Computer Use, Grading, Bullying Policy

Academy Policies

Computer Use Policy
Please read and sign each policy

Computers and other learning devices are powerful tools that can enhance learning. Like other tools, a computer may be used in harmful ways. Be familiar with these guidelines and follow them when using all Telos Academy computers:

Academy computers are for completing school assignments and teacher directed research only.
- Any other use of Academy computers is considered inappropriate and will result in restriction of use.
- Academy computers are not for email, Facebook or any other form of social networking or communication.
Only Academic staff set the terms of use for each device. Students must abide by staff directives regarding use of all devices at all times. (When directives from two staff contradict, the present staff’s direction takes precedence.)
Computers may be accessed only when an Academy teacher is present.
No after-hours access to computers (or anything else) in classrooms.
Editing computer settings is not authorized and will result in a restriction of privileges.
Do not attempt to install, load, or otherwise execute your own software on academy computers. This includes games of any form.
Do not attempt to access another student’s login account or files.
Keep the computers (and their areas) clean and organized.
Academy computers are not for therapeutic work or principles work.
Personal computers are not permitted at Telos Academy (unless specially approved by a therapist, the academic director and special education coordinator.)
Keep your password private. Do not allow other students to know your password. Pay attention when you enter your password to check that another student is not watching you type it in!
- Always log off when you are finished.
This list is not all-inclusive. Any obvious inappropriate use of computers is not allowed.
If you feel that you are not able to regulate your computer use or there are temptations that you are not ready to deal with, you may voluntarily have your account locked out until you feel you are in a better place.

Violations of proper computer use will result in restriction from using computers. In order to reinstate privileges, a contract will need to be filled out and properly signed after the required restriction period. If you get restricted 3 times, restriction will be indefinite. You will need to initiate a meeting with your therapist and the academy to determine under what conditions you may be reinstated. Major violations may also result in indefinite restriction.

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Grading Policy

TELOS ACADEMY GRADING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

BELIEFS
-Grades reflect mastery of content material. Students need to be given every opportunity to master content material.
-Grades are an opportunity for students to track their progress towards learning objectives and take responsibility for their own learning by providing each student with consistent and clear feedback.
-Every student in a course should be graded on the same scale/basis.
-Behavior and effort should be assessed and reported separately from content mastery.
-Citizenship grades reflect student effort and participation and encourage appropriate behavior.
-Sometimes student failure is part of the learning process, but as teachers we will do all we can to help students feel successful in their efforts.

GRADING
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment, including diagnostic testing, is a range of formal and informal assessment procedures conducted by teachers during the learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to improve student attainment.

Teachers use a minimum of two formative assessments per week that count towards a student’s final grade. These assessments include, but are not limited to, quizzes, tests, projects, papers, in class discussions, experiments, and class activities.

Summative Assessment
Summative assessment (or summative evaluation) refers to the assessment of participants where the focus is on the outcome of a program. This contrasts with formative assessment, which summarizes the participant’s development at a particular time.

Teachers will incorporate at least one summative assessment during each school quarter. Summative assessments will be more heavily forecasted than formative assessments, and may be weighted for a higher portion of the student’s final grade, based on individual teacher disclosure statement. This weighting will serve to more accurately reflect student mastery. However, no one summative assessment may solely determine a student’s final grade.

Grade Calculations
Because different classes have different measures to show academic progress, each department individually determines what percentage of the grade belongs to formative assessment, summative assessment, and participation. Core classes will lean more heavily on assessment and physical education and art elective classes may report more heavily on participation and skill acquisition based credit. Policies for individual departments and/or classes can be found online in individual disclosure documents.

In general the following guidelines should be administered in all classes:
No one assignment should determine a final grade.
Each student should be given a separate citizenship grade to reflect their classroom behavior.

Grading Scale
Academic grades will be reported on PowerSchool via the following scale:
A = 94-100%
A- = 90-93%
B+ = 86-89%
B = 83-85%
B- = 79-82%
C+ = 76-78%
C = 72-75%
C- = 69-71%
D+ = 66-68%
D = 63-65%
D- = 60-62%
F = Below 60% Fails to master learning objectives

Citizenship grades should be given on the following scale:

Citizenship grades will be reported on a week-by-week basis to therapists who may choose to attach rewards or consequences on a case-by-case basis. Citizenship reported at the end of each quarter will be an approximate average of each previous citizenship mark of the quarter.

Homework
Due to the nature of our therapeutic program and the demands placed on our students, homework is controlled and administered on a student by student basis. Students in the honors track receive academic work that is aligned with course objectives to complete outside of class time. Outside the honors track homework is not required. Homework may be considered for students outside the honors track when deemed by the clinical team that it is in the student’s best interest. When a student refuses class they are to be assigned study desk, where they will complete a residential assignment after school.

Retesting/Test Corrections
Retesting is defined as the opportunity students are given to retake an assessment to demonstrate improvement mastery. Students are given ample opportunities to achieve mastery of content material. If a student scores poorly on a formative assessment, they will have two weeks to work with individual teachers to redo the work or show mastery of content in an alternate format for additional points. Summative assessments will be heavily forecasted by teachers and may not be redone for extra points, unless an exception is granted by the individual teacher for extenuating circumstances.

Late Work/Make-up Work
Late work is defined as any assignment or project that is not turned in on the designated due date. Individual teachers will outline their late work policy in their disclosure document for their class. Due to the nature of our programs, these policies should provide flexibility for students. No late work will be accepted after the last day of the quarter, unless approved by the student’s academic advisor and the academic director. Extensions past the last day of the quarter should only be given in the case of extreme extenuating circumstances.

