School Information
Office Information
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Principal: Autumn Eirich
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Phone: 301-729-2992 |
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Parent/Student
Handbook
School Hours
The children may arrive at school as
early as
The lunch schedule is as follows:
Kindergarten and first grade students – 11:30-12:00
Second and third grade students – 12:00-12:30
Fourth and fifth students – 12:30-1:00
School dismissal will begin at 3:15p.m.
· YMCA Bus
· Carpool students to the cafeteria
· Walkers are dismissed by the side doors
· Bus #28, #76, #36, #66 (not necessarily in that order)
School
Attendance Policy
Policy Statement: Regular school
attendance is expected of all students in the Allegany County Public Schools. School attendance is directly related to
school achievement. In order to maximize
academic achievement, there must be a unified effort by all school staff,
parents, students, and the community to improve overall school attendance.
School administrators, teachers, and support staff are expected to make all
reasonable attempts to assist students and parents in addressing those factors
which cause students to be absent from school.
Tardiness:
Students not in school/classroom by the start of announcements at
8:50 a.m. will be marked as tardy.
Tardiness shall be treated in a similar manner as lawful or unlawful
absences. Students who arrive to school tardy must be accompanied into the
building by an adult and signed in at the main office.
Lawful Absence: Students presently enrolled in public schools are
considered lawfully absent from school, including absence for a portion of the
day, under the following conditions:
A. Death, in the immediate family.
B. Illness of the Student: The principal shall require a physician’s
certificate from the parent or guardians of a student reported continuously
absent for illness.
C. Court Summons.
D. Hazardous Weather Conditions: Shall be interpreted to mean weather
conditions that would endanger the health or safety of the student when in
transit to and from school.
E. Work: Approved or sponsored by the school, the local school
system, or the State Department of Education, and accepted by the local
superintendent of schools or the school principal or their designees as reason
for excusing students.
F. Observance of religious holiday
G. State emergency
H. Suspension.
I. Lack of authorized transportation: This shall not include
students denied authorized transportation for disciplinary reasons.
J. Other emergency or set of circumstances: Any instance which in
the judgment of the superintendent or designee constitutes a good and
sufficient cause for absence from school.
Unlawful Absence: An absence for any reason other than those cited as
lawful are presumed as unlawful and may constitute truancy.
A. Truancy: A truant is a student who is absent without lawful
cause as defined in COMAR 13A.08.01.03 from such attendance for a school day or
portion thereof.
B. Habitual Truancy: A student is a habitual
truant if he or she is unlawfully absent from school for a number of days
or portion of days in excess of 15% of the school days within any marking
period, semester, or year. (Note: Unlawful absence of students who
are beyond the compulsory school attendance age - 16 years of age and over -
shall be treated as a disciplinary matter and handled accordingly.)
Absences: All students are
required to have a note signed by the parent or guardian explaining any
absence. This is due back to school on the first day of attendance after
the absence. Absence due to vacation must receive prior approval from the
school in accordance with county policy. A note from the parent/guardian
explaining the absence/tardiness of a student must be received by the school
within two school days following the student’s return or the absence/tardiness
will be coded as unlawful. When a doctor’s certificate for chronic illness is
required and not provided within two school days following the student’s
return, the absence/tardiness will be coded as unlawful.
Monitoring Procedures:
A. When a student accumulates eight (8) days of lawful or unlawful
absences, parents/students will be notified by written communication from the
principal. The case will be referred to the school attendance/discipline
committee that will be composed of the principal or his/her designee, the
school’s pupil personnel worker and other staff members assigned by the
principal. The committee may invite the student’s parents to come to the school
for a conference and to determine available courses of action to improve
attendance.
B. Should absences continue, parents are to be notified by the principal in
writing no later than immediately after the twelfth (12) day of lawful or
unlawful absence. The principal will send written
communication, by mail, requesting a parent conference. The principal or
designee may indicate one or more of the following measures:
• probationary period with verbal agreement
• written contract
• after-school detention
• assignment to additional days of attendance
• removal of school privileges
• restrictions of extracurricular activities
• in-school suspension
C. When a student accumulates fifteen (15)
days of lawful or unlawful absences the parents/guardians will be notified in
writing and a conference will be required. At the time the parents will be
advised of the following actions as recommended by the school
attendance/discipline committee. The results of the conference will be
confirmed in writing
1. probationary period.
2. retention in the grade (grades K-9)
3. denial of high school credit
4. referral of the student or parent/guardian to
the court in violation of the compulsory school attendance laws.
5. referral to an appropriate agency for
assistance.
6. assignment to additional days of attendance
(not included in the regular school year).
