MA-MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

9.01 Activity Fees

In lieu of charging admission to individual events, the middle school and high school shall institute a system of activity fees, payable at registration time. The rate shall be established at the annual meeting of the school board.

9.02 Student Handbook

The student handbooks shall be considered, upon approval by the school board, an integral part of the school board policies. A copy of the handbook shall be given to every student registered annually. Copies shall be made available to any parent upon request.

9.03 School Board Policy Handbook A copy of the school board policy handbook is available on line at www.svs.k12.sd.us.

9.04 School Dance

High school dances shall be approved by the secondary school principal. All dances shall be under the supervision of the secondary school principal with assistance from the high school faculty. Middle school students may schedule class dances when approved by the secondary school principal.

9.05 High School Commencement

High school commencement activities shall be planned and arranged by the superintendent and high school principal. Rental fees for gowns will be paid by the graduates.

9.06 Transportation of Activity Groups

Student drivers shall not be used for transporting activity groups.

9.07 Rates for Substitutes

a. Teacher: The rate of pay shall be as follows:

short term (1-9 days) $120/day

intermediate term (10-20 consecutive days for the same teacher) beginning on the 10th day $135/day

long term (21 & over consecutive days for the same teacher) beginning on the 21st day $150/day

b. Custodian, Secretary:

The rate of pay shall be 12.25 per hour.

c. Bus Driver:

The rate of pay shall be $36.00 per route.

d. Teacher Assistant:

The rate of pay for a substitute teacher assistant is as follows:

1. Person who has held a valid Teachers Certificate shall be paid $13.25 per hour. The certificate must be provided for verification.

2. Person not holding a valid certificate shall be paid $12.25 per hour

e. BASE

The rate of pay shall be at a minimum of minimum wage.

9.08 Travel Policy and Rates

a. Lodging: at cost with prior approval by administrators

b. All travel must be approved by the administration prior to occurrence.

9.09 Use of tobacco products is prohibited on the school grounds.

9.10 Telephone Calls

Personal long-distance telephone calls shall not be charged to the school district. All business related long-distance calls must be recorded on a telephone log sheet indicating date, agency called and purpose of the call.

9.11 Use of Alcohol, Drugs and Controlled Substances by Employees (Drug Free Workplace)

Student and employee safety is a paramount concern to the Sioux Valley School Board. Employees under the influence of alcohol, drugs or controlled substances are a serious risk to themselves, to students, and to other employees. Therefore, the Sioux Valley School Board will not tolerate the unlawful manufacture, use, possession, sale, distribution or being under the influence of drugs or controlled substances. Nor will the board tolerate the unlawful use of, or being under the influence of, alcohol by an on-duty employee. Any employee who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action which may include dismissal. Each employee of the district is hereby notified that, as a condition of employment, the employee must abide by the terms of this policy and will report to the superintendent any criminal drug statute convictions for a violation occurring in or on the premises of this school district, or while engaged in regular employment. Such notification must be made by the employee to the superintendent no later than five days after conviction. The superintendent will provide notice of such violation to the Impact Aid program, United States Department of Education, or other appropriate government agency within ten days after the superintendent receives such notification. Thirty days after receipt of information concerning a violation of this policy, the district will take appropriate discipline action which may include termination of employment or requiring the employee to participate in drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation programs.

All employees will attend a district drug-free awareness program at which employees will be informed about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, this policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace. The school board recognizes that employees who have a drug abuse problem should be encouraged to seek professional assistance. An employee who requests assistance shall be referred to a treatment facility or agency in the community if such a facility or agency is available. When a staff member has consumed alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs on school property and/or before a school activity, the staff member will not be allowed on school property or to participate in school activities. Staff members who violate this regulation will be subject to the same penalties as for possession or consumption on school property.

The Sioux Valley School Board hereby commits itself to a continuing good faith effort to maintain a drug-free workplace.

9.12 Staff and Community Relationships and Complaints

Constructive criticism of the schools will be welcomed by the Board when it is motivated by a sincere desire to improve the quality of the educational program or to equip the schools to do their tasks more effectively.

Whenever a complaint is made directly to the Board as a whole or to an individual Board member, the individual or group involved will be advised to take their concern to the appropriate staff member and follow the chain of command.

The Board believes that complaints and grievances are best handled and resolved as close to their origin as possible, and that the staff should be given every opportunity to consider the issues and attempt to resolve the problem prior to involvement by the Board. Therefore, the proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline, or learning materials will be as follows:

1. Teacher (Principal present if requested by either party)

2. Principal

3. Superintendent

4. Board

Line of authority and staff relationships shall be maintained between board and staff. Policies are executed from board to superintendent, to principal, to teacher. Classified personnel are responsible to their supervisor. If an employee wants an audience with the board, he/she may do so by making his/her wishes known to the superintendent, only after following the chain of command.

