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Accidents:
v
Serious
accidents will be reported to parents immediately, in accordance
with the instructions on the Emergency Information Form, and an
accident/incident report will be completed.
v
Less
serious accidents, such as minor scrapes, insect stings, etc.
will be treated with first aid by a staff member and reported to
the parents at the end of the school day.
v
There is
a staff member on duty, at all times, who has certification in
standard first aid.
v
See the
School Administrator for more information.
Activity Fee:
An annual
fee collected at the beginning of the school year to cover the
expense of some of the class field trips, special activities
and/or special projects.
After
School Program (ASP):
v
Community School's
licensed After School Program provides supervised play,
activities and snacks for students from 3:45 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.
v
All students at school
after 3:45 p.m. will be charged for ASP.
v
Students should
be picked up no later than 6:00 p.m.
v
If parents are
unavoidably delayed, please telephone the school cell
#540-400-1922.
v
This service may be
discontinued if payment falls two months in arrears.
v
A reminder for
working parents: the cost of any childcare program is tax
deductible.
There is a separate fee for this service and it is billed
monthly.
Annual Fund
and Gifts:
Community
School parents, teachers, administrative staff, trustees,
alumni, grandparents, and many local corporations are asked to
support our school with contributions to the Annual Fund
Appeal. Along with the Strawberry Festival (see page 8),
the Annual Fund Appeal is one of most critical
fund-raisers we have, and has a significant impact on the school
budget.
Annual
Fund Appeal
participation from trustees and parents are important not only
to our success as a private school, but also as a percentage to
report when applying for grant and foundation funding. Even a
token monetary gift translates into a significant statistic in
terms of “percentage of involvement” –a high participation
percentage shows grant-makers that we believe in our school and
support it whole-heartedly, and this can encourage them to
support us, too.
Other ways to help Community School include:
Kroger
Card purchases
Box Tops for Education
Labels for Education
Target Charge Credits
Shop Amazon.com throught the link on our homepage
Book Fair Orders
Classroom Gifts
Donations of equipment and
supplies
Employer Support
For
more details, please contact the Director of Development &
Marketing.
We
can’t do it without your support!
Arts
Festival:
A
collaboration of art, music, and drama based on the school wide
theme presented in May. See school calendar.
Assessment:
Assessment is an on-going, everyday process. Accordingly,
tests are not the driving force at Community School. We do not
consider them a consistently accurate measure of a student's
ability. The middle school students will be exposed to more
"testing", than will students in other classes, in conjunction
with instruction on study skills. In order to ease the
transition into more traditional high school programs,
standardized tests will be given in the final year of middle
school and scores will be available for placement considerations.
Attendance:
v
Students
need to arrive to school on time each day. School begins at
8:45 am.
v
If a
student arrives at school after the 8:45 bell, his/her parent or
guardian will need to walk them to the main office and have a
tardy slip completed by an office staff member. If the child is
six years old or younger, the parent or guardian will need to
accompany their child to the classroom. Parents or guardians of
children seven years old or older are required to visually
monitor their child’s entrance into their classroom. Without
disrupting classroom activities, the student will need to give
the tardy slip to their teacher.
v
Consistent and daily attendance is very important in the
education life of a child.
v
Attendance is taken every day and monitored by the classroom
teacher.
v
Excessive
tardiness and/or absences may impact a student’s placement in
the upcoming school year.
v
If a
student needs to be picked up during the school day, please
notify the teacher in advance.
In
the event that a student is chronically late to school or absent
you will be contacted by your child's teacher and/or the school
administrator to determine the reason and establish a plan to be
on time
BB&B Campaign:
Community
School’s Bricks, Benches, and Bushes fundraising campaign to
benefit
our
ongoing building initiative. For more information, please
contact our Director of Development and Marketing.
Before School Program (BSP):
The
Before School Program is available from 7:00 - 8:15 a.m. This
year, the BSP is held in the art classroom.
If a
student is between the ages of three and six years old, and
attending Community School’s Before School Program, a parent or
guardian must accompany their child to the Before School Program
classroom. Failure to do so may result in the loss of Before
School Program privileges. Parents or guardians of children
seven years old or older are required to visually monitor their
child’s entrance into the Before School Program classroom.
