WOODLANDS ELEMENTARY
2015-2016
Student Handbook
“There’s no place like home.”
Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Woodlands staff and students return to our North Woodlands location after
a year away during the 2014-2015 remodel.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Accident Insurance 13
Alcohol, Drugs, & Tobacco Policy 29-30
Asbestos Emergency Policy 35
Attendance Policy 6
Books 14
Building Level Team 14
Bullying, Harassment, & Hazing 29 & 31
Bus Rules & Transportation 6-7
Cell Phone Policy & Phone Use 13
Challenge Program 10
Child Abuse Reporting Procedures 28
Child Custody 11
Concussions & Head Injuries 33
Counseling Services 10
Directory Information 24-25
Discipline Code / Ponca City District Code 18-19
Dress Code 16-17
Emergencies 9
Evacuation Procedures 10
Faculty and Staff 2
Family Educational & Pupil Rights 22-24
Fire, Tornado, & Intruder on Campus Policy 9
Food Items 7-8
General Information of Procedures for Parents & Students 15
Grievance Procedure 21
Head Lice 12
Immunizations 33
Internet Policy 36
Medication Procedures 11-12
Mission and Vision Statement 5
Non-discrimination Clause 6 & 20
Playground Guidelines 16
Promotion and Retention 25-28
PTA 13
Reading Sufficiency Act Plans 10
Safe School Committee/Healthy & Fit Advisory Comm. 34-35
Screenings: Hearing, Dental, Vision, Language 8-9
Search & Seizure 31-33
Severe Weather / Evacuation Procedures 9
School Creed, Colors, Hours & Mascot 4
Special Education Services /Special Needs 10
Suspensions 19-20
Title I Parent Involvement 21
Tobacco Free School Policy 28 & 31
Visitor Badge Policy 5
YMCA – After School Kids Care Program 11
WOODLANDS FACULTY & STAFF
2015-2016
Principal Tim Williams
Pre-Kindergarten Laura Glowacki
Assistant Laurie Graham
Pre-Kindergarten Natalie Lively Assistant Beth Cowger
Kindergarten Vicki Courtney
Kindergarten Amber Love
First Grade Terri James
First Grade Christy Kurtz
Second Grade Ashley Magnus
Second Grade Faith Linnebur
Third Grade Kara Anderson
Third Grade Cindy Johndrow
Special Ed. Assistant Kelly Bales
Fourth Grade Rana Wells
Fourth Grade Ansley Thurber
Special Ed. Assistant Tammy Robertson
Fifth Grade Johnathan Coleman
Fifth Grade Ann Marie Emmons
Methods & Resource Denise Kasgnoc
Speech Pathologist Nancy VanZant
P.E. Mike Moorhead
Art Leslie Bintz
Music Stephanie Phelps
Counselor/Curriculum Specialist Tina Fisher
Librarian Carla Kervin
Title VII Assistant Carrie Choney
Title I Intervention Assistant Casey Van Hoesen
Title I Intervention Assistant
Secretary Kim Mead
Child Nutrition Barbi Dailey
Day Custodian Pearl Canaday
Evening Custodian Gloria Rodriguez
Crossing Guard Colleen Patterson
School Song
Woodlands, Woodlands, we love you.
With your colors white and blue.
Ever loyal, faithful and true,
To our dear Woodlands,
We love you.
School Colors
Blue and White
School Mascot
The mighty eagle
School Creed
I am the future of America. I accept the challenge to respect myself, others and Woodlands School. Yesterday is behind me, today’s successes are before me. There is no limit to what I can achieve. I will make today the best day of all. I accept the responsibility for my behavior and its result. I do not have the right to interfere with the learning and well-being of others. With the help of my family and teachers, I will determine what I will become, for the education I receive today will make me a leader of tomorrow.
School Hours
Arrival: School begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Students will not be supervised and should not arrive before 7:45 a.m. at which time the doors will be open. Fifth graders on patrol may enter the building at 7:40 a.m. Breakfast begins at 7:40 a.m.
