NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
2012-2013
PRACTICE GUIDE
This practice guide is intended to be a reference of step by step procedures and
practices for educational staff. Please use this as a resource to assist in
addressing the everyday challenges that you face in your classroom.
Please bring this guide to all meeting that you attend during the 2012-2013
school year.
An electronic version of this practice guide can be found at S://Neil
Hellman/2012-2013 documents/Practice Guide.doc. A link to this manual
will be placed on your desktop.
NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
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Building Safety and Security
Preserving the safety and security of the Neil Hellman School is a task that requires
the assistance and cooperation of all members of our school community.
Locking Doors
At 8:45 am ALL exterior doors are locked and should not be propped open. Staff
members can access entry doors using swipe/ID cards. All visitors are to use the
main entrance to enter the building.
Visitors
All visitors must report directly to the main office and sign in. Likewise students who
are late for school or leaving early must be signed in and out in the main office by an
approved adult. If you see an individual in the building without a visitors pass or a
Parsons ID badge, please direct them to the main office so that they may be properly
signed in as a guest.
Employee Accident and Injuries must be reported to Parsons’ Human Resources
Department as soon as possible:
1. Complete an accident/injury report and give it to an administrator as soon
as possible.
2. The administrator will send the report to Ralph LaMontagna in the HR
Department.
3. Any medical information, billing statements or worker’s compensation
documents must be sent by the employee to the attention of Ralph
LaMontagna in the HR Department
4. Based on situational requirements, the HR Department will file for worker’s
compensation benefits or pay outstanding bills
5. Your time card must reflect the time that you worked on the day of the
accident or the injury. Hours missed and days lost thereafter are to be
noted as worker’s compensation (WC).
If you are injured at Parsons you have several options
1. see immediate care at the nearest emergency facility
2. you may go to the Parsons Employee Physician
1971 Western Ave.
Albany, NY 12203
Phone: (518) 452-2597
Fax: (518) 452-4348
3. Contact Parsons Human Resources office and be directed to the nearest
MetraCompActiv Physician
4. Call 1-888-263-7879 and C.N.A. Insurance will help you locate a Metra
CompActiv Provider
5. Go to your own doctor or hospital emergency room
When you set up the appointment you must let the provider know that the injury
is a worker’s compensation claim and that you are employed at Parsons Child
and Family Center.
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Student injuries - If a student under your supervision is injured:
1. Call the medical clinic (x2721) and inform them of the nature of the injury and
ask for advisement.
2. Document any nursing care on an incident report
3. Document the injury on an accident/injury
4. Both the accident and incident reports must be given to an administrator before
the end of the work day.
Fire Drills
When the fire alarm rings:
1. Collect the students under your supervision into an orderly line and proceed to
the nearest available exit.
2. Close windows and doors.
3. Check bathrooms and all classroom areas to make sure all students and staff
members are evacuating.
4. Upon arrival at designated evacuation area confirm that all students are
present and accounted for.
5. Report any missing students to an individual in possession of a walkie-talkie
(administrators and integration staff) immediately.
6. Instruct students to remain calm and quiet during the fire drill.
7. Students and staff may return to the building after the all clear signal has been
sounded.
Emergency Procedures - Throughout the year, situations arise requiring the need
for a building wide response. Specific announcements by means of the P.A. system
will alert the staff to these situations and initiate the appropriate building wide
responses. Please refer to the following link to access emergency response
procedures at the Neil Hellman School
Emergency Response Procedures
(A copy of these procedures can also be found in the inside flap of this manual)
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NHS Expectations:
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be There and Ready
Do your Best
Staff are expected to model school rules for students at all times.
Please remember that hats and coats are not to be worn in the building during
the school day; that electronic devices are to be silenced and stowed during the
school day and that NHS Students are to be supervised by staff at all times.
Specific school policies regarding dress code, electronic devices and general
conduct can be found in the NHS Staff handbook.
Classroom Discipline Guidelines
1.
2.
3.
4.
Teach NHS rules to all students throughout the year
Display rules in your classroom
Practice rules as necessary and applicable
Recognize when students do the right thing.
Most challenging behavior can be dealt with directly by classroom staff members
during the course of the school day.
Some examples of possible interventions by classroom staff include:
1. Time away within the classroom
2. Consequences to fit the inappropriate behavior (i.e. write on desk  clean
desk)
3. Change students seat
4. Verbal warning
5. Allow points/levels to reflect behavior
6. Note to parent or guardian
7. Phone call home
8. Involve clinician
9. Program from side office
10. Request a break for a student with an integration staff
11. Planned ignoring
12. Hurdle Help
13. Hypodermic Affection
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Responding to Student Behaviors
Behaviors managed by classroom staff: These behaviors should be managed by
the teachers and teaching assistants in the classroom. It is not necessary to notify
supervisors, integration specialists, or social workers at the time of the incident, but it
should be noted on point sheets/incident reports as appropriate.
Out of classroom with supervision
Profanity
Throwing objects
Running in hallways
Cheating
Arguing
Disrespectful language
Lying
Dress code violations
An integration specialist should be notified of the following behaviors:
Persistent (3x) behaviors from the above list
Out of class/out of building when additional support is needed
Harassment
Vandalism
Extended (more than 10 minutes) classroom disruption
Repeated intimidation/threats
Provocation which leads to physical aggression
The Integration Specialist Supervisor will notify a Principal of the following
behaviors:
Missing persons
Code of Conduct Violations
Safety threats
Weapon Possession/Use
Physical Interventions
Smoking
Need for outside assistance
Need for immediate response team
Injury to student or staff member
NIMRS reportable incidents
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Calling for assistance
All classrooms have a networked telecommunication system. If you need assistance
please dial 2876. When the staff member assigned to the communication room
answers the call please clearly state specific assistance that you need. (i.e. “This is
Mrs. Smith in room 200 I need an extra adult immediately to help with student
behavior.”)
Integration Specialists
The school employs integration staff who assist with the implementation of the
educational, behavioral and therapeutic aspects of the Neil Hellman School.
Integration staff can be found in our hallways, in classrooms and in break spaces.
All of our integration staff carry walkie-talkies with them. If a student requests a break
from an integration staff or if you need their assistance, please use the telephone in
your classroom to notify the communication room. The communication room
coordinator will inform the integration staff of your request.
Referrals to 2pm Meeting
Most behavioral difficulties are dealt with immediately by classroom staff. For more
significant problems that may need additional interventions (i.e. fights, sexual
harassment, persistent verbal abuse), staff members may consult with the 2:00
meeting team (administration, clinical supervisors, integration supervisor).
During this meeting staff directly affected by the untoward behaviors work with the
2:00 meeting team to determine an appropriate response to the behavior. Examples
of appropriate responses might include mediation between two students, restitution,
