Handbook+Comments.

This space is for parent and family comments on the handbook. Have at it!

What do you like? What is unclear? Any typos/proof errors? General thoughts on it??

The handbook is a very impressive document - comprehensive, well written & edited, and an invaluable guide for both new families and those who have had children in the school for a long time. Therefore, my comments are for the most part minor in nature: 1. Page 2 - Where is the letter from the principal? 2. Page 3 - About Us/Our History/next to the last sentence: This is the first time the name "The Renaissance Charter School" is mentioned in the handbook. Thereafter it is referred to as "TRCS." To avoid any confusion and to conform to the writing style used when the first mention is made of other structures, such as the CSG, the acronym "TRCS" should be enclosed in parenthesis. 3. Page 4 - Left column/line 25: This is the first mention of the Charter. I'm not positive, but I don't think the handbook ever explains what the Charter is. Just a couple of sentences would do. Also, I don't think there is any mention of the Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP), which is the primary mandate of the CSG. 4. Page 5 - Right column/CSG/line 4: "The CSG is composed of..." There is also a pedagogical teacher rep (currently vacant), an ISS teacher rep and ISS parent rep, and two at-large parent reps. 5. Page 6 - left colum/third line from top: students are also welcomed and encouraged to attend CSG meetings. 6. Page 6 - left column/fifth line from top: What is a Chief Learning Officer (CLO)? This is very confusing. Let's just stick with the title of Principal. CLO has a corporate sound to it. 7. Page 7 - left column/fourth line from top: It is stated that students participate in advisories. I thought these were discontinued. 8. Page 7 - right column/second paragraph/last line: I have never seen or heard of the High School Student Handbook. 9. Page 12 - left column/second sentence from the top: This sentence seems to suggest that the transit police are traveling to and from school, instead of the students. 10. Page 12 - right column/contacting staff: The automated phone system does not provde voice mail for all staff members. Some, possibly many, staff members have not set-up or activated their voice mail. 11. Page 18 - right column/management team: another use of the term "chief learning officer." This has no meaning to parents. Monte should be referred to as the "principal." 12. Page 19 - first line: a contradiction, for here Monte is called the principal. Are there two Monte Joffees? 13. Page 20 - Fundraisng: As far as I know The Staff Appreciation Luncheon does not raise money for the school. 14. Page 22 - Many school holidays have been left off, for example the Jewish holidys in October, the day after Thanksgiving, President's Day, Good Friday, and Brooklyn-Queens Day. Also, the first day and last day of school should be listed.