General Information

Schedule for Students in grades 1-8

Schedule for Kindergarten Students
8:00-10:40 A.M. class
11:40-2:20 P.M. class

Schedule for Pre-School Students
4 yr. olds:
8:05-10:35 M, T, W 4 yr. old A.M. class
111:45-2:15 M, T, W 4 yr. old P.M. class
3 yr. olds:
Th, F 3 yr. old A.M. class
Th, F, 3 yr. old P.M. class

Arrival
Students who walk or are driven should arrive between 7:45-7:55 a.m. and enter the south Douglas door. If possible, parents should drop off their children on Douglas (not Prairie) to allow buses the use of Prairie. Parents can park in the lot, in front of the Church on Douglas, or on Gierz, cross at Prairie and Douglas, and follow the directions of the crossing guard and the student patrols to walk children to school. Parents are asked not to escort their children to their classrooms. Nonbused children who arrive before 7:45 a.m. must have an appointment with a teacher to enter the building.

Dismissal
Walkers are dismissed at 2:27 p.m. Students taking the buses are dismissed after the walkers. Parents who come to pick up their children are asked to heed the flashing stop signs on the school buses when the children are loading. You must exit the parking lot at the far east end and go to Fairview. You may also park on Douglas or Gierz. The crossing guard directs walkers only, not car traffic.

Early Dismissal
Students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m. on most Early Dismissal Days. See the calendar for dates.

Tardiness
Pupils in 1-8 who are not in their homeroom at 7:55 a.m. are marked tardy. Any student who is tardy five times in a quarter will be required to meet with the Asst. Principal. Doctor's appointments and late bus arrivals are excused. Other tardies need a written excuse presented to the office.

Illness / Accident at School
In case of illness or an accident, the school will use the following procedures: 1. contact the parents, 2. contact the emergency contacts on the student card, 3. notify the family doctor if the situation warrants, 4. take necessary emergency steps to ensure the well being of the student.

It is essential that correct information is provided on the emergency cards in the school office. This includes correct cell and work numbers of parents, names and phone numbers of emergency contacts and doctors.

Lunch Time
Parents are asked to send healthy food for their children's lunches. Please do not bring in food from fast food restaurants. On Hot Lunch Days, students have the option of pre-ordering the special of the day or bringing their own lunch from home. Teacher permission is required before a parent brings treats, lunch, or movies for a class.

Milk
The school offers the Government Milk Program. First semester fees are stated in the August Parent packet. Second semester fees are quoted later and collected in January.

Field Trips
Educational field trips are an integral part of the curriculum. Parental signed permission slips issued by the school must be in the office before students are allowed to participate. Transportation and admission fees will be required. If you misplace the teacher-issued permission slip, you may use the Field Trip Permission Form provided by the Catholic Schools Office that is found in School Forms. Fill in all the information that you can (especially your signature and the phone number of where you can be reached during the field trip) and return the form to the teacher as a substitute permission slip. Students who do not behave on a field trip may have the privilege of future trips taken away.

Weekly Envelope
Most school information is sent home on Tuesday of each week through the oldest child. Parents are asked to sign the envelope and return it the next day. Tuition statements are sent home as close to the first of the month as possible. The Principal or the Assistant Principal must approve all notes/letters sent through the school.

After School Care Program
The After School Care Program is available for all full days of school. It is not available for half days. Registration and enrollment forms are available in the school office.
Location: Parish Center Lower Level ("The Underground") Extension 240.
Time: Dismissal until 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $12.00 per day for the first child, $6.00 per day for each additional child

Student Use of the Office Telephone
Use of the telephone by students is limited to emergency calls or school business calls only. Forgotten assignments or supplies are not emergencies. Parent telephone messages will be relayed to the student. Students in grades 6-8 are given one ticket per quarter to make a nonemergency call. Students may not use the telephone in the hall or any type of electronic devise during the school day.

Absences
Parents are asked to call the school (968-6155) to report their child's absence between 7:30-8:15 a.m. The school office will call home if a phone call is not received. Upon the student's return, a written note explaining the absence is given to the teacher. It is the student's responsibility to make up all assignments, projects, and tests during his/her absence. Parents may request to pick up assignments in the office by calling the office. (See Homework Request.)

Homework Request
When notifying about a child's absence, a parent may request the child's homework if the parent feels the child will be able to do the work that evening. This request should come if a student is absent for more than one day and may be left on the answering machine. Requested homework is available in the office between 2:30-3:00. If a sibling or another student is taking the work, it will be given before the end of the day. (Younger siblings may not be able to carry all the books.)

Student Appointments during the Day
Doctor/Dentist Appointments should be scheduled outside school hours. If a student needs to leave the building during the school day, he/she needs a note with the date, time, reason, and parent's signature. The parent/guardian/designated adult must pick up the student at the school office. We cannot allow the student to leave the building alone.

Health Concerns
Communicable Diseases
In order to promote optimum health in the school, the following policies are in effect. The school must report all cases of these diseases the Health Department. A physician's note is required if the student comes to school before the following times have elapsed.

CHICKEN POX-----------Exclude from school for at least 5days after appearance of rash.
MEASLES-----------------Exclude from school for at least 4 days after appearance of rash.
MUMPS--------------------Exclude from school for at least 9 days.
PINK EYE-----------------Exclude from school for 24 hrs. after treatment begins.
RUBELLA------------------Exclude from school for at least 7days after appearance of rash.
STREP THROAT--------Exclude from school for 24 hrs. after treatment begins.

Examinations and Immunization
Physical examinations are required of all students attending our school anytime within six months prior to their entrance into kindergarten, first grade, fifth grade, and, of all new students if they have not been examined according to Illinois law. Proof of updated health requirements must be on file in the school before the start of school. You can download a copy of the Health Exam Form and the Dental Exam Form in School Forms.

The Illinois Department of Public Health requires immunization against diseases following their guidelines. A series of three Hepatitis B shots is also mandatory for preschool and 5th grade students. These shots should be acquired as soon as possible due to the waiting period between shots. The exclusion date for students not in compliance is October 15, 2007.

Proof of dental examinations is required of all students in gr. K, 2, and 6 by May 15, 2008. These exams must be completed within 18 mos. of the May 15 deadline.

Food Allergy Action Plan
To keep children with serious food allergies, especially peanut/nut alleriges, safe, we are asking for the cooperation and understanding of all member of our school community to enact safety precautions to prevent serious reactions to those at risk. Following are the steps to be taken:

1. Preschool, Kindergarten, and both first grade classes will be peanut/nut free.
2. Grade 2—Room 201 will be peanut/nut free; Room 203 will not be.
3. In grades 3-8, parents will alert homeroom teacher and office of children with peanut/nut allergies and plan appropriately.
4. All students, especially those in grades 3-8, can wear an EpiPen to self-administer or for the adult to do so.
5. All parents should notify homeroom teacher, after-school staff, etc. at beginning of the school year of food allergies so we are prepared to handle a reaction.
6. Homeroom teacher (Preschool-Gr. 8) and office (for Gr. 1-8) should be given emergency medication by the parents to hold.
7. We will strongly encourage children not to share food.
8. We will determine on a room to room basis what we will allow in the school for birthday treats: prepackaged only or child with allergies be provided from home what is safe for him/her to eat.
9. Appropriate strategies for managing food allergies during field trips will be handled on an individual basis.
10. When school begins, school staff, after-school care staff, and parents who monitor indoor lunch will be trained how to administer an EpiPen.

Parents of students with serious food allergies that must be controlled by use of an antihistamine or epinephrine are asked to fill out the Food Allergy Action Plan and return to the office. We will keep a copy in the office and in the student's homeroom.

Medication in School
All medication is self-administered by the student under the supervision of the school personnel. Medication is limited to those required during school hours which are necessary to maintain the student in school and to those needed in the event of an emergency. A student must have a Physician Request Form and a Parental Authorization Form on file. These can be downloaded in School Forms. The prescription medication must be brought in a pharmaceutical container clearly marked with the student's name, the name of the medication, and instructions. The over the counter medication must be brought with the manufacturer's original label and the child's name affixed. All medication is kept in the school office. (Exception: Students who must carry and self-administer medication.) The classroom teacher should be told if a student is on medication and of the side effects. A note must be sent to school each day that over-the-counter cough drops, etc., are to be used.

Safety Issues
Bus Conduct
A student is to ride the bus to which he/she is assigned. A request to ride another bus must be shown to the office, signed, and given to the bus driver. Students are allowed off the bus only at designated spots. The bus driver is in charge of the bus and its occupants; students must comply with the requests of the driver. School bus transportation, provided by District 58, is an extension of the school day. Students must stay in their seats, keep hands to themselves, do no loud talking, use no improper language, and do no eating, drinking, or gum chewing. Students who violate behavior expectations are subject to: 1. verbal warning, 2. assigned seat for a period of time, 3. removal from the bus for a period of time, and 4.permanent removal.

Telephone and E-Mail Directory
Each year the school prints a directory of school families' telphone numbers and e-mail addresses. In August, we request verification of the information in our files and permission to print. A family may be listed in the directory with a phone number and one e-mail address, listed without a phone number or an e-mail address, or not listed. Teachers' telephone numbers are not given out. If a parent calls the office, the teacher is notified to return the call.
This directory is for the use of our parents to contact each other as members of the school family:
No part of this publication may be produced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to, photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, St. Mary of Gostyn Parish. The information contained in this publication, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and any list contained in this publication containing that information, cannot be used in any form without the expressed written permission of the author, St. Mary of Gostyn Parish.

Visitors
Visitors are welcome at St. Mary's. In order to maintain a safe environment for our students and staff, all visitors are required to sign in and out in at the school office and wear a badge while in the building. Parents are asked to handle all daily matters in the office or arrange an appointment through a note, telephone message, or email to see a teacher.

Emergency-Bad Weather Closing
If weather or circumstances dictate that we not open school or that we close school before the regularly scheduled time, every attempt will be made to contact parents. Information will be relayed through an Emergency Telephone Notification System. (Telephone numbers are submitted at the beginning of the year.) TV and radio stations will be notified. You can go to the Emergency Closing Center at www.emergencyclosings.com to check if our school is closed. You can also receive an e-mail notification of a change made to St. Mary's by signing up at their website.

Please do not phone the school or rectory for information as this makes the phone lines inaccessible for emergency use. Families should have plans in place in the event that no one is home when the student arrives. When school is closed, all after-school events are canceled.

Vacations
Family Vacation time should coincide with the School Calendar. There is no such thing as make-up work; teachers can only attempt to offset the loss of instructional time. With the increase of teacher-pupil interaction, discussion groups, computer-assisted instruction, etc., a loss of a day may be detrimental to a student's progress. Absenteeism presents a problem for both teachers and students since it prohibits continuity of instruction. Parents should notify the school before the vacation. It is the student's responsibility to request and makeup all assignments and tests. Teachers are not responsible for assigning work, which will be missed during the vacation.

Book Club Disclaimer
Throughout the school year, students bring home forms from book clubs to obtain books at reasonable costs to families. We do not review or endorse the titles listed. Parents are asked to check the order to insure reading material selected is appropriate for their child's maturity and age.

Custody Concerns
When parents become divorced and custody of the child is part of the decree, the parent with custody must inform the school. It is essential that the school know when only one parent has access to the student's records. When parents have joint custody, the school needs to have addresses and phone numbers of both parents. The school needs to be informed if both parents need to be sent school information separately.