School Procedures

Absences and Attendance

Absences

Reporting Attendance- call or email before 8:00 a.m.:

Parents of children who are ill and will be absent from school must notify the nurse’s office before 8:00 a.m. at 895-0651 or email, htsnurse@htslenexa.org. A student is counted tardy if he/she arrives any time after 7:45 a.m. All school doors are locked from the outside at 7:45,anyone wanting entrance to the building after this time will need to report through the main entrance/office area. Students who are tardy are to report to the nurse's office before going to their homeroom.

Attendance

The state of Kansas imposes a duty on parents and schools to work together to ensure that children receive an education. Kansas compulsory attendance laws apply to parochial schools. When Holy Trinity Catholic School sees that a student has excessive absences, parents will be notified and efforts made to remedy the situation.

Excused Absences may include: personal illness; illness or death in the family; attendance to a funeral, baptism, wedding or other family event; appointments; emergencies at home; participation in a school sponsored event; high school visit made by an 8th grader. Missed work may be completed and grades are not penalized.

Unexcused Absences include absences not communicated with the school. Missed work must be completed, however grades may be penalized.
1. - State law provides that if a child is inexcusably absent from school on three consecutive days, or five days in a semester, or seven days in a year, then the child is considered truant and may be reported to the District Attorney in Johnson County.

After School Events

If a student is home from school due to illness, they may not participate in evening/after school events that day.

Tardy Policy

Habitual tardiness is unacceptable. It disrupts the learning environment and does not prepare students to be successful at school and in their future careers. A student is counted tardy if he/she arrives any time after 7:45 a.m. Students who are tardy are to report to the nurse's office before going to their homeroom. Any student attending less than 2 hours of class (arrival after 9:45 am) will be marked absent for that day.

Parents will be notified in case of excessive tardies. If necessary, a written improvement plan will be created.

Appointments

Any parent picking up his/her child for any appointment must come to the school office, request the student, and sign him/her out on the sign-out form. Your child will also be released to the persons you indicated on the Transportation Permission List in Sycamore. They also must come to the school office to check out the child. If you wish for someone other than those mentioned above to pick up your child, you must log onto your Sycamore account & add them to your Transportation Permission List. Call the school office for assistnace if needed. No parent is to go directly to a child’s classroom. Students must return to the school office to sign in and receive a student pass before returning to the classroom.

Arrival & Dismissal

------ No parking on any street

------ No parking in the front of the school

Your children’s safety is our top priority. These procedures are in place to maintain the safety of all children.

FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING CELL PHONES DURING DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP TIMES.

Arrival

SEE ARRIVAL MAP BELOW

7:20-7:30 Entrance through Cafeteria (east doors) and Front Office ONLY

7:30-7:45 Entrance through: Cafeteria East and West, Front Office, Front West entrance

After 7:45 Entrance through Front Office ONLY

There are two areas for drop-off before school. If you need to park, please park in the church parking lot and walk your child(ren) into the school building:

-Drop-Off Location– 92nd Street

All traffic will move west on 92nd Street.

Follow the crossing guard’s stop sign.

Pull all the way up to the stop sign on Park Street to begin a line for drop off.

Once stopped, students will exit the cars CURB SIDE ONLY.

DO NOT PARK ON 92ND STREET TO ASSIST STUDENTS OUT OF THE CAR.
No left turns will be allowed onto 92nd Street from Summit Street
Parents should not get out of their cars

-Drop-Off Location– School Parking Lot (North of Building)

All cars enter the paved playground area from the west entrance (Park Street) and continue to move up towards the Parish Center so a line will form back towards Park St.
Pull all the way up to the tree by the playground to begin drop off line

Once your car is stopped, students may exit CURB SIDE ONLY.

Cars exit onto 91st Street.
Parents should not get out of their cars

Dismissal

SEE DISMISSAL MAPS BELOW

Announcements, prayer and dismissal start at 3:07pm
Parents will not be allowed in the building to pick up their children. Please go to the designated areas to pick up your children when they are dismissed with their class.
Any students that are not picked up at that time will be brought to the office for pick up.
All students should be picked up by 3:25.
The office closes at 3:30.

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade students (and older students who have a K-2nd grade student in their carpool) are picked up in the north school parking lot.

All traffic will enter the parking lot from Park Street.

Follow the Green/Red Flag System.

Green Flags = Cars Move—Students Stand with Teachers

Red Flags = Cars Stop— Students Move Toward Cars

PARK SO THAT YOU DO NOT BACK UP AT ANYTIME.

Once all cars are parked safely, the flags turn red and students walk to the car.

Once all students are safely in their cars, flags turn green. The students will stay with their teachers, and cars move. Please follow the directions of the traffic guards.

Please remain in your car to maintain a quick and easy dismissal. Grades K & 1 are the only grades that require a parent or older sibling to collect the student from teacher.

3rd - 8th Grade students are picked up in the Church Parking Lot.

All traffic enters the parking lot from Park St. or Summit St.

Follow the Green/Red Flag System.

Green Flags = Cars Move—Students Stand with Teachers

Red Flags = Cars Stop—Students Move toward Cars

PARK SO YOU DO NOT BACK UP AT ANYTIME.

Once cars are parked safely, the flags turn red and students walk to the car.

REFER TO THE MAPS AT THE BACK OF THE HANDBOOK TO SEE THE PARKING PLAN.

Once students are safely in their cars, flags turn green. The students stay with teachers and the cars move. Please follow the directions of the traffic guards.

We will not dismiss any students to parents who have parked on Park or Summit Streets, or in any other place other than the Church parking lot or the school parking lot. If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from being able to pull into one of the designated parking lots, please call administration to work out another option. Remember, safety of your children is our first priority.

Late Pick-Up Policy

Students who are not picked up in the church or school parking lot once it is cleared (3:20) will be brought to the office.

Any student(s) picked up after 3:30 more than three times will be assessed a $1.00 per minute fine, charged through your FACTS account.

Birthday/Gifts/Treats/Flowers

Student gift exchanges and invitations will not be permitted in the classrooms. During the seasons of Advent and Lent, various food, clothing and monetary drives will be in place for students' participation. Students are encouraged to support these missions for the poor and less fortunate families within our community.

Teachers will present classroom policy at Back-To-School Night concerning birthday treats. Please drop off the treats at the school office and the teacher will be e-mailed informing them of the treats left in the office.

PARENTS MAY NOT GO DIRECTLY TO THE CLASSROOM

Sending flowers/gifts/candy bouquets to your child at school is discouraged. Please save this for your home celebration.

Per Archdiocese and Kansas Food Guidelines: Snacks or treats sent for sharing, such as birthday and classroom party snacks must be in manufactuer's prepackaged wrappers with the ingredients listed. These snacks must be peanut-free. Home or bakery prepared baked food items, donut or pizza type snacks are not allowed.

Food Sharing Policy

This policy was implemented with the assistance of the Archdiocese's Sharing Policy in response to the increasing number of student allergic reactions to certain foods in our schools.

ALL food that is brought into the school TO BE SHARED MUST be prepackaged and have labels that have the allergy information listed. (This is a requirement of all packaged foods by the FDA)

If one of the allergies listed mentions peanut, tree nut, made in a peanut factory/facility or may contain traces of peanuts, it is NOT allowed. This applies even if no student in the classroom is allergic. If you have questions or are in doubt, please call the school. We are here to help.
A student bringing peanut butter to school for lunch or snack (for themselves) is ok under that policy; however, we highly recommend non-peanut snacks in the classrooms. At lunch, we can control the environment for those with serious allergies.
Students are not to share food at lunch. This includes parents bringing in outside food for “a friend.” It must only be for your child.
The cafeteria kitchen is a peanut- and nut-free area; therefore, any item, such as cookies or ice cream, from the cafeteria or labeled as shared, is also peanut- and nut-free.
Preparing baked goods at home and sharing at school Is not allowed. Even if the label on the box is bought in, it’s not allowed. We can’t control the home preparation environment; therefore, the policy applies.
ANY non-peanut tree nut labeled birthday treats are allowed as long as they are prepackaged with a label.
Most cupcakes/cookies at local grocery stores are made in an environment where contamination could have occurred. Look for boxed donuts, cookies, crackers, etc. that are made outside a bakery; some brands are likely made to fit this policy. At any time, if you have a question about snack items, please call the school before purchasing any item so we can assist you, if needed.
We maintain a Safe School Treat Suggestion list that we continually update. Please check when buying treats for the students. If you have any questions regarding snacks, please call the school. We are here to help you.

Snacks or treats for sharing

Check Writing Policy

Holy Trinity School recommends checks be made out to Holy Trinity School over cash. It is helpful to indicate in the memo line what the check payment is for.

Child Abuse

Kansas Law requires a teacher, principal, or other employee of a school who has reason to suspect that a child has been injured as a result of physical, mental or emotional abuse, or neglect or sexual abuse report the matter promptly to the Department of Children and Families, or appropriate law enforcement agency, if the DCF office is not open for business. Such report may be made orally or, on request of DCF, in writing. For incidents of suspected sexual abuse of a child by an employee, affiliate or volunteer of the Archdiocese, all requirements of the Archdiocesan Policies and Procedures concerning sexual misconduct shall be followed.

Mental Health Policy #7200

Per Archdiocesan School Handbook of Policies and Procedures (Health # 7200), efforts should be made to maintain the highest level of health for students. If there is a question whether a student’s physical and/or mental health presents a potential challenge to the student’s academic progress and/or presents a threat to his/her or others’ safety, schools may require parents to obtain information/evaluation from a qualified health professional to determine how to best address the situation. The school would communicate with the parent/guardian with what information is requested, and when the information needs to be received. In some cases when there is a threat or potential risk to harm self or others, the student may not be able to return to school until the information is received by Administration and reviewed.

Cell Phones, Electronic Devices, & Other Items

Students are not allowed to have cell phones, smart watches, iPads, Kindles, iPods, Laser Pens, MP3 Players, Electronic Games, or any other electronic devices that can access the internet/social media websites, take pictures, or play music at school. If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact Administration for pre-approval. Any cell phones confiscated at school will require the student’s parent to talk with an Administrator to have the phone returned. Any fidgets or other sensory items must have prior approval from the counselor and/or administrator. All other non-academic items should not be brought to school without prior approval from teachers, counselor, or administration.

Child Custody

In cases in which a student’s parents are divorced, it is the responsibility of the parents to provide to the school copies of the most recent custody agreement. The school will abide by such agreements and shall not deviate from any specified procedures unless both parents indicate in writing agreement to a change. The school will only release a child to the parent whom the custody orders designate unless both parents authorize in writing a change. Holy Trinity faculty and staff shall be diligent in remaining neutral in child custody situations.

Classroom Parties

Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day provide times for homeroom or class parties within the school day. Room Parents are to confer with Teachers for plans and procedures regarding these parties. Snacks and food items provided must follow the snack guidelines (ie: NO pizza, bakery items, home-baked goods....)

Parents may arrive 15 minutes before the start of the party to set up.

Valentines shared between students may not contain food.

Late Items

Items brought to school by parents must be placed on the table outside the school office. Please alert the office when items are left on the table.

Lost and Found

The school is not responsible for any losses of personal property. Therefore, we highly recommend that students not carry money or valuables (or place money or valuables in their desks or lockers). All items should be marked. Lost articles are placed on a table on the north wall of the cafeteria.

School Day Schedule for Holy Trinity School

7:20 - 7:35 a.m. Drop off doors open in the school lot. Building open for supervision in cafeteria

7:35 Drop off doors open in the front entrances. Students may enter the classroom

7:45 School begins -Morning Announcements and Prayer/tardy rule applies

11:00 - 1:00 Lunch Period

3:00 Parking Lot Opens

3:07 Announcements and Prayer

Dismiss Grades K-3 and Library Hallway

Dismiss Grades 4-6 and Specials Hallway

Early Dismissal Times include 11:30am or 12:00pm (see calendar)

Student Records

Student records are divided into three categories and kept in the following manner:

Permanent Record Card - This file card contains all year end grades your child has earned at Holy Trinity Catholic School. This card also contains dates of initial sacramental reception. After a student's graduation or school transfer, this card remains filed on a permanent basis at the school.

Cumulative Student File - This file can contain samples of a student's work at various grade levels, report cards, teacher recommendations, standardized test profiles, and any other information pertinent in aiding a student's academic growth. When a student graduates or transfers to another school, this file will be mailed to the next school only upon written request by the office of the school the student is to attend. The student's Cumulative File will be destroyed if a request for these records is not received by High School graduation date.

Student Health File—This file contains all information pertinent to your child's health. Results of hearing and vision screenings, immunizations records, etc., are part of this file. These records are kept, transferred or destroyed in the same manner as cumulative student files.

All the aforementioned records are school property and must remain on school premises according to law. Parents/guardians wishing to review these records may do so upon request through the school office.

Outside Recess

All children will participate in outside recess. The only exception to this will be children who have a written note from their physician stating the reason. Important: Always send your child(ren) to school dressed in appropriate clothing for outside recess. If weather conditions prohibit students from safe outside play, there will be an alternative inside recess. There will be no outdoor activities if temperatures and/or heat index is above 100 degrees or if temperatures are below 15 and/or wind chill is below 0 degrees.

Parking Lot

For the protection of the students at recess and P.E., the parking lot playground will be blocked off on school days from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The north wall of the school building is considered a NO PARKING ZONE by the Fire Marshall. Please park on 92nd St. or the Church parking lot during school hours.

School Closings

When inclement weather makes school attendance less safe, the Johnson County Principal's Association Weather Committee will determine any school closures. You will be notified in the following manner:

An email
Text message via Sycamore - if you have set up this feature
- - Here is a tutorial video on how to sign up for these messages:
    - How to sign up for Text Messages via Sycamore
HTS Social Media Platforms

In certain circumstances, Holy Trinity may choose a late start to the school day. On those days school will begin at 9:45AM. Parents always have the option to determine if it is safe to bring their child(ren) to school.

Once school is in session, all classes will remain in session until the regular dismissal time. Parents/guardians who wish to pick up their children early may do so at any time by reporting to the school office and asking that the child(ren) be called from the classroom(s).

Visiting School-Parent or Siblings

Parents/Guardians/Alumni are welcome to visit the school. Please stop in the front office to get a visitor badge upon arrival. However, anyone who wishes to visit a classroom must make a request prior to the visit. Teachers are not available for unscheduled conferences during school hours. Children are not allowed to visit classrooms with parents while school is in session. Student visitors may eat/bring lunch only with/to younger siblings. Student visitors are not allowed to disrupt the learning environment by interrupting classrooms to visit teachers.

Student Drivers

Current HTS Students are not permitted to drive on school property during school hours or school functions.

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