Raytown Quality Schools Website: https://www.raytownschools.org

District Office………………………………………………….………………..816-268-7000
Main Office ………..….....……..….…………………………..………….……816-268-7240
Fax number ………….……….....…..………………………………………….816-268-7245
Principal……………………..….........………………………………………….……Lori Kang
Assistant Principal ……….….…….…………………………………………... Brandy Burke
Behavior Interventionist…………………………………………………………….Nic Asbury
Counselor………………..……………………………….……………….Jennifer Hammonds
School Nurse………….…...……………………………………………..…Kimberly Rowlette
Social Worker……………………………………………………..……………Amanda Tucker

ATTENDANCE
Every Minute Counts!
 

It is a district expectation that 90% of the students at Connection Academy attend 90% of the
time.

The school social worker will call each day a student is absent unless the parent has notified
us in advance. Parents are to call the school by 8:45 a.m. if their child will not attend or
be late on any given day. The number to call is 816-268-7240.

Parents must accompany students who are late into the building to check the student in at the
front office. The office will notify the social worker of a late student and the social worker will
then come to the office to escort the student to the classroom.

Research shows that if a student misses five days, he or she is considered at risk. Students
who miss 20 days of school in an academic year have a one-in-five chance of graduating from
school. That means they have an 80% chance of dropping out.

Please help us have a great attendance percentage by getting your child to school on time
each school day.

Important School Information

School Hours
Connections Academy School hours are 8:30 AM–3:40 PM.
Wednesday's schedule is 8:30 AM–2:15 PM.
Half Day schedule is 8:30 AM–11:50 AM.

Emergency Procedures
Students will be practicing safety procedures, which includes intruder, fire, and severe
weather drills. In the event that students should need to be sent home because of a
natural disaster, please develop a plan for your child to follow, i.e. should school be
released early because of snow or ice. Make sure your child knows where h/she is to
be safe.

Enrollment
All students that attend Connections Academy will enroll at their designated
neighborhood school first. The neighborhood school or district administration will make
a referral to Connections Academy for placement.

Ancillary Services
Students who receive speech, physical or occupational therapy, or other ancillary
services will be offered their services while attending Connections Academy.

Cell phones
Students are not allowed to use personal electronic devices at school, including smart
watches. If students bring personal electronic devices to school, their parent/guardian
will need to retrieve the device from the office.

Escorts
Connections Academy students will be escorted by an adult during any transition time
while attending school (i.e. bathroom, taking a walk, to the focus room, nurse). This will
provide structure and a safe environment for the student and school.

Behavior Intervention Support
 

Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)

● The goal of behavior management is to assist students in developing autonomy.
This requires that students learn to control their own behavior. This includes
situations when students are angry, frightened, or in another emotionally
heightened state which may lead to aggressive behavior where safety is a
concern.
● Staff will receive CPI training annually. Physical intervention will be used with
students only if there is imminent danger to themselves or others.
● More information is available from the Connections Academy Administrator or the
Director of Student Support Services at the district office.

Other Behavior Interventions and Supports
Students will be escorted to the booth if they are engaging in behaviors that threaten the safety of themselves or others (upon parent permission).

Connections Academy Student Success Center at Norfleet

Level Systems

There are five major skills students will focus on daily in order to be successful. Those include: self-regulation, motivation, critical thinking, adaptability, citizenship, and academics. At Connections Academy, we will all focus on these goals gradually. We want students to feel successful while continuing to work on increasing their awareness of feelings and behaviors through building skills and positive reinforcement. Goals will be added as the students move up in levels. Each level will require consistency by the students and will be monitored daily with them.

Matrix:
 

Every Student, Every Adult, Every Day!

 

Additional Leveled System Information

Repeating days at current level:
Students will remain at the same level and day until they can show consistency in their performance. Students'  levels are reviewed in CARE Team meetings and any adjustments to reinforcements can be discussed for those students who might be having difficulty.

Levels for a new school year:
All students will start the year at bronze level in order to review building expectations, learn schedules, and set their new goals. New students that come during the year will also have a one week practice to review expectations, schedules, and set goals. Students who are in the middle of transitioning back to traditional classrooms or neighborhood schools will be assessed on a case by case basis in order to determine where they should start.

Connections Cash/Noble Knights:
Connections Cash/Noble Knights can be awarded by any staff member within the school. The students earn their cash for progress toward goals, good behavior,
showing extra effort with learning academics/skills, and staying calm while others are not. Staff may choose to prioritize staying calm and give double (triple) cash to students. Connections Cash and Noble Knights can be earned in all areas of the day.

Additional Connections Cash for having NO MAJORS for an entire week.
Bronze +5
Silver +10
Gold +15
Diamond +20
Platinum +25

Additional Connections Cash for Attendance.
5 bucks per day of attendance at school that week.

Bonus Cash - Students can earn additional cash while in the moment for (appropriate
behavior) being successful in an area.
Example:
1. I can be okay, even if others are not okay.
2. I can do something, even if I don’t want to (or if it’s hard).
3. I can make good choices, even if I am mad.

On Friday of every week, students will have an opportunity to visit the school store and make “purchases” with their Connections Cash/Noble Knights.

Bus Bucks - Students earn bus bucks for a successful ride to and from school.

Connections Academy Reintegration Process
The goal of Connections Academy is for students to reintegrate back to their neighborhood schools. The timeline will vary based on the student’s needs and
progress. Once the student has successfully reached their Connections Academy goals for a sustained period of time, we will reach out to you about a reintegration planning meeting.

For more information or questions about the level system and/or reintegration process, please contact Dr. Burke.