The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.  These rights are:

(1)        The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the record (s) they wish to inspect.  The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

(2)        The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the school principal [or appropriate school official], clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.  If the school decided not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.  Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

(3)        The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent the FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement with personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

[Optional] Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. [NOTE: FERPA requires a school district to make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent or student of the records request unless it states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.]

(4)        The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC   20202-5901

[NOTE:  In addition, a school may want to include its directory information public notice, as required by § 99.37 of the regulations, with its annual notification of rights under FERPA.]

The Protection of Pupil Right Amendment (PPRA) affords parents and students who are 18 or emancipated minors (eligible students) certain rights regarding our conduct of survey, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.   These include the right to:

·        Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the US Department of Education.

·        Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents;

1.      Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;

2.      Sexual behaviors or attitudes;

3.      Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

4.      Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;

5.      Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;

6.      Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or

7.      Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

·        Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of

1.      Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding

2.      Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under state law; and

3.      Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

·        Inspect, upon request and before administration or use of

1.      Protected information survey of students;

2.      Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and

3.   Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

The Union County School District will notify parents and eligible students, at the start of each school year of the specific or approximate dates of the following activities and provide an opportunity to opt a student out of participating in:

    Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or distribution.

    Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by ED.

    Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Certain educational records can be shared with the district’s health care partners as needed to provide and evaluate health services to students.  Any student that is medically treated by health care personnel at school, the student’s records may be shared with school officials who have a legitimate educational purpose for accessing such records.

Lake Butler Elementary School will continue several policies during the 2016-2017 school year in an effort to afford greater protection to our students:

(1)       We will continue to check identification of parents coming into the office to check out students.

Please always bring identification with you, even if you come frequently and know that staff may recognize you.  We will still need to check your identification.

(2)      We can no longer accept regular daily phone calls to change the way a student goes home. If you wish to change the way your child goes home in the afternoon please send a note to school with your child that morning so that we will have time during the day to verify its authenticity.  If an emergency arises during the day requiring a change please call or e-mail the front office by 1:30 so that we have time to verify the call.  If after 1:30, an adult who is on the child’s emergency card must come to the school with identification to pick up your child.  We know you will understand these changes as they are designed to make the students safer.  When last-minute calls are made to the school we have no way to verify that the caller is really the parent of the student.  This procedure will give us time to verify that the call is authentic.

(3)       We have a designated area at the bus ramp for student drop-off in the morning and pick-up in

            the afternoon.  We have staff on duty there to assist.  The parking lot in front of the cafeteria is

            not a drop-off area for students.  If you wish to park in the parking lot and walk your student to

            class that is acceptable.  We ask that you not park along the curb in front of the cafeteria as

            it is dangerous for students who may walk in front of cars and cannot be seen.  In addition, we

have delivery trucks coming in to that area to unload and if cars are parked along the curb there is no place for delivery trucks to pull in.  If a fire occurred there would also be no place for

fire trucks to enter. We will have staff on hand to direct you into the parking lot.  Law enforcement will monitor the situation.

(4)       All LBES students must be in school for three and one-half hours to be counted present for

            the day.  It will be counted as an excused absence for those students participating in “Take

Your Child to Work Day.”  Those students will be ineligible for perfect attendance for that

nine weeks.  This follows the same policy in effect at Lake Butler Middle School and Union

County High School. 

Thank you for your cooperation regarding these issues.  If you have any questions please call the school at 496-3047.

Transfer Out of Class: A parent has the right to request his/her child be moved to a different classroom teacher by submitting a request to the Guidance Office.  The parent will then be notified of the approval or denial within two weeks of receiving the request. 

Out of Field Teacher: The parent of a student assigned to an out of field teacher will be notified via letter.  The parent may request the child be transferred to an in-field teacher by contacting the Guidance Office. 

The Pledge of Allegiance: A student has the right not to participate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance upon written request from his/her parent. 

For your child’s safety, it is important that students arrive at school no earlier than 7:20 a.m.  The first bell rings at 7:55 a.m.  The tardy bell rings at 8:00 a.m. Each parent/guardian shall be responsible for the attendance of a child within the age of compulsory attendance (6-16 years of age) as required by Florida law.  Regular school attendance may be achieved by any of the following:

    Attendance in a public school supported by public funds;

    Attendance in a parochial, religious, or denominational school;

    Attendance in a private or charter school supported by tuition or endowments; or

    Attendance in a home education program as defined in s.1000.21 (Part 1).

An absence will be determined to be excused if it meets one of the following criteria:      

1.  Illness of a student, documented by a licensed physician, mental health professional,

or health department employee attesting to the illness, infection with a communicable

disease, or injury to the child;

2.  A copy of a funeral notice or obituary accompanied by a note from the parent/guardian indicating death in the family;

3. A written statement from a lawyer or representative of the court system indicating the child was absent due to a legal or judicial proceeding;

4. Written information documenting a religious activity that occurs during the time that school is in session which required an absence for religious instruction or religious holiday.  Prior approval is required;

5. A student may be excused from school for a maximum of 5 days per year if the parent writes a note documenting the illness. Written documentation of one of the above reasons for absence must accompany the student to school within 2 days following the absence in order to be considered excused.  Phone calls in lieu of a note will not be acceptable.

Riding buses provided by the Union County School Board should be considered a privilege.  Therefore, if a child fails to adhere to the code for bus riders their behavior may result in suspension of riding privileges. 

REVIEWING THESE GUIDELINES WITH YOUR CHILD WILL HELP PROMOTE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT ON THE BUS.

    Obey directions of the driver at all times.

    Stay in the seat assigned by the driver.

    Observe classroom conduct by talking in a quiet voice.

    Observe orderly conduct while entering and leaving the bus.

    Keep head and arms inside the bus at all times.

    Do not eat or drink on the bus.

    Do not throw objects inside the bus or out of the bus window.

    Pushing, shoving, and fighting will render the child subject to discipline.

    Profanity will render the child subject to discipline.

    Proper care of the bus and its equipment is expected.  Students and/or parents will be held liable for damages incurred on school bus.

    Ride only their assigned bus to and from school.  Written parental permission, with school approval, is required to get off at a different stop or ride a different bus.  Parents are responsible for informing the teacher of the appropriate procedure for the student to go home.

    DO NOT bring large boxes, cages, firearms, knives, glass bottles, animals, reptiles, offensive materials, etc. on the buses.  Skateboards and skates of any type are not to be used on campus during school hours and will be confiscated.  Band instruments too large to fit in the student’s lap or under the seat are not permitted

Students who walk home will follow behind the teacher’s line of bus riders.  The teacher will dismiss the walkers to walk to the front office when the bus riders have been loaded. The walkers will be dismissed to walk across highway 121 under the supervision of staff members and the crossing guard at approximately 2:40 p.m. 

BUS RIDERS:   Dismissal from Lake Butler Elementary School will begin at 2:30 p.m. when all teachers escort their students to the bus ramp area.  Buses will pull in and park at 2:25 p.m.  Once the buses have parked, teachers will walk their students down the bus ramp and have them load the appropriate bus.  After all buses are loaded, buses will exit the bus ramp at 2:45 p.m. in order to be parked for loading Lake Butler Middle School and Union County High School students at 2:50 p.m.

CAR PICK-UPS:        1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students

Cars will enter the bus ramp area from the gravel driveway off of highway 231.  Parents must pull in and park in a single file line in the grassy area so that buses may pull out first.  After all buses have exited, parents may pull into the bus ramp area.  Parents must pull up to the curb at the appropriate grade level area.  The child’s teacher will open the car door and put the child in the car.  Parents will then ease over into the line of traffic and exit onto highway 121.  Parents are encouraged to move slowly and cautiously through this area.  No parents will be allowed to circle into the driveway in front of the cafeteria to pick up students.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Students

Parents of students in pre-k and kindergarten may enter into the driveway at the kindergarten area to pick up your child.  Students will be lined up and waiting behind the fence at approximately 2:20 p.m.  Parents are asked to remain in your vehicle until a staff member places your child in the vehicle.  You may then pull out onto highway 121.  Please do not park in the parking lot to walk down to the classroom to pick up your child prior to dismissal time. 

Parents are encouraged to proceed slowly and cautiously through this area.  We appreciate your patience and cooperation with our procedures.  The safety of your children is our primary concern.  Please bear in mind that our goal is to dismiss approximately 845 children in a safe and timely manner.

The Lake Butler Elementary School Tiger Cub Café staff provides a nutritious breakfast and lunch each day in our cafeteria.  Breakfast is served from 7:25 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.  Students in grades 1st – 4th who eat breakfast should go directly to the cafeteria upon arrival to school. Breakfast is served in the classrooms for Pre-K and Kindergarten.  Every attempt is made to have students in class before the tardy bell rings.

Union County is approved to operate under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the current 2016-2017 school year which means all students regardless of income eligibility will receive free breakfast and lunch. 

Students will be excused with a medical note for no more than two consecutive days.  After the second day, absences will be unexcused.  Students will only be excused for a total of six days per semester due to head lice or nits.  After the sixth day, a Child Study Attendance Team meeting will be convened.

AUTHORITY: s.1003.24

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 232, F.S.

HISTORY: ADOPTED JANUARY 1983, REVISED 1/84, REVISED SECTION (3)

1/13/87, revised (3) 1/19/90, REVISED (5) 8/13/96, revised 9/14/99

Each year numerous articles of clothing are left at school.  Many children cannot identify what they have lost.  It is imperative that all clothing, including backpacks and lunch boxes, be labeled with your child’s full name and grade.  If items are lost, they will be placed in the lost and found box located in the cafeteria.

1.     Money sent for various purposes should be placed in sealed, marked envelopes.  Checks should be made payable to Lake Butler Elementary School.
2.     Please update your Skyward account if your address or phone number changes.  Be sure you list your 911 address along with your mailing address on Skyward. 
3.     Please contact the teacher, and share with him/her any information that will assist in meeting your child’s needs.
4.     Students will be allowed to use the phone only in case of an emergency.  Issues relating to homework, field trip permission, riding another bus home, etc… should be arranged prior to the child’s arrival at school.
5.  It would be inappropriate for Lake Butler Elementary School students to bring cell phones to school.  Students’ use of cell phones during school hours is strictly prohibited.
6.   ALL library fines on lost or damaged books MUST BE PAID before a student may participate in any grade level field trips.
7.   The school provides supervision during a reasonable time (30 minutes) before and after a pupil is on the premises for attendance at school or for authorized participation in a school-sponsored activity.  Students and parents should not rely on additional supervision.  Fl. Statute 232.25.

Students will have two days for the first day of absence, and one day thereafter for each additional day of excused absence to complete make-up work.  Example: 3 days excused will mean 4 days to complete all work.

It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for completing the classroom work assigned during his/her absence.

The consequences of a student’s failure to make-up work within the allotted time following an excused absence are:

1.     Zero grade will be given for all assigned work, including tests and/or exams.
2.     Teacher/student conference.
3.     Parent notification.

Every effort is made to send sick students home immediately.  Information on the emergency card helps us locate parents, or another appropriate adult, to pick up a student.  Sick students must be signed out in the office.  Students with a contagious illness will be allowed to return to school only after receipt of a physician’s note.  If your child requires prescription medication during the school day, the parent/guardian must bring the medication in its original pharmacy issued container which will be issued by the school nurse according to label.  If your child is in need of a non-prescription medication (Tylenol, Benadryl, etc.) this medication must be delivered to the school nurse in its’ original factory container with a reason, time needed to be taken (day, hour) and a signature by parent/guardian.  No medications may be kept in the classroom in the student or teacher’s possession.

One week of each school year, we will be conducting health screenings for all 1st and 3rd graders.  This screening includes:  vision, hearing, height, and weight checks.  Blood pressure checks are also taken of all third grade students.

In order to protect all children, routine observations of students’ hair will be made by the school nurse to detect head lice.  If a child is found to have head lice, the school nurse will call the parent and the student will be required to go home.  It is the parents’ responsibility to treat the child and clean the home so that any lice may be killed.  After treating the child’s head, all nits must be removed from the child’s hair.  After treatment, the parent must present a note either from the Public Health Department, or a licensed physician stating that they have been treated.  The school nurse will then make the determination that the child is nit free and may be re-admitted to school.

According to the Teacher Contract observations of a teacher’s class by persons other than board members, administration or supervisory personnel should be conducted by appointment after a one day or more notice.  Parents or guardians may visit their child’s class provided that their presence does not disrupt the normal learning environment or program.  The purpose of such attendance shall be made known to the teacher and building administrator prior to the visitation.  Any visits, subsequent to the initial visit, shall occur after the parent/guardian, teacher and building administrator have developed an action plan.  No parent/guardian visit shall disrupt the normal learning environment or program.  Teachers encourage parents to volunteer at schools and participate in school activities.

Study habits are a very important part of a child’s academic success.  Listed below are a few suggestions to help your child make wise use of study time at home:

1. Provide a quiet place for your child to do his/her homework.

2. Establish a specific time at which to do homework every night.

3.  Make an effort to minimize distractions during study time.

4. Discuss your child’s homework with him/her daily.

5.  Ask your child if he/she has tests for which to study.

MAINTAIN FREQUENT COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER.  THE SUCCESS OF YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION IS DEPENDENT ON PARENTS AND TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER.

The Lake Butler Elementary School PTO invites all parents and school staff to join the PTO.  Our purpose is to bring a closer relationship between the home and school.  We want to unite our efforts to offer a better education for all students at Lake Butler Elementary School.  We hold several meetings and events during the school year and hope that you will plan to attend.

E – EXCELLENT   A = 90 – 100%   I  = This grade is defined as “INCOMPLETE”        

S – SATISFACTORY

    B = 80 – 89%   NE = Not Evaluated

N – NEEDS IMPROVEMENT   C=70 – 79%   

U – UNSATISFACTORY   D = 60 – 69%    

    F = 0 – 59%  

Skateboards and skates of any type are not to be used on campus during school hours and will be confiscated.

Student Code of Conduct

– Refer to Union County School District Code of Student Conduct

Pursuant to Sec. 1003.31, F.S., students are subject to the control of the school during a reasonable time before and after the student is on the premises for attendance at school or for authorized participation in a school-sponsored activity, and only when on the premises.  This statute requires that supervision is provided 30 minutes before school begins and 30 minutes after school ends.

Casual or incidental contact between school district personnel and students on school property does not result in a legal duty to supervise outside of the 30 minutes.

Since the Code of Student Conduct is published only once annually, unless notice is posted, parents and guardians must recall that this supervision time is limited.

For security reasons, students may not be picked up from their classrooms.  All parents and visitors are asked to come to the front office to sign out students.  When an appropriate adult has signed the student out, he/she will be called to the front office through the intercom system if the student is in grades 1-4.  The student will be called only after the sign-out procedure has been completed.  If the student is in pre-k or kindergarten the parent must sign the student out in the office.  They will then be given a sign out slip, which will be taken to the teacher in order to pick up the child. Obviously, the intercom disrupts the learning environment, so we encourage parents not to request early dismissal of students unless it is necessary.  In addition, valuable learning time is missed when students leave school early.

The following guidelines are provided to help assure that your child is properly dressed for school each day.

1.         Comfortable and appropriate clothing should be worn.  Expensive clothing is not appropriate due to the very active nature of young children and the many art activities that we do every day.

2.         Students should wear comfortable shoes suitable for participating in all physical education activities and at recess.

3.         Tube tops, halter tops or spaghetti straps are not allowed. All shirt straps must be at least 2 inches across.

4.         No hats, caps, scarves or bandanas may be worn in the classroom, cafeteria or inside any school facilities by either boys or girls.

5.         Clothing with inappropriate words/logos will not be allowed.  These may include: wrestling, suggestive, offensive, or obscene logos. Logos related to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco that are generally disrespectful and/or negative nature will not be allowed.

6.         If girls chose to wear dresses to school, they should wear shorts under their dress during physical education activities and recess. 

7.         Clothing which exposes the midriff or back are not permitted.

8.         All shorts, skirts and dresses that are more than 4 inches above the top of the kneecap are prohibited.

9.         Administrators, teachers and other staff are not responsible for the repair or replacement of students’ clothing, which may be damaged during the course of the regular day activities (i.e., paint on clothing while doing art projects, torn clothing from normal play at recess, clothing accidentally cut by student during an art activity, etc…)

The decision of school administration will be final in determining whether any student’s clothing is or is not appropriate.

The Florida KidCare Program is our state’s children’s health insurance program for children between the ages of birth through 18 years old.  The Florida KidCare information will be sent home with your child during the first week of school.  The school is not liable for doctor or hospital bills resulting from accidents that occur at school or while on a school activity.  School insurance is available for purchase from a provider independent of the school at a very reasonable cost.  Information for obtaining this insurance will be distributed during the first week of school.  It is the responsibility of the parent to file the insurance claims.

Volunteers are always welcome at our school.  One way for you to be actively involved in your child’s education is to volunteer in his/her classroom.  Please check with your child’s teacher regarding his/her need for volunteers and an appropriate schedule. OUR CONCERN FOR EACH CHILD’S SAFETY DICTATES THAT WE REQUIRE ALL VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS TO CHECK IN AT THE OFFICE BEFORE GOING TO ANY CLASSROOM.

Visitors will receive a sticker identifying them as a guest on our campus.  This will be a sticker that you must wear on your clothing so that all staff at Lake Butler Elementary School is aware that you have checked in at the office and “sign out”.  We call this our “Get Spotted at School” program!  As a reminder, you will notice “Get Spotted” posters around school.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ATTEMPT TO MONITOR ALL VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS!  All parents/volunteers must fill out a volunteer form as required by the Jessica Lunsford Act.  Parents should fill out the form regardless of whether or not they volunteer regularly.