CHESTNUT HILL SCHOOL

PARENT - STUDENT HANDBOOK

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CHESTNUT HILL MISSION STATEMENT

EALTHY NVIRONMENT ELF-ESTEEM

RAITS UTURING NDERSTANDING OLERANT

ONEST NQUISTIVE EARNERS EADERS

The ongoing mission of the Chestnut Hill Elementary School is to provide a safe environment which nurtures life long learners who have an inquisitive nature and a strong character. Through the celebration of our differences and the recognition of the leadership capacity of every individual, we will raise contributing members of society who have a positive sense of self and community.

HARACTER

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SCHOOL BASED MANAGEMENT TEAM

In order to meet the requirements of the new State Compact for learning, the Half Hollow Hills Board of Education adopted a plan in February, 1993 for the participation by parents and teachers with administrators in school-based planning and shared decision making. Composed of four parents, four teachers, one support staff member, one community member, and the building principal, the team has as its goal the improvement of the educational performance of all students in the school. At its monthly meetings, the School Based Management Team discusses issues which address the needs of Chestnut Hill students and the Chestnut Hill community.

PTA STATEMENT

The Chestnut Hill PTA is a partnership between the school and the community promoting the social, emotional and academic growth of the Chestnut Hill children. With this fundamental goal in mind, the Chestnut Hill PTA welcomes all parents, educators and community members to participate and become active members. Our children’s education is a responsibility shared by the school and the family. Children achieve best when their parents play a dynamic role in the education process. The Chestnut Hill PTA is committed to providing programs that enhance curriculum, student learning and family life in the community by utilizing the talents and skills of our members.

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Chestnut Hill PTA is proud to celebrate the diversity of its members and share in its commitment to the educational success of our children. Parents and teachers working cooperatively toward the goal of maximizing each child’s potential is what Chestnut Hill is all about.

TITLE 45 Unless objection to any of the specific items of information following is submitted in writing by parents or legal guardians or by those students themselves who are over the age of 18 years, the Half Hollow Hills School District herewith gives notice of intention to provide, release or publish in the newsletters, school or student newspapers, athletic programs, news releases any or all of the following information pertaining to students as may be appropriate under the circumstances: name of student, names of parents, address, age, height, weight, grade, major field of study, participation in recognized school activities, extracurricular activities and sports programs, academic honors, achievements, awards, scholarships, and similar information under Title 45. Parents who do not desire release of any of the above directory information must make specific requests to the superintendent of schools on or before October 1 of each school year. Failure to make such a request shall be deemed consent to release, provide, or publish the directory information.

BULLYING

Chestnut Hill takes all instances of bullying and teasing very seriously. Beginning this year an intervention program is being piloted where students are given instructions on how to deal with the varying degrees of this behavior. Every year the students are in-serviced about issues surrounding bullying and teasing through assemblies. In addition to the Assistant Principal, some teachers have received extensive training and pass this information along to our students through videos, literature, and role playing. All students are asked to sign a pledge noting that they are aware of the three “R’s”: Rights of each individual, how to Respect one another and the Responsible behaviors they should display on a daily basis. All students who feel that they have been bullied are encouraged to report it to a trusted adult, either at home or at school. Each classroom has the signed pledge

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displayed in their room as a constant reminder of appropriate behavior expectations.

SCHOOL HOURS

The academic day schedule is 9:10 AM - 3:20 PM. Students should not arrive before

9:10 AM unless he/she is requested by a teacher for extra help, participating in the REACH/CYA or involved in a before school activity. This is for your child’s safety, as there is no supervision prior to 9:10 AM.

VISITORS TO SCHOOLS

All people: staff, visitors, students may enter only through the Main Entrance.

All visitors to the school must report to the Sign-In desk in the Main Lobby. There they will be required to sign the visitor’s register and obtain a visitor’s identification badge, which must be worn at all times while in the school or on school grounds. The visitor must return the identification badge to the Sign-In desk before leaving the building.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

Main Office 592-3500 Nurse 592-3501 Attendance 592-3514 Psychologist 592-3512 School Fax 592-3911 Transportation 592-3855

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Educational Bus Transportation 269-0055 Central Office 592-3000

Parent Class Lists It is school policy never to release students’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers unless parental permission has been obtained. Class mothers, PTA Committee members, and parents planning children’s parties (invitations may not be given out in school) frequently request this information. When a child registers, the parents are asked to fill out a form indicating which information they give permission to release. This form remains on file while the child is enrolled at Chestnut Hill. If a parent wishes to change this form, they are to put their request in writing and forward it to the main office prior to the start of the school year.

SCHOOL DELAYS/CLOSINGS

Inclement weather may affect the opening of schools. Under severe weather conditions, it may be necessary to close schools. Information regarding delayed openings will be broadcast to the Half Hollow Hills community by local radio stations. The announcement will indicate that the opening of all schools in the Half Hollow Hills Central School District will be delayed one or two hours. A delayed opening will be employed when, in the administrators’ judgment, additional time is needed to permit children to be transported under safe conditions. The operation of the delayed opening plan entails the following:

Each school will open one or two hours later than the regular opening time Buses will pick up students one or two hours later than their regular time Dismissal times will not be affected by delayed openings

Whether schools are closed or openings are delayed due to inclement weather, the announcements will be made through a Connect Ed message, email notification,

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NEWS12 (cable TV) and the following radio stations: WLIX/AM 540 WHLI/AM 1100 WGLI/AM 1290 WGSM/AM 740 WBAB/FM 102.3 WALK/AM 1370 WCTO/FM 94.3 WGBB/AM 1240

The sequence for early dismissal will be as follows:

1. High schools 2. Middle schools 3. Elementary schools

EMERGENCY SITUATION PARENT INFORMATION

* Parents are urged to have a plan in place for a child’s care in the event of an emergency closing or when a parent is not home to receive their child.

Parents should be advised to not call the school during an emergency situation. This will leave the telephones open for important emergency information. No child will be permitted to leave until they can be accounted for a release signed during an emergency.

Parents should be advised to not call their children and to not give them directions to leave the school. During an emergency/crisis parents should not pick their children up from school. This will avoid unneeded traffic in the school area and will allow response from emergency vehicles.

The district may transport students to a safe location as soon as it is safe to do so. For information and instructions on how to retrieve your children in the event of

emergency situations, school closings, delayed openings, early dismissal and student relocations, the district will be communicating through its website www.hhh.k12.ny.us.edu and its telephone communication system (Connect Ed).

Whenever some emergency necessitates the closing of school, radio and television stations that service our community will make such announcements during their regular programs. The radio an television stations that will carry news regarding emergency closings are as follows:

WALK/AM 1370 WCBA/AM 880 WALKF/FM 97.5 ABC/ Channel 7 WBZO/FM 103 FOX 5/Channel 5 WBAB/FM 102.5 NEWS 12 Long Island

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PARENT INFORMATION

SNACKS

Snacks brought from home should make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health, with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables as the primary snack and water as the beverage of choice.

REWARDS Schools will reduce and discourage the use of foods or beverages as rewards for academic performance or good behavior and replace where appropriate with non-food rewards. Schools will not withhold food or beverages as a punishment. The above does not apply if in conflict with the student’s individual plan (IEP).

PARTIES Prior to any class party involving food, the allergy form (available in the Health

Office) must be completed. It is to be available (on file) in the nurse’s office the day of the event.

Classroom parties that involve food during the school day should be limited to no more than six per year (other than birthdays and curriculum related celebrations.)

Parties should occur after lunch whenever possible. Healthy food choices should be encouraged. Water should be the beverage of choice. Elementary school end of the year parties should be on one of the three half

days provided in June.

BIRTHDAYS As of September 1, 2007 for grades Kindergarten and 1, birthday parties with food will be permitted.

Parents are encouraged to consider sending in healthy foods (see healthy snack suggestions) and/or smaller portions i.e. miniature cupcakes or portion controlled cookie packets.

Candy of any kind is not permitted. The only beverage permitted for birthday parties is water. Birthday parties should be after lunch and not significantly impact instructional

time. For Grades 2 and above:

Birthdays will be celebrated without food. Teacher may choose to recognize children’s birthdays in a variety of other ways

including hats, singing “Happy Birthday” and special privileges such as “Homework Pass”.

The important part of birthday celebrations is the special recognition of the child.

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SCHOOL & PTA SPONSORED EVENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

Schools should limit events that involve food which will be served to students during the school day to no more than four times per year.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION All students in grades K-5 shall receive a minimum of 40 minutes 2 times per week. All students including students with disabilities and/or special health care needs will

receive physical education as designated. All physical education classes should be taught by a certified physical education

teacher. Teachers and other school personnel will not use physical activity or withhold

opportunities for physical activity as punishment.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Daily Recess

Teachers and other school personnel will not use physical activity as punishment.

Teachers and other school personnel will not withhold opportunities for physical activity (i.e. recess) except in instances of health and safety or where alternative disciplinary measures have been exhausted.

All elementary school students should have daily recess, preferably at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which staff should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity, including the provision of space and equipment.

All relevant teaching staff should be provided with training on conflict resolution, and issues (behaviors) related to recess and physical activity.

Consistent rules and consequences will be adhered to. Students should be offered developmentally appropriate games and activities

to encourage social interaction and purposeful play. Physical Activity before and after school:

After school child care and after school enrichment programs should encourage daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all.

Extra physical activity should be offered to students through intramurals, community based programs. Interscholastic sports, and directed programs.

Physical Education programs should be shared with parents and the school community through “Activity Nights”.

The district will develop guidelines on intramurals and related activities. A wide variety of activities will be available for student participation.

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Student Safety during Physical Education and Physical Activity:

Rules and procedures will be established concerning safety for staff and students.

Facilities and equipment used for physical education and physical activity should be properly monitored and maintained.

School staff should receive training in First Aid, Heart Saver AED, and CPR. The school district should ensure that students and staff have access to

appropriate hydration (i.e. water).

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE

These programs are not under the auspices of the Half Hollow Hills School District. Parents of food-allergic/anaphylactic children who are enrolled in the REACH/CYA Before or After School Child Care Program should notify REACH/CYA of their medical needs.

The Before & After school child care is run by the REACH/CYA Children’s Center. Children must be pre-registered with the Central Office at Fran Greenspan Administrative Center. There is a nominal fee for each program. The program may be used full-time, part-time, or on an as-needed basis. Parents may choose one or both programs. The REACH/CYA phone number is 549-9417. The Before School Program is held at Chestnut Hill from 7:15 - 9:10. Parents must escort their child to the cafeteria and sign in each child. Children arriving before 8:15 are served breakfast. Children may participate in a variety of activities including Arts and Crafts, board games or outdoor activities (weather permitting). The program is not available on days when school opening is delayed. The After School Program is held at Chestnut Hill School from 3:15 – 6:15. They must be picked up at Chestnut Hill by 6:15 PM. Children participate in a variety of activities or may work on their homework

STUDENT DROP-OFFS

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When dropping off children in the morning, please be aware that, unless children have been scheduled for a specific activity supervised by a teacher, or unless they are formally enrolled in the before-school child care program, there is no supervision available. Parents may not drop unsupervised children off at school before 9:10 A.M. as this presents us with an unsafe situation.

LATE ARRIVALS

If your child is arriving late to school please check with the monitor at the front desk in the main lobby so that your child can be signed in. The child will be directed to the Health Office to obtain a late pass to give to his/her teacher upon arrival to their classroom.

CHANGES IN ROUTINE

If your child will not be attending a regularly scheduled activity, or will not be staying at Chestnut Hill for the after-school child care program, please let the teacher know in writing. Since classes cannot be interrupted with messages called in by parents, a telephone call only generates a note which is placed in the teacher’s mailbox. Depending on when the call is made and on the teacher’s schedule, there is no guarantee that the message will be received in time. To avoid missed communication, a note to the teacher explaining any changes in routine is a must.

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Dismissal Procedures

General Procedures for Student Dismissal to Parent/Guardians

The safety of our children, faculty and community is paramount while at Chestnut Hill Elementary. To this end, it is critical that we employ procedures that are orderly, effective and efficient as our children enter and dismiss the building. The following information will facilitate a smooth and effective means of entering and exiting the building while maximizing the safety of our children, faculty and community members while at Chestnut Hill Elementary. General Guidelines on Campus:

1. Upon entering the building, all adults will be asked to present a valid driver’s license.

2. All adults will be required to sign students out with the monitor upon exiting the building.

3. Children will NOT be called out of class after 3:00 PM and the main entrance will be

off limits to all community members. This will ensure that students and staff can safely dismiss the students to the bus platform.

4. Parents arriving after 3:00 PM must pick their child(ren) up and enter the building

through the Westside entrance at 3:15 PM. All designated adults will be asked to show a valid driver’s license upon entering the building. The monitor will direct the adult to the cafeteria line to pick-up the child(ren). A Chestnut Hill monitor will call the appropriate children to the front of the cafeteria and the child will be released. Before exiting the building, the designated adult will sign the child(ren) out and present their valid driver’s license to the monitor located at the Westside exit.

5. Adults will NOT be able to pick-up a child unless there is a written, signed note

denoting permission to do so. Parent Notes Indicating a Pick-Up by a Designated Adult:

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Children will be dismissed via intercom during the regular dismissal process. All students will proceed to the cafeteria at 3:20 PM. Procedure:

1. Parent/Guardian must enter directly through the west side entrance 2. Parent/Guardian must show photo ID at west side entrance sign-out desk 3. Parent/Guardian will proceed to the cafeteria to pick-up the child(ren) 4. Parent/Guardian must sign student sign-out sheet upon leaving the west side exit

Guidelines for Picking-Up Students before 3:00 PM WITHOUT a note: Please be aware that this type of student pick-up can be disruptive, as it requires the secretary to interrupt class by calling over the intercom into the classroom. Every effort should be made to avoid this type of pick-up as it is distracting for both the students and the teacher. It is recommended that this type of pick up be reserved for emergencies and last-minute problems. It is always a safer situation if the school knows in advance that a child is being picked up. Procedure:

1. Parent/Guardian must show photo ID at the West Wing entrance and make the monitor aware that a note was not written, but that you have to pick-up a child(ren). The monitor will radio the main office and the process of finding your child will ensue. During the busy dismissal procedure, it is likely that the child(ren) are in route to the bus platform. Please be patient while the staff locates your child(ren).

Procedures for After School Program Dismissals to Parents

All students are dismissed through the Main Lobby. It is requested that a parent intending to pick up their child from an after school activity send in a note indicating such. This enables the Hall Monitor to prepare sign out sheets and dismissal slips in advance.

Student Drop-Off, Pick-Up, and Parking Guidelines

Due to the fact that the South Service Road of the Long Island Expressway is a one-

way road, the designated traffic patterns at Chestnut Hill must be strictly adhered to.

Entering School Property

There are three drive-in entrances to Chestnut Hill.

