(Slightly condensed version of hardcopy received by parents in September)

Principal's Message:

Welcome to the new school year! Each new year brings the promise of fun with friends and the excitement of new learning. New learning is a challenge that requires active participation by teachers, parents, and students on a daily basis.  To be most successful, it is important for students to attend full days of school, to complete homework and daily assignments, and to make appropriate behavior choices. HES teachers have worked hard to plan meaningful instruction and many purposeful activities to help children grow and learn during the coming year, and I look forward to seeing everyone succeed!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Libby

Vision: The Hermon School Department encourages the combined efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, and community members to empower all students to acquire knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to guide their lives in fulfilling ways and realize their potential in an ever-changing world.

Mission: In support of our vision, we believe the mission of the Hermon School Department is to provide a safe and supportive environment where students have an opportunity to aquire the knowledge and develop the skills necessary to realize their potential as productive workers, responsible citizens, and lifelong learners.

Approved by Hermon School Committee, June 2008

School/Parent/Student Compact

The following agreement outlines how school staff, parents, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement, and is intended to build a partnership that will support student success in achieving the high standards set forth by Maine’s Learning Results.

The School Will:

Provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment.
Hold parent-teacher conferences annually during which this compact may be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement.
Provide parents with frequent reports on their child’s learning progress.
Provide parents reasonable access to staff outside of school hours.
Provide parents with opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class.

Parents will support their child’s learning by:

Ensuring that their child attends a full day of school every day with
adequate rest and proper nutrition.
Providing a time and place routine for their child to do homework.
Monitoring the amount of TV their children watch.
Volunteering help to their child’s classroom when possible.
Participating as appropriate in decisions related to their child’s education.
Encouraging reading as a positive use of their child’s extracurricular time.
Promptly reading all notices from the school and responding as appropriate.
Communicating the importance of education and learning to their child.

Students will:

Come to school on time every day ready to learn and work hard.
Bring necessary materials and completed homework assignments.
Complete in-school assignments.
Know and follow class rules.
Communicate with parents and teachers about school experiences.
Limit their TV viewing time.
Respect their families, their classmates, all staff, and the school.


Hermon Elementary School Philosophy

Education is strengthened when there is a partnership between parents, the community and the school. The priority must be to facilitate the development of each child's potential; intellectually, physically, and socially. To help the students meet this objective, there needs to be an emphasis on basic skills and an expectation of high achievement. Communication skills; oral, written and listening, are crucial. In addition, the curriculum will include independent thinking skills. Finally, there must be an atmosphere which encourages a positive self-concept and an understanding and acceptance of others.

Objectives

* To enhance communication between the school, parents, and the community at large.

* To involve parents and community groups in the total education of each student.

* To make students aware of their responsibility for their physical well being in the areas of fitness and nutrition.

* To provide students with a strong program of instruction in all subjects while recognizing the differences in learning ability and style.

* To encourage high aspirations by helping students to become aware of the opportunities available to them.

* To develop a foundation of speaking, writing and listening in order to communicate effectively with others.

* To acquire skills in problem solving, decision making, critical thinking and research skills.

* To develop the student's feeling of positive self-worth, security and self-assurance.

* To encourage respect for each other and development of interpersonal skills.


(Remaining Contents are Arranged Alphabetically)


Acceptable Use Policy

The Acceptable Use Policy is related to the appropriate practice and use of technology, including internet access, by students at school. Students will bring the policy home during the first week of school, and parents should read it carefully and sign the permissions we request, or call the school with any concerns or requests for modifications. We require an AUP for every student and we encourage parent awareness of the issues that do indeed impact students at  the elementary level.  Breaches to acceptable use will result in parent notification and the complete loss of privilege for several weeks.


Attendance
Your child's presence is important to an uninterrupted flow of learning for themselves and others throughout the day.  PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S CLASSROOM BY AVOIDING INTERRUPTIONS  CAUSED BY TARDIES AND DISMISSALS.

