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Northome Elementary Expectations / Handbook of Information

Below is information the applies to all students in elementary classrooms k - 6.

Additional information and expectations related specifically for individual classrooms can be found on each teacher's website.   If you need more information, please contact your child's teacher.


Ten Important Expectations


We have named ten important expectations for students and families at Northome Elementary School. They are listed below. We encourage everyone to discuss them and develop a plan to make them work for success. Each item was chosen with a quality environment in mind for all as well as for individual growth in character:
 
1. Treat others with respect. Respect their property, their space, their rights to speak, and their emotional well-being. Treat them as you would wish to be treated.
 
2. Treat the school with respect. Keeping a clean and organized school can help make being here more enjoyable. A school that has been vandalized or looks junky is just the opposite; it is not enjoyable to be there.
 
3. Work to make the atmosphere pleasant. Complaining, arguing, gossiping, using vulgar language, and yelling are no fun for anyone. Try to keep a good attitude about schoolwork and relationships.
 
4. Do your best. This can help you feel successful because your odds of succeeding are so much greater. If you’ve done your best, you have a good feeling because it shows you care for yourself and anything that you put your name on. Discover your strengths, practice them, use them to help yourself and others.
 
5. Make yourself look your best. Be clean and wear clean clothes, brush your teeth, comb your hair, eat a balanced diet, and get enough rest. Put a pleasant look on your face. This will help everyone around you feel better and more valued too.
 
6. Have balance in your life. Get exercise and fresh air. Get rest. Spread out your work and treat yourself to free time activities such as TV, computer time, video games, and playing. Don’t do those free time things all the time, then rush to do lots of school work at the last minute. It adds stress and makes school less enjoyable.
 
7. Speak kindly to others. Greet the people you meet with a cheerful greeting. Notice someone who is sitting or playing alone and invite him or her to be with you so he or she doesn’t feel lonely. This will make you feel better, too.
 
8. Respect yourself. Learning to like yourself and treating yourself with respect can make you stronger and more likeable. If you care about you, you are happier and more able to care about others. If someone mistreats you, stand up for yourself; let that person know how you feel. If they persist, get some help. No one should be pushed around or intimidated when they are here.
 
9. Follow the rules. Making the effort to follow the rules helps you to learn to respect authority and grow away from being self-centered. The rules of the school are carefully chosen, each for a reason. If you don’t like a rule, talk it over with a teacher, parent, or principal and see if they can tell you the reasons behind the rule.
 
10. Have school spirit. Support and defend your school, the athletic teams, the drama, and academic teams, the music, and other extra-curricular programs. Be proud to be a Mustang. Be a part. Take an active role, don’t drop out, don’t be a quitter and don’t be a whiner, be a winner. Be a good sport so that the teams we face from other schools leave here, win or lose, with respect for our school and the people in Northome School!

 

Field Trip Expectations
 
1. All adults attending a school field trip are considered a chaperone of that trip. A chaperone is asked to supervise students and help regulate proper student conduct to ensure all in attendance have a safe and interesting learning experience.
 
2. Students must abide by the same school bus and school conduct rules expected of them on any school day.
 
3. Chaperones will usually be assigned a group of students for which they are responsible.
 
4. All students attending the school field trip will be transported in a school vehicle unless written permission from the parent/guardian is received before departure.
 
5. A head count (attendance) will be taken before any departure during a school field trip.
 
6. Students riding home with someone other than a parent or guardian need to have written permission from that parent/guardian.
 
7. Students must have their parents sign and return a field trip permission slip prior to participating on any field trip. (Note: at the beginning of the school year, all parents will receive a “Universal Field Trip Permission Slip” that will work for most field trips throughout the school year.)
 
8. Field Trips are a privilege. Poor choices while at school will determine whether or not a student may participate on any field trips.

 

Security: To protect our students, the elementary classroom doors and all other entrances except the main entrance by the offices will be locked after 8:30 a.m. Everyone will need to check in at the office upon entering the building.
 

Make - up Work: The student shall make up all work missed during an absence. With cases of missed experiments, class discussions, projects, etc., which cannot be made up, an alternative assignment may be assigned at the discretion of the teacher. Work must be made up within a reasonable time frame set by the teacher from the date of the student’s return to school - usually two days for each day of absence.
 

Attendance: It is important for all students to attend class every day. Illness and emergencies, however, sometimes make attendance impossible. A parent or guardian is requested to call the school on the day of the absence. If no call is made, the school will attempt to call the parent/guardian. A note must also accompany the student on their next day in attendance, either from the doctor, dentist, or parent. The school is to be notified in advance for any period of a family vacation to be considered an excused absence.

Kindergarten Attendance: Parents choosing to enroll their child in an ISD #363 kindergarten class can choose one of the following two attendance options:

1. Three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) for the first quarter and five days per week during the second, third, and fourth quarters.

2. Five days per week for all four quarters of the school year.

 
Library Books/Textbooks: The school will furnish library books and textbooks free to all students. Students are responsible for them and will be charged a fee if a book is lost, damaged, or shows unusual wear or markings.
 

School Dress and Appearance: The following are considered inappropriate…
- excessive bare midriffs, spaghetti straps or exposed underwear
- trousers not fully buttoned or zipped or that drag on the ground
- hats, caps, scarfs, bandannas, and any other head coverings
- sunglasses and coats (unless there is a heating problem in school)
- shorts and skirts will not be allowed if their length is shorter than the middle knuckle of the student’s longest finger of their right hand, when standing in a normal position with their arms extended at their side.
- shoes need to be at all times on school grounds.
 
