Fruitland Park Elementary
304 W. Fountain Street, Fruitland Park, FL 34731
Phone: (352) 787-2693 Fax: (352) 787-9402
Student/Parent
Handbook
2014-2015
“Where Kids Reach for the Stars”
I have read and acknowledge the information printed in this handbook:
______
Parent Signature Date
Failure to return this acknowledgement will not relieve a student or parent/guardian from responsibility for knowledge of the contents of the Fruitland Park Student/Parent Handbook and will not excuse non-compliance by the student.
______
Student Name Teacher Name
Fruitland Park Elementary
304 W. Fountain Street, Fruitland Park, FL 34731
Phone: (352) 787-2693 Fax: (352) 787-9402
Student/Parent
Handbook
2014-2015
“Where Kids Reach for the Stars”
This handbook belongs to: ______
Dear Parents,
Once again we are so excited about this upcoming year and the opportunity to work with you and your student. At Fruitland Park Elementary School, we continue to provide excellence in education every year.
We look forward to working together in support of your student’s education. Your student’s teacher will offer many opportunities for you to become involved with the academic improvement of your student and I highly encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities. Only when families make education a priority can students fully realize their potential.
On the following pages of this Student/Parent Handbook are many policies and procedures that will help us be consistent with you and your student. Please read and closely review them very carefully. The areas concerning absences, check-outs and pre-arranged absences are very important to your child’s educational success. We cannot teach your student if they are not here.
If you have any questions about any of the policies and procedures outlined in this handbook, please feel free to contact me at any time during the day.
The faculty, staff, and I are looking forward to another terrific year with your student, and with your continued support, we can expect an unbelievable amount of student growth.
Thank you for all you do to prepare your student for this fun, learning experience.
Yours in Education,
Dr. Melissa DeJarlais
Principal
STUDENT CALENDAR
(180 DAYS)
LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS
2014-205
AUGUST
August 18 First Day of Classes / First Grading Period Begins
SEPTEMBER
September Labor Day / Student Holiday
September 26 Non-Student Day / Teacher Professional Development Day
OCTOBER
October 17 End of First Grading Period
October 20 Non-Student Day / Teacher Work Day
October 21 Classes Resume / Second Grading Period Begins
NOVEMBER
November 11 Veteran's Day / Student Holiday
November 24-28 Thanksgiving Holiday / Student Holiday (Monday - Tuesday / Storm Make-Up Days)
DECEMBER
December 22-31 Winter Break (Monday / Storm Make-Up Day)
JANUARY
January 1-2 Winter Break
January 5 Classes Resume
January 15 End of Second Grading Period
January 16 Non-Student Day / Teacher Work Day
January 19 Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday / Student Holiday
January 20 Third Grading Period Begins
FEBRUARY
February 16 Presidents' Day / Student Holiday
MARCH
March 26 End of Third Grading Period
March 27 Non-Student Day / Teacher Workday
March 30-31 Spring Break (Monday-Tuesday)
APRIL
April 1-3 Spring Break (Wednesday-Friday)
April 6 Classes Resume / Fourth Grading Period Begins
MAY
May 25 Memorial Day / Student Holiday (Monday) 20 days
JUNE
June 4 Last Day of Classes / End of Fourth Grading Period
Board Approved:
April 28, 2014
EXPECTATIONS FOR FRUITLAND PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
As the year begins, I would like all of you to know exactly what we expect from you as a student in our school.
We expect you to follow the GOLDEN RULE: Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
We expect you will represent our school in an outstanding manner.
We expect you will work to the best of your ability.
We expect you will treat others with dignity, worth and respect.
We expect you will keep our campus beautiful and clean.
We expect you will obey all the rules and regulations set forth by your teachers and the school.
We expect you will work to keep a positive relationship with parents, teachers and friends.
We expect you to reach beyond your grasp and learn new things.
We expect you will make all of us very proud.
Respectfully,
Fruitland Park Elementary Faculty and Staff
HAVE A GREAT YEAR!