Entrance driveway off Bagatelle Road just south of South Service Road South Service Road directly in front of the school (for buses only) Entrance to lower parking lot off west side of Burr’s Lane

Where to Park

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Parents may only park in the following locations:

A. any designated parking spot B. along either side of the entrance leading to Bagatelle Road C. in the lower parking lot

Bus Platforms Chestnut Hill has two areas (“platforms”) from which buses arrive and depart. These

are referred to as the East and West Platforms (indicated by East and West on the map). At no time may vehicles enter, drive on, or park on either of the bus platforms whenever school buses are there. A Security officer is posted to monitor the flow of traffic on the platforms and parking lots. Please refrain from asking this person to leave their post to assist you (e.g. carrying backpacks, projects, opening the entrance doors) as the safety and welfare of our students is of utmost importance. Please be aware that New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1174 requires all motorists to stop for school buses on all roads, highways, and school grounds. Violation of Traffic Law 1174 incurs both a fine and a penalty of 5 points on a driver’s record. Drivers who violate this safety law will be reported to the police.

Signing a Child Out Whenever a student leaves school without being placed on a school bus by his or

her teacher, that child must be “signed out” by an adult. This requires the adult to park in an authorized area, then come into the school building and sign a student dismissal form. There are no exceptions to this rule, even if a note has been sent in advance.

Student Pickups

As you know, we strongly recommend that children not be picked up by parents before the end of the school day. The main reason for this is that picking up children before the end of the school day interrupts instruction, not only for the child being called to the office, but for the entire class, since an announcement must be made over the Intercom system. In addition, the end of the day is generally the time when most teachers finalize homework assignments and help children to make sure that they have the proper materials to complete them. The teacher cannot take time out from the rest of the class to supervise an individual child to the degree that this can be assured. If parents absolutely must pick up a child before dismissal, they may choose from among the following procedures:

a) Send a note in with their child in the morning indicating their intent to pick the child up at dismissal. The child will be sent to the cafeteria at 3:15, at which time you need to show a valid driver’s license, pick-up your child from the cafeteria and initial the sign-out sheet with the monitor before taking your child home.

b) Come to the main office by 3:00 at the latest to ask that your child be called down from class (again, please remember that this interrupts instruction). Children will not be called down after 3:00.

c) Parents arriving after 3:00 PM must pick their child(ren) up and enter the building

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through the West Wing entrance at 3:15 PM. All designated adults will be asked to show a valid driver’s license upon entering the building. The monitor will direct the adult to the cafeteria line to pick-up the child(ren). A Chestnut Hill monitor will call the appropriate children to the front of the cafeteria and the child will be released. Before exiting the building, the designated adult will sign the child(ren) out and present their valid driver’s license to the monitor located at the Westside exit.

BUS SAFETY CONDUCT

Good student behavior on school buses is essential to the safety of all passengers on the bus. If the driver is distracted while the bus is in motion, it could lead to an accident. It is necessary, therefore, that all students on the bus follow the rules of conduct and obey the driver’s instructions immediately and respectfully. Please access the Handbook of Transportation Trivia located on the HHH website under the Discover HHH tab. Scroll down to Transportation where you may find the booklet as well as other important information. Parents are responsible for their child’s behavior on the bus. Parents must ensure that their child understands and follows the rules for riding the school bus. Misbehavior by even one student creates an unsafe environment for all therefore, the following rules will be strictly enforced.

The 10 School Bus Rules

1. Wait at your designated location in an orderly manner and be on time. 2. Go directly to your assigned seat when you board the bus. 3. Keep the aisles clear. 4. Keep hands and arms inside the bus and to yourself. 5. Stay in your assigned seat and remain seated at all times. 6. Obey the driver as you would a teacher. Keep the noise level down and

remember to be kind with your words. 7. No eating or drinking permitted. 8. Do not throw any object on the bus, at the bus or out of the bus. 9. Leave the bus in an orderly manner. 10. Cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus and only after the bus driver has

given the signal that it is safe to cross the street. Normally, for minor offenses the elementary student will be given a verbal warning for the first offense. If a student fails to respond to a verbal warning, a written Notice of Unsatisfactory Conduct will be sent home as a written warning and the parents will be phoned. Repeated offenses will lead to suspension of bus privileges. Severe infractions which include, damage to school property, theft and fighting, will result in

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immediate suspension of bus privileges. Buses may be video-taped to monitor behavior from time to time. All students and parents are required to sign a bus safety contract in September. Appropriate bus behavior management is a team effort embracing the students, parents, school and transportation personnel. We need to work together to ensure our children’s safety. It’s all about a safe ride for students to and from school everyday. NOTE: Suspension or revocation of bus privileges does not relieve the parent of the responsibility to ensure the student attends school.

BUS PASSES

Bus passes are discouraged

except in extreme circumstances. Asking that children be sent home on a bus other than their assigned bus can

lead to unsafe situations. It is the policy that bus passes require that each child’s teacher (the child going home with a friend and the child to whose home that child was going) is to receive written permission from each household. There are far too many occasions when only one household (or neither) inform the school, leaving us unsure of what to do at dismissal.

Another type of problem that may arise is when the friend of a particular child boarded the bus and looks for a seat. Most buses operate at or near capacity, and children have assigned seats . Since a child (or children if a child has more than one friend with him, or if several children bring a friend) would naturally want to sit next to his visiting friend(s) on the ride home, this can often mean that child(ren) already assigned to the seats have nowhere to sit. Depending on the number of bus passes issued (it might take only a few in some cases), several children could be displaced.

When requesting a bus pass for their child parents are encouraged to do so for only

the following reasons: Child Care

Parents who are unable to be home each day due to their work schedule may arrange to have their child sent to the care-giver’s home each day via the Chestnut Hill bus which services the care-giver’s address. A request of this sort must be made in writing. Emergency Situations

Any changes to a child’s regular dismissal procedure requires a handwritten notification with a parent or guardian signature. This letter must be received no later than 2:00 pm to allow for an appropriate and safe departure for the child. Please fax all letters to #592-3911.

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Please be aware that these school policies are implemented because of our concern for the safety and welfare of all students. The transportation of over 650 children to and from school each day is a significant responsibility and is a major concern of the Chestnut Hill staff. We ask for your cooperation in performing this important task.

EMERGENCY EARLY DISMISSALS

If extremely inclement weather or a power outage occurs, it is sometimes necessary to either close school, delay its opening, or dismiss students early. All parents will be asked to complete and return emergency dismissal cards explaining the steps to be taken by the school in the event that problems arise. It is extremely important that, in addition, you take the time to explain the plan to your child. Make sure that your child fully understands exactly what the emergency plan entails. It is important that the emergency cards be filled out as soon as possible. These cards will be handed out during Meet the Teacher Night for you to fill out.

CLASSROOM DELIVERIES

There will be times when a parent/guardian needs to bring something to school for their child. Perhaps your child forgot his lunch, homework, a pick-up note, or, you are bringing in items to the classroom. All of these items must be brought to the hall monitor’s desk outside the main office. We will either call the child to the office or deliver the item to him. We will always let the teacher know whenever there are items to be picked up. This procedure is to prevent classes from being interrupted. Also, for the safety of your children and the staff, we will be unable to distribute packages to students other than your own child.

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PARTY INVITATIONS

In the past, many unhappy situations have resulted when party invitations were distributed to classmates at school. The children who do not receive invitations are often hurt, and learning in the classroom is disrupted. To avoid this unpleasant situation, invitations should be conveyed by telephone or through the mail.

FORGOTTEN LUNCHES, BOOKS, CLOTHING, ETC.

Children should be informed that if they have forgotten lunch or any other item, they should stop at the office to see if it has been brought to school. Classes cannot be interrupted to call a child down to the office, and children will be discouraged from calling home for a forgotten item. It is very important that students learn to be responsible.Therefore, students and/or parents may not come up after school to retrieve forgotten items. Teachers are instructed to lock their door when they leave the room at the end of the day. Custodians, Secretaries, and other staff members have been instructed not to allow entry into any classroom.

CALLING BY PARENTS

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