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Harrisburg Elementary is a special place where the extraordinary happens! A place where every individual is committed to success and winning at the game of life. We are blazing a path for the future by removing any obstacle that would hinder the greatness of our students. A path that will allow our students to become whatever they dream or aspire to be.

Just as with any game or sport competition, the likelihood of achieving and sustaining desired success will only be acquired by the implementation of and adherence to a strategic game plan that outlines the methods, plays, and actions to be consistently utilized.

The Harrisburg Elementary Student Game Plan for Life is sustained by five strategic plays:

Play 1: Be Positive. Always say I can, not I can’t!

Play 2: Be a leader. Always be an example of

greatness!

Play 3: Be Teachable. Keep learning everyday,

everyday, everyday!

Play 4: Be a Team Player. Working together is

always better!

Play 5: Be technology literate. Use technology to

be more productive not destructive!

10251 Harrisburg Road Indian Land, SC 29707

1 Table of Contents

GENERAL INFORMATION

SCHOOL HOURS: Student School Day: 7:20 am – 2:00 pm. Front Office: 6:40 am– 3:30 pm. Students may NOT be dropped off before the doors are unlocked at 6:40 am.

BUS REGISTRATION Parents should register students before June 30, 2016 or on the day of enrollment. For parents registering after June 30th, there will be a five day waiting period before bus service is guaranteed. The student’s parent or legal guardian will be responsible for providing transportation until bus service has been approved. Please contact the transportation office at (803) 548-9888 prior to the start of school if you have questions. If it is necessary to change transportation at any time during the year, please request a form from the front office. The five day waiting period will apply. After the appropriate bus forms are completed and received, the transportation department will notify the school and the parents and students will be clear to begin riding the bus. We will NOT change bus transportation without the approval of the transportation office.

WE ID! Student safety is our TOP priority! In an effort to maintain the safety of ALL of our students, parents and visitors are required to present a valid ID BEFORE checking their child out for early dismissal or when visiting their child in the building. In order for a parent/visitor to sign a child out, he/she must be listed on the student’s approved list that will be completed at registration. Any changes to this list will need to be made in writing through in our main office.

VISITORS We welcome visitors to our school! Unless otherwise directed by the administration, ALL visitors and volunteers are required to sign in on the computer in the front office and retrieve a visitor’s sticker. While in our school, please keep the sticker visible at all times. Staff members are trained to ask for this sticker if it is not visible.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS:

*Further information available at: http://www.scdhec.gov/Health/Vaccinations

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS Harrisburg Elementary Front Office 803-396-3737 Bus Office 803-548-9448 Harrisburg Elementary Nurse’s Office 803-396-3759 Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department 803-283-1171 Indian Land Fire Department 803-547-2747 Lancaster County Health Department 803-286-9948

ALPHABETICAL INFORMATION

ATTENDANCE/RECOVERY Attendance is mandated by the state of South Carolina. Attending school is required by law whether the school is public, parochial, private/independent or in a home setting. There are two types of absences – Excused (lawful) and Unexcused (unlawful). It is important that you notify your child’s teacher or the school office as to the reason for your child’s absence. This can be done by sending in a note when your child returns to school, emailing your child’s teacher and our attendance clerk ([email protected]), or calling the main office.

All parents/guardians are required to review the attendance policy on page 20 in the Lancaster County School District Learning Newspaper.

