2011-2012 Parent Handbook

J. C. Cannaday Elementary School

2701 Chisolm Trail Drive

Mesquite, Texas 75150

Phone:  972/882-5060

Fax: 972/882-5070

Dear Parents,

 

            Welcome to Cannaday Elementary!  We are glad your child is here.  Your child’s ability to be successful now and in the future is a priority at Cannaday Elementary!

 

We have designed this handbook to answer any questions you might have about the procedures at Cannaday.  This handbook is written to supplement the MISD Student Code of Conduct.  Please read both documents carefully to ensure that your child has a successful school year.  We will be glad to answer any questions you might have.

 

Our partnership and positive interaction as a team will lead to a wonderful learning experience for your child.

 

Sincerely,

 

J. C. Cannaday Elementary Faculty and Staff

Arrival and Dismissal Safety

  • Arrival:  Please be advised that your child has no supervision on campus BEFORE 7:10 AM.   Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:10-7:40 AM.  Third and fourth grade students will report to the Cafeteria and all other students will report to the gym if they arrive at school before 7:45 AM.  Students will not be allowed anywhere in the building, other than the cafeteria or gym.  The first bell rings at 7:45 AM; Students are allowed in the classrooms at that time.  Morning announcements start at 7:55. The tardy bell rings at 7:55 AM.  If your child is late, send students to their homeroom class.  If they have arrived later than 8:10 AM, your student will need to check in the office for a partial day absence.
  • Dismissal:  All students are dismissed from school at 2:55 PM.  ALL Students MUST be picked up by 3:10 PM, unless the student is staying for prearranged tutoring, detentions, etc.  All walkers will be released as soon as the bell rings.  Riders will wait with their teacher in the front of the building.  All students must leave the campus, even the park area.  In order to speed up the dismissal process, please make sure their name placard is in the windshield of the vehicle picking up the student.  Stay in the line of cars and wait for your child to be released.  Do not park your car in the line and leave it unattended.  The far lane is for passing only.  After 3:10 PM students will only be released from the office with a valid driver’s license or state issued ID that will be scanned into our database.  There is no student supervision after 3:40 PM and authorities may be contacted at that time if your child is still on campus.
  • After-school care:   Please provide consistent after-school transportation and care for your children.  Proper arrangements must be made and your child must be made aware of them before they come to school.  If a change is necessary, alert the office and the teacher will attempt to make your child aware of that change. However, a daily call is not necessary.  According to state law, interruptions to instruction are not allowed.
  • Early Release:  Medical appointments should be made outside of school hours when possible.  Students miss valuable instructional time when they are removed from school early.  Students leaving during the school day must be checked out by the appropriate parent/guardian with a valid driver’s license or state issued ID that will be scanned into our database in the school office.  For your child’s safety NO OTHER procedure is acceptable

 

Campus Visitors

All campus visitors must check in at the office upon arriving on campus. ALL VISITORS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT THEIR DRIVER’S LICENSE OR STATE ISSUED ID BEFORE VISITING THE CAMPUS.  All doors to the building are locked from the outside at all times, except the front entrance.  This procedure is for the SAFETY of all Cannaday students and staff.  Please help us by making sure that you and any other visitors without visitor’s passes have checked in the office.  Our staff and faculty will ask you to check in, whether you are a regular visitor or not.

 

Cafeteria

MISD food service personnel serve breakfast and lunch daily in the cafeteria.  Breakfast menus remain the same throughout the school year.  Lunch menus are given to your child at the beginning of the year for the entire year.  Any dietary needs must be addressed with the cafeteria manager as soon as possible after the student’s enrollment.  Students may bring lunches from home.  Milk, ice cream, and fruit juice may be bought a’ la carte.  Students can bring money from home to charge their accounts at school.  You can also pay online by going to:  https://paypams.com/HomePage.aspx and setting up an account.  This also allows you the privilege of seeing what your child has ordered throughout the year. There is a fee only when processing your payment for the food.  If you are bringing money to school to add to their account, please leave it in the office.

 

Appropriate table manners are expected at all times.  An incentive program exists to encourage positive behavior during meal times.  Guidelines for all are in place and are posted in the cafeteria.

 

Note:  Birthday treats may be brought to school to share with the entire class at the close of the day ONLY if arrangements are made with your child’s teacher prior to bringing the treats.

 

Absences

According to Texas State Law your child is required to attend school daily unless illness or a family emergency arises.  A written note is required to explain any absence.  Our campus policy allows for three (3) parent notes a year for excused absences.  Any absences that follow will require a doctor’s note (Family emergency absences will be excused at administration’s discretion).  Attendance is extremely important; we strictly enforce the state attendance law.  Please refer to your child’s homeroom teacher’s policy for securing assignments. Your child will be given 2 days to make up assignments for every 1-day of excused absence.

 

Illness/Injury

Parents will be notified of serious student illness or injury.  Therefore, it is imperative that emergency contact information on file in the office be current.  Each student has emergency information on file listing who may pick him/her up during the school day.  If someone other than those listed will pick up your child, you must send a signed note authorizing us to release your child to that person.

 

Parents are required to make arrangements for the sick students to be picked up immediately because there are no extended provisions for these students available on campus.  When students are returning to Cannaday after an illness, it is recommended that they be fever-free or not contagious for a 24-hour period.

 

If a student is seriously injured at school, he/she will be made as comfortable as possible while we make a call to the person listed as the emergency contact.  If the injury requires immediate emergency treatment, appropriate measures for emergency service will be taken to care for the student.

 

Medication

STATE LAW mandates that medicine, including aspirin, cough drops, any over-the-counter medicines, or even medicated lip-balm cannot be administered by designated school personnel unless the medication is in the prescription bottle or written instructions from the physician are attached.  A note signed by parents giving instructions and times for the medications are administered is also required.  If the medication is needed on a daily basis, it can be left in the clinic with proper documentation.

 

Updating Contact/Emergency Information

Any changes in employment, phone numbers or addresses will require the appropriate new data be filed in the office.  Please make sure that this information is given to both the office and the clinic.  It is imperative that current data be available in case of an emergency.  A new proof of residency is required for any address change.

 

Holidays/District Calendar

Report Card is a newsletter published periodically by the MISD administrative offices informing school patrons of upcoming or current events.  The calendar and all updates to it are posted on the Mesquite ISD website:  www.mesquiteisd.org   Our campus website will also provide updates regularly:  http://www.mesquiteisd.org/cannaday/

 

District early dismissals for elementary schools are at 1:25 PM.  These will be noted on the school district calendar for your convenience.  It is advised that these dates be marked on your personal calendars so that advanced arrangements (transportation, sitters, etc.) can be made for your children.

 

Parent/Teacher Communications

Communication between parents and teachers is implemented both formally and informally.  This process can vary between each grade level and teacher.  Examples are:  scheduled campus visits with the teachers, phone conversations, written messages, and routine memos sent home with students.  You are encouraged to schedule a conference with your child’s teacher during the year any time you have a concern.  Contact your child’s teacher during school hours to arrange conferences by calling the main number, or through email by using their addresses provided on the school’s website under Faculty and Staff at:  http://www.mesquiteisd.org/cannaday/

 

Report Cards

Each child will receive a report card after each six-week grading period.  In addition, you will receive notice at the mid-point of the six weeks period.  Please sign and return the first copy of the report card and you will receive another copy for your records when your teacher receives the signed copy.

 

Citizenship

Each teacher has developed their classroom expectations in addition to the campus-wide expectations.  These will be presented to students at the beginning of the year and a copy forwarded to you.  The Essential 55 and the Student Code of Conduct are our campus expectations to ensure that students will contribute to the learning process in the classroom.  The guidelines and expectations for our campus and classrooms are presented to the students at the beginning of the year.  Parents/guardians will receive the information to review and sign the first week of school.   

 

Withdrawal of Students and Student Records

Parents withdrawing students from Cannaday need to notify the school office a few days prior to the withdrawal date.  This ensures ample time to complete the necessary paperwork and withdrawal procedures.  A request for a copy of student records or attendance verification will require a 24-hour notice and must be in writing.

 

Severe Weather

In case of severe weather listen to KEOM, FM 88.5, the MISD radio station.  You will hear of school closings and delays as soon as the teachers by listening to KEOM.

 

Student Attire

Please review the “Guides to Good Grooming” as stated in the Student Code of Conduct Book.  These guidelines have been adopted by the MISD Board of Education and apply to all students in Mesquite Schools.

 

Care of Textbooks

Textbooks are the sole property of the state of Texas and are issued with book covers to students entering Cannaday each year.  Students are responsible for any additional book covers, damage to, or loss of issued materials.  All books are expected to have clean book covers.  If additional/replacement covers are needed, they will be provided only as long as the supply lasts.  Otherwise, books will need to be covered at home using something such as a paper grocery sack or newspaper.

 

Campus Maintenance

Students are expected to respect school property:  books, desks, furniture, and equipment.  Your help is needed to maintain the desirable appearance of the campus for this neighborhood.  Please be aware of vandals during and after school hours, including weekends and extended holidays and notify proper authorities. 

 

Fire and Civil Defense Drills

These drills are necessary and are required for the safety of students and staff.  Drills are practiced on a regular basis.

 

Parking Lot Entrance and Exit

The parking lot procedures were put in to place to allow students to be released or picked up as quickly and as safely as possible.  This will be outlined in correspondence during the first week of school and on the web.  You may be asked to go through the line again if you are not following this policy.  Please make yourself aware of the policy as soon as it comes home so that you are not inconvenienced in any way.

 

Please drive very slowly and carefully around our school building.  Be mindful of our safety patrol students who are working to increase the efficiency of our parking lot.  Stop at the crosswalks to check for students before driving across.  The speed limit around the school is 20 mph at all times.  Cars are not to be left unattended unless they are parked in designated areas.  Do not release or pick up students in the far lane which is for passing only.  Passing in the passing lane must be done carefully to ensure no one is injured while using our parking lot.  Reserved parking spots are for specific personnel and not to be used by anyone else.  Police officers will ticket vehicles parked in the fire lane. Be considerate of those using the handicap parking zones.    Please allow handicap drivers easy access to enter and exit these special zones.

 

Cannaday PTA

PTA meetings are held once a month at 7:00PM.  Details regarding PTA budget, meetings, committees, functions and other special events are available from the current elected PTA officers.  Membership information will be sent home the first week of school. If you are interested in helping with PTA, please make sure to complete the necessary forms, which includes criminal background check.

 

Lost and Found

Lost items should be searched for, claimed, and removed promptly from the lost and found box in the cafeteria.  Unclaimed items will be donated to the MISD Clothes Closet.

 

Important information given the first week of school

During the first few days of school, each teacher will send home the classroom and campus discipline plans, homework policy, lunch program form, MISD Code of Conduct, parking lot procedures and other papers for you to sign.  Please look over all of these papers carefully, sign and return all necessary papers.  Please support these policies as they are designed to provide success and safety for your children.