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Mashburn Elementary 2016-2017

Our Mission is developing deep levels of Relationships, Engagement and Rigor!

3777 Samples Road Cumming, GA 30041

770.889.1630 770.888.1202 (FAX)

Student Handbook

Mashburn Elementary School’s website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/mashburn

Forsyth County School’s website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/

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Welcome to

MASHBURN ELEMENTARY

Home of the Bluebears

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Ann Crow (District 1) Kristin Morrissey (District 2)

Tom Cleveland (District 3), Darla Light (District 4),

Nancy Roche (District 5)

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Dr. Jeff Bearden

Forsyth County Main Phone: 770.887.2461 Transportation Phone: 770.888.1234

Email: fcs@forsyth.k12.ga.us

MASHBURN ELEMENTARY ADMINISTRATION

Mrs. Tracey Smith, Principal Mrs. Jennifer Swaim, Assistant Principal

Mashburn Elementary Administrative Team Mrs. Tracey Smith, Mrs. Jennifer Swaim, Mrs. Kim Lochbaum,

Mrs. Andrea Clack, Mrs. Traci Wallace, Mrs. Lori Bryant

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MASHBURN ELEMENTARY PTA www.mashburnpta.org

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MASHBURN ELEMENTRY LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL

Chairperson Lauren McDonald III

Vice Chairperson Mary Smith Secretary/Teacher Rep Adela Frechette

Teacher Rep Andrea Clack Parent Rep Lori Brown

MASHBURN PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

Michelle Clark Mollie Herzberger

Shannon Sibbitt Tracy Smith

President – Jessica Williams (president@mashburnpta.org) VP – Jonathan Brown Secretary – Laura Garrison (secretary@mashburnpta.org) Treasurer – April Escobar (treasurer@mashburnpta.org)

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Top 12 questions that you will have this year..

1. Why do I have to walk my child in at 8:15am? Our car rider line is finished promptly at 8:15 so our staff can get to their classrooms.

The carline doors will close and you will need to park in an open parking space and walk your student into the front office. They will only be marked tardy if they are not in their classrooms when the 8:20am (second bell) rings.

2. What do I do if I want to walk my child into school each day? If you want to walk your child into school each day, please pull into the car rider line

and park in the spots that are parallel to Samples Road. This will allow you to walk along the edge of the car rider line and not get tangled in it. We encourage parents to not walk any further than the Kiss n Go station located in the front lobby.

2. I am running 2 minutes late, what do I need to do? If you are running a few minutes late please park on the car rider side of the building

and walk your child into the school. The bus lanes run 7:40-8:30 a.m. and the gate will be closed until 8:30am.

3. What’s up with the bus lane vs. the car line side? Between 7:40 – 8:30am we do not allow cars to pull into the front of the school to

drop off students. We know this is confusing but it’s for the safety of our students. We have busses that drop off in this area. If you need to just drop off your child you will need to park on the car line side (the side parking lot) and walk them in or go through the car line. To ensure your child’s safety, do not drop your child off in the middle of the car line to cross several lanes of traffic.

4. How do I navigate that crazy car line? Our car line starts with 2 lanes once you enter our campus and merges at the end of

the first turn. We follow the give one, take one rule.

5. There are three morning bells, what do they mean? The first bell rings at 7:45am indicating the start of the school day and students are

allowed to enter the classrooms. The second bell, at 8:15am, indicates the end of the carline. Your student will need to be walked into school and will need to be in their classrooms by the third bell at 8:20am. If a student comes in after the third bell they will be marked tardy. 3 tardies equal 1 unexcused absence.

6. My child wants to go home with a friend, what do I need to do? If your child is planning on going home with a friend we will need a note from you.

It’s not a big issue if they are going to be a car rider. We can only approve a bus change if it is within the same bus route.

7. It’s my child’s birthday and I want to bring in cupcakes, sweets, food. Is this an option?

Sadly we cannot allow cupcakes, sweets, food, etc. or edible treats for birthdays. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday here at school, you are welcome to provide pencils, party favors or your child can donate a book to the media center.

8. I want to eat lunch with my child. Can a friend join us? If you would like to eat lunch with your child we have provided tables on the stage as

well as tables in the courtyard. We no longer allow friends to join in due to some

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safety issues we have experienced. This is a special time for you and your child to spend time together.

9. How do I pay for my child’s lunch and keep track of their balance? To check your child’s lunch account you can go to www.MyPaymentPlus.com or

email the cafeteria manager, Lisa Hasse (lhasse@forsyth.k12.ga.us).

10. I need to check my child out early, what do I do? If your child needs to be somewhere right after school and you need to check them

out, please do so before 2:45. Due to safety reasons we do not allow check-outs after 2:45.

11. How do I know about upcoming events? Mashburn has LOTS of events. Your child’s teacher will advertise them in

newsletters/agendas and we will put them in the Blue Bear Notes that come out on Fridays. You can check our website and also the Facebook page.

12. I am coming in for an event, what do I need to bring with me? If you are coming in for an event, please bring your license with you. We check

EVERY license that comes into our building. If it’s a busy school event day, please plan to arrive 15 minutes early so we can safely check everyone into the building.

