Pittsford Elementary School
9304 Hamilton
Street Pittsford, Michigan 49271
517-523-3481
Principal: Mr. Andrew Shaw
Emphasizing Education For Over 150 Years
PITTSFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MISSION
STATEMENT
Pittsford Area Schools
will provide continual
opportunities
for maximum student
achievement.
PITTSFORD
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BELIEF
STATEMENTS
Each
individual is valuable and will be treated with dignity and respect.
Students
can learn.
Students
will be given the opportunity and support to develop their potential in a safe
and nurturing environment.
Curriculum
will be rigorous and relevant to the students’ present and/or future world.
Student
success is a shared responsibility between students, teacher, parents, and the
community.
Learning
is a lifelong process.
The
values of honesty, responsibility and good citizenship will be modeled and
required.
Individuals
are responsible for their own action.
I am a good
person.
I can and I
will learn.
I will respect
others.
I will follow
the school rules.
I will be
honest with myself and others.
I am proud of
myself, my family,
and my
community.
I am proud to
be a Pittsford student!

Pittsford Area Schools will
not discriminate because of race, creed, color, handicap, sex, age, or marital
status. Any person who feels that their
rights have been violated may contact the Superintendent of Schools for a copy
of the grievance procedure.
1. In case of severe weather, the official announcement for
school closing or delays may be heard over the following
radio stations; please do not call the school: WCSR
(1340AM) and (92.1FM), WMXE (102.5FM), WNWN
(1590AM) and (98.5FM), WQTE (95.3), WLEN (103.9),
or TV Channel 10 out of Lansing, Channels 11, 13 & 24
out of Toledo and Channel 6 out of Jackson. When school
is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, all
elementary school-sponsored activities will be cancelled
for that day as well.
2. When school related meetings have been scheduled for times when school is cancelled or delayed, those meetings will be rescheduled for a later date.
3. Prices for school lunch, breakfast, and lunch milk will be included in the “MEALTIME” information sheet that will be sent home the first day of school (see also, “Lunchroom Rules & Information”). Qualifying families may participate in the Federal Hot Lunch Program. Federal Hot Lunch Program applications should be returned to the elementary office within the first ten days of the school year. If you have any questions regarding our lunch & breakfast programs, call Vonda Minor at 523-3481, extension 322.
4. No
home-prepared foods are to be brought in for class consumption.
5. Children are expected to ride their regular bus home at night unless permission to change buses is obtained. If your child is not to ride their regular bus, a note to the teacher is necessary. If a child has no note and the parent cannot be reached, the child will ride the bus as normal. A phone call to the office or your student’s teacher by 2:30 p.m. (the office is very busy at that time) will be accepted in place of a note.
6. Head Lice Policy:
· Detection of live head lice: Parents will be contacted by telephone and letter stating that their child has live head lice. Any other children living in the same home that attend Pittsford Elementary will also be checked. At that time the child will be sent home for treatment.
· After treatment for live lice, the parent must bring the child to school to be checked again. The child will not be allowed to ride the bus until the school nurse, who arrives at school at 7:50 a.m. has checked him/her.
· Detection of nits: Parents will be contacted by telephone and will be informed that they have seven days to clear the head of nits.
· Two school officials, as well as the parent will conduct a head check. If the head has only nits, and is clear of live lice, the child can remain in school.
· From the date of detection, the parent has seven days to clear the head of all nits.
· During the seven days the school has the right to check the progress of the removal of the nits.
·
On the seventh day, a parent must
bring the child
to school to
be checked by the school nurse. If nits
are still found, the child will be sent home until he/she is nit free.
7. Students should bring all medicine to the office. Prescribed medications MUST be in a prescription bottle or have a doctor’s instructions attached in order for the school to administer them. Prescription and Non-prescription medications must be accompanied by a signed medical permission form or note that indicates how it is to be dispensed. Non-prescription medications will always be administered strictly according to directions on the container unless specified otherwise by the student’s physician. Medication left over at the end of
the school year should be picked up by the parent/guardian or may be sent home with the child with a permission form signed by the parent, or the school will appropriately dispose of the medication.
