Application to the Salem Keizer School District for Charter Status Iris Valley Charter School 1. General Information Mission Statement: All students can learn and succeed when given the correct tools, time, and attention. Vision: Iris Valley Charter School will be a school at which students will be able to learn at their own pace and show mastery of content in a variety of ways. We as a group of teachers, parents, and grandparents, business owners, and community members know that no two children are exactly alike. They all have their own unique sets of strengths and weaknesses, which affect all areas of their development including education. We are striving to create a community of learners who will be able to build on their strengths and improve their weaknesses to become successful, educated adults and contribute to the future of society. Name of Proposed Charter School: Iris Valley Charter School Name of Contacted District Staff: Suzanne West Charter School Liason: Karen O’Connell Identification of the Applicant: The applicant for this school is a group of people consisting of current, and retired teachers, a bookkeeper, community business owners, and interested parents. The main applicant is Karen O’Connell, who has a BA in Early Childhood Education (2002), and an MS in Education/ESOL (2008) both from Western Oregon University. She has held a valid Oregon State Teaching License since 2003. Karen has worked in both public, and private schools including: Salem Keizer Schools, Riviera Christian School, and currently owns her own tutoring business, The Helpful Teacher LLC. Governance Structure: Iris Valley Charter School will be governed by a school board consisting of a President, Secretary, community member, parent, and a current student age 11, or older. The board may consist of parents, community members, and students. Paid staff will not hold board positions. These positions will be elected by the parents, and staff of the school each October. A school board member may not hold more than two consecutive terms, or four terms total during a 5 year charter. Term of the Charter: The term will be 5 years from date of signed charter agreement Date upon which the charter school will begin operations: The charter school will begin September 4, 2024 Proposed Calendar: Iris Valley Charter School will operate on a 180 school day year, closely following the calendar for the local school districts. School will begin on the Wednesday after Labor Day, and end on the 2nd Friday of June each year. The School Day will be 7 hours; 9am-4pm Monday-Friday Documentation of Established Non Profit—see attachment 2. Admissions Projected Enrollment: The projected enrollment of the school is 100 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.There will be no more than 40 students in grades kindergarten through second grades. There will be no more than 60 students in grades third through eighth. Policies, and Procedures: Interested students and their families will begin the admissions process by taking a tour of the school, and meet with available staff members. This can be done either individually, or at an open house event. Students, and their families will then fill out an application, and be placed into a weighted lottery which will take place on the first Monday in March each year. When all available spots have been filled families will be notified and then have 30 business days to decide whether or not they are going to accept the offer of admission, or pass it onto another family. For this reason the lottery drawing will continue until all names have been drawn, and a wait list will begin. Families who are placed on the waitlist will be notified, and told what place they are on the list. The weights for the lottery will include: siblings, ethnicity, low socioeconomic status, TAG students, mental health concerns (Anxiety, Depression, mild to moderate PTSD) and processing differences (ADHD, ADD, mild to moderate ASD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, mild to moderate SPD, and Turrets). All mental health, and processing differences need to be documented by a physician, or in the process of documentation before being able to be included on the application. In lieu of medical documentation recommendation letters from former teachers, including preschool/daycare staff stating that the student would benefit from a more relaxed, self paced learning environment. Target Population: The targeted student population for Iris Valley Charter School are students who will benefit from a school with blended learning options, that focuses on personal student achievements, in a relaxed environment. It is recognized that many students fall into this category, and will be encouraged to apply. While there will be weights put on those with TAG status, mental health concerns, and processing differences (as listed above), the goal of the school will be to incorporate these students into the general population, and give all students the tools they personally need to be successful learners. Out of District Applicants: Applicants who live outside of the Salem Keizer School district will be encouraged to apply, and be weighted according to the list provided above. However, these families will be asked to provide their own transportation to and from school each day. Recurrent enrollment from year to year: Students and families will be encouraged to maintain their enrollment from year to year by giving priority to families that are already enrolled, and their siblings before opening spots to new families. A sibling is defined as children living in the same household being raised together. 3. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Iris Valley Charter School will ultimately allow students in grades k-8 to have social interaction with their age-like peers while having their unique learning needs addressed. Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly evident that all students have academic areas that are strong and others that are weak. This has become a challenge for both schools and families to address and is causing even larger gaps to develop. Also, over the time that students were learning online, many developed habits and routines that were useful to them then, but not sustainable in a regular classroom setting such as sitting at a large table, couch, the floor, or other nontraditional classroom setting. Students also developed work and study habits that do not translate into a regular classroom, like taking frequent breaks, reading more about topics online, watching youtube videos to learn more, and snacking while working. When students went back to school in a hybrid model, it became clear that smaller class sizes truly are the answer for a better learning environment, especially for students who are recognized by the medical community as neuro divergent. Finally, it also became clear that online learning does not work for most students and does not promote social or emotional growth at any age. Iris Valley Charter School will be a place that will strive to recognize these adaptations, needs, and challenges, and meet students at their current levels to help them reach their goals. Teachers will be trained with the latest information regarding working with students who are neuro divergent. They will also be trained with skills relevant to working with students who exhibit mental health issues, such as: anxiety, trauma, ptsd, depression, and how to accommodate them in the classroom. Some of these accommodations will include: flexible seating, frequent breaks, snacks, using the 10 positives to 1 negative rule of thumb when encouraging a student to modify her/his behavior, providing several ways to show mastery of content, and modeling a generally encouraging and positive learning envirnoment. Academic progress will be student paced and closely monitored through frequent student evaluations (tests, projects, portfolios, or reports). In order to best acknowledge learning gaps. Jerome Schultz, Ph.D., a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist, Chris Zeigler Dendy, M.S., is a member of ADDitude’s ADHD Medical Review Panel, Karen Huberty, M.Ed., Maureen Bechard, M.S., and many others agree that students who have processing disorders such as ADHD, low to moderate ASD, Dyslexia, Executive Functioning, and others, often receive the message from traditional schools that they are slow, lazy, unorganized, or just not capable of doing the work. This is almost never the case, however, many students do hear these opinions from those that are in charge of their traditional education. Researchers also agree that changing the learning environment to one that recognizes students' individual needs and abilities can help relieve feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, and apathy towards education. Iris Valley Charter School will be uniquely set up to address the specialized learning needs of all students by offering flexible learning options, grouping students based on ability rather than age for core subjects, using a variety of teaching methods and strategies, and allowing students to show mastery of subject matter through several different ways including: computer-based tests, pencil and paper tests, projects, and reports. Classroom size will be kept small to be able to provide as much one on one time with each student as possible Iris Valley will be designed to provide blended, small group learning in a relaxed, simi-self paced environment. It will include teaching methods and strategies from The Daily 5/Cafe, and Daily 3 math learning centers with hands-on practice for key concepts, and projects that mimic real life situations in all subjects. Students will be given several options for assessments. These options will be: computer based (Easy CBM, Imagine Learning), pencil and paper, project, provide a portfolio of work, or written/oral report. For project/report assessments the school will use rubrics already created by the school district and/or ODE for grading purposes. It is important that each student be able to be assessed in a way that s/he feels will show their mastery of the subject matter. See Attached Materials Curriculum maps for all subjects grades kindergarten - eighth grade Sample subject alignment for each grade