School Information

All visitors must enter the building through the front door facing Sycamore Road. Visitors are not admitted to classrooms during school hours unless prior arrangements have been made with the office and the teacher. Before and after school, refrain from going to the classroom unless you have a scheduled conference with the teacher. Please do not be offended if the teacher cannot visit with you if you "drop by" at arrival or dismissal. These are critical times for us and require full attention be given to our students.

Regular and punctual attendance is a very important part of education. When your child is absent from school, the parent MUST WRITE A NOTE which gives the date(s) absent and the reason(s) for the absence. Please be sure to include the teacher's name on the note. This note is given to the teacher the first day back following the absence(s). If a note is not received, the absence is recorded as unexcused.

Buses

Bus service is provided for students who live more than 1.5 miles from the school. Students are assigned to one bus only. Students are assigned to a bus based on his/her parent's address and may not ride a different bus to or from another address. Buses load and unload on the south side of the campus. Detailed information is posted and distributed at registration.

Car Riders

Students who are car riders may be dropped each morning and picked up each afternoon in the side packing lot. Teachers are stationed to supervise this process and to make it as safe and smooth as possible.

If you choose to drive your child to school, the following procedures must be followed to insure the safety of all of the children.

1. Drive slowly and cautiously through car pick-up area. Always be aware of ALL children when on school campus.

2. Display your name on the driver's side windshield, or nearest to the teacher calling names with a walkie talkie. This will help the school respond quickly in getting your child to the car.

3. Students will be supervised by teachers and teacher assistants as they load and unload cars during the official arrival and dismissal time.

4. Students will load and unload at the curb only. Students will not be allowed to walk to a parked car in the parking lot.

5. You must remain in your car. Do not get out of your car to collect your child from the loading area.

6. Please do not use cell phones whole in the car rider line. This inhibits your attention to signaling for your child and watching for other children.

7. Students should not be left unattended on the campus before 9:00a.m. Doors will not be opened for students to enter the building until that time.

8. Please be sure your child is ready to exit your vehicle before you go through the drop-off line., This will keep the line moving and prohibit delay.

Cafeteria

The cafeteria serves breakfast and lunch daily. Free and reduced meal applications are distributed at registration. EACH STUDENT WHO RECEIVES A FREE OR REDUCED MEAL MUST HAVE AN ACCURATE APPLICATION ON FILE. Prices are as follows:

$1.50 student lunch (including 1/2 pint milk)

$1.00 student breakfast

$ .40 reduced student lunch

$ .30 reduced student breakfast

$ .40 extra 1/2 pint milk

$3.00 adult lunch (includes tea)

$ .25 adult iced tea

Each child has a student number. This number will be assigned and given to your child at the beginning of the school year. This number is used at the point of service and identifies your child to the cashier. This system allows for prepayment on your child's account. More information may be obtained at registration or by calling the school.

We welcome you to come and join your child for lunch occasionally.We are requesting that parenst do not come to lunch until after Labor Day, thus giving us time to get the lunch schedule in place. If there are extenuating circumstances regarding the September time frame, please conatct administration.

Lunch procedures for parents
*Sign-in at the office.
*Obtain a vistor name tag.
*Meet your child at the lunchroom door. Do not go to your child's room.
*Sit with your child at the designated table-no friends will be allowed to sit with your child.
*Say good-bye to your child as you depart the lunchroom. Do not go to your child's classroom.
*Check-out at the office.

Changes in Transportation Routine

Changes in the afternoon dismissal must be in written form. Otherwise, students will be dismissed according to the information recorded on the registration form. A verbal message to the teacher from a child is not acceptable.

Checking-in and Checking-out students

Check-in procedures

Students arriving on campus after 9:15 am must be accompanied by an adult to the office to check-in and receive an admission slip to class. Your child is considered tardy after 9:15 am. Instruction begins promptly at 9:15 am.

Check-out procedures

No child will be checked-out at the office after 3:30. We are preparing to end the day for a safe and orderly dismissal. If you must check your child out it must be before 3:30. If you know your child will be checking out early in the school day, please send a not to your child's homeroom teacher notifying her of an early check-out for your child. The only persons allowed to check-pout your child are the persons listed on the registration form. We cannot release children to persons not listed on the registration form you completed without written parental permission. It is the parent's responsibility to notify the office in writing of any changes in student/parent information on the registration form. AN ID is required of all persons checking-out a student. If your child has special considerations: limited custody, shared custody rights, please notify the school each year. We make every effort to comply with court orders and parental wishes : however, because of the number of cases we handle, we must have a letter on file.

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Corporate Fundraising

Please note that these programs are coordinated for the school by parent volunteers. Sycamore Elementary PTA, in accordance with the policies of the National PTA cannot endorse specific businesses, and therefore cannot be responsible for the implementation of these programs. Sycamore Elementary PTA does encourage parents, families and the community to actively support our school by whatever means they can.

