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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
The mission of the Warren County School District is to support the personal and intellectual success and wellness of every student, every day.
Principles for Governance and Leadership
Pennsylvania school boards are committed to providing every student the opportunity to grow and achieve. Our actions, as elected and appointed board members, ultimately have both short- and long-term impact in the classroom. Therefore, we pledge that we will...
Act Ethically
Executive Summary
Financial Reports
2310 Meeting Notice, Posting of Meeting Agenda, & Official Action on Additions Made to the Meeting Agenda After it is Posted
I. Meeting Notice
Notice of all public Board meetings, including committee meetings, shall be given by publication of the date, place, and time of such meetings in the Warren Times Observer and posting of such notice at central office and the building at which the meeting will be held (if not held at central office).
Notice of all regular meetings shall be given at least three (3) days prior to the time of the first regular meeting.
Notice of all special meetings shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting, except that such notice shall be waived when an emergency meeting is called to deal with an actual emergency involving a clear and present danger to life or property.
Notice of all rescheduled meetings shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting.
Notice of all public meetings shall be given to any newspaper, radio station, or television station which so requests. Notice of all public meetings shall be given to any individual who so requests and provides a stamped, addressed envelope for such notification.
II. Posting of Meeting Agenda
In addition to the notice requirements stated in Section I, the Board or Committee must also:
1. Post the meeting agenda on the district’s website at least 24 hours prior to a meeting.
2. Physically post the agenda at the meeting location and central office at least 24 hours prior to a meeting.
3. Have copies of the agenda available to members of the public in attendance at the meeting.
The agenda posted and made available to the public in attendance at the meeting must include a list of each matter that may be the subject of deliberation or official action at the meeting.
III. Circumstances under which the Board may take official action on matters not listed on the agenda that is posted 24 hours before the meeting:
1. To address a real or potential emergency that involves a clear and present danger to life or property.
2. To address a matter that (i) arose or was brought to the Board’s attention within 24 hours of the meeting; and (ii) is de minimis in nature and does not involve expenditure of funds or entering into a contract or agreement.
3. If a resident or taxpayer raises a matter during the meeting that is not on the agenda, the Board may (i) refer the matter to staff for the purpose of researching the issue for inclusion on the agenda for a future meeting; or (ii) vote to approve it if it is de minimis in nature and does not involve expenditure of funds or entering into a contract or agreement.
4. A majority of Board members present at the meeting may vote to add an item to the agenda and then vote on the added item. In such circumstances, (i) the reason for the change to the agenda must be announced publicly at the meeting before conducting a vote to change the agenda, (ii) the modified agenda must be published on the district’s website and posted at central office by the first business day following the meeting,
If any item is added to the agenda and voted on pursuant to any of the above four (4) circumstances, the meeting minutes must reflect the added agenda item, the vote to add the item, the vote on the additional item, and the reason for the addition.
The Board may address an item of new business that meets the requirements of one or more of the above 3 circumstances upon a majority vote of those Board Members in attendance at the meeting to amend the agenda and after the reason(s) to amend the agenda are announced. If the vote to add the item to the agenda passes, the Board may then vote on the item of new business.
The amended agenda must be posted on the District’s website and at Central Office no later than the first business day following the meeting. The Minutes of the meeting shall reflect the substance of the item added, the vote to amend the agenda, the announced reasons for the addition to the agenda, and the vote on the added item.
Adoption Date - September 13, 1999
Revision Date - September 13, 2021; January 15, 2023
Review Date - Legal Reference - 65 Pa. C.S.A. §701, et. seq.
Cross Reference - Policy 2345 & 2347
9310 Gifted Education
The District shall develop and implement a gifted education plan every 6 years, as required by law. Prior to approval by the Board, the gifted education plan shall be made available for public inspection and comment in the District’s administrative offices (in the Board Secretary’s office) and posted on the District’s publicly accessible website for a minimum of 28 days.
The District’s gifted education plan shall address:
The Board directs that the District’s gifted education program shall provide the following:
The District shall make the Permission to Evaluate form readily available to parents/guardians. If a written or verbal request for the form is made to a principal, administrator, or professional employee, the form shall be provided to the parents/guardians within 10 calendar days of the request.
