Bullying Prohibition (Policy 514)
CREEKSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL POLICY #514
Adopted: August 30, 2021 Creekstone Montessori School Policy 514 Revised:
514 STUDENT BULLYING PROHIBITION
I. PURPOSE
Creekstone Montessori School strives to provide safe, secure and respectful learning environments for all students in the school building, on school grounds, school buses and at school-sponsored activities. Bullying, like other disruptive or violent behavior, is conduct that interferes with a student’s ability to learn and a teacher’s ability to educate.
This policy protects students against bullying and harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, immigration status, sex, marital status, familial status, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, sexual orientation, including gender identity and expression, academic status related to student performance, disability, status with regard to public assistance, age, military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic defined in Chapter 363A. This policy also protects any student who voluntarily participates in any school function or activity, whether the student is enrolled in the school or not.
II. DEFINITIONS
A. Prohibited conduct (“bullying”) means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students creating an actual or perceived imbalance of power between the student engaging in bullying and the target of bullying that has or can be reasonably predicted by repeated forms or pattern to have one or more of the following effects:
1. Placing the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or property. 2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health. 3. Substantially interfering with the student’s educational opportunities and performance. 4. Substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school. Bullying may take various forms, including without limitation, one or more of the following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.
B. “Cyberbullying” means using electronic information and communication technologies to bully. This may include, but is not limited to a transfer of a sign, signal, writing, image, sound, or data, including a post on a social network, Internet, website or forum, transmitted through a computer, cell phone, or other electronic device.
C. “Remedial response” means a measure to stop and correct prohibited conduct, prevent prohibited conduct from recurring, and protect, support, and intervene on behalf of the student who is the target of the prohibited conduct. Remedial response also means a measure to stop and correct retaliation for asserting, alleging, reporting or providing information about prohibited conduct (retaliation) or knowingly making a false report about prohibited conduct (false report), prevent retaliation or false reports from recurring and protect, support and intervene on behalf of the student who is the target of the prohibited conduct.
D. “Immediately” means as soon as possible but in no event longer than 24 hours. 514-1
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E. “School employee” includes school board members, administrators, educators, assistants, school counselors, psychologists, other school mental health professionals, nurses and other school-based/linked medical providers/health professionals, cafeteria workers, custodians, extracurricular activities advisors, paraprofessionals, school employees, agents, volunteers, contractors, or persons subject to the supervision and control of the school and its students.
III. PROHIBITIONS
Bullying of a student or group of students is prohibited:
A. During any school-sponsored or school-sanctioned programs, activities, events or trips. B. In the school building, school property, on school buses or other school-provided transportation, and at designated locations for students to wait for buses and other school-provided transportation.
C. Through the transmission of information from a school computer or computer network, or other electronic school equipment.
D. When communicated through any electronic technology or personal electronic device while on school property, on school buses or other school-provided transportation, at bus stops, and at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities.
E. Off campus communication and use of electronic technology which seriously disrupts any student’s education.
Apparent permission or consent by a student being bullied does not lessen the prohibitions contained in this policy. Retaliation against a victim, good faith reporter, or a witness of bullying is prohibited. False accusations or reports of bullying against another student are also prohibited.
IV. RESPONSE
A. Investigation- The Head of School or designee (hereinafter Head of School/designee) is the person responsible for receiving reports of bullying at the building level. They will ensure this policy and its procedures are fairly and fully implemented and serve as the primary contact on policy and procedural matters implicating both the district or school and department. If the
complaint involves the Head of School/designee, the complaint shall be made or filed directly with the Board Chair.
When investigating a complaint, Head of School/designee may take into account the following factors:
1. The developmental ages and maturity levels of the parties involved.
2. The levels of harm, surrounding circumstances, and nature of the behavior. 3. Past incidences or past or continuing patterns of behavior.
4. The relationship between the parties involved.
5. The context in which the alleged incidents occurred.
Investigation of a bullying incident shall be initiated within three school days of receipt of a report and be completed within 10 school days, unless the Head of School/designee grants in writing an additional five-day extension due to extenuating circumstances. See Attachment A for the investigation process.
B. Consequences – Many student conflicts can be resolved immediately and do not require reporting or creation of an incident report. The school must respond to bullying in a manner tailored to the individual incident, considering the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the student, and the student’s history of problem behaviors and performance. Appropriate 514-2
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responses and consequences are outlined in either the Student Handbook or in Attachment B. C. Appeal – Any party who is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation may appeal to the school’s human rights officer within 10 school days of notification of the Head of School/designee’s decision. The human rights officer will conduct a review of the appeal and, within 10 school days of receipt of the appeal, will affirm, reverse or modify the findings of the report. The human rights officer shall notify the party requesting the appeal and the Head of School that its decision is final and shall document that notification in the incident report. D. School Employees – When it is determined that a school employee was aware prohibited conduct was taking place but failed to report it, the employee will be considered to have violated this policy. The Head of School shall consider employee discipline for such violations. E. Reprisal – The school will take appropriate action against any student or school employee who retaliates against any person who reports alleged bullying or against any person who testifies, assists or participates in an investigation, or against any person who testifies, assists or participates in a proceeding or hearing relating to such bullying. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal, harassment or intentional disparate treatment.
V. NOTICE AND DISSEMINATION OF REQUIREMENTS
The school will give annual notice of this policy to students, parents or guardians, and employees, and this policy shall appear in the student handbook and posted in an electronic format in the languages appearing on its district/school website.
This policy should also be:
A. Posted in the school’s administrative offices and throughout each school building in areas accessible to students and school employees.
B. Included in the school’s student handbook on school policies.
C. Be given to each school employee and independent contractor at the time of entering into the person’s employment contract.
VI. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION
A. Staff – Professional development will be offered annually to build the skills of all school employees to implement this policy. The content of such professional development shall include, but not be limited to
1. Developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent incidents of bullying and to intervene immediately and effectively to stop them in a manner that does not stigmatize the victim.
2. Information about the complex interaction and power differential that can take place between and among an actor, target and witness to the bullying.
3. Research findings on bullying, including information about specific categories of students who have been shown to be particularly at risk, and any specific interventions that may be particularly effective for addressing bias-based bullying.
4. Recognizing, responding to and reporting bullying.
5. Information about the incidence and nature of cyberbullying.
6. Information about Internet safety issues as they relate to cyberbullying. 7. A review of the school’s reporting requirements related to bullying and cyberbullying. B. Student Education – Each school shall incorporate into the school curriculum developmentally appropriate programmatic instruction to help students identify, prevent and reduce bullying and 514-3
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create a safe learning environment. The Head of School or designee shall determine the scope and duration of the units of instruction and topics covered but should include evidence-based social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct to
engage all students in creating a safe and supportive school environment. See Attachment C for more information on student instruction.
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Adopted: August 30, 2021 Creekstone Montessori School Policy 514 Revised:
SCHOOL ACTION Attachment A – Investigation process
I. The Head of School/designee shall perform the investigation.
A. Investigation of a bullying incident shall be initiated within three school days of receipt of a report and be completed within 10 school days, unless the Head of School/designee grants in writing an additional five-day extension due to extenuating circumstances. The Head of School/ designee shall document the extension in the investigation report and shall notify the parties involved. The Head of School/designee will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of those who report bullying incidents and is responsible for keeping and protecting access to any written records of the investigation.
B. Prior to the investigation of an incident, the Head of School/designee will take immediate steps, at its discretion, to protect the alleged actor(s), target(s), bystander(s) or reporter pending completion of an investigation. Once an investigation is concluded, further steps will be taken as needed to assure the continued safety of the complainant from additional incidents of bullying or retaliation.
C. The purpose of the investigation is to make a determination as to whether a reported incident constitutes a case of bullying. These determinations will be made in consideration of the totality of the facts and the circumstances surrounding the incident, such as the nature of the behavior, past incidents or continuing patterns of behavior, the relationship between the parties involved and the context in which the alleged incident occurred. The investigation shall include:
1. Identifying the alleged actor(s), target(s) and bystander(s), as well as any adult who witnessed the incident or may have reliable information about it.
2. Conducting an individual interview in a private setting with the alleged actor and target. The alleged actor and target should never be interviewed together or in public. Individual interviews shall also be conducted in private with student and adult bystanders. The investigation may also consist of any other methods and documents deemed pertinent by the Head of School/designee.
3. Determining how often the conduct occurred, any past incident or continuing pattern of behavior, and whether the target’s education, including but not limited to, a negative impact on academic performance, educational opportunities and participation in school activities was affected.
