Enrollment Information
ADMISSION OF STUDENTS
Students will be required to provide proof of residency in the Butler R-V School District at the time of their enrollment. As defined in the Safe Schools Act, residency means the student physically resides within the school district in the domicile of a parent or court-appointed guardian.
ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT
A child must be five years old before August 1 of the school year in which he or she plans to enroll to be admitted to kindergarten and six years old before August 1 to be admitted to first grade. Students who are entering kindergarten or first grade are encouraged to pre-register in the spring prior to the fall semester in which they are to begin attendance. Parents will be required to present their child’s birth certificate or some other acceptable proof of age.
Children new to the district may enroll August 8 or 9 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Parents should bring their child’s birth certificate, immunization records, social security number, and proof of residency when enrolling. Children who attended school in the Butler R-V School District last year do not need to re-enroll.
Kindergarten Round-up will be August 11 at 6:30 PM in the multipurpose room.
Back-to-School Night (for children in grades 1-6) will be August 16. We ask that parents go directly to their child’s classroom at the times listed below.
Parents of Preschoolers, 1st and 2nd graders should meet at 6:00PM.
Parents of 3rd and 4th graders should meet at 6:45PM.
Parents of 5th and 6th graders should meet at 7:15PM.
JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
Seniors must pick up their schedules in the counselor’s office where all seniors will complete a survey and briefly meet with the counselor regarding graduation status and post-secondary plans. Seniors may pick up their schedules between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. or between 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on the following dates:
Tuesday, August 2
Wednesday, August 3
The following dates have been scheduled for students in grades 8-11 to pick up their schedules and get locker assignments for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year. Report to the high school principal’s office. on the following dates:*
Juniors Thursday., Aug.4 and Friday, Aug. 5, 8:30-11:30AM and 12:30-3:00PM
Sophomores Monday, August 8, 8:30-11:30AM
Freshman Monday, August 8, 12:30-3:00PM
8th Grade Thursday, August 11, 8:30-11:30AM and 12:30-3:00PM
*Students with scheduling conflicts or those students who wish to change their schedules should report to the counselor’s office immediately after picking up their schedules in the main office.
7th Grade Orientation for students and their parents will be held Wednesday, August 10, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. in the Butler High School Auditorium. During the orientation, students will receive their schedules and locker assignments.
New student enrollment takes place in the high school counselor’s office from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the following dates:
Tuesday, August 9
Wednesday, August 10
A parent must accompany the student and bring a copy of the student’s birth certificate, immunization records, proof of residency, social security number, and if possible, school records and credit information.
General Information
**Sections which have changed from previous years are marked with **.
**SCHOOL DAY
Elementary School: Doors open for breakfast at 7:40 AM. Classes at the elementary building begin at 8:10 AM. For afternoon dismissal, car riders are dismissed at 3:05 PM. Bus riders are dismissed at 3:10; walkers dismissed at 3:15.
Thursday Early Dismissal: Car riders dismissed at 1:45 PM. Bus riders are dismissed at 1:50; walkers dismissed at 1:55.
High School: Doors open for breakfast at 7:30 AM. High school classes begin at 7:50 AM and are dismissed at 2:55 PM.
Thursday Early Dismissal: High school classes dismiss at 1:36 PM on Thursdays.
STUDENT DISCIPLINE
The Butler R-V School District has specific disciplinary guidelines. These guidelines will be reviewed with students at the beginning of the school year. Parents are urged to read the student handbook and contact the building principal if questions or concerns exist.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Class attendance is important at all grade levels. Students must be in class in order to experience the full benefits of instruction and class discussion. The district recognizes the importance of attendance and monitors student absences closely. Excessive absences will have an impact on grades and credit. Contact the building principal for detailed information about this important issue.
**FOOD SERVICE
Breakfast and lunch programs are offered in all schools. Menus are posted monthly and are sent home with elementary students. Menus are also available on the school web site and in the local newspaper.
