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Click
here to view the Notre Dame Elementary School/Diocese of
Scranton Parent-Student Handbook
Parent-Student Handbook Addendum:
ADMISSIONS
Notre Dame
Elementary is a Roman Catholic School enrolling students
in Montessori Preschool through Grade Six.
Enrollment is open to all students; however,
preference will be given to the following in order: (1)
students with siblings already attending Notre Dame, (2)
children of Notre Dame Alumni, (3) students from
participating parishes, (4) non-parishioner students and
(5) Non-Catholic students.
To apply
for admission to Notre Dame, the following steps are
necessary when an opening occurs:
1.
Complete an application for admission and have
all the necessary papers signed and returned with
the required application fee. Please call the school office to arrange for an appointment
at 570-
421-3651.
2.
Request that a transcript of school records and
available test results, as well as a copy of all health
records (especially immunizations) be
sent to the school.
Tuition is announced in the spring
of each year. A
re-registration fee is required for each student and is
non-refundable. Please
note that all tuition payments are nonrefundable.
EMERGENCY CLOSINGS
If bad
weather or some other emergency necessitates a school
delay and/or closing, it will be announced on TV and
radio. Notre
Dame Schools follow EASE STROUDSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT
decisions pertaining to emergency closings.
Late arrivals and early dismissals will be
announced on the following radio and TV stations:
Radio: WSBG,
93.5 FM, WVPO, 840 AM
TV: WNES-TV
16, Cable 7, WBRE-TV 8, Cable 8, WYOU-TV 2
*You can also logon to www.ndelementary.org
or check your Edline account.
EMERGENCY CONTACT FORMS
The School
requires the parent(s)/guardian(s) of each student to
complete an information form provided by the School.
It is important that the information on this form
is accurate and updated so that the School can contact
the parent/guardian in the event of an emergency. Please list all cell phone numbers on this form.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
If, at any
time of the year, a student’s current address or
telephone number has been changed, the parents or
guardians are required to notify the school office with
the new information.
COMMUNICATIONS
Effective
communication is the single, most important factor that
assures a positive relationship between the home and
school. Several
modes of communication exist at our school to help keep
parents informed of policies, activities, upcoming
events and student progress. Regular forms of communications include this handbook, a
monthly calendar of events, flyers, family communication
envelopes, parent-teacher conferences, progress reports,
report cards and Edline.
School communications will be sent home each
Thursday in the family communication envelope.
Parents are required to sign the communication
envelope each week to indicate that the material
contained therein has been received and read.
Any communications, forms, money, etc. that are
brought to school are forwarded to the school office
through the homeroom teacher.
Students should not be instructed to deliver
items directly to the office.
Communicating
with your child’s teacher is greatly encouraged.
If a concern arises, please schedule a conference
with your child’s teacher to discuss the problem.
Parents are not permitted to see teachers without
scheduled appointments.
If the matter is not resolved, the parent may opt
to schedule another conference with the principal and
the teacher.
DAILY SCHEDULE
7:30-7:45am
Auditorium is open to children with valid need
for early arrival.
7:45am
Classroom – morning work.
8:10am
School-wide call to prayer.
8:20am
1st Period begins.
2:10pm
Closing Prayer
2:15pm
Dismissal
Students
are not to arrive or enter the school before 7:30am.
Students are not permitted to remain in the
building after school or to use any part of the
facilities unless under the direct supervision of a
moderator or teacher who is present during the time of
the activity. Parents
and students are asked not to return to the school
building after school for “forgotten” items.
FIRE DRILLS
Fire
drills are conducted throughout the school year.
The students are instructed to leave the building
quickly and in silence when the alarm rings according to
directions posted in each area.
Failure to cooperate is considered a serious
matter.
GUIDANCE PROGRAM
Notre Dame
Elementary is provided with a part-time qualified
counselor. Students
may be recommended to work with our school counselor as
circumstances dictate.
