• Click on the below topic to go to the corresponding portion of the handbook.
DAILY SCHEDULE
7:30 a.m. - Teacher supervision begins in cafeteria
7:55 a.m. - Students go to classrooms
8:05 a.m. - Tardy bell
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 Lunch for Grades PK, K, 1st, and 2nd
11:50 a.m. – 12:20 Lunch for Grades 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Recess for K, 1, and 2
12:20 p.m. – 12:50 Recess for Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6
2:55 p.m. - Early bus students dismissed
3:05 p.m. - Dismissal
3:30 p.m. - End of teacher supervision
DRESS CODE
- School uniforms are indeed a source of pride and unity. All students, in grades kindergarten through sixth, will wear uniforms every day unless otherwise announced.
Student dress code is as follows:
- Colors for shirts are white, navy blue, light blue, or hunter green.
- Colors for pants or shorts are navy blue or khaki.
- Shirt styles must be oxford, polo, or turtleneck in short or long sleeves.
- Shirts must be tucked in.
- Belts must be worn.
- Shoes must have soft soles and be solid in color.
- Skirts may be worn by girls in 3-6 in plaid or navy blue. Girls in K-2 may wear jumpers in
plaid or navy blue.
**ALL SKIRTS AND SHORTS MUST BE PROPER IN LENGTH. PROPER LENGTH IS
MID-THIGH TO KNEE.
**SWEATSHIRTS MAY NOT BE WORN IN THE CLASSROOM
This uniform is available at J.C. Penney.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
In case of an emergency each student is required to have an emergency form on file at the school office. If you have not received an emergency form, you may pick one up in the office. All forms must be on file by the end of the first week of school. Please provide all pertinent numbers (home, work, cell, neighbor, relative, e-mail) to ensure someone can be contacted to pick up your child(ren) in case school is called off during the school day.
FIELD TRIPS
These trips are designed to supplement different aspects of the classroom curriculum and to introduce students to the resources of the community. Parents will receive notices of field trips in advance of the scheduled trip date and will be asked to sign field trip permission forms. Field trip permission forms MUST be signed and returned by the date indicated. Students without a signed form will not be able to attend the field trip and will not be allowed to call home for permission. Parents may be asked to drive the children to and from field trip destinations. Diocese policy states that all adults who will be with children MUST attend a child sexual abuse class (VIRTUS) and have a background check completed before being allowed to be with the children in any capacity.
FIRE DRILLS
Fire drills are conducted each year in accordance with the regulations of the State Fire Marshal. Each classroom has fire drill exit routes clearly posted.
HOMEWORK
Homework is an extension of the learning that takes place in school. Homework can provide practice and drill to reinforce classroom learning providing opportunities for independent study, research, and creative thinking. Parents can help their children by arranging a quiet comfortable place for the students to work and by seeing that assignments are completed.
Your child will have homework most school nights. Your child’s teacher will post on the school website (stpatswv.org) under teachers web blog a weekly newsletter outlining what will be covered that week. In grades first through sixth an assignment book will be completed each day with homework for that evening in each subject. Parents are asked to review and sign it each evening. Children should be encouraged to read on their own each evening.
ILLNESS OR INJURY
In case of illness or injury a student will be cared for temporarily by a member of the school staff. School personnel will render first aid treatment only. Parents will be notified immediately (remember, emergency forms must be on file in the school office by the end of the first week of school).
LOST AND FOUND
All clothing and personal items found on the school grounds are placed in a box in the cafeteria. Please label all clothing, lunchboxes, backpacks, etc. so lost items can be returned to the rightful owner.
HOT LUNCH
Hot lunch is served in the cafeteria for a daily fee established by the county, payable when billed at the beginning of the following month. Monthly menus will be posted on the school website and be sent home in advance. Parents are responsible for reporting food or milk allergies and completing the necessary paper work. Milk for break is also available and will be billed at the end of each month.
MAKE-UP WORK
Teachers will provide school work for students who are absent due to illness. If you would like to pick up your child’s work please call the school office by 10 a.m. This will give teachers time to prepare the lessons for your child. Please pick up student work after 2 p.m.
MONEY
All money sent to the school for tuition, supplies, lunches, milk, etc., must be enclosed in an envelope and marked with the child’s name and the purpose of the money. Checks are always made payable to St. Patrick School, including hot lunch payments.
PARTIES
The two major classroom parties are Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Designated homeroom parents are in charge of the festivities.
**If you are planning a private party for your child’s birthday, party invitations may not be handed out at school unless the entire class is invited. **
PICTURES
Individual student pictures will be taken in September or October. The pictures are usually returned within six weeks. Make-up pictures are schedule at a later date.
PROMOTIONS AND RETENTIONS
Promotions and retentions are based on an evaluation of academic, physical, social, and emotional growth. Parents can assume their child will be promoted unless the alternative of retention has been discussed with them sometime during the school year.
RECESS POLICIES
Decisions to have outside recess during cold weather depend upon the temperature and the wind chill factor. Duty teachers make this decision at the time of the scheduled break. Students should always dress for outside recess. All students must remain on the playground during outside recess.
When students remain inside due to inclement weather, they have supervised play time in the gymnasium.
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are issued following the completion of each nine-week grading period. Report cards are sent home with the student. Please carefully review you child’s progress and contact the school if you have questions regarding grades.
