SHARON COMMUNITY SCHOOL
“Heart of the Community”
Joint District No. 11
104 E School Street
Sharon, WI 53585
Phone (262) 736-4477
VISIT US ON OUR WEB SITE AT www.sharon.k12.wi.us
PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK
2014-2015
The Educational Philosophy and Mission Statement of the Sharon Community School
The mission of the Sharon Community School, Sharon, Jt. District #11 is to provide an
educational program that ensures equal educational opportunities for all children. These
opportunities should be offered in a positive and healthy environment wherein students can
develop self-esteem and individual potential. Achieving this will permit them to begin to acquire
the intellectual, social, physical, and cultural attitudes and skills important to live in a democratic
society and function in a diverse and changing world.
The Sharon Board of Education believes that fulfilling the mission is dependent on a strong
partnership between students, parents, staff, administrator and members of the community. This
partnership becomes the foundation for excellence in educational programming and the children
in it.
Dear Parents,
This handbook has been compiled to provide information necessary for effective communication
between the school and the parents of children attending Sharon Community School. Please read
it carefully and keep it for reference during the school year.
School rules contained in this handbook express our expectations of discipline and are necessary
to achieve maximum growth for each student.
Student/Parent/Teacher relationships are an integral part of the child’s learning experience. This
handbook will contribute to that end, as well as serve as a single source of valuable information
for our parents and students.
Lillian J. Henderson, Ph.D.
District Administrator
SCHOOL FEES
School fees are payable in the office on the school registration days in mid-August. They are as
follows:
Half-Day Junior Kindergarten
$10.00
Kindergarten & Grades 1-8
$23.00
VISITING OUR SCHOOL
The Board of Education and staff of the Sharon Community School, welcome parents, members
of the community, and other interested persons to visit the school.
In order to assure that no unauthorized persons enter the school with wrongful intent, any person
other than students, staff members, or Board of Education personnel, must report to the school
office when entering the school to receive authorization to visit elsewhere in the building.
Anyone failing to report his or her presence on school property to the office may be considered
an unauthorized person and will be reported to the district administrator. The person will be
asked to leave, and the police may be called if the situation warrants such measures.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
School Board meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Special meetings are called when necessary and required notification is given. Special board
notices are in the sign case at the school entrance, the village hall notice board, and the township
notice board. All parents and community members are encouraged to attend board meetings.
Your input is very important to the successful operation of our school. Agendas are available at
the school office several days prior to the board meeting.
REPORT CARDS ~ PROGRESS REPORTS
The evaluation of student achievement is one of the most important functions of a teacher.
Students will receive a report card at the end of each nine-week grading period. There are four
grading periods during the school year. Report cards should be examined by parents. Parents
are to sign and return the report card envelope. The report card is yours to keep for future
reference. The teaching staff will have on-going contact with parents about the progress of their
child/children. Mid-term Progress Reports will be issued mid-way into each grading period for
students in Middle School. These reports indicate the progress of the student to date. If a
student is doing poorly, the mid-term progress report gives him/her four weeks to improve before
report cards are issued. Parents are urged to contact the teacher at any time in regard to their
student’s progress and status. It is also possible to monitor student progress and check food
service accounts through the Skyward link on our webpage. Families are issued a password that
allows them to enter the Family Access link to check on the status of assignments and tests, to
communicate with teachers, and to check on food account balances.
CONFERENCES
Parent conferences are held in the fall (October) and in late winter (March) for all students.
Conferences give parents and teachers an opportunity to discuss each individual child and the
school program. We encourage a conference whenever the parent or teacher deems it necessary.
Please feel free to make an appointment at any time you are concerned. The teachers are willing
to meet with you and they, in turn, will contact parents when they have a concern.
HONOR ROLL
The Sharon School staff strongly encourages students to achieve academically in all subject
areas. To be eligible for the honor roll in grades 6-8, a student must maintain a grade point
average of 3.0 to 4.0 to achieve honors. Those students maintaining high academic standards in
the Middle School will be rewarded with a quarterly party as well as various subject awards.
PERSONAL CONDUCT
All students have the right to feel safe, and not be afraid of being hurt or harmed while in school.
The following actions threaten the safety or are violations of the law. They are not allowed.
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Fighting
Possession or use of drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes
Profanity
Vandalism
Assault: Sexual, verbal or physical
Graffiti
Possession or use of weapons
Stealing
Bullying/Threatening/Harassment
Any behavior intended to bring harm to another person
SCHOOL BUS INFORMATION
We urge parents to spend time discussing the following bus rules:
 Obey the bus driver at all times and be thoughtful of others on the bus. Always
remain orderly when getting on and off the bus.
