Updated: 7/18/08
Bellefonte Area School District
2008-2009
Bellefonte Elementary School
The Future Starts Here
Benner Elementary School
A Community of Learners
Marion-Walker Elementary School
Today’s Children, Tomorrow’s Leaders
Pleasant Gap Elementary School
Where Children are First
BELLEFONTE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
BELIEFS
Beliefs, what we believe, what we think is important, what we honor and therefore how we do things.
About Students and Learning, the Bellefonte Area School District believes that:
· All students can achieve, given appropriate and supportive environments.
· Learners need to feel safe, secure, and included.
· Students bring diverse backgrounds requiring differentiated approaches to teaching and learning.
· Student growth and achievement takes place not only in the academic arena but also in social, physical, and emotional contexts.
About Teachers and Teaching, the Bellefonte Area School District believes that:
· Classroom instruction must be engaging, challenging, purposeful, and relevant.
· Effective educators employ best practices and nurture a culture conducive to student learning and continuous professional growth.
· Student assessment data should drive instructional decisions.
About Learning Communities, the Bellefonte Area School District believes that:
· Everyone has worth and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
· A positive learning environment is necessary for learning to occur.
· Education is enhanced when there is collaboration, open communication, and shared responsibility among stakeholders; students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, school board, and community members.
OUR MISSION
Inspiring Today’s Learner’s for Tomorrow’s Challenges
MESSAGE TO PARENTS
Dear Parents:
Welcome to the Bellefonte Area School District. Watching the children learn and grow is so exciting and rewarding, and we are always excited to have new children join our family.
In this handbook, we have recorded some of the policies and practices that comprise the basic framework of our schools. Please become familiar with it by reading it and sharing the information with your children. Please file the booklet for future reference. It applies to all of our elementary schools. When in doubt about school guidelines, use the handbook as a basic reference. In a situation where provisions of the handbook contradict school board policy, the policy shall prevail. The information contained on the next pages will be relevant for each year your child is a student at any elementary school in the Bellefonte Area School District.
Although we have tried to cover as much as possible in the handbook it is not possible to anticipate every question. When you have questions, please be assured that we are available to help, that our doors are always open. And, as always, we need to work cooperatively to form a true school-community team to provide the best education possible for our children.
Thank you.
Elementary Principals:
Elaine Cutler, Bellefonte Elementary
Connie Puckett, Benner Elementary
Sharlene Yontosh, Marion-Walker Elementary
Tammie Burnaford, Pleasant Gap Elementary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic Page
Cell Phones………………………………………………………………………………… 20
Discipline Matrix................................................................................................................. 14-15
Discipline Referral.................................................................................................................... 16
Electronic Equipment Policy……………………………………………………………….. 19
Student Wellness Policy………………………………………………………………………7
For Updated School Information throughout the year visit:
PART 1: OUR SCHOOL
BELLEFONTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindergarten thru Grade 5 8:15 am – 2:40 pm
BENNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MARION-WALKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PLEASANT GAP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindergarten thru Grade 5 8:20 am – 2:45 pm
BELLEFONTE SCHOOLS PHONE LISTING
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 355-4814
BENNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 355-2812
(FAX) 353-5339
BELLEFONTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 355-5519
(FAX) 353-5338
MARION-WALKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 357-2425
(FAX) 357-2426
PLEASANT GAP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 359-2739
(FAX) 359-4552
BELLEFONTE MIDDLE SCHOOL 355-5466
(FAX) 353-5316
BELLEFONTE HIGH SCHOOL 355-4833
(FAX) 353-5320
Specific School information can be found at www.basd.net~
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. . .AS WE WORK COOPERATIVELY. . .
Effective interaction between the school and home will help promote successful experiences for your child. As your child begins and continues his/her academic life, your active involvement and participation will be beneficial to your child’s self-esteem and achievements.
Below are listed some ideas for effective parental involvement and communication:
1. Visiting the school and volunteering in your child’s room or other places
2. Supporting your school’s PTA/PTO
3. Providing a quiet place of study for your child at home
4. Helping your child to increase responsibility toward completing assignments
5. Reading books to your child on a frequent basis
6. Giving attention to reports from school
7. Taking an interest in and discussing your child’s work with him/her
8. Seeing that your child gets enough sleep
9. Reporting to the school any problems your child is encountering
10. Promoting regular attendance
11. Encouraging habits of good health, promptness, obedience, courtesy, and respect for property and others
There are a variety of reasons for communicating with the school. Please never hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, the Guidance Counselor, or the Principal.
