8/16/2024 August Update
Hello, Arcadia families and friends!
The school year is officially ramping up, and we are so excited to welcome you all back! The teaching staff met on Wednesday to complete some of our annual trainings, make any final revisions to our workshop week schedule, and get ready for conferences. You should all have received an email from your advisor inviting you to sign up for Goal Setting Conferences!
If you didn’t receive an email, please let me know, and I’ll make sure to connect you! (Laura Stelter, lstelter@arcadiacharterschool.org)
At Goal Setting Conferences, advisors will also go over schedules, and we’ll have families log in to JMC to complete registration materials.
We will also have a community potluck on Tuesday, August 27th, at 6:30pm under the picnic shelter in the back. Everyone is welcome! (Bring families!) This will be a true potluck, no sign up, but there’s always been a good variety and plenty of food! Arcadia will provide plates, forks, and napkins.
I have a number of other updates. To make sure everyone gets the information, and to get feedback from the community on these topics, I am going to hold two quick meetings, one this afternoon (Friday, 8/16) at 4:00pm, and a second one Monday (8/19) at 5:00pm. They will have the same content.
Community Conversation
Friday, August 16 · 4:00 – 4:30pm
Time zone: America/Chicago
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/gzg-knwe-hfr
Or dial: (US) +1 551-800-5331 PIN: 171 861 137#
Community Conversation
Monday, August 19 · 5:00 – 5:30pm
Time zone: America/Chicago
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hho-fsyw-jdj
Or dial: (US) +1 321-296-9703 PIN: 115 908 518#
Major topics will include:
–Legislative Updates (Required cell phone policy, changes to Title IX, the student discipline policy, the attendance policy, and the Student Handbook)
–Arcadia’s Lunch Program
–”World’s Best Workforce” is now "Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness": Goals and changes to the program (https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/wbwf/)
I will also write about them here.
Legislative Updates
There has been a LOT going on in the legislature in the last biennium. The board has been revising the entire policy manual, and are working hard to keep up with all of these changes!
Cell Phone (Smart Device) Policy and School Communication
The state passed a law during the 2024 legislative session that: “A school district or charter school must adopt a policy on students' possession and use of cell phones in school by March 15, 2025.”
There is a national push to get phones out of schools, due to the distractions and social challenges that arise from their presence. This includes smartwatches and other devices that can communicate over a cellular network or the internet.
Arcadia’s existing policy is that middle school students may not have cell phones/devices at all during the school day (they must be turned off and left in lockers), and high school students may not have cell phones/devices in classes or on their person, but can have them at their advisory desk.
We are looking at clarifying phone use for high school students during project work time (it’s a class time, so phones should not be out, even at their desk), but for now, the plan is that high school students would still have access to their phones at their advisory desk during breaks and lunch.
Again, the updated policy would include smartwatches, or any other personal devices that can be used like a cell phone.
The proposed consequences that would be listed in the policy would be:
First offense: A staff member tells the student to put the device away in a backpack, locker, or at their desk.
Second offense (or escalation of the first): The student would be told to give it to the staff member, and the staff member would bring it to the front office where it would be locked in a cabinet for the student to pick up at the end of the day.
Third offense (or escalation): The student would be told to give the device to the staff member, who would bring it to the front office where it would be locked in a cabinet for an adult (parent, guardian, or emergency contact) to pick up at the end of the day.
Fourth offense (or escalation): Families would be contacted, and the student would work with a staff member to create a plan for their device during the day.
Fifth offense (or escalation): Families would be contacted and the student and family members would conference with a staff member to create a more stringent plan for their device during the day.
Sixth offense (or escalation): The student would no longer be allowed to bring a device to school.
Medical exemption: There may be exceptions to this rule for medical reasons. For example, a person with an insulin pump that’s connected to a device or a person with epilepsy who wears a watch that records seizure data would not be required to remove those devices, though they would not be allowed to use them for anything other than medical purposes during the school day.
Note on communication: We do not always have the front desk staffed. Therefore, to ensure that families are still able to communicate with us (and their student) at any time during the day, we have added an “admin phone”--a cell phone that families can use to contact the school at any time when students are present. You can call or text this phone. The number is 507-581-3090.
We also have a cell phone for the health office. You can call or text this phone if your student has a health concern. That number is 507-581-7871.
Our main phone line (507-663-8806) would still be the best choice to leave a message outside of the school day, but email is really our best communication tool. You can email us to have us call you, too.
Feedback on the cell phone policy is welcome! We will do our best to make this a policy that feels supportive instead of punitive and also follows the statute.
