Parents are to report to the main office, not the classroom to sign out their children. Written permission must be supplied if the student is to be released to someone other than the parent or legal guardian.  School staff will request photo identification in the event of an early dismissal. 

END OF DAY DISMISSAL

Parents that wish to pick their children up at dismissal time (3:05 p.m.) must: enter through the door by the cafeteria/back parking lot (opened as of 2:50 p.m.), and sign the End of Day Dismissal sheet by 2:55 p.m.  Parents then need to remain in the cafeteria until dismissal time.  If someone other than a parent is picking up a child, a note must be sent in with a parent signature indicating permission. Please be prepared with photo identification to ensure student safety and security. At 3:05, students that have been “signed out” will be dismissed to the back hallway. If a child is not signed out by 2:55, he/she will need to take the bus home. Please do not ask the office to make exceptions. Exit the building by the same cafeteria/back parking lot door. The remaining students will exit out the main entrance to board their buses.

EARLY RELEASE DAYS

During the school year there are two days when students are dismissed at 11:30.  Please make sure that your child knows where he/she should go when school is dismissed.  These arrangements should be made well in advance and children should understand your directions thoroughly.

ROUTINE PICK-UP PROCEDURE

This procedure is in place for the routine activities (scouts every Monday or dance every Thursday) that remain in effect for the entire school year.  To eliminate the need for parents to stand in line and sign your child out on each of those days every week, you can fill out an “Autumn Lane Routine Pick-Up” form so that your child can be dismissed as a walker on those days you designate.  It is a practice that will be very beneficial for parents and students.  When a form is completed, your child’s teacher gets a copy and is aware of which days your child is to be released as a walker.  The original is kept on file in the office.  It is up to you to tell your child if he/she is to meet you in the cafeteria.  Please be aware that an adult must come into the building to pick up all students.  They will not be released without an adult accompanying them. Extra forms are available in the office.

STUDENT DROP-OFF / PICK-UP DOOR PROCEDURE

We strongly encourage families to have their child/ren ride the bus to and from school. Our parking facilities are not designed to accommodate additional vehicles and traffic during arrival and dismissal times. In the event that a child must be dropped off or picked up, please use the parking spaces in the smaller parking area to the right of the bus loop.  The traffic circle is closed to traffic 8:00-8:35 a.m. and 2:45-3:15 p.m.  PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.  Do not park your car in the circle at any time.  This area must be kept clear for school busses and children who are using the crosswalks.  Individuals parked in this area will be asked to move.  Please drive carefully whenever on school property.

CODE OF CONDUCT

A copy of the District Code of Conduct Plain Language Summary is included in the August mailing and will also be sent home with each child on the first day of school. Please familiarize yourself with the entire document. The full length Code of Conduct can be accessed on the District website at www.greece.k12.ny.us and then clicking on “District” and “Student Services.” We specifically want to reinforce the fact that NO electronic devices should come to school. These include handheld electronic games, cells phones, MP3 Players, IPods, and others.  Also, also please be aware that inappropriate/negative messages on t-shirts have no place in our school, where we stress Asset development for everyone.

STUDENT DRESS CODE

Please refer to the “Dress for Success” document, which details Greece Central School District dress code expectations. Information about the District Dress Code is also included in the District Code of Conduct.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING

Since emergency situations cannot be predicted, it is essential to establish alternative plans and use good judgment and avoid panic during the crisis.  The school personnel will do everything possible to see that your child gets home safely.  During an emergency situation, do not call the school about closings unless it is absolutely critical.  This ties up the phone lines and hampers communication for emergency service.  Local TV and radio stations will broadcast this information, and it will be posted on the District website and on the PTA List Serve.

In the event the Superintendent of Schools makes a decision to close schools early, parents/guardians will be notified via our Connect-Ed phone/email system.

Decisions to close school prior to morning bus runs are usually made by 5:30 a.m. by the Superintendent of Schools.  Announcements are made by local radio and television stations beginning about 6:00 AM.  Please remember -- our primary consideration is your child’s safety. It is imperative that parents keep the school office informed of any/all phone number changes throughout the year.

BUS BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege and requires the cooperation of parent and child.  Your child is expected to adhere to the posted rules and be courteous to all.  Please review these rules with your child.  You are notified immediately if your child is involved in any action that endangers the welfare and/or safety of others.

Safety Rules:

1. Follow driver’s directions the first time they are given.
2. Stay in your seat.
3. Use polite language and actions at all times.
4. Keep head, hands and feet inside bus and to yourself.                
5. No drinking or eating on the bus.
6. Use a quiet voice and appropriate language only.
7. Be at bus stop on time.

Rewards:

Praise

A safe bus ride to and from school

Consequences:

Each driver reinforces behavior expectations.  However, should this prove unsuccessful, the driver will complete a bus referral form that will be delivered to the school principal and/or assistant principal for action.  Repeated bus referrals for inappropriate behavior may result in suspension of the student's bus riding privileges.  Parents will be responsible for transporting their child during this time. 

