SarahSharkey

GreenBayCohort
Reflection#3InstructionalProgramandLegalResponsibility
4/22/15

Therearemanyareasinaschoolsinstructionalprogramthatholdlegalresponsibilities.Asa
principal,itisimportanttobeawareofandcarryoutthoseresponsibilities.Whenlookingatthe
majorareasthatmustbeaddressedineveryschoolcommunity,onemustincludeCompulsory
Attendance,InternetforInstruction,andGradingandAcademicRequirements.

CompulsoryAttendance
WisconsinStateStatute118.15describesCompulsorySchoolAttendance.Withinthis,a
principalmustbeawarethatallchildrenages518mustbeenrolledintheschoolprogram
offered(fulltime1st12th,Kindergartenforthetimeoffered),unlessthestudenthasearneda
diploma,oriftheschoolboardhasapprovedanalternativeprogramforstudentswhoareages
16andabove.

Studentsareexcusedfromschoolformedicalreasons,althoughanotefromthelicensedor
certifiedindividualtreatingthestudentmayberequiredbytheschool.Parentsandguardians
canchoosetoexcusetheirchildrenfor10daysthroughouttheschoolyearbywritinganote
priortotheplannedabsence.

Anyviolationofthesegeneralrequirementsbyparentsandguardianswillresultinfinesand/or
imprisonment.Thecourtmayrequirecommunityserviceinplaceofotherpenalties.

WisconsinStateStatute118.16definesastudentashabituallytruantifheorsheisabsentfor
allorpartof5daysinasemester.Parentsandguardiansmustbenotifiedoftruancyfollowing
theguidelinesoutlinedwithinthestatute.Priortoanyproceedingbeingbroughtagainstachild,
theschoolmusthaveheldorattemptedtoholdameetingwiththechildsparentorguardian,
determineifachangeincurriculumwouldimpacttruancy,determineiflearningproblemsmay
bethecauseoftruancyandwaystoaddressthisifitis,anddeterminewhethersocialproblems
maybethecauseoftruancyand,ifso,appropriateactionwastaken.

InternetforInstruction
TheFCCprovidesminimumrequirementsregardinginternetprotectioninthoseschools
receivingdiscountsforinternetservicesthroughtheErateprogram.Eachschoolmusthavean
internetsafetypolicythatincludesprotectionsmeasuresthatblockorfilterinternetaccessto
picturesthatare,(a)obscene(b)childpornographyor(c)harmfultominors(forcomputers
thatareaccessedbyminors)(Childrens).Noticeofpoliciesaswellasahearingmustbe
providedpriortotheadoptionofthepolicies.

Schoolsmustalsomonitoronlineactivitiesofminors,andmusteducateminorsabout
appropriateonlineinteractions,includingsocialnetworking,chatrooms,andcyberbullying.Asa

principal,Imustbeawareoftheserequirementsandensurestudentsfamiliesareawareofthe
schoolspolicy.ImustalsocheckalignmentoftheinternetsafetypolicywiththeFCC
regulations.Imustalsoprovideprofessionaldevelopmentinevaluatingandselecting
appropriateonlinematerialfortheclassroom.

GradingandAcademicRequirements
Firstandforemost,asaprincipalIwouldmakecleartheexpectationtoteachtothecurriculum
standardsadoptedbythedistrict.Thenextstepistoreviewtestingpoliciesandproceduresand
determinethepurposeoftesting.Testingcanbeusefulindeterminingareasofstrengthand
areasforimprovement,especiallywhenreviewingachievementgaps.Iftestingisutilizedfor
placementonatrackingsystem,thentheapproachneedstobereviewedandanewusefor
testingwillbedetermined.

Reviewingteachersgradingpoliciesasaprincipalhelpsdeterminetheemphasisateacher
placesinherclass,andalsorevealsanylegalaspectsofthegradingsystemthatneedstobe
addressed.Forexample,ateachermaynotreduceagradesolelybasedonabsences.The
studentmustbeallowedtheopportunitytomakeupworkfollowinganunexcusedabsence,
accordingtoStateStatute118.16.Theschoolneedsapolicyaddressingthespecifictimeframe
allowedformakingupworkinthecaseofabsences.

Also,diplomasmustbeawardedtothestudentifheorshehasmettherequirementstoreceive
one.However,studentsmaybedeniedtheopportunitytoparticipateingraduationceremonies
forbehaviorthatdeviatesfromacceptablestandards.Asaprincipal,Imustbeawareofthe
practicesinmybuildinganddetermineifappropriateactionsaretakenregardingawardingthe
diplomaandparticipationingraduationceremonies.

"Children'sInternetProtectionAct."
Children'sInternetProtectionAct
.FederalCommunications
Commission,31Dec.2014.Web.22Apr.2015.
Wisconsin.StateofWisconsinLegislativeReferenceBureau.

118.15
Compulsoryschool
attendance.
Wisconsin.StateofWisconsinLegislativeReferenceBureau.
118.16
Schoolattendance
enforcement.