SAWYER ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 840 Sawyer Road, Marietta, Georgia Susan Graves, Principal School Information

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1 SAWYER ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 840 Sawyer Road, Marietta, Georgia Susan Graves, Principal School Information Sawyer Road Mission Statement Sawyer Road Elementary s mission is to encourage all students to become caring, open-minded, and principled citizens with a global perspective of their community and world. Sawyer Road Philosophy The Sawyer Road Elementary learning community will work collaboratively to maximize student achievement through comprehensive, rigorous curriculum using an inquiry approach; and will include differentiated assessments, which develop the whole child. Sawyer Road Mascot: Starfish Sawyer Road Colors: ocean blue and lime green Attendance/Absences: According to Georgia law, parents must see that their children are in attendance each day of school. Absences can be excused for a religious holiday or observance, illness, death or serious illness of a family member. On the first day back in school after an absence, the parent should send a note to the teacher giving a reason for the absence. The school must receive a written excuse for absences within two days of the child s return to school, from parents/guardians or a doctor in order to be considered an excused absence. s are not considered a valid form of written notification. All other absences will be considered unexcused. Excessive unexcused absences will be reported to the school social worker. It is important for the school to know why your child is absent. You can call the school office to report an absence but will still need to write a note when your child returns. Students are tardy after 8:15 a.m. and must sign in at the office. When it is necessary to arrive later than 8:15 a.m., a student can be counted present for the day if they arrive before 11:45 a.m.. At the end of the year, Sawyer Road does recognize those students with perfect attendance. Perfect attendance is defined as being present for each day of school with no more than 10 tardies. For the purpose of record keeping and the inclusion on report cards, Marietta City Schools has determined that the term tardy will indicate a late arrival. The term early dismissal as noted in ASPEN indicates any time a student is checked out early that does not result in a student being marked absent. This includes leaving and returning during the day or leaving prior to afternoon dismissal. Early dismissals count as tardies as per the Marietta City Schools attendance policy. If the time missed accounts for over one half of the school day, the student will be marked absent. Valid written excuses must be submitted to the school within two days of the student s return to school for tardies to be considered excused. The following are valid excuses: Personal illness or attendance in school endangers a student s health or the health of others.

2 Serious illness or death in a student s immediate family necessitating absence from school. A court order or an order by a governmental agency including pre-induction physical examinations for services in the armed forces. Observing religious holidays necessitating absence from school. Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health and safety. Serving as page of the Georgia General Assembly. There is no conversion of multiple tardies to absences in the law, State Rule, or Marietta Board policy. Before School and After School: Before School and After School Programs are supervised by Marietta Community Schools and operate each school day Before School/After School Programs: Before School and After School Programs are coordinated by Marietta Community School ( and supervised by certified teachers and paraprofessionals. Before School hours are from 6:30 a.m. until the start of school and After School hours are from the end of school day until 6:30 p.m. There is a non-refundable registration fee for each program of $ The daily fee for the Before School Program is $5.00 per day or $25.00 weekly and the fee for the After School Program is $7.00 per day or $35.00 weekly. A registration form must be completed before the child can attend either program. For additional information you can contact Ext Holiday Camps: Marietta Community School offers child care during school holidays throughout the school year. A $10.00 registration fee holds your child's place for the following dates but you will need to reserve the days your child will be attending before each camp. The cost is $35.00 per day, multiple sibling and employee discounts are available upon request. Camp is open from 7:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. For more information contact Ext or go to the website at Late pick up rules from Community Schools: Students waiting to be picked up will be supervised until 3:35 p.m. After 3:35 p.m. they may be sent to the after school program if they are PREREGISTERED ($10.00 fee). Regular after school charges will apply. If your child is not registered for the after school program then the school staff will try to contact the parent and other people authorized to pick up the child. If a parent or authorized person has not arrived by 7:00pm, the police department may take the child into protective custody until a parent is located. Birthday Treats: Please contact the classroom teacher if you would like to send a special snack that has been commercially prepared with nutritional label included for safety reasons as well as possible allergy concerns. In an effort to be sensitive to all children, please refrain from sending individual party invitations unless the entire class has been invited. Cafeteria: Breakfast is available beginning at 7:45am. Sawyer Road Elementary is one of several schools in the system that is receiving a grant that funds all students breakfast and lunch. All students can have breakfast and lunch at no cost. The cost of breakfast for adults is $1.50 and $3.50 for lunch. Students that arrive via private vehicle must be in the classroom no later than 8:30am to eat breakfast. Late arriving bus students will be given an opportunity to eat breakfast without penalty. Extra milk costs $.70. Calendar: August 5 First Day of School September 7 Labor Day Holiday No school September 24, 25 Professional Learning Days-No school September 28 Oct. 2 Conference Week Early dismissal November Thanksgiving Break December 21-January 4 Winter Holidays January 5-6 No School/Professional Days January 7 Students return to school January 18 Martin Luther King Day No school February 15 Presidents Day

3 February March 1 March 7-11 April 4-8 April 20 May 3 May 25 No School- Mid-Winter Break (make up days if inclement weather) Professional Learning Day No school Conference Week-Early Dismissal Spring Break Statewide Testing for 3-5 (Georgia Milestones) Last Day of School Car Line Procedures: Please drop off and pick up students around the back of the school, not in the front of the school unless you are dropping off late. No student drop-off before 7:45. If you arrive later than 8:10 please park in the front of the building in a parking space and bring your student into the front office and sign him/her in. In the afternoon, please form a line around the back of the school. Each car will move in a single file with your assigned number displayed in the front window for pick-up. Numbers are issued to each student for pick-up identification. Please remain in your car to keep the car rider line moving efficiently and the children can be loaded safely from the curb. Change of Address or Phone Number: It is extremely important for the school to have current home, work and cellphone numbers as well as parent addresses for each student. If, at any time during the year, your home address, any phone numbers, or your changes, please notify the school office and classroom teacher. If there is no phone, it is necessary that we have a phone number where the parent can be reached. It is required the office be notified of a change of address as soon as it occurs. Change of Transportation: If a student is normally a bus rider, we require notice from the parent before allowing students to be transported by anyone other than a parent. To safeguard our students, we do not allow students to ride home with unauthorized persons. At dismissal, bus rider students will be put on the bus unless a parent/guardian has notified the school office of another arrangement in writing. Students are not permitted to change buses to ride home with friends unless they have a signed note from their parent/guardian. For the safety of our students, we adhere strictly to these rules. It is requested that you communicate clearly with your child before he/she comes to school, and notify the child s teacher in writing of any transportation changes. If you must make a change during the day, notify the school office staff in writing via fax AND by telephone as soon as possible. Our school fax number is (770) Character Education Plan: Sawyer Road implements the state mandated Character Education program along with the IB learner profile that the students are reflective, inquirers, communicators, caring, principled, risk-takers, thinkers, knowledgeable, balanced, and open-minded. The aim is to develop internationally minded people who recognize their commonalities as they strive to create a better and more peaceful world. Check In and Check Out: Early dismissals are handled by the school s front office staff. A note signed by the parent is sent to the school requesting early dismissal, listing reasons for dismissal, time, and person responsible for picking up your child. Children to be dismissed early are sent to the office and are dismissed from the office. Early dismissal will NOT be permitted after 2:45 pm to avoid interruption to dismissal procedures. Please be prepared to present photo identification upon request. A record is kept in the office of early dismissals and tardies. When a student arrives late (after 8:15) an adult must sign the student in at the office. Communication: Communication is encouraged between parents and teachers. School and classroom information will be sent home in the home communication envelope, Star Report, each Thursday. The envelope will contain important information for parents and samples of student work. The contents need to be examined thoughtfully, and the envelope should be signed and returned to school the next day. To address educational progress or other student concerns, please contact your child s teacher first. Teachers may receive messages via telephone at and by school You may contact Sawyer Road staff members via . Marietta City School System employees may be contacted with the following address: first initial, last marietta-city.k12.ga.us. (Example: mburgess@marietta-city.k12.ga.us). messages may not be read until the following day, so please call the office with messages that need immediate attention. If you do not receive a response to an sent to a staff member within 24 hours, please follow up with a phone call as outside addresses can, at times, be blocked. Conference Week: Marietta City designates time each year for parent-teacher conferences to promote strong homeschool communication. Fall conferences will be held September 28 th October 2nd and spring conferences, which are student led, will be March 7 th 11th. School hours are shortened during conference week with early dismissal at