HEALTH
Children
in ALL grades (K-12) need the following
vaccines:
o
3 doses of tetanus*
o
3 doses of diphtheria*
o
3 doses of polio
o
2 doses of measles**
o
1 dose of mumps**
o
1 dose of rubella (German measles)**
Children ENTERING
SCHOOL (at K or Grade 1) need the following
vaccines:
o
4 doses of tetanus* (1 dose on or after 4th
birthday)
o
4 doses of diphtheria* (1 dose on or after
4th birthday)
o
3 doses of polio
o
2 doses of measles**
o
1 dose of mumps**
o
1 dose of rubella (German measles)**
o
3 doses of hepatitis B
o
1 dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
or history of disease
Children ENTERING
7TH GRADE need the following
vaccines:
o
3 doses of tetanus*
o
3 doses of diphtheria*
o
3 doses of polio
o
2 doses of measles**
o
1 dose of mumps**
o
1 dose of rubella (German measles)**
o
3 doses of hepatitis B
o
Age appropriate dose(s) of varicella
(chickenpox) vaccine or history of disease
*Usually given as DTP or DtaP or DT
or TD
**Usually given as MMR
As of the
start of the 2011-2012 school year, ALL
students will need a second varicella vaccine or proof
of the disease. Also,
7th grade students will need one dose of Tdap
(tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis), if more than
5 years has elapsed since their last tetanus booster,
and one dose of MCV (Meningococcal conjugate vaccine).
Proof of
immunization means a written record showing the dates
(month, day, year) your child was immunized.
The only exceptions to the school laws for
immunization are medical reasons and religious beliefs.
If your child is exempt from immunizations, your
child may be removed from school during a disease
outbreak.
Students
in all grades must show evidence of having a second MMR.
In order that your child not be excluded from
school, please submit documentation of your child’s
immunization records in the form of a physician’s
record.
SCHOOL NURSE
A
registered nurse is provided by the public school
district on a part-time basis. The nurse maintains all health records. Care given in the school is limited to first aid in accidents
or illness until the parents can be reached to take the
student home, to the doctor or to the hospital.
In an emergency, the nurse or Designee will
arrange to have the student transported to the hospital.
ACCIDENT/ILLNESS AT SCHOOL
Accidents
or unusual illnesses occurring at school are reported
immediately to the principal or main office personnel.
When a student becomes ill or has an accident,
the parent or guardian is contacted.
If the parent or guardian cannot be reached, the
emergency contact will be called.
Parents must be contacted immediately if there is
any question regarding an injury.
Emergency cards are kept on file for each
student. Please
be sure that we have an up-to-date emergency number on
file in case of an emergency during the school day
involving your child.
MEDICATIONS
It is
generally recommended that prescription medicines be
given to the student before and/or after school in
accordance with the physician’s directions.
In those rare instances where the medication must
be given to a student during the school day, the
following applies:
- The
school must have a signed form from the doctor
indicating the medication and amount to be taken.
(Forms are available in the office.)
- The
parents must also sign a form giving permission to
the principal’s office stating that the student
takes the medicine and for the school to dispense
medicine.
- Prescription
and non-prescription over the counter medications
must be in the original container with a note from
the parent and physician to include:
name of medicine, dosage, time of
administration, dates to be given and reason for
medication.
- Students
requiring medical attention must report to the
nurse/principal.
No medications should be placed in lunch
boxes or school bags for students to
self-administer.
All medications must be taken to the
nurse’s office/principal’s office.
If any
student contracts a communicable disease, please notify
the school office so we may, in turn, notify parents of
other students in the same room.
ALLERGIES
Parents
must alert the school nurse/principal to specific
allergy needs.
LUNCH
Each month
the students are provided with a lunch calendar and have
the option to buy lunch daily.
Students in grades K-6 will be provided with a
lunch ticket and are asked to submit payment for lunches
either monthly or every Friday for the following week.
Carrying money to school on a daily basis is
strongly discouraged.
Expectations of the Students in the
Cafeteria
- Eat
lunch using proper table manners.
- Return
all trays and utensils to the assigned area.
- Make
sure their trash is collected and disposed of in a
proper manner.
- Leave
table and floor area in clean condition.
- Be
respectful at all times.
- Obey
staff in charge at all times.
- Remain
in the cafeteria during the allotted time. For the students’ safety, we require that no students
leave the cafeteria unless they have permission.
RELEASE OF CHILD/STUDENT RECORDS
A child
will not be released to a parent/guardian who does not
have physical custody without written consent of the
custodial parent/guardian.
To determine the custodial parent/guardian, all
separated or divorced parents of children enrolled in
Notre Dame Elementary School must provide the school
with a copy of the court order or custodial agreement
adjudicating that determination of custody.
This Court Order/Custodial Agreement is placed in
a confidential file.
Unless a
court or custody agreement specifies otherwise, each
parent/guardian with legal custody is entitled to access
all school records of the child.
Without a subpoena or court order, school records
of the child(ren) may be disclosed only upon written
consent of the parent/guardian with legal custody.
SAFETY REGULATIONS
The
following regulations have been established to insure
the safety of our students and must be adhered to by
each student:
1.
Running is not permitted at any time within the
school building or in moving from one place to another
on the school premises.
2.
Entry is not permitted into the school building
before or after school hours unless under the
supervision of a faculty member.
3.
No student may leave the school premises at any
time without permission.
A violation of this regulation will result in
automatic suspension. Every student must stay within the established boundaries
when outdoors for lunch recess.
4.
All visitors must report to the school office,
sign-in and procure a visitor’s badge upon arrival.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES – Grades 5
and 6
The
purpose of the Student Representatives is to promote
student leadership throughout the grades.
Each class elects one homeroom representative and
two Mission representatives. Specifications regarding Student Representatives are
administered to students at a time prior to elections.
TELEPHONE-SCHOOL OFFICE
The
telephone in the school office is for business use only.
A student may use the phone only in the case of
an emergency with the permission of the Principal.
Permission will not be given to a student to call
home for forgotten supplies or to communicate social
plans. Please
do not request that a child phone home during or after
school for any reason.
If parents must change the mode of
transportation, please call the office and a message
will be sent to the child.
If a child
is detained at school for any reason without prior
notification, permission will be granted to use the
phone. Urgent
messages for students will be relayed to them from the
school office. During class time, neither student nor teacher may be called
to the phone. Messages
can be given to the school secretary when necessary, and
they will be given to the appropriate teacher.
Cell
phones are not permitted for use during school hours.
Cell phones must stay in the backpack and put on
silent mode during school hours.
TRANSPORTATION
As
required by law, students from Stroudsburg, East
Stroudsburg, Bangor and Pocono Mountain School Districts
are bused to school through the cooperation of the
transportation offices of the public school districts.
Students
from the Pleasant Valley School District are bused to
school by special arrangement.
All
students of Notre Dame share in the responsibility of
providing a safe, efficient and wholesome atmosphere on
the buses. It
is expected that students cooperate with bus personnel.
Failure to do so will result in having
transportation privilege suspended or withdrawn.
Suspension from bus privileges is NOT an excuse
for being absent from school.
VISITORS/VOLUNTEERS
For the safety of all students,
faculty and staff, the following regulations apply to
visitors/volunteers to our school:
- Visitors
- Visitors
are most welcome by appointment.
To arrange for a visit, visitors should
contact the school office.
All visitors must report to the school
office and sign in the Visitor’s Log when
entering the building.
An atmosphere of quiet respect for the
learning rights of others should prevail
throughout the school building.
- Parents
coming to school to bring forgotten articles or to
relay messages should come to the school office.
Classes may not be disturbed for these
reasons. Parents
may not confer with a teacher or visit a classroom
between the hours of 7:45am and 2:30pm.
- Volunteers
The
assistance of parent volunteers is greatly appreciated
and encouraged. We
recognize the invaluable assistance given by our
students’ families, which helps in building a strong
learning community.
Parents
are urged to take an active part in their child’s
education by volunteering whenever and wherever
possible. Volunteer
forms are sent home in the communication envelope when
the need arises. Please
fill-in this information and return it to school with
your child.
Parents
who wish to volunteer in Notre Dame Elementary School
are asked to comply by school regulations and are asked
to handle all matters in a professional manner.
Parents must have Virtus training and all
clearances in order to volunteer.
DRESS CODE POLICIES
SPRING/SUMMER
Aug – Oct. 31/Apr – June
FALL/WINTER Nov 1 – March
31
Neatness and cleanliness in
personal attire are part of a child’s education and
the responsibility of the parents.
When a child looks and feels good about
himself/herself, he/she acts and works accordingly. Any student not in compliance with the dress code will be
required to change his/her appearance.
If necessary, a phone call to parents may be in
order so that a change of clothing may be brought to the
school. Personal
appearance that constitutes a distraction is not
permitted. Final
approval/disapproval is at the discretion of the
principal.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
GIRLS (grades K-4):
Light blue Peter Pan collar blouse (long or short
sleeve), red crossbow tie, uniform plaid jumper, navy
blue knee socks or tights and sturdy dress shoes.
GIRLS
(grades 5-6):
Plaid
uniform skirt with light blue uniform blouse (long or
short sleeve), Notre Dame uniform v-neck sweater vest,
navy blue knee socks or tights and sturdy dress
shoes. Clogs,
sandals or flip-flops are not allowed.
GIRLS
SUMMER UNIFORM (grades K-6) – optional:
Navy
blue uniform skort (knee length) with
light blue Notre Dame golf shirt, navy blue knee
socks and sturdy dress shoes. Clogs, sandals or
flip-flops are not allowed.
GIRLS WINTER UNIFORM (grades K-6) – optional:
Navy blue uniform slacks
may be worn during the winter season (Nov. 1 through
April 1) with the uniform blouse, (tie for grades K-4)
and navy Notre Dame v-neck sweater vest. No
dangling earrings or body piercing allowed.
Single post earrings are allowed for girls
only. Clear
nail polish only.
BOYS
(grades K-6):
Light blue
collared shirt (long or short sleeves), navy blue
uniform slacks, plaid uniform tie, navy blue v-neck
sweater vest and sturdy dress shoes.
Belt must be worn to keep shirt tucked in at all
times. Boys
may wear knee length uniform navy blue
Bermuda style shorts with the light blue Notre Dame golf
shirts between April 1 and November 1.
No earrings, chains, body piercing or fad
haircuts allowed.
Hair must be 1 inch above eyebrow and must not
touch the collar.
Parents are asked to make sure that
all articles of clothing are marked with student’s
names.
Jewelry – Although
jewelry is not a part of the school uniform, post
earrings of a small and conservative style are permitted
to be worn by girls (one earring only in each ear).
Boys are not permitted to wear earrings.
Bracelets, both ankle and wrist, rings, pins and
buttons are not a part of the school uniform.
This includes all rope, yarn and beaded neck,
wrist and ankle bands.
A watch with no distracting beeps, alarms or
sounds may be worn. All necklaces must be worn under the uniform blouse/shirt.
Cosmetics –
Cosmetics of any kind are not permitted.
(This includes fingernail polish and press-on
nails/imitation nails.)
Clear fingernail polish is acceptable.
Out of Uniform – If
at any time during the year an exception in uniform is
necessary, a note of explanation must be sent to the
child’s teacher who will forward it to the principal.
This note should indicate the expected date by
which the uniform will be complete.
ACADEMIC POLICIES
Books and Materials
Every
student must carry his/her books to and from school in a
suitable book bag. All workbooks must be covered with clear contact paper.
All textbooks must be covered; all covers must be
neat and clean. Books
and materials are to be properly identified with a
student’s name. No
other writing is permissible on book covers or tablets.
All lost
or damaged books must be paid for in full by the student
and parent/guardian. A charge will be made at the rate at which the books were
purchases by the school.
Students are expected to take care of their
personal belongings, their books and their clothing.
They are also asked to help care for the school
buildings and the adjoining property.
Any malicious damage will necessitate
compensation.
Textbooks,
with the exception of Religion books, are provided by
the state of Pennsylvania through Acts 90 and 195.
Curriculum
All grades follow the courses frameworks
issued by the Diocese of Scranton Office of Catholic
Education. These
subjects include: Religion,
Mathematics, Integrated Language Arts (Reading,
Literature, Grammar, Writing, Penmanship, Spelling),
Social Studies, Science, Art, Music, Library, Computer
and Physical Education.
Curriculum Policies
Curriculum may be defined as all the guided
experiences of the students under the direction of the
school. As
a Catholic school, first and foremost of these
experiences is the religious education afforded the
students. This
is the reason for the existence of Notre Dame Elementary
School.
Non-Catholic students are expected to participate
in the religious curriculum and activities of the
school.
Class Participation
Students are expected to:
- Give
attention and respect to the teacher at all times.
- Show
respect and concern for other students by a
willingness to share and to take turns.
- Actively
participate in class by responding orally or in
writing as circumstances dictate.
Homework
Homework refers to an assignment made by a
teacher that will positively reinforce a concept
presented in class.
Homework includes both written and study
assignments, and should be done by the student
independently. While
this does not preclude parental help or interest, the
assignments should not require undue parental assistance
or supervision. Parents
have the responsibility to provide an atmosphere
conducive to study and to exhibit a real interest in the
accomplishment of their child’s assignments.
Ample time is allotted for the completion of
out-of-class research assignments or projects.
The following time per night is suggested
for homework; this includes both written and study
assignments:
1.
Grades 1 – 2:
20 minutes
2.
Grades 3 – 4
40 minutes
3.
Grades 5 – 6
60 minutes
The School realizes that teachers,
students and subjects vary.
The objective is not time, but the extension of
learning beyond class time.
In the event of absence or suspension, all
homework and missed assignments are to be made up.
Honor Recognition
Notre Dame Elementary School believes in guiding
each and every child to reach his/her fullest potential.
Our belief is that all students are gifted by God
in their own unique way and we honor all of our students
who put forth one hundred percent effort and who live
each day to the best of their ability.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Conferences are scheduled at the semester
report period for Grades Kindergarten – 6.
Arrangements for parent-teacher conferences at
other times can be made in writing to suit the
convenience of both teachers and parents whenever deemed
necessary for the benefit of the child.
When requesting a conference, please state the
nature of the concern, so that the teacher can be better
prepared to address it.
Should a problem arise concerning any child,
parents should feel free to discuss it with the proper
school authority. The
better the communication, the easier to direct your
child in his/her educational endeavors.
Teachers may not be interrupted during the school
day.
Preparation for Class
The student is responsible for completing all
class assignments and homework on time.
Failure to do so indicates a lack of serious
preparation for class.
Incomplete homework assignments may result in an
after school detention, and will ultimately affect the
student’s effort grade on the report card.
Daily performance of students is assessed by the
teacher. Class participation, homework, quizzes, tests and notebooks
are part of the overall report card grade.
Students should not tear pages from, skip pages
or use his/her notebooks as drawing or scribbling pads.
Student Progress
Student progress is reported periodically to
the parents/guardians throughout the semesters.
You may also constantly check student progress
through your access to Edline. These communications vary depending on the teacher.
Learning not only cultivates intellectual skills,
but also responsibility for one’s actions. Parents/guardians may be notified for any of the following
reasons:
- Neglect
of written homework.
- Student
not working to ability.
- Failure
to listen to and follow directions after repeated
warnings.
- Lack
of responsibility in handing work in on time or
failure to return a test paper signed by
parent/guardian.
- Absence
work not make up after a reasonable amount of time.
- Carelessly
completed class work after explicit directions have
been given by the teacher.
- Doing
homework in class.
Report Cards
Report cards are distributed four times a
year. They
should be examined carefully by both parents to
determine whether the child is doing the work of which
he/she is capable.
The marking system is explained on the cards.
Report card envelopes should be signed by
at least one parent and returned as soon as possible.
Edline
All students in grades K – 6 will have
access to student’s progress through Edline.
Parents/guardians will receive and Edline
Activation Code with direction on how to activate your
Edline account in the beginning of the school year.
Testing
Standardized testing, (Terra Nova Testing) is
conducted in our school according to the Diocese of
Scranton directives.
It has been tradition that teaching values to our
children be integrated into all aspects of classroom
life. To
this end, any talking during any test/assessment of any
kind will earn the student a zero grade for grades 3, 4,
5 and 6. This
is meant to be a disciplinary tool to create a deterrent
to talking during tests.
There will be no exception or reconsiderations;
if a student is observed talking during a test, his/her
grade will be a zero.
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