If a complaint which was presented to the Board and referred back through the proper channels is adjusted before it comes back to the Board, a report of the disposition of the matter will be made to the Board and then placed in the official files.

The Board expects the professional staff to receive complaints courteously and to make a proper reply to the complainant.

Matters referred to the superintendent and/or Board must be in writing and should be specific in terms of the action desired.

Exceptions to this policy will be made when the complaints concern Board actions or Board operations only.

9.13 Building Security

Employees are given the necessary keys to the building(s). Keys are the property of the school and are to be returned upon request. A $100 fine will be assessed to replace keys that are lost. Employees shall not give keys to any unauthorized person at any time.

9.14 General Operational Procedures

1. Records and Reports

Please see, without fail, that all records, reports, lists, etc which are turned in at the office are properly dated and signed.

2. Texts

Please keep an accurate record of all texts issued. All books will be numbered using labels or stamps furnished by the school. Fines are to be assessed for undue damage to all books. All texts to be discarded must be okayed by your respective principal.

3. Requisitions

Any purchase to be charged to the school district must be made through the business office. Such purchases must be signed by the superintendent or business manager.

4. Use of Facilities

Groups wishing to use classrooms for serving refreshments or other purposes should receive permission from the instructor in advance. The committee in charge must see that the rooms and all equipment are left in the same condition in which they were found.

5. Student Trips

Any time a teacher is responsible for taking a student group out of school on any activity, he/she shall leave a list of all students who are designated to go on the trip in order that their records may be kept clear and pupils may be admitted back to class. All trips, school parties, and school events must be cleared with your principal before final plans can be made.

6. Room and Departmental Inventory

An inventory of all school equipment and property will be maintained. Each faculty member will make additions and deletions of his/her assigned departmental inventory.

7. Soliciting in Building Prohibited

No salesmen of any type are to solicit teachers in the building during school hours unless they have a written permit from the building principal. Please report any violations of this rule.

8. School Closing - Announcements will be carried on Brookings Radio, KELO TV and thru School Reach.

9. Telephone Calls - The phones in the school are for necessary business purposes only. Please make clear to the pupils that they are never to use the phone without permission. Pupils should be called to the phone during class periods only in case of an emergency. All long distance phone calls must be reported to the office.

10. Errands - Students shall not be sent on errands.

11. Accidents and Illness

If it becomes necessary to send a pupil home due to illness or because of an accident, please notify the office. First aid supplies are on hand for use in case of accidents. Watch for evidence of contagious ailments and report any suspicious cases to the office. Do not issue any medicine, etc to students. Instructors are to fill out an accident form and give it to their principal.

12. Policy for Selection of Instructional Materials

The Sioux Valley school Board hereby declares it is the policy of the Sioux Valley School District 5-5 to provide a wide range of instructional materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, and with the presentation of different points of view and to allow the review of allegedly inappropriate instructional materials through established procedures. (For further information, see the librarian.)

13. Lice Policy

A. Anyone with live lice (pediculosis) will be sent home immediately.

B. Anyone with lice eggs (nits) within one inch of the scalp will be sent home immediately. All other members of the household who are students of the Sioux Valley School District 5-5 will also be checked and sent home if nits are found.

C. A student returning to school after being sent home with live lice or live eggs will need to have been treated with the recommended shampoo, be nit free and the parent or guardian bring proof of treatment, such as empty NIX bottle. If proof of treatment is not brought to school, the student will be sent home until there is compliance. Families in need of financial assistance may contact the principal.

9.15 Banners & Plaques

All banners, plaques and advertisements must be approved by the administration in accordance with guidelines on file in the Business Office.

9.16 Electronic Recording of Grades

In order to keep parents and students informed about the status of a student’s academic performance in classes, it is the policy of the Sioux Valley School District that instructional staff shall electronically record student grades that are posted on-line in a timely manner. Instructors for students in grades 3-12 shall electronically record grades at least weekly. Instructors for grades K-2 shall electronically record grades at least every other week. The Principal of the respective area may designate a deadline for the completion of the electronically recording of grades.

9.17 Cell Phone or Other Electronic Communication Devices Usage

The use of cell phones or other mobile electronic communication devices by staff members shall be restricted to times designated as non-student contact time. At other times, the electronic device should be turned off or placed on silence. At no time should the device cause a disruption of student instructional time. Supervisors can grant a prior exception to this policy for situations that enhance internal communications, promote the safety of students, or other extenuating circumstances.