OUR STORY

 

Trivium Charter School opened its doors as an independent charter school in the Fall of 2011. Trivium Charter is the continuation of a program that I had the pleasure of being part of in their start-up year in Orange County. Once I returned to the Central Coast, I decided to see if there was interest in developing this program here. And, there was! The ACE program started with 31 students (four of those students were my own kids) in the gymnasium of the Boys and Girls Club in Lompoc. We were under the umbrella of a neighboring charter school. The second year of the ACE program brought us up to just almost 200 students with 2 learning centers (Lompoc and Santa Maria). When we decided to develop the ACE program under a separate and independent charter, Trivium came into existence. The first year of Trivium Charter’s ACE program started with 3 learning centers (Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Arroyo Grande) and 300 students. Trivium added 2 additional Learning Centers (Santa Barbara and Atascadero) in the Fall of 2014. Our growth has allowed Trivium to provide even more choices to students that create a dynamic, personalized learning path for each student. In 2018, we became Trivium Charter School Network and have 3 charter schools, the original Trivium Charter, Trivium Charter School: Adventure and Trivium Charter School: Voyage. We are piloting a FLEX day which will be offered one day a week at the Lompoc and Santa Barbara Centers which is a university-model approach where students can opt into various classes. And, 2020 will be our fourth year of offering our Connect program, an online, synchronous classroom. We deeply honor school choice and believe there is not a one-size-fits-all option for students. Whether you are joining us from a local district school, a private school, homeschooling or as a new parent with a Kindergarten student, WELCOME!

 

Trisha Vais, Executive Director Trivium Charter School Network

Important information for the 2021/2022 school year

 

Due to new state legislation, all students must have their attendance marked each school day. Students who do not attend for 60% more (3 days) of any one week will be required to be on a student support plan. Attendance is marked in the School Pathways system which is accessed under the parent tab on our website under learning logs. Students must abide by the health requirements including mask wearing and wellness requirements. This information changes and Trivium will provide updated information as it occurs from the Public Health Dept. Students may attend virtual classes instead of in-person classes at any time. Students must have a reserved spot to attend in-person classes.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

 

Our Vision Statement

Partnering with parents to provide a solid foundation of knowledge that inspires a passion and confidence in learning. Together we create students who can think critically, speak confidently, and achieve their individual goals.

 

Trivium Charter School Network offers the best of both worlds — a blend of the traditional classroom and independent study. Trivium Charter School Network strives to promote a life-long love of learning with student success being both personalized and attainable. We provide families a wide range of choices with which to create a Personalized Learning Experience for each student. Families can build the program that works best for them by choosing from a wide array of curricula options, which also includes Trivium Connect (for many math and language arts classes) and, of course, the option of our fabulous ACE days. This personalized learning model enriches and challenges students in different ways, in turn, creating well-rounded and well-educated students. Most students receive a personalized education tailored to their individual pace on Non-ACE Days while enjoying group interactions on ACE Days. Trivium also offers a Non-ACE Day Program which allows students to complete all of their studies without attending ACE days. Families choose this path for a variety of reasons and are able to customize every aspect of their child’s education.

 

What exactly is a charter school? The state of California passed the “Charter Schools Act” (SB 1448) in 1992. This was a direct response to the public’s desire for broad educational reform. Charter schools are public schools and funded mostly the same as traditional public schools, and are therefore free to attend. How charter schools differ is that they have much more freedom and autonomy than traditional public schools. Most importantly, students attend by their parents’ choice. Charter schools must attract students to stay in business. Charter schools are much like a private business – they either attract clients with a quality product or they don’t last. Charter schools have the challenge of creating innovative programs that allow different learning opportunities for their students. Any student who lives anywhere in the state of California may attend any California charter school without the need to ask the home district for a school of choice form or inter-district transfer. Each school that is granted a charter must go through a renewal process every three to five years. As of the 2017-2018 school year, there were more than 7500 charter schools nationwide and they served over 3 million students. Those 7500+ schools vary greatly from virtual schools to five day a week seat-based schools and just about every other model in between. Currently, there are approximately 1300 charter schools in California serving over 640,000 students.* *Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools http://www.publiccharters.org

 

The Personalized Learning model of Trivium is becoming more and more popular as this approach is proving to be highly successful. Trivium is considered an Independent Study program by CA Charter Law. At Trivium, the parent remains the primary teacher and the students participate in academic enrichment classes that focus heavily on history and science. Most families refer to the two learning center days as ACE days (A Classical Experience). For ACE Days, we design the curricula by taking the best ideas from various sources including, The Well Trained Mind, Core Knowledge, Project-Based Learning, Project-Oriented Learning, and grade-level standards. Much thought and research are put into the ACE days so students can experience different, multi-sensory activities. We strongly believe that learning should be fun and engaging. We, therefore, focus on a variety of methods to engage all the different learning styles of our students. Some activities may be a ‘breeze’ for students and allow them to shine, while other activities may be a struggle that allows for personal growth. Multi-sensory learning that is presented at a variety of learning levels allows for an exciting, comfortable and yet challenging learning environment for most students. At Trivium, our goal is to partner with you to provide a learning environment in and out of the classroom that is engaging, challenging, and able to meet your child’s needs.

 

HOW IT WORKS

 

All Trivium students are legally enrolled in an Independent Study (non-classroom based) California public charter school. Parents who choose to enroll their children in Trivium accept responsibility for the education of their children. First and foremost, Trivium is a support structure for families throughout their personalized learning experience. Trivium values both the rights and responsibilities of families choosing to participate in the education of their children. Most of our students attend ACE days, however, they are not required to in order to become, or remain, enrolled at Trivium. Each student enrolled in a California Independent Study program must make appropriate progress to remain enrolled. There’s a lot of legal wording that defines every aspect of this but, in short, it means that a student must make consistent and appropriate academic progress in all subjects of their personalized learning plan.

 

ACE days are built around combination classes. Combination classes offer a different dimension to group work and activities than a single grade classroom. Younger children in the class will strive to greater levels, learn to find a voice, and express opinions to older students. Older students learn to listen to varying ideas, help broaden perspectives, extend their own learning, and mentor the younger students. ACE Day teachers are trained in differentiating lessons and expect different levels of mastery for any given activity.

 

Good character is always expected from the students whether they are in class in-person or virtually, or out at break. ACE days are to be an enriching experience for all the students and any type of poor conduct – name-calling, teasing, exclusion, immodesty, etc. – will not be tolerated. All children will be aware of the code of conduct expected of them and be held to that standard in their conduct, speech, and appearance. Children in 4th grade and up will be asked to sign a behavior contract. Students who do not align their behavior to our standards will experience consequences including being temporarily restricted from activities and/or completing additional assignments. Bullying will not be tolerated at the learning center or in any class virtually or in-person. Bullying is not limited to physical acts. Bullying can include actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, verbal attacks, or purposely excluding individuals from groups or activities. Bullying can also be facilitated via various social media mediums- “Cyberbullying” will not be tolerated. We firmly believe that students who attend ACE days have a right to learn in an environment that is safe, friendly and free of continual behavior disruptions.

 

A typical week at ACE covers history, geography, science with experiments, art (Techniques and historical appreciation), music history, writing, literature discussions, practical math, and public speaking. In addition, ACE has group work, hands-on activities, public speaking, memory work, and critical thinking skills that are embedded within the subject areas.

 

A typical week at home for Trivium students that attend ACE days includes language arts and math. Language arts, depending on the student’s level, consists of writing and writing mechanics (spelling, grammar, vocabulary, handwriting) and reading (phonics, reading comprehension/literary analysis). There may be occasional ACE assignments to complete at home as well (see below). In addition, we encourage parents to add foreign language study, critical thinking exercises, typing instruction, and additional history/science exploration depending on the needs, interests, and abilities of each student.

 

Outside of math and language arts, on non-ACE days, your days are yours to design around your family’s and students’ interests and goals. We will provide you with grade-level expectations for your child so you can keep those in mind as you plan your academic year, just as our Trivium teachers do.

 

For families who want an alternative course for ACE day classes, an appeal must be submitted and approved prior to replacing an ACE day class with an alternative class. An appeal form may be requested from Jill Beyea jbeyea@triviumcharter.org

 

Personalized learning programs are hard work! Children may take more or less time to complete work than the minimum instructional minutes required in a traditional school, and that is perfectly acceptable! We have attached the minimal instructional minute table for your use.

 

Total Required Instructional time per week

Grades:

• TK/K – 16.2 hrs/week
• 1-3 – 22.7 hrs/week
• 4-8 – 24.3 hrs/week
• High School – 29.2 hrs/week

 

Student homework

Student homework varies by age and week to week. We understand that your students may only have only three days to accomplish five days of language arts and math when ACE days are meeting in-person. There is no homework from ACE for 2nd grade and under – except for an occasional literature book or special project. Homework, such as literature books and writing assignments, begins in the 3rd or 4 th grade depending on the class and student ability. If your student is in 4th or 5th grade or older they will have reading and writing assignments. Middle and high school students will typically have additional homework that supports the history, science or practical math unit that they are studying (besides writing and lit. books). We do not assign busy work for homework. Students are expected to arrive to the ACE day class with their homework completed. If a student arrives unprepared and it affects a group project, they may experience a consequence in addition to a late grade. Students who do not complete their work at an appropriate pace, as assigned, will be claimed absent. Independent study schools generate attendance based on student work. Any student who does not make appropriate progress at Trivium, in either the ACE day program or an alternative program, may be exited from the school. Trivium defines “appropriate pacing” as being on pace to finish a grade-level curriculum in a school year for all students unless a different pacing structure has been agreed upon by both the parent and the assigned teacher.

 

Pacing Plans In order to support families efforts to stay on pace, Trivium has two different programs that students may be placed in – the Student Support Plan (SSP) and the Trivium Intervention Program (TIP). Trivium reserves the right to place students in these programs to increase the chance of the student’s academic success at Trivium. Failure to comply with the SSP program will automatically place the student in the TIP program. Failure to comply with the TIP program may cause the student’s dismissal from Trivium and a recommendation that the student attends a traditional, 5 day-a-week school.

 

Curriculum We provide a catalog of curriculum choices arranged by grade. The catalog offers a variety of curriculum choices for math and language arts. You may request the items to create a full English and Math curriculum. Choices will be approved by your teacher of record. Once you have made your selection requests, you can place your request from our curriculum shop on our website: www.triviumcharter.org. Approved curriculum choices are automatically integrated into the required curriculum progress checks. Curriculum choices may be changed by Trivium to facilitate academic success and transparency of student work and progress.

 

High Schoolers are assigned courses based on goals, teacher input, and in conjunction with our Academic Specialists, (Ginelle Libby, glibby@triviumcharter.org and Tasha Dockery tdockery@triviumcharter.org and do not order through the K-8th grade curriculum shop.

 

Access to our curriculum materials and shop is through a student username and password provided to you once you have completed our enrollment documents. Trivium retains the right to assign and/or re-assign specific curriculum and pacing to a student/family.

 

Trivium offers high-quality, synchronous classes called Trivium Connect which are live, online, interactive courses with a credentialed teacher for English grades 4-8 and for math grades 4-8 plus Algebra Basic, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. Trivium Connect is available to select in the curriculum shop.

 

Parents must share log-in and password information for all Trivium-purchased online accounts. All Trivium-purchased material remains the property of Trivium and all non-consumable materials (textbooks, CDs, DVDs, resource guides, teacher guides, manipulatives etc…) must be returned at the end of the school year. You may keep non-consumable materials such as workbooks. Compliance with this helps Trivium keep costs down and frees up more funding for new materials and classroom supplies.

 

Parent’s Homework

 

Learning Logs (work records) and work samples – Parents must regularly turn in a work log that outlines their students’ daily engagement in their personalized learning program subjects, as well as samples to support the learning log. This is a requirement by the state. This document is extremely important and generates funding that Trivium receives. Another important aspect of the Trivium-Parent Partnership involves families providing work samples for each learning period. For our K-8 students, we require that four samples, 2 from Language Arts and 2 from Math, be brought in once each LP. Language Arts samples should be from two different areas (reading log, vocabulary, literature response, writing, spelling, grammar, editing, handwriting practice). It is acceptable for one Math sample to be a progress summary print-out from the online curriculum the student may be using. Photocopies or pictures are acceptable, in most cases, for K-8 students attending ACE days. Please understand that there may be times we will need original samples. We do appreciate you being prepared to provide them if asked. In some cases, we may also increase the number of samples required and/or the frequency of curriculum checks, for any student at any time. Students in our Non-ACE Day program are asked to turn in original samples. For students in our high school program, the work sample requirement will vary from LP to LP, and all samples must be the student’s original work. We are happy to make photocopies of samples, should you want to keep them for your records. Students that are in Connect for math or language arts will have their work samples supplied by the Connect teacher.

 

Learning Logs are extremely important for state compliance. If the logs aren’t completed in a timely manner it may result in your student losing their spot at Trivium. As we completely understand it may take some time to create your Learning Log and sample packet, we gladly extend parents a one week grace period from the Learning Log due date before their students are considered absent (for lack of documentation) and maybe exited from Trivium for excessive absenteeism. Students may not have more than 10 days of unexcused absences in any school year. If a learning log is not received in the designated time frame, the absences are considered unexcused. Trivium teachers review Learning Logs for consistent and appropriate academic progress in all assigned subjects.

 

Your teacher and Center Coordinator will provide and assist you in filling out your logs if you need help.

 

Teachers’ Agendas – In addition to timely and accurate submission of the learning logs, you are expected to view the teacher’s agenda for each of your students. These agendas are posted weekly on Canvas. The agendas will contain the material covered in class and specify any important changes or requests for specific supplies.

 

As our program is very hands-on, our teachers often request such items as water bottles, yogurt containers, etc. for science or art. If you find yourself without internet access for any reason, please let your teacher and Center Coordinator know. Parents and older students must have regular access to the internet to be successful at Trivium. Students are provided devices (Chrome books or iPads) from Trivium. Our goal is to partner with you and communication is an important component of that partnership. The agendas keep you informed of the daily academics, special events or requests, and are also a nice starting point for after school discussion with your children.

 

Fundraisers – Various fundraising options may be presented to you during the school year.

 

Charitable Activity – While Trivium applauds the vast and varied charitable causes our families present us with throughout the year, we must regretfully limit our involvement in actively advertising or supporting.

 

School Supplies – For in-person classes, we may occasionally ask for parents to send in basic school supplies for their child as well as some school essentials such as cleaning wipes and tissues. The list will be provided for each classroom and overall school needs will be communicated to you by your teacher or Center Coordinator.

 

ACADEMIC CONTENT

 

How do you follow a 4-year Classical approach rotation and still teach CA state standards? Because we are legally considered Independent Study, we have leeway in this area. The Trivium teachers are aware of the grade-level standards and incorporate the standards into the lessons. As a co-educator, you can also cover state standards in the classes you are primarily teaching.

 

What is my role? Your role as the parent or guardian is to ensure your student is making appropriate academic progress and to contribute to the development of the Personalized Learning Plan. If you request a parent-directed curriculum and it is approved then you become the primary instructor for that course. If you choose a computer-based curriculum, you become the primary support for that.

 

Why do we need to participate in a Personalized Learning Plan and Curriculum checks? As a public school, our funding comes from the State of California. Therefore, we are accountable to the state for how the money is used. Part of our accountability process is the creation of a Personalized Learning Plan for each student and regular curriculum checks. These items show that students are benefitting from the funds allocated to Trivium Charter School Network.

 

Since Trivium strongly believes that there are many paths to success and encourages personalized learning, a PLP will be developed for each student. This document is the result of the collaboration between the parent, teacher, student, curriculum advisor, and administrative staff as needed. The PLP sets a student’s goals for the year and can be altered throughout the year when all involved parties who support the student progress and pacing are in agreement. Part of the PLP process is checking students’ curriculum at regular intervals, a minimum of once each learning period. The final PLP and curriculum choices must be approved or assigned by Trivium.

 

A curriculum check consists of a student bringing in all of their curricula in order for Trivium staff to document the progress and that mastery is occurring. While all students are required to participate in curriculum checks and/or curriculum progress meetings, some students may have more than others. These curriculum checks and/or progress meetings are required, but as “life does happen” we will happily accommodate a family missing one of these scheduled items due to unforeseeable circumstances if it is made up within 7 calendar days. Failure to comply with scheduled activities supporting a PLP or curriculum check may result in dismissal from Trivium. Along those lines, failure to show for a meeting without prior notice, failure to show for a rescheduled meeting, or failure to bring all assigned work automatically qualifies your student for weekly progress checks and may necessitate an assigned curriculum switch. Further failure to comply, thereby hindering Trivium’s intervention plan may result in your student losing their place at Trivium.

 

Does my child have to take the (California State Testing)? Yes, Trivium students participate in state testing, including the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. These tests all occur in the Spring Semester, usually right after Spring Break. Specific dates will be shared in advance, once the schedule has been confirmed. Make-ups for testing are possible, but difficult to arrange so please plan for students to be at their Learning Center on test days. Students in the Non-ACE Day program must attend their closest learning center to participate in testing. Your Center Coordinator will have the most updated information on that procedure before the testing commences each spring. If your child does not participate in the state testing, for any reason, the student will be required to participate in our school’s summative assessment process or internal testing. Trivium does not focus on state testing and does not spend time “teaching to the test”. We believe that students learn and then reflect that learning on the test.

 

Is any other testing conducted? Yes. In order to know where a student is in their educational journey, and to then let us ensure they are making appropriate progress, Trivium asks students to participate in an assessment process. For returning students, this will be done at the beginning of the school year and occasionally throughout the school year. For those joining us after the school year has begun, the primary assessment will be done after enrollment and then, with their fellow students, occasionally throughout the year. In order to show respect for the many families on our waitlists, we do assign a time frame to this shortly after enrollment. Students who do not finish the placement testing in the assigned time frame may lose their spot at Trivium.

 

Students will also take varied assessments during ACE days so that their progress can be monitored and documented. Students who are absent when assessments are conducted, and those who do not attend ACE days, will be expected to complete assessments as assigned. Since these assessments are performed as part of the Trivium-Parent partnership, parents may not opt students out of the assigned assessments.

 

Required internal assessments may include class quizzes and tests, iReady, math knowledge checks, writing assessments, Dibels and Mindplay. Each student may be assigned various assessments depending on grade level and need.

 

How do you choose the literature books? We use multiple methods to choose literature books including parental recommendation, classical list recommendations, and personal knowledge. The focus of the literature circle is a thoughtful discussion – not on difficult, hard-to-master content. Of course, students are always encouraged to read more books than just the assigned literature books.

 

What is a learning center event? This is an event that involves the entire learning center in a multi-sensory learning experience. These events involve reenacting a historical event or engaging in a science or history experiment. These school events are a crucial component of our approach as they bring to life the material covered in class and create a sense of community within the learning center. non-ACE Day attendees are welcome to join these events.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Calendar – The school calendar will be posted on the website with all holidays and breaks outlined.

 

ACE Days

• Santa Barbara = Tuesday and Thursday
• Lompoc = Wednesday and Friday
• Santa Maria = Tuesday and Thursday
• Arroyo Grande = Wednesday and Friday
• Atascadero = Tuesday and Thursday

 

Hours – ACE days start promptly at 9 AM and ends at 3:30 PM. If you need to drop off or pick up outside of these designated times you must check with the Center Coordinator. Please refer to our website for the most updated class schedules.

 

Academic Club and general additional help – As assigned and it may be required for some students.

 

Breakfast, Snacks and Lunch – Trivium recognizes that students perform best in school when they eat nutritious and balanced meals. Please ensure that your children come to classes having eaten a nutritious breakfast. We also encourage you to provide a healthy snack for morning break. It is a parent’s responsibility to send a lunch with your child for each school day or cash so the student may buy food. If a child does not have lunch, we will contact the parent to see what course of action they would like us to take, but if unable to reach the parent staff may share some of our reserve food with the student. Parents are welcome to donate easily stored lunch options for kids who forget their lunch. Trivium Charter School participates in the National School Lunch Program. This program provides meals to qualifying students at free,reduced, and regular rates. At Trivium, these meals will be made available to students during the 10:30 am – 10:45 am morning break. Please contact your respective Center Coordinator for more information.

 

We know that children love to celebrate birthdays and special occasions. However, due to parent preferences and classroom management, we will distribute any special treats provided by parents after school or at a break.

 

• Morning break is from 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
• Lunch/Recess is 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

 

Curriculum Advisors – A Curriculum Advisor is available at each center to support families with the curriculum selection process. Throughout the year, parents are encouraged to consult their Curriculum Advisor with any curriculum-related questions. Curriculum Advisor meetings may be held in a virtual manner.

(Contact information is at the end of this handbook.)

 

Parent Coffees – Parent coffees provide families with an opportunity to meet other Trivium parents and learn about academic resources, instructional approaches, and school events. Each center will have approximately three parent coffees during the school year. We encourage all parents to attend; younger siblings are always welcome. Parent coffees may be held virtually.

 

Technology – In the interest of furthering the educational goals of Trivium Charter School Network students, the school will make available for use one (1) Chromebook or iPad per student. At no time is the student permitted to use a school device to access inappropriate material. The issued device is for online school curriculum, school-related research, educational games, and educational streaming services only.

 

Only the assigned student(s) or parent(s)/guardian will operate the device. The student will not give the device’s password to any other person except for the parent(s)/guardian or a school employee. The student is ultimately responsible for all material accessed and/or transmitted on the device. All passwords and passcodes used to access the device must be shared with the school.

 

The student must immediately report any mechanical problems or physical damage with the device to Trivium Charter School’s Tech Coordinator, by utilizing the Helpdesk on the Trivium Charter website http://www.triviumcharter.org No attempt should be made to repair, upgrade, or alter the device.

 

The student and parent(s)/guardian accept full responsibility for the return of the device in good condition by a specified date or when deemed necessary by Trivium Charter School Network. If the device is stolen or lost, the student or parent(s)/guardian should immediately notify Trivium Charter School Network’s Tech Coordinator, via the Helpdesk located on the school website.

 

Willful and/or malicious damage to devices may result in cancellation of privileges and disciplinary action. Damage includes, but is not limited to, physical damage and/or alterations to devices. The replacement cost of the device is between $235 – $350.

 

Parent(s)/guardian will monitor use of the device, including internet usage outside school hours (Securly is currently provided as a monitoring device for Chrome books and iPads). Consequences for failure to abide by terms of the contract will include one or more of the following: 1) Parents will be contacted for a meeting with a school staff member 2) Restriction or loss of use of device.

 

Also, in the interest of furthering the educational goals of Trivium Charter School Network students, the school will make available, for use by the student, an assigned Trivium email address. The email account is for educational purposes only. The student understands that personal information is to be kept private and the student is responsible for all material accessed and/or transmitted through an email account.

 

The student can access Google G Suite Apps via any internet-enabled computer or device and may obtain a free account with Microsoft Office 365 for education by submitting a request via the Helpdesk found on the Trivium Charter website ( http://www.triviumcharter.org Parents are welcomed and encouraged to participate in educating their children in safe, proper and ethical use of the email account.

 

Consequences for failure to abide by the terms of the contract (inappropriate use) will include one or more of the following: 1) Parent(s)/Guardian will be contacted for a meeting with the Operations Director, Teacher or Tech Coordinator. 2) Suspended email account.

 

Securly is the student safety software Trivium Charter is currently using to monitor and filter school-owned devices. Securly is a leading solution in keeping children safe online at school, at home, or anywhere.

 

Schools, particularly K-12, are providing students with school-owned devices (1:1) such as Chromebooks, PC’s, and iPads that can be taken home. With these, kids can track school assignments, research topics, even turn in homework. The internet has made education more accessible, more dynamic, and our kids smarter.

 

At the same time, the internet has an uglier side. It’s home to activities and information that can be considered nefarious, predatory, even illegal. Like it or not, this dangerous underbelly of the information superhighway is only ever just a few clicks away for any child.

 

With Securly, the parent can see online activity in real-time, catch up with our weekly email snapshots, view recent searches, sites visited, and videos watched on their school-owned device, and adjust filtering strength from the parent console.

 

Securly makes completing your enrollment incredibly easy. Trivium staff submit the parent and student information immediately after the enrollment process is complete. The only part of the process needing to be finished is establishing and verifying the connection between Securly and the parent by requesting the link. And again, the Trivium Helpdesk is always available to help.

 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP PROCEDURE

 

These rules are designed to maximize safety, convenience, and efficiency:

 

Each center will have a designated area where your children are expected to remain during drop-off and pick-up times. Please familiarize yourself with these areas and support us in encouraging your children to stay in these areas until you are ready for them.

 

In addition, each site will have drop-off and pick-up loading zones. These zones are intended to expedite the drop-off and pick-up process for parents who are in a hurry. If you wish to talk to a teacher or the Center Coordinator please park your car in the parking lot and then proceed into the center.

 

We expect all parents to use the utmost caution when driving in our parking lots. All parties that park their personal vehicles at any of Trivium’s Learning Centers are responsible for their vehicle and all contents therein. All vehicles should be locked and secured while on the Learning Center grounds. Trivium is not responsible for items lost or stolen from a vehicle parked at the Learning Center.

 

What if someone else needs to pick up my child? Please inform the Center Coordinator by either calling, texting, or sending an email with the person’s name and contact information.Please let the individual know that they will need to bring their Driver’s License or Identification card in order to pick up your student. Please refer to the school contact list below.

 

What if I need to bring my child in late or pick them up early? If you know ahead of time, please let your Center Coordinator know when you will be dropping off or picking up your child. All late drop-offs and early pick-ups are facilitated in the office through the Center Coordinator. If the situation is unforeseeable, please communicate with your Center Coordinator as soon as possible.

 

ABSENCE AND TARDY POLICY

 

Tardiness – At Trivium, students are considered tardy if they arrive after morning assembly (this is when our teachers take attendance and give it to office staff). In this situation, please instruct your student(s) to check in at the office before they go to class. We also ask that parents who drop students off after morning assembly contact the Center Coordinator in person, by phone, text, or email when they drop off the student(s). It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children arrive at school on time each day. However, we do understand that some circumstances can create difficulty in getting to ACE Days on time. If your family is affected by such circumstances, please speak to your Center Coordinator! They may be able to help find a solution which will help your student get all they can out of ACE Days, as arriving after class has begun means they may miss out. In addition, we ask families to consider the effect a student arriving late has on other students and to respect their right to full ACE Days free of disruption.

 

Absences – Since our educational philosophy emphasizes an interactive teacher-student format, we require consistent attendance to our ACE days (for those who opt into the ACE days) and attendance at all scheduled meetings and conferences. Trivium will make reasonable accommodations to meet with parents/guardians. It is difficult for students who have missed classes to do make-up work comparable to students who were present. We encourage parents to plan family activities during scheduled school vacations thereby receiving the maximum benefit from our ACE days.

 

Trivium is required to maintain records that support the student’s personalized learning plan being beneficial for all students who attend a Trivium Charter School. If ACE Day attendance or academic effort and achievement is not measurable and appropriate, Trivium is legally required to enact our Student Interventions Policies designed to address chronic absenteeism. If attempts to support an improvement in student attendance prove unsuccessful, we are then legally required to refer the family to a traditional, 5 day a week model. Please refer to the Independent Study Missed Assignments and Absenteeism policy. Students are required to engage in their coursework on a regular basis and must maintain a D average or better in a minimum of 4 classes. An “assignment” is classified as the work assigned within a 7-day timeframe. Students who miss 3 assignments may jeopardize their ability to remain in our Personalized Learning Public Charter School.

 

Prearranged Absences – We, at Trivium, honor your role as a co-educator. We understand that due to family needs or planned activities parents may need to remove children for a period of time while school is in session. If you are planning to take a vacation while school is in session, let us know as soon as possible so we can figure out the best course of action. Depending on the length of your vacation, you may need to provide some work samples. However, if you give us notice we should be able to come up with a plan that allows for flexibility and keeps your child on pace and in compliance.

 

Excused Absences – Out of respect for the parent-school partnership, and our focus on student safety and open communication, we very much appreciate absences that are a result of sickness or last-minute emergencies being called in, or emailed to, the Center Coordinator no later than 9:00 AM. If we have not heard from you, and your student is not at school, we will contact you to ensure that all is well.

 

Missed Work

ACE days revolve heavily around group work and projects. Non-compliance in both classwork and homework assignments disrupts the student’s learning and the learning of their group-mates. Classwork and homework must be completed in the time assigned. Trivium reserves the right to assign a different curriculum and different pacing at any time during the student’s personalized learning program. Trivium reserves the right to require the student meet as frequently as needed with a Trivium staff member to help the student be academically successful. Trivium reserves the right to assign students to an academic support class or block of time in order to facilitate homework completion. Trivium reserves the right to temporarily place students in the non-ACE Day Program if the student is disrupting the learning environment for other students. Non-compliance with a written plan for the student will result in the student being dismissed from Trivium.

 

Losing your spot at Trivium and re-enrollment:

 

Students who are exited from Trivium for non-compliance with required paperwork, progress checks, exhibiting appropriate progress/mastery, poor behavior choices, and/or dress code may not request enrollment for 12 months and will be subject to the lottery draw process as if they were a new student. Any student who has been dismissed twice from Trivium for any combination of reasons may not enroll again. Trivium firmly believes that effort and achievement are important character attributes to instill and promote in each of our students.

 

Any student who has been dismissed from Trivium for lack of academic progress will need permission from the Executive Director to be re-enrolled.

 

CAMPUS LIFE

 

Closed Campus: Trivium operates under a closed campus policy. Students must stay on the school grounds from the time they arrive at school until dismissal, or until they are signed out by a parent or guardian. During the registration process, parents are asked if their student(s) have permission to sign themselves in and out of school. This information is used by Center Coordinators and their staff to determine whether or not a student has this permission from their Parents. Please contact the Center Coordinator if you would like to change your permission setting. Trivium will allow high school students to leave early or at lunch if their parents have granted them this permission (this privilege may be revoked if the student abuses it in any way or if the students is significantly behind in coursework). Parents may also grant temporary permission for leaving campus with written permission such as a dated note brought to school, text message to Center Coordinator, email to the Coordinator. For safety and liability reasons, ONLY students with this permission from parents will be able to sign themselves in or out without contact from their parents as well. For instance, if your student is not accounted for during attendance, we ask that you contact us when you drop them off (if we have not already called you). These students are expected to follow the sign-in/out procedure; checking out with the Center Coordinator and signing out in the Student In/Out book. Any student needing to go outside the main Learning Center must inform an office staff member.

 

Visitors: Parents/legal guardians are welcome to visit their children’s classroom at any time. Visitation by other students, including friends and relatives, is not permitted without prior permission. A visitor badge must be issued by the Center Coordinator to any parent or visitor in order to be on Trivium premises. Visitors must sign-in and sign-out with the Center Coordinator. Trivium does have a formal volunteer policy which requires the Live-Scan process. We may require this from anyone at any time, should we feel it appropriate. Typically this applies to persons who routinely visit and volunteer regularly on the campus. This is especially relevant for those who may be working closely with students or spending time at a Learning Center.

 

Observation Policy: The Trivium Charter School Network provides a safe environment for all students and requires all parents and interested community members to follow certain guidelines. In general, observers need to be unobtrusive in the educational process and not join in unless specifically invited into an activity. Observers may not interfere with the educational process or intervene on a student’s behalf. Observers may not engage students in conversation outside of normal pleasantries. An Observer may provide positive feedback if a student initiates showing the Observer schoolwork. Observers must never be alone with students and must request access to a bathroom with a school staff member if the need arises.

 

1. Classroom observations exceeding ten minutes must be planned in advance so as to not create conflict with the teacher and student schedules. Therefore, please arrange a mutually agreed upon date and time with Trivium by making a written request (emailing the Learning Center Coordinator) at least 24 hours in advance of the requested observation if you wish to observe for longer than ten (10) minutes during the day.

2. Observations are limited to once per month for no longer than ninety (90) minutes per visit in order to avoid distraction and/or disruption to the teacher and classroom schedule. However, under certain circumstances, such as an evaluation, an upcoming IEP meeting, a crisis intervention, or as an agreed-upon accommodation, etc., a parent or provider may request additional observations. Under these circumstances, the Director will use his or her discretion to approve or decline such requests. Trivium’s philosophy is to promote independent, self-driven students. Students are encouraged to become confident and self-sufficient and parents/guardians are encouraged to support and facilitate this process by encouraging students that they are capable.

3. Formal classroom observations do not include times when parents are invited to the school for a special event or presentation, to serve as a volunteer, or to enjoy lunch with their student.

4. The Director reserves the right to decline any request for a classroom observation or to terminate a classroom observation if it is determined that such an observation would or has caused undue disruption in the educational process.

5. For security reasons, all visitors are required to sign in at the office, wear a visitor’s badge, and indicate the name of the teacher and destination before proceeding to the classroom. All visitors are asked to sign out when leaving school.

6. To protect the learning environment, a limit may be imposed by the Director on the number of classroom observers and the length of the observation. All students’ needs in the classroom are considered.

7. Out of respect for the teaching environment and the privacy of our students, parents/guardians may not bring younger siblings or other children while observing in the classroom and may not utilize any electronic equipment or cameras, including cell phones or iPads, while in the classroom. Any exceptions to this must be explicit and approved in writing by the Director.

8. Observers should not disrupt the learning environment by engaging students or the teacher in conversation or engaging in distracting behaviors. A follow-up meeting may be scheduled as needed to answer questions or concerns. Observers should sit on the periphery of the classroom.

9. During any observation, the School Director or his/her designee may be present in the classroom as well and may end the Observation if the Observer is disruptive to the educational process.

10. Parents/guardians, outside providers, or community members that disagree with any decision of the Trivium Director regarding classroom observations have the right to challenge the decision with the Trivium Board at the next scheduled Board meeting. The Trivium’s Board’s decision shall be final.

11. No electronic listening or recording device (including cell phone video) may be used in a classroom without the Trivium’s Director’s permission. (Education Code 51512)

 

Emergency Plan: Every student’s safety is very important to us. We will follow the Trivium Charter Schools Comprehensive School Safety Plan, which is inclusive of Emergency Procedures for nearly every conceivable circumstance. All Trivium employees are trained semi-annually on the Comprehensive School Safety Plans and Emergency Procedures. Emergency preparedness drills are ongoing throughout the school year, covering Fire,Earthquake, Lockdown, and Violent Intruder scenarios.

 

Dual Enrollment: Trivium is a public school; therefore your child(ren) cannot be enrolled in Trivium and another public or private school at the same time. California Education Code Section 47602(b) and Title 5, California Code of Regulations Section 11965(a) prohibit such “dual enrollment”. A student at Trivium may be enrolled in a Regional Occupational Program (ROP) or community college with the necessary approval from Trivium, pursuant to the signed enrollment forms. It is Trivium’s responsibility, as a publicly funded school, to carefully evaluate any educational program its students are concurrently participating in. The school reserves the right to make a determination that a program is considered “dual enrollment”. This determination will be made based on Trivium’s interpretation of the California Education Code in order to remain in compliance with California law. Please discuss with your teacher of record for additional information on the process for community college dual enrollment, who to contact, and dates to register.

 

Special Education: As a network of personalized learning public charter schools, Trivium accommodates students who qualify for special education services. Trivium is a parent’s choice school that offers both many different education programs as alternative models of education. The parent will provide a copy of the current IEP along with current assessment reports at the time of enrollment. The Interim Placement form will be completed and the IEP Team will hold a 30 day review of the IEP and an Offer of FAPE will be determined by the Special Education Team including the parent and student (if appropriate), teacher and other providers. Trivium conducts an Annual Review of the student’s IEP, as well as Triennial Re-evaluations according to state and federal guidelines. Appropriate services offered to the students to assist them in receiving educational benefit may include:

 

Supplementary aids/services/supports to allow student to participate in the general education curriculum as much as possible (examples: calculator, spell checker, tape recorder/player, audiobooks, extra time, etc.), collaboration with parent-teacher, Trivium Staff, curriculum advisors, classroom teachers on instructional strategies, supplemental curriculum, small group and/or individual Specialized Academic Instruction, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and other services as necessary to allow the student to participate in Trivium’s educational program. Each student that qualifies for special education services must make appropriate academic progress in their personalized learning plan subjects regardless of whether they attend ACE days or are remote students. Each student that qualifies for special education services and attends ACE days or are remote students must make academic progress as is appropriate given their needs and their Personalized Learning Plan. Each student that qualifies for special education services may be dismissed from Trivium and referred to a traditional 5 day a week school for non-compliance in completing assigned work in accordance with our Independent Study, Missed Assignments, and Absenteeism Policy. Each student that qualifies for special education services must comply with our behavior standards (unless there is a documented need and an alternative agreement is in place).

 

Questions regarding special education should be directed to Annette Lawrence, alawrence@triviumcharter.org

 

504 Plans

 

A 504 plan is an agreement between the parent and the school that outlines accommodations that are necessary for the student to fully participate at Trivium. A 504 plan may be warranted for a student with severe allergies and a plan is set up to protect the student from coming in contact with the allergen. Or, a 504 plan may be set up for a student who has a medical condition and needs extra time to navigate the stairs or needs a special pair of scissors.

 

Students with 504 Accommodations/Modification Plans should submit the current 504 plan with the enrollment packet. 504 Accommodation Plans will be implemented and reviewed annually. Questions regarding 504 plans should be directed to:

Catherine Ashbridge cashbridge@triviumcharter.org

 

Parents of students who have a current 504 plan or IEP are required to meet all requirements for learning log/work record submission, attend all scheduled meetings and conferences, share all log-in information and passwords for online learning options, bring ALL curriculum to every scheduled meeting or conference, and comply with all other elements in this parent/student handbook unless an alternative agreement, signed by Trivium and the parent, is in place.

 

PERSONAL EFFECTS

 

Student Valuables: Students should not bring large amounts of money or exceedingly valuable personal effects to school. At all times students are to keep track of glasses, watches, retainers, and other valuables. Students, not the school, are responsible for their personal property. If it is necessary to bring a valuable item to school, please bring it to the Center Coordinator for safekeeping.

 

Student Technology: Technology is great, but since we have limited time together at the ACE days, we want the students to interact personally with each other and our staff members. Cell phones, iPods and handheld electronic devices are not allowed to be used during school unless a staff member grants permission to do so. Students caught listening to their iPods or using their phones or handheld devices will have their technology confiscated and held for safekeeping until it can be returned to their parents. However, with permission from a staff member, students may use their cell phones to call or text a parent or guardian.

 

Dress Code: Trivium expects all students to maintain a neat and modest appearance. Students who fail to follow the policy may be sent home or, in cases of repeat offenses, may be temporarily restricted from on-campus activities. It is not our intent to be rigid in this regard, but we do mix students of all ages and wish to be considerate of their sensibilities.

 

In general:

• All garments must fit and be worn in the manner in which they were designed.
• Clothes should be sufficient to conceal undergarments at all times.
• Hair colors and styles cannot be overly distracting. The final decision on this matter will be left to Trivium Administration
• Inappropriate lettering, printing, message patches on clothing, backpacks, binders, or other personal items are strictly prohibited.
• Clothing and jewelry shall be free of writing, pictures, or any other insignia which is crude, vulgar, profane or sexually suggestive, or which advocates racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice, or the use of drugs or alcohol.
• Also, no ear “gauges” shall be worn at ACE Days.
• Tattoos may not be visible.
• Bull style nose rings may not be worn. Face and eyebrow piercing jewelry may not be worn.
• Any apparel, jewelry, accessories, school materials, or manner of grooming which by virtue of color, arrangement or any other attribute denotes membership in a gang is prohibited.
• Pants/Shorts: No “low-riding” pants or shorts are allowed. Pants must be worn at or above the hip point and be able to stay up without a belt. Pants with revealing/immodest holes or tears may not be worn. The length of shorts should be within three inches of the top of the knee.
• Shorts/Skorts/Skirts/Jumpers: The length of skirts, skorts, and jumpers should be within three inches of the top of the knee.
• Shirts/Blouses/Turtlenecks/Sweaters/Sweatshirts: Shirts must be buttoned to a standard of neatness and modesty. See-through or fish-net fabrics, halter tops, spaghetti straps, off the shoulder or low-cut tops, torn-off sleeves, and bare midriffs are prohibited. Sleeveless blouses may be worn.
• Footwear: Shoes, boots, and sandals must be worn at all times. Please, due to safety concerns, all footwear must be tied/buckled/zipped, etc. at all times. Shower/beach sandals and flip-flops are not allowed. (athletic sandals and sandals that stay securely on the feet are okay).
• Hats and sunglasses: Hats, caps, hoods or sunglasses cannot be worn in the classroom but may be worn outside during break, recess, lunch, or outside activities.

 

ILLNESS/INJURY/MEDICATION POLICY

 

Trivium Charter School Network appreciates our parents exercising caution to aid in preventing the spread of illness amongst our student body. Please wait 24 hours after a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea instance before allowing your students to return to group activities such as ACE Days.

 

Head lice is another situation we ask for your help in preventing the spread of. We trust our families to perform regular checks for lice and to only send lice-free students to ACE Days. However, we know this situation can happen to any child at any time. It is not the result of poor hygiene or housekeeping! Please let your Center Coordinator know if these unwelcome visitors are found on your student(s). We will inform all families that there has been a report of head lice so they can take precautions, but will never publicize your family’s name or perform head checks on your students before allowing them to return to school. If the staff has reason to believe that a student may have lice, the student’s parent will be contacted to discuss those concerns.

 

Illness – If a student is ill, injured, or has a health concern while in class, they must obtain permission from their teacher to go to the Center Coordinator for assistance. The Center Coordinator will then contact the parent to determine the best course of action, if necessary.

 

Injury – All injuries will be reported to the Center Coordinator, who will file an Office Visit Form. Depending on the severity of the incident, the Center Coordinator will notify the parent either by calling home or during student pick-up. Trivium reserves the right to call for help from Emergency Medical Personnel.

 

Resuscitation and Emergency Medical Care: School employees are trained and expected to respond to every emergency situation. If any student needs resuscitation, trained staff shall make every effort to resuscitate him/her. The School does not accept or follow any parental or medical “do not resuscitate” orders.

 

During an ACE Day, if a student becomes too ill to remain in school or is seriously injured, reasonable effort will be made to contact the parents. If a sudden, possibly life-threatening condition should occur, immediate safety of the student is the school’s first concern and emergency medical personnel will be called. Ambulance transportation to a hospital will be arranged as directed by the emergency medical personnel. Parents will be contacted as soon as possible.

 

Medication Policy – Generally, parents and students are not allowed to bring any medications, prescription or over-the-counter, to the Learning Center. In emergency situations, staff will administer medication such as an asthma inhaler or Epi-pen for severe and/or life-threatening situations, as allowed by law. Other situations that require the administration of medications can be facilitated as well. If your child needs these accommodations, please contact your Center Coordinator who will provide you with the appropriate form to begin the 504 Plan process. A 504 Plan is an agreement between the parent and the school that outlines accommodations that are necessary for the student to fully participate at Trivium. Trivium will not administer any non-emergency medication unless a 504 plan and appropriate medical information is provided and is in place.

 

CONFLICT RESOLUTION – As parents, students, and school personnel, we need to commit ourselves to seek reconciliation with others when a wrong, perceived or real, has occurred. At Trivium, it is our policy to resolve situations at the most immediate level. Your Center Coordinator can assist you with an appropriate course of action.

 

The following protocol has been established in order to resolve conflict efficiently:

 

For concerns regarding the academic instruction of your child:

• Please contact your child’s instructor and he/she will be happy to set up a meeting with you and address your concerns. If you or the teacher feels support with the curriculum would be helpful in addressing the concerns, the Learning Center’s Curriculum Advisor may also join that meeting.
• If you are still not satisfied that your concern has been properly addressed, please contact your Center Coordinator who will be able to assist you in contacting the appropriate person to address your concern.

 

In cases in which you are concerned about the management of your Learning Center:

• For concerns about day-to-day issues concerning your center, please contact your Center Coordinator or the Operations Director.

 

Mental Health Services – Trivium Charter School would like all students and parents/ guardians to be aware that through Trivium Charter School, mental health services are available to all students. Stress and anxiety issues affect many of today’s youth, and Trivium Charter School has trained professionals available to partner with students and their families to help them work through these matters. If we can assist you in any way please contact your respective Center Coordinator or contact Annette Lawrence at alawrence@triviumcharter.org. Or call her at 805-757-4387 or fax: 805-489-7425.

 

As well Trivium Charter School would like to advise students and their parents/ guardians that numerous resources exist in our local communities to provide assistance to students dealing with mental health issues. Assistance is available via telephone 24/7 for students who are seeking mental health support, crisis and, suicide prevention support.

 

Santa Barbara County

Crisis Hotline – 1-888-868-1649 (24/7 Access Line)

 

San Luis Obispo County

Crisis Hotline – 1-800-783-0607 (24/7 Access Line)

Access Line – 1-800-838-1381 (non emergency referral line Mon – Fri 8am – 5pm)

 

Grade Change Procedure – The grade or class change process involves the following steps:

 

1. Parent requests a grade or class change in writing/email to the current teacher of record.

2. Parents will fill out the Change Request form provided by the teacher.

3. Parent/guardian will submit request form to teacher and Tasha Dockery.

4. A meeting will then be scheduled. At the meeting we will look at all curricula and student work from both home and ACE. If the request is for a class change only (same level), a meeting may not be necessary.

5. Parent will be notified of a decision within 3 business/school days. Please note that a follow up meeting may be necessary prior to a final decision. The Trivium Charter School Network Administration retains the power of the final decision.

6. If necessary, a follow-up meeting will be scheduled.

 

Chronic Absenteeism Policy – As a non classroom based school, attendance at Trivium is collected through a two prong approach, both through daily engagement with course material as well as quantity and quality of work completed. In order to be considered in full attendance students must engage with course work every day Monday- Friday as well as complete 70% of the assigned course work in 4 or more classes with a grade of D or better. If a student is unable to maintain the requirements they will be provided with additional support through an SSP and TIP process if after 21 days the student has not made improvement to achieve passing 4 of their classes while engaging daily, they may be exited from Trivium.

 

Missed Meeting/Paperwork Policy – Meetings in this policy include but are not limited to Curriculum Checks, Fall and Spring Conferences, SSPs, TIPs, submission of LP paperwork, SSTs and IEP meetings(?). Additionally , failure to submit LP paperwork by due dates constitutes as a missed meeting. In order to maintain a successful parent teacher partnership regular meetings of teachers and parents are required. When a meeting is set it is expected that both parties will attend the meeting, virtually or in person, in a timely manner. If a meeting is missed without prior communication from the parent and not rescheduled and held within 7 days this meeting will be counted as a missed meeting. If a family misses 3 meetings within a school year they may forfeit their spot at trivium. If a family misses 3 meetings a final meeting will be held with the teacher of record, academic specialist and parent to determine if Trivium is an appropriate fit for the student.

 

CAMPUS BEHAVIORS AND POLICIES

 

This final component is very comprehensive. It is not our desire to create a police state or scare you off with all of our rules. We just want to communicate to you how important it is to us to provide a safe, happy and healthy learning environment for your children. We trust this won’t apply to the majority of you, but we needed to put it here all the same.

 

Public Displays of Affection: public displays of affection/touching which appear to be romantic in nature (couples holding hands, embracing, kissing, etc) are not allowed will be addressed by staff and parents will be notified.

 

Chronic Absenteeism: Students who do not complete their Personalized Learning Program assignments for 21 days in any one school year (3 weeks) may be exited from Trivium. Any student who does not make appropriate progress in one or more subjects may be placed in one of two programs – SSP (Student Support Plan) or TIP (Trivium Intervention Plan). The appropriate pacing for all Trivium students is completing a full course of grade level curriculum for each subject as appropriate for the student’s age and as ordered by the parent through the Trivium curriculum shop and as outlined on the Master Agreement in a school year, unless another agreement has been entered into between the assigned teacher and the parent. Trivium reserves the right to define appropriate academic progress.

 

DISCIPLINE POLICY

 

At Trivium we strive for the best possible learning environment. Our rule of thumb is to not allow any student to engage in behaviors that divert attention away from our primary purpose, learning. Therefore, we cannot tolerate behavior that is disrespectful, inappropriate, or disruptive. Each teacher will work with their students to establish classroom rules. Specific consequences for unacceptable behavior within the classroom will be defined and determined by the teacher. Trivium operates with the “if in doubt, send them out” policy during ACE days. If a student is disrupting their learning or the learning of others, they will be referred to the Center Coordinator and/or support staff. In most cases, the student will have a chance to re-direct and return to class. Some situations will warrant a call to the parent and the student will need to be picked up and possibly restricted temporarily from on-campus activities. In order to maintain consistency, all of our teachers meet regularly to discuss vision, academic content, and standards for student behavior and discipline.

 

The following are examples of behaviors that could lead to restriction from ACE days temporarily or permanently and/or a formal suspension or expulsion from Trivium.

 

1. Disrespecting any staff member: the student’s teacher and/or the Center Coordinator will be the judges of whether or not disrespect has been shown.
2. Harassing or bullying any ACE students, staff, or visitor: harassment includes verbal, electronic, or physical interactions, as well as any other behavior intended to intimidate or threaten an individual. Bullying will not be tolerated at the learning center. Bullying is not limited to physical acts. Bullying can include actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, verbal attacks or purposely excluding individuals from groups or activities, even if these acts are perpetrated via any social media means (known as cyber-bullying). We firmly believe that students who attend ACE days have a right to learn in an environment that is safe, friendly, and free of continual behavior disruptions.
3. Lying or Cheating: This includes a student being dishonest in any situation while at school.
4. Rebelling: a student’s outright disobedience in response to instructions.
5. Fighting: a student striking or threatening to strike another person in anger or with the intent to harm will not be tolerated.
6. Habitually disrupting the educational process: a student who disrupts the learning of others.
7. Stealing: a student who takes something, regardless of value, that does not belong to him or her.
8. Vandalizing: a student who destroys another’s property.

Once the student is referred to the Center Coordinator he/she will determine the next disciplinary action which could include, but is not limited to, the following:

 

Restitution

Apology

Additional

Work

Temporary restriction from ACE Days*

Suspension*

Transfer to Non-ACE Day program*

Expulsion*

 

* All consequences involving removal from ACE days or Trivium will be subject to the Operation’s Director or the Executive Director’s approval and will be considered as an alternative to suspension and/or expulsion.

 

RESTRICTION FROM ACE DAYS SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION

 

At Trivium we strive to create a learning environment where the disciplinary needs of one student are not allowed to take time and/or energy away from other students’ experience. In order to maintain this culture, students who choose not to behave appropriately at the learning center may be restricted from attending ACE Days. In this event, any work the student misses will need to be completed at home before the student can return to ACE Days. Your student’s teacher will ensure you receive the assignments in a timely manner.

 

Please know that restriction is not a formal “suspension”; it is simply the natural consequence of a student’s choices temporarily not matching Trivium Charter Schools’ behavior expectations. We have found this to be an effective behavior modification tool, as most students very much enjoy ACE Days and want to be involved in them.

 

As nobody wants a child to wait in the office any longer than necessary, please make sure Trivium has your current contact information at all times. In the event that your Center Coordinator requests that you pick your student up early, you will be expected to do so within an hour of being contacted by phone, text, or email. Students who remain at the learning center for longer than one hour may temporarily lose the privilege of attending any learning center classes. Should a student make significantly poor choices and a formal suspension become necessary, the student will be informed that the action being taken is a formal suspension and additional information will be provided.

 

Restriction at Trivium means the removal of a pupil from ongoing instruction during ACE days for adjustment purposes. In this situation, the student enters into our remote program and must accomplish work for each subject under the supervision of their parent(s). During the time a student is restricted from ACE days, he/she is not allowed to be on any school campus, nor participate in any ACE day activity. The restriction is not a suspension. If a suspension is applied, the parent/guardian will receive a formal suspension notice and have a chance to discuss the details of the decision. Suspended students are not given assignments for the duration of their suspension.

 

Expulsion means that a student may not attend any learning center of Trivium Charter School Network for a period of time not to be less than one year. During that year, the student/family must show proof that the situation that led up to the expulsion has been corrected. For example, if a student was expelled for being non-compliant in academics, a year of study in all courses at another school or in a homeschooling environment must have been completed with consistency and appropriate effort. Benchmark testing and/or sample work may be used to assess whether progress was made if the student was in a homeschool environment after leaving Trivium.

 

Students who engage in one or more of the following activities while in school buildings, on school grounds, or during school-sponsored activities, and in certain cases when the behavior occurs off of school property, will be suspended and/or expelled.

 

DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND TOBACCO

• Students who possess, use, or are under the influence of any controlled substance including drugs, alcoholic beverages, or an intoxicant of any kind, or who possess or sell any drug paraphernalia (as defined in H&S C. 11014.5) shall be suspended and may be involuntarily transferred or recommended for expulsion, depending on the seriousness of the offense. [E.C. 48900 (c,j) and 48915 (a)(3), (c)(3)]. Students using, under the influence of, or possessing alcohol, drugs or drug paraphernalia, shall be reported to the police.
• Unlawfully offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell any controlled substance, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind, and then either selling, delivering, or otherwise furnishing to any person another liquid, substance or material and representing the liquid, substance or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant [E.C. 48900(d)]
• Having unlawful possession of, or unlawfully, arranging, or negotiating to sell any drug paraphernalia (as defined in H&S C. 11014.5) [E.C. 48900(j)]
• Possessing or using tobacco,or any products containing tobacco or nicotine products, including, but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, miniature cigars, clove cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew packets and betel [E.C. 48900(h)]

PHYSICAL INJURY/ VIOLENCE

• Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person [E.C. 48900(a1)]
• Aiding or abetting, as defined in Section 31 of the Penal Code, the infliction or attempted infliction of physical injury to another person may suffer suspension, but not expulsion, pursuant to the provisions of the section [E.C.. 48900(s)]
• Willfully used force of violence upon the person of another except in self-defense [E.C. 48900 (a2)]

 

DANGEROUS OBJECTS AND THREATS

• Possessing, selling, or otherwise furnishing any firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object, unless, in the case of possession of any object of this type, the pupil has obtained from a certificated school employee written permission to possess the item, which is concurred in writing by the Director of Operations. [E.C. 48900(b)]
• No student shall possess a laser pointer on school premises, unless possession is for valid instruction or other school-related purposes, including employment (Penal Code Section 417.27).A laser pointer may be considered a dangerous object under the provisions of Education Code 48900(b).
• Making terrorist threats against school officials, school property, or both [E.C. 48900.7]
• Possession of an imitation firearm [E.C. 48900(m)]

 

HARASSMENT/ INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT

• Causing, attempting to cause, threatening to cause, or participating in hate violence (grades 4-12) [E.C. 48900.3]
• Harassing, threatening, or intimidating a student who is a witness in a disciplinary proceeding for the purpose of either preventing that student from being a witness or retaliating against that student for being a witness or both [E.C. 48900.0]
• Engaging in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against a pupil or group of pupils, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting class work, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of that pupil or group of pupils by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment (grades 4-12) [E.C. 48900.4]
• Committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault or committing a sexual battery [E.C. 48900(n)]

Section 221.8 Rights: The following list of rights, which are based on the relevant provisions of the federal regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681 et seq.), may be used by the department for purposes of Section 221.6: (a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex. (b) You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics. (c) You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school. (d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships. (e) You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all the following: (1) Equipment and supplies. (2) Scheduling of games and practices. (3) Transportation and daily allowances. (4) Access to tutoring. (5) Coaching. (6) Locker rooms. (7) Practice and competitive facilities. (8) Medical and training facilities and services. (9) Publicity. (f) You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws. (g) You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws. (h) You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office of Civil Rights or the State Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex. (i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against. (j) You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint. A description of how to file a complaint under Title IX.A written complaint alleging district violation of applicable state of federal law or regulations governing adult education programs, consolidated categorical aid programs, migrant education, career technical and technical education and training programs, child care and development programs, child nutrition programs, and special education programs may be filed by any individual, public agency, or organization. (5 CCR 4630)

• Any complaint alleging noncompliance with law regarding the prohibition against requiring students to pay student fees, deposits, and charges of any requirement related to the LCAP may be filed anonymously if the complaint provides evidence, or information leading to evidence, to support an allegation of noncompliance. A complaint about a violation of the prohibition against the charging of unlawful student fees may be filed with the principal of the school. However, any such complaint shall be filed no later than one year from the date the alleged violation occurred. (Education Code 49013, 52075; 5 CCR 4630)
• A complaint alleging unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) may be filed only by a person who alleges that he/she personally suffered the unlawful discrimination or by a person who believes that an individual or any specific class of individuals has been subjected to it. The complaint shall be initiated no later than six months from the date when the alleged unlawful discrimination occurred, or six months from the date when the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged unlawful discrimination. The time for filing may be extended for up to 90 days by the Superintendent or designee for good cause upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension. (5 CCR 4630)
• When a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) is filed anonymously, the compliance officer shall pursue an investigation or other response as appropriate, depending on the specificity and reliability of the information provided and the seriousness of the allegation.
• When the complainant or alleged victim of the unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) requests confidentiality, the compliance officer shall inform him/her that the request may limit the district’s ability to investigate the conduct or take other necessary action. When honoring a request for confidentiality, the district shall nevertheless take all reasonable steps to investigate and resolve/respond to the complaint consistent with the request.
• If a complainant is unable to put a complaint in writing due to conditions such as a disability or illiteracy, district staff shall assist him/her in the filing of the complaint. (5 CCR 4600)
• Making unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact on the individual’s academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. (Grades 4-12) [E.C. 48900.2]
• Committing an obscene act or engaging in habitual profanity or vulgarity [E.C. 48900(i)]
• These activities are also unlawful when perpetrated by any electronic means, such as social media posts and/or comments, emails, text messages, etc.

 

PROPERTY VIOLATION

• Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property or private property [E.C. 48900 (f)]
• Committing or attempting to commit robbery or extortion. [E.C. 48900(e)]
• Stealing or attempting to steal school or private property [E.C. 48900(g)]
• Knowingly receiving stolen school or private property [E.C. 48900(i)]

 

REBELLION

• Disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties [E.C. 48900(k)]

 

SEARCH AND SEIZURES

The state law provides school officials with wide latitude to search students. When an administrator has reasonable suspicion that a student may be in possession of a prohibited item, the student will be searched in accordance with the state law and Blochman School District’s policy

 

Any other grounds for suspension or expulsion will be pursued as provided in the California Education Code.

 

EVENTS/STUDENT LEADERSHIP

 

6TH-12TH Grade Events

All 6th-12th grade events will require Trivium’s standard for dress code and behavioral code to be met by all students. Every event will require parents to fill out the virtual permission slip form per student attending. Permission slips are posted on PACE (Trivium’s private facebook page) and on Canvas. PDA (Public Display of Affection) is not allowed between students even though it is an “older” kid event. Same rules apply that are at the Trivium ACE Days.

 

Permission Slips: Parents or guardians are required to have a virtual permission slip for each student in attendance. Students are required to stay the full duration of an event unless the parent speaks to Trivium’s Activities Coordinator prior to the event. This is required for all high school students even if they are already 18 years of age.

 

Event Behavior Policy: If a student were to misbehave and Trivium staff needed to call a parent for a student to be picked up, the student would be on probationary status for an assigned amount of future events decided by Trivium and based on the infraction. If there was a repeat issue or an additional offense then the student may not be able to attend future events. The Director of Operations, the Academic Director and/or Executive Director will make all final decisions based on each individual situation.

 

Dances/Casual Events/Themed Events

Music: Trivium requires all music to have “G/PG rated” music and we have a filter on our music streaming to not play any music with curse words. Trivium reserves the right to decide what is considered appropriate music.

 

Dancing: All dancing should be considered “G rated”. Trivium does not allow any form of “dirty dancing” among students. Trivium reserves the right to decide what is considered appropriate dancing.

 

Dress Code: The same dress code applies as Trivium ACE Days. Costumes for “themed” dances must be “fingertip length”, dress/skirts/shorts must be “fingertip length”, no cleavage showing, shoulders must be covered, closed toed shoes required. Trivium reserves the right to decide what is considered appropriate attire and we will ask students to cover up or call parents to come pick them up.

 

Prom/Formal student events

Prom is a 9th-12th grade only

Music: Trivium requires all music to have “G/PG rated” music and we have a filter on our music streaming to not play any music with curse words.

 

Dancing: All dancing should be considered “G rated”. Trivium does not allow any form of “dirty dancing” among students. We allow students to slow dance together as long as it is done appropriately and is “G-Rated”. Trivium reserves the right to decide what is considered appropriate dancing.

 

Dress Code: Students may wear strapless dresses as long as no cleavage is showing. Dresses must be at minimum “fingertip” length and should not show anything if a student were to bend over to pick up an item off the ground or when a student sits in a chair. Open toed high heeled shoes are allowed in a formal setting. Students wearing a suit/tux/button up shirt/tie must wear closed toe shoes. Trivium reserves the right to decide what is considered appropriate attire and we will ask students to cover up or call parents to come pick them up.

 

Permission Slips: Parents are required to have a virtual permission slip for each student in attendance. Students are required to stay the full duration of an event unless the parent speaks to Trivium’s Activities Coordinator prior to the event. This is required for all high school students even if they are already 18 years of age.

 

Whole School Events

All whole school events and our end of the year event require that Trivium’s dress code and behavior standards be followed by all in attendance. Our end of the year event does not offer child care. We ask that all students K-5th grade be accompanied by their parents. Students 6th-12th grade ages may attend events without being accompanied by a parent or guardian, but generally all whole school events/end of the year events have over 1,000 attendees so please make sure you are comfortable with your student being dropped off.

 

Holiday Parades

Trivium usually participates in Holiday Parades in the area. Trivium’s dress code and behavior standards are followed by all in attendance. Trivium does not provide child care for any students during the parades and we ask that all students K-5th grade be accompanied by their parents. Students 6th-12th grade ages may attend events without being accompanied by a parent or guardian, but please make sure you are comfortable with your student being dropped off. We will have at least one Trivium Staff member participating.

 

Student Leadership

Student Leadership is a great program/club for all 6th-12th graders. Student Leadership teaches leadership skills and lessons from various curriculum sources and content providers. Our focus is to teach students what it means to be a great and successful leader. Student leadership is also in charge of all 6th-12th grade event planning, set-up, and clean up to give them a real life experience to put what they learn into action.

 

CLOSING

Thank you for taking the time to read this handbook. At Trivium, we never want to lose sight of the fact that the most important component of our program is our partnership with you. We are dedicated to partnering with you, learning from you, listening to you, and providing your students with an exceptional place to learn.

 

I encourage you to get to know all of our staff and discover for yourself how excited they are to teach and serve your kids.

 

Once Again, Welcome!

 

Trivium Contact List:

Executive Director: Trisha Vais, tvais@triviumcharter.org 805-291-1303

Operations Director: Steve Kephart, skephart@triviumcharter.org

Academic Specialist: Ginelle Libby glibby@riviumcharter.org

Academic Specialist : Tasha Dockery tdockery@triviumcharter.org

Enrollment Coordinator: Josalin Vais, enrollment@triviumcharter.org 805-291-9110

 

Special Education Service Specialist: Annette Lawrence, alawrence@triviumcharter.org

 

Center Coordinators: (center phone #s listed further below)

Santa Barbara: Michelle Cederberg, mcederberg@triviumcharter.org

Lompoc: Cortney Lorca, clorca@triviumcharter.org

Santa Maria: Margie Ruiz, mruiz@triviumcharter.org

Arroyo Grande: Brooke Mulvey, bmulvey@triviumcharter.org

Atascadero: Sharon Redwine, sredwine@triviumcharter.org

 

Curriculum Advisors:

Santa Barbara: Jane Soto, jsoto@triviumcharter.org

Lompoc: Sarah Stacy, sstacy@triviumcharter.org

Santa Maria: Danielle Baker, dbaker@triviumcharter.org

Arroyo Grande: Jill Beyea, jbeyea@triviumcharter.org

Atascadero: Jill Beyea, jbeyea@triviumcharter.org

  Michelle Gaudi, mgaudi@triviumcharter.org

 

Learning Centers are staffed from 8:45 to 4:00 on ACE days.

Santa Barbara, Tuesday and Thursday 805-770-5796 / fax: 805-770-1658

Lompoc, Wednesday and Friday 805-819-0892 / fax: 805-819-0894

Santa Maria, Tuesday and Thursday 805-922-0800 / fax: 805-922-0808

Arroyo Grande, Wednesday and Friday, 805-489-7474 / fax: 805-489-7464

Atascadero, Tuesday and Thursday, 805-460-6056 / fax: 805-460-6056

Index

• Our Story
• Our Philosophy
• How it works 

General

Student Homework

Personalized Learning Curriculum

Parents’ Homework

Teacher’s Agendas

Non-ACE Day Program

• Academic Content

State Standards

Personalized Learning Plan

Curriculum Checks

Literature Books

Whole School Events

• Policies and Procedures

Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures

Absence and Tardy Policy

Campus Life

Personal Effects

Illness, Injury, and Medication

Policy Conflict Resolution

Mental Health Services

Grade Change Policy

Chronic Absenteeism Policy

Missed Meeting Policy

• Campus Behaviors and Policies

Discipline Policy

Removal from class

Unlawful behavior

• Closing