Monroe County Schools

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School

All residents are expected to attend school. Residents enrolled in a Monroe County School will continue to attend his/her respective school. Residents age 16 or older who have dropped out, been expelled, or who attend a school outside of Monroe county will either attend Teen Learning Center (TLC) Youth Shelter School or work on assignments from the out of county school where they are enrolled. Residents in 7th and 8th grades who have been expelled or who attend a school outside of Monroe County will attend the Youth Outreach program or work on assignments from the out of county school where they are enrolled. All other residents age 15 or younger who have been expelled or do not attend a school in Monroe county will complete school work under direct care staff supervision. The Shelter Care Coordinator will work with the home school, placing agency, and parent/guardian to obtain school assignments for out-of-county residents who are enrolled in a school in their home counties. The school the resident attends while he/she is at the Shelter is noted on the Resident Information Chart. At admission we gather the following information regarding the resident’s school situation:

1. current status,
2. name of the school he/she attends,
3. type of school program he/she is enrolled in,
4. last school grade he/she completed, and
5. the type of lunch he/she takes - a sack lunch, a free lunch, or money for lunch.

monroe county schools

Liaison to Schools

The Shelter Care Coordinator acts as the agency’s liaison to the Monroe County schools. He/she routinely notifies the schools of their student’s admissions and releases from the Shelter. The staff should refer to the Shelter Care Coordinator any questions about or calls from schools. (Question: Isn’t notification done by the am RC as a part of the intake checklist? If so, this should be changed to reflect that. - Robin) It is part of the intake checklist….MW

Transportation

The Shelter provides transportation to and from Monroe County schools. We expect the parent/guardian to help provide transportation if a resident has an appointment during school hours, has Saturday school, or participates in approved extracurricular school activities. For further details refer to the write up on the Transportation Policy in the section on Resident Policies and Daily Operation.

School Run - Morning:

The daytime RS is responsible for transporting the residents to school in the morning. Normally, the residents should be prepared to leave for school run by 7:30 a.m. If we have to take the residents to 3 or more schools or to an Ellettsville school, the residents should be ready to leave by 7:15 a.m. If we have to take a resident to an elementary school, we usually do 2 school runs. The 1st school run goes to the high and middle schools; the 2nd run is the elementary schools. The school year schedule has been designed with sufficient enough time allotted for the school run to get underway based on the specific circumstances during any given day. The residents are to be dropped-off at the same place every day unless an alternate location has been selected due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e., construction, etc.). RS’s should make sure that residents know where they will be picked up after school and stress the importance of the resident being in the right location after school.

Each day we should alternate the order in which the residents are taken to school so that no one resident is always late. The overnight RC is responsible for informing the daytime RC of the order in which the residents should be transported. The daytime RC records the time of departure of the morning school run, and the order the residents were dropped off at the schools, noting which residents were late.

Example:

1. Bob - Tri North (7:32)
2. Kathy - Batchelor (7:58)
3. Mary - South (8:13)

The RS should assist the RC with this process by keeping track of the actual drop-off times, and giving this information to the RC to document in the Shelter Communications Log. (I have never known us to document times, only order if necessary…MW)

School Run - Afternoon:

Normally, the evening RS transports the residents back to the Shelter in the afternoon. The RS should be prepared to leave the Shelter between 2:00 and 2:15 p.m. The RC and RS can jointly decide the order in which the residents are to be picked up. Like the AM school run the afternoon school run should be alternated each day, so no one resident is always last to be picked-up. The RC on duty when the residents return from school notes in his/her log entry the order in which the residents were picked up from each school.

Example:

1. Mary -South
2. Kathy - Batchelor
3. Bob - Tri North

This usually looks like this:
School Run: Mary – South, Kathy – Batchelor, Bob – Tri North (saves space in log..MW)

At the first school the staff should wait up to 10 minutes for the resident to meet the van. At the subsequent schools, the staff should not wait more than 5 minutes for a resident to meet the van. Residents should be picked up in the same place where they were dropped-off unless a different area has been designated due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e., construction, etc.). Generally, RS’s will wait up to 15 minutes for a resident who is not in the designated pick-up location before runaway procedures will begin.

There is a rotation list on the back of the schedule clipboard listing the staff person who will be responsible for doing the afternoon school run when it falls on the same day as a staff meeting.

