THE ABC

Nolensville Elementary
2338 Rocky Fork Rd.
Nolensville, Tn 37135
615.472.4690

Home of the Cardinals

District Information

THE ABC’S OF LIFE AT NOLENSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Table Of Contents

A Attendance

B Birthday Invitations

Co-Curricular Classes

Extra-Curricular Activities

F Fever

G Goals

I Illness

K Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing

L Late Arrival (Tardy)

Lost And Found

M Medications At School

R Respect

S Safety

Student Information Card

A is for Attendance

Formal learning is greatly reduced if your child is not in school. A student should be in school unless one of the following circumstances occurs: (1) personal illness, (2) death in family, or (3) religious holidays. When a child is absent, a note must be sent to school upon the child’s return. The note should state the reason for the absence. Absences numbering more than 7% of the total days in school are considered excessive. (Also see Early Dismissal, Late Arrival, Family Trips, and Planned Absences)

B is for Birthday Invitations

Birthday Invitations may only be distributed at school if an entire class is invited. If some students are being excluded, then invitations should be distributed outside of school. Check with teachers before planning to bring birthday treats to school. We are encouraging parents to consider bringing in non-food items as a treat for your child’s classmates like special pencils, erasers, or pads of paper.

B is also for Bus Transportation

Students are expected to behave in a safe and respectful manner and follow directions given by the bus driver. Students must stay seated on the bus, demonstrate self-control, and talk quietly. Students are expected to ride only their assigned buses. Any changes in bus stop require the parent send a note to the office authorizing the change. Please note: Occasionally a bus is late. You can call Transportation directly – their phone number is 472 – 4950.

C is for Cafeteria

The price of a school lunch is $2.25. Students have accounts; parents may send a check for multiple lunches. Students are not allowed to charge lunch. Teacher assistants monitor behavior in the cafeteria. Students are expected to use manners, to talk in a conversational tone, and to clean up after themselves. Parents are welcome guests. Adult lunches are $3.25. We encourage you to come at anytime to have lunch with your child. The district does prefer that you do not bring fast food or other restaurant foods in to the cafeteria.

C is also for Car Riders

All drivers in the car rider line will have to have a school-supplied car tag to pick up children. No children can be picked up by someone without a school-supplied car tag. We know that sometimes the car rider line is long and that it moves slowly. Your child’s safety is important to us. Please follow the instructions of school personnel in the car rider line. Please help us monitor your child’s safety by not using alternative parking places to avoid the car rider line.

C is also for Character Education

Dwight L. Moody said, “Character is what you are in the dark.” We translate that for children by saying that good character is making good choices even when no one is looking. We emphasize character traits each month. In addition, we use the Kelso program for making good choices. Kelso, an intriguing green frog, teaches children how to handle large and small problems. Large problems are brought to the attention of an adult immediately. Small problems can be handled by students themselves with any number of the Kelso choices for problem solving.

C is also for Co-curricular Classes (“Specials”)

Students in grades K – 5 participate in co-curricular classes each week. Our standard is 45 minutes of art and music weekly, 90 minutes of physical education weekly, and 45 minutes of library and guidance biweekly.

C is also for Communication

Ongoing communication from school to home and from home to school is essential to working together as partners in providing excellence in education for all students. Your ideas, questions, and concerns are important to our staff and we welcome your notes, calls, e-mails, and visits. If a problem arises, please discuss it with the teacher as soon as possible to prevent uneasiness and tension from building up. A well-balanced child can only develop with the full cooperation of parents and teachers. If there are any unusual circumstances which arise, i.e. death of a family member, close friend or even a pet or marital problem, please notify the principal as it may reflect on the behavior of the child. We will make every effort to be sensitive to the situation.

The school sends home a weekly email to parents; a calendar of events is included. Please be sure your classroom teacher has your email address and that it is set to receive school email. We also use our PTO website and our school website to publicize events. The school district provides a district wide newsletter called IN FOCUS; you can sign up for it on the district website.

NES PTO Website: http://www.nes.ptomanager.com/

NES School Website: http://www.wcs.edu/nes/

WCS District Site: http://www.wcs.edu/

C is for Connect – Ed

Connect – Ed is a district provided telephoning tool that allows the principal to

call all of the school body with one phone call. The district uses the system to announce school closings or delays. The principal will use the system two or three times each month to communicate important events.

C is for Contagious Diseases

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus. The infection causes a rash that may have a ring-shape with a raised edge. It can be quite itchy and flaky. It spreads from one person to another through touch. If your child has ringworm, he/she should not return to school until treatment has started.

Pinkeye, or conjunctivitis, is an infection of the covering of the eyeball. It is usually caused by a virus, but it can also be due to bacteria. Pinkeye can also be caused by allergy or by chemical irritants in your child’s environment. Pinkeye is highly contagious. Your child must stay home for 24 hours after treatment has begun.

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D is for Discipline

Nolensville Elementary has the deserved reputation as a school with a positive, yet disciplined, learning environment. It is extremely important that teachers and parents work together to maintain a positive, structured learning environment through the following guidelines:

1. Each grade level has a specific discipline plan. This plan includes rules, rewards, and consequences. It will be communicated to all parents and students at the beginning of the school year.

2. Verbal and physical violence will not be tolerated. Teachers are expected to be very aware of their students’ words and actions, so that bullying can be prevented. If you believe your child is being bullied, please alert your classroom teacher or the principal immediately.

In most cases, discipline concerns can be handled in the classroom by the teacher. If a child is sent to the office, the following will occur:

1. Talk with all of the students involved individually.

2. Investigate the situation.

3. Document what has occurred and ask student to reflect on situation and determine better choices that they could have made.

4. Call a parent to explain the situation.

5. Determine consequences: (may choose one or a combination)

a. Warning only

b. Time out in the office

c. Work chore

d. In School Suspension

e. Out of school suspension

D is also for Dress Code

Students should dress appropriately for comfort, the weather, and learning. Children’s clothing should be modest in nature so as not to distract from learning, especially for our older students. No see-through garments will be permitted. Regular mid thigh length shorts are permissible. Top and bottom garments must meet. (No halters, spaghetti straps, midriffs, please J) No suggestive or offensive T-shirt or garment should be worn (such as advertisements pertaining to beer, cigarettes and improper language). Tennis shoes are required for physical education. Since students participate in recess or physical education each day, they need to wear safe, comfortable shoes such as tennis shoes each day. Hats are not to be worn inside the school building.

E is for Early Dismissal

Early Dismissal after 3:10 pm creates confusion and a safety hazard. Please help us assure the safety of your children in dismissal from school by not asking for students after 3:10 pm. If you need to pick up your child prior to 3:30, then please pick up your child before 3:10 pm. If you need to change your child’s regular method of transportation for a particular afternoon, please send that information to the teacher in writing or call the school office before noon. Please make every effort to make dismissal arrangements before your child leaves for school.

E is also for Extra-curricular Activities

Various after school activities are available to students as teachers and parents are available to sponsor them. These activities change each year. If you are interested in sponsoring a club, please contact Mrs. Ferguson.

F is for Fever

It is so very important for the health of your child and the welfare of others that children who have fevers stay home. Best practices in health care say that children should remain home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medicine.

F is also for Field Trips

Field trips are planned with definite purposes as part of the instructional program. Teachers notify parents concerning field trips and send home a permission form for signature. Often parents are invited to chaperone, but other children of chaperones or siblings of the students may not attend field trips.

F is also for Fun Run

Fun Run is a PTO sponsored event. It is the only event where students are actively involved in fundraising. Students collect pledges for running laps. On a given day in the spring, students run for 30 minutes and we count their laps. Students then collect their pledges based on the laps they ran. This money is used to enhance our school in many ways.

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G is for Goals

Setting goals teaches children about problem-solving and responsibility and helps develop self-esteem. Parents can help children set goals by questioning them about interests, helping them identify realistic solutions to problems, establishing priorities that are valued in the home. Teachers will be helping students to set goals based on available testing data. Setting goals promotes students’ ownership of learning.

H is for Harassment

Harassment means being hurtful; it is hurtful behavior that is deliberate and/or repeated. Examples of harassment include name calling, bullying, teasing in a mean way, pushing, shoving, kicking, and other violent behavior. Harassment is NOT allowed. Students who are being hurt should report this behavior to their teachers. Harassment will be reported to the principal and to the WCS Central Office. It is a serious offense.

H is also for Homework

We believe that good study habits are essential to every child’s success. The purposes of homework are: 1. To encourage development of independent study habits, skills and responsibilities. 2. To reinforce, enrich and extend learning by providing a variety of educational opportunities outside the classroom. 3. To provide an additional opportunity for family involvement in the child’s education. In general students in grades K – 3 should expect to have no more than 30 minutes of homework nightly. In grades 4 and 5, students can expect an hour of homework. We also recognize that students work at differing paces. If your child is having difficulty completing homework in a reasonable amount of time, please contact the teacher.

I is also for Illness

Please do not send children to school when they are ill. Please keep children at home when they have a fever. Children should also stay home if they awaken with red, swollen, crusty eyes because this indicates “Pink Eye”, a highly contagious infection. If children have a rash, it’s best to find out the cause before sending them to school. If children have a bad cold, runny nose with yellow/green discharge, persistent cough, or sore throat that is suspicious for Strep, they should stay home. You help keep all children healthy at Nolensville when you follow these guidelines.

K is for Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing

It is important that we protect instructional time, because that is why students attend school. We want our students fully, actively, and authentically engaged in learning activities in core subjects at least five hours a day. Help us use our time wisely by minimizing distractions. Please don’t visit classrooms during instructional time. If you need to talk with a teacher, leave a message, and he/she will return your call. Ensure your student has the most opportunity to learn by scheduling appointments outside of the school day when possible.

L is for Late Arrival to School (Tardy)

When students arrive even just a few minutes late to school, they have missed the opportunity to get settled in, to get organized for the day, and they have missed the beginning of instruction. Students should be in their classrooms by 8:35; class begins promptly at that time. Students who are tardy on Wednesdays will wait in the office until the Wednesday assembly has ended.

L is also for Lost and Found

Please check often for lost articles. Any articles that are found are placed in storage until they are claimed. At the end of each semester unclaimed items are given to charity.

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M is for Medications at School

If a child has a medical condition that requires medication, please drop the medication off in clinic. A Request for Medication form will be provided by the school. This form must contain the physician’s signature and accompany the medication to school. Required medication must be in a correctly labeled container from the pharmacist. The school does not administer any medications to reduce fevers.

M is also for Money Sent To School

When money or checks are sent to school, please send it in an envelope labeled with your child’s name, teacher, and purpose. Checks are preferred. We also prefer that you send a check for each child instead of sending one check covering all siblings. Students are discouraged from bringing large amounts of money to school.

N is for News

Each week the school will distribute a newsletter by email with important information. The cafeteria calendar noting the menus for the upcoming month will be attached in email. A calendar of important upcoming dates will be highlighted. In addition the information in the email will be posted on the school website. Please also check our PTO and school website for information.

O is for OPEN HOUSE

All parents are invited to our yearly Open House.

P is for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are encouraged. You may schedule a conference with your child’s teacher(s) by calling the classroom teacher in advance in order to make arrangements. While we have a specific time in September set aside for conferences, you can schedule a conference at any time.

P is also for Parent-Teacher Organization

We have a wonderful, dedicated group of individuals that serve on our Parent Teacher Organization. They provide our school with many services and added support. If you are interested in serving with our PTO, information will be sent home and will be available at Open House. The PTO website is http://www.nes.ptomanager.com/ .

P is also for Planned Absences

If you know that your child will need to miss school for a special event, a family trip, or something of that nature that could not be scheduled during the various holidays, you need to ask permission in writing for your child to miss school. If your child’s attendance is good (at least 95%), then the planned absence will be excused. If your child has poor attendance then your child’s absence may not be excused. Please submit your request 2 weeks prior to your trip.

Q is for Questions?

R Is For Respect – Our “Key” Rule

Our “key” rule at school is what is known as the “Golden Rule”: Do to others as you want them to do to you. This fits with our definition of respect: “Showing high regard for authority, other people, self, and country; treating others as you would want to be treated; understanding that all people have value as human beings.” We recognize that respectful behavior is learned and students learn best from our example. We invite you to help us teach respect by modeling that behavior. If a problem arises at school, please refrain from talking disrespectfully about a staff member especially in front of your child. We will do our best to listen to you and do what is best for all concerned.

R is also for Report Cards

We operate on a nine weeks system. Report Cards will go home about a week after each nine weeks ends. In addition to report cards, all students will receive a progress report during the middle of each quarter, after about four weeks. These dates will be highlighted in each monthly newsletter. In 2008 – 2009 we will begin using an electronic grading system and parents will have access to grades online. We will distribute that information as soon as it is available.

S is for Safety

Safety is of utmost importance. Students need to feel safe, be safe in order to learn. We have a variety of safety procedures in place to protect your children. If you have a question about safety issues, please call Mrs. Ferguson.

S is also for School Hours

Class begins promptly at 8:35 am. Students may arrive as early as 8:05 am and will be supervised in the gym. Students who do arrive early are dismissed to their classrooms at 8:25 am. In the afternoon, dismissal begins with car riders at 3:30. All car riders will be picked up in the car rider line in the back of the school. For safety reasons, students will not be released to parents parking in other areas and walking over to pick up students. Bus riders are dismissed as the first buses arrive, usually by 3:35. All buses are usually loaded by 3:45. Occasionally buses arrive late – sometimes as late as 4:00 pm. We know late buses cause you anxiety. Please feel free to call Transportation to check on a bus at 472 – 4950.

S is also for Student Information Card

Change of address or telephone number... Make sure the school has a current phone number to reach you in an emergency. Please report any change of address and home or work telephone number promptly to the school office and homeroom teacher. This is very important in special mailings or reaching the family during an emergency situation.

T is for TCAP Achievement

Each Spring students in grades 2-8 take an achievement test, known as the Terra Nova, as part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). The primary aim of the TCAP Achievement Test is to provide an accurate measure of academic basic skills in literacy, math, science and social studies. Content knowledge in these subject areas is assessed as well as the application of such knowledge. The TCAP Achievement Test uses multiple choice questions and has set time limits. There is no passing or failing grade on the test. These tests allow district and student achievement to be compared with the performance of other students in the nation, and also tell how well students are mastering skills in these subjects.

T is also for TCAP Writing

The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Writing Assessment is administered to fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade students in February each year. The TCAP Writing Assessment requires students to compose essays in response to a specified prompt within a designated time. Fifth-grade students are asked to compose a narrative essay. The writing samples are scored holistically.

T is also for Toys & Telephones

Anything not needed for class should be left at home. Gameboys, cameras, radios, tape recorders, skateboards, pets, toys, trading cards, etc. should not be brought unless the teacher gives his/her permission. Please do not send cell phones to school. Failure to remember this guideline can result in the item being held until a parent can pick it up.

V is for Volunteers

Volunteers are welcome in our school. The PTO, clinic, and classroom teachers solicit volunteers for various jobs. If you want to help, don’t wait for someone to call you. Instead, call your room representative, our PTO president, or your classroom teacher. We are delighted that you want to help!

W is for Weather Days

You will receive a phone call through our county wide phone notification system in the event of an early dismissal or school closing. Please refer to the following local sources in the event of inclement weather:

Internet: www.wcs.edu

Radio Stations: WIZO 1380 AM and WAKM 950 AM
TV Stations: Channels 2, 3, 4, 5

Our phone system is a centralized system for all county schools and is easily tied up so children will not be able to call home. Please be sure the school has a current emergency plan for your child. We will strictly adhere to the plan outlined on this form.

W is also for Wellness

As a response to a national trend in the increase of childhood heath issues related to physical activity and nutrition, the Federal and State governments passed legislation this past year affecting school policies. Tennessee ranks 4^th in the nation in childhood obesity.

1. School personnel do not use soda as rewards for academic performance or good behavior and they use candy sparingly.

2. When we have school celebrations that involve food, we will offer foods and beverages that meet federal nutrition standards or at least create a balance of offerings.

3. We ask that parents help us with our wellness effort by bringing healthy treats for classes when celebrating birthdays and other special events.

a. If you want to purchase popsicles or ice cream treats from our cafeteria (which do meet guidelines) to celebrate birthdays, just give our cafeteria manager, Teresa Shuler, 2 weeks notice so she can have plenty on hand.

a. If you are helping with school parties, please consider using “healthy” treats.

b. If you plan to bring treats from home to celebrate a birthday, we cannot distribute them during lunch. Your classroom teacher will determine the time that disrupts instruction the least to distribute those treats. Bringing non-food items or healthy treats is encouraged.

2. We will encourage physical activity.

a. Our students receive 90 minutes of physical education and almost 150 minutes of recess each week. Students are encouraged to be vigorously active during those times. We emphasize life-long wellness as opposed to competitive sports in our physical education program.

b. We will not withhold opportunities for physical activity as a means of discipline. If students “miss” parts of recess, they are asked to walk (or sometimes play) in an area by themselves.

Y is for YMCA FUN Company

Before and after school care is provided by the YMCA and requires registration. Contact the Brentwood Family YMCA, 373 – 0215, for more information.

Williamson County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age. Any linked sites are not under the control of WCS, and the district is not responsible for the contents of any of these linked sites or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. These links are offered to you only as a convenience , and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the site by our district.