A. Arrival

All students should arrive at school between 8:00 and 8:05 AM.  If the student desires to eat breakfast, he or she must arrive between 7:45 and 8:00 AM.  Parents or guardians should go through the drop off line and let children out of their vehicles. Please let your children out of the car on the passenger side.  (*COVID - Please keep student's in the car until each student's temperature has been checked by staff.)

Dismissal

Student release begins at 3:15 pm. Students must be picked up no later than 3:30 PM. Any child remaining at the school after 3:30 PM will be sent to the Extended Day Program and will be charged the corresponding fees. Parents or guardians should pick up their child in the pickup car line located in the front of the school. Your child’s home base teacher will dismiss your student. No child will be dismissed to anyone not listed on your alternate transportation form.

Early Release

Any parent or guardian picking up a student prior to dismissal should send a note and call the front office in advance indicating the reason. Students will wait with the class until the parent or guardian arrives and signs the student out of school.

Please do not request that your child be dismissed early unless it is an unavoidable emergency. Each request for early dismissal disrupts your child’s education.  There will be NO early dismissals between 2:30 and 3:15 PM.  If you are picking your child up early please plan to pick them up prior to 2:30 PM.  *Absent a bona fide emergency, there will be no exceptions to this rule and the school doors will be locked as staff safely dismisses your children.  (*COVID - Due to procedure changes, Front Office access is currently restricted.  Please knock at the front and we will come assist you.)

Rainy Days

If it is raining at arrival or dismissal time, a car line procedure will be formed at the front entrance of the school. Please be patient at dismissal time, as escorting each child to their car will take some time. For safety reasons, if there is wind, staff will not use umbrellas when escorting your child to their automobile. In the event of lightening, dismissal will be delayed until the lightning passes. Please be patient and remain in your car.

MSAS provides a school food service program. As a Title I school, both breakfast and lunch are free for all students at Manatee School of Arts & Sciences. Those students who desire to eat breakfast will be allowed in the building starting at 7:45 AM each school day. Breakfast will be served until 7:59 AM and all students must be finished eating no later than 8:00 AM. 

All breakfast and lunch meals are ordered and picked from Prine Middle School. Each student will be responsible to alert their teacher that they desire to eat a school lunch that day when prompted to do so each morning when attendance is taken. If your child does not bring a lunch to school, office personnel will order a school lunch for the student.

All parents should fill out a free and reduced lunch application at the following web address: Free and Reduce Lunch Application.

Manatee County will process the application and notify MSAS if the student qualifies for free or reduced lunch.

All students are required to bring a healthy snack (which should primarily consist of a fruit or vegetable) every day.  Please check with your teacher, as not all classes will break for a snack. Student's are encouraged to bring personal water bottles, filled with water, to school with them every day.  (*COVID - Water fountains are currently not in use)

You are invited to have lunch with your child at any time.  (*COVID - MSAS has currently rescinded this practice and no longer allows visitors in campus due the pandemic.) Please check in at the front office and wear your name badge when visiting. Please do not leave your child unattended or move to another area. They need to remain with you during your visit. Your child will not be permitted to invite a guest to eat lunch with you and your child. When you leave the school, please make sure your child has checked in with his/her teacher and you have signed out in the front office.

Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, Inc., implements the “Essential 55” by Ron Clark as the internal classroom discipline policy. A copy of the book is available at the public library. MSAS has developed its own student code of conduct policy. The policy here will also be posted on the school website. The Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, Inc. “Student Contract” can be found in the school office and this family handbook.

Discipline Process

The MSAS Discipline Process is broken in to two categories: Classroom (Minor) Offenses and Office Managed (Major) Offense.

Classroom Managed (Minor) Offenses

The Discipline Process dictates that Classroom Offenses are dealt with in a progress manner.

• Step 1: Warning

• Step 2: Student is moved to the tiled are with work.

• Step 3: Student is moved to the neighboring classroom with work. (*COVID - Due to procedure changes, students are not moved between classes at the moment.)

The teacher will contact the parent when a student reaches Step 2. If a student reaches Step 3, a lunch detention will be assigned to be served the following school day. If a student receives three lunch detentions in a quarter, the student will be assigned In School Suspension. The school will keep track of detentions and notify parent/guardians as certain levels are reached. The purpose of detentions is to detect any developing patterns of behavior that require corrections. This process is often referred to in schools as a “ladder of discipline”.

The following list of classroom offenses is not exhaustive, and the administration and MSAS staff reserves the right to issue a lunch detention based on professional judgment. Detentions may also be administered based on inappropriate student conduct in the Extended Day Program or during field trips.

List of Classroom Managed (Minor) Offenses

·     Academic Dishonesty

·     Classroom Disruption

·     Dishonesty

·     Disrespect

·     Dress Code Violation

·     Inappropriate Language

·     Inappropriate Display of Affection

·     Insubordination

·     Off-task

·     Out of Assigned Area

·     Physical Contact

·     Tardiness

·     Teasing/Taunting

·     Technology Violation

·     Unprepared for class

·     Unsafe Behavior Warning

Office Managed (Major) Offenses

The Discipline Process dictates that Office Offenses requires the teacher to immediately contact the office for assistance. The teacher will write a referral and the administrator will determine the consequence, follow through on consequence, contact the parent, and provide teacher feedback.

The following list of office offenses is not exhaustive, and the administration and MSAS staff reserves the right to issue a referral based on professional judgment. Referrals may also be administered based on inappropriate student conduct in the Extended Day Program or during field trips.

List of Office Managed (Major) Offenses

·     Bullying

·     Class Cutting

·     Fighting

·     Harassment

·     Physical Attack – Student/Staff

·     Portable Communication Device

·     Refusal to Obey School Policies

·     Verbal or Physical Threat

Consequences

Detention

1. Detentions are assigned for the following school day, occur during the Lunch/Recess Period, and are held in Room 1. Students will be provided with a Detention Slip that must be taken home and signed by the parent/guardian and returned the following day. The Detention Slip will be given to the Lunch Detention Monitor when the student arrives to Room 1 on the day the detention is to be served. The detention must be served on the assigned date. The only acceptable excuses for missing a detention are medical emergencies, excused absence from school, medical or dental appointments (must be verifiable and on doctor’s letterhead), or extreme unforeseen circumstances. Unacceptable excuses for missing detention include, but are not limited to forgetting, lack of transportation, and athletic or other extracurricular events. A student who misses a detention due to an unacceptable excuse will be considered to be in defiance of school regulations and be required to serve an additional detention for the first offense and will be suspended for subsequent offenses. The student is responsible for rescheduling the detention with administration on the first day of return.

2. There is no such thing as lateness to detention. If the student shows up after the designated start of detention without a valid excuse for the lateness, he or she will not be permitted to serve detention on that day. The student will then be subjected to serve two detentions. Proper conduct is expected during detention and all school rules are in effect during detention. Students may only do school work during detention but may also be required to do a written assignment that relates to the misbehavior. Students are not permitted to sleep, read magazines, talk, play, use electronic devices, or otherwise disturb the detention proctor or other students serving detention. Students who misbehave during detention will be removed and will be required to serve two detentions. Subsequent misbehavior during detention may result in external suspension.

Referrals

1. Referrals are issued for more significant offenses, classroom disruptions, and continual classroom misbehavior. Referrals are written up by the classroom teacher and submitted to the administration. Depending on the severity of the violation, the administration will determine the appropriate consequence including but not limited to: detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and revocation of MSAS enrollment.

2. Any of the following student behaviors are grounds for disciplinary action, ranging from discipline referrals to the school office to dismissal of the student by the school. This list may be expanded if deemed necessary in the development of the school’s discipline policy. MSAS agrees to maintain a safe learning environment at all times. MSAS shall be guided by Florida state law and our Sponsor (the School Board of Manatee County) policies in the development of the School’s disciplinary policies. MSAS agrees to comply with the Federal Gun Free Schools Act of 1994 and any other applicable state and/or federal law pertaining to the health, safety, and welfare of students:

• The illegal use, possession or sale of controlled substances, as defined in chapter 893, Florida Statutes, by any student while the student is upon school property or in attendance at a school function.

• The possession of a firearm, knife, a weapon, or an item which may be used as a weapon by any student while the student is on school property or in attendance at a school function.

• Violence against any school personnel or another student.

• Sexual harassment.

• Vandalism e.g. theft, defacing, misuse of school property.

Please note that, as a general rule, written discipline referrals that require a student to be sent to the school office will be limited to acts involving one or more of the 5 categories listed above. MSAS reserves the right to and may expand this list, as needed and based on changes to and the ongoing development of the school’s disciplinary policy.

In School Suspension (ISS)

In School Suspension (ISS) is the temporary placement of a student in a supervised area other than the area indicated by the regularly assigned schedule for a period not to exceed five (5) school days. In all cases of In School Suspension, an attempt shall be made to notify the parent/guardians by telephone. In the case of students whose parent/guardians/emergency contacts cannot be reached by telephone, a letter detailing the cause and duration of the suspension will be mailed to the home. Following the third (3rd), or before as determined by school administration, In School Suspension in any one school year, the student will be placed on a Behavior Contract.

Out of School Suspension (OSS)

A suspension is the temporary removal of a pupil from regular school attendance for a period not to exceed ten (10) school days. While serving an out-of-school suspension, a student is forbidden from being on the property of MSAS for any reason unless accompanied to a prearranged appointment in writing from an administrator by a parent/guardian or guardian.

Prior to a suspension from school, the student shall:

1. Be given oral or written notice of the charges, and if the charges are denied, be given an explanation of the evidence known to school authorities;

2. Be given a fair and impartial hearing conference and have the opportunity to present his/her side of the story;

3. Have had prior opportunity to know that the alleged actions were in violation of established rules and regulations

Generally, the notice and hearing should precede the student’s removal from school; however, if this is not feasible or if the immediate removal of the student from school is necessary to protect the safety of individuals, property, and/or the educational process, the necessary notice and hearing will follow as soon as practicable.

In all cases of Out of School Suspension, an attempt shall be made to notify the parent/guardians by telephone and request that the student be picked up from school. Students whose parent/guardians/emergency contacts cannot be reached by telephone will be retained at school until the end of the school day. The notification shall state the cause and duration of the suspension. If suspension is for more than five days, a definite time and date for a hearing on the suspension shall be scheduled at a place designated by the Administrator. Every effort will be made by the school and the parent/guardian/ to conduct a conference prior to the return of a student to school following a suspension.

Following the second (2nd), or before as determined by school administration, out-of-school suspension in any one school year, the student’s enrollment at MSAS will be revoked.

In the case of students with disabilities (as that phrase is defined under Federal regulations promulgated under the Handicapped Act [20 U.S.C. S1401 et seq.]), the regulations and procedures set forth by the State of Florida Department of education for Exceptional Children shall be followed.

Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment shall not be administered at MSAS. Any failure to comply with this policy shall be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

All students attending MSAS are required to wear the school uniform. The uniform for MSAS is a polo or t- shirt with the school logo, slacks or skirts (navy, cream, or jean material) and tennis shoes. Shoes must be closed toe and closed heel tennis shoes. No skate type shoes will be allowed (e.g. Heelys, Retractable Roller Shoes, etc.). Students may not wear “short shorts”. Shorts must be a minimum of fingertip length when hands are held at the student’s side.  (Please Note:  Uniforms will be sold at the school at our open house and other announced dates during the school year. Uniforms may also be purchased online.) Hats are NOT permitted to be worn in school.

School shirts may be purchased by phone or online from: Classroom Colors.

