Fern Creek Elementary School
Handbook

Welcome!

Welcome to Fern Creek Elementary School and our Child-Centered Community of Learners. We are glad you have joined us! This handbook will acquaint you with general policies, procedures, and information. Should you wish to have more detailed information, please call the school office for assistance between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. The office telephone number is 485-8250.

Our Philosophy

Fern Creek Elementary School is known as a Child-Centered Community of Learners. Each word in the motto is important because it expresses our educational philosophy and vision. Everything we do is centered around our students. We also are a community that includes people (students, faculty, staff, parents, relatives, neighbors, and business partners) who are working, sharing, caring, and cooperating with each other.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to develop caring, competent, cooperative, and confident citizens for the world.

Our Goal

Student success is the goal of all school activities. We believe that students need academic challenges in order to grow. To ensure student success, the school and classroom environment promote:

  • A challenging academic curriculum of studies
  • Regular attendance.
  • Positive behaviors.
  • Enhanced self-esteem.

School Day

The instructional day for students is from 9:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. EST. We ask that children arrive between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Our school office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to assist you. We have an answering machine to record your messages during non-school hours. Call the school at 485-8250 if your child is absent from school.

Attendance Regulations

Excused Absences

  • Doctor, dentist, or counseling appointment
  • Confirmed illness
  • Death in the immediate family

Unexcused Absences
All reasons other that those listed above (including vacations) are considered unexcused. If your child is absent, call the school (485-8250) and leave a message. Upon their return to school, students need to bring a note from a parent/guardian explaining the absence. Parent notes are only accepted for ten days of absence. A doctor's, dentist's or counselor's note is required if:

  • absences due to illness become excessive
  • there are greater than ten absences in one school year
  • there are greater than ten early sign outs and/or late arrivals in one school year.

Tardiness
It is extremely important that our students be punctual for school and remain in attendance until end of the school day dismissal. In accordance with state regulations, the instructional day begins at 9:05 a.m. and ends at 3:45 p.m. The following times are used for marking the attendance records:

  • Arrive after 9:05 a.m. leaving prior to 3:45 p.m. is considered a tardy
  • Anytime missed from school is a % of the school day and accumulates toward a full absence

For additional information regarding tardiness and absences, call the Jefferson County Public Schools Pupil Personnel Office at 485-3294.

These regulations are strictly enforced due to state funding and the importance of every student attending school each day for the entire day. We appreciate parents' cooperation in ensuring their child's attendance from 9:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. daily. Students who arrive after 9:05 a.m. must be signed in at the office and must receive a Tardy Slip before they proceed to class. If a student is dismissed early, he or she must be signed out through the office. A school staff member notifies the teacher of a parents arrival, and the student meets his or her parent in the office. No teacher is permitted to dismiss a student from the classroom. Please note that we cannot call a class for a student until the parent or authorized person arrives at the Welcome Center to get them.

Transportation Changes

Your childs safety is our first concern. We are asking that all transportation changes be made in writing as early as possible. We realize some changes need to be made late in the day due to emergencies, and we will make every effort to see that any change made is made in accordance with your needs.

We ask you to send any change in writing to your childs teacher at least one day in advance. Do not write a note in your child's Agenda but on a separate piece of paper. If you request a change in your child's transportation on the day the change is to occur, you may fax the information to us here at school at 485-8377. Please include your name, your childs name, your childs teacher's name, and your transportation change request. If the change involves a bus, you must include in your request the address where the child will be dropped off in the afternoon. We must also have a telephone number where you can be reached if necessary. Be certain to include the date(s) on which the change will be in effect.

Parents who wish to pick up their child in our car rider line must complete the appropriate forms and receive a car-rider number tag. This tag must be displayed on your rearview mirror. No child will be dismissed through the car rider door without this tag being properly displayed. You may request as many as two tags.

Changes should be made by phone in emergency situations only. Due to limited space on all buses, children are not allowed to change buses to ride home with a classmate or friend.

