Handbook


PARENT /STUDENT HANDBOOK

ACADIA Academy


Revised August 2023


   




ACADIA Mission 

ACADIA Vision 



ACADIA Academy School Policies

School Day Start and End Times 

Students are expected to arrive on time for school. The school day begins at 7:45. Doors will open at 7:45. Students who have not arrived by 8:05 will be considered tardy. Regularly scheduled educational activities conclude at 2:20. Students will depart either on transportation or with an approved adult. Parents/Guardians must call the office prior to picking up a student. If someone other than a parent or pre-approved guardian arrives to pick up a student, the office must be notified in advance by the parent or guardian, and the individual picking up must provide photo identification to school personnel. If students ride the bus home and an adult is not at the designated stop when the bus arrives, the students will remain on the bus and ride back to ACADIA. They will join aftercare until their parent/guardian or an approved adult comes to pick them up. Any change to a student’s daily transportation must be communicated to the main office via phone at 333-3765 or via a note sent in with your child. Sending emails or messages on Bloomz is not an accepted way to make transportation changes. In situations of teacher illness or emergency, a notice sent via email or Bloomz may not be received. Calls or notes to the office are the only way to ensure that students will be sent home in the proper way.  

K-6th grade students 

Childcare for K-6 students is available for a weekly fee of $110.00 per child for children attending ACADIA pending availability. The program runs from 6:45-7:45 a.m./2:30-5:30 p.m. daily. This program includes care provided on Friday In-service days when ACADIA is closed to students. Students that are not signed up for weekly Childcare can attend Childcare on Friday In-service days (listed on the school calendar) for a fee of $20.00, as spots are available within DHHS Childcare ratio. For students not attending Childcare on a regular basis, there is a waitlist for last minute Friday openings. 

Pre-K Students 

Pre-K programming runs Monday through Thursday from 7:45-2:30. Friday is not a school day for preschool, but Childcare is available as a pay service. Students will receive a daily snack, daily rest time and 10.5 hours of academic instruction weekly. ACADIA provides Pre-K harness seat belts and Pre-K students are welcome to ride the bus.  

Monday through Thursday Childcare for Pre-K students is available for a weekly fee of $95.00 per child for children attending ACADIA. The program runs from 6:45- 7:45 a.m./2:30-5:30 p.m. daily. Students needing Friday care, may also sign up for this on a Friday only basis for $35.00 or if care is needed Monday through Friday the fee is $125.00 for the week. 

Important!! Spaces are limited each year for any before/after school care. If you are interested, please contact the Childcare Coordinator. See the section on Childcare for Policies regarding this service. 

Financial Assistance 

ACADIA offers Childcare rates to families that are below the state-wide Maine Childcare rate. However, we understand that life circumstances can cause financial hardship from time to time. For that reason, we can offer temporary financial assistance to families. This assistance is determined on a case by case basis and is approved by the Director using the following criteria: 

Arrival Procedures 

Before-care students should be dropped off or escorted into the building and brought to the designated morning care room. At 7:45, staff tending to these students will release them to their classroom.  

If you are dropping off students that can enter the building on their own, please follow the arrows painted on the parking lot and stop at the unloading zone in front of the building.  Students should be capable of getting out on their own and entering the building. parents/guardians can park and walk their children to the building if they wish. Please keep in mind that teachers are greeting all students individually at the classroom door to establish a positive and calm first greeting to their day and this is not a time for teachers to have one on one conversations with parents/guardians.  

The bus will also be using this same loop and stopping at the unloading zone. Teacher assistants will be stationed appropriately to help with students getting off the bus.  

Dismissal Procedures 

At 2:20 students who are picked up will be called to the front of the building.  

At 2:30 students in the childcare program will be dismissed to the cafeteria and all students who are riding the bus will be dismissed. Please do not park in the loop area, so that the bus has access to pull up and leave.  

If a family is consistently late for pickup a meeting may be held to create a plan and offer support.  


Attendance 

All students are expected to attend classes. Regular attendance is essential for maximum academic progress. If your child is unable to make it to school, please call in advance. Public Charter schools follow Public School laws with regards to attendance and truancy. Should chronic absences or tardiness become a problem, a notice will be sent home in hopes to support the family to improve attendance. This is a required measure by the Dept. of Education a conference may also be necessary with the director/principal and parent/guardians to create a plan to ensure the student does not fall behind and to determine if there is any support needed to assist the family. 

Family vacations or prolonged absences need to be approved in advance by the director. This will allow the teacher adequate time to pull together work that needs to be completed during the absence at the teacher’s discretion.

Excused absences are defined as absences for which the parent/guardian calls the school to notify that their child is sick, has a medical appointment, or for a planned absence. Unexcused absences are defined as a day of absence from school for which no indication was made of the reason why the child was missing. When a student has accumulated 7 consecutive days of unexcused absences or the equivalent of 10 full days of unexcused absences, the child is considered truant and a report is made to the department of education. A notice will be sent home to the family and to the ACADIA board of directors.  

Closures & Delays 

Inclement weather, power outages, fire and other extreme circumstances may disrupt ACADIA Academy operations and may require closing or late start of the school until the issue is resolved. Notifications of such closures and delays will be on WGME 13, WMTW 8, and WCSH 6 and their websites. Also, families will be notified via email, phone, and text. Teachers will also post on their Bloomz page for parents/guardians to see the closure or delay. In the event of overnight or early morning snowstorms, this information will be available prior to 7 am the morning of the closure/delay. In addition, we will post such events on the ACADIA Academy Facebook or our Bloomz page. 

Lunch & Snacks 

All students at Acadia will need to bring a lunch and a morning snack to school daily. Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to supply healthy snack and lunch options. For this reason, we discourage sending your child to school with soda or candy. Staff will ask students to eat their healthy and main lunch items prior to sugary foods. Please do not send in glass, china or other breakable materials. If these items break, children can be injured. Students are welcome to bring a heat up but heat up times are limited to 1 minute to ensure that all students have time to heat up food.

We ask that you please notify us in writing about any dietary restrictions or allergies your child may have prior to the start of the school year so we may make the necessary accommodations to keep your child safe and healthy.  Food will be provided to students who do not bring a lunch or snack.

 All Pre-K students will be provided with a daily afternoon snack, per state law. 

Clothing 

Please dress your child in comfortable clothes that allow for participation in a variety of activities. Ensure that your child is dressed to suit the climate while still affording for modesty and appropriate school attire. Clothing that shows private body areas when bending and playing will not be allowed, and parents/guardians will be contacted to bring a new outfit. Clothing displaying vulgar language, hate speech, inappropriate imagery or promoting alcohol, tobacco &/or cannabis, violence or drug use is not permitted.  

Sneakers are the best selection for footwear. During the colder winter months, we recommend children keep a pair of sneakers at school. They may change into boots or outdoor shoes at the beginning and end of each day. Please refrain from sending your child in flip flops as they do not stay on feet well and become a tripping risk.  

All children, Pre-K thru 1st grade, need an extra set of clothing kept at school. Please write students' names or initials on tags. Additionally, please clearly mark your child’s name on the inside of all jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters, boots etc. In the event that an unmarked item is found, it will be placed in Lost & Found that is located in the Nurse’s Office. We request that if items are mistakenly sent home with the wrong child that you kindly send them back.  

Transportation 

Acadia Academy provides transportation to and from school through Northeast Charter School Bus Services. Acadia Academy provides transportation to students in the catchment area of Lewiston/Auburn on a hub system. Hubs are determined by the number of students in the area and are subject to change from year to year.  

Transportation provided by Acadia Academy is a privilege. Bus privileges are defined as, all student transportation provided by the school department, which includes busing to and from school and all co-curricular activities, for example, field trips, athletic trips, and school outings.  

Once a student boards the bus, and only at that time, does he/she become the responsibility of the school system. Such responsibility shall end when the student is delivered to the regular bus stop at the close of the school day or at a designated spot at the conclusion of a school activity. Pre-K students will be buckled in 5-point harnesses while on school day field trips. Parents/guardians may reserve the right to sign a waiver for their Preschool child not to utilize the harness for morning or afternoon transportation only. 

In order to ensure the safe transportation for all students, Acadia Academy is utilizing the following behavior expectations. Students must be on time at their bus stops; buses are on a time schedule and do not have time to visit or return for students. Each student must ride the bus assigned to him/her unless he/she has approval in advance by the director to change. Students are expected to follow the directions given by the bus driver at all times. Students are expected to stay seated, facing forward.  

The following misconduct on the bus will result in a bus discipline report followed by specific consequences to address the offense(s).  

Consequences 


Field Trips 

Experiential learning plays an integral role in the ACADIA Academy educational experience. Occasionally, these experiences will take students off campus. In these cases, a permission slip will be sent home in advance describing the location and times of the trip. This permission slip must be returned prior to the field trip. If the form has not been signed, the student will not be able to participate in the field trip. 

Some trips that fall under the category of service-learning or civic-learning projects in our community, are part of our curricular learning. These experiences will be announced to parents/guardians in advance and in detail. parent/guardians opposing the participation of these activities may communicate to the director their choice that their child not participate; however, because the experience is part of a curricular goal, the child will be asked to complete a separate and related project in replacement of the trip.  

Celebrations 

Holidays are celebrated at ACADIA Academy and used as theme material for further education. We ask that if you do not want your child participating in certain activities, you notify us in advance in writing. In addition, we welcome any parent or guardian who wishes to share customs or traditions with our students.  

If your child will be having a party outside of school and you will not be inviting the entire class, we request you mail invitations instead of distributing them at school. Birthdays may be celebrated within the classroom. Please inform your child’s classroom teacher of your birthday intentions approximately one week prior to the birthday so we can communicate these plans to all classroom parents/guardians and ensure that any allergies are considered. 

Items from Home 

Some children enjoy bringing favorite items from home to ease the transition into school.  This practice is perfectly acceptable; we only ask that breakable, irreplaceable, or otherwise valuable items stay at home. Additionally, toy guns, weapons or other toys that depict acts of violence, profanity or racism are not allowed at ACADIA Academy. We also request money, gum and candy be kept at home. Any items sent from home, including but not limited to fidget spinners, stuffed animals, special toys, and/or other home-based OT items that are not part of a child’s 504 or IEP plan are welcome at school to use during recess, snack or other teacher-determined down time. However, these items are not allowed with students during instructional times. At any point that the items from home present a social or behavior issue, administration may determine that the items will not be allowed to return for use at school.

Enrollment Policy 

Each year, current families will be asked to complete a Continued Placement letter. These will be used to determine available spots for the upcoming school year. Following this, announcements will be made on the Facebook page and school website for new families that are interested in having their child(Ren) attend ACADIA Academy. Intent to Enroll forms will be available and must be filled out and returned to ACADIA Academy by a determined date and time.  