7. referral to GED services for those students
beyond the compulsory attendance age.
8. suspension and recommendations for removal
from school rolls for the remainder of the school year.
9. assignment to an
alternative educational program.
Dress Code
Allegany County School Dress Code
Any manner
of dress, hairstyle, or degree of cleanliness that presents danger to the
student’s health and safety, interferes with others’ right to learn, or creates
classroom or school disorders will be considered as unsuitable for school.
Beyond this point of control, we believe parents/guardians should help their
children come to school dressed in a style that promotes safety and reflects
the values and tastes established by the community and meets the daily demands
of the instructional and non-instructional aspects of the day.
Bel Air Student Dress Code
Allegany County has a dress
code in place for all students. In order to enforce the county guidelines, Bel
Air has created a list of examples of inappropriate clothing. Bel Air’s staff will strictly enforce the
county’s dress code. Thank you for helping us to promote a safe and orderly
environment.
Examples of inappropriate clothing:
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skirts an shorts which are shorter than mid-thigh
- pants that are worn below the waist which expose undergarments
- tops that reveal mid-drift
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low cut tops or tops that reveal undergarments
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shirts that display inappropriate or violence oriented slogans or pictures
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backless shoes, sandals, or boots on physical education days (no flip-flops)
Discipline
Expected Student Behaviors
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Bel Air Elementary students are expected to: |
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· Engage in learning activities and take school work seriously · Take responsibility for their own behavior · Be courteous |
· Respect the personal, civil, and property rights of others · Attend school regularly, on time, and prepared to learn |
· Complete assignments on time · Seek alternatives to verbal or physical conflicts · Speak appropriately |
· Dress appropriately · Exhibit self-control · Cooperate with others
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Consequences for Violations of Behavior and
Discipline Policies
· Verbal reprimand
· Time-out or out of classroom
· Loss of privileges
· Teacher/administrator conference with student
· Phone call to parent/guardian
· Written notification
· Conference with parent/guardian
· Detention
· In-school suspension
· Suspension
The professional staff at
· The severity of the incident
· A student's previous violations and/or consequences for the same or a related offense
· If the offense interfered with the responsibility/rights/privileges/property of others
· If the offense posed a threat to the health or safety of others
· If the student has an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 Plan
· The logical relationship between the offense and the consequence
· The age-appropriateness of the consequence
· Any specific consequences articulated in Board of Education Policy.
School Counseling Services
Every school in
School Nurse
To help ensure your child’s health, our school nurse provides health care to children referred to the health room. Careful logs are kept on health room visits. The nurse is responsible for the daily dispensing of prescription and over the counter medicines. However, the nurse can not dispense any medication without a signed blue physician’s order. The parent should deliver all medications to the nurse in the “original” container from the pharmacy, unless other arrangements have been made with the nurse.
Bel Air Elementary PTO Bylaws
Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Bel Air Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization
Article II – Purpose
A. To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school and community.
B. To foster a closer relationship between school and home, so that parents and teachers may cooperate effectively in the education of the child.
C. To enhance the
educational facilities and opportunities for the students of
Article III – Policies
A. This organization shall provide service for school functions, engage in fund raising projects, and enhance the students’ educational experience through volunteer efforts and supplemental funding for classroom projects and teaching supplies.
B. This organization may present suggestions to the administration concerning activities of the school, if such suggestion is made toward the betterment of conditions for all concerned (i.e., students, teachers, administrators and parents).
Article IV – Membership and Dues
A. Any parent, guardian, or family member of a Bel Air Elementary Student or any member of the Bel Air Elementary Faculty or Staff who is willing to uphold the policies of this organization may become a member.
B. An annual
C. The Executive Board will determine the cost of dues each year.
D. Upon payment of dues, an individual becomes a voting member of the organization. Any time a vote is conducted, each voting member is entitled to one vote. In the case of a Family Membership, each legal adult will be entitled to one vote.
Article V – Officers and Elections
A. Officers
1. The officers shall be one President and one Vice-President, or two Co-Presidents; a Secretary and a Treasurer.
2. The privilege of holding office shall be limited to members whose dues are paid.
3. Officers shall be elected at the final PTO Meeting of the school year by the members present.
4. Officers shall assume their official duties at the close of the current school year of their election, and shall serve for a term of two (2) years.
5. No member may hold more than one office at a time.
6. An officer may continue in their position for up to one (1) year after their term expires if a replacement cannot be found.
B. Elections
1. Nominations for officers will be accepted at the March PTO Meeting. If any officer positions remain vacant after the March meeting, a Nominating Committee appointed by the Executive Board will seek out potential candidates through all means possible.
