Dear Parents, Students, and Friends,

On behalf of the faculty and staff at Burnsville Elementary, we welcome you to a new school year!  We are excited about the new faces and the many interesting activities and projects planned for this school year.

This student handbook contains basic information about school policies and procedures that will contribute to a learning environment that is safe, friendly, and productive.

Burnsville Elementary’s vision statement is Believes Everyone Succeeds.  Our goal will be to provide a quality education in an atmosphere that fosters hard work, good feelings, and respect for others.

The involvement and support of the home is critical to student success.  It is essential that the home and the school make every effort to communicate.  This shared information will enable us to better meet the needs of your student.  Please feel free to contact us with any concerns you might have.

Very truly yours,
Patricia R. Bennett, Principal

SCHOOL OPERATIONS POLICIES

SCHOOL HOURS

Academic instruction will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m.  It is very important that children arrive to school on time so they may receive the benefit of all academic work.  The building will not open until 7:30 a.m. and parents are requested to not bring students to school before this time.  Breakfast will be served from 7:40 a.m. until 8:10 a.m.  School is dismissed at 2:40 p.m.  Students should be picked up by 3:00 p.m.

Parents wishing to drop off or pick up students in the mornings need to park in the front parking area.  In the morning, only buses are allowed in the back.

Students leaving early for valid reasons are to be signed out and picked up in the office.  A child will only be permitted to leave school with his/her parents or guardian, unless the parent or guardian granting permission to leave otherwise notifies the school.  Children who wish to go from school to another student’s home must bring a note giving permission do so.  Please remind your child that he/she will not be allowed to call home at the last minute to make after-school arrangements to visit a friend.

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ATTENDANCE – TARDINESS AND EARLY PICK-UPS

One of the most significant factors in attaining success in school in terms of learning is to attend school on a regular basis.  Further, the Yancey County Board of Education affirms that the primary responsibility for regular attendance resides with the parents/guardians and the individual student.  The law recognizes this fact and mandates that children between the ages of seven and sixteen will attend school regularly.  The five and six year olds who register for kindergarten must now follow attendance procedures also.

Absences will be recorded as excused or unexcused.  Please make sure you notify the school by phone, in person, or by note the day you return to school from an absence.  Excusable reasons according to the North Carolina State Board of Education Compulsory Attendance Rules (NCAC2D.0400) are as follows:

1. Late or no bus;
2. In-school suspension;
3. Death or serious illness in the immediate family’
4. Student illness (proper signature);
5. Educational opportunities;
6. Legal procedures;
7. Religious observances; and/or
8. Circumstances beyond student control.

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EXCESSIVE ABSENCES

• Are excused and unexcused absences that exceed 25 days per school year.
• Three tardies and early pick-ups will result in one absence.
• May result in grade-level retention.

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MAKE-UP DAYS

• Students may earn credit for days missed up to twenty-five days by attending after-school academic sessions.
• 5.5 contact hours is 1 day.

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PARENT NOTIFICATION LETTERS

• LETTER NOTIFYING OF UNEXCUSED absences sent on 3rd and 6th absence.
• LETTERS OF CONCERN will be sent after the 10th, 15th, and 20th excused and/or unexcused combined absence.
• A SUBJECT TO RETENTION letter will be sent after the initial 25th combined absence.
• AN APPEAL PROCESS is available for students who are retained under this policy.

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TRANSPORTATION

Every effort is being made to provide safe, reliable transportation for students attending Burnsville Elementary School.  The teacher should be notified in advance when you wish to pick up your child in the afternoon or have him/her ride a different bus.
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RIDING A DIFFERENT BUS

If a child is to ride a bus other than his/her regular bus, he/she must present a note from the parent/guardian requesting this action.  .  If you plan on calling the school please do so early in the day requesting a bus change.  If a student gets on a different bus without a note, they will not be allowed to ride that bus.
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YANCEY COUNTY SCHOOL BUS POLICY

It shall be the policy of the Yancey County Board of Education to provide safe bus transportation for students of Yancey County.  It is the intent of this policy to provide standard procedures to be followed by each principal in control of student misconduct while said student is being transported.  Failures to follow the rules and regulations on the bus may result in suspension of the bus riding privilege.  The following rules apply for bus transportation:

• Students must stay seated while the bus is moving.
• No fighting, use of tobacco products, use of profanity, or refusal to obey instructions.
• No vandalizing or defacing the bus in any manner.
• No unauthorized leaving the bus when en route.
• Seats may be assigned.
• No arms, head, etc., out of the windows.
• No littering or throwing objects from the bus.