1. People often have different perceptions of the same situations. It is wise to verify information before drawing conclusions. “Check it out” is always good advice.
2. Teachers and parents are working together for the same result – happy, healthy, educated children.
3. Small issues can grow into large ones when left unresolved. It helps the partnership we have with you if you ask questions and seek information.
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In the best interest and safety of the children, visitors to the school are required to report to the building office. Children will only be released to persons other than the parents/guardians with written permission from the parent(s) or guardian(s).
Classes are not to be interrupted by a parent or visitor during school hours. One of our goals is to teach and foster student responsibility. Please encourage your child to prepare for the next school day by gathering together their lunch money, clothing, homework and assignment books the night before. If it is necessary to have a message, lunch money, and/or clothing delivered to a child while school is in session, the office secretary will gladly take care of it, providing it is labeled. Children will not be allowed to call home unless an adult deems the situation to be an emergency.
If you would like to visit your child’s classroom to observe, please contact the Principal for information regarding the district’s policies and procedures. Parents are welcome and encouraged to arrange these visits.
VOLUNTEERS
The Bellefonte Area School District’s Elementary schools welcome and encourage parental and community volunteers in our buildings. Each building has its own needs and we ask you to call the school and get specific information. People who volunteer on a regular basis must have an Act 34 Clearance, TB test and a DPW Clearance on file prior to having contact with students. The necessary paperwork will be provided to you. We encourage everyone to volunteer at your neighborhood school.
All Elementary schools have parent/teacher organizations (PTAs or PTOs) which work to provide enriched activities for the students. All of these work cooperatively with the staff of the building and are an integral part of the home/school partnership. Please become involved in your child’s school.
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Unannounced fire drills are held each month as mandated by state law. Severe weather drills are also practiced periodically. These are designed to instruct students and staff in procedures that are orderly, quick, and safe. No running or talking is permitted. This insures that everyone will be able to hear and follow any directions that are announced for the safety of students and staff.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING, DELAYS, & EARLY DISMISSALS
In case of emergency due to weather conditions or physical problems in the school plant, it may be necessary to close schools for a short period of time. In either case, the public will be notified at the earliest possible moment by way of the following media sources: WFGY, WMAJ, WBLF, WRSC, WZWW radio stations and Channel 4 on Adelphia cable TV.
Occasionally the opening of school will be delayed to allow the road conditions to improve enough to safely transport students. A one-hour delay means that your student will be picked up at his/her bus stop one hour later than normally. Two-hour delays mean your child should be at the bus stop two hours later.
Every precaution will be taken to see that the students are returned safely to their homes if the emergency occurs while school is in session. If bad weather is anticipated, please listen to your radio for possible school cancellations. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL.
PARENT MESSAGES TO CHILDREN DURING SCHOOL
Many phone messages are received from parents for their children during school hours. This creates some confusion and classroom disruption when messages are delivered during the instructional day. To avoid this, parents are encouraged to send notes to their child’s teacher. PARENTS ARE ASKED TO CALL THE SCHOOL ONLY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
The school district does not carry insurance on any of its students. Early in the year, information is sent home to parents, via the students, concerning low cost insurance that may be obtained through a group policy. There is no obligation for the parents to participate. It is simply an offer of assistance.
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PART 2: SERVICES
COUNSELING SERVICES
Guidance counselors are available upon request by a student, teacher, principal, or parent to discuss issues important to student adjustment and achievement. Classroom or small group activities are offered concerning friendships, changing families, study skills, and self-concept. Children practice life skills such as processing feelings, making decisions, and listening and communicating effectively.
CHILD STUDY TEAMS
When a student experiences some difficulty (academic, behavioral, social, truancy, etc.), a meeting is scheduled with parents, teachers, counselors, principal, and specialists to review the situation. The purpose of these meetings is to develop recommendations that will address the difficulties and design intervention strategies which are a cooperative effort between the school and home. The goal is to help every student succeed in school.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Children having academic or adjustment problems can be referred to the psychologist by the Child Study Team. The psychologist provides psycho-educational evaluations and consultations to help determine student needs and intervention strategies. Special education services for pupils with social, learning, or emotional problems are partly determined by psychological evaluation and review.
Each elementary building is provided basic nursing services. The schedule of the school nurse and/or health room assistant is posted in the classroom and health office. Although a nurse is not in the building daily, emergency coverage is provided to every building as needed by a certified school nurse.