4 1:15 pm. If an additional conference is needed, please schedule it through the office or make arrangements with the teacher. Teachers are not available for conferences during class time. The after school program will begin at 1:15 pm during conference weeks for your convenience. Please notify the teacher and the front office of any transportation changes that will take place during these times. Curriculum: Reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, music, art, drama, Spanish, and physical education are included for every grade level. An integrated approach to learning using inquiry to educate the whole child in a student-centered environment is our commitment as a Primary Years Programme school. We will cover all of the Georgia Common Core standards through the IB planners. During the school year, the school became an International Baccalaureate World School for the Primary Years Programme. Information about this program can be obtained at: or by contacting our IB Coordinator, Jill extension Emergency Closing of School: When there is a question about school being closed or dismissed early, WSB 750 AM is the radio station authorized to broadcast information about Marietta City Schools. In the event that school is dismissed early, the After School Program will also close early. It is advisable to have arrangements made with a friend or neighbor with regard to early dismissal. Emergency Preparedness Plan: A school emergency plan is maintained in the school office and one copy is filed in the system office. This plan lists duties and persons responsible should a disaster or emergency occur requiring school-wide measures. Various drills are practiced throughout the year to assure the staff and students know what to do in the event of an emergency. Field Trips: Grade levels are encouraged to schedule field trips to enrich their planners. A permission form will be sent home along with all the information regarding the field trip. To attend, a student must have a written permission form signed by his/her parent or legal guardian. Parent chaperones are sometimes requested. Younger siblings/friends are not permitted to go on the field trip. Homework: Homework is a reinforcement of school work and essential to mastery learning. It is very important that students continue to study at home. Students are usually assigned homework Monday through Thursday. Reading for 30 minutes should also be a part of a child s nightly homework routine. Readers are Leaders! IB Statement: Sawyer Road Elementary is an International Baccalaureate World School for the Primary Years Programme. These are schools that share a common philosophy-a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Sawyer Road believes is important for its students. Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as IB World Schools can offer any of its three programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme (DP). For further information about the IBO and its programmes, visit Illness at School: If a child becomes sick or has an abnormal temperature, a parent or caretaking adult will be called by the school nurse to pick up the child. It is important that the school nurse is aware of any medical concerns and allergies. The school nurse is housed in the clinic located in the front office. The hours are from 8:00-2:30 daily. Lost and Found: Sawyer Road provides a rack in the atrium for clothing left at school and in the front office for other items left. Items not claimed are taken to shelters at the end of each quarter. Please label all items your child brings to school with your child s name especially jackets, coats and sweaters. Materials and Supplies: Materials and supplies vary with each grade level. Supply lists are posted on the school website. Media Center: Students may check out books for two weeks at a time and are encouraged to return them by or before the due date. If books are damaged or lost while in a student s possession, the student is responsible for the damage or replacement fee before any other materials may be checked out.

5 Medicine: If your child requires medication during the day, please see the school nurse for the form you must fill out giving permission and directions to administer the medication. All medication must be in a clearly labeled original prescription container with the child s name and clear directions. All medications must be kept in the clinic; and no medication of any kind, including aspirin or Tylenol, is dispensed by the school nurse unless it is sent from home with a signed note of instructions and permission. Students in need of asthma inhalers may keep those inhalers on their person or in their book bags. Parent Involvement: Parents provide a tremendous service to children and the school by volunteering. Volunteers are needed in various areas. Please let us know how you would be able to help. All visitors are required to sign-in to obtain a visitor s badge and required to wear while in the building. Partners in Education: Partners in Education is a collaborative effort of school and business in support of education. Current Sawyer Road partners include: Georgia Ballet Marietta Church of God Alliance Theatre Institute for Educators and Teaching Artists Barnes and Noble Town Center Prado Marietta Players/Young Actors Playhouse Marietta Martial Arts Dow Chemical Company Publix Sandy Plains Pick-Up (Early): Please limit early pick-up of children except in emergencies and for appointments. A note sent in the morning will help us to have your child ready. Come to the office to check out a student. No student will be released to an unknown or unauthorized person. Please do not come to the office to pick up a student between 2:45 3:10 as we have already begun dismissal preparations and procedures. Pick-Up (Late): Students waiting to be picked up will be supervised until 3:30pm. After 3:30 pm, they may be sent to After School Program, and regular After School Program charges will apply. PTA: We have a new enthusiastic PTA Board. We encourage you to become a member of our PTA. Our goal is to have 100% of parents and staff as active members of the Sawyer Road PTA. The cost of membership is $5.00. Report Cards: Grade reports are issued every nine weeks. Midway through the nine weeks a progress report is sent home that will advise parents of student progress at that time. Students and parents are provided with continuous information regarding academic progress through a web-based program called Aspen. This resource can be accessed via any computer connected to the Internet. Log-in information is distributed at the beginning of the school year or during the registration process. School Hours: Regular school hours are from 8:15am 3:15pm. Students may enter the building at 7:45am each morning. Please do not send your child/children to school prior to 7:45am so that we can guarantee the active supervision of your child. School Governance Team: The School Governance Team (SGT) is entrusted with the responsibility of providing input, making recommendations and decisions regarding various aspects of the instructional program of the school and the school s operational scheme. All SGT meetings are open and will be held monthly at 7:30 in the front office conference room. The dates and members are posted on the Sawyer Road website under School Governance. Sexual Harassment: Any student who believes he or she has been the victim of sexual harassment should report the incident to the Title IX Compliance Officer or to an administrator, counselor, or teacher at the school he or she attends. Investigations involving allegations of sexual harassment allegations will be handled per Board of Education of the City of Marietta Policy JAEB, Student Sexual Harassment. This policy and the Report of Harassment form can be found on the Legal Information webpage at or by contacting the school. Standardized Testing: Standardized test results are used to help track student progress and to guide instruction. All Marietta City Elementary schools, grades 3 5, will participate in state criterion reference testing (Georgia Milestones EOG). A nationally normed test (MAP) will be given three times a year to all grade levels (K-5).

6 Student Conduct: Student Conduct is expected to conform to a high standard at all times. Unacceptable conduct which prohibits learning and which disrupts other students will not be tolerated. Students who misbehave at school will be disciplined. The cooperation of parents is an important element in modifying behavior that is unsatisfactory. Student behavior will be reflected in the conduct grade on each report card. Please refer to the Discipline Handbook for further guidelines. Student Records: It is the school s policy to send educational records without permission upon request from another school. Student records may be made available only to a natural parent unless a legal document instructs the school otherwise. Technology: Sawyer Road Elementary features two computer labs with 25 up-to-date computers in each lab and 22 computers in the media center. All classes may sign up for the computer labs as needed. Each classroom also has 3-4 computers for student use. There are 5 wireless laptop carts for classes to use allowing our fourth and fifth grades to have 2 students to 1 computer access and the other grade levels will still be able to check out carts. 55 ipads were purchased and are available for check out by the teachers from the media center. The latest technology for assisting with instruction in basic subjects, remedial activities, and enrichment is readily available. The school has over 350 student computers. Smart Classrooms: Every classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard, including music, art, Spanish, and the science laboratory. The interactive whiteboards and computers allow for research to support and spark inquiry as well as greater student engagement in all academic lessons. Uniforms: Uniforms are mandatory; all students will be required to participate. The uniform includes; polo shirts, long and short sleeve, sweatshirts, hooded jackets, and cardigans with a SRE/IB World school logo or plain. The students may wear Sawyer Road spirit wear on Fridays. The uniform shirts are to be worn with khaki, black, navy, or blue jean pants/skirts/skorts/shorts/capris. The uniform shirt colors are ocean blue, navy, and white. The uniform pants/skirt/skort/shorts/capris are khaki, black or plain blue jeans (with no decorative trims). Any Sawyer Road PTA t-shirt is part of the spirit wear that can be worn on Fridays. There is an Opt Out form for those who do not wish to participate for Medical, Religious or other justified reasons. Visitors: All visitors must sign in at the office and visibly wear a visitors badge as part of school safety procedures. WITHDRAWAL/TRANSFER: Parents should notify the Main Office immediately when a student is to be withdrawn from school. Textbooks and library books need to be returned to school prior to withdrawal. Your notification to the Main Office that your child will be withdrawing will enable us to complete his/her school records and provide you with necessary documentation for entry into his/her next school. Withdrawal paperwork requires 48 hours to be completed.