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BUS PROCEDURES

All students who ride a school bus may be assigned to a seat.  The following procedures shall be followed in handling cases of misconduct on the bus:

First Offense	Conference and parents are notified by the principal that the student is placed on probation
Second Offense	Conference and a three-day suspension from riding the bus.
Third Offense	Suspension from riding the bus for five days.
Fourth Offense	Suspension from riding the bus for ten days.
Fifth Offense	Suspension from riding the bus for nine weeks.

Students may be suspended immediately from riding the bus for actions of gross misconduct.
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CAR RIDERS

If you bring your child to school by automobile, please circle and drop your child off at the front entrance to the building.  If you need to come in with your child, morning and afternoon, you are asked to park your vehicle in the parking space at the front, not along the curb or in the grass.  We are limited in parking space so we truly need your cooperation.
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AFTERNOON PICK-UP

Afternoon pick-up will be in the back parking area.  Students may be picked up after the buses leave.  Please circle around to the covered walkway for pick-up.  You do not need to arrive early because cars will not be allowed into the lot until the buses have left.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will a student be allowed to leave with anyone in a private car without the permission of the parents.  You should provide the school with a list of names of persons who will be allowed to pick up your child and notify the school that they will be coming.
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Field trips are out-of-school educational opportunities scheduled by the teacher throughout the school year.  Before a student is allowed to leave the school grounds, a permission form is required from the parent/guardian.  Only students in that class or grade may attend the scheduled field trip.  Students are expected to ride with the class to and from any related activities during a field trip.  Trips may be mandated from school-wide or grade level attendance by the administration.  In such cases, no travel cost is required of the students.  Parents are not allowed to ride the activity bus due to insurance coverage for employees and students only.
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EMERGENCY AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

MEDICATION POLICY

Yancey County has a medication policy (4224) to assure the safe administration of medication to students during the school day.  You must follow this policy.  Students may not transport or possess any medication at any time, this includes over-the-counter as well as prescription medicine.  Medication may not be given at school unless correct forms/signatures are completed.
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ACCIDENT POLICY

Students will have the opportunity each year to take out an accident policy to cover accidents that happen at school.  Parents are encouraged to participate in this program.
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USE OF TOBACCO

Yancey County Schools are 100% tobacco free.  Tobacco products and their use are not allowed on Burnsville School grounds.
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WEAPONS

In compliance with State Law (GS-115C391A), the Yancey County Board of Education is required to advise all parents and students of the following laws regarding criminal conduct occurring on public school property and of the Board’s intent to strictly enforce all of the laws as well as its own Board policies concerning misconduct.  No guns, knives, or any object that can be construed to be a weapon is allowed on school grounds.
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FIRE AND DISASTER DRILLS

North Carolina law requires one fire drill each month and one during the first week of school.

In case of a fire or other emergency, the signal to evacuate the building will be continuous sounding of the fire alarm.  The principal announces tornado drills.

There is an evacuation plan posted in each room which shows the route of evacuation for that particular room.  
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STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AND EXPECTATIONS

STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Students are expected to respect the rights of others and to strive to do their best in all activities.  Each student’s behavior should include language and actions that do not offend or injure others or damage property and also promote a positive and supportive school environment.

Disciplinary action shall be taken if a student’s behavior does not confirm to expectations.  If suspension from school is necessary, a parent conference is required before a child can re-enter school. 

The Yancey County Board of Education has adopted Yancey County Schools’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.  You will receive a copy each school year.  Burnsville Elementary will participate in the Positive Behavior Support Program beginning in the fall of 2006.  The faculty and staff will define our expectations for student behavior and teach these to our students.  Incentive rewards will be used to encourage positive behavior throughout the school.
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STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are expected to fulfill all assignments given by teachers, and it is the student’s responsibility to ask questions of the teacher if an assignment is not understood.  Students are expected to come to class with paper, pencils, and other required supplies, as requested by the teacher.