The following state mandated programs are provided in the elementary grades each year:
Height, weight, vision All grades
Hearing tests Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2, & 3
Dental examinations Kindergarten & Grade 3
Medical examinations Kindergarten
Body Mass Index All grades
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The following regulations regarding the taking of daily medication in school come from Board Policy 210:
The dispensing or administration of prescribed medication to a student during school hours in accordance with the direction of a parent or family physician will be permitted only when:
· failure to take such medicine would jeopardize the health of a student
· the student would not be able to attend school if the medicine were not made available during school hours
“Medication” includes all medicine prescribed by a physician, any patent drug, aspirin, or cough medications as well as ANY over-the-counter medication.
The school nurse or principal must receive a completed consent-release form (available at each school) signed by the parent and the physician (a physician’s prescription including all the required information listed in the next paragraph can be substituted for his/her signature on the form). The consent will be valid for the current school year.
The medication in a container labeled by a physician or a pharmacist must include:
1. Student’s name
2. Name of physician
3. Date of prescription
4. Name and telephone number of pharmacy
5. Name of medication, dosage, route, and frequency of administration
The school nurse or principal will store the medication in a locked container in a secure area. Medications requiring refrigeration will be stored in the refrigerator in the health room.
Medication shall be administered according to written parental permission by the school nurse or the designee of the principal (a non-medical staff member).
All prescription medications brought to the school shall be picked up by the parent at the end of the school year or the end of the period of medication administration, whichever is earlier. All medication not picked up by the last day of the school year will be destroyed.
A medication log or written record will be maintained indicating the name of the student, the name and dosage of medication dispensed, the date and time of day, the duration of the order, and the name (initials) of the person administering the medication.
Bellefonte Area School District recognizes that student wellness and proper nutrition are related to students’ physical well-being, growth, development, and readiness to learn. The Board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes student wellness, proper nutrition, nutrition education, and regular physical activity as part of the total learning experience. In a healthy school environment, students will learn about and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices that can improve student achievement.
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PART 3: ACADEMIC
INFORMATION
Bellefonte Area School District advocates the concept of homework to provide an additional positive learning opportunity that enhances home/school communication. The Board of Education has established a homework policy (#130) available in the school offices for your review.
Objectives for homework include:
1. To improve skills in subject areas.
2. To review content material.
3. To prepare for acquisition of new material.
4. To teach good study habits.
5. To develop organizational skills.
6. To teach time management.
7. To develop research skills.
8. To stimulate initiative, self-direction, and self-discipline.
9. To create a desire for self-improvement.
10. To reinforce learning.
11. To encourage critical thinking skills.
The following guidelines address some of the areas in the homework policy:
Guidelines for students include:
1. To be aware of the homework of the Bellefonte Area School District.
2. To complete all assignments in the allotted time frame.
3. To make up all missed assignments.
4. To be sure the assignment is understood before leaving school.
5. To maintain good study habits.
6. To budget time for short-term as well as long-term assignments.
7. To communicate with parents and teachers concerning problems with assignments.
8. To efficiently use time spent doing homework.
Omit It is understood that these guidelines may not apply to upper level/AP courses in the high
school. Where exceptions occur, parents shall be notified when course selections are made.
Guidelines for parents include:
1. To be familiar with the homework policy of the Bellefonte Area School District.
2. To provide an area conducive to study.
3. To help motivate and/or assist the student to fulfill homework responsibilities without doing it
for them.
4. To establish regular study time.
5. To help develop a suitable study schedule.
6. To communicate with teachers concerning problems with or questions about homework.
7. To cooperate with the teacher in reinforcing the value of homework.
8. To help your child set a limit to extracurricular activities when the activities interfere with
homework and study time.
TEXTBOOK / LIBRARY BOOK POLICY
All textbooks and library books provided by the district for the student’s use are considered to be on loan to the student. Normal wear is expected. However, if a student loses, defaces, or destroys such materials, the parents will be responsible for the replacement of the same.
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INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM
When a child enters fourth grade, he or she will be offered the opportunity to take instrumental music lessons. A variety of instrumental choices will be available. Students will be given lessons in school once a week. However, daily practice at home is encouraged.
Parents may rent or buy instruments from local retail stores. More information will be available to the students each fall. In the elementary schools, lessons are offered in both fourth and fifth grades.
Additionally, if a child participates in lessons throughout the school year, he or she is eligible to play in our annual elementary band/orchestra concert(s).
All third grade students are introduced to instrumental music using a recorder during their regular music classes.
STUDENT RECORDS
Records are maintained on each student as an aid to the educational process. Parents may review records by contacting the guidance counselor at your child’s school. Release of records or information to outside agencies will not occur without written permission from the parent.
When parents are divorced, both adults have access to medical, dental, and school records of their children, the residence address of those children and of the other parent, and any other information that the court deems necessary, unless there is a written court order denying such access.
REPORTING PUPIL PROGRESS
Formal report cards are issued to parents four times per year at the end of each nine week grading period. Reports of good progress or poor progress are sent to parents anytime during the year when a teacher feels that the parent should be informed. Informal notes and phone calls are often used between teacher and parent to keep abreast of the student’s efforts or problems. Parents may contact the school by e-mail. E-mail addresses are available at www.basd.net.
A formal parent-teacher conference is held at the end of the first nine weeks for each student’s parent(s). The school considers this conference important for the parent to attend. Parents may request a conference at any time by contacting the school.
When a student is going to be absent from school over an extended period of time due to accident or illness, homebound instruction may be requested. A doctor’s statement indicating the length of time the student will be incapacitated is required. For such a request to be considered, the period of absence would need to be longer than two weeks and must be reviewed every month by the physician. Applications for homebound instruction can be secured through the school counselor.
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Regular attendance during the days and hours that school is in session is required by the Pennsylvania School Code for all students enrolled in school. If a student is absent from school a written explanation must be submitted upon their return. Absences shall be treated as unlawful until the district receives a written excuse explaining the absence, to be submitted within three (3) days of the absence. A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification may be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond ten (10) cumulative days shall require an excuse from a licensed physician. Parents may also send the excuse through the mail, e-mail or by fax directly to the school. Questions regarding attendance or tardy issues may be referred to Mr. Kristopher Vancas, Compliance Officer of the Bellefonte Area School District (814-355-5519).
Children missing more than 20 days of school will be considered an “at-risk” student for the following school year and will be referred to the Child Study Team. (pg. 6) Their attendance will be monitored very closely, and other agencies may become involved. Doctors’ excuses may be required after 10 absences for these students.
1. Parents must report a child’s absence to the school by phone before or during the first hour of the school day and then submit a written explanation for the legal absence upon their child’s return to school.
2. For every unreported absence, the parents will be contacted at home or at work by the Attendance Officer or designee.
3. After 5 days of absence (depending on nature of absence), a letter will be sent to the home. The school nurse may also contact the home.
4. A home visit will be made by the Attendance Officer and/or the school nurse when a pattern of excessive absences has been determined.
5. After 10 days of absence, a doctor’s excuse shall be required for further absences to be considered legal. Student may be referred to the school’s Child Study Team.
Students are only legally excused from school for the reasons listed in the table below. This includes early dismissals.
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Excused Absences |
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1. Death in the immediate family. 2. Quarantine. 3. Illness (and/or medical appointments.-OMIT) 4. Recovery from an accident. 5. Required court attendance or legal appointments or to meet with social services agency personnel. (OMIT) 6. Impassable roads and/or natural disasters. 7. Family emergencies 8. Other reasonable causes as permitted by Board Policy.
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The Board will recognize other justifiable absences for part of the school day. These shall include medical or dental appointments that cannot be scheduled outside the school day, court appearances, family emergencies, and other urgent reasons.
Examples of unexcused absences are listed in the table below. This list is not all-inclusive and does not preclude the classification of other absences as illegal or unexcused. After each of the three (3) unxcused days a first, second and third offense letter will be sent to the parent/guardian. Upon the third unlawful absence, a Truancy Elimination Plan will be developed cooperatively with all involved stakeholders through a school family conference.
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Illegal and Unexcused Absences |
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Attendance at non-sponsored sporting events Absence for PERSONAL reasons / needed at home Babysitting Overslept / Car would not start Gainful employment Hunting and Fishing Missing the school bus or personal transportation Shopping Trips not approved in advance
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Parents are expected to ensure that their children arrive to school and class on time. Classes start at 8:15 am at Bellefonte Elementary and 8:20 am at Benner, Marion-Walker and Pleasant Gap Elementary Schools. Students arriving to class after these times are considered tardy.
1. In the event that 5 unexcused tardies occur, the principal will contact the parent/guardian encouraging punctuality.