5880 Findley Chase Drive

Johns Creek, GA 30097

770-497-3800

770-497-3810 (Fax)

Findley Oaks Elementary School teachers and staff welcome you to the new school year. We are delighted and eager to be educating children and developing a comprehensive school program in cooperation with our community. To help you enjoy your experiences at Findley Oaks, we offer the following suggestions to students.

Get to know your school. Become familiar with the classroom locations, school office, media center, food court, gymnasium and playground.

Become familiar with the teachers and staff. We are here to help you learn.

Study and learn as much as you can.

Take pride in your school. We are all here to work together for student success.

We urge all parents to become involved and support the school, teachers, and programs. Your positive attitude and support make a significant difference.

Our mission is for each student to achieve to the best of his or her ability and to learn to make good decisions.

The faculty and staff of Findley Oaks recognize the uniqueness of each child and his/her right to succeed. We believe we must prepare our students to use skills creatively, to think critically, to achieve to his/her greatest potential, and to become effective decision makers in a changing global society.

We also believe that every child is entitled to an education based on a school program designed to meet individual needs. Findley Oaks provides a setting where each learner may grow intellectually, socially, emotionally, physically, and aesthetically. Each student will experience the joy of learning with a caring team of educators providing a warm and positive environment.

These goals can be reached only with the full co-operation and participation of parents, teachers, students, and administrators. We as educators and members of the community strive to prepare our students to go forth with a feeling of pride and accomplishment, with the tools needed for a productive place in tomorrow’s world.

School hours are 7:40 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Please do not bring children to school prior to 7:00 a.m. as no supervision is available. Those arriving between 7:00 and 7:10 a.m. will wait in the cafeteria until 7:10 a.m. Students are not permitted in classrooms until 7:10 a.m. Bus riders and day care van riders are dismissed starting at 2:20 p.m. on a staggered schedule. Car riders are dismissed at approximately 2:25 p.m. and bicycle riders and walkers are dismissed following carpool. (See page 16.)

Organization --Findley Oaks is organized to include kindergarten through grade five. In general, there are self-contained classrooms in grade levels kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd. However, the self-contained organization may be modified in order to group for instruction, and to meet the needs of individual students.

Grade Reporting-- Students will receive report cards each 9 weeks. Grades in kindergarten and first grade are reported as Satisfactory (S), Needs Improvement (N), Unsatisfactory (U) or No Grade (NG). Grades in 2nd grade through 5th grade will be A, B, C, F or NG. Students will also receive a progress skills checklist three times per year, in the fall, the winter, and at the end of the school year.

Allocation of Instructional Time --The Fulton County Board of Education has established that elementary school students are to receive instruction in the following areas. The minimum amount of instruction on average per week is noted by each subject area. Other subjects may be taught as well.

Subject / Minutes
Language Arts / 725
Math / 300
Social Studies / 105
Science / 175
Physical Education / 90
Health / 50
Music / 45
Art / 45

Coordinated instructional indoor/outdoor physical activities are a portion of the 370 minute instructional day.

Integrated Language Arts -- Language Arts instruction is taught following an integrated model in which all skills (spelling, grammar, phonics, writing, and reading) are taught through stories, novels, and other supporting materials. A primary resource is the Harcourt Brace Language Arts textbook series.

Math -- The focus of the curriculum is applying math concepts and skills in the context of authentic problems and for the students to understand concepts rather than merely follow a sequence of procedures. The students will learn to think critically in math.

Science -- At each grade level students learn about scientific processes, making meaning of outcomes of scientific processes, earth science, life science, and physical science. During science instruction students are given the opportunity to build scientific knowledge and reasoning skills through hands-on and research activities.

Social Studies -- The social studies curriculum is designed to increase students’ knowledge of the world and promote greater awareness of its diverse ethnic and cultural elements. Instruction includes the areas of citizenship, history, and geography.

Extension Day -- Science and social studies units are taught throughout the year, allowing teachers the time to explore each subject thoroughly. The subjects will be taught for 45-60 minutes four days per week, then for approximately 2 hours on the fifth day, which is called Extension Day.

TAG – Talented and Gifted—The Fulton County School System screens students for eligibility for gifted services twice a year.

I. TAG teachers review the previous year’s test scores in August. Students will be evaluated on standardized tests and the CRCT.

II. Early in second semester, a classroom screening will take place reviewing all students. Classroom teachers use the Characteristic Instrument for Screening Students (CISS) form to identify students who demonstrate outstanding characteristics and behaviors in ten categories on the screening instrument (CISS). In addition, students must have supporting data gathered from test history, grades, products and/or academic performance. Students’ names are given to the Findley Oaks talented and gifted eligibility team for possible referral. A parent must sign a Parent Notification for Testing Consent form before evaluation of any student is initiated. Results of the testing will be sent to the student’s parents. This process will take six to eight weeks.

Art Education -- All children attend art class with an art specialist for 45 minutes each week. Students will study artists and the context of an artist’s work, as well as learn to produce artwork. Art production is often messy. Even when students wear paint shirts, it is possible to get clothing dirty with art materials. Our art materials are water soluble and should wash out of clothing. However, it is advisable to wear old clothes on art day to avoid unfortunate accidents. The art specialist will not use paints and messy materials on picture day or other special days.

Physical Education -- Students participate in physical education classes with a P. E. specialist twice weekly for 45 minutes. Students should wear clothing appropriate for participation in a variety of activities. Sport shoes are especially important for safety. Should a student not be able to participate due to illness or injury he/she should have a written excuse signed by a parent or doctor. Limited activity for an extended length of time must have a doctor’s excuse.

Homework -- Some home study is a necessary part of each student’s educational program. Each student may be expected to spend some time on homework to achieve satisfactory performance. Homework reinforces skills taught in the classroom, provides students an opportunity to practice these skills, increases student success, develops student responsibility and provides opportunity for parent involvement. All students should have homework four nights a week. Kindergarten homework will differ greatly from that of 5th graders. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students should expect 20 minutes of homework per night, Monday through Thursday. Third, 4th, and 5th grade students should expect 45 minutes per night, Monday through Thursday. Students who ride second load buses may have less of their homework to complete at home as they will have some time to work on it as they wait for the bus. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns regarding homework. (Please see “Make-Up Work” on page 5 for procedures on obtaining homework when absences occur.)

Field Trips -- Field trips are planned throughout the year to complement classroom curriculum. Permission forms must be signed by parents in order for students to participate. Many field trips are “in-school” field trips, minimizing the need for travel.

Music Education -- Students in grades kindergarten through fifth attend music class with a music specialist for 45 minutes each week. Students are introduced to reading music, listening critically to music, and playing a variety of musical instruments.

Curriculum Support Teacher -- The Curriculum Support Teacher (CST) is responsible for helping to implement the Fulton County curriculum. The CST is involved in selecting textbooks, curriculum writing and training. She works with teachers in organizing classrooms and suggesting learning strategies for students and is an active participant on the Student Support Team. New students entering the school are referred to the CST for suggested placement within reading and math programs. Parents with questions involving curriculum are invited to contact the Curriculum Support Teacher for information.

Instructional Support Teacher -- The Instructional Support Teacher (IST) coordinates programs and service delivery for special education students. She coordinates educational testing for students who are referred for special education services. Parents with questions about the special education process should contact the IST for information.

School Social Worker -- A school social worker is available to assist with situations that may involve the home (i.e. attendance, tardies, personal needs, and family concerns). The school social worker has asked that we make our parents aware of the policy adopted by the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). 1) Children 8 years old and younger should never be left alone; 2) Children between the ages of 9 and 12 may be left alone for brief periods of time (less than 2 hours) if the child is determined to be mature by the parent/caretaker.

Guidance and Counseling -- A counselor is available to provide individual or small group counseling to children or to conduct classroom guidance lessons on a regular schedule. The counselor works with school personnel to foster a positive learning environment for children. The counselor assists parents in understanding children and in developing positive attitudes, techniques, and strategies essential for constructive child rearing. The counselor assists parents and children in obtaining special school and/or community services, and helps conduct the SST and testing programs.

English for Speakers of Other Languages than English (ESOL) -- This program is designed to help limited English proficient students develop proficiency in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language. The goal of the program is to integrate students into regular classrooms as quickly as possible. The ESOL program also serves as a bridge between the student’s home culture and their new community.

Early Intervention Program (EIP) – This general education program is designed to assist students who need support to remain at grade level in reading or math.

Student Support Team (SST) -- SST is a multi-disciplinary team of staff members focusing on prevention and intervention strategies for students who may have learning or adjustment concerns in the classroom. Ongoing involvement of the student’s teacher, counselor, administrator, appropriate support staff, and parents or guardians is central to the process. The SST process includes the following stages: Identification of needs, formulation of an action plan, implementation of interventions, and monitoring of progress. The SST process precedes any referrals for further evaluation.

