WELCOME
The staff of Marlton Elementary School welcomes each of you, parents and children, to another school year. The following procedures and guidelines are written to assist all in having a rewarding and productive year. The following mission statement has been developed by our faculty.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Marlton Elementary School is to ensure that all students acquire knowledge and develop skills and work habits to become productive members of society. We believe that our school’s purpose is to educate the whole child – academically, socially, physically and emotionally – within a positive school climate. We accept the responsibility to teach all students so that they can attain their maximum educational potential.
SCHOOL HOURS
7:45 AM – 1:55 PM
STUDENT AGENDA BOOK
Every child is expected to own a STUDENT AGENDA BOOK (to be purchased from the school) to keep track of their assignments and communications from school to home. In many cases the teachers will use the agenda book to make daily comments and/or informal evaluations.
VISITATION BY PARENTS
All visitors to the school MUST report first to the main office to sign in and receive a visitor’s pass. This is a county policy and a standard procedure for all schools. Parents are welcome to visit at anytime. Please make arrangements by calling the office at (301) 952-7780.
ATTENDANCE
Students who walk to school are expected to arrive between 7:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. Students arriving after 7:45 a.m. are tardy and must sign in through the office. In the event that a student is tardy or absent it is necessary for her/him to have a note for the teacher. It is important for parents to call and let us know when their child has to be absent;;;; however, this call has to be followed up with a written note upon the child’s return. It is our policy to check on all absences of three days or more if we have not heard from the parents. Parents are legally responsible for their child’s attendance and punctuality.
Lawful absences and/or tardiness include:
- Illness of child
- Death in family
- Quarantine
- Court Summons
The following procedures will be used for:
EARLY DEPARTURES
Send a note to your child’s teacher on the morning of the early departure stating the time you or your appointed adult will pick up your child. This note must be dated and have your signature.
- Upon arriving at school, report to the office to have your child called from her/his class.
- You will need to sign a roster at the time your child leaves school with you.
- If an emergency makes it necessary for a parent to call for a child who has not presented a note, permission must be obtained from the school office before a teacher may release the child from class.
- The adult picking up your child MUST sign them out in the office and present a photo ID.
All of the above early departure procedures are necessary for your child’s protection.
DELAYED OPENING
ONE HOUR DELAY – Buses run an hour later. School will begin at 8:45 AM.
TWO HOUR DELAY – Buses will run two hours later. School will begin at 9:45 AM. Any field trip scheduled to begin prior to 11:30 AM will be canceled.
Breakfast will not be served on any delayed openings.
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LUNCH PRICES
| All Student Breakfasts |
$1.25 |
| Elementary Lunch |
$2.00 |
| Secondary Lunch |
$2.25 |
| Milk |
$0.50 |
| Adult Lunch |
$3.50 |
LUNCH – BREAKFAST POLICIES
School lunches will be available on the first day. The breakfast program will begin on Tuesday, August 25. Lunch costs $2.00, breakfast $1.25, and milk $ .50. A monthly menu will be sent home and can be reviewed by visiting www.pgcps.org/~lunch/webdocs/ Students will use a personal identification number (PIN) to access the meal program. Students enrolled at Marlton last year will use their same PIN. Students new to Marlton will be assigned a PIN during the first week of school. This number must be memorized immediately. Money should be deposited into the student’s account to prepay for meals. The computer maintains a declining balance as each meal is purchased. Parents are encouraged to deposit money regularly into their student’s account. You may also access online prepayment for student lunches (www.paypams.com). Use your bank debit card, Visa, Discover or MasterCard to pre-pay for your children’s meals. It takes two days for an online prepayment to get credited into the school system account. In addition, prepayments may be made to the student’s account by cash, money order or check. The account allows for prepayment up to $99.99. All prepayments must be sent to school is a sealed envelope with the following information printed on the outside of the envelope: student’s name, PIN, homeroom teacher and amount enclosed. No checks will be accepted after May 3, 2010 due to bookkeeping requirements. The students who participated in the free and reduced price meals program last year will be eligible during the month of September but must reapply before September 30. New applications should be completed as soon as possible.
The Prince George’s County School System has established a procedure for students that have lost or forgotten their lunch money. They will be served a cheese sandwich at no charge. Therefore, no lunch money will be loaned to students from the office. Please make sure your child has enough money for lunch every day.
ILLNESS AND INJURY
It is the policy of the school that all ill children should be sent home rather than remain at school. We do not have medical or nursing facilities to care for sick children. Parents will be called by phone if a child becomes ill or has an accident.
It is of utmost importance that you keep the school informed of how you may be reached in case of an emergency involving your child. Please let us know when there has been a change in phone number or in the name of the person you wish the school to call if you cannot be reached. This is done by keeping your family card information up to date. In order to be exempt from Physical Education activities for an extended period, students must have a doctor’s statement sent to the school. The doctor should state what the exemption is for and how long it is to continue. If a child is to be excused for one or two days only, a note from the parent will be accepted. Please keep the school informed of any health problem that requires special consideration for your child.
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MEDICATIONS
All medications (prescriptions and over-the-counter) that children bring to school must be kept in the health room. Their administration must be given in the health room under supervision of the nurse or administrator. County policy also requires that medicines brought to school must be accompanied with a medication information form (PS-51). Most doctors have been supplied with these and they are also available in the health room. Health Room phone number is 301 952 0602.
EXTENDED ABSENCES
HOME OR HOSPITAL TEACHING
When a student is expected to be absent three or more weeks because of an excused health or medical condition, the parent or guardian should notify the student’s guidance counselor or appropriate school personnel and request a conference so that appropriate home or hospital instruction may be considered. The home and hospital teacher will provide up to six hours per week of instruction to keep the student current with grade-level skills.
EMERGENCY DISMISSALS
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Announcements will be made over radio and TV, early in the morning if bad weather closes schools. If it is necessary to close schools during the school day, the time will be announced by local radio and TV stations. Please do not call the school for information. Listen to your local radio, TV station or check the county website (www.pgcps.org). OTHER – It is sometimes necessary to close a school for reasons other than bad weather. It is important that you make provisions for adult supervision for your child if there is an emergency dismissal. It is your parental responsibility to establish definite plans with your child. To help the school assist your child in these circumstances you will be asked to complete an emergency dismissal form, which will be kept on file at school.
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PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent-teacher conferences are normally scheduled towards the end of each grading period. Ordinarily, the teacher will send home a notification or call the parent/guardian to schedule an appointment, each of which are scheduled for about 20 minutes. Parent-teacher conferences are held by appointment only so that the teacher will be available to see you. Teachers are not to be interrupted while they are teaching for individual conferences. This disrupts the entire class and takes learning away from all students.
CONTACTING TEACHERS
Messages for teachers will be taken at any time during the school day. Teachers will return your call at their earliest convenience.
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EVALUATIONS
Report cards are sent home at the end of each of the four grading periods (approximately 45 days each). Official Interim Progress Reports are sent home mid-quarter and later through each grading period for those students doing less than satisfactory work. The intent of an Interim Report is to show the parent the child’s current level of progress so that effective steps can be taken to improve the reported grades. Interim Progress Reports do not normally go into a child’s permanent record unless they receive them on a regular basis. Some teachers may also elect to send an informal weekly report to keep you better informed of your child’s academic and social progress. This informal evaluation is usually sent home on Fridays and may be in the form of a comment in the child’s Agenda Book. We hope that you will review all evaluations with your child in a positive manner. If you have any questions we urge you to call your child’s teacher immediately.
HOMEWORK POLICY
Homework is an integral part of elementary school and should be completed by the assigned date. If, for any reason, a student must be absent from school, it is his/her responsibility to make up all work missed. This work should be completed as soon as possible after the student returns to school. If a student has to be out of school for an extended absence, parents are requested to call your child’s teacher and ask that class assignments be sent home with another student in the neighborhood, or be picked up in the office after school.
BOOK ASSIGNMENTS
Teachers will assign textbooks to individual students at the beginning of the year or as they need to use them. Each student is responsible for the condition of their books and the location. Cover textbooks with paper or a cloth jacket. If a book is damaged to the point that it can no longer be used or is lost, a financial obligation will be levied.
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SCHOOL-WIDE DISCIPLINE PLAN
We believe that the best approach to discipline is a preventive one that communicates to students that the focus of school discipline is to promote success, not to punish. Therefore, it seems logical to prevent, or at least minimize behavior problems before punishment is necessary. It is the school’s responsibility to provide necessary support, guidelines and encouragement as students become self-disciplined and behave with regard to both personal needs and concerns for others. We believe success will occur if parents, teachers, and students work together as a team to develop good citizens.
School Rules -Everyone has …
1. The right to live safely.
2. The right to learn.
3. The responsibility to be polite.
4. The responsibility to be honest.
5. The responsibility to use time wisely.
Discipline procedures in effect at each grade level are sent home during the first week of school. Please review these procedures with your child.
In addition to our own school discipline plans, we also follow the Prince George’s County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct. Students receive orientation sessions on the code during the first weeks of school.
LOST AND FOUND POLICIES
Parents are encouraged to mark all outerwear clothing that is normally taken off in school, with name labels. Many children have outer clothing and lunch boxes that are exactly alike, therefore, labels are necessary. All “found items” are kept in boxes in the multi-purpose room.
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OUR SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY
All students are required to wear their entire school uniform on the first day of school through the last day of school. Check your child’s uniform throughout the school year. Often students forget to wear their black belt. Also, when new school shoes are purchased, all black or all white shoes fulfill the uniform requirement. Please remind your children to refrain from adding ornamental items or excessive necklaces, bracelets or large earrings. These items are distractions to learning.
Boys: white short or long sleeved knit polo shirt (no logo or ornamental colors), navy blue double knee slacks or navy blue pleated shorts, black belt, white or navy blue socks, black or white closed toe and closed heel shoes. (NO cargo pants)
Girls: White short or long sleeved knit polo shirt (no logo or ornamental colors), navy blue V-neck pleated jumper, two pleat front jumper or zip front drop waist pleated jumper, navy blue slacks, navy blue twill tag shorts or navy blue pleated skort. Black belt, navy blue or white socks or tights, black or white closed toe and closed heel shoes. (Button up the front blouses or shirts are not part of the uniform.)
Boys and girls will tuck their shirt tails into the waist of their slacks, shorts or skorts.
A navy blue or white V-neck sweater or cardigan sweater can accompany the uniform. The shirts and sweaters cannot have any insignias. The PTA will sell a navy blue pullover sweatshirt with Marlton Elementary embossed on the front. The pullover sweatshirt may be worn over the white polo shirt. Parents are encouraged to label sweaters and sweatshirts with their child’s name.
SYSTEM-WIDE DRESS CODE
HEAD
- Headdress can be worn indoors for religious or health reasons only.
SHIRT AND BLOUSES
- Shirts and blouses should be continuous from neckline to waist. The entire mid-section should not show. No tank tops or muscle shirts.
- No clothing with vulgar language, obscene pictures, weapons, drug/alcohol or drug paraphernalia or tobacco products.
- No identifiable gang/crew clothing or paraphernalia.
- No see-through clothing.
SKIRTS, DRESSES AND SHORTS
- Skirts, dresses, shorts, and spandex skirts should be approximately six (6) inches below the buttocks, or not shorter than fingertip level.
PANTS
- Pants should be secured at waist – no sagging below waist to expose undergarments.
- Tights, stretch pants, leggings, and spandex body suits must be worn with clothing long enough to cover buttocks.
SHOES
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BUS TRANSPORTATION
School bus transportation is defined as the entitlement of a student to ride a school bus, without cost, to and from school in accordance with the Public Laws of the State of Maryland. It must be understood that transportation is provided only for those students who exercise the following responsibilities:
- Be at the designated stop five to ten minutes prior to pick up time.
- Ride only the bus to which assigned.
- Remain seated while the bus is in motion; keep noise level down.
- Do not extend arms, head, or any object from the bus.
If a child fails to follow proper bus safety rules they will be denied bus privileges and the parent will be responsible for providing transportation to and from school.
If a child needs to ride a bus home with another child, a note is required from both families. These notes have to be approved by the office. This is allowed only if room is available on the bus.
SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND SAFETY
Many of our fifth and sixth graders serve as Safety Patrols. Their purpose is to assist students with safety procedures as they go to and from school. Please encourage your child to obey the patrols.
The adult crossing guards are members of the Prince George’s County Police Department. They are assigned to major intersections when it is too dangerous for children to cross the street without adult supervision. All students MUST obey the crossing guard’s directions.
Parents bringing children to school should enter the lower parking lot and drop off near the steps entering the multi-purpose room. Children should be prepared to leave the vehicle as soon as it stops to prevent traffic delays. Private vehicles are not allowed to enter the front driveway while the buses are arriving and unloading.
Parents picking students up at dismissal have to wait until all buses have left before entering the front driveway.
Students are not allowed to ride bicycles to or from school due to the very heavy volume of traffic and the fact that there have been several serious accidents involving motor vehicles and bicycles.
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BEFORE and AFTER CARE
The Before/After School Care program is a self-supporting program sponsored by the Prince George’s County Public School System. The philosophy of this program is to provide a safe and orderly environment staffed by qualified adult supervision in activities that are designed to include structured, unstructured, recreational and educational activities.
The program is open to any student who resides within the school’s attendance area.
Operating hours are:
7:00 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.
1:55 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Contact the school Day Care Office at
(301) 952-7777 for further information.
PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION
The Parent Teacher Association of Marlton Elementary School is made up of the parents and teachers of the children enrolled in this school. This does not exclude any persons who are interested in belonging to PTA but do not have children in the school system. Membership is totally voluntary. The good we can accomplish for our school is measured by the efforts of all our parents and teachers working together. If you are a new parent to Marlton, we welcome you. If you have been a member, we are glad to have you back. You can complete your membership card and pay your yearly dues at the P.T.A. meetings.
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