Parent Handbook

2015-2016

Woodlands Elementary 2501 N Coulter Amarillo TX 79124

(806) 326-5800 Fax (806)356-4926

Woodlands Elementary School

Important Contact Information

Staff Member / Position / Phone / Email
Angela Lawrence / Secretary / 806-326-5801 /
Karen Stone / Health Clerk / 806-326-5802 /
April Sober / Cafeteria Manager / 806-326-5809 /
Jennifer Cabe / Counselor / 806-326-5810 /
Donna Craig / Diagnostician / 806-326-5808 /
Alison Little / Speech Pathologist / 806-326-5811 /
Kelli Smith / Librarian / 806-326-5807 /
Heather Newman / Assistant Principal / 806-326-5800 /
Traci Gabel / Principal / 806-326-5800 /
Grade / Lunch / PE/Music
Kindergarten / 11:15-11:55 / 8:00-8:30
1st Grade / 10:50-11:30 / 8:40-9:35
2nd Grade / 11:35-12:15 / 9:40-10:35
3rd Grade / 12:20-1:00 / 1:00-1:55
4th Grade / 12:00-12:40 / 2:00-2:55

Master Schedule

Dear Parents,

We are beginning another exciting year at Woodlands! The almost 40 staff members at Woodlands are highly skilled, motivated, caring, and ready to provide your child with a quality education. We have approximately 410 students (67.3% White, 16.1% Hispanic, 5.1% African American, 0.5% American Indian, 3.2% Two or More Races, 7.8% Asian) and are eager to see each one of them soar!

Woodlands has a reputation of excellence and we will maintain that standard and strive to always become better. In order to maintain our positive learning environment, we have guidelines for everyday procedures. Thank you in advance for your positive support, and for allowing us to be a part of your child’s education. If you have any questions please call 326-5800.

Keep this handbook throughout the school year.

This handbook includes:

·  School procedures/guidelines in alphabetical order

·  School Expectations Matrix

·  Important Dates

As always, please call 326-5800 if you have any questions and we look forward to working with you toward another exceptional year!

Traci Gabel

Principal

Leaving a “paws-itive” print!

Arrival/Dismissal:

Classes begin at 8:00 A.M. and the tardy bell rings at 8:05 A.M. The cafeteria doors will be opened at 7:15 A.M. No supervision is provided prior to 7:15. All students report to the cafeteria and eat breakfast or sit in their grade level area. No students should be in the halls prior to 8:00. Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:45 so that students will have time to finish eating before going to class.

We understand that at the beginning of the year children may be reluctant to go to their classrooms and want you to walk with them. This is permissible during the first 2 days to help your child acclimate

In order for drop off time to run smoothly it is imperative that everyone follow the parking lot procedures. Pull your car up as far as you can in the fire lane. If you need to get out of your car to assist your child, please park in a parking space. Optimal arrival time is 7:15-7:45 as traffic is lighter.

Dismissal:

Our dismissal time is 3:00 PM for 1st-4th Grades and 1:45 for Kindergarten. Students will be escorted to 1 of the 2 dismissal areas and supervised until 3:10 pm. After 3:10 PM students will wait in the office for their ride to pick them up.

Office Hours:

Office hours are from 7:40 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Any other times can be arranged by appointment only.

Follow the following dismissal procedures:

·  Please leave pets in the car or at home as some students are allergic or fearful.

·  Park in a space and walk over to pick up your child OR follow the pick-up lane procedures by pulling up as far as possible in the fire lane

·  After you have your child please refrain from visiting in the dismissal area so we clear the area effectively and efficiently.

·  K, 1st, 2nd dismiss on the north side of the building

·  3rd and 4th dismiss on the south side of the building

·  3rd and 4th students who have a 1st or 2nd grade sibling will meet their sibling on the north side.

·  Students needing to cross N. Coulter will meet the crossing guard by the office

·  The back parking lot by the kitchen is for students with special needs only

·  Students riding the bus will meet in the hall by the computer lab door

Attendance and Tardies:

As you know, attendance is critical to student success; and, state law requires students attend a minimum of 90% of the school year, however, our goal at Woodlands is to achieve 98% or higher. Any student not in compliance with the state policy may be referred to Potter County Court and will be reviewed by the attendance committee at the end of the year to determine whether or not that student will promote to the next grade. We truly appreciate your cooperation in keeping your child in school as much as possible. Childhood illnesses and emergencies always create the potential for absences, so it’s important to save your days for those times. If for any reason your child is absent, please contact the office at 326-5800.

Excused Absence – Parents notify school of absence, doctor’s note given to office or sent home by school nurse

Unexcused Absence – Any absence not reported to school or any absence over 10 days will be unexcused unless a doctor’s note is received.

Perfect Attendance is awarded to any student who is present every day for the full day. Students checked out early or who are tardy will not qualify for this award. It is important to schedule appointments for after school hours so that your child is here for the duration of learning time.

Tardies are marked at 8:05 AM, although the school day begins at 8:00 when teachers pick up their class from the cafeteria. Frequent tardies have a tremendous negative impact on student performance, therefore it is very important to have your child here by 7:55.

After 5 absences/tardies you will receive written notification from the school. After 10 absences you will receive another letter from the school notifying you that all future absences will only be excused with a doctor’s note or if the student is sent home by the school nurse.

Birthdays:

In order to respect learning time we do not take time out of the school day for birthday parties, or to pass out party items. Also, invitations to birthday parties will not be passed out or delivered at school.

Cafeteria:

Parents are always welcome in our cafeteria for lunch or breakfast. Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:45. Lunch times are listed on pg 2. The laws are becoming more and more specific concerning nutritional value of the foods we serve children. We know children enjoy getting foods from area restaurants, however, if you or a grandparent chooses to bring outside food to your child, please remember it can only be served to your child. State regulations prohibit guests from providing any type of food to anyone besides their own child. We have a special area for parents or grandparents to sit with their child and we ask that everyone follow our cafeteria rules and help encourage the children to use appropriate etiquette at the tables. Only parents and grandparents are permitted to bring outside food to your child.

We also encourage you to take advantage of the online payment system on the AISD homepage. Here you can pay for your child’s meals(with a 5% fee) and/or monitor their accounts and have email notification of when your child’s account becomes low. You will need to contact the office to obtain the login and password.

The district meal policy does not permit students to charge more than $5.00 when their account is out of money. They will be served a peanut butter sandwich. To avoid this happening, please respond quickly to the notices going home regarding lunch charges, and/or check your child’s account online.

The most current meal prices are below.

Full Pay / Reduced
Breakfast / $.90 / $.30
Lunch / $2.00 / $.40

Cell Phones:

District policy does not allow for elementary students to have cell phones on campus. If a student brings a phone it will be confiscated.

Discipline:

We have high behavioral expectations at Woodlands, and we know we can count on your support and assistance. Since we expect all people to be treated with respect, we ask that fighting, name-calling, put downs, obscenities, rude speech and similar behaviors be totally avoided. A communication folder will be sent home daily to inform you of your child’s behavior. Your child’s teacher is always just a phone call, email or conference away. So if you have questions about your child, feel free to contact them.

This year, we are continuing the discipline initiative called Positive Behavior Supports. This initiative is based on teaching the expected behaviors, then rewarding students for demonstrating those behaviors. We have seen a great positive impact and expect to see this continue. Attached you’ll find our behavior matrix which identifies the expected behaviors that will be taught.

ESD (Extended School Day):

ESD is a paid program for parents who need after school care for their child. The program is available after school until 6:00. Please call the school for further information.

Family Access

You may log onto Family Access via the AISD homepage. www.amaisd.org

This gives parents access to their child’s grades so that you can closely monitor their achievements aside from progress reports and report cards. Please contact the office for your login and password.

Field Trips:

Your child will likely participate in a few field trips throughout the year. Teachers will notify parents of upcoming trips. Teachers may ask for parent volunteers to assist for some trips.

Want to attend your child’s field trip?

·  Ask your child’s teacher if they need you to volunteer. Make sure you have a VIPS form filed in the office. See VIPS

o  If you have not been asked to volunteer please do not show up to help as we are often limited on the number of people who can attend events and we must keep close records on who is with our students at all times.

·  Other children are not permitted to volunteer with you as we need our volunteers’ full attention on our students.

·  You will have to provide your own transportation

Grades (Progress/Report Cards):

Report cards are sent home the Wednesday following the end of each six weeks, and progress reports are sent home after the 3rd week in each six weeks. See Family Access to see how to monitor your child’s grades online.

1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th / 6th
Progress Reports / Sept 16 / Oct. 28 / Dec. 2 / Jan. 27 / Mar. 9 / May 4
Report Cards / Oct. 7 / Nov. 11 / Jan 6 / Feb. 17 / Apr. 13 / May 27

Illness:

Children should not attend school if they have a temperature of 100.0 or higher, diarrhea, vomiting, undiagnosed skin rash, pink eye, or any other communicable disease.

Students may return to school when free of the above symptoms for 24 hrs

Please direct questions to the school nurse at 326-5813.

Lockers:

Although there are many cute locker decoration items available, we will keep our lockers decoration free, other than name tags, etc. provided by the teachers.

Medication:

If your child needs to take medication at school, it must be in the original container along with written parent permission. Only FDA approved medications can be given at school; no homeopathic medicines.

*If medication is to be kept at school more than 5 days we must have a physician’s written order.

Parking Lot/Traffic:

In order to prevent unsafe parking lot situations after school, cars should not be in the fire lanes. When cars park there and other parents stop in the traffic lane, it causes an unsafe situation because we can’t see the children darting in and out. We ask that you do not double park, in the traffic lane. Parents should pull as far forward as possible to allow for several cars to unload or load at the same time which prevents traffic from backing up.

The Amarillo Police Department has been asked to send the motorcycle patrolmen to our campus to slow the traffic down in front of the school. Remember – no cell phones in school zones!

P.E:

Tennis shoes are required for P.E. every day so that students will be safe during physical activity.

If your child has an injury or illness which will prevent them from participating in PE, please send a doctor’s note. The student will also refrain from participating in recess.

PTA:

Woodlands is fortunate to have an outstanding active PTA. The membership dues are $10.00 per parent. Families with multiple children enrolled at Woodlands should only join once. We also encourage grandparents, family members, etc. to join our PTA. You will be receiving notification of meetings and activities sponsored by the PTA. We ask that all parents consider offering your services and talents.