Fort
Jennings Elementary
Student/Parent
Handbook
2007-2008
Welcome Students and
Parents,
Welcome to Fort Jennings Elementary and to the 2007-2008 school
year. It is our pleasure to work
with you during this school year and hope you and your child have a rewarding
educational experience this year.
As we all know, the elementary years of your child’s school life are
extremely important. The success,
that your child experiences, hinges upon the cooperation between your child,
his/her teacher, you as a parent, and me.
We at Fort Jennings Elementary encourage parents to become actively
involved in their child’s education and to be a vital part of our school
family.
Please review this handbook
with your child and discuss with him/her the policies and procedures that
regulate school activities. Keep
the handbook throughout the year, as it is a source for answers to many
questions.
At anytime during the year,
if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to call the school at
286-2762. We sincerely hope that in working together we can provide the positive
educational environment your child needs in becoming a well-rounded
individual.
Kathy Verhoff, Principal
Fort Jennings Elementary
_ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jennings Local
Schools
Handbook
Review
Children enrolled at Fort
Jennings Elementary
1 ___________________________________ Grade ______
2 ___________________________________ Grade ______
3 ___________________________________ Grade ______
4 ___________________________________ Grade ______
My
child/children and I have reviewed the Fort Jennings Elementary
Handbook.
Parent Signature
_________________________________________
Table of
Contents
Mission of the
District………………
1
Arrival/Dismissal…………………… 1
Attendance………………………….. 1
Truancy Policy……………………… 2
Illness at
School……………………..
2
Make up Work……………………… 3
Delay Schedule/School
Closings…….
3
Bus
Transportation…………………..
3
Bicycles……………………………… 3
Cafeteria……………………………… 3
Student Code of
Conduct…………….
3
Playground
Behavior…………………
4
Bus Behavior………………………… 5
Dress Code…………………………... 5
Student
Records………………………
5
Reporting Pupil
Progress…………….
6
Child
Custody………………………..
6
Medication at
School…………………
6
Screening
Programs………………….
6
Fire and Tornado
Drills………………
6
Birthday
Celebrations………………..
6
Gum………………………………… 6
Computer
Technology……………….
7
Field
Trips…………………………...
7
Lost and Found……………………… 7
Money………………………………. 7
Personal
Property……………………
7
Visitors……………………………… 7
School
Calendar……………………..
8
Staff Roster…………………………. 9
Medication Authorization
Form……..
10
Mission of the District
The
mission of the Jennings Local School District is to provide an appropriate
educational program and learning environment that will effectively meet the
educational needs of its students and help them accomplish educational goals
that are significant, durable, and transferable.
Arrival
The
elementary building will be open at 7:55 a.m. Children may enter the building at 7:55
a.m. Supervision will be
provided. Teachers are on duty at
8:15 a.m. Classes begin at 8:40
a.m. Students arriving after 8:45
a.m. must first report to the office.
Students reporting between 8:45 a.m. and 10:10 a.m. will be considered
tardy. Those arriving between
10:10 a.m. and lunch will be marked for a ½ day absence. Students leaving before 1:35 p.m. will
be counted as ½ day absent.
Dismissal
Students are dismissed at
3:05 p.m. A student who must be
dismissed before the end of the school day must present a written request signed
by the parent or guardian to the classroom teacher indicating dismissal
time. Children will be released
only from the office to the custodial parent or guardian or to an adult
designated by the custodial parent or guardian. For your child’s safety, please come
into the building to sign-out your child.
A sign-out sheet will be available in the school
office.
Appointments should be
scheduled outside of school hours whenever possible.
If
your child is going home via another mode of transportation than is normal,
daily procedure, please send a note in the morning with the child or call the
office before 2:30 p.m. If there is no note your child will be sent home
according to his/her normal procedure.
Attendance
All
students between six and eighteen years of age (of compulsory school age, Ohio
Revised Code Section 3321.01) must be legally enrolled and in regular attendance
as outlined by Ohio law.
Attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent. According to these regulations a student
may be excused from school for the following reasons:
a.
Personal
illness
b.
Illness in the immediate
family
c.
Death of a
relative
d.
Quarantine of the
home
e.
Medical or dental
appointment
f.
Emergency work at
home
g.
Observance of religious
holidays
h.
Family vacation (with
prior authorization)
i.
Emergency or set of
circumstances judged as sufficient cause by school
authorities
Attendance Notification
The
State of Ohio requires a parent or guardian to notify the school when their
child will not be in attendance (Missing Children’s Act, April 1985). This provides a check on your child’s
safety. On the day your child is absent, please
call the school (286-2762) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. unless
previous notification has been given to the school. A note that is sent with a
brother or sister is also acceptable.
In the event, we are not notified, you will be
contacted.
Truancy Policy
Ohio law requires a student
between the ages of six and eighteen to attend school. Under the Senate Bill 181, failure by a
parent or guardian to make sure their child is attending school can result in a
contempt of court charge. The bill
expands the definition of delinquent child, and permits joint filings against
both the child and parent/guardian if the child is found to be a habitual
(absent without excuse five or more days in a row, seven or more days a month,
or twelve or more days in a school year) or chronic (seven days in a row, ten or
more days in a month, or fifteen or more days in a year)
truant.
If
a student has an attendance problem the following steps will be
taken:
Excused
Absences
1)
When ten or more days of
excused absences have been accumulated by a student in a school year, a letter
will be sent to the parents or guardian notifying them of the number of
absences.
2)
If the student continues to
be absent, the county attendance officer will be notified.
3)
If the student accumulates
fifteen days of absences, the attendance officer shall make a complaint before
the judge of the Juvenile Court in Putnam County.
Unexcused
Absences
1)
The parents or guardian of
any student that accumulates three days of unexcused absence will receive a
letter of concern about attendance.
A copy of the letter will also be sent to the county Attendance Officer,
which may results in a home visit or phone call from the County Attendance
Officer.
2)
Any student having four days
in a row of unexcused absences will result in a warning letter from the County
Attendance Officer.
3)
The parent or guardian of
any student that accumulates five days of unexcused absence will receive a
warning letter and a home visit or phone call from the County Attendance
Officer. NOTE: One warning letter will be sent per
student per year.
4)
Any student having five days
in a row or seven days of unexcused absence will result in the County Attendance
Officer filing a complaint with the Juvenile Court.
It
is necessary for students to be in attendance at school at least one-half of a
day to be eligible to attend and participate in school-sponsored
extra-curricular activities that day.
Parents who wish to take
students out of school must receive approval at least one week in advance and a
note must be on file in the office.
Any absence taken without prior approval will be considered
unexcused.
Illness at School
If
a student becomes ill at school, the parent/guardian will be called at home or
work to make arrangements for picking up the student. If no one is reached at home or at work,
the school will call the emergency contact person designated on the Emergency
Medical form in the order they are listed.
Please notify the emergency contact person you designate of his/her
responsibility. Physicians/dentists
and/or EMS may be called as emergency warrants.
Make
Up Work
If
your child is not in school and you would like his/her homework, please notify
the office before 11:30 a.m.
Assignments can be picked up after 2:30. This gives your child’s teacher time to
prepare assignments without interrupting instructional time. Students are responsible for making up
the work in a timely manner.
Assignments not completed will be reflected in the
grade.
Delay Schedule/School Closings
In the case of school delays or closings due to inclement weather, etc., listen to WDOH 107, WIMA 1150, WIMT T-102, 92-Zoo 92.1 and WLIO TV channel 35.
In
the event of a 1 hour delay, school will start at 9:00
a.m.
In
the event of a 2 hour delay, school will start at 10:00
a.m.
Bus Transportation
Due
to the large numbers of students already riding on the regular route, students
may not ride another bus to a friend’s house. If a student must ride an alternate
route, the superintendent must first grant permission.
If
your child rides a bus and you wish to pick him/her up after school, please send
a note in the morning with the child OR notify the office before 2:30 p.m. The child will be notified of the change
in transportation. If there is no
note your child will be delivered to his/her normal, designated
stop.
Bicycles
Bicycles are to be parked in
the bike racks near the elementary wing.
Cafeteria
Hot
meals are available for all elementary students for $1.65. Additional entrees may be purchased for
$1.25. Students who bring lunches
may buy milk for $.35. Money should
come in an envelope with the child’s name on it and the intentions for the
money. Please note teachers are not
able to accept a lunch payment for a sibling in another classroom. Menus are sent home with students each
month. Applications for free and
reduced lunch are available in the office.
For health and safety reasons, children are discouraged from bringing pop
or glass containers. Fast food
lunches are also discouraged.
