Micro Elementary
Parent / Student Handbook
2017-2018
Micro Elementary School
301 E. Main Street
Micro, NC 27555
Phone: (919) 588-4300
Fax: (919) 588-4302
“Caught in a Web of Learning”
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! We are happy to have you as part of the Micro family. Parents are our partners in the important job of educating the children of this community.
We encourage you to take an active role in your child’s education. Study after study has shown that parental involvement is the number one determinant of how well all children -- regardless of their background -- do in school. Good communication between home and school helps children do well in school and makes it easier to address problems. We encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher to find out ways to help your child. Be sure to attend parent-teacher conferences, come to our parent involvement activities, and volunteer to help your child’s teachers. We welcome your participation and support this school year and encourage your membership in the PTA. Working together, we will be able to reach our goals and celebrate the achievements of our students.
Please read this handbook carefully in order to understand the policies and procedures that will help our school operate effectively and efficiently. Please also keep in mind that every situation may not be addressed in this handbook and that school administrators will make adjustments as necessary in order to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, parents, and staff.
Thank you and have a great school year!
TJ Parrish Angel Shepherd
Principal Assistant Principal
Disclaimer
This handbook is intended to help parents, students, and school personnel work together to ensure a positive and productive school year. This information, however, is not all inclusive. The school retains the right to alter or vary the application of these procedures as necessary. Please also make sure you read the Parent Gazette as it provides you with information about Johnston County Public Schools Board Policies.
School Schedule
Office Hours- 7:45-4:45
Regular School Hours
8:15 Student Arrival / Breakfast
8:45 Tardy Bell
3:50 Car Rider and Van Dismissal
3:50 Walker Dismissal
3:55 Bus Rider Dismissal
3:55 After School Care Dismissal
Early Dismissal Hours
___1:50__ Car Rider, Walker, and Van Early Dismissal
___1:55__ Bus Rider Early Dismissal
· There is no afterschool care on early dismissal days.
· Lunches will run 30 minutes early on early dismissal days.
Drop-off / Pick-up
Locations and Procedures
Bus Riders - Bus pick up and drop off area is along the left side of the school. (Near Goldsboro St)
Car Riders – The large parking lot on the right side of the school (near I-95) is the car rider pick up and drop off area. Cars will drive along the perimeter of the parking lot, staying in the yellow lanes. A second yellow lane is also available if the first lane is full. All car rider students will be issued a car rider number. During student pick up times (beginning at 3:50), families will display the car rider number in their windows. Staff members will bring students to the car rider pick up area. Please do not line up in the car rider parking lot before 2:50 so the car rider area can be available for emergency vehicles if necessary.
Walkers/Bike Riders/Van Riders – For dismissal, walkers will meet in the gym lobby. A staff member will walk these students to the outside dismissal area. For arrival, students should arrive at the stop sign at the end of Goldsboro St at 8:15. Students will be welcomed onto campus by a staff member on duty.
Van riders will be dismissed to the Media Center for Daycare Van Pick Up. Only oversized daycare vehicles will pick up in this area. Regular size vehicles will pick up in the car rider lane.
· All students and parents must follow the dismissal procedures of the school. Walkers must live within the walk zone and must actually walk to and from school. Car riders must be picked up in the car rider line. Parents may not park and pick students up in the office or car rider room for the purpose of avoiding our dismissal procedures. Parents will be given a card stock number for carpool signs. The sign should be hung on the car mirror displaying their number when they enter the traffic circle.
Attendance
Regular school attendance is required for every student by State Law and the Board of Education. State law requires every child attending school between the ages 7 (or younger if enrolled) and 16 to attend school. Parents or legal guardians have a responsibility for ensuring that students attend and remain in school daily. Following any absence, parents should send in a note explaining the absence. This may be in the form of a doctor’s note or a letter, handwritten by the parent. Parents should be aware that after 10 unexcused absences, students are out of compliance with North Carolina’s Attendance Law. (Article 26 115C-378) and they will be contacted by the school social worker.
You can call the school to check on your child’s attendance and what absences
have been coded, but you now also have the option to check online via the
Parent Portal. If you have not already received your access code for this, you
can request it at the front desk.
If your child accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences, the
parent/guardian can be required to go before TIP and/or go to court.
Please review TIP(Truancy Intervention Partnership) and the N.C. Compulsory
School Attendance Law (G.S.-115C- 378) which can be found on the Johnston
County School website, your child’s school website or call the school to
request the information.
If absences from class exceed four per nine weeks, eight per semester or sixteen
per year, grades can be affected, regardless of the reasons for the absences per
JCS Board Policy 4110.
Please help us to help your child be successful in schoolby attending school
regularly, being on time and by limiting early dismissals.
Excused Absences
In order for a student to receive an Excused Absence, a note signed by a parent or doctor is required. The note must state the date and reason for the absence.
Excused Absences include:
· Illness or Injury of the child (unless these are in excess)
· Quarantine by the Health Department*
· Death in the Immediate family*
· Medical or Dental Appointment
· Court or Administrative Proceedings for which the student is required to
· be present*
· Religious Observance*
· Educational Opportunity that is preapproved**will require additional documentation
Unexcused Absences include:
· Any reason other than those listed under Excused Absences above including such things as babysitting, car problems, out of town, weather,missing the bus, oversleeping, mom was sick, etc.
Make-Up Work
In the event of a lawful absence, a student shall have twice the number of school days absent to make up work missed.
Tardies
Students will be marked tardy if they are not in class by 8:45. If a student is tardy, the parent must come to the office and sign the child in to school.
Educational Trip
Applications to excuse a family-sponsored educational trip (up to 5 school days) are available in the office. Parents should complete the form and submit it to the homeroom teacher. This form must be submitted 5 days before the trip. Please note that only 1 family educational trip may be approved in a school year.
Checking Students Out
Parents must come to the office anytime it is necessary for the early dismissal of their child. Photo identification is required. Students checked out prior to 12:15 will be marked absent. If students are at school for 3 ½ hours they will be marked present for the day. Students are not allowed to be checked out after 3:15pm unless the parents have a doctor’s appointment card or have received prior approval from an administrator. Early dismissals at the end of the day are very disruptive to instruction and to our dismissal procedures. For the safety of our students and in order to preserve instructional time, early dismissals should be kept to a minimum. If a child returns to school the same day, the parent must bring the child back to the office to sign in. Please make sure the office has updated information regarding authorized individuals who may pick up your child in case of emergencies.
Periodic Requests to Change Transportation
Students must have a note from their parents to change their dismissal transportation for the day. These notes should be turned in to the front office. To make temporary bus changes (riding home with a friend, etc.), please send a note to school that includes parent’s permission, the address of the stop, a phone number, and parent signature. All transportation changes must be submitted to the front office by 9:00 a.m. each school day. Parents should contact the school in the event of an emergency that requires a change in transportation. Parents may be asked to email, fax, or hand-deliver changes in transportation.
Volunteers and Visitors
Micro Elementary welcomes volunteers and visitors to our campus. All volunteers and visitors must sign in at the school office and obtain the appropriate sticker badge. Volunteers must complete the on-line volunteer application process and they must schedule volunteer opportunities with staff members (www.jcsvolunteers.com). Visitors are welcome to eat lunch and/or visit during non-instructional times. In order to preserve the integrity of student learning, visitors are not allowed in classrooms during instructional times.
Escorting Student to Class
Parents may escort student to the classroom for the first five days of school. After the first five days, parents may only escort students to the classroom if providing assistance, such as carrying a large project or taking classroom supplies to the teacher. Parents must sign in following the above visitor guidelines.
Transfers and Withdrawals
Parents should contact the Data Manager at least one day prior to the withdrawal date. The student(s) will then be given a checkout form. All fees must be cleared and all books must be returned, or paid for, if lost.
Lost and Found
Articles found in and around the school will be given to the PE Teacher. Every effort will be made to return lost items to the owners. Coats, sweaters, book bags, and other items should be labeled with a permanent marker. It is the student’s responsibility (with parent supervision) to search for lost items. At the end of each quarter, items will be donated to local charitable organizations.
Cafeteria Services
The cafeteria is open daily to serve well-balanced breakfasts and lunches. Students may bring lunches from home, however All students must eat in the cafeteria and are expected to display appropriate behavior. Students must sit in assigned areas and are expected to clean their areas before leaving.
Cafeteria Prices:
Breakfast - $1.40
Reduced Breakfast - Free
Lunch - $2.30
Reduced Lunch - $0.40
Adults - $3.50
Milk -$0.50
*Free/reduced lunch applications are available upon request and must be completed each year. There is also an on-line process for free/reduced lunch: LunchApplication.com
Lunches
Lunches may be brought from home. Students are not allowed to bring carbonated drinks due to the possibility of causing a mess. There will be no student access to microwave ovens. Students should bring lunches that require no preparation.
Snacks
Students are permitted to bring a snack from home that will be allowed in classrooms at a time designated by the teacher. Healthy snacks are preferred and only water will be allowed in classrooms. Students may access water bottles anytime during the school day as long as the bottle is not a distraction to classroom instruction. No soft drinks, Gatorade, juice, tea, flavored water, etc. will be allowed in classrooms. Exceptions can be made by a teacher for school approved celebrations. Any food served to a class that is brought from home should be store bought.
Johnston County Public Schools
Character Education Traits
Self Discipline: Doing your best in all situations
Respect: Understanding that all people have value as human beings
Perseverance: Working hard and not giving up
Responsibility: Being accountable for your own actions
Compassionate: Treating others as you would like to be treated
Dependability: Keeping your promises
Fairness: Treating all people equally
Integrity: Being honest in all things
Courage: Doing the right thing even when others do not
Honesty: Being truthful in words and actions
Loyalty: Standing up for friends, family, and country
Patriotism: Loving your county and standing up for the purposes for
which it was founded
Discipline Overview
Micro Elementary School will utilize the Class Dojo online behavior management resource to document and track student behaviors, interventions, and parent communication. Class Dojo will be used to communicate positive student behavior. Students will receive daily points through Dojo. If students do not receive a point, the reason why can be communicated. However, when students engage in actions that require interventions parents will be communicated via phone. Staff members will explicitly teach the schoolwide rules to our students, encourage students to exhibit positive character education traits, and reward students for positive behaviors. Staff members will also follow the schoolwide plan for implementing interventions and contacting parents. Our behavior management system focuses on rewarding positive behaviors and encouraging students to earn Dojo points for meeting behavior expectations. Each grade level team will develop a plan for rewarding students and for helping students to earn Dojo points on a regular basis (throughout the school day). When students are meeting expectations, they should have an opportunity to earn a point. Each grade level will determine the student goal for each day and communicate with parents at the beginning of the school year.
The goal of our school-wide discipline plan is to have consistent expectations, consistent rewards, and consistent interventions. It is also an extremely important expectation that students are treated in a positive, respectful manner at all times. Staff members should use positive reinforcements to alter undesired behaviors.