This handbook assumes that the reader has already read and understood the policies of the CRICS School Handbook. Please read the CRICS School handbook before reading this CRICS Teacher Handbook.
Vision and Mission, Philosophy, Statement of Faith, Lifestyle of Teachers, Non-discrimination Statement, Core Values, and Expected School-wide Learning Results can be found in the CRICS School Handbook.
| Curriculum Flow Chart | See the Academic Flow Chart |
| Work Flow Chart | See the Work Flow Chart |
| Leadership Flow Chart | See the Leadership Flow Chart |
| Teacher Job Description | See the General Teacher Job Description |
The following holidays are generally observed, but the ELT may make changes annually depending on the local situation. All holidays are marked clearly in the CRICS Calendar (Google Calendar) which is on our crics.asia website in the CRICS Portal.
Thai Holidays that are Celebrated at School
| Mothers' Day |
| Rama 9 Memorial Day |
| Chulalongkorn Memorial Day |
| Fathers' Day |
| Constitution Day |
| New Year |
| Chakri Day |
| Songkran Day |
| Coronation Day |
| Queen’s Birthday |
| King’s Birthday |
| Labor Day |
Other Holidays
| Christmas | The emphasis of this holiday should be on Jesus’ birth |
| Easter | The emphasis of this holiday should be on Jesus’ resurrection |
Our ACSI accreditation requires that all teachers complete a course in Christian Philosophy of Education, and CRICS also holds a high value in this professional development. If you are not certain of your CPoE standing, then please contact your principal to ensure that you complete the requirements in a timely manner.
In order to maintain safe, consistent supervision of CRICS students, paid staff and volunteers may be assigned extra supervisory duties before, during, and immediately after the school day and at extracurricular events. Staff members are expected to fulfill all assigned supervisory duties. If a teacher or staff member is unable to fulfill his/her duties, a substitute must be found and suggested to the principal.
Volunteers who obtain their visas from CRICS are expected to attend all grade-level appropriate assemblies, Tuesday morning chapel, and special activities during the regular school day unless excused by the Principal. Attendance at after school student assemblies and activities is strongly encouraged but optional for those without assigned duties.
Official School Events will be consistent with the CRICS vision, mission, value, and schoolwide results.
Approved activities will be designed to
Activities must be approved in advance. The following protocol is to be used for approval of activities or events on the CRICS calendar, and in carrying out events and activities:
Any time students are taken off campus for any school related activity (e.g. field trip, sporting event, mission trip, etc.), a copy of the student’s emergency medical form and contact numbers must be taken along with a field trip medical kit. These are available in the office.
For related information, See Field Trips.
A field trip is defined as any activity that occurs off-campus and is related to subject matter taught in class. Every class is expected to do a field trip sometime in the year and there is a provided budget for this. Please ask our Chief Business Officer about you budget allotments and check the Grade Level Requirements doc for updated information on field trips that are scheduled for your grade level(s).
According to Thai law, field trips must be approved by the Local Education Administration office. Accordingly at least 15 days in advance, the staff person in charge of the trip will complete the Off-Campus Activity Form and return it to the designated Thai staff. Do not worry if the dates and details of the trip change- just complete the form ahead of time as completely as possible, including the names of students involved. Contact your principal for the proper contact person to register our trips with the Thai Ministry of Education. Please use the Field Trip Checklist Form
Personal and professional growth is an important part of stewarding the gifts God has given us and ensuring the provision of a biblically-based, quality education for the students at CRICS. The goal of supervision and professional development is to help staff members grow and improve throughout their time of service at CRICS so that student learning will be enhanced.
Supervision should be focused on supporting and empowering personnel in ways that enable them to fulfill their roles effectively, thus helping the entire organization. Supervision in an educational setting includes effectiveness and professionalism. The main focus of supervision should be to evaluate and help improve staff effectiveness. For instructional staff this means considering the quality of instruction and the learning environment in which it occurs. For non-instructional staff it means considering the quality of their work and the working environment they help to create. Staff effectiveness can be ascertained through many methods including direct observation and feedback, self-reflection, collegial discussions of practice and observations, and improvements in student learning and the operation of the school. Professionalism is the secondary focus of supervision, which includes compliance with organizational expectations (i.e., timeliness, absences, following policies & procedures, appearance, conduct, etc.), maintaining appropriate qualifications, and quality of interpersonal relationships within the organization (with students, colleagues, administrators, support personnel, parents, and board and community members).
Supervision should not occur in a vacuum; supervisors should interact with their staff members throughout the process. This is why, at CRICS, supervision is connected to professional development. As administrators discuss areas of strength and areas for growth with individual staff members, those areas should then relate to the professional development plan for the individual staff member. Supervision at CRICS should help staff members grow by supporting and teaching them to become highly skilled and competent by addressing effectiveness and professionalism.
Professional development is not only a program but a mindset or philosophy that values lifelong learning and continuous growth and development. Professional development involves learning experiences to help staff members grow in professional knowledge, skills, and understanding, by enhancing and expanding where one is currently, with the ultimate goal to improve student learning and the school’s effectiveness through educator and support staff growth. Professional development should be in coordination with supervision so that administrators work with staff members to help them grow and improve.
The following two key factors should be considered when planning professional development:
With each professional development decision, the following questions will be considered:
Program Evaluation
Program evaluation is an integral part of professional development. This can be accomplished through pre- and post-assessments of teacher understanding, observations focused on growth in professional development areas, review of curriculum mapping, data analysis of school-based and standardized test results, etc.
Professional Growth Incentive Funds
CRICS also supports professional development by providing funds for teachers to help with the cost of graduate coursework, conferences, workshops, etc. Additional information and the application form are available in the Application for Professional Growth Incentive.
New Staff Procedures & Orientation
When new staff members arrive, a designated school staff member will typically meet them at the airport. The school's primary responsibility will be orientation to the school, although orientation to Thailand and Chiang Rai may also be included if not provided by the sending organization.
New staff orientation typically includes the following:
Monthly Faculty Meetings
All full-time instructional staff are expected to attend faculty meetings, which are typically held on the first Wednesday of the month during lunch. Faculty meetings include announcements regarding logistics, upcoming events, and celebrating a few staff members who exemplify specific ESLRs.
Monthly Elementary School Meetings
The elementary school includes all students, instructional staff, and classroom aides for grades K-6. Elementary meetings include various topics including curriculum review, growth of students, logistics for upcoming events, department improvement, etc. Elementary department meetings are also a time for the elementary team to connect on areas for growth within the department. Each year, the department will choose a topic to study further in order to grow together as a team.
Monthly Department Meetings
The secondary school (grades 7-12) is grouped into departments by subject area. Each department head schedules monthly meetings with their teachers to discuss various topics such as curriculum review, department improvement, etc.
Semester Secondary Grade Level Meetings (7-12)
Individual grade level meetings occur once a semester where all teachers for students in that grade meet to discuss the overall growth and well-being of those students. Discussions about students are not intended as times to gossip or complain but to collaborate on how to help students: to determine if students struggle across various subject areas, to share effective methods teachers have found for helping those students, to plan intervention steps, etc.
Monthly Late Start Professional Development Meetings
Late starts are scheduled about once per month for one hour; the school day for the students starts one hour later than normal. Full- and part-time staff are expected to attend. On these days teachers meet from 7:45-8:45am to learn together on a specific focus chosen for the school year. School leadership organizes and leads these meetings. Topics have included differentiation, professional learning communities, integration of ESLRs into the curriculum, biblical integration, assessment, and critical thinking. Snacks are also provided for the staff.
Quarterly Staff In-service
In-service days are scheduled once per quarter. Full- and part-time staff are expected to attend. Various topics are included as well as time for team building, collaboration, self-care, and classroom work time. Topics may include the following: accreditation, child safety, curriculum development, data analysis, technology tools and integration, prayer and worship, or self-care. Snacks and lunch are provided for the staff.
The following topics must be included annually: child safety (orientation), elementary instructional aid training (orientation), third culture kids (March), differentiated instruction, biblical integration, and data analysis.
Personal Professional Development Goals
Each year during orientation, CRICS teachers develop 2-3 professional goals. These goals can be related to the professional development focus of the current school year, further education, or other activities related to teachers’ professional growth. These goals are reviewed each semester as the teachers engage in different forms of observation.
ACSI Christian Philosophy of Education
All part-time and full-time instructional staff at CRICS are required to complete the ACSI Christian Philosophy of Education requirements by the end of their third year at CRICS. One staff member coordinates and monitors this process and provides support as teachers complete the products. The school provides the required books and videos for teachers to use.
Observations & Walk-throughs
It is important to develop a school culture that encourages observations by both peers and supervisors. In addition, allowing time for feedback and reflection can bring opportunities for professional growth - both for the observer and the one being observed. During classroom observations a full lesson is observed. Walk-throughs are shorter (3-5 minute) observations. Observations not only help the teacher to grow but also can inform the need for future professional development topics.
In order to promote excellent education and accountability, CRICS conducts formal and peer classroom observations. Once per school year a member of the educational leadership team or a department head conducts an announced, formal classroom observation. A specific form is used for each staff member and a follow-up conference occurs within a week of the observation. The administrator and teacher both sign the observation form, with one copy stored electronically by the school and one provided for the teacher if desired. At least once a school year peer observations are conducted among teachers. Leadership provides the observation form, and department heads coordinate the peer observations.
The observer should sit in the back of the room or in a non-distracting location. Teachers should conduct the class period as they usually would. The observer will schedule a follow-up meeting within a week of the observation. Following the formal observation, the follow-up meeting is a time for the administrator to review the observation, discuss questions or concerns with the teacher, and check in with how the teacher is doing (both in professional responsibilities as well as in maintaining balance in life with church, family, friends, etc.). Before concluding the meeting, the administrator and teacher will each sign the form. Following the peer observation, the follow-up meeting is a time for colleagues to discuss strengths and areas for growth noted during the observation and to share how they have learned from each other.
End of Year Self-Assessment and Evaluation
At the end of the school year, each staff member completes a self-assessment of his/her performance. The staff member’s principal reviews the form and meets with each staff member as needed to discuss areas for improvement and success. Administrators are reviewed by their supervisor using a performance evaluation sheet. Copies are kept on file in Google drive.
Lunch is provided for all CRICS teachers each day at no cost to the teacher.
Teachers and administrators can request funds up to 10,000 baht for full-time employees and 5,000 baht for 20-hour employees. Funds from the Professional Growth Incentive may be used to cover conference fees, training fees, travel expenses, hotel expenses, other expenses related to participation in the professional development opportunity, or Thai language lessons. Please review Application for Professional Growth Incentive for additional information about the policy, process, and the application.
Staff members may use a personal computer on campus, but the IT department cannot usually provide support for those devices. Teachers may also qualify for the Computer Incentive Program if they use their own personal computer for all CRICS-related work.
The Leadership Team is responsible to make sure the calendar is prepared to include beginning and ending dates for each term, school holidays, and dates of significant school activities. To avoid conflicts, the master calendar will be consulted before other activities are scheduled. The master calendar is available in the CRICS Portal. Events are put on the calendar by the administrative assistant as directed by the principals. It will be the responsibility of each administrator to consult with other administrators before recommending calendar changes to the principal.
Mandatory faculty lunch meetings, late start professional development meetings, and departmental meetings are scheduled approximately monthly. Do not schedule personal appointments, school activities, or events that will interfere with these meetings.
Each volunteer and paid staff member and teacher is allotted 30 sick days per year. If it is over 2 consecutive days, the staff member or teacher must have a doctor's letter. Sick days are not to be used as personal leave days
Medical and dental appointments should normally be scheduled after school hours or on weekends; if time must be taken off for one of these, it is sick leave. Sometimes just a half-day is enough for an urgent medical appointment.
Where possible, absences for sicknesses should be notified to the appropriate supervisor as soon as possible before the expected sick day so that substitutes can be arranged.
Teachers should make every effort to arrange for their own substitutes and ensure that sufficient guidance is given so that disruption to teaching programs is minimal. Please contact your principal as soon as possible and they will work to assist the teacher in finding a substitute if necessary.
Paid staff and volunteers are allowed up to 10 working days of funeral leave without the loss of pay or benefits when a death occurs in the immediate family. Immediate family in this case is defined as spouse, father, mother, sister, brother, child, guardian or a legal guardian.. Volunteers must arrange funeral leave with their Principal who will communicate with the head of school .
Paid Staff or Teacher Mothers
In the case of a new birth where the mother is a paid staff member who intends to continue working for CRICS and is the primary caregiver to the newborn, the mother may take 45 days calendars of paid leave (including weekends) and may choose to take up to another 45 days of unpaid leave without losing their regular bonus at the end of the school year.
Volunteer Teacher or Staff Mothers
In the case of a new birth where the mother is a volunteer teacher or staff member who intends to continue working for CRICS and is the primary caregiver to the newborn, the mother may take 90 calendar days of leave (including weekends).
Definition of maternity leave days:
The head of school may also grant additional leave to Volunteers upon request.
Paid Teacher of Staff
In the case of a new birth where the father is a paid staff member, the father may take 5 days of paid leave from work and may choose to take up to another 5 days of personal leave (See Personal Leave section above). Paternity days must be taken within 3 months of the birth of the child and be taken for the purpose of caring for the child and mother.
The head of school may also grant additional leave to Volunteers upon request.
In the case of an adoption where the volunteer or paid staff member intends to continue working for CRICS and is the primary care-giver to the newly adopted child, 10 continuous calendar days (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) paid leave will be granted to begin at the day of the ‘new arrival’ coming into the home,
In the situation where both parents work at CRICS, this leave is granted for one CRICS volunteer or employee only. The other employee/parent may request 5 leave days in addition to the 5 personal leave days available to all CRICS Paid Staff or 10 days (including non-school days) following the new birth for volunteer staff.
The head of school may also grant additional leave to Volunteers upon request.
In the case of an adoption, there must be intention and documentation for permanent adoption. In the case where more than one child is being adopted at the same time, the leave periods remain the same as above.
Teachers are eligible for a sabbatical leave every 3-5 years.
Custodians will clean desks, sweep and mop floors, clean windows and dust your classrooms and as needed. Other furniture will be dusted if it is clear of clutter.
Custodians will not take care of classroom pets in any way during the school year or during school breaks, wash or remove dishes from the classrooms (please return dishes to the cafeteria immediately), or take care or water any of the plants that you have in the classroom.
If you need repairs, then please notify your principal and the maintenance staff at maintenance@crics.asia.
Keys may be issued upon the relevant supervisor’s approval for staff members who use that room on a regular basis. No keys are to be duplicated without permission.