kindergarten - eighth grade Explanation of alignment to Salem Keizer School District Standards grades kindergarten - fifth grade Instructional Goals by Content Area and Grade See Attached Materials Supplementary Materials Reading, and math: Imagine Learning, prodigy, Khan Academy, and education.com Science and social studies: online articles, various instructional videos, scholastic news, national geographic kids, and kids britannica. Primary Instructional Materials Reading: Daily 5/Cafe methods, leveled books, literature circles/book clubs Writing: Daily 5/Cafe methods, Math: Imagine learning Science: Oregon State Standards Social Studies: Oregon State Standards State Mandated Testing: The English Language Assessment, and Math Assessment from Smarter Balance will be taken by all third, fourth, fifth, and eighth grade students via computer, either on individual chrome books, ipads, or in a computer lab. The testing window will open at the beginning of April of each year, and close when all students have finished both assessments. Students will be given as much time as they need to complete both assessments, and no homework, or new course content will be given until at least 85% of the students in the grade have completed the assessments. Students who finish quickly, or are not in a grade level that is currently being assessed will be encouraged to work on a research project, or complete work in other subjects until the class is ready to move ahead. Any student who is eligible to take the English Language Proficiency Assessment will be pulled from their regular schedule and given time to complete the assessment in a separate, quiet space of the school. Student Assessments and Grading Systems: Students at all grade levels will be given a choice of assessment options including: oral, written, computer, multiple choice, short answer, portfolio, or project. At lower grade levels the teacher may decide to shorten the list of available options to best fit the needs of the content, and students in the class. All assessments will be graded on the same criteria which is that the student shows mastery of the subject matter through what they produce. Mastery will be based on rubrics made by the staff at the school, and grade level standards set out by national, state, and local educational authorities. Students in grades K-4 will be graded on the number system set out by the national government. Progress reports will be based on a portfolio of their work. Grades 5-8 will be graded on a letter scale A-C with students who score lower than a C receiving an (I) incomplete, or (x) not graded. Student progress report grades will be based on a portfolio of their work from throughout the academic quarter. Project/test grades will be weighted at 15% each, weekly quizzes at 5% each, and daily work 1% each. Progress report grades for students k-4 will be based on these criteria: 1: S/he is making progress toward working independently with this concept/idea. 2: S/he is working independently with this concept/idea, however continues to use classroom based interventions to support her/his work, and often needs redirection to complete the task correctly. 3: S/he is able to work independently with this concept/idea with, or without classroom based interventions, and is successful more than 90% of the time. 4: S/he is working independently with this concept/idea without adult intervention and is successful 98% of the time, or more. Progress report grades for students 5-8 will be based on these criteria: A: 100-90% B: 89-80% C: 79-70% I: Below 70% and making progress toward completing work/showing improvement X: Below 70% and not continuing toward completing work/not yet showing improvement Students who receive an “I” will be given multiple opportunities to retake/redo assessments, and/or turn in missing work until the grade is brought up to a “C” or higher. Students who receive an “X” will be given all of the same opportunities of those receiving an “I” plus be assigned one on one instructional time with a qualified staff member until their grade is a “C” or higher. Documentation of Student Performance To document student performance teachers will use both a computer grade book program and portfolios of student work to calculate end of quarter grades for each student. Not Applicable Improve Student Performance Gaps in student performance will be addressed by placing students in ability alike groupings for core instruction +/-2 grade levels. Students who are consistently showing a deficit in learning across all curriculums over 6 weeks or more of 0.5 + years below grade level will also be given one on one instructional time totaling at least one hour per week until they are consistently working at grade level. In the chance that a class, or the school as a whole is performing below expectations the principal will reevaluate the data to determine what specific areas are falling short. Then staff training will be provided in those areas. To trigger these corrective actions 40% of a homeroom class, or 50% of the whole school would need to be performing at or below homeroom grade level expectations as defined by the Oregon State Common Core Standards. Learning and Positive Student Engagement Dr. Yvonne Ryans of Region X Equity Assistance Center at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon, defines culturally responsive teaching as: “Hold high expectations for all students and help all students learn, contribute to positive academic, attitudinal, and social outcomes for students, use diverse resources, contribute to the development of classrooms and schools that value diversity, and collaborate with colleagues, administrators, parents, and education professionals to ensure student success.” Iris Valley Charter School will strive to uphold these principals by allowing students to learn and grow at a pace that is appropriate for them as individuals, maintain a calm, positive classroom environment, and celebrate student successes (even ones that may seem small to others). Teachers will use a variety of resources within each subject area, including looking at historical events from multiple points of view. Teachers and staff will also collaborate with each other to find new interesting ways of engaging students from all cultural backgrounds. In order to maintain social cohorts all students will be promoted to the next grade level in the fall of each school year. Due to the instructional design, in that students will be placed in ability groups of +/- 2 years for core instruction, students will not need to show exact mastery of content to be promoted with their social grade/age alike group. However, if a student is showing social immaturity and/or consistently more than 1.5 years behind/ahead of their age group in academics, a team consisting of the student’s caregivers, teachers, and other specialists will determine the appropriate placement. Not Applicable Not Applicable Distance Learning Options Students who are in need of days off from school for health, mental health, or personal reasons may choose to log in at a given time during the school day, determined by the homeroom teacher, and complete assignments that can be submitted through google classroom/seesaw. Students who do this will be counted as being in attendance for that day. To be able to access this option the school must be notified at least 30 min before the start of the school day so that teachers can make accommodations, and post the classwork into google classrooms/seesaw. 4. Results Iris Valley Charter School will allow all students to pick from a menu of assessment options at the end of each unit of study. The options will be: online assessment (easy cbm, or something similar), pencil and paper assessment, project, essay, oral assessment, oral presentation, or portfolio. Each assessment method will be graded using a standardized rubric provided by the Oregon Department of Education and/or Common Core State Standards. Academic progress will be based on how a student performs on the assessments, in class assignments, homework, and participation. Teachers, and staff will use the assessment data to guide instruction, place students into ability groups, and create SMART goals. Teachers, Instructional Assistants, and Contracted Tutors will be responsible for collecting the data. Teachers, School Administration, and the Governing Board will be responsible for distribution of the data that is collected. The homeroom, and small group teachers will be responsible for managing and interpreting their own data, and then reporting it to the school administrator each Friday afternoon before leaving for the day. The administrator will be in charge of leading and/or coordinating professional development to improve student achievement. Teachers will be given at least one hour per week of prep time specifically to analyze, and interpret their classroom data, and plan learning goals based on that data. Teachers, and staff, will also be required to attend biweekly staff meetings, and teacher in-service training which will include support on how to best interpret student data, and use it to improve learning school wide. Data will be reported to the school community Caregivers: Individual student grades, and progress will be communicated to parents through progress reports four times per school year. Other, more frequent communication will be made by the homeroom teacher directly with caregivers on an as needed basis via phone calls, or email. Caregivers will also be given access to the online grading system to see their child’s grade in real time. School Governing Board: Each homeroom teacher will supply average current learning progress for their class in each content area to the school board via email at least 5 days before each meeting. This average will be found by totaling up the current GPA of each student in each subject and then dividing by the total number of students in the class. The board will use this information only to have a snapshot of how students are performing over time, these numbers will not be used as a sole basis for employment decisions. Community at Large: General information about the school will be dispersed to the community at large via the school website. February of each year the school will make the yearly school budget, report relevant testing scores, and other necessary information to the public on the school website. Updated information can be requested by email at any time during the year. 5. Finances and Budget See attached document i. An explanation of the projected budget for salaries and associated payroll costs: Administrator (0.5 FTE) $80,000/year Teachers (5 x 1.0 FTE) $50,000/year/teacher = $250,000/year Teacher (1 x 0.5) $50,000/year School Counselor (1 x 1.0 FTE) $52,000/year CPA (1 x 0.5 FTE) $15,000/year Instructional Assistants (3 x 0.875 FTE) $19.40/hr = $57,120/year Special Education Teacher (1 x 1.0 FTE) $52,000 Speech and Language Path (1 x 1.0 FTE) $52,000 Office Specialist $17.00/hr at 40 a week = $27,200/year Cook $17.00/hr at 25 hours a week = $17,000/year Custodian $17.00/hr at 40 a week = $27,200/year ii. An explanation of projected budget for supplies, materials, including instructional materials/textbook adoptions, and contracted services. Classroom materials = $50/mo= $2,250/year Office Supplies = $50/mo = $250/year Curriculum = $550/mo = $4,950/year Other contracted educational services = $900/year iii. An explanation of facilities costs, including rents, utilities, and repairs. Rent = $4000/mo Utilities = $600/mo Repairs = $200/mo iv. Projected enrollment and average daily membership (ADM). 100 students enrolled 90 Average Daily Membership v. Reasonable start-up expenditures before school opening. Tables $2,400 Chairs $1,500 Desk/chair combo $4,500 Teacher desks $2,000 Teacher chairs $500 Whiteboard easels $1,300 Classroom carpets $1,000 Repairs and remodels to the building $6,000 Incidentals $800 Total = $20,000 vi. Inclusion of fund raising activities to generate capital Fundraisers such as “Raise Right”, and a small student store will be used for fundraising during the school year. The school projects $1300/month from these sources. Families will be charged an annual $50.00 application fee, when the application is turned in, and a $200.00 registration fee upon acceptance to the school for a total of $2,500.00. Grant funding will total $200,000.00. The building will be available for non school affiliated groups to rent after hours for $25.00/hr. All groups, clubs, and organizations must provide their own insurance, sign a contract, and provide their own supplies. All reservations will be made no less than 14 working days in advance of the planned event. The school board president, and school administrator, and custodian will be the main contact people for non affiliated groups. One of the above mentioned personnel will remain onsite during the entire time the building is in use. If one of these people is not available the event will be canceled. This will bring the supplemental income to $224,100.00/year and will bring the total working budget to $691,600.00/year. vii. Budgeted cash reserve at the end of the fiscal year in accordance with District financial management policy sufficient to assure continued operation of the charter school: Using the budget sheet provided by google docs Iris Valley will have a cash reserve of $75,546.00 at the end of each fiscal year.These monies will be used to make improvements to the facility, purchase equipment, and other necessary expenditures as they arise. A reserve of no less than $25,000.00 will be maintained in the bank at all times. viii. Planned and identified expectations for District services and listed them within the submitted budget Iris Valley Charter School does not plan to use school district services at this time. b. A description of the financial management system for the public charter school, an explanation of how the financial management system will meet the requirements of ORS 338.095 (1), and a plan for having the financial management system in place at the time the school begins operating: Iris Valley Charter School will use Quickbooks pro with payroll add on as its financial management program. Within the report will be: A copy of the annual audit Statements from Iris Valley that show the results of all operations and transactions affecting the financial status of the school during the preceding annual audit period for the school A balance sheet containing a summary of the assets and liabilities of Iris Valley for the preceding annual audit period for the school. c. A description of how the charter school will comply with i. Generally accepted accounting principles for public entities: Iris Valley Charter School will employ a part time CPA to manage all accounting needs of the school. This person will ensure that the school meets all generally accepted accounting principles. ii. Reasonable and prudent financial planning and management: Iris Valley Charter School will use all reasonable and prudent financial planning, and management techniques. All financial decisions will need to go through a proposal, committee discussion, and voting process before any money is spent beyond what is allocated in the budget. The school board president, treasurer, and school administrator, will be the only people allowed direct access to school funds at any time. The CPA will be a part of all budgeting, or financial planning meetings to ensure that monies are used wisely. iii. The district’s purchasing and billing practices are in accordance with public schools in Oregon: When looking to hire outside vendors this process will be followed: A school administrator, or a person on the school board will head a committee to find possible vendors. This committee will consist of: at least one community member, one parent, and the aforementioned school board member, or administrator. They will come up with a list of between three to five vendors, who are preferably local in origin. Each of the vendors will be contacted via phone and/or email to obtain a bid for the specific service needed. The vendor(s) which offer the most reasonable bid, and have the best recommendations will be chosen. A legal, binding contract will be drawn up between the vendor and Iris Valley Charter School and signed by a legal representative of each party. The bill(s) will be paid using the school checking account using either debit card, or check. Official notes made by the committee, all bids, contracts, bills, and receipts will be kept with the other financial records in the main office area of the school. d. A description of the financial management and internal control procedures: The finances of the school will be managed by a team of six people: the CPA, school board treasurer, parent representative, student representative (must be in grade 5 or higher), and the school administrator. This committee will meet at least once a month to go over the bank account, pay school bills, and vote on other financial matters. There must be at least 3 of the 5 people present to vote in order to make any new spending/financial decisions. A majority vote will be the deciding factor in all decisions. The only people who will be authorized to make purchases will be the school board treasurer, president, and school administrator. All receipts will be kept for a length of 5 years. For any purchase that requires a reimbursement; the person who made the purchase will give the original receipt to one of the aforementioned persons with access to the bank account. That person will then review the receipt, and write a check for the exact amount. If the person needing the reimbursement is also one who has access to the bank account they will give the receipt to one of the other two people with access. A person with access to the bank account can not reimburse themself. e. A description of format and frequency (at least quarterly) of financial reporting to the district, including statement of net assets, statement of activities, and cash flow statements compared to budget: The school board treasurer will make a quarterly fiscal report available to all school board members, both Iris Valley, and Salem Keizer via Google docs or printed, whichever format is requested by each board member. f. An explanation of the process and procedure in which the program review and fiscal audit will be conducted: Each month the school board treasurer will conduct an audit of the school, and foundation bank accounts. S/he will then report the findings during the public school board meeting. Quarterly reports will be made available to the public via paper copies and email upon request. These will be handed out/emailed at the time of the school board meeting. g. Plans for obtaining an annual audit of the financial statements from an independent certified public accounting firm: An annual audit of financial statements will be made from an independent certified public accounting firm such as H and R Block. h. A description of how the charter will address the storage of financial records: Financial records will be kept in a locked file cabinet in the main office area. The key to access the files will only be accessible to the school administrator, office manager, and specific members of the school board. Computer files will be managed on Google Sheets, and in Quickbooks. These files will only be given editing privileges to the CPA, school board treasurer, and president, and the school administrator. 