Parent
Handbook
2007-2008
Main Office (301) 805-2740
Infant-Toddler Office (301) 805-2734
Health Room (301) 805-2735 Head
Start (301) 809-1529
FAX
(301) 805-6672
Office hours: 8:00 to 4:30
Student hours: AM Session 9:15 to
11:50 PM 12:50 to 3:25 All Day
9:15 to 3:25
School Nurse: Ms. Helene Seidel
The children at Chapel Forge are very young and require extraordinary
communication between home, school, and daycare providers to ensure their
safety at all times. This is especially so during emergencies that may affect
the health and safety of our children. It is essential that school personnel be
able to reach parents and/or their designated emergency contacts at a moment’s
notice. Parents should ensure that the phone numbers that the school has on
file are current and ensure that the persons designated to make decisions in
their absence are willing and able to take the necessary steps on their child’s
behalf. Parents should keep the office
informed each time numbers or designated emergency contacts are changed.
Transportation to and from Chapel Forge is provided through
When children have fevers or are contagious to others, they may not
attend school. When parents are called
to come to school to take a sick child home, they must come immediately or send
someone who can act on their behalf.
Buses cannot transport sick children. Chapel Forge cannot send sick
children home in taxicabs or with adults that do not have prior written
permission on file at the school.
Should a child require medications to be administered at school, the parent should contact the school for the
“Permission to Give Medication” form to be completed by the physician. Dosages
and schedules must match the physician’s orders.
Names should be written on all items sent to school-especially on coats,
hats, boots, and notebooks.
Each teacher provides parents with a list of items to be sent to school.
An extra set of clothing should be kept at school in case a child becomes wet
or muddy. Children who require diapers or pull-ups must have a supply at
school. Please do not send a backpack on
wheels.
Chapel Forge has a breakfast program for all children arriving in the
morning. A lunch program is available to
full-day children only. If parents believe their child qualifies for a free or
reduced-priced meal, they may request an application to apply to the program.
Prices are:
Breakfast Full price:
$1.10 Reduced: $.30
Lunch Full price: $1.75 Reduced: $.40
Parents may pre-pay lunches and breakfast. An account is created for each child.
If parents wish their child to receive a light snack at school, they may
send it in or ask the teacher about snack fees.
Parents are encouraged to provide a notebook in their child’s book bag
for communication with staff. Parents
should check their child’s book bag every night for messages from staff,
Chapel Forge Newsletters, classroom letters, PTO information, and other flyers
of importance, such as activities in the community. Parents are encouraged to
visit in their child’s classrooms and therapy sessions to observe how teachers
work with them. Parents are requested to let teachers know in advance if they
plan to visit or need a conference. In order to ensure that each child receives
the complete attention of the teachers and therapists, it is necessary to hold
conferences and phone calls outside of class time. Under no circumstances
should visitors disrupt our children’s programs.
Throughout the year parents are invited to participate in meetings to
review assessments, develop and review their children’s individualized
educational programs, and to determine services and program placement needed to
meet their children’s needs. Some meetings are informal discussions with
teachers or therapists while others require participation of several school
staff. Parents are encouraged to participate in these important decision-making
processes, and to respond to invitations and permission forms.
Parents should listen to local TV and radio stations when poor weather
conditions may force a school cancellation, a late opening, or an early school
dismissal. Chapel Forge follows the announcements given for the
Chapel Forge provides parents with copies of assessment reports,
Individualized Education Program (IEP), and other documents for meetings.
Parents are encouraged to retain their copies in a file for future reference.
Physicians, therapists, and outside agencies often request that parents provide
these papers for their review. These documents are often many pages long. Requests for copies of student records may be
made to the school. The cost is $.25 per page and may take up to two weeks to
prepare.
·
All parents and
other visitors to Chapel Forge must sign in at the front office every
time they enter the building and leave. They must wear a visitor’s pass during
their stay. Parents must do this even if they are just bringing their child to
school. There are no exceptions to this rule.
·
No one is
allowed to walk between school buses.
Visitors and staff must always walk in front of the first parked bus at the
curb when entering or leaving the school. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Many opportunities for parent support and information are offered at
Chapel Forge or through nearby programs. Many are presented at no cost to the
parents and some offer free babysitting.
This information is sent home weekly in children’s book bags.
The Chapel Forge website provides many immediate links to special
education and disability association resources.
It also offers information on the School Improvement Plan, and staff
suggestions for recreational and therapy activities. This website is maintained weekly to provide
the latest information.
Chapel Forge has an active Parent-Teacher Organization that supports
programs for all of our children. Parents are encouraged to participate by
attending meetings on one evening of each month at 7PM, volunteering to help
with a particular activity, or enjoying special family events.
All children who are 5 years and older are required by Maryland Law to
attend school every day that it is in session unless parents provide a legal
excuse for the absence. Illness is the major reason for absences which can be
considered excused. Parents must send a note to school with the reason for the
absence as soon as the child returns to school. When a child is out for several
days and under the care of a physician, the doctor’s note can serve as the
excuse note. If a child has an illness (such as chronic asthma) which requires
frequent, on-going, but intermittent absences, the school team can meet with
the parent to design program strategies to help maintain the child’s progress.
Parents of school-aged students who fail to send their children to school and
do not provide documentation for excused absences will be referred to Pupil
Services for appropriate actions.