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Nauset School District Policies |
ORLEANS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
46 Eldredge Park Way
Orleans, MA 02653
(508) 255-0380 * (fax 508-255-7943)
Principal...........................Diane J. Carreiro
Secretary..................................Ann Tefft
Counselor..............................Philip Keohan
Nurse................................Mary Ellen Reed
Head Custodian..................Domenico Conti
Nauset Regional and Union #54 Administration
(508) 255-8800
Superintendent..........................Michael B. Gradone
Assistant Superintendent..................Gail M. Briere
Director of Student Services...............Ann Caretti
Business Manager........................Hans Baumhauer
Administrator for Technology.....Kathleen Schrock
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Nauset Public Schools is to educate all students to high standards of intellectual excellence and social and cultural awareness, and to prepare them for a productive life within a dynamically changing society.
BELIEFS
Every child matters.
Every child must reach academic proficiency and grow
personally and socially, through meaningful challenging work.
Our collective charge is to find ways to enable every child to do so.
This will be accomplished by focused professional development,
research-based practices and professional learning communities.
SCHOOL HOURS
8:10 a.m. – 2:25 p.m.
Adult supervision begins at 8:00 a.m.
Please do not send children before that time.
GENERAL INFORMATION
(listed alphabetically)
Attendance
Absence
For the safety of your child, we request that you call the school before 8:00 a.m. on the day your child is to be absent. On most mornings, you will be asked to leave a recorded message. The office phone number is (508) 255-0380. You may call at any time during non-school hours as the answering machine is kept operative.
Tardiness
Children are considered tardy after 8:15 a.m. Upon their arrival, they must stop by the office to pick up a tardy slip to present to their classroom teacher.
Early Dismissals
If a child is to be dismissed during the school day, the parent/guardian should send in a note and come into the office to sign him/her out of the building.
School cancellations due to inclement weather are announced on Cape television and radio stations. The cancellation decision involves several people and various agencies in a complex data-gathering system. Decisions of this nature are made as early as possible, usually before 6:00 a.m. The following television and radio stations will announce closure or emergency dismissal:
Television Stations: WBZ – Channel 4 (online), WCVB – Channel 5 (online),
WHDH – Channel 7 (online), WFXT – Fox 25 (online),
WLVI – Channel 56
Radio Stations: WRKO – 680 AM, WCOD – 106.1 FM, WXTK – 95.1 FM,
WBUR – 90.9 FM, WRZE – 96.3 FM, WPXC – 102.9 FM,
WCIB – 101.9 FM, WQRC – 99.9 FM, WOMR – 92.1 FM,
WOCN – 104 FM, WKPE – 104.7
As a matter of routine, delayed openings and early closings will not occur, except in the most extreme circumstances. Once the school day begins, every effort will be made to complete a full day. A parent phone chain has also been established to assist the office in expediting the news in the rare event of an early closing.
Damage (beyond normal wear), loss, or destruction of school materials and equipment is charged to the person to whom the material is assigned. Bills for such items which have not been paid at the time of the loss or damage are sent in June at the close of the school year. Payment should be made to the Town of Orleans.
The Orleans After School Activities Program is a non-profit organization established to offer quality, on-site after school care for children in grades K-5.
O.A.S.A.P. provides a safe environment for your child to participate in a variety of activities including outdoor play, art projects, board games, books, manipulatives, and homework help.
The Board of Directors and Director of the program are committed to providing a comfortable, enjoyable space for your child to spend the afternoon hours. A reasonable fee is charged for each student. The program is limited in the number of children that can be serviced each day. Enrollment is on a first come first served basis. For more information, please contact the Director of the Program at (508) 240-1546.
Students are expected to dress appropriately for an elementary school setting. Anyone wearing clothing that disrupts or interferes with the educational process will be required to make modifications in the way of covering, removing, or replacing the offending item.
Clothing and all other personal property should be clearly marked with the student’s name. Each year we collect a vast array of sweaters, jackets, boots, mittens, sneakers, etc. that are never claimed.
Sneakers should be worn for physical education activities.
In cold weather, children should come to school prepared to go outside for recess. Recess is outdoors when the temperature is 20 degrees or above. We ask that children wear hats, gloves, a warm coat and boots. Most children enjoy being outside and getting some fresh air during the school day.
Mutual respect is the cornerstone in building an effective school community. We believe that children learn best when the environment is caring, safe, and comfortable. Everyone involved in the Orleans Elementary School community has a measure of responsibility to foster this type of environment. Respect is being defined as:
v honoring another’s opinion, belief, or needs
v being considerate and polite
v taking care of the environment
v taking care of personal and public property
v obeying people in positions of authority
Respect
Each Other
Self
Property
Environment
Children
Teachers
In situations where rules are not followed, there will be logical consequences that are directly related to the infractions.
Although it is rarely necessary to close school early without advance notice, there have been instances of severe storms, heating failures and other emergency situations that have required an early dismissal. In September, parents receive an Essential Data Form. The requested information regarding a person to contact other than one of the parents, if necessary, will be extremely helpful on those few occasions when school may have to be dismissed unexpectedly. A parent phone chain has also been established to assist the office in expediting the news in the rare event of an early closing.
To enter Kindergarten, children must be five years old prior to September 1st of the year that they are enrolled.
First graders must be six years old prior to September 1st.
Residency Requirements
To be eligible for enrollment, a prospective student must be of school age and must be actually living in the Town of Orleans. Living within the town or district is interpreted as actually residing within the domicile during the days and evenings of the days that school is in session.
Transfers
If you are moving, whether to another state, out of the school district, or to another school in the present school district, we ask that you stop at the office to sign a record release form. This gives the school permission to send your child’s health and academic records to his/her new school when the request is received. Also, a Massachusetts transfer card will be completed, with a copy going to the parents as well as the superintendent of the child’s new school system.
Moving to or from Orleans
For non-resident students moving to Orleans, request for admission to the Nauset Regional Schools and Union #54 may be made to the Superintendent of Schools.
Families who can show that they intend to move into the school district within thirty (30) calendar days of the opening of school or within thirty (30) days of the application but are temporarily residing outside of the school district because of circumstances beyond their control, may be allowed to enter children in the schools of the Region District or towns which make up School Union #54. A written request must be filed with the Superintendent of Schools indicating the date that the applicants expect to become residents and stating the circumstance that make the request necessary.
Families that have children below the 12th grade shall be permitted to have their children finish the school year without tuition charge if the family moves outside of the district after May 1st.
Sales of cookies, chances, tickets, and the like for worthy causes cannot be permitted within the school. Experience has taught that these situations quickly get out of hand. It is best for all concerned if they are simply not allowed.
Fundraising for school-related activities occur at regular intervals, particularly for the Parent/Teacher Committee purposes. However, door-to-door solicitations by the children are not permitted for safety reasons.
Many individuals and organizations have raised funds for worthwhile purposes over the years. The staff appreciates their good work. However, fundraising involving the school done by individuals and organizations will not be approved if there is any manner of commercial endorsement involved – stated or implied.
A. All records are kept by the school nurse. Your cooperation in notifying the nurse of illness, surgery, immunizations, booster shots, etc., will be greatly appreciated.
B. Vision, hearing, height, and weight of all children are checked annually by the school nurse. Any indications of health problems in these or other routine examinations are reported to the parents.
C. Sodium fluoride rinse treatments are provided, with parental permission, by the State Department of Public Health for students in grades 1-5.
D. Physical examinations are given by the school physician with parental permission, to children in the fourth grade. If parents prefer, they may have their child’s physical examination given by their family physician, with a copy of such being forwarded to the school nurse.
E. Postural screening – Since April, 1980, M.G.L. C.71, s.57 requires all public school systems in the state to provide postural screening to all students in grades 5 through 9. If a parent or guardian refuses to have a postural screening by school personnel, written documentation provided by the family physician must be submitted to the school nurse.
F. Physical education and brief outdoor recess periods are part of the normal school day. Unless a valid medical reason is given, children are expected to participate in these activities. Parents wishing to have their children excused are asked to call the school nurse.
G. All medications must be brought to the school nurse by the child’s parent or guardian. During school hours and on the school bus, no child shall have medication on his/her person. If your child is going to have to take medication during school, please have your family physician sign a form available from the school nurse or have the doctor write an order to the nurse for dispensing medication at school. The purpose of these regulations is to provide a safe, consistent, and reasonable approach to taking of medication by children in school.
H. Physical Examinations – All children are required by State law to have a physical examination before entering school or within the first six months of the start of school, and in grades 4, 7, and 11 thereafter. We urge you to take your child to your family physician, as the family doctor knows your child best. The school physician is scheduled to give exams for those students that do not have a family physician. The exam prior to enrolling in school must be done by the family physician or pediatrician.
I. AIDS/HIV Policy - Orleans Elementary School follows state regulations to protect the privacy of children who may be AIDS infected or HIV positive. Regulations on the subject are available from the school nurse. Moreover, guidelines called “Universal Precautions for School Settings” as per the Department of Education are in place. These guidelines relate to reducing the risk of spreading infectious diseases. To obtain a copy of the guidelines, call the school office.
Immunization Law
Chapter 76, Section 15 of the General Laws of Massachusetts:
“No child shall, except as hereinafter provided, be admitted to school except upon presentation of a physician’s certificate that the child has been successfully immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, and poliomyelitis and such other communicable diseases as may be specified from time to time by the Department of Public Health.
A child shall be admitted to school upon certification by a physician that he has personally examined such child and that in his opinion the physical condition of the child is such that his health would be endangered by such vaccination or by any such immunizations. Such certification shall be submitted at the beginning of each school year to the physician in charge of the school health program. If the physician in charge of the school health program does not agree with the opinion of the child’s physician, the matter shall be referred to the Department of Public Health, whose decision will be final.
In the absence of an emergency or epidemic of disease declared by the Department of Public Health, no child whose parent or guardian states in writing that vaccination or immunization conflicts with his sincere religious beliefs shall be required to present said physician’s certificate in order to be admitted to school.”
Addendum: Additional requirements for successful immunization against mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B for school entry were added as specified by regulations (105.CMR 220.000, 1983, 1990, 1994).
No unimmunized student shall be admitted to, or be allowed to remain in, your school unless they can satisfy these requirements, or
a. a medical exemption is allowed if a health care provider submits documentation to school that an immunization is medically contraindicated,
b. a religious exemption is allowed if a parent submits a signed statement to school stating that immunizations are contrary to their religious beliefs.
Immunization Guidelines
Health Tips
Please do not refer health problems to the nurse that are appropriately those of a family physician. The school health personnel suggest that you keep your child at home and call your doctor for sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, chills, skin rash, inflamed eyes, restless night, discharging ear, earache, enlarged glands, coughing, flushed face, and paleness.
School health policy reminds you that if your children are ill enough to remain indoors for recess, they are generally too ill to be in school and should remain at home until their symptoms disappear. Colds and some illnesses spread easily among young children, and for the health of everyone we suggest that you keep your child at home.
Head Lice
Notices concerning head lice will be sent to all parents in September and in January. The information will include the need to do occasional “head checks” on the children and how to treat the problem. As head lice are discovered in school, we first will notify the parents of the child. Subsequently, the nurse will notify the parents of other children in that child’s classroom as well. We will notify all parents at the point in time an infestation STARTS anywhere in the school. However, a policy which would dictate that all parents be notified each time a child is found to have head lice could result in such a flood of repetitive notices as to render such notices meaningless. Keep in mind that cases of head lice are a very common and ongoing occurrence. If your child is found to have head lice, it will necessitate prompt treatment. We also urge your cooperation in removing all nits from your child’s head once he/she has been treated. This is the only way we can properly detect any reinfestation. Parents are asked to visit the nurse upon arrival to school for readmission.
Homework is any task assigned students during the school day, which is to be completed outside of regular class time. While the results are hardly uniform, there are indications that homework under certain conditions can improve learning, test scores, and grades. The three most common types of homework assigned are practice, preparation, and extension.
¸ Practice
The purpose of practice assignments is to provide students an opportunity to reinforce newly acquired skills or to apply recently acquired knowledge. For example, after a lesson in learning how to do a particular problem, homework may be assigned to practice performing the operation required to solve similar problems. This type of homework can be useful when the assigned exercises are matched to the ability and background of the individual students.
¸ Preparation
The intent of preparation assignments is to have the student obtain sufficient background information in order to be prepared for the following day’s discussion. Providing the students with sufficient guidelines is one of the most important considerations in assigning preparatory assignments. If students are to profit from preparatory reading, they should be told why they should read and how to read the assigned material. Preparation homework requires initiative, imagination, and individual effort. It can provide the students with greater challenges and offer more stimulation than the routine read-the-chapter/answer-the-question type of assignment.
¸ Extension
Extension assignments take the students beyond the work begun in class and encourage an individualized and often creative and imaginative pursuit of knowledge. This type of assignment aims at individual application, research, and study. It fosters student initiative by allowing student choice in expanding on the learning begun in class. Extension homework is often built around problems, either student-identified or teacher-identified, that enable students to apply previous knowledge and to search for new understandings.
Advantages of Homework:
1. Homework can foster student initiative, independence, and responsibility. As students learn how to budget their after school hours to fit homework in among their other activities, valuable lessons are learned that will serve them for the remainder of their lives.
2. Homework can reinforce and supplement school learning and can improve learning.
3. Homework can bring the school and home closer together. If parents observe their son/daughter reinforcing concepts and skills through homework, the link between school and home can be strengthened.
4. Homework eases time constraints on the curriculum. Without preparatory reading and practice application outside of class, the amount of work accomplished in a given time period would be reduced.
Illness, Make-up Work, and Vacation Assignments
A. Parents of students who, because of prolonged illness or surgery, are advised by their physician that an extended absence from school is anticipated are eligible for home-school instruction. Requests for such should be made to the principal who will discuss the options available and inform the parents of the medical information required. There is no cost to the parents for approved service of this nature.
B. In most cases, work missed during short-term absences can be made up upon return to school without undue pressure. Home assignments for students that are ill may be provided, allowing sufficient time for the teacher to gather the materials. However, the child’s health should take priority, and concerns regarding schoolwork should not interfere with recuperation.
C. Because of the nature of our local economy, there are parents who can take vacations only at times when school is in session. It is impossible for the conscientious teacher to provide materials and instructions for work for children on extended vacation. Because we are working toward a more highly individualized program, plans for each child are altered daily on the basis of what the teacher observes his/her needs to be.
We make no hard and fast rules concerning vacation assignments. We prefer to deal with each case on it own merits and request that parents contemplating taking their children out of school consult their teachers well in advance.
Student accident insurance is made available each September or upon registration. Parents are advised to examine carefully the proposed policy and its options in light of their present coverage. Serious consideration should be given as to whether a student accident insurance plan might fill a void in a family’s insurance coverage or whether it would duplicate existing coverage. Note that accidental dental coverage is provided under the student accident insurance for an additional cost.
If your family is without health insurance, a call to the school nurse could give you information on free and/or affordable health care services.
Lunch is served at the lowest possible cost. This cost includes the daily lunch or alternate lunch and milk. Milk may also be purchased separately. Menus are sent home monthly, printed in the local newspapers, and found on the school website www.nausetschools.org
Lunch money is collected in the classroom. This method of collecting money is a good way to involve your child in responsible interaction with you and the teacher. If your child forgets his/her money or loses it, he/she can always get a lunch. No child will be denied a lunch. These lunches are “charged.” The charges must be paid, and as parents, we need your cooperation in helping your child meet his responsibility by paying these charges as soon as you are aware of them. Bills will be sent home as needed. In the same regard, any lunches which have been prepaid and not taken will be credited to your child for future use. The preferred method of payment is weekly. However, payment on a daily or monthly basis is acceptable.
Free and/or reduced lunches are available to families that qualify. Application forms are distributed at the elementary school but are completed and returned to the Food Service Director at the Nauset Regional Middle School. Families that do not qualify in September may qualify later in the year as circumstances change. All applications are kept strictly confidential.
The Orleans Elementary School Parent Teacher Committee exists to provide a broader involvement in school related programs and activities and to act as an advisory/support group for ongoing or new programs. All parents should be alert to the possibilities which exist to enhance the children’s education by involvement in PTC activities. Regular meetings, usually monthly, are publicized through parent notices. There is a bulletin board in the main hallway which provides updates of Parent Teacher Committee activities.
Brief classroom parties are held on special occasions during the school year. Parents are sometimes requested to provide refreshments, which should be delivered to the school office.
Invitations to private parties (usually birthday parties) should not be distributed in the classroom but should be done privately. We suggest that you refer to your Student directory for students’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
Please do not send expensive personal items to school. Trading or purchasing items from other children is not allowed. Anything depicting graphic violence (including clothing, hats, etc.) or any kind of weapon (real or toy) should not be sent to school under any circumstances.
If you attend a school event, such as a play or class event, please remember that some parents prefer not to have their child’s picture taken. Consult with the classroom teacher regarding any students that should not be photographed.
School photographs are taken every year, usually in the fall. Policy dictates that the photographer may take these pictures only once during the school year and subsequently offered for sale. Provisions for retakes are made for those students whose pictures are determined to be of inferior quality.
Parents select the “package” that they wish to purchase and a check is given in an envelope to the photographer the day that photos are taken. A class picture is provided to all students whether or not they purchase a “package.”
1. Our approach to outdoor supervision is common sense with a concern for the safety of the children. Our goal is to maintain consistent expectations and consistent responses to inappropriate behavior.
2. Traditionally, items such as the following are prohibited: baseball bats, hard balls, hard Frisbees, hockey sticks, skateboards, and roller blades. Playground balls, nerf balls, basketballs, and soccer balls are permitted.
3. Rough play and/or contact sports (e.g. tackle football and karate) are not allowed on the playground. Beyond this, a concern for the safety of individuals prevails in the use of the playground equipment and in the determination of appropriate behavior.
4. No one is allowed on the playground structure when it is wet or when there is snow on it. Swings are to be used in a sitting position and facing forward. No standing on seats.
5. Children who are physically and/or verbally aggressive to their peers or the supervising adults are dealt with in the following manner:
a. Minor offenses generally result in the child being given a “time out” on the bench of the structure.
b. Repeated minor offenses and/or a more serious offense generally result in the loss of a recess. These offenses are reported to the classroom teacher and the building principal in the form of a written report.
c. Repeated serious offenses are dealt with by the building principal. Consequences can include parent conferences, loss of recess privileges, behavior contracts, and any other interventions that would be deemed appropriate for the offense.
6. Children are not permitted to go deep into the woods or beyond the side of the building. The playground and the lower ball field are the designated play areas.
7. During inclement weather, the children will remain in their classrooms during recess periods. The rule of thumb for indoor recess has been that the children will remain indoors during wet periods and whenever the wind-chill is below 20 degrees.
8. The playground structure is a valuable town resource that can be enjoyed by all members of the community. However, for the safety of the school children, the playground is restricted to school use between 9:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Progress reports are issued in November, March, and at the end of the school year. In addition, Parent Teacher Conferences are held in November and March. Two early closings are provided during those months for afternoon conferences, and provision is also made for one evening conference in each of those months.
Additional conferences may be scheduled when either the parent or teacher considers that they will be helpful. We urge parents to contact the school whenever they have questions or concerns. Our goal is to work together in providing a positive educational experience for every child.
Publicity for Non-School Activities
A limited number of publicity handouts are permitted for worthwhile non-profit activities. All handouts must be approved in advance at the Central Office, and they must be consistent with policies established by the School Committee relative to the dissemination of these materials. Approved handouts should be brought to the office a day in advance for distribution.
As of 1975, the State Board of Education has issued a complete set of regulations regarding the keeping of student records within our schools. These regulations were adopted to insure the right of confidentiality and to provide for inspection of such records by parents and eligible students.
There are basically two types of records. The first is the permanent record, which consists of the very basic information, such as name, address, phone number, birth date, parents, courses, and grades. The second is the temporary record, which consists of test scores, class rank, teacher evaluations, and extra-curricular activities.
Please be advised that parents and eligible students in the Nauset Regional School District may inspect, obtain copies at a reasonable fee, and have interpreted any data contained on the student’s record within 48 hours of a written request. Requests should be made to the principal or the guidance counselor of the student’s school.
¸ Children should know their name and full address, including phone number and area code.
¸ Children should be comfortable with the use of the telephone and know 911 for emergency use.
¸ Parents should establish a daily routine for children if they are going home alone
o Check in with someone to let them know that they are home
o Lock the door once inside
o Do not open the door without checking with the contact person first
¸ Parents should review the types of lures that abductors might use
¸ Parents should not leave their children unattended outside of the school once they sign them out of the pick up area
All children should be instructed as to what to do if no one is home when they arrive – either as a result of parents being delayed or school being closed because of an emergency.
Section 53 of Chapter 71 of the Acts of 1993 calls for the establishment of a school council at each public school in the state. No later than forty days after the first day of school, a council including the following members shall convene: 1 principal (co-chair), 2 teachers, 3 parents, and 3 community members. The number of parents must equal the number of teachers plus the principal, and the “community persons” must not exceed 50% of the membership.
Parents are selected by their peers in elections organized by local parent organizations. Teachers are chosen by their peers. “Community persons” are recruited by the principal from interested groups. There is no statutory guidance on the procedure for selecting student members. At the first meeting of the year, the membership must elect a co-chair to serve with the principal. Membership terms are two years.
The School Council assists the principal in adopting educational goals for Orleans Elementary, identifying educational needs of students attending the school, reviewing the school’s annual budget, and formulating a school improvement plan.
In addition, the School Committee may grant School Councils authority in the area of educational policy except for those areas covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Terms will be two-years, overlapping. Initial elections/appointments in each category will be balanced between one-and-two-year terms, with the extra appointment in cases of an odd number (e.g., 3 parents) being a two-year term.
The Orleans School Council meets monthly at 3:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. Agendas are posted on the Parent Council/School Council bulletin board. Meetings are open to the public.
Basic Skills
Two different tutorial programs are offered at Orleans Elementary School. In the area of mathematics, students at all grade levels can access Basic Skills services if they meet the grade level criteria. Basic skills English Language Arts services are also available to students in K-2. Students in grades 3-5 meeting the criteria for English Language Arts intervention are serviced by the Title I teacher. The amount of tutorial service varies based on individual needs and parental permission is required for participation. Progress within the program is reported on a regular basis.
Enrichment
Discovery Bound is a program in grades 3, 4, and 5 that is team taught by a classroom teacher and the librarian in unit blocks of approximately six weeks. Research shows that children possess potential for many kinds of thinking abilities in everyday life as well as school experiences. In addition to academic talent, these talents include: productive thinking, communication, forecasting, decision making, and planning. The aim of this program is to demonstrate how the research on multiple talents can be made a part of the existing school program so that children can use more of their thinking powers. This program focuses on teaching the various talents through grade appropriate curriculum activities. All children in grades 3, 4, and 5 have the opportunity to discover some new hidden talents through this program.
The Student Teacher Enrichment Program (STEP) is offered to students in grades 4 and 5. The criteria for selection include, but are not limited to, MCAS results, well-developed writing skills, strong self-motivation, consistent effort, and high quality of homework. The goal of STEP is inquiry. The general theme throughout the year will be exploration and communication. This program will complement and enrich the curriculum frameworks followed in the classroom through the use of electronic and print library resources. This group will meet once a week with the school librarian. Participation in the program requires a commitment from students to make up any assignments missed while out of the classroom and to do about one hour of extra work a week. Due to the increased demands and complexity of the school curriculum, all students will be reevaluated mid-year by the STEP evaluation team to determine their continued participation in the program.