6. State and Community Mandates a. A description of how the public charter school will meet any and all state and federal assessment requirements: The school will meet all state and federal assessment requirements through the use of SBAC for grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 ELPA for all students with home languages other than English who identify as English as another language. Other state and federal assessments as required by law b. A description of how the public charter school will comply with Section 504 requirements: Iris Valley Charter School will comply with all section 504 requirements. c. An explanation of how the public charter school intends to work with the District to provide special education services, including: i. An explanation of how the public charter school will implement accommodations and modifications contained in the IEP or Section 504 plan: Iris Valley will be more than adequately equipped to meet all IEP and Section 504 plans. Many popular accommodations such as: extended work time, shortened assignments, individualized work, fidgets, preferential seating, standing desks, different types of seating options, physical activity and brain breaks will already be part of daily school life. Any other accommodations that are needed will be put into place by the next student contact day after the request has been made. Requests for accommodations can be made by legal guardians, and/or school staff. ii. An explanation of how the public charter school will manage IDEA mandates regarding eligibility, IEP, or a Section 504 plan and placement meetings: An IEP, or Section 504 plan will be created for any, and all students who are found to be in need of one regardless of grade level in school, age, sex, sexual orientation, social economic standing, race, religion, or any other defining characteristic of a person. All students will be treated with respect. For a student to be found eligible of an IEP, or Section 504 this process will be followed: The legal guardian, or a licensed teacher at the school may request that a student be considered for a 504, or IEP Within 30 working days of the request the school will request any necessary documentation from the student’s physician, and perform a records check of the student’s school file(s) including, but not limited to, ELA status, attendance, progress reports, and a portfolio of student work from the past twelve months. With in forteen working days of all of the information listed above has been collected an educational support team consisting of: the legal guardian, homeroom teacher, school administrator, Special Education teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist (if necessary), and the student will meet to discuss weather or not an IEP, or 504 placement is deemed appropriate for the student at this time. If the 504, or IEP is deemed appropriate then, at the same meeting, the team will discuss placement options, amount of time each week necessary to facilitate learning gains, modifications to the student’s schedule, supplemental materials, and other education related supports that will help the student succeed. The team will convene each year on/near the date of the 504, or IEP to discuss how the student is doing, reevaluate goals, and needs, and insure the student is maintaining a successful, and steady academic growth; 2’s or higher in all subjects for students in grades K-5, or GPA of 70% or higher for students in grades 6-8. iii. An explanation of the role of parents in implementing a 504, or IEP: Parents and caregivers will not need to be a part of their child’s 504, or IEP implementation. They will be encouraged to bring up all comments or concerns they have in the implementation of the IEP, or Section 504 at any point during the school year. The school will make the necessary changes to ensure that the student has the best possible learning environment, and resources. Iris Valley feels strongly that caregivers know their children best, and will take all concerns seriously. iv. The arrangements for any necessary special education and related services provided pursuant to ORS 338.165 for children with disabilities who may attend the public charter school. The facility must be able to accommodate space for a Learning Resource Center: The facility will make accommodations for all students who wish to attend, and are accepted to the school. Students who are eligible for special education services will be accommodated in these ways: Instruction will be delivered in at least one of the following manners dependent upon what is deemed best for the student and is specified in their 504, or IEP: Individual pull out- students will be pulled out of the classroom for specialized instruction. Individual push in- a teacher, or instructional assistant will go into the student’s classroom and work with them individually Small group pull out- a small group of students (no more than five) will be pulled out of their classrooms for specialized instruction. Small group push-in a teacher, or instructional assistant will go into a classroom to work with a specific group of students who all meet special education eligibility and are working on the same subject area. Methodologies that will be utilized are as follows: Manipulatives Project based learning Educational games Color coding Various organizational methods Study skills Worksheets Flashcards Other accommodations that can be added: The caregiver, or a licensed teacher at the school can request, at any time, that an accommodation be added to a student’s 504, or IEP. Upon request the 504, or IEP will be amended to show the new accommodation and a copy will be sent to the teacher(s) who work with the student, and their caregiver. The accommodation will be put into place, within 1 to 2 school days depending only on whether or not supplies need to be purchased by the school in order to provide said accommodation(s). If the supplies are already available the accommodation(s) will be put into place immediately. Student progress will be determined through both formative, and summative assessments given by the special education teacher no less than every six weeks. This will be tracked using an excel spreadsheet and be reported to the homeroom teacher immediately via email. The homeroom teacher may inform parents either immediately, or during conferences depending on what the caregivers choose. The facility will be ADA accessible, and include marked handicapped parking spots. In the event that the school is in a multiple level building without an elevator any classes (homeroom, small groups, PE, Library media, food services, and LRC) will be held on the main level for all students within the homeroom, and small groups of any student(s) with mobility concerns. Students who have visual concerns may request accommodations at any time that will improve their ability to see, and interact with the materials, and complete work. The accommodations can include, but are not limited to: Different colored paper Different colored ink Larger print Sitting closer to the materials that are presented to the class. Having materials printed as handouts that are also being used in whole group lessons Having materials available on google docs to reference during lessons, and at home. Wearing a hat, or tinted glasses to reduce the glare from bright lights. Students who have auditory concerns may request accommodations at any time that will improve their ability to hear, and interact with the materials, and complete work. The accommodations can include, but are not limited to: Preferential seating Wearable amplification technology Noise canceling headphones Headphones or earbuds that provide background sounds such as: white noise, brown noise, classical music, instrumental music. The volume must remain at a level at which the student can still hear, and participate with the class. A staff member may ask the student to turn off, or remove their headphones at any point during the day if they become a distraction to the student, are impeding learning/focus, or the student is not listening to school appropriate media. In the event that a staff member, caregiver, board member, or someone from the community at large is in need of physical accommodations all efforts will be made to provide them. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow the school time to gather required materials. This may include, but not be limited to: Holding meetings on the main level of the facility b.Providing a microphone, in good working condition with an amplifier to the speaker(s) C. Utilizing wearable amplifier technology which directly syncs with hearing aid devices D. Large print handouts, and/or handouts on a requested color of paper, and/or a shade of ink other than black For students with behavioral needs the following accommodations will be available. In the event a student needs an accommodation not listed it can be requested by: the student, their caregiver, or a school staff member at any time. Weighted blanket, lap cover, or stuffed animal Headphones with calming sound such as white noise, brown noise, classical music, or instrumental music. Fidgets Chewing gum Whiteboard and pen for doodling Standing desk A break to go for a walk on school grounds Heavy work: carry boxes of not more than 3-5lb, wall pushups, pushing a laundry basket of clothes across the floor, jumping on a small indoor trampoline etc. Go to a designated quiet area in the school (main office, LRC, counselor's office, the media lab and the administrator’s office will all have at least one designated area where students can go to take breaks as needed ) and take a quiet break (student may bring a book if they wish) Build with legos for a few minutes Play with clay, play dough, or “slime” for a few minutes Make a small craft project (no longer than 10min) Submit a description of the space for the LRC. see attached document d. A description of how the public charter school will deliver services and instruction to English Language Learners (ELL), including descriptions of curriculum, methodology and program accommodations: All teachers will be trained in methods of ESOL instruction including Guided Language Acquisition Learning, and Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol methods. Iris Valley Charter School recognizes the importance of English language learning for all students, including those whose home language is English to facilitate high level vocabulary, proper use of grammar, and speaking skills. e. A description of how the public charter school will serve the needs of talented and gifted students, including screening, identification and services: Iris Valley will make all efforts to identify talented and gifted students. All students in the school will be screened between the months of October and December of each school year using the identifying points below taken from the website of The Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted: Has advanced oral and/or written language skills; expressive language? Makes unique connections; understands systems; see the "big picture"? Ask many questions; seek in-depth information? Is resourceful at finding unique solutions? Exhibits keen powers of observation; is highly sensitive and insightful? Has broad, intense, varied and sustained interests, sometimes