KIMMEL FARM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
4672 Ebert Road Winston Salem, NC 27127
Main - (336) 703-6760 Fax - (336) 784-4427
Front Office Staff
Principal Floyd Lowman
Assistant Principal Tammy Norwood
Curriculum Coordinator Kelley Bendheim
Counselors Clarissa Felder
Betsy Dagenhart
Lead/Financial Secretary Mariela Velez
Data Manager Mandy Lashmit
Second Secretary Open at time of printing
Local Assistant Amy Spragins
Cafeteria Manager Wesley Sapp
Welcome to Kimmel Farm Elementary School and the 2013-2014 school year! We have been busy preparing for your arrival and we hope this school year will be the best one yet. Our goal is to provide your child with a well-rounded educational experience that prepares him/her for future success. If you have a need, please contact the front office and let us know how we can make your Kimmel Farm experience a great one.
Sincerely,
Floyd Lowman
Our School Theme: Problem-Based Learning
“Unlocking Minds through Creative and Critical Thinking”
Our School Vision: Kimmel Farm is a dynamic, world-class community of learners dedicated to creative and critical thinking with a commitment to personal and academic excellence.
Our School Mission: Kimmel Farm, in collaboration with our families and community, will prepare students for their future by implementing Problem Based Learning and authentic, real-world experiences. By providing them with rigorous and relevant academic opportunities, we ensure that students will excel as critical and creative thinkers while becoming responsible citizens who will thrive in a changing world.
Our Unifying values:
· We believe:
o All students are capable of learning in as safe, positive, and challenging environment that values diversity and fosters collaboration.
o All children come with their own individual gifts, talents, a natural curiosity, and desire to learn.
o Alternative points of view foster communication and instill compassion for others
o Educators, with a high standard of excellence, are the key facilitators in this state-of-the-art environment.
o Learning is as active, ongoing process where students are engaged in a wide variety of relevant, independent, creative, cooperative, minds-on, hands-on experiences.
o Education is the responsibility of students, school, family, and community.
Our goals:
· To prepare globally competitive students
· To create a safe and caring school
· To utilize 21st Century Systems
· To develop and support 21st Century Personnel
· To create Collaborative Partnerships
What is Problem Based Learning?
“Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a learning/teaching methodology based on the principle of using problems as a starting point for the acquisition of new knowledge and a learning/teaching methodology designed to create learning through experience and the reinforcement of existing knowledge”
What are the hours of operation at Kimmel Farm?
Main Office 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
AlphaBest Program (morning) 7:00 am – 8:05am
Breakfast Program 7:50 am – 8:15 am
Instruction begins 8:20 am
Instructional day 8:20 am – 2:50 pm
Dismissal 2:50 pm
AlphaBest program (afternoon) 2:50pm – 6:00 pm
What time does school start and what time does it end?
Our school day begins at 8:20 am and ends at 2:50 pm. Students who are not enrolled in the AlphaBest program, should arrive on campus AFTER 7:50am. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board does not permit students to arrive at school more than 30 minutes before class begins and stay more than 15 minutes after school is out unless they are in a supervised program.
Students should be in their classrooms no later than 8:20am to start the school’s instructional day. If a student arrives after 8:20am, they must come to the office and receive a “Tardy” slip so the student will not be counted absent for the day. Since instruction begins promptly at 8:20am, excessive tardies will result in a letter from the principal and may initiate attendance reporting procedures and protocols. Late arriving students miss important teacher instructions and disrupt the class. We want all of our students at Kimmel Farm to have a great start each day. Unexcused tardies negatively impact perfect attendance.
Parents: After 8:20 a.m., escort your child into the front office and get a tardy slip. You can not drop off students in rear after 8:20 a.m.
What is the attendance policy?Parents/guardians please read:
Students should return to school after an absence with a note from their parent/guardian that contains the following information.
· Printed full legal name of student
· Date(s) of absence
· Reason for absence
Excessive absences will require a doctor’s note. All notes are kept on file for legal attendance purposes.
