The Board subscribes to an instructional program and such courses of study that will enable each student to function effectively and responsibly in a changing world. The Board believes that the opportunity for student participation in a broad and varied program of interscholastic athletics and student activities, clubs and performance groups is a desirable and integral component of an effective instructional program. The instructional program of the Pamlico County Schools shall include, therefore, in addition to the standard course of study prescribed by the State Board of Education and such other academic and vocational courses as are approved by the Board, a program of interscholastic athletics and extra-curricular student activities that offers maximum opportunity for participation by all students. The details of the entire instructional program are to be consistent with the continuing goals and specific objectives developed by the Superintendent and approved by the Board.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5010 ACCREDITATION 5010

The Board endorses the validation of educational planning and programming of the school system by encouraging its staff to work toward attaining and continuing accreditation of the school system by the North Carolina State Board of Education. The Board, as a further act of assurance to its students and parents, desires to maintain all of the schools of the system as members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5020 ACADEMIC FREEDOM 5020

Teachers shall be protected from censorship or restraint which unreasonably interferes with their obligation to expose students to controversial issues and to help students express their own views on such issues.

5020.1 Controversial issues arising from classroom situations and subject matter may be discussed and explored in classrooms. Care shall be taken not to inhibit the dignity, the personality or the intellectuality of either the teacher or the students.

5020.2 Freedom to learn requires that students be given an opportunity to develop an understanding of ideas and people who may seem alien to them and that they develop a capacity to discern the differences between fact and opinion, and to weigh arguments, slogans and appeals.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5021 CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS 5021

The Board recognizes that visiting speakers may be of specific persuasions and that their topics may be controversial. If they are prohibited from speaking because of their points of view, academic freedom is endangered. Students need to study issues upon which there is disagreement and to practice analyzing problems, gathering and organizing facts, discriminating between facts and opinions, discussing differing viewpoints and drawing tentative conclusions.

When correctly handled, the use of controversial speakers becomes an invaluable component in accomplishing the goals of citizenship education. However, this places a serious responsibility on the professional staff members to structure correctly the learning situation involving the speaker.

All speakers must be approved, in advance, by the school principal. In no instance shall a speaker who advocates unconstitutional or illegal acts or procedures be permitted to address students.

Legal Reference: U.S. Constitution, Amendment I

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5022 FLAG DISPLAY AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 5022

The Pamlico County Board of Education believes that patriotism is an essential element of citizenship; therefore, display of the United States and North Carolina flags and recitation of the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance are encouraged in Pamlico County classrooms. Each school principal should try to achieve the goal of displaying the United States and North Carolina flags in all classrooms. In addition, each principal should encourage his teachers to provide students the opportunity to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis. (This policy shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.)

The Superintendent will ensure that age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance are available within the K-12 curriculum. To further this policy, the Board will assist in obtaining flags through donation or otherwise.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5030 SCHOOL YEAR/SCHOOL CALENDAR 5030

All elementary and secondary schools of the system shall be kept open each year at least one hundred eighty (180) days for instruction of students.

5030.1 The Board shall adopt a school calendar by May 1 prior to the beginning of each school year.

5030.2 The system may operate special purpose schools or sessions or pilot programs beyond the regularly scheduled school year, provided the programs are legally organized and funded and have specific approval of the Board.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -84.2

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5031 ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL CALENDAR 5031

The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the Board annually regarding establishment of the school calendar.

5031.1 Insofar as possible, the calendar shall be responsive to the instructional and recreational needs of teachers, students and parents.

5031.2 The calendar shall provide for a minimum of 180 days and 1,000 hours of instruction, covering at least nine calendar months. Allowances consistent with state law shall be included for making up days that might be needed because of inclement weather or other unforeseen occurrences that might make it necessary to temporarily close a school or schools.

5031.3 The calendar shall be designed on a nine-weeks grading period basis and consideration shall be given for appropriate timing of parent-teacher conferences and grade reporting.

5031.4 The calendar shall make provisions for the in-service education needs of the school system.

5031.5 The ten-month calendar will be adopted following approved procedures and periodic review by the board.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -84.2

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5032 SCHOOL DAY 5032

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board shall approve the school day, which shall consist of no less than six (6) hours of actual instructional time.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-84.2

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5040 ORGANIZATION OF INSTRUCTION 5040

The Board is responsible for public education, grades K through 12, throughout the system. The grouping and housing of instructional levels in school facilities throughout the system shall be according to plans developed by the Superintendent and approved by the Board.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5050 SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM 5050

6750 6750

The Pamlico County Board of Education is committed to a sound, thorough school health education program that provides students with accurate information and encourages them to be responsible for their own health and behavior. The Board recognizes the primary role of parents/guardians in providing for the health and well-being of their children and seeks to involve parents/guardians in the schools as provided in this policy. The school health education program provided by the school district will meet all requirements established by state and federal law, including the Basic Education Program, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-81(e1). Further, the Board will follow the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Healthful Living Education.

The Board's school health education program will encompass all major aspects of healthful living for students from kindergarten through ninth grade. As required by law, this program will include instruction on the benefits of sexual abstinence until marriage ("abstinence"), the avoidance of out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases ("STD's") at appropriate grade levels.

A copy of all program objectives relating to abstinence until marriage, avoidance of out-of-wedlock pregnancy, or the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases will be available for review at any school where the program will be taught, prior to their use with students. Instructional materials relating to these topics will be available for review either at the school or at an identified central location. Before students may participate in a portion of a program that includes these topics, the school system will notify the parents/guardians of the opportunity to review the material and the right to withhold consent for the student to participate. Any parent/guardian wishing to withhold consent must do so in writing to the principal, on an annual basis. Otherwise, consent to the program is presumed.

A determination of what will be appropriate education for any student with identified exceptionalities will be made in accordance with the student's individualized education plan, following all procedures as provided in the North Carolina Procedures Governing Programs and Special Services for Children with Special Needs.

Contraceptives shall not be made available or distributed on school property. Further, the Pamlico County Board of Education and its employees shall not provide information to students about where to obtain contraceptives or abortion referral services, unless consent is given by the parent/guardian in person.

Legal References: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-36, Art. 9, -81(e1); Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children With Special Needs

Adopted: June 5, 2000

6760 6760

5051 STUDENT Wellness 5051

The Pamlico County Board of Education recognizes the importance of students maintaining physical health and proper nutrition in order to take advantage of educational opportunities. The board further recognizes that student wellness and proper nutrition are related to a student’s physical well-being, growth, development and readiness to learn. The board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes student wellness, proper nutrition, nutrition education, and regular physical activity as part of the total learning experience.

The Pamlico County Board of Education is also concerned about the prevalence of childhood obesity and consequent health implications during the remainder of their lives. In the short-term, overweight children may exhibit compromised health, with effects on school attendance and academic performance.

The Superintendent shall maintain procedures to carry out the goals of this policy, including a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to promote high-quality nutrition and physical activity programs.

A. School Health Advisory Council

The board will appoint a School Health Advisory Council to help plan, implement, and monitor this policy as well as other health and nutrition issues within the school district. Of those appointed to the council, there will be at least one person from each of the following groups: school board member, school district administrator, district food service representative, student, parent/guardian, a member of the public, a local health department representative, and a representative from each of the following school health areas: physical/health education, staff wellness, and mental and social health.

The council will assist the superintendent, or his designee, in creating an annual report, which includes the minutes of physical activity and the minutes of physical education and/or healthful living education received by students in the Pamlico County Schools each school year, and any other information required by the State Board of Education.

B. Nutrition Education

Nutrition Education and Healthy Living Skills shall be taught as part of the regular instructional program in order to provide opportunity for all students to understand and practice concepts and skills related to health promotion and disease prevention.

· Nutrition education will be provided in accordance with the North Carolina Healthful Living Curriculum and can be integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, language arts and social studies.

6760 6760

5051 STUDENT WELLNESS (cont.) 5051

· The school cafeteria is an integral part of the total school environment. It will serve as a “learning laboratory” to allow students to apply critical thinking skills taught in the classroom and to learn and practice healthy living skills.

· Nutrition education will be shared with families and the broader community to provide a positive impact on students and on the health of the community. (Examples include newsletters, brochures, participation in health fairs, etc.)

· Professional development opportunities will be made available to the staff responsible for nutrition education.

C. Physical Education

Physical education and physical activity shall be an essential element of each school’s instructional program. The program will provide the opportunity for all students to develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to participate in a lifetime of healthful physical activity. Physical education programs will comply with state and local requirements.

