FUQUAY-VARINA ELEMENTARY PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-2017
APPROPRIATE DRESS FOR FUQUAY STUDENTS
A complete copy of the dress code adopted by the Wake County Public School System will be in your student handbook. Shirts and blouses must cover the stomach. Caps, hats, or scarves may not be worn indoors except for religious or other cultural custom requirements. Spaghetti straps, strapless shirts, halter tops, bike shorts, sagging pants, see-through clothing, exposed underwear, inappropriate slogans, and any slogans on the seats of students’ pants are not permitted. All shorts and skirts must be of a reasonable length. If your child is dressed inappropriately, we will contact you for a change of clothes. Skate shoes are not permitted at school at any time. For safety reasons, tennis shoes, sneakers, or some type of rubber-soled shoes must be worn for physical education classes and recess each day. Students who wear flip-flops, clogs, etc., will not be permitted to participate in recess or physical education activities.
ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL ON TIME/SCHOOL HOURS
School hours are 9:15-3:45. Our first bell rings at 8:45, when students may report to their classrooms. Students may not be dropped off at school before 8:45 unless they are enrolled in the Early Arrival Program. Students who are not enrolled in the Early Arrival program should remain with their parents until the 8:45 bell.
Breakfast begins at 8:45, and students should be in their classrooms by 9:15. Students who arrive after 9:15 are considered tardy. Late arrival, after the school day has begun, puts children at a disadvantage because they miss valuable classroom instruction. If you arrive after 9:15, please escort your children into the front office. Teachers lose time from scheduled learning activities when they must stop to repeat instructions for children who are late. We appreciate your efforts in ensuring that your child arrives at school on time. Please note, if your child is tardy or absent you will receive an automated phone message from WCPSS.
ALL STUDENTS WHO ARRIVE ON CAMPUS IN THE MORNING BY PRIVATE VEHICLE MUST USE THE CARPOOL AREA AND SYSTEM. These procedures are for your child’s safety and we thank you in advance for your diligence in this area. Please follow the procedures listed in the carpool section.
ATTENDANCE/LEAVING SCHOOL
Absence from school is excused for the following reasons: illness or injury; quarantine; death in the immediate family; medical or dental appointments; court when a student is under subpoena; religious observances; and participation in a valid educational opportunity. If your child is absent, please send a note to school when he/she returns. If we do not receive a note explaining that the absence was for one of the reasons listed, we must record the absence as unexcused. To be considered present at school, students must be in attendance at least one-half of the student school day. This time is 12:30 pm. Please refer to Board Policy 6000.
We think every school day is important, so we hope you will schedule your family vacations during breaks or over the summer. Excused absences can be requested for religious reasons and for some educational reasons. Forms for requesting excused absences for either of these reasons are available through the office. These requests must be made in advance and submitted to the principal for review. Family trips, reunions, and vacations will not be considered excused absences. Parents may decide that a trip is in their family’s best interest and choose to accept it as an unexcused absence. For all absences, the student shall make up all work in a timely manner at the convenience of the teacher. The make-up work may be specific material missed by the student, reinforcement, or enrichment.
If it is necessary for a parent to take his/her child from school during school hours, the parent should come to the office and sign the child out in the appropriate book on the desk in the office area. Office personnel will call your child from the classroom after you arrive. Teachers are not permitted to release students directly to parents during the school day, and they will ask the parent to return to the school office for authorization. If the student returns to school that day, he/she should report to the office with his/her parent, to be signed in and readmitted to class.
If you have an unexpected transportation change that you cannot request in writing, please call the office prior to3:00. We have a high volume of parents calling to request transportation changes and need time to notify your child’s teacher. The office staff spends an extraordinary amount of time each afternoon taking these calls. Please try to make arrangements with your child before the school day.
BOOK BAGS
We ask that students not use rolling book bags. First, they are a safety concern as large groups of children walk in the hallways and to and from the buses in the morning and afternoon. Second, there is insufficient storage space in the classrooms for rolling book bags. If there is a medical concern, we will absolutely make accommodations.
BUS TRANSPORTATION
All students who are bus riders are to ride to and from school on the bus that the transportation department has assigned to them. Students shall board and leave the bus only at the designated bus stops. The principal or assistant principal must approve any changes in bus assignments.
Each student transported on a school vehicle must be considerate of the safety and well being of fellow passengers. Misconduct on the bus can distract the driver’s attention from his/her primary responsibility, which is to transport all students to and from school in a safe, orderly manner.
Due to concerns of many citizens, the Wake County School Board has adopted specific rules and procedures to deal with bus transportation. These rules and procedures are listed below. Parents and students are asked to become familiar with these rules.
1. Show respect for the driver at all times.
2. Enter and leave the bus without pushing or crowding.
3. Be seated at all times while the bus is in motion.
4. Talk using a quiet tone of voice and without profane or abusive language. Do not yell out of the windows.
5. Keep the bus clean and avoid littering.
6. Refrain from consuming food or beverages on the bus.
7. Remain in your seat without placing any part of your body out of the window, without climbing or jumping over seats, and without throwing objects.
8. Refrain from fighting on the bus.
9. Avoid tampering with bus and equipment. Refrain from touching emergency door or exits unless an emergency warrants use.
The driver of the school bus will report promptly to the principal or assistant principal any misconduct on the bus or disregard/violation of the driver’s instructions by students. The principal or assistant principal will follow the guidelines set by WCPSS as they relate to bus misconduct.
The principal or assistant principal may exclude a student from the bus for disciplinary reasons, and the parents will be responsible for providing the student’s transportation to and from school during the period of such exclusion. A driver who determines that a student is unmanageable and that the misconduct of the student is placing the safety of the other passengers in jeopardy will complete a Bus Discipline Form.
*First Offense:
The assistant principal or principal will conference with the student regarding appropriate bus behavior and givehim/her a warning not to repeat any inappropriate behaviors. A report will be sent home with the student that will need to be returned with the parent’s signature.
*Second Offense:
Another disciplinary conference will be held with the student. A consequence could be given depending on the infraction. The assistant principal or principal will call the parents regarding the incident and a report will be sent home with the student that will need to be returned with the parent’s signature.
* If a student is involved in a fight or other dangerous activity or displays extreme disrespect towards the driver, he/she could be suspended from the bus on the 1st or 2nd offense.
Third Offense:
Another disciplinary conference will be held with the student. The parent will be called and notified of the situation and the number of days that the student will be suspended from the bus. (It will be the parent’s responsibility to transport the student to and from school for the entire suspension period.) Absences from school during the suspension period will be considered unexcused. Any further infraction will subject a student to an additional suspension from the bus.
Riding the school bus is a privilege. Improper conduct on the bus will result in that privilege being denied. Inappropriate behavior that distracts the bus driver’s attention is NEVER permitted.
CAFETERIA MEALS (Current prices, subject to change.)
Student Lunch full price-$2.25 reduced price-$.40
Student Breakfast full price-$1.25 reduced price-free
Meals may be paid for in advance. Checks payable to the Fuquay Varina Elementary Cafeteria should include the student’s name and lunch account number. Additional information about payment options can be found at These options include having your bank account or your credit card charged on the 1st of each month for payment of your child’s lunch money. Students who forget their money will be served unlimited fruits and vegetables. Questions about free and reduced lunch can be referred to (919) 856-2920.
CANDY AND GUM
Candy may be used as an occasional treat, but will not be used as a reward or motivation to learn. Gum is not allowed at school at any time.
CARPOOL
All students who arrive on campus in the morning or leave in the afternoon by private vehicle must use the carpool area and system. It is extremely unsafe to park and walk through the bus loop and we appreciate you adhering to the carpool procedures. If you need to enter the building in the morning, we suggest that you drop off your child in carpool, park, and then walk to the building. For arrival, you may not drop your child off in the parking lot and have them walk across the bus lane to get into school. You may not park your car in the parking lot and walk your children into the building. You may not enter the building to pick up students in the lobby area at the end of the day. If you do not like to wait in the carpool line, you may arrive at 4:00 p.m. and can drive right up to pick up your children.
It is important that parents make great choices in our carpool line by adhering to the following carpool behaviors:
- Have a Positive Attitude
●Be patient, kind and friendly to other drivers and staff
2. Be a Distraction Free Driver
●Put away your cell phone, secure your pet and no children in your lap while driving
3. Honor Procedures
●Post your number, mind the cones and release children out of the passenger side of the car
4. Model Safety
●Keep children buckled up and GO SLOW!
Highlights of procedures for a.m. carpool
· Parents will enter the carpool line at the entrance off of Johnson Pond Road. The front circle will be used for unloading all bus, day care and cab students. Due to the large volume of traffic at times, we will divert the carpool line through to the back carpool circle to accommodate the number of vehicles and to provide a safer location than waiting on Johnson Pond Road. You will not be able to enter or exit the parking lot during carpool hours unless you away from the carpool line.
· Carpool begins at 8:45 a.m. and will be attended by Fuquay staff. We will assign staff members to strategic locations to ensure children’s safety. Students will be directed to enter the building through the main entrance. Students may not arrive at school before 8:45 unless they are enrolled in the FVES Early Arrival Program.
· We have a designated area at the front of the drop off area for a staff member to assist children with unloading. Otherwise, students will be opening car doors rather than waiting for staff members.
Highlights of procedures for p.m. carpool
· Parents will enter the carpool line at the entrance off of Johnson Pond Road for loading in the back circle.
· Again, we will divert the carpool to the back carpool circle to accommodate the volume of cars. · Students may not be signed out through the office after 3:20 p.m.
· Children will be seated quietly in the multipurpose room until their carpool numbers are called, at which time they will proceed outside to the designated cone and be assisted by our staff and safety patrol.
●All carpool students should be picked up by 4:00 p.m. If you arrive after 4:00 p.m., please sign your child out in the office.
●Parents should not wait in the school at dismissal time for carpool students. All students should be picked up in the carpool line by vehicle.
●Please note inclement weather may cause a delay or temporary halt in the dismissal procedure and we appreciate your patience in these types of situations.
CCK/Pre-K CARPOOL
Carpool for pre-k and CCK students will be held at the end of the kindergarten hall. Parents will be instructed to turn at the blue Fuquay School/Park sign and drive all the way down to the lower parking lot behind the field to loop around. (please do not turn around in the gravel driveway near the trailers) The passenger-side doors of the cars should be facing the building. One TA will be positioned at the road and one TA will be standing at the door. 3 cars will be loaded at a time by the assigned TA at the road; parents will be allowed to exit the car to load and unload their child & buckle/unbuckle carseats but will notbe allowed to walk their child to/from the door in order to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible. If a parent/teacher needs to conference, that needs to be arranged for another time & place. Older siblings of students may be picked up/dropped off at pre-k/CCK carpool but need to come straight to the kindergarten hall after school in a timely manner. If the pre-k student/CCK student is absent, the older sibling will need to go to big carpool that day(s).
CHANGE OF ADDRESS, NAME, OR PHONE NUMBER
Please notify the school office or your child’s teacher of any change in address or phone numbers so that we have accurate, up-to-date information for all students. All parents must provide us a phone number (work, mobile, pager, etc.) where they can be reached during the school day in case of an emergency.
CLASS DOJO
Teachers are expected to communicate student accolades and concerns via Class DOJO. Students will earn points for expected behavior and can lose points for failure to follow expectations. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about Class DOJO.
CONFERENCES
Our teachers are committed to planning interesting, challenging lessons for all of our students, and we work hard to eliminate unnecessary disruptions to the very important work our students and teachers do during the school day. Therefore, we request that you schedule conferences in advance with your children’s teachers. Teachers use their time before the students arrive in the morning, their planning periods, and frequently their lunch breaks to plan instruction for your children. They are required to attend meetings many afternoons. Unexpected conferences can put them, and your children, behind before they even get started. Scheduling conferences in advance will help your child and all the other children in the class.
CUSTODY/VISITATION AGREEMENTS
Judges’ orders regarding custody and visitation are kept on file in the school office so that staff are aware of who is authorized to pick up a child. Please make sure that the school receives an official copy of the judge’s ruling as we are not required to honor a parent/guardian’s interpretation of a court order. Any changes in court orders should be given to the office as soon as possible.
DELAY OR CLOSING OF SCHOOL
Information on closing or delay of school due to inclement weather is available at on television, on the radio, on our Twitter account and on our website Make-up days are determined by district officials and will be announced once they are determined.
Please do not bring your child to school early when we have a delayed opening. The decision to delay school due to severe weather is for the safety of staff as well as students, and no one will be here to supervise your children. Delay of school also means a delay in the early arrival program for the same amount of time. Breakfast will not be served if there is a weather delay Early dismissal of school also means a cancellation of the after school program. Make-up days will be announced once the county has determined what they will be. In the case of half days, students must be in attendance for the entire ½ day to receive credit for attendance. Late arrivals and early departures will be counted absent.