We Are LNC! / Stakeholder Expectation Guide

STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATION GUIDE

Lake Norman Charter School strives to build a community where long-term relationships between students, teachers and parents enhance the learning process. We create an environment where each student is known well by his or her teachers and peers and is encouraged and challenged as an individual. Within our small, safe and friendly learning community, we expect standards of conduct appropriate both for an academic environment of high expectations and also to prepare our students for their future college of choice.

Beyond academics, we strive to promote emotional and physical health, help develop stellar character and instill the highest interpersonal values. We believe that Lake Norman Charter School is enhanced by the diversity of its students, teachers and parents and that our school is strengthened by embracing and encouraging each individual within our community.

We believe students learn best when they:

Feel safe;

Are known well and respected by their teachers and peers;

Are challenged by high expectations;

Receive assignments and homework that are challenging, relevant and grade- appropriate; and,

Are encouraged to pursue a healthy range of activities outside the classroom.

We believe educators teach best when they:

Are empowered and trusted;

Are respected and supported throughout the school community;

Have the opportunity to influence the curriculum;

Know and respect their students; and

Communicate and partner with parents.

We believe parents support the education and development of their student(s) best when they:

Model positive communication to their student(s);

Seek to resolve any school problems by working respectfully with school staff. Concerns and/or questions should be directed to the staff member most closely involved with the issue. If there is not a satisfactory resolution, parents should refer to LNC’s Parent/Student Appeal Policy as set forth in the Student Handbook for guidance on the proper channels to follow;

Help maintain the school’s appropriate authority and reputation with students and institutions outside of LNC by not making negative comments about LNC or school staff to their child(ren) or in the community, including on social media and Schoology;

Share the school’s mission to develop leaders who are eager to serve and instill the highest interpersonal values by participating in school activities and being active partners in the Charter community;

Enforce mandatory student attendance (i.e. not scheduling vacations during school days or during state testing and final exams);

Support the pursuit of academic excellence, allowing their student(s) to take personal responsibility for their work while encouraging them by regularly monitoring their performance through the use of Schoology;

Stay informed and engaged on school matters by joining their student’s “Class of” and school’s LNC2HSP, LNC2MSP and/or LNC2ESP Schoology groups and staying attentive to school communications such as emails and newsletters;

Support the school through the giving of time (Serve10) and participation in the school’s funding campaign;

Maintain open dialogue with staff and administration and refrain from unauthorized taping (video or audio) without express permission of the students/staff involved;

Ensure that their MS student and/or ES student is picked up no later than 4:00 pm each day from their respective campus out of regard for their safety; and

Devote their full attention to safe transport during the carpool process, including not utilizing cell phones and other devices that might distract attention and following all carpool procedures and rules as communicated in the LNC Carpool Maps and Procedures.

If a parent fails to comply with the expectations, depending on the severity of the issue, LNC reserves the right to invoke consequences for those involved which include but are not limited to: a meeting with the superintendent, loss of volunteer rights within the school or for field trips, limiting visitation on any or all campuses including during extracurricular events, loss of Schoology account/and or school social media privileges, or banning from any or all campuses. Additionally, LNC reserves the right to involve law enforcement and to cooperate with any legal investigation or prosecution.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR PARENTS CONCERNING ATTENDANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR:

Charter schools are funded in large part based on the number of students attending during the first 20 school days of the year. LNC’s funding is reduced for every day a student is absent (regardless of reason) during this period. For this reason, during the first 20 days of the school year, LNC will closely monitor absences and will require documentation excusing them (i.e. letter from medical provider, etc.). In past years, the school has faced decreased funding because students have not returned to school at the beginning of the year because of family vacations and for similar reasons. The Office of Charter Schools has clarified that a charter school may treat unexcused failures to attend as a withdrawal.

If a student (new or returning) fails to attend at any point during the first 20 days of school, LNCS reserves the right to treat the absence as a withdrawal and to offer the student’s enrollment slot immediately to a student on the waiting list.