Lara Academy Parent Handbook 2018-2019
Mission: to provide all of our students with the highest quality and rigorous learning experiences through the use of best instructional practices, high quality instructional materials, and modern educational technology to create a safe and productive school environment that ensures a solid foundation in the early elementary grades that are fundamental for the social, emotional, and academic demands of late elementary and middle school in order to successfully transition to secondary and higher education. Student Code of Conduct: When students engage in inappropriate conduct, they will have progressive disciplinary consequences as detailed in the Student Code of Conduct. In such cases, a misconduct report is prepared and a copy of this report is provided to the parent/guardian. Consequences range from a student-parent conference to suspension and/or expulsion. A copy of the Student Code of Conduct is sent home at the beginning of the school year. Please make sure to review this with your child. Cell Phones/Portable Electronic Devices Students are allowed to have cell phones, if parents allow them to. However, cell phones must be turned off and in their backpacks when students are inside the school building. Students are not allowed to use their cell phones to make calls, text message or to take pictures at any time throughout the school day. Students in violation of this rule are subject to suspension. Also the phone will be taken away from the student until a parent or guardian is able to pickup the phone in the office. Lara Academy is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged phones. Dress Code Recognizing the importance of appropriate school attire and its effect on the learning environment, Lara Academy will also institute a dress code policy prohibiting students from wearing certain items or particular styles of clothing and / or accessories. Students failing to comply with the Lara Academy Dress Code will be in violation of the Chicago Public Schools Student Code of Conduct and may be asked to change or alter their clothing. In order to promote and maintain a safe and positive learning environment that will not disrupt the educational process for students, the following clothing will not be allowed:
1. 1) Any clothing that exposes undergarments, midsections, backs or upper legs. Including but not limited to: 1. Transparent blouses, 2. Tight shirts, 3. Tank tops, 4. Spaghetti straps, 5. Halter tops, 6. Blouses with low necklines, 7. Pants that sag below hips 8. Pants with holes cut or torn into them 9. Pajama type clothing 10. Shorts and skirts that are not as long as a student s finger tips when arms are hung down on sides 2. 2) Any clothing that may constitute a safety hazard. Including but not limited to: 1. Bedroom slippers and / or sandals that expose feet 2. Pants dangerously baggy or long 3. Clothing or jewelry that may be unsafe during school activities and or used to harm another person 4. Boys may not wear any type of earrings 3. 3) Any clothing or particular style of wearing clothing, and haircuts associated with gangs. Including but not limited to: 1. Hats 2. Hooded tops 3. Clothing with gang associated symbols, writing, or color combinations 4. Rubber bands or scarves wrapped around the pants leg 5. Shoes and / or shoelaces with color combinations associated with gangs 6. Any outerwear (sweaters, jackets, etc.) of any color other than navy blue 4. 4) Seriously disruptive clothing. Including but not limited to: 1. Clothes with obscene pictures or language 2. Clothing that incites racial hatred or violence 3. Clothing encouraging illegal activity 4. Clothing advertising alcohol, drugs or tobacco PROMOTION POLICY Every student will receive the Chicago Public Schools Promotion Policy. Please read the booklet carefully and contact Lara Academy with any questions. KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATION
Lara Academy requires that Kindergarten students have an attendance percentage of 95% in order to be eligible to participate in the graduation celebration in June. If a student does not meet the requirement he or she will not be invited to attend. FUNS DAY ATTENDANCE Lara Academy requires that all students have an attendance percentage of 95% or above in order to be eligible to participate in Fun Day Activities in June. If a student does not meet the requirements he or she will not be able to participate. 8 th GRADE END OF YEAR ACTIVITIES Lara Academy will require that 8 th grade students meet the minimum required points to be eligible to participate in the end of year 8 th grade activities. Students will receive point system explanation in writing the first week of school. GRADING SCALE In order for students to identify a numerical grade with a letter grade, a grading system was developed by Chicago Public Schools. The following grading system will be utilized by teachers at Lara Academy: A 93-100 SUPERIOR B 85-92 EXCELLENT C 84-77 SATISFACTORY D 70-76 NEEDS IMPROVEMENT F BELOW 69 UNSATISFACTORY HOMEWORK Chicago Public Schools mandates that homework be assigned daily to students. Homework consists of meaningful assignments for completion during out-of-class time. Homework reflects the objectives and instructional program of Lara Academy. Assignments for homework are based on classroom instructional activities and serve as motivation for further learning. Students are required to complete all assignments given to them while serving out-of-school or in-school suspension. The CPS homework policy recommends the following time allocation: Kg (15 min), grades 1, 2, 3, (30 min.), grades 4, 5, 6, (45 min.), grades 7 & 8 (90 min.). We expect students to spend time each evening completing homework. In addition, we also ask
