The safety of our students is of utmost importance when arriving or departing from our campus.  The official school day for students begins at 8:10 A.M. and ends at 2:40 P.M.  Any student arriving after 8:10 will be counted tardy, and must get a tardy slip from the office prior to reporting to the classroom.

Morning Drop Off:

 Front of either building only, no earlier than 7:30 a.m. -   Students go directly to cafeteria if they are eating breakfast.  Otherwise, kindergarten, 1st Graders, and 2nd Graders go to the multipurpose room.  Grades 3 -5 report to the gym unless teachers five permission for students to report to their rooms.

Tardy Students:

  Parent/Adult is required to come into office to sign in tardy students via computer.  If a student is dropped off without being signed in, parent will be called to return to school.  Student will not go to class without being signed in by parent. 

Departure:  

  Students will be dismissed at 2:40. Parents of car riders will be given a name card to be placed in the front windshield.  Car riders and walkers must be picked up ONLY in front of the old building. Car riders must be picked up by 3:00 P.M.

Daily Schedule   

• 7:55 - Bell to dismiss students from multipurpose room or gym

• 8:05 - Morning announcements 

• 8:10 - Tardy bell/morning announcements

•   10:45 - 1:10 - 25 minute lunches

• 2:40 - Dismissal

If a student needs to leave school before the end of the school day, a PARENT OR DESIGNEE MUST COME TO THE OFFICE AND SIGN FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CHILD.  The office will call the child from the classroom.  DO NOT WAIT IN THE HALLWAY BESIDE CLASSROOMS OR GO TO THE CLASSROOM FOR THE CHILD.   We follow this procedure for the protection of your child.

In order for your child to achieve his or her fullest potential, it is important for him or her to remain the entire school day.  We strongly discourage taking students out of school early unless it is an EMERGENCY.

If your child will be going home by a different means of transportation other than the usual, we must have a note from parents explaining the change. WITHOUT PROPER WRITTEN NOTIFICATION, A STUDENT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO GO HOME A DIFFERENT WAY.  This procedure is a safety precaution for your son or daughter.

When schools in Caldwell County are dismissed early because of weather conditions,  schools will not be told to dismiss all at the same time. For example, schools will be told to dismiss one hour or two hours early. If we dismiss one hour early, school would end at 1:40. If we dismiss two hours early, school would end at 12:40.

Tardy students will make up missed work during speciality class time.  Students with excessive tardies or excessive early sign outs will not be allowed to participate in field trips, field days, other special class parties/rewards/activities, or receive perfect attendance certificates.

Students who miss 20 or more days may be retained,  20 days equal one school month.

Regular attendance is necessary for two reasons:  1) It is required by state law.  2)  It is essential to a student's success, enjoyment, and achievement in schoolwork.  Irregular attendance may lead to a loss of interest in school, poor and careless study habits, a lack of achievement, and possible failure.

  When a child has to be absent, teachers and staff will do everything possible to help him/her make up missed work, but it is impossible to make up the experiences lost in the classroom. 

Attendance Guidelines:

Students at Baton Elementary may participate in both breakfast and lunch programs.  However, if they prefer, they may bring their lunches and purchase milk, juice, bottled water. We want our students to develop good eating habits, and this is an important part of our health education emphasis.

Students will be served from the items on the bar.  Remember, three items constitute a full lunch.  Students can purchase only one extra sweet, e.g. a cookie or an ice cream.  Elementary students may charge up to $7.00 for meals only.   When a student owes $4.00 a letter will be sent home to alert parents about the cafeteria debt. No charging will be allowed for meals when a debt is greater than $7.00

NOTE:   If a student owes any money,he/she will not be allowed to purchase or charge extra a la carte items (e.g. ice cream, juicy juice, snack cakes) until charges are paid in full. 

To avoid delays in serving, lunch money should be paid for by the week on Monday mornings .  However, lunch money may be paid on other days.  Please place money or check in an envelope with the student's name, number, teacher's name, and amount enclosed written on the outside. Payments may be paid directly to the cafeteria or put in the designated box in the multi-purpose room. If you wish to pay online, go to www.LunchPrepay.com.

Listed below are prices for the 2009 - 2010 school year.  Prices are subject to change.

Breakfast   Full Price $1.00 Reduced Price   .30

Lunch Full Price $1.75 Reduced Price   .40

SICKNESS OR INJURY

Should your child become sick or injured at school, you will be called to come for him or her.  The school does not provide aspirin, Tylenol, ear drops, cough syrup, or any other medication.  Baton Elementary will follow medication procedures as outlined in Policy A-3270:

1. Within the first week of school all parents of students in Caldwell County Schools will receive a brochure on the medication policy in Caldwell County Schools.

2. Only medication in a pharmacy labeled container which includes the child's name, the name of the medication, the unit dosage to be given, the number of dosage units, the time medication is to be given, and how it is to be administered will be accepted by designated school personnel.

