Research paper on Milton's Paradise Lost Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

On Milton's Paradise Lost - Research Paper Example In this sense, the book and the author direct that freewill is not free at all, as it should be interpreted in a literal sense, but is instead a will that remains arbitral based on who you ask. This is shown clearly with illustrations from then authority of the king in puritan times, as well as the application of freewill in following God’s will. The section that draws up the arbitral sense of freewill is drawn and illustrated by the use of strong words that go to the extent to show then following freewill in the sense of being godly is not all free. This is because it is imposition of God’s will upon man, which in the first place is meant for to occur and is part of a design by God to be in power. As a result, there is no way that man exercises freewill in any way as all aspects of will are manipulated by God by design and by default, from the moment that one commences exercising it (Barfoot 176). In addition, the book stats that man’s exertion of freewill is by no means free as it is an act of obedience to God begging the question how freewill is meant to be freewill and how it is independent of God and His power, as well as how it should be defined. The definition of the term freewill in the book remains wanting in that it does not show a distinct definition that can be applied for the purpose of identification of the action that man engages out of sheer freewill. Instead, the whole ordeal of defining what freewill is turned into a means of showing how God works to exert freewill and how freewill is supposed to manifest itself for the glory of God. This is because the book shows that almost every aspect of freewill, including its practice, is for the glory of God, as none of it remains directly under the control of man at any given time. With this in mind, the book describes the application of freewill in antics used to ensure obedience and devotion to a high authority. It is in this case that freewill is brought out at as a challenge to God’s authority as it requires a clear definition and distinction between the ways to obedience and devotion without the use of the above-mentioned default and manipulation by God. This is not clarified in the book, but instead shows the Adam and Eve scene in separation, where there are the words saying that God towards thee has done his part do thine (Bizik 70). This part is a clear illustration of freewill at work, where God gives man freewill, by creating it in the first place and allowing the two to choose between the choices, they were given. The above illustrates that there is no way that freewill is existent, and that it is merely a convenience for human rights forums. The translation of the above statement, therefore, is that God is the master of all, and that there is no way that man has freewill as even the choices given to Adam and Eve are only bound by the will of God and His need for devotion and obedience by man towards Him. It is because of this that manâ€⠄¢s will is not free as man’s will is subjected to God’s direction thus the mental faculties of man are not independent or free of the influence. Instead, man’s freewill is subordinate to God’s will and command, as well as system of beliefs and institutions

Paper Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Paper Critique - Essay Example Moreover, the movie mixes the Spanish exploitation of gold in the 16th century with the Cochabamba war struggles in 2000 to bring out ideas relating to exploitation and globalization. This abstract aims to explicate the theme of sympathy, good fellowship and loyalty, and not just comparing historical events with the present. The recurrent theme described in this dramatic film is exploitation, hypocrisy and globalization. Costa, a film producer and Sebastian a young director are working together on a film (Columbus’s Arrival to Americas) they are planning to shoot in Bolivia, Cochabamba, but their friendship polarizes when dealing with business and moral integrity. The exploitation of the locals by these film makers portrays them as hypocrites and they face a stern opposition from the indigenous people. It is in Bolivia, the setting of their new movie that a water war breaks out forcing these film makers to make emotional journeys in variant directions (Laverty 220).There is more threat to the crew when Daniel becomes the leader of the indigenous people as they protest against the privatization of water and price increment by 300 per cent. More scenes of struggle against the indigenous people’s historical oppression and colonization are brought to light. The low living standards of the loca ls bring out an emotional sympathy while the conflicts bring into light the dangers of exploitation and oppression. Even the Rain is a dynamic layered film marked by interesting stories and timely themes that are precisely presented. The movie is a moving and a captivating testament for those who fight against unfairness. Even the Rain serves as a movie within a movie and offers a glimpse of mastery presentation and organization to highlight the indented themes or meaning. The filmmakers in the film benefit under the expense of the natives with hypocritical

Forms and Substance Dualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Forms and Substance Dualism - Essay Example If, conversely, dualism can be convincingly maintained, then our evidence obtained from studies of the brain would simply not suffice in gaining any form of insight into the human mind. Dualism is a logical necessity: sustained as a question that does not need to be answered as it can be fulfilled a priori, owing to the fact that humans have the ability to seek introspection regularly. (Almog, 129-34) Indeed, we experience the separation between our body and mind, which would support the notion that they are separate entities and empirical evidence is not required to prove such a concept. However, this does not mean that dualistic theory is foolproof: for example, can our experience be enough to prove such a concept Indeed, many philosophers are not in favor of dualistic ontology. The first classical representation of dualism can be recognized in Plato's work; more specifically originating in The Phaedo. Interestingly, in dualism, 'mind' is contrasted with 'body', but in different historical periods, different aspects of the mind have been the center of attention. For example, in the classical period it was the intellect of the mind, which was considered to be the crux of what separated us from the physical. However, from Descartes onwards, the opposition to materialism came from our apparent 'consciousness' and experience of 'sensation'. The emphasis on intellect is certainly echoed in Plato's work: as he believed (as did many other Greeks) that the body was a prison for the intellectual soul. Indeed Plato believed that the true substances are not physical bodies, which are ephemeral, but the eternal Forms of which bodies are imperfect copies. He came up with the idea of a realm of "Forms" and said that intellect was immaterial, for it does not last you, the refore Forms are immaterial, and thus intellect must link to those that it apprehends. He then continued to say that such a link forced the soul to want to leave the body to enter a realm of Forms. In his later writings, The Republic, Plato furthered his ideas on Forms and the soul; he claimed that not only was the soul the true form but belonged to a higher status within reality than the body did, and that the soul was a separate, immortal substance. Plato's study of dualism in The Phaedo was indeed complex, and more a metaphysical study regarding the imprisoned soul. However, it can be seen, especially amongst his writings in The Republic, that Plato was clear on his belief that the body and soul were separate entities, forming the base for philosophical extensions in more recent times. Continuing from Plato, St Thomas Aquinas extended earlier works on dualism in his endeavor to unite philosophy with proof of God. Aquinas agreed with the Aristotelian notion that when the soul entered the body it animated it and gave it life; calling it anima. Moreover according to Aquinas, the soul operates independently of the body and it cannot decay; for only things that can break into parts can decay, Thus, following Aquinas' argument, the soul is able to survive death. He also said that through

System analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

System analysis - Essay Example System investigation: The primary analysis of the system is essential for enveloping all the business data and information requirements to map all processes in the organization (Hoffer, 2002). It is done so that no data is left out and there is 100% coverage of the business requirements. The requirements of this stage demand enough expertise and skill to effectively understand and capitalize on information so that information is captured to its full swing. Systems analysis and Design: Once all the requirements are collected successfully they are analyzed to their importance and framed into defined design models such as DFD, E-R diagram and others so that their modeling is successfully transformed into a working system (Navathe, 2004). The entire design reflects the working of the organizational processes and their penetrations with external forces. The capabilities of this stage demands business modeling methods and strategies for developing a suitable data flow diagram to correctly figure out the process. Systems coding: This is the actual step where the business requirements are actually implemented and taken care to be given a representation. The impact of this stage would result in greater understanding of the business methods and good communication skills with the client. This stage creates an impact to make a difference to code the system to exact requirements mapped in the planning stages. Systems implementation: Successful implementation of the system is essential for the system to facilitate working and for the users to take full advantage of the system. The impact of this stage is quite large as improper implementation strategies may affect the working of the organization and processing capabilities. Follows a planned approach. It takes into account all the stages required to develop the project. The advantage of waterfall development is that it allows for departmentalization

Implicit Premise Essay Example for Free

Implicit Premise Essay Implicit premise is a missing premise that is supposed to support the conclusion to make the argument a good and well-formed argument. The implicit premise from â€Å"There are sins worse than cheating† by The Unskooled Professor is, performance of students and teachers evaluate the value of the university. The argument talks about what kind of grades a student gets when they are found guilty of academic dishonesty, then concludes with a point saying that academic dishonesty will destruct the value of the university. However it does not point out why academic dishonesty is related to the value of the university. If I were to reconstruct the argument, I would interpret it as shown below. Without implicit: 1) Students guilty of academic dishonesty will receive a letter grade of FD ,â€Å"Failure with Dishonesty† 2) Receiving an FD is worse than receiving an F 3) Academic dishonesty is a concoction of individual professors 4) Therefore, academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Adding the implicit premise: 1) Students guilty of academic dishonesty will receive a letter grade of FD; â€Å"Failure with Dishonesty† 2) Receiving an FD is worse than receiving an F 3) Academic dishonesty is a concoction of individual professors 4) Performance of students and teachers evaluate the value of the university 5) Therefore, academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Before adding the implicit premise, there were no premises to support why the values of the university will fall due to academic dishonesty. In general, most people know that academic dishonesty will give a student a failing mark and will bring down the grade average of the university which evaluates the value and ratings of universities. However, for people who does not have any knowledge about universities will not know why the values of the university would be ultimately destructive. By adding the implicit premise, a stronger argument can be formed and can support and reason why the conclusion may be true.

Law of Offer and Acceptance

Law of Offer and Acceptance Offer and Acceptance are the process by which a buyer and a seller create a legal contract. This process begins when a potential buyer makes an offer. Then, the seller can accept it, reject it, or reject it and makes a counter offer. Then the buyer has the same options. When one party accepts the other partys offer or counter offer, and communicates that acceptance to the offering party, a contract is created. In my assignment, Im going to explain the rules of offer and acceptance in the formation of a valid contract. When two parties choses to get in a contract, the first thing that comes is the offer. The offer can be money or anything of value in exchange for performance by the other party. An offer is defined as an expression of willingness to contract on certain terms, made with the intention that it shall become binding as soon as it is accepted by the person to whom it is addressed. An offer is a declaration of the terms on which the offeror is willing to be bound. The offer can come in forms of a letter, a newspaper, a website, a fax, an email, or a behavior. The offer is not really an offer until the offeree receives it, it is the communication of offers. This means that no one can be bound by an offer of which they are not aware (Taylor v Laird, 1856). An important distinction must be made between an offer and an invitation to treat. An invitation to treat is a preliminary statement expressing a willingness to receive offers. Its a pre-offer communication. In Harvey v Facey, an invitation by the owner of property that he or she might be interested in selling at a certain price, so this is an invitation to treat. Statements of invitation are only intended to solicit offers from people and are not intended to result in any immediate binding obligation. The display of goods for sale, auctions, or adverts is ordinarily treated as an invitation to treat and not an offer. When goods are on display in a self-service shop or in a shop window, it is an invitation to treat. For example, Pharmaceutical society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists Ltd where the offer to purchase is made at the cash desk by the purchaser and the shop is free to accept or reject this offer. However, auctions are an invitation to treat, each bid is an offer to purchase the lot at the price offered and acceptance occurs at the fall of the auctioneers hammer. British Car Auctions v Wright where they were indicted for offering an unroadworthy car for sale but there were only an invitation to treat as the car was not offered for sale. And in most cases advertisements are an invitation to treat (Partridge v Crittenden, 1968). However, if the advertisement includes a unilateral offer, it is considered as an offer. Unilateral offer is made when one party promises to pay the other a sum money (or to do some other act) if the other will do something (or forbear from doing so) without making any promises to that effect. For example, Carlil v Carbolic Smoke Ball Company Ltd which was a unilateral offer to the world at large. On the other hand, bilateral offer is made when at least two people or groups exchange a promise for a promise. Acceptance is a final and unqualified expression of assent to the terms of an offer. Acceptance must be communicated by the offeree to the offeror in the manner requested by or implied in the offer. Second, the acceptance must be clear, unequivocal, and unconditional. As acceptance, must meet the same terms of the offer to be valid, the following answer that suggest new terms in the offer is defined as a counter offer. Acceptance has no effect until it is communicated to the offeror, silence can never establish an acceptance (Felthouse v Bindley, 1863). It can be completed from conduct without being purposely communicated (Brogden v Metropolitan Railway Co, 1877). Generally, acceptance can be in any form as long as it is transmitted to the offeree, if the offer specifies a method of acceptance (such as by return of post, by fax or by telegram) and the offeree uses a different method there is no contract (Eliason v Henshaw, 1819). And if the offer doesnt stipulate any specific method of acceptance that means the communication of acceptance should made by an equally speedy method. Acceptance by post is an exception to the general rule that acceptance must come to the attention of the offeror before it is valid (Adams v Lindsell, 1818). For the postal rule to apply, first the offeror requests an acceptance by post or acceptance by post can be a normal, reasonable or anticipated means of acceptance (He nthorn v Fraser, 1892). Secondly, the letter of acceptance should be properly stamped and addressed (Re London Northern Bank, 1990). Thirdly, the letter of acceptance must be posted in the control of the Post Office (Brinkibon v Stahag Stahl, 1983); and in the last place, the use of postal rule must not create any factors of inconvenience and absurdity (Holwell Securities v Hughes, 1974). Comes to the instantaneous communication of acceptance which are virtually methods such as telephone conversations, they are considered in the same way as face to face personal conversations. So, the acceptance is confirmed when and where it is received (Entores v Miles Far East Corporation, 1955). Contracts are used mainly in business situations, but also for personal situations. While both parties must receive a fair value for a contract to be valid, they may not receive the same benefits. Law of contract is the law governing peoples agreements and obligations. To run a society smoothly an active operating system is necessary. If there is no value in a promise made by person to another person, the ongoing nature of a society will be terminated. Therefore, if there is no way to enforce a promise or recover damages occurred by believing such promise people will be afraid of such promises and the development will be blocked. Law of contract is important because it gives an importance and enforceability to a promise. Word count: 1039 Consideration is a fundamental element for the formation of a contract. It is either a promise to perform a desired act or a promise to refrain from doing an act that one is legally entitled to do. Consideration is something of value given by both parties to contract that includes them to enter the agreement to exchange mutual performances. In a bilateral contract, an agreement by which both parties exchange mutual promises, each promise is regarded as sufficient consideration for the other. In unilateral contract, an agreement by which one party makes a promise in exchange for the others performance, the performance is consideration for the promise, while the promise is consideration for the performance (Currie v Misa, 1875). There are two different rules of consideration; first consideration must move from the promisee means that a person to whom a promise was made can enforce that promise only if they have themselves provided the consideration for it. The promise cannot be enforce d if the consideration moved from a third party (Tweddle v Atkinson, 1861). And the second rule, consideration must not be past, have three different types of consideration: executory, executed and past consideration. Executory consideration begins where promises are exchanged to perform acts in the future, this is a bilateral contract and is enforceable. Executed consideration begins where one person performs an act in order to accomplish a promise made by the other, this is a unilateral contract. Past consideration is the consideration for a promise must be given in return for that promise (Re Mc Ardle, 1951). As we know that consideration is exchange of mutual performances, in this scenario we know that James repaired his neighbours car on Sundays or Mondays. We cant apply considerations rules as we dont know what James is getting in return of his performance. We only know what James promises to act for Simone but we dont know if Simone promises anything back. So, for me, there is no consideration because there is only one person performing the act and we dont know about the other one. Intention to create legal relations is an agreement which is not destined to be legally binding; there are some agreements that should be legally enforceable and those which should not. They are divided into three categories, social and domestic agreements, commercial agreements, and advertisement. In social and domestic agreements, there is no intention to create legal relations, such as agreements between husband and wife are presumed not to create legal relations expect if the agreement itself states that it does (Balfour v Balfour, 1919) or agreements between parents and children are not supposed to create legal relations (Jones v Padavatton, 1969). When it comes to agreements made between parties who share a dwelling but are not related, then the court considers all the circumstances of the agreement. They are more likely to find the intention to be legally bound where money has changed hands (Simpkins v Pays, 1955). Commercial agreements are presumed to create legal relations, but they can be rebutted only by stating clearly in the contract (Rose Franck Co v Crompton Bros Ltd, 1925). Agreements which appears to be gratuitous in nature such as ex gratia payment (Edwards v Skyways, 1969). It does not apply to comfort letters which are considered as a statement rather than a contractual promise (Kleinwort Benson Ltd v Malaysian Mining Corporation, 1989), or to agreements which are established to be binding in honour only (Jones v Vernons Pools, 1938). Comes to the advertisements, they not create any legal relations. A statement will not be binding if the court considers that it was not seriously meant (Weeks v Tybald, 1605). Legal relation can only be created in commercial agreement, advertisement or agreement where money is exchanged. In this scenario, there is no intention to create legal relation because this is a situation about two neighbours so it is about social relations. As social relation cannot be enforced, there is no intention to create legal relation. Word count: 667 Bibliography: http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/contract-law/rules-of-offer-and-acceptance.php http://www.warrenhills.org/cms/lib/NJ01001092/Centricity/Domain/356/BL%20Chapter%206%20%20Offer%20and%20Acceptance1.pdf http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/contract-law/difference-between-offer-and-invitation-contract-law-essay.php https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/whats-the-difference-between-bilateral-and-unilateral-contracts.rl https://lawexams.com/unilateral-contracts http://www.allaboutlaw.co.uk/stage/study-help/contract-law-offer-acceptance http://www.4lawschool.com/contracts101/offer.htm http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/consideration http://www.lawteacher.net/lecture-notes/contract-law/consideration-lecture.php http://e-lawresources.co.uk/Consideration.php References Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: http://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/assets/hip/gb/hip_gb_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/Elliott_contract_C01.pdf [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. E-lawresources.co.uk. (2017). Contract agreement Offer and acceptance. [online] Available at: http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/Offer-and-acceptance.php [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. Fafinski, S. and Finch, E. (2010). Contract law. 1st ed. Harlow: Longman. Lawteacher.net. (2017). Example Answers to Questions on Offer and Acceptance | Law Teacher. [online] Available at: http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/contract-law/answers-to-questions-on-offer-and-acceptance-contract-law-essay.php [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. Lawteacher.net. (2017). Formation of A Contract | Contract Law | Custom Essay. [online] Available at: http://www.lawteacher.net/lecture-notes/contract-law/agreement-lecture.php [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. Study.com. (2017). What Is an Offer in Contract Law? Video Lesson Transcript | Study.com. [online] Available at: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-an-offer-in-contract-law.html [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017].

Analysis of School Policies

Analysis of School Policies Introduction Assignment one is to review several policies in an existing school policy manual and to analyze each evaluating its efficacy. The school chosen for this assignment is Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School (MSPCS) located in Miami Shores, Florida. MSPCS is a small religious based school for students age eight weeks to fifth grade and provides families an affordable option for an outstanding academic and social-emotional program. Created in 1966 as a parents morning out program, MSPCS was, and is, well known for its small community and loving environment. The parents morning out program transitioned into a preschool program during the 1970s. In 1999 the church added a kindergarten class to their preschool program. Beginning in 2003 the school began to add one grade each year until finishing with the 5th-grade. In 2008 MSPCS had its first 5th-grade commencement. In July 2013 the school hired a new Headmaster, and a year later he hired a new preschool director. The school began developing a rigorous academic program. With an increased effort on providing students with a quality school experience and the hiring of new teachers with proper certification/credentials, the school is now seeing the benefits of the transformation. Policy Making Procedures The Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School Commission, appointed by the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church Session members, governs MSPCS. The School Commission has a set of specific by-laws, which clearly outline the role of the commission versus the school (Wirth). The policy manual is intended to provide guidelines and directives from the School Commission to the Headmaster regarding general policies, processes, and guiding beliefs of the School. As such, the document contains critical information for executing management plans and processes necessary to meeting and maintaining the school purposes stated in the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School Bylaws. Policies outlined in the MSPCS Policy Manual may be altered, amended, newly established, or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Commission at any regular or special meeting, providing that such changes be proposed and presented to the Commission in writing at a previously scheduled commission meeting at least two weeks prior. The Headmaster may create interim policies when necessary, and the policy will remain in effect until which time the Commission acts to establish permanent policy on the given matter. There are six overarching sections in the MSPCS Policy Manual. They are academic and educational, finance, health and safety, parents, personal and School Commission, and students. For the purpose of this assignment, analyzing one policy in each section would prove to be beneficial to gathering full insight into the creation, purpose, and efficacy of the schools manual. Challenge of Materials Policy Academic and Education Section Objectives: To establish a policy that helps Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School to respect the convictions of parents and teachers in various academic subject areas, while at the same time maintaining our goal of teaching all subjects in the light of a comprehensive Christian worldview. Scope: This policy applies to all literary materials used at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School. Definitions: Objective Materials: A subject which Christian families and churches commonly consider divisive, whether or not the introduction of the topic was planned by the teacher or brought up by a student. Examples include: Environmentalism, the War Between the States, old earth/young earth, partisan politics, etc. Guidelines: The MSPC School Commission has the final authority in retaining or excluding a book from the collection. Any definition of objectionable material needs to keep our target readers in mind. The library exists to meet the needs of Elementary students. Materials that might be deemed inappropriate for younger readers will not be omitted on that basis. Parents/Guardians that feel a book contains offensive material should follow the following steps to address the issue: Bring the book in question to a Teacher, Media Specialist or Administrator. The Administrator or Media Specialist will review the book and determine if the offensive material is egregiously and indefensibly objectionable. If the material is not found to be egregiously and indefensibly objectionable, the book shall be returned to the collection. If the material is found to be objectionable, the book will be taken out of circulation. The Challenge of Materials Policy is an original policy from the prior administration, there is no reference number, and the creation date and author are unknown. The policy is designed to address a parent who questions a book or material that the school and the Commission deem to be appropriate. In 1986, in reply to questions from librarians facing book or material challenges, the Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) established a list of definitions to explain vocabulary related to challenges (Merola). The charge for the IFC was to recommend such steps as may be necessary to safeguard the rights of library users, libraries, and librarians, in accordance with the first amendment to the United States Constitution and the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the ALA Council (Klipsch). The significant step of defining terms that are universal provides library staff with an appropriate and consistent terminology when responding to a complaint. With this understanding, to date, the MSPCS Challenge Material Policy has not been confronted or questioned. Therefore, no revision is necessary to this policy. Although the policy addresses adult concerns, it ultimately affects the students due to the potential of removing reading material and media from their library choices. Volunteer Hours Policy Finance Section Objective: To set guidelines for volunteering requirements of families with children who attend the elementary school of Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School. Scope: This policy applies to all families with children who participate in the elementary school of Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School. Guidelines: Parents or guardians of elementary school students must complete a minimum of 20 family hours of volunteer service per year. It is the sole responsibility of parents to sign-in and out on the volunteer card/sheet and to verify the card/sheet is validated by an MSPC or MSPCS staff representative. Volunteer hours that are not completed by April 30th will be charged the rate of $25.00 per hour to the familys account. The Volunteer Hours Policy is an original policy from the prior administration, there is no reference number, and the creation date and author are unknown. Establishing a policy for mandatory volunteerism theoretically helps support the school and their initiatives to meet the mission. This policy addresses apparent shortcomings or lack of desire for families to become involved with their childs education and other school matters. There is currently legislation in California and Pennsylvania in regards to parent volunteerism. In both instances, the legislation protects families that are required to volunteer at their childs school from their employer who may not allow the time off. As recently as January 01, 2016, California expanded upon the Family School Partnership Act allowing, employees to take job-protected time off to find, enroll, or re-enroll their children in a school or with a licensed child care provider (Corcoran, 2017). The volunteer policy at MSPCS requires families to serve a minimum of twenty volunteer hours per year or pay $25 for each hour under the required minimum. A volunteer is defined by Merriam-Webster (1960) as, a person who voluntarily (proceeding from the will or from ones own choice or consent) undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service. By definition, requiring volunteer hours is an oxymoron and furthermore, charging individuals for not completing the requirement could be justification for litigation. The policy is in need of elimination more than a revision. When parents understand and appreciate the significance of their support, a punitive Ifà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ then policy is not necessary. When prospective parents come to school, they receive the mission statement and discuss its importance with an administrator.   The first part of the schools mission statement is A Christ-inspired experience. Being Christ-inspired means for an individual to broaden their se nse of giving to others. As long as parents understand the importance of their participation in their childs education, there is no need of a policy requiring their presence. Evacuation, Reverse Evacuation, and Safety Drills Policy Health and Safety Section Objective: To set guidelines for Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School stakeholders in being prepared for an event when they may be in potential danger. Scope: This policy applies to all Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School stakeholders. Definitions: Evacuation: The immediate and urgent movement of people out of a building from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Reverse Evacuation: The immediate and urgent movement of people inside the building from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Lockdown: A confinement of all individuals to a secure location due to a perceived or real threat. Guidelines: All drills (evacuation, reverse evacuation, and lockdown) will be held on a monthly basis. During the first week of school, staff members shall take their class for a practice fire drill. Follow the evacuation map in the room using the primary route. The secondary route is also noted, and there will be one fire drill a year when the secondary route will be utilized. The school is equipped with an intercom, fire alarm system and sprinkler system. The Evacuation, Reverse Evacuation, and Safety Drills Policy is an original policy from the prior administration with two key additions from the current administration in 2013. There is no reference number, and the creation date and author are unknown. Before 2013, the policy only addressed evacuation drills. The drill is typical in all United States schools and is mandated by federal law. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), which oversees Floridas business safety and health structure, requires that companies with ten or more employees have written fire prevention and emergency exit plans, as well as practices for such an emergency for each workplace. During 2013, the new MSPCS administration included the reverse evacuation and lockdown safety drills to the policy in reaction to the climate of todays society of schools under attack by unstable or angry people. The first known instance of a reverse evacuation drill policy was after the state of Kentucky put out a school crisis planning guide, and then FEMA included the policy in their guide (Dorn). Additionally, in 2013, a lockdown drill was instituted at MSPCS. On December 14, 2012, a tragedy occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when a disturbed man went into the school and shot many students and several teachers. The administration recognized the potential of this occurring anywhere and why it is important to establish a policy for children and educators to understand and know what to do in this type of emergency. The Federal Government does not mandate lockdown drills. However, several states have legislation in place requiring schools practice lockd owns as frequently as they practice evacuation drills. Each of the safety drills and their continued practices is essential to keeping students and educators prepared for an emergency situation. No one can tell how someone may react in an actual emergency, but having the knowledge of what to do, may decrease further stresses or even casualties. There are no plans to revise this policy, because of the eminent danger that society faces. Parental Non-Compliance Policy Parent Section Objective: To establish a set procedure for Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School administrators when parents are not in compliance with school policy or procedures. Scope: This policy applies to any time administration believes parents are not in compliance with school policy or procedures. Definitions: Non-Compliance: Failure to act in accordance with a wish or command or inability to conform to rules or standards. Guidelines: When an incident is considered serious enough according to the schools parameters, all family members will be asked to withdraw from the school regardless of previous incidents. In most instances, the following will take place: FIRST INCIDENT: Written notification regarding the incident or offense will be sent to the family and placed in the families file. A parent or guardian may be required to attend a meeting, at school, with the Administration. SECOND INCIDENT: Written notification regarding the incident or offense will be sent to the family and placed in the families file. The parent, parents, or guardian will be required to attend a meeting with the Administration. The family will be put on probation for the remainder of the school year. THIRD INCIDENT: All family members will be asked to withdraw from school the following year, or if deemed appropriate, immediately. The administration has an obligation to inform the School Commission of any incident that reaches non-compliance status. In the event of family withdrawal, the School Commission has final authority to accept or reject the administrations recommendation. The Parental Non-Compliance Policy is an original policy from the prior administration along with a recent 2015 revision by the new administration. Included in the revised version are the three step process and the paragraph giving final authority to the School Commission. Adding both parts to the policy ensures and protects the family and the administration from emotional decision making. There is no federal or state legislation on parental non-compliance at school, but many private schools do have some policy written to safeguard all parties. All members of a school community, including families, educators, students, visitors, and the administration, have the intention to work in partnership to provide the children the best experiences in their education and care. From the onset, families and staff agree at the time of acceptance or employment to acquaint themselves with and meet the terms of the schools philosophy and Code of Ethics. There are times when behaviors or actions go against the philosophy or code. Therefore, it is essential to have a policy and process for dealing with such occurrences. If the administration selects families into the school community that are mission appropriate and who can abide by the schools philosophy, then this policy, in theory, would not be necessary. Unfortunately, circumstance can arise, and each party needs to be protected and valued during trying times. In the next revision, an initial step of a verbal warning may be beneficial in providing due process to the policy and may mitigate any further escalation. Currently, the first step is to write up a warning of the incident, and this does not comply with the schools Caring Community philosophy. Within the Caring School philosophy, one of the schools goals is to empower and listen to others to further understand their perspective. A conversation to express the school displeasure with a parents behavior or action allows the parent to provide their point of view. Through respectful and honest conversation, the school and parents may agree on a solution without further incident or create hard feelings. Evaluations/Personnel File Policy Staff, Personnel, and School Commission Section Objectives: To ensure consistency of procedure and standards in all performance assessments of the staff of MSPCS. Scope: This policy applies to commission evaluations of the Headmaster, the Headmasters evaluation of administrative staff, and the Directors assessments of the teaching staff. Definitions: Evaluation: A procedure for measuring a staff members performance in helping to achieve the goals and policies of MSPCS, the curriculum objectives of the school, and the observation of the guidelines and handbooks. Personnel File: A file maintained by the Headmaster in the administrative office of MSPCS for all faculty and staff members of the school. General Statement: Several fundamental principles underlie the MSPCS approach to supervision and evaluation. These principles are grounded in current research that identifies effective instructional practices that maximize student learning and achievement. The MSPCS model for supervision and evaluation recognizes the importance of linking teacher evaluation to professional development and student learning. It also acknowledges the value of a differentiated structure that supports teachers at varying stages of their career and experience and promotes greater teacher involvement in the evaluation process. At MSPCS we recognize the importance of the supervision, evaluation, and Professional Growth process. The MSPCS Supervision, Evaluation, PGP program incorporates supervisory options connected to personal growth in a collaborative environment. MSPCS is a professional community, which encourages feedback and reflection as a means of promoting continuous teacher growth and improved student achievement. Meaningful feedback comes from multiple and diverse sources and provides an opportunity for reflection which sharpens our teachers skills of self-assessment. Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Growth is an interactive process perceived as valuable by all involved. The MSPCS program involves assessment structures that promote an array of reflective, creative and analytic skills. In the MSPCS program, outstanding teaching is studied, sought, recognized and supported. By promoting structures that encourage professional development, a reflective school culture and research-based practices; MSPCS ensures that it will remain focused on its mission, vision, and continued goal to improve student achievement. The objective of teacher supervision, evaluation, and professional learning is to increase student achievement by encouraging and supporting the professional growth of all teachers. Administrators Assurance The MSPCS Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Growth Plan will: Provide clear, concise, comprehensive teaching standards based on current research of best teaching practice. Provide a fair, clear system for teacher evaluation used on current research. Provide useful, timely feedback related to MSPCS teaching standards to guide professional development goals. Foster a culture of trust, mutual respect, and constructive professional dialogue, which encourages risk taking in a learning community. Refine the craft of teaching through reflection and risk-taking. Utilize data from student assessment to guide teaching practice as related to MSPCS teaching standards. Encourage teachers to chart their course for professional development. Value the diversity of teachers perspective, skills, knowledge, and practice. All MSPCS educators will have: Support and encouragement from the Preschool Director, Headmaster and other staff members. Reviewed procedures and be informed on the supervision and evaluation format and forms. Professional development goals that incorporate one or more of the MSPCS Teaching Standards. Numerous opportunities to be observed through walkthroughs. An annual formal written observation grounded on teacher reflection and growth. Opportunities to discuss their growth with the Preschool Director or Headmaster. Guidelines: All employees will be formally evaluated at least once a year. Each director will be responsible for assessing the teachers and staff members immediately under his/her supervision. The Headmaster will be responsible for the evaluations of the directors, the accounting staff, and other support staff, and the commission will be responsible for the assessment of the Headmaster. The evaluations will be based principally on formal observations of the staff member and interviews with the staff member. Observations and opinions of third parties (parents, other staff members, individual commission members, etc.) may only be taken into account if the staff member being evaluated is given an opportunity to respond to the third partys questions/concerns raised before the finalization of the evaluation. The evaluation will be considered finalized when the staff member being evaluated and the one responsible for the evaluation both acknowledge by signature that the assessment has been discussed in detail. When the evaluation is finalized, the Headmaster will place it in that staff members personnel file. Other appropriate inclusions in the archive of staff would include letters of commendation or reprimand, as well as any responses, comments, or relevant data the staff member may wish to add. Under no conditions will a staff members personnel file be made public to other staff members, parents, or anyone outside MSPCS line of authority. The file of staff may be used by an authorized representative of MSPCS to draft a letter of recommendation to a prospective employer. The file is only to be used for purposes of refreshing the memory and is not to be reproduced for the prospective employer. The Evaluations/Personnel File Policy, entirely rewritten in 2016, from the original policy that was not a policy but more of an outline of procedures. In the original policy, there was no mention of school beliefs or the purposes of the assessment. Also, the wording in the original policy was punitive and full of if-than statements as opposed to helping an educator grow and develop their skills. Often formal evaluations cause stress to an educator, because of the judgment or perception of another persons point of view placed on the individual. At MSPCS, the elimination of judgment and the focus on individual improvement and self-reflection help create a positive experience for all parties during evaluations. Marzanos model of instructional evaluation focuses on specific strategies and how well they are working. Taken one step further, MSPCS adds a component where the teacher generates the level of specificity during a self-reflection period and a pre-observation meeting with the administrator. During the pre-observation meeting, the teacher shares the learning targets for the students and how they plan to prepare the students for the lesson. The teacher provides a brief overview of the sequencing and strategies of the content of the lesson, how the students will practice or demonstrate the new content, and how students will summarize the lesson. During the meeting, the teach er selects an area they would like to improve upon and asks the administrator to assess him/her on a specific task or technique. Additionally, the teacher prescribes two or three questions that he/she would like the administrator to ask the students. During the observation, the administrator documents what is heard or seen, without opinion or judgment. He/She then moves around the room asking the prescribed questions the teacher presented to him/her during the pre-observation meeting and documents the answers the students gave to him/her. A post-observation meeting is held within a day or two to capture the momentum and to provide effective feedback. The meeting always begins with the question, On a scale of one to ten, ten being the best, what would you rate your lesson? Not one person in seven years of asking the question has rated themselves a ten, which means the conversation begins with the understanding that everyone has room to improve. Much of the conversation revolves around the administrator continually asking what do you think and why do you think type questions, because the process is a self-reflection, not a judgment of being good or poor. After analyzing the data, we set goals to work on for the next observation, which may not be a formal one. The idea of the evaluation as a growth process instead of a judgment allows teachers to step back and truly look inward at their practice in a non-threatening way. There are no plans to change this policy as it has proven to be very effective. Discipline Policy Student Section Objectives: To ensure consistent biblical discipline at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School. Scope: This policy applies to all elementary students at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church School. Definitions: Discipline: The practice of instructing and training people to understand and adhere to rules or a code of behavior. Guidelines: Each class develops their student appropriate discipline guidelines. Under no circumstances is corporal punishment allowed. Staff members may not withhold the bathroom, withhold food or belittle the student. MSPCS believes that everyone has the right to experience a safe and friendly school environment. Therefore, we have expectations that students will: Keep hands, feet and all objects to themselves. Show respect for adults and other students. Cooperate and show self-control at all times. Follow directions the first time without questioning. Be prepared for class each day. Be punctual and attend class each day. The school will not tolerate any of the following behaviors and may be cause for expulsion: Verbal and physical fighting. Defacing or damaging school property. Theft of school or personal property. The use of profanity or name-calling. Procedures: When a student violates classroom/school rules for the first time, teachers will discuss the infraction with the student and document the incident. In the event a student commits a second infraction, the teacher will contact the parent to discuss the issue and document the parent/teacher conference as a Step Two Referral. A parent must be contacted for a StepTwo Referral to be completed. If a third infraction occurs, the StepThree Referral must be documented on the referral form. If the student is disrupting the class to the point where learning cannot take place in the classroom, they may be sent to speak with the Preschool Director or Headmaster. If infractions continue to occur and are impeding upon the learning process for the student and others, the student may be sent home. A follow-up meeting will happen with the Preschool Director or Headmaster when the student returns to school. This session will be reflective in nature and to set guidelines and goals for the student to meet. All missed class work due to an infraction of a rule must be completed at home and returned to the teacher when the student arrives back to school. Transgressions, including but not limited to fighting, weapons, severe disrespect, bullying, etc. will result in disciplinary action which may include dismissal from school, even for a first offense. Also, if the MSPCS staff identify, through the course of observation and discussion with parents, that a students particular behavioral issues are beyond the capacity of the program to serve them, the school reserves the right to terminate enrollment at any time. The Discipline Policy is an original policy from the prior administration, there is no reference number, and the creation date and author are unknown. All schools have a discipline policy because it is a critical element in maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. In many schools, a discipline policy states all of the things a student cannot do and what will happen if they do it. At MSPCS, the student discipline policy is more of a threat of words on paper, because the current administration does not believe in sending students home as a punishment. Skiba, Shure, Middelberg, Baker (2011) offer there is no evidence proving that discipline practices that eliminate students from classes by the punitive acts of suspensions and expulsions help to improve either student behavior or school climate. Instead of sending a student home, where they will often be unsupervised, developing an effective intervention at school is more in line with the schools Caring Community philosophy. Another part of this policy that is inaccurate is in the first line that states consistent biblical discipline. The Bibles view on discipline clearly demands that parents be responsible and diligent in spanking, but strongly prohibits physical abuse of any kind (Ingram, 2006). Further, in the MSPCS student discipline policy, it states under no circumstances is corporal punishment allowed. At MSPCS, the administration is not reinforcing the written policy properly, and the language in the policy is sending mixed messages to our families. An easy fix to the discrepancy is to eliminate the word biblical from the policy. However, a complete rewrite of the policy is necessary to match the schools philosophy of a Caring Community and preserving dignity for all. The Caring Community requires a positive-based discipline program where students are self-reflective and empowered while maintaining their dignity. The goal is for students to take responsibility for their actions and learn from each of their experiences. At MSPCS, the school teaches students to look inward to work towards developing intrinsic motivation, while at the same time reducing teacher-centric external motivation. The objective is to influence change in a students undesirable behavior through conversation, demonstration, and sending a consistent message. At MSPCS teachers receive training in the art of being an authoritative classroom leader. Bear (2010) states, An authoritative teacher set high standards and hold high expectations; enforce rules and standards in a firm, fair, and consistent manner; and promote autonomy by encouraging students active participatio