Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School
Student Handbook
2016-2017
Mrs. Monti Hillis, Ed.S.
Principal
TABLE OF CONTENTSPage
Welcome 2
School Calendar 3
General Information 4
Admission and Immunization Requirements 5
Attendance Policy 5
Medication Policy 7
Meningococcal Vaccines Information 8
Code of Conduct 9
School Board Policies and Procedures10
Student Loading and Unloading12
Grading Policies12
Bad Weather and Bus Conduct 13
Student Dress Code14
Communication Devices 15
Parent Info 16
Cafeteria and Student Activities17
Student Services18
Parental Notification Statements19-20
This student handbook is a compilation of the policies, procedures, and behavioral expectations that are intended to guide and assist students during the school term. Complete accuracy of information is the intended goal of this handbook. This handbook however, because of limited space, does not precisely mimic the printed page of board policy. The school administration will defer to board policy in all questions arising concerning policies or procedures contained in this handbook. Please be aware that as a living document board policy is subject to change. Please know that your school administration will make every effort to make students aware of changes if and when they occur.
Welcome!
What a pleasure it is to welcome you to a new school year at Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary. It is an honor for us to work together with such a talented and dedicated faculty, staff, and school community. We believe in a strong partnership with families, and we urge the entire community to become involved at Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary. Students whose parents get involved in their education do better academically and socially. They feel more connected to the school and know that they BELONG and are LOVED.
We look forward to this new school year with optimism and excitement. We strive to make our school a safe and inspiring place in which to learn, while continually improving the academic program for all students.
We hope this handbook will serve to answer many of your questions. At any time that you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We want all of our families to feel comfortable and connected.
On behalf of the faculty and staff of Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School, we welcome you to the 2016-2017 school year. Please make it a goal to meet new families this year and join in supporting our children as they learn and grow.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Monti Hillis, Ed. S.
Principal
Handbook Receipt
By signing below you are indicating that you have read the handbook and reviewed its contents with your child.
I understand and consent to the responsibilities in the Warren County BOE’s student behavior policies as reviewed in this handbook. I also understand and agree that my child will be held accountable for the behavior and consequences written in the discipline policy at school, school-sponsored events, school-sponsored travel, and for any school related misconduct, regardless of time or place. I further understand that any student who violates the school’s behavior rules will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including referral for criminal prosecution for violations of law.
_X______X______/______
Name of StudentSignature of Student Date
_X______X______/______
Name of ParentSignature of Parent Date
__Mrs. Monti Hillis______Mrs. Monti Hillis______/8-10-2016
Name of Principal Signature of Principal Date
2016-17WarrenCountySchoolsCalendar
August 8, 2016 Registration Day Abbreviated 7:45-9:45 No Buses Abbreviated Day
August 9, 2016 No Students
August 10, 2016 First Day for Students
September 5, 2016Labor Day (No School)
September 16, 2016 Fair Day (No School)
October 10-14, 2016 Fall Break
November 7, 2016 Parent/Teacher Conference High School 3:00pm-6:00pm
November 8, 2016 Parent/Teacher Conference PreK-5 and Prek-8 Elementary 3pm-6pm
November 10, 2016 Parent/Teacher Conference WCMS 3:00pm-6:00pm
November 22, 2016 Teacher Professional Development (Stockpiled Day No Students)
November 23-25, 2016 Thanksgiving Break
December 16, 2016 Abbreviated Day 7:45-9:45 Buses will run
End of First Semester 83 days + 1 full PD=84 days
December 19, 2016- Holiday Break
January 1, 2017 Holiday Break
January 2, 2017 Teacher Professional Development (No School for Students) (Stockpiled Day)
January 3, 2017 Students Return from Holiday Break
January 16, 2017 Martin Luther King Day (No School)
January 23, 2017 Parent/Teacher Conference WCMS 3:00pm-6:00pm
January 24, 2017 Parent/Teacher Conference High School 3:00pm-6:00pm
January 26, 2017 Parent/Teacher Conference PreK-5 and Prek-8 Elementary 3pm-6pm
February 20, 2017 Presidents Day (No School)
March 20-March 24, 2017 Spring Break (No School)
March 27, 2017 Teacher Professional Development (Stockpiled Day No Students)
April 14, 2017 Good Friday (No School)
April 18-21, 2017Pre-K and K Screening Bobby Ray Gym
May 15-24, 2017 Kindergarten and 8th Grade Graduation Window
May 25, 2017 End of Second Semester 94 days + 2 PD=96 days
Last Day of School (Abbreviated 7:45am-9:45am No Buses)
May 26, 2017 High School Graduation
ReportCardDistributionDates
1st Quarter Ends October 7, 2016 Report Cards October 24, 2016
2nd Quarter Ends December 16, 2016 Report Cards January 9, 2017
3rd Quarter Ends March 17, 2017 Report Cards April 3, 2017
4th Quarter Ends May 25, 2017 Report Cards May 25, 2017
General Information
School History
Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School is named as a tribute to all veterans. Our namesake, David Robert 'Bobby' Ray, attended our school when it was a high school. After graduation, he enrolled at the University of Tennessee Knoxville before joining the military. He was killed at Phu Loc, Quang Nam Province in Vietnam on March 12, 1969. Because of his heroic efforts to save the lives of his fallen comrades while under heavy fire, Ray was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor becoming the only Warren Countian ever to be so honored.
Principals that have served Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary are: Bonnie Collier, Bob Bonner, Beverly Ramsey and Monti Hillis.
Bobby Ray Memorial is the home of the Stars. Our name is taken from the Medal of Honor that was posthumously awarded to Bobby Ray. The Medal of Honor consists of a five pointed bronze star attached to a light blue silk ribbon and is awarded to arecipient who has"distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."
Grade Levels: Pre-K through Fifth Grade
School Address: 504 North Chancery Street, McMinnville, TN 37110
School Telephone: (931) 473-9006
School Fax: (931) 506-5245
School Website Address: bres.warrenschools.com
School Hours: 7:45am to 2:45pm
School Pledge
I will act in such a way
That I will be proud of myself,
And others will be proud of me, too.
I came to school to learn,
And I will learn.
I will have a good day!
School Motto
"We share the past.
We serve the present.
We educate the future."
School Colors
Because Bobby Ray served as a hospital corpsman, 2nd class in the U.S. Navy, navyand whiterepresent the colors of Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School.
Admission and Immunization Requirements
Students entering a Tennessee school for the first time must present a certified certificate of birth, social security card, an official Tennessee Certificate of Immunization form provided by the Health Department or doctor office, and provide proof of physical before attending classes. Students entering kindergarten must have reached the age of 5 on or before August 15 of the current school year. Children entering school (k-12) must have the required immunizations as required by the Tennessee Department of Health of the appropriately documented exemption form.
If your child meets the qualifications per the TN Department of Health, please present the documentation upon registration (unless documentation has already been placed in your child’s permanent record). Students will not be allowed to register without proper documentation.
Attendance
School Hours
●The school day for Pre K-5 students begins at 7:45 a.m.
●Pre-K students may be picked up at 1:00 p.m. The school day for grades K-5 ends at 2:45 p.m.
●The building will be open at 7:00 a.m. for bus riders and students wanting breakfast. No child should be dropped off before 7:00 a.m.
●All other students are encouraged to arrive at school at 7:30 a.m. and should be picked up at 2:45 p.m.
●Extended Day Care students are dismissed to Day Care at 3:00. Afternoon Daycare is available in the cafeteria until 6:00p.m.
●Bus riders are dismissed to the bus room beginning at 3:00 with the exception of express buses which load at 2:40.
Regular attendance is an important factor in the establishment of a good scholastic record. Work missed when absent from school can be difficult to make up. There is no substitution for actual participation in the daily class work. No student is allowed a certain number of days to be absent.
Every student is expected to be in attendance each day unless excused by one of the following:
●the student or a member of his/her family being ill
●a death in the family
●observance of a religious holiday
●extreme weather conditions, or approved school-related activity.
A student may be excused for the above reasons from attendance, but not from the work required during the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all make-up work in all subject areas during his/her absence. Absence for any other reason than those listed above will be unexcused. Students will receive an incomplete for work missed due to an unexcused absence. The incomplete will be replaced when the work is completed.
When a student is absent, a note is required. This note is to be presented to the student’s homeroom teacher within three (3) days of the absence. The note should include the reason(s) for and the date(s) of the absence. The school may accept a written note from a parent or guardian verifying a student’s illness for up to a total of 5 accumulated days during the school year. However, if a student is absent due to his or her personal illness for more than a total of five accumulated days, a doctor’s note specifying inclusive dates for the illness must be submitted in order for any subsequent illness-related absences to be excused.
Warren County School Board policy states that if and/or when a student commits his/her third unexcused absence a letter and/or phone call will be sent to the parent or guardian, by the school in which the child is enrolled. If and/or when a student commits his/her fifth unexcused absence, that student’s name and the facts of such unlawful absence can be reported to the juvenile authorities.
Truancy Review Board: When a student has more than five (5) unexcused days absent from school, the principal or attendance clerk may summon that student to appear before the Truancy Review Board. This appearance counts as one appearance in juvenile court, and attendance by a parent or guardian is required. Students who are habitually absent will be reported to the juvenile judge who will determine what is best for the child. (Board Policy JB)
Perfect Attendance:To be eligible for perfect attendance, a student must be in attendance for a length of time equal to the state’s minimum hourly requirement for a school day. To have perfect attendance a student’s attendance record must indicate that the actual days absent at the year’s end is .99 or below or less than 420 minutes away from school for the entire year. Students who sign in late and check out early will accumulate time and when this time reaches 420 minutes or 7 hours the student will be considered absent one day.
NOTE: Please plan any family vacations over breaks. Vacation taken during regular school session will be considered unexcused absences. If special circumstances arise, a letter requesting PRIOR approval & listing the reasons you are making a special request must be turned in to the Principal.
NEW Tardy and Sign Out District Guidelines:
- 3 tardies or unexcused early dismissals within the same quarter will result in a warning being issued and the parent notified by the attendance clerk
- On the 4th tardy or unexcused early dismissal within the same quarter, the student will receive 2 hours of After School Instruction (ASI) and the parent will be called for a conference at the school
- On the 5th tardy or unexcused early dismissal within the same quarter, the student will have a mandatory meeting with the school Principal and/or District Attendance Director and student will be placed on an attendance contract for the remainder of the quarter
Check In and Out of Office
Any student arriving after 7:45 a.m. or leaving before 2:45 p.m. must check in or out of the office. Parents must accompany students arriving after 7:45 a.m. to the sign-in office. Warren County School Board Policy states that elementary students will be permitted to leave school prior to regular dismissal time only in the company of a parent, legal guardian, school employee, police officer, court officer, or a person designated in writing by the parent (s). Persons whose names are on the yellow sign-out card must be able to present identification upon request by the office staff when signing a child out. No one will be allowed to sign a child out of school unless his/her name is listed on the yellow card.
Emergency Dismissals
There are any number of emergency situations which force the closing of schools. During these times it is often impossible to get an open phone line. Please have a pre-determined emergency plan for your child that does NOT include the student having to phone someone. Reviewing this plan with your child periodically will help him/her feel safe during stressful times. You will receive a “Snow Plan/Early Dismissal” for you and your child to complete and return to the school for our records. This should eliminate confusion and upset children if school is dismissed early. Please notify the school of any revisions to your plan.
The Director of Schools will use the emergency notification message system by phone or email and will notify local radio/TV stations to have a school-closing announcement broadcast:
Health Services
If your child has a medical condition that might require special action, please contact one of the School Nurses at 668-5111. Examples would be diabetes, asthma, and severe allergies with the need for an Epi pen, seizures, or others. We will assist you in the communication of those special needs and the appropriate responses at school and on the bus through an Individualized Health Care Plan.
Throughout the school year please refer to these guidelines as a way to prevent the spread of communicable disease in the school. A student should be kept home when the following symptoms persist:
▪Temperature of 100 degrees or more, (must be fever free without medication for 24 hours)
▪A dry, hacking or productive cough
▪Purulent (green, yellow, thick, or unusual) nasal or eye drainage
▪Diarrhea
▪Skin rashes or eruptions: such as scabies, chicken pox, or impetigo
▪Complaints of earache, severe stomachache, sore throat, severe headache
▪Red throat, swollen glands around jaw, ears, or neck
▪Nausea and Vomiting
▪Lethargy (general complaint of muscular aches and pain)
▪Head or body lice must be treated with appropriate medication before returning to school
(Board Policy JGCBAB)
Lice Screening
Screenings take place randomly at school in the classroom setting. The school nurse or designee may check for head lice. Upon return to school after an infestation, that child must be checked individually by the school nurse in a private location before they can return to class. You MUST accompany the child when they come in to be checked.
THE SCHOOL POLICY IS LICE FREE BEFORE RETURNING TO SCHOOL.
Medication Policy
STUDENTS ARE NOT TO HAVE ANY FORM OF MEDICATION IN THEIR POSSESSION AT ANY TIME. All medication must be brought to and from school by parents, never delivered by students.
We want to encourage you not to send medications to be administered at school. But if that is necessary, there are specific guidelines we must follow in order to comply with state law. You will find these guidelines below:
Students required to take prescribed or non-prescription medication must have an “Administration of Medication” form completed and on file. This form is available from the school nurse or the school and MUST BE COMPLETED when medication is delivered to the nurse’s office by the parent or guardian of the student. (Students do not complete the form or transport medication to school.) Medication will be kept and given to the student at the designated time.
The medication must be delivered to the nurse’s office in person by the parent or guardian of the student unless the medication must be retained by the student for immediate administration (i.e., students with asthma). All prescription medications must be brought to school in the original unopened container labeled by the pharmacy to include the following information:
Name of student
Prescription number
Name of medication and dosage Administration route or other directions
Date
Licensed prescriber’s name
Pharmacy name, address, and phone number
The school is not permitted to administer medication, including aspirin, Tylenol, etc. at the student’s request. NOTE! Any student possessing, selling, giving, sharing, or misrepresenting any medication in any form including, but not limited to any type of over-the-counter medication or health aide (such as vitamins), will be subject to full prosecution under the Drug Free Schools Act.
All nonprescription medication must be brought to school in the manufacturer’s container with ingredients of the product listed on the unopened container, and child’s name affixed to the container. The medication will be administered in accordance with label directions or written instructions from the student’s physician.
The administrator/designee will:
- Inform appropriate school personnel of the medication being administered.
- Keep an accurate record of the administration of the medication.
- Keep all medication in a locked cabinet except medication retained by a student per physician’s order;
- Return unused prescription to the parent or guardian only.
No school official or teacher will routinely dispense medication to students except in unique situations in which a child’s health is dependent upon medical aid. If under exceptional circumstances a child is required to take oral medication during school hours and the parent cannot be at school to administer the medication, only the principal or the principal’s designee will administer the medication in compliance with the following regulations: