KRMSStaffHandbook2016-2017

Kearsarge Regional Middle School Staff Handbook 2016-2017IntroductionKRMS is a community of learners who, working collaboratively, strive to meet the needs of our diversestudent body. The purpose of the K​ ​RMS Faculty Handbook is to provide each member of theprofessional staff with information, policies, and procedures to successfully fulfill their role atKearsarge Regional Middle School. It is important, therefore, for each member of the faculty tofamiliarize him/herself with the contents of this book. Any questions regarding the contentscontained in this handbook should be directed to the building administrative team.The information, policies, and procedures contained in the handbook subject to change as the needsof the students and the teachers in the Kearsarge Regional Middle School evolve. It is provided in anelectronic format to insure that staff members have the most up-to-date information. Staff whoprefer a paper copy are welcome to print all or selected pages, baring in mind that the informationmay be updated periodically during the year. The handbook is reviewed annually by theadministration. Additional information can be found on the Kearsarge Regional School Districtwebsite: ​ w​ ww.kearsarge.org.​

Kearsarge Regional School District Inspiring learners, committing to community, contributing to a dynamic worldKearsarge Mission:We are seven towns, seven schools, and one district committedto partnering with families and community, to support andprepare learners who: ● Pursue academic excellence. ● Are caring, compassionate community members who support each other. ● Make positive contributions to the world and value diversity. ● Promote personal responsibility, accountability, and wellness. ● Value the collaborative process while maintaining a sense of self-advocacy. ● Celebrate creativity. ● Are flexible, resilient, and embrace individual growth. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 1

In pursuit of personal and academic excellence,​ K​ RMS Learners​ ​are...Resilient P​ eople Who: Caring​ People Who: Keep trying, Are friendly to others, Revise their work, Use kind words, Ask for help, Encourage others, Accept feedback, Include everyone, Are flexible, Apologize when necessary, Cope with change, Support others, Learn from mistakes, Respect others, Don’t give up. Are upstanders.Communicators W​ ho: Curious P​ eople Who: Know how to listen, Ask questions, Think before they speak, Look for answers, Share their ideas, Question knowledge, Collaborate with others Are motivated to learn, Choose appropriate means, Solve problems, Express their feelings Find their passions. appropriately.Responsible​ People Who:​ Creative Thinkers W​ ho:​ Are on time, Find innovative solutions, Stay on task, Have diverse talents, Make healthy choices, Recognize the talents of others, Own their actions, Take appropriate risks, Are honest. Consider different ideas.Balanced ​People Who​: Make healthy choices, Stay physically active, Maintain positive relationships, Balance personal interactions with screen time, Pursue multiple interests. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 2

General InformationKRMS Staff List Follow the link to the​ ​ KRMS Staff ListKRMS and KRSD Phone List Follow the link to the P​ hone List To Contact the Main Office from a school phone dial 2100School Closing The SAU has issued two documents to parents and students, a ​letter from the Superintendent​ and s​ chool closing procedures​. In addition, you may follow the link for KRSD School Closing​ information.Schedules KRMS master, daily, and special schedules can be found h​ ere.​ An alternative view of schedules can be found ​here.​ Blank student schedules can be found here for ​6th,​ 7​ th​, and 8​ th​ grades.Student Handbook Follow the link to the​ ​KRMS Student HandbookEmergency Procedures The safety and security of our students and staff is our highest priority. Every staff member should be familiar with the emergency procedures and communicate them to their students. Follow the links to the ​KRMS Emergency Procedures​,​ ​Emergency Line-Up​,​ and B​ omb Threat Procedures​.Maps of Building Follow the link to the link to the K​ RMS Building Maps KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 3

