PROCEDURES FOR COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS HANDBOOK€¦ · 1 . 2 . Pinellas County Schools . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . PROCEDURES FOR 8 COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS 9 . HANDBOOK 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . for

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Pinellas County Schools 2

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PROCEDURES FOR 7

COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS 8

HANDBOOK 9

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for 13

Fundamental Schools, 14

Countywide Magnets, Area Magnets 15

and 16

Career Academies 17 18 19 20 21

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Board Approved: 26 January 16, 2001 27

28 Amended: April 17, 2001 29 Amended: January 9, 2007 30

Amended: December 9, 2008 31 Amended: December 7, 2010 32

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35 36 37 38 39 40

School Board of Pinellas County 41 42

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Mary L. Tyus Brown 51 Janet R. Clark 52 Carol J. Cook 53 Nina Hayden 54

Linda S. Lerner 55 Peggy O’Shea 56 Robin Wikle 57

58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77

Julie M. Janssen, Ed.D. 78 Superintendent 79

Countywide Program Application Process

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 2

3 Countywide Program Application Process..............................................................................2 4 5 6 Fundamental School Program Structure & Procedures…………………………………………6 7 8 9 Elementary & Middle School Magnet Program………………………………………………..18 10 Structure & Procedures 11 12 13 High School Magnet Program Structure & Procedures………………………………………..26 14 15 16 Academies……………………………………………………………………………………....46 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

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Countywide Program Application Process 1 2

Preface 3 Countywide programs are ones to which students must apply for admission. These programs include 4 fundamental schools/programs, magnets, area magnets and career academies. Membership in countywide 5 schools is a privilege enjoyed by interested and/or qualified Pinellas County students. Therefore, students 6 in these programs are expected to exhibit exemplary achievement and conduct while in membership in 7 these programs. 8 9

Application Process 10 All students enter fundamental schools, magnet programs and career academies through the countywide 11 program application process. A computer random selection process is used if the number of applications 12 exceeds the number of openings for students. The number of openings available is based on the staffing 13 model and the school capacity. The number of openings determines the number of invitations. The 14 computer assigns all applicants a random number. The completed process yields one randomly numbered 15 list of applicants. No applicant’s random number will be released prior to the designated notification date 16 on the Magnet, Fundamental and Career Academy School timeline. 17 18 By their application to any countywide program, families and students agree to abide by the practices in 19 that school for which they are making application (e.g. no participation in sports or the extra-curricular 20 activities of any other Pinellas County public school). 21 22 Applications are not transferable and are effective only for the application year. 23 24 All interested applicants, including siblings and the children of fulltime employees in the school, must 25 apply for computer random selection. Application and acceptance deadlines and requirements apply to all 26 applicants. Reapplication is not necessary once a student is enrolled in a countywide program as long as 27 the student/family continues to meet the conditions of the school. All students grandfathered eligible for 28 a priority from feeder elementary programs to the related middle programs or feeder middle programs to 29 related high school programs must complete the application process. There is grandfathering a feeder 30 pattern priority from fundamental middle schools to the fundamental high school but there is no 31 grandfathering feeder pattern priority into any high school magnets or career academies. 32

33 Application Ranking 34

Applicants will be able to delineate their first through fifth preferences by ranking their choices. Priority 35 preferences will only apply to the top (first choice) ranked application. 36 37 38

Geographic Application Areas 39 Geographic application areas may be defined for certain programs. These areas will identify the location 40 of the program to which an applicant may apply. Arterial transportation will be provided within the 41 application areas. Application areas are defined by grouping individual school zones. 42 43 For middle schools the application areas are defined as the individual zones as listed below; 44 North: Dunedin Highland, Joseph Carwise, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs 45 Mid: Largo, Morgan Fitzgerald, Oak Grove, Osceola, Pinellas Park, Seminole 46 South: Azalea, Bay Point, John Hopkins, Meadowlawn, Thurgood Marshall (gifted center), Tyrone 47 48 For High schools the zones are defined as the individual zones as listed below: 49 North: Clearwater, Countryside, Dunedin, East Lake, Palm Harbor University, Tarpon Springs 50


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Mid: Dixie Hollins, Largo, Osceola Fundamental, Pinellas Park, Seminole 1 South: Boca Ciega, Gibbs, Lakewood, Northeast, St. Petersburg 2 3 4

Lost Paperwork or Failure to Accept a Program Invitation 5 Due to the possibility of paperwork being lost in the mail, the countywide programs are not responsible 6 for any paperwork not received by the application deadline. Parents must complete both the application 7 portion and acceptance portion of the countywide program application process. Failure to call in to log on 8 and accept a program invitation and follow all the instructions results in a forfeiture of that program 9 invitation. 10 11

Late Applications 12 Any application made after the deadline is considered late and must be initiated by contacting the school 13 directly. Qualified late applicants, including siblings and the children of fulltime staff members in that 14 school, are placed at the bottom of the non-priority waiting list in the order the applications are received. 15 Failure to make application and/or accept a program invitation by the appropriate deadline will result in 16 the loss of priority status. 17 18

Out-of-District Applicants 19 The purpose of countywide schools is to provide choice opportunities for the students of Pinellas County 20 while voluntarily desegregating schools. To be considered a resident of Pinellas County, the parent or 21 guardian must reside in the district at the time of application. Proof of residency may be requested to 22 determine eligibility for acceptance. The guidelines below will be followed for all out-of-district 23 applicants: 24

1. All available openings will be filled first by qualified Pinellas County residents. 25 Qualified out-of-district applicants will not be considered or invited to any program until 26 the waiting list for all qualified resident applicants has been exhausted. 27

28 2. If the number of qualified Pinellas County applicants is less than the number of openings, 29

out-of-district applicants will be considered. Though held in a separate file, all out-of-30 district applications may be randomized in the event the number of openings exceeds the 31 number of qualified Pinellas County applicants. 32

33 3. Out-of-district applicants from nearby counties must utilize the established process prior 34

to making application for a countywide program in Pinellas County by contacting the 35 Student Assignment Department. 36

37 4. Pinellas County Schools countywide programs have no reciprocal agreements with 38

similar programs in other districts, except for qualified applicants from other 39 International Baccalaureate programs and the International Network of Schools for the 40 Performing and Visual Arts. A student who moves into Pinellas County from a similar 41 program must make application. Each applicant’s transcript and disciplinary record will 42 be reviewed on an individual basis according to individual program guidelines. 43 Applications received by the approved deadlines will follow the countywide program 44 application process. Any applications received after the approved deadlines will be 45 processed as late applications; qualified applicants will be placed at the bottom of the 46 appropriate waiting list. 47

48 5. Students who move out of Pinellas County lose their position in a countywide program. If 49

that opening is to be filled, a Pinellas County student will be called from the appropriate 50


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waiting list. 1 2

Waiting Lists and Priority Status in Fundamental Schools, Countywide Magnets, Area Magnets, 3 and Career Academies 4

5 For students currently attending a countywide program see page 5: “Choosing to Leave for the Next 6 School Year”. 7 8

(a) Waiting Lists: Countywide programs maintain a waiting list for students not selected by the 9 random selection process. Schools maintain both a waiting lists with identified priority preferences. and a 10 priority waiting list, if applicable, for students with priority status. No applicant will be called from the 11 waiting list before the approved acceptance date. Elementary and middle school program waiting lists are 12 effective for one year, while high school waiting lists dissolve on the eleventh day of the second semester. 13 Students are invited from waiting lists as vacancies occur during that school year or until the waiting list 14 dissolves. 15 16 When a parent accepts an invitation for a child to attend a countywide program, the student's name is 17 removed from all other countywide program waiting lists, except for the Center for Gifted Studies at 18 Ridgecrest Elementary and the three middle school Centers for Gifted Studies. The Centers for Gifted 19 Studies at Ridgecrest Elementary may invite qualified applicants into that program regardless of what 20 program the student may be attending at the time of invitation. 21 22 Students may transfer from one countywide program to another after a program invitation has been 23 accepted if the other program does not have a wait list. The parent must complete a late application and 24 the student must transfer before the first day of school. 25 26 No student is ever guaranteed admission to a countywide program based upon a waiting list number. 27 Students who choose to remain on a waiting list are not guaranteed an invitation. 28

(b) Priority preferences for siblings, full-time school based employees, and proximity are 29 detailed in the School Board approved Student Assignment Plan. apply to all countywide programs. 30 In schools with school-within-a-school programs, priority status is provided to eligible applicants into the 31 program, but not the school. to the school, but not guaranteed in the magnet program. For school-wide 32 programs, priority status extends to enrollment in the magnet/fundamental program. 33

(c) Newly Invited Sibling Priority Status. After all invitations have been accepted, the school or 34 program will grant newly invited sibling priority status to brothers and sisters of students who have 35 accepted an invitation for the coming school year. 36

(d) Priority Waiting List. If space is not available to invite all students who have priority status, 37 priorities will be applied to the wait list a priority waiting list will be formed at the school or program 38 level with professional courtesy priority students being first followed by initial sibling priority students in 39 accordance with their random numbers. Students entitled to newly invited sibling priority are placed on 40 the priority waiting list after students entitled to professional courtesy priority and initial sibling priority. 41 For example, if multiple birth siblings or brothers and sisters apply to a countywide program at the same 42 time and only one student is invited and accepts the invitation for enrollment in the coming school year, 43 the other sibling is then granted newly invited sibling priority status and placed on the waiting list in 44 random number order following students entitled to professional courtesy priority and initial sibling 45 priority.. and moved to the end of the sibling priority waiting list. 46

47 (e) Restrictions. 48

1. Sibling priority is not given across the school levels. For example, a student applying to an 49


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elementary fundamental school who has a sibling attending a middle fundamental school does not receive 1 priority status. 2

2. Students entitled to initial sibling priority wait list status will immediately lose that status if the 3 sibling already in attendance at the countywide program is removed from the school or program. 4

3. Students entitled to newly invited sibling priority wait list status will immediately lose that status 5 if the sibling who has accepted the invitation to attend the following year withdraws the acceptance. 6

4. A student who loses priority status will be placed on the regular wait list in accordance with his or 7 her random number. 8

5. The waiting list will dissolve at the end of the school year for which the application was made for 9 elementary and middle school and on the eleventh day of the second semester for high school. 10

11 Grandfathering Feeder Pattern Priority Status 12

Fundamental elementary school students who successfully complete fifth grade, make application and 13 accept the middle school program invitation by the deadline are assured placement in a countywide 14 fundamental middle school under the grandfathering feeder pattern priority. Fundamental middle school 15 students who successfully complete eighth grade, make application and accept the high school program 16 invitation by the deadline are assured placement in a countywide fundamental high school under the 17 grandfathering feeder pattern priority. 18 A grandfathering feeder pattern priority is also provided for certain elementary magnet school students 19 into certain middle school magnet programs. To qualify for grandfathering feeder pattern priority, a 20 student must have successfully completed the appropriate feeder elementary school magnet program. 21 Qualified Perkins and Melrose Elementary students have grandfathering feeder pattern priority into John 22 Hopkins Middle School and qualified Bay Point Elementary students into Bay Point Middle School’s 23 magnet program. 24

25 Military Transfer Priority 26

Military Transfer Priority is given to the dependent children of active duty military personnel transferring 27 to the school district from another state or a foreign country. Military transfer priority is granted only at 28 the time of the initial military transfer to the district and does not apply to future countywide program 29 application periods. By state law, dependent children of active duty military personnel transferring from 30 another state or foreign country are given first priority on the waiting list at the time of their initial 31 transfer to the school district from another state or foreign country. They are moved to the front of the 32 priority waiting list behind any other military transfer students who are already on the priority waiting list. 33 Students wishing to reapply must make application each year. 34 35

Ranking of Priorities 36 Priorities as described above shall be applied in the following order: 1) feeder pattern, 2) sibling, 3) 37 professional courtesy, and 4) proximity. Within each priority, seats shall be filled in random number 38 order. Any remaining seats are filled in random number order. However, in the case of consolidating, 39 converting, or relocating countywide program(s), assignment of students currently attending the affected 40 program(s) will be governed by the following provisions: 41

• All such students will, upon application, be given first priority to be assigned to the 42 consolidated/converted/relocated school/program. This priority will be applied before any 43 of the other traditional priorities involved in the countywide application process. 44

• Parents of such students must use the countywide application process to indicate interest 45 in such assignment. 46

• By applying during the countywide process parents are indicating they agree to all 47


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school/program rules and guidelines. 1 2 3 4 5 Choosing to Leave a Countywide Program or to Remain on Another School or Program’s 6

Waiting List 7 8

Choosing Immediate Withdrawal 9 If a student desires to immediately withdraw from a countywide program, the parent must notify the 10 current school of assignment and withdraw the student at the school. Parents will be notified of this 11 process in writing using school newsletters or other forms of written communication. 12 13

Choosing to Leave for the Next School Year 14 If a student enrolled in a countywide program applies to another countywide program, or St. Petersburg 15 Collegiate High School (SPCHS) and accepts an invitation or wishes to keep a waiting list number for the 16 program for which he/she applied, except for the elementary and middle school Centers for Gifted Studies 17 at Ridgecrest Elementary, the student shall not be allowed to return to that countywide program the next 18 school year. The decision to remain on another program’s waiting list must be made by the family by the 19 last day of the school year in which the application was submitted. Students (unless removed from a 20 countywide program) who choose to remain on the waiting list for another program will be permitted to 21 complete the school year in the program in which they are enrolled at the time of application. Students 22 who choose to remain on the waiting list for another program, or SPCHS for the next school year will be 23 withdrawn from the program in which they are enrolled on the last day of the school year. 24

25 Non - Promotion After Application and Acceptance of a Seat 26

If a student applies for and accepts a seat for the next grade level, but is later retained at the current grade 27 level, the student forfeits that seat and may not automatically change their grade level to the lower grade. 28 (e.g. The student applied for a seventh grade seat but was then retained in sixth grade.) In this case, the 29 student may submit a late application to apply for a seat at the appropriate grade level. The student’s 30 name would be placed at the end of any existing waiting list for that grade level. 31 32

