Welcome to Sky Mountain
Charter School
Initial Meeting
for the 2011
Academic School Year
Meeting Overview
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Interview Questions
Enrollment (review Charter Summary, Student Agreement,
AESS, and Immunization form)
State Mandated Assessments
School Assessments: set appointment for Scantron and WRAT
Pretest (K-11th) and copy of Writing Assignment
State Standards
Purchase Orders
Attendance
Learning Records Meetings
Portfolio Policy
High School
Set appointment for next Learning Record Meeting
First Meeting Information Sheet
Interview Questions
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The purpose to these questions are to make sure that Sky
Mountain is the perfect fit for your family
Charter Summary
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Read through Charter Summary
Initial and sign
Student Agreement
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Review and check personal information
Do you want a report card?
Do you NOT WANT the STAR results in your child’s file?
(2nd-11th)
Discuss distribution of educational responsibilities
Read through to ensure that you are comfortable with
Sky Mountain’s policies
Sign contract
AESS: Additional ES Services
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Choosing the AESS option increases the involvement
of the ES in a student's education, over and above
the basic ES Job, by contract with the parent,
student, and ES.
Fees are deducted from Instructional Funds (IFs)
Fee for the 2011 school year:
-Option A $302 per semester
-Option B $604 per semester
These services are OPTIONAL
Immunization
The California School Immunization Law requires schools to
enforce immunization requirements, to maintain immunization
records of all children enrolled, and to submit reports to the
Health Department.
 K and 7th graders must present immunization records before
admitted (children are considered in “waiting” status and
excluded if immunization requirements are not received)
 If exempted for medical reasons, a doctor's written statement is
required and must be mailed to the office with the health card.
 If immunizations are contrary to the religious or personal beliefs
of the parent, a personal beliefs waiver needs to be signed. (On
the back of the California School Immunization Record is a
personal beliefs waiver to be signed by the parent. Make sure
the student's name is written on the front of the form and that
the signature is in the personal beliefs box.)
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State Mandated Assessment
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STAR Testing, STAR Writing, PFT, and CAHSEE
These tests are a charter renewal requirement and are state
and federally required
2nd-11th: STAR testing
-STAR testing window: April 4th-May 5th, 2011
-4 Testing sites: San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange
County, and Los Angeles
-2 full days
-ID Required
4th and 7th: STAR Writing on March 1st, 2011
5th, 7th, and 9th: Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
-Tentative window March 1st-April 29th, 2011
11th-12th: ELA and Math California High School Exit Exam
(CAHSEE)
-October 5th-6th, November 9th-10th, February 1st2nd
-10th graders must take CAHSEE in February
School Assessments
Scantron: Assesses math and reading skills via online test by ES
WRAT: Assesses math, letter writing, spelling, letter reading, and
reading skills via paper and pencil activities with ES
2nd-11th graders: Scantron
Kindergarten-1st: WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test)
 Testing window: August 23rd-September 30th
 Schedule pre-assessment with ES
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School-Wide Writing Assignment
 Administered to 1st-12th (Kindergarten is optional) by the parent
 Used as a tool to understand where our students’ writing abilities
and needs are in order to focus instruction, prepare our
students for the STAR writing, and satisfy WASC requirements
 ES can provide the parent directions, prompts, and rubrics (but
all information is located on the school’s website at Parent
information> Parent Information Home Page>2010 Writing
Assignments
 First writing assignment due during October LR meeting and
second will be due in January
State Standards
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A copy of the State Standards for your child’s grade level
is included in your packet for your reference
Instructional Funds (IFs)
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Instructional Funds are distributed in 2 installments (before
school starts in August and during late winter)
Kindergarten-8th: $800 per installment
9th-12th: $1000 per installment
Purchasing Orders (POs)
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You are encouraged to select curriculum materials for your
enrolled children. POs for these materials are placed
electronically by the Education Specialist in the school’s
database.
Unless a student is AESS, the Parent and the Education Specialist
work together to choose each student's curriculum. The ES is
responsible for creating purchase orders for the educational
materials to be used by families. Purchase of educational
materials must be consistent with the course of study the
student has chosen. For example, if a student is studying U.S.
