Located in Durango, CO, Animas High School opened in the fall of 2009 to offer rigorous, individualized college preparation based on the design principles of the nationally acclaimed High Tech High model. Animas High School is a public charter school serving approximately 250 students in grades 9-12. We are chartered through the Colorado Charter School Institute. AHS graduated its first class of seniors in 2013. Our dedicated faculty and staff are lifelong learners who are invested in our school and students. Of our 20 full-time faculty, over half hold advanced degrees or are enrolled in master’s programs. Complete faculty profiles can be accessed from the school’s website at www.animashighschool.com.

Mission and Values

Animas High School prepares all students for college and postsecondary success by creating critical thinkers and engaged citizens through an innovative, student-centered, project-based curriculum.

We accomplish this through:

Rigorous academics, where all students are prepared for college and post-secondary success
Culture of excellence, where students are held to high expectations
Strong faculty-student relationships, where students are well known
Engaging learning, where students see the relevance in their education

Animas High School is committed to offering a transformative educational experience to students of all backgrounds and ability levels. In preparing students for post-secondary success, Animas High School fosters the fundamental attributes of perspective taking, advocacy, perseverance, evidence use, and refinement. Students strive to cultivate personal, academic and cultural excellence, and learn to embody professional standards of behavior and scholarship. Ultimately, students will become active and informed citizens who meaningfully engage in their communities.

We believe this is best accomplished through:

Rigorous Academics: Animas High School believes in supporting and challenging all students academically, and values a rigorous project-based approach in which students and teachers are continually encouraged to make choices to take their learning deeper. We believe that every student deserves an education that gives them choices and that prepares them for post-secondary success.

Engaged Learning: We value the use of project-based learning and adult world connections to help students realize the relevance of their education. At Animas High School, we strive to design projects and institutional supports that foster many opportunities for real and relevant local and global connections.

Personalization: At Animas High School, we value students as individuals, both personally and intellectually. Teachers and staff are committed to a learner-centered, project-based approach that supports and challenges each student, and that allows for student voice and choice in all aspects of the learning process. We believe that reflection and self-knowledge are key aspects of the learning process, and support students in developing these skills.

Educational Equity: Animas High School is committed to educating a diverse and integrated student population, and believes that having students from different backgrounds working together provides a rich educational experience. As a school, we value approaches to learning that create shared experiences among our students and common threads through diverse academic experiences.

Teacher As Designer: At Animas High School, teachers are highly valued as professionals, experts, and leaders in their field. As a school, we rely on their experience, skills, and abilities to develop original project-based curriculum that draws on their expertise and passions. Teacher voices are valued and represented at every level of the organization, as teachers play a significant role in critical decisions about program design, curriculum, assessment, hiring, and other significant areas.

Awards and Distinctions

AHS has received recognition in the following ways:

Colorado Charter School Institute Distinction School (2013-2018)
College Success Award from Great Schools (2018)
Colorado Department of Education ICAP Honorable Mention Award for Career Exploration Program (2018)

John Irwin Schools of Excellence Award (2011)
Colorado League of Charter Schools Charter School Advocate of the Year: AHS Co-Founder Jesse Hutt (2019)
Colorado League of Charter Schools Charter School Teacher of the Year Finalist: Science Teacher Dave Heerschap (2012)
Colorado League of Charter Schools Charter School Leader of the Year Finalist: Head of School Michael Ackerman (2012)
UC Boulder Outstanding Colorado Educator Award: Foreign Language Teacher Susy Raleigh (2017), Math Teacher Hannah Starbuck (2018)
Colorado STAR Teacher Council appointees: Humanities Teacher Lori Fisher (2011), Humanities Teacher Ashley Carruth (2011), and Science Teacher Steve Smith (2014)
Jared Polis Award: Humanities Teacher John Fisher (2011)
Boettcher Scholarship Alternate (2016, 2017)
Daniels Fund Scholarship Finalist (2016)
National Merit Scholar (2012, 2016)
DaVinci Science Center Student Award (2016, 2017)

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GENERAL SCHOOL INFORMATION

Hours of Operation

During the school year, the school is open from 7:30am to 4:00pm Monday-Friday.

Contact Information

Animas High School

271 Twin Buttes Avenue

Durango, CO 81301

Phone: (970) 247-2474

Fax: (970) 247-2483

www.animashighschool.com

Enrollment Policy

Animas High School will recruit students in a manner that ensures equal access to the
school and does not discriminate against students of a particular race, color, national
origin, religion, language of origin, sexual orientation, or gender, or against students
with disabilities.

Registration is only open for students who are eligible for matriculation, grades 9th-11th, in the following school year.

Animas High School endeavors to accommodate all students who are interested in attending. The below is required following admission but prior to enrollment:

A parent or guardian must complete and return a simple, non-discriminatory registration packet by a published deadline ending the open enrollment period.
The student and a parent or guardian must sign a statement that they agree to abide by all policies and procedures set forth in the student handbook.

If the school receives more applications for enrollment than it has spaces available, priority for enrollment shall be assigned in the following order:

Siblings of returning and existing students.
Children of employees, Board members or founders of Animas High School, not to exceed 20% annually.
All other students permitted by law.

Animas High School will hold a lottery in order to identify admitted students and prioritize the waiting list. The lottery will be held on March 1st. After capacity has been reached for the each grade, names shall be randomly placed in a grade level waiting list. As space becomes available, Animas High School will notify applicants that they have the option of enrolling at the school. The letter will give the applicant at least five full business days from receipt of the letter to notify the Head of School, verbally or in writing, of the applicant's intentions. In the absence of an affirmative and timely response by phone or letter, the school will eliminate the applicant from the list and proceed to notify the next applicant from the waiting list. Students will be admitted off the waiting list only until Pupil Count Day of each year, in order to ensure that all graduates of Animas High School have experienced the full value of the school’s academic program. All waiting lists expire annually at the end of the school's formal academic year, or as otherwise determined by the Board.

January Enrollment
Animas High School recognizes that students may choose to change schools mid-year. We endeavor to continue our fair and equitable enrollment process through our second semester enrollment which opens after Pupil Count Day and concludes at the end of first semester. If a student completes an intent to enroll after the conclusion of first semester they will have to wait until the following year to be considered for enrollment.
Registration is only open for students who are eligible for matriculation, grades 9th-11th, in the current school year. If the school receives more applications for enrollment than it has spaces available priority for admissions shall be assigned in the following order:

Students returning at semester from an exchange program.
Siblings of returning or existing students of Animas High School in good standing.
Children of employees, Board members or founders of Animas High School, not to exceed 20% annually.
First come first serve basis .
All other students permitted by law.

COMMUNICATION AT ANIMAS HIGH SCHOOL

Strategies for Staying Informed and Keeping Communication Open

At Animas High School, we value open, direct and honest communication and we encourage students and families to reach out to us when questions, concerns and ideas arise.

Communicating as a Family--We encourage families to discuss the Animas High School experience daily and feel that this is probably the most important part of the whole process!

Communicating with the Advisor--The Advisor is a faculty or staff member who is responsible for working closely with the 10-15 students in his or her advisory group. Students are encouraged to turn to their advisors for support, advice and mentoring and the Advisor is the parent/guardian’s first point of contact with the school when issues arise.
Communicating with AHS Faculty--We encourage students to speak directly with teachers when they have questions, issues or ideas. The most effective way for parents/guardians to communicate with faculty is email; contact information for all Animas High School staff and faculty is on our website.
Communicating with AHS Administrators--Students are welcome to meet with administrators when they would like to discuss concerns or ideas about the school. Parents can email administrators or call the main office to arrange an appointment. Additionally, Head of School Sean Woytek has office hours each week on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:15.
Infinite Campus--Animas High School uses an online gradebook system called Infinite Campus (IC) that allows students and parents/guardians to keep track of individual class grades and attendance. Our teachers update grades regularly in IC. IC also tracks lunch balances and fees.
Digital Portfolios--Each teacher and student at Animas High School maintains a Digital Portfolio (DP). Faculty DPs are websites that the teachers use to post information about their courses, including syllabi, daily updates, announcements, assignments, policies, etc. DPs are great resources for students and parents to stay up to date with each class; links to faculty DPs are listed on the AHS website (http://animashighschool.com/faculty/). Students use their DPs to showcase projects and reflect upon their learning; links to student DPs are also on the AHS website (http://animashighschool.com/digital-portfolios/).
News from the Nest--Each week, Animas High School sends out a weekly electronic newsletter, News from the Nest, which announces upcoming events, highlights recent successes, addresses community issues, etc. Please make sure your email address is correct in IC to ensure that you receive these emails.
AHS Main Office--The Animas High School front desk is staffed from 8:00am to 4:00 pm each school day. You can call the main office at (970) AHS-AHS4 (970-247-2474) or email mainoffice@animashighschool.com at anytime with any sort of question. And, of course, you can always walk in the front door to talk to us!

Communication about School Closures

Animas High School will communicate with students/parents regarding weather closures in the following ways:

Main School Phone Line Message: By 6:30am AHS Administration will put a message on the school’s answering machine with details regarding any closures/delays.
Local Media: By 6:30am AHS Administration will contact local radio stations with details regarding any closures/delays.
AHS Website: By 7:00am AHS will have a message on our website regarding any closures/delays.
Phone/Text to Families: By 7:00am AHS will send a phone message and text message to families via our emergency communication system.

Student Records and Fees

It is vital that Animas High School has the most current contact information for you and your student. If you move or change your contact information you must provide the main office with the updated information within one week of the change. If you would like a copy of your student’s Animas High School records (including transcripts, report cards, attendance records) please contact the main office.

Animas High School has the following fee schedule:

Type of Fee	Cost	Purpose	For Whom	Alternative
Annual Technology Fee	$100	Offsets cost of providing technology infrastructure for school	Mandatory for all	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Art Core Class and Electives	$10	Offsets cost of art supplies	Mandatory for those who take Digital Art and optional electives	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Biology Core Class	$10	Offsets cost of dissection materials	Mandatory for all	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Material Science Elective	$20	Offsets cost of art supplies	Mandatory for those who take course	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Anatomy Elective	$20	Offsets cost of dissection materials	Mandatory for those who take course	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
X-block	$10-$150	Offsets cost of providing physical education	Mandatory; cost depends on which course student selects	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Osprey Week	$10-$2000	Offsets cost of weeklong excursions and courses	Mandatory; cost depends on which course student selects	Waived or reduced for those who qualify
Loaner Laptop	$150	Deposit for laptop loaners	Mandatory for those who use loaner laptops	Waived or reduced for those who qualify

Fees are waived for students that receive Free Lunch and Reduced Lunch status. Families can fill out an economic data survey to see if they qualify for free or reduced lunch. In addition, there are optional fees for some physical education courses and for Osprey Week; these also have free options available to students.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Public Exhibitions of Work

Students have opportunities to present thier work to authentic audiences in ways including Exhibitions, Student Led Conferences (SLCs) and Presentations of Learning (POLs). All of these are mandatory for students. Students who miss one of these events will have an incomplete in their classes, at teacher discretion, until the experience is remediated.

