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Absences I phoned in my child’s absence to the child safe line, do I still need to send a note when he/she returns to school? Yes. A note is required even if you phone in the absence. The note should include the reason, date or dates and signature of parent or guardian. The student should bring the note the day he/she returns to school. Arrival/Dismissal School starts at 7:45, why does my child need to be at school earlier? Students need to arrive early enough, 7:35 AM, to have their backpacks put in their lockers and be in their seats by 7:45. I need to pick up my child for a doctors appointment, can I just come into the office and have them taken out of class? You may come in and have the office staff get your child. It is usually quicker if you send a note so that we know when the student will be leaving and we can have him waiting for you in the office. My child needs to ride home with a friend, what do I do? Send a note with your child on the day that the dismissal is different. Make sure your child knows about this also. Art What kind of art instruction does my child receive? Children in K-5 have a formal art lesson weekly with our art teachers. The classroom teachers also include art activities in the lesson plans. Assignment Books – Grade 3-5 Why do I have to buy an assignment book for my child once they are in 3rd grade? What is this book's purpose? Our PTA donates money to our school to purchase these books. The students are given one at the beginning of the year, or if your child starts during the year they will be given an assignment (agenda) book. If your child loses their assignment book you will need to purchase another one. The students in 3-5 are to write down project due dates as well as homework assignments. These agendas should be brought home nightly! Birthdays Can I send birthday “treats” to school for my child’s birthday? Students may treat the other students, in their homeroom only, on their birthdays with a small, edible treat. Please check with your child’s teacher as to the exact number of treats needed for the entire class. Can my child pass out birthday invitations to classmates at school? Personal invitations may only be handed out outside 30 minutes prior to start of school, 30 minutes after school is released or at recess. The guidelines for distribution of non-school literature can be found at http://www.pisd.edu/news/documents/FNAA(L).htm. Building Security Can I use any outside door to enter the building? All doors remain locked during school hours. Access is through the front door only. You will need to come directly to the office and identify yourself . We will ask you to sign in and put on a visitor's badge to wear during your time in the building. You must return to the office to sign out before you leave the building. Bus Safety Can my child ride the bus to another student's address? No. Parents may not request their child to be delivered to a different bus stop/address or to ride a different bus home with another child. Is there a standard of conduct for bus riders? The safety of all students is a top priority. Students being transported are held to a high standard of conduct. Any student who violates transportation procedures will be subject to disciplinary action and may lose the privilege of riding the bus. Cafeteria Does the school cafeteria prepare breakfast and lunch? How much do lunches cost? A student lunch costs $2.15 per day. Adult/guest lunches cost $2.65. Can I pay for lunches in advance? Yes. We have a Point of Sale System at Stinson that works exactly like a bank account. Each student will have a Personal Identification Number to use when purchasing lunch or any other item from the cafeteria. Milk, desert and a la carte items are available to purchase daily. You may send money for your child’s account in the lunch envelopes provided by the cafeteria. You can also prepay for your childs lunch through the Parent Account Management System which is an on-line automated payment system. Choir Does Stinson have a choir and who can join? Yes. Stinson does have a choir and it's open to fourth and fifth graders. They meet after school for rehearsals. Students in grades K-5 attend music classes weekly. Communication How can I communicate effectively with Stinson and/or my child’s teacher? It is our goal to be effective communicators. If you have any questions or concerns, please either write us a note or give us a call. Email is also an option. Every Thursday, a packet will be sent home with important announcements and/or notices of upcoming activities. (Each family will receive only one packet. It will be given to the youngest child.) How do you keep parents informed of upcoming events? The Stinson PTA provides two different newsletters, the monthly Star Tracker and a weekly Thursday Edition. These newsletters contain important and timely information about curriculum, current events, activities and dates. Stinson also provides eNews, which is a free e-mail newsletter service for parents, community members and students. Subscribers may sign up to receive e-newsletters from the district and individual schools by visiting the following web address:http://elist.pisd.edu/login.php Conferences Is there a day set aside for parents to meet with their child’s teacher? We invite all parents to meet with their child’s teacher from time to time. We encourage parents to closely examine papers and progress reports that go home and call the school to schedule a conference if there are concerns. Teachers cannot conference during class time but will be glad to set up an appointment to discuss a child’s progress at school. Day Care What if my child is not going to day care today? Please call the day care and send a note to school, noting that your child will not ride the day care bus after school. You must specify how that child will be getting home that day. “Deliveries” after 7:45 AM If a child/teacher forgets something at home, can I drop it off at school? We want to encourage parents to make sure your child has everything necessary when they leave home; lunch, lunch money, homework, glasses, coats, as well as any items for special activities that may be going on at school. If transportation for after school has changed during the day we will be happy to get that information to your child, as long as we receive that information prior to 2:30pm. Deliveries to classrooms interrupt instruction. Only critical items, such as eye glasses or medication, may be brought to the office. Homework What is the purpose of homework and who is responsible for
its completion? Labels Please label all articles of clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc. that your child brings to school. Numerous articles are “lost” throughout the year. Since so many children wear the same type of jackets and sweaters and carry similar lunch boxes, labeling helps immensely. Lockers Lockers are for backpacks, jackets, and lunches. Locks will not be used. Students may not attach anything in or on the lockers.
Medication If your child needs to take medication during school hours, he/she may
do so under the following conditions: P.E. How often to the students go to PE classes? Progress Reporting How and when are students assessed in kindergarten through second grade? Teachers maintain a collection of assessments and work samples. Conferences with parents to discuss portfolio contents and student progress will be in September, December, and near the end of the year. a "Portfolio Celebration" will take place during the Open House festivities. Report Cards - Grades 3-5 How often will my child receive a report card? How will I know if he is in danger of failing a subject before report cards are issued? Students receive report cards with numerical grades each nine-week period. Teachers will notify you at four-week periods if your child is in danger of failing a subject (below 70%). Recess Who supervises the children at recess? Children are supervised on the playground areas by school personnel. For safety and security reasons, parents, guests, and siblings may not join students at recess. Sign-out students What do I do if my child needs to leave school early? When you need to check-out a student prior to 2:45 PM, come into the office. We will get your child while you sign him/her out. (You must come into the building to get your child.) Sign In/ Sign Out / Volunteering What do I need to do when I’m visiting or volunteering at the school? All volunteers and visitors must sign-in and sign-out and wear a badge during school hours. Star Power What are the behavior expectations for Stinson students? Students, staff, parents and guests are all part of the Stinson community. We all work cooperatively to make Stinson a caring, child-centered place where students can learn and grow. We do this by exhibiting Stinson Star Power qualities: Stinson Stars . . . Show a positive attitude. Serve our community. Tardiness What if my child arrives late at school? Students not in their seats by 7:45 a.m. must stop in at the office, sign in, and receive a tardy pass to be admitted to class. Remember that habits formed now are hard to break later! (See District Policy book for details.) Technology What technology is available for my child? Will they use the Internet? Students will use a variety of software and hardware in their lessons. Guidelines for acceptable use will be sent home for you and your child to sign. Textbooks Will we need to buy textbooks for our child or will they be fully supplied by the school? Textbooks are furnished by the state and issued at the beginning of the school year. They are to be kept clean, handled carefully, and kept covered at all times. Students who lose a textbook or severely damage a textbook must pay for the book before receiving another book. Periodic book checks will be done by the teachers. At the end of the year or when the student withdraws, teachers will check for damage, and assess fines. Traffic/Safety How do I find out about traffic and safety policies? This information is available in the office and is sent home at the beginning of each year in a separate notice. If you have questions please call 469-752-3400. Volunteers/Chaperones I would like to volunteer at school and be a chaperone on field trips, is there anything I have to do to be allowed to volunteer? There are a variety of opportunities for volunteering. You can donate supplies for special projects, work in the staff room preparing materials, work directly with students, chaperone field trips, help in the library, and assist with special events. Our PTA will coordinate most volunteer programs. NOTE: You MUST fill out a criminal background check if you plan on working/being with children. Forms are now on line at PISD.EDU. We suggest if you think you might be in a situation requiring a background check, that you go ahead and fill one out now. (It takes 2-3 weeks for this process.) It can be disappointing to a child if mom or dad decides to help at the last minute and cannot ge the check processed on time. Water/Snacks Can my child bring water bottles and snacks to school? |
(frequently asked questions)