Our Program | School Hours | Absences | Procedures for End of the Day Dismissal | Office Hours | Visitors | Meal Programs | Resource Center |Counselor Information | Medicine Dispensing | Health Services | Health Records | After School Child Care | Lost and Found | Newsletter | School Closings | Homework | Discipline | Safety | Dress Code | Contacting a Teacher| Parent-Teacher Concerns | Harassment Policy | Extended School Services |Fast ForWord | Title I | Special Education | Support Services | Emergency Procedures | Transfer/Withdrawal |

OUR PROGRAM

Arnett Elementary School is a preschool through fifth grade facility affiliated with the Erlanger-Elsmere School System.  Our fully certified staff offers a variety of programs designed to meet the individual needs of each of our students.  If you would like to learn more about our curriculum, or your child’s program at Arnett, please contact your child’s teacher.  Also, if at any time you have concerns or questions about your child’s progress, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher.

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SCHOOL HOURS

Classes begin each day at 8:00 a.m.  Parents, don’t be the reason that your child is tardy for school!  Student attendance is regulated by guidelines and laws specified by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and monitored by the Kentucky Department of Education.  Any child arriving after this time will be counted as tardy for the day.  Students that are tardy are required to check into the office with their parent before going on to class.  Under no circumstances should students be dropped off at the building before 7:30 a.m., since no supervision is available

Dismissal time is 3:00 p.m.  Students that are “riders” will be dismissed first and “walkers” will be dismissed after the crosswalk is clear of vehicles.

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STUDENT ABSENCES

If your child is ill and will be absent, it is required that parents call the school office at 727-1488 to report the absence and reason for the absence before 9:00 AM.  For your convenience, you may report your child’s absence before school hours by leaving a message at extension 42.

Students who are absent will be allowed SIX parent notes each year.  After a student has used the SIX parent notes, a doctor’s note verifying the doctor’s visit must be presented to the school for the student’s absence to be recorded excused.  Note:  (A doctor’s note must be presented to the school for any student who has missed three consecutive days.)  Parent or doctor notes must be presented to the school within five school days of the absence or the absence will be recorded as unexcused.  After three unexcused absences, the student’s name will be sent to the Erlanger/Elsmere Director of Pupil Personnel. 

Tardiness will also be addressed.  Tardiness will be defined as arriving to school after 8:00 a.m.  After a student has been tardy five times, the student’s name will be given to the Erlanger/Elsmere Director of Pupil Personnel. A student will also be marked tardy if they leave prior to 3:00 PM on a regularly scheduled school day.

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PROCEDURES FOR END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL

All car riders will be picked up at the front of the school building, near the sidewalk that exits directly from the school’s main entrance. *Please note- no cars should be parked outside of the school building more than 30 minutes prior to the end of the school day. Cars will be directed to make 2 distinct lines for orderly and smooth pickup, thus eliminating traffic backup onto Kimberly Drive and Stephenson road. Parents shall wait until their child is brought to their car by a staff member. Then, they will be directed to pull forward to exit by either circling around the flagpole and going back down Kimberly drive, or going straight up the hill and out. THERE ARE NO U-TURNS ALLOWED ON KIMBERLY DRIVE. Vehicles that are in line coming up the hill on Kimberly Drive are advised to stay in line, do not block the opening of the apartment buildings, and avoid passing the line of cars that are stopped for pick-up. Those coming from the other direction (from Elsmere) may pull into a parking spot and walk over to pick up their child. For the safety of all, we will not allow students to walk down to vehicles, past the yellow zone or across the street to a parked vehicle. Cars making student pick-ups are expected to follow all traffic laws and to use common sense and courtesy. All violations will be reported to Elsmere Police Department. 

Students that are everyday walkers will be dismissed from the side door next to the teacher parking lot only after the bulk of the cars on the road have cleared the crosswalk. This system has been designed to protect our students, and your children. Walkers who are picked up by a walking parent will be assigned a number and will be dismissed at the time their parent presents their number to the staff member at the side door. 

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OFFICE HOURS

Our office hours are 7:45 to 3:30 each day.  The office phone number is 727-1488 and the school fax number is 342-2481.  Email messages may be sent to Susan.short@erlanger.kyschools.us

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VISITORS TO THE BUILDING

We love your children!  For their protection, we require all guests to register in the principal’s office before going to any other location in the school building.  The Arnett Elementary Staff appreciates your participation in our student’s academic success.  Our guests are requested to remain outside the building when picking up students after school. 

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BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS

Arnett Elementary provides daily nutritional breakfasts and lunches for all students at no cost.  (Breakfast is served between 7:30 and 8:00 each day.)  Parents may send in money to put into student accounts for a la carte items. All students must have a completed Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) on file each year. 

Children will receive a special 4 digit code number (typically the last four numbers of their SSN) that they should memorize.  As they proceed through the breakfast/lunch line, once they reach the cashier they will punch in their code number on the number pad and it will automatically deduct the breakfast/lunch charges from their school cafeteria account, if applicable. 

Cafeteria menus are sent home at the beginning of the month with your child.  If you misplace that, it can be found at the school and/or district website.

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ERLANGER-ELSMERE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER

The Erlanger-Elsmere Family Resource Center is available for families in distress or need.  They are located on the campus of Howell Elementary in Elsmere and may be reached by calling 342-2351. 

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COUNSELOR INFORMATION

A full time school counselor is available at Arnett Elementary School.  She/he can help your child deal with any adjustment problems (i.e. divorce, death, separation, etc.)  If she/he feels more intense counseling is needed, she/he will refer the student to an outside agency to meet the needs of the student and family. You can refer your student to the school counselor by calling the main office, 859-727-1488. 

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MEDICINE DISPENSING POLICY

Medicine should not be sent to school unless it is absolutely necessary that it be given during school hours such as certain types of anti-convulsant or antibiotics prescribed four times daily.  (Antibiotics prescribed three times daily can be given at home.)  School personnel will not assume the responsibility of administering non-prescription drugs (such as Tylenol) or prescription drugs unless a Medication Short Term Administration Form is on file in the school office.  This form is available in the office.  All medications sent to school must be in the original pharmacy container with the label intact and visible.  Liquid medicine should be sent with a medicine spoon or cup for proper dosage.  The school reserves the right to request the parent or guardian come to school to administer the medication.

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HEALTH SERVICES

Certain conditions are common in children and can spread quickly among groups.  School administrators do everything they can to control these conditions when they know they exist, but ultimate responsibility lies with the parent.  Familiarize yourself with these conditions, as well as their symptoms and methods of control.  The key to control is cooperation between parents and school officials.  For the convenience of our students and parents, a full-time school nurse is available at 342-2427, or may be reached by contacting the school.  For families in need, the district can assist in making medical referrals for treatment of students with medical concerns.  Our school nurses also provide health counseling for students; coordination of health examinations and immunizations; as well as screening for vision, hearing, height, weight, and scoliosis

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HEALTH RECORDS

Kentucky law requires that each student have a current immunization record and medical certificate (physical).

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AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE

For a nominal fee, an after school daycare program is available for our students at Arnett until 6:00 PM each day through our YMCA/21st Century Program. 

LOST AND FOUND

A lost and found box is located in our lobby.  Please have your child check for lost items.

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SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

School Newsletters will be sent home periodically throughout the year.  Teachers will send home newsletters on a weekly basis.

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SCHOOL CLOSINGS

If schools are to be closed or delayed, the announcements will be made over radio and television stations.  Listen for ERLANGER-ELSMERE SCHOOLS.  We are not a part of the Kenton County School District.  

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HOMEWORK

Students should expect homework on a regular basis and should complete it neatly and on time.  Parents should emphasize the value and importance of homework assignments.  All students will be issued a separate “Arnett Homework Policy.”

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BEHAVIOR/DISCIPLINE

Good behavior and discipline are necessary for the learning environment.  Good conduct habits start at home.  All children are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that does not interfere with their learning or that of others.  All children are expected to respect the property of the school and of others.  All children are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that respects the safety of all other students and staff members.  This includes behavior to and from school.  All students will be issued a separate “Arnett’s Classroom Behavior Management System And Code of Conduct” policy.

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SAFETY

Encourage your child to practice safety to and from school, on the playground, in the hallways, cafeteria, and in the classrooms.  Incidents of concern should be reported to the office.  Stress to your child the importance of not talking to strangers or accepting rides, treats, etc. from them.  Area railroad tracks are an area of great concern and danger.  As pedestrians, students should refrain from crossing railroad tracks.

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DRESS CODE

Arnett Elementary seeks to maintain a proper learning environment. Students shall dress in a manner that will not disrupt this learning process or pose a hazard to safety of students or others. The following items are specifically prohibited except when designated by the principal or teacher:

• Clothing/accessories with obscene, crude or rude pictures pertaining to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, extreme violence, or sex or that is ethically, sexually, or racially offensive
• Hats or sunglasses inside the building (unless it’s announced as a special event)
• Clothing that exposes the midriff, chest, or stomach areas such as but not limited to halter tops, swimsuits, mesh/see through clothing, muscle shirts, cut-offs, tops with spaghetti straps
• Spandex
• Oversized clothes
• flip flops or athletic sandals/slides without a strap along the heel are not permitted
• Shoes with wheels – discouraged due to safety concerns on stairs

Further, students will wear:

• Shirts/Blouses/Knit Tops/sweatshirts/sweaters – short or long sleeves, must cover midriff. Age appropriate pictures and phrases are allowed, but no pictures or phrases depicting violence, wrestling, drugs, alcohol, or of a disrespectful nature.
• Tank Tops/sleeveless shirts MUST have at least a 2 adult finger width strap.
• Dress slacks/jeans/sweatpants – sized to fit appropriately, worn at the waist, hemmed if needed, so as not to touch the floor, no holes or frayed edges.
• Shorts/skirts/dresses/jumpers – sized to fit appropriately, no holes or frayed edges. Shorts will be permitted to wear prior to October 1 and after Spring Break. The hem of shorts and skirts for all students must fall at or below the fingertip length or be accompanied by leggings. (Fingertip length is when the child is standing up straight with their arms at their sides. The hem of the shorts/skirt must fall below the longest fingertip on the child to be considered within dress code.)
• Shoes/sandals MUST have a strap on the back

The Principal will have the flexibility to make adjustments to the dress code guidelines due to student medical or religious reasons.

Parents/guardians will be required to bring a change of clothes/shoes if students are not meeting the dress code guidelines.

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HOW DO I CONTACT MY CHILD’S TEACHER?

Please feel free to leave a message on your child’s teacher’s voicemail at any time.  The voicemail system is available 24 hours a day by calling our school office at 727-1488.  If you wish to have a conference with your child’s teacher, we encourage you to leave a message so the teacher can schedule a conference with you.  Please realize that “on-demand” conferences are not possible because of the teacher’s responsibilities to each of their other students.  Our teachers have regularly scheduled planning periods and other times during the day when conferences can be scheduled with you and they’ll be happy to do so.  In addition, you’ll also find that Arnett Elementary plans frequent regular parent-teacher conferences as well as open-houses and events at which you will be able to get to know your child’s teacher.  Keep in touch with us, but be sure to schedule those visits!  You may also email your child’s teacher at anytime. 

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PARENT-TEACHER CONCERNS

If initial contact is unable to satisfactorily resolve the complaint or concern, he/she will advise initiation of the following procedure:

1.     Parent-Teacher

2.     Parent-Teacher-Principal or Principal’s designee

3.     Parent-Teacher-Principal or Superintendent or designee

4.     Parent-Teacher-Principal-Board

The parent’s responsibility is to initiate Level 1.  Every effort shall be made for satisfactory resolution at this level.  If either party is dissatisfied following Level 1, they may initiate the sequence of conferences beginning with Level 2.

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HARASSMENT POLICY

It is the policy of the Erlanger-Elsmere School Board of Education that harassment of any form (including, but not limited to, sexual, religious, racial, and ethnic) has no place in the educational environment.  Students and others deemed responsible for such actions will be dealt with according to the severity of the harassment.

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EXTENDED SCHOOL SERVICES

Periodically, Arnett offers additional instruction after the regular school day to strengthen and reinforce the skills and knowledge base necessary to help our students not only be successful, but excel in their abilities.  If you have any questions about Extended School Services, please contact your child’s teacher.

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FAST FORWORD

Arnett Elementary is pleased to offer as a supplemental service to our students, a computer based program called “Fast ForWord.” Based on over 30 years of brain research, the Fast ForWord products have helped over 100,000 students boost reading and language skills, leading to improved learner performance.  Parents often notice increased communication skills and increased self-esteem in and out of the classroom.  Each computer-based product accelerates learning by developing cognitive skills, memory, attention, processing, and sequencing.  For more information, visit Scientific Learning’s Web sites at www.ScientificLearning.com or www.BrainConnection.com

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TITLE I SERVICES

Arnett Elementary receives funding from the Federal Government that allows us to provide additional academic assistance to help improve student achievement for those students that might be struggling.   These services are provided to our students through instructional assistants that work hand-in-hand with our teachers in the classroom to assist those students in Core Content areas, such as Language Arts and Mathematics.  If you have any questions about our Title I program, or your child’s participation in the Title I program, please contact your child’s teacher.   

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SPECIAL EDUCATION

Services provided for students are in compliance with state and federal guidelines. Children with disabilities and unique needs are taught in collaborative teaching models, small group environments, and in one-on-one individualized settings. Eligible students receive speech and language therapy.

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SUPPORT SERVICES

Arnett Elementary School provides a number of extra-curricular and support services to meet the individual needs of our students.  These include:

Guidance Counselor Services
Family Resource Center
Special Education Services
Speech/Language Services 
School Psychologist
Occupational Therapists
Gifted and Talented Program
Governor's Cup (FPS/Quick Recall/Written Assessment)
Academic Team
Accelerated Reader Program
Accelerated Math
Fast ForWord 
Compass Learning
Extended School Services
Title I 
Educational field trips
Interscholastic sports (Volleyball, Basketball)
YMCA
Chorus
Student Council

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

The Erlanger-Elsmere School District has designed a Crisis Procedure Manual to minimize danger to anyone occupying a school should an emergency occur. Our main objective is to attend to the health and welfare of our children in the event of a crisis and also see that he/she gets home safely by walking, bus, or transportation by parent.

In most emergencies your child/children will remain and be cared for at the school he/she attends. In the rare event of an emergency involving the school (such as broken gas or water main, a fire or sudden loss of utilities in bad weather) students will be moved immediately to an alternative site. We ask that you follow this procedure if you hear rumors of any school emergency:

1.                 TURN ON YOUR RADIO OR TELEVISION.  We will keep the media accurately informed.

2.                 PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE THE SCHOOL.  We have limited phone lines; they must be used for emergencies.

3.                 PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE SCHOOL UNLESS REQUESTED TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD.  Any emergency involving your child’s school may mean emergency vehicles and disaster workers must be able to get into the building. If the emergency necessitates relocation of staff and students, follow these instructions:

a.     If for any reason “school” must be evacuated during regular school hours, your child will be taken to and cared for at an alternative site.

b.     Stay tuned to the radio and television stations for updated, accurate reports and information provided by the school district administration about when and where to pick up your child.

4.                 No Students will be dismissed from school unless a parent (or parent designee) comes for him/her. MUST HAVE PHOTO ID.

5.                 No child will be dismissed to leave with another person unless we have written permission to that effect or that particular person is listed on the student’s emergency card.

6.                 All parents or designated parties who come for students must sign them out in the office or the temporary student release station.

7.                  We are prepared to care for your child.  We have a number of people with first-aid certificates.  PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL – WE MUST HAVE THE LINES OPEN FOR EMERGENCY CALLS. 

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TRANSFER AND WITHDRAWAL

If you are moving to another school, you must officially withdraw, turning in school books, library books and obtain records for your new school.

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