These unique learning measures and alternative assessment opportunities augment state accountability requirements. They offer ways to gauge and demonstrate the levels of attainment in vital aspects of our design principles that are not readily or adequately measured by standardized assessment.

Exhibitions

Projects are presented publicly by students to authentic audiences consisting of their peers, teachers, parents and/or community members. Showing students’ work is important because it's motivating; exhibitions increase students’ effort and improve the quality of the final product. Animas High School sponsors multiple exhibitions each year, some on campus and others offsite to encourage community attendance and promote public access to students’ work. Exhibition is an essential experience for all AHS students. Professional dress and participation are mandatory.

Student Led Conferences (SLCs)

Student Led Conferences are similar to traditional Parent-Teacher Conferences but the SLC is facilitated by the student. Students lead a focused dialogue with their parents/guardians concerning their performance and growth at Animas High School. SLCs are an integral part of the reflective process and result in a clear understanding and agreement of “where students are at.” SLCs occur once a semester and require professional dress. SLCs are mandatory for students and at least one parent or guardian.

Presentations of Learning (POLs)

A Presentation of Learning is a formal presentation given by students to a panel comprised of peers, community members, administrators, teachers and/or parents at the end of each semester. Before POLs, students practice their presentations, focus on specific public-speaking skills, receive feedback from teachers and peers and finally refine and rehearse their POL delivery. At the end of second semester, transitional presentations are used to determine whether students are ready to advance to the next grade. Requirements for TPOLs are grade-level specific, but typically include an oral presentation, use of the student’s digital portfolio and evidence or artifacts from their core classes. Students who attempt but do not pass POLs/TPOLs are given additional opportunities to present once they have refined their work based upon the review panel’s feedback. Students must continue to redo their POL/TPOL until they pass.

Curriculum and Credits

Animas High School is characterized by a rigorous curriculum. Honors options are available to juniors and seniors in Humanities. Challenge Extensions are available within other courses for those who would like to go deeper with the curriculum. Students are also able to pursue concurrent enrollment at local colleges when it does not conflict with core classes or the ability to be considered a full-time student at AHS.

Graduation Requirements

To receive a high school diploma from Animas High School students must:

Meet or exceed the state and school academic standards by completing the school’s minimum course and credit requirements AND
Complete an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) AND
Demonstrate College and Career Readiness through passing Senior Project or in extenuating circumstances approved by the Head of School complete one of the following:

meet or exceed the cut score or criteria on a state-approved measure of College and Career Readiness in English and Math, OR
Complete the requirements and goals as listed on a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), English Language Development Plan (ELDP), or Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), which may include modified content standards.

Students must complete the following academic coursework to receive an AHS diploma. These requirements align with the University of Colorado MAPS requirements, thus ensuring all of our graduates meet the minimum requirements for the University of Colorado system:

Subject Area	Requirements
Language Arts (in Humanities)	4 years
Social Studies (in Humanities)	4 years
Math	4 years
Science	3 years of lab science
Foreign Language	2 years of the same foreign language
Visual Art	1 year
Electives	12 semester-long electives. Art Foundations and the first 2 years of foreign language do not count toward elective credit requirements as they fulfil other requirements. Project Application may not be used to fulfill any graduation requirement. Class of 2019: Exploratories taken prior to 2016-17 school year count as elective credit
X-Block	3 years
LINK Internship	1 year
Senior Project	1 year

Required Courses

At AHS, there are 7 academic periods in the day plus a shared lunch period for grades 9 through 12 on all days except for Wednesdays, when only core classes (Humanities, Math, Science) meet. The following table outlines required courses and elective choices at each grade level:

9th Grade REQUIRED COURSES

9th Grade ELECTIVE CHOICES

All 9th graders will be automatically placed into the following courses, which are required:

Humanities (2 periods)
Physics
Math 1
Digital Art Foundations

In addition to their required classes, 9th grade students have 2 periods available for electives or Project Application (descriptions below). Options include:

Math, Spanish, Science, Humanities, Art and Music electives
Project Application*

Freshmen at AHS may not have free periods

* We recommend that 9th grade students select Project Application as an elective to help them successfully transition to the expectations of a rigorous high school curriculum

10th Grade REQUIRED COURSES

10th Grade ELECTIVE CHOICES

All 10th graders will be automatically placed into the following courses, which are required:

Humanities (2 periods)
Biology
Math 2

In addition to their required classes, 10th grade students have 3 periods available for electives or Project Application (descriptions below). Options include:

Math, Science, Humanities, Spanish, Art and Music electives
Project Application

Sophomores at AHS may not have free periods.

11th Grade REQUIRED COURSES

11th Grade ELECTIVE CHOICES

All 11th graders will be automatically placed into the following courses, which are required:

Humanities (2 periods; meets requirement for US History)
Chemistry
Math 3

In addition to their required classes, 11th grade students have 3 periods available for electives or Project Application (descriptions below). Options include:

Math, Science, Humanities, Spanish, Art and Music electives
Project Application

Juniors at AHS may not have free periods.

12th Grade REQUIRED COURSES

12th Grade ELECTIVE CHOICES

All 12th graders will be automatically placed into the following courses, which are required:

Humanities (2 periods; meets requirement for Civics)
Math 4

In addition to their required classes, 12th grade students have 4 periods available for electives or Project Application (descriptions below). Options include:

Math, Science, Humanities, Spanish, Art and Music electives
Project Application
Concurrent enrollment in classes offered at local colleges

Seniors MUST take at least 5 periods of on-campus offerings. That means that at least 2 of their elective spots must be filled by AHS offerings.

Elective Registration Priority

Because we are committed to keeping class sizes small, some elective classes may fill and some students may not receive their 1st choice. We give priority in the following ways:

Seniors get 1st priority (with a specific eye towards what they need to graduate)
Juniors get 2nd priority
Sophomores get 3rd priority
Freshmen get 4th priority

Elective Grading

Elective classes are academically rigorous and specialized in their content. All elective courses are graded (with the exception of Project Applications), and will factor into a student’s GPA.

Independent Study

AHS does not accommodate independent study requests.

Online Classes

AHS does not accept online classes in place of core classes or elective credits, except in rare instances or summer school remediation. Students interested in pursuing online instruction must meet with the Head of School. In order for AHS to grant credit for an online course, it must be offered through an accredited program that has been pre-approved before the course begins. There are many accredited online schools and programs. Please consult with the school to select the best one, based on cost and post-secondary goals. Families are responsible for the cost of online classes. Students must ensure their grade/transcript from their online course is submitted to AHS in order to receive credit.

Concurrent Enrollment

Seniors are encouraged to pursue concurrent enrollment at local colleges to further their studies in a way that works well with the AHS curriculum. Younger students may pursue this option with approval from Head of School. Please note that concurrent enrollment cannot be used to replace any of the core classes (Humanities, Digital Art Foundations, Math 1-4, Physics, Biology and Chemistry), but can give a student elective credit. For concurrent enrollment classes, students will receive the same credit per semester they would receive for for an AHS class, 0.5 credits, unless the class includes a lab, in which case they will receive 1 credit per semester. The grades from concurrent enrollment classes will not be factored into a student’s GPA. Please note that not all concurrent enrollment classes will provide students with college credit. Not all colleges will accept concurrent enrollment classes for credit; it will be up to the student’s future college to make this determination. Students must ensure that concurrent enrollment transcripts are submitted alongside AHS transcripts to their post-secondary college in order to potentially receive college credit at that institution.

It is important that students understand that they must schedule their concurrent enrollment classes around their AHS classes. For Seniors, this means that any concurrent enrollment classes must meet in the morning before 10:00am or in the afternoon after 2:30pm. Students should not enroll in any college classes outside of these times, as it will interfere with their success in their AHS classes.

Dual Enrollment Classes

Due to a collaboration with Pueblo Community College (PCC), some courses offered at AHS are available as dual enrollment classes. This means that these classes have the potential to give students both high school and college credit. Transfer credit to any college is determined by that institution. Dual enrollment classes must meet the same course objectives as their equivalent courses at Pueblo Community College, and may require students who choose this option to complete work with higher academic expectations, deeper content knowledge and more difficult assessments than the regular class assignments.

Students may choose to opt in to a dual enrollment course option within the first two weeks of the semester if they meet the placement requirements by passing the prerequisite class, or by placing into the class via Accuplacer or other placement tests determined by PCC or AHS. Teachers will give students more information about this option in the first week of school. We offer dual enrollment for the following courses and are working to expand these offerings:

Astronomy
Consumer Math

Early Graduation

We believe that most students benefit from four years of high school experience. However, in some cases, students are ready for postsecondary education or other opportunities at an earlier age. Therefore, the Head of School may grant permission to students wishing to graduate early, provided the student has met all district graduation requirements in accordance with this policy.

Teacher Requests

We are thoughtful and intentional about how we determine a student’s schedule, and we do not place students in classes based upon individual student or parent requests for a particular teacher. Please understand that we believe this to be the most fair and equitable system for all of our students.

Grading Scale

AHS uses a 4-point grading scale to evaluate academic work, where a grade of A equals 4.0 points, A- equals 3.7 points, with the scale continuing as indicated below. The minimum passing grade is C-. No credit is assigned below a C-, but points are still calculated into the GPA. The highest attainable grade is an A. We do not award A+ grades. Grades and grade point averages are not weighted. A grade of “A” represents academic achievement of 94% or higher.

A = 4.00 B+ = 3.33 C+ = 2.33 D+ = 1.33 F= 0.00

A- = 3.67 B = 3.00 C = 2.00 D = 1.00

B- = 2.67 C- = 1.67 D- = 0.67

Some classes are graded on a credit/no credit basis, including Project Application, XBlock and LINK. If a student drops an elective class in the first two weeks it will not appear on the transcript. After the drop date, withdrawing from a class will result in a “W” on the transcript.

Remediating Credits

Animas High School requires that students receive a C- (70%) or higher in all core academic courses and electives in order to receive credit. There are two options for remediating a credit when a student does not pass a class:

Students can remediate credits through an accredited online program under supervision of AHS Summer School staff.
Students can remediate credits through an elective in the same discipline as the course they did not pass, or by repeating the same course if they are repeating a grade level. The elective option would not count toward the total number of elective credits needed for graduation, as it would be fulfilling a core class credit requirement.

All Animas High School core courses are approved and transferable to other schools, and are recognized by colleges and universities. Animas High School does not offer the same courses or the same sequence of courses as many other high schools. In some instances, this has caused 11th and 12th grade students transferring to other schools to make-up courses that were not offered in the traditional sequence, or at all, at Animas High School. Students and parents/guardians are advised to take Animas High School’s unique academic program into account when making decisions to enroll at Animas High School and to transfer to other schools.

LINK Internships

At Animas High School, learning is connected to the world beyond our classrooms. As a graduation requirement, all juniors complete a LINK Internship for three weeks, participating in a year-long curriculum that prepares them for the experience. LINK stands for Leading Internships for New Knowledge. Students create resumes, engage in interviews and document the internship experience through digital portfolios. LINK culminates in an exhibition in which students showcase their learning and their internship projects. Through an internship, students connect their coursework to the working world, learn how to thrive in a professional environment, refine college and career goals and give back to the local and global community. Students have participated in internships across the nation and around the world.

Senior Project

All students must successfully complete Senior Project to graduate. Senior Project is an in-depth study of a focused, individually-selected research topic, under the guidance of a Senior Project Advisor. Senior Projects include a college-level research paper, an action project, a thesis defense TED-style talk and an exhibition of learning.

SCHOOL CULTURE

Habits of Heart and Mind

As a learning community, we are dedicated to helping our students learn and practice five effective Habits of Heart and Mind. These habits drive our work as a community academically, socially and culturally. Habits of Heart and Mind give teachers and students a common language to help them deepen their thinking and relationships with each other. We encourage all members of our community to use these mental processing techniques, and reinforce them to the point where they become “habits.” The Habits of Heart and Mind at Animas High School, which we remember through the acronym PAPER, are:

Perspective: Have a point of view; respect and understand the points of view of others. Take a stand, but be willing to listen to other ideas besides your own.
Advocacy: When you need help, or when you don’t understand, ask questions. When you can’t connect to a project, schedule a meeting with a teacher. Advocate for your classmates, for your community, for your planet.
Perseverance: Don’t give up. Learn to work through difficulty. Demonstrate a growth mindset.
Evidence: Use it to support your perspective. Require it from others who make claims. Make decisions based on it.
Refinement: Take pride in everything you do in class and make it beautiful, whether you are reading, writing, speaking or creating.

Advisory Program

The AHS Advisory Program is designed to nurture and support students’ personal and academic growth as they work toward postsecondary goals. Beginning in 9th grade, students are paired with a staff member who is their Advisor for their entire time at AHS. Advisories are made up of about 10-15 students in the same grade and they meet weekly as a group. Advisors serve as their advisees’ advocate by tracking their overall academic progress and social-emotional wellbeing and by facilitating communication between home and school. AHS’ culture is strengthened through Advisory activities that create community and a sense of belonging for all students.

Osprey Week

Osprey Week is a week-long educational adventure that allows students and staff to learn new content and develop skills while participating in enriching hands-on activities. AHS’ culture is strengthened through shared experiences which build stronger relationships between students, staff and community members. For Osprey Week, our classroom is the world beyond our school walls. Osprey Week takes place in late March and is required for all students in each grade level.

Academic Integrity

The students of Animas High School, united in a spirit of mutual trust and fellowship, mindful of the values of a true education and the challenges posed by the world, agree to accept the responsibilities for honorable behavior in all academic activities, to assist one another in maintaining and promoting personal integrity and to follow the principles and procedures in our Code of Academic Integrity.

Plagiarism and cheating are two examples of violations of the Code of Academic Integrity. What is Plagiarism? Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:

to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
to use (another's production) without crediting the source
to commit literary theft
to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. But can words and ideas really be stolen? According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

turning in someone else's work as your own
copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source is usually enough to prevent plagiarism.

Cheating results in a loss of integrity on the part of the individual committing the act and on the educational process that is undermined by the act of cheating. It is a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity for any student to gain or attempt to gain an unfair advantage over another student or to undermine the learning goals of an assignment by unfair or dishonest means. If you are unclear about an assignment, the methodology for the assignment, or the permissible bounds of assistance for completing your work, please speak to your teacher and ask for clarification.

Violations of the Code of Academic Integrity may include receiving a zero on the assignment, failing the course, suspension, and/or expulsion from school.

Community Code of Conduct

At Animas High School, we deeply value our close community and our Culture of Excellence, both of which depend upon all of us agreeing to collectively uphold a shared set of expectations for engagement, communication and actions. All students, parents/guardians and staff are rigorously responsible for and actively participating in shaping our school culture and therefore must fulfill the school’s expectations for conduct. Anyone who fails to meet Animas High School conduct expectations may be subject to discipline including the possibility of suspension or expulsion proceedings.

As a student at Animas High School, you have the right to expect:

a free education in a positive, supportive learning environment where you can express your opinions and ideas
a safe school
that you will be treated fairly and will not be subjected to discrimination
clear communication about school rules and policies
that faculty, staff and administrators will respectfully listen to you when you come to them with your concerns, questions and issues
faculty, staff and administrators who are committed to open, solution-oriented dialogue

Respect for Self, Others and the School Community

Animas High School exists to create the opportunity for sharing, learning, innovation and personal development. To this end, it is critical that all members of this community respect each others’ rights, values, opinions and individuality. Each community member is expected to practice this respect with regard to how we talk/interact with one another and how we treat each other's and the school’s property and space. Willfully causing physical or emotional harm, fighting, bullying, threatening violence or subjecting another member of the Animas High School community to verbal threats, harassing language, violent, sexual and/or inappropriate messages is a violation of this code. Further, it is the policy of Animas High School to prohibit harassment of any kind, including harassment based on gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or of a sexual nature.

In order to support our unique school culture, Ospreys act in a manner that shows respect for themselves, others and our campus. They:

respect each other’s rights, individuality and differences; AHS policy prohibits harassment of any kind, including harassment based on gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or of a sexual natureuse appropriate and respectful language.
communicate directly with teachers, advisors and staff when challenges or conflicts arise at school, knowing that they will be respected, heard and taken seriously because they are advocating for positive change
respect others’ property and are responsible for their own property; Students bringing computers, electronic devices or other valuables to school do so at their own risk. The school will not accept the responsibility for any loss, theft, or damage of any personal electronic device brought to school by any student. It is our students’ responsibility to keep track of their personal belongings. The school will work to help retrieve any lost or stolen personal belongings but ultimately students and families take on full responsibility for any personal property brought to school.
treat school buildings and property with care and respect; a clean environment is important to all; vandalism will be dealt with severely. Parents/guardians will be responsible for paying for any damage done to school property by their child.
refrain from inappropriate public displays of affection; this is a professional learning environment and therefore public displays of affection are not appropriate.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment refers to behavior that, among other things, is not welcome, is personally offensive, or undermines or weakens morale. Sexual harassment includes any unwelcome verbal, physical, visual or electronic conduct that has the purpose and/or effect of creating or contributing to an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment or that unreasonably interferes with the recipient's educational progress or personal security. It includes, but is not limited to, pressure for sexual activity, demands for sexual favors accompanied by implied or actual promises of favors, unwanted physical contact such as constant brushing against another's body, hugging, patting, stroking, and other touching as well as jokes and comments that are sexual in nature.

Any person who believes that he/she has been subject to harassment or who believes that he/she has observed the same, should immediately inform the person engaging in the offensive conduct that the behavior is unwelcome and must stop. A student who believes that he/she has been subject to harassment or who believes that he/she has observed the same, should inform a trusted staff member and/or the Head of School. The Title IX coordinator is another person that a student or family may contact, as this person will investigate any claims made. Animas High School’s Title IX coordinator is Erin Skyles (School Counselor).

Behavior constituting harassment as defined by this policy is subject to disciplinary action including the possibility of expulsion proceedings. Likewise, because a false report of harassment can have damaging effects on the reputations of innocent individuals, false accusations are also subject to the same form of disciplinary action.

Public Display of Affection

Animas High School is a professional environment. As such, excessive public displays of affection are not tolerated. Although the boundaries of this may be difficult for teenagers to understand, school staff will enforce this expectation through this lens: if it is inappropriate for a professional workplace, it is inappropriate for Animas High School.

Vandalism or Theft

No one is to injure, destroy, deface, trespass on or steal school property. Because a well-maintained, functional learning environment is important to all, vandalism and theft will be dealt with severely. Parents/guardians will be responsible for paying for any damage or theft done to the building or school equipment by their student. People with any information about damage or theft done to the building or its contents should report it to the Head of School. Vandalism, the defacement/damage to or theft of another member of the Animas High School community’s personal possessions is also a violation of this code.

Students (and in lieu of the student, that student’s parent/guardian) are responsible for repairing and/or replacing any school resources they damage, break or lose. This includes but is not limited to technology, books, furniture and building fixtures. Animas High School is not responsible for damaged, stolen or misplaced personal property. It is our students’ responsibility to keep track of their personal belongings. The school will work to help retrieve any lost or stolen personal belongings but ultimately students and families take on full responsibility for any personal property brought to school.

Freedom of Speech

The US Supreme Court has called public schools a "marketplace of ideas" where the protections of the First Amendment are particularly important. "The vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools. " Shelton v Tucker, 364 U.S. 479, 487 (1960)

At the same time, the law is clear that a student's right to free speech is not unfettered and that the free speech/press protection does not prevent a school from imposing certain restrictions and/or imparting discipline for certain forms of speech that may be considered disruptive to the community, in violation of school policies and/or considered harassment, bullying, threats and/or intimidation. In short, Animas High School reserves the right to place reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on speech where the faculty and/or administration determine that such a restriction is appropriate.

Examples of student speech that may be restricted include:

speech which creates or threatens danger and/or unlawful acts
speech which threatens or presents a violation of AHS rules and standards of conduct
speech which creates or threatens a substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school
speech which impinges on the rights of others
vulgar, lewd, obscene, and plainly offensive speech or conduct

Self-Reporting

We value integrity, honesty and responsibility in our community. Students are strongly encouraged to self-report to AHS administration any significant issues that occur outside of school time, especially those that involve drug, alcohol or tobacco use or run-ins with the law. This allows us to provide informed support for our students as necessary.

Closed Campus

In order to provide a safe and secure school, Animas High School is a closed campus. Students are required to remain on campus--which consists of our two school buildings, the area immediately surrounding our buildings and the upper parking lot--from 8:25am to 3:25pm unless we have received permission from a parent/guardian to release them. The lower parking lot and the area west of the west amphitheatre are considered off campus. Seniors have open campus privileges and may leave campus at lunch or other times when they do not have classes or other on-campus responsibilities; juniors receive off-campus privileges one month before LINK Internships begin. Students may eat lunch in the Commons, in a supervised classroom or outside within campus boundaries. Students in 9th through 11th grade may leave campus during the day only if they are accompanied by an AHS teacher or if a staff member, parent or guardian has given permission.

Students are welcome on campus between 7:30am and 4:00pm on days when school is in session. After 4:00pm., students may be in the building if they are with a teacher or staff member. Once a student arrives on campus and until they leave in the afternoon, AHS assumes responsibility for their well-being and therefore, students are responsible for following school rules.

