The following tabs share the logistical operations of our school and include:

Student Arrival

  School hours are from 8:00 am-3:10 pm.  The building will open at 8 am for students to enter and report directly to class, or to the cafeteria for breakfast.  All students will eat breakfast in the cafeteria.  No students will remain in the caferia after 8:25.  Any students arriving between 8:25-8:30 will receive a grab & go breakfast and report to class.

Student Dismissal

    Each student shall have a completed dismissal directive when they enrolled, or within the first 10 days of school starting. Parents may change, as needed, but are asked to do so by giving appropriate notice.  A one day change may be made prior to 1:00 pm.  Any long-term changes must be done in person.  Students are NOT allowed to request a change.  The office will maintain all dismissal forms.  When a change is made, the office will update by placing the new form in the book and contacting the classroom & duty teacher.  The latest dated dismissal directive will be the one implemented.

    Teaching continues until 3:00 p.m.  Afternoon announcements (if necessary) will be made at this time and before our Launch, and dismissal will follow.  Teachers shall direct students to listen quietly to the announcements.  Teachers shall also escort their students to the appropriate dismissal location.   

    The purpose of these dismissal procedures centers on student safety. Walkers and bikers should stay clear of both the front driveway and the parking lots.  In addition, this will help ease traffic and confusion which will allow teachers to ensure students leave the building with an approved adult.  See the dismissal schedule for further clarification.  Refer to the duty schedule for teacher assignments.

Guidelines For Students At Dismissal:   NO STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED IN THE RESTROOMS AFTER THE 3:00 LAUNCH UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND THEY HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION.

• At the 3:00 Dismissal time, all teachers/staff will have their classroom doors open and be standing at their doors.  Students who are picked up via the carpool line will leave the classroom first and head directly to the gymnasium (3rd/4th), cafeteria (K,1st,2nd), or music room (PK) .  Students should enter these spaces quietly and sit in grade-level lines as directed by staff. Once dismissal starts, student car numbers will be appear via SafeSchoolApp and students will exit through the East Wing doors and be directed to their cars by duty teachers.    

• At 3:03 Office will call for the dismissal of Students being picked up via Bus (Boys & Girls Club, Special Ed).  Those students will head directly to bus dismissal areas.....TBD

• At 3:05, Office will call for the dismissal of Students going to Daycare.   Students will head directly to Art room and seat in designated areas as designated by MLK Staff.   Students will sit quietly and wait for teachers to dismiss them to the appropriate daycare.  Daycare vans should be directed to park starting towards the front of the main school driveway, or as designated by MLK Staff.   All Daycare will need to fill out a Daycare pickup sheet at the start of each school year.

• At 3:07 all students who walk or ride bikes home on their own will be dismissed.   Walkers are classified as walkers if they do not have anyone picking them up by transportation and they walk home.  New this year, families wanting students to walk home must complete a Walker Request Fomr.  They must exit the building at 3:10 and leave campus immediately.  Parents picking students up by car along NE 48th, Lottie, and Everest should be directed to pick up in the car line and that student dismissed to the car line areas at the end of the day.  

Guidelines For Teachers:

• PLEASE make sure your students are aware of what they are expected to do when school ends each day (walk, ride bus, go to daycare, etc.).   An updated roster of how each student goes home should be in your room and with sub plans.  

• Please be on duty during release EACH day.  Do not schedule any conflicting appointments during this time.

• Please help ensure the above procedures are followed.

• Teachers should never leave the building without ensuring all their students have successfully left the campus.  

Student Attendance/Absences/Tardies

    Student attendance records are legal documents and special care should be taken to ensure their accuracy.

Teachers are expected to take roll on INFINITE CAMPUS each morning.  Initial attendance MUST BE RECORDED IN INFINITE CAMPUS NO LATER THAN 9:00 AM EACH DAY.  If a student comes in late or leaves early prior to 10:00 am, attendance must be updated by the teacher in Infinite Campus to reflect this.  If a student comes in late or leaves early (after 10:00), attendance will be updated by the office in Infinite Campus.  A report of Teachers Not Taking Attendance will be run each day – reoccurring negligence in attendance taking can result in disciplinary action.

    I do recognize that this can be a burden, but it is essential to our attendance rate and an essential part of our job according to State law.  Thank you very much for your continued efforts to ensure student attendance accuracy!  

ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES

The following are District guidelines on student attendance and tardiness.   For example:

Students arriving before 8:20 a.m. are on time and marked as present.

              Students arriving between 8:20 – 9:30 a.m. will be marked as tardy.

              Students arriving after 9:30 a.m. will be counted as ½ day absence.

              Students leaving prior to 2:00 p.m. will be counted as ½ day absence.

              Students leaving after 2:00 p.m. will be marked as early release.   

 Students arriving after 8:20 a.m. or leaving prior to 3:10 will be noted and counted against perfect attendance records.  A sign-out book will be kept in the office for parents who pick up students early for dismissal. 

Students present on the first day of attendance are marked with an El. All students are carried on the record until dropped by the office.

Attendance is to be monitored, and the principal is to be notified if the number of absences jeopardizes student learning.

Attendance deficits will be treated like other deficiency areas for promotion.  It is the teacher's responsibility to notify parents in a timely manner (school counselor will help with this endeavor).  When a student approaches 2-3 unexcused absences, please notify the School Counselor for referrals. 

Attendance Makeup

     Students are required to make up any class work (or equivalent assignments) missed because of any excused absence (including suspension).  The student will be given five (5) days to make up for missed work and the student will be given proper credit when the work is completed. Students are required to make up work for unexcused absences during each quarter. Students will be given credit for make-up work.

Tardies

If students arrive in your class before the conclusion of the morning announcements, do not send them to the office for an admit slip, just allow them to enter class and begin their day.  However, if a student arrives after announcements have concluded, they should be sent to the office for an admit slip if they do not already have one.  Tardy slips are to be kept by the teacher in the event that chronic tardiness becomes a problem and needs to be documented for the parent.

Withdrawals

     Students will be dropped at the end of the day of his/her 10th unexcused absence in a row.  If a student is withdrawn by parent/guardian, a form will be given to the teacher to fill out.  This form will give the receiving school any relevant data about this student.  Please be through and professional.  

Student Awards – See Appendix B for Award Guidelines  Revisit with MLK STAFF

Student Confidentiality

     The Oklahoma City Board of Education acknowledges and supports the rights of a student regarding information that is gathered, stored, used, or dispensed by its employees. It is the intent of the board (and this school) to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, P. L. 94-142, and federal guidelines related to confidentiality and the right to privacy of the student.

     A public school is a very busy place.  Hundreds of people (children, staff, volunteers, visitors, community members, etc.) come and go from the building each day.  Please remember these guidelines:

• What you see/hear/discuss in school stays in school.

• Discussions about a student need to be directed toward people directly involved with that child (those that have an academic interest).  Conversations about students with others who have no academic interest in that child are inappropriate and should be avoided.  

• There are many direct ties to the community within a building.  Staff members live in the community, and parents/volunteers frequent the halls/rooms.  

• There is a difference between “need to know” and “want to know.”

• Refrain from discussing issues concerning children or their behavior in the presence of the child, unless they are directly involved in the discussion.  Be sensitive to how he/she may interpret or misinterpret the words of an adult.

• E-mail is NOT a secure communication medium (as discussed earlier).  

• As with much of what we do, confidentiality comes down to respect, caring, & responsibility.

• Please note that anything sent over District e-mail/cell phones may be subpoenaed by an Open Records Request at any time. 

Student Deliveries (Birthday, Holiday, etc.)

     Birthday party treats for individual students are not allowed in classrooms (lunchroom deliveries will be permitted, but must be brought by the parent/guardian and for the child or whole class).  If a child receives a birthday delivery from parents (i.e., flowers, balloons, cupcakes, etc.), the child will be called to the office at a time when it is not disruptive to the classroom activities and will be shown the delivery.  The item will be kept in the office until the end of the day when the child may come to the office and take the item home.  

Student Health Policy

     The Oklahoma City Public Schools follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for illnesses and communicable diseases. For specific questions, see “The Communicable Disease Guidelines for Schools When the School Nurse Is Not Available.” For general illness issues, a child will be excluded from school if their oral temperature is 100˚ or above. The child may return to school when he/she has had no fever for 24 hours without medication.  Children returning to school following a long-term illness or surgery must return with a release from a physician including any restrictions or accommodations necessary.

MEDICATION

     Prescription medication may be dispensed to students with the written directions of a physician and written permission from the parent or guardian (Medical Form must be completed by both parent & physician). The medication must be in a pharmacy-labeled bottle. Inhalers need to have the pharmacy label on the inhaler. Any changes in time, dosage, or medication will require new orders from the physician and a new form signed by the parent. All pills will be counted by two people when medication arrives at school and any remaining medication counted at the end of the school week by two people. Medication will be dispensed by the school nurse, or in the absence of the school nurse, by the school administrator or their designee. Consult the school nurse for appropriate forms and procedures. No over the counter medications will be given without a physician’s order. Any medications brought to the school must be in an unopened, original container.

WHEN TO SEND A CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL

• A temperature of 101 degrees or higher.

• Vomiting or diarrhea.

• A blistery rash, especially if accompanied by fever and a history of exposure may be chicken pox.  If it is chicken pox, the student will need to stay home until all areas are scabbed, usually 6-7 days.

• Heavy nasal congestion and/or frequent cough. 

School is important, but sick children need to be at home.

CHICKENPOX (Vaccine required for Kindergarten through 11th grade)

     Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and is passed by direct person-to-person contact or by airborne respiratory secretions. The rash usually occurs 10 to 21 days after exposure. The child may have a mild fever and/or loss of appetite 1 to 2 days before the rash appears. The rash appears at first as red pimples (papules) and progresses to clear oval (teardrop) vesicles.

The vesicles usually become cloudy 24 hours after the eruption and break easily. This eruption of new papules to vesicles continues for 3 to 4 days. The child can return to school when all of the vesicles are dry and crusted over. It is important to NEVER give aspirin or aspirin-containing medication to children with a viral infection because of the increased risk of developing Reye Syndrome. The current recommendation is to get two varicella immunizations, 3 months apart.

FACTS ABOUT HEAD LICE

     Understand the problem before it becomes one:

1. Lice are tiny insects that survive on human blood. They are about the size of a sesame seed. Lice eggs are called nits.

2. Nits are very small, yellowish or grayish-white in appearance and teardrop shaped. They are attached to strands of hair and will not wash out or blow away.

3. Lice do not jump or fly, they crawl. They are usually passed from person to person by shared combs, brushes, hats, coats, sweaters, scarves, or other personal items.

4. The most common sign of lice infestation is constant itching. If a child is constantly itching, check the scalp for lice. Live lice can be difficult to find. They move quickly and do not like bright light. Use a bright light or bright natural light to check the child’s scalp. Check each strand of hair for eggs (nits).

5. If a child is found to have head lice or nits, he/she will be excluded from school. The child must be seen by a school nurse or health care professional and found to be free of lice AND nits before reentry into school.  Remember, successful treatment must include the removal of ALL nits. It just takes one nit, left on the hair to hatch, to start another infestation. Oklahoma City Public Schools currently has a “NO NIT POLICY.”

Student Illness/Accidents

     If a student becomes ill during the school day they are to be referred to the clinic or office with a note.  Parents will be notified to pick up students who are too sick to remain at school.  Teachers will be notified of the final outcome.

     Students injured or requiring first aid during the school day are to be sent to the clinic or office.  If the child is unable to get to the office on their own accord, have another student to notify the office or another teacher for assistance.  Students should not be allowed to accompany peers to the clinic.  This will ensure that duty positions remain covered to provide adequate supervision of all other students. 

    If a child gets hurt at school, be sure to inform the parent ASAP—it is much better that the parent hear it from us vs. hearing it from their child at home.  Appropriate supervision (see above) will prevent most accidents.  An Accident/Incident Form MUST be completed whenever an accident occurs during the school day where a student is injured and requires medical attention beyond routine first aid or the injury causes the student to miss more than ½ day of school.  These forms are available from the office and in Appendix B.  This form must be completed by the teacher on duty and returned to the office prior to the end of the day on the date of the accident. Please remember the Blood-borne Pathogens Guidelines if blood/bodily fluids are present.

Student Release During The School Day

     Students will be released during school hours only to authorized persons. Students are only released to the custodial parent/guardian and the non custodial parent (with written authorization of the custodial parent and presentation of a legal document proving relationship to the student) or the custodial parent’s designee. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to notify the school of restrictions related to the release of a child, such as divorce decrees that limit or deny access to school information.

