School is open to students at 8:00 a.m. Before school care is available for a fee. For information contact Ms. Nolting by calling the office.

Students can begin arriving at 8:00 a.m.
Please DO NOT drop children off before 8:00 a.m. There are no teachers on duty at that time.
If a student eats breakfast in the cafeteria, he/she should go to the cafeteria upon arrival. After eating breakfast, he/she will go to the gym. Students not eating breakfast in the cafeteria should go directly to the gym upon arrival. Students do not go to the classrooms until escorted there by the teacher.
We will begin each day together as a school community in the gym with Morning Meeting. Morning Meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m.

On half-day schedules, dismissal is at 12:31 p.m.

Students in grades K-3 who miss more than three (3) hours of instructional time during the school day will be considered absent from school. The days absent for elementary school students shall include excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.

Notification for excused and unexcused school absences will be given at five (5) days for elementary students to the parent and to the Child Welfare and Attendance Office. A second notice letter will be sent to the students at eighteen (18) days.

Please Be There—Be on time!!! When students arrive after the day begins at 8:30 a.m. they miss important information and rituals that begin everyone’s day.
If a student is tardy, an adult must bring the student to the office to receive an admit slip before entering the classroom. A written excuse signed by the parent must be presented to the office for the tardy to be excused. Tardiness will be excused for the same reason as absences.

1. After the3rd unexcused tardy, the parent will be contacted by the school counselor.
2. After the 4th unexcused tardy, the student and parent must have a conference with the principal.

The school bus provides a convenient service for the students. Students may enjoy visiting quietly with friends sitting in the same seat. Remember to sit, follow all bus rules, no eating on the bus, be courteous to other students, and respect the bus driver at all times. This will provide a safe trip to and from school.

The following steps will be followed for inappropriate behavior on a school bus.
• Driver will provide verbal or nonverbal direction.
• Driver or administrator will refer student for modeling and practice time.
• Driver will conference with parent by phone.
• Driver will complete the Louisiana Department of Education Bus Behavior Report.
If inappropriate behavior persists, the student may be suspended from all bus privileges.
The Driver will complete a Louisiana Department of Education Bus Behavior Report for any MAJOR offense. The administration reserves the right to adjust disciplinary action to fit the infraction at any time.
The goal is for each child to ride to and from school safely and in a positive atmosphere.

Free and reduced lunches are available for children who qualify. These forms will be sent home at the beginning of the year. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Ms. Batiste in the cafeteria.

The cafeteria will be open to visitors beginning September 13, 2009. Please call the cafeteria to make lunch reservations so we can prepare enough food for you.

Medicine:
Students cannot administer medicine to themselves or bring medicine to school. Please DO NOT send medication to school with your child. The child’s parent or guardian must bring all medication to the school’s office and complete the required forms. No medication may be administered without written permission from a doctor.

Illness:
The health and well being of all students and school personnel are important; therefore students will not be allowed to remain at school for the following reasons:
• Fever of 100 degrees or above, vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain, or other conditions conducive to learning. Please do not send your child to school until he/she is fever free for 24 hours.
• Any infectious or contagious conditions such as impetigo, pink eye, ring worm, etc.
• Head lice infection.

These informal coffees will provide opportunities for parents and school personnel to listen, share, and collaborate in order to serve our students best. Current Chahta-Ima families as well as prospective families and interested community members are invited to attend.

It is vital that parents and teachers work together to help students to set goals and work to achieve those goals. PTA meetings are held 4 times each year. If you would like to volunteer or serve on a PTA committee, please contact the PTA President, Karen McQuilkin, or another officer. If you are unable to volunteer, we still encourage you to support the PTA by becoming a member.

Our Parent Teacher Association plans its programs and activities to meet the needs of our students. Parents, teachers, students, grandparents, community members and all persons interested in the well being of children are encouraged to become a member of our Chahta-Ima PTA. For more information about the Chahta-Ima PTA check out our website:
http://chahta-imaelementary.stpsb.org.

Promotion: Transitional First Grade

The number of instructional minutes in transitional first grade will be the same as a regular first grade as described in Bulletin 741. A student who has completed transitional first grade shall be assigned to first grade. Other grade placements shall be referred to SBLC. Students with characteristics of dyslexia who are served in a multisensory structured language program follow the same criteria for promotion as all other students.

Promotion: Grade 1

If a student in first grade receives a Needs Improvement mark in reading or math as indicated on the fourth grading period, the SBLC/SAT shall review available data pertaining to the student’s reading or math proficiency to determine promotion or retention. The reading or math proficiency of the student shall be determined by using the informal teacher assessment portfolio which includes a collection of the following: DIBELS assessment results three times per year, writing sample, word recognition test, basal reading series assessments, math sample, spelling test, Voyager Passport Program, and any other pertinent information. A variety of assessments shall be included, i.e. portfolios, journals, written tests, projects, checklists, writing samples, interviews, observations and anecdotal records. Students with characteristics of dyslexia, who are served in a multisensory structured language program, follow the same criteria for promotion as all other students.

Promotion: Grades 2 and 3

A student shall not be promoted in grades 2 and 3 if s/he fails the following:
Reading
or
Math
or
Two of these subjects: Language, Science, Social Studies, and Spelling
Students with characteristics of dyslexia, who are served in a multisensory structured language program, follow the same criteria for promotion as all other students.

* Recess Reflection
* Parent/Teacher conference
* Referral to school counselor
* Complete a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
* Refer to Student Assistance Team (SAT)
* Refer to Mental Health Provider (MHP)

Step 3: Administrative Referral Process
* Completed Louisiana Department of Education School Behavior Report
* Consequences will be determined by an administrator in accordance with the St. Tammany Parish School Board Discipline and Attendance Handbook

The Administration will complete a Louisiana Department of Education School Behavior Report for any MAJOR offense and reserves the right to adjust disciplinary action to fit the infraction at any time.
*Expectations and consequences as outlined in the St. Tammany Parish School Board Discipline and Attendance Handbook will be followed.

Victims of bullying have responsibilities. Victims should clearly tell the bullies to stop. If bullying persists, victims should not ignore the incident(s) but should report immediately the incident to someone at school. Students should tell their parent(s). If the bullying continues after having clearly told the bullies to stop, students should make a written record of the incident including dates, times, witness or witnesses, and parties involved in the incident. The incident should be reported immediately to an adult who has authority over the bullies, for example, a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, or principal. Victims should avoid being alone with the person(s) who attempted to bully them in the past. Victims of bullying who feel uncomfortable reporting this fact to adult personnel at school should contact another appropriate adult or friend who will report on their behalf. To minimize the risk of being accused of bullying, students should keep their hands to themselves, remember that no one has the right to harm another person in any way, think before speaking, immediately apologize for accidentally saying or doing anything that has made another person feel oppressed, and report all incidents of bullying behavior they have witnessed to appropriate school personnel. Students should not touch anyone without his or her permission. Students should not interact with a person after that person has perceived their behavior toward them as "inappropriate" and has clearly told them to "stop". Nor should they make remarks that may cause another person to feel "oppressed" (stressful, scared, intimidated).

We encourage visitors to our school to participate in our school activities and celebrations.

For the safety of our students, we ask that all visitors report immediately to the office when arriving at school. All visitors must sign the logbook, present a picture identification card, and receive a visitor’s pass. Before leaving, all visitors must sign out in the office.

Parents and visitors are not allowed to go to a classroom without an appointment. These rules must be followed for the safety of our students.

Preschool/PreK:

The purpose of this program is to offer early childhood learning experiences for at risk children. To be enrolled in the preschool program, children must be 4 years old before October 1st of that school year and meet other specified criteria.
The preschool program is designed to help children develop emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially with emphasis on language and social skills.
Another important purpose of the program is to help parents be actively involved in their child’s learning and to enhance their parenting skills.

Transitional First Grade:

This class is designed for children of average or above average intelligence who have completed kindergarten, but need more time to develop the maturity necessary for success in first grade. Based on the principle of developmental readiness, the transitional year gives the child time to grow socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Development of the child as a whole person is the goal of the transitional first grade class.

Special Education Services:

When a child is having difficulty functioning in a regular classroom setting, he/she may be evaluated through the Pupil Appraisal Department. If the evaluation reveals that the student has a handicapping condition, he/she could possibly qualify for special education services.
If you have any concerns about your child’s progress or performance you should first discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher. Services provided on our campus include: speech and language therapy, preschool early intervention, mild/moderate resource and inclusion, managing alternative education, gifted enrichment, occupational therapy, and adaptive PE.

Speech:

A student experiencing speech or language problems, which interfere with his/her ability to work in the classroom, may be referred by the teacher or parents for speech services. Students being considered must be tested by Pupil Appraisal Service personnel to determine eligibility for speech/language therapy. You should first discuss any speech concerns you may have with your child’s teacher.

Preschool Early Intervention (PEI):

Students in this class are in the preschool through kindergarten age range and have been identified through Child Search or Pupil Appraisal as having special needs.

Library:

The school library is open for student use throughout the school day, including before school and during recess. Students will also have use of the library facilities during the time period(s) scheduled for their class to visit the library each week. It is the role of the librarian to help students develop an appreciation of good literature, promote student reading, teach students how to find and use library materials and facilities, and work with the classroom teachers in correlating classroom activities and materials with library activities and materials.
Students are expected to help maintain a quiet atmosphere in the library. Students are also encouraged to treat library books as their friends. Lost or damaged library books and delinquent fees must be paid before the student is allowed to check out another library book.

Physical Education (PE):

Physical Education concentrates on an individual’s maximum potential and his related social, emotional, and intellectual growth. We strive to promote the health, vitality, and total education of the student. The development and maintenance of optimal health, fitness, and physical maturity of the student is emphasized, along with an understanding and development of sportsmanship. Students in grades K - 3 have scheduled times each week for PE instruction with the PE teacher.

Art:

Students in grades K-3 will receive art instruction once a week from the itinerant art teacher during their scheduled class time.

Music:

Students in grades K - 3 receive a minimum of 30 minutes of music instruction each week with the itinerant music teacher. The music program is designed to help each student develop his/her musical ability to the utmost, to provide an outlet for creativity and self-expression, to be introduced to various cultures, and to give a source of enjoyment and achievement which will be continued throughout life.

Counseling:

The counseling program at Chahta-Ima is dedicated to promoting the social, physical, emotional, and academic abilities of each and every student. In doing so, efforts are made to guide all students into becoming well-rounded individuals equipped to make healthy decisions and wise choices, enabling them to cope with situations in the ever-changing society in which they live. The counseling department encourages programs of support, prevention, and remediation by actively providing small group and individual counseling sessions, as well as serving as a resource for our teachers and parents. If you feel your child is in need of counseling services, please contact your child’s teacher.

Telephone Use:

Students are not allowed to use the telephone except in the case of an emergency. Students are NOT allowed to use the phone to request homework. Students will not be called to the telephone except in the case of an emergency.