Title IX Policy
The Title IX statute was updated substantially in 2020 and the rules were revised in 2024.
Here is a link to a Title IX Factsheet about the rules changes: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/t9-final-rule-factsheet.pdf
Here is a link to Arcadia’s existing Title IX policy: Policy 522 Title IX Nondiscriminatory Policy.docx
One of the changes was in the roles and responsibilities in the Title IX process. The 2020 rules required different people to be involved in each of the different roles, which could make it a lengthy process. Now, one person can be in multiple roles, and the goal is to streamline the response. Our Title IX Coordinator has typically been our school social worker, and depending on the circumstances, that person could also end up in the role of investigator. The decision-maker has typically been the Executive Director. The “appellate” decision-makers (who would step in if there was an appeal or a conflict of interests) were advisors. Those roles may stay with those positions, or they may shift slightly. However, we will be updating all of that within the Board policy, which will include the names of the people involved in the process.
For now, if a Title IX complaint arises, please contact Laura Stelter, lstelter@arcadiacharterschool.org. I will send out our updated Title IX policy as soon as it has been officially adopted by the Board. In the meantime, we will follow the rules laid out in the 2024 changes.
Bullying and Harassment Policy
514 Policy Bullying Prevention and Response
This policy requires us to provide annual notice of its provisions to families and students. Please take a minute to review this policy.
I want to pull out two things. First, I am the person to contact if bullying or harassment is occuring. Second, bullying has a very specific definition. Not all unkind, unacceptable behavior is actually considered bullying (though we would still address it, it wouldn’t be subject to this policy):
“Bullying” means intimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct that is objectively offensive and:
1. an actual or perceived imbalance of power exists between the student engaging in the prohibited conduct and the target of the prohibited conduct, and the conduct is repeated or forms a pattern; or
2. materially and substantially interferes with a student’s educational opportunities or performance or ability to participate in school functions or activities or receive school benefits, services, or privileges.
The term “bullying” specifically includes cyberbullying, malicious and sadistic conduct, and sexual exploitation.
We will also look at this policy during the opening days.
Student Discipline
This is another important policy for families and students to know that describes the student code of conduct and the disciplinary consequences of behavior that is not in keeping with that code of conduct. We are required to share this with you all annually. I am including the Code of Student Conduct in the body of the message, since all students are subject to it.
However, I think it’s important to note we usually rely on our student-created Arcadia Social Contract when we are addressing behavior. That document is an agreement amongst all students and staff, written by the students, that describes how we want to be together. Every student is involved in the process of creating it, and it is really the foundation for how we approach behavior management. While this is the official board policy, and students must follow it, we prioritize the social contract in our actual day to day functioning.
CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT
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The following are examples of unacceptable behavior subject to disciplinary action by the school. These examples are not intended to be an exclusive list. Any student who engages in any of these activities shall be disciplined in accordance with this policy. This policy applies to all school buildings, school grounds and school property or property immediately adjacent to school grounds; school-sponsored activities or trips; school bus stops; school buses, school vehicles, school contracted vehicles, or any other vehicles approved for charter school purposes; the area of entrance or departure from school premises or events; and all school-related functions, school-sponsored activities, events, or trips. Charter school property also may mean a student’s walking route to or from school for purposes of attending school or school-related functions, activities, or events. While prohibiting unacceptable behavior subject to disciplinary action at these locations and events, the charter school does not represent that it will provide supervision or assume liability at these locations and events. This policy also applies to any student whose conduct at any time or in any place interferes with or obstructs the mission or operations of the charter school or the safety or welfare of the student, other students, or employees.
