Document #2 -Teachers Handbook PHILOSOPHY

LAUREL-CONCORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DEDICATED TO THE PURPOSE OF HELPING
EACH STUDENT DEVELOP HIS/HER POTENTIAL.  DEDICATION TO THIS PURPOSE
CREATES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION
CONSISTENT WITH THAT PURPOSE.

A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION TO FULFILL SUCH BROAD RESPONSIBILITY MUST PROVIDE
STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF PURSUING KNOWLEDGE BASIC TO ALL FIELDS
OF LEARNING.  THE PURSUIT OF SUCH KNOWLEDGE MUST BE UNDERTAKEN IN AN
ATMOSPHERE WHICH WILL DEVELOP IN THE INDIVIDUAL A SENSE OF MORAL AND CIVIC
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CULTURAL GROUP OF WHICH SHE/HE IS A MEMBER.  THIS, IN
ADDITION TO THE ACQUISITION OF FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS, IMPLIES THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SELF-DISCIPLINE, RESPECT OF AUTHORITY, AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS/HER OWN ACTIONS.

TO PROVIDE THE OPTIMUM DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS, THE PROGRAM OF
EDUCATION MUST PROVIDE FOR EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
IN TERMS OF CAPABILITIES, NEEDS, INTERESTS, AND RATE OF MATURATION.  IT MUST
ALSO BE RECOGNIZED THAT THESE DIFFERENCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN WHAT
APPEARS TO BE ALMOST A CONTINUUM FROM INFANCY THROUGH
POST-ADOLESCENCE.

Policy Re-affirmed:  December 9, 1991

The governing board believes that the effectiveness of the educational program of the school
district depends fundamentally upon an acceptable philosophic base, a set of agreed-upon
goals, and detailed objectives consistent with those goals.  Wide participation in the
development of statements of philosophy, goals, and objectives is mandated by this governing
board.  To guide the efforts of those participating under the leadership of the superintendent of
schools, the governing board adopts the following three definitions:
 

Educational Philosophy: "Philosophy" means a composite statement of the relationship
between the individual and society based upon beliefs, concepts, and attitudes from which the
goals and objectives of the district are derived.

Educational Goals: "Goal" means a statement of broad direction or intent which is general and
timeless and is not concerned with a particular achievement within a specified time period.

Objectives: "Objective" means a specific accomplishment to be reached that can be verified
within a given time and under specifiable conditions which, if attained, advances the system
toward a corresponding goal.

Policy Adopted:  December 9, 1991

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 Document #2 - Teachers Handbook

GOALS

Develop skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Gain a general education.
Develop pride in work and a feeling of self-worth.
Develop good character and self respect.
Learn to respect and get along with people with whom we work and live.
Develop a desire for learning now and in the future.
Learn how to be a good citizen.
Learn how to examine and use information.
Understand and practice democratic ideas and ideals.
Learn how to be a good manager of money, property, and resources.
Learn about and try to understand the changes that take place in the world.
Develop skills to enter a specific field of work.
Practice and understand the ideas of health and safety.
Learn how to respect and get along with people who think, dress, and act differently.
Gain information needed to make job selections.
Appreciate culture and beauty in the world.
Understand and practice the skills of family living.
Learn how to use leisure time.

Policy Re-affirmed:  December 9, 1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives

The schools shall develop means of assessing success in relation to the goals of the school
district.  School evaluation should provide educators and community members with a clear idea
of how well schools are achieving what they seek to achieve.
 
 

Policy Adopted: December 9, 1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives

Policies for the Public Schools

The Schools have established this set of board policies and administrative regulations to guide
the operation of the schools.  The policies are board-adopted statements which state what our
schools should be doing and seek to accomplish such.  The administrative regulations are
educational statements about how the staff will go about the implementation of board policies.
Also included near the end of this manual is a set of board bylaws.  They are specifically
designed to help the board govern its own conduct.

Our district is a creature of the state; hence, all laws and regulations of the state govern the
operation of our schools.  These policies, regulations and bylaws are extensions of state
requirements and are equally mandatory in our schools.

All personnel and citizens of our district are subject to these guiding statements of operation and
must adhere to them.

These policies, regulations and bylaws provide for grievances concerning them and procedures
for their change if need be.
 

Policy Adopted: December 9, 1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives

Sexual Harassment

It is the policy of Laurel-Concord Public Schools to provide an environment free of sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct or communication
constituting sexual harassment.  The purpose of this policy statement is to establish clearly and
unequivocally that the board of education prohibits sexual harassment by and of its employees
and students and to set forth procedures by which allegations of sexual harassment may be filed,
investigated and adjudicated.

Sexual harassment is a form of misconduct which interferes with work productivity and wrongfully deprives employees of the opportunity to work and students of the opportunity to study and be in an environment free from unsolicited sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other such verbal or physical misconduct.  Sexual harassment is a prohibited practice and is a violation of the law.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued guidelines interpreting Section
703 of Title VII as prohibiting sexual harassment.  Sexual harassment is defined in those
guidelines as follows:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favor, and other verbal or physical misconduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when

 1. submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or
     a term or condition of an individual's employment.

 2. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an
     individual is used as the basis for employment
     decisions affecting such individual, or

 3. such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably
    interfering with an individual's work performance or
     creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working
     environment.

It shall be a violation of school district policy to harass another person sexually, to permit the
sexual harassment of an employee by a non-employee or to harass or permit the harassment of
a student sexually.  Sexual harassment may take many forms, including, but not limited to:

1.  verbal harassment or abuse.

2.  subtle pressure or requests for sexual activity.

3.  unnecessary touching of an individual, e.g. patting, pinching,
     hugging, repeated brushing against another person's body.

4. requesting or demanding sexual favors accompanied by implied
  or overt threats concerning an individual's employment or
  student's status.

5.  requesting or demanding sexual favors accompanied by implied
  or  overt promise of preferential treatment with regard to an
  individual's employment or student's status.

The school district can be held responsible for acts of sexual harassment by supervisors and
agents regardless of whether their supervisors knew or should have known of the harassment.
The school district can be held responsible for acts of sexual harassment between co-workers
when supervisors knew or should have known of the misconduct.  The school district can also be
held responsible for sexual harassment of teachers or employees by non-employees when
supervisors or agents knew or should have known of the misconduct and failed to take
immediate and appropriate corrective action.

In meetings with teachers and employees or counseling sessions with individuals relating to
sexual harassment, the principal or supervisor should state that a teacher, employee or student
who believes that harassment exists or has a grievance or a question is free, and in fact
encouraged, to discuss the matter with the supervisor at the next higher organizational level,
principal, or superintendent of schools or a member of the board of education with whom he or she feels comfortable in reporting the issue.

Policy Adopted:  December 9, 1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives

Communicable Diseases

The Laurel-Concord Public Schools recognize they have a responsibility to insure that a safe
environment is provided for everyone.  Safeguarding the rights of all students to an appropriate
free public education and the rights of a staff to be employed in a safe, healthy environment will
be an ultimate goal.

In communicable disease control the school district shall cooperate with the Nebraska
Department of Education and county and state health departments in developing and
implementing procedures for the control of communicable disease in the schools.  Procedures
shall be based on recommendations of the U.S. Public Health Service Center for Disease
Control and shall conform with regulations established by the Nebraska State Health
Department.  This shall include procedures for taking appropriate action when a potential
exposure to a communicable disease occurs within the school setting and procedures for
handling blood and body fluids regardless of whether individuals are known to have a
communicable disease.

The policy shall be reviewed and updated according to current medical knowledge.

Legal Reference: 
79-4,133 through 79-4,138 Physical examinations
79-470
79-1253
Public Law 94-142
Nebraska Public Health Code

Policy Adopted:  December 9, 1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives
Communicable Diseases
School District Employees

1. In general, an employee having a communicable disease will be
 allowed to continue employment in his or her usual setting
 with the approval of his or her physician stating that the
 disease is not in a communicable state and does not endanger
 students or other employees.  The physician must be an M.D.

2. No medical evaluation shall be required of an employee or
 potential employee without reasonable cause to believe that
 he or she is an infected individual.  Sexual orientation shall
 not constitute reasonable cause.

3. The privacy of the employee will be protected, and knowledge
 that an employee is infected will be confined to persons with
 a direct medical need to know as determined by the panel of
 persons described below.

4. Any employee who presents a high risk of disease
  transmission, or who is at risk, shall have access to a
 communicable disease panel of persons selected to deal with
 modification of the employment conditions or setting if there
 is a disagreement regarding such modification.  The panel shall
 be made up of the employee, the employee's personal physician,
 the employee's representative, a physician representing the
 school district, a representative of the district's central
 administration, and a representative of the board of education.
 The panel's decision regarding the employment modification
 shall be implemented.

5. The above communicable disease panel will be activated when
 requested by an employee or when the physician representing
 the school district confirms that the employee's work plan
 needs to be modified and the employee disagrees.

6. The school district will pay for involuntary referral to a
 physician for diagnostic or evaluative purposes.

7. This policy and regulations about AIDS  are based on present
 knowledge, current laws and the recommendations presented
 by the Nebraska Department of Education.  In light of updated
 information necessary revisions may be required periodically.

8. The school district will provide inservice training and follow-
 up activities on communicable diseases to all school personnel
 as appropriate.

9.   Infected school staff will be considered on an individual basis.
 The team approach, as specified above, will be implemented.
 In addition to other health factors, the nature and scope of
 duties will be considered in making recommendations.  Failure
 to report and release health information could result in sus-
 pension with pay or other employment sanctions, including
 termination of employment.  Prior to any suspension taking
 effect, the employee will be given related information that the
 district has and the employee will be presented with an
 opportunity to respond.

Students

1. In general a student with a communicable disease will be
 allowed to attend school in his or her usual class setting
 with the written approval of the student's physician stating
 that the disease is not in a communicable stage and does
 not endanger others.  Without this written statement, a
 student with a communicable condition is subject to
 emergency exclusion.  The physician must be an M.D.

2. No medical evaluation shall be requested of a student with-
 out reasonable cause to believe he or she is an infected
 individual.  Sexual orientation shall not constitute
 reasonable cause.

3. The privacy of the student and his or her family will be pro-
 tected, and the knowledge that a student has a communicable
 disease will be confined to those persons with a direct
 medical need to know.

 If it becomes necessary to inform others, those persons will
 be provided with information concerning necessary pre-
 cautions and will be made aware of confidentiality require-
 ments.

5. Decisions regarding the modification of the educational
 setting for a student will be based on the behavior,
 neurological development and physical condition of the
 student, and the expected type of interaction with others
 in that setting.

6. The school nurse will function as a liaison with the student's
 physician as necessary and will coordinate the risk manage-
 ment procedures within the school district.

7. During the time the student is excluded from the classroom
 an appropriate alternative or adjustment to the student's
 education will be provided.  Long-term cases will be reviewed
 monthly at a minimum.

8. The superintendent shall contact the parents to determine if
 their child is to continue to receive educational services from
 within this district.

9. If the infected student is to continue to receive educational
 services from within the district, the superintendent shall
 immediately convene a planning team which shall prepare a
 personal education program for the student.  The planning
 team shall include the student's parents and/or guardian, the
 student's personal physician or other medical consultant, the
 school nurse, the principal, the school board president, and
 the school guidance counselor.

10. The team shall receive a medical overview of the student's
 condition and listen to the concerns and desires of the parents
 or guardian of the student.  The team shall then consider the
 physical conditions, behavior and neurological development of
 the student and the interaction with employees and other
 students before developing an educational plan and recommen-
 dations for the superintendent of schools.

11. The plan should include recommendations for the student, the
 family, the principal, the teachers, other students, the
  custodian, and recommendations concerning the district, rest-
 room facilities, lunchroom facilities, transportation, public
 relations, the nature of the class offering (i.e., physical edu-
 cation, home economics and sports), and any emergency pro-
 cedures.

Legal Reference:  Nebraska Public Health Code Public Law 94-142
Also see the following documents available in the administration office:
1. Procedures for Exclusion/Readmission for Commuicable/Contagious Diseases
2. Techniques for Disposing of Materials Contaminated with Body Fluids.

Rule re-affirmed & approved: December 9, 1991

It shall be the policy of Cedar County School District No. 54 to annually prepare a written report
for publication as set forth in the district's policy pertaining to School System Performance;
Evaluation and Improvement Policy.  The Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools
shall confer or, if the district has no Superintendent of Schools, the Board may designate such
other appropriate professional assistant, such as the County Superintendent, the principal,
private consultants, or other person trained in the area of education to assist the district in
issuing a report consisting of the following:

 1. Student performance, including but not limited to the
  results of student testing by way of a standardized
  norm-referenced assessment instrument, criterion-
  referenced assessment instrument, and such other
  evaluations, whether comparative or criterion oriented
  in nature, as the Board shall deem appropriate.

 2. A statement of school system demographics, which may
  include such things as student distribution by age, grade
  level, and an identification of any population growth, or
  situations which may have impact on the school district.

 3. Such financial information the Board deems appropriate
  such as tax levies, budget totals, cash reserves, totals
  expended on salaries in the aggregate, and funds
   expended in a given year on equipment and supplies.  

Policy  adopted:  December 9, 1991

Post Graduation Followup

It shall be the policy of Cedar County School District No. 54 to conduct a follow up of its
graduates at least every three years.  Such procedures for follow up shall be approved by the
Board after recommendations for carrying out such a plan have been presented to the Board by
the Superintendent of Schools and if the Superintendent chooses, with the advice of the
guidance counselor.  If the school district does not have a Superintendent, the Board may
designate such other personnel as it deems appropriate including but not limited to the principal,
County Superintendent, or any independent contractors or other personnel with training in the
area of education.

Policy adopted:  December 9, 1991

Standardized Norm-Referenced Assessment Instrument

It shall be the policy of Cedar County School District No. 54 to use the CTBS Survey of Basic
Skills as the standardized norm-referenced assessment instruments for grades 4-12.  The Superintendent of Schools shall recommend to the Board of Education after consultation with such other persons as he/she deems appropriate including but not limited to the guidance counselor which grades in each of the three groups shall be selected for assessment by the standardized norm as referenced assessment instruments set forth herein.