The Board directs the Superintendent and the Superintendent’s designated principals and/or administrators to annually assess the District’s delivery of gifted services and programs in order to:
The District may make a written request to the Secretary of Education to waive the applicable caseload and class size maximums in extenuating circumstances.
All personally identifiable information regarding a gifted student shall be treated as confidential and disclosed only as permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), applicable regulations, and Policy 10920.
The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee shall annually conduct awareness activities to inform parents/guardians of school-aged children residing within the District of its gifted education services and programs, and how to request these services and programs.
Awareness activities may include providing written notice of the District’s gifted education program through local newspapers, other media, student handbooks and the District Website.
The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee may develop administrative procedures as deemed necessary to implement this Policy.
Adoption Date - ______________, 2023
Revision Date -
Review Date -
Legal Reference - 24 P.S. §1371; 22 Pa Code §4.13; 22 Pa Code §4.28;
22 PaCode §11.12; 22 Pa Code §16.1, et seq.; 20 U.S.C. §1232g,
Cross Reference - Policy 10920
Authority
It is the duty of the Board to ensure that all children living within its jurisdiction have an equal opportunity to receive a free and appropriate education and to require school attendance by all children living within the District, as prescribed by law.
The educational program offered by the District is predicated upon the presence of the student in school. In order for students to benefit from planned educational activities and classroom participation, it is essential that regular attendance be maintained.
Definitions
“School age” shall be defined as the period from the earliest admission age for the District's kindergarten program until graduation from high school or the end of the school term in which a student reaches the age of twenty-one (21) years, whichever occurs first.
“School age” for a student with a disability under the IDEA shall be defined as the period from the earliest admission age for the District's kindergarten program until graduation from high school or the date on which the student reaches the age of twenty-two (22) years.
“District of residence” shall be defined as the school district in which a student's parents/guardians reside.
“Compulsory school age,” shall be defined as the period of a child's life from the time the child's parents elect to have the child enter school and which shall be no later than six (6) years of age until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. The term shall not include any child who holds a certificate of graduation from a regularly accredited, licensed, registered, or approved high school.
Right to Attend Public School
In order to be eligible for first grade as a beginner, the student must be six years old before the first day of school of the school year in which admission is sought. Beginning with the 2021/2022 school year, and continuing thereafter, in order to be eligible for first grade as a beginner, the student must be six years old on or before July 1. No early admission to first grade as a beginner shall be permitted.
Enrollment Requirements
School age resident students and eligible nonresident students shall be entitled to attend District schools.
The District shall not enroll a student until the parent/guardian has submitted proof of the student's age, residence, and immunizations and a completed Parent Registration Statement, as required by the applicable law and regulations.
The District shall administer a home language survey to all students enrolling in District schools for the first time.
The District shall normally enroll a school age, eligible student the next business day, but no later than five (5) business days after application.
The District shall not inquire about the immigration status of a student as part of the enrollment process, nor shall any child’s right to be admitted to school be conditioned on the child’s immigration status.
Enrollment requirements and administrative regulations shall apply to nonresident students approved to attend District schools, in accordance with Board policy, by the Superintendent.
Residency Eligibility
When the parents of a student reside in different school districts, the student may attend school in the district of residence of the parent with whom the student lives for the majority of the time, unless a court order or court approved custody agreement specifies otherwise.
If the parents of a student share joint custody and time is evenly divided, the parents may choose which of the two (2) school districts the student will enroll in for the school year.
If the student is an emancipated minor, the resident school district shall be the one in which the student is then living.
Homeless students shall be enrolled immediately by the District in accordance with current federal and state regulations and Policy 10135.
The Superintendent or his/her designee is empowered to develop administrative procedures, in compliance with state requirements, which guarantee the right of every school-age resident student and eligible nonresident student to attend the public school.
A student’s assigned school shall be the school located in his/her attendance area unless special programs, services or facilities necessitate assignment to another building.
Non-Resident Students
Non-resident students of school age who are living with and under the supervision of a District resident shall be entitled to the same educational programs and services as those enjoyed by resident students providing that authorization and an appropriate agreement with the non-resident student’s home district is in place.
The Superintendent, or his/her designee, shall require that appropriate legal documentation showing dependency or guardianship or a sworn statement of full residential support be filed with the appropriate building Principal before an eligible nonresident student may be accepted as a student in District schools. The Superintendent, or his/her designee, may require a resident to submit additional, reasonable information to substantiate a sworn statement, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Education. The Superintendent, or his/her designee, reserves the right to verify claims of residency, dependency and guardianship and to remove from school attendance a nonresident student whose claim is invalid.
If information contained in the sworn statement of residential support is found to be false, the student shall be removed from school after notice is given of an opportunity to appeal the student's removal. The District shall not be responsible for transportation to or from school for any nonresident student residing outside District boundaries.
Tuition rates shall be determined in accordance with statute. Tuition shall be charged monthly, in advance of attendance.
Nonresident Children Placed In The District
Any child placed in the home of a District resident by a court or government agency shall be admitted to District schools and shall receive the same benefits and be subject to the same responsibilities as resident children.
Other Nonresident Students
A nonresident student may be admitted to District schools without payment of tuition where attendance is justified on the grounds that the student lives full-time and not just
for the school year with District residents who have assumed legal dependency or guardianship or full residential support of the student.
The category of “non-resident students” includes school-aged students residing in foster homes or an institution or other facility within the District.
The Superintendent, or his/her designee, shall develop procedures for the enrollment of nonresident students which:
1. Admit such students only on proper application and submission of required documentation by the parent/guardian.
2. Verify claims of residency.
3. Do not exclude any eligible student on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or handicap/disability.
4. Deny admission where the educational facilities or program maintained for District students is inadequate to meet the needs of the applicant.
5. Make continued enrollment of any nonresident student contingent upon maintaining established standards of attendance, discipline and academics.
6. Outline the appeal procedure relative to the removal of a student.
Absences from School
Students shall be excused from school only for absences which are stipulated as “excusable” in the school code. When a student is absent from school for reasons which are not consistent with “excused absences” in the school code, the absences shall be recognized as “unexcused.” The District shall maintain procedures and attendance/absence records in compliance with the school code.
Excessive Absences
The District has a responsibility to investigate excessive absences by students. This applies to students of compulsory school age as well as those beyond compulsory school age. A Doctor’s excuse shall be requested when excessive absences occur. Students beyond compulsory school age may not be maintained on District rolls when they do not attend school regularly. The District shall maintain procedures regarding truancy and for investigating excessive absences.
Withholding Academic Credit; Missed Tests, Assignments, and Other Work
Academic credit may not be withheld on the basis of excessive excused or unexcused absences. A student shall be afforded the opportunity to make up any tests, assignments, or other work that is missed on a day the student has an excused or an unexcused absence. A teacher, at his/her discretion, may also utilize a class participation grading
component that is impacted by absences. The timeframe within which any missed test, assignment, or other work must be made up; any penalty assessed for a test, assignment or other work that is completed late due to the fault of the student; and the parameters of a class participation grading component shall be governed by a separate administrative procedure that is approved by the Superintendent and included as a part of the Student Handbook.
A student may be removed from the Warren County Career Center, awarded pro-rated credit for work completed at the Warren County Career Center, and returned to his/her home school if the student accrues an excessive number of absences during the school year and while enrolled at the Warren County Career Center. The threshold number of absences and the procedure to remove a student shall be governed by a separate administrative procedure that is approved by the Superintendent and included as a part of the Student Handbook.
Adoption Date - September 13, 1999
Revision Date - October 11, 2010; January 10, 2011; August 12, 2013; January 11, 2016; July 31, 2017; January 8, 2018; August 26, 2019; July 13, 2020; August 28, 2023; _________, 2023
Review Date -
Legal Reference - School Code – 24 P.S. Sec. 501, 502, 1301, 1302, 1303a, 1305, 1306, 1306.2, 1309, 1310, 1316, 1326, 2503, 2561
State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 11.11, 11.12, 11.14, 11.15, 11.18, 11.19, 11.41, 12.1
Pa. Dept. of Educ. BEC §13-1301 – §13-1306 (2009)
Pa. Dept. of Educ. BEC §5-503 (2000)
Cross Reference - 10135
The Board recognizes that students require adequate, nourishing food and beverages in order to grow, learn and maintain good health and directs that students shall be provided with adequate space and time to eat meals during the school day. The Superintendent or his/her designee is authorized to develop and disseminate administrative procedures to implement this policy.