Lancaster County School District Recovery Policy: Students with excessive absences, tardies, or early dismissals will be required to make up time missed through recovery hours. Those guidelines are as follows:  Students will be required to serve one hour of recovery per missed day that exceeds the number of allowable absences. Recovery for elementary school students begins on the eleventh (11th) absence. Also, elementary school students will be required to serve one hour of recovery for every five (5) early dismissals, every five (5) late arrivals to school, or a combination of (5) early dismissals/late arrivals.  A student does NOT qualify for perfect attendance if he/she has five (5) or more tardies and/or early dismissals.  Students will have two (2) days after returning to school to submit medical or parent notes.  Students will NOT be able to participate in after school activities on days they are absent.  Vacation absences are considered unlawful/unexcused absences; no exceptions.  Lancaster County School District policy is that a child, at least 6 but not yet 17 years old, who has accumulated three consecutive or a total of five unlawful absences is considered to truant.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS In accordance with our healthy schools initiative, our cafeteria offers parents an opportunity to purchase a birthday treat for their child’s class. Information about this is available on our website. We do not allow cupcakes, candy, and other treats purchased outside of school to be sent in for student birthdays. Additionally, balloons, flowers, decorations and any other deliveries are not permitted during the school day and deliveries will be denied. Children are not permitted to pass out invitations to out-of- school parties during the school day unless there is an invitation for each member of the class.

BUS TRANSPORTATION The school works in correlation with the district transportation department to coordinate and address all student bus transportation needs and/or concerns. Certain laws and regulations govern the operation of the buses. School authorities make every effort to provide safe, punctual, comfortable, and orderly transportation for students. Safety is our first consideration. The most important safety factor is the disciplinary order maintained on the bus. The bus driver is in complete charge of the bus, just as a teacher is in the classroom. Any child who violates normal bus rules will be required to provide the bus driver his/her full name and grade level. The driver will file misconduct reports and the student will receive disciplinary action. Serious or repeated offenses may result in a child being suspended from the bus. If this occurs, transportation to/from school becomes the responsibility of the child and parent. Questions concerning bus transportation should be directed to the Bus Supervisor, (803-548- 9448) or our District Transportation Office, (803-285-6009).

Bus Rules

1. Obey all instructions of the driver. 2. Sit in seat, keeping hands, feet and head inside the bus. 3. Keep feet out of the aisles. 4. Use only a conversational tone. 5. Fighting, using profanity, smoking, throwing objects, and yelling are prohibited. 6. Vandalism will result in severe consequences, including restitution. 7. Board and exit the bus only at your assigned stop. 8. Any conduct that causes disruption is prohibited. 9. Chewing gum and food are not allowed on the bus.

In certain situations, the school’s staff reserves the right to use school disciplinary guidelines in regard to bus behavior. The bus is considered school property.

CAFETERIA 1. Children must use their Student ID number in the lunch line to purchase their lunch. 2. Food and special items, including ice cream, must not be thrown or shared. 3. Food and beverage items purchased by students should be eaten in the cafeteria. 4. Students serving a lunch detention may only purchase a regular school lunch; however, any child serving a lunch detention may not purchase any special items, including ice cream. 5. No carbonated drinks are allowed in the cafeteria. 6. Students are expected to talk and behave in an orderly manner. 7. All items, including water and additional milk, must be purchased as the student goes through the line with his/her class.

We strongly encourage parents to participate in the online Meals PLUS program. This is a convenient way to keep track of your child’s cafeteria account electronically. Information is available through Powerschool or in the front office. Students are asked to bring lunch money each Monday in a sealed envelope. You may send money for the day, the week, the month,

6 7 the quarter, the semester, or the year. Teachers will send money collected to the cafeteria manager each morning by 8:00 am. Children are NOT allowed to charge breakfast or lunch.

Breakfast will be available from 6:50 am -7:10 am and upon arrival for any child on late buses. Car riders who arrive to the cafeteria after 7:10 am will not be permitted to eat breakfast.

CAR RIDER PROCEDURES Car riders will enter and exit using the main entrance and will gain access via the car rider loop. The car rider loop is designed to accommodate double lane traffic until vehicles reach the merge point near the corner of the building. At this point to gain access to the drop off and pick up line vehicles should alternate right lane then left lane.

PASSING is NOT permitted in the car pool line. If you need to park or enter the building for ANY reason, please use the visitor parking lot. You may not leave your vehicle while lined up for pick up or drop off. When picking up, please have your pick-up permit prominently displayed with your name CLEARLY written.

