Forest Heights STEM Academy

K-8 2016-2017

Parent/Student Handbook

Dr. Maurecia Robinson

Principal

5901 Evergreen Drive Little Rock AR 72205

Forest Heights STEM Academy

K-8 School

Inspire***Innovate***Ignite

Main Office 501-447-2700

Fax Number 501-447-2701

For more information or for a specific department,

please call the school office at (501) 447-2700

Little Rock School District Main Number…………... (501) 447-1000

SCHOOL MISSION

The mission of Forest Heights STEM Academy is to prepare students to compete in our

global economy by equipping them with skills that are not confined and isolated within

one discipline, but are found between and across the disciplines of Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Math.

FOREST HEIGHTS STEM ACADEMY…

WHERE IMAGINATION SOARS!!!

A MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL DR. MAURECIA ROBINSON

Dear Parents and Students,

It is my pleasure to welcome you and your

family to the Forest Heights STEM Academy

2016-2017 school year. The staff and I look

forward to providing your child with a quality

education and a variety of extra-curricular experiences. This handbook contains rules,

procedures, and other important information

that will help us meet our goals as we embark

on this exciting journey together.

The Forest Heights STEM Academy handbook

was designed to assist your child in organizing

his/her daily, weekly, and long-term

assignments. In addition, we feel that the

handbook will serve as a helpful reference for

parents as they seek to provide academic support at home.

Respectfully,

Maurecia Robinson, Principal

LRSD Mission Statement The mission of the LRSD is to equip all students

with the skills and knowledge to realize their

aspirations, think crucially and independently, learn continuously and face the future as

productive, contributing citizens. This mission

is accomplished through open access to a

diverse, innovative and challenging curriculum

in a secure environment with a staff dedicated to excellence and empowered with the trust and

support of our community.

Our Mission Statement

The mission of Forest Heights STEM Academy is

to prepare students to compete in our global economy by equipping them with skills that are

not confined and isolated within one discipline,

but are found between and across the

disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering,

and Math.

Our Goals

The goals of Forest Height’s rigorous STEM-

infused academic structure are to: 1) create

student interest in education and careers,

specifically in STEM-related fields, and 2) develop a school culture focused on active

learning, problem solving, and academic

success at Forest Heights STEM Academy.

The Leadership Team The Leadership Team is comprised of

administrators, teachers, parents, and Partners

in Education. The (Campus Leadership Team)

CLT Program is site-based decision making that provides each school with a framework to attain

the District’s mission.

Office Hours The school office is open Monday through

Friday, 7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Students are not

permitted on school grounds prior to 7:10 a.m.,

unless transported by a LRSD bus or enrolled in the Little Rock School District CARE Program.

If you are transporting your child, he/she must

be picked up by 2:55 p.m. If your child needs

supervision before 7:10 a.m. or after 2:55 p.m.,

you may enroll your child in the after school

CARE program. You may contact the CARE Program at (501) 447-1880 for registration

information.

Phone Calls & Student Messages

It is important that students be informed of

afterschool activities and transportation before they leave home. If you need to leave a message

for your child or your child’s teacher, please do

so before 1:45 P.M. In case of emergency, the

office will deliver messages to students.

Students may use the office phone for personal calls in case of emergencies only and with staff

permission. (We need current telephone

numbers at all times.)

Pupil Information Form (PIF)/Change

of Address/Phone Numbers One of the greatest problems schools may have

during the day is locating parents in the event of

an emergency. This may occur due to changes

in phone numbers or work places, or authorized individuals and parents forgetting to notify the

office in the event of changes. The importance

of maintaining updated information cannot be

overemphasized. During registration you will

receive a Pupil Information Form (PIF) to complete. Having this information returned

correctly is of the utmost importance. A copy of

this record is kept in the school office in case

you need to be contacted. Please make sure

your home telephone, cell numbers, and

addresses are accurate and clearly written. Remember to list the names and addresses of

several people who can be contacted in case you

cannot be reached. Only persons listed on the

form will be allowed to checkout your

child/children. Doctors/emergency rooms will not treat children without their parents’

consent, and in the event of an emergency we

must be able to reach parents.

All address changes must be completed at the

Student Registration office at 501 Sherman

Street.

Medication

School Board policy expressly states that school personnel cannot dispense medications to

students unless it is a long-term requirement

and unless all forms from the Health

Department and/or doctor are completed and

on file at the school. Under no circumstances will a K-5th Grade child be permitted to carry

any type of medication in school. This includes

all types of medication such as aspirin, Tylenol,

cough drops, eye drops and the like. With

approval from the nurse, 6th-8th Grade students

are allowed to carry over-the-counter medication in the original container.

