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3450 Hunters Trail

Jacksonville, NC 28546 Phone: (910)353-4443 Fax: (910)353-4425

Mary E. Dyer Principal

Carla Bradshaw

Assistant Principal

Michelle Sinese Secretary/Treasurer

Sonya Jones Student Information Management Clerk

Carol Crooks

Receptionist

Office Hours Monday – Friday

7:00-4:15

Hunters Creek Elementary School

Mary E. Dyer, Principal Carla Bradshaw, Assistant Principal

Michelle Sinese, Secretary/Treasurer

Dear Parents, The Hunters Creek Elementary School faculty and staff members are looking forward to the beginning of a new and exciting school year. We plan to present a vigorous and comprehensive curriculum at all grade levels. Here at HCE, we believe in building and maintaining a strong home-school relationship to ensure that your child receives the very best education possible. We strive to make school an invigorating learning experience for all students. With your help and support, your child will have an outstanding school year. During the 2009-2010 school year, we began the process of implementing a school-wide theme to focus the academic program at HCE. Hunters Creek became the first STEM school in Onslow County will a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. The faculty and staff are excited to begin planning and implementing exciting new strategies and instructional processes that will energize teaching and learning. We eagerly anticipate working with you in all areas of your child’s educational experience. We hope this handbook will be of assistance to you in your understanding of established school, county and state policies that govern your child’s education. Should you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to call on us. Sincerely,

`tÜç XA WçxÜ`tÜç XA WçxÜ`tÜç XA WçxÜ`tÜç XA WçxÜ Mary E. Dyer Principal

The Gator Pledge

‘GGGGators

Always

Think about themselves and

Others by being

Responsible, respectful, and

Self-disciplined.

ONSLOW COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Ms. Ms. Ms. Ms. Pam ThomasPam ThomasPam ThomasPam Thomas, ChairmanChairmanChairmanChairman Mrs. Mary Ann Sharpe, Vice ChairmanMrs. Mary Ann Sharpe, Vice ChairmanMrs. Mary Ann Sharpe, Vice ChairmanMrs. Mary Ann Sharpe, Vice Chairman

Mrs. Mrs. Mrs. Mrs. Margaret BrownMargaret BrownMargaret BrownMargaret Brown Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Brock RidgeBrock RidgeBrock RidgeBrock Ridge

Ms. Ms. Ms. Ms. Lina PadgettLina PadgettLina PadgettLina Padgett----ParkerParkerParkerParker Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. JJJJeffrey L. Browneffrey L. Browneffrey L. Browneffrey L. Brown

Mr. Richard RayMr. Richard RayMr. Richard RayMr. Richard Ray

E. Alex Erwin, III Board Attorney

MEETING SCHEDULE

Date / Time Type / Location

9/7/2010

7:00 PM

Regular Board of Education Meeting

Family Education Center

10/5/2010

7:00 PM



11/2/2010

7:00 PM



12/7/2010

7:00 PM



1/4/2011

7:00 PM



2/1/2011

7:00 PM



3/1/2011

7:00 PM



4/5/2011

7:00 PM



5/10/2011

7:00 PM



6/7/2011

7:00 PM



1. Student Progression and Placement Policy 2. School Attendance Policies 3. General School Rules 4. Student Dress Code 5. School Fees 6. School Food Services

Student Progression and Placement Policy

The North Carolina State Board of Education adopted the North Carolina Statewide Accountability Standards for promotion in grades three, five, and eight on April 1, 1999. On June 28, 2001, The Onslow County Board of Education adopted a Student Progression and Placement policy that supports the State Board Policy. A revision of the policy occurred on December 13, 2001. Both policies provide an outline of a students’ performance level that would make him/her eligible for promotion to the next grade. The Hunters Creek Elementary School faculty will use the guidelines established by the aforementioned policies to determine a student’s placement for the following school year. It is of utmost importance that you share with your child the pertinence of completing assignments and homework throughout the year. When children receive failing grades on their report card, it is very difficult to support a decision to promote the student to the next grade. Student performance, as indicated by the report card and progress reports, is called the Local Promotion Standard. Students who do not meet the local promotion standard will be considered for retention. The Hunters Creek faculty and staff will work diligently to provide academic support, tutoring, and other educational programs to assist your child.

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

1. Become familiar with the Student Progression and Placement

Policy-3420. 2. Share the information in the policy with your child (ren). 3. Ensure that your child attends school every day unless he/she

is sick or there is a family emergency (see Attendance Policy). 4. Ensure that your child is on time each day. Students who are

consistently late for school miss valuable instruction. 5. Schedule and attend at least 4 parent conferences during the

year-one each grading period or at least one each semester. 6. Respond to notes and letters the teacher sends home. 7. Encourage your child to complete all assignments. 8. If problems develop and you cannot improve the situation with

the classroom teacher, speak with the principal or assistant principal.

9. Do not let academic concerns linger; they may get worse as time progresses.

It is our desire to see that all students establish a good attendance record. We are depending on parents to help in the development of this habit. A student must be present at least one half day (midday is 11:45 a.m.) to be counted present. Students who arrive at school after 8:30 a.m. are tardy. To enter a classroom the adult who brought them to school must sign them in at the office. If the teacher or assistant on duty asks you to sign your child in due to late arrival, please be cooperative and accompany your child to the office. The policy requiring you to sign your child in is our way of assuring that you are aware that your child is late. This process is designed to protect your child by documenting that you are aware of late arrivals. Students who are consistently late for school usually miss the beginning of reading or math instruction. The other students have completed the Problem of the Day in math or have taken an Accelerated Reader test, have visited the library, or completed the morning work. Students who arrive late are generally behind their classmates who have been at school since 7:45 a.m. Students who leave before regular dismissal must be signed out in the school office by the adult transporting them. We ask that you wait for your child to arrive at the office rather than going to the classroom. Please remember that instruction does not end until approximately 3:05 and students who leave early will miss the instruction that their classmates receive, will not have the chance to gather homework materials, and may leave school without required assignments. To maintain proper documentation of student absences, we require parents to send written notes to the classroom teacher stating why the student was absent. Your child's teacher must receive the notes the day the student returns to school. When students do not bring notes of explanation from their parents, we will code the absence as unexcused until a note is received. When a child has three (3) unexcused absences, the administration will begin implementing procedures required by the Compulsory Attendance Law of North Carolina.

Let’s go! We don’t want to be late for school. We’ll miss reading or math!”

“. . . Every parent, guardian, or other person in this state having charge or control of a child between the ages of seven and sixteen shall cause such child to attend school continuously for a period

equal to the time which the public school to which the child is assigned shall be in session.”

The Parent’s Responsibility

This is the North Carolina statute that requires parents of children age seven to sixteen to ensure that their children attend school regularly. In short, the child’s right to a free public education becomes the parent’s responsibility. In addition, parents of children age seven and under who are enrolled in public school in kindergarten through grade two are required to ensure that the child attends school while school is in session, unless the child has withdrawn from school. If a parent fails to assure the child’s attendance in school, the parent may be found guilty of committing a class 3 misdemeanor. The Principal’s Responsibility North Carolina General Statute 115C-378 describes the principal’s responses to excessive absences. The school principal is required to enforce the compulsory attendance law by using the following measures:

1. Three unexcused absences: the principal must notify the child’s parents or guardians.

2. After not more than six unexcused absences, the principal must notify the parent by mail that he/she may be subject to prosecution for violating the compulsory attendance law if the absences cannot be justified under the established policies of the state and the local board of education.

3. The school attendance counselor must contact the parents to determine what steps may be taken to correct the problem.

4. The school attendance counselor may request a law enforcement officer to accompany him/her if a home visit is necessary.

5. After ten unexcused absences, the principal is required to review documentation with the attendance counselor and then, if possible, confer with the parent/guardian to determine whether the parent has been notified of the problem and has made a good-faith effort to comply with the compulsory attendance law.

6. If the principal determines that the parent has not met their duty, the principal is required to notify the district attorney for possible prosecution.

7. If the principal determines that the parents have met their duty, the principal may file a complaint with the juvenile court to have the child designated as “undisciplined” on

grounds that the child is habitually absent from school without excuse.

Excused Absences

1. Illness-after 4 consecutive days, a doctor’s note is required 2. Family emergency 3. Designated, documented religious holidays 4. Certain military situations, i.e. parent deployment, parent return

from deployment, or other military situations 5. Special circumstances -please contact the school’s principal.

Returning to School After an Absence When a student has been absent from school, please write a note to your child’s teacher explaining the absence. When the teacher does not receive a note, the absence will be considered unexcused until an explanation is provided.

When a child misses a day of school, it is easy to complete a work sheet or several pages from the math book. It is impossible to regain what is lost when a child misses the learning activities, science

explorations, or group assignments their teacher uses to support the lesson’s objective.

M. E. Dyer

Onslow County Schools is currently revisiting the

district attendance policy. Information will be provided

in an addendum to the “Parent/Student Handbook.”

Our philosophy at Hunters Creek Elementary School is that all students can behave appropriately on the school bus, in the classroom, and in all areas of the school campus. No student will be permitted to interfere with the teaching and learning process or to disrupt a staff member in the performance of his/her duties. We will not allow a student to interrupt the instructional process. There will be some variance within the classrooms on what particular teachers may require from students concerning their behavior, but the philosophy described above is school-wide. Student behavior is governed by a series of expectations for various areas of campus. The classroom teachers will teach the students what the expectations are and ensure that they understand “The Gator Guidelines.” The administration will also utilize the guidelines established by the Onslow County Board of Education for more serious offenses. Please ensure that you have shared the policies in the “Student Related Board of Education Policies and School Bus Safety Regulations” handbook. Below are a few very basic, general school rules. They in no way address all the situations that may occur at school. Offenses that are more serious will be handled by the administration on an individual basis. 1. Follow class and school rules at all times. 2. Walk to and from classrooms. Running is not permitted in the hallways. 3. Show respect to classmates, faculty and staff members, volunteers, visitors, and

yourself. 4. Do not hit, push, shove, or kick anyone. 5. Bullying, verbal, physical, or electronic will not be tolerated.

The following behaviors invoke a three-day suspension from school: 1. Fighting 2. Violence or assault on peers or staff members 3. Continued, repeated misbehavior when all other options have not altered the

child’s actions 4. Repeated reports of bullying schoolmates or classmates.

There are situations when an immediate suspension from school will occur. Two of them are listed below: 5. Bringing a weapon or inappropriate substance on campus, on the bus or to the

bus stop MAY RESULT IN A 5-10 DAY SUSPENSION FROM SCHOOL 6. Having minor explosives such as caps, firecrackers, or poppers on the bus

or at school 7. Physical attack on a student or staff member PLEASE NOTE: Students cannot bring toy guns or knives to school. This includes pocketknives, Boy Scout knives, etc. These fall into the category that may result in an out-of-school suspension. Students should bring only materials necessary for educational activities. They should not bring trading cards, tape recorders, hand-held games, or any electronic equipment. The classroom teachers may make an exception during extended field trips. Behavior Management Plan Your child’s teacher will establish a behavior management plan for the classroom. You will receive information about the system from a class newsletter during the first week of school. Your child’s teacher will also explain her rules, consequences, and expectations for student behavior during the first day of school. If you have any questions or concerns about the classroom behavior plan, please contact your child’s teacher. Student Dress Code Students should come to school clean and neatly dressed.

• Spaghetti straps, halter tops and revealing blouses are not permitted. • Revealing clothes are not appropriate for school. • No hats, scarves, or bandanas are to be worn inside the building unless there

is a medical reason, extenuating circumstances, or special event. • Skirts and shorts should be fingertip length and should not be too tight.

Very short skirts and tights or leggings are deemed inappropriate. • Flip flops are discouraged. They are difficult for children to manage during

physical activity that occurs every day. Also, in an emergency drill, the student cannot move swiftly in flip flops.

• Sagging is not permitted. Pants that are too long and sagging prevent the students from participating in physical activity and present a trip hazard.

• T-shirts with insulting or inappropriate comments or pictures are prohibited.

Students in violation of the Student Dress Code will be referred to the office and parents will be asked to bring appropriate attire to school.

School Fees The Onslow County Board of Education has established the following school fees: Instructional Supply fee $5.00 Art $1.00 Student Insurance (Optional) Information will be provided during the first 2

days of school. Food Services

Onslow County Schools provides nutritious breakfast and lunch meals designed around USDA Dietary Guidelines and the EAT SMART NC Nutrition Standards. Guidelines restrict the amount of fat, sodium and sugar in our meal selections and encourage increased consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and calcium rich foods. Well-balanced breakfasts and lunches are one of the cornerstones to success in the classroom and improving student’s academic performance. Menus are posted on the Onslow County Schools website at www.onslow.k12.nc.us and in the local media.

Children from families whose income falls within USDA income-eligibility

guidelines may be eligible for either free or reduced price meals. Applications for meal benefits are available at the school office, school cafeteria and the Child Nutrition Central Office.

Meal prices are $1.00 for breakfast and $1.75 for

lunch. Reduced price meals are available for students that qualify at $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. Supplemental items selected from a variety of healthy

snacks and additional menu items may be purchased. Parent/Guardians may request that a message be placed on the child’s account to limit the types and amounts of items the student is permitted to purchase. If a student in grades K-8 has no money for meals, that student will be fed and the student’s cafeteria account will be charged for that meal. There will be no charging of individual food items at any time. A copy of the meal charge collection program is available at the school office, school cafeteria and for viewing on line at www.onslow.k12.nc.us. A parent/guardian may request a printout of their student’s cafeteria account. Contact the cafeteria manager for any account information or with questions/concerns.

Parent/Teacher Conferences Parent-teacher conferences are encouraged to improve communication among parents, teachers, and students. Please feel free to visit the school to discuss your child’s progress during non-instructional time. Call the school at 353-4443 to make appointments for Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday with your child’s teacher. Parents are encouraged to be highly visible and active in their child’s education. It is pertinent that our students realize the value of a strong education. Therefore, we encourage parents to volunteer and visit your children’s classrooms throughout the year. To ensure that the instructional process is not interrupted, we ask that parents schedule their visit at least one day in advance so that the teacher will be expecting your arrival and will not have to stop teaching to attend to your needs. This will also ensure that the students will be in the classroom when you arrive and not at recess or in an enrichment class. Please contact the office to schedule a visit unless you are a consistent parent volunteer. We also ask that young children not visit the classroom during instruction, as this may be a disruption to the class routine. Parent Volunteers Volunteers play a very important role in the total educational process. If you are interested in volunteering your time and talents, please contact the office at 353-4443 to receive information about required volunteer training. We look forward to working with you!

Effective parent volunteers become a valuable part of the classroom environment!

Students should arrive at school between 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:30. Students who are transported to school by their parents should be dropped off in the front of school near the flagpole. Please be mindful of the heavy traffic that develops in this area and schedule your arrival in a timely fashion. Faculty and staff members will be posted in the loading area to direct traffic. We appreciate your cooperation as they manage the movement of cars in this area. School dismisses at 3:10 p.m. Again, traffic in the front of school becomes extremely congested during this time. We ask that you wait patiently for your children to be delivered to you by the teacher or teacher assistant. Do not crowd the door as it makes it difficult for staff members to ensure that students are delivered to the correct adults and in an efficient manner. Students who ride the bus to school will be unloaded at the breezeway near the

Cultural Arts Center. Parents cannot remove students from the bus once they have boarded. If your child is on the bus in the afternoon and you would like to remove them, you must check them out at the office first. The office staff will contact the administrator on duty informing them of your presence. This process is designed to ensure that the adult taking the child home is the appropriate person.

Students should not be dropped off in front of the school before 7:45 a.m. There are no faculty and staff members available to provide supervision until that time. The students who are left in front of the building before 7:45 are unsupervised and injuries may occur without an adult available to assist.

Please, do not leave your children unattended in the front of the school building. There will be no supervision of students until the doors open at 7:45 am.

Students Arrive 7:45 Breakfast 7:45-8:15 Morning Announcement 8:25-8:30 Announcement Moment of Silence* National Anthem Pledge of Allegiance Gator Pledge Instructional Day 8:30-3:05 Lunch** 10:25-12:55 Afternoon Announcement 3:05 First Dismissal 3:10 Buses Depart 3:20-3:30 **See your child’s teacher for the established lunch time. Moment of Silence

*The Onslow County Board of Education has adopted the following policy for all schools: “A moment of silence shall be observed at the beginning of each school day in all grades in the school system. the moment of silence may not exceed one minute in length, must be completely unstructured and free of any influence from any source, and no other activity shall be allowed during that time.”

Hunters Creek School’s curricula match the North Carolina Revised Standard Course of Study in all instructional areas. Every effort is made to meet the needs to the individual students through the use of school, county, and state resources. In the area of English/Language Arts (reading, writing, spelling, and language), an integrated approach is used to address the different learning styles of children. Teachers use a variety of methods, including phonics, novels, basal and leveled texts to teach reading. At Hunters Creek, a variety of classroom and library resources is available to meet the developmental needs of the students. Special emphasis is placed on reading comprehension and writing skills, using a Balanced Literacy approach. In math, problem-solving and thinking skills are emphasized through the use of “hands-on” experiences. Teachers use numerous classroom manipulatives (materials that can be moved and touched) to help children apply math concepts to their daily lives. In addition to English/Language Arts and math, students receive regular instruction in the areas of social studies, science, health, character education, art, music, library skills, physical education, and computers. To make learning meaningful, subjects are not taught in isolation. Teachers integrate (connect) concepts from various curricular areas. Grading, Report Cards, and Interim Reports Kindergarten – The first nine-week period will be followed by a parent-teacher conference. Kindergarten students will receive report cards on the designated dates printed on the Onslow County School Calendar just as students in grades 1-5. The Kindergarten teachers will notify parents of the conference date for the first grading period. Of course, teacher-parent contact is encouraged throughout the year. First and Second Grades – Students receive nine-week report cards and interim reports (midway the nine-week grading period) on the designated dates printed on the Onslow County Schools Calendar. The grading scale is 1, 2, 3; or 4 for first grade, and A, B, C, D, and U for second grade.

Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades – Nine-week report cards and interim reports are sent home on the designated dates. Your child’s teacher should also provide additional information regarding your child’s performance by sending home graded papers throughout the nine week period. (See Onslow County Schools Calendar). The grading scale is as follows: A = 93-100, B = 85-92, C = 77-84, D = 70-76, and F = Below 70. Principal’s List/Honor Roll

Students in grades 2-5 are eligible for the Principal’s List and Honor Roll. The requirements for the Principal’s List are that all grades in the academic areas be “A” and the marks in the enrichment and conduct areas be “S”. To achieve the Honor Roll, the above applies, except that the grades in the academic areas are “A” or “B”.

Textbooks Your child’s teacher will assign textbooks to your child as needed. Some textbooks will be used in the classroom only while others will be

assigned for individual student use. Students are financially responsible for the care and physical appearance of the textbooks that have been issued to them. If books are lost or damaged, students must pay for them immediately. We encourage our students to put covers on their books to protect them and avoid damage fees at the end of the school year. Homework at Hunters Creek Homework is a major part of the academic program at Hunters Creek. You will receive the HCE Homework Policy during the first week of school. We ask that you read the information and share it with your child. It is important that all parties know and understand their responsibility in completing homework so that it is a valuable part of the academic program. If your child experiences difficulty in completing homework in a timely fashion, please contact your child’s teacher immediately. Homework should not take an extended amount of time and the students should be able to complete the assignment with minimal parent support. Remember, homework is an extension of what the children learned in school during the day and should not be new material.

The Onslow County Board of Education has adopted a policy governing the administration of medications to students during the school day. Medications administered during school hours by school personnel should be kept to a minimum. Every effort should be made to give medication at home before or after school hours. Otherwise, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to make arrangements with the school administration for medication to be given during school hours. The Board

assumes no responsibility for students who self-medicate or for other students who accept medications or other substances from other students or any unauthorized person. Parents or guardians who desire the administration of prescription medication by school personnel during school hours must: 1. Provide medication in a labeled container that includes the child’s name, the

name of the medication, the unit dosage to be given, the number of dosage units, the time the medication is to be given and how it is to be administered.

2. Have the pharmacist label a container for school use. 3. Provide new, labeled containers when medication changes are made and remove

medications from school premises when treatment has been completed. 4. Complete and sign the permission and release forms attached to this policy and

return them to the school. 5. Inform the school of any changes in the child’s health or change in medication. 6. Devise and emergency plan with the student’s teacher if the child has any

medical problem that might necessitate emergency planning, subject to approval of the student’s physician.

7. Transport any controlled or classified medication to the school. Students are not allowed to transport controlled or classified medications.

The school retains the right to reject requests for the administration of medication and may refuse to administer medication from any container that has the appearance of being altered from that dispensed by the original pharmacy. *’’Medications’’ refer to any drug prescribed by a doctor, including over-the-counter products, such as Tylenol and Benadryl. (Over-the-counter medicines must be prescribed by a doctor in order for school personnel to administer.)

Serious Illness of Injury to Students In the case of serious illness or injury, the following procedure will be followed: 1. If a student becomes ill or injured at school, his/her parents or guardian shall be notified as soon as possible. 2. A student who is ill or injured shall not be removed from school until the parent or guardian has been notified, or until a reasonable attempt to reach, the parent or guardian has met with failure. 3. If a reasonable attempt to reach a parent or guardian meets with failure in cases of emergency due to critical illness or injury, a student will be sent to the hospital in a Rescue Squad vehicle. Title IX Statement Onslow County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or disability in its programs or activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding Title IX: Title IX Coordinator, Onslow County Schools 200 Broadhurst Road, Jacksonville, NC 28540 910-455-2211.

Hunters Creek Elementary is regionally and nationally accredited.

Documents

3450 Hunters Trail - SCHOOLinSITESimages.schoolinsites.com/SiSFiles/Schools/NC/OnslowCounty... · and math. The faculty and ... review documentation with the attendance counselor