“Where the Staff and Students are PAWS-itively AWESOME!”
Parent Handbook
2015-2016
Blue Ridge Primary Staff
Grade Level / Name / Room #Kindergarten / Mrs. Jamie Blake / A115
Kindergarten / Mrs. Mary Margaret Reagan / A114
Kindergarten / Mrs. Shelly Spitzer / A116
First Grade / Mrs. Karissa Cook / A09
First Grade / Mrs. Joanna Kane / A10
First Grade / Mrs. Tamra McDougall / A13
First Grade / Ms. Susie Webster / A08
MMI/LD/BD / Mrs. Sharon Martin / A11
Speech Pathologist / TBD / A102
Library / Mrs. Tami Zirkle / Library
Art / Mrs. Connie Balukoff / A14
Music / Mrs. Cheryl Lavigne / Stage
PE / Mr. Toby Keller / Gym
ESL / Mr. Rick Harner
Kindergarten Aides / Mrs. Pattie Labrie / A115
Mrs. Laura Brown / A114
Mrs. Susan Little / A116
Pre K Special Needs / Ms. Samantha Buckler / A112
Pre K Special Needs Aide / Ms. Kathy Larue / A113
Head Start / Ms. Amanda Skidmore/Ms. Sarah Soto / A112
Head Start / TBD/Ms. Ibsy / A113
General Aide / Cindy Whitaker / Library
Clerical Aide / Penny Shiley / Office
Cafeteria Manager / Tonya Renner / Cafeteria
Cook III / Angie Pearell / Cafeteria
Cook / Joyce Staubs / Cafeteria
Custodian / Ellen Harder
Custodian / Dale Badorff
Guidance Counselor / Mary Brittingham / A12
IEP Coordinator / TBD
Nurse / Laura McCloud / Clinic
Secretary / Christina DeLawder / A101
Principal / Nicole Shaffer / A100
A MESSAGE TO OUR PARENTS
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year. For those of you who are beginning your educational journey with us, we welcome you! For those of you returning, we thank you for choosing BRP as your Primary School!
We believe that we provide a firm foundation in education based on the skills necessary to primary school learners. Our dedicated staff make Blue Ridge Primary an optimal place for your family to learn and grow!
Our handbook was created to keep you all, our school community and parents aware of what is going on. Please take the time to read through important school policies!
Sincerely,
Nicole R. Shaffer
Principal, Blue Ridge Primary
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Blue Ridge Primary will provide a firm foundation in reading, writing, and math through a student centered environment enabling children to become confident and creative builders of their futures. All students will learn in an atmosphere of cooperation and respect for individual differences.
OUR CORE BELIEFS:
All children are capable of achieving proficiency in the 21st century curriculum.
Partnership with parents and community are essential for creating conditions for student success.
A safe and secure environment is crucial for creating successful 21st century learning classrooms.
21st century learning environments will be created to provide opportunities for all students to achieve mastery.
All children are capable of becoming productive members of society by demonstrating responsibility, life skills, and problem solving.
SCHOOL GOALS
To build a climate and culture based on cooperation, tolerance, and respect.
To increase the percent of students scoring at mastery or above by 10% in number sense and problem solving.
To increase the percent of students labeled early emergent readers by 10% with an overall increase of 3% in reading fluency, phonics, and comprehension.
PARENT –TEACHER CONFERENCES
Meet the Teacher Night----August 27, 2015
End of 1st Nine Weeks---TBD
End of 1st Semester---TBD
CALENDAR
A calendar has been enclosed in this handbook with specified dates for school activities, assemblies, BREA meetings, etc. This calendar will help you plan your year. Please be aware that some of the dates are tentative. You will be made aware of changes in the newsletter.
DAILY SCHEDULE
8:40---Walkers/Car Riders Enter
Bus Riders enter
Student Breakfast
8:50 ---Instruction Begins
9:00 ---Morning Announcements
Pledge/Students Tardy
3:40---Students are dismissed
LUNCH
Grade:
Kindergarten---11:45-12:15
First Grade ---12:35-1:05
PARTIES
We love to celebrate, however individual classroom parties will be left up to the classroom teacher. You will need to make arrangements in advance with the teacher to confirm any parties or class treats, which includes student birthdays. You must adhere to the state guidelines for healthy snacks! Your child’s teacher will assist you with some ideas.
STUDENT PARTY INVITATIONS
Students will not be allowed to hand out individual invitations to students in their class unless they are inviting all of the students . This creates hurt feelings with the students who are not invited.
FUNDRAISERS
The school will be doing several fundraisers throughout the school year. Please participate in any that interest you as a family. If you would not like the fundraiser forms sent home with your child, please notify your child’s teacher and we will try to abide by your wishes. Any funds which are raised through the school fundraisers are utilized to improve the educational materials for the students.
ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PLAN
Because of the health hazards associated with asbestos, all Jefferson County schools have been inspected and tested thoroughly. The results of this inspection can be reviewed in our Asbestos Management Plan located in the School Office.
CHILD ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT
Educators are required by law to report any known or suspected cases of abuse or neglect. Many of these cases that have been reported involve negligence. These include children who come to school improperly clothed, are unclean, and personal hygiene has not been supervised, along with students who are chronically late for school, fall asleep during the day due to insufficient rest, and students who are consistently sent without lunch or lunch money or are consistently hungry.
TOBACCO POLICY
In order to improve the health of Jefferson County students and school personnel, there is not to be any tobacco use or distribution of tobacco products in school buildings, on school grounds, in board-leased or owned vehicles, and at all school affiliated functions which includes chaperoning on field trips. This includes an electronic smoking device.
COUNTY ATTENDANCE POLICY
A full day of attendance requires the student to be in attendance at the school site for 74% of the day (4.3.1).
A half-day attendance requires the student to be at the school site 50% of the day (4.3.2). Absence notes are to be submitted the day the student returns to school. The school will be contacting the homes of absent and tardy students daily. We have enclosed in the handbook some parent excuse form to be completed in the event of the absence of your child. The new attendance policy states parents may only write 5 parent excuse notes; the remainder must be physician notes for illness. The county requires a letter sent home whenever a student has missed 3, 5, and 10 days of school. This is a county-generated letter. The school is required to send the letter out to each student’s family.
TARDY POLICY
Any student who arrives at school after the start of the school day or who is not at his/her assigned instructional location at the scheduled time for instruction is considered tardy. A tardy may be excused or unexcused depending on the reason for being late. All tardy students must be signed in by an adult. The principal will notify the parent in writing when the student has been tardy five (5) times. Once a child has been tardy ten (10) times, the principal will refer the student’s name to the Attendance Director who will contact the parents regarding the tardies.
EMERGENCY CLOSINGS
Jefferson County Schools utilizes a List Serve System that sends out emails or texts to your home or cell phone if there is a delay, closing, or early dismissal. There is a link on the Jefferson County Schools website where you can sign up for this service.
If no announcement is made prior to 7:30 a.m., school will be in session as usual. If the weather becomes severe during the day and school is to be dismissed early, an announcement will be made one hour prior to dismissal.
Please do not call the school to obtain closing information. Radio stations,channel 19, or boe.jeff.k12.wv.us web site will contain information on closures.
Please notify your child’s teacher and the school office of any change in address or phone number as soon as possible. This will allow us to respond quickly and effectively to unforeseen situations which may arise while your child is in our care.
If you do not have a home or work telephone number, provide us with the number of a close friend, relative, or neighbor on the emergency form. We will not release a student without parental notification in the form of a written note, phone call or by using the emergency form. Please provide as many emergency contacts as possible. Please include an email address so we can contact you during the daytime hours should there be a need.
STATEMENT OF ASSURANCE
As required by federal laws and regulations, the Jefferson County Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, disability, age, marital status, or national origin in employment or in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities. Inquires may be referred to Martin Soltis, Title IX Coordinator: or to 504 Coordinator, Jefferson County Board
Of Education,110 Mordington Avenue, Charles
Town, WV 25414. (304) 725-9741
Inquiries may also be referred to the State
Elimination of Sex Discrimination Project
Coordinator, 204-558-7864; to the State
Section 504 Coordinator, 304-558-2696: to the Dept. of Education, Charleston, WV 25305; or to the US Dept. of Education’s Director of the Office for Civil Rights. 215-596-6795
HOMEWORK
Homework reinforces, enriches and enhances instruction. It creates the opportunity for students to work independently, thus becoming more responsible for their individual achievement. General guidelines for homework assignments are:
1. All homework should be meaningful and relevant to what has been previously taught. The teacher will make every effort to make sure homework assignments are clearly understood.
2. All homework is due the following school day or upon the day of return in the event of school cancellation or any other
legitimate cause. Each teacher will determine the legitimacy of excuses on a case-by-case basis. Extended assignments will be due at a date established by the teacher. When students are out for illness, the student will have one day for each day missed to complete their homework and/or classroom assignments.
3. Homework must be ready to be presented by the student at the beginning of the class for which it is required.
4. Students calling home for homework will be at the teacher’s discretion.
5. The teacher may keep children in for recess to complete make-up or missing assignments.
6. Homework can be counted into the nine-week grading period.
7. Homework assignments should be reasonable in length. County recommendation on homework is 10 minutes per grade level. (for example: 3rd grade – 30 minutes)
8. Homework will not be sent home the 1st day a child is sick. The child needs rest in order to recover from their illness.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks issued to our students are the property of the Jefferson County Board of Education. They should be used with care and returned in good condition. Students and parents are responsible for any books lost, stolen, or damaged beyond use. You will be billed for the cost of any damaged book.
STUDENT GRIEVANCE POLICY
The U. S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, has made a major change in the grievance procedure for students. Each of the 55 school districts offices is to make available the students’ grievance procedure.
NOTES FROM PARENTS
IF THERE IS TO BE ANY CHANGE IN A STUDENT’S DAILY SCHEDULE, A WRITTEN NOTE FROM HOME IS REQUIRED.
Notes will be required under the following circumstances:
1. Any time a child is absent from school, including medical or dental appointments. THESE EXCUSES MUST BE SENT TO THE
OFFICE ON A DAILY BASIS AS THEY ARE RECEIVED. You should get a doctor’s note whenever possible.
2. All medication to be given at school must be accompanied by a Jefferson County Schools Medication Order Form completed by your physician. Please ask for the form from the school nurse. An adult must transport all medicines to and from school.
3. If you need to make a one-day change to your child’s bus schedule, please complete the on-line form @ JCS, services, Transportation, Temporary Change of Bus Request Form. Please call the school office if you are unable to complete this form on-line and we will assist you.
4. If a child has been ill or injured, a note is needed to indicate if he/she should be kept in from recess and kept from participating in other physical activities. NOTE: Since P.E. is a required class, requests to exempt a child from participation will be reviewed carefully before permission is granted.
5. Any approved after-school activity (i.e. student council, chorus, R.O.A.R. Academy) will require written permission. The note should state the evening(s) involved and any special transportation arrangements. Weekly notes thereafter will not be necessary unless the routine is to be interrupted or changed. **If a student doesn’t have a written note or if a phone call is not received, the student will remain for the activity as scheduled. We will not deviate from the normal schedule based on a child’s request. We must hear from the parent or guardian if there is a change in plans.
6. If a child is to be picked up by someone other than the parent or other adult listed on the emergency form, please indicate in the note the adult who will be picking up the student. You need to make the adult aware that they will need a picture ID.
Please utilize a note and not a phone call when making the changes for your child’s transportation and/or pick-up arrangements.
7. Any bus changes and/or pick up changes need to be done prior to 2:00 p.m. on that day to allow for all those involved to be notified.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Students should arrive at school at the times indicated on the daily schedule in this handbook. Students do not enter the building until 8:40 a.m. Therefore, students should not be dropped off at school any earlier that 8:40 a.m. It is the parent’s responsibility to supervise their children if they arrive at school prior to 8:40 a.m. The back lobby door closes at 9:00 a.m. All students except bus riders will enter and exit through the back lobby door after they have been dropped off by utilizing the parent drop off loop. Student instruction begins at 8:50. Therefore, students are to be in their classrooms no later than 9:00 a.m. Any child who arrives after 9:00 will be counted as tardy for that day. Students are engaged in meaningful learning activities until 3:40 p.m., therefore we try not to interrupt classes for an early dismissal. After 3 p.m. we try not to dismiss a student from a class unless a note has been received at the beginning of the day. Parents who arrive to pick up children prior to dismissal time are required to sign them out and will be asked to show a form of ID. Unless a parent or legal guardian indicates on their child’s emergency form that an individual is permitted to pick up the child, office personnel will not allow the child to leave the school premises without notification by the parent or other emergency contact. The individual must be 18 years or older. ***Important: It is the parent’s or legal guardian’s responsibility to provide the school with legal documents such as custodial agreements or other court orders.