FROM THE OFFICE

610-869-9803

Absence Procedure / Arrivals / Automated attendance calls / Birthday Parties / Bringing items into school / Bus Passes / Classroom dismissal / Day Care Request Information / Dropping a child off / Excused Absences for Trips / Lunch-Forget? / Late Arrivals/ Lunch Rules / Pick up after school/ Recess Rules / School Closing, Early Dismisal and Late Openings/ School Day / Visitors in Classrooms / Volunteer Background Clearance checks/ Y Care Absences

A GENTLE REMINDER...

For the safety of the children, these sneakers with wheels are not allowed to be worn at PLE, neither inside nor on the playground. Thank you for your cooperation.

New Absence Guidelines (adopted Aug.24, 2006)

“Students are responsible for submitting excuses on the day that they return to school. If a student has returned to school without bringing an absence excuse, s/he shall be granted three (3) days to submit it. The absence becomes unlawful or unexcused if no absence is submitted to the Attendance Office.

EARLY PICK UP PROCEDURE

When writing a note to pick your child up early, please do not ask the teacher to have him/her waiting in the office for you. There may be circumstances that prohibit you from being at the school at the scheduled time, therefore causing the student to miss instructional time. The office staff will call the classroom to have your child sent down as soon as you arrive. Thank you.

Bus

Please remember to make sure there is a note from both sets of parents when requesting a bus pass for your child (see page 5 of the student handbook.) We are finding that the office staff is having to make numerous calls to confirm the request , because parents are not sending in the required notes. Without both notes, there is a chance your child will be sent home on the bus.

Please remember! Do not send party invitations to school for the teacher to distribute.

DAY CARE REQUEST FORMS

A NOTE ABOUT BUS PASSES

When sending in a bus pass request, please send separate notes for each day your child is to follow a different dismissal procedure. If you send one note to cover multiple dates, we cannot guarantee that your child will be given a pass for more than one day. Also, please do not send a bus pass request prior to the day the pass is needed. This is for the childrens’ safety. Thank you for your cooperation.

A GENTLE REMINDER: When writing a note for a bus pass for your child to go home with another child, it is your responsibility to ask the parent of the other child to send a note stating their approval for your child to receive a bus pass to their house. These notes must be sent in with the children or brought to the office yourself. Lately we are receiving a number of phone calls or having to make phone calls to parents regarding these issues. FOR SECURITY PURPOSES WE CANNOT ACCEPT TELEPHONED OR FAXED REQUESTS. If we do not receive both notes, we may not issue a bus pass, and your child will be sent home following his/her normal dismissal procedure. This applies to pick up notes as well. Thank you.

A NOTE ABOUT ATTENDANCE: It is not necessary to call the school to report your child’s absence. Attendance is tracked using a computerized system. When a child is entered as absent, an automated dialer calls the home to confirm the absence. Even if you call to report your child’s absence, there is no way we can stop the dialer from calling you. This is a safety measure. The only time we request a call from the parent is if you believe your child is in school, and you receive a call saying that he/she is absent. Under those circumstances, we then check to verify the presence or absence of the child. If your child was signed in late, it is possible that you might receive a call because the dialer activated before the absence was changed to tardy.

ATTENTION Y-CARE PARENTS!

If your child attends after school Y Care at PLE and will not be attending on any given day, it is important that you call the Y Care staff (610-869-7117). If your child is not at Y Care and you have not notified them, they must check with the PLE office to see if he/she is absent, was picked up, or received a bus pass. The end of the day is a hectic time, and the office staff will greatlyappreciate your cooperation with this matter.

Bringing Items Into School:

When bringing your child in to school or bringing items in for your child or child’s classroom, please remember to stop in the office. Parents and other visitors are reminded that they may not go to the classroom for any reason unless you are expected by the teacher to be the classroom volunteer that day. This is for your child’s safety. Thank you for your cooperation.

Absences for trips:

A WORD ABOUT ATTENDANCE: IF YOUR CHILD WILL BE ABSENT FOR AN EDUCATIONAL TRIP, PLEASE REFER TO YOUR CHILD’S HANDBOOK (page 4) FOR PROCEDURE REGARDING THIS TYPE OF ABSENCE.

ARRIVAL
Students may not enter the school building prior to the start of the school day. Between 8:10-8:30 AM, teachers and students are in their classrooms to interact on an informal basis and make preparations for the day. It is important that parents support, not interrupt, this process. Do not expect teachers to have even a short meeting/discussion during the morning arrival period. Teachers will gladly meet with you at any other pre-arranged time. Please do not attempt to meet with the teachers at the start of the school day. Thank you.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Children who forget their lunch/lunch money in their classroom will not be allowed to return to the classroom to get it. They will have to charge their lunch in the cafeteria, even if they have a packed lunch. The amount charged will have to be repaid to the cafeteria. Teachers have their planning period, meetings, etc. while the children are at lunch and the children may not go to an empty classroom. This is for their safety.

Just a gentle reminder… children’s birthdays may be celebrated with a simple healthy treat, during a time designated by the classroom teacher. We may not host birthday parties in school. Please arrange with the classroom teacher the time and date that you will drop off a treat, in the office, for your child’s class. Thank you.

************Notice About Volunteers************

REVISION TO BOARD POLICY # 916 - "Effective July 1, 2005, building level administrators are responsible for ensuring that all volunteers having direct contact with children shall undergo and complete criminal background and child abuse clearance checks prior to serving. Such clearances are to be maintained by the principal at each school. Volunteers shall be reimbursed for the cost of these clearances, ie., $10.00 for the Act 34 clearance, $10.00 for the Act 151 clearance and $24.00 if necessary for the FBI clearance) after filing appropriate receipts. The clearance requirement shall not apply to a volunteer for a single event where the volunteer will have no contact with children other than under the direct supervision and in the physical presence of district staff."

Click here to download the form: Criminal History Request Form - SP-164

Click here to download the form: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance Form (CY-113)

For More Information: Public Welfare Site

PLEASE REMEMBER!
ALL toys and/or electronic games should be left at home. The school will not be responsible for these items should they be lost, broken or stolen. Please refer to your student handbook for official policy.
Children may not wear dangling earrings to school! The earring could easily be pulled from or through the ear lobe during recess or in PE class. A child would need plastic surgery to repair a torn ear lobe. This is for your child's safety. Thank you for your support.

WARM WEATHER DRESS CODE
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR
STUDENT HANDBOOK:
*The hem of shorts should approximately touch the fingertips when arms are hanging at the side.
*No fish net, bare midriff shirts, see-through clothing, tie straps, halters, t-shirts with inappropriate pictures and/or slogans, muscle or tank tops (shirt straps must cover the shoulders.) The building is air conditioned and children are outside for a 40 minute recess, and these shirts increase the risk of sunburn. If you are concerned about sunburn, please apply sunscreen to your child prior to sending him/her to school, as we are not able to apply sunscreen at school. One application will last all day.
*No open back footwear or bare feet (for safety reasons.)
*Sunglasses may not be worn or in view (around neck, on the head) while in school.
*Any accessory or apparel which could constitute a potential safety hazard or disrupt the educational environment for the student or peers is prohibited.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS/EARLY DISMISSAL/LATE OPENING

We continue to receive phone calls regarding these issues during inclement weather. There are many resources for you to turn to for this information: TV and radio stations, as well as our website (www.avongrove.org). The January 28 issue of the Voice had all of the stations listed by call letters and numbers. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL FOR THIS INFORMATION! This ties up our office staff needed to deal with the emergency (especially if there is a question about an early dismissal). Thank you.

Dropping off a Child:

When dropping children off at school in the morning, please DO NOT COME TO THE DRIVE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING! This is for our District vans ONLY. The drop off point for parents driving children to school is at the side of the office by the “NO PARKING, LOADING ZONE” sign. This is for the safety of our children. There have been several “near miss” incidents by cars passing the vans unloading students. Thank you for your co-operation.

CHILDREN ARE STILL BEING DROPPED OFF PRIOR TO 8:10. WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT DROP HIM/HER OFF UNTIL 8:10, AS THERE IS NO SUPERVISION IN THE CLASSROOMS UNTIL THAT TIME. CHILDREN WHO ARRIVE AFTER 8:30 MUST BE ACCOMPANIED TO THE OFFICE AND SIGNED IN BY THE ADULT BRINGING THE STUDENT IN(posted 10/6/05).

PLEASE REMEMBER ! DO NOT, AT ANY TIME, PARK, DROP OFF, OR LEAVE YOUR CAR IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHEN PICKING UP YOUR CHILD. THIS IS FOR OUR DISTRICT HANDICAP VANS AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY!

** During dismissal, our school driveways and parking lots can become very congested. School bus transportation is the safest means of getting our children home. We encourage parents to have children use school bus transportation during inclement weather. This way our roads, driveways and parking lots will be less congested. Do not, at any time, enter the bus lines in the rear of the building.
** REMEMBER THAT WHEN SCHOOL IS CANCELLED OR DISMISSED EARLY ALL AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARE ALSO CANCELLED.

LATE ARRIVALS

When bringing your child in late, it is very important that you come into the school office and sign him/her in, and see that the child is issued a late pass. Please do not drop the child off at the door and expect the office staff to sign your child in for you as this creates a backlog in the office and even further delays the child getting to class. Children arriving after 8:30 AM, or 12:30 PM for afternoon kindergarten, are considered tardy. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Attendance is tracked using a computerized system. When a child is entered as absent, an automated dialer calls the home to confirm the absence. Even if you call to report your child’s absence, there is no way we can stop the dialer from calling you. This is a safety measure. The only time we request a call from the parent is if you believe your child is in school and you receive a call saying that he/she is absent. Under those circumstances, we then check to verify the presence or absence of the child.

ABSENCE PROCEDURE: Please be advised that you do not have to call the school to report your child’s absence. Our automated attendance dialer will call you to confirm that your child is not in school. When a child is marked absent, we cannot stop it from calling to confirm, even if you have called us. If your child should be at school and you receive a call reporting him/her absent, then please call us so we may investigate. It is most likely that the wrong child was marked absent, and we will correct the record accordingly. If your child is absent, please send a note explaining the reason, with your child when he/she returns.

Posted 8/31/06 .

From the Principal's Desk...

VISITORS IN CLASSROOM:

Parents and other visitors are not permitted to go to classrooms at any time unless they have an appointment with the teacher and/or they have an appointment with the teachers and/or are scheduled to volunteer. This is for the safety of the children and to be sure that confidentiality issues are not violated. All visitors are reminded to sign in at the main office.

Pick Up After School

It is very important that you give your child a written note each day that he/she will not be riding the bus home. The note serves as their “ticket” to be picked up or to go to another area of the building at dismissal time.

Posted 8/31/06

THE SCHOOL DAY

Doors are open at 8:10 AM. No student will be admitted to the school prior to that time, as there is no supervison. EXCEPTION: Those students registered in the YMCA Before School Program. Those doors open at 7:00 AM in the cafeteria. The school day begins at 8:30AM. If your child arrives after that time, he/she must be signed in by a parent at the main office. PM Kindergarten classes are admitted after 12:15 PM,with class beginning at 12:30 PM. WHEN DROPPING OFF OR PICKING UP STUDENTS, PARENTS MUST COME TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN THERE ARE TO BE NO CARS IN THE REAR OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING.

CLASSROOM DISMISSAL
POLICY

Students will not be permitted to leave a classroom until such time as the parent has signed the child out in the Main Office. A parent will not be permitted to leave a classroom with a child, even if they have been working in that classroom as a volunteer. They will need to come to the Main Office, sign both themselves and the child out, and the child will be called to meet the parent in the Main Office. Upon arrival you may request that your child be called to the office at a specific time to coincide with your departure. This procedure is for the safety of your children.

When bringing cupcakes or other treats to school, please drop them off in the main office and your child’s teacher will be notified. Parents are asked not to deliver them to the classrooms as this may interfere with instruction time. Your child’s teacher will send him/her and a buddy to the office at a convenient time to pick up the treats. Thank you for your co-operation.