Cars are not allowed to use the front circle during the hours buses are arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon.
School Cancellation

On days of inclement weather, local radio and television stations announce school closings and delays. Parents are encouraged to listen to local media when severe weather is forecast or is apparent in the area. The following are possible schedule changes that may be announced by JCPS:
Inclement Weather Procedures

If classes are canceled for the entire day, an announcement is made by the news media. If the district decides to use the alternate snow and ice schedule, announcements are broadcast on radio and television. If your child rides a bus with an alternate snow and ice schedule, the bus driver gives him or her this information in November. This information also is available on the JCPS Web site at www.jcpsky.net. When severe weather conditions exist, it is sometimes necessary to call for an early dismissal of schools. In such instances, media announcements specify the early dismissal time.

Updating Enrollment Forms

It is very important that we have a current address on file in the office for all of our students and their parents/guardians. If your address changes while your child is a student in our school, please update the enrollment form and send a note to our attendance clerk. It is necessary that the office and teachers have the parents/guardians current home and work telephone numbers in addition to the names and telephone numbers of friends, neighbors, or relatives who may be called in an emergency.  Parents also are asked to provide any necessary information regarding any health concerns related to their child, such as food allergies.
School Visitation

To visit any of our classes or to set up conferences, please call our Main Office at 485-8250 and leave a message for your child's teacher or team leader.

For safety and security reasons, we ask all visitors to enter and exit only through the front door and to sign in and out at the Main Office Welcome Center on each visit. At all times, visitors to the school, including parents, must wear a name tag. Parents and other visitors are not to go past the lobby during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.

Please park your car in one of the parking lots when visiting the school. Cars that are parked near the fire lanes and/or in the circle may be fined. Handicapped-accessible parking is available in front of the school. During regular school hours, preschool age children are excluded from classroom activities so as not to distract from the instructional and learning process going on in school; exceptions may be made for programs taking place in the cafeteria (e.g., awards and or promotion programs).
Dress Code

Uniforms are not a part of Fern Creek Elementary School expectations; however, School-Based Decision Making Policy addresses the following Dress Code Areas:

  • We ask that parents monitor slogans and advertisements on clothing; it should be neat, clean, appropriate to age level, and not disruptive to the learning environment.
  • Students shall not wear halter or mesh tops, "belly" shirts, or anything too tight, too transparent, or that shows underclothing.
    No sagging pants are allowed.
  • No hats are to be worn at school, except on special occasions.
  • Shoes are required to be securely fastened to the feet. No flip flops, high heels, clogs, soccer shoes, platforms, or shoes with wheels of any sort will be allowed.
  • Students shall wear clothing that is suitable for working and playing. No article of clothing can be worn that is a safety concern (e.g., chains on wallets, keys).

Behavior Management Plan

Fern Creek Elementary School has a general School Behavior Management Plan that includes some specific plans in addition to the JCPS Code of Acceptable Behavior and Discipline and the Student Bill of Rights. Every family will be given a copy of their student's team plan.

Fern Creek Elementary School School Wide Behavior Management Plan
The faculty and staff of Fern Creek Elementary School collaborated to build a system of discipline management that empowered children and strengthened all stakeholders' sense of community. Because our school is always in a state of continuous progress (Kaizen), this is a dynamic instrument that will evolve over time. Continued input from Fern Creek Elementary School faculty, staff, students, and parents is essential to having a discipline management system that is responsive to our students needs.

CHAMPs is the school wide behavior management system used at Fern Creek Elementary. We believe that by using effective management practices, teachers can help every student exhibit behavior that will make that student feel like a champion. CHAMPs reflects the types of behaviors and expectations the teachers and administrators require for every major activity or transition within the classroom and throughout the school. CHAMPs posters are placed in the classrooms throughout the school, and CHAMPs lessons are taught throughout the year.