Absence: Parents should be aware that local policy and state law require schools to notify parents when students have exceeded attendance guidelines set by the state of Maine.  Parents should provide a written excuse following each absence. 

In the interest of your child's safety, we request that you call the school when your child is going to be absent. Otherwise we will contact you to confirm that you are aware your child is not in school.

Legally excused absences are: personal illness, health-related appointments that cannot be made outside school hours, observance of recognized religious holidays when the observance is required during school hours, family emergency situations, planned educational or personal absences that have been approved by the principal in advance, and absences caused by school activities held during the school day.

Tardy Arrival: If you transport your child, please target 8:40 a.m. as your arrival time in order for the instructional day to begin promptly at 9:00. 

Early Dismissal: The school day ends at 3:10 p.m.. If it is necessary for you to have your child dismissed early, you will be asked to provide your signature and reason on the sign-out sheet.

Vacations: Weeks and days that school is not in session are indicated on the Hermon School Department calendar. We ask parents to plan trips and outings accordingly so as not to interrupt the school routine of your child.

Make-up Work: In the event of absence from school, parents are responsible for requesting and supporting the completion of make-up work. Missed work is expected to be made up within a few days unless other specific arrangements are made with the teacher.


Bomb Threats

This handbook is required to carry notification that Hermon School Department recognizes bomb threats to be a significant concern. Whether a prank, or a real intent, bomb threats represent a potential danger to the safety and welfare of students, staff, and school property. Bomb threats disrupt the learning environment and place a demand on financial resources and public safety services, even if false. Any bomb threat will be regarded as a serious matter with suitable disciplinary action as outlined in Policy EBCC, which is included in your policy packet.


Building Security

We take building security very seriously here at HES.  All doors are locked throughout the day with the exception of the main entrance.  Volunteers and visitors are expected to sign in and wear a badge to their destination.  Keeping students safe and secure depends on the full attention and supervision of teachers.  Therefore, parent conversations with teachers should be arranged in advance to take place before or after students are present in the classroom.  If you need to communicate with your child or deliver an item during the day, he or she will be called to the office area to meet with you.  We appreciate your cooperation and patience in remaining in the lobby area during arrival and dismissal times.

Classroom Assignment

Classrooms are made up of a variety of learners, and the HES faculty makes every effort to create a healthy balance of gender and abilities for each class grouping.  The process of classroom assignment begins in the spring when parents are encouraged to share in writing the identified learning styles or needs of their child.  A great deal of time and consideration goes into the placement process, and the placement as indicated on June report cards is final.


Code of Conduct

Responsible student behavior is essential to the educational mission of Hermon schools. The Code of Contact is intended to support and encourage students to meet statewide standards for ethical behavior that includes the following attributes: Respect, Honesty, Compassion, Fairness, Responsibility, and Courage.

General Expectations: Each student should:
1. Be courteous to fellow students, staff, and visitors.
2. Respect the rights and privileges of other students and school staff.
3. Respect the property of others, school property, and facilities.
4. Follow directions from school staff.
5. Cooperate with staff in maintaining safety, order, and discipline.
6. Refrain from vulgar or profane language or indecency.
7. Refrain from violent, threatening, harassing, or discriminatory behavior.
8. Comply with policy for acceptable use of technology.
9. Obey all School Committee policies and school rules.
10. Attend school regularly.

Inappropriate Behaviors: The following list that would cover most circumstances:
- Harassment or teasing of others
- Roughhousing (pushing, tripping, shoving, kicking, punching, etc.)
- Excessive noise or improper behavior in any part of the school
- Disobedience or rudeness to any supervisory adult
- Stealing or cheating
- Violence or threatening behavior
- Damage to school or others' property

Discipline: Our disciplinary philosophy begins by considering misbehavior as an educational opportunity for students to learn to make better choices. Our ultimate goal is for students to demonstrate self-control in order to carry out purposeful learning activities. We seek your partnership in delivering logical consequences to support the development of self-control. When we have recurring incidents of negative behavior, these must necessarily result in progressive disciplinary action. An example of an early consequence would be a verbal reprimand or time-out in the classroom. Progression would involve a loss of privileges, such as recess, and parent notification. Repeated or serious offenses could include suspension from school, which is a rare but possible occurrence at the elementary level. All students have the right to attend school in an environment that is safe and free from interruption by those who choose to misbehave.

