2016 -2017

O. T. Bright School
Teacher/Staff Handbook

Home of the Bulldogs

O. T. Bright ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
10740 S. Calhoun Avenue
Chicago, IL 60617
773-535-6215

Alicia Lewis- Principal

Dr. Pamela Sanders Assistant Principal
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O. T. Bright Elementary School

Alicia Lewis
Principal

Dr. Pamela Sanders

Assistant Principal

While we welcome your input on the contents of this handbook, the policies and procedures have
been designed to facilitate the daily operations of Bright Elementary School. Many of these policies
are essential to operations and therefore must be adhered to without fail. Failure to comply is
subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the CPS Employee Discipline Code.

TEACHER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Staff members are reminded that the payroll is done via the Kronos System. Therefore, it is imperative
that all staff members swipe in and out every day using the IDPlus Card. All staff must have an
IDPlus Card. (New staff see the clerk for details on obtaining the IDPlus Card) Teachers MUST
swipe in by 9AM and swipe out at 4 PM even if they plan on staying later. Actual time is
recorded on the time sheets.
Do not swipe in attendance for any staff members other than yourself. This is a very serious
offense. This offense carries a negative consequence as per the "Employee Discipline Code."
EVERY staff member must sign out anytime he/she leaves the building and sign back in upon
returning.
All Teachers
Swipe in 9 AM
Swipe out 4 P.M.
45 min. daily duty-free lunch period
Career Service-Aides and Clerks
Swipe in designated arrival time
Swipe out designated departure time
Lunch 30 minutes
Breaks --- Teacher Assistants two 10 min. breaks daily . . . SECAs two 15 min. breaks
Teachers are expected to pick students up promptly at 9AM outside. During inclement weather,
teachers are expected to pick up their students at the designated location promptly at 9 AM.
Breakfast in the classroom should begin immediately once students are in the classroom and end
no later than 9:15 AM.
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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF TEACHERS

Teachers and staff are to assume responsibility for their assigned duties as outlined in their job
descriptions as well as duties given to them by the principal or the principals designee.
ABSENCE REPORTING PROCEDURES (TEACHERS)
Should the occasion arise when you cannot report to work due to illness or personal business, you must
follow the procedures delineated below when reporting your absence to the appropriate personnel.
Login to AESOP using your ID# and your birth month and day. Please make every effort to call the
school before 7:40 a.m. Note: The earlier you request a substitute the more likely your request
will be filled.

THEN, call Bright School (773) 535-6215

State your name - Give reason for absence(s) - illness or personal business

Indicate when you will return to work

Indicate the approximate time you requested a substitute through AESOP

If you must be absent due to school business (attending a conference, workshop, or meeting),
please obtain written administrative approval and present it to the payroll clerk prior to your
absence.
To end an extended absence, call Bright School before 2:00 p.m. on the day before you intend to return
to work so that the substitute can be released. When a substitute is retained because of an anticipated or
continued absence, the substitute is entitled to work that day. Teachers who fail to notify the school
prior to their intended return to work or teachers who fail to cancel a substitute in the event that their
anticipated absence changes may receive a salary deduction of a day's pay.
Early Departure: Requests for early departures will be considered for emergencies ONLY.
Scheduled appointments are NOT considered an emergency. If you need to schedule an
appointment out of the building during the school day, please plan ahead to take a sick or
personal day, so that a substitute teacher can be retained. While ESPs do not get substitute
replacements for early departures or half days, the aforementioned policy is applicable.
ABSENCE PROCEDURES (STUDENTS)
Improved attendance is a major goal again this year. Please stress to students the importance of being in
school on time daily. When a child is absent, the parent is asked to notify the school by phone. In
addition, a note from the parent or guardian must be presented the day following the absence (the day
the student returns to school). If a student has been absent for more than three days, notify the office
in writing, so that proper action can be taken.
Attendance must be completed every day in IMPACT. A student is considered tardy after 9:00 a.m. If
you have been unable to communicate with a parent and wish to have a home visit made, send a note to
the office for the social worker. It is very important to maintain communication with each child's
parent/guardian regarding truancy.

