Alina Q. Iglesias, Principal
Jordana Schneider, Assistant Principal
Message from
the Administration
Welcome
to the 2007-2008 school year! We are
excited about having the opportunity to provide your children with a
quality education at our A+ school.
Thanks to the efforts of our faculty, staff, students and parents we
made the grade, an “A”, under the Governor’s A+ plan. Our accomplishments prove that working
together will guarantee student success academically and
social-emotionally. As we
begin a new school year, I encourage each of you to evaluate the importance
of creating life long learners. We
must emphasize the benefits of hard work and commitment to our youngsters
and instill in them a love for learning, as well as a love for
reading. Children need to understand
at a young age that school is a priority and that the family values and
supports the school community. We
want your children to be proud of their school and happy to be a part of
it. I
encourage each of you to become involved in your child’s education and
assume responsibility for helping educate your children. The task of teaching our youngsters needs
to be a shared responsibility between the home and the school. We look forward to working with our
students and families during this school year to make our students the best
they can be academically and to help them become productive citizens of our
society. Please use this handbook as a reference for issues
concerning the operation of the school.
We encourage parents and students to become familiar with our
policies and cooperate with the school personnel to enforce them. If you ever need clarification with a
policy, please call the school at (305) 823-6970 and give us the
opportunity to assist you.
Sincerely, Alina Q.
Iglesias Jordana
Schneider Principal Assistant
Principal
The mission of
School Information
Important
Information
- ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY –
unexcused absences are reported automatically, by computer, to the State
Attorney’s Office.
- UNIFORMS ARE MANDATORY-
please remember that
- School hours are as follows:
Pre-K 8:30-2:00 p.m.
K-1 8:30-2:00 p.m.
2-5 8:30-3:00
p.m.
All grades 8:30-2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays
- Lunch meals are $1.75
and breakfast will be provided for free this year. You are encouraged to pay on Monday for
the entire week. If you received
free or reduced lunch last year, you must still submit a new lunch
application for this school year.
- After school care is being
provided at a nominal fee by the YWCA.
Anyone interested in registering their child will need to call
(305) 823-9911 for further information.
Website
Please visit our website at www.palmlakes.dadeschools.net
for the latest information and school information.
Feeder Pattern Schools
Elementary Schools
Dupuis Elementary
Middle Schools
Senior High School
Arrival/Dismissal
SCHOOL HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Pre-K 8:30
a.m.-2:00 p.m.
K-1 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
2-5 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
All
grades are dismissed at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays
Morning
Line-up Procedures
Our
cafeteria offers a breakfast program from 7:30-8:10 a.m.
Outdoor Supervision
for students begins at 7:30 a.m. Under no circumstances should children be
dropped off before 7:30a.m. Please
keep your child’s safety in mind above all things. Additionally, private buses should not be
dropping off children before 7:30 AM.
Unattended children will be reported to the Department of Children and
Families for negligence. Students will line up at their assigned location on
the physical education court or under the shelter. At 8:20 a.m., the teachers will pick up their
classes and take them to their rooms.
PARENTS ARE ASKED NOT TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN INTO THE CLASSROOM OR IN
THE HALLWAY. At 8:30 a.m. the tardy bell
rings and morning announcements are made.
Students
arriving after 8:30 a.m. must go to the office to obtain a late pass.
For
cold or rainy weather, students will be supervised in the cafeteria or in the
hallway.
Your continued support and cooperation in keeping our
students safe is definitely appreciated!
An orderly morning arrival and proper supervision is
essential to having a successful school day.
