Building Procedures

In an effort to centralize information for our building, the sections below include procedures for various parts of Commack High School. Please use the links below to select a specific procedure or scroll through the library that follows. 

Discipline Procedures

Dean of Students:  Toby Elmore  - 42257

Dean’s Secretary:  Tara Blair  - 42114

Deans' Extension: - 42115

Attendance Secretary: Angela Calobrisi – 42187

Referral Behaviors:

• Class Avoidance

• Conflict/ Harassment / Bullying

• Academic Dishonesty

• Disrespect / Insubordination

• Disruptive Behavior

• Physical Contact / Fighting

• Prohibited Actions / Items on School Property 

Actions Taken by Teacher Prior to Referral :

• Conference with the student

• Speak with School Counselor

• Speak with Mental Health Provider

• Call home speak with parent(s) 

• Speak with Director/Coordinator

• Discipline Referral

• Immediate Action  - Call the Dean's Office/Security

Filling out a Discipline Referral:

• Speak with Parent / Guardian

• Be as specific as possible

• Indicate the prior steps taken

• Please submit behavior referrals as soon as possible

Rectifying Attendance:

• If you make a mistake taking attendance or a student provides a valid excuse and documentation for an absence, send an email to hsattendance@Commack.k12.ny.us to have the absence corrected. 

• The Dean that receives referral will allow the student time to rectify the absences themselves.

• If the student fails to bring documentation from home, teacher, counselor, etc. the absences will then be considered UNEXCUSED.

Infinite Campus Behavioral Referral Procedures

Posting Information in the Building & Printing Programs for Events

• All postings will require review and approval from Christina Semple, Building Censor, before they are posted. Christina will censor the content of the posting as needed. 

• Once the posting has been reviewed, a stamp will be placed on the advertisement.  Any materials posted without a proper stamp will be removed from the walls and discarded. 

• Additional space is also available throughout the building above some of the water fountains where there are cork strips. 

• Posters can only be mounted using masking tape rolled and secured to the back of the posting on the bulletin boards and with staples on the cork strips.

• Absolutely no duct or packing tape is to be used when posting fliers. 

• As soon as the event concludes, please ensure that the postings are removed from in a timely fashion. The following locations can NOT be used as posting spaces: 

o Glass display cases 

o Door windows 

o Hallway windows 

o Fire extinguisher and safety material housings 

o Any exterior structure 

o Covering any mounted artwork, signage or display 

o Ceilings 

If you have any questions please contact Christina Semple or  Rich Suchopar via email.

Staff Attendance Procedures

When absent please follow the procedures below:

• Once you determine an absence is needed please enter in AESOP by going to:

https://login.frontlineeducation.com/login?signin=65f75eb1e866ef10e252e6ac5e0563e8&productId=ABSMGMT&clientId=ABSMGMT#/login

• When entering an absence please make sure you enter by 6AM of that day or earlier.

• When choosing a substitute teacher please make sure that they are available for the job.

• If using Cancer Screening, please communicate with your Director/Coordinator or the Vice Principal before the day of the absence to insure that it is being administered correctly. There is a form that should be completed before the day of the absence. Up to one use per year.

• Jury Duty requires forms to be filled out in advance so please communicate with your Director/Coordinator, Karen Hein, and /or the Vice Principal as soon as you receive a jury summons.

• School Function is used for when you need to attend a function at your child’s school during the school day.  You must inform Director/Coordinator in advance in writing. Maximum of 1 day per year.

• If you are out on School Business such as internal IB grading or IEP Writing, please communicate directly to your Director/Coordinator and Cc Karen Hein and Matt Keltos, then put the absence in AESOP as soon as possible.

• If attending a conference on MLP, please insure that the absence is in AESOP after registering for the conference.

Xerox Procedures

Copy machines are available in the following locations for teacher use:

• Main Office

• Library

• Upper-C wing staff room

Please keep the following in mind when making copies:

• Copies should be made double-sided whenever possible

• If you are having student aides make copies, please teach them how to use the machine and instruct them to program one job at a time so that it does not hold up the machine from other staff members

• Copy jobs of 150+ copies must be sent to Hubbs Copy Center (using the form below)

Student Attendance Tracking

Teacher Attendance Expectations:

In an effort to compile the most accurate student attendance, teachers are required to do the following:

• Take attendance each class period to reflect absent and tardy students

• Ensure that all periods have attendance taken before 3:00pm.