4. Assessing the individual and school-wide effects of the incident relating to safety, and assigning school staff to create and implement a safety plan to prevent the recurrence of an incidence that will restore a sense of safety for the target and other students who have been impacted.
5. If the Head of School/designee determines the reported incident may involve criminal activity or the basis for criminal charges, information about the incident must be conveyed to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. As part of making this determination, the Head of School/designee may wish to consult with either a law enforcement officer or legal counsel. Law enforcement shall only be contacted if all other available remedies have been exhausted.
6. When appropriate, preparing a report identifying his/her recommendation for individual consequences.
7. Comprehensively documenting the details of the investigation.
8. When the investigation is complete, the Head of School/designee shall ensure the 514-5
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investigation report is attached to the incident report.
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SCHOOL ACTION Attachment B – Additional information on disciplinary actions
I. Remedial actions may include:
A. For the student harmed: protect, support and intervene on behalf of the student who is the target of the prohibited conduct.
1. Support may include:
a. referral to student support staff for one-to-one support or social skills training; b. daily check-in and check-out with a trusted adult in the school;
c. choice to participate in a restorative process, facilitated by a trained facilitator. B. For the student who violated the prohibited conduct policy: the school may use multi-tiered levels of response that are individualized, consistent, reasonable, fair, age-appropriate and should match the severity of the student’s behavior andtheir developmental age. The consequences must be a natural and logical match to the prohibited behavior; consequences must be paired with meaningful instruction and guidance; and must be carefully planned with well-defined outcomes. Consequences may include:
1. A referral to appropriate staff for teaching and re-enforcing appropriate school behavior: mini-courses or skill modules to guide restitution;
2. a referral to participate in a restorative process facilitated by a trained facilitator if the student admits to having caused harm;
3. a meeting between the administrator and the family of the student who did the harm; 4. a coordinated behavior plan that may include behavior contracts with a plan to prevent the prohibited conduct from recurring; individual counseling and one-to-one support to change behavior;
5. warning, suspension, exclusion, expulsion or transfer.
The school should avoid using punitive discipline (detention, suspensions, and expulsions) if any other method or consequence can be used with fidelity. The school may review school-wide behavior data as well as the data related to the person who did the harm and the person harmed. If the investigator determines that a violation of this policy may be the result of school climate needs, the schoo may conduct classroom, school-wide training.
When an investigation determines that bullying occurred, the Head of School/designee shall explain the consequences in a non-hostile manner, and shall impose any consequence immediately and consistently. The Head of School/designee shall keep communicating and working with all parties involved until the situation is resolved. Some key indicators of resolution include:
1. The actor is no longer bullying and is interacting civilly with the target. 2. The target reports feeling safe and is interacting civilly with the actor.
3. School staff observe an increase in positive behavior and social-emotionalcompetency in the actor and/or the target.
4. School staff observe a more positive climate in the physical location where bullying incidents were high.
REMEDIAL RESPONSE AND REFERRALS
The Head of School/designee shall design and implement remedial measures to correct the problem behavior, prevent another occurrence of the problem, protect and provide support for the 514-7
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target of the bullying, and take corrective action for documente systemic problems related to bullying.
The Head of School/designee shall refer students who bully to positive-behavior small-group interventions (for anger management, trauma or social skills) within the school, if possible, to reinforce the behavioral expectation they violated and increase their social-emotional competency.
The Head of School/designee shall ask a school mental health professional to refer targets of bullying to individual or group therapy where they can openly express their feelings about their bullying experience, or social-skills training and/or groups where they can practice assertiveness and coping mechanisms.
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SCHOOL ACTION Attachment C – Student Instruction
Administration is encouraged to take such actions as deemed appropriate to accomplish the following goals:
● Engage students in creating a safe and supportive school environment.
● Partner with parents and other community members to develop and implement prevention and intervention programs.
● Engage all students and adults in integrating education, intervention and other remedial responses into the school environment.
● Train student bystanders to intervene in and report incidents of bullying and other prohibited conduct.
● Teach students to advocate for themselves and others.
● Prevent inappropriate referrals to special education of students who may engage in bullying or other prohibited conduct.
● Foster student collaborations to create a more conducive environment for a supportive school climate.
Possible units of instruction could include:
1. Social emotional learning.
2. Appropriate behavior online/on social media and cyberbullying awareness and response. 3. Valuing diversity in school and society.
4. Advocacy skills for themselves and others.
5. Skills for solving problems, managing conflict, engaging in civil discourse, and recognizing, responding to, and reporting bullying.