Underlying Assumptions
The following assumptions are the foundation for this discipline management system (Adler, Glasser):
1. All people have basic needs: love and belonging, freedom of choice, safety, power, and fun.
2. All people use the best behavior(s) they have to respond in any given situation.
3. Students often need to be taught an appropriate response to situations; therefore, all discipline situations are teaching opportunities.
4. Certain behaviors are non-negotiable and unacceptable in the school setting and must be dealt with immediately.
5. Positive behaviors must be taught and reinforced regularly in the school setting.
6. All teachers will use a positive acknowledgement system within their regular classroom to value positive behavior and academics.
7. Positive behaviors must be recognized, valued, and rewarded every day if they are to occur on a consistent basis.
8. The ultimate goal of any discipline management system is that students take control of their own behavior.

LIFE LONG GUIDELINES AND LIFE SKILLS
The SCANS report cited that todays children need order to be successful in the work force of the future. The Life Long Guidelines and Life Skills encapsulate attributes that enable the members of the school to work harmoniously and for quality. Additionally, these skills empower children to begin developing workplace skills.

Fern Creek Elementary School Wide Code of Conduct

  • I will respect myself and others.
  • I will be responsible for my actions.
  • I will keep my hands, feet, and objects to myself.
  • I will listen and follow directions.
  • I will stay on task and complete all assignments.

SCHOOL WIDE PLEDGE

  • I promise to treat everyone with respect and kindness.
  • I promise to respect other peoples points of view.
  • I promise to provide support to my teacher and fellow students.
  • I promise to do whatever is necessary to have our school be a safe and successful learning environment.

LIFE LONG GUIDELINES FOR INNER CONTROL

  • Mutual Respect
  • Trustworthiness
  • Truthfulness
  • No Put-downs
  • Positive Comments
  • Active Listening
  • Personal Best

INNER CONTROL LIFE SKILLS

Respect
To consider and promote dignity of others and their points of view
Integrity
To act according to a sense of what's right and wrong
Initiative
To do something because it needs to be done
Flexibility
To be willing to alter plans when necessary
Perserverance
To keep at it
Organization
To plan, arrange, and implement in an orderly way; to keep things orderly and ready to use
Sense of Humor
To laugh and be playful without harming others
Effort
To do your best
Common Sense
To use good judgment
Problem Solving
To create solutions in difficult situations
Responsibility
To respond when appropriate; to be accountable for your actions
Patience
To wait calmly for someone or something
Friendship
To make and keep a friend through mutual trust and caring
Curiosity
A desire to investigate and see understanding of one's world
Cooperation
To work together for a commit goal and purpose
Caring
To feel and show concern for others

BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS
The following four standards of behavior and their component elements will be taught to all children for the first 30 days of school and reviewed frequently.
1. Listen: Be silent, still, and speaker focused.
2. Communicate: Use appropriate volume, facilitative responses, shared leadership.
3. Solve problems: Collaborate, use a problem-solving model, make situations win/win.
4. Respect self and others: Respect differences, using encouraging statements, respect space and property.

SCHOOL WIDE POSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS

Several opportunities enable staff to recognize students for excellent academics or behaviors:

  • A positive contact with the home should be made within the first three weeks of school to establish a positive teacher/parent relationship. Notes, phone calls to parents, and parent conferences will be used to apprise parents of their child's progress.
  • Newsletters, calendars, etc., will be used to send out information to large groups, classes, grade levels, or the entire school.
  • All teachers are encouraged to have a positive recognition system in each classroom (e.g., Outstanding Student, Student of the Week) The nature of the positive reward system depends on the professional discretion of the teacher. The goal is to instill pride in each child when he or she exhibits quality...not to have children dependent on extrinsic reward systems.
  • Teachers may hold class meetings to discuss how the class is progressing relative to behavioral standards and academics standards. When we reinforce what we want, the chances increase that students will value and repeat that behavior.

DISCIPLINE INFRACTIONS
The Fern Creek Elementary School-Wide Behavior Management Plan is written in accordance with the JCPS Code of Acceptable Behavior and Discipline and the Student Bill of Rights.