simultaneously; transfers learning to new situations? Exhibits an early moral concern; is empathetic? Is nonconforming; risk-taking; independent? Makes non-traditional responses and/or products​ Students who show at least 5 of these characteristics on a regular basis will have a portfolio of work started for them by their classroom teacher. The student’s caregivers will then be contacted, and, if given permission by the family will undergo further assessment using the WISC test by a staff member who has been trained in proctorting this assessment. Once identified as TAG the classroom teacher will submit a TAG plan that will address the student’s academic abilities and outline how they will be further challenged. The plans may include, but are not limited to: extra work to do outside of school, submitting work to local, regional, state, or nation wide contests, and/or participating in upper grade level classes. f. A description of how the public charter school will collect assessment information on all subgroup populations in the school: Classroom teachers will be responsible for collecting, and maintaining all assessment data. The data will also be shared with the school administrator. The classroom teachers will meet once every 4 weeks to discuss proper placement of students into small groups for Language Arts, and Math. g. An explanation of how the public charter school will implement Child Find requirements: The Special Education Teacher who will run the LRC will be in charge of the Child Find requirements. The school counselor will be the backup person and also able to input data, complete paperwork, and other requirements as necessary. 7. Policy Requirements Iris Valley Charter School will follow all State of Oregon, and National Academic standards. Students will be expected to: Attend class in person regularly (no more than 10 days of online class work per academic quarter unless approved by the school administration) Be kind in words and actions towards themselves, other students, and staff Respect school property (both on and off campus) Strive to do their best work each and everyday Advocate for themselves in respectful and appropriate ways throughout the school year. Behavior Modification and Suspensions: Students who willfully, physically/emotionally/verbally assault student(s) and/or staff, and/or damage, or do not use school property as intended will be: First offense: private talk with the classroom teacher Second offense: private talk with the classroom teacher and a school administrator Third offense: call home caregivers to determine the best course of action going forward. Fourth offense: half day in school suspension Fifth offense: one full day in school suspension Sixth offense: two full days of in school suspension If the behavior continues the student will be asked to either: Attend school online for two weeks and then come back on a trial basis for the remainder of the quarter, at which time it will be decided by the student, caregiver(s), and school staff if the student should continue at Iris Valley, or find another educational option. The student will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s) Leave Iris Valley voluntarily and seek other educational options. The student will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s) Expulsions: The school will reserve the right to expel any student who continually does not meet the behavior and/or academic expectations set forth in this charter. Students Expelled from other districts: Students who have been expelled from other school districts for non weapon related offenses will be interviewed by staff members and must submit: A typed, and signed explanation of the event leading to their expulsion including what they will do differently in the future to make sure the behavior does not occur again. This may be done by the student, or dictated to a member of the school staff. A typed, and signed reason as to why they want to attend Iris Valley, and how they feel it will improve them academically, and socially. This may be done by the student, or dictated to a member of the school staff. Sign a behavior contract outlining the academic and social expectations of Iris Valley, and consequences for not meeting those expectations. If the student is accepted it will be on a trial basis for one academic quarter based on the school’s calendar. After that staff, caregiver(s), and the student will meet together to decide if they should continue to attend Iris Valley, or seek other educational options. In the event that it is decided the student will no longer attend Iris Valley they will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s) Classroom management strategies will include: “Love and Logic”, “EnVoy”, and a CHADD (National Resource on ADHD) Teacher to Teacher online course. Teachers will also be encouraged to provide all students with access to multiple types of sensory items, flexible seating options, and other school appropriate modifications that will best facilitate learning. Dispensing Medication All medications (prescription, and over the counter) will be kept in a locked cabinet in the administrator’s office. Medications will be dispensed following either a doctor’s prescription, or parents notes (if over the counter). The medication will be given to the student privately by a trained school staff member. Reviewing and Selecting Instructional Materials Instructional materials will be reviewed and selected by a team of people consisting of at least one teacher, one parent, one school board member, and one community member. The team will not be more than eight people. Before final decisions are made the team will present the top three picks for each subject to the school board, parents, staff, and community members during a community meeting. The top three picks will also be presented to the students. The opinions of the school board, parents, staff, and students will be weighed by the committee before making a final decision. Solicitation/advertising /fundraising by non-school groups Any outside group that would like to give flyers to students can email a copy to the school office for approval. If it is approved it will be printed and handed out to the students. If a student wishes to bring in a non school fundraiser they may do so, however they may only ask school staff to participate, and only before or after school hours. Regarding Field Trips Classroom teachers may request to take students on a school related field trip no more than once per month. The trips, including transportation must be paid for through funds from the Parent Club, or by student families. Requests must be made at least 8 weeks in advance to allow time for review by the administrator, approval, and communication with caregivers. Trips must be tied to the curriculum. Student Promotion and Retention Since students will be ability grouped for Language Arts, and Math promotion, and retention will be based on maturity and academics. If a student is not able to meet the behavior expectations of the next grade level teachers and caregivers will meet to discuss options. Caregivers will be notified as soon as it becomes apparent that a student may be lacking in one or more areas listed below, and therefore a candidate for retention. At the time of notification a meeting will be held between the homeroom teacher, school administrator, caregivers, and student, to discuss ways to support the student in their lagging areas. If the student shows considerable progress they will be promoted along with the rest of their class. In regards to promotion, students will be promoted to the next grade level at the end of each school year. All students will be promoted unless it has been previously decided that they will be retained. In order to meet behavior, and maturity qualifications for promotion to the next grade level students will need to show they are able to: Show flexibility in routines. When a daily routine is interrupted for any reason the students will be able to follow given directions calmly and realize that sometimes routines get changed, sometimes on at last minute such as in the case of an emergency drill. Show age level appropriate willingness to advocate for themselves. Students will be able to ask for help as needed for a variety of school related reasons up to and including asking for help with assignments, peer to peer interactions, personal hygiene needs (such as using the restroom), and health needs (such as letting school personnel know when they are not feeling well, and/or need medical attention). Show kindness, and consideration towards themselves, peers, and adults. Students will routinely express kindness, and general respect for themselves, peers, and adults by using kind words when speaking, asking for materials that they may need to obtain from someone else, realizing that even though they do not need to be friends, they do need to be considerate to everyone. Treat all school property, on and off campus, with respect. Students will only use school property, on and off campus, for school related purposes in a manner that will not damage, or destroy the item(s) and return all items when requested by the school. Show a willingness to do their best work on a regular basis. Students will put forth their best effort in school on a regular basis, understanding that some things may be difficult, but need to be tried with a calm and positive mindset. Have regular attendance. Students should do their best to attend school, on time, on a regular basis unless they are sick, have a medical appointment that can not be scheduled around school hours, or have a family emergency (birth in the immediate family, death in the family, major family illness, or another such occurrence that would make school attendance physically and/or emotionally difficult). Students in Kindergarten-fourth grade: will need to have no more than two “1s” on their report card by the end of the school year. All other subjects should be a 2-4 with 1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest a student can receive for each section. Students in grades fifth-eighth grades: will need to have passing grades in all subject areas by the end of the school year. Student publications If students would like to publish a school