Oak Hill Elementary School Parent/Student Handbook “Home of the Cardinals”  

425 South Nichols Street Lowell, IN 46356 Phone: 219-696-9285 Fax: 219-690-2621 Mrs. Stacey Schwuchow – Principal email: [email protected]

Oak Hill Mission Statement: Engaged to Learn…Equipped to Achieve…Empowered to Succeed

Oak Hill Vision Statement: Our vision for Oak Hill Elementary School includes: Excellence in student achievement Instruction is based on best practice Data-driven decision making Continuous professional development School, home, and community partnerships Respectful, safe, nurturing, and caring environment

Beliefs: We believe that… All children can learn. Mutual respect is essential in a productive learning environment. Every person is accountable for his/her behavior and attitude. The actions of all staff members have an impact on children and their learning. Literacy is the foundation of all learning. Effective instructional decisions are based on systematic assessment of student learning. Professional development strengthens teaching and learning. A safe learning environment is the responsibility of the entire school community.

School Day: 8:00 am – 2:30 pm OHE Daily Schedule 7:00 a.m.

Office Opens

7:45 a.m.

Students report to classrooms

8:00 a.m.

Tardy Bell & Classes begin

2:25 p.m.

Dismissal – bus riders

2:30 p.m.

Dismissal – car riders

3:15 p.m.

End of Teacher Day

3:30 p.m.

Office Closes

Volunteers and Chaperones: We are happy when parents express interest in volunteering or chaperoning at Oak Hill. For the safety of all students and adults, we ask that you follow the guidelines listed below. Volunteers and/or chaperones will: § Be the parent, step-parent or legal guardian of the child (applicable only for chaperones) §

Model the behaviors expected of students at all times and set a good example for Oak Hill children. Volunteers and chaperones should be familiar with our behavior expectations by consulting the Tri-Creek Student Handbook. Volunteers and chaperones should follow the directions or directives of the principal, teacher or other Tri-Creek employees.

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Dress appropriately and follow the guidelines in the Tri-Creek Student Handbook.

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Use their cell phone only in the case of an emergency while at school or on a study trip.

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Not invoke any kind of discipline on a student except in cases of imminent threat to that student’s safety or the well being of others. Report any student behavior problems or inappropriate conduct to the child’s teacher as soon as possible.

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Actively supervise and keep an accurate check on members assigned to you during the study trip.

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Not possess or use alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs or weapons of any kind while on school property or during a study trip.

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Not be permitted to bring siblings or other persons to volunteer in classrooms, participate in classroom holiday parties or attend a study trip.

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Not publish, post, or share photographs on the Internet or any other format (i.e. Facebook, Instagram). Photographs are for your personal use only.

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Complete a Limited Criminal History as required by Tri-Creek Board Policy. This should be done no less than two weeks prior to volunteering. No exceptions will be given.

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Volunteers and Chaperones cannot participate in the classroom or on fieldtrips until a Volunteer Form is completed. The Volunteer Form and Limited Criminal History are required if you plan to volunteer with the Oak Hill PTO. This form must be renewed on a yearly basis. Forms are available in the Oak Hill Office.

Dress Code: The full text of the Tri-Creek School Corporation Dress Code can be found in the Tri-Creek School Corporation Student Handbook. Please see that text for the complete list of prohibited clothing items.

Transportation: •

All students beyond the walking radius should ride the bus or be picked up by a vehicle to and from school.

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NO CHILD will be allowed to leave the building with anyone other than a parent, legal guardian, or someone who is listed on your child’s emergency list (photo ID will be requested), unless a note granting permission is received in the office.

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Always inform you child’s teacher in writing of changes in dismissal/transportation plans. This note should be sent with your child to school in the morning. Calling the Oak Hill Office daily to make changes to your child’s dismissal/transportation does not constitute an emergency. Please plan ahead so that we may assist you in keeping your child(ren) safe.

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Children are not allowed to ride a bus for different reason other than regular babysitting arrangements. Parents are responsible for transporting their children to after-school parties, sleepovers, Nifty Notes, and sports practices. A note should be on file in the office for standing babysitting arrangements.

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Please do not send a note or call to request different bus arrangements. Oak Hill students will not be transported to Three Creeks or Lake Prairie districts unless enrolled at one of those buildings as a transfer student, Full Day Kindergarten student, or an Adventure Club member.

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Parents should remain in their cars during pick-up and drop-off and follow the traffic pattern in the back of the school. Do not park and walk up to retrieve your child or come into the school unless there is a need to talk to school personnel. Extra adults standing outside of the school, in the halls and outside of classrooms complicate security and safety procedures.

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Please be courteous and stay in the line of traffic. You are a role model for your child at all times…show them that following established rules is important by following them yourself. Remember: safety is our first priority, please do not berate or yell at staff members who ask you to follow safety procedures.

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Parents who by-pass the line, walk up to the doors to pick-up their child, park in the bus lot, in the apartment parking lot, jeopardize the safety of the students being loaded, a n d are discourteous to those who are waiting in line. When everyone cooperates, the pick-up procedure will not take more than 10 minutes. The assistants are usually finished with dismissal by 2:40 p.m. Parents who choose to transport their children should: a) Drop-off students after 7:30 a.m. Students should remain in the car until an adult opens the doors at 7:30 a.m. Students who come to school after 8:00 a.m. are considered tardy and must be brought into the Oak Hill office and signed in by an adult. The gates will open for drop-off at 7:30 a.m at Door 7. The gates will open at 2:20 p.m. for student pickup at Door 7 (the entrance to the car lane can be found on Oakley Ave. Signs are posted to assist you).

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Do not enter the bus area on the side of the building for any reason before 8:30 a.m. and after 2:00 p.m. The lot is used for buses before 8:30am and after 2:00 p.m.

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At no time is parking permitted in the fire lane along the u-shaped drive in the front of the building or along the entrance in the bus parking lot. Buses cannot navigate the narrow openings left at entrances when cars are parked along the sides. Cars will be ticketed by the Lowell Police Department if parked in the fire lanes.

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Please park in the lot, not in the front of the building, when coming in to the Oak Hill Office. You will be asked to move your car to the parking lot prior to conducting business in the office. It is essential that the fire lane is clear at all times.

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Make sure all family members responsible for student pick-up know the rules and procedures.

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Students who walk to school should: 1. Not arrive at school before 7:30 a.m. Adult supervision at Oak Hill begins at 7:30 a.m. Parents should make arrangements for babysitting if their child needs supervision before 7:30 a.m. Adventure Club is available at Oak Hill in the morning and after school daily.

2. Remain on sidewalks when en route. 3. Not take shortcuts across private property. **Please refer to the Tri-Creek Parent Handbook for more information on school policies. Specifically read the sections on Health, Attendance, Dress Codes, Student Behavior Expectations, and Transportation.

FOG DELAY/INCLEMENT WEATHER SCHEDULE: Two Hour Delay 9:45 a.m. Students report to classrooms 10:00 a.m School begins - special classes start Normal schedule for lunch and the rest of the day

Emergency Procedures School personnel have emergency plans in place for a variety of situations. Below is helpful information for parents in case of an emergency. • • • • •

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Be sure to list several emergency contacts on your student enrollment form. If you are not available to pick-up your child on short notice, you should have a back-up person specified in writing on the emergency form. You will receive a notification from Alert Now in case of early dismissal, etc. (if you added the numbers in Skyward). There is no need to call the office. Office personnel will only release your child to someone listed on your form. If you are taking your child home during/following an emergency, check-in at the office first. The classroom teacher will keep an additional record so that we can be sure of who went home with whom. Should there be an emergency in which the school office is out of commission, a secondary headquarters will be established at Lowell Middle School. If the building is locked down, no one will be permitted in the building for any reason. Police will set up security boundaries. Parents should stay away from the school and listen for the message that will be sent to you when it is safe to pick-up students. If the school has to be evacuated, students will be bused to Lowell Middle School. You will receive a message that will announce the location where parents may pick-up students. Once again, no one will be released to anyone except a parent unless directions have been given in writing. Please discuss with your child where he/she is to go in the event we should have to dismiss early. Be certain to complete an emergency-closing plan and return it to school. This emergency-closing plan will be kept on file in the school office. If you do not complete a plan, your child will be sent home on the bus if we have to dismiss early. AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE NOTICE OF A CLOSING, THERE IS NO TIME TO MAKE

PHONE CALLS TO PARENTS and SITTERs. You will receive an Alert Now call due to the limited number of phone lines in the office, which must remain available for incoming calls. Please

listen to the message.

Fog Delays, Snow Days, Early Dismissal: On days when school is delayed, canceled, or dismissed early because of bad weather, please listen to the following radio stations: WJOB 1230 AM - WXRD 103.9 FM - WONU 89.7 FM You can also access school closing information on the Internet at http://www.cancellations.com and on the Tri-Creek website at http://www.tricreek.k12.in.us. Parents are also encouraged to participate in the “Alert Now” rapid notification system. This system allows parents to be notified by phone, email or text messaging when a delay has been called, early dismissal due to weather or other emergency notifications. More details are available in the office or on the TriCreek website.

School Delay/Early Dismissal Due To Weather In the event of a two-hour delay, we will follow the schedule listed below: • 10:00 a.m. Students report to classes • 10:15 a.m. School begins • Normal schedule for lunch and the rest of the day

Security All of the doors are locked at Oak Hill Elementary. Ring the doorbell located near the office door and identify yourself. Please go directly into the office, sign the visitor’s registration log, and obtain your visitor badge. You will be asked the reason for your visit. This badge lets school personnel know that you have signed in at the office. Any visitor without a badge will be escorted directly back to the school office. Please DO NOT go directly to a teacher’s classroom unless you have a scheduled a meeting with her in advance. Student learning time is valuable and our staff members want to give you the time that you need to discuss your concerns privately. Oak Hill Elementary Staff feel that education is a team effort. Please call the school office at 219-696-9285 to schedule your visit. We look forward to hearing from you.

Illness: If your child becomes ill at school, you will be contacted to come to school to pick your child up in the Oak Hill Office. It is important that you notify the school when you have a change of address or telephone (home and work) and if there is a change in name or telephone number of the person(s) to be contacted if you are not available. Children who are ill cannot be sent home on the bus.

Absences: If your child is absent from school, we ask that you call the school office (696-9285) by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence. Nine (9) days of counted absences per year is considered excessive absenteeism. Excessive tardiness is considered to be three or more tardies per semester. Vacations and family trips should be planned when school is not in session. Please familiarize yourself with the Tri-Creek attendance policy in the corporation handbook. Oak Hill staff members are required to enforce this policy. Please be considerate when discussing attendance issues with staff members. These measures may be employed when a student’s attendance history is poor, and when past efforts to improve the student’s attendance have not been effective. • • • • • • • • •

Loss of recess Parent/Guardian conference Referral to Tri-Creek Attendance Office Attendance Contract Suspension from School Denial of Field Trip Participation Limitation or elimination of participation in extra-curricular activities such as Field Day or intramural activities Referral to CPS (Child Protective Services) Retention

The following absences will not be counted toward the nine-day maximum leading to a designation of excessive absenteeism: • • • • •

Illness verified by physician, dentist or psychologist Death in the immediate family (three days) Quarantine Required Court appearances Religious observances

Further explanation can be found in the Tri-Creek Student Handbook.

Birthday Celebrations at School: Children enjoy sharing birthday treats with their classmates. Students may bring in small treats for everyone in the class. Treats should be sent to school in individual portions to allow for easy distribution. Items like a sheet cake or scooped ice cream are not appropriate. Parents, please do not send flowers or balloons to school for your child’s birthday. Additionally, invitations to birthday parties may not be distributed at school unless each child (or all boys or all girls) in the class receive an invitation. Invitations that do not follow this requirement will be returned home. Please do not put your child and classroom teacher into this awkward situation.

Report Cards: Oak Hill students will be issued a report card every nine-weeks with progress reports for all students at approximately four/five weeks. Report cards will be posted in Skyward on the following dates: • First grading period – October 20 or 26th at parent/teacher conferences • Second grading period – January 6, 2017 • Third grading period – March 31, 2017 • Fourth grading period – TBA (last student day) Progress reports go home with the students on the following dates: • Sept. 16, 2016 • Nov. 28, 2016 • Feb. 17, 2017 • May 5, 2017 Please contact the classroom teacher if you have questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

Breakfast & Lunch: Breakfast is served each morning at Oak Hill from 7:35 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for those students who choose to participate. Breakfast is $1.30. Lunch is a very important part of your child's educational program. A balanced hot lunch is available each day. Lunch is $1.80. Milk is available for $.50. For students with milk allergies, juice is available for $.75. Students who bring a lunch to school are encouraged to bring one that is nutritious. Consumption of pop at school is discouraged.

Recess: All students will be required to go outside for recess unless they have a note from their parents requesting that they be permitted to stay in because of a recent illness. If a child is to stay in for more than three days, a note from the child’s doctor stating the reason for the restriction is required. During the winter months, parents should ensure their children are properly dressed to play outside in cold weather and in the snow. Students will go outside for recess if the temperature is above 10 degrees with the wind chill factored in. The weather station at Lowell Middle School is used to determine the air temperature and wind speed. This information can be accessed by going to http://www.tricreek.k12.in.us/ (under information, click on weather). If there is any snow on the ground, students should wear snow boots to recess. Hightop tennis shoes, hiking boots, or shoes that would be worn for the remainder of the day, leave students with wet feet if alternative footwear is not available. We encourage students to not wear snow boots for the entire day. Students without snow boots will be required to play on the blacktop areas.

Electronic Devices: Oak Hill Elementary School is not responsible for lost, broken or stolen items (see also the TriCreek School Corporation Handbook). •

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All cell phones must be off during the day; stored in the child’s backpack and your child should not use them unless they are being used for an educational purpose with the teacher’s permission. If there is an issue and they need to contact you, students may use the classroom phone or office phone. Texting and the use of Social Media are not allowed. You child’s electronic device can be confiscated at any time for improper use. The electronic device will be returned to your child at the end of the school day or you may be contacted to pick it up in person in the office. Children should not use their electronic devices to take pictures or videos at any time unless they have the permission of their classroom teacher.

