Education | High school » Clay Elementary School, Student Handbook 2021-2022

Clay Elementary School Student Handbook 2021-22 Clay Elementary School 2020-21 Student Handbook Mr. Jacqnaii Finkley, Principal Allison Walker, Assistant Principal Robin Keeble, Lunchroom Manager CLAY ELEMENTARY MISSION STATEMENT Preparing Responsible Individuals Dedicated to Excellence 6745 Old Springville Road P.O Box 127 Clay, Al. 35048 www.jefcoedcom Phone: (205) 379 - 3000 Fax: (205) 379 – 3045 Lunchroom: (205) 379 – 3020 Daycare: (205) 379-3030 We are a SACS accredited elementary school. 2 Jefferson County Board of Education 2100 South 18th Street Birmingham, AL 35209 (205) 379 - 2000 Superintendent - Dr. Walter B Gonsoulin, Jr, PhD Board Members Mrs. Carita Venable – President Mr. Oscar S Mann - Vice President Mr. Ronnie Dixon Mrs. Donna J Pike Mr. Eddie Brown JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MISSION STATEMENT The Jefferson County School District is committed to teaching and learning for all. 3 Welcome to Clay Elementary This parent-student handbook

contains basic information about Clay Elementary School. These policies and procedures have been compiled so you may know and understand the rules the faculty and staff of Clay Elementary intend to be followed daily. It is the intention of the faculty and staff that all parents review this book with their children and familiarize them with these rules. If you have any questions and/or concerns about anything not covered in this booklet, please contact the school office at 379-3000. School office hours are from 7:00 AM until 4:00 PM daily. During the school year, we look forward to a cooperative and committed home/school partnership. Parent involvement is welcomed and encouraged. There are many opportunities to be involved in the Clay Elementary School such as, joining and helping with our PTA, serving on school related committees, attending school-sponsored events, volunteering your time and talents, and supporting your child’s daily learning experiences as well as many more. We

welcome you and your children to Clay Elementary School. SCHOOL DAY INFORMATION In accordance with Jefferson County Board of Education policy # 343.21, no student is to enter school property/buildings more than 30 minutes prior to the official start of the school day. Students should not remain on school property more than 30 minutes after the official close of the school day unless expressly authorized to do so by the school administrators or be in an after-school care program. Dropping a student off and leaving him/her unattended before 7:20 will be considered parental neglect. Also, NO student may check out after 2:15 pm daily unless called by the school nurse due to illness. All car riders should be dropped off and picked up only at the specified drop-off/pickup points. Do not pull into the parking lot and let your child out. There is no morning dropoff at the primary building Students should arrive on time each school day. It is very important for students to be at school and

ready to start the day by 7:50 AM. All students who arrive after 7:55 AM will be considered tardy and must be signed in by the responsible adult bringing them to school. Students begin loading buses immediately after the afternoon bell rings. We encourage parents to allow their children to ride the bus daily if they live outside the 2-mile limit of transportation. If a child is a car rider, parents should not arrive before 2:30 PM. Get into a single line to pick up students at the designated pick-up points. K-1 students and their siblings will load cars from the primary building, so please stay in the far right lane. 2-5th grade students will load cars from the front of the building and you will be in the middle lane. ALWAYS have a CLAY ELEMENTARY SECURITY SIGN (your child’s name) clearly visible so that your student may be called and ready when you reach the front of the car line. If you do not have a CLAY ELEMENTARY SECURITY SIGN, we will ask you to park and report to the main

office to show identification to pick up your student. Only guardians of students will be given security signs. This is for the safety of all our students. Do not break out of line to depart ahead of the car(s) ahead of you. Again, this is for the safety of the children as well as our traffic teachers. 2 DO NOT park in front of the building to pick up your child from the daycare. We have some late buses and this will block the buses from pulling in. If you need to pick your child up from daycare, you must pick them up behind the 5th grade building. Park in the circle and walk into the back door of the 5th grade building to sign them out. Bus lanes must be left open! Only students who are part of AUTHORIZED after school activity may be on school grounds after 3:30 each day. For the safety and protection of our students and staff, we will not allow visitors at this time at our school. 7:55 AM 2:50 PM 2:55 PM Tardy Bell First Bell dismissal for bus/daycare riders. Second Bell

dismissal for car riders and late bus/daycare riders. AFTER SCHOOL DAY CARE PROGRAM Clay Day Care is an excellent supervised day care program. This program is available to students before and after school each day 6:30 AM until 6:00 PM. For more information, please call 379-5373. ARTICLES BROUGHT TO SCHOOL Electronic games, toys, cell phones etc. should not be brought to school. This includes toys hanging from backpacks. If cell phones must be brought to school for after school purposes, the cell phone must remain in the students back pack, turned off until the school day is complete. The school will not assume responsibility for these items and if taken up during the school day they will be kept in the office until a parent retrieves them. They will not be given back to a student to take home. ATTENDANCE Regular school attendance is imperative to each child’s educational progress. Accordingly, each student is expected to attend school every day and arrive on time. Jefferson

County Board of Education has an attendance policy regarding student absences. A total of 7 parent note days per year is considered the maximum number of excused absences allowed for the student to receive credit for a class or course. Students may only have 6 unexcused absences per year, at 7 the parent/guardian will be turned over for early warning and will go before a judge in family court. In addition, students who are excessively tardy to school and/or have an excessive amount of early checkouts will be reported to the attendance supervisor for their school. Each guardian is expected to present to the school principal or his/her designee a written explanation for absences, checkouts, and late arrivals within three (3) days of the absence. Decisions regarding more than these allotted days may be modified by verified physician’s medical excuses or by verified religious absences. Alabama State Law, Section 16-28-3, Code of Alabama, (1975), requires all children to attend school

regularly. Additionally, Amendment 621 (July 2000) requires all children in public schools to comply with truancy laws. Parents or guardians having control over school-age children are responsible for their children’s regular attendance and proper conduct. Parents should be aware that any student enrolled in a public school, whether or not the child is required by law to enroll, is subject to the school attendance and truancy laws of the state. Failure to comply with the Compulsory School Attendance Law requires that a complaint be filed in the Jefferson County Family Court’s Early Warning Program. For children under the age of 12 years, a petition 3 and/or warrant may be filed against the parent for educational neglect. A student will not be considered for perfect attendance status if he/she has ANY check-ins or checkouts for ANY reason. Perfect attendance = 0 check-ins + 0 checkouts + 0 absences. No exceptions Clay Elementary School will adhere strictly to the Jefferson

County Board of Education calendar. Please note that the calendar may change due to unforeseen incidences such as inclement weather. This is in order to remain in compliance with the mandated number of school days by the State Department. The “Code of Student Conduct” handbook lists all excused and permissible absences. A child’s reluctance to attend school is serious. Please notify the teacher and work with us if this problem exists. Regular claims of illness, wanting to stay home, and school problems need to be examined. However, a child should report to school only if he/she is physically well. BUS INFORMATION Bus transportation to and from school is a privilege available to all students living outside the legally prescribed 2-mile walking limit to Clay Elementary School. Due to availability on some buses, some students have been granted special permission to ride a bus. Please be aware that this special privilege is granted strictly on a year-by-year basis. If you live within

the 2-mile radius and your child was given permission to ride a bus last year, there is no guarantee that permission will be granted for the following year. A written request for permission to ride must be completed each new year. This is a state rule, not a school or Jefferson County Board of Education rule. A child will be allowed to ride only the bus to which he/she is assigned. Students will not be allowed to ride the bus to another student’s home for after-school events. Students may be removed from the bus at any point in which their behavior endangers their own safety or the safety of others. In depth information on school bus regulations and infraction policies may be found in the Jefferson County Code of Student Conduct Handbook. CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT A parent or responsible adult MUST check in students who arrive at 7:55 am or later (school clock time). These students will be considered tardy. Students are not allowed to go to class until an adult has signed them in. No

