Policies and Procedures

SCHOOL VISITS

We encourage you to visit your child's school. We invite you to become a part of our PTA and to participate in our parent night programs. During the school year, you may eat lunch with your child at any time. You may sit with your child at the Visitor Table which is reserved for our guests. We do encourage you to buy a tray from the cafeteria rather than bringing in fast food for your child. We try to encourage the balanced diet which is served in the cafeteria. There are certain procedures that must be followed if you come into the building during class hours. Please check in at the office and sign our guest register to let the office personnel know that you are visiting. We have badges available to show that you are a "Welcome" visitor in the building. This is a safeguard for personnel to monitor all persons that might be in the halls or on the playground. If you are not wearing a badge, you will be stopped by staff members to verify that you should be on campus. Student safety is a top priority.

BEFORE SCHOOL

When your child comes to school each morning, he/she is to enter the building immediately. All students who are eating breakfast should report to the cafeteria and line up quietly. Those who are not eating breakfast should report to the gym and be seated quietly on the floor in the proper places. No one is to be in the classrooms or hallways before time for class. We begin serving breakfast at 7:30 a.m. The bell to go into classes rings at 7:45, and students are tardy after 7:55. We encourage you not to let your children come to school excessively early.

LUNCH AND BREAKFAST PRICES

Breakfast: $1.05 for students and $1.40 for adults
Lunch: $1.75 for students and $2.55 for adults
Milk: $0.50
Ice Cream: $0.50

The students may prepay for lunch (or breakfast) on the first day of a school week. However, with our automated cafeteria plan, you may deposit any amount of money at any time into your child's account. Your child has a PIN number to ensure that no one is able to withdraw money from his/her account. No child is allowed to go without a lunch. We will provide an alternate meal for thoes students who have forgotten their money, which will consist of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a cheese sandwich and a milk.

ABSENCES

If your child is ill and cannot attend class, please call the school office as early as possible on the day of the illness. When the student returns, a note must be sent stating the reason for the absence even if you have called earlier. The state's attendance policy states that a student must attend 90% of the days in a semester in order to pass. If a severe problem arises due to attendance, the situation should be discussed with the teacher, principal, or assistant principal. We realize that there are days when children are too ill to attend school. We are not encouraging you to send any student to school with a fever or other symptoms of illness; however, we are stressing that all students must be in school if possible. Regular and punctual attendance is a must for children to reach their full potential for learning.

DRESS CODE

Students are allowed to wear shorts to school. Mid-thigh is the correct length for shorts. Girls, please do not wear halters or have bare midriffs. Boys' shirts should have sleeves. Please--no startling or disruptive haircuts. Shorts and jeans are to be worn with the waistband at the waistline. We want our students to be comfortable, modest, and neat. Please see the new Code of Conduct for further information.

WITHDRAWALS

If a student moves and must be withdrawn from Rugel, please notify the office at least 24 hours prior to the last day that the student will attend. All withdrawals must be entered into the computer system, and the teacher must complete the form with grades, etc. The withdrawal papers may be picked up by the parents or sent home by the child. This policy applies to any student going to another Mesquite school or to another school district.

SCHOOL DISMISSAL

All classes are dismissed at 2:55 p.m. from the front door of the building. Please help us by picking your child up promptly. If you are unable to be here on time, please make arrangements with a baby-sitter or day care center to pick up your child. If an unforeseen emergency arises, please notify the office that you may be late. Children often become very upset if they are not picked up on time, and we can't tell them the reason. If someone other than the regular baby-sitter is going to pick up your child on a particular day and the child doesn't know this, please contact the office or the teacher in order that we may inform the child. We want every student and parent to feel comfortable and secure with the dismissal procedures.

MEDICINE

The law prevents the school from giving any over-the-counter medication. This is a protection for the children. If your child is taking prescription medication, it must be brought to school in the prescription bottle with the directions on the bottle. A note must be signed by the parent indicating how the medicine is to be administered. We cannot give aspirin, cough drops, etc.

OFFICE TELEPHONE

The use of the telephone in the office must be very limited due to the heavy volume of calls coming into the school. We ask that students use the phone only with office approval. Also, we cannot call a student to the telephone. We will be glad to take a message for students or teachers. Calls can be transferred to the teacher on the classroom phone during class breaks only.

HOMEWORK DUE TO ILLNESS

If your child is ill and has to miss school, there is a concern about the work that is missed. If a call is made to the office on the day of the absence (before 9:00 a.m. if possible), we will notify the teacher to compile a list of assignments during the school day. The assignments will be ready to be picked up that afternoon. Getting the assignments together can be a lengthy process, and the teacher needs ample time to talk with all teachers involved in preparing the list.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

In the following weeks, your child's teacher will be sending information concerning the policies and procedures for the classroom. Please take time to review and discuss these with your child. It is our goal to see that each parent is an informed, involved, and active partner with our school.

1. PARENT CONFERENCES. During the school year, there will be two official conferences held--one in the fall and one during the spring semester. Progress notes are sent out at the end of the first three weeks of a six-weeks grading period if there should be a possibility of a failing average. We are always available to talk with you concerning your child. A conference can be scheduled by telephone or note at any time. We need your help in assisting your child to have a very successful year of learning.
2. CHARACTER EDUCATION. You will receive additional information concerning the implementation of this program. One of our most important goals is to establish new cafeteria guidelines to keep the noise level from interfering with learning.
   

RUGEL CALENDAR

On the first of each month, a calendar will be sent home to inform you of pertinent happenings for that month. Included on the calendar will be information concerning holidays, early dismissals, PTA meetings, testing, etc. It is very important that you be aware of all special circumstances that will involve your child.

CURRENT CONTACT NUMBERS

An update of all information concerning the students will be sent home in the next few days. Please complete it and return as soon as possible. It is of extreme importance to keep all telephone contact numbers current. If there is an emergency or illness, the office must have a number to contact the parent or a designated person. If your telephone number or your employment changes, please notify the school office as soon as possible. If a note is sent by your child notifying us of the changes, place the the homeroom teacher's name on the note.

QUESTIONS

If you have questions over items that we may have omitted or if you need to talk with us about your child, please feel free to contact us at 972-882-7260 or e-mail me at
jjrollins@mesquiteisd.org