Student/Parent Handbook
Attendance
A student must be present at least half of the school day in order to be recorded present for that day. The student must arrive at school by 10:45 am or not leave school before 10:45 am.
Early Dismissal – An early dismissal occurs any time a student is signed out before the final bell rings at 2:15 pm and does not return that day. Parents are reminded that classroom instruction is missed when students are signed out early. Please make every effort to minimize early dismissals.
When you pick up a student early, please observe the following procedures:
Ø Come by the office and notify the secretary or someone in the office that you need to pick up your child. Your child will be called to the office or a staff member will go to the room to get the child.
Ø Sign the child out on the clipboard that is provided and list the reason for leaving early.
Ø When a child is returned to school from an appointment, etc. he/she must be recorded as returned (time back in) on the same sheet.
Ø For safety’s sake, children will not be allowed to wait outside for you.
Ø Students will continue working in the classroom until parents arrive to check them out.
When it is the judgment of school officials that the health and/or safety of a child is at issue, the school will not release the child to either parent requesting physical custody of a child. In such an instance, the principal or designee will notify the Department of Social Services.
Tardiness – Tardy students disrupt the instructional program, thus cheating themselves and others of classroom instruction. Students are considered tardy if not in the classroom when the 7:30 am bell rings. Any student coming to school tardy must be signed in at the office by a parent or guardian. If your child is a car rider and eats breakfast please bring them by 7:15 so they can eat and not be tardy.
The Iredell-Statesville School Board has adopted an elementary attendance policy. Under this policy, all absences will be considered either “lawful” or “unlawful”. The only absences that will be considered lawful are:
1. personal illness or injury which makes the student physically unable to attend;
2. isolation ordered by the State Board of Health;
3. death in the immediate family; (mother, father, grandparent, sibling)
4. medical or dental appointment;
5. participation under subpoena as a witness in a court proceeding;
6. observance of a religious event with prior approval by the principal.
Under the board policy, after 6 unlawful absences, the school social worker will be asked to work with the family. Any student who misses more than ten (10) total days shall be referred to the principal for possible retention. Ten (10) tardies and/or early dismissals will equal one day’s absence. New perfect attendance policy: A student will receive perfect attendance for the year if they have 0 absences and no more than 10 lates or early dismissals. Please keep all of this in mind as you plan for the school year. It is the responsibility of the student to make up missed work when absent from school. Teachers will work with students and parents on a reasonable deadline for completing missed work. If at all possible, missed assignments should be collected on the day of the absence after 2:30p.m. Students missing more than 10 days will need to make up time after school.
Bringing Items to School
Students should not bring cell phones, toys, games, trading cards (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.), computer games, laser pointers, yo-yo’s, radios, CD players, iPods, DVD players, or any other item that could prove to be distracting or unsafe. Show-and-tell items may be brought to school if prior arrangements have been made with the teacher. The principal and staff have the authority to collect from students any item that is disruptive, dangerous, or inappropriate and keep in the school office until a parent comes to pick up the item.
Bus Procedures
Bus safety is a priority at Sharon School. No student is to be out of his/her seat as long as the bus is in motion.
Bus Rules:
1. Sit facing forward
2. Speak with low volume
3. Stay in your seat except when exiting
4. Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself
5. Remain silent when driver is backing up
Waiting for the bus:
1. Wait quietly – do not play in the roadway.
2. As the bus approaches, stand back from the road and give the bus room to stop. (The bus is required to stop 15 feet from where students are standing.)
3. Students need to be at the stop 10 minutes prior to the given time and may need to wait 10 minutes past the time. Drivers are not permitted to wait for students to leave their homes.
Loading the bus:
1. If a student must cross the road, wait until the bus driver stops the bus and opens the door. Check traffic both directions and then walk in front of the bus.
2. Form a single line and don’t crowd or push.
3. Use the front door only.
4. Use the handrail and take the steps one at a time.
5. Go directly to your seat.
Leaving the bus:
1. Stay seated until the bus stops.
2. Don’t push or shove, but move quickly.
3. Exit by the front door only.
4. Use the handrail and take one step at a time.
5. If you do not have to cross the road, walk immediately away from the bus.
6. If you must cross the road:
A. Walk far enough in front of the bus to see the driver.
B. Stop when you are even with the bus and look in both directions.
C. Cross quickly, but do not run.
D. Help smaller children to cross the road safely.
E. Never stop in front of the bus. If you drop something, get the driver’s attention before you try to pick it up.
A parent must be at the bus stop in order for the driver to let a Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade child off the bus due to safety concerns. If you would like your K-2 child to be allowed to walk home from the stop without a parent present, you will need to write a note. The note needs to be signed and dated and indicate you allow the driver to drop the child off without a parent present.
PLEASE NOTE: No flowers, balloons, stuffed animals, or gifts of any kind may be brought to school by parents/guardians or delivered to the school. These items are not allowed on school buses. The school office will not accept any deliveries for students this year or store any items for students in the office.
Students who ride buses are assigned to a particular bus and ride only that bus.
Students may be taken off the bus for the following reasons:
1. Delaying the bus schedule. (Driver is not to wait or blow the horn for a child who is not at their bus stop.)
2. Fighting, use of tobacco, using profanity, or refusing to obey instructions of school authority or bus driver while on the school bus.
3. Tampering with the bus.
4. Refusing to meet the bus at designated stop.
5. Unauthorized leaving of the bus when enroute from home to school or vice versa.
6. Playing, throwing trash or other objects, yelling or otherwise distracting the bus driver’s attention while the bus is in operation.
7. Failure to observe established safety rules and regulations.
8. Possession of weapons.
9. Standing or changing seats while the bus is moving
No one is allowed to board a school bus except school personnel and students.
Failure to observe this rule will be considered trespassing and is punishable by law.
Car Riders
The building will be open to students/parents at 7:10am daily. Parents bringing students to school each morning for car rider drop-off must enter from the Island Ford Road entrance. Follow the arrows in the right hand lane only and drive around the semi-circle until you pull up to the Number 1 labeled on the sidewalk at the end of the awning beside the media center (there is to be no drop off at the front door). Students must remain in the car until the car supervisor(s) arrive at the curb area. The supervisor(s) will monitor students as they exit the vehicles and walk into the school. No child should walk from the parking area by themselves. This is for the safety of the children. If you (parents) walk students into the building we will need you to sign in when you walk into the media center and sign out when you leave at 7:30 am.
Car Rider Pick Up - Students are dismissed at 2:15pm. Please pull into both lanes as you enter the school parking lot. We will park in two lanes for dismissal each day. Please follow the arrows. The first car in the line should park at number 1. We will load curb side cars first. When all of the students in the curb side line are in their cars, the supervisor will signal those cars to pull away and exit the parking area. Next, students will be called to the correct number and wait for a supervisor to help them cross to their parked car in the second lane. When cars are loaded, drivers will be signaled by the supervisor and will pull away to go home. Then the next group of cars will pull into position to repeat the process. The pick-up process moves quickly when all parents remain in their cars and let the supervisor bring your child to your vehicle. Also due to safety there will be no parent pick-up in the building after 1:55p.m. as we must now monitor who is in the building when all students are moving for dismissal. After 2 weeks of school, the children and adults have learned our dismissal procedure and the wait time will be much shorter. Please be patient with us as our concern is for the safety of our students. Please note that students who show a pattern of not being picked up by 2:40p.m. on a consistent basis will cause us to contact the social worker and then after that social services, unless you contact the office to let us know that you will be late (this should occur no more than once per nine weeks).
*When lining up please do not block the entrance to the school due to fire safety regulations and courier service.
TRANSPORTATION CHANGES -
Parents of car or bus riders must call the school office by 1:30 pm to make a change in your child’s transportation for that day. No changes should need to be made after
1:30 pm unless it is an emergency. (An emergency constitutes family illness, family death, or car accident.) This policy is to ensure that all students are being sent home correctly by school personnel and to communicate the changes to all necessary individuals before dismissal. Please send notes with students for transportation changes as this is the best method for communication.
Communication – Sending Notes to School
It is important that parents keep the school informed of changes in their children’s normal routines or if personal information changes. Please send notes to school explaining situations such as:
1. If anyone is not permitted to pick up a student (court documentation needed if it is another
parent
2. Requests for early dismissals,
3. Absences and tardies,
4. Changes in transportation,
5. Medication required by a doctor,
6. Restriction of PE (Doctor’s note required)
7. Car pool (give name of person with whom your child may ride),
8. Someone other than parent picking up your child (we will need an ID).
9. Change in phone number/address
All notes should include the current date and parent’s signature.
Contacting Teachers
Classroom instruction will not be interrupted for telephone calls except in the case of an emergency. Office staff will gladly take messages and teachers will return calls when instructional time is not taken from students. (This should occur within 24-48 hours as should all emails)
Daily Schedule
Doors will be locked until 7:10am each day.
No students are to be dropped off at school before 7:10 am. Teachers are scheduled to arrive at school by 7:05 am. The cafeteria staff begins serving breakfast at 7:10 am when the doors open. A bell will ring at 7:25 am to let students know that they have 5 minutes to get to class. The tardy bell rings at 7:30 am and any arrivals to the classrooms after the 7:30 bell will be marked tardy for the day. Students that are tardy must report to the office to sign in and pick up a tardy slip to give to their teacher. Dismissal is at 2:15 pm daily for car riders and bus riders. Remember all parents must enter/exit through the media center between 7:10 -7:30a.m. if you are walking your student into the school. If you come to school after 7:30a.m. you will need to be checked through the office door.
Discipline Policy
At Sharon Elementary School, we want all of our students to enjoy their educational experience while feeling safe and comfortable in the school environment. Disciplinary matters will be handled in accordance with Iredell-Statesville Policy.
The following are rules students will need to follow:
1. Arson – Students shall not burn or attempt to burn any material or property on the school grounds.
2. Assault on another student – Students shall not assault, attack, or cause physical harm to another person.
3. Assault on a school employee – Students shall not physically or verbally assault any school employee.
4. Bus rules- Students shall follow all school rules and directions of the bus driver
5. Classroom rules- Students shall follow all class rules
6. Disrespect and insubordination – Students shall not demonstrate gross disrespect to staff members and shall not refuse to follow the reasonable and legal directions of staff members