student may check out after 2:15 pm daily, unless there is a medical emergency. Only the custodial parent/guardian or those designated by the guardian will be allowed to check students out unless prior permission is given in writing for another adult to check the student out. Identification will be required for student check out. If you do not have proper identification or if we cannot verify with the guardian, you will not be allowed to check out the student. CONFERENCES All conferences are scheduled through the teacher. You may leave a message for the teacher through the office. Teacher conferences are held during definite, preestablished times. This request includes telephone conferences. No parent or visitor should intrude upon a teacher’s preparation time or interrupt a class for an unscheduled conference. A minute’s interruption can mean 30 minutes of lost instructional time for a teacher and her class. Your child’s teacher will contact you to set up a conference day and 4

time. You may also write a note/email your child’s teacher requesting a conference. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Students with contagious diseases such as Covid-19, flu, chicken pox, pink eye, etc., should not come to school until they are no longer contagious. Any student exposed to someone with Covid-19 must quarantine for 10 days and be symptom free before returning to school. Any student contracting Covid-19 must quarantine for 14 days and be symptom free with a negative Covid-19 test before returning to school. Students under quarantine will temporarily convert to Remote Learning. When in doubt, please consult your physician. Students running fever should always remain home. Our nursing staff with make the final decision on whether a student is allowed to stay at school or must go home. COUNSELING Our counselor conducts classes several times during the year. She also works with small groups and individual students. The counseling program offers our students ways to deal with

difficult situations and allows them the opportunity to express their feelings in a nonthreatening environment. You may reach the counselor by calling 379-3006. CUSTODIAL SERVICES It is not solely the responsibility of the custodial staff to keep our school building and grounds clean and neat. Students, faculty and custodial staff are jointly responsible for facilities being in good condition at all times. Please help us to teach all children to respect Clay Elementary as they would their home. Our staff will diligently disinfect all areas of the school as much as possible throughout the day. CUSTODY In most cases, divorced parents continue to have equal rights, including access to information, where their children are concerned. If you have a court order that limits the rights of one parent in matters such as custody or visitation, please bring a copy of the divorce papers to the school office. Unless your court order is signed by a judge and is on file at Clay Elementary School, we

will provide equal rights to both parents. We cannot deny a parent checkout privileges without signed court orders. Grandparents are not considered custodial guardians unless appointed so by the court. All conferences and information given by the faculty and staff of Clay Elementary School must be with the custodial parent only. DISCIPLINE Good classroom behavior is critical to the success of each student and the classroom as a whole. Students are responsible for their conduct. Continued disruptive behavior will result in a student being sent to the principal’s office. Appropriate action will then be taken in accordance with the Jefferson County Code of Conduct. The “Jefferson County Student Code of Conduct” will assist parents in student discipline. The Code of Conduct gives a complete description of policies concerning discipline and the act of due process. DRESS CODE Students of Clay Elementary School will be expected to follow the “Jefferson County Student Code of

Conduct” and its dress code. Parents can locate the guidelines for the types and lengths of skirts, shorts and other permissible articles of clothing as well as personal adornment (piercing, earrings, hair, etc.) there Please have students wear shoes that will allow total participation in all physical education activities. The “Code of Conduct” 5 handbook also gives guidelines for hair length and grooming. EMERGENCY CARE The main purpose for this information is to help us locate the parents in the event of illness or emergency involving the child. Hospitals and private doctors will not give emergency medication or treatment or perform any kind of surgery except when the parent or guardian is present. It is very important that we are able to contact you at all times. Please list phone numbers of neighbors/relatives who will know where you are for emergency calls and who may pick up your child when he/she feels ill and you are not at home. In special cases, you may want to call

and give office personnel a number where you can be reached during a specific day or time. Also, please list any allergies or serious medical problems that the school nurse should be aware. It is essential that all the information in the emergency section of your child’s registration be kept updated and current throughout the school year. longer be able to write a check to any Jefferson County school, facility or entity. The Board of Education will attempt to collect for NSF checks and if they are unable to collect; those names will be submitted to the District Attorney. Monies are receipted and deposited on a daily basis. Under no circumstances can the financial secretary or teacher accept a postdated check or hold a check for a student/parent. New students must pay on a cash basis for their first week of school. GIFTED EDUCATION IN ALABAMA Please refer to the “Jefferson County Student Code of Conduct” for information regarding gifted programs offered by the Jefferson County

Board of Education and Clay Elementary School. GRADING AND PROGRESS REPORTS FINANCIAL INFORMATION The Jefferson County Board of Education establishes grading standards. Nine-week grades will be assigned from such materials as tests, homework, classwork, reports, projects, and other sources identified by teachers. Report cards should be reviewed by the parent(s). In most instances, checks payable to Clay Elementary School are accepted for all business transactions. We cannot accept counter checks or third party checks. When writing a check to our school, you must include the following on each check: Please contact your child’s teacher to arrange a parent/teacher conference if grades indicate a problem. Parents may expect to receive graded papers and tests on a regular basis. You are encouraged to login to INOW often to review your child’s grades. FIELD TRIPS At this time, all Jefferson County field trips have been suspended until further notice. • • • • Full Name

Current Street Address Phone Numbers Driver’s License Number If you have a check returned, you will be placed on the NO CHECK list, where you will no HEAD LICE Children who are in close contact, exchange hats or combs, and who play together, sometimes get head lice. Symptoms may include irritation and itching of the scalp. A special shampoo to rid the head of lice may be 6 obtained from your pharmacy. If you find nits or lice in your child’s hair, please notify the school in order for us to be aware. If we find lice or nits in your child’s hair, you will be called to check out your child in order to begin treatment. Our school nurse will work closely with you to ensure that the lice are completely gone before your child will be allowed to return to class. HEALTH CERTIFICATES As required by Alabama law, an Alabama Certificate of Immunization must be presented for all students entering school. The school will maintain this certificate on file. Please check with your child’s

physician or the Jefferson County Health Department to obtain your Certificate of Immunization. HEALTH ROOM/MEDICATIONS If a child becomes injured or is ill, the nurse in the health room will assess your child’s condition and will contact the parent if necessary. For this reason, the school must have accurate numbers on file. In addition to numbers for parents, we request the name of a relative or neighbor to be included with your registration material. In the event a parent cannot be reached, we will use the alternate number you have given us. In the event of an emergency, paramedics will be called for your child. The Alabama Board of Nursing, Alabama State Department of Education, and Jefferson County Board of Education have implemented procedures related to medications. They are as follows: There are times when students need medication at school. We will gladly assist your child with all medication needs, but the following state regulations must be adhered to: 1. All medication,

whether prescription or over-the-counter, MUST have a signed permission form entitled “School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization” 2. For prescription medications, a physician signature and a parent signature is required. NO PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES MAY BE GIVEN WITHOUT THIS FORM SIGNED BY BOTH PARENT AND PHYSICIAN. 3. For over-the-counter medications, including cough drops and ointments, a “School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization” form is also needed. The parents signature will allow medication to be given for two weeks. If medication is needed for a longer period of time, the parent must sign a new form every two weeks or a Physicians directive may be obtained for extended periods of medication administration. The parent must also provide the medication that the child needs to take. Schools are not allowed to keep stock medicines such as Tylenol or Advil. No exceptions can be made. NO medication may be administered at school until BOTH signed permission and

accompanying medication is obtained. 4. All medication must be brought in the original, UNOPENED container. Prescription medication must be brought in the labeled pharmacy bottle with your child’s name on it. No medication will be accepted loose in a plastic bag or otherwise unidentifiable. 5. All medication is to be delivered by the parent to the nurse or an adult in the office. Please do not send medication to the school by your student in a book bag. We do not want to place your child in the position of being responsible for medication until the appropriate school personnel can take possession of it. 6. Controlled medications like Ritalin must be counted when brought to school. Please wait while the nurse or school employee counts the medication. 7. No medication is to be kept by the student Medication is to be stored in the health room. If your child uses an inhaler for asthma or an Epi-pen for allergic reactions and needs to keep it on his/her person, use the same form; however,

