1. Students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior at school or during a school activity or school-sponsored function, whether on or off-campus, or on the school bus. No student or school employee shall be subjected to bullying or harassing behavior by school employees or students.
2. The term “bullying or harassing behavior” shall be defined as any pattern of gestures or written, electronic, or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication, that:
3. Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or
4. Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
5. For purposes of this Policy, “hostile environment” shall be defined as a victim subjectively views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior and the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree it is bullying or harassing behavior.
6. Bullying or harassing behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.
7. Types of prohibited bullying or harassing behavior include, but are not limited to:
   1. Repeated and deliberate making of obscene gestures, pushing, shoving, hair pulling, and any other unwelcome physical contact intended to create an intimidating and hostile environment; and/or
   2. Acts of verbal bullying including, but not limited to:
      1. hurtful name-calling, teasing, or intimidating;
      2. defaming or spreading false rumors about another person to cause the victim to be disliked, humiliated or disrespected by their peers;
      3. persuading, encouraging or leading other students to exclude or socially isolate the victim to cause emotional harm;
      4. extorting money, property or services from another student; and/or
      5. making derogatory, demeaning or hostile comments about another student’s actual or perceived differentiating characteristic(s) as set forth hereinabove.
8. No person shall engage in any act of reprisal or retaliation against a victim, witness, or person with reliable information about an act of bullying or harassing behavior.
9. A school employee, student or volunteer who witnesses or has reliable information a student or school employee has been subject to any act of bullying or harassing behavior shall report the incident to a teacher, Principal, Assistant Principal or, if the employee committing the behavior is the Principal, to the Board Chairman.
10. Reports may be made anonymously or with the condition of anonymity to the extent allowed by law.
11. The Principal or the Principal’s designee shall promptly investigate all reports of serious violations and complaints of bullying or harassment.
12. This Policy shall be disseminated and publicized in student and parent handbook at the beginning of the school year.
13. Nothing herein shall be construed to permit or require school officials to punish student expression or speech based on undifferentiated fear or apprehension of disturbance or out of a desire to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to define the process for the control and disposition of General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Payroll and all other financial transactions.

2. SCOPE
This procedure applies to internal fiscal control matters at Arts Based School as defined by our Policies and Procedures Manual.

3. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

• Arts Based Elementary School Policies and Procedures Manual
• Monthly Bank Statement
• Employee Payroll Report
• Employee Absenteeism Record
• Arts Based Elementary School Monthly Budget Report
• General Ledger Check Register
• Payroll Check Ledger
• Interim Budget Update
• The Arts Based Elementary School Budget Resolution

4. DEFINITIONS
None

5. RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1    The Board of Directors has general oversight of the school’s fiscal budget.

5.2    The Finance Committee of the Board, in consultation with the Principal, prepares the school’s fiscal budget for consideration and adoption by the Board of Directors.

5.3    The Board Treasurer, Board Chair, and the Finance Committee establish long and short term objectives and recommend priorities.

5.4    The Board Treasurer prepares and presents records for audits and monthly reports.

5.5    The Finance Committee reports on and interprets the current status of the budget to the Board.

5.6    The Principal reports to the Board of Directors, maintains daily oversight of expenses and income. He/she reports to the Board Treasurer any concerns or transactions, present or in the near future, that are out of the school’s routine.

5.7    The Business Manager accounts for expenses and income, makes deposits, keeps accurate ledgers, and informs the Principal of any irregularities. He/she purchases supplies as necessary and approved.

5.8    All employees of Arts Based Elementary School will adhere to the provisions of this procedure.

6. RECORD HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
All financial records generated from the execution of these procedures will be stored on-site at Arts Based Elementary School in accordance with protocol in preparation for the annual audit.

7. PROCEDURES

7.1.    INVOICES

7.1.1    All invoices will be inventoried by the Principal to ensure that all services or products purchased have been received.

7.1.2    All invoices will be reviewed and approved prior to forwarding them to Winston Salem Forsyth County (WSFC) Schools.

