Ingleside Handbook
 

WELCOME TO INGLESIDE! 

 

           Welcome to Ingleside School!  We are looking forward to an exciting and successful school year.
        
         The Ingleside Elementary School student handbook was designed to assist your child in understanding school rules and procedures.  In addition, we feel that open and clear communication between school and home is important to the success of our educational program.  We hope the handbook will serve as a helpful reference for parents as they seek to provide academic support at home.

 Dear Parents,

We welcome your participation and support during the school year, because parent involvement is very important to us.  Special activities will be planned throughout the year.  We strongly encourage you to join our PTO!  Everyone is always welcome.  Working together, we will be able to reach our collective and individual goals.  We look forward to celebrating the achievements of your children with you.

On behalf of our excellent faculty and staff, I would like to extend an invitation for you to become actively involved in our school, PTO events, and parent volunteer program.  We are glad that you are with us at Ingleside School, and look forward to a fantastic school year!

Sincerely,

Teresa Riggin, Principal

 

1. Athens City School District will provide language instruction programs for children with Limited English Proficiency no later than 30 days after the beginning of school.

2. Parents will be notified if any school is identified for improvement, corrective action or restructuring.

3. Athens City School District will make supplemental educational services available if mandated.

4. Parents are our partners in the important job of educating the children of this community.  As our partners, you have our pledge to always keep you informed of any major changes affecting your children, classroom instruction and the school.  Our Parent Involvement Policy applies to all parents and at least one annual meeting for all Title I parents will held.  A school-parent compact outlines the responsibilities of all involved in improving student academic achievement.

5. Parents are notified when children become eligible for federal programs including:

√ Special Education √ Title I-Part A √ Title I-Part C-Migrant

√ Title II √ Homeless √ Title IV 

√ Title I-Part D-Neglected or Delinquent

8. Athens City School District voluntarily participates in the Nation’s Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

9. Athens City School District’s Student Privacy policies are available for review.

10. Public notice is provided if a waiver to any provision or regulation of NCLB is requested.

11. Notification of eligibility for school wide status is shared with parents and community. 

12. Notification will be given to inform you of your rights to transfer if our school ever becomes unsafe or your child is a victim of a violent crime at school.

13. Athens City Schools have established effective disciplinary policies that prohibit disorderly conduct, illegal possession of weapons and illegal use, possession, distribution, and sale of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs by students.  A code of conduct policy has been developed for all students.

  

Athens City school System affirms that it will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Title VI states:

 “NO person in the United States shall, on the ground of race. color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”.

 It is the policy of the Athens, City Board of Education not to discriminate on the basis of handicap, race, color, national organ, sex, age, or religion in any of the programs or practices in any of the programs or practices in the school system.  A complaint may be filed by anyone who has a grievance regarding the following statutes:

(1) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

(2) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

(3) Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972

A complaint of discrimination on the basis of a handicap or complaint of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or religion should be sent to Dianna Calfee, Coordinator, of Title VI and Title IX, with 180 days of the alleged discrimination, or, within five (5) days of the date of the alleged handicap discrimination.

 

Information concerning child advocacy and services may be obtained from the following sources:
 

· The ARC of Tennessee is on the Internet at http://www.thearc.org 

             615-248-5878 or 1-800-835-7077 (Toll free)

· STEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents)     http://tnstep.org/

· Tennessee Protection and Advocacy (TP&A) http://www.tpainc.org/  615-298-1080

or 1-800-287-9636 (Toll Free)

· Tennessee Voices for Children http://www.tnvoices.org/main.htm  865-609-2490

Answers to many questions and helpful information my be obtained from the State Department of Education by calling or visiting:

http://state.tn.us/education/speced/indiex.htm.

“No Child Left Behind”

The “No Child Left Behind” federal law requires us to inform you of these items:

 

1. The school and district will inform parents and the community no later than the beginning of the current school year of student progress, including assessment results and overall district and building performances.  This information and communication will be presented in an understandable and uniform format and to the extent practicable, expressed in a language parents can understand.  For each of our schools served under with Title I funds, the district will determine and publicize annually whether the school is making adequate yearly progress.

2. Teachers’ qualifications are on file at the Athens city Schools Central Office and if there is ever a need to place a long-term substitute teacher in your child’s classroom, you will be notified.

 

SCHOOL OPENING

1. School will begin at 8:20 am.  A student is considered tardy after 8:20 am. 
School will dismiss at 3:20 pm.

2. Students are not allowed in the classrooms until 8:00 am.

3. If your child arrives before 8:00 am he/she should report to the gymnasium.  Children who eat breakfast at school should report to the commons area.

 

The Athens City Board of Education, in regular session on May 8, 2000, established the following as the official school day for students:  7:30 am until 3:30 pm.  The board of education and its employees will not be responsible for the health and safety of students for any times other than those established above.  However, this does not include school sponsored events such as drama, clubs, etc.  which are under school supervision.

 Due to this policy the school building will not be open until 7:30 in the mornings and students must be picked up by 3:30 each afternoon.
 

BEHAVIOR POLICY

 

Each classroom teacher at Ingleside will send home a classroom discipline plan.  Many of these plans include lifelong guidelines such as truth, trust, personal best, active listening, and no put downs.

We believe in a positive approach to classroom discipline.  We believe all students can behave at school and have  a responsibility to behave in a manner which allows teachers to teach and students to learn.

Our school-wide rules are: -  

HOMEWORK

 

           This decision is left to the individual teacher, but in general, homework will increase as the child progresses through the grades.  Homework is normally not assigned on weekends.  Please call the office by 9:00 am to request make-up work when your child is absent.  Make-up work will be sent to the office by 3:00 pm on the date requested.

 

TEACHER CONFERENCES 

1. Teachers conferences are welcomed by our faculty and staff.  Call the school office to arrange conferences with classroom teachers or the principal.

2. Conferences with teachers must be after school hours.

3. System-wide Parent Conference Day - Monday, October 24th.

 

SCHOOL VISITATION 

1. ALL VISITORS MUST report to the office upon entering the school building.

2. Visitors will be given a Visitor’s Badge to wear while in the building.

3. Visitors must return to the office and sign out.

4. Special days and activities will be planned during the year for school visitation.  We encourage you to visit the school during these times.

5. Children who come as visitors are not permitted without prior consent of the teacher.

 

STUDENT PLACEMENT

 

          At Ingleside School, every attempt is made to balance classrooms based on sex, race, academic, and behavioral functioning. 

  

FIELD TRIPS

 

Field trips are an important aspect of the instructional program and are designed  to enhance the curriculum.  A signed permission slip from each parent/guardian is required before a student can participate.  Transportation will be provided and each child, unless suspended from the bus, is required to ride an Athens City School bus to and from the field trip.

 

 DRESS CODE GUIDELINES

 

1. Students shall dress and groom in a clean, neat and modest manner so as not to distract or interfere with the operation of the school.

2. Clothing is not to endorse inappropriate language, violence, drugs, tobacco, nor alcohol.

3. Hats shall not be worn in the building except on pre-announced special occasions.

4. Ill-fitting, baggy clothes are strongly discouraged.

 

FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION

Athens City Schools provide a full range of educational services to meet the needs of all students, non-disabled and disabled.   We actively search for disabled children, especially preschool children, to serve. 



ATTENDANCE

 

1. Recent educational research indicates the importance of time on task in school.  Children who attend regularly perform better academically.  Kindergarten attendance is equally important.

2. Since our state funds are based on average daily attendance, our taxpayers lose money each time a child misses a day.

3. When a child is absent, a note must be sent from home upon the child’s return, explaining the absence.

4. These are examples of excused absences:

Sickness

Death in family

Dental and medical appointments

 

 

5. If a child needs to leave school during the day, a note should be sent to school in the morning and approved by the teacher or principal.  Children must be picked up and signed out at the office if leaving school before 3:20.

 

 

  MEALS

 

           We encourage all children to eat the well-balanced meal from the cafeteria, but if the child does not wish to eat the prepared lunch, a lunch may be brought from home.  Please refrain from sending fast food for your child’s lunch.  Students are not allowed to leave school during their lunch period.

The cost of breakfast is $1.25 per day; 30¢  per day for reduced.  The cost of a school lunch is $2.00 per day or $10.00 per week; 40¢ per day or $2.00 per week for reduced.  Any extra milk the child buys will be 40¢  per 1/2 pint.  You may pre-pay daily, weekly, or monthly.

 

       Charging breakfasts/lunches is strongly discouraged.  Please make sure that your child has lunch money or brings a lunch from home each day.  Meals charged may not exceed one week.  You will be notified if your child accumulates lunch charges.

Lunches and milk are provided for all children who cannot afford to pay.  Parents of these children must return a free lunch application to the school.  Only one free lunch form per family is required this year.  Meals charged prior to application completion must be paid.

Parents are welcome to eat with their child for $3.50.  Please call in advance if you are coming to eat so the food service staff can prepare additional food.  The children love to have family members eat lunch with them!

 

BUS SAFETY RULES & REGULATIONS

 

            A copy of the bus rules will be sent home with all students since all students are transported by bus to most field trip destinations.  Parents and students (when appropriate) will sign after reviewing the rules together and return the form to the classroom teacher.

 

1. To ensure safety, the driver must be totally in charge.  Passengers must respond promptly to instructions given.

2. The use of tobacco, food or drink on the bus is prohibited.  Animals, oversized objects, and glass containers are not permitted.

3. Passengers must observe classroom conduct.  Ordinary conversation is permitted.  Horseplay, unruly behavior, abusive and obscene language or gestures are not permitted.

4. Keep aisles and step-well clear at all times.

5. Never extend any portion of your body out bus windows.

6. Do not attempt to get off or move about while the bus is in motion.  Always remain seated until bus stops.

7. If you cause damage to the bus, you or your parents must pay for that damage.

8. Regular schedules must be observed.  The bus cannot wait for tardy passengers.

9. Wait at the proper stop.  Never stand in the roadway.

10. If you cross the street to board, wait for the driver’s signal.  Cross well in front of the bus.

11. Observe driver’s instructions when you unload.  If you cross the street, wait for the driver’s signal.  Cross well in front of the bus.

12. Drivers will not unload passengers at places other than regular stops without proper authorization from the Director of Transportation.

13. Failure to follow these rules/regulations will result in suspension from transportation.

 

Bus Riding Policy:  Bus riders will be picked-up and delivered according to the am and pm directory on the attendance program.  (Parents designate morning and afternoon points when enrolling or must complete a request to change designated pick-up/delivery point when necessary or a change of address occurs.)  Requests to ride a different bus or go to a different stop for emergency or special occasions will be allowed only on buses not near capacity.  These requests will be taken on a first come basis.  Please do not request that your child ride the bus to a birthday party or sleep-over, etc.  This policy will provide for the safety, comfort, and occasional special needs of our students.


 

TELEPHONE

 

1. Office personnel may not call teachers or students from the classroom during the school day.  The secretary will be happy to take a written message.

2. Students must have a phone pass signed by the teacher in order to use the phone in the office at any time.

3. Ingleside’s telephone number is:     745-3671

4.       Children may not bring or use cell phones at any time.

 PHYSICAL EDUCATION

 All children must take physical education.  The exception is listed below:

 The Physical Education Program shall be modified for pupils who have physical disabilities, provided it is recommended in a written statement by the physician.  The statement of the physician shall show the type of disability, the probable duration of the disability, and a recommended activity program.  (Requirement ‘f’ Rules, Regulations and Minimum Standards - Tennessee State Department of Education).

 If, for any reason, a child must limit his/her physical activities, ask the Physical Education teacher for a form which your doctor may sign.

 

MEDICAL SERVICES

 

        The school system’s nurse is in our building on Mondays and is always on call in emergencies.  If your child becomes sick at school, we will make every attempt to contact you.  In case of serious injury we will give first aid and notify you.  If we cannot get in touch with you, we will take the child to the hospital.  Unless it is a life-threatening situation, no medical treatment will be started until we have your permission.  If both parents work and will be out of town, please leave the teacher the name of someone who will assume temporary emergency care of your child.

 THE SCHOOL DOES NOT CARRY INSURANCE ON THE CHILDREN NOR DOES IT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. 

We request that parents of children with a chronic and potentially infectious disease notify us about this condition to allow us to more safely accommodate the child.  Such information will be held in strict confidence.  (Board Policy JGCC)

Required medicines should be given to the teacher in the prescription bottles.  Forms for recording written instructions for medicine are on file in the office and must be signed by the parent.  Children should not self-administer or possess medications at school except as given by the teacher or school nurse.

 

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE

 

Ingleside school has an Alert Monitor located in the office which is kept on at all times.  This system will provide advance warning for tornadoes, ice, snow, flooding, or any other weather that might effect the welfare of your child.  In cooperation with Civil Defense, we are using the following Emergency Procedures.

1. The radio stations will be notified that school is operating on Emergency Procedures.

2. School will operate on a regular schedule until 3:20.  We will care for students until they are picked up or can be safely dismissed.

3. You may pick up your child before this time by going to the school office, but please consider that during severe weather, the children are safer in the school building than traveling on the roads.

4. If you are unsure if the school will be in operation, please listen to one of the local radio stations (1390 am, 1450 am or 101.7 FM)

5. You will be notified by school cast if any emergency occurs or if school is dismissed.  Therefore, it is very important to provide current and accurate phone numbers where you can be reached.