2011-2012 Elementary Student/Parent Handbook
CHATEAUGAY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION Mr. Scott Henderson Mrs. Susan Jones-King Mr. William Harrigan Mr. John McCormick Mr. David Roach Mr. John Swanston Mr. William Wood
President Vice President Member Member Member Member Member
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT Mr. Dale Breault
BUILDING PRINCIPALS Mrs. Loretta D. Fowler, Elementary Principal Mrs. Donna AndrĂŠ, High School Principal
I
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE(S) School Mission Statement…………………………….………………..1 Message From the Principal…………………………………...……….2 General School Procedures……………………………….....……...….3 Before and After School………………………………..….…………...3 Double Dismissal……………………………………………...……..3-4 Latchkey…………………………………..……………..……………..4 Field Trips………………………………………….…………………..4 Dress Code…………………………………………….……………….4 Leaving School Early…………………………….…………………..5-6 Absences……………………………………………...………………...6 Late or Tardy…………………………………………..……………….7 School Hours…………………………………………..……………….6 Visitors to School……………………………………………...……..6-7 Sickness/School Nurse…………………………………….…………...7 Medicine in School……………………………………….…………….7 Grades………………………………………………………………..7-8 Emergency School Closings………………………...………………….8 Lost and Found…………………………………….…………………...8 Choosing Your Child's Teacher………………………………………..8 Student Retentions…………………………………………….………..9 Attendance Policy…………………………………………………..9-11 Birthday Party Invitations…………………………………………….11 Student Code of Conduct…………………...……………………..12-17 Computer Acceptable Use…………………………………………….17 Release Form……………………………….……………………...18-19 Important Information…………………………..…………………20-21 School Calendar…………………………..…………………………...22
II
CHATEAUGAY CENTRAL SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
T
he Mission of Chateaugay Central School, in partnership with the community, is to provide a safe environment in which each student, including those with disabilities, succeeds in reaching his/ her potential as a lifelong learner. We envision a community of learners who achieve state benchmarks at all levels and have a mastery of the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions outlined in the New York State Learning Standards. We believe all students at Chateaugay Central School have the ability to learn. We, the faculty, staff and administration, have the responsibility to develop each student's potential to learn.
Page 1
2011-2012 SCHOOL CALENDAR
6 -Day Cycle We use a 6 day cycle for scheduling special area classes. The students will continue to attend art, library, music, physical education and second step counseling. The classes are scheduled by letter name vs. day of the week. The cycle is continuous for school days that students are in session. You may check the Chateaugay Website (www.chateaugay.org) for the A-F monthly schedule. Elementary ELA and Math Assessment Dates: Grades 3-6
The New York State Education Department will continue to administer the English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessments in the spring. This year the assessments will begin in April. ELA Math
Tuesday, April 17 – Wednesday, April 18 Monday, April 23 – Tuesday, April 24
Students in grade four will continue to take the NYS Science Assessment. Science Grade 4
Wednesday, May 23 Performance Test Monday, June 4 Written Test
Please do not schedule appointments or vacations during these dates.
MESSAGE FROM THE BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAM Welcome to Chateaugay Central School! Beginning a new school year is a very exciting time for children, parents, teachers, and administrators. The Student Handbook describes the rules and policies students need to know for participation in school. Please familiarize yourself and your child with the contents and help your child understand that you will help him/her follow the rules and procedures at Chateaugay. We strongly encourage parents to be involved in their child’s educational experiences and look forward to working with your family. The policies of this handbook and the services of the school system have been designed to protect the well being of students and the rights of all students to a quality education at Chateaugay Central School. Once you have reviewed this Student Handbook, please feel free to contact us with any additional questions that you may have. We will be more than happy to spend as much time as necessary with you to help insure that the upcoming school year is a successful one for you and your child. Please sign and return the form in the back of the Student Handbook indicating that you and your child have reviewed the handbook and understand the rules, policies and expectations contained within. You may keep the handbook and use it as a reference tool throughout the year. Sincerely,
The color/subject key is as follows: Reading = Red Math = White Science = Yellow English/Writing = Green Social Studies = Blue Spelling = Purple Page 21
CCS Building Leadership Team
Helen Boyea Kim Cartier Shelly Cook Loretta Fowler Mary Jones
Karen Hesseltine Jason LaPlante Mary Lobdell Mary Ann Pageau Chris Reynolds
Cyndi Hanley
Lisa Swanston
Page 2
Important Information
GENERAL SCHOOL PROCEDURES We have all learned that the success of anything done by several people depends on cooperation. In order to make sure that we all know how to cooperate, certain rules must be stated. Some people think that rules take away their rights, but most of us know that rules allow us to enjoy equal rights. Our school rules have four main purposes: 1. To help us make school more enjoyable 2 To help us learn as much as we can. 3. To make sure our property and that of the school is properly cared for. 4. To help us cooperate to make the school operate more successfully. Let us all become acquainted with these basic rules so that we will know what to expect of each other as we learn and grow with the Chateaugay Central School district. WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD DO BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL? Students who arrive at school by bus are expected to go directly to his/her classroom or to the cafeteria for breakfast. Students are expected to walk in a calm and quiet manner. Students who walk or are dropped off by a parent should not arrive any earlier than 7:30 am. At the end of the school day, it is the responsibility of students to bring everything that they need with them when they leave the classroom. WHAT IS DOUBLE DISMISSAL? The official school day at CCS runs from 8:20 am-3:20 pm. Students who do not have any additional academic obligations may leave on the first bus run at 2:20. Oftentimes, teachers will request that students stay during our double dismissal period to do additional academic work or to serve a detention. This is not “staying after� and parents are not to excuse their children from these obligations. Any absences from double dismissal that are unexcused will be treated Page 3