School Run Rules:

1. Staff and residents must adhere to the Van Policy.
2. The departure time of the AM school run should be based on the number of schools that we have drop-offs for. Plan accordingly. If we have elementary school drop-offs these should be done on a 2nd school run.
3. Residents are dropped-off and picked-up from school in the same designated area every day.
4. The PM school run leaves between 2:00 - 2:15 p.m.
5. Residents who do not meet the van are treated as runaways. If a resident fails to show up at pick-up, the RS will use the cell phone to report the absence to the RC. On occasion, a resident may be in communication with the Shelter regarding circumstances that would interfere with normal pick-up. If the resident is a no-show for pick-up and has not contacted the Shelter, the RC will begin runaway procedures and the RS will continue on the school pick-up.
6. Generally, staff should not leave the van to look for a resident, unless otherwise instructed by the RC or if it is the first pick-up of the run.
7. Residents’ behavior on school run accounts for a total of 10 points on their daily point tallies. For further details refer to the section on Behavior Management. (I would remove #7 because it is possible for kids to lose more than 10 points on the school run….I think this was way back when kids started out with 0 points and had to earn their points throughout the course of the day)….MW

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Resident Lunch

The means by which a resident gets his/her lunch is noted in the resident’s intake packet and on the Resident Information Chart. If the resident pays for lunch, we should ask the parent/guardian to prepay at the school since Shelter residents are not allowed to have any money while in the Shelter. We should ask the parent/guardian the amount of cash the resident is allowed to take each day. The parent/guardian should leave enough money for at 1 week. We prefer for the parent/guardian to leave the money in single bills, “$1.00”s. The Shelter provides food for sack lunches. The schools provide free lunch to eligible students.

The daytime RC is responsible for giving the resident(s) his/her lunch money before the AM school run leaves. The evening RC on duty when the residents return from school in the afternoon is responsible for checking the residents lunch $ change back into his/her file.

Fees, Materials and Money

The parent/guardian is responsible for arranging payment providing money for the residents for any school fees, materials or activities. If a resident is admitted to the Shelter and does not have his/her school books or assignments, staff should arrange for the parent/guardian to bring these materials in as soon as possible. The parent/guardian is responsible for bringing in assignments and books for a resident who attends a school that is not in Monroe County. Assignments are kept on a clip board on the RC desk in the Shelter Operations Office. Residents may keep their books in their rooms, however, no backpacks or writing instruments are allowed in their rooms.

For detailed information regarding how to handle the money that residents use for lunch or school activities, refer to the write up on Money in the section on Resident Policies and Daily Operation.

Public School Rules

1. Residents enrolled in a Monroe County school continue to attend their school.
2. Refer to school calendars at the end of this section for further details on school holidays.
3. * Refusal to go to school results in 24 hour restriction. If a resident is a parental placement, we will immediately notify the parent of the situation. If the child is an agency placement, we will immediately notify the probation officer or OFC personnel. a loss of level and points.
4. * Truancy from school results in regular 24hr. restriction
5. * Suspension from school results in a level drop, and a possible 24 hr. restriction determined by the circumstances surrounding the suspension. In addition, the resident will be on a freeze during school hours for the additional days of the suspension and is expected to do academic work while serving the freeze.
6. * Expulsion from school results in regular 48hr. restriction. This would only occur if the resident became expelled after being admitted to the shelter. The resident will be expected to either attend YSS or complete work under the RC’s supervision during school hours for the allotted time of the expulsion.

*For further details refer to policy on Freeze and Restriction guidelines in the Behavior Modification Packet.

Monroe County Public Schools

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homework

All residents are required to work on school assignments during study time. Residents attending regular school must bring home work from their school. The day time RC should check with the TLC YSS or Youth Outreach instructor regarding making assignments for the residents who attend TLC YSS or Youth Outreach. The RC makes assignments for residents age 15 or younger who remain in the Shelter during school time. attend “unofficial YSS.” Residents enrolled in an out of county school, work on assignments sent from that school. Residents must leave backpacks and school bags in designated cubby holes in the shelter office. Residents can keep their school books, folders, and notebooks (wireless only) in their rooms after they have been thoroughly checked.

At afternoon snack, the RC writes down each resident’s school assignments on the Homework Assignment Sheet. Blank copies of this form are stored in the Shelter Operations office general information file cabinet. The RC should make sure the resident has the appropriate books and/or materials to complete his/her assignment. Residents who do not bring home assignments will serve a 2 hour freeze immediately following afternoon snack. The RC (or RS) on duty during study time should devise assignments for any residents who fail to bring home work.

Homework Form

The homework form serves two functions. First, as all residents are required to bring homework back from school every day to complete during study time; the form helps staff assure that the resident’s are working on appropriate materials. Second, as each resident must obtain the teacher’s signature for each class period, the form serves to verify that the resident has attended all his/her scheduled classes. Every resident attending a Monroe County public school must take a homework form with them to school every day. Failure to return completed homework forms will may result in consequences. The first time that a resident fails to return a completed homework form, results in a two hour freeze. The second offense that occurs within a three week period of the first offense, results in a level drop and two hour freeze. Any subsequent failure to return completed homework forms within a three week period, results in 24 hour restriction. If a resident fails to bring home a completed homework form but three weeks has elapsed since the first offense, the order of consequences will begin anew. Refer any problems regarding the Homework Form to the Shelter Care Coordinator.

The day time RC is responsible for preparing and giving the resident his/her Homework Form before the AM school run leaves. The RC on duty when the residents return from school in the afternoon is responsible for checking the Homework Forms. The RC inspecting the Homework Forms should check the following:

1. there is a signature for each period,
2. the signature looks valid when compared with signatures on the previous days’ Homework Forms, and
3. that all columns of the Homework Form have been completed, including the homework assignments.

The RC should note in the Communications Log the status of the Homework Form check and any consequences the resident receives as a result of the Homework Form. (The way we have been doing this is that the ON staff compare teachers sigs to previous homework forms and then file the current forms in the residents’ files….Often times the evening RC does not have time to do the comparing and filing, but they do have time to look them over good and make sure they are doing the assigned work during study time.)

Homework Rules

1. All residents are required to do school work during Study Time.
2. Residents attending public school must bring home a completed Homework Form from school daily.
3. Failure to provide this form results in a two hour freeze. If this is not the first occurrence, then: second infractions result a level drop and a two hour freeze and any subsequent infractions result in a 24 hour restriction. If three weeks or more have passed after a failure to provide a homework form, then a subsequent failure to provide will again result in (only) a 2 hour freeze. If a subsequent occurrence happens before three weeks have elapsed, then refer to the consequences as previously outlined.
4. Residents are required to bring school materials back from school everyday whether they have been assigned homework from their teacher or not. If residents do not leave the shelter for school, they are expected to read or work quietly on something deemed educational by staff during study time.
5. Staff should notify the Care Coordinator about the incomplete H-Form so that verification of attendance can be made. If it is found that the resident was not in attendance the youth will be placed on a 24 hour restriction for truancy.

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study time

Study Time is on the Daily Schedule during the school year on Sunday through Thursday evenings. Study Time lasts for ¾ to 1 hour and takes place following afternoon snack. All residents must work on school assignments during study time. On Wednesday nights, the RC may have to shorten study time or re-arrange the schedule to fit some study time in along with visitation. The RC is responsible for making sure study time happens. The following outlines the steps the RC should take to run Study Time:

RC Responsibilities

1. Check the assignment sheet to make sure all residents have school work. Make up assignments for residents who did not bring home school work.
2. Assign the residents to work areas and make sure staff are available to provide assistance if necessary while also supervising the residents.
3. Once everyone is in their place, announce study time has begun and how long it will last.
4. The RC and RS should help supervise the study group jointly, however if other responsibilities prevent the RC from supervising the study time, then the RS should make sure that the residents are completing their assignments.
5. Announce when study time has ended and make sure to assess whether all the residents completed their work as assigned. If they failed to complete their work due to misbehavior or horseplay, the RC should note this on the point tally sheet for each resident, and should minus the points for study time.

Study Time Rules

1. All residents must work on school assignments or assignments given to them by the staff.
2. Residents cannot play board games, cards, draw, or write letters during Study Time.
3. Residents are not allowed to talk with other residents during Study Time.
4. Residents and staff are to only interact as necessary for the staff to provide the resident help with school work. Staff are also to provide discipline for residents having difficulty completing assignments.
5. The RC has the discretion to lengthen study time for any resident or groups of residents if the residents are too noisy and/or are not getting their work done.
6. Residents can make or receive one phone call during study time.
7. Staff are not to do any personal work during study time.

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teen learning center and youth outreach

The Youth Services Bureau and the Monroe County Community School Corporation work jointly to provide services to young people in the community ages 16-20 who have dropped out or been expelled from regular school. This program is currently recognized as the Teen Learning Center (TLC). The purpose of TLC is to prepare students to obtain a G.E.D. or prepare students to re-enter regular school. Staff should refer all inquiries from non-residents regarding enrollment in TLC to the TLC teacher. Hours for TLC are set each school year; classes are held in the morning and afternoon. TLC operates on the same calendar as MCCSC and is taught by a regular MCCSC teacher. The Teen Learning Center is currently housed in the small building located closest to the street in front of the Youth Services Bureau, on 615 S. Adams.

Who Goes to TLC

Any young person between the ages of 16-20 is eligible to attend TLC. All students are interviewed and approved to attend TLC by the TLC instructor. All non-resident students are required to sign a contract. Among other things the contract outlines the behavior expectations for the student.

Shelter residents age 16 or older who are enrolled in a school that is not in Monroe County and therefore, in the Shelter on school days do not officially attend TLC. The parent/guardian and the Shelter Care Coordinator arrange for the resident to receive assignments from his/her school. The resident information book in the RC desk lists those residents attending TLC.

