| It is anticipated that each student will
work to his/her fullest potential and strive
to be all that he/she can be. It is
expected that each student will put his/her
best foot forward and cooperate, be
considerate, be respectful, be a good sport,
listen to directions, speak in a soft voice,
walk in an orderly way, respect school
property, and keep our school clean. |
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| It is important that pupils acquire the
habit of regular attendance. A student is
tardy after the opening times stated under
school hours.
Students who are absent or tardy must bring
a note from their parents. Parents are
encouraged to promote good attendance and to
refrain from making plans which will
interrupt the educational process. When
parents request assignments for absentees,
they should not assume that this can
possibly replace five hours of classroom
instruction. A large percentage of
elementary instruction consists of oral work
and classroom participation which are
impossible to make up. Students who
accumulate 8 or more tardies In any one
marking period 013 or more in one month may
receive written notification from school
administration. Students who have in excess
of 17 days of absence in a six-month period
will receive an attendance teller. If
continued tardies and absences occur, the
Hanover Schools Attendance Officer may be
requested to intervene.
Students are required to provide a
note for all absences and a doctor’s note
for absences of more than five consecutive
days. |
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| Emergencies and other unforeseen
circumstances may require early dismissal.
If parents wish to pick children up from
school, they are requested to notify the
school in writing. Parents who come for
their children during the school day or
prior to regular dismissal are required to
sign the student out in the office. |
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| “No School” announcements are carried by
our website, several radio and television
stations as early in the morning as
possible. While parents may decide that
their children should not go to school, the
superintendent of schools, or his/her
designee, may cancel sessions, when, in
his/her judgment, operations present
reasonable risk to the students. On rare
occasions, for example, when a storm
develops during the day, it may be necessary
to close the schools and release students
earlier than usual. This type of
cancellation will also be announced on the
radio or television. Parents should listen
for “No School” announcements and refrain
from calling the school or other local
agencies. Schools will be closed on the
following days:
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Columbus Day |
Veterans’ Day |
Good Friday |
Thanksgiving Holidays |
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Memorial Day |
Christmas Vacation |
April Vacation |
February Vacation |
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day |
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| Every family should arrange a
contingency plan with their children in the
event that school is cancelled after the
children arrive. The details of your plan
may be placed on a form which you will
receive at the beginning of the school year.
Classroom teachers will keep copies of your
contingency plans and remind students of
your instructions if an emergency closing of
school occurs. |
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| Bus transportation is available for all
students. Each student is assigned to one
bus which services his/her residence. A
request for a change of assignment may be
made in writing to the principal. This
request may be made for either a previously
designated stop on the assigned route or a
bus on another specified route within the
same district. If approved a new bus
assignment would replace the bus stop or the
bus assignment on the route for the
residence. Children should go home on their
assigned bus and leave the bus at the
designated stop.
District
Bus Routes > |
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| Lunch is available to all students for a
nominal cost. Menus are sent home monthly
and available on this website. In addition
to the main meal, soup and sandwiches may be
offered. Orders for lunch are placed each
morning. Students may bring a lunch to
school. All students may purchase milk
and/or ice cream. Applications and
regulations pertaining to free and
reduced-price lunches are available each
September. All parents are afforded the
opportunity to apply. The option of
prepaying for lunches is available. Students
who forget their lunch money may borrow from
the cafeteria and repay the next day. All
students are encouraged to bring a healthy
snack each day. Kindergarten students should
bring a healthy snack and may purchase white
or chocolate milk at school. Students are
cautioned not to share or trade snacks or
lunches. Some children have food allergies.
District
Food Services > |
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| Each classroom and area has a Fire
Drill/Building Evacuation plan. Everyone
must file from the building in a quiet,
orderly manner when the alarm sounds.
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| If students become ill or need first
aid, they may come to the nurse’s office.
The nurse will care for students and will
call parents whenever necessary. When it is
necessary for a child to take medication,
the parent is requested to administer that
medication at home. If it is necessary to
administer medication in school, the doctor
and the parent must submit to the nurse a
written, signed, dated request with
instructions for dispensing the medication,
Upon receipt of the written requests, the
nurse will administer the medication. The
medication should be delivered to the
nurse’s office by a parent/guardian in the
original prescription container, clearly
labeled with the student’s name. |
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| Two emergency cards must be on file for
each student so that parents may be
contacted in case of illness or injury. |
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| The counselor is available to all
students and parents. The counselor is a
wonderful resource if you need to talk to
someone about school or home concerns. |
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| In order to maintain a safe and secure
school environment, all doors will be locked
during school hours. Visitors should report
to the school office immediately upon
entering the building and should sign in.
The office staff will assist/announce
visitors. Parents often volunteer at school
as classroom helpers, room parents, library
assistants, etc. Volunteers should also sign
in before starting their tasks. Visitors and
volunteers are asked to wear an
identification badge while in the school.
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| All parents and teachers are encouraged
to become members of the PTA. During the
open house information about the PTA will be
available. Monthly meetings are scheduled.
The PTA is a very active group which
supports the schools, provides school
representatives and room parents, raises
funds for student programs and materials and
resources that enhance the curriculum, and
in general offers input and support which
promotes a positive school climate, good
home and school relations, and achievement
of educational goals. It is suggested that
you support the PTA with your dues and
become as involved as you can in its
activities. |
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| Parents are an integral part of our
school and as such we strive to keep them
involved and informed. An open house is
scheduled at the beginning of the school
year. A calendar of school activities is
sent home the first of each month, and
newsletters are published at regular
intervals. Parents are welcome at School
Council Meetings. Requests for forwarding
information and reports to a noncustodial
parent should be in writing. |
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| Any change of address and/or telephone
number should be given to the school office
in writing. Whenever a change in address or
telephone number occurs, it is the parent’s
responsibility to complete a new emergency
card and/or contingency form. When moving
from the school district, parents must
notify the school office in writing and
complete a record release form. Forms may be
obtained from the Main Office. |
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| Parents are responsible for paying for
any school property (including textbooks,
library books, etc.) lost or damaged by
their children.
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| Art, music, wellness and library are
taught by specialists. The art curriculum
provides an introduction to many media and a
development of expression through these
media. Students have many fine opportunities
to use a variety of materials and techniques
as they learn to appreciate and create art
in its many forms. Student art work is often
framed and displayed in the schools. Vocal
music provides an added method of
self-expression and an appreciation for the
cultural heritage of the country. The
program is developmental in nature and
provides a broad experience with music
theory, rhythm, song, instruments, and
dance. Chorus is part of the grade 4 musical
program. Physical education promotes gross
and fine motor skill development and
includes coordination and social interaction
activities. In the library students not only
become familiar with the organization of
books and printed materials, but they also
delight in sharing some of the wonderful
works of literature that are housed in the
library. Children may select and borrow
books from the library. |
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| Field trips are planned as part of the
curriculum and are intended to provide
extended educational opportunities for
students. Trips of a more general
recreational nature are not permitted. All
field trips are approved by the principal.
Students are required to return a signed
parental permission slip prior to
participating in any school field trip.
Students are expected to conduct themselves
in a proper and orderly manner while on a
field trip. |
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| Homework is an important component of
education. Parents are responsible for
making homework a family priority; providing
a quiet, distraction-free, well-lit,
well-supplied place to work; motivating
children; and supporting them through the
successful completion of all tasks. Reading,
in either a shared or individual experience,
should be part of every child’s daily
routine.
In addition to this daily reading,
homework is provided to reinforce what is
learned in school and to foster the
development of personal responsibility for
learning. Homework is assigned 3-4 week
nights with the suggested minutes per night
as follows: Grades 1, 2, and 3 (15 to 30)
and Grade 4 (30 to 60). Some long range
project assignments and independent study
work may be assigned. It is the student’s
responsibility to ensure that homework is
turned in on time and to check with teachers
for homework assignments that were missed
due to absence. |
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| Our comprehensive reading program is
designed to teach students how to read,
develop independent readers, and create a
stimulating environment which encourages
them to read. We utilize a broad range of
activities and events to accomplish our
goals. Children are encouraged to always
have a book in their desks for pleasure
reading, especially during DEAR (Drop
Everything And Read) Time. At home, time
should be set aside each day for reading.
Activities such as visiting the library,
sharing magazines and newspapers, and giving
books for presents help to increase the
desire to read.
Teachers are encouraged to read aloud to
their classes each day. Throughout the year
guest readers and read aloud activities are
featured. Children will learn to love
reading and will become better readers if
reading aloud is provided at home. Reading
aloud is most beneficial when a good book is
selected, time is set aside each day, and if
what is read is discussed. Reading aloud is
a very special and enjoyable way to spend
time together!
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| Our Birthday/Special Occasion Book
program is an excellent way to celebrate the
world of books. Adding a book to the library
is a wonderful way to acknowledge a
birthday, holiday, special event, thank you,
or in memory of someone special. For a small
donation you can give a book to your school
library in the name of a child, teacher, or
other special person. A label inside each
book will contain the name of the person
honored, the date and the occasion. A note
to the honoree will acknowledge your
donation and thoughtfulness. |
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| The process of assigning students to a
particular class is one which involves many
factors before an ultimate decision is made
by the principals. In addition to receiving
input from the teachers and other school
personnel, parents are welcome to share
information which may be relevant to their
children’s placement needs. Parent
Information Sheets are available during the
conference period of the second term and
should be returned to the office.
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A
variety of practices and supports
must be tried, the results of
the attempted strategies must be
documented as part of the student
record, and the evaluation
information available for review
before a child is referred for
evaluation. A child may be referred
by a teacher, parent, counselor, or
principal for an evaluation to
determine eligibility for special
education. If it is determined that
the child will be evaluated, then
parental written permission will be obtained
prior to commencing the
evaluation process period. The
evaluation must be sufficiently
comprehensive to identify all the
child’s special education and
related services needs. Assessments
regarding the suspected disability,
educational status and progress in
the general curriculum, and the
results of school and state tests
will be part of the evaluation. In
general, any assessments in any
areas necessary to determine
eligibility, to reveal how the
disability impacts educational
progress, and in order to assemble
information needed to develop an
appropriate Individual Education
Program will be included.
An Individualized Education
Program (IEP) Team will collect and
examine all relevant information to
establish the presence of a
disability,
will make a judgment on whether the
student is making effective progress
in the general education program,
whether the lack of progress is a
result of the disability, and
whether the student requires
specially designed instruction in
order to make progress and access
the general education curriculum. The Team may
find a student eligible for special
education services or may make a
finding of no eligibility. If a
student is found eligible for
special education services, an IEP
will be developed to address the
unique needs of the student with a
disability. The IEP will form the
basis for the placement. If the
student does not have a disability,
does not show a lack of progress,
does show a lack of progress but it
is not due to a disability, or does
not require special education, then
the Team will make a finding of no
eligibility. As a matter of good
educational practice, the Team will
discuss the appropriate next steps
to ensure that any identified
problems or concerns are addressed.
Processes are in compliance with
the Federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA),
the MA Chapter 766 regulations, and
the MA Education Reform Act.
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| Individual student assessment is an
on-going part of the total educational
process. A variety of evaluative tools and
techniques is utilized.
Students in grades 1-4 receive report
cards three times per year. Students in
kindergarten receive a developmental profile
report two times per year. In addition to
the academic areas, students are assessed in
effort, conduct, habits, and attitudes. If a
student is experiencing difficulties during
any marking period, the parents will be
contacted. Individual Writing Portfolios,
containing samples from each grade level,
provide a continuous record of progress.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System (MCAS) is a state-mandated
testing program. MCAS assessments will be
administered as follows: Reading and Math in
grade 3 and Language Arts (including a long
composition) and Mathematics. Parents will
receive individual student reports resulting
from these assessments, as they are provided
to us by the Department of Education. |
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| A close relationship between home and
school is necessary for the educational
development of children. Parents are
encouraged to communicate with their
children’s teachers. Parents and teachers
may request conferences at any time.
Conferences are scheduled at times
throughout the year for the purpose of
reviewing progress. Additional conferences
with any member of the staff may be
requested by calling the school. |
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Students will be promoted annually from
one grade to another upon satisfactory
completion of academic and other
requirements. Students experiencing
difficulties will be identified as soon as
possible and the following procedure will be
followed.
- On-going communication among the
principal, teachers, and parents will
occur.
- Informal observations will be
conducted by appropriate staff members,
followed by conferences between
participants for suggestions as to how
to help the child.
- When appropriate, preliminary
assessment of the child’s progress will
be reported to the parents in March, and
the possibility of non-promotion will be
discussed.
- If there is a possibility that a
student is failing to complete the
requirements and that the student is
likely to be retained, the school will
make an initial recommendation to the
parents by June 1.
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