Table of Contents
Our Mission / ...... / page 2Welcome / ...... / page 3
Positive Behavior Support / ...... / page 4-5
LCS and Tramway Staff and Faculty / ...... / page 6-7
Attendance / ...... / page 8
Signing In and Out Procedures / ...... / page 9
Before and After School Procedures / ...... / page 10
Visitors and School Volunteers / ...... / page 11
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) / ...... / page 12
Code of Conduct and Discipline / ...... / page 13-14
Bus Conduct / ...... / page 15
Cafeteria and Prepayment Schedule / ...... / page 16-17
Academic Information
Homework and Conferences
/ ...... / page 18Student Progress and Honor Roll / ...... / page 19
Promotion Requirements / ...... / page 20
Physical Education / ...... / page 20
Guidance / ...... / page 21
Permission to Print and Publish / ...... / page 21
General Information
Records Up to Date, Child Placement,
Fees and Solicitation / ...... / page 22
Books and Supplies, MediaCenter,
Insurance and Drills / ...... / page 23-24
School Pictures, Celebrations, and Field Trips / ...... / page 24-25
Personal Belongings, Bathrooms, Snacks, Pets and Toys, Communication with Students or Staff / ...... / page 26
Medication and Health Concerns / ...... / pages 26- 27
Immunization Information / ...... / page 27
Safety and Security / ...... / page 28
Inclement Weather and School Closings and Delays / ...... / page 29
Board Policies / ...... / page 30-34
Calendar / …………………….. / Page 35
Our Mission
TramwayElementary School will provide a variety of quality year-round educational opportunities that prepare students to become life-long learners while promoting an atmosphere that encourages self-confidence and inspires students to dream and become successful, productive citizens who are willing to question the world around them.
TramwayElementary School
360 Center Church Road
Sanford, North Carolina27330
919-718-0170
Dear Tramway Trailblazers Students and Parents,
Welcome back to school! I am glad you are here with us, and I hope this will be the best school year ever for your child! We had an excellent year at Tramway last year, and that is due to the outstanding working relationships among students, staff and parents!
This handbook will provide important information for you concerning school policies, procedures and general information. Please take the time to read it and call me if you have any questions or concerns.
You will also receive a copy of the Student Code of Conduct for Lee County Schools. Please keep this accessible, as it provides valuable information concerning standards for student behavior.
Along with the Positive Behavior Support Program, we will incorporate the Seven Habits of Happy Kids. We began teaching these seven habits to our students last year, and this year we will build on that. This program teaches personal responsibility and success, as well as cooperating with and appreciating others.
I hope that you will visit us this year for lunches with your child, volunteer in a classroom and/or help with PTO activities. Parent involvement is a great thing, and we welcome and encourage your visits and support!
Please call me if I can be of help to you at any time this year (919-718-0170).
Sincerely,
Anne Beal, Principal
Positive Behavior Support
Tramway Elementary has implemented a program called Positive Behavior Support (PBS). This is a proactive system in which students throughout the school have common behavior expectations. This includes school-wide rules and procedures, systematic reinforcement of procedures and recognition of accomplishments.
Our faculty and staff have chosen to focus on these basic “rules” that will be common in all classrooms and throughout the school. These are respect, responsibility, and safety. Our Trailblazers mascot has been incorporated with a reward program in which students can “earn horses” for their classes’ corral. This leads to class rewards such as extra play time or other rewards.
Please see the PBS matrix on the next page for further information on expectations.
Lee County Schools Administration
Dr. Andy Bryan, Superintendent
Dr. Jim Atkinson, Sr., Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Carol Chappell, Director of K-5 Instruction
Mark Stephens, Chief Finance Officer
John Conway, Assistant Superintendent
Cindy Johnson, Chief Technology Officer
LeeCounty
Board of Education
Mark Akinosho, John Bonardi,
Tamara Brogan, Wendy Carlyle,
Cameron Sharpe, Linda Smith,
Dr. Lynn Smith, Chairman
School Board Attorney
Jimmy Love, Sr.