· Time allotted for moderate to vigorous physical activity for students K-8 will meet the state requirement of 30 minutes each day as required by the North Carolina Healthy Active Children Policy, and grades 6-8 will work toward the goal of 225 minutes average per week. This can be achieved through regular physical education classes and/or through physical activities such as Classroom Energizers, Take 10, Awaken the Brain, or through use of walking areas and other activities.

· Physical education, Energizers and other forms of physical activity shall not be taken away from students as a form of punishment. In addition, severe and/or inappropriate exercise may not be used as a form of punishment for students.

· Physical education courses will be conducted in an environment where students learn, practice, and are assessed on developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills, and knowledge. Class size will be in accordance with North Carolina State Board of Education standards.

· Physical education courses will be taught under the direction of a licensed physical education teacher.

· Schools will work toward having adequate equipment available for all students to participate in physical education and physical activity.

· Schools will work toward having safe physical activity facilities on campus.

· Schools are requested to encourage community members to make use of the school’s physical activity facilities outside of the normal school day.

6760 6760

5051 STUDENT WELLNESS (cont.) 5051

D. Nutrition Guidelines

All foods available in the Pamlico County Schools during the school day will be offered to students with consideration for promoting student health, reducing childhood obesity, providing a variety of nutritional meals, and promoting life-long healthy eating habits. Foods and beverages available on each school campus shall meet all applicable federal and state nutritional guidelines. Students with special dietary needs will be reasonably accommodated.

The Student Health Advisory Council shall establish separate nutritional standards for those foods and beverages for which there are no mandatory state or federal guidelines.

E. Activities to Promote Wellness

In addition to the standards outlined above, the Pamlico County Board of Education adopts the following goals for school-based activities designed to promote wellness:

· Pamlico County Schools will provide an attractive, clean, and safe meal environment.

· Students will be provided adequate time to eat meals (at least 10 minutes for breakfast and 15 minutes for lunch for the time the student is seated.)

· Drinking water will be available at all meal periods and throughout the school day.

· Professional development will be provided for district nutrition staff.

· To the extent possible, the Pamlico County Schools will utilize funding and outside programs to enhance staff and student wellness.

· Food should not be used in the Pamlico County Schools as a reward unless they meet Winners’ Circle guidelines.

· As appropriate, the goals of this student wellness policy will be considered in planning all school-based activities.

· Administrators, teachers, food service personnel, students, parents/guardians, and community members will be encouraged to serve as positive role models to promote student wellness.

· Students will be encouraged to start each day with a healthy breakfast. The school breakfast program will be available at all schools.

· The Child Nutrition Department will work with local media and the School Health Advisory Council to inform the community about health issues of school children and the programs that are in place at the schools to address such issues.

F. Guidelines For Reimbursable Meals

The child nutrition supervisor will ensure that school district guidelines for reimbursable meals are not less restrictive than regulations and guidelines issued for schools in accordance with federal law.

6760 6760

5051 STUDENT WELLNESS (cont.) 5051

G. Monitoring And Review Of Policy

The superintendent or his/her designee will be responsible for overseeing implementation of this policy and monitoring the Pamlico County Schools’ programs and curriculum to ensure compliance with this policy, related policies, and established guidelines or administrative regulations.

In each school, the principal or designee will ensure compliance with this policy and will report on the school’s compliance to the superintendent or designee.

Legal References: The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, P.L. 108-265, Sec. 204; National School Lunch Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 1751, et seq.; G.S. § 115C-264.2, -264.3; G.S. § 115C-81(el); State Board of Education Policy # HSP-S-000 and EEO-S-000.

Cross References: School Health Education Program (Policy 5050, 6750), Free and Reduced Price Meals (Policy 6710, 7041), Health Services (Policy 6740); Child Nutrition (Policy 7000), Child Nutrition Programs (Policy 7040), Cooperation with Other Agencies (Policy 7042), Menu Preparation and School Food Service Purchasing (Policy 7050), Food Service Safety and Sanitary Practices (Policy 7060).

Adopted: June 29, 2006

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS 5060

The Board is committed to the goal of providing a safe, orderly, caring and inviting learning environment at each school. The educational program, code of student conduct, and the safe school plans developed at each school, as well as numerous other strategies identified in Board policy, are intended to create such an environment and help each student be a contributing and successful member of the school.

It is the desire of the Board to provide alternative learning programs that are rigorous and include quality education. Alternative learning programs are defined as services for students at-risk of truancy, academic failure, behavior problems, and/or dropping out of school. These services should be designed to better meet the needs of students who have not been successful in the regular public school setting. Alternative learning programs may serve students at any level who are: suspended and/or expelled, at risk of participation in juvenile crime, have dropped out and desire to return to school, have a history of truancy, are returning from juvenile justice settings or psychiatric hospitals, or whose learning styles are better served in an alternative setting. Alternative learning programs can provide a meaningful educational experience for students at times under circumstances when the regular school program or setting is not appropriate. However, there should be a goal of returning the student to the regular education setting as soon as the student is capable of returning and it is appropriate for him to do so.

The superintendent shall develop guidelines, for approval by the Board, for assigning students to alternative learning programs. The guidelines shall include:

a description of the programs and services to be provided;
a process for ensuring that the assignment is appropriate for the students and that the student’s parents are involved in the decision; and
strategies for providing alternative learning programs, when feasible and appropriate, for students who are subject to long-term suspension or expulsion.

Prior to referring a student to an alternative learning program, the referring school shall:

document the procedures used to identify the student as being at-risk of academic failure or as being disruptive or disorderly;
provide the reasons for referring the student; and
provide to the alternative learning program all relevant student records, including anecdotal information.

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS (cont.) 5060

GUIDELINES FOR REFERRING STUDENTS TO ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS

When a teacher, school administrator, or other school personnel recognizes that a student is experiencing academic or developmental difficulty or social/behavior problems, school personnel should meet with the parent to develop a plan of action to address such issues. If the plan is implemented and interventions have not been successful, the school personnel may refer the student to the school’s appropriate committee. [Julia-need to insert appropriate committee name(s).] Referrals also may be made by parents, juvenile justice officials, the courts, or other appropriate community agencies. Parents should be informed about the difficulty their child is experiencing and involved in the development of any modifications to be implemented in their child’s education program.

When a student is placed in an alternative learning program, the appropriate staff members of the alternative school shall meet to review the records forwarded by the referring school and shall determine what services and intervention strategies are recommended for the student. A personal education plan (PEP) must be developed for each student assigned to an alternative learning program, by the alternative learning program’s staff, in consultation with parents and the sending school. The PEP must address the presenting academic and/or behavioral problems, and must include the following:

1. academic and/or behavioral goals to be met in the alternative learning program;

2. projected timelines for meeting the goals;

3. criteria to be used in evaluating student progress; and

4. signatures of the students, parents, and representatives from the sending school and the alternative learning program.

The student and parent should sign a contract, specifying that they accept placement in the alternative learning program and will abide by its academic, behavioral and social expectations.

If the student has been suspended from school prior to placement in an alternative learning program, the PEP must be developed during the period of suspension and prior to the student’s admission to the alternative learning program, if possible. If the placement does not involve a suspension from school, the PEP will be developed and implemented within the first week the student is assigned to the alternative learning program. The PEP must be reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary. Parents must be invited to participate in any review.

If a student subject to consideration for assignment to an alternative learning program is suspected of being a child with a disability, the Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities will be followed. Educational placement of a child with a disability in an alternative learning program must be based on his or her IEP.

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS (cont.) 5060

TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT

The superintendent shall provide a means to assess on a regular basis (at least annually) whether the alternative learning program is appropriately staffed, and will assure that employees assigned to the alternative learning program are properly trained. [Option: No employee who has received a rating of less than “above-standard” within the last three years on a formal evaluation may be assigned to the staff of an alternative learning program. No employee who has received a performance rating of “below standard” within the last three years shall be assigned to the staff of an alternative learning program.]

The superintendent shall provide the board, on a regular basis, with an assessment of whether the alternative learning program is staffed with professionals who are well trained and provided with appropriate staff development, which shall incorporate practices for improving student academic performance and reducing disruptive behavior. School improvement plans shall include effective instructional practices to improve the academic performance of students identified at-risk of academic failure or dropping out of school.

The superintendent shall assure that a needs assessment is conducted for each school, and used as a basis for developing goals and objectives of the safe schools plan. Students who are at risk of academic or disruptive/disorderly behavior shall be identified, and the superintendent shall document the procedures used to identify such students. The guidelines for assigning students to alternative learning programs shall be incorporated within the school system’s safe school plans. Each school improvement plan shall include specific instructional practices and methods to improve the academic performance of students identified as at-risk of academic failure or dropping out of school. The school system’s safe school plan shall include a clear statement of the services to be provided to students assigned to alternative learning programs.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C- 47(32a), - 105.27, - 105.48, -276, -288, -366, -367, -391

Adopted: January 2, 2001

5100 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 5100

The basic responsibility for curriculum development rests with the Superintendent who may delegate portions of this responsibility to the administrative and supervisory staff of the system.

