Taylor Elementary Student/Parent Handbook

Address/ Phone Number Changes - We must keep updated information on all our students in case of any emergency.  Please send all phone number changes (home, cell and work) to the Registrar.  It must be in writing or via email. All address changes must be given to the Registrar with proof of residency.

Allergies – If it is medically necessary for you to drink water instead of milk as part of your regular diet, you must send in a written note from your doctor to the cafeteria manager. And, a health management plan needs to be completed for the clinic for all allergies.

Arrival/Dismissal - K. E. Taylor’s school day is 8:45am - 3:20pm. You may not arrive at school before 8:20am.  Teachers are busy with meetings, planning and training and are not able to take care of students during the time before school starts.  If you come to school before 8:20 a.m., you must stay in the car with your parent. When the bell rings at 8:20am, you may enter the building as a car rider. Do not get out of your car in the parking lot and walk to the building.  If you walk to school, please arrive no earlier than 8:20am.  Walkers, parent volunteers and visitors should enter through the front doors of the school.  Once school is dismissed for the day, students cannot not re-enter the building.

Attendance - It is important that you be in school every day unless you are sick. If you are absent, please bring in a note from your parent/guardian on the day you return to school – no later than three days from your return to school.  The note should communicate the day(s) you were absent and the reason you were absent. It can also be a note from the doctor’s office.

Bell Schedule 

8:35am Tardy/Warning Bell

8:40am Start of daily Eagle Eye Broadcast

3:20pm Dismissal begins

If you arrive later than 8:45am, you must be signed in by a parent/guardian.

Birthday Treats - Birthdays can be celebrated with treats from commercial kitchens (such as Costco, Kroger, Publix or Sam’s Club) or ice cream can be purchased from the school (see the Taylor website for the form – under Parent Tab).

Books - If you lose a library book, textbook, or any other school materials, you will be expected to pay for it.

Cafeteria Visits – Parents are allowed to have lunch with you in the cafeteria. Please eat at the Visitor’s Tables with your parents. 

Please remind your parents that our school policy does not permit:

• “fast food “to be brought in the cafeteria for lunch
• any carbonated drinks
• any drinks in glass containers

Clinic - Our school has a clinic worker that works in the clinic every day.  She will help you with minor injuries and give you any doctor or parent authorized (in writing) medication that you need to take while you are at school. An adult must bring ALL medicine into the school. Students MAY NOT bring medicine to school in their backpack. This is GCPS policy.  

If you become sick while you are at school, the clinic will contact your parents to pick you up.  Students with a fever of 100° must go home. You must be fever free, without medicine, for 24 hours before you can return.

Clinic Cards - The information on your clinic card must be correct and current so we can reach your parents if you are sick or injured at school.

Closing of School - If bad weather causes school to be cancelled, delayed, or dismissed early, public announcements will be made on the GCPS website (www.gcpsk12.org), on Twitter and Facebook, and via metro-Atlanta radio and television stations.

If inclement weather causes school to be closed before the end of the regular school day, all students will travel home via their usual transportation (Bus, Car Rider, Walker, Day Care Bus/Van).  If it is necessary for you to check your child out prior to dismissal, staff will be available in the lobby to assist you.  The window for student check out will be communicated via email and the school website.  All children NOT checked out through the front office at the close of the check-out window will travel home as they normally do.

Conduct Behavior Code –

The following rules apply when you are:

a.  on the school grounds;

b. off the school grounds at a school activity, function, or event;

c. in route to and from school;

d. on the school bus; or

e. off the school grounds while the student is in attendance at any school function, or is otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of school authorities.                                                                   

1. Students will not interrupt learning and teaching.

2.  Students will not damage or attempt to damage or take or attempt to take the property of the school.

3.  Students will not damage or attempt to damage or take or attempt to take the personal property of others.

4.  Students will not threaten, hit, kick, bite, bump, push, pull hair, pinch, hurt or use disrespectful language with staff (administrators, teachers, bus drivers, etc.)

5.  Students will not bully, threaten, hit, kick, bite, bump, push, pull hair, pinch, hurt, or use disrespectful language with other students or any other person not employed by the school.  Fighting on the school bus may result in suspension from school and/or from riding the bus.

6.  Students will not possess or use weapons, whether assembled or disassembled (guns-including toy guns, knives, firecrackers, etc.) whether toy, operational or not operational if a person could reasonably perceive the object to be a weapon.

7.  Students will not possess, use or distribute alcohol or drugs or any substances that represent to be alcohol or drugs.

8.  Students will obey directions or commands of teachers, principals, bus drivers, etc.

9.  Students will not expose or touch himself/herself or others inappropriately including private areas of the body.

10.  Severe or repeated violations of school rules may result in parental conference and/or discipline review committee meeting.

Conferences and School Visits - We are very concerned about the safety and security of our students; therefore, we ask that ALL parents sign in at the school office if they come to visit between 7:45am and 3:45pm.  Any person who is walking in our school hallways without a visitor badge will be asked to go to the office to sign in and get one.  You are only allowed to leave school with your parents from the school’s front office.  Your teacher has been told not to allow you to leave with your parent from your classroom. Please enter and exit through the front doors. This is an important part of our security plan to keep you safe.

Dismissal - Bus riders will leave from the main doors in the front of the school building.  If you are a car rider, you will leave from the exit doors in the Creek Community, which is where you are dropped off for school.  If you ride a private day care bus, you will leave from the Canyon Community (near the gym).

Early Release - On the non-digital days when there are parent-student-teacher conferences, school will be dismissed at 12:50pm.  See the GCPS Calendar for exact dates.

Handicapped Accessibility – Taylor Elementary School wishes to meet the needs of all our students and families.  If any member of your family needs assistance or has any questions regarding mobility impaired issues or handicapped access, please contact the Principal. 

Homework - Studying at home is an important part of making progress in school.  It is your responsibility to take home all necessary materials.

Responsibility includes remembering to take all necessary materials home (examples:  agenda book, homework assignments, coats, etc.). Students may not return to their classrooms after school hours to retrieve forgotten materials, this includes cell phones.

Ice Cream – Sales of ice cream is available to you after you have eaten your lunch on Fridays.  Cost is $1.00. 

Internet - At our school, the Internet is only used for schoolwork.  Students utilize websites and applications as well as a variety of other digital resources that allow them to interact, share, create and innovate. Access is a privilege, not a right, and all students are expected to treat this learning tool with respect. If you do not use the Internet in the correct manner, you will lose the privilege.

Lost and Found - Please put your name on coats, lunch boxes, etc. so that these items may be returned to you when found. Lost and Found is located by the front office and down the Kindergarten hallway.  We donate unclaimed items twice year – after Winter break and at the end of the year.

Messages to Students - You will only receive phone messages in the classroom in the event of an emergency.  Also, the GCPS school district will occasionally send email and phone messages to communicate important information.

Messages to Teachers - Messages can be left for teachers between 7:45am and 3:45pm.    Teachers’ hours end at 3:45pm.  If your parents call after 3:45pm, your teacher may not return the call (or email) until the following day.

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up - Cars are routed to the side of the building in the morning and afternoon.  You should not be dropped off in the front of the building.   This area is for the school bus loading and unloading only.

Parent Visitations:  Your parents are always welcome in our building, as we work to promote parent/school partnerships.  However, we require that parents wishing to visit a classroom speak with your teacher first to schedule this.  This advance notice is important as schedules can change.  This cooperation will minimize disruptions to your teacher’s planning time and your peers’ instructional program and activities. Parents should not go back to the classroom with you after eating with you in the cafeteria.

Pictures - School pictures are taken in the Fall and Spring.  Class pictures will be taken in the Spring. The dates and payment options will be announced when scheduled.

Report Cards – You will receive two report cards each year.  One in January at the end of Semester 1 and one in May at the end of the year. 

Student Placement in Classes - Please remember that you are temporarily placed in your class until the end of the first few weeks of school.  At that time, changes in the number of students in your grade level may require that some students be changed to different classes.

Security Plan - Our school has a security plan to provide a safe environment for our students.  Our plan requires that all visitors check in at the office and get a visitor badge before going to the classroom, Media Center, gym or cafeteria.  Please remind your parents that this procedure is very important to our students’ safety and security.  Identification is required for entrance into the building.

Student Checkout - You must be checked out of school through the front office.  You will not be released to your parents from the classroom.  You must be checked out from school by 2:45pm.

Student Dress Code - All students are expected to dress appropriately for school.  Students are not permitted to wear halter tops, tank tops, strapless tops, spaghetti straps and tops that show midriff/crop tops. Also, torn jeans (tears above the knee) or short shorts (shorts should be “fingertip length”) are not permitted.  Hats and hoods in the school building are not permitted, with the exception of special “hat days” that serve as fundraising events for various charities.  For safety reasons, roller shoes are not permitted.  Shirts, pants/jeans should fit properly so that inappropriate exposure does not occur.  Flip flops are prohibited.  When inappropriate clothing is worn, parents will be called to provide appropriate dress.  We encourage students to wear our spiritwear.  We believe a consistent dress code will result in higher student achievement and ensure a safe and positive learning climate.

Tardies - All students should plan to be on time to school every day.  When you are late for school, your parent must accompany you to the school office and sign you in.   The warning bell rings at 8:40am.  You are considered tardy if you are not in the building by the 8:45am bell.

Frequently Asked Questions

Attendance

• Question: Do I need to bring a note to school after being absent? Answer: Yes, you must bring in a note to school within three days of your absence.  The note should tell when you were absent, the reason why you were absent, and be signed by your parent/guardian.  You can also bring in a note from your doctor’s office.
• Question: When am I considered tardy? Answer: You are tardy if you are not in the building by the 8:45am bell.  If you are later than 8:45am, you need to be signed in the front office by a parent/guardian.
  
  
• Question: What attendance issues are monitored by the school? Answer: Absences (excused and unexcused), tardies, and early checkouts are all monitored by the school.
  
  
• Question: What is the procedure for early checkout? Answer: You can be checked out by your parent/guardian through the front office before 2:45pm.

Dress Code (Student)

• Question: What is considered unacceptable dress? Answer: Halter tops, tank tops, tops that show midriff, short shorts, roller shoes, torn jeans, and flip-flops. 
  
  
• Question: What happens if inappropriate clothing is worn to school? Answer: Your parent/guardian will be called to bring in appropriate clothes for you.

 

Grading Scale
Kindergarten & 1st Grade	2nd – 5th Grades
E  -  Excellent	A  -   90 - 100
S  -  Satisfactory	B  -   80 - 89
N  - Needs to Improve	C   -  70 - 79
U  -  Unsatisfactory	U   -  0 - 69