If intent to enroll interest does not exceed open spots, and a lottery is not needed, those that have submitted applications will receive a phone call or email informing them of their child’s enrollment, (by a date to be determined). If enrollment interest exceeds open spots and a lottery is needed, notification of date and time will be sent out to all families who submitted intent to enroll paperwork, (by a date to be determined).  

A waitlist will be formed from those not picked at the time of the lottery and the waitlist will be held until January of the next school year. A year to year timeline of important lottery dates and times will be shared on our website. 


Child Find Policy 

In accordance with Maine State Law, all children residing in the jurisdiction between the  ages of 3 and 22 years, including children with disabilities who are homeless children, are wards  of the State or state agency clients, children with disabilities attending private schools and  receiving home instruction, highly mobile children (including migrant or homeless), children  who have the equivalent of 10 full days of unexcused absences or 7 consecutive school days of  unexcused absences during a school year, and children incarcerated in county jails, and who are  in need of special education and related services, even though they are advancing from grade to  grade, are identified, located and evaluated at public expense.  

ACADIA Academy will identify, locate, and evaluate any students who are in need of special education and supportive services. 

Acadia will accomplish this through a unit-wide process which, while not a definitive or final judgment of a child’s capabilities or disability, is a possible indicator of special education needs. A screening process will be implemented to identify students who may be in need of special education services within 30 days of the school year or during the first 30 days of enrollment for transfer children. The Child Find process shall include obtaining data on each child through multiple measures, direct assessment, and parent/guardian information regarding the child’s academic and functional performance, gross and fine motor skills, receptive and expressive language skills, vision, hearing, and cognitive skills. 

Results of the Child Find activities will be placed in the student’s cumulative file. If there is evidence of child find activities and a statement of the results can be found in the student’s cumulative file, or the school has a reason to believe the student has previously been identified as a student with a disability from another district, child find is not necessary. 

If the Child Find process indicates that a student may require special education and supportive services in order to benefit from regular education, the student shall be referred to the IEP Team to determine the student’s eligibility for special education services. Final identification of students with disabilities and programming for such students occurs only after an appropriate evaluation and determination by the IEP Team. 

When Child Find activities are conducted during Pre-K or Kindergarten enrollment, in the spring prior to the start of the school year, ACADIA will refer the child to the regional CDS site within 10 school days or upon completion of the child find assessment done within 30 days of the start of the school year, as outlined in Maine Chapter Laws. 

If any referral is made to the IEP Team, including a referral requesting evaluation of existing data on the child, the parent/guardians of the child shall be sent prior written notice of the referral.  

Childcare Program and Policies 

Children attending Childcare may be dropped off as early as 6:45 a.m. and picked up no later than 5:30 p.m. Repeated late pickups may result in loss of a spot in the program. The intention of this program is to offer quality child care to families whose work schedules or transportation needs would prevent them otherwise from having their child attend ACADIA Academy. Children are welcome to bring their breakfast and/or an afternoon snack with them to eat.  

Staff in this program are regulated and qualified under the DHHS child care licensing regulations. They maintain compliance with all regulations required and receive 3 unannounced visits a year for observation by DHHS. They attend training throughout the year and maintain a current First Aid and CPR certification as well as a Maine Roads to Quality Certificate.  

The daily aftercare program consists of: 

The Childcare program is self-sustaining and payment is expected to be on time and current for students to continue attending. Payment is due the first day of each week. Payment is not expected for school vacation weeks when ACADIA is closed (unless vacation Childcare is used), however, you must pay for child care regardless of whether your child is in attendance, to maintain their spot in the program. There are exceptions for medical reasons only, with approval from the director. Children are expected to follow the school behavior expectations while in the program. If students are unable to maintain safe and respectful behavior expectations in Childcare, the parents will be contacted for a meeting and to design a success plan. If the student cannot be successful, they may be excused from the program after 3 incidents of unsafe behavior as outlined in the “major” behavior columns of the ACADIA Office Discipline Referral form. Removal from the aftercare program is not a permanent decision. Students may be permitted to return at the discretion of the administration with input from staff. This is decided on a case by case basis. Safety is a priority in making these decisions. 

Signup forms for vacation week Childcare will be sent out in advance of vacations. Sign up and payment must be received prior to the start of the vacation week.  

  Students should be picked up at their scheduled time. Because it can be distressing for a student to be left in the care of others after hours, late pick-up      

            should be considered an unusual occurrence. Please allow enough time to arrive at the school, pick up your student, and leave the school before closing  

            time, three instances of late pickups may result in the termination of services.


After 5:30 p.m., ACADIA Academy charges a flat late pick-up fee of $10 plus $1 per minute, per student. It is important that students be picked up before closing time. If a student is left at the school after closing time, we will call to try and reach you and if unable to do so we will call the numbers listed on the Enrollment form. 

A copy of the DHHS child care regulation handbook is available in the director’s office as well as at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/cclicensing.htm In accordance with section 9.2.2.10 ACADIA Academy is required to report any licensing violations to DHHS licensing officers immediately. If parents/guardians feel that regulations have been violated they are encouraged to speak with the director immediately for clarification of the rules and remediation of the problem.  If the family does not feel the issue has been resolved, they may contact DHHS by calling 287- 9300.  

To participate in this program, a separate form must be completed with the school. Please see the Childcare Coordinator for more information. 

Homework Understandin

ACADIA Academy views homework as an extension of the learning in the classroom with relation to math and reading skills. Additionally, research shows that students who read or are read to 3 to 4 nights a week will 

At ACADIA, we believe homework should be individualized and fall under one of these 3 purposes: 

ACADIA recommends reading to your child each night for a minimum of 20 minutes, or, listening to your child read for the same amount of time. This will be the minimum requirements ACADIA will suggest with regards to homework. If a teacher chooses to do more, that will be communicated to the families in the weekly newsletters. parents/guardians requesting more than what the classroom teacher is doing, are welcome to reach out to the teacher or director to inquire about what may be appropriate additional learning opportunities to explore at home. 

Movie Viewing Policy 

Movies may occasionally be shown at ACADIA when used as a curriculum reinforcement, to support PBIS or social emotional learning, or in an effort to make connections between content areas. The following procedures will take place with regards to movie viewing: 

Mandated Reporting 

All ACADIA Academy employees are mandated reporters of suspected abuse or neglect to any and all children. If we have any suspicions of abuse or neglect, we must report it to DHHS immediately. We may inform you of our decision to do so in the hopes that we keep an open line of communication with you.  

Smoking / Tobacco &/or Cannabis Use on School Property


Tobacco &/or Cannabis-Free Policy Rationale: 

ACADIA Academy is dedicated to providing its students, staff, and visitors with a safe and healthy environment to learn, work and play. Tobacco &/or cannabis use continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Maine and the United States and research has shown that students addicted to tobacco &/or cannabis products do not learn as well because they are focused on the need for more tobacco &/or cannabis versus learning. ACADIA Academy has adopted a tobacco &/or cannabis-free campus policy that prohibits the use of all tobacco &/or cannabis products in school buildings, facilities, on school buses and at school sponsored events. This policy reflects and emphasizes the hazards of tobacco &/or cannabis use, will assure compliance with laws, protect school community members from secondhand smoke, and role model tobacco &/or cannabis-free lifestyles. 

Policy Statement

To support and model healthy, tobacco &/or cannabis-free lifestyles and to create an environment free of smoke, ACADIA Academy has adopted the following policy, effective July 25, 2018. 

All school buildings and property shall be tobacco &/or cannabis-free at all times (24 hours per day, 365 days a year). This also includes all days when school is not in session and all functions taking place on school grounds, such as athletic events or other activities not associated with, or sponsored by, the school. The policy applies to everyone on school grounds, including students, school staff, parents/guardians and visitors. The policy extends to school buses and in all ACADIA Academy-owned or leased vehicles.  

The policy applies to the smoking or use of all tobacco &/or cannabis products, including but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, spit and smokeless tobacco &/or cannabis, chew, snuff, snus, electronic cigarettes, vape products and other electronic nicotine delivery systems.

Possession of any tobacco & cannabis products is prohibited by students on district property, in school vehicles and at school-sponsored functions.  

The sale, distribution, dispensing or promotion of tobacco & cannabis products and paraphernalia is prohibited on school property and at all school functions. 

We ask that all staff and students wear clothing with no residual second-hand odors tobacco &/or cannabis. ACADIA Academy does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their use of legal products such as tobacco “outside the course of employment.” 

Policy Communication

This policy will be communicated through a variety of efforts to educate students, school staff, parents/guardians and visitors. Tobacco & cannabis-free signs will be posted in highly visible areas at facility entrances and throughout the school property. The policy will be listed on the school website and printed in employee and student/parent booklets on an annual basis. 

Policy Enforcement

Everyone is required to comply with ACADIA Academy’s policy. Enforcement of this policy will follow the standard procedures of the school for each audience. All school staff are expected to enforce the policy under the direction of the Director. The Director shall report any violations of this policy/procedure, as promptly as practicable, to the Board. 

Student Health 

The school nurse will follow standing orders as recommended by our school health advisor and protocols as issued by the State of Maine School Health Policy Manual.  

Students who are ill or injured will be sent to the school nurse for evaluation. If it is determined that it is in the best interest of the student to go home, the parent/guardian will be contacted. A plan for the student’s return will be communicated to the pick-up person at the time of pick-up. 

Parent/guardians will be called to pick up their child if any of the following develop:  


In many of these situations the student will need to be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school with the stamina for a full day of learning. Some illness or injuries at the request of the school nurse or administrator will require a provider note before the student can return to school. 

The above list is not comprehensive. See the Symptom-Screener Checklist for more information regarding excludable conditions. If you have any questions regarding excludable conditions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the nurse for further guidance. Please communicate to the main office of Acadia if your child will be absent. All parents/guardians must fill out the emergency information form and release form annually to let us know of any changes regarding allergies, medical conditions, or contact information changes.  

Please notify ACADIA immediately if your child has a communicable disease such as: Covid-19, measles, mumps, chicken pox, lice etc. These diseases spread quickly if not managed appropriately. Students may return to school after a doctor writes a note reauthorizing their entry to school, however there are exclusion policies required by Maine State Law that ACADIA must follow. 

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications 

Medications ordered by a healthcare provider must be given under the direct supervision of the school nurse. In the event the school nurse is not available, a qualified individual such as Acadia staff who have been trained by the school nurse, will administer the medications.  Prescription medication MUST be supplied by the parent/guardian and may be given for a period of 15 days without a written order from a healthcare provider. If the prescription or over-the-counter medication is expected to be given for longer than 15 days, it will be necessary to obtain a written order from a health care provider. 

Acadia Prescription Medication Policy 

To promote the safety of all children at Acadia Academy all medication should be given at home unless it is necessary that it be given during school hours. In the event medication must be given during school, the following steps must be followed: 

Over-the-counter Medications

The following over-the-counter medications may be given at the discretion of the school nurse, with written permission of the parent/guardian:



Accident/Emergencies 

In the event of simple injuries, basic first aid will be performed by staff. If a student has an injury or a medical issue that requires follow up, the parent/guardian will be notified as soon as possible. For more serious injuries such as broken bones or deep lacerations, parents/guardians will be contacted immediately. If we are unable to reach parents/guardians, we will attempt to reach the emergency contacts listed for your student. If we are unable to reach anyone we will summon emergency medical services. Notifications may not occur in this order in the event of a true emergency.

Wellness

ACADIA’s Wellness Policy, endorsed by the nursing staff, our School Health Advisor Dr. David Baker, CMMC Pediatrician and our Board, is below. Other State Health and Wellness policies are available upon request.  

Wellness Statement 

Acadia Academy is committed to developing students’ skills and behaviors that promote lifelong wellness. The School Board and administration recognizes that a student’s readiness to learn is related to his/her physical and psychological well-being. Acadia Academy is committed to creating healthy school environments that allow students to take full advantage of the educational programs offered. 

Acadia Academy does not offer a meal program, “hot lunch” food service, or the sale of food currently. Acadia Academy adheres to nutrition standards based on recommended Federal guidelines for daily nutrition for our students. All food and beverage offered to be prepared by the school (in the absence of a lunch brought from home on any given day), shall meet or exceed federal and state nutrition standards. Prepared lunches are offered so that no child goes hungry.  An example of lunch prepared by staff would be allergy free sandwich spread and jelly sandwich, deli meat option (such as turkey) sandwich, fruit option or light snack such as pretzels, and a beverage such as water. 

Throughout the school year, there are projects where students take part in creating foods (e.g. making ice cream in Science class) with oversight and full instruction from the teaching staff. Any food based projects will be communicated to families, this communication will include a list of ingredients used.  

To the extent possible, school meals shall include adequate time for eating (after sitting down, 15 minutes for lunch), and should be scheduled at appropriate times (i.e. lunch between 10:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.), and include access to free drinking water, and will provide student access to hand washing and/or sanitizing. The school will encourage proper functional nutrition at lunch and snack time, which may enhance the student’s understanding and desire for good nutrition.  

Food and beverages offered in our Pre-K program follow rules and regulations consistent with the USDA guidelines. Food or beverages shall not be used as a reward or incentive for students’ behavior or performance, unless stated in student specific IEPs. Schools are encouraged to use physical activity as rewards or incentives for students’ behavior or performance and as alternatives to food celebrations, unless otherwise stated in student specific IEPs. 

Nutrition Education 

Nutrition education may be provided when appropriate as part of an integrated unit with math, science, language arts, physical education, and social studies. Students shall receive consistent nutrition messages based on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans throughout the school community, including classrooms, the cafeteria, and school-home communications.  

Acadia Academy participates in the “Maine 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!” Program.  “Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program implemented throughout Maine. The program partners with schools, child care and out-of-school programs, healthcare practices and community organizations to change environments where children and families live, learn, work and play. This program promotes good nutrition and wellness for our children and their families. The program base is “5 or more servings of vegetables and fruit, 2 hours or less recreational screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity, 0 sugary drinks, more water.” For more information, please look online at letsgo.org  

Nutrition Promotion 

Administrators and staff will be encouraged to model nutritious food choices and eating habits. parents/guardians will be encouraged to provide nutritionally sound snacks from home. If families need any support in accessing nutritious food, please don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance. 

Physical Activity Opportunities 

All students shall have a minimum of 30 minutes of developmentally appropriate daily physical activity, through recess, active classroom lessons, in-class physical activity breaks, and physical education. Strategies that incorporate physical movement in the classroom and into routine daily activities are incorporated into the school culture. The school will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable physical activity and fosters the development of a positive attitude toward health and fitness. 

The schools will not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) as punishment.  The school will not withhold opportunities for physical activity during the day (e.g., recess, physical education/ gross motor activities) as punishment, unless participation would cause a student to be a danger to himself/herself or others or is allowed by a student's individual education plan (IEP). Teachers are encouraged to provide alternative physical activities for students behaving inappropriately during physical activities, such as physical education/ gross motor activities and recess.  

Screen Time 

Screen time such as television, computers, video games and other electronic media will be used for educational purposes only. Exceptions will be made for screen time that engages children in physical activity, such as dance or exercise videos or active video games. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of the director. 

In the event of inclement weather causing the students to stay indoors during outside time, students will be provided with appropriate opportunities for physical activity. This could include stretching, walking, active videos and CD’s that promote group physical activity.  Sedentary screen time including inactive videos, computer usage and video games will not be provided unless specifically included in an individual student’s IEP.  

Staff Wellness 

ACADIA highly values the health and well-being of every staff member and will support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Other School-Based Wellness Activities 

The school, with prior approval of the Director, may implement other appropriate programs that support consistent wellness messages and promote healthy eating and physical activity. 

Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation 

The Director shall designate one or more employees, as appropriate, to ensure that Acadia complies with this policy. The Director shall inform and update the ACADIA community, including parents/guardians, students, and others in the community who inquire, about the contents and implementation of this policy. The Director will monitor the compliance with our wellness policy and provide a full update of the compliance and wellness initiatives at least once annually to the School Board. Monitoring may include surveys or solicitation of input from students, parents/guardians, staff, and school administrators. 

Reports may include, but are not limited to: 

Make up and Role of the Wellness Committee:

The Wellness Committee may include: 


The Wellness Committee shall serve as an advisory committee in regard to student and staff wellness issues and will be responsible for making recommendations related to the Wellness Policy, wellness goals, administrative or school regulations and practices, or raising awareness of student health issues. With the prior approval of the Director, the Wellness Committee may survey parent/guardians, students and the community and/or conduct focus groups or community forums. The Wellness Committee shall provide periodic reports to the Director and, as requested, to the Board. 

Immunizations 

Immunizations need to be current prior to the first day of school at Acadia Academy. All children enrolled at Acadia must have the following immunizations. 

Required for Perks entry: 


If an outbreak of a specific disease in which your child is not immunized against occurs, your child will be prohibited from school and all school related activities per state law.  

Other Health Issues

Pediculosis (Lice) is a nuisance according to the CDC but does not spread disease. If you believe that your child has lice, please contact the school. If we are aware of a case of lice, an email will be sent to the relevant grades so those parents/guardians can monitor their children. This email will never disclose the active case. Lice checks may be conducted to proactively ensure lice has not spread.  

Parents/guardians have the option of providing sunscreen. Acadia does not supply sunscreen for the following reasons.  

Please mark your child’s name clearly on the outside of the container. Prior to going outside, students will be given their product to apply to their skin and an opportunity to wash their hands. When the bottle is low, staff will inform you that a new bottle is needed.

Vision and Hearing

Vision and hearing screenings are established by Maine Law. The screenings will be conducted during the school year. Parents/guardians will be notified if the school nurse has any concerns with the results of the screening.

Concussion 

A concussion is a brain injury and all brain injuries are serious. They are caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or by a blow to another part of the body with the force transmitted to the head. They can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. Even though most concussions are mild, all concussions are potentially serious and may result in complications including prolonged brain damage and death if not recognized and managed properly. In other words, even a “ding” or a bump on the head can be serious. You can’t see a concussion and most sports concussions occur without loss of consciousness. Signs and symptoms of concussion may show up right after the injury or can take hours or days to fully appear. If your student-athlete reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the symptoms or signs of concussion yourself, seek medical attention right away. 

Any student who is suspected of having sustained a concussion shall be prohibited from further participation in school-sponsored athletic activities or academic learning until he/she has been evaluated by the nurse. Following the nurse’s evaluation, a recommendation will be made as to whether the student should be seen by a doctor. If it is deemed necessary for a student to be seen, a written medical clearance will be required for the child to return to school. This doctor’s note of clearance or return to school should include academic and gross motor restrictions. 

Acadia Academy has a policy that states any student who has concussion symptoms and is referred to a health care provider must be evaluated by a health care provider licensed to diagnose a concussion before they can return to school, a graduated school reentry protocol, and a gradual return to play protocol for concussion management. For more information on concussions you can go to: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/index.html. 

School Culture and Discipline 

ACADIA Academy will create a school community of students, teachers, parents/guardians and support staff who focus to meet the intellectual, emotional and psychological needs of all members. The school will foster an environment where students are taught to be self-determined in their learning and social interactions. This means that students will complete tasks because they are intrinsically motivated to do so. Internalization will begin by supporting students to develop a school-wide system of values to include being respectful of others and the environment, responsibility and productivity. Small group discussions and larger group meetings for the development of the school values system will be critical in the first weeks of each new school year. This time will be devoted to small and large group meetings where students collaborate and make decisions about necessary components to create a safe learning environment for all members of the school community. Teachers will hold daily class meetings to set the stage for the day and help the students to set goals for their social emotional learning. 

Discipline 

From the first day students arrive at ACADIA Academy, behavioral expectations will be explicitly modeled and positively reinforced through the implementation of a school-wide Positive Behavioral Intervention Support System (PBIS). ACADIA Academy believes that the school climate is directly shaped by the environment the school provides for students and staff.  Moreover, many behavioral problems in the context of school arise from student skill deficits.  When students are not explicitly taught behavioral expectations in school classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and playgrounds, they are more likely to act in a way that teachers and staff deem inappropriate.  

This reinforcement system will combine detailed praise with a school-wide Eagle Card system that will be connected to a school wide reward. Teachers will catch students exhibiting positive behaviors and reward them with praise. Each classroom will have its own student and class reward system. In accordance with PBIS, there will be school-wide celebrations of positive behavior and success. Additionally, social and emotional skills will be systematically taught using the Strong Start and Strong Kids and Second Step curriculums, as well as through teacher-created lessons. 

Beyond the PBIS, some students may require a broad-based system of behavioral support in which a network of mental health specialists, educators, and others in the community work together with students and their families. ACADIA Academy is prepared to offer this level of support to students in need of them. All secondary and tertiary behavior supports will be progress-monitored using observable behavioral data.  

The school will utilize discipline that is fair, corrective and includes therapeutic group relationship-building activities. This kind of approach to discipline helps to reduce the likelihood of future behavior problems, while allowing students to forge relationships with teachers and peers. 

Bullying 

ACADIA Academy will not tolerate bullying and/or harassment at any level of the school community. Students identified as participating in any behavior that is defined as bullying will be disciplined within the following policy, in accordance with Maine State Public School Laws, Chapter 659, Policy JICK.  

ACADIA’s Bullying Policy is found on our website under the “About ACADIA” tab. All procedures and examples of the forms used in a bullying investigation are also found there for your reference. Any time there is suspected bullying or harassment, the witness of this act should report the incident to an administrator or educator in the building. Following this report, an investigation will take place. While the result of that investigation may not be shared with people outside of the situation for confidentiality purposes, a remediation form will be completed and all documentation of the incident will be reported with the Department of Education, if the incident is determined to be bullying or harassing. 


PBIS Mission

The goal of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework is to teach and support all students in creating and maintaining a positive learning environment.  Through the implementation of PBIS, we will create and sustain a positive learning environment in which all students can succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.  Children will be recognized for their contributions to maintaining a positive school environment.

Implementation of PBIS

ACADIA is building a school culture on the common values of being safe, being respectful, being responsible, and being team players.  The common expectations are taught, practiced and retaught at the beginning of the school year, after vacations, and when school-wide data supports the need to booster instruction and practice.  This will be done at both the classroom level and the school-wide level (assemblies).  In addition to the school-wide acknowledgment system of Eagle Cards for community settings, teachers will have classroom acknowledgement systems of their own.  These systems will align with the mission of PBIS in that they recognize and reinforce positive expectations within the classroom and school community.

Why PBIS?

Who is the PBIS team?

The PBIS team is made up of educators, the behavior technician, and members of school leadership. In addition to planning the implementation of PBIS, the PBIS Team looks at data collected from the Office Referral Forms (ORFs) to recognize patterns in different areas. The team looks at factors like time of day, location, and type of behavior that is being reported in order to identify where improvements and additional support for students are needed. 

Response to Student Actions

Violations of Acadia's Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action.  Disciplinary consequences depend upon developmental stage, the seriousness of the violation and the student’s prior disciplinary record.  Consequences will range from a verbal warning for minor misconduct up to and including expulsion for the most serious offenses.  Behavior that also violates the law may be referred to law enforcement authorities.


Curriculum 

ACADIA offers a comprehensive academic program to all students. Students regularly receive explicit instruction in literacy, math, science, social studies and social-emotional learning. Whenever possible and appropriate teachers incorporate technology and exploratory learning experiences into their lessons. Students also receive weekly instruction in Art, Music and Physical Education as well as, opportunities to learn through self-determined exploration (WINK) projects and STEM learning. Students in Kindergarten through sixth grade take part in school-wide universal groups for literacy and math instruction. These groups enable all students to receive appropriate and targeted academic instruction regardless of their grade level. Universal groups are flexible and fluid as students’ needs change and they progress through their learning. 

Grade level specific curriculum is listed below: 

Pre-Kindergarten core program aligns learning activities to the MELG required by Chapter 124 for Public Pre-K. ACADIA uses Creative Curriculum for literacy, art, movement, social and science foundations in their daily learning. Creative Curriculum includes daily music and art activities, which are all aligned with the day’s learning targets. Bridges is used for mathematics instruction.  Strong Start is explicitly taught for social emotional learning. The use of Handwriting without Tears strengthens the writing station. 

Kindergarten through second grade’s core programming uses Reading Mastery Signature Edition, Eureka Math, FOSS science learning, Lucy Calkins Writing, Handwriting Without Tears, and Strong Kids Social Emotional Learning program. In addition to these programs, students identify individual interests and complete WINK projects as outlined in the charter agreement. The same academic programs are used in grades 3-5 with the exception of Open Court Reading for their reading instruction. This program, also a direct-instruction program, covers all genres of books, with an emphasis on theme-based units including social emotional focuses.  

Daily learning activities incorporate physical movement. Each grade level explicitly focuses on unified arts weekly. Student growth is reported out at student-led conferences two times a year, as well as a mid-year parent/guardian teacher conference as needed in February. Teachers maintain records of skills mastered following a standards-based reporting system. This is comparable to a 4-point proficiency based system and provides parents/guardians and students with information on progress towards mastery of specific skills as well as identifying skills needing additional learning time. 

In addition to these programs, all grade levels teach PBIS through the use of activities available at www.pbis.org and www.pbisworld.com. Social emotional learning is a main component of our day with emphasis on specific needs which are uncovered with screening tools and through interactions among students and with staff.  

Supplemental literacy and math learning is acquired through use of activities from FCRR, RAZ kids, A-Z learning, Science A-Z, K-5 Math Teaching Resources (online tool), Math Solutions and NCTM as well as a variety of other learning activities all aligned with Maine’s Learning Results (CCSS). Each grade level meets monthly to discuss student performance and growth in all aspects of development and academic interventions are put into place when necessary.  ACADIA uses NWEA as our universal academic progress tool. This is administered three times annually to monitor growth and development.

Snow Day Learning Packets are sent home at the beginning of the school year. Each Fall, students and families are supplied with 7 snow day learning packets. Additional packets will be sent home as needed once the first 5 snow days have been used. These packets are intended to continue learning opportunities on days when school is canceled due to inclement weather. These packets include choice activities in 3 content areas: literacy, math and exploratory learning. Parents/guardians are asked to sign acknowledgement that the work has been completed, and return evidence back to the teacher in the form of completed assignments, pictures of the child working, or other correspondence. The percentage of students completing their Snow Day Learning Packets is maintained for Charter records and reported to the commission.  

ACADIA offers year round schooling. Students of ACADIA attending summer sessions receive 191 days of schooling a year. Our summer program is four days a week for four weeks of the summer with continued learning in content areas of math and literacy daily. Students are also offered the opportunity for choice learning on a variety of topics throughout the summer. Every two weeks’ students take part in a session covering a topic of their choosing and participate in hands-on exploratory learning projects and field trips based on that topic. Sessions take place each day for approximately 2 hours of the school day.  

Parent/Guardian-Teacher communication 

ACADIA Academy encourages the extended family of all students to be working members of the school community. Levels of communication will be established based on the broad spectrum needs of both students and their caregivers. At a minimum, teachers will maintain Bloomz accounts for daily and weekly communication with parents/guardians. In addition, notices, website announcements and Facebook page announcements will be used for other communication. Parents/guardians and families can call the school or email to speak with the Director at any time, and teachers are available for communication prior to and following the school day. Student-led parent/guardian teacher conferences will be held on a trimester schedule during which all members of the community working with the identified student will discuss progress, concerns, needs and successes. Special Education Students will have additional Quarterly meetings in accordance with their Individualized Education Plan.  

Parent Teacher Organization 

This Committee will be composed of family members of enrolled students who are willing and able to facilitate communication between school and board members and parent/guardians.  The Committee serves to assist in fundraising events, school celebrations and works as a bridge between the community, school staff and board members. Individuals within this group also manage family volunteer opportunities within the school as well as build relationships with community organizations to coordinate student volunteer opportunities. Please let us know if you would like to participate! 

Community Use of the Building 

ACADIA Academy permits the use of our building for community organizations to hold events and meetings within the following parameters: 

Emergency Procedures 

ACADIA Academy has a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan which will be reviewed with staff annually. Drills will be scheduled to review procedures with staff and students throughout the year. 

The Emergency Response Plan covers the need for the following possible responses:  


Should a emergency occur, parent/guardians may be notified in the following ways:

It will be important for ACADIA Academy to have current contact information for each student so contact can be made immediately if need be. 

Contacting the School 

Acadia’s phone number is 207-333-3765. 

Fax is 207-333-3767. 

Web address is  www.acadiaacademy.org.

You may contact the teachers or staff using the first and last name of the teacher separated by a period in between and followed with @acadiaacademy.org. For example- first.last@acadiaacademy.org. 


ACADIA STAFF

Director: Casey Baugher

Special Ed. Coordinator: Emily Georgette

Coordinator of Teaching and Learning: Heather Bucklin

Office Manager/Admin Asst.: Heather Pratt 

Operations Manager: Tracy Turner

Behavior Technician:  Misty Deraps-Chasse 

Nurse: Valerie Demambro

Custodian: Gerry Provencher 

Custodian: Jack Caron 

Pre-K: Heather McGraw 

Pre-K: Meghan Hasson-Martin 

Pre-K: Kate Hazelton 

Pre-K Asst. Teacher: Abbie Pettengill

Pre-K Asst. Teacher: Lindsay Talcott

Kindergarten: Elizabeth Chabot 

Kindergarten: Valerie Potvin

First Grade: Paige Hussey

First Grade: Meagan Larracey

Second Grade: Amy Boclair

Second Grade: Alyssa Skilling

Third Grade: Mary Sorumeito

Third Grade: Taylor Leach

Fourth Grade: Sue Hasson

Fourth Grade:  Amresa Mazar

Fifth Grade: Sarah Eugley 

Fifth Grade: Summer Dupuis

Sixth Grade: Kait Beckwith

Sixth Grade: Long Term Sub

Art Teacher: Avery Carter

Music Teacher: Adam Luker

Physical Ed Teacher: 

Teacher Assistant: Kelsey Lapointe

Teacher Assistant: Cassie Johnson

Teacher Assistant: Jodi Walker

Teacher Assistant: Abigail Slonina

Teacher Assistant: Diane Benton

Special Ed Teacher K-6: Susan Hedrich

Special Ed Teacher K-6: Toni Meyers 

Special Ed Teacher Assistant: Jennifer Scales

Special Ed Teacher Assistant: Carol Lachapelle

BCBA: Ashley James

BHP/Ed Tech: Chris Bull

BHP/Ed Tech: Jennifer Meyers 

Occupational Therapist: Keeley Grillo

School Counselor: Amanda Levesque

Speech Therapists: Amanda Tyburski/Mary Waite

Childcare Coordinator: Christal Pele 

Duty Aide/Childcare: Benjamin Speaker

Duty Aide/Childcare: Alie Adams

Duty Aide/Childcare: Sierra Boclair

Duty Aide/Childcare: Erin Harlow





ACADIA Board of Trustees

Amy Dieterich, President: amy.dieterich@acadiaacademy.org

Sean Siebert, Vice President: sean.siebert@acadiaacademy.org

Christopher Brann, Treasurer: chris.brann@acadiaacademy.org

Julie McCabe, Secretary: julie.mccabe@acadiaacademy.org

Danielle Moreau: danielle.moreau.acadiaacademy.org

Azenaide Pedro: azenaide.pedro@acadiaacademy.org

Donald Dearborn: donald.dearborn@acadiaacademy.org

Meredith Morrison: meredith.morrison@acadiaacademy.org

Jon Mercier:  jon.mercier@acadiaacademy.org

Justin Good: justin.good@acadiaacademy.org

Kate Dumais: kate.dumais@acadiaacademy.org





Please fill out one Acknowledgement Page for each child. 


Acknowledgement Page 

I, _______________________________________________, parent/guardian of 

Student name:_________________________________________________________ 


have been given a copy of the parent/student handbook. I have read and acknowledged all policies in this handbook. I understand that if I have any questions, I can contact the Director or the  Administrative Assistant.  


Printed Name: ________________________________________________________


Signature:____________________________________________________________


Date: ________________________________________________________________