ELMONT UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Michael A. Jaime President
Tameka Battle-Burkett Vice President
Michael Cantara
Kevin Denehy
Patrick Emeagwali
Anthony S. Maffea, Sr.
Karen Taylor-Bass
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
Al Harper
Superintendent of Schools
Kenneth Rosner
Director of Curriculum Instruction
Stephanie Muller
Director of Pupil Personnel Services
David Polizzi
Director of Facilities & Operations
Kathleen Safrey
Assistant to the Superintendent
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Mary Natoli
Principal
Natalie Nelson
Assistant Principal
Cynthia Qasim
Assistant Principal
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Covert Avenue Phone Numbers
Main Office 326-5560
Nurse 326-5563
District Phone Numbers
General Information/School Closings/District Office 326-5500
Superintendent
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Transportation
Central Registrar 326-5580
Pupil Personnel Services 326-5580
Early Childhood 326-5580
Dear Covert Avenue Family,
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year. During the year your children will be experiencing challenging curriculum that supports the New York State Common Core standards. It is our goal to engage all students in experiences that enhance both academic and social growth.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with an overview of guidelines, programs, and activities for the school year. If there are changes to the listed activities, dates or times, you will be notified via a letter or Connect-Ed message. Please use the handbook as a reference.
One of the most important goals of the staff and administration of Covert Avenue School is to promote student dedication to achieving academic success. You are encouraged to support your child’s learning by reviewing and reinforcing the work that is done in class. Spending time doing this with your child is an essential part of this growth. High expectations have been established to support each child’s learning and success.
I look forward to making this a successful year for every student.
Sincerely,
Mary Natoli
Principal
SHARED DECISION-MAKING
The Elmont Union Free School District’s plan for Shared Decision-Making has been developed in compliance with the Commissioner’s Regulations 100.11 by a committee of parents, teachers, and administrators. The plan outlines guidelines for the functioning of the Building Advisory Committee, under the auspices of the Board of Education, in each school in the Elmont Union Free School District.
In September 2017, Covert Avenue School’s Building Advisory Committee will begin its twenty-sixth year of working together. This committee operates on a school level to enhance the learning environment for our children. The purpose of the Building Advisory Committee is to provide opportunities for parents, teachers and community members to participate in making recommendations related to our children’s education. We work together as a team, coming to consensus on a variety of educational issues. Meetings are held monthly. All are welcome to attend.
The Building Advisory Committee consists of faculty and parents with a position for a community member. Elections for the community member will take place during the second week in October.
SCHOOL DISTRICT & SCHOOL INFORMATION
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Students registered in the Elmont schools must attend regularly and be punctual. Good attendance and achievement are clearly related. Parents are required to call our ANSWERING MACHINE to report student absences as early as possible. Besides facilitating the checking of student attendance, it verifies early on, that a child will not be in school. The number to call to report absences is also the number of the nurse’s office.
Covert Avenue School Nurse Mrs. Colleen Foley 326-5563
The nurse will call home when a student is absent and no reason is known. A student absence must be followed by a written excuse note from the parent. A home visit will occur when a child is out five consecutive days and no medical evidence has been presented.
According to school policy, students are not to be excused during the school day to go to the doctor or dentist except for emergency. Routine medical and dental appointments should be arranged so that they do not interfere with the instructional program.
ADMINISTERING MEDICATION TO STUDENTS
Medication may be given to students by designated school personnel, provided a written request from a parent or guardian, signed by a physician, has been received by the school nurse. Forms for this purpose may be obtained in the school nurse’s office. The student’s physician must provide written orders detailing diagnosis and dosage of medicine, and any further instructions. Parents or a designated adult must bring the medication to the school nurse’s office in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician.
RELEASE OF CHILDREN
No child may be taken from school, even by the parent or guardian, until the person doing so goes to the school office and presents valid identification. If the child is being picked up by someone other than the parent or guardian, prior authorization MUST be arranged. A note must be written to the classroom teacher or faxed to the office. It is important to schedule all appointments after the school day as not to interrupt the instructional day.
SCHOOL VISITORS
Visitors are welcome in our schools. In the interest of the safety of your children, please call the school and make an appointment when you plan to visit. Upon your arrival, you will be required to sign in, produce valid identification and then be directed to the main office. Unauthorized visitors will not be allowed in the building. Please do not go directly to a classroom without reporting to the office. The safety of our staff and students is highly important.
CLASS LISTS/PRESS RELEASE
Class lists, including students’ names, addresses and telephone numbers, will be made available to designated representatives of the local PTA for educational purposes. Any parent desiring the omission or deletion of a child’s name for reasons of confidentiality should notify the Office of the Superintendent by the first day of school or at the time of registration.
Throughout the year, pictures are taken of the ongoing events pertaining to school programs and activities. Some of these pictures will be selected for press release. Your child may appear in one or more of these photos. If you do not wish your child’s photograph, for any reasons of confidentiality, to appear in school or local papers, please notify Mrs. Natoli.
OFFICAL STUDENT FILES
Parents of children under 18 years of age have a right to inspect and review official files and data directly related to their children. Such records include identifying data, academic work, levels of achievement including grades and test scores, attendance records, scores on standardized tests, interest inventory results, health data and teacher or counselor ratings and evaluations. Request for inspection of such records must be made to the building principal during regular school hours. These records are confidential and may not be made available to other persons without written parental consent.
TRANSPORTATION/BUS PASSES
- Children (K-3) will be given bus-riding privileges if they live more than ½ mile from school.
- Children (4-6) will be given bus riding privileges if they live more than 1 mile from school.
- Bus riders must use assigned buses and bus stops. Bus passes are mailed every year at the end of August. Children are required to carry their passes at all times. Lost passes must be reported to the school principal immediately.
- Disruptive behavior affecting safety can result in the loss of privileges.
RELEASE OF CHIDLREN AT BUS STOPS
Children in Kindergarten and first grade must have a parent or legal guardian receive them at the bus stop. Any other person receiving a child must be 18 years of age or older and registered with the Transportation Office. A picture ID will also be requested. No child will be released under any circumstances.
SCHOOL LUNCH/BREAKFAST PROGRAM
The Elmont School District participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. Nutritious meals meeting dietary guideline set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are served daily. Free and reduced meals are available for families meeting income guidelines established by the USDA. Applications for these meals are mailed at the beginning of August to every registered family. They will also be distributed the first week of school and remain available throughout the school year in the nurse’s office.
Breakfast begins at 8:15 a.m. The cost of breakfast is $1.25 and lunch is $2.65. With our new computerized system, parents can set up accounts for their children for meals and snacks. Our system also allows parents to set restrictions on their child’s account and monitor their children’s purchases. In addition, parents may establish an electronic meal account using; My School Bucks. Please visit our district website for further information if you are interested.
SAFETY
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL:
School starts at 9:10 a.m. School ends at 3:30 p.m.
In order to provide proper supervision and set an orderly tone for the school day, we ask for your cooperation in helping us maintain these procedures for arrival and dismissal.
ARRIVAL
In the morning, there is no supervision for the children who do not participate in either breakfast or tutorials before 9:00 a.m. Children should not arrive at school before this time with the exception of (a) children who participate in band, orchestra, and chorus, (b) children who participate in the Breakfast Program, or (c) children who participate in the Before School Tutorial Program on Tuesday and Thursday mornings beginning at 8:40 a.m.
Breakfast begins at 8:15
Children entering the building for these activities will enter via the Main Door or “C” wing.
For students who do not participate in breakfast or morning tutorial our doors will open at 9:00 a.m.
Students will be directed to their classrooms by school staff and safety squad members.
Parents who drop off their children at the gate on Melrose Street may not come down the block and make a U-turn or back up as it poses serious safety concerns and is in violation of traffic laws. You must walk your child/children down this street.
Students in Kindergarten will enter the building through EXIT 1 (the exit closest to kindergarten classrooms)
Students in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 will either enter through the entrance in “C” wing, the main entrance or the flagpole entrance. Students in these grades MAY NOT enter the building using the kindergarten door.
Students who walk to school are not to enter from the cafeteria doors. The cafeteria door is only open for bus students. It is unsafe for any of our walkers to enter from this door because of the moving busses in this area.
Parents are not to escort their children to classrooms. Teachers are present and waiting for the children.
DISMISSAL
The following dismissal procedure to be followed:
3:20- K and First- Kindergarten Door only
3:25- Second Grade- Main Entrance Door
3:30- Third Grade- Main Entrance Door
3:30- Fourth Grade- Flagpole Door
3:30- Fifth grade- Flagpole Door
3:30- Sixth grade- Gym Door into Courtyard
Children are encouraged to go directly home at dismissal. The school is on a very busy avenue. Once again, our concern is for the safety and well-being of our children. Parents or guardians of primary grade children should meet their children near the dismissal doors.
Please do not walk up the driveway on Covert Avenue while the buses are entering, children are boarding or when the buses are leaving.
RAIN & SNOW DAYS
ALL STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE BUILDING FOLLOWING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY PROCEDURES.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSINGS OR DELAYED OPENING
When schools are closed, bus transportation within and out of district is cancelled. This includes transportation for private, parochial, BOCES and other schools outside the area. When school opening is delayed, the delay will be automatically set for two (2) hours. Bus schedules will also be delayed, and children should arrive to their assigned bus stops one (1) hour later than the regularly scheduled time. After-school programs involving transportation will be cancelled. Normal dismissal schedules will be in effect. In addition, there will be a Connect-Ed message informing parents of school closing. It is imperative that the school has your correct phone information.
When schools are closed or open late without prior notice, announcements will be made on the following radio stations: (AM) WCBA 880, WINS 1010, WHLI 1100 and WGBB 1240: (FM) KJOY 98.3, WBLI 106.1 and WBAB 102.3. Announcements will also be made on the following television station: Cablevision New 12. Additional emergency information can be found on our website at: www.elmontschools.org.
DRESS CODE
All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and all other district personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting.
A student’s dress, grooming and appearance, including hair style/color, jewelry, make-up
and nails, shall:
- Be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process.
- Recognize that extremely brief garments such as tube tops, net tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back) and see-through garments are not appropriate.
- Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing.
- Include footwear at all times. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed.
- Not include the wearing of hats in the classroom except for a medical or religious purpose.
- Not include items that are vulgar, obscene, and libelous or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, and sexual orientation of disability.
- Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities.
Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item.
P.A.W.S. PROGRAM
Covert Avenue’s school wide discipline plan is the P.A.W.S. Program. It stands for Positive Attitude, Act Responsibly, Work and Play Safely, and Show Respect. Staff members award one of the P.A.W.S. to a child or class for following one of the school rules. Each one of the P.A.W.S. counts as a class P.A.W.S. are tallied at the end of each month. Classes that receive the highest number of P.A.W.S. each month are considered Grade level P.A.W.S. winners.