A reference for your academic school year 2026-2027

Mission: To know each student well enough to challenge their individual academic abilities in a

STEAM education environment.

Ashley Bartausky, Principal

abartausky@bcclc.com

Craig Gerard, Executive Director

cgerard@bcclc.com

Phone: (208) 782-0744, (208) 785-0381 Fax: (208) 785-0381

Important Information:

Daily Schedule:

Because we are on a 4-day week, each minute of each day is important. Please make sure

your student arrives on time each day.

The first bell rings for students to head to class at 7:55 AM. The tardy bell then rings at 8:00

AM. Your students will be counted as tardy at 8:00 AM. All students will be released in an

orderly fashion at 3:20 PM.

Busing and student drop-off/pick-up:

We encourage you to sign up for busing through the online portal provided by our

transportation department. To sign up, go to www.bcclc.com and under the Students and

Families tab, click on Student Transportation.

Students may arrive at 7:45 am. The doors will be locked and parking lots unattended until

that time. Please, do not drop your students off to wait at the door for teachers and

administrators to let them in before 7:45 am. This may cause safety issues for your students.

Student Conduct on the Bus:

Students are expected to follow the same O.A.T.H. standards on the bus as they would be

expected to follow at the school or school sponsored events. Failure to follow the rules of

conduct for students riding the bus could result in suspension and subsequent termination of bus

privileges. Please be respectful and kind to the bus driver and the other students who are riding

the bus. Following the bus driver’s rules and commands is imperative for student safety.

Lunch:

If you are bringing your student a lunch, please make sure to drop it off before their lunch time,

at the front desk, to ensure that they have enough time to eat and are ready to learn when classes

resume.

⮚ Lunches are separated into grade groupings: Kinder and 1st, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8. Your

student may choose to either bring a cold lunch from home or have a hot lunch provided

by Blackfoot Charter. Free and reduced lunches are available by application through our

Child Nutrition program. Please reach out to our office, more information is also

available on our website. Microwaves are provided in the commons, but no refrigerator is

available for student use. Hot lunch count is taken during the first hour each day.

⮚ Please note that Blackfoot Charter is a closed campus and students will not be allowed to

leave for lunch unless they are checked out by a parent or guardian that is listed as a pick-

up contact in our system.

Physical Education:

Since there is no opportunity to change footwear for PE, part of the Blackfoot Charter dress

code specifies that students are to wear shoes with closed toes and back support to enclose the

heel and cover toes. Shoes need to be supportive for running and sturdy enough to support

ankles and prevent injury. Regular clothing may be worn, with the exception of a skirt or dress.

Having a pair of leggings or knee length shorts in your locker would be one way to take care of

this.

Lockers:

⮚ Lockers will be available for 4th-8th grade students during the 2026-2027 school

year. Each locker comes with a combination lock. Students are responsible for keeping

the locker clean and organized. Having use of a school locker is a privilege and if it is

taken advantage of, that privilege may be revoked.

Middle School Electives:

Elective choices are limited. It is our policy that 8th graders fill their desired elective spots first;

7th graders are then added, with 6th following. We do this for a variety of reasons and ask for

your support in helping your student understand that their turn is coming.

Please note: Orchestra electives are for the full year. All other electives are by the trimester.

If you have a scheduling question, please contact our counselor, Mrs. Hernandez or our district

secretary Mrs. Williams.

Students may, at the discretion of office staff, elect to change some classes. This is allowed

from 1 week prior to the start of the trimester and up to 1 week into the trimester. No students

may change classes after that week has expired without approval from administration.

Dress Code:

⮚ No open toe sandals/flip-flops

⮚ Shorts must reach student fingertips when standing up with arms straight at the side

of the body (boys and girls)

⮚ Graphic shirts must have school-appropriate messages or images

⮚ No saggy shorts/pants (Underclothing must be covered at all times)

⮚ Shirts must reach the waistband. No belly showing when arms are raised above the

head.

⮚ Shoulders, chest, and back should be covered at all times (boys and girls)

⮚ No head coverings such as hats, bandanas, hoodies, etc. Special days are allotted

throughout the year for students to wear hats.

⮚ Yoga pants and leggings must be of adequate material thickness as to not become

“see through” while being worn.

⮚ No clothing that depicts or implies gang affiliation. Bandanas are an example.

Each student is representing his or her family and our school. As Knights we set a high standard

of conduct and dress. Students whose clothing does not adhere to the dress code will be required

to change. Parents may be asked to bring a change of clothing for their child.

Student Behavior and Conduct:

Respect. All student behavior can be summarized with this one word. If each student applies

respect to their every action, their behavior will be in line with school policy. Below is a sample

list of what respect looks like in our school:

⮚ Students are honest with teachers, administration, and their peers.

⮚ Language is appropriate and positive. Foul language is NOT the behavior of a

Knight!

⮚ Each student is responsible for his or her own actions and speech.

⮚ When moving through the hallways students walk without pushing or challenging

others. Students should also stay to the right of the hallways as they walk to leave room for

others to pass.

⮚ Students are to line up outside each classroom door prior to class beginning and wait to

be invited in. Teachers strive to be at the door to greet them personally each day.

⮚ Students will treat the building, facilities, and property of others with care.

⮚ As a PBIS (positive behavioral intervention and support) school, we place great value on

creating a school culture that is positive, safe, and supportive for all. We ask all students

and faculty to take the “Knights’ O.A.T.H” in upholding the values of Ownership,

Attitude, Teamwork, and Honor. We acknowledge and reward positive behavior and

have a number of ways in which we celebrate student success in these areas including

Knight Cards, Knight Coins, held during our school wide meetings.

Emergency or Weather-Related Closures:

When weather dictates, or an emergency occurs, the school will notify parents, guardians, staff

and community members of these closures. Some examples of weather-related closures include:

dangerous or icy road conditions, drifting of roads, temperatures below -20 degrees Fahrenheit

(wind chill or natural), power outages, and other similar situations. Student safety is our number

one priority.

We will strive to notify those mentioned above as soon as possible as we know that it can be

difficult to work around these challenges at home. Blackfoot Charter will notify families no later

than 6:00 AM the morning of closures that are not emergency related.

Notification will be made through ALMA to emails, texts, or phone calls to the numbers that we

have on file for your students. Please make sure to notify the school of any changes to contact

information ASAP.

Additional notifications will be made through local news agencies and social media.

Attendance and Tardy Policy:

Learning is best achieved when students are present each day. Whenever possible, please

schedule appointments during non-school hours. In the event that a student is ill, please notify

the office first thing in the morning. Doctor’s notes to excuse absences must be turned in within

2 days of the absence to be excused, otherwise they will be unexcused. Examples of excused

absences include: doctor appointments, funerals, court, and school sponsored events. If you are

aware that an extended absence may occur, please contact administration to discuss make up

work, etc.

If you would like to pick up missing work, please notify the office. Teachers will leave the

student work up front for you to pick up after school. School policy is to allow one (1) day of

make-up for each day absent. Teacher communication is key, and may provide your student

with extra support and flexibility.

A student is tardy if arriving after 8:00 am for the first hour or arriving after class has begun

throughout the remainder of the day. Three (3) tardies equals one (1) absence. Students are

required to attend a minimum of 90% of each class in order to receive credit; therefore,

excessive absences (5 absences per trimester or 15 per year) will result in a loss of credit and

referral to the prosecuting attorney’s office for truancy, subject to review of our attendance

board.

Friday School Requirement

Students in grades 6-8 who have four or more unexcused absences or a failing grade in any class

are required to attend Friday School, held from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM on designated staff

workdays. Parents/guardians will be notified at least one week in advance of a scheduled

session. Transportation to and from Friday School is the responsibility of the parent/guardian, as

the school does not provide transportation for this program.

Friday School Dates:

 September 18

 October 16

 November 13

 December 11

 January 15

 February 12

 March 12

 April 9

 May 14

Please see Blackfoot Charter Policy 3050: Student Attendance.

Student Checkout Procedure:

When checking a student into or out of school, you will need to come into the office to sign

in/out your student. Students will not be released from the building otherwise. When possible,

please attempt to notify the school office ahead of time. This will allow the school to have your

student ready to go, and to plan for makeup work when needed.

Alma:

Alma is our attendance and grading platform. You will receive login information in the first

days of school. Parents will be able to see assignments and grades earned in each class. Parents

may also check student tardies, absences, and email teachers through this program.

Parent-teacher conferences are held twice per year. We encourage each parent to come and meet

with their students’ teachers.

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices

Each student will need to sign our school’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Please remember

that the use of an electronic device, whether school property or student property, is a privilege

not a right. Students will not be able to use Ipads or Chromebooks or have internet access until

the AUP is signed by both parent and student and returned.

Grades 6-8: Cell phones and smart watches may only be used before school, during lunch, or

after school. Phones MAY NOT be used between or during classes. Please encourage your

student to leave their phones and smart watches in their lockers during classes. There is much

research that finds that cell phones are one of the top distractions for students during the school

day. We ask parents to please call the office rather than text or call students during school hours

to minimize classroom disruptions.

Grades K-5: Cell phones and smart watches are not to be used at all during the day. Students

may keep them in their backpacks in order to contact parents after school. We ask parents to

please call the office rather than texting or calling students during school hours.

Consequences: Cell phones seen at inappropriate or non-allowed times, will be taken away and

can be retrieved by the student from the office at the end of the day. Any student whose phone

is taken a second time or any subsequent time after that, will require that the phone be picked

up by the parent. Habitual challenges with cell phones may necessitate meeting with school

administration and parents.

Grading and Testing

Student learning is our focus. In order to ensure that each student learns the necessary

information and skills and meets the standards for his/her grade level, every individual is

expected to complete every assignment to an acceptable level. We ask each student to make a

genuine and sincere effort on every assignment. Parents can track student progress in each

class through Alma.

All students receive remedial help and enrichment based on their individual needs.

Friday School Requirement

Students in grades 6-8 who have four or more unexcused absences or a failing grade in any class

are required to attend Friday School, held from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM on designated staff

workdays. Parents/guardians will be notified at least one week in advance of a scheduled

session. Transportation to and from Friday School is the responsibility of the parent/guardian, as

the school does not provide transportation for this program.

Friday School Dates

 September 18

 October 16

 November 13

 December 11

 January 15

 February 12

 March 12

 April 9

 May 14

Visitors

*All visitors must report to the front office. Access to our school campuses may be limited

as needed to address disease or safety issues. Additional safety protocols may be put into

place as needed under the direction of local, state, and federal health and safety officials or

school administrators.

While Blackfoot Charter encourages parents and guardians to visit our schools, all visitors are

required to report to the front office upon entering the school building where they will receive

permission to be in the school and issued a visitors pass which must be worn until the end of the

visit. Please remember to turn in your visitor’s badge prior to leaving the building.

Visits to individual classrooms during instructional time shall be permitted only with the

principal and teacher’s approval and such visits shall not be permitted if their duration or

frequency interferes with the delivery of instruction or disrupts the normal school

environment.

Conferences should be held outside of the school’s instructional hours, during the teacher’s

prep time, or as scheduled with that teacher.