Box Top For Education Clip and save Box tops logos from participating General Mills's products.	Tyson A+ Clip and save Project A+ redemption panels from boxes of Tyson Chicken Patties, Chunks, Tenders and Fillets.
Campbell's Soup Labels Save labels from Campbell's Soup, Chef's Kettle, Franco-American, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghetti O's, Swanson, V8 products and UPC symbol from Goldfish packages.	Kroger Bags Save your Kroger plastic grocery sacks (dry and clean please) and our school will receive up to $1.00 per pound collected.
Blockbuster's Card Pick up a Co-Stars Card at your favorite BLOCKBUSTER Video Store. Each time you rent a tape at BLOCKBUSTER, present your card to be punched. After 7 punches you receive an 8th video rental free, then turn in your completed card to our school and we will receive $1.00.	Cici's Pizza Night Starting in September mark your calendars for every 2nd Tuesday of the month to eat at Collierville's Cici's Pizza. Cici's Pizza will donate 10% of all sales from 4:30pm to 10pm to Sycamore Elementary.
You can support your school just by shopping with your Target Guest Card. You can call 1-800-316-6142 to designate your school choice.	Sycamore will receive 5% of your next purchase at Office Depot until the end of September.

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Health Notes

Our goal is to keep your children and the school environment as safe and healthy as possible. To accomplish this, your help is necessary. Your children need to stay at home if they have one or more of the following symptoms:

• 1. A fever of 100 degrees or more
• 2. A productive cough
• 3. Thick, yellow or green drainage from the nose or eyes
• 4. Diarrhea
• 5. Skin rashes or eruptions
• 6. Red throat, swollen glands around the jaw, ears or neck
• 7. Complaints of earache, severe stomach ache or headache, sore throat
• 8. Nausea, vomiting, or recurrent vomiting
• 9. Lethargy, muscle aches or flu like symptoms
• 10. Head or body lice 

Students who have any of these symptoms should remain home until they are symptom free for 24 hours. It is important to prevent students from returning with a decreased resistance to infection. Your cooperation in helping to maintain a healthy school environment is greatly appreciated.

Health

Very minor accidents are handled in the health room by parent volunteers. All other accidents are immediately reported to the parent(s). If a student has a fever, is contagious, or feels too sick to stay at school, parents are called. In the event a parent cannot be reached, it is imperative that the names and numbers of other family members or friends who may be contacted are available to the health room.

Policy on Medication

The Shelby County Board of Education policy concerning medication states that only the principal or the principal's designee will administer medicine to students. A form with written instructions and signed by the parent MUST be on file in the office. Medication must be in the original container with the label stating current dispensing instructions from the physician. Medication must be brought to school by an adult. Students may not bring medicine to school. Oral medication, such as aspirin, will not be given to children under any circumstances by school personnel.

Make-up work for Absent Students

Students will be given time to do make-up work upon their return to school (one day for each day of absence). Make-up work requests may be called in on your child's third day of absence. Please contact the office by 10:30 a.m. Make-up work may be picked up after 2:30 in the office.

PTA

Each year, our PTA sponsors many events, including an open house, a fund raising drive, and evening programs devoted to important issues. Meetings are held monthly. Memberships are available on registration day, during the membership drive, and at any PTA meeting. Membership dues are $6.00 per person.

Parent Volunteers

Many parent volunteers donate time to help at school. If you are interested in being a volunteer, contact any teacher or the VP Parent Volunteers of the PTA Board.

Parties / Celebrations

There is one school party during the school year. Your child may bring a treat for his/her birthday to each child in his/her class. These treats must be store bought items and will be distributed only at lunch. Please do not distribute candy as a treat. Please make arrangements with the teacher before bringing treats.

School Colors, Mascot, and Motto

The school colors are green and silver. The school mascot is a lion. The school motto is "Where Children Become More."

School Hours

School hours are from 9:00- 4:00p.m. Students are not to be on campus before 9:00a.m. Students are not to remain in the cold unsupervised. No exceptions will be made. The Collierville YMCA runs a before and after school child care program on our campus ( 853-2355 ). Other before and after school care is also available in the community.

Students arriving after 9:15 am. must enter the building in the front and be accompanied by an adult. Check-in will take place in the office. The front driveway IS NOT for student drop-off.

Supplies

The school operates a bookstore called LionMart. The bookstore sells the basic suggested supplies needed by students. Price lists are posted in the bookstore. Operating times are 9:00-9:15 am each day.

Walkers and Bike Riders

Students who walk to and from school are to stay on the sidewalk and are to enter the building by the north door. In the afternoon, all walkers depart on the north side of the building, keeping within the marked walkway. Bike riders are required to walk their bikes on and off campus, and to park their bikes in the bike rack. All bikes should be locked during the day and taken home each afternoon. Walkers and bike riders are escorted off campus by teachers. Walkers and bike riders must not cross over to the campus until the school crossing assistant is at the desiginated crossing area. Only students living in the Estanaula subdivision should use the crossing area. Once students leave the school campus, parent assum responsibilty for their safety.

Weather

Emergency drills are held on a regular basis. In the event of local severe weather, the school communicates with the National Weather Service and the local police department, and takes the appropriate action that is in the best interest of the students. ALSO, you should have a "snow plan" on file with your child's teacher in case of early dismissal due to inclement weather. DO NOT call the school to ask if school will close early &endash; this ties up our phone lines needed for incoming information. Listen to the radio or tune in to a local television station for information on Shelby County school closings. This is the quickest way to get information on school closings.