Owens Elementary

Owens Elementary

School

Parent/Student Handbook

2015-2016

SCHOOL HOURS

Owens Elementary School day is from 7:35 A.M – 2:40 P.M. We will open the front doors at 7:05 A.M. for students. All students will go directly to their classrooms. Breakfast will be served in the classroom for all students. Instruction starts at 7:35 A.M.

Early Arrival: The Board and its employees are not responsible for the health and safety of students who arrive at the school grounds prior to the established time for the opening of school on any given school day. (Please see page 30 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
The faculty and staff of Owens Elementary are very concerned about the safety of your child(ren) in regard to morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. The teachers and staff will closely monitor students. We ask that you will also help.

Students are not allowed in the classroom before 7:05. Students will enter and exit the school building at the front entrance and the entrance near the cafeteria. If you are dropping your child off in the morning, please remain in your car and follow the traffic flow procedure. (See attached instructions) This is for your child’s safety and to help with the traffic flow. If you need to talk to a teacher, please schedule a conference by calling or sending a note. The teachers are busy getting ready for class instruction and will not be able to talk with you during this time. If you have an emergency or important information that cannot be explained in a note, please call or stop by the office and the teacher will be notified. If you choose to walk your child into the building, you must park your car and enter through the main entrance.

We ask that you allow your child to continue to his or her classroom alone from this point. We will be glad to help him or her to the classroom. We realize that parents may wish to escort their younger children to their classroom the first few days of school.

Kindergarten parents - You may walk with your kindergarten child to class for the first week of school. Beginning Wednesday, August 12, 2015, we ask that you allow him/her to walk to the classroom alone. Staff members will monitor the halls during the arrival time in the morning and assist your child as needed.

Parents of students in grades 1- 5 – Please feel free to escort your child to his/her classroom Wednesday, August 5, and Thursday, August 6, 2015. Beginning Friday, August 7, 2015, we ask that you allow him/her to walk to the classroom alone.

Staff members will monitor the halls during the arrival time in the morning and assist your child as needed.

Afternoon Dismissal

Car Riders

Students will be dismissed at 2:40 P.M. at the main entrance and the entrance near the cafeteria. Kindergarten and first grade students will exit at the doors near the cafeteria. Students in grades 2-5 will exit at the main entrance. Your child’s teacher will walk him/her to the entrance. Parents must park and walk up to the designated entrance to get their child. Safety is our first priority. No child will be released to walk to the car without an adult. Please let your child’s teacher know if he or she will be riding home with someone different. You may send a note or call. If you choose to call, please do so as early as possible. We prefer that you send a note.

Bus Riders

Students riding the bus will enter the school building at the doors near the cafeteria (second entrance). All students will go directly to their classroom. In the afternoon, bus riders will exit the school building at the doors on the primary wing (kindergarten and first grade wing).

If your child will be riding a different bus, please send a note indicating the bus number. The note will be signed by the principal or her designee and returned to the child. The child must give the note to the bus driver in the afternoon in order to ride the bus. Parents should have it clearly understood how the child is to get home in the afternoon. For bus rules and procedures, please read and discuss with your child the rules concerning transportation on pages 27 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

Owens Elementary Bus Procedures

Our first priority is for the safety of all children riding the bus. When a child does not follow the rules and procedures outlined in the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-16, page 27, it distracts the bus driver causing a possibly dangerous situation to occur. If a child does not follow the rules as outlined in the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-16 disciplinary actions will be taken.

To ride the bus is a privilege, not a right. It can be taken away.

A student can be suspended from riding the bus if he/she causes harm to another student, endangers the health or safety of another, or is a continuing nuisance.

The duration of the suspension will be at the discretion of the administrator based on the severity of the violation.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Please complete the school information forms and return them to your child’s teacher as soon as possible. This information will enable the school to notify the parent, guardian or designated adult in case of an emergency.

ATTENDANCE

Please read pages 16-17of theLimestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016. These pages will explain and answer any questions you may have concerning attendance polices and procedures.

Note: Please read the section on Perfect Attendance Awards.

STUDENT CHECK IN/OUT PROCEDURES

Students enrolled in Limestone County Schools are required to be in attendance a full day each day. Doctor’s and other appointments should be made after school hours whenever possible. Parents needing to checkout a child should check the child out in the office. A staff member will call the child to the office where he/she may be picked up.

We strive to keep disruptions at a minimum to protect instructional time. Parents should not go the classroom as this interrupts or stops the teaching and learning process.

Every child must check in at the office when arriving late. A parent or guardian must sign the child in at the office.

TARDY POLICY

A student shall be seated at his/her assigned station for work at the time appointed for the school day or class to begin or be recorded as tardy for the day or class. A student must be seated by 7:35. Chronic tardiness is a Class I Disciplinary Violation. Please see page 17 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

OwensElementary School Tardy Procedures

When a child has been tardy for three times, a letter will be sent home or parents will be notified by other means of communication. When the child receives the 4th tardy, After School Detention will be assigned. The student must remain after school and be picked up by the parent or guardian at 3:45.

This procedure will be implemented on a semester basis.

PARENTS/VISITORS

We are always glad to have parents visit Owens Elementary. Please keep in mind that our main concern is the safety and education of your child. To ensure and maintain the safety of your child/children, all doors will remain locked except the front entrance. All parents and visitors must report to the office, sign in and receive a visitor’s pass. Please wear your visitor’s pass at all times while in the building or on school grounds. As you leave, please sign out through the office. Parents should not go to the classroom without permission from the office. Parents should leave articles, items or messages to be delivered with office staff. Someone from the office will deliver the items or message to your child or the teacher. If you must see the child, he/she will be called to the office.

CLOTHING

Clothing should be easy for your child to button, unbutton, zip, unzip, etc. when going to the bathroom. Print your child’s name on any clothing that he/she might take off at school such as sweaters, gloves, jackets, coats, etc. Please send your child to school dressed in “clothes for learning.” Wash-and-wear items are best. The Limestone County Board of Education Student Dress Code can be found on pages 48-49 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016. The length of shorts, skirts and dresses should come to the tips of the child’s fingers when arms are fully extended to the side. Due to physical differences in some students, this guide may mean some items are still too short. When this occurs, the principal shall determine if the garment is appropriate.

NOTES TO PARENTS

Your child will bring home duplicated notes about special events, school news or other information. Please read the notes and let your child know that you read them. You may choose to check your child’s bookbag/notebook on a daily basis. Please thank your child for being a good messenger!!

INFORMATION NOW (iNOW) PARENTAL PORTAL

Limestone County Schools provide iNOW Parent Portal as communication instrument to parents. This program allows parents/guardians to login to view their child(ren’s) grades, assignments, notes from the teacher, and attendance. Each student has a unique ID number and PIN. This information may be picked up by the parent/guardian in the counselor’s office. An Information NOW (iNOW)

link is visible on the Owens website for access to the parent portal.

HOLIDAYS AND BIRTHDAYS

Classes will have parties and/or special activities throughout the school year. If for any reason you do not wish your child to participate in holiday activities, please inform your child’s teacher. Three class parties for the year are allowed. All class parties will be during the last hour of the school day. Please see page 30 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.Students may celebrate their birthday at school by sharing a simple treat with classmates during their break/snack time. Please check with your child’s teacher foradditional guidelines and approved treats. “Private party invitations such as birthday parties, etc. may not be distributed at the local schools.” It is against school policy to distribute home addresses and telephone numbers of students.

Schools do not accept deliveries of flowers, balloons or other giftsfor students. Please see page 30, of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

FIELD TRIPS

Educational field trips will be taken during the school year. Trips will be taken in county-owned buses with the exception of overnight trips. The classroom teacher will be in charge of all field trips. Only students and school personnel are allowed to ride the school bus. All students participating in the field trip must ride the school bus to the field trip site. Children participating in field trip activities must have a signed permission form on file with the teacher.

Students choosing not to participate in field trip activities will be required to attend school. He/she will be assigned to a class for the day with class work to be completed.

Field trip fees are non-refundable. In case of emergency situations/circumstances refunds will be discussed and a decision made on an individual basis.

CONFERENCES

Parent-teacher conferences provide an avenue for communication between parents and teacher. A parent-teacher conference may be arranged by calling the school between the hours of 7:15 A.M. and 2:40 P.M. Your child’s teacher will return your call as soon as possible. Parents may also send a note to the teacher to request a conference. Conferences will be scheduled to the mutual convenience of the parents and the teacher. Please read page 23 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY DISMISSALS

SCHOOL CLOSINGS

The threat of flood, snow, ice, or tornado activity may result in early school closings. The Superintendent of the Limestone County Board of Education determines school closings. The Central Office relays the decision to the local schools and the media. Early dismissal or closing announcements will be broadcast on the local radio, television stations and/or the Blackboard Notification Calling System. In case of inclement weather, schools will open or remain open unless the Superintendent via local radio or television stations makes a closing announcement. Your best source of information is the local news media. Many parents are employed in facilities that do not permit radios or televisions during work hours. If inclement weather is anticipated, please make arrangements with your employer for a source of information so that you may be informed of the developments regarding early school dismissal.

Please discuss and plan with your child what he/she should do in the event school is dismissed early because of inclement weather. This is especially important for children who are car riders or walk to school. Please confirm early dismissal arrangements with your after school care provider. The school’s Extended Day Program will also dismiss at the early dismissal hour so that all school staff and day care employees may go home as quickly and safely as possible. There will be an emergency sign-in table set up in the front entrance of the building. Parents, please include on your child’s information sheet a list of people who may pick up your child. Students will not be released to anyone that is not on the list. Please notify the teacher as soon as possible if any changes need to be made during the school year. For more information on emergency procedures, see page 30 - 36 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

The Limestone County Child Nutrition Program (CNP) provides a food service program under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National School Lunch Program. Breakfast and lunch is served daily at OwensElementary School. Each month a menu is made available to each child. If your child chooses to participate in the breakfast and/or lunch program, you may pay by the day, week, month or year. You may pay with cash or check. However, if you choose to send a check, the full amount of the check will be put into the child’s account. No money will be returned for break, fees, etc. If you choose to write checks to pay for different items, please write separate checks, as we are not allowed to cash checks or keep cash in the office. Breakfast is free for all students.

Please see pages 51 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

Breakfast -

There is no charge for breakfast.

Lunch -

Students - Pre K – 8th grade - $2.35

Students – 9th -12th grade - $2.50

Reduced student meals - $.40

Employee/Board Members - $3.00

Visitor Meals - $4.00

PROGRESS REPORTS

Reports cards will be sent home every nine weeks. Progress reports will be sent home the fourth week of each nine-week grading period. Please see the School Calendar for dates of progress reports on page 2 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016.

Please refer to pages 19 - 24 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016, for information concerning Elementary Academic Policies and Procedures.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS AND/OR TELEPHONE NUMBERS

It is very important for emergency and administrative reasons that all students maintain an up-to-date address record at the school’s office. Please notify the school immediately if you have a change of address or phone number. Please read page 14 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015- 2016.

21st Century Community Learning Center Program

Extended day services/ after school services are available to all students. If you are interested, please contact the office.

LOST AND FOUND

Articles found in and around the school should be turned in to the teacher or the office. Students may check in the office for lost items.

MEDICATION

Please read pages 28-29. Complete the appropriate form(s) on pages 70-78 of the Limestone County Schools Student Handbook 2015-2016,if your child is to receive or self-administer medication at school. These forms must be completed every year.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

OwensElementary School considers parent volunteers a very special and benefical resource. Parents are encouraged to help in all programs and extra-curricula activities. Please call the office and leave a message if you would like to volunteer your time or a skill that would make the school a better place for all students to learn and grow. PTO will coordinate these efforts.

July 31, 2015

Dear Parents,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to OwensElementary School. The safety of our students will always be TOP PRIORITY!! It is an important part of our mission “to provide a safe environment.” We are fortunate to have a morning traffic pattern that does not require students to cross traffic to enter the building. Crossing traffic during the morning rush is not safe and can be quite dangerous.