School Policies

1. Students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior at school or during a school activity or school-sponsored function, whether on or off-campus, or on the school bus. No student or school employee shall be subjected to bullying or harassing behavior by school employees or students.
2. The term “bullying or harassing behavior” shall be defined as any pattern of gestures or written, electronic, or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication, that:
3. Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or
4. Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
5. For purposes of this Policy, “hostile environment” shall be defined as a victim subjectively views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior and the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree it is bullying or harassing behavior.
6. Bullying or harassing behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.
7. Types of prohibited bullying or harassing behavior include, but are not limited to:
   1. Repeated and deliberate making of obscene gestures, pushing, shoving, hair pulling, and any other unwelcome physical contact intended to create an intimidating and hostile environment; and/or
   2. Acts of verbal bullying including, but not limited to:
      1. hurtful name-calling, teasing, or intimidating;
      2. defaming or spreading false rumors about another person to cause the victim to be disliked, humiliated or disrespected by their peers;
      3. persuading, encouraging or leading other students to exclude or socially isolate the victim to cause emotional harm;
      4. extorting money, property or services from another student; and/or
      5. making derogatory, demeaning or hostile comments about another student’s actual or perceived differentiating characteristic(s) as set forth hereinabove.
8. No person shall engage in any act of reprisal or retaliation against a victim, witness, or person with reliable information about an act of bullying or harassing behavior.
9. A school employee, student or volunteer who witnesses or has reliable information a student or school employee has been subject to any act of bullying or harassing behavior shall report the incident to a teacher, Principal, Assistant Principal or, if the employee committing the behavior is the Principal, to the Board Chairman.
10. Reports may be made anonymously or with the condition of anonymity to the extent allowed by law.
11. The Principal or the Principal’s designee shall promptly investigate all reports of serious violations and complaints of bullying or harassment.
12. This Policy shall be disseminated and publicized in student and parent handbook at the beginning of the school year.
13. Nothing herein shall be construed to permit or require school officials to punish student expression or speech based on undifferentiated fear or apprehension of disturbance or out of a desire to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to define the process for the control and disposition of General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Payroll and all other financial transactions.

2. SCOPE
This procedure applies to internal fiscal control matters at Arts Based School as defined by our Policies and Procedures Manual.

3. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

• Arts Based Elementary School Policies and Procedures Manual
• Monthly Bank Statement
• Employee Payroll Report
• Employee Absenteeism Record
• Arts Based Elementary School Monthly Budget Report
• General Ledger Check Register
• Payroll Check Ledger
• Interim Budget Update
• The Arts Based Elementary School Budget Resolution

4. DEFINITIONS
None

5. RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1    The Board of Directors has general oversight of the school’s fiscal budget.

5.2    The Finance Committee of the Board, in consultation with the Principal, prepares the school’s fiscal budget for consideration and adoption by the Board of Directors.

5.3    The Board Treasurer, Board Chair, and the Finance Committee establish long and short term objectives and recommend priorities.

5.4    The Board Treasurer prepares and presents records for audits and monthly reports.

5.5    The Finance Committee reports on and interprets the current status of the budget to the Board.

5.6    The Principal reports to the Board of Directors, maintains daily oversight of expenses and income. He/she reports to the Board Treasurer any concerns or transactions, present or in the near future, that are out of the school’s routine.

5.7    The Business Manager accounts for expenses and income, makes deposits, keeps accurate ledgers, and informs the Principal of any irregularities. He/she purchases supplies as necessary and approved.

5.8    All employees of Arts Based Elementary School will adhere to the provisions of this procedure.

6. RECORD HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
All financial records generated from the execution of these procedures will be stored on-site at Arts Based Elementary School in accordance with protocol in preparation for the annual audit.

7. PROCEDURES

7.1.    INVOICES

7.1.1    All invoices will be inventoried by the Principal to ensure that all services or products purchased have been received.

7.1.2    All invoices will be reviewed and approved prior to forwarding them to Winston Salem Forsyth County (WSFC) Schools.

• Invoices of $5000.00 or less will be reviewed and approved by the Principal.
• Invoices in excess of $5000.00 will require additional review and approval by the Board Treasurer.
• Review and approval documentation consists of the Principal and/or Board Treasurer’s initials on the invoice.

7.1.3    All reimbursements to employees for purchases or travel will be approved in writing by the Principal prior to submission to WSFC Schools for payment.

• This written approval must accompany the request for reimbursement.

7.1.4    Invoices will be processed monthly unless emergency dictates otherwise.

7.1.5    A processing schedule for General Ledger activity will be set up with WSFC Schools.

7.1.6    Invoices will be prepared and sent to arrive at WSFC Schools prior to the processing date specified in the General Ledger Schedule.

• All original invoices, plus bills, coupons, receipts, and envelopes, will be sent.
• If the school wishes to keep duplicates, they will prepare copies prior to shipment.

7.1.7    WSFC Schools will not process incomplete invoices until the school has sent all appropriate documentation.

7.1.8    WSFC Schools will process invoices based on cash-flow timelines, prepare payments to the appropriate vendors, and then mail the checks to the school for signature and disbursement.

• An Emergency Check is defined as a payment that, if not paid immediately, would jeopardize the school’s ability to operate.
• A FAX of the original invoice will be sufficient to begin invoice processing.
• The original invoice will be forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as possible.
• The original invoice will be clearly marked as “Already Faxed” to avert duplicate payment.
• This procedure is for emergencies only and should not be used on a constant basis.
• The Board of Directors will be notified by the Principal on a monthly basis if the school is habitually using this emergency protocol.

7.2    PETTY CASH

7.2.1    When approved by the Board, an initial fiscal year petty cash check of $100.00 will be prepared by WSFC Schools and will be made payable to the Principal.

