Journey School Handbook

School begins at 8:30AM. Please feel free to bring your child to school fifteen (15) minutes early to greet classmates and play before school. Please do not bring children to school any earlier than that time since there will be no supervision available. Kindergarten students should be accompanied to the kindergarten by a parent or guardian.

Late Arrival

If your child arrives at or after 8:35 am, you are required to walk the child to the office.

Pick-Up

School dismissal is at 3:00 p.m. Please be timely in picking up your child. If you anticipate being late please call the office so that we may notify your child’s teacher prior to dismissal. We give a fifteen (15) minute grace period before children are turned over to JASP.

The objective of our school is to nurture and protect childhood. We would like to create a simple environment that is truly childhood-friendly. Please hold these thoughts in your consciousness as you and your child are making wardrobe selections. Clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes/baskets and any other accessories be free of media advertisements, references to drugs, alcohol, racism, sexism and or violence, slogans, cartoons, and caricatures when at school. Commercial logos on clothing should be smaller than standard shirt pocket size. For safety, sandals and shoes must be as flat as possible, and have a heel strap. And, as kindergarten children are taught to tie shoes, shoes with laces are preferred.

Wednesday Coffee House (8:30-10:00 AM) Every Wednesday!

Medieval Games…tbd

Pentathlon……….tbd

7^th/8th grade track meet…...tbd

Parent Cabinet meeting days…..tbd

Class trips…..tbd

Auction….tbd

The idea for Journey School was conceived in 1998 by a group of committed parents in South Orange County, who believed they could offer a distinct educational public alternative in Orange County by using teaching methods inspired by Rudolf Steiner. The private school system known as Waldorf education (the fastest growing independent school movement in the world) has been guided by a philosophy stating that the development of a child’s critical thinking requires an active and creative imagination. Similarly, in the Journey School classroom, teachers masterfully blend academic and artistic disciplines so that the whole child is involved in every aspect of learning. This integration of the mind, body and heart allows each child to reach his full potential while preserving the natural joy of learning and developing a life-long love for it.

On February 14, 2000, Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) approved Journey School’s Charter making it the first public charter school in the district. It is Orange County’s fifth charter school and its first community-initiated charter. Journey School opened in September 2000 with two kindergarten classes and one class each of grades one through three. Journey School’s Charter was renewed by CUSD on May 23, 2005 for an additional five (5) years. Journey’s Charter underwent a material revision in November 2005 adding grades seven (7) and eight (8). Journey School is currently serving kindergarten through grade eight (8) for the 2007-08 school year. The full operating capacity is a K-8 school, serving approximately 250 students.

Since its inception in 2000, Journey has leased its site from CUSD, having made its home on three different campuses in San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Aliso Viejo. For the 2007-08 school year Journey has achieved one of its long-term goals of having a site to call its own. Journey is currently leasing space from Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) at the old Foxborough Elementary site. It is our intent to remain here indefinitely. Another long-term plan for the school is to purchase its own property. This takes time and funds. With the dedicated effort of parents, teachers and the administration, we hope to accomplish this goal in the near future.

A charter school is a public school that is deregulated from most laws and regulations governing traditional public schools in exchange for a performance-based accountability contract. Charter Schools may provide instruction from kindergarten to grade 12. Charter schools, like all public schools, shall not charge tuition, shall not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability. A charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. [EC 47605 (d) (1)]

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 (chapter 781, Statutes of 1992) and subsequent amendments were enacted to provide opportunities for students, teachers, parents, and community members to establish and maintain nonsectarian public schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure. The requirements of Proposition 39, approved November 7, 2000, also apply to charter schools. [EC 47600 et seq.]

"We shouldn't ask: what does a person need to know or be able to do in order to fit into the existing social order? Instead we should ask: what lives in each human being and what can be developed in him or her? Only then, will it be possible to direct the new qualities of each emerging generation… The society will become what young people, as whole human beings, make out of the existing social conditions. The new generation should not just be made to be what the present society wants it to become."

Rudolf Steiner

At Journey School the teachers are committed to educating the whole child and endeavor to foster the unfolding of each child’s full potential. They use pedagogical methods that nurture and inspire creativity, critical thinking, and motivated learning inspired by Austrian educator Dr. Rudolf Steiner. His methodology has come to be known in the private school sector as the Waldorf method, named after the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany. Similarly, the Journey curriculum places equal emphasis on a solid academic foundation, artistic expression, social development, and attention to the inner life of the child. An integrated thematic approach to learning emphasizes a child's relationship to the natural world while promoting respect for the environment and humankind. Our teachers nurture the imagination in the early years in order to build a foundation for abstract thinking. The children experience wonder, reverence, and enthusiasm for learning throughout their years at Journey School, and as a result, emerge with a commitment to social responsibility and the potential to impart direction and purpose to their lives. The primary goal of Journey School is to nurture the whole child with the objective of enabling students to become self-motivated, competent, life-long learners. Our graduates will move forward on their lifelong journey equipped with an enthusiasm for learning and the courage to meet life’s challenges.

In order to foster a close and profound relationship with each child, the class teacher ideally leads the same group of children from grade one through eight. Other skilled professionals also teach the students some of the specialty subjects. Based on a pedagogical model of the developing child, each grade has specific areas of study suited for that developmental age. Within this framework, the teachers present the subject matter integrating Dr. Steiner’s methods with other educational practices tailored to the learning needs of each child.

