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General Information

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Attendance Requirements

Bus Policy

Bus Behavior

Communications

Curriculum

Daily Schedule

Drop Off Policy

Discipline Policy

Dress Code

Emergency Information Cards

Emergency Pick Up

Field Trips

Health Services

Homework

Insurance

Lost and Found

Lunch/Breakfast Program

Pick Up Policy

Permission Slips

Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)

School Improvement Team (SIT)

Visitors/Volunteers


Curriculum

Glocester offers a comprehensive program of instruction to its students in the major academic and support areas. The sequential approach to the development of skills and concepts is accomplished through the use of integrated units of study-using children's literature and process writing across the curriculum. Basic textbook series are used in all the major content areas &endash; Reading, Language, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. In addition to these subjects, students also receive instruction in Art, Computer, Health, Library, Music and Physical Education.

The Glocester School Department offers complete Special Education services to all eligible children starting at age 2 - to those who will be entering Kindergarten. FREE Vision, Hearing, Speech, and Development Screening are available by calling the Northwest Region "Child Outreach" at 647-7560. It is important that your child be screened as early as possible. "Child Outreach" is an early intervention tool designed to identify children who may have an area of weakness so that they may receive help in that area before they attend Kindergarten.

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Attendance Requirements

It is important that a child be present each day that school is in session unless serious reasons prevent attendance. Frequent absences interfere with continuity of instruction and reduce a student's ability to maintain a high level of achievement. There are times, however, when it is in the best interest of all concerned that children not be sent to school. It is requested that children not come to school with severe colds, fevers, rashes, or any illness, which might be contagious.

If your child is going to be absent, it is school policy that parents report such absences to the office before 9:00 AM. Please call 568-6211.

For short-term illnesses, teachers will provide missed instruction and work after children are well and return to school.

Family trips that are taken when schools are in session incur a loss of instructional opportunities, which really can never be recovered. Parents are advised that the school will not arrange for homework to be taken on such trips.

 
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Daily Schedule
Daily Schedule:
Grades 1 - 5 ………………………………………………….. 9:00 AM to 3:15 PM

Kindergarten AM Session …………………………………. 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM

(As of 2004, children must be 5 years of age on or before September 1 of any school year).

Kindergarten PM Session …………………………………. 12:30 PM to 3:15 PM

(As of 2004, children must be 5 years of age on or before September 1 of any school year).

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Drop Off Policy

Daily drop off at school is between 8:50 AM - 9:00 AM (Children are not to be left unattended before 8:40)

Children who are not in the classroom after 9:00 are considered tardy.

Children will be marked absent for the entire day if they arrive after 11:30.

Children may be dropped off at the front circle; do not pass the buses on the left. Parking is not allowed in the front circle for drop off or pick up. Children, who arrive at school after 9:00, must report to office before going on to their classroom.

Pick Up Policy

Although the release of students prior to the end of the school day is discouraged, occasionally early dismissal maybe necessary. To release a child before the regular dismissal time, a note should be sent to school. Upon arrival, the parent/guardian must report to the office. The school secretary will call down the child from the classroom. No student will be released to any person other than a parent unless directions to that effect are received. Parents or other authorized adults must sign out students in the office. Please be prepared to show picture proof of identity.

Parents who wish to pick up their children at 3:15 should send a note to the teacher in the morning. At dismissal, parents or other authorized adult must meet children at Door 6 and check out with aides on the side of the building.

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Emergency Pick Up Policy

In the case of an emergency, snow, or any other unplanned situation, please do not call the school if you would like to pick up your child early. Please come to the school, and we will call your child or children to the office when you arrive. If you are having someone else pick up your child, please make sure that they are listed on the emergency card that is in the office. We cannot allow children to leave the building without your permission.

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Visitors/Volunteers

All visitors/volunteers must report to the office to sign in.

 

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Communications

Each month a newsletter is compiled and distributed by the School Improvement Team (SIT) and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). This newsletter includes notices of up-coming meetings and information relative to school events and programs. Communications between home and school are also fostered through classroom notices to parents, the bulletin board in the front hall of the school, special events such as Open House, and Report Cards, which are distributed quarterly. The Report Cards need to be returned to the school signed by a parent/guardian for the first 3 quarters of the school year. Please impress upon your children that any correspondence from school should be brought to your attention.

The school also has a website for information. You can access the site at: www.ri.net/schools/Glocester/FMS/home you can email questions to the Principal and access information regarding the PTO through the site. If you would like to receive email updates regarding school information, just send an email to: manpa@cox.net and in the subject line put Fogarty Memorial School. Your address will be added to the community email link.