 

 

Oak Hill Dates 2016-2017   Aug. 1

Aug. 15 Aug. 17

Registration at Lowell High School 12:00-7:00 p.m. Teacher Work Day a.m. Welcome Back Session Parents and Students 5:00-6:30 p.m. Staff Development for teachers First Student Day

Aug. 22-23 Aug. 25 Aug. 31

Nifty Note Auditions School Pictures Spell Bowl Try-outs 2:30-3:15  

Sept. 5

Labor Day – No School

Sept. 14 p.m.

PTO Meeting 3:00

Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept.

Bingo for Books, K-5, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Mother-Son Event Grandparent’s Day Grades K, 2, 4. Grandparent’s Day Grades 1, 3, 5

Aug. 12 Aug. 15

 

15 22 29 30

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct.

12 13 20&26 21

PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m. PTO Hay Ride Kregel’s Farm 4-7:00p.m. Parent-Teacher Conf. 4:15-8:00 p.m. Report Cards

Oct. 28 Halloween Parties Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Fall Break – No School

Nov. 3 Nov. 9 Nov. 11 Nov. 17 Nov. 24-25

Science Fair PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m. Veteran’s Day Program Spell Bowl Thanksgiving Break

 

    Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb.      

5-9 6 16 19-1/2

PTO Holiday Project Nifty Notes Concert @ TCE 6:30pm Holiday Parties Winter Break – No School

Jan. 3 Jan. 6

School Resumes Reports Cards

Jan. 11

PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m.

Jan. 16 Jan. 23-27 Jan. 26

MLK Day – No School Book Fair Family Fun Night 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Kindergarten Roundup PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m. Valentine Parties

20 Presidents’ Day – No School TBA Math Bowl 24 Daddy-Daughter Dance 27-Mar 10 ISTEP Applied Skills Testing

 

Mar. 8 Mar. 13-17

PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m. IREAD-3

Mar. 20-24 Mar. 27 Mar. 31

Spring Break – No School School Resumes Report Cards

     

 

Apr. 12

PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m.

Apr. 20 Apr. 27

Bingo for Books. K-5, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Secretaries & Assistants’ Day

Apr. 27-May 5 ISTEP Multiple Choice Online Testing

 

    May May May May May May May

  Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec.

1-3 8 14

1-5 8-12 10

PTO Staff Appreciation Week Book Fair PTO Meeting 3:00 p.m.

16

Fifth Grade Program

TBD

Fifth Grade Fling

29

Memorial Day - No School

31

Field Day

June 7 June 8

Last Student Day Last Teacher

 

OAK HILL SCHOOL STAFF 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR

◊ Allen, Amy (EL)

◊ Harmon, Crystal

◊ Patterson, Amie

◊ Alessia, Julie

◊ Haskins, Amanda

◊ Perez, Guadalupe (EL)

◊ Anderson, Rebekka

◊ Hedrick, Tammy

◊ Plonczynski, Robyn

◊ Bergstrom, Jackie

◊ Helms, Bridget

◊ Polich, Donna

◊ Blackman, Rebecca

◊ Helsel, Kassandra

◊ Pressel, Jayne

◊ Borsilli, Amy

◊ Hill, Amanda

◊ Quasney, Melinda

◊ Breyne, Tanya (café)

◊ Johnson, Renata Jean

◊ Quasney-Bober, Kim

◊ Britton, Kerri

(café)

◊ Rather, April

◊ Chandos, Sharon

◊ Stephanie Kalizae

◊ Salai, Florence (Speech)

◊ Clement, Cathy

◊ Kinnis, Alana

◊ Schutz, Lauren

◊ Corns, Carrie

◊ Konradi, Melissa

◊ Schwuchow, Stacey

◊ Connell, Hannah

◊ Kouros, Vicky

◊ Sharkey, Amy (café)

◊ Deal, Karen

◊ McLean, Angie (café)

◊ Stadt, Brandon

◊ DenHartog, Kim

◊ McDermott, Christina

◊ Suggs, Jackie

◊ DeStJean, Bridget

◊ Meltzer, Louie

◊ Thomas, Gloria (café)

◊ Garcia, Olivia

◊ Munjas, Dee

◊ Tully, Kellie

◊ Gearhart, Kathleen

◊ Nigh, Nicole

◊ Valdez, Anthony

◊ Godbolt, Tami

◊ O’Neill, Betty

◊ Vaughn, Tami

◊ Green, Duana

◊ Orange, Janis

◊ Wherele, Montine

◊ Gryczewski, Samantha

◊ Otis, Julie

◊ Hall, Jill

◊ Pagnusat, Karen

◊ Wirtz, Sue

◊ Hanaway, Lori

◊ Patrevito, Teresa

◊ Wright, Wendy

(café)