Parent-Student Handbook

New Hope Elementary School
Voyagers
2015-2016
Student-Parent Handbook
Damian Powell, Principal
Ambra Wilson, Assistant Principal
1900 New Hope Church Road
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Telephone: 919-942-9696
Fax: 919-942-2493
www.orange.k12.nc.us/nh/
Vision Statement
Mission Statement
New Hope is a learning community where each
child is encouraged and supported in reaching
his or her highest potential. New Hope Voyagers are students who are globally aware, selfdirected learners and
collaborative problem-solvers.
The mission of New Hope Elementary School
is to provide opportunities for all students to develop skills needed to become global citizens in
the 21st century, acquire knowledge, and develop character within a diverse, safe and nurturing learning environment.
Arrivals & Departures ................................. 3
Attendance & Absences ............................. 3
Bus Transportation & Safety ..................... .4
Bullying/Cyberbullying Policy……………….5
Bookbags & Belongings ............................. 4
Child Nutrition/Cafeteria ............................. 5
Campus Security
Identification .......................................... 5
Drop-Off & Pick-Up ............................... 5
Use of School Grounds ......................... 6
Locked Doors ........................................ 6
Other Safety Measures ......................... 6
Dress Code ................................................ 6
Drills (Fire, Tornado, & Lockdown) ............. 7
Emergency Closing of School .................... 7
Asbestos Management Plan……………….7
Exceptional Children’s &
Academically Gifted Services ............... 7
Field Trips .................................................. 8
Chaperone Guidelines ......................... 8
Homework Policy…………………………..11
Home-School Communication ................... 8
Table of Contents
Questions or Concerns .......................... 8
Illness During the School Day .................... 9
Immunization ............................................. 9
Lice……………………………………………9
Lost & Found ............................................. 9
Medication ................................................. 9
Parent-Teacher-Student Association
(PTSA) .................................................. 9
Parking....................................................... 9
School Improvement Team (SIT) ............. 10
School Pictures ........................................ 10
School Telephones & Cell Phones........... 10
Textbooks & Library Books ...................... 10
Tobacco Use Policy ................................. 10
Toys, Gum, & Candy................................ 10
Visitors ..................................................... 10
Volunteer Policy…………………………….10
Voyager Pact ........................................... 12
New Hope Elementary Quick Reference Phone List
Please call 942-9696 for a complete listing of
extensions.
If you feel there is a problem with the phones at
New Hope, please call the Central Office at
732-8126 and they will contact the school by radio.
Frequently Called Extensions
942-9696
Office
Nurse
Café
Afterschool care
Directory
Extension
0
1
2
3
4
2
Arrivals & Departures
Campus open:
Classrooms open:
Instruction begins:
Dismissal:
Buses leave:
7:35 a.m.
7:45 a.m. Pre K
7:35 a.m. Grades K-5
7:55 a.m. Grades K-5
2:00 p.m. Pre K
2:50 p.m. Grades K-2
2:55 p.m. Grades 3-5
3:05 p.m.
and the student’s parent or guardian to determine
whether the parent/guardian has made a good faith
effort to comply with the law regarding compulsory
attendance. If it is determined the parent/guardian
has not made a good faith effort, the principal shall
notify the district attorney or file a complaint with a
juvenile court counselor that the child is habitually
absent from school without a valid excuse. (NC
Public School Law).
Please note: Absences will have serious academic consequences
and may result in class or grade level failure. Excused and unexcused absences above 12 days are considered excessive and will
require doctor notes. Students who exceed 12 absences will be
referred to an attendance committee that will recommend to the
principal whether the student should be retained.
The instructional day begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. with
the morning news, school-wide announcements and
the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance & Absences
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One of the most important factors in a child's
success in school is regular attendance. This
includes arriving on time each day and staying
throughout the entire school day.
To ensure all children are under proper adult
supervision at all times, parents and guardians
are asked to notify the school by 8:15 a.m. if a
student will be absent.
Students’ absences may be excused for the
following reasons: (1) illness, (2) medical or
dental appointments that cannot be scheduled
outside of school hours, (3) religious holidays as
defined by local board policy, (4) death of an
immediate family member, (5) quarantine, or (6)
subpoena to court. (7) educational opportunities
(8) absence related to deployment activities. To
be excused, absences must fall into one of
these categories and be accompanied by a
written note to the teacher. If absences ar e
determined to be excessive, validation, such as a
note from a doctor, may be required. (NC State
Board of Education Policy)
Whenever a student has accumulated three
unexcused absences in a school year, the
principal or her designee shall notify the parent/
guardian of the student’s excessive absences.
After not more than six unexcused absences, the
principal shall notify the parent/guardian by mail
that s/he may be in violation of the Compulsory
Attendance Law and may be prosecuted if the
absences cannot be justified under the established
attendance policies of the State and Orange
County School System.
After ten accumulated unexcused absences in a
school year, the principal shall review any report or
investigation prepared and confer with the student
Tardies and Early Checkouts
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Please note that late arrivals and early
checkouts are disruptive to an entire class and
should occur only in emergencies.
Any student arriving after 7:55 a.m. must be
signed in at the office by his/her parent.
Students not in their seats and ready for
instruction by 7:55 a.m. will be considered
tardy.
Any student leaving school before 2:50 p.m.
must be signed out in the office by his/her
parent.
When early checkout is necessary, students
must give their teacher a note from home
stating the time for departure and the
reason. If someone other than a parent will
pick up the student, the note must say who
that person is. Parents/guardians must pick
up the student in the office; they may not go
directly to the classroom.
A student will not be allowed to leave school
with anyone other than his/her parents unless
the student brings a note, signed by a parent,
stating the name of the person who will pick
him/her up. (For example, "My neighbor,
Sarah Smith, will be picking Mary up from
school today.") "Anyone other than his/her
parents" includes older brothers and sisters,
aunts and uncles, grandparents, and/or family
friends. Adults picking children up from school
must bring a photo ID.
3
(Tardies and Early Checkouts continued)
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At the end of the school day, children will leave
by their usual means of transportation, unless the
student brings a note, signed by a parent, stating
that he/she is to leave in a different way. (For
example, "John is to be a car rider today rather
than ride the bus."
When an early checkout or change in departure is
necessary in an emergency and a note is not or
cannot be sent, the parent should telephone the
main office to notify the school of the pick-up
or departure change; however , we do ver ify
telephone calls, and this often results in a
considerable delay in getting the information to
the child and the teacher. Student transportation changes and early check out should be
done before 2:00 pm in or der to ensur e the
safety and supervision of all children during our
dismissal process. To do this, please call the
main office, not your child’s teacher. Phone
calls made after 2:00 pm are limited to emergency phone calls only.
Children wishing to ride home on a bus with a
friend may only do so if both students have prior
approval from a school administrator. For prior
approval, send a note to your child's teacher who
will then forward it to the office for consideration. This is necessary to avoid overcrowding on
our buses.
In all instances where a note is required, parents
may e-mail their child’s teacher directly.
Bus Transportation
& Safety
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The cooperation of every student, parent and
guardian is needed in order for every bus ride to and
from New Hope Elementary to be a safe bus ride.
School bus transportation is a privilege, not a right.
Under North Carolina State Law, the Orange
County Board of Education is authorized, but not
required, to own and operate school buses for
transportation of students.
It is against the law for a person to impede or delay
a school bus. An adult other than a school system
staff member may not enter a school bus or activity bus.
dismissal. Parents must not approach buses and or
students in the bus parking lot.
Bus Transportation & Safety continued
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Your child’s bus driver is responsible for the
safety of all students assigned to ride his or her
bus. Safety rules will be reviewed by drivers and
posted on every bus at the beginning of the year.
If a bus safety rule is broken, the driver will
notify the principal in writing using the school
system’s bus conduct report form. Reports of bus
misconduct, may result in loss of transportation
privileges Serious bus safety violations, such as
fighting, may result in an immediate suspension
from bus riding privileges.
Each student will be given an Orange County
Schools’
(OCS)
Department
of
Pupil
Transportation Handbook at the beginning of the
school year. Parents/guardians and students are
asked to review this handbook, then sign and
return the signature portion to the classroom
teacher. These will be kept on file in the school
office.
Bus route information is published in the News of
Orange and the Chapel Hill Herald before the
first day of school and is available at the annual
School Open House and our annual Back to
School Party.
Bookbags & Belongings
Bookbags must be small enough to fit into cubbies
(no larger than 11”x 11” x 11”). Rolling bookbags
and large bookbags create safety problems as a
result of the excessive space they require in classrooms, hallways, and on school buses. All personal items (such as toys, Gameboys, sports
equipment, make-up) should be left at home
and students will easily be able to fit all materials required for school in smaller sized bookbags. Rolling bookbags are not permitted.
Cars may not enter the bus parking lot at arrival and
4
Bullying/Cyberbullying Policy
Orange County Schools believe that all students should be
free of unlawful discrimination, including harassment, bullying or cyberbullying, as a part of a safe, orderly and inviting working and learning environment. Bullying or cyberbullying is a form of harassment. Bullying or cyberbullying
means the repeated intimidation of others by the real or
threatened infliction of physical, verbal, written, electronically transmitted or emotional abuse or through attacks on
the property of another. All reports should be reported immediately to a school official.
Child Nutrition/Cafeteria
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Students may pay the cashier each day or may pre-pay for a
week or a month at a time. Our computerized system deducts
each meal’s cost from any prepayment. Snacks cannot be
paid for in this way.
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Students are allowed to charge their lunch only in the event
of an emergency, and they are expected to pay for the lunch
the following day.
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Free and reduced-price meal applications must be completed
and returned during the first week of school.
Parents/guardians are welcome to have lunch with a child.
Please purchase food from the cafeteria or bring food from
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home. To support healthy living, no fast food in the
classroom or the school cafeteria.
Menu Fees for the 2015-2016 School Year
Breakfast
Regular
Reduced Fee
Adult Fee
Lunch
1.40
2.20
.30
.40
A la carte
A la carte
Other Fees: Milk .50 Juice .50
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Food brought from home should be nutritious
and non-perishable.
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Beverage containers must be non-breakable.
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Glass bottles are not allowed in the school.
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To support healthy living, no fast food or soft
drinks are allowed in the classroom or the
school cafeteria.
Most “extras,” such as cookies or ice cream, are $.35
to $1.00. Children may buy one “extra” with each
lunch when they have bought a lunch in the cafeteria
or brought one to eat from home. They may not
have only “extras” for lunch.
Campus Security
Parents are always welcome at New Hope;
however, in order to ensure the safety and security of
our children, we require that every person who visits
our campus check in at the office and get a visitor’s
badge. This procedure is very important in order for
staff to be able to identify those approved to be on
campus.
Based on the recommendations of security
officers and after a review by parents, we have
agreed upon the following measures to help ensure
our children's safety. All of these measures are based
in NC Public School Law and/or Orange County
Schools(OCS) Board policy. We have tried to
establish a balance between making New Hope
Elementary a safe place for children and yet
maintaining a friendly and welcoming atmosphere
for parents and families.
The New Hope Elementary faculty and School
Improvement Team, will continue to review safety
issues and expand safety measures on our campus on
an ongoing basis.
1. Identification
These measures apply at all times (before,
during, and after school hours) except when there are
large gatherings such as PTSA meetings or sports
events.
 Teachers, assistants, office staff, cafeteria
workers, and custodians will wear a New Hope
staff photo ID.
 OCS maintenance workers will wear uniforms
and an Orange County badge.
 Parents and all other visitors to campus will:
(1) sign in at office
(2) wear visitor identification
2. Drop-Off & Pick-Up
 Children may be dropped off when there is campus supervision at the car rider line beginning at
7:35am. Students must also be picked up from
campus by 3:15pm each afternoon except for early dismissal days.
5
(Drop off and pick up continued)
Parents walking children to class in the mornings
must wear school issued badges or identification.
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Parents may not wait outside classroom doors
for children to be dismissed in the afternoon;
they should wait in their cars in the pick-up line
or on the sidewalk in front of the school.
All car riders must be dropped off or picked
up at the curb. IT IS EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS TO DROP CHILDREN OFF
IN THE AISLES BETWEEN ROWS OF
CARS, HAVING THEM CROSS TRAFFIC
OR WALK AMONG CARS TO GET INTO
THE BUILDING – please, don’t do it.
Individuals using the parking lot closest to
the cafeteria, must park their car and walk
their children to and from the school. There
will be no parking, drop offs, or pick ups by
the curb at this location. Please do not park
in the Fire Lanes or Handicapped spaces
without proper identification.
3. Use of School Grounds
The playgrounds at New Hope Elementary may
be used only by enrolled students during
supervised school times.
4. Locked Doors
After 7:55 a.m., the only entrance into the
school will be through the main doors near the
office. The east entrance (near the gym and
cafeteria), as well as the entrances near the art
room and Little Theatre, will be locked at 7:50
a.m. each morning and only school personnel
will be permitted to use these doors from
that time forward.
Exits will still be accessible from all doorways.
5. Other Safety Measures
When leaving the classroom during the school
day, all students in Pre-K –3rd grade will be required to go with an adult or a student buddy. We
talk with the children at New Hope Elementary
about staff identification, and tell them to tell a
staff member if they see an adult on campus without a nametag. (The children are told they should
not themselves approach someone who does not
have a nametag.)
Dress Code
(from OCS BOE Student Dress and
Appearance Policy, issued 04/19/04)
The Orange County Schools (OCS)
Board of Education (BOE) Student
Dress and Appearance policy requires
that a copy of the policy be distributed
to all students each year and that
principals maintain guidelines to
assist students in determining
appropriate dress and appearance for
school.
Guidelines
for
acceptable,
appropriate clothing for New Hope
Students have been interpreted with
emphasis on health, safety and
decency.
Health & Safety – (1) Please, have
students wear nice flat shoes that
firmly attach to the feet. Students are
not permitted to wear flip flops. (2)
Head coverings(hats,scarves, etc., unless for religious practices) are not
permitted. If children wear them, they
will be asked to remove them. Repeated non-compliance will result in parent contact and/or loss of item(s).
Decency – (1) Pants without belts tend to fall down
or expose areas that are best kept private. (2) Tops
that expose tummies or undergarments also show
areas that should be kept private. Please, DO have
children wear belts if pants ar e too big to stay
snug around their waist. Please DON’T let
children come to school in skimpy clothes such
as tank tops, spaghetti straps, bare midriffs, with
underwear showing, or anything too tight, too
small, and/or too short.(clothing should come to
fingertips when arms by side) (3) Over sized
clothing is not allowed.
If children come to school in inappropriate
clothes, teachers will call parents and ask them
to bring a change of clothing or pick up their
child.
6
Inclement Weather Radio Stations
Drills
1. Fire
State law requires that schools conduct a fire drill
each month. All students and adults must exit the
building and proceed to their designated areas.
Students and adults will return to the building
following a signal from the principal or his/her
designee.
2. Tornado
At least twice during the year a tornado drill will
be conducted. All students and adults proceed to
designated hallways, bathrooms, and interior
rooms. Students and adults will return to
classrooms upon receiving instructions from the
principal or his/her designee.
3. Lock Down
At least 4 times during the year, a lock down
drill will be conducted. All students and adults
will remain quietly within locked rooms until it is
determined that the campus has been secured
after which time there will be an all clear
announcement from the school office.
Emergency Closing of School
During inclement weather, please tune your radio
or television to one of the following stations to
receive information about closings, delays or early
dismissals for Orange County Schools.