In the event the Superintendent of Schools after consultation as herein referred to recommends
to the Board of Education a change as to the standardized norm-referenced assessment
instrument, such recommendation shall be made at the August meeting next preceding the
commencement of the school year or at such later time as the Board of Education and
Superintendent of Schools may deem appropriate.

The results of such standardized norm-referenced assessment instruments shall be reported in
the manner as described in the district's policy pertaining to School System Performance;
Evaluation and Improvement Policy.

Policy adopted:  December 9, 1991

School System Performance; Evaluation and Improvement Policy

 It shall be the policy of Cedar County School District No. 54 to provide to the residents of
the district the following information:

 1. The results of the standardized norm-referenced assess-
  ment instrument used by the district in such grades as it has
  been administered in grades 4-6, grades 7-9, and grades 10-12
 respectively.

 2. The results of such criterion-referenced assessment
   instruments as are used by the district to show acquisition of
  competencies in reading, writing, and mathematics and any
   such other criterion-referenced assessment instruments as
   the district may from time to time elect to issue.

 3. A report pertaining to the school district including but not
   limited to student performance, school system demographics,
  and financial information.

 4. The results of periodic follow-up studies of the graduates of
  the district indicating such information as the Superintendent
  of Schools, subject to approval by the Board of Education may
  deem appropriate.

 5. A report on the results of the district's written plan for
   assessing learning climate of the district through such school
  and community surveys as may be from time to time carried
   out by the district showing areas of satisfaction and
   dissatisfaction of the patrons of the district.

The district shall report the information referred to in this policy by way of publication in a
newspaper of general circulation in the school district, by newsletter, or such other reasonable
means as the board may deem reasonably calculated to notify the residents of the district of
such information.  Nothing herein shall be construed to require that all such information be
simultaneously published or that each item of information hereinabove referred to be published
in the same manner.

A summary of materials available for public review shall be maintained in the office of the
superintendent for review upon reasonable request by any resident of the district.

Nothing herein shall be construed to vest in any resident of the district or any other person
any access to information which would violate any applicable state or federal law pertaining to
personally identifiable data of any student of the district or which would in any manner violate the rights of privacy of any person.

Policy adopted:  December 9, 1991

School Patron Survey

It shall be the policy of Cedar County School District No. 54 to survey school patrons to
determine areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.  Such survey instrument may be developed
by the Superintendent of Schools and shall be approved by the Board of Education for issuance
to the school patrons or, if the Board so chooses, to the community as a whole.  The Board may,
in addition to developing its own survey instruments, retain such other consultants or other
personnel as the Board deems appropriate to conduct such surveys as shall be issued under this
policy and to compile the results and report the results as set forth in the School
System Performance; Evaluation and Improvement Policy.

Policy adopted:  December 9,  1991

Philosophy-Goals-Objectives

Goals/Objectives for Student Accomplishment

Definition of goals is a necessary step in program development.  Equally necessary is a
plan of assessment of accomplishment.  Accordingly, the school district shall insure that
progress for each student is assessed in a realistic and consistent pattern.  School evaluation
should involve measures of how well individual students are progressing toward goals of the
district and specific curricular objectives.  Evaluation plans shall include more than standardized
achievement tests.  Measures shall deal also with effectiveness of communication, computation,
reasoning, responsibility, arts and humanities, physical and mental well-being, and learning to
learn programs.

Policy Adopted: December 9, 1991

Affirmative Action Plan/Non-Discrimination

It is the policy of the district to foster the employment of all employable persons on the basis
of merit, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, or age.  This
policy  also does not require any employer, employment services, labor organization, or joint
labor-management committee to grant preferential treatment to any individual or group because
of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or age.

The Laurel-Concord School District shall not 1) refuse to hire, or discharge, or otherwise
discriminate against any individual because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin
or age; or 2) limit, segregate, or classify employees in any way to deprive an individual of
employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect status because of race, color, religion,
sex, disability, national origin or age.

Nebraska Statute does not require affirmative action to correct imbalances based on race,
color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or age, and no such action is implied by policy.

The district shall not discriminate in notices of employment.

Every contract to which the school district is a party shall contain a provision requiring the
contractor or subcontractor not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for
employment.

The district shall not discriminate in provisions of or availability of programs or facilities and
shall comply with Title IX.

Grievance procedures are provided for any or all persons who have a grievance or
complaint against the school district.  (See also 4118.111 and 4218.111).

Legal Reference:  Title VII Civil Rights Act as amended by Title  IX, Equal Employment
Opportunity Act.
Executive Order 1124
Equal Day Act
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act).