WNDLC Policies & Procedures
Western Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium
Policies, Procedures & Operations Manual
WNDLC Daily Operational Schedule
There will be no common bell schedule or calendar among member schools. Students at receive sites will follow the bell schedule and calendar of the providing institution.
Notification of Schedule Changes
The WNDLC teacher and the remote site principal should handle notification of daily schedule changes. WNDLC teachers should be kept informed of any special school activities that apply specifically to them. The participating schools will send monthly calendars to the WNDLC coordinator for distribution.
Notification of schedule changes must be made to the principals of the host and receiving WNDLC classes and WNDLC coordinator. Any school not having class should provide a modified schedule or notify all WNDLC schools by fax. Weather changes (late starts, cancellations, etc.) should be relayed to all schools and to the WNDLC coordinator.
Scheduling Procedures
Schedules for community education will be made in advance through the site principals and the WNDLC coordinator. Arrangements to use the WNDLC system after school must be made by the instructor in conjunction with the site principal and the WNDLC coordinator.
Registration Process/Procedure
The principals and counselors in each of the participating districts will handle registration.
Site principals will provide the WNDLC Coordinator a list of courses that they could offer on the DL system the next school year, as well as registration slots available, and the class period each course will be taught by April 21. A list of courses will be compiled and distributed by the coordinator to the member schools to allow to for registration of WNDLC courses. Final registration totals for WNDLC courses will be compiled and verified for each district no later than May 21 of any given year. Participating school districts will be held financially accountable for each student registered at that time.
Student registrations may be added if space permits. Individual students registering for college credit will be responsible for payment of tuition and fees through arrangements identified by the college representative.
Please use the form titled WNDLC Student/Parent Agreement (appendix A) to submit all registration information.
Teachers shall provide a course description for the registration of students in WNDLC courses.
Minimum/Maximum Student Numbers in WNDLC Classes
Juniors and seniors will have registration priority for all WNDLC classes.
Maximum WNDLC class:
A recommended number of 25 students for any WNDLC class (this can be adjusted by the originating site administration), including any combination of student numbers at the host site and up to and including three remote sites to be reviewed and recommended by originator, teacher, principal, and WNDLC coordinator.
Maximum Distance Learning Classroom Capacity Receiving Sites:
A maximum of 15 students per distance learning classroom site.
Maximum Distance Learning Classroom Capacity Sending Sites:
A maximum of 15 students is recommended, but may be larger at the discretion of the sending site’s principal.
Minimum Distance Learning Classroom Capacity:
A minimum of one (1) student per distance learning classroom site.
Drop/Add Policy
The student Drop/Add Policy will be in effect for each district as long as it is no later than four (4) school days following opening day of the WNDLC semester. The remote district will be responsible for expenses incurred from their own districts if students drop a class.
Districts may NOT add students to a WNDLC class unless: (1) a student who has dropped is being replaced, or (2) a new student has received an enrollment waiver from the WNDLC host school.
Staff Notification/Assignment
The WNDLC host administrator will assign any teaching assignment that includes WNDLC delivery. All staff will be notified as to their WNDLC assignment by April 21 of the given year. All new WNDLC staff will be required to participate in WNDLC training/inservice prior to going on the system. WNDLC training inservices will be made available prior to teaching on the system.
WNDLC Staff Evaluation
Teachers hired to teach over the two-way interactive network will be evaluated by the administration of the sending site. The sending site will determine the evaluation instrument used. The sending site administration is free to utilize input toward evaluation from network administration from receiving sites.
Time and Compensation
Any release time or additional compensation for instructors teaching over the interactive network for training and/or class preparation will be determined by the originating site school district.
Substitute Teachers
All procedures for substitute WNDLC teaching staff will be administered in the traditional manner. The host site shall provide a substitute when necessary. If a substitute teacher is not hired, the principal at each participating site shall be notified by the phone and/or fax and given the student assignments for the day.
Contact Person
Each school will select a contact person(s) to distribute and return WNDLC materials to the WNDLC instructor. The WNDLC coordinator should be notified as to who the contact person is. The WNDLC Instructional Mailing Form (appendix B) should be filled out completely and accompany all WNDLC materials sent through the mail service.
Discipline
WNDLC teachers are expected to maintain usual classroom order as in a regular class situation, but shall not be held liable for behavior of students at remote sites. In the event of behavioral problems, the WNDLC teacher shall immediately notify remote site principals or office personnel. Remote site principals will deal with remote site behavioral problems. Students are expected to sign and abide by the guidelines of the WNDLC Student Discipline Policy (appendix C). Copies will be provided to the student, parents, and the WNDLC coordinator. The WNDLC coordinator will maintain a record of all disciplinary action taken involving WNDLC students.
Supervision
Principals of the receiving or remote sites are ultimately responsible for all supervision in the interactive classroom.
WNDLC Site Changes
It is recommended that WNDLC teachers teach from each remote site at least once during each class they teach on the system. Notification of the change of teaching sites should be made to the site principals and WNDLC coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the change.
The cost of substitute pay and transportation for the teacher’s visit is the responsibility of the home site school.
Field Trips & Other Activities
The WNDLC instructor should schedule WNDLC student get-togethers, field trips, etc., at least ten (10) days in advance of the proposed activity. Arrangements must be made in writing and approved by the host/remote site school administrators. Each local school district will assume transportation costs, responsibility for liability, and the cost of its students.
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
WNDLC teachers are encouraged to arrange for and conduct Parent/Teacher Conferences for all remote sites. Parent/Teacher Conferences should be held via the interactive system in order to expose parents to the technology that is being used to instruct their child, unless the parent feels uncomfortable with it, then other arrangements would need to be made.
Progress Reports
Progress reports should be sent to the appropriate school.
Credit
The instructor will award a percentage grade for WNDLC classes. WNDLC teaching staff should use the form titled WNDLC Grade Reports (appendix F) to submit all WNDLC student grade information. Letter grades will not be issued.
Absentee & Make-Up
The host-site school’s policy on make-up work sets precedence. The WNDLC schools and organization sites will take daily attendance. Students will be responsible for work assigned on days when their home district is not in session.
Taped lessons can be made available to the student with advanced written approval from the instructor. VCR taping is the responsibility of the site requesting the taping. The WNDLC does not provide VCR tapes. Instructors must be notified when taping is taking place. The student is responsible to request the tape of the class and to fulfill daily assignments, tests, and other activities missed. Students can view the tape on campus – NO CHECKOUT.
Test Policy and Procedures
The instructor determines all test procedures. If the instructor deems it necessary to have a proctor present either for a quiz or test, the arrangements should be made with the remote site principal(s). This arrangement should be made 48 hours in advance.
The WNDLC does not provide proctors for after school system operation. Supervising proctor arrangements should be made through the community education organization hosting the activity.
WNDLC Supplies and Materials
WNDLC schools are responsible for the purchase of appropriate materials for the interactive classes they are sending.
The originating site . . .
- Will determine and purchase the necessary textbooks, workbooks, and other materials needed for the course. (It is recommended that schools share textbooks to keep costs down, if feasible.)
- Notify receiving sites of the costs of consumable workbooks and other materials. (This should be done in the spring prior to the fall semester for budget planning purposes.)
The receiving site . . .
- Reimburse the originating site for the cost of textbooks, consumable workbooks and materials.
- Return textbooks (if sharing) to the originating site at the end of the term the class is taught in like condition in which they were received.
- Be responsible for the cost to replace lost or damaged textbooks from the originating site.
- Provide special equipment required by the course (i.e.-lab equipment) as determined by the sending site in the spring prior to the fall semester in which the course is offered.
Supplementary materials such as filmstrips, videotapes, resource books, etc, will be purchased by the originating site and become the property of the originating site. It is suggested that budget support be set aside to meet the requirements of the two-way courses.
System Management Operations
The site principal is responsible for WNDLC system equipment operations and management and/or assigns a facilitator that is trained in the operation of the interactive television equipment. Principals will be responsible for setting school clocks to a standardized time.
WNDLC Classroom Visitors
WNDLC teachers at the originating site should be notified in advance of host and/or remote site visitations. All visitations should be scheduled through the building principal.
Non-WNDLC Usage of Distance Learning Classrooms
WNDLC distance learning classrooms may be utilized for non-WNDLC system activities. However, the distance learning classroom equipment will remain intact and in place with NO alterations. Any changes and/or alterations to the equipment that requires service or maintenance to reinstate operations will be invoiced to the responsible party for time and travel of service personnel.
System Failures
Any WNDLC system failures, component or electrical, must be reported by telephone as soon as possible to BJ Peters, WNDLC coordinator at ESU #13 (308-631-3932 or 635-3696).
Fire Drills
All local school district fire drill rules apply to all WNDLC distance learning classrooms and students. Student participating in the fire drills will notify the WNDLC instructor that a fire drill is in progress at their school, and they will have to comply with their school’s fire drill rules.
WNDLC Distance Learning Classroom Access
All participating districts will be notified and shall provide access to the WNDLC distance learning classroom for community and higher education. Participating sites will assist users with distance learning classroom set-up and WNDLC operations. (See After School System Operations and Non-WNDLC Usage of Distance Learning Classrooms.)
After School System Operations
After school WNDLC class arrangements and approval must be made with the site principal and WNDLC coordinator. All community and higher education instructors will be required to participate in WNDLC training/inservice prior to going on the system.