5100.1 The administration of the school system shall prepare a curriculum design which shall be reviewed and adopted periodically by the Board. All curricular requirements of the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina State Board of Education shall be included in the curriculum design.

5100.2 Principals and teachers are encouraged to coordinate planning within their own schools and with other schools to develop a unified curriculum which offers a continuum of instruction.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5110 RESEARCH IN INSTRUCTION 5110

The Board recognizes the need and value of educational research. Any research project must receive prior approval from the Superintendent.

5110.1 The Superintendent may plan new programs on a short-term, pilot basis, if it appears that the program being developed can be of basic and intrinsic value to the students and shows promise of being transferable.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47, Article 16

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5200 STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 5200

Student groups may be organized into youth clubs which are subject-area oriented or related.

5200.1 Each student organization must be authorized by the school administration.

5200.2 Each student organization must have a faculty sponsor who is approved by the principal.

5200.3 The activities of each student organization shall be subject to the policies on student activities.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5201 STUDENT PERFORMANCES 5201

Any student or group of students giving a public performance in the name of any school shall first secure the approval of the principal of the school being represented.

5201.1 Student performances shall be in keeping with the general goals and objectives of the system's educational program.

5201.2 Student performances may not be given as a promotion of a particular business enterprise.

5201.3 A student shall not accept remuneration for performing in the name of a school.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5202 CONTESTS FOR STUDENTS 5202

Student participation in any contest shall require the prior approval of the principal.

5202.1 Approval may be granted for an appropriate specific contest which is closely allied to and in support of the instructional work of the school.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5300 GROUPING FOR INSTRUCTION 5300

Assignment of students to classes is the responsibility of the principal. Each principal annually shall review the organization and instructional grouping patterns of his school with the Superintendent or his designee.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81, -276, -288

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5301 CLASS SIZE 5301

Within budgetary limitations, class sizes shall be held to optimum levels, and statutes and regulations regarding class sizes shall be followed.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -301

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5310 SCHEDULING FOR INSTRUCTION 5310

It is the responsibility of each principal to see that an appropriate instructional program is scheduled for each student.

5310.1 Each principal shall organize the instructional staff of his school into a pattern which utilizes the strengths of the several staff members.

5310.2 Changes, extensions or additions to instructional or extra-curricular programs shall be approved by the Superintendent.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5311 COURSE LOADS 5311

In the high schools, a student shall have a minimum course load of eight (8) units of credit per year, unless special permission is given to the student by the principal.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5400 CURRICULUM BROADENING AND ENRICHMENT 5400

The Board encourages optimum use of a variety of resources which broaden and enrich the instructional services for students.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5410 SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEDIA 5410

The Superintendent shall coordinate the media selection process.

5410.1 Procurement of media shall be accomplished in accordance with law and with Board purchasing and accounting policy.

5410.2 The term media includes textbooks, library books, periodicals, and all other instructional materials needed for instructional purposes in the school system.

5410.3 Appropriate instructional materials are essential to a good instructional program,. Regardless of the source of funding, materials must be selected which support and supplement the Pamlico County curriculum.

5410.4 Responsibility Selecting Media and Technology

In accordance with PUBLIC SCHOOL LAWS OF NORTH CAROLINA, General Statute 115C-98 (b) "Local boards of education shall adopt written policies concerning the procedures to be followed in their local administrative units for the selection and procurement of supplementary textbooks, library books, periodicals, and other instructional materials needed for instructional purposes in the public schools of their units . . ." The Board of Education delegates the responsibility for coordinating the selection of instructional resources and recommendation for purchase to the professional media and technology professionals in the administrative unit.

Each school's Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) will assist media and technology professionals in the selection process and the school-level challenge of materials. The Media and Technology Advisory Committee is appointed by the principal and co-chaired by the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator (where appropriate). This committee includes teachers representing all subject areas and/or grade levels, students (in middle and high school), and parent/community representatives. Under the leadership of professional media personnel, this group sets priorities for resources to be acquired based on school-wide objectives and on strengths and weaknesses in the existing collection. It is also the first level of response to any challenge of resources within the school system.

OBJECTIVES FOR SELECTING MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

The primary objective of each school's library media and technology program is to enrich and support the instructional program of the school. The media and technology program makes available, through the school's collections, a wide range of print, nonprint, and technology on varying levels of difficulty with a diversity of appeal compatible with the different needs, interests, and viewpoints of students and teachers.

5410 SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEDIA (cont.) 5410

To this end, the Pamlico County Board of Education in keeping with the ideas expressed in the Library Bill of Rights, asserts that the responsibility of the media program is as follows:

1. to provide resources that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, learning styles, and developmental levels of the students served

2. to provide resources that stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards

3. to provide a background of information enabling students to comprehend their role as citizens in society and to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives

4. to provide resources on opposing sides of controversial issues so that students may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical thinking and of critical analysis of all media

5. to provide resources representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups in our nation and the contributions of these groups to our American heritage

6. to place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selecting media of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for all users

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

Individual teaching and learning styles, the curriculum, and the existing collection are given consideration in determining the needs for resources in individual schools.

After a careful needs assessment, resources considered for purchase are judged on the basis of the following criteria:

Purpose: Overall purpose and its direct relationship to instructional objectives/curriculum

Reliability: Accurate, authentic, up-to-date, authoritative treatment: clear, skillful, well-organized, unbiased, comprehensive, well-balanced

Technical Quality: Relevant to content, sound and visuals consistent with state-of-the-art capabilities

Format: Well-organized, attractive, appropriate

Construction: Durable, manageable

Possible Uses: Individual, small group, large group, introduction, in-depth study, remediation, enrichment

5410 SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEDIA (cont.) 5410

PROCEDURES FOR SELECTING AND MAINTAINING THE MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTION

In coordinating the selection of resources, the media and technology professionals, assisted by the Media and Technology Advisory Committee, should:

1. consider requests from faculty, students and curriculum committees

2. use reputable, unbiased selection tools prepared by professional educators such as Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, School Library Journal, and InfoTech, and arrange when possible, for firsthand examination of resources to be purchased

3. judge gift items and classroom collection purchases by standard selection criteria

4. weed continuously and purchase replacements for worn, outdated, damaged, or missing resources basic to the collection

PROCEDURES FOR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Despite the care exercised in selecting resources, occasional objections to the selections may occur. Any resident or employee of the school district may formally challenge instructional materials used in the district’s educational program. When an objection is made, the approved procedures for processing the objection will be followed.

1. Be courteous, but make no commitments. The person receiving the complaint should at no time agree with the complainant that the resource should be removed, but should express appreciation to the person for sharing their concern. Efforts should be made to resolve the matter informally. The person receiving the complaint shall inform the principal of the discussion.

2. If the informal discussion does not resolve the problem, inform the complainant of the selection procedures and request that the complainant file his/her objections in writing by completing the Request for the Reconsideration of Instructional Resources form to be submitted to the building-level Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) within five (5) working days.

3. Formally challenged resources shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process, but parents may request alternate materials for their child.

4. The person receiving a formal complaint shall notify in writing the principal of the school, the director of media services, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and the superintendent of schools.

5410 SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEDIA (cont.) 5410

5. The building-level MTAC will be informed of the formal complaint, will have access to challenged resource, and will meet within thirty (30) working days to review the material and make a decision. The MTAC will:

· examine the item and the objection(s)

· survey reviews of the item in professional reviewing sources

· determine the extent to which the item supports the curriculum

· weigh the merits against the alleged weaknesses, considering the whole item instead of isolated passages

· hear testimony from appropriate person(s), including the individual(s) expressing the concern and professional staff using the resource

· discuss the item and prepare a written report of the findings and recommendations of the committee

· send copies of the report to the principal, the director of media services, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction and director of technology. The director of media services and the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction should discuss the report with the superintendent, who will present it to the board.

6. In accordance with GS 115C-98 (bl), “The local board, at all times, has sole authority and discretion to determine whether a challenge has merit and whether challenged material should be retained or removed.”

7. The complainant will be notified in writing of the decision.

8. If an item is reviewed and retained as part of a collection in a school, the item will not be reviewed again at that school for three (3) years, unless so directed by the Superintendent or Board of Education.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C, Art.8, Part 3; 115C-47, -81, -98

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Amended: July 10, 2006

5411 COMMUNITY INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES 5411

The staff of the school system shall take advantage of community educational resources to the extent to which they provide the best means of reaching educational objectives of the system.

5411.1 Live projects and practical work experiences, within or outside school, valuable to students and under the supervision of a teacher, are an appropriate part of vocational education instruction in skills-development courses. To the extent that such experiences provide effective skills training, they may be included as part of the instructional program in accordance with regulations and procedures established by the Superintendent.

5411.2 The use of resource persons from the community can be an invaluable educational instrument. The Board wishes the professional staff to be concerned with locating people in various areas of interest and expertise who might serve as resource persons in particular units of study. All requests to use such resource persons shall be cleared with the principal of the school.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-81; Articles 10, 13 and 16

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5412 INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA 5412

The primary objective of the media program is to enrich, support and assist in the implementation of the educational program of the school. In support of this objective, the Pamlico County Board of Education endorses the "Library Bill of Rights" of the American Library Association.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81, -98

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5420 RESOURCE TEACHERS 5420

Resource teachers shall possess specialized educational skills or knowledge and shall be employed and assigned to strengthen one or more professional components of a classroom or school. As the approved curriculum design of the school system emphasizes specific areas of the instructional program, the administration shall be authorized to assign properly qualified personnel as resource teachers in the identified program areas, provided such use of personnel does not jeopardize the system's compliance with state provisions regarding maximum class size or federal comparability requirements.

5420.1 The Superintendent shall establish criteria and procedures for making agreements with resource persons.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-81, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5422 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS 5422

The Board authorizes a volunteer program in the school system, subject to suitable regulations and safeguards as provided by the Superintendent.

5422.1 Appropriate recognition of volunteer services shall be made annually.

5422.2 School volunteers will work under the direct supervision of school personnel.

5422.3 Reports on the use of school volunteers shall be made annually to the Director of School – Community Relations.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47; Article 13

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5424 PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT 5424

PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICY

In accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I, section 1118 (a)(2), Pamlico County Schools shall actively involve parents in all Title I funded schools. Each school receiving Title I money shall:

Involve parents in the development of the Local Educational Agency (LEA) Title I Plan by using the PTO officers and Advisory Board members for review and input at each Title I funded school.
Provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
Coordinate and integrate parental involvement in Pamlico County Schools.
Conduct an annual evaluation of this policy and of the strategies for parental involvement listed in the Title I application.
Insure that parents are always involved in the schools’ activities including being a part of each school’s School Improvement Team (SIT).

In order to build strong parental support, each school:

Shall help parents in understanding such topics as the State’s academic content standards and State student academic achievement standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of this policy, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;
Shall provide materials and training to parents to help them improve their children’s achievement;
Shall educate all staff to insure all school personnel understand the value of parent involvement;
Shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, More at Four Program,

Pamlico Partnership for Children and other Pamlico County preschool programs;

Shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand;
May involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training;
May provide necessary literacy training from funds received under Title I, Part A if the local educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training;
May pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions;
May train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;

5424 PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT (cont.) 5424

May arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation;
May adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement;
May establish a district-wide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in programs supported by Title I funds;
May develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities; and
Shall provide such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request.

Legal Ref.: No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I, section 1118 (a)(2)

Adopted: February 6, 2006

5430 SCHOOL TRIPS 5430

School trips designed to stimulate student interest and inquiry and to provide opportunities for educational growth and development can be appropriate extensions of the classroom. To the extent that a trip provides the single most effective means for accomplishing the objectives of the curriculum and that disruption of other classes is kept to a minimum, it may be approved. Criteria for assessing the advisability of a proposed trip should include the extent to which other instructional programs are disrupted, the amount of school time lost, the appropriateness of the trip for the grade level and subject, and what additional demands are placed upon student time in order to raise funds to finance the trip.

5430.1 The Superintendent shall be responsible for development of procedures for the request and approval of desired school trips.

5430.2 A school trip is defined as a student or a group of students leaving a school campus under the sponsorship of the school and under supervision of school employee(s) to extend educational experiences consistent with the general goals and objectives of the total school program. A school trip must be related to the curriculum of the school or to a co-curricular activity (e.g., clubs, student council).

Any trip made by school students which has not been approved in accordance with Policy 5430 shall not be considered a school trip as herein defined.

5430.3 Students should not be charged a fee for any required class field trip for which credit is granted. All assessments for voluntary class or co-curricular field trips shall be closely scrutinized at the time the trip is approved. The sponsor of that trip must certify to the school principal that provisions have been made for group members unable to pay the assessment.

5430.4 Approval of overnight trips shall require that these additional criteria be met:

• Student accident insurance be in force on each student, unless the parent or legal guardian has provided a written waiver on a form provided by the school.

• Groups including ten or more male and female students shall have male and female chaperones.

5430.5 When privately owned vehicles are to be used for transporting students, parents of the students are to be notified, and the owner of the vehicles and the parents must acknowledge in writing that they have received notice that the Board's liability insurance does not cover the use of private vehicles to transport students for school activities.

5430.6 Trips outside of the continental United States shall not be sponsored or approved by the Board of Education or by any of the individual schools of the school system.

5430 SCHOOL TRIPS (cont.) 5430

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Revised: December 1, 2008

5450 INTERNET ACCESS 5450

Internet access is now available to students and instructional staff in the Pamlico County Schools. The Board provides this service in the belief that the Internet offers vast, diverse and unique educational resources, and in the hopes of promoting educational excellence through resource sharing, innovation and communication.

The Internet is a vast collection of interconnected computer networks involving millions of computers and users around the world. It is a collaboration of private, public, educational, governmental, and industrial-sponsored networks whose operators cooperate to maintain the network infrastructure. Through the Internet, students and instructional staff will have access to:

1. Electronic mail communication with people all over the world;

2. Information and news from a variety of research institutions;

3. Public domain software and shareware of all types;

4. Discussion groups on a plethora of topics; and

5. Many university library catalogs, the Library of Congress, and ERIC.

With access to computers and people all over the world also comes the availability of material that may not be considered of educational value in the school setting. The Pamlico County Schools will take precautions to restrict access to questionable materials. However, on a global network, it is impossible to control all materials and an industrious user may discover such materials. Nevertheless, the Board firmly believes that the valuable information and interaction available on this worldwide network far outweigh the possibility that users may procure material inconsistent with the educational goals of the Pamlico County Schools.

The smooth operation of the network depends on the proper conduct of the end users. Accordingly, all users must adhere to strict guidelines. These guidelines are contained in Board policies 5451 Appropriate Internet Use, 5452 Student Internet Use, and 5453 Internet Use - Instructional Staff Responsibilities and in any regulations adopted by the Superintendent. Board of Education members will be notified in writing of any regulations adopted by the Superintendent under this policy. In general, these guidelines require efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of the network resources. If a Pamlico County Schools user violates any of these provisions, his or her access privileges may be revoked, and disciplinary action and/or appropriate legal action may be taken.

Pamlico County Schools users will take full responsibility for their use of the Internet. The students and instructional staff will sign forms acknowledging that they have read and understand the applicable Board policies, that they will comply with these policies, and that they understand the consequences for violation of these policies. Parents will be required to sign a permission form to allow their children to access the Internet.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -391

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Revised: September 3, 2002. Back to Top

5451 APPROPRIATE INTERNET USE 5451

All Pamlico County Schools users will observe the following guidelines regarding Internet use.

5451.1 Acceptable Use - Use of the Internet must be in support of education and research and consistent with the educational objectives of the Pamlico County Schools. Transmission of any material in violation of any law or regulation, including any Board policy, is prohibited. Use of the Internet for commercial activities is prohibited, as is use for political lobbying.

5451.2 Restricted Material - Users shall not intentionally access or download any text file, picture (including video), graphic or sound clip, or engage in any conference that includes material which is obscene, libelous, indecent, vulgar, profane or lewd, or which advertises any product or service not permitted to minors by law.

5451.2(a) Active Restriction and Measures. The Pamlico County Schools will utilize filtering software or other technologies to prevent students and adults from accessing visual depictions that are: (1) obscene or (2) child pornography, and to prevent students from accessing visual depictions that are (3) harmful to minors. The Pamlico County Schools will also monitor the online activities of students, through direct observation and/or technological means, to ensure that students are not accessing such depictions or any other material which is inappropriate for minors.

Internet filtering software and other technology-based protection systems may be disabled by a supervising teacher or school administrator, as necessary, for purposes of bona fide research or other educational projects being conducted by adults or students age 17 and older.

The term “harmful to minors” is defined as meaning any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

a. taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

b. depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

c. taken as a whole, lacks serious literacy, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

5451 APPROPRIATE INTERNET USE (cont.) 5451

5451.3 Copyright Infringement - Users shall respect all copyright, trademark and licensing agreements and laws, including seeking permission when required.

5451.4 Network Etiquette - Users are expected to abide by the following rules of network etiquette:

a. Use appropriate language: Use of language which is vulgar, profane or lewd is prohibited.

b. Do not send messages which include insulting or fighting words or expressions which are designed, intended or likely to injure or harass others.

c. Do not give out personal information such as a home address, home phone number or last name, social security numbers, or credit card numbers whether about yourself or about other students or colleagues.

d. Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be private. People who operate the system may be able to access all mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.

e. Do not use the network in such a way as to disrupt the use of the network by other users.

f. All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property.

g. Do not use the school’s computer network for the purpose of hacking or to gain unauthorized access to other computers or computer systems, files, or data.

h. Network users are provided with a User ID and password for accessing the network. Users should not use another person’s User ID and password for accessing the network, nor should a user allow another person to use his or her User ID and password.

i. Users shall not attempt to alter the network, disable security features, or evade network filtering. Personal devices shall not be attached to the network without explicit permission of the network administrator.

j. Users should respect all copyright, trademark and licensing agreements and laws, including seeking permission when required.

k. The school network or computer equipment shall not be used for personal commercial transactions.

5451.5 Access Protocol - To ensure accessibility of the system to all who wish to use it:

a. Remain on the system only long enough to get needed information, then exit the system.

b. Do not use real-time conference features such as talk, chat, and Internet Relay chat.

c. Perform a virus check on all downloaded files to avoid the spreading of viruses.

5451 APPROPRIATE INTERNET USE (cont.) 5451

5451.6 Quality of Information - The Board makes no warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, for the service it is providing. The Pamlico County Schools will not be responsible for any damages suffered by any user. Such damages include, but are not limited to, loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, misdeliveries or service interruptions, whether caused by the school system's or the user's negligence, errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the risk of the user. The Pamlico County Schools specifically disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its Internet services.

5451.7 Proper Citation - When using information obtained via the Internet, provide proper citations for all quotes, references and sources. It is unethical to plagiarize Internet resources, just as it is unethical to plagiarize print resources.

5451.8 Vandalism - Vandalism will result in immediate cancellation of user privileges and will require restitution. Vandalism is defined as any deliberate attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, including, but not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.

5451.9 Privileges - The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right. This privilege may be revoked for violation of Board policy. Inappropriate or illegal use of the Internet may also result in disciplinary or legal action.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -391; Title 15 U.S. Code §§ 1051 et seq., 1091 et seq., 1111 et seq.; Title 17 U.S. Code

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Revised: September 3, 2002

Revised: December 1, 2008

5452 STUDENT INTERNET USE 5452

Students will have access to the Internet through their instructors' accounts, with the permission of those instructors, or, when authorized by the principal or designee, through individual student accounts and/or electronic mail addresses issued to them.

Student access to the Internet will be permitted during class time (as determined by instructors), during breaks, and at designated times after the school day. Internet use will be monitored by instructional staff.

Making Internet access available to students carries with it the potential that some students may encounter information that may not be appropriate for them. The Internet is not only an open system, but one in continual flux--with information appearing, disappearing, and changing quite rapidly. Thus, it is not possible to fully predict or control what students may locate. Though supervising instructors will guide students in their use of the Internet, and attempt to restrict their access to inappropriate materials, the Board cannot guarantee that students will not encounter such materials.

If, in using the Internet outside of class time, a student gains access to any service via the Internet which has a cost involved, he or she will be responsible for any costs incurred.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -391

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5453 INTERNET USE -- 5453

INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF RESPONSIBILITY

It is expected that instructional staff in the Pamlico County Schools will use their Internet accounts for instructional purposes. Instructional staff members should maintain the highest ethical behavior in the use of the Internet and should promote that behavior among students. It is the responsibility of instructional staff members to:

5453.1 Ensure that each student user has on file a signed Internet Use Agreement form before he or she is allowed to access the Internet.

5453.2 Supervise all students using the Internet, pointing them toward worthwhile sites while, as much as is practicable, restricting their access to questionable materials.

5453.3 Ensure that all student users are reminded annually of the guidelines in the Appropriate Internet Use policy.

5453.4 Adhere to the Appropriate Internet Use policy.

5453.5 Follow the same criteria for instructional use of Internet resources as are applicable to all instructional materials.

5453.6 Maintain confidentiality about students and staff in all settings. Websites of Pamlico County School employees, whether school affiliated or personal, should not include any personally identifiable information about students or staff, including data, or text, obtained in the course of employment with the Pamlico County Schools.

5453.7 Ensure that any websites posting student grades or other information for the benefit of parents are password-protected. Parents must be notified of the conditions of posting, and given the right to request that their student’s information not be posted on any such password-protected site. The individual staff member administering such a site is responsible for the security of the site and the passwords issued.

Violations of this policy may result in discipline up to, and including, discharge.

__________________________________________ ______________________________

(signature) (date)

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Revised: September 3, 2002

Revised: December 1, 2008 Back to Top

5454 NETWORK SECURITY 5454

Data loss or corruption resulting from security attacks can be catastrophic to individuals, schools, or the entire school system. Security attacks can also result in interruption of network services thereby negatively impacting students and staff.

With the increased use of technology and networked applications, the Pamlico County Board of Education believes it is vital that all users understand the role they play in protecting the integrity and performance of the network, as well as, the confidentiality of information.

The Technology Department will implement and utilize a variety of security measures to do the following: 1) protect the school system’s network and computers from a security breach, abuse and inappropriate use; and 2) safeguard confidential data.

A. Definitions

The following definitions apply to this policy:

Firewall

A firewall is used to control who and what enters the network by using rules and filters. It also is used as an effective monitoring tool.

Proxy Server

The proxy server allows Network Address Translation to be used and removes the workstation’s identity on the Internet thereby removing the vulnerability for attack.

The proxy server is also useful for identifying intrusion attempts and Internet misuse.

Network Address Translation

This is a method of translating a single public IP address to internal private IP addresses which allows individual obscurity to the Internet.

Access Control

By way of network rights or permissions to server locations, individual users have access only to the information or data that is relevant to the work they are permitted to do.

Intrusion Detection System

An intrusion detection is software used to detect and alert abnormal port, protocol or network traffic activity.

B. Technology Department Responsibilities

The Technology Department, partnered with North Carolina’s Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), will

5454 NETWORK SECURITY (cont.) 5454

monitor the network to insure the appropriate privacy to users and sensitive information.
notify the appropriate contacts when an identified security problem or a potential security problem is identified in order to resolve the associated problems. Temporary isolation of systems or devices from the network may be necessary to resolve these problems.
install and maintain virus protection software on all computer equipment.
stay updated on vulnerability notices, patches and updates.
carry out automatic network-based vulnerability updates, patches, compromise assessments, and compliance scans.
submit network summary reports to the technology director.
prepare recommendations for additions or upgrades for network equipment or utilities to help the Technology Department remain effective in their efforts to keep the Pamlico County Schools network and electronic information secure.
maintain user accounts and workstations.
maintain user access control so information will not be accessible to unauthorized users.
force all authorized users to log onto the network and authenticate in order to have access to the network and resources.
require that employee network passwords be changed on a to-be-determined basis to maintain security.
provide a guest account for mobile users that will allow Internet connectivity but not threaten the existing network.
prohibit the connection to the system’s network of any equipment or devices that are not the property of Pamlico County Schools without explicit permission of the network administrator or technology director.
prohibit the unauthorized installation of software on any school system owned equipment.
assume no responsibility for the maintenance or repair of an employee’s personal equipment
use a problem-reporting database to report all technical support requests or notifications. Problem reporting will be done by a member of Technology Services (building level support). Problems will be addressed based upon the impact of the problem. Most urgent problems will be addressed first or in order of being reported.
evaluate all procedures and policies annually.
revise policies and procedures as needed.

A layered approach will be used to provide security for the school system’s network. Network security will be accomplished by use of: Firewalls, Proxy Server, Network Address Translation, Intrusion Detection Systems, 24 x 7 monitoring (ITS), and access control and monitoring.

Internet bandwidth management hardware and utilities will be used to prioritize as well as monitor Internet traffic and network access. Internal network traffic will be monitored using software applications.

5454 NETWORK SECURITY (cont.) 5454

Workstation security will be elevated with the use of a restore or “rollback” program which puts the computer back in the exact condition it was in when it was started thereby removing any changes made by viruses, spyware, or user mistakes.

Technology Services personnel will subscribe to security alert advisories to receive notices daily of software and hardware vulnerabilities. Advisories that have impact to Pamlico County Schools will be reviewed and appropriate action will be taken.

