Roosevelt School District has adopted curricular resources aligned to the Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards in all grade levels for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Additional supplemental resources are provided for English Language Acquisition, Physical Education, Art and Music. All of our adopted curricular programs are available digitally, allowing students to access and engage in authentic and innovative learning through a district assigned iPad. RSD teachers participate in professional learning communities to collaborate using data to inform instructional practices, develop instructional strategies to meet student’s needs, and participate in professional development aligned to our RSD Strategic Plan.

Student report cards are issued three (3) times during the school year at the end of each trimester. In addition, mid-term progress reports are issued midway through each trimester. Subjects are graded as follows:

• 4 = Advanced Level of Standards Mastery
  A “4” indicates the student is working independently on above grade level concepts and skills. Typically, this level is attained by few students.
• 3 = Proficient in Grade Level Standards Mastery
  A “3” demonstrates mastery and independent application of grade level skills and concepts. A “3” is the goal for grade level mastery and should be celebrated.
• 2 = Partially Proficient in Grade Level Standards Mastery
  A “2” indicates a student has not yet mastered the standards but is showing progress toward achieving the skills and concepts for grade level mastery. Additional support from teachers and family is needed.
• 1 = Minimally Proficient in Grade Level Standards Mastery
  A “1” indicates the student does not demonstrate understanding of the skills and concepts expected at the grade level. Intervention is needed from teachers and family.

Teachers also use behavior descriptors as follows:

• A = Always: The student always demonstrates this behavior or quality.
• M = Mostly: The student almost always demonstrates this behavior or quality.
• S = Sometimes: The student sometimes demonstrates this behavior or quality.
• R = Rarely: The student rarely displays this behavior or quality.

Homework is a natural extension of the school day. It is intended to provide independent practice and build study skills. Teachers may assign homework daily. Please check with your child's teacher regarding the homework policy. Parents are encouraged to provide time and a quiet study area for their children to complete homework activities.

Most of the textbooks students use are now in digital format and accessed through the student’s districtassigned iPad. Students will be issued consumable workbooks or guided reading books for ELA and Math to be used the entire school year. Librarians will keep records of the books that are checked out by students in the library. Students will be required to pay for any textbooks, workbooks and/or library books that are lost or damaged.

Each school has a Child Study Team that meets to review individual cases of students who are experiencing challenges in academics or behavior as identified by the teacher. This identified team works together with the family to develop an intervention plan to help the student achieve success.

The Roosevelt School District implements research-based models of Structured English Immersion that offer multilingual learners intensive English-language development programs to accelerate the learning of the English language as required by Arizona Revised Statute §15-756.01.

Multilingual learners who are in the process of learning English receive coherent English Language Development instruction that includes both high-quality integrated ELD and targeted ELD aligned with the state's English Language Proficiency Standards. The District’s ELD instruction includes:

• oral and written language instruction, including structured opportunities to develop verbal and written skills and comprehension strategies.
• access to complex language content through grade-level textbooks with appropriate supports.
• parental engagement strategies.

RSD understands multilingual learners are valuable members of our education community, and all individuals at every level within our district have an active role in ensuring the success and achievement of all English Learner students attending our schools.

Roosevelt School District offers a variety of supports and services to help students with exceptionalities. We value working collaboratively with the student, family, school personnel, community, and state agencies, when applicable, so that all students can make progress in our schools and programs

All Roosevelt School District elementary schools and programs provide a continuum of services that align with the educational mission of the district to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. We honor the requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including following procedural safeguards to protect the rights of students and their families. Working with the student and family, eligibility is determined through a formal evaluation process that uses criteria associated with specific disabilities. Within this evaluation process, families are provided information regarding their student’s eligibility.

Roosevelt School District staff convene the Individualized Education Program team for those eligible under the IDEA. Working collaboratively with parents as partners, the IEP team reviews, and revises as needed, a plan on an annual basis to describe the specially designed instruction and related services to be provided to students to help them reach their annual goals.

If you believe your student may qualify for special education services, please contact your school’s office to inquire about information on the process.

Roosevelt School District offers Gifted Services for identified students. RSD screens all second grade students annually. As a parent, if you believe your student shows advanced reasoning ability or is performing significantly above grade level, you may request that your student be tested to determine eligibility. The process begins with your child’s teacher, and the school gifted coordinator.

Consistent attendance is critical to a student’s success. In order to ensure that a student’s attendance record is accurate, parents must call the school when their child is absent. Students in the Roosevelt School District are expected to attend school daily. If you are encountering challenges that impact your child’s attendance, please contact the school for support.

Every minute out of school is lost learning time for a child. In addition, students arriving late to school may disrupt the learning time of their classmates. In order to make up for missing work or catch up on learning, students who are late to school may lose privileges or recess time during the school day.

Arizona Revised Statute § 15-803 – School attendance; exemptions; definitions

It is unlawful for any child between six (6) and sixteen (16) years of age to fail to attend school during the hours school is in session, unless excused pursuant to section ARS § 15- 803.

A child who is habitually truant or who has excessive absences may be adjudicated an incorrigible child.

Absences exceeding 10% (18 days) of the required attendance days will be considered as unexcused absences as prescribed in section ARS §15-803, subsection B, paragraph 1.

As used in this section:

• Habitually truant" means a truant child who is truant for at least five (5) school days unexcused, within a school year.
• "Truant" means an unexcused absence for at least one (1) class period during the day.
• "Truant child" means a child who is between six (6) and sixteen (16) years of age and who is not in attendance at a public or private school during the hours that school is in session, unless excused as provided by this section.

In order for students to focus on learning, Roosevelt School District expects students to be in school. The Court Unified Truancy Suppression Program provides schools with a protocol, forms and support from the juvenile probation department. The protocol encourages the school to work with students exhibiting truant behavior via letters and conferences. If these attempts prove to be unsuccessful, the school then initiates a Direct-Cite Truancy Citation to the student with a hearing scheduled at the Juvenile Court Facility.

Students who are truant for nineteen (19) days unexcused or more will be cited by attendance clerk. As part of this citation process, both the parent(s) and the student will be required to attend a hearing with a probation officer from the Juvenile Court Center. The student and the parent will be assessed one or more of the consequences listed below:

• Assessment Fee of $50;
• Mandatory education session for students;
• Mandatory education session for parents; and
• Community service hours for students.

Roosevelt School District is proud to use Apple technology on all our campuses. To support fair and equitable learning, each child is equipped with an iPad device to use both at home and in the classroom. In the 21st Century, technology is necessary to support our students with skills to enhance the educational experience. In RSD, our primary goal is to ensure all students are successful.

Providing an iPad device to each child comes with certain obligations and responsibilities. Most importantly, regardless of where students use their devices (at home, school, or the park), they must be responsible digital citizens. All students must follow the requirements outlined in the RSD District’s Acceptable Use Policy. Students may lose access to their devices or be subject to other disciplinary action if they do not act in a safe, respectful, and responsible manner while using an iPad device.

During the academic year, students will engage in digital literacy learning and application through discovery, collaboration, and creation. Making digital tools accessible, flexible, and individualized is imperative for every student. Providing our students rich, diverse learning experiences is critical. Ongoing personalized professional learning for teachers will strengthen high quality instruction and provide a relevant experience for each of our learners. Engaged students support a thriving digital community to foster a pipeline to high school, college, and/or career.

Each student will receive the following items and accessories when enrolled in RSD:

• iPad - transported daily between home and school.
• Charging Cord - used to charge the iPad as much as necessary for learning.
• Protective Case - used to transport iPad at all times.

iPad Care
Each student is responsible for the overall care of his or her iPad, charging cord, and protective case. Damaged or malfunctioning iPads are to be taken to the school office as soon as possible to be evaluated for repair. Please keep from attempting to fix technology or take it to an outside vendor for any type of repairs or maintenance.

iPad Storage
Store iPads in the district provided protective case and in a safe place where the student can monitor the device at all times. Technology should never be left in a car, exposed to excessive heat or cold temperatures. Essentially, iPads should never be left unsupervised.

Filtering
To ensure safe and healthy online experiences for students, partnerships with families and community members are necessary. Along with teaching student digital citizenship skills, we also filter the internet searching within the district community both on- and off-site. web filtering allows for appropriate websites to be accessed. RSD regularly updates the filter, but if inappropriate material bypasses the firewall, report information to your school’s administration immediately. Keeping students safe is our priority and we make the necessary changes to remove this material.

Parental Usage
We encourage parents/guardians to actively monitor and supervise students as they use the iPad at home. Parents’ usage of the student devices to communicate with teachers and school officials, check and monitor grades, and assist students with assignments is encouraged.

RSD understands that accidents may happen with devices. If a student damages a device due to lack of proper care or intentional misuse, the student’s family will be responsible for the cost of device repair or replacement. For your convenience, the RSD School Board approved the following damage/theft fee schedule:

• Broken Keyboard: $50
• Lost Cord /Block (Adapter): $50
• Cracked Screen: $50
• Broken Case: $70
• Neglect/Water Damage: $400
• Theft or Loss: $400

If an iPad is stolen, the student’s family must submit a police report number to the school principal within 48 hours of discovering the theft. The student’s family will be held responsible for replacement cost of the lost/stolen iPad.

Our devices are equipped with trackable software (GPS location) that can be enabled if a device is lost or reported as stolen. The software is activated when:

• Requested by school administrator, in most cases, because the device has been lost on campus.
• The guardian reports the device as lost or stolen to the school administrator.

If the device is lost or damaged beyond repair, RSD will charge the student’s family based on the replacement cost of $400.

Lastly, we strive to provide an environment where every student feels safe, respected, and welcomed while using technology in RSD. Our goal is to ensure every child has equal access to materials and learning is fair for all learners. Technology serves as a tool to enhance the educational experience. For any reason if you should have questions about our 1:1 Apple iPad initiative, feel free to contact your child's school.

Many parents choose to have their child carry a cellular phone or other electronic devices (such as an Apple watch or Fitbit) as a means of before and/or after school communication and for safety purposes. Electronic devices can be disruptive in an educational environment, but may also be used to enhance instruction. If parents have decided that it’s necessary for a child to carry a cell phone or electronic device, parents and students must be aware of the following:

Roosevelt School District Policy (ECAD) states that the District does not assume responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, personal property. If your child has a cell phone or electronic device on campus or on the bus and it is damaged or stolen, we will not be able to utilize administrative time to investigate the incident, nor will the District be able to take any financial responsibility for the cell phone or cell phone charges.

Cellular phones must be turned off and kept in backpacks at all times on campus, except for prior to the ringing of the first bell for the start of the instructional day and after the ringing of the last bell for the end of the instructional day. This exception does not apply if the student is on the school bus. When appropriate, cell phones and other electronic devices may be used during the school day as permitted by the school. If these rules are not followed, the cell phone may be confiscated and kept in the front office to be picked up after school by a parent or guardian.

Please assist us in keeping our learning environment free from distractions. When it is necessary for a student to contact you during the day, we have telephones available in classrooms and in the office. If it is necessary for you to get an important message to your child during the school day, you may contact the school office and our staff will relay the message to your child.

Students may wear Apple Watches, Fitbits, or similar during the school day, but only for the purpose of telling time. Any other use of the device must be permitted by the teacher or administrator.

At all times on all campuses, the use of technology (both district and personal devices) should be for academic purposes and/or supporting a positive and inclusive learning environment where all students feel safe. This includes being respectful of others’ privacy and not promoting negative behaviors through the use of technology or social media while on campus. Using a personal device to record others without their permission while on campus is a violation of their privacy and strictly prohibited. This includes the recording of staff, students, and campus visitors.

Student Wellness is how we support the development of the whole person, which includes the mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being that is rooted in community, culture, and inclusion. The Student Wellness department includes social workers, counselors, and school health staff.

Our goal is to promote growth and academic success for all students by ensuring that there are no barriers to learning. In addition to the social-emotional practices in place in every classroom, below is a list of some of the resources and services provided at each of our campuses:

• Prevention, intervention, and crisis response
• Community Service Referrals
• Individual and small group counseling (recognize and manage emotions, empathy towards others, social skills, decision making skills)
• Food and clothing distribution
• Vaccinations events
• Hearing and vision screening
• Individualized health plans

For information regarding the Student Wellness Department, please contact the department director, Meleika Wadley at 602-243-2602 or meleika.wadley@rsd66.org.

All schools in the Roosevelt School District require students to wear a uniform every day, unless on approved spirit days or by permission of the school principal. Days where a uniform is not required are referred to as “Dress Down” or “Free Dress” days.

Each school has designated colors for tops and bottoms. In addition, schools have resources to assist families in obtaining appropriate uniforms for their children.

Tops must

• Have a lay-down collar with sleeves (long or short).
• Cover the student’s mid-section and be long enough to be tucked in.
• Be solid-colored and made of non-see-through material.
• Be free of holes larger than a pencil eraser.

Bottoms must

• Fit appropriately – not too tight or too loose.
• Be no shorter than 3 inches above the student’s knee.
• Free from holes larger than a pencil eraser.
• Sit at the waist and cover the student’s underwear at all times.
• Have a functional zipper and buttons, snaps or hooks (no sweatpants or leggings)

Additional

• Sweatshirts or hoodies can be worn as long as an appropriate uniform top is worn underneath.
• Belts must be worn if pants cannot remain at the student’s waist.
• Shoes must have a closed toe and heel. Athletic shoes are recommended for all students.
• Shoes must remain tied at all times.
• Earrings are allowed but must be appropriate and safe for school.
• Hats or non-religious head coverings, including hoods, should not be worn indoors.

Many schools have regular school spirit days where participating students are not required to wear their uniform. Each school will publish specific guidelines for these days.

Tops must

• Have sleeves (long or short). Tank tops may be permissible during certain special events.
• Cover the student’s mid-section at all times.
• Be free of holes larger than a pencil eraser.
• Be made of non-see-through material.

Bottoms must

• Fit appropriately – not too tight or too loose.
• Be no shorter than 3 inches above the student’s knee.
• Free from holes that expose the student’s underwear.
• Sit at the waist and cover the student’s underwear at all times.
• Have a functional zipper and/or buttons/snaps/hooks.

Never allowed

• Gang-identifying clothing
• Hate speech, profanity, or nudity
• Images or language depicting alcohol, drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons or any illegal item or activity
• Violent images or language

Field trips are unique opportunities to expand learning beyond the classroom. Families will be notified in advance of any planned field trip. Field trip permission slips will be sent home stating the destination, time and purpose of the proposed trip. These forms must be returned to the school in order for a student to participate in the trip.

Parents or guardians may be invited to attend the trip as a chaperone. Chaperones will be asked to be screened through the school’s Raptor Visitor Management System and will not be permitted to bring any additional children other than the ones scheduled to attend the field trip.

Roosevelt School District believes strongly in the value of participating in athletics. One of the most valuable outcomes is the mental, physical, and social development of the students who represent Roosevelt School District through athletics.

Roosevelt School District offers after school sports programs for both boys and girls in sixth (6th) through eighth (8th) grades. Participation in athletic programs is a privilege. It is crucial to have good representatives who are leaders both on campus and in the community. In order to participate in sports, students must be making progress in all classes. Roosevelt School District complies with state statute regarding no pass, no play. Students and parents need to refer to the athletic handbook for further policies and regulations.

The Roosevelt School District values family involvement in athletics and other student activities. To ensure that these experiences are safe and positive for all students, it is expected that all parents, guardians, and visitors demonstrate appropriate conduct while on campus. This includes using appropriate language, avoiding confrontations with others, refraining from engaging with the referees, and following the directions of the administrator on duty. Inappropriate conduct may result in immediate removal from the gymnasium, field, or event location and/or restrictions on attendance at future games or events.

Often, teams will travel to another school or location for games and tournaments. Student athletes are the responsibility of their coach and school administration and must remain with their team and follow the directions of their coach or school administration.

Students who are not officially part of the team may only attend games at other sites with a parent or guardian with them. They are not allowed to ride the bus to and/or from the game with the team. The Roosevelt School District does not provide supervision for students who attend games or events at other campuses. Students who arrive at games or events that are not at their home school will be asked to leave.

The Roosevelt School District highly values our families and the greater South Phoenix community. As our vision states, we are a community united to create better futures for all through education.

We welcome visitors to all Roosevelt District schools and value partnerships with our families and community. For the safety of our students, all visitors must respect the campus’s visitor guidelines and procedures. This includes signing in at the front office, providing identification when requested, wearing a visitor’s badge, and following the directions of school staff regarding entering campus. Roosevelt schools utilize a digital visitor management system, which screens all visitors through the sex offender database and student information system to ensure they are safe to be on campus.

If a parent/guardian intends to visit their child’s classroom, it is recommended that they arrange their visit with the teacher or school office staff at least 1 day in advance in order to ensure there are no conflicts. Visitors who are not a listed parent or guardian must have the permission of the school principal prior to entering campus.

