Conestoga Elementary School Handbook

We have designed this elementary handbook to help you and your child with policies and procedures. If you have any questions please give us a call at 872-9535. We look forward to a healthy, productive school year and the development of a strong home-school partnership.

HOURS

The elementary day begins at 9:00 am and ends at 3:25 pm. Morning kindergarten arrives at 9:00 am and is dismissed at 11:35 am. Afternoon kindergarten arrives at 12:50 pm and is dismissed at 3:25 pm. When inclement weather interferes with our start time the following will happen:

If we are on a one hour delay, all students will be picked up one hour later than their scheduled bus pick-up time. Morning kindergarten students will then go home at their regular dismissal time. Afternoon kindergarten will operate on a normal schedule.

If we are on a two hour delay, students will be picked up two hours later than their normal bus pick-up time. Morning kindergarten students will then stay until 12:45 pm and be bussed home at that time. Afternoon kindergarten students will be picked up 50 minutes later than their regularly scheduled time and then be dismissed at 3:25 pm as usual.

These delays and early dismissals are announced on the following radio stations: WDAC-FM, WIOV, WLAN, WSBA, WQXA, WJTL, and WRKZ. They will also be announced on the following television stations: WGAL, and WLYH.

VISITORS

To ensure building security, all parents, visitors, and former students are required to report to the office to obtain a visitor's pass. To avoid interruptions to the classroom, parents are asked to leave all messages and materials at the office. The office will notify the teacher or student as soon as possible. If you are picking your child up at the end of the day, please use the side door pick up/drop off area and send a note in that day with your child to notify the teacher that your child is a walker.

Parents are welcome to visit at any time. We ask that prior notification be made to the appropriate teacher. Parents are also requested to notify the teacher in advance when they wish to confer on matters concerning their child. Arrival and departure times are particularly busy for teachers and we would appreciate you scheduling appointments that do not interfere with these times.

We encourage parents to schedule dentist appointments, etc. after school hours. However, we realize this is not always possible. If your child needs to be picked up early, we ask that parents report to the office and we will call your child's classroom teacher and have your child dismissed to meet you in the office. If they arrive late, we ask that you report to the office and we will send your child to their classroom after they check in.

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ATTENDANCE

Excuse forms or a written note from a parent should be returned to the classroom teacher following an absence. If your child arrives after 11:30 am it will be considered 1/2 day absent. If they depart before 1:00 pm it will be considered 1/2 day absent. Arrival after 9:00 am and before 11:30 am is considered tardy.

PREPLANNED ABSENCE

If a preplanned absence is necessary, parents are required to fill out a form for prior approval that can be obtained from the office. The principal should be given ample time, (we ask that you give us approximately one week) to allow for good communication between the parent, teacher and school office. All assigned work will be your child's responsibility to complete.

*The school district policy concerning family trips allows for one major trip (three days or more) or two minor family trips (two days or less) per year.

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HEALTH ROOM

Any prescription medication that needs to be taken during school hours must be accompanied by both a parent and the physician signature. Medication should be taken to the health room upon arrival. Non-prescription medication must be accompanied by a parent signature along with specific instructions. It must be in its original container.

POLICY ON PETS

Please check with the classroom teacher prior to bringing pets to school. We have many children who are highly allergic to different types of animals and we need to be sensitive to their individual situations.

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CONFERENCES

Conferences are scheduled for early November. Please see the school calendar for the exact dates. A schedule for these conferences will be created after we receive input from you concerning convenient times to accommodate your schedule. A letter will go home prior to scheduling for your input. At that time, parents will receive the first report card from the teacher. Please feel free to contact your child's teacher at any time during the year as the need arises.

SCHOOL DRESS

School dress in the elementary is a matter of good judgment. Loose fitting clothing or footwear which could cause injury is not appropriate for school. We ask that shorts that are worn to school be long enough to reach just above the knee. Clothing that advertises any alcohol or tobacco products, is of questionable taste, or is potentially disruptive to the educational program will not be permitted. No hats will be permitted to be worn in the building. Please make every effort to mark your child's belongings with their full name (lunch boxes, jackets, etc.) This will help us to return items that are misplaced.

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BUS POLICY

Students will be expected to observe regular classroom rules for good conduct. They will be expected to take assigned seats and remain seated until the bus arrives at their bus stop. They will be expected to keep the aisles clear and avoid all behaviors which may divert the driver's attention from their important job of driving safely. If damage is done to the bus, it will be paid for by the offender. Respect for the driver and for other students will be expected at all times. Riding the bus is a privilege, not a right. Students who violate bus rules or jeopardize the safety of bus riders may forfeit their bus riding privileges. If your child will not be riding the bus home on any given day, we must have a note indicating the change signed by a parent. If we do not have a note, we are obligated to have your child ride the bus if someone is not here by the bus dismissal time. A phone call to the office will be sufficient in an emergency. (All students must ride their designated bus unless an emergency arises.) Walkers will be dismissed at 3:25 before the buses and should be picked up at the side door parking area.

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND TOYS

Radios, electronic games, tape recorders, etc., are enjoyable for children of all ages. However, because of the potential interruption to the learning environment and the danger of them being broken, lost or stolen, these items are not to be brought to school. Special exceptions may be granted when they relate to school projects.

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FIELD TRIPS

A field trip is any activity outside the routine school experience which necessitates students and teacher leaving school grounds. Educational trips are planned by the teacher to supplement classroom experiences and the decision to make a trip will be determined by the teacher by the end of the first marking period. Students will be invited to participate in an educational field trip if they have consistently demonstrated behavior that would reflect favorably on the participating school and class.

LUNCH

Listed below are the lunch and breakfast prices.

Elementary lunch - students $1.85/adults $3.25

Reduced lunch - $.40

Elementary breakfast - students $1.00/adults $1.50

Reduced breakfast - $.30

Milk-$.50

Lunch prepaid ticket - $37.00 (20 lunches) / Breakfast prepaid ticket - $10.00 (10 days)

Reduced lunch prepaid ticket - $10.00 (20 lunches)/ Reduced breakfast prepaid ticket - $3.00 (10 days)

We encourage the purchasing of lunch and breakfast prepaid tickets. This will allow your child to purchase 20 lunches. The tickets do not need to be used on consecutive days and we will keep track of the number of lunches purchased in the cafeteria, as there are no actual tickets handed out.

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PTO

We have a wonderful, dedicated group of individuals that serve on our Parent Teacher Organization. They provide our school with many services and added support. If you are interested on serving on our PTO, a sign-up sheet will be sent home at the beginning of the school year.

SCHOOL CONDUCT

The following is a list of expected behaviors:

Children will:

Play safely and avoid aggressive behavior

Use appropriate language at all times

Respect self and others

Respect school and personal property

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A copy of the Penn Manor School District Student Guidelines for Grades K-6 is available at the office.

We have designed this handbook to provide you with information that will be helpful to both students and parents. If we can assist you in any way please don't hesitate to give us a call at 872-9535 ext. 3500.