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Violations against property including, but not limited to, damage to or destruction of school property or the property of others, failure to compensate for damage or destruction of such property, arson, breaking and entering, theft, robbery, possession of stolen property, extortion, trespassing, unauthorized usage, or vandalism;
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The use of profanity or obscene language, or the possession of obscene materials;
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Gambling, including, but not limited to, playing a game of chance for stakes;
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Violation of the charter school’s Hazing Prohibition Policy;
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Attendance problems including, but not limited to, truancy, absenteeism, tardiness, skipping school or classes, or leaving school grounds without permission;
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Violation of the charter school’s Student Attendance Policy;
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Opposition to authority using physical force or violence;
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Using, possessing, or distributing tobacco, tobacco-related devices, electronic cigarettes, or tobacco paraphernalia in violation of the charter school’s Tobacco-Free Environment; Possession and Use of Tobacco, Tobacco-Related Devices, and Electronic Delivery Devices Policy;
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Using, possessing, distributing, intending to distribute, making a request to another person for (solicitation), or being under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances or look-alike substances;
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Using, possessing, distributing, intending to distribute, making a request to another person for (solicitation), or being under the influence of narcotics, drugs, or other controlled substances (except as prescribed by a physician), or look-alike substances (these prohibitions include medical marijuana or medical cannabis, even when prescribed by a physician, and one student sharing prescription medication with another student);
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Using, possessing or distributing items or articles that are illegal or harmful to persons or property including, but not limited to, drug paraphernalia;
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Using, possessing, or distributing weapons, or look-alike weapons or other dangerous objects;
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Violation of the charter school’s Weapons Policy;
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Violation of the charter school’s Violence Prevention Policy;
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Possession of ammunition including, but not limited to, bullets or other projectiles designed to be used in or as a weapon;
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Possession, use or distribution of explosives or any compound or mixture, the primary or common purpose or intended use of which is to function as an explosive;
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Possession, use or distribution of fireworks or any substance or combination of substances or article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or an audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation;
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Using an ignition device, including a butane or disposable lighter or matches, inside and educational building and under circumstances where there is a risk of fire, except where the device is used in a manner authorized by the school;Violation of any local, state or federal law as appropriate;
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Violation of any local, state, or federal law as appropriate;
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Acts disruptive of the educational process, including, but not limited to, disobedience, disruptive or disrespectful behavior, defiance of authority, cheating, insolence, insubordination, failure to identify oneself, improper activation of fire alarms, or bomb threats;
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Violation of the charter school’s Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy;
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Use of a cell phone in violation of the charter school’s Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policies;
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Violation of school bus or transportation rules or the charter school’s Student Transportation Safety Policy;
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Violation of parking or school traffic rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, driving on school property in such a manner as to endanger persons or property;
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Violation of directives or guidelines relating to lockers and desks or improperly gaining access to a school locker or other personal space;
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Violation of the charter school’s Search of Student Lockers, Desks, Personal Possessions and Student’s Person Policy;
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Violation of the charter school’s student handbook expectations for student use and parking of motor vehicles; patrols, inspections, and searches;
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Possession or distribution of slanderous, libelous or pornographic materials;
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Violation of the charter school’s Bullying Prohibition Policy;
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Student attire or personal grooming which creates a danger to health or safety or creates a disruption to the educational process, including clothing which bears a message which is lewd, vulgar, or obscene, apparel promoting products or activities that are illegal for use by minors, or clothing containing objectionable emblems, signs, words, objects, or pictures communicating a message that is racist, sexist, or otherwise derogatory to a protected minority group or which connotes gang membership.
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Criminal activity;
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Falsification of any records, documents, notes or signatures;
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Tampering with, changing, or altering records or documents of the charter school by any method including, but not limited to, computer access or other electronic means;
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Scholastic dishonesty which includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a school assignment or test, plagiarism, or collusion, including the use of smartphones or other technology to accomplish this end;
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Impertinent or disrespectful words, symbols, acronyms, or language, whether oral or written, related to teachers or other charter school personnel;
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Violation of the charter school’s Harassment and Violence Policy;
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Actions, including fighting or any other assaultive behavior, which causes or could cause injury to the student or other persons or which otherwise endangers the health, safety, or welfare of students, teachers, other charter school personnel, or other persons;
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Committing an act which inflicts great bodily harm upon another person, even though accidental or a result of poor judgment;
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Violations against persons, including, but not limited to, assault or threatened assault, fighting, harassment, interference or obstruction, attack with a weapon, or look-alike weapon, sexual assault, illegal or inappropriate sexual conduct, or indecent exposure;
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Verbal assaults, or verbally abusive behavior including, but not limited to, use of words, symbols, acronyms, or language, whether oral or written, that are discriminatory, abusive, obscene, threatening, intimidating, degrading to other people, or threatening to school property;
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Physical or verbal threats, including, but not limited to, the staging or reporting of dangerous or hazardous situations that do not exist;
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Inappropriate, abusive, threatening, or demeaning actions based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, national origin or sexual orientation;
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Violation of the charter school’s Distribution of Nonschool-Sponsored Materials on School Premises by Students and Employees policy;
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Violation of school rules, regulations, policies or procedures, including, but not limited to, those policies specifically enumerated in this policy;
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Other acts, as determined by the charter school, which are disruptive of the educational process or dangerous or detrimental to the student or other students, charter school personnel or surrounding persons, or which violate the rights of others or which damage or endanger the property of the school, or which otherwise interfere with or obstruct the mission or operations of the charter school or the safety or welfare of students or employees.
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We will also discuss this policy during the opening days.
Arcadia Attendance Policy
Attendance is another area that has received a lot of media attention in the past few years. The research shows that absences directly correlate with academic achievement–students who come to school every day (or nearly every day) are more likely to do well on academic performance measures and graduate from high school. Arcadia’s teachers use their class time wisely, and students really do miss out on learning when they miss class time. However, we know that, sometimes, absences are inevitable. I’m hoping that our shared goal (the school and families’) is to make the number of absences as small as possible.
Essentially, school attendance is compulsory for all children under the age of 18, and families are required by law to ensure that their children are attending school regularly. Our role is to help families by working with them to reduce barriers to school attendance for their children.
Arcadia is held accountable for our consistent attendance rate. “Consistent” means present more than 90% of the time. We report to the State of Minnesota, and the State of Minnesota reports our consistent attendance rate on the MDE Report Card. Chronic absenteeism, the opposite of consistent attendance, is defined as missing up to or more than 10% of the school year. This includes both excused and unexcused absences.
Excused Absences:
To be considered an excused absence, the student’s parent or legal guardian may be asked to verify, in writing, the reason for the student’s absence from school. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the student cannot attend school is a valid excuse.
The following reasons shall be sufficient to constitute excused absences:
(1) Illness (a doctor’s note may be requested after three consecutive days or more than seven days within a quarter).
(2) Serious illness in the student’s immediate family.
(3) A death or funeral in the student’s immediate family or of a close friend or relative.
(4) Medical, dental, or orthodontic treatment, or a counseling appointment.
(5) Court appearances occasioned by family or personal action.
(6) Religious release.
(7) Physical emergency conditions such as fire, flood, storm, etc.
(8) Official school field trip or other school-sponsored outing, or a Director-approved absence.
(9) Removal of a student pursuant to a suspension. Suspensions are to be handled as excused absences and students will be permitted to complete make-up work.
(10) Family emergencies.
(11) Active duty in any military branch of the United States.
(12) A student’s condition that requires ongoing treatment for a mental health diagnosis.
Unexcused Absences:
An unexcused absence is any absence that does not meet the definition of an excused absence.
The following are examples of absences which will not be excused:
(1) Truancy. An absence by a student which was not approved by the parent and/or the school.
(2) Any absence in which the student failed to comply with any reporting requirements of the school’s attendance procedures.
(3) Work at home, including child care.
(4) Work at a business that is not a part of the student’s academic plan or project.
(5) Missed bus.
(6) Overslept.
(7) Non-prearranged family vacation.
(8) Absences resulting from accumulated unexcused tardies (three tardies equal one unexcused absence).
(9) Any other absence not included under the attendance procedures set out in this policy.
While our consistent attendance rate is slightly higher than the state and Northfield School District averages, we are still charged with constantly improving that rate. This is why you get all of those attendance letters.
We send letters out after 3, 5, and 7 absences. All of the letters include the attendance record on the back. The 3 and 5 absence letters are to make sure that you are aware of the number of absences, and that we’re on the same page. At 7 absences, if the absences are primarily excused, you would be required to have a doctor’s note or director permission for any additional absences. If the 7 absences are unexcused, you would be required to come in for a meeting to make an attendance plan. Beyond 7 unexcused absences, a student may be referred to Rice County for truancy proceedings. Truancy in Rice County is designed to be a supportive process instead of a punitive one, but there are potentially more significant consequences if, after supports are put in place, the student continues to be absent from school.
Last year, I was sending the attendance letters, since we did not have a full time social worker. I am excited that we have a full time social worker joining us this year (Nikki McCane), plus an additional part time social worker (Tekla Johnson)! The school is receiving Student Support Aid money from the state that is specifically for hiring additional student mental health support, which is allowing us to do this. I will be collaborating with the social work office on sending the letters, but the social work office will follow up with families to see where we can reduce barriers and provide support to help get kids to school every day! I can’t wait for you to meet these two people–they are wonderful additions to the Arcadia community!
Arcadia Health Office Procedures
Students who leave school during the day due to illness must go to the health office and be signed out by a parent/guardian. We ask that families help us enforce this, since it’s very important for us to know where students are! To communicate directly with the health office, you can call or text 507-581-7871.
Arcadia Student Handbook
With all of these changes, the Arcadia Student Handbook is in need of a significant overhaul to align with the new policies. The Board-approved policies are the policies in effect at this time. The handbook for 2024-2025 will be approved at the August Board meeting next Tuesday, but will continue to be revised throughout the year as the policy updates continue. We welcome student and family feedback on the handbook!
Arcadia’s Lunch Program
Let me start by saying, we will be offering free lunches for all students every day. Unfortunately, they will be pre-packaged, shelf stable meals.
After months of planning and work to prepare the school for hot lunches, including a licensing plan that was supported by our local inspector, the Minnesota Department of Health informed us on August 15th that we would need to make additional changes to the building to be able to serve hot food. We have had everything in place except the MDH license, so it was, admittedly, very frustrating that we didn’t receive this feedback until yesterday. Without a license, we are not able to join the National School Lunch Program yet.
The intent with our plan was that, by having the caterer be responsible for all food preparation and dishware/cleaning, and using disposable (compostable) dishware for students, we would not be required to have a sink. That seemed, to everyone we talked to, to be an acceptable solution. However, we would need to be able to store the food until lunch time in a refrigerator and hot holding cabinet. The MDH argued that we must have a three compartment sink if we have a refrigerator so we could independently clean the components of that refrigerator in keeping with the food code. (If only they had given us that feedback over a month ago.)
We did, previously, get an estimate from a local plumber to add a three compartment sink and other kitchen items in the Great Room, which then led us to look for another solution. Putting a kitchen space in the Great Room would compromise our ability to use it as a theater, which is a central part of our identity, and the expense was prohibitively high because of the drain requirements. Only one of the plumbers we contacted was willing to give us a bid.
We are now looking at putting a kitchen in the existing staff room.
If anyone is a licensed plumber, or knows a licensed plumber, who would be willing to look at, instead, remodeling the drain for the three compartment sink in the staff room and adding a handwashing and a food prep sink to that room, please contact me (Laura Stelter, lstelter@arcadiacharterschool.org).
We are not giving up on getting into the NSLP and serving hot food. This is just another ill-timed setback on our quest to do so.
World’s Best Workforce is now Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness
The “World’s Best Workforce” legislation that was enacted in 2013 is now renamed “Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness,” but the outcomes are largely the same. This report requires us to name annual goals that will guide our program decisions.
One of the requirements is that we create a District Advisory Committee (though we don’t necessarily have to call it that) that gives input and feedback on district-level goals and plans. Arcadia is both a school and a district of its own. The most important idea here is that families have the opportunity to give feedback on the goals and plans. We have a parent-majority board that has been the primary place we’ve gotten this feedback so far, but we would like to include more families than just those on the board. We would also like to include more student feedback.
At the meetings I have scheduled this afternoon and on Monday, I will go over the current plans for what was previously known as WBWF, and try to recruit you all for an ongoing committee. :) The committee would meet once in the spring for this specific purpose, so low commitment!
Recruitment and scheduling have been the challenges for this group, so I may just keep it informal, inviting all families and students who are available to participate at a set time with a set agenda.
Here are the goals that we are planning on for 2024-2025, based on the required categories:
Goal #1: Close the Achievement Gap(s) Between Student Groups
70% of Arcadia students in special education who take the NWEA MAP reading test and who are below grade level average in the fall of 2024 will demonstrate growth when they take the test again in the spring of 2025.
70% of Arcadia students in special education who take the NWEA MAP math test and who are below grade level average in the fall of 2024 will demonstrate growth when they take the test again in the spring of 2025.
Goal #2: All Students Career- and College-Ready by Graduation
Every year from 2022-2027, each senior who begins and ends their senior year with Arcadia, completing at least 50% of the school year at Arcadia, will complete a Senior Project. Each student writes their own project-related SMART goals with their project advisor. Projects are measured against a rubric that includes content, time management, presentation and oral communication, writing and resources, and a student-created section directly relevant to the student's project.
Goal #3: All Students Graduate
All seniors (100%) who begin the school year at Arcadia and intend to graduate from Arcadia will graduate within one year of entering their senior year.
Upcoming Events:
–Arcadia Annual Meeting and Arcadia Regular School Board Meeting
August 20th, 6:30-8:30pm, Purple Advisory at Arcadia
–Arcadia Annual Potluck Picnic
August 27th, 6:30-8:00pm, Picnic Shelter at Arcadia (Great Room if rain)
–Goal Setting Conferences
August 28th and 29th, as scheduled with your advisor, at Arcadia
–First Day of School
September 3rd, 8:02am-2:42pm, at Arcadia