There is a separate fee for this service and it is billed
monthly.
Big One:
Community
School’s golden rule:
Treat
yourself, others, and the environment with care.
Birthday Celebrations:
Birthdays
are special times in a child's life. Contact your child's
teacher if you wish to celebrate your child's birthday at
school. They can make suggestions about
nutritious treats or fun activities to do to honor a child’s
birthday.
Board
of Trustees:
A Board
of Trustees governs Community School. The members of the Board
generally meet monthly with members of the administrative staff.
Board meetings are open for anyone to attend. A Board of
Trustees notebook is located in the office. It contains a
list of meeting dates and times, meeting minutes, budgets, a
board member directory etc.
Book Fair:
A
three-day fund-raising event currently held at Barnes and Noble
Booksellers. Proceeds go to teachers for classroom or program
use. See school calendar for dates.
Bus/Van
Safety:
See
Addendum:
Community
School Bus Safety Requirements & Procedures
Celebration:
An
evening event, on of the last day of school, to “celebrate” the
school year.
Cell Phones:
Parents may choose to provide a cell phone for their
child. All cell phones must be turned OFF during the school
day, during BSP, and during ASP.
Child
Abuse and Neglect:
Teachers
and persons associated with or employed by any private
organization responsible for the care, custody, and control of
children are required by law to report suspected child abuse and
neglect.
Class Name Skits:
Every
class secretly creates a “class name” based on the school wide
theme.
Name
skits are presented on a Friday during the beginning of the
school year. Parents are invited to attend. See school
calendar.
Class Placement/Looping:
Community
School uses multi-age groupings instead of grade levels. It
takes time for teachers and students to develop meaningful
relationships. When a child is in the same teacher's class for
two or three years, the teacher has more of an opportunity to
determine what "works" for that child and to foster the best
learning situation. We refer to this as "looping." Class
placement is based on the social, emotional, physical, and
academic needs of the individual student and on benefits of
group composition within each class.
Communication:
v
Quick
Notes:
Community School's newsletter,
Quick
Notes,
is sent
home with students every Tuesday. It can also be found on our
website. Calendar reminders and announcements are included.
Read Quick Notes (QN) regularly in order to be
fully informed about activities at the school.
v
FYI's:
Teachers will send home an FYI (For Your Information) on a
regular basis to update you on information and activities taking
place within the classroom.
v
If
parents or students have questions or concerns about experiences
at Community School, we want to know as soon as possible.
v
Questions
and concerns regarding the classroom should be shared with your
child's teacher.
v
Our
website is
www.communityschool.net. It is filled with school related
information: QN, school calendar, FYI’s, student and parent
resources pages, school closing/delays, etc.
Competition:
Competition can cause anxiety, selfishness, self-doubt, and poor
communication.
We do not
encourage any kind of competition among students that leads one
student to compare grades, grade levels, or test scores with
those of another.
We want
students to gain confidence by progressing academically; we
strive for each student to be challenged but not pushed. We
generally do not assign letter grades to a student's work unless
they will receive credit for the work at another school
requiring grades. Community School emphasizes
noncompetitive/cooperative games and activities that require
teamwork and develop a feeling of camaraderie.
Computer Use:
At
Community School, students have access to many valuable
instructional
technology tools. Students and parents are required to read,
sign and return the “Student’s Rights & Responsibilities For
Using Computers & Internet” form that is disseminated at the
beginning of each school year.
See
Addenda:
Sample Student’s Rights &
Responsibilities for Using the Computers & Internet (Elementary
and Middle School)
Conferences & Progress Reports:
Parent/student/teacher conferences are scheduled four times a
year to identify progress and set new goals. Students are
expected to attend these conferences in order for them to
indicate how they feel about their work and to help them focus
on their individual strengths and on areas that need more
attention. If additional conferences with a teacher or with the
Director are desired, the parent, student, or teacher may
request one at any time. A comprehensive written profile is
sent home to the parent(s) at the end of each academic year. A
copy of this profile becomes a part of the student's permanent
file.
Discipline:
A primary
goal of Community School is for all students to develop a caring
attitude toward others and the world, to develop a sense of
responsibility, and to learn self-discipline and effective
decision-making. To assist students in their choices, we have
one rule, known as
"The Big
One,"
which serves as a guiding principle:
Treat yourself, others, and the environment with care.
Teachers
and students discuss this principle throughout the year, and we
appreciate support from parents at home in reinforcing the same
caring attitude.
Problems
that do occur will be handled with guidance techniques that help
students maintain self-respect and inner control. Setting
limits, helping students understand the reasons for them, and
using sincere praise as a reward for making good choices are the
primary guidance techniques used. We expect students to
understand that lying, cheating, and stealing are not
acceptable. Engaging in behaviors that could or does harm
another student, physically or emotionally, are not acceptable.
Damaging or mistreating the property of others or the school is
another example of behavior that is clearly in conflict with
"The Big One." Students and/or parents are responsible for
replacing damaged or lost school property. A student's opinions
and ideas will be encouraged in carrying out "The Big One" and
in establishing consequences. Our goal is for discipline to be
fair and consistent.
See
Addendum: Discipline Policy
Dress
Code:
v
Students
should dress in comfortable and appropriate clothes for an
active school day.
v
Sturdy
shoes are needed for running and playing.
v
Students
should not wear clothing that is distracting, as deemed by the
classroom teacher, to themselves or other students.
v
Students
will be outdoors in all seasons, except in extreme weather
conditions. The general guideline is to go outside for play
whenever the temperature is deemed acceptable by the teaching
faculty and administration.
v
Students
will go outside in light drizzle or snow and should dress
accordingly.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up:
v
School
begins at 8:45 am. Students may begin to arrive at 8:15 am.
v
School
ends at 3:15 pm.
v
Drivers
should be in line to drop off and pick up students at the end of
the driveway close to school. Staff members will assist students
to and from their vehicles.
v
If you
wish to park, please use the parking area to the left of the
driveway. Do not block traffic flow in the
pick-up zone or the fire lane.
v
If there
is a change in who is picking up your child, you must notify the
office in advance. We will not release your child unless we
have heard directly from a parent. Proper identification
will be required of the person picking up your child.
ALWAYS DRIVE SLOWLY AND WATCH OUT FOR CHILDREN!
Electronic Devices:
Community
School does not allow personal electronic devices at school
because they distract students and can be damaged or lost.
Emergency and Evacuation Plans and Policies:
CS has
emergency and evacuation plans and policies to ensure the safety
of students and staff. CS staff are updated with procedures to
insure everyone's safety. Contact the School Administrator for
more information.
Enrollment:
A
student’s enrollment in Community School can be terminated at
the discretion of the School Administrator and/or Director.
Reasons can include, but are not limited to: failure to comply
with the tuition contract, student misconduct, or parent
misconduct.
FYI’s:
Teachers
will send home an FYI (For Your Information) on a regular basis
to update you on information and activities taking place within
the classroom.
Fall
Festival:
A
time-honored outdoor camping tradition that all students
participate in during the month of October. It allows teaching
faculty to get to know their students and it allows students to
engage in educational, team-building, and problem-solving
activities See school calendar for dates.
Field Trips:
v
Parents
sign a "Field Trip Permission Form" at the
beginning of each school year. Most classes take routine trips
to the library, museums, and areas around town.
v
Parents
agree to pick up their child, at the field trip site, if it is
deemed necessary by the school’s staff due to student misconduct
while on the field trip.
v
Teachers
will keep parents informed about special trips via classroom
F.Y.I.'s, and Quick Notes.
Teachers often need parents to drive on field trips.
v
Taking a
group of students on a field trip requires that the teacher(s)
and parent drivers accept an extra burden of responsibility for
the students' safety.
v
Parent
drivers must provide the school with proof of automobile
insurance and a valid driver’s license.
v
Seat
belts must be worn and securely fastened at all times.
v
Students
seven (7) years and under MUST ride in a booster car seat.
See
Addendum: Bus Safety Requirements & Procedures
Financial
Aid:
Community School offers need-based financial aid and uses the
services provided by School and Student Service for Financial
Aid,
also referred to as SSS. Contact the School Administrator for
more information.
Food
Guidelines:
v
"Fruit
Break” (Snack) and Lunch: Students have two opportunities to eat
daily, during fruit break (snack) and lunch. We want students
to develop good eating habits. Students should bring a healthy
snack such as fresh fruit or vegetables, crackers, yogurt,
unsweetened cereal, cheese, etc. Students will be asked to save
chips and cookies for part of their lunch.
-
Lunchboxes and containers should be labeled with the student's
name.
-
Students are not allowed to share food.
- All
unused portions shall be discarded or returned home at the end
of the day.
- Food
should be ready to eat. Teachers cannot cook or heat lunches.
- If a
student forgets to bring lunch, the teacher will provide
something from the school kitchen.
v
There is
strong research that demonstrates that when children eat large
amounts of sugar, or even a combination of sugar and starch, it
can lead to hyperactivity and cause concentration problems.
v
Candy and
soft drinks are not to be brought to school.
Friday
Groups:
Friday groups are hands-on exploratory sessions for middle
school students. These groups usually extend all day, each
Friday, for five to eight- week sessions. This allows time for
field trips, guest speakers, internships, community service
projects, and productions.
Fruit
Break:
A morning
break that allows students to have a healthy snack and play
outside from 10:00-10:30 (Early Learner and Elementary) and
10:55-11:10 (Middle School).
Gatherings:
Gatherings are Community School’s version of “Back to School
Night.” This is a parent-only event. Childcare is not
provided. See school calendar for dates.
Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day:
We invite
grandparents and/or special friends to visit with us and
celebrate our students’ success. See school calendar.
HIV, AIDS, & Other Disabilities:
We are
happy to accept students who have tested positive for HIV, who
have AIDS, and/or who have other disabilities as long as we
think we can provide for their needs as well as for the other
students in their class. The school continues to vigorously
implement universal precautions.
Homework:
Homework
can be an important part of children’s learning in helping them
to develop time management skills and responsibility for their
work. Developmentally-appropriate homework will be assigned as
determined by the classroom teachers. It is expected that
homework will be completed in the time allotted in order for it
to be beneficial. It is not intended that homework be a source
of anxiety, frustration, or stress within the family. If
questions arise about homework, students may want to call a
classmate or check with their teacher the next morning.
Illness:
v
If a
student is absent due to illness, please notify the office first
thing in the morning.
v
If a
student becomes ill while at school, we will notify the parent,
guardian, or emergency contact person.
v
Parents
should make arrangements to pick up their child as soon as
possible.
v
If you
are not sure whether your child should attend school or not,
please refer to the “Illness” Addendum in the back of this
handbook for school guidelines.
See
Addendum: Community School Recommendations Regarding Illness
Interdisciplinary Learning:
Interdisciplinary learning is an approach that consciously
applies methodology and language from more than one discipline
to examine a central theme, issue, problem, or topic. This
approach addresses social, emotional, physical, and cognitive
goals. Issues and topics that are meaningful to the teachers
and the students are important. Students need to be able to
make sense of what they are learning and to connect the
experiences in ways that lead to conceptual and life-long
understanding.
Licensing:
The
Commonwealth of Virginia licenses Community School’s Early
Learner Program, Before School Program, and After School
Program. For more information, please contact the School
Administrator or Director.
See
Addendum: Licensing Information for Parents About Child Day
Programs
Local
Hero Award:
An
individual award presented to a person in the greater Roanoke
area nominated for their humanitarian efforts. This special
award program is presented by our Seminar class. Each recipient
receives an art piece especially created by Community School
students. The award is presented on the Friday prior to Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day. See school calendar.
Looping/Class Placement:
Community
School uses multi-age groupings instead of grade levels. It
takes time for teachers and students to develop meaningful
relationships. When a child is in the same teacher's class for
two or three years, the teacher has more of an opportunity to
determine what "works" for that child and to foster the best
learning situation. We refer to this as "looping." Class
placement is based on the social, emotional, physical, and
academic needs of the individual student and on benefits of
group composition within each class.
Lost and Found:
v
Lost and
found items are put in the big plastic gray container besides
the office building.
v
Unclaimed
items left at the end of December and June are laundered and
donated to a charitable organization.
Lunch-A-Month (LAM):
A lunch
program, with varied menus, served on scheduled Wednesdays each
month. The cost is $4.00 per LAM. Proceeds benefit the
Spanish program and local charities. Look in Quick Notes for
dates and menus.
Lunch
Time:
12:15 pm
– 12:45 pm for Early Learners and Elementary Classes
12:05 pm
– 12:45 pm for Middle School Classes
Parents are welcome to join their child for lunch.
Medication Policy:
v
Medication cannot be given to students unless an "Authorization
to Give Medication "form is completed, signed by parents, and
returned to the school office.
v
Medication must be delivered to the office and will only be
given by an office staff member.
v
Prescription medication must be in the original container with
prescription label affixed. OTC
(over-the-counter/non-prescription) medication should be
labeled with the student's name and the time and amount of
dosage.
v
Students
may not keep medication with them.
These are policies regulated by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Copies of the “Authorization to Give Medication” form are
available in the school office.
Milk:
Parents
may order milk (2%, skim, and chocolate) for their child at the
beginning of the school year. Call the office for more
information.
P.O.P.:
“People of Peace” is a group of middle school students who are
trained in conflict resolution.
They assist
Community School students in being part of a Peaceable School.
Parent Representatives on the Community School
Board of Trustees:
Each
year, parents are elected to serve as parent representatives to
the CS Board. There is one parent to represent the Early
Learner and Elementary families and one parent to represent the
Middle School families. They will attend board meetings and
share any concerns, questions or feedback parents might have.
See Board Notebook located in the office for current
representatives.
Peaceable
School:
Community
School’s commitment to guiding students to become responsible
for their own behavior and to transform conflicts into solutions
in a peaceful manner.
Pets:
v
Animals
and pets are fascinating to children. We request that you
contact your child's teacher in advance if you
want to make arrangements for any pet visits.
v
Notify
your child's teacher if your child is allergic to a particular
animal.
v
Classes
may elect to have a classroom pet with teacher approval.
v
Community
School students are not allowed to touch any dead or wild
animal.
Pizza Day:
Held on scheduled Wednesdays each month. Students may order
pizza (cheese or pepperoni) at $1 per slice.
Orders may be made in advance or on
the specified day. See Quick Notes for dates.
Portfolios:
Portfolios are collections of each student’s work and have been
used throughout the history of Community School. The student
and the teacher compile the portfolios together. Samples of work
reflect core subjects and/or related interests. Portfolios are
shared with parents on conference days.
Re-Enrollment:
Re-enrollment forms are sent out in the spring for the upcoming
school year.
A $200
non-refundable deposit is required. This deposit is credited
toward tuition.
Room
Parent (s):
A
parent(s) who assists the classroom teacher or school by
coordinating special activities, programs, or services.
Safety and Injury Prevention:
v
Community
School is committed to the safety of all students.
v
When
students are outside, they are under the supervision of school
staff.
v
Several
staff members are trained and certified in standard first aid
and CPR.
v
The
"Playground Rules" are posted in all classrooms.
v
To
prevent injuries, the school grounds are inspected on a regular
basis. Specific attention is given to the condition of the
playground equipment and surface around them.
v
We review
the accident log and accident forms to locate where recurring
injuries take place. Community School will make any changes and
improvements deemed necessary to insure the safety of all
students.
See
Addendum:
Community School’s Playground Rules
School
Hours:
7:00 a.m.
- 8:15 a.m. Before School Program
8:15 a.m.
- 8:45 a.m.: Morning Drop-Off
8:45 a.m.
- 3:15 p.m. School Day
8:45 a.m.
- 12:00 p.m. Partial day option for Early Learners
3:15 p.m.
- 3:45 p.m.
Dismissal
3:45 p.m.
- 6:00 p.m. After School Program
*OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
.
Sexual
Harrassment:
No form
of sexual harassment will be tolerated at Community School.
Skating
Party:
Community
School’s holiday gift to all students held at a local roller
skating rink. See school calendar.