Homework is considered to be a time for skill practice, enrichment, or more in-depth attention to a given unit of study or subject area.  Homework is usually begun in class.  All students have reading for homework each night.  Written homework should be turned in each day.  Lesson plans are available on the school web site.  Many teachers send home assignments for the week on Mondays.

In grades 3-5, if a student has not completed his/her homework, he/she may be asked to stay in at break and complete the work.  If a student has been absent, then make-up assignments may be completed and turned in within five days of the absence.  If work is turned in after this date, it will be checked but credit will not be given.  Each student will be given a homework folder with his/her name on the front.  This is also a place for notes and information to and from school.  Please ask your student each day for the folder and help to see that assignments are completed and returned to school the following day.
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STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATIONS

K-2 students will receive a progress report rather than grades.  Students in grades 3-5 should earn a grade of 70% or better in language arts and math in order to be promoted to the next grade.

Progress reports/report cards will be issued for students every nine weeks.  Progress reports will be sent to students in grades 3-5 at each mid-term of the nine weeks.  Weekly/Bi-weekly reports will be sent home on Fridays.

K-2 students are given the NC Literacy and Math Assessment each nine weeks.  Pre-tests will be given to students in the third grade during the first two weeks of school.  In grades 2-5, Star Reading and Math Assessments will be given each nine weeks.  Fourth grade students will participate in the statewide writing assessment in the spring of each year.  End-of-grade state tests are given in grades 3, 4 and 5 in math and reading comprehension in May of each year.  Students in grades 3 and 5 must make a Level III to pass the Gateway to the next level.  Students not scoring a Level III will be retested.  Students not passing the Gateway may be retained.
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TEXTBOOKS

All textbooks and workbooks are issued without a charge to students for their use during the school year.  Students who lose or damage textbooks and/or library books will be charged a replacement or repair fee.
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BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS

Burnsville Elementary offers a daily school breakfast and lunch program for all students.  A monthly menu will be sent home with each student.  Parents may prepay for their child’s meals.  Some families find it difficult to pay for their child’s meals at school.  In order to ensure that the school system meets the nutritional needs of all school-aged children, Yancey County Schools offers a free/reduced price program.  Applications must be completed by the parent and turned into the school to be forwarded to the central office for approval.
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Parent-teacher communications are encouraged.  Through parents and teachers working together, you child’s school year can be a greater experience.

Parents need to keep teachers informed of things that can affect the child’s schoolwork, such as a death in the family or fears or concerns about school that are expressed at home.  Teachers will keep parents informed about the child’s progress through notes, phone conferences (when necessary), and parent-teacher conferences.  Please call between 2:50 and 3:30 p.m. to arrange a parent/teacher conference.

We invite you to visit our school and your child’s teacher; however, we ask that you please schedule a time for a conference.  Disruptions during instructional time are costly to both teacher and students.

The phone number at school is 682-4515 or 682-4516.  Our school address is Burnsville Elementary School, 395 Burnsville School Road, Burnsville, NC  28714.  Our web site address is www.yanceync.net/bes.
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VISITATION

If you are visiting our school, please use the main entrance only, stop by the office, and sign in with the secretary.  The front door is the designated entrance and exit for security reasons.  Do not go to classrooms to pick up students.
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PTO AND SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

We hope that you will be actively involved in your child’s education.  We have a mutual goal and concern, and that is to provide the best possible education for your child.  We hope to do this in partnership with you.  There are countless opportunities to be involved in our school, including serving on PTO-related committees and events, volunteering in the classroom/school setting, attending school-sponsored events, and supporting your child’s daily learning.
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Faculty, staff, and parents believe Burnsville elementary is a place to reach for success.  We believe that regardless of the economic, racial, or cultural background of the family, when parents are partners in their children’s education, the results are to improve student achievement, attendance, attitude, and continued learning.

