Lake Norman Elementary

lake norman elementary

255 OAK TREE ROAD

MOORESVILLE, NC 28117

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(704) 662-8261 Phone

(704) 662-8264 Fax

Welcome to Lake Norman Elementary School. We are pleased to have you as partners during this educational year. A new school year brings opportunities for new classes, teachers, faces, and the excitement of new skills to accomplish. The administration and staff at Lake Norman honor all children and seek success for each student. Welcome to Lake Norman Elementary -- our school together.

absences/ATTENDANCE POliCIES

It is important that children attend school regularly. The Iredell-Statesville School system has implemented an attendance policy that addresses attendance in school and participation in class. Regular attendance by every student is mandatory. The State of North Carolina requires that every child in the state between the ages of seven and sixteen years of age attend school.

•When a student must miss school, a written excuse signed by a parent or guardian must be presented to the school on the day returning after an absence. If the student does not present a note within two days, the absence will be coded as unlawful. Extended illnesses may require a statement from a physician.

•All classroom activities are important and difficult, if not impossible, to replace if missed. Students must make up missed assignments as determined by the teacher, who will decide when work is to be made up. Work may be requested before 10:00 a.m. through the office and picked up in the office after 2:00 p.m.

•Class attendance and participation are critical elements of the educational process and may be taken into account in assessing academic achievement.

1.After a student has accumulated three unlawful absences, the school will notify parent/guardian.

2.After not more than six unlawful absences, the school shall notify the parent/guardian that he/she may be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law.

3.Students in kindergarten through fifth grade are required to be in attendance at least 94.5% of the school year in order to be promoted to the next grade. A student absent more than ten days shall be referred to the principal/designee for possible retention. If retention is necessary based on attendance, the parent/guardian will be notified. For the purpose of promotion and retention, ten tardies and/or early dismissals equal one day’s absence.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

All students should arrive between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. If you bring your child, please come into the drive in front of the school and let him/her off only where there is an adult on duty. For the safety of all of our students, please adhere to the one-way entrance and exit signs, and do not enter or drive through the bus lot, van lot, or behind the mega.

After 7:30 a.m., students are considered tardy. Students arriving tardy should be brought in the office by a parent, signed in, and escorted to class by the parent. PLEASE DO NOT JUST DROP OFF. We would appreciate you making every effort to have your child here on time so that the instructional day can begin promptly for all of our students.

Students are dismissed from school at 2:15 p.m. If you pick your child up in the afternoon, please follow traffic safety rules and stay in a single line. It is very helpful if parents wait in the car line rather than parking and coming into the school. Students should not cross the parking lot or in front of another car. ALL CAR RIDERS SHOULD BE PICKED UP IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND PARENTS MUST WAIT IN THE CAR LINE.

Please complete the Dismissal Form, which is in this folder, stating where your child is to go after school and who is to be allowed to pick him/her up. If there is a change in your regular plans, send a note to the teacher who will send it to the office for approval. Please make these arrangements in the morning before your child leaves home. It is an interruption of instructional time when we have to call a classroom during the day to tell the teacher and your child that you have called in with a change of plans. If an emergency should arise and plans need to be changed, the office should be contacted before 1:30 p.m. Transportation changes cannot be accepted after this time. Students will not be called from the classroom for early dismissal after 1:30 P.M. With the new attendance policy in place, early dismissals are part of the new rules and not allowed after 1:30 p.m.

BUS RULES

Our goal is for all students to enjoy a safe and orderly trip to and from school. The privilege of riding the school bus is just that - a privilege - and a student’s behavior on the bus determines whether he/she can continue to enjoy this privilege. A student who chooses to break the rules will get an official warning or suspension from riding the bus. A second offense may result in the student losing the privilege of riding the bus from one to ten days. Fighting on the bus or at the bus stop may result in immediate suspension from riding the bus. Since students are required to attend school during a bus suspension, parents are responsible for arranging transportation for those days. We realize that this can be an inconvenience, so reinforce the importance of good behavior on the bus to your child.

1.Stay in your seat from the time the bus starts until it comes to a full stop. (Standing, walking in the aisles, and changing seats are dangerous to the students and distracting to the driver.)

2.Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. (No pushing, hitting, kicking, or throwing of objects.)

3.Keep arms and heads out of open windows.

4.Talk respectfully to others. (NO cursing, arguing, talking back to the bus driver, or excessively loud talking.)

5.Do not take items out of book bag while on the bus.

6.NO fighting at the bus stop or on the bus.

(FIGHTING CAN RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE BUS SUSPENSION.)

Please impress upon your child how serious and important safe transportation is and the difficulties that may be faced should he/she be suspended from the bus. We want to make sure your child gets to and from school safely. Due to limited bus seats, students are allowed to ride only their assigned bus. Thank you for your cooperation.

CAfETERiA POLICY

The school cafeteria serves a hot meal providing much of the necessary daily nutritional requirements. At least one serving from each of the four major food groups is offered.

Lunch may be purchased in advance. Each student is issued an account number, and all money sent for meals is deposited into his/her account. Students go through the line and receive their lunch, which is debited to their account. We encourage students to bring their lunch money on a weekly basis in an envelope with their name, lunch account number, teacher’s name, amount enclosed, and any special instructions. An extra charge is made for desserts.

Parents will no longer serve as cafeteria monitors at LNE. Beginning in 2010-2011, their will be assigned teacher assistants that will monitor lunchroom behavior each day. This year we invite parents to eat in our cafeteria one day a week. Parents must sign in at the office and report directly to the cafeteria if they plan to eat lunch with their child. Parents are invited to either sit with their child at the lunch table or they may sit at the picnic tables outside the cafeteria. In order to limit the number of guests, we ask that you only eat lunch at school one day a week. If a parent has several children at LNE, he/she may stay for more than one rotation in the cafeteria on a given day. We respectfully request that parents say goodbye to their child in the cafeteria. This will help us to insure maximum instructional time with our students. FAST FOOD SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS.

Information regarding student lunch accounts may be obtained by contacting the cafeteria at 662-8717, from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. You may also visit the lunch pre-pay site on the LNE website.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The staff of Lake Norman Elementary believes that all students can behave in the classroom. No student has the right to prevent the teacher from teaching or to prevent other students from learning.

Teachers will be firm, consistent, and positive with their discipline. Each teacher will post a list of rules/procedures in the classroom that all children will follow. If a child chooses not to follow the rules, he/she must face the consequences. Some examples of consequences for children who choose to engage in negative behavior are: (1) time out, (2) work in another classroom, (3) call parent at home or work regarding inappropriate behavior, (4) complete a discipline packet or contract as assigned by the teacher, (5) stay after school, and/or (6) go to the principal’s office. Students who are sent to the principal’s office will be dealt with according to the Iredell-Statesville Elementary Schools Discipline Policy. Students who choose to follow school and classroom rules will be rewarded in a variety of ways. At LNE we participate in Positive Behavior Support (PBS).

As parents, you have the right to know when your child routinely chooses not to follow the rules. We ask for your support and cooperation if you should receive a call concerning your child’s behavior at school. It is in your child’s best interest that we work together. You are your child’s first teacher and the most important person to reinforce good behavior. We will help you perform that task.

DRESS

Clothes should be appropriate to both age and the weather. The following guidelines will help you to make good choices:

•For health reasons, shoes must be worn at all times. NO rollerblades and/or wheels, or wheelies.

•Hats (and other head coverings) are not allowed in the building and will be taken.

•If weather indicates that shorts might be appropriate, please remember that shorts should be long enough to be modest while standing, sitting, or bending.

•Midriffs, spaghetti straps, halter tops, tank tops, biking shorts, leotards, pants below the waist, and tight-fitting attire are not acceptable.

•T-shirts should not advertise tobacco or alcoholic products, profanity, or inappropriate gestures or pictures.

•Students who wear clothes that are inappropriate will be asked to change into something appropriate, call to have parents bring other clothing, or be sent home for the day.

•Please help us to keep a clean, safe environment by monitoring your child’s dress.

emergency information

Please return the student update form (three part). If the information changes during the year, it is imperative that you notify the school so that we will have a way to contact parents in case of an emergency.

GRADING POLICY

The evaluation of student achievement is one of the important functions of the teacher. The established guidelines for Iredell County are as follows:

*Grades K-2 - Individual assessment of skill areas

Level 1 - Does not meet grade level expectations

Level 2 - Sometimes meets grade level expectations

Level 3 - Meets grade level expectations

Level 4 - Consistently exceeds grade level expectations

*Grades 3-5 - Individual assessment of skill areas

A= 93 -100S = Satisfactory

B= 85 -92N = Needs improvement

C= 77 -84U = Unsatisfactory

D= 70 -76

F= Below 70

Report Cards will be issued quarterly. In order to keep parents informed of students’ progress, an Interim Report will be sent home at the midpoint of each grading period. Please sign the Report Card envelope and the Interim Report and return them to school.

Parent/Teacher conferences are encouraged. Please send a note to your child’s teacher or call the school office to arrange a time. Teachers will conduct parent/teacher conferences twice a year.

iMMUNiZATiONS

State law requires that all school children be immunized with the following:

• 5 DPT shots (If the fourth was given on or after the fourth birthday, they will not need the fifth one.)
• 4 POLIO (If the third dose was given on or after the fourth birthday, the fourth dose is not required.)
• 2 MMR
• 1 HIB
• 3 HEP B
• 1 varicella (chicken pox)

If the required certificate of immunization is not received by the school within thirty days of enrollment, state law requires that the child must officially be suspended from school.

LOST AND FOUND

Please write children’s names on their clothing, lunch boxes, and other personal items. Identified items are returned to children immediately. If your child loses an item, he/she should check the Lost and Found box located outside the office. We will donate to a worthy charity all items not claimed on a monthly basis.

Medication/student illness

All medication administered at school requires written parental consent and physician or authorized prescriber consent on the Request for Medication to be Given at School form. There are no exceptions for the administration of medications to be given at school on a long-term, short-term, or “as needed” basis. Medication is to be brought to the school in the original container by the parent.

If your child has problems with coughing, headaches, upset stomach, cramps, etc., please have the form completed as soon as possible. If you need a form, please let your child’s teacher know or call the office. Over-the-counter medication can only be administered by the school nurse. On days that she is not here, parents will need to come to school to give the medication. The nurse schedule will be sent to you at a later date.

PARTIES

Each class is allowed three parties per year. These parties are scheduled by the teacher. Any other parties must be approved by the principal. Parties cannot take the place of lunch, and students must go through the lunch line. Students may bring cookies or cupcakes to distribute at lunch or in class for special occasions (birthdays, etc.). Students are not allowed to draw names or exchange gifts as a group at Christmas.

birthday books

In order to honor your child’s birthday while helping the school at the same time, we suggest that parents donate money to purchase a library bound book for our collection. These books would have a plate with your child’s name inscribed. Please contact our Media Specialist who can assist you in choosing a title for donation. A receipt will gladly be given for tax purposes.

personal property

Radios, electronic games, CD players, cell phones, or similar devices are not permitted on the bus or at school. Students should not bring cameras, toys, expensive jewelry, or large sums of money to school. Students should not leave valuables in their desks or cubbies.

PICTURES

Individual pictures of each student enrolled will be taken in the fall. Packages of pictures will be available on a prepaid basis. Yearbooks will be sold on a prepaid basis during the winter, and class pictures will be made in the spring. All students will also be photographed in the spring.

promotional procedures

Children are individuals with different learning styles and rates. In contemplating a student’s promotion from one grade to the next, we consider many varying assessments, including: age, maturity, test scores, achievement, effort, and attendance.

We do not consider that a child has failed if he/she does not progress to the next grade, but rather that more time may be needed for an individual student to attain that specific goal. Since students must meet certain minimum competencies before graduation, they must receive an adequate foundation. Please do not compare your child’s report with others, since no two children are alike.

PTO

The Lake Norman PTO is a strong and vital part of the school. We urge you to join and to participate in as many activities as you can. If you have suggestions or ideas, please call one of the officers listed on the enclosed sheet or call the school office. Meetings are held throughout the year, and we encourage you to play an active role in this vital support organization.

school library

We believe that developing a reading habit is an essential component of learning. Our school library is much more than a place to check out books. We utilize the library for audio-visual production, research, computerized instruction, and more. We are constantly adding to our store of good reading materials and audio-visual equipment for your child’s enrichment and pleasure. Please help us to teach our students to care for books and materials and to use them properly. Books are expensive - costing as much as $30.00. If a book is lost or damaged, the child will be expected to pay for it. Remember, the library is a classroom too. The library SHOULD NOT be used by parents unless cleared through the office.

SNACKS

Each class will have a short break during the day. A nutritious snack may be eaten at that time. Please send water. Sugary or carbonated drinks are discouraged. Candy, gum, and sweets should be reserved for special designated occasions.

VISITATION AND CONFERENCES