WELCOME TO DOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!
Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year at Dover Elementary! This handbook has been designed and written by members of the Dover Elementary staff in collaboration with parent representatives from our School Improvement Team. The purpose of the handbook is to help you become acquainted with procedures and policies which are followed throughout the school year.
We recognize the value of parental involvement in our students’ education. Studies have indicated, time and time again, that students who are successful in school come from homes where education is valued and where parents actively involve themselves in the day-to-day routine of school. Your participation is not only welcomed, it is essential.
Please review this handbook with your youngster as soon as possible. It is important that the students, parents, and school staff understand clearly what is expected this year. With one common understanding, we will work together toward the common goal of providing the best education possible for each and every student at Dover Elementary. Please keep this handbook handy at home so that you may use it as a quick reference. After reading this handbook with your child, please sign the form provided below, and return that portion to school on or before Friday, September 12, 2008.
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THE PORTION BELOW THE DOTTED LINE.
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RETURN TO CLASSROOM TEACHER ON OR BEFORE 9/12/08
I have reviewed the 2008-2009 Dover Elementary School Handbook with my child.
______
Parent’s Signature Student’s Signature
______
Date Signed Date Signed
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
We recommend you read the entire Handbook to become familiar with our headings and the relevant information described. We have done our best to arrange the information in a format useful for readers. Please keep this in a convenient place, and refer to it when questions arise. If you need anything explained in greater detail, we will be happy to discuss your questions.
www.doverschools.org
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Dover Elementary School (845) 877-4700
FAX # (845) 877-3460
Dover Elementary School Nurse (845) 877-4707
Dover Union Free School District Office (845) 832-4500
Office of Special Education (845) 832-4540
First Student Transportation (845) 832-3472
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DOVER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Dover Plains, New York 12522
(845) 832-4500
2008-2009
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Mr. Sam Shufelt, President
Mrs. Kathleen Schibanoff, Vice-President
Mrs. Brigid Casson
Mrs. Penny Dye
Mrs. Pat Hoag
Mr. Russell Infantino
Mrs. Gail Rohr
Mrs. Marie Spencer
Ms. Lisa Seifts
* * * * * * * * * *
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Craig T. Onofry
Assistant Superintendent for Business
Mr. Christopher Prill
Assistant Superintendent for
Curriculum and Staff Development
Mr. Michael Tierney
Director of Special Education
Ms. Pamela O’Neil
Dover Elementary School Principal
Mr. Herman A. Harmelink
DOVER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Dover Union Free School District advises students, parents, employees, and the general public that it offers employment and educational opportunities without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, or handicap.
TITLE IX COORDINATOR
Dr. Craig T. Onofry
Superintendent of Schools
Dover Union Free School District
2368 Route 22
Dover Plains, New York 12522
and/or
SECTION 504 COORDINATOR
Pamela O’Neil
Director of Special Education
Dover Union Free School District
2368 Route 22
Dover Plains, New York 12522
TITLE VI COORDINATOR
Mr. Christopher Prill
Assistant Superintendent for Business
Dover Union Free School District
2368 Route 22
Dover Plains, New York 12522
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DOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
2008-2009
Principal: Mr. Herman Harmelink
Grade 3 Room Special Area Subjects Room
Debbie Ruppel 200 Art Sue Jennings 213
Sally Schroeder 201 Library Annie Davis Library
Summar Razvi 206 Mathematics Colleen Avery 021
Linda Lasko 207 Music Katharine Terry 014
Lisa Allsopp 209 Physical Education Jason Wessels Gymnasium
Mike Herzog 215 Reading Kathy Nace 117 Donna Stein 210 Reading Mechele Palmer 016
Grade 4 Room
Jacqueline Kravic 100
Susan Johnsen 109 Special Services Room
Marlena Gault 105 Nurse Ann Spaeth 118 Dana VanDeBogart 106 Occupational Therapist Karen Finnerty 221
Patti Zangle 108 Psychologist Dawn Lillo 119
Amy Zmyndak 101 Speech Pathologist Adele Kricheff 213
ESL Gloria Caviglia 008
Grade 5 Room
Scharrion Austin-Kieves 122
Katherine DeMichael 123 Special Education
Aimee Bartolomeo 224 Grade 3, 4, 5 Neil Fleming 111
Tessa Setaro 225
Kimberly Dennin 220
Maryanne Herzog 020
Secretaries
Kristine Daversa
Sandra Lane Teaching Assistants and Aides
Linda Brady Lyn Lavallee Technology Director Cari Buffone Theresa Muccioli
Stephen Haneman Jeryl Fontana Sue Ollivett
Gerald Herbert
Cafeteria Staff
Lisa London
Michele Bouton Lunch Monitors Custodial Staff
Shirley Skidgell Holly Cestone
Donna Boyles Ray Cowan
Deochan Surju
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WELCOME, STUDENTS!
from
THE DOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM
and
THE DOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STAFF
Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year at Dover Elementary! We are looking forward to an exciting and successful school year.
We hope that this year will be a great one for you. Your teachers and other staff members want to help you do well in your schoolwork and in your other activities as well. You are part of an important team – the Dover Elementary School Team! This team includes your parents, all the members of the school staff, and, most importantly, YOU! A team has to work together to become a winner. We also have to work together in order for you to be a success in school. Your job as a member of the Dover Elementary Team is to:
1. Treat everyone with respect.
2. Attend school every day, unless you are sick.
3. Accept responsibility for each day’s work
Your parents are going to review the Handbook with you to be sure that you understand everything in it. If there is anything in the Handbook that you don’t understand, please ask your teacher to explain it. We are all here to help you and one another.
Let’s have a terrific year!
AGENDA BOOKS
In order to provide a consistent method for parents and teachers to communicate, every student will receive an agenda book for the 2008-2009 school year. Students are required to record all information concerning assignments, particularly homework assignments, in their agenda books. Notes from the main office will be in their agenda books also.
Students are to bring their agenda books home every day. We request that you, the parent or guardian, look at the assignments noted in the book and make sure your child completes assigned work. Your signature in the book every day will let us know that you are informed and aware of your child's progress and performance. In the event your child refuses to complete an assignment, you are requested to sign the book and enter a short note to the effect that he/she would not/could not finish the work. This will let us know that you did check the book, even though the work was not done or was not completed.
Parents and teachers must work as partners in our students' education. Statistics and logic indicate that frequent communication between home and school is a key ingredient in helping students succeed. Please help us to help your child by checking the agenda book on a daily basis.
ARRIVAL /DISMISSAL
The school day begins at 8:30 A.M. and ends at 3:00 P.M. Students enter the building at 8:25 A.M. Students who walk to school or are dropped off should not arrive before 8:15 A.M. when personnel are on duty outside to supervise. When there is a 2 hour delay, the school day begins at 10:30 A.M., students enter the building at 10:25 A.M., and students who walk to school or are dropped off should not arrive before 10:15 A.M.
ATTENDANCE
To accommodate new state regulations, attendance figures will now include instances of absences for any part of a day. Reasons for lateness, early sign-out, and absences during any portion of a day must now be recorded to determine legal status of the absence. Students who arrive to school late should report to the Nurse’s Office to sign in before going to their classrooms. Students who must leave school during the school day must be signed out in the Main Office, where the staff will record the reason and report it to the Nurse. Parents should send a note with their child indicating the planned sign-out time, and teachers will send students to the Main Office at the pre-arranged time. If an unexpected situation occurs and no note has been sent in, parents should notify the Main Office by phone before 1:00 P.M.. Whenever a child is absent from school, parents must send in a note describing the reason for the absence when the child returns to school.
AWARDS
Each marking period, students in the 4th and 5th grade may qualify for two special honors. Students in 3rd grade may qualify for these during the 4th marking period.
Principal's Award All Achievement Grades are A’s All Effort Grades are Outstanding Honor Roll All Achievement Grades are A’s and B’s All Effort Grades are Outstanding and Satisfactory
All courses offered at Dover Elementary are part of our curriculum, and all achievement grades are considered for special honors. Therefore, all grades on the report card are taken into consideration in determining which students will receive awards. Students are expected to apply themselves diligently in all classes.
A Principal's Breakfast is hosted at the end of each marking period. All students who receive Principal's Awards and Honor Roll students are invited to join the Principal for a much-deserved recognition and a special breakfast.
Teachers recognize individual students during the school year in their respective classrooms through the Students of the Month Awards, Character Education Awards, and other honors. Such honors are recognized on a classroom level, building level, or special level, as appropriate.
CAFETERIA PROGRAMS
FREE AND REDUCED BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
You will receive a federal lunch program application to complete at the beginning of the school year. Please fill it out and return this form to the school as soon as possible. Students who qualify for free lunch in the federal lunch program will also receive breakfast free of charge.
BREAKFAST PROGRAM
For the 2008-2009 school year, breakfast will be available for students at Dover Elementary School. A breakfast menu is located on the back of the lunch menu. Students who eat breakfast will be allowed to get off the bus at 8:15 AM and eat before they go to their classrooms. All students are required to be back in their classrooms at or before 8:40 A.M. to start the instructional day.
Breakfast will be served on half-days. Breakfast will not be served on delayed opening days.
The price for breakfast will be printed on the menu.
LUNCH PROGRAM
Hot lunches, "deli" sandwiches, soup, or salads are available in our cafeteria.
If your youngster is purchasing lunch, you may want to buy lunch tickets in advance. A discounted price is charged for lunches purchased in this manner. The regular price for an individual student lunch this year is listed on the monthly menu. Prices of hot/cold lunches and lunch tickets will be printed on the menus.
LUNCH RECESS
When weather permits, students are allowed to go outside for recess before or after lunch. Students will have 20 minutes of recess and 20 minutes of lunch every day.
During inclement weather, students will remain in the cafeteria or they may be sent to special activity areas, depending upon the availability of space and supervisory personnel. Students are encouraged to bring board games to be used when bad weather requires them to stay inside during recess periods.
Since students will be outside for recess, please send your children with appropriate clothing for play outside.
CALENDAR
The school calendar for Dover Elementary School is located in several places. Please consult your student’s agenda book, the DUFSD calendar and the district web-site at www.doverschools.org for district wide events and information. Please consult the school calendar before planning family vacations.
Occasionally the school calendar changes due to inclement weather or other weather-related emergencies. A listing of radio stations that include DUFSD in their announcements is given in the district-wide calendar.
Superintendent's Conference Days, both full days and half days, are listed. Occasionally dates may change, be added, or deleted. Notices will be sent home for your planning convenience.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
New York State’s new legislation regarding Safe Schools includes mandated direct instruction in Character Education for students at all levels. The Dover Elementary School is committed to creating an environment sensitive to character development and strong personal integrity. With an overall theme of Respect and Responsibility, our students will be exposed to character education curriculum through classroom discussions, “Responsive Classroom” meetings, school-wide attention to positive personal traits, and various projects.
Our teachers and staff members will help children explore personal traits such as Citizenship, Fairness, Caring, Self-Control/Patience, Trustworthiness/Honesty, Dependability, Perseverance, Cooperation, and Tolerance. Your child’s agenda book also emphasizes monthly themes that concern good character traits and personal characteristics.
At Dover Elementary, we recognize that parents are our partners in providing character education and are role models for children. We encourage you to expand upon these points in your discussions with your children at home. Parents can share the children’s focus on the various traits highlighted at school.
CONDUCT
As students of Dover Elementary School, all youngsters will be expected to act responsibly with others and with school property. Students' rights and responsibilities, as well as student discipline issues, are discussed at length in our Code of Conduct Guide, which is included on pages 22 to 23.
DRESS CODE
To provide an atmosphere that is academic and disciplined, we request that all students dress appropriately for school. Please note the following items:
1. Tube tops, halter tops, spaghetti-strap tops, see-through shirts, and tops that do not cover the midriff are not to be worn unless worn over another shirt or blouse.
2. Pants must not hang down off the waist. No pants or shorts with words printed on the backside will be allowed.
3. Shorts may be worn as appropriate; please use sound judgment. Shorts must be loose fitting and appropriate in length (no “short-shorts”). Spandex shorts are not to be worn unless a looser fitting garment is worn over them.