Endeavor Elementary

Mrs. Soto’s Class

2012 - 2013

Contact Me

• You can also reach me via email at msoto@madison.k12.al.us. I will answer my emails as soon as possible, usually after school or in the mornings.

• Prior to 7:45 or after 3:00, I may be reached by telephone at the school. You will probably have to leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible (which may not be until after school). Please do not leave messages about afternoon dismissal on my voice mail as I may not receive the message in time. If you do have an issue about afternoon dismissal, please let the secretary at the front desk know when you call. The school number is 256-837-7475.

Arrival• Car riders may be dropped off at the

side door between 7:30 and 8:00. • Wait for the stop signs on the sides

of the buses to be pulled in before entering the parking area.

• Do not block the bus lane.• During normal arrival time there

should be someone at the entrance to meet you and walk your child to the classroom. Please leave your child with this person. If no one is there to meet your child, please drop them off at the door to their classroom.

• Morning Announcements begin at 7:50. Please have your child here on time so we can listen to the announcements & say the daily pledge together.

Late Arrivals

• The side doors will be locked at 8:00. You must go to the front office and sign your child in if you arrive later than 8:00.

• Students on individualized schedules must be signed in and/or out daily.

Departure

• Car riders will be loaded at 2:20 at the Kindergarten door at the front of the school. Please be prompt in picking up your child.

• Bus riders will load the buses at 2:15 at the Special Ed. door at the back of the school.

• If your child’s afternoon transportation changes please send a note to your child’s teacher or call the school before 1:30.

• Please do not check out in the lobby after 2:15.

Attendance

• Attendance is taken daily. Students are monitored for excused/unexcused absences.

• Please send a signed and dated note regarding an absence within 3 days after your child returns to school. After 3 days, absences are marked unexcused.

• Please notify the school in advance of planned absences.

• Do not assume that messages sent via bus drivers or paraprofessionals are received by teachers. Please contact your child’s teacher via a written note or e-mail.

Illness• If your child is home

with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, please make sure your child is free of these symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school.

• Please be considerate of others when determining if your child is ready to return to school after an illness.

Medications

• A properly completed Medication Release Form must be on file with the nurse for medications to be administered during the school day. This must be updated yearly.

• Medications will be administered by school personnel.

• Medications must be turned in to the front office or the nurse.

• Medications must be in the original prescription bottle.

• Please notify your child’s teacher if there is a change in your child’s medication.

Conferences

• Communication is important to us. Please feel free to contact me to schedule a conference whenever you like.

• Please do not attempt to conference with your child’s teacher during arrival and departure times.

Discipline

• Students are provided with positive encouragement and reinforcement when desired outcomes and behavioral outcomes have been achieved.

• Redirection is initially utilized to teach behavioral outcomes in a positive manner.

• Time out periods are used after several verbal prompts. (Some students may have individual behavior management plans incorporated into their IEP’s)

Breakfast

• Breakfast time will be provided at school as needed. Please inform me if your child will be eating at school or at home.

• For students needing to eat breakfast at school, they may purchase food from the cafeteria or bring in his/her own food. Please inform me as to your preference.

Lunch• Your child may bring a

lunch or purchase one in the cafeteria.

• Please send foods that require heating only if your child is on a medically restricted diet.

• Free and reduced lunches are available for students who qualify. Please let me know if you need the paperwork to apply for free or reduced meals.

• Please remember to send in money on time for lunch and breakfast. You may write checks in advance for as many weeks as you would like. In addition, you can pay on the online program at www.PayPAMS.com.

• Please remember to keep money in your child’s account.

Snacks

• Your child will be required to have an individual snack box (I will show you the one I would like your child to have during parent orientation).

• You will be responsible for filling your child’s snack box and then returning the box to school.

• THE SNACKS MUST BE STORE BOUGHT AND INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED (unless you make prior arrangements with me).

• Snacks must be healthy and sugar may NOT be listed as the first ingredient!

• When your child’s snack box is close to being empty, I will send the box home or I will just make a note on your child’s daily behavior chart letting you know that you need to send in more snacks.

• Please notify me if your child is on a medically restricted diet or has food allergies.

• Snack time provides an opportunity for language development and social skills instruction.

• Occasional cooking activities will be a part of your child’s curriculum. I may contact you if materials are needed for donation for cooking activities or snacks.

Confidentiality

• Every child has a right to privacy.• In the best interest of the students

we ask that you respect any information that you may obtain regarding our students.

• Discussion of issues concerning other students is prohibited.

• Due to the respect of privacy of all of my students, I do not allow parents to “drop-in” and stay in the classroom during the school day. If you would like to observe your child in the classroom, please give me 24 hours notice.

Daily Take Home Folders

• Your child will have a daily folder that they will keep in their backpack and take home everyday. The folders are my way of communicating with you each day about your child’s behavior, weekly calendars/letters, monthly calendars, and important notes and papers that need to be sent home.

• PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THE BEHAVIOR CHART IN YOUR CHILD’S FOLDER EVERY DAY!!!

• The folder will also have a clear plastic zipper bag that you will need to provide for your child. This is for all money and notes that you send to school and I that will send back home to you as needed. PLEASE LEAVE THE ZIPPER BAG IN YOUR CHILD’S FOLDER! (Please make sure that your child’s backpack is large enough to hold a folder without being squished.)