C. User Rights and Responsibilities

All employees and students who use the school system’s network and computer equipment are subject to all procedures and guidelines stated in Board Policies related to student and staff acceptable use. Failure to comply with these policies can result in suspension of rights to use the network and computer equipment, and other disciplinary actions. Guest users are subject to this policy and the guidelines as stated in acceptable use policies.

Users should understand that data stored, sent or received by them within the school system’s computers or networks may be monitored to either insure the security and

optimal operating performance of the network, to enforce system policies, or to provide compliance with state or federal law.

It is the responsibility of all users to backup their data files to the server. Failure to do so may result in lost data.

A firewall exists between the school system’s private network and the Internet in order to protect the network. Employees, students, and guests must not circumvent the firewall. Some protocols may be blocked or redirected for security purposes.

Internet use is monitored and is provided for educational purposes. Users who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary or legal action.

D. Web Applications

Electronic systems and software applications may be remotely accessible from any source capable of Internet access. Users of such systems should take every precaution to prevent compromising confidential data. Such precautions include security of the actual device used for access. Devices used to access the systems should have the latest anti-virus software and definition files installed along with controls for adware and spyware in place. The user must meet userid and password requirements.

Employees should not transfer confidential data electronically over the Internet without using appropriate encryption technologies. Appropriate encryption technologies shall be specified by Technical Services.

5454 NETWORK SECURITY (cont.) 5454

E. Reporting of Information Technology Security Incidents

Security incidents determined by school administrators or program directors to be serious enough to compromise the integrity of the network or data shall be reported immediately to Technical Services. Appropriate action will be taken to eliminate any determined weakness in the security system. High-level security breaches shall be reported to the Office of the Superintendent.

F. Disaster Recovery of Data and Hardware

The business functions of the school system, which include administration, instruction, and operations, are heavily dependent upon computer resources. The following procedures are followed to minimize any possible disaster.

· As part of the ITS service contract, ITS will continuously monitor the server hardware remotely. In the event of failed hardware components, ITS will ship replacement hardware to the agency site within 24 hours of failure notification, except in cases of a large-scale disaster. For this purpose, large-scale disasters are defined as any event or action that causes more than two sites across North Carolina to fail at nearly the same time. During a large-scale disaster, the 24-hour hardware replacement commitment does not apply. Instead, ITS will make its best effort to recover each site in accordance with the agency disaster recovery plan. In addition to shipping replacement hardware, ITS will, if required, send network technicians to the site to repair and restore service in a timely manner. These repairs may include installation of any replacement hardware and restoration of agency files from backup tapes.

· Servers that are not ITS managed servers will be monitored and checked daily by Technology Department personnel. If hardware failures are beyond the expertise of the school system's Technology Department, ITS will be contacted and the best action plan will be determined.

· Backups of all data files will be performed daily and stored in a separate facility. These data files include, but are not limited to, financial and personnel data, student data (TIMS/ILS), and GroupWise data. These data files would provide the means of recovering critical student and personnel data.

· All school employees will be encouraged to save critical files to their local hard drives and to their home directories on the school system's server. User failure to backup critical files will not be the responsibility of the Technology Department and may result in loss of files.

· Students will be provided at least 10MB of hard drive space on the server for personal files. These files will be backed up daily.

· Faculty and staff will be provided at least 25 MB of hard drive server space. These files will be backed up daily.

5454 NETWORK SECURITY (cont.) 5454

Backup logs will be maintained by individuals responsible for system backups.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, 391

Cross Reference: Internet Access (Policy 5450), Appropriate Internet Use (Policy 5451), Student Internet Use (Policy 5452), Internet Use – Instructional Staff Responsibility (Policy 5453).

Adopted: June 5, 2006

5510 HOMEWORK 5510

The Board of Education believes that homework is an important part of the educational program for students in the Pamlico County Schools and should be assigned on a regular basis. Homework assignments should be purposeful continuations or extensions of the instructional program and appropriate to the students' developmental level. Homework should help students become responsible, self-directed learners, improve their academic achievement and provide reinforcement opportunities.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -276, -288, -307

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5520 GRADING SYSTEM 5520

The formal issuance of grades on a regular basis is authorized by the Board in order to promote a process of continuous evaluation of student performance; to inform the student, parents, and administration of the student’s progress; and to provide a basis for bringing about improvement in student performance, where such change seems necessary.

5520.1 Meaningful evaluation shall include consideration of all activity that has occurred during the particular evaluation period. Such activities should include homework, projects, reports, class participation and tests, which shall include unit tests. The relative value attached to any activity shall be determined by the importance of the activity toward achieving the course objectives.

5520.2 Parental conferences are a valuable method of reporting to parents. Conferences regarding a student’s progress in a particular class shall include the teacher of that class. Teachers are encouraged to contact parents and keep them informed of their student’s progress.

5520.3 Report cards will be issued at the end of each nine-week period. Interim reports for all students will be issued at the midpoint of each nine weeks’ grading period. Schools and/or teachers may elect to issue interim reports more frequently. Reports for any student who is failing or whose grade has fallen a letter grade or more should be signed by parents and returned to teachers.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81

Adopted: June 5, 2000

Revised: July 7, 2003

Revised: July 10, 2006

5521 CLASS RANKING 5521

There shall be periodic compilations of class rankings in senior high schools for the purpose of making an individual student's class rank available to the student, his parents, and to colleges and other institutions, at the request of the student or his parents.

5521.1 The method of computing class rankings and of weighing marks is to be developed by the Superintendent for uniform application in the high schools.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -81, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5522 HONOR ROLLS 5522

The Board authorizes the Superintendent to develop criteria for defining honor rolls. The Superintendent may implement uniform publication of honor rolls in the schools for any or all time periods for which formal grade reporting is done.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47, -276

Adopted: June 5, 2000

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS 5530

The educational program and standard course of study are designed to provide for the continuous annual progress of students from grade to grade. The promotion and retention standards set forth in this policy are designed to:

· provide early and ongoing assistance to students who need it;

· assure that all students have the reading, math, and writing skills critical to allow them to participate in and benefit from the curricula; and

· permit flexibility to allow for individual differences

Retention may be considered if it is determined by the principal to be in a student’s best interest, after consultation with the student’s parent(s) and teacher(s); or retention may be required under this policy. Promotion, retention, and placement decisions shall be made by the principal, in compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and consistent with this policy.

The Superintendent shall assure that the standards established in this policy are well publicized and widely disseminated. Parents shall be provided annual notice of the student promotion and retention standards and intervention strategies available to their child. Parents shall be promptly informed of their child’s test scores and performance on all tests required for promotion. In order to inform parents and students of student progress, the North Carolina Standardized Transcript shall be issued to each student at the end of each year in high school. The Superintendent shall issue appropriate procedures requiring that end-of-course test results be used as part of each student’s final grade.

The principal of each school shall develop procedures to identify students who are considered at risk of retention and to notify the parents of such children and maintain regular contact with them to review their child’s progress as long as the student remains at risk of retention.

All students retained, or determined to be at risk of retention, shall be provided with a focused individual intervention plan that includes alternative, supplemental, and extended instructional opportunities available to the student which are specifically designed to improve the student’s performance to meet expected standards. All students who are retained shall have such personalized education plans, which at a minimum contain the following components:

· diagnostic evaluation;

· intervention strategies; and

· monitoring strategies.

Each school is required to develop a continuum of intervention options and programs designed to meet the identified remediation needs of its students.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS – GATEWAYS

The Student Accountability Standards are expectations for student achievement in all North Carolina public schools. There are two elementary standards, one middle school standard and one high school standard. These standards are called Gateways.

5530.1 The standards and criteria set forth below shall be used to make promotion and retention decisions in the grades specified.

GATEWAY 1 – GRADE 3

Students in Grade 3 must:

1. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in reading

2. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in math

3. Meet local promotion requirements.

Attendance: Students must be in attendance at least 150 days during their third grade school year. Students absent for more than 30 days shall be referred to an attendance committee, which shall determine if the student should be retained.

Students who fail to meet the attendance requirement or who do not demonstrate proficiency at the levels indicated above shall not be promoted to Grade 4 unless determined otherwise by the school principal in consultation with a student’s parent(s) and teacher(s).

GATEWAY 2 – GRADE 5

Students in Grade 5 must:

1. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in reading

2. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in math

3. Demonstrate proficiency by making adequate progress in developing writing skills, as demonstrated by scoring at or above Proficiency Level 3.0 on the Grade 4 Writing assessment, or by demonstrating a similar level of performance on locally developed and scored writing samples during Grade 5. (If a student does not score at or above Proficiency Level 3.0 on the Grade 4 writing assessment, the school shall provide intervention and assistance to develop writing skills.)

4. Meet local promotion requirements.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

Attendance: Students must be in attendance at least 150 days during their fifth grade school year. Students absent for more than 30 days shall be referred to an attendance committee, which shall determine if the student should be retained.

Students who fail to meet the attendance requirement or who do not demonstrate proficiency at the levels indicated above shall not be promoted to Grade 6 unless determined otherwise by the school principal in consultation with a student’s parent(s) and teacher(s).

GATEWAY 3 – GRADE 8

Students in Grade 8 must:

1. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in reading

2. Demonstrate proficiency by scoring at Level III or above on the end-of-grade test in math

3. Demonstrate proficiency by making adequate progress in developing writing skills, as demonstrated by scoring at or above Proficiency Level 3.0 on the Grade 7 writing assessment, or by demonstrating a similar level of performance on locally developed and scored writing samples during Grade 8. (If a student does not score at or above Proficiency Level 3.0 on the Grade 7 writing assessment, the school shall provide intervention and assistance to develop writing skills.)

4. Meet local promotion requirements by earning a passing grade (70 or above for the year) in math, language arts, science and social studies.

Attendance: Students must be in attendance at least 150 days during their eighth grade school year. Students absent for more than 30 days shall be referred to an attendance committee, which shall determine if the student should be retained.

Students who fail to meet the attendance requirement or who do not demonstrate proficiency at the levels indicated above shall not be promoted to Grade 9 unless determined otherwise by the school principal in consultation with a student’s parent(s) and teacher(s).

GATEWAY 4 – HIGH SCHOOL

Students shall meet the following requirements to receive a North Carolina high school diploma:

1. Complete requirements in at least one course of study: College/University Prep, College Tech Prep, Career Prep, or Occupational Prep

2. Score at or above proficiency on the state computer skills test

3. Meet or exceed the North Carolina Competency Standards in both Reading and Math (Students who entered 9th grade prior to the 2006 – 2007 school year)

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

4. Score at or above Proficiency Level III on the following End-of-Course tests: English I, Algebra I, U.S. History, Biology, and Civics and Economics; (Effective for students entering the ninth grade for the first time in 2006-2007 school year who are following the Career Preparation, College Technical Preparation, or College/University Preparation courses of study.) (The State Board of Education requires that the EOC score will count at least 25% of the final grade for the course.)

5. Complete a Graduation Project that is developed, monitored, and scored within the LEA using state-adopted rubrics; (Effective for students entering the ninth grade for the first time in 2006-2007 school year who are following the Career Preparation, College Technical Preparation, or College/University Preparation courses of study.) Requirements of the graduation project will include:

· a research paper written on an approved topic of the student’s choice

· a product related to the research paper

· a portfolio that reflects the graduation project process

· a presentation to a panel of faculty and community members

· service/work-based learning experiences

6. Meet existing local and state graduation requirements (Students who satisfy all state and local graduation requirements, but who fail the competency and/or computer skills requirements shall receive a certificate of achievement and transcript and shall be allowed by the LEA to participate in graduation exercises.)

7. Successful completion of a minimum of twenty-eight (28) units of credit earned in Grades 9-12 which must include the following:

Career Preparation, which shall include:

· English Language Arts – Four (4) credits, which shall be English I, II, III, and IV

· Mathematics – Three (3) credits, one of which shall be Algebra I

· Science – Three (3) credits, which shall include Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science

· Social Studies – Three (3) credits, which shall be Civics and Economics, U.S. History, and World History

· Health and Physical Education – One (1) credit

· Career-Technical Education – Four (4) credits, which shall be in a career pathway that leads to a specific career field and which shall include a second-level (advanced) course; or four credits in one of the four disciplines in arts education: Theatre Arts, Music, Visual Arts, or Dance; or four (4) credits in JROTC

· Electives – Ten (10) credits

· Recommend at least one (1) credit in an arts discipline and/or requirement by local decision (for students not taking an arts education pathway)

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

College Technical Preparation, which shall include:

· English Language Arts – Four (4) credits, which shall be English I, II, III, and IV

· Mathematics – Three (3) credits, which shall be either Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II; or Algebra I, Technical Mathematics I, and Technical Mathematics II; or Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III

· Science – Three (3) credits, which shall include Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science

· Social Studies – Three (3) credits, which shall be Civics and Economics, U.S. History, and World History

· Health and Physical Education – One (1) credit

· Career-Technical Education – Four (4) credits, which shall be in a career concentration or pathway that leads to a specific career field and which shall include a second-level (advanced) course

· Electives – Ten (10) credits

· Arts Education – At least one (1) credit in one of the four disciplines is recommended: Theatre Arts, Music, Visual Arts, or Dance

College/University Preparation, which shall include:

· English Language Arts – Four (4) credits, which shall be English I, II, III, and IV

· Mathematics – Four (4) credits, which shall be Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and a higher level course for which Algebra II is a prerequisite; OR Integrated Mathematics I, II, III, and one course beyond Integrated Mathematics III

· Science – Three (3) credits, which shall include Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science

· Social Studies – Three (3) credits, which shall be Civics and Economics, U.S. History, and World History

· Health and Physical Education – One (1) credit

· Second Language – Two (2) credits in the same second language

· Career-Technical Education – Four (4) credits in a career pathway are recommended

· Electives – Eleven (11) credits

· Arts Education – At least one (1) credit in one of the four disciplines is recommended: Theatre Arts, Music, Visual Arts, or Dance

Occupational, which shall include:

· English Language Arts – Four (4) credits, which shall be Occupational English I, II, III, and IV

· Mathematics – Three (3) credits, which shall be Occupational Mathematics I, II, and III

· Science – Two (2) credits, which shall be Life Skills Science I and II

· Social Studies – Two (2) credits, which shall be Government/U.S. History and Self-Advocacy/Problem Solving

· Health and Physical Education – One (1) credit

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

· Occupational Preparation Education – Six (6) credits, which shall be Occupational Preparation I, II, III, IV, and 360 hours of paid employment

· Career-Technical Education – Four (4) elective credits

· Computer proficiency as specified in the student’s IEP

· A career portfolio

· Completion of the student’s IEP objectives

Content Area	Occupational	Career Prep	College Tech Prep	College/University Prep
English Language Arts	Four (4) credits, which shall be Occupational English I, II, III, IV	Four (4) credits, English I, II, III, IV	Four (4) credits, English I, II, III, IV	Four (4) credits, English I, II, III, IV
Mathematics	Three (3) credits, which shall be Occupational Mathematics I, II, and III	Three (3) credits, one of which shall be Algebra I	Three (3) credits, which shall be either Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II; Or Algebra I, Technical Mathematics I, Technical Mathematics II; Or Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III;	Four (4) credits, which shall be either Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry and a higher level course for which Algebra II is a prerequisite; Or Integrated Mathematics I, II, III, and one course beyond Integrated Mathematics III;
Science	Two (2) credits, which shall be Life Skills Science I and II;	Three (3) credits, Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science	Three (3) credits, Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science	Three (3) credits, Biology, a physical science, and Earth/Environmental Science
Social Studies	Two (2) credits, Government/U.S. History and Self-Advocacy/Problem Solving	Three (3) credits, Civics and Economics; U.S. History; and World History	Three (3) credits, Civics and Economics; U.S. History; and World History	Three (3) credits, Civics and Economics; U.S. History; and World History
Second Language	Not Required	Not Required	Not Required	Two (2) credits in the same second language
Computer Skills	Computer proficiency as specified in the student’s IEP	No specific course required, students must demonstrate proficiency through state testing	No specific course required, students must demonstrate proficiency through state testing	No specific course required, students must demonstrate proficiency through state testing
Health and Physical Education	One (1) credit	One (1) credit	One (1) credit	One (1) credit

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

Content Area	Occupational	Career Prep	College Tech Prep	College/University Prep
Career-Technical	Occupational Preparation Education Six (6) credits, Occupational Preparation I, II, III, IV, and 360 hours of paid employment;	Four (4) credits, in a career concentration or pathway to include a second-level (advanced) course; Or Four (4) credits in an arts discipline; Or Four (4) credits in JROTC	Four (4) credits, in a career concentration or pathway to include a second-level (advanced) course;	Four (4) credits, in a career pathway is recommended
Arts Education (Theatre Arts, Music, Visual Arts, or Dance)		Recommend at least one (1) credit in an arts discipline and/or requirement by local decision (for students not taking an arts education pathway)	Recommend at least one (1) credit in an arts discipline and/or requirement by local decision.	Recommend at least one (1) credit in an arts discipline and/or requirement by local decision.
Electives	Four (4) elective credits in Vocational Education;	Ten (10) credits	Ten (10) credits	Eleven (11) credits
Other Requirements	A career portfolio; and Completion of the student’s IEP objectives

(NOTE: The units of credit required are based on block scheduling used in Pamlico County High School. The required total of 28 credits may be adjusted by the principal, as appropriate, for students transferring into Pamlico County from high schools that are not on the block schedule approved or for students who have been approved for the 20 Credit High School Diploma Program. The units required in the specified non-elective courses listed above shall not be adjusted.)