The age-appropriate unit of instruction may be incorporated into the current courses of study regularly taught. The school shall satisfy the documentation requirements established by the Head of School or designee to ensure compliance with this curricular requirement.
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Admission and Lottery (Policy 500)
CREEKSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL POLICY #500
Adopted: July 19, 2021 Creekstone Montessori School Policy #500 Revised: August 5, 2021
Revised: September 27, 2021
Revised: March 13, 2022
Revised: October 16, 2023
500 ADMISSION AND LOTTERY
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for enrollment of students to Creekstone Montessori School.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
The Creekstone Board of Directors believes that parents have the responsibility to select the most appropriate educational programs for their children and that parental commitment to the educational program is a significant and positive choice. The Board also recognizes that choice in the selection of a public school provides parents and learners an opportunity to seek a school that best fits their needs and interests. This policy addresses the terms and conditions of student applications and enrollment into Creekstone Montessori School.
Creekstone shall not limit admissions to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability or any other criteria inconsistent with Applicable Law. The school will admit students through a process that is open to all students, publicly verifiable, and does not establish barriers to application that have the effect of excluding students based on
race, religion, gender identity, socioeconomic, family, or language background, prior academic performances, special education status, or parental involvement.
III. OPEN ENROLLMENT
A. General Application
1. Applications for all levels will be available on the school website or by request via email.
2. Student applications for a school year that is in progress are accepted during the year. Students may be admitted if space is available throughout the year.
3. A new application must be submitted each year for any student that is not currently enrolled -they do not carry over from year to year.
a) Families of enrolled students will be sent an “Intent to Return” form
each January to formally identify students that will not be returning the
following year (for the purpose of potential recruitment).
b) Students that do not submit an Intent to Return Form will remain
enrolled.
B. Eligibility
1. Tuition-based instructional preschool
a) Children must be 3 years of age by their first date of attendance.
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Revised: September 27, 2021
Revised: March 13, 2022
Revised: October 16, 2023
b) No preference for K enrollment may be given to CMS instructional
preschool students based on their attendance or enrollment in the
instructional preschool program.
2. Creekstone Public Charter School (K-8)
a) To attend Kindergarten, a student must be “at least 5 years of age on
September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the
pupil seeks admission commences.” MN 124E.11
b) To attend first grade, a student must be “at least 6 years of age on
September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the
pupil seeks admission commences or has completed Kindergarten.” MN
124E.11
c) Creekstone has philosophically chosen not to offer early Kindergarten
(September 2 or later) or early first grade enrollment:
(1) “A charter school may establish and publish on its website a
policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier age, consistent
with the enrollment process in [MN Statute 124E.11] paragraphs
(b) and (c).
d) Student must be a Minnesota resident
(1) At least one of the student’s parents/legal guardians must be a
MN resident.
C. Procedures
1. Each school year, the Board
a. establishes by December 1st the open enrollment period applicable to the following school year’s admissions;
b. publishes by December 1st: The school’s enrollment application
applicable to the following school year, and this Admissions and Lottery
Policy; and
c. establishes enrollment capacity, accommodating slight over-enrollment to account for likely student attrition, at each Multi-Level Grade Program to appropriately distribute and balance enrollment in each grade level to
honor Montessori Methods and balance instructional capacity and
publishes by February 1st, the available enrollment by Multi-Level Grade Program applicable to the following school year;
d. administration will be given some flexibility and authorization to enroll as openings occur in order to achieve targeted enrollment for budget planning and enforcement, in accordance with all applicable adopted school policies and State Statutes
2. Notice to Currently Admitted Students & Staff Employed at the School 500-1
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Adopted: July 19, 2021 Creekstone Montessori School Policy #500 Revised: August 5, 2021
Revised: September 27, 2021
Revised: March 13, 2022
Revised: October 16, 2023
a. Prior to the beginning of the open enrollment period, the school provides notice of the open enrollment period to parents and staff so that siblings of currently admitted students, foster children of an admitted student’s
parents, and children of staff may submit a timely application.
3. Currently Admitted Students – Intent to Return
a. Prior to the beginning of the open enrollment period, the school asks
families to complete an “Intent to Return” form for informational purposes only. Failure to submit an “Intent to Return” form does not preclude a
currently admitted student from returning the following year. Once
enrolled, a student remains enrolled unless dismissed under the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act or the parent withdraws the student.