• Rectify any attendance issues with the attendance office via email, hsattendance@commack.k12.ny.us

• If absent, leave rosters for subs with directions to submit attendance rosters at the end of the day to the Attendance Office

• Monitor student attendance- contact parents/guardians, counselors/case managers/mental health providers if student(s) is frequently absent

• Submit dean’s referral when a student(s) is illegally absent from class

Teachers who miss any period of attendance will receive an automatically-generated email at the end of the school day. Attendance can be updated until the end of the day, after that time the teacher will need to print a roster with attendance recorded on it and submit it to Mrs. Angela Calobrisi, Attendance Secretary. 

Student Attendance Interventions:

To respond to excessive illegal absenteeism, Commack High School will employ a mix of punitive and restorative responses to student attendance. The intervention schedule for excused and unexcused full-day absences below is dependent on teachers consistently and accurately taking attendance: 

7 absences

• Attendance letter generated and mailed to student home

14 absences

• Attendance letter generated and mailed to student home

• Meeting with Attendance Social Worker

21 absences

• Attendance letter generated and mailed to student home

• Meeting with AP, counselor, mental health provider (if applicable), case manager (if applicable)

28 absences

• Attendance letter generated and mailed to student home

• Hearing with the Principal, counselor, mental health provider (if applicable), case manager (if applicable)

• Further action taken based on outcome of meeting (i.e. SPOA, AFY, CPS)

Additional Support (could be implemented at any stage)

• Counselor Monitor

• Counseling Group

• Referral to IST

• Case Manager Discussion/Referral to CSE

Homeroom Procedures

Homeroom is a six (6) minute time from 7:30-7:36 am each morning. During Homeroom, assigned teachers should complete the following tasks:

• Take attendance for their students indicating absent and tardy students

• Distribute any materials addressed to students that are placed in the teacher mailboxes

• Keep the room quiet during the announcements so that students can hear the information

• Write a pass for any student who needs to attend to business in the building (Counseling Center, Main Office, etc.)

• No instruction should begin before the 7:36 am bell

Study Hall Procedures

• Please take attendance for the Study Hall during the period so that it is accurate.  Avoidance must be followed up by a dean’s referral in a timely fashion.  Please do not write up a series of cuts on one referral as it will be handled as a single incident. Know where your students are and if they are absent for extended stretches.

• Study Halls are quiet rooms where low conversation should take place between students. Students should be prompted to take advantage of the opportunity to complete work or tasks associated with curricular courses or extra curricular activities or clubs. There is no card playing or gambling allowed in Study Halls.

• Technology is encouraged in the Study Hall classroom but not to the point of distraction to other students in the room. Teacher discretion should be used with disruptive technology usage in the Study Hall.

• Students may obtain a pass to the Library from their Study Hall teacher after attendance is taken.  The Library will scan students in so student movement can be monitored.  You will not see the student and will mark them absent. There are a specific number of passes by period for Study Hall students

• Students be allowed to go to specific teachers with a pass from that teacher.  Do not allow students to seek out teachers without prior communication. They can be given a pass to make a Counseling Center appointment.

• Through teacher discretion, brown bag lunches are permitted in Study Hall, but students may not go to the cafeteria for food. Please adhere to this rule.

• Emergency exits are at two doors in the back of the SSC.  Please utilize both exits so there is an efficient and orderly exit from the room.

• Lockdown drill procedures for the room are to use the Special Education Faculty Room and the Tech Office for sheltering while insuring the front doors are locked.

• Please communicate with the Office of Student Affairs for any assistance.

Cafeteria Procedures

• Staff assigned to the North and South entrance doors will check to ensure students scanning into the Cafeteria are in the appropriate lunch period and have on IDs.

• Lunch Monitors will patrol assigned zones to ensure students are behaving appropriately and check IDs.

• Teachers assigned to zone will monitor and address any issues that are brought to their attention.

•  Teachers will be working with the Cafeteria Lead Teacher to ensure students clean up the tables in their zone.

• Senior Cafeteria is reserved for Seniors only.

• Students purchasing lunch must follow the rules set forth by Whitson Food Service in obtaining their lunch.

• Students are allowed outside in the courtyard, when weather permits.

• Students are to keep noise to a minimum while outside in the courtyard (as not to disrupt classes taking place).

• Students should remain in chairs until bell rings to end the period.

• Once the period bell rings students must walk around the cafeteria – it will not be used as a pass-through hallway.

• Any food throwing, conflicts, or issues will be referred to the Cafeteria Lead Teacher. 

Allergy Protocols

Home Instruction Procedures