2. A slate of nominees will be published through the newsletter prior to the election.
3. Voting shall be done by ballot at the May PTO Meeting; a majority vote shall rule.
4. If only one candidate is running for a position, the ballot will reflect a YES/NO vote on the individual.
5. A vacancy occurring in any office before the term expires will be filled through a majority vote at the very next PTO Meeting.
Article VI
Duties of Officers
A. The President or Co-Presidents shall:
1. Prepare an agenda and preside over all meetings and functions of the PTO including the Executive Board Meetings
2. Represent the Bel Air Elementary PTO in the community
3. Oversee Officers’ Duties and various Committees’ efforts, and be available for consultation as needed
4. Cast a deciding vote in case of a tie at all PTO Meetings
5. Prepare and pass on related information about the office to the successor
B. The Vice President (if one President) shall:
1. Act as an aide to the President – represent him or her upon request, and assume the duties of the President in their absence or inability to serve
2. Automatically become President if that position is vacated for any reason before the term has expired
3. Prepare and pass on related information about the office to the successor
C. The Secretary shall:
1. Keep minutes of all PTO and Executive Board Meetings
2. Distribute copies of meeting minutes at the next PTO Meeting for review and approval
3. Once minutes are approved,
file a copy at
4. Prepare and pass on related information about the office to the successor
D. The Treasurer shall:
1. Draft a tentative budget to be presented at the first PTO Meeting of the school year for approval by a majority vote of the members present
2. Receive all monies of the organization
3. Keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures
4. Pay out funds only as authorized by the Executive Board
5. Present a statement of account at every PTO Meeting, and other times if requested by the Executive Board
6. Make available a financial statement to the general membership in May
7. Prepare all necessary tax returns and maintain exempt status
8. Prepare and pass on related information about the office to the successor
9. Have Treasurer’s accounts examined by an auditor prior to turning books over to the successor
Article VII Executive Board
A. The Executive Board is a representative group of the organization and shall consist of the elected Officers, the Volunteer Coordinator, and the various Committee Chairpersons. Also serving in ex-officio positions are the Principal of Bel Air Elementary School and one Faculty Liaison.
Article VIII Meetings
A. General PTO Meetings will be held approximately every six (6) weeks throughout the school year.
B. Members of the Executive Board will be in contact with each other during the summer months to plan for the next school year.
C. The Executive Board will meet as needed, and will share information as deemed necessary at the next PTO General Meeting, or in the school newsletter.
D. Three (3) Officers present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the organization.
This
policy protects absent board members.
Article IX Parliamentary Procedure
A. “Robert’s Rules of Order Revised” shall govern this organization’s meetings when they are not in conflict with the organization’s bylaws.
Article X Standing Rules
A. “Standing rules” may be approved by the Executive Board, and the secretary shall keep a record of standing rules for future reference.
Article XI
A. These by-laws may be amended or revised at any regular business meeting of the organization by a majority vote of the members present.
B. Approved amendments are to be enacted immediately and may be retroactive where applicable.
The Bel Air Elementary School PTO approved these bylaws on: March 21, 2005.
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Position |
Name |
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President |
Kim Clouden |
kimclouden@atlanticbb.net |
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Vice President |
Rhonda Sears |
rsears@atlanticbb.net |
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Secretary |
Suzanne Kim |
susannerkim@yahoo.com |
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Treasurer |
Julie Sterne |
jsterne@allconet.org |
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Parent Volunteer Coordinator |
Paula Summerfield |
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Homeroom Parent Coordinator |
Charity Bird |
twomuchtodo1@msn.com |
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Newsletter |
Maureen Lauder |
mlauder@atlanticbb.net |
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Tyson’s Labels |
Julie Sterne |
jsterne@allconet.org |
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Yearbook |
Debbie Alderton |
4theherd@atlanticbb.net |
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Food Lion and Martins Program |
Maureen Lauder |
mlauder@atlanticbb.net |
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Talent Show |
Jeannie Kobert |
JWK1216@verison.net |
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Santa's Secret Shop |
Sue Ann Heid |
heidfamily4@atlanticbb.net |
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Santa's Pancake Dinner |
Debbie Alderton |
4theherd@atlanticbb.net |
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Spaghetti Dinner |
Debbie Dignan |
debbiedignan@atlanticbb.net |
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Fun Fair |
TBA |
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Teacher Appreciation Week |
Kim Clouden |
kimclouden@atlanticbb.net |
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BATCH |
Charity Bird |
twomuchtodo1@msn.com |
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General Mills Box Tops |
Kara Anderson |
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