Attendance and Participation

The project-based nature of Animas High School makes daily attendance extremely important. Students must be on time and present for classes. The academic day starts at 8:25am and ends at 3:25pm. Significant absences, repeated unexcused absences or tardiness can lead to academic and/or disciplinary consequences. AHS requests that families schedule appointments, vacations or special programs so as not to conflict with school. In particular, the final two weeks of any semester are critical, as they culminate in the student exhibitions and presentations upon which faculty base their assessments.

Excused Absences

In the event of an unplanned absence (i.e., illness or emergency), a parent/guardian must call the main office or email mainoffice@animashighschool.com to inform the staff. If the school does not receive a call from a parent/guardian, the absence will be marked as unexcused. For any planned absence that is known ahead of time, students must complete a Pre-Excused Absence Form, have it signed by a parent/guardian and turn it in to the main office prior to the absence. These forms are available at the front desk. School staff will keep these forms on file for the duration of the school year to track excused absences for the student. Written permission or a phone call from a parent/guardian is required for students to leave school before the end of the day or during the school day.

Tardiness

Tardiness can be very disruptive for all involved. We ask that parents and students do all they can to avoid arriving late for the school day or late to a class. If a student will be late for school, a call or note from a parent/guardian is required for the tardy to be excused. Unexcused tardies are recorded in Infinite Campus. Students who arrive late to school or who are returning from a midday appointment must check in at the main office before they go to class.

Consequences for Unexcused Absences

Any student who has an excessive amount of absences in a semester will receive a consequence as determined by the administration.

When a student misses any class without an excuse from a parent:

1st time: main office emails home and informs teacher; teacher speaks with student to figure out why the student skipped class; teacher gives student “0” on any work s/he missed that day

2nd time: main office calls home and informs teacher and advisor; advisor speaks to student; teacher gives student “0” on any work s/he missed that day

3rd time: main office informs teacher, advisor, head of school and assistant head of school; assistant head of school emails parent; advisor conferences with student and parent. Consequences include but are not limited to work crew, mandatory office hours and other consequences that are appropriate for the individual situation.

When a student misses class (excused OR unexcused)

10 total absences (classes, not days): main office calls home home

20 total absences: school contacts home (i.e. Infinite Campus messenger)

30 total absences: school contacts home (i.e. Infinite Campus messenger)

40 total absences: advisor contacts home and documents

50 total absences: school counselor contacts home and documents

60 total absences: administration meets with student and parents, documenting detail of the meeting

70 total absences: administration creates attendance contract and contact La Plata Youth Services as the student is officially truant.

If a teacher feels as though an excessive amount of absences are occurring in their particular class, it is their discretion to start down this intervention path.

Any student who has missed four (4) days of school per month (28 classes) without any contact between their family and the school may be considered truant and subject to disciplinary proceedings. Any student who has missed ten (10) consecutive days of school, even with contact from their family to the school, may not be granted credit in courses in which the student is enrolled. In addition, such a student may be subject to disciplinary proceedings including suspension or expulsion.

In addition to individual classes, all students are expected to attend and participate in each of the following, barring pre-approved exceptions: Student-Led Conferences, Exhibitions, Presentations of Learning, Osprey Week, All School Meeting, Advisory Olympics and Advisory.

Visitors and Guests

Parents, guardians and community members are welcome and encouraged to visit Animas High School at any time. Please speak directly with our staff and administrative team to set up appointments with individuals directly. When you do come for a visit, please check in at the main office where you will be issued a visitor’s badge and a parking pass. Visitors must remember to sign out before leaving the school.

In general, Animas High School does not permit student visitors on campus unless they have set up a shadow day as part of considering enrollment or have been invited to participate in a specific class or activity. During lunch, student visitors will be allowed on campus at the discretion of the Head of School. Any student visitor must sign-in at the Main Office.

AHS students may invite non-AHS guests to AHS sponsored off-campus events. Each Osprey may bring one non-Osprey guest who attends a different high school and/or is under 21. When they arrive, the Osprey will sign in his/her guest with the staff member at the door. AHS students are responsible for the behavior of their guests and all attendees are expected to follow AHS rules, whether they attend AHS or not.

Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco

Students may not possess, use or be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on campus or at school-related functions off campus. Smoking and smoking materials--including but not limited to cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaporizer pens, e-hookahs, etc.--are not allowed on campus or in the lower parking lot. Animas High School students represent themselves and the Animas High School community at all times and should always keep this in mind when making choices or choosing behaviors outside of school hours. Issues related to student use, possession, and/or sale of drugs, alcohol, and/or tobacco occurring outside of school hours and school-sponsored functions must be reported to the Animas High School Head of School. If the school learns of an infraction by means other than a student’s own self report, Animas High School reserves the right to take further disciplinary action. If the student does self-report, Animas High School will work with that student to get whatever support, counseling, and/or treatment he/she needs. Animas High School will also work with the student and his/her family to address the impact his/her behavior has had on the Animas High School community. Animas High School reserves the right to impose disciplinary action on students for behaviors/infractions occurring outside school time.

Weapons

Students must never be in possession of a weapon at AHS, including knives, guns, clubs, etc. If a student mistakenly brings a weapon to campus, they must immediately take the item to the Main Office. Possession of a firearm at Animas High School will result in the following:

mandatory expulsion from school for a period of not less than 1 year
allowance by the Animas High School Board of Directors to modify the length/term of the expulsion on a case-by-case basis if such modification is in writing
mandatory referral to the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system (local law enforcement)

Gun-Free Schools Act definition of “Firearm” per 18 USC 921: Handguns, rifles or shotguns are specifically reported as these types of firearms on an annual basis to the Colorado Department of Education. “Other” firearms, in contrast to handgun, rifles, or shotguns, must also be reported. “Other firearms” must fit the definitions below in order to be accurately reported per the Gun-Free Schools Acts as firearms.

Note: This definition does not apply to items such as toy guns, cap guns, bb guns, pellet guns, and Class C common fireworks.

According to Section 921, the following are included within the definition:

any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of any explosive
the frame or receiver of any weapon described above
any firearm muffler or firearm silencer
any destructive device, which includes:

any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas
bomb,
grenade,
rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces,
missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce,
mine, or
similar device

any weapon which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, and which has any barrel with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter
any combination or parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into any destructive device described in the two immediately preceding examples, and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled

Search of Student Possessions

Animas High School reserves the right to examine and/or search all student possessions when, in the judgment of school administrators and officials, there is cause to believe that the student may be in possession of alcohol, drugs, weapons, stolen goods or any other materials that may be harmful or disruptive to the school community.

School Appropriate and Professional Dress

We value self-expression and have developed our dress code with the belief that it helps us create a professional, safe and respectful learning environment. The dress code applies to students and staff and is in effect during school hours on campus, field trips, site visits and other school-related activities. Appropriate attire for academic internships varies by workplace

No pictures or messages promoting discrimination, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sexual activity, profanity, violence or gang-related themes
Students may wear pants, dresses, skirts, sweatpants, leggings or shorts. Shirts must have fabric in the front, in the back and on the sides.
Teachers will let students know ahead of time when they will need to wear closed-toed shoes, otherwise open-toed shoes are allowed with the exception of flip-flops
Hats, hoods and sunglasses can be worn, but teachers may inform students that they must remove them during class

Students who are not meeting dress code expectations will be asked to remove or cover up the item, change into clothing provided by the school or have a parent bring something more appropriate from home.

Exhibitions, SLCs, POLs and some other school-related activities where students are presenting to community audiences require professional dress, which means that in addition to the guidelines described above, students must wear a button-down shirt and tie, shirt with finished neck, sweater or blouse; a nice pair of slacks (no jeans), skirt or dress; dark socks to match trousers and dress shoes (no sneakers, no excessively high heels). Faculty will remind students when there exists the expectation of professional dress and will assist students in planning for these experiences. Please communicate with an adult at school if procuring professional dress clothes is cost-prohibitive; we will find a way to help.

Senior Yearbook Photos

Seniors may choose their own photographer for senior photos in the AHS yearbook. However, any portrait intended for the yearbook must be submitted prior to the deadline as determined by the Animas High School yearbook staff, and is subject for review by the Animas High School yearbook staff and AHS administration. Requests for a new portrait may be made if the portrait is deemed sexually provocative, inappropriate or in violation of the Animas High School dress code, or if it is not in accordance with the ideals, values, or mission of Animas High School. Attire for senior portraits may include school issued athletic uniforms, formal wear (exhibition clothing, dresses for dances or other formal wear) and any clothing that follows the Animas High School dress code.

Technology and Personal Electronics

Students may use personal electronics, including cell phones, before/after school, at lunch or during class with permission from an AHS staff member. At all other times personal electronics must be stored in backpacks/bags and turned off; teachers may ask to collect phones during class.

Animas High School provides technology for the educational benefit of members of the community. When using personal electronics on campus, students must refrain from accessing any material/content that is inappropriate for school, including videos/pictures of a violent or sexual nature. Students may not play inappropriate video games (as determined by the Head of School) while on campus or at a school-sponsored event.

Animas High School uses a secured network consisting of firewalls and web filters. We filter content to keep students safe and on task. In addition, at AHS we share a limited bandwidth among all students and staff members. Certain categories of the internet including gaming, excessive downloading (including torrents) and live video streaming are strictly prohibited. Any tampering or use of services such as VPNs (virtual private networks) to interfere with or ignore our firewalls and web filters are strictly prohibited. Animas High School reserves the right to impose disciplinary action on students for behaviors/infractions pertaining to prohibited internet usage.

Each student at Animas High School is required to have a laptop computer for school as well as a USB thumb drive. As a college preparatory school, we put a strong emphasis on preparing our students to work effectively with a wide range of technology, especially personal computers. Using a phone or tablet to complete schoolwork is not an acceptable alternative to using a laptop computer. Students who have their own laptops should bring them to school. Students bringing computers and electronic devices to school do so at their own risk. The school and its administration will not accept responsibility for any loss, theft, or damage of any personal electronic device brought to school by any student. Further, the administration will not conduct any investigation or search for any electronic items missing or stolen from any student in school.

Students who do not own a laptop can borrow one for the school year from Animas High School. The school requires a $150 security deposit which will be refunded when the laptop is returned in satisfactory condition. We will work hard to ensure that this policy will not preclude anyone from attending or finding success at AHS. Families for whom this creates an economic hardship should speak with the AHS administration.

When Cultural Expectations Are Not Met

Disciplinary Action

If our Code of Academic Integrity and Community Code of Conduct are disregarded, it weakens our community and diminishes our educational experience. When students do not meet our cultural expectations, teachers, staff and administrators work with them to determine appropriate next steps. In all cases, it is important to us to treat individual students with respect, compassion and understanding, to consider the safety and wellbeing of our community and to find ways to address issues that are just, fair and equitable.

Animas High School staff is committed to creating a positive, safe culture. To that end, the following offenses are considered non-negotiable and will lead to a mandatory suspension and possible expulsion hearing:

possession of a weapon (e.g., firearms, knives or explosives).
unlawful possession, sale, or offer of any narcotic/controlled or illegal substance or possession of tobacco/smoking products including but not limited to vape pens or e-cigarettes.
bullying, fighting, or intentionally inflicting physical/emotional harm on another member of our community.

The purpose of disciplinary action at Animas High School is to ensure that individual students, their parents/guardians, and the Animas High School community stay focused on growth and learning while fostering a safe environment of tolerance and respect. Prompt resolution of the problem or issues is expected.

Types of response may include any one, a combination of, and/or all of the following in any order depending on the circumstances, and at the school administration's discretion:

a conversation about the impact of the student’s behavior and choices
verbal and/or written warning to the student
a meeting with administrators, faculty and/or staff
loss of privileges or removal from extracurricular activities
communication with the parent/guardian
counseling
a written commitment by the student to improve his/her behavior and/or performance
assigned lunch duty
restorative justice circle
other actions that the school may determine appropriate

academic consequences--infractions that are primarily academic in nature, such as non-participation in class or turning in an assignment late, may result in students receiving a lower grade or other academic consequences
suspension
expulsion

Disciplinary issues that result in suspension or expulsion, as well as incidents of academic dishonesty, will be reported to colleges when students apply as seniors.

Authority to Impose Suspensions and Expulsions

The Head of School or his/her designee has the authority to impose suspensions and expulsions. The Head of School or his/her designee will conduct an investigation of the circumstances presented, including consulting the student and affected parties. The Head of School or his/her designee will consider whether alternatives to suspension or expulsion may be appropriate.

The Head of School has the discretion and may impose a suspension directly if he/she determines it is appropriate. If the Head of School determines that a student is to be suspended, the Head of School shall provide written or verbal notice to the student's parents and/or guardians of his/her determination, including reasons for the suspension and the time period for the suspension. Academic make-up work is required.

If the Head of School determines that consideration of expulsion is warranted, the Head of School shall impose a suspension pending an expulsion hearing. The Head of School shall provide written notice to the student's parents/guardians of the reasons for suspension and explain the expulsion hearing process. The Head of School will hold an expulsion hearing in which a neutral third party shall serve as the hearing officer. The student shall have the right to representation and the right to present evidence at the expulsion hearing. The hearing officer will consider evidence and/or testimony as appropriate and will render a decision that shall be in the best interests of the student and the school.

If the Head of School determines that a student is to be expelled, the Head of School shall inform the student's parents and/or guardians of his/her determination in writing including the reasons for expulsion. The Head of School’s written notification to the parents/guardians shall also include information about due process rights in regard to the determination.

Right to Appeal Expulsion

The parents and/or guardians (or, if at least 18 years of age, the student) shall have ten (10) days from the Head of School’s written expulsion determination to submit a written request of appeal to the Animas High School’s Board of Directors.

In response to the written request for an appeal, the president of the board shall convene a committee consisting of the president of the Animas High School Board of Directors and two additional members of the Board of Directors appointed by the president. The committee members appointed will be knowledgeable about the school's reason(s) for expulsion and the procedures regarding expulsion. The committee shall have the right to rescind or modify the expulsion. The committee shall convene a hearing on the appeal within ten (10) days of receipt of a timely written request for an appeal.

At the hearing on the appeal, the student shall have the right to counsel and the right to present evidence; The evidence presented should not be different than what was presented or heard at the original expulsion hearing (from either the school or the student). No new findings should be heard. The decision should only be made on the original evidence presented. . The committee will consider evidence and/or testimony as appropriate and will render a written decision that shall be in the best interests of the student and the school. That decision shall be final.

PARENTS’ RIGHT TO KNOW

As a parent of a student at Animas, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teacher who instructs your child. This is a requirement for all districts that receive Title I funds. Federal law allows you to request certain information about your student’s classroom teacher. The law also requires the district to give you this information in a timely manner upon request. Listed below is the information about which you have the right to ask for regarding each of your student’s classroom teachers:

whether the Colorado Department of Education has licensed or endorsed your student’s teacher for the grades and subjects taught.
whether CDE has decided that your student’s teacher can teach in a classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special circumstances.
the teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees, and, if so, the subject of the degrees.
whether any teachers’ aides or similar paraeducators provide services to your child and, if they do, their qualifications.

Please contact Christine Imming, Director of Finance and Human Resources, at christine.imming@animashighschool.com if you would like to receive any of this information.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and those students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student's “education records.” Under Colorado law, the time for a response to a request for records is generally three business days. Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect to the Head of School.
The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Parents or eligible students who wish to ask to amend their child’s or their education record should write the Head of School, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
The right not to have records disclosed without consent if the record includes personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except in those cases in which FERPA permits disclosure without consent. School officials with legitimate educational interests may access the records as needed, without consent. Such official include school employees, board members, volunteers, contractors or consultants and, certain officials of the school’s authorizer, the Charter School Institute (CSI). In the case of volunteers, contractors, or consultants this must be a person who performs a service or function for which the school could use its own employees and who is under control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records. This may include a professional employed by the schools (such as an attorney or therapist) or a person who is assisting a school employee in fulfilling their responsibilities. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her assigned responsibility.

The School may also disclose educational records without consent in over a dozen other specific circumstances identified in the regulations implementing FERPA. These include, with certain requirements, such cases as health and safety emergencies and responding to judicial subpoenas. For more details refer to section 99.31 of the regulations: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/pdf/2012-final-regs.pdf

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and Colorado law afford parents of elementary and secondary students certain rights regarding the conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams. These include, but are not limited to, the right to:

Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas:

Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
Sex behavior or attitudes;
Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or
Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility, or social security number.

Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of such surveys and:

Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others. (This does not apply to the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for the exclusive purpose of developing, evaluating, or providing educational products or services for, or to, students or educational institutions.)

Inspect, upon request and in a timely manner:

Surveys of students covered by the PPRA;
Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under state law.

Should the School undertake a survey or activity covered by PPRA, it will provide appropriate advance notice and opportunity to opt out, as required by law, at that time. The School may unilaterally undertake formal threat assessments or suicide assessments, report suspected child abuse or neglect, perform routine health screening required by law, administer educational exams, and allow journalism students to conduct surveys under teacher supervision.

Violations of FERPA or PPRA

If you believe FERPA or PPRA have been violated you are, of course, welcome to bring this to the School’s attention. You also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA and PPRA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202

FERPA Notice and Consent for Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Animas High School, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, Animas High School may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the Animas High School to the contrary in accordance with Animas High School procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow Animas High School to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;
The annual yearbook;
Honor roll or other recognition lists;
Graduation programs; and
Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [Note: These laws are Section 9528 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. § 7908) and 10 U.S.C. § 503(c).]

If you do not want Animas High School to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the Animas High School in writing by September 1st or within 2 weeks of enrollment. Animas High School has designated the following information as directory information:

Student's name
Telephone listing
Electronic mail address
Photograph
Dates of attendance
Grade level
The most recent educational agency or institution attended
Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user
A student ID number or other unique personal identifier that is displayed on a student ID badge, but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user's identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user.

Parent Notification of Employee Conduct Policy

The Animas High School Board of Directors (“the Board”) is committed to maintaining a professional workforce whose conduct conveys respect for themselves, their peers, our students, and the greater community we serve. While federal and state laws, regulations and other district policies impose expectations of staff and prohibitions on their actions, the purpose of this policy is to ensure timely notification to parents of students when the school learns that an employee has been convicted of certain felony crimes.

The Colorado legislature has provided a list of disqualifying offenses that it determined pose a risk to the educational setting. Animas High School recognizes that employees accused of committing these offenses are presumed innocent until proven guilty, but Animas High School understands and respects that these charges can be very concerning to our students and families. Consequently, when Animas High School receives notice that a current or former employee has been charged or convicted of any of the statutory enumerated offenses, Animas High School will provide parents and guardians information regarding the charge or conviction. Animas High School may partner with relevant law enforcement agencies to determine what information should be included in the notice regarding the charge or conviction.

Additionally, when Animas High School receives notice that an employee has been charged with one of these offenses and the underlying allegation implicates or poses an ongoing risk to students, Animas High School will place the employee on administrative leave. In accordance with state law, all employees convicted of one of these enumerated offenses will immediately be disqualified from continued employment.

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) "Employee” means an employee of the school [TK3] whose employment requires or required the employee to be in contact with students or whose work area gives or gave the employee access to students. “Employee” includes a former employee if the individual was employed by the school at any time within 12 months before an offense is charged. If a school has contracted with a private entity to operate an online school, the employee of the private entity is deemed to be an employee of the school.

“Parent” means the biological or adoptive parent or the legal guardian or legal custodian of a student enrolled in a school at the time notification is made.

School’s Responsibility to Monitor Criminal Proceedings

School routinely receives reports from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (“CBI”) relating to employees who have previously been subject to a background check.

If Animas High School receives a report from the CBI that includes information that an employee has been arrested for any of the crimes listed below, the school shall monitor[TK4] the criminal proceedings to determine whether the employee is charged with an offense listed below and whether a preliminary hearing has been held if the charge is eligible for a preliminary hearing.

In addition, any time Animas High School finds good cause to believe that an employee has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, other than a misdemeanor traffic offense or traffic infraction subsequent to such employment, Animas High School shall require the person to submit a complete set of his or her fingerprints for a fingerprint-based criminal history record check.

Crimes that require further monitoring and potential notification to parents are:

Felony child abuse;
A crime of violence, not including assault in the second degree unless the victim is a child;
A felony offense involving unlawful sexual behavior;
A felony, where it is alleged that the underlying factual basis of which includes an act of domestic violence;
Felony indecent exposure; or
A felony drug offense that is a Level 1 or Level 2 drug felony.

Notification Procedure

Within two school days after the preliminary hearing is held, waived or deemed waived by the employee, or within two school days after the date on which the employee is charged if the charged offense is not eligible for a preliminary hearing, the school shall provide notice to parents.

Notice should be sent to parents of all students who:

Were enrolled in the school in which the employee is employed or was employed at the time of the alleged offense; or
The school has reason to believe that the employee may have had contact with the student as part of the employee’s employment with the school.

The notification shall contain:

The name of the employee;
The employee’s position;
Whether the employee continues to be employed by the local education provider;
The length of employment with the school
The alleged offense as set forth in the charging document, including the violation of statute or code; and
A statement that, under state and federal law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

If a school has already provided notice to parents about the employee’s charge which substantially conforms with these notice requirements, the school need not provide additional notice of the charge.

A second notification is required within two school days after the school confirms the disposition, or outcome of the charge. The disposition notification shall provide notice to parents of the disposition of the charge and shall be in the same manner as the original notification.

