WELCOME!

1. 2019 - 2020 WELCOME!

2. Office & Administrative Staff • Principal • Kiley Schumacher • Assistant Principal • Jennifer Register • Counselor • Sherri Smith • Curriculum Coordinator • Amber Isbell • Secretary • Winnie Tidwell • Receptionist • Bridgette Greer

3. Student & Teacher Information • Approximately 482students total • Early Childhood (EC) = 19 • Pre-k = 99 • Head Start = 70 • Tuition Pre-K = 29 • K = 182 • 1st Grade = 182 • Teachers • EC = 3 • Pre-k = 6 • K = 9 • 1st Grade = 9

4. Daily Routine & Additional Classes In the regular classroom, your child will learn the core grade level content: • Math • Reading • Writing • Science • Social Studies We follow the state curriculum guidelines. This curriculum is known as the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills. (TEKS) • The School Day is 7:50-3:25! • Music – 30 Minutes Daily • PE – 30 Minutes Daily • Computer Lab – 30 Minutes Twice Weekly • Science Lab – 30 Minutes Twice Weekly • Library – 30 Minutes Once Weekly

5. Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures • First and foremost, it will help tremendously if you DO NOT change your child’s way of going home. Making changes is not only confusing to your child, but it also becomes difficult for the teacher to manage! • The front doors will only be used for late drop-offs and early pick-ups. • If you MUST check your child out early, PLEASE do so BEFORE 3:00 p.m. • As you leave the Primary drive, you will have the option to turn left or right onto Libby Drive. Left will take you to Adams Street and right will take you to Libby Elementary. • PLEASE use safe driving practices, be courteous, and always put the children’s safety first!

6. Going Home • Any change to a child’s regular way of going home must be done in writing. This can be done via fax. Our fax # is 903-693-3287. You can also send a note with your child or you can come into the office and make the change! PLEASE call the school after sending a fax to ensure that it was received! • PLEASE do NOT change your child’s way of going home after 2:30 p.m. • “Pick-up List!” - The names that you provide on the “Pick-Up List” are people you are giving permission to pick your child up from school! It will be YOUR responsibility to change the names if you choose to add someone to or remove someone from the list! Any changes to this list must be done by the parent or guardian and these changes must be done in the Primary Office! • These people need to be prepared to show their driver’s license when picking up your child!

7. Going Home Continued… • Do NOT tell your child that you MIGHT pick them up early, or that you MIGHT make them a car rider instead of a bus rider for the day. Many times plans change and you cannot follow through with what you told your child. This often times leads to the child getting very upset when he does not get picked up early or when he has to ride the bus! • When coming through the car rider line, please DO NOT get out of your car. Stay in the line and follow through as directed. You should not check your child out of school early just to avoid waiting in the pick-up line. • Make sure your car tag is visible! • If you MUST park your vehicle, please DO NOT walk across moving traffic. Instead, park in the Barron Street parking lot and walk along the sidewalk that parallels the school building. Go towards the awning and give your car tag to one of the Primary staff members. They will get your child from inside the building and give him/her to you!

8. Special Programs • Speech • Resource • ESL (English as a Second Language) • Dyslexia • At-Risk • Section 504 • GT (Gifted and Talented) For questions regarding any of the special programs listed, call the principal, the assistant principal, or the school counselor! Phone Number: 903-693-2254

9. Character Education • The school counselor, Mrs. Sherri Smith visits classrooms once per six weeks to teach a character education lesson. Each six weeks, teachers look for students who are exemplifying good character and those students names are posted on the Campus Character Wall.

10. Discipline Policy Campus Rules • All students will walk with their hands behind their back, “in a grip,” while in the hallways. • All students will treat others the way in which they want to be treated. • All students will keep their hands and feet to themselves at all times. We teach children to use their hands to help NOT to hurt! • All students will respect the authority of ALL staff members. • All students will do their best! Consequences • Loss of play time • Removal from the classroom • Student can be sent to a buddy teacher’s classroom for up to ten minutes • Student can be sent to “Time Out” for up to 2 or more days if needed • Loss of a privilege • Office referral • School Suspension • Corporal Punishment • Only administered by parent request! • Parent contact • This will happen with every visit to the office by phone call or note

11. Classroom Rules & Parent Communication • Each classroom has a set of classroom rules! • Each teacher will communicate your child’s daily behavior with you in a variety of ways! • Some teachers use the “ClassDojo” App! • Other means of communication include “Grow” Notes, “Glow” Notes, and phone calls. • It is SO important to check your child’s Bulldog Notebook/Folder Daily!

12. Safety & Drills • At Carthage Primary, we have several drills that we conduct throughout the school year! • Building Evacuation drills are conducted monthly • Tornado drills are conducted at least twice a year • Lock Down drills are conducted at least twice a year Please know that we take all of these drills seriously and they are conducted for the safety of your children!

13. Dress Code • Flip-flops and backless sandals are not allowed! Please note that athletic shoes are safest and best for PE and outside play activities. • Please dress your children in clothes that they can manage on their own. • Girls should not wear short skirts without wearing proper bloomers underneath to cover their panties. • Shirts that expose the mid-drift (stomach) are strictly prohibited.

14. Medication & Attendance • Prescription medications should not be sent with your child to school. You need to bring the medication to the nurse’s office with the instructions. There is also a form that you must complete giving her permission to administer the medication! • We will NOT administer non-prescription medications to your child. • Any time that your child is absent, a note is needed explaining the reason for the absence. • Please turn in doctor’s excuses when your child returns from an absence. • Any partial day absences that are documented with a doctor’s note will not count against the child’s attendance. • Perfect attendance is acknowledged every six weeks. • Be advised that early check-outs and tardies affect this award.

15. Cafeteria • If your child has food allergies, we MUST have a doctor’s note detailing the allergy! Please make sure that you alert your child’s classroom teacher about the allergy! This information will then be shared with the school nurse and the cafeteria manager. • If you want your child to eat breakfast at school, then your child MUST be in his/her classroom no later than 7:50 a.m. • Please do NOT send breakfast with your child to be eaten at school! • You may access Lunch Money Now on the District’s website, www.carthageisd.org, under the Parent tab. • You may send lunch money in an envelope with your child. Please label the envelope! • If you pack a lunch for your child, we ask that you pack foods other than just “junk-type” foods. No canned drinks please! • Parents may join their child for lunch starting Monday, September 16. Parents may bring lunch or you may eat the food served in the cafeteria line. You may sit at the table with your child’s class, but please do not share food with other students sitting at the table. • First Grade students eat in the Libby Cafeteria. There is a private seating area for students and their guest(s). • Please do not ask other children to join you and your child for lunch!

16. Parties & Student Birthdays • There are 2 holidays that we celebrate with a party each year: • Christmas • Easter • We will honor your child on his/her birthday. • If you choose to send birthday invitations to school for your child to pass out to the class, there MUST be enough for the entire class! • You may also provide a “special” snack for your child’s class on his/her birthday if you choose. This snack must be one that can be easily served to the students…not a cake that must be cut and served on a plate! We suggest cookies or cupcakes! This special snack will be enjoyed AFTER lunch!

17. A.P.P.L.E. Parents • Active Parents Promoting Learning Everyday is our campus parent program. • Our Campus Coordinator is Mrs. Misty Ladymon. • You MUST complete a Volunteer Application to assist with classroom and/or school-wide activities! This form was in the enrollment packet or can be picked up in the school office! • There are APPLE Parent Sign-up Sheets in each classroom!

18. First Day of School • Feel free to walk your child to his/her classroom on this special day! • Beginning the second day of school, parents are NOT allowed to walk their child beyond the front doors of the school! • If your child is a car rider, BE PATIENT! The line will take a LONG time unloading and loading for several days! IT DOES GET BETTER!

19. Closing Remarks… • Start getting your child to bed early and waking them up early NOW. • Ask your child about their day when you pick them up or see them in the afternoon. • Check your child’s Bulldog Notebook/Folder daily! • Feel free to call the school with ANY questions. We are here to help! • Questions? Comments?

20. Thank you for coming! Thank you for coming! You may now report to your child’s classroom!