PARENT / STUDENT HANDBOOK
2007 - 2008
Sunderland Elementary School
98 Bear Ridge Rd.
Arlington, VT 05250
School: 802-375-6100 Fax: 802-375-6555
www.sunderlandschool.com
August, 2007
Dear Families,
On behalf of the entire Sunderland Elementary School, I welcome you to our school community. There are many exciting plans for this school year and we invite you to become an active participant in your child’s educational experience. Working side by side, we can continue to create an educational environment that is filled with joyful discovery; where creativity and self-exploration are encouraged. The school should, at its core, be a vessel where teachers, students, and families together create an environment of acceptance, curiosity, creativity, love, and joy. Once this is accomplished, success is a guarantee and all who play a part in this endeavor come away with a profound sense of fulfillment.
This Parent/Student Handbook has been written in an effort to help you in your interactions with school personnel and primarily to make each and every one of your child’s days at school the best it can be.
Families play a vital role at Sunderland Elementary and there are many ways for you to become actively involved in your child’s education. Offering assistance in the classroom is an easy way to become a part of the learning community. The Sunderland P.T.A. is another great way to actively get involved and I guarantee the rewards will be bountiful. We’re always looking for eager volunteers to enrich our school. Stop by the office for more information on how you can take part in your child’s educational experience.
We hope you will contact the school if you have any questions or if we can assist you in any way during the course of the school year. Please be sure to visit the school website at www.sunderlandschool.com often to keep up to date on all that is happening at our wonderful school.
Sincerely,
Paul Schreiber
Principal
SES MISSION STATEMENT
The Sunderland Elementary School community is committed to providing a safe, child-centered environment with a focus on high expectations for student learning. Academic, social and emotional growth for all Sunderland students is achieved through developmentally appropriate curriculum and best practices delivered by a nurturing staff in close partnership with parents.
SUNDERLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
FACULTY AND STAFF
Administration
Paul Schreiber - Principal
Dale Wood - Administrative Assistant
Faculty & Staff
Wanda Allard - Kindergarten
Dean Magarian - Grades 1 & 2
Charlene Allison - Grades 3 & 4
Mary Ann Caraco - Grade 5
Katherine O’Klein - Grade 6
Julie Cyzewski - Special Educator
Polly Stone - Reading & Math Specialist
Margie Scieszka - Library/Media Specialist
Sondra Laskey - Speech & Language
Anne Most - School-Based Clinician
Jean Ward - Curriculum Coordinator
Glenna Taxter - Literacy Coach
Wayne Flewelling - Special Education Director
Connie Cannon - Math Coach
Amy Helmetag - Art
Judith Stone - Physical Education
Daniel Timmermans - Music
Greg Styles - Computer Lab
Denise Poulin, RN - School Nurse
Maralise Boynton, RN- School Nurse
Celeste Berstene - Para Professional
Ryan Csizmesia - Para Professional
Kathy Devlin - Para Professional
Heidi McDermott - Para Professional
Penny Simmers - Para Professional
Mike Wood - Custodian/Bus Driver
ARRIVAL
The school bus will arrive at 7:55 am each school morning. Students who are driven to school should not be dropped off before 7:30 am, as there will no supervision available. Students who are dropped off between 7:30 am and 8:00 am will go to the Multi-Purpose Room, where they may begin to eat their breakfast, if participating in the Breakfast Program, and/or engage in quiet activities.
DISMISSAL
Dismissal begins at 2:40 pm. Parents may pick their children up at this time. In order to avoid confusion and allow your child to be sure of where he/she will be going at the end of the day, please write a note or call the school to let us know if:
ATTENDANCE
Attendance on all school days is most important if a child is to get the most out of the program provided. Please make every effort to have your child in school unless he/she is ill. In the event of an absence, please provide a written note of excuse when the child returns to school. This letter should include the date(s) your child was absent and the reason for the absence.
The school day begins at 8:00 am. Students who arrive after 8:10 am will be considered late. Being on time is a life long skill that needs to be taught as early as possible. When your child is late to school, the continuity of instruction is interrupted for the entire class. Students who are late more than three (3) times will not be eligible for the Perfect Attendance Award.
BICYCLES
Students in grades 3 through 6 may ride their bicycle to and/or from school during appropriate weather conditions provided they follow these rules to assure their safety:
MEAL PROGRAM
All students should start their school day with a good breakfast, whether they eat at home or at school. SES offers a breakfast program on a daily basis for students who do not eat before coming to school. Students who are participating in this program will be eating upon their arrival at school in the multi-purpose room or in their classroom. Breakfast will be available for those children who pre-order until 8:10 am. No breakfast will be available after that time.
PLEASE NOTE: The breakfast program is NOT meant to be a snack. A short period of time later in the morning will be provided in each classroom for those students who would like to have a small snack.
Breakfast and/or lunch may be brought from home or purchased at school. A lunch menu will be sent home at the beginning of the week and must be returned by the end of that same week in order for there to be an available lunch for your child. The meals are picked up daily from our friends at Happy Days Playschool every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is Pizza Day, provided by our friends at South Side Café. Parents are expected to send payment for breakfast and/or lunch by cash or check on a weekly basis. The Sunderland meal program is as follows:
Free and reduced meals are offered to those who qualify. Please see the administrative assistant for the necessary paperwork.
Healthy snacks from home are encouraged for snack time and for the after school program.
EARLY DISMISSAL
All days which are designated as early dismissal days on the school calendar will end at 12:30 pm. During these days, lunch will be served at 12:00 instead of 12:15 to allow for the earlier dismissal.
JISP
During January, February and March, Wednesdays will be our JISP (Junior Instructional Ski Program) day. All students will have lunch at 12:00 in the multi-purpose room. This earlier lunch time will allow students to complete their lunches before leaving for the program. Students participating in the winter sports program are to be picked up by their designated driver no earlier than 12:20. Those students not participating in the winter sports program will either be picked up by their parent/guardian at 12:30 or will board the school bus at that time and be driven home.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING/DELAY
In the event of a school emergency or bad weather that affects the school day, a parent phone call chain will go into effect at the earliest possible time. You will receive a copy of this phone chain during the first days of school. If there is a delayed opening, the bus will arrive for student pick-up two (2) hours later than usual for a 10:00 am student arrival time at school. Announcement of school closing or delayed opening will be made on TV Channels 3, 6, and 13. If early dismissal from school is necessary for any reason, you will be contacted by the school secretary. Please make sure that the school has your home and work phone numbers and that they are updated on a regular basis. In addition, if there is a special place that your child will be going in the event of an early closing, please make the school office aware of it.
COUNSELING SERVICES
Our school-based clinician, Anne Most, will be available to support student and parent needs. She will also be meeting with each class for skill building lessons in the area of character education that will closely support our Responsive Classroom program. Mrs. Most is available for consultations with staff, parents and community groups. Please feel free to call if you have any concerns regarding your child’s welfare in the home or at school.
HEALTH SERVICES
Our school nurses, Denise Poulin, RN and Susan DeSimone, RN are in school for a total of five (5) days per week from 11:30 am to 2:40 pm. They do yearly height, weight, vision, hearing and scoliosis screenings for our students. A weekly fluoride treatment is available at no charge to students in grades 1 through 6. Our school nurses are available to parents and teachers for consultation and discussion of any health problems or communicable diseases. All medical information and records are kept confidential.
Please refer to the health handbook for information regarding students’ medications, when to keep your child home from school due to illness, when to send them back to school after illness, and other FAQ’s. Vermont law states that children shall not enter school unless they provide the school with an immunization record from a school, health department or physician, indicating that he/she has received the vaccines mentioned in the handbook.
RECESS
Outdoor recess is an important part of your child’s day throughout the school year. Please be aware of the day’s weather so you are able to send your child dressed appropriately to go outside with his/her classmates. In winter, snow pants, gloves/mittens, hat, winter jacket and snow boots must be worn when there is snow on the playground. If a student comes to school without the previously mentioned items, they will be expected to remain near the outside doors and out of the snow until recess is concluded.
PLAYGROUND RULES
Walk; never run, while in the playground area. Take turns and show kindness. Have fun!
Swings
Slides
Climbing Equipment
FIRE DRILLS
At the start of the school year, students will participate in an announced practice fire drill. A monthly fire drill/lockdown drill will be practiced at the discretion of the administration. Evacuation is a serious procedure. Students are expected to evacuate the building according to the plan outlined in their classroom. They will need to:
PARENT/SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
Communication between the school and the home is extremely important. Each Sunderland student in grades K-2 will be provided with a clear plastic envelope labeled “Parent Communication Envelope”. Older students in grades 3-6 will be provided with a plastic pocket folder for the same purpose. Please look in this envelope daily as it will carry any information from the school, PTA, and your child’s teacher that is important for you to know. Any homework and study assignments will also be found in these envelopes.
Homework plays an important role in your child’s learning, both by providing valuable practice and re inforcement of the day’s learning and in the development of responsibility. It also serves to keep you aware of the sequence of your child’s learning. Please help your child in this process.
If you have a question concerning your child’s school day, please do not hesitate to call the school to speak with your child’s teacher and/or the principal.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent/Teacher Conferences are held twice yearly, once in October and once in April. During your meeting with the teacher, you will have an opportunity to talk about your child and his/her progress. However, if you have a concern of any kind about your child’s school experience, please contact the teacher to schedule a meeting at any time during the school year.
PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING CONCERNS
Concerns or questions often arise between the home and school regarding homework, discipline, rules and regulations, procedures, and/or academics. It is often difficult to know who should be contacted first to get information or to get help solving a problem. The following is a guideline of the proper procedure when addressing concerns:
1 st – Always begin by contacting the classroom teacher. The teacher will include other personnel if appropriate.
2 nd – If the classroom situation has not been resolved, or additional assistance is needed, the principal should be contacted at the school.
3 rd – For a situation that needs additional attention, and has not been adequately resolved or explained to your satisfaction by the teacher or the principal, the superintendent’s office should be notified at 362-2452.
4 th – If a concern or situation has not been resolved or explained to your satisfaction, and you have followed the above steps, the chairperson of the school board should be contacted. The chairperson may arrange a meeting with all concerned to assist and resolve the situation.
REPORT CARDS/INTERIM PROGRESS REPORTS
This year, we will be switching from quarters to trimesters. Thus, there will be three reporting periods instead of four . Report cards will be issued this year in December, March and June. Kindergarten students will receive a Kindergarten Checklist at the parent teacher conference in October and regular report cards after that.
In addition to the report card, teachers will send Progress Reports in October, January and April. These reports are brief and are designed to inform parents of progress, problems or concerns a teacher may have.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
Become an active citizen and know the issues that affect Sunderland Elementary School. The School Board meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM at the school unless otherwise noted. Everyone is welcome!
SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION
Safety is our top priority on the school bus at all times. Therefore, all students are expected to observe all safety rules as follows:
Please know that transportation is a privilege and gladly provided for the convenience of our parents. However, failure to follow the bus rules could result in the loss of bus privileges for a student.
SCHOOL FUNCTIONS
School functions held in the evening are family events. Students attending such events—concerts and school performances, etc., must be accompanied by a parent. Please do not drop off children at the school without an adult.
SPECIAL AREA SUBJECTS
Special area subjects are taught by teachers who have received special training in their respective areas to all students in grades kindergarten through six according to the following schedule:
SPECIAL SERVICES
The school provides a means to give attention to all students who are experiencing difficulty academically, socially, or emotionally. Your child’s teacher may discuss a concern with you or you may bring your own concerns to the teacher. An EST (Educational Support Team) meeting may be arranged to bring together a team of teachers to discuss the student’s needs and brainstorm a plan to increase successful learning. The parent will be notified before the meeting and encouraged to attend. Title I services are available in both reading and math for students in need of remediation as per assessment results and teacher recommendation. Special Education services may be an option if, after a battery of evaluations with parents consent, the student meets the requirements for such services. Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) are also available for students who are determined to be in need of such services.
STUDENT TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
In addition to regular classroom tests and assessment tasks that are teacher prepared and graded, students will be assessed in the following ways:
SCHOOL DRESS/APPEARANCE
The way students dress when attending or representing the school affects the opinion of all with whom they come in contact with. A Sunderland student is expected to dress in a neat and clean manner that reflects pride in themselves and their school. Hats are not to be worn in the building during school hours. We rely on parents to use good judgment as to what students wear to school. Please work with your child to refrain from wearing shirts with inappropriate slogans or ill-fitting clothes that are distracting to the instructional environment. During the winter months, students are encouraged to keep at school an extra pair of shoes or sneakers to wear during the school day.
We encourage the practice of good personal hygiene and cleanliness. Students who practice healthy habits feel better about themselves and consequently are better able to learn at school.
EXPECTATIONS REGARDING STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE
Helping to establish a successful school is the work of many people. Parents, students, teachers, support staff, administrators and community members all contribute to this important process.
All discipline interactions will be consistent with the Responsive Classroom approach and support a safe, respectful atmosphere with dignity for all. In order to create a positive learning environment, all students need to be responsible for their own behavior and understand the logical consequences that follow actions. This includes student behavior when interacting with their peers and adults as well as student attitudes toward learning and school assignments. A complete set of classroom rules, along with discipline procedures will be sent home by the classroom teacher at the beginning of the school year. Throughout the school year, with assistance from the classroom teacher, school counselor, and administration, the students will be exposed to many forms of conflict resolution, peer mediation and various anger management approaches. Most forms of negative behavior will be dealt with in the classroom and by the classroom teacher. If however, a behavior is so disruptive that the class cannot continue, or safety is an issue, the student will be removed and sent to the principal’s office with a behavior planning worksheet. This worksheet will be completed by the student with assistance from the principal. It will then be sent home for the parent to review, sign, and return to school the following school day. Parents are encouraged to call the principal if further information in needed.
SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTIONS
In the event of a significant disruption, such as threats or use of bombs or weapons, the necessary authorities will be called, the school will either be evacuated or placed in lock-down mode, and the parent phone chain will be activated.
HARASSMENT POLICY
The Sunderland School Board has adopted a Policy and Procedures on Prevention of Harassment of Students. Students who feel they are being harassed are instructed to report their concerns to designated employees of the school. Within this adopted policy, the designated employees of Sunderland Elementary School are the principal and the school counselor. There will be a box placed outside the office of each designated employee in which the student may place their concern rather than voice it directly.
Of course, a student may feel more comfortable voicing their concern directly to their classroom teacher. If this occurs, the teacher is to report this concern immediately to the designated employees. These procedures will be discussed at the beginning of the school year and emphasized throughout the year.
Harassment is defined as an incident or incidents of verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct based on or motivated by a student's or a student's family member's actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, or disability that has the purpose or effect of objectively and substantially undermining and detracting from or interfering with a student's educational performance or access to school resources or creating an objectively intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
In addition to, or as an alternative to filing a harassment complaint pursuant to this policy, a person may file a harassment complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission or the Office for Civil rights of the U.S. Department of Education at the following addresses:
Vermont Human Rights Commission
133 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05633-6301
(800) 416-2010 or (802) 828-2480 (voice or tty)
Director, Compliance Division Area II
Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education, Region I
John W. McCormack Post Office Courthouse, Rm. 222
Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 223-9667
Another form of misbehavior often confused with harassment is bullying. Bullying means any overt act or combination of acts directed against a student by another student or group of students and which is repeated over time, is intended to ridicule, humiliate, or intimidate the student, and occurs during the school day on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored activity, or before or after the school day on a school bus or at a school-sponsored activity.
Please be aware that Sunderland Elementary School will not tolerate ANY form of harassment and bullying.
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL SUNDERLAND STUDENTS:
The following are examples of consequences used in student discipline:
ADULT SUPERVISION
Any staff and/or contractors who routinely have unsupervised contact with students will periodically receive training on the maintenance of a safe, orderly, civil, and positive learning environment. This training shall be appropriate to the role of the staff member being trained and shall teach classroom and behavior management, and enforcement of the school’s discipline policies. In most cases, this training will be provided directly by the administration or its designee.
REMINDERS
PARENT-SCHOOL COMPACT (Please keep in handbook. You will receive another copy which will contain all signatures.)
A parent-school compact is a voluntary agreement between a school and the parents of the children attending that school. This parent-school compact was approved by the Sunderland School Board, Sunderland Elementary School staff, and the PTA. It outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students share responsibility for student achievement. The compact must also describe the means by which the school and parents will build a partnership to help children achieve Vermont’s high educational standards.
As a student at Sunderland Elementary School, I will:
As a parent or guardian of a student at Sunderland Elementary School, I will:
As a Staff Member or Administrator at Sunderland Elementary School, I will:
We agree with this Parent-School Compact and pledge to enhance student achievement and promote effective home-school communication.
1. Principal’s Signature ______________________________ Date ___________
2. Teacher’s Signature ______________________________ Date ___________
3. Student’s Signature ______________________________ Date ___________
4. Parent’s/Guardian’s Signature(s) _____________________ Date ___________
_____________________ Date ___________