Frequently Asked Questions

Babcock Schools (K-12) hours are 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Students must be on time and remain on campus during these hours unless participating in an approved field trip or other school-sponsored activity.

K-8 students can be dropped off 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. in the elementary car line; held in the cafeteria until 7:45 a.m.

◦ Students in K-8 walking or riding a bike/scooter must enter school property via the sidewalk at the Cypress Pkwy gate at 7:45. Car line drop-off begins at 7:30. Students will be held in the cafeteria until 7:45 a.m. Students entering the building at the Walker Gate (off of Cypress Parkway) will be allowed to enter the building beginning at 7:45 a.m.

◦ High school students can be dropped off beginning at 7:45 a.m. in the high school car line, located in front of the High School between the Fieldhouse and the school building.

◦ High school students must enter school property via the sidewalk at the Cypress Pkwy gate and may not enter the building before 7:45 a.m.

• If dropping off at 8:00 a.m. or later for a K-8 student, a parent MUST come inside and sign the student in at the front office.

• Students must be in the classroom, prepared to learn by 8:00 a.m. or they are considered tardy.

• K-5 students should be picked up beginning at 3:00 p.m.; parents in the car line and walker gate must announce their student in PikMyKid. Students not picked up by 3:20 p.m. will be sent to Trailcare with applicable fees. ◦ Kindergarten-3rd grade students must be picked up by a parent or guardian, with the parent’s arrival announced in PikMyKid beginning at 2:30 p.m.

◦ K-3 students may walk or bike home with an older sibling in 4th or 5th grade only if a permission slip has been submitted through Focus. .

◦ Middle or high school students may pick up a K-3 student beginning at 3:00 p.m. only if designated as a delegate in the parent’s PikMyKid account.

◦ K-5 walkers and bike/scooter riders are released at 3:00 p.m. (through the back doors located at Cypress Parkway exit) and must be checked out by an assigned staff member using the school’s verification system.

◦ 4th and 5th-grade students may walk or ride independently once a parent completes the required permission form.

• Middle and high school students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. Walkers, bike riders, and scooters are released at the same time as the carline and must proceed directly to their designated release area. Walkers and riders are never permitted to enter the parking area while leaving school property. Once off campus, students must proceed directly home and may only return for emergencies or scheduled school events.

EARLY DISMISSAL

• K-8: A parent must physically sign the child out, and office staff will provide an early dismissal slip to excuse the student from class.

• 9-12: A student may only sign out if a parent/guardian or an adult on the emergency card signs them out in person; student drivers may not sign themselves out without prior written authorization approved by the administration.

• Students are only released to individuals listed in FOCUS or on official paperwork, with proper identification.

• Students needing early pick-up must leave by 2:40 p.m. or wait until

• No use of cell phones will be permitted in the carline due to safety. If you have an emergency, please pull out of line and park, complete your phone call, and reenter the line. Safety is our top priority.
• The lightning status link can be found on the parent webpage or by going directly to this link: http://babcockneighborhoodschool.thormobile2.net/
• In the case of inclement weather dismissal may be delayed until it is safe for student pickup to resume.
• The PikMyKid app will be used for safe dismissal procedures.

Use designated drop-off points; do not block the travel lane. K-8 drop off in front of BNS; high school in front of the High School between the Fieldhouse and the school.

• Parents with students in the elementary and the middle school will proceed through the K-8 carline

• Elementary students will need to be announced using the PikMyKid app.

• Parents with middle school students only will pick up their student in the high school car line.

• No parking is permitted in the carlines. If a parent needs to bring something into the school or help the student in or out of the vehicle, the parent must park in a designated parking spot and proceed to the front office.

• No cell phone use is permitted in the carline for safety. If there is an emergency, the driver must pull out of line, park, complete the phone call, and then reenter the line.

• During pick-up in the BNS car line, students and staff will assist at the curbs to help get students safely to their vehicles.

• Rideshare restriction: students may never leave campus via third-party vendors (e.g., Uber, Lyft). These vehicles are not allowed on campus.

Safety is the most important factor. When ThorGuard indicates lightning, normal dismissal procedures pause. The lightning status link is available on the school webpage or directly at https://360.thormobile.net/babcockneighborhoodschools/mobile/.

• For BNS, walkers and bike riders will be held until THOR indicates that lightning is clear. Once carline is finished, all students still waiting to be picked up will be brought to Trailcare and will remain there until the all-clear is given and it is safe to release them. Parents will be responsible for all after-care fees, including registration and applicable weekly fees. ◦ If a parent of a walker or biker decides to pick up due to weather conditions, the parent must enter the carline before 3:15 p.m. and call the main office and alert the change if you have announced for Biker/Walker in Pik My Kid to ensure your student is directed to the appropriate pick-up location.

• Middle school students without siblings may be picked up in the high school carline and will exit through the walker gate between the high school and the Fieldhouse.

• Middle school students with siblings will continue to be dismissed from the elementary carline and will wait with their siblings in the elementary cafeteria. In the event of a Red Alert, everyone is held until the Red status ceases.

• Middle school students picking up younger siblings at the walker lobby may check them out using the PikMyKid app or by providing the younger sibling’s PikMyKid number to a staff member.

• Middle school students riding home with a high school sibling will exit through the walker gate and walk to the high school to meet their sibling for dismissal.

• For BHS, walkers and bike riders will be held until THOR indicates that lightning is clear. Walkers and bike riders will remain in classrooms until the carline is complete and then be released to a common area to wait for a parent ride or an all-clear from THOR. ◦ If a BHS walker or biker decides to be picked up due to weather conditions, parents must join the carline.

• The BHS lightning status link is available at https://360.thormobile.net/babcockneighborhoodschools/

• Failure to follow this policy will result in the suspension of walker/bike rider privileges. Once off campus, students must proceed directly home.

In order to enter the buildings, you will need to present your driver’s license or other personal identification at the door. A visitor pass will be issued if you are expected outside of the office area.

Driving on campus is a privilege that can be revoked for academic or behavioral misconduct. Any student who parks on campus without a current permit is subject to disciplinary action and loss of driving privileges for the remainder of the year.

• Students must sign and agree to the Babcock High School Parking / Traffic Rules and Regulations and drive safely and responsibly.

• A parking permit ($10.00) requires a driver’s license, car registration, and proof of insurance brought to the front office.

• Golf-cart drivers under 18 must be at least 15 with a learner’s permit or 16 with a license, and carts require a $10 permit.

• Students park in their assigned spot with decal displayed; spots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Students may never leave campus with a third-party vendor (Uber, Lyft), which is not permitted on campus.

Every student is expected to be on time and present each day the school is open. The project-based nature of the program makes attendance critical; multiple absences will impact student learning. Students must remain at school during school hours unless on an approved field trip, internship, or externship.

ABSENCES

Please schedule appointments, vacations, and other activities during non-school hours whenever possible. If an absence is unavoidable, use the link on our website under the Resource tab to notify staff. Excused absences may be considered for illness, family emergency, funeral, legal matter, or religious holiday. A student missing three (3) or more days due to illness or injury must provide a doctor’s or nurse’s note.

TRUANCY

If a student is absent for more than 10% of instructional time, the student will be referred to the Child Study Team. Out-of-district students may be referred back to their home district. Middle/high school students may jeopardize course credit due to excessive absences. The instructional time is tracked in FOCUS for the entire year.

TARDIES & CHECK-OUT

Students arriving late or returning from an appointment must check in at the front office, provide a note from a parent/guardian or physician, and present teachers with an office-issued tardy slip. Students who are chronically tardy or absent may not receive course credit and may lose privileges. Three or more tardies (or arriving without a badge) will result in a consequence, with progressive discipline for non-compliance.

The project-based and place-based nature of Babcock Schools makes school attendance critical. Multiple absences will impact student learning due to the nature of the project-based learning environment that Babcock Schools is striving to create.

Babcock Schools do not offer transportation.

Yes! You can find out more information about Trailcare here!

Babcock Schools utilizes ParentSquare for all family communication.

Yes. You can view our dress code here.

Uniforms can be ordered from our current vendor Signature Threads in North Fort Myers.

You can find the school supply list here. K-5 grades have downloadable lists. Middle and high school students will be provided supply lists by their teachers as needed based on their individual schedules and course needs.

A weekly breakfast and lunch menu can be downloaded here.

The current meal pricing can be found here. Lunch money can be added to the MySchoolBucks app. You will need student ID numbers to set up an account.

Yes. You can apply for free or reduced lunches here.

Babcock Schools utilize OTUS as the learning management system. Beyond a digital gradebook, OTUS was developed to house the curriculum designed by the teacher, provide transparency to the learner and their parents for continuous improvement, support a standards-based approach to measuring growth against state standards, and allow in-depth data for a deeper analysis of instruction over time for the school and individual students.

Babcock Schools are Standards-Based Grading schools. We strive to ensure that students meet all the standards for each year, rather than base their performance on an average. This can be a challenge for students who are used to seeing an average, but this approach allows students to clearly see where they need to improve and what areas have been mastered. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery learning of standards over rote memorization. Students are permitted in coordination with the educator to determine various strategies to demonstrate learning. Performance is measured, but it looks different than a traditional A-F grading. Instead, students are graded on 1-4 number scale which represents the student’s progress on each standard at that time

1 – The student has an Emerging understanding of the standard content, but may be performing below expectations later in the year.

2 – The student is Developing some understanding of standard content and has mastered part of the standard.

3 – The student is Proficient with the entire standard. Achieving a level 3 on a standard demonstrates proficiency at Babcock Schools and is the goal for all students for each standard assigned.

4 – The student is Exceeding Expectations beyond what is expected of the standard content.

Learn more about standards-based grading here.

The standards-based grading system is becoming increasingly utilized across the country and has gained much traction in the last few years due to the impact of rising academic gaps and the need to understand exactly what the student knows and needs to know to be successful.

The grades entered into FOCUS, Charlotte County’s student information system, represent the student’s progress at that time and serve as a projection of where the student should be at the end of the year if their work ethic is maintained. The final numerical grade for FOCUS is obtained by utilizing grading scale below. All courses for high school credit will have a converted score from the platform for their official transcript.

Florida Uniform Grading Scale for grades 9-12 is as follows:

Parents have full access to the student’s assignments, checkpoints, and evidence submitted to demonstrate mastery and performance within OTUS.

Babcock Schools offer a unique, project-based academic environment. The mission of all schools is to provide students with a rigorous and relevant academic experience that embeds standards and skills in a meaningful educational experience. The ultimate goal is to ensure that students are growing in their learning.

This is accomplished through a unique learning experience that includes Cambridge AICE Curriculum and allows teachers to have autonomy in how they utilize curriculum resources. We utilize a Learning Management System (LMS) that will allow our teachers to develop essential skills, personalize learning, and culminate evidence in a meaningful attachment to the standards. Our blended learning environment provides a personalized approach to learning while ensuring the academic foci are being accomplished in tandem. The PBL (Project-Based Learning) experiences are designed to engage the community at various levels and make meaningful connections for our learners.

These experiences are showcased throughout the year through a variety of opportunities that include community and families as appropriate. Students are required to participate as these experiences are an integral component of Project-Based Learning units and a time for the student to demonstrate their learning.

PBL requires students to be solid in their core academic standards. There are components to PBL that are hands-on, but those experiences are not without extensive reading, writing, math, and application of content knowledge.

Teachers at BNS and BHS go through three years of training and ongoing professional development to ensure their understanding and implementation of PBL is highly effective and quality. In year three, teachers are expected to obtain their official PBL certification from Magnify Learning, our partner in the work.

We are the 1st PBL Certified Demonstration site in Florida.

Babcock Schools are public charter schools of choice. Our staff works collaboratively with the school district to ensure that all students’ needs are met. If your child has an IEP or an IEP is in progress, please contact the school directly to determine placement. 

Students who have been identified as gifted or talented will be serviced through classroom experiences designed by the classroom teacher in consultation and coordination with the Gifted/Talented teacher. Students with academic gaps will be placed in intervention to ensure they are ready for their next grade-level. Babcock Schools offers an inclusion model.

Yes, we have a wide variety of electives offered at each grade level and vary from year to year.

High school course selection should be based on information that students receive from their school counselor, teachers, and parents. A careful review of available electives will benefit students in preparing for what they plan to do beyond high school.

Babcock Neighborhood School, Inc. is a public charter school and is required to take all Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Assessments. The progress monitoring model instituted with the FAST Assessment provides the opportunity for measuring learning three times each school year. The data from these assessments are critical to ensuring continuous improvement for all students and our schools.

It should be noted that the state of Florida has implemented certain statutory requirements regarding 3rd-grade retention to ensure that students are proficient in reading before advancing to the 4th grade (F.S. 1008.25 (7)(b)(3)). These requirements are part of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) and aim to ensure that students have the necessary skills to succeed academically. While the retention policy may seem daunting, please remember that it is in place to support your child’s educational development and set them up for future success. Keep in mind that if a 3rd-grade student does not achieve a satisfactory score on the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the FAST, they will be subject to retention. Please note that retention is automatic if a child receives a Level I on Progress Monitoring 3 (PM3, spring assessment) and does not receive a passing score in 45th percentile on the SAT10. The SAT10 assessment will be administered to students who score a Level 1 on the PM3. Students will be given two opportunities to take the SAT10:one following the failed PM3 assessment and at the conclusion of Summer School. All students in 3rd grade who do not pass the PM3 with a Level 2 or higher, will be offered an opportunity to attend after school tutoring and Summer School.

This same premise applies to 10th grade students as it is a high school graduation requirement to pass the FAST ELA (or achieve a concordance score) and the Algebra 1 EOC (or achieve a concordance score).

English: 4 Credits, Must Pass 10th grade ELA Florida Standards Assessment

Math: 4 Credits which includes Algebra I* (Must Pass EOC) and Geometry* (or Florida Standards Assessments, if applicable)- 2 credits may be substituted with allowable industry certification courses that lead to college credit.

Science: 3 Credits, which includes Biology*, and 2 more courses equally rigorous as Biology – 2 of the 3 courses must have a lab component and 1 credit (excluding Biology) may be substituted with an allowable industry certification course that leads to college credit.

Social Studies: 3 credits as follows; 1 credit World History, 1 credit US History*, 0.5 Credit US Government, 0.5 Credit Economics

World Language: No requirement for diploma, but 2 credits (same language) required for State University admission

Fine Arts: 1 credit in Fine or Performing Arts or Practical Arts

Physical Education: 1 credit to include integration of Health (HOPE)

Digital Learning: 1 credit in an online course

Electives: 8 credits

GPA: Cumulative unweighted 2.0 on a 4.0 scale

Total Credits: 24

*END OF COURSE EXAM. THESE COURSES REQUIRE THE STUDENT TO TAKE AN END OF COURSE EXAM THAT IS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE AND WILL COUNT AS 30% OF THE STUDENT’S COURSE GRADE.

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment is a program that allows high school students to simultaneously earn college or vocational credit toward a postsecondary diploma, certificate, or degree at a Florida public institution while also earning credit toward a high school diploma. Dual Enrollment courses are free to students who attend a Florida public college, technical college, or university; this includes registration, matriculation, or laboratory fees for courses taken through Dual Enrollment.

Instructional materials (such as books) are provided to public school students free of charge. To qualify for Dual Enrollment, a student must meet the criteria that are established by the District/School articulation agreement and which are included in the Inter-institutional Articulation Agreement with the other institution.

Early Admission Program

Early admission shall be a form of Dual Enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate or baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled pursuant to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory fees.

Unique programs exist at Florida Gulf Coast University, the Accelerated Collegiate Experience, and Florida SouthWestern State College. Interested students should speak with the school counselor for additional information.

When students leave high school as Early Admission Program students, they may participate in graduation exercises with their graduating class and may be ranked in class using District/School policy regarding weighting of Dual Enrollment classes.

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE)

The Cambridge AICE program provides an advanced academic pre-university qualification for students who are studying Cambridge International A and AS Levels. The Cambridge AICE program offers students the opportunity to tailor their studies to individual interests, abilities, and future plans. The program combines breadth of study with choice and flexibility. The Cambridge AICE program involves the selection of subjects from three curriculum areas: Mathematics and Science, Languages, and Arts & Humanities.

Cambridge AICE is an international pre–university curriculum and examination system, which emphasizes the value of broad and balanced study for academically able students. Program strengths lie in the flexibility and structure of the curriculum encouraging in–depth, working knowledge of each subject, and in essay–based examinations as assessment of that knowledge and skill mastery. There are three secondary course levels:

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

 The Advanced Placement Program provides college-level courses and exams in various subject areas for students in secondary schools. More than 2,900 universities and colleges worldwide grant credit, appropriate advanced course placement, or both to students who have performed satisfactorily on the exams, and approximately 1,400 institutions grant sophomore standing to students who have demonstrated their competence in 30 credits or more. Approximately 14,000 high schools throughout the world participate in the Advanced Placement Program.

AP Exams are taken each May and are paid for by the school provided that the student is enrolled in the corresponding AP class. Students are required to take the AP assessment. If the AP assessment is not taken, the student is responsible for the cost of the exam. Speak with your counselor or teachers about AP Program offerings and eligibility.

For further information visit the College Board website at: www.collegeboard.com or contact: College Board, Southern Regional Office, 3700 Crestwood Parkway, Suite 700, Duluth, GA. 30096-5583, phone: (770) 908-5460.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS)

The number of credits that may be earned in Florida Virtual School (FLVS) toward meeting the high school graduation requirements is unlimited. Students who are currently enrolled full-time in Babcock High School may use Florida Virtual School to supplement their school coursework. It is recommended that students enroll in only one FLVS course at a time.

Babcock High School (BHS) will not deny access to a course offered by FLVS assuming the desired online course is an appropriate placement based on the student’s academic history, grade level, and age. In assessing whether a course is an appropriate placement, school counselors will use the FLVS placement parameters and prerequisite/grade level requirements.

Charlotte Technical College (CTC)

Technical Dual Enrollment students must be assessed and advised as appropriate A.S. or technical certificate career pathways at the College. A Technical Dual Enrollment student must be concurrently enrolled in a high school program with a minimum 2.0 unweighted high school GPA. The technical college dual enrollment program is designed to provide career training for qualifying high school students. Transportation is not provided.

Successful coursework in these programs help prepare students for employment and will propel students to advanced standing at Florida public technical colleges. It may also lead to advanced standing at many Florida colleges through articulation agreements. For more information please visit www.charlottetechcollege.net or call 941-255-7500.

Enrollment is selected by a lottery system with a preference for students in Charlotte County. Babcock Ranch is located in Charlotte County.

Yes. You can contact us to set up a tour and decide if BNS/BHS if the right fit for your student and family. Call the school at 239-567-3043 or email office@babcockneighborhoodschool.org.

Sign up for the lottery here to begin the enrollment process. Enrollment is subject to current capacity and waitlist standings. Please contact our Data Technician, Erica Childers at echilders@babcockneighborhoodschool.org who handles our initial admissions process.

Yes. Babcock Neighborhood School and Babcock High School are both public charter schools of choice for families.

Mission: Growing World Changers

Vision: Babcock Schools will design meaningful learning experiences that: develop effective communicators, resilient learners, and global citizens, to become tremendous Trailblazers.