GRANT-DEUEL SCHOOL DISTRICT #25-3

Revillo, South Dakota

ELEMENTARY HANDBOOK

FOR

STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS

2009-10

SCHOOL TERM

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this handbook is that of providing the staff and the students of the Grant-Deuel Elementary School with the expectations as well as the rules and regulations associated with attendance here. We welcome each and every student and wish to have them enjoy their efforts while striving to be successful. A part of this enjoyment is the quite assurance of knowing which choices are the best in most circumstances.

This handbook, then is written with students and parents in mind and it is hoped that it be reviewed together from time to time. It will also be discussed in the classroom setting.

Since this is an elementary handbook, it seems appropriate to continue with the “alphabet format”. Therefore, if it is an “A” item, you will probably find it in Section A, and so forth. Of course, there is always some room for interpretation and choice, but that is how life is too.

We believe the original handbook was written in 1984, then revised in 1987 and possibly updated a bit in 1989. All new policies adopted by the School Board since 1990 and that apply specifically to the elementary school are included in this revision.

As it has been some time since this booklet has been revised, it is with a sense of history that those who have been involved with this revision be so identified. They are:

Linda Wagner, Preschool Julie Knock, Title I

Joyce Meyer, Preschool

Julie Knock, Kindergarten Lortha Webber, Vocal Music

MaryLee Plut, First Grade Jennifer Tobin, Second Grade

Cindy Krakow, Third Grade Dave Wagner, Guidance

Shirley Rubish, Fourth Grade Julie Kruse, Center Base

Janelle Wollschlager, Fifth Grade

Joyce Meyer, Sixth Grade

ATTENDANCE: Elementary attendance is taken at the beginning of the school day and is monitored by the teacher throughout the day. Students arriving between 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. will be counted one half day absent. Students leaving between 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. will also be counted one half day absent. Students leaving school between 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. will be counted absent all day. However, if a student is in school a minimum of 300 minutes, they can only be counted absent for one half a day. Students leaving after 3:00 p.m. will not be counted absent. Students who are tardy three (3) times in any semester of the school year or who have any absences will not be eligible for a perfect attendance award.

Parents are expected to notify the school office and the student’s teacher when students arrive or school during the day.

After a student has been absent from school for any reason, a WRITTEN EXCUSE from the parent or guardian must accompany the student and be given to the teacher. Excused absences will be granted for illness of the pupil, death in the family, bad weather or impossible roads, medical or dental appointments or other urgent business. An excused absence may be granted when the child is working if the parent believes it to be essential.

Attendance at the South Dakota State Fair by SD students and at the Lac Qui Parle County Fair in Minnesota by MN students is also excused.

An UNEXCUSED ABSENCE is one for reasons that are not recognized as legitimate, such as: play, truancy, babysitting or parental neglect. Such absences may be with or without the knowledge of the parent or guardian.

If you know ahead of time that your child will be absent, please send a note to the teacher. In this matter absences can be excused and makeup work arranged.

ANNOUNCEMENTS TO BE MADE TO STUDENTS: Announcements to elementary students are published in the daily bulletin. These should be in the office before 9:00 a.m. in order to be printed that day.

BUS SAFETY: Please encourage your children to keep rules in mind in order that our buses may always be a safe means of transportation.

1. Students should enter the bus quietly and in an orderly manner, find their seats and

clear the aisles as soon as possible.

2. Students may talk quietly with one another.

3. All trash and waste material must be put in the waste pail.

4. All students must be seated and quiet when the bus is in motion.

5. Students must be on time at all designated bus stops.

6. Students must follow the directions of the bus driver when entering or leaving the bus

and make all road crossings in view of the driver.

7. The driver is always in full charge of the students and the bus. The driver may assign

seats if it is necessary to do so. Safety on the bus requires the cooperation of all

students and any problems will be reported. It is a privilege to ride the bus and

students can and will be removed for inappropriate behavior.

8. Please call the school office if you are not going to ride.

CLASSROOM COLLECTION OF MONEY: From time to time students will be asked to bring money to school for a variety of reasons. The School Board asks that the instructor responsible for the collection of students’ money for any purpose transfer these funds to the business manager immediately.

DRESS: Students should be dressed according to the weather conditions on any given day. Boots and warm clothing are often essential, booth for out of doors play and in case of a bus emergency.

FIELD TRIPS: Trips may be planned from time to time as an outgrowth or extension of the classroom work. Parents will be notified by the instructor when such a field trip is planned and a signed permission slip must be returned for the student to participate. All field trips will be approved in advance by the elementary principal.

GUN-FREE SCHOOL ACT OF 1994: The school board has compiled with a federal requirement, as well as a state law, to have a policy in place related to firearms. This basically says that if a student intentionally brings a firearm to an elementary school, they are to be expelled for no less than twelve (12) months. The superintendent can, on a case-by-case basis, increase or decrease the length of time on a firearm-related expulsion.

GRADING SYSTEM: We have a variety of grading systems in our elementary school and, while we have made attempts to standardize and unify, we also feel different programs simply require somewhat different approaches.

The Center Base program uses: Pass or Fail

The Preschool program uses S-Satisfactory

E-Emerging

U-Unable to do

R-Refuses to try

Kindergarten through grade two uses E-Excellent

S+-Levels

S of

S- Satisfactory

I- Improvement need

Grades three through six use: A+ 100%

A 96-99%

A- 92-95%

B+ 88-91%

B 85-87%

B- 82-84%

C+ 78-81%

C 75-77%

C- 72-74%

D+ 69-71%

D 67-68%

D- 65-66%

F Below 65%

We also provide mid-quarter progress reports in grades three through six. We currently offer two (2) parent-teacher conferences a school year.

HEALTH SERVICES: At this time Revillo Clinic provides school health services to all of the students in this school district. These are the basic services provided:

Health Screenings will be conducted during the school year and include:

Vision: Grades 1-3-5-8 (and as referred or requested)

Hearing: Grades 2-4-6 ( and as referred or requested)

Scoliosis: Grades 6-8 ( and as indicated on past screenings)

Health Assessments: Grades 5-9 (to include: vision, hearing, blood pressure, heart rate, and a general assessment of ears, nose and throat)

Head Lice: As indicated or requested

Immunizations are required by South Dakota State Law and include:

TB Skin Test: All students in Kindergarten through grade 12 must have a documented TB (Mantoux) Skin test. Preschool students are to be age-appropriately immunized, including the TB Skin test.

DPT: Kindergarten students must have at least four (4) DPT’s with one (1) being after age 4, and at least three (3) Polio doses, with one (1) being after age 4.

MMR: All students in Kindergarten through grade 12 must receive or have a received a second MMR immunization. This is a newly mandated state law and it will be enforced.

Students can be excluded from school if immunizations do not meet the requirements of state law.

Parents can make arrangements with the Revillo Clinic before school starts for immunizations. All vaccine dates are to be given to the school for recording by the school nurse and transmitting to the South Dakota State Department of Health.

Homework

The type of work and amount of homework will vary according to the grade level, the abilities and the needs of the child. Your support and encouragement will greatly enhance the progress of the student’s education. You can help by giving your child a quiet, well-lit place in which to study.

Illness

In general, the child should not be in school if the illness is such that greater comfort would be experienced at home.

Parents need to make sure that their phone number and the phone number of a friend, neighbor, or relative are on file at the school office so that school officials may reach someone in case of an emergency or illness. In keeping with the times, a file of local e-mail addresses will also be kept.

Internet Acceptable Use:

Internet access is now available to all students and teachers withing the Grant –Deuel School District. We are please to have this access and believe the Internet offers vast, diverse and unique resources to both students and teachers. Our goal in providing this service is to promote educational excellence through access to resources and communication.

The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of that privilege. Each student who receives access will participate in a discussion with a teacher regarding the proper use o fthe network.

The Network Administrator and teachers will decide what is inappropriate and their decision is final. The district may deny, revoke or suspend specific user access. All students and their parents will be asked to sign an Internet User Application.

Instructional Materials

Children attending the Grant-Deuel Elementary School are furnished with all necessary textbooks and workbooks. Personal items are purchased by the individual child. On the first day of school each student should have all of the needed materials, as identified in either the preschool packet or the lists provided in the spring by the classroom teachers.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten classes are in session Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays of each week. Kindergarten parents will receive information in the preschool packet and the newsletters.

Lost and found:

Each year many articles of personal belongings are turned into Lost and Found and never claimed. We encourage that you mark your child’s coats, mittens, boots, caps, etc. if at all possible. Your children are responsible for their own money, watches, ant other personal articles.

Apparel is hung in the rack near the south entrance to the building.

LOST MONEY:

Money found and turned into the principal’s office will be held for 48 hours, and returned to finder if not claimed within that time.

LUNCH PROGRAM:

The school operates a lunch program during the school year whereby nutritionally balanced lunches are provided at the current rate of payment per meal. Information for free or reduced price lunches has been mailed to each family. If you have any further questions please contact the business office.

MAKE-UP WORK: As a definition, such is any assignment that doesn’t get completed on time. Long-term absences in grades K-6 are handled on an individual basis.

Otherwise, our procedures are:

K-2: All cases are handled individually

3-6: If absent, the student has two (2) days to make-up work for every day missed. If assignment is simply not completed, the general approach is to accept the work the very next day or a zero is given for that specific assignment. Each instructor has discretion here dependent upon circumstances.

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION POLICY: Students will not be permitted to take medication while at school unless such medicine is given to them by a delegated school a personnel who has completed an Approved Medication Administration Training program and is acting under specific written request of the parent of guardian and under the instructions of the students’ physician.

When a parent or guardian makes such a request, a full release from the responsibilities pertaining to the administration and consequences of such medications must also be presented to the school by the student’s parent or guardian.

The above policy covers all prescription and other drugs, except that acetaminophen (ex. Tylenol) may be given at the discretion of delegated school personnel upon authorization of the parent or guardian.

MILK PROGRAM: Milk is severed at the morning and /or afternoon milk break to those who desire and have paid at the current rate.

MEDICAL AND DENTAL APPOINTMENTS: Please try to arrange such appointments outside of school time when possible. When you will pick your child up during the day for such appointments, kindly let the teacher know at the beginning of the day so that plans may be made accordingly.

PARTIES IN THE CLASSROOM: During a part of the afternoon at Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine time, parties are usually held. The teacher will make arrangements with the students regarding refreshments and activities.

By signing this form you are verifying that you are aware of the contents of this handbook and you agree to do what you can to see that your student abides by the attached guidelines and regulations.

We assume that each student will become aware of what is expected as a result of reading this book. Parents, please read and explain this handbook to your student.

Signature of Student_______________________Date: ____________

Signature of Parent________________________Date: _____________