programming out of a side office for a period, increased observation, a meeting with
the principal, APR or suspension. Any behaviors that rise to this level of intervention
need to be documented on a NHS incident report. When a student is referred to APR
a processing time will be scheduled
The outcome of the 2:00 meeting is published via email daily. Classroom staff are
responsible for checking this document each afternoon and relaying pertinent
information to parents and guardians as assigned. When a student is referred to
APR, the referring staff member must be available to process the incident during the
time that the child is in APR. When a child is suspended a re-entry involving the
student, referring staff members and clinical staff will occur prior to the student’s
integration into regular programming.
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APR Room
The Alternative Programming Room (APR) is a special classroom located in the
Historic Parsons Building. It is staffed by the APR Coordinator who is supported by
NHS staff and Day Treatment clinicians.
The purpose of APR as a behavior response includes the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Disruptive student is removed from the building.
a. Sends a message to other students that certain behaviors will not be
tolerated in our school
b. Disrupts a student’s social agenda
c. Provides a break for staff
d. Interrupts a cycle of disruptive behavior.
Allows a continued educational experience.
Addresses the behavior through use of protocols and discussions with
clinicians/teachers.
Provides a forum in which relationships may be restored through
Restorative Justice or mediation.
Components of the APR intervention include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Completing academic work (teachers are to put academic work in the APR
Basket located in the main office by 8:30am daily for those students
assigned to APR).
Completing protocols with support from APR staff, teachers, and clinicians.
Meeting between student and day treatment clinician
Processing of incident with staff member(s) who were directly involved in
the incident.
Reporting back to staff on academic work completed, results of protocols,
and/or other creative resources selected for use in the APR.
Students who leave supervision without permission
The expectation at the Neil Hellman School is that classroom staff will follow and
supervise students who leave an assigned location without permission.
When a student leaves that assigned location please follow the student and make an
effort to reengage them and return to their assigned location.
Under rare circumstances only one staff member is in the classroom. If this is the
case and you are unable to follow the student please let the Communication Room
know and request that an Integration Staff pursue and follow the student.
Neil Hellman School students are to be supervised at all times.
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Students who are missing
A child is considered missing when they cannot be located after reasonable efforts to
discern their whereabouts have been exhausted. (i.e. walkie talkie communication to
integration specialists, search of building and grounds, call to the students social
worker and on-campus residence (if applicable), all page of the student, etc.)
After it is determined that a child cannot be located:
1. An Integration staff will notify an administrator
1. The administrator will confer with the appropriate program director to determine
if a missing persons report should be filed with the police.
2. A NIMRS report will be filed for any Day Treatment or RTF student who cannot
be located.
For more specific information please see the NHS Staff Handbook.
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Frequently Used Phone Numbers
Offices and Specials
Dean- 2873
Cathy- 2756
Keaton (H.S. side office)- 2805
Mallory- 2767 Dr. D- 2855
Mike B- 2785
com. Room-2876
APR- 2521
Pool- 2753
Clinic- 2718
Kitchen- 2761
Library- 2759
Speech- 2755
OT- 2842
Cyberlab- 2524
Gym- 2512
Art- 2519
Music- 2518
Multi P- 2510
Store/Copy- 2877 Christ- 2770 Auto- 2762
Wood- 2591
Gibson- 2758
Platt- 2771
Norelli- 2763
Stephanie - 2827
Floral Shop -5548 University Heights: 244-3177 Ebel 2628
Classrooms
Rm 1-2590
Rm 5- 2570
Rm 12- 2574
Rm 16- 2779
Rm 2- 2567
Rm 6- 2571
Rm 13- 2575
Rm 17- 2578
Rm 3- 2568
Rm 7- 2572
Rm 14- 2576
Rm 4- 2569
Rm 8- 2573
Rm 15-2577
Rm 131- 2594
Rm 118- 2584
Rm 105- 2579
Rm 123- 2593
Rm 117- 2583
Rm 120- 2592
Rm 109- 2581
Rm 119-2525
Rm 107- 2580
Clinicians, Social Workers, Clinical Supervisors
Day Tx- 2723
Steve B-2726
Eric- 2730 ???- 2727
Dan L-2623
Laura J- 2716 Wenonah M- 2774
Mary S- 2728
Karin H- 2825
Echi- 2729 Emily B- 2733
Jennifer G- 2812 Kathy P- 2811
Claire C- 2731
Residential- 2659
Jen C (Rathbone) - 2640
Becky C (Wasson)- 2735
Rachel R. (353)- 2837
Kaitlyn W(217)- 2797
Jill L.- 5404
Evan S. (490)- 2637
Amy D (RTF)- 2742
Sarah (RTF)- 2787
Cottages and Group Homes
Rathbone: 2781/2784
Wasson: 2778/2780
RTF: 2740/2747/2746
Miriam: 2882/2883
Healy: 2626
217: 434-0562
353: 489-5326
490: 465-6655
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PARSONS PHONE NUMBERS
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WHO’s WHO at Parsons and the Neil Hellman School
Chief Educational Officer/NHS Director of Education Michael Norelli
Assistant Director of Education/Lower School Principal: Meghan Platt
High School Principal/CSE Chairperson: Stephanie Gibson
Principal for Curriculum and Instruction: Sherry Dickinson
Vocational Coordinator: Jodi Ebel
School Psychologist: Julie O’Neill
Guidance Counselor: Kathleen Feeley
Community/School Liaison: Debby McDermott
Administrative Assistant/Attendance Coordinator: Mike Brown
Program Secretaries: Stephanie Maynard, Sherri McNeil
Integration Specialists: Steve Mallory, Dave Goodemote, Emory Keaton, Angie
Nielsen, Tom Dean, Kathy Maul, Lester Moore, Jarming White
APR Coordinator: Jermaine Ivery
Speech Pathologist: Mary Barber
Librarian: Pam Howard
TA (Library): Ben Knowles
Substitute Teacher: Fred Mullins
Substitute Teaching Assistant: Jeff Meissner
PBIS Coordinator/Testing: Melissa Jerominek
Transportation Coordinator: Tom Dean
Supervising Milieu Therapist: Steve Banbury
Clinical Integration Specialist: Jill Lorenzo
Residential Clinical Support: Rebecca Roberts/Liz Colloton
Greenhouse Coordinator: Tim Nicholson
PLEASE GO TO THE ON-LINE VERSION OF THIS MANUAL AND
CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO ACCESS THE NEIL HELLMAN
SCHOOL EMERGENCY PHONE TREE:
Emergency Contact 2012-2013.doc
THE SECRETARIES IN THE MAIN OFFICE ALSO HAVE A PRINTED
OUT VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT
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NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION COMPLETED ON A REGULAR BASIS
2012-2013
IEP Quarterly Update Process
1. Educational staff are expected to update IEP goals in conjunction with the
student’s educational/clinical team during the week that grades close.
2. Quarterly Updates for IEPs are done on IEP Direct by 3:30pm on the due date
3. Academic progress is to be noted by the content area teacher in conjunction
with the primary/special education teacher.
4. Copies of IEP goal progress notes are submitted to the secretaries to be mailed
5. The secretary will copy and file the IEP progress notes in the IEP section of the
student’s educational record.
Interim grades
1. Sign on to Power Teacher
2. Access Grade Book
3. Select correct reporting term
4. Select course for which you want to give interim comments
5. Double click next to individual student’s name
6. A box with available comments will appear
7. Select appropriate interim comment for student
8. Click OK
9. Click Save (lower right corner)
10. repeat from step 5 until all students have interim grades
Report cards
This section will be updated after grading policy is revised and Grade Book training is
conducted for all staff.
Interim and Report Card dates can be found on the next page of this manual. A link to
this document can also be found by clicking below:
Marking Period Dates
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INTERIM GRADES
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Writing IEPs
Student’s Individualized Education Plans are written annually on IEP Direct by Special
Education teachers. Training on IEP development will be offered as needed during
the school year. If you have specific questions regarding IEPs please speak with and
Administrator.
Time beyond schedule will be accrued as follows for IEP development:

Head teachers/Special Education teachers earn 3 hour per IEP development.
This includes IEPs developed for new intakes as well as IEP’s revised for
annual reviews.

Staff members responsible for writing speech and language or school
counseling goals will receive 1 hour comp time for each written.
WHILE ALL STAFF ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IEPs.
ALL STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN IEPs STATING THAT THEY HAVE READ,
UNDERSTAND AND WILL IMPLEMENT THESE PLANS FOR STUDENTS UNDER
THEIR SUPERVISION.
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Academic Guidelines for Marking and Grading
GRADES ARE IMPORTANT!
At the Neil Hellman School we recognize that grades are important to students,
teachers, parents, as well as school districts, outside agencies and other educational
organizations.
Please Don’t Forget - We are a Treatment School
As a treatment school we are constantly trying to balance the needs of our students
here for therapeutic support and educational achievement. Many of our students
come to us with negative experiences in school and often have not seen the
educators that taught them as caring adults. These and other challenges that our
students bring with them require that we carefully create a marking and grading
system that allows our students to experience academic success and considers the
individual learning challenges each student brings to us, and sets reasonable
expectations and standards students in a specialized school as ours have an
opportunity to meet.
Students Deserve to Understand
Students deserve to have an understanding of our academic standards and to know
what is expected of them and how their grade will be derived. Teachers should spend
intentional time talking to students both in the classroom setting and as individuals. It
should not be a surprise to them what they need to do to be successful in each class.
Outlined below are some of the specific guidelines that we will use as a school staff to
set reasonable expectations and standards to help our students achieve personal
academic success.
High School Diploma Requirements
The Neil Hellman School grants New York State Regents and local diplomas. In
addition we grant selected students an Individual Education Plan Certificate.
Requirements for these options are set by the New York State Education Department
and are available for review by our Principal of Instruction as well as our High School
Guidance Counselor.
Provide Students and Parents with Academic Achievement Results
It is important that both students and their parents or guardians receive regular, timely,
and appropriate feedback regarding their academic progress. To this end we do the
following:
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1. Quarterly Report Cards
At the Neil Hellman School we operate on a four quarter system with
students receiving a report card at the end of each 10 week marking period.
The report card will include a numeric (91, 73, 83) grade for each of the
subjects the student is enrolled in. This grade will reflect the students
achievement for that marking period. Teachers can determine the various
factors that are considered in determining a quarterly grade. Guidelines for
this are outlined in this document.
Report cards are mailed home to parents and guardians as well as
distributed to the residential staff for students who reside on our campus or
in one of our group homes.
2. Interim Reports
At the five week (halfway) point in each marking period teachers will provide
parents and students with academic progress feedback via an “Interim
Report” system. This system allows all teachers to select a variety of
statements that connect to the personal progress, effort, motivations and
behavior of each student in each subject area.
Interim reports are mailed home to parents and guardians and distributed to
residential staff for students who reside on our campus or in one of our
group homes.
Determining Student Academic Grades and Quarterly Averages
Student grades are arrived at by the classroom teacher through the grading
process and practices developed and announced at the beginning of the school
year. It is our intent that individual teachers make the professional decisions
regarding those components that are factors in determining a student’s grade in
each course of study.
Grading practices must be fair, equitable, written, and known to the students. A
copy of the teacher’s grading practices will be made available to the school
principal at the beginning of the school year. A separate disciplinary structure
exists within our school; grading is not a way of disciplining a student.
The statement of determination for quarterly grades in not meant to be a firm
and unbending set of grading practices on the part of the teacher. A certain
amount of flexibility is allowed for problems that arise. As a treatment school it
is important for us to understand that sometimes treating every student fairly
does not mean treating them all the same.
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Percentage Grading (Numerical)
All grades assigned are to be given in percentages unless permission has been
granted by the principal to issue pass/fail grades. The minimum passing grade
in our school is ‘65’.
The lowest “failing” grade that will be recorded for the 1st and 2nd quarters of the
school year will be a ‘50’. Grades below 50% must be manually recorded on
report cards as a 50. Classroom teachers are required to do this prior to
submitting grades for verification.
This is to allow students to continue to have a motivational chance of passing a
year long course even after failing the 1st and/or 2nd marking period. Experience
has shown that students who receive a grade of “40” or “18” as a 1 st or 2nd
marking period grade often see their situation as impossible and give up. This
is especially true for many of our students who have little confidence in
themselves as learners and have had little or no academic success in their
school careers.
A teacher may indicate a grade below 50% for the 3rd or 4th quarter with
administrative approval only.
Electronic “Grade Book”
An electronic grade book for teachers has been adopted by our school as part
of our need to move forward on timely and accurate documentation of student
attendance, grades, schedules, and transcripts. NYS Education Dept.
regulations require that each teacher keep an accurate record of students’
grades and class attendance, which may be reviewed by parents, students,
and administrative personnel upon request. In addition, using appropriate
available technology in these areas will allow us to meet upcoming regulations
to provide students, parents, and guardians with transparent information in
these areas that are readily available to them on request.
Training and updates are available for teachers in Grade Book as well as other
components of Power School.
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Gradebook settings for quarterly grades
Type of Activity
Weight
1) Classwork (examples:)
- Group work
- Worksheets
- Labs
- Writing
30%
2) Assessment (examples:)
- Observation
- Journal
- Test
- Quiz
- Projects
- Writing
25%
3) Participation (examples:)
- Meeting expectations
- Engagement
30%
4) Homework
15%
Activity weights may only be changed with administrative approval.
Final Course Grade
The final average for a full year course will be determined by averaging the four
quarterly grades. For a semester course, the two quarter marks will be
averaged.
Incomplete Grades and Making Up Work
Missed work due to excused absences other than hospitalizations may result in
a grade of “incomplete.” When a student does not come to class or chooses
not to do the work in class, the resulting report card grade will be “incomplete.”
The student will be given 5 weeks from the last day of the marking period to
complete assignments in question. S/he will be advised of this policy and
reissued the work, if necessary, by the teacher.
After that time, whatever assignments have not been completed will have a
negative impact on the student’s overall average for the marking period in
question.
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Academic Honor and High Honor Roll Criteria
Academic recognition for students in the middle and high school will be
available for individuals who meet the criteria listed below. These two forms of
academic recognition are provided at the end of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd marking
periods. A different type of academic recognition is provided at the end of the
school year.
1) High Honor Criteria
 Sudents must pass all of his/her subjects.
 The numerical average of all of his/her classes must be 90 percent or
higher.
2) Honor Roll Criteria
 Student must pass all of his/her subjects
 The numerical average of all of his/her classes must be 80 -89 percent.
Interventions for Student Who Have Failing Quarterly Grades
At the end of each marking period the school guidance counselor will generate
academic data reports to identify students who are not experiencing success. These
data reports will be distributed to teachers, counselors and principals and used as one
tool for developing academic interventions for future marking periods.
The school guidance counselor along with a school administrator will facilitate
academic planning conferences that include the student, parent or guardian, clinician,
and the necessary teachers. A written plan will be created and distributed as a result
of each conference.
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Medication reviews
For students who reside in our Residential Treatment Facility, medication reviews
occur every 28 days. For all other students who receive medication prescribed by our
psychiatrist medication reviews occur as scheduled by the doctor.
A copy of the medication review form can be found on the next page of this manual as
well as by clicking on the following link
Med review form
Medication review forms must be submitted to the medical clinic by 8:30am on the day
of the medication review. Teachers are encouraged but not required to attend these
reviews.
More detailed information regarding medication reviews may be found in the staff
manual.
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MED REVIEW FORM
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Treatment Reviews
In our Day Treatment, residential and community residence programs treatment
reviews are held every 90 days.
In our RTF treatment reviews are held every 28 days.
Treatment review schedules for all program are published via email by program
secretaries. Questions regarding the schedule of treatment reviews can be directed
to the students clinician or the corresponding secretary.
Classroom staff participation in treatment reviews for all students is expected.
1. Please bring a copy of the student's current point sheet so that you can
discuss the current objectives.
2. Please know the current academic level of the student so that when parent
has questions about this, you can explain. Also, the high school teacher/TA
should know the IEP status (Regents, local, IEP) and share any
recommendations regarding this status as needed.
3. Please bring a copy of the student’s Functional Behavior Assessment
and Behavior Intervention Plan. These documents will be reviewed at every
treatment review and will be revised as necessary.
4. Please use the Treatment Review Sheet Educational Report form
(available in the mailroom) to gather input from the student’s other teachers
regarding overall academic/behavioral progress.
Note: The classroom staff who manages the student’s case should attend
these reviews.
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Incident Reports
An incident report is an internal document that we use to document significant events
that occur in relation to our students. The following events are considered incidents
when they involve at least one Neil Hellman School Student
 events that result in charges being filed where the client is either the perpetrator
or the victim;
 serious injuries of either accidental or unknown origin;
 self abuse that results in serious injuries;
 assaults that result in serious injuries;
 fights between two or more clients that result in serious injuries;
 sexual assault;
 sexual contact among clients.
 any event which may endanger the health or safety of clients, staff members, or
others; and
 any event which may attract negative media attention.
When any of these events occur an incident report must be filed before the end of
your work day.
Incident forms can be found by the mailboxes in the main office. Incident reports for
RTF youth are blue. All other incident reports are White.
If the incident is categorized as major the report must go to an administrator for their
review and signature.
All other incident reports are put in the box attached to Mike Brown’s door in the main
office.
IMPORTANT DATES and TIMES TO REMEMBER
Meeting schedule
1st Tuesday 8:05am:
3rd Tuesday 8:05am:
2nd and last Friday 8:05am:
High School Staff Meeting
Lower School Staff Meeting
All Staff Meeting 8:05am
As needed/scheduled:
Curriculum Mapping Meetings
Integration Staff Meetings
Yellow Team Meetings
Red level meetings
Case Reviews
It is expected that head teachers meet with individual supervisees and classroom
teams on a weekly basis.
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School Day
8:40
Staff members are in homerooms and hallways
8:40
Students enter school from busses and cottages
8:50
Homeroom/Announcements
9:10
Academic Support and Life Prep Period
2:48
Instructional Day Ends
2:50
Afternoon Homeroom/Announcements and bus dismissal begins
Bell Schedule 2012 – 2013
Period
A.M. Homeroom
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
P.M. Homeroom
Start Time
8:40
9:10
9:51
10:32
11:13
11:54
12:35
1:16
1:57
2:38
End Time
9:08
9:49
10:30
11:11
11:52
12:33
1:14
1:55
2:36
2:50
Lunch
LS Lunch 1
LS Lunch 2
HS West Wing
HS East Wing
11:47 – 12:07
11:52 – 12:12
12:35 – 12:54
12:54 – 1:14
Life Prep Schedule 2012 2013
1st in-session Tuesday of every month: Nutrition
9/18 – 10/16
PBIS
10/23 – 11/20
OLWEUS
11/27- 12/18
Service Learning
1/15 – 3/12
Transitions
3/19 – 4/16
PBIS
4/23 – 5/21
OLWEUS
Platt/Jerominek
Jerominek
Feeley
Ebel/Banbury
Ebel/Brenenstuhl
Jerominek
Feeley
THURSDAYS
9/13 – 11/22
11/29 – 12/20
1/3 – 5/23
SELF
Service Learning
SELF
Banbury
Ebel/Banbury
Banbury
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Academic Support Period
What Should Students be doing during this period?