Reassignment to a District Discipline Program or Expulsion 33 If a student is accepted into a countywide program but prior to entering that school is reassigned to a 34 district discipline program or expelled due to a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, he/she will be 35 considered ineligible for admission. The student’s acceptance will be considered null and void. 36 37

Fundamental School Program Structures and Procedures

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1 Fundamental School 2

Program Structure and Procedures 3 4

Program Structure 5 6 Membership in fundamental schools/programs is a privilege enjoyed by interested and qualified Pinellas 7 County students. Therefore, students are expected to exhibit exemplary achievement and conduct while in 8 membership in these programs. The fundamental school provides for those students who work best where 9 expectations are clearly defined. A strong emphasis is placed on the requirement that home and school 10 work together to promote successful learning. 11 12 The fundamental elementary school includes kindergarten through fifth, the middle school includes 13 grades 6-8 and the high school is grades 9-12. High school fundamentals may be school-within-a-school 14 (SWAS) programs. A quiet, well-disciplined and structured learning environment is maintained. All rules 15 and policies are strictly enforced. The fundamental school incorporates instructional methods and 16 curriculum based on Sunshine State Standards and Pinellas County Schools Student Expectations. These 17 schools deliver the same approved core curriculum as other schools. A collaborative spirit exists within a 18 framework of mutual respect, cooperation and regard for the rights and property of others and is viewed 19 as an integral part of the school environment. 20 21

Full Time Enrollment 22 23

Students attending a fundamental school/program must be enrolled full time in that school. Since the 24 fundamental school is the student’s school of assignment, the student will not be permitted to participate 25 in the school functions and activities at any other area school. 26 27

Fundamental School Locations 28 29

Fundamental schools have been identified at the following levels; 30 Elementary: Bay Vista, Curtis, Gulfport , Madeira Beach (K-8), Pasadena, and Tarpon Springs 31 Middle: Clearwater, Madeira Beach (K-8), and Thurgood Marshall 32 High: Boca Ciega (SWAS), Dunedin (SWAS), and Osceola 33 34 35

PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 36 37

A student’s continued enrollment in a fundamental school/program depends upon the cooperation of 38 parents or guardians in this educational philosophy. Fundamental school parents and students are 39 expected to comply with all the following commitments: 40

• Sign the parent commitment letter affirming, in writing, that they will abide by all policies, 41 procedures and rules of the school as a condition of enrollment. 42 • Understand that fundamental schools/programs are designed for those students who excel in 43 a structured learning environment. 44 • Understand that continued enrollment in this school depends on cooperation and compliance 45 with all fundamental policies and procedures. 46 • Adhere to the parent/guardian requirements concerning attendance at Parent-Teacher 47 Association (PTA), Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA), School Advisory Council 48 (SAC) or other approved meetings. 49


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• Attend parent/teacher conferences, when requested. 1 • Adhere to the Homework/Classwork Guidelines, and Discipline Guidelines 2 • Review and sign all homework assignments. 3 • Understand that reassignment of a student to a district discipline program or expulsion will 4 result in immediate removal from the school; no readmission will be considered. 5 • At elementary and middle school parents provide transportation to and from school and 6 furnish transportation for any after school activities, including detention, unless activity bus 7 transportation is otherwise provided. At Beginning in 2011-12, ninth grade students at 8 Osceola, Boca Ciega, and Dunedin High Schools will receive transportation within the 9 identified application area, or parents must provide transportation to the nearest bus stop 10 within the application area. Beginning with sixth grade, parents will provide transportation at 11 Thurgood Marshall Middle School. Upper class students at Osceola and Thurgood Marshall 12 will continue to receive countywide arterial transportation through matriculation to the next 13 level. transportation is provided for eligible students. 14 • Understand that if a family utilizes public transportation it is their obligation and 15 responsibility to instruct the student concerning proper conduct on public transportation, as 16 well as safety matters, including but not limited to, the differences between riding a school 17 bus where vehicles will stop for loading and unloading and riding public transportation where 18 vehicles do not stop when passengers are loading and unloading. 19 • Understand that if the school receives any complaints about the student’s conduct on public 20 transportation, disciplinary referrals could result in the student’s removal from the school. 21 • Sign a statement with the following acknowledgment: “I understand that the records of all 22 students who are brought before the school’s Intervention and Appeals Committee are 23 reviewed by all members of that Committee which includes parent representatives and school 24 staff. I agree that confidential information concerning my child may be disclosed to all 25 members of the committee, including student evaluation records and personally identifiable 26 information contained therein.” 27

28 Parent Meeting Responsibilities 29 Parents/guardians are required to attend eight Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Parent-Teacher-Student 30 Association (PTSA), or School Advisory Council (SAC), or other approved meetings, each school year. 31 In fundamental high schools, parents or guardians may also fulfill their monthly meeting requirement by 32 attending booster association meetings or academic subcommittees as approved by SAC and the 33 Principal. The meeting dates are listed on the school calendar. 34 35 When circumstances arise, which make it impossible for a parent/guardian to attend a required meeting, a 36 representative (18 years of age or older) may be sent. The representative may not be a parent or teacher at 37 the school and may represent only one family. The representative may be sent to no more than two 38 meetings per year. If a parent must exercise this option, they must notify the principal prior to the 39 meeting. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to make the representative aware of all obligations. 40 41 Sign-in at meetings must be completed no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the meeting as 42 the sign-in cards are removed at that time. Meetings last approximately one hour (not to exceed 90 43 minutes) and parents are expected to be present for the entire meeting. Arriving late, leaving early, or 44 failure of a parent/ guardian to sign in will result in the meeting being counted as unattended. Sign-in 45 cards must be handed in by the individual who signed the card for that meeting. 46 47 The procedure for unattended meetings is as follows: 48

1. After one missed meeting, a reminder letter will be sent to the family. 49


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2. After two missed meetings, a letter will be sent placing the parent/family on probation. Once a 1 family is placed on probation, a representative may not be sent to any meetings. The parent or legal 2 guardian will be required to attend all remaining meetings. 3

3. After the third missed meeting, the student/family will be referred to the school-based Intervention 4 and Appeal Committee (IAC). 5 6 Conferences 7 Conferences are required when necessary for the success of the student. Conferences concerning the 8 student’s progress in a fundamental school can, at times, be accomplished by telephone or electronic mail. 9 When a person-to-person conference is deemed necessary for the success of the student, the 10 parent/guardian is required to attend. At the elementary level, parents must attend at least one conference 11 per grading period. Parents/guardians will receive a written notice requesting a person-to-person 12 conference. Failure to attend a mandatory conference will result in a referral to the Intervention and 13 Appeal Committee. 14 15 Transportation/Student Arrival/Dismissal 16 Parents/guardians are expected to provide transportation for students enrolled in elementary and middle 17 fundamental schools. (except Thurgood Marshall). Students should not arrive more than twenty minutes 18 before school opens and must arrive prior to the opening of school. At the end of the student day, students 19 must be picked up by parents/guardians or a designee no later than 30 minutes after dismissal. Failure to 20 do so will result in disciplinary consequences. Parents/Guardians will be notified after failure to comply. 21 Repeat offenders will be referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee for possible removal from the 22 school. The district provides transportation to Osceola, High School and Thurgood Marshall Middle 23 School for eligible students. Beginning in 2011-12, ninth grade students at Osceola, Boca Ciega, and 24 Dunedin High Schools will receive transportation within the identified application area, or parents must 25 provide transportation to the nearest bus stop within the application area. Beginning with sixth grade, 26 parents will provide transportation at Thurgood Marshall Middle School. Upper class students at Osceola 27 and Thurgood Marshall will continue to receive countywide arterial transportation through matriculation 28 to the next level. transportation is provided for eligible students. 29 30 31

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS 32 33

All fundamental school students are expected to: 34 • Adhere to all rules and regulations stated in the Code of Student Conduct. 35 • Follow the fundamental school dress code as explained in the Fundamental Student/Parent 36

Handbook. 37 • Adhere to the expectations of the Homework/Classwork Guidelines. 38 • Read, understand, and abide by the Discipline Guidelines. 39 • Read, understand and agree to abide by The Procedures for Countywide Programs. Failure to 40

honor this agreement may result in the student’s removal from the school. 41 42 Homework/Classwork 43 Homework and classwork are integral components of the fundamental school/program. In SWAS 44 fundamental programs, homework and classwork guidelines are applicable in designated fundamental 45 classes (typically those scheduled with all fundamental students). 46 47 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: At the elementary school grades, homework is assigned to all students at 48 every grade level for a minimum of four days a week. All homework must be completed, signed by the 49


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parent or guardian and returned by the beginning of the following school day. If a student misses a 1 homework assignment, does the wrong assignment, turns in an incomplete assignment or fails to have a 2 parent signature on the assignment, the progressive steps of the detention policy will be enforced. (See 3 Discipline section) 4 5 MIDDLE SCHOOL: At the middle school grades, homework may be assigned any day of the week. 6 Students who do not have homework assignments completed and in class by the assigned date will 7 receive two demerits. Students whose homework does not have the required parent/guardian signature 8 will receive one demerit. Students who do not bring the necessary materials to class will receive one 9 demerit. 10 11 Five demerits in one grading period in one class will result in a Notice of Violation. The notice must be 12 signed by the parent/guardian and returned by the next scheduled class. If the notice is not returned, the 13 student must serve a detention. A school administrator/designee will notify the parent/guardian of the 14 detention. 15 16 Five additional demerits in the same class, resulting in a total of ten demerits, will result in a student’s 17 referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. Demerits are examined on a per class basis to 18 determine warning and probation status. The committee will look at the number of overall demerits when 19 determining conditions of probation. Overall student performance will be reviewed by the committee. 20 21 HIGH SCHOOL: High school Fundamental programs follow the same homework guidelines as middle 22 schools with the following exceptions; 23 • The parent/guardian must sign all first semester homework and tests of 9th graders. 24 • A student must earn the privilege of not having homework and tests signed beginning in 10th grade. 25

with the 2nd semester of 9th grade. 26 • To maintain the privilege a student must earn at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (B) and 27

continue to complete all assignments during grades 10-12. 28 29

DISCIPLINE 30 31

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: DISCIPLINE 32 Each teacher maintains an individual classroom management plan. These plans are communicated to 33 parents at the beginning of the school year. In addition, the following steps are taken when a student 34 commits infractions of policies regarding behavior, homework or classwork. 35 36 Detentions: (elementary school) 37 The progressive steps include: 38

1. First written warning is sent to parent. (Warnings may be sent home because of homework 39 infractions, misbehavior, or incomplete classwork, failure to return a “sign and return” 40 document.) 41

2. Second written warning is sent to parent. (Warnings may be sent home because of homework 42 infractions, misbehavior, or incomplete classwork, or failure to return a “sign and return” 43 document.) 44

3. If infractions continue to occur, detentions will be given to the student. Parents will be 45 notified 24 hours prior to the assigned detention. Students are expected to serve the detention 46 on the assigned date. Failure to serve a detention will result in an additional detention. Parents 47 are required to provide transportation for student detentions. 48

49 A referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee occurs when a student receives a total of three 50


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detentions during any infraction period. 1 2 Office referrals: (elementary school) 3 Office referrals are given for severe infractions or continual repetitive violations and are handled by the 4 school’s administration. Consequences of an office referral may include but are not limited to the 5 following: 6

1. Parent contact 7 2. Time out 8 3. Detention 9 4. Counseling with student 10 5. Monitoring behavior 11 6. In-school suspension 12 7. Out-of-school suspension 13 8. Referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee 14 9. Referral to school staffing team 15 16

Office referrals are cumulative throughout the year. Three office referrals will result in a referral to the 17 Intervention and Appeal Committee. Each additional office referral will result in another referral to the 18 Intervention and Appeal Committee. Severe infractions, as determined by the principal, will result in 19 immediate referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. 20 21 Probation: (elementary) 22 If a student on probation voluntarily leaves the school, reapplies and is accepted to any other fundamental 23 school, that student resumes his/her existing probationary status. 24 25 Tardy Policy (elementary) 26 Students are expected to arrive at school by the designated time. Students who arrive at school after the 27 final bell rings must report to the office to get a pass. The classroom teacher will mark the student tardy. 28 Tardies will be excused with a doctor’s note. Students who are not picked up within 30 minutes at the end 29 of the day will be also considered tardy. Students who receive five tardies within a grading period will 30 receive a letter from the principal. Two additional tardies within the same grading period will result in a 31 referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. Detentions may be assigned by the Intervention and 32 Appeal Committee as a consequence for tardiness. 33 34 MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL: DISCIPLINE 35 Students in fundamental middle and high schools are expected to exercise good judgment and behave in a 36 responsible manner. Each school year, the Code of Student Conduct lists misconduct, which may lead to 37 immediate suspension, disciplinary reassignment or recommendation for expulsion. The Code of Student 38 Conduct will be used to determine consequences for those actions. The Fundamental Middle/High School 39 discipline requirements, listed as follows, are in addition to that Code. Students who are suspended will 40 be referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. All listed behaviors and behaviors that disrupt the 41 learning environment will result in a detention, office referral, suspension, and/or recommendation for 42 expulsion. 43 44 At the beginning of each school year, the teacher will provide students with written course information 45 explaining classroom rules and consequences. Each case of misconduct should be judged individually. 46 Teachers should employ one or more of the following consequences. 47 48

Counseling Telephone call to parent/guardian 49 Student must call parent/guardian Work detail with parent/guardian permission 50 Move student in class or isolate Formal apology 51


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Classroom contract Student conferences 1 Note to parent/guardian Verbal warning 2 Detention Team conference 3 Office referrals 4

5 The following offenses not listed in the Code of Student Conduct are contrary to the fundamental 6 middle/high school expectations. The minimum consequences for specific offenses are listed below 7 however; the administration will make the final decision based on a review of the student’s record and the 8 severity of the offense. 9 10 Offense/consequences (middle/high school) 11