Dismissal: School will be dismissed at 3:15 p.m. Bus students, under adult supervision, will go directly outside to the bus stop until their bus arrives. In inclement weather, students will remain at the front entrance or art room until buses arrive.
Non-bus students should be picked up immediately after dismissal. Playgrounds are not supervised after school. No students are allowed on playgrounds after school is dismissed.
All students should have transportation arrangements made—either by bus or pickup—by 3:30 each day.
Pre-Kindergarten students will be picked up at 2:30 p.m. at front entrance.
Please do not drop off or pick up students in the parking lot area. This is a dangerous area and the risk of student accidents is extremely high.
Visitor Badge Policy
Visitors are always welcome at Woodlands. Please be aware that for the safety of our students and staff, Woodlands Elementary strictly follows the Ponca City School District Visitor Badge Policy. All visitors must stop by the office to pick up a name badge. We appreciate your assistance in helping to maintain a safe environment at our school.
Visitors to assemblies do not need to get a badge.
Woodlands Vision Statement
The vision of Woodlands School is to be a team creating tomorrows.
We believe that ……
· Children learn regardless of ethnic origin, gender, income level or
family structure.
· Our school community achieves a positive self-image and develops respect for others.
· We cooperate.
· We nurture all children’s natural curiosity about the world around them.
· Teachers, parents, and students as a team work together to instill the desire for life-long learning.
· We accept the individuality of each student. High Expectations lead to high performance.
· Students succeed in a positive environment where they are active contributors to their educational process.
Woodlands Mission Statement
Our team mission is to ensure all children develop and demonstrate academic, social, and personal skills essential for the creation of a better tomorrow.
Ponca City Public Schools Mission Statement
Our mission is to ensure that all individuals have the opportunity and environment to demonstrate the attitudes, skills and knowledge essential for lifelong learning and responsible living.
Ponca City Public Schools, a 21st century learning community, is committed to preparing each student to live and work successfully in a global society.
Nondiscrimination Statement
It is the policy of Ponca City Public Schools to provide equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, veteran status or disability in its education programs, activities, and employment. This includes, but is not limited to admissions and educational services.
Ponca City School District full Nondiscrimination Statement on pages 6 & 20.
Attendance Policy
Regular and prompt attendance is necessary for the academic and social development of all students. Under Oklahoma law, it is unlawful for a parent, guardian or other person having custody of a child who is over the age of 5 years and under the age of 18 years, to neglect or refuse to cause or compel such child to attend and comply with the rules of some public, private of other school, unless other means of education are provided. This law makes it a misdemeanor crime to fail to compel a child to attend school and provides for a fine for each day that the child is absent from school without a lawful excuse. Further, failure to compel a child to attend school may result in partial loss of financial assistance through DHS.
It is necessary to call the school office when your child is absent or tardy for any reason (767-8025). Messages may be left outside of school hours—your message will be emailed to appropriate staff for documentation.
If you would like to request homework when your child is absent, please do so when you call to report the absence. You may pick up the homework after 3:00 p.m. in the office. If you do not have a telephone, send a note the day your child returns to school indicating the reason for the absence.
Students may be required to attend summer school if their attendance for the year falls below 90%. At the completion of summer school, the principal will decide to retain or promote that student based on performance.
Please do not pick up children early unless it is an emergency. All students must be checked in/or out through the school office during school hours. This includes lunch time. DO NOT go to the classroom or take children from the playground. Children will not be allowed to leave the building with anyone whose name is not on their enrollment card unless the parent or guardian notifies the office in advance.
Bus Transportation
The bus driver has the responsibility for the safety and conduct of students riding the bus to and from the school or activity. Students are to obey their drivers at all times. Students are expected to help keep buses clean and neat. Rules for bus conduct will be given to each bus student at the beginning of the school year. Parents and students are requested to sign and return the form saying they have read and are aware of the rules and consequences. Any child who violates any of the rules will be reported to the school principal and can be denied permission to ride a bus.
Questions about bus schedules should be directed to Transportation Dept.767-8088.
Bus Rules
Please observe the no parking signs. Loading zones for buses are located at the front of the building. Please do not block the bus loading zones.
Bus conduct reports are filled out by the driver if a rule is broken. Conduct reports are handled in the following manner:
1st Offense: Child visits the principal.
2nd Offense: Child visits with the principal and the parent is called.
3rd Offense: 3 day bus suspension
4th Offense: 5 day bus suspension
5th Offense: Suspension the remainder of the semester
Students should know the arrival time of their bus and be ready. Drivers will make every attempt to be on time. In case of bad weather, the superintendent will decide whether or not it is safe to run a route or any part of it. Local radio stations are notified and updated information is posted on the district website as soon as a decision to cancel classes is made.
If your child is not riding the bus home on a specific day or if your child is going to ride a different bus than he/she normally would, it is the parents’ responsibility to notify the office by phone call or note. Students will not be allowed to switch buses without an office pass.
Food Items
Food service regulations adopted by the Oklahoma State Department of Health state, “Food shall be obtained from sources that comply with all laws relating to food safety and food handling. Only food prepared in a licensed establishment shall be used or offered …” The Kay County Health Department has notified all schools requiring that all food prepared for or served to children in the public schools come from a licensed kitchen. Snacks sent from home for celebrations or parties must be purchased and commercially wrapped rather than prepared in a home.
Schools may have Class Parties, and serve sweets as long as it is not a FUND RAISER or FUND RAISING EVENT, and is not on a regular basis such as birthday celebrations. PTA provides two parties per year—Fall & Valentine’s. Sweets are allowed at these parties. Recommended birthday snacks are: Individually wrapped fruit snacks, pretzels, granola bars, yogurt cups or tubes, Rice Krispies snacks, ice cream cups (under 100 calories), popcicles, popcorn, pudding cups and cheese or peanut butter crackers. We do not discourage celebrations, but hope you will join us in focusing on health and nutrition for all of our students.
NEW USDA REGULATIONS Effective July 1st, 2014: The United States Dept. of Agriculture is requiring all schools to meet specific standards regarding foods available to students during the school day. These standards are modeled after the same standards for school breakfast and lunch programs. Foods must have as the first ingredient a fruit, vegetable, a dairy product, a protein food or be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and\or vegetable or contain 10% of the daily value of one of the public health concern in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Calories are limited to less than 200 for snack items. Food items must also have less than 230 mg of sodium, 35% calories from fat with no trans fats and 35% of weight from total sugars in foods.
Beverages available to students must be restricted to unflavored low fat milk, fat free flavored milk and 100% fruit and vegetable juice. Elementary may only serve up to eight ounces, while middle schools can serve 12 ounces and high schools can serve 20 ounces. Only sugar free soft drinks are available at the high school level.
Fund raisers are subject to the same rules if items are sold during the established school day.
Schools are encouraged to follow these standards for class parties, but at this time standards apply to regular foods available on campus through school sales and fund raisers.
For information regarding the Smart Snacks in School standards go to:
http: http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/smart-snacks-school
Also, a Smart Snack calculator is available at:
http://rdp.healthiergeneration.org/calc/calculator
Vision Screening
Good vision is essential to your child’s learning. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, it is required by the State Department of Education and Senate Bill 1795 that the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in Kindergarten, at a public school in the state of Oklahoma shall provide certification to school personnel that the student passed a vision screening within the previous twelve (12) months or during the school year.
Students enrolled in first or third grade at a public school, in the state of Oklahoma shall provide within (30) days of the beginning of the school year, certification to school personnel that the student passed a vision screening within the previous twelve (12) months. Due to the Oklahoma Vision laws students from PreK – 5th grades will be screened annually.
Hearing Screening
Hearing screening may be performed by the school nurse consultants on students that present hearing concerns. Routine hearing screening is done on grades Kindergarten and 1st grade students, but all other students may be tested at the teacher, counselor, or parent request.