Emergency Early Dismissal
Early
dismissal will only be approved in cases of emergencies. An authorized adult must come to
school if you request an early dismissal for your child. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE RELEASED TO
ADULTS NOT AUTHORIZED BY YOU ON THE EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD. ALL INDIVIDUALS PICKING UP STUDENTS FROM THE
OFFICE MUST HAVE A PICTURE IDENTIFICATION CARD AND BE AUTHORIZED ON THE
EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD. WE WILL NOT
RELEASE A STUDENT UNLESS BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS ARE MET. STUDENTS SHOULD BE PICKED UP EARLY ONLY IN
CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THERE WILL BE NO
DISMISSAL FROM THE OFFICE BETWEEN 1:30 and 2:00 P.M. AND BETWEEN 2:30 AND 3:00
P.M. An administrator must approve
requests for emergency, early dismissal exceeding three instances. We need your
cooperation with this matter.
Hours
Students in kindergarten and first grade will be dismissed at
2:00 p.m. Students in second through fifth grade will be dismissed at 3:00 p.m.
every day except Wednesday. On
Wednesday, dismissal time for the entire school will be at 2:00 p.m. Early
dismissal will only be approved in cases of emergency. Please note that students will not be
dismissed early after 1:30 and/or 2:30.
Parents should plan accordingly as to minimize disruption of the school
day.
Students must go home at their designated dismissal time
unless they participate in the YMCA program.
IF YOUR CHILD IS DISMISSED AT 2:00 P.M. PLEASE ARRANGE FOR
HIM/HER TO GO HOME AT THAT TIME. We
cannot be responsible for children waiting for older brothers or sisters as
this is planning time for our primary teachers.
The opening exercises broadcasted from the office will begin
promptly at 8:30 a.m. Important
announcements and instructions will be given at this time. All students are expected to be in class by
8:30 AM. Morning activities are an
important part of the instructional program for the day. Under NO circumstances should students arrive
at school before 7:30 AM. Parents or
school busses should NOT drop off
students before 7:30 AM. A violation of
this policy will result in a referral to the DCF. This is for the safety of your child. We ask that you please cooperate with us in
this regard.
All children who are tardy must report to the office for a
tardy pass.
Our school office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The after-school program offered by the YWCA
operates from 2:00-6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Picking
Students Up Early
Students should remain in school for the entire school day
in order to receive their full academic program. Only emergencies will be the exception. Please see: (Emergency Early Dismissal.) In order to reduce the amount of students
being dismissed early, we will not dismiss students between 1:30 and 2:00 for
2:00 PM dismissal and 2:30 and 3:00 for 3:00 PM dismissal. This will allow for a smooth dismissal
process for teachers and students.
Picking
Students Up Late
Students must be picked up on time each day at
dismissal. Supervision cannot be
provided for them. Remember the YWCA has
an after-school program if needed.
Rainy Day Dismissal
Please
plan ahead and make the necessary arrangements so your child knows the exact
procedures to follow if it is raining at dismissal time. During heavy rainstorms children will be kept
in the classroom. School bus children
will be dismissed at the regular time with assistance of school personnel and
bus drivers. Children should know what
to do if it is raining at dismissal time.
After
School Care Program
The YWCA offers an after school program for a nominal fee
Monday through Friday. The after school
program hours are 2:00-6:00 p.m. It includes
recreational activities, homework assistance, story time activities, arts and
crafts activities, and a snack. For
further information please contact the program director after 2:00 p.m. at
(305) 823-9911.
Personal Belongings
Please
discuss with your child the importance of taking care in the handling of money
and personal articles. Students should
only bring the minimum amount of money necessary. No valuable jewelry, such as watches, rings,
or earrings should be worn.
All
personal belongings should be property labeled with your child’s name. This would include sweaters, purses, lunch
boxes, wallets, etc. When lost articles
are found they are turned in to the office.
All articles not required at school should be left at home. This includes toys, games, radios, etc. The school is not able to replace or pay for
lost items. Please check your child’s bookbag daily.
Lost and Found
Please
be sure your child’s name is in his wallet, purse, coat, sweater, raincoat,
lunch box, etc. Many of these articles
are lost and unclaimed each year. Lost articles may be claimed in the office
when properly identified. Periodically
lost items will be put on display for students to claim. At the end of each grading period, all
unclaimed items will be donated to charity.