Lost and Found PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD’S

BELONGINGS ARE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED WITH

FIRST AND LAST NAMES. Proper identification can assure the return of lost items. “Found”

items should be taken to the dining room where

“Lost & Found” is maintained. Periodically, lost

items are turned over to charitable

organizations if not claimed.

Toys and Other Personal Belongings Pets, toys and other personal belongings may

not be brought to school or on class field trips unless they have been approved in advance.

Students may not trade, sell, or purchase items,

such as cards, from other students at school.

(The school will not be held responsible if this

rule is broken.)

Visitors Policy The school’s security plan requires all visitors to the campus, including parents, to sign in at the

desk in the front foyer, receive a visitor’s sticker

and check in with the front office before entering

the building. The school’s security plan has

been established to protect the students and

staff from the danger of an unauthorized person on the campus. For the safety of all students

and staff, please comply with this plan.

If entering the school to drop off items for your

child, please come to the front office. In most cases, your child will be called out of class to

come to the front office during the next class

break. Student learning time is a priority and

classroom interruptions must be kept to a

minimum. Please take time to ensure your child

has his/her lunch, backpacks and/or homework prior to leaving home. When students

are contacted in their room for these items, it can be a distraction to the entire classroom.

Volunteers We need you to help by volunteering at FHSA.

You can volunteer in the classrooms, dining

room, library, and playground. Even if it is only 15 minutes, our school will benefit from your

dedication. Please make sure to sign in at the

office. Thank you!

Attendance Attendance is taken through the last day of school. Please be sure your child is in school.

All children are expected to be in attendance

each day unless they are ill or a family

emergency arises. A student arriving after 11:00

a.m. will be marked with a half day absence. Any student checking out by 11:00 a.m. will

also be marked with a half day absence. The parent/guardian is to notify the school

attendance office at (501) 447-2700 by noon

when a student is absent.

ACADEMIC POLICY

Specific skills and concepts from various subject

areas are stressed at each grade level. To be

eligible for academic promotion students must:

Perform daily activities.

Spend a minimum time each night on

assigned homework.

Master targeted skills and concepts

based on Common Core Curriculum.

Forest Heights STEM Academy students

are expected to make their best effort in

all areas of the school curriculum. Our

staff believes that effort and achievement

by students should be recognized as

follows:

o Honor Roll Incentives each nine-

week period.

o Each semester students will be

rewarded for earning the Honor

Roll, Perfect Attendance, and

Citizenship.

Anti-Bullying

Bullying of any type has no place in a school

setting. The Little Rock School District will

endeavor to maintain a learning and working

environment free of bullying. (Please refer to the LRSD Student Handbook for more

details).

REPORTING GUIDELINES

Edline Interim Reports & Report Cards

Interim reports are posted to Edline during the

5th week of each 9 week period for children

working below their capacity and/or below 70%.

Report cards are posted to Edline every 9 weeks.

Report cards indicate to students and parents

progress made toward mastering required

curriculum, citizenship and social skills.

Parents may request a copy of the report card

through the front office.

Grading Scale

90 - 100% = A

80 - 89% = B

70 - 79% = C

60 - 69% = D

59 - Below = F

A parent conference is required after every

unfavorable interim report and when a “D” or

“F” is recorded on the report card.

Homework Policy

Grade Level Approximate Time Involved

K 20 minutes per day

1-2 30 minutes per day

3-4 40 minutes per day

5 50 minutes per day

6-8 20 minutes per core subject

School Rules

1. Respect others

a. Language – no cursing, teasing,

arguing, name calling or threatening

– either spoken or written

b. Keep hands and feet to self

c. Use your own materials

d. Do not destroy school property or

property of others

e. No fighting

2. Follow the directions of all school personnel

3. Walk quietly on the right side of the halls

Dining Room Rules

Follow directions of all adults in the lunchroom.

1. Speak using your inside voices

2. Stay in assigned seats until dismissed

3. Sodas or drinks in cans or glass bottles are

not to be brought to school.

4. Remove all trays and trash from your table

Playground Rules

1. Follow directions of supervisors

2. Students will walk quietly to and from the

building

3. Students will not fight or participate in any

activities which might be so interpreted

4. The school is not responsible for sports equipment that students bring to use on the

playground (students may not use sports

equipment in the buildings or in between

classes).

5. Students will display courtesy to other students as well as adults

6. Students will not pick up, throw, or carry

rocks on the playground.

7. Abusive language will not be tolerated.

8. Rough playing and play fighting are not

allowed. 9. Under no circumstances should any student

leave school grounds to retrieve a ball during

physical activity.

10. Everyone must play respectfully.

Bus Conduct Students are assigned to ride school buses that

will transport them to and from school. Parents

must provide transportation for those children who live less than one mile from school.

Students are not allowed to ride a bus other

than their assigned bus without a bus pass

issued by an administrator or the transportation

advisor. Bus rules are strictly enforced. Please read over the rules with your child. They can be

found in the LRSD Student Handbook.

