Policies and Procedures

Dear Families of Abney Elementary Learning Community, The faculty and staff of Abney Elementary School welcome you to the 2022-2023 school year. Our Abney Learning Community strives to ensure the safety and well-being of each student in a student-friendly environment where the education of each student is valued. In an effort to inform you of the policies and procedures specific to Abney Learning Community, we have put together this student handbook. Please read the important information in this handbook. The policies and procedures in this handbook along with those in the St. Tammany Parish School Discipline Policy Handbook will be upheld throughout the school year. Some of the information has been changed and new information has been added. Keep this handbook as a reference throughout the school year. The signature form (next page) must be signed and returned by Friday, August 19, 2022. Additional communication will be sent home throughout the school year. Weekly classroom newsletters will be sent home with each student on Monday of each week. Visit Abney Elementary's website at http://abneyelementary.stpsb.org. On behalf of the faculty and staff, we extend an invitation for you to become an active member of our school family. We encourage you to visit our school, become a member of our PTA, attend our programs, and become a volunteer. Whether you work at home or outside the home, there are many ways to become actively involved in your child’s education. Please feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance to you at any time.

Sincerely,
Shaneika Merrill, Principal  

MISSION STATEMENT

W.L. Abney Elementary School strives to create an academic environment that promotes growth, perseverance, and academic excellence by cultivating strategic thinkers, self-directed learners, and reflective citizens.

OUR VISION 

To connect with all students with a clear understanding of each student’s strengths, weakness, background and culture.  To use data to guide instruction, which will impact student achievement.  To leave a positive imprint on each student’s life, creating the eagerness and appreciation for learning.

OUR BELIEFS

1. Students’ learning needs are the primary focus of the school.
2. Students learn in different ways and should be provided with a variety of instructional approaches to support their learning and accommodate differences in their learning styles.
3. Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs.
4. Students can produce quality work which demonstrates their understanding of essential knowledge.
5. A safe and physically comfortable environment promotes student learning.
6. The commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is to enable students to become confident, self-directed, lifelong learners.
7. Each student’s self-esteem is enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect among and between students and staff.

Abney Elementary and Abney Early Childhood have established the following guidelines as a proactive measure in positive school discipline (PBS). It by no means replaces school board policy. The St. Tammany Parish School Board policy on discipline can be found in the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools District Handbook.

Louisiana Positive Behavior Intervention Support

Initiative Positive Behavior Intervention Support is a collaborative, assessment-based approach to developing effective interventions for problem behavior. It emphasizes the use of proactive, educative, and reinforcement-based strategies to achieve meaningful and durable behavior and lifestyle outcomes. PBIS aims to build effective environments in which positive behavior is more effective than problem behavior. We will continue to use the PBIS program school-wide with each teacher and staff utilizing both classroom and school wide systems daily to encourage positive behaviors in order to promote high academia. Remember: Discipline does not mean “punishment”. Discipline means teaching acceptable behaviors for living. The goal of discipline is teaching children respect and responsibility for property, others, and for themselves. all students and staff began implementing A.E.S. which means to: Always Be Kind. Exceed Expectations. Strive for Excellence. BE A SPARTAN! In addition to our school-wide expectations, we take proactive measures when it comes to the issue of bullying. Below is an overview of our parish policy on bullying which is actively followed at Abney. Bullying is a form of aggression, and it occurs when a person(s) willfully subjects another person (victim), to an intentional, unwanted and unproved, hurtful verbal and/or physical action(s)at 5 any school site or school-sponsored activity or event. Bullying may also occur as various forms of hazing, including initiation rites perpetrated against a student or a member of a team. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated overtime. Allegations of bullying will be promptly investigated, giving due regard to the need to confidentiality and the safety of the alleged victim and/or any individual(s) who report incident(s) of bullying. An individual has the right to report an incident(s) of bullying without fear of reprisal or retaliation at any time. Retaliation in defined as meaning “to pay back (an injury) in kind.” When a person is accused of having behaved in an inappropriate fashion, especially bullying, the common reaction of that person is to be angry and want to pay the “alleged victim” back (retaliate). Retaliation must not occur and will not be tolerated. Proven allegations of bullying can have serious consequences for the person deemed guilty, including verbal or written reprimand, in-school or out-of-school suspension, disciplinary reassignment, and/or expulsion. Victims of bullying have responsibilities. Victims should clearly tell the bullies to stop. If bullying persists, victims should not ignore the incident(s) but should report immediately the incident to someone at school. Students should tell their parent(s). If the bullying continues after the victim clearly indicates aggressor should stop, the student should make a written record of the incident including dates, times, witness or witnesses, and parties involved in the incident. The incident should be reported immediately to an adult who has authority over the student(s), for example, a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, or principal. Victim(s) should avoid being alone with the person(s) who attempted to bully them in the past. Victim(s) of bullying that are uncomfortable reporting to adult personnel at school, should contact another appropriate adult or friend who will report on their behalf. The faculty and staff are always on the lookout for students demonstrating appropriate behavior in the school setting. Incentives provide reinforcement for a class or an individual student when they are “caught” following the school expectations. Look for PBS Initiatives and further information in monthly newsletters, the school website, and Teacher’s weekly communications.

