may be planned as part of the school curriculum.
Such activities are valuable learning experiences, and we wish for every child to participate. Our school requests that
parents do not use school trips and/or functions as discipline procedures for home. However, safety is a paramount
concern on all field trips. Appropriate student behavior must be assured. Special arrangements for a student who has
exhibited a pattern of uncooperative behavior will be made. In this event, parents may be required to attend the field trip
with their child. Parents will be notified when their child's class will be going on a field trip. Necessary permission slips
and/or health forms must be returned to school prior to the trip.
H. Free and Reduced Lunch:
All schools have a Breakfast Program. Students wishing to take advantage of this program report no earlier than 7:55. Doors open for breakfast at 7:55. The breakfast line closes at 8:30. If a student qualifies for free or reduced priced lunch, he/she also qualifies for free or reduced priced breakfast. Other students pay $1.00 for breakfast and $1.75 for lunch.
Students who bring their lunch from home may purchase various kinds of milk for 50 cents. Ice cream for 60 cents and pretzel
rods for 10 cents are also available. Applications for "Free and Reduced Priced Lunches and Breakfasts" will be distributed to all
students at the opening of school. Until applications are distributed, those who qualified at the end of June will qualify similarly for the beginning days of school. Once the applications are distributed, you have one (1) week to return them. This is to
insure that they are the correct status and are not charged improperly for their meals. They are then approved and parents are
notified of their child's breakfast and lunch status.
With our computerized cashing system, parents can put money into their child's account for lunch and breakfast. Checks are payable
to School Food Services Department. This money in the form of a check should be for breakfast or lunch only, not for book
orders, etc. When your child has low funds, we will let your child know when it is time for more money.
Snacks are to be purchased with cash, not money on account for lunches.
Lunchtime Behavior Expectations
• Stay seated - raise your hand for help.
• Use quiet voices
• Follow directions given by the cafeteria staff and lunchtime supervisor
• Use appropriate table manners
• Eat only your own meal; exchanging of food is not permitted
• Clean up your own area after eating
I. Playground:
The use of the playground is also a privilege and continued use is contingent upon acceptable behavior. There must be no
act that will endanger the welfare of yourself or others. At all times of instruction, the adult in charge must be followed.
Students need to go home after school. Only students who are supervised by an adult will be allowed to stay on the
playground.
J. Assemblies:
Throughout the school year a variety of assemblies may be held. Students are expected to act appropriately. Behavior
that is distracting to those conducting the assembly, or other audience members, will not be tolerated. If such occurs, a
student may be removed from the program.
K. Telephone:
Students who are staying more than 15 minutes in school beyond dismissal time are to telephone their parents when prior arrangements have not been made. Students may not use the office phone to make arrangements to visit other students after school. In non-emergency situations, with the permission of classroom teachers, our students may use the telephone in the room. A telephone in the office may be used with permission from the office staff.
L. Bicycles, Skateboards, Scooters, and Rollerblades Guidelines:
1. 4th Grade students will have the privilege of riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, or rollerblades for the entire year.
2. 3rd Grade students will have the privilege starting in the spring.
3. Any student under the supervision of a parent or guardian will also be allowed to use these forms of transportation.
4. All students must wear helmets.
5. Students using skateboards or rollerblades should wear protective knee and elbow padding.
6. Students will park or place items in designated area.
M. Out of Building Permission:
Pupils involved in out-of-school activities must have a written note of consent to leave the building, signed by a parent or guardian. Parents wishing for their children to go home for lunch must also send a written request. Parents must pick up their child (children) at the school office, not the classroom.
N. Illegal Substances:
Parents will be notified immediately and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
O. Personal Property: (Cell Phones, I-Pods, CD Players, Game Boys, and other items)
Students bring these items to school at their own risk. Students should not bring these items to school as they can get lost, stolen, or broken. Cell Phones must be kept in the student's backpack or locker and turned off during the school day.
P. Zero Tolerance Weapons policy:
• The weapon is confiscated and not returned to the student. Parents who want the weapon will have to pick it up from the police. The police will be called and the weapon will be reported.
• Discipline Guidelines
o If there is no intent to harm:
♣ Parent is called
♣ Police are called
♣ Appropriate disciplinary action
o If there is intent to harm, or 2nd incident
♣ Superintendent's Hearing
*In other extenuating circumstances, the principal reserves the authority to impose alternate student conduct penalties.
Programs
a. Academic:
Academic Intervention Services (AIS) are available for elementary age students in the areas of language arts and mathematics.
These services are most often delivered by remedial and/or consultant teachers during the course of the school day. A few students
may also be served during short sessions scheduled just before or just after the school day.
b. Music:
Students in grades Kindergarten through four attend a fifty-minute class once a week. An overall goal is to develop a love and
understanding of music through a sequential approach. Singing is at the heart of the program. Some material is chosen with
consideration of the students' age and ability. Formal and creative movement plays an important part in developing the concepts of
beat and rhythm. Pitched and un-pitched instruments are used to augment song material and serve as creative musical tools.
Recorder: Students in grade three will be provided the opportunity to learn the recorder. A recorder is a kind of melodic instrument
with a flute-like quality. Students learn note fingerings, play given songs, and create original melodies.
Suzuki Violin and Cello Instruction: Students in grades K-4 have the opportunity to begin playing the violin and cello through the
Suzuki Method. The Suzuki Method is a way of teaching string instruments, based on imitation and memorization, which makes it
possible for ALL students to become successful musicians.
c. Physical Education:
Students in grades Kindergarten through four attend a fifty-minute class twice a week.
♣ On gym day, please remember the following
o Have children wear or bring gym shoes! (No platform gym shoes.) Have your child dress in appropriate clothing.
o Avoid dresses or dress-up clothes. Have your child wear a t-shirt under a sweater or sweatshirt just in case he or she becomes overheated during class; the sweater or sweatshirt can be removed.
o Avoid wearing jewelry and long, dangling earrings. (post earrings are acceptable)
o Girls with long hair should have it tied back and away from face.
o If your child has been sick or injured and should not play gym that day, please send in a written excuse. If he or she is excused longer than a day or two, please send in a doctor's excuse.
d. Art:
Students in grades Kindergarten through four attend a fifty-minute class once a week. Using a wide variety of materials
and techniques, students will develop their art skills using elements such as line, form and texture, and applying such
principles as contrast, balance, and pattern. All art students are required to submit two pieces of art into his/her portfolio
each year through 12th grade. Student art is displayed at the following locations: 1) Board of Education building 2) The
Prendergast Library and 3) City Hall. Please send a large, old shirt for your child to use as smock to protect his/her
clothing. Encourage your child to create, paint and view art at every opportunity!
e. Library/Media Center:
Students in grades Kindergarten through four attend a fifty-minute class once a week for instruction with the library
media specialist. They have 30 additional minutes with the library aide. Our main goal is to develop a love of books and
a love of reading. We also teach proper book care, how to use a library, and reference and research skills. Videos, filmstrips, and computers are also part of our library media center program. We aim to develop students into good
readers and independent library users. Books are signed out for two weeks.
f. Extra-curricular:
Extra-curricular activities in our elementary schools are often made available through community agencies. Please
contact the school office for information regarding the following: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club,
YMCA, YWCA, Joint Neighborhood Project, Jamestown Community Learning Council, and other agency programming.
g. Extended Year:
Students finishing grades K-4 who have experienced any difficulties with language arts or mathematics will be invited to attend the
district's five-week elementary summer school program. This daily three-hour program is available at two of the district's
elementary schools, with busing available from the other four school sites. If you are interested in this program, please speak to your child's classroom teacher or the principal before the end of May each year.
h. Counseling:
School counselors are a resource for parents to use if their child is experiencing some difficulty with school, home,
friends or family. Whether the problem is school related or not, the school counselor is someone who will listen to and
work with you and your child to find a solution. You can contact the school counselor directly, or after discussing the matter with your child's teacher.
Qualified elementary school counselors utilize a comprehensive, proactive, developmental counseling program. They
work collaboratively as team members with school personnel, parents, and community agencies. They focus their efforts
on promoting, caring, and inviting env
A student receiving an “S” is demonstrating the expectations of the grade level. When looking at the long-term goals for the JPS students we all want the students to be successful in life. If your child receives an “S,” it indicates he/she is well on their way to being a good reader, writer, using math skills, and learning about the other content areas.
Some students are progressing toward the grade level expectations and will receive a “P.” Making progress is very important and indicates that your child is approaching grade level expectations. This can mean that your child was absent and needs to make up some work, a concept is difficult and additional practice in school and at home is needed, or other factors are affecting your child’s progress. If your child receives a “P,” you should speak with your child’s teacher so you can work together to develop a plan for your child.
An “N” marking means that improvement is needed and that your child has a large gap between the grade level expectations and what he/she is able to demonstrate. Progress is very slow or not observable. With an “N” the parents and teacher should be communicating regularly and a plan should be developed for improvement.
Not all subjects are graded for every marking period, so if there is an “NG” (not graded) or a blank, that particular indicator or subject was not graded.
If your child is receiving remedial services from the reading teachers or the math specialists, you will receive a progress report with the report card. If your child has an individualized education plan (IEP), you will receive a report each marking period on the progress your child is making toward reaching the goals on the IEP.
The special area subjects of Art, Music, Physical Education, and Library are not graded each marking period. The current schedule is as follows:
Kindergarten
No special area subjects are formally assessed.
First Grade
2nd Q – PE, 3rd Q – Music and Library, 4th Q – Art and PE
Second Grade
1st Q – PE, 2nd Q – Music, 3rd Q – Art and PE, 4th Q - Library
Third Grade
1st Q – Art and Music, 2nd Q – PE and Library,
3rd Q – Art, 4th Q - PE
Fourth Grade
1st Q – Library, 2nd Q – Art, 3rd Q – Library, 4th Q – Art and Music. For the 1st and 4th Q, the PE teachers will include a sheet with your child’s fitness report. No PE grades will appear on the report card.
III. GRADE LEVEL INDICATORS
The indicators on the report card are designed to describe the concepts and skills students are expected to master while in elementary school. Because learning is an ongoing endeavor, progress is reported more than once during the year. When you receive your child’s report card, you will notice the report card contains several sections.
In Kindergarten the first four sections describe the social development, work habits, listening and speaking, and the fine motor skills that young children need to develop so they can be ready for more “academic” type learning. The remaining of the sections are content-based indicators for reading, writing, and math.
In first and second grade, attitudes and habits are assessed as well as language arts, which include reading, writing (to communicate ideas) and handwriting (penmanship). Math concepts become more complex. Science, social studies and health are added as subjects, but there are no specific indicators. At these grade levels the students are exposed to many concepts, but mastery of content is not expected. The special area subjects of art, music, physical education and library are now included on the report card.
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