In order to build an effective home-school partnership, Burnsville Elementary will participate in the following:

• An annual orientation meeting at the beginning of each new school year will be held where parents will meet their child’s teacher, learn about grade level requirements, as well as school and teacher requirements, and special programs that are available to students that may have special needs.  Parents will also receive a volunteer handbook and be encouraged to fill out a volunteer form and become involved in our school.  Their talents are valued and appreciated.
• A flexible number of meetings and activities will be held throughout the year to assist parents in the understanding the federal and state academic content and student achievement standards, as well as state and local academic assessments.  Meetings will also focus on how parents and teachers can work together to monitor the child’s progress in order to improve.  Parents will be made aware of weekly progress reports that are sent home each Friday, as well as the opportunities for tutoring each fall and spring.
• A varied schedule for meetings and conferences will be developed in order to accommodate the needs of parents.  Teachers are available for conferences every day from 7:30-8:00 a.m. and 2:30-3:00 p.m.  Additional accommodations can be made as needed.  PTO, Open House, and special activities will also provide parents and teachers additional opportunities to communicate about a student’s success.
• Parents are provided opportunities to be involved in the school improvement process as yearly reviews are conducted on Title I plans, school safety plans, school improvement plans, and Southern Association updates.  The administration also has an open door policy and parents are encouraged to express their concerns.
• A scheduled parent conference is held at the end of the first nine weeks.  At this conference the progress of the student will be discussed as well as the expectations for the grade level, test information, and any other concerns that the teacher or parent may have.
• Continuous communication to assist parents in helping their student(s) achieve success include the Burnsville Elementary handbook, weekly progress reports, report cards, and assessments such as nine-week K-2 reading and math assessments, Star Reading and Math assessments, school newsletter, phone calls, phone master, school web page, individual teacher’s web page, school sign, phone master, school web page, individual teacher’s web page, school sign, and miscellaneous notes to parents.  Letters notifying parents of upcoming state assessments and what they will be used for are sent home before each is held.  Gateway standards and EOG test results are provided to parents.  Invitations to conference will be sent in a timely manner with an additional follow-up reminder if needed.
• A school-parent compact that outlines how parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improving learning will be sent home to be signed during the first week of school or when a new student enrolls.
• During staff development days, as well as regular staff meetings, emphasis is placed on fostering positive relations with parents and communicating with them on a regular basis.  Burnsville recognizes how integral parents are in helping their children have a successful academic experience.
• Communication between private pre-schools and Head Start is conducted each spring and summer.  A kindergarten visitation will be held before the formal registration.  This provides parents an opportunity to see if their student is ready for kindergarten.  Kindergarten parent orientation meetings as well as opportunities for parent talk sessions to answer questions about school will be held throughout the year.
• A survey of all parents shall be conducted by the school to collect opinions and concerns about the current programs and to collect suggestions for improvement and topics for meetings that meet the needs of parents.

Every effort will be made to communicate with parents in a format and language that is easily understandable by all.
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ALERT NOW FOR SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

ALERT NOW is a rapid notification tool that allows the Yancey County Schools to quickly and effectively communicate with parents and staff during weather-related announcements (such as cancellations, delays, or early dismissals), important school meetins, information that needs to be delivered in an urgent way, and emergency situations.  Please make sure the school has your correct contact information.

Decisions about school closings or early dismissals are made by the central office staff, not the individual schools.  Weather conditions sometimes worsen during the school day.

Working parents are advised to make special provisions for childcare on days when school must be dismissed early.  Student should be informed BEFORE they arrive at school where they are to go.  Your child should have an emergency place to go on any given day of school.  Please fill out all contact forms your child’s teachers will be giving you.  If telephone numbers, address, or designated emergency contact person(s) change, please notify the school immediately.
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Burnsville Elementary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or handicap in admission or access to, or treatment in, its programs and activities in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
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YANCEY COUNTY SCHOOLS' ANNUAL FERPA 

DIRECTORY INFORMATION NOTIFICATION

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g: 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protests the privacy of student education records.  The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records.  These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.  Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

1. Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school.  Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records.  Schools may charge a fee for copies.
2. Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correctly records that they believe to be inaccurate or misleading.  If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
3. Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record.  However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR &99.31):

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, date and place of birth, major field of study, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of member of athletic teams, honors and awards, and dates of attendance.  This is notice informing parents and eligible students about directory information and allowing parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them.  Parents and eligible students who do not want directory information release can enroll in the NC Address Confidentiality Program by calling 919-716-6785, contact in writing Address Confidentiality Program, 9099 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC  27699-9099 or online at acp@ncdoj.com.