October Parent Bulentin

SES Soaring To Excellence

SEMMES ELEMENTARY

10100 Blackwell Nursery Rd.                                      Office (251) 221-1630

Semmes, AL  36575                                                        Fax     (251) 221-1633

Sharon B. Anderson, M.Ed., Principal

OCTOBER 1, 2009

OCTOBER CHARACTER WORD

Trustworthiness - Be honest. Don't deceive, cheat or steal. Be reliable - do what you say you'll do. Have the courage to do the right things. Build a good reputation. Be loyal - stand by your family, friends and community.

ATTENDANCE AND ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP)

It is critical that your child be in school every single day, but the State Department of Education calculates AYP in reference to attendance from Tuesday, September 8^th - Monday, October 5^th this year. Please make sure your child is in school every day unless it is absolutely necessary to keep them home. When they are absent from school, they miss critical teaching and learning time. Thank you.

FIRST QUARTER HONORS

Our first quarter honors assemblies will be conducted Friday, October 23^rd, according to the following schedule:

•·         8:30am                                                First & Second Grade

•·         9:15am                                                Third Grade

•·         10:00am                                  Fourth & Fifth Grade

Hope to see you there as we recognize students for their achievements.

EARLY DISMISSALS

Please make every effort to have your child in school every day, all day. Early dismissals will not be granted after 2:30pm. in order to provide a safe and orderly learning environment for our students and to dismiss in an organized and orderly fashion. Thank you for your cooperation.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Semmes employees are on duty to supervise your child beginning at 7:35 am. Students will not be allowed to enter the building until this time because no one is on duty to supervise them. As children arrive they are to eat breakfast (7:35-8:00) and sit quietly in designated areas. Students have fifteen minutes, from 8:00 am - 8:15 am to arrive at their classrooms. Students entering the classroom after 8:15 am will be considered tardy.

Children walking home after school are to leave the school grounds immediately upon dismissal.  If your child goes home via an automobile, please pick him/her up in the front driveway no later than 3:20 pm. We ask that you not park in the carpool lane before 2:45 p.m. because it prevents parked vehicles from exiting the parking lot and also blocks the emergency vehicle lane.  In order to ensure the safety of our students, we ask that you follow these procedures:

• Please place your child's name in your windshield in big bold letters. Construction paper and sentence strips work well. This will assist us in loading cars more quickly.

• ALL car riders are required to be picked up in the carpool lane.
• Parents are asked to remain in cars while in carpool lane.
• Students will be dismissed/escorted to cars by faculty/staff in carpool lane.
• No student will be released to parents who are not in the carpool lane.
• Once students exit the building, they are not to reenter without adult supervision.
• Enter the left car rider lane if you plan to exit Blackwell Nursery Road east toward Snow Road; enter the right car rider lane if you plan to exit Blackwell Nursery Road west toward Moffett Road.
• Students not picked up by 3:20 must be signed out in the office (person must be listed on enrollment card), with reason for late pick-up. 

After 3:20 p.m., school personnel are not on duty to supervise your child/ren.  Your child's safety is important to us and we take great care in providing the safest environment possible.  Therefore, if your child is left on campus unsupervised for an extended period of time, then we will contact the local authorities to escort your child to a safe area where he/she can be supervised. 

These guidelines are in place in order to ensure the safety of our students. We ask that you share this information with anyone picking your child/ren up from school. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our children safe.

SNACKS

Students may bring snacks from home or purchase them at school. Prices are as follows:

• .60  rice krispy treats & chips
• .60  bottled water

*Students may purchase snacks from 7:50-8:10 each morning.

LOOKING AHEAD

October 6^th                                                      School Pictures (in uniform)

October 2^nd - 9^th                                              EQT's (end-of-quarter tests)

October 9^th                                                      First quarter ends

October 12^th                                                    Teacher Work Day (no school for students)

October 19^th                                                    First quarter report cards sent home

October 23^rd                                                    First quarter honors assemblies

October 27^th                                                    Make-up Pictures & Super Star Breakfast