Use of the Telephone: Students need to plan ahead and not ask to use the phone for forgotten materials, permission to stay elsewhere or have someone over. The school will take messages and relay information on to the students if parents should call in. In case of an illness or injury, the nurse or office staff will call home for the student.
 

Electronic Devices: Students may use personal electronic devices only with classroom teacher permission.
 

Release Time: Each week, time is allowed for students (grades 1 - 6) to attend religious instruction at local churches. Written parent permission is required for a student to attend Release Time. Verbal permission cannot be accepted. Written permission is also required to stop attending Release Time as well.
 

Internet Use: Students intending to use the Internet will be expected to read and sign the district Internet Acceptable Use Policy and Agreement. For students in grades 4-6, students and parents will also need to read and sign the Wireless Device Implementation Handbook that talks about the use of iPads at school.
 

Activity Bus: Only students participating in after school functions will be able to ride the late bus. Students who wish to ride the Activity Bus must indicate their desire by “signing up” in the office by 12:30 each day. If the student does not “sign up” by the appropriate time he/she will not be allowed to ride that night. There is a $1.00 fee for riding the late bus each time it is used. If students are not riding the Activity Bus, they must be picked up immediately after the after-school function ends. They cannot simply “roam the halls unsupervised” while waiting for an evening sporting event at the school.
 

Weapons and Dangerous Objects: No student shall knowingly possess, handle or transport any object that can reasonably be considered a weapon on school property at any time.
 

Student Medication: The school district acknowledges that some students may require prescribed drugs or medication during the school day. The school district’s licensed school nurse or trained secretary, principal, or teacher, will administer prescribed medications in accordance with law and school district procedures. Please contact the school nurse if you have any further questions about this.
 

School Meals: All elementary students in grades K-6 are able to receive a free breakfast and lunch.
 

Emergency Procedures: The Northome School has in place plans for such emergencies as fire, tornado, intruders, etc. If you would like more information on this please contact the school office.
 

Severe Weather: Notification of school closings because of weather will be given over the public address system and be done with as much advance notice as possible. Tune into WCCO-TV, and radio stations KKBJ, KBUN 14.5, KKZY 95.5, KBHP, Grand Rapids KGPZ, and International Falls KSDM. The school will also send out important information on the JMC Family Alert system. Please call the office to ensure that your most up-to-date contact information is on hand for these important weather-related announcements.
 

Visitors and Volunteers to the School: It is the policy of the school district that ALL Visitors/volunteers to the school register at the office immediately upon entering the building between 8 AM and 4 PM. Visitors/volunteers will then receive and wear a visitor’s/volunteer's badge during their visit. Visitor/volunteer passes should be arranged at least one day in advance. Any visitor/volunteer failing to register in the office may be asked to leave the school building and/or grounds. The administration has the right to refuse a visitor to be in the school building or on school grounds at any time.
 

School Bus Rules: The School District school bus safety rules are to be posted on every bus. If these rules are broken, the School district’s discipline procedures are to be followed. Consequences are progressive and may include suspension of bus privileges. It is the school bus driver’s responsibility to report unacceptable behavior to the School Office.
 

Elementary Playground Policy:
Appropriate behavior includes:
  • playing with classmates nicely
  • Using good manners
  • Asking permission to leave designated play areas
  • Staying in appropriate areas/be where you are suppose to be
  • Wearing appropriate clothing for the weather
 
Students in grades K-2
Students are to wear jackets, snow pants, boots, gloves, and a hat during the winter months (as determined by the school administrator).
*If a student forgets to bring the appropriate clothing for more than 3 times in a row, the playground supervisor will notify the student’s classroom teacher and the classroom teacher will contact the parents about the issue.
 
Students in grades 3-6
Students are to wear jackets, boots, gloves, and a hat during the winter months (as determined by the school administrator).
*If a student forgets to bring the appropriate clothing for more than 3 times in a row, the playground supervisor will notify the student’s classroom teacher and the classroom teacher will contact the parents about the issue.

 
The following behavior is considered inappropriate -
  • wandering the halls
  • swearing
  •  spitting
  •  fighting on the playground
  •  throwing snowballs/ice chunks
  •  Climbing on or jumping off of the swings
  •  Playing games that involve physical contact, such as tackle football or “King of the Hill”
 
Consequences for inappropriate behavior:
1) verbal warning
2) stand against the wall
3) written up and sent to teacher
4) written up and sent to the principal
 
There will be Outdoor Recess when the temperature/wind chill is -9F or warmer.
There will be Indoor Recess when the temperature/wind chill is -10F or colder.
 
 

Hallway Expectations: Students will go from the bus directly to their classrooms in the morning. No bathroom or drink breaks until you have checked with your teacher first. Students will walk silently in the hallway with their hands to themselves. Students will line up for the bus at assigned doors after school. Students found wandering the hallways without permission may be subject to disciplinary action.
 

Bicycle Rules: When biking or walking to school, it is important for children to observe safety and use the paved trail. They should cross at the designated highway crossing area before and after school. Bicycles need to be placed in the rack near the elementary wing. The bicycles must remain in the rack during the day, no biking during recess periods. For safety reasons, bikers and walkers will not be dismissed at the end of the day until after buses have pulled away and are clear of the circle drive.
 

Classroom Treats: It is school policy that any treats brought into the classroom for birthdays, holidays, etc. be store bought.

 



 

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