Our TramwayElementary School Faculty and Staff
Anne Beal, Principal
Andrea Sloan, Assistant Principal
Office Staff
Joni Martin, Joan Phillips and Brandi Wicker
Kindergarten / First Grade / Second Grade / Third GradeTracy Beal / Sarah Bullard / Melanie Altman / Beth Backus
Jordan Krol / Hillary Dycus / Sara Lyerly / Ashton Blue
Anne Lamb / Jessica Jackson / Heather Potts / Ashley Cartrette
Allison Lyerly / Courtney Quinn / Dawn Shepard / Melanie Hawes
Beth Rives / Stephanie Summerlin / Lori Westrick / Mary Beth Wiltshire
Chris Wicker
Fourth Grade / Fifth Grade / Instructional / Assistants
Lynda Cummings / George Beasley / Christin Baker / Senita McLaughlin
Barb Hruby / Mary Lunney / Barbara Carnegie / Monica Monroe
Samantha Scott / Pam Miller / Heather Connor / Donna Patterson
Danielle Shade
Melody Watts / Sarah Miller / Heather Fox
Beverly Gunter
Christine Hilliard
Bailey Kohl / Catherine Persons
Callie Spitler
Eliza Spruiell
Dawn Weathers
Exceptional Education: / Media:
Sarah Slate / Sondra McDougald / Yolanda Womble
April Bussy
Caroline Gleason / Art: Michelle Holt
School Psychologist:
Randy Staats / Music: Judy Spivey / Tech: Frank DeLeon / School Nurse: Mary Oates
Speech:
Susanne Colandro / Physical Education:
Cara Langston / SRO: YaniraVanegas
ESL:
Vivian Levarek / Guidance:
June Wicker / Cafeteria Staff:
Billie Arnette
Debra Adkins Mary Cloutier
Rebecca Wornom / Custodians:
Victor Boykin
Robert Baldwin
Larry Harris
Social Worker:
Peggy Mann
Attendance (from Rule 23, Student Code of Conduct)
Every student is expected to be in full-time attendance in his assigned classes except in instances of excused absences. Excused absences are:
- Personal illness
- Quarantine
- Death in immediate family
- Medical or dental appointment
- Court or administrative procedure
- Religious observance
- Absences with prior approval from principal,
must have educational value
- Miscellaneous emergencies approved
by principal
All other absences are considered unexcused.
Unexcused Tardies and Unexcused Early Pick Up of students: It is very importantthat your child arrive at schoolon time and stay the entire school day. The following policy is in place to help prevent students from being excessively tardy and from checking out early excessively (for reasons that would be unexcused):
1-Principal letter on the third unexcused tardy/early pick up during a quarter
2-Discipline measures at the discretion of the principal and up to one day of BIP may be assigned to students on the fourth unexcused tardy/early pick up in a quarter or who are habitually tardy/picked up early (as well as after the fourth).
Students who are absent ten consecutive days without notifying the school will be dropped from the roll.
When a student returns to school after an absence, he/she will be required to present a written note, from his/her parents or legal guardian, to his/her teacher. The note should contain the following information:
The student's first and last name
The date(s) that the student was absent
The specific reason why the student was absent
The signature of the parent or guardian.
Any student who fails to bring a note with the proper signature within three days of absence will receive an unexcused absence. Any student who presents false information or false signature to the school will receive an unexcused absence.
Sign In and Sign Out Procedures
Once a student has entered the school campus during the school day, he or she becomes the responsibility of the school. Explanatory notes written by the parent, guardian or doctor will be forwarded to the homeroom teacher for filing. Excessive tardiness will require a parental conference. Teachers will not admit students to class without the proper tardy slip from the office.
Requests to leave school during the day because of illness or other reasons will be taken care of in the front office. The parent or guardian should come to the school office to pick up the student and sign them out. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE RELEASED TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE CHILD'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN WITHOUT THE PARENTS’ CONSENT. ONLY THE NAMES LISTED ON THE PE CARD WILL BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING PARENTS’ CONSENT.
