Policies/Procedures

ARRIVAL ON CAMPUS

School Hours are 8:25 A.M. – 3:15 P.M.

Buses will arrive between 8:20 and 8:30. Those who walk should arrive no earlier than 8:25 AM. The tardy bell will ring at 8:40.

Students are not to come to the school or be dropped off at the school before 8:20 a.m. each morning. Supervision is not provided for students before 8:20 or after 3:15 p.m.

Once on school grounds, students are to go directly to the breakfast line or into their classrooms The only exception to this is students who eat breakfast in the cafeteria. Students are to wait in an orderly fashion until they are invited to proceed to their classrooms. School will begin at 8:30. Students will be marked tardy at 8:40. The only exception to this is students who eat breakfast in the cafeteria.

Please arrange with the office how your child will get to and from school each day. Bus assignments are based upon the information that the office receives.

All changes from the regular pick-up or drop-off schedules must be in writing to the school office. These arrangements must be planned ahead of time. If a note is not received, students will go to the regularly scheduled drop-off point. Phone call changes will be considered in emergency situations only.

ATTENDANCE

Children are required to attend school on the days indicated on the school calendar. By law, parents are required to provide a written explanation of each absence within 3 school days. Excuses not received within three days will cause an absence to be considered as illegal.

Excuse notes from parents are to contain:

Date written

Dates of absence

Reason for absence

Home or work phone number

Parent/guardian signature

The only legally excused absences are for: pre-approved school-sponsored activities, death in the immediate family, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, and doctor or health clinic visits. (School Policy 7210). All other absences are considered to be "unexcused". Phone calls to notify the school of your child’s absence are appreciated, however, they do not replace the requirement of a written excuse upon returning to school. Should your child be absent for more than two days, please call the office or send a note to the teacher to request that work be sent home or be picked up by you.

Students who arrive to the school after 8:40 need to report to the office with their parent/guardian to sign-in. Parents will be required to write an excuse for the tardiness. Excessive tardiness or illegal absences may be referred to the truant officer or social worker. Late arrivals disrupt the classroom procedures and instruction for all children, especially your own. They need time to get ready for the day.

Perfect Attendance is earned by a student who is neither tardy nor absent for the entire year. A student will be ineligible for perfect attendance should they be signed out of school prior to the half-day.

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TRANSPORTATION

Bus transportation is provided for students in designated areas of the district. Students who usually ride the bus home must bring a note from their parent if they will be picked up or are going to a different "drop-off". A copy of the rules is given to each bus rider. Bus students will be walked out to their buses by the teacher and board in the front of the building. Requests for students to ride home with another student must be submitted in writing by the parent and include a contact number before approval by the school administrator or his/her designee and will be granted only if extra seats are available on the bus.

Bus Rules

The major objectives of Bus Rules are your child's safety and the safety of other children. Teachers and drivers review Bus Rules with their students regularly -- emphasizing safety

All pupils must behave appropriately as passengers of a school bus. Clearly understood and well-defined rules are necessary for the successful management of pupils who ride school buses.

Students must remain seated, keep hands and feet to themselves, talk quietly, and refrain from throwing objects, or eating anything on the bus.

Students must not bring anything onto the bus that is not needed for school. Items needed for school, need to remain in student's book bags.

Please instruct your child on the proper conduct while waiting for and riding the bus. Students who do not behave may be denied the privilege of riding. Please go over these basic rules with your child.

Wait quietly and safely at the bus stop

Obey the driver at all times

Stay in your seat

Keep your hands and feet to yourself

Talk nicely (politely and quietly)

No eating on the bus

No animals or "critters" on the bus

No objects that "appear to be" weapons

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CODE OF CONDUCT

The Code of Conduct is a requirement under the 2001 Project S.A.V.E. legislation in New York State. It provides guidance for the students on expected behaviors -- in simplified terms it directs students as follows:

Students will listen and follow directions

Work quietly

Raise their hand for assistance

Respect themselves, other people and property

Work and play together safely

Be polite and use good manners

No bullying behavior! Bullying is a form of harassment.

In addition, students are required to refrain from, including but not limited to:

Disorderly Conduct - running in the halls; making unreasonable noise; using language or gestures that are lewd or vulgar; obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic; engaging in any willful act that disrupts school; trespassing; computer/electronic misuse

Disruptive Misconduct - tardy or truant; leaving class or building without permission; skipping detention; intentionally damaging or destroying school property

Insubordinate Misconduct - failure to comply with reasonable directions of the adults in charge of them including bus drivers, monitors, teachers, principals, assistants, aides or substitute personnel.

Violent Misconduct - committing an act of violence upon a teacher, administrator, or other school employee acting in an official capacity; committing an act of violence upon another student or other person lawfully on school property; possessing a weapon, displaying what appears to be a weapon, threatening to use any weapon; intentionally damaging or destroying the property of a student, teacher, administrator, district employee or person lawfully on school grounds

Safety/Health/Welfare Misconduct - lieing to school personnel; stealing property of students, school personnel or other person lawfully on school property or attending a school function; defamation, which includes making false statements or derogatory representations about an individual or group; discrimination, which includes the use of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability; harassment or bullying, which includes a sufficiently severe action or a persistent pervasive pattern of actions or statements that would be perceived as ridiculing or demeaning; intimidation, which includes actions or statements that put an individual in fear of bodily harm; any intentional or reckless act against another; selling, using or possessing obscene material; using vulgar or abusive language, cursing or swearing; smoking a cigarette, cigar, pipe or using chewing or smokeless tobacco or possession of any smoking materials; possessing, consuming, selling, distributing of exchanging alcoholic beverages or illegal substances or being under the influence or being suspected of such; inappropriately using or sharing prescription or over the counter drugs; gambling; indecent exposure; exposure to the sight of private parts of the body in a lewd or indecent manner; initiating a report warning of fire or other catastrophe without valid cause; misuse of 911 or discharging a fire extinguisher; physical display of affection.

Transportation Misconduct - any unsafe behavior while waiting at bus stop, during boarding/riding/departing of bus; hanging arms, legs or head out of windows; bringing articles of injurious or objectionable nature aboard the bus; getting out of seat or crawling over or under seats; tampering with equipment.

Courtesy - late arrival to the bus stop; fighting, pushing, tripping; using inappropriate words or gestures; throwing objects on or out of the bus; not obeying the driver; making unnecessary noise; eating on the bus; destroying bus property

All misconduct items listed previously apply to the student being transported to or from school, on field trips or at sports events.

Please note: Students are not to bring any items to school that they do not need for their class assignments. No radios, CD players, beepers, electronic devices such as cell phones, MP3, or games - Pokeman, Yu-Gi-Oh, or other trading or playing cards, toys, rare coins or other valuable items or potentially harmful items are to be brought to school.

Severe or continuous discipline problems may require conferences involving the school principal, parents/guardians and other relevant staff members so that a concerted effort may be made to determine and correct the cause of misconduct.

CONSEQUENCES

The type and extent of the disciplinary consequences shall be determined by the building principal or superintendent. Such consequences may include:

verbal warning; written warning; written notification (Discipline Report) to parent/guardian; telephone or in-person conference; counseling; referral; probation; reprimand; detention; suspension from transportation; suspension from school (In-School or Out of School); suspension from extracurricular activities; suspension of other privileges; exclusion from a particular class; involuntary transfer; suspension from instruction; referral to Student Support Team; referral to Committee on Special Education or referral to outside agencies - Community Action, Mental Health, Child Protection, or Probation.

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DETENTION

Detention may be used as a part of the consequences for the Project S.A.V.E.’s (Schools Against Violence Education legislation) Code of Conduct. Detention would be assigned from 3:15-4:15 for K-2 students and from 3:50-4:15 for 3-5 students. Arrangements will be made at least 24 hours in advance and will require the parent to provide transportation home. If arrangements can be made with the parent/guardian, the detention may take place the same day as the infraction.

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DRESS CODE (Appropriate Attire)

Prospect and Seneca Schools seek to maintain an orderly environment for education. To accomplish this, we have set a standard of student dress that is conducive to a proper educational climate. Clothing worn by students shall be neat, clean and in good repair for the general personal health and safety of the student. Immodest clothing of such type that it distracts from the learning process shall not be permitted. Some of the items that we do not allow students to wear or display on campus are: hats, caps or bandanas; lengthy belts or chains hanging out of pockets or from clothing; any item with gang or drug symbols; any item that advertises drugs/alcohol/ tobacco or promotes violent activities that represent aggressive behavior; skirts or shorts that do not reach at or near the fingertips; see-through items; tight or revealing clothing; bare midriffs or crop tops that leave bare midriffs when arms are raised; tank tops; halters, strapless dresses or tops; underwear showing. Shoes must have enclosed heels or heel straps. Sturdy shoes or sneakers are necessary for safety during gym classes. Girls should wear pants or shorts on gym days-no dresses or shoes with heels. Students who come to school dressed inappropriately will be expected to change. Their parents will be contacted to bring appropriate clothing. Students will not be permitted to attend classes wearing inappropriate clothing.

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   EARLY DISMISSAL

In order to leave school during the school day, a student must bring a note to the teacher requesting dismissal and must be checked out before 3:00. Since daily dismissal begins at 3:05, teachers need the time between 3:00 and 3:05 to get students ready for the regular dismissal, therefore, we will not interrupt this time to sign out students for early dismissal. The note should state: the reason for the dismissal, name of person authorized to sign student out, parent’s phone number, and the date and time of dismissal. The note should state: the reason for the dismissal, name of person authorized to sign student out, parent's phone number, and the date and time of dismissal.

*Please note-a photo I.D. may be required to sign a student out of school. This is for your child’s protection. Students who need to leave the campus during the school day for a dental, doctor, or other appointment will be checked out by the parent or guardian through the school office. No student should leave the campus for any other reason. For the safety of our children, no student is to be removed form class without the teacher’s prior knowledge.

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   HOMEWORK

Homework is assigned to the student as a reinforcement of newly introduced concepts or as an enrichment activity. Homework assignments are separate assignments that enhance the conceptual formation of skills for students. These assignments are part of the students educational program. If you have any questions regarding homework requirements, talk to your child’s classroom teacher.

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LOST AND FOUND

All "lost" or "found" articles are taken to the cafeteria or nurse’s office. Parents should label all items of clothing and back packs for easy identification. Unclaimed items are periodically donated to charity.

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PERSONAL DATA INFORMATION

Please notify the school office immediately if you have changed your address; child's drop-off address; home, work, cellphone or emergency phone numbers. The school records need to be kept up-to-date. In case of emergency, we MUST have a current phone number and drop-off information.

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VIDEOTAPING & PHOTOGRAPHING

Many students at this school have the opportunity of being videotaped and/or photographed at school. Some of these tapings eventually air on cable channel 13, and photographs may appear in newspapers. If you do not wish for your child to be videotaped or photographed, please sign a media exclusion form that we have in the office.

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WITHDRAWAL

Parents must notify the school office IMMEDIATELY if you will be withdrawing from our schools. This will enable us to complete their school records and provide you with necessary documentation for entry into their next school. Textbooks and library books need to be returned to school prior to withdrawal.

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   PLAYGROUND SAFETY

Older students are to help younger students on the playground for safety purposes. Students must be supervised at all times. All playground equipment should be used with safety.

Swings - one student per swing (sit down), no pushing or students, swing in the same direction, no twisting of chains, stop swing before getting off and no climbing on supports.

Slides - one student at a time, sit down, wait at the bottom of the ladder until person ahead has gone down slide and no climbing on supports.

Monkey Bars, Climbers, Ladders - use two hands on bars, do not climb past the height of the highest part of the climbers.

Tunnels - no pushing, when vaulting over them make sure two hands on tunnel and feet go over first - NO HEAD VAULTS.

Sandbox - report any broken glass, no standing or climbing in sandbox and no throwing sand.

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