Students are expected to exhibit good manners and self-discipline while
in the cafeteria. The lunch and
recess schedule will be as follows:
11:05 – 11:50
K-3
11:20 – 12:05
4-6
Student Code of Conduct
Learning proper behavior,
cooperation, respect, and self-discipline are critical to a child’s educational
development. Without these
qualities, it is difficult for a person to maintain proper attitudes to develop
intellectually. It is the school’s
responsibility as part of the total educational process to assist the family in
the development of each student’s self-discipline. An effective school-wide plan also
provides for a safe learning environment.
To
promote a positive learning environment, students will be recognized by the
staff for demonstrating good citizenship.
Recognition will be in the form of verbal praise, parent letters and
phone calls and extra privileges.
In
the process sometimes it becomes necessary to apply appropriate consequences for
inappropriate behavior which interferes with the educational process. A violation of any rule may result in
disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, removal from class,
detention, referral to outside authorities, suspension and
expulsion.
The
following rules and standards set forth in the student discipline code apply to
conduct on school premises, on school busses and at school
functions.
a)
Disruption of school
routine
b)
Fighting/assault/menacing
c)
Insubordination
d)
Profanity and/or obscene
language and materials
e)
Truancy and
tardiness
f)
Damage to
property
g)
Theft
h)
Possession of tobacco,
narcotics, alcoholic beverages and drugs
i)
Cheating
j)
Use or possession of
dangerous weapons and instruments
k)
Threat/Harassment
l)
Demonstrates poor
citizenship
m)
Respect for
others
The
above rules are intended to be examples of offenses and do not include every
possible infraction.
Playground Behavior
Students will treat the
teacher or playground aide with respect.
Play fair – Act fair – Treat
others with respect
Students are not to leave the playground or reenter the school unless given permission by the teacher on duty.
Students should remain in
the designated safe playing areas during the entire
recess.
No swearing, fighting or
rough play.
Sit down while
swinging. Do not wrap swings
chains. No jumping out of swings and no underdoggies.
No chasing/tag on the
equipment.
No throwing snow. Stay away from mud and water.
Proper clothing should be worn during the appropriate season. (i.e. hats, gloves, boots, etc.)
Soccer balls and footballs
(flag football only) may be brought from home. All other equipment must be approved by
the principal.
When the bell rings, stop
play and line up immediately.
Restroom Rules
1.
Always use proper manners in
the restrooms.
2.
Help keep the floor,
mirrors, and walls clean.
3.
Never write on the
walls.
4.
Throw paper towels in the
wastebaskets.
5.
Never stand on toilet seats
or hang from the support bars.
Bus Behavior
The
State Broad of Education has set forth rules for pupil transportation and
safety. These regulations apply to
students who use bus transportation:
1. Pupils shall arrive at
the bus stop before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
2. Pupils must wait in a
location clear of traffic.
3. Pupils must go directly to an
available or an assigned seat.
Pupils are to remain in assigned seats.
4. Pupils must remain
seated keeping aisles and exits clear.
5. Pupils must observe classroom
conduct and obey the driver promptly and respectfully.
6.
Behavior must not threaten
life, limb or property of any individual.
7.
Pupils must not use profane
language.
8.
Eating, littering and
throwing things on the bus are not permitted.
9.
Pupils must keep head, arms
and all belongings in the bus at all times.
Failure to obey the
transportation regulations will result in disciplinary action, which may include
removal of a pupil from the school bus.
Dress Code
While students are
encouraged to dress in a neat and attractive manner that reflects pride in
themselves and their school, the appearance of any child is primarily the
responsibility of the child and parent.
Students are expected to maintain the type of appearance that is
conducive to a good school atmosphere and is not distracting. When a student’s appearance is
considered improper, we will discuss the matter with the child and the
parents. Clothing considered to be
inappropriate or distracting include:
1.
Anything that advertises or
promotes the use of tobacco, alcohol, and/or other drug related
substances
2.
Anything containing language
or pictures which are suggestive in nature or offensive
3.
Spaghetti strap tops, ripped
and/or torn clothing, see-through blouses, halter tops and shirts that do not
cover the stomach
4.
No tank tops with shoulder
straps less than 2 inches wide
Shorts may be worn with the
following exceptions:
1.
bicycle shorts (skin tight,
spandex materials regardless of length)
2.
“cutoffs” (shorts must be
hemmed)
3.
any shorts with split legs,
split sides or holes
4.
boxer shorts or any garments
to be considered underwear.
Shorts must be at least
fingertip length when students are standing with arms hanging loosely at their
side. No soffe shorts.
We
recognize the importance of daily outdoor play. Children will be outdoors for recess
unless it is raining or temperature and wind result in a 20-degree F wind-chill
factor. During cold weather, please
make sure your child wears a warm coat, hat, gloves and boots for comfort and
safety. Label each garment with
your child’s name.
Student Records
The
Family Rights and Privacy Act provides parents the opportunity to review their
child’s school records. Requests to
review records should be made directly to the principal who will make the
necessary arrangements.
Reporting Pupil Progress
Parent Teacher Conferences
are scheduled after the first nine weeks.
This gives the parent an opportunity to exchange information with the
teacher about the child’s progress, learn about the school and the curriculum,
and to discuss the child’s strengths and weaknesses in various
areas.
Mid-term reports are sent
home near the midpoint of each nine weeks grading period. Midterms will be sent to all students in
danger of failing. Midterm reports
are also sent at times of major improvement and for recognition of unusual
contributions.
Child Custody
Parents have an obligation
to inform the school anytime the custody of a child changes. (Senate Bill 140 requires this
information.) The school officials
will need a copy of the court order pertaining to a child’s custody. Unless the legal record states
otherwise, the non-custodial parent may request a copy of the child’s report
card, visit the school to gather information on the child’s progress and request
a parent-teacher conference.
Medication at School
If
medication must be taken during school hours, an authorized form (See attached
form) completed by the physician and the parent/guardian must be on file in the
office prior to administration of medicine. Any changes in the prescription or any
additional/new medications require an additional form. Additional forms are available in the
school office. All medications must
be kept in the school office and stored in their original container. It is recommended that the parent
transport the medication to the school office where all medication is
administered. It is the
responsibility of the parent to notify the school of any medical conditions that
may affect a student during the school day. This includes all
allergies.
Screening Programs
Students in grades K, 1, 3,
and 5 are screened for vision problems at the beginning of the year. Students in kindergarten, first, second,
and third grades are given a hearing test.
Scoliosis screening is also provided for students in grade 6. In addition to this the speech and
language therapist will screen any student at the request of the parent or
teacher at any time during the school year. If there are any problems or concerns
with the screenings results, parents will be notified.
Fire and Tornado
Drills
Fire drills are conducted once
a month to familiarize students with the procedures to follow in case of an
emergency. Tornado drills are also
conducted according to prescribed plans in preparation for severe storms or
tornado warnings.
Birthday
Celebrations
If your child wishes to
celebrate his/her birthday in school, he/she may do so by sharing a treat with
his/her classmates. If you choose
to do this, we request that the treats be kept simple and be
available for
all students in his/her class. An
alternative might be to share a game or book inscribed with the child’s name and
birth date. The child would be
given the opportunity to share the time with his/her class. It is requested that students do not
hand out party invitations to individual classmates at school unless the entire
class is invited.
Gum
We
do not recommend that gum be brought to school or be chewed on the bus or at
school due to the carelessness of disposal of gum.
Computer Technology
Fort Jennings is committed
to the effective use of technology to enhance the quality of student
learning. Students are to make
appropriate and ethical use of the computers, accompanying software, and other
electronic equipment, as well as networking. Disciplinary action will be taken
against students if equipment, technology and /or networking are abused in any
way or used in an illegal, unethical manner.
Field Trips
The
purpose of any field trip is to aid students in broadening his/her knowledge
through first-hand experience. When
a class takes a field trip, teachers will inform parents as to the purpose of
the trip, as well as the place, date, time, and the costs if there are
any.
Lost and Found
A
lost and found box is located in the school office. If your child loses an item, have
him/her check there. Labeling all
items belonging to the child can eliminate lost items.
Money
If
you give your child money for book bill payments, lunch, book orders, etc.
please put it in an envelope and write on the envelope your child’s name and the
purpose for which the money is sent.
Personal Property
Cell phones, portable
radios, video games, cameras, toys, etc. should not be brought to school unless
permission has been granted by his/her teacher. The school is not responsible for lost
or broken items.
Visitors
State law requires all
visitors to first report to the office.
The front entrance will be the designated entrance for parents and
visitors.