Please note: The expectations for appropriate student behavior applies to students in the classroom, the hallways, the restrooms, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, the playground and the buses. They also apply to students who are in attendance of any event or activity at school, even if held in the evening.



Conferences / Curriculum Nights / Open Houses

Conferences: Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on November. Scheduling information will be in our weekly newsletter, and forms sent home. In addition, conferences between parents and teachers are encouraged whenever there is a question or concern about a student, and may be initiated by either party.

Curriculum Night: Grade level teams will meet with parents to discuss the curriculum, assessment, and grade level expectations in September. This meeting is for parents only. Dates to be announced.

Open Houses: We will hold several evening events this year related to academic themes and TV Turnoff Week. Dates to be announced.


Daily Schedule

Curriculum: Your child's daily schedule includes instruction in math, reading and language arts, social studies, and science, by his or her classroom teacher. The weekly schedule includes additional instruction by specialist teachers in the areas of  art, technology, library, music, and physical education.

Bathroom Routine: Girls' and Boys' bathrooms are located in three areas of the school, and students are expected to use the nearest facility. Teachers are required to have sign-out sheets or checklists in order to monitor students who leave the room. In addition, teacher may include routine whole class trips to the bathrooms to do handwashing, etc. before lunch.

Recess: All students are scheduled for a 15 minute daily outside recess in conjunction with the lunch break and should dress appropriately to go out in all but the most inclement weather (such as rain or temperatures below 10 degrees F). Due to scheduling demands and the limited number of teachers available to supervise, we cannot allow students to stay inside during recess times unless they are retained by a teacher or have a medical need which is supported by a doctor's order.

Snack: All teachers include a brief snack time at some point in the day, with ready-to-eat snacks provided by parents. In response to research on obesity and the nutritional needs of young children, we request that you select healthy snacks for school. If you are providing a snack for the entire class, it is important that you do this. Some suggestions for healthy sweets include yogurt, fruit cups, and fresh fruit. Your child's teacher may provide further guidelines on snack choices. Soda is not allowed in classrooms.

Dismissal: Notes pertaining to early dismissals and changes in transportation should be presented to the classroom teacher prior to the beginning of classes at 9:00 a.m.

Dismissal Procedure

Dismissal time for all groups will be 3:10 p.m. Parents, please do not arrive prior to 3:00 p.m. for pick-up. 1. Lobby Dismissal: If you provide private transportation for your child on a daily basis, you may sign a form for Lobby Dismissal. Lobby Dismissal Students will be called at 3:10 as one group to meet parents in the lobby area.

2. Rec. Care: The Rec. Care Afterschool Program will be called next as one group to go to the cafeteria. This allows Rec. caretakers to check their lists and to be sure that each child signed up is accounted for before we call the buses.

3. Sign-Out Sheet: If you pick your child up on an occasional basis, you will sign your name and your child's name on the sign-out sheet at the lobby window. You must be present to do this; the secretrary will not place names on the list in advance.  These children will be called individually after the Rec. Care group.

4. Buses: The buses are called by number in the order that they arrive at the door to pick up students. We do a "First call" and a "Last call" to ensure students the full opportunity to board their bus on time.

Please note: Dismissal time is an intense and extremely busy time of day as approximately 340 students exit this building, and we must take responsibility for their safe arrival at the proper destination very seriously. Many people are involved in the transportation chain, and most errors relate to changes made late in the day - so please avoid that.Any changes to a student's destination be made in writing, and we welcome and encourage parents' calls to double-check on our awareness. . Under no circumstances do we allow a student to leave if we have a concern that they will be home alone. Students who miss their bus and are not picked up promptly will be sent the Rec. Care at the parent's expense.  Also, we do not allow students to make calls for permission to make changes to their destinations during the day

If any parent has a special need or request regarding their individual child's dismissal procedure, please contact the Principal.