Parent teacher conferences are scheduled twice during the year. Parent attendance at conferences is very important. A parent may request a conference with their child’s teacher at any time during the school year. Please call for an appointment if a meeting is desired. Likewise, a teacher may sometimes find it necessary to request a special conference with a parent. Please make every effort to meet with the teacher if you receive such a request.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS
1. Catholic students are reminded of their obligation to attend Liturgy each Sunday. All other students are reminded to faithfully attend their church’s weekly worship services.
2. Students must conform to all rules and regulations of the school.
3. Students must conform to the dress code adopted by the school.
4. Students must obey the principal, teachers, teacher-substitutes, aides, and activity supervisors.
5. Students shall do all homework and class assignments required by the teacher.
6. Student shall not steal or cheat.
7. Possession or use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco or look-alike substances is forbidden.
8. Students may not be in the school building before 7:30 or after 3:30 unless under the supervision of a faculty member.
9. Students are not permitted to use the telephone, except in the case of a true emergency.
10. Students must always leave classroom clean, neat and orderly.
11. No MP3 players or electronic games are allowed in the classroom
However, electronic games will be permitted in bus room and playground. The school
is not responsible for lost or damaged games.
12. Students are not permitted to use cell phones during school hours – 7:30 – 3:00.
Students who bring cell phones to school are to keep them in their locker.
13. No chewing gum is permitted in school, gym, or playground including after school program.
14. No drinks or bathroom breaks are granted during instructional time unless an emergency
occurs.
15. Raise your hand before speaking unless instructed to do otherwise
16. Refer to teachers by their professional names: Mrs. Smith, Miss Smith, Sister Joyce, etc.
17. Greet each teacher and adult when you meet them.
TARDINESS
Prompt arrival at school is expected of all students. Late arrival disrupts class. Tardiness also shows a lack of respect for the teacher, other students, and the educational process. All tardies will be recorded. Any classroom work missed due to chronic tardiness could result in lower grades. Students arriving after 10:15 a.m. or leaving before 1:15 p.m. will be marked as a half-day absence.
TESTING
Standardized: Standardized testing will be given to all students in grades K – 6. Testing will be done in the spring. Information from these scores is used for school curriculum planning, individual classroom instruction planning, and individual student needs.
Special Needs: Testing for gifted, learning disabilities, speech, and reading are important for many students’ progress. All testing begins at the school. For testing to be done at the school, the classroom teacher and principal must recommend this. If you feel your child may need testing in any of these areas, please confer with the classroom teacher to initiate the process. All tests are performed by the Special Education Department of Lewis County Schools.
TRANSFERS/WITHDRAWALS
Should you change your place of residence, please send your new address and telephone number to the principal and teacher. If your child is transferring to another school, please notify the principal at least one week prior to withdrawal. Give your new address and the name of the school your child will attend. The school records will be sent to the new school. It will be necessary for you to get your child’s personal possessions on the last day your child attends St. Patrick School.
TRANSPORTATION
Lewis County provides bussing for students who attend St. Patrick School. A bus schedule appears in the local newspaper approximately one week before school begins. If you have any questions regarding the bus your child would ride, please call the Lewis County Bus Garage at
269-8313. Please make sure that your child knows what bus number he/she rides. For children in the lower grades please write the numbers down and send it in to the teacher. Please remember that riding the bus is a “privilege” not a “right”. Proper behavior on the bus is required of all students or the principal and/or Lewis County School administration will revoke privileges.
TUITION/INSTRUCTIONAL FEES/ACTIVITY FEES
St. Patrick Catholic School Board of Education has set a policy for tuition collection.
This policy is to ensure timely, dependable income to cover the necessary monthly expenditures incurred by the school. Forms for tuition assistance are also available in the office. The annual tuition fee is determined by the St. Patrick School Board and is based on Catholic and non-Catholic status. Pre-School and Pre-Kindergarten payments are separate from other grades.
Instructional material/supply fees are determined by the St. Patrick School Board and are to be paid the first week of school.
The activity fee must be paid by parents or be worked off at fund raising activities during the school year.
All fees must be paid by June 1. This may be paid in monthly payments; however, each payment must be made on the first school day of each month.
Tuition must be paid through direct debits from your bank account for a nominal fee of
$0.25 per transaction if not paid in full at the beginning of September. These debits can be for ten or twelve months and once or twice each month. This is possible through the Citizens Bank of Weston. You may call the Citizens Bank at 269-2862 and speak to Joyce Morrison or call the school office for more information.
Click here to see current tuition rates and instructional fees rates.
VISITORS/PARENTS
All parents and/or visitors are required to enter the school through the cafeteria entrance. The inside doors are locked during school hours. However, you may push the buzzer under the sign in the entrance and someone will ask you to identify yourself and who you wish to see. Then the door will be unlocked, and you will be allowed entry.
WEAPONS
(Diocesan Policy 5513)
Any instrument which is designed to be used to produce serious bodily injury or death, or is readily acceptable to such use shall not by any person be brought onto or otherwise permitted on the property of the schools or any other property under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston; not shall any such instruments be brought onto or otherwise permitted on any premise where school functions are being conducted which are under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston. Deadly weapons shall include but not be limited to those instruments defined in West Virginia Code, Chapter 61, Article 7, Section 2.
Students who bring weapons as defined by diocesan regulations to school are subject to immediate suspension and/or expulsion.
