Policies and Procedures

School Hours
Full Day – 8:50-3:51
Early Dismissal (Half Day) – 8:50-12:51

Full Day         Daily Master Schedule                                                       Early Dismissal (Half Day)
8:20-8:48        Buses and Cars Unload                                                                     8:20-8:48
8:50                 Classes Begin / Tardy Bell                                                                 8:50
11:00-11:45    3nd Grade Lunch (11:00-11:25) & Recess (11:25-11:45)              10:00-10:45
11:30-12:15    Pre-K and First Lunch (11:30-11:55) & Recess (11:55-12:15)       10:30-11:15
12:10-12:55    Kindergarten Lunch (12:10-12:35) & Recess (12:35-12:55)          11:10-11:55
12:45-1:30      2nd Grade Lunch (12:45-1:10) & Recess (1:10-1:30)                     11:45-12:30
3:51                 BUSES AND CARS LOAD                                                                    12:51
 

ATTENDANCE & CHECK-OUT POLICIES

Attendance:

●      School attendance is imperative: not only to satisfy requirements of the law but to help ensure student achievement and success. Every missed day of school is a missed opportunity to learn. Kindergarten students are included in these same attendance requirements and MUST attend school dally.

 

●      Elementary students may not miss more than ten (10) days of non-exempted excused absences, unexcused absences, and/or suspensions per year. Students in grades K-8 who miss more than three (3) hours of instructional time during the school day will be considered absent for the entire day.

 

●      Truancy: Any juvenile student who is habitually absent or tardy from school will be reported as a truant child to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance the Family and/or Juvenile Court according to the provisions of Louisiana Children's Code regarding Families in Need of Services (F.I.N.S.).

 

●      Tardiness: Students who frequently arrive late for school lose valuable instructional time, learn unproductive work habits for the future and create needless disruption to the school and classroom setting. Parents are urged to support the academic success of their child by requiring and assisting them to be present all day and on time for school every day.

 

●      By school board policy a student who is unexcused will be marked zero in all subject areas missed during their period of absence.

TYPES OF ABSENCES

There are four types of absences a student may obtain: Type One: Exempted Excused; Type Two: Non-Exempted Excused; Type Three: Unexcused; and Type Four: Suspensions.

Type One Absences: Exempted Excused:

Exempted excused absences are those that allow the student to make up work missed and will not be counted against them in determining whether a student meets attendance requirements. There is no limit to the amount of exempted excused absences a student can incur. The exempted excused absences are defined in the attendance policy as the following:

●      Extended personal, physical or emotional illness verified by a physician licensed in the state.

●      Extended hospital stay verified by a physician licensed in the state.

●      Extended recuperation from an accident verified by a physician licensed in state.

●      Extended contagious disease within family - absence verified by physician licensed in state.

●      Observance of recognized holidays of the student’s own faith (documentation provided).

●      Visitation with a parent who is a member of the United States Armed Forces or National Guard as described in the District Handbook.

●      Travel for educational purposes must be approved prior to travel with supporting documentation submitted to the principal. Verification of the educational experience must be submitted upon return to school.

●      Death in the immediate family with documentation (May not exceed 5 absences).

●      National catastrophe and/or disaster

●      Quarantine

Type Two Absences: Non-Exempted Excused:

Non-exempted excused absences are those incurred due to personal illness or serious illness documented by parental notes. These absences allow the student to make up work missed but are counted in the allotted 10 absences.

Type Three Absences: Unexcused: 

Unexcused absences are absences where a note is not provided to the principal, a note is provided outside of the specified time or fails to meet the criteria to be excused. Students are not allowed to make up work for grading purposes and will be given failing grades for those days missed. These absences also count against the student when determining whether the student meets attendance requirements.

Type Four Absences: Suspensions:

Suspensions are non-exempted absences. Students are allowed to make up work for partial credit when suspended from school. These absences count against the student when determining whether the student meets attendance requirements.

ABSENCES PROCEDURES

Excuses for all absences must be presented in writing to the school principal or designee within two (2) days of returning from the absence. The note must include the student's Full name, days of absence, reason for absence and/or doctor’s verification parent/guardian signature and date of signature. Failure to send the note will result in the student not being able to make up missed coursework, and zeros for that work will be given. It is not necessary to call the school on the day of your child’s absence, instead, upon return, send a written excuse as it applies to the type of absence.

Make-up Work Procedures:

If a student will be out two (2) or more days, please contact the school/teacher, by phone or email, and assignments can be made available for pick up. Please give 24 hours’ notice so that teachers will have an opportunity to gather the appropriate materials and write out the assignments. Most assignments will not be available until after 3:00 pm. Please contact the office before coming to the school to find out if the material is available.

While we want to do all that we can to assist students who miss school, we do not want to interrupt the instructional program within the classroom.

Seat Time Recovery Requirements:

Students in danger of failing due to excessive absences may be allowed to make-up missed seat time held outside of the regular school day. The makeup sessions must be completed before the end of the year for elementary students.

All parents will be notified the day of the absence through a computer-generated message when students are absent. After the tenth (10) absence which includes non-exempted excused unexcused and/or suspensions, the school will notify parents/guardians of the seat time recovery requirements.

Check-in Procedures:

Duty teachers will monitor the Back Carline Loop daily until 8:48am.  At that time, duty teachers will collect all remaining students to enter the building as the Administrator closes the Carline gates.

●     Following the Carline Gates being closed, parents will be required to park in the Front Loop of Campus to walk their child onto Campus.

Any student not seated in their classroom by the 8:50 bell to begin the instructional day may be counted as Tardy.

Children arriving at/after the 8:50  Tardy Bell will be required to be formally checked in at the Front Office with an adult to receive an admit slip for class.

●      At/After 8:50 am, parents must park in an identified parking spot in the Front Loop to accompany their child to check-in as tardy in the Front Office.

●      No student will report to campus tardy for school without the accompaniment of a parent/guardian.  Parents will be called back to the school to comply should the student be dropped off after 8:50 unescorted.  No exceptions.

Tardy (Any student not seated in class at the 8:50 Bell to start the Instructional Day)

●      A student will be issued a tardy slip before reporting to class. If the reason for being late is due to personal illness, doctor's appointment, religious holidays of the student's own faith, serious illness in the family, or death in the family, the tardy is considered EXCUSED.

●      If a student does not have an adequate reason for being late, he/she is given an UNEXCUSED tardy slip.  The same reasons for excused absences apply to tardies. Please note that tardies include anytime a child is checked in or out during the instructional day.

●      The St. Tammany Parish School Board utilizes an automated calling system for attendance.  If your child is checked in after attendance has been posted, you will receive a call stating that your child is absent.  If you feel this is an error, please call the office to confirm your child is in class.

●      SCHOOL BOARD POLICY:  A student who is unexcused will be marked Zero in all subject areas during the period of attendance.

Check-Out Procedures

Students will only be permitted to be checked out from School by their parent, legal guardian or authorized person(s) designated on the Emergency Card.

Office personnel will initiate the checkout procedure by calling the student to the office after the authorized person presents proof of identification. The authorized person will then sign the student out on the check-out log. Please plan to allow the office 10-15 minutes for your child to pack and come to the office.

⮚     The only acceptable excuses for checking out are:

●      Personal illness

●      Doctor’s appointments

●      Court appearances

●      Special reasons authorized by the principal

⮚     Unacceptable excuses for checking out are:

●      Errands with parents or avoiding PM carlines

●      Vacations

●      Activities that are not school approved

●      If a student returns to school on the same day after checking out, a parent/guardian must accompany the student to the office to sign-in and receive an admit slip.

 

Check-Ins/ Check-Outs:  All check- ins and check-outs happen in the Front Office. Please bring your license with you to check out a child. If there is someone other than the parent/guardian picking up the child, please ensure they are on the emergency card. Our LAST CHECK OUT TIME IS 3:15 daily, please ensure all students that need to be picked up prior to dismissal are ready by 3:15pm.

 

CHILD CARE SERVICES

      Child Care Directors:

AM Director - Mrs. Suzi Kloiber:  Suzanne.Kloiber@stpsb.org

PM Director - Mrs. Mae Arthur:  Mae.Arthur@stpsb.org

The phone number for child care services is 985-502-3529. This number will only be answered during Child Care times. Please note AM/PM Directors will not be able to check emails while in AM/PM care.

A.M. Child Care – 6:50am – 8:20am $100.00 per month/per child	P.M. Child Care – 3:51pm – 6:00pm $155.00 per month/per child

3 or more days per week is considered full time

AM/PM Care services will start the week of Aug 15, 2022.  

