Expanded Learning/
After School Programs
Student and Family Handbook
2015-16
Aspire Summit Charter Academy
Program
Contacts:
Program Director:
Cori Myles
(209)538-8082 press 14108
Cori.myles@aspirepublicschools.org
Principal:
Jamey Olney
(209)538-8082 press 14106
Jamey.olney@aspirepublicschools.org
KEEP THIS HANDBOOK - This handbook serves as an addendum to the Aspire Student Family
Handbook 2015-16. All policies and procedures in the Student Family Handbook apply to the
Expanded Learning/After School Program.
Aspire Public Schools Expanded Learning Programs
The purpose of Expanded Learning Programs at Aspire Public Schools is:

To support the academic achievement of all students by providing homework assistance, tutoring and
targeted supplemental instruction to accelerate student learning.

To support students’ socio-emotional development by providing a safe, positive environment that includes
opportunities to build relationships with caring adults and access other developmental supports.

To enhance school culture and student engagement by offering a variety of extracurricular and recreational
enrichment activities through which students can explore their interests and talents.
Program Mission and Goals 2015-16
The mission of the Expanded Learning/After School Program at Aspire Summit Charter is:
To provide a safe, nurturing environment for students to learn, thrive and grow.
Program Sources of Funding and Enrollment
Aspire’s Expanded Learning/After School Programs are supported by grant funds provided through the State
of California’s After School Education and Safety (ASES) program as well as generous in-kind support from
Aspire Public Schools. This grant funding brings with it many rules and requirements regarding program hours
and student attendance. Due to limited availability of funding, programs may have enrollment restrictions and
may not be able to serve all students/families who wish to participate. Priority for enrollment is based on
academic need as determined by assessments and teacher or administrator referral, and continued enrollment
is contingent on students meeting regular attendance and behavior expectations. For middle school programs
that do not require students to attend every day, students who attend daily will have priority for enrollment.
In the event that a program is oversubscribed, the school will maintain a waitlist:
The waitlist is determined by the academic need of students referred to Master’s by the Summit RTI team. Next
there is a list by grade of students waiting for an open spot in Master’s.
Alignment with Aspire Public Schools School-Day Policies and Procedures
Aspire’s Expanded Learning Programs are tightly aligned with the school day. Students are expected to follow
Aspire Public Schools’ student Code of Conduct and all school behavior rules and expectations, apply during
afterschool time. See Aspire Public Schools Student-Family Handbook 2015-16 for further details. In addition,
Expanded Learning Program staff work closely with teachers to target instruction to meet each student’s
learning and development needs.
Program Hours and Calendar of Operation
The program is open every day that school is in session from school dismissal until 6:00pm. Regular weekly
program hours for 2015-16 are:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 3:15pm-6:00pm
Wednesday/Early Release Days: 12:45pm-6:00pm
The program is closed on all school breaks, staff development days, holidays and weekends. The program also
will be closed on the following days for afterschool staff professional development: September 23, 2015,
April 11, 2016 & June 2, 2016
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Attendance Policy
Students at Aspire Summit Charter are expected to attend [EVERY DAY, with priority enrollment for students
who attend daily. As a condition of program grant funding from the State of California, and to provide the
conditions that support effective learning and development, enrolled students are expected to attend the
program throughout the school year. All students must attend the full program each day until dismissal time
(6:00pm), unless they have a qualified reason for early release (see below).
It is a family’s responsibility to notify the Program Director if a student will be absent from the program on a
day that he/she is otherwise attending school (program staff will verify regular school day absences with the
school front office).
The following actions will be taken for students with unexcused absences:
This table may be adjusted to align with the individual school/program policies.
Number of
Unexcused Absences
2
4
5
7
Consequence
Phone call home
Parent meeting with Program Director
One week suspension from program
Dismissal from program
Sign-In Procedures
Every student is required to sign-in with the Program Director or their assigned classroom instructor at the
start of the program every day. Students who do not sign-in with a designated staff member will be considered
to have an unexcused absence and subject to consequences of the program attendance policy as described
above.
