LHS Policies & Procedures

Website: http://longhill.sheltonpublicschools.org/home_page
Location: 565 Long Hill Avenue, Shelton, CT, USA
Phone: (203)-929-4077
Twitter: @DAiutoAndrea

Pre-K AM SESSION:

• Regular Day: 9:00am-11:50am (doors open at 8:45am)
• Weather Related Early Dismissal: 9:00am-11:20am (doors open at 8:45am)
• Weather Related Delayed Opening: NO SESSION
• Planned Early Dismissal: 9:00am-11:05 (doors open at 8:45am)

Pre-K PM SESSION:

• Regular Day: 12:50pm-3:45pm
• Weather Related Early Dismissal: NO SESSION
• Weather Related Delayed Opening: 12:50pm-3:45pm
• Planned Early Dismissal: 11:45am-1:50pm

Kindergarten-Fourth Grade:

• Regular Day: 9:00am – 3:45pm (doors open at 8:45am)
• Weather Related Early Dismissal: 9:00am- 1:50pm (doors open at 8:45am)
• Weather Related Delayed Opening: 11:00am - 3:45pm (doors open at 10:45am)
• Planned Early Dismissal: 9:00am- 1:50pm (doors open at 8:45am)

***See complete school hours below***

The transportation department’s policy is the following: It is the responsibility of the bus company to take students from home stop to school and back. To assist working parents, they will take students to a daycare stop within the Long Hill School District on a set schedule. For example, Mrs. Smith sends in a request for her son to go to a local daycare on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays every week. They will take students to ONE other address besides the home stop in the Long Hill School District on the same fixed, day/days each week.

We will communicate these requests to the bus company who will add them to the transportation information system and make it part of the driver’s regular route. This is especially important if the student will ride two buses and will allow the bus drivers to know when to expect the student to ride his/her bus. Without these stops being part of the routes, a spare driver will not be aware of stops the regular driver may do automatically. In the event of an accident or emergency situation, the transportation company looks to the transportation information system for student lists because this is how they track everyone.

We encourage you to send your child(ren) by bus. Parents are requested to refrain from driving in the bus loop prior to 9:20am in the morning and between 3:30pm-4:00pm in the afternoon. Parking in front of the school during these times is reserved for buses only. This will provide a safe and secure environment for our bus drivers and our bus transportation students. Appropriate behavior is important so that drivers are not distracted and all students can ride safely and happily. Inappropriate behavior may result in a suspension from the bus.

Any transportation questions or issues, you may contact the Board of Education directly at 203-922-1311

This procedure is for the AM Pre-K Session Only.

• Drive around to the back of the school and park in a parking spot near the Gym doors.
  
• Please park and walk your child to the gym door. Please follow the signage and arrow.
• Staff members will be stationed there each morning at 8:45am to 9:00am.

• Parents/guardians should pull up to the end of the lot. A staff member will be stationed there each morning at 8:45am to 9:00am to ensure the safety of your child(ren). Please do not get out of the car. Your child must exit the car on his/her own. Staff members will not open cars doors or unbuckle children.
• Please DO NOT pass any cars in the drop off line. You must remain in line at all times until you exit the parking lot. This is to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
• If you choose to walk your child to the front door, you must park in a parking space and walk to the front door. Once at the front door, your child will enter the building.
• Please DO NOT park and have your child exit the vehicle without walking him/her to the front door. Students who exit out of parked cars (in a parking spot) MUST be escorted to the front door by a parent. The staff members on duty in the parking lot are there to assist only those students who are in the drop off line.
• To ensure the safety of all children, parents are not allowed to walk their child(ren) into the building or classroom. Staff members are stationed throughout the building to guide your child(ren) to classrooms as needed.
• Students can not be dropped off prior to 8:45am as there are no staff members on duty to supervise. They will not be allowed to enter the building or wait in the main corridor of the school.
• Please do not drive through the bus loop after 8:30am
• If you are dropping your child off after 9:00am and no staff members are on duty, please park in a parking space (do not pull into the bus loop) and escort your child to the front door. Once you are at the front door, please push the call button and wait for a response and direction from the main office. Do not leave your child outside the school door until someone from the school has spoken with you over the intercom.

This dismissal procedure applies to our K-4 students.

Students are allowed up to two different ways of dismissal. Examples of two different ways of dismissal are:

• A student takes the bus home on Mondays and Wednesdays and is a pick up on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
• A student takes the bus to a daycare stop within the Long Hill School District on Mondays-Wednesdays and takes his bus home on Thursdays and Fridays.

Please note that daily dismissal changes will NOT be approved. Any change in your child’s daily dismissal (i.e. bus student being picked up by parent, after school activities such as religious education, Boy & Girl scouts, or early dismissal for a doctor’s appointment) must be put into a note to the classroom teacher. If you have more than one child, each teacher must receive a dismissal note. The school will provide you with a Change in Dismissal Form for you to use when making any changes to your child’s normal dismissal. This form is also located on our website.

If during the day an emergency arises, you must call the school NO LATER than 3:00pm on a full day or 1:00pm on an early dismissal day to notify us. The phone call will need to be followed up by something in writing, either a fax or an email to either asastram@sheltonpublicschools.org or pquirk@sheltonpublicschools.org. DO NOT email just the classroom teacher as they might not be able to check their email, thus creating a safety issue for your child.

This procedure is for Pre-K am session only.

11:50am dismissal time

• Beginning at 11:40am, cars will park in the parking lot in the front of the school.

• Parents will wait outside of the front door for children to be walked out by staff members.

• Please do not park or drive through the bus loop.

• If someone other than a parent/guardian is picking up your child, they MUST be listed as an emergency contact in Infinite Campus. Students will NOT be released to anyone who is NOT on your Infinite Campus Emergency Contact list.

This procedure is for the PM Pre-K Session Only.

• Beginning at 12:45pm, cars will park in the parking lot in the front of the school.
• Walk your child the front door of the school for drop off.
  
• Staff members will be stationed to receive the children and the children are walked into the building by staff.
• Please do not park or drive through the bus loop.

This procedure applies to all Pre-K-grade 4 students who are dismissed to parent.

3:45pm dismissal time

• Parents/guardians picking up their child(ren) at dismissal time are to park in the rear of the building. Cars must be turned off and minor children cannot be left in any car unattended.
• Parents will not be allowed to the rear of the building until 1:35pm on early dismissal days and 3:35pm on full school days. There will be NO access to park in the rear of the building until then.
• Parents/guardians will line up at the cafeteria door. Parents/guardians will NOT be allowed in the building.
• Once it is your turn at the cafeteria door, you will inform the school staff member of your child’s name and grade.
• You will need to present picture identification to the school staff member.
• Your child will be brought to the cafeteria door to the parent/guardian picking up the child.
• If someone other than a parent/guardian is picking up your child, they MUST be listed as an emergency contact in Infinite Campus. Students will NOT be released to anyone who is NOT on your Infinite Campus Emergency Contact list.

Please remember when entering or exiting our school parking lots that BUSES AND PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. Passing a bus with its lights flashing is a $450 fine.

This procedure applies to all Pre-K - Grade 4 students who are being dismissed early.

At the main entrance, please push the call button and wait for a response from the main office. An office staff member will ask you over the intercom, the name and grade of your child. You will need to show picture identification through the intercom camera. Please make sure you have your photo identification with you when you arrive at the main entrance. Your child will be dismissed to you through the main entrance doors.

Please note that these early dismissals are unexcused until we receive proper paperwork informing us otherwise (i.e. note from the doctor for a doctor's appointment).

We ask that you DO NOT call the school or radio/television stations. It is imperative that these phone lines be kept open for communication purposes during an emergency. It is important to review with your child(ren) alternative arrangements regarding where they should go if you are not home on an emergency early dismissal day. Information regarding emergency delayed openings/early dismissals may be obtained from various radio and television stations or by checking the district website (www.sheltonpublicschools.org). Please refer to our website for planned and unplanned early dismissal times.

Please plan ahead and make sure that you have made the necessary arrangements for your child in cases of early dismissals and delayed openings.

