Such conduct includes improper language,
offensive gestures and physical contact. Please report all incidents immediately to the
teacher or school office staff. Such
behavior is a violation of the Code of Conduct and may be disciplined up to and
including expulsion.
Global Concepts holds a zero tolerance policy in regards to
bullying and harassment of students. In
efforts to make Global the safest school environment possible and in order to
stay in compliance with the Dignity for All Act, all reports of bullying made
to staff members and administration will be investigated. If found to be true, they are subject to
disciplinary actions up to and including suspension and expulsion from school.
New York State's Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) seeks to
provide the State's public elementary and secondary school students with a safe
and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting,
harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school
function. The original legislation amended State Education Law by creating a
new Article 2 - Dignity for All Students. The Dignity Act also amended Section
801-a of New York State Education Law regarding instruction in civility,
citizenship, and character education by expanding the concepts of tolerance,
respect for others and dignity to include: an awareness and sensitivity in the
relations of people, including but not limited to, different races, weights,
national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or
physical abilities, sexual orientations, gender identity, and sexes. The
Dignity Act further amended Section 2801 of the Education Law by requiring
Boards of Education to include language addressing The Dignity Act in their
codes of conduct. Additionally, under the Dignity Act, schools will be
responsible for collecting and reporting data regarding material incidents of
discrimination and harassment.
Illegal drugs and/or alcohol
are not permitted on school property or on any school excursion and may result
in an expulsion. If students are found
to be experiencing difficulties with substance abuse; the student will receive
a referral to counseling, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and
possibly an alternative learning environment. Persistent disregard could result in criminal charges and possible
expulsion.
Smoking is not permitted in
the school building, on school grounds, or on any school excursion. Any vapor
type devices will considered as smoking for students. The items will be
confiscated and appropriate consequences given
Bullying, harassment, discrimination, etc. that is reported
to staff / administration that has occurred on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter,
etc.) will be investigated thoroughly. If any of the inappropriate behaviors are found to be true,
administration will handle them as if they occurred in the building and
consequences will be given as such. This
is for the safety of all of our students and also to stay in compliance with
the Dignity for All Act.
A breach of discipline may
be either of a major or minor nature.
· Classroom teacher and the parent in accordance
with the nature of the offense will handle a minor breach of discipline. In addition, teachers also have a behavior
management tool.
· A major breach of discipline will be handled by
the a building administrator and the teacher in one or more of the following:
a. Student receives a verbal warning.
b. Upon determination of the administration and teacher,
the school contacts the parents regarding the offense and in written form, if
necessary.
c. Repeated major incidents will result in a loss of
privileges and parents and/or guardians receive notification.
d. A parent conference with the Dean of Students and/or Principal
and teacher may be required.
· Staff and Administration holds the rights to
give any of the following disciplinary actions:
a. After School Detention - the student will remain after
school following notification of the parents. A teacher assigns detention and the student's attendance is required.
Student's assigned detention are excluded from all activities until detention
is served. Failure to serve detention will result in a Saturday detention.
b. In-school suspension is given by administration as
administration deems fit. Students are given multiple opportunities while in
ISS to showcase positive behaviors and return to the classroom at the
completion of their consequence. If the
student does not exhibit the type of behaviors necessary to return to the
classroom, additional time in ISS may be assigned. If the student still does not comply with ISS
protocol, then Out of School Suspension (OSS) may be the result. While in ISS, students will still receive all
state mandated services and will have an opportunity to complete all of the
work that is being completed on that day in the general education classroom.
c. Suspension - the student will be excluded from school
for one to five days, following the notification of the parents. A parent conference will be honored within 24
hours of the suspension. The
administration prepares a letter describing the student's misconduct reflecting
the discipline code and specifying the number of days the student must remain
out of school. Arrangements for tutoring
will be attached to the written notification of the suspension.
All students in Kindergarten
through Eighth Grade at Global Concepts Charter School are required to follow
the dress code.
Girls:
· Solid navy blue jumper, skirt (no more than 2
inches above the knee), or navy blue dress pants (no jeans or sweatpants). If a
student chooses to wear a culture dress - that student must wear dress code
pants underneath if they determine that under-attire is necessary.
· Knee length navy blue shorts on warm days.
· Solid navy blue, light blue or white sweatshirt
with no hood, v-neck, cardigan sweater, or turtleneck
· Short or long sleeve, solid white or navy/light
blue polo, or oxford shirt (button down), Undershirts are not considered
appropriate when worn alone. Shirts
without collars are not allowed alone. All undershirts must be either white, light blue, navy blue, black or
grey.
· Rubber sole shoes or sneakers (no sandals or
open toe shoes)
Boys:
· Solid navy blue dress pants (no jeans or
sweatpants)
· Knee length navy blue shorts on warm days.
· Solid navy blue, light blue or white sweatshirt
with no hood, v-neck, cardigan sweater, or turtleneck
· Short or long sleeve, solid white or navy/light blue
polo, or oxford shirt (button down), Undershirts are not considered appropriate
when worn alone. Shirts without collars
are not allowed alone. All undershirts
must be either white, light blue, navy blue, black or grey.
· Shirt
must be tucked in.
· Rubber sole shoes or sneakers (no sandals)
All Students: Must maintain healthy and safe
hygiene (skin, fingernails, hair, and clothing should be clean and neat).
· No colored hairsprays, distracting pony tails
(i.e. unnatural multi-colored that blends in with natural hair), no distracting
or colored hair dyes, NO MOHAWKS OR
EXTREME HAIRSTYLES.
· No facial piercings
· Teeth should be brushed and dental hygiene
maintained
· Clothing should be clean upon arrival to school
· Prescription glasses should be worn as required by
your child's doctor
· Provide a change of clothing and undergarments
if your child has a medical need or has accidents
· Sneakers with socks are REQUIRED by New York
State School Law for Physical Education Classes
· Please send your child with rubber sole shoes
when wearing boots to school due to weather. Boots are not proper or safe
footwear during school hours and are not considered dress code.
· ABSOLUTELY
NO denim (jean) clothing, windbreaker pants, sweatpants, or striped
pants
· Shoes or sneakers must be tied at all times; no
sandals or high platform shoes or boots
· All shirts must be buttoned and fully tucked in
with no shirttails hanging out
· No bare midriffs, baggy, low-rise, multi-colored
pants or holes in pants
· No hats, hoods, jackets or outerwear while inside
the building (please provide your child with a sweater or sweatshirt if
needed); (exception: religious or cultural reasons)
· No visible tattoos, fake tattoos, or painted,
colored, or marked skin (only exception: religious or cultural tradition)
· Unless otherwise notified through written
documentation, students must follow the dress code daily
Please keep in mind
that the goal of GCCS is to present a group of well dressed, professional
looking young
people. Dress code will be checked daily. If a student is found out of compliance, then
they will be removed from the classroom and placed in the In-School Suspension
room until proper attire can be obtained for the student.
Please also keep in mind
that your child will mature and physically develop over the upcoming year and
you may need to purchase new or larger clothes and shoes. It is also your responsibility to make sure
your child comes to school everyday safe and in clean clothes. While elementary students do spill drinks and
food on them, it is crucial that their school clothes are properly maintained
and cleaned on a daily basis.
When necessary, parents will
be notified by a school official to discuss any unsafe or unhealthy hygiene
patterns. Please feel free to contact
the school counselor or principal if you have any questions or concerns, or
need assistance regarding any of the above. We want to help you and your child to stay safe, healthy, and happy all
year long!
All required dress code
items can be purchased in places such as department stores, Wal-Mart, Target,
Payless, or on-line. If your child no
longer fits into their school clothing, you can donate it to the school nurse to
reuse the items.
Learning is an important
continuous process and should continue after school hours. Daily homework is not punishment, but rather a
way to encourage and extend learning. We
are educating children to be lifelong learners, who as adults, will continue to
learn new skills and information independently. A student's homework time requirements will
depend on their grade level. Nightly
reading and regular violin practice are part of the homework expectations.