Journey School is based upon:

• A developmental approach

• A hands-on, creative, Steiner-inspired educational program

• A classical and innovative curriculum

• A strong sense of community

• A high degree of parent participation

• A close, long-term relationship with teachers

• A cooperative learning experience

• A strong focus on respect, responsibility and compassion

“ The need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility – these are the three forces which are the very nerve of education.”– Rudolf Steiner

Journey School’s core curriculum includes the state standards; however there are differences in the scope and sequence in which they are presented. For example, under the state standards, reading instruction begins in kindergarten. Journey School’s kindergarten language arts curriculum focuses on listening and memory skills of pre-reading with the teacher using oral storytelling. In first grade the students first copy letters, words and sentences that the teacher creates from the stories s/he tells into their main lesson books. The reading experience begins with the students reading their own writing. The curriculum introduces literature books at the end of first grade or the beginning of second grade. Journey School’s educational methods are designed to provide a meaningful context within which learning can occur for example:

The academic curriculum is integrated with poetry recitation, drama, painting, music, sculpting, and drawing. This model of education through the arts awakens imagination and creativity bringing vitality and wholeness to learning, building a strong foundation for the abstract thinking and intellectual challenges that are gradually and appropriately introduced throughout the grades.

The class teacher has the opportunity to teach the same children through the grades.

This provides the child with a feeling of camaraderie and commitment and affords the teacher the opportunity to work closely with the children and their families. This model offers accelerated learning, stability, and continuing guidance to each child.

Textbooks are not typically used in the elementary grades. The teacher presents creative lessons from his or her own research, and the children make their individual main lesson books for each subject, recording and illustrating the substance of the lessons. These student-generated main lesson books are an important record of learning and allow the arts to be integrated into every subject.

Multicultural content is woven throughout the curriculum by means of biography, storytelling, history, crafts, art, music, the practice of seasonal celebrations, and through foreign language.

Reading and writing are learned in the same way as they originated in the course of human history. First graders hear stories, draw pictures about a detail of the stories, and discover letters in the gesture of these pictures. Phonics, whole language and spelling instruction are accompanied by the use of songs, poetry, eurythmy and games that help to establish a joyful experience of language. Through the grades, reading texts are taken from the classical humanities curriculum.

The humanities curriculum acknowledges that the cultures of the past have influenced humanity throughout time and continue to influence the values and morals of today’s world. Children learn about several religions and cultures from a historical perspective. In grade one, fairy tales are taught, in grade two fables of extraordinary individuals, in grade three stories from the Old Testament, in grade four Norse Mythology, and in grade five the ancient cultures of India, Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia and Greece. In the sixth through eighth grades, the students journey from Greece and Rome to medieval history, from the Renaissance to the Reformation, and from the Age of Exploration to the present day. With this exposure through cultures’ legends and literature, the children gain flexibility and an appreciation for the diversity of humankind.

Each school day begins with the “Main Lesson”, a two-hour period in which the core curriculum is presented. Presenting core academic subjects in the “Main Lesson” block allows the students to have adequate time to follow through with all work projects, thus promoting in-depth, long term learning. The main lesson subject is taught in three to four week blocks. A number of blocks are continued later in the term.

After Main Lesson the children are engaged in special subject classes and practice periods. Handwork (knitting, crocheting, sewing, and woodworking), music, foreign language, movement education, eurhythmy, watercolor painting, performing arts, modeling, and/ or form drawing are included in each class schedule.

Music is an integral part of the curriculum. Beginning in first grade, children are taught to play a musical instrument, usually the pentatonic flute. Violin is introduced in third grade. And cello and guitar are optional in later grades. Daily singing begins in Kindergarten and continues through the grades, leading to choir in the upper grades.

A foreign language is taught, giving the children an experience of another culture. The students earn songs, games, and poems in the early grades and then the program expands into conversing, reading, writing and grammar. This program is currently taught by parent volunteers.

Science is taught in the lower grades through observation and experience of our natural environment. Through nature studies, gardening, and environmentally conscious practices, the children develop reverence and a sense of guardianship for the earth and all of its inhabitants. In the upper grades, the teacher sets up experiments, calls upon the children to observe, ponder, discuss, and write up their observations. The students are then drawn to their own conclusions. Through this process, rigorous independent thinking and sound judgment are trained. Zoology, botany, chemistry, physics, astronomy and physiology are presented in the upper grades.

Practical work such as crafts and handwork are integral parts of the required curriculum from
kindergarten through the eighth grade. Research confirms that optimal brain development is founded
on refined motor development. Learning to knit and crochet in the early grades develops the motor
skills that enhance intellectual development, coordination, patience, perseverance, and imagination.
Activities like woodworking, house building, and gardening are included in the curriculum to give the
children an understanding of and respect for how things work in the world.

A reverence and sense of guardianship for the earth and all her inhabitants are nurtured through
seasonal festivals, classroom activities, gardening, recycling, and field trips. The teachers strive to
awaken the children’s senses to the wonder of the natural world around them.

To sustain the high quality educational experience, it is necessary for each family to contribute to our school community. There are a number of ways to be involved in the life of the school.

Support through Volunteering

Both in-school and out-of-school time is needed. Assisting in specialty classes such as foreign language, making crafts, special classroom cleaning, doing laundry, bringing flowers, sewing and making costumes, chaperoning outdoor education trips, all require parent’s help. Playground, garden and site beautification are important tasks affecting the quality of classroom life and in need of parent support. Participation in class projects, phone tree communication, and parent education events also offer opportunities to work with and interact with other Journey School families.

Parent participation is also needed on the Journey School Council and Parent Cabinet and on various committees as diverse as Festivals, Fundraising, Marketing, Grant Writing, and Facilities Planning. These committees are important for carrying out day-to-day operations of the school outside the classroom and for conducting the long-range planning and work that will secure the success of our school.