• Kindergarten-Fourth Grade: 2 hour delayed opening - doors open at 10:45am; school begins at 11:00am; morning bus stop time is 2 hours past normal bus stop time.
• AM Pre-K: NO SESSION ON DELAYED OPENINGS
• Kindergarten-Fourth Grade: Early dismissal (unless otherwise noted) - 1:50pm
• PM Pre-K: NO SESSION ON WEATHER RELATED EARLY DISMISSALS
• Make sure the main office has current emergency contact information. Advise your emergency contacts that they must show photo ID. Your child will not be released to anyone who is not listed as an emergency contact on Infinite Campus.
• Delays, early dismissals, and cancellations will be posted on the district's website at www.sheltonpublicschools.org.
• Local radio and TV stations will also broadcast the message.
• You can also sign up for text message alerts from various news news stations.
• Please do NOT call the school as it is important to keep the phone lines open for emergencies.

Students are expected to attend school each day school is in session for the entire day. Students arriving after 9:00am will be marked as tardy, unless they have arrived on a bus. Being late to school is disruptive for all in the classroom.

Our instructional blocks will be starting promptly at 9:10am daily. To ensure a smooth morning transition, please have your child to school on time.

Students have 9 excused absences allotted to them-after that all absences are considered unexcused unless accompanied by a doctor's note.

Shelton Public Schools will follow the State Public Act for Student mental health and wellness days.

Public Act No. 21-46 Sec. 19. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section and section 10-198b of the general statutes, as amended by this act, "mental health wellness day" describes a school day during which a student attends to such student's emotional and psychological well-being in lieu of attending school. (b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school year thereafter, a local or regional board of education shall permit any student enrolled in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, to take two mental health wellness days during the school year, during which day such student shall not be required to attend school. No student shall take mental health wellness days during consecutive school days.

Board of Education policy requires that parents/guardians call the school when their child will be absent.

• Attendance is taken daily.
• Automated absence calls go out at 10:30am daily. If you did not call your child out of school you will receive a call.
• All absences are unexcused unless we receive a call or email about an absence.
• A voice mailbox is available for calls at night or early morning for your convenience. When you leave a message, please state the student’s first and last name, the date of the absence, the classroom teacher, and the reason for the absence.
• If your classroom teacher uses Class Dojo, a Dojo message to the teacher is NOT an approved way to notify us of your child’s absence. Please either call the school, email your child’s teacher, or Mrs. Sastram (school secretary) at asastram@sheltonpublicschools.org or Mrs. Quirk (school secretary) at pquirk@sheltonpublicschools.org.

If your child requires a prescription or over-the-counter medication during the school day, you must follow the procedures required by the Shelton Public Schools, the Connecticut General Statues, Sec. 10-212a, and the Connecticut Administrative Regulations, Sec. 10-212a-1 through 10-212a-9. These procedures promote safe practices for students and staff. All medications administered in school must adhere to the following:

• Contact the school nurse to make arrangements to drop off medication.
• NO medications are to be given to a student to bring to school to hand in to their nurse.
• The medication must be packaged in the ORIGINAL PHARMACY CONTAINER, clearly labeled, with the student’s name, the authorized prescriber’s name, and the prescription information.
• Given to the school nurse or in her absence, an administrator.
• Accompanied by a signed authorization from the physician and parent/guardian with the time to be taken, reason, and duration. Medication will not be administered without this documentation.
• Over the counter medications, such as Tylenol, MUST follow the same procedure. The medication must be in a new, unopened container.
• No more than a three (3) month supply may be stored at school. Unused medication must be destroyed if not picked up by a responsible adult by the end of the last day of school.

Birthdays are a special day for students and birthdays will be recognized by their teachers. Food items, balloons, and goodie bags are not allowed to be distributed in school. Celebrations of birthdays should not disrupt the school day or endanger any students with food allergies. Please understand, no outside food will be allowed for any birthday celebration, no exceptions.

Birthday Books may be donated in honor of a student's birthday. If you would like to donate a book to celebrate your child's birthday, contact the classroom teacher. Once the birthday book has been shared with the birthday child and class, it will be added to the school library. This is a great opportunity to recognize a child's birthday as well as help LHS at the same time!

