Academics

The school libraries housed within the School Corporation support and enrich the curriculum, students’ personal interests, and learning. Despite the careful selection of materials and the qualification of those involved in the selection process, objections to school library materials may occur.

A parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the Corporation or a community member who resides within the geographic boundaries of the Corporation (“Requester”) may submit a request to remove material from a school library on the grounds that the material is obscene or harmful to minors as those terms are defined by the Indiana criminal code: 

35-49-2-1 Obscene matter or performance

A matter or performance is obscene for purposes of this article if:

(1) the average person, applying contemporary community standards, finds that the dominant theme of the matter or performance, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex;

(2) the matter or performance depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct; and

(3) the matter or performance, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. 

35-49-2-2 Matter or performance harmful to minors

A matter or performance is harmful to minors for purposes of this article if:

(1) it describes or represents, in any form, nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sado-masochistic abuse;

(2) considered as a whole, it appeals to the prurient interest in sex of minors;

(3) it is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable matter for or performance before minors; and

(4) considered as a whole, it lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors. 

The Requester should first discuss the item of concern with the building principal. If the concern still exists after communicating with the administration, the Requester can make a request to remove the material by completing a Removal Request Form explaining why the requester believes the material is obscene or harmful to minors and submitting the same to Superintendent or designee.

A request for removal of school library material will be treated as a request to remove the material from all school libraries. Notwithstanding, material subject to a request for removal will be removed from circulation to allow the committee members to read the book. 

Upon receipt of a completed Removal Request Form the Superintendent will convene a review committee (“Committee”) to review the request for removal and the subject material. The Committee will include at a minimum: a district level administrator, a District Media Specialist, a teacher, a building level administrator, and a school employee who lives within the geographic boundaries of the Corporation (if not already fulfilled by another Committee member).

When considering the request for removal, all Committee members should fully review the material (read or view the entire work), so that the Committee may consider the material in its entirety. The Committee shall consider both whether the material subject to the request is obscene and whether it is harmful to minors, regardless of whether the request is based on just one or the other ground for removal. Upon completion of its review, usually within thirty (30) school days, the Committee will provide the Requester and the Board of School Trustees with a written recommendation.

If the Requester is not satisfied with the recommendation of the Committee, a written appeal may be made within ten (10) school days to the Board of School Trustees. The appeal should be sent to Superintendent or designee. The Board will review the recommendation and appeal at the next public meeting.

If the Requester submits no appeal, the Board will make its decision based on the recommendation of the Committee. The request for removal, Committee recommendation, and any appeal will be reviewed by the Board at the next public meeting following the recommendation.

The Corporation will not process requests regarding school library material previously subject to this procedure absent extenuating circumstances.

Adopted: December 11, 2023

References: IC 20-26-5.5 et seq.

IC 35-49-2-1 – Definition of “obscene”

IC 35-49-2-2 – Definition of “harmful to minors” 

Franklin Community High School offers the following AP courses:

• 2-D Art and Design
• Calculus AB
• Chemistry
• Drawing
• English Language and Composition
• English Literature and Composition
• Physics 1
• Research
• Seminar
• World History: Modern

For more information regarding Advanced Placement, go to the College Board Website:

LEARN MORE

Specific dyslexia screeners will be administered to 2nd Grade students in the fall (BOY), 1st Grade students in the winter (MOY), and to Kindergarten students in the spring (EOY).

Universal Screening 

A predictive measure that provides a snapshot of the student.  The dyslexia-specific screening will be administered to ALL K-2 students annually. The six components required by law to screen for dyslexia-like characteristics include: 

• Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
• Sound and Symbol Relationships
• Alphabet Knowledge
• Decoding Skills
• Rapid Naming Skills
• Encoding Skills

Students in grades 3+ will be screened on an as-needed basis, as determined by the classroom teacher based on the student’s need in the 6 components.

Level I Screener 

A screener administered to students who are deemed “At Risk” on the Universal Screener. The Level I screener gathers additional data through diagnostic measures that can be used for progress monitoring and to help decide on interventions.

Level II Screener 

A screener administered to students for additional information. Level II screeners are a battery of norm-referenced assessments that are considered both formal and diagnostic.

If screeners indicate the need for intervention services, the intervention may include: 

• Explicit direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the alphabetic principle that targets the specific needs of the student without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the student; 
• Individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of the student in a setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize student engagement; 
• Meaning-based instruction directed at purposeful reading and writing with an emphasis on comprehension and composition; 
• Instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of two or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and student practice; and 
• Other instructional approaches as determined appropriate by the RTI Team, Grade Level Team, and/or classroom teacher, including: Headsprout, Waterford, Read Naturally, 95% Group Intervention kit, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness

IDOE Family Literacy Guides

IDA Dyslexia Handbook: What Every Family Should Know   

https://dyslexiaida.org/

 www.wrightslaw.com

dyslexiahelp.umich.edu 

www.dyscalculia.org

www.dyslexia.yale.edu

PearsonClinical.com/dyslexia

Kindergarten

2019-2020 - N/A due to COVID-19
2020-2021 - 25
2021-2022 - 34
2022-2023 - 37
2023-2024 - 69

First Grade

Second Grade

This indicates the number of students who were identified as having characteristics of dyslexia based on the Dyslexia Screening Assessments and receiving reading interventions. Franklin Community Schools uses Orton Gillingham as its Dyslexia intervention program during the previous school year to support students with Dyslexia.   

Franklin Community Schools recognizes that some students perform at, or show the potential to perform at, an outstanding level of accomplishment in the core academic areas of language arts and mathematics. These students are found in all socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Franklin Community Schools recognizes the need to identify such students through systematic, ongoing procedures. The High Ability program provides a supportive learning climate that will enrich learning so students can maximize their academic potential and develop emotionally and socially in order to be contributing members of society.
 

"High ability student" means a student who:

1.  performs at or shows the potential for performing at an outstanding level of accomplishment in at least one of the following domains: general intellectual, reading/language arts, or math, when compared with other students of the same age, experience, or environment; and

2.  is characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests.

Identified programs, like FCS’ High Ability Program, are student-centered and focus on positively impacting students through innovative programming and activities that provide a high-quality learning environment and experience.  Franklin Community Schools’ High Ability Programming Promising Practice will be shared with educators across the state of Indiana as an example of best practices that are having a positive impact on Hoosier students.