Signing out early from school should be rare and for very good reason. Parents should send a note to teachers in the morning when a student will be signed out before the end of the school day (indicating time and reason).This is necessary so that teachers can prepare needed materials for students to have before they leave. Students should only be signed out between 2:00 and 2:30 for medical appointments or family emergencies.
Before and After School Procedures
Morning: Morning car riders can be dropped off in the driving lane in the back of the school. The front of the school is for bus unloading from 7:30 – app. 8:45. The front is available for morning drop off when no buses are out front unloading.
Tardies:
Students arriving after 8:05 must be accompanied by an adult to the office in order to receive a tardy slip.
A student who has more than two unexcused tardies or two unexcused early withdrawals during any quarter is ineligible for the quarterly perfect attendance parties/rewards.
Afternoon: Parents should form a line in the front driveway beginning at the cones that block the rear driveway beside the cafeteria and continue around the back of the school to the covered walkway once the buses have been moved to the front of the school. This may begin at approximately 2:00 each day. Please have your child's name on a card and make it visible to us in the car line. This will help us expedite the loading process.
** All parents should drive through the car line to pick up students.**
Fourth and Fifth Grade car riding students who do not have younger siblings may be picked up in the front of the school after the buses leave.
Afternoon Transportation Changes: Please keep afternoon transportation changes to a minimum. These should be done very rarely and/or in emergency situations. For safety reasons we will not accept telephone calls to make transportation changes. All changes must be in writing and submitted to your child’s teacher upon arrival to school. We will not allow constant changes in schedules. Thank you for your help with this.
Daily Schedule
*Supervision is provided in the cafeteria and gym only from 7:30-8:00 a.m.
7:30-8:00 a.m. / Car rider drop off in driving lane in back of the school and students report to the cafeteria/gymStudents may eat breakfast and/or go to the gym
Breakfast served from 7:35-8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. / Students dismissed to go to class
8:05 a.m. / Instructional day begins
Tardy slips distributed at the front office
2:30 p.m. / Instructional day ends
Bus riders dismissed and escorted to buses
2:33 p.m. / Car riders dismissed and escorted to rear lobby
YMCA dismissed and escorted to gym
2:30-3:30 p.m. / Planning time for teachers
Visitors
Parents are welcome at Tramway School. Parents should contact the principal's office and/or teacher prior to visiting during the school day. It is essential that prior notice be given to us for visits. We have had some parents to “drop by” the classroom unexpected, and this does disrupt instruction.
We do not permit students from other schools to visit without special permission from the principal. Children below school age shall not be permitted to visit unless accompanied by their parents. Siblings of current students are not allowed to go on class field trips. These events are planned by the teachers for their classes only. Thanks for your help with this.
School Volunteer Program
One of the best ways a parent can be involved in a child's education is through volunteering. A parent can volunteer as much or as little time as he/she wishes in a variety of areas that include:
assisting with clerical duties
reading to a child
tutoring
working closely with P.T.O.
assisting with field trips and classroom activities
sharing special skills with children
volunteering in the P.T.O. Thrift Shop
We welcome and appreciate the valuable time and assistance our volunteers give to our children, staff, and the total school program at TramwayElementary School.
Officers
Paige Cabe….. / PresidentOpen….. / Vice President
Open… / Secretary
Kerri Wells… / Treasurer
Open… / Ways & Means
Mary Beth Wiltshire….. / Faculty Representative
Scheduled Meetings
Thursday, August 7, 2014 Summer Meeting 7:00 p. m.
Thursday, December 4, 2014 Winter Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 7, 2015 Spring Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Parent Information Sessions –
Dates for 2014 – 2015 School Year
Kindergarten July 21, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
First Grade July 17, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Second Grade July 29, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Third Grade July 22, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Fourth Grade July 24, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Fifth Grade July 23, 20146:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Other meetings may be called as necessary.
Code of Conduct
Students are subject to the authority and discipline of school personnel. All students must adhere to the rules and regulations of the Lee County Board of Education and of TramwayElementary School. Any student violating the rules of the school or the Lee County Board of Education will be subject to discipline.
SCHOOL RULES
To engage in any of the following will be a violation of school rules:
1.Being disrespectful to faculty and other school staff members.
2.Creating a disturbance in the classroom, building, school grounds or on the bus.
3. Fighting, provoking a fight or bullying of any type.
- Bringing any object that which can reasonably be considered a weapon,
weapon replica or toy weapon to school or on the bus.
5.Possessing, using, or distributing intoxicants or narcotic drugs.
- Postponing, delaying or disturbing information or action that disturbs the normal routine and welfare of the school, as an individual or within a group.
- Committing any act which detains, detracts or infringes upon the rights of others as individuals.
- Threatening the physical or moral well-being of a student, a faculty member or any other staff member.
9.Smoking, bringing matches and/or lighters on campus, or at bus stops.
10.Purposely damaging or defacing school property.
11.Extorting money from other students.
12.Stealing anything from anyone.
13.Use of profanity and obscenity of any form.
14. Gambling -- including playing with dice, cards, pitching
coins or possessing other gambling devices.
15.Promoting and/or contributing to a fight or similar disturbance.
16.Bringing Ipods, cell phones or electronic games to school.
17.Wearing hats, sunglasses, bandanas or other head apparel inside any building, or wearing belts unbuckled. Items will be confiscated.
18.Inappropriate name calling.
19. Throwing, shooting, popping, or otherwise hitting other students with item such as berries, balls, rocks, pine cones, snow, ice, paper clips, rubber bands or staples.
20.Leaving classroom without first getting permission.
21. Playing in a "roughhouse" manner on the campus.
22.Defacing or disturbing the walls of the building.
23. Playing with any type ball (baseballs, basketballs, etc.) in the classrooms, hallways, parking lots, or any other building on campus other than the gymnasium or athletic/physical education fields, without teacher permission.
24. Leaving campus without permission or being in off-limits areas of the
building without permission.
Discipline Procedures
Students may expect to be dealt with fairly but firmly in all matters concerning discipline. It is our belief that the educational process cannot be served or maintained without a high degree of discipline. It should be clearly understood that violating school rules of a lesser nature, will invoke action from the principal that could range from conferences to suspension. The assistant principal or the principal may suspend students. For these minor offenses, less severe punishments shall be used as corrections for poor behavior or a rules violation. Students who continue to violate school policies will be suspended pending action by the superintendent or the principal’s recommendation for long term suspension.
The disruptive consequences of poor school citizenship and behavior upset the stable learning environment that is so vital if teachers are going to teach and students are going to learn. A single disciplinary problem often adversely affects the learning experiences of all students in the class.
The Lee County Schools’ Code of Conduct brochure is sent home at the beginning of the school year with your child. Please review this information with your child and call the school if you have questions, or if you need additional brochures.
Bus Conduct
Students shall comply with all appropriate rules in this code of conduct while riding, boarding or leaving the bus. In addition, students shall adhere to any additional school or county rules developed specifically to govern their conduct while riding, boarding, or leaving the bus. School bus transportation is a privilege, and students may lose this privilege through failure to follow the regulations for student conduct while riding the school bus. A brochure describing proper bus conduct and safety will be given to your child during the first week of school. Parents should review and discuss this brochure with their children.
Bus Discipline
There is a growing concern in North Carolina over the safety of children riding school buses. Evidence supports that children creating problems on buses distracts the bus drivers and inhibits their performance--thus causing accidents. The Lee County Board of Education adopts these procedures as policy for bus students. The measures described are the minimum actions to be taken. The school principal may use her discretion to increase punishment as needed.
FIRST OFFENSE – Counsel with student; parent notification and maximum 3 days off school bus transportation.
SECOND OFFENSE – 5 days off school bus transportation.
THIRD OFFENSE – 10 days off school bus transportation and may be suspended from the school bus for the remainder of the school year.
FOURTH OFFENSE – Student will be suspended from the school bus transportation for the remainder of the school year.