Additional Parameters

Notifications shall be in the same manner by which the school notifies parents of important school business, which may include email, other electronic communication, or by first-class mail.

The school may provide additional information to parents regarding the underling facts or circumstances relating to the charge but shall not disclose the identity of the alleged victim.

Parental notification may be delayed if requested by law enforcement.

Notification must be sent regardless of whether or not the circumstances of the charge occurred when the employee was off duty.

Notification When School is Out of Session

The duty to notify parents of qualifying charges and convictions against employees continues while school is out of session. Accordingly, [INSERT 1-2 RELEVANT INDIVIDUALS AT Animas High School shall continue to monitor CBI reports and criminal proceedings during scheduled breaks to ensure notification requirements are met.

Reporting to CDE and CSI

If an employee of the school is dismissed or resigns because of an allegation of any one of these enumerated crimes, and such allegation is supported by a preponderance of the evidence, the Board shall notify the Colorado Department of Education (“CDE”) and the Colorado Charter School Institute (“CSI”). The Board shall provide any information requested by CDE or CSI concerning the circumstances of the dismissal or resignation. The school shall notify the employee that information concerning the employee’s dismissal or resignation is being forwarded to CDE and CSI unless the notice would conflict with the confidentiality requirements of the “Child Protection Act of 1987”, part 3 of article 3 of title 19, C.R.S.

If Animas High School learns from a source that a current tor past employee of the school has been convicted of, pled guilty to, pled no contest, or has received a deferred sentence or deferred prosecution for any of the above enumerated crimes, the school shall notify CDE and CSI.

Safe School Plan

This policy is incorporated into Animas High School’s Safe School Plan.

Adopted: 9/27/2018

References:

C.R.S. 22-1-130 (Notice to parents of alleged criminal conduct by school employees – legislative declaration – definitions)

C.R.S. 22-30.5-110.5 (information provided to department)

C.R.S. 22-30.5-511.5 (Background investigations – prohibition against employing persons – institute charter school employees’ information provided to department)

C.R.S. 22-32-109.8(6.5) (Prohibition against employing persons)

Restraint and Seclusion Policy

To maintain a safe learning environment, school employees may, within the scope of their employment and consistent with state law, use physical intervention and restraint with students in accordance with this policy and accompanying regulation. Such actions shall not be considered child abuse or corporal punishment if performed in good faith and in compliance with this policy and accompanying regulation. This policy applies to incidents that occur on school property or at an off-campus, school-sponsored event or activity.

A. Definitions

In accordance with state law and the State Board of Education rules governing the Administration of the Protection of Persons from Restraint Act (1 CCR 301-45), the following definitions apply for purposes of this policy.

“Deadly Weapon” means a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded; a knife, bludgeon, or any other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, that, in the manner it is used or intended to be used, is capable of producing death or serious bodily injury.
"Restraint" means any method or device used to involuntarily limit freedom of movement, including but not limited to bodily physical force, mechanical devices, chemicals, and seclusion.

"Chemical restraint" means administering medication to a student (including medications prescribed by the student's physician) on an as needed basis for the sole purpose of involuntarily limiting the student's freedom of movement. "Chemical restraint" does not include:

Prescription medication that is regularly administered to the student for medical reasons other than to restrain the student's freedom of movement (e.g. Asthma-cort, medications used to treat mood disorders or ADHD, Glucagon); or
The administration of medication for voluntary or life-saving medical procedures (e.g. EpiPens, Diastat).

"Mechanical restraint" means a physical device used to involuntarily restrict the movement of a student or the movement or normal function of the student's body. “Mechanical restraint” does not include:

Devices recommended by a physician, occupational therapist or physical therapist and agreed to by a student's IEP team or Section 504 team and used in accordance with the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan;
Protective devices such as helmets, mitts, and similar devices used to prevent self-injury and in accordance with a student's IEP or Section 504 plan; or
Adaptive devices to facilitate instruction or therapy and used as recommended by an occupational therapist or physical therapist, and consistent with a student's IEP or Section 504 plan; or
Positioning or securing devices used to allow treatment of a student's medical needs.

"Physical restraint" means the use of bodily, physical force to involuntarily limit an individual's freedom of movement. "Physical restraint" does not include:

Holding of a student for less than five minutes by a staff person for the protection of the student or others;
Brief holding of a student by one adult for the purpose of calming or comforting the student;
Minimal physical contact for the purpose of safely escorting a student from one area to another; or
Minimal physical contact for the purpose of assisting the student in completing a task or response.

“Prone restraint” means a restraint in which the student being restrained is secured in a prone (i.e., face-down) position.

"Seclusion" means the placement of a student alone in a room from which egress is involuntarily prevented. "Seclusion" does not mean:

Placement of a student in residential services in the student's room for the night; or
“Time-out”, which is the removal of a student from potentially rewarding people or situations. A time-out is not used primarily to confine the student, but to limit accessibility to reinforcement. In time-out, the student is not physically prevented from leaving the designated time-out area and is effectively monitored by staff.

"Emergency" means serious, probable, imminent threat of bodily injury to self or others with the present ability to effect such bodily injury. Emergency includes situations in which the student creates such a threat by abusing or destroying property.
"Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical or mental condition as defined in C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(c).
"Parent" shall be as defined by 1 CCR 301-45.

B. Applicability

The requirements of this policy shall apply to all school personnel, before and after school providers, and any public or private entities with which the School contracts during any and all educational programs, activities, or events provided, supervised, or sponsored by the School, including off-campus school-sponsored events.

C. Basis for Use of Restraint

Restraints shall only be used:

In an emergency and with extreme caution; and
After:

The failure of less restrictive alternatives (such as Positive Behavior Supports, constructive and non-physical de-escalation, and re-structuring the environment); or
A determination that such alternatives would be inappropriate or ineffective under the circumstances.

Restraints shall never be used as a punitive form of discipline or as a threat to gain control or gain compliance of a student's behavior.
School personnel or contracted personnel shall:

Use restraints only for the period of time necessary and using no more force than necessary; and
Prioritize the prevention of harm to the student.

D. Duties Related to the Use of Restraint – General Requirements

When restraints are used, the School shall ensure that:

No restraint is administered in such a way that the student is inhibited or impeded from breathing or communicating;
No restraint is administered in such a way that places excess pressure on the student's chest, back, or causes positional asphyxia;
Restraints are only administered by school personnel who have received training in accordance with 1 CCR 301-45;
Opportunities to have the restraint removed are provided to the student who indicates he/she is willing to cease the violent or dangerous behavior;
When it is determined by trained school personnel that the restraint is no longer necessary to protect the student or others (i.e. the emergency no longer exists), the restraint shall be removed. In the case of seclusion, staff must reintegrate the student or clearly communicate to the student that the student is free to leave the area used to seclude the student; and
The student is reasonably monitored to ensure the student's physical safety.

E. Proper Administration of Specific Restraints

Chemical Restraints shall not be used.
Mechanical and Prone Restraints shall not be used, except where:

The student is openly displaying a deadly weapon;
When used by an armed security officer who has received documented training in defensive tactics utilizing handcuffing procedures and restraint tactics utilizing prone holds and who has made a referral to a law enforcement agency.

Physical Restraint shall only be used in accordance with the following:

A person administering the physical restraint shall only use the amount of force necessary to stop the dangerous or violent actions of the student;
A restrained student shall be continuously monitored to ensure that the breathing of the student in such physical restraint is not compromised; and
A student shall be released from physical restraint within fifteen minutes after the initiation of the restraint, except when precluded for safety reasons.

Seclusion shall only be used in accordance with the following;

Relief periods from seclusion shall be provided for reasonable access to toilet facilities;
Any space in which a student is secluded shall have adequate lighting, ventilation and size; and
To the extent possible under the specific circumstances, the space should be free of injurious items.

F. Notification Requirements

If there is a reasonable probability that restraint might be used with a particular student, designated appropriate school personnel [TK1] shall notify, in writing, the student's parents, and, if appropriate, the student of:

The restraint procedures (including types of restraints) that might be used;
Specific circumstances in which restraint might be used; and
Staff involved.

For students with disabilities, if the parents request a meeting with school personnel to discuss the notification, school personnel shall ensure that the meeting is convened.
The required notification may occur at the meeting where the student's behavior plan or IEP is developed/reviewed.

G. Documentation Requirements

If restraints are used by any school personnel or contracted personnel, a written report shall be submitted within one school day to school administration.
The school principal or designee shall verbally notify the parents as soon as possible but no later than the end of the school day that the restraint was used.
A written report based on the findings of the staff review required by paragraph H. below shall be e-mailed or mailed to the student's parent within five calendar days of the use of restraint. The written report of the use of restraint shall include:

The antecedent to the student's behavior if known;
A description of the incident;
Efforts made to de-escalate the situation;
Alternatives that were attempted;
The type and duration of the restraint used;
Injuries that occurred, if any; and
The staff present and staff involved in administering the restraint.

A copy of the written report on the use of restraint shall be placed in the student’s confidential file.

H. Review of Specific Incidents of Restraint

Animas High School shall ensure that a review process is established and conducted for each incident of restraint used. The purpose of this review shall be to ascertain that appropriate procedures were followed and to minimize future use of restraint.
The review shall include, but is not limited to:

Staff review of the incident;
Follow up communication with the student and the student's family;
Review of the documentation to ensure use of alternative strategies; and
Recommendations for adjustment of procedures, if appropriate.

3. If requested by the School or the student's parents, the School shall convene a meeting to review the incident. For students with IEPs or Section 504 plans, such review may occur through the IEP or Section 504 process.

I. General Review Process

Animas High School shall ensure that a general review process is established, conducted and documented in writing at least annually. The purpose of the general review is to ascertain that the School is properly administering restraint, identifying additional training needs, minimizing and preventing the use of restraint by increasing the use of positive behavior interventions, and reducing the incidence of injury to students and staff.
The review shall include, but is not limited to:

Analysis of incident reports, including all reports prepared pursuant to paragraphs G.1 and G.3 above and including, but not limited to, procedures used during the restraint, preventative or alternative techniques tried, documentation, and follow up;
Training needs of staff;
Staff to student ratio; and
Environmental conditions, including physical space, student seating arrangements and noise levels.

J. Staff Training

Animas High School shall ensure that staff utilizing restraints are trained in accordance with 1 CCR 301-45.
Training shall include:

A continuum of prevention techniques;
Environmental management;
A continuum of de-escalation techniques;
Nationally recognized physical management and restraint practices, including, but not limited to, techniques that allow restraint in an upright or sitting position and information about the dangers created by prone restraint;
Methods to explain the use of restraint to the student who is to be restrained and to the student's family; and
Appropriate documentation and notification procedures.

Retraining shall occur at a frequency of at least every two years.

K. Exceptions

The prohibition on the use of mechanical or prone restraints in this policy and accompanying regulation shall not apply to:

Certified peace officers or armed security offers working in a school and who meet the legal requirements of C.R.S. § 26-20-111(3); and
When the student is openly displaying a deadly weapon, as defined in C.R.S. § 18-1- 901(3)(e).

L. Complaints

A student or a parent or legal guardian may file a complaint about the use of restraint or seclusion used by an employee or volunteer of the School utilizing the School’s Grievance Policy and/or the state complaint procedures established pursuant to 1 CCR 301-45.

Adopted: 9/27/2018

LEGAL REFS.:

C.R.S. § 18-1-703 (use of physical force by those supervising minors)

C.R.S. § 18-1-901(3)(e)(definition of a deadly weapon)

C.R.S. § 18-6-401 (1) (definition of child abuse)

C.R.S. § 19-1-103 (1) (definition of abuse and neglect)

C.R.S. § 22-32-109.1 (2)(a) (adoption and enforcement of discipline code)

C.R.S. § 22-32-109.1 (2)(a)(I)(D) (policy required as part of safe schools plan)

C.R.S. § 22-32-109.1 (2)(a)(I)(L) (policies for use of restraint and seclusion on students and information on process for filing a complaint regarding the use of restraint or seclusion shall be included in student conduct and discipline code)

C.R.S. § 22-32-109.1 (9) (immunity provisions in safe schools law)

C.R.S. § 22-32-147 (use of restraints on students)

C.R.S. § 26-20-101 et seq. (Protection of Persons from Restraint Act)

1 CCR 301-45 (State Board of Education rules for the Administration of the Protection of Persons from Restraint Act)

Cora Requests Policy

This regulation applies to all requests submitted pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-72-201 et seq., to inspect public records in the custody or control of Animas High School . Animas High School is committed to the guiding principles of openness, transparency, accountability and responsiveness.

This policy is intended to balance the demands of the Colorado Open Records Act and Animas High School’s obligations as a public school within the State of Colorado.

Protocols for Requests

Before making a request for records pursuant to this policy, requesters should refer to the school’s website, [animashighschool.com] to see if the information sought is posted and already publicly available. If there are any questions regarding what type of information is posted on Animas High School’s website, or the posting schedule, please contact Sean Woytek.

Requests for records:

Animas High School is required to produce records in response to qualifying requests made pursuant to CORA. Animas High School strives to be as transparent as possible; however, not all documents maintained by the school are available for public inspection. Some documents must be kept confidential to respect the privacy of students and families or otherwise comply with relevant laws.

For the fastest and best response, requesters should avoid vaguely worded inquiries. Each request must be as specific, clear, and narrow as possible. Requests should include:

Subject matter, in the most descriptive terms possible;
Date range for search;
Types of documents to be searched (emails, written documents, reports, etc.);
Names of persons who you believe created the records, are in possession of the records, are the subject of the records, or transmitted the records;
Other information that will help the school provide the correct records; and
Contact information of the requester.

A statement explaining the requester’s reason for making the request is helpful for Animas High School to fulfill the request, but not required.

If a request fails to meet these guidelines, the school may be unable to fulfill the request. If more information is needed to process the request, Animas High School will make reasonable efforts to contact the requester at the contact information provided within the timeframe for responding to the request.

Requests to inspect public records must be in writing to the Custodian of Records. Requests may be mailed or faxed to :

Sean Woytek

271 Twin Buttes Avenue, Durango Colorado 81301

Fax Number: (970) 247-2483

**As a general matter, the school will neither accept nor respond to requests for public records that are submitted via email. The reason for this rule is that, due to the school’s spam filters and staff turnover resulting in inactive or incorrect email information, the school cannot guarantee that such requests will be received. Requests to inspect public records may not be made by phone.

Public records not subject to disclosure

The school is prohibited by law from disclosing certain confidential records. Additionally, some records are not subject to disclosure because they are privileged under the law.

Below are examples of records generally not subject to disclosure. For a full list of records not public, please see C.R.S. 24-72-202 – 204.

Records generally not subject to disclosure include, but are not limited to:

Addresses and telephone numbers of students

Pursuant to FERPA, the school may not be permitted to release directory information

Personnel files which includes home addresses, telephone numbers, financial information, and other information maintained because of the employer-employee relationship [BM9]

Personnel files may not include applications of past or current employees, employment agreements, any amount paid or benefit provided incident to termination of employment, performance ratings , or any compensation, including expense allowances and benefits, paid to employees by the state, its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions.
NOTE: While some personnel files may be disclosed, the school must still redact personally identifying information like home addresses or social security numbers that may be included.

Proprietary information including trade secrets and privileged information.
Specialized details of security procedures/arrangements or investigatory files compiled for any law enforcement purpose
Certain medical, mental health, sociological, and scholastic achievement data, and electronic health records on individual persons
Attorney-client privileged information
Other records required by federal or state law and/or regulations or judicial decisions to remain confidential and/or not subject to disclosure

Sometimes the records requested do not exist. CORA is not a record retention statute and the school is not obligated to create records that do not exist or maintain records outside of relevant legal guidelines or school’s policy on records retention.

General questions and requests for information

As described above, not all information constitutes a public record for purposes of a CORA request. General questions and requests for information that are not submitted in writing pursuant to this policy are not requests for “public records” as defined by the law. Therefore, the school is not required to respond to them according to CORA’s specifications. Although it is not required, the school may respond to all such questions and requests for information.

Responses to Requests

Time for response to records requests shall be as follows:

The normal time for production shall be three (3) working days, beginning on the first business day after the request is received.
Such period may be extended upon determination by the SCHOOL that extenuating circumstances exist. Such period of extension shall not normally exceed seven (7) working days. The requestor shall be notified of the extension within the three-day period.

Requests to inspect records will not take priority over the regular work activities of school’s employees.

Charges for copies of requested records shall be as follows:

The normal cost for requested documents shall be $.25 per page or, for documents in non-standard formats, the actual duplication costs.
Animas High School may charge a research and retrieval fee based on the actual cost of responding to the request; provided, however, that the hourly rate for employee time is[BM11] $30 per hour, and there shall be no charge for the first hour of employee time. If the custodian charges research and retrieval fees under this paragraph, copying shall be charged at a rate of $.15 per page.
Payment must be received prior to the requestor receiving copies.

If charges are expected to exceed $25, Animas High School will provide the requestor with an estimate of the cost of responding prior to responding and may require a deposit. If the requestor wishes to proceed once receiving an estimate, he or she must respond in writing. By responding in writing, the requestor agrees to pay all fees associated with responding to the request. The time between the date of the custodian’s estimate and the receipt by the custodian of a written response to proceed will not be counted against the time period set forth above for responding to the CORA request.

If a requestor wishes to inspect available records in advance of receiving copies, such inspection shall be by appointment only during normal working hours. Such inspection must be supervised by a school representative and the requestor may be charged for any employee time exceeding one hour associated with such inspection.

Manipulation of Records

Animas High School may manipulate existing records to redact or exclude information not subject to disclosure or, at its sole discretion, create a new record in order to respond to a request. If the school is required to manipulate data to generate the record, the school may charge an hourly fee that applies in the same manner as the research or retrieval of records.

Generally, if a public record is stored in a digital format, it should be provided in that format to the requester, including any searchable or sortable functions unless doing so would violate a copyright or licensing agreement, result in the release of a third party’s proprietary information, or if it is not feasible to permanently remove any information that is excluded from the request without need for additional software or programming. The actual costs of manipulating such data and generating such records will be assessed. This may include the hourly fee that applies to research and retrieval as well as any additional actual costs, such as a fee equal to the incremental costs of maintaining a computer database or running a computer program used to analyze or compile data into a single report.

For questions related to CORA requests please contact: Sean Woytek at 970-247-2474 or sean.woytek@animashighschool.com

Address all CORA requests to: Sean Woytek, sean.woytek@animashighschool.com

Assessment and Parent Refusal Policy

We recognize that some families have strong feelings about standardized testing and choose to opt out of them. It’s important to understand the impact of opting out of standardized tests.

Many colleges rely on the SAT and/or ACT scores in determining college admission, though some do not. For students, taking the tests that lead up to the SAT can help improve their performance and scores, as they become more familiar with the format and practice the skill of test taking. You can view a list of over 1000 colleges that are test-optional in their admissions process here.

Also, when we are evaluated, as a school, by our authorizer--the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI)--and the by the Colorado Department of Education, student test scores are a key data point. Having all students participate in standardized testing gives us the most accurate picture of our data.

That said, we also want to be clear that no students or family will face negative consequences from the school for opting out of state assessments. We recognize and respect that this is a decision you will each make individually, and only ask that you make an informed choice.

If you do choose to opt out, please submit a letter expressing your decision to the Main Office, signed by a parent/guardian. Parent refusal notices will be gathered and maintained by Libby Cowles, Assistant Head of School.

We will keep you posted if we make any changes or additions to the testing schedule outlined here. As always, please don’t hesitate to share your questions, thoughts and concerns with us.

The CMAS will be administered online rather than with pencil and paper; we have determined, in consultation with staff and parents, that this is the most efficient and effective method and the AHS Board of Directors has approved this decision. ACCESS is only available as an online assessment. The PSAT8/9, PSAT10, PSAT/NMSQT and SAT will be administered using pencil and paper. There is no cost to families for any of these tests, with the exception of sophomores who choose to take the PSAT/NMSQT on October 16. All tests listed above will be administered during regular school hours on campus.

HEALTH POLICIES

Required Immunizations

Colorado law requires students who attend a public, private or parochial kindergarten - 12th grade school to be vaccinated against many of the diseases vaccines can prevent. Please review information from the Colorado Department of Public Health here to learn more.

Medical Marijuana Policy

The Animas High School Board of Directors (“the Board”) strives to honor families’ private medical decisions while ensuring a learning environment free of disruption. To accomplish these goals, Animas High School restricts the administration of medications, including medical marijuana, unless administration cannot reasonably be accomplished outside of school hours.

Administration of medical marijuana to qualified students shall be in accordance with this policy and state law (C.R.S. 22-1-119.3). Administration of all other prescription and nonprescription medications to students shall be in accordance with applicable law and Animas High School’s policy concerning the administration of medications to students.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:

1. “Designated location” means a location identified in writing by the Head of School in his or her sole discretion and may include a location on the grounds of the school in which the student is enrolled in Colorado or on other school property[BM1] .

2. “Permissible form of medical marijuana” means non-smokeable products such as oils, patches, tinctures, edible products or lotions that can be administered and fully ingested or absorbed in a short period of time.

3. “Parent or legal guardian” means the qualified student’s parent, guardian or primary caregiver that is identified on the student’s Registry identification card (as defined in Article XVIII, Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution). In no event shall another student be recognized as a primary caregiver. Any primary caregiver seeking access to the school or school property or school-sponsored event for purposes of this policy must comply with the Board’s policy and/or procedures concerning visitors to schools and all other applicable policies.

4. “Qualified student” means a student who holds a valid registration from the state of Colorado (license issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) for the use of medical marijuana and for whom the administration of medical marijuana cannot reasonably be accomplished outside of school hours as evidenced by a written recommendation signed by the student’s physician. The Valid Registration from CDPHE must be non-expired and be replaced prior to expiration date to allow for non interrupted administration.

Permissible Administration of Medical Marijuana to a Qualified Student by a Parent or Legal Guardian

A qualified student's parent or legal guardian may administer a permissible form of medical marijuana to a qualified student in a designated location on school grounds or at a school sponsored field trip, only IF all of the following parameters are met:

1. The qualified student’s parent or legal guardian provides the school with a copy of the student’s valid registration from the state of Colorado in advance of requesting authorization to administration of medical marijuana pursuant to this policy.

2. The qualified student’s parent or guardian signs a written acknowledgement assuming all responsibility for the provision, maintenance, and use of medical marijuana under state law, and releases the school from liability for any injury that occurs pursuant to this policy.

3. The Qualified student’s parent or legal guardian provides the school with a written recommendation from the student’s physician that details the purpose, form of medical marijuana recommended, dosage, frequency, and length of time between doses for the administration of the non smokable medical marijuana.

4. Animas High School determines, in its sole discretion, that a location and a method of administration of a permissible form of medical marijuana are available that do not create risk of disruption to the educational environment or exposure to other students.

5. After administering the permissible form of medical marijuana to the qualified student, the student’s parent or legal guardian shall remove any remaining medical marijuana from the grounds of a school.

6. Animas High School prepares, with the input of the qualified student’s parent and legal guardian and Head of School or his/her designee, a written plan that identifies the form, designated location(s), and any protocol regarding administration of a permissible form of medical marijuana to the qualified student. The written plan shall be signed by the school principal or his or her designee, the qualified student (if capable), and the parent or legal guardian. [BM2]

Additional parameters

No school personnel will be required to administer medical marijuana to qualified students.

AHS is Exempting from administration of medical marijuana to a qualified student by school personnel due to the current conflicts with Federal law on this matter.

This policy conveys no right to any student or to the student’s parents/guardians or other primary caregiver to demand access to any general or particular location on school property, or at a school-sponsored event to administer medical marijuana.

This policy shall not apply to school grounds or school-sponsored events located on federal property or any other location that prohibits marijuana on its property.

A qualified student’s parent or legal guardian may be permitted to attend a field trip for the purpose of administering medical marijuana IF located within the state of Colorado, not on federal property or any other location that prohibits marijuana on its property. The qualified student’s parent or legal guardian is responsible for determining, in advance, that the location of the trip is not prohibitive. The qualified student’s parent or legal guardian is responsible for transporting, storing, administering, and ensuring all laws are properly followed. Other students will not be permitted to travel with a parent or legal guardian transporting medical marijuana.

Medical Marijuana is not permitted to be administered on school designated transportation.

Permission to administer medical marijuana to a qualified student may be limited or revoked if the qualified student and/or the student’s primary caregiver violates this policy, demonstrates an inability to responsibly follow this policy’s parameters, or if the administration of medical marijuana creates a disruption to the educational environment or causes exposure to other students.

Student possession, use, distribution, sale or being under the influence of marijuana inconsistent with this policy may be considered a violation of Animas High School’s policy concerning drug and alcohol involvement by students or other Animas High School policy and may subject the student to disciplinary consequences, including suspension and/or expulsion, in accordance with applicable Animas High School policy.

If the federal government indicates that Animas High School’s federal funds are jeopardized by this policy, the Board declares that this policy shall be suspended immediately and that the administration of any form of medical marijuana to qualified students on school property or at a school-sponsored event shall not be permitted. Animas High School shall post notice of such policy suspension and prohibition in a conspicuous place on its website.

Adopted: December 19, 2018

LEGAL REFS.:

Colo. Const. Art. XVIII, Section 14 (establishing qualifications for use of medical marijuana)

C.R.S. 22-1-119.3 (3)(c), (d) (no student possession or self-administration of medical marijuana, but school districts must permit the student’s primary caregiver to administer medical marijuana to the student on school grounds, on a school bus or at a school-sponsored event)

C.R.S. 22-1-119.3 (3)(d)(III) (board may adopt policies regarding who may act as a primary caregiver and to establish reasonable parameters on the administration and use of medical marijuana on school grounds, on a school bus or at a school-sponsored event)

C.R.S. 22-1-119.3 (medical marijuana will not be administered to a student by either a primary caregiver or school personnel unless a written plan for the administration of medical marijuana is agreed to and signed by the school principal or his or her designee and a parent or legal guardian)

[BM1]Note that any of these locations are considered “school property” and medical marijuana may be administered there.

[BM2]This is only required in 1286, however it is likely prudent to include a signed written plan for when a parent is administering.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS

Animas High School recognizes that even in an organizations with excellent communication processes that grievances may arise. In the event that these issues arise, parents and staff are encouraged to use the following process to address a grievance. Throughout this process, AHS expects all adults to be models of good character, even if the circumstances are difficult. If any step of this policy would require you to report a concern with discriminatory harassment to the person you believe is engaged in harassment, you can skip that step and go to the next step.

NOTE: A grievant is not required to address the issue with the person directly involved if the grievant is alleging harassment or discrimination. In case of grievances relating to allegations of harassment or discrimination, please see the school’s Respect for Self, Others and the School Community available in the Animas High School Student and Family Handbook

Level 1:Individual Staff Member If your child is or you are experiencing a problem in the school environment, contact the staff member with whom the issue pertains. Work together to develop a solution for, or awareness of, the issue.

Level 2: Assistant Head of School If this communication with the staff member does not resolve the problem, arrange for a meeting with the Assistant Head of School (AHOS). The AHOS will work toward finding a solution for all parties involved and will document this meeting with the following information: date of meeting, persons present, concern, points of agreement/disagreement, resolution/impasse. The AHOS will have 7 days to return communication and 7 additional days to receive the communication back. If no communication has been received from the parent/student/staff member after 14 days, then the issues will be assumed to be resolved.

The complaint shall be in writing and shall detail (i) the date of the incident (if applicable); (ii) the School staff member involved; (iii) a description of the incident, decision, or practice that gave rise to the issue; (iv) the conflict resolution strategies that have been attempted thus far; and (v) the grievant’s requested resolution. Within five calendar days from the date on which the written statement was received, the AHOS will either issue a written response to the grievant or contact the grievant to schedule a time to discuss the issue.

Level 3: Head of School If there are still points that cannot be resolved with the meeting with the AHOS, you may request a meeting with the Head of School (HOS) through completion of a Conflict Resolution Form (which can be obtained at the front office). All documentation will be forwarded to the HOS upon this request. The HOS will use the Conflict Resolution Form and AHOS documentation to work toward resolution. The HOS will have 7 days to return communication and 7 additional days to receive the communication back. If no communication has been received from the parent/student/staff member after 14 days, then the issues will be assumed to be resolved.

The complaint shall be in writing and shall detail (i) the date of the incident (if applicable); (ii) the School staff member involved; (iii) a description of the incident, decision, or practice that gave rise to the issue; (iv) the conflict resolution strategies that have been attempted thus far; and (v) the grievant’s requested resolution. Within five calendar days from the date on which the written statement was received, the HOS will either issue a written response to the grievant or contact the grievant to schedule a time to discuss the issue.

Level 4: Conflict Resolution Committee In the event that resolution is not achieved at Level 3, you may request a meeting with the Conflict Resolution Committee (CRC) comprised of two board members in an effort to find resolution. The Conflict Resolution Committee will review all documentation regarding the grievance and interview the relevant parties and work toward a solution. he CRC will have 7 days to return communication and 7 additional days to receive the communication back. If no communication has been received from the parent/student/staff member after 14 days, then the issues will be assumed to be resolved.

The complaint shall be in writing and shall detail (i) the date of the incident (if applicable); (ii) the School staff member involved; (iii) a description of the incident, decision, or practice that gave rise to the issue; (iv) the conflict resolution strategies that have been attempted thus far; and (v) the grievant’s requested resolution. Within five calendar days from the date on which the written statement was received, the CRC will either issue a written response to the grievant or contact the grievant to schedule a time to discuss the issue.

Level 5: AHS Board of Directors If resolution is still not achieved, you may make a written request at least 7 days in advance of the next regularly scheduled board meeting that the Conflict Resolution Committee present a summary of your complaint and its recommendations at the meeting for a board vote. All parties involved in previous levels will be invited participants to this meeting. Decisions rendered at this level will be in writing, setting forth the decision. Once approved by quorum by the Board of Directors, the decision will be transmitted promptly to all parties involved.

The complaint shall be in writing and shall detail (i) the date of the incident (if applicable); (ii) the School staff member involved; (iii) a description of the incident, decision, or practice that gave rise to the issue; (iv) the conflict resolution strategies that have been attempted thus far; and (v) the grievant’s requested resolution. Within five calendar days from the date on which the written statement was received, the BOD will either issue a written response to the grievant or contact the grievant to schedule a time to discuss the issue.

Level 6: Colorado Charter School Institute If a grievant has followed the Institute School’s Grievance Policy and procedures, and wishes to pursue a concern because it has not been resolved to his or her satisfaction, the Institute will guide the grievant to follow the Institute Grievance procedures, which will at a minimum include the following:

The grievant must submit the concern in a written format to the Institute Executive Director within five business days after receiving the written decision of the Institute School’s Board.

The CSI main line 303.866.3299 or CSI_Info@CSI.state.co.us

The Institute's Executive Director or designee will make the school aware of the concern and determine if any violation of law, rule, policy, or the charter contract has been committed.
After review, and to the extent practicable, the Institute’s Executive Director will publish his/her conclusions in writing within 15 calendar days of receipt of the written concern.
Decisions will not be overturned by the Institute Executive Director unless there are compelling grounds that an Institute School discriminated against a protected class, violated its contract with the Institute, failed to follow its own policies, Institute policies or requirements, or violated any other state or federal law, rule, or policy.
If, after review, the Institute Executive Director concludes that a violation has occurred, the Institute's Executive Director will inform the Institute School administration in writing of the violation and direct that the Institute School resolve the situation with the grievant. The Institute may implement procedures in line with the Institute’s School Compliance Policy and take any actions provided for in law, policy or contract to resolve the issue.
The decision of the Institute Executive Director is final.

Note that the Board of Directors has empowered the administration to make student disciplinary decisions. Rarely will the Board of Directors meet to discuss a student discipline issue. It is the full desire of the AHS staff and board to resolve conflicts at the lowest level possible. We value our students and parents, and will work hard to create positive, professional relationships. In a community that values and models high character, it is assumed that the need for the higher levels of this policy will be few and far between.