If a student arrives to school after 8:20 a.m. (or leaves before 2:50 p.m.) he/she must sign in at the office and receive a tardy slip to class (or must be signed out to leave the building). Late arrivals and early dismissal require a note for attendance recording purposes.
Should you seek consideration for educational opportunity, please contact the office to complete the appropriate form, which needs to be completed well in advance of your scheduled trip.
A portion of the WSFCS Board policy is provided below for your reference.
AR 5110 Attendance and Make- Up Work
April 2010
I. Introduction. There is no substitute for the uninterrupted personal contact between teachers and students in the classroom environment where learning experiences are carefully planned by the teachers. Even though students may make up class work missed because of absences, they may never be able to replace the educational, cultural and social contacts which they would have experienced through face-to-face instruction and class participation. Students with good attendance generally achieve higher levels of learning than those with poor attendance.
II. Absences Classified.
A. Excused. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, the following conditions shall constitute valid reasons for excused absences.
1. Illness or injury
2. Quarantine
3. Death in the immediate family
4. Medical or dental appointments
5. Court or administrative proceedings
6. Religious observances
7. Educational opportunity
For a more complete definition of each condition, reference should be made to the State Board of Education regulation.
B. Religious observances. Students, upon written request of their parents, will be granted an excused absence to observe a religious holiday or to participate in off-campus religious instruction or worship/devotional exercises.
1. A student shall not be excused to participate in off-campus religious instruction or worship/devotional exercises for more than two (2) hours of an instructional day.
2. It shall be the duty of the students, with the support of their parents, to make-up any work missed.
C. Educational opportunity. A student may be granted an excused absence to take advantage of a valid educational opportunity such as travel, an internship or a legislative page. To be approved, the student or the student’s parent must submit a written statement explaining how the experience will enhance the student’s knowledge or understanding of one or more subjects contained in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. In addition, the student must agree to write a paper or produce some other work product that evidences the knowledge he/she has gained from the educational experience.
D. Exam Exemptions. Students qualifying for an exam exemption pursuant to AR 5124 and not attending school or class during the specific class period in which the exam is administered shall not be counted absent from that class.
E. Pre-arranged absences. Upon the request of a parent, guardian or custodian, preferably made in writing and in a reasonable period of time in advance of the absence, the Principal may excuse a student’s absence for a good and substantial cause in addition to those listed in “A” above, with one exception: secondary school students may not be granted “prearranged absences for any cause other than those listed in “A” above during the last ten days of the school year.”
F. Pre-arranged early departure. Upon the request of a parent, guardian or custodian, preferably made in writing and in a reasonable period of time (24 hours) in advance, the Principal or the Principal’s designee may permit a student to depart before the end of the instructional day for any of the reasons for an excused absence or for a good and substantial cause. If a student is removed without a valid reason for an excused absence, the removal shall be considered an “unexcused” early departure.
G. Perfect Attendance Awards. Up to three (3) excused absences in a school year due to a death in the immediate family, religious observances, or college scholarship interviews will not be considered in determining eligibility for perfect attendance awards. Students must provide a copy of the written invitation to the scholarship interview and proof of attendance in order for this provision to apply to such absence.
H. Unlawful and unexcused absences. In accordance with the compulsory Attendance Law and the Attendance Regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, an unlawful absence (sometimes referred to as unexcused absence) is defined as “a child’s willful absence from school without the knowledge of the parent, or a child’s absence from school without cause with the knowledge of the parent.” The term “unlawful absence” applies only to the Compulsory Attendance Law.
III. Unexcused Tardiness and Early Departures.
A. Definitions.
1. Tardiness is defined as arriving to class or school after the scheduled time for class or school to begin. A tardy is considered “unexcused” unless there is a valid reason for being late. Valid reasons for being late include, but are not limited to, the reasons for an excused absence as defined above as well as circumstances beyond the control of the student such as when a teacher or staff member detains a student.