1. Skipping class or leaving class without permission 12 A. First offense - grade of F for classwork, parent/guardian contacted, minimum of two 13

detentions/referral 14 B. Second offense - grade of F for classwork, parent/guardian contacted, referral to the Intervention 15

and Appeal Committee 16 2. Tardy 17

A. Third tardy in one class in one grading period - one detention 18 B. Each additional tardy - one detention, plus possible office referral 19

3. Gum chewing in school 20 A. Each offense - one detention 21

4. General open area/cafeteria misconduct 22 A. Violation of the cafeteria rules will result in a warning, detention, work detail, office referral or 23

suspension, as deemed appropriate for the offense. 24 5. Missed detention 25

A. First no show - office notification, parent notification, additional detention 26 B. Second no show - additional detention, referral to Intervention and Appeal Committee 27

6. Prohibited articles 28 A. Fundamental middle/high schools prohibit articles in addition to those listed in the Code of 29

Student Conduct. Prohibited articles include materials not related to the school curriculum 30 including but not limited to magazines, toys, and playing cards, and other items listed in the 31 school handbook. 32

1. First offense - confiscation, parent/guardian notification, warning 33 2. Second offense - confiscation, parent/guardian notification, detention 34

7. Dress code violation 35 A. Each offense - parent/guardian notification, possible detention 36

8. Prohibited behavior - displays of physical affection on campus 37 A. Violations will result in a warning, detention, work detail, office referral or suspension, as 38

deemed appropriate for the offense. 39 9. Prohibited behavior - gossip, slander or unkind/hurtful remarks about another person 40

A. Violations will result in a warning, detention, work detail, office referral or suspension, as 41 deemed appropriate for the offense. 42

43 Detentions (middle/high school) 44 Teachers give only one detention per offense. Four detentions in one school year results in a Notice of 45 Disciplinary Warning, which will be mailed home by a school administrator. Parents/guardians must call 46 the school within 48 hours of receipt of the warning to schedule a mandatory conference. Any Six 47 additional detentions resulting in a total of ten will result in the student’s referral to the Intervention and 48 Appeal Committee. 49


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1 School administration will keep accurate and current discipline records. All detentions given by either a 2 teacher or administrator are included in the cumulative total. 3 4

DRESS CODE 5 Students in the fundamental schools are expected to exercise good judgment and dress in a responsible 6 manner. The Code of Student Conduct lists the dress code for all Pinellas County schools. 7 8 All clothing must be worn in the manner in which it was designed to be worn. Any exception to the dress 9 code policies must be approved by the school administration. All dress and grooming rules will be 10 enforced. Students violating the dress code will be sent to the office to call their parents and request a 11 change of clothing. The student may be issued a warning or a detention for violation of the dress code 12 policy. Repeated violations may result in a referral to the school’s Intervention and Appeal Committee. In 13 SWAS programs, fundamental students are expected to follow the fundamental dress code at all times. 14 The fundamental dress code will be checked and strictly enforced in designated fundamental classrooms 15 (typically those scheduled with all fundamental students). 16 17 The fundamental school has dress requirements, which are in addition to the Code of Student Conduct. 18 Some schools may have voluntary or mandatory uniforms. 19 20 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students may wear uniform shorts approved by the school and from a 21 designated vendor. Students must wear socks, tights, or stockings and shoes appropriate for physical 22 activity. In addition students may not wear: 23 • Pants shorter than ankle length (unless they are approved shorts) 24 • Skorts, culottes or divided skirts 25 • Backless shoes, thongs or sandals (shoes must be appropriate for physical activity) 26 27 MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL students wearing pants or slacks must wear ankle length pants or slacks and 28 shoes with some form of heel straps. Middle school students may not wear: 29 • Shorts of any kind 30 • Culottes or skorts above the knee 31 • Thongs, sandals and shoes without back straps 32 33 In addition, the following are not allowed: 34 • Visible body piercing (except ears) if they become a distraction to the educational environment 35 • Exposed tattoos, real or drawn 36 • Gothic wear, neck collars such as dog collars or other heavy chains if they become a distraction 37 to the educational environment 38 39 40

INTERVENTION AND APPEAL COMMITTEE (IAC) 41 42

Each fundamental school/program has a school-based Intervention and Appeal Committee. The purpose 43 of this committee is to review and enforce cases including severe or repeated discipline infractions, 44 continued lack of compliance with homework and /or classwork policies, failure to follow the dress code, 45 parental absences from PTSA/PTA/SAC meetings and parental non-attendance at required conferences. 46 The IAC may recommend alternatives and interventions for improvement, recommend probations with 47 stipulations and removals from the school/program. This committee is not authorized to reinvestigate 48 situations but must accept the validity of administrative decisions regarding incidents. This committee is 49 the first level of appeal regarding a student’s removal from the school/program. 50 51


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The principal, who is not a committee member, selects the members of the IAC. The IAC shall be 1 composed of a minimum of three teachers (selected with faculty input) or other school personnel and 2 three parents (selected with SAC, PTSA and PTA chair input). Efforts will be made to have a community 3 representative. A majority of the members must be present to conduct the meeting and render a recom-4 mendation. The Intervention and Appeal Committee members will serve a renewable one-year term. 5 6 The committee will meet on a regular, predetermined basis or when requested by the principal/designee. 7 Though not a member of the committee, the principal will be available to answer questions and 8 participate in deliberation but will not vote. In addition, at the middle school level the assistant principal, 9 guidance counselor, and grade level team leader may be available to answer questions. Only the 10 committee members will vote. Decisions will be based on majority vote. The proceedings will be held in 11 strict confidence. 12 13 To maintain confidentiality for fundamental school students each Intervention and Appeals Committee 14 parent representative must annually sign to show their compliance with the following statement: 15 16 “I understand that under the Family Educations Rights and Privacy Act and Florida Statutes, student 17 records are confidential. As a member of this school’s Intervention and Appeals Committee, I understand 18 that I will have access to confidential information and agree to maintain the confidentiality of all student 19 records and information, including student evaluation records and personally identifiable information 20 contained therein.” 21 22 Referral to the Intervention and Appeal Committee 23 A student/family will be referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee for violations of the 24 fundamental agreement. Reasons for student referrals to the Committee include but are not limited to: 25 • Excessive demerits (middle/high school) 26 • Excessive detentions or tardies 27 • Upon receiving two referrals in a grading period (middle/high school) or a third office referral 28

(elementary school) 29 • Upon receiving one suspension or work detail 30 • Upon serious violation of the Code of Student Conduct 31 • Parent not meeting parent requirements 32 • Parent missing three of the required parent meetings 33 • At the request of an administrator 34 35 Parents/guardians will be notified at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting that the student has 36 been referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee. Meetings will be held on the scheduled date and 37 time. 38 39 The parent/guardian may address the committee for a maximum of ten minutes, but will not be present 40 when the committee deliberates. Minutes will be kept of the meeting, however, deliberations will not be 41 included. Parents may have access to the portion of the minutes which refer to their child. 42 43 Parents are permitted to submit an addendum to the official minutes. Schools may provide parents with a 44 conference report immediately following the conclusion of the meeting. 45 46 The Intervention and Appeal Committee will make an official recommendation to the principal for 47 probation or for the student’s removal from the school/program. If probation is offered, the committee 48 will specify the conditions for the student to continue in the fundamental school. Failure to agree to 49 probation or violation of the probation agreement will result in immediate removal from the fundamental 50 school/program. The final decision will be made by the principal based on the committee’s 51


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recommendation and other relevant information. 1 2 A school administrator will meet with the parent/guardian within 48 hours of the IAC meeting to outline 3 conditions, duration of the probation, and proposed interventions. A probation agreement will be 4 explained and signed by the student and the parent/guardian at the conference. Probationary agreements 5 may be carried over to the next school year if necessary to meet the terms of the agreement. A copy of the 6 agreement will be given to the parent at the time of the meeting or mailed within three days. 7 8 If the committee recommends removal from the school/program, the removal may be delayed only in 9 instances when the removal takes place immediately preceding a holiday, standardized testing, or other 10 instances approved by the school administration. Students who are removed from the school for any 11 reason may not reenter any fundamental school at any level or re-enter under sibling or employee priority. 12 13 If a student is referred to the Intervention and Appeal Committee and the parent/guardian withdraws the 14 student in order to avoid the IAC process, that withdrawal will be considered automatic removal from the 15 school/program. The student will be ineligible for readmission to any fundamental school at any level. 16 17 Appeals of a School-based Intervention and Appeal Committee Decision 18 School Level Appeals 19 Decisions of the school-based Intervention and Appeal Committee shall be appealed in writing first to 20 that Committee within 48 hours of the original decision. As part of the appeal process, if there is any new 21 or additional information, it must be provided to the principal in writing within that 48 hours. 22 Parents/Guardians are invited to attend the scheduled meeting of the Intervention and Appeal Committee; 23 however, their attendance is not required. Parents may address the committee for no more than 10 minutes 24 (middle school) or 20 minutes (elementary school). Only committee members may be present during 25 deliberations. The final decision of the committee will be forwarded to the parents within 48 hours of the 26 meeting. 27 28 Students awaiting an appeal will be permitted to remain in the school/program so long as they maintain 29 acceptable behavior until the IAC meets and renders its decision. Following an appeal, if the 30 recommendation for the student’s removal from the school is upheld by the IAC, the student will be 31 immediately removed from the school/program. This process will be coordinated by the principal. The 32 parent may, however, continue the appeal at the district level. 33 34 District Level Appeals 35 Students removed from a fundamental school/program may appeal the decision of the Intervention and 36 Appeal Committee to the Fundamental School District Appeal Committee by contacting the appropriate 37 Regional Associate Superintendent’s office. 38 39 Members of the Fundamental School District Appeal Committee will be appointed to serve a one-year 40 term and membership will be comprised of the following: 41

Chairman - A director of school operations not assigned to the school of appeal (The other 42 directors may attend the meeting but will not be eligible to vote.) 43 Parents - Two parents of fundamental school students not assigned to the school of appeal 44 Teachers - Two fundamental school teachers not assigned to the school of appeal 45

46 Committee members will be selected from members of the fundamental schools’ Intervention and Appeal 47 Committees and will be appointed by the director of school operations with every effort made to have 48 diversity in the committee’s membership. 49 50 The principal representing the school of appeal shall be present during the meeting to provide input as 51


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requested. The principal is not eligible to vote. 1 2 The decision of the Fundamental School District Appeal Committee shall be considered final and shall 3 not be reviewed by the School Board. The School Board hereby delegates to the committee its final 4 decision-making authority for such decisions. Students whose removal from the school/program is upheld 5 by the District Committee may not reenter any fundamental school/program or re-enter under sibling or 6 instructional/support staff priority. 7 8 Leaving a Fundamental School Program 9 If a student leaves a fundamental school/program for any reason, the family should immediately access 10 the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site contact the Student 11 Assignment Office for the student’s new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. 12 Students who leave a fundamental school/program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby 13 school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size 14 requirements. 15 16 Students who move out of Pinellas County lose their seat in a fundamental school/program. If that 17 opening is to be filled, a Pinellas County student will be called from the appropriate waiting list. Only in 18 cases where no waiting list exists the student who moved may, if on an approved SAP, remain in the 19 school. 20 21 Reassignment to a District Discipline Program or Expulsion 22 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 23 fundamental school. No readmission to any fundamental school under these circumstances will be 24 considered. 25

TEMPORARILY ABSENT 26 Due to extenuating circumstances, a student may need to be temporarily absent from the school for an 27 extended period. An agreement upon the conditions and acceptable length of absence will be facilitated 28 by the principal. Failure to comply with the agreement will result in the student’s removal from the 29 school. 30 Hospital Homebound 31 A student whose poor health requires them to temporarily withdraw to enter the Hospital Homebound 32 program will not have their seat filled by another student from the waiting list for one semester and may 33 return that year to the fundamental program when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on 34 a full time basis. Each student’s situation will be handled on a case by case basis for the benefit of both 35 the student and the school. If the student’s health does not sufficiently improve to return to the program 36 within a reasonable time period during that school year, the student’s seat will be filled by another student 37 from the waiting list. The Hospital Homebound student may then apply to reenter the fundamental 38 program during the next school year when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full 39 time basis. 40 41

GRADING AND PROMOTION 42 All students in grades 1-8 receive a report card each grading period. Kindergarten students receive report 43 cards twice a year. Letter grades of A-F are assigned in grades 1-8 with a grade of C intended to be 44 average. These grades reflect actual achievement. Conduct and work habits are also graded in elementary 45 grades. Notices are given to the parent/guardian when the student’s work is unsatisfactory and a failing 46 grade for the grading period is probable. 47 48

TEACHER EXPECTATIONS 49 Teachers at fundamental schools/programs are expected to meet the same high standards of all teachers in 50


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Pinellas County Schools. 1 2 Due to the nature of the fundamental school/program design and in order to meet the special needs of stu-3 dents in these programs, teachers must apply, interview and be selected for fundamental school positions. 4 Once hired, teachers may be expected to assume duties and responsibilities, which exceed the teacher 5 contract. These additional duties and responsibilities will be communicated to applicants prior to hiring. 6 7 By their application to teach in a fundamental school/program, instructional staff agrees to abide by the 8 practices in the school in which they are employed. Fundamental school teachers are expected to sign and 9 adhere to the teacher agreement. 10 11 Consistent with expectations for all Pinellas County teachers, the following responsibilities and 12 expectations are required of all fundamental school teachers. 13 Present an image of professionalism 14

A. Observe a dress code in keeping with a professional appearance. At the principal’s discretion, 15 there may be designated days when the dress code is relaxed (e.g. jeans may be worn by 16 faculty in conjunction with school spirit days). Sleeveless dresses and blouses are acceptable 17 so long as the shoulder is covered. Stockings are optional. The administration will be the final 18 authority as to the appropriateness of attire. 19

B. Be professional at all times with students, parents/guardians, staff and members of the 20 community. 21

22 Promote and foster positive parent/guardian involvement 23

A. Welcome parent/guardian visits to the classroom. (Parents/guardians are asked to give 24-hour 24 notice.) 25

B. Inform parents/guardians when behavior problems begin. Keep records of all parent/guardian 26 contacts. 27

C. Keep parents/guardians informed regularly. A lack of progress, failure to complete homework, 28 working below grade level or a drop of two or more grades must result in parent contact. Keep 29 records of all parent/guardian contacts. 30 Methods of informing parents/guardians may include: 31

1. Phone calls 32 2. Written notices requesting a conference 33 3. Personal conversations 34 4. Mid-term progress reports 35 5. E-Mail 36 6. Comment notes on report cards. 37

D. Attend PTSA/PTA/SAC meetings, unless administratively excused. 38 39 Maintain an atmosphere of learning and good citizenship 40

A. Communicate class rules/expectations and provide parents/guardians with a copy of the class 41 rules. 42

B. Enforce fundamental school rules and class rules consistently, firmly, and fairly. 43 C. Practice good classroom management techniques. 44 D. Request student conferences, as needed. Plan appropriately with team members as they may 45

want to be involved in the conference. 46 47 Promote academic challenge and excellence for all students 48

A. Assign and check homework. 49 B. Require a parent/guardian signature on homework as outlined in the Homework/Classwork 50

Guidelines. 51


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C. Use all available information to plan a student-appropriate curriculum including subjects and 1 subject levels. 2

D. Make students and parents/guardians aware, in writing, of the grading policy and academic 3 expectations for each class. 4

E. Plan lessons, which meet the Sunshine State Standards, state-adopted course descriptions and 5 Pinellas County Schools Student Expectations. 6

F. Provide additional assistance to students, as needed. 7 8 Support the fundamental school as a viable alternative for Pinellas County students 9

A. Promote positive public relations. 10 B. Take an active role in school, team and committee meetings. 11 C. Work collaboratively with grade level team members to promote student achievement. 12 D. Participate in a team approach to school-wide problem solving and decision making. 13 E. Maintain a flexible and cooperative attitude when assisting with a crisis/special situation. 14 F. Communicate concerns to the administration in a timely fashion. 15 G. Complete requested assignments on time. 16 H. Maintain all records accurately. 17 18

Advance professional excellence 19 A. Demonstrate a commitment to the school philosophy and strategies. 20 B. Utilize principles of continuous quality improvement. 21 C. Model a commitment to multicultural awareness. 22 D. Participate in on-going professional training. 23 E. Provide a nurturing support system for all students. 24

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Elementary and Middle School Magnet Program Structure and Procedures

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Elementary and Middle School 1

Magnet Program Structure and Procedures 2

3 Overview 4

5 Membership in magnet schools is a privilege enjoyed by interested and qualified Pinellas County 6 students. Therefore, students are expected to exhibit exemplary achievement and conduct while in 7 membership in these programs. 8 9 Magnet programs differ from the regular elementary and middle school curriculum. Students experience a 10 curriculum integrated with those areas addressed by the magnet program. The magnet program 11 curriculum is based on the Pinellas County Schools Student Expectations. 12 13

Program Design 14 15

Each magnet program is designed to meet specific student needs. As part of a continual improvement 16 process, programs are aligned to customer requirements. Within existing budget constraints and to the 17 extent possible, the district will continue to assure program quality and integrity. 18 19

Full Time Enrollment 20 21

Students attending an elementary or middle school magnet program must be enrolled fulltime in that 22 school. Since the magnet program is the student’s school of assignment, the student will not be permitted 23 to participate in the school functions and activities at any other area school. 24 25

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION 26 27

Countywide Elementary Magnet Programs 28 The Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology at Bay Point Elementary - Applicants should 29 have an interest or talent in the areas of mathematics, science, technology and foreign languages. 30 31 The Center for Journalism and Multimedia at Melrose Elementary - Applicants should have an interest in 32 the areas of global studies, foreign language, multimedia and literary arts. 33 34 The Center for Gifted Studies at Ridgecrest Elementary 35

• All applicants must be interested in being enrolled in gifted classes on a fulltime basis. 36 • Applicants for grade 1 (only) must have been formally evaluated with a qualifying score by the 37

application deadline and awaiting placement. 38 • Applicants for grades 2-5 must have been identified as gifted and staffed into a gifted program 39

with their current Individual Educational Plan in place prior to the deadline. 40 41 The Center for the Arts and International Studies at Perkins Elementary - Applicants should have an 42 interest or talent in the arts and foreign languages. 43 44 The Center for Mathematics and Engineering at Douglas L. Jamerson Jr. Elementary – Applicants should 45 have an interest or talent in the areas of mathematics, engineering, technology, and science. 46 47


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International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme World School at James Sanderlin Elementary – 1 Applicants should have an interest in the international community, foreign languages, and the 2 development of the internationally minded child, who cares about himself, community and the world at 3 large. 4 5 Area Elementary Magnet Programs 6

Pinellas County Schools, under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, received federal grant dollars to 7 design and develop four specialized area magnet programs. These four area magnet elementary schools, 8 which are not countywide programs, are available only for those families who live in the southern portion 9 of the county. These four area magnet schools include: 10 11 • The Marine Science Center at Campbell Park Elementary - Applicants should have an interest or talent 12 in the areas of marine science , integrated thematic instruction, world languages, or technology. 13 14 • The Montessori Program at Lakeview Elementary- Applicants should have an interest and/or prior 15 participation in the Montessori method of instruction. 16 17 • The Center for Medical Science and Wellness at Lakewood Elementary- Applicants should have an 18 interest or talent in the medical sciences, wellness, or mathematics. 19 20 • MicroSociety® and Visual Arts at Maximo Elementary – Applicants should have an interest or talent in 21 the Microsociety program of relevant education in the context of a community, visual arts, integrated 22 thematic instruction, world languages, or technology. 23 24 These area magnet schools will accept applications from an area extending from Tampa Bay and I-275; 25 west of Gandy Boulevard; south of U.S. 19; west of 54th Avenue North; and south through Cross Bayou 26 and John’s Pass to the Gulf of Mexico. Any seats not filled during the application period will be offered 27 to students living in close proximity to the school who agree to participate in the magnet program. 28 29 Middle School Magnet Programs 30 The Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology at Bay Point Middle School 31

• Applicants will be determined eligible based upon 32 1. Standardized achievement test scores 33 2. Grade point average 34 Students enrolled in Bay Point Elementary are assured a position at the magnet at Bay 35 Point Middle School provided they complete an application, accept a program invitation 36 by the deadline and meet the middle school program criteria. 37 38

The Center for the Arts and Communication Studies at John Hopkins Middle School 39 40

• Applicants will be determined eligible for the Center for the Arts based upon 41 1. Standardized achievement test scores (5.0 or above stanine on for Reading and Math 42

on Standardized Test) 43 2. Grade point average (3.0 or above on the most recent report card) 44 Students enrolled in Perkins Elementary are assured a position at the Center for the Arts 45 at John Hopkins Middle School provided they complete an application, accept a program 46 invitation by the deadline and meet the middle school eligibility criteria. 47 48

• Applicants will be determined eligible for the Center for Communication Studies based an 49 interest or talent in the areas of literary arts, global studies or multimedia technology. 50


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Students enrolled in Melrose Elementary are assured a position at the Center for 1 Communication Studies at John Hopkins Middle School provided they complete an 2 application, accept a program invitation by the deadline and meet the middle school 3 eligibility criteria. 4

5 Students who do not meet the criteria by the approved deadline may submit updated information should 6 they become eligible by the end of the year. Those students’ names will be added to the bottom of the 7 appropriate waiting list. 8 9 The Middle School Center for Gifted Studies at Dunedin Highland Middle, Morgan Fitzgerald Middle, 10 and Thurgood Marshall Middle 11

• Middle school application areas apply to these programs. 12 • All applicants must be enrolled in gifted classes on a fulltime basis. 13 • Applicants must have been identified as gifted and staffed into a gifted program with their 14

current Individual Educational Plan in place prior to the application deadline. 15 16

ATTENDANCE 17 18

Attendance is extremely important in all educational settings. The integrity of the magnet program 19 curriculum requires that students be present so as not to experience a lapse in skill development or in 20 academic preparation for highest student achievement. All students are expected to attend school from the 21 first day of school. Vacancies (openings) created by students who fail to attend during the first three days 22 of the school year may be offered to the next student(s) on the waiting lists. In addition, families are 23 strongly discouraged from taking planned vacations while classes are in session during the school year. 24 25

TRANSPORTATION 26 27

Although not required by law to do so, Pinellas County Schools provides school bus transportation for 28 magnet program students who live more than two miles from their magnet school. In order to keep the 29 length of the bus ride as short as practicable, students are provided arterial routing to the magnet school. 30 Arterial routing restricts bus operation to main roads and limits the number of stops. In some cases the 31 bus stop may be farther from the student’s home than an area school stop. 32 33 34

PROBATION AND REMOVAL FROM A MAGNET PROGRAM 35 36 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. Following probation, students may be 37 removed from an elementary or middle school magnet program for the following reasons: 38

A. Lack of adequate academic progress 39 B. Violation of school/program policies/procedures 40 C. Lack of participation in program activities 41 D. Poor attendance 42

43 Each magnet program has a commitment agreement, which outlines the expectations for student success 44 in that program. This agreement must be signed by the parents or guardians at the beginning of the school 45 year. 46 47 Prior to removing a student from a program, intervention strategies will be utilized by the program staff to 48 ensure the student has had adequate opportunity to be successful. Intervention strategies may include but 49 not be limited to: 50


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A. Parent contact/conference D. Adapted curriculum 1 B. Staffing team referral E. Tutor/mentor 2 C. Anecdotal records F. Support services 3

4 A school-based intervention team will review each case, as needed. That team may recommend 5 immediate removal from the program. 6 7

Countywide Elementary School Magnet Program Probation 8 and Removal from the School/Program Procedures 9

10 These probation and removal procedures apply to the following school/programs: 11

• Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology at Bay Point Elementary 12 • Center for the Arts & International Studies at Perkins Elementary 13 • The Center for Journalism and Multimedia at Melrose Elementary 14 • The Center for Mathematics and Engineering at Douglas L. Jamerson Jr. Elementary 15 • International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme World School at James Sanderlin 16

Elementary 17 18 The parents, students and staff believe each student attends school to strive for excellence in all activities, 19 academic, physical and social. Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. Parents, 20 students, and staff are expected to commit to: 21

• showing respect for all people, 22 • accepting responsibility for, and consequences of, their own actions, and 23 • helping each classroom have the best possible learning environment. 24

25 Students may be placed on probation and, ultimately, removed from the school for the following reasons: 26

1. Lack of adequate academic or behavioral progress 27 2. Non-compliance to district or school rules 28 3. Lack of participation in program activities 29 4. Excessive absences 30

31 An intervention team will review each student’s case, as needed. The team will recommend interventions 32 or strategies to assist the student in being successful. Finally, the team may recommend the student’s 33 removal from the school. 34 35 A Magnet School Commitment form is signed by each student, parent and school staff representative 36 indicating their commitment to maintaining the highest standards possible. 37 38 Center for Gifted Studies at Ridgecrest Elementary School 39 The administration, teachers and staff strive to provide an atmosphere for children that is conducive to the 40 best education possible. The expectation is that each student enrolled in the magnet program will maintain 41 high academic standards, good attendance and high behavioral standards. The trained and dedicated staff 42 is committed to helping each student be successful. 43 44 A profile of a successful student at Ridgecrest’s Center for Gifted Studies includes the following 45 characteristics: exhibits a willingness to work independently on challenging problems in general and 46 advanced curriculum, demonstrates high task commitment, shows a concern for global issues and world 47 problems, goes “above and beyond” requirements for assignments, and organizes while utilizing time 48 efficiently. 49 50


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Parents are required to sign The Center for Gifted Studies at Ridgecrest Elementary Commitment 1 Agreement. The signatures indicate an understanding and support of, as well as a willingness to comply 2 with, the following expectations: 3

1. Exhibit a willingness to work independently on challenging problems. 4 2. Complete promptly and willingly classwork and homework assignments. 5 3. Maintain a “C” average in each subject area, or the equivalent of that in the primary grades, 6

each semester. 7 4. Attend school promptly and regularly, with limited absences. 8 5. Comply with all school and classroom rules and the Code of Student Conduct. 9 6. Earn annual teacher or administrative recommendations for continued fulltime gifted services. 10

11 The Commitment Agreement clearly states that failure to abide by this agreement may result in a 12 recommendation that the student be removed from the program. 13 14 Each grade level conducts an evaluation of its students at the midpoint of every grading period to be sure 15 that progress is being achieved in the areas of academics, conduct, work habits/effort, and attendance. 16 Areas of concern are noted on a Need for Improvement Notice, which is discussed at a mandatory parent 17 conference. In this conference, intervention strategies to be implemented during the probation period are 18 discussed. Intervention strategies may include, but are not limited to: 19 20

1. School-based Intervention Team referral 21 2. Modified curriculum 22 3. Tutor 23 4. Support services (counselor, psychologist, social worker) 24 5. Strategies for student to improve his/her behavior 25 6. Other strategies suggested during the conference 26

27 At the end of the next grading period, progress is reevaluated. If adequate progress has been made, an 28 Improvement Period Follow-up congratulatory note is sent to the parent stating that there is no longer a 29 need for a probationary status. If there is not adequate improvement, the student may be removed from 30 the program. 31 32

Middle School Magnet Program Probation and Removal from the Program Procedures 33 34

Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology at Bay Point Middle School (CAST) 35 36 The administration, teachers and staff strive to provide an atmosphere for children that is conducive to the 37 best education possible. The expectation is that each student enrolled in the Center for Advancement of 38 Sciences and Technology (CAST) program will maintain high academic and behavioral standards. The 39 staff is committed to assisting students in their development because middle school is a major adjustment 40 for all students. 41 In order to maintain a positive environment for every student, the CAST program staff has identified three 42 areas that have caused students to accomplish less than desirable outcomes. The three areas include 43 attendance, academics and behavior. 44 45 Students wishing to remain in the Bay Point CAST Program are expected to meet the following criteria: 46

1. Maintain a C average in each class by the end of the third and/or sixth grading periods. 47 2. Attend school daily, arrive promptly to each class and remain throughout the scheduled hours. 48

Planned absences during the school year are strongly discouraged. 49 3. In addition to the Code of Student Conduct, magnet students will be expected to maintain 50


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higher standards of behavior and character. 1 • Forgery or falsifying school records will result in a suspension. 2 • Skipping class will result in an in-school suspension or Saturday School. 3 • Cheating will result in a grade of “0” and an office referral. 4 • Any subsequent occurrences of cheating will result in a grade of “0” and suspension. 5

4. A student’s reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate 6 removal from the program. No readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 7

5. Parents are expected to be supportive of teachers and administrators in resolving academic, 8 attendance and/or behavior issues. 9

10 The Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology Commitment Agreement clearly states, 11 “Failure to abide by this agreement may result in a recommendation that the student be removed from the 12 program.” 13 14 Each six weeks the program assistant principal will notify the parents of struggling students with a Notice 15 of Academic Probation attached to the report card. This letter, reminding students and parents of 16 academic expectations, is sent to the parents of any student who receives a D, F or I on the report card. At 17 the end of the third and/or sixth grading periods, the program assistant principal provides teachers with a 18 list of students who made a D or F during the previous grading periods. Teachers notify the program 19 assistant principal of students who did not earn a C average in their class for the third and/or sixth grading 20 periods. The program assistant principal calls the parents of all students who did not meet the academic 21 criteria and provides withdrawal information. 22 23 Center for Arts and Communication Studies at John Hopkins Middle School 24 25 The administration, teachers, and staff strive to provide an atmosphere for children that is conducive to 26 the best education possible. The expectation is that each student enrolled in the Center for the Arts and 27 Communication Studies program will excel in the program and maintain high academic and behavioral 28 standards. The trained and dedicated staff is committed to helping each student be successful. 29 30 In order to maintain a positive environment for every student, the staff has identified three areas, which 31 have caused students to accomplish less than desirable outcomes. The three areas include attendance, 32 academics and behavior. 33 34 The Probation/Removal from the School Plan for Center for the Arts and Communication Studies at John 35 Hopkins Middle School is based on a point system. When a student reaches 15 points in one school year, 36 he/she will be placed on probation. A letter will be sent to parents to inform them that their child is in 37 danger of being removed from the school. Points are assigned as follows: 38 39 1. Attendance 40

• Students must be enrolled fulltime. 41 • Students must be present so as not to experience a lapse in skill development or in academic 42 preparation for highest student achievement. 43 • All students are expected to attend school from the first day of school. Vacancies (openings) 44 created by students who fail to attend during the first three days of the school year may be 45 offered to the next student(s) on the waiting lists. 46 • Families are strongly discouraged from taking planned vacations while classes are in session 47 during the school year. Family vacations or other trips are not valid reasons for absences, and 48 students absent for these reasons will be assigned points. 49 • A doctor’s note must be provided if a student misses more than five consecutive days of 50


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school. 1 • Two points are given for each unexcused absence from school. (Unexcused absences are 2 defined as anything not listed as excused as noted in the Code of Student Conduct.) 3 • Five points will be given for each absence due to a family vacation consisting of 5 or more 4 days. 5

2. Academics 6 • Two points for each D received as a six-weeks grade on a report card 7 • Three points for each F received as a six-weeks grade on a report card 8

3. Behavior 9 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. 10

• Five points for each day out-of-school suspension. 11 • Five points for each major office referral. 12 13

The Center for the Arts and Communication Studies Probation/Removal from the School Plan is signed 14 by both the parent and student as an indication of their desire to maintain the highest standards possible. 15 16 Leaving a Magnet School Program 17 If a student leaves an elementary and middle school magnet for any reason, the family should 18 immediately access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site contact 19 the Student Assignment Office for the student’s new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional 20 time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby 21 school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size 22 requirements. for the student’s new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 23 who leave a magnet program may not be able to remain in the magnet host school due to the lack of an 24 available opening at the appropriate grade level. 25 26 Students who move out of Pinellas County lose their position in a magnet school. If that opening is to be 27 filled, a Pinellas County student will be called from the appropriate waiting list. Only in cases where no 28 waiting list exists may the student remain in the school. 29 30 Reassignment to a District Discipline Program or Expulsion 31 A student’s reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal 32 from the program. No reapplication under these circumstances will be considered. 33 34

TEMPORARILY ABSENT 35 36

Due to extenuating circumstances, a student may need to be temporarily absent from the school for an 37 extended period. An agreement upon the conditions and acceptable length of absence will be facilitated 38 by the principal. Failure to comply with the agreement will result in the student’s removal from the 39 school. 40 41 Hospital Homebound 42 A student whose poor health requires them to temporarily withdraw to enter the Hospital Homebound 43 program will not have their seat filled by another student from the waiting list for one semester and may 44 return that year to the magnet program when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full 45 time basis. Each student’s situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis for the benefit of both the 46 student and the school. If the student’s health does not sufficiently improve to return to the program 47 within a reasonable time period during that school year, the student’s seat will be filled by another student 48 from the waiting list. The Hospital Homebound student may then apply to reenter the magnet program 49 during the next school year when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full time basis. 50


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1 PROGRAM STAFF 2

3 Due to the nature of the magnet program design and in order to meet the special needs of students in these 4 programs, teachers and program administrators must apply, interview and be selected for magnet school 5 positions. Once hired, teachers may be expected to assume duties and responsibilities, which exceed the 6 teacher contract. These additional duties and responsibilities will be communicated to applicants prior to 7 hiring. 8 9

High School Magnet Program Structure and Procedures

27

High School Magnet Program 1

Structure and Procedures 2 3

Overview 4 5 Membership in magnet programs is a privilege enjoyed by interested and qualified Pinellas County 6 students. Therefore, students in these programs are expected to exhibit exemplary achievement and 7 conduct while in membership in these programs. So as to benefit from the high school magnet program’s 8 curriculum design, students are expected to remain in the magnet program whose invitation they have 9 accepted for four years. 10 11

PROGRAM DESIGN 12 Each magnet program is designed to meet specific student needs. As part of a continual improvement 13 process, programs are aligned to customer requirements. Specific course offerings may change due to 14 continual program improvement or district budget and staffing constraints. Within existing budget 15 constraints and to the extent possible, the district will continue to assure program design and integrity. All 16 high school magnet programs are designed to be 24 or more credit programs. 17 18 Students attending a high school magnet program must be enrolled fulltime in that program. 19 20

ADMISSIONS 21 Each magnet program has specific eligibility criteria that may include prerequisite courses, standardized 22 testing, course grades, and other factors. 23 24 Students may make application to more than one magnet program. Therefore, each high school magnet 25 program, may offer additional invitations not to exceed 20% of the program’s original capacity number. 26 This target capacity number is based upon facility, staffing needs and curricular issues. Any high school 27 magnet program that increases its invitations by 20% must be able to accommodate all those students who 28 accept the invitation but may not exceed the capacity of the program or school. Qualified applicants are 29 invited or placed upon waiting lists based solely upon their random selection number. 30 31 Interested students are encouraged to apply for high school magnet programs during their 8th grade year 32 for admission at the start of their 9th grade year. In selected magnet programs, under certain 33 circumstances students may apply for admission after their 8th grade year for admission during their 9th 34 grade or 10th grade years. 35 36

• Each applicant’s academic record is assessed on an individual basis. The student’s transcript 37 will be reviewed to determine how well coursework that has been completed is aligned with 38 individual magnet program requirements. 39

• Eligible students are accepted on a space-available basis. 40 • The applicant may not have past serious or consistent discipline problems as determined by the 41

program assistant principal with staff input. 42 43 The following programs will accept applications for grades 9-10 only: 44

• Business, Economics and Technology Academy 45 • Center for Advanced Technologies 46 • Criminal Justice Academy 47 • Pinellas County Center for the Arts 48 • Exploring Careers and Education in Leadership (ExCEL) 49


28

• Leadership Conservatory for the Arts 1 2

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program will accept applications for grades 9 and 10. Applications 3 for grades 11-12 will be accepted only from students transferring into the district from other IB 4 schools/programs. 5 6 Due to program requirements, the following program will accept application for grade 9 and on a space 7 available basis in grade 10: 8

• Center for Wellness and Medical Professions 9 10 Once a student has applied and been accepted to a high school magnet program, reapplication to that 11 magnet is not required for continued enrollment as long as the student continues to meet academic and 12 behavioral expectations. 13

14 Attendance Zones Application Areas for the IB and Center for Wellness Programs 15

The Center for Wellness and Medical Professions and the International Baccalaureate (IB) programs 16 utilize attendance zones application areas. Students living north of Route 60/Gulf-to-Bay (north 17 attendance zone) may make application only to the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions and/or 18 the International Baccalaureate programs at Palm Harbor University High School. 19 20 Students living south of Ulmerton Road (south attendance zone) may make application only to the Center 21 for Wellness and Medical Professions at Boca Ciega High School. and/or the International Baccalaureate 22 program at St. Petersburg High School. 23 24 Students living south of Route 60/Gulf to Bay and north of Ulmerton Road (central attendance zone) may 25 make application to either of the Center for Wellness programs and/or either of the International 26 Baccalaureate programs, but not both. 27 28 Children of magnet program/school staff members may apply to the IB or Center for Wellness program in 29 the school in which the parent is employed regardless of residence address. At the time of application, the 30 parent must be employed fulltime at the school to which the student is applying. The parent’s place of 31 employment may supercede the attendance zones application area for these programs. The student must 32 meet all eligibility criteria and may apply only to one of the IB or Wellness programs. The district may 33 not provide transportation to these programs for students making application under these conditions. If, at 34 any time during the student’s tenure in the program, the parent leaves the school, the family will be 35 responsible for transporting the student. Students who enter these magnets under the above conditions 36 may not, should they leave the program, transfer to any other magnet. 37 38 Students who reside in the required attendance zones application area may transfer to the mirror program 39 only as a result of a change in permanent residence with the understanding that identical courses may not 40 be available. Based upon space availability, the program coordinator and host school principal must 41 approve the transfer. The program coordinator would assist the student in formulating a new plan for 42 program completion. 43 44 If a student moves out of the IB/Center for Wellness attendance zones application area but remains in 45 Pinellas County and wishes to remain in the magnet in which they began, approval from both program 46 assistant principals, both school principals and the district office is required. Bus transportation may not 47 be available. 48 49 In situations relating to course availability, students may be permitted to attend the mirror program 50 outside their attendance zones application area with the approval of both principals and both program 51


29

assistant principals. 1 2 Students who move into the central attendance zones application area will be required to remain in the 3 Center for Wellness or IB program in which they were originally accepted. 4 5 Application Areas for the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Honors Option Programs 6 7 In 2011-12, students may apply to any IB or Honors Option (leading to IB upon approval) program. 8 Incoming ninth grade students will receive transportation within the application areas identified below, or 9 parents must provide transportation to the nearest bus stop within the application area. 10 11 North: Palm Harbor University HS 12 Mid: Largo HS 13 South: St. Petersburg HS 14 15 Application Areas for the Honors Option Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) 16 Programs 17 18 These programs will open in 2011-12 for students within the school’s zone. Students within the 19 application areas will be eligible to apply beginning in 2012-2013. Students must apply to the designated 20 Honors Option (leading to AICE upon approval) program based on the application area in which they 21 reside. Incoming ninth grade students will receive transportation within the application areas identified 22 below. 23 24 North: Tarpon Springs 25 Mid: Clearwater 26 South: Dixie Hollins 27 28 29 Prerequisite Courses 30 In order to be eligible for admission to the Center for Advanced Technologies, the International 31 Baccalaureate Program or any high school magnet program, students must successfully complete any 32 prerequisite courses by the last day of the regular eighth grade school year. 33 34 Competency Testing 35 Competency testing may be required to determine eligibility. Testing results may affect eligibility. 36 37 Shadowing 38 Students applying for high school magnet programs may shadow a program student. Visits are limited to 39 no more than four per student with no site being visited more than once. 40 41 Each program has designated dates for shadowing. An application must be on file if the visit is scheduled 42 after the application deadline. No visits will be scheduled during any exams. The student’s middle school 43 will monitor the number and location of the visits. The middle school must receive a 72-hour notice prior 44 to a scheduled visit. 45 The high school magnet program will confirm the scheduled visit with the middle school. The procedure 46 for arranging a visit requires that the parent contact the magnet program coordinator/designee to arrange a 47 shadowing date. The high school program will notify, in writing, the middle school of the scheduled visit. 48 Transportation may be provided by the district for the purpose of shadowing. 49 50


30

Students must adhere to the Code of Student Conduct during shadowing experiences. Should a shadowing 1 student require discipline, the student will be disciplined by the receiving high school unless the 2 infraction is a suspendable one; those infractions are handled by the sending middle school. In the event a 3 visiting student is disciplined, the sending middle school will be notified. 4 5

Leaving a High School Magnet Program 6 7

Students who withdraw, for any reason, from a high school magnet program must access the Student 8 Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site immediately contact the Student 9 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 10 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 11 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. and 12 may not enter any other magnet program for the remainder of that school year. Under the admissions 13 guidelines, a qualified student may make application to a high school magnet for the following school 14 year if the magnet program accepts applications for that grade level. 15 16 Students who move out of Pinellas County lose their seat in a high school magnet program. If the 17 resulting opening is filled, a Pinellas County resident will be called from the appropriate waiting list. 18 Only in cases where no waiting list exists may the student with an approved SAP remain in the program 19 with the approval of the program assistant principal. 20 21 Students who leave a magnet program to participate in early admission to college will not receive a 22 certificate of magnet program completion. 23 24 Students who leave a magnet program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a 25 zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size 26 requirements. Students may not be able to remain in the magnet host school due to the lack of an 27 available opening at the appropriate grade level. 28 29 Reassignment to a District Discipline Program or Expulsion 30 The disciplinary reassignment of a currently enrolled magnet program student will result in immediate 31 removal from the program. While every effort will be made to replicate the student’s schedule, it is 32 expected that the student’s curriculum will be impacted. Since it is unlikely that every class can be 33 replicated, the student will be jeopardizing their academic plan. 34 35

Temporarily Absent 36 37 Due to extenuating circumstances, a student may need to be temporarily absent from the program for an 38 extended period. An agreement upon the conditions and acceptable length of absence will be facilitated 39 by the program coordinator. Failure to comply with the agreement will result in the student’s removal 40 from the program. 41 42

Hospital Homebound 43 44 A student whose poor health requires them to temporarily withdraw to enter the Hospital Homebound 45 program will not have their seat filled by another student from the waiting list for one semester and may 46 return that year to the magnet program when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full 47 time basis. Each student’s situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis for the benefit of both the 48 student and the school. If the student’s health does not sufficiently improve to return to the program 49 within a reasonable time period during that school year, the student’s seat will be filled by another student 50 from the waiting list. The Hospital Homebound student may then apply to reenter the magnet program 51


31

during the next school year when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full time basis. 1 2

Transportation 3 4 Although not required by law to do so, Pinellas County Schools provides school bus transportation for 5 magnet students who live more than two miles from their magnet school. In order to keep the length of 6 the bus ride as short as practicable, students are provided arterial routing to the magnet school. Arterial 7 routing restricts bus operation to main roads and limits the number of stops. In some cases, the bus stop 8 may be farther from the student’s home than an area high school stop. 9 10

Magnet Courses 11 12 Magnet program courses are not available to traditional (host school) students except under special 13 circumstances. This policy assists the district in maintaining the integrity and uniqueness of each 14 individual magnet. 15 16 In order to maintain the integrity of the approved magnet program curriculum and to ensure program 17 completion, there shall be no substitutions, including dual credit, correspondence or on-line courses, for 18 specific magnet program courses. 19 20

Program Staff 21 22 Due to the nature of the high school magnet program design and in order to meet the special needs of 23 students in these programs, teachers and program administrators must apply, interview and be selected for 24 magnet program positions. Once hired, teachers may be expected to assume duties and responsibilities, 25 which exceed the teacher contract. These additional duties and responsibilities will be communicated to 26 applicants prior to hiring. 27 28 29 30

PROBATION AND REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 31 32

Each magnet program has a probation procedure. Due process is followed for any student placed on 33 probation. The student is notified, in writing, of the reason(s) for probation, a plan for improvement is 34 created with the student, and the progress of the student is reviewed with a recommendation for 35 continuation or immediate removal from the program. (See the next section for individual high school 36 program procedures.) 37 38 Students who are removed from a magnet program for academic or disciplinary reasons may not enter any 39 other magnet program for the remainder of that school year and must the Student Reservation System 40 through the Pinellas County Schools web site for their new school assignment. Students or families 41 wishing to appeal a removal from the program for any reason other than expulsion or reassignment to a 42 district discipline program must follow the appeal procedures specified by the program the student 43 attends. The first level of appeal is to the program assistant principal. 44 45 Students who leave a magnet program may not be able to remain in the magnet host school due to the lack 46 of an available opening at the appropriate grade level. 47

48


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1 Business, Economics and Technology Academy (BETA) 2

at Gibbs High School 3 4 Membership in the Business, Economics and Technology Academy is a privilege. BETA subscribes to 5 the district philosophy that an ideal student is responsible, honest, respectful and motivated. Students are 6 expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. 7 8 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 9 Students must maintain semester grades of C or higher in each class. 10 11 Probation alerts the student and parents that academic expectations are not being met. Parents are notified 12 and a conference is scheduled to discuss the terms of the probation. Students will be placed on probation 13 for a minimum of one semester. 14 15 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 16 Citizenship: Students shall exhibit conduct acceptable in both an educational and professional 17 environment. Honesty, integrity and respect for all persons will be displayed in the classroom and in all 18 Academy activities. Citizenship shall also include compliance with the policies in the Parent and Student 19 Agreement. 20 21 Attendance: Except for illness or other emergencies, students will be expected to attend all classes. 22 Students are required to be in class on time, seated and ready for work. 23 24 Dress Code: All Academy students are to dress in business attire for assemblies or functions where 25 business personnel are invited. On all other days, the Code of Student Conduct is in effect. 26 27 Computer Resources: Students must adhere to the guidelines and ethical considerations as outlined in 28 the Network/Internet Acceptable Use Agreement. 29 30 Special Circumstances: Selected discipline infractions may terminate the privilege of enrollment and 31 may result in the student’s removal from the program. 32 33 Probation alerts the student and parents that behavioral expectations are not being met. Parents are 34 notified and a conference is scheduled to discuss the terms of the probation. Students will be placed on 35 probation for a minimum of one semester. 36 37 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 38 Upon a decision to remove a student from the BETA program, the student should access the Student 39 Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site immediately contact the Student 40 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 41 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 42 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. 43 44 A student may appeal, in writing, to the program assistant principal, his/her removal from the program 45 within 48 hours of the return date. An appeals conference will be scheduled. Results of that conference 46 will be communicated to the parent. 47 48 Students removed from the program for failure to meet academic or behavior expectations will not be 49 readmitted to the Business, Economics and Technology Academy (BETA). 50 51 52


33

1 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 2 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 3 Business, Economics and Technology Academy; no readmission under these circumstances will be 4 considered. 5


34

Honors Option (leading to Cambridge in Education Advanced International 1 Certificate of Education (AICE) Program upon approval) 2

at 3 Clearwater High, Dixie Hollins High and Tarpon Springs High 4

5 These programs will open in 2011-12 for students within the school’s zone. Students within the 6 application areas will be eligible to apply beginning in 2012-2013. 7 8 Membership in a Honors Option (leading to AICE) Program is a privilege. The program’s expectations 9 are designed to encourage academic and extracurricular success for all students. 10 11 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 12 Program students are expected to maintain a 2.5 or higher grade point average (GPA) and may not earn a 13 failing grade in any course during a grading period. 14 15 A student who falls below a 2.5 GPA, as calculated from final semester grades, will be placed on 16 academic probation for the next semester. In determining academic probation, the cumulative GPA will 17 not be utilized. The student and parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the 18 probationary status. 19 20 Credits earned outside the regular school day will not affect a student’s probationary status. A student 21 who records a failing grade in any class during a grading period may be placed on immediate academic 22 probation. 23 24 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 25 Program students are expected to 26

1. abide by the Code of Student Conduct and to avoid behaviors which result in discipline 27 referrals. 28

2 cooperate with staff members and to represent the program in a positive manner at all times. 29 3. maintain acceptable attendance; excessive absences must be substantiated by acceptable 30

documentation. 31 32 A student may be placed on behavior probation for repeated or serious misconduct as defined by the Code 33 of Student Conduct. A student will remain on behavior probation for the duration of enrollment in the 34 program. The student and parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the probationary 35 status. 36 37 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 38 A student who continues to commit behavior infractions while on probation will be subject to his/her 39 removal from the program. A disciplinary infraction of a serious nature including battery, drugs, alcohol, 40 weapon, gang-related activity, and felony arrest may result in immediate removal from the program or 41 reassignment to a district discipline program. 42 43 Upon a decision to remove a student from the program, the student should immediately Student 44 Assignment Office for his/her new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. In order to 45 appeal a removal from the program, the student must notify, in writing, the program assistant principal 46 within 48 hours of the notification date. An appeals conference will be scheduled by the AICE assistant 47 principal. 48 49 50


35

Students removed from the program as a result of academic problems or disciplinary infractions will not 1 be considered for readmission to the program. 2 3 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 4 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 5 AICE; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 6

7


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1 2

Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) 3 at Lakewood High School 4

5 It is a privilege to be a student in the Center for Advanced Technologies. The program staff is committed 6 to excellence and innovation while providing quality application-based learning opportunities in a state of 7 the art learning environment. Students are expected to meet high academic and behavior standards during 8 their tenure in the program. 9 10 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 11 In order to successfully complete the CAT Program and earn a CAT Certificate of Completion, each 12 student must meet all of the academic requirements related to Grade Point Average (GPA) and 13 successfully complete all courses in the student’s four-year plan. So as not to compromise a student’s 14 ability to graduate, if at the end of the junior year, a student cannot complete program requirements, 15 he/she is removed from the program. Students who leave the program prior to completion of the program 16 course requirements will not be eligible for a CAT Certificate of Completion. 17 18 Failure to meet program expectations will result in academic probation. The terms of the probation are 19 communicated to the family. If the probation period has not been successful and the student did not meet 20 the terms of the probation, the student will be removed from the program. 21 22 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 23 Due to the unique nature of the program’s design, students must meet behavior expectations which exceed 24 the Code of Student Conduct. These additional expectations include: 25

26 Technology: Every member of the program, including students and staff, has two basic rights regarding 27 computing: privacy and a fair share of resources. It is unethical for anyone to violate these program rights. 28 All users are expected to exercise ethical behavior with regard to the program’s computing resources, and 29 all of the multimedia/technology associated with the program as outlined in the Laboratory Expectations 30 provided to each program student. 31

32 Science Laboratory: To ensure that a safe and healthful environment is maintained when taking any 33 laboratory course at CAT, the safety regulations to be followed by all program students are outlined in the 34 Science Laboratory Expectations provided to each program student. 35

36 Field Trips: Students are expected to accept the responsibility for appropriate behavior conducive to the 37 image of the CAT Program and Lakewood High School while on field trips. Behavior expectations 38 related to field trips are provided to each program student. 39 40 Any student receiving four cumulative days of disciplinary suspension during his/her enrollment in CAT 41 will be immediately removed from the program. Days will be carried over from one school year to the 42 next. 43 44 Failure to meet program expectations for behavior will result in probation. The terms of the probation are 45 communicated to the family. If the probation period has not been successful and the student did not meet 46 the terms of the probation, the student is removed from the program. 47 48 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 49 If a student on probation for either academics or behavior does not meet the terms of the probation period, 50 he/she will be removed from the program. 51


37

1 Upon a decision to remove a student from the CAT program, the student should access the Student 2 Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site immediately contact the Student 3 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 4 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 5 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. 6 Should the student and his/her parent(s) wish to appeal the removal, the family must notify, in writing, the 7 CAT program assistant principal within 48 hours of the removal notification date. At that time, an appeals 8 conference will be scheduled. The final decision of the appeal committee will be communicated to the 9 parent. 10 11 Students who are removed from the program for failure to maintain program requirements will not be 12 considered for readmission to the program. 13 14 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 15 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 16 Center for Advanced Technologies; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 17

18


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Center for Wellness & Medical Professions (CWMP) 1 at 2

Boca Ciega High and Palm Harbor University High 3 4 Membership in the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions program is a privilege. 5 6 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 7 Students are expected to maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average for each semester/term. A student 8 who receives a semester/term report card grade which is less than 2.0 shall be placed on academic 9 probation. This academic probation lasts until the end of the next semester/term. By the end of academic 10 probation the student must: obtain a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 for the semester/term. 11 12 A notification letter is sent to parents explaining the probation process. A student who does not conform 13 to these academic standards after the probation period and all subsequent semesters/terms will be 14 removed from the program. 15 16 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 17 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. In order to remain in the program, 18 students are held to a higher discipline standard. A student may be placed on disciplinary probation for 19 repeated or serious discipline infractions. Severe infractions result in immediate referral to administration 20 and possible removal from the program. 21 22 Dress Code Standards: Students shall dress in accordance with the Pinellas County Schools Code of 23 Conduct. 24 25 CWMP program field trips, shadowing experiences, internships, seminar days, and clinicals will require 26 professional dress. Students shall maintain a clean, neat appearance and will not wear clothing, jewelry or 27 hairstyles that are deemed distracting and unprofessional. 28 29 Volunteer Service Hours: Students must provide a minimum of 200 documented volunteer service 30 hours to the community for graduation from the CWMP program. A minimum of 100 hours must be in a 31 medically-related field. Listed below is the recommended progression toward achieving this expectation. 32

Grade 9 - 50 hours 33 Grade 10 - 100 hours 34 Grade 11 - 150 hours 35 Grade 12 - 200 hours 36

37 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 38 Upon a decision to remove a student from the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions program, the 39 student should access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site 40 immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of 41 instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or 42 another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida 43 constitutional class size requirements. Should the student and his/her parent(s) wish to appeal the 44 removal from the program, the following steps be taken: 45

1. The first level of appeal is to the program assistant principal. 46 2. The second level of appeal is to the program appeal committee. The decision of that 47

committee will be considered final. 48 49 50


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REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 1 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 2 Center for Wellness and Medical Professions program; no readmission under these circumstances will be 3 considered. 4

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1 Criminal Justice Academy (CJA) 2

at Pinellas Park High School 3 4 Membership in the Criminal Justice Academy is a privilege. The Criminal Justice Academy’s program 5 expectations are designed to encourage academic and extracurricular success for all students. 6 7 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 8 Program students are expected to maintain a 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) and may not earn a 9 failing grade in any course during a grading period. 10 11 A student who falls below a 2.0 GPA, as calculated from final semester grades, will be placed on 12 academic probation for the next semester. In determining academic probation, the cumulative GPA will 13 not be utilized. The student and parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the 14 probationary status. 15 16 Credits earned outside the regular school day will not affect a student’s probationary status. A student 17 who records a failing grade in any class during a grading period may be placed on immediate academic 18 probation. 19 20 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 21 Program students are expected to 22

1. abide by the Code of Student Conduct and to avoid behaviors which result in discipline 23 referrals. 24

2 cooperate with staff members and to represent the Criminal Justice Academy in a positive 25 manner at all times. 26

3. maintain acceptable attendance; excessive absences must be substantiated by acceptable 27 documentation. 28

4. meet the program requirements for volunteer service to the community and make acceptable 29 effort and progress toward completing the required 75 hours of service 30

