PARENT BULLETIN
It Starts With Us
Opening of School
August – 2015
Council Elementary is an International Baccalaureate School.
PRINCIPAL’S NOTE
to parents and students of the most outstanding elementary school in MobileCounty. I hope that you and your family enjoyed your summer vacation. I look forward to seeing you soon.
The parent school bulletin will be provided for you bi-weekly. Please make sure you check with your child about the bulletin or visit our website at schoolinsites.com
PERSONNEL CHANGES
A special welcome to our new employees:
Mrs. Courtney Diaz, (Assistant Principal),Mrs. Tyeshia Mose-Loften, (5th Grade Teacher).
Teacher changes: Mrs. Janies (K).
It Starts With Us!!!
This slogan can be seen all over the Mobile County Public School System. We want to provide citizens with information about the many wonderful programs that our schools have to offer. We hope you will join the employees of MCPSS by sharing the positive experiences that you are having at any of the Mobile County Schools. It is important that we learn to appreciate the awesome educational programs that we have in our own area. Check the new look on the MCPSS website, and all of the banners and school signs that say “It Starts With Us”.
OUR ACT ASPIRE SCORES ARE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE!!
Total scores for 3rd-5th grade are as follows:
English 96%
Math 86%
Science 74%
Reading 72%
Most scores are a minimum 40- 50 points above the national average!
We would like to congratulate parents, teachers, and students of CTS for an awesome job!!
System Wide changes affecting all students:
Chronic Ailment Statement:
Students with chronic illness must have a statement form from their physician each semester.
The parent/guardian of any student who has a chronic illness or condition that may cause the student to miss school can provide a Physician’s Statement of Illness verifying the child’s condition and that the absences are necessary.
The Physicians’ Statement of Illness must be provided to the school at the beginning of each semester.
When the student is absent, the parent/guardian is required to send an excuse to explain why the student was absent. If the absence is due to the condition stated in the Physician’s Statement of Illness, the parent may simply write, “See doctor’s letter”. Failure of the parent/guardian to provide the school with excuses may result in unexcused absence accumulation and referral to Juvenile Court. Once the anticipated number of absences have been exceeded, and/or the requirement for returning to the physician’s office is met, a physician’s excuse will be required to return to school.
The Physician’s Statement of Illness should include the following:
- Written on the physician’s /medical office letterhead
- Include signature of physician
- List diagnosis
- Offer anticipated number of absences (example: 3-4 days)
- Inform us of requirement for returning to the physician’s office (example: after 3 absences)
- Provide list of any physical limitations the student may have in getting to school. (Example: late or absent on cold days below 50 degrees).
MEDICATION
Medication must be distributed by the Health Aide, or the school nurse. Parents must sign a special form of permission for students needing medication.
School Attendance is paramount. See the Attendance Policy in your handbook and your Magnet Contract.
Trips/Vacations
Students must have pre-approval by Ms. Alexander before trips/vacations can be taken during the school year.
Pre-approval will excuse your student and not count against their attendance.
Birthday Treats:
Please check with teachers before bringing treats to students for special events. The state department requires that we follow the health guide lines during school hours. Also, parents must not bring outside food into the cafeteria unless it has been wrapped in non-commercial wrapping.
LUNCH APPLICATIONS
This school year Mobile Public School System will participate in a grant program that allows all students to eat free, both breakfast and lunch. We will provide a monthly menu on the website for parents’convenienceso that parents may provide individual lunch options for students.
LUNCHES – Special Dietary Need
The Child Nutrition Program will accommodate students with special dietary needs, i.e. (diabetes, food/milk allergies, sodium restriction, blended, pureed, etc). This applies to all students. The Child Nutrition Program must have written documentation from the physician requesting the alternate diet or food items. The cafeteria manager, Mrs. Prince, has copies of the form, “Diet Prescription for Meals at School,” which should be completed by the physician. A NEW form must be submitted EVERY school year. Once a school staff member becomes aware of any special dietary need of a student, the student or parent will be referred to the cafeteria manager.
SNACKS
Snacks will be sold after morning announcements. The prices are $.75 to $1.00.
However, per state guidelines, students will not consume snacks until the appropriate times in accordance with the cafeteria schedule.
PROOFS OF RESIDENCE
The school should have up-to-date information on every child. If your child’s residence changes during the year, please come by the school and bring two proofs of residence.
JOIN THE PTA
The 2015-2016 Parent Teacher Association is under the new leadership of the following officers:
President ------Dena Pollard
Vice President/Membership ------Dr. Samantha Islam
Vice President/ Fundraising ------Robin Roach
Vice President/Volunteers------Cornelia Gaillard
Treasurer------Alana Vinson
Corresponding Secretary------Shayla Beaco
Recording Secretary------Gena Ward
Teachers Representatives------Mrs. Howze, Mrs. Huffman
This year, the officers have met and plan to do some exciting things to help motivate our students and staff. Please join the PTA! The cost for joining is $5 per person.
PTA VOLUNTEER INFO
We would like to encourage everyone to volunteer at Council. Forms were distributed for various volunteer opportunities at registration. If you would like to sign up, please contact Cornelia Gaillard at
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
All students should have completed the registration process this past spring or during the summer. Teachers will ask for classroom information to keep the lines of communication open. Please return all forms as soon as possible.
Student/Parent Handbooks
Each child will receive the school and MCPSS discipline handbook. Please review this information with your child paying very close attention to the Discipline Policy and Attendance Policy changes. Also, there are new guidelines to move a student to a different classroom. The handbooks will be distributed August 7, 2015.
TIPS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR
1. Check your child’s book bag every day for homework, messages from teacher, newsletters, etc.
2. Communicate with your child’s teacher, also check your child’s grades in INOW once per week.
3. If your child is on medication, let the school nurse know.
4. Provide a Physician’s Statement of Illness if necessary.
5. Please update all home phone, cell, and reference numbers, and let the office know of any changes.
6. Remember to place names in your child’s jacket, cap, coat, book bag, etc. All student sweaters must have the
CTS patch with their first initial and last name embroidered under the patch.
7. Become a part of the PTA.
8. Volunteer at the school.
9. Check the school website for parent bulletins and other important information.
10. Please sign in at the front desk.
11. Attend parent meetings and workshops.
12.Stay positive!!!
TRAFFIC – Please Follow ALL Dismissal and Arrival Rules!!
►Morning Carpool
We are encouraging ALL parents to use Morning Carpool. Two teachers are on duty at 7:30 a.m. to assist you and your child with morning arrival. Enter the carpool lane from Wilkinson Street, and proceed to the end of the covered walkway. At this time, stop and have your child exit from the passenger side onto the covered walkway. Encourage your child to walk quickly to the school’s entrance. Please have your child prepared to exit the vehicle as soon as it stops. Lunch money, snacks, signed notes/letters/forms, book bags, clothing, etc. should be taken care of before leaving home.
►Virginia Street
If you decide to not use Morning Carpool, then you are to use the Virginia Street alternative. The following procedures MUST be followed:
- Enter Virginia Street, and use the side streets to park and walk your children to school through the walking gate.
- Exit your vehicle and walk your child to the crossing guard.
- Your child is then to follow the directions of the crossing guard.
- Students are NOT to be dropped off in the CTS parking lot or let off on Virginia Street.
The school parking lot will be closed at 7:20 a.m. each morning to everyone except faculty and staff. If you want to walk your child to the front entrance or need assistance from the office staff, park on the adjacent street to Virginia Street under the direction of the crossing guard.
Virginia Street parking is not encouraged by Council School this year. We will prefer parents pick students up through the carpool line. If parents must use the Virginia Street area, please follow these simple directions: Please remember the area belongs to the City of Mobile, it is not the property of Mobile County. The city should not be contacted with request for upkeep for Council School. We have no control over the parking area on Virginia Street. If you use the side streets adjacent to the school, please do not block the driveways of the homes in the neighborhood. There will be marked parking for parents for early dismissals and other parent school business in the main parking lot. This area is not for morning drop offs. The area in the front parking lot is for bus and van drop offs.
A Reason for Everything
The reason we do not allow parents to pull in the parking lot and drop of students is because we do not have the space. We have sixty two (62) employees that need a space to park in order to take care of the students. The school parking lot has spaces for only sixty nine (69). Teachers will be assigned a parking area leaving spaces needed to the entry of the school for parents.We want to prevent any problems or accidents that may occur in the parking lot. It is of the utmost importance that students are to be dropped off at carpool or walked to the school by the way of Virginia Street.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
A form will be provided by teachers on August 7th to determine the dismissal procedures your child will follow for the year. If for some reason you would like to make changes in the manner in which your child is dismissed, please put the request in writing.
Dismissal
- The school day ends at 3:00 p.m.