It is important that you report address and phone number changes promptly, so we will be able to contact you if an emergency occurs.

All students in grades K-5 are involved in the annual testing program provided through the county or state.

• K -2 students will complete literacy and math assessments throughout the school year.  Assessments and student portfolios will be used to determine whether students meet guidelines for promotion.
• County benchmark tests in reading and math will be given to 3 -5 students:  Benchmark #1: September 9-September 10 (2 days of teacher's choice)  Benchmark #2:  January 19 - 29 (2days of teacher's choice)  Benchmark #3:  March 22 - April 1
• Caldwell County 3rd Grade On Demand Writing Task:  March 9
• NC Writing Assessment for 4th Grade - On Demand #1:  September 15 - Content Specific #1:  November 2-24 - Content Specific #2:  February 1-25 - On Demand #2:  April 27
• 5th Grade Science EOG:  May 18
• End- of -Grade Tests in reading and math for grades 3-5:  May 24-28
• Students who do not score Level 3 must take a retest.

3rd and 5th Grades are "gateway" grades. Students who do not score at least Level 3 may be retained.

Riding a school bus is a privilege; it is the responsibility of the student to honor established rules.  A copy of school bus regulations will be sent home.  Study these carefully.  Students will be suspended from riding the bus for continued misconduct.

Bus Discipline

The Caldwell County School System has policies to ensure the safety of all students who ride the bus. The following rules for students' behavior should be obeyed:

1. Follow driver directions.

2. Remain seated at all times.

3. Do not bring food, drinks, and toys on the bus.

4. Keep hands, feet, arms, and personal belongings to yourself.

5. Do not shove or push when loading and unloading.

6. Stay in assigned seat.

7. Remain quiet with no loud noises.

8. No profanity is allowed.

9. Always help to keep the bus clean.

Violation of rules result in the following consequences:

  1^st offense - Written warning

  2^nd offense - 3 day suspension from riding the bus

  3^rd offense - 5 day suspension from riding the bus
  4^th offense - 10 day suspension with recommendation for suspension for
remainder of school year from the bus.

Any behavior that endangers the safety of students and driver will be handled quickly with possible suspension.

Any student who needs to ride a different bus other than the one he/she is assigned must have a note from the parent.  Then the note must be given to the student's teacher or brought to the office in the morning.

· Cosmetics, make-up, fingernail polish, perfume, etc. .

· Expensive jewelry

· Money beyond what is needed for lunch or field trips

· Book bags with wheels are not permitted unless the proncipal grants special permission.  No novelty items or key chains may be attached to book bags. 

· Chewing gum unless a teacher approves its use in a special classroom activity

· Fireworks, matches, explosives, lighters

· Students may not bring sodas for lunch or snacks.  Water in plastic water bottles is acceptable.  Water bottles must remain in bookbags before and after school and on buses.

· Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, medication unless prescribed by a doctor and delivered by a parent to school.

· Toys, games, trading cards, skateboards, ball gloves

· Knives, toy guns, sharp objects or anything that resembles a weapon.

Radios, DVD players, CD players, electronic games, cell phones – (the school will not be responsible for these items if lost or broken).

At the discretion of Baton Elementary faculty or staff, some of the above such as games or electronic items, may be permitted for special activities.  Those are the only times these items should be brought to school.

1. Keep hands, feet, objects and inappropriate comments to yourself.

2. Show respect for the rights and property of others.

3. Walk with care, slowly and quietly as you move about the campus.

When moving through the halls or across campus, stay to the right.

4. Use appropriate language.

5. Move quietly through the hallways without talking or running.  When moving through the halls, stay to the right.

6. FIGHTING is NOT allowed under any circumstances.  Suspension is the penalty for fighting.

7. Bullying is NOT allowed under any circumstances. Suspension is the penalty for bullying.

8. Use acceptable table manners in the cafeteria. During the first ten minutes of the class’s lunch time, students should refrain from talking.

Student Behavior

Students in the Caldwell County School System are expected to behave in a manner that will reflect favorably on themselves and their schools during school hours and at any out of school activity. It is the shared responsibility of the home and school to develop self-discipline skills within students appropriate to their age.  While the exercise of individual rights and liberties within schools is encouraged and protected, it is also recognized those rights and liberties are muted by the need of the system to provide a quality education to all.

The consequences listed are intended to serve as guidelines for staff using reasonable discretion and appropriate due process for students who violate board policy or school regulations.  Potential consequences include but are not restricted to the following:

· Student warning

· Removal of privileges

· Parent notice

· Time out in office or classroom

· Referral to student support services

· After-school detention

· Parent conference

· Restitution

· In-school suspension

· Corporal punishment

· Out-of-school suspension

· Long-term suspension or expulsion

The Young Group, Inc., a division of Sentry Life Insurance Company, will offer insurance coverage for students.  You may choose from three coverage plans.  Enrollment applications should be mailed directly to The Young Group, Inc. within 14 days of the start of school.  Do NOT send money to school.