To avoid delays in the car rider line, please make sure students are seated on the right side of the car and that they have all of their supplies, including lunchboxes and backpacks, readily available. Students MUST exit the car from the passenger side. The objective is to get ALL students in and out as safely and quickly as possible.

Do NOT drop students off at any time if there is not a HES employee present/on duty on the side walk. Students may NOT be dropped off before 6:40 am. Please do not start lining up until 1:30 pm. PLEASE DO NOT PARK AND WALK YOUR CHILD IN TO THE BUILDING UNLESS YOU HAVE BUSINESS IN THE SCHOOL. This is very important for the safety of your children.

CELL PHONES / ELECTRONIC DEVICES Students may only have cell phones/devices before and after school hours. Any cell phones/devices visible or in use during school hours will be removed from the child and retained by the administrative staff.

CLASSROOM CELEBRATIONS Classroom celebrations are a fun time for students to celebrate their accomplishments. These celebrations are incentive-based rewards for adhering to behavior and/or academic goals. Celebrations are limited to one (1) hour and will maintain a curriculum focus while reinforcing in fun ways the Harrisburg Elementary Game Plan for Greatness. The entire HES family will participate in four (4) school-wide classroom celebration days.

Fall Festival (October), Holiday Party (December), Winter Celebration (February) Year End (May)

Each classroom teacher will coordinate with his/her approved classroom volunteer/room parent to plan these celebrations. Only food and consumable items that have been purchased from a grocery or similar store or have been prepared by a commercial kitchen are acceptable. While

7 8 we appreciate your thoughtfulness, we respectfully ask that you refrain from sending food or gift items for students UNLESS requested by your child’s teacher.

CONCERNING CUSTODY If you are separated or divorced, you are required to submit a copy of your most recent custody papers. If at any time you feel that a problem or situation, including abduction, may occur, we need to have immediate knowledge of this in the school office along with accompanying legal documents to support any restraining actions. Student safety is our first priority. In any situation with conflicting records or information, we will operate in the best interest of the STUDENT until appropriate clarification is received. In the case of separated or divorced parents, the law stipulates that we cannot determine which parents may pick up the child. We must release children to either parent, regardless of which parent has registered the child, unless the custodial, enrolling parent has a court order concerning visitations or pick-up. In that case, we must retain a copy of the court order in our files.

CONFERENCES Conferences are a great benefit to teachers, parents, and students. Teachers will conduct a parent-teacher conference in October with every parent. All parents will have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress and discuss any concerns and/or requests with their teacher. We encourage you to have ongoing communication with your child’s teacher and arrange for additional parent conferences if needed.

Please remember that a teacher’s first duty is to teach. Teachers cannot meet with parents for a “drop-in” conference during the school day. Expecting an impromptu conference at the classroom door places the teacher in an awkward position and is unfair to the teacher and the students in the class. Keep this in mind when attending events in your child’s classroom. Parent conferences can only be scheduled during a teacher’s planning period or after school. These conferences can be set up by contacting the teacher via email or phone call, or sending a note with your student.

CONTACT INFORMATION Please inform the main office as soon as possible when you move or have a change of address, phone number (home, cell, or work), and/or email. This information is very important in the case of an emergency and ensuring accurate communication between the school and home. We use these numbers to communicate to our parents via the Blackboard Connect communication system.

DELIVERIES FROM HOME From time to time, students will forget an important item at home and a special delivery may be required. In order to safeguard the instructional time, we require that you bring items to the front office no later than 10 am in order for a member of our office staff to make a delivery to the student’s classroom. After this time we will make every effort to make the delivery but will not be able to guarantee desired delivery after this time.

DOLLAR FOR DRESS DOWN Students are invited to participate in a school wide fundraiser that allows students to dress down on Fridays (any school appropriate clothing). Students may pay $1 every Friday they choose to participate or may pay in advance at a discounted rate for the entire year. Information will be sent home from your classroom teacher. Additionally, one Thursday a month will be a “Tomahawk Team Day”. Students may wear Harrisburg team wear and any dress code approved bottoms. A portion of the proceeds from Dollar for Dress Down will be donated to specified charities. Information about the selected charity will be made available each month.

DRESS CODE • Students may wear navy or khaki pants, skirts, shorts, or jumpers in cotton twill or polyester- cotton blend. Corduroy material is acceptable. Jean or denim material is not acceptable. Pants, skirts, shorts and jumpers must be solid with no stripes or two tones. Leggings and tights may be worn under a skirt of appropriate length. It is not acceptable to wear leggings or tights as pants. • Skirts, shorts or jumpers cannot be more than two inches above the knee. This will be enforced at all grade levels. Because children are very active during the school day, please make sure students wearing skirts have on shorts underneath. • Jackets may not be worn in the building. Elementary students must place jackets on a coat hook, on the back of their chairs or in book bags. • Sleeves and pant legs are not to be rolled up. Each pant leg should be the same length & color. • Any shade of solid blue, white, yellow/gold shirts that have collars and sleeves may be worn. Turtlenecks and mock turtlenecks are also acceptable. T-shirts are not allowed as outer garments. Plain solid light blue, navy, yellow, gray, or white t-shirts or tank tops may be worn under collared shirts if they are free of writing and are the appropriate color. Undergarment sleeves may be worn but must be dress code colors. Outer garments must be buttoned. Shirts must be tucked in and not expose the midsection. Shirts must remain tucked in when a student raises their arms above their head. If there is more than one button on the shirt, it must be buttoned at all times. Shirts must be solid with no stripes or two tones. Clothing should not have piping or stripes of different colors.

• Logo’s, which are smaller in size than a quarter, will be allowed. • Solid white, yellow, navy, or light blue sweaters, sweatshirts, or vests may also be worn with a collared shirt underneath. Only Harrisburg Elementary School hoodies are allowed with collar shirt underneath. Sweatshirts or fleece pullovers with writing are not allowed. These must be solid with no stripes or two tones. They may have a Harrisburg Elementary logo. • Students must wear tennis shoes or sandals with strap around the heel. No high heels or wedges. Students may not wear shoes with lights or electronic devices, athletic cleats, beach shoes, or retractable roller blades.

• Head coverings, bandanas, hats, hoods and sunglasses are not allowed at school. Also, students may not wear colored hair extensions, colored hair spray or have hair that an unnatural color and/or is distracting. Spikes and mohawks are not permitted). • Clothing must be clean and in good repair. Clothes with holes are not acceptable. The above guidelines are not all-inclusive. The school administration reserves the right to determine whether the student's attire is within the limits of decency and modesty and/or meets the approved dress code policy. The principal may allow exceptions for school-wide programs or special classroom activities. Students choosing not to wear the approved dress code attire will be disciplined within regulations of the District Discipline Policy

The teachers and/or the principal(s) will administer consequences for policy infractions as follows: • Parent notification and documentation of infraction. • The student may be required to: o Change into clothing that may be provided by the school o Have other clothing brought to school o Parent contacted to have student picked up o Remove the accessory o Report to recovery room until dress code regulations have been achieved o Serve lunch or recess detention o Serve After-School Detention o Suspension from school

FEES OWED If a student owes lunch money or other school/library fines, he or she will not be allowed to participate in any school related activities or programs (i.e. field trips, fun days, etc.).

FIELD TRIPS Field trips are educational privileges that correlate with units of study and curricular topics. The HES staff reserves the right to make any decisions concerning student behavior and field trip participation. Due to the cost incurred by the school before field trips are taken, there will be no refunds for field trips. Permission forms are required for a student to attend any given field trip. Chaperones may be needed for field trips. Chaperones will be required to be LCSD approved volunteers. Chaperones will be expected to attend the entire length of the trip. Chaperones are not permitted to bring other children on a field trip.

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL Parents/Guardians of students in 1st through 5th grades are welcome to walk students to the classroom door for the first day of school. Beginning on the second day, please drop off your student in the loading area. You will not be allowed to walk your student past the foyer area.

Due to testing, kindergarten students will only attend school one (1) day the first week of school. Parents/Guardians of students in Kindergarten are welcome to walk students to the classroom door for the 1st day of school that week only.

**The above guidelines are for your student’s safety. For the rest of the year, only students will be allowed into the main building without permission from the main office staff. Upon arrival at the school, ALL visitors must check in at the main office. Parents are NOT permitted to enter the building through any door other than the front office.

FUNDRAISING Fund raising activities will be kept to a minimum and must have principal approval. The PTO will coordinate the fundraising for the school. We strive to make sure our fundraisers also offer benefits to our families and/or students.

We will host two major fundraisers this year: Boosterthon; which will be held in September, will focus on exercise and character • development.

Spring Showcase; which will occur in March and will serve as a fun family event that will • benefit our school and showcase all of our hard work and achievements.

Students may not sell, trade, or exchange items during the day. This includes items sent by high school students or organizations, as well as all outside clubs or activities.

GRADING LCSD utilizes six 6 week grading periods in grades 1-5. Kindergarten is semester- based and teachers will communicate via progress reports with respective semesters. Grades 2-5 utilize a numerical grading system, based on a ten point scale. For each six week marking period a student’s grade will be based on at least eight assessments in reading and mathematics and at least six assessments each six weeks in other subjects. English Language Arts grades are weighted 60% for reading assignments and 40% for writing assignments. Parents can access real-time grades using the Powerschool Parent Portal at http://powerschool.lcsd.k12.sc.us/public/home.html. Each student will receive a unique access code that will allow parents to view this information. For additional information regarding this system please contact the school attendance clerk, [email protected].

HANDS-OFF POLICY In an effort to maintain safety and respect for all students, Harrisburg Elementary has a STRICT hands-off policy. All students are expected to maintain appropriate interactions with their peers and are expected to keep their hands and feet to themselves. From time to time, certain activities and situations call for a certain level of physical interaction. In these instances, school staff will clearly and consistently communicate expectations for participation.

HEALTH If your child is sick, please keep him/her at home to limit spreading of germs. Students that have had a fever or vomited within a 24 hour time period are NOT permitted to attend school. Please make sure that all wounds are covered and that the nurse’s office is notified of any medical concerns or issues.

“I don’t feel good” and “Can I go to the nurse?” are common phrases heard by teachers and staff during the school day. Inevitably, there are times when students may feign (fake) illness in an effort to avoid certain assignments or social situations. If no sign or symptoms of physical illness are present, or if a parent has requested that school staff not call unless certain conditions exist, the student is usually allowed to rest briefly and then encouraged to stay in class or return to class.

Students will be sent home from school under the following conditions: temperature of 100 or higher, extreme headache, vomiting, or diarrhea. Additionally, a 24-hour wait period, free from the above symptoms, must be observed before the student can return to school. It is very important that parents do not send a sick child to school if the following conditions exist: chicken pox, pink eye, any undiagnosed rash or fever, scabies, strep throat, scarlet fever, impetigo, or head lice. Parents need to be sure that our office staff has the most recent contact information in case of illness or injury. When your child does return to school a note should be sent to the school so the absences can be recorded correctly

Students with Special Health Care Needs Many health care services can be provided for students to keep them at school where they can learn and participate with other students. Our goal is to provide information to parents and legal guardians about some of the services and programs available for addressing the health care needs of students during the school day to help students succeed in school. It is important that the necessary health care information is shared with the appropriate people—such as teachers on duty during recess, bus drivers, and cafeteria employees—to make sure that the students’ needs are met throughout the school day.