Specials/Enrichment:
Spanish,
art, music, drama, and technology classes. (“Specialists” =
Instructors of these subjects)
Staff
Appreciation Day:
A day
dedicated to “thank” the Community School staff coordinated by
Room Parents and the Staff Compensation Committee of the
Community School Board of Trustees.
Strawberry
Festival:
Our
Annual Community School Strawberry Festival is held on the
first weekend in May, in Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke. This
is a parent-driven event, coordinated with the school.
The Strawberry Festival, held the first Friday and
Saturday in May, is our major annual fund-raising
event, and the way we keep from sending our kids out into the
community selling miscellaneous products. We, the staff and
parents, contribute our time on their behalf. Our volunteers
include parents, students, staff, board members, grandparents,
alumni, friends of Community School, and more. Strawberry
Festival requires over 200 volunteer hours.
Each
parent is expected to volunteer for at least 12 hours.
(4 hours) for Baking Days; (4 hours) for Berry Cleaning; (4 hours) for
Festival
Would you
like to co-chair one of the many individual committees that
make-up the festival? Would you like to serve on a committee?
SF
Chair Sponsorship Public
Relations Baking Days
Large
Orders Berry Cleaning Set-Up/Take
Down Volunteer Info.
Food
Booth Drink Booth Chocolate
Dipped Berries
Kid’s
Games Entertainment Ticket
Sales
Contact the
Director of Development and Marketing or the School
Administrator for more information.
WE NEED EVERYONE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THIS TIME-HONORED ROANOKE VALLEY
COMMUNITY EVENT TO BE A SUCCESS.
Thanksgiving Luncheon:
A potluck luncheon held on the
Wednesday before Thanksgiving at the Moody Center on Hollins
University campus. See school calendar.
Theme:
A
faculty-selected theme that allows for students and staff,
across the curriculum, to learn and share throughout the school
year. It is a time-honored and award-winning tradition at
Community School.
Toys:
v
Toys are
important to children. We ask that they be brought to school
for "Show and Share" only. Unfortunately,
toys from home are sometimes lost or damaged and are a
distraction at school.
v
Please
keep electronic toys and equipment at home due to their value.
v
Toy guns
and knives are not allowed at school.
Tuition Payments
v
Payment
Options: Cash or Credit Card (Tuition Only)
1.) Two
(2) installments due in July 20th and January 20th.
2.) Ten
(10) monthly payments July - April. (On the 20th of
each month.)
A 7%
administrative fee is charged for the monthly payments.
Late
Fees: $100 for installment plan and $25 per month for monthly
plan.
v
NOTE: A
student’s records will not be released until account is current.
See
Addendum: Community School Tuition Payment Policy
Volunteering and Parent Participation:
v
Community
School welcomes parent volunteers and their participation at
school.
v
Complete
a parent volunteer form at the beginning of the school year.
v
You may
choose to do any of the following: helping in the classroom,
driving on field trips, maintenance, painting, cleaning,
recruiting, contributing money, serving on the Board of
Trustees, running workshops, organizing and working on all
aspects of the Strawberry Festival.
v
Please
contact our Director of Development and Marketing to learn about
our volunteer opportunities.
Weapons:
Guns,
knives, or other weapons are not allowed at school. Student
suspension is required.
Weather/School Delays & Closings:
v
The
Director and School Administrator determine inclement weather
days based on local weather information and the ability of our
staff to get to school safely.
v
The most
reliable way to determine a “snow day or delayed opening” is to
call the school and listen to the recorded message.
v
We notify
WSLS-TV10, WDBJ-7, WVTF Public Radio, Q99-FM, and K92-FM of CS
closing and delayed opening information.
v
The
weather can change over a short period of time. An early
decision to delay school may result in a closing. Continue to
call the school or listen to the radio and TV for up-to-date
information.
v
When we
delay the opening of school, there will be no Before School
Program.
Withdrawal:
Parents
are obligated to pay tuition for the semester or entire year.
Refunds or deductions will not be given for student absence,
withdrawal, or any other inability to attend.
Refer to your Community School Tuition Contract
|
2007-08 Parent Handbook
