School Handbook

2006/2007

TES Philosophy

Thetford Elementary School seeks to serve the town of Thetford by developing each child in our care to his/her fullest potential academically, socially, emotionally and physically. It is our purpose to give each child an excellent foundation in the basic academic areas while simultaneously encouraging inquisitiveness, the acceptance of responsibility, an understanding of self, an increasing awareness of the world around us, an appreciation of basic values, and the ability to formulate sound judgments.

It is our belief at Thetford Elementary School that learning should take place in a friendly and personal atmosphere and with the use of a wide variety of methods and materials. Learning should be interesting and offer a high degree of student involvement. A strong and caring relationship should exist between and among all members of the school community: students, parents, staff and school board members.

We believe the development of each child should occur in an accepting, stimulating and creative environment. We recognize each child as an individual and believe that our instructional program should encourage his/her uniqueness and foster pride in his/her own self worth. Thetford Elementary School should be a place where all students, teachers and staff members are able to realize their own value in the educational process.

A Nondiscriminatory School

It is the policy of Thetford Elementary School not to discriminate in educational programs, activities or employment practices on the basis of race, language, sex or handicapping condition under the provisions of Title VI of the 1972 Educational Amendments; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.

For a complete version of this policy, see posting on the main lobby bulletin board.

Academic Program

Thetford Elementary School takes its academic mission very seriously. We provide the skills and understandings of an accredited elementary school. Vermont defines these in the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities which consists of standards in the following areas:

Vital Results

¥ Communication (listening, speaking, reading and writing)

¥ Reasoning and Problem Solving

¥ Personal Development

¥ Civic/Social Responsibility

Fields of Knowledge

¥ Science, Mathematics and Technology

¥ Arts, Language and Literature

¥ History and Social Sciences

In addition, the school has a physical and health education program.

The Learning Opportunities further identify core principles of learning which govern the manner in which teaching and learning actually happen in the classroom. These core principles are as follows:

¥ Learning will be balanced.

¥ Learning opportunities will be equitable.

¥ Learning will be active.

¥ Learning will connect disciplines.

¥ Learning will happen in a variety of ways.

A copy of The Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities may be obtained from the Vermont Department of Education web site at www.state.vt.us/educ. Select from the drop down menu at Educators and Administrators.

Curriculum and teaching practice are constantly being updated to align with the Vermont Standards and meet the challenges of recent research. The curriculum is on file in the school library and is available to all families upon request. The Course of Studies will be dispersed to all families at the Fall Open House. This booklet identifies key themes and topics under study in all core areas.

Sensitive and Controversial Issues

Thetford Elementary School recognizes that some of the material covered in our curriculum may be sensitive for some individuals. Public schools, however, are charged with responsibility to educate children broadly for a diverse society. Within that responsibility, we believe that parents/guardians have a right to inform us of aspects of their value system which may be compromised by such a charge. Furthermore, we believe that parents have a right to ask that their children not participate in particular content.

Content which has been of concern in the past has included: the human reproductive system, including transmission of the HIV virus; family life, including roles and responsibilities; stages of life, including birth and death; diverse family patterns in other cultures and ours; varying cultural belief systems; individual responsibility for behavior, including Òworking things outÓ with peers.

In addition, there are daily exchanges between children, and between children and teachers. These exchanges are unplanned and may touch on deeply personal and controversial issues. When a staff member is party to such an exchange, it is that adultÕs responsibility to minimize fear and confusion, and then to advance the discussion toward an area of general constructive educational worth.

We have established the following procedures for parents to follow should they have a concern about an area of the curriculum, a school expectation or an instructional procedure.

1. Teacher Newsletters: Teachers will make a concerted effort to be alert to the issues about which parents might, in general, be concerned. They will inform parents/guardians of upcoming lessons that might be sensitive.

2. Prior Notification: If you can anticipate an area which might cause your child or you significant distress, please send us a letter stating the concern. We will keep your letter in your childÕs permanent file for subsequent teachers to review.

3. Teacher Informational Meetings: In the case of units where we can realistically predict parental questions, the school will hold informational meetings at which parents may hear about the topic and the instructional approach. These meetings provide parents with an opportunity to ask questions and to review materials.