School Phone Numbers: Elementary Office High School Office Bus Garage Fax Head Start
(518) 497-6290 (518) 497-6611 (518) 497-6613 (518) 497-3170 (518) 497-6218
Hours of Operation Switchboard opens at 7:00 am. Breakfast line opens at 7:45am. Official start of the school day K-12 is 8:20 am. (8:00 am is preferred.) End of 1st dismissal is 2:15 pm. Double dismissal runs from 2:15-3:15 pm. Switchboard closes at 4:00 pm. School Website http://www.chateaugay.org In Case of School Closure Tune In To: TV:
WPTZ Channel 5
Radio:
Martz Communication Group WICY 1490 AM WVNV 96.5 FM WYUL 94.7 FM North Country Public Radio WSLO 90.9 FM Alert Notifications through home/work/cell phone and e-mail addresses. Always keep your contact information current to receive Alert Notifications. Page 20
PLEASE FILL OUT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS SHEET, DETACH IT, AND RETURN IT TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR CHILD. Please keep this booklet as a reference. Page 19
accordingly in compliance with the school’s attendance policy. Also, families who have children in both elementary and high school, need to make accommodations for the possibility of two different dismissal times. Oftentimes, a high school student may need to stay for the double dismissal period when a younger sibling does not need to. In those cases, the younger sibling must either go home or go to latchkey. IS THERE A LATCHKEY PROGRAM? CCS currently runs a latchkey program for students in grades K-6. The hours of operation are from 2:15-5:30. While in latchkey, students are provided with a snack and are encouraged to do their homework. Parents are expected to pick their children up from latchkey in person and need to strictly adhere to the hours of operation. The 2010-2011 cost for the latchkey program is $4.00 per child, per day with a maximum of $10.00 per day for a family. Latchkey applications can be picked up in the elementary office. The Board of Education recently updated the payment procedures. Parents are asked to pre-pay the latchkey bill weekly. Any unpaid bill that exceeds $20.00 or 5 days of payment must be paid prior to a child attending latchkey. The updated policy also includes an additional charge for late parent pick-up. If a parent picks up a child/children after the 5:30 pm closing, the parent will be charged $10.00 per child during the time period between 5:30 - 6:00 pm. Late parent pick-up is discouraged. MAY I GO ON FIELD TRIPS? Field trips are designed to supplement the educational program of our school. As with many other activities, we ask for a limited number of helpers at times. Chaperones on field trips are limited to the number required by education law, board policy, and the field trip venue. Chaperones are expected to ride the school bus and maintain constant supervision of students. The number of chaperones required per field trip is limited to the number dictated by the building principal. If parents are asked to chaperone or choose to drive themselves to the field-trip site, we strongly discourage the bringing of younger siblings as they have proved to be a distraction to the educational benefit of the trip. Since field trips are a part of our educational program and conducted during the school day, students are required to ride school buses to and from field trip sites and are considered to be in attendance at school during that time. Page 4
IS THERE A STUDENT DRESS CODE? All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and all other district personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting. A student's dress, grooming and appearance, including jewelry, accessories, make-up, shall: Be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process. Recognize that extremely brief garments such as tube tops, net tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back) and see-through garments are not appropriate. Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing. Include footwear at all times. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed. Not include the wearing of hats, except for medical or religious purpose. Not include items that are vulgar, obscene, libelous or denigrate other on account of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities. When a building principal deems that a student’s attire is interfering with the learning process, he/she shall deal with the students in accordance with the student conduct policy. Students, however, may wear special dress or costume for specific events or on special occasions when approved by the principal. WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD DO IF HE/SHE HAS TO LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY? Students should only be excused from school during the day for legal reasons, such as doctor/dentist appointments, attending religious instruction, immediate family emergency, etc. It would be to your child’s benefit if these appointments could be made after school hours so that a minimum amount of instructional time is lost. Page 5
ONCE YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THE ITEMS ENCLOSED IN THIS BOOKLET WITH YOUR CHILD, PLEASE SIGN BELOW, REMOVE THIS SHEET, AND RETURN IT TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR CHILD.
I have read the information in this booklet and have discussed it with my child/children. I understand that I may request full copies of the school’s attendance policy and/or student code of conduct if I wish. _________________________ __________________________ Parent (print) Parent (sign) LOCAL FIELD TRIP AUTHORIZATION From time to time, teachers may take their classrooms on a “local field trip.” A local field trip is one where the class would walk to the destination at a distance no greater than 1/2 mile. Some examples of this are visiting the post office or treating the kids to ice cream at Stewart’s on a warm day. Please sign below to authorize your child to participate in a local field trip at the principal/teacher’s discretion. _________________________ __________________________ Parent (print) Parent (sign) PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION Often, parents request contact information of other students in the classroom for the purpose of inviting classmates to parties. Please sign below to authorize your address and phone information to be shared with parents of other students in the classroom. _________________________ __________________________ Parent (print) Parent (sign) PLEASE KEEP THE REMAINDER OF THIS BOOKLET FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
Page 18
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT OR WOULD LIKE A FULL COPY OF THE CODE? Parents are encouraged to call the principal whenever they may have a question about any school policy. The school’s number is 497-6611 or 497-6290. As with any school policy, you can always call the school or stop by to obtain full copies of the documents. ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO COMPUTER USE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? Chateaugay Central School, like most schools, does have a Technology Acceptable Use Policy. The policy covers many areas of computer use and appropriate and inappropriate use of school technology and computers. Some of the main points in this policy are as follows. The primary focus of district technology is to support instruction as well as the orderly operation of all district offices. Any use of technology that is not directly related to the district’s technology philosophy is strictly prohibited. All information transmitted through CCS computers is the property of the school and is subject to school control and inspection at any time. CCS does use internet filtering software, but the technology is not perfect. Students still have to use care in only going to acceptable internet sites. Prohibited student conduct related to technology include but are not limited to areas such as: -viruses -electronic vandalism -unsupervised use - “hacking” -downloading inappropriate software/content -using instant messaging -altering computer settings Please call the school or stop by the main office if you would like to see the full Technology Acceptable Use Policy.
Page 17
Parents are to report in person to the elementary office in order to pick their child up. Parents should not go directly to their child’s classroom as this can be disruptive. All students leaving school early must be signed out by their parent/guardian in the elementary office. This policy is to assure the safety of the children and will be strictly enforced. Please send a note with your child each time your child will be excused along with the reason for the early dismissal. If your child has a doctor or dental appointment, please ask the receptionist for a medical note. If you have a change in after school plans for your child and you did not send a note to school, please call with the change prior to 1:30 pm. This gives Chandra time to contact the teacher and ensure your child gets to his/her destination safely. Any calls after 1:30 pm will be directed to Mrs. Fowler, the elementary principal. WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD DO IF HE/SHE IS ABSENT FROM SCHOOL? The more school days your child misses, the harder it becomes for he/she to become successful. Therefore, your child should miss school only when it is absolutely necessary; for example, if he/she is ill, there has been a death in your immediate family, or a medical emergency. When returning from a day’s absence, your child must bring a note from home, It is important that the note have: 1. 2. 3. 4.
your child’s full name on it; the days he/she was absent; the reason he/she was absent; and A parent/guardian’s signature.
On the day your child returns, he/she should give the note to his/her classroom teacher. If the written excuse is not received within 5 days, the absence (s) will be counted as unexcused. (Always send a note.)
Page 6
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD DO IF HE/SHE IS LATE FOR SCHOOL? If your child is late for school, he/she must have a note from home explaining the tardy. When your child arrives at school, it is necessary for him/her to report to the elementary office so that we can note that he/she is in attendance, but has arrived late. School begins promptly at 8:20 am. As soon as the announcements begin, any student arriving at school is considered tardy. Any child who has a scheduled double dismissal class and is dismissed, that portion of the day will be considered as an absence. (We would enjoy having all students arrive by 8:00 am.) HOW LONG IS MY CHILD’S SCHOOL DAY? The school day at CCS begins at 8:20 am and concludes by 3:20 pm. Students may ride the first bus home at 2:20 if they do not have academic/disciplinary obligations. If your child arrives at his/her classroom later than 8:20 A.M. he/she is counted tardy. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IF I WANT TO VISIT SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY? All visitors are expected to report to the office and register before proceeding to a classroom or other area. Each visitor will receive a badge. Any visitor without a badge will be asked to report to the office. Parents wishing to talk to teachers or other staff members should call school or send a note to make an appointment before they arrive. All staff and students are expected to treat visitors to our school in a courteous, friendly and helpful manner. Visitors are also expected to behave in a manner that is courteous and non-disruptive to the educational process. WHERE CAN MY CHILD GO IF HE/SHE IS NOT FEELING WELL? A student who needs help due to illness or accident may visit the school nurse, if it is necessary. If a student cannot return to a class, a parent or person designated by the parents will be notified. Please note, the school nurse can only provide basic medical care and screening. The school nurse is not meant to replace regular visits and exams to a family doctor, pediatrician, eye doctor, or any other medical Page 7
Student Right A student has the right to be transported safely to and from school. Student Responsibilities To follow all rules of safety and courtesy at all times. WHAT TYPES OF CONSEQUENCES CAN BE HANDED OUT WHEN MY CHILD BREAKS A SCHOOL RULE? According to education law, the following consequences may be imposed on students: Warning Detention with the teacher (Tier I Detention) Principal’s detention (Tier II Detention) In school suspension Suspension from school Expulsion In addition to the above list, the following disciplinary measures may also be used under certain circumstances. Restriction of a student’s social interaction within the building Financial restitution Referral to the department of probation or law enforcement Referral to a counselor Other items agreed upon by the principal and parents WHAT ELSE CAN I FIND IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT? The CCS code of conduct contains several other sections including: Legal definitions used in the code A full list of all essential partners in your child’s education Specific examples of irresponsible student behaviors with specific consequences Special rules for the discipline of students with disabilities. Corporal punishment Student searches and interrogations Regulations pertaining to the use of “drug sniffing” dogs Visitors to the school Public conduct on school property A dissemination and review section
Page 16
Student Right A student has the right to attend school and all classes daily. Student Responsibilities To be present in class on time in the morning To attend all assigned classes To follow required procedures To remain in all classes until dismissed To supply excuses for absence or tardiness within 5 days of returning to school Student Right A student has the right to have his/her property and privacy respected by others. Student Responsibilities To respect the rights and property of every other person Student Right A student has the right to attend all classes for the purpose of studying and learning without disruption by other students. Student Responsibilities To behave as a mature, responsible person To wisely use class time for learning To honestly prepare all assignments and complete all required class work Student Right A student has a right to a clean, safe area to eat lunch. Student Responsibilities To help maintain a clean and safe eating environment To refrain from throwing objects or food in the cafeteria To refrain from sitting on tables Follow the cafeteria procedures for serving students
professional. MAY MY CHILD BRING MEDICINE TO SCHOOL? Under certain circumstances, when it is necessary for a child to take internal medication during school hours, the school nurse can cooperate with the family physician and the parents to do so. A parent must submit a written request from the family physician in which the frequency and dosage of a prescribed medication is indicated. HOW IS MY CHILD GRADED? The students who attend CCS have varying needs, interests, and abilities. Every effort is made to report the individual progress of each student fairly and accurately. Throughout the year, teachers will be giving daily, unit and other subject area tests. These will become part of the student’s quarterly and final grade. In grades 2 through 6, 70% is the passing grade. Students in grade 1 and all special subj ect grades for students in grades K-6. will receive letter and/or number grades on the report card. Those are: O - outstanding, S - satisfactory, U - unsatisfactory, X - not evaluated this marking period. 3 - meeting all expectations, 2 - partially meeting expectations, 1 - not meeting expectations. Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten have a separate progress report card. The markings are self-explanatory. Report cards are sent home with the children at the end of each marking period. All report cards are sent in an envelope that parents are asked to sign. Please return the report card envelope the next school day. Classroom teachers appreciate the quick response!
Student Right A student has the right to a clean building, facilities, and grounds. Student Responsibilities To place trash and litter in appropriate container To have respect for school and personal property To have pride in the facilities provided by the public and to use these facilities with care and respect
HOW WILL I KNOW IF THE SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER OR EMERGENCIES? There may be times when school may have to close early or not open because of adverse weather, water problems, low temperatures, etc. Mr. Breault will use the Alert Now notification system to alert parents of any changes in the school day. You can be contacted at home, work, cell phone, and/or e-mail address. Please make sure Chandra has current contact information if you would like to receive these notifications. In the event of an early go home drill or emergency, it is very helpful if parents do not change the emergency plans they have in place for their child. If you do not have a safe place to send your child everyday, you may use the Latch Key program.
Page 15
Page 8
MY CHILD’S TEACHER WANTS TO RETAIN MY CHILD. I DISAGREE. WHAT CAN I DO? Retaining a child at the end of a school year is one of the most difficult decisions that a teacher has to make. It is always done after a lot of careful consideration based on sound educational philosophy. Teachers usually communicate with parents throughout the school year to express academic concerns, and the announcement of a retention should not be a surprise to a parent. The Chateaugay Central School Board of Education has a specific policy that states that the classroom teacher has the final word in determining retentions. ATTENDANCE POLICY The following Q & A has been developed to serve as a “plain language” summary of the CCS Attendance Policy. Please read it over carefully. If you would like to see the full policy, please feel free to contact the school to request a copy. WHAT DO “EXCUSED,” “UNEXCUSED,” AND “EXEMPT” MEAN? All student absences, tardiness, and early dismissals (ATEDS) must be coded as being either “excused,” “unexcused,” or “exempt.” These terms replace the long used “legal” and “illegal.” The most common Excused ATEDS are those due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, or attendance at health clinics/doctor’s office. Exempted ATEDS are school-related absences that are not counted for this policy. They include things like music lessons and field trips. All other absences, tardiness, and early departures are considered unexcused. Some examples of unexcused ATEDS include, but are not limited to, “woke up late,” “needed at home,” “picking up early,” “family vacation,” and “personal reasons.” DO I NEED TO WRITE AN EXCUSE? All student ATEDS need to be verified in writing by a parent/ guardian. If you are dropping your child off late or picking them up early, you can take care of the written excuse by using our student log book and providing a reason. A process has also been developed to Page 9
The principal is responsible for: Promoting a safe, orderly and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning. Ensuring that students and staff have the opportunity to communicate regularly with the principal and approach the principal for redress of grievances. Evaluating all instructional programs on a regular basis. Supporting the development of, and student participation in, appropriate extracurricular activities. Enforcing the code of conduct and ensuring that all cases are resolved promptly and fairly. WHAT ARE THE RULES? Section VI of the code of conduct outlines all prohibited student conduct. The first part of this section highlights irresponsible behavior. Irresponsible behavior includes: Harassment Fighting Tobacco use Use of drugs and alcohol Selling, giving or passing drugs or alcohol at school. Bullying School safety and security (bomb threats, false alarms, weapons, etc). Also in this section is a list of students’ rights and responsibilities as they relate to behavior. Those are: Student Right Each student has the right to attend school and school functions without the fear of intimidation, bodily harm, or endangerment of health or welfare by others. Student Responsibilities To be respectful and reasonable To demonstrate courteous behavior to students and teachers To refrain from fighting with anyone To refrain from using illegal drugs, tobacco products, and/or alcohol on school grounds
Page 14
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PARENT? Parents are expected to: Recognize that their child’s education is a joint responsibility between themselves and the school. Send their children to school ready to participate and learn. Ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time. Ensure that absences are excused. Insist that their children are dressed and groomed in a manner consistent with the school dress code. Help their children to understand that rules are necessary in a democratic society in order to maintain a safe, orderly environment. Know school rules and help their children to understand them. Convey to their children a supportive attitude toward education and the district. Build good relationships with teachers, other parents, and their children's friends. Help their children deal effectively with peer pressure. If the problem can't be corrected at home, notify the school. Inform school officials of changes in the home situation that may affect student conduct or performance. WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL STAFF? Teachers are expected to: Maintain a climate of mutual respect and dignity, which will strengthen students' self-concept and promote confidence to learn. Be prepared to teach. Demonstrate interest in teaching and concern for student achievement. Know school policies and rules, and enforce them in a fair and consistent manner. Communicate to students and parents: Course objectives and requirements Marking/grading procedures Assignment deadlines Expectations for students Classroom discipline plan Communicate regularly with students, parents, and other teachers concerning growth and achievement. Page 13
remind students and parents if excuses have not been sent in, but it must be remembered that if no written excuse is provided, all ATEDS will automatically be counted as unexcused. (Please note that providing an excuse does not automatically make an ATED excused. The reason still has to meet the definition of excused.) HOW MANY DAYS CAN MY CHILD MISS? Our school has determined that the maximum number of student absences will be 18. This number includes all excused and unexcused absences but not exempted absences. If a child misses more than 18 days of school, he/she may be retained in his/her grade. IF BOTH EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES ARE COUNTED TOWARDS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 18, WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING UNEXCUSED ABSENCES? According to the regulations published by the state education department, a school has to do everything in its power to discourage unexcused ATEDS. With this in mind, we have had to connect unexcused ATEDS to our student code of conduct. This means that students may receive some form of school disciplinary consequence for an unexcused ATED. In order to further discourage unexcused ATEDS, our policy also states that student work missed during an unexcused ATED may be made up but not included in the students grade calculation. Therefore, if a student misses some important tests or assignments due to an unexcused ATED, his/her grades may suffer. In extreme circumstances where a student accumulates an unusual amount of unexcused absences, a referral may be made to child protective services or the probation department. DOES DOUBLE DISMISSAL COUNT TOWARDS STUDENT ATTENDANCE ALSO? Yes. Double dismissal is considered to be part of the regular school day. If a student has been assigned to stay, it is most often for required Academic Intervention Services. (another state requirement) Therefore, if a student misses a scheduled double dismissal session with his/her teacher, they can be held accountable through the attendance policy.
Page 10
WHAT IF MY CHILD MISSES A LOT OF SCHOOL DUE TO A SERIOUS ILLNESS OR ACCIDENT? There are many safeguards built in to the attendance policy. If a student can not attend school due to an extended illness or other approved reason, the school will provide home instruction. Also, for instances where a serious, chronic health problem exists, certain exemptions can be made in connection with home instruction. The building principals also have the authority to approve exemptions to the attendance policy for any other unforeseen or unusual circumstances that may occur.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT The following Q & A has been developed to serve as a “plain language” summary of the CCS Student Code of Conduct. Please read it over carefully. If you would like to see the full policy, please feel free to contact the school to request a copy. INTRODUCTION
Yes. Student achievement and learning are the greatest rewards for having outstanding attendance.
Chateaugay Central School has a long-standing set of expectations for conduct on school property and at school functions. These expectations are based on the principles of civility, mutual respect, citizenship, character, tolerance, honesty, and integrity. Unless otherwise indicated, this code applies to all students, school personnel, parents, and other visitors when on school property or attending a school function.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE ATTENDANCE POLICY?
WHAT ARE MY CHILD’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT SCHOOL?
ARE THERE ANY ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES?
As with any school policy, you can always request a full copy by stopping by the main office at school, and you can, of course, call the elementary office anytime at 497-6290.
Students have the right to: Take part in all district activities on an equal basis. Present their side of the story before being disciplined. Get a copy of school rules and an explanation of them, if necessary.
A NOTE FROM THE ELEMENTARY FACULTY REGARDING BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS
Students have the responsibility to: Contribute to the safe and orderly operation of the school while showing respect to other people and their property. Follow all school rules. Attend school every day, be on time, and be prepared to learn. Work to the best of their abilities in all school areas. Follow all directions given by school personnel in a respectful manner. Ask questions when they do not understand. Seek help in solving problems that may lead to a discipline issue. Dress appropriately for school. Accept responsibility for their actions. Represent our school in a proud, respectful manner when attending activities off school grounds.
As an elementary faculty we are concerned about a situation that arises each year in many classrooms. When a child has a birthday party that occurs during the school year, bringing invitations to school to hand out can cause hurt feelings as well as an uncomfortable atmosphere in the classroom. We have often seen tears, arguments, and hurt feelings among classmates. There is no tactful way to distribute invitations in school. In order to avoid this, we ask parents to mail or call fro all party invitations. As we work toward a cohesive, accepting environment within each classroom, we appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Often parents ask the teacher to give contact information of all students in the class. Unfortunately, we are unable to supply phone numbers and addresses of our students. Page 11
Page 12