Students shall receive a progress report at the end of each nine (9) week grading period.  Students, who are doing poorly, and their parents, shall be notified prior to the end of the semester in order to have an opportunity to improve their grade.  The board encourages the notification of students who have made marked improvement prior to the end of the semester. 

Parent-teacher conferences about students’ progress will be held to keep the parents informed.  Parent-teacher conferences are held at designated times in the school year.  The conferences at the high school are not on any individually scheduled basis.  Parents may see any of the staff members during those conference periods.

Parents, teachers, or principals may request a conference for students in grades kindergarten (K) through six (6) at any time if they feel the circumstances warrant it.  Students are encouraged to discuss the student’s progress or other matters with the student’s teacher and/or any other appropriate staff members.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §256.11, Chapter 280 (1991).
                                       281 Iowa Admin. Code 12.3(7).

Cross Reference:  502    Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                       505    Student Scholastic Achievement
                                       506    Student Records

Approved:  4-13-92              
Reviewed:  1-14-19              
Revised:  12-13-99

Students will be promoted to the next grade level at the end of each school year based on the student’s achievement, age, maturity, emotional stability, and social adjustment.

The district shall adhere to the following:

Retention/Promotion in kindergarten – eighth grade:  The retention of a student will be determined based upon the judgment of the district’s professional staff.  When it becomes evident a student in grades kindergarten through eighth may be retained in a grade level for an additional year, the parents will be informed prior to making the retention decision.  It is within the sole discretion of the district to retain students in their current grade level and to deny promotion to a student.

Retention/Promotion in ninth-twelfth grade:  Students in grades nine through twelve will be informed of the required course work necessary to be promoted each year.  When it becomes evident a student in these grades will be unable to meet the minimum credit requirements for the year, the student and parents will be informed.  It is within the sole discretion of the district to retain students in their current grade level and to deny promotion to a student.

Acceleration in kindergarten – twelfth grade:  Students in grades kindergarten through twelve with exceptional talents may, with the permission of the principal and parents, take classes beyond their current grade level.  Enrichment opportunities outside the school district may be allowed when they do not conflict with the school district’s graduation requirements.

Retention or Acceleration in kindergarten – twelfth grade may also occur in additional instances as provided by law.

Any student or parent who is not satisfied with the decision of the district’s professional staff may seek recourse through policy 502.4 – Student Complaints and Grievances.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§256.11, 279.8, 280.3
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.5(16)

Cross Reference:  501    Student Attendance
                                      505    Student Scholastic Achievement
                                      603.2  Summer School Instruction

Approved:  4-13-92              
Reviewed:  1-14-19              
Revised:  12-13-99, 1-08-18

The district shall provide a program that sets out honors and awards including, but not limited to, academic letters, scholarships and good citizenship awards for students to assist students in setting goals.  Students shall be made aware of honors and awards and the action necessary on the part of the student to achieve them.

It shall be the responsibility of the administration to develop the administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §279.8 (1991).

Cross Reference:  504    Student Activities
                                      505    Student Scholastic Achievement

Approved:  4-13-92              
Reviewed:  1-14-19              
Revised:  3-11-96

A comprehensive testing program is established and maintained to evaluate the education program of the school district and to assist in providing guidance or counseling services to students and their families.

No student is required, as part of a program funded by the United States Department of Education (USDE), to submit, without prior written consent from the student’s parent, to surveys, analysis or evaluation which reveals information concerning:

• political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
• mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;
• sex behavior or attitudes;
• illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
• critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
• legally recognized, privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers;
• religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or
• income, (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

It is the responsibility of the board to review and approve the evaluation and testing program.

Legal Reference:  No Child Left Behind, Title II, Sec. 1061, P.L. 107-110 (2002)
                                     Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Pub. L. No. 103-227,
                                     20 U.S.C. § 1232h (1994)
                                     Iowa Code §§280.3; 256B; 282.1, .3, .6 (2001)
                                     281 I.A.C. 12.5(13), .5(21).

Cross Reference:  505       Student Scholastic Achievement
                                     506       Student Records
                                     607.2    Student Health Services

Approved:  2-10-03              
Reviewed:  1-14-19              
Revised:             

Parental involvement is an important component in a student’s success in school.  The board encourages parents to become involved in their child’s education to ensure the child’s academic success.  The board will:

1. how the board will involve parents in the development of the Title I plan, the process for school review of the plan and the process for improvement;
2. how the board will provide the coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance;
3. build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement;
4. coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies under Title I with other programs such as Head Start, Reading First, etc.;
5. conduct with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental involvement policy in improving the academic quality of  the school served including identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in Title I activities (with particular attention to low-income parents, Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents, minorities, parents with disabilities and parents with low literacy) and use the findings of the evaluation to design strategies for more effective parental involvement and to revise, as necessary, the parental involvement policies; and
6. involve parents in Title I activities.

The board will review this policy annually.  The superintendent is responsible for notifying parents of this policy annually or within a reasonable time after it has been amended during the school year.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference:  No Child Left Behind, Title I, Sec. 1118, P.L. 107-110

Cross Reference:  903.2  Community Resource Persons and Volunteers

Approved:  2-10-03              
Reviewed:  2-12-24              
Revised: