Dropout Committee Meeting March 8, 2012 New Hanover County Board of Education Center 1:30 – 3:30

1. Dropout Committee MeetingMarch 8, 2012New Hanover County Board of Education Center1:30 – 3:30 WHO I. Middle School Attendance Policy Lisa Burriss II. In-School Suspension Beau McCaffray III. Next Steps

2. School Attendance Council • The Family Involvement Team and appointed members at each middle school will serve as an attendance council to: • design interventions • promote school attendance • reduce individual student absences. • Schools will collect and review data regularly to assure the effectiveness of the policy and to safe guard against unintended consequences for at-risk students. • A second role of the council: - meet with students and their parents when the student accumulates six, lawful or unlawful, absences. • The purpose of the meeting will be to establish an individual attendance intervention plan and to arrange for the student to make-up for the days missed AMY HAND 

3. Annual training of the Compulsory Attendance law, Board Policy 8212, and the middle school attendance policy will be required of all certified staff whom must adhere to the duties of the teacher, social worker and administrator as cited in the law. • A copy of the policy shall be distributed to all students at the beginning of the school year. Students transferring from another administrative unit will be provided a copy of the policy upon enrollment.

4. Per the Compulsory Attendance Law: Unlawful absences will result in: • the sending of letters of notification • required parent conferences and • a possible referral to the Judicial Attendance Council If a student accumulates 10 unlawful absences: • the principal or his designee must determine if the parents have been duly informed of the absences, and, whether or not they are making a good faith effort to resolve the issues resulting in the unlawful absences. • A referral to the Judicial Attendance Council will be made if it is determined that the parents have been duly informed and that they are not making a good faith effort.

5. Lawful Absences The Plan! • In response to 10 or more lawful absences, the consequences discussed in the previous in-school council meeting will be initiated. • At this point, the student’s grade will be reduced from one grade point to the next in all classes. • Grade recovery will only occur if the student makes up all of the days missed before the end of the 9 weeks. • Make up time will be one hour per day missed in addition to all work being made up. The work must occur within two weeks of the absence. • During each 9 week grading period,lawful and unlawful days, will result in: • A reduced grade in every class unless work or time has been made up during the after-school attendance detention each nine weeks (e.g., 1 letter grade for 11-15 absences, 2 letter grades for 16-20 absences, etc.) • Students who do not make up time for days missed by the end of the school year, must make-up the hours in summer school. Otherwise, retention should be considered.

6. Specifics… • Consequences will be implemented on a quarterly basis and shall include after-school attendance detention monitored by school staff on an assigned duty rotation – classroom teachers will be notified & coordination process will take place to obtain missed assignments. After-School Transportation??

7. Notes from home are required within the first three days of the student’s return to school. Until the notes are provided and approved, the absences are coded as unlawful. After three consecutive days of an absence due to illness, a doctor’s note will be required. Doctor’s notes may also be required for multiple health related absences. If a parent informs the school that an appointment has been made for a future date, a mutual exchange of information must be provided by the parent so the school may verify the appointment. NOTES

8. Drs Notes… • As soon as a parent anticipates a student’s extended absences because of severe, prolonged, or chronic illness under a physician’s care, the parent shall notify the principal. • The principal shall make arrangements for homebound/hospital-bound, or other appropriate instruction outlined by Special Education Services. (Buncombe)

9. Late Arrivals…. Daily % of time in school What counts for “in- attendance”? A student is considered present in the school when in attendance at the following: School-sponsored field trips Other activities initiated and sponsored by the school Special school events requiring early dismissal Assignment to in-school suspension • Students must be checked in by the designated time and present at school 50% of the day in-order to be counted present. • A student must be in attendance for one-half of the class period to be counted present. • For courses rewarding high school credit, students must follow high school attendance requirements.

10. At-Risk Students and Rare Circumstances: Under unique or unusual circumstances, the Superintendent upon written recommendation from the Principal may authorize alternatives to the policy in order to achieve fairness to the student without weakening the effect of the policy. (Buncombe)

11. Additional Matters for Consideration • One school suggested 8 absences lawful or unlawful would equal “excessive absences”. This is more severe than the compulsory attendance law for unlawful absences. We choose 10 or more. • It was suggested that one school pilot the plan, particularly the consequences. All schools could initiate the interventions and incentives. • Saturday schools and after-hour “attendance detentions” will require funds and transportation. • Not sure how to address 10 day suspensions. Suspensions are excused and could be treated the same as all other “lawful” absences with make-up time and assignments required.