- Students still on campus after 3:20 p.m. will be brought to the office
- Beginning at 3:30 p.m. any student still on campus will be placed in the Extended
Day Program at parents’ expense.[$1.50/minute beginning @ 3:31]
[This will be strictly enforced this year. Personnel have been reduced at Council and we will not have extra help to sit with your children (late pick up) until 4:00pm.]
►Afternoon Procedures
As students enter the gym each afternoon, they should come in quietly. They are to go to the area to which they have been assigned and sit in rows by grade level. The following rules apply during this time 3:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m):
- Students are to sit quietly.
- Students are to remain seated until their names are called.
- Students are to WALK out of the gym to the safety patrol members controlling the “gate.”
- Once the “gate” is opened, students are to WALK to their vehicles.
- Please do not park in the parking lot adjacent to the historic building. This is for the safety of your children. When children see their parents in this area, they have the tendency to run to the cars without the teacher’s permission. Usually the teacher is in the front of the line trying to get all the children in the gym.
►Afternoon Carpool
We are encouraging ALL parents to use the Afternoon Carpool. Teachers will be on duty to assist you and your child with dismissal. Students are dismissed from their classroom to the gym.
As soon as all students are in the gym, teachers will begin calling students to come to carpool via
two-way radios. Three lanes of traffic will be used during afternoon dismissal. Enter these lanes from Wilkinson Street. Please do not block the entrance to the driveway from Wilkinson Street. Once cars, from the
driveway of the school parking lot to the beginning of the covered walkway,are loaded in all three lanes, they will be dismissed. Parents, please pay close attention when picking up students. We kindly ask that you refrain from cell phone conversations and distractions.
We are asking parents to place the name(s) of the student(s) they are picking up in their windshield. Please write the name(s) in large print.
►Virginia Street
If you decide to not use afternoon carpool, then you are to use the Virginia Street alternative. The city property where our parents usually park, will be off limits this year. Please adhere to the signs. The following procedures must be followed:
- Enter Virginia Street, using the side streets to park. Enter the campus through the open gate next to the crossing guard. Hold up your card with your child’s name clearly written and a teacher will call for your child via a two-way radio. In order to keep the halls clear, students will be dismissed from the cafeteria.
- Parking in front of the driveways on Dearborn and Wilkinson Street is strictly prohibited. Please respect the property of our neighbors when parking along the side areas on Virginia Street. Do not park close to the neighbors’ fence line.
Areas of Focus
Coming to School on Time
Council is an awesome place for students to learn and grow. However, there is always room to grow and become better. This year we want to focus our attention on making sure that we monitor and respect the hours that students should be in school. All students should be in school at 8a.m. each day. We expect our parents to make it a special priority for your child to be sitting in his or her classroom on time as tardiness interrupts teacher instruction.
Secondly, we ask every parent to help us motivate your child to become a star AR reader, we call this CARP (Council’s Accelerator Program). We have a delightful group of teachers motivated, in cooperation with the PTA, to reward our students. The first step is to learn the program. Your child’s teacher will talk about this during the upcoming parent meetings starting August 7, 2015. We want to give away some cool prizes and incentives. Your usual cooperation would be appreciated very much. It is our goal to make sure that our students become the best students ever for now and throughout their future school career.
Dates to Remember
8/7Meet the Teacher
8/10First Day of School
8/10Kindergarten Picture Day at 10:30a.m.
8/19Fall Pictures in Full Uniform
8/26Fall Picture Make-Up Day
9/17Open House
10/2Grandparents Day
PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS
Teachers will meet with parents according to the schedule below during the 2nd week of school. Time 3:30 - 4:30am
K– August 17 1st – August 18 Pre-K 4 – August 17
2nd– August 18 3rd – August 19
4th – August 19 5th – August 20
Substitutes will work on Tuesday August 25, 2015 at 9:00a.m. 3:30 p.m.
Daily School Schedule
6:00a.m.
Morning Extended Day
7:30a.m. Teachers on Duty
Morning Extended Day Ends
Breakfast Begins
7:45a.m
Students Enter Classrooms
7:55a.m
Breakfast Ends
8:00a.m
1st Bell-School Begins
8:00a.m.
Morning Announcements
8:10a.m.
2nd Tardy Bell
2:45p.m
Afternoon Announcements
2:50p.m
1st Bell-Dismissal of Extended Day Students
2:55p.m.
2nd Bell-Dismissal of Virginia Street Students
3:00p.m.
3rd Bell-Dismissal of Carpool Students to the Gym
6:00p.m.
Afternoon Extended Day Ends
Please do not drop off students before 7:30a.m. unless your child is enrolled in Extended Day.