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Homework

Homework will be assigned to your child as a means of reinforcing basic skills, which have been introduced in the classroom and need more practice. Minimum homework time allotments are as follows:

Grade 1

15 minutes, twice weekly

Grade 2-3

30 minutes, twice weekly

Grade 4

30 minutes, four times weekly

Grade 5

45 minutes, four time weekly

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Bus Policy

Safety and efficiency are primary concerns of school bus transportation. Bus routes shall be arranged so as to insure maximum efficiency without sacrificing safety. No elementary student will be required to cross a highway or walk more than one-half mile to a bus stop. Every attempt will be made to pick up and let students off as close to home as possible.

Students may not change buses except for childcare purposes. Parents must make these arrangements in advance by calling the bus supervisor at 578-1329 and then sending a note to the principal. There is no transportation for daycare outside of Fogarty's bus district.

If you or your child is experiencing any type of problem with a bus, please contact the school Principal to try to get the matter resolved. Waiting at a bus stop to talk or argue, with a driver not only delays the bus, but may also prove upsetting to the driver who has the responsibility of getting children to and from school safely.

Bus drop off

If children are in Kindergarten or First Grade, someone must meet them at the bus stop. Children will not be dropped off alone at a bus stop. If no one is there to greet them the following steps will occur:

1. The children will be brought back to school.

2. If no one is at the school to supervise, the children will be brought to the Superintendents office at the Town Hall. Please call 568-4160 (Business Office) or 568-4175 (Superintendents Office)

If you miss your child's bus, please call the school office at 568-6211 to inform them.

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Bus Behavior

Proper conduct is required of all students riding the school bus. The safety of students will not be jeopardized by inappropriate behavior. The bus driver is the authority of the bus; parental support for the driver is essential.

Written notices from the Principal keep parents informed of inappropriate behavior. Students may be temporarily suspended from riding the school bus if the behavior interferes with the operation of a safe and orderly transportation system.

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Discipline Policy

It is the goal of the Glocester discipline policy to create a learning environment wherein children feel safe, secure, happy, and have a maximum opportunity to learn.

To accomplish this goal, each teacher implements a classroom discipline plan. In addition, a school-wide discipline plan governs the common areas (cafeteria and playground) of the school. These plans specify rules that cover the behaviors expected of our pupils. Students who break rules receive negative consequences and students who follow rules are given positive reinforcement. Parent support of our discipline policy fosters school environments where learning flourishes.

During events held at the school in the evening or on the weekends, the discipline policy is to be observed.

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Dress Code

Fogarty Memorial School does not have a dress code at this time; however, we are asking parents to check to see what their children wear when they leave home. We are asking for your help so that kids can concentrate on their work at school and can play safely. The following are guidelines to be used throughout the school year:

•Shorts and skirts should not be too short or too tight.

•No skin should show between tops and bottoms.

•Tops should have relatively wide straps or sleeves; no spaghetti straps, strapless styles; bare backs, or low-cut necks.

•Shoes should be appropriate for the playground and gym class. Some sandal styles are dangerous when kids run and play.

•Clothing shouldn't advertise alcohol or tobacco products.

•The children should wear appropriate clothing for outdoor recess.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

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Emergency Information Cards

An Emergency Information Card is on file for each child attending our elementary schools. They are sent home early in the year and need to be filled out carefully and completely and promptly returned to the school. These cards are especially important when your child is ill or when there are parental restrictions concerning visitation of the child. This information is kept confidential.

Please make every effort to keep all this information current.

For emergency and administrative reasons, it is very important that an up-to-date student address record be maintained. Notify the school office immediately if you have a change of address or emergency phone numbers during the school year.

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Field Trips

Field trips are scheduled by various classroom teachers throughout the school year to supplement different aspects of the classroom curriculum. Parents will receive notices of field trips well in advance of the trip date and will be required to sign a Field Trip Permission Form in order for the child to attend. Should a field trip extend beyond the regular school day, it is imperative that arrangements be make to pick up children at school at the designated arrival time. It is a School Committee policy that if a child requires medication on a field trip, the parent or guardian is asked to please contact the school nurse or principal in advance.

During a field trip, all students are reminded that school rules are in effect. The classroom is mobile for the day and students will act accordingly. Failure to do so may result in the loss of field trip privileges in the future.

The specific places that classes visit dictate how many chaperones are needed. Interested parents should return the chaperone form by the date stated on the permission slip. When more parents volunteer than are allowed, names will be randomly chosen. Chaperones are asked to review and abide by the chaperone guidelines.

Chaperones will usually ride the bus; however, when space limitations occur, chaperones may be asked to drive their own vehicle or ride with another chaperone. When this occurs, school policy states that your child will ride the bus with his or her classmates to and from the trip destination.

Field Trip Payments

Fogarty School does not have a bank account for field trip funds. When making payment for your child's trip, please send in cash in an envelope to your child's teacher. The classroom teacher will not accept checks.

PTO funds are available for students who would be unable to attend a trip due to the trip's expenses. Anyone interested in receiving this support should indicate as such on the permission slip. The teacher will request this anonymously from the PTO.

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Health Services

In accordance with state regulations, every student entering school for the first time shall have a completed medical history and physical examination. Further-more every student in grades K &endash; 5 must have an annual dental examination. Documentation of these exams should be sent to the school nurse.

The school nurse deals with illness occurring during school hours, confers with staff and parents and manages all student health records. It is important; therefore that the nurse is notified of any and all diseases your child is either exposed to or infected with. Exclusion from school will occur for chicken pox, scarlet fever, ringworm, impetigo, pinkeye, head lice, scabies, and any other infection deemed contagious by a medical professional.

If it is necessary that a student take medication in school, all medications must be in their original containers. A written permission slip from a parent or guardian is required as well as from the physician if medication is to be given for a period longer than one week. No medication will be administered unless these guidelines are met. Further, MEDICATION MUST BE DELIVERED TO SCHOOL BY A PARENT OR OTHER ADULT.

It is also helpful if the nurse is notified when a child is taking medication not given in school.

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Insurance

School Insurance will be offered at the beginning of the school year. Parents wishing to take advantage of this service are asked to return the completed application promptly.

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Lost and Found

Parents are urged to label ALL belongings, including wearing apparel, with your child's full name inside the item. All lost items are place in a designated location. Encourage your child to claim any missing possessions from the lost and found area. Parents should also check for lost items at any time. The items that are left at the end of the school year will be donated to the local charity or thrown away.

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Lunch/Breakfast Program

Glocester children in grades 1 - 5 have the option of bringing their lunch to school or buying a hot lunch, including milk, which is served daily in the cafeteria. Children who bring their lunch and kindergarten students may purchase milk. Cold breakfast is also available.

Milk and lunch money is collected daily at school. However, to lessen bookkeeping time, it is requested that milk or lunch money be sent in on the first school day of the week.

Cookies and Ice Cream are available for children in grades 3, 4 and 5. Pricing will be provided by Sodexho Food Services on the menus.

Federal assistance for the lunch program is available to eligible families. Applications will be sent home in September or are available in the office at any time. All information is kept strictly confidential. This program is set up so that the other children are not aware of who participates. Parents are encouraged to apply for free and reduced lunches if they qualify, even if children will not participate in the program. Federal funding to the school increases when more children in a school are eligible for free lunch.

Sodexho Food Services will provide lunch menus for each child every month. Prices for breakfast and lunch are listed on the menus.

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Permission Slips

Internet

All students are given a Student Internet Use Agreement at the beginning of the school year. An explanation regarding the use of the internet during school is required to be discussed and signed by all students and their parent(s)/guardian before a student is allowed the use of the internet.

Photo

A letter is sent home in the beginning of the school year with regards to this policy. If you do not fill out and return this permission slip, your child will not be able to participate with the rest of the class at these photographic opportunities.

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Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)

The elementary PTO is a non-profit association of interested parents and teachers of children attending the Fogarty Memorial School. By means of various fund-raising projects, the PTO provides enrichment activities and social events for children throughout the school year. Parent involvement in this group is important to its success. You are encouraged to participate by attending monthly meetings or by visiting the website and volunteering to help with an event.

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School Improvement Team (SIT)

The School Improvement Team is a group of parents, teachers, and administrators who represent the school community and who are interested in making the school a better place for learning and teaching.

The School Improvement Team focuses on improving student achievement. Its work is to gather and analyze information that can be used to make decisions that drive changes in the school. At the beginning of each school year, the team sets goals and objectives based upon that information. Copies of the School Improvement Plan are available in the office.

Sub committees are formed under the SIT. A few of them are:

•After School Enrichment Programs

•Nancy Whitford Library Committee

•Parent volunteers

•School Safety Committee

•Professional Development

•Curriculum Development

•Technology

•Communications

We welcome new members to join the work that is so important. This is your opportunity to have an influence on the functioning of your child's school. Check the monthly calendar in the newsletter for dates and times of the meetings.

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