12. Next Steps?

13. Dropout Committee MeetingMarch 8, 2012New Hanover County Board of Education Center1:30 – 3:30 WHO I. Middle School Attendance Policy Lisa Burriss II. In-School Suspension Beau McCaffray III. Next Steps

14. ISS & the Anna Karenina Principle “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Interconnected challenges are difficult to resolve but it they are not, problems will ensue.

15. Team ISS Team Mission • Research ISS Best Practices • Should ISS be managed by certified or classified school staff? • What is the optimal structure for ISS to provide instruction? • 4) How can ISS be used to reduce/eliminate/replace the presenting behavioral issues?

16. Team ISS NHCS Secondary Schools Student Support: Beau McCaffray, Hannah Manson Ashely: Tameka Delmar Laney: David Hand Murray : Patrick McCarthy, Thomas White NHHS: Todd Finn Trask: Terasa Hyman Roland Grise: Marietta Dean*, Carol Robbins Special Education: Suzanne Rilling, Betsy Stanwood Team ISS met twice since being formed at our last Dropout Prevention Task Force meeting on Feb. 9.

17. Research: ISS BEST PRACTICE Program Elements * Shared decision-making (involve all stakeholders) * A philosophy (clear rules, policies, and procedures) * Providing adequate resources and funding (i.e., environment, instructional materials, staff) is a necessity. ISS staff must have the ability to work well with all groups, esp. students. * Continuous program monitoring by the ISS teacher, counselor, and social worker is essential. * Utilize ISS for up to 10 days. * Students should be referred for more serious, not minor, infractions. * A consistent referral process that includes student demographics, length of stay, infraction, etc. is needed. * Consistent counseling is provided emphasizing problem solving. * Evaluation components are used to measure and analyze program benefits ( i.e., behavioral, changes, reduction in referrals and suspension) through accurate record keeping. * One certified staff member consistently manages the referral process. * Principal is supportive. * Academic work is constantly providedfor continuity of learning. * Parents are involved immediately.

18. ISS Best Practice Models/Programs/Approaches Peer Mediation train students to resolve conflicts and gives them the responsibility and authority (monitored) to work with student conflicts. Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supportshttp://www.pbis.org/ components: •Prevention: Clear behavioral expectations are accompanied by a reward system for appropriate behavior, such as compliance with school rules, respectful student interactions, and academic effort. •Continuum of discipline: A consistent continuum of disciplinary consequences is used along with more intensive supportive re-teaching of students with problem behavior, with more intense efforts with students showing the greatest need. •Data-based decision-making: Accurate information about student behavior is used to develop the most effective preventive and supportive strategies for students. • See the pbismaryland.org powerpoint : http://goo.gl/UBZtK Cooperative Discipline. Develop Safe and caring classrooms and create solutions to class disruptions. Learning objective: Identify and teach strategies teachers can use to influence students to choose responsible behavior. The Theory: Students misbehave for a purpose; need to belong and to have a voice in decisions that affect them.

19. TEAM ISS Meeting Results: More Information Needed Survey secondary schools’ ISS managers for information (policies, data, forms) on their current ISS program. Students in ISS were also surveyed by Suzanne Rilling Each secondary school naturally has their own approach to ISS and employs best practices. ISS managers were thrilled to be asked to share their programs: Hoggard: ISS Contract Laney: The Dean NHHS: Principals Academy RG: Behavior Reflection and Redirection Murray: Relationships + Innovation

20. MURRAY MIDDLE SCHOOL ISSPatrick McCarty Thomas White

21. ISS Needs/Next Steps • Best Practice Training for ISS Instructors and schools (SIT role?). • Survey Teachers for input on refining their school’s ISS program. • Reframe ISS manager’s role as an ISS Instructor (Cert v. Class?) • FIT collaborates with ISS Instructor when appropriate • Use of technology to make ISS more effective and efficient. • Continue to develop/research ISS as a Response To Instruction • (RTI) intervention • Suggestions from the • Dropout Prevention Task Force • As to the Next Steps for TEAM ISS?