7.2.2    WSFC Schools will set up the Principal as a “vendor” with a discreet vendor number and use only this vendor number for petty cash disbursements.

7.2.3    The Principal will cash the check and place the actual cash funds in a petty cash box.

7.2.4    The Administrative Assistant will oversee the disbursement of petty cash funds.

• The Petty Cash Log Sheet will be maintained with the petty cash in the cash box.
• The log sheet will record the initial balance of $100.00.
• Each petty cash disbursement will be recorded with date, amount, to whom, and for what purpose.
• A receipt will be returned following each individual expense of petty cash.
• Each return of unused petty cash transactions will be recorded with the same information.
• A running balance will be maintained following each transaction.

7.2.5    When the balance in the petty cash fund approaches $50.00 (running balance), the Administrative Assistant will tally up the petty cash receipts and forward them to WSFC Schools for processing in accordance with the processing schedule.

7.2.6    WSFC Schools will properly code the actual expenses and issue a “replacement” check for those expended petty cash funds. This will return the petty cash balance to $100.00.

7.2.7    No later than June 15, the petty cash fund will be reconciled and closed for the fiscal year.

• All outstanding receipts will be forwarded to WSFC Schools.
• All remaining cash funds will be deposited back into the bank account and the deposit slip forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as possible.
• WSFC Schools will prepare a final petty cash reconciliation spreadsheet and forward it to the Principal for review and approval.

7.3    DEPOSITS

7.3.1    When the school makes deposits to the bank, the school will maintain the deposit slip, check stub, letter, and all other original supporting documents on file at school. Business manager will key deposit transactions into AS400 system.

• The deposit will be clearly identified as to what the deposit is from (LEA, fundraiser, field trip, donation, lunch money collections, food funds from the state or federal, etc.).

7.4    BANK STATEMENTS

7.4.1    The Board Finance Officer will receive monthly bank statements at school address and review all transactions.

7.4.2    Business Manager will reconcile bank statement in the AS400.

7.5    PAYROLL

7.5.1    Payroll, by far, the most complex and important business function of the school, will be processed once a month.

7.5.2    A processing schedule for payroll activity will be set up with WSFC Schools.

7.5.3    The school will use the Employee Payroll Report when initially assigning an employee to the charter school payroll.

• The profile will be forwarded to WSFC Schools as soon as all information is available and the Principal and the employee has signed and dated the sheet.

7.5.4    WSFC Schools maintains all employee W-4 or NC-4 information.

7.5.5    The Employee Payroll Change Log will be used for all payrolls to update significant employee information.

7.5.6    The change request paperwork will be prepared by the Business Manager and delivered to WSFC Schools prior to the processing date specified in the Payroll Schedule.

7.5.7    The Employee Payroll Change Log will include, but is not limited to:

• Hours worked & hourly rate for hourly employees.
• Days worked & daily rate for daily employees.
• Changes in pay for salaried employees (days missed, adjustments, etc.).
Changes in deductions (health, dental, retirement, etc.).

7.5.8    The Employee Payroll Change Log will include all personnel to be paid on that particular payday.

• If a person is not to be paid, Business Manager will notify WSFC schools via email that “no check, employment terminated on [date].”

7.5.9    WSFC Schools will process and then submit the payroll to the school for disbursement in sufficient time (normally two working days prior to payday) for the school to make appropriate corrections.

• Payroll check errors made by WSFC Schools will be corrected immediately.
• Payroll check errors due to incorrect information from the school will be adjusted on the next payroll.

7.6    There will be no advances of individual pay.

7.7    Due to privacy considerations, Employee Absentee Records will be maintained in the appropriate personnel file at the school.

7.8    REPORTS

7.8.1    WSFC Schools will submit the Arts Based Elementary School Monthly Budget Report to the Board of Directors for its scheduled monthly meeting.

7.8.2    If and when requested, WSFC Schools will present the General Ledger Check Register and the Payroll Check Register to the Board Treasurer and/or Finance Committee to verify that monthly expenditures on the Budget Report match the check registers.

7.8.3    As granted in the Arts Based Elementary School Budget Resolution, the Principal has the authority to reallocate budgeted amounts as specified in the resolution guidelines.

Any excess of those guidelines will be approved by the Board of Directors prior to WSFC Schools adjusting the budget and disbursing funds

• The Arts Based School will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.
• Consistent with section1118, the Arts Based School will ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies meet the requirements of section1118(b) of the ESEA, and each includes, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.
• The Arts Based School will incorporate this parental involvement policy into its LEA plan developed under section 1112 of the ESEA.
• In carrying out the Title I, Part A parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the Arts Based School will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
• If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developedundersection1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.
• The Arts Based School will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1%of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent and will ensure that not less than 95% of the 1% reserved goes directly to the schools.
• The Arts Based School will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:
  
  Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two- way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring—
  1. that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
  2. that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
  3. that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and
  4. the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

1. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its school-wide parental involvement policy under section 1112 of the ESEA: (List actions)
2. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA: (List actions)
3. The Arts Based School will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental
   Involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance: (List activities)
4. The Arts Based School will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under other programs.
5. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities(with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement policies.
6. The Arts Based School will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the School involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, Through the following activities specifically described below: (List activities)
7. The Arts Based School will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph:
   • the State’s academic content standards,
   • the State’s student academic achievement standards,
   • the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments,
   • the requirements of Part A,
   • how to monitor their child’s progress, and
   • how to work with educators:
8. The Arts Based School will provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by: (List activities)
9. The Arts Based School will parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and Work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in Title I, Part A Handbook July 2012 Page 47 of 57 how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by: (List activities)
10. The Arts Based School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities.
11. The Arts Based School will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.