that students spend at least 20 minutes each evening reading a book for pleasure. We have library books available for this purpose. A quiet place, free from distractions such as TV, radio, and cell phones should be available for study. Parents will be notified by the teacher when homework assignments are not complete. TEXTBOOKS All textbooks supplied by Lara Academy become the responsibility of each student. If a book is damaged or lost, the student is charged a replacement fee. Textbook prices range from $5.00 to $65.00 SCHOOL SUPPLIES All students will receive a list of required materials and supplies from their classroom teacher(s). Each child is responsible for ensuring that he/she has the adequate tools for school each day. Classroom teachers may occasionally request a separate fee for class or field trips. ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY STUDENT ENTRY AND DISMISSAL Grades Entry Location Entry Time Exit Location Exit Time Pre-K -1 Door #1 or North Door 8:00 am Door #1 3:00 pm 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th Main entrance /Door #2 8:00 a.m. Main Entrance/Door #2 3:00 p.m. 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, 8 th Door #3 or South Door 8:00 a.m. Door #3 or South Door 3:00 p.m. ABSENCES: Regular attendance is a vital factor of school success. School personnel closely monitor student attendance. Parents will be notified if their child s attendance is problematic or leading toward a truancy case. Chicago Public Schools accepts only 6 reasons for excused absences: 1. Illness 2. Death in the Family 3. Family Emergency 4. Observance of a religious holiday
5. Circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent or legal guardian for the safety or heath of the student 6. Other situations beyond the control of the student as determined by the principal or principal s designee, on a case by case basis, including but not limited to, homelessness and its attendance difficulties. Within one week following a student s return to school after an absence, he/she must bring a note signed by a parent. All absences without the receipt of a note within one week will be considered unexcused TARDINESS: Students who arrive after 8:05 a.m. must obtain a tardy slip from the security staff on duty or the main office. Parents of students who are frequently tardy will be contacted for a meeting. Students that arrive after 10:05 a.m. will be marked with a half-day absence. EARLY DISMISSAL: Students may have an early dismissal due to illness. The office will attempt to contact a parent or legal guardian from the emergency form to take the student out of school. Parent must report to the office and complete and sign an Early Dismissal Form, explaining the nature of the early departure. Only those persons listed on the student s emergency form will be able to remove the student. Parents may add additional persons to the emergency form using attached sheets or forms. If the early dismissal is before 10:00 a.m., the student will be marked absent for the entire day of school. If the dismissal is between 10:01 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., the student will be marked for a half day of attendance. We encourage parents to make dentist and doctor appointments after school hours or Saturdays whenever possible. BREAKFAST/LUNCH: Breakfast is Grab and Go. Students pick up their breakfast as they are entering school at 8:00 am. They have breakfast in their classrooms. All students receive a 20 minute lunch followed by a 20 minute recess period, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Lara Academy is a Healthy school no candies, cookies or chips of any kind are permitted during the school day. PARKING
The school parking lot is for employees of the school. Parents can park on the side streets, around the perimeter of the building. Wolcott Ave (in front of our school) from 46 th to 47 th Street will be closed at 7:45 to 8:10 and again at 2:50 to 3:10 p.m. for dismissal. For the safety and well being or our students, parking and stopping on the corner of 46 th and Wolcott is not permitted. Parked and stopped cars at the corner cause a dangerous situation for our kids walking to and from school. Please help us keep our children safe. LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC) Our Local School Council hosts regular meetings through out the school year. Parents are encouraged to attend these important meetings. Please see meeting schedule on our website, or obtain a hard copy in the school office. PARENT ADVISORY BOARD (PAC) Our Parent Advisory Board meets regularly through out the school year. Please see the meeting schedule on our website, or obtain a copy in the school office. VOLUNTEERING Lara Academy welcomes and encourages the presence of volunteers in the building. Anyone wishing to volunteer must complete a volunteer registration packet available in the main office. We also have our Panther Parents Team and all parent are welcome to join. Please see class schedule on our website. VISITORS Parents of students and other adults are welcome at Lara Academy. All visitors must sign in at the main entrance security station and then report directly to the main office. Teachers will not be disturbed during class; all conferences should be scheduled in advance of the teachers planning periods. School personnel will then escort visitors to their destination in the building.