 Go directly to your seat and remain seated keeping hands, feet, and head inside the
bus.
 Do not talk loudly or make other loud noises because noise may distract the
Driver and result in an accident. Always be quiet when coming to a railroad crossing.
 Help keep the bus safe and clean. Keep books, lunches, and coats out of the aisles.
 Do not eat, drink, or smoke on the bus. Never bring animals, glass, or large objects
on the bus or tamper with the bus or any of its equipment.
 Any bus student getting off at a different stop must have a note for the bus driver.
Parents are notified when student misbehavior occurs on the bus. An appropriate disciplinary
action will be taken based on the seriousness of the offense. Students may have bus riding
privileges suspended without being suspended from school. It is important that students and
parents understand the rules, and if students misbehave, they will be denied the privilege of
riding the bus.
On occasion, due primarily to scheduled athletic events, a combined bus run will be necessary.
You will be notified in ample time when combined bus runs are scheduled. A note will go home
with bus students the day before combined bus runs whenever possible. Your children will be
delivered home but will be somewhat later than usual when there is a combined run.
Non-bus riding students requesting to ride the bus to a childcare provider’s house, a relative’s
house, or a friend’s house, may do so providing there is room on the bus, providing the bus stops
at that house on its regular route, and providing that student has a written note from the school
office to present to the bus driver when boarding the bus.
SERVICES AND FACILITIES
Library ~ Students may report to the library at appointed times during the school day. Students
are responsible for the loss of library books.
Guidance ~ The guidance counselor is prepared to assist students and parents whenever
necessary. Upon the request of the student, or on referral from teachers or parents, counseling
sessions are scheduled. Students must obtain a pass from their classroom teacher before meeting
with the counselor.
School Psychologist ~ The school psychologist is available for parent consultation. Requests
should be made through the school office.
Speech Clinician ~ Speech therapy is available to those students who have been identified as
being in need of this service.
General Office Hours ~ Office hours at Sharon Community School are from 7:15 a.m. to 3:45
p.m.
Teacher Availability ~ Teachers are available by appointment. They are also available for
conferences during team preparation time. Teachers may be reached by e-mail or classroom
telephone. Teachers are available to help students before and after school. When you need
extra help, talk to your teachers and arrange for a specific time so that both of you can be
prepared. A few minutes of extra instruction time can save hours of confused study. Remember,
teachers are available to serve the needs of their students.
Before and After-School Child Care ~ Before and after-school child care is available at the
Sharon School, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to school starting time and from
dismissal time until 6:00 p.m. Information is available in the school office. The Sharon
Children’s Center also provides daycare for children, infants to school age, Monday through
Friday, year around. Call the Sharon Children’s Center for further information. Please note that
child care does close on days when there is a weather-related school closing or a weatherrelated early dismissal.
School Nurse ~ Children in JK-8 receive health care service provided by our school nurse. The
nurse is at the Sharon School Monday-Thursday in the morning. The nurse evaluates students
with possible health problems who are referred by teachers, parents, or the students themselves.
Classroom screenings may be done periodically for communicable diseases such as impetigo,
scabies, head lice, or measles. The school nurse is not allowed to diagnose or treat illness. If a
child becomes ill or is injured at school, parents will be notified as soon as possible. Please
make sure your emergency card with emergency numbers is available and up to date.
Newsletter ~ A school newsletter is published each month and posted on the school website to
inform you of activities at school during the month. Included will be many announcements of
importance to you and your children. If you do not have access to a computer or the internet,
please inform the Office and we will provide you with a paper copy of the current newsletter.
Insurance ~ School insurance is available to all students. You will receive an information
packet at the start of the school year. Additional forms are available in the school office.
Purchase of this program is optional. The cost is very reasonable and we encourage parents to
review the information. The District is not responsible for accidents that occur during school
hours or on school grounds.
FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION
Our Breakfast and Hot Lunch Program is handled through a computer program. Parents will be
expected to deposit funds into a family account as necessary. Students will purchase breakfast
and/or lunch using these funds tracked by the computer on a daily basis. Families will be
regularly notified when their balance falls below $3.00.
Breakfast is served for all students and staff from 7:40 to 8:00 a.m. daily. Breakfast costs $1.45
per day. Adult breakfast is $2.00 per day. Children need to arrive on time for breakfast, eat
quickly, and be on time for class.