Individual Health Care Plans or Individual Health Plans (IHPs) Individual health care plans are also called individual health plans or IHPs. School nurses who are registered nurses write IHPs to guide how a student’s health care needs will be met while at school. The nurse works with the student, the student’s parents or legal guardians, the student’s health care provider, and other school staff to write the plan. IHPs are written for students who have special health care needs that must be met by school staff during the school day. IHPs are also written for students who have been approved by the school district to self-medicate or self- monitor. To learn more about IHPs, talk with your child’s school nurse or lead nurse Graceann Jones, 803-416-8884/803-320-2485, 302 West Dunlap Street, Lancaster, SC 29720.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)

Section 504 is a federal law that requires public schools to make adjustments so that students with certain disabilities can learn and participate in settings like other students who do not have disabilities. To be eligible for services under Section 504, a student must have a condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities. A team decides if a student is eligible. The team should include the student’s parent or legal guardian, the student (if able), and others who know the student or know about the student’s disability, such as a teacher, a guidance counselor, a school nurse, and other school staff. If the student is eligible, the team develops an individual accommodation plan. The individual accommodation plan explains how the student’s needs will be met while at school and may include health services for the student during the school day if needed. To learn more about Section 504, contact Student Services Director Kathy Durbin, 803-285-8439, 302 West Dunlap Street, Lancaster SC 29720.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Students, ages 3 through 21 years, may receive services under the IDEA if the student needs special education and related services to benefit from his or her educational program. A team decides if a student qualifies for services under the IDEA. The team includes the student’s parent or legal guardian, teachers, and other school staff. The team develops an individualized education program (IEP) if the student meets federal and state requirements. The IEP outlines a plan for helping the student receive a free appropriate public education and meet goals set by the team. The IEP may include health services for the student during the school day if needed. Contact Student Services Director Kathy Durbin, 803-285-8439, 302 West Dunlap Street, Lancaster SC 29720 to learn more about the IDEA.

Medical Homebound Instruction Medical homebound instruction is a service that is available for students who cannot attend school for a medical reason even with the aid of transportation. A physician must certify that the student has such a medical condition but may benefit from instruction, and must fill out the medical homebound form that the school district provides. The school district then decides whether to approve the student for medical homebound services. The school district will consider the severity of the student’s illness or injury, the length of time that the student will be out of school, the impact that a long period away from school will have on the student’s academic success, and whether the student’s health needs can be met at school. To learn more about medical homebound services, contact Student Services Director Kathy Durbin, 803-285- 8439, 302 West Dunlap Street, Lancaster SC 29720.

HOMEWORK POLICY Homework will be assigned at the teacher’s discretion and will reflect what students are currently working on in class. Teachers are asked to limit homework to a MAXIMUM of 30 minutes a night, including reading and projects. Research shows that reading is the strongest tool available to improve student reading fluency and comprehension.

All Harrisburg students will complete reading response journal entries as part of their required homework.

If a child is absent for only one day, all make-up work will be given to the student when he/she returns to school the following day. We will not provide make-up work on the date he/she is absent for the following reasons: (1) If a child is too sick to come to school, he/she should be resting and recuperating. (2) Reading is always a standing assignment and should be done every day when possible. (3) Collecting homework for one child stops the instructional time for several teachers each time it happens.

A majority of missed work is not replicable in the form of homework and must be adjusted by the teacher. Again, this is best done when the child returns. We will make sure that missed homework is given when the child returns and ample time is given to make up the work.

If a child is absent for an extended period of time (at least 2 days), homework can be sent to the office for the parent to pick up at the end of the school day (3:00 p.m.). We will no longer send homework to other classrooms for siblings to bring home, and homework cannot be picked up in the office during the school day. It is too disruptive to our instructional day. Homework policy for unexcused absences: No homework will be sent home in advance for unexcused absences.

INCLEMENT WEATHER All decisions regarding school closings and/or delays, early dismissals, or emergency information will be made and communicated by our district office. You will receive a Blackboard Connect phone call and/or email with important weather information. It is ESSENTIAL that you keep your updated contact information on file in our front office.

INTERNET USAGE

Students will often use or have access to computers with Internet access. Upon registration, each family completes a form indicating personal preferences. If you feel the need to reevaluate or update your preferences, please do so in the front office. Our district is committed to keeping our children safe and respects your wishes with respect to your child’s Internet accessibility. The web filters and firewall implemented by LCSD are fully C.I.P.A. (Children's Internet Protection Act) regulated.

