Welcome to Weymouth Township Elementary School. This Student/Parent Handbook has been prepared to better acquaint you with the programs, policies, regulations and procedures at Weymouth School. I suggest that parents and students review the contents together. If you have questions that remain unanswered after reading the handbook, please call the school office. We feel that open and clear communication between school and home is important to the success of our school.

Board procedures require that you sign an agreement provision stating that you have received a copy of this handbook. Your signature also indicates that your child will abide by the school’s rules and the student discipline and behavior code. A school calendar is also located in this handbook listing important dates such as school closings, back to school night and conferences. Please note that should we need to close school due to emergencies such as inclement weather, additional days will be added in June. Therefore, it is important that you review the handbook with your child so that you are aware of our expectations.

In addition to the code and rules, there is the expectation that every child will act in a manor that is appropriate for a school learning environment. Each teacher has classroom rules that children are expected to follow. There is also the expectation that students will come to school prepared to learn and act accordingly.

During the summer each student received a letter from their grade level teachers. That letter included supply needs for each grade level. Starting in third grade, students are required to have a homework assignment book. This can be the book we sell every year in the spring or a book you have purchased over the summer. Students are expected to list homework in this book enabling you to know what work they have been assigned. As well as nightly homework, students are also assigned long term projects which should also be noted in assignment books. I encourage you to spend some time each evening reviewing your child’s homework book and assignments. Homework is your child’s opportunity to practice what was presented in class. Therefore, it is important that they do the work on their own. If they regularly need a great deal of help with their assignments, I suggest that you contact their teacher to find out why they do not understand the work presented.

A monthly calendar is sent home generally the last Friday of each month. On this we list after school activities, single session days, school closings, H.S.A. meetings and other school events as they are known at publication. I also send a monthly FYI that covers school information and board of education meetings. A weekly newsletter is sent home most Fridays – please look for this information.

The faculty and I look forward to working with you to provide your child(ren) with a good education and a love of learning.

Sincerely,

Dr. Donna Van Horn, Ed.D.

Chief School Administrator

Playground Rules for Before School and Lunchtime

Weymouth Township School Dress Code

Weymouth Township Bus Rules

Pursuant to US Title IX and NJ Title 6:4, The Weymouth Board of Education shall provide equal educational and employment opportunity to all persons regardless of sex, race, color, origin, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, social or economic status. Additionally, the Board of Education shall appoint an Affirmative Action Officer who will coordinate the district’s Affirmative Action activities and insure equal educational and employment access to all. The Affirmative Action Officer for Weymouth Township School is Kathy Krattenmaker, who is located at the school at 1202 Eleventh Avenue, Dorothy, New Jersey (609) 476-2412. The Policies, Plans and Grievance Procedures are kept in the Weymouth School Office.

New Jersey School Law requires that each child attend school every day school is in session except in cases of illness, death in the family or certain religious holidays. Regular attendance is essential for good academic progress and to foster a sense of responsibility.

If a student is going to be absent for several days, please call the office before noon if you wish work to be sent home the following day.

The Board of Education has a policy on Absences and Excuses #5113. This includes an attendance requirement as follows: A pupil must be in attendance for 162 or more school days in order to be considered to have successfully completed the instructional program requirements of the grade/course to which he/she is assigned. Please remember that absences can be the cause of a student being retained.

A multiply funded program, BSIP is aimed at improving readiness skills in Kindergarten and Reading/Language Literacy and Mathematics skills in grades 1-8. Students receive basic skills instruction in a number of ways. Standardized test results, teacher rating and grades determine eligibility for participation.

Students in grades 4 through 8 may ride their bikes to school. A form on the back of the emergency information card that is sent home with the opening packet must be filled out and signed by the parent/guardian and be on file in the main office before bikes may be ridden. Please remember that New Jersey state law requires all students under the age of fourteen to wear a bike helmet. The school is obligated to cooperate with this law. Bikes are to be kept in the bike racks provided near the library. A lock is encouraged. Bikers are to use the front door by Estelle Ave. for entrance and exit from the building.

