Welcome
The administration and staff would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2009-2010 school year. The information in this handbook has been compiled to help you succeed at Overlook Elementary School. The entire staff is here to assist you with your education. Come and share in our vision of quality in education.
SCHOOL OFFICE
Please feel free to contact us with any problem or concern. The main office phone number is (301) 702-3831. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
School Office Staff
Principal Mrs. P. Lowery
Assistant Principal Mrs. K. McDuffie
Admin Secretary Mrs. Fowler
Records Secretary Ms. Alston
School Nurse Mrs. Weddle
School Hours 7:45 am – 1:55pm
Cafeteria opens 7:20 am
Classes begin 7:45 am
Dismissal 1:55 pm
DRESS CODE
Overlook has a school uniform policy. All students are expected to wear the Overlook uniform. The mandatory attire for boys is navy blue pants (no jeans) and white shirt. The mandatory attire for girls is blue jumper or skirt with white blouse. Uniforms worn by students should be neat, clean and properly fitted. Any student who arrives at school without a uniform will be provided a uniform by the school. He or she must return it upon dismissal of the school day. Headdress can be worn indoors for religious or health reasons only.
SCHOOL RULES
Lunchroom
- Follow directions of the Duty Monitors.
- Follow the proper traffic patterns.
- Silence in line. Whisper at the table.
- Get everything you need while in line.
- You may stay seated at all times.
- Raise your hand for help.
- Clean up trash from your area.
- The last FIVE minutes of the lunch period will be “silent lunch.”
Hallway
- Walk on the third square.
- Wait for your class at all corners.
- Carry green pass when not in class.
- Walk in a single, straight, silent line
Classroom
- Follow directions.
- Keep hands and feet to yourself.
- Show respect.
- Use appropriate language.
Early Dismissal
Students will not be released to anyone other than their parent or legal guardian unless prior written notice has been given to the school. In order for a student to leave school during the school day, a student must bring in a note to the teacher or Main Office requesting dismissal. The note should contain: the reason for dismissal, name of person authorized to sign student out, parent/guardian’s phone number, date and time of dismissal. All students leaving school early must be signed out in the Main Office. A PHOTO I.D. WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN A STUDENT OUT OF SCHOOL. This is for your child’s safety.
Emergency School Closings
If the decision is made to close school due to inclement weather, the local television and radio stations will broadcast this information.
You may also access the Prince George’s County School Board website at www.pgcps.org to obtain emergency school closings or early school dismissals.
Homework Policy
We believe homework to be purposeful and an integral part of the total school program. Its purposes are to supplement and enrich work done in the classroom, to promote competency in skills and subject matter, and provide opportunity for parent involvement.
Homework assignments reinforce skills and content covered by the teachers. Homework is assigned at the discretion of the teacher. Students should record assignments and complete all required work.
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Student Code of Conduct
The basic policy of the Board of Education relative to student conduct and discipline is found in the text of the Code of Student Conduct. The counselor and Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) conduct yearly lessons to review the Code. Students will receive a copy of the Code of Conduct.
Attendance
The compulsory attendance law of Maryland (State Annotated Code—Education Article 7-301) requires regular school attendance of children between five and sixteen years of age. All students need to be present and on time in school every day. School begins at 7:45 a.m. Regular attendance is essential to the learning process. Students who are absent from school are deprived of valuable experiences that contribute to social development.
If your child is absent from school, please provide them with a written explanation of each absence upon returning to school. The notice should contain the date written, the date(s) of absence, the reason for the absence, a home and/or work number and a parent/guardian’s signature. The only lawful excused absences are death in the immediate family, illness of student, court summons, hazardous weather conditions, observance of a religious holiday, state emergency, suspension, and lack of authorized transportation.
Parents will be notified with a phone call and/or a letter of their child’s attendance should he or she accumulates an excessive amount of absences.
If you expect your child to be absent for more than 2 days, please contact the Main Office or send a note to the teacher to request that work be sent home or picked up by you.
Students who arrive to school after 7:45 a.m. are considered late and should report to the Main Office to receive a tardy slip to be admitted to class. Please remember to send your child to school with a written explanation of the tardiness. If your child has a doctor or dentist appointment, please remember to get a doctor’s note to be given to the Main Office.
Telephone
Children are permitted to use the school telephone only in an emergency situation. The administration must grant permission if a student is to use the telephone. Students are prohibited from using cellular phones.
Forgotten papers, instruments or school materials do NOT constitute an emergency.
CLASSROOM VISITATION
Parents/guardians are always welcome to visit their child’s class and get acquainted with the teacher. As a courtesy to the teacher, it is suggested that an appointment be made for all visits. Classroom visitations are not a time for parent/teacher conferences. Contacting the teacher or Principal by note or telephone in advance is recommended.
Visitors must always report directly to the office for classroom visitation or reporting as a volunteer.
CONFERENCES
All faculty and staff encourage keeping the communication lines open. Please feel free to address any concerns with the teacher first in an effort to quickly and effectively solve any potential problems. Parent conferences may be initiated by the parent, teacher, or administrator and held at mutually agreeable times.
BREAKFAST/LUNCH PROGRAM
Breakfast and lunch are served daily. Hot meals, including milk and/or juice will be served at a minimal fee (price set each year by Prince George’s County Food and Nutrition Services). Extra milk and juice may be purchased for an additional fee. Menus are sent home with your child each month.
You may pay for lunches daily or you may prepay by cash or check to cover your child’s lunch for one or more weeks, a month or the entire year. Free and reduced lunches are available for families whose total household income qualifies. Each child is provided a free and reduced-meal benefit form. Contact the
Main Office for further information.
If children bring their own lunch with a thermos, please make sure that the thermos is non-breakable. No bottled or carbonated drinks are allowed.
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