Robbinsdale Area Schools
Elementary

Student Handbook

Cabinet's Letter to Families

Dear Robbinsdale Area Schools Family,
To ensure the best possible education for our students, we all need to be aware of the rights and responsibilities we share: as students, family members, and staff. This Handbook provides details on these rights and responsibilities, and I ask you to give it your attention.

Our district places the highest possible priority on keeping students and staff members safe in our buildings. To do this, we count on everyone in our schools to do three important things:
1. Be safe
2. Be engaged
3. Be responsible

From time to time these core values are not observed. Staff members take a variety of actions in these cases, depending on what has taken place. Our goal is not to punish but to teach, and our responses are geared toward correcting negative behaviors in a way that keep them from recurring.

When all of us work together, our schools are lively and joyful places.

Thank you for reading this document. Let’s make it a safe and happy year.

Sincerely,

Marti Voight
Amy O’Hern
Toya Stewart Downey
John Groenke
Anthony Williams
Alissa Pier

2023-24 Student Handbook
Rights and Responsibilities

One student is reading while another student works on their laptop in the classroom
A student works on classwork near a computer
A student practices the cello

Safe and Civil Schools Statement

Robbinsdale Area Schools recognizes the importance of supporting a positive school climate and culture, and providing supports to students and staff across the district. We have adopted Safe and Civil Schools as the framework for enhancing learning and engagement across all school settings. The goal of Safe and Civil Schools is to support teachers and school staff to create workable, effective solutions to problem behaviors at school. In addition to the district-wide Handbook, each school has developed school-wide expectations/behavior plans, and licensed teachers have their own classroom management and discipline plan(s) aligned with the philosophy of Safe and Civil Schools. This plan includes strategies for teaching and encouraging expected behaviors. Each teacher communicates their plan to parents/guardians and students - including strategies for teaching and reinforcing behavior and strategies for providing consequences for both positive and negative behavior.

Shared Responsibilities

Increasing Safety, Engagement and Responsibility

The safety and security of all students are our highest priorities, and we are committed to providing an enriching learning environment. Our intention is to provide positive, corrective instruction to students who fail to meet behavioral expectations. To ensure a positive learning environment, students, parents and guardians, and Robbinsdale Area Schools all have important roles to play.

High school students work on a project together.
students sitting at desks
Elementary students in their classroom

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a framework for helping all learners succeed by matching interventions, instruction and assessment to their personalized needs. MTSS includes social and emotional learning (SEL) and academic instruction and supports.

Goals for the Student Handbook

At Robbinsdale Area Schools, our goal is to create a safe and supportive climate and culture for all of our students. Each year, the School Board of Robbinsdale Area Schools adopts a Student Handbook to provide guidelines for the teaching and implementation of expected behaviors.

Students must follow the handbook before, during and after school while inside school buildings, on school grounds, and at school-related activities and events. Students also must follow these rules while traveling in Robbinsdale Area Schools vehicles.

When misbehavior involves communication, gestures or expressive behavior, the infraction applies to oral, written or electronic communications, including but not limited to texting, emailing and social networking.

FAIR Crystal Student Council
Students make silly faces during lunch
An elementary teacher works with a student one-on-one

Levels of Corrective Strategies

Additional Expectations and Guidelines

Support Options

State Testing

Statewide tets, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments MCAs) and Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) help school districts measure student progress toward Minnesota’s reading, math, and science academic standards and meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The ACCESS for ELLs and WIDA Alternate ACCESS are English language proficiency tests used to meet federal and state legislative requirements. These assessments are used to monitor English learners’ progress as they develop academic language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

PLEASE NOTE: Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment scores are used in determining course placement at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. A student’s MCA score could save families significant money by demonstrating that students do not need to take non-credit-bearing courses. For more information, please visit MDE’s website.
 

Student Family Use Agreement

Digital Devices
The digital device provided to students is a Chromebook or an iPad. Internet access is needed for most student work to be saved and shared. If your student does not have internet access, please contact their school for information on low-cost internet options for your family. Various locations in the community also provide free wireless Internet, including public libraries. Media centers have a limited number of hotspots (mobile internet Wi-Fi devices).

Digital devices and accessories are the property of Robbinsdale Area Schools and must be returned to Robbinsdale Area Schools. Fees will be assessed for negligent damage or a lost device, charger, or case. Devices and accessories not returned on the date of student withdrawal from school will be reported as stolen to the local police department.
More information can be found in the Family and Student Technology Handbook.

Additional Resources