4. Permission to Participate: For material that is considered a potentially controversial addition to the regular curriculum, we will ask parental permission. In these cases, if we do not receive your permission, your child will not be allowed to participate. The school remains responsible for your childÕs welfare during these times. For material that is a regular part of the curriculum, however, such as most of the issues listed above, we will not ask parental permission.

5. Right NOT to Participate: You may ask to have your child withdrawn from a particular lesson or unit. We will usually try to speak with you about our reasons for including the material in the curriculum, but will respect your final decision.

6. Parental Appeal: As with any school concern, parents should follow the Òchain of commandÓ listed on page 10.

Special Education

Thetford Elementary School abides by all laws and regulations pertaining to the education of handicapped individuals. For information that may not be available through school personnel, contact Wendy Hovey, Superintendent, or Brian Carroll, Assistant Superintendent for Student Support at the Orange East Supervisory Union office in Bradford Vermont (222-5216).

Library/Technology

All TES students are scheduled for time in the Library/Technology Center which is staffed by both a teacher and paraprofessional. Our TES Library holdings include books, magazines, audio tapes, videos and compact disks. Our resources will appeal to a broad range of ages, interests and reading levels. We are constantly updating our collection and also partner with Thetford Academy and both the Peabody and Latham libraries to share materials. The Vermont interlibrary loan system is also accessible through our library.

There is Internet access at the school in the library and all classrooms and an Acceptable Use Policy for grades 3-6. The Acceptable Use Policy is sent home annually for parent and student signatures.

Students may return and borrow books during their weekly classes or on a daily basis. Community members are most welcome to borrow, too.

Lost library materials are expected to be replaced or paid for by the borrower.

Volunteers are always welcome in the library. Please contact Mary Wunderlich for further information.

Playground

Recess has been a favorite time of day for generations of school children. It can, however, be a difficult time for many. With childrenÕs games predominating, the rules need to be more fluid than in an organized competitive program. Basic school rules of thoughtfulness, fairness and kindness still prevail, but there are more than the usual opportunities for children to get angry over a real or perceived wrong. Behavior rules are posted, and are reviewed with children in their classrooms. These rules are:

¥ Have fun ¥ Be prepared

¥ Be respectful ¥ Be thoughtful

¥ Be safe ¥ Know the limits

The objective of recess time is to allow exercise and play without injury. Playground activities are supervised by at least one adult (in the case of a single class recess), and two or three adults (in the case of larger group recesses where we aim for about one adult per 40 children). Students should always be appropriately dressed for the season and weather. Temperature and wind chill are monitored to make certain that children are not sent out in inappropriate weather conditions. Please know, however, that if the temperature is above zero, including wind the chill factor, the children are likely to go outside for fresh air.

In the spring and fall, our playground can be very muddy. Even with recent improvements, which have made a difference in the quantity of water and mud, please know that it is impossible to keep children dry and mud-free every school day of the year. We have some extra clothes and appreciate it when children wear boots. There will be times when your children will be told that they cannot go out on the playground without boots and/or other appropriate clothing.

Please be aware that the welfare of children who, with parental permission, stay after school to play are their parentsÕ responsibility, not the schoolÕs. School personnel do not monitor after 3:15 PM. Finally, our playground is a public park. Please remind your children (especially older ones) to respect it as a public space.

Extra-Curricula Activities and Special Programs

Each year there are special programs and events at school. These include during school and after school times and may include family events in the evening sponsored by the school, PTO or other local organizations. Notice of these events is communicated to parents through the Principal's Newsletter, weekly electronic announcements and teacher newsletters. One such program which takes place during the school day was begun last year as a way to introduce and build connections between students of various ages and with adults with whom they may not usually interact. TES Kids Connection generally takes place monthly on Monday afternoons. Students in grades 1-6 are placed in mixed age groups with two adults for team building activities and special projects. Our arts program, where it is integrated into the regular curriculum, provides opportunities for creative recreation of student learning through plays and musicals. We also have school-wide fund raising events to support RIF (Reading is Fundamental, which provides free books to children each year), and other school wide needs.

Other enrichment opportunities for 2006/07 include: the fall performance of two Shakespearean plays for fifth and sixth grade students, a return of "Mud Season Madness" for its third season for students grades 1-6 and embedded opportunities within our regular program which will be facilitated by enrichment personnel. "Mud Season Madness" offers after school opportunities in the arts, crafts, science, social science and athletics. TES also offers an instrumental music program for students in grades 3-6. Lessons in string, woodwind and brass are provided by the school and parents are responsible for instrument rentals. Small scholarships can be made available for families with need. There will be an announcement of this program, providing details shortly after school begins but you may also contact our music teacher for information at her school connection.

In addition to school run programs, Thetford Elementary School provides a base for a number of community activities for children. Among these are the following offerings:

Winter Ski Program: Which includes alpine skiing and snow boarding at The Dartmouth Skiway and usually cross-country skiing at TES (pending acceptable conditions). This program is run by parent volunteers and bus transportation to the Skiway is provided. This year it begins on January 12th 2007 and runs for 8 weeks weather permitting. Students provide their own gear which is dropped off at school on the morning of the program. Skis and boards are not allowed on the bus and must be left outside TES by 8:30 AM along the wall by the cafeteria door so that they don't miss the transport to the Skiway.

Thetford Youth Sports: Again run by parent volunteers, TYS has after school programs in soccer, basketball and baseball. In addition to these a football program will be held at TES this year.

There is a fee for most of these programs. If you are aware of a special program which you feel you cannot afford, please contact the provider or the school to see if some arrangement can be made. We will send information home with the children about availability of special programs.

Thetford After School Program

TASP is a fee-for-service child care program for K-6 graders, directed by Robin Brown and located at TES primarily in the school cafeteria. Its hours are from 3:00 until 5:30 pm. TASP also operates vacation camps when there is enough demand. Contact the school for more information.

Food Service

Breakfast and lunch are available at the school at a cost of $2.25 for each student lunch and $1.75 for each breakfast. Milk comes with a purchased breakfast or lunch, and is available (at a cost of $.35) for snack or with a bag lunch from home. Students whose parents do not make payment will be expected to bring their own lunch from home.

We know that there are many families that can use help paying for school meals. Please take advantage of the free and reduced meal offering by the federal government. Information about this program is sent home on the first day of school each year. A parent or guardian may apply at any point in the year. Information gathered as part of the process for determining eligibility for federal assistance is handled by the Principal and is kept strictly confidential. If you have questions about the free and reduced plan or have difficulty making payment, contact the Food Service Agent or the Principal. The Principal can provide help with the forms and can, in emergencies, provide relief from outstanding bills.

Field Trips

The school recognizes the value of field trips for learning experiences that cannot be provided within the school walls. All such activities are approved on the basis of educational value, feasibility, safety and school liability in keeping with our Field Trip Policy. There is usually fund-raising or a fee attached to a field trip. No child, however, will be excluded from any such trip because of inability to pay.

Parents will be notified ahead of time of trips off campus, and the ÒpermissionÓ slips that are sent home are more accurately ÒnotificationÓ slips. An approved field trip is considered an integral part of the educational program. As such, students in the class are expected to attend. Please make certain that notification slips are returned to school in time, so that we may know that you understand that your child will be away from school. If we do not receive a signed note, and we are unable to contact you, we will make alternative arrangements for your child while his/her class is away. If you have concerns about a trip, please talk with your childÕs teacher.

Our Staff

Thetford Elementary School provides a professional atmosphere for staff and, as a result, has attracted a highly qualified, well-educated and committed faculty. It is our responsibility to maintain that level of quality, education and commitment in our staff. To that end our personnel participate in ongoing staff development courses, institutes and workshops. Some serve as mentors for beginning teachers. Others are working on advanced degrees in areas that will increase their academic knowledge and their professional understanding.

Our extraordinary paraprofessionals help us to be responsive to childrenÕs needs. They make possible some of the most basic tenets of a TES education: individualization, personalized and focused skill work and mainstreaming of children with divergent abilities.

Everyone in the school – teachers, support staff, our secretary and principal will find time to work with you, to answer questions, to listen and to help solve problems. A staff list can be found at the back of this booklet.

Schedule

The school day officially begins at 8:30 AM. Children may not be left at the school before 7:30 AM as there is no adult supervision before that time. Children who arrive before 8:30 are expected to be on the playground or, in the event of inclement weather, in the gymnasium for morning recess. They also have the following options: They may go to the cafeteria where they can eat breakfast for twenty minutes between 7:30 and 8:30; They may go to the library on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00 to 8:30 (see rules below) where they may work quietly on school work or read.

Morning Library Rules:

1. Be courteous & respectful of people, equipment and the environment in which you and others are working.

2. Enter and exit the Library quietly and politely.

3. Find a place to sit and work or read quietly.

4. Ask for help when necessary.

5. Use a shelf marker to return your selected book to its proper place.

6. Place books to return in the ÒReturn CrateÓ.

7. Treat your library and its books with TLC (Tender Loving Care).

8. Computers are not available at this time.

Although the library will be staffed for this early morning alternative, children are expected to work independently and quietly in order to be allowed to participate in this option. They must go directly to the library and be ready with books or schoolwork and should not expect to go to classrooms. In the event there are too many students wishing to participate in this option for seating and staffing, the librarian may devise a user schedule.

There is a midmorning snack break at approximately 10:00 a.m. We encourage children to bring healthful, sugar-free snacks. At midday children eat lunch and have a substantial recess. Classroom teachers of the primary grades also may provide a short midmorning outdoor break, especially on days when their children do not have a scheduled physical education class.

Lunch is from 11:30 until 12:50, with four seatings of approximately 20 minutes each. Most children get about 30 minutes of recess time following lunch.

The school day is officially over at 3:00 p.m., with buses leaving at 3:10. Children will be escorted by their teacher to the front exits where they will board buses under the supervision of support staff. Children who are to be picked up by an adult will be dismissed from the gym corridor door and will wait on the paved walkway by the play structure. No child will leave this walkway until the adult picking him/her up has connected with the child. Please come promptly to this pick up spot before 3:15 so that our staff can continue on with their after school responsibilities. In the event of heavy rain, parents who are picking up children may do so in the gym corridor. Please do not come into the lobby to intercept children as they are being dismissed because this creates confusion for those staff members responsible for seeing to it that all children get to their proper destination. Bicyclers are released from the lobby after the last bus has left the driveway. There must be a written note from a parent or guardian explaining any change in a normal pickup routine. (Please see additional expectations in the section on Buses.) The half day kindergarten program on Fridays ends at 11:30 a.m. REMINDER: There is no bus service on Fridays at 11:30 a.m. for Kindergartners.

Each classroom teacher will send home a class schedule which will include academic work time, lunch and recess, as well as the areas of physical education, art, music, library. Please understand that any number of curriculum projects, including team work with another class, peer tutoring and productions will affect the predictability of a schedule. It is our hope that the basic schedule will help families know when to send gym shoes to school, when to make medical appointments, when to ask their children about certain classes and projects and when to return library materials.

Attendance

Students are required to attend classes for all the days and hours school is in session so that they may benefit from the educational opportunities provided by the school. Regular school attendance is required also for development of sound work habits and character. The State of Vermont has a truancy law which makes any unexcused absence a truancy. Therefore, parents or caregivers need to call us to say that a child is being kept out of school for whatever reason. Parents will be alerted when a child has missed ten school days. The Superintendent will be notified after a student has accumulated fifteen absences. Please note that our policy includes not only Òdays school is in sessionÓ but Òhours school is in session.Ó If a child is consistently late for school, or is consistently picked up before the end of the school day, we will contact you.

Dismissal

Children are released from school to someone other than the parent only with the written or direct personal consent of parents. If your child is to be picked up after school, we must know who the pickup person will be. If there is a change in that routine, we must know that change. Please notify the school of changes as early in the school day as possible. We can not manage last minute change of plans unless it is an emergency.