When a child has a behavioral problem, the teacher uses a minimum of three interventions. The nature of the conduct and the childs needs may dictate that the teacher use other and/or more interventions. If misbehavior continues after three interventions, the child may be sent to another supervised area of the school (with work) in order to pull himself/herself together so he or she can solve the issue with his or her teacher. It is also appropriate to confer with the childs parent or guardian prior to office referral.

Teachers will use the following options before referring children to the office so administrators can be most effective:

  • Always conference with children before coming to the office. Many times the incident can be handled in the classroom after hearing the childs side.
  • Provide all children the My Plan for Better Choices and Think Out worksheets. They are powerful tools that give children the opportunity to learn that solutions are inside them, not the teachers! When children solve problems, behavior improves. They know that teachers expect them to act with maturity; therefore, they rise to teacher expectations. The situation becomes win/win.
  • Be frank with students about classwide problems. Hold class meetings to discuss the problem, and solicit student ideas for solving the problem.

PUPIL DISCIPLINARY REFERRAL FORM
The teacher will check the area of difficulty on the discipline referral form and write enough information about the situation that the administrator can visit with the child. When the child comes to the office, the teacher may suggest an administrative intervention to solve the problem. The parent and teacher should receive a copy of the referral as soon as possible so he or she knows what happened in the office. If the intervention is not successful, the teacher must notify the administration immediately so that another intervention may be exercised.
Personal Property

The school is not responsible for the loss of students personal belongings, including, but not limited to: MP3 Players, handheld toys, computers, cell phones, clothing, purses, jewelry, etc., so please mark items that your child brings to school with a permanent marker. We prefer that students leave all of their personal property at home because such property could get lost, misplaced, or damaged, and the school cannot replace it. Items of value are not to be brought to school without the written permission of the students teacher.
Forgotten items Something at School, on a Field Trip, or Personal Property

If, in the morning, you notice that your child has forgotten something that he or she needs during the school day, you may bring the item to the Welcome Center, and our staff members will see that it is delivered to your child. In the afternoon, once a student is dismissed from the building, he or she is not permitted to reenter the building to retrieve any items except house keys. Students should check the following day for forgotten items.

Field Trips

Permission slips for trips to special places and events are sent home before any scheduled event, and your signature on the slip serves as your permission for your child to attend. Students who do not have a signed permission slip are not allowed to participate. Students on the participating team are the only children allowed to go on any particular field trip. Preschool children and siblings who attend our school but who are on another team may not accompany the adults who are chaperones/sponsors on field trips. Attendance for a full day of instruction is very important; therefore, there will be no early dismissal from field trips and special events. Any parent/guardian or adult relative who wishes to accompany the child on a field trip must fill out a School Volunteer Records Check Form and submit it to the office a minimum of two weeks prior to the field trip.

All events taking place during the school day, excluding grade-five promotion, shall be covered by this policy.

Chaperones and teachers are encouraged to take cellular telephones on field trips for safety reasons. Parents/ Chaperones should check with their childs teacher before taking pictures of students since it is not permissible to photograph students without parent/guardian permission.
Playground Safety Policy

During school hours the Fern Creek Elementary School playground is to be used exclusively by students and staff for supervised physical education activities. All parents and visitors who wish to talk to or to pick up a student who is on the playground are asked to check in at the Welcome Center in the lobby. The student is called to meet with or to go home with the parent or visitor as is appropriate, safe, and legal. At no time are parents or visitors allowed to pick up students at the playground and leave from that location.
Support Services

Our Family Resource Center, called the Family Connection, is located in Room 215A and serves students and families at Fern Creek and Wheeler elementary schools. The purpose of the center is to link students and families to services that help reduce barriers to learning. Look for special projects and programs, and become involved!

Food Services

All students must eat a school lunch, or they must bring a nutritious lunch from home. You may prepay for lunches by the week or the month. Checks are to be made payable to Fern Creek Elementary School. Please contact our Food Service Manager at 485-8428 for more information. Many students also are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch. If you would like information on how to apply for free or reduced-price meals for your child, please call 495-7080.