Childcare Program Details:

AM/PM Care Registration forms will be sent home in 1st Day packets and will be available electronically on our School’s Website under the Childcare Tab for families in need of this support.

●      The parents of registered students MUST receive an email from either Program Director prior to starting AM/PM Care.

●      Payment is due on the 1st of each month.

●      Unpaid payments will result in a late fee of $20.00 after the 5th of the month.

●      If payment is not made by the 10th of the month, your child will not be permitted to AM/PM Care until payment is made. Timely payment is the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Repeated late payments will result in removal from the program.

●      The Child Care program will follow the same school calendar as the school, with the following exceptions:

o   Aftercare services will NOT be provided on ½ days of school.

o   Afterschool care will NOT be provided on the Fridays of the local Mardi Gras Parades.

AM Care: 6:50 - 8:20 am

Children arriving to Campus before 8:20am MUST attend morning/before care. 

●     For safety reasons, parents/guardians MUST walk their child onto Campus to be signed-into AM Care daily

PM (After Care) 3:51 - 6:00 pm

●     Aftercare check-out begin at 4:25 pm daily following PES’s Bus Dismissal

●     Students will only be released from PM Care to an authorized individual on the child’s Emergency Contact Card after verification with personal identification

●     Due to safety concerns with day to day transportation, Pre-K and Kindergarten students may only attend aftercare on a full-time monthly basis.

●     PM/AfterCare Drop-Ins (Later Parent pick-up from Carline / Student returned to Campus from Buses) will incur a progressive fee for after-hours supervision:

○     Children not picked up in Carline each afternoon by 4:21 pm or students be returned by STPPS buses due to a parent/guardian not being at the designated bus stop will be supervised after hours in the PES after care program. The following progression of related Drop-In Fees will be charged to parents via MyPaymentsPlus for repeated occurrences:

■          1^st - documented warning about carline pick up times

■          2^nd - $10 fee per child

■          3^rd - $15 fee per child

■          4^th - $25 fee per child

■         5^th - FINS referral  **FINS (Families In Need of Services) is part of the Youth Service    Bureau, an agency that helps families reach their full potential.**

●     Afterschool care ends at 6:00 pm. Any pickup after 6:00 pm will incur a late fee: $15 for 1-15 minutes, $30 for 15-30 minutes and so on. After 30 minutes, Administration and Local Law Enforcement will notified.

Students will not be permitted to attend before or after care if:

o   students are picked up late more than THREE TIMES PER YEAR from after care.

o   the Child Care Director has documented three behaviors (on PES “short forms” for minor behaviors) that impact the safety and welfare of students and/or staff members.

o   PES administration, with the consultation of Child Care Directors, determines that a major incident has occurred warranting the further removal of the student from before or after care programs.

DISCIPLINE

Every student is responsible for adhering to the St. Tammany Parish Handbook on Attendance, Discipline and Student Records.  A is available upon request and digital copies are online at STPSB’s Information for Parents Website (second link in the left column).  Parents should use this resource as a guide when accessing STPSB disciplinary policies.

FIELD TRIPS

●      When field trips are scheduled, written permission must be given by the parent or legal guardian and a fee paid for the student to attend.

●      Field trip fees are used to pay for bus transportation and admission to the scheduled  field trip site. As per District guidelines, students may only travel to and from Field Trips on the School Bus

●      A deadline for payment will always accompany the permission slip. This deadline is final. Please do not ask to turn in a late payment. The deadline must be strictly enforced. The reason for the deadline is because all admission payments must be made in advance. Ample time will be given to pay any fees.

●      Depending on the space limitations of selected trips, allotted Field Trip chaperones permitted will vary. Teachers will randomly select parent chaperones in a fair and equitable way to ensure equal access for all interested parents. The teacher will notify you in advance if you have been selected as a chaperone. The purpose of the chaperone is to supervise a class group of 4-6 students.

●      All chaperones must come to the office and sign in to receive a name tag.

●      If the field trip requires a chaperone fee, you will be notified of how to pay.

●      Chaperones MUST provide their own transportation and fill out a chaperone form.

●      Only children enrolled at Pontchartrain Elementary School may attend school-sponsored field trips (NO SIBLINGS).

