FORREST CITY HIGH SCHOOL

Forrest City High School

467 Victoria Ave.

Forrest City, Arkansas 72335

870 633 1464

870 261 1844 Fax

Osceola “Sonny” Hicks, Principal

Our Motto:

Focus Character Honor Service

(That’s you, That’s Me, That’s us)

Welcome to Forrest City High School! This school has high expectations for students and

works cooperatively with parents to provide the training, guidance, and support needed for

students to develop to their fullest potential. Our district mission, “To provide educational

services that meet and exceed our customer needs and expectation, allowing us to prosper as a

district and community”.

FOREWARD

The information provided herein, covers a wide variety of subjects and procedures of interest to performance coaches and staff. Most

information is given in very general terms, but specific enough to ensure desirable uniformity in the practices of all concerned. For

obvious reasons, this handbook will not cover every subject or answer every question that will arise. Further, it is not intended to

supersede or conflict with the policy handbook of the Forrest City School District.

From time to time you will receive addendum to the policies herein. Please read, digest, and execute accordingly.

This handbook also contains information relating to instruction and classroom management techniques which may be helpful to each

classroom performance coach. If you have or acquire information which you feel will be of benefit to the faculty and/or staff at Forrest

City High School, please submit the same to the administration for review, duplication, and distribution upon approval. Proactive

gestures of this kind can’t do anything but equip our community of learners with a deeper sense of:

“Focus, Character, Honor & Service”

OSH

Equal Opportunity:

The Forrest City School District DOES NOT discriminate in its policies and programs of the basis of race,

color, creed, religion, age, sex, handicap, national origin or ancestry. Inquiries concerning the application of

Title IX or Title VI may be referred to the Equity Coordinator; 626 Irving Street, 633-1485.

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District Vision Statement

By the year 2017, the Forrest City High School District will be

locally and nationally recognized for its innovative and aggressive

approach to improving education in Eastern Arkansas.

District Mission Statement To provide educational services that meet and exceed our

customer’s needs and expectations, allowing us to prosper as a

district and community.

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Forrest City High School Mission Statement

Through a Focus on academic excellence, Strong Character, Honor and Service;

We seek to ensure

PROFICIENCY for All!

Forrest City High School Vision Statement

We the faculty, staff, scholars, parents and other viable stakeholders visualize the Forrest City High

School as a model Arkansas High School which provides learning in a positive, safe and healthy

environment with total participation form our extended community of learners. We envision an

environment where students are taking the seamless approach towards becoming responsible, high

achieving, well-rounded, well-disciplined, highly productive, life-long learners in a multi-cultural

technological society. We further see ourselves as a community of learners where faculty and staff

challenges all scholars with a vigorous, strong and comprehensive curriculum that integrates academic,

career & technological programs of study. Hence, we envision an institution of learning where it would

be obvious that all decisions made answer the question: “How does this impact scholar achievement?”

Specially our vision entails:

❖ Eliminating the general track and providing every student with a challenging program of study.

❖ Doing away with the practice of total lecture as an instructional strategy or teaching style.

❖ Making learning meaningful by Teaching for Meaning and allowing the students to engage in the

process, while creating hands-on experiences.

❖ Making all learning student-centered.

❖ Finding and creating ways daily to have students understand the linkage of the schoolwork to life.

❖ Creating opportunities for success for all, to foster good self-esteem and the will to become

positive, successful contributors in society.

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Forrest City High School Administrative Team

Principal Mr. Osceola Hicks

Assistant Principal Mr. Jerry Donaldson

Assistant Principal Ms. Heather Allison

Director 9th Grade Academy Mrs. Betty Selvy

Athletic Director Mr. Donnie Willis

Counselor Mrs. Dianna Jefferson

Mrs. Karen Barton

Registrar Mrs. Karen Hodges

Parent Involvement Coordinator Ms. Abbie Robinson

Department Chairs:

English Language Arts -Kendra Ide

Math D. Williams

Science V. Timmons

Social Studies D. Freligh

Special Service A. Oswalt

Career & Technical O. McAdoo

Fine Arts C. Tate

C.T.E. Coordinator Abbie Robinson

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Forrest City High School Staff by Departments

English/Language Arts Service Period

Linda Caranza 6th

Carla Hill 6th

Kendra Ides 6th

Melannie Duclan 6th

Dr. Ivy Macaranas 6th

Cassaundra McCauley ALE

Analyn Palomares 6th

Michael Regidor 6th

Nicole Neal 7th

Math

Carilou Obligacion 2nd

Kathrina Tan 2nd

Olive Tapdasan 6th

Donesha Williams 2nd

Michael Zust 6th

Science

Raul Maglasang 6th

Evelyn Varsovia 5th

Vicki Timmons 5th

Nguyen Tran 5th

Winfred Winston 7th

Social Studies

Ima Fleming-Foster 5th

David Freligh 4th

Sandra Heard 6th

Dwight Lofton 6th

Mark Main 6th

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Physical Education Service Period

