2010-2011
Go Yellow Jackets!
Telephone: 434-5275
Fax: 434-5278
Educare: 434-5280
Cafeteria: 434-5279
Dr. Richard Bales Ms. Carol McGill
Director of Schools
Principal
Dear Fantastic
Welcome to
Fairmont is in the middle of building a
larger, modern, new school on this beautiful site. Because of the construction, we have been
creative in offering varied recess opportunities. Our teachers are very resourceful.
Our very active PTA continues to win many
awards in membership and in their total support of the
Welcome to
Sincerely,
Carol McGill
School
The
mission of Fairmont Elementary is to provide an academically engaging education
in which students are able to demonstrate excellence in core curriculum
subjects as measured by local, state and national standards, as well as health,
citizenship and social responsibility.
School Vision:
The
vision of Fairmont Elementary is to enable all students to learn and be
successful while meeting high expectations.
This is accomplished by providing the students with the resources to be
happy, healthy, productive citizens, and lifelong learners.
ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE
Please
call the school before 9:00 A. M. if your child is to be out for the day or if
your child will be late for school. Our
policy requires that a WRITTEN EXCUSE FROM
THE PARENT WILL BE SENT TO THE OFFICE THE DAY THE CHILD RETURNS TO SCHOOL. This note will explain the absence or
tardiness. If a parent contact is not made, attempts will be made by the
home/school coordinator and school police resource officer to check on your child.
The school resource officer will make home visits as needed when absences are
unexplained. Truancy is a serious
offense.
After
a student is absent three (3) days, he or she has to have a dentist or doctor’s
note before the absence can be recorded as excused. The student
will be referred to “Operation On Track” and may be required to produce
documentation to court authorities after ten (10) total absences with 5
unexcused. The school is obligated to
report absences to the authorities.
Students who are transfers or tuition may not be approved if absences
are in excess.
**According to
K – 7 may recommend that students who miss twenty (20)
or more days of school not be promoted to the next grade. This includes unexcused or excused absences.
Students with a history of attendance or tardy problems
may not be approved for transfer or tuition status and may not be allowed to
return to
BREAKFAST
Students may choose to buy breakfast in the cafeteria. Students eating breakfast at school should arrive no earlier than 7:45 A. M. and no later than 8:05 or the last bus arrival. The free/reduced meal plan is available for the breakfast. The regular breakfast price is $1.00 and the reduced cost is .30 cents. Milk is included with the meal; however, additional milks or juice may be purchased at the established price of .50 cents. All breakfasts will be served in the cafeteria, unless students have had bad behavior problems in the cafeteria. Some students may have to be removed from breakfast if their conduct is disruptive. Students who eat breakfast are still expected to be in their classrooms before the tardy bell. Eating breakfast past 8:15 is not considered an excused tardy unless a bus was late.
BUS RULES
All
School rules (Johnson City Schools Code of Conduct) apply on the bus and at all
school sponsored events, including going to and from school, and at the bus
stop. Transportation is
provided as a convenience to parents.
Students who do not obey the bus rules will lose the privilege of riding
the bus for a period of time. Students
are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous, well-behaved manner while
waiting for the bus and during travel.
The JOHNSON CITY TRANSIT SYSTEM
(423-434-6278) bus rules apply at the bus stops as well as during the routes
both to and from school. They are as
follows:
FRONT SEAT
OFFENSES: Students will receive a
written warning and be placed on the front seat of the bus for 2 weeks as a
result of the following:
1.
Failure to remain
seated while bus is in motion
2.
Unnecessary noise
3.
Failure to obey
the driver
4.
Littering bus
interior
5.
Improper boarding/departure
procedures
6.
Failure to wear
seat belts (where available)
Depending on the severity of
the offense, the student may be placed on the front seat indefinitely. Repeat occurrence of front seat offenses will
result in suspension of riding privileges.
THREE (3) DAY SUSPENSION:
1.
Rude, discourteous
and/or bullying conduct on the bus or at the bus stop
2.
Using profanity
3.
Spitting/Spitball
4.
Throwing objects
outside bus
FIVE (5) DAY SUSPENSION:
1.
Possession of
tobacco products
2.
Tampering with bus
equipment
3.
Making obscene
gestures
4.
Other behavior
relating to safety, well-being and
respect for others
5.
Destruction of
personal property of others
TEN (10) DAY SUSPENSION:
1.
Fighting on the
bus or at the bus stop
2.
Verbal threats
and/or intimidation of students/driver on the bus or at the bus stop
3.
Bringing articles
on board the bus which may cause injury to others
4.
Destruction of
property (plus payment for damages)/bus equipment
5.
Throwing objects
in or out of bus with intent to do bodily harm and/or create property damage
INDEFINITE SUSPENSION: Student
will be suspended from riding any school bus for the remainder of the school
year as a result of the following:
1.
Attacking the
driver
2.
Use of combustible
material
3.
Possession of
weapons on the bus or at the bus stop
4.
Possession of
drugs and/or paraphernalia on the bus and/or at the bus stop
Other behavior not
specifically listed will be decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the
severity of the incident.
After serving two 2-week
suspensions, the 3rd suspension will be for the remainder of the
school year.
THE AUTHORITY OF
THE BUS DRIVER IS TO PRESERVE ORDER AND GOOD BEHAVIOR AS DELEGATED BY THE
PRINCIPAL. PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
TRANSPORTING STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL IF THEIR CHILD IS SUSPENDED FROM
RIDING THE BUS.
CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE (Johnson City Schools)
The
Johnson City School Board has adopted a Code of Student Conduct and
Discipline. Each year, parents are
responsible for informing their children of its contents. Our school will comply with the current Code
of Student Conduct. Each student in
grades 3-5 will receive a personal copy.
All teachers, including grades K-2, will discuss this booklet with their
classes. Parents are to sign the page
provided to indicate that this has been communicated to their child. Return this signature page to school.
COMMUNICATIONS
Throughout
the year we strive to have close contact with 100% of our parents- OFTEN. We need your help in this process. We request you stay in contact by:
·
Posting and
reading our monthly calendar and newsletter, The Beeline.
·
Attending parent
conferences, parent meetings, and family night activities.
·
Take a few minutes
each day to talk to your child about school.
·
Call or write us a
note for more explanations.
·
Make sure you look
at and sign the student planner or folder daily.
·
Classroom
newsletters and web sites (school, system and individual teachers)
·
Two parent
conferences (in-person) per year, one in the fall and one in the spring.
Working
together will improve all aspects of your child’s education.
CONFERENCES
Conferences are very important to the success of your child. The school or parent may call or write and request a meeting at any time. Please make an appointment with the teacher at least 24 hours prior to your visit to insure a private, productive meeting. Teachers are not available to meet everyday and will not be able to meet while their classes are in session. School- wide conferences will be scheduled in the fall and spring and any time needed.
DISCIPLINE
Pupils
are under the authority of the principal and are subject to the principal’s
discipline as provided by Tennessee Statutes.
The administration of discipline by principals and teachers is
authorized as provided in Tennessee Statutes.
“GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION
ARE WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL OR OTHER PERSONS SO DELEGATED BY
THE PRINCIPAL; VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSON OR PROPERTY; ANY ACT THAT DISRUPTS THE ORDERLY OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL PROCESSES AND ACTIVITIES; AND
WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF SCHOOL RULES.”
We
operate on the premise that the school has the responsibility to insure that no
student’s learning will be infringed upon by another student’s constant
misbehavior. EACH STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT
TO AN EDUCATION IN A POSITIVE, SAFE, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. The faculty and principal
maintain student behavior. However, an
individual’s chronic misbehavior is the responsibility of the parents. Minor offenses will be handled through
parent-teacher contact. Students who
continue to be disruptive, disrespectful, disobedient, or defiant will be
removed from class. Parents may be
notified shortly after they are referred.
Please talk with your child so that he/she will not need to be removed
from school. Students who are expelled
or suspended from school are counted as absent.
Students may receive school- work.
School work completed during suspensions may or may not be graded or may
or may not count towards the student’s average.
The principal will make the final decision concerning work submitted for
grades during suspensions.
DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT
Johnson
City School Board Policy states that students and staff shall be provided a
learning/working environment free from sexual, racial, ethnic, and religious
discrimination/harassment. Learning
environment includes school district facilities and premises, and non-school
property if at any school sponsored, school approved, or school related
activity or function such as a field trip or athletic events where students are
under the control of the school district.
It shall be a violation of this policy for any employee or any student
to discriminate against or harass another person through disparaging conduct or
communication that is sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious in nature. Any concerns regarding the use of
discrimination and/or sexual harassment should be reported to the school
principal immediately.
DRESS CODE/SCHOOL GEAR
The
appearance of our students reflects the quality of the school and must not
cause disruptions to the learning environment.
The principal has the right to ask students to leave at home any item
that may distract the class. If a
student’s appearance is distracting the learning environment of the class, the
student will be removed and parents will be called. We stress good grooming, neatness, and
clothing that allow the students to participate in all activities safely during
the school day. The following items will
not be allowed at Fairmont or any school related activity:
·
Sagging pants or
pants that drag below the shoes because they cause tripping and are hazardous.
·
Extra piercings
and overly large earrings are a safety issue when worn by children. They are not permitted.
·
Clothing with
suggestive or offensive messages, especially t-shirts with messages.
·
Short tops that
show the midriff and low riding pants that are well below the shirt line. We especially have a problem with this as
girls get older. During class times when
seated- students should wear clothing that does not expose themselves. Clothing should not have to be pulled down or
up by students to fit this code.
·
All tops should
have shoulder straps of wider than 2 inches, absolutely no “spaghetti straps”.
·
Shorts or skirts
that are shorter than mid-thigh. Girls
are expected to keep skirts and shorts down to at least below their finger tips when arms are straight
down.
·
Brightly colored
hair, Halloween costume hair or unusual face make-up are not allowed at any
time.
·
Face or body
temporary tattoos are not permitted.
·
Facial make-up at
the elementary level is inappropriate.
·
Hats, visors,
bandannas, or any head
coverings may not be worn at the school.
This rule applies to both boys and girls.
·
In-line skate shoes or wheelies are not allowed ever.
·
Toys should not be brought to
school ever, even in the early grades. We cannot be responsible for toys AND they
are a distraction to the classroom learning environment. Parents are expected to check your child’s
backpack and remove toys.
·
Chewing gum is not permitted.
·
Large chains are not allowed as they can be harmful and distracting.
·
Any object or adornment that causes students to be distracted may be
disallowed.
· P. E. requires tennis or athletic like footwear. Students are aware of their class P. E. schedule.
Students
who are dressed inappropriately during the school day will be asked to wear a
“loaner” tee shirt or clothing from the
clinic or to notify their parent to make arrangements to correct the problem.
Students who bring non-school supply items to
school will be asked to leave those at home. These items
distract from learning. If a
student keeps bringing the items to school, they will be collected and kept in
the principal’s office until the end of the year. Students should never bring
toys to school. They can be broken
besides disrupting the class. Do not
bring anything other than educational materials to school.
Cell phones are not allowed. Do not even
bring broken cell phones to school. Students who continue to have cell phones
(working or non-working) will have the phones collected and will be subjected
to detention or other disciplinary measures.
Parents must pick up collected cell phones.
DROP-OFF/PICK-UP
Student
arrivals to school are from 7:45 A.M. to 8:15 A.M., and dismissal is at 3:15
P.M. No one will be allowed to park
along either side of the curbs. THIS
INCLUDES THE AREAS BESIDE THE GYM AND TWO CAR LENGTHS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE
CROSSWALK. Parents are not permitted to
drop-off or pick-up students in the Bus Loading Area. ALL
CARS SHOULD PULL UP TO THE ISLAND TO DROP-OFF/PICK-UP STUDENTS WITH THE HELP OF
OUR CROSSING GUARD and other SCHOOL PERSONNEL. Students are asked NOT to go to
the lower parking lot to be picked up.
If students meet their ride there, we are not able to observe whether or
not they get into the correct car.
Parents sometimes ask students to meet them at the lower lot and then
the ride is delayed or students have a problem with another student. We can’t be responsible for areas that we
can’t see to supervise. Please help us
with this safety procedure.
Students
who arrive between 7:45 – 8:00 will wait in their specified areas for the 8:00
bell. At 8:00 students will be dismissed
to their classroom areas. At 8:15 the
tardy bell will ring.
Car
riders will be dismissed at 3:15 P.M.
Students should not be PICKED UP IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING. Students
should be picked up in the front supervised area. Students will be out on the front sidewalk
and will then be escorted across the crosswalk to the “Safety Island.” PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR WHEN IT IS IN
THE DROP-OFF/PICK-UP LANE. If you must
leave your car, we encourage you to use the parking lot and walk with your
child to/from the front sidewalk for pick-up or drop-off.
Please
instruct your child to be looking for you so you do not hold up the line of
cars. If your child is not there, please
circle around again or go to the parking area and walk up to the sidewalk to
pick-up your child. Children may be
picked up in the supervised area at the front of the school at 3:15 P.M. It is recommended that you pick up your child
promptly, as there is no supervision after 3:30 P.M. Please remind your child to stay on the
sidewalk and cross only at the crosswalk.
We want to prevent accidents and are concerned for their safety.
Horseplay,
running, and other hazardous behaviors are not allowed during dismissal for
safety reasons. Students with repeated
self-control problems during dismissal will need to be picked up in the office rather
than waiting out front.
Please
do not bring pets on school property.
Some students are afraid. The
school is responsible for student safety.
Everyone feels that their pet is not a danger. We never know what
reaction the pet will have to the children and their movements and actions. Do
not bring hand held pets or pets on a leash. ABSOLUTELY NO PETS at anytime!
The school property is legally posted against allowing pets,
skateboarding, bikes or scooters at any time.
EARLY DISMISSAL INFORMATION
Students
are not to leave school without permission from the office. All appointments, including medical and
dental appointments, should be made outside of school hours. The parent/guardian or other responsible
adult needs to come by the office to pick up an early dismissal slip and sign
the student out. Only those persons
named on the emergency/enrollment card will be permitted to pick up students,
unless the parent gives verification in written or personal form. Please do not send unauthorized persons (not
on the emergency form) to pick up your child.
All
times students are not in class (8:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.) should be verified by
proper documentation. Students should
not be brought to school late or picked up early without a valid excuse.
EARLY DISMISSALS WILL BE
TREATED LIKE TARDIES. INSTRUCTION TIME IS VERY
IMPORTANT. STUDENTS WHO ARE FREQUENTLY
PICKED UP EARLY WILL NEED TO MAKE UP THEIR WORK DURING THEIR RECESS TIME. After the third unexcused early dismissal per
nine weeks, students WILL miss their recess—in keeping with the policy on
tardiness and early dismissal.
EDUCARE
Our before and after school care
program is a separate part of our school.
The Director is Mr. Scott Rawles.
Educare accepts applications for student enrollment based on the number
of workers for that grade level. Per
pupil-teacher numbers may not allow the acceptance of everyone. It is on a first come first served basis. If you need an application or have questions,
please call 434-5280 or go by the lower cafeteria area before or after
school. The hours are from 7 to 8:00 am
and from 3:15 to 6:00 pm on school days.
They may be open some of the vacation break times, Educare has a
separate calendar.
All
questions or concerns about Educare should be directed to Mr. Rawles at
434-5280.
EMERGENCY/ENROLLMENT CARD INFORMATION
PLEASE KEEP THE OFFICE INFORMED OF A CHANGE OF
ADDRESS AND/OR TELEPHONE NUMBERS. We need many current contact numbers. A current phone number on file will ensure you of an immediate contact in case of
an emergency. If you have an unlisted
number, we will keep it confidential; however, we must have the number. Children are not permitted to use the office
telephone for routine and/or social matters.
Please
try to make end of day pick up arrangements before students leave home in the
morning. Calls to the office to make end
of day arrangements should be rare and certainly the exception.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING PROCEDURES
Please discuss with your child, in advance, the plan that you have established in the event that school is closed early. Occasionally, it becomes necessary to close school due to inclement weather conditions. If this occurs, buses may be able to run on emergency routes only, due to poor road conditions. The following guidelines have been developed to ensure the safety of our students in the event of an emergency:
Notification of
Emergency School Changes: For
information about school closings and delayed openings, Parents and students
may listen to any one of the area radio and television stations. Parents and students are urged NOT to phone their school, the director
of schools, or the area media for information, but to stay tuned to the station
of their choice. IF THERE IS NO ANNOUNCEMENT BY 6:30 A.M., SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION.
Emergency
Bus Routes: On those days when school will be in session, but there
are poor road conditions, some city school buses will travel on “emergency
routes”. In such cases, there will be a
change in the regular pick-up schedule with buses picking up students at
different locations. Their bus drivers
will give maps indicating emergency routes to the students; extra copies will
be available at each school.
Delayed
Openings: Johnson City Schools has a
“snow schedule” or delayed opening schedule.
This is a two-hour delay. On
these days breakfast will not
be served. Buses will run two hours
later than on the normal school days.
Students arriving after 10:15 a.m. on a delayed opening school day will
be considered tardy.
Early
Dismissal: On those days when
weather conditions worsen after the students arrive at school, parents will be
alerted to early dismissal by area radio and television stations.
FEES
An
instructional fee of $20.00 is requested for each student at the beginning of
the school year. This fee is used to
provide classroom consumables for instruction.
These fees are approved by the Board of Education. The homeroom teacher collects payment and a
receipt is given to each student. Make
checks payable to Fairmont School.
In addition each grade level has a list of needed supplies that are
beyond the fees. If your child needs
help in acquiring supplies, please let our Guidance Counselor, Ms. Henderson
know.
FIELD TRIPS
At
various times during the school year, teachers will organize field trips that enhance
the curriculum taught at that grade level.
A permission form explaining the trip and cost will be sent home and
must be signed before the student can participate in the trip. Each grade level has set out certain trips
for each grade; this should eliminate students taking the same trip year after
year. All field trips correlate with the
curriculum taught at that grade level.
(Musical performance trips are to be approved and students prepared for
the trip with the music teacher.) All
students are asked to help with the rising cost of those trips. Since these trips are also optional and grades
do not depend on them, sometimes students will not be able to participate
because of behavior or other safety concerns. Field trips are a privilege for
students. Any student whose conduct is a
safety concern will NOT be allowed on field trips. All grade level field trips are subject to
cancellation due to rising costs.
Teachers plan trips. No trip
is the expectation of any grade level.
We
always want parents to be a part of all activities. They may accompany their child or children)
on any field trip. But due to
insurance and school regulations parents are not allowed to ride the school
bus. Parents will need to drive and meet
the group at the trip destination. They
will also need to be prepared to pay the appropriate entrance fees for the
activity. Students on field trips are
still under the authority of school personnel, even if parents are on the
trip. Teachers are responsible for
orderly behavior of all students representing Fairmont.
FIRE DRILLS/TORNADO DRILLS/SAFETY DRILLS-
Monthly
practice drills are conducted to make certain that all students and school
personnel are aware of and adhere to the safety guidelines. Please confirm to your child that these are
practice to make sure we are ready to keep every one safe in case of an
emergency. A fire drill is the speedy
exit of all students and faculty.
Tornado drills are drills inside the classroom to teach the students safe
areas away from windows. A Code Blue or
lock down drill brings school to a halt.
All doors are locked and no outside movement is allowed. During a Code Blue students are secured and
emergency procedures are put into place.
HOMEWORK
It is
the policy of this school and system for all students to have some type of
homework nightly. Homework is generally
assigned on every school day with the exception of Friday. All
classes will require that students read every evening for a set period of time. Their AR goal will reflect their dedication
to this independent reading and reading advancement. Reading advancement is the key to all student
achievement. Reading, language and math
skills must be practiced for improvement.
This is very important. Please
look for additional information from each teacher. Homework varies from teacher to teacher. If you have questions regarding
homework-please call and make an appointment to discuss this with the
teacher.
Sometimes
work brought home may not be work assigned for the home, instead it may be work
assigned for class work and not completed when it should have been. Often students who have excessive homework
are not using class time wisely.
Students are encouraged to have good work ethics at school and home. We appreciate your support of this important
concept. Students who have work ethics
and are completing tasks at school will be great workers in our future work
force. This training and expectation
begins in elementary school.
We
ask that you, as a parent, see that your child does the assigned homework. Homework is an essential part of the school
process. The purpose is not only to reinforce and practice concepts learned
throughout the school day, but also to develop a sense of responsibility. It is also another way that the school is
able to communicate and involve parents in the learning process.
If
your child states that he/she does not have homework or a reading
assignment on a regular basis, please contact his/her teacher for
clarification. Each teacher or team has
developed a consequence for failing to complete homework. These will affect your child’s grades. Students who need to meet
their reading goals or have incomplete class work or homework assignments WILL
miss recess to catch up. A life lesson is: “When you play while others
work – then you work while others play.”
Our teachers determine recess times.
It is totally up to them. All
students are given structured exercises during class and special class
time. However, students who continuously
refuse to complete class work and homework will have all school privileges taken,
including special class opportunities and could include lunch detention.
IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION/LUNCH DETENTION
Students
who have continuous behavior problems will need to complete their class work in
another location in order that other children may learn. Students who are disruptive, disrespectful,
cause harm to others, or are disobedient will have from one to three days of
in-school suspension. Order and
self-control are essential to an effective learning environment. Students who continue to have disruptive
behaviors will not be allowed to endanger the other students’ ability to learn
and feel safe. At times student who are
disruptive or disobedient at lunch will have to eat their lunch in the office
or lunch detention.
OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION
In
accordance with the Johnson City Schools Code of Conduct, students whose
behavior is of a serious nature may require out-of-school suspension. Students who cause disruptions may be
suspended or expelled from school.
The school reserves the right
to make decisions about making up missed assignments and how they are
graded. The appeal process is outlined
in the system Code of Conduct.
LIBRARY
The
school library is a well-stocked media center that affords various learning
opportunities for students. Students
attend one or two library classes each week.
The library is open for student usage each school day between the hours
of 8:00 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF KEEPING
UP WITH THEIR LIBRARY BOOKS! PARENTS
WILL NEED TO PAY FOR LOST OR DAMAGED BOOKS. We encourage library
visits. Our library is the center of the
school. Fairmont students love to read
and love our books!
LICE POLICY
No student will be denied an education solely by reason
of head lice infestation. His/her educational
program shall be restricted only to the extent necessary to eliminate the risk
of transmitting the infestation.
It shall be the responsibility of the principal or school
nurse to notify the parents in the event their child has head lice and require
that the student be picked up from school.
A letter will be sent home with the infected child to explain the
condition, the treatment, requirements for re-admission, and deadlines for
satisfactory completion of the treatment.
When several children in one class have been found to have lice, the
system-wide school nurses will check the entire class in an effort to correct
the problem.
EXCLUSION PROCEDURE: When nits or lice are noted the child will be
excluded from school.
RE-ADMISSION PROCEDURE: In order for a student to be re-admitted to
school, satisfactory evidence must be submitted to school personnel that the
student has been
treated for head lice. This evidence may include, but is not limited
to:
1.
proof of treatment with a head lice shampoo; and
2.
satisfactory examination by a school health official.
After
treatment and removal of all nits, the parent must bring the child to the
office of the Johnson City School Nurses, contact phone number 232-5380. An admit form will be given to the parent if
the child is nit and lice free. The
school requires this form from each student who has lice to be re-admitted.
A
student will be expected to have met all requirements for treatment and return
to school no later than two (2) days following exclusion for head lice. All days in excess of the allowable period
will be marked as unexcused and referred to the attendance supervisor at the
proper time.
LUNCH
Students
may purchase lunch in the cafeteria or bring lunch from home. Parents who pack lunch for their children are
asked not to include soft drinks or canned drinks. Parents
are asked not to bring restaurant food to the cafeteria. You may purchase a school lunch or bring a
lunch from home. Parents or families
need to schedule their lunch visits with the classroom teachers. Classroom teachers will send this number to
the office each morning. Parents are requested to schedule lunch
visits or coordinate them with their child’s teacher in advance. At times we may require
grade level assigned visitor days- if the number of adults in the lunchroom
hinders our ability to provide a safe environment.
In
the past, so many visitors hindered our ability to seat classes safely in the
cafeteria. Visitors and students with
guests must still adhere to the cafeteria rules. All visitors must sign in
at the office and must sit with your child in a separate area after scheduling
your lunch visit in advance.
Visitors who bring restaurant food into the cafeteria, against our
request, WILL be asked to leave.
On
the first day of school, all students will be given an application for free and
reduced price meals. Only those who wish
to apply need to return these forms.
Free and reduced applications must be renewed each school year. Meal bills will accumulate until the free
lunch forms are completed. Meal prices
are established by the Board of Education annually.
MEDICATION
IMPORTANT: According to the Johnson City Schools Policy all
medication, including cough drops, inhalers, throat sprays, etc., must be
housed in the clinic with the proper paperwork on file and be in its original
container in order to be administered at school.
Parents must bring the
medication to the office. Office personnel
give all medications in the clinic.
FORMS MUST BE ON FILE FOR PRESCRIPTION
AS WELL AS OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS.
Prescription medication forms must be completed by the child’s
physician. This is a school system
policy. Forms are on the school web site. Parents must pick up any unused
medications. We cannot return any
medication with a student.
PARKING
Extended
parking for parents, visitors, and volunteers is available in the lot across
the street in front of the building.
Short term (less than 10 minutes) is available beside the sidewalks
after 8:15 A.M. and before 1:15 P.M. PARENTS SHOULD NOT PARK IN OR DRIVE THROUGH
THE BUS LANES OR FRONT PAVED AREAS AS STUDENT RECESS ACTIVITIES ARE TAKING
PLACE IN THE FRONT PAVED AREAS.
PARTIES
We
are under new guidelines from our state department concerning foods offered
students at any time during the student day.
Because of this and other concerns we have revised our procedures for
school parties and celebrations. We will
not be having Halloween Parties. We will
be having a party day each month in the lower grades to celebrate the students
who have had or will have a birthday in that month.
A special time at the end of they year will be made for summer
birthdays. Teachers in Grades 3 through
5 can coordinate
ways to observe birthdays for their classroom.
The room mothers can contribute healthy treats for all of the celebrations. These
should not include items with sugar or carbonated drinks. We want celebration snacks to be limited to
fruits, cheeses, crackers, popcorn, vegetables and healthy food juices.
We will have a “Winter Party”
just before the winter break and an end of year party. All parties will need to adhere to the new
standards for healthy food offerings.
Please avoid items containing peanuts because of the many children with
peanut allergies. Each classroom teacher
will send a recommended list of party or classroom snack foods.
Special individual birthday
arrangements and parties: Please do not send party invitations to
school unless the entire class is being invited. Please consider the feelings of all the
children. Special birthday arrangements
should not take place on the school grounds.
Any flower or balloon arrangements will have to remain in the office
until the end of the day due to distractions to the learning environment.
Parents
bringing snacks to school should bring the snacks to the office to be
delivered. This method of delivery is
not as disruptive to the classroom. The
teacher will distribute the snacks at the appropriate time.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The
physical education program provides organized activities planned and directed
by a certified physical education teacher.
No child will be excused from participation in physical education unless
a written excuse is presented or the teacher/principal feels it is
necessary. Prolonged excuses must have a
doctor’s recommendation for exclusion (those in excess of three days). TENNIS
SHOES SHOULD BE WORN ON P.E. DAYS!
REPORT CARDS/Mid-term/Progress
Reports
Report
cards are issued every 9 weeks for grades K-5.
Midterm grades are sent home after 4 weeks into each term. Parent-teacher conferences concerning student
progress are encouraged. Conferences are
extremely important to keep up with the progress of your child. Students in K, 1st, and 2nd
will receive their grade level progress reports. Students in grades 3 – 5 are
given letter grades at the term and mid-term.
Third graders receive letter
grades for the first time. It is important
to realize that satisfactory in grades K-2 is not necessarily an A or B in
Third Grade. For instance, a student who
misses 2 out of 10 will have a grade of 80 or a “C” on that paper. Please be aware that students who typically
received satisfactory ratings in the K-2 years will have letter grades in
grades 3-5 that reflect the following performance averages: A=94-100, B=86-93, C=75-85, D=70-74,
F=50-69. Teachers will issue
mid-term progress reports to all students during the fourth week of the
reporting period. This report will
indicate the student’s strengths and needs.
SCHOOL DAY/HOURS
The
school day begins at 8:15 A.M. and ends at 3:15 P.M. for all students K-5. The bell rings at 8:00 A.M. to open
classrooms and at 8:15 A.M. for the beginning of the school day. Educare will
be available for all children who arrive before 7:45 A.M., at a nominal fee.
Please
do not drop students off before 7:45 A.M. to wait in front of the gym. This is a safety concern. Students who come to school before 7:45 A.M.
are not supervised unless they are in Educare.
Students who arrive between 7:45 A.M and 8:00 A.M. will have an
assigned area to stay until the 8:00 A.M. bell rings.
SNACKS
Some grade levels may have a snack time during the
student day because of an early or late lunch time. These snacks should not be out during study
times. Water is the only liquid that should accompany snacks. Gum as a snack is not allowed.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
Our
goal is to provide a safe, orderly school that encourages students to learn. We
have high expectations for achievement and conduct. Behaviors that detract from this goal will
not be tolerated. Students are expected
to follow the procedures developed in their classroom and those already
established by the school. Each
classroom will establish specific student procedures and consequences. This will be communicated with each student
and parent at the beginning of the year.
Families should try to attend the orientation sessions and Open House
opportunities at the beginning of each year this would help in understanding
the procedures in each classroom.
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Report
cards will be sent home the Wednesday following the end of each 9 weeks. The grading scale is as follows:
For Grades K-2
Skill ratings to show skill
levels for individual subjects or skill areas
For Grades 3-5
A = 94–100
Excellent
B = 86-93
Above Average
C = 75-85
Average
D = 70-74
Below Average
F = 50-69
Failing
O = Circled
grade denotes adjusted program -such as help from the Resource personnel or
material that is completed below
grade level.
Students receive awards for
academic, attendance, improvement and citizenship efforts each nine weeks at
their grade level academic assembly and at the grade level Honors Assembly at
the end of the nine weeks.
Students who have “tardies” will not be eligible for
perfect attendance. They may
receive an attendance award but not a perfect attendance award.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks
are distributed to your child for his/her use during the school year. These books are the property of the Johnson
City Board of Education and shall be returned to the student’s teacher at the
end of the school year or upon withdrawal.
Parents or legal guardians are responsible for the textbooks received
and used by their child(ren).
TITLE I
Fairmont
is a School Wide Title I Federally Funded School. This designation provides additional funding
for our school to be used for personnel, equipment, supplies and staff
development. These additional resources
enable our students to receive help in promoting their educational progress.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE TITLE I SCHOOLWIDE PROJECT:
Parent involvement will have
emphasis in the school-wide project.
Parents will serve on the site-based team that will review the
development and update of the school improvement plan. They will have the opportunity to respond to
written, telephone and personal surveys conducted to construct the action
plans, parent involvement policy, and the school/home agreement. They will have the opportunity to review each
component and make suggestions for improvement.
Any parents' responses will be on file for examination.
ANNUAL TITLE I PARENT INFORMATION MEETING:
A meeting will be conducted for parents at the beginning of each new
year. Each presentation will inform the
parents of the system's and the school's parent involvement policies, the
school-parent involvement agreement, and the school's action plans.
COMMUNICATIONS TO PARENTS: Parents and
school personnel must work together to improve the educational needs for each
child. To this end the following means
of communication will take place during the year:
>School and student performance profiles:
Parents will have an understanding of their child's
progress and level of performance through the following communications:
Mid-nine weeks & nine-week
reports
Telephone calls
TCAP
results
TCAP writing performances
School & system websites
Teacher/class websites
Parent/teacher conferences
Teacher notes
Brisance PK & end of K
screening
Weekly
performance/skill objectives
Additional information as
indicated by teacher
Or parent
Student portfolios
>Grade level curriculum and student expectations
The curriculum and student expectations will be
communicated to parents through the
following means:
Tennessee State performance objectives per
grade level
Teacher expectations
Skills measured by 9 week reports
Classroom
newsletters (weekly, monthly, 9 weeks)
>Parent Meetings
The staff will work
cooperatively with other community resources to provide parents the opportunity
to be informed of the development of the whole child.
These meetings are a few
examples of those:
Monthly PTA meetings
Monthly
Family Engagement nights
Back to
school nights
Class
meetings
>Parent Volunteers
Parents are encouraged to actively participate in the
school. A survey will be given in the
fall to each parent and
returned to the school for scheduling parent volunteer
services.
Activities to be included:
Homeroom requests
PTA
requests
School-wide requests
Special
requests
1)
Resource for special activities
2)
Field trips
3)
Field day
4)
Tutoring
PARENT
INPUT/SUGGESTIONS: Parents will have the opportunity to provide input into
each activity through an evaluation.
Parents will be encouraged to provide feedback.
Fairmont will promote an
"open door" policy and actively seek to have parents participate in
all activities that affect the student (child).
Furthermore, we will support any reasonable request from a parent, to
assure parent involvement.
Any requests, suggestions or
concerns about the program may be submitted to the classroom teacher or the
principal.
An annual evaluation of the Title
I program and the school effectiveness will be conducted in the spring. Parents are encouraged to complete each
evaluation and provide feedback to improve the home/school relationship.
Suggestion boxes will be placed in the cafeteria and
office area for your input and feedback.
UNEXCUSED TARDY/EARLY DISMISSAL REGULATIONS (SYSTEM AND SCHOOL POLICY)
School attendance is a major factor in determining the
academic success of students. Arriving
on time and remaining the entire school day provide students with full academic
instruction. Acceptable reasons for
being tardy
or being dismissed early would
include medical or dental appointments (doctors’ excuses required) or a death
in the immediate family.
UNEXCUSED TARDY – A student arriving at school after 8:15 a.m. for
unacceptable reasons, which is anything except a doctor or dentist
appointment.
At times when the severe
weather has caused transportation problems city-wide, we excuse tardies.
UNEXCUSED
EARLY DISMISSAL - A student leaving before 3:15 p.m. for
unacceptable reasons- anything except a doctor or dentist visit.
If a child arrives at school after 8:15, a parent
must come into the office to sign a child into school. AFTER the third unexcused tardy and/or early
dismissal in a grading period, the student will be subject to one or more of
the following consequences: loss of
recess,lunch detention, after-school detention, and loss of privileges
(including field trips and field days).
The school principal has the authority to implement “time for time”
procedures that would allow students to make up time missed from school.
VISITORS
Parents
are always welcome at the school, but state statutes require permission from
the principal or his/her designated representatives to visit the classroom
while classes are in session. Visitors
must check into the office before going to the classroom, lunchroom or anywhere
on the school grounds. All
visitors are required to have a badge before moving to any other building
on campus. Anyone who stands outside the windows or doors of the classrooms
should be reported to the office immediately and our resource officer will be
called. Our children have to be protected from intrusions. If necessary, the principal has the right to
prohibit anyone who causes an obstruction to the learning environment. We
adhere to SAFE SCHOOLS regulations. No
one will be permitted in the classrooms or around the buildings without a
visitor or volunteer pass. All
volunteers should also obtain a pass to indicate their status. These may be secured in the office.
Children
not registered at the school are not allowed to visit the classroom. Therefore, your child may not bring a “Guest”
to class.
Students
who are receiving “homebound” instruction” because of a long term illness that
prevents school attendance may not be on the campus for school activities
because they are on “homebound”. If a
student requires this level of accommodation for an illness they are not able
to be a part of any regular school activities.
Students
who are absent from school on the
day of an evening or afternoon activity -such as Fall Festival, Spring Fling or
other activity, may NOT attend the after school activity. Surely students who are too ill to be at
school would certainly be too ill to attend an after school activity.
Parents should
turn off their cell phones during class visits.
The
faculty, staff, and administration at Fairmont appreciate your support of our
guidelines. Our students benefit when we
all work together.
Please
read carefully the entire Johnson City Schools Code of Conduct. It will offer specific details concerning all
conduct and procedures.