Transportation is supplied through Buena Regional School District. It is expected that the assigned pick up point will be the drop off point unless a permanent arrangement has been made. Bus changes must be processed through the Main Office and must be permanent. Bus concerns should be brought to the attention of Buena’s Bus Coordinator.

All students will be expected to ride the bus unless we receive something in writing from the parent/guardian.

It is extremely important for students to observe the rules of proper conduct while riding on the bus. Bus rules are listed on page 4 of the handbook. The driver is to be obeyed at all times. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.

Lunches are provided daily through the National School Lunch Program. Prices and menu information is provided on the menu which is distributed monthly. Tickets may be purchased weekly on the first day of the week in the cafeteria between 8:30 and 8:40 AM. The school is not responsible for lost lunch tickets. As part of the School Breakfast/Lunch Program, students who qualify are eligible for free or reduced lunch prices. Applications are sent home to all parents and are to be returned in a timely fashion. Please sign and return even if not applying. If desired, students may bring their own lunch. Snacks and milk are also available Please refer to the cafeteria rules on page 3 of this handbook.

Breakfast will be available in the cafeteria from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM. Students will be given approximately 10 minutes to eat their breakfast and then will join their class. There are two lunches. Students in Grades kindergarten through 4 will have their lunch period 11:42 to 12:42. Students in grades 5 through 8 will have their lunch period 12:25 to 1:25. Students have approximately 30 minutes in the cafeteria for lunch.

In an emergency, students are permitted to charge lunch. Charging will result in peanut butter & jelly sandwich as the entrée choice. Students who charge may not purchase snack items until the charge is paid.

Snacks are sold to supplement a student’s lunch. At times snacks will not be sold. Students should always eat their lunch before they purchase and eat snacks.

For safety reasons, no cars are to be in the bus loading zones. Therefore if you are dropping your child off in the morning, please use the visitor parking lot by the library. Children (and parents) should use the sidewalk in front of the building to enter the play area. In inclement weather please enter the building using the Estelle Ave. door and proceed to the all purpose room.

At dismissal the following procedure will be followed:

Our Special Education program is for children who have been identified as eligible for special education services. A full continuum of services is provided as per Administrative Code.

If you are noticing any problems in your preschool child such as:

We offer students the ability to join clubs and organizations such as Safety Patrol, Intramural Sports and Newspaper Club. Participation requirements include students receiving passing grades on their report card and passing work on progress reports. Students who do not meet this academic requirement will be excluded from the activity until their grade improves. Suspensions also restrict students from participating in clubs/after school activities.

Weymouth Township School District has completed our Comprehensive Equity Plan which ensures equal access to employment and all school facilities, programs, activities, and benefits for all students regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability or socioeconomic status. It also prohibits or eliminates sexual harassment and harassment. The Weymouth Township Board of Education has appointed Kathy Krattenmaker as Affirmative Action Officer including Title IX Coordinator. Her office is in the Weymouth Township Elementary School located at 1202 Eleventh Avenue in Dorothy, NJ. The telephone number is 609-476-2412. The district Comprehensive Equity Plan as well as the Board’s policies, grievance procedures and annual reports are kept in the Weymouth Township School office (1202 Eleventh Avenue, Dorothy, NJ) and are available for review in the office.

Teachers are available to meet with parents during the school year at a mutually agreed upon time. Generally, these meetings should be scheduled at 3:00 Monday through Thursday. An appointment may be made by either directly contacting the teacher or calling the main office who will inform the teacher of the request.

Dances are sponsored by Student Council and open to students in grades 6, 7 and 8. Permission slips are required for admittance to dances. Students are expected to follow the Dress Code listed in this handbook at all school events including dances. Students who are absent on the day of the dance may not attend. Students who have been suspended during the marking period may not attend.

Regular sessions of school are canceled only in case of emergency. Serious weather conditions that might cause a hazard to pupils are the primary reason for the emergency closing of school. Notice of such closing is given over major radio stations covering the area. (WOND 1400 Atlantic City, KYW 1060 Philadelphia, WAYV 95.1 Atlantic City WMGM 104 Linwood) Television coverage is available on Channels 6, 10 and 40. Our closing number is 916. Please do not call the school.

Field trips are used as a learning device for teaching and learning that is related to the curriculum. A signed permission form from the parent or guardian is required for all field trips. Students may be excluded from trips for discipline reasons and/or safety concerns.

Fire drills are held twice a month. Diagrams showing evacuation routes are posted in each classroom. Students are to take fire drills seriously and evacuate the building quietly and quickly. Lock Down drills provide students and staff the opportunity to practice in the event of an intruder on school property. Lock Downs drills occur two times per year.

Our grading policy in grades 3-8 conforms to the system used at Buena Regional High School.

Students in grades 1 and 2 receive O = Outstanding S = Satisfactory U = Unsatisfactory. Kindergarten students are graded on skill mastery.

A school nurse is employed to give the students maximum protection while they are entrusted to the care of the school. Students at specified grades are examined for vision, hearing, blood pressure, height, weight, and screening for scoliosis in grades four through eight. Parents may have students examined by their private physician and should speak to the school nurse regarding this. The nurse is watchful for signs of communicable diseases and illnesses that may occur during the school day. The nurse is not responsible for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injuries that occur at home. Contagious diseases, such as measles and mumps, require exclusion from school. A student may not be readmitted until cleared by a doctor.

If under exceptional circumstances a child is required to take medication during school hours, Board Policy 5141.21 should be followed. This policy also addresses the steps for approval of self-administration of medication. Please contact the school nurse for further information.

Homework is assigned to extend and reinforce the learning experience. Parental support and cooperation is necessary so that homework will have a positive impact upon their child’s learning. Providing an appropriate time, quiet work place and support helps to create a child’s sense of responsibility for learning. Close communication between teacher and parents is essential in order to coordinate effectively this component of the educational program.

The school, to assist students in documenting their assignments, sells a homework book. While this is optional, most teachers do require a book to record assignments. If you have any questions regarding homework, please contact your child’s teacher.

As of September 1, 2001, all children born after January 1, 1998 and are entering kindergarten will be required to document three doses of hepatitis B vaccine, in addition to the previously required doses of MMR, DTaP/DPT and polio vaccines. Furthermore, as of September 1, 2001, all children born on or after January 1, 1990 and are entering sixth grade shall be required to document receipt of hepatitis B vaccine series. As of September 2003, all pupils in grade nine must also receive the hepatitis B vaccine.

Additional immunizations required for admission to school are DTP, Polio, MMR, Varicella, and HIB. Please contact our school nurse for further information.

All pupils are to be in compliance with the New Jersey immunization regulations in order to be admitted or remain in school unless a child meets the criteria for receiving a medical exemption or a religious exemption from school officials.

Intervention and referral services are available to assist students who are experiencing learning, behavior or health difficulties. Parent participation in both the development and implementation of intervention and referral services action plans is required under school code.

It is recognized that from time to time compelling circumstances will require that a student be late to school or dismissed before the end of the school day. As the agent responsible for the education of the children of this district, the school shall require that we be notified in advance of such absences by written request of the student’s parent/guardian, which shall state the reason for the tardiness or early dismissal. No student shall be permitted to leave the school before the close of the school day unless he/she is met in the school office by his/her parent/guardian. If a person is authorized by the parent/guardian to act on their behalf a written note giving this authority must be provided. This person must be 18 years of age or older.

Classroom location determines what classes use lockers. For students who have lockers, the following procedures should be kept in mind. 1) Every student is responsible for the contents of his/her locker, which is to be used for school related items only. 2) Locks are on loan and if lost, a $5.00 replacement charge will be collected. 3) Lockers are subject to random search at any time and individual lockers may be searched when deemed necessary. 4) Anything displayed in the locker should be temporary in nature and appropriate to be seen by anyone in the school. The school does not recognize any right of privacy that a student may wish to claim with regard to the locker. Lockers will be checked periodically throughout the year for cleanliness by the principal or homeroom teacher.

Progress reports are sent home at mid marking period, four times per year. Progress reports will be sent home on October 4, 2007, December 14, 2007, March 3, 2008 and May 9, 2008. Progress reports are to be signed and returned to the homeroom teacher the next day.

Report cards are issued four times a year: November16, 2007, February 6, 2008, April 15, 2008 and the last day of school. Report card envelopes are to be signed and returned to the homeroom teacher the next day.

Weymouth Board of Education requires Proof of Residency for registration in this district. The following listed documents will fulfill that requirement:

This information needs to be presented upon registering your child in this district, prior to their first day of school.

School is in session for Kindergarten through eight on regular session days from 8:40 AM to 3:00 PM. Single session days start at 8:30 AM and end at 1:00 PM. Supervision starts at 8:00 AM. Children should not arrive earlier as there is no supervision available.

The school office is open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The doors are locked at 4:00 and students and/or parents will not be admitted for "forgotten" items.

Physical exams are required for all students entering Pre-kindergarten or Kindergarten or transferring into the district and students participating in inter-scholastic sports. Because of a change in the law and the rules of the NJ State Board of Education and the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, parents are now required to obtain school physical examinations for their children through their family physician instead of the physicals being provided by the school district. If your child does not have a family physician, nurse practitioner or doctor, please contact Mrs. Yearsley, our school nurse, at 476-3690 for assistance.

Speech-language therapy is offered to students who experience communication difficulties in areas like articulation, fluency, and receptive and expressive language. Students with these types of disorders must meet the eligibility criteria mandated by the State in order to receive services. The therapist evaluates and provides instruction individually or in small groups depending on the needs of the students. If you suspect a speech-language problem, please contact the school and talk to the therapist.

Parents or legal guardians have the right to review the records of their child. If you wish to review the records of your child, please contact the school and set up an appointment with the administrator.

Students are issued textbooks and are responsible for their care. Teachers will note the condition of the textbooks at distribution. Textbooks are not to be used as receptacles for loose papers, pens, etc. Textbooks should be covered at all times with an appropriate cover. Covers are not to be pasted or taped to the book. Do not use contact paper. When books are collected at the end of the year they will be inspected. Damaged textbooks will result in a fine.

If you plan to transfer your child(ren) from our school, we require 24 hours notice to obtain transfer records. Please remember that we need your written authorization to send and/or release any records on your child. A transfer card can be requested from the main office.

A note from the parent/guardian is required to be on file in the main office if the child is permitted to walk. Walkers are to enter and exit the building using the front door by Estelle Ave.

Student Discipline and Behavior Code

Students at Weymouth Township School have the right and obligation to maintain an orderly, respectful manner that will insure a rewarding, learning atmosphere that is free from violence. It is the student’s responsibility to obey rules and control his/her words and actions.

Discipline Procedures

Suspension: When the principal or her designee suspends a student, the parent is notified. A second suspension of any kind will require a parental conference before the student is reinstated to class. Suspensions are reported to the Board of Education and result in the student being excluded from class trips and other activities as determined by the administration that occur during that marking period. Both in school and out of school suspension will be employed in the disciplinary process. The student will not eat with their class nor participate in any classroom activity during that day. An out of school suspension excludes the student from school for the duration of the suspension. A suspension excludes the student from extra curricular activities held during the time of suspension. The student is not to be on the school grounds during the time school is in session.

Suspendable Offences: The following list of offenses and their consequences will be considered guidelines for violations of school rules. Parents will be informed each time a student is suspended. In some instances, parents may be required to remove the child from the school grounds immediately. Each suspension listed is a full day suspension. Other offenses may be considered suspendable as deemed appropriate by school authorities. These guidelines for discipline implementation are subject to change as per yearly review or governmental mandates. The Chief School Administrator or her designee reviews information provided by the referring staff member on the discipline referral form and determines the consequence.

KEY * Requires informing police of violation

# Denotes reference to Drug Free School Zone Laws