MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:

Welcome to the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District and the 2023-24 school year. Thank you for being a part of our incredible school district, and we look forward to an exciting school year filled with learning and accomplishment. Our mission is to provide superior Career and Technical Education, enabling all students to achieve their aspirations. All of us in the entire school district embrace this mission and carry it out in our daily work.

The Student/Parent Handbook is updated each year and is provided to students to ensure their understanding of their rights and responsibilities and the rules that guide our schools to enhance each student’s opportunity for success. These rules provide clear responsibilities and expectations for our students in the school district and their conduct. Be sure to read the contents of the handbook, which includes several important topics such as attendance, rules, transportation, athletic eligibility, student behavior, and due process.

If you have any questions about the handbook, or if you ever have a school concern, contact your student advisor, school counselor, or administrator. There is a telephone directory inside the back cover of the handbook with the phone numbers of school staff. The handbook also includes the school calendar and school closing information, subject to change.

We value your choice to attend one of our progressive CTE schools, and on behalf of the school board, administrators, teachers, and support staff, I wish you a productive and successful school year. High school is filled with outstanding opportunities to grow and learn, so I encourage you to take full advantage of our many programs and services, work hard, make lasting friendships, and enjoy your experience.

Thank you for choosing NCCVT.

Sincerely,

Joseph M. Jones, Ed.D.

Glossary

Educational Equity: Every student, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, sexual orientation, family background, and/or family income, has access to the educational resources and rigor they need at the right moment in their educational process.

Restorative Practices: Practices that help to improve and repair relationships between people and communities. The work focuses on establishing healthy communities, decreasing harmful behavior, and restoring relationships.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): SEL is an integral part of education and human development because it is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel, and show empathy for others, establish, and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

You will know that we’re working towards equity because:

1. Our support for student conduct is oriented to restoration

2. We acknowledge that Social-Emotional Learning is essential to all student learning

3. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion extends to our willingness to confront and alter systemic biases throughout our schools

SEL and MTSS VISION

All NCCVTSD students will internalize and demonstrate the social and emotional competencies and mindsets, while being supported through MTSS, that they need to thrive in school and in life. In NCCVTSD, we support student SEL to help them become successful and employable learners.

SEL and MTSS PURPOSE/MISSION

The Mission of the Student Services Division for Social and Emotional Learning and MTSS in NCCVTSD is to enable students to develop in safe, inclusive, culturally responsive, academically engaging, and equitable learning environments that cultivate:

• academic preparedness for graduation and beyond

• self-awareness and self-management

• social awareness and relationship skills

• planning, evaluating, and responsible decision-making skills

SEL and MTSS CORE BELIEFS

• Academic learning is inextricably linked with social and emotional learning.

• As students grow and develop, they are profoundly shaped by their environments, including the school environment.

• A sense of physical and emotional safety and a sense of belonging combine to form an essential foundation for teaching and learning.

• As students develop SEL skills and are supported through MTSS, their ability to connect meaningfully with individuals of diverse perspectives, cultures, languages, histories, identities, and abilities increases, ultimately yielding healthier, more equitable, and better performing schools and communities.

• Social and emotional learning is dynamic and developmental, especially when supported through MTSS. The nature and magnitude of students’ needs vary across their school years.

• Students learn, in great part, from observing others, it is essential that adults understand, practice, model, and apply social and emotional skills and implement MTSS in order to support the development of these competencies in students.

A MUST READ FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

In order to alleviate the number of forms parents are asked to sign in the beginning of the year, we want parents to know:

1. It is important that the emergency medical information form be completely filled out and returned immediately. Should your child have an accident, this information is necessary to reach parents/guardians. Should any information need to be updated on the emergency medical information card, please notify the school secretary. All incoming 9th grade students must submit copies of immunization records and proof of a physical examination since August 2020.

2. Students are sometimes photographed or filmed during activities, and the pictures are included in some of our public relations materials. If you DO NOT want your child photographed, please put your request in writing to your high school principal.

3. Please read the Acceptable Use Policy on page 68. In addition, review this policy with your child. If either you or your child have further questions, ask your child’s high school principal.

4. Parents of juniors or seniors who DO NOT want student information disclosed to military recruiters must put their request in writing to have their child excluded and send the request to the high school principal.

5. This school year, there may be opportunities for your child to take anonymous state and/or local surveys. If you DO NOT wish your child to participate, please send a letter to the high school principal.

6. To accommodate special needs as required by State and federal law, certain students in your child’s classroom might have the right to audio/video record, or to receive teacher-made audio and video recordings of discussions that occur during instructional activities. These recordings could include the voice or likeness of your child. The child making the recording or for whom the recording is made will use the recording solely to support his or her ability to access and retain educational information. The recording will be destroyed when it is no longer necessary for that purpose. Recordings shall not be maintained by or otherwise considered educational records of the School District for any purpose.

7. The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) affords parents/guardians, students who are 18, and emancipated minors rights regarding the school district’s distribution of surveys, collection, and use of information for marketing purposes, and administration of certain non-invasive physical examinations. When appropriate, the NCCVT school district will directly notify parents/guardians when students are scheduled to participate in these activities or surveys and will provide an opportunity for them to review any pertinent content to opt their children out of participation. For more information, go to https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ppra/parents.html

8. Please review the Electronic Device Policy on page 67.

Thank you for your cooperation.

NEW CASTLE COUNTY VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 2023-2024 District Calendar (REVISED)

• Paraeducators (185 days) do not work on October 16, January 19, and June 11.

• Any days lost due to inclement weather or other forced closings shall be made up during and/or at the end of the regularly scheduled school year.

• Calendar is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated to families and staff.

Approved by the NCCVT Board of Education on 2/27/2023

Revised 02/24/2023 mm

The daily bell schedule for each school will be provided to parents and students by the school administration prior to the beginning of the school year. Parents are encouraged to review the schedule carefully, and whenever possible, try to arrange early dismissals for the end of class periods.

In the event of a declaration of emergency by the Governor, NCCVT will follow the guidance of the State and other authorities. If at-home, remote learning days are added to the schedule, please note that synchronous learning indicates that students will follow their regular class schedules, while asynchronous learning means students will complete assignments on their own schedule according to the deadlines set by their teachers.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING/CHANGE IN SCHEDULE NOTIFICATION

When bad weather or other factors cause us to change the normal schedule of the school day, we use the School Messenger parent notification system, the news media, and the NCCVT District website (http://www.nccvotech.com) to inform parents. We encourage you to tune in early when bad weather is predicted as we try to make the announcements as soon as the decision is made. Please remember that any decision affects only one school day; a new announcement will be made if the situation continues.

Some other notification options:

• The State of Delaware School Closing Information website (http://schoolclosings.delaware.gov/)

• Radio - Listen for school closing information . . .

• WDEL 1150 AM/ 101.7 FM - view the SnoWatch listings and listen onlinehttp://www.wdel.com and https://snowatch.dbcmedia.com/

• WSTW 93.7 FM - view the SnoWatch listings and listen onlinehttp://www.wstw.com and https://snowatch.dbcmedia.com/

• www.facebook.com/nccvtsd

• www.instagram.com/nccvt

• www.twitter.com/nccvotech

School Counseling Office

School counselors are usually the best first contact to resolve a problem or concern. Counselors provide many services to students related to academic courses, career program areas, and personal issues. Always feel free to call the counseling department at the phone numbers listed in the telephone guide.

http://bit.ly/3EtsQTB

WELLNESS CENTERS/SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS

The Wellness Centers provide accessible, affordable, physical, and mental healthcare for students, especially for those who are underserved, through on-site services and referrals. They focus on preventive care and adolescent issues through educational programs, which reduce risk-taking behavior. Parents are encouraged to provide approval for their son or daughter to visit the Center.

Health Examination Required

All students entering 9th grade must have a health examination done within two years and an up-to-date immunization record prior to entry into the grade. To assure compliance for September 2023, we are urging our students to schedule appointments as soon as possible. The required form will be available at the school counseling office or school nurse. If you have any questions, please contact the school counseling office or school nurse. For more information on Regulation 815: http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/800/815.shtml - TopOfPage

New Student Orientation

The orientation program is designed to familiarize new students with their assigned school, supportive school personnel and administrators, student activity organizations, and their course schedule. Students must attend the orientation. Further information will be mailed to parents and students.

Transportation

State law mandates that free school bus transportation be provided when a student lives outside a two-mile radius from the school. In special situations where hazards exist, the State may approve transportation within the two-mile limit. The district attempts to schedule the bus stops within a reasonable walking distance of the homes. Transportation concerns may be addressed by calling the transportation phone number listed on the inside back cover of this handbook. During the school year, students may not ride, or change to, an unassigned bus without official approval obtained at the SCHOOL

COUNSELING OFFICE at Howard, the student advisor's office at Delcastle and Hodgson, or the main office at St. Georges. Please see below for the section of Delaware Code regarding transportation.

SCHOOL/STUDENT PARKING LOT

Parking on school property is a privilege. The privilege to park in the school student parking lot can be taken away by the school administration if deemed necessary.

Choice Of Transportation

(Complies with Delaware Code, Title 14, Section 4115 Choice of Transportation.)

The school district shall offer, to each parent or guardian of a student within the district who is licensed to drive a motor vehicle, a choice between driving a private vehicle to the school and transportation to the school by a school bus; provided by the district. However, that those who choose to drive a private vehicle shall not be transported by a school bus, and those who choose to be transported by a school bus shall not be permitted to park on school grounds. The principal of each school may issue passes for school bus transportation to certain pupils who have chosen to drive a private vehicle, for use on a temporary and emergency basis; and may also set aside a specific number of parking spaces for use on a temporary and emergency basis by pupils who originally chose transportation by school bus.

Please note: In the case of inclement weather, the district will provide bus transportation to students who request it from their principal, even though they may have chosen the option to drive. Also, the District will provide transportation to students that present a documented case of hardship during a specific period of time that prevents the student from driving as initially planned. In these situations, students will need to get to an established bus stop nearest to their home.