• Invoices of $5000.00 or less will be reviewed and approved by the Principal.
• Invoices in excess of $5000.00 will require additional review and approval by the Board Treasurer.
• Review and approval documentation consists of the Principal and/or Board Treasurer’s initials on the invoice.

7.1.3    All reimbursements to employees for purchases or travel will be approved in writing by the Principal prior to submission to WSFC Schools for payment.

• This written approval must accompany the request for reimbursement.

7.1.4    Invoices will be processed monthly unless emergency dictates otherwise.

7.1.5    A processing schedule for General Ledger activity will be set up with WSFC Schools.

7.1.6    Invoices will be prepared and sent to arrive at WSFC Schools prior to the processing date specified in the General Ledger Schedule.

• All original invoices, plus bills, coupons, receipts, and envelopes, will be sent.
• If the school wishes to keep duplicates, they will prepare copies prior to shipment.

7.1.7    WSFC Schools will not process incomplete invoices until the school has sent all appropriate documentation.

7.1.8    WSFC Schools will process invoices based on cash-flow timelines, prepare payments to the appropriate vendors, and then mail the checks to the school for signature and disbursement.

• An Emergency Check is defined as a payment that, if not paid immediately, would jeopardize the school’s ability to operate.
• A FAX of the original invoice will be sufficient to begin invoice processing.
• The original invoice will be forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as possible.
• The original invoice will be clearly marked as “Already Faxed” to avert duplicate payment.
• This procedure is for emergencies only and should not be used on a constant basis.
• The Board of Directors will be notified by the Principal on a monthly basis if the school is habitually using this emergency protocol.

7.2    PETTY CASH

7.2.1    When approved by the Board, an initial fiscal year petty cash check of $100.00 will be prepared by WSFC Schools and will be made payable to the Principal.

7.2.2    WSFC Schools will set up the Principal as a “vendor” with a discreet vendor number and use only this vendor number for petty cash disbursements.

7.2.3    The Principal will cash the check and place the actual cash funds in a petty cash box.

7.2.4    The Administrative Assistant will oversee the disbursement of petty cash funds.

• The Petty Cash Log Sheet will be maintained with the petty cash in the cash box.
• The log sheet will record the initial balance of $100.00.
• Each petty cash disbursement will be recorded with date, amount, to whom, and for what purpose.
• A receipt will be returned following each individual expense of petty cash.
• Each return of unused petty cash transactions will be recorded with the same information.
• A running balance will be maintained following each transaction.

7.2.5    When the balance in the petty cash fund approaches $50.00 (running balance), the Administrative Assistant will tally up the petty cash receipts and forward them to WSFC Schools for processing in accordance with the processing schedule.

7.2.6    WSFC Schools will properly code the actual expenses and issue a “replacement” check for those expended petty cash funds. This will return the petty cash balance to $100.00.

7.2.7    No later than June 15, the petty cash fund will be reconciled and closed for the fiscal year.

• All outstanding receipts will be forwarded to WSFC Schools.
• All remaining cash funds will be deposited back into the bank account and the deposit slip forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as possible.
• WSFC Schools will prepare a final petty cash reconciliation spreadsheet and forward it to the Principal for review and approval.

7.3    DEPOSITS

7.3.1    When the school makes deposits to the bank, the school will maintain the deposit slip, check stub, letter, and all other original supporting documents on file at school. Business manager will key deposit transactions into AS400 system.

• The deposit will be clearly identified as to what the deposit is from (LEA, fundraiser, field trip, donation, lunch money collections, food funds from the state or federal, etc.).

7.4    BANK STATEMENTS

7.4.1    The Board Finance Officer will receive monthly bank statements at school address and review all transactions.

7.4.2    Business Manager will reconcile bank statement in the AS400.

7.5    PAYROLL

7.5.1    Payroll, by far, the most complex and important business function of the school, will be processed once a month.

7.5.2    A processing schedule for payroll activity will be set up with WSFC Schools.

7.5.3    The school will use the Employee Payroll Report when initially assigning an employee to the charter school payroll.