Lunch prices for the 2011-2012 school year are $1.60 for elementary students, $1.65 for high school students, and $2.05 for adults. Breakfast prices are $.85 for students and $1.05 for adults. Children from low-income families are extended meals free or at a reduced price based on Temporary Assistance/Food Stamp eligibility or according to a family size and income scale announced annually by the Secretary of Agriculture. Students who participate in the no-cost or reduced-cost meals will not be overtly identified and will have the same choice of meals as other students. Application forms for a free or reduced price lunch are available in the building principals’ offices.
Students will not be allowed to bring in food or have food brought in after classes begin in the morning. From time to time teachers may get prior approval from the building principal for students to eat in the classroom. Even on those occasions, food must be brought in by the beginning of classes.
Anyone who has questions about the food service program may contact Tina Simmons, Food Service Director, at 679-6121, Ext.165 .
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Decisions about school cancellation due to inclement weather will be made as early as possible. Information about school cancellation will be broadcast on KMAM/KMOE (92.1 FM) and on Kansas City television stations. The district will also be using a telephone calling system that will call every student’s home.
If weather conditions warrant early dismissal, announcements will be broadcast on KMAM/KMOE (92.1 FM). The telephone calling system will also be utilized to contact parents or guardians to inform them of the any early dismissals for inclement weather or other emergencies.
HEALTH POLICIES/PROCEDURES
In order to attend school, all students must be in compliance with Missouri state laws regarding proper immunization. Persons who need information or assistance with meeting immunization requirements may contact the Bates County Health Center at 679-6108.
Parents/guardians of students who require medication for chronic or short-term illness during the school day should bring the medication to the health room in the original pharmacy-labeled bottle. Parents will be required to sign a written request that the school give medication. The district will not administer the first dose of any medication. All medications sent to the school will be kept in a secure, locked container. Students are not allowed to carry any medications (including inhalers) unless a physician’s order is on file in the health office.
The school district will provide screening for vision, hearing, dental problems, blood pressure, growth and development, scoliosis, and pediculosis. Parents will be notified immediately of suspected problems.
The school nurses will maintain up-to-date health records on each student. These records will allow the school district to make timely contact with parents in case of an emergency, to provide the best and most appropriate educational services to students with significant health conditions, and to care for children’s health needs during the school day.
The district provides epinephrine pens for potentially life-threatening emergencies. All students will receive this information in their school packets on the first day of school. Parental consents will be required on a yearly basis for administration.
Persons who have questions or concerns about their child’s health needs may contact Lori West, Elementary School Nurse, at 679-6591, Ext. 170, or Joann Bell, High School Nurse, at 679-6121, Ext. 260.
STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Students who live more than one mile from their school building are eligible to ride a bus to school. The district’s transportation services meet all the guidelines established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Transportation for a student with a disability will be provided between schools if the IEP team determines that such transportation is necessary as a related service due to the student’s disability.
Students who live less than a mile from school may ride on a fee basis as long as there is room available on the bus that comes through their area. The monthly fee is $35 for the first child, $30 for the second child, $25 for the third child, etc. Parents may request a Fee to Ride form from their building principal’s office. After being approved, the students will go to the nearest bus stop to board the bus and will be left off at the same spot.
If a student misses the bus in the morning, a bus will come back after the bus has finished its route. The parents will then be charged a fee for the bus having to return to pick up the student. The fee is $10 per incident for students who are picked up in town, and $20 per incident for out-of-town students. The student may be disciplined if he or she is then late to school.
Any student whose conduct on a school bus is improper or who jeopardizes the safety of other students may have his or her privilege to transportation suspended.
Students must ride their assigned bus and must board and disembark at their regularly assigned stops unless the parent or guardian sends a note to the building principal authorizing an exception.
The section of Dakota Street that is on the south side of the elementary school is closed to through traffic in the morning until all buses have unloaded and in the afternoon until all students clear the area.
Parents who have questions about the student transportation program may contact Lisa Hager at 679-6259.
**STUDENT ASSESSMENT
The Butler R-V School District uses assessment of students for three reasons. First, assessment provides instructional information. Data concerning student performance leads to informed decision making about the content and instructional processes used in the curriculum. Second, assessment information is used in guidance and counseling. Parents, students, and professional staff can use assessment data of individual students to make realistic plans for the future goals of these students. Third, our assessment data has administrative applications. Not only can the district monitor the effectiveness of our educational programs, but also it can make wise decisions about the allocation of resources. Another administrative use of assessment information is placement of individual students in programs such as special education, gifted education, and alternative education.
The district has developed a written assessment plan that includes the names and purposes for each test, guidelines for including students with disabilities in district testing programs, specific strategies for assessing the Show-Me Standards which are not assessed through the Missouri Assessment Program, a description of how assessment results will be used and disseminated, provisions for staff development activities directly related to the assessment program, provisions for teaching test-taking skills to students, and a test security policy.
In accordance with state requirements for assessment, the district uses the MAP to test all students annually in grades three through eight in the areas of mathematics and communication arts. In addition, students in grades five and eight are assessed in science. High school students take end-of-course exams in Algebra I, English II, Biology, Algebra II, Geometry, English I, American History, Government, and Personal Finance. The EOC Assessments are based on the state’s Course Level Expectations rather than on Grade Level Expectations.
The district’s recent MAP and EOC results are available on the district web site.
Persons who want more information about the assessment program may contact Heath Oates, District Testing Coordinator, at 679-6121, Ext. 258.
STUDENT SAFETY
School district officials place a high priority on maintenance of a safe and healthful environment. The district has in place a number of procedures to ensure the safety of students. For example, all visitors to school buildings must report to the building principal’s office where they must register and receive a visitor identification badge.
The district conducts regular safety drills, including emergency procedures for fire, tornado, and bus evacuation. The district Emergency Operations Plan is on file in the superintendent’s office for review.
All science labs and the vo-ag shop are equipped with the appropriate protective equipment. Playground rules and equipment at the elementary school are designed to ensure the safety of students.
TECHNOLOGY
Instructional resources and equipment that support and extend the curriculum are readily available to teachers and students in the Butler R-V School District. All the district’s classrooms are connected to the Internet. The district’s ratio of students to Internet-connected computers is 3.3:1. The elementary building has a classroom teaching lab, an open lab, and a reading mini lab. The high school has 2 business labs, a 27-user open lab, a 15-user open mini lab, and a 12-user newspaper/yearbook mini lab. The alternative school has a 15-user mini lab. Students in grades 5-12 have access to a school e-mail account and a digital locker.
Student activities on computers are closely monitored and are limited to those activities that support or enhance the student’s education. Security systems are in place to protect students from accessing Hot Mail, Yahoo, or any outside accounts and certain sites. All students must have parental permission to use e-mail or the Internet.
STUDENT RECORDS
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are:
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.
Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
The Butler R-V School District recognizes the right of parents to restrict the release of personally identifiable information concerning their child. Unless the district receives written notification from parents, the following information will be considered “Directory Information” and is not considered an invasion of privacy if disclosed: student’s name, parent’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, grade level, major field of study, enrollment status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, honors and awards received, most recent previous school attended, and photograph. Any parents or students who choose to not have “Directory Information” released should contact the school in writing by September 1, 2009.
PROTECTION OF PUPIL RIGHTS
PPRA affords parents and students who are 18 or emancipated minors (“eligible students”) certain rights regarding our conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams. These include the right to:
Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education (ED)—
Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
Sex behavior or attitudes;
Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.
Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of—
Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;
Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.
Inspect, upon request and before administration or use—
Protected information surveys of students;
Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.
The Butler R-V School District has developed and adopted policies, in consultation with parents regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. The school district will directly notify parents and eligible students of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. The district will also directly notify parents and eligible students, such as through U.S. mail or email, at least annually at the start of each school year of the specific or approximate dates of the following activities and provide an opportunity to opt a student out of participating in:
Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution.
Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education.
Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.
Parents/eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605.
