Oakhaven Elementary School

Student Handbook

“Memphis City Schools does not discriminate in its programs or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap/disability, sex or age. For more information, please contact the Office of Equity Compliance at (901) 416-6670

School Information

Child’s Teacher ______

Child’s Lunch Period From ______to______

School’s telephone number(901) 416-2320

School’s Fax number(901) 416-2335

PrincipalMrs. Ogilvie

Financial SecretaryMrs. Lilley

General Office SecretaryMs. Lark

Guidance CounselorMrs. A. Williams

Building EngineerMs. Harvey

Cafeteria ManagerMs. White

School ColorsBlue and White

School MascotThe Hawk

Grade LevelsPre-K-5TH Grade

School Hours8:30-3:15

The Oakhaven’s adopters are Airport Authority, Catherine’s Inc. and Williams Apple Market.

Dear Parents,

The faculty and staff are very pleased that you have entrusted your child to our care here at Oakhaven Elementary. Our school is and excellent place for learning; it is a place of growth and understanding.

Oakhaven Elementary teaches teamwork. Under the guidance of a dedicated staff of professionals, students find new ways to strengthen, reinforce and strive for excellence. The staff at Oakhaven School is dedicated to the task of preparing your children for the world in which they will be a participating citizen.

We are ready to assist you in any way possible to have a more complete understanding of the curriculum and requirements as established by the Memphis City Schools and the Tennessee State Department of Education. If we can be of help tp you in any way, please do not hesitate to call.

Read the information in this handbook carefully with your child. Students are responsible for knowing the contents in the handbook.

Best wishes for a productive school year. We must work hard to be successful. Education is the “Key That Opens Doors to Many Opportunities.”

Sincerely,

Pauletta Ogilvie, Principal

Oakhaven Elementary Hawks

Oakhaven Elementary Hawks

  • Make things happen.
  • See and seize opportunities.
  • Influence the actions and opinions of others.
  • Attract winners
  • Equip others to lead.
  • Provide ideas that help the school.
  • Possess an uncommonly great attitude.
  • Live up to their responsibilities and commitments.
  • Show fierce loyalty to the school and its leaders

The Mission, Beliefs and Vision of

Oakhaven Elementary School

Mission Statement

Oakhaven Elementary School strives to provide meaningful learning in a safe environment and to encourage our students to be creative and responsible citizens.

Vision Statement

The vision of Oakhaven Elementary School is to provide education that will give all students the opportunity to reach their full potential. We will encourage the development of independent thinking by which our students will become life-long learners and wise decision makers. All of the students at Oakhaven Elementary will experience success daily.

Oakhaven Elementary School will develop positive, constructive relationships and communication between students, parents, staff and the community. The Oakhaven Elementary community will view our school as a positive learning environment where students and staff feel safe. Respect and appreciation for all will be observed in our culturally diverse school population.

The leadership and personnel of Oakhaven Elementary will recognize that the principles and goals embodied in the school mission and vision statements must be acted upon to achieve the desired results.

Belief Statements

We at Oakhaven Elementary School believe:

  • Every child’s abilities, talents, and desire for knowledge should be identified and developed during the continuous process of instruction.
  • Every child should be given the opportunity and assistance needed during instruction to establish high expectations while experiencing success in school.
  • Every child should be given a variety of assessment opportunities to demonstrate achievement and application of learning.
  • The school, stakeholders and community should form a partnership and be given the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process to provide quality education and continuous student improvement.

General Information

School Hours

8:00 Doors open for breakfast

8:20 Doors open for school

8:30 School begins

8:45 Children are tardy

3:00 Dismissal of bus riders

3:15 Dismissal of walkers and car riders

School begins promptlyat 8:30 a.m. Please have your child at school on time. All parents are reminded that children are not permitted on campus prior to 8:00 a.m. Breakfast participants are allowed inside at 8:00 a.m.

All children must be picked no later than 3:30 p.m. Students will be placed in After-Care for the charge of $11.00 per day plus one time registration fee of $10.00.

Parents meeting children after school must wait outside of the building. With a continual stress on campus security, all parents and visitors are required to sign-inthrough the office. A badge will be issued upon signing in. Any person found in the building without a badge will be stopped and questioned. For the security of the children and staff, this rule is non-negotiable.

After 8:45 a.m. children are considered tardy and must be signed in at the office by a parent or guardian. Also, children must be signed out if they leave during the school hours.

Attendance/Dismissal

It is very important to have your children at school on time and to remain until school is dismissed. Frequent tardiness/absences and early dismissal may interrupt your child's daily lesson plans and cause him/her to miss important instructional time. It is required that your child attend 6.75 hours daily in order to be counted as a full day. If your child will be absent, call the office at 8:00 a.m. at 416-2320. Leave a message that your child will be absent along with a reason. Remember to send a note to your child's teacher upon his/her return stating why theywere absent.

Good attendance is one of the criteria for any exceptional student. We believe all Oakhaven’s students are exceptional!

New Attendance Policy

Please be advised that Memphis CitySchools enacted a newattendance policy that went into effect August 16, 2004. Listed below are the major provisions of the policy:

(Please see Policy #5113 in this handbook)

  • A student who accumulates 5 days of unexcused absences will be issued a notice for parent to attend a meeting meet with the Student Attendance Review Team (SART).
  • A student who accumulates 10 days of unexcused absences will be issued notice to parent to attend the SART meeting and/or attend the Student Attendance Review Board at Pupil Services. The Board consists of representatives from Juvenile Court, the Memphis Shelby County Community Services Agency, Memphis City Schools, the Council of Missing and Exploited Children, and the Department of Children's Services.
  • A student who accumulates 10 or more days of unexcused absences will be issued notice to attend the Student Attendance Review Board and/or notification is sent to Juvenile Court.

Good attendance will make your child a better student. Students are expected to be present and on time each day, unless they have an excused absence. The following reasons are the only excused absences accepted by Memphis City Schools: (1) personal illness of the student, (2) death or serious illness in the immediate family, (3) subpoena for court appearance, (4) recognized religious holiday, or (5) an unusual cause acceptable to the principal. A written noteexplaining the absence is required within 3 days when the student returns to school.If you have any questions about this policy please contact the school office. We appreciate your cooperation in following school attendance policies.

Tardy Policy and Procedure

Reference: Memphis CitySchools Policy 5113 - Regularity of Attendance

Procedures: A student that is tardy shall be excused for the following reasons only:

  • Personal illness of the student.
  • Death or serious illness in the immediate family of the students.
  • Validated court appearance of the student.
  • Recognized religious events.
  • Any other unusual cause acceptable to the principal.

Families can help ensure their children's success by seeing that the children get to school on time and ready to learn. It is crucial that students learn the importance of arriving on time because so much happens in the first few minutes that sets the tone and schedule for the day. The morning meeting begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. and includes news, morning announcements, and TCAP skills review. Students entering class late disrupt the teaching and learning that is already taking place. It is the parent's or caregiver's responsibility to ensure that students arrive at school by 8:30 a.m.

Listed below are the consequences that will be taken if your child is tardy.

  • First Two Unexcused Tardies- Phone call from the classroom teacher.
  • Third Unexcused Tardy- Note home from the principal.
  • Fifth Tardy- Mandatory conference with the principal.
  • Nineth to Ninth Tardy- an in-school suspension will be issued.
  • Tenth Tardy, a home suspension will be issued.

Early Dismissal

If a student must be dismissed early from school, the parent must send a note explaining "why" and stating the "time to leave". Students should give these notes to the teacher when they arrive in their classroom.

Other adults or older students may not pick up Oakhaven students unless the parent or guardian has notified the school.

STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN ABSENT

  • Parent or guardian must write an excuse indicating the date, days of absence, reason for absence, and include his or her signature.
  • Submit the excuse to the homeroom teacher.
  • Ask for make-up assignments. Assignments that are not made up could be reflected in academic grades.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

Pupils shall be permitted the opportunity to make up all work and tests missed as a result of an excused absence. Work and tests must be made up by the end of the week in which the student was absent. If a pupil fails to make up the work and tests, their deficiencies shall be averaged with the other grades.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Unexcused absences will be treatedas truancy. Parents and students are responsiblefor ensuring that the pupil attends school/class one hundred eighty (180) days each school year and is on time. According to the attendance policy, a student who accumulates 5 days of unexcused absences will be issued a home suspension, after 10 days a Board Suspension will be issued and after 15 days of unexcused absences another Board Suspension will be issued. If the parent or guardian fails to comply within three (3) days, The Superintendent's Designeewill report the unlawful attendance to the appropriate judicial authorities. Class work or tests will not be made up in the event of unexcused absences.

Make-up Assignments can be given only with an excused absence. The assignments must be completed in one week (5 days) or the grade will be reflected on the student's report card or progress report for that grading period.

  • DISMISSAL

Bus students will be dismissed to the foyer at 3:00 pm. AT 3:15, teachers are to come outside with their car riders and walkers and stay with them in the designated areas until the students have left the campus. Any child left at school after 3:30 will be placed in after school care at the parent's expense. The charge will be $11.00 per day plus a one time registration fee of $10.00.

The mission of Memphis City Schools is to provide each student with experiences, activities, and forms of instruction that will cultivate and develop to the fullest possible extent the understanding, skills and habits of mind that are necessary to contribute to and benefit from citizenship in our society. To fulfill this mission, we must have an academic environment, which is safe, secure and conducive to learning. Good discipline is the foundation of a successful educational program.

ZERO TOLERANCE

The Board of Commissioners is responsible for using reasonable steps to promote a positive learning environment by ensuring the protection of the rights of each student to benefit from their educational experiences. If a student breaks a zero tolerance rule, this action will result in immediate suspension.

There will be no tolerance of:

  • Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing or selling tobacco, alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, look- alike drugs or drug paraphernalia. Students who are under the influence are not permitted to attend school or a school function and are treated as though they had drugs or alcohol in their possession.
  • Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing or selling explosives, firearms (including look-alike,) knives, regardless of blade length, or any other object that can be considered a weapon.
  • Using electronic signaling or cellular telecommunication devices on during school hours. This includes cellular telephones, electronic pagers, and look-alikes.
  • Using violence, force, coercion, threats, intimidation, fear, harassment, or other comparable conduct toward anyone (including school personnel, students, or designated visitors) or urging other students to engage in such conduct.
  • Causing or attempting to cause damage to, stealing or attempting to steal, school property or another person's personal property.
  • Unexcused absenteeism.
  • Involvement in gangs or gang-related activities, including the display or possession of gang symbols or paraphernalia, gang recruitment or gang invitation.
  • Involvement in activities associated in secret societies, sororities, fraternities, or other dubs, by displaying related symbols or paraphernalia, or participating in recruitment or invitation activities. No gang, sorority, fraternities, or other club T-shirts.
  • Cursing or use of profane language directed toward other students or staff.
  • Fighting between students, gang fights, or fights in which one or more students assault another student or students.
  • Threatening or striking school personnel, designated visitors or students.
  • Engaging in immoral, obscene, indecent and/or offensive behavior, language, gestures, pictures, writing, or propositions.
  • Falsely activating the fire alarm, or making bomb threats.
  • Sexually harassing school personnel or other students.
  • Being insubordinate or disrespectful to school personnel, including cursing or using profane language.
  • Engaging in other behaviors that are inappropriate, detrimental, or which negatively impact others or the learning environment.

Good discipline is the foundation of a successful educational program. Positive behavior is based on self-respect and self-control. It is the key to good conduct and proper consideration of other people.

School Policies

  • No electronic devices.
  • Food should be eaten only in the cafeteria.
  • No chewing gum.
  • Communication folders must be returned by Friday.
  • Sports equipment, toys and games are not permitted at school.
  • Students who arrive after 7:45am must be signed in the office by a parent/guardian.
  • Students are not allowed to open doors for staff, parents, or guests.

• STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

It is the intention of the faculty and the administration to maintain proper discipline in providing an atmosphere for good instruction. Students are informed of the following rules and regulations regarding standards of conduct:

School Entrance Procedures

  • Student will be allowed to enter the cafeteria from 8:00am-8:20am.
  • Students will enter through the front door of the building at 8:00am.
  • All students leaving cafeteria must use the West doors.
  • Children entering the front door should use the East doors.
  • Students must walk on the right side of the hallways and stairs. They are to go to the classroom without making stops. There will be no students in teacher's rooms prior to 8:20am unless authorized by the classroom teacher.
  • Students entering after the bell must get a tardy slip before entering the classroom.

Cafeteria Procedures

Student will remain quiet while in line to get food.

Student will walk to the assigned table and remain seated.

Student will make sure the area is clean before leaving the table.

Student will use their inside voice.

Classroom Rules

  • Students will use inside voices.
  • Students will be respectful of others.
  • Students will follow all classroom procedures.
  • Students will be actively involved in all class activities.

Hall Rules

  • Students will line up and walk on the right side of the hall.
  • Students will remain quiet in the hall.
  • Students will refrain from playing or running in the hallway.
  • Students will keep hands, feet and objects to themselves.

Restroom Rules

  • Students will remain quiet in the restroom.
  • Students will keep all materials away from the restroom.
  • Students will keep the rest room clean.
  • Students will refrain from horseplay.

Positive Consequences

  • Teacher created incentives for students.
  • Students will have the opportunity to purchase snacks from the cafeteria.
  • Notes of encouragement and praise.
  • Other planned activities each grading period.
  • Teacher created incentives for students.
  • Notes of encouragement and praise.
  • Other planned activities each grading period.

Negative Consequences

  • Reminder/warning
  • Students will explain or write the procedure
  • Loss of privileges and explain or write the procedure
  • Written assignment/parent contact and explain procedure
  • Time out explain or write the procedure
  • Referral to principal and explain or write the procedure

Actions that Warrant Immediate Office Referral

  • Threats/fighting
  • Cursing/foul language
  • Defiant behavior toward an authority figure
  • Major destruction or defacing of school property
  • Electronic devices

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Every Oakhaven Elementary student is expected to maintain excellent conduct at all times. However, if disciplinary action is necessary, it shall be fair, consistent, appropriate and reasonable. The Discipline Committee has approved the following for disciplinary guidelines/options:

  • Conference with student and/or parent by the teacher
  • Written assignment which must be signed by a parent
  • Conference with the principal
  • In-School suspension
  • Home suspension
  • Expulsion

No open food is to be taken out of the cafeteria at any time. Cleanliness is always stressed in the cafeteria. Students are responsible for helping to keep the cafeteria clean. Each class will be responsible for cleaning and picking up paper under and around tables and trashcans.