●      To attend a school field trip, ALL STUDENTS MUST RIDE THE BUS. SCHOOL POLICY IS THAT STUDENTS LEAVE FOR FIELD TRIPS TOGETHER AND RETURN TOGETHER ON THE BUS.

●      PARENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO CHECK A CHILD OUT DURING A FIELD TRIP. (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.)

●      Parents do not take pictures or videos of any children other than your own, due to confidentiality laws.

FOOD SERVICES

Parents dropping off a student lunch will place the lunch box (with the child’s name clearly on the box) in the front office.  Follow the step-by-step instructions in the front office.  Attach the appropriate delivery sheet on it in the front office.  The front office staff will ensure it is delivered to the student before or at their assigned lunch time.

 Cafeteria Reminders:

As a school based decision due to safety and student privacy concerns, parents and guests are not permitted to attend Breakfast with students.

Beginning the week of September 12th, 2022, parents and Guests will be permitted to eat lunch with their child. This time is to allow the students to adjust to their new daily routines and to build independence and positive relationships with peers.

Younger siblings are not allowed to eat with their siblings.  Do not bring younger siblings/children to eat with students.  This is your time with your PES child. Make it a special time for them alone. You may ONLY eat with your child, not with your child’s friends, due to allergy, safety and student privacy/confidentiality.

●      Parents dropping off a student lunch will fill out a Delivery Slip and give it to office personnel.  They will get it to the teacher.   No student contact is required.

●      Your child is not required to eat a school breakfast or lunch.  He/she may bring their lunch from home.

●      Currently, grade level classes are rotating between lunches in the café and lunches being delivered to classrooms due to social distancing guidelines. 

●      For questions regarding menu, or menu changes please call the cafeteria directly at 985-674-0983 between the hours of 7:00am and 2:00pm.

Lunch Money: 

FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, THERE WILL BE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS!

GRADING SCALE

Kindergarten

●      A District letter is sent home explaining the report card process at the end of the 1^st 9-wk. grading quarter.

●      Report Cards are given for the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th nine-week periods.

●      Students will receive grades for Reading, English Language Arts and Mathematics, Conduct Social/Emotional Development and Fine Motor Development

●      The grading policy for Kindergarten students is as follows:

O     Outstanding / Meets or exceeds stated goals

S     Satisfactory / Meets stated goals Progress

N     Needs support / Progressing toward stated goals

1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Grade

●      Report Cards will be given for the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th nine-week periods.

●      Grades A, B, C, D, F will be assigned in Math, Reading, Language, Spelling, Science and Social Studies for each of the four quarter marking periods

●      The grading policy is as follows:

A   93-100                  S   Satisfactory

B   85-92                    N   Needs Improvement

C   75-84

D   67-74

F   66 and below

(Items not marked (-) are considered meeting stated goals.)

Promotional Requirements:

●      Kindergarten students will be promoted if they show satisfactory progress at the end of the 4^th quarter grading period. Students showing Needs Support / Progressing towards stated goals on all available criteria will be referred to the SBLC to determine promotion or retention.

●      If a 1^st Grade student receives an “F” in reading or math as indicated on the fourth grading period, the Student Building Level Committee (SBLC) shall review available data pertaining to the student’s reading or math proficiency to determine promotion or retention.

●      2^nd and 3^rd Grade students For Grades 2 and 3, in order to be promoted the student shall pass Reading and Math and any two of these subjects: Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Students not showing proficiency based on all available criteria will be referred to the SAT to determine promotion or retention.

LOST ITEMS

●      Please put your child’s name on ALL of the personal property that he/she brings to school (coats, sweaters, school bags), so that we can keep lost property to a minimum.

●      We do have a lost and found location.  (In the hallway between the Gym and Library).Items found will be placed in that location. Any items left at the end of each quarter will be donated to local charities.

●      Children should only bring what is required for the day’s activities. We ask that TOYS, EXPENSIVE JEWELRY, or any other distractions be left at home. Each child is responsible for their own personal property.

MEDICAL PROCEDURES

Contagious Conditions:

⮚    Please DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WITH FEVER, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, LICE, OR OTHER SYMPTOMS OF A CONTAGIOUS CONDITIONS. You will be contacted to pick your child up if they display signs of being sick or has a temperature of 100^o or more. 

●      It is not necessary to call the school to notify us your child is absent, unless it is an extended illness of three days or more.