Staff leaving CRICS permanently should bring all keys to the office on their last day at CRICS. Office staff will sign off for the keys in the Key Register and assume responsibility for them. Keys should not be passed on to anyone else.
Generally, classrooms and buildings will be locked at 5 pm. Staff leaving after this time are responsible for ensuring that doors and windows are shut and locked and air conditioners and lights are switched off. Staff who unlock doors are responsible for their re-locking.
At times it may be necessary for a staff member to obtain the services of one of the Thai staff members for translation. Please try to schedule these times in advance. When that is not possible, please work through the office assistant to determine the best person for the job at the time.
Limitations
If you would like to have additional help in your classroom (someone to print, grade, etc), then talk to the Admin Assistant to see if there is any available help.
CRICS uses Curriculum Trak to house our curriculum; the curriculum shared drive also houses related materials such as lesson plans and various printables. All CRICS teachers are expected to use the officially adopted standards and curriculum as outlined in the Curriculum Trak curriculum maps. Although the curriculum may be adapted and improved by teachers, the foundational elements of the curriculum (scope & sequence, standards & benchmarks, knowledge & skills, official textbooks, etc…) may not be changed without a proper curriculum review process and administrative approval. Concerns or questions about the currently adopted curriculum should be directed to the curriculum director.
Please contact your supervisor as soon as possible to ask for a conversation about your planned absence. Your absence can have a dramatic effect on our faculty and service to families, and it is a matter of community care and professionalism that we communicate well and work together to make absences respectful for everyone involved. Any planned absences must be approved by your supervisor for professionalism and planning purposes.
In the event of an unplanned absence, please notify your supervisor as soon as possible so they can begin to make arrangements for your absence. Timing is critical here. Of course, there is understanding and grace for extreme circumstances or emergency situations that prevent you from communicating early. Your early communication of every form of absence from duties Is a gift of enduring excellence and community care to our faculty and students.
We will all have the opportunity to sub at some point during the school year. Thank you ahead of time for helping your colleagues in times of need.
All teachers are expected to record lesson plans in a systematic manner. These lesson plans need to be shared with your department head.
Homework is to be assigned to aid in the development of the individual study skills, support classroom learning, and to promote extended learning. It should not be used to introduce new material that requires teacher direction, as punishment, as a way to complete the textbook, or for busywork. At times, teachers may enlist the help of parents to guide in the homework. Homework assignments should total an equivalent of approximately 10 minutes per grade (see list below). Although some courses are such that a slightly longer period of time may be required each night to complete assignments.
| Grade 1 | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Grade 2 | 20 minutes |
| Grade 3 | 30 minutes |
| Grade 4 | 40 minutes |
| Grade 5 | 50 minutes |
| Grade 6 | 60 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 7 | 70 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 8 | 80 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 9 | 90 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 10 | 100 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 11 | 110 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
| Grade 12 | 120 minutes (all classes combined: 40% LA; 15% MA, SC, SS; 15% others) |
Other than reading assignments, short-term required homework is not to be given over calendared vacation times which are two school days or longer (i.e. - Christmas Break, Spring Break, etc.). However, It is a good time for the students to work on make-up and/or long-term projects. It is wise to remind students of incomplete work before these vacation times.
To protect and respect our families, please observe the following expectations in all communication efforts.
Elementary teachers are expected to communicate with parents through Registration Day Open classroom greetings, open house conferences, report cards with notes, a parent-teacher conference at the end of the first quarter, and other opportunities suggested by the elementary principal. Many teachers create messaging accounts, like Class Dojo, or use DOT books to communicate with parents more frequently.
Secondary teachers are expected to communicate with parents through Orientation Day greetings, Open House night presentations, report cards with comments, emails to parents, and other opportunities suggested by the secondary principal.
Student planners are required for students in grades 6-10, and teachers are responsible to ensure that assignments are written down during each class period such that they can be checked and understood by parents at home. This check should include a regular grade for the correct completion of the student planner for student accountability.
Every grade and department is given a certain amount of baht for teachers to spend on class resources. Please keep your receipts and take them to the accounting office, fill out the appropriate form, have it signed by your department head or principal, and then hand it in.
Inside the classroom, please decorate your room thoroughly to create a welcoming space for learning; however, strictly minimize the use of adhesives on classroom walls and do not use adhesives at all on outside, or public, walls. Please do not hang things on the wall with tape. Sticky Tack works well, and nails may be used with principal approval first. Bulletin boards and other designated post areas can be used with approval as well.
It is the responsibility of each teacher to maintain a classroom that is safe and conducive to learning for all children believing that this type of classroom environment coupled with excellent and caring education from a biblical worldview will give students the greatest opportunity to be transformed into the image of Jesus and to live out his love for God and for others (Romans 12:2, John 13:34, Eph 5:2).
For an overview of foundational philosophy of proactive and reactive student management as taught at CRICS, then read the following major documents:
The teacher must know where all of their students are at all times and never allow them to be unsupervised. Staff members are responsible for discipline in their classrooms and throughout the campus. This disciplinary responsibility also includes all school activities. Staff members will use approved discipline techniques. When a staff member is unable to solve a continuing problem, the teacher should contact the Principal. All such actions are to be documented.
The following are general guidelines for each classroom
God has a plan for each student’s life that requires physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development. Teachers play a key role in this process, as they lovingly support, guide, and encourage students. As teachers clearly lay out the expectations they have for their students, the student will have tangible guidelines to work within. Students will be encouraged to strive for excellence, as they see the tangible ways that they can shape and prepare for the future God has for them.
The CRICS staff are expected to demonstrate care at all times for students by dealing with them in a manner that will enhance students’ confidence and feelings of self-worth as both those made in the image of God and also not without sin or yet perfect (Genesis 1:26-27, Phil 3:12). Students are not to be disciplined or scolded in front of other students in a demeaning manner. When punitive actions are necessary, or sensitive topics need to be discussed, it should be done privately without other students present. If this level of redirection is not sufficient to begin a process of transformation, then draw in parents and principals to develop a new plan to support the student in prayer, discussion, and action to produce inner transformation of the mind and conscience (Romans 12:2, Romans 2:14-15, Hebrews 10:22) and outer behavioral change.
Within the classroom, a teacher may follow their individually-approved classroom management plan, or follow the standard management plans set forth below. (Individualized plans are approved by the principal.) The plan should include consequences for violations of classroom rules. When a teacher has followed their classroom management plan (warned the student, moved the student, conferenced with the student, conferenced with the parent, etc. - in the model of evidence and escalation in Matthew 18:15-20) and the student is still violating classroom rules/standards of behavior then the student should be referred to the principal. Parents should be kept informed of disciplinary situations that may lead to withholding of privileges, detention, etc. Updates on recurring disciplinary issues should be emailed to the principal with a clear explanation of the situation regularly. The principal will note the report as a part of the student’s behavioral record. The administrator will follow-up with the teacher on what actions were taken in assisting the student.
When an elementary student does not follow a teacher’s instruction or a school rule, a warning is given. If a student continues to break a rule, a consequence appropriate to the offense is given (putting head on desk, extra assignment, sitting out time during recess, etc.). If the behavior continues after the consequence, the student will be asked to sit in the principal’s office for the remainder of class with a note sent home to parents as well as copied for the child’s office file.
Evaluations are an important component of keeping staff volunteers content and productive, and to help the school continue to improve as it fulfills its mission according to its values. Annual evaluations of all staff and all volunteers will be conducted by each person’s supervisor and job descriptions will be re-evaluated. In addition each teacher will be observed formally at least once a year. Informal drop-in observations will be ongoing. If time permits, evaluations will take place more frequently. This evaluation process is also important with respect to renewal of contracts and possible promotions and pay raises.
FACTS is a learning management database that tracks grades and student/family information. Your department head or mentor teacher should be your first help to support your use of FACTS, and the administrative assistant in the main office is your first contact for help with Sycamore.
To see how to use FACTS see Using FACTS
FACTS grades should be updated once per week for full-time classes.
FACTS is our school management software. https://renweb1.renweb.com/renweb1/
District Code: CR-THA
Enter Grades
Set up the weight of grades
Report Cards
Entering Comments
Entering Attribute Grading
Teachers should use a variety of assessment materials, including tests, classwork, creative projects, and presentations.
Although teachers may determine their grades in a variety of ways, their system is to be clear, concise, current, and based on objective criteria rather than subjectivity.
Some subjects, such as language arts do, however, require a level of subjectivity when students do creative projects such as writing. Given the school value for critical thinking and holistic health, confining classroom grades to objective tests is not appropriate. The preparation of a detailed rubric given in advance helps to set clear parameters for these tasks. It is absolutely necessary that grades are able to be justified should students, parents, and/or principals request an explanation.
Students’ grades are reported formally four times per year with progress reports being prepared at the mid-quarter mark if necessary e.g. where a student is falling behind.
In Kindergarten, CRICS will assess the individual student’s progress toward their readiness for 1st grade; a Kindergarten report card has been prepared for this purpose. Areas of assessment will include:
1. Personal organizational and social skills
2. Language skills
3. Math skills
4. Listening and processing skills
In grades 1 and 2 the individual student’s progress is evaluated by the following marks:
| E | Excellent | Performing consistently with above-average effort |
| S | Satisfactory | Performing at grade level |
| I | Improving | Consistently improving, but below grade level |
| N | Needs Improvement | No significant progress |
| X | Not evaluated at this time | |
In grades 3-6, students are given letter grades to assess their academic progress using the same scale as grades 7-12 (see below). Some flexibility in the grading scale is permitted at this transitional level to account for the teacher’s evaluation. The students are assessed in Bible, math, language arts, social studies, and science. Character and conduct grades are assessed as excellent, satisfactory, or needs improvement. Additional grades are given in Thai Language and Culture, music, physical education (P.E.), library, art, and creative arts. Each teacher should give at least one comment per student about how they did.
Elementary teachers are expected to mark attributes on FACTS for each student as well. The lettering system is
| N | Not Yet |
| D | Developing |
| C | Competent |
| P | Proficient |
| M | Mastery |
Students’ grades are reported formally four times per year with progress reports being prepared at the mid-quarter mark.
Grades for courses with modified content for students with learning challenges should be noted on transcripts and report cards with an “M” for modified curriculum. Contact the ASP Director for instructions on when and how to assign modified grades.
Grades will be posted for MS & HS students in all subjects. Where a significant decrease in performance is observed or the student’s grade drops below a C, parents will be contacted and an effort made to improve the situation. It is not necessary to wait until the middle of the quarter to send reports to parents. Parents should be contacted as soon as a problem is identified so the teacher(s) can work with the parents as a team to make the necessary adjustments in the student’s progress.
Report Cards are created every quarter, or approximately 9 weeks, and final grades are due one week after the end of the quarter.
Secondary teachers write a comment to accompany each student’s grade.
Elementary teachers write comments for each student telling about progress made during the quarter, fill in the attribute grades, and enter grades into the computer.
The following standardized tests are available to CRICS students:
It is our goal in Caring Community to connect regularly and meaningfully with our families. Please make every effort to connect about a student’s growth and well-being as needed and more often.
Any announcements that you wish to include on the Friday Weekly Information Bulletin must be submitted to Boo before lunch on Friday.
Teachers should feel free to initiate conferences whenever a student’s behavior or academic progress is unsatisfactory. Before scheduling a formal conference, a teacher must first get approval from the relevant Principal (grade 7-12). Telephone calls are encouraged. A list of the telephone numbers for all students’ parents are available in the ASP Student List that can be obtained through your principal.
Emergency procedures are posted on the wall in a designated area in each classroom. All staff should read these carefully and be familiar with them as well as the evacuation route to be used in the event of an emergency evacuation. Teachers should ensure that students are made aware of the route to be used from a particular section of the building.
The signals for an emergency situation will sound loudly and then give brief instructions on how to take immediate protective actions. Emergency drills will happen once per quarter. Every alarm should be treated as if it is a real emergency by everyone on campus.
Grades 6-12 students will receive books from the library staff during registration day or during their first day of classes. Books are returned according to the Head Librarian’s instructions given out during the last week of school.
Grades K-5 will determine a time with the librarians to receive materials to begin class smoothly and return items according to the Head Librarian’s instructions given out during the last week of school.
Expendable workbooks are ordered on an annual basis, based on estimates of numbers of students for the next year when the book order goes out towards the end of the present school year.
Unless a new textbook has been approved as part of the regular curriculum and textbook approval process,the same textbook will be used the next year.
In January, each teacher and their corresponding principal will assess the quality (condition) and number of textbooks available for the next year and will compare this with the estimated numbers of students expected for next year as shared with teachers by the principal. This information will enable the teacher to make an informed decision about how many textbooks should be ordered for the next school year.
The approval of a new textbook is part of the regular curriculum-review process which runs on an 8-year cycle. Principals or the Curriculum Coordinator can give you more information.
Medications are not allowed in the classroom. All medicines (including Tylenol) need to be given to the nurse at the beginning of the day to give to students throughout the day.
Be aware of the different allergies you have in your classroom, especially with food. The nurse will alert teachers of concerns at the beginning of the year.
If ever a student is emotionally disturbed so as to be unable to function as a student in the classroom, then they should report to the nurse's office for a time of rest in hope that they can regain composure and return to the classroom as soon as possible. Please resist the urge to counsel students with mental health conditions or to allow them to stay in class if it is disruptive to the other students.
For all other information pertaining to nursing policies, contact the head nurse.
There are significant differences between the ways that typical westerners handle interpersonal conflict and the ways that many SE Asians handle interpersonal conflict. Therefore when dealing with interpersonal conflict in a setting like CRICS, it is usually advantageous to seek counsel from people who are culturally adept in both Western and Asian cultures.
Expected attitude of the Grievance Procedures
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col. 3:12-13
Guiding principles for the Grievance Procedures: evidence and escalation of intervention
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:15-20
A grievance exists if a person feels s/he has been wronged or has been subjected to an unjust act, whether or not legitimate grounds for the complaint actually exist. This particular policy is for use when a paid staff or volunteer feels they have been treated wrongly in a serious manner by their supervisor, and they feel established policies or regulations have not been followed. An official grievance process is not something to be entered into lightly or without much prayer. In general, formal grievance processes tend to build walls rather than bringing people together. Therefore the administration welcomes and encourages you to seek a meeting with your supervisor and if necessary, the head of school , to resolve issues before beginning the formal grievance process.
It is hoped that the person suffering the grievance will discuss with administration the possibility of bringing in a mutually agreed-upon third party who could help in the process of understanding and gaining perspective prior to entering into the formal grievance procedure. This person would act as a brother or sister seeking peace between members of the body of Christ. Their role is not mandated nor are their opinions binding on either side.
Level One
Level Two
Level Three
As above, a grievance exists if a Paid Staff or Volunteer feels he/she has been wronged or has been subjected to an unjust act, whether or not legitimate grounds for the complaint actually exist. This particular grievance policy is developed for situations between individuals who are not in a supervisor/supervisee roles. Circumstances pertaining to this policy may involve another staff member, a student, a parent, a member of the WC or Legal Board of Trustees, or any organization or committee of the school. However, the significant point is that this situation is interfering with the ability of the individual to perform their role at the school in a reasonable manner.
It is the responsibility of the parties involved to determine if the grievance is legitimate, to alleviate it if it is, and to resolve any conflict so that the school can move ahead as per its vision, mission, and values. Listed below are the steps in this particular grievance procedure. It is the intent that all grievances be alleviated at the lowest possible level within the shortest possible time.
Note: All parties have the right to counsel, at their own expense, and have the right to call witnesses during formal grievance meetings.
Resolution Process
Informal Step I. The person who feels that s/he has a grievance should first privately approach the person (or people) whom the grievance is against, and communicate the grievance verbally, giving an opportunity for positive dialogue.
Informal Step II. If a resolution is not reached in Informal Step I, the person with the grievance should set up a meeting time with the person (or people) whom the grievance is against. One or more witnesses should be present at this meeting. During the meeting, a written statement of the grievance should be given to the person (or people) whom the grievance is against, again giving an opportunity for positive dialogue. It is hoped that at this step resolution will be reached, with input from the third party person(s) present. Both parties should keep a dated, signed copy of the statement.
Formal Step I. If a resolution is not reached in Informal Step II, the person and the witness(es) should approach the head of school and share the grievance. A copy of the written statement should be given to the head of school . The head of school may seek help from a counselor, a respected spiritual leader, etc. The head of school will research the grievance, talk with all primary parties, and act upon the grievance in a timely manner. The head of school will document his/her decision. The head of school ’s decision will be communicated in writing to all primary parties involved.
Formal Step II. - If a resolution is not reached at the level of involvement of the head of school , the grievance may be taken to the WC. A copy of the grievance statement and the head of school ’s decision will be given to the WC. The WC will communicate with the head of school , act upon the grievance, document the decision, and report to all parties involved.
Formal Step III. - If a resolution is not reached at the level of involvement of the WC, a grievance appeal may be submitted to the Legal Board of Trustees and then a larger Christian organization such as a church eldership for mediation. In this event, a copy of the grievance statement and documentation shall be provided to the WC and to the mediating organization. The decision made at this level is considered to be binding arbitration.
CRICS, through the head of school , will write the letters of invitation for approved volunteers to teach at the school. School staff will assist with the entry process for new teachers.
Volunteer teachers who come from countries outside of Thailand will be required to attain the proper documents following Thai government regulations for working at the school. The CRICS recruiter and visa administrator will assist volunteers with the paperwork necessary for the acquisition of a visa. Teachers will apply for a non-immigrant type B visa at a Thai consulate in their country of origin or other Thai consulate locations found in various countries outside of Thailand. To be issued a non-immigrant visa to serve at CRICS a teacher must commit to a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work each week.
Volunteer teachers will also be required to attain a work permit that allows them permission from the Thai labor department to teach at the school. The CRICS visa administrator will assist volunteers with the paperwork necessary for the acquisition of a work permit. Volunteer teachers will also apply for “permission to teach” or a standard Thai teaching license. The CRICS visa administrator will assist teachers with the paperwork necessary for having permission to teach in Thailand.
CRICS is committed to helping teachers attain proper paperwork for necessary documents like visas and work permits. CRICS will pay the necessary work permit fees. However, volunteers must provide their own funding for costs related to visas. Teachers are responsible for providing supporting documents (diplomas, certificates, etc) and maintaining or obtaining appropriate degrees and certifications that permit them to do their job in Thailand.
It is the responsibility of each staff member to maintain his/her visa and work permit, as required by Thai law and as advised by the CRICS visa administrator.
Thai immigration law should be followed by all teachers. Immigration laws and how to follow them will be communicated annually at teacher orientation by the CRICS visa administrator and updated as needed throughout the year. These laws include but are not limited to:
Termination or non-renewal of a contract of a CRICS Paid Staff / Volunteer may occur if any one of the following situations occurs or exists:
Buddy Classes are a way for students to build community with other grades. Each grade has been paired with another grade. Once a month, the two grades are to get together and do an activity that goes with the theme of the month. Elementary teachers are responsible to contact the teacher from secondary who teaches the specific subject focus for the month.
| Month | Subject |
| September | Bible |
| October | Math |
| November | Thai |
| December | none |
| January | PE/Sports Day |
| February | SS |
| March | Science Fair |
| April/May | LA |
| Grade Pairs | |
| K | 6 |
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 9 |
| 5 | 12 |
| 6 | 11 |
Please do not make it a habit to watch movies in your classroom. That being said, there may be special times for this type of activity. If the movie is rated G, then you do not need parental permission. If it is PG or higher than you need to send home a permission slip asking parents for permission for their child to watch the movie in class. Let us be respectful of the different philosophies about what is acceptable for children to watch. For a movie permission slip example, click here. For a Google Form permission slip to send to parents, click here. If you have any questions or concerns, then please ask your principal.
We try to give support to our teachers in Elementary and give them a prep period each day. Our specials classes are normally music, PE, Art/Creative Arts, Thai Culture, and Library. If we are able to find a teacher to teach typing/IT (2nd-5th), then that is also a specials class. If we cannot find a teacher, you are expected to provide this training for your students. Please make sure that your students get safely to their specials classes.
Every grade is given two Tuesday chapels in the year that they are expected to present to the community something that they are learning in Bible class. This creative and purposeful presentation could be a skit, a song, artwork, scripture, etc. The presentation should not be videos as we want to provide an opportunity for students presenting before an audience. The presentation should be 3-5 minutes.
This is a time for the teacher to share with parents their expectations in the classroom, curriculum, specifics they want parents to know regarding homework, planner, how you will communicate with parents, etc. Open house is a chance for parents to ask questions. Students do not attend open house.
Conferences happens once a year after the 1st quarter. There will be no school that day for elementary students, and teachers will schedule times (15-20 minutes) with parents. Usually, parents sign up for a conference time on a paper with a list of times outside the classroom door or through email. This is a time to talk with parents about what you have noticed specifically with their student. Equally important is sharing the student’s MAP scores with parents. Please feel free to set up other parent-teacher conferences throughout the year.
Open House for the secondary grades is held on an evening early in the school year. This meeting is for parents only and is a time when teachers meet with parents in the classrooms to outline goals, expectations, curriculum, and classroom procedures. This event is designed to be a very informative session for the parents. All teaching staff members are required to be present. There is a second Open House held during the second semester, and all parents, teachers, and staff are required to attend.
We have elementary assemblies once a month for all of the elementary. The 6th-grade class leads the elementary in singing, one of the classes presents, a teacher speaks on a selected topic, and if there is time, the elementary plays a group game. For the elementary assembly schedule, please ask the principal for access to the shared document.
No school events should be planned for this weekend, and no assignments should be assigned that are due directly after this weekend.
We are a significantly internationally diverse community, and valuing our “passport countries” is an important part of our identity as the Family Learning Community. Because of our desire to honor our international ethnicities, we celebrate International Day with an event/program expecting participation from our various families and cultures. International Day is on a day in February, first thing in the morning before our morning break. This program is open to all to interactively share their culture through dance, instruction, powerpoint, videos, etc. After the program, we ask each family to share a snack from their own various countries and cultures.
We strongly encourage you to participate in this fun, community event if you are able. Teachers Sports Day is a Saturday that is usually for the teachers of all Christian schools in the area. The teachers from the Thai Christian schools usually dress in crazy costumes. This is a fun day where we play a variety of sports and you cheer on everyone from CRICS. Contact the Thai Director for more information.
Christmas parties are the afternoon of the last day of school before the Christmas break unless needing to make other arrangements. Normally, K-1, 2-3, 4-6 have a party together while grades 7-9 and 10-12 have parties of their own.
| Grade K-1 | 50-100 baht |
| Grade 2-3 | 75-100 baht |
| Grade 4-6 | 100-150 baht |
| Grade 7-9 | 150-200 baht |
| Grade 10-12 | 200-250 baht |
There is also a staff party. Everyone who comes to this party is expected to bring a 300 baht gift.
Christmas Outreach is a time when we go to a Thai school for the morning. Flexibility is important as things can quickly change as we are working with other schools. We encourage you to talk with your students about how to be actively engaged throughout the outreach. This is a great opportunity to serve a local school and share the story of Jesus.
Sports Day is an all school event that normally starts around 9, and students have previously been put on teams. These teams go through different events throughout the day. Teachers are expected to participate in this day by either leading a team or by helping supervise an event. If you are leading a team, this will mean a couple of lunch meetings, and empowering the student leaders to lead their teams. There should normally be a flag made, t-shirts coordinated, a team name selected, and a chant created. The teachers are expected to try to help everyone get pumped about the day.
In Thailand, it is important to honor teachers. Wai Kru day is a time to honor the CRICS teachers. During 7th period, all teachers sit on chairs in a circle and students will present flowers to teachers. The students are expected to bring their own flowers but these flowers will not necessarily go to their teacher(s). It is very important to wear nice clothes and closed-toed “polite” shoes. If you are wearing a skirt, it needs to be longer than your knees when seated.
Songkran is Thailand’s new year celebration. Before going on spring break, we have a ceremony where we honor some of the elders in our school by having the elders sit on stage and then everyone lines up, pours water over their hands as a blessing and then prays for the elder. The elder will then pray for you. Following the program is usually coconut ice-cream and a school-wide water fight.
Usually, the School Picnic starts late morning and is considered a school day but without normal classes. There are usually a variety of activities planned centered on a theme. Children/teachers are able to go to these activities on their own schedule. Lunch is served, and then it is officially summer break.