8. Please remember that neither Pittsford
Elementary School nor the school nurse is responsible for the “diagnosis” of
student illness. The clinic has very
limited diagnostic tools and capabilities.
The nurse can inform you of her findings based on a very brief
assessment with these limited tools, and she will refer you to a physician if
she believes it to be necessary. But
the ultimate decision as to whether medical treatment should be sought rests
with the parents.
9. If
a child has a temperature of 100 degrees or more, the parent/guardian will be
called to come and pick her/him up.
10. Michigan state law obliges elementary
schools to adhere to the following: “Children
who have not received the required immunizations WILL BE EXCLUDED from school
UNTIL parents provide proof that ALL REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS have been GIVEN, or
have a waiver on file.”
11. Pittsford Elementary encourages parents and the public to visit our school. Visitors are required to register at the high school office. Visits shall be scheduled by appointment with the teacher and the building principal. Violation of this rule may lead to removal from the building or grounds and denial of further access to the building or grounds.
12. As a school we have to be proactive in school education and in safety. All visitors will enter the building at the High School doors (big pillars). When you enter the building you are to sign in at the high school office.
We have moved the buses down toward the high school building. This will allow more room for parents to drop off and pick up students at the west end of the drive by the elementary playground. We will have big yellow lines across the drive to mark where the buses will be parked. This parking is reserved for the buses from 7:45 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 2:40 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. When you come to pick up your student(s) please wait outside by your car or by the exits. Your student(s) will be brought to you. If you need to meet with a teacher please check in at the office across from the small gym. After you have received your pass, please wait in the hall away from the classroom doors. When the teacher has dismissed the class you will then have time to talk to them.
13. Parental Request Forms, used by
parents to request a teacher for the next school year may be picked up at the elementary office April 1st and need
to be returned to the elementary office on or before May 15th.
14. Students with outstanding debts, missing classroom or library books will not receive their report card until those debts are paid.
15. Procedure for Concerns
If you have a problem that does not seem to be resolved, a follow-up call can be made to the person listed below.
IF YOU CALLED: FOLLOW-UP CALL TO:
Classroom Teacher Building
Principal
Counselor Building
Principal
Secretary of the Building Building Principal
Transportation Supervisor Building Principal
Food Service Director Superintendent
Bus Problem Transportation
Supervisor
Building Principal Superintendent
Central Office-Payroll/Accounting Dept. Superintendent
Superintendent’s Secretary Superintendent
Superintendent Board
of Education
President
SAFETY DRILLS
Over the course of the school year Pittsford Area Schools will be conducting safety drills for fire, tornado, bomb evacuation, and an intruder in the building. We must practice all of these drills so that we will be prepared if any of these circumstances should occur. The following is a description of how we will handle an evacuation of the school and an intruder in the building.
When we have to evacuate the
building, students will be placed on school buses with their classroom teacher
and removed from the school premises.
We will take the students to a remote sight and decide what our next
step will be. We will then, either have
the building checked and send students back to class, or close school. If school is closed we will contact the
local T.V. and Radio stations to inform parents. If this happens, students or
parents will not be able to go back to
school until the school has been
cleared of the threat. This means
the students will have to ride the bus home, or a parent will have to pick them
up. There
will be no one at the school to take phone calls. Please
set up a plan with your child/children so they will know what you want them to
do about getting home, if something like this should occur.
If there is an intruder in the building, the school will go into “lockdown”. During “lockdown” students are moved to the safest area of the classroom and the doors are locked.
Please talk to your students about these different drills and the need for the school to do them. It is our greatest hope that we will never have to do these drills in a real setting, but if we have to we will be prepared.
Both parenting and teaching are extremely difficult vocations. By
establishing an understanding of each position, we are better able to accept
the actions of others and provide greater benefit to the student. As parents,
if at any time you should have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s
education, please do not hesitate to contact their teacher(s).
In order for this communication to be a successful endeavor, the following steps must be taken:
DISCIPLINE
We at Pittsford Elementary School believe that good discipline is essential to an effective school. We also believe that you play an important part in the effectiveness of our discipline policy. Your support for this policy will help make our school a safe, orderly place where our students will learn to respect the rights of others.
Our school wide discipline plan includes a system of rewards for good behavior, and consequences for inappropriate behavior.
A positive behavior
plan will be used to reward students for good behavior on a monthly basis
through the Pride Program and each marking period by the principal through the
Positive Behavior Rocks Program. The
Positive Behavior Rocks Program will begin on September 8th. A letter will be sent home describing the
program on September 5th.
Children who are sent to the
principal’s office will be disciplined in a fair and consistent manner. Documentation
of discipline will be kept using the
Pinnacle Discipline Program. Parents
will be notified either by telephone or written letter from the student
explaining why their child was sent to the principal’s office.
Severe
Discipline Clause
The following behaviors constitute a severe disciplinary referral: lying, cheating, stealing, intentionally hurting another, showing disrespect to an adult, or disobeying a direct order. The student’s parents will be responsible for arranging transportation for the student when transportation is necessary.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
POLICY
1. Attendance is extremely important for
student success. Our records indicate a
significant positive correlation between student absences and achievement. Students are more likely to have academic
success if they have good attendance.
Section 73 of the Michigan School Code states that the final legal
responsibility for school attendance rests with the parent(s) and/or
guardian(s) of students. Parents are
responsible for ensuring regular and punctual attendance of students.
The Board of Education requires all
students enrolled in the schools of this district to attend school regularly in
accordance with the laws of the State.
The district’s educational program is predicated upon the presence of
the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom
participation. The regular contact of
students with one another in the classroom, and their participation in a
well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher,
are vital to this purpose.
Student
Vacations During the School Year
Students are permitted to go on vacation
during the school year without penalty.
The purpose of this administrative guideline is to accommodate parents
who must take their vacations during the school year and desire to enjoy that
time as a family. Whenever a proposed
absence-for-vacation is requested, parents must discuss it with the principal
and classroom teacher. The student may
be given approximate assignments and materials for completion.
Truancy
A student shall be considered truant each
day or part of the day he/she is absent from his/her assigned location. Absence is defined as non-presence in
the assigned location any time beyond the tardiness limit.
Truancy demonstrates a deliberate
disregard for the educational program and is considered as a serious
matter.
Administrative action taken will be as
follows:
Parent
Notification of Absences
The following procedure will
be used to notify parents of a classroom attendance concern:
“5” absences would
prompt the first letter
“10” absences would
prompt one of two second letters
a. One letter explains our concerns BUT the
student’s
grades are not
suffering or,
b. One letter explains
our concerns AND the student’s
grades are suffering. The parent is asked to contact
the school to
discuss the Truancy Contract.
“15” absences would
prompt one of two third letters
(Same as above)
Reporting Absences
Each absence shall be explained in
writing and signed by the student’s parents, or by calling the Elementary School Office
(523-3481 ext. 300) or your classroom teacher on the day of, or the day
following an absence.
Parents are encouraged to schedule
medical, dental, legal, and
other necessary appointments other than
during the school
day.
2. School starts at 8:00 a.m. Students should not arrive on school grounds before 7:45 a.m. Elementary students are not to be inside the building before 8:00 a.m. unless they are participating in the breakfast program. K-5 students are to enter the building through the double doors that go into the lobby by the gym. Students are not to be in the building after school hours without adult supervision. School dismisses at 2:50 p.m.
3. Students
will be marked “Tardy” if they
arrive after 8:15
a.m.
4. Students
will be marked “Absent” all
day if they should
leave school any time before 10:00 a.m.
5. Parents
bringing their child/children to school after
8:15
a.m. must sign them in at the high school office.
6. Parents
needing to remove their child/children any
time
during the school day will need
to sign them out in the high
school
office across from the small gym before they can be
dismissed.
7. No elementary student visitors will be allowed without prior
approval of the principal.
8. Students are to take part in all regularly scheduled class work.
This includes art, music, etc. Any exceptions must be
approved by the principal.
9. Students may be kept indoors following an illness for a
maximum of two days unless doctor’s orders specify
otherwise.
LIBRARY POLICY
All students may check out books every week. Students who do not return their books the following week will not be allowed to check out any books until the past due books are returned. Children who lose or damage books will be responsible for their replacement or repair.
STUDENT DRESS
POLICY
1. Children are expected to dress appropriately for weather
conditions. Boots, gloves, and a warm coat are needed for cold weather. Children are expected to go outside for recess. If it is raining or the temperature/wind chill falls below 15 degrees, the entire class will be kept inside.
2. Students are expected to wear shoes at all times. Articles of clothing should be in good taste. They should not contain obscene or profane language, nor should they promote drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. Articles of clothing which overly expose a student’s body, or are otherwise considered inappropriate for school such as string tops, halter tops, tank tops, extremely low cut tops, half t-shirts, t-shirts with cut off sleeves, short shorts, spandex shorts, boxer shorts, overly tight clothing, see-through clothing, or pajamas are not allowed under our dress and grooming policy. The test for clothing that overexposes a student’s body will be as follows:
a. If a student raises their arms and the mid-section is visible, or the midsection is visible without the student raising their arms, the clothing is unacceptable.
b. If a student places their arms at their side and the fingertips extend past the length of the shorts, skirt, dress, etc., then they are unacceptable.
c. Pants, shorts, etc., must be worn where they are intended, at the waist. Oversized slacks that hang inappropriately below the waist line exposing undergarments will not be permitted.
Any student found in violation of any of the above will be given appropriate clothing to wear, or their parents will be contacted to bring acceptable clothing to the student. Repeated violations of these rules will require disciplinary action to be taken. Clothing which is considered inappropriate or a distraction to the educational process will not be allowed.
No
hats, or any other materials that cover your head may be worn in the
school building. Personal items
should be labeled. Lost and found
items may be obtained at the nurse’s office.
GENERAL SCHOOL-WIDE RULES
1. Follow directions the first time they are given.
2. There will be no real or pretend fighting, teasing, inappropriate language, or name calling.
3. Do not litter, abuse, or damage school property.
4. No gum chewing will be allowed in the classroom or playground, unless permission is given by the teacher.
5. Walk in the school building and on the school grounds. (Recess and gym class are exceptions to this rule.)
6. Respect and obey all school personnel.
7. POP
IS NOT TO BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL AND ALL VENDING MACHINES ARE OFF LIMITS TO
ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS.
8. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourselves.
9. Do not bring baseballs, toys, matches,
lighters, radios, tape recorders, CD players, hand-held electronic games, cell phones and trading cards to school.
10. Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or imitations of these substances are not allowed. (Pittsford Area Schools will, on occasion utilize a trained dog to conduct drug sweeps in grades 5 -12.)
11. Guns and knives are not to be brought to school. Consequences are severe as mandated by law.
VISTIORS
Pittsford Elementary encourages parents and the public to visit our school. In the interest of our students’ safety, visitors will be required to register at the high school office across from the small gym, and will be given “Visitor Badges” to wear while in the building.
Classroom visitation shall be scheduled by appointment with the teacher and the building principal. Violation of this rule may lead to removal from the building or grounds and denial of further access to the building or grounds.


LUNCHROOM RULES
& “MEALTIME” INFORMATION
1. Stay seated in assigned area until dismissed by supervisor.
2. Use quiet, inside voices.
3. Eat only your own food.
4. No throwing, spitting, or playing with food or other items.
5. No breaking, bending, or popping of any item.
6. Clean up your space after eating.
7. No food allowed out of the cafeteria.
MEALTIME
Pittsford
Area Schools uses a computerized meal accountability system called
“MEALTIME.” The procedure parents and
students use is as follows:
1. Parents are given envelopes in which
they put their entire family’s lunch money.
On the outside of the envelopes the parents list each of their children,
the grade they are in, and specify how much money should go into each child’s
account.
2. The students drop the envelopes into
the MEALTIME box as they enter the school building, and the amounts listed on
the envelopes will be verified and entered into the computer in the morning
before lunch. No deposits will be made
during the lunch time period.
3. Students are issued a bar coded card
and a student number. When the student
goes to lunch (or breakfast) they tell the computer operator what they wish to
purchase. The computer operator enters
that information, the student runs their card through a scanner, and the money
will be deducted from their account.
Kindergarten through 6th grade students’ cards are kept by
their teachers and distributed just prior to lunch. Junior High and High school students are responsible for their own
cards. There will be no charge for the
original cards, but if a student loses or damages the original there will be a
$2 replacement fee.
4. When a student’s account becomes low, a
new lunch envelope will be given to the student, and parents can then send the
next installment of lunch money. If
a student has no money in their account, they will only be able to charge their
lunch for two days. If a deposit is not made after that, they will
be served a peanut butter sandwich with milk for three days.
5. At the end of the school year if any
money is left in student accounts, parents will be able to choose whether they
would like a cash reimbursement or have the money carried over into the next
year’s account.
Parents
can help ensure the smooth operation of MEALTIME by adhering to the following
guideline:
*Make sure each child’s NAME and GRADE is on the
MEALTIME envelope along with the amount of
money
that should be entered into each child’s
MEALTIME
account.
*Only money for breakfast, lunch,
and other cafeteria food
items should be placed in the MEALTIME
envelope.
The Following is a “Sample Letter” on Negative
Mealtime Balance for an Extended Period
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to you because your child, (child’s name) has carried
a negative balance in her/his lunch account for an extended period of
time. I have made previous attempts to
communicate this problem to you. We are
now at a point where this situation must be addressed immediately.
There are two state regulations, which impact this situation. The first requires school districts to
provide a basic lunch (milk and a sandwich) to a child with no money for up to
three (3) days. We have done this. The related regulation states if the parent
continues to ignore the child’s lunch needs, the situation shall be referred to
the authorities.
Consequently, we must hear from you immediately. If the situation is not addressed, we will
have to report this to the authorities.
If money is the issue then a free and reduced lunch form must be filled
out so (child’s name) can receive the appropriate nutrition.
You need to contact the school immediately to either complete a free and
reduced lunch application or to arrange a lunch deposit. If we don’t hear from you by (date),
we will be forced to follow through with the required reports. If you have any questions, please contact
Vonda Minor at 523-3481, ext. 322.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation,
Vonda Minor
Food Service Director
HALLWAY RULES
1. Walk single file on the right side of the hall.
2. No unnecessary talking.
BATHROOM RULES
1. Get in, do your business, and get out.
2. Do not interfere with others.
3. Flush the toilet and wash your hands.
4. Clean up after yourself.
PLAYGROUND RULES
1. Get a drink, go to the restroom, and get appropriate clothing before going out to recess. Students may go back inside only in an emergency and only with the playground supervisor’s permission.
2. Play in the designated areas only—the playground is bounded by sidewalks, fences and roads. Do not leave the playground without a supervisor’s permission. Only one child shall go off the playground to retrieve a ball (with supervisor’s permission).
3. No food on the playground.
4. No standing or jumping out of swings. Stand clear of the swings when in use. Swings are to be used by one person at a time.
5. Slides are to be used in a sitting position only, face toward the bottom of the slide.
6. Softball, football, soccer, kickball, and tag should be played in uncongested areas. Do not throw rocks, snowballs or anything else not meant to be thrown. Return balls to supervisor at the end of recess time.
7. No unnecessary rough play is allowed: pushing, shoving, hitting, cursing, name-calling or other mean acts are not allowed. If fighting occurs, everyone involved will be taken to the principal.
8. Line up quickly and quietly in your room’s designated area when you hear the whistle.


BUS RULES
Riding the bus is a privilege. Students are to be ready and waiting for the bus every morning. The bus is not required to wait while students walk from the house to the pick-up point. This is time consuming and dangerous for the bus and its students. Students are expected to cooperate in making trips safe. You are to follow all bus rules and directions of the bus driver.
1. Bus riders must stay in their seats and in a sitting position when bus is in motion.
2. Bus riders should not move to board a bus until it is completely stopped and the door is open.
3. Bus riders should leave their seats only after the bus has come to a complete stop at their bus stop.
4. Bus riders in the elementary grades who must cross a street at their bus stop should stop in front of the bus and look in both directions to be sure it’s safe to cross the street. Wait for the driver to signal.
5. Keep hands and head inside the bus at all times.
6. Loud talking or shouting or fighting can be very disturbing to the driver and is not to be allowed.
7. Any damage to the bus shall be paid for by the rider inflicting the damage.
8. All riders should help to keep the bus clean, sanitary and orderly.
9. Walk (not run) in front of the bus when crossing the highway.
10. Be courteous and obedient to your bus driver. Your help will enable him to make your school bus ride safer.
11. Warn the driver of approaching danger if you have reason to believe the driver is not aware of the danger.
12. The bus driver is authorized to suspend bus riders who refuse to cooperate until parents meet with the principal and work out the problem.
13. No pop or food should be eaten on the bus.
14. No elementary students are to have pop on the bus when going home.
Consequences
1st Warning – Written notice of misbehavior from driver, parents must sign and student return it to the driver next school day.
2nd Warning – A conference between parent, principal, bus driver and bus transportation supervisor will be held. Possible suspension for three (3) days.
3rd Warning – A conference between parents, principal, bus driver and bus supervisor will be held. Possible two week suspension.
4th Warning – A conference between parents, student, principal, bus driver, bus supervisor and representative of the school board. Possible suspension for the rest of the school year.

PITTSFORD AREA SCHOOLS
2008-2009 CALENDAR
August 26-28 Teacher Professional Development Days
September 02 First
Day for Students
22 NO SCHOOL-Fair Day/Professional
Dev.
October 7 ˝ Day-Students, a.m. / Parent-Teacher Conferences
12:30-3:30
p.m. & 5:00-8:00 p.m.
31 End
of 1st Marking Period
November 26 2-Hour
Early Dismissal for Professional Dev.
27-28 NO
SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Vacation
December 22-31 NO SCHOOL – Christmas
Vacation
January 01-02 NO SCHOOL-Christmas Vacation
05 School Resumes
16 ˝
Day Exams a.m./ ˝ Teacher Work Day p.m.
End of 1st Semester
February 13 2-Hour Early Dismissal for Professional Dev.
16 NO SCHOOL - President’s
Day
26 ˝ Day-Students, a.m. / Parent-Teacher Conferences
12:30-3:30
p.m. & 5:00-8:00 p.m.
March 20 End
of 3rd Marking Period
30-31 NO SCHOOL – Spring Break
April 01-03 NO SCHOOL - Spring Break
10 NO
SCHOOL – Good Friday
29 2-Hour
Early Dismissal for Professional Dev.
May 25 NO
SCHOOL - Memorial Day
27 Full
Day – Exams
28 Full
Day – Exams
29 ˝
Day Exams / ˝ Teacher Work Day
End
of 4th Marking Period
Last Day of
School ! (Without any make-up)
*School cancellation moves schedule to next school day.