INSURANCE AT SCHOOL Parents are encouraged to purchase student accident insurance. As a service to our students and the parents, the district offers student accident insurance through a private firm. Shortly after school begins, students will be given the enrollment forms to bring home.

LUNCH VISITORS We love seeing our families coming for lunch with our students! Due to limited space in our cafeteria, please plan to use the alternative seating provided when visiting for lunch. We have tables available on our patio (outside the gym doors) and tables in the lobby outside the cafeteria window. Please be reminded that students are limited to selecting (1) friend for lunch.

LOST & FOUND Please put your child’s name on clothing, lunch boxes, and any other items that your child brings to school. Belongings with names can be returned to their rightful owners. All other items will be placed in the school gym. The lost and found will be donated to a charitable organization on a bi-weekly basis. Please check the lost and found area periodically if you feel your child has misplaced a belonging.

MEDIA CENTER

The Media Center provides students and teachers with up-to-date materials. Our program supports research activities for students to develop a lifelong ability to locate and use information.

Students are expected to respect materials and return them on time. You must pay for any lost or damaged materials. Final report cards are not issued if fees are owed. Children will not be able to participate in classroom rewards and/or field trips unless their account balance is paid in full.

MEDICATION POLICY

According the Lancaster County School District Board Policy, NO prescription medicine may be given at school until a Permission to Dispense Medication Form is completed and signed by the parent/guardian and given to the school nurse. (This form is available in the office.)

All medication must be in the original container with the student’s name on the container. Any change in medication means a new form must be completed before the change is made. Over the counter medications must also be in the original container with the student’s name on the container. If at all possible, please give any medications either before or after school hours. The parent/legal guarding must reclaim any unused medication within one week of the termination of treatment or within one week of the last day of school. The nurse, principal or his/her designee will destroy any medications not reclaimed.

MONEY REMINDER All money sent to school needs to be securely placed in a sealed envelope that is marked with student name, teacher name, amount of money, and purpose. Harrisburg Elementary School and staff are not responsible for lost or stolen money.

NOTES REQUIRED FROM PARENTS The school requires notes from parents/legal guardian explaining the following:  Student absences  Request for early dismissal  Request to miss recess or P.E.  Change in usual method of transportation  (Example: Change from bus rider to car rider)  Allergic Reactions (insects, milk, food, etc.)  Authorization to administer prescription medicine  Specific medical treatment of special health needs  Information changes regarding a change of job, phone number, emergency contact information, etc, The school must be able to reach you or other emergency contacts at all times.

PEANUT FREE POLICY Harrisburg Elementary is a peanut free campus. Due to the increasing number of children with potentially life threatening peanut allergies, peanut products, products containing peanuts, or products produced in a facility that processes peanuts are not allowed on our campus.

PARENT COMMUNICATION

When questions or concerns arise, parents should CONTACT THE TEACHER FIRST by e-mail, sending a note in your child’s communication folder, or leaving a message with the front office. Parents can normally expect an initial contact from the teacher within 24 hours.

Additional communication that parents can expect to receive includes, but is not limited to:

 Weekly Communication Folder (Wednesday) containing graded work and the Weekly Tomahawk Times newsletter  Weekly School Wide Parent Blast E-mail  Weekly Classroom E-mail and schedule of events

 Regularly updated website and Facebook communications

PTO We strongly encourage all parents to not only join, but to also become actively involved in our PTO! Information can be obtained at Back to School Night or on our school website. Parent involvement is essential to accomplishing the goals of our school and the PTO is a great start!

PICTURE DAYS Individual school pictures are scheduled for the fall. Students wear dress code for these pictures. Proofs will be sent home with the students after picture day. Holiday, class pictures, and Spring pictures will be taken throughout the school year. Information will be sent home in advance.

PUBLICITY & PHOTOGRAPHS Occasionally, pictures of students are taken and published in local newspapers, on our school website, or on our social media outlets. This usually occurs when an activity or achievement is deserving of public notices. At registration, each family completes a form indicating whether or not your student’s picture can be publically displayed. If you feel the need to reevaluate or update your preferences, please do so in the front office.

RETURNING TO SCHOOL FOR ITEMS Please note that students are not permitted to return to school at the end of the regular school day to retrieve items that have been left in their classrooms. This school rule also applies to forgotten homework and textbooks, etc. Please encourage your child to have a “homework buddy” whom you may contact for assistance in such an event. Parents are not permitted to enter a classroom without a teacher or administrator’s permission.

SCHOOL CLOSING In the event of school closing or early dismissal due to inclement weather, radio and television stations are notified as soon as possible. Listen to them for the latest information. We will send a voice message to each home via our communication system, Blackboard Connect, whenever possible. In the event of early dismissal, children will be sent home their usual way.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES A district wide supply list is provided at the local stores and available on our website prior to the beginning of the year.

SIGNING STUDENTS OUT Any time a student is signed out of school, the person collecting the student must present a valid photo ID and must appear on the child’s approved checkout list. If the person does not present identification or does not appear on the child’s approved checkout list, the child will not be released. The office will not grant early dismissals after 1:40pm.

SMOKE FREE & TOBACCO FREE Harrisburg Elementary is an entirely smoke free and tobacco free campus. The use of all tobacco products or paraphernalia by students, staff, and visitors is prohibited. Including but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, and snuff. This policy applies to school facilities, vehicles, and grounds. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

STUDENT RECORDS & INFORMATION Parents wishing to obtain information from school records and/or requesting a transfer of records must contact our registrar, Angela McClendon at [email protected]. You will be required to complete a Records Request Form.

STUDENT TESTING All South Carolina 3-5 students participate in state-wide, end-of- grade testing in the spring. Additionally, ALL LCSD students (K-5) participate in MAPS testing three times a year. Second grade students will participate in COGAT/ITBS testing in February. Kindergarten students will participate in beginning of the year/end of the year evaluations. We ask that all students are in attendance unless there is an unavoidable illness or medical situation. Students will not be given homework during testing and we ask that parents cooperate by ensuring students are well rested and have had a healthy breakfast on the morning of testing.

TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS Teacher assignments are mailed out in early August. We work extremely hard to ensure that all of our teachers are highly qualified and that each student is placed in an environment that meets his/her developmental, social, and academic needs. We will NOT, under any circumstance, consider or entertain parent requests for particular teachers.

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES All parents are required to complete an afternoon transportation card that is maintained by office staff. If at any time, transportation changes permanently, it is the responsibility of the parent to update this information in the main office. If a temporary change is necessary, please make sure that this request is made in WRITING prior to the child’s teacher by 10 am. Any emergencies beyond this time need to be communicated with the main office at (803) 396-3737

VISITORS TO OUR SCHOOL We LOVE visitors and we encourage you to be actively involved in the wonderful things we have going on! ALL visitors are REQUIRED to enter through the front office only. All visitors must check in and sign in/out on the computer terminal in the front office. Visitor stickers must be prominently displayed at ALL times while in the building. If the sticker is not visible, staff members are instructed to ask for it and you will be asked to leave if you do not have sticker. Visitors are required to use “staff” restrooms. In order to protect student instructional time, we ask that you do not visit unless you have made prior arrangements with the teacher. We do not allow visitors to the classroom without prior permission. Our focus at all school activities is the students in the classroom so we refrain from inviting younger siblings to classroom functions and on school field trips. We ask that you respect the fact that our students are elementary school aged and that all dress is professional and appropriate for our environment. Please choose kid-friendly attire that will not detract from the educational atmosphere. We appreciate your cooperation in implementing these safety guidelines.

VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are always WELCOMED and NEEDED at Harrisburg Elementary. Volunteer applications can be obtained through the Harrisburg web page or from the main office. For additional information regarding volunteers please refer to the Harrisburg Volunteer Handbook, which can be found online or obtained through the main office.