Rebecca Howell, Principal Phone: 606-327-2733

Oakview Elementary

3111 Blackburn Avenue

Ashland, KY 41101

Vicki Kelly, Secretary FAX: 606-327-2756

Website: http://

Dear Students and Parents:

As the new school year begins or as you begin your experience with us, the faculty and staff of Oakview welcome you. We are committed to providing a quality education for children in a safe and nurturing environment.

Inside our handbook you will find a wealth of information that will be useful to you throughout the year. Please keep in mind that many of our rules and procedures are in place to provide a safe school for all children. You will have the opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher(s) during the year in order to develop a strong home-school connection through conferences. If at any time you have a concern or question, feel free to call us to schedule an appointment. We all have a common goal, which is to meet the needs of all students. Your suggestions are always appreciated.

We would like for you to make every effort to assist with attendance. It is extremely important for children to be at school and to be on time. With this in mind, we ask that our families endeavor to keep their child’s arrival and departure for school consistent on a day-to-day basis. Appointments should be made for after school or on days school is not in session.

Visitors and volunteers are welcome at Oakview. For safety and security reasons, we ask all visitors to enter and exit only through the front door and to sign in and out at the main office on each visit. All visitors to the school, including parents, must wear a nametag at all times. Parents and visitors are not to go past the front office/lobby area during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. We greatly appreciate your time and efforts.

We look forward to being a part of your child’s education this year. Please let us know if we can assist you in any way.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Howell

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission of Oakview Elementary School, as an integral part of the Ashland Independent School District which is a standard for excellence in Kentucky and the nation, is to ensure for each student a globally comprehensive education in a positive, nurturing environment which provides individualized learning opportunities, produces responsible citizens, and instills a desire for life-long learning through quality instructional programs, sound fiscal management, visionary leadership, and a partnership involving home, school, and community.

STAYING IN TOUCH

At Oakview Elementary, it is important to us to have an ongoing communication with our families. There are several ways to send and receive information with our staff.

Telephone: Our school’s main number is 327-2733. During the hours from 7:15 a.m. until 3:45 p.m., someone in the office will answer this line. If you wish to leave a voice mail for the staff, you may use the directory when calling this number. You will then be connected through an automated system to that individual’s voice mail. Each staff member has a voice mailbox.

Conferences: Parent conferences are held routinely throughout the year but particularly at the end of the first and third nine weeks. Any parent experiencing a problem with a child’s school experience should first contact the secretary or send a note to arrange a conference with the teacher.

Website: Our school website may be found at . There are many helpful links for parents on our site. Additionally, each grade level has its own web page, and many of the teachers have one just for their classroom. You may also email any of our teachers through this website.

Distribution Lists: Oakview currently maintains distribution lists for each class. If you have an email address and would like to be included in the class distribution list, please be sure to fill out the email form, which is provided in our packet that is sent home the first day of school. We are happy to include two email addresses for each child. The teachers send a great deal of pertinent information, as does PTO, via the lists throughout the year.

Inclement Weather and Other Emergencies

In the event that school is closed due to inclement weather or any other emergency, please watch the news on television or listen to the radio. If we are closed, it will state that Ashland Independent Schools are closed. We also have in effect the OneCall system, which will be used to notify families of these situations.

Field Trips

As part of our instructional program, many teachers include field trips to enhance the child’s understanding of certain concepts taught in the classrooms. Before a child may take part in these field trips, we must have a signed permission slip from each parent. Notes will be sent home, giving information on each field trip prior to going. At the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment, a permission slip for all field trips is signed by the parent. If you do not wish for your child to participate in a particular field trip, please send a note at that time.

1. Food or objects becoming airborne / Student will serve 2 days seated apart from other students.
2. Bothering another student's food/tray / Student will be moved to another location at the same table.
3. Disrespect to a staff member / Student will sign the conduct book.
4. Use of inappropriate language / Student will sign the conduct book.
5. Running, sliding, spinning, etc. / Student will be isolated until arrival of classroom teacher.
6. Inappropriate behavior such as shoving, hitting, any aggressive behavior, etc. / Student will serve 2 days seated apart from other students.
7. Visiting other tables / Student will serve 2 days seated apart from other students.
8. Going through EXIT to buy extras / Privilege denied.
9. SEVERITY CLAUSE: Extreme behaviors / Classroom teacher or principal will take disciplinary actions.

CLASSROOM RULES AND CONSEQUENCES

1. Follow directions the first time. / 1st Time: Sign conduct book and receive a consequence.
2. Bring appropriate materials to class. / 2nd Time: Sign conduct book, receive a consequence, and take home a note to be signed and returned.
3. Complete work quietly without interrupting others. / 3rd Time: Sign conduct book, receive a consequence, and have a parent contacted by phone. A parent conference will be requested.
4. Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak. / 4th Time: Sign conduct book, be sent to the office, and have a parent contacted. A parent conference may be requested.
5. Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself. / 5th Time: Sign conduct book, go to office, parent contacted, and possibly receive "In-School Suspension.”
6. Be polite and respectful to others. / Severity Clause: The teacher and/or the principal will take immediate disciplinary actions based on the level of offense as described in the Code of Conduct for the District.
7. Be prepared to take responsibility for your own actions. / Reward: Students will be rewarded if they do not sign the Conduct Book.