Nurse

Presently, a registered nurse is available by telephone. The goal of the school health services is to provide a safe and healthy environment for students as well as staff. The school nurse is not on site at all times, however, but is generally accessible to school personnel for training, consultation, and student referral.

The following services may be offered to students on a referral basis from school personnel: basic health screenings, such as vision and hearing; and, nursing assessment to identify possible communicable diseases and other risks to a student’s health. After any health screening, a record of the results will be sent home with the child.  An effort will be made to test absent students at a later date. Please contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

If you DO NOT desire these services for your child, you must write a letter to the school.  In your letter, you must state which of these services you DO NOT want your child to receive. Be sure to indicate your child’s name and grade. The letter must be signed and dated by the child’s parent or legal guardian.

Clinic

MSAS does not provide a school clinic. If your child becomes ill during the day he/she will be sent to the school office. The following procedures will be followed: (COVID - Current CDC guidelinesldlines and recommendations may override or replace the procedures below.)

1. Student will be asked to explain what is wrong.

2. The student’s temperature will be taken.

3. If the child has a temperature above 99.9 degrees Fahrenheit the parent or guardian will be notified and asked to pick up the student.

4. If the child has a normal temperature he/she will remain in the office to rest for a period of 5 to 15 minutes.

5. If the child is vomiting, the parent or guardian will be called and asked to pick up the student.

6. If the child has a rash of any kind, the parent or guardian will be called and asked to pick up the student. Your student will not be able to return to school until the rash has cleared or with a note from the doctor stating the rash in not contagious.

7. If the child comes to the office with a bump, bruise, bloody nose, bug bite, etc., ice will be applied.

8. If a child has fallen and hit their head or face, the parent or guardian will be notified immediately after ice has been applied.

9. In the event that your child becomes acutely ill with any of the following: a very high fever (103 degrees) and above; abdominal pain with vomiting; severe respiratory (breathing) difficulty due to asthma or allergic reaction which does not respond to prescribed medication or for which medication is not available; repeated/extended seizure activity or a first-time seizure of unknown cause; or your child is severely injured or bleeding beyond control by routine first aid measures and is in obvious risk to his/her health and well-being, emergency medical services (911) will be called to provide emergency care and transportation to a hospital.

10. If an emergency occurs, where school personnel determine 911 services are needed, they will call 911 first and then call the parent or guardian.

11. If you are contacted by school personnel to pick up your child from school due to illness, injury, or possible communicable disease, you need to make arrangements to pick up your child within 30 minutes. Schools do not have adequate space to retain sick and injured children who need to go home or be seen by a doctor. The welfare of your child is our primary concern. Your assistance and cooperation is needed and appreciated.

12. MSAS performs head checks once per month.

Head Lice

The head louse is a parasite – meaning it needs a host (person) for nourishment. It is a grayish-tan, wingless, cylindrical insect. Head lice are highly transmissible. The sharing of a comb or hat could be all it takes for an infected person to spread them. The most visible evidence of lice infestation is the presence of nits (eggs). Nits are small, silvery and oval shaped, about the size of the eye of a needle.

Head lice can be difficult to spot, and their nits/eggs are sometimes mistaken for dandruff. Parents are often able to detect the presence of head lice by following these steps.

1. Conduct weekly head checks.

2. Search for lice and nits in the hair and on skin behind the ears, at the crown of the head and at the nape of the neck. A magnifying glass and bright lighting may make them easier to see.

3. Check towels after drying your child’s head for signs of lice.

4. Examine your child’s garments, especially on hats and hoods of coats, jackets and sweaters.

Special Note:  Manatee County schools will not allow children to return to the classroom unless they are NIT FREE. Nit removal is simplified by using a fine-toothed comb. Detailed information for the treatment of head lice will be sent home with any child found to have lice or nits.

Allergies

Please notify your teacher and the school office of any allergies your student may have.

Medication

Note:  Whenever possible, medication schedules should be arranged so all medication is given at home. Also, the first dose of any medication taken for the first time will not be administered at school.

