North Graham Elementary

North Graham Elementary

1025 Trollinger Road

Graham, NC 27253

Phone: (336) 578-2272

Fax: (336) 578-8335

Student and Parent Handbook

Pre-K –Fifth Grade

2016-17

Dear North Graham Parents,

TO THE PARENTS:

We think that well-informed parents promote a positive school environment. Consistent with this philosophy, we are requiring that your child bring home a copy of the Student Handbook so that you may become acquainted with the various phases of school life. In this handbook, you will note that we have included regulations, the Code of Student Conduct, activities, clubs, and general information which shall aid a student in becoming a productive member of the school community.

TO THE STUDENTS:

This handbook has been developed for the purpose of informing you of the policies, procedures, and organizations of your school. We hope that it will assist you in making your school days pleasant and productive. It is the responsibility of each student and parent to read, understand, and abide by this handbook.

All policies listed in this handbook are subject to change because of the Alamance Burlington School Board or school administrative action.

For more information on district policies please check our website at

North Graham Elementary is an A+ Arts Specialized Program!
Please keep this in mind as you plan for students daily clothing. Our students participate in activities such as dance, drama and painting on a daily basis. When in doubt...dress for messiness.

Meeting the Needs of Students:

At NGE, we believe in supporting the student, the parent, and the teacher: As a staff, we will strive to do our very best to help students experience success while in our care.

Other Needs:

Section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973 Federal Legislation and ABSS Policy mandate that every student receives a free and appropriate education. Some students may have physical or mental handicaps that substantially limit their ability to learn and participate in school activities. If a student or parent believes the student has such a condition, the parent should contact the NGE Student Assistance Team. Our Student Assistance Team includes our school psychologist, social worker, guidance counselor, school nurse and administration.

Classroom Instruction

As an educator, the teacher will establish a classroom that will best help every child learn.

Teachers will expect appropriate behaviors from students and provide interventions for students when necessary.

Teachers will plan and instruct the Core Curriculum and Essential Standards.

Teachers must also seek help from parents, administration, Student Assistance Team Members and outside agencies when needed.

Student Code of Conduct

The following rules for conduct apply to all ABSS students and violation of the rules will result in the disciplinary consequences described in the ABSS Code of Conduct Manual. The principal is granted the authority to exercise good judgment and apply a greater or lesser consequence than those stated. Some infractions will require a notification of Law Enforcement or Out of School Suspension according to Board Policies.

Rule 1: Noncompliance with Directives from administration, teachers, and other personnel

Rule 2: Dress Code

Rule 3: Integrity

Rule 4: Trespassing

Rule 5: Attendance

Rule 6: Inappropriate Interpersonal Behavior

Rule 7: Use of Tobacco Products

Rule 8: Electronic Devices

Rule 9: Bus Misbehavior

Rule 10: Bullying and Harassment

Rule 11: Threats, False Threats, and Acts of Terror

Rule 12: Profane, Obscene, Abusive or Disrespectful Language or Acts

Rule 13: Gambling

Rule 14: Sexual Harassment

Rule 15: Hazing

Rule 16: Unjustified Activation of the Fire or Other Alarm System

Rule 17: Fighting and Physical Aggression

Rule 18: Assault on an Adult

Rule 19: Assault on a Student

Rule 20: Extortion

Rule 21: Theft of Destruction of School Property

Rule 22: Possession of a Weapon, Firearm or Dangerous Instrument

Rule 23: Narcotics, Alcoholic Beverages, Controlled Substances, Chemicals and Drug Paraphernalia

Rule 24: Violations of NC Criminal Statutes

Rule 25: Gang and Gang Related Activities

Rule 26: Aiding and Abetting

For additional information on each rule or consequence, please consult the Student Code of Conduct Manual or the ABSS Website

Additional School Policies

Gum, glass bottles, and canned drinks should be left at home.

Electronic Devices should be left at home. If a student has a cell phone, it must be turned off during the instructional day and kept in the book bag at all times. NGE and ABSS are not responsible for items brought to school that may become lost.

Bullying and Harassment will not be tolerated and students who participate in such activities will be subject to district policies.

Any student suspended from school may not participate in school events such as field trips, graduation, after school clubs, etc. on days when the student should be at home due to behavior.

School Hours

Students should not arrive before 7:30 am. The tardy bell rings at 7:50. Students are dismissed at 2:35. If you need to make a change in your child’s transportation home, please send a note with your child ahead of time. Last minute changes to transportation should only occur in emergency situations. Students riding in cars will be dismissed at 2:35. Please wait in the car rider line until the single line moves up towards the front of the door. Please pull up to the first empty cone rather than stopping anywhere along the circular drive. When students are tardy, an adult must walk the student into the building and check them in at the front office.

