Policies & Procedures
ARRIVAL-DISMISSAL-SECURITY
Building schedule:
Pre-K through 8th Grade School Hours..............8:30 AM - 2:45 PM
Breakfast Hours..........................................................7:50AM - 8:15AM
Half-a-day School Hours..........................................8:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Students should not be in the building prior to the beginning of school unless attending an authorized activity. Breakfast is served (Cafeteria for Grades 1-8 and Classroom for Pre-K-Kindergarten) upon arrival at 7:50 AM. Therefore, it is imperative that students arrive to school on time each day in order to receive breakfast. Once students have arrived on school grounds in the morning, they are not to leave.
We encourage you to try and schedule your child's doctor and dental appointments around school hours. If this is not possible, you must come to the main office and give your child's teacher notice that they will have an early dismissal. Contacts listed on the registration paperwork are the only persons who will be permitted to pick-up students from school. If someone who is not a listed as an emergency contact will be picking up your child, you must inform the school at least 1 hour prior to their arrival and update your child's paperwork immediately.
Pre-K and Kindergarten parents will be allowed in the building at 2:45 PM during dismissal. All Pre-K and Kindergarten parents must pick-up their children in the cafeteria unless otherwise notified. All other grade levels will be dismissed outside.
No child is allowed to go behind the trailer or behind the main building without a responsible adult being present. No child is allowed to run, or play, on the trailer ramp, nor on either of the porches. Children are never to climb on the railings of the ramp and porches of the trailer.
Children must be picked up at the designated time on early-dismissal days. The school will send out a phone-call-reminder the day of the early dismissal. Alert anyone that may be taking care of your child after school. School personnel are scheduled for meetings or training sessions, so they too need to leave promptly at 1:00 PM.
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is essential to success in school. Frequent absences disrupt the continuity of the instructional process. Therefore, it is very important that students attend on a regular basis.
State law requires consistent school attendance. If a student misses 20 or more school days per year, grade level promotion may be jeopardized. A student with frequent truancy may be reported to legal authorities. Please remember that a written note or a phone call explaining the absence is required when a student is absent.
We realize that there will be instances when your child may be tardy, but please avoid this whenever possible. Tardiness interrupts your child's instructional time. A note should accompany your child explaining the reason for his/her tardiness. If a student is tardy, he/she must stop at the main office before reporting to the classroom. Excessive tardiness may result in disciplinary action.
If you know in advance that your child will be absent from school, please notify the teacher and office. We try to work with parents on having students make up the work missed, however, make-up work is no substitute for classroom instruction. Parents may pick up make up work at the end of the school day.
BUS TRANSPORTATION
Discipline issues for students riding the school bus will be addressed by the building principal.
CARE OF TEXTBOOKS AND EQUIPMENT
Students are responsible for all textbooks and equipment issued to them during the school year. Families will be notified of the cost to replace the items. Report cards will be issued when all fines are paid. If the lost book or equipment is found, any money paid will be refunded.
COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOL
We are very interested in your ideas and suggestions to improve our schools. Concerns involving your child's education should first be discussed with your child's teacher and/or the Family and Operations Coordinator, Briana Smith-Gibbs.
There are several ways our school communicates with parents:
WEBSITE
We post EVERYTHING on our website page, which has information on staff, upcoming events, early dismissals/holidays, and more.
SCHOOL MESSENGER ALERTS
We send out reminders and general school announcements, such as school closings, via phone, email, and text. The system will always leave a voicemail message in the event that you miss our phone call. If you want to sign up for text messages, text “YES” to 67587.
FACEBOOK
We post all information about all upcoming school events on our Facebook page. We also post pictures and videos of our Catto Cougars around the school! Like our page to receive updates on your timeline.
Website: www.facebook.com/cattoschool
FLYERS AND MAIL
Flyers will always be sent home with your child for upcoming events, fundraisers, and other important information. Please be sure to check your child’s bookbag every day or ask them for any flyers they may have received. Flyers will also be posted on the main entrance bulletin board and/or in the main office.
FOOD SERVICE
The goal of our food service is to provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch program for the students. All students qualify for free lunch and breakfast. Additional healthy snacks will be available for sale during lunch.
TECHNOLOGY/INTERNET USAGE
In order for our students to use networked computers and have access the Internet, the parent/guardian and student must agree to the district's "Technology Use Agreement." Students are to use the Internet access and/or e-mail for school purposes only. Accessing chat rooms and inappropriate Internet sites are not permitted. Camden City Schools use a firewall that prohibits inappropriate sites from being opened.
LOST AND FOUND
If your child has lost an item, have them check the lost and found bin. The lost and found box can be located at the end of the main hallway. Ask a staff person to direct you to the bin. The lost and found bin will be emptied periodically throughout the school year. Please label your child’s personal belongings
MEDICATION
All medication must be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent or guardian. All medication must be stored in the nurse’s office.
Prescription medication must be in a pharmacist-labeled container that specifies the student’s name, the prescribing physician’s name, the date the medication was prescribed, and the directions for use. Pharmacists will be able to give you an extra-labeled container for the school upon request. The nurse will give your child the prescribed medication based upon written orders from a physician detailing the diagnosis or type of illness, name of the drug prescribed, the dosage, and the time the medication must be administered. All over-the-counter medication must be given in the nurse’s office as well.
DRESS CODE
All students MUST wear the school uniform. Students in Grades Pre-K through 8 should wear a navy blue or white polo and navy or khaki pants/shorts/skirt.
Students need to dress appropriately for the weather and activities in school. Clothes that do not fit or create a distraction from the education of our students will not be allowed. Examples of inappropriate dress or grooming include: undergarments that are visible, see-through clothing, halter tops and half shirts that expose the stomach area, extremely short skirts or shorts, bare feet, chains, pants that don't fit and are not worn at the waist, and clothes that display drug, alcohol, tobacco, gang affiliation/symbols, and/or inappropriate language. Hats and hoodies are not to be worn in the building. Please remind students to bring or wear sneakers on gym days.
ENROLLMENT
New Jersey State law requires that any pupil entering school in this state shall be required to present to school authorities certification from a licensed physician that they have received a test for tuberculosis and adequate immunization according to the recommendations of the State Department of Health.
Also New Jersey State law requires that parents/guardians provide the school with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate. You will have 30 days to provide this to the school office.
Children entering kindergarten must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1 of the year in which they shall enter school.
FIELD TRIPS
From time to time your student will participate in a class field trip. His/her classroom teacher will provide you with all necessary information. Parent permission must be granted prior to a student traveling in a vehicle in or out of town.
FIRE DRILLS
Fire drills are held every year. Emergency information for fire drills is posted in each classroom. Teachers will review these with students. Fire Drills are used to practice exiting the building in case an emergency arises, and the building must be evacuated. Staff and students take this very seriously. We are asking parents for your help. If we are in designated areas, please do not remover your child from the line. This may cause other students to be confused and leave the fire drill practice. Please wait until your child is dismissed.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent/Teacher conferences facilitate a sharing of information and feedback for mutual understanding and educational planning between the home and the school. Parents and teachers are encouraged to initiate a conference anytime during the school year in the interest of the student. It is in your child's best interest to attend the parent/teacher conferences.
FALL CONFERENCES
Parent/Teacher conferences for the fall will be held on Monday, November 27, 2017 from 2PM-6PM. Students will be dismissed at 1:00PM.
MID-YEAR CONFERENCE
Parent/Teacher conferences for the winter will be held on Monday, April 23, 2018 from 2PM - 6PM. Students will be dismissed at 1:00PM.
VISITING CLASSROOMS
We encourage parent participation in our school. We ask that parents schedule all visits in advance with individual classroom teachers. All visitors to the school must come through the front doors, check in at the security desk and in the main office. Visitors to the building will be issued a visitor's pass.
WITHDRAWAL OF STUDENTS
If you are moving and are withdrawing your child from school, please notify the school by stopping in or phoning as soon in advance as possible. This will give ample time to complete the student check-out sheet. Your cooperation is always greatly appreciated.
PROMOTION, RETENTION, GRADE SKIPPING
Student progress through school is marked by a student's grade placement. A student's placement is based on a number of factors, including academic progress, age and maturity. If retention is considered, the parents and school staff will meet to determine the proper course. If the parents and school cannot agree on the best grade placement for the child, the school principal will determine grade placement. Parents may appeal the principal's decision to the Superintendent and the Board of Education.
RESPECT FOR PROPERTY
Damage to school property through carelessness or malicious acts will be considered a serious offense, and the offenders shall be called upon to bear the expense of repairs and replacements.
We fully expect our children to accept the responsibility to take care of the building and the property, including the books and materials assigned to them personally. They should place book covers on all hardback books. The name and address of the child can be placed on the book cover.
STORM POLICY
In the event of inclement weather or closure for an emergency listen to KYW Radio. Our school closing number is 614. Local television stations also show school closings in the tri-state area.
In the event that school is called off for the day or that there will be a school dismissal prior to normal time, information will be available on above mentioned radio and TV stations.