Exceptional Children Services – Services are provided for exceptional students on a resource basis, in team taught classrooms, and within modified self-contained classes. Referrals for these programs may be initiated by teachers or parents subsequent to the SST process. Children placed in these programs must meet state criteria. All program placement is based on a referral process, individual evaluation, and parent consent. The following programs are provided:

Behavior Disorders - available to students whose behavior interferes significantly with learning according to state guidelines.

Learning Disabilities - available to students who show a significant discrepancy between expected performance and actual achievement according to state guidelines.

Speech/Language Therapy - available to students who demonstrate disorders in articulation, fluency, language, or voice according to state guidelines.

Library/Media Center -- The media center provides a large collection of books, magazines, and other resources for students and parents to use. The media center specialist works with students on an individual, small group, or whole class basis to instruct them in the use of the media center, materials, and equipment. Activities are planned with the classroom teachers so that students can meet curriculum objectives related to the use of the center and its materials. In addition to books and magazines, audio-visual materials such as CDs, audio tapes, videotapes, and DVD’s are available for classroom use. Audio visual equipment, video cameras, VCR’s, LCD projectors, DVD players and digital and film cameras are available for check out to classrooms. The media center also has a Parent Resource Center for Findley Oaks parents. Books and magazines on a wide range of parenting, family, and educational topics are available for checkout.

Accelerated Reader -- Accelerated Reader uses computer technology to develop students’ reading comprehension. Students read a book, then answer comprehension questions about the story on the computer. Points are accumulated for correct answers. Teachers are able to monitor the progress of students by printing out a score report. Teachers use this program on an as needed basis.

Regular and punctual school attendance is necessary for student success and is essential to the learning process. Absences and tardies become a part of a child’s permanent record. Students who are absent from school cannot recapture classroom activities or experiences. Students attend school 177 days per year. Students must be in school at least half of an instructional day (3 hours and 20 minutes) to be counted present. Students must arrive before 11:00 a.m. or leave after 11:00 a.m. to be counted present. A School Social Worker will be called to assist in cases of excessive absences and tardies.

Absences -- Absences from school are excused for personal illness, a death in the immediate family, and special recognized holidays observed by a student’s faith. If an absence meets these requirements, a student must bring a written excuse signed by a parent or guardian the day the student returns to school. If a written note is not submitted to the school, the absence is considered unexcused. If both parents are out of town, please notify the school in writing as to who is acting as guardian in your absence, and provide emergency contact information. Excessive absences in grades K-5 will result in a letter of “Notification of Excessive Absences” from the school and/or necessitate a referral to the school social worker.

Tardies -- Students are tardy if they enter the building after 7:40 a.m. If your child is tardy, please escort them to the front office to sign in. When students are tardy, they begin the day without the same information as their classmates. They may miss school-wide morning announcements as well as the introduction to the day’s activities in their individual classroom. Tardies are also very disruptive to the learning of other students. Four or more tardies per 20 day attendance period is considered excessive and will result in a letter sent home. Repeated instances of excessive tardies may necessitate a referral to the school social worker.

Make-up Work -- Should you need to pick up work for your child due to a one or two day absence, you are asked to call the school office before 9:00 a.m. on the days of the absence. (When possible, earlier notice is appreciated.) Materials may be sent home with another student or you may pick them up from the office at the end of the school day. This gives the teacher adequate time during the school day to organize needed materials.

For anticipated and/or extended excused absences, some of your child’s assignments may be collected before the absence. The remainder may be completed upon your child’s return to school. Please notify the teacher in writing two weeks in advance to allow time to organize and collect the assignments. Completion time allowed for work missed during an absence is determined by the teacher. Student needs are always taken into account. Please notify the school office if your child had a contagious disease or an extended illness.

Open communication between parents and the school is crucial and is a priority for our Findley Oaks staff. We encourage and expect parents to contact us regarding any questions or concerns during the school year. For classroom and student concerns, we strongly recommend that parents conference first with the teacher before meeting with administrators.

If parents need to drop an item off (i.e. lunch money, lunch boxes, homework, birthday treat, etc.) it must be left at the front counter and not taken to the classroom. This prevents interruption of classroom instructional time. We will notify the teacher via email and a note in their mailbox that an item has been dropped off at the front desk. Glasses will be taken to the classroom.