WELCOME

The school days that follow are intended to be memorable ones. We hope, through our combined education efforts that your child will have a rewarding and successful education experience.

MISSION STATEMENT

Owens Cross Roads School will join with the community to produce students who are academically and socially prepared to become life-long learners.

WE BELIEVE:

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

Everyone deserves an environment conducive to learning.

Everyone needs love, acceptance, support, and guidance.

Everyone needs to be responsible for his/her actions.

The purpose of education is to develop productive citizens.

SCHOOL HOURS

Owens Cross Roads School campus opens for supervision of students at 7:30 and ends at 2:35 except for students under the direct supervision of a teacher or administrator. Do not drop students off before 7:30. Under no circumstances should a parent leave a child on the front porch.

VISITORS

Parents and guardians are welcome to be participants in the school process. For your child’s safety, please read and observe the guidelines listed.

All visitors should go to the office and sign in.
Visitor’s badge should be worn at all times.
Parents and other guest may dine with students at lunch.
Parents may observe in the classroom (announced or unannounced). We do require for unannounced visits that you do not ask to speak to the teacher or students. Your role is to observe. Teaching time is valued so we wish to keep interruptions to a minimum.
Parents may speak with teachers during planning times or between 7:30 and 7:40 daily. Phone calls are also limited to a teacher’s planning.
Parents may volunteer either at school or from home. Contact the school counselor.

CHILD CARE AFTER SCHOOL

To assist parents OCR provides an after school daycare until 5:45 on school days. Please call 725-4233 ext. zero for registration and tuition details.

ALABAMA READING INITIATIVE

DEMONSTRATION SITE

Owens Cross Roads School is a demonstration site for the Alabama Beginning Reading and the Alabama Reading Initiative. This means your child will receive specialized instruction which will help your child become a better reader.

PARENT & TEACHER COMMUNICATION

Our faculty is committed to providing parents with information to assist with student achievement. We will provide a classroom update along with lunchroom account information each Friday. This will help keep parents informed of classroom events. In addition, a monthly menu with events will be given to parents. Parents are encouraged to email, call, and write faculty members with comments or concerns. Parents may also visit our website at http://www.madison.k12.al.us/owens/index.htm.

PARENT CONFERENCES – VISITS

Parents and teachers working together is essential to a successful school program. We want you to contact your child’s teacher regularly. Schedule parent-teacher conferences when you have questions or concerns. In addition, you should contact the school right away when you receive a request for a conference from the teacher. The teacher has something important to talk with you about: your child. These procedures have been established for parent-teacher conferences:

1. The Owens Cross Roads faculty is expecting at least two parent conferences yearly.

2. The first conference should be set up by the end of the first nine-weeks.

3. Parents can make an appointment for a conference by calling the school office. Conferences must be scheduled other than instructional time.

4. Upon arrival to the school, please check in with the office first.

Instructional time is valuable and belongs to your children, so please do not ask to have the teacher stop during class time to talk with you. We are happy to arrange conference times at other times that are convenient for you.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Rules have been established for safety reasons as well as to insure a good learning atmosphere. Every student is expected to behave appropriately at school. The Owens Cross Roads faculty will not tolerate behavior which interferes with the learning process.

SCHOOLWIDE RULES:

1. Speak and act respectfully.

2. Have needed supplies and be prepared daily.

3. Follow directions.

4. Keep hands, feet, and objects to self.

5. Do not prevent the teacher from teaching or other students from learning.

LUNCHROOM RULES

1. Talk in a quiet voice.

2. Good manners are expected at all times.

3. Clean up your eating area.

4. Walk in an orderly manner.

Please see Madison County Code of Conduct for further information.

CHECKNG STUDENTS OUT OF SCHOOL

Only the parent(s) of a student will be allowed to check a student out of school, unless the parent(s) has specifically designated to school officials in writing that someone else has permission to check the student out of school. In those cases where parents are divorced and one parent has custody, only that parent with custody will be allowed to check a student out of school, unless the custodial parent has given permission in writing for the child to be checked out by the noncustodial parent. Students will be called to the office when the parent arrives. We will not calls students to the office before the parent arrives.

MEDICATIONS

Students are not to have prescription or non-prescription medication in their possession during school hours. Students must take any medication only in the presence of a school official as identified by item 4 of Procedure for Administering Medication to Students. (Student Code of Conduct)

Prescription medications will be administered by school personnel or taken by a student in the presence of school personnel only if a properly completed Medication Release Form is on file in the office. Exceptions may be granted based on doctor’s orders in unique situations.

Non-prescription medication will be administered by school personnel only with prior parental consent and not to exceed recommended dosage as stated by the product manufacturer. The principal should require the completion of a Medication Release Form signed by the parent/guardian in cases of extended non-prescription medication use. Dosage beyond that recommended by product manufacturer would require a completed Medical Release form signed by the parent/guardian and physician.

RIDING A SCHOOL BUS

The Madison County Board of Education provides bus transportation to students who are eligible to ride based on State and local Board of Education provisions. Safety is of utmost importance in the transportation of students; therefore, the Board expects students to follow strictly all rules and regulations regarding school buses. Students who violate established rules and regulations regarding bus use, or who exhibit behavior deemed inappropriate and/or detrimental to the safe transportation of students, will not be allowed to ride school buses.

If your child is to ride another bus or get off at a different stop, the school needs a signed note from the parent, plus a phone number where the parent can be contacted. Students should give the note to the homeroom teacher. Notes will be returned before lunch. A copy will be made in the office. Someone from the office will sign the note.

BUS RULES

1. Stay in seats.

2. Listen to and obey bus drivers.

3. Keep the aisles clear of feet, books, bags, etc.

4. Keep conversations at a low volume.

5. Be at the bus stop on time.

CAR RIDERS

Students are to unload from cars in the front of the building in the morning at the main entrance.

Students may be picked up at the front of the building at the gym exit in the afternoons. Cars will be loaded in the order in which they pull up to the gym door. Cars arriving early should park single file.

Students will not be allowed to leave the gym door and walk to a car that is parked. Parents must be in the car rider line. If a parent wishes to pick a student up, the parent should go to the front office and not the gym door. Students will need to be checked out at the office. Parents are requested not to gather at the gym door.

PARTIES

All grade levels may have a Christmas party. Parents are encouraged to help teachers with the party.

The principal must approve all other parties.

INVITATIONS

Students may distribute personal party invitations at school only if every student in the classroom is invited. Students may also distribute private invitations to other classrooms as long as each child in that classroom is invited. Otherwise, parents should seek another way to deliver private invitations.

DRESS CODE

Please see the Madison County Student Code of Conduct for complete guidelines. In 2007, students will not be able to where shoes which have wheels.

ATTENDANCE

Regular school attendance is expected of every student. When a student returns to school after any absence, he must bring a written excuse from a parent or guardian within three days. The excuse must contain the exact reason for his/her absence. If a written explanation is not provided within three days, the absence(s) will be coded unexcused. A student must attend one-half of the instructional day to be counted present. Eleven fifteen is considered one-half of the school day. Please see the Madison County Student Code of Conduct for additional attendance information.

GRADING –REPORT CARDS

Report cards are issued each nine weeks. Please see school calendar for dates of progress and report cards.

Notice if your child’s report card is marked modified or accommodated. This means your child is either not working on grade level or is having difficulty. Please ask your child’s teacher for a conference.

It is important that you know if your child is reading on grade level. If she/he is not, please contact your child’s teacher to see what plan of action is needed. We have found with the parents help all children can be successful.

TEXTBOOKS

Textbooks are approved by the Board of Education upon recommendation of the Superintendent. State textbooks are provided for the period the pupil uses them and must be treated as borrowed property. In case of lost or damaged textbooks, a pupil must pay for the textbook in accordance with the scale set by the State Department of Education.

TELEPHONE USE

Students need permission from a teacher or and administrator to use the phone. Parents should not call the school to speak to pupils or leave messages except in cases of emergency.

OTHER POLICIES

1. There will be no selling or buying of any items unless school sponsored. Also, students must not trade or give away personal items at school.

2. Students may only bring radios or other musical devices upon approval of the classroom teacher. The school will not be responsible for stolen items. Students are responsible for keeping their personal belongings in a secure place.

LUNCH AND BREAKFAST PROGRAMS

A school lunch and breakfast program are provided for the convenience of pupils. It is permissible for pupils to bring lunches from home. No glass bottles should be brought to school. Free or reduced price lunches are provided to eligible students.

K-4 5-6 Reduced Visitor

Lunch $1.50 $1.75 $.40 $3.00

Breakfast $1.00 $1.75 $. 30 $1.75

On occasion, it is permissible for students to charge a meal with principal’s approval. Parents will be sent home a notice. At no time should students have more than two meals charged. Students may NOT charge extra items such as ice cream, drinks, etc. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure a student has lunch money. Parents may call 725-2455 and ask for a current lunchroom balance. Should a student exceed charges, the student will be allowed to call parents for money. In cases, where the parent cannot be reached, the student will be given a basic lunch which includes a sandwich, fruit, and milk.

Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:40 daily. Class begins promptly at 7:45.

Questions & Answers about Attendance

1. How many days does a parent have to return an excuse? A parent has three school days to send in excuses.

2. What happens on day four? The child is marked unexcused in the computer.

3. Should a parent call the school when his/her child is going to be absent more than a couple of days? It is helpful to call the school but not required. We are concerned about your child. Please note that just because you called does not mean you do not have to send in a written note. A written excuse is still required.

4. Why doesn’t the school remind the parents when they forget to send in a written note? It is the parent’s responsibility to send a note. Please see the Code of Conduct. Quite frankly, we do send out reminders on teacher’s weekly calendars, the principal’s monthly menu and much other type of correspondences. We simply do not have the time to call individuals. Most teachers ask students on daily basis for excuses.

5. Is it okay to have the doctor’s office to fax in excuses? Yes. However, the school will NOT call you when we do not receive an excuse. It is the parents’ responsibility to make sure the school receives the note. The school fax number is 725-2979.

6. What should a parent do if his child will not take the note out of the his bookbag and give it to the teacher? All of our teachers are willing to work with you but keep in mind that it is the parents’ responsibility to get us the excuse. Most teachers ask for attendance excuses on a daily basis. If your child needs more assistance than this you may just have to mail/fax or bring the note to the office/teacher yourself. The teachers need to be spending time teaching.

7. Is a family emergency automatically considered excused? No.

8. How could a family emergency be considered excused? It would fall under the prior permission by the principal at the request of the parent/guardian. Typically, Dr. Donna will excuse a death or terminal illness of extended family members. However, the written note must state this information or the parents must call the office and let Dr. Donna know this information. The school will not call the parent and ask them to explain what the emergency was.

9. Are there other excuses that fall underneath prior permission? Yes. It is the parent’s responsibility to call Dr. Donna. Two additional excuses that have been approved have been birth of a sibling and time to visit with a parent who was in the military in Iraq.

10. What has not been approved with prior permission? Business trips, family vacations, field trips (other grade levels or other schools) and unexplained family emergencies have not been given prior permission.

11. I wish to take my child on an educational vacation. Why will the school not approve this?

As a parent, you may decide missing a day from school is worth the trip. If you have been aware of any unexcused days and not allowed them to accumulate, then there should not be a problem. As the principal of the school, Dr. Donna must assist the teachers in every way possible to ensure student achievement is attained. To put in simple terms, “We can’t teach students, if they are not here.”

12. Why does Mrs. Thorson send out such a harsh letter the first time my child has an unexcused absence? This is a form letter that all Madison County Schools have been asked to send. The Alabama State Department of Education passed the attendance guidelines. The letter is simply meant to be a reminder that school is important. Mrs. Thorson is following directions. She is not making a threat to send you to jail. She is simply informing you of the absence and reminding you of current law.

13. What happens after I sign the letter from Mrs. Thorson? The letter is placed in your child’s records. After 5 unexcused absences you will be required to attend a meeting with the truancy officer at the Teacher Resource Center.

14. Will a parent be notified when he/she sends in a note and it is unexcused? The parent will be notified when Mrs. Thorson sends out the form letter. Sometimes, this can and will take up to four weeks. Is it too late for a parent to change the reason? Yes, an absence must be explained within three school days.

15. If my child is sick and checks-out on Tuesday and is absent on Wednesday, do I still need to send in a written note? You will need to send in a note for Wednesday. If your child checks out before 11:00, she/he is counted absent for the entire day. Then you would need to send a note for Tuesday and Wednesday.

16. If my child is suspended from the bus and I cannot get him/her to school, is that excused? No, that is counted unexcused. Riding the school bus is a not a guaranteed right. If a child cannot behave and endangers the safety of others, he/she will not be allowed to ride. This does not have anything to do with school attendance. The parent is still required to make sure the child attends school.

17. If one child is absent for illness or a doctor’s appointment, is my other child excused as well? No. Only the child who is sick will be counted excused with a written explanation.

18. How many personal illnesses are allowed? A student is allowed 10 illnesses with a note from a parent. After the 10th absence for illness, all absences must have a doctor’s excuse.

19. If I check my child in after 11:00, why is it counted as an absence? Do I have to send a note even if I check my child in at the office? A child must be at school at least 1/2 of the day to be present. Yes, you do need to provide a note. You may even give the note to the person in the office.

20. My child was tardy and I received an unexcused absent form letter. Why did this happen? We are finding this happens mostly because the child did not stop at the office and change the absence to a tardy. After 7:45, the office must change the absence to a tardy. It is IMPORTANT that an adult sign the child in. This gives us a record of the child. In most cases we were able to correct this. We do need parents’ help with this. PLEASE, SIGN YOUR CHILD IN AFTER 7:45. PARENTS SHOULD NOT DROP STUDENTS OFF AT THE DOOR AFTER 7:45.

OCR STUDENT HANDBOOK 2007-08

Please remove this page and return to your child’s teacher. Keep the handbook for your information.

Child’s Name ________________________________

I have received a copy of the OCR Student Handbook for 2007-08.

Parent’s Signature __________________________________

Date _______________________________________________