Field Trips
Field trips that are curriculum based and appropriate to the age and interest of the children are taken as funding permits. Parents are not permitted to use private cars for the transportation of students on field trips or other related activities. The liability factors for the school and for the parents make this policy a necessity.
Transportation is provided at no charge to the parents provided that there is room on the bus to accommodate the additional adults. Written parental permission is required for each field trip. Occasionally a few parents are asked to chaperone the class on a given trip, depending on the age of the children in relation to the amount of supervision required.
Guidance
The School Counselor is available to see children concerning personal and school-related issues. In-school counseling is generally short-term (6-8 sessions). If longer counseling seems appropriate, assistance will be offered in finding an outside counselor. The counselor is available to parents as a consultant on parenting issues and emotional health. The counselor also serves as the Coordinator for Special Education services.
Instrumental Music
Instrumental Music is offered to fifth graders. Students participate in a half-hour small group lesson per week as well as a full band rehearsal before school. The band traditionally performs two concerts per year.
Library
The library is the heart of the school community servicing children from pre-school to grade 5 and their respective families throughout the school year. Our main goal is to instill a life time love of reading for the children at Orleans Elementary School.
Library classes are scheduled weekly for students. The collection numbers well over 10,000 titles with a wide range of selections: picture books, fairy tales, folklore, science, American history, parent resources, etc. The library also has a strong reference section in print materials and electronic research with new technology has been developed. A major goal of the library is to access reference materials quickly but even more importantly, to guide students to sift and select that information carefully. Because we live in an age of information, it is a major task for our students to interpret information accurately from all these wonderful sources.
Music
Music is taught in grades K-5. General music classes meet once a week. Instruments are explored along with rhythms, songs, accompaniments, and listening experiences. Students in grades 4 and 5 are eligible to participate in the chorus. The chorus meets once a week before school and performs at various times throughout the year. Planned concerts usually include winter and spring performances.
Physical Education and Health
The children at Orleans Elementary School participate in physical education classes once or twice a week. The program focuses on personal fitness, movement education, basic motor skills, and cooperative games. Also included are rhythmic activities like different dance forms and gymnastics. A major focus is age appropriate anatomy and physiology. The goal of the program is fun and fitness. The health curriculum is taught by classroom teachers with a great deal of reinforcement in physical education. The Great Body Shop is the main health resource.
Science Programs
Outside consultants are brought in at all grade levels to further enhance the science curriculum. Topics are selected by the teachers and are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. The frequency of sessions is dependent upon the availability of funding.
Technology
We are fortunate to have a network of computers in a lab setting. Classroom teachers and the Instructional Technology Specialist work together in designing lessons that support the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks using technology as a tool. Students meet once a week in this setting. The goal of the program is to build on existing technology skills of students and teachers, promote responsible use of technology systems and software, and create opportunities for students to experience age appropriate communication via technology. In addition, students have an opportunity to use the lab to develop keyboarding skills.
Title I
The Title I Program services selected students in grades 3-5 to enable them to achieve at higher levels in the area of English Language Arts. The Title I teacher works closely with classroom teachers to integrate instruction using a variety of materials and methods. Instruction is delivered within the regular classroom setting or in a small group setting. The amount of Title I service varies based on individual needs and parental permission is required for participation. Progress within the program is reported on a regular basis.
Visual Arts
The visual arts are taught at all grade levels. Classes meet in the art room once a week. Art experiences follow a spiral curriculum exposing the students to a variety of techniques and mediums. Art classes often correspond to grade level studies by providing a culminating lesson integrating knowledge gained in the classroom. Art work is displayed throughout the school and is featured in several exhibits during the year. A can-do-attitude is encouraged in the art room experiences.
Kindergarten Early Literacy Testing, Narrative Writing Prompt (fall, winter, spring)
Grade 1 Early Literacy Testing, Narrative Writing Prompt (fall, winter, spring)
Grade 2 Early Literacy Testing, Narrative Writing Prompt (fall, winter, spring)
Grade 3 Early Literacy Testing, Narrative Writing Prompt (fall, winter, spring)
MCAS Reading (March/April)
MCAS Mathematics (May)
Grade 4 Narrative Writing Prompt (fall, winter, spring)
MCAS ELA Composition (March)
MCAS ELA Language & Literature (March/April)
MCAS Mathematics (May)
Grade 5 MCAS Reading (March/April)
MCAS Science Technology & Engineering (May)
MCAS Mathematics (May)
MCAS History & Social Science (May)
Private Transportation
Parents or persons authorized by parents in writing may pick up children at 2:25 p.m. in the Kindergarten atrium by signing them out with the dismissal staff. It is important that you send a note or call the school prior to 2:25 p.m. as calling children from the bus lines can create confusion at dismissal and upset for the children.
Bus
A. Bus transportation is provided for all children. Bus stops, routes, and schedules are planned for maximum safety and efficiency. These responsibilities are those of the Business Manager who is the contact person for major problems and request such as the changing of an established bus stop. Do not request the drivers themselves to make alterations in their established routes, as they have no authority to do so. Contact the office and a request will be made to the Business Manager to change a bus stop.
B. Children are not permitted to ride a bus other than the one to which they are assigned. Emergency situations may be exceptions provided these situations are cleared with the office. Changing buses for meetings, appointments, parties, or visiting friends is not permitted.
C. Children may be released from their assigned bus at a stop other than their regular one provided that a note to this effect is received on the day the change is requested.
D. The policy, adopted by the Orleans School Committee regarding bus behavior, is based on safety factors. Parents of children who are reported to the principal by the bus driver for unacceptable behavior receive a written warning for a first offense (unless it is a serious violation, in which case the parents will be called in for a conference). Unacceptable behavior is defined as behavior which may contribute to danger – such as moving from seat to seat after boarding the bus, distracting the driver by excessive noise or physical activity, or failing to follow the directions of the driver promptly and courteously. A second offense could result in an assigned seat or suspension from the bus.
E. The School Committee responsibility for students will normally begin when students enter the school bus and will normally end when the student leaves the bus. The safety of the students shall be the responsibility of the parents up to the time that they enter the school bus in the morning and after departure from the school bus at the end of the day.
F. While the school’s responsibility is subject to the above mentioned limits, the School Committee realizes the importance of working closely with parents to insure the safety of all students at bus stops. The School Committee reserves the right to intervene and take appropriate disciplinary action, as outlined in the bus specifications and/or Bus Rules and Regulations, on those occasions when it is deemed to be in the best interest of students.
G. Video cameras are sometimes employed on Nauset buses. These hidden cameras are used to monitor behavior on a random basis. On occasion, the cameras are employed to assess reports of disruptive behavior. The driver and the students are not advised as to when a videotape is being made. The tapes may be reviewed initially by the bus contractor and the Business Manager. Tapes are treated in a confidential manner.
H. The bus contractor’s responsibility is to pick up and deliver children to given stops. The contractor assumes no responsibility for supervision of children while waiting for the bus. Moreover, it is a parental responsibility to supervise the children upon departure from the bus.
Requests by individuals or groups to use the school facilities should be directed to the school secretary who handles the applications and the scheduling of building usage. The request is then processed through the principal for the approval under the term of the Building Use Policy of the Orleans Elementary School Committee.
We encourage parents and interested citizens to visit school so that they may find out more about the instructional program. For the protection of the children and to minimize interruptions in the classroom, we request that visitors observe the following:
ÿ arrange a visitation time with the classroom teacher
ÿ stop at the office, sign in, and pick up a visitor’s badge upon arrival
ÿ do not engage the teacher in conversation while the class is in session
ÿ limit visit to a reasonable time period
Orleans Elementary School welcomes volunteers. In order to volunteer, paperwork must be filled out so as to match a volunteer’s interests with school needs. A CORI check (criminal records check) is routine in checking the background of individuals working with our students. All volunteer work is under the direction of teachers.