newsletter, or website they will be encouraged to do so. The students will be closely monitored by a classroom teacher. The teacher will have final editing privileges, and also final say in what is actually published. Nothing will be published without the teacher’s approval. Staff/Student Vehicle Parking and Use Staff will use their own vehicles, and park in the school parking lot. As Iris Valley will only serve students up through 8th grade no student will be driving. Diplomas and graduation, and participation in graduation exercises When students reach the end of their 8th grade year there will be a promotional celebration. The school staff will plan the celebration and coordinate with caregivers. Student/parent/public complaints All complaints will be heard and investigated by school staff in a timely, and appropriate manner. Visitors to the school All visitors will need to check in at the main office, sign in, and be given a numbered badge, which will be recorded by the office manager, and signed out by the visitor. Upon leaving school grounds the visitor will return the badge to the main office, and sign out. Visitors who are coming to volunteer will go through the same process. Prior to volunteering each person will submit to a background check, and wait to volunteer until the results of the check are seen by the school administrator who will issue an email letting the volunteer know if s/he/they are cleared. Staff discipline, suspension or dismissal In the event that a staff member needs to be disciplined, suspended, or dismissed these steps will be followed: There will be a meeting between the staff member in question, the person(s) bringing the complaint, the school administration, and a neutral party (school board member, lawyer, another teacher). If appropriate the staff member in question will be given 30 school days to improve. During this time they will be closely monitored by the administration, and a teacher mentor. If necessary the staff member will be put on an immediate unpaid suspension 2. At the end of the 30 day improvement period another meeting with the same team will reconvene to discuss whether or not there has been enough improvement made to warrant further employment. If, during the suspension, and ensuing investigation the claims are unfounded the staff member will be fully reinstated with back pay. A statement will be made to the school community regarding what was found during the investigation and why the person was reinstated. If the investigation finds the complaints to be true and the staff member will be dismissed immediately. Personal Hiring Iris Valley Charter School will be in charge of hiring, and termination of its employees. Background checks will be run by an outside company and submitted to the Iris Valley School Board, and the Salem Keizer School board prior to finalizing the hiring of the employee. A description of the proposed staff members and required qualifications of teachers at the public charter school, including licensure/registration of teachers and administrators. Administrator: There will be one administrator who will be half time administrator, half time teacher. This person must hold a valid Oregon Preliminary or Professional License with an Administrator endorsement issued by TSPC. Teachers: There will be five licensed teachers, one for each classroom. Each teacher must hold a valid Oregon State Teacher's License issued by TSPC. The types of licenses that will be accepted are: Emergency, International Visiting, License for Conditional Assignment, Limited Teaching License, Preliminary License, and Professional License. Instructional Assistants: There will be at least three IAs in the school; one each for the kindergarten, and 1st/2nd grade classrooms, one that will float between 3rd/4th, 5th/6th, and 7th/8th grade classrooms. Office Staff: There will be one full time office manager Kitchen Staff: There will be one cook. The cook must hold a valid food handlers card in addition to other requirements. All non licensed staff must have either a high school diploma, or GED. Preference will be given to those who also hold an Associate’s Degree or higher in an education related field of study. Professional Development: Professional development will be provided by the school, and tied into staff meetings, and inservice days. The school will ensure that all licensed teachers have the units needed for renewal at the end of every three year period. Contingency plans for the hiring of substitute professional and classified staff: If there is an unexpected opening in the staff these steps will be followed: A job posting will be placed on the school website, craigslist, and other job seeker sites. A qualified substitute will be placed in the position immediately. If the substitute is in the position for more than 10 consecutive school days all benefits will be offered until the position ends. Applications will be received for the position for a period of up to two weeks from the date of posting. The substitute will be encouraged to apply if they are a good fit. Qualified applicants will be interviewed. The position will be offered to the candidate that best fills the position. A proposed plan for the placement of public charter school teachers, other school employees and students of the public charter school upon termination or nonrenewal of a charter: In the circumstance of the termination and/or nonrenewal of the charter all staff members, school families, and community supporters will be notified in a timely manner. All efforts will be made to place students in an appropriate educational setting, up to and including allowing time for students and their families to meet with and/or tour new school facilities, and meeting with their new teachers as appropriate. Staff will also be encouraged to seek new employment, be given letters of reference from at least: the school administrator, a member of the school board, and a parent of a student past, or present. All efforts will be made for staff members to secure employment before the closing of the school up to and including allowing staff members to apply for positions during work hours, and allowing for time off for interviews as necessary. Parent and Community Involvement: Information on the manner in which community groups may be involved in the planning and development process of the public charter school: The public has been involved in the planning process since the very beginning of writing this charter. A group of ten community members met together via online meetings about once a month, and communicated through Facebook Messenger, picked the name, logo, discussed possible school sites, and fundraising possibilities starting in January 2022. There is also a facebook group of 117 members who are also invited to online meetings and have had a large role in helping shape the ideals, educational plans, and vision of this school. Finally, there is a website that has over 500 hits to date, and 25 members of its own. Moving forward the community will continue to have a vital part in the planning, and development process. The school board will seek opinions on all aspects including curriculums, classroom furnishings, asking for volunteer support in getting the building ready. It is the goal of Iris Valley Charter School to be a safe place in the community for students, and their families to come for support, guidance, and acceptance. Description of parental involvement, including a description of: The content of planned meetings and conferences The content of meetings will consist of the following basic agenda: i. Greeting by the school board president ii. Reading of the planned agenda by a school board member iii. Financial presentation made by the treasurer of the school board regarding all school funds. iv. Reading, and discussion of business from the last meeting, and reports on those items from those who were assigned the tasks. v. New business that was brought to the board at least 24 hours before the meeting, including those who will be responsible for seeing each new task through to its completion. vi. Open floor to community members to bring up topics relating to the school that need to be addressed. vii. Closing statements made by the school board president The content of conferences will consist of the following basic agenda: i. The classroom teacher will welcome the family, and help them get settled, up to, and including finding appropriate activities for any children they may need to bring with them. ii. The classroom teacher will begin by asking the caregivers of the student if they have any questions, or comments they would like to discuss regarding school related topics. iii. The classroom teacher will go over the student’s report card and explain each section and grade given. iv. The classroom teacher and/or other school staff member as appropriate, will offer ways for the student to improve in areas of low achievement, and gain further knowledge in areas in which they excel. v. Caregivers will then have another opportunity to ask clarifying questions, and share any comments they may have. vi. The classroom teacher will close the conference, help with any clean up that may need to take place, and excuse the family. How the school will adjust meetings/conferences to meet the needs of working parents All meetings will be held during evening hours or on Saturday afternoons depending on which better fits with most of the school board’s schedules. Meetings will also be made available to participate in via Facebook Live. This will also ensure that there will be a video record of the meeting, and will make it available for families, and community members to watch later who were not able to attend the meeting when it was live. Conferences will be held over the course of two school days (non student contact) that will be twelve hours each day. To accommodate staff hours the following day will be a non school day with all school offices closed. c. Demonstrated sustainable support for the public charter school by teachers, parents, students, and community members: The public has been involved in the planning process since the very beginning of writing this charter. A group of ten community members met together via online meetings about once a month, and communicated through Facebook Messenger, picked the name, logo, discussed possible school sites, and fundraising possibilities starting in January 2022. There is also a facebook group of 117 members who are also invited to online meetings and have had a large role in helping shape the ideals, educational plans, and vision of this school. Finally, there is a website that has over 500 hits to date, and 25 members of its own. There was a small online auction held last April which brought in $500.00. To date this has been the only fundraising Iris Valley has done. The school is a member of “Raise Right'' (formally shop with Scrip), and is only waiting on approval of the charter to begin opening this opportunity up to families. The planning committee has also discussed “Giving Tuesdays” on facebook, and becoming a member of Amazon Smile club. There are families who are extremely interested in, and excited about this new school option for their children. We, as the board, look forward to being able to pair with them to make this vision a reality for the Salem Keizer area. Students A description of the typical school day for a student, including a master schedule, related activities, breaks and extracurricular options: School Calendar and Schedule: Iris Valley Charter School will operate on a 180 school day year, closely following the calendar for the local school districts. School will begin on the Wednesday after Labor Day, and ending on the 2nd Friday of June each year. Instructional times for K-6th grade for the year will be: Language Arts: 180 days/333 hours Math: 180 days/180 hours Science: 90 days/60 hours Social Studies: 90 days/60 hours Physical Education: 180 days/60 hours Music: 36 days/ 24 hours Library/Media: 36 days/ 24 hours Health: 18 days/ 12 hours Art: 18 days/ 12 hours Instructional times for 7th-8th grades for the year will be: Language Arts: 180 days/ 333 hours Math: 180 days/ 180 hours Science: 180 hours/ 119 hours Social Studies: 180 days/ 119 hours Physical Education: 180 days/60 hours Health: 36 days/ 24 hours Electives: 108 days/ 71 hours Describe the structure of the school day and week. The school day will start at 9:00 am, and end at 4:00 pm Monday-Friday. The day will begin with a whole school assembly which will include announcements, daily movement, recognitions, and other school business as needed. Next students will go to their homerooms to do morning work, and settle in to the school day. At 9:45-11:15 reading instruction will begin for the whole school with students in their language arts including reading and writing ability groups. From 11:15-12:00 students will be back in homerooms for break time, specials such as music, physical education, library/media, art, as well as science and social studies. From 12:00-12:45 will be the whole school lunch/recess. 12:45-1:45 will be whole school math with students in ability groups. 1:45-3:55 will be homeroom time again with specials as well as science and social studies. 3:55-4:00 will be time to clean up. Dismissal will be at 4:00. Instructional minutes break down per day for grades K-6 Language Arts: 1 hour 30 min Math: 1 hour Science: 40 minutes Social Studies: 40 minutes September-February Health 2 days per week: 40 minutes Instructional minutes break down per day for grades 7-8 Language Arts: 1 hour 35 minutes Math: 1 hour Social Studies: 40 minutes Science: 40 minutes September-February Health: 40 minutes A typical day of a student will begin at 9:00 by going into the gym, putting their things into their classroom bin, and getting ready for morning assembly/P.E. . After the assembly s/he will go to their homeroom classroom to put their things away, and do morning work. At 9:45 s/he will go to their Language Arts classroom. At 11:30 s/he will come back to their homeroom for science. At 12:00-12:15 will be recess, and lunch will be 12:15-12:45. S/he will then go to their assigned math group area. At 1:45 the student will go back to their homeroom for the remainder of the day and have instruction in: social studies, health, art, music, or library depending on their homeroom schedule for the day. At 3:55 s/he will get ready for dismissal at 4:00, then be walked, with the rest of the class to the pick up location. 2. Plans and procedures for student participation in extracurricular activities pursuant to Oregon School Activities Association and board policy, regulations and rules: Grades 7, and 8 will be given options between two or three different electives they would like to learn about. These will be based both on the teacher's knowledge base/strengths, and student interest. They will be funded through the charter, and school fundraising. Extra curricular activities will include, but not be limited to: choir, dance team, drama, fine arts, intramural sports, and STEM activities. These will be funded though student dues, and fundraising events. Students in grades fourth-eighth will also be encouraged to participate in district funded sports and/or music classes (band, orchestra, or choir) at the public elementary, or middle school nearest to the charter school and/or assigned to the charter school by the district for this purpose. Student caregivers will be responsible for the arrangement of transportation to all practices/classes and events. Transportation could include: providing funds for the charter school to hire a bus service, plan and implement a carpool, or individually transporting their own student. If the student leaves campus during school hours they will be signed out, and signed back in upon returning. Likewise, if the student will be off campus daily such as for a music class the homeroom teacher, and administration will be made aware of the schedule in advance to insure that the student(s) will not miss any core instructional time. 3. A description of how the school will retain students that have issues related to academic performance, disciplinary referrals, juvenile interventions, or any other disciplinary action while in the program: Iris Valley Charter School is designed for students who may need an educational facility that will meet their individual needs academically, and socially. The school will strive to work with them, and their caregivers to provide a safe space for them to learn, and grow as a student, and a person. Students who do their best to maintain academic, personal, and social growth will be encouraged to remain a part of the school. 4. A description of the standards for behavior and the procedures for the discipline, suspension or expulsion of students. Note: These must be in place prior to school starting at the charter school or the contract is rescinded: Students will be expected to: Student Responsibilities: Attend class in person regularly (no more than 10 days of online class work per academic quarter unless approved by the school administration). Be kind in words and actions towards themselves, other students, and staff Respect school property (both on and off campus) Strive to do their best work each and everyday Advocate for themselves in respectful and appropriate ways throughout the school year. Student Rights: Students have the right to appropriately advocate in the best interest of themselves regarding all school related issues. Students have the right to a safe, and emotionally healthy school environment that is free from bullying of any form. Students have the right to a school environment that is free from physical, verbal, sexual and/or emotional abuse or harrassment from all people on school property including, but not limited to: school personnel, volunteers, and other students. Students have the right to a safe, emotionally healthy online environment that is free from bullying of any form from all people related to school including, but not limited to: school personnel, volunteers, and other students. Students have the right to a safe and secure facility at all times. Students have the right to a clean, well maintained facility at all times. Students have the right to a healthy facility at all times up to and including wearing a face covering that covers both nose and mouth, appropriately requesting that their work space(s) be sanitized before use (older students may do this themselves), and using their personal school supplies kept separate from general use supplies. Students have the right to bring reasonable complatents of any kind to any school personnel and/or school board member, have those complaints heard in a timely manner, and dealt with according to school, state, and/or federal policies, mandates, and laws. Students have the right to an educational experience that is both high quality, and meets their individual needs as much as is possible in a school environment. Students have the right to healthy food throughout the school day in the form of meals served through the school kitchen and snacks provided during class time. Students have the right to request assessments that will help staff determine appropriate subject placement at any time up to four times per school year if they feel the work is either too hard, or too easy for them and can show proof through past assignments. Students have the right to request alternative seating within the classroom. The teacher will provide it if possible, or the caregivers will need to provide it if the school can not due to financial restrictions. The request must be reasonable, and considerate regarding the size of the classroom space, and be deemed educationally necessary by the classroom teacher. Students have the right to request alternative forms of assessment in any subject area given it will provide an accurate representation of their current knowledge. Behavior Modification and Suspensions: Students who willfully, physically/emotionally/verbally assault student(s) and/or staff, and/or damage, or do not use school property as intended will be: First offense: private talk with the classroom teacher Second offense: private talk with the classroom teacher and a school administrator Third offense: call home caregivers to determine the best course of action going forward. Fourth offense: half day in school suspension Fifth offense: one full day in school suspension Sixth offense: two full days of in school suspension If the behavior continues the student will