Ajo School District
Ajo Arizona

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Ajo School District - Ajo High School - Ajo Elementary School

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Student/Parent Handbook

AJO MISSION STATEMENT

IT IS THE MISSION OF
AJO SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH
COLLABORATION FOR THE ACADEMIC,
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL
GROWTH OF EVERY CHILD IN A
SAFE AND POSITIVE ATMOSHPERE WHERE FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS,
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY WORK
TOGETHER FOR THE MUTUAL
BENEFIT OF ALL

AJO SCHOOLS VISION STATEMENT

We, at Ajo Schools, envision a school:

That ensures a safe and orderly environment inside and outside the classroom.
That establishes and supports high expectations for all students in the areas of citizenship, academic achievement, and life skills.
Where students are actively engaged in relevant learning process.
Where curriculum is aligned to the State Standards and the State Standards and Curriculum Guides are used to drive instruction and assessment.
That is united to achieve a common purpose and clear goals.
That implements promising strategies for improving student progress.
That develops and implements local assessments using state and national standardized testing formats.
That provides parents with resources, strategies, and information to enable them to assist their students in achieving academically.

AJO SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATING PRINCIPLES

STRIVING FOR EXCELENCE - We are a community of learners committed to pushing the boundaries of current standards and craftsmanship.
INTEGRITY - We honor the integrity of each person. We work to create an environment where honesty, trust, and an equal partnership of each member of the organization is practiced and protected.
DECISION-MAKING - We develop and nurture decision making among all members. Decision-making is a process including data collection and shared reflection in an atmosphere of trust leading to consensus
TEAM WORK- Team work encourages and recognizes each member's contribution. When teamwork is effective, new solutions are created that go beyond individual perspectives.
COMMUNICATION - We believe that communication is a constant and reoccurring process. Communication is the foundation of an effective and healthy organization.
RESPONSIBILITY - We are a district of personal character. We accept individual and collective responsibility for relationships in our working groups.

District Wide Fee Schedule for Extracurricular Activities:

As established in April 2009, the Ajo Unified School District will collect a fee for extracurricular activities, including but not limited to; band, music, library, sports, clubs, and field trips. The establishment of the fee schedule allows the district to accept tax credit contributions from any resident of Arizona. The fees will be collected by the classroom teacher for grades K through 8, and the first hour teacher for grades 9-12. The fee schedule for students is as follows:

Participation in one or more sport or club - $35.00
Family Plan, if a family has more than one child potentially involved in activities - $50.00

Parent Involvement Policy

The staff in our district, with the support of state and federal programs such as Title I and School Improvement, seeks to involve parents in an effective home-school partnership in order to provide the best possible education for our students. These parent involvement activities are integrated into the school master plan for academic accountability. Elements of this policy include:

Regular Communication With Parents:
In order to build consistent and effective communication between the home and the school and to train teachers and administrators to communicate effectively and in a timely manner with parents, regular communication will include but are not limited to:

Teacher Welcome Letters Special Event/Reminder Notices Twice Yearly Parent Conferences School Assemblies (Parents Invited)	Regular School Newsletters Annual School Calendar Quarterly Report Cards Family Fall Festival
Interim progress reports for students who are working below grade level standards.

Title I Parent Meetings: Annual Title I Meetings will be held to inform parents of the school's participation in the program and to explain its requirements and parent's right to be involved. Parents are encouraged to help organize, plan, and review, the Title I programs for improvement purposes. Regular School Site Council meetings provide opportunities for parents to formulate suggestions that the school site will consider.

Parent Trainings: These are opportunities to help parents develop skills to use at home that support their children's academic efforts & social development. They provide parents with techniques and strategies that they may utilize to improve their children's academic success and to assist their children in learning at home. A Parent Needs Assessment Survey is conducted at the first Parent Night and some of these activities may include:

Senior College Nights
FAFSA Nights
Helping With Homework
District Standards & Assessment

Interscholastic Sports Dinners
Writing Skills
Community Resources
Homework

Parent Support:
Homework - As per board policy, homework is assigned each school night and serves a number of purposes: to practice and extend classroom learning, to develop responsibility and work habits, and to provide parents an opportunity to interact with their children and their education. Parents can support the school and their child's success by helping with homework in the following ways

For more information on the specific parent involvement policies for both the High School and Elementary School, please contact the District Office at 520-387-5618.

See the
AJO SCHOOL CALENDAR
for
Parent-Teacher Conference Dates, Early Release Days and Holidays

Checking Students Out of School
For the protection of your child, if your child needs to leave school during the school day, this includes K-8 Lunch time, a parent or guardian must sign them out in the office in order that we may comply with state guidelines regarding your responsibility for student safety.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT RELEASE A CHILD TO ANYONE WHOM WE CANNOT IDENTIFY TO OUR SATISFACTION. PLEASE BE CERTAIN THAT WE KNOW WHO WILL BE CHECKING THE STUDENT OUT OF SCHOOL!

Ajo School Day Schedules
High School
Elementary School

We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi

Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog

The way to gain a good reputation,
is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
Socrates

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier