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COVID19 Procedural Changes

Moore Elementary

2020-2021

Morning Arrival:

• Bus riders will have their temperature taken while departing the bus by trained screeners that are MES staff. The children will then be guided into the building using social distancing and get hand sanitizer before entering the building.
• Car riders will pull further ahead down the drop-off lane to the crosswalk that leads to the playground. Screeners will be taking the temperatures of the students. The children will then be guided into the building using social distancing and get hand sanitizer before entering the building.
• If a screener discovers a student registering a temperature over 100 degrees or showing possible COVID symptoms, the child will be taken to a designated isolation room at Moore until our nurse, Sherry Sanders, can evaluate them. Parents will be contacted by our nurse if there is any concern or they need to pick up their child.
• Each grade level will gather in a separate area of the school between 8:00-8:20. The children will sit by class and be spaced apart. Teachers will come to get their class at the 8:20 bell.
• At dismissal, students will dismiss from the same areas, but will be socially distanced as much as feasible.
• Only essential visitors are currently allowed in the building. Parents can come to the school office to pick up or drop off children or materials for their children. Parents will not be allowed to walk their children into the school. Staff members will be present to direct students where to go.
• While there are initially smaller numbers in the school building, only grades PreK-2, classes will eat in the cafeteria daily, spaced apart, facing the same direction. When grades 3-4 return, classes will rotate days they eat in the cafeteria and in their classroom.
• Teachers have been provided hand sanitizer and disinfectant (the disinfectant is EPA approved to kill COVID) to use in their classrooms.
• Our custodians will sanitize all classrooms nightly and clean high-touch surfaces throughout the day.
• Students will be social distanced as much as feasible throughout the day. Staff and students are required to wear masks.
• The playgrounds (both the big and kinder playground) have been divided into sections. Classes will have daily recess, but will not play with other classes to help with exposure. Classes will rotate through the different sections of the playground weekly.
• Parents can find a district Return to Learn Handbook Addendum outlining COVID19 changes in our district at fssd.org.

Arrival Procedures

A.  Arrival

Students will be permitted to enter the school building through the main entrance

beginning at 8:00 a.m. Students should proceed to their designated area where

they will be supervised. Children are tardy at 8:31 a.m. Please do NOT drop your

child off at any other location. For your child’s safety, students are only allowed to

enter the building at the main entrance doors. All other doors will be locked. If you

arrive after 8:30 a parent or guardian must come into the front office and sign in

your child.

B. Bus Riders

Students riding the bus will be dropped off in the front entrance semi-circle. Bus

riders will enter the school through the front double glass doors and proceed to their

designated area. Staff members will be on duty to direct your child to their assigned

area where they will be supervised until they are dismissed to class. Cars are not

allowed in the bus lanes during arrival and dismissal.

C. Car Riders

Students arriving by cars will turn into the school grounds and proceed around the

north side of the building. When you arrive at the east side of the building, pull into

the far right lane closest to the sidewalk. Cars will line up on the far right lane only;

thus allowing your child to exit safely. ALL CHILDREN MUST EXIT THE CARS ON

THE SIDEWALK SIDE. If the first car pulls up to the front of the sidewalk area then

six to eight cars can unload all at once. Parking is NOT permitted in the arrival dropoff

lane.

D. Walk-Ins

If you would like to walk your child into the school building, please park in the east

parking lot. Cross the car lanes at the cross walk only, then proceed through the

main entrance doors. You will need to sign in and get a visitor’s pass at the front

office before proceeding into the school area.

E. Independence Day

The Tuesday after Labor Day Moore celebrates Independence Day. Independence

Day is a way to celebrate and encourage all students (K-4) to walk independently to

their classroom each morning. We feel it is important for students to learn how to

transition independently to their classroom with their peers. Parents are welcome to

walk their child to the front door of the school in the morning and say their goodbyes

before entering the building. We have ample staff members on duty both in and

outside the building to ensure all children make it to their classrooms safely.

 

Attendance

The sole authority for the enforcement of the compulsory attendance laws are

placed on the local Board Of Education & its designated employees (TCA 49-6-3006).