Who Goes to Youth Outreach

Youth Outreach is a joint project between Youth Services Bureau and MCCSC and R-BB school corporations which is designed to provide academic work and life skills training to Monroe County middle school or junior high students who have been expelled or at risk of being expelled from middle school. The student and family must meet specific criteria in order to qualify for admission at Youth Outreach and decisions for admission are made by the Youth Outreach teacher.

Shelter residents who are in middle school or junior high and who are not currently enrolled or attending a Monroe County middle school are eligible to receive academic instruction from the Youth Outreach teachers. The am RC should contact the Youth Outreach teacher if any Shelter residents are of appropriate age to make these arrangements.

Parking

The parking lot south of the TLC building, next to the basketball court is for non-resident students attending TLC.

Medication

Staff cannot give Shelter medications to non-resident students at any time. age 16 or 17 unless their parent/guardian has signed a release. Staff should check with the YSS teacher before giving medication to these students.

Supervising Residents Going to TLC or Youth Outreach

Shelter staff must walk residents over to TLC or Youth Outreach every morning at the time listed on the schedule, and must be there a few minutes early to walk them back for lunch. The same applies for the afternoon part of TLC.

TLC & Youth Outreach Rules

1. Shelter residents and young people from the community ages 16-20 who have dropped out or been expelled from school are eligible to attend both the morning and afternoon portions of YSS.
2. Residents age 16 or older who are enrolled in an out of county school work on assignments from their school. These residents are not officially enrolled in TLC.
3. Residents who are in middle school or junior high, are out of county or currently suspended or expelled from school are eligible to attend Youth Outreach as coordinated and accepted by the Youth Outreach teacher.
4. Shelter residents who are TLC or Youth Outreach students cannot have any smoking materials such as cigarettes, lighters, matches, etc. on their person.
5. Residents who misbehave while in TLC or Youth Outreach or while coming and going will have consequences for their behavior. For further details refer to the section on the Behavior Management System.
6. Only the TLC or Youth Outreach instructor or the Assistant Director can suspend or expel any student from those programs.
7. A resident who refuses to go to TLC or Youth Outreach will lose a level and points, while serving the remaining time during school hours on a freeze under the supervision of the RC and RS.
8. A resident who is sent back to the shelter for the remainder of the day after misbehaving at TLC or Youth Outreach, will receive a level drop and 2 hour freeze.
9. A resident who gets suspended from TLC or Youth Outreach will be given 24hr. restriction determined by the circumstances surrounding the suspension. In addition, the resident will be on a freeze during school hours for the additional days of the suspension and is expected to do academic work while serving the freeze.

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shelter school for residents

During YSS school hours, residents age 15 or younger who have been expelled from or do not attend school in Monroe County and are not eligible to attend TLC or Youth Outreach, work on school assignments under Shelter staff supervision. During the afternoon residents 15 or younger can go to TLC. Although the Resident Information Chart will note that the younger residents attends TLC, he/she is not officially enrolled. does not attend the official, A.B.E. YSS described in the preceding paragraphs. The resident actually attends an “unofficial” version of YSS, supervised by the staff for the morning half. Shelter school “Unofficial TLC” follows the same schedule as regular TLC, including getting a 15 minute break.

Supervision Shelter School “Unofficial TLC”

We arrange for the residents who are enrolled in out of county schools to receive assignments from their schools. We cannot arrange for residents who are expelled from school to receive any work from their schools. The staff is responsible for assigning and checking school work for residents who are expelled, as well as finding school work for residents who are waiting to receive assignments from their schools.

The RC can ask the TLC or Youth Outreach instructor for assistance in testing the resident and making assignments. When the TLC or Youth Outreach instructors are able to help staff find work for these residents, the Shelter staff are to be sure that he/she acts as the intermediary between instructor and the resident. The Shelter staff monitors all work; he/she regularly checks/grades assignments.

Shelter school “Unofficial TLC” Rules:

1. Residents age 15 or younger who have been expelled from or do not attend a Monroe county school and are not eligible to attend TLC or Youth Outreach attend Shelter school “unofficial TLC” for the first half of the morning, under Shelter staff supervision.
2. These residents are expected to stay in the Shelter and not go over to the school building for the morning half of school.
3. There is absolutely no smoking allowed.
4. Staff should assign where residents sit during Shelter school “unofficial TLC,” and the T.V. room is not an option.
5. Only the YSS instructor or the Assistant Director can suspend or expel a resident from “unofficial YSS."
6. A resident who refuses to go to TLC or Youth Outreach will lose a level and points, while serving the remaining time during school hours on a freeze under the supervision of the RC and RS.
7. A resident who gets suspended from TLC or Youth Outreach will be given 24hr. restriction. determined by the circumstances surrounding the suspension. In addition, the resident will be on a freeze during school hours for the additional days of the suspension and is expected to do academic work while serving the freeze.

This may be a no brainer, but we may want to have Marty and Joyce take a look at this…MW

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