1. Only prescription medication will be administered at school. Over the counter or sample medications must be accompanied by orders from the physician.

2. Medication must be delivered, by the parent or guardian, to school in the container in which it was dispensed and accompanied by the proper medication authorization form completed by the physician. At this time the medication must be counted and parent authorized form signed before medication can be accepted / administered. Special authorization forms would be needed for injectable emergency medications or medications to be given on field trips outside regular school hours.

3. A separate supply of medication must be kept at school. Medication will not be transported between home and school on a daily or weekly basis. Please ask your pharmacist for a second container with a prescription label.

4. The label must indicate the student’s name, name of medication, physician’s name, dosage amount, and time (frequency). Instructions to administer medication “As Needed” or “As Directed” or not sufficient and MSAS will not administer medication based on this instruction without more detail. The label must specifically state the need, e.g., “2 puffs every 4 hrs, as needed for cough, wheeze, or shortness of breath.”

5. If the medication requires equipment for administration (e.g., cup, spoon, dropper), the parent is responsible for supplying the articles, labeled with the student name.

6. Parent must provide information regarding possible adverse reactions or complications.

7. Parent/guardian is responsible to keep school personnel supplied with the needed doses of prescribed medication.

8. New parental authorization forms will be requested each school year or with any change in medication.

9. When medication is discontinued or at the end of the school year, medication not taken home by the parent, by dismissal on the last student day, will be destroyed.

10. Self-medication: Students who have a history of severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks may self-medicate if they have a written prescription from their physician stating they may self-medicate and carry medication on their person. A self-medication form must be completed by the parent for the protection of the student.

Harassment and/or Discrimination

MSAS strives to maintain a workplace that fosters mutual employee respect and promotes harmonious,

productive working relationships. Our organization believes that discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation in

any form constitute misconduct that undermines the integrity of the employment relationship. Therefore, MSAS

prohibits discrimination and/or harassment that is sexual, racial, or religious in nature or is related to anyone’s

gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. This policy applies

to all employees throughout the organization and to all individuals who may have contact with any employee of this

organization. Furthermore, MSAS will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known

disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship, or health, or safety concern.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a

harassing and/or discriminatory nature will constitute harassment and/or discrimination when the person involved

feels compelled to submit to that misconduct in order to keep his/her position, to receive appropriate pay, or to

benefit from certain employment decisions. If this type of misconduct interferes with an employee’s work or creates

an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment, it may also be considered harassment and/or discrimination.

This behavior can include, but is not limited to, suggestive or insulting noises, facial expressions, vulgar language,

nicknames, slurs, derogatory comments, cartoons, jokes, written materials, text messages, and offensive gestures or

touching.

MSAS expects that everyone will act responsibly to establish a pleasant and friendly work environment;

however, if an employee feels he/she has been subjected to any form of harassment and/or discrimination, the

employee should report that conduct to the Administrator within three (3) calendar days of the offense. Employees

are not required to approach the person who is harassing and/or discriminating against them, and they may bypass

any offending member of management. The Administrator will take the necessary steps to initiate an investigation of

the discrimination and/or harassment claim.

MSAS will conduct its investigation in as confidential a manner as possible. Interviews, allegations,

statements, and identities will be kept confidential to the extent possible and allowed by law; however, MSAS will

not allow the goal of confidentiality to be a deterrent to an effective investigation. A timely resolution of each

complaint will be reached and communicated to the employee. Appropriate corrective action, up to and including

termination, will be taken promptly against any employee engaging in discrimination and/or harassment. The

corrective action issued will be proportional to the severity of the conduct. The alleged harasser’s employment

history and any similar complaints of prior unlawful discrimination and/or harassment will be taken into

consideration.

MSAS prohibits retaliation of any kind against employees, who, in good faith, report harassment and/or

discrimination or assist in investigating such complaints. If an employee feels he/she has been subjected to any form

of retaliation, the employee should report that conduct to the Administrator within three (3) calendar days of the

offense. Employees are not required to approach the person who is retaliating against them, and they may bypass

any offending member of management. 

Below are copies of the parent and student contract that you and your child signed upon entrance into MSAS. Please review these contracts frequently together with your child, as they form the framework of what is expected from you and your child.  PDF copies are available on the Documents page.

Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, Inc.

STUDENT CONTRACT

 Date: ___________________                Name: ________________________

(Please Print)

• I will be responsible for completing and turning in class work assignments and homework.

• I will care for textbooks, furniture, equipment, and rooms, leaving them unmarked and in as good a condition as they were found.

• I will be respectful of others’ rights and property.

• I will speak courteously to any adult or child and will display good manners at all times.

• I will refrain from fighting and hurting others.

• I will exhibit the principles of good sportsmanship.

• I will abide by the school dress code.

• I will refrain from bringing cell phones to school.

• I will refrain from bringing toys to school.

• I will be responsible for bringing any notice from my teacher, parents, or guardian to or from school.

• As a student of the Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, my behavior will reflect my commitment in all locations (bus stops and buses, child-care, bathrooms, recess, field trips, and after-school activities).

• I understand that I may be returned to my district school if this contract is not fulfilled.

______________________                                  _________________________

STUDENT                                                                                     PRINCIPAL

Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, Inc.

PARENT CONTRACT

 Date: ___________________                  Name: ______________________

(Please Print)

• I will support the total Manatee School of Arts and Sciences program, philosophy, staff, and administration.

• I will be punctual and have my child at school at 8:15 AM and have them picked up by 3:20 PM. I will not drop my child off at the school any earlier than 7:45 AM.

• I will pay the Extended Day Program fee if my child is not picked up by 3:20 PM.

• I will refrain from picking my child up early between the hours of 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM, so the staff may implement a safe and orderly dismissal.

• I will support the school’s codes of behavior, dress, and discipline.

• I will furnish a suitable study area for my child at home, help my child with homework, and seek help from teachers when necessary.

• I will be available for and attend the conferences and/or Parent-Teacher meetings in person.

• I will immediately notify the school office, in writing, of any change of address and/or phone number where I can be reached during the school day. I will also notify the school in writing any changes of student pick-up.

• I will provide a written explanation of my child’s absence upon his/her return to school.

• I will make arrangements to have my child taken home from school during the school day if I am asked for illness or for disciplinary reasons. This includes making advance standing arrangements with a third party in the event I cannot provide immediate pick-up myself.

• I will help the school in as many ways as I can to make our school a leader in parent involvement.

• I understand that my child may be returned to his/her district school should this contract not be fulfilled.

___________________                                          _____________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN                                                                                    PRINCIPAL

• Riverside Speech & Language: Speech & Language

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• DJ Quality Services: Lawn Care

• CYNAYA Services Corp.: Custodial Services

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School Telephone

Students will not be allowed to use the phone to ask permission to ride the bus, play with other children after school or to have articles brought to school. When you call and wish to speak to a teacher, it is possible the teacher may be involved in a conference or be in class and not able to take your call. Office personnel will take a message and the teacher will return your call as soon as it is convenient. Please note it could take a teacher or administrator up to three days to return a phone call depending on the demands of the day. All staff will attempt to reach you the day of the phone call, but please be patient if their circumstances do not permit them to return your call the same day.

Emergency Telephone Number

Your telephone number, work number, and cell phone number as well as an emergency contact are very important to us. Please notify the school immediately if your number or emergency number has changed.  In case of an emergency this will help us to reach you as quickly as possible.  Up-to-date contact info must be maintained with the Front Office.  

 Cellphones and Other Electronic Devices

Cellphones and Other Electronic Devices are not allowed at school. Any student bringing a cellphone or other electronic device to school shall immediately turn it in to the front desk upon arrival. Any student caught with a cellphone or other electronic device shall by subject to the MSAS Discipline Policy cited in the handbook.