History, purchases of European Renaissance materials would
not be consistent.
All materials must be non-sectarian
All materials are property of Sky Mountain Charter School and
must be returned when they are no longer being used or
student is dis-enrolled
Office and Art materials must be basic in quality. The school
makes the determination on if an item is to be considered
“basic” or not. Crayola crayons are an example of a basic
level art supply.
Attendance
Review Attendance Procedures and Policies
 Learning Record Meetings must be held at least once
every 20 school days
 Student must demonstrate academic progress (High
School students must be attempting at least 25 credits
per semester)
 Roll Sheet is filled out by parent and ES (in blue ink)
 Roll Sheet is considered a legal document so no
copies are accepted (ORIGINALS ONLY)
 Roll sheets are given to ES during monthly meetings
 Sign 2-3 copies every month. Must be original--this
way if a rollsheet gets lost, the ES can send up a new
one and still have an original on file
Learning Record Meetings
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Legal Requirement: Parent, students, and Educational
Specialists meet face to face at least once every 20 school
days to review and document the learning that occurs in each
growth area. The Education Specialist is the teacher of record
and must verify student learning by reviewing the student’s
body of work, asking the student questions on what was
learned, and by clarifying with the parent when necessary.
The following activities must occur during the face-to-face meeting:
 Assessment of the student's work product to verify that the student has made
adequate and appropriate progress toward the attainment of the student
standards
 Provide educational support and counsel to the parent
 Pick up the hard copy attendance roll sheet which the parent kept for that
learning period, and provide them with one for the next period
 Arrange the next two appointment dates and locations with the parent (unless
a semester or year long calendar has been established)
 Collect samples from every growth area
 Assign work if AESS
 Counsel on the school yearly writing sample
 Inform families of important school policies, events, and information
BEFORE LR Meeting
Please email your ES BEFORE your LR meeting the following
information IN EACH GROWTH AREA (or, for high school
students, each course taken):
1. What your student learned
2. What your student used to learn it
3. How your student learning was evaluated
Growth Areas include English-Language Arts, Math, Science,
History, Life Skills (computer, physical education, health),
and Special Interest (dance, music, foreign language,
art)
Portfolio Requirements
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Grades K-8: one work sample for each growth area covered
each semester
High School: one sample per course attempted per semester
Porfolios are compiled using the monthly samples that were
collected at LR Meetings.
Portfolio Sample Requirements:
 Non-sectarian
 From materials that are or could be purchased by the school
with ADA funding
 Must come from the learning documented in the student’s
learning record for that semester
 Samples submitted must be graded
 Samples will not be returned and must be original work
samples, artwork, videos, and/or cassettes
High School
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Make sure to submit a copy of your HS student’s transcripts (if
applicable)
HS students must be attempting between 25-40 units a
semester
Courses must be decided upon before school starts (if student
is beginning the year with SMCS)
Courses may be dropped within one month of the start of
school, but student must still be taking a minimum of 25 units
All curriculum used or courses taken must be overseen by a
Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT)
A list of HQT curriculum can be found on the school’s website
at Educational Resources>Guidance>High School curriculum
Electives and PE do not need to be overseen by an HQT
Student may co-enroll with a Community College, 2 classes
maximum toward HS credit per semester, but all steps taken to
co-enroll must be followed ahead of time before the start of
the semester
Set LR Meetings
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Agree upon on a time and place to meet with ES every
month for the year/semester
Frequency cannot exceed 20 school days. 15-18 days is
advised in order to have a cushion for sickness and such.
First Meeting Information Sheet
Review the following important information in your folder:
 Review General Information Sheet
 School Calendar
 Parent Version of the State Standards
 State-Required Assessments and dates (ID required)
 Schedule Scantron/WRAT assessment with ES
 Suspension and Expulsion Policy
 GEAs scheduled and CPs in your area
 Instructional Funding, POs, and materials
 Parent Listserv sign up
 School’s website: www.skymountaincs.org
 Plan if you do not have internet access
 Compete School Survey Addendum
 9th-12th: Graduation Requirement Agreement
Any Questions???