4. Application Processing
a. Each enrollment application received is date-stamped and also either
time-stamped or sequentially stamped by number designating the order in which applications were received for each such date.
5. Admissions
a. All applications received during the open enrollment period are
automatically accepted for enrollment (i.e. admitted) unless more
applications are received than the available enrollment established by the Board for the applicable grade(s). In this situation, all submitted
applications for such grade(s) are placed in the lottery; however, siblings
of currently admitted students, foster children of an admitted student’s
parents, and children of staff employed in the school have preference.
6. Siblings of Admitted Students
a. Siblings of currently admitted students and foster children of an admitted student’s parents who submit an application before the expiration of the
open enrollment period are automatically admitted unless the number of
sibling/foster applications exceed the available enrollment established by the Board for the applicable grade(s). If the number of sibling/foster
applications exceeds available enrollment in any grade, a sibling/foster
lottery is held for each such grade. Siblings and foster children are
admitted to the school in the order in which they are drawn in the lottery.
If all available enrollment in a grade is filled, the sibling/foster lottery
continues and establishes the sibling/foster waiting list, which has
preference over both the staff-children and the general waiting list.
7. Children of Staff Employed at Creekstone Montessori Charter School a. Children of staff employed at the school who submit an application before the expiration of the open enrollment period are automatically admitted,
provided that all siblings (of already admitted students) who submitted a
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Revised: September 27, 2021
Revised: March 13, 2022
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timely application are admitted, and provided there is available enrollment as determined by the Board for the applicable grade(s). If the number of
children of staff exceeds the available enrollment established by the Board for any grade (and after all siblings of admitted students who submitted a timely application are admitted), a staff-children lottery is held. Children of staff are admitted to the school in the order in which they are drawn in the lottery. If all available enrollment in a grade is filled by children of
staff, the staff-children lottery continues to establish the staff-children
waiting list for each such grade.
D. Lottery Process
1. Applicants are populated onto a spreadsheet by grade
2. All returning K-7 students are enrolled in the next grade
3. Any grade that has more applications than spots (end of the enrollment period) will have all of the applications entered into a lottery and drawn at random by the Creekstone Montessori School board of directors
A) Applicable lotteries occur from highest grade to lowest grade. For
example, if a lottery is required in grades 7 and 8, the grade 8 lottery is
conducted first, followed by the grade 7 lottery.
B) Once individual grades/levels have been filled, remaining applicants
will be placed on a waiting list in the order they were drawn.
C) If a student is admitted through the general lottery and that student has one or more siblings/foster siblings in other grades also subject to a
lottery, those students will be given preference.
D) If there are more siblings/foster siblings and/or staff children than
available spots, separate lotteries will be held for those categories before
the general lottery is held.
E) Regarding multiple birth/foster siblings are entered into a lottery (each by their own name), then if one of the siblings is drawn, the other siblings shall be admitted to the program.
(1) In the event that admission of multiple siblings fills the
enrollment to capacity without each of them being enrolled, they
will be placed as next on the waiting list.
E. Waiting Lists
1. Waiting lists are constructed in the order drawn in the lottery. After conclusion of the drawings, Creekstone shall add to the waiting lists on a first come first serve basis. This waiting list is used to fill subsequent openings for the following academic year in the order populated onto the list.
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Revised: September 27, 2021
Revised: March 13, 2022
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a) If the applicant being placed on the waiting list has sibling/staff
preference they will move to the top of the waiting list but below any other sibling/staff preference students already on the waiting list.
F. Enrollment Confirmation
1. All applicants will be notified of their child’s admission acceptance or waiting list placement after the closing of the open enrollment period and after all applicable lotteries are completed.
IV. REQUIRED FORMS
A. Application process
1. Appropriate application form
B. Enrollment process
1. CMS Enrollment Form- REQUIRED
2. Release of Records Request-REQUIRED for students entering grades 1-8 3. Student Immunization/conscientious objection Form- REQUIRED
4. Minnesota Language Survey- REQUIRED
5. MDE Demographic Form- REQUIRED
6. Transportation Form- REQUIRED
7. PHOTOCOPY of Birth Certificate, please include this with your enrollment forms- REQUIRED
8. Application for Educational Benefits (Free or Reduced Meals)- Optional 9. Title VI ED 506 Indian Student Eligibility Certification Form- Optional 10. Contract form and deposit for PreSchool Program- REQUIRED
11. Early Childhood Screening records (Kindergarten only)
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Student Attendance (Policy 503)
CREEKSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL POLICY #503
Adopted: January 16, 2023 Creekstone Montessori School Policy #503 Revised: February 26, 2024
503 STUDENT ATTENDANCE
PURPOSE
The School Board believes regular attendance is directly related to academic, social, and emotional success. The purpose of this policy is to encourage regular and on time attendance. It is intended to be positive, not punitive.