There are, on occasion, early dismissal days for teacher inservice. These days are posted on your school calendar. Please check that calendar each week to see which days school is in session, and for how much of each day.

In the event of an unscheduled school closing, that occurs during a day when school is already in session, we make every effort to notify parents. Some years parent volunteers have developed a phone tree to help with this effort. If we are unable to reach a parent, we contact people listed on your childÕs emergency card. It is therefore imperative that you provide emergency contact information that is current and workable. During the year, please be sure to notify the school when work or emergency contact numbers change.

School Closing

Deciding whether to close or delay school at 5:00 or 5:30 a.m. is always difficult because conditions can change dramatically in a very short time. The major concern is the safety of the children. If it is deemed not safe for school buses to operate, school will be closed for the day. If you have any concern for your childÕs safety, please keep him/her home. Please be reminded that TES coordinates weather related school closing with Thetford Academy. We seek input for this decision making from both the Thetford Road Commissioner and the bus company.

The radio is the first place we put the news of any delay or cancellation, so it should be your best source of information. Stations that have usually been reliable in reporting our cancellations through the Vermont Broadcasters' centralized system are: WRJT The Point, CMI 96.3, WTSL AM 1400, WGXL FM 92.3, KIXX FM 100.5 and V101.

In the past, volunteers have set up a telephone tree for families. If you do not reach the family you're assigned to call, be sure to notify the next one on the list. TA and TES will also post any change or cancellation message at this web site: www.sover.net If you're looking on the web, check this for its school closings page. You can search by town, or see a

complete list of districts at: http://corp.sover.net.schoolclosings/List_delays.phtml

Please note that if, upon the advice of the Thetford Road Commissioner, the condition of the Thetford roads is expected to improve, the Thetford schools may have a delayed opening. In that case all Thetford students K-12 will begin school at 9:00 which means the bus runs will begin at 7:50 AM. There will be one bus run per route for both TA and TES students.

An early dismissal will only occur when there is an extreme emergency.

Vacations

We recognize the educational and emotional value of family trips and will cooperate with families to accommodate the exceptional trip that conflicts with the school schedule. When making your plans, please keep in mind the value of continuity and completeness of your childÕs schooling .

School Climate

Mission Statement

Thetford Elementary School is committed to creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive, supportive environment. We treat each other with kindness, understanding and empathy. This is demonstrated by listening to one another whether we agree or disagree and by our actions and considerate words.

Members of the TES Community will:

1) Work and play cooperatively.

2) Show self- control and make safe and responsible decisions.

3) Respect rights, feelings and property of others.

4) Express themselves politely.

5) Handle disagreements by listening, acting and speaking in a considerate manner.

Behavior Expectations

Thetford Elementary School has a three-tiered discipline system which is included in this handbook. Please read this carefully with your children so they know what is expected and are aware of consequences for making poor choices. We expect good citizenship from all members of the school community. We believe that individual responsibility and mutual respect are essential to a productive educational environment. The aim of the school discipline philosophy is to provide a caring, respectful and safe environment for all, which complements the TES school philosophy and our school climate mission. The goal of school discipline is to foster within students the essential internal controls to navigate the school day successfully, thus making the "discipline system" invisible. Effective discipline promotes individual responsibility by clearly demonstrating the consequences of choice.

Home-School Communication: As with academic development, communication and mutual respect between home and school are essential for social/moral development to take place. Confronted with a behavior problem, we think hard about what our discipline choices might be. We want to hear your ways of dealing with your child under similar situations and trust that you will support us in the discipline measures we employ.

Transportation and Bus Expectations

Routes: The School Board reviews bus routes annually at a regularly scheduled August Board meeting after which changes will not be made.

Changes in bus pick up and drop off: We can accommodate a change in the schedule when there is a change in your childÕs regular after-school caregiver. If children are to be dropped off at another stop, we must have a note with specific instructions from either the parent or guardian. Notes need to go directly to the child's classroom teacher. The teacher will then initial the note and give it to the bus driver. For one-time events, such as birthday parties, if you wish to have several children go to one destination, you need to check with the school to see if adequate space on the bus is available for the extra children.