Teaches are responsible for notifying the office of 5 and 10 day unexcused absences. Note:
Please send copies of all parent notes regarding absenteeism to the main office daily. These notes
will be kept in the students attendance folder in the main office as mandated by the CPS.
ASSEMBLIES
Assemblies are an integral part of our instructional program. They allow us to share the exciting things
we are doing at Bright Elementary School. Performances must be linked to the curriculum and the
theme of the assembly. Teachers will plan a program that highlights aspects of students achievement
during the year. We would like to give each child the opportunity to participate. This is an excellent
means of getting parents involved in school. Assemblies will be planned and coordinated by
assigned teachers throughout the year. Students should memorize songs, poems, lines etc. Students
should be taught to project their voices. Please see the attached assembly schedule and plan
accordingly.
ATTENDANCE
Good attendance is essential for academic success. Please encourage your students to attend school
daily and be on time. Attendance incentive boards should be prominently displayed in classrooms.
Monthly perfect attendance reports should be submitted to the main office by the 1st of each month.
Note: Six (6) clock hours of instruction is required for a full day of attendance. A minimum of 3
hours of instruction is required for a half day. Students arriving after 10:30 AM will be
marked for a half-day of attendance. Note: Attendance is an important element of our school
Scorecard. Please take extra care to ensure tardy students are marked present.
AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS
All available audio-visual materials must be signed out in the main office under the supervision of Ms.
Turner and the TechCo. Make all requests at least a day in advance. Same day requests will not be
honored. Report all damaged equipment to the office immediately. Overhead projectors, LCD
projectors DVDs and VCRs are available for educational use in the classroom. Use of noneducational movies or videos MUST be cleared with the principal or her designee. Requests for
movies from the Board lists can be made through the office. Information and instructions for ordering
are in the Audio-Visual Catalogs that are available in the main office.
BOOK REPORTS
Reading for enjoyment is a habit we want every child to acquire. Encourage your students to read for
pleasure every evening. We want to instill a life-long love of reading and learning. The amount of
reading done outside of school has consistently been found to relate to growth in vocabulary, reading
comprehension, verbal fluency and general information (Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding 1988;
Greaney 1980; Guthrie and Greaney 1991; Taylor, Frye, and Maruyama 1990). Students who read
independently become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have
greater content knowledge than those who do not (Krashen 1993; Cunningham and Stanovich 1991).
To improve students reading, book reports will be required of every student WEEKLY for
homework SY 2016 - 2017 as part of the literacy program. These reports must be graded and
feedback must be given to students. Make this activity interesting and fun. An appropriate format
will be available for each grade level for student use or you may use your own. Books are available
both in the library and in classroom library collections. Please encourage your students to visit the
Public Library. Samples of book reports are subject to administrative review biweekly.
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BULLETIN BOARDS
Bulletin boards must reflect the instruction taking place in the classroom and the school. Boards
must include a caption that pertains to the subject matter taught and a scoring rubric. The
appropriate Learning Standard MUST also be posted on the board. Bulletin boards should be
grade/age appropriate and spotlight current student work. They should also be attractive, stimulating
learning centers, not mere decoration. The best of compositions, exemplary art work and examples of
student class work should be displayed; however graded materials may be posted in the hallways.
Please keep boards current, appropriate, and avoid commercial materials. Plan to have new bulletin
board displays up by the 1st school day of each month. If the 1st day month falls on a weekend or
holiday, plan to your new board posted by the last day of the prior month.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
There is a real need to teach and instill moral values in our curriculum. Children need to be taught how
to behave responsibly in our society. Key concepts, (see CPS Character Education resources) are to be
integrated into the core content of the curriculum on a consistent and on-going basis. The concepts
taught should be age appropriate and relevant to the challenges you and your students are faced with on
a regular basis. Students should engage in activities that lead to the development of their character.
Evidence of Character Education instruction should be included in teacher lesson plans.
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS POLICY MANUAL ITEMS
Member Acceptable Use of the CPS Network ---- Sets forth the standards governing CPS members
use of the CPS Network Related Technologies and Access system. (See Member Acceptable Use of the
CPS Network attachment)
Reporting of Child Abuse And Child Neglect ---- Provides a comprehensive policy on the reporting
of suspected cases of child abuse and child neglect by school personnel and others responsible for the
childs welfare. (See Reporting of Child Abuse and Child Neglect attachment)
CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION
Classrooms should be attractive, motivating and stimulating to promote student learning. Classroom
environments should be representative of the interesting educational activities that are taking place. All
classrooms must have data walls, learning centers, including classroom lending libraries, media
centers, creative writing centers, and where appropriate, centers for math, science, and social
Science. Students are to actively engage in these centers throughout the school day.
The classroom library should be easily identified and contain a variety of books. Remember the
classroom library must be a functional lending library with an established checkout system.
There should be a system in place to monitor the use of the books and to record the books that
students have read. Goals should be set for the number of books to be read for the year and
students should be required to read a minimum of 25 books this year. Please make this a top
priority.
Each classroom must have an area where written compositions and/or creative writing assignments
are displayed. This area must include a writing rubric. Papers should be changed frequently to
reflect current work to give very child an opportunity to have his/her best work displayed. Primary
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grades classrooms should have a writing table where children can go to write and dictate stories to
aides or volunteers. Additionally, each classroom will have learning centers for Computer, Literacy,
Math, Science and Social Studies and cross-curricular word walls. All learning centers must be
clearly labeled.
Learning Centers: Key Points (Policastro, 2012)

Area designated for a specific learning purpose (based on needs of students)

Appropriate materials to enable learners to explore and work independently and in small groups

Center activities should allow for open-ended inquiry

Engage students in tasks as active learners

Provide students with choice in activities

Have on-going routines daily

Connected to the classroom literacy, math, science etc. programs

Clear and concise directions for students to follow

Suggested website for Literacy Center using technology www.storylineonline.net

Student work that has a letter grade of C or better should be exhibited in an attractive manner and
samples of all subject matter taught in the classroom should be included. Our goal is to encourage and
recognize excellence in all subject areas. Make your classroom an exciting place in which students can
actively participate and learn.
The media center should be properly maintained and cared for as the equipment can be easily damaged.
CLASSROOM NEWSLETTERS
Every teacher must send home a monthly classroom newsletter the first Friday of each month.
Newsletters are to inform parents/guardians about the learning activities that will be taking place during
the month and to provide parents/guardians with the necessary information to support and reinforce
instruction. Newsletters should also include the relevant performance descriptors for each subject
taught. Submit your newsletter no later than 9:30 AM on the first Wednesday of the month to
allow time for Admin review and approval. This is a non-negotiable. Remember to SAVE your
newsletter on a disk or jump drive in case there is a need for edits or modifications. The following
is not an acceptable excuse for not being prepared: My newsletter is on my computer at home.
Teachers will share newsletters during grade cluster meetings to develop examples of best practices as
it relates to classroom newsletters. NOTE: Newsletters are due in the Main Office the Wednesday
before the distribution date for review and editing. No exceptions please.

COLLABORATION/CONSULTATIVE LOGS
Copies of Collaboration and Consultative Logs are due in the Main Office every Monday mornings by
9 AM. Teachers and ESPs MUST submit these logs to the Main Office weekly.

Definition of collaboration: The process of meeting to plan and share responsibilities to meet the
needs of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

Purpose of Collaboration Log: To document all collaboration among staff regarding

implementation of least restrictive environment (LRE) for students with disabilities (SWDs). It is
to be completed by general education teachers, special education teachers, related service
providers, and itinerant special education staff, as applicable.

Definition of consultation: The special education teacher or related services staff providing
information strategies, and/or support to the regular education teacher concerning
instructional/behavioral techniques specific to the needs of students with disabilities.

Purpose of Consultative Log: To document consultation between special education

teachers/related service providers and general education staff regarding students with disabilities
(SWDs).

Teacher Collaboration: It is expected that teacher teams will schedule collaboration meetings
once a week and be prepared to discuss any pertinent curriculum and instruction related to
matters impacting the teacher team and/or students at the grade level meeting. Meeting notes
should be submitted to the Main Office immediately following the meeting.

Please note CPS will be introducing a new service capture tool for PSRPs in SSM. Once/if the tool
goes live SY 2016 17, it will replace the Collaboration Log.

COLLECTION (Money)
Money that is collected from a child for any reason must be turned into the office the same day it is
collected (no later than 3 PM). All money collected must be placed in an envelope with the teachers
name, amount enclosed and date included.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Committees are necessary in order to plan, organize and support school programs and special events.
All staff members are asked to join a committee(s) based on their interests and talents. Members of the
Leadership Team will meet with school committees and grade clusters during designated professional
development days and common teacher planning times. Members of ALL committees MUST
designate a secretary to submit sign-in sheets and reports on each meeting to the principal by
2:00 PM the day immediately following the meeting. Other meetings should be scheduled as
necessary to complete the responsibilities of the group. Each staff member is asked to select and
actively participate on a minimum of 2 committees.

COMPOSITIONS (Student)
As an ongoing part of our literacy program, every student in grades K-8 must engage in the writing
process daily. Writing samples will be requested randomly for review. Teachers must follow a
standard writing process that includes a graphic organizer, 1st draft, edit, and final draft. Complete
class sets of students writing that includes the graphic organizer; revisions and final draft
MUST be maintained for review upon request. Samples of students writing MUST also be
included in students classroom portfolios.
CONFERENCES
Parents/guardians should schedule an appointment to meet with a teacher or an administrator. Teachers
plan to make yourselves available for conferences Monday through Friday mornings prior to 9 AM,
after 4 PM or during your scheduled preparation periods. Keep parents informed of your
availability early and often via monthly newsletters and other forms of communication. Parents
failure to schedule an appointment may result in the parent/guardian not being able to conference with
the teacher or administrator or it may result in long waits. Admin will NOT interrupt classroom
instruction to allow conferencing.
DATA WALLS
Data Walls for Reading, Math, attendance and PBIS must be posted in every classroom.
These charts are living documents and should be representative of the most recent assessments in the
abovementioned content areas. Flexible groups should reflect data displayed on these charts. To
maintain student confidentiality students names should not be displayed. Use of numbers or other
identifying information known only to the student and teacher should be used. Data Walls may also be
used to display other data as needed. *** PBIS Data Charts must be created and maintained by the
classroom teacher. This chart must include a bar graph representing monthly paws received.
DISCIPLINE POLICIES
Appropriate pupil behavior is necessary in order for instruction to take place. In order to achieve this
objective, Bright School has brought in resources and supports for teachers, students and parents. All
teachers are expected to follow the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and
CHAMPS practices and methods. PBIS is a school-wide positive behavior and discipline support
system that is designed to enhance the capacity of schools to:

Educate all students, especially students with challenging social behaviors

Adopt and sustain the use of effective practices

Use knowledge of cultures to individualize instruction

Three PBIS school-wide rules guide our practices:

Be safe.

Be respectful.

Be responsible.
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These rules are to be modeled by all adults and supported through positive interactions between
adults and between students and adults. They must also be posted in all classrooms.
School-wide expectations are incorporated into a behavioral matrix and will be taught and practiced
throughout the school year. Bright School has designed a positive reinforcement system to support and
encourage students to follow the rules and expectations set by Bright School and the Chicago Public
Student Code Of Conduct.
Teachers and ESPs are responsible for maintaining discipline in classrooms, corridors, on the
playground and at any other places/times that students are under their supervision. If it is
necessary to seek assistance, please be sure to complete a discipline referral and request help from the
Security Officer, the Counselor, the Assistant Principal, and/or the Principal when necessary.
Do not use corporal punishment at any time or place students in corridors or other teachers
classrooms. Follow the steps outlined in the PBIS process and the CPS Student Code Of Conduct.
Student Code of Conduct
The Board of Education has adopted a Student Code Of Conduct, which must be explained and
distributed to every child and parent at the beginning of each school year. Please go over the code
carefully with your students before distributing it and present it to your parents at the orientation
meeting. Be sure students understand their responsibilities and the actions that will be taken when rules
are not followed. Be familiar with all aspects of the code. No actions will be taken contrary to what is
allowed in the code.
Discipline Procedures
In order to establish uniform discipline procedures school-wide, the following guidelines should be
observed:
When confronting a disciplinary problem, a staff member should first determine if the problem
represents a dangerous situation (a fight, etc.) or non-dangerous situation (insubordination, rule
breaking, etc.) If a dangerous situation exists, the staff member should take the appropriate actions to
alleviate the danger. (Buzz the office, contact security officer, contact other staff members, intervene,
etc.) Remember that the security guard is the only person in the building who can take hands-on action
to restrain a student if it becomes necessary. Teachers and staff should take steps to keep students safe
until the security guard arrives. Once the immediate danger has been removed, the staff member can
follow disciplinary guidelines.
In the event that a student needs to be removed from a classroom for any non-emergency disciplinary
reasons, the office should be contacted and an administrator, or his/her designee, will be sent to the
classroom to remove the student. Offending students should not be sent to the office nor should
these students be placed in hallways or sent to other teachers classrooms.
All classroom teachers MUST maintain a disciplinary file on each student that requires any
disciplinary actions by the teacher. This file should include all anecdotal records, a record of
parent contacts (parent contact log), infraction notices, parent conference requests, notes home,
suspension notices and all other pertinent information. This file will be used by administrative
staff to determine what actions the teacher, has taken, and what further actions are necessary.
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(Note: This file should be as complete as possible. If a teacher cannot be available for a parent/teacher
conference, an administrator should be able to conduct the conference using the information from this
file.)
Resource and specialty teachers must also follow disciplinary procedures when necessary, contact
parents, etc. However, all written records of these disciplinary actions should be given to the
classroom teacher to file in the students record. (The resource and specialty teachers should also keep
copies for their own records.)
Whenever a disciplinary problem occurs in the classroom, the teacher should employ various
appropriate strategies to manage the issues at hand. Some of these strategies could include:
o

In-class time out

Student/teacher conference

Parent notification

Other appropriate consequences

Cell phones are not be used by teachers during class time to contact parents.
All classrooms are equipped with landline phones.
No exceptions please. All classrooms are equipped with CPS phones.

If the students behavior continues to be an issue, some contact with the parent should be made. This
contact could be made by phone and a record kept in the parent contact log. If a student does not have
a working telephone number and no such number exists on the students Emergency Form, the teacher
should request assistance from the main office in order to contact the parent via mail. (Note: all
students should have a working phone number on the Emergency Form. Parents of any students
without this information should be contacted ASAP by the teacher to have this information
updated.) *Teachers MUST maintain students Emergency Forms in their classrooms at all
times.
Disciplinary Tracking and Reporting
The Discipline Referral Form is to be used for reporting/tracking student discipline problems. This
form is based on the CPS Student Code Of Conduct and delineates between disciplinary problems
that should be handled by the teacher and those that will require the assistance of the main office.
In the case of minor infractions, teacher handled issues; three unsuccessful immediate interventions
should have been tried before this form is used. Once this form is properly filled out, teachers should
place one copy in the student's disciplinary folder, and a copy should be sent to the main office.
For major, office assisted issues; this form must be used to report each event. Again, a copy
should be distributed according to the above procedure and the main office should be notified as soon
as possible (immediately in the case of dangerous situations). Remember, the teacher is the first
disciplinarian. The teacher must attempt to resolve disciplinary issues prior to seeking assistance
from an administrator and provide documentation of these intervention strategies.
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A Request for Assistance Form may be used for requesting additional interventions/strategies for
chronic misbehavior problems. Once this form is completed, one copy is to be placed in the student's
file and the remaining two copies should be brought to the office for an administrator's review. This
process should be followed by a referral to the MTSS Team.
Positive Reinforcement Programs
In order to promote proper behavior and good citizenship, Bright School has established positive
incentive programs.
The Student of the Month Program allows teachers to recognize students who have shown excellent
performance in the categories of proper behavior, completed homework, school uniform compliance
and daily attendance. Teachers should be prepared to submit their Student of the Month information at
the end of each month (last Friday of the month) so that students can be recognized. Students of the
Month should also be listed in the monthly classroom newsletters. One student per classroom per
month should be identified.
The Positive Behavior Intervention Supports Process (PBIS) will allow non-classroom teachers and
other non-teaching staff to recognize classrooms for excellent behavior throughout the building. When
a classroom is awarded a "Bulldog Paw," the classroom teacher will collect the award. The
classrooms receiving the most Bulldog Paws" will be recognized and rewarded monthly as part of the
PBIS process. Individual students may also earn Bright Bucks for going above and beyond
demonstrating good citizenship. **** Any staff member can recommend a student to who has
gone above and beyond the call of duty to receive a Bright buck. ****
DISMISSAL
All students must be dismissed on time. Parents become concerned if children are not at home when
they are expected. Urge your students to go directly home from school. If for any reason a child must
be retained, notify the parents before keeping the child. Escort your class outside and see that your
students are either on their way home, on the bus or at Boys and Girls Club before signing out.
Designated staff will supervise the outside area. Please see the separate dismissal procedure sheet for
dismissal instructions for your classroom.
DUTY (Lunchroom)
Designated staff members are assigned to supervise students during lunchtime. These individuals are
expected to report to the cafeteria at their designated time and remain until their lunch duty assignment
ends. If any teacher is consistently late picking up his/her students, this should be reported to the
Administration. Failure to pick students up on time can create scheduling problems and interfere
with the instructional program. At no time should students be left in the cafeteria unsupervised.
Staff must actively supervise students during lunch periods and should NOT be eating or sitting during
this time.
DUTY (Playground/Auditorium)
ESP and Security staff will be assigned to supervise students on the playground or in the school
from 9 AM 9:15 AM. It is imperative that staff report on time to the post designated on the duty
schedule. Safety on the playground and an orderly school entrance is a concern that affects everyone.
Please be fair to your peers and be present on duty, on time, and take this responsibility seriously.
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Assigned staff should supervise their students carefully during duty periods. Make your presence felt.
We can avoid accidents and discipline issues when students are well supervised.
E-MAIL (CPS)
CPS has provided an email address for each staff member. This email address will be used for
communications from CPS and school administrators as well as to enhance communications between
teachers, parents, and students. Teachers and staff are expected to check their CPS email
throughout the day using classroom desktop computer or lap top computers. Cell phones should
not be used to check CPS email as this violates the school policy regarding the use of cell phones
while on duty.
EMERGENCIES
Please do not send students to the office for any reason without a note and a pass. If a child is sick
and should be sent home, send the student to the main office with a note. Explain the problem and
indicate the student's phone number and emergency number. You will be notified when the parent
arrives and the child is to go home. Children are not to remain in the office during the interim. If a
serious emergency arises (i.e. fighting, severe student injury or illness, or level 3-5 infractions), notify
the office via the intercom immediately for assistance. Students should not be sent to sit in the Main
Office for any reason without Administrative approval.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP)
The Emergency Management Plan outlines the procedures to be followed during an emergency
including the clearly delineated Chain-of-Command when the principal is unavailable, established
Emergency Management Team (EMT), emergency locations, and safe passage routes. The updated
EMP will be distributed in September of each new school year.
FACILITIES

Eating is permitted in designated areas only. These areas include the staff lounge and
cafeteria. The only possible exceptions to this policy will be for specific meetings as designated
by the principal or principals designee.

All facilities requests must be submitted to the main office using the designated form for
principal approval.

CPS Policy and a City of Chicago ordinance states that smoking and the use of tobacco
products are not permitted on school property. This includes the back parking lot.

Unless there is an approved and scheduled meeting or activity, all teachers and staff must
plan to leave the school building no later than 6 p.m. This allows the custodial staff to
perform their duties without interference.

FEES
Board of Education policy requires that any fees charged must be reported (See the School Clerk for
the CPS reporting procedures). Fees cannot be charged or collected from any student without approval
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of the principal. No child can be denied participation in any activity if he/she is unable to pay. All
collections must be voluntary.
FEES (BOOKS)
Teachers will conduct book inventories at the end of each quarter. Students who have lost or destroyed
books will not receive report cards until the lost or destroyed book(s) has been paid for or returned.
FIELD TRIPS
Chicago has many interesting and significant places to visit. Classroom participation in educational
field trips is encouraged. A minimum of three field trips should be taken this year including one field
trip to a museum. Field trips are to enhance the educational program and should reflect careful
planning. Students should be closely supervised. Be sure to make plans early. Permission to take a field
trip must be obtained at least three weeks prior to the trip date. Field Trip Request Forms are available
in the office. Complete two (2) copies. When approved, Ms. Turner returns one copy to you.
Each parent must submit a signed O. T. Bright School permission slip, which includes all pertinent
information about the trip. There MUST be one adult to supervise every ten students. Please make
your own arrangements for parents to accompany your class on your trip, as it is not possible to provide
staff to help. Costs should be kept to a minimum. It is the responsibility of the classroom teacher to
secure buses. Be sure your educational goals are clearly defined on your Field Trip Request form. No
more than one field trip should be scheduled per month. A file of field trip information will be
available in the main office.
Note: ALL permission slips MUST be on file at least one day prior to the scheduled field trip.
Submit a list of non-attending students to the Main Office the day of the trip include information
regarding where the student(s) will spend the day. Work must be provided for those students
remaining at school. Phone calls to parents the day of the trip regarding permission slips will
NOT be allowed. In order to support preparation for require District wide testing, no field trip
requests will be granted during the third quarter.
FINE ARTS PROGRAM
Integrating the arts into the curriculum is an essential part of our program. Homeroom teachers and the
fine arts teacher are to collaborate regularly to develop lesson plans integrating the fine arts into the
core content areas of the curriculum.
GRADE BOOKS
All teachers are expected to keep an accurate and current record of the grades earned by each student
via the CPS electronic grade book system. Pupil progress will be checked frequently by school
administration. We must have accurate data when needed. Grades must be standards - based, aligned
with the data entered in the grade book and should reflect the classroom and CPS grading policy.
Records of completed homework should also be kept in the grade book. Minimally, each student
should have twenty (20) grades per subject entered per quarter. Teachers must assign and grade
student work that fits into the established categories e.g. projects, homework, quizzes etc. Admin
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will conduct frequent Grade Book audits. Teachers will receive audits findings upon completion
of the audits. Audit exceptions will be reviewed with teachers.
GRADING POLICY
The school wide categories for determining student grades are as follows:

Assessments 25%

Class Assignments 25%

Class Participation 20%

Homework 10%

Projects 20%

The newly established Grading Scale is as follows:

100% 90% = A

89% - 80% = b

79% - 70% = C

69% - 60% = D

Below 60% = F

Report card grades MUST reflect the sum of student work completed in each of the above categories.
Notify parents immediately when a student is failing or making unsatisfactory progress.
HALL PASSES
Any student in the corridor without an adult MUST have a hall pass. Written passes MUST include
the time, date, destination and the persons name issuing the pass.
HOMEWORK
Our school policy states that homework is assigned daily. Please plan assignments for this purpose and
indicate homework in your lesson plan. Recreational reading for a minimum of twenty minutes each
evening is also required of each student but is NOT considered homework. Follow the guidelines
stated in the Board of Education Homework Policy. Please follow through and if help is needed
contact the main office. Make homework meaningful and involve the parents. Admin will randomly
request and review graded homework assignments based on lesson plans.
INCLUSION
Bright School is a full inclusion school. Students with IEPs will to the maximum extent
appropriate, be educated with children who do not have a disability. Inclusion schedules must be
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followed without fail. Changes to the inclusion schedule require administrative approval. (See the
LRE Mandate below.)
INVENTORIES
All CPS books, resources, and equipment in the classroom are the responsibility of the classroom
teacher. It is essential that accurate inventories be maintained on all furniture, equipment, teaching
materials and textbooks. An inventory containing serial numbers and quantities should be maintained
in the classroom with a duplicate copy on file in the office. Missing/damaged technology items
MUST be reported to Administration immediately. Students are responsible for paying for lost
textbooks. Classroom inventories will be reviewed quarterly.
LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT (LRE)
LRE MANDATE
That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with
children who do not have a disability. Special classes separate schooling or other removal of
children with disabilities from the regular educational environments occurs only when the nature
or severity of the disabilities is such that education in regular classes with the use of
supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
LESSON PLANS
Lesson plans are essential for a profitable, smooth running school day. Prior planning can eliminate
disruptions and enable students to spend more time on tasks. It is important that students know what it
is that they are learning and why.
Weekly lesson plans (hard copy and electronic) are due every Monday by 9 AM, one week prior to
the week the lessons will be taught. If plans are due on a holiday Monday, plan to submit them on the
next scheduled school day. Additionally, plans are to be submitted electronically via CPS email to all
Administrators, and Special Education teachers. Note: Lesson plans must also be shared via the
Google Drive in the Lesson Plan folder.
LUNCH TICKETS/LUNCH PROGRAM
The classroom teacher must issue tickets daily to all students who receive a school lunch. It is essential
that every child receiving a free lunch presents a ticket to the Cafeteria Manager or her designee.
Distribute tickets prior to leaving the classroom for your assigned lunch period. Collect all lunch
money first thing in the morning and send it to the main office with your attendance. If necessary, the
cafeteria manager will make change and return it to you. Please arrive and leave at your scheduled
lunchtime. Teachers MUST enter the cafeteria to pick their students up at the end of their
assigned lunch period. This requires teachers to go to their assigned students lunch table, line
their students up, and quietly exit the cafeteria.

15

MTSS - PROBLEM SOLVING

All students experiencing academic and/or behavior difficulties do not have disabilities or require
special education services to meet their individual needs. In many cases, modifications to the
general education program will address students particular needs without resorting to
unnecessary evaluation or special education services. The MTSS process provides services to
children within the regular education classroom. This process uses the books that are in the
classroom; observations; checks student progress on a regular basis; monitors interventions; and
determines the need for further services. This process is designed to improve students behavior,
and identify instructional techniques to help students achieve success.
PASSWORDS
ALL CPS equipment/software that requires a username/password must be assessable to administrators
at all times particularly in event of your absence. Computers should not be locked at any time.
PERSONAL BUSINESS DAYS
Personal business time is for conducting personal business; it is not for vacation or sick day purposes.
Personal benefit time cannot be taken at staff discretion. School Administrators have of an
inherent right to monitor and regulate the use of personal benefit time.
Personal benefit time MUST be requested in advance (minimum 48 hours advance notice) except
in unforeseen circumstances. The number of staff permitted to use PB time will be limited to a certain
number and granted on a first-come basis. As a condition for requesting PB time staff must certify that
they are requesting the benefit time for legitimate personal business reasons (not for sick time unless
for a doctors appointment and sick time has been exhausted and never for vacation) and that they are
unable to schedule the business during non-school hour. Personal business days will not be approved
other than for authorized uses and will not be approved if proper protocols for the request arent
followed.
PORTFOLIOS
All teachers are to maintain a portfolio for each student. Portfolios must be outcome-based and contain
student work in all content areas that is representative of achievements throughout the course of the
year. Student work should include copies of, all school-wide assessments, writing samples, tests,
projects, and book reports. The quality of the student work, in part, will be based on the assignments
and projects given by the teacher, and also by the engagement and interest brought to it by the students.
Portfolios can be used at parent conferences to show student work and progress over time. Portfolios
should be clearly labeled and accessible. School administrators will review student portfolios every
five weeks.

16

POSTING AND DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION

Staff Members: DO NOT post or distribute unauthorized or other prohibited written materials on
school grounds without receiving permission from the principal. Please be sure to plan ahead to obtain
principal approval. You must obtain clearance if you wish to post any materials or place any materials
in staff mailboxes. Failure to do the above is cited in the "Employee Discipline Code." Clarification can
be found in Group 2 Acts of Misconduct (2-8). Consequences are: Written reprimand; Suspension
without pay 1-5 days; and/or Warning Resolution issued by the Board to employees subject to Section
34-85 of the Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/34-85. Information related to this matter can also be
found in the CTU AGREEMENT Handbook under Article 1-16 and 1-16.1 on page 10.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY
As we continue to grow and develop our school learning environment, teachers and staff are reminded
that students learn not only from what they hear but also from what they see. Teachers and staff model
for students at all times. It is essential that all teachers and staff present themselves professionally,
both in dress and behavior. The principal strongly recommends that all teachers and staff wear
clothing that presents a professional instructional environment. For example, slacks, instead of jeans or
sweats; dress shoes instead of gym shoes and flip flops; shirts with collars, instead of tee shirts; dresses
and blouses which are intended for the work place, instead of attire that is intended for evening and or
social events, and it is preferred that men wear ties. This is merely a suggestion. Note: Fridays are
designated as casual Friday. On Fridays staff is permitted to dress down. e.g. Bright polo
shirts/t-shirts, blue jeans
PUPIL ENTRANCE
The manner in which students enter the building each morning will set the tone for the day. It is most
important that we begin each day in an organized, orderly way. Every teacher is involved. All
classroom teachers will pick up students assigned to their homerooms on a daily basis. Students are to
be picked up by the classroom teachers at 9 AM at their designated areas outside or from the
designated indoor area during inclement weather. First period begins promptly at 9:15 AM.
ALL teachers must report the designated indoor area during inclement weather to pick up their
students. Students will not be released from that area otherwise.
PUPIL TARDINESS
Arriving at school on time is very important. Students are to be in their seats and ready to work
shortly after the tardy bell sounds at 9:15 AM and they have completed breakfast (no later than
9:15AM). The teacher will confer with any student who has chronic tardiness. Students must bring a
note from a parent or guardian explaining his/her tardiness. When tardiness becomes a problem (three
or more in one month), contact the parent/guardian to resolve the issues and concerns. If the problem
continues, request a parent conference. Students are considered tardy beginning at 9:16 AM.
REMEDIATION PLANS
Remediation plans must be completed each quarter for all students who are receiving grades of D or
below. The classroom teacher must keep copies of ALL remediation plans and a copy must be
17

submitted to the administration every 5 weeks with progress reports and Report Cards.
Conferences must be held with parents of students who receive Remediation Plans. Parents must
sign the plan.
RECESS
All students will have assigned recess time daily. Students MUST be supervised during recess. During
inclement weather, students will have indoor recess. (See attached duty schedule.)
REPORT CARDS
Student assessments will be monitored closely. Report cards are to be prepared and distributed every
quarter on the designated days for grades Kdg. - 8. Grades should reflect class participation,
homework, test results and effort made by each student. Parents should be notified prior to receiving
report cards if a child is failing in any subject area. (See Unsatisfactory Progress) Grades are due 48
hours before the distribution dates listed below. Due dates will be distributed.
Oct. 7, 2016 Q 1(PR)

Nov. 9, 2016 (Report Card Pick-Up)

Feb. 10, 2017 (Report Card)

March 10, 2017 Q3 (PR)

May 19, 2017 Q4 (PR)

June 20, 2017 (Report Card)

Jan. 9, 2017 Q2 (PR)

April 19, 2017(Report Card Pick-Up)

PR = Progress Report
ROSTER VERIFICATION
Roster Verification must be completed at the end of each school year. Verifying your list of
class rosters accurately represents what you taught this year, by logging in at: "Battle for Kids".
1. Complete the three-step roster verification process for each class roster:
2. Confirm which students were members of your class.
1. Indicate when the student was a member of your class.
2. Assign the percentage of responsibility you had for the instruction of those
students (all, most shared, some, or none).
3. Verify the Performance Task and students that should be attributed to your REACH
rating.
4. Resolve any outstanding alerts and submit rosters for approval.
Submit your confirmed class rosters for principal review by the established deadline. Principals
will then provide final approval.

18

SAFETY/SECURITY
All staff must use designated exits only (Main Entrance and Parking Lot for exiting). These
doors are electronically monitored. Use of other exits pose a breach of security and could put
staff and students safety in jeopardy. Note: Placing objects in the door to hold the door open is
NOT allowed. Doing so is a breach of security.
SEATING CHARTS
Maintain a copy of an up-to-date seating chart for each of your classes (if applicable) and keep it in the
middle drawer of your desk when not in use.
SMOKING
CPS Policy and a City of Chicago ordinance states that smoking and the use of tobacco products are
not permitted on school property. This includes the back parking lot and dock area.
SOCIAL WORKER
Our social worker serves our school several days a week. The social worker is available to work with
teachers, students and parents. Please contact the school counselor or a member of the Response to
Intervention Team if you need assistance.
SPED
It is required that All teachers (Gen. Ed. & SPED) print the IEPs for the students they work with
by the end of the first week of school. All teachers have access to SSM to complete this
requirement. A professional development session regarding SSM will be provided at the beginning of
each year. Note: Paraprofessionals are required to review and familiarize themselves with the
contents of the diverse learners IEPs that they work with.
Paraprofessionals (Teacher Assistants and SECAs) MUST provide support and supervision to
diverse learners based on what is written in their IEPs. This includes instructional support,
accompanying students to specials, remaining with students during specials, lunch/recess supervision
etc.
STAFF LOUNGE
The staff lounge is the only designated eating area for teachers and staff. It is also one of the few
places in the school where children are NOT allowed. It is expected that the microwave and tabletops
will be cleaned after use. Professional behavior is expected in the staff lounge.
STUDENT DRESS CODE
Enforcement of the school dress code policy is an important aspect of classroom management and
student discipline. Teachers must stress to students the importance of compliance with the policy and
19

remind them that their participation in extra-curricular activities will be eliminated for non-compliance.
Teachers are the first line of compliance authority in this endeavor, so when a student walks into
the classroom without a uniform, he/she should be concerned about the teachers consequences
before the administrators actions. ALL teachers and staff must be on board with this policy in
order to maximize success. Complete the daily Out of Uniform Form. Please maintain these
forms in a binder for Administrative review.
SUBSTITUTE LESSON PLANS
Submit emergency lesson plans to cover five days to the Main Office by Monday, Sept. 12, 2016.
Provide lessons that will reinforce the skills and concepts that you are teaching your students. Teachers
should draw on classroom texts and other resources to develop assignments, and stay away from
extensive worksheets, etc. Emergency plans MUST be reviewed and updated every quarter to
ensure the relevancy of the lessons. Be sure to include your daily schedule and a completed
Substitute Instructions Form with your lesson plans.
SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
Students are to be supervised by designated personnel at all times while they are in the care of Bright
School staff. Under no circumstances should students be left unsupervised. Students, who are given
permission by the teacher to leave the classroom for any reason, must be accompanied by a "buddy"
and carry a hall or bathroom pass. Unaccompanied students will be returned to their classroom. In
addition, the hallway is not to be used as a "timeout" or study area. Reading Nooks are the exception to
this policy.
Teachers may not place students in other classrooms for any reason without administrative
approval. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action according to the CPS employee
discipline code.
SUPERVISION OF PRE-K STUDENTS
The AM session of the Pre-K program begins at 9 AM and ends at 11:30 AM. Students arriving
before 9 AM will remain under the supervision of the Bus Aide or their parent. Students NOT
picked up at the 11:30 dismissal time will remain under the supervision of the classroom
assistant. The Main Office MUST be notified and the parent contacted by the SECA if a student
is late being picked up. Parents MUST sign their children out for late pick-ups.
Students enrolled in the PM Pre-K Program should arrive no earlier than 1:10 PM. If students
are dropped off earlier, they must remain under the supervision of the Bus Aide or their parent
OUTSIDE THE CAFETERIA. At 1:10 PM, Bright School SECAs will assume supervision of
PM Pre-K students while they eat lunch from 1:10 -1:25 PM. Bright School SECAs will escort
Pre-K students to the classroom at 1:30 PM. The PM Pre-K Program starts at 1:30 PM and ends
at 4:00 PM.

20

SUPPLIES
Teachers should utilize their CTU supply funds to purchase classroom supplies. High-need items
such as staplers, markers, bulletin board border etc. should be purchased accordingly. Bulletin
board background paper, copy paper and chart paper (budget permitting) will be supplied by
Admin.
TEACHER EVALUATION/OBSERVATION
Teachers will be observed regularly as part of the REACH evaluation process. Observations begin in
September of each year. Please keep the following relevant materials on your desk. (Lesson plans in
weekly order in a binder, grade book print out, samples of assignments, rubrics, classroom schedule
and samples of student work. Other relevant information and documents may be required.
TEACHER/STAFF INFORMATION CARD
All staff members must complete and submit to the Main Office two information cards. These cards
have been included in your packet. Completed Information Cards MUST be submitted no later
than Friday, September 9, 2016. Please write the year 2016 17 in the upper right hand corner of the
card. As your contact information changes, it is imperative that your Staff Information Card is
updated. In the event of an emergency, we will need current information.
TEACHER SCHEDULES
Your daily schedule has been included in your packet of information. It shows the grade you are
scheduled to teach this year, assigned classroom, your preparation periods and resource classes.
Please adhere to the schedule. Contact Principal Lewis or Dr. Sanders immediately to report any
scheduling conflicts. Note: Schedule changes MUST not be made without Administrator approval.
TEACHER PREPARATION PERIODS
Per the Union Contract, teacher preparation periods are to be used for professional planning and
preparation, collaboration, or conferences. Please do not leave the building during this time.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks will be distributed prior to the first day of student attendance. The rising cost of textbooks
has made it imperative that a strict inventory of books be kept. All books must be numbered before
they are assigned to students and a record of this information must be maintained. Every effort must be
made to collect money for lost textbooks. Textbook inventories will be conducted at the end of each
quarter.

21

UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS
Parents of students who are not making satisfactory progress in school MUST BE sent an
unsatisfactory progress notice after the 5th, 15th and 25th week of school. This coincides with
Progress Report distribution dates. If there is a possibility that the child will not be promoted, a
warning notice and a remediation plan must be sent home before the end of the first quarter. A signed
copy must be on file and a conference must be held with the parents to discuss the remediation plan.
Failure notices must be issued quarterly with Progress Reports and Report Cards for students in
grades 3, 6, and 8.
VISITORS
Visitors are welcome to our building. They must report to the office for a pass before going to the
classroom. For your safety, please enforce this rule and ask each visitor to present his or her pass.
Encourage parents to schedule all conferences during your scheduled preparation periods or after
school. Conferences must be completed prior to the start of class. Visitors may only visit the classroom
indicated on the Visitors Pass. Note: You will be notified via the intercom prior to a parents visit.
Visiting friends and family members must sign in and be approved by the Principal. Nonattending children should not be on the premises without Principal approval. Fulfilling your
professional responsibilities doesnt allow time for you to supervise your own child (ren).
VOLUNTEERS
All volunteers must complete a volunteer application and be approved according to the CPS policies.
Additionally, all volunteers MUST have the approval of the principal. The Clerk will notify CPS
Approved volunteers that they are approved to work with students. Generally, parent volunteers should
NOT be assigned to work in their child's classroom. Although volunteers may work with small groups
of students, it is usually not appropriate to have volunteers instruct an entire class at one time.
(An exception to this would be the volunteers who were brought in by the school for specific purposes,
such as Junior Achievement, DARE, Career Day, etc.)
WASHROOM USE
Students MUST have scheduled washroom breaks throughout the day. Students MUST be
under adult supervision during these scheduled times. Teachers should check the washrooms before
and after classroom use. Children should not be allowed to use the washroom at other times unless an
emergency arises. In the event of an emergency, students in Kindergarten through grade five
MUST go in pairs with a pass. Please note the times when you allow students to use the washroom at
times other than their scheduled times and be sure they return promptly.
WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE
The principal or her designee MUST approve all written correspondence between the school and home
(e.g. classroom newsletters, field trip requests, special activities information etc.). This does not
include occasional teacher notes to parents.
22

FINAL NOTES
We are working together toward our goal of a successful school year. By working together and giving
our best, we will reach our goals. Thank you for all your efforts on behalf of our students.

23

O. T. Bright Elementary School

Student Grading Scale

All students in grades 1-8 should be scored using the following grading scale:

A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = 59% and Below

24

Bright Elementary School Local School Council

2016 - 2017 School Year
Regular Business Meetings Schedule

Thursday
Thursday

August 11, 2016

September 8, 2016

3 PM
3 PM

Thursday

November 13, 2016

3 PM

Thursday

December 8, 2016

3 PM

Thursday

January 12, 2017

3 AM

Thursday

February 9, 2017

3 PM

Thursday

March 9, 2017

3 PM

Thursday

April 20, 2017

3 PM

Thursday

May 11, 2017

3 PM

Thursday

June 8, 2017

3 PM

Note: During a CIWP planning year, two Public Meetings will be held to review

School Improvement Plans (CIWPs).

Additional Meetings may be called as needed by the Chair or four LSC members. Agendas are
posted 48 hours prior to each regular, special and committee meeting of the O. T. Bright LSC.
*****PAC meetings are scheduled monthly*****
25

O. T. Bright School ABSENCE Reporting Sheet

Please return to the office by 10:00 AM each morning during September.

Week of: ____________
Room: _____ Grade: ____ Teacher: _____________

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Note: A student can only be reported as absent after he/she has reported to school for the first time
during the 2016 2017 school year. Students who have not shown up are considered no-shows and
must be reported on the MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE REPORTING FORM.
26

Fire Drill Procedures

O. T. Bright Elementary School 2016 - 2017
At the sound of the fire alarm signal (a continuous ringing of the alarm bell), ALL
students and staff will proceed immediately to their designated locations. Students
should exit the building in twos. Each teacher is to maintain possession of his/her
attendance roster, lead his/her class to the designated location, and immediately take
attendance. Teachers are to immediately notify school administration if there are
students who were in attendance, but missing. Upon hearing the all clear signal
(long sound of the schools regular bell tone), everyone will return to their previous
locations unless otherwise directed by the principal or principals designee. After
returning to their previous location in the building, teachers are to again take
attendance and immediately notify school administration if there are students who
were in attendance, but missing. Staff members who are free during the fire or
disaster drill will assist colleagues in moving students to their designated locations.
***Refer to the floor plans located in each classroom and the designated fire drill exit
information.
Note:
ALL APPLIANCES AND POWER EQUIPMENT MUST BE TURNED OFF
DURING A DISASTER DRILL
Note: Students must be in straight double-file lines when entering and exiting the
building during the drill. In the event that a stairway is obstructed, on fire, or
filled with smoke, the teacher should lead his/her class out through the closest
alternate route. All lines must proceed until they cross Calhoun Avenue at 108th
Street. Refer to the floor plans located in each classroom for assigned exit doors.