Table of Contents
ATTENDANCE……………………………………………………………………………1
Absences………………………………………………………………………………..1
Attendance Rules……………………………………………………………………..1
CAFETERIA……………………………………………………………………………….2
Lunch and breakfast programs 2
Visiting for Lunch 3
Lunchroom Rules.. 3
CELL PHONES…………………..………………………….……………………………3
CHECK OUT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES…………………………………………3
DISCIPLINE 4
Severe Disruptions 4
Assembly Behavior……………..…………..…………………………………...... 5
DRESS POLICIES 5
DROP OFF AND PICKING UP STUDENTS………………………..…………………...5
Walkers/Bike Riders…………………………………………………..…….……….6
Car Riders 6
School Bus Riders 6
Bus Transported Students 7
FIELD TRIPS & VOLUNTEERS...... 7
HEALTH ISSUES…………………………………………………………………..………8
Lice/Nits………………………………………………………………………………8
Sick Students…………………………………………………………………………8
Medication during School 8
HOMEWORK POLICY………………………………………………………………..…9
LANGUAGE (IMPROPER)……………………………………………………………...9
LOST AND FOUND……………………………………………………………………...9
MESSAGES FROM PARENTS 9
ORGANIZATIONS 9
P.T.O. (Parent Teacher Organization) 9
S.A.C. (School Advisory Council) 9
PARENT RESOURCE CENTER (PRC)………………...………………...... 10
PARENTS SHOULD SEND A NOTE TO SCHOOL WHEN…………………………..10
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES…………………………………………………10
PERFUMES, COLOGNES, FRAGRANCES 10
PETS 10
PHYSICAL EDUCATION……………………………………………………………….11
PLEDGE TO THE FLAG 11
PROGESS REPORTS……………………………………………………..…………….11
REPORT CARDS………………………………..……………………………………...11
Retention………………………………………………………………………..…..11
SCHOOL ACCIDENTS……………………………………………………………..….11
SCHOOL DAY…………………………………………………………………..…..….11
SCHOOL SECURITY………………………………………………………………...….12
SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL AND
AT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES…………………………..…………………………...……..12
TELEPHONE USE BY STUDENTS 12
TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS 12
TOYS 12
VISITING CAMPUS…………………………………………….……………………....13
WEAPONS………………………………………………………………………………13
WEB SITE…………………………………………………………..…………………….13
WITHDRAWAL 13
ZONE WAIVER………………………………………………………………………….13
CIVILITY POLICY 14
SAFE-T-ZONE 15
SCHOOL POLICIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
ATTENDANCE:
Absences
The importance of regular attendance cannot be emphasized enough! It is extremely important that students arrive on time. Late arrivals (tardies) and early pick-ups (also considered tardies) hinder academic efforts as do absences. When children arrive late and are picked up early, they not only miss valuable instruction time, they interrupt the education of the other children in their class. For the safety of your child, we ask that any child being dropped off tardy be escorted into the office by an adult and signed in. Students who arrive late must go directly to the office to receive a tardy slip.
If we are to do the job expected of us we need your child here on time, all day, every day. We are sure you understand the importance placed on attendance and punctuality and we are trying to prepare your child for life. If your child is absent please write a note to the teacher on a separate piece of paper. PLEASE DO NOT WRITE AN EMAIL TO EXCUSE ABSENCES OR TARDIES.
Fruitland Park Elementary has a perfect attendance award program. Students in grades K-5 will earn a perfect attendance award if they are in attendance at school every day each 9 weeks with NO absences and NO tardies/early pick-ups.
ATTENDANCE RULES
An individual school may modify attendance requirements through an attendance policy waiver approved by the School Board. Once the waiver is approved, the individual school may implement its own attendance policy in accordance with the waiver.
The expectation of the Lake County School Board is that all students will be in attendance each day of the school year.
1. Parents/guardians are responsible for the attendance of their children within the compulsory school age (18 years of age) unless the child files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment with the district School Board at age 16. The declaration must acknowledge that terminating school enrollment is likely to reduce the student’s earning potential and must be signed by the student and the student’s parent/guardian. Parents/guardians who refuse or fail to have a child in school commit a misdemeanor, punishable as provided by law. [§1003.21(1)(c), Florida Statutes]
2. Whenever a student of compulsory school age is absent or tardy without the permission of the person in charge of the school, the parent/guardian of the student will, within the grading period after the absence or tardy, report and explain in writing the cause of such absence or tardy to appropriate school personnel. (Do not email note or write in agenda book, but place on a separate piece of paper as notes are compiled throughout the year.)
3. Excused absences or tardies include:
A. illness or injury of the student
B. illness or injury of the student’s immediate family necessitating the student’s absence – immediate family includes, but is not limited to parent, brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, legal guardian or person in loco parentis, or member of the household.