Getting help from teachers with school work
Making up missing class work, quizzes, tests
Reading or Writing
Preparing for State tests
Practicing study skills
Learning how to study
Practicing reading, writing and math skills
Meeting with teachers
Starting homework.
How will classroom teachers get the necessary assignments for their students?




Content area teachers will give classroom teachers packets of work for
students in their homerooms by 3pm on Thursdays (either in mailboxes or
delivered to homerooms)
Classroom teachers will keep completed work in marked bins in their
classrooms until the end of the week.
On Fridays classroom teachers will give content area teachers completed
assignments (either in mailboxes or delivered in person).
Incomplete assignments will be sent home with students on Fridays.
What will instructional staff do during Academic Support period?


Content area teachers will visit one or two classrooms each day to provide
assistance to students who need help.
Special Ed teachers and other homeroom staff members will provide
assistance to students in assigned homerooms.
What classroom structures will be created to help teachers and students be
successful during this class period?



Each classroom will have a supply of 5 color coded file folders to store
assignments
Each classroom will have tiered bins to store completed assignments
Each classroom will have a container to store file folders.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
How will we handle students who refuse to participate in Academic Support?




We will not engage in power struggles, however non academic activities are not
an option during this class period. Teachers and classroom staff can offer
other academic options if students are refusing to complete assigned tasks
(e.g. reading, writing, test prep, educational games, etc.)
Teachers will have private conversations with students to determine what they
need to be successful during this class period.
If warranted a support plan can be developed by the team (Social
Worker/Parent/Teacher/Student)
Students can access breaks however breaks with integration staff will be
pushed into the classroom whenever possible and in all instances will involve
academic activities.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
PROTOCOL for LIMITED ATTENDANCE DAYS
(days when all students are not in attendance at NHS –
during Regents Testing, ½ days, Residential Camp Weeks)
Staffing:
 At least one Administrator
 One In-Charge supervision staff
* Teachers, TA’s
* Integration staff
1) Students report to homeroom at arrival time.
2) Attendance is taken and submitted by homeroom staff..
3) Announcement is made to report to central location to select activities for the
day.
Homeroom staff accompany students to this location.
4) In-Charge supervisor for the day elicits student choices for activities for AM
5) In-Charge supervisor assigns correct ratio of staff to each activity location
6) Students transition to activity site accompanied by staff for that site
7) Each location completes attendance, and gives to In-Charge supervisor.
Staff in each location is then responsible for the students on the attendance list.
8) Should a student choose to go to a different site, a staff from the original site
will hand-off student to next site staff and report change to the In Charge
Supervisor.
9) In-Charge Supervisor circulates among locations to verify attendance and
monitor
activities every 20 – 30 minutes.
10) Lunch – Staff with students from each location meet in the cafeteria. Same
staff eats lunch with students, supervises them, and accompanies them back to
central location to sign-up for PM activities.
11) Same process (#4 – 9)
12) End of Day – Staff from each site accompanies their students to individual
homerooms and waits for homeroom staff to arrive. Then staff redistributes to
own homerooms.
13) Homeroom attendance is taken, which should match original attendance from
AM homeroom, unless student has been signed out to leave building during
course of day in main office.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
2012-2013 NHS SCHOOL CALENDAR
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
HOW DO I….
How Do I Complete my Time Card?
Employee time cards are completed on-line. Your hours should be completed on a
daily basis.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click on "Parsons Forms" on your desk top
Click on "Time Card" under the "Parsons Apps" column
Enter your social security number
Click Edit timecards
For each day that you work during the time period:
1. Click on the drop down arrow next to the "Date" field and choose the appropriate
date
2. Click on the arrow next to "Time In" and "Time Out" and select the appropriate
times
3. Choose "No Break"
4. Click on Save on the top menu bar.
For days when you have Planned Paid Leave
1. Click on the drop down arrow next to the "Date" field and choose the appropriate
date
2. Click on the arrow next to "Time In" and "Time Out" and select "N/A"
3. Choose "No Break"
4. Click on the arrow below "Pay Type" and select "PD LEAVE"
5. Click on the arrow below Hrs/Units and select the appropriate number of hours
6. Click on Save on the top menu bar.
For days when you call in sick
Follow the procedures for Planned Paid Leave except select "PLX" in step number 4
For days when you have received approval to use Disability Leave
Follow the procedure for Planned Paid Leave except select "DBL LEAVE" in step
number 4
For days when you have received approval to use Workmen's Comp
Follow the procedure for Planned Paid Leave except select "WORK COMP DX" in
step number 4
For days when the Neil Hellman School has a planned vacation and is closed to
all students (i.e. Holidays, planned school breaks)
Follow the procedure for Planned Paid Leave except select "NHS T2 HOURS" in step
number 4
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Time cards must be submitted for supervisory approval by Friday at noon.
Supervisors will review and approve or return timecards by close of business on
Friday The Director of Education will meet individually with employees who have a
difficult time completing timecards accurately and in a timely manner.
Individuals with approved additional hours must accurately record these hours on their
time card. Exempt employees accrue time beyond schedule. Non-exempt employees
earn overtime.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING PAY PRACTICES AT
PARSONS CHILD AND FAMILY CENTER
CAN BE FOUND IN THE AGENCY MANUAL AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATION:
Pay Practices (HR 14)
How do I submit my resignation if I have decided to leave NHS?
Teachers (Exempt Staff)- per agency policy:
Submit a written letter to Human resources and the Director of Education
indicating your intention to leave NO sooner than 4 weeks from the date of your
letter.
Effective the day a resignation is submitted to NHS, you will forfeit any unused
TBS.
PL (even previously approved) may not be used during the resignation period. You
will not be eligible to be paid for future NHS paid days off unless the vacation
day(s) fall within their resignation period and they are returning to work an agreed
upon length of time beyond the vacation day(s). (This means you cannot extend
your end of employment to include an NHS vacation day/week.)
Teacher Assistants (and all other non- exempt staff) per agency policy:
Submit a written letter to Human resources and the Director of Education
indicating your intention to leave NO sooner than 2 weeks from the date of your
letter.
PL (even previously approved) may not be used during the resignation.
You will not be eligible to be paid for future NHS paid days off unless the vacation
day(s) fall within their resignation period and they are returning to work an agreed
upon length of time beyond the vacation day(s). (This means you cannot extend
your end of employment to include an NHS vacation day/week.)
You must be willing and able to work productively during the resignation period. If you
are unwilling/unable to work productively and are asked to leave prior to their end of
employment, you will forfeit any NHS vacation time that may have been part of their
resignation period.
*** It is expected that any staff accepting Tuition Assistance will be in compliance with
the agency policy with regard to resignation and/or reimbursement.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
How do I enter approved additional hours on my time card?
“What happens if I work before/after my normal day?” …for reasons that are
considered approved activities/duties beyond my regular work.
APPROVED additional hours are for: Medication reviews, Treatment reviews, ParentTeacher conferences, Red flag meetings, Work groups, Committee work, Trainings,
CSE meetings, Supervising a child in crisis at the request of an administrator, etc.
Additional hours will NOT BE APPROVED for tasks such as: Cleaning and preparing
your classroom, lesson planning, IEP writing, report preparation and grading, more
than 3 hours of committee work, setting up and breaking down activities in the
classroom, etc.
Exempt Staff (Teachers)