Extra Credit
All extra credit work should be academic in nature and align with course objectives. It is administered by individual teacher discretion, but cannot exceed 10 % of a student’s final grade.

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as your own. It is dishonest and fails to reflect student mastery of material. If a student is found to have plagiarized work they will receive a zero on the assignment and may be given an opportunity to show mastery of the same material on a different assignment. They will also receive a principle based consequence from their teacher, a member of the administrative team or therapist.

COMMUNICATION
Communicating with Parents
The administrative team is responsible to make sure each parent has access to PowerSchool so that parents can check grades at their discretion. Grades are updated every Friday by 3:00pm. Parents are encouraged to visit the academy website where each class’ disclosure document is posted. If the disclosure document does not address parent concern, teachers will respond within a timely manner (usually one business day) to parent emails. Teachers will also prepare to discuss with parents student grades once per quarter during family days.

Communication with Students
Students have the opportunity to check their grades each Friday morning during their homeroom class period. They are also able to check throughout the week by approaching individual teachers before school, after school, and during flex period.

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Bullying Policy

Telos Academy has determined that a safe, civil, and supportive environment in school is necessary for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. In order to maintain that environment, Telos Academy prohibits acts of harassment, bullying, cyber-bullying, intimidation, or any other victimization of students, based on any actual or perceived traits or characteristics. To that end, Telos Academy has in place processes and procedures to address incidents of bullying and harassment.

General Statements and Definitions
This policy will be annually disseminated to all school staff, students, and parents and may be publicized in student handbooks and district/school web sites. This policy is in effect while students are on school property, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation, or at any official school bus stop. If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, this policy is in effect if the conduct is directed specifically at a student or students and has the effect of creating a hostile educational environment or otherwise creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process. Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1015, “Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means an act that substantially interferes with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance and the act has the effect of:

• Physically harming a student or damaging a student’s property;
• Knowingly placing a student or students in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student or damage to the student’s property;
• Causing emotional distress to a student or students; or
• Creating a hostile educational environment.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-15, defines “Cyber-bullying” as bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular phone or other wireless telecommunication devices, text messaging, emails, social networking sites, instant messaging, videos, web sites or fake profiles. The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights further clarifies “harassment” as conduct that meets the following criteria:

• Unwelcome conduct based on a protected class (race, national, origin, color, gender, age, disability, religion) that is severe, pervasive, or persistent and creates a hostile environment.
• “Sexual Harassment” includes unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Other acts of violent behavior may include: “Hazing” which involves any intentional or reckless act, on or off LEA property, by one student acting alone or with others that is directed against any other student, that endanger the mental or physical health or safety of that student or that induces or coerces a student to endanger that student’s mental or physical health or safety. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-2-120.

“Hazing” does not include customary athletic events or similar contest or competitions and is limited to those actions taken and situations created in connection with initiation into or affiliation with any organization. When looking at the totality of the circumstances, harassment, bullying, cyber-bullying, or any other disruptive or violent behavior includes conduct such as gestures, written, verbal, graphic, or written acts, including electronically transmitted acts, toward a student which is based on any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student and creates an educational environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:

• Places the student in reasonable fear or harm to the student’s person or property;
• Has substantially detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health; • Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s academic performance; or
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

Telos Academy requires the principal and/or principal’s designee, at each school to be responsible for investigating and resolving complaints alleging violations of this policy. The principal and/or principal’s designee is responsible for determining whether an alleged act constitutes a violation of this policy. In doing so, the principal and/or principal’s designee, shall conduct a prompt, thorough, and complete investigation of each alleged incident. Within the parameters of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) at 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, a written report on the investigation will be delivered to the parents of the complainant and accused students and to the Director of Schools.

Reporting and Investigations
All school employees are required to report alleged violations of this policy to the principal and/or principal’s designee. All other members of the school community, including students, parents, volunteers, and visitors, are encouraged to report any act that may be a violation of this policy. Reports may be made anonymously; however, such complaints may affect the school’s ability to issue formal disciplinary action.

Consequences and appropriate remedial actions for anyone who commits one or more acts of harassment, bullying, or other acts of violent behavior may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion, as set forth in the Board of Education’s approved code of conduct.

Prevention and Intervention Response
School administrators shall consider the nature and circumstances of the incident, the age and maturity of the student, the degree of harm, previous incidences or patterns of behavior, or any other factors, as appropriate to properly respond to each situation. Consequences for a student who commits an act of harassment, bullying, or other act of violent behavior shall be unique to the individual incident and will vary in method and severity according to the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the student, and the student’s history of problem behaviors and performance, and must be consistent with the Board of Education’s approved code of student conduct. Remedial measures shall be designed to:

• Correct the problem behavior;
• Prevent other occurrences of the behavior; and
• Protect the complainant of the act.

Effective discipline should employ a school-wide approach to adopt a procedure of handling harassment or bullying offenses and the associated consequences. This procedure should reflect appropriate potential consequences in accordance with discipline policies. The Director of Schools shall be responsible for the development and enforcement of this requirement.

Telos Academy prohibits reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports or assists in any investigation of an act alleged in this policy. The consequences of appropriate remedial action for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation shall be determined by the administrator after consideration of the nature, severity, and circumstances of the act.

Reprisal, Retaliation, and False Accusations
Telos Academy prohibits any person from falsely accusing another of having committed an act of harassment or bullying as means of reprisal or retaliation or of harassment or bullying. The consequences and appropriate remedial action for a person found to have falsely accused another as a means of reprisal or retaliation or harassment or bullying may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension and expulsion.

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