The District shall ensure, in the operation of the food service program, no student, staff member, or other individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability
The food service program and the procurement of goods or services for the food service program shall be operated in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, as well as, federal guidelines established by the Child Nutrition Division of the United States Department of Agriculture. The price charged to students shall be established annually by the District in compliance with state and federal laws.
Non-program food shall be priced to generate sufficient revenues to cover the cost of such items. A non-program food shall be defined as a food or beverage, other than a reimbursable meal or snack, that is sold at the school and is purchased using funds from the child nutrition account. Non-program foods include but are not limited to adult meals and a-la-carte items. All revenue from the sale of non-program food shall accrue to the child nutrition program account.
The operation and supervision of the food service program shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent or his/her designee, who shall ensure school meals meet the standards required by the School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program and the Special Milk Program. Cafeterias shall be operated on a nonprofit basis, and a periodic review of the cafeteria accounts shall be made by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
The Superintendent or designee shall annually notify students, parents/guardians and employees concerning the contents of this policy and applicable administrative procedures. Notification shall include information related to nondiscrimination.
The District shall use USDA Foods for school menus available under the Child Nutrition USDA Foods Programs.
The District shall provide free and reduced-price meals and/or free milk to students in accordance with the terms and conditions of the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Special Milk Program. The anonymity of recipients of free or reduced-price meals and/or free milk shall be preserved as required by law.
The District participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This program is available to schools and school districts that are participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Pursuant to this program, all enrolled students, district-wide, are eligible to receive a nutritious reimbursable breakfast and lunch each school day at no charge.
The District shall make appropriate food service and/or meal accommodations to students with special dietary needs in accordance with applicable law, regulations and Board policy.
The District shall obtain two safety inspections per year in accordance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. The District shall post the most recent inspection report and release a copy of the report to members of the public upon request.
The District shall comply with federal requirements in developing a food safety program that enables District schools to take systematic action to prevent or minimize the risk of foodborne illness among students. The District shall maintain proper sanitation and health standards in food storage, preparation and service, in accordance with applicable state and local laws and regulations and federal food safety requirements.
The District shall comply with the professional standards for school food service personnel who manage and operate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. For purposes of this policy, professional standards include hiring standards for new food service program directors and annual continuing education/training for all individuals involved in the operation and administration of school meal programs. Such professional standards shall apply to both District-operated food service programs and contracted food service programs.
Adoption Date - September 13, 1999
Revision Date - September 1, 2017; _____________, 2023
Review Date -
Legal Reference - 24 P.S. 1335; 24 PS 1337; 24 PS 504; 24 PS 807.1;
42 USC 1751, et. seq.; 2 CFR Part 200; 7 CFR Part 210;
7 CFR Part 215; 7 CFR Part 220; 7 CFR Part 245; 7 CFR Part 15;
3 Pa.C.S.A. 5713
Cross Reference - Policy 5501, 5506, 5510, and 10615
Operation of vending machines and other food sales should not occur during the period between midnight prior to the start of school until ½ hour after dismissal and will be controlled so that they will not offer competition to the food service program or encourage students in poor eating habits.
The guidelines for services and sale of all food and beverages to students during school hours will be directed by the Superintendent of his/her designee. Revenues derived from vending machine sales established by the Food Service Department will accrue to the food service program revenue budget.
Subject to the restriction specified in paragraph one, vending machines and other food sales may be operated/conducted by authorized school and/or employee organizations. Revenues derived from these vending machine sales and other food sales will accrue to the appropriate school/employee organization.
Adoption Date - September 13, 1999
Revision Date - ___________, 2023
Review Date -
Legal Reference -
Cross Reference -
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