You are responsible for recording additional hours on your time card when the
time is worked

Additional hours on your electronic time card are entered just like all other time.
You simply record the appropriate DIFFERENT start or end time. These
“additional hours” will be displayed in the Time Beyond Schedule box (Upper
right corner of the Enter Hours Screen)

A reason for additional hours must be noted in the small “comment box”
(bottom middle section of the Enter Hours Screen) for documentation purposes.

Additional hours (TBS hours) must be used before PL hours as they will expire
at the end of August each year.
o For example: A teacher starts the day at 7:30 for a Mapping Committee
Meeting. Start time is entered as 7:30 am and end time remains 3:30
pm. The TBS box will now show 30 minutes of Time Beyond. The
comments box will read “mapping committee.”
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Non-exempt Staff (TAs, 1:1, Integration Staff, Secretaries)

You are responsible for recording additional hours on your time card when the
time is worked

Additional hours on your electronic time card are entered just like all other time.
You simply record the appropriate DIFFERENT start or end time. These
“additional hours” will be displayed as extra hours worked on the day entered.

A reason for additional hours must be noted in the small “comment box”
(bottom middle section of the Enter Hours Screen) for documentation purposes.
o For example: A teacher starts the day at 7:30 for a Mapping Committee
Meeting. Start time is entered as 7:30 am and end time remains
4:00pm. The comments box will read “mapping committee.” Total hours
for the day will indicate 8.5 and the total hours for the week will be more
than 40.
How do I Access my Email?
All Neil Hellman School staff members have email capability via Microsoft Outlook on
our agency computer system. This email system will be used whenever possible to
communicate to individuals, groups or the entire staff. Examples include: meetings,
memos, alerts, agency communications, and any other communications that can be
sent electronically. Staff members are expected to check their email in the morning
and in the afternoon to insure they get communications in a timely manner.
The IT department will provide you with MS Outlook training and refresher courses if
needed.
To access email from the school computers:
ctrl-alt-delete
type in your parsons email address
your parsons name@parsonscenter.org
your citrix password
click on the parsons icon and type in
your parsons name
your citrix password
click on the outlook icon
To access email from home:
type in the url, corp.parsonscenter.org (no http or www.)
click on the webmail icon and type in
your parsons name
your citrix password
click on the outlook icon
In addition a daily bulletin is available using the Power School program.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
What if I want to purchase items for my classroom?
If you need to purchase or order items for your classroom or for an activity you need
to fill out a purchase requisition. They are located in the main office in the file cabinet
next to the printer.
1. Fill in today’s date and a description of the items that you will be purchasing,
how many, how much each costs and the total cost.
2. Indicate where the item will be purchased from (suggested vendor)
a. If you are purchasing items from a vendor that the agency has an
account note the name of the vendor
b. if you are requesting cash for an activity or to spend at a specified store
where we do not already have an account “petty cash” should be the
suggested vendor
3. Put your name in the “Requested By” box
4. Give the Purchase request to a secretary in the main office
5. He or she will give it to the program director for approval.
6. The secretary will then send approved requests are then to sent to our
Accounting office.
7. The secretary will inform you when the purchase order has arrived.
8. When you receive the items that you have ordered or purchased you must
send copies of the signed purchase order to accounting.
Policies and procedures regarding purchasing can be found on pages 30 and 31 of the agency
manual at the following location Fiscal Policies and Procedures
What if I need cooking, cleaning or school supplies?
Most food items, school supplies and household items (i.e. Kleenex, Clorox wipes,
etc.) can be filled internally. If you need these types of items for your classroom or for
an activity you need to fill out an internal requisition. They are located in the main
office next to the printer.
Requisitions for a cooking or baking activity are filled by the kitchen.
1. Use the canary colored requisition forms.
2. Fill in today’s date and a description of the items that you will need, and how
many of each item you would like.
3. Sign the requisition
4. Have your supervisor sign the requisition
5. Bring the completed requisition to the kitchen.
6. Please allow one week for these requisitions to be filled….plan ahead.
Requisitions for school supplies (i.e. pencils, paper, paper clips, Kleenex,
staplers, etc.) are filled by students in our vocational program
1. Use the white internal requisition form
2. Fill in today’s date and note the quantity of each item that you would like
3. Sign the requisition
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
4. Have your supervisor sign the requisition
5. Give the completed requisition to Mrs. Brenenstuhl in room 7
6. Please allow one week for these requisitions to be filled….plan ahead.
If you have questions about what can and cannot be filed via an internal requisition
please see one of the secretaries in the main office.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
What if I want to take my students on a field trip?
Educational field trips are those that are designed to introduce or reinforce educational
concepts that are part of the classroom’s curriculum. This is differentiated from Level
Trips or other trips predicated on non-academic factors.
All students in the classroom are expected to be included in the Educational Field trip
of their classroom, as the trips are part of the students’ educational program.
Exception to this would be a student who is considered to be “unsafe” on the particular
day of the trip, or one who is on orders so that s/he cannot leave campus.
What to do:
1) Research a trip location that will enhance your area of study.
2) If the field trip is educational in nature please fill out an “Educational Trip”
packet (in office) & give copy to Dr. Dickinson. You will need to include details
of the trip:
a. Transportation – work with Mr. Dean to secure vans.
b. Meds list – provide to Clinic at least one week ahead. No additional
students can be added.
c. Lunches – decide what you will do & contact Vickie Schelling (kitchen) if
you need kitchen to provide.
3) Please provide a copy of the approved trip packet to the principal of your
building.
4) Study the content and then pre-set your students on what they will see & do on
the trip as well as how this reinforces what they are learning.
5) Fill out coverage sheet if you need your other classes covered.
6) On the day of the trip, leave attendance sheet (of those leaving building) in the
book in main office.
7) Provide staffing for those students staying back.
8) Enjoy the trip! (Bring cell phone, just in case.)
9) Do reinforcement activities with your class once you return
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
What if I need to drive a student or group of students somewhere?
Transporting of youth from the Neil Hellman School should take place using an
agency vehicle.
All students must be signed out in the main office.
Any transportation of a student by a staff must be approved by a school administrator
(i.e. a signed field trip request denotes administrative approval, dropping off students
at their group home due to inclement weather requires administrative approval, etc.)
Requests for the use of an agency vehicle should be directed to Tom Dean.
How do I register for agency or outside training?
Mandated and special trainings will be scheduled for Neil Hellman School employees
throughout the year during your regular workday. It is your responsibility to attend
these trainings. If you need or want to sign up for additional trainings offered through
the Sidney Albert Training and Research Institute (SATRI) please discuss
opportunities with either your direct supervisor or an administrator.
If you are given approval to attend a SATRI training, the training registration form can
be found at the following link S:\Public\Parsons Forms\training.lnk
The agency training manual can be found at the following link Training Manual
Additional information regarding required trainings can be found in the staff manual
How do I access additional or needed curriculum materials for my students?
LOWER SCHOOL:
1) Upon intake, students are evaluated for skill levels by Mrs. O’Neill (school
psychologist) and Dr. Dickinson (Principal for Curriculum).
2) Once levels are determined, Dr. Dickinson provides classroom staff with all
core materials to be used for instruction.
3) Completion of materials & moving up:
- Social Studies is a full year class & materials are provided for the entire
year (chronologically grade-appropriate).
- 2 Science kits (Elementary) are selected by the classroom and last
approx one semester each. Middle School materials are year-long and
are located in the classrooms.
- Math and ELA – students are grouped by level. When child’s the books
are completed, the student and teacher report to Dr. D for a cursory
evaluation. Teacher’s judgment is valuable in moving child to next level.
4) Testing Out – If a student believes s/he is already competent on material in the
book in which s/he was placed, an appointment is made with Dr. D to evaluate
competence. If student, in fact, is competent at that level, new materials are
assigned.
5) Supplementary materials - Dr. D requests orders in March for the upcoming
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
school year. Orders might include supplementary reading materials, Weekly
Readers, games, classroom manipulatives, globes, etc. Please complete a
school
requisition form (in office drawer) and give to Dr. D. If additional materials are
needed at other times, see Dr. D.
HIGH SCHOOL:
1) Upon intake, students are evaluated for skill levels by Mrs. Jerominek and
receive a schedule of classes from Ms. Feeley.
2) For Regents classes, curriculum materials are housed and monitored by the