KRSD SAU #65 PoliciesKRSD SAU #65 maintains a complete listing of policies required to maintain a safe and effectivelearning environment. The complete policy manual can be found on ​SAU #65 Policies​ webpage. Below is a list of some specific, relevant policies and their links.Non-Discrimination Policy Follow the link to the​ ​SAU policies on: ​Non-Discrimination Grievances​, ​Notice of Non-Discrimination​, U​ SDA Non-Discrimination Policy,​ and N​ on-Discrimination on the Basis of Handicap/Disability​.Reporting Suspected Child Abuse Follow the link to the​ t​ he A​ bused and Neglected Children Policy.​Medication Administration Follow the link to the​ ​SAU #65 policy on Administering Medications to Students​.Internet Accessibility Policy Follow the link to the SAU #65 ​Responsible Use Policy.​Bullying Policy (JICK) Follow the links to the​ S​ AU #65 ​Bullying Policy​ and ​Bullying Reporting Form​.Safe Schools (JICI) Follow the link to the​ S​ AU #65 Safe Schools Policy​.Use of Restraints Follow the link to the​ ​SAU #65 Policy on Seclusion and Intentional Physical Contact.​Drug Free Workplace/Schools Follow the link to the​ ​SAU #65 policy on D​ rug Free Workplace/Schools​.Tobacco Free School Follow the link to the​ S​ AU #65 Tobacco Ban Policy.​Attendance Follow the link to the​ ​SAU #65 policy on ​Attendance, Absenteeism, and Truancy​ andAttendance and Excuses. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 4

FundRaising Approval Request and Disclosure All fundraising activities require preapproval by the principal and are subject to S​ AU #65 Policy​. Follow the link to the KRSD ​Fundraising Approval Form Calendars and DatesAssessment Calendar Follow the link to the​ K​ RMS Assessment CalendarAthletics Calendar Follow the link to the​ K​ RMS Athletics Calendar​ on the KRMS website.KRMS Events Calendar A middle school is a busy place. When making plans, please check the district and KRMS calendars. Classroom and team events and activities should be scheduled and communicated to Diane Rankins, d​ [email protected] Follow the link to the​ ​KRMS Events CalendarKRSD District Calendar Follow the link to ​ ​KRSD Calendar​ on the school district web page.Faculty Meeting Dates Faculty meetings are an essential means of communication and decision making. It is required that every faculty member be prepared for and attend faculty meetings. Every attempt will be made to make the meetings concise and effective. To that end, the Google Classroom will be utilized as a means of front loading or “flipping” the meetings. Generally, faculty meetings are scheduled on the first Wednesday of the month. “Staff meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month during the school year. All teachers are required to attend. There will be no school, Association or District activities scheduled during staff meeting times.” (Kearsarge CBA)​ ​The second Wednesday of each month is reserved for staff to attend KREA meetings. As a part of regular faculty meetings, KRMS faculty will participate in in-school professional development and school improvement group sessions. There may also be KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 5

additional professional development or school improvement work that happens on the fourth Wednesday of the month. While every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, circumstances sometimes dictate changes in the schedule. Flexibility and understanding is appreciated. Follow the link to the proposed​ K​ RMS meeting dates.​ Minutes and Agendas for faculty meetings can be found ​here​. How We WorkKRMS as a Professional Learning Community KRMS is a group of professionals committed to providing the best education possible to our students. “P​ rofessional Learning Community (PLC)​ An ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional learning communities operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job-embedded learning for educators.” (​www.allthingsplc.info​, 2016)School Improvement Groups The work of school improvement is ongoing and a shared responsibility of all members of the professional faculty. School Improvement Groups will be identified to focus work on specific areas of the the school. All members of the KRMS professional faculty are expected to join and contribute to a group. Meeting time will be scheduled during Wednesday afternoon faculty meetings as per the KREA agreement. However, there may be additional meetings needed, as decided by the group, to accomplish their work. The work of the School Improvement Groups will be tracked on an a​ ction plan​ which is available for all staff members to view.Google Classroom To make effective use of our time together, we will utilize the Google Classroom to “flip” faculty meetings and in-school professional development. Information and documents will be shared prior to meetings. We ask that staff utilize this to prepare for discussions and to stay informed. There will also be an area for staff to post interesting articles and information that may be of benefit to the entire faculty. We hope this website becomes a resource and facilitates effective communication. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 6