2. Unexcused early departure is defined as the removal of a student from school prior to the end of the instructional day without a valid reason for an excused absence as defined above.
B. When tardiness or early departure is considered an absence.
1. If a student misses more than fifty percent (50%) of a class period at the secondary level, the student will be considered absent from class, except as provided in Section IV, paragraph E.
2. If a student misses more than fifty percent (50%) of a school day, the student will be considered absent from school, except as provided in Section IV, paragraph E.
C. Excessive Tardiness and Unexcused Early Departures. An accumulation of ten (10) unexcused tardies or ten (10) unexcused early departures, as defined above, shall be equal to one unexcused absence for the purpose of enforcing the compulsory attendance law and the provision of this regulation for addressing a student’s excessive absences.
Tardy to School
If a student arrives to school after 8:20am, he/she must sign in at the office and receive a slip to class.
A student who arrives late to school without a legitimate note excusing his/her late arrival will be subject to the tardy policy. Doctor/dentist, etc. appointments will require a note from the doctor, etc. for an excused tardy. If the note is not provided at the time the student is checked in, they will receive an UNEXCUSED tardy until a note from the doctor, etc. is provided to the school.
May I bring my family to visit and volunteer at Kimmel Farm?
We welcome visitors and volunteers to our school. We also encourage community volunteers. Please ask them to report to the office when they first enter the building. If you or another community member is interested in volunteering, they should contact the school office and ask for the volunteer coordinator.
Every visitor must sign in at the office before going to the classroom. For security reasons, all visitors and volunteers must wear a visitor’s badge while on campus. Visitors badges are secured when checking into at the front office.
Parents are encourage to volunteer in their child’s classroom, to assist the teacher with special class events, and to contact other parents for classroom projects or to support other classroom needs. In addition to regular classroom activities, periodic school-wide activities (such as PTA events, health screenings, teacher luncheons, teacher appreciation and end of year celebrations) provide great opportunities for parents and volunteers to support our students and our school.
What should I do if I have to take medicine during the school day?
Medication that is to be administered to a child at school must have on file a completed copy of form HS10 - “Parent Request Physicians Information Regarding the Administration of Medication in the School”, and be in a prescription bottle that is labeled with the doctor’s name, child’s name and directions. A new HS10 form must be completed and filed in the school office each year.
What should I do if I get sick or hurt at school?
Always tell your teacher first if you get sick of hurt at school. If needed, the teacher will get you to the office for assistance. When an accident occurs, every effort will be made to contact a parent or guardian. The form entitled “Permission to Secure Medical Care” will be sent home for parents to sign. Every student should have a copy of this form on file in the school office. This form provides information and permission to adequately care for the child in case of extreme emergencies. Please be sure to return this form with emergency contact information for family members and others.
What happens when we have inclement weather?
Announcements regarding school closings will be broadcast over radio and TV, WSFCS Administrative offices also send out a Connect5 message to inform parents of delays and school closings. Please watch WXII Cable Channel 11, WGHP Cable Channel 10, WFMY Cable Channel 9, and WSFCS TV Cable Channel 2 for timely information regarding school closings. If you do not see or hear an announcement about Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools closing, then school will operate as usual. If you normally bring your child to school in the morning, please make sure that school is in sessions before dropping off your child.
What do I need to know about school lunch and the cafeteria?
A balanced and nutritious lunch is served daily in the cafeteria, where, for a minimal fee, students may purchase a plate lunch and/or “a’ la Carte” items. In order to encourage sound nutrition, we discourage the purchase of more than one sweet dessert item per child; however, purchase of fruits and salads in addition to the plate lunch is unlimited. You are encouraged to pre-pay for your child’s lunch in order to limit problems with lost or forgotten lunch money. Our registers are computerized where students enter their student ID number as they receive their meal. If meals have been prepaid, the computer program will automatically deduct from the account balance each day. The cafeteria staff will inform your child when it is time to place more money in their account. Parents need to be aware of how much you have pre-paid and closely monitor when you need to pay again.