• The profile will be forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as all information is available and the Principal and the employee has signed and dated the sheet.

7.5.4    WSFC Schools maintains all employee W-4 or NC-4 information.

7.5.5    The Employee Payroll Change Log will be used for all payrolls to update significant employee information.

7.5.6    The change request paperwork will be prepared by the Business Manager and delivered to WSFC Schools prior to the processing date specified in the Payroll Schedule.

7.5.7    The Employee Payroll Change Log will include, but is not limited to:

• Hours worked & hourly rate for hourly employees.
• Days worked & daily rate for daily employees.
• Changes in pay for salaried employees (days missed, adjustments, etc.).
Changes in deductions (health, dental, retirement, etc.).

7.5.8    The Employee Payroll Change Log will include all personnel to be paid on that particular payday.

• If a person is not to be paid, Business Manager will notify WSFC schools via email that “no check, employment terminated on [date].”

7.5.9    WSFC Schools will process and then submit the payroll to the school for disbursement in sufficient time (normally two working days prior to payday) for the school to make appropriate corrections.

• Payroll check errors made by WSFC Schools will be corrected immediately.
• Payroll check errors due to incorrect information from the school will be adjusted on the next payroll.

7.6    There will be no advances of individual pay.

7.7    Due to privacy considerations, Employee Absentee Records will be maintained in the appropriate personnel file at the school.

7.8    REPORTS

7.8.1    WSFC Schools will submit the Arts Based Elementary School Monthly Budget Report to the Board of Directors for its scheduled monthly meeting.

7.8.2    If and when requested, WSFC Schools will present the General Ledger Check Register and the Payroll Check Register to the Board Treasurer and/or Finance Committee to verify that monthly expenditures on the Budget Report match the check registers.

7.8.3    As granted in the Arts Based Elementary School Budget Resolution, the Principal has the authority to reallocate budgeted amounts as specified in the resolution guidelines.

Any excess of those guidelines will be approved by the Board of Directors prior to WSFC Schools adjusting the budget and disbursing funds

• The Arts Based School will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.
• Consistent with section1118, the Arts Based School will ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies meet the requirements of section1118(b) of the ESEA, and each includes, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.
• The Arts Based School will incorporate this parental involvement policy into its LEA plan developed under section 1112 of the ESEA.
• In carrying out the Title I, Part A parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the Arts Based School will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
• If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developedundersection1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.
• The Arts Based School will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1%of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent and will ensure that not less than 95% of the 1% reserved goes directly to the schools.
• The Arts Based School will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:
  
  Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two- way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring—
  1. that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
  2. that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
  3. that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and
  4. the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

1. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its school-wide parental involvement policy under section 1112 of the ESEA: (List actions)
2. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA: (List actions)
3. The Arts Based School will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental
   Involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance: (List activities)
4. The Arts Based School will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under other programs.
5. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities(with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement policies.
6. The Arts Based School will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the School involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, Through the following activities specifically described below: (List activities)
7. The Arts Based School will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph:
   • the State’s academic content standards,
   • the State’s student academic achievement standards,
   • the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments,
   • the requirements of Part A,
   • how to monitor their child’s progress, and
   • how to work with educators:
8. The Arts Based School will provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by: (List activities)
9. The Arts Based School will parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and Work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in Title I, Part A Handbook July 2012 Page 47 of 57 how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by: (List activities)
10. The Arts Based School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities.
11. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

The Arts Based School (ABS) believes that parent/family/community involvement is an important part of our success. As such, the Board has developed policies to guide the productive involvement of families and community in the school’s students’ education effectively. N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.20(b)(3). In addition, we provide support towards the coordination of such efforts.

Improved student achievement must be an equally shared responsibility and the goal of parents, teachers, the school, and the community. Thus, the Board in partnership with the Charter Director commits to effective volunteer programs to address student needs and commits to connecting students and families with community resources.    Parents' Guide to Student Achievement (PGSA)

1. Parent Rights

A parent has the right to the following:

(1)  To direct the education and care of their child.

(2)  To direct the child’s upbringing and moral or religious training.

(3)  To enroll their child in a public or nonpublic school and in any schoolchoice options available to the parent for which the child is otherwise eligible by law to comply with compulsory attendance laws, as provided in Part 1 of Article 26 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes.

(4) To access and review all education records, as authorized by the federal

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, relating to their child.

(5) To make healthcare decisions for their child, unless otherwise provided by law, including Article 1A of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.

(6) To access and review all medical records of their child, as authorized bythe Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), P.L. 104-191, as amended, except as follows:

1. If an authorized investigator requests that information not be released to a parent because the parent is the subject of an investigation of either of the following:

•  A crime committed against the child under Chapter 14 of the General Statutes.
•  An abuse and neglect complaint under Chapter 7B of the General Statutes.

1. When otherwise prohibited by law.

(7)To prohibit the creation, sharing, or storage of a biometric scan of theirchild without the parent’s prior written consent, except as authorized pursuant to a court order or otherwise required by law, including G.S. 7B-2102 and G.S. 7B-2201.

(8)To prohibit the creation, sharing, or storage of their child’s blood or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) without the parent’s prior written consent, except as authorized pursuant to a court order or otherwise required by law, including G.S. 7B-2201.

(9) To prohibit the creation by the State of a video or voice recording of their child without the parent’s prior written consent, except a recording made in the following circumstances:

1. During or as part of a court proceeding.
2. As part of an investigation under Chapter 7B or Chapter 14 of the

General Statutes.

1. When the recording will be used solely for any of the following purposes:

•   A safety demonstration, including one related to security and discipline on educational property.
•   An academic or extracurricular activity.
•   Classroom instruction.
•   Photo identification cards.
•   Security or surveillance of buildings, grounds, or school
  transportation.

(10)  To be promptly notified if an employee of the State suspects that a criminal offense has been committed against their child, unless the incident has first been reported to law enforcement or the county child welfare agency, and notification of the parent would impede the investigation.

1. Limitations on the right to parent:

(1)  The requirements of this Article do not authorize a parent to do any of the

Following:

1. Engage in unlawful conduct.
2. Abuse or neglect of the child, as defined in Chapter 7B of the General Statutes.

(2)   The requirements of this Article do not prohibit the following:

1. A State official or employee from acting in their official capacity within the reasonable and prudent scope of their authority.
2. A court of competent jurisdiction from acting in its official capacity within the reasonable and prudent scope of its authority or issuing an order otherwise permitted by law.

(1)   The right to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs, consistent with the requirements of G.S. 115C-81.30.  The School will provide parents with a consent form prior to such programming.

(2)   The right to seek a medical or religious exemption from immunization requirements, consistent with the requirements of G.S.130A-156 and G.S. 130A-157. Please consult the Student Handbook for this information.

(3)   The right to review statewide standardized assessment results as part of the State report card. The School will provide such information following such assessments.

(4)   The right to request an evaluation of their child for an academically or intellectually gifted program or for identification as a child with a disability, as provided in Article 9 of this Chapter. Please consult the Student Handbook for this information.

(5)   The right to inspect and purchase public school unit textbooks and other supplementary instructional materials, as provided in Part 3 of Article 8 of this Chapter. Please refer to the School’s Policy on Curriculum, Textbooks, Supplementary Materials and Library Materials.

(6)   The right to access information relating to the unit’s policies for promotion or retention, including high school graduation requirements. Please consult school policies for this information.

(7)   The right to receive student report cards on a regular basis that clearly depict and grade the student’s academic performance in each class or course, the student’s conduct, and the student’s attendance.

(8)   The right to access information relating to the State public education system, State standards, report card requirements, attendance requirements, and textbook requirements. Please consult school policies as well as the Department of Public Instruction.

(9)   The right to participate in parent-teacher organizations. This information will be provided on our website and from our Charter Director.

(10) The right to opt into certain data collection for their child, as provided in Part 5 of this Article and Article 29 of this Chapter.

(11) The right for students to participate in protected student information surveys only with parental consent, as provided in Part 5 of this Article.

(12) The right to review all available records of materials their child has borrowed from the library.

The Parent Guide to Student Achievement is an effort by the State Board of Education (“SBE”).  The SBE’s Guide will be posted on the School’s website once it has been provided by the State Board of Education and going forward at the beginning of each school year. The SBE’s Guide will be in writing, understandable to students and parents, and discussed at the beginning of the school year during Open House, Back to School events, or in any forum designated by the School.  The SBE Guide shall meet the requirements set forth in N.C.G.S. 115C-76.30.

(1)   The School has chosen to comply with these provisions by ensuring the following information is in the Family Handbook available on this School’s website:

1. Requirements for students to be promoted to the next grade.
2. School entry requirements, including required immunizations and the recommended immunization schedule.

1. Ways for parents to do the following:

• Strengthen their child’s academic progress, especially in reading, as provided in Part 1A of Article 8 of this Chapter.
• Strengthen their child’s citizenship, especially social skills, and respect for others.
• Strengthen their child’s realization of high expectations and setting lifelong learning goals.
• Enhance communication between the school and the home.

(2)   The School has chosen to comply with 115C-76.30, making the following information available through its website; the Family Handbook found on the School’s website; School and classroom communications (hard copy or via email); communications from the School’s parent/teacher organization; as well as through any other medium appropriate to communicate in an understandable way with parents and students:

1. Services available for parents and their children, such as family literacy services; mentoring, tutoring, and other academic reinforcement programs; college planning, academic advisement, and student counseling services; and after-school programs.
2. Opportunities for parental participation, such as parenting classes, adult education, school advisory councils, and school volunteer programs.
3. Opportunities for parents to learn about rigorous academic programs that may be available for their child, such as honors programs, Career and College Promise and other dual enrollment opportunities, advanced placement, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses, International Baccalaureate, North Carolina Virtual High School courses, and accelerated access to postsecondary education.
4. Educational choices available to parents, including each type of public-school unit available to residents of the county in which the child lives and nonpublic school options, educational choice options offered within the public school unit, and scholarship grant programs under Part 2A of Article 39 and Article 41 of this Chapter.
5. Rights of students who have been identified as students with disabilities, as provided in Article 9 of this Chapter.
6. Contact information for school and unit offices.
7. Resources for information on the importance of student health and other available resources for parents, including the following information on available immunizations and vaccinations:

• A recommended immunization schedule in accordance with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
• Information about meningococcal meningitis and influenza, as required by G.S. 115C-375.4.

The School shall, in consultation with parents, teachers, administrators, and community partners, develop and adopt policies to promote parental involvement and empowerment. The School will use existing committees, communication mediums, and structures to engage in the consultation requirement set forth in § 115C-76.35 and/or may create new avenues to comply with this provision.  Opportunities and information will be available on the School’s website and/or in community and/or school communications.  The School will ensure policies provide for parental choices as set forth in SB49, establish parental responsibilities, and provide for parental involvement, which shall include the following:

(1)   Providing links to parents for community services.

(2)   Establishing opportunities for parental involvement in developing, implementing, and evaluating family involvement programs.

(3)   Establish opportunities for parents to participate in school advisory councils, volunteer programs, and other activities.

1. The School has established policies to do all the following:

(1)  Provide for parental participation in their child’s education to improve parent and teacher cooperation in areas such as homework, school attendance, and discipline that aligns with the parent guide for student achievement required by G.S. 115C-76.30. Please consult the School’s website.

(2) Effectively communicate to parents the way texts and curricular material are used to implement the school’s curricular objectives.

(3) Establish a procedure for parents to learn about their child’s course of study and the source of any supplementary instructional materials. This procedure shall include the process for parents to inspect and review all textbooks and supplementary instructional materials that will be used in their child’s classroom. The policy shall be available for in-person review by parents at the school site and publicly available on the school’s website. For this section, a textbook is defined in G.S. 115C-85, and supplementary instructional materials include supplementary textbooks, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and other supplementary materials used for instructional purposes.

(4)  Establish a means for parents to object to textbooks and supplementary instructional materials.

(5)  Establish a process for parents to review materials for and to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs consistent with the requirements of G.S. 115C-81.30. The School already provides such review, notice, and consent requirements and will continue to follow our current procedures.

(6)   Establish a process for parents to learn about the nature and purpose of clubs and activities offered at their child’s school, including both curricular and extracurricular activities. Such information will be provided through School and/or classroom communications. Please also consult the School’s website.

1. Further Compliance

(1)  The qualifications of teachers, including licensure status, will be made available to parents at the beginning of each school year and updated from time to time as needed.  This information will include teacher degrees, licensure status, and any other information necessary to comply with §115C-76.30(1)(d).

(2)  Our School is a school of choice.  Parents have other educational choices available to them, including traditional district schools, non-public schools (religious and secular), other charter schools, and home schools.  Information on scholarship programs is available at Opportunity Scholarship – NCSEAA (https://www.ncseaa.edu/k12/opportunity/)

(1) The School does not prohibit school employees from notifying a parent about their child’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being or a change in related services or monitoring.

(2) The School does not encourage or have the effect of encouraging a child to withhold from that child’s parent information about their mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being or a change in related services or monitoring.

(3) School personnel shall not discourage or prohibit parental notification of and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being except where a reasonably prudent person would believe that notification would result in the child becoming an abused juvenile or neglected juvenile, as those terms are defined in G.S. 7B-101 or jeopardize the student’s safety.

(4) Notifications:

1.  At the beginning of each school year, the Director or designee will notify parents about each healthcare service offered at the school and provide information on how parents can consent to such service. The school counselor or designee will notify parents of changes, prior to or contemporaneous with changes, in service or monitoring related to their child’s mental, emotional, or physical health or wellbeing and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for that child. (§115C-78.45)
2. The Director or designee shall notify parents of kindergarten through grade three students of any student well-being questionnaire or health screening form prior to administration and shall provide information on how parents can consent to such questionnaire or health screening.
3. The Director or designee shall provide notice of a change prior to any changes in the name or a pronoun used for a student in school records or by school personnel except where a reasonably prudent person would believe that notification would result in the child becoming an abused juvenile or neglected juvenile, as those terms are defined in G.S. 7B-101 or jeopardize the student’s safety.
4. The School’s policy and procedure for parents to exercise the parental remedies provided by G.S.§ 115.C-76.60 is set forth in this policy, Entitled Parental Remedies.

(1) This information parents have a right to access under this SB49 has been made accessible to parents as set forth in this policy. Parents are encouraged to review this policy and the policies referenced herein before making a request for information under § 115C-76.40.

(2) A parent of a child enrolled at our School may request in writing from the Director or Designee any of the information the parent has the right to access, as provided in this Part. The request must be made via email sent to the Director.  Within 10 business days, the Director or Designee shall either (i) provide the requested information to the parent or (ii) provide an extension notice to the parent that, due to the volume or complexity of the request, the information will be provided no later than 20 business days from the date of the parental request.

(3)  If the Director or Designee: (i) denies or fails to respond to the request for information within 10 business days or (ii) fails to provide information within 20 business days following an extension notice as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the parent may request in writing any of the information the parent has the right to access, as provided in this Part, from the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, along with a statement specifying the time frame of the denial or failure to provide information by the Director.

(4)  If the Chairperson of the Board of Directors denies or does not respond to the request for information within 10 business days, the parent may appeal the denial or lack of response to the governing body of the public school unit no later than 20 business days from the date of the request to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, as provided in subsection (2) of this section. The Board shall place the parents’ appeal on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled Executive Committee meeting occurring more than three business days after submission of the appeal. During that meeting, the Executive Committee shall make a decision regarding the appeal.  The Board’s decision under this section is final and is not subject to judicial review.

Student support services training developed or provided by the School to its personnel shall adhere to student services guidelines, standards, and frameworks established by the Department of Public Instruction.