Cafeteria Rules
·
Keep
in a single line
·
Always
be courteous to the cafeteria workers
·
Always
use acceptable table manners
·
Discard
the trash appropriately
Uniform Policy
All
shirts/polos should have a patch on the left hand
side. Patches are being sold by the Palm
Lakes P.T.A. for $3.00. Uniforms may be
purchased at the store of your choice as long as they comply with the school’s
policy.
On
Fridays, students may wear the Palm Lakes T-Shirt and jeans, which are
appropriate for school. No ripped,
over sized, or low rise jeans will be permitted. Students who are in
violation of the dress code will be sent to the office to call home to request
the proper attire. Otherwise, students will wear the school uniform as
required.
Parent-Teacher
Association (PTA)
The Palm Lakes Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association
works with state and national PTAs to support and speak in the schools, in the
community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make
decisions affecting youngsters. The PTA/PTSA supports the faculty and
administration in their efforts to improve educational and extracurricular
activities in the school. Parents and students are encouraged to become
involved in the PTA.
Financial Obligations
All financial obligations
incurred, i.e., school fees, textbook loss or damage, club activities, overdue
or lost library books must be paid in the school’s treasurer’s office.
Homework / Make-up Assignments
Teachers are required to provide
students with make-up assignments once the absence has been excused; however,
it is the responsibility of the student to request the assignments from the
teacher (s).
Textbooks
Lost
or Damaged Books
Children
are responsible for all textbooks and library books issued to them. All lost or damaged books must be paid
for. If the lost book is found, monies
paid will be refunded. All monies
collected are recorded and are paid to the proper fund for replacement
purposes.
Transporting Students to School
Parents may drop off their children at the Parent Drop Off
located on
The school provides supervision beginning at 7:30 a.m. No child should be dropped off before 7:30
a.m. under any circumstances. We need
your assistance in making sure our students are safe and properly supervised.
Bicycles/Skateboards
Students are not permitted to bring skateboards to school
under any circumstances. Any students
riding a bicycle to school should inform the administration and bring a letter
from their parent. The administration
will arrange for an area for the student to park and lock his/her bike.
This
year we are excited about the transformation of our media center. The new state of the art media center will be
housed in the B Pod in the main building.
Books may be checked out for two weeks.
Students are responsible for returning the books promptly and in good
condition. If a student loses or damages
a book, he/she must pay for the book prior to checking out additional
materials. Only cash or money orders
will be accepted as payment for books.
Sorry, NO checks can be accepted.
Parents
may also use the resources in the library.
Everyone using the computers will be required to sign the M-DCPS
acceptable use policy.
In
order to maintain a safe atmosphere conductive to learning, parents and
guardians are asked to refrain from using the media center as a waiting area
prior to dismissal. We are asking for
your cooperation with this policy, it is for the safety and well being of our
students.
We
strongly encourage all students to develop the habit of a daily reading
period. MDCPS requires 30 minutes of
reading daily for home learning. Books
have been purchased that relate directly to students’ Lexile
scores and Accelerated Reader levels.
The Media Specialist, Mrs. Rose or Reading Leader, Mrs. I. Garcia will
be able to assist you with information regarding your child’s Lexile score and independent reading level.
Student Services
Counselor Request
The counselors at
School Social Worker
The social worker at
School Psychologist
This year
Clinic
Medication/Medical Conditions
Students
are not permitted to administer medication to themselves. If your child requires medication during the school day,
whether it be prescribed or over-the-counter, you must
obtain an Authorization for Medication Form from the Main Office. This form must be completed by a doctor and
submitted immediately in order for medication to be stored and administered by
authorized school personnel.
Notify your child’s teacher and the
office regarding any existing health conditions which may impact your child’s
activities at school. Physical education
is required unless the parent has completed an exemption form. Parent-written requests to excuse children
from P.E. will be honored for no more than 3 consecutive days.
Ill Students