Visitors

All visitors must enter through the front doors and check in at the office. Visitors must wear a visitor’s badge to travel on campus and visit only the areas that they have asked to occupy. Please do not be offended if/when a staff member asks to see your badge and/or to check in with the front office. This strict policy is in place to maintain a safe and orderly environment. Visitors must adhere to the same expectations as our students. This means that the use of profanity or tobacco products will not be permitted.

Classroom Visits
if you would like to visit your child’s classroom, please schedule this visit ahead of time with the child’s teacher and administration. Classroom observations should be scheduled in 30 minute blocks of time so as to not disrupt instructional delivery. Dropping in unannounced to observe your child must be approved by the teacher and principal prior to each visit. In some cases, for example, when students are taking standardized tests, m class tests, etc. classroom visits may not be possible. Siblings of students and or multiple visitors will not be allowed to observe at the same time as this creates a disruption to the learning of other students. Teachers are not able to host parent conferences or prepare homework assignments during the instructional hours of the day or while supervising students. In order to accommodate your needs, teachers will be happy to schedule parent conferences after school. Thank you for understanding.

As always, we welcome parents to check in at the office and have lunch in the cafeteria with their child. Parents should plan on eating at the same tables as their child’s class.

Breakfast and Lunch Accounts

Breakfast and Lunch is served daily for for all students. All students may bring their money for additional items and store it in their account. The money needs to be in an envelope with the child’s name on the outside. Checks should be made to North Graham Cafeteria. Menus are provided monthly to our students. Free and reduced lunch applications are always available at the school or district office. Keep in mind that if your child was on free or reduced lunch last year, you will need to reapply for this benefit each year. Students who accumulate negative balances on their accounts will not be allowed to participate in extra-curricular activities such as sports club, tech club, art club, dances, Dynamites, etc. Remember: You can use the online system to check student’s lunch accounts and expenditures. In addition, you can place money in your child’s account by going to the online system at LunchPrepay.com.

STUDENT ACCEPTABLE USE

Acceptable Use is defined by educational, ethical and legal use of materials obtained when using the Internet and other electronic resources.

Purpose
ABSS district equipment, network accounts, Internet and E-mail access are provided to support the Standard Course of Study as appropriate to all ABSS students for use of instructional applications including but not limited to the following: Media Resources and Online Card Catalog; Online Resources; Online Instruction; Computer Skills Testing; and other applications as they apply to the Standard Course of Study.

Privilege
Use of these resources is a privilege and entails responsibility.

Support of these resources for curriculum is a joint responsibility of students, teachers, parents and employees of ABSS. Appropriate bibliographic citations must be given for all information obtained through electronic networks. To ensure stability of the network and availability of resources, frivolous activities should be avoided.

Staff members should enforce acceptable use of resources and report any violations to the school administrator. The violation will be addressed according to the school’s code of conduct and may result in termination of network access.

Unacceptable Network Use (Netiquette)

Distributing account information to others.

Attempting to gain access to another person’s accounts, files, equipment and other network resources.

Accessing or downloading materials that are unacceptable in a school setting, including pornographic, obscene, graphically violent, or vulgar images, sounds, music, language, video or other materials.

Harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation or hazing as defined in the Student Code of Conduct.

Vandalism (purposeful damage to resources).

Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials or information.

Use of district resources for commercial, non-instructive purposes.

Downloading or use of unauthorized software.

Other violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

Disciplinary action for violations of the Acceptable Use policy will be consistent with the Student Code of Conduct. Violations may also results in revocation of network access or email privileges and/or suspension of access to ABSS computers. This policy does not limit the authority of the school system, where permitted by law, to discipline students for conduct involving non-school-owned technology resources that violates the Student Code of Conduct or is otherwise likely to disrupt the school environment.

Medication/Student Care

Pre-Kindergarten Students
School personnel may only administer prescription or over-the-counter medication to a student enrolled in a pre-Kindergarten program when accompanied by a written authorization that includes the student’s name, date or dates for which the authorization is applicable, dosage instructions, signature of the student’s medical care provider authorized to prescribe the medication, and signature of the student’s parent or legal guardian.

Kindergarten - 12th Grade Students

Medication prescribed by a physician, including over-the-counter medication prescribed by a physician, that is administered by school personnel during school hours must be accompanied by a physician’s signature certifying that the prescription medicine or over-the-counter medication must be dispensed during school hours. Medication prescribed by a doctor should be delivered by the parent or guardian to the school in its original container with the completed request for medication signed by a physician and the parent or guardian. It is the parent’s responsibility to alert school personnel to any possible adverse reaction to medication.

a. Medication shall be dispensed from a central location designated by the principal of each school. It is the responsibility of the principal or designee to see that the medications are kept locked in a central secure location (except for medications requiring refrigeration), designate two or more persons for the administration and security of medications, and designate staff to maintain proper documentation of the time and dosage of medications. The completed medication form should be maintained through the end of the school year.

b. No other self-medication, including over-the-counter medicines, is permitted, unless the over-the-counter medicines have been prescribed by a doctor. Should there be concern or question about the appropriateness of self-administered medication, school personnel should consult with the student’s parents.

c. Students should not transport medications in their backpacks. PLEASE DO NOT SEND MEDICATION TO SCHOOL WITH CHILDREN.

d. At the end of the school year or if medicine is discontinued, any medicine not picked up by the parent or guardian within 2 weeks will be destroyed.
e. A confidential prescription medication log shall be maintained on each child receiving medication.

Bathroom Care

All students who attend grades K-5 must be toilet trained and able to take care of basic bathroom needs. In cases where bathroom accidents occur, a parent will be called.

Attendance

Regular and prompt attendance is a significant factor in student success. Students are expected to be in school regularly and on time. Notes are required from all students returning to school following an absence. Please call the school office at (336) 578-2272 when your child is absent more than one day. Students have three days to bring in a note for an excused absence. If a student does not bring in a note, his or her absence will be noted as “unexcused.”

Parents may call the office to request makeup work. Please allow ample time for teachers to prepare make up assignments.

RELEASING A STUDENT FROM SCHOOL

Any child who needs to leave early for any reason must be checked out by the parent. Parents must come to the school office and sign their child out. Students arriving after 7:45 or leaving early after 11:30 should check in at the office and will be credited with a tardy. At anytime, the office may ask to see identification prior to releasing a student.

In no case shall a person other than a parent or legal guardian be permitted to take a student from school until or unless the principal or designee is satisfied that such person has the approval of an authorized parent or guardian.

It shall be the responsibility of the principal or designee to determine that any person appearing at a school and requesting permission to take a student from the school is properly authorized to do so.

Children shall be released to either parent in the absence of a valid North Carolina court order specifying otherwise. In such case, the court order will be honored. If you have custody papers, please make sure that these documents are current and on file in the NGE office. You may give copies of these documents directly to the principal. It is the parent’s responsibility to report custody issues to administration. All reports must be accompanied by court documents. If there are no court papers on file, we do not have the authority to limit one parent from interacting or checking out their child. We respectfully ask that parents do not attempt to settle custody or family disputes on our campus. In rare cases, law enforcement may be contacted.

School Volunteers

The Board of Education recognizes that volunteers are an important asset and make many valuable contributions to schools in the Alamance-Burlington School System, and it encourages schools to develop programs for the effective use of volunteers. In cases, where volunteers may supervise students, such as field trips, etc. background checks will be required, according to district policies.

Every volunteer is expected to behave in a professional manner in accordance with Board policies, administrative procedures, and school rules. Principals may limit or terminate the services of volunteers as they deem appropriate.

The Alamance-Burlington Board of Education encourages community involvement in the school district, especially by parents. Parents are welcome to visit their children’s respective schools to communicate with school staff, serve as volunteers in the instructional program, or conduct other legitimate business. Other members of the public on legitimate business are likewise welcome to visit schools.

In the interest of maintaining order, preventing disruption of instructional time, and ensuring safety in schools, the following guidelines apply to school visitors:

1. During school hours, all visitors shall report to the principal’s office to register, gain approval, and receive a visitor’s pass before further accessing the school building or school grounds.

2. The principal or designee shall have authority to grant or deny access to the campus. In the case of a visitor who engages in profanity, disruptive, disorderly, or threatening behavior, the principal may restrict the person’s access to the school and notify the school resource office.

3. Parents/guardians who request to observe in a classroom must have prior approval from the principal, teacher or designee.

4. Visitors may visit only those areas for which approval has been granted.

5. No loitering on or unauthorized access to school property is permitted.

6. Use of profanity around children will result is a ban from campus.

7. All visitors must be dressed appropriately.

The Board expects all visitors, including all visitors at extracurricular school events, activities, or functions, to obey the rules and regulations for behavior that have been established by the Board, Superintendent, and school principal.