(1)   Definitions:

1. Adult student – An enrolled student who is 18 or older or an emancipated minor.
2. Protected information survey – A survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning any of the following:

• Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent.
• Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family.
• Sex behavior or attitudes.
• Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior.
• Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships.
• Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers.
• Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent.
• Income other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program.

(2) The School shall make the following available to parents and adult students at least 10 days prior to administration of a protected information survey. The public school unit shall provide opportunities for review of the following both electronically and in person:

1. The process for providing consent to participation in the protected information survey.
2. The full text of the protected information survey.

(3)   No student shall be permitted to participate in a protected information survey without the parent or the adult student’s prior written or electronic consent.

(4)   The requirements of this provision are in addition to the rights provided to parents and students under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, which are set forth in the Student Handbook available on the School’s website.

1. Procedures and Remedies for Parent Concerns

This provision sets forth procedures and remedies required by § 115C-76.60.  A parent has the right to notify the Director about concerns under this policy pursuant to § 115C-76.60. The School’s procedures and remedies for parental concerns are as follows:

(1)   The parent shall submit in writing a detailed description of their concern to the School via email at Charter Director.  Such description shall clearly state the SB49 procedure or practice of concern. For a concern to be covered by this Section, it must be a concern about the School’s procedure or practice under SB49.

(2)   Within seven business days of receiving the concern, the Director shall either:

1. Resolve the concern and notify the parent of the resolution, or
2. Develop a plan for resolution and notify the parent of the plan to resolve the concern within 30 days of receiving written notification of the concern from the parent, or
3. Notify the parent of why the concern cannot be resolved.

(3)   If the concern is not resolved within 30 days, a parent may do one of the following:

1. Notify the State Board of Education and request a Parental Concern hearing, or
2. Bring an action against the school as provided in Article 26 of Chapter 1 of the North Carolina General Statutes for a declaratory judgment that the unit’s procedure or practice violates N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.45, § 115C-76.50, or § 115C-76.55.

(4)   The court may award injunctive relief to a parent and shall award reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to a parent awarded injunctive relief.

    The School reports on these policies annually to the State Board of Education.

1. School’s Policy on Curriculum, Textbooks, Supplementary Material, and Library Materials.

(1)       Compliance with SB49. In compliance with SB49, this policy serves to communicate understandably and effectively the manner in which texts and curricular material are used to implement the school’s curricular objectives.  In addition, this policy establishes a procedure for parents to learn about their child’s course of study and the source of any supplementary instructional materials. Our procedure includes the process for parents to inspect and review all texts and supplementary instructional materials that will be used in their child’s classroom. Finally, this policy also establishes a means for parents to object to texts and supplementary instructional materials consistent with the requirements of N.C.G.S. 115C-9

(2)  Parent Participation.  Parent participation in their child’s education is important and encouraged.  We strongly encourage parents and teachers to cooperate regarding schoolwork, school attendance, and discipline.  Information and ways parents can help their children and encourage cooperation with their child’s teacher are included in our Family Handbook as well as the following, house newsletters, emails/phone calls/meetings, parent/teacher conferences and report cards.

(3)       Charter School exemptions.  A charter school is exempt from statutes and rules applicable to a local board of education or local school administrative unit. As such, the School determines its own curriculum and texts and is not bound by the laws governing local boards of education and local school administrative units. The School has the sole authority to select and procure curriculum, textbooks, supplementary instructional materials, and library materials.  Further, the School has the sole authority to determine if the materials are related to and within the curriculum’s limits and when the materials may be presented to students during the school day. In general, supplementary books and other instructional materials shall neither displace nor be used to the exclusion of textbooks where the School has selected textbooks.

(4)    Textbook Definition.  For the purposes of this section, a textbook is defined as a systematically organized material comprehensive enough to cover the primary objectives outlined in the standard course of study for a grade or course. Formats for textbooks may be print or nonprint, including hardbound books, softbound books, activity-oriented programs, classroom kits, and technology-based programs that require the use of electronic equipment to be used in the learning process.  Textbooks do not include supplementary instructional materials, including supplementary textbooks, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and other supplementary materials used for instructional purposes.

(5)       Requirements of § 115C-76.55.  Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality shall not be included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, regardless of whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties. For the purposes of this section, the curriculum includes the standard course of study and support materials, locally developed curriculum, supplemental instruction, textbooks, and other supplementary materials but does not include responses to student-initiated questions. Further, students may discuss gender identity, sexual activity, and sexuality with the school counselor and/or social worker, or any adult they feel comfortable with.  This provision shall be implemented consistent with Title IX, and where a conflict arises between the two laws, federal law will control.  Nothing in this provision prevents school staff and teachers from appropriate classroom displays not inconsistent with any school policy on such displays.

(6)       Use and Purpose of Textbooks.  The School selects and uses texts as part of its curriculum and course of study.  The texts selected are intended to advance the school’s curricular objectives.

(7)       Process For Selecting Curriculum, Textbooks, Supplementary Books And Instructional Materials.  The School’s process for selecting curriculum, textbooks, supplementary books, and instructional material is as follows: teachers within house teams develop standards-based units with consultation from the Curriculum Director, Principals,  and Charter Director.

(8)       Procedures for Learning about the Course of Study.  Parents are provided their child’s course of study, including texts and the source of any supplementary instructional materials in a variety of ways: on DPI’s website, School and teacher newsletters, at Back to School night, and through other teacher communications.

(9)   Parents may inspect and review all texts and supplementary instructional materials that will be used in their child’s classroom at Back to School nights, during parent/teacher conferences, or by request to classroom teacher.

(10)    Process for Library Check Out and Notification                    Classrooms visit the school  library periodically and students can check out books that are age/grade appropriate.   Parents can request documentation of their student’s library account from the teacher to serve as notifications of what their student has checked out and when these are due.

1.   Process for Parent Challenges to Textbooks and Supplementary Instructional Materials.

(1)   The School reserves the right to create an advisory committee, as needed, to investigate and evaluate challenges from parents, teachers, and members of the public to textbooks and supplementary instructional materials on the grounds that they are educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar, or inappropriate to the age, maturity, or grade level of the students.  To the extent the School establishes such an advisory committee, information about that advisory committee will be communicated to parents, teachers, and the community.

(2)   In the event the School has not established such an advisory committee, parents may submit challenges to textbooks and supplementary instructional materials for the following reasons only: the textbook and/or supplementary materials are educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar, or inappropriate to the age, maturity, or grade level of the students.  There are no other grounds for challenges to textbooks or supplementary materials under this provision.

(3)   To submit a challenge to a particular textbook and/or supplementary material, the parent shall submit in writing a detailed description of their challenge to the School. Such challenge must clearly identify the textbook and/or supplementary material they are challenging, and what precise material they contend is educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar, or inappropriate to the student’s age, maturity, or grade level.  The parent should also provide suggestions for alternatives to such textbooks and/or supplementary materials that they are challenging.  Challenges must be sent to the School via email at Charter Director or sent via mail or hand delivered to the School’s address and designate on the outside of the letter: Textbook and/or Supplementary Material Challenge.

(4)   The Director or their designee or advisory committee, shall review such a challenge and respond to the challenge within ten (10) business days.

(5)   If the decision does not resolve the matter, the parent may file a written appeal to the Director if they were not involved in the initial review of the challenge.  The Director shall review and respond to the challenge within five (5) business days.

(6)   If the Director is not able to resolve the matter, the parent may file a written appeal on the record with the School’s Board of Directors within five (5) business days.  There are no hearings on appeal, and decisions will be based solely on the written challenge provided by the parent and information provided by the School. The appeal must comply with section (1) above.  The Board will designate a Board Panel to review the challenge and communicate its decision to remove or retain the challenged material within twenty (20) business days. The Board Panel’s decision is final.

(7)   The Board always has sole authority and discretion to determine whether a challenge has merit and whether challenged material should be retained or removed. There is no appeal from a decision of the Board Panel.

(8)   Timelines set forth herein may be extended for good cause.