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast and lunch are provided free of charge each day at Oakview. A yearly menu is provided at the beginning of each school year, which can help you in planning for your child’s meals. Breakfast begins at 7:25 A.M. Any student planning to have breakfast should arrive no later than 7:40 A.M. so that they have enough time to eat before the school day begins. Additional milk can be purchased for 30 cents and water is 25 cents. Remember, no outside vendor lunches; McDonalds, Subway, etc., are allowed. This includes Field Day each year also.

Oakview Elementary

Master Schedule

7:20 A.M...... Doors open

7:35 A.M...... Faculty Arrival

7:20 – 7:55 A.M. . . Breakfast Served

7:45 A.M...... First Bell - Teachers Report to Classrooms

7:55 A.M...... Tardy Bell

2:55 PM...... Dismissal Bell Rings

PARKING

There is parking available at the front and the side of Oakview Elementary. There are two lots on the High Street side of the building on either side of the street. Please note that the buses use the front entrance area. The fire lanes must be kept clear for the use of the buses and emergency vehicles.

THE VALUE OF HOMEWORK

Besides being an opportunity to practice and strengthen academic skills, homework is a valuable tool for equipping a child with many character-building qualities such as responsibility, perseverance, time management, initiative, self-reliance, problem solving, and accountability. The child who takes responsibility for homework is building a solid foundation for adulthood.

Our Homework Policy works on a step system. Each missed assignment is documented, and on the third time in a week that an assignment has not been completed, a Missing Homework Notice is sent home for a parent signature. On the fourth occurrence within a week, the student is sent to the office, and the parent is contacted for a conference.

Library/Multi-Media Department

RECEIPT

In accordance with Board Policy 08.2323, individuals shall reimburse the Board for repair or replacement of district property lost, stolen, damaged, or vandalized while under their care.

If payment is made for lost property and that property is found at a later date, the individual has ownership of that property. The District will not reimburse payment.

Make checks payable to: Oakview Elementary

Date: ______

Student’s Name: ______

Homeroom Teacher: ______

Payment for: ______

(description of property)

Amount Received: ______Balance Due: ______

______

Library/Media Specialist signature Date

DISMISSAL

Dismissal is a very busy time for us. We will not be able to make changes in your child’s arrangements for going home over the phone. You must send a note with your child in the morning or come in during the day with a note if a change needs to take place.

Morning and Afternoon Drop-Off and Pick-Up

In an effort to eliminate the congestion during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, we need everyone’s help. Please be mindful of others and pull up around the drop-off areas as far as possible. In the front of the building, this means going to the end of the sidewalk where the side parking lot begins. This allows for more cars to pull off Blackburn Avenue. In the back of the school, this means pulling completely around to the end of the semi-circle. Again, this allows more cars to pull off High Street. Do not park in these areas to walk your child to the door or classrooms. For the safety of our students, it is important for them to be let out or to get in on the passenger side of your cars. As always, the school buses have the right-of-way. Please make sure you are never blocking the buses or parked on High Street where they must turn when leaving.

After the first two weeks of school, your child should be familiar with his/her school setting. If you drive your child to school, we ask that you simply drop him/her off in the front circle or back circle. Oakview has an adult at each entrance to greet your child or to guide him/her to where he/she needs to go. If you walk to school with your child, we ask that you allow your child to enter the building on his/her own. We have Safety Patrol and teachers in all hallways to assist any child who needs help. Only those people who are authorized by a parent in writing are allowed to pick up a child. We cannot release students to a family member or friend if their name is not on the pick up list.

Bullying

Pursuant to Board Policy 09.42811 and 09.422, Oakview continue to be proactive in addressing any and all bullying incidents. Students are encouraged to report any incident of bullying that happens to them or if they are aware of bullying being directed towards a peer. Parents are requested to report any form of bullying or harassment that is reported to them also.

DRESS CODE

1. All students (K-6) are expected to be clean and well groomed. Appearances that may cause disruption or distraction in the classroom will not be permitted. (This would include but not be limited to unusually colored or cut hair.)

2. Dress should vary with the season and be appropriate for health and safety requirements and classroom work.

3. All students must wear shoes. Sandals are permissible in appropriate weather. Athletic shoes must be worn to physical education class.

4. Excessive tightness or exposure in any garment will not be acceptable. The following items of clothing are not permitted:

*Pants with tears, worn places, or legs that drag the ground.

*Spandex garments.

*Tank or muscle shirts. Undershirts are not permissible unless worn over or under

another shirt. All clothing must extend to the shoulder and cover the midriff (Sleeve

openings should not be revealing.). A good measure for width on a top…between what

is a tank top and a short-sleeved top is ‘three fingers’ for a width of the material. Halter

tops are not permitted.

5. There shall be no obscenely suggestive, disrespectful, profane language or illegal (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, or drug-related), racially offensive decals, emblems or slogans on any garment.

6. Hats, caps, toboggans, sweat bands, bandannas, and sunglasses are not to be worn in the building (This does not mean headbands.).

7. No wallet chains, dangling earrings, or cult/gang-related attire.

TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES, i.e. Cell Phones

You should note that Board Policy states, “Students shall not be permitted to possess, use, or bring telecommunications or other electronic devices into district-owned buildings…” This includes cell phones.