Campus volunteers are valuable to our schools in supporting student success. For the safety of our students, all volunteers who are not the parent or guardian of a student at the school must complete a volunteer application and background check.

During the school year, specific dates have been set aside for parents to schedule official conferences. Specific dates can be found on the district calendar. Roosevelt teachers will be happy to discuss your child’s progress whenever you feel it is necessary. Please contact your child’s teacher or the school office staff in order to set up an appointment.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords parents, and students over eighteen years of age (eligible students), certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within forty-five (45) days of the day the district receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school administrator a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school administrator will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask Roosevelt School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write to the school administrator, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; or a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant or therapist). A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Non- custodial and divorced parents have equal rights relating to student records unless the school has been provided a court order to the contrary. Certain student education records are considered “directory information,” including the following: student’s name, mailing address, e- mail address and telephone number; names of the parents; address and telephone number of the parents; date and place of student’s birth; class designation (grade level, etc.); extracurricular participation; weight and height if a member of an athletic team; enrollment dates; awards received; and photograph.

The District hereby elects to refrain from designating any personally identifiable information contained in a student’s education records as “directory information.” In addition, the district must comply with a request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education for a secondary student’s name, address and telephone number unless the parent or eligible student has opted out of providing such information by giving written notice to the district that such information should not be made public without prior consent.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords outside agencies certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. They are:

1. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits a school from disclosing personally identifiable information from students’ education records without the consent of a parent or eligible student, unless an exception to FERPA’s general consent rule applies. In some emergency situations, schools may only need to disclose properly designated “directory information” on students that provide general contact information. In other scenarios, school officials may believe that a health or safety emergency exists and more specific information on students should be disclosed to appropriate parties. Understanding the options available under FERPA empowers school officials to act quickly and decisively when concerns arise. FERPA is not intended to be an obstacle in addressing emergencies and protecting the safety of students.
2. Under this health or safety emergency provision, an educational agency or institution is responsible for making a determination whether to make a disclosure of personally identifiable information on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of the circumstances pertaining to a threat to the health or safety of the student or others. If the school district or school determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or other individuals and that a party needs personally identifiable information from education records to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals, it may disclose that information to such appropriate party without consent. 34 CFR § 99.36. This is a flexible standard under which the Department defers to school administrators so that they may bring appropriate resources to bear on the situation, provided that there is a rational basis for the educational agency’s or institution’s decisions about the nature of the emergency and the appropriate parties to whom information should be disclosed. We note also that, within a reasonable period of time after a disclosure is made under this exception, an educational agency or institution must record in the student’s education records the articulable and significant threat that formed the basis for the disclosure and the parties to whom information was disclosed. 34 CFR § 99.32(a)(5).

A student’s educational records are located in the student file, which consists of two (2) major areas:

1. Permanent records (e.g., grades, attendance, health records); and
2. Discipline records A student’s educational records will be forwarded to any school that requests those records if the student seeks or intends to enroll in that school. The records will be forwarded to schools both inside and outside of the district. Student’s disciplinary records with respect to any suspension or expulsion, as required by state and federal law, will be included.

Destruction of Educational records: The district destroys all psychological and special education records of students five (5) years after those students have been removed from special education, have been withdrawn from the district, or have graduated. The parent or emancipated student may obtain these records, rather than having them destroyed, by submitting a written request to the Roosevelt School District.

In cases where a student’s parenting plan affects the district, the school will follow the most recent court order on file with the district. It is the responsibility of the persons who have legal decision making to provide the district with the most recent court order. Schools should not be placed in the middle of disputes regarding parenting time and parenting plans.

All Roosevelt schools welcome students from out-of-area provided there is space available in classrooms or specialized programs. As part of the Open Enrollment process, the family and student agree to the following:

• Prompt and regular school attendance
• Adherence to district and school rules
• Safe and appropriate transportation to and from school provided by the family

Current capacities of a school’s classrooms and specialized programs can be found on the Roosevelt School District website, along with Open Enrollment resources. Families must sign and return the Open Enrollment Agreement each year, prior to the first day of school.

The Roosevelt School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment, in its educational programs or activities. Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be referred to the:

Office for Civil Rights
US Department of Education
1244 Spear Blvd.
Denver, C.O. 80204

Roosevelt School District believes in partnering with families to address concerns and solve problems. When issues cannot be resolved informally, families are encouraged to contact the school and schedule an appointment to meet with an administrator. Having a scheduled meeting ensures that the appropriate amount of time is protected for a productive conversation.

In the event that the concern cannot be resolved by the school, the Roosevelt School District has a formal complaint process in place. Families can call or visit the district office or visit their child’s campus to obtain a Parent and Community Complaint Form. Completed forms can be emailed or hand-delivered to the district office, where the formal complaint process will be initiated. Whenever possible, the first step in the formal resolution process will be with the school or department where the complaint originated. This allows the people most directly involved in the situation to be part of the resolution.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001 defines homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Eligible students may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

In the Roosevelt School District, we are committed to supporting all students, including students and families experiencing homelessness. Roosevelt provides an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every student experiencing homelessness shall have access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. We work diligently to ensure students have everything they need to be successful and strive to eliminate barriers. If you believe your student may be eligible or are in need of assistance, please contact our District McKinney-Vento coordinator at 602-243-4834.

State law requires all employees who, when acting in the scope of their employment, develop a reasonable belief that a child is or has been a victim of child abuse to immediately report it to the Arizona Department of Child Safety or police. Reports of child abuse are confidential records.

There may be a time when a law enforcement officer or Department of Child Safety official may ask to interview a student at school. If the purpose of the interview is to investigate child abuse or neglect, the school cannot notify the parent without law enforcement or DCS authorization. In all other cases, the school will make reasonable efforts to notify the parent. After reasonable efforts to notify the parent, the school will allow the interview unless the student does not wish to be interviewed or wishes to first speak with the parent. If the officer or DCS official wishes to take a student into custody, the school must comply with the request. The school will notify the parent unless they have directed the school to refer the parent to law enforcement or DCS.

Safe, secure, and responsive school campuses are critical in ensuring that high levels of learning can happen every day.

All schools within the Roosevelt School District have open and closing times in which students and visitors are allowed on campus. To emphasize the importance of student safety and accountability, it is imperative to become familiar with your child’s arrival and dismissal times and practices.

We strongly encourage parents and legal guardians to schedule a morning drop-off time so that your child has sufficient time to eat breakfast and get organized before the school day begins. As we aim to ensure student safety, please do not drop off students prior to the time campus opens or at a time or location where there is not staff supervision.

To ensure appropriate supervision, students must be picked up from school within 15 minutes of the dismissal time. Walkers are encouraged to walk straight home. It is only during specific events to include but not limited to tutoring, scheduled conferences, sports, etc., that approved exceptions may occur for students to be on school grounds.

Roosevelt School District takes pride in serving the community through safe and supportive student transportation. Students should be aware that it is a privilege to ride the school bus and are expected to respect the bus driver and rules at all times. School bus routes are accessible online or by calling the school office.

Students should arrive at their assigned bus stop 5-10 minutes early. While waiting for the bus, students are reminded to remain on the sidewalk or off the street and to be respectful to each other and their neighborhood. In addition, students should follow the direction of the bus driver at all times, including boarding and unloading from the bus. The district is unable to provide supervision at bus stops. Families are encouraged to wait at the bus stop with their children.

The district discourages the use of ride shares, such as Uber or Lyft, for student transportation. For the safety of the student(s), students will not be released to ride shares at dismissal time unless approved by the principal. This does not apply to situations where a district-contracted service is used for transporting students with exceptional needs or students receiving transportation services through McKinney-Vento.

The Child Nutrition Services Department plays an important role in your student’s education by providing access to healthy, well-balanced meals to all students free of charge. All students in the Roosevelt School District are served breakfast and lunch for free, regardless of income. The Child Nutrition Services Department strives to provide a positive experience for all customers by serving safe, nutritious, quality meals while encouraging students to develop life-long skills and knowledge to make healthy food choices. Special diet requests can be turned in to your school nurse. Menus are available online. Child Nutrition Services is hiring for kitchen assistants and other positions throughout the year. Check out the district website for open positions and to apply. For more information, please call 602-243-4814.

It is the mission of your school's health office staff to keep students healthy and in school. The following information is important for all families to review:

General Information

Please notify the health office if your child has a health problem. School staff will make every effort to comply with physicians' recommendations. In order to protect students from the spread of disease, please keep your child home if the following symptoms are present: nausea and vomiting, elevated temperature, red or inflamed eyes. Please do not send your child to school when they are ill. Any student with a temperature of 100.40 degrees or higher may not attend school. Children may not return to school until they are fever-free for twenty-four (24) hours without the use of medication.

If the health office staff member determines that a student is too ill to remain at school, a parent or guardian is notified and required to pick up the child. If they cannot reach the parent, they will contact the person who is listed on the emergency form to pick up the child. No child who is sick will be allowed to walk home, even with parental permission. Children are allowed to be picked up only by adults who are listed as emergency contacts.

Please inform the school immediately of any phone number or address changes and new emergency contact numbers.

Medications

Health office staff administer over-the-counter and prescription medication in accordance with Roosevelt Governing Board Policy. The following is required:

• Prescription medication must be in its original prescription container and labeled by the pharmacist.
• Over-the-counter medication must be in the original factory container with all warnings and directions intact. Many pharmacies provide home and school medication containers when requested. Medications stored in an envelope, foil or baggie will not be accepted.
• The parent or guardian must complete a form giving permission for medication to be administered at school. The form must contain the following information:
  • Student's name, grade, teacher, school, name of the medication, dosage;
  • Time medication should be given, route, reason it is to be administered; and
  • Date(s) to be administered.
• All medications should be brought to the health office and picked up from the health office by an adult. Students should not carry medications to and from school.
• When a physician feels it is necessary for a student to carry and self-administer an inhaler, the physician shall provide written orders that will be attached to the signed parent permission form (7th and 8th grade students only).
• Acetaminophen will not be routinely dispensed to students during the first and last hours of the school day in order to minimize the possibility of drug overdose.
• A doctor's note shall be submitted to the health office staff for administration of non- prescription medications beyond a three (3) consecutive day period. This is to ensure that use of over-thecounter medication is not masking the symptoms of a serious health condition.

Pinkeye

Pinkeye (conjunctivitis) is a bacterial or viral eye infection. Symptoms include watering, irritation and redness of the white part of the eye and/or the lining of the eyelids, swelling of the eyelids, sensitivity to light and a pus-like discharge. Pinkeye is easily spread from person to person by contact with discharges from the infected person's eyes. When a child is sent home because of pinkeye symptoms, we encourage the parent or guardian to call a doctor and report the symptoms. The doctor will decide if an antibiotic medication is necessary. If medication is prescribed, the child may return to school after using the medication for twentyfour (24) hours.

Lice

A student who is suspected to have live head lice will be sent to the health office for confirmation. Indications a staff member may use to send a child to the health office include excessive itching and/or seeing live bugs. If live lice are present, parents will be notified and advised to begin appropriate treatment immediately. Successful treatment should kill all crawling lice.