Inclement Weather TV Stations
WFMY
Greensboro
Channel 2
WRAL
Raleigh
Channel 5
WTVD
Durham
Channel 11
News 14
Cable
Channel 14
WNCN
Raleigh
Channel 17
WLFL
Raleigh
Channel 22
WPTF
Raleigh
680 AM
WPCM
Burlington
920 AM
WTIK
Durham
1310 AM
WCHL
Chapel Hill 1360 AM
WUNC
Chapel Hill 91.5 FM
WKKU
Burlington
101.1 FM
WRAL
Raleigh
101.5 FM
WRDU
Raleigh
106 FM
Please complete and return the inclement weather
form to your child’s teacher. This action plan should
be in place and understood by all involved prior to the
event. After-school care will not operate during
emergency closings due to inclement weather.
Asbestos Hazard Management Plan
"We are required by Federal Law to maintain
an Asbestos Hazard Management Plan under the
Hazard Emergency Response Act. The plan is
housed in the office for your inspection and information. The plan will show that there is NO Friable / Dangerous Asbestos in the building".
Exceptional Children’s &
Academically Gifted Services
Referrals to the academically gifted or
exceptional children’s program may be initiated by a
parent or staff member. A school committee provides
a team framework for receiving referrals, obtaining
parental permission for assessment, initiating
evaluation procedures, evaluating information, recommending the most appropriate school placement,
and, when appropriate, seeing that an individualized
education program (IEP) or differentiated education
plan (DEP) is developed and re-evaluated annually.
Please call the school office for contact information.
Please also check the OCS web site for
“Urgent announcements and school
closings!” at: www.orange.k12.nc.us.
7
Field Trips
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Field trips related to the North Carolina Standard
Course of Study (the NC curriculum) are taken
during the school year by students in kindergarten
— fifth grades. All scheduled field trips are approved by school administration.
A letter of explanation will be sent home and a
permission slip and medical authorization form
must be signed and returned to the classroom
teacher before a student can participate.
Often parents are asked to pay for field trips, but
no child will be prevented from participating due
to his or her inability to pay.
The school reserves the right to restrict a child
from participating in a field trip if the teacher and
the principal determine that due to the child’s
behavior, the school cannot ensure the child’s
safety and the safety of others.
Chaperone Guidelines
School staff members appreciate the willingness of parents
to help the school meet or exceed supervision and safety
requirements for students on field trips. Field trips would not
be possible without parent chaperones.
The following guidelines should clarify expectations for
adults assisting with field trips:
1. Orange County Schools requires all chaperones to complete an online Volunteer Registration form that authorizes a criminal background check. Applications can be
completed at any Orange County School site.
2. Let your child’s teacher know if you can serve as a
chaperone when the field trip is announced. Teachers
need to know how many people will be participating in
order to finalize plans for buses, tours, admission fees,
and/or meals.
3. All students must be closely supervised at all times.
The teacher will assign students to each parent
chaperone and will develop and distribute a schedule for
the day. Students will wear identification tags and stay
with their chaperone for
the entire field trip.
4. Chaperones may not transport students in privately
owned vehicles.
5. Parents are not permitted to ride Orange County
Schools vehicles.
6. Ensuring the safety of students is more challenging and
complex on a field trip than while students are at school.
Taking on the role of chaperone means the adult
understands that he/she cannot be responsible for siblings
of students or children of staff (not in the class) on field
trips.
7. Field trip experiences focus on specific
educational objectives. In order to maximize
learning time for students at field trip
destinations, gift shops will not be visited by
children or adults.
Home-School Communication
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Before the end of the first nine weeks of school,
your child's teacher will contact you to schedule
a parent-teacher conference. If you wish to talk
with your child's teacher prior to that time, or at
any time, please contact the teacher to schedule
a conference.
It is not possible for teachers to conference with
parents between 7:55 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. as
teachers must spend that time with the children.
Each teacher has voice mail and e-mail, and
during the instructional day you may leave a
message.
In an emergency, call the school secretary
(942-9696, ext. 0), who will contact the teacher.
An award-winning newsletter, The V oyager,
will be sent home with students throughout the
year. Weekly V oyager Updates will be sent
home with students every other Thursday.
Always feel free to contact your child’s teacher
or administration if you have any concerns or
questions. We are here to help!
Questions or concerns?
 If you have questions about a classroom issue,
please talk with your child’s teacher first. If you
have further concerns, the principal or assistant
principal will be glad to talk with you.
 If you have questions about school functions or
operations, please call the staff person
responsible for that area, or the school secretary
if you are unsure of whom to call.
 In an emergency or time-sensitive situation,
always speak to the school secretary (942-9696
extension 0), instead of leaving a voice mail
message. She will ensure that the person you
are trying to reach gets your message in a
timely manner.
8
Illness
Children should be kept at home
when the following symptoms are
present: fever, swollen glands, cough,
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, red and
watery eyes with drainage, severe
headache, and/or an undiagnosed
rash. Children should remain at home
until symptom free for 24 hours.
If a student gets sick during the
school day, the school nurse will
notify the parent or guardian so the child can be picked
up. Be sure the contact information on your child’s
information card is always correct and updated. Please
include the names of two other people who can be
contacted when you cannot be reached.
Immunization
North Carolina requires that a physical examination
and several immunizations be given to every child in
order to attend school. A 30-day grace period following
your child’s enrollment is allowed. If a student does not
have proof of a physical examination and the required
immunization by the end of the 30-day period, the law
requires the principal to suspend the child until the
requirement is met. The school office has a list of the
required immunizations.
Lice
OCS has a “No Nit” policy for head lice. If your child
has head lice, he /she will be sent home for treatment
and will need to be rechecked before returning to the
classroom.
Lost & Found
Please label your child’s possessions such as
coats, caps, sweaters, book bags, and lunch boxes.
The school maintains a lost and found area near the
cafeteria. Items not claimed at the end of each 9
weeks are donated to local charitable organizations
or New Hope’s Clothing Shed.
Medication
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Whenever possible, students needing occasional
medication, such as penicillin or cough syrup,
should take the medication at home. Medication
that is taken three times per day can be given
before school, after school, and again at
bedtime.
When occasional medication must be taken at
school, it must be in the original container with
the doctor’s directions for dispensing clearly
printed on the container.
Medication continued
 Medication to be given at school (prescribed for
the entire school year) requires a completed
medication form. The form may be obtained
from the school nurse and must be signed by a
physician.
 Medication is administered by the school nurse
or a member of the office staff.
 No
medications,
over-the-counter
or
prescription, will be given at school without
doctor’s instructions.
 All medication must be brought directly to the
school office by an adult. No medication is to
be taken to classrooms at any time.
 If you have any questions regarding
medications, please call the office and ask to
speak to the school nurse.
Parent-Teacher-Student Association
(PTSA)
PTSA is the only nationwide, non-profit,
volunteer organization whose sole purpose is to
serve children. Cooperation between parents and
school is essential for student success and a
productive school experience.
The PTSA is an integral part of the school and
community cooperative effort. All parents and
interested community members are encouraged to
join. Information concerning PTSA meetings,
programs, and projects will be sent to parents
throughout the school year.
Parking
Parking spaces for parents and visitors can be
found in the first and third parking lots on our campus. Please, park only in clearly marked parking
spaces. We ask that you do not park in our Fire
Lanes. The Fire Marshall said they will tow
cars that park in Fire Lanes.
Please remember, it is not only illegal but unkind
and disrespectful for those who are not entitled to
park in handicapped spaces or to block the ramps
needed for handicapped access. We do have students and/or their family members who must use
these spaces and ramps to get into the building.
9
School Improvement Team (SIT)
The SIT is a deliberative, decision-making
body, established to make major decisions affecting
New Hope Elementary School. The team is
composed of elected parents, teachers, classified
staff, the principal, and the assistant principal. The
SIT meets monthly, and the minutes are available
in the main office and on our school website.
School Pictures
Twice each year (fall and spring) all students will
have the opportunity for their photographs to be
taken by a professional photographer. Participation
in the school picture plan is voluntary. Detailed
information is sent home prior to picture day.
School Telephones & Cell Phones
School telephones are not for student use, except
in case of an emergency. Parents and guardians are
requested to make transportation arrangements
before their children come to school. A written note
to your child’s teacher is required if your child’s
normal means of transportation or destination
changes for one or more days (see Arrivals and
Departures). Elementary students are not allowed to
have cell phones in their possession while at school.
(from OCS BOE Cell Phones and Pagers policy, issued 05/03/04).
Staff members and visiting adults are asked to turn
off the audible notification on their cell phones and
pagers during the school day when they are supervising students or participating in an activity with students.
Textbooks & Library Books
Textbooks and library books are loaned on a
temporary basis throughout the school year. It is the
student’s responsibility to take care of all books
and return them in good condition so others may
use and enjoy them. There will be a charge for all
lost or damaged books.
Tobacco Use Policy
(from OCS BOE Use of Tobacco Products policy, issued
02/19/03)
The OCS BOE has adopted a smoke/tobaccofree environment policy that requires the following:
Students may not possess, display, or use any
tobacco product at any time on school premises,
including school vehicles or while participating in
school events, both indoor and outdoor and both on
and off school property.
School employees, volunteers, and visitors to the
school may not at any time use or display tobacco
products on school premises. [This would include
while in cars in the school parking lot or in the car
rider pickup/dropoff lines.] School employees and
volunteers attending in an official capacity may not
use tobacco or tobacco products at school events
both on and off campus. [This would include field
trips.] The prohibition of displays of tobacco
products shall not extend to displays that have a
legitimate instructional purpose.
All tobacco products should be extinguished or put
away before driving onto the New Hope
Elementary campus.
(A complete copy of the OCS Use of Tobacco Products policy is
available by request through the office at New Hope Elementary.)
Toys, Gum, & Candy
Toys, hand held electronic devices, gum, and
candy are not allowed on buses or at school. If students bring these items to school, the first time they
will receive a warning to take the items home and
leave them there. If students bring such items a second time, the items will be held by a staff member
until a parent/guardian comes to school and requests
their return.
Visitors
Parents and guardians are encouraged to visit the
school at any time. To ensure the safety of all of our
children, everyone visiting the school must sign in at
the office and wear a visitor’s badge (see Campus
Security, Identification). Students from other schools
are not allowed to visit unless their home school
principal and the New Hope principal have approved
the visit.
Volunteer Policy
Orange County Schools requires all volunteers, including field trip chaperones, to complete an online
Volunteer Registration form that authorizes a criminal background check. You will have to complete the
application yearly. Applications can be completed at
any Orange County School site. Please complete
online Volunteer Registration before October 1, if
possible.
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Homework Policy
(from OCS BOE K-12 Homework policy number 3135, reviewed/approved 12/06/2004)
Homework is a part of the total learning
experience. It is a continuation or extension of the
classroom and is intended to enrich and extend
student initiative.
Purposes for Homework:
 To reinforce learning by providing practice and
application of skills or completion of familiar,
unfinished work.
 To develop responsibility and independent
study habits through learning to use and
manage time.
 To use out-of-school resources for learning,
giving students the opportunity to explore,
create and broaden interests without classroom
limits.
 To incorporate parents or significant others into
the students’ school experiences through related
home activities.
General Guidelines for Homework:
 Homework must be suited to the needs and
abilities of the individual child with
consideration to the availability of materials
needed to complete the assignment. The
teacher should assure that homework
assignments will not require the use of books or
materials that are not available in the home or
accessible to the student.
 Homework assignments should be specific.
Students should know what is expected of them
and the task should be within the student’s
ability. The teacher will introduce a concept or
skill and provide guided practice before making
the homework assignment.
 Reasonable time limits should be set for
completion, keeping in mind other school and
home activities that place a demand on the
student’s time.
 Meaningless, repetitive assignments and/or
busy work should be avoided.
 The teacher is responsible for assigning and
evaluating homework and providing regular
feedback.
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All homework should be checked and/or graded
to determine the extent and amount of student
mastery.
The purpose, appropriateness, quality, and
timeliness of homework should be evaluated
periodically.
Care should be taken to avoid unnecessary
weekend and holiday assignments that may
conflict with family time. Providing a weekly
homework schedule can help students complete
assignments as their time allows.
Homework in the elementary grades should
generally last no longer than:
Grades K-1
Grades 2-3
Grades 4-5
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
Please contact your child’s teacher immediately if
your child is working on the homework
assignments and yet:
 The time taken to complete assignments
significantly exceeds the established times
 Your child is not able to successfully complete
assignments without parent help
Teachers will work with parents to modify or
differentiate assignments until they can be
completed within the specified time and by the
children themselves.
(Homework policy is available by request through the office
at New Hope Elementary.)
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New Hope Voyager Pact*
Expectations
The success of the Voyager Pact is based on a strong
alliance between home and school. It is imperative that
students recognize the home/school alliance as a strong
and cooperative team. The school supports the
development of students who are responsible for their
behavior and who actively participate in the learning
process. We expect students to report to school each day
on time with their homework completed and prepared to
learn.
Core Principles
New Hope believes that students should be treated as
individuals working from a standard of consistent
expectations for which everyone is held accountable. To
that end, staff and parents will model and teach the
following core principles:
Respect Ourselves •Respect Others• Respect Property
Rules for Learning
New Hope’s rules are based on the Core Principles.
When all students, parents, and staff demonstrate,
encourage, and insist on the following rules, we expect
that students will learn how to behave.
Students, staff and parents will:
 follow the Hall Rules (see below)
 speak respectfully to each other
 respect and care for school property as well as the
property of others
 remove their hats when entering the school
 use respectful and thoughtful language with each
other (profane, obscene, and vulgar language is
unacceptable)
 wear clothing at school that permits and promotes the
goals and values of the school
 properly dispose of chewing gum before entering the
school.
Hall Rules
While traveling the halls, students, staff and parents will:
 talk in a New Hope voice
 walk, not run
 keep their hands and feet to themselves
 respect students and adults
 walk on the right.
Disruptive Behavior
1st Step - Classroom
Teachers will take appropriate action with each
discipline issue based on classroom and school rules. If
classroom consequences do not work and the teacher has
exhausted all other resources and strategies, the office
may be called for assistance.
2nd Step - Office
Administrators and counselors will take action
consistent with the infraction using one or more of the
following interventions:
 Administrative conference
 Parent call/parent conference
 Time out in appropriate supervised area
 Other appropriate consequences/restitution (referral to
guidance counselor, school psychologist, social
worker and Assistance Team)
3rd Step - Suspension
Once the administrator decides to suspend a student,
the following guidelines will be adhered to:
 The Orange County Schools Student Discipline and
Code of Conduct
 Suspension (1 - 10 days)
 Re-entry meeting (parent/guardian, teacher,
administrator and/or counselor, and other appropriate
adults)
 School Success Plan (The plan is developed during
the re-entry meeting, during which the student has the
opportunity to describe the event, explain his/her
behavior and participate in plan development. It is
developed to ensure that the child learns the value of
following school and classroom rules.)
Non-Negotiable Behaviors
A non-negotiable behavior is absolutely unacceptable
and will always result in the due process procedure
outlined below. Non-negotiable behaviors are:
 stealing school or student property
 bringing a weapon to school
 bringing, using, or dispensing drugs (includes alcohol
or any form of tobacco)
 seriously aggressive behavior or fighting
 serious verbal or physical attack toward an adult
Due Process/Consequences
 Students will have the opportunity to meet with an
administrator or counselor to explain their behavior
and describe the event.
 The student will be suspended from school and sent
home with the parent or guardian.
 A student/parent/teacher/administrator conference
will be held prior to the student returning to school.
 At the conference the student will have an
opportunity to describe the event and explain his/her
behavior.
 A consequence and restitution will be determined
collaboratively by the student, parent, teacher, and
administrator.
* Consistent with NC House Bill 1032, trained staff
members at New Hope will utilize appropriate non
violent Crisis Intervention Program techniques to pro
vide a safe learning environment for all students.
*Also, please refer to the OCS Student Discipline Code of
Conduct.
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