27

O. T. Bright Elementary School

Lesson Plan Due Dates/Weekly
2016 -2017
**PLANS FOR THE WEEKS OF SEPT. 6 -9 and SEPT. 12 - 16, 2016 ARE DUE on Tues., SEPT. 6, 2016**

Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Date Due
9/6
9/6
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
10/11*
10/17
10/24
10/31
11/7
11/14
11/21
11/28
12/5
12/12
12/19
1/9
1/17*
1/23

Week
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39

Date Due
1/30
2/6
2/13
2/21*
2/27
3/6
3/13
3/20
3/27
4/3
4/17
4/24
5/1
5/8
5/15
5/22
5/30*
6/5
6/12

Lesson plans must be emailed and submitted by hard copy to

the main office by 9 AM on Monday of each school week.
PLANS SUBMITTED MUST BE FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK.
*****Denotes special submission day due to a holiday. *****

28

O. T. BRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

2016 - 2017
ENVELOPE FOR FREE-LUNCH FORMS

Teacher ____________________

Room# _______________

TEACHERS:
Collect Free and Reduced Lunch Form Applications from
your homeroom students as they are turned in to you.
Record room number on each form and insert forms in this
envelope. DO NOT submits the forms one at a time.
Forward all forms to the Main Office.

Submit forms by Friday, September 9, 2016

29

O. T. BRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

2016 - 2017

Emergency Forms
Teachers:
Emergency Forms are to be completed by parents during the first week of the school
year. Please collect the Emergency Forms from your homeroom students as they are
turned in to you. Retain one copy for your classroom file and submit one copy to the
Main Office.
Record the homeroom number on each form in the upper right hand corner and insert
forms in this envelope. Do not submit forms one at a time. Please forward the
envelope to the Main Office.
Please submit forms by Friday, September 9, 2016.
NOTE: It is the classroom teachers responsibility to maintain current accurate
parent/guardian contact information. If you become aware of outdated
parent/contact information, please make an effort to get the correct contact
information and immediately notify the office of the situation.
Thank you,
Bright School Administration

30

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE TO
ALL CLASSROOM TEACHERS REGARDING
MEMBERSHIP
Membership applies only to those students that you have seen in your classroom this
school year. You cannot include students in your daily membership count that you
have not seen, even if they are on your class list.
Attendance applies to those students who are counted in membership and are either
present or absent on any given day.
Membership = attendees + absences
The first day a student reports to your classroom, he or she should be entered as an
E for first time enrollment this school year. If a child has not reported to school
this year, that child is a no show and his or her name should be listed at the bottom
of the office reporting form each day (see attached). That child should not be included
in your membership count.
Reminder, you cannot carry students on your attendance roster and mark them
absent if they have not reported to Bright School this school year (2016- 2017).
Example:
On the first day of school, the membership count and the attendance count must be the
same. On the second day of school, the membership count will increase ONLY if one
or more new students come to your classroom. If one student in your membership is
absent on the second day, the attendance figure should reflect that, however the
membership will not change unless you have been officially notified by the office that
the student has been transferred to another classroom or to another school.
Sept. 6, 2016
Membership: 19

Attendance: 19

Sept. 8, 2016
Membership: 23
Attendance: 22
Four (4) new students arrived and one (1) student who attended class yesterday is
absent.
31

O. T. BRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE REPORTING
(PLEASE COMPLETE DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.)
DATE: ______________
Teacher: _______________________

Room: ___________

Males: ___________

Females: __________

Membership: _______

Attendance: _________
ABSENCES

Students Name

Phone Number

1. ___________________________

______________________

2. ___________________________

______________________

3. ___________________________

______________________

4. ___________________________

______________________

5. ___________________________

______________________

NO SHOWS
Students Name

Phone Number

1. ___________________________

______________________

2. ___________________________

______________________

3. ___________________________

______________________

4. ___________________________

______________________

5. ___________________________

______________________

32

O. T. Bright Elementary School

Emergency Departures
Request for an Exception to Regular Work Schedule
Note: Emergency departures are those that occur on the day of the request.
Scheduled appointments are NOT considered an emergency, e.g. doctor,
dentist, school conferences, car repair. If you need to schedule an appointment
out of the building during the school day, plan ahead to take a personal or sick
day.
Name: _____________________________

Room Number_________

Date: ___________________________
This is to request an exception to my regular work schedule.
Please state reason (emergency) for the request and the time youd like
to depart:
Reason/Eergemcy:_____________________________________________________
Regular Departure Time: _________________________________________
Anticipated Departure Time: ______________________________________
Type of Day Requested: half or full day _____________________________
I need a teacher to cover my class at: ___________ in Room _____________
Signature of Employee: __________________________________________
Principal Approval: ____________________________________________
Note: In an emergency situation, we will try to honor your request within a reasonable time providing we can
provide classroom and/or duty coverage.

33

O. T. Bright Elementary School Request for Assistance

Student Identification
Student Name: ______________________ Room #_______ Grade: _______ Date: _________
Homeroom Teacher: __________________ Referring by: __________________________

Problem Identification
Problem:___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Actions Taken

Student Conference (documented) Dates/Times:
Parent Conference (documented) Dates/Times:
Parent/Teacher/Admin Conference Dates/Times:
Referral to Office (documented)
Dates/Times:
Other Intervention Strategies Taken: (i.e. time out, student contract, role playing, etc.- please describe):

Assistance Requested
Parent/Teacher/Admin Conference
Meet with Counselor
Further Disciplinary Action
Meet with Social Worker
Referral to SBPS (with 10 weeks documentation)
Meet with School Nurse
Schedule conference for referral to external assistance/intervention services
Other (Description):

Administrators Recommendation
Request Approved: _____

Request Denied: _____

Alternative Recommendation/Comments:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Administrators Signature: ____________________________________ Date: ______________________
34

TENTATIVE

O. T. Bright Elementary School

Assembly Schedule

Date

Theme

Grades

December 23, 2016

Winter Wonderland
All
February 28, 2017
Our History
All
June 19, 2017
End-of-the Year Awards
All
Assembly programs are the products of ALL ancillary teachers and classroom teachers
work with students. Teachers MUST send Notices to parents regarding the Assembly
beginning 2 weeks in advance of the scheduled event. Information MUST also be included
in Classroom Newsletters.
Assembly program booklets must be submitted to the principal or her designee for
approval 48 hours prior to the performance. This is the responsibility of the Assembly
Committee. Note: Performances must be reflective of the theme and related curriculum.
Special Assemblies may be added throughout the year. Review the Assembly Rubric for
specifics.
35

O. T. BRIGHT SCHOOL Parent Contact Log

(All staff members MUST maintain Parent Contact Logs)
Students Name: _______________________________________
Date/Time Person
How
Reason for Contact
Contacted
Contacted

Note: Logs MUST be available at all times for administrative review.

36

Notes

37