Follow the link to the​ ​KRMS Staff Meeting Google ClassroomKRMS Goals As required by the school district, KRMS will develop a set of goals to guide our work this year. The school-wide goals are carried over from the 2015-2016 school year and are focused on the use of student achievement data, communication, and wellness. Follow the link to the​ K​ RMS Goals for 2016-2017Attendance KRMS attendance procedures can be found h​ ere​.Discipline Student behavior and discipline is the responsibility of all KRMS staff members. Most minor discipline infractions are dealt with effectively by classroom teachers. For routine classroom issues, teachers should contact parents to partner in resolving the behaviors prior to referring the student to the administration. More serious or habitual issues are referred to the administration, who will follow state and district policies and best practice. The Code of Conduct - KRMS Mission in Action, can be found in the ​Student-Parent Handbook.​ Follow the link to the ​KRMS Discipline ReferralRTI New Hampshire describes Response to Instruction (RTI) as a data-based decision making process. RTI is inclusive of a multitiered system that supports effective core instruction, promoting academic and behavioral growth and achievement for each learner based on universal screening and progress monitoring. RTI is a systematic integration of all a school’s resources, including general education, special education, gifted education, Title I, and English Language Learning programs. Instruction, interventions, and supports are implemented with fidelity and are personalized and aligned with each student’s academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs based on current valid and reliable data. KRMS has a daily RTI block to focus additional additional instruction in Math and Reading, depending on individual student need. Instruction will be differentiated to meet the needs of differing ability levels, with students performing at grade level getting KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 7

reinforcement of key areas, students above grade level participating in enrichmentactivities to deepen their understandings, and students below grade level receivingmore intensive instruction to remediate skills which are identified as low. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 8

Teacher Responsibilities and ExpectationsCommunication Communication with students, parents and other faculty is essential in an effective community of learners. KRMS teachers should reply to parent or student inquiries within 24 hours (one business day) of receiving them, even if it is an acknowledgement of the communication.Reporting Suspected Child Abuse Teachers and Instructional Assistants in schools will likely confront situations where they encounter children who have been or are suspected of having been exposed to abuse and/or neglect. In these situations, staff members are required under the law to report their suspicions to the appropriate authority. Reports should be made directly to DCYF by the person who suspects the abuse. Calls should be made, whenever possible, in the presence of a school administrator. The KRMS DCYF reporting form should be completed by the reporting person prior to calling DCYF. Completed DCYF Reporting Forms will be kept in a confidential file in the Principal’s office. The Principal will notify the Superintendent by email that a report was made. Follow the link to the​ K​ RMS DCYF Reporting Form Follow the link to the​ ​the KRSD A​ bused and Neglected Children Policy​.Duties In order to maintain a safe learning environment, there are a number of duties required of staff members. It is important that each staff member be present and punctual for their assigned duty. Rules and expectations for each duty will be clearly communicated to students and teachers. Duty Responsibilities can be found h​ ere​. Follow the link to the​ K​ RMS Duty RosterGrading and Reporting (Deadlines) Please follow the link for the g​ rading and reporting​ dates and deadlines. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 9

Locker Assignments Each KRMS student is assigned a locker and provided with a lock. Please use the ​Locker Assignment form​ to record the locker number, lock combination, and student name. Please return a copy of this f​ orm​ to the office.Sub Calling Teachers are encouraged to turn in a leave request to the office as far ahead of a planned absence as possible. For emergency absences, staff should call the district sub line: 603-927-4169 before 6:00 AM on the day of the absence. Teachers may not call substitutes directly. All staff are required to leave emergency sub plans with Diane Rankins in the KRMS office. Please refer to specific regulations in the CBA.Sub Plans All teachers and paraprofessionals are required to provide detailed emergency sub plans to the office. Emergency Sub plans need to be turned into the office no later than September 9th, 2016.Working Day The working day for teachers is from 7:30 AM to 3:15 PM. In addition, there will be staff meetings scheduled until 4:00 PM on designated Wednesdays throughout the year. There may be other occasions which require teachers to be present at school outside of those hours. KRMS Staff Handbook 2016-2017 10