be asked to either: Attend school online for two weeks and then come back on a trial basis for the remainder of the quarter, at which time it will be decided by the student, caregiver(s), and school staff if the student should continue at Iris Valley, or find another educational option. The student will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s) Leave Iris Valley voluntarily and seek other educational options. The student will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s) Expulsions: The school will reserve the right to expel any student who continually does not meet the behavior and/or academic expectations set forth in this charter. Students Expelled from other districts: Students who have been expelled from other school districts for non weapon related offenses will be interviewed by staff members and must submit: A typed, and signed explanation of the event leading to their expulsion including what they will do differently in the future to make sure the behavior does not occur again. This may be done by the student, or dictated to a member of the school staff. A typed, and signed reason as to why they want to attend Iris Valley, and how they feel it will improve them academically, and socially. This may be done by the student, or dictated to a member of the school staff. Sign a behavior contract outlining the academic and social expectations of Iris Valley, and consequences for not meeting those expectations. If the student is accepted it will be on a trial basis for one academic quarter based on the school’s calendar. After that staff, caregiver(s), and the student will meet together to decide if they should continue to attend Iris Valley, or seek other educational options. In the event that it is decided the student will no longer attend Iris Valley they will continue to attend class online (up to 3 weeks) until another educational option can be secured by the caregiver(s). Student possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs, weapons, flammable devices, and other items that may injure others: Students who commit any of the above mentioned offenses will be: Grades k-5: Caregivers will be notified by the school administrator, the item(s) in question will only be returned to the caregiver, and the student will undergo daily bag/desk checks for up to two weeks conducted by the classroom teacher. Local law enforcement will be contacted, and all of the above including a three day in school suspension. All of the above, and a two week out of school suspension with class work being completed online. Explosion Grades 6-8: Local law enforcement, and caregivers will be contacted The above and a 2 week in home suspension with class work being completed online Explosion 5. A description of staff development on the procedures for the discipline, suspension or expulsion of students, including a calendar showing specific training dates/times: All staff will attend a meeting before the beginning of the school year that will explicitly go over the student behavior expectations, discipline procedures, and what constitutes a suspension, or expulsion. The training will take place on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 10:00am. 6. Plans and procedures for child nutrition program(s): The charter school will apply for aid through the USDA meal program. With the funding, school lunches will be planned according to USDA nutrition requirements, and with student input to ensure that students are fed a nutritional meal that they enjoy. Students in grades 4th-8th grades will be encouraged to volunteer in the kitchen and dining areas during lunch periods to gain an understanding of the processes of preparing, and serving large groups of people. Students may also choose to bring lunches and snacks from home. Students will not be allowed to share homemade foods with schoolmates or staff members at any time. All foods that are brought to school to share will be store bought and in its original, sealed packaging. 7. Plans and procedures for counseling services: There will be a full time counselor on staff. The ideal candidate will have a degree in childhood psychology with experience in either child and family counseling, or have a background in school counseling. All students will have access to the counselor during the school day. S/he will also provide lessons in the classroom concerning Social Emotional Growth. 8. Description of how the charter will address the storage of student and financial records: All student records will be stored in locked file cabinets in the main office. To access the records a staff member will sign out the key from the school administrator. The records will not leave the office area. The key will be signed back in when the staff member is finished. Financial records will also be stored in locked file cabinets in the main office. Only the school administrative team, and members of the school board will be able to sign the key out to access the files. In the event that someone not part of school administration, or the school board wishes to view the financial records they will be advised to either attend the next school board meeting, or be emailed the records in question in a timely manner by the secretary of the school board. description of the type of instruction and location of instruction that contributes to Average Daily Membership (ADM): Membership will be calculated based on the number of students officially enrolled on any given school day. Instruction will be primary in person. Online instruction will be offered in the instance that a student is not able to make it to school due to an appointment, mild illness, or behavioral issues. All students who are at school, or complete their online work between the hours of 9:00-5:00 pm will be counted as present for the day. Students who are present after 10:00 am will be counted as being present for half a day. Students who are ill, or notify the school of a planned absence will be counted as an excused absence. Students who are not at school, or complete their online assignments without a reason such as an illness, or appointment will be given an unexcused absence for that day. Students with ten unexcused, full day absences in a row will be dropped from the school roster. Students who come late, and have a reason such as a doctor appointment will be counted as an excused tardy. Students who come late without a reason will be given an unexcused tardy. Students who accumulate 5 unexcused tardies in a row will have a meeting with her/his caregiver(s), classroom teacher, and a school administrator to discuss the tardies, and come up with reasonable solutions. 9. A description of transportation services: Students will be encouraged to carpool with other families from the same area of town. In the event that a student’s family is unable to transport them, or join a school carpool, all efforts will be made to find a school district bus route near the student’s home, and the school that can be used to transport the student to and from home and school. Finally, the school will make all efforts to secure at least one fifteen passenger van within three years of opening the school. More vans will be purchased as finances allow. Facilities The legal address, facilities and physical location of the public charter school, if known: The school board has a facility in mind, however it is not secured at this time. If a public charter school applicant has not secured a facility at the time of submitting a public charter school proposal, a written and signed declaration of intent that states that the applicant will provide the school district liaison with proof that a suitable facility will be secured a minimum of 90 working days before the intended date of operation. Note: If facilities are not secured 90 working days prior to the opening of the charter, the contract is rescinded: Iris Valley Charter School will secure an appropriate facility and make any necessary improvements prior to May 25, 2023 which is before the 90 day working minimum before opening to students. When the facility is ready, on or before May 25, 2023 the Salem Keizer School Board members, and other signers of the charter will be invited to tour the facility. The plan for performance bonding or insuring the public charter school, including buildings and liabilities: Insurance for the school, and building, will be provided by State Farm Insurance. District Facilities: The charter school does not plan to use any known Salem Keizer School District facilities at this time. The school board, instead has a few locations scouted and is waiting on funding before coming to a final decision. The building will be self contained and located in either South, or Central Salem. Other Iris Valley Charter School will adhere to all requirements under ORS.388.115 Pursuant to ORS 338.045(3), each member of the proposed public charter school governing body must provide an acknowledgement of understanding related to the standards of conduct and the liabilities of a director of a nonprofit organization, as those standards and liabilities are described in ORS chapter 65. Each adult school board member will sign a contract upon the beginning of their term. The contract will consist of: Description and duties of the position to be held Confidentiality agreement 3. The prior history, if any, of the applicant in operating a public charter school or in providing educational services: The applicant does not have any prior history operating a public charter school. Karen O’Connell, the author of the charter, and president of the board does own her own private tutoring business in Salem Oregon called The Helpful Teacher. She currently has fifteen students ranging in grades pre-k through 5th grade. a) An explanation of the legal relationship between the public charter school and any other public charter school, if applicable: Not Applicable b) Copies of any contracts or legal documents that will create the basis of the relationship between the entities. Please also provide all financial audits and auditor's reports. Not Applicable c) Copies of annual audits for any other charter school(s) operated by the charter applicant, if applicable: Not Applicable d) Description of how student membership will be calculated, including a