Kindergarten: Kindergartners will be transported in the morning and afternoon with the other children. On Fridays, however, parents are expected to arrange transportation home for their kindergartners at dismissal which is at 11:30.

ÒLateÓ buses: There are none. Necessary ÒlateÓ days, for academic work or discipline, will be arranged with parents. We shall do everything possible to accommodate parentsÕ schedules. Once arranged, however, it is the parentsÕ responsibility to arrange transportation for a student who is kept after school.

Bus violations: We consider the following violations serious enough to warrant disciplinary action:

¥ Improper boarding & departing procedures

¥ Lighting matches/smoking on bus

¥ Fighting/pushing/tripping

¥ Spitting/littering

¥ Destruction of property

¥ Tampering with bus equipment

¥ Hanging out of window

¥ Rude, discourteous and annoying conduct to students or driver

¥ Throwing objects in or out of bus

¥ Bringing articles aboard bus of injurious or objectionable nature

¥ Unnecessary noise

¥ Refusing to obey driver

¥ Failure to remain seated

¥ Other behavior relating to safety

Each violation implies a positive behavior expectation. It is the positive behavior expectation we hope you will review with your children. It also helps to review consequences since they involve you and your own time. With some flexibility for age of child and severity of offense, a first infraction will usually result in a written communication from the principal to you, detailing the driver's complaint. A second violation results in a meeting between parent, child and principal. A third violation may result in the child's being removed from the bus for a period of time up to the remainder of the school year.

Finally, children will sometimes tolerate another childÕs misbehavior and will not tell the bus driver. Please help your child understand that the driver can often help with such problems. Children should also be encouraged to tell their parents, their teachers and the principal if they are having a bus problem they cannot solve on their own.

Homework

Homework is assigned at the discretion of the teacher as appropriate to the level of the student. The purposes of homework are to develop responsibility for task completion and to reinforce classroom instruction through practice. If a student is absent, it is the studentÕs responsibility to check with the teacher(s) to arrange for make-up work in order not to fall behind. Our teachers will provide clear expectations for homework assignments to the students so that they can be successful. We require that students in the upper grades keep an assignment book or other system to help them with organization.

Generally, a student in the fifth and sixth grades may expect approximately one hour of homework each night. In addition about two hours of independent reading is required per week. Third and fourth graders also to complete work at home. All classes, from kindergarten through sixth grade, occasionally have projects which require some home activity such as interviewing a family member or collecting something. Fourth, fifth and sixth grade teachers try to coordinate their expectations for shared students so that no student is given an unreasonable amount of work on any given night. Each teacher sends home a statement specifying homework expectations, including frequency of homework assignments and consequences for incomplete or late work. Concerns about homework assignments should be brought directly to the teacher.

Testing

The State of Vermont requires that elementary students in grades 2-6 participate in the state testing program. This includes the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) October assessments for grades 3-6 in reading and mathematics and writing for grades 5 and a May reading assessment (DRA) for grade 2. Additional local assessments as required by Act 60 are also part of the TES testing program. You can check out the Thetford results of state testing by looking in the annual Thetford School Report or by logging on to the Vermont Department of Education web site. The fall 2006 NECAP testing window will be October 2-25.

Other local assessments given at TES include a spring mathematics assessment at grades 2 and 6; writing and mathematics portfolios grades K-6 which are ongoing; and the Primary Observation Assessment at grades K, 1, 2 which is given 3 times during the year ( September, December and May).

Parent Conferences and Reports

Parent conferences are scheduled at the end of the first and third marking periods ( see school calendar), and more often, when deemed necessary. Classroom teachers contact each parent and set up a time to meet. These meetings may be either during the scheduled parent conference days or at another time that is mutually convenient. School staff will make every effort to accommodate your schedule needs.

Parent-teacher conferences are a vital part of your childÕs success in school. This is a time to learn about curriculum and instruction, review student work and discuss both student success and challenges. Sometimes these conferences can be challenging for parents and teachers alike. When there is news about a school concern, teachers try to communicate that news early and with honesty. Written reports are sent home after the second and fourth marking periods.