●      If your child has a communicable disease, please inform the school as soon as possible. It is necessary for the school to monitor the other students/staff that were exposed to the disease.

●      We request that no child be sent to school until he/she has been free of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for a minimum of 24 hours.

Injuries:

●      The office personnel will assess injuries and give band aids and/or ice packs on an as-needed-basis.

●      Any injury above the neck warrants a phone call to the parent/guardian.

Lice:

Medication Policy:

●      Students will not be allowed to have any medicine in their possession at school. This includes prescription and non-prescription medication, such as cough drops, eye/ear drops, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, creams of all kinds, medicated lip balm, etc.

●      School personnel cannot and will not administer medication unless special circumstances exist for a health problem. 

●      Act 87 relative to the administration of medication in the school, mandates the following criteria be met prior to prescription OR non-prescription medication being dispensed in the school setting (forms are available in the PES office):

o   A current written order from a Louisiana licensed physician/dentist

o   A current written authorization from the parent/guardian

o   Medication must be delivered to the school by a responsible parent/guardian during school hours.

o   Medication must be received in bottle/package with label attached and counted by authorized school personnel in the presence of the responsible parent/guardian during school hours.

Transportation Change Notes: For the safety of our students, all transportation changes must be sent and communicated in a handwritten note by 12 o’clock noon the day of the change. All transportation changes must be made by the parent/guardian on the child's emergency card.

Visitors and Identification:

●      The only non-PES/STPSB employees allowed on campus are essential visitors (parents/guardians who have been given direct permission to be on campus for a parent-teacher-conference, a TAT/SBLC/504/IEP meeting, or other principal approved meeting/conference) and volunteers cleared through STPSB central office. 

●      All visitors/volunteers are required to sign in and secure a visitor’s pass.

●      To receive a visitor’s pass, you must provide a picture ID in the office.

●      The picture ID must be used every time to print a name badge. The district’s electronic identification system allows school officials to scan a visitor’s driver’s license/ identification card, in order to track visitor entry and exit, prepare visitor badges and link visitors to the National Registry of Sex Offenders.

●      When your visit is over, you must sign out in the office.

●      Anyone on campus without a visitor’s pass will be asked to return to the office. 

o   Anyone given permission to be on campus as an essential visitor (with a visitor’s pass from the front office) is to proceed directly to the agreed upon location upon entry.  Upon the conclusion of the meeting or conference the approved visitor is to report directly to the front office to sign out.  Failure to comply with this policy will result in the school administration limiting future visits.

●      Please remind grandparents, older siblings and special friends to have a picture ID when they visit PES. No one will be permitted past the office without a picture ID.

●      ONLY PERSONS LISTED ON THE EMERGENCY CARD MAY CHECK YOUR CHILD OUT.

●      Visitors who wish to enhance the instructional program are welcomed at school.

●      For obvious safety reasons, visitors ARE NOT ALLOWED to enter the playground.

●      Parents are not allowed to enter the classrooms before or after school hours unless an appointment has been scheduled.

●      Restroom Policy: For the safety of students, adults must use the office restrooms only. Any incidents of this policy being ignored should be reported to the school administration immediately.

Volunteers:   

●      The front office staff is in charge of our volunteer parent program with permission and guidance from the school administration. We expect many hours to be logged at our school by terrific parents and grandparents.

o   Our volunteer parent program allows more individualized instruction and really helps our teachers.

o   If you are interested, the office will send out a sign-up letter after school begins. We really appreciate our great volunteers!

o   It is our firm belief at Pontchartrain Elementary that a partnership between parents and the school is an essential element in providing the best education possible for each student.

o   To this end, we have developed an extensive parental involvement program and sincerely encourage parents to become actively engaged in the education of their child and the children of Pontchartrain Elementary.

o   The PES Parental Involvement Program includes opportunities for communication, participation in school activities, volunteering, and participation in decision-making processes.

o   All volunteers must sign in at the office and wear a visitor pass.

o   All volunteers are required to complete a Confidentiality Form for the protection of our students and their families’ privacy. These forms are kept in the office.

o   Volunteer parents will want to wear comfortable clothing. However, extremely SHORT SHORTS and EXERCISE CLOTHING are NOT appropriate for school.

o   We strongly request that volunteer parents refrain from using cell phones at school unless in an emergency situation.

o    No pictures or video are allowed.