PISD Student Handbook Elementary School Information
by Nathan McCravey
June 30, 2009
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.