Larry Dulaney 3rd

Rich Trial 6th

Erica Taylor 6th

Special Services

Venetta Bostick 1st

Deb Chapman 4th

Veronica Cunningham 2nd

Cynthia Inobiahan 5th

Ruth McGhee 6th

Amy Oswalt 1st, 2nd

Allen Perry 5th

Career and Technical

Bernard Sampson 3rd

John Sweeting 3rd

Carla Hill 6th

Stan Johnson 7th

Whitney Carter 5th

Romana Mathews 4th

Overtis McAdoo 4th

Daniel Smith 5th

Mattie Blanchard 6th

Foreign Language

Arthur Willis 5th

Fine Arts

Natasha Granger 4th

Cheryl McMickle 5th

Chris Tate 6th

Don Williams 3rd

Media

Ashley Hennessey 1st -3rd

Cynthia Williams 4th

Beverly Newborn ALE

Berta Roberson 1st 7

Forrest City School District

2017-2018 School Year

August 7-11 Teacher In-Service

August 14 First Day of School

September 4 Labor Day

September 14 Mid-Nine Weeks

September 21 Parent/Teacher Conferences: Lincoln, Choice,

Jr. High, High School and Mustang Academy

4:00-7:00

Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 9 Teacher In-Service

October 17 End of 1st Nine Weeks (45days)

October 18 Begin 2nd Nine Weeks

October 19 Grades Due for 2nd Nine Weeks

October 23 Report Cards go home

November 2 & 3 * Teacher in-Service/ AEA (No Students)

November 17 Mid-Nine Weeks

November 20-24 Thanksgiving Break

November 28 Progress Reports go home

December 21 Teacher In-Service

December 22- January 4 Christmas Break

January 5 Students and Staff return

January 12 End of 2nd Nine Weeks (45 days) End of 1st Semester (90)

January 15 MLK Day

January 16 First Day of 3rd Nine Weeks

January 18 Grades due for 2nd Nine Weeks

January 22 Report Cards go home

February 14 Mid-Nine Weeks

February 16 Grades Due

February 19 President’s Day

February 22 Parent/Teacher Conferences: Lincoln, Choice, Jr. High, High School and Mustang Academy 4:00-7:00

March 19-23 Spring Break

March 27 End of 3rd Nine Weeks (45 days)

March 28 Begin 4th Nine Weeks

March 30 Good Friday

April 25 Mid-nine weeks

April 27 Grades due

April 30 Progress Reports go home

May 28 Memorial Day

May 29 Last Day for Students (43 days), End of 2nd Semester (88), end of Year (178)

May 30 & 31 Teacher In-Service

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IF, as a Performance Coach

• I present the same lessons in the same manner that I have used in the past;

• I seek no feedback from my scholars;

• I do analyze and evaluate their work in a manner that changes my own emphasis, repertoire, and timing;

• I do not visit or observe other adults as they teach;

• I do not share the work of my scholars with colleagues for feedback, suggestions, and critiques;

• I do not visit other schools or attend particular workshops or seminars or read professional literature on aspects of my teaching;

• I do not welcome visitors with experience and expertise to observe and provide feedback to me on my classroom practice;

• I have no yearly individualized professional development plan focused on classroom changes to improve student learning;

• I have not systemically engaged in “action research” to inform practices that are tied to individual, department and school wide goals;

• I do not differentiate instruction based on my scholars interest, point of readiness and needs;

• I do not embrace an effective strategic RTI (Response to Instruction & Intervention) Plan for all scholars;

• I have no “buy in” to the big ideas that drive a PLC (Professional Learning Community), “ALL” scholars learning, collaboration and a focus on results/data;

THEN I have absolutely no way to become better as a Performance Coach.

INSTRUCTIONAL & LEARNING LEADER’S MESSAGE

It is indeed a pleasure for me to extend greetings to you for what I know will be a very rich, rewarding and highly productive school year. Each of you have chosen wisely in that you have chosen Forrest City Comprehensive High School to propel you towards Greatness as

you matriculate through your respective instructional programs. Our Motif: “Focus, Character, Honor & Service!” will be our motivation, incentive and rallying cry to ensure the continuation of the tremendous legacy of this great school. We can only do this however,

through our daily commitment to excellence.

This handbook has been developed primarily by our faculty, support staff, administrators and scholars to assist you and your parents in becoming acquainted with the many services we offer scholars and the policies and procedures that govern them. We are hopeful that this

document will serve as a quick reference to many of the questions/concerns that may arise throughout the school year.

It does not matter if you are joining us for the first time or if you have been with us for a number of years, we encourage you to become active participants of the Forrest City Comprehensive High School’s community of learners. In addition to excellent academic and career

& technical programs, there are a number of activities, clubs and organizations that are availed to all students to ensure a well-rounded individual. We, the faculty and staff, are truly committed to excellence and again, the same is the expectation of every scholar.

We are looking forward to this school year with great anticipation. My charge to you is to do well. Recognize that this is a journey and not a destination. It is our hope that you will have a very fulfilling and successful journey as proud Mustangs having embraced the ideals

of “Focus, Character, Honor & Service” Be Well!…

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Forrest City High School

Regular Daily Bell Schedule

(2017-18)

Freshman Academy

7:30-7:50 Breakfast

7:50 Report to 1st Period

7:55-8:00

8:00-8:55 1st Period

9:00—9:53 2nd Period

9:58 –10:50 3rd Period

1st LUNCH 10:50-11:20

11:25-12:20 4th Period

12:25-1:20 5th Period

1:25-2:20 6th Period

2:25 -3:20 7th Period

Grades 10 – 12

Breakfast 7:30-7:50

Report to 1st Period 7:50

1st Period 8:00-8:55

2nd Period 9:00-9:53

3rd Period 9:58 -10:51

4th Period 10:56 – 11:49

5A -2nd Lunch 11:54 -12:24

5B -3rd Lunch 12:50 – 1:20

6th Period 1:25 -2:20

7th Period 2:25 – 3:20

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Forrest City High School

Guidelines for Grading Relative to Objective Mastery

(These should be added to grading requirements)

One of your most important performance measures is the one which deals with scholar’s mastery of

curriculum/CCSS. The following is a frame of reference that performance coaches should use to administer

grades in their classes.

A- 80% or better mastery of curriculum/CCSS on grade level

of recommended pacing.

B- 75% - 79% mastery

C- 70% - 74% mastery

D- Below 70% mastery and reserved for teacher discretion to reward students

performing below grade level

F- Students performing below grade level and not demonstrating proper effort

*This is also for the student who may have poor pre-requisite skills due to

sub-par instructional practices or other extenuating circumstances.

We are most concerned that grades issued relates directly to a scholar’s demonstrated ability to master

curriculum/CCSS. This means that performance coaches’ lesson plans and subsequent instruction should

reflect these standards as a minimum. This emphasis in no way precludes a performance coach from going

beyond these standards where scholars demonstrate the ability and readiness to do so. In this vein we will find

ourselves “teaching for meaning” and addressing our accelerated population of scholars via enrichment.

Grade Computation: Grades will be determined by averaging all daily work and tests

scores. The daily average for the grading period will be determined from all grades given

for oral and written assignments, tests, and other grades given by performance coach

and class participation.

Term Grade Computation: Semester grades are determined by simply averaging the

two nine week grades. Also, points for Honors, AP course will be given consideration as governed by the FCSD.

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Homework Policy

Homework Policy

“Homework is essential in determining objective mastery and upgrading scholar’s academic performance”

“Teachers are not strict enough in requiring scholars to do homework”

“Scholars should have more homework that is graded and returned”

Each of the above statements was basically taken from HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK. While the author of this book may have felt

these comments to be part of a“change” in education, such as beliefs should have long been a part of the good teacher’s and

especially the Honors and Advanced Placement teacher’s modus operandi.

Homework is to be an extension of the classroom, not an occasional “tag-on” or afterthought. Homework should be an integral part of

the classroom setting and should have a personality that embraces “perfect practice makes perfect.”

Precious little time is left in today’s classrooms for actual instruction. Therefore, the homework serves to put additional flesh and

features on the core that is the classroom.

A major purpose of homework is to go beyond the lesson plan of the day, to force the necessity of research and critical linear thinking

behaviors that will serve the scholar well in any of their endeavors, whether in or out of school.

Those scholars planning to take an Advanced Placement class, and thus the Advanced Placement Examination and even those who

are not, will need to be good readers since they will need to be prepared to read quickly and with understanding. Therefore,

homework is to be designed to utilize and hone the scholar’s reading skills.

Additionally, Forrest City High School’s homework standards and procedures are in compliance with the policy set in place by the

Forrest City School District. Hence, the following guidelines have been established:

1. PCs are encouraged to do long range planning so that the scho9lars will have an outline or course syllabus.

2. PCs should post on the monthly calendar due dates for major projects.

3. PCs are encouraged to contact a percentage of parents during the course of each grading period with the emphasis on homework

being one of the primary reasons for initiating the contact.

4. PCs must remain aware that scholars have other subjects and therefore, the possibility of additional homework. With this in mind,

the time for completion of homework for each class taken should be no more than 45-60 minutes per day.

5. To some extent, the teacher’s homework assignments should be geared toward performance-based assessment.

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GUIDELINES RELATED TO STUDENTS

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

1. Scholars must be in attendance at least 3 and ½ hours per day to be counted present for the day. However, the scholars’ attendance

will be marked accordingly for any class that that he/she has not attended.

2. A scholar who arrives late or departs early will be counted absent for the entire day if he/she is not in attendance for the time

mandated by the State Dept. of Education.

3. If a scholar arrives late he/she is to report directly to their first period class where his teacher will record his/her tardiness

appropriately, excused or unexcused. When the scholar accumulates 3 unexcused tardiest in this fashion, he/she is to be sent to the

appropriate administrator or a disciplinary referral form for administrative sanctions. Should the scholar arrive after the attendance

report has sent to the attendance office, the scholar should be directed to the attendance office where he/she will be given an excused

or an unexcused admit to classes. It shall be the responsibility of the attendance office to change the absence to the absence to the

appropriate tardy to ensure the accuracy of attendance reporting.

4. Teachers will not allow a student to any of their classes if their name appears on the absentee list without an admit from the clerical

assistant signed by an administrator.

5. Scholars arriving late to your classes 3 minutes or more should be directed to the appropriate administrator’s office for an admit

before being allowed in class. The tardy should be recorded accordingly upon their immediate return. If the student is late but within

the 3 minute time frame, you may use your discretion which includes sending the scholar to the appropriate administrator. Any

scholar arriving 15 minutes after the bell sounds MUST be sent to the office as in most cases this will constitute a cut and will be

treated as such. Please record ALL tardiness and when any student accumulates a total of 3 unexcused, please refer them to the

office on a disciplinary referral form for administrative sanctions.

6. A scholar arriving late due to riding a bus that has been delayed will be recorded as excused. Any absence will be recorded as

excused as well.

7. Teachers must alert the clerical assistant and the appropriate administrator when a student has been absent 3 or more consecutive

days.

8. Unexcused absences are acts of truancy and will be treated as such. Only through approved intervention from a teacher on behalf

of a student will the student be allowed to make-up assignments.

9. Students participating in school or board sponsored activities, whether on or off campus, shall not be counted absent. In order to

qualify as “school sponsored” the activity must be school planned, school directed, and teacher supervised. Students are to bring a

note from their parents to the homeroom teacher. These notes are to be kept on file for the entire school year.

10. Absences are excused for personal illness, death or serious illness in the immediate family, and for recognized religious holidays.

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11. Each teacher is to check their rolls within the first 5 minutes of the class period. Any absence/s should be recorded in the

attendance system and checked against the absentee list. If any scholar is not in your class and do not appear on the absentee list,

please dialogue with the attendance office and send those names to the appropriate administrator. Again, class attendance is to be

checked again within the last 15 minutes of class.

12. Scholars should not be in the halls after the tardy bell has rung. Also, any scholar leaving the class before the passing bell should

have a pass from the classroom teacher. Scholars should not be excused from homeroom at all.

13. All teachers must stress punctuality and the importance of good attendance as suspensions and loss of credits result from poor

attendance.

14. In order to “overtly” & consistently expect good attendance and promptness, teachers are reminded to be at the doors during the

passing of classes and the last 5 minutes prior to the beginning of homeroom.

15. Scholars who fail to maintain a good attendance record will not be allowed to participate in special school activities.

DISMISSAL POLICY

Students who are ill to the degree that they are unable to remain in school will be allowed to checkout only after a parent or guardian

has been notified and granted permission. These scholars will need to be picked up and the dismissal book signed by the parent, legal

guardian, or their approved designee. Scholars having notes their parents requesting to checkout during the school day, must have their

notes verified by official attendance office personnel before the requested time to leave. Approval or disapproval, however, is left to

the discretion of the administration. Scholars will NEVER be released walking!

ADMINISTERING MEDICATION

No school personnel are to administer medication to scholars. However, a scholar may be assisted with taking medication,

provided the parents/guardian has provided the school office with clear written instructions and signed permission to do

so.

LOST AND FOUND

Scholars should be encouraged to report lost items to the office where the owners might claim them after positive

identification has been made.

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