The non-custodial parent is responsible for providing mailing information to the school principal. Photo identification is required for release.

     Students leaving school during the day must check out through the office.  Under NO circumstances should a teacher release a student directly from the classroom.  Please refer parents/guardians or others wishing to pick up a student to the office and keep the student in your classroom.  Once the office has verified the checkout, we will contact you to release the student to come to the office and leave.  A daily log will be maintained by the office of students who have checked out during the day.  

Students are not allowed to walk home during the school day—even if the parent has provided written or verbal permission.

Student Restrooms

     All students should be escorted to and from the restroom to assure safety.  Please inspect the restroom before the students enter and again after the students exit.  This will help us ensure our supplies are used wisely and that our facilities are treated with respect.  Teach students proper bathroom procedures and practice with them!

Student Safety

     It is important to remember that our students are merely children and must be treated as such.  No student will be allowed to set up, take down, or move cafeteria tables—serious injuries can result!  Additionally, students should not be allowed to transport carts containing TV’s, Chromebooks, or other equipment—this responsibility belongs to the teachers or assistants.  

Thursday Folders

    Every student, Pre K - 4th, has a Thursday folder.  Thursday folders are an important communication piece that MLK teachers utilize to communicate with parents on a weekly basis.  Current folders will be navy blue folders with a calendar placed in the back.  A parent weekly update sheet will be placed in the front pocket.   Thursday Folders should contain the cumulative quarterly running grade for reading and math(and should match quarterly report card grades), as well as a space to document students behavior for the week (marked by either E,S, I, U). **This may be updated to align with INFINITE CAMPUS. Weekly assessments, or assessments you want parents to see, should be sent home in the Thursday Folder.  You should mention any issues/concerns you may be having in class on the cumulative sheet (If you have big concerns, make contact with the parent to share exactly what it is – do not leave parents guessing what it is that “Johnny” is doing to disturb class).   Parents are to initial/sign this paper and students return in the Thursday Folder on Friday.  In addition, Martin Luther King communication letters are placed in Thursday Folders.   The Office will do its best to have any school wide notices that need to go home in your mailbox by end of day Wednesday, and by 1:00 PM latest on Thursday.  Please make sure you check your mailbox by 1:00 PM on Thursday.   In the event we have an important item to go out after 1:00 PM, the Office will hand deliver the letter to classrooms (If we make the effort to bring it to you, please make the effort to see it goes home that day).  Thursday Folders are a great tool to show progress & behavior issues, especially for transfer students when we have to make placement decisions at year-end.   Please keep accurate records and never throw away the quarterly running record.  File them in your classroom student files.    

• RTI (Response to Intervention)/MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports)

• Student Restrooms

• Student Safety

Bullying

Martin Luther King Elementary is committed to creating a safe, healthy, learning environment for all students that enhances personal safety and encourages respect, dignity, and equality among students.  Martin Luther King teachers and staff are committed to creating and maintaining a learning environment that is free from bullying and harassment. 

Bullying means any pattern of harassment, intimidation, threatening behavior, physical acts, verbal or electronic communication directed toward a student or group of students that results in or is reasonably perceived as being done with the intent to cause negative educational or physical results for the targeted individual or group and is communicated in such a way as to disrupt or interfere with the school's educational mission or the education of any student; *“Threatening behavior” means any pattern of behavior or isolated action, whether or not it is directed at another person, that a reasonable person would believe indicates potential for future harm to students, school personnel, or school property (OKCPS, Student Code of Conduct)

Example of Prohibited Behavior

Name-calling, racial slurs, pushing, crowding, or concerning, hitting, pinching; making fun of a person’s body, telling mean jokes about someone, threatening to hurt someone, shooting the finger at someone, hitting someone, touching someone inappropriately, taking things without permission, threatening.

Bullying will not be tolerated anywhere in the school or school district.  This includes school facilities, premises, and non-school property if the student is at a school-sponsored, school-approved or school-related activity event or function where students are under the supervision of mlk staff.  Dial 587-stop to report suspected issues of bullying.

Students who are in violation of this bullying policy will fall under the student code of conduct at level 4 to level 6 requiring a home suspension and referral to the school counselor.