In Grades 10–12, the following shall be required for promotion:

To Grade 10: To Grade 11: To Grade 12:

6 credits (must include 13 credits (must include 20 credits (must include

1 English course) 2 English courses) 3 English courses)

Attendance: Students in Grades 9-12 must meet the attendance requirements of Policy 6000.5 to receive course credits.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

COURSE LEVELS

Standard Courses

Standard courses provide credit toward a high school diploma and meet the requirements for preparing students for the end-of-course tests.

Honors Courses

Honors courses offer a challenge to students who have demonstrated an advanced level of interest, learning, and achievement in a given subject area. Honors courses receive one (1) additional weighted quality point.

Advanced Placement Courses

Advanced placement courses require a more rigorous level of academic study. These courses prepare students to take the College Board sponsored Advanced Placement exam. Advanced Placement Courses receive two (2) additional weighted quality points. In order to receive the two additional quality points, a student is required to take the AP exam. Students who successfully pass the AP exam may receive college credit for the course. Students are required to pay the exam fee per course. Waivers for reduced exam costs are available for students on an as-needed basis.

QUALITY POINTS

Grades	Standard Courses	Honors Courses	Advanced Placement
93-100	4	5	6
85-92	3	4	5
77-84	2	3	4
70-76	1	2	3
69 and below	0	0	0

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530.2 Review Procedures – Student Accountability

GRADES 3, 5, & 8

For students not meeting the Gateway standards at Grades 3, 5, or 8 because they have not scored at Level III or above on the reading or math tests, or are not making adequate progress in developing writing skills, the following review procedures shall be followed to determine if students are performing at grade level and able to succeed at the next grade:

1. Students scoring below Level III on an end-of-grade test are given a second test no later than three weeks from the receipt of test results. Parent(s) may request that their child be excused from the second administration of the test. In this case, the parent(s) and child accept participation in focused intervention (usually during summer school).

2. The principal will develop a plan for focused intervention/remediation for students who score below Level III on the second test administration. Parents and students will be contacted and informed of the intervention/remediation process and requirements.

3. Students will be given a third test at the completion of the focused intervention/remediation process.

4. Students who are not promoted after the second (or third) administration of the test shall be given focused intervention over a time period that is instructionally sound. Strategies may include, but are not limited to, alternative learning models, special homework, smaller classes, tutorial sessions, extended school day, Saturday school, modified instructional programs, parental involvement, summer school instruction, or retention.

5. Teachers or parents may request the promotion of students who score below Level III on an end-of-grade test after the second (or third) test administration. Teachers shall provide documentation of a student’s performance during a review process. Documentation may include:

· student work samples

· other test data

· information supplied by parents

· for students with disabilities, information that is included in the individualized education program (IEP)

· other information that verifies that a student is at grade level. (Students with disabilities shall be at grade level or be making adequate progress to meet requirements at upper elementary levels.)

6. A committee shall be appointed by the principal to review student waiver requests for any student who is not promoted under this policy, except for those not promoted based solely on attendance requirements. This committee, composed of teachers and principals from other schools and central office staff, shall make recommendations to the student’s principal about whether the student should be promoted to the next grade. This recommendation is based on documentation presented by teachers on behalf of the student, and other information relevant to the student’s progress and performance. Special education personnel shall be on the committee if a student with a disability is being considered for a waiver. Parent(s) of any student being presented for review shall have the right to be a non-voting participant, and further shall have the right to speak on behalf of their child.

7. The principal shall make the final decision as to whether the student is promoted to the next grade after reviewing the recommendations from the waiver committee.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

GRADES 9–12

For students who do not score at Achievement Level III or above on the five end-of-course assessments (i.e. standard administration with or without accommodations or the designated alternate assessment) required to meet the high school exit standards (i.e., Algebra I, English I, Biology, Civics and Economics, and U.S. History), the school district shall follow these procedures to determine if students have mastered the content and have met the exit standard for each course:

1. If a student passes the course and scores below Achievement Level III on an end-of-course test (i.e. standard administration with or without accommodations) the student shall be given a second test administration no later than three weeks from the receipt of test results. Parent(s) may request that their child be excused from the second test administration. In this case, the parent(s) and child shall be deemed to have accepted participation in focused intervention.

2. Any student who does not score Achievement Level III or above on the second test administration and any student who is excused from the second test administration (i.e. alternate assessment participant, parent(s) refuse test) must have documentation (e.g., portfolio) of the student’s performance in the EOC course placed on file and the student must receive focused intervention/remediation.

3. Following intervention/remediation, the third test administration occurs.

4. If the student does not score Achievement Level III or above on the third test administration, documentation (e.g., a portfolio) of the student’s performance in the EOC course is updated.

5. A committee shall be appointed by the Principal to review student waiver requests for any student who is not promoted under this policy, except for those not promoted based solely on attendance requirements.

6. The student’s documentation (e.g., a portfolio) is reviewed by a review committee to determine if the exit standard for that course has been met. The review committee should consist of teachers and principals from other schools, and central office staff members. An exceptional children’s (EC) teacher must be present if the student has exceptional needs. A limited English proficient (LEP) teacher must be present if the student is identified as LEP. The review committee has the option of recommending that the student (1) retake the course, (2) be provided additional remediation, or (3) based on the documentation, has met the requirements for the exit standard associated with the course.

7. The principal reviews the recommendation by the committee and makes the final decision regarding the student meeting the exit standards for the course.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530.3 Students with Disabilities

1. To the extent possible, all students with disabilities shall participate in the statewide student accountability standards for elementary, middle, and high school levels.

2. Students with disabilities may be exempted from the statewide student accountability standards by the Individualized Education Program Team, including the principal or school district representative, if it is determined by the team that the students do not have the ability to participate in the State Standard Course of Study. However, they shall be enrolled in a functional curriculum and are expected to receive alternative assessments that indicate whether a student is making adequate progress on his or her individual course of study. These students may receive a certificate of achievement or graduation certificate.

3. All interventions/remediation and other opportunities, benefits and resources that are made available to students without disabilities shall be made available to students with

4. disabilities who participate in the student accountability standards. All services offered are in addition to the special education services provided to the student.

5. Promotion decisions for students with disabilities will be based on progress toward meeting standards and/or goals identified in their IEPs. The teams involved in writing IEPs are expected to keep in mind Pamlico County Schools’ philosophy that all students are entitled to an educational program that will enable them to make gains and realize their potential.

5530.4 Students Of Limited English Proficiency

Students of limited English proficiency shall meet the same standards as all students. However, in accordance with federal law, English language proficiency cannot be the factor that determines that a student has not met performance standards at each gateway. Therefore, Pamlico County Schools shall use the following guidelines:

1. Gateways 1, 2, and 3.

A) If a student scores below advanced in reading or writing on the state English language proficiency assessment, the student may be eligible for a waiver from the test standard for promotion through no more than two consecutive gateways.

B) A local teacher or administrator or the student’s parent or legal guardian must request the waiver. The person making the request for a waiver must submit evidence of student work to a local committee of teachers and administrators to determine if:

i) the student’s English language proficiency is the cause of the student’s inability to perform at grade level on the required tests; and

ii) documentation indicates that the student is making adequate progress in all academic areas to be promoted to the next level.

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

2. Gateway 4. High School Graduation Requirements. Limited English proficient students shall meet the same standards as all students for high school graduation.

3. Limited English proficient students shall be provided focused intervention until they have met statewide accountability standards and high school graduation requirements (up to age 21). This intervention shall involve extended, supplemental instructional opportunities, which include assistance in the development of English language proficiency. These students shall have personalized education plans with the following components:

5000 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM 5000

5022 FLAG DISPLAY AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 5022

5031 ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL CALENDAR 5031

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS 5060

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS (cont.) 5060

5060 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS (cont.) 5060

PROCEDURES FOR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

5424 PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT 5424

5424 PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT (cont.) 5424

A. Definitions

Firewall

Proxy Server

Network Address Translation

Access Control

Intrusion Detection System

B. Technology Department Responsibilities

C. User Rights and Responsibilities

D. Web Applications

E. Reporting of Information Technology Security Incidents

F. Disaster Recovery of Data and Hardware

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

Career Prep

Or

Or

Or

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

Or

Or

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

GRADES 9–12

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530

5530 PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS (cont.) 5530