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ISAACS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Parent/Student Handbook 2018-2019
This handbook has been designed to give you a quick, brief list of answers to questions, which may arise, concerning Isaacs Elementary School’s operational policies. Bulletins will supplement the information herein, but if policy questions are still unanswered, you may refer to the Elementary School Guidelines, or contact our school to clarify these concerns.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Welcome to Isaacs Elementary! Isaacs is dedicated to improving the achievement of all students. The staff at Isaacs is committed to excellence. We will be working diligently to enable your child to meet and exceed the STAAR test. Please feel free to phone the office if a staff member can be of assistance to you or your family.
SCHOOL HOURS
Student hours are 7:30 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. On early release days, student hours are 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
ARRIVAL
Students that are walking or being dropped off should be dropped off up front at the Pickfair St. entrance no earlier than 7:15 am. Please drive in a one way direction from Collingsworth to Crane without double parking or passing. Students should unload and load from the curb.
DISMISSAL
Students will be escorted to their designated dismissal location at the end of the school day. Students walking or riding bicycles will be escorted to the edge of school property. PK-2nd grade students who are car riders will be escorted to the cafeteria (Pickfair St.) for pick up. Bus riders will be dismissed through the back (Otis St.). For the safety of our students, parents must have the designated school sign, either with them or in their windshield, to pick up their child. If not, you must come to the office and sign your child out. All students need to be picked up at dismissal time. If a student has not been picked up in a timely manner, he/she will be redirected to the main office to wait. Parents will have to go to the main office to pick up their child.
DISCIPLINE
Maintaining student conduct is necessary in reaching our goals of providing a safe school and attaining highest student achievement. Each class, under the direction of the teacher, will develop a set of rules. The rules, consequences, and rewards may vary slightly depending on the teacher and the maturity of the class. Every classroom plan contains a serious disruption clause; that is, if a child causes a serious disruption he or she goes directly to the principal. It is our goal to set positive, attainable expectations combined with praise and rewards to set the tone for success for all children.
CLINIC
Sick children should not be sent to school. Our clinic is for emergencies only. If a child has a fever or severe cold, please do not send them to school.
CHANGE OF TRANSPORTATION
It is necessary for students to bring written requests that are signed by the parent for permission to leave early, go home with another student, or deviate from the regular mode of transportation. This note needs to be submitted to the teacher. If you have an emergency and need to telephone the office for a change in transportation, you must do so by 2:30 pm to ensure the message gets to your child. No changes or early pick-ups will be allowed after 2:30 pm.
Wednesday Folders
Folders go home weekly every Wednesday as a means of communication between school and home. The Wednesday Folder will contain graded papers and other items of school importance. Please ask your child for this folder each week and sign it so that the teacher will know you have reviewed the information.
DO NOT BRING TO SCHOOL
Children are not allowed to bring live animals, gum, candy, and playthings to school except by special permission from the teacher. A toy brought from home can be distracting and cause neglect of classroom work. Teachers may take such items from children and hold them for the parent to pick up.
PARENT ORGANIZATIONS
Each family is encouraged to join the Isaacs PTO. The PTO is supportive of the school and beneficial to all students. There will be many opportunities for all parents to become active in the PTO functions throughout the year.
VISITORS
All visitors are required to check in through the front office and to present identification each time you visit the campus. Visitors will need to wear a visitor’s badge provided by RAPTOR. We welcome this opportunity to greet you and appreciate your cooperation. Classroom visits are limited to 30 minutes in length. All exceptions need prior approval from the teacher or administrator. Siblings are not permitted to visit classrooms.
FIELD TRIPS
All parents who plan on attending their child’s field trip are required to sign in at the front office with identification, wear a visitor’s badge, and be registered in the VIPS (Volunteers In Public Schools) system.
*If the campus gets more volunteers than the destination requires, names will be drawn to designate who will be official chaperones.
*If parents want to attend the field trip (beyond the number of chaperones required/allowed by our destination) they must have district approval, provide own transportation, and pay own admission.
*Non-approved parents who want to attend the field trip must contact the office.
VOLUNTEERS
A key part of Isaacs’ success is community involvement. Volunteers contribute in areas such as mentoring, tutoring, fundraising, career education, enrichment programs, extracurricular and community service activities, chaperoning field trips, and office and classroom assistance. After registering online and undergoing the annual background check, volunteers can work in any HISD school for the school year. If you wish to volunteer in any capacity, please follow the steps below to become a VIPS:
Step 1:
Register online at www.houstonisd.org/vipslogin.
Step 2:
Once you have registered, you must go in person to the school of interest and show proof of identification.
Step 3:
Identification information will go into our database for processing by the Volunteer Coordinator at each campus.
Step 4:
The criminal history background check can take 2-3 weeks to complete.
Step 5:
Once you are CLEARED to volunteer, you are eligible to volunteer throughout HISD.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Parents should instruct their children in advance regarding how they are to get home on rainy days. The use of the school phone for this purpose cannot be permitted.
MEDICATION PROCEDURES
The policy of the Board of Education does not authorize Houston school personnel to give medication of any kind. That includes aspirin, similar preparation, or any other drugs.
*Nurses and other school personnel, however, can give medication during school hours under the following restrictions:
-students who are noncontagious,
-on long-term medication,
-on preventative medication,
-or for a prolonged period on medication that cannot under any arrangement be administered other than during school hours may take medication in school.
The healthcare provider’s statement must be accompanied by written permission of at least one parent.
MOVING
A student’s assignment is based upon the residence of the parent or court-appointed guardian. If a student moves from one HISD attendance zone to another after school has started, the student may remain in the school whose zone the student no longer lives until the end of the semester, provided the student continues to have good attendance and is picked up after school in a timely manner. Students who move out of HISD must withdraw to the new district or apply for an Out of District Transfer.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks are furnished at all levels. Each student, or the student’s parents or guardian, is responsible for each textbook not returned by the student. A student who fails to return all textbooks forfeits the right to free textbooks until the student, parents, or guardian pays for each textbook previously issued.
DRESS AND GROOMING
Shirts: Solid Black or Gold/Yellow polo with collar and must be tucked in at all times.
Bottoms: Black or Khaki Pants, shorts, (knee length), skirts with shorts underneath or skorts (knee length), or Uniform Jumper (knee length).
Fridays: Students may wear uniform shirt or school spirit shirt with black or khaki pants.
Shoes: Closed toe shoes-no sandals, flip flops, house shoes, or slippers.
Belts: Solid black or brown (optional). No " I ♥" belts.
Jackets: No hoodies/hooded sweatshirts. Zip-up front jackets only.
Jewelry for males-no visible piercings including tongue piercings or necklaces.
Jewelry for females-only ear piercings are permitted with no large earrings or hoops. Necklaces and bracelets must not be excessive. No " I ♥" bracelets.
Hair: No extreme hair styles or colors (Administrative Discretion)
ACADEMIC GRADE REPORTING
Report cards for grades PK-5 will be issued four times a year. Report cards reflect your child’s academic progress, classroom conduct and attendance. All report cards must be signed and returned as soon as possible. Parents will be required to attend an individual conference after the first nine weeks and the third nine weeks to discuss student progress.
Please login to Parent Student Connect (PSC), an online service allows parents to log in to access a variety of student information, see class assignments and school calendars, and even communicate electronically with teachers. Users can also choose to have an e-mail or text message sent if a child's grades drop below a selected average or is absent or tardy to class. Log in at www.houstonisd.org/psc or register at www.houstonisd.org/pscregister.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
Teachers are available for conferences either in person or by phone. Conferences may be scheduled by calling the main office. Parents may not conference with teachers during instructional time. If canceling a conference appointment, please call at least 24 hours in advance so another parent conference may be scheduled. If you call during the day, the teacher may not have a break until after school is out. Therefore, teachers make every effort to return phone calls within 24 hours.
SAFETY CONCERNS
Please notify the office staff or administrator if you have any on site or off site safety concerns that may impact the well-being of our students. Please remind your child (ren) to follow all safety rules. If your child is a walker, discuss the walking route he/she will take. Advise him/her to walk with a friend and to walk straight home. If your child is a bike rider, review all bike safety rules. Please remind your child to wear a helmet at all times.
SCHOOL BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES
Every morning HISD offers all elementary students a free healthy breakfast to get the day started. Money can be placed on student accounts in advance, at the school or online at www.parentonline. Students with negative balances cannot purchase snacks or extras. HISD participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which allows students whose families meet certain income requirements to receive all school meals for free or at a reduced price. Parents must apply for these benefits each year. Paper applications are available at all schools. Completed applications should be returned to the front office. For quickest processing, please submit your application online at www.mealapps.houstonisd.org/.
VISITORS FOR LUNCH
We welcome our parents to come to school to eat lunch with their child after the second week of school. Due to limited space, each grade level has been assigned a day when parents can come to eat lunch with their children.
Monday: PK and Kinder
Tuesday: 1st Grade
Wednesday: 2nd grade
Thursday: 3rd grade
Friday: 4th and 5th grade
Please follow all school procedures and sign- in at the front office with identification for a visitor’s badge. If you will be purchasing a school lunch, please send a note to your child’s teacher so that the cafeteria can prepare enough food for the day. Only adults approved by the custodial parent and on the emergency card will have approval to eat lunch with a child. Please contact the main office for details on the new rules and restrictions.
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION – POLICIES
Please do not send or bring your children to school before 7:10 am. NO supervision is provided before that time.
SCHOOL HOURS:
PreKinder-5th grades 7:30 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Students are considered tardy if they are not in their classroom at 7:30 am. Accumulated times of tardies and/or early pick-ups are calculated by minutes in lost instructional time. Frequent tardies and/or early pick-ups may result in loss of perfect attendance and will result in disciplinary actions.
All students in HISD are expected to be in attendance in their class and to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and pass their courses. The HISD Board has established guidelines and policies regarding student attendance. The policies are designed to improve student attendance and achievement.
. Student with three (3) excused absences in a four- week period may recieve a warning notice. Students with six (6) absences in a ten- week period may be filed against.
· Students may have no more than eight (8) unexcused absences or more than ten (10) total absences to be considered for
promotion.
· Students who have excessive absences will have an asterisk (*) after their grades and must be reviewed by the attendance
committee in order to be promoted to the next grade level.Attendance is taken each day at 9:30 am. Student’s arriving after 9:30 am will be counted absent. Students who have medical appointments are not counted absent if they return to school with a statement from the medical practitioner.
WITHDRAWALS
Should your family find it necessary to move out of Isaac’s zone, please follow the steps below to make for an easier withdrawal for both you and your child:
1. Please give a 24 hour notice of withdrawal to allow time for the school staff to process the check-out sheet without disrupting the classes.
2. Return all textbooks and library books, and pay any fines or loans, including cafeteria transactions.
3. On your child’s last day, pick up the necessary paperwork from the school office.
TRANSFERS
The District shall not provide transportation for a transfer student. This transfer may be denied or revoked if the enrollment in the school to which the child is being transferred exceeds allowable space and/or personnel requirements. Excessive misbehavior, attendance problems or intentionally falsifying information may be just cause to revoke a student’s transfer.
SHARED DECISION-MAKING COMMITTEES
This team, composed of elected staff members, parents, and community volunteers, functions as a school management tool providing leadership to the staff and administration in the areas of budget, school organization, planning staff development, staffing, and curriculum as each impacts student achievement. The SDMC shall assist the principal in developing, reviewing, and revising the School Improvement Plan for the purpose of improving performance for all student population. The SDMC will meet regularly, approximately once a month.
PARTIES
State law does allow an exception to the FMNV restrictions and recommends that birthday treats be served after lunch period ends so that treats do not spoil students’ appetites for a nutritious meal. The treats will be shared at a time designated by the campus principal. The birthday treat exemption does not constitute a birthday party; therefore other items (party favors, treat bags, balloons, and flowers) cannot be brought to school.
Because of time restraints, the treat is limited to one item per classmate and it must be a store purchased single serve item (i.e. cupcake, cookie, etc.) so that it can be served, eaten, and cleaned up within a reasonable time.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Cell phones at school should be turned off, turned in to the office at the beginning of the day & picked up from the office at the end of the day. Students are not allowed to bring any electronic game systems or other electronic devices such as IPods, etc. If a student is seen using a cell phone or electronic device in school, the device will be taken from the student and the parent/guardian must come to the office to pick up the item and pay a $15 fine.