a parent and physician must sign the self-medication sections. HOMEWORK Assignments must be turned in on time to receive full credit. It is the responsibility of the student to see that the assigned homework is done. This includes make-up work for excused absence days. Homework should supplement, complement, and reinforce classroom teaching and learning. Homework is based on one or more of the following purposes: 7 Practice to strengthen new skills introduced in the classroom. 2. Complete unfinished daily class-work assignments. 3. Work on projects such as book reports, reading assignments, special projects, etc. 4. Participation in research activities in locating facts and data. 1. Homework given as a part of the day’s review will count as a part of the nine-week grade. Please check your child’s folder/assignment planner daily for homework assignments. HONOR ROLL In grades 3rd -5th, students must receive all A’s in order to make the A honor roll and A’s and/or B’s to

qualify for the A/B honor roll. Students must receive at least “satisfactory” in other subject areas such as art and physical education. A student must receive all “O’s” in citizenship in order to qualify for citizenship honor roll. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM Clay Elementary School serves grades kindergarten through fifth grades. Our students are provided instruction in the areas of reading, language, spelling, handwriting, mathematics, social studies, science, health, music, physical education, computer education, and art as appropriate to the level of the students. These programs are facilitated by highly qualified certified instructors. Additional instruction is provided to meet the individual needs of students. INSURANCE Information regarding insurance will be sent home at the beginning of each school year. Please read the policies carefully. If you wish to take advantage of the insurance, checks should be made payable directly to the insurance company. INTERNET USAGE The

Jefferson County Board of Education requires that each student have a signed Internet Usage Agreement form on file each school year. This agreement outlines regulations regarding the use of the Internet and consequences of misuse as well as security guidelines. Both the student and the parent/guardian must sign this document. LIBRARY MEDIA The library at Clay Elementary School has an excellent selection of books and media materials available to students. In order to take advantage of the library, a student must know and follow the rules under which the library books are loaned to students of Clay Elementary School. No student may check out books if they fail to follow these rules: 1. Students are allowed to check out books for 2 weeks. Students may renew their books for an extra 2 weeks if they need to keep them longer. 2. If a student has an overdue library book or owes a library fine, they may not check out another book. 3. A student must return all library books and materials to

our library before transferring to another school. 4. Students must pay current price for lost materials. The Media Center will use that payment to replace the item. If a child finds the book after payment has been made, he or she may keep the book or donate it to the Media Center. The funds cannot be refunded since they have been used to replace the lost materials. 5. Materials may be returned at any time before the due date without penalty. 6. Items should be returned in the same condition as when they were checked out. Books that have been written in or have other damage (torn, missing stickers, etc.) 8 will be subject to a repair fee. Any item that cannot be repaired must be replaced by paying the current list price. All materials are the property of Clay Elementary School and the Jefferson County Board of Education. When a student uses the library materials, it is with the agreement that he/she will return the book(s) or material(s) in a timely manner and in good condition

so that it will be available for others to use. Books returned with water damage are considered unusable. Water damage on the pages result in mold that will spread to other books. Water damaged books must be paid for at current list price. LOST AND FOUND All lost and found articles will be placed in a designated area. Parents and students are urged to check there frequently for lost items. Please label all garments and write the child’s name on coats and lunch boxes in indelible ink! Periodically throughout the year, any unclaimed garments and articles will be given to a charitable organization. When several items are collected they are often displayed on the fence in front of the school to serve as reminders to both students and parents. LUNCHROOM Clay Elementary School has an excellent student breakfast and lunch program and all students are urged to participate daily. Whenever possible, it is extremely helpful if payment for meals can be made at the beginning of the week for the

entire week or month. All checks, payable to Clay Elementary lunchroom, should have the student’s name, ID number and teacher’s name printed clearly on them. If a check is to be split between students, please put ID numbers on the check. Extra servings of food items as well as ice cream may be sold daily. When a student has such food items on his /her tray, they will be charged for these portions/items. Please be sure your child(ren) know whether you allow them to purchase additional portions or extra food items. It is the parent’s responsibility to keep up with the balance in their child’s account. Call the lunchroom to check on balances at 379-3020 or you may go to paypams.com to access your students account Car riders must be here by 7:45 if they plan on eating breakfast. At the date of this printing, lunchroom prices are the same as last year. Please note that this could change before school begins. Currently, the prices are: Breakfast – $1.50 ($ 30 – reduced) Lunch