Dress and General Appearance

We ask parents to ensure that student clothing does not distract from a positive educational atmosphere. Designs with suggestive words or pictures that promote alcohol, tobacco, or drug usage are not acceptable. Clothing with language which, if spoken, would result in disciplinary action, may not be worn to school. Accessories such as hats, bandanas, sunglasses, and chains, are not to be worn in school. Clothing that reveals the midriff or undergarments, or are excessively short, are not permitted. Clothing that would be considered "Beach wear" and clothing with writing across the derriere (behind) are discouraged in the school setting. The student dress policy applies to our youngest students as well as older students.


Emergency Procedures

Closing of School: The Superintendent is authorized to close or delay the opening time of school when it is deemed necessary in order to safeguard the health or safety of students. The following radio / television stations will air "No School" or "Emergency dismissal" announcements: WZON - 620 AM, WABI 910 AM, WHCF 88.5 FM, WKSQ 94.5 FM, WWMJ 95.7, WWBX 97.1 FM, WKIT 100.3 FM, WVOM 103.9 FM, WWFX 104.7 FM, WQCB 106.5 FM / WLBZ Channel 2, WABI Channel 5, WVII Channel 7.

Crisis Procedures: Teachers and other school personnel review crisis procedures annually. Each classroom teacher maintains a bag containing a few essential items, including a class roster with parent contact information. It is essential that parents maintain current contact information.

Fire Drills: Fire drills are coordinated by the Hermon Fire Chief and may be announced or unannounced. During a fire drill, the building is evacuated and students do not re-enter the building until given permission.


Food Services Program

Payment: Hermon School Department uses a debit card process for meal purchasing.  Parents may deposit any amount of funds and should indicate weekly the meals they want for their child.  Students eligible for free or reduced cost meals must return the supporting paperwork to the school within the proper time frame.

Breakfast: Students may take breakfast at school beginning at 8:35 each morning. Breakfast ends before the start of the instructional day at 9:00 a.m., and students arriving late will not be served breakfast. Breakfast menus are provided monthly for your planning.

Lunch: The school lunch schedule is as follows: Kindergarten students enter the cafeteria at 11:30 a.m.  Grade 1 students enter at 11:45 a.m.  Grade 2 students enter at 12:05 p.m.  Grades 3 and 4 enter at 12:35 p.m.   Lunch menus are provided monthly for your planning.

From Home:  Children bringing meals from home will eat in the cafeteria with classmates.  Students may purchase milk using their debit card account.  Please note that we can not microwave or otherwise prepare food brought from home.

Cafeteria Routine: For breakfast, students go directly to the cafeteria upon arrival, and directly to their classrooms when they are finished.  For lunch, students are escorted to the cafeteria by their classroom teacher, and are seated by class until duty teachers signal them to line up.  Students are expected to maintain an orderly line while being served, and to remain seated during lunch.  Lunch is an opportunity for socializing, but no load or boisterous actions will be allowed in the cafeteria.  Students are expected to observe proper table manners.

Fundraisers

Fundraising at the elementary level is limited to several initiatives that benefit the entire school. Our largest fundraiser is sponsored by PTA in the fall, and involves online ordering and/or students selling and delivering products. The PTA also manages the collection of Hannaford Dollars, Campbell's Soup Labels, Boxtops, and recyclable technology throughout the year. Another popular fundraiser has been the Penny War, where students strive to fill the jars of opposing classrooms and keep their own jar low. In January the School Mall Fundraiser is sponsored by the Principal's Office. For this fundraiser, students receive small rewards for simply providing addresses for a one time mailing of a magazine.

Hermon Elementary School also participates in activities in order to give to others. JUMP ROPE FOR Heart in February raises money for the American Heart Association. MANNA is also the recipient of the generous efforts by both staff and students.

Please be assured that all fundraising requests are very carefully considered to ensure that the activity is appropriate for students and families, and that the time spent does not outweigh the benefits to students.  These efforts do provide some varied and wonderful opportunities for students that would not otherwise be possible.  It is ALWAYS a parent's choice to allow their child to participate in any fundraiser.


Guidance Counselor and Social Worker

The purposes of the elementary guidance counselor and social worker are to help each student to achieve their greatest potential mentally, emotionally, and socially. These positions provide critical support and coordinate services to benefit children.


Grading and Assessment

Report Cards: Report cards are issued to parents three times each year to provide information about their child's progress and effort in school. Grades are based on daily work, homework, and performance on various assessments related to the standards designated in Maine's Learning Results. Report cards reflect grade level expectations for learning.

Progress Reports: Progress reports are sent home mid-trimester.  Teachers may also provide weekly reports related to behavior and completion of assignments.

Standardized Testing: Students in Grades 3 and 4 will participate in the NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) during the month of October. Students in Grades 1-3 will take Terra Nova subtests in reading during May. All K-4 students are screened periodically in reading, math, and for behavior, throughout the year, as required by RTI (Response to Intervention) law.  Data provided through assessment is regularly analyzed to determine individual needs for instruction, and to determine the success of our programs.

Head Lice

We have incidences of head lice each year at our school.  Head lice are a problem in many communities and do not reflect poor hygiene or social status.  Parents are asked to please be diligent in checkin your children's heads, and alert the school if students or family members have contracted head lice.  We handle reports very discreetly by checking whole classrooms, and we offter information regarding treatment and elimination of head lice from the home.  Visit www.headlice.org

Homework

Research has shown a strong relationship between doing homework and higher levels of student achievement. Homework assignments are used to provide practice with newly acquired skills, to prepare for future planned activities, and to extend time for long-term projects. Teachers generally assign work which can be accomplished within the following time frame:

Kindergarten: Up to 20 minutes daily
Grades 1 - 3: Up to 30 minutes daily
Grades 4: Up to 40 minutes daily

Homework is considered a way to increase students' opportunity to learn, and it provides parents with an opportunity to have hands-on involvement in their children's schooling. Parents can best support their child's completion of homework by providing a consistent routine and expectation for completing assignments.


Illness or Injury at School

Accident Procedure: Any accident which results in an injury must be reported immediately to a teacher or the office. The school nurse or other qualified staff member will administer first aid. In the event of a critical injury or illness, a rescue unit will be called. Every effort will be made to notify parents and receive permission for a child's transportation by ambulance.

Illness: Children who report feeling ill after arriving at school are assessed by the school nurse or other qualified staff member, and you will be made aware of your child's complaints. If a student does not have obvious signs of illness such as a fever or vomiting, we encourage them to remain in school. When necessary, we will contact you to pick up your child.

Emergency Numbers: It is critical for parents to provide and update any emergency contact numbers. In the event of an emergency, when time is a factor, current telephone numbers for home, work, and cell may be needed for your child's safety.


Items That Should Not Be Brought To School

The following items are not allowed in school due to the distraction they provide from educational purpose and/or safety.   Parents with questions should check with the principal  regarding the appropriateness of any item their child wishes to bring to school.

Cash Money: We encourage parents to write checks for expenses related to school.  Students should never carry large sums of money to school.

Electronic Games and Music: Students are not allowed to use headphones or  electronic games at any time during the school day.  They must remain in backpacks, and there is always the risk of damage or loss of these expensive items.  Please keep them at home.

Party Invitations: Part invitations may not be distributed at school or on the bus.  Please respect and honor this request.

Pets: Pets and other animals may not be brought into the school.

Skateboards, Sleds, Snowboards, etc.: These items pose a hazard on playgrounds, and are not allowed to be used at school.

Toys: Small toys should not be brought to school, and teachers may require that they be kept in student backpacks.

Trading Cards: Trading cards are not allowed at school or on the buses, and the activity of trading cards at school or on the bus will result in disciplinary action for both parties.  Trading cards discovered at school will be kept at the office and parents notified to pick them up.  The school can take no responsibility for locating cards that are lost in the process of trading.

Weapons:   Please be aware that some items that may be allowable at home, such as pocketknives or toy guns, are not allowed at school.  Such items discovered at school will be kept at the Principal's Office and parents notified to pick them up.  In addition, School Committee policy requires the serious consequence of suspension in some cases.

Library

Students may sign out two books at a time for a period of two weeks. Lost or damaged books will be paid for by the student to cover replacement costs. Students need to return books in order to retain their borrowing privileges. The library will sponsor two Scholastic Book Fairs this year. The first will be in November with profits to benefit the Library, and the last will be in May, the popular Buy-One-Get-One-Free!


Lists of Students’ Names

Please be aware that full names, addresses, phone numbers, or any other identifying information about students cannot be distributed for any reason by school personnel, consistent with FERPA law. The “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act” is included among the beginning of the year papers sent home with all students.

Lost and Found

Lost and found items should be reported to the office. Found items will be kept and displayed on a table in the cafeteria. The school will remind students and parents to check the lost and found table regularly, and unclaimed items will periodically be donated to Good Will organizations. Any found item of significant value will be kept in the office.


Medication at School

Medications considered necessary to take at school are those prescribed by a doctor on a schedule that cannot be accommodated outside school hours. We require that a medication form be signed by both parent and doctor. We can keep no more than a five day supply of medication, which must be delivered to the office by the parent. Medication must be in a bottle clearly labeled with your child’s name, dosage, frequency, and physician’s name. All medications are kept in the school office, and will be administered by the school nurse or other qualified staff member. Any special circumstances that require self-medication on an as-needed basis should be addressed to the principal or school nurse.

Please note: Elementary students are not allowed to carry medication between home and school as a matter of safety.


HES Newsletter

As a supplement to this Handbook, current and important information concerning school affairs and opportunities for students and families is sent home weekly in the Hermon Elementary School News. We have a drawing for a small prize for students who return their weekly incentive coupon for delivering the newsletter to their parents. Please look for the Newsletter on Thursday afternoons throughout the year.

PTA

The Hermon Parent Teacher Association extends an open invitation to attend meetings which are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm.  This is a great way for parents and teachers to work together with the common goal of supporting enriching educational opportunities for the students at Hermon Elementary School.  The annual dues are $4.25 andprovide member access to the PTA website with numerous resources and beneficial information.  Being a PTA member is not mandatory for attending and sharing your ideas.  Please come!

Referral Process

Parents will be notified if their child has demonstrated educational difficulties that lead to pre-referral intervention strategies.  They will be notified in writing, consistant with special education regulations, if their child has been referred to the pupil evaluation team following an intervention period.  Parents also have the right to refer their child directly to the pupil evaluation team.

School Rules

1. Respect yourself.
2. Respect others.
3. Respect property.
There are three rules that should guide the behavior of all persons in school. Classroom teachers involve students in developing sets of class rules that are derived from these basics. Students are also involved in designating consequences and in reflecting on problem behaviors.

Please note: The expectations for appropriate student behavior, as outlined here and in the Code of Conduct, applies to students in the classroom, the hallways, the restrooms, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, the playground and the buses. They also apply to students who are in attendance of any event or activity at school, even if held in the evening.

Ski Program

Elementary students are fortunate to be able to participate in a low cost after-school ski program on Friday afternoons during winter months.  Transportation by bus to Hermon Mountain is provided, and parents pick their students up at 6:00 pm.  Parents of Kindergarten students must accompany their children to the mountain.

Special Day Observances

Birthdays: Every child’s birthday is a truly special occasion that is acknowledged at school in ways that are non-interruptive of the instructional day. Please be aware that the delivery of flowers or balloons to classrooms is not allowed, and please do not send birthday cake or snacks. Party invitations may not be distributed at school.

Holidays: Teachers are required to be mindful that all planned activities and events are relevant to our instructional purpose; therefore we minimize the celebration aspect of holidays during school hours. The Hermon Recreation Department sponsors a number of social and holiday-related events outside of the school day, and we are happy to provide families with information on these activities.

Other: By law, days to be marked by special instruction or observance in school are as follows: Maine Week of Heroes (Sept.), Constitution Day (Sept.), Poetry Day (Oct.), John F. Kennedy Day (Nov.), Alcohol Awareness Day (Dec.), January 1st, Martin Luther King Day (Jan.), Statehood Day (Mar.), Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays (Feb.), Arbor Day (Apr.)


Title 1A Program

Title 1A is a federally funded program which offers instruction for students who
need additional instruction or practice with literacy or math skills. The purpose of Title 1A intervention is to help students “catch up” and continue successfully with regular grade level expectations. Eligibility is guided by criteria that includes parent or teacher referral, standardized test scores, and local assessment scores. Due to limited funding and personnel, service in math is limited to Grades 2-4. Parents are a vital part of the Title1A effort and will be informed of opportunities to participate throughout the year.

Transportation of Students

A bus driver has the serious responsibility for the safe delivery of children to their caretakers. The rights of students to ride on the school bus are conditional to following bus rules. Both bus drivers and classroom teachers will review safety rules with students and provide notification to parents when there is disorderly conduct on the bus. Consequences may include assigned seating and the loss of riding privileges for one or more days. The following is the portion of the school bus policy as it relates to pupil transportation.

(A) Meeting the Bus
1. Students must be on time.
2. When crossing the highway, students shall wait for the driver’s signal and walk.
3. Students shall not run alongside the bus when it is moving.

(B) On the Bus
1. Students must obey the driver.
2. Students may not extend arms, legs, or head out of the bus.
3. Students must remain seated while the bus is in in motion.
4. Students should refrain from talking with the driver except in an emergency.
5. Students must not tamper with the emergency door or any part of the bus equipment.
6. Students must not damage the bus in any way, and will be billed for damage done.
7. Students must not open windows without permission from the driver.
8. Students must not use profanity or abusive language.
9. Students must not fight or scuffle in the bus or create any disturbance.
10. Students must not shout or wave to pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles, nor throw objects out of or within the bus.
11. Students must not place backpacks or other objects in the aisle of the bus.
12. Students who must cross the highway shall go around to the front of the bus and await the bus driver’s signal for them to cross the highway.

Please note: A Hermon school bus represents an extension of the school and disciplinary action may extend beyond the bus. Bus drivers, teachers, principal, parents, and students must all strongly support the enforcement of orderly conduct and good citizenship on our buses.

Private transportation: Students may be delivered to school at 8:30 a.m. At arrival, please observe your child enter the building safely. For dismissal, we request that parents park in the parking lot next to the gymnasium and meet your child in the school lobby at 3:10 p.m.. Requests for any exceptions to this procedure should be addressed to the principal.

Cautions: Moving vehicles present a danger to students. Please supervise your children carefully at this time, and please drive with extreme caution.

At the request of the Fire Department, we block off access to the lobby driveway during times of heavy traffic in order to keep the fire lane open. At other times, the fire lane should not be used for parking, but may be used to pick up or drop off students. We ask that visitors please respect that Handicapped parking spaces are reserved for those with a documented need.


Volunteers / Visitors

We welcome all visitors and appreciate the efforts of volunteers in our school. Persons who wish to visit or volunteer in classrooms during school hours should make advance arrangements through the classroom teacher or the Principal’s Office so that the educational process is not interrupted. Visitors and volunteers are required to sign in at the office when entering the school, and to wear a visitor or volunteer badge during their stay.  We remind you that students may not bring visiting children to school, and that volunteers should not bring younger children with them during volunteer hours.

For those who are looking for a way to help their child’s classroom and can’t volunteer… please be aware of the “Teacher Needs” bulletin board just inside the entry at the elementary school. The scene is decorated with motifs that include the name of a teacher and a particular need for that classroom. If parents want to fill that need, they just take the motif with them. We are grateful for everything you do!

Website

There is more than one way to visit Hermon Schools, and we encourage you to check us out at www.hermones.org where you will find links to PTA, monthly menus, weekly newsletters, calendars, teacher and classroom pages, kids' links, resources, programs and more.