1. St. Mary SchoolFACULTY AND STAFF HANDBOOK 2012-2013

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Our Mission and Beliefs St. Mary Catholic Elementary School, working together with our families as asupportive, caring Catholic community, strives to develop and enhance the spiritual, educational, personal, physical and social growth of our students.We are dedicated to celebrating and serving each students diverse needs in a challenging, educational Catholic environment.Students at St Mary School are encouraged by the Staff to develop their Catholicity by:* Respecting others and accepting individual differences.* Showing responsibility for their actions.* Serving societal needs.* Acquiring a fundamental understanding of Catholic doctrine.* Participating in our faith-based community.St. Mary School Staff encourages each students academic development by:* Promoting a learning environment where students are appropriately challenged and actively engagedin the learning process.* Providing instructional and assessment techniques to help students achieve their full potential.* Promoting life-long independent learning.* Expecting family members to become active participants in the educational process.* Expecting staff members to enhance their own education to continue to meet the needs of ourstudents. 3. Points of Emphasis for this year Dismissal Standards based grading Report cards and Effort reports Building Care and Respect Student Code of Conduct Cell Phones Technology 4. Protecting Gods ChildrenAs set forth in Diocesan policy 4110.1All school staff and volunteers whohave care, custody and control of students must have on file a currentBureau of Criminal Investigation criminal background check and mustattend Protecting Gods Children workshop.2 deep at all times with volunteers and teachersWindows uncovered, doors open (keep in mind tutoring situations)*Review staff only areas and adult only areas with students (signs areposted) 5. Organizational Items The tardy bell is 7:50am. Students who are late need to be markedtardy consistently so that all siblings are tardy when need be. A student who is tardy four times during a semester will be issued adetention by the homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher isresponsible for keeping accurate tracking of a students tardies. Teachers who use book programs are responsible for collecting,ordering, distributing, payment, etc. Student teachers or visitors from outside agencies are NOT to use thecopier unless trained on its use. 6. Organizational continued Please inform the office each time your class is going to be somewhereother than where your schedule says you are to be. Responses to parents should occur within 24 hours unless the note isreceived on Friday or before an extended break. All student textbooks should be covered at all times during the year. Due to confidentiality and HIPAA regulations, the office computers(secretary, nurse, and Principal) should NOT be used or accessed unlessyou have asked approval. Please ask approval at the start of the academicyear or prior to each use. Please help keep a business like atmosphere in the main office. During theday there are often many non-faculty persons about, so discretion in thediscussion of student-related information is imperative. 7. Student Safety Items By law, school officials have the duty to render first aid and the duty notto render anything more than first aid. Only the Nurse, Secretary, or Principal may dial 911 due to anemergency! If students are taken on a field trip emergency card must accompanythe child and be in the hands of the assigned chaperone. A first aid kit from the Nurses office should also be taken on field trips. Students should be under the supervision of an adult whenever they arein a classroom. 8. Safety items continued Teachers should step out into the hall whenever classes are changing toensure that students do not disturb other classes by running or bycreating unnecessary disruption, especially in the stairwells. Thisincludes the times that students visit their lockers. Hallway supervisionis necessary. All chemicals - including cleaning items and especially aerosol cans -should be kept in a secure (locked), cabinet away from the studentsand any heat sources. Teachers should initiate a lesson on safety during the first week ofschool which stresses support and respect for bus safety, playgroundsafety, and building safety. Teachers should also discuss fire alarm andtornado procedures and procedures in the event of a crisis. 9. Safety continued Ohio Revised Code 2151.421 now states that by law it is theresponsibility of each professional staff member to report immediatelyto the appropriate community agency any suspected case of child abuseand/or neglect. The professional staff member shall also notify thebuilding principal about the referral. (Dioc. Pol. 5140.0) 10. Fire Drill Evacuation The normal exit routes are as follows:Pre-School- exit through center ground level doors outside classroom and walk to frontsidewalk of William St toward St. MarksKindergarten- exit through center ground level doors outside pre-school room and walk tofront sidewalk of William St toward St. MarksGrade 1B/Sp.- exit through door at back of hallway closest to 1st grade room and walk towardVanGrade 3- exit through west center front stairwell and walk to William St. sidewalkMusic- exit through west center front stairwell and walk to William St. sidewalkGrade 1F/2B- exit east stairwell front near room and walk to front of church on Henry StreetGrade 4- exit back West stairwell closest to room and walk across parking lot to sidewalkGrade 5- exit back West stairwell closest to room and walk across parking lot to sidewalkGrade 8, 7S, Science-exit back south stairwell closest to 8th gd. rooms and walk out backdoor to Van areaGrade 6S, 7T- exit through west center front stairwell and walk to William St. sidewalkPE classes- exit closest door if in gymat teacher directionComputer/library- exit stairway closest to class and walk to William St.Common area- exit through main commons doors of building to Van area 11. Tornado safetyAll students are to be on the lowest level with no students in the stairwellsor on the 2nd floor.Doors should be left slightly open to prevent a vacuum effect.Teachers should remain with their classes and help maintain quiet.Library/Computer should plan to arrive last so that we can determineopen areas for their classesA weather radio is in the principals office and is in operation at all timesso that any current weather emergency can be verified. 12. Dismissal *point of emphasis Students who ride the bus at the end of the day are to wait in theirroom until their bus is called over the PA. Students may then walk,after the phrase may now leave, to the courtyard to get on thebus. It is the teachers responsibility to keep rooms and halls quiet sobus numbers can be heard when called. If students miss the bus, theclassroom teacher may be asked to monitor the child until someonepicks up that child. Students who are car riders will be dismissed to the gym. Car riderswill be dismissed from the gym. Walkers will be released from theirhomeroom after the bus calls are finished. Teachers should remain intheir classroom until all students have left. 13. Prayer Each school day will begin with public prayer, usually led by theprincipal or a student over the PA. Prayer before lunch is to be said inthe classroom before the class leaves for the Commons. Ideally, theschool day should end with a prayer also. All staff members are strongly encouraged to attend Mass given itsimportance as a Catholic school. 14. Lesson Plans All new teachers to the building are to submit their lesson plans for theweek by Tuesday morning at 7:50am. Returning teachers lesson plansmust be available in their room by Tuesday morning should thePrincipal wish to check the plans. If teachers plans are not available,weekly turn in of plans will be required. format for lesson plans is one that includes the key topic or theme,correlation to the graded course of study/standard, planned activities,and method of assessment. An effort should be made to make lessonscross-curricular whenever possible and should focus on the goal ofrelating content to students everyday life. 15. Standards Based grading *point of emphasis All teachers are to follow the Diocesan expectations for standards basedgrading marks. A (N) indicates the students is not meeting thecurriculum standard, a (check) indicates the child is meeting thestandard and performing on grade level, and a (+) indicates the childconsistently exceeds standards and demonstrates knowledge beyondtheir grade level. Checks indicate that students are meetingexpectations. Please keep in mind that Catholic Schools for generationshave held students to high standards of achievement and this does notautomatically warrant a (+) grade. Elementary grades primarily should also include in their curriculumpackets areas of the graded course of study that can not be exceeded(areas students are unable to earn a + due to mastery level) 16. Report Cards and Effort Reports *point of emphasis All teachers are expected to write appropriate comments regardingstudent progress on quarterly report cards or the quarterly effortreports. Report cards and effort reports should be submitted to theprincipal so that they may be reviewed prior to distribution. Quarterly effort reports are to be completed for every student. An effortmark should be given by every teacher that student has during thequarter. This is an important document as many parents are interestedmost in their childs effort and overall behavior. In some ways, theeffort report tells more about a childs life skills as a student than thereport card which measure progress toward grade level standards. Interim due dates are 9/25, 12/3, 2/19, 4/29 and report card due datesare 10/29, 1/14, 3/25, 5/28 17. Building care and respect *point of emphasis a cooperative effort between students and teacher should be made tokeep the room tidy in order for the maintenance person(s) to do his/herjob. Students should be made aware that it is neither the teachers jobnor the maintenance persons job to clean up after them. Teachers are asked to keep their classroom floors and equipment ingood shape by reminding students about proper care and respect of theschools physical plant. Each teacher in grade K-8 should also reviewproper restroom behavior and review how to report problems. A sign-out sheet should be part of every classroom routine 18. Professionalism Teacher professionalism extends to all areas of the building including the teacherslounge and extends to life outside the school day. Please do your part to keepconversations in the lounge positive and constructive to helping students andcolleagues reach their full potential. Outside of school at community events, athleticcontests, the grocery, etc. teachers represent St. Mary School and should upholdprofessionalism. It is the nature of the profession that teachers be role models for their students.Students are quick to observe when teachers do not practice what theyteach/preach. Faculty and staff members are expected to adhere to standards of dress andappearance that are compatible with an effective learning environment. All faculty and employees of the schools of the Diocese of Columbus serve as rolemodels for the students with whom they work and as leaders in the community.Consistent with these roles, all faculty and employees shall dress in an appropriatemanner and have an appearance that is appropriate 19. Student code of conduct*point of emphasis All teachers are asked to review the Student Code of Conduct with their homeroom on the first or second day of school. A copy of the code of conduct (p. 16 of faculty handbook) will be provided to teachers. All teachers are expected to consistently enforce the school wide discipline plan to be presented by the committee at the opening meeting 20. Phones*point of emphasis A teacher should not use a cell phone (talk, text, surf web, etc.) duringclass time or when students are present for any reason. Students are NOT to have cell phones in the classroom or halls. If theybring cell phonesthey must be in their book bags in the OFF position.If they are visible to the teacher, the teacher is expected to confiscateand send the phone to the office. 21. Technology*point of emphasis Teachers signing out the ACERS are responsible for ensuring thatstudents are following the school and diocesan technology policies.Proper care and handling of the computers is imperative. Computersshould be neatly returned to the Computer Lab by the teacher followingtheir use with computers returned to their proper slot on the mobilecart. Up and about during computer use Proper student handling and carrying of computer No games Encourage/teach students to be digitally responsible Ensure all computers are present prior to returning the cart 22. Communication with Parents Teachers will be responsible for creating and updating theirCurriculum Night packet. A separate form indicates what is requiredwithin the packet. All specialist courses should prepare a 1 pagesyllabus or outline of what is covered in each grade along withexpectations and assessment measures that are used for any classincluded on the report card. All teachers are required to attend the evening Curriculum Night in thefall and post a curriculum night packet on their teacher webpage. 24 hour return time on all phone calls and emails unless an extendedbreak/vacation or long weekend 23. Substitutes Advance notice is appreciated when a teacher requires a substituteteacher; however, this isnt always possible. Please call the principal noearlier than 5am and no later than 6 a.m. if you require asubstitute due to sudden illness or to a family emergency. Call the school secretary or principal by 2:00 p.m. if you anticipate thatyou will require another day off so that we can ask the substitute ifhe/she can return the next day before the substitute leaves. The principal may request that a teacher present a doctors excuse forsick leave. By the second week of school, all teachers should have an emergencysubstitute folder prepared to be used in the event of a sudden illness oraccident when you may not be available to provide plans. 24. Sign-off The Faculty and Staff handbook sign-off and the confidentiality sign-off will be distributed at the opening staff meeting. 25. Lets have a successful year