– $2.25 ($ 40 reduced) Extra milk/juice - $ 0.30 Bottled water - $1.00 Federal Lunch Program regulations prohibit the lunchroom staff from allowing students to charge meals. If a parent cannot be reached or is unable to get the needed funds to school that day, the following provision will be put into action: “The child will be given a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit, and a carton of milk for a charge of fifty cents ($ .50) which must be repaid.” These measures have been put into place to ensure that the financial records of Clay Elementary School are clear at the end of the school year when auditors make their reviews. LUNCHROOM RULES All students shall follow these rules: 1. Keep talking at a normal conversational level. If the noise level becomes too high, we will ask for silent lunch. 2. Stay in place in the lunch line, single file, 6 feet apart without going ahead of others. 3. Be courteous to lunchroom personnel 9 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Use good table manners. Leave

the table and floor clean. Remain seated until your teacher gives permission to return trays, throw away trash, or leave the lunchroom. Return used dishes, utensils, and trays to the appropriate place in the dish hall. Do not take food or drink from the lunchroom. The following policies are in place to be sure the Clay Elementary School lunchroom remains within the guidelines of food service put into place by the Child Nutrition Department of the State of Alabama. • Students may bring a lunch from home if desired, but no glass bottles or breakable thermos bottles. • Absolutely no carbonated beverages (Pepsi, Coke, etc.) are allowed to be consumed by students during a meal. • Students with food allergies must have a doctor’s verifiable excuse on file with the lunchroom manager to get juice or water with a meal. This has to be renewed each year. MAKE-UP WORK When absent, the student is responsible for making up missed work. No make-up work will be given before an absence unless

approved by administration. Instruction progresses based on student mastery, therefore it is difficult to predict exactly what will be covered in a specific time period. It is very important that students be in the classroom when not ill. We, of course realize that students do become ill. Teachers will help students as much as possible to make up their work. Students will received missed assignments when they return. However, if you know they will be out for several days, (flu, surgery, etc.) please contact the teacher for makeup work. A student has two days for each day they miss to make up assignments. As stated in the Jefferson County Code of Conduct, permissible absences include but are not limited to the following: (Must be accompanied by a note from parent/guardian or a Dr. note) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Student illness Inclement weather which makes it dangerous to attend school Legal quarantine Death in the immediate family Emergency condition as determined by principal or

superintendent Absence to observe traditional religious holiday of local, national, or international origin when verified by the student’s minister or religious leader. Family trips will not be excused. You, as the responsible parent, must decide if the experience is comparable to the educational day. MESSAGES Any interruption of instructional time is undesirable. Therefore, all after-school arrangements should be made before the student leaves home for the school day. We understand there will be emergencies from time to time, but on the norm, any requests for changes in a student’s departure schedule MUST be made in writing, given to the teacher and approved by the school office. Students and teachers are unable to leave the classroom to take phone calls. Messages will be given to teachers/students at 2:15 PM each day. All messages and changes of route home must be made before 2:00 PM. Office personnel cannot guarantee parents that messages received after this time will get to

students before the afternoon bells ring. E-mail messages cannot be accepted due to the fact that this is not a reliable method of communication in the 10 instance office personal is unable to access email. If a child is not sure about how he/she is to get home and the school cannot get in touch with the parent/guardian, the student will be instructed to follow his/her usual routine. You must be registered with Clay Daycare and pay the $35.00 registration fee in order for your child to stay after school. Clay Daycare is separate from Clay Elementary and you must contact them directly at 205-379-3030 to make arrangements if you are unable to pick up your child by 3:20. PARKING education teachers, classroom teacher, and health room staff each year. GYM RULES 1. 2. 3. 4. Please refrain from parking in teacher/staff spaces. Handicapped spaces are for those with a handicapped place card. Parents are not allowed to let their child out in the parking lot; approaching cars/buses may

not see them. For safety reasons, everyone should be let out in the car line every morning. Park only if you have business within the school. Safety patrol and school personnel are on duty to assist students exiting their vehicles. 5. PHYSICAL EDUCATION All students have physical education each day. If your child cannot participate in physical education, a letter from the child’s physician, stating the reason, must be on file in the office. If your child has a short-term injury that would require them to miss physical education for a short time, send a note to the physical education teachers. Tennis shoes that your child can put on and take off independently are required daily for Physical Education. Note: If your child has allergies, asthma, or severe allergic reactions to stings or bites that could occur outdoors, please notify the physical 6. No one should be in the gym except during his or her scheduled P.E period unless the principal or physical education teacher has given

him or her permission. No exceptions! Girls wearing dresses/skirts to school should plan to wear shorts under their dresses during P.E class Equipment is to be used only with proper supervision and when the P.E teacher is present. All students must have on appropriate shoes for physical education classes. Flip-flops, heeled shoes, open sandals, crocs, etc., are not appropriate Rubber sole tennis shoes are the most appropriate footwear for physical education class participation. Students are not allowed to participate in P.E class bare-footed or in sock feet. Student’s grades will be affected if proper shoes are not worn. Students must independently be able to change their own shoes. There is to be NO food or drink inside the gym at any time. This applies to before and after school hours as well as during the school day. All students will be required to wear mask during P.E PRESENTS/BIRTHDAYS Presents such as balloons, flowers, birthday cakes or cupcakes should not be sent to your

child at school. Please celebrate special events at home with your child. New federal guidelines prohibit food items from being brought into the classrooms. Please do not ask the teacher to override school policy. 11 Ice cream may be purchased for your child’s class for his/her birthday from the lunchroom. The cost is .50 per student in their room The full amount must be deposited in the student’s account prior to their lunch period on the given day. Please call the lunchroom at 379-3020 for more information. PROMOTION AND RETENTION When it appears a student will benefit from another year at the same grade level, the classroom teacher shall notify the parents in writing. The notification will include the student’s specific academic needs. The principal will make the final decision on student promotion/retention after a review of teacher recommendations and parent requests. Excessive absences are grounds for retention of a student. Clay Elementary does not recommend that

siblings be placed in the same homeroom. We treat each student as an individual and each student will progress at their own rate. One sibling may achieve success at a faster pace than the other, resulting in possible low self-esteem for one sibling. PROMOTIONAL GUIDELINES KINDERGARTEN – 2nd Grade Students Kindergarten students must master academic readiness, social, and physical skills, designated by the Jefferson County Board of Education based on Mastery of Standards Skills. GRADES 3-5 Students 3-5 must earn passing grades in reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies. PTA AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT The PTA of Clay Elementary School is active in promoting the welfare of our students, raising standards of the school community, upgrading the quality of the school programs, and encouraging open communication and cooperation between the parent and teacher. Research shows that children do better academically when both parents attend PTA meetings and conferences. It is vital

that your child knows school is a high priority. You may obtain information about our organization through your PTA president or any of the officers as well as through school personnel. Regularly scheduled meetings are held at the school throughout the school year. We are always looking for volunteers to help with school activities, improvements and in the classroom. All volunteers are recruited through our PTA program. Please make sure to sign up and let PTA areas where you would like to serve in our school. RESIDENCY The Jefferson County Board of Education requires that every student attending a Jefferson County school reside in the designated zone for the school he or she attends with a parent or guardian who has legal custody. This must be the permanent and legal address of the parent/guardian, who will provide proof of residency during registration. Guardians must inform the school within 14 days of moving throughout the school year. Any student found to be out of zone from their

enrolled school will be asked to withdraw and enroll in his or her zone school immediately. The Board realizes that temporary situations occur where families must share a residence; therefore, parents of students seeking enrollment in these situations must provide the following documentation for verification of that living arrangement: If a child is considered a 2nd party residence, (their legal guardian lives with someone else) they must provide the local school with the 12 required residency information and obtain a Principal’s Checklist. Once the local school has all of the residency requirements, they will provide a link for the guardians to complete the affidavit portion with a Student Services team member. Student Services will let you know if you need additional information. Parents are responsible for giving accurate and up to date information regarding legal addresses and contact information to school officials. Giving false information to public officials in the

performance of their duty is a violation of the Criminal Code of Alabama statute code 13A – 1 – 109 (a). SAFE SCHOOL EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES, LABORATORIES The Jefferson County Board of Education recognizes the need to ensure safe and effective teaching and learning in our school classrooms and laboratories. All classrooms and laboratories are designed to comply with known and applicable state and local codes such as fire, electrical, plumbing, and building. All programs are to reflect sound teaching practices unique to our educational faculty, facilities and equipment. School Messages from Blackboard We will use Blackboard Notification System to make parents aware of school closings, emergencies, upcoming events, and general information. It is imperative that you keep your contact information current. The information in INOW is linked directly into Blackboard. Please notify us in writing (preferably by email) of phone, address, email and contact changes. SCHOOL CLOSINGS Parents

should make advanced arrangements for children in the event of inclement weather or other schedule changes. In the event of a school closing, you will be notified by Jefferson County through the School Messenger AS LONG AS YOUR NUMBERS ARE CURRENT. However, also listen to local television and/or radio stations for announcements of the times for dismissal due to weather. Always remember that Clay Elementary is a part of the Jefferson County school system; many new families confuse this with “Clay County” during closings. SPECIAL PROGRAMS/EVENTS During the year we will have several special events. These include our musicals, dramas, PTA events, Kindergarten Graduation and the 5th Grade Recognition programs. All visitors should be respectful and courteous to speakers, students and other visitors. Please hold all applause until the very end and refrain from loud screaming and cheering as these prolong the ceremonies and programs. Please do not bring balloons and flowers. These items

should be shared with your students away from school after the program. TELEPHONE USE Students may use the office phone for emergencies only. Parents may leave an emergency message that can be delivered to your child. If you need assistance with an emergency, please ask to speak with an administrator. Students will not be called out of class for phone messages. TESTING Testing will be conducted several times throughout the year. Dates will be given as they become available. This is an extremely important time for your child. We ask that students get plenty of rest, a good nutritional breakfast, and attend school each day during testing. No visitors are allowed in the building during standardized testing. This includes 13 visitors for lunch. Therefore, no visitors for lunch for the entire month of April. TEXTBOOKS The Jefferson County Board of Education provides student textbooks at the beginning of the school year at no cost. Students who lose or damage textbooks will be required

to pay for their replacement. Water damaged books cannot be reused because of the mold that grows on the pages which can cause allergy problems in students. TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT Jefferson County Board of Education Policy 574-653 states that “Smoking and other tobacco use is prohibited at all times on school grounds during school hours and recognized activities.” This applies to employees, students, and all visitors. Please refrain from smoking while on school grounds. This applies to both inside and outside the school buildings, on the sidewalks, in the courtyards, in the parking lot, or in your car while waiting to pick up your child. Please do not discard your used tobacco products/residue on our school grounds and parking lots! $5,000.00 fine and/or 5 years in a federal prison. Any student found to be in possession of any type of drug, alcohol, or article that could be considered a weapon (including pocketknives of any description), is subject to disciplinary action and

possible expulsion from school. WITHDRAWALS Contact the school office 24 hours in advance of withdrawal from school for instructions regarding withdrawals. Only guardians or court appointment custodians may withdraw students. Other school records will be forwarded to the school the student enrolls in upon written request being received from that school. All fines must be paid prior to withdrawal as well as all schoolbooks and library books returned. VISITORS/VOLUNTEERS We will not allow visitors at this time due to Covid-19. WELFARE AND SAFETY Items not needed for the day’s use, should not be brought to school except with specific permission from the classroom teacher or principal. Please refer to the “Jefferson County Code of Student Conduct” for further information. It is a violation of federal law to have a gun on school grounds. If a person (whether student, employee, visitor, or parent) is caught in possession of a firearm on school property, the violation could result in a

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