31 A student may be placed on behavior probation for repeated or serious misconduct as defined by the Code 32 of Student Conduct. A student will remain on behavior probation for the duration of enrollment in the 33 program. The student and parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the probationary 34 status. 35 36 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 37 A student who continues to commit behavior infractions while on probation will be subject to his/her 38 removal from the program. A disciplinary infraction of a serious nature including battery, drugs, alcohol, 39 weapon, gang-related activity, and felony arrest may result in immediate removal from the program or 40 reassignment to a district discipline program. 41 42 Upon a decision to remove a student from the Criminal Justice Program, the student access the Student 43 Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site immediately contact the Student 44 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 45 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 46 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. In 47 order to appeal a removal from the program, the student must notify, in writing, the program assistant 48 principal within 48 hours of the notification date. An appeals conference will be scheduled by the 49 Criminal Justice Academy program assistant principal. 50 51


41

1 Students removed from the program as a result of academic problems or disciplinary infractions will not 2 be considered for readmission to the program. 3 4 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 5 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 6 Criminal Justice Academy; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 7

8


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1 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at 2

Palm Harbor University High and St. Petersburg High 3 4 Membership in the International Baccalaureate Program is a privilege. In order to continue in the 5 International Baccalaureate Program, a student must, at all times, be a full IB Diploma Candidate. In 6 order to be a full diploma candidate, the candidate must not fail to complete any assessment required by 7 the International Baccalaureate Organization for diploma candidacy, i.e. internal assessment for all six 8 subjects, Theory of Knowledge and associated essays, external assessment (i.e. examinations) for all six 9 subjects, the extended essay and CAS (community, action, service) hours. 10 11 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 12 Students who successfully complete the approved IB course requirements earn a standard high school 13 diploma. Below are listed program requirements, which as part of the IB curriculum, must be completed 14 successfully in order to graduate. So as not to compromise a student’s ability to graduate, progress in all 15 course requirements is strictly monitored; students who do not meet expectations will be removed from 16 the program. 17 18 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT 19 Diploma candidates must take six IB subjects, each one of which is internally assessed. This internal 20 assessment is carried out according to IB standards by IB teachers and is submitted to IB examiners for 21 external moderation. Internal assessment accounts for up to 30% of a student’s IB mark; students who do 22 not submit the internal assessment may not earn the IB Diploma. Dates for this internal assessment are set 23 by each academic department. Students must submit papers, sit for orals, prepare projects, etc. by the 24 required dates or be removed from the program. Due dates for internal assessment may be in either the 25 junior or senior year. 26 27 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE 28 The Theory of Knowledge course must be completed in good faith in order to be a diploma candidate. As 29 a requirement for this course, a student must write, for external assessment purposes, one essay for 30 submission to IB. Failure to submit any or all assigned essays will result in the student’s removal from the 31 program. 32 33 COMMUNITY, ACTION. SERVICE (CAS) HOURS 34 As full diploma candidates, students must complete all requirements by the established due date. Failure 35 to do so will result in immediate removal from the program. 36 37 EXTENDED ESSAY 38 As full diploma candidates, students must submit finished copies of the extended essay to their advisor by 39 the established due date of the senior year. Failure to do so will result in removal from the program. 40 41 When a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, he or she is placed on academic probation. The 42 consequences of academic probation are as follows: 43

1. The student and his/her academic coach will generate a success plan, including a timeline for 44 completion, which is communicated to the parent. 45

2. The student is removed from probation upon fulfillment of the success plan according to the 46 specified timeline. If student fails to fulfill success plan requirements, he or she will be 47 removed from the IB program. 48

49 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 50


43

Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. In order to remain in the program, 1 students are held to a higher disciplinary standard. Repeated misconduct (or a single egregious infraction) 2 may result in the student’s removal from the program. In the IB, special attention is paid to academic 3 disciplinary infractions such as cheating, computer misconduct, illegal possession of exams, or 4 plagiarism. 5 6 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 7 In cases of a student’s removal from the program as a result of repeated misconduct, the coordinator will 8 have notified the student’s parents in writing in an effort to correct the inappropriate behavior before 9 removing the student. 10 11 Upon a decision to remove a student from the IB program, the student should access the Student 12 Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site immediately contact the Student 13 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 14 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 15 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. 16 17 Students and parents may appeal, within 48 hours of the notification date, the decision to remove the 18 student. Appeals will be addressed in the following manner: 19

Level 1-- the program assistant principal 20 Level 2-- a school-based appeals committee 21 Levels 3 and above will follow the appeal procedures outlined in the Code of Student Conduct 22

under the headings “Due Process Procedures” and “Grievance Procedures.” 23 24 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 25 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 26 International Baccalaureate program; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 27


44

Honors Option Program 1 at 2

Largo High School 3 (leading to International Baccalaureate Program upon authorization) 4

5 Once the Honors Options programs become authorized, the following will apply as they will be 6 International Baccalaureate Programs. 7

8 Membership in the International Baccalaureate Program is a privilege. In order to continue in the 9 International Baccalaureate Program, a student must, at all times, be a full IB Diploma Candidate. In 10 order to be a full diploma candidate, the candidate must not fail to complete any assessment required by 11 the International Baccalaureate Organization for diploma candidacy, i.e. internal assessment for all six 12 subjects, Theory of Knowledge and associated essays, external assessment (i.e. examinations) for all six 13 subjects, the extended essay and CAS (community, action, service) hours. 14 15 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 16 Students who successfully complete the approved IB course requirements earn a standard high school 17 diploma. Below are listed program requirements, which as part of the IB curriculum, must be completed 18 successfully in order to graduate. So as not to compromise a student’s ability to graduate, progress in all 19 course requirements is strictly monitored; students who do not meet expectations will be removed from 20 the program. 21 22 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT 23 Diploma candidates must take six IB subjects, each one of which is internally assessed. This internal 24 assessment is carried out according to IB standards by IB teachers and is submitted to IB examiners for 25 external moderation. Internal assessment accounts for up to 30% of a student’s IB mark; students who do 26 not submit the internal assessment may not earn the IB Diploma. Dates for this internal assessment are set 27 by each academic department. Students must submit papers, sit for orals, prepare projects, etc. by the 28 required dates or be removed from the program. Due dates for internal assessment may be in either the 29 junior or senior year. 30 31 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE 32 The Theory of Knowledge course must be completed in good faith in order to be a diploma candidate. As 33 a requirement for this course, a student must write, for external assessment purposes, one essay for 34 submission to IB. Failure to submit any or all assigned essays will result in the student’s removal from the 35 program. 36 37 COMMUNITY, ACTION. SERVICE (CAS) HOURS 38 As full diploma candidates, students must complete all requirements by the established due date. Failure 39 to do so will result in immediate removal from the program. 40 41 EXTENDED ESSAY 42 As full diploma candidates, students must submit finished copies of the extended essay to their advisor by 43 the established due date of the senior year. Failure to do so will result in removal from the program. 44 45 When a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, he or she is placed on academic probation. The 46 consequences of academic probation are as follows: 47

1. The student and his/her academic coach will generate a success plan, including a timeline for 48 completion, which is communicated to the parent. 49


45

2. The student is removed from probation upon fulfillment of the success plan according to the 1 specified timeline. If student fails to fulfill success plan requirements, he or she will be 2 removed from the IB program. 3

4 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 5 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. In order to remain in the program, 6 students are held to a higher disciplinary standard. Repeated misconduct (or a single egregious infraction) 7 may result in the student’s removal from the program. In the IB, special attention is paid to academic 8 disciplinary infractions such as cheating, computer misconduct, illegal possession of exams, or 9 plagiarism. 10 11 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 12 In cases of a student’s removal from the program as a result of repeated misconduct, the coordinator will 13 have notified the student’s parents in writing in an effort to correct the inappropriate behavior before 14 removing the student. 15 16 Upon a decision to remove a student from the IB program, the student immediately contact the Student 17 Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students 18 who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned 19 seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size requirements. 20 21 Students and parents may appeal, within 48 hours of the notification date, the decision to remove the 22 student. Appeals will be addressed in the following manner: 23

Level 1-- the program assistant principal 24 Level 2-- a school-based appeals committee 25 Levels 3 and above will follow the appeal procedures outlined in the Code of Student Conduct 26

under the headings “Due Process Procedures” and “Grievance Procedures.” 27 28 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 29 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 30 International Baccalaureate program; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered.31


46

1 2

Pinellas County Center for the Arts (PCCA) 3 at 4

Gibbs High School 5 6

Membership in the Pinellas County Center for the Arts is a privilege. In as much as the faculty expects 7 that the courses at the Center for the Arts will prepare students for advanced study in their chosen arts 8 field, all standards must be maintained in order to successfully graduate with a PCCA Certificate of 9 Completion. 10 11 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 12 Students must complete all courses required by the department associated with the major discipline and 13 fulfill all requirements for the extended day activities each semester for the duration of the program as 14 outlined in the program handbook. Other expectations outlined in the handbook include 15

• Maintaining the required GPA in academic and specialized studies 16 • Maintaining acceptable score(s) on periodic evaluation(s) for specialized studies 17

18 Failure to maintain program academic expectations will result in probation or removal from the program. 19 Reentry is not permitted. 20 21 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 22 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct and maintain an acceptable attendance 23 record. Failure to meet program expectations related to behavior will result in probation or removal from 24 the program. 25 26 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 27 Should a student be removed from the program, the process will be handled in a timely manner to allow 28 the student to promptly access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web 29 site immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any 30 lapse of instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school 31 or another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida 32 constitutional class size requirements. 33 34 Should the student and his/her parent(s) wish to appeal the removal, the PCCA assistant principal must be 35 notified in writing within 48 hours of the notification of removal date. An appeals conference will be 36 scheduled. 37 38 Students removed from the program for failure to meet academic or behavior expectations will not be 39 readmitted to the Pinellas County Center for the Arts. 40 41 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 42 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 43 Pinellas County Center for the Arts; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 44

45


47

1 2

Exploring Careers and Education in Leadership (ExCEL) 3 at 4

Largo High School 5 6 Membership in the Exploring Careers and Education in Leadership (ExCEL) magnet program is a 7 privilege. It is the intent of the staff of Exploring Careers and Education in Leadership (ExCEL) magnet 8 program to encourage all program students to successfully complete their high school experience in the 9 ExCEL program. Students are held high academic and behavior standards. 10 11 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 12 Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average per term. Failure to do so will result in the 13 student being placed on academic probation for the next term. The conditions of the probation will be 14 communicated to the student and parents. 15 16 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 17 Students must meet the attendance and behavior expectations as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. 18 Students with excessive absences and those who receive more than four referrals per term will be placed 19 on probation. The conditions of the probation will be communicated to the student and parents. 20 21 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 22 Continued failure to meet academic standards will result in the student being removed from the program. 23 24 Repeated or serious misconduct will result in the student’s immediate removal from the program. 25 26 Failure to complete required magnet activities such as career shadowing will result in the student being 27 removed from the program. 28 29 Should a student be removed from the program, the process will be handled in a timely manner to allow 30 the student to access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site 31 immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of 32 instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or 33 another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida 34 constitutional class size requirements. 35 36 Should the student wish to appeal the removal, a written request for an appeal must be submitted to the 37 magnet program assistant principal within 48 hours of the notification of removal date. A committee will 38 hear the student’s appeal and inform the parents of the final decision. 39 40 Students removed from the program will not be readmitted to Exploring Careers and Education in 41 Leadership (ExCEL). 42 43 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 44 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from 45 Exploring Careers and Education in Leadership (ExCEL); no readmission under these circumstances will 46 be considered. 47 48

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48

Leadership Conservatory for the Arts 1 at 2

Tarpon Springs High School 3 4 Membership in the Pinellas County Leadership Conservatory for the Arts is a distinguished privilege. All 5 standards must be maintained in order to successfully graduate with a Leadership Arts Certificate of 6 Completion. 7 8 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 9 Students must complete all courses required by the department associated with the major discipline and 10 fulfill all requirements for the extended day activities each semester for the duration of the program as 11 outlined in the program handbook. Other expectations outlined in the school handbook include: 12 *Maintaining the required GPA (2.0) in academic and specialized studies. 13 *Maintaining acceptable scores on periodic evaluations for specific studies. 14 15 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 16 Students are expected to abide by the Code of Student Conduct and maintain an acceptable attendance 17 record for school. Failure to meet any program expectations related to behavior and/or attendance will 18 result in probation or removal from the program. 19 20 REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 21 Should a student be removed from the program, the process will be handled in a timely manner to allow 22 the student to access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County Schools web site 23 immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of 24 instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or 25 another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida 26 constitutional class size requirements. 27 28 Should the student and his/her parent or legal guardian wish to appeal the removal at the program, the 29 Assistant Principal of the Program must be notified within 48 hours of the notification of the removal date 30 with written documentation. An appeals conference will be scheduled. 31 32 Students removed from the program for failure to meet academic or behavior expectations will not be re-33 admitted to the Leadership Conservatory for the Arts. 34 35 REASSIGNMENT TO A DISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 36 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 37 Leadership Conservatory for the Arts; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 38 39 40

41


49

First Responders: 1 National Guard Center Emergency Management 2

at Pinellas Park High School 3 4

Membership in the First Responders: National Guard Center for Emergency Management is a privilege. 5 The program expectations are designed to encourage academic and extracurricular success for all 6 students. 7 8 ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 9 Program students are expected to maintain a 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA). 10 11 A student who falls below a 2.0 GPA, as calculated from final semester grades, will be placed on 12 academic probation for the next semester. In determining academic probations, the cumulative GPA will 13 not be utilized. The student and parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the 14 probationary status. 15 16 Credits earned outside the regular school day will not affect a student’s probationary status. A student 17 who records a failing grade in any class during a grading period may be placed on immediate academic 18 probation. 19 20 BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES 21 Program students are expected to: 22