Early Release Policy and Procedures
Aspire Public School’s afterschool programs are committed to operating in accordance with grant requirements
and relevant legislation, to developing policies and practices that address the local needs of school sites and
families and, most importantly, to ensuring a safe school environment for our students.
A student may only be released early from the afterschool program prior to the end of program time at 6:00pm
for one or more of the following reasons:
Code
C
D
F
M
P
R
S
W
T
O
Allowed After School Early Release Reason
Child accidents or illnesses that occur during program time
Dismissal by staff member per program behavior/discipline policy
Family emergencies
Medical appointments
Attending a parallel enrichment or tutoring program (e.g., sports, performing arts, test prep,
alternate tutoring services)
Observing a religious or cultural event, custom, or activity
Safety (e.g., lack of daylight especially if the student and/or family walk home or use public
transit)
Weather conditions especially if the student and/or family walk home or use public transit
Transportation available only at prescribed times during week
Other conditions as prescribed in writing by the school
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The time for every student’s departure will be recorded each day. For any students signed out prior to 6:00pm,
program staff are required to record which of the above acceptable reasons justifies early release of the student.
Approved reasons for early release of the student are to be provided by phone or preferably in writing by the
parent or designated guardian, unless the program has a signed letter on file in advance authorizing an older
brother or sister, specific adult(s), and/or the student him or herself to provide the approved reason for early
release.
Further, a parent or designated guardian may submit a signed letter or complete a recurring early release form
in advance to authorize a recurring early release for one of the approved reasons and state a specific time of
release (e.g., student will leave at 5:00 pm every Wednesday for a parallel enrichment or tutoring program).
Except in the case of an emergency, requests for early release should be made to the Program Director at least
24 hours in advance.
Sign-Out Procedures
Early Release Sign-Out: As stated above, a parent/guardian signature is required for all early releases,
unless other arrangements have been made in advance as allowed in the Early Release Policy and Procedures
described above. The time and release code must be marked on the sign-in sheet by an authorized
staff member.
Regular Dismissal Sign-Out:
As with the regular school day, signing out is not required at the close of the afterschool program. Parents will
pick up their student in the round-about area. If you arrive early please wait to the side of the round-about,
behind the big tree, so others can safely come and go using the driveway.
If a parent has safety or other concerns and wishes to have their student signed-out each day, the parent should
contact the Program Director for special arrangements.
For any early dismissal time, students must be signed out, with an Early Release Reason approved by the
director, by a parent/guardian or other authorized person. The Program Director will identify the location for
student pick-up and sign-out. No student will be released to a person who is not pre-authorized as listed in the
Registration Form/Contract provided with this Handbook. Any parent, guardian or other authorized person
may be asked to show proof of identity (e.g., driver’s license).
Dismissal / Pick-Up Time
The program closes at 6:00pm. It is imperative that all students leave campus on time by
6:00pm. Programs may charge late fees and/or call emergency contacts for students who are not picked up by
6:00pm. State law considers children left at the school site after closing time, without notification, to be
abandoned. If this happens, the police may be contacted to take custody of the child.
The late fee is $1 per minute after 6pm.
Behavior Expectations and Discipline Policies
Students are expected to follow Aspire Public Schools’ student Code of Conduct and all school behavior rules
and expectations as stated in the Aspire Public Schools Student-Family Handbook 2015-16. In order to
encourage positive behavior and maintain a safe and fun environment for all students, the program maintains
the following procedures for behavior management:
Positive Behavior Recognitions and Rewards
Time Frame
Recognition/Reward
3
Dailey
Verbal recognition of appropriate behavior
On-going
Positive phone calls/notes to parents
Fridays
Raffle ticket for weekly raffle
Weekly
Opportunities to choose and/or lead selected activities
Each Trimester
Ability to attend special events, e.g., pizza parties, water parties, chalk parties
Perfect attendance Monthly
Free-dress pass or restraint coupon
Bi-Monthly
Class wide reward programs for attendance, daily effort, improvement
Disruptive Behavior Consequences
Criteria
Consequence
Disruptive Behavior During Program Activities
1st time in a day
Student is redirected to be on task.
3nd time in a day
Reflection sheet or other appropriate assignment, time-out in class, benched
during recreational activities, or loss of enrichment activity.
4rd time in a day
Referral out of class to Program Director.
Referral to Program Director for Disruptive Behavior
1st time
Program Director discussion with student; possible call home depending on
severity of behavior.
2nd time
Call home to parent and student may not participate in privileges/activities for
one day.
3rd & 4th times
Call and note home to parent. Student loses afterschool privileges/activities.
5th time
Parent conference and suspension from afterschool program for selected
number of days/sessions.
6th time
Initiate process for program dismissal.
Ongoing= Day time
Referral or Suspension
Student may not attend the afterschool program for that day.
Violent, illegal or other extremely disruptive behavior can also result in suspension and/or expulsion from the
school as stated in the Aspire Student and Family Handbook per the California Education Code.
Bathroom Policy
Students will have opportunity to use bathrooms during check-in, snack and other non-instructional time.
Students will be allowed to use the bathroom during instructional time if required. More than one student will
not be allowed to leave a class at a time to go to the bathroom and students will be expected not to abuse their
bathroom privileges. If a student is going to the bathroom an excessive number of times in a single day, the
family may be called to discuss the situation.
Program Location, Field Trips & Special Events
The Expanded Learning/After School Program takes place entirely on the school campus, with the exception of
field trips, competitions and other special events that may be part of enrichment activities offered to students.
Parents/guardians will be notified in advance and permission will be requested for any off-campus activities or
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special events. Occasionally, optional off-campus activities may require additional fees and/or transportation.
In such circumstances, families will be notified in advance and on-campus activities will be available for those
students/families who do not wish to participate. Scholarships may also be available. Contact the Program
Director for further information.
Homework Completion
The Expanded Learning/After School Program is not only a homework and tutoring program. The program
includes academic intervention for selected students and all students participate in a variety of enrichment
activities. The program is designed to improve students’ academic skills and to support their exploration of
interests and talents beyond the regular classroom, including fostering student creativity, teamwork and
physical activity. Ample time is provided daily for students to do homework. However, it is not guaranteed that
students will have sufficient time every day to complete all homework assignments. It is the students’ and
parents’ responsibility to ensure that homework is completed.
Program Activities
All Aspire Public Schools Expanded Learning/After School programs offer students homework assistance and
tutoring or other academic support designed to help students meet state standards in reading/language arts,
math and other selected subjects. All programs also offer an array of educational enrichment activities and a
nutritious daily snack. The program at Aspire Summit Charter offers:
List program elements/typical daily schedule
Homework Assistance: Typically 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Academic Intervention: The first 45 minutes of class
Enrichment Activities: Dailey
Snack: M, Tu, Th & F served at 3:20 and Wednesday at 3pm
Recreation: Dailey
Parent and Volunteer Involvement
Parent/guardian participation is strongly encouraged in the program. Parents are welcome to visit at any time
and to volunteer to assist with planning and chaperoning special events, providing enrichment and recreational
activities and other possible assistance to staff members. Please contact the Program Director if you are
interested in observing or volunteering in the program.
Feedback
Student and family comments and suggestions are important to us. We welcome your feedback. You may also
be asked occasionally to fill out surveys and/or assessments of the program. Information gained from these
surveys is strictly confidential and is used to help improve the program and to ensure continued funding.
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Health and Medical Information
In the event of illness or accident, the program will follow Aspire Public Schools policies and procedures.
If a student becomes ill, a parent or authorized person will be called to pick up the child, or an emergency
contact may be called if needed.
Medication will be administered only to those children for whom the “Request for Administration of
Medication During School Hours” form is on file.
Serious injuries or accidents will be reported using Aspire’s standard “Student Accident Report” form.
Movie and Video Viewing
As a special activity, students occasionally view movies or videos during the program. The Program Director
will approve all movies and videos in advance.
Media Release
Staff may photograph, videotape and/or audiotape students and others participating in the program. Any or all
of these forms of media may be used at the discretion of the program for working with and promoting the
program. If you do not want your child photographed or published, please notify the Program Director.
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Program Fees
Fees allow programs to serve additional students and/or offer more variety of programming than can be
provided with state grant funds alone. Aspire endeavors to maintain fees that are low relative to the cost of
private child care and other afterschool activities. In no case should fees be a barrier to participation
for students who are otherwise qualified to enroll. Scholarships are therefore available for each and
every family facing economic hardship. Scholarship Application Forms are simple to complete and are
available from the Program Director.
The fee structure for the Expanded Learning/After School Master’s Program at Summit for the 2015-16 school
year is:
Student Type
One student
Students identified for
academic intervention
Full-Pay
$ 30.00
$ 30.00
Reduced Lunch
$10.00
$ 10.00
Free Lunch
$ 5.00
$ 5.00
Late pick-up fee: $1.00 per minute per child after 6pm.
Payment Procedures
Payment Due Date: Payment for the first month is due the first day of school or at the time that the student
is accepted for enrollment into the program. Subsequent payments are due on the 1st day of the month prior
to the period of attendance (i.e., due on Oct. 1st for October attendance). Payment must be made for the full
period and will not be refunded in the event of student absences. Families will receive a reminders for
payments more than 5 days late. Families that incur two consecutive late payments will be required to meet
with the Principal and invited to submit a scholarship request if appropriate.
Payment Types Accepted: Payments can be made by cash, check or credit card payable to “Summit
Charter”. Credit card payment are made through your students mealtime account online with your students ID
number. You will choose “Afterschool” as your payment choice. There is also a link to mealtime on our school
Web-page, www.SummitCharterAcademy.com
Where to Deliver Payment: Envelopes for deposit box payments are located next to the front office and the
Afterschool office. Cash payments may be delivered in person to the Expanded Learning/After School Program
Director, the school’s Office Manager or Office Assistant. Check payments may be delivered in person or mailed
to the school office at 2036 E. Hatch Rd, Modesto CA 95351
Receipts: A receipt will be issued for all payments at the time of payment. Receipts may be issued only by the
Expanded Learning/After School Program Director, the school’s Office Manager or Office Assistant.
Follow us on FaceBook to see what is happing in our exciting world of afterschool.
Our page is, Summit Charter-Afterschool Programs.
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REGISTRATION FORM & CONTRACT
*Please complete and return this page to the Program Director before the student’s
first day of attendance in the Expanded Learning/After School Program*
School Name: ___________________________________________________________
Student’s Name: _____________________________________ Grade: _____________
Family Contact Information:
Mother/Parent 1
Additional
Emergency Contact
Father/Parent 2
Name:
Primary/Home Phone:
Alternate/Cell Phone:
Authorization for Dismissal/Pick-Up (this section to be initialed by parent/guardian only):
_______ My student is authorized to walk or ride bicycle home alone.
_______ The following people are authorized to pick up my child from the program. I understand that anyone not
listed below will not be allowed to leave the site with my child.
Name
Phone
Relationship to Student
Agreement to Program Policies and Procedures (both student & parent/guardian must initial each
section below):
Student
Parent
Agreement
I have read the Aspire Expanded Learning/After School Programs Student and Family
Handbook, 2015-16. I understand and agree to all of the procedures and policies as stated in
the Handbook.
I understand and agree to the expectations for regular daily/weekly attendance as stated in
the Handbook.
I understand and agree to the behavior and discipline policies as stated in the Handbook.
I understand that the student must be signed-in every day at the start of the program.
I understand that students are expected to stay for the entire program each day and may
only be dismissed early for an allowed reason as stated in the Early Release Policy provided
in the Handbook.
I understand that the program closes at 6:00pm each day and that all students must be
departed from campus no later than 6:00pm.
I understand that there is a program fee of $30.00 per month (Scholarships are available for
families for whom this fee presents a financial hardship. Scholarship Application Forms are
available from the Program Director.)
_____________________________________________________________
Signature of Student
Date
_____________________________________________________________
Signature of Parent/Guardian
Date