ATTENDANCE/TARDINESS/EARLY
DISMISSALS
Regular attendance in school creates success. In order for students to benefit from
instruction, they should attend class regularly and be on time.
The required hours for
students are from 8:00-3:00. If
you bring your child to school, we ask that you have him or her here no later
than 7:55. If you would like to
speak with a teacher, please do so after 3:00. In order for a student to be
counted present at school for an entire day, he/she must be present for 3 hours
and 31 minutes.
REPORTING ABSENCES
Parents should call the
school office and report absences at 586-6560 for the Primary Building and
585-3861 for the Intermediate Building between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. on the
morning of the absence. Notes
excusing a studentÕs absence should be submitted to the childÕs teacher the day
of the studentÕs return to school.
Notes should include the reason the student was absent and the date of
the absence.
MORNING ARRIVAL
According to Hamblen County
School Board Policy, students shall not be permitted into the school before the
arrival of the first bus. Doors
will open at 7:10 a.m. A teacher will be on duty at this time to supervise the
children. STUDENTS SHOULD BE DROPPED OFF IN THE FRONT OF EACH BUILDING. Students should report to the
gymnasium. STUDENTS ARE NOT
ALLOWED IN THE HALLWAYS AND CLASSROOMS UNTIL 7:55. Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria each morning from
7:30-7:55 a.m. If your child will
be eating breakfast, please have him/her at the school during this time to eat
in order to be in the classroom ready for instruction at 8:00 a.m.
TARDIES
Hamblen County School Board
Policy states those students arriving after the 8:00 a.m. starting time will be
considered tardy. Tardiness
disrupts the learning process and interferes with the opportunity for the
students to learn. If a student is
late to school, the person bringing the student must sign him in at the
office.
DISMISSAL DURING THE DAY
Students leaving school
before the 3:00 p.m. dismissal time must be signed out in the office by the
parent/guardian or the parent/guardianÕs designee. Parents are urged to schedule dental and doctor appointments
after school hours. We understand
this is sometimes impossible, but we appreciate your cooperation.
ATTENDANCE/TARDINESS/EARLY DISMISSAL CONT.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
Schools may operate on a
snow schedule due to inclement weather during the year. This means the buses will run one hour later,
and the school will open one hour later.
These same weather conditions may necessitate early dismissal from
school. School closing, delayed
starting time, or early dismissal due to the weather will be announced over
local radio stations. Radio stations
WCRK (1150AM), WMTN (1300AM), WMXK (95.9FM), and WJDT (106.5FM) will carry the
announcement of ÒNO SCHOOLÓ or delayed openings. Please do not call the school, as telephone lines must be
kept open for emergencies and regular school business. PLEASE PARENTS DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILD
IN ADVANCE WHAT HE/SHE WILL DO WHEN SCHOOL DISMISSES EARLY BECAUSE OF THE
WEATHER.
STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL
Students will not be
released from school unless the principal or asst. principal has given
approval. Students given
permission to leave may do so only when accompanied by parents or legal
guardians or have written permission from the parents for release. THIS P0LICY IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR
STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL IN A DIFFERENT MANNER THAN NORMAL. THEY MUST HAVE A WRITTEN NOTE FROM THE
PARENT/GUARDIAN IF HE/SHE WILL BE LEAVING SCHOOL WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR RIDING
HOME IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AFTERNOON DISMISSAL
PROCEDURES
2:53 p.m. –Early bus
riders are dismissed.
3:00 p.m.—Car riders
and walkers are dismissed to the front of the building. Car riders will be escorted to their
cars and should not proceed to a vehicle unless accompanied by a staff
member. Again, anytime a student is
to go home in a manner different from his/her normal procedure; the student
must have a note signed by the parent/guardian and by the principal.
3:10 p.m.—Remaining
bus riders report to the gymnasium to be supervised by teachers.
3:30 p.m.—All car
riders must be picked up by this time.
If this is not possible, you should enroll your child in the Extended
School Program provided by the school system. Teachers will not be responsible for students after this
time because the last bus leaves in the afternoon at approximately 3:35.
3:35 p.m.—Last bus
leaves and the school closes for the day
ITEMS OF INFORMATION
REPORT CARDS/CONFERENCES
Report cards are issued
every six weeks. Report cards
should be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to school as soon as
possible. Parent conferences are
held in October and March. Please
plan to attend, and we also encourage you to stay in contact with your childÕs
teacher throughout the school year.
If you would like to meet with the teacher at another time, conferences
can be arranged during teacherÕs planning time or after school.
PARENT ORGANIZATIONS
Russellville Elementary has
a very active PTO, which meets three times during the school year. Parental involvement is encouraged at
Russellville. We have parent volunteers
and drives for BOX TOPS, soup labels, Ingles and Food City receipts. Russellville recognizes that it takes a
team effort between the parents and teachers to educate children.
HOME/SCHOOL
COMMUNICATION
Clear and accurate
communication is important to you and your family. A monthly newsletter, THE HORNET BUZZ, and a menu will be
sent home with the students. Also,
teachers usually send their own newsletters with important information. Please ask your child if he/she has
received any items you should be made aware of.
TEXTBOOK
AGREEMENT/LIBRARY BOOKS
Textbooks issued to
students are the property of the Hamblen County Board of Education. Library books borrowed by students are
the property of Russellville Elementary School. Both should be used with care and returned in good
condition. Students are
responsible for books, which are lost, stolen, or damaged. Students must have a form signed by the
parents/guardian on file with the childÕs teacher for free use of these
books.
HOMEWORK
Teachers may assign work to
be completed at home. This
homework will be in the nature of individual prescriptions designed to meet
individual interests or needs.
SAFETY PROCEDURES
Russellville Elementary
School has a Crisis Management Plan in place to be activated in the event of an
emergency or crisis. An Emergency
Notification System is in effect to alert staff and students of situations
requiring evacuation (fire, disaster, explosion, bomb threat, or safety drill),
as well as situations requiring a ÒlockdownÓ or the need to Òshelter in place.Ó Students and staff conduct drills
throughout the school year as a safety precaution.
ITEMS OF INFORMATION CONT.
EMERGENCY
INFORMATION/SICKNESS OF CHILD
Parents, please notify the
school of address and telephone numbers AND ALTERNATIVE NUMBERS that can be
used in emergency situations.
CONTACTING PARENTS IS ESSENTIAL!
If your child becomes sick at school or has an accident and it is
necessary for him/her to go home, school personnel will contact the parents to
pick up the child from school. This
is why it is very important the school has accurate telephone numbers.
TELEPHONE USAGE
Please encourage your child
not to make a daily habit of using the telephone at school. Please remember that the school phone
is for emergencies and business.
We will be glad to relay any messages to your child. Also, please try to have transportation
arrangements made before arrival to school. However, we do realize
circumstances arise that can change these plans.
BUILDING/GROUNDS/PROPERTY
DAMAGE
A school building is not a
school until it is occupied by students.
It takes on a character and meaning and expresses itself to the student
body and visitors in relation to the respect it is given by the students in its
appearance and daily care. Russellville
Elementary desires that its buildings and grounds express a positive message to
everyone. Therefore, students who
disfigure or deface property, or do other damage to school or personal property
or equipment, will be required to pay for the damage or replace the item at the
present value of the item. This
includes after school hours.
VISITORS
We invite parents and
visitors to Russellville within the context of the following guidelines.
*Parents or visitors
needing to conduct school business are requested to use one of the
parking spaces provided in our parking lot. Please do not park in the bus lanes.
*All visitors must enter
and exit through the front doors of the building.
*All visitors must report
directly to the office upon entering the building.
*Visitors must sign-in at
the office, receive a visitorÕs pass to wear to identify themselves
to faculty, and sign-out at the office when leaving the
building.
*Appointments should be
made to see a teacher or to visit a classroom.
ITEMS OF INFORMATION CONT.
PAYMENTS BY CHECK FOR
SUPPLY FEES, FIELD TRIPS, PICTURES, ETC.
All parents paying supply
fees, pictures, field trips, athletic items, etc. by check should make the
check payable to Russellville Elementary unless otherwise indicated. PLEASE SEND SEPARATE CHECKS FOR EACH
CHILD FOR EACH FEE. For field
trips, money and permission slips must be turned in by the deadline on the
permission slip. If you pay
for lunches by check, please make these checks payable to Russellville
Cafeteria.
CAFETERIA
Breakfast and lunch are
served in the cafeteria at a small cost.
A price list is available on a later page of this handbook. Students may pre-pay for their meals by
the week or month. Checks should
be made to Russellville Cafeteria and given to the cafeteria manager or cashier
any day before 8:00 a.m.
Applications for free/reduced breakfast and lunch are available in the
school office and must be resubmitted each year. Also, each child in a family must have an application on
file. Breakfast is served daily
from 7:30-7:55. Please have your
child by 7:50 if he/she plans to each breakfast. Lunch periods are 30 minutes each day and are scheduled by
the principal.
ATHLETICS
Russellville Elementary
offers a boyÕs and a girlÕs basketball team. Cheerleading is also offered. The teams compete with other Hamblen County Schools. Only those students in the fourth or
fifth grades are eligible to tryout for the teams and cheerleading squad. Practices and games are held after
school. Some fees are involved for
basketball shoes, cheerleading uniforms, etc. Tryouts for each team will be announced during the school
year.
PICTURES AND YEARBOOK
Individual pictures will be
made during the fall and spring of the school year. Classroom pictures will also be made during the year. You will receive information as to the
exact dates and prices. Also, a
yearbook will be published.
A reservation and a deposit
will be required to receive a yearbook.
Information will sent home during the school year.
TOYS
Parents are asked not to
allow children to bring toys, games, etc. to school unless instructed by the
teacher. Many times they are lost
or stolen and they also disrupt instruction in the classroom.
ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE PLAN
The staff and administration
of Russellville Elementary School are excited about the opportunity to teach
your child for the coming school year.
It is our philosophy that school is a place where teachers have a right
to teach and students have a right to learn. We believe that all of our students can and will behave
appropriately. We will not accept
any behavior that stops us from teaching and/or prevents any student from
learning. To assist us in placing
this philosophy into action, we have adopted a school-wide discipline plan to
guide student behavior and assist teachers in setting limits and positive
rewards.
OUR CLASSROOM RULES ARE:
1. Follow teacher directions the first time given.
2. Be in your seat, ready to work with all appropriate
materials at class time.
3. Keep hands, feet, objects, gestures, and inappropriate
comments to yourself.
4. Remain seated, raise your hand to speak, and wait to
be recognized before speaking.
5. Follow school-wide rules and policies.
STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO
BREAK THE ABOVE
RULES WILL FACE THE FOLLOWING
CONSEQUENCES:
1st Consequence---Verbal
Warning/Conference with student
2nd
Consequence**---Abbreviated Time Out / Loss of Privilege
3rd
Consequence**---Extended Time Out / Loss of Activity or Privilege
4th
Consequence**---Further extended Time Out / More loss of activities and
privileges
5th
Consequence---Parent notification via note, phone call, or conference
6th
Consequence---Referral to Principal or Assistant Principal
Severe Clause---Student
sent immediately to principal or assistant principal
* (Severe disruption is
defined as a refusal to follow teacherÕs instructions, fighting, use
of obscene language and/or gestures,
vandalism, stealing, behavior which stops the
class from functioning.)
**Indicates that each grade
level will determine consequences to be used.
STUDENTS WHO BEHAVE WILL
RECEIVE
POSITIVE FEEDBACK SUCH
AS:
Verbal praise, notes home,
special activities and events, coupons from businesses, free time, classroom
treats, parties, and rewards