1. Abide by the Code of Student Conduct and to avoid behaviors which result in discipline referrals. 23 2. Cooperate with staff members and to represent the First Responders: National Guard Center 24

for Emergency Management in a positive manner at all times. 25 3. Maintain acceptable attendance; excessive absences must be substantiated by acceptable 26

documentation. 27 4. Meet the program requirements for volunteer service to the community and make acceptable 28

effort and progress toward completing the required 150 hours of service. 29 30

A student may be placed on behavior probation for repeated or serious misconduct as defined by the Code 31 of Student Conduct. Failure to meet program expectations for behavior will result in probation. The terms 32 of the probation are communicated to the family. If the probation period has not been successful and the 33 student did not meet the terms of the probation, the student is removed from the program. 34 35 Dress Code Standards: Students shall dress in accordance with the Pinellas County School code of 36 conduct. 37 38 First Responders: National Guard Center for Emergency Management program field trips, shadowing 39 experiences, internships and seminar days will require professional dress. Students shall maintain a clean, 40 neat appearance and will not wear clothing, jewelry or hairstyles that are deemed distracting and 41 unprofessional. 42 43 Technology: Every member of the program including students and staff has two basic rights regarding 44 computing: privacy and a fair share of resources. It is unethical for anyone to violate these program rights. 45 All users are expected to exercise ethical behavior with regard to the program’s computing resources, and 46 all of their multimedia/technology associated with the program as outlined in the Laboratory Expectations 47 provided to each program student. 48 49


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Science Laboratory: To ensure that a safe and healthful environment is maintained when taking any 1 laboratory course at PPHS, the safety regulations to be followed by all program students are outlined in 2 the Science Laboratory Expectation 3 4 Volunteer Service Hours: Students must provide a minimum of 150 documented volunteer service hours 5 to the community for graduation from the First Responders: National Guard Center for Emergency 6 Management. Listed below is the recommended progression toward achieving this expectation. 7

Grade 9: 15 hours 8 Grade 10: 25 hours 9 Grade 11: 45 hours 10 Grade 12: 65 hours 11 12

REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 13 A student who continues to commit behavior infractions while on probation will be subject to his/her 14 removal from the program. A disciplinary infraction of a serious nature including battery, drugs, alcohol, 15 weapon, gang-related activity, and felony arrest may result in immediate removal from the program or 16 reassignment to a district discipline program. 17 18 Upon a decision to remove a student from the First Responders: National Guard Center for Emergency 19 Management, the student should access the Student Reservation System through the Pinellas County 20 Schools web site immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to 21 avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their 22 zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the 23 Florida constitutional class size requirements. In order to appeal a removal from the program, the student 24 must notify, in writing, the program assistant principal within 48 hours of the notification date. An 25 appeals conference will be scheduled by the program assistant principal. 26 27 Students removed from the program as a result of academic problems or disciplinary infractions will not 28 be considered for readmission to the program. 29 30 REASSIGNMENT TO A DRISTRICT DISCIPLINE PROGRAM OR EXPULSION 31 Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 32 program; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. 33

High School Career Academy Operational Guidelines

51

1

High School Career Academy/Center of Excellence (COE) Operational 2 Guidelines 3

4

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION PROCESS 5 All career academies/COEs will follow the Countywide Program Application Process (fundamental 6 schools, magnet programs and career academies). Students are expected to remain in the career academy 7 program to which they are accepted for four years. 8

Shadowing 9 Students applying for career academy/COE programs may shadow a program student. Visits are limited 10 to no more than four per student with no site being visited more than once. Each program has designated 11 dates for shadowing. An application must be on file if the visit is scheduled after the application deadline. 12 No visits will be scheduled during any exams. The student’s middle school will monitor the number and 13 location of the visits. The district’s standardized form (PCS 2-2645) is used for all program visits. 14 Individual programs may add program-specific visitation requirements. The middle school must receive a 15 72-hour notice prior to a scheduled visit. The high school academy program will confirm the scheduled 16 visit with the middle school. 17 The procedure for arranging a visit requires that the parent contact the career academy/COE program 18 coordinator/designee to arrange a shadowing date. The high school program will notify, in writing, the 19 middle school of the scheduled visit. Students must adhere to the Code of Student Conduct during 20 shadowing experiences. Should a shadowing student require disciplinary intervention, the student will be 21 disciplined by the receiving high school unless the infraction results in a suspension; those suspensions 22 are handled by the sending middle school. In the event a visiting student is disciplined, the sending 23 middle school will be notified. 24

Application and Admission Requirements for All Academy Students 25 A student should have a genuine interest in the career area for which the student is applying. 26 There is no minimum GPA required to apply to a career academy/COE, however, all academies 27

require a minimum unweighted 2.0 GPA semester average to remain in an academy (see “Academic 28 Probation” page 4). 29

Eligible students are accepted on a space-available basis. 30 Should the number of applicants exceed the number of openings, the student will be placed on a 31

waiting list. 32 Qualified applicants are invited or placed on waiting lists based solely upon their random 33

selection number. No student is guaranteed admission into an academy program based on his/her waiting 34 list number. Students who choose to remain on a waiting list are not guaranteed an invitation. While 35 students normally apply to academy programs from middle school (grade 8), ninth or tenth grade students 36 may be admitted to certain high school academy programs under specified conditions. 37

The applicant may not have a past history of consistent, serious discipline problems (as defined 38 by the Code of Student Conduct) as determined by the principal with staff input. 39

If a student is accepted into a high school career academy/COE program but prior to entering that 40 program is reassigned to a district discipline program or expelled due to a violation of the Code of Student 41 Conduct, he/she will be considered ineligible for admission. The student’s acceptance will be considered 42


52

null and void and that student will be placed in a school according to the guidelines of the district's 1 Student Assignment Plan. 2

Voluntary Withdrawal 3 Students who voluntarily withdraw from a career academy/COE program must immediately contact the 4 Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to avoid any lapse of instructional time. 5 Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their zoned school or another nearby school if a 6 zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the Florida constitutional class size 7 requirements. Under the admissions guidelines, a qualified student may make application to a high 8 school academy for the following school year if the academy program accepts applications for that grade 9 level. Students who do not wish to remain in the program to which they were accepted will be assigned to 10 a high school at the end of any semester according to the guidelines of the district's Student Assignment 11 Plan. If a student applies for another program or charter school and is placed on a waiting list, they must 12 leave the academy at the end of the school year. 13

Career Academy Courses 14 Career academy/COE program courses are not available to traditional (host school) students except under 15 special circumstances and only with the approval of the principal after receiving input from school and 16 district staff. This policy assists the district in maintaining the integrity and uniqueness of each individual 17 career academy. Specific course offerings may change due to continual program improvement or district 18 budget and staffing constraints. 19 20

Career Academy/Center of Excellence Program Locations 21 22

Career Academy/Center of Excellence Programs, not previously identified herein as a magnet or 23 application area program, have been established at at the following locations: 24

• Academy of Architecture Design and Building Technologies at Dunedin High School 25 • Academy of Engineering at East Lake High School 26 • Academy of Finance at Northeast High School 27 • Academy of Information Technology at Northeast High School 28 • Academy of Marine Science and Environmental Technology at Lakewood High School 29 • Automotive Academy at Northeast High School 30 • Career Academy for International Culture and Commerce at Clearwater High School 31 • Graphic Arts Academy at Dixie Hollins High School 32 • Veterinary Science Academy at Tarpon Springs High School 33

34 35

Geographic Application Areas 36 37 Application Areas apply for the following programs; 38 39 North: Jacobson Culinary Arts Academy at Tarpon Springs HS 40

Mid: Culinary Arts program at Dixie Hollins HS 41

South: Culinary Arts Center of Excellence at Northeast HS 42


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REQUIREMENTS TO REMAIN IN AN ACADEMY 1 Probation And Return To A Zoned School 2

Each career academy/COE program has probationary guidelines. Due process is followed for any student 3 placed on probation. The student and parent are notified, in writing, of the reason(s) for probation, a plan 4 for improvement is created with the student and parent, and the progress of the student is reviewed with a 5 recommendation for continuation or immediate return to a choice school. Students who are returned to a 6 zoned school from a career academy program for academic or disciplinary reasons may not enter any 7 other academy program for the remainder of that school year. Students or families wishing to appeal a 8 return to the choice school for any reason other than expulsion or disciplinary reassignment must follow 9 the appeal procedures specified by the program the student attends. The first level of appeal is to the 10 program assistant principal. Students who leave an Career Academy or Center of Excellence Program for 11 any reason should immediately contact the Student Assignment Office for their new school assignment to 12 avoid any lapse of instructional time. Students who leave a countywide program are assigned to their 13 zoned school or another nearby school if a zoned seat is not available based on school capacities and the 14 Florida constitutional class size requirements. 15

Reassignment or Expulsion 16

Reassignment to a district discipline program or expulsion will result in immediate removal from the 17 career academy/COE program; no readmission under these circumstances will be considered. Students 18 who leave an academy program may not be granted a transfer in order to remain in the academy host 19 school unless there is space available and no waiting list. 20

21 Academic 22 Students must maintain at least a 2.0 unweighted GPA for each semester. 23 Students must pass academy career (Workforce Education) classes. 24

Discipline 25 Students must adhere to the attendance policy as stated in the Code of Student Conduct, (7) Misconduct 26 That May Result In Discipline (including suspension, reassignment or expulsion) and (8) Misconduct 27 That Requires Specific Consequences. Repeated violations of conduct addressed in (7) or (8) will result 28 in a recommendation for behavior probation and may result in dismissal from the career academy. 29

Attendance 30 Academy/COE students may not have excessive absences without acceptable documentation as defined in 31 the Code of Student Conduct, (5) Student Attendance. Failure to maintain required academic progress as 32 a result of excessive absences will result in a recommendation for academic probation. 33

Business and Professional Ethics 34 Academy/COE students must maintain the ethics and standards, as defined by standard workplace 35 operating procedures, of the career or profession for which they are being trained. 36 37

PROBATION PROCESS 38 The intent of the probation process is to alert the student and the parents that program expectations are not 39 being met. The student and the parents will be notified, in writing, regarding the terms of the 40 probationary status. The parents and student will be requested to attend a conference with the program 41


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staff to discuss the terms of the probation and to develop a plan for improvement. The probationary 1 period will be for the duration of one semester. Probation may extend beyond one semester or be less 2 than a full semester if deemed appropriate by the program coordinator. A student failing to meet program 3 expectations may be placed on probation for failing to meet one or more of the above requirements for 4 remaining in the program. After appropriate intervention and probation as described within these 5 guidelines, the student will be removed from the career academy program if the student does not meet 6 academic and behavioral expectations. 7

Academic Probation: 8 A student who falls below a 2.0 unweighted GPA as calculated from final semester grades will be placed 9 on academic probation for the next semester. In determining academic probation, the cumulative GPA 10 will not be utilized. If the student improves the GPA to 2.0 or higher, for the following semester, the 11 student will be removed from probationary status and returned to a status of student in good standing. If 12 the student does not maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA for two consecutive semesters, the student will be 13 subject to dismissal from the program and must access the Student Reservation System through the 14 Pinellas County Schools web site to be assigned to a school with available space and no waiting list. A 15 student who records a failing grade (F) in more than one class in any grading period may be placed on 16 immediate academic probation. The student is subject to dismissal from the program at the end of the 17 current semester if the student fails two or more classes or if the semester GPA is below 1.0. These 18 immediate academic probation guidelines also pertain to those students who are recording failing grades 19 due to excessive, undocumented absences. 20

Academic Progress Reports: 21 In order to assist students and parents in monitoring academic progress, the instructors will issue progress 22 reports after the third week of each grading period to all students. It is the responsibility of the student to 23 deliver the progress report to the parent. It is the responsibility of the parent to be aware that the student 24 is expected to deliver the report. 25

Behavioral Probation: 26 It is expected that students in the program abide by the guidelines set forth in the Code of Student 27 Conduct and that students avoid behaviors, which result in discipline referrals. Students are expected to 28 cooperate with staff members and to represent the program in a positive manner at all times when 29 participating in school related functions, including extra-curricular activities. A student will be placed on 30 behavioral probation for repeated or serious discipline infractions as defined by the Code of Student 31 Conduct. Any out-of-school suspension may be cause to place a student on behavioral probation, if 32 deemed appropriate by the program coordinator. Parents will be notified, in writing, and a conference 33 will be held to formulate a success plan for the student. If the student continues to experience disciplinary 34 problems while on behavioral probation, the program coordinator will convene an eligibility committee 35 (career academy assistant principal, career academy guidance counselor, the student’s career academy 36 teachers) to determine the future enrollment status of the student. A disciplinary infraction of a serious 37 nature (battery, drugs or alcohol, weapons, gang related activity, felony arrest, etc.) may result in 38 immediate removal from the program. 39 NOTE: Students on behavioral probation may, at the discretion of the program coordinator, be prohibited 40 from participating in program activities such as assemblies, field trips, competitions, etc. for the duration 41 of the probationary period. 42 43


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HOSPITAL HOMEBOUND 1 A student whose poor health requires them to temporarily withdraw to enter the Hospital Homebound 2 program will not have their seat filled by another student from the waiting list for one semester and may 3 return that year to the career academy program when their health sufficiently improves to return to school 4 on a full time basis. Each student’s situation will be handled on a case by case basis for the benefit of both 5 the student and the school. If the student’s health does not sufficiently improve to return to the program 6 within a reasonable time period during that school year, the student’s seat will be filled by another student 7 from the waiting list. The Hospital Homebound student may then apply to reenter the career academy 8 program during the next school year when their health sufficiently improves to return to school on a full 9 time basis. 10

TRANSPORTATION 11 Transportation will be provided in accordance with State Board rules. 12 13

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1 Process for Proposing New Countywide Magnet Programs or Fundamental Schools 2

3 4 5

1. Schools can request a program or school designation change or the district will send out a call for 6 candidates. 7

8 2. Consensus will be built at school level among faculty and the School Advisory Council (SAC). 9

10 3. School will submit an application to the Office of Advanced Studies & Academic Excellence. 11

12 4. Appropriate Curriculum Supervisors and C&I Team will review for presentation to the 13

Superintendent. 14 15

5. Superintendent’s office will review and make decision to move forward. 16 17

6. The plan will be presented at a School Board workshop. 18 19

7. School Board votes on new program or school designation at a School Board meeting. 20 21 22

Documents

PROCEDURES FOR COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS HANDBOOK€¦ · 1 . 2 . Pinellas County Schools . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . PROCEDURES FOR 8 COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS 9 . HANDBOOK 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . for