Petroglyph Elementary School 2007-2008
Office Hours
are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
School Phone Numbers:
Attendance/Safe Arrival / Fax…………………………………………….898-0949 Parent/Student Handbook
Principal (George Jackson)……jackson_gw@aps.edu…………...………898-0923
Assistant Principal (
Office (Karen Vedera) - Secretary, Clerk –(Janice Silva) …………… 898-0923 (Please keep the office informed of your
Special Education (Head
Teacher,
(Evaluation Specialist, Janice Barreras) ex 32……… 898-0923 phone numbers. Remember to keep alternate
Health Room (Nurse, TBA) emergency numbers current and include
(Health Assistant, Erlinda Ferguson) ………...ex 25……… 898-0923 pager and cell number if you have them.
Cafeteria (Alexandra Martinez, Manager) …………………… ………... 898-1043 Thank you!)
Campfire (during CampFire hours) ……………………………………... 890-4940
Main Office ……………………………………………………….. 842-8787
BUS COMPANY
.
APS Transportation ……………………………………………………… 880-3989
Herrera ………………………………………………………………877-4560
Lucero……...………………………………………………………………898-1454
APS PHONE NUMBERS
Community Relations Office …………………………………………….. 842-3606
The Principals’ Message
Dear Petroglyph Families,
Welcome
back to Petroglyph! We look forward to great new year! I am very pleased to
introduce a great new member of our Petroglyph Family!
We
have been working diligently to make all our classrooms standards based. That
means that everything taught in each classroom can be directly referred back to
one of our state standards in all the subject areas. We have done everything we
can to provide smaller teacher-pupil ratios at the primary grade levels and we
will be implementing new research based reading programs at every grade level. This
year is the math adoption year for the state of
Please
be aware that we have a new sign-in/sign-out procedure this year (see the
section on “Sign-n/Sign-out”) to help us with attendance and make your child’s
safety more secure.
We
are looking forward to seeing all of you on Meet the Teacher/Parent Day and the
beginning of school, as well as hoping to see you all at Open House in
September. We welcome all of you to come to school and be a part of our Family.
Petroglyph
IS a Family. A Family of students,
parents and staff. A community that works together to provide the very best
possible educational opportunities for our children. We look forward to working
with you this year, as always. We welcome you to come and talk with our staff
at any time. Home and school working
together, can do great things. Please contact us with any questions: 898-0923 or jackson_gw@aps.edu.
Welcome back!
Sincerely,
George
Jackson
ABBREVIATED DAYS When weather conditions prevent starting school on time, APS schools will go on a “late arrival” sched two hours later. Bus schedules are also delayed two hours. An abbreviated day announcement is made on radio and be served, but not breakfast.
Abbreviated Days When weather conditions prevent starting school on time, APS schools will go on a “late arrival” schedule and start two hours later. Bus schedules are also delayed two hours. An abbreviated day announcement is made on radio and television by 6:00 A.M. Lunch will be served, but not breakfast.
Classes begin 11:05
Classes dismiss 3:50 (including Wednesdays)
Occasionally inclement weather will prompt an early dismissal. The news media will announce when school will dismiss and when buses will transport students home.
ADULT VOLUNTEERS play an important role in our school. They assist in the office, library, workroom, and in classrooms. The staff provides training. We invite you to actively participate in your child’s education by being a volunteer. For more information on volunteer opportunities, call our office or contact the PTA. We would love to have you be a volunteer! Please remember if you plan to volunteer on fieldtrips, you must have a background-check. You can pick-up a sheet in the front office. At this time, fingerprinting processing is free of charge.
ATTENDANCE / SAFE ARRIVAL
Prompt and regular school attendance is essential for a student to attain success in school. It is important to schedule elective appointments, whenever possible, for times outside the instructional day. When a student is out, call the school attendance / safe arrival number, 898-0949, before 9:30 A.M. on the day of the absence in order for the absence to be marked excused. An answering machine will ask you for the following information:
-Your name -Your
child’s name -Your child’s
teacher -Reason for absence -Date of absence
Please wait until you hear the beep before beginning to speak. The child’s teacher should also be notified in the event of extended anticipated absences due to illness, out-of-town trips, family emergencies, etc. You may wish to leave word for the teacher through the office.
This year we will continue our careful adherence to the APS Board of Education absentee policy:
“School Attendance”
The Federal No Child
Left Behind Act requires that states, school districts and schools be held
accountable for ensuring that all students meet high academic standards.
On time, daily attendance is a critical component of this educational
process.
- Students between the ages of five (5)
and eighteen (18) years of age are mandated to attend public school,
private school, home school or a state institution.
- The
Attendance Policy
- APS students are allowed no more than
5 unexcused absences per semester, and no more than 10 unexcused absences
per school year.
- The parent/guardian must notify the
school each day that the student will be absent, in accordance with the
notification procedure established by the school.
- Absences may be excused for the
following reasons, with appropriate documentation:
- Doctor’s appointment
- Death in the family
- Religious commitment
- Illness
- Family Emergency
- Diagnostic testing
- School or College Visit
- In the event that the school has not
received notification of absence by a parent for three (3) consecutive
days, the school must make an attempt to contact the parent/guardian.
- Excessive excused absences may result in further inquiry from the
truancy court system
- Family vacations are considered
unexcused absences, and it is expected that parents will schedule
vacations during the periods of time when school is not in session.
- Students who are signed out before the
end of the instructional day must have written documentation of the reason
(as defined under excused absences) or be subject to the same consequences
as tardy.”
Since participation in class is essential for learning, we will consider that all absences “count” in our documentation.
Chronic absenteeism or tardiness will be reported to the
district attendance office as well as reported to the courts. The student’s status will be evaluated for
possible violation of the New Mexico Compulsory Attendance Laws and referral to
the
We are serious about the importance of your child’s attendance at school. Please avoid early pick up and late drop off of your child. Chronic early pick up or drop off will alert a red flag for the school and the court system. Elementary students whose early picks up and late drop offs are considered excessive may be referred to the Childrens’ Court. We ask your support in keeping students in school the whole day. Your child’s dentists and doctors will work with you to adjust appointments, and those that cannot be moved are understood, but your child’s attendance for the entire day is directly related to his or her success in school.
BEFORE / AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
Campfire Boys and Girls offers a program for the children of working parents from 7:00 A.M. – 9:05 A.M. and from 3:50 P.M. - 6:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, and on Wednesday from 1:00 - 6:00 P.M. For more information, phone 842-8787.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
Character Education
Our students will receive
instruction in character education using the “Character Counts!” model. We will focus on the six pillars of character
identified in the program as well as two additional qualities of good character
that were selected by the Petroglyph community. We believe that all students can be “Character Counts Kids”!
Character
Counts! Additional
Petroglyph Pillars
Pillars of Character
Respect Courage
(courage to do the right thing)
Responsibility Humor
(to make sure we don’t take ourselves too seriously)
Trustworthiness
Fairness
Citizenship
Caring
Check-Out Policy
In the event that you check-out your child, you must come to the office with a valid I.D. Student(s) may only be checked-out by those who are on the emergency cards. We will not make any exceptions. At anytime, legal guardians can add or delete any names they wish throughout the school year. Students may not be called out of class after 3:30 (M,T,TH,F) On Wednesday’s, no later than 12:40. It is a huge distraction to all students and staff.
Conflict Mediation
We will continue to implement the Conflict Mediation program. As part of the curriculum, students will receive instruction in dispute resolution and problem solving skills. Selected fourth and fifth grade students will receive special training to help mediate student disputes. Conflict mediators will be available to assist their peers during recesses. Additional mediation is available through the counselors or the mediation sponsor(s) for issues which are resistant to normal classroom mediation techniques.
Student Recognition
Recognizing students for positive behavior is an important part of our school discipline plan. Recognizing students is done in various ways, such as giving students Magnificent Macaw slips which can be turned into treats on Thursdays at the Macaw Store. The best way to recognize students will always be by praising them when they have done well…and showing that you care.
Discipline
Disciplinary measures will
be aimed toward assisting each student in the development of self-control,
self-worth, social responsibility, and the acceptance of appropriate
consequences for actions. Our school
discipline plan is based both on the use of conflict mediation and adult
intervention and on the “Golden Rule”. Students are expected to treat other
students, adults, and school property with respect and dignity. No exceptions.
A student who acts inappropriately will receive appropriate consequences and a
“Behavior Referral” will be written to document the misbehavior. A copy of the referral will be sent home for
parents to review with their child, sign, and send back to school. Consequences
for inappropriate behavior will be determined by the severity of the incident,
the attitude of the child, and the history of previous incidents.
Bullying: The APS
school district will be following the New Mexico Department of Education
statue. For more information please
visit the PED (Public Education Department) Website.
Behavior Referrals
The behavior referral is recorded on a triplicate form. The adult who issues the referral will put all the copies in the classroom teacher’s box. The teacher will check the frequency of the misbehavior by placing a check next to the number 1, 2, 3, or 4 to indicate how many tickets the child has had during the 12-week grading period. The teacher will then give one copy to the principal, send one copy to the parent, and keep a copy on file. The teacher will keep a record of tickets for each student in the classroom, using a system that works best for him/her. On reoccurring issues or serious incidents, the teacher will ask the principal to become involved.
Grading Procedures
The APS school district will
follow the New Mexico Department of Education statue. For more information please visit the PED
(Public Education Department ) Website.
Caution Tickets
Occasionally, students are engaged in inappropriate activity that does not merit a behavior report but needs to be documented. Caution tickets should be used for this purpose. They should be given to the child, with instructions to share the incident with the classroom teacher.
Magnificent Macaw slips
Recognizing students for positive behavior is an important part of our school discipline plan. Students should be given these slips to recognize and encourage good behavior in areas of the school other than the classroom. They are redeemable for prizes from the principal on Thursday at the Macaw Store. We put a lot of time and effort into making Macaws “special”. We believe that if students get used to doing good things, behaving properly, and being respectful of everyone and their possessions…they will become great “Character Counts Kids”.
BOARD OF EDUCATION:
APS Board of Education
Officers - Information
Wednesday, March 2, 2005, was the annual organizational meeting for the APS Board of Education. The Board’s Executive Officers and Committee Chairs were selected for March 2005 – February 2006. They are as follows:
President
--
Paula
Maes Members: Martin Eszuivel
Vice President
-- Dolores
Griego Berna V. Facio
Gordon Rowe Robert Lucero
Mary
Lee Martin
Board / Committee meetings and agenda are posted on the APS website. Brenda Yager is the Manager of Board Services. You can also contact Nancy Chavez (Executive Assistant) at the Board Office at 880-3739 or boarded@aps.edu for more information.
BUILDING USE
Petroglyph considers itself to be an integral part of our community. We are pleased to offer our facilities for use of scout troops, community organizations, and sports teams. In all cases, a District Building Use form is filled out and returned to the office for approval by the principal and routing to the district finance office. In cases when after-hours use of the facility is required, arrangements are made with custodial staff for coverage. Please request more information from the office about Board Policies if you wish to qualify for such events.
BUS SERVICE will be furnished to students who qualify for bus service. Please note following information: Bus privileges may be revoked for students who do not obey bus safety rules. Bus service is a privilege, not a right. Parents will be advised of problems by means of three letters mailed home.
- The first letter will serve as a warning of inappropriate behavior.
- The second letter will inform you that the unsafe behavior continues and suspension is imminent.
- The third and final letter will notify you that your child is suspended from the bus for the remainder of the school year.
Bus regulations prohibit students from riding buses other than their own. For safety reasons, children will not be picked up from the east side of the school in the bus loading area. Children will not walk home on Education Loop or from any area that feeds to Education Loop. Once the dismissal bell has rung, children will board assigned buses and may be picked up at their regular stops. Parents, whether on foot or in a vehicle are not allowed access to the bus loading area. In case of an emergency, the office should be contacted before dismissal.
CAFETERIA
The cafeteria is set up to serve a buffet-type lunch, thereby giving the students a choice of what to take and how much to eat. A meal ticket, which allows a student to pay for many meals at one time, may be purchased in the dining room. Please keep track of when your child’s meal ticket expires. A student is permitted to “charge” lunch if one is forgotten, but they’re more comfortable if lunch money is taken care of in advance. One system that has worked well for Petroglyph is a small hand stamp that is used when paid lunches run short. In that way the cafeteria manager can let the parents know that it’s time to send money again. Please note: After three charges, students will receive peanut butter and crackers and milk for their meal, to ensure they are not hungry for afternoon classes.
lunch $1.75
(.40 reduced)
breakfast $1.00 (.25 reduced)
milk or juice $ .35
*Prices
may change
For your child to become eligible for reduced or free lunch, a form must be filled out and approved by the cafeteria manager. Snacks or treats, such as pickles, freeze pops or popcorn will be sold a day or two a week. These items must not compete with the sale of school lunches. Please discuss the need for extra spending money with your child if you wish him/her to participate in these sales. Children are responsible for their own spending money. PLEASE NOTE: No charges are issued during the month of May.
COMPUTER LABS
Classes go to the computer lab on a weekly basis. Students learn the basic mechanics of operating a computer and how to use a variety of software. As our networking has been completed, students, staff, and community have played an important part in the design and growth of Petroglyph’s web page. We have a full-time technology team who assists our technology teacher in designing staff development for our teachers, community, and other learners. We are proud to have both an intermediate computer lab (CyberSpace) and a primary computer lab (The Mouse House).
COUNSELING
The counselor helps our learning community in many ways. She works closely with parents, teachers, administrators, and various community agencies to provide guidance to our students. The major goals of the counseling program are to help children to understand their feelings, develop problem-solving strategies, and to see themselves as worthwhile, productive human beings.
CURRICULUM
The State of
DRESS CODE
Petroglyph observes the APS Dress Code. Standards exist to support a healthy learning environment. To that end, we ask that parents assist their children in dressing appropriately for school. Hats and sun glasses are not worn inside buildings or classrooms but are encouraged for wear outside to protect from sun damage. These items, if worn inappropriately, may be taken away and given to the parents when they are called to pick them up. Spaghetti straps, halter-tops and shirts that expose the abdomen are not worn. Tank tops are accepted if worn appropriately. If your child wears a sports jersey with a large armhole, please make sure that they wear a t-shirt under it. Clothing should fit comfortably and be appropriately sized. Excessively baggy pants (those which are more than one size too large) and clothing promoting drug or alcohol products are not allowed at school. Shorts and skirts should be no shorter than “fingertip length.” The same fingertip measure will be used to judge appropriate length for t-shirts. Only natural hair-coloring is acceptable. School is not a place to make a “fashion statement”. It is a place to learn. Makeup is only worn by adults, not elementary students. When in doubt: use common sense. School is not the place to “make a fashion statement”. Do that at home or when you are with your parents. What is appropriate at home is not always appropriate at school. Children will make a call to a parent if a change of clothing is required. We ask all parents to work with us to enforce these rules.
FIELD TRIPS are
scheduled by teachers for instructional purposes directly related to APS
curriculum guidelines. Written
permission is required when students are transported away from the school. Permission forms are usually sent home three
to five days prior to the scheduled trip.
PLEASE NOTE: Permission must be granted in writing. Telephone calls cannot replace a written
permission form. In the case of a
forgotten permission slip, one of the responsible adults whose name appears on
your child’s emergency contact list must sign a slip granting permission. Students who do not present a written
permission form to their teacher will
not be allowed to go on the field trip.
Since all trips have an important curricular purpose, they are never
used as behavior consequences. Field trips: Any child under 80 lbs. riding
in a personal vehicle must be in a car seat to comply with federal guidelines. District
policy: Parents cannot drive students on field trips unless they have had a
background check with APS. That means that field trips with personal vehicles
will not be allowed unless federal guidelines are observed. This is
non-negotiable.
HEALTH ROOM
The Health room is
staffed with a registered nurse and a health assistant. Should your child
become injured or ill, he/she will be sent to the Health room. If the injury or
illness is serious, parents will be contacted. Otherwise, a note will be sent
home with the child. There is an emergency card kept on file for each student.
It is important that the information on file is kept current by the parent. All
home and work numbers need to be local and kept current. All home and work
numbers need to be local. Parents need to come in person to change information
on the emergency cards. Vision and hearing screening is done on all
kindergarten, 3rd and 5th grade students. Regarding
medications: There is an APS policy for giving medications during school hours.
Since we are required to follow these guidelines, we ask that you bring
medications to the nurse so the proper procedure may be followed. Do not send
any medication with your child unless you have made prior arrangements with the
school nurse. Thank you.
LIBRARY
Petroglyph’s
library is an integral part of our school.
An active group of volunteers and friends of the library assists with
storytelling, shelving, special events, maintenance and repair, and book
displays. They help to enhance and
enrich the offerings of our library.
Children are encouraged to choose books for many purposes and to learn
the responsibility required to care for books.
Each child is expected to return books in their “check out” condition
and to pay for any lost or damaged books.
LOST AND FOUND
Please see
that clothing and lunch boxes are clearly marked with your child’s name. If your child has lost an article of
clothing, look in our “Lost and Found” box located in the dining room. Money, keys, pieces of jewelry, or small
items are kept in the office. The Student
Council sponsors “displays” of the contents of the box several times during the
year. Items that are not claimed are
donated to the APS Clothing Bank.
PARENT / TEACHER / STUDENT
CONFERENCES
Frequent
communication between parents and teachers is encouraged. Your child’s teacher will schedule
conferences with you after the first and second trimesters. This is a time to discuss the academic
performance, social skills, work habits, and behavior of your child. It is also a time for you to ask questions
about curriculum and instruction. In
addition, we will share your child’s portfolio with you several times this
year. Teachers are happy to confer with
parents at other times. Please call to
schedule an appointment time with a teacher.
PARENT CONCERNS
Parents who have concerns about their child’s progress or well being in school should first discuss issues with their child’s teacher. Most issues are resolved during this step. Communication between the teacher and the parent is vital. Should there be major continuing concerns, please contact an administrator after discussing the situation with your child’s teacher. Please remember that when a professional from school contacts you about your child, we will tell you the truth of the given situation. Taking the word of a child over an adult who is trained professional and is here to take care of and teach children is not very wise. We have no reason to lie to you, or give you a hassle. Work with us and believe us, and we will work with you and believe you. We will always make every effort to work through any concerns or issues that you may have as a parent.
PARENT VISITS
Classroom visitors
are always welcome! We love having parents come to school. If you wish to visit
your child’s classroom, please make arrangements with your child’s teacher
beforehand so that your visit can be enjoyed by all. All
visitors must gain permission from the office before entering the campus (by
PHONE CALLS
In the case of
illness or another concern, your child’s teacher, the health room, or the
office will contact you by phone.
Students are not allowed to call home unless directed to by their
teachers. To curtail interruption of
precious instructional time, messages will not be given to children over the
intercom system. To insure the
safety of our students, students will not be given messages unless the message
is faxed with the parent’s drivers license. Please make all
after-school plans at home in the morning, since a change in travel plans does
not constitute an emergency.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION is an important and fun part of our
curriculum. All students are expected to
participate in a variety of experiences with the same enthusiasm afforded to
other facets of study. Participation is
required unless a student has a detailed doctor’s statement excusing him/her.
PLACEMENT of students in classes is done with the
utmost of care. Input from parents is
sought and carefully considered, along with information from previous teachers
as class assignments are made. Care is
taken to balance classes with regard to gender, ethnicity, and ability
levels. In the rare occasion when a
parent wishes to consider a change in class assignment, Petroglyph’s Class Change Procedure will be
followed. Copies are available from the
office and from teachers. Please consider carefully before requesting
a change of placement. We do not change classrooms without a very significant
reason. Students should learn to work
with different types of teachers. Every student needs to learn to work with
many different personalities and styles. Changing a child to be with a friend,
or because the teacher makes them work, or gives too much homework, or holds
them responsible for their actions are not valid reasons to change classes.
RECESS
All children go outside to play
at recess. Help your child plan for outdoor time by
dressing appropriately. Children
who are ill should stay home until they are able to play outside. We do not
keep students in from recess without just cause. During inclement weather
(steady rain and high wind), children will have recess indoors.
STUDENT INSURANCE
The laws of
SAFETY
The
safety of your child is of paramount importance to us. To that end, we have developed a
comprehensive Safe Schools Plan that is reviewed at least yearly and available
for your input and review. Regular
drills are scheduled to practice for emergency situations. Fire drills are held four times the first
month of school and at least once a month thereafter. Other emergency drills are held during the
year as well (danger on campus grounds, health emergency, weather emergency,
evacuation drills). These drills are
designed to practice for the unlikely event of a fire, an intruder, or other
problem on our campus. We try and ensure
that students don’t get upset or afraid concerning these drills…but a student
here or there might have concerns. We would appreciate your discussing our
evacuation plans with your children so that they can share what they have
learned, and get an “it’s okay” from Mom or Dad. Thank you..
SIGN-IN/SIGN-OUT PROCEDURE
For student security
reasons, we will be changing our
sign-in/sign-out procedure this year. Parents/guardians will come in and
ask for their child’s attendance card. This is a 5 x 7 inch index card where
the parent/guardian will list the date, time and reason for leaving
early/arriving late. This will help both the parent and the office keep better
track (and the awareness of ) of attendance as well as insure privacy and
enhanced safety for each child.
STUDENT POSSESSIONS
Please encourage
your children to leave their toys at home.
They can create safety problems or disrupt the learning environment, and
there is a risk of items being lost, damaged, or stolen. Electronic games, toys, I-Pods, MP3 players
or cell phones may not be brought to school. If one of these items is
confiscated, we will hand them back the last day of school, unless a parent
comes to pick them up. Cell phones are not to be brought to school at any
time. Cell phones will be
confiscated and given back to parents only.
The school is NOT RESPONSIBLE if these items are lost or stolen.
Therefore, we highly recommend that they do not bring them to school.
TEXTBOOKS
The New Mexico
Department of Education determines which publishers and what materials may be
used in schools. The names of the books
and materials used at Petroglyph are available from your child’s teacher. Students are responsible for good care of
learning materials. They will be charged
for lost or damaged items that are assigned to them.
WALKERS will be
provided with crossing guards to cross
STUDENT PICK-UP AREA
The student pick-up area is
off the parking lot on the west side (front) of the school.
Parents may pick up their
child by:
·
parking in the
parking lot and escorting the
student to the car, using designated
crossing areas and obeying staff directions
·
pulling up to the
designated curb in front of the school, remaining
in the car, and letting the child in on the curbside door.
Because of the size of our
school and the high volume of cars, it may take some time for cars to make the
entire circuit of the parking lot.
Please be patient and wait your turn to pick up your child. Cars
may not park or pick up students in the fire lanes. Children will not walk between cars to get to
their ride, whether or not an adult accompanies them. Parents who refuse to follow our safety
standards may lose access to our campus.
Because of safety considerations, it is
essential that parents observe the painted crosswalks and duty teachers’
instructions when walking to parked cars. It is equally important to use only
the west parking lot area (front of school) for vehicle pick-ups. There is no supervision at the base of the
hill on Richmond Hills and it is not a safe area for children.
*Please
refer to map on next page
There’s not room enough on
this back wall for safe parking. W
Enter only
S 
N
Fire lane – no parking where
double Designated
parking areas E
lines (red stripes) exist
Moving traffic lane Exit only
Curb where children may be
picked
up in front of the flagpole
(driver remains in car, please.)
Marna Lynn (15 mph)
Crosswalks
Flagpole
1.
Students may not be dropped off, or be without a parent on school grounds
(playground or anywhere else) before 8:50 AM. That’s 8:50 by our school
clock. That’s when someone with an orange vest is out front and out
back. Students who are here before then will be reminded of the rule, and if
they are here several times, will receive a referral slip. Basic safety.
2.
Students may not be dropped off in the parking lot and told to cross the
parking lot. Students will not be allowed to go to cars in the parking lot where
students have to cross the parking lot. Again basic safety.
3. Cars in the drop off lane may not exit students until after the yellow crosswalk in front of the school. When you are in the drop off lane, you will be required to go as far forward as possible before dropping off students, to allow as many cars as