A. Excused Absences

FSSD Board policy on attendance lists excused absences as (FSSD Board Policy 6.200):

• Personal illness or illness of immediate family member

• Personal injury

• Homebound

• Hospitalization

• Pregnancy

• Death in the family

• Extreme weather conditions

• Religious observances

• Military service of parent or guardian

• School sponsored or school endorsed activities

• Summons, subpoena, or court order

• Extenuating circumstances which, in the judgement of the principal, create

emergencies over which the student has no control, determined on a case-by-

case basis

Absences not due to reasons above will be considered unexcused, and the student

will be responsible for making up missed work upon his/her return. When a student

is absent, please call the school by 9:00 A.M. and state the reason for the

absence. This communication helps as the attendance secretary is verifying

absences and assists her with accountability of all students. The attendance

secretary will call a student’s parent/guardian regarding all absences not verified.

When your child returns to school, please email Linda Zehring, at

zehringlin@fssd.org or hand deliver a note to the attendance secretary explaining

the absence(s) within 7 days from the day the child returns to school. Otherwise,

the absence will be marked as unexcused. If you send the note to school through

your child, we encourage you to follow up by phone or email with the attendance

secretary to ensure that it has been received and properly documented.

B. Unexcused Absence Laws

LAWS (Tennessee Code Annotated – TCA)

TCA 49-6-3007 authorizes judges to assess a $50.00 fine against parents when a

child has more than 5 unexcused absences during a 6-week period.

TCA 49-6-3007 requires the principal to notify parents when a child is absent 5

cumulative days.

TCA-49-6-3001 School Attendance Law which requires all children ages 6-17

inclusive to attend school each day.

(TCA-49-6-3007) communicates the steps involved in the required Tiered Truancy

Intervention Plan

Notification Sequence and Consequences

When a student accumulates 5 unexcused absences or 5 unexcused tardies, the

parent will receive a letter from the attendance secretary. When a student

accumulates 8 unexcused absences or 8 unexcused tardies, the parent will receive

a letter from the attendance secretary. When a student accumulates 10+ absences

(excused or unexcused) and/or 10+ tardies (excused or unexcused), a referral will

be made to the district safety and attendance supervisor. A letter will be sent to the

parent from the district safety and attendance supervisor indicating that excessive

absences may result in juvenile court proceedings. Once a student accrues 10+

absences or tardies, he/she will also be required to submit a doctor’s note for

absences or tardies to be excused for the remainder of the school year. It should

be noted that if a student is not in school for three (3) hours and 15 minutes, the

student is considered absent according to state regulations.

New Truancy Plan – Unexcused Absences

Truancy only refers to UNEXCUSED absences. All schools now must follow a new

state law that requires school personnel to follow a truancy intervention plan for

students who are accruing unexcused absences. Tier 1 intervention will be

implemented when a child has accrued 5 unexcused absences. Tier 1 will require

tasks to be completed by parent/guardian and student. Should Tier 1 requirements

not be met and the student acquires 3 more UNEXCUSED absences, totaling 8

UNEXCUSED absences, Tier 2 will be implemented for the parent/guardian and

the student. If UNEXCUSED absences continue to accumulate, Tier 3 will be

implemented for the parent/guardian and the student. Tier 3 interventions may

result in a referral to the Williamson County Juvenile Court for truancy and a referral

to the Department of Children’s Services.

Chronic Absenteeism – Excused and Unexcused Absences

Chronic absenteeism includes both excused and unexcused absences. Research

indicates numerous absences from school negatively impact a student’s

achievement and success. In FSSD, attendance is monitored to determine what

barriers, if any, are impacting a child’s ability to be in school on time and for the full

day. We want to help eliminate ALL barriers that keep children out of school so our

school attendance secretaries, principals and/or the district safety and attendance

supervisor will contact parents/guardians if absences appear to be leading toward

chronic absenteeism. The Tennessee Department of Education’s reporting

standards use attendance data as an indicator of school quality and student

success.

C. Early Dismissal

Leaving school early is strongly discouraged due to the loss of instructional time

and disruption to the learning environment. However, if you know your student will

need to be checked out early, please send a note to the teacher. Students leaving

early must be signed out in the school office by parents/guardians. If the student is

leaving early because of a medical appointment, parents/guardians are encouraged

to get an excuse note prior to leaving the medical facility and provide it to the front

office upon the student’s return. We appreciate your efforts to make appointments

during non-school hours. Please note, an early dismissal is also considered a tardy.

D. No Advance Assignments

Teachers will not send makeup work for days absent in advance. It will be the

parent and student’s responsibility to get the work when the student returns. This

allows the teacher to set aside work as the week goes on, rather than having to take

the time to prepare it prior to the absence.

E. Tardiness

A student is considered tardy to school if he/she is not in the classroom at 8:30 a.m.

or if he/she is checked out from the office before the school day ends. There will be

exceptions for students arriving on a late bus. Tardiness related to oversleeping,

traffic, weather, or not leaving home on time is unexcused. A student who is tardy

to school must report promptly to the office with a parent to sign in and get a class

admission slip. If a student is late because of a medical appointment, please

provide an excuse note from the medical office. Students who leave school before

3:30 are also considered tardy. We trust that you will make a concerted effort to

have your child at school before 8:30 a.m. When a child comes to school late, it

causes him/her to get off to a negative start and disrupts the classroom. The

attendance secretary keeps a record of the number of tardies and early dismissals

per child and regularly reports to the state.

Cafeteria

Breakfast Rules

• • Students must eat breakfast before going to walking club or their designated area
  • All food must stay in the cafeteria
  • Students will be dismissed from the cafeteria at 8:20

Lunch Rules

Be Ready

• Walk only
• Have your lunch lanyard/Know your code
• Get all lunch materials

     Be Respectful

• Remain seated
• Clean up after yourself
• Follow directions
• Be kind

 Be Responsible

• Use good table manners
• Talk in a soft voice
• Keep food to self without sharing
• Raise your hand if you need an adult

Consequence

If a child is behaving inappropriately in the cafeteria, he/she will be moved to the “Quiet Zone” table where he/she will eat lunch quietly by his/herself for the remainder of the lunch period.  Repeat offenders will be given an assigned seat during lunch. The MES cafeteria rules also apply to guest tables.

Parents are welcome on any day to join their child for lunch. Please sign in at the front office and receive a visitor sticker. Space in the cafeteria is limited due to high enrollment. Your child will join you at a parent table to enjoy lunch together. Classmates will remain at their assigned table.

Conferences

Administrative

Parents are urged to contact the child’s teacher first with any concerns.  While the principal urges you to contact your child’s teacher first, please feel free to contact MES administration whenever you feel the need.  Both the principal (Lisa Burgin) and the assistant principal (Janet Carroll) have an open door policy.  We would appreciate you calling and making an appointment, if at all possible.  This assures that they will be available at the appropriate time.

Teachers

Please do not come in unannounced before school to talk with the teacher.  They are planning and getting ready for the day.  An unannounced visit may keep the teacher from getting materials ready for the day.  Please call the school office (615-790-4700) and set up an appointment with your child’s teacher should you need to talk with him/her.  Each teacher has a planning time that may be used for conferences. The teacher is responsible for a room full of children and cannot leave the room unattended. A short conversation in the hall can disrupt a classroom and interrupt an entire day’s schedule. Thank you for adhering to this policy.

 Discipline Policy

Please talk with your child about your expectations of his/her behavior and performance at school.  We will work with students and parents to help students develop self-discipline, but we will not allow a disruptive student to interfere with the learning of other students. The faculty of Moore Elementary has adopted a school wide discipline policy.

 

 Moore Elementary Discipline Policy

All personnel are responsible for all students all the time. It is the responsibility of each teacher to maintain discipline in his/her classroom.  A child will be sent to the office if he/she has done the following:

• Inappropriate language heard by an adult
• Fighting
• Consistently disruptive behavior
• Bullying
• Disrespectful conduct toward an adult
• Other – reason not listed as designated by staff member

 

Faculty members may issue a discipline referral on a child if the child has had inappropriate behavior. The parent, the issuing teacher, and the homeroom teacher all receive a copy of the discipline referral. It will be the responsibility of the homeroom teacher to follow-up to ensure a copy of the discipline referral is returned and signed by a parent.

Bus Conduct/Discipline

Since the school bus is an extension of school activity, bus riders should conduct themselves in a manner consistent with established safety standards and classroom conduct.  If a student behaves inappropriately while riding the bus, he/she will face the following consequences:

1. A bus conduct report will be completed by the bus driver as a first warning and forwarded to the principal and/or assistant principal. They will make the decision if a consequence is needed.
2. Two bus conduct reports will result in a 3-5 day suspension from the bus.
3. Three bus conduct reports will result in an additional 10-day suspension from riding the bus.
4. Four bus conduct reports or zero tolerance offenses will result in suspension from the privilege of riding the bus for the remainder of the school year.
5. The parent/legal guardian is held legally responsible for any damage to the bus and/or bus equipment by his/her child.

PBIS

Franklin Special School District has implemented a district-wide behavior initiative called PBIS, or Positive Behavior Support. PBIS is a positive way to support appropriate behavior. It is a multi-tiered approach that promotes safe and effective learning environments.  Moore has outlined specific behavior expectations for various areas of the school, which will be taught and modeled to students.  These expectations also support our school rules: Be Ready, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful.

Gum Chewing

Because of maintenance problems, students will not be permitted to chew gum on school property.

Field Trips

When field trips are planned, we MUST have parental permission for a child to participate.  We do not like to see children miss field trips because of “forgotten” permission slips.  Please send permission slips and money, if required, as quickly as possible.  Administration reserves the right to request a chaperone to accompany a child on a field trip if there are safety concerns due to behavior issues.

Parties

Classroom Parties

Classroom parties will be held three times a year in your child’s classroom. There is a fall party in October, a winter party in December, and a Valentine’s party in February.   Students are NOT permitted to wear costumes on party days.  If your child’s classroom party is at the end of the day, all visitors will be asked to sign out at 3:00 before dismissal begins.  This will help ensure a safe, smooth, and orderly departure for all of our students.

Birthday Celebrations

FSSD has adopted a district-wide protocol which prohibits food items being brought to school for birthday celebrations.  This decision was based on various factors including the dietary restrictions of many students and protecting instructional time. If you would like to send something for your child to pass out to classmates on his/her birthday, you may bring non-edible items such as pencils, bookmarks, stickers, erasers, etc.  You may also choose to dedicate a new book to the library for your child’s birthday.  The librarian will help select the perfect book and will place a dedication sticker inside the front cover with your child’s name and the date. This is a great way to celebrate their day, leave a lasting legacy at MES, and allows the teacher to highlight your child’s birthday in a very special way.  Teachers may also have their own ways of recognizing the birthday child and making him/her feel special that day.

 

You may purchase an ice-cream treat for all students in the classroom to enjoy at lunch time. This can be done by ordering and purchasing from the cafeteria two weeks prior to your child’s celebration day.  Ice-cream treats available to the students will include options for those students with food allergies and other dietary restrictions.  Food items will still be allowed for the classroom parties which occur throughout the year around holidays including October, December, and February, and at other school specific special events.  Food items brought in for these celebrations must be clearly labeled with all ingredients and those being brought in to “Allergy Alert” classrooms must not contain items restricted in that classroom.

 Personal party invitations should not be distributed at school unless they are given to every child in the classroom.

Conferences

     Administrative

Parents are urged to contact the child’s teacher first with any concerns. While the principal urges you to contact your child’s teacher first, please feel free to contact MES administration whenever you feel the need. Both the principal (Lisa Burgin) and the assistant principal (Janet Carroll) have an open door policy. We would appreciate you calling and making an appointment, if at all possible. This assures that they will be available at the appropriate time.

     Teachers

Please do not come in unannounced before school to talk with the teacher. They are planning and getting ready for the day. An unannounced visit may keep the teacher from getting materials ready for the day. Please call the school office (615-790-4700) and set up an appointment with your child’s teacher should you need to talk with him/her. Each teacher has a planning time that may be used for conferences. The teacher is responsible for a room full of children and cannot leave the room unattended. A short conversation in the hall can disrupt a classroom and interrupt an entire day’s schedule. Thank you for adhering to this policy.

Homework

The purpose of homework is to review, practice skills, and study. It is not to learn new skills and concepts. For younger students, it should foster positive attitudes, good work habits, and responsibility. For older students, it should facilitate knowledge acquisition in specific topics. Each grade level has a homework policy. The frequency and duration of assignments per week is determined by your child’s grade level.

Academic and Behavior Support Team (ABST)

Everyone at Moore Elementary and in the Franklin Special School District keeps the district vision of “excellence in teaching and learning for all” at the forefront of all our decisions. Meeting the varied needs of students is the most important task we have as educators. Teachers design and implement instruction with each student’s ability level in mind, making sure success is within reach at all levels. To achieve this goal, teachers use flexible, tiered instruction in math, reading, and language arts. This means that students who excel will be challenged at higher levels and students who need additional instruction or intervention to understand the material will receive that help in his/her level. This extra learning time may be provided by the student’s regular teacher or by another qualified teacher in the building. A variety of assessments are used to determine how well the interventions are working to meet the student’s needs.

Sometimes teachers need assistance from a team of teachers or other specialists at school to determine the best strategies for student success. This team, known as the Academic and Behavior Support Team (ABST), is in place to provide necessary support to teachers as they work to find the best interventions for each student. On occasion, the ABST will suggest a change in strategy or may ask for a parent conference. When the Academic and Behavior Support Team meets to discuss a student’s progress, families will receive a confidential, brief summary of that discussion. Families will be notified of the support that they may provide at home to help the child reach his/her learning target. If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact any of our coaches – Kim Smith (smithkim@fssd.org), Sarah Goode (goodesar@fssd.org), or Klaire Davis (daviskla@fssd.org).

Report Cards

Grades on report cards are simply used to communicate a child’s progress during that given nine weeks. If the parent or guardian wishes to discuss the report card, he/she may call the school office (615-790-4700) and make an appointment to meet with the teacher. FSSD uses a standards based report card for all elementary grades.  This reporting system enables teachers to clearly report on a student’s progress toward meeting academic standards.

Textbooks

If a textbook is damaged or lost, the student to whom the book was loaned must pay for book at the end of the school year. The final report card will be held until damaged/ lost textbooks are paid for in full.

Library

All students have a library period each week. We have an excellent selection of books available for loan to children. The librarian and her assistant ensure that students check out books on their reading level. If library books are lost or damaged, the student to whom the books were loaned must pay for them.

Lost and Found

Misplaced clothing, lunch boxes, and other items are always a persistent problem in the elementary school. We encourage parents to label clothing, lunch boxes, etc. so that we might return misplaced items to the owner. Any lost and found item will be sent to the office and then placed on the Lost and Found rack and table located by the cafeteria. Please feel free to check for any lost item.

MAC (Morning and Afternoon Care)

The MAC Program is a morning and afternoon care program for the children of Moore Elementary from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Students receive academic tutoring, enrichment activities, healthy snacks, and social connections with other children outside of the school day, in a safe and caring environment. If you would like more information on this program, please call 615-790-4719.

Dress Code

Children are expected to dress appropriately.  Any dress that is potentially disruptive will be evaluated. Clothing should fit the student and should not contain advertising for products that are inappropriate for children. Administration reserves the right to call home for appropriate clothing to be brought to school if the student’s attire is inappropriate.  Children should wear or have tennis shoes at school each day so they may safely participate in daily PE classes and recess.

 

PTO (Parent Teacher Organization)

The Parent-Teacher Organization enables parents to become aware of and participate in the educational process. Administrators and staff work closely with the PTO in a supportive relationship. The goal of the organization is to promote the welfare of Moore Elementary School and its students, to foster a closer relationship between school and home, and to support the activities and programs of MES through financial and voluntary support. Each parent is invited to join and participate in the activities and meetings of the PTO. Information will be sent home with your child concerning PTO early in the school year.

 Volunteer Program

Volunteers play an important role at Moore Elementary. Moore Elementary welcomes parents, grandparents, etc., to participate in our volunteer program. Volunteers are needed to assist in areas such as: individual classrooms, library, field trips, special event days, and other related activities. If you are interested in volunteering, please let your child’s teacher know or call the school office.

 

Visitors

Any visitors to the building must enter through the main office, present a valid, government-issued photo ID, and acquire a visitor’s sticker.  In a continuing effort to prioritize the safety and security of our school campuses and the students and employees therein, the Franklin Special School District Board of Education amended its Board Policy 1.501 (Visitors to School/District Properties– Security Management.) on Monday, May 8, 2017. From this date forward, “all visitors shall be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID when they enter any school building or office during normal hours of operation and all visitors may be subject to a background check.”

If you do not have a current government-issued photo ID, please speak to the school principal, assistant principal, or secretary and they will be glad to assist you. Those who are simply visiting the office for the purpose of speaking to staff, filling out paperwork, or dropping items off do not need to present identification. However, anyone who wishes to visit an area beyond the office must abide by this revised policy.

Public schools are not public places and school officials have a duty to protect the students while they are on campus. While we always welcome visitors and guests, we understand this very serious obligation and are proud that our school board has deemed this a priority by placing it in policy.

Upon leaving the building, all visitors must leave through the main office and return their visitor sticker. The purpose for this policy is to ensure the safety of all students and faculty. If you need to bring lunch, money, etc., to your child during the day, please give it to the secretary in the office. We will ensure that your child will receive the item. Make sure to label the item with your child’s name and the teacher’s name. Please do not go to your child’s classroom unless you have permission from the office and/or your child’s teacher. We are making a special effort to eliminate as many interruptions as possible in the classroom.