GENERAL STATEMENT
In accordance with Minnesota Compulsory Instruction Law, 120A.22 , students are required to attend school every day school is in session. The student may have excused absences .
We urge families to make every effort possible to schedule all appointments outside of school hours. If your child will be late or absent, please notify the school office by 9:00am.
The following are excused reasons for a child to be absent:
● Illness
● Serious illness in the child’s immediate family
● Death of the child’s immediate family member, close friend, or relative
● Other family emergencies
● Religious and cultural traditions and services
● Medical, dental, orthodontic, or counseling/mental health appointments
● Court appearances
● Natural disasters such as fire, flood, or severe storm
● Official school outings
● School suspension
● Pre-approved family vacations that include school work expectations
The following are examples of unexcused absences:
● Missing school for no particular reason (truancy)
● oversleeping the alarm
● If the child is babysitting or caring for family members
Absences resulting from official suspension will be counted as excused absences in accordance with
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the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minnesota Statute 121A.40-121A.56.
If Child Protection has a child within their observation, the school is required to report when a child has been absent from school.
A habitual truant is a child under the age of 17 missing more than 7 days of school as unexcused within the school year. This includes children enrolled in Kindergarten. Minnesota statutes indicate that the Head of School is to ask the County Attorney to file a petition with the juvenile court if a child enrolled at Creekstone has an excessive number of unexcused absences during a school year. This is following Minnesota Law Statutes 120A.22 and 260 A.02. The statute indicates that three or more UNEXCUSED absences identify the child as a Continuing Truant, and the school is to notify the child’s parent by First Class mail. The Letter is to advise the family of the number of days missed and to provide notice of the school’s concern. If the attendance of UNEXCUSED days persists without improvement and cooperation with the family and school, the school is to take further action with the county authorities. This would not happen without regular and frequent communication with the family prior to this action.
If a child is reported to have continuing illness the school may require a doctor’s statement that the child is under continued medical care and unable to attend school.
Creekstone expects that students will not miss more than 10% of the school days each year (approximately 17 days per year). Families will be notified when absences approach 5 % of the school days that have already taken place.
Being on time to school is an important part of attendance. If a child misses just 5 minutes of school each day, they will have missed 3 full days by the end of the year. If a child misses 30 minutes of school each day, they will have missed the equivalent of 21 days by the end of the year.
Studies show that 59% of children who miss 18 or more days of school in either kindergarten or 1st grade can’t read at grade level by the time they’re in 3rd grade. Meanwhile, 83% of children who missed 18 (or more) days of school in both kindergarten and 1st grade can’t read at grade level by the time they’re in 3rd grade. It takes only two absences per month to miss 18 days of school. Creekstone encourages families to support their child to be on time arriving and attending school each day it is in session. Parents do have a responsibility to ensure that this happens and to inform the school in the event of an absence. Creekstone agrees to collaborate with the student and family to solve any attendance problems that may arise. Making up lost instruction time will be a discussion between the teacher, the student, parent, and Administration.
Wellness Policy (Policy 508)
CREEKSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL POLICY #508
Adopted: August 30, 2021 Creekstone Montessori School Policy #508 Revised:
508 WELLNESS
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to assure a school environment that promotes and protects students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A. The Creekstone Montessori Board of Directors recognizes that nutrition education and physical education are essential components of the educational process and that good health fosters student attendance and education.
B. The Creekstone environment should promote and protect students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity.
C. Creekstone Montessori School encourages the involvement of students, parents, school employees and other interested persons in implementing, monitoring, and reviewing the school’s nutrition and physical activity policies.
D. Children need access to healthy foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive.
E. All students in Pre K-8 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.
F. All students will have access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students. Every effort will be to accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning. Students will be provided adequate time to eat in a clean, safe, and pleasant setting.