Mrs.Soto’s Class Rules

• Follow directions quickly.

• Be nice.• Do the right thing.• Keep your dear

teacher HAPPY!

Consequences

• 1st offense = Verbal Warning/redirection• 2nd offense = Another Warning/redirection• 3rd offense = Move shell fish down /Time-

Out• 4th offense = Move shell fish down/ Time–

Out /Lose privilege• 5th offense = Move shell fish down/ Lose

activity / Parent contacted / possible talk with principal

Rewards• Verbal Praise / High Five• Gets a sticker• Special Note Home• Your child will start with his/her shell

fish under the happy dolphin, if he/she does not respond to redirection he/she will have to move his/her shell fish down to swim with the sad jelly fish, if behavior continues to decline, his/her shell fish will have to sit at the bottom of the ocean with the crabby crab.

• May get to move his/her shell fish back up if he/she demonstrates major improvement in behavior.

• Will earn a special / favorite activity or a treasure box item.

• Will get to participate in special activity at the end of the week

• Your child’s weekly behavior chart will be in their daily folder. PLEASE READ, SIGN, & RETURN THE BEHAVIOR CHART EVERY DAY!

Recess

• Your child will have recess for 30 minutes daily. I strongly believe in the importance of fresh air and playing outside as much as possible. Some of the students may be going to recess with their regular education classrooms and some may be going with our class (depending on what is written in the IEP). Please make sure your child is dressed properly for the weather.

• Please make sure your child leaves his/her toys at home. Toys will be taken up and returned in your child’s backpack at the end of the day and I will send a note home to you. Toys are a distraction and it is also very difficult to keep up with them and make sure they make it home to the right student.

Toys

Birthdays• Many children enjoy

sharing special snacks on their birthdays. If you would like to bring/send a snack on your child’s birthday, please let me know in advance. The class will share the snack during lunch.

• Per Madison County Policy, all snacks must be store bought and packaged and sugar can not be listed as the first ingredient.

• I am happy to pass along birthday invitations as long as there is one invitation for each child in the classroom.

• There will be occasions for celebrations during the year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, End of the Year).

• You may be contacted to send something to the party or to help in some other way.

Celebrations

Field Trips• Your child will attend at least 2 field trips during

the school year. There is a charge for these trips when needed to cover the cost of admission. You will receive specific information about each of these trips and a permission slip.

• Money and a signed permission slip must be received before your child can go on the field trip.

• Endeavor Elementary guidelines request that siblings not attend field trips so that chaperones can devote their supervision to the students.

Money• Please put all money in an envelope or

Ziploc bag and label it with your child’s name, teacher’s name, and the purpose of the money.

• Place the money in the zipper bag in your child’s daily folder.

• Any unknown monies will automatically be placed in your child’s lunch account.

Book Clubs

• I will be sending home a monthly flier to allow you to purchase low cost books for your child. You are in no way obligated to purchase books at any time – this is just offered as a great source of quality literature at low prices. Teachers earn points for each purchase that allows them to add new books to their classroom libraries.

Clothes• Please send a change of clothes for your

child (including socks and underwear for accidents). If you child has an accident, you may be contacted to pick up the soiled clothing.

• If you do not have an extra pair of clothing here at school, you will be called & your child will sit until you are able to come to the school with a fresh pair of clothes.

• Please label all extra clothes, coats, and jackets.

• In addition, I do a lot of sensory activities and a lot of arts and crafts for fine motor development, so please keep this in mind when you are dressing your child.

• If you would like, you can send in a smock if you are concerned about your child’s clothing getting messy. I do try to minimize anything getting on your child’s clothing, but I want your child to get involved, have fun, and learn.

• Also, please remember to send in pull-ups and wipes if your child is not yet toilet trained.

Report Cards / Progress Reports

• Progress reports will be sent home every 3 weeks per special education policy. Report cards will be sent home every 9 weeks. All students will have an IEP report card, and some students will also have a regular education report card depending on their placement.

Transportation• Please let me know which mode of

transportation your child will be using the first day of school.

• Also let me know which mode of transportation your child will typically use.

• Please send a note/email if there is a change in transportation.

Important Papers to Return:

• Student Information half-sheet• Student Information full-sheet• Permission to Photograph• Madison County Code of Conduct receipt• Endeavor Elementary Handbook receipt• Madison County Schools Student Health

Information• Permission to Photograph / Video• First Aid Room Record (Clinic Card)• Communicable Illness Policy• Acceptable Use Policy (Internet Permission)• PTA Membership (Optional)• Volunteer Information (Optional)• Free/Reduced Lunch Forms (Optional)• PayPams (pre-pay for school meals)

(Optional)• Health Assessment Record• School Insurance Forms

Student Code of Conduct

Please make sure you read the student code of conduct book, paying particular attention to the following information:

Dress Code – pg. 2Bus Rules – pg. 4Respect for person, privacy, & property – pg. 5Students questioned by DHR – pg. 5-6Prohibited substances / devices – pg. 7-9Medications – pg. 14Acceptable Use and Internet Safety – pg.1 5Classification of Violations & Consequences – pg. 19Attendance – pg. 19Truancy – pg. 21

Misc…

• ALL visitors to the building must sign-in at the front office & wear a badge while on our campus.

• Only the front door will be open during school hours.

• Fire drills are conducted monthly & tornado drills are done 2 times per year.