Parent Handbook

465 Choate Road
Salisbury, NC 28146

(704)639-3046 (office)
(704)603-6886 (fax)

Mission Statement:
To provide and sustain a safe school environment that promotes many opportunities for discovery and learning.

Vision:
Nurturing, preparing, and empowering lifelong learners to explore the possibilities and responsibilities of their future.

We have Bobcat PRIDE

Polite
Respect
Involved
Determined
Excellent

School Hours -- 7:30 am-2:30 pm (*Tardy bell will ring at 7:30 am) Office Hours -- 7:00 am-3:45 pm

Morning/Afternoon Procedures

• Bus riders will get off the bus and have temperature checks before entering the cafeteria to receive a grab and go breakfast and then proceed directly to their classroom to eat. Must wear masks on bus and throughout the building.
• Car riders will remain in their cars until temperature checks and health survey is completed and then enter through the main entrance.  Must wear masks before entering the building. 
• Car riders will grab and go breakfast from cart in front of media center and report directly to classroom.
• No student will be admitted prior to 7:10 am, as there will be no adult supervision.
• Students who arrive after the 7:30 am tardy bell must be accompanied to the school office by a parent/guardian for admittance into the school. 
• Students will not be dismissed from classrooms for checkout after 2:00 pm (no exceptions). All afternoon early checkouts must occur prior to 2:00 pm. Students checking out of school early without presentation of a valid medical appointment card will be issued a tardy.
• In order to change your child’s afternoon transportation, a parent/guardian must send a signed note to their child’s teacher. Phone calls for transportation changes will only be accepted in case of an emergency. No phone transportation changes will be made after 2:00 pm.

North Carolina law requires school attendance for school aged children. When a child is absent from school the absence will be recorded as “lawful” or “unlawful.” A written note must be sent to the teacher following your child’s absence. Children cannot stay in school if they have a fever of 100 degrees or above, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or any undiagnosed rash. If a child leaves school for a fever of 100 degrees they will be asked to not return the student to school until they have been fever free for up to 24 hours. Please refer to the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Student Code of Conduct Manual for additional information.

Tardy Policy

• Parent must accompany and sign in student at front office after 7:30AM tardy bell and for any early dismissal.
• Students arriving past 7:30AM and/or checking out of school before 2:30PM will be counted as tardy.

Late Arrivals
When students arrive at school late, this disrupts their class and decreases their opportunity for instructional time. Students are considered to be tardy if they are not in their assigned classroom at the 7:30AM bell. Students that ride the school bus will not be considered tardy if the bus arrives after the start of school. If your child is late to school, an adult must sign the student in at the main office. The child will receive an “admit to class” note to give to their teacher. Please do not drop your child off in front of the school alone after 7:30AM.

Early Dismissals
There will be no student dismissal 30 minutes before the end of the day (between 2:00 and 2:30) unless approved, in advance, by the Principal. If possible please schedule appointments outside of this window. This procedure was implemented at all elementary schools beginning August 2017, to better ensure student safety during dismissal time. If you are picking up your child within the early dismissal window, please wait in the designated area outside of the office until your child is dismissed. Please help us maximize instructional time by keeping early dismissals to a minimum throughout the school year.

• Any visitor to campus is by appointment only

No outside food will be allowed in the building.

No balloons will be permitted on premises, as well as “party decorations”

Breakfast Procedures

• A grab and go free breakfast is provided for every student at Hanford-Dole ES
• Students will grab breakfast from cafeteria if a bus rider and go directly to class or from cart in front of media center if a car rider and report directly to class.

Lunch Procedures

• Students will grab and go lunch and will eat lunch in their classrooms.

Uniforms
School uniform policy has been lifted for the 2020-2021 school year, but RSS dress code policy still applies.

Backpacks

Children should have a backpack labeled with (his/her name in permanent marker inside) large letters. This book bag will be used to transport finished work and other school items back and forth on a daily basis. Please make sure the book bag can carry the child’s work, a lunch box (optional), a large library book and 3 MRE (meals ready to eat). A bag that is too small is difficult for a child to pack and increases the chance of notes/work being lost. Please check your child's backpack on a daily basis.

PBIS
Hanford-Dole adopted Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as its method for supporting students with behaviors in the school environment. Through PBIS, the school staff creates school-wide expectations for behavior throughout the common areas of the school building. Throughout the school, there is signage that indicates the expectations per our motto of PRIDE for the bathroom, hallway, bus, etc. 

Students will review these expectations with their teachers during the first week of school and on a quarterly basis with the administrative team. Teachers are expected to utilize a common language with all students and promote encouragement to students and/or whole classes that are demonstrating positive behaviors that align with PRIDE. 

Class Dojo

In an effort to effectively communicate with all of our parents, Hanford-Dole will be moving to a school-wide system for communicating with families. Class Dojo will be used by all staff in corresponding with families. Teachers should make all attempts to get a working number or email address for parents during Open House or at least within the first two weeks of school. This information will be used to communicate with the parent via Class Dojo.

Classroom teachers have autonomy in using a classroom behavior systems in addition to Class Dojo but are asked to reinforce the language for our school-wide PRIDE focus. 

Classroom Managed Offenses (to be handled by teacher)

1. Warning
2. Privilege Loss
3. Parent Notification (written/phone call)
4. Parent Conference with teacher
5. Office Referral
    

Office Referral Major Offenses – (as defined in the RSSS Student Code of Conduct) warrant immediate office referral

Bus Offenses

1. Verbal Warning (Driver)
2. Warning letter to parent (Driver initiated)
3. Office Referral (Bus suspension)
4. Conference with parent after 3 bus referrals

*First Day for Students- August 17th
**Last Day for Students (weather permitting)- May 28th