Hot lunch will be served beginning the first day of school. Students need to remember to make
deposits to their food account before school starts in the morning. Daily hot lunch prices are:
All Day K-5
Grades 6-8
A la carte (6-8 only)
Salad (6-8 only)
Adult
Adult Salad
$1.95
$2.05
$0.55 additional
$2.60
$3.00
$3.00
Students in grades 6-8 may purchase an additional entrée at a cost of $0.55. Students who
receive free or reduced meals will be charged the additional $0.55 if they choose the extra entrée.
Milk for Lunch
The purchase of hot lunch automatically includes 1 half-pint of milk. Sack lunch students may
purchase milk for lunch in the lunchroom at $ .25 per half pint. Any student, including those
who receive free or reduced lunch, requesting an additional carton of milk will be charged $ .25
per half pint. Soda pop as a beverage is not allowed in the cafeteria at meal times.
Milk for JK-5 Break
Students in grade JK-5 are offered milk at break time. Milk costs must be paid in advance in
order to receive milk – there is no charging of milk. JK-5 teachers order milk the first thing
each morning for all paid students wanting milk for that day. If your family qualifies for Free or
Reduced Lunch, they would also qualify for free milk through the Wisconsin School Day Milk
Program. We offer the following options for paying for milk break milk:
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5)
$20.00 per semester for grades K-5 -- payable in the Office
$40.00 for the year for grades K-5 -- payable in the Office
$20.00 per quarter for K students having a.m. and p.m. milk (2 milks per day)
$40.00 per semester for K students having a.m. and p.m. milk (2 milks per day)
$10.00 per quarter for JK students, a.m. or p.m.
Paying for break milk by the quarter or semester is at a reduced price.
There are no refunds for days absent.
Free or Reduced Breakfast and Lunch
Information on free or reduced breakfast and lunch will be distributed to each family. Be sure to
return your completed application as soon as possible if you feel you are eligible for free or
reduced lunch and breakfast this year.
Sharon Joint #11 School District serves meals under the National School Lunch Program. To
apply for free or reduced price meals households must fill out the application and return it to the
school. Additional copies are available at the school office. The information provided on the
application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any
time during the school year by school or other officials. Applications may be submitted at any
time during the school year.
In the operation of the child nutrition programs, no child will be discriminated against because
of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability. If any member of a household believes
they have been discriminated against, they should write immediately to USDA Office of Civil
Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D. C.
20250-9410
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Throughout the school year, Sharon Community School students are encouraged to participate in
after-school activities. Participation depends upon students qualifying and a parent/guardian
signed permission slip. The following is a sample of the many extra-curricular activities the
Sharon Community School has to offer the students:
Yearbook Staff
Instrumental Music
Choir
Student Council
Forensics
Pom Pons
Basketball
Football
Battle of the Books
Volleyball
Track & Field
All sports participants will need insurance, either their own family coverage or school insurance.
Rules for Students Attending Sharon School Sporting Events
All students are expected to demonstrate sportsmanlike behavior while viewing Sharon School
sports events. The following rules are in effect:
** Students under Grade 5 must be accompanied by a parent.
** Students must be in compliance with Middle School Behavior Plan in order to attend
sporting events.
** All students must take their things to the gym when they go in and remain seated in the gym
at all times.
** No pop is allowed in the gym
** There will be no negative comments or inappropriate yelling allowed
Students not demonstrating responsible behavior will be asked to leave. Everyone’s cooperation
is needed so that all those attending will have an enjoyable time.
SCHOOL DANCES
School dances are held at various times throughout the school year. Students attending school
dances are expected to wear proper attire and behave in a responsible manner. If a student leaves
the dance for any reason, they will not be readmitted.
GENERAL POLICIES
Good Neighbor Policy ~ The homes and yards of our neighbors located near our school are off
limits to all Sharon Community School students. School rules and other reasonable expectations
of student behavior are to be followed while going to and from school each day. All students
will be expected to respect the rights and properties of others.
Parent Messages to Children ~ Parents, please remember that only emergency messages will
be delivered to students. We do not interrupt classrooms for messages except in dire
emergencies. Please plan ahead and take care of your messages yourself before your children
leave for school. Remember, the school is not responsible for undelivered messages.
School Policies ~ As required by law, some school policies in their entirety are posted on the
school website. Paper copies are available in the school office. You are advised to take the time
to become familiar with these policies since they govern our school operation.
Classroom Rules ~ Breaking classroom rules may result in detentions or other disciplinary
actions. The teacher will notify the parent of both.
Cheating ~ Whenever a student is guilty of cheating, the teacher will take appropriate action
which may include, but not be limited to, collecting the student’s paper, marking a zero for the
work, notifying the office immediately as to action taken, and/or point reduction for Middle
School students. The teacher will notify the parent of both the incident and the action taken.
Student Dress ~ School policy requires outerwear to be left in lockers. Shoes must be worn at
all times.
Students should refrain from wearing:
** Clothing which is offensive or displays gang related words or pictures or clothing which
displays weapons, drug or alcohol products.
** Rollershoes or “wheelies”
** Halter tops, bare midriff or half tops, bare back tops, tube tops, mesh shirts, tank tops.
** Studded leather wristbands or belts, chains.
** Shorts that are too tight or too short.
** Hats, caps, and jackets to class.
** Pants or shorts that expose underwear.
Also student should adhere to the following:
** The fabric of shorts/skirt should be as low as 4 inches above the crease of the knee
** Students should have no holes in their pants
** Students wearing tights or leggings to school must have a top that covers their buttocks.
Students who violate the dress code will be directed to change their clothes.
Search and Seizure ~ Searches by police or the school administrator may be conducted when
there exists a reasonable suspicion that the student is concealing or in possession of something
which is either unlawful or a violation of school rules. School lockers are the property of the
Sharon Community School and are provided for the convenience of students. Lockers are
subject to search if suspected of containing drugs, stolen property, weapons or other items that
pose a danger to the health and safety of students and staff. The Student Search & Seizure
Policy 446 approves the use of specially trained dogs to detect the odor of illegal substances.
Students face prosecution if narcotics are discovered along with disciplinary action at school that
could lead to consideration of expulsion.
Cellphones ~ Students do not need to bring cellphones to school. Every classroom has a
telephone and students can also come to the office if they need to call home. Texting and taking
pictures/video during the school day is against school rules because it is disruptive to learning
and can promote bullying behavior. Cellphones will be collected at the beginning of the period
and placed in a basket in the student’s classroom. Cellphones must be turned off during the
school day unless students have a “smart” phone with an application on it such as a graphing
calculator. Phones will be confiscated and held by the office when students violate this policy.
Due Process ~ All students in the Sharon Community School are entitled to due process. This
means that all students must be informed of accusations against them; must have explained to
them the factual basis for the accusations; and must have a chance to present an alternative
factual position if the accusations are denied.
ATTENDANCE
Sharon Community School’s educational program is built on the premise that regular school
attendance is vital to a student’s success in school. Parents play an important role in developing
sound attitudes about school attendance and are encouraged to work cooperatively with teachers
to positively influence pupil attendance. Regular school attendance is important because it
contributes to high achievement and academic success. It also contributes to the characteristics
of responsible citizenship.
School Notification – When children must be absent from school, regardless of the reason, we
ask that parents call and let us know. Calling is simple and can be done any time before 9:00
a.m. in the morning. To report that your child will be absent from school, please call our 24 hour
attendance line at 736-4019 and leave a message. If you would like to pick up your child’s
homework at the end of the day, please indicate that in the message as well. This allows time for
the teachers to gather books and assignments. Because we are concerned for your child’s safety
and welfare, if you do not call to let us know about the absence, we will attempt to call you
at home or your workplace to verify the absence. If an absence cannot be confirmed by
telephone, then the parent must send a note to school verifying the dates of and reason for the
absence.
School Day Hours –All students need to report to the building by 7:50 a.m. Morning JK classes
are dismissed at 11:05 a.m. Afternoon JK classes begin at 12:05 p.m. and are dismissed at 3:05
p.m. All classes, Kindergarten-8th grade are dismissed at 3:05 p.m. A student not in the
classroom by 8:00 a.m. will be considered tardy and must report to the Office for a late pass.
Acceptable Excuse – The School Attendance Officer is authorized to approve an acceptable
excuse for any student for the following reasons:
1. Parent excuse for student illness, not to exceed three absences per quarter. If there
are more than three days of consecutive absence for illness, the parent is asked to
present a doctor's note requesting the prolonged absence. The absences may be
marked as unexcused if a doctor's note is not given.
2. Documentation from a professional agency (doctor/dentist note, court summons, therapist
appointment card).
3. Emergencies (e.g. accidents, funerals, sudden illness or crisis in the family which require
the absence of the student because of family responsibilities).
4. An in-school or out-of-school suspension.
5. Circumstances that show good cause and which are deemed appropriate by the School
Attendance Officer. Students who arrive at school more than one hour late, who are
excused more than one hour ahead of time, or miss more than one hour of school,
are marked absent for the half day. If a student is absent from school, he/she cannot
participate in sports or other after school activities.