Before returning to their class, students must be seen by the health professional to verify that treatment has been given and that there are no live bugs. Health professionals may send the student home if live bugs indicate the treatment did not work. RSD is abiding by guidelines published by the Center for Disease Control. RSD policy may change to reflect CDC guideline changes.

Please contact your school health professional for information on products to use for treating and killing live lice and/or if you have any lice related questions.

Health Screening Programs

Hearing tests are given to selected groups of students per Arizona mandate under the guidelines of the Arizona Department of Health Hearing Conservation Program. Vision tests are given to selected groups of students per Arizona mandate.

Immunizations

The school maintains health records on each child. An immunization record for school attendance must be completed and current before a youngster can be enrolled. Arizona Law ARS § 15-872 requires that complete, up-to-date records, including the month, day and year of the child's immunizations, be furnished by the parent or guardian prior to school attendance.

Parents or guardians are asked to inform health services personnel at their child's school of any immunizations received during the year so that the school records can be kept up-to-date.

Arizona Revised Statute § 15-872 provides exemptions from immunization requirements for the following:

• Medical reasons - permanent;
• Medical reasons - temporary;
• Personal Beliefs; and
• Documentation of adequate immunity.

Although the law allows exemptions, the county health department may tell the school in the case of an outbreak of any of the diseases covered by the required immunizations, to exclude a non-immunized child from school for the duration of the outbreak.

High Heat Advisory

During a High Heat Advisory, student recess may be adjusted to ensure student health and safety. Students are encouraged to bring water bottles and drink plenty of water on high heat days.

Student safety is always the top priority at all schools in the Roosevelt School District. Schools conduct regular safety drills, including fire drills and lockdown drills, to ensure that all students and staff know how to respond in an emergency. In addition, every school has a detailed Emergency Response Plan that is updated annually. All staff are trained on the details of these plans.

Roosevelt School District has a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan that addresses a multitude of school crisis situations. Administrators and staff at each school have been trained and conduct drills for each type of emergency situation – with and without students present. Additionally, the District conducts regular reviews of the safety protocols to ensure they are up-to-date and thorough.

Each school site conducts regular fire and lockdown drills throughout the school year with students and staff members.

Lockdowns may be issued in situations involving active threats (intruder, disruptive parent or guest, weapon on campus, social media threat, etc.) at school sites or in district facilities that could potentially risk the immediate safety of students and/or staff.

During a lockdown, all interior and exterior doors will be locked. For safety purposes, only the school crisis team, and police and/or fire departments will have access to hallways and classrooms during the course of the lockdown.

Parents and visitors will not be allowed on campus during a lockdown.

As a parent/guardian to a child in the Roosevelt School District, you are an essential partner to the safety team. When lockdowns are initiated, parents who have signed up to receive district and school communications will be notified of the event via email, phone call, and/or text. The district also uses the Roosevelt School District app for communication with families.

We understand that receiving a lockdown notification can be stress-inducing. Please keep the following information in mind: The school district will release information about the lockdown as soon as it becomes available. At times, we realize that it may seem as if the information is not forthcoming or not being released quickly. During an emergency event such as a lockdown, the district is actively working with the crisis teams to obtain and confirm accurate information. The District is very careful about the information that is released, and therefore, it may take a time to share the facts of the situation. We appreciate the patience of our community as we carry out due diligence in information-gathering and sharing.

During a lockdown, parents and visitors will not be able to access the campus. Emergency responders and school district employees will focus on the needs of students and staff. Unexpected arrivals by parents can potentially exacerbate an already tense situation.

In a crisis situation, the school’s front office may not answer the phone as their main concern is ensuring the safety of students and staff on-site and keeping lines of communication open with the crisis team. The school or district will share information and updates with parents as soon as possible. The school may request that your child reach out to you to give you an update as well. It is often helpful to follow the district and school social media platforms and download the Roosevelt School District app, as information will be shared in these ways.

After a Lockdown

Watch for any lingering signs of stress in your child(ren) over the following days and weeks. Signs that your child may be stressed or have anxiety about the situation may include lack of appetite, difficulty sleeping, desire to stay home, etc. Talk to your child(ren) about the event, and contact your school to learn what resources and services are available.

An evacuation (either from one room/building on-site to another or to an alternate location off-site) may be used for incidents such as gas leak, power outage, bomb threat, fire, etc.

In the event of an off-site evacuation, the district will implement its Reunification Plan and families will receive communication from the school district, advising them of the location and area in which they can pick up their child.

Proper identification will be required upon parent pick-up to ensure a child’s safety. Please note, the Emergency Operations Plan includes specific guidelines for relocating students with special needs and non-English speaking students.

It is important for communication purposes to ensure that your contact information (phone number, email address, etc.) is up-to-date as parents will be notified using this information during a school crisis. When you need to change your information, contact the front office of your child’s school.

Information regarding the emergency situation will be shared via robocall, and/or text. The district also uses the Roosevelt School District app for communication with families. Updates will be given as information becomes available.

Please note that during a school crisis, the school may not answer the phone. The staff’s number one priority during crisis situations is to ensure everyone’s safety on campus. The district’s communication team will share information with families once it has been verified.

Depending on the type of crisis situation, students may be asked to text their parents and let them know that they are safe. In some crisis situations, students will not be allowed to use their phones.

RSD believes our students succeed when they feel engaged and supported in safe, caring, and inclusive learning environments.

To support our students’ wellbeing and overall success, our schools develop positive relationships among all members of a school community and establish clear expectations and agreements for how all members of our school communities treat each other and want to be treated as they engage in purposeful, challenging, and exciting teaching and learning opportunities throughout the day.

In keeping with our core values of equity, excellence, kindness, trust, and inclusion, we are committed to addressing students’ behavioral, social, and emotional needs with compassion, guidance, and learning. Our schools establish a multi-tiered system of support to foster students’ development of the social and emotional skills needed to succeed academically, socially, and civically.

Our district’s approach to student well-being and success, enacted through our Student Code of Conduct, supports efforts to cultivate positive school relationships and to develop and nurture positive school behavior.

Our Code of Conduct details the behavioral, social, and emotional supports offered to all students to achieve success. It provides clear expectations and support for creating the conditions at every school campus to:

1. develop, sustain, and restore positive relationships at every level of the school community;
2. cultivate and reinforce positive behavior; and
3. apply rules consistently, fairly, and without bias to help all students succeed.

The RSD Student Code of Conduct is governed by ARS §15- 341. This policy guides and supports positive student behavior when the student is:

1. attending school;
2. on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event;
3. traveling to or from school or a school-sponsored event; or
4. engaged in problematic conduct that is in any other manner school-related or affects the operation of the schools.

The Code of Conduct outlines the expectations for positive student behavior and the range of interventions and consequences extended to students whose behaviors impede their school success – whether in person or virtually. The Student Code of Conduct also sets forth the due-process rights extended to students who engage in various types of challenging and/or disruptive behaviors.

All children make mistakes, academically and behaviorally. When children make mistakes that involve behaviors prohibited by our Code of Conduct, we treat those mistakes in the same way we treat academic mistakes – as opportunities for learning. To help children learn from their behavioral mistakes and to take responsibility for any harm they have caused, to others or to their learning community, RSD engages in Restorative Justice practices, which focuses on three things:

1. Building authentic relationships and a sense of connection and community that help all students feel like they belong to their school community, and that serves to proactively prevent conflict and harmful behavior;
2. When problematic behaviors arise that do cause conflict and harm, engaging in restorative conversations between the person or community that was harmed and the person whose behavior caused the harm;
3. Through restorative conversations, coming to an understanding of the harm that was caused, and helping the person who caused the harm to accept responsibility and work to repair the harm they caused – in other words, to help the child who made the mistake learn from their mistake, take responsibility for their actions, and try their best to repair the harm their behavior caused, repair relationships, and reconnect and reintegrate back into their school community.

Engaging in these types of restorative practices does not ask the student to “take the punishment,” but rather helps the student who made the mistake learn from their mistake and ensure that they “take responsibility” by making amends to the person or community harmed. By empowering our students to be responsible for their own actions and the impacts of those actions, restorative justice offers students a means to rebuild their dignity through taking responsibility and fixing the consequences of their mistake.

Additional Considerations

We are committed to addressing student behavior with the instructive and restorative approach described above. A combination of restorative interventions and/or consequences will be assigned to any student who engages in behavior prohibited by the RSD Student Code of Conduct. The goal of assigning interventions and consequences is to address the impact and root-cause(s) of behavior, restore relationships that have been harmed, and support students to learn and grow from their mistakes. Interventions include skill-building interventions, counseling, behavior contracts, servic elearning options, restorative conferences, and restorative mediations. Consequence responses include detention, temporary removal from the classroom, skill-building in-school suspension, off-campus suspension if necessary for safety or to maintain normal operation of the school, and referral to temporary alternative placement in the Success Academy at John R. Davis.

Severe behavior incidents that threaten student or staff safety or severely disrupt the educational process will be addressed with appropriate measures to ensure safety, but still within a restorative approach that seeks to minimize the incidence’s impact and likelihood of recurrence. In the most severe cases, there can be a referral to an appropriate law enforcement agency if required by state statute. In all cases, we will work to repair the harm caused and address the underlying needs of all those involved.

In response to a Student Discipline Referral, students and families can expect the following actions:

1. A documented restorative conversation between a staff member and/or administrator and the student(s), regarding the incident that occurred.
2. A reasonable effort to contact the parent/guardian to discuss the behavior incident and anticipated next steps (e.g., gather additional information, assign intervention and/or consequence).
3. An appropriate and timely intervention and/or consequence assigned with the goal of supporting student learning, changing behavior, and addressing the impact of the behavior. Interventions and consequences are assigned as appropriate, based on the impact and severity of the behavior incident.
4. If a behavior incident is deemed high impact (severe, multiple) to the school community, a more serious consequence may be assigned. More serious consequences shall only be assigned with the approval of the Director of Leadership and Learning or designee.
5. A notification to Parent or Guardian of any additional information and intervention(s) and/ or consequence(s) assigned.

Throughout the school year, you will have the opportunity to meet with other parents and your school administrators to provide any thoughts, questions, and input you may have about our code of conduct and our school discipline policies and approach.

The Roosevelt School District believes that every student is entitled to a voice anytime there is an issue of student misconduct.

In minor issues of misconduct, where off-campus suspension is not a possible consequence, the student will be given the opportunity to speak with an administrator or appropriate staff member and share their version of events and explanation of their choice in behavior.

For misconduct that could result in off-campus suspension of less than ten (10) days, a formal conference will be held between an administrator and the student. During the conference, the administrator will advise the student of the allegations and evidence supporting the charge of misconduct. The student will be given an opportunity to explain their version of events dealing with the alleged misconduct. In addition, the school will exhaust efforts to notify the parent or guardian by telephone and will send written notification of the suspension to the last address on file at the school.

A long-term suspension is defined as the exclusion of a student from school for a period of more than ten (10) school days. If it is determined by the administration that the alleged student misconduct is serious enough to recommend a suspension of more than ten (10) school days, notification of a formal due process hearing will be made to parents or guardians at least five (5) school days prior to the hearing.

Notification will include:

• The time, date and location of the hearing
• A description of the misconduct
• The Board Policy or administrative regulation violated and discipline prescribed therein
• A copy of A.R.S. 15-843
• A statement that parents and guardians shall have a right to present and question witnesses

The student and parents will be advised that:

• The student or parents or guardians have a right to be represented by legal counsel
• Notice must be given to the campus administrator at least 48 hours before the hearing if the student or their parents or guardians shall have an attorney or other representative present.
• There shall be no more than two (2) other representatives present in the hearing.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer may render a decision immediately or notify the parents or guardians and student within 48 hours. This notification will be made by certified and regular mail.

Expulsion is defined as the exclusion of a student from school permanently. The authority to expel a student rests exclusively with the Governing Board. The principal of the school shall make a recommendation to expel a student to the Governing Board based upon the results of a due process hearing. This due process hearing is the same process outlined in the Long-Term Suspension section of this handbook.

The Governing Board may appoint a hearing officer for cases of recommended expulsion, or it may conduct the hearing. The final decision to expel or reinstate a student rests with the Governing Board. There is no administrative appeal from the Governing Board’s decision to impose discipline.

All students should expect to be disciplined pursuant to the same standards of conduct and due process procedures. When misconduct occurs by a student with a disability, it is the policy of the District to comply with the requirements of the IDEA and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as they relate to disciplinary measures taken with a student with a disability. For information pertaining to student discipline for a student protected under Section 504, contact the school’s social worker. For a student who is considered to have a disability and receiving special education services on an IEP, contact the school’s psychologist.

Order, safety and security are essential to a supportive and productive learning environment. When the learning environment is threatened by the presence of dangerous, banned, or illegal items, school officials have a responsibility and the authority to search for and obtain such items from students or non-students if there is reasonable suspicion that the student is in possession. These searches can include desks and the students’ backpacks.

In an effort to ensure that Arizona’s youngest elementary school students are not excluded from school unless absolutely necessary, our state has passed a law that provides clear limits for when K-4 students can be suspended or expelled. The law, outlined below, supports RSD’s restorative approach to school discipline by clearly describing the interventions and supports that must be in place prior to considering suspension or expulsion of a K-4 student.

Unless required by A.R.S. 15-841(G), bringing a firearm to school, which may be modified on a case-bycase basis, schools in the Roosevelt School District may out-of-school suspend or expel a pupil who is enrolled in kindergarten through fourth grade (K-4) only if all of the following apply:

1. The pupil is seven (7) years of age or older; and
2. The pupil engaged in conduct on school grounds that meets one (1) of the following criteria, and:
   1. Involves the possession of a dangerous weapon without authorization from the school.
   2. Involves the possession, use or sale of a dangerous drug as defined in A.R.S. 13-3401 a narcotic drug as defined in A.R.S. 13-3401 or a violation of A.R.S. 13-3411.
   3. Immediately endangers the health or safety of others.
   4. The pupil's behavior is determined to qualify as aggravating circumstances and that all of the following apply:
      • The pupil is engaged in persistent behavior that has been documented by the school and that prevents other pupils from learning or prevents the teacher from maintaining control of the classroom environment.
      • The pupil’s ongoing behavior is unresponsive to targeted interventions as documented through an established intervention process that includes consultation with a school counselor, school psychologist or other mental health professional or social worker if available within the school, district, or through a state sponsored program.
      • The pupil’s parent or guardian was notified and consulted about the ongoing behavior.
      • Before a long-term suspension or expulsion, the school provides the pupil with a disability screening and the screening finds that the behavioral issues were not the result of a disability.
3. Failing to remove the pupil from the school building would create a safety threat that cannot otherwise reasonably be addressed or qualifies as “aggravating circumstances;” and
4. Before suspending or expelling the pupil, Roosevelt School District will consider and, if feasible while maintaining the health and safety of others, in consultation with the pupil’s parent or guardian to the extent possible, employs alternative behavioral and disciplinary interventions that are available to the School District or Charter School, that are appropriate to the circumstances and that are considerate of health and safety. The school shall document the alternative behavioral and disciplinary interventions it considers and employs; and
5. The school will provide for both:
   1. A readmission procedure for pupils who are in kindergarten through fourth grade (K-4) and who have served at least five (5) school days of a suspension from the school that exceeds ten (10) school days, to be considered for readmission on appeal of the pupil's parent or guardian.
   2. A readmission procedure for pupils who are in kindergarten through fourth grade (K-4) and who are expelled from or subject to alternative reassignment at the school to be considered for readmission on appeal of the pupil's parent or guardian at least twenty (20) school days after the effective date of the expulsion or alternative reassignment.
6. "Aggravating circumstances" means the pupil is engaged in persistent behavior that
   1. Has been documented by the school.
   2. Prevents other students from learning or prevents the teacher from maintaining control of the classroom environment.
   3. Is unresponsive to targeted interventions as documented through an established intervention process.

The Roosevelt School District’s Success Academy is designed for students in need of a higher level of behavior support than their home campus can provide. This structured program focuses on teaching appropriate behaviors, ownership of choices, and peer responsibility and accountability in addition to the district’s academic curricula.

In accordance with Arizona law and Governing Board policies JK, JKD and JKE, students may be referred to the alternative education program so that a student will remain in school. The alternative education placement avoids suspension or expulsion when the District determines that campus-based behavior interventions and support have not been successful. The school will make every effort to collaborate with the student’s family when considering a placement in our alternative education program. However, should disciplinary issues persist despite the school’s efforts, the District may reassign the student to the alternative education program without parent consent as permitted by Arizona law. A.R.S. 15-841(E) and (F).

In addition, students may be reassigned to the Success Academy when they commit a violation of the Code of Conduct where “Assignment to the Alternative Education Setting” is listed as a consequence. The alternative education program may also be offered as an option if good cause exists as determined by the District. The alternative education placement may be made to avoid a long-term suspension or expulsion. A.R.S. 15-841(E) and (F).