Commitment to Educational Program and to Parent Education

Parents who embrace and support the school’s educational philosophy at home enhance the student's experience. Providing open-ended toys and tasks that allow your child to explore, build, create and imagine, creating daily and weekly rhythms for your child at home, and sharing meals as a family are several important ways that parents can enhance their child’s educational experience at Journey School.

Parent education seminars, which allow parents to learn more about Journey School and parenting, are held throughout the year. These may occur during community meetings, class meetings or other special functions. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend as many seminars as possible. Local Waldorf conferences are another opportunity for parents to learn more about Journey School’s educational philosophy.

Support the School’s Media Expectation

Our philosophy includes a commitment to understanding and nurturing each child's unique inner development. For reasons thoroughly defined in the Media section of this handbook, we believe that significantly reducing or eliminating children's television viewing will further enhance their ability to fully develop. We request that our families significantly reduce or eliminate the use of media (television, videos, video games, computer games, I-pods, CD players, movies, etc.) for their children. We ask for complete elimination of electronic media during the school week, Sunday late afternoon to Friday after school.

Support the Snack and Lunch Guidelines

Nurturing our bodies as well as our minds and spirits is important at Journey School. Meals and snacks eaten at school provide additional opportunities to acknowledge our appreciation for the natural world. For example, snacks prepared in the Kindergarten offer wholesome ingredients and encourage reverence for healthy bodies and a healthy earth. Families are encouraged to support this philosophy at home by following these guidelines:

• Send snacks and lunches to school that use wholesome ingredients free of artificial dyes and preservatives, (organic if possible) fruits and vegetables, and as little sugar as possible. Gum, candy, soda, juices, and other junk foods are not allowed.

• Pack only water for your child to drink at school. Purified water is also available at school.

• The avoidance of commercialism and excessive food packaging is another aspect of keeping things as natural as possible. Please try to send snacks lunches, and forks and spoons in reusable containers. Lunch baskets/ boxes should also be void of media/commercial images. We request cloth napkins.

Support Ecological Awareness
The school strives to teach children to develop love and respect for the earth. Children come to learn
that we are part of a much larger macrocosm that needs to be kept in balance while they learn about
life cycles and the seasons through planting and composting in our school garden. We promote
recycling, reusing, repairing and sustainability with the students. As this philosophy is respected at
home, the awe and wonder evoked in our children will serve to promote a desire for wholesome
living, and the development of ecological awareness.

Parents who have chosen Journey School for their children have chosen to agree to commit to and become involved in their children’s education. Each Journey School family is required to give an average of 5 hours per month or 50 hours over the course of the school year. Many families joyously give well over 100 hours per year to make Journey School available to children and the community at large. Possible volunteer activities include, but are not limited to:

• Playground supervision before and after school and during recess

• Assisting in the classroom or the school office

• Site maintenance and beautification

• Hospitality (welcoming new families, organizing food or hosting a visiting teacher)

• Service as a “class parent” or a “class representative”

• Serving on a school Committee or Council

We recognize the uniqueness of requiring parents to volunteer; however, without the past parent volunteers, Journey School would not exist today. Our Charter School emphasizes service and children benefit from experiencing their parent’s community service. The Parent Cabinet, the Volunteer Coordinator, along with the Administrative staff, will work with each family to ensure the smooth fulfillment of responsibilities. The intention is to focus on the joy of service while recognizing that the Charter School truly needs and appreciates the active support and gifts of its volunteers.

The philosophy of Journey School is based upon an understanding of the developing child. While television and other media can serve as a source of information and entertainment for adults, children do not operate in the same developmental stage as adults. Recent research has shown that exposure to media entertainment for young children may have a detrimental effect upon their self-image, their ability to concentrate and develop attention span, their relationship skills, values, reading skills, physical skills, energy levels, psychological health, creativity and social behavior.

Because we believe that the impact of the electronic media can have detrimental effects on a child’s healthy growth and development, we encourage families to incorporate our media free philosophy into their children’s daily lives. To that end, we expect that our families significantly reduce or eliminate the use of media (television,videos, video games, computer games, I-pods, CD players, movies, etc.) for their children. We ask for complete elimination of electronic media during the school week, Sunday to Friday after school. We realize that limiting or eliminating media from your child's life might feel like a tall order. However with support and reassurance, families may find that more free time means more creative and quality time together.

Concerns about the effects of television have centered almost exclusively on the content of the programs children watch. Many might argue that watching a nature program is educational and good for the child. However, as Marie Winn states in her book, The Plug - In Drug, "It is easy to overlook a deceptively simple fact: one is always watching television when one is watching television rather than having any other experience." Winn goes on to say that certain specific physiological mechanisms of the eyes, ears, and brain respond to the stimuli emanating from the screen regardless of the cognitive content of the programs. Television viewing requires the taking in of particular sensory material in a particular way no matter what the material might be. The sedentary mode of watching television does not match the active internal experience that occurs in response to what is being viewed. For example, one would not jump out of the way of an oncoming car that is on the screen, yet one may feel the anxiety, fear, and panic of the situation being viewed. There is, indeed, no other experience in a child’s life that permits quite so much intake while demanding so little output as watching television.

In order to function in a society which relies upon mastery of the spoken and written word, a child must acquire fundamental skills in oral and written communication. Frequent use of electronic media can be counterproductive to the development of brain functions needed to master skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and language development. It can also work against the natural development of analytical thinking. Joseph Chilton Pearce, Ph.D., an internationally renowned educator, author and lecturer, states that the child’s first seven years are devoted to development of the symbolic, metaphoric language structure in the mid-brain and that all future cognitive development rests on the integrated functioning of the right and left sides of the brain. Television viewing disrupts this development and can cause a child to be easily distracted and bored. Reading, writing, speaking, and reasoning are functions of the left side of the brain. This is the part of the brain that orders data and analyzes what it perceives. The right side of the brain perceives the world as a whole and does not code and decode as does the left side. Television viewing engages the right side of the brain, and as a child is inundated with the short sequences and the accelerated pace found in any television program, the ability to use the symbolic analytical-thinking brain functions may be diminished.

Real multi-sensory experiences are the seeds of imagination and creativity. It is important that your child be able to absorb the curriculum of the day – without electronic interference – in order to integrate and process it during sleeping hours. This is how learning becomes an integral part of life. Allowing your child to attend to the tasks of growing and learning without the stimulation of electronic media will enhance their ability to focus and become immersed in the day’s curriculum.

We encourage you to speak with staff or other parents in the school for suggestions, support and resources that you might find helpful on this subject.

“Joy and happiness in living, a love of all existence, a power and energy for work – such are among the lifelong results of a right cultivation of the feeling for beauty and art.” – Rudolf Steiner

Children live in rhythm and beauty and so thrive in aesthetically pleasing environments, both in the classroom and out of doors. We strive to create and maintain a unique and creative environment that expresses appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity. Classroom motifs change throughout the school year to reflect seasonal and curricular themes.

The upper grade classrooms richly reflect the ongoing cultural, historical and academic themes of the curriculum. The lower grade classrooms have a nurturing and magical ambience which supports the younger children’s transition from home to school. Pastel colors, softened lighting and play spaces that integrate folklore and the natural elements of the season are used to accomplish this. In Kindergarten the smell of freshly prepared food for snack time and singing voices for gentle guidance allow the children to experience their environment with all of their senses.

Journey School is committed to using natural and high-quality products in every area of the school. The use of natural products supports and enhances the children’s inner connection with and their responsibility as caretakers of the Earth.

Measurable Student Outcomes

The exit outcomes for Journey School graduates are designed to reflect the school’s emphasis on educating the whole child. Exit outcomes are also developed for a successful transition into a ninth grade program. Outcomes related to the intellectual, physical and social/ emotional capacity of the student are detailed thoroughly in the Charter document. The following are the assessment methods used to accurately determine if students are meeting the school’s stated performance standards and their own individual potential are:

A comprehensive narrative assessment is prepared for students beginning in first grade and sent to parents at the end of each school year. The assessment is based upon teacher observations and anecdotal notes. Year-end report includes an overview of the year stating what was taught during each learning block. The second part of the report will be a written narrative of the child describing academic performance, social and emotional development, and artistic expression. The child’s strengths and achievements will be highlighted, and areas for further progress identified. The third part of the report will include a skill rubric, aligned with Journey School Alignment Standards.

• Parent Conferences for all students take place at least once a year, or more if requested by the parents, teachers or students.

• Comprehensive student main lesson books and portfolios include student work samples, practice papers, written work and reports, artwork, etc.

• Oral recitations, presentations, reports, performances or demonstrations occur regularly beginning in first grade, by both individuals and groups.

• A public Open House is held for all grades once a year, during which student work is exhibited.

• Letter grades for academic content (based on tests, written or oral reports, etc.) will be reserved for students at the middle school level if deemed appropriate by the Faculty Council of the school.

Standardized Testing

Beginning in second grade, Journey School administers a Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) annual pre and post assessment known as CORE. These tests are administered in the fall and spring and are used to measure individual students’ growth. The students are not scored in comparison to a standard, but rather by the growth a student makes between fall and the following spring.

Additionally, Journey participates in a state mandated standardized testing known as STAR. This consists of the California Standard Test (CST) and the short version of the California Achievement Test (CAT/6). The State of California uses scores from these tests to compute the state Academic Performance Index (API) and the federally required No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Journey School will attain its API growth target by following the curriculum designed to include the state’s standards. By completion of the Journey School program students will perform at a level that meets the state’s standards. Journey School recognizes that differences in the educational program and curriculum sequence may be reflected in variations in scores in specific areas of the state standardized test in the early grades. As students progress towards the exit outcomes, these variations will diminish.

Under NCLB, Journey School is responsible for increasing the number of students proficient in English language arts and mathematics. In order to meet one of the federal goals, a minimum of 95% of Journey students in each class must participate in the standardized tests. Journey School needs all parents and guardians to support their children participation in the state testing to maintain Journey’s charter status. If you have questions regarding this please talk with the Director of Educational Programs and Services.

JourneySchool is organized and operated as a California non-profit public benefit corporation and is legally and operationally independent from CUSD. The governance structure is composed of the Journey School Council, the Administrative Team, the Faculty Council and the Parent Cabinet. These four interactive groups are all responsible for upholding the mission and vision of Journey School. This allows for close collaboration and the sharing of a variety of perspectives so that consensus can be built and solutions can reflect the school community as a whole.

The School Council is responsible for the legal and financial stability of the school. It specifically oversees charter compliance, the school budget and policies, and the school site. Ideally, the composition of the Council reflects a balance of parents, educators and community members who reflect a diversity of expertise and experience. The Council includes at least one representative from the parent body at large chosen by the Parent Cabinet and at least one representative from the Faculty chosen by the Faculty Council. Capistrano Unified School District will have the option of appointing a representative to the Journey School Council.

The Administrative Team follows a collaborative leadership model and includes the Director of Educational Programs and Services, the Business and Development Administrator and other designated staff. The Director of Educational Programs and Services is responsible for the support of the educational program, providing oversight and leadership to the school faculty as a whole and carrying out the educational policies and procedures of the school. The Business and Development Administrator serves as the business administrator of the school, liaison between Journey School and CUSD, as well as oversee the day to day operations of the school, budget related issues and school policies and procedures.

The Faculty Council, which is comprised of all full-time teachers, is responsible for the educational program of the school, specifically overseeing the implementation of the curriculum, mentoring and parent education. The Faculty Council selects a Chair for the Faculty Council.

The Parent Cabinet which operates similar to a PTO, promotes and supports the school’s educational program, conducts fundraising efforts and coordinates volunteers for festivals and events. All parents are considered part of Parent Cabinet and are welcome to any meetings. A Class Representative for each class is chosen each year by the parents or guardians of each class, in collaboration with their class teacher. The Class Representative attends the Parent Cabinet meetings and any other members of the school community and Committee Chairpersons who wish to attend. The Class Representatives select a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer for the Parent Cabinet. Please see the organizational chart for additional details.

Class Teachers

Specialty Teachers

Staff

School Council

Council Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month and as necessary thereafter. They are announced regularly and written announcements are posted outside of the office 72 hours prior to the meeting. Legal and financial matters are discussed and voted on when needed. Important issues are brought up and there are opportunities for members of the community to voice concerns, questions, make statements, etc. For dates and information please ask the office.

Celebrating seasonal festivals at Journey School is a way of observing the recurring rhythms and cycles in nature; as the earth makes its way around the sun, the solstices and equinoxes become the four cornerstones of the year’s rhythm. Sharing in the school’s festival life is deeply nourishing to our individual inner lives and contributes to the integration and stability of the entire community. As we return to school each year, the days begin to grow shorter and darker. During this contracted time nature appears to die. Yet it is during this time that the inner life of humankind is nourished and strengthened. During the fall, we celebrate the Harvest Festival and the Lantern Walk. As the holiday season approaches the children create treasures for other children to purchase as holiday gifts for loved ones in the magical and fanciful Fairie Market. With the New Year comes a gradual transition of winter to spring. The spring equinox marks this transitional renewal. We celebrate May Day in honor of nature’s renewed growth and energy.

Journey School has a special tradition in our celebration of Halloween. Children should wear costumes that correspond with their course of study for that year. Weapons and scary costumes are not permitted.

Community parent meetings are held throughout the year. These meetings are a venue to address topics of interest and hold discussions so that everyone including staff, parents and community members have input on the life of the school. They strengthen our school community and our understanding of Journey School’s educational program. Parents are expected to attend at least two meetings a year. Please look for the announcements in the school newsletter and/or calendar.

As a public charter school, Journey School is open to any child residing in the state of California. We give enrollment preference to continuing students, siblings of currently enrolled students, children of employees and students residing in Capistrano Unified School District (CSUD). No student will be denied admission to Journey School based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender or disability. If the number of eligible candidates exceeds the school’s capacity, a public random drawing will be held.

Prior to admission, the family must submit an application and participate in an interview. The family will also be asked to read this handbook and acknowledge they have read the information and have made an informed choice when choosing Journey School.

For purposes of Special Education, Journey School is considered a school within CSUD. CSUD will develop and implement Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for Journey School students with special needs and ensure that special education students receive services in a manner that is consistent with their IEP and applicable laws and regulations.

Age requirements for children entering Journey School are:

• Kindergarten Must turn 5 years old prior to December 2

• 1^stMust turn 6 years old prior to June 1^st

• 2^ndMust turn 7 years old prior to June 1^st

• 3^rdMust turn 8 years old prior to June 1^st

• 4^thMust turn 9 years old prior to June 1^st

• 5^thMust turn 10 years old prior to June 1^st

• 6^thMust turn 11 years old prior to June 1^st

• 7^thMust turn 12 years old prior to June 1^s

• 8^thMust turn 13 years old prior to June 1st

Exceptions may be made for birth dates falling between June 2 and December 1 only on a trial basis and with the consent of the family and the class teacher.

As a charter school, Journey is a school of choice for families. Journey School bases its curriculum on Steiner methods of instruction. For this reason, it may not be easy for a student to readily transfer between Journey School and other schools, including CUSD schools.

In particular, because of the developmental approach at Journey School, students in the primary grades will have been presented academic material in different ways than in schools using the state curriculum. Especially prior to fourth grade, students may find it challenging to articulate from Journey to a school using the state curriculum. In the later years, students transferring into Journey School from other schools may need assistance to successfully integrate into the classroom environment and be able to participate in a variety of lessons (e.g. music, art, foreign language, crafts, etc.) offered at Journey School. Journey School’s intention is to clearly communicate these issues to all families prior to enrollment. Parents are informed of the importance of staying in the Journey School program to completion. If at any time you have questions regarding articulation or transferring, please contact your child’s teacher and/or the Director of Educational Programs.

The Home Language Survey given to all students identifies ELL students. Those students whose primary language at home is other than English will be given the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) annually until they are reclassified. Journey School will comply with the applicable requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act with regard to ELL students.

Journey School complies with all applicable State and Federal laws in serving students with disabilities including but not limited to Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with disabilities in Education Act. Journey school functions as a public school of CUSD, who granted the Charter for purposes of providing special education and related services along with our educational program.

Medication

Parents and or doctor’s permission is needed for administering medication by Journey School staff or faculty. Therefore, please supply clearly written instructions for administering the medications consistent with the label. Please include how the medication is to be stored. Parents are responsible for keeping the medication current.

Allergies

Please notify the class teacher regarding any allergies, including food allergies.

Accidents/Emergencies

In case of an accident or emergency requiring a physician or hospitalization, we will immediately attempt to contact a parent. If we are unable to reach you, we will contact the person listed on the child's emergency card. (See also Emergency Release Form)

In case of an emergency, your child will only be released to those people indicated on the Emergency Card. Proof of identification will be required. Those NOT identified on the emergency card can only pick-up the child with a written and signed note from the child’s parent. Journey School may call the parent of the child for confirmation. The Emergency Card is kept on file in the office and must be updated at the beginning of each school year and whenever a change occurs (address etc.) during the school year.

Field trips are taken throughout the year by all classes. These trips are conducted in conjunction with the curriculum and offer the students an opportunity to experience a deepening of their studies in a different environment. The teacher will share the purpose of the trip as well as guidelines with the accompanying adults/ parents in order to ensure the safety and/ or health needs of the children.

The class teacher will arrange for field trip permission slips (liability release forms for school-related volunteer activities on or off campus) to be sent to the parents at least one week prior to the field trip. These need to be signed and returned one week before the event. Carpool and other logistics will be taken care of by the Journey staff and parents. For those who are driving a copy of current driver’s license and proof of auto insurance will need to be on file in the office.

Carpool Release forms are kept on file in the office as well. Please update this form each new school year.

The safety of our students is of the highest priority. Therefore any visitor to the campus, including parents, must sign in and out in the office whether they are visiting or performing volunteer services on campus. If a parent is a substitute volunteer, the substitute must inform the office of the schedule change.

Visiting minors left on campus without their parent/ guardian must have an emergency form/ release on file in the office.

Journey School reserves the right to monitor who is on campus.

Students may only be released to adults listed on the emergency information card, unless a signed note from the parent(s)/ guardian is present and identification is verified. (See Emergency Release Form)

• Stay within the school boundaries.

• Children may be on the playground with adult supervision only.

• Children may be permitted in the classrooms during recess time only with permission of the class teacher.

• Use quiet voices when close to the school building.

• Active running games are for the playground and should not be played in the classrooms or adjacent to the classrooms.

• Eat only in designated areas while on school property while sitting on a bench or chair. Exceptions may be made for special occasions or events.

• Clean up, recycle and/or compost all garbage and keep the school tidy and orderly.

• Shoes must be worn outdoors at all times.

• Ropes may be used for jump rope only.

• No climbing in or shaking trees on school grounds.

• No running with sticks.

• No playing in restrooms at any time.

• No toys from home unless approved by the class teacher. Toys include skateboards, roller blades, scooters, trading cards, video games, action figures or printed material of a violent or threatening nature, unless approved by the class teacher. Sports equipment from home may be acceptable if approved by the class teacher. The use of any type of electronic equipment (e.g. Walkman, Gameboy, I-pod etc.) is not permitted on campus at any time. Cell phones may be used for emergencies only and in consultation with the class teacher.

Individual teachers may also have additional expectations which they will communicate to their classes. Each teacher will develop a class management system appropriate for that age level to help the children understand and integrate these guidelines and rules into their daily activities. It is important for parents, staff, and volunteers to review and reinforce these guidelines with the students.

The JASP program provides after school care on site on school days from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for Journey School students when school is in session. Fees are $5.50 per hour. JASP is a pre-paid system requiring parents to pay in the office in advance (in increments of $50) before the student can be sent to the program. Parents must keep this fee replenished. Payment for one month cannot exceed $350.00. JASP fees include a mid afternoon healthy snack. Children must provide their own water container.

For safety and liability reasons JASP also supervises children who are on school grounds without adult supervision. Children are automatically signed into JASP if not picked up by 12:40 p.m. for Kindergarten and 3:00 p.m. for Grades 1- 6. This includes a 10-minute grace period past school release time. When this occurs, the family will incur a JASP charge. An adult must sign a student out of JASP unless a written release of liability form is on file in the office.

Parents who are on campus doing school related volunteer work or attending meetings may use JASP at a reduced rate of $3.00 per child/hour provided there is a one day advance notification. There is a JASP SIGN-IN SHEET FOR VOLUNTEERS/MEETINGS located in the office.

JASP charges a fee of $1.00 per minute for a late pick up (past 5:30 p.m.). Families will be billed on a monthly basis for these charges and payment is due upon receipt. Please be timely. Pick-up from JASP must be done in person in order to sign the child out. See details for JASP in the JASP section.

If an account is 60 days past due, suspension of JASP services will take place until the account is reconciled. If a family needs financial assistance with JASP fees, a letter may be written to the council for consideration. For more detailed information on JASP, contact the Journey School office. JASP fees may be deducted as childcare expenses for tax purposes.

The objective of our school is to nurture and protect childhood. We would like to create a simple environment that is truly childhood-friendly. Please hold these thoughts in your consciousness as you and your child are making wardrobe selections. Clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes/baskets and any other accessories be free of media advertisements, references to drugs, alcohol, racism, sexism and or violence, slogans, cartoons, and caricatures when at school. Commercial logos on clothing should be smaller than standard shirt pocket size. For safety, sandals and shoes must be as flat as possible, and have a heel strap. And, as kindergarten children are taught to tie shoes, shoes with laces are preferred.

Journey School expects that students adhere to the following:

• Dress should be conducive to the work and activities of school and should be weather appropriate. Thus camouflage and large or violent images and inappropriate language on clothing are not allowed.

• Jackets and sweaters should be labeled with first and last name.

• Hats are acceptable when worn outside for the purpose of protection from heat or cold.

• Tops and dresses with straps at least 1” wide are acceptable.

• Dresses may be no shorter than two (2) inches above the knee.

• Midriff tops and undergarments that show are prohibited.

• Lipstick, make-up, brightly colored nail polish and tattoos are prohibited.

• Shorts may be no shorter than the second (2^nd) thumb knuckle when measured with hands down by side.

• Any apparel, jewelry or change in physical appearance, such as hair dye and body piercing, that distracts from the learning environment is prohibited.

• 7^th and 8^th Graders may wear light mascara.

• Shoes with wheels are prohibited

• Shoes with laces preferred in kindergarten.

Decisions regarding appropriateness are at the discretion of Journey School Faculty. In case your child arrives at school dressed inappropriately, we will give you a courtesy call so that you may bring replacement clothes or the teacher will give the student appropriate attire to wear for the day. If persistent violations of the Dress Code occur, the Faculty and or the Administrative Coordinator may take further action up to but not limited to meeting with parent(s) to discuss and review Dress Code Policy.

At Journey School, students are taught in carefully designed, complete units known as main lesson blocks which last 3-4 weeks each. Missing a portion of a block will affect full comprehension of that block as well as future lessons. When school is missed, rhythm is disrupted and missed work cannot always be completed. Regular attendance is extremely important for many additional reasons, including:

• Attendance at school is mandatory by law

• Regular attendance shows a commitment by the family to the school and to the student’s education.

• Regular attendance helps to ensure each student can reach his/her full educational potential.

• Journey School depends on student attendance for funding. The office must keep accurate attendance records in order to ensure state funding. The office must “verify” all absences, regardless of the reason. The reason for the absence itself has no impact on the school’s funding.

• As a Charter School, Journey School is accountable for overall student performance. Lower student performance due to a low attendance rate can therefore affect the school as a whole.

If the adults have a good relationship with punctuality and attendance, then our children will learn reliability and respect for others. Consistent punctuality, difficulty though it is for all of us, will do more than anything else to strengthen the will of both adults and children. For this reason, Journey School maintains a consistent daily rhythm for the children. The beginning of the school day establishes the mood for the day with activities such as movement, speech and music which bring the class together and prepare the children for work. A morning verse is said by all the students together. It is important that your child be present for these activities and it is equally important that the class not be interrupted by latecomers.

Please feel free to bring your child to school fifteen (15) minutes early to greet classmates and play before school begins officially at 8:30 a.m. Please do not bring children to school any earlier than that time since there will be no supervision available.

Again, it is the policy of the Journey School that students attend each day that school is in session. Each day of school is part of a sequential learning process; therefore missing even one day without good cause should be avoided.

Reporting Absences to School

Parents are to notify the school office of a student’s absence by (one hour following the beginning of school) AM. Failure to contact the school office with information regarding the student’s absence by (one hour following the beginning of school) AM will result in the absence being recorded as an unexcused absence. 

Physician, dental and counseling appointments should be scheduled after school hours whenever possible. If unavoidable, please notify the office and have the child attend classes both before and after the scheduled appointments.

At the school’s discretion a physician’s statement of diagnosis may be required at any point for an absence or extended absences. Normally, a physician’s statement will be requested on the third consecutive day of a student’s absence or when a student’s total days of absence reach seven.  After ten days absence, a doctor’s statement is required each time a student is absent for the remainder of the year. A statement from a licensed medical professional documenting an absence may allow an unexcused absence to be changed to an excused absence.

If one or more of the following occurs, your child will be sent home: temperature of 100 or higher, vomiting, pain in the chest or stomach, fainting, live nits or lice is found in hair, and /or injury.  Please have current emergency contacts listed on your child’s enrollment form.  Please contact the school immediately if these numbers change during the year.

Excused Absence-Definition

Absencesfor the following reasons will be considered as excused absences:

• Illness that involves fever, vomiting, injuries, or situations when a physician recommends the students are absent from school.  The absence and reason for the absence is to be reported to the school office by (one hour following the beginning of school) A.M.

• Deaths of immediate family members

• Medical or dental appointments which cannot be scheduled outside the school day (a written doctor’s statement is to be given to the school office)

• Religious Holidays

• Court ordered absences

• Other unusual circumstances when approved by the administrator and requested in advance of the event (such as independent study)

Unexcused Absence-Definition

Absences for the following reasons will be considered as unexcused absences:

• Minor colds, congestion, and allergy symptoms where no fever is present

• “Long weekends” and vacations without prior approval

• Moving days (change of residence)

• Transportation problems

• Medical or dental appointment without a doctor’s written statement

• Appointments for non-essential activities such as haircuts.

Tardy to School-Definition

Students who arrive at school after the start of the student day are considered tardy. Those who arrive after the start of the student day (8:30) are to stop by the office where they will receive a pass that will permit them into the classroom. The student’s parent or guardian is to sign the appropriate list at the office indicating the reason the student is tardy (after 8:35AM). The student will give a tardy pass to the teacher and the tardy will be documented in the office.

Excused tardies are those that are verified in writing by the administrator.

Early Departure-Definition

Request to release children from school presents serious problems for school administrators and teachers. Parents make such request for a variety of reasons however, careful discrimination is needed in each individual case. Once a child is in our care, we are very protective of who we allow to remove the child from our school. If early dismissal is necessary, please follow this procedure:

If you plan to pick up your child before dismissal, it will be counted as an unexcused early dismissal. It will affect your child’s attendance the same as a tardy. If the early pick up is due to a doctor or dental appointment, a written doctor’s excuse is required for the unexcused early dismissal to be changed to an excused early dismissal.

Procedure for Dealing with Excessive Absences

• 5th Unexcused Absence—A letter from school will be sent home.

• 8th Unexcused Absence—A notice will be sent to parent with a requirement for all future absences to be accompanied by doctor’s statement.

• 12th Unexcused Absence—The administration will recommend transferring an Open Enrollment student back to his/her home school for continual absences.

Legal action may be taken for violating the compulsory school attendance law or prosecution for child neglect.

Please note that the educational value of travel experiences is highly regarded by Journey School. If a trip is planned requiring a student to miss school, the student may receive credit for the days missed by fulfilling an independent study contract.

Procedure for Dealing with Excessive Tardiness and Early Departures

The following procedure will be used:

• 7th Unexcused Tardy or Unexcused Early Departure—Letter from school will be sent home.

• 10th Unexcused Tardy or Unexcused Early Departure—A notice will be sent to parent with a requirement for all future absences to be accompanied by doctor’s statement.

• 15th Unexcused Tardy or Unexcused Early Departure—The administration will recommend transferring an Open Enrollment student back to his/her home school for continual tardiness.

Legal action may be taken for violating the compulsory school attendance law or prosecution for child neglect.

While Journey School is a classroom-based program, it does provide for independent study in some cases. Independent Study is appropriate for children who cannot attend school due to an extended illness or trip. It is not intended as a replacement for classroom study. It can be used if a child must stay home to recuperate from an injury or contagious illness. If a student travels during the school year, pre-approved independent study can be used to help enrich the student’s experience and can help him/her keep up with his/her schoolwork.

The independent study contract must be drawn up by the Journey School office, teacher and parent who will be fulfilling the contract. It must be signed prior to the effective dates of the contract. In the case of a family trip, we ask that you notify the office at least one week prior to the date your child will not be in school.

Independent Study contracts must be at least five days long. The contract, the student’s work products and a parent work “log” must be returned to the office within three (3) days of the child’s return to school. Please refer any questions regarding the Independent Study (details, contract etc.) to your child’s teacher or the office.

Journey School has a comprehensive safety plan in place in accordance with the Capistrano Unified School District. All staff and teachers are aware of their specific duties, responsibilities and procedures. As a routine part of our plan, students participate in monthly safety (earthquake/fire etc.) drills. Emergency cards must be filled out at the beginning of each new school year.

Should there be an emergency event requiring parents to pick-up their children, we request that you:

• Please wait for your child to be released by a Journey School staff member.

• Please enter the school at the designated entrance only.

The following emergency supplies must be sent to school with your child at the beginning of the school year or the first day of school for your child. All supplies must be sealed in a one-gallon zip lock bag with the student’s name clearly marked. Bag’s contents are to include:

• 4 protein bars

• 2 bottles of water

• pocket-size emergency blanket

• note/photograph from parent to child

• out-of-state contact phone number

In case of a disaster of a nuclear nature all South Orange County schools are evacuated to the Orange County Fairgrounds, according to Capistrano Unified District guidelines.

Journey School is committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for every child. We are equally committed to helping our children grow into healthy, happy, responsible adults. In order to respect, care for and work with others, children must learn to truly love and respect themselves.

Because of this belief, Journey School emphasizes a positive approach to discipline in which the student is gradually led towards an experience of self-discipline. We expect that students behave in a respectful way towards their teachers, any adults, their classmates, and towards the property of others. Each teacher is fully responsible for the discipline in his or her classroom. Students will be approached in a dignified manner and asked to comply with the standards of behavior.

It is a worthy goal that every student also has a clear understanding of how their actions affect others. Our goal is to encourage the child to “right the wrong” and do better in the future. Thus, conflict resolution and esteem building are integral parts of our curriculum.

In order to create a school environment which fosters cooperation, responsibility and respect, our students will be expected to follow the Journey School Code of Behavior.

Support a good learning environment

Students are expected to cooperate with teachers and classmates, respect the class starting and ending times, line up promptly and quietly when requested, and complete assigned daily class chores before going home.

Treat all students, adults and property with respect.

Respectful, courteous behavior and language are expected towards other children, teachers and parents. Students are expected to respect each other's words and refrain from hurtful actions. Rudeness, teasing, mimicking, swearing, threatening, sexual harassment and lying are not permitted. Rough housing, fighting, shoving, spitting, pushing, hitting, kicking or biting are cause for immediate intervention. Throwing things (except in supervised games) or any disruptive behavior is not permitted in the classroom or on campus. Any stolen, defaced or destroyed property shall be repaired or replaced by those responsible.

In the event that normal classroom management systems are not sufficient to correct disruptive or disrespectful behavior, the following procedures will be followed:

1. Student Behavior Report and Action Plan: If a child’s behavior endangers himself or herself, others or property, or in other ways undermines a healthy learning environment, a Behavior Report will be sent home with the child. The child must give this report to the parents, who will be responsible for discussing the problem with the child, assisting the child to correct the behavior, and then signing the report and returning it to school the next day. A sample of the report is available in office.

1. Parent-teacher conference: If three notices are sent home, a mandatory parent conference will be scheduled with the teacher. If both parent and teacher agree, the child may be included in the meeting. The teacher may request another faculty member to be present.
   
   

1. Staff Intervention: If the problem does not improve, a Faculty Council member will call the parents to schedule another conference to determine the most appropriate course of action. It may be recommended that a Child Study Team, consisting of a Faculty Council member and other appropriate support staff, be convened to study the child and his/her special needs. The members of this team will work with the child’s family and teacher to cultivate healthy classroom and playground behavior.

In the interest of maintaining a safe and courteous environment for all members of Journey School, there are certain behaviors that will not be tolerated and may result in immediate removal (suspension) of the child from the school setting. Details can be found in the EXPULSION, SUSPENSION, EXCLUSION AND DUE PROCESS POLICY available for review in the office.

Journey School does not tolerate any type of unlawful harassment ( sexual, ethnic, racial etc.). Details can be found in the Expulsion, Suspension, Exclusion and Due Process Policy.