V. SCHOOL POLICES AND PROGRAMS

AGENDA PLANNERS

Alconbury Elementary School provides Agenda Planners for grades 1 through 6. The primary grades (1-3) have a planner designed specifically for them as do the intermediate students. The students use the planners to write down their assignments, what they did in class and/or special events and projects. The planners also may be used as an additional tool in communicating to the home the work that is being done in the classroom. The school provides the first planner for every student. Should a student lose his or her planner, it may be replaced at the purchase price.

ATTENDANCE

Every effort should be made by students, parents, teachers, and administrators to keep absences and tardiness to a minimum. However, we do recognize that absences from school are sometimes necessary. Parents MUST call the school prior to 0800 hours if a child is going to be absent or late that day. This procedure is primarily for the child’s protection and allows the parent and the school to ensure that children sent to school arrived. Please help us prevent the scenario where a missing child goes unnoticed because the parents presume the child is at school and the school presumes the child is at home.

Excused absences are granted for illness, family emergencies (e.g. severe illness or death in the family, local hardship situation, etc.), religious observances, family trips, and medical appointments that cannot be arranged during non-school time. There will be no academic penalty for excused absences. Students are to stay current with assigned class work and are responsible for the work missed during their absence. Work missed must be made up in a reasonable amount of time, usually equal to the amount of absence. When students are sent home because of illness, they must be accompanied by their parent/guardian or an individual designated by the parent/guardian.

Any student who is absent from school for all or part of any day without the knowledge and permission of his/her parent/guardian or school authorities is truant. Unexcused absences which are excessive and/or which interfere with the student’s educational program may result in administrative action. A concerted effort will be made to prevent and remedy truancy in the early stages. School personnel will seek cooperation from parents and assist them in correcting and preventing truancy. Detention, temporary removal from class, and suspension are disciplinary devices the principal can use in addition to those techniques and procedures used by counselors, teachers, and others to reduce the frequency of unexcused absences.

School staff and administrative personnel are responsible for overseeing school/class attendance procedures. They ensure that school attendance is checked daily and accurate attendance records are maintained for each student.

BUS STANDARDS

Bus Services: Daily student bus transportation is a privilege provided for students living off base. Bus service is available to and from school within the school bus commuting area. If your student needs transportation, please contact the School Bus Office (SBO) before obtaining housing. After enrolling your student for school, sponsors with school age dependents living off base must personally register their students at the SBO. For more information please contact the Alconbury SBO at DSN 268-3891, commercial 01480-82-3891, or visit the office located in the Alconbury High School, Bldg 691.

Late Arrival of School Bus At the Pickup Point. Sometimes through breakdown or traffic delays, the buses may arrive late at the pickup point. In most cases it takes some time to get this information to the SBO. As a general rule, students are advised to remain at the pickup point 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time. A bus WILL run, but it is uncertain how long it will take the delayed bus to reach your stop.

Bus Transportation for School Delays and Cancellations. The 423 ABG/CC determines school delays and cancellations when unsafe road conditions exist, etc. Delays and cancellations are announced through unit recalls and will be posted on the 423 Security Forces Information Hotline, DSN 268-4636 or Commercial 01480-82-4636. If a two-hour delayed has been declared, students riding the school bus will be picked up two hours after the normal designated time. For example, if the bus is scheduled to depart the bus stop at 0730 hrs, the bus will depart at 0930 hrs.

Only Riders With Bus Passes Allowed. For safety and security reasons, only students with a valid bus pass may ride on their own bus. For example, a student that does not ride the daily school bus, spending the night at a friend’s house, wants to ride home on their friends’ bus. This is not allowed; spending the night/going home with a friend is a private matter and transportation arrangements should be made between sponsors. Teachers/the school cannot accept letters from sponsors allowing their student to ride on a bus. Each rider must have a valid school bus pass and only ride on his or her assigned bus.

Seat Belts on School Buses: Our school buses are fully equipped with seat belts and students must comply with British law and DoDDS requirements by wearing their seat belts on the bus. Please tell your children about this and emphasize that wearing seat belts is for their own safety. Wearing seat belts contributes to good behavior, discipline, and the overall safety on the bus.

Procedures for Lost Child: When your child does not arrive home at their usual time and you are concerned for their safety, you should:

· Contact your spouse or other family members to see if the child is with them.

· We suggest you contact neighbors and known friends of your child.

· If you cannot locate your child, please call the SBO, DSN 268-3891 or 01480-82-3891.

· If you are unable to contact the SBO, contact the 423 SF Military Police, DSN 268-2400 or commercial 01480-82-2400.

The Alconbury SBO will make every effort to locate your child as quickly as possible. You will be updated regularly, your assistance and patience will be greatly appreciated. If you should locate your child before the SBO does, please notify the SBO so they can terminate their efforts.

School Bus Behavior: The school bus is an extension of the school day and for their safety and security, students are expected to behave on the school bus as they do in the classroom. Sponsors are ultimately responsible for the behavior of their children walking to and from the bus stop, waiting at the bus stop, and on the bus. For the most part, our children are well behaved on the school buses; however, sometimes we have to deal with misbehavior problems. The Principal works closely with the school bus office and is responsible for this area. Unacceptable behavior by a student may result in a suspension as outlined in the school bus table of consequences, (except when circumstances indicate that more severe action is required).

On or around school buses, students must conduct themselves in accordance with the 10 School Bus Rules:

· Obey the driver or adult

· Enter and exit the bus safely and always show your bus pass.

· Stay properly seated and use seatbelts when available.

· Keep your hands, feet and other body parts to yourself.

· Do not throw things.

· Put nothing out of the window.

· Remain quiet and do not disturb the driver or others.

· No profanity, indecency, smoking, prohibited items or vandalism.

· Do not eat, drink, or chew gum.

· Be responsible. Be safe.

School Bus Suspension: Suspension from riding the school bus does not normally include suspension from school. Criminal and/or illegal acts may require school suspension/expulsion. If your child is suspended from the bus, the sponsor is responsible for getting the child to and from school. Infractions listed on the attached School Bus Table of Consequences and any other conduct prejudicial to good order and conduct may draw a suspension.

CHANGE OF REGISTRATION INFORMATION

It is very important that the school has your correct current address in our file. This includes a correct military and civilian local address and phone numbers. It is also very important to have an emergency contact phone number of someone other than the sponsor or spouse on file. Preferably, this would be a neighbor or someone at your duty station in the event you cannot be reached. If you have changes in current information, please notify the school as soon as possible in order that corrections can be made.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Diversity and representation of various customs and cultural experiences provide children with a well-rounded experience based education. Instruction in the areas of social studies, literature, art, physical education, music and host nation should incorporate knowledge of and respect for various forms of cultural expression. Rapid change and increasingly frequent contact between diverse cultures necessitates attention to these issues in the elementary school curriculum. Opportunities to share their cultural heritage and knowledge with class and school populations also enable children to experience and appreciate the varieties of American and host nation cultural traditions.

DISMISSAL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

If a student needs to leave school at any time during the school day, certain procedures must be followed. If you are aware ahead of time that your child will be leaving school, please send a note to your child’s teacher explaining the reason, time and person picking up the child if it is not you. At the designated time (even if you have written the note) you must come to the school office to sign out your child and receive a slip to give to the teacher when you pick up your child from the classroom. Under no circumstances are you to pick up your child without coming first to the office. The office is accountable for the whereabouts of every student during school time.

The school must be notified if someone other than the parent/guardian is picking up your child. The office will not authorize release of the student unless the parent/guardian has written a note, verbally notified the school, or has the adult designated as an emergency contact. In such cases, ID will be requested.

When returning to school from an appointment, you must sign your child back into school. Your child will then be given a re-entry permit to turn into his/her teacher. Please do not return your child directly to the classroom.

Children who leave school early after 2 pm will not be logged as absent. If a child leaves school before 11 am and does not return, he/she will be registered absent for the full day. If your child leaves school after 11 and does not return, he/she will have a recorded half day absence.

ENTRY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

A child not in the classroom at 8:30 is considered tardy. If your child is tardy, you must bring the child to the office and sign him/her in. They will be given a class re-entry permit explaining the reason for being late. This will be turned in to the teacher. Students arriving after 9:30 are coded as absent for a half-day. A child leaving prior to 2:00 is coded as absent for a half day. Mid-day appointments causing a child to miss more than one hour of instructional time get coded as a half-day absence.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN FEDERALLY CONDUCTED EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Executive Order 13160: Nondiscrimination

The Executive Order 13160 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, and status as a parent in federally conducted education and training programs.

The Executive Order provides for filing complaints by any individual who believes he or she has been discriminated against in violation of the nondiscrimination provisions of the Executive Order. To this effect, DoDEA is obligated to investigate complaints that allege a violation of the Executive Order. The full text of Executive Order 13160 is at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/13160.htm
The DoDEA Office of Compliance and Assistance will make every attempt to resolve complaints at the lowest possible level. Be advised that complaints cannot be filed anonymously.

If you have questions or concerns regarding Equal Opportunity or Nondiscrimination, please contact the principal. (Stanley B. Caldwell, Principal, Alconbury Elementary School, Commercial: 44-1480-82-3620 or DSN: 268-3620)

FIELD TRIPS (STUDY TRIPS) AND EXCURSIONS

School sponsored trips and excursions are those officially approved and authorized trips, which are conducted to support the curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular or athletic programs of the school. Prior to participating in any such trip, eligible students must provide the appropriate school sponsor with all required documentation and information (i.e. parental permission, power of attorney for emergency medical care, etc.)

During registration parents are asked to sign one-time blanket authorizations for their children to participate in field trips throughout the school year. However, blanket authorizations are limited to the confines of the base only and the parent my choose not to sign it.

A “Field Trip Parental Authorization Form” must be completed for each child before any off base trip. No child may go on a field trip on the basis of a phone call, unless authorized by the Principal.

Most off-base field trips require specific instructions (lunch, fees, pick-up times, etc.) and permission needs to be requested for each of these trips to insure parents have received all pertinent information to make an informed decision on child participation.

Study trips are intended for a specific class, grade level, or group of students. Transportation for these activities shall be restricted to those students, their teacher sponsors, parents, and any adult chaperones, at least 21 or older. It is not appropriate for chaperones or trip sponsors to bring toddlers, or other children that are not enrolled in the class on designated class, grade or group trips.

Chaperones are expected to abide by the following: No smoking or drinking alcohol at any time during the trip. Brothers and sisters may not accompany you. Keep your assigned children in visual and voice contact at all times. Enforce and follow all park/museum rules. Ensure assigned children use the bathroom before boarding the bus. Remember the correct entrance and/or exit and be prepared to meet at the designated area of departure on time. Report problems of any kind to the teacher-in-charge.

GRADING AND REPORTING

Report cards are issued every nine weeks. Parent conferences are scheduled at the end of the first report period and are an important means of communication. Parents are encouraged to make every effort to attend. In addition, teachers are available for a conference on most days after school. If you desire an appointment, please, write a note to the teacher in order that a time convenient to you and the teacher may be determined. In an emergency you may contact the principal concerning an appointment with a teacher. Please do not contact the principal concerning a teacher/child problem unless you have talked to the teacher first. No action can be taken until the teacher is involved.

· The grading code for major and sub categories in grades K - 3 is as follows:

CD - Consistently Displayed

P - Developing/Progressing

N - Not Yet Evident

X - Not Addressed

· The grading code for major and sub categories in grades 4 - 6 is as follows:

Major Category Subcategory

A-Excellent P - Participates

B-Very Good + - Shows Strength

C-Good / - More Participation Needed

D-Minimal

F-Failing

Parents are encouraged to stay in close communication with the teacher, counselor and principal. Mutual understanding erases many potential difficulties.

Mid-term progress reports are only given to students not achieving a satisfactory level during the nine-week marking period.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

The school counselor is available at the school to provide information and guidance to students, parents, and staff relative to academic, behavioral, personal and social problems of the students. The counselor provides a variety of consultative services and participates in the Child Study Committee (CSC) for the purpose of planning educational programs and alternatives for those students who appear to have divergent needs.

HEALTH SERVICES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES

Office Visits and Emergencies:

· Students will be seen immediately for serious injuries.

· If not an emergency, the students will need a pass from their teacher to visit the nurse.

· First aid will be administered and the student will be sent back to class or home.

· If a student is ill and needs to be sent home we will try to contact the parent first. If unsuccessful, we will call the emergency contact you provided.

Medication Policy:

· The nurse does not administer medications, to include over the counter drugs, except when prescribed for an individual with conditions such as asthma, allergies, heart conditions, ADHD and acute illnesses.

· Medications will be administered only when the nurse has

- written permission from parent,

- written orders from the physician and

- the medication is in a pharmacy labeled container; marked with the student’s name,

name of drug, amount and time to be taken.

Health Screening Procedures;

· Ideally, all students should be screened on entry into school and every three years thereafter.

· Vision and Hearing screening will be done on students that are referred to the nurse by a parent, instructional staff, student or physical form.

· A form explaining the results will be sent home to the parents to inform them if there needs to be a further evaluation or a follow-up exam.

· Screening will also be done on students that are being evaluated for Special Education Services. (CSC).

Dental Education and Preventive Care: The primary focus of this program is to coordinate the activities of the classroom teacher and the local military dental clinic