Truancy/Unexcused – Means any absence of part or all of one or more days from school during
which the School Attendance Officer has not been notified of an acceptable cause of such
absence by the parent or guardian of the absent student.
Habitual Truant -- Means a student who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for
part or all of five or more days on which school is held during a semester.
Pre-Arranged Absence -- A student may be excused with parent/guardian written request prior
to an absence and not to exceed ten days per school year. These absences may include such
occasions as vacations, college visits, job fairs, or other special events of educational value.
ATTENDANCE RULES
Early dismissal requests should be in writing and turned in to the office before school starts.
Except for emergencies that might come up occasionally, please make plans with your children
before they come to school in the morning. If you want them dismissed early for some reason,
make plans with them and write a note for them to give to their teachers. This will save time for
the office staff and all others involved. Remember, we are not responsible for undelivered
messages.
Special dismissal requests for dental or doctor appointments should be in writing and turned in
to the office before school starts. Please indicate on the note the time of dismissal, who will be
picking the student up, and the approximate time of return. Returning students should report to
the office for a pass to be readmitted to class.
Sign In/Sign Out - If your child will be leaving the school building at any time during school
hours, we would ask that you stop in the Office and sign him/her out. It will also be necessary
for your student to sign in when returning from an appointment and to get a pass to be readmitted
to class.
NO CHILD IS EVER DISMISSED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY WITHOUT A
WRITTEN REQUEST FROM THE PARENTS TO THE OFFICE OR A VERBAL
REQUEST FROM THE PARENTS TO THE OFFICE.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS & EARLY DISMISSALS
In the event that it becomes necessary to dismiss our students before the end of the day, it is vital
for you and us to know where your children are to go. Some parents do not have phones or are
unable to be contacted during the day. Therefore, a plan for your children, in the event of early
dismissal, is necessary. Please discuss with your children where you want them to go in case of
any early dismissal. You will be asked to fill out an “Early Dismissal Form” and have it on file
in the office. The information on this form will be reviewed with your children prior to any
unplanned early dismissal. Children without this form on file will be required to stay in school
until their parents can be contacted. Families will be notified by Honeywell Instant Alert® for
Schools. During bad weather, for school closings and late starts, information will be carried on
all local radio stations. This information should also be broadcast on Rockford, Milwaukee, and
Madison television channels. A school closing announcement may say, “The Big Foot Area
Schools are closed.” We will attempt to notify the radio stations by 6:30 a.m. Please keep
listening – it will be announced several times during the early morning hours if there is a
cancellation or a delay. On “late start” days, the morning JK students should not come to school.
Please note that on “snow days”, the Sharon Children’s Center will not be open and on days
when school is dismissed early due to inclement weather, the Children’s Center will also close.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION
Please keep the office advised of any change in address and home or business telephone
numbers, including unlisted numbers. This is extremely important should your child become ill
during school hours. You will be asked to complete an emergency card for your children. On
this form you will be asked for names and telephone numbers of at least two neighbors or nearby
relatives who can be called in the event we are unable to contact you personally. Hopefully, it
will never be necessary to make such a call, but it is best to be prepared for any emergency.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
August 25, 26, 27, and 28 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Teacher In-Service
September 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First Day of School
September 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Open House
September 19 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
October 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Progress Reports
October 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
October 20 and 22 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parent Teacher Conferences
October 24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No School-Fall Break
November 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of First Quarter
November 14 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
November 14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report Cards
November 26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:30 AM Dismissal
November 27-28 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No School-Thanksgiving Break
December 9 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-8 Christmas Concert
December 11 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JK-3 Christmas Concert
December 12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
December 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Progress Reports
December 22, 2014-January 2, 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------No School-Winter Break
January 16 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
January 23 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ End of Second Quarter
January 30 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Report Cards
February 4 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------No School-BFASA Staff Development
February 13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
February 26 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:30 AM Dismissal
February 26 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Progress Report
February 27 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No School
March 10 and 12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parent Teacher Conferences
March 13 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
March 27 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Third Quarter
March 30-April 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No School - Spring Break
April 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Report Cards
April 10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 PM Dismissal
May 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Progress Reports
May 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4-8 Spring Concert
May 21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JK-3 Spring Concert
May 22 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:30 AM Dismissal
May 25 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No School - Memorial Day
June 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graduation
June 9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Day of School - 11:30 AM Dismissal
Nondiscrimination Statement: It is the policy of Sharon Community School that no person may be denied admission to school
or be denied participation in, be denied benefits of, or be discriminated against in any curricular, extra-curricular, pupil services,
recreational or other program on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, pregnancy, marital or parental
status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.