BUS TRANSPORTATION

The Transportation Department will notify you of your child's bus assignments in August.  All bus riders will be dismissed to their assigned buses at 3:05 p.m. unless a written note is received from the parent instructing the school otherwise.  No child will be allowed to go home with a walker or with another adult without written parent permission.

ONLY children who are assigned to a particular bus may ride that bus. After school social arrangements must be handled by parents using private transportation.  The transportation department cannot accommodate children switching buses or bus stops for after school social activities.

The safe transportation of children is the major objective of our transportation department.  At the primary level, during the first few weeks of school, you can help get your child safely to and from school by placing a name tag on him/her (include bus number, teacher/room number), reviewing the appropriate bus number(s) and getting to the bus stop early.  At the end of the school day, building staff always assist the children onto the proper buses.

To help get all personal items to school and home safely, be sure your child has a tote bag or back pack labeled with his/her name.  Children may only carry items onto the bus that will fit in their laps.  To prevent injuries, sharp objects and glass are prohibited.

BREAKFAST / LUNCH PROGRAMS

Hot lunches are available on a daily basis (current prices will be listed on the monthly menu).  District lunch menus are sent home with the children.  Toasted cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches may be substituted for the main entree on any day.  Milk is also available for students not buying the hot lunch.  Free or reduced cost lunches are available for qualifying families.  Applications are available in the main office.

Breakfast is also available on a daily basis. Current prices will be listed on the monthly menu.  The District breakfast menu will be sent home with the students.  If a child qualifies for the free or reduced lunch program, the child is automatically eligible for a free or reduced breakfast.

The prepaid lunch and breakfast option is available for your convenience.  To participate, a student brings in money for prepaid meals.  At meal time, the student will give his/her student number (which remains the same for grades K-12) to the cashier.  When the child uses the last prepaid meal, a reminder notice is sent home with the student. Checks in the minimum amount of $10.00 are accepted for prepayment.  Make checks payable to Greece Central School District and indicate Food Service in the memo section of the check. We ask that these prepaid meals be purchased before Call to Colors and not during lunch time.

Due to our bank's policy, we do not accept Canadian money.  All prices are subject to change.

CAFETERIA RULES

1. Only eat and/or touch your own food.
2. Remain seated at your table.
3. Take care of your garbage and politely remind others to do the same before leaving the table.
4. Behave in line while waiting for the lunch monitor to walk you to recess.
5. Use quiet inside voices at all times.
6. No throwing food or other objects.

Positive reinforcement is used to encourage students to behave appropriately.

Parents are always welcome to enjoy lunch with their children in the cafeteria. Parents are also welcome to join their children for outside recess activities.

RECESS PRACTICES

It is the philosophy of Autumn Lane staff that a vital part of a student's educational well being encompasses both academic and social aspects of development.  We provide a balanced approach to offering activities for learning.

1.     All students enjoy a time of recess as part of the regularly scheduled lunch period.

2.     The timing of additional recess will be at the discretion of the classroom teacher.

3.     Weather permitting, recess will take place outside. Please be sure that your child has a hat, gloves, boots, etc. during cooler weather.    

Recess Rules

•          Play in a manner that reduces risk of injury.

•          When recess ends, students are to stop what they are doing and line up quickly.

•          Settle differences peacefully.

•          Show respect for others and follow instructions given by lunch monitors.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Prior to your child’s birthday, we recommend that you speak to the classroom teacher to plan a celebration that is appropriate to share with the class.  Please do not send in any “goody bags”; an appropriate item would be something like a pencil and should not cost more than 50 cents.  Be sure to communicate with the classroom teacher prior to making plans to send in any items and to learn of any food allergies in the classroom.

A class list with addresses (not phone numbers) will be made available.  If you choose not to have your child’s name and address listed, please contact your child’s teacher.  Party invitations are not to be distributed at school.

Flowers and/or balloons should not be sent to school.  If received they will be held in the office until dismissal.  Please note that these items cannot go home on the bus.

HOLIDAY PARTIES

In support of the Greece Central School District curricula and in recognition of the excitement holidays can provide for a child, classroom celebrations may occur. These events will incorporate the vitality of the seasons associated with a range of holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and/or Easter. 

Teachers and room coordinators will work together on the planning of such events. This will include ensuring that children with allergies and food sensitivities have appropriate food choices. For children with severe food allergies, strict avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction. Only store bought items may be served so that ingredient labels can be checked for any potential allergen.  While religious holidays may be acknowledged during these parties, no actions will be taken to promote or inhibit religion.  Alternate activities will be provided in the event that a parent objects to his/her child participating in a particular celebration.

HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICIES

A child's ability to learn is influenced by his/her health status.  School nurses address the health related needs of the student by providing health assessment and intervention, health education and health counseling.

Our school nurse is assigned full time to Autumn Lane School and will assess first aid needs and notify parents, when necessary, of health office visits.  If your child must be taken home due to illness, a parent or designee needs to pick the child up within a reasonable amount of time.  The child must be signed out at the reception desk in the foyer.  Each year screening is also completed on each student as required by New York State law (vision, hearing, height, weight, and scoliosis).  Please keep the nurse updated on medical conditions (i.e. bee sting/other serious allergy, asthma, chicken pox, strep throat, pink eye, etc.) that your child(ren) may develop.

State law requires physical examinations to be completed on all children entering Kindergarten, 2^nd grade, and 4^th grade.  The pink Greece Central Health Appraisal form must be completed by the physician and returned to the health office.  Any child who has not presented proof of physical during these grades will need to have the mandated physical examination completed at school.

MEDICATION IN SCHOOL

Any medication in the possession of a student, including items such as Tylenol and cough drops, is a potential source of danger to the entire school population.  In all cases where a student is observed with any type of medication in his/her possession, it will be confiscated and the parent will contacted.

ALL prescription and non-prescription (over the counter) medications must be delivered to the nurse by an adult along with:

1.     The “Permission for the Use of Medication in School” form OR the physician's written/fax request in which the frequency and dosage of the prescribed medicine is indicated (a prescription bottle label is not acceptable).  A new order is required each time the medication is ordered or the dosage is changed.

2.     The parent's written request to administer the medication as prescribed by the physician OR the signed “Permission for the Use of Medication in School” form.

3.     Medication must be in the pharmacy-filled bottle (ask your pharmacist for an extra prescription bottle for school use).  Non-prescription medication must be in the original unopened package.

4.     2 small pictures of the student for identification purposes.

5.     If it is necessary to give a fraction of a tablet (i.e. 1/2 or 1/4 tablet), the medication needs to be delivered in that form.

Please call the nurse at 966-4705 between the hours of 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. with any health questions.

LOST AND FOUND ARTICLES

All lost and found articles will be located on a cart in the cafeteria/back hallway area.  We encourage you and your child to frequently check this area.  To avoid unnecessary loss, you are urged to label or mark all your child's items brought to school, e.g., lunch boxes, change purses/wallets, coats, hats, mittens, sneakers, etc.  Please contact the office regarding any lost item of considerable value.  At the close of each school year, any unclaimed items will be donated or discarded, as deemed appropriate.

MAKE-UP WORK FOR STUDENTS

Upon request, Autumn Lane staff members will provide make-up work for short-term absences (i.e. illness, family emergency) that can be done independent of instruction.  Requests for such make-up work must be made by 9:30 a.m. for pick-up at the end of the day.  This work may be sent home with a sibling or other student. 

When asking teachers to prepare work for students who will be missing several days of school, please keep in mind that:

·         long-range instructional plans can change, requiring teachers to make daily instructional decisions

·         new skills are continually being taught and reinforced on a progressive basis

·         children need to attend school on a regular basis to benefit from daily instruction.

Consequently, there is limited value for children to complete a large number of work papers or assignments on their own, without teacher instruction or direction.

As you know, your child’s school attendance is important for his/her school success.  If you choose to take extended vacations, other than those scheduled on the school calendar, your child will miss a great deal of important instruction.  Rather than sending home assignments prior to the planned vacation, it would be more beneficial to recommend some activities your child can do during this period of time that you are assuming responsibility for his/her education.  These activities include:

1.         Keeping a daily diary, journal, or travel log.  Pages could be illustrated along with including picture     postcards or other mementos.  This will encourage your child to use and expand his/her language           skills.    Your child will need your help and guidance to make this a worthwhile experience.  The  

            diary, journal, or log can be brought to school and shared with the teacher and classmates.

2.         Making collections of shells, rocks, sea life specimens, etc.  Labeling and mounting appropriate

            items.  Older children could research some items found to broaden their knowledge in that area.

3.         Making graphs, keeping records, e.g. gas mileage, routes taken, miles traveled.

4.         Recording visits to historic sites, talking about how it relates to topics covered in school.

5.         Reading books to stimulate interest and strengthen reading skills.  We encourage you to read to or  with your child on a regular basis.

Upon return to the classroom, we will make every effort to instruct your child in the skills he/she has missed.  However, we encourage you to take advantage of the schedule of vacations and take advantage of every day of school attendance.

PTA

Autumn Lane has a very active, involved and supportive PTA. The Executive Board for 2009-10 is as follows

President Erin Carey: 585-723-3202

Vice President Leann Wilson:  585-227-9833        

Treasurer Jennifer Lombardo: 585-865-1061

Corresponding Secretary Lori-Anne Nassivera: 585-720-0527

The PTA directs a membership drive each year and the goal is for 100% family membership. They also direct fundraising in the fall, which helps to fund many activities for all of our students. PTA is always in need of volunteers to work on committees and/or to chair committees. The following represent the support of the Autumn Lane PTA: