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Section I – SCHOOL OPERATIONS
School Hours
School hours are 8:25 - 2:50.
- Children who walk to school, or are dropped off, should not arrive before 8:20.
- Those students who come to school for breakfast may arrive at 8:10.
- Children need to stay on the blacktop area once they arrive.
- Children need to leave school grounds at the end of the day. Only children accompanied by adults can stay to play on the playground.
- Children will be marked tardy if they arrive after 8:35.
Visitations
Parents are welcome to visit school. Please arrange your visit by calling the office or your child's teacher. When you come, remember that teachers are expected to supervise and teach students in their care and cannot visit with parents at this time. For the safety of all children, we require that all visitors use the main entrance, check in at the office window, sign the visitation book and wear a “SCHOOL VISITOR” badge when entering the building. All other entrances are locked during school hours.
School Closing Announcements
Schools shall remain open unless, in the opinion of the Superintendent, conditions are such as to result in hazards to the safety and health of the pupils. Consideration will be given to problems of transportation in the districts whose pupils attend the schools in Keene.
In cases of individual hardship, school attendance may be left to the discretion of parents of pupils involved. The school administration will use the media or radio for notification as early as possible.
In the event school is canceled or delayed, such announcements will be made over radio stations WKNE and WKBK. If there is no radio announcement, school will be in session. Parents should use their discretion in sending children to school during a storm.
Bus Transportation
Bus transportation is provided to all students, K-3, who live more than one-half mile from the school. Students in Grades 4 and 5 who live more than a mile from school are also transported. Certain students may be eligible for transportation as part of their individualized educational plan. Parents must send a note to the school if a student is to have a change in transportation arrangements.
Parent Pickup and Drop Off of Students
If your child is meeting you at your car after school, please ask him or her to come out of school quickly and meet you in the turnaround. Parents should approach the school from the south on Washington Street and queue up along the east side of Washington Street, moving into the turnaround as space allows. Please bear in mind that our crossing guard’s primary responsibility is safely crossing children on Washington Street and not to direct queue traffic. After picking up your child, please re-enter Greenlawn Street heading west onto Washington Street. It cannot be overemphasized that there is no parking allowed on the east side of Washington Street in front of the school grounds or anywhere in the turnaround area.
Parents should not expect to enter the queue/turnaround traveling south down Washington Street and turning left onto Greenlawn Street. This causes unnecessary and unsafe congestion at the intersection and is unfair to other parents waiting properly in the queue.
Parents may park and pick up their children behind the school. Please be sure to park beyond the sheds on the west side of Page Street to insure that you do not block the buses.
If you wish to leave your car and meet your child on the playground or come into the school, please park on either the west side of Washington Street, the east side of Washington Street north of Greenlawn or south of the school grounds. Please do not park anywhere on Greenlawn Street or on the east side of Washington Street in front of the school.
If you are meeting your child after school and remaining on the playground, please be respectful of our Project Keep students and take full responsibility for supervising your child.
Parents must send a note to the school if a student is to have a change in pick up arrangements.
Walkers
Walkers should exit the gate nearest the playground or by the shed on Page Street. Walkers who need to cross Washington Street should walk north to the crossing guard to be crossed. Walkers should not cross Washington Street in any place other than at the crossing guard. Parents must send a note to the school if a student is to have a change in walking arrangements.
Absences, Dismissals, and Tardiness
According to state law, all children from the age of 6 to 16 must attend school. Parent/guardian cooperation in stressing the importance of regular attendance and punctuality is most appreciated.
1. PARENTS NEED TO NOTIFY SCHOOL EACH DAY WHEN THEIR CHILD IS ABSENT OR LATE BY CALLING 352-1712. This assures us that the child is home and provides a safety precaution for the parent. If you do not call us, we will call you at home or at work. A CALL TO SCHOOL WILL PREVENT US FROM DISTURBING YOU AT HOME OR AT WORK. A MESSAGE MAY BE LEFT ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE.
2. All students should be at school on time. Please encourage your child as to the importance of being prompt in attendance. If a student is late to school for any reason, we must mark him/her tardy. Under state law, there are no excused tardies. If a student is present at school and has to leave for part of the day, this is recorded as a dismissal on our register.
3. Early dismissal from school requires written permission from the parent or guardian and must be brought to the student’s teacher. Students may not leave the school building unless accompanied by a designated adult. Students who are dismissed must check in at the office before leaving. Students may be excused from school or class when illness or unusual circumstances arise during the day. Parents are notified and must normally provide transportation if the student is to return home.
The administration and staff strongly recommend that parents plan and schedule family trips during scheduled school vacations. Students who miss class time often find themselves at a disadvantage since no amount of make-up work can substitute for actual classroom and teacher instruction. Parents are urged to plan appropriately. STUDENTS MUST NEVER LEAVE THE SCHOOL OR THE GROUNDS WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE TEACHER AND/OR THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
Schoolwork Requests
Teachers should have 24 hours to fill requests for homework assignments when students are ill. Schoolwork requests to accommodate student excursions with parents during school days will be allowed only with prior approval from the principal.
Student Placement for the Following Year
Pupil placement is a complex process taking a great deal of staff time, and energy. It is not something that any of those included take lightly. Children presently at Franklin are assigned to next year's teachers by a team composed of the sending teachers, reading specialist, and school counselor. The team will consider a number of factors in making placement decisions. These include:
- The need to have balanced classes in terms of the academic, intellectual, and social characteristics of the students (including roughly equal numbers of boys and girls).
- The learning style and social/emotional make-up of individual children.
- Unique home/family circumstances.
- Specific health concerns.
The team will consider information from parents that may be helpful in determining placement. No single factor will outweigh the composite of criteria. It is important that the team be afforded the flexibility necessary to determine the needs of the entire group as well as the individual student. We prefer that specific teacher requests not be made, for it is often difficult to accommodate these personal preferences given the numerous other factors which must be considered to assure balanced classes.
Additional written information from parents will receive serious consideration by the team provided that it is received in the Principal's Office prior to the first of May. The Principal will insure that the information is shared with the team during our deliberations.
Parent Conferences / Student Report Cards & Progress Reports
Report cards will be issued three times a year at the end of each trimester. Parent conferences will be held at the end of the first and second trimesters for all students. Please refer to the inside front cover of this handbook for a list of dates. Fourth and fifth grades receive mid-term progress reports if they are at risk of failing.
You are encouraged to meet with your child’s teacher throughout the school year. Please contact the teacher directly to set up a convenient time.
Children of Divorced or Separated Parents
The school recognizes and encourages the interest of both parents in the welfare and education of their child. Official communication from school to home will be to the parent with whom the child resides. It is expected that parents will keep each other informed regarding school matters. Both parents are invited to attend conferences. Separate parent conferences will not be held. Both parents have equal access to visit unless we have a court order to the contrary.
Benjamin Franklin School Parent Teacher Council
Franklin Elementary School is very fortunate to have an active Parent Teacher Council (PTC). Their mission is to support the students, families and staff in many ways throughout the school year. The success of the various fundraisers sponsored by the PTC throughout the year has allowed them to provide financial support for special activities, field trips, and classroom supplies. These fundraising events include a catalog sale, plant sale, and the famous “March Mania” raffle calendar. There are several fun family activities throughout the year including the Welcome Back - Ice Cream Social, the Holiday Breakfast, Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, and the End of Year Picnic. All Franklin families are voting members of the PTC and are encouraged to attend their activities and meetings as often as possible. Free childcare is available at the PTC meetings which are held on the third Wednesday of the month in the Franklin library at 6:30 pm. Visit our webpage at www.franklin.keene.k12.nh.us/PTC or drop them a note at franklinptc@gmail.com or at the school. Hope to see you soon!
2009-2010 PTC Officers
Christopher Mills, President
Donna Massie, Vice President
Laura Lama, Secretary
Kevin McKibben, Treasurer
Volunteers
All are encouraged to volunteer! There are many varied activities throughout the year. Some are a “one time” activity while others may continue sporadically throughout the year. A volunteer survey will come home at the beginning of the school year. Mrs. Diane Farina is the volunteer coordinator.
Elementary School Breakfast and Lunch Programs
All Keene schools offer both breakfast and lunch programs. The following are the prices for the 2008-2009 school year.
Daily Weekly Monthly
Full Lunch (includes beverage) $2.00 $10.00 $40.00
Reduced Lunch $.40 $2.00 $8.00
Snack Milk or Juice $.45 $2.25 $9.00
Snack $.50 $2.50 $10.00
Cold Lunch Milk or Juice $.45 $2.25 $9.00
Full Breakfast (served 8:10-8:25) $1.10 $5.50 $22.00
Reduced Breakfast $.30 $1.50 $6.00
Snack Pack $1.10 $5.50 $22.00
All Keene schools have computerized food service operations. All students are automatically enrolled in the School Lunch program. All students will be given a numerical ID number, which they will enter when they go through the cafeteria line. Please DO NOT give your pin number to anyone. Parents are encouraged to pay for meals on a monthly basis on the first Monday of the month. When 15 meals are paid for in advance your child will receive one free meal. Weekly payments on Mondays will be acceptable. Parents should record their child’s first and last name and the teacher’s name on a clearly marked payment envelope or check. Payments will be collected in the classrooms on Mondays. Each teacher has an envelope in which the students put their payment. The envelope is then brought down to the kitchen for the school lunch staff to post the money into the individual student’s account. Unfortunately, payments cannot be accepted as the children go through the cafeteria line for sanitary reasons. All checks should be made payable to “Keene School Lunch”.
School meals will be provided starting on the first day of school.
For those students who received free or reduced price meals last year, it will be necessary to re-aply by September 30th for the 2008-2009 school year. Applications will be sent home on the first day of school and can be returned directly to the School Lunch Office at 77 Arch Street, Keene, NH. The address will also be on the application. You will be notified by mail as to the determination of the application. We urge all who believe they may be eligible to apply.
It has always been the policy of the Food Service Department to allow a student the courtesy to have lunch even if they do not have the money that day to pay for it. This courtesy is for emergency purposes only. If your child’s account exceeds the cost of one week’s worth of unpaid meals ($8.75), he/she is no longer eligible to receive snack drink or snack pack until the balance is clear.
Lunch/recess periods are as follows:
Grades K, 1 11:25 - 12:10
Grades 2, 3 11:55 - 12:35
Grades 4, 5 12:20 - 1:00
Parents are invited to join the children for breakfast ($1.75) or lunch ($2.75).
We look forward to serving your children fun and healthy meals that meet and exceed state and federal nutritional requirements. Please call the School Food Service office with any questions at 603-357-9011.
School Health Services
School Health Services will promote health and wellness in order that students and staff may work in an environment conducive to learning.
The school health team for the elementary schools consists of school nurses Bonnie McAlpine, R.N. (Benjamin Franklin’s School Nurse), Noreene Davis, R.N., Susan Blackwood R.N., and Diane Meagher, R.N.. Our school physician is Geraldine Rubin, M.D.
The primary responsibility for a child’s health and well-being belongs with the parents. Your school nurse is available to assist students and families with questions and concerns that relate to your child’s health. Parents are encouraged to call the nurse (352-1712) for information and advice. The school nurse works closely with teachers and others to ensure that your child’s educational goals are being met.
The school nurse collaborates with parents and others in the assessment process to help identify children with special learning needs. She may initiate referrals. The school nurse provides the necessary link between educators and the medical community.
A cumulative health record is maintained on each child. This includes a required physical exam by the family physician.
New Hampshire state law requires that all students must have documentation of their immunizations and a physical exam prior to entry to kindergarten in August. Please note that the following immunizations are also necessary:
1. Five Diphtheria, Pertussis & Tetanus (DTP/DT/DTaP)
2. Four Polio Vaccine
3. Two Measles Vaccine (after 12 months of age)
4. One Rubella Vaccine (German Measles)
5. One Mumps Vaccine
6. Three Hepatitis B Vaccine
7. Two Varicella (Chicken Pox) Vaccine
Please note: if your child has not received the required Varicella vaccines, and has had Chicken Pox disease, a blood test confirming immunity will be required before entry into school. Please see your school nurse if you have any questions.
Students who have not been fully immunized will not be in compliance with the law and will be placed on a “Conditional Enrollment,” provided there is documentation of at least one dose of each required vaccine. The parent or guardian will be asked to provide an appointment date for the next due dose of vaccine from a health care provider. This appointment date shall serve as the suspension date if the child fails to keep the scheduled appointment. This process shall continue until acceptable immunization status is attained.
The school health record also contains a health history, annual height and weight. Grades 1,3 and 5 include vision and hearing screening, and Grade 5 includes scoliosis screening.
All transfer students must provide documentation of required immunization and/or a copy of the cumulative health records. A physician’s report of physical examination is also required for all transfer students. Those students not in compliance will not be allowed to enter school.
Prescribed Medication
Prescription and non-prescription medication to be taken during school time must be delivered to school by the parent in the original container. Written permission from the parent/guardian must be sent to the nurse for any student who will be taking medication during the school day. Prescription medications require authorization from the physician. If your child is taking daily medication at home, please inform the school nurse. The nurse can monitor for possible side effects.
Head Lice
Head lice (pediculosis) is an intermittent problem in school age children. When a case of head lice is identified at school, the child’s parent or guardian will be notified, requesting prompt care. Students may return to school after receiving appropriate treatment.
If you suspect head lice (itchy scalp and/or exposure to another child with this condition), please check your child to see if there are signs of lice or nits (lice eggs). Look especially behind the ears and top of the head. Nits resemble dandruff but do not brush off. If you find lice, follow the recommendations below, or seek assistance from your medical provider or pharmacist. Also, please notify the School Nurse.
1. Using an over-the-counter treatment containing Pyrethin, i.e. “Nix”, is recommended. Carefully follow the written directions which accompany this treatment.
2. It is important to use a fine tooth comb to remove all nits as they stick to the hair and do not wash out.
While the NH State Department of Education does not recommend routine exclusion of children
with headlice, young children who have visible live lice may need to be excluded if direct head-to-head contact cannot be avoided.
Health and Wellness
When in doubt about your child’s health on any given day, please keep him/her home. Your child may be coming down with something that can be transmitted to other children. Any child with signs of illness (fever, rash, vomiting, etc.) should be kept home.
STUDENTS MUST REMAIN EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL WITH:
CHICKEN POX - For 1 week after the first skin lesions appear.
STREP INFECTIONS - For 24 hours after treatment has started.
ALL OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES - per NH State Law, please call the school nurse.
The school nurse will determine when it is safe for the child to return to school.
Children need fresh air and exercise. We expect that children will go out for recess breaks. Any long term request that a child stay in for recess will require a note from a physician. During inclement weather, the principal or the teacher on duty will make a decision whether the children should be kept in or out. A good rule to follow would be to always dress children for outdoor recess.
Health Emergencies
In case of an emergency we always call the parents first. If parents cannot be reached we will call your emergency contact person. Please write an emergency name and telephone number on your child’s enrollment card. Use the enrollment card to inform us of any conditions or problems we should be aware of (ex. allergies, asthma, hearing loss, glasses, etc.). If you are going away, please advise the school what to do if your child becomes ill or injured.
Lost and Found
Please write your child's name INSIDE clothing, hats and lunch boxes. Our lost and found area is located in the hallway outside the main office. We invite you to check this area often. Items are displayed in school, and all unclaimed items are donated to charity.
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