Please understand that the classroom teacher will NOT pass out birthday party invitations. If your child is bringing paper invitations to school to pass out one of the following must occur:

• In invitation for each student in the class OR

• An invitation for all the boys in the class (for a boy’s birthday party) or an invitation for all the girls in the class (for a girl’s birthday party)

• Invitations can not be passed out to students in different classrooms

• Students are NOT permitted back into the building for forgotten items.
• If your child(ren) brings a cell phone to school, it must remain in their backpack and in the off position.
• iPads and other electronic devices (including, but not limited to, Smart Watches) are NOT to be brought to school.
• LABEL all student items and belongings.
• Reusable water bottles must be brought home daily. Non-reusable water bottles will be disposed of daily if they are not taken home.

For planned absences, such as vacation during the school year, teachers are NOT required to provide students or parents/guardians with advance work or assignments. It is the student’s and/or parent’s responsibility to get the work upon their return. Taking time from school to go on a vacation poses a risk to your child’s educational progress. Both students and parents must understand that when school is missed due to vacations, it is not the responsibility of the teachers to provide remedial instruction for the assignments/content that has been missed.

The main office will not interrupt classroom instruction to deliver parent/guardian messages to their child. If the message is a true emergency, your child will be notified between lessons. Parents should not contact their child via cell phone or any other electronic device during the school day. Students are allowed to use the office phone during the day, with the permission of the principal or designee.

We are a nut free school. Please be cognizant of this when packing lunches and snacks for your child. If your child brings in a product containing nuts, your child will not be able to eat it and it will be sent back home. Please note, we do not have snacks to pass out.

Breakfast and lunch are available every day for all students. Due to allergies, all classrooms and the cafeteria are nut free. Your child’s classroom teacher will communicate this to all parents and if there are any allergies in the classroom. Breakfast and lunch menus will be send home electronically at the beginning of each month with food choices (subject to availability). Students may also bring a lunch from home.

As previously communicated by the district:

Beginning on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 there will be a charge for meals (breakfast & lunch).

SMART funds have run out, therefore there are no more free meals under this program.

***It is critical that households submit a free-and-reduced-priced-meal- application, as soon as possible, to determine a student's eligibility for this school year and to avoid unpaid meal charges. *** If you need a paper copy of this application, please contact the main office.

Completing and submitting an application will also help your child's school raise additional funds, to help us make meals available to all students at no cost for as long as possible.

Note: Households that do not submit a free-and-reduced-price-meal application, or whose child is not directly certified, will automatically default to Full Pay beginning on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 for both breakfast and lunch.

Please find the complete FRAM packet below attached or you may find the application located on the district's website. Please return all completed application forms to the school.

Students at Long Hill School have an outdoor recreational playground structure. Rules to ensure our students’ safety are discussed by the classroom teachers. Rules will be reviewed and retaught throughout the school year. Students will be able to use the playground equipment. Visitors are NOT permitted to use the playground during school hours; as it is limited to our students during these hours.

At Long Hill School, we use the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Program, which focuses on using proactive strategies to define, teach, and support appropriate student behaviors to create a positive school environment. PBIS lessons on how to be respectful, responsible, and safe are taught in the beginning of the school year and are retaught on an ongoing basis throughout the school year. At LHS, all students expected to be SPOT On in all areas of the school and on the bus.

A student demonstrates SPOT On behavior when he/she:

• Shows respect
• Plays and works responsibly
• Outstanding behavior
• Timely and ready to learn

Please be sure that your child(ren) are dressed for the day’s weather. Flip flops are NOT allowed in school. Open toed sandals or clogs can be dangerous as well. Students will be outside for recess as much as possible, weather permitting. Please refer to the district dress code policy. Students should wear sneakers on gym days.

• Students will have access to computers through the day.
• Technology agreements outline the expectations and usage of school technology, which are signed off at the beginning of the school year.

• Misuse of school technology may result in disciplinary action.
• Computers are for school use only.

Over the course of the school year, students will be taking part in various drills as monthly safety routines. The purpose of conducting monthly drills is to give students and staff the opportunity to practice what they need to do should an emergency occur.

Please refer to the district calendar for planned days off, planned early dismissals, and other important dates. A copy is provided below and is also located on the district's website.