III. GUIDELINES
A. Food and Beverages: Students’ lifelong eating habits are influenced by the types of foods and beverages available to them. Schools have a responsibility to help students establish and maintain lifelong healthy eating patterns.
1. All foods and beverages made available on campus will be consistent with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
2. Personnel will take every measure to ensure that student access to foods and beverages meet or exceed all federal, state, and local laws and guidelines.
3. Personnel shall adhere to all federal, state, and local food safety and security guidelines.
4. Creekstone Montessori School will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals.
5. Creekstone will provide students access to handwashing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks.
6. Creekstone will make every effort to provide students with sufficient time to eat after sitting down for school meals and will schedule meal periods at appropriate times during the school day.
7. Creekstone will discourage tutoring, club, or organizational meetings, or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities.
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8. Creekstone will encourage school sponsored events and programs held outside of the school day to be supportive of this Wellness policy and guidelines. This will also be encouraged with any fundraising activities.
9. Food and beverage providers should offer modest portions that are sizes age appropriate for preschool, elementary, and middle school students respectively. B. School Nutrition Program/Personnel:
1. The Head of School/Assistant Head of School will provide healthy and safe school meal programs that strictly comply with all federal, state, and local statutes and regulations.
2. The Head of School/Assistant Head of School shall designate an appropriate person to be responsible for the school’s nutrition program, whose duties shall include the creation of nutrition guidelines and procedures for the selection of foods and beverages made available on campus to ensure food and beverage choices are consistent with current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
3. Creekstone Montessori School will adhere to the National School Lunch Program rules for special diet requests including food substitutions ordered by licensed physicians. C. Nutrition Education and Promotion: The primary goal of nutrition and education is to positively influence students’ eating behaviors.
1. Creekstone will ensure that students in Pre K-8 receive nutrition and education that provides the knowledge they need to adopt healthy lifestyles. Nutrition education should include instruction that helps students learn more about the importance of various food groups; caloric, sugar and fat intake; healthy cooking methods; recognition of the role media play in marketing and advertising foods and beverages; and the relationship of a balanced diet and regular exercise to a healthy lifestyle.
2. Creekstone will encourage all students to make age appropriate, healthy selections of foods and beverages.
3. Creekstone will refrain from using food or beverages as a reward or punishment for academic performance or good behavior. Individual Education Plans (IEP) or 504 plans will be exempt from this.
4. Creekstone will provide educational information and encourage healthy eating and physical activity for families. Family members should be engaged as a critical part of the team responsible for teaching children about health and nutrition.
5. Nutrition concepts should be reinforced by all school personnel.
D. Physical Activity: The primary goal for a school’s physical activity component is to provide opportunities for every student to: develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities; maintain physical fitness; regularly participate in physical activity; and understand the short and long term benefits of a physically active lifestyle.
1. Students in K-8 will receive scheduled, developmentally appropriate physical education. Physical education should be designed to build interest and proficiency in the skills, knowledge and attitudes essential to a lifelong physically active lifestyle. It should include providing information, fostering a positive atmosphere, encouraging self-discipline, developing motor skills, and promoting activities that can be carried over the course of students’ lives.
2. Students should be encouraged to participate in physical activities outside of the school day. The importance of physical activity should be reinforced by all Creekstone 508-2
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personnel.
E. Communications with Parents: It is important that students receive consistent messages throughout school, home, community and media regarding good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. 1. Creekstone recognizes that parents and guardians have a primary and fundamental role in promoting and protecting their children’s health and well-being. The school will support this role and provide educational materials that will assist families in making healthy choices related to nutrition and physical activity.
2. Creekstone will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.
3. Creekstone will encourage parents to pack healthy lunches, snacks, treats and beverages. Parents will be provided with information that will offer suggestions for healthy snacks and lunches.
4. Creekstone will provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities and will support parents’ efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school. Schools will be encouraged to offer physical activities for both parents and children.
5. The wellness policy will be made available in the school building and on the school’s website for parent review. I
V. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
A. At least once every three years, an assessment of the implementation of the wellness policy will be conducted and will be made available to the public. Appropriate updates and modifications to the wellness policy will be made based upon the assessment. B. After approval by the school board, the wellness policy will be implemented throughout the school and reviewed annually.
C. The Head of School or designee will ensure compliance with the wellness policy and will provide a report of the Creekstone’s compliance with the policy to the board as requested.
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Creekstone Montessori School 