content area teachers in each subject area.
3) Completion of materials & moving up – In the Regents classes, materials are
used for the entire year & reflect the content of the course being taken. In the
vocational classes and push-in self contained, materials are distributed and
monitored similar to #3 above.
4) Testing Out – For Regents classes, students must earn credits based on their
graduation requirements. See #4 above for voc and push-in self contained
5) Supplementary materials – see #5 above.
How do I sign on to PowerSchool/PowerTeacher?
PowerTeacher is a tool that is integrated into the PowerSchool
Student Information System (SIS) that was specifically developed for teachers.
PowerTeacher makes it easy to quickly take attendance, access your gradebook and
view student information.
To start using PowerTeacher you must first log in.
1. Click the PowerTeacher icon on your desk top (if you do not have the icon
see Terry Ryan). Alternately, the PowerTeacher portal is located at the web
address:
https://neilhellman.powerschool.com/teachers
2. Enter your Username:
(the first 6 letters of your last name and your first initial)
3.
Enter your Password:
If you do not know your password please see Jodi Ebel
You should type these in the space provided. See the diagram below.
It does not matter if you type uppercase or lowercase
Your username and password are hidden for security reasons.
Note: Do not use someone else’s password or give your
password to anyone else.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Click Enter. The PowerTeacher Start Page appears.
After signing on to PowerTeacher by clicking on the menu items on the left you will be
able to access student information, gradebook, attendance, etc.
How do I take attendance
After signing on to PowerTeacher (see above directions) the following start page will
appear on your computer screen
The Start Page will display only those classes you are scheduled to teach.
P1 is the period of the day.
(G) is the day i.e. (G) is a Green Day (W) is a White Day
Phys Ed is the name of the class
Click on the chair to take attendance for that class and period.
If you need to update attendance throughout the school day use the above
procedures.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
How do I request a day off?
Staff members may request paid leave (PL) days as long as they have enough hours
in their PL bank to cover their request.
No more than 2 upper school and 2 lower school staff can be approved for PL on any
given day.
Requests for less than 3 days of PL must be submitted for supervisory approval a
minimum of 24 hours in advance.
Requests for 3 or more consecutive days must be submitted for supervisory approval
a minimum of 1 month in advance.
Requests for more than 2 weeks of vacation time must be submitted to the Director of
Education for approval.
To request PL:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fill out a PL Request form (located in the file cabinet in the main office)
Give the form to your supervisor for his or her approval
Your supervisor will either approve or deny the request
The school secretary will write your name on the PL calendar after a request is
approved.
5. All PL request forms (whether approved or denied) will be returned to the
employee for their records.
6. PL should ONLY be considered “approved” when a signed request has been
returned to the employee.
How do I request coverage if I am going to be absent?
If you know that you will not be present in a classroom where you are assigned due to
PL, DL, trainings or meetings, you must request coverage from Mike Brown in the
main office.
Fill out the Coverage Request Form (blanks can be found in the basket affixed to
Mike’s office door)
Please do not arrange coverage for yourself.
If you have teaching responsibility please ensure that plans are filed in the main office
and/or in your desk
All coverage sheets must be turned in at least 2 days in advance of the planned
absence
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
What do I do when I am sick or unable to come to work?
If you are unable to be at work when scheduled or if you will be late, please call Mike
Brown at 426-2785, no later than one hour prior to the start of your scheduled work
day.
Failure to call one hour prior to the start of your scheduled workday may result in
corrective or disciplinary action.
Please ensure that emergency sub plans are current and filed in the main office
Further information regarding planned and unplanned absences can be found in the
agency manual at:
What about snow days?
When the Albany City School district is closed due to inclement weather, the Neil
Hellman School is closed to both Day and Residential Students.
What if I lose my keys?
If you lose your keys or your ID badge you must immediately notify:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
your immediate supervisor
the IT Department (x2696)
Stephanie Maynard in the main office
Stephanie will order you new keys.
There is a charge for lost ID badges and front door keys
How do I cancel bus transportation for a student?
The school day ends at 2:50 pm. Day Treatment students are expected to ride
transportation as assigned by individual school districts. Any student who leaves
school early must be signed out in the main office by an approved adult. Only
individuals on the student’s approved pick up list….
Students are expected to ride assigned busses daily. In the event that a child
provides written documentation an/or is picked up for the day, please notify our
transportation coordinator (x2873) immediately so that the district can be notified.
How do I request a red flag meeting
If typical behavior planning and interventions are not successful in addressing student
behavior and/or there is a crisis situation with a student that warrants immediate
attention any individual can request a red flag meeting.
To request a meeting please contact either Steve Banbury or Steve Mallory. They will
ensure that all appropriate individuals are invited and will schedule the meeting.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
What happens if I think an incident requires police involvement
1) Neil Hellman School staff will notify a school administrator of an incident
that warrants police involvement or notification.
Ex: physical assault by student, verbal threat by student, theft of personal
property, destruction or damage to personal vehicle.
2) The Neil Hellman School Administrator if possible will notify the Director or
his/her designee.
3) A timely meeting will be convened of those adults that are part of the
students treatment team. The team will discuss the specifics of the incident.
Pros and cons of police involvement and other factors to be considered.
The staff member requesting police involvement will be part of this meeting.
Parent notification and involvement will be determined by the treatment
team with appropriate communication in a timely fashion.
4) The actual contact to the police will be handled by a Neil Hellman School
administrator whenever possible. The Neil Hellman School administrator
will facilitate the police arrival and interviewing of staff and or students.
Police presence in the Neil Hellman School will be handled to best protect
the dignity and privacy of both the student and staff member.
5) The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Agency will
be notified by the administration when police are contacted.
How do I access a student’s record
Student records are housed in the main office. File cabinets are unlocked at 7:30am.
Records may be viewed in the main office on a need to know basis. If you would like
to take a student’s record to your classroom or office there is a sign out book on top of
the file cabinets. Please sign records in and out. Student records are NEVER to
leave the building.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Beginning and Ending of the school days
Morning bus arrival and Afternoon bus dismissal:
Kathleen Feeley and Ms. Lorenzo will provide bus coverage daily in the Center
Foyer
-------------------------------Coverage of Hallways AM & PM
AM HR
West Side Hallway
Mr. Keaton
East Side Hallway
Mr. Goodemote
PM HR
West Side Hallway
East Side Hallway
Gymnasium
4 Corners
Floaters
Mr. White
Mr. Keaton
Mr. Moore
Ms. Maul
Ms. Nielsen, Mr. Goodemote
In addition, the following staff members will be in the hallway before and during
afternoon homeroom until all homeroom students are in their classrooms or
dismissed:
Rm 3:
Ms. Turner
Rm 12:
Cathleen Spickerman
Rm 4:
Tara Miller
Rm 13:
Monica Meissner
Rm 5:
Mrs. Sayles
Rm 14:
Meghan Losier
Rm 6:
Mike Derella
Rm 15:
Renee Meade
Rm 7:
Lila Brenenstuhl
Rm 17:
Morgan Rowse
Rm 8:
Andrea Holmes
MPR:
Michael Brocci
Dismissal Plan
Residential
Rathbone, Wasson and RTF students will be dismissed at 2:47 by an announcement
over the intercom to report to the gym for dismissal. A school staff from each
homeroom is responsible for getting students to the gym in a timely manner and
reporting absences to departure staff. Each cottage will report to their designated
corner of the gym where a cottage staff will take attendance. After attendance is
taken school staff assigned to each cottage will assist residential staff in walking the
students back to their respective cottages.
RTF (Knowles) (School staff from Room 3, 17, MPR and 107)
Wasson- (VanWagenen) (School staff from Room 120, 4, and 109)
Rathbone- (Jerominek) (School staff from 15, 14, and 8)
School staff in parenthesis are in-charge of that corner of the gym. Homerooms listed
will supply one person to assist in supervising students in the gym and walking them
back up to the cottages.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Group Homes & Miriam House
Group Home and Miriam House students to be dismissed at 2:52 by an
announcement to report to the cafeteria for dismissal. Mr. Ivery and Ms. Maul will take
attendance and dismiss the students out the door by the pool.
Day Treatment
Attendance sheets given to each bus driver either on a daily or weekly basis. Bus
driver checks off each student on the bus and doesn’t leave until sheet is turned into
Tom Dean or designee.
Supervision in the hallways
Staff members are expected to both greet students at the classroom and be present
in the hallways during transitions between classes, to ensure a safe and therapeutic
environment for our students.
It is best practice to have eyes on student, even those with passes, as they transition
from location to location.
All Homeroom staff are responsible for










SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
AM/PM Attendance
Lunch counts
Distribution of point sheets
Record point sheet/progress note information in database
Case Coordination
Communication with residential staff/social workers/parents/guardians
Dissemination of information to students
Collecting and sharing information regarding client observation status, safety
risk, medical issues or other pertinent information
Communication with other educational staff regarding specific medication
needs of students (if a student is scheduled to receive 10am meds the teacher
supervising them at that time is responsible for making sure they receive them)
Supervision at lunch






Collect students in homeroom and proceed to either the cafeteria or recess
location
Supervise interactions among students while in the cafeteria
Students are to receive a school lunch prior to purchasing items at the school
store.
Please remember that many of our students have food related challenges – please
respect their needs and wishes while encouraging them to make healthy food
choices and practice appropriate table manners
Ensure that students have received any mid day medications
Assist in moving students to next assigned location (following lunch/recess)
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Students who participate in afterschool sports program or APT
Classroom staff supervise APT/APR students until they are dismissed to the main
office at approximately 3:15pm. Under special circumstances (e.g., meetings,
classroom emergencies), these students may be sent to the office earlier (if possible,
please notify office staff if this is to occur). Please contact the APT/ARP Coordinator if
there are questions, or if different arrangements need to be made.
Classroom staff supervise students who participate in the afterschool intramural sports
program until they are dismissed to either the gym or the field at 3pm.
Staff Committees
All staff are to sign up for one committee. Participation in your assigned committee
will earn you up to 3 hours of Time Beyond Schedule or 3 hours of overtime.
Staff are welcome (and encouraged) to volunteer to assist in other committees.
Volunteers for events that take place after the school day will be given the ability to
leave at 3pm the week of the event.
"Time Limited Committees"
Open House
Halloween Dance
Thanksgiving Dinner
Honor Roll - High School
Honor Roll and Awards Ceremony -Lower School
Holiday Dinner
Holiday Bazaar
Valentine's Dance
Prom
Senior Trip
Lawn Fest
Talent Show
High School Awards
Graduation
Summer Camp Weeks
"On-going committees"
Library
Green Team
Yellow (FBA)Team
Curriculum Mapping
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Adult Behaviors That Support Student
Learning And Positive Behavior
1. Adults in the classroom are moving toward students and engaging
them…rather than sitting at a desk or on the sidelines.
2. Adults greet students at the door…rather that waiting inside the classroom for
them to arrive.
3. Adults focus on activities students are doing rather than reading, on the
computer, text messaging, etc.
4. Adults have frequent, informal conversations throughout the day about their
students…rather than let students get to a crisis before they talk to each other.
5. Adults in the classroom clearly know their roles and responsibilities and how
they are to work together.
6. Communication about students, staff, personal issues, etc. is discreet and not
in front of the students.
7. Adults are proactive in intervening with students before little issues become big
problems.
8. Adults use respectable and appropriate language with students and fellow staff.
9. Adults are able to “role with the punches.”
10. Every adult in the classroom can take a leadership role or initiative when it is
necessary.
11. Each adult realizes that there are times when they need to remove themselves
from a situation. (Tap out)
12. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help.
13. Adults use their own skills/relationships with students before calling on adults
from outside the classroom.
14. Adults are where they need to be…when they need to be there.
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What is?
PBIS – The Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports program at the Neil Hellman
School organizes adults and students to create a social-culture in school buildings that
will encourage positive behavior and interactions, while discouraging problem
behaviors. This social-culture will lead to a safe environment where students achieve
academically and build positive relationships with each other and with adults.
With the framework of the PBIS system, the Neil Hellman School utilizes a level
system that encourages positive reinforcement, communication and support.
All students carry a point sheet and students earn points throughout the course of the
day for following school wide expectations and individualized goals. Point sheets are
intended to reinforce appropriate behavior and coping skills.
PBIS is not a consequence driven system but rather a method for recognizing what
students do well and how they might improve their coping skills.
If you have questions about the PBIS system please speak with Melissa Jerominek
(x2681)
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Classroom Expectation for Students
Be There – Be Ready
 In the room when bell rings
 Have materials with you
 Put all electronic devices away
Be Safe
 Hands, feet, objects to self
 Use all equipment and materials for their
intended use
Be Respectful
 Follow staff directions
 Use kind word, voices and actions
 Value others right to learn
 Understand peoples differences
 Be aware of personal space
 Always ask and receive permission from staff
Do Your Best
 Ask for help when needed
 Listen to directions
 Complete work during assigned times
 Work on your goals
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OLWEUS – Olweus is school-wide intervention and approach to interrupting the
bullying cycle. This year our Olweus program is being coordinated by Kathleen
Feeley. Kathleen will be training staff on this approach and pushing into classrooms
to work with students throughout the year. A copy of the NHS Bullying Rubric can be
found on the next page of this manual or by clicking on the following link
Bullying Rubric
If you have any questions regarding OLWEUS please speak to Kathleen Feeley.
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BULLYING RUBRIC
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Sanctuary – Parsons Child and Family Center is committed to being a sanctuary
where everyone feels safe to express their feelings, resolve conflicts, and heal
whatever past trauma they have experienced.
Sanctuary is the name of a model, a way of thinking and acting that everyone in the
Parsons Community has adopted as the best way to help children and families pull
their lives back together after experiencing devastating or traumatic events. By
practicing the Sanctuary Model, we make Parson a special place where everyone –
children, family members, practitioners, and administrators can work together to make
their lives better.
The Neil Hellman School use the following three therapeutic tools when
practicing the Sanctuary Model: Safety plans, Community Meetings and
S.E.L.F. Groups.
In school and in the living areas (residential cottages and community residences),
everyone participates in daily community meetings. Youth identify their feelings, a
goal for the day, and who they will ask for help.
All students and staff members develop a safety plan. A safety plan includes at least
5 options for when an individual feels unsafe and/or upset. These include things to do
to help calm down, such as drawing and reading, as well as requesting a break to talk
to someone about something they are upset about.
Everyone who attends the Neil Hellman School participates in what we call a S.E.L.F.
group once a week, during an extended homeroom period. These groups provide a
time and place for students to learn about how to cope with past trauma and the
stresses of everyday life. S.E.L.F. groups are co-facilitated (typically the pairings
consist of an educational staff member and a clinical staff member). The S.E.L.F.
curriculum is coordinated by Steve Banbury.
Parsons Child and Family Center’s sanctuary activities provide many opportunities for
youth to learn and grow in a safe setting with the support and understanding of staff.
If you have additional questions about Sanctuary please speak with Steve Banbury,
Supervisor of Milieu Services.
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Community Meeting Tips
-
While student leadership in all aspects of community meetings is possible and
helpful:
o Facilitator
o Co-facilitator or note taker
teachers need to lead the group and make sure the meeting gets started, that
students are participating, and that the binder with pages for notes is available
with a supply of blank pages.
-
Model and encourage students using a variety of feeling words and discuss the
feelings (mad, sad, glad, mischievous, overwhelmed, grieving etc”) “Good” and
“Fine” are not feeling words without some further explanation.
-
Use the Emotions posters as examples
-
If any one expresses distress or discomfort in the meeting, tell them you will
check in on them later individually and do so.
-
Focus on using the meetings to teach emotional management skills, which our
students may have never learned elsewhere, and lack of which is a common
symptom of people who have had trauma experiences.
-
Close with an inspirational quote. Example: “Our greatest fear is not that we
are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure”. Nelson Mandela
-
Use the end of day meeting to check if students reached their goal – clap or
celebrate a little if they did.
-
Invite administrators and non-classroom staff to attend meetings regularly.
-
Have a monthly “L meeting” (loss) which asks the question “What have you lost
recently”. Also “Is there anything good that came out of the loss”, and “who can
help you with it?”
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SAFETY PLAN TIPS
All adults wear a safety plan. Teachers and staff can model using their plan when
they are feeling frustrated, angry, unsafe, upset, etc…This sets the climate that safety
is the top priority here at the Neil Hellman School and safety plans are useful in
helping with this.
Develop safety plans with your homeroom students. All safety plans have 5 options.
Be sure that students understand that not every option is available at any given
moment. Everyone should have at least one or two options that they can use at their
desk without having to leave the classroom.
Use safety plans as a de-escalation tool. Ask student about what they can use on
their safety plans as early in the escalation cycle as you can.
Collect safety plans in the afternoon and give them out each morning.
Some ideas for promoting the use of safety plans:





Have a safety plan check occasionally, asking “Who has their safety plan?” and
give a token to those who are wearing one.
Make the safety plan something kids want to wear. For example, a way of
identifying with your classroom – design it with the kids.
Give bonus points or tokens to all students who have their plans on Fridays.
Revise safety plans every month or two as needed – as a whole class activity.
Most of our students need to include self-calming methods on their plan such as
deep breathing.
When students try to use their safety plans to avoid schoolwork:



Ask yourself: does the plan need to be discussed and revised individually?
Talk to students 1:1 about how they are using their plan
Use the morning community meeting to clarify expectations for the school day.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
S.E.L.F. Groups in the Neil Hellman School
Everyone who attends the Neil Hellman School participates in a S.E.L.F. group once a
week during Life Prep period.
These psycho-educational groups are a time for students to learn about how to cope
with past hurts and stresses of everyday life in the company of their peers and
dependable adult staff. S.E.L.F. stands for:
Safety – To create an environment where people feel safe from physical harm, safe in
their relationships with others, and respected and supported
Emotional Management – To help people safely handle distressing feelings without
becoming destructive to themselves or others
Loss – To help people heal from and understand a variety of losses and accept things
they cannot change and
Future – To encourage the ability to choose and imagine a better future
S.E.L.F activities provide many opportunities for youth to learn and grow in a safe
setting with the support and understanding of staff. In S.E.L.F groups:

we have another opportunity to teach our kids how to think differently about their
problems
 not just how bad the past has been, or
 how scared they feel everyday, but
 how to feel safe in school,
 how to effectively express anger or sadness,
 how to depend on others when they are feeling vulnerable,
 how to deal with losing friends from another school and
 how to start forming a road map for the future.
For example…In order to help the students learn about social safety, co-facilitators
might plan a therapeutic game or analyze a scene in a video followed by a group
discussion, or plan an arts and crafts activity.
All staff participate in co-facilitating S.E.L.F. groups; some lead, some support.
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
Guidelines For Student Breaks From Classes During the School Day
The therapeutic environment we are attempting to create at the Neil Hellman School
necessitates that the concept of student mental health “breaks” be part of our pool of
strategies to help students be successful. A critical piece of the concept and process
of mental health is teaching students why they are available, how they should happen,
and how they support their working toward success in our school. It is going to take
the intentional and consistent effort of all of us to make this concept successful in our
school.
Outlined below is a draft of guidelines to help staff and students make decisions on
how to make these “breaks” most effective.
1)
The concept of mental health “breaks” for students should be part of the
treatment review sessions where the parent, clinician, teacher, and student can
discuss the need of “breaks” as part of the student treatment and safety plans.
2)
Specific information regarding when, where, how long, how many, etc. should
be known by the student and adults involved beforehand may be different for
each individual student.
3)
Students must receive permission from the adult responsible for them to take a
break. The adult(s) must make a decision to allow a break based on the
student’s treatment and safety plan as well as the adults assessment of the
immediate situation.
4)
A student must understand that a request for a break does not automatically
mean a break will be granted. The teacher may provide other alternatives that
he/she feels are more appropriate at that time.
5)
Locations for breaks must be considered based on our ability to supervise
students in that location and whether or not the addition of one or more
students will disrupt classroom instruction or another activity.
6)
In most cases breaks should be limited to 10 minutes or less. Extension of this
time period can be made by the adult involved but the goal is to have the
student return to class as soon as possible.
7)
For those students who need breaks during the school day we should work to
limit these to one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
8)
Teachers and staff in the classroom should have a variety of strategies that
help calm, engage, and deescalate students who enter the classroom seeking
a break that allows them not to leave the classroom.
9)
Staff members must monitor student use of breaks and intervene when they
are being abused. The homeroom teacher, clinician and integration specialist
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NEIL HELLMAN SCHOOL
should meet with the student to address this issue and create a workable plan.
Reasonable limits on breaks may need to be instituted.
10)
Whenever possible classroom staff should escort a student to a break area or
call down to the break area to see if an adult is available. (If no one arrives at a
break area, call the Communication Room, extension 2876.)
11)
Students earn PBIS points while on a break. Points students earn each period
will be a combination of what they earn at the break area and in the classroom.
Staff should use the guidelines below in making decision about PBIS Points.
Earning Points as Part of Taking a Break (Examples)
Situation
Student is behaving in class, asks for
and takes a break appropriately and
returns to class
Student takes break – does not act
appropriately at break area or refuses
to return to class
Student misbehaves during class –
takes breaks appropriately and returns
to class
Who Awards Points
Classroom staff
Break staff and classroom staff decide
together on points (this may happen
when student returns or at another time
during the day or at the end of the day
½ points classroom staff
½ points Break area staff
Other Strategies to Help Make Students Breaks More Effective

Each homeroom must spend intentional time teaching students that “How to
take a break process” and the Behavior Matrix for taking a break.
A) In room (class) break should be first option.
B) Breaks should be 10 minutes in length in most instances.
C) Out of room breaks should be supervised by class staff when possible.
D) Students will have their point sheets signed by adult in the break area when
they return to class.

Investigate individualizing breaks for selected students who would benefit from
going to a specific person if available, and for some students presetting or prescheduling breaks at a specific time and place.
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