Natcher Elementary at a Glance

Student and Family Handbook

2013 / 2014

(Supplement to the Warren County Board of Education District Student Handbook)

Vision Statement

Beginning with the end in mind, growing tomorrow’s leaders!

Mission Statement

The mission of Natcher Elementary School

is to provide a safe, caring environment

for life long learners to succeed.

School Phone: 842-1364

School Fax: 842-1563

1434 Cave Mill Road

Bowling Green, KY 42104

Important Facts 4

School Personnel 5-7

School Hours 7

School Calendar8-11

School Based Decision Making Council (SBDM) 11-18

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) 19

Family Volunteers 19

Frequently Asked Questions 20

Ways to help our school 22

Safe School 23

Safety Procedures for Car Riders 23-26

Bus Regulations 27-28

Student Dismissal Policy 29

Attendance 30

Classroom Visitation Policy 31

School Discipline Plan 32

Goals Procedure for Positive PAWS Slips 34

Interventions 37

School Wide Common Area Procedures 45

School Wide Voice Levels

Hallway Procedures

Cafeteria Procedures

Morning Meeting

Bathroom Procedures

Playground Procedure

Bullly Prevention Plan 51

Student Information 53

Services 55

Academic Information 58

Homework PolicyPermanent Records

Agenda BooksReporting to Parents

Supplemental TimePrimary School Program

Gifted and Talented ProgramHonor Roll

Preschool ProgramTitle 1 Services

Natcher Elementary Mascot 63

Important Facts!

 Check out: A picture I.D. MUST be presented when checking a child out during the school day if our staff does not recognize the person as someone on the emergency card. The picture I.D. needs to match one of the names on the emergency card.

 Visitors: Anyone wishing to visit during the school day will be asked to provide a picture I.D. if the office staff does not recognize the visitor as someone listed on the emergency card. If the visitor is not on the emergency card, the student’s parent will be phoned to request permission. It is important to keep the emergency card information updated throughout the year with correct phone numbers.

 Written permission is required from the parent for any student to ride a bus other than his/her regular one.

 Notify the school office by 9:00 a.m. if your child is absent and send in a note when the child returns to school. Once a student has been absent using parent notes for 6 days, a doctor’s excuse is required in order for any further absences to be documented as excused.

 Money brought to school should be in an envelope with the student’s full name and teacher name on it please to ensure it is returned if lost.

 Breakfast prices: $1.15 students $2.00 adult visitors

Lunch prices: $2.10 students $3.35 adult visitors

Milk: $ .50

 When possible, please send a written note with the child’s full name and teacher or phone the office by 2:00 pm for anychange in transportation. Please do not email. If the email system were down, we would miss the change in transportation.

 Please check your child’s backpacks DAILY.

 Students must have a medication form filled out in order for a child to receive medication at school (includes both prescription and over the counter drugs). Any medication, which a child is to take, must be brought to the office by the parent or guardian in the original container. Students maynot transport medicine to or from school. A parent or guardian will have topick the medicine up as well as students may not transport medicines.

 Please put your child’s name on all personal items such as jackets, coats, backpacks, and lunchboxes so we can try to return lost items.

Natcher Elementary Team

Administration

Matt Thornhill – Principal

Neesa Richardson– Curriculum Coordinator

Loraine Lacey - Guidance Counselor

Homeroom Teachers

Kindergarten: Kendall Blue

Kelly Creasey

Ashley Rich

1st Grade: Cindy Baker

Johnna Cline

Lisa Flynn

2nd Grade: Joanifer Caldwell

Patty Jaggers

Brooke Royalty

3rd grade: Kyle Brooks

Ellen Buselmeier

Ashley Christopher

4th Grade: Sheree Green

Harmony Hendrick

Karen Scott

5th Grade: Letitia Butler

Jim Hudson

Emily Shell

6th Grade: Carissa Hartis-Miller

Kathy Hatler

Michelle Oliver

Natcher Elementary E-Mail List

(All end with @warren.kyschools.us)

Example:

Support Faculty

Hayley Brown – FMD Resource Teacher

Lodema Burgess – Preschool Teacher

Chris Cecil / Brian Morrison – 6th Grade Band Instructors

Amanda Degenhart – Occupational Therapist

Laura Dinning – District Psychologist

Violet Fairweather – Library Media Specialist

Marty King - Speech Pathologist

Leslie Lloyd – Music Teacher

Catherine Lehman – Art Teacher

DeAnn McElroy – Physical Therapist

Deb Noffsinger – Resource Teacher

Carol Ran – English as a Second Language Teacher

Gay Robison – Resource Teacher

Janis Ruth – Math Intervention Teacher

Erin Smith – Resource Teacher

Miranda Stewart - Teachers for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Keith Stokes – Physical Education Teachers

Amanda Turner – Reading Intervention Teacher

Support Staff

Heather Baker – Kindergarten Instructional Assistant

Alecia Baldwin – Title 1 Reading Instructional Assistant

Betty Brown – Title 1 Math Instructional Assistant (part-time)

Shelley Burgess – Resource Instructional Assistant

Lindsey Turley / Candaaes Williams – Interpreters for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Jamie Collier – Resource Instructional Assistant

Denise Frazier – Instructional Assistant

Mary Jaynes / Carolyn Jordan / Grace Bockhouse – ESL Assistants

Shannon Kanan – Resource Instructional Assistant

Connie McNeil – Secretary / Bookkeeper

Teresa McSween – Kindergarten Instructional Assistant

Jenna Nance – Kindergarten Instructional Assistant

Linda Palmer – Resource Instructional Assistant

Mindy Sunderlin – Making Better Choices (MBC) Room Assistant

Susan Tabor- Family Resource Coordinator

Shannon Towe – Title 1 Reading Instructional Assistant (part-time)

Julie Waldvogel – Preschool Assistant

Jan Wall – Resource Instructional Assistant

Tammy Younglove – Student Technology Coordinator

Beverly York – Receptionist/Attendance Clerk

Cafeteria Staff

Christine Roberts – Cafeteria Manager

Tina Baumgarten

Teresa Crowder

Patty Humphrey

Zeljka Mechic

Betty Natcher

Custodial Staff

Jeff Mansfield

Earl Poole

Lori Roberts

Agatha Reeves

SCHOOL HOURS

School begins at 8:15 A.M. The school doors open at 7:45 A.M. School dismissal for car riders and all buses begins at 3:15 P.M.

EVERY INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTE IS PRECIOUS! Children who arrive late or picked up early are counted as tardy. Parents who would like to speak to a child’s teacher should do so by making an appointment with the teacher please.

Parents who transport their children are asked to bring them between 7:45-8:15 A.M. and pick them up at 3:15 P.M. Please use the “cars only” parking lot when bringing or picking up children. Prompt pick up is expected and necessary as supervising faculty is not able to provide after-school care. If after-school care is needed, please contact the Community Education Center at 842-4281.

2013-2014

Every Friday is Natcher Spirit Day. Students are encouraged to wear Natcher colors and/or Natcher T-Shirts. The dates listed below are subject to change.

August

6th Open house, 5:00-6:30

8th First day of school K – 6th

Smart Card sales will continue through the 26th

12th PTO meeting 6:30 PM

13th Drama Club informational meeting 3:30-4:15

14th Parent volunteer training 8:30

15th Parent volunteer training 6:30 p.m.

19th First day of preschool M/W

19th SBDM council meeting 5:30

20st First day of preschool T/Th

20th Drama Club auditions 3:30-5:00

20th Natcher Spirit Night at Dairy Queen 5:00-7:00

21st Parent volunteer training 6:30 p.m.

23rd Family movie night 6:30

30th Cookie dough kickoff (Sharpen the Saw schedule)

September

1st-13th Cookie Dough/Magazine Fundraiser

2nd School Closed(Labor Day)

3rd Leader of the Month Celebration

6th Grandparent’s reading to Grandchildren

9th PTO meeting 6:30

9th-14th Anti-Bully week

13thFall Festival (games, food, silent auction) 5:00-8:00

13th-20th Fall Book Fair

16th SBDM council meeting 5:30

17th Constitution Day – visitor from KY Museum

24th Natcher vs. JRE Kickball at Natcher 6:30

26th Individual fall school pictures (and Tuesday/Thursday preschool)

27th Sharpen the Saw (alternate schedule)

October

1st Natcher Spirit day at Stakz

4th International walk to school day

7th-11th School Closed (Fall Break)

14th Leader of the Month celebration

14th PTO meeting 6:30

16th Red Cross Blood Drive 1:30-5:30

17th-18th Fire safety days (Preschool-2nd)

21st-25th Red Ribbon week

21stIndividual fall school picture retakes (Monday/Wednesday preschool)

21st SBDM council meeting 5:30

22nd Family night - Title I reading and math intro. 6:30

24th Natcher Spirit Night at McDonald’s (Campbell Ln)

29th Leadership Night 6:30

30th Leadership Day

31st Fall Classroom Parties 2:15 (Sharpen the Saw Schedule)

November

2th Holiday Craft Fair

4th Leaders of the Month Celebration

4th Natcher Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A

6th School Smiles Dental (all grades with permission slips)

8th Daddy and Me Drive-In 6:30

11th Veteran’s Program 8:15

11th PTO meeting 6:30

14th “Manners at the Table” (4th and 5th grade)

18th SBDM council meeting 5:30

21st Drama performance at Greenwood 6:00

22nd Sharpen the Saw (alternate schedule)

22nd Drama performance at Greenwood 6:00

23rd Drama performance at Greenwood 6:00

24th Drama performance at Greenwood 3:00

27th-29th School Closed (Thanksgiving Break)

December

2nd Leaders of the Month Celebration

6th Natcher Spirit Night at Fazoli’s

10th Band, Choir, and Strings concert 6:30

17th Primary Musical 6:30

20thWinter classroom parties (Sharpen the Saw Schedule) 2:15

23rd-31st School Closed (Winter Break)

January

1st-3rdSchool Closed (Winter Break)

6th Leaders of the Month Celebration

6th “Winter Germs” Health Department

13th PTO meeting 6:30

20th School Closed (Martin Luther King Day)

27th SBDM council meeting 5:30

27th-31st Energy Awareness week

28thClass and club picture day(and T/Th preschool)

31st Sharpen the Saw (alternate schedule)

31st Snow Ball Family Dance 6:30

February

3rd Leaders of the Month Celebration

4th Get fit, think healthy family night 6:30

10th PTO meeting 6:30

14th Valentine parties 2:15 (Sharpen the Saw - alternate schedule)

17th School Closed (Presidents’ Day)

24th SBDM council meeting 5:30

March

3rd Leaders of the Month Celebration

4th Leader in Me Symposium Visit

5th-7th Jump Rope for Heart

6th International Night 6:30

7th Margaret Peterson Haddix author visit

10th Spring Pictures/Class Pictures (and M/W preschool)

10th PTO meeting 6:30

11th-18th Spring Book Fair

14th Spring Fling (games, food, special classroom created items auction) 5:00-8:00

17th SBDM council meeting 5:30

18th Kosair Bike Safety

18th Natcher vs. JRE basketball game at JRE 6:30

20th-21st No School

24th Leadership Night 6:30

25th Leadership Day

28th Sharpen the Saw (alternate schedule)

31st No School (Spring Break)

April

1st-4th School Closed (Spring Break)

7th Leaders of the Month Celebration

12th Mommy and Me Tea 9:30

14th PTO meeting 6:30

14th-25th PTO and SBDM nominations

18th No School

21stSBDM council meeting 5:30

22nd KPREP Testing Ceremony Grades 4-6 6:30

25th Sharpen the Saw (alternate schedule)

30th PTO and SBDM Elections

May

5th Leaders of the Month Celebration

5th-16th KPREP Testing Grades 3-6 (tentative)

12th PTO meeting 6:30

14th Career Fair

14th Last day of preschool M/W

15th Last day of preschool T/R

19th SBDM council meeting 5:30

19th Sixth Grade Graduation 6:30 (tentative)

20th No School

21st Last day for students (tentative)

21st Fourth grade awards 9:00 / Fifth grade awards 10:00 (invitation only)

SCHOOL BASED DECISION MAKING (SBDM)

The SBDM Council is a form of school management in which teachers, parents, and administrators collaborate for educational change and improvement. The school council is made up of two parents, three teachers, and the principal. Elections are held in the spring of each year.

Everyone is invited to attend SBDM meetings. The public may address the council during the discussion phase of any motion and may ask to have a relevant item placed on the agenda by making a request to the principal or SBDM member at least five school days before the meeting. The monthly minutes are posted on the Natcher News bulletin board and on the website. Special called meetings may take place during the school year as needed. Dates for special called meetings will be communicated in the Natcher Notes. SBDM council meetings start at 5:30 on the 3rd Monday of the month except in December when the council will not have a regular meeting. It will meet on the 4th Monday of any month that school is not in session on the 3rd Monday.

The SBDM Council needs concerned family members to actively serve on Consolidated School Improvement Plan Committees. If you would like to serve on a committee, please contact the principal.

SBDM COUNCIL MEMBERS 2012-2013

Matt Thornhill – Principal / Chairperson

Kyle Brooks - Teacher Representative

Loraine Lacey - Teacher Representative

Erin Smith - Teacher Representative

Jane Hamlet – Parent Representative

Nicole Guthrie – Parent Representative

NATCHER ELEMENTARY SBDM POLICIES

1. CURRICULUM

The school council shall adopt the curriculum of the Warren County Board of Education as the curriculum that shall be implemented at the school. It is our opinion that this curriculum is aligned with the state standards and is appropriate for our instructional needs. This school council policy shall also be consistent with applicable indicators from the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement. All issues related to the curriculum of the school shall be referred to the school principal for discussion that leads to a recommendation on the issue to the school council for consideration and possible adoption.

2. STUDENT ASSIGNMENT

It is the policy of Natcher Elementary School to assign students to classes heterogeneously. All regular classes are to be as evenly balanced as possible based on the following:

Number of boys and girls

Minority or non-minority students

Students having I. E. P.s. (Individual Education Plan)

Students for whom English is a second language

Students who require remediating or other special assistance

Students who are high, average, or low achieving

Teachers input regarding assignment of students is provided at the end of each school year. The rosters are based on the variables listed above and other pertinent information.

Students who enroll during the summer will be assigned to classes based on class size with consideration to variables listed above.

3. SCHOOL SPACE USE

By June 1, the principal shall prepare a school space use plan and present the plan to the school council for approval. The school council may amend the plan prior to approval. The principal shall implement the plan subsequent to the approval of the school council. The principal can alter the plan if a need arises due to enrollment and hiring of teachers.

4. DISCIPLINE AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

A school wide discipline plan will be developed, implemented, reviewed and modified as needed subject to school council approval.

Classroom procedures, along with rewards and consequences, should be posted in each classroom.
Discipline and classroom management procedures will address the following areas: Student behavior in classroom, on playground, in halls, lunchroom, restrooms, gym, assemblies, and any other areas outside the classroom.
Students will be encouraged to develop self-discipline.
Staff will enforce procedures with consistency and fairness.
Classroom teachers will discuss with their students the reasons for each of the procedures.

5. ALIGNMENT WITH STATE STANDARDS, TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION AND PROGRAM APPRAISAL

Please see Warren County Board of Education policy on technology.

6. COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

Committees will be formed under the 3 major components of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP): Curriculum/Instruction, School Culture (Discipline) and Technology. Committees will rotate so all members of the staff are involved and parents will be invited to join committees.

7. STAFF TIME ASSIGNMENT (INSTRUCTIONAL AND NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TIME)

The Principal shall assign each staff member’s time in a manner that supports implementation of our CSIP. Achievement of school council goals and effective management shall be the basis for assignments of staff time. All staff time assignments shall be published annually by June 1 of each year.

8. SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Based on recommendations from the principal and teacher input the council will approve a schedule, which allows time to meet goals and requirements of curriculum. The schedule will utilize the time of school day and calendar year as established by the Warren County Board of Education to meet needs and interests of students, curriculum, extracurricular activities and school programs.

9. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES

Faculty, in collaboration with the principal, shall select the appropriate instructional practices to be utilized in their classroom, to ensure that the school’s curriculum is fully implemented. Best practice instructional strategies that are selected by teachers must be included in lesson plans and monitored by the principal. This school council policy shall also be consistent with the applicable indicators from the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement.

10. HOMEWORK POLICY

Teaching teams at each level shall coordinate to ensure that homework does not exceed 10 minutes per grade level. For example, 3rd grade = 30 minutes.

Homework is an extension of classroom instruction and will consist of additional practice of skills taught during classroom instruction, parent-child activities that contribute to classroom units, and daily reading logs that record the time students spend reading at home. Teachers will monitor homework completion and habits of individual students. Team leaders should follow up with any parent or student request for assistance with homework assignments. Students in Primary will not be given a letter grade for homework. Intermediate students may be given a letter grade for homework. Students who consistently turn in completed homework may be rewarded.

Class work will only become homework if class time is not used efficiently. It is the responsibility of the student to record in their agenda: instruction time, class work assignments, and homework.

It is the policy of Natcher Elementary that there will be no homework or additional classroom testing during the state testing window for the students participating in the assessment. There will be no homework on nights that school programs are scheduled.

11. EXTRA CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

The Principal shall ensure that all students have a wide range of opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics, musical and dramatic performances and service opportunities. Each activity shall have a faculty sponsor or coach, who will be present throughout the activities.

12. CONSULTATION POLICY