Welcome to Sky Mountain Charter School

1. Welcome to Sky Mountain Charter School Initial Meeting for the 2011 Academic School Year

2. Meeting Overview • Interview Questions • Enrollment (review Charter Summary, Student Agreement, AESS, and Immunization form) • State Mandated Assessments • School Assessments: set appointment for Scantron and WRAT Pretest (K-11th) and copy of Writing Assignment • State Standards • Purchase Orders • Attendance • Learning Records Meetings • Portfolio Policy • High School • Set appointment for next Learning Record Meeting • First Meeting Information Sheet

3. Interview Questions • The purpose to these questions are to make sure that Sky Mountain is the perfect fit for your family

4. Charter Summary • Read through Charter Summary • Initial and sign

5. Student Agreement • Review and check personal information • Do you want a report card? • Do you NOT WANT the STAR results in your child’s file? (2nd-11th) • Discuss distribution of educational responsibilities • Read through to ensure that you are comfortable with Sky Mountain’s policies • Sign contract

6. AESS: Additional ES Services • Choosing the AESS option increases the involvement of the ES in a student's education, over and above the basic ES Job, by contract with the parent, student, and ES. • Fees are deducted from Instructional Funds (IFs) • Fee for the 2011 school year: -Option A $302 per semester -Option B $604 per semester • These services are OPTIONAL

7. Immunization • The California School Immunization Law requires schools to enforce immunization requirements, to maintain immunization records of all children enrolled, and to submit reports to the Health Department. • K and 7th graders must present immunization records before admitted (children are considered in “waiting” status and excluded if immunization requirements are not received) • If exempted for medical reasons, a doctor's written statement is required and must be mailed to the office with the health card. • If immunizations are contrary to the religious or personal beliefs of the parent, a personal beliefs waiver needs to be signed. (On the back of the California School Immunization Record is a personal beliefs waiver to be signed by the parent. Make sure the student's name is written on the front of the form and that the signature is in the personal beliefs box.)

8. State Mandated Assessment • STAR Testing, STAR Writing, PFT, and CAHSEE • These tests are a charter renewal requirement and are state and federally required • 2nd-11th: STAR testing -STAR testing window: April 4th-May 5th, 2011 -4 Testing sites: San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, and Los Angeles -2 full days -ID Required • 4th and 7th: STAR Writing on March 1st, 2011 • 5th, 7th, and 9th: Physical Fitness Test (PFT) -Tentative window March 1st-April 29th, 2011 • 11th-12th: ELA and Math California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) -October 5th-6th, November 9th-10th, February 1st- 2nd -10th graders must take CAHSEE in February

9. School Assessments Scantron: Assesses math and reading skills via online test by ES WRAT: Assesses math, letter writing, spelling, letter reading, and reading skills via paper and pencil activities with ES • 2nd-11th graders: Scantron • Kindergarten-1st: WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test) • Testing window: August 23rd-September 30th • Schedule pre-assessment with ES School-Wide Writing Assignment • Administered to 1st-12th (Kindergarten is optional) by the parent • Used as a tool to understand where our students’ writing abilities and needs are in order to focus instruction, prepare our students for the STAR writing, and satisfy WASC requirements • ES can provide the parent directions, prompts, and rubrics (but all information is located on the school’s website at Parent information> Parent Information Home Page>2010 Writing Assignments • First writing assignment due during October LR meeting and second will be due in January

10. State Standards • A copy of the State Standards for your child’s grade level is included in your packet for your reference

11. Instructional Funds (IFs) • Instructional Funds are distributed in 2 installments (before school starts in August and during late winter) • Kindergarten-8th: $800 per installment • 9th-12th: $1000 per installment

12. Purchasing Orders (POs) • You are encouraged to select curriculum materials for your enrolled children. POs for these materials are placed electronically by the Education Specialist in the school’s database. • Unless a student is AESS, the Parent and the Education Specialist work together to choose each student's curriculum. The ES is responsible for creating purchase orders for the educational materials to be used by families. Purchase of educational materials must be consistent with the course of study the student has chosen. For example, if a student is studying U.S. History, purchases of European Renaissance materials would not be consistent. • All materials must be non-sectarian • All materials are property of Sky Mountain Charter School and must be returned when they are no longer being used or student is dis-enrolled • Office and Art materials must be basic in quality. The school makes the determination on if an item is to be considered “basic” or not. Crayola crayons are an example of a basic level art supply.

13. Attendance Review Attendance Procedures and Policies • Learning Record Meetings must be held at least once every 20 school days • Student must demonstrate academic progress (High School students must be attempting at least 25 credits per semester) • Roll Sheet is filled out by parent and ES (in blue ink) • Roll Sheet is considered a legal document so no copies are accepted (ORIGINALS ONLY) • Roll sheets are given to ES during monthly meetings • Sign 2-3 copies every month. Must be original--this way if a rollsheet gets lost, the ES can send up a new one and still have an original on file

14. Learning Record Meetings • Legal Requirement: Parent, students, and Educational Specialists meet face to face at least once every 20 school days to review and document the learning that occurs in each growth area. The Education Specialist is the teacher of record and must verify student learning by reviewing the student’s body of work, asking the student questions on what was learned, and by clarifying with the parent when necessary. The following activities must occur during the face-to-face meeting: • Assessment of the student's work product to verify that the student has made adequate and appropriate progress toward the attainment of the student standards • Provide educational support and counsel to the parent • Pick up the hard copy attendance roll sheet which the parent kept for that learning period, and provide them with one for the next period • Arrange the next two appointment dates and locations with the parent (unless a semester or year long calendar has been established) • Collect samples from every growth area • Assign work if AESS • Counsel on the school yearly writing sample • Inform families of important school policies, events, and information

15. BEFORE LR Meeting Please email your ES BEFORE your LR meeting the following information IN EACH GROWTH AREA (or, for high school students, each course taken): 1. What your student learned 2. What your student used to learn it 3. How your student learning was evaluated Growth Areas include English-Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Life Skills (computer, physical education, health), and Special Interest (dance, music, foreign language, art)

16. Portfolio Requirements • Grades K-8: one work sample for each growth area covered each semester • High School: one sample per course attempted per semester • Porfolios are compiled using the monthly samples that were collected at LR Meetings. Portfolio Sample Requirements: • Non-sectarian • From materials that are or could be purchased by the school with ADA funding • Must come from the learning documented in the student’s learning record for that semester • Samples submitted must be graded • Samples will not be returned and must be original work samples, artwork, videos, and/or cassettes

17. High School • Make sure to submit a copy of your HS student’s transcripts (if applicable) • HS students must be attempting between 25-40 units a semester • Courses must be decided upon before school starts (if student is beginning the year with SMCS) • Courses may be dropped within one month of the start of school, but student must still be taking a minimum of 25 units • All curriculum used or courses taken must be overseen by a Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) • A list of HQT curriculum can be found on the school’s website at Educational Resources>Guidance>High School curriculum • Electives and PE do not need to be overseen by an HQT • Student may co-enroll with a Community College, 2 classes maximum toward HS credit per semester, but all steps taken to co-enroll must be followed ahead of time before the start of the semester

18. Set LR Meetings • Agree upon on a time and place to meet with ES every month for the year/semester • Frequency cannot exceed 20 school days. 15-18 days is advised in order to have a cushion for sickness and such.

19. First Meeting Information Sheet Review the following important information in your folder: • Review General Information Sheet • School Calendar • Parent Version of the State Standards • State-Required Assessments and dates (ID required) • Schedule Scantron/WRAT assessment with ES • Suspension and Expulsion Policy • GEAs scheduled and CPs in your area • Instructional Funding, POs, and materials • Parent Listserv sign up • School’s website: www.skymountaincs.org • Plan if you do not have internet access • Compete School Survey Addendum • 9th-12th: Graduation Requirement Agreement

20. Any Questions???