ATTENDANCE: WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!

Your child’s regular attendance is essential to success in school. As permitted under the Georgia compulsory education law and Forsyth County Board of Education policy, students may be excused for the following reasons: 1. Personal illness or attendance in school that endangers a student’s health or the

health of others. 2. A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family necessitating absence

from school. 3. A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical

examinations for service in the armed forces mandating absence from school. 4. The observance of religious holidays necessitating absence from school. 5. Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety. 6. A scheduled medical, dental or eye examination of the student. 7. Registering to vote or voting. 8. Visiting with a parent or legal guardian who is in the military service in the armed

forces and has been called to duty or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support post. The student may be excused for a maximum of 5 days per school year.

Students shall be counted present when they are serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly. Foster care students are to be counted present at school when attending court proceedings related to the student’s foster care. Non-school related activities and vacations are considered unexcused. Absences: THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!!!! It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/ guardian(s) to contact the school office by 10:00 a.m. to report the student's absence. Students must submit a note or parents must fax or e-mail the attendance office within five (5) school days for the student’s absence to be considered excused. Attendance Fax Number: 770-888-1202 or Attendance e-mail: sbrown@forsyth.k12.ga.us. The note must include the student’s name, the date(s) of absence(s), and the reason for the absence. The principal may require students to present

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appropriate medical or other documentation upon return to school for the purpose of validating that absences are excused. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to send the email to the attendance clerk. DO NOT assume the email you sent the teacher will be forwarded to the front office. In case of extended illness, hospitalization or injury, the parent should apply for hospital homebound service. Hospital homebound service should be applied for immediately when absences of ten (10) days or more are anticipated for the student. Contact Jennifer Swaim, Assistant Principal, for more information. Consequences: What happens when I miss too much school? If a student has excessive absences, early check-outs, and/or late check-ins, the student and/or the parent may be referred to the School Social Worker, Juvenile Court, State Court, and/or Department of Family and Children Services. A parent/guardian who violates the compulsory attendance law shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine not less than $25.00 and not greater than $100.00, imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, community service, or any combination of such penalties at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction. Each day’s absence from school is considered a violation. Make Up Work It is the student’s responsibility to turn in make-up work when he/she is absent from school. Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to retrieve make-up work. The student has five (5) school days to make up work. The teacher has the discretion to grant a longer period to make up work if there are extenuating circumstances.

Late Check-in or Early Check-out: An unexcused late check-in or early check-out is defined as any time a student arrives late to school or leaves school early for a reason other than those defined by the State Board of Education as an excused absence. A combination of three unexcused late check-ins and/or early check-outs will be considered one unexcused absence. Students who miss more than half of the time in any class will be considered absent for that class period. When possible, medical and dental appointments should be made outside of school hours. If a student is being checked in or checked out for a doctor’s appointment, a parent note, physician’s note or appointment card is required within 5 school days to be considered excused. After the tenth late check-in or early check-out, a physician’s note or appointment card is required within 5 school days to be considered excused. Check-in: Parents must sign their child in upon late arrival. Check-out: If it is necessary for a student to check out early due to illness, the student must be assessed by the school nurse and meet assessment criteria for the school to excuse the absence. Parents may submit a note to excuse an early check out due to illness. Students who are frequently absent, tardy or check-out early from school may be required by the school administration to provide medical documentation to validate any absence, tardy or early check-out as excused. Check-outs for personal reasons can not be allowed after 2:45 as this affects the dismissal process for our students. Late check-in or early check-out affects perfect attendance.

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AWARDS We love recognizing our amazing students! Students receive special recognition at the school through a variety of awards including the Empowerment Award (formerly known as the Pride award), and Blue Bear. These awards are intended to promote and recognize academic skills, attendance, and various aspects of good citizenship. The recognition of students is extremely important as it enhances self esteem.

BOOK BAGS There are some great book bags available that do not have wheels. This would really help keep our students safe and our floors clean. So when you are picking out that book bag remember to get one that is “wheel free”.

BUILDING HOURS We like to keep our students as safe as possible. To ensure safety, students may arrive at school beginning at 7:45 a.m., even those students who walk to school will be asked to remain in the car rider area with their parent until the 7:45am bell rings; unless your child is enrolled in our Before School Program, which opens at 7:00am. Students are to remain after school only for supervised extracurricular activities which have been approved by the administration. Signed, written notes need to be received by the teacher in order for a student to remain at school. Unfortunately, we can not accept faxes, phone calls or emails. This is super important!!! PLEASE DO NOT PARK OR DROP OFF STUDENTS IN THE BUS LINE IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT OR WALK THROUGH THE CAR LINE. You can easily park on the side parking lot, in the parking spaces that are parallel to Samples Road. This will allow you to safely escort your child into the building while avoiding car line traffic and the bus lanes. Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. School Hours: 7:45 a.m. -3:00 p.m.

To preserve the safety and confidentiality of our students and teachers, parents and students are not allowed to enter classrooms after hours unless a teacher is present.

BUS Please visit www.forsyth.k12.ga.us to review school bus procedures and rules.

BYOT

Mashburn Elementary is a BYOT School. Our vision is to use classroom technology to engage students in asking questions and choosing tools to facilitate real world problem solving.

All students who choose to bring personal devices to Mashburn must abide by the Responsible Use Guidelines. Devices are only used under the supervision of a certified staff member, paraprofessional, or substitute teacher who has attended specific training for this purpose. Students, however, are 100% accountable for appropriate or inappropriate use.

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Responsible Use Guideline:

I understand that using digital devices (whether personal or school owned) and the FCS network is a privilege, and when I use them according to the Responsible Use Guidelines I will keep that privilege.

All members of Forsyth County Schools’ community agree to follow the Forsyth County Schools Code of Conduct, school rules and commit to the following responsible use guidelines.

Students will:

Use digital devices, networks and software in school for educational purposes and activities.

Keep their personal information (including home/mobile phone number, mailing address, and user password) and that of others private.

Show respect for themselves and others when using technology. Not use their devices to be on social media or use their device for texting while at school. Give acknowledgement to others for their ideas and work. Report inappropriate use of technology immediately.

The Responsible Use Procedure will be reviewed each school year together with students and teachers and will provide a springboard for teaching and learning around topics such as Internet safety, digital citizenship and ethical use of technology.

Each parent must make his/her own decision about allowing their child to bring a personal device to school. We respect that some parents do not feel their child is ready for this responsibility. We have many school laptops available for use and each teacher has been issued a classroom iPad.

CHANGES IN STUDENT INFORMATION In order to keep our records current, please notify the office immediately in writing of a change in any of the following: address, home telephone number, cell phone number, employer and phone number of each working parent, and person to call when parents cannot be reached. With changes of address, proper residency proof is required. If we had an emergency, we want to ensure that we can reach you as soon as possible!

CLINIC INFORMATION Mashburn is committed to providing a safe and healthy school for your child. Nurse Deana is in our clinic from 7:40 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please be aware of the items below in regards to the clinic.

Asthma and Food/ Insect Allergies: Each parent will be asked to complete a questionnaire in regards to asthma and food/insect allergies to be

returned to the clinic. For your child’s safety, please update this information throughout the year as needed.

Emergency Response to Life Threatening Asthma or Allergic Reactions: FCS partners with District II Public Health to implement a program for the emergency response to life threatening asthma or systemic allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Designated school staff members are trained to assess the clinical signs, call 911 and administer the medications (Benadryl, epinephrine injection or nebulizer bronchodilator). The student must be transported to the nearest emergency room for evaluation and treatment.

See the Safety/Health section for more information.

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CLUBS Mashburn offers the following clubs/activities:

Bearly Moving (2nd-5th) Chorus Honors Chorus Robotics Battle of the books (3rd -5th) Science Olympiad Good Morning Mashburn Tech Fair Math Academic Team Peer Tutors 5th Grade Oratorical Spelling Bee Friends Helping Friends (peer buddies)

And many, many others

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Code of Conduct contains a ton of useful information. Each student in Forsyth County Schools will be issued a full copy of the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct covers rules for student behavior and dress, as well as consequences, if an issue arises. Parents should carefully review this document.

Bullying: Forsyth County Schools forbid bullying. Bullying is defined in the Code of Conduct as a willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so: or any intentional display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm; or habitual attempts to cause pain or suffering to another person. Discipline: Mashburn Elementary believes that self-discipline is an important part of a child’s development. Self -discipline underlies the whole educational structure and is the training that develops character, orderliness, efficiency, and self-control. Developing self-discipline occurs when students learn to follow common rules and make wise decisions. Proper behavior by each student allows all students the maximum opportunity to play, learn, and grow in a school environment. It is expected that the students of Mashburn Elementary follow the Mashburn 20 Rules, as well as, the 7 Mindsets.

School behavior policies are implemented for the safety of students and the maintenance of an orderly learning environment. At registration or upon enrollment each parent will receive a copy of The Code of Conduct pamphlet. Our local school discipline plan is based on this code. Parents will be notified if their child is experiencing discipline problems.

COMMUNICATION Teachers at Mashburn Elementary will communicate with parents through class newsletters and weekly reports. Each child should have graded papers coming home each week. Upcoming events, assignments, special materials needed, as well as progress and behavioral reports are information you can expect from your child’s teacher.

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Each classroom and special area teacher also has a telephone in the classroom. Teachers are super busy and will be unable to answer the telephone during instructional time. Leave a voicemail message and the teacher will return your call, if necessary, within 24 hours. If you have an emergency, call the front office. Teachers have personal email. You may access these through the county website at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us and then click on the Mashburn Elementary link. You can access teacher’s websites through https://forsyth.itslearning.com.

CONFERENCES School-wide parent conferences are scheduled twice during the academic year on October 19-20th, 2016 and again on March 10, 2017. Students are released at 12:30 p.m. on conference days so that teachers are available to meet with parents. Parents will be notified of conference times in advance. Additionally, parents may request a conference at any time during the school year.

COUNSELING SERVICES One full-time counselor is available at Mashburn to provide individual or small group counseling to students and to conduct classroom guidance lessons on a regular schedule. The counselor works with school personnel to foster a positive learning environment. The counselor may also assist parents in obtaining special school and/or community services. The counselor conducts Good Touch, Bad Touch lessons and Red Ribbon Week (drug awareness). If you need to meet with the counselor, please email Lori Bryant and set up an appointment. lbryant@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM BEFORE SCHOOL PROGRAM (BSP) Mashburn Elementary provides a before school program from 7-7:45 a.m. You may register at Open House or contact the front office for an application. Students must be registered in order to attend the program. Please contact the director, Carol Fort, at 770.889.1630 ext. 750209 or email her at cfort@forsyth.k12.ga.us. The before school program costs $3 for each day attended with no registration fee. Payments may be made with check or credit card through www.MyPaymentsPlus.com with NO transaction fee. If another payment option is needed, please set up an appointment with Carol Fort, the Director of the program. AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (ASP) Mashburn Elementary provides an after school program for students in Kindergarten through 5th

grade. You may register at Open House or contact the front office for an application.

A registration form must be completed and fee paid to participate in the program.

Registration fees are:

1. $35 for one child

2. $25 for each additional child in the same family

Registration fees are payable through www.MyPaymentsPlus.com.

Fees We have two payment options for participating in the ASP program:

1. 5 day enrollment weekly rate $60 – for any student attending 4 or 5 days in a week.

2. 3 days or less enrollment weekly rate $40 – for any student attending 1, 2 or 3 days in a week.

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There is no longer a per day fee; only one of the options above.

Payments may be made with check or credit card through www.MyPaymentsPlus.com with NO transaction fee. If another payment option is needed please set up an appointment with Carol Fort, the director of the program. You can contact Carol Fort at 770.889.1630 ext. 750209 or email her at cfort@forsyth.k12.ga.us. Additional information can be found on the school’s website.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES At dismissal time, bus riders are loaded onto their assigned buses by teachers, and car riders wait to be picked up in the car line. All check-outs must occur by 2:45 p.m. Parents are not allowed to go to the bus area to get their child. This is a safety issue. Any student checked out before 3:00 p.m. will be recorded as having an early check-out.

Change in dismissal plans: A signed and dated handwritten note must be received in the front office by 2:00 p.m. in order for a student to be dismissed any other way than the usual manner. For safety reasons, transportation changes will not be altered with only a child’s verbal request. No transportation changes will be accepted by phone, fax or email. In the event we are unsure of how your child will get home, we will hold them at school.

DRESS CODE The dress code is outlined in the Code of Conduct. Heelie shoes, short shorts, and ripped jeans are NOT permitted at school. On PE days, students need to wear non marking rubber soled shoes for safety reasons. If students wear flip flops or Crocs on PE day, they will not be able to participate in PE. Girls’ tops/straps MUST be at least 2” wide. Parents will be called to bring appropriate clothing for the student.

Emergency Notification to Parents Parents/guardians are requested to make arrangements in advance for taking care of their children when schools are closed for emergency reasons. The plans should include arrangements for school closings, delayed openings and early dismissals.

FCS closings will be announced on the local and metro broadcast media outlets, the school system website, www.forsyth.k12.ga.us, and on the automated voice service at (770) 887-2461. Subscribers to FCS' enewsletters will also receive an email notifying them on closings or delays.

School Closing and Delayed Opening Information: School closings or delays will be

announced as described above before 5:30 a.m. If school opening is delayed, please follow the same routine/schedule as normal, but push back the start time by two hours.

On delayed days, breakfast is not served, lunch will be served, and school will dismiss at the regular time.

Early Dismissal Information: Early dismissals will be announced as described above. In

the event of inclement weather, notification will be made as soon as the decision is reached. In the event of a school crisis, parents/guardians will be notified after the safety and security of students is assured.

In the event of a delayed dismissal or other incident, the principal or designee will be the final decision maker of dismissal procedures to ensure the highest level of safety for your children.

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FIELD TRIPS Field trips are planned throughout the year to complement classroom curriculum. Signed permission forms must be on file for each child who participates. The number of parent chaperones may be limited due to the nature of the activity. All students must ride the buses provided while on the field trip.

HOMEWORK The faculty and staff of Mashburn Elementary endorse and encourage the use of homework and reading practice to promote student learning. Students develop self-discipline by setting aside time after school hours to complete homework assignments. The purpose of homework includes increasing student achievement, involving parents in the learning process, and encouraging self-directed, independent learning. Assigning quality homework offers students opportunities for enrichment, practice of basic skills, and extension of instructional objectives.

Our specific homework guidelines are reviewed and revised by each grade level at the beginning of each school year. You will be notified of expectations early in the year.

HOUSES House meetings will be the first Friday of the month and they are so fun! Mashburn has six houses with students from each grade making up the “family”. Houses will participate in activities throughout the year.

Colors and “Themes” for the houses are listed below: House Name Meaning Color

Jabari Courage Blue

Gamba Strength Red

Amina Integrity Green

Mahari Loyalty Yellow

Erevu Ingenuity Purple

Sonke Respect Orange

House meetings will be once a month. The house meetings will incorporate activities, games, and

conversation into 7 Mindsets lessons.

Horizontal house meetings will take place monthly (all grade levels by house). Vertical (grade

level) house meetings will be every Friday. Vertical meetings will focus on character traits, team

building activities, and monthly awards.

ICE CREAM Ice cream will be available for students to purchase in the cafeteria on their classes designated day. Ice cream choices will be aligned with the federal health guidelines. The cost of the ice cream will be $1.00.

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ITS LEARNING What is ItsLearning? ItsLearning is Forsyth County Schools’ personalized online learning system. What can I do as a parent? In ItsLearning, parents monitor student progress and view content assigned to their child. Parents have one login to view multiple children. Examples of what is available to parents in itslearning include a list of student tasks with due dates, a report showing how well their student is keeping up with classwork assigned in itslearning, a view of the teacher’s planner, and a secure messaging system to communicate with their child’s teacher. How do I get there? Go to https://forsyth.itslearning.com or visit your school’s website for the link. Parents login with their Parent Portal username and password. If you do not have a Parent Portal account, visit your school’s front office or the Hill Center to set up your account. Please bring a photo ID to receive an activation key. Return to https://forsyth.itslearning.com and scroll to the bottom of the page for instructions on using the key to activate your Parent Portal and itslearning accounts. If you have forgotten your itslearning password, please send an email to Michael Champion at mchampion@forsyth.k12.ga.us. Within 24 hours you will receive an email to reset your account. Where can I find more information? Visit http://vimeo.com/71456463 to watch a three minute video about itslearning designed for parents.

ITEM DELIVERY Items brought during the school day should be dropped off at the front desk. These items will be delivered at scheduled times to minimize interruption to instruction.

LOST AND FOUND Found items of clothing and lunch boxes will be stored in a designated lost and found location. Items such as keys, jewelry, etc. are given to the front office. Unclaimed items are donated to charity on a quarterly basis. Everything brought to school should be labeled so that lost articles can be returned to the owner. Please be sure to label all items-it really helps!

LUNCH Safety is our first priority. Due to allergies and the safety of our students, parents will only be able to eat with their own children. Friends will not be permitted to eat with other families. This is a special time with your child. When eating in the courtyard, the lunchrooms rules apply. Please keep all children at the tables and follow the Mashburn 20.

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Mashburn 20 The Mashburn 20 was created by teachers and students and was adopted in May 2012 as the school wide rules. See Appendix A. Each classroom teacher will implement the Mashburn 20 into their classroom discipline procedures.

MEDIA CENTER The Mashburn Elementary Media Center uses an open program that allows students to access material for assignments, projects, research, and personal reading at any time. Features include an online card catalog, computer workstations, reference materials, and works of fiction and nonfiction. In the Media Center students will learn about research methods, authors, themes, primary search, and use of media center materials. Students come to the Media Center for books and materials check-out, reading groups, literature clubs, and for storytelling. Materials from the media center may be checked out for two weeks. Students will need to pay for books that are lost or damaged. Parents may also honor a teacher or child on a special occasion, such as a birthday, by purchasing a book for the library. See the Media Specialist for more information. The Media Center also hosts a book fair in the fall and spring.

MEDICATIONS

All medications (prescription and nonprescription) must be brought to school by the parent/ guardian. No student will be allowed to bring medications to school. Students may not have medication in their possession, except with a physician’s order for emergency situations only. Medications brought in bags or other unmarked containers will not be given. Prescription medication must be in the pharmacy container labeled with the child’s name, date, name of medication, name of prescribing physician, time(s) the medication is to be given and name of pharmacy filling the prescription. Please ask the pharmacist to provide two labeled prescription bottles so that parents/guardians have one bottle at home and one at school. Do not send medication to the school that needs to be given only once daily or two/three times a day unless the physician specifically states a time during the school day for the medication to be given. If medication can be given at home, please do so. Parents/guardians must provide specific instructions (including drugs and related equipment) to the nurse. It will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian to inform the school of any changes in pertinent data. A “Request for Administration of Medication” form must be completed by the parent/guardian. New medications will not be given unless a new form is completed. The bottom portion of the form is to be completed by the physician for ANY long-term medication (more than two weeks.) The term “Physician” is used as defined in Article 2 of the Medical Practice Act of Georgia. The form may be brought to the school by the parent or faxed by the parent or physician. Due to the risk of Reye’s Syndrome in children under the age of 18, the school will require a physician’s signature in order to give any aspirin-containing medications including Aspirin, Pepto-Bismol, and Excedrin. Due to the risk of choking, students may not bring cough drops. All Medications, herbals, and supplements must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and appear in the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

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MINDSETS At Mashburn Elementary our students learn and live by the 7 Mindsets. The Mindsets are taught throughout the school day and positive reinforcement and classroom consequences are based on the Mindsets. These Mindsets are: > EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE - Dream big and expect great results. > PASSION FIRST - Pursue your talents and interests. > WE ARE CONNECTED - Be a good friend and encourage one another. > 100% ACCOUNTABLE - Choose to be responsible for your own happiness and success. > ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE - Look for the positives in every experience and be thankful for all that you have. > LIVE TO GIVE - Inspire and Give back to others. >THE TIME IS NOW - Take action and seize the moment. We encourage you to make these 7 Mindsets an integral part of your students home environment.

NEWSLETTER The Mashburn newsletter (Blue Bear Notes) is electronically sent out every Friday. Please let your child’s teacher know if you do not have internet access so a copy can be sent home with your child. The newsletter provides information about school functions and upcoming events. Classroom and individual notices and reminders will be sent home periodically. Please read these notices carefully for important information.

OUT OF DISTRICT POLICY In order to attend a school outside the student’s residential district, approval must be secured from the superintendent, and the principal of the admitting school. Approval may be restricted by class size and is granted on a year-to-year basis only. An out of district request can be found on the Forsyth County School’s website; www.forsyth.k12.ga.us. Students who present behavior or attendance problems may have the out-of-district approval rescinded by a letter from the principal of the school the student is attending. A student may not request to attend a school that is at or over capacity.

PARENT TEACHER INVOLVEMENT DADS’ CLUB The Mashburn Dads’ Club (Dad’s Opening Doors) sponsors projects to enhance our learning community. Meetings and work sessions are open to all parents. For more information, see the school website or email Jeff Jager at jjager@forsyth.k12.ga.us. LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC) The LSC was established by Georgia law to “bring communities and schools closer together in the spirit of cooperation to solve difficult education problems, improve academic achievement, provide support for teachers and administrators, and bring parents into the school-based decision-making process… to provide advice, recommendations, and assistance and represent the community of parents and businesses.”

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Elections will be held to select members of this council. LSC Parents will continue to have a forum for their questions and for learning about school programs through parent representatives on LSC. LSC meetings will be announced and are open to the public. PTA PTA sponsors a variety of activities throughout the year including fundraising drives, the sale of spirit items, family functions, dinners, and teacher/volunteer appreciation. PTA meetings are scheduled during the school year. Meeting times and dates are posted in the newsletter. Everyone is encouraged to become a member. More information can be found on the school’s webpage. Or the PTA webpage: www.mashburnpta.org.

PARTIES Board Policy allows elementary students to have two parties a year. Teachers may choose two occasions for a class party. Please cooperate with the teacher by not expecting more than two parties. Some themes or unit of study may have a culminating activity to celebrate achievements. No parties for teachers are to be held on school time. Please schedule these activities to celebrate birthdays, babies, wedding, etc. after school. Due to health concerns with student food allergies, we cannot allow home baked goods. Items for class parties must be store purchased. An ingredient label must be on the purchased item. The school Nurse must approve all food brought in for class parties. Parents who wish to recognize birthdays are able to send in non-food items such as pencils, erasers or bookmarks. The Media Center offers a special recognition for students celebrating birthdays. Parents may purchase and donate a book in their child’s honor. They may choose to come in and read the book or an excerpt from it to the class. Each child will have a picture taken with the book, and it will be posted outside the Media Center. Please be mindful when delivering personal invitations, ensuring that there are invitations for the entire class or all the boys or all the girls.

PETS No pets of any kind are allowed at school without administrative approval. Teachers may give special permission for pets to be brought to school as part of a special display or activity. Pets must be taken home immediately after the activity. However, under no circumstances is a potentially dangerous pet to be brought to school. Pets can never be transported on the school bus. Please be considerate of students who have allergies. Mashburn does have a certified therapy dog name Aubie. Aubie will be available on certain days of the week to visit classrooms and listen to students read as a reward and also for therapy purposes.

PICTURES Individual student pictures will be taken two times each year (fall and spring). The fall individual pictures will appear in the yearbook. Group and class pictures will be taken in the spring.

SAFETY In an effort to provide a structured and routine day for the students we ask that you do not walk your child to class. Please say your daily goodbyes in the front office “Kiss N Go” area.

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DO NOT PARK OR DROP OFF STUDENTS IN THE BUS LINE IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT OR WALK IN THE CAR LINE. Maps showing fire and tornado drill procedures are posted in each room in the school. Fire drills are rehearsed monthly; tornado drills are rehearsed prior to the tornado season. Lockdown drills are held in the event such action becomes necessary. Please refer to the section “Emergency Notification to Parents” for information regarding school closings and early release during severe weather conditions.

SCHOOL CALENDAR A calendar for the 2016-2017 school year can be found at the end of this handbook. Special event dates are publicized through the PTA, in the Mashburn Newsletters, the Mashburn website, Facebook, Twitter, and the Forsyth County Messenger system.

Early Release/Early Dismissal dates for parent conferences and professional development for teachers are regular school days, with a 12:30p.m. dismissal time. Lunch will be served before dismissal.

SNACKS Teachers may plan a snack break during the day. This time allows for a small, healthy snack such as fruit or crackers. Please allow your child to bring a water bottle if he or she chooses, but juice and soft drinks are not allowed during snack time.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

Forsyth County’s Assessment Calendar can be found on the school and system websites.

STUDENT MEALS: Automated Meal Account: Each school has an automated system that is able to track the payment and purchasing activity of each individual student’s account. Meals may be pre-paid for the week, month, or even the year. Prepayment is encouraged because it eliminates the daily handling of money for the child, and reduces the time the student must stand in line waiting, providing them more time to enjoy their meal. Students may purchase meals and extra foods sold through the School Nutrition Program with funds debited from their meal account. If parents/guardians wish to limit the use of their child’s account to meals only, each school year parents/guardians must send a written note to the school’s cafeteria manager stating that their child will not be allowed to purchase extra items off of their meal account. If this restriction is applied to the account, all extra items selected will require cash at the time of purchase. Parents/guardians or siblings having lunch with a student may not use the funds on the student meal account to pay for guest meals. Guests may cover their meals with a check or cash.

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Pre-payment by Debit or Credit Card via the Internet: Register at www.MyPaymentsPlus.com to prepay for a child’s meals online using a valid credit/check card. Parents/guardians must use the student identification number and school name to register and place money on their child’s account. If parents/guardians do not know their child’s student ID, contact the school’s nutrition manager. To learn more about this visit the food and nutrition website at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/nutrition NOTE: Prepayments made through the on-line payment system may take up to 48 hours to post to the student’s meal account at school. My Payments Plus transaction fee is 3.99% of the amount the parent chooses to put on the account. Meal Charge Policy: Only students in elementary will be allowed to charge up to the equivalent of five (5) meals. No ala carte purchases may be charged to the student's meal account, except milk or carton juice when a meal is brought from home. A charge notice will be completed and sent home to the parent/guardian through the student. When the manager has sent home the third notification with no success in collection of outstanding charges, the principal or counselor will be asked to intervene to assist with collecting the delinquent payments and assessing if there is a need for free or reduced priced meals. After the fifth unpaid charge, the manager will offer the student a snack or partial meal such as a sandwich or crackers and milk. If a student continues to come to the cafeteria without a lunch from home or money and the student’s account continues to be delinquent, the case will be considered for release to the Department of Family and Children’s Services for neglect. Students who have unpaid meal charges will not be allowed to purchase any extra sale food items until the charges have been satisfied. NOTE: In an effort to ensure that students in elementary schools do not carry over a negative account balance into the new school year, meal charges will not be accepted beginning the first school day in May. Returned Check Policy: The Food and Nutrition Services Program will accept checks for exact payment of meals or prepayments to the student’s debit account. The program will not cash personal checks or give change back when a check is received for payment. FCS uses a check company to collect checks that are returned unpaid. Without further notice, they will attempt to collect on the check electronically if it is returned unpaid by your bank for any reason. If a check is returned unpaid, the face amount and a state-authorized fee will be collected electronically from the parent’s account when the money is available. If a parent writes a check to the district, they are consenting to allow the check recovery company to electronically collect the face amount and the fee if the check is returned unpaid by the banking institution to the recovery company. After the Board of Education, or any entity thereof, has received two (2) checks returned by a financial institution due to insufficient funds or closed accounts, all financial transactions thereafter will be on a cash only basis.

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Meal Prices:

Lunch Breakfast Paid Reduced Paid Reduced Elementary $2.50 $.40 $1.40 $.30 Middle $2.35 $.40 $1.35 $.30 High $2.35 $.40 $1.45 $.30 High School Grill Meal

$3.35 $.40

Employee $3.00(HS Grill $3.75) $2.00 Guest $3.50 (HS Grill 4.25) $2.25 Extra Milk: $.60

Cash payments at register: Cash is gladly accepted at the cafeteria register for meal and a la carte item purchases, and to add funds on the student’s account; however, cashiers do not have adequate funds to make change for customers with bills larger than $20. Bills larger than $20.00 will only be accepted for meal payment if the entire amount is deposited into their meal account. Free and Reduced Priced Meals Availability: The Free and Reduced Priced Meal Program is available to assist families during times of financial hardship. The School Nutrition Program accepts free and reduced meal applications throughout the school year. Students approved for free or reduced priced meals may eat both breakfast and lunch free or at a reduced cost. Parents can rest assured the information supplied on the form is strictly confidential and student identification is protected with the computer software used at the cashier’s station.

A current year application must be submitted. Prior year application forms cannot be accepted. The current school year application is available at each school, in the Registration Office at the Hill Center and on the system’s website, www.forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Making it faster and easier for families to apply for free or reduced priced meals, applications can now be submitted on line. Simply log-on to the following website and follow the prompts to complete the application, https://schoolmealapp.forsyth.k12.ga.us/.

OR you may complete and sign an application and submit it via one of the following methods:

o scanned and emailed to aplant@forsyth.k12.ga.us o faxed to 770-888-3464 o sent via US mail to: Food & Nutrition Services, 1140 Dahlonega Hwy, Cumming GA o submitted to any school cafeteria.

Applications will be processed within 10 school days of receipt at the central office. Eligibility for those approved for free or reduced benefits will be effective within an hour of being processed at the central office. Written notification of eligibility/denial will be sent to the household address via US mail the day the application is processed.

Eligibility for Free or Reduced price meals is not retroactive; therefore the parent or guardian is responsible for payment of school meals until the F&R application is approved.

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Transportation - Car Riders Students may not be dropped off at the school before 7:45 a.m. unless they are attending the Before School Program which starts at 7:00 a.m. Teachers will be on duty to receive students in the carline at 7:45 a.m. Parents or guardians must sign in students who arrive after 8:15 a.m. Students must be dropped off and picked up at the designated car rider pick up and drop off area.

In the afternoons, children will not be released to parents at the classroom door. Afternoon dismissal can become chaotic when last minute interruptions occur. Children being picked up after school will be loaded into cars by school personnel in the side parking lot of the building at school dismissal time. If you wish to pick up your child prior to 3:00 p.m., please make sure your child’s teacher is notified in writing prior to 2:00 p.m. Students are not dismissed after 2:45 p.m. through the front office. This is for the safety of all the children as dismissal involves many of the front office staff. Children not picked up by 3:20 p.m. will be given a first time warning. If the parent/guardian is late again, the assistant principal will meet with them to discuss other afterschool daycare options. Continued late pick-up will result in the referral to the school social worker or proper authority.

Transportation changes In the event a student’s transportation changes, they MUST have a note from their legal guardian. This would include the student riding in a car other than their own. If a student is riding in the car with another student, they MUST have a note from their legal guardian and the person picking up the student MUST have the car number displayed. Car Rider Information As in years past, we will assign a car rider number to assist with the dismissal of car rider students. All parents will receive a car rider tag at Open House. At dismissal the students will walk to the cafeteria and sit in the designated area. A staff member will then call out vehicle numbers and will guide your child to the correct car. Please be sure to have your car rider tag displayed on your rear view mirror as soon as you enter the school car line. You must have the car rider tag in order to use the Mashburn car line. If you do not have your number, you will need to come in to the front office to get another one. The fee to replace your number will be $2. You will need a picture ID to pick up your child in the front office. Your child will be brought to the front office after the entire car line is finished. When entering the car line, please merge and be respectful in the car line. Please use the “give one, take one” rule when merging. When dropping off your child please use the car line in the side parking lot. If you need to enter the building park in the side parking lot and come to the front office. DO NOT PARK OR DROP OFF STUDENTS IN THE BUS LINE IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT. VISITORS TO OUR SCHOOL For the protection of our children, all visitors must check in and out through the “RAPTOR" system with the front office upon entering and leaving the school building. A valid driver’s license, government issued ID or passport will be required each time you visit our school. No exceptions can be made. Please Note: Parents are requested to make an appointment with the teacher to visit or volunteer in our classrooms. Parents are not allowed into the classroom without scheduling the visit first. Unscheduled visits interrupt the instruction and supervision of the entire class.

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Classroom Observations: Individuals are welcome to visit the system’s schools provided the principal or designee approves the visit. Any visitor on the school campus must report to the office, sign in, and state the purpose of the visit. All visitors are expected to leave the school campus promptly after their visit is complete. Individuals that do not follow this procedure may be restricted to future classroom observation access. All visitors must sign a FCBOE confidentiality agreement. Observations are restricted to 45 minutes unless approved by an administrator.

VOLUNTEERS Mashburn LOVES volunteers!!! Parents, relatives, and friends of Mashburn students are encouraged to volunteer in the school and at school-sponsored events. A form will be available at Open House for parents to indicate their interest in volunteering. Parents may also contact Mashburn’s PTA volunteer coordinator. PTA information can be found on the school’s web page. Volunteers will need to sign in and out in the office using the same procedure as other visitors. WALKING YOUR CHILD TO CLASS We understand that the beginning of the year is a scary thing for parents. Parents may walk their children to class the first week of school. After the first week of school, we ask that students be dropped off in the car rider line. If your child needs additional assistance, someone will assist them to their classroom. If your child is unable to carry items on their own, please drop the items off at the front desk and we will be happy to deliver the items. If you need to walk the student in to the building please say goodbye in the “Kiss N Go” area in the front office. WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES We never like to see our families move away but understand sometimes it is necessary. Parents withdrawing students from Mashburn should contact Trudie Berry in the front office, TBERRY@FORSYTH.K12.GA.US or 770-889-1630 Ext. 751100, and their child’s teacher as soon as possible. Financial obligations, such as lost or damaged books and lunch charges, must be satisfied when the student withdraws. Records will be given to the parent or mailed to the new school upon receipt of a signed request. YEARBOOKS Mashburn’s 5th grade yearbook club under the guidance of Molly Schmidt publishes the yearbook. Yearbook orders are taken throughout the fall. All yearbooks will be distributed the last week of school to those students who ordered one. All students have a picture taken in September for inclusion in the yearbook, but purchase of the yearbook is an optional decision.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end. We appreciate you as parents and enjoy partnering with you in your child’s success.