Randels Elementary

Student Handbook

Mrs. Goodman

Room 301

810-591-7435

School Attendance: Your child’s regular and on-time attendance at school is crucial to his/her success. I can’t emphasize this point enough! Most learning activities are group oriented and involve interaction with classmates. Therefore, it is next to impossible to make up work at home. Please view school as a priority, and see to it that your child attends everyday except in cases of illness or emergency. School Hours: The school day begins at 8:50 AM and ends at 4:04 PM. Half days end at 12:14. On LATE START WEDNESDAYS, school will begin at 9:50 AM and dismiss at 4:04 PM. Afternoon Dismissal: If you need to pick up your child early due to an appointment, you must sign him or her out at the office. The office will call the classroom and ask for your child to be sent down. If a parent comes directly to the classroom, he or she will be sent to the office to check out their child. Please keep in mind that it is very disruptive to learning every time the phone rings. It would be helpful if you pick up children early only for appointments and/or emergencies.

Before and After School Care: The school offers before and after school care. For more information, please go to the main office.

Transportation: Make sure that I know exactly how your child will get home from school. You can do this through a note or a phone call. Please call the office if you cannot reach me (main office 810-591-3250). I may not be able to check my voicemail. If transportation changes, I must have a note or a phone call from the parent. Please do not have your child tell us. Sometimes children get confused and I do not want to send your child on the wrong bus or not put him or her on one at all. If your child changes buses, please include the bus that your child will ride. I want to make sure that every child gets home safely.

School Supply List: There are some items that I need for your child to bring to school. Please send these as soon as possible. · 1 Large Backpack (Send to school everyday.) · 1 box of Kleenex. If you can provide one of these items, I’d appreciate it! · Playdough, baby wipes, white lunch sacks, small zipper seal bags, large zipper seal bags, hand sanitizing gel. Throughout the year, I will send home a list of items that we need for the class. Please watch for these notices.

PHAM: Your child will visit four other classrooms on a two week rotating schedule. Mrs. Kipp teaches health. Mr. Munsell teaches art. Mrs. Lackey teaches music. Ms. Miles teaches physical education.

Snack: We will have a snack each day after PHAM. Please send 27 individually wrapped healthy snacks (pretzels, cheese, crackers, fruit, yogurt, Jello) on your child’s snack day. A calendar will be provided and there is a “Snack Smart” list on my web site. I do have access to a refrigerator. Schedule: I will send home a copy of the daily schedule during the first week of school. You may also access this schedule on my web site. Please note that times may change. Activities on our schedule will include learning centers, small group work, shared reading, math workshop, writing workshop, and science and social activities.

Discipline: Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success and well being. Every child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and secure. In addition, it is important that each child learn to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think independently. The children will learn the purpose of classroom rules and develop ideas that our classroom is a community. Physical Violence: Children will be sent to the office for any physical violence.

GUIDE: If classroom rules are severely or persistently broken, students will be sent to GUIDE and parents will be contacted by note (to be signed and returned) or by telephone. Communication: Please check your child’s backpack everyday for newsletters, notes, and home activities. Your child’s backpack is the best way that we can transport school-related information to you! There might be important days and deadlines in your child’s backpack. It is important that it is checked and cleaned out daily.

Conferences: Conferences will be scheduled twice a year, in the fall and spring. We may also schedule conferences at your request or mine. Friday Folders: I send home important papers in Friday Folders. Please check this folder and return it to school on Monday. This folder is an important way for you to know what is going on in your child’s school life. Homework: The basic homework is reading to and with your child for at least 20 minutes a night. This is important way to help your child be successful in school. Other homework will be sent home at a later date.

Volunteer Opportunities: Parents and families are a great source of volunteers in the classroom! Throughout the year, I will need volunteers to help with a variety of projects and activities. If you or an adult member of your family is interested in volunteering in our classroom, please be sure to contact me and give me an idea of times that you might be available and things that you might be interested in doing.

Field Trips: We will send home an individual form for each field trip we take. Please sign and return it as soon as possible. This must be on file or your child will not be able to go. I cannot accept a hand written note or telephone call. It must be a signed permission slip. Occasionally, I will ask for family volunteers for our field trip. If you volunteer, you will be supervising a small group of students. We encourage a parent, grandparent, or other adult family member to volunteer. For safety reasons, siblings cannot attend field trips with us.

Money: On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school. Always send money in a sealed envelope with the following information written on it: 1. Your child’s first and last name 2. The amount of money 3. The purpose for the money (lunch money, book money, party money, etc) 4. My name and room number. If the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help get the money to the right place.

Cafeteria: Breakfast is served at 8:35. Lunch is served at 12:05. Your child has a lunch account, which s/he can access with a lunch number. Please send breakfast/lunch money to school in a sealed envelope with the required information (breakfast $1.00, lunch $1.90, milk $0.45). Lunch money will be collected in the morning and will not be accepted in the lunch line.

Book Orders: Every month, I will send home book order forms. Please take the time to look over these forms. They offer great books for as little as 95 cents! All books purchased will earn bonus points. These bonus points are used to buy books and materials for the classroom. If you decide to order books, please send order form and money in a marked envelope. You may send cash or a check made to the book company.

Toy Policy: Your child should not bring toys to school. The exception is if I request your child bring one for an activity. You will be notified in writing when your child will need to bring a specific item from home.

Please stop by at any time but visit the office first. It is our school policy that all visitors sign in and obtain a visitor sticker before walking through the hallways. This is for the safety of everyone. I am delighted to be a part of your child’s educational experience.