We love to have guests for lunch! Parent are always welcome to eat lunch with their child. Parents who eat lunch with their child are encouraged to purchase a school lunch. Fern Creek Elementary prohibits fast food and soft drinks in the cafeteria while breakfast and lunch are being served. Students are not permitted to use the vending machines before, during or after school except by special permission on special occasions.

Medicine and Illness

The Commonwealth of Kentucky requires all children entering a Kentucky school for the first time to present a valid Immunization Certificate and proof of a recent physical examination. Presentation of a birth certificate is also required of all first-time Primary School children prior to enrollment. Both an eye examination and dental examination are required for students between the ages of three and six who have never attended a public school.

If your child requires a prescribed or over-the-counter (OTC) medication during the school day, you must provide a signed, notarized Medication Authorization Form (available in the school office). An adult should bring the medicine to school in its original container with the label attached, along with complete instructions. Please make your childs teacher and the office staff aware of any health problems that require special monitoring or precautions during the school day.

Library Media Center

Policy on Student Use of Library Materials:
Students who check out a library book or other material from the school library must assume responsibility for that publication, which is the school's property. Any student who loses or damages a library book is charged the full replacement cost for that book, as determined by the current year's book vendor catalog. Students with missing and/or damaged books will not be allowed to check out another library book during the current year until the debt is paid. Refunds are given to students who find their missing book and return it in good condition to the library. Students who do not pay for a missing and/or damaged library book will not be allowed to check out books during subsequent years until their debt is paid. Because some families move during holiday periods, there will not be any student checkout of library books the week preceding a scheduled holiday break, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break.
Special Days

Every Friday is School Spirit Day, so we wear our school colors (orange and black)! School spirit items, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, and shorts, can be purchased at a reasonable price from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) during advertised sale times.
Birthday Celebrations

No birthday parties may be held at school for students or staff members. No invitations to parties may be distributed at school, and no food items such as candy, cupcakes, gum, and/or soft drinks may be given to students. This is due to dietary, allergy, safety, equity, and economic reasons. We encourage parents to consider other possibilities to honor their birthday celebrant at school. These may include providing students with pencils, making a gift of a book to the student's classroom, or to the library, purchasing a gift game for the for the student's classroom, purchasing physical education equipment or art supplies for the student's class, or providing money for one of these items. Your childs teacher or the librarian will be happy to share ideas with you. If you are interested in celebrating your childs birthday in this manner, please send a note to his or her classroom teacher or to the librarian. Your gift will be acknowledged in your childs class or team newsletter or in the library newsletter.

Please do not send floral arrangements and balloon bouquets to our elementary students. Any such items sent to school are delivered to students at dismissal time and are not allowed on the bus.
Insurance

The district purchased School Time Accident Insurance for each and every JCPS student. This coverage applies to all students when taking part in any school sponsored activity, including field trips. The coverage is secondary for those students who already are covered by health insurance and is primary for those students without health-care coverage. JCPS also offers 24-hour accident protection for your school-aged child. Information regarding this plan is sent home with each Fern Creek Elementary student. If you wish to obtain additional information, please contact the Jefferson County Board of Education at 485-3011.
Volunteers

We need you! We are very fortunate at Fern Creek Elementary to have an involved group of parents. We would love for you and your family to join our PTA. The office is located at school and can be reached by calling 485-8250. Some of the activities the PTA sponsors are Kentucky Kids Week, the Volunteer Program, Spooktacular, Skate Nights, Picture Days, Health Screenings, Family Nights, Class Celebrations, Field Trips, Cultural Events, and Staff Appreciation Day. Anyone who would like to work with children or to chaperone a field trip must fill out a School Volunteer Records Check Form and submit it to the office a minimum of two weeks before he or she wishes to volunteer. Call 485-8250 for additional information or to volunteer.
Once again, thank you for choosing Fern Creek Elementary as your child's school! We are working together to provide your child the best possible educational experiences in a positive, nurturing environment. We invite you to become an active part of our school community. We look forward to meeting you and your family as we focus together on learning, sharing, and caring.