2018-2019 FAMILY HANDBOOK ABRAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The mission of the Oconto Falls School District is to provide a high quality comprehensive education program for all students. 1 Welcome to the start of the 2018-2019 school year at ABRAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! It has been another busy summer around here. We received an entire new roof in June, the main office was moved as part of some security updates and wireless updates happened in August. All of this happened while summer school was going on and of course cleaning. The school is a busy place all year. We will continue to utilize online registration each fall to verify family information. Please take the time to do this as soon as you can so the school is sure we are communicating with you in the appropriate manner. We will again have computers available at open house if you’d like to do your registration at that time. Each child will have a set of forms online for you to go through. This year we welcome 2 new staff to our building. Ms. Anna Jagodzinski will be teaching Kindergarten and Mrs. Megan Pierquet will be teching Art. Stop by and welcome them. Each year to fine tune our PAWS work so that we are continually teaching the kids our expectations both behaviorally and academically. We recognize students that are doing what we expect and help reteach the expectactions to those not understanding. If you have any questions about PAWS or academics, please contact your child’s teacher, Ms. Fick or myself. We all would be happy to help you. This is going to be another awesome year, I just know it! We are always open to helping students and families in any way we can. Contact Mrs. Bauer or Mrs. Radke to set up a time for us to talk. I am so excited to see everyone in the coming weeks. It is going to be a great year in the Oconto Falls School District. Cordially, Mrs. Joanne Michalski Principal, Abrams Elementary School 3000 Elm Street Phone: 920-826-5819 Abrams, WI 54101 [email protected] (my email) https://ofpanthers.com/schools/abrams-elementary-school/(our website) The Oconto Falls School District shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, political affiliation, physical, mental, emotional, or learning disabilities, handicap, gender, gender orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, marital or parental status, ancestry, color, or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law. ​ 2 ASSIGNMENT NOTEBOOKS Students in grades 1 - 5 are required to purchase an assignment notebook through school for $3.00. These are a very important tool in helping students be organized and responsible. Parents are encouraged to monitor their child's daily work through the planner and are asked to sign them each night. Students who lose their notebook will be responsible for the cost of a replacement. ATTENDANCE Children are expected to attend school regularly and to be on time. Students who have good attendance generally learn more, earn higher grades, and enjoy school more than those with irregular attendance. In addition, regular school attendance helps students to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility that are important throughout one’s life. Wisconsin state law requires regular school attendance for all children between the ages of six and eighteen. Also, please note that state statutes require students who are enrolled in 5-year old kindergarten to attend school regularly if so enrolled. Obviously there are times in which it is necessary for a child to miss school. If a child is truly ill, please keep the child home – it will help facilitate a speedy recovery and will reduce the chance of passing along the illness to others. Family vacations are important, and we realize that sometimes these must be scheduled during the school year. Ultimately, parents are responsible for their child’s attendance and for making decisions within the guidelines set by the state and by the school. But the simple truth is that when a child is absent from school, he/she misses out on learning as well as socialization. For this reason, we ask that parents attempt to minimize school absences to every extent possible. All students are required to go outside for recess. Parents should not send notes requesting their child be kept in during recess for "runny noses, sore throats or colds." Please keep your child at home if they show flu type symptoms or have a temperature of 100º or higher or are vomiting. Teachers have outdoor responsibilities and cannot be responsible for students that are ill and ask to stay in the classroom. Excused Absences Illnesses, professional appointments, family emergency, funeral, etc. require the following procedure be followed so school knows and can be accountable for all students each day. ● Parents or guardians should phone the school (826-5819) and inform the office of the student's absence before 8:15 A.M. on the day of the absence. If the school does not receive a call, we will call parents after 8:30 to check on whereabouts of the student. ● Statistics show that the average student is absent from school for approximately six (6) days per year. Using this total as a guide, and understanding that some students may exceed this average because of serious medical conditions and/or unique circumstances, we have established the limit for total student absences (all types) at no more than fifteen (15) days ​ ​ during the school year. If this threshold is reached, subsequent absences will be excused only for documented professional appointments OR with prior administrative approval. Other Excused Absences Planned absences (vacations, hunting trips, extended holidays, etc) for families can be facilitated by notifying the teachers and the office two weeks prior to the date of the vacation so ​ ​ teachers can prepare work for the student. **As per state statute, excused absences are limited to not more than ten (10) days per ​ ​ school year. The Oconto Falls School District shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, political affiliation, physical, mental, emotional, or learning disabilities, handicap, gender, gender orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, marital or parental status, ancestry, color, or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law. ​ 3 Unexcused Absence/Truancy These include absences for which the school has not been contacted by the child’s parent as per the reporting procedures; absences for reasons other than those indicated above; and/or absences in excess of the stated limits When a child accumulates five (5) unexcused absences in a semester, the school will begin the truancy referral process. Tardiness When a student arrives late to school between 7:55-9:20 a.m. for reasons other than professional appointments, the student is considered tardy. Students arriving after 9:20 will be marked ½ day absent as we can only record days absent in ½ day increments. Regardless of the reason for your child’s late arrival, please stop in to the office to sign your child in. Homework requests Requests for homework should be made at the time the absence is called in. Requests made after the lunch hour will not be able to be completed in time for after school pick-up. Homework will be available to be picked up at the end of the day only. Attendance notices and meetings: 1. When a child begins to accumulate a considerable number of absences, the school will send the parent an attendance notice. This first notice is to let parents know of the number of days the child has been absent. Sometimes we find that parents are not always aware of the total days absent. 2. If a student reaches the point in which subsequent absences will require professional documentation, another notice will be sent to the parents requesting a meeting with the child’s teacher and the principal. 3. If a child accumulates five (5) unexcused absences in a semester, a truancy notice will be mailed to the parent and a meeting with the principal requested to discuss the problem and ways to solve it. If the truancy continues, the matter will be forwarded to the appropriate law ​ enforcement agency for follow up. BASIC SCHOOL INFORMATION Oconto Falls School District 200 Farm Road, Oconto Falls, WI 54154 (920) 848-4471 Board of Education: Ron Leja (President), Jan Stranz (Vice President), Clint Gardebrecht (Clerk), Ken Harter (Treasurer), Tracey Krumrei, Pam Engel, and Lisa Peiterson. Superintendent: Dr. Dean Hess School (District) Colors: Black & Orange School Mascot: Baby Panther School Song: "Abrams School Song" 1999 Lyrics by Abrams Students and Mr. & Mrs. John Dessart. Music - traditional melody ("If you want to be a Badger") Oh we come from homes in Abrams and Little Suamico. We come to Abrams School where we study, learn, and grow. We all work together to do our very best. People say we're the friendliest. Oh we love Abrams School! We love Abrams School! Let the school bell ring to show we love Abrams School! Raise the flag on the flagpole and follow every rule. We're proud to be part of Abrams School! A-B-R-A-M-S GO ABRAMS!!!! The Oconto Falls School District shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, political affiliation, physical, mental, emotional, or learning disabilities, handicap, gender, gender orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, marital or parental status, ancestry, color, or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law. ​ 4 BIKE RIDERS If your child rides their bike to school, it must be locked up in the bike rack in the back of the school.