Student Handbook

Official school hours are 8:50 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

8:50 a.m.
All students are eligible to ride the bus and are encouraged to do so. The buses arrive at 8:50 a.m. and the drivers release the students at this time. Students who are dropped off should not arrive on the school grounds prior to this time. If you are dropping off your child at the front bus loop facing Transit, please be brief since other cars will be waiting behind you. We want drop off to be as quick and safe as possible. Walking in the hallways is an important rule. We ask that students remove their hats upon entering the building (hats are okay on “hat day”). Students should go directly to their classrooms in an orderly and quiet manner. Staff members are visible in the hallways at 8:50 a.m. to assist and direct children to classrooms. Please contact the YMCA Program if you are looking for child care before and/or afterschool (716-684-2395). There is a fee for this child care. The YMCA supervises their registered students in the cafeteria.

Please Note: Regularly scheduled staff/committee meetings are held from 8:15 a.m. - 8:50 p.m. on most school days. We are unable to provide adequate supervision until 8:50 a.m. Official school hours are 8:50 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

3:15 p.m.
Students being picked up by parent or guardian are released to the cafeteria. Parents/guardians will pick up their child in the front loop facing Transit Road. They must show their government-issued photo identification. For “pick up” dismissal, please also send a note to school with your child that morning. The note must state the time of dismissal, the reason for the dismissal and who will be signing your child out. Your child must give the note to his/her teacher first thing in the morning. The teacher will send the note to the office to be signed and logged. For the protection of your child, any student without a note will be required to take the bus home.

3:20 p.m.
Students attending the afterschool YMCA Program are released to the auditorium. They move as a group to the cafeteria when dismissal concludes.

3:30 p.m.
The buses are dismissed. Our loading times vary between 5-10 minutes. You can anticipate all buses leaving school grounds between 3:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. Expect delays in severe weather conditions and during the first few weeks of school. Please avoid last minute dismissal changes. Dropping by to pick up your child at dismissal causes a disruption to instruction and confusion for the student, the bus drivers and staff members. We understand that things come up from time to time, but any last minute dismissals often make it difficult for the office staff and teachers since students can be at specials and/or instruction is interrupted.

For the safety of all children in our building, the front loop facing Transit Road and the bus loop facing Pleasantview Drive must remain clear during school hours and at dismissal in case emergency vehicles need to gain access to the school. Please respect the parking spaces reserved for the handicapped, and be aware of all “no parking” and “fire lane” signs and areas. All visitors must park in designated parking spots.

Your child’s regular attendance in school is of great importance to his/her educational success. Please understand that New York State Law requires that any student absence, early dismissal, and tardiness must be accounted for with a written excuse from home. When your child returns to school, a written excuse (signed and dated) indicating the reason for the absence is required. Illness, religious observances, and funerals are considered excused absences. Vacations, personal business, or family matters are unexcused absences. If a written excuse is not received, it will be marked as an unexcused absence. All excuses are kept on file at school. We ask all parents to contact the school by 9:30 a.m. to report an absence. Please leave your message on the attendance answering machine at (716) 686-3282. Parents will automatically be notified when their child’s absences and/or late arrivals to school exceed 10, 15, and 20 days respectively, as per Board of Education Policy.  

If a child is to be excused earlier than the regular dismissal time, a note should be sent to the teacher in the morning. The parent, upon arriving at school, should report to the main office with identification. Students will not be dismissed to anyone other than the parents or legal guardian unless the school has been notified in advance in writing. The main office will call the classroom and your child will be sent promptly.

All regularly scheduled volunteers must complete a volunteer form. Any visitor will have to show government-issued photo identification when signing into the building.

As per BOE Policy #7270, the district will not release students to a non-custodial parent without the custodial parent’s consent. It is the custodial parent’s responsibility to inform the district and school if and when a child may be released to individuals other than the custodial parent in a form acceptable to the district and school.

Rights:

1. Attend school and be granted the opportunity to receive a good education.
2. Be made aware of the school rules and policies, and to always be treated in a manner consistent with these policies in all disciplinary matters.
3. Have the opportunity to present your version of the facts and circumstances in all disciplinary matters.
4. Take part in all school activities on an equal basis regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, age, marital status, military status or disability.
5. Be safe in the school environment.
6. Not to be intimidated, harassed or subjected to discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion or religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or sex; by employees or students on school property or at school-sponsored events, functions or activities.
7. Dress according to personal taste.

Responsibilities:

1. Attend school regularly and on time, complete assignments, and strive to do the highest quality work possible.
2. Be familiar with the Lancaster Code of Conduct, obey the rules it contains and conduct oneself in a manner not distracting to others.
3. Be truthful and respectful when responding to authority.
4. Work on one’s best ability in all academic and extracurricular activities, while being fair and supportive of others.
5. Behave in a manner that will not jeopardize the safety and well being of oneself or others.
6. Respect one another and treat others fairly and in accordance with the Code of Conduct and the provisions of the DASA legislation.
7. Dress in a manner not distracting to others, and in accordance with school policy and the Lancaster CSD Student Dress Code as expressed in this handbook.

Please use good judgment when selecting school clothing. Please encourage and guide your child to come to school appropriately dressed. Clothing should not be distracting. Bare midriffs, hats in the classroom, short shorts, spaghetti straps, shirts with suggestive and/or double meaning or inappropriate sayings and pictures are not considered proper attire. Flip-flops, crocs or other unsafe footwear will not be allowed. Should the need arise, parents will be contacted to bring in a necessary change of clothing to correct the problem. Appropriate dress lends itself to a positive school atmosphere. Please review the District’s Code of Conduct for additional guidelines about clothing.

The primary goal of the Lancaster Central School District is to afford all students the opportunity to grow and develop both socially and intellectually to the best of their ability. The information herein has been designed to assist each student in realizing a rewarding academic experience at Lancaster.

The following is intended to serve as a guide for what is expected of all students attending the Lancaster Central School District. The adherence to school policies will promote proper student behavior and promote academic excellence. Any violation of these policies will result in appropriate disciplinary action. Specific levels will develop language under each category appropriate to their level.

The Board of Education recognizes the need for specific and clear expectations for student conduct while on school property or engaged in a school function. The rules of conduct listed below are intended to do that and focus on safety and respect for the rights and property of others. Students who will not accept responsibility for their own behavior and who violate these school rules will be required to accept the penalties for their conduct.c

Students may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension from school, when they:

1. Engage in conduct that is disorderly.
2. Engage in conduct that is insubordinate.
3. Engage in conduct that is disruptive.
4. Engage in conduct that is violent.
5. Engage in any conduct that endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of others.
6. Engage in misconduct while on a school bus. It is crucial for students to behave appropriately while riding on owned or leased district buses to ensure their safety and that of other passengers and to avoid distracting the bus driver. Students are required to conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior.
7. Engage in any form of academic misconduct.
8. Engage in any form of harassment, discrimination or bullying behavior. All students are expected to comply with BOE Policy #7552 – Bullying in the Schools, in accordance with the provisions of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). The DASA coordinator for Hillview is Mrs. Amy Wojcik, social worker.

Disciplinary action, when necessary, will be firm, fair and consistent so as to be the most effective in changing student behavior. In determining the appropriate disciplinary actions, school personnel authorized to impose disciplinary penalties will consider the following:

1. The student’s age.
2. The nature of the offense and the circumstances which led to the offense.
3. The student’s prior disciplinary record.
4. The effectiveness of other forms of discipline.
5. Information from parents, teachers and/or others, as appropriate.
6. Other extenuating circumstances.

As a general rule, discipline will be progressive. This means that a student’s first violation will usually merit a lighter penalty than subsequent violations. Most often, the first consequence might be a thirty-minute lunch detention with the principal.

If the conduct of a student is related to a disability or suspected disability, the student shall be referred to the Committee on Special Education and discipline, if warranted, shall be administered consistent with the separate requirements of this Code of Conduct for disciplining students with a disability or presumed to have a disability.

Penalties:
Students who are found to have violated the District’s Code of Conduct may be subject to the following penalties, either alone or in combination. The school personnel identified after each penalty are authorized to impose that penalty, consistent with the student’s right to due process.

1. Verbal warning – any member of the District staff
2. Written warning – bus drivers, hall and lunch monitors, coaches, school counselors, teachers, Principal, Superintendent
3. Notification to parent (telephone, email or letter) – school social workers, teachers, Principal
4. Lunch Detention/detention (as per building procedures) – teachers, Principal, Superintendent
5. Suspension from transportation – Principal, Superintendent
6. Suspension from athletic participation – coaches, Principal, Superintendent
7. Suspension from social or extracurricular activities – activity director, Principal, Superintendent
8. Suspension of other privileges – Principal, Superintendent
9. Removal from classroom by teacher – teachers, Principal
10. Suspension from school – Principal, Superintendent
11. Permanent suspension from school – Superintendent, Board of Education.

Procedures:
The amount of due process a student is entitled to receive before a penalty is imposed depends on the penalty being imposed. In all cases, regardless of the penalty imposed, the school personnel authorized to impose the penalty must inform the student of the alleged misconduct and must investigate to the extent necessary, the facts surrounding the alleged misconduct. All students will have an opportunity to present their version of the facts to the school personnel imposing the disciplinary penalty in connection with the imposition of the penalty.

Students who are to be given penalties other than an oral warning, written warning or written notification to their parents are entitled to additional rights before the penalty is imposed. These additional rights are explained below.

Detention:
Teachers, Principals, and the Superintendent may use after school or a lunch detention as a penalty for student misconduct in situations where removal from the classroom or suspension would be inappropriate.

Suspension from Transportation:
If a student does not conduct himself/herself properly on a bus, the bus driver is expected to bring such misconduct to the attention of the appropriate supervisor. Students who become a serious disciplinary problem may have their riding privileges suspended by the Building Principal or the Superintendent or their designees. In such cases, the student’s parent will become responsible for seeing that his or her child gets to and from school safely. Should the suspension from transportation amount to a suspension from attendance, the District will make appropriate arrangements to provide for the student’s education.

A student subjected to a suspension from transportation is not entitled to a full hearing pursuant to Education Law Section 3214. However, the student and the student’s parent will be provided with a reasonable opportunity for an informal conference with the Building Principal or the Principal’s designee to discuss the conduct and the penalty involved.

Teacher Disciplinary Removal of Disruptive Students:
A student’s behavior can affect a teacher’s ability to teach and can make it difficult for other students in the classroom to learn. In most instances, the classroom teacher can control a student’s behavior and maintain or restore control over the classroom by using good classroom management techniques. Time-honored classroom management techniques do not constitute disciplinary removals for purposes of the Code as long as the management technique does not transfer student care/custody from the teachers.

On occasion, a student’s behavior may become disruptive. For purposes of this Code of Conduct, a disruptive student is a student who is substantially disruptive of the educational process or substantially interferes with the teacher’s authority over the classroom. A substantial disruption of the educational process or substantial interference with a teacher’s authority occurs when a student demonstrates a persistent unwillingness to comply with the teacher’s instructions or repeatedly violates the teacher’s classroom behavior rules.

A classroom teacher may remove a disruptive student from class for up to two (2) days. The removal from class applies to the class of the removing teacher only.

Any disruptive student removed from the classroom by the classroom teacher shall be offered continued educational programming and activities at a designated “time-out” place with a certified teacher as determined by each building.

Removal of a student with a disability, under certain circumstances, may constitute a change in the student’s placement. Accordingly, no teacher may remove a student with a disability from his or her class until he or she has verified with the Principal or the chairperson of the Committee on Special Education that the removal will not violate the student’s rights under state or federal law or regulation.

Toy or real knives, guns and other weapons are not allowed on school property. Students who violate these rules will have immediate school suspension and a parent notification or conference. If weapons are brought to school, a Superintendent’s Hearing might be required and a long term suspension might be assigned.

Any K-3 student who threatens or physically harms another student or staff member is also subject to school suspension. Threats are taken very seriously as a form of intention to harm another person. Bullying or intimidation of others will not be tolerated. Please report any incident to the school as soon as possible.

All Lancaster schools offer a breakfast program. This is a great opportunity for our students since research shows that children learn better after eating a healthy breakfast. Breakfast can be picked up as the by students right after they leave the bus. All students can also purchase a lunch from the cafeteria. Free and/or reduced meal prices are available to students who qualify. If a student purchases a breakfast, the cost is $1.50. If a student purchases a lunch, the cost is $2.40.

Every student has the right to enjoy his/her lunch period without excessive noise or stress. Students are expected to obey the cafeteria monitors. Students are expected to clean up their lunch area, including anything they have dropped on the floor. Students are expected to stay seated. If they need something, they should raise their hands and wait for the monitor. Students are expected to be polite. Students are expected to talk normally, not shout. Students are expected to walk at all times.

Birthdays can be celebrated at school. Please avoid sending in treats that have nuts due to allergy needs. If your child has a food allergy, he/she can keep allergy-safe treats from home in his/her locker or classroom for parties and celebrations. “Birthday Bags” can also be purchased by parents/guardians from food services. Information about the birthday bags is located on the back of the monthly lunch menus. Birthday invitations to private parties outside of school can only be shared in the classroom if: 1) A boy invites all of the boys, 2) A girl invites all of the girls or 3) All students in the class are invited.

No gum chewing is allowed in school.

No cell phones or electronic devices are allowed in school or on the buses.

Hillview provides the services of a Registered Nurse. Mrs. Bacher is available from 8:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each school day. She is the liaison between home and school involving medical issues. She implements the New York State guidelines for vision, hearing and scoliosis screening as well as recording the height of each student. She must maintain all school health records and coordinate and assist the school physician with required school physicals. She is responsible for administering and recording all medications given during the school day. If medication (including all over the counter drugs) is needed during school time, parents must present a written order from the student’s physician, along with the parent’s written consent for the school nurse to administer the medication. All prescribed medication must come in a prescription labeled bottle or, in the case of over the counter drugs such as Tylenol, they must be in their original brand name packaging. If needed, medication forms are available in the nurse’s office. The school nurse will also respond to medical emergencies during the school day, and call for emergency medical services, if she deems needed.

Allergen Safe Table:
Allergen safe seating areas are designated in the cafeteria. Please contact the school nurse if you would like your child to be seated at the allergen safe location during his/her lunch period. Parents should notify the health office of any allergy your child may have. We encourage students to be proactive in the care and management of their food allergies based on developmental level.

Immunizations:
Hillview students must have medically-documented proof of all immunizations required by New York State for entrance into elementary school. The school nurse reviews the documents and notifies parents if the student is missing any of the required immunizations. Students cannot attend classes without meeting the New York State immunization requirements.

The parent teacher conference provides an excellent opportunity to become better acquainted with the school and the teachers. It is important that parents and the teacher share information about the child’s needs. These conferences are one of the most effective means of evaluating a pupil’s progress.

Hillview will have a “parents only” open house night one night in September. The teachers will explain programs, policies and procedures as well as his or her plans and expectations for the year. Questions about curriculum will be addressed at this time.

If inclement weather makes it necessary to close school, parents will receive an automated phone call (“School Messenger”) from the school district. Upon registration through the district, primary residential phone numbers are listed in the system. Announcements will also be made over the following Buffalo radio stations: WBEN, WXRL, WJYE, WHTT, WYRK, WWKB, WGR, and WEBR, as well as the following television stations: WKBW, WIVB, and WGRZ. Announcements will usually be broadcast after 6:30 a.m.

If there is an emergency closing during the school day, it is important that we have a ”Health Office Update” form at the school office that directs us where to send your child. This form enables us to provide for your child according to your instructions. Please make sure we have at least three emergency contacts and send forms back to school right away.

Instruction related to fire safety (mandated by New York State) is provided by the school. In the event of outside threats to our school, lock down procedures are also practiced. New York State Law requires that schools conduct twelve safety drills each year (a combination of fire drills and lock down drills). In addition, bus safety drills take place three times per year, and every other school year.

At the start of each school year, students may be issued a Chromebook and power supply for use during the school year. There is no cost to receive these items as it is a primary educational tool. It is the responsibility of the student that has been assigned a device, to provide proper care and protection of the device. Devices should only 13 be used by the student to whom they were assigned. As per BOE Policy #7317, damage and/or loss of the device due to a failure to properly care and maintain the device will result in repair and/or replacement charges being levied to the student. Device malfunctions from normal use will not incur a charge.

If parents of a school aged child are planning to move out of the district, it will facilitate our completion of transfer data if you notify the office by note or phone call as soon as possible. This will enable us to provide the new school with needed information for proper placement of your child. If you are moving within the school district, please notify the school of your new address and phone number so we can keep our records current. The Superintendent also needs to approve any requests to stay at Hillview if a family moves to another school zone within the district.

The school telephones are for school and business use. It will help your child if you encourage them to collect things which they will need the night before the school day. (Gym sneakers, lunch money, permission slips, musical instruments, books, etc.). Hopefully, this will teach children to plan ahead and save parents many unnecessary trips.

Each year many items including watches, wallets, articles of clothing, jewelry, etc. are lost and turned into our lost and found. Many of these items are never claimed and are donated to various organizations. We suggest that if your child loses something he/she should immediately check our lost and found articles located in the main hallway (valuables will be stored in the office). Several times a year, all of our lost and found items are displayed for more than a week on a table in the foyer. Putting names on all articles may eliminate problems. Valuable articles and electronics should not be brought to school. The school and the staff members are not responsible for lost articles.

We need your assistance to maintain a safe arrival, school day and dismissal. Please do not park anywhere in the loop on Transit Road or in the loop on Pleasantview Drive. Please do not exceed 5 MPH in the loop and respect the handicapped parking places. Any school bus that has the flashers on and the stop sign out should not be passed under any circumstances. It is a hazard to pass vehicles that are unloading. Your cooperation will assist us in preventing a possible accident. When visiting the school, please only park in designated parking spaces.

Please review the information below with your child.

As a Lancaster student, your child will be expected to accept certain responsibilities in return for the privilege of riding the school bus. Driver distraction resulting from student behavior is the leading cause of accidents. Please understand that your child may lose his/her riding privilege if he/she fails to follow the rules and regulations for bus riders. These are outlined on the back of your child’s bus assignment sent to you in the mail one week prior to the opening of school.

Your child is not to leave his/her seat until the bus has stopped. If children must cross the road, they should go far enough in front so that they can see the driver and be seen by him/her. They should cross only when the driver has signaled to them that the way is clear. “WALK, DO NOT RUN” is the rule.

Students Must Remember:

• Follow safe crossing procedures.
• Never go back to the bus for a dropped or forgotten item.
• Stay away from the outside of the bus.
• Remember the danger zones.
• Make sure all your belongings are in your closed backpack.
• Be careful that mitten strings, backpack straps or jackets do not get caught on handrails while leaving the bus.

It would be greatly appreciated if changes in routine dismissal procedure are limited to necessity. We are periodically faced with numerous requests for a student to ride other than an assigned bus. If a child needs to ride a different bus on any given day, a note must be sent to the teacher, be approved at the office and given to the different bus driver. If a child needs to ride a different bus on a regular basis, an alternate transportation form must be filled out. Your cooperation in this matter will assist us in assuring the safe delivery of your child. It must be understood that the driver is in charge. Your child must listen to and obey his/her directions. The driver is to be treated with the same respect given to teachers, staff members and parents. With you and your child’s cooperation, everyone will have a safe and enjoyable ride to and from school.

Rules and Regulations for Passengers:
For the welfare of all children it is necessary that the rules and regulations be strictly adhered to. The school or transportation department will not tolerate unnecessary driver distraction due to student behavior. Students must always follow the directions of the school bus driver.

Offensive Language – Swearing, obscenities, put downs or any remarks which would be offensive to the driver or other passengers will not be tolerated. Loud and boisterous talk or making any kind of noise which is distracting to the driver will not be allowed.

Eating on buses – Nothing is to be eaten on the bus because of the litter problem and the danger of potential choking. Anything, which must be disposed of, is to be carried to the litter basket as the child leaves the bus.

Changing of seats – Your child may be assigned a permanent seat. There will be no changing of seats once the students are on the bus. The seat chosen is the one stayed in until the child gets off, unless the driver directs the child to move. Students are not to hang over the seat back, kneel or stand on seats. They should always face forward.

Use of Windows – Windows may not be opened except when specific permission is given. No part of a child’s body is to be put out of the window and no objects are to be thrown out. Emergency doors and windows are never to be tampered with or opened except in case of a fire or accident.

Fighting and/or Quarreling – There will be no fighting or quarreling on the bus. Others may be injured and the driver’s control of the bus is impaired when such disturbances occur.

Marring or Defacing of Buses – We encourage parents to talk with their children about the respect for school property. Marring or defacing of buses can be an expensive offense to the school district. Parents will be responsible for expenses incurred due to defacing of property.

Field Trips – All rules and regulations apply to field trips as well as regular daily runs.

The primary goal of the PTO is to act as a facilitator to foster a positive relationship between families and the school. The secondary goal of the PTO is to raise funds that enhance student experiences and help make Hillview the great place it is for our kids. These funds cover the costs of field trips, educational supplies and activities. Each family is asked to join the PTO. The funds from the membership fee will be used to help defray the costs of activities planned for the students. All members will also receive a PTO-generated (school-wide) directory for participating families. Joining the Parent Teacher Organization does not require you to attend meetings or participate in activities.

The funds from the membership drive contribute greatly to the PTO budget. However, in order to ensure we can cover the various costs, it is necessary to have additional fundraisers. If you are unable to participate in any of the fundraisers, but 16 still wish to contribute toward achieving our fundraising goal, you are welcome to make a donation directly to the Hillview Elementary School PTO.

Our Parent-Teacher Organization is active in providing beneficial programs and services to our children throughout the school year. We encourage both your support and participation in this group.

Some of the outstanding PTO accomplishments include: a new kindergarten/first grade playground, book fairs, field trips, Day of Kindness activities, assemblies, the fall festival and basket raffle, the winter family fun night, field day, the spring carnival, the staff appreciation luncheon, fall and spring fundraisers, family events, the purchase of materials, t-shirts for students and more.

The Building Planning Team (BPT) of Hillview Elementary School is a dedicated team of individuals who strive to improve the education of our children. The BPT consists of Hillview Elementary School teachers, the building principal and a parent representative. Through shared decision-making, the BPT strives to meet the goals of the district’s comprehensive educational plan. In addition, the BPT addresses educational and instructional concerns raised by parents, teachers, or administrators. In an era of ever-increasing academic standards, the BPT seeks ways to enhance and improve instruction.