Madison Elementary           

The Madison Elementary Student Handbook has been written to help your son or daughter gain the greatest possible benefit from his or her school experience.

The Madison faculty and staff are in need of your help and cooperation. It is important that every student and parent understand the Handbook and be expected to follow the rules/guidelines set forth in the Handbook. Please read and discuss the Handbook with your child. Afterwards, you and your child must sign this form and return this form to the school. Thanks for your cooperation and support.

 

_____________________________            _____________________
Student Signature                                     Date

 

_____________________________            _____________________
Parent or Guardian Signature                      Date

 

Grade __________                                   Teacher ___________

We visualize Madison Elementary as an “Exemplary” role model for our diverse community that fosters trust, renders elite services, and produces independent thinking citizens for the future.

Madison Elementary mission is to collaboratively facilitate a culture of excellence and an enriching environment for lifelong learners.

Doors open for students at 7:30 a.m. Parents should not leave students at school before that time.

Staff will be on duty as of 8:00 a.m.

Should a student arrive excessively early, a phone call will be made to the parent to remind them of the school’s policy and our concern for your child’s safety.

Parents should drop students off at the designated drop off areas. After 7:30 a.m., students should enter through the front door/main entrance office to go to breakfast and all students will report to walking club at 8:00 a.m.

For the safety of students, entry into the building is from the main doors of the front gate only unless they are dropped off in the west parking lot near primary portables.

Students, who ride buses and/or vans, will be escorted to the bus zone. If your child rides a private van and/or bus, please be sure the provider is aware of school hours at all times.

Persons who transport students via contracted transportation services insist on proper language and conduct by riders. Contractors and drivers shall exercise care for the safety and comfort of riders, and shall have full authority over the management of conditions and conduct of students while en route.

Madison recognizes and supports the need for cooperative efforts between the administration and drivers for the development and implementations of regulations that promote high and safe standards of conduct on the buses and likewise deal effectively with cases of misconduct. It shall be the responsibility of the administration to establish BUS CONDUCT guidelines, acquaint the students with such guidelines, and supervise the compliance with such guidelines by contractors and drivers.

Administrative guidelines and/or regulations shall include thorough compliance with the following and will be defined in the student handbook and/or Student Code of Conduct:

1. Students are to wait for the bus on the sidewalk or side of the roadway until the bus comes to a complete stop.
   
   
2. Students are to board and leave the bus in a single file, walking, as directed by the driver.
   
   
3. Students are to remain seated until they reach their destination and the bus stops.
    
4. Students are not to put any part of their body out of the bus window.
    
5. Students are not to eat or drink on the bus. The bus must be kept clean at all times.
   
   
6. Bus windows will be opened by permission of the driver or his/her aide only.
    
7. No objects are to be thrown on/off or within the bus or extended out of it.
   
   
8. Students are not to damage the bus in any way.
    
9. Smoking is not permitted on the bus at any time.
    
10. Students are expected to observe the rules of courteous, considerate behavior on the bus at all times.
    
    
11. Fighting, vulgarity, loud noise, and other aggressive behavior is not permitted on the bus.
    
    
12. Possession and/or use of drugs, alcohol, weapons (or any item used as a weapon), incendiary devices, explosive devices, any threat toward another student or staff member, lewd conduct, assault and/or battery are ABSOLUTELY prohibited on the buses. Discipline action consistent with that outlined in the Code of Conduct will be implemented and enforced. 
    
    
13. Students who refuse to obey promptly the directions of the driver or aide, or refuse to obey regulations may forfeit their privilege of riding on the bus for a specified period of time.

1. Administering fair, consistent, and equitable discipline procedures.
2. Giving verbal warning to students as necessary.
3. Preparing and submitting “Bus Conduct Reports” to the bus company, to Principal and/or designees when behavior warrants disciplinary correction and who is not responding to the driver’s instructions

1. Review the referral with the student and will contact the parents by phone to enlist their assistance. This constitutes a warning. 
   
   
2. Send home a Bus Conduct Report with the Disciplinary Procedures for Bus Misconduct subsequent to the call. This will review the complaint and outline future courses of action if such become necessary. 

1. Second referral: 1-day suspension from the bus privilege and the school will contact the parents by phone. Mandatory parental conference with an administrator prior to return of privilege will be required.
    
2. Third referral: 5 days suspension from the bus privilege and the school will contact the parents by phone. Mandatory parental conference with an administrator prior to return of privilege will be required.
   
   
3. Fourth referral: 10 days suspension from the bus privilege and the school will contact the parents by phone. Mandatory parental conference with an administrator prior to return of privilege will be required.
   
   
4. Fifth referral: Termination of the bus privilege for the duration of the school year following a conference with the Principal, bus driver, and/or designees. The final decision will rest with the Administration and Bus Company representative.

1. Discuss the matter with the student and parent and follow up with the Bus Conduct Report. Copies of all Bus Conduct Reports shall be maintained in the respective school and bus offices and not destroyed.
2. Attempt to modify student behavior by seating changes, traditional discipline, etc.

Due to concerns regarding student safety, Madison Elementary School personnel cannot accept messages over the telephone requesting that the child’s mode of transportation to go home be changed.

Arrangements will need to be made in advance, with the normal mode of transportation only being altered under the following two conditions:

The child comes to school with a signed and dated note from the parent. The note would be given to the classroom teacher, who would then forward it to the office.

The parent personally comes into the school office and makes the request. The office will call the child so the message can be relayed to him/her. The parent will also be asked to put the request in writing.

IF THE ABOVE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE, THE CHILD WILL BE SENT HOME ACCORDING TO THEIR USUAL MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

Any student entering school is required to be fully immunized in accordance with state health laws. Parents are required to give written proof of immunizations with specific dates signed by a physician. The school nurse will review the health record and notify the parents of any missing data.  You will have 7 days to bring your child’s Immunization up to standard from the date of the letter sent home.

Parents are asked to notify the school as soon as possible if they will be withdrawing their child from school. Records will be mailed to the receiving school.

1. Parent(s) or guardian(s) name(s)
2. Complete and up-to-date address and phone numbers
3. Home phone and parent(s) work phone, cell numbers, pagers
4. Emergency phone numbers of friends or relatives cell numbers
5. Physician’s name and phone
6. Medical alert information
7. If your child takes medication please inform the nurse of the type and dosage

If a student becomes ill or is injured during school hours, the School Nurse is contacted when on duty. If not then an administrative clerk. The School Nurse/admin clerk will determine the seriousness of the illness or injury and upon her determination, a parent, or legal guardian will be contacted. If neither parent nor legal guardian can be contacted, those persons listed on the emergency form will be contacted and, if warranted, the family physician. In emergencies, it may become necessary to transport your child by ambulance to an emergency care facility.

Students with any contagious health ailments cannot be sent to school until the condition is properly treated and is no longer contagious. The School Nurse is responsible for the determination of the student’s re-entry into school.

1. A signed permission slip from a parent must be on file.
2. A signed medication order sheet from the child’s doctor. This includes all prescriptions and over the counter medications.

Should there be a change in normal custodial arrangements for your child/children, it is imperative the Principal be informed as soon as possible. A letter specifying such from the adult with custodial rights and a copy of the corresponding legal documentation are required to be sent to the Principal for adherence. A copy will be placed on file, and associated personnel will be informed of the change.

The same procedure is required should there be a restraining order in effect relative to the child. Each time there is an extension or alteration to such order, the legal documentation verifying such must be provided to the Principal for adherence to it.  The latest orders from the courts are the one that will be followed.

We encourage communication between parents and teachers. However, because of their teaching responsibilities, teachers will not be called to the phone during instructional hours (8:15 a.m. – 2:57 p.m.). If you would like to talk with the teacher about your child, we will write a message and you will receive a call back from the teacher when his/her teaching responsibilities are concluded for the day. Parents may also e-mail teachers.

If at any time you have a concern regarding your child’s education or school procedures, PLEASE BEGIN WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER. If after talking to the teacher you still feel concerned, please call the Principal/Vice Principal at 916-566-1900. Your concerns are our concerns - please feel comfortable in sharing them. A resolution will be worked out with team effort if need be.

Everyone coming into Madison Elementary must first check in at the Main Office.

If you wish to speak with your child's teacher, please make an appointment with the office secretary. We would like to be considerate of our teachers, please allow 24-hour notice.

Visitors, parents, guests, and repair people will be given a visitor’s pass to wear and will be asked to sign-in in the visitor’s logbook. Before leaving the school, visitors are asked to stop at the main office and sign out.

Because we have over 650 students in our building, it is impossible to handle large numbers of phone calls with messages for students. Please make personal and family arrangements with your child at home prior to him/her coming to school. Also, keep in mind that there is no public phone for student/parent use. It would be impossible to allow use of the school phone for outside calls unless it was an emergency.

The alarm system in Madison Elementary is a loud, continuous horn, and when activated sends a direct signal to the Fire Department. There will be numerous practice evacuation drills and other types of emergency drills during the school year. Emergency and fire evacuation instructions for Madison are posted in the respective areas of the building. Students and staff will be permitted back into the building when it is deemed safe by public safety officials and the building principal. In the case of some evacuations, students and staff may go to Trinity Church (across the street) when circumstances warrant.

The Madison Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization is an important part of our school. Many of the funds raised by the Madison PTO support field trips, provide programs for our students, and allow teachers to purchase materials for their classrooms.

All interested parents are encouraged to become active members in the PTO, and volunteer in supporting education. Feel free to contact one of the officers for additional information or leave your name and number in the PTO school mailbox.

The Parent Teacher Organization traditionally organizes one or two fund raising drives each year. Parents who prefer to make a donation in place of their child participating in the fundraiser are welcome to do so. Children should not sell products door to door. All parents are encouraged to involve themselves for a variety of jobs with a variety of commitment. We appreciate everyone's efforts.

All parents are encouraged to participate as a school volunteer during the course of the school year. Many enriching and worthwhile experiences are afforded our children through volunteer help from parents, and with this support, teachers are able to provide more direct instruction to students. Parents interested in volunteering time and services are requested to contact the PTO President or Vice Principal. Volunteers are requested to sign-in at the main office upon entering the building and sign-out upon completion of services.  We greatly appreciate any amount of time and support volunteers are able to offer. The district is now fingerprinting for free and parents doing a long-term volunteer job must go through this process. Please ask for assistance. Many opportunities exist within the classroom, cafeteria, playground and arrival and dismissal times. Your help is always appreciated.

PAYMENT OF SCHOOL LUNCHES

Full Payment $1.25 for breakfast and $2.50 for lunch per day.  This meal includes milk. Parents are strongly encouraged to pre-pay for their child’s lunches on the Monday each week or monthly. The cafeteria will keep track of the money sent in and credit any unused funds to the following week. 

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications for free and reduced lunch will be sent home the first week of school. The cost of reduced breakfast is $.30 and $.40 for lunch. Applications for reduced payment of lunch or milk will be sent home the first week of school and can be acquired through the main office any time during the school year.

Breakfast Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends promptly at 8:00 a.m.

STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Madison Elementary School Community believes that virtually all students can and will learn the skills needed to function appropriately in the school and community if given instruction, sufficient time and support. Students are expected to be responsible for making appropriate decisions and choices about achievement, surroundings, interactions, and safety. To assist students in getting the greatest benefit from their school experience, while individually developing responsibility and learning to control their own behavior, certain guidelines must exist. At all times, TR’s Code of Student Conduct will be enforced.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

1. Students are responsible for their actions and must accept the consequences of their behavior.
2. Students are expected to respect the rights and properties of others and themselves.
3. Students will listen and follow directions.
4. Students are expected to use self-control and behavior appropriate to a school setting.
5. Rude or abusive language or behavior will not be tolerated.
6. Students will be held responsible for any damage done by them to any part of the school building.
7. Students will not be allowed to possess anything that could harm themselves or others.
8. Intentional physical contact, which causes pain and suffering, is not allowed.
9. Toys, collectables, etc. are not allowed in school unless they have been brought with teacher permission for a school project.
10. No eating or drinking will be allowed in the halls, library, and computer lab.
11. Knives and other sharp and dangerous weapons are not allowed in school. Any that are brought in will be confiscated and the parent will be contacted.
12. Students must wear their hair in a presentable manner.  Boys may not wear any Mohawk haircuts, drawings, designs, letters, numbers or tattoos in their heads or hair or any part of their body, for any reason.
13. Girls may not wear big hoops earrings.  They may only be 1 inch or less in diameter.
14. Boys may not wear any kind of earrings, strings or threads for any reason while on school campus.

If a student issues a verbal or physical threat to another student/staff member, it is up to the administrator’s discretion to determine the action taken. Depending on the seriousness of the threat, the action taken could range from a reprimand to school suspension. It is extremely important for students to understand the use of appropriate language and actions at all times when speaking to other students or staff members. 

Bringing toys, collectables or articles of value to school is NOT allowed unless they have been brought with teacher permission for a school project. Students are also strongly discouraged from bringing large amounts of money to school. Under no circumstances are weapons or articles that resemble weapons in any manner allowed in schools. Items that disrupt the educational process are not permitted. The school will not accept responsibility for lost, broken, or stolen items.

Cell phones are not allowed to be on for any reason during the instructional day. This includes vibrate mode. All cell phones are to be turned into the main office daily and will be returned at the end of the day.  Cell phones in use will be confiscated and parents will be contacted. The first incidence will constitute a warning and the phone will only be released to the parent/guardian. The second offense will result in the same as the first incidence with a administrative consequence imposed which could lead to suspension.

Homework is an integral part of the school routine to foster greater student learning and understanding. It is an extension of the learning that takes place in school, and increases in amount and expectation with each grade level. Homework can provide practice that reinforces classroom learning and can provide opportunities for independent study, research, and creative thinking. An effective homework program also supports the conviction that learning is not limited to the normal classroom experience, but an extension that works to expand the vital home/school connection. Failure to complete homework will be addressed and dealt with at the individual teacher’s discretion.

Field trips have an educational value and, therefore, every student is encouraged to participate in them. Parents will be informed well in advance of an upcoming field trip. All students are required to have a signed permission slip on file with the classroom teacher at least 48 hours before the scheduled field trip.

Parents are often encouraged to chaperone on field trips. Although we encourage all students to participate in field trips, it may become necessary to require a parent to attend due to habitual inappropriate behavior from their child. The teacher will make the request to the principal who will determine whether the parent’s presence is needed. If such is the case, students and parents will be given at least two day’s notice.

If medication must be given to a student during a field trip, written permission from a parent/guardian must be given to the school nurse to allow her to delegate that responsibility to the teacher if a nurse is not going on the field trip.

Under no circumstances will extraneous people (children of chaperones, visiting relatives, etc.) participate in a field trip. Chaperones will need to complete district fingerprinting check before going on a field trip. This process should be completed well in advance of the field trip.

Articles that have been found in the school building, on school grounds, or on school buses are placed in the Lost and Found area in the main office where their owners may claim them. After a certain length of time, unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity. Parents are requested to label all removable articles of clothing, lunch boxes, and important school supplies with the child’s first and last name.

Each child is responsible for his/her textbooks, school equipment, and borrowed school library books. Any lost or damaged books and equipment must be replaced. The principal will determine the cost according to the amount of damage and the age of the book. If a library book has been lost and payment has not been forthcoming, the student will not be permitted to borrow additional materials.

TYPES OF CLOTHING

Clothing must fit well and not be baggy or have holes. Belts may not be longer than 3 inches after buckling and must be black, brown or navy.  Shirts with logos or sayings on them are not allowed, except for Madison T-shirts and sweatshirts, and they must be long enough to cover the midriff area.

FOOTWEAR

Lace-up or Velcro sneakers are the ideal.  No cleats, slippers, heels, flip-flops or shoes with wheels are allowed.  Sandals may be worn but must be closed toed with a back strap for support.

HATS

Baseball caps may be worn during recess but are not allowed to be worn in classrooms or buildings.  Knitted caps in winter are allowed.

OTHER

Children may not wear make-up.  Jewelry should be kept to a minimum.  No pierced body parts except for ears, and earrings may not dangle.  Hair must be of a natural color.

Students not in dress code will be required to call home and obtain appropriate clothing. Parents, who work, should be sure their child is attired correctly to avoid having to leave work. Dress code will be strictly enforced.

Classroom celebrations may be planned at various times throughout the school year at the discretion of the classroom teacher. The classroom teacher will arrange any refreshments for parties. Parent volunteers are welcome to assist with a celebration after making prior arrangements with the classroom teacher. Teachers are not to be asked to distribute private party invitations- unless there is an invitation for each student in the class. If you do not wish to include all class members, you must send the invitations in the mail.

All classes will have a fifteen (15) minute recess. Whenever it is possible, and in the best judgment of the administrator, recess time will be spent outside the building. Of course, when conditions such as extreme cold or soaking rains or excessive heat are evident, recess will be held inside.  During testing recess times may be adjusted to accommodate students

PLEASE NOTE:  It may occasionally be necessary to keep a child inside during recess due to inappropriate behavior or lack of academic effort during time on learning. Teachers may refer any continued problems to the proper school administrator.

Parents are invited, on a scheduled basis, to meet with teachers to discuss their child’s school progress. Conferences are held during the teacher’s planning time or at a mutually agreeable time. The Parent-Teacher Conference offers the opportunity to ask questions relative to your child, and to build an avenue of communication between home and school to better assist your child’s progress. Throughout the school year, parents are encouraged to communicate with their child’s teacher whenever necessary. Each teacher has a voice mail extension that may be accessed through the main office.

The SBAC in reading and math is administered to grades 3 - 6 each year and grade 5 is assessed in science. Student scores are reported at the individual level, and then aggregated to the classroom, school, district and state levels. Parents will receive a summary page depicting their child’s performance. 

SBAC is administered in the spring and parents will receive a summary page depicting their child’s performance.