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Turning Point
2024-2025
Community Handbook
350 Hunter Lake Dr.
Reno NV, 89509
Office: (775)337-7560
Turning Point is Located at the Glenn Hare Center
Non-Discrimination Statement: The Washoe County School District and Turning Point are committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin or ethnic group identification, marital status, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, religion, age, mental or physical disability, military or veteran’s status in educational programs or activities, and employment as required by applicable federal and state laws and regulations. No District employee, including, without limitation, administrators, faculty, or other staff members, nor students shall engage in acts of bullying, harassment, or discrimination on the premises of any public school, school-sponsored event, or school bus in the district. Prohibited behaviors include cyber-bullying, sexual harassment, hazing, intimidation, and retaliation.
Disclaimer: This handbook contains references to Board Policies and other documents pertaining to the rules and regulations of the Washoe County School District. Turning Point and Washoe County School District reserve the right to revise any of these documents during the school year. For the current version of any of these documents, please check the district’s policy website at www.washoeschools.net/Policy . For additional information regarding Turning Point, please see the school website at https://www.washoeschools.net/turningpoint .
First Day School Guidance
Students enter the school building at 7:55am and students should arrive at or after that time. First period begins at 8:00am. When students are dropped off on campus, they should be dropped off in front of the building which faces Hunter Lake Drive, and will enter through the doors to the left as one faces the building. Our school utilizes a single point of entry approach, so visitors and students who arrive late will need to buzz in via the intercom in the entrance-way vestibule. Students entering the building will be scanned with a metal detector. School ends at 2:30pm every day but Wednesday. On Wednesdays, classes conclude at 1:40pm.
Please note that, at the beginning of each school day, students will relinquish phones and other property that may be a distraction to the educational and special needs environment. All property is returned to the student at the end of the day or when they are picked up by their parent/guardian.
Student Drop-off, Pick-up & Transportation
Although Turning Point is not a zoned school, most students have bussing arrangements through Washoe County School District (WCSD) Transportation. If students are dropped off in the morning, we ask that students arrive in time to be in class by first period, which begins at 8:00am. This will allow our learners to eat breakfast during their first period class. Once students arrive at campus via bus or family transportation, they are required to remain on campus until the end of the school day unless a guardian picks up their child early by checking them out, in person, at the Turning Point main office. All guests picking up our learners must present a valid photo ID. Please direct specific transportation questions to the Transportation Department: (775)377-7769. This is a safety expectation as we wish to ensure that students remain safe.
Safety
Students will participate in monthly fire, shelter in place, and evacuation drills as we empower them to not only behave safely but also to have safety-centered mindsets. One area of safety that is often outside our access and authority is social media. If you see something that may have a negative impact on a learner or our learning environment, please report it immediately by calling the Turning Point main office at (775) 377-7560, or by utilizing the anonymous Safe Voice Reporting system at http://safevoicenv.org/ .
Whole School Policies
Dress Code
Dress code for students at Turning Point will comply with WCSD guidelines, found here: https://www.washoeschools.net/domain/1594 .
If a color or style of shoes or clothing is associated with any misconduct and/or poses a safety risk, the school reserves the right to implement a safety plan prohibiting future wear of problematic color(s), style, graphics, slogans, and any other article of clothing that correlates with risk or disruption. Specific plans to increase safety or manage behavior may impact individual students or the whole school.
Should a student need to change their clothing for some reason, such as wearing inappropriate or unsafe garments, their parent or guardian will be asked to bring the student appropriate clothing.
Cell Phones & Personal Devices
The student use of cell phones and personal devices is not allowed at Turning Point. All mobile phones, tablets, electronics, earbuds/phones, personal laptops, or other personal devices are turned in when the student enters the school and returned after the final bell or when a student is checked out by a parent or guardian. Exceptions are made for those students whose disability requires the use of such a device.
Bags, Backpacks & Belongings
Bags and Backpacks are not carried on the Turning Point campus and are turned in at the same time as phones and other personal devices and returned in the same manner as mentioned in the entry titled “Cell Phones & Personal Devices”. Any belonging that has been determined to be a distraction to learning is likewise turned in. Any items determined to be a safety risk or undue distraction must be left at home or checked in when the student arrives.
Food & Drinks
Turning Point provides clear, plastic, water bottles for student use and students must not bring their own. All other types of food or drink may only be accessed and consumed in the cafeteria. Food is not allowed in classrooms. Should an exception be needed, please contact the school administration. Students are not permitted to chew gum on school grounds.
The Point System, Point Sheets, & Weekly Rewards
At Turning Point, we utilize a point system. Throughout the day, a student’s performance is tracked to ensure that their goals are being met. This enables Turning Point staff to give students and their families feedback from an empirical viewpoint and allows us to give specific input during students’ informational and IEP meetings. In addition, we have both daily and weekly rewards. These rewards are tied into overall student performance, primarily self-management. The point sheet is only one tool that we utilize to ensure that we understand our students’ needs, and that students have immediate feedback regarding their progress. Upon request, a copy of the point sheet can be sent home.
Students at Turning Point can earn certain privileges or rewards based upon their performance. In addition, rewards are often tailored to what motivates a given student. While the rewards are generally small, they are consistent and tied to student behavior.
Counseling
At Turning Point, students have access to a team of professionals dedicated to students’ emotional and social health. Turning Point has a full-time counselor and a Mental Health Professional (a licensed mental health therapist). Together they run groups, assist students in managing their unique circumstances, and provide safe and brave spaces for students to process. Additionally, we also have a school psychologist who visits our campus weekly to ensure that all legal and procedural issues around student care are met.
Academic Departments
All core subjects are taught at Turning Point, including math, science, ELA, social studies, PE. For more information on Turning Point’s academic departments, please visit https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/6149 .
Attendance
Attendance is one of the most reliable indicators of student success. As a school with a particular focus, we understand that certain circumstances can make it difficult for families and care teams to have students always be on campus on time or for the full day. In the interest of keeping our students engaged and ensuring that their education is on-track, we ask all parent/guardian teams to please make every effort to have students attend the full day whenever possible.
For more information regarding Turning Point school, please visit https://www.washoeschools.net/turningpoint .