1. Use only the bus stop assigned

2. Orderly behavior is required at the bus stop

3. Remain seated, facing forward, when the

bus is in motion 4. Talk quietly and make no unnecessary noise

5. Do not talk to the driver unless it is

necessary

6. Keep head and arms inside the bus

7. Do not litter on the bus or throw anything out of the window

8. Be quiet when the bus is crossing railroad

tracks

Infractions of the above rules will be brought to

the attention of parents. Continual abuse of the

bus privileges will result in the denial of transportation. Please refer to the bus schedule

for pick up points and time schedule.

NOTE: Please be at the bus stop 10 minutes

prior to the designated pick up time.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

The LRSD is committed to providing safe and

secure schools. Full-time Security Officers and

an LRPD School Resource Officer are employed

to ensure the safety of all students.

Discipline The primary objective of discipline is to teach

students to be responsible for their own

behavior. Positive and negative consequences are given based on behavior displayed by

students. Students who choose to disobey the

rules will receive consequences according to the

LRSD Student Handbook.

Positive Consequences for Appropriate

Behavior May Include:

Verbal Praise/Stickers/Happy Notes

Special Rewards/ Incentives/ Special

Activities

Negative Consequences for Inappropriate

Behavior

Warning/classroom discipline

continuum

Referral to buddy teacher (same grade)

Student/teacher conference, parent

contact

Behavior Document to parent (up to 3

allowed)/loss of privileges

Parent Conference

Office Referral/ Follow LRSD Discipline

Handbook

Suspensions

Suspensions from school will be given by the

principal or assistant principals as indicated in

the LRSD Student Handbook. Parents must

meet with an administrator before a student can

be reinstated to school.

Possession/Use of Paging Devices,

Cellular Phones and/or Other Electronic Communication Devices (Rule 24: Please refer to the LRSD Student

Handbook for more details)

The use or possession of an Electronic Device,

as hereafter defined, on a school campus, on a

school bus or at a school‐related activity, during

the regular school day, is prohibited unless

prior written authorization for the possession of

the Electronic Device has been obtained by the

student in possession of the Electronic Device.

[See Arkansas Code Annotated

6‐18‐502(b)(3)(D)]. For purposes of this rule,

“Electronic Device” shall mean a cellular

telephone, pager, music player, video game

player, camera or any other similar device

capable of (1) communicating by voice, text message or email; (2) playing music or video; (3)

recording voice or video images, or (4) otherwise

sending or receiving electronic information. The

regular school day shall commence when the

school campus is opened in the morning, and shall end when the last regular classroom

instructional period is completed. Prior written

authorization for possession of an electronic device may be granted for medical reasons or

other specific compelling reasons as determined by the principal or the principal’s designee at

the campus in question. Any student in

possession of an Electronic Device in violation of

this rule shall immediately surrender possession

of the Electronic Device, without regard to the

ownership of the Electronic Device. *Parent/guardian(s) (or anyone listed on the

student’s Pupil Information Form) must pick‐up

the device on or after the specified date, during

school hours. The Electronic Device

Confiscation Form given to the student at the time of the confiscation must be presented, as

well as identification. The adult picking up the

item must first describe the item and then sign

indicating they have taken possession. Note: If the student refuses to relinquish the electronic device when asked by a person of authority, this will be considered a violation of the following: Category One Offense: Rule 2: Failure or Refusal (insubordination) to Follow Reasonable Directives of School Staff and/or School Rules and Regulations. If a student exhibits other inappropriate behavior, he/she will be sanctioned according to the Student Handbook.

*The district bears no responsibility for lost/stolen electronic devices brought to school by a student.

Public Display of Affection To engage in or attempt to engage in

inappropriate behavior or inappropriate physical

contact on District property or at a

school‐related activity is prohibited.

(Arkansas Code 5‐14‐111) (Rule 30: Please

refer to the LRSD Student Handbook for

more details).

CONSEQUENCES MAY BE ACCELERATED

FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS.

Home-School Communication and

Parental Involvement

At Forest Heights STEM Academy, we are

committed to open and clear communication.

All parents are given the opportunity to participate in their child’s education in the

following ways:

Parent-Teacher-Student Association

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Agenda communication – student agenda

books promote daily communication

between parents and teachers. Watch the

pages of your student’s agenda for daily

communication.

Teacher web pages, e-mail and phone lines

for homework, reminders and more

Parent visits and conferences (upon request)

ParentLink- the LRSD computerized phone

message system which allows FHSA to

deliver personal messages to your home

phone. Phone number changes should be

updated at http://lrsd.parentlink.net

Forest Heights STEM Academy website http://forestheightsstemacademy.weebly.com

FHSA Staff Classroom Telephone

Numbers Each teacher has access to a phone in their

classroom with a direct number. Please learn

your child/children’s teachers’ direct

extensions. Please leave a message and the teacher will return your call during a prep time

or after school. Teachers will not answer the

classroom phones during instruction time. Staff

members try to check voice mail regularly for

messages. If you have an urgent message, contact the office at (501) 447-2700.

PTSA All students, parents, grandparents and other

family members and friends are encouraged to

join the P.T.S.A. You can purchase your

membership during registration or anytime throughout the year. Your membership will

benefit every child at our school.

Dress Code School board policy prohibits students from

attending school attired in such a way as to

endanger his/her own safety or health or

dressed in a manner which is disruptive to the education of others. Students who violate the

above standards of safety, health or disruption

will be expected to change clothing. Students

are expected to wear the required uniforms and

present a neat appearance and parents are

encouraged to help enforce these standards. Please refer to the FHSA and the LRSD Student

Handbook for specific dress code and uniform

guidelines. For safety reasons, closed-toe shoes

are recommended. For additional information

see dress code in the LRSD Student Handbook.

To assist parents the uniform requirements for

Forest Heights STEM Academy are:

Monday-Thursday: Students may wear any

color polo designated by the uniform policy

(forest green, white, yellow, or navy) with navy

or khaki bottoms.

Fridays: Fridays will be an optional day when students can wear the Monday-Thursday

uniform or they may wear a Forest Heights

STEM Academy t-shirt (Spirit, PTSA, Band, Field

Day, etc.) with khaki or navy bottoms.

Special Days--All students are required to have

ONE logo polo and a dress uniform (K-2 boys—

logo shirt/pants; 3-8 boys--white shirt/tie; girls--plaid skirt/jumper, white shirt, and cross tie).

Dress uniforms may be worn ANY day, but may

be required for special days as designated by

administration.

NO hoodies will be allowed in the building.

Students may wear sweat shirts or jackets in any uniform color (forest green, navy, white,

yellow) with a collared shirt beneath.

NO heavy jackets or coats are to be worn in the

classroom.

Car Rider Drop Off and Pick-Up All students in grades Kindergarten through Eighth grade are dropped off and picked up on

the North parking lot at the building entrance.

K-5th students arriving before 7:35 a.m. should

report to their assigned area and 6th-8th Grade

students should report to the courtyard or the cafeteria. Supervision before school is provided

beginning at 7:10 a.m. in the cafeteria.

Tardies/Early Check Outs A student receives a tardy when he/she fails

to be in the classroom or other assigned

location by 7:40 a.m.

Tardy to School: Any student arriving at school following the 7:40 a.m. ringing bell, chime, or

other audible signal intended to indicate the

start of the school day is tardy. Any student

who is on school property but is not in his or

her classroom or other authorized area following

the bell, chime, or other audible signal will be considered tardy to school.

Tardy to Class: A student is “tardy to class”

when he/she arrives to class following the 7:40

a.m. ringing bell, chime or other audible signal

indicating the beginning of instructional time. Students in grades K-5 arriving after 7:40

a.m. should be accompanied by his/her

parent who must sign the child in at the school office. Students in grades 6-8 arriving

after 7:40 a.m. must request a late slip from

the front office. Parents and students should

make every effort to always be punctual to

school and class. The Little Rock School District Tardy Policy is included in the LRSD Student

Handbook.

Early Check Outs Early Check-out is considered leaving school

prior to the end of instructional time and/or the end of the official school day. Early check-outs

should be prior to 1:45 p.m. since office

personnel are busy with the end of day

activities, making transportation calls to

classrooms, bus announcements, and end of

day school messages. Please do not call the office and ask that students be called out of

class and waiting in the office for parents to

arrive. This interrupts valuable instruction time.

Parents need to allow time for their child to be

called out of class and arrive at the office. Parents must sign their child out through the

office on the appropriate form. Good

communication between the home and school

can improve the chance that students do not

accumulate excessive tardies or lose learning

opportunities because of early checkouts. Please do not check your child out early unless it is an

emergency.

Care of School Property Students are expected to take care of school

property, including the building, equipment,

and books. A student who deliberately or

repeatedly damages school property is subject to

disciplinary action. Parents/guardians are liable for damages.

Edline Edline is Little Rock School District’s online

communication tool between school and home.

Edline is a safe and easy way for educators, parents, and students to share information via

the Internet. Teachers can use Edline to post

assignments, class policies, links to websites,

tests and assignments, due dates and much

more. Once you are given your activation code to activate your account you can use Edline to:

Check your child’s latest grades

Receive e-mail alerts when new grades are posted

Blackboard (formerly known as ParentLink) Communication System Blackboard (formerly known as ParentLink) is

the communication system that the LRSD uses

to accomplish rapid, mass communication

(phone, text and email) with parents regarding both general district announcements