Policies and Procedures

Parent/Student Handbook

General Information

School Mascot and Colors

Our school colors are navy and yellow. Our school mascot is a bee.

Media Release
Media release forms must be signed for every student. Students may only be photographed, videotaped, put in the yearbook, etc. for publication if this form is signed and on file in the school office. If for any reason you do not want your child photographed, please call the school so we can get you the correct form to complete.

Internet Access Release
Internet access forms are also sent home to newly enrolled students. If a form is not signed or returned, the student will be denied internet access.

Chromebook Policy
Each student in PK-3 will be issued a Chromebook for use at school. A Chromebook policy use agreement must be signed in order for the student to be assigned a Chromebook.

Chromebook Damage Coverage
Students are offered Chromebook Damage Coverage for $20 each school year. These forms must be completed by ALL students at the beginning of each school year. Chromebook Damage Coverage fee must be renewed each year and can be paid online using My Payments Plus.

School Pictures
Individual pictures are made by a professional photographer. Class pictures are taken once a year. The purchase of pictures is optional.

Emergency Cards

Emergency cards must be completed and returned to school immediately. These student information emergency cards are maintained in the office on each child. We ask that you let the school know in writing when you have a change of address or phone number. We especially need to have your correct phone number at home and at work in case of an emergency. Other local numbers of people who may pick up your child must also be listed in the event you cannot be reached in an emergency.

Attendance

ASE follows the attendance regulations set forth in the St. Tammany Parish Public School System District Handbook. Please refer to the District Handbook for complete attendance policies. Students may not be absent more than 10 days without a doctor’s excuse or they will be required to make-up the time they have missed. Make-up time will be assigned on a Saturday as needed. It is of the utmost importance that your child attends school. Absences interfere with student learning. Students are expected to be in attendance every day that is scheduled by the St. Tammany Parish School Board. State law requires that a student not miss more than 10 days within a school year. ACT 103 states that a student shall be considered habitually absent or habitually tardy when either condition continues after the fifth unexcused absence or fifth unexcused occurrence of being tardy happens within any month. Students missing school as a result of suspension will be counted as absent.

Excused Absences
No student absence will be excused and exempt from seat-time without a written physician’s note. Parents may write a note if the child is sick to be excused but the absence will not be exempt from seat time. After 3 unexcused absence you will be given an attendance warning. Any absences missed after 10 unexcused and nonexempt absences, must be made up through extra attendance before or after school or on Saturday. When a student does not make up time missed, once they have missed ten days, they may be retained.

Tardiness/Check-Outs
If you arrive after the 8:35 bell, an adult must walk the student up to the school and an adult must sign in the student in the office before the student goes to class. Tardiness includes arriving after the 8:35 AM bell, checking out, or leaving school early. After 3 unexcused tardies or check-outs (or combination) you will be given an attendance warning. Excessive tardiness can have the same penalties as unexcused absences. Time missed from excessive tardiness or early check-outs is accumulated and counts towards absences.

Check Out Policies
Children must be signed out by a parent, guardian, or person who listed on the emergency card. No child will be allowed to be checked out with anyone other than those listed on the emergency card. The person checking out your child will need to present a state ID to ensure that your child is being picked up by the correct person. This rule protects your child from being picked up by anyone other than those you listed. Due to our required minutes of academic time, we ask that you do not check out any child before 3:35 unless absolutely necessary. Early check out is counted as tardiness and can have the same penalties as unexcused absences.
Due to car line, we cannot accommodate check-outs after 3:00.

Acceptable reasons for early check-out include personal illness, doctor’s appointments (parents are encouraged to make doctor and dental appointments after school hours), court appearances, and special reasons authorized by the Principal. Unacceptable reasons for early check out include errands with parents, vacations, and activities that are not school approved (gymnastics, dance, recreational sports, etc.). Check-outs count as a tardy. Excessive check outs can have the same penalties as unexcused absences and unexcused tardies.

Exclusions
The health and well-being of all students are important; therefore students will not be allowed to remain at school for the following reasons: Fever of 100 degrees or above, vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain, or other conditions not conducive to learning, any infections or contagious conditions such as pink eye, ring worm, etc. Students may not return to school until he/she is fever free for 24 hours and 24 hours after vomiting.

Fees

Transportation

We ask parents to stick with one method of transportation starting on the 1st day of school to prevent confusion as to how a child gets home. When transportation home changes, it may result in your child not always going home the way you intended. All changes must be in writing and approved by the office.

All students will have a transportation tag attached to their school bag. Please do not remove these tags unless a new school bag is being used. These tags help to ensure that we get 650+ students to the right place every day. Please inform your child’s teacher if any of this information is incorrect. If your child needs a new tag, please contact Mrs. Clark at Elizabeth.Clark@stpsb.org.

Bus Riders

This year, the district will begin using a bus tracking app. The free and confidential Edulog Parent Portal Bus Tracking App provides the latest bus times and location of a student's bus stop. Parents can also see the up to the minute location of the school bus and receive an alert when it is near the bus stop. Visit stpsb.org/BusTrackingApp to learn more.

Children will be assigned a bus at the beginning of the year. You can find your child’s bus driver by using the Edulog WebQuery at https://www.stpsb.org/our-district/departments-and-services/transportation. There have been several changes in bus drivers and bus routes since last year, you must speak with the bus driver before your child rides the bus. Students may only be picked up and dropped off at their assigned bus stops.

We have many measures in place to ensure that your child gets on the correct bus; however, some students do occasionally get on the wrong bus. If your child does not get off the bus, please stay calm and call the school so we can find out which bus your child got onto. If you are unable to get through on the school line, you may call Mrs. Clark at 985-892-8184.

Children need to be supervised at the bus stop in the morning and in the afternoon. An adult must be present and visible to the bus driver for the child to get off the bus. If an adult is not present and visible at the bus stop in the afternoon, the child will be returned to the school and it will be the parent’s responsibility to pick the child up at school (a $10 After-Care fee will be charged on MyPayments Plus and should be paid within 2 days).

A bus procedure form will be sent home by the bus driver. Please read and sign this form upon receipt. It is to be returned to the bus driver. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their child on the bus and at the bus stop. Your child may be suspended from the bus due to behavior or for not following bus and safety rules. If a child is removed from the bus for discipline, parents are responsible for their child’s transportation during the time of removal from the bus. Late check in and early check out are NOT excused because the child is off the bus.

Walkers
Students who walk to school MUST Have an adult with them. The adult will need to hold the student’s hand until they are under the covered walkway. At dismissal, parents are to meet students at the benches by the cafeteria door. A parent must hold the student’s hand until they are off campus.

Car Riders

REMINDER: School Zones are hands-free – NO CELL PHONES!

Please abide by the following Car Line rules and procedures:
1.    Cars are to enter the school grounds from Level Street and load and unload in the covered area in front of the school. You must remain in car line when picking up or dropping off your child.
2.    Do not use your cell phone when moving around the pickup area.
3.    Do not park and walk your child to the building each day.
4.    Do not park and walk to pick up your child in the afternoon.
5.    Move to the parking lot area to make a second line when possible in order to move all traffic off of Level Street.
6.    Alternate cars from the parking lot and the main entrance to move traffic in a “fair” line of progression.
7.    Stay in line. It is for the safety of your child that we do not allow cars to go around other cars in this line.
8.    A student being dropped off shall remain in the appropriate passenger restraint until the vehicle in which he/she is a passenger comes to a complete stop. (Act 362 “Safe Path from School Act” of the LA 2023 Legislative Session)
9.    Students who are car riders will receive a school issued sign with your child’s name which should be displayed by the receiving car when picking up your child. If you do not have the school issued sign, you will need to park and show your ID in the office before picking up your child.
10. Please load and unload from the right side only.
11. Please wait until you leave the loading area to seat belt your child into the car seat.
12. Please do not have conversations with teachers during the unloading or loading of children in car line!
13. After the tardy bell, you must walk your child into the office to check in. Students are not to come from the parking lot without a parent.
14. Again, due to safety policies, ALL requests for students to be placed on a bus or with another car rider should be in writing unless there is an extreme emergency.
15. All students should be picked-up from car line no later than 4:00. Students who are not picked up by 4:00 may be placed in aftercare and a $10 After-Care fee will be charged on MyPayments Plus and should be paid within 2 days.

Education of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law passed in 1987 to help people experiencing homelessness. The Act requires states and school districts to make sure students in homeless situations can attend and succeed in school. The McKinney-Vento Act applies to all children and youth who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are living in the following situations:

Doubled-up housing with other families or friends because they lost their home or their family is having temporary financial problems;
Living in a motel because of economic hardship or loss of home;
Living in an emergency or transitional shelter, domestic violence shelter, or in a runaway/homeless youth shelter;
Living in a vehicle of any kind; a trailer park or campground without running water and / or electricity; abandoned building; substandard housing; bus/train station;
Awaiting foster care placement; or
Abandoned in a hospital.

Children and youth in homeless situations have the right to the following:

Attend and succeed in school no matter where they live or how long they have lived there;
Enroll in school despite the lack of a permanent address or lack of school and immunization records, or birth certificates and other documents;
Receive services comparable to those offered to non-homeless children and youth;
Get transportation to school;
Access educationally related support services;
Make sure that disagreements between students and schools are resolved quickly.

Visitors and Volunteers

Identification
All visitors/volunteers are required to sign in and secure a visitor’s pass. To receive a visitor’s pass, you must present a picture ID in the office. If you do not have a picture ID, you will not be allowed further onto school campus. If you do not have a visitor’s pass, you will be asked to return to the office and receive one. All visitors need to arrive and depart through the main office doors. Visitors will not be allowed into classrooms during instructional times.

Field Trips & Chaperones
Children will not be allowed to go on a field trip without a signed permission slip. Ample time is given for permission slips to be signed and returned to school along with any fees. All field trip money and permission slips MUST be returned at least two days before the field trip (or by the deadline). Parents may be asked to help chaperone. Many factors will decide the number of chaperones needed.

Chaperone Restrictions:

May not bring siblings on field trips. The purpose of a chaperone is to supervise a class group of 4-6 students. We ask that chaperones give their total attention to the students.
May not take your child from the field trip location. School policy is that students leave for field trips together and return together on the bus. Please do not put your child’s teacher on the spot and ask for permission to allow your child to leave with you.
May not smoke or use tobacco products while on school grounds or while chaperoning on a school related field trip.
May not take pictures of other children besides your own child.

Health

Student Illness
Students will be sent home from school for the following conditions:

Temperature greater than 100ºF
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Suspected Communicable Disease
Unexplained Rash
Pink eye
Ring worm

If any of these conditions occur, the parent is notified and asked to remove the child from school to seek medical attention. Children sent home due to fever, vomiting or diarrhea are not allowed to return to school until they have been symptom free for 24 hours.

Medication at School
Students are not allowed to have any medication in their possession at school (over the counter or prescription). Medication will not be administered unless special circumstances exist for a chronic health condition. The following procedure must be followed in these circumstances for all prescription and nonprescription drugs:

The St. Tammany Parish School Board has imposed strict guidelines for administering medications at school. If your child is taking long term medications, or emergency medication, you may request a St. Tammany Parish medication form from the school nurse and have it completed by your physician. View a copy of this form and the official St. Tammany Parish School Board guidelines online or through the office.
Medication must be brought to school by parents in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician. Medicine must be counted and recorded at that time by the school secretary. Please allow time for this procedure.
When medication is given, it will be recorded on a medication log including the date, dosage, and initials of the person administering the medication. When the last pill is administered, the empty bottle will be sent home. It is the parent’s responsibility to bring in a refilled prescription the next school day.

Do NOT send cough syrup, cough drops, aspirin, or any other over the counter medication to school with any child. Parents may come to school, sign in, and administer medicine if necessary.

Health Conditions
If your child has any health conditions that require additional information or special directions, you MUST have a doctor’s note indicating the condition and the procedure to be followed. Oftentimes, parents tell us that their child has allergies, and we have no doctor’s note indicating such. In order for us to be prepared, give medication, and keep your child safe, we must have official doctors’ orders on file.

School Nurse
A full-time nurse is assigned to Abita Springs Elementary School. She conducts vision and hearing screenings annually for kindergarten, first and third grades. She monitors health records, administers approved medicines, and informs parents if medical attention is needed.

Counselors & Mental Health Providers
Abita Springs Elementary School offers services of a full-time guidance counselor AND full-time guidance services through a mental health provider (MHP). We have these services available as needed or requested by parents for individual, small group, and large group activities.

As mandated by the St. Tammany Parish School Board, students in grades K-8 will receive instruction on the topic of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education.

All materials used in the instruction may be previewed by contacting the school administration. We would also like to encourage you to talk to your child about this topic as well as other general safety issues.

View Behavioral Health Resources for Parents provided by St. Tammany Parish Public School System.

Insurance
Student accident insurance is available for ASE students. Cost and coverage information will be available at the beginning of school. Get more student insurance information.

Communication

Parental Involvement Policy
A copy of the complete Parental Involvement Policy is sent home at the start of the school year. Abita Springs Elementary School is a Title I school which means that some of our funding comes from Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) due to a large amount of students receiving free or reduced lunch. By receiving these funds administration, faculty, staff and parents of students participating in activities, services, and programs agree to our Title I compact. This compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards. Abita Springs Elementary encourages all parents to be actively involved in their child’s education. This includes parent participation in regular two-way communication regarding academic learning, behavior supports, school schedules, and school activities. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to volunteer. A parent work room is located in 7A for parents to help with teacher needs. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your child’s teacher or the PTA to find out about the many volunteer opportunities that are available.

Conferences
Please request a conference with your child’s teacher when you have concerns. Teachers may request a conference with you as needed.

Newsletters
A class newsletter will be sent home every Monday and posted on Google Classroom. Parents are expected to take the time to read the newsletter to stay informed of learning and activities that are going on in your child’s class and at school.

WEBSITE
The school Website contains information about upcoming events, breakfasts and lunch menus, field trips, uniforms, policies/procedure, etc. Be sure to check out our photo gallery for pictures of events on campus.

Robo Calls/Texts
A call out/text system will be used to notify you of upcoming events or emergencies. Please make sure the office has your current cell number. If your numbers change, please notify the office ASAP. Download the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools app for Apple or Android devises to have access to important district and school information at all times.

School Hours

Students may arrive at school after the 8:05 AM bell.
Start of School Bell 8:35 AM Tardy Bell 8:40 AM (Children should be in class by tardy bell.) Regular dismissal time is 3:35 PM. Half day dismissal time is 12:35 PM. If your child arrives after 8:35, you must park and walk with your child to the office to check in. Students may not be dropped off before 8:05 AM. Students must be picked up by 4:00 PM.

School and Community Emergencies

St. Tammany Parish Public School System is committed to providing safe and caring schools. The school system works in partnership with community emergency preparedness officials to respond to emergency situations. If an emergency occurs please check local television and radio stations, the School System Website, Charter Channel 13, and/or the School System Emergency Lines at 985-635-0801 (inside St. Tammany Parish) and 1-800-580-1874 (outside St. Tammany Parish). Please refer the School System “Emergency Guide for Parents” for more information. Abita Springs Elementary has a thorough crisis plan to be used during emergency situations. During the school year, practice drills will be held for fire, severe weather, and lock-down situations. By practicing ahead of time, our students will be calm and confident should an actual emergency occur.

Students With Exceptionalities

The inclusion program at Abita Springs Elementary is designed to provide all students, including those with special needs, with the opportunity to reach their maximum potential academically and socially in the least restrictive environment. All grade levels have inclusive classrooms and have a heterogeneous mix of students. Classrooms receive direct and indirect services from Special Education teachers, paraprofessionals, and other service providers.

Personal Property

Safety

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER
Abita Springs Elementary has a school resource officer on campus every day. The officer patrols all areas of the campus throughout the day.

SMOKING
A no smoking policy is maintained on the entire campus (including vehicles) at all times for all staff members and all visitors.

WEAPONS
Weapons or an object that is a look-alike weapon (toy guns, knives, etc.) are not allowed on campus. Policies and consequences are outlined in the St. Tammany Parish Handbook on Discipline. This is a Firearm-Free Zone.

Weapons Policy

Students found using, possessing and/or concealing a knife, a firearm or a weapon which may discharge a projectile, or other dangerous instrument which may cause bodily harm shall be immediately suspended and recommended for expulsion. Police notification shall be made immediately. Upon the recommendation for the expulsion, a hearing shall be conducted by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Students in grade five or lower who have been found in the hearing process, of using, possessing and/or concealing a weapon, or look alike weapon shall be disciplined in accordance with the decision made by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Any case involving a student grade five or lower found in possession of a firearm on school property shall be referred to the School Board through a recommendation for action from the Superintendent.

Anti-Bullying Policy

Everyone at Abita Springs Elementary School promises to make our school a safe and caring place for all students. We will treat each other with respect, and we will not allow bullying in any form at our school.

Bullying is considered a major behavior offense. It will be handled as defined in the discipline procedure below.

Student reports an incident of bullying to an adult.
Adult assesses the situation and determines if the incident is a major or minor offense.
If minor, the teacher provides coaching and/or replacement behaviors.
If major, adult fills out top section of reporting form and refers it to the counselor/administrator.
Appropriate action is then taken.

District Responsibility

Involve families in developing and reviewing the district's PFE Plan.
Hold yearly Federal Programs, PFE Stakeholders', and PFE activity planning meetings.
Support STPPS Title I schools in planning and carrying out their PFE activities.
Annually review and monitor PFE activities and school-wide programs outlined in the School Improvement Plans.
Provide a Title I PFE resource page and presentations for school personnel use.
Develop Title I PFE survey to evaluate PFE plans and use results to plan future PFE programs and adjust FE policies and procedures.

School Responsibility

Invite parents to a school meeting highlighting their school's educational programs, curriculum, and PFE opportunities.
Offer PFE activities at various times which support learning goals at home.
Involve parents in the planning, review, and implementation of PFE programs.
Provide parents with timely information about the school PFE policy.
Provide families with opportunities to volunteer, participate, and observe in the school and classroom.
Maintain 2-way communication with families.
Provide each student with the Compact for Student Success outlining responsibilities of students, parents, and teachers in the Educational process.
Support all students in their effort to achieve success.