COUNSELORS

Guidance and Counseling services are available to help children become aware of their abilities, aptitudes, interests, and attitudes. We also have a Mental Health Provider available full time. Requests to speak with a counselor can come from the student, teacher, parent, or administrator. Talk to your child’s teacher for more specific information.

CRISIS PLAN

Should an emergency arise that requires children to be picked up early, all children will be signed out by parents in a designated area. During the school year, practice drills will be held for severe weather, fire, and lock-down situations. By practicing ahead of time, our students will be calm and confident should an actual emergency arise.

SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND REPORTING PROGRAM

As mandated by the St. Tammany Parish School Board, students in grades K-8 will receive instruction on the topic of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, Education, and Reporting. All materials used in the instruction, may be previewed by contacting the school administration. We also encourage you to talk with your child about this topic as well as other general safety issues.

FIRST AID ROOM 

If your child becomes ill, we will contact you as soon as possible. Any injury to the head area will require an immediate phone call to the parent/guardian.

ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

Students who are sent home from school due to vomiting or fever must wait24hoursandbefreeof these illnesses before they can return to school. All handwritten excuse notes by parents or guardians must be submitted within 48 hours of the absence or they will not be accepted.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

Students will NOT be allowed to have prescription drugs or over-the-counter drug in their possession at school. Personnel in the office cannot administer medication except under special circumstances for long-term health problems. 1. Written orders from a physician detailing the name of the drug, dosage, and time interval medication is to be taken must be provided on the appropriate form available in the school office. 2. Writtenrequestandpermissionfromtheparentorlegalguardianofthestudent requesting that the school comply with the physician’s order must be provided. 15 3. Medication must be brought to school in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician. A parent and a staff member must count medication together. 4. Each medication given will be recorded on a medication log, which includes the date, time, dosage, and signature of person giving medication. Please provide a picture to attach to medication log. 5. Students cannot bring their medication to school. AN ADULT MUST BRING THE STUDENT’S MEDICATIONS TOSCHOOL. 6. Please be sure to read the School Wellness letter for parents attached at the end of this handbook

FIELD TRIPS

Fieldtrips will be limited to one each semester and must be of educational value(unless approved by administration). Students not attending the field trip will be marked absent if not at school. Students will be placed into another classroom for the day with independent work to complete. If more than a few students stay behind, one teacher will stay behind with those students providing instruction for them. The teacher will also inform the office of the location of these students before leaving. All students going on a field trip will be required to return to school with their class and must ride the bus with their class on a fieldtrip. Students will not be allowed to leave the fieldtrip with the parent. 14 Students must have a signed permission slip and have paid any fees due in order to attend any field trip. Permission slips AND payment for field trips are due by the date on the field trip form. No late payments. Lunches will be provided for all field trips by the cafeteria at the rate you normally pay for your child. If inappropriate behavior is a problem, a parent/guardian may be asked to attend with the child. Students should not bring any money with them on a field trip. Trips to the gift shop, etc. only causes difficulty in supervision, as well as possible hurt feelings of other students.

CHAPERONES

Parents may be asked to serve as chaperones. For safety reasons, children not enrolled in the participating class may not attend the field trip. Parents who agree to chaperone must provide their own transportation to and from the field trip. Chaperones are asked to dress appropriately for a school function and refrain from smoking/talking on a cell phone while supervising our students. We ask that chaperones are limited to two per student. Chaperones will check in and remain in the front office until departure time for a field trip.

PARTIES

Only two (2) parties per year are scheduled – winter and spring. The parties will be held on the last day of school preceding these breaks. The parties will last no more than one (1) hour. Parents are asked not to come during instructional time to set up. No food may be served before lunch. If a parent chooses to check the child out after the party, he/she must come to the front office to do so. All parents and visitors will be scanned in the office. Halloween and Valentine’s Day are not School Board celebrated holidays. If a class chooses to have a fall activity on October 31st, it must be instructional. Valentine's may be celebrated with a card exchange, but it should not be a party atmosphere. Birthday parties can be celebrated in the classroom by sending a cupcake or small treat that can be shared at the end of the school day (after 2:00) with the class. Balloons or other party decorations are not permitted. Unless giving party invitations to ALL students in a class, we ask that invitations to private parties be mailed from home.

NO PARTY BUSES ARE ALLOWED TO PICK UP STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL.