PISD Student Handbook Elementary School Information

SECTION IV: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NFORMATION
PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ROPERS
IN THIS SECTION YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION PERTINENT TO STUDENTS OF PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. PLEASE READ SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION, SECTION V: DISCIPLINE AND SECTION VI: TECHNOLOGY USAGE FOR INFORMATION THAT APPLIES TO THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
1. ATTENDANCE
School begins at 8:05 a.m. each day. Students arriving after 8:15 will be counted tardy. Excessive tardiness will require administrative action. Attendance will be taken each day at 9:45 a.m. Any child who is not present at that time will be considered absent for the entire day. Upon returning to school, the student must bring a note including the date and a reason for the absence. If a note is not provided within three days, the absence will be considered unexcused. (For additional information, please refer to the general section of the handbook.)
Students who are present at 9:45AM each day of the six weeks will be recognized as having outstanding attendance. However, a student must attend class all day every day to be considered as perfect attendance. If a student leaves for or returns from a doctor’s appointment and is in attendance for at least one hour, the absence will not be recorded. A note from the doctor’s office is required.
2. ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL OF STUDENTS
A.M. ARRIVAL – Students who arrive at school before 8:05 a.m. should stay in the cafeteria until they are dismissed to their classroom. Every child will be served breakfast with their class each morning.
P.M. DISMISSAL -Pre-K should be picked up at 11:45 in the cafeteria. Kindergarten may be picked up at 3:15 p.m. First through Fourth grade students will be dismissed at 3:25 p.m.
PEP RALLIES - The elementary students are invited to attend the high school pep rallies during football season. Many of these will last past the normal release time for the students. If you do not wish for your child to attend, please check them out of school before 2:30 p.m. on these days. After the pep rally, the students will return, with their teachers, to the elementary school for dismissal. YOU MAY PICK UP YOUR CHILD FROM THE PEP RALLY ONLY AFTER MAKING ARRANGEMENTS, IN PERSON, WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER!
BUS STUDENTS AND THOSE WHO WALK HOME - Students who ride a bus will be taken to a holding room to wait for their bus driver. Children who are to meet an older brother or sister must also wait in the holding room until 3:35 p.m. They will not be allowed to go to the other campuses or wait outside of the building until after this time.
Please make arrangements to pick up your child at these times. Elementary children may feel abandoned or forgotten easily! Forgetfulness or tardiness on the part of the parent may be interpreted as a lack of caring by the child. Please let the school know if you are going to be late.
3. CLOSED CAMPUS
Parents and visitors should check in at the office before going to a child’s room during school hours. Please do not go directly to your child’s room without an appointment. Students may not leave the campus during the scheduled school day. If they must leave, please check them out through the office. Anyone other than the child’s parent, or their designee, must have written permission to check the child out of school. Please send a signed note if your child is to go home with someone else!
4. GRADE REPORTING
Report cards are scheduled to be mailed or hand-delivered by the students on the Thursday following the end of a six-week grading period. At the end of each three-week grading period, a notice will be sent to the parent of any child who is failing, or in danger of failing, a particular subject. Please use this opportunity to contact your child’s teacher about suggestions for ways to help your child be successful.
5. NURSE’S DUTIES
NO MEDICINE MAY BE GIVEN TO ANY STUDENT UNLESS THE STUDENT HAS RETURNED A SIGNED PERMISSION FROM THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN. Any over-the-counter drugs (Tylenol, Advil, etc., must be provided to the nurse in the original container) Prescription medicines must be in the original bottle with the child’s name and directions for use printed clearly on the label. The school nurse, or her designee, will dispense all medications at school.
Students with live head lice may not stay at school. If live head lice are detected, the parents will be notified and the student will not be allowed back in school until he or she has received treatment to kill the lice. Upon returning to school, the school nurse must clear the student to return to class.
Students must be referred to the nurse by their teachers or other school personnel. They should not go to the nurse’s office without permission. Any student with a temperature over 100º F may not return to class. Any student returning to school after having a contagious disease (like Chicken Pox) must be cleared through the school nurse.
6. PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
The teachers of Plains Elementary School are encouraged to keep parents well informed of their student’s progress. Please call ahead to make arrangements to visit with your child’s teacher. WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT GO TO THE TEACHER’S ROOM TO TALK WHILE THEY ARE CONDUCTING CLASS. This type of disruption is not fair to the teacher, or to the children in the room.
7. PROMOTION/RETENTION
In grades 1-4, promotion to the next grade level shall be based on an overall average of 70 on a scale of 100 based on grade level standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for all subject areas. They must also earn a final average of 70 or above in three of the following areas: language arts (average of reading, language arts, phonics, and spelling), science, mathematics, and social studies. Third grade students are also required by the Student Success Initiative to pass the reading portion of the TAKS test in order to be promoted to the fourth grade.
8. SWIMMING POOL
All students at Plains Elementary School will be encouraged to learn to swim. They should keep a swimming suit at school for this purpose. Towels are provided by the school. Students will be scheduled for the pool during their regular PE period. Most of the students will swim at least one time per week. Parents are encouraged to come to the swimming classes to watch their child. Please make prior arrangements with the swimming coach to avoid coming on a day that your child is not swimming. Note: The students will not go swimming from Thanksgiving break until the first of March. The pool will not be heated during the winter months as a way to help lower operating expenses.
9. TELEPHONE
A telephone is provided in each teacher’s room for communication and school-related business. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR YOUR CALL TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THEIR ROOM DURING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION TIME EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY. Each teacher has a designated period during the school day for conferences. Leave a name and number with the school secretary and the teacher will contact you as soon as possible. Students should use the phone in the office when necessary.
10. TUTORIALS
Tutorial sessions will provide intensive instruction in language arts, science, mathematics, and/or social studies. Students who are having trouble in these areas may be required to attend.