Reasons for homework:
· To provide extra practice on learned skills
· To provide further learning in areas covered in
the classroom
· To provide an opportunity for students to learn
good work and study habits
· To provide an opportunity to demonstrate
responsibility
Parents can assist their child to
improve homework habits and violin skills when they:
· Cooperate with the school to make homework effective
· Review the Agenda Notebook or Take Home Folder
each day
· Provide their child with suitable study
conditions (desk or table, lights, books, and supplies)
· Reserve a time for homework without disruptions
· Encourage their child, but avoid undue pressure
· Show interest in what their child is doing, but not
doing the work for them
· Understand that the school expects homework to
be completed and returned on time
Grades
may be affected if a student repeatedly does not turn homework in.
It is not necessary to
request homework for a one-day absence. If
a child will be out for a few days and is well enough, parents may notify the secretary
before 10:00 a.m. with their request for schoolwork. Assignments may be picked up in the office
after 3pm. All missed assignments due to an absence, tardy, or early dismissal,
must be completed in a reasonable amount of time.
Continuous communication
between the home and school provides for a basis of understanding and support
that will unite our efforts to help each student's growth and development. There are three times during the year
designated as parent portfolio days and one open house. Each parent portfolio day is posted on the
school calendar. Notices are also sent
out reminding parents. Additional
conferences may be requested by the teacher or parent at any mutually agreed
upon time during the year. Parents are
expected to utilize these opportunities to meet with their child's classroom
teacher.
Health Services are provided
to promote and maintain the health of all schoolchildren. The school nurse is
available during school hours for any student who feels ill or is injured
during the school day. The school is
responsible for first aid measures only. The school is responsible for limited and
initial first aid care for school related accidents only. Therefore, the school nurse cannot do daily
dressings of wounds incurred at home or at school.
If a student requires further
medical attention due to illness or injury, the school nurse contacts the parents
or guardians by phone. It is the
parents' responsibility to provide transportation in the event a student needs
to go home or needs further medical attention. The school nurse is an important part of the
link between the home and the school. It
is vital that the school has several emergency numbers so we may notify parents
if their child is ill or injured.
Students who need medication
during school hours must have a medication permission form filled out by the
doctor specifying the name of student, medication, dosage, time, route, and
parental or guardian signature acknowledging the medication is to be
given. Medication permission forms are
available in the health office. An adult
must bring the medication to school. All
medication, even those considered "over the counter" needs doctor's orders and
parental signature. Notify the school
nurse if your child is on any medications, short or long term.
The school nurse cannot serve as a substitute for the family
doctor. Therefore, an ill child should
not be sent to school for the school nurse to determine if the child is well
enough to be in school. Instead, consult
with your family doctor.
Accidents occurring at home
are the responsibility of the parents and cannot be treated by our school
personnel.
School Medical Exclusions
Please do not send your
child to school if the following symptoms appear:
· Any student with undiagnosed skin eruptions on
head, face, or body
· Any student who has an inflamed condition of the
eye or eyes
· Any student who has head or body lice — or nits
· A student with a temperature of 100 or more /
who has not been fever-free for 24 hours
· Students having suspicious oral irritations
· If the symptoms of nausea or vomiting have
occurred during the night, a child should remain at home until symptoms have
subsided for 24 hours.
Students need up to date
immunizations and a current physical examination prior to initial school
entrance.
Parents or guardians
requesting that a student be excused from Physical Education must present a written
request from a physician stating the reason for the exclusion.
Global Concepts Charter
School has certified teachers who provide instruction in English as a Second
Language (ESL) to all English Language Learners (ELLs). ESL classes are designed to develop the skills
and strategies necessary for ELLs to become proficient in English succeed in
the academic mainstream.
NYS ESL Learning Standards
are designed to help students acquire English. ELLs fully participate in mainstream classrooms while they are acquiring
both basic and academic English language skills.
All ELLs are assessed
annually using the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test
(NYSESLAT). The test is designed to
assess students' progress in acquiring both basic and academic English skills,
and place students in an appropriate ESL program.
Global Concepts is a full
inclusion school that offers services to students to help them to be as
successful as possible in the general educational setting. Students who are experiencing significant
learning difficulties are referred to the Committee on Response to Intervention.
(See Below) The staff here at GCCS are
dedicated to following the R.T.I. process laid out by New York State. If the student is still having difficulty
after going through the R.T.I process, then the student would be referred to
the Committee for Special Education (with parental consent) for evaluation to
rule out perceptual difficulties, attention deficit disorders, learning
disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, emotional factors, physical
limitations, or other disorders. GCCS
maintains its link with the parent district of the child and utilizes their
Committee on Special Education, as per charter law. If a child qualifies for services, the
parents along with the Special Education Committee will develop an Individual
Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan that will detail services a child will
receive. The student may be provided
with Resource Room or related services such as speech/language, occupational
therapy, or physical therapy according to need.
The Resource Room Program
offers small group supplementary instruction outside of the classroom or
specific instruction within the classroom; a Special Education Teacher provides
both.
Global Concepts Charter
School contracts with outside providers who offer various therapies such as
Speech / Language, Occupational, or Physical Therapy. Services are provided at the school during
the regular school day in accordance with an IEP.
The School Counselor offers
services to all students in grades Kindergarten through grade 8. The primary function of the School Counselor
is to help resolve situations where behavioral and social barriers interfere
with a student's ability to attain his or her potential. The Counselor provides large and small group
instruction to promote study skills, bully prevention, and conflict resolution.
The School Counselor
provides confidential individual and group counseling, consults with the
child's parents, teachers, principal, and with community agencies serving the
student's needs. Identified students may
be those dealing with such stressors as self-esteem, divorce, death, health
issues, homelessness, truancy, anger management, violence, socialization
skills, special education needs, and alcohol or drug-related issues.
The PTA recognizes that
every child deserves excellence in education and in quality of life. PTA will maintain its commitment and service
to all children and to its diverse membership through increased parent and
community awareness, advocacy, education, and involvement.
Global Concepts Charter
School Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a charter member of the New York
State Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. The PTA plays an important role in the Global Concepts Charter School
community working with administrators and teachers to best serve the needs of
the students. This is accomplished
thorough advocacy, volunteerism, and fundraising to supplement school programs
and events.
The PTA meets monthly and
welcomes new members throughout the year. The PTA is an organization for everyone. Make the move that makes a difference-Join PTA.
There are computer labs and
computers in some classrooms available for student use with teacher
supervision. GCCS has access to the
internet, for which both parents and students must sign an Acceptable Use
Policy acknowledging they have read the terms for acceptable internet and
computer use. A copy is included at the
end of the handbook for parent and student signature. Inappropriate use of technology
can result in disciplinary action.
Some of the web sites that
are available on the internet are not suitable for children, just as some TV
programs and movies are not. Students in
elementary, middle and high school visit web sites carefully previewed and
selected by teachers for student use.
Listed below are some of the
rules students need to follow to keep them safe while using the internet at
school as well as elsewhere:
· Never tell anything about yourself such as your
name, your school, or where you live
· Only visit the websites selected by your teacher
· Always ask for help if you are unsure, or if you
see or read something that is not suitable
· Keep your passwords a secret
Cell Phones and Electronics
Policy on
Electronic Devices:
Students are asked to refrain
from bringing to school any items that are not needed for instructional/medical
purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic devices such as cell
phones, CD players, radios, IPOD, MP3 player, etc. as well as any other items deemed
by the administration to be inappropriate. None of these devices may be
operated during the school day unless specifically authorized by
administration. During school hours these items may be confiscated immediately
and the appropriate disciplinary measures taken. Students who must bring a cell
phone to school may leave the phone in their locker throughout the day. Locks are provided by Global Concepts for all
students in grades 7 and 8.
A student may not use personal electronic
devices to take video recordings, audio recordings, and/or photographs of
Global Concepts Charter School students, parents, visitors, staff, and/or
facility. Students that are caught with recordings or photographs, or that post
them to media outlets including, but not limited to, MySpace, Facebook,
YouTube, etc. face immediate disciplinary measures and possible prosecution.
During school hours these items may be confiscated immediately and the
appropriate disciplinary measures taken.
There is absolutely no parking in the loop in front of the school or
along side the playground. Visitors
to the school must use the parking lot in front of the playground. This is necessary to ensure safety of our
students. The loop in front of the
school may be used for dropping off students prior to 8:00 a.m. After 8:00 a.m., please use the parking lot
in front of the playground. Please
remember to drive slowly (5 mph) in the loop and never pass a school bus with
flashing lights! These rules are in place
to protect our children arriving at school and using the playground.
All adult and student
visitors including volunteers to the school need to sign in with the
receptionist upon arrival. All of the
building's entrance doors are locked after 8:00 a.m. While parents are encouraged to be an active
part of their child's classroom and education, we ask that you make prior
arrangements, at least 1 day in advance, to visit a classroom, as it can be
disruptive to students for a parent to "drop in."
PROCEDURES
FOR FILING FORMAL COMPLAINTS/APPEALS
Complaints
concerning violations of ESEA Title 1, Parts A,C, and D, or of the General
Education Provisions Act; or of Section 100.2(ee) Academic Intervention
Services of the Regulations of the Commissioner are covered by these
procedures. You can find these procedures at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/funding/cladcep/ca0809/complaintsappeals.htm
Complaints/appeals
regarding the Global Concepts Charter School administration and implementation
of its ESEA Title 1 grant or Academic Intervention Services for students
identified under Commissioner's Regulations Part 100 should be sent first to
the school Principal against whom the complaint is made.
All
complaints must:
Ø be written;
Ø be signed by the person or agency representative
filing the complaint;
Ø specify the specific requirement of law or regulation being violated and the
related issue, problem, and/or concern;
Ø contain information/evidence supporting the
complaint; and
Ø state the nature of the corrective action
desired.
Complaints/appeals
should be sent to:
New York State Education Department
Title 1 School and Community Services Office
Room 365 EBA
89 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12234
All other
formal complaints should follow the above format and be sent to:
Global Concepts Charter School
Board President
1001 Ridge Rd.
Lackawanna, NY 14218
Code of Conduct Definitions
I. Definitions
A. "Disruptive student" is one who is
disruptive of the educational process or interferes with the teacher's authority over the classroom.
B. "Parent" means parent,
guardian or person in parental relation to a student.
C. "School property" means in or within Global
Concepts Charter School, its athletic playing fields, playground, parking lot, land contained
within the school boundary line or on a school bus.
D. "Violent student" means one
who:
1. Commits an act of violence upon a school
employee, or attempts to do so
2. Commits, while on school property or at a
school function, an act of violence upon another student or any
person
3. Possesses or displays while on school
property or at a school function, a weapon
4. Threatens, while on school property or at a
school function, to use a weapon or a verbal threat to harm others
5. Damages or destroys school property or
personal property
E. "Weapon" means a firearm as defined in 18
USC 921 for the purpose of the Gun Free
School Act. It also means any other gun,
BB gun, pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle, disguised gun, any type of knife, box cutter, sword, dart
gun, stun gun, pepper spray, or other noxious spray, explosive or incendiary
bomb, or other device, instrument,
material or substance that can cause physical injury.
II. Student's
Rights
A. Having
a safe, healthy, orderly and civil school environment
B. Taking
part in school activities
C. Accessing
school rules and when necessary, receiving an explanation of those rules from
school personnel
III. Student's Responsibilities
A. Contribute
to maintaining a safe and orderly school environment
B. Be
familiar with and abide by all school policies, rules and regulations dealing
with student conduct
C. Attending
school daily, on time, and prepared to learn
D. Work
to the best of his/her ability in all academic and extracurricular pursuits
E. Respond
to directions given by teachers, staff and administrators in a respectful,
positive manner
F. Work
on acceptable ways to control his/her anger
G. Ask
questions when he/she does not understand
H. Seek
help in solving problems
I. Dress
appropriately for school and school functions
J. Accept
responsibility for his/her actions
Click here for the complete policy list
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