C. death of a member of the student’s immediate family
D. doctor or dental appointments which cannot be scheduled outside of school hours
E. pre-arranged absences of educational value and with the principal’s prior approval (must be at least five days in advance to be excused unless there are extenuating circumstances)
F. recognized religious holidays
G. judicial actions – subpoena/summons: Juvenile Detention Center
ALL OTHER ABSENCES or TARDIES ARE CONSIDERED UNEXCUSED.
4. Students may participate in academic field trips without being counted absent, if all required work is made up.
5. Students with excused absences are responsible for making arrangements with the teacher to make up work and assignments missed while absent. Please understand all missed work is due within five days after their return to school with the following exceptions:
• tests or exams assigned prior to absence will be taken on the day student returns to school;
• work assigned prior to absence and due while absent, will be due on the day student returns to school;
• long-term assignments must be turned in on the day the student returns to school, i.e. book reports, research papers, etc.;
• long-term assignments submitted after first day student returns to school will result in a grade reduction of no more than 10% per day;
• students checking in and out on the day a long-term assignment is due must turn the assignment in by the end of that school day for it to be accepted as on time.
6. More than 10 excused/unexcused absences in an 18 calendar week semester (elementary and middle schools) or more than 5 excused/unexcused absences per class period, in any 9 calendar week semester (high schools) is considered to be excessive. A written statement of a licensed practicing physician verifying an illness or injury must be provided after that point for the absence to be considered excused. In cases where a student is experiencing a long-term illness or injury, only one written statement of a licensed practicing physician is required.
7. A habitual truant is defined by law as a student who has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days, with or without the knowledge or consent of the parent or legal guardian. §1003.01(8), Florida Statutes. Accumulated tardies and early departures shall be considered unexcused absences. Three unexcused tardies or early releases will equal one unexcused absence for the purpose of defining a habitual truant. The superintendent must provide the Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles with the name of each habitual truant, age 15 and above. The Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles may not issue a driver’s license or learner’s driver’s license to, and shall suspend any previously issued license of any such student. (Chapter 322, Florida Statutes). Families receiving public assistance for a student through the State of Florida WAGES program may have that assistance withdrawn if the student is classified as truant.
8. Students and families violating the state truancy law may face court action. [§§1003.27 and 1003.29, Florida Statutes]
9. Unexcused absences: Elementary and Middle School: Students with unexcused absences are responsible for making arrangements with the teacher to make up all work and assignments within five days after their return to school. Arrangements to make up work are to be made with the teacher and are the responsibility of the student.
10. Parent/Guardian notification/unexcused absence appeals:
A. On the fourth unexcused absence within 90 calendar days, a letter will be sent to parent/guardian informing them of the compulsory school attendance law and their legal obligation to follow the law. Legal actions including possible criminal charges will be pursued when parent/guardian ignores school attendance requirements.
B. Following the receipt of a report card, the parent/guardian has five (5) days in which to request a conference with an Appeals Committee, to be established in each school to review failures due to unexcused absences and violations of the attendance rule per grading period.
If questions concerning absences occur, please feel free to call the school office.
CAFETERIA
Lunch and breakfast programs
The lunch period is 30 minutes. Breakfast price is $1.00 for full pay and $.30 for reduced students. Lunches are $1.90 for full pay and $.40 for reduced students. When lunch accounts are getting low, a sticker is offered to the student regardless of a reduced or full pay status. If your child does not want this low balance sticker, they do not have to bring it home. Please call the Cafeteria Manager at the number below to keep track of your child’s balance. If you do receive a sticker notice, please send money the following day to insure your child receives a hot lunch. If your child has no money, it is Lake County School’s policy that the child will receive a piece of toast and white milk for breakfast or a cheese sandwich with white milk for lunch, (we do not loan lunch money). Money can be sent in weekly or monthly in the form of cash or check. The website: www.mylunchmoney.com is also available to help you insure your child has money in his/her account at all times. Any questions regarding lunches should be directed to the Cafeteria Manager at 787-8169.
Applications for the free and reduced priced lunch program will be available from the school office. If your child participated in the free/reduced lunch program last school year, they will remain on the program for 10 days of the new school year. A new application must be returned within that 10 day period for each new school year. All parents are asked to fill out lunch applications so our school can receive credit. Lunch applications are available throughout the school year in the front office. If you have questions regarding an application that has been sent in please call Lake County Food Service at 742-6970.