Castlen Elementary
Home of the Castlen Cubs
Faculty Handbook
2016 – 2017
SECTION I
Emergency Procedures
I. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
A. Fire Drill Procedures:
Fire drills will be held monthly during the school year. The signal will be ringing of the bells in a distinctive manner. The difference between a fire drill and a tornado drill will be demonstrated by the administration. Teachers and staff will escort students from the building following evacuation routes marked on the Emergency Map. Take time to instruct all your students in the Fire Drill procedures the first day of school. These instructions are listed on the Emergency Map located by the doorway in every room in the building.
B. Tornado Drill Procedures:
Tornado drills will be held periodically during the school year. The signal will be ringing of the bells in a continuous manner. The difference between a fire drill and a tornado drill will be demonstrated by the administration. Take time to instruct all your students in the Fire and Tornado Drill procedures the first day of school. Instructions for tornado procedures are below.
C. Tornado Instructions:
During the warning, the students kneel on the floor facing the wall with hands covering the head and with their backs to the corridor or glass areas. Coats and jackets could be used to cover heads, arms and legs, so as to reduce the number of injuries from flying missiles of glass and other debris. A stack of books by the door on a bad weather day would be an easy grab on the way out for the same use.
Exterior doors leading into the tornado resistant areas should be opened against the adjacent wall. Students should be located as far as possible from all exterior walls/doors in corridors, particularly if they contain windows or doors.
D. Lockdown Emergency Codes:
Ø Lockdown - Lock doors. Pull shades after students are secured under tables or in safe place in the classroom. Buzz the office with a list of students out of class.
Ø Code Red or Everyone Needs Construction Paper - Full Lockdown / No movement / Doors secured/Students on Floor/under tables. In cafeteria, under tables or – if you are walking in – on the stage.
Ø Code Yellow or Everyone Needs Yellow Construction Paper - Assigned personnel secure the building – Teachers lock doors and all students must be accompanied by an adult if they leave the classroom. No one is allowed outside of the building. If on the playground during P.E. – go to gym and await “ALL CLEAR” signal.
Ø Code Green - or all clear– Resume normal activity
Release of lockdown: Two separate people will make two separate announcements to release the lockdown.
SECTION II
Castlen
Procedures
II. STUDENT PROCEDURES
A. Student Attendance:
1. Faculty Procedures for Elementary School Absenteeism
· Each student's parent/guardian is responsible for seeing that the student reports to school.
· Teachers shall be responsible for checking attendance daily and properly entering the student’s attendance into INOW.
· A student approved by the principal or her designee to participate in or attend a school sponsored or other approved off campus activity during the school day shall be counted present. Students are responsible for all assignments missed while participating in or attending said activities unless otherwise noted.
· When a class goes on a field trip, all students' attendance (for that day) must be marked using the field trip attendance code.
· The principal shall notify teachers in advance of students who will be attending approved activities and will be counted present.
· In cases of prolonged absence due to illness, the parent or guardian shall seek assistance from the special education homebound program through Student Services or make other reasonable arrangements with the principal. The teacher and administrator will make the parent aware of this service, once notified.
· The teacher should make every reasonable effort to contact the parents of any student absent more the 2 days in a row. The principal should be notified that day in order to make a follow-up call.
2. Recording Student Attendance
Teachers will record student absences using the INOW classroom module. Attendance records should be accurate and up to date. When a student is absent at the time roll call is taken, enter that information in the computer. If a student reports late, check INOW to be sure the office has changed the absence to indicate that the student was tardy. The student should come to class with a tardy slip from the office. Post attendance by 7:30 a.m. Please don’t mark a student tardy in the computer. Mrs. Winhauer will do this in the office.
A student absent the previous day will bring a note from a parent or guardian, which will give a reason for the absence. Students have two days to bring a note for their absence. Keep note on file for the entire school year. Code the absence with the appropriate symbol.
+.
*An attendance record will be kept for each student on roll.* An "E" should be place on the first date the student enters school/roll if he has not previously been enrolled during the present school year. This includes the first day of school.(Done by STI Office)
* An "R" should be placed on the first date the student enters your school/roll if he has been previously enrolled in another school in Mobile County Public School System during the present school year, or has been withdrawn and reinstated to change either the grade level or the homeroom. (Done by STI Office)
* Attendance must be kept daily.
*A "z" code will now be used for unexcused tardies and a "t" will be used for excused tardies.
*New - field trip codes must be entered for every child on the day of the field trip. The code is in the drop down menu. / * All absences must be coded.
* Notes column is for teacher's use. Example: Note sent - court. (Please record in the correct column.)
* Every absence due to head lice should be noted in the Remarks column as such. Only (3) three days for each occurrence of head lice should be coded "O." All days exceeding (3) three days should be coded as "U."
* Teachers will keep attendance documentation in their homerooms by using iNOW.
*After the first unexcused absence, the parent must be notified by the local school official.
*Attendance at the Early Warning
Truancy Program is now mandatory.
*Attendance codes are: p-parent note, u-unexcused, s-suspension, t-tardy, d-doctor, o-other: court, head lice, principal approved absences. / *Teachers will be responsible for reconciling attendance on the 20-day report.
*Teachers should keep attendance notes for two years. They may be needed in court.
*If there is a discrepancy in the Attendance Record, the teacher may be subpoenaed to testify in court.
*Teachers should take attendance in each class, if departmentalized. This includes PE, Music, and Counseling.
KEEPING ACCURATE ATTENDANCE RECORDS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
When called to court, the attendance records and cumulative files are legal documents.
3. Admission Slips
If a student arrives at school late, they are to report directly to the office for an admission slip. Students will not be admitted to class without a tardy slip.
4. Early Dismissals
A parent requesting an early dismissal from school or an off-campus pass will report to the office. Do not let a child go with a parent who tells you that they have an early dismissal. You will be notified by the office if the student has an early dismissal.
No early dismissals after 1:45 p.m. Early Dismissal Check-out Times are posted in the office & web site to protect instructional time and to secure the school for dismissal.
Responsibility of School Official - Grades K-12
The principal must assure that the following measures are taken to correct attendance problems prior to action by Student Support Services:
A. The teacher will make a concerted effort each day to contact the parent or guardian of any child who is absent. Every teacher will keep a simple log to verify attempts made to contact each parent or guardian.
B. On the first unexcused absence, the principal or his designee will send a letter to the parent/guardian. If the return portion of the letter has not been received at the school within seven working days of the date of the letter, the principal shall request the attendance office to make contact.
C. On the second (2nd) unexcused absence, principals must refer the student to the attendance officer for the Early Warning Truancy Program.
B. Student Discipline:
1. Hall Passes
· The main purpose for issuing passes is to control the movement of students in the building. Great care should be exercised in the issuance of passes. Passes are issued to students each time they leave your classroom. It should designate the student’s destination. The binder for the library will serve as the pass. A generic bathroom pass will suffice for each classroom not having a bathroom.
· Passes are not to be issued after 1:30 each day, unless it is an emergency. Teacher’s personal children must stay with their class at dismissal until they are retrieved from their classroom teacher.
2. Student Discipline Referral Forms
In situations involving classroom discipline, every teacher should do the following:
1. Expect all students to maintain discipline conducive to good learning.
2. Provide a classroom atmosphere which best promotes proper discipline.
3. Keep a record of discipline and steps taken to improve behaviors.
4. Follow the Five-Step Discipline Plan :
Five-Step Discipline Plan
q Verbal warning, in private if possible.
q In-class discipline applied /silent lunch-move away from group, behavior charts
q Student Conference with counselor.
q Contact parent by phone, letter, or e-mail.
q Referral to office
Teachers should not allow students to misbehave in class. If a student is acting in an inappropriate manner in the classroom and will not respond to a verbal reprimand, call the office and ask for the administrator. When the administrator arrives, in a confidential soft/voice, explain in detail what the student did and/or what the student said. However, attempt to resolve the problem at the classroom level by using the following suggestions:
1. Talk with the student at the first sign of misbehavior—address it, do not ignore it.
2. Talk with the student in private; be firm, fair, and reasonable.
3. Notify the parent of the behavior.
4. In cases of C, D, or E offenses or fighting, automatic office referral is required.
5. Do not send a student to the office for A or B offenses unless you have exhausted all other options on the discipline referral form and can document this. Send the folded discipline referral form to the office by a helper. Administrators will address in a timely manner. DO NOT leave your students in the hall, cafeteria, or classroom to bring a student to an administrator.
*Teachers should familiarize themselves with the Mobile County Code of Conduct. This code is to be taught and recorded in your lesson plans for the first two weeks of school. Corporal Punishment is NOT ALLOWED.
CASTLEN'S UNIFORM POLICY
All Mobile County Public School children are required to wear uniforms as mandated by the State of Alabama. To comply with this policy, the Uniform Committee at Castlen Elementary has chosen the following uniform attire:
Boys
• Solid red or white shirt polo or solid white oxford style (must have collar)
• Navy pants and knee length navy shorts (with belt loops)—NO DARK JEANS!
• Brown belt
• Solid navy, red or white socks
• Tennis shoes (no high tops, skates, etc.)
Girls:
• Solid red or white polo shirt or solid oxford style shirt (must have collar),
• Navy pants, knee length navy shorts (with belt loops), or navy skorts, skirts and jumpers (knee length)—NO DARK JEANS!
• Brown belt
• Knee length navy Castlen plaid skirt or jumper
• Solid navy, red, or white socks
• Solid navy, red or white tights (for cold weather only)
• Tennis shoes (no high tops, skates, etc.)
Other Shirts: Castlen Tee Shirts may be worn any day. These shirts will be on sale during registration.
Outerwear:
• SOLID navy/blue, white, red, or grey sweatshirt may be worn in the building (with Castlen logo or no logos).
• Solid navy, white cardigan style sweaters
Other:
• Spirit t-shirts or club shirts (boys and girls)
• Fingernails should be short and your own, not purchased.
• Hair must not be fixed in a way to cause a distraction or obscure another student's view.
• No jewelry of any type except for stud earrings.
• No makeup.
• No ball caps or hats of any type are acceptable.
• On cold days, heavy winter coats are allowed but are to be removed when in the building.
**Monograms- Shirts may be monogrammed in navy stitching with Castlen only. Letters need to be block style. Total monogramming needs to be between 1-1/2 inches to 3 inches long.
C. Illness or Injury:
If a student should become injured or ill while under your supervision, please notify the office prior to moving the student. Injuries and accidents must be reported by the teacher on an accident form and turned in to the office as soon as possible. Your accurate written account of the incident is vital in the report.
D. Grading Procedures:
Your grade book should set up according to the parameters in the Elementary Curriculum Procedures and Guidelines Manual. Grades should be entered into the grade book in a timely manner. Grades should be entered weekly into INOW. GRADES WILL BE CHECKED WEEKLY!
E. Make-Up Work:
Students with lawful absences or absences due to school activities have a right to make up work. The student may or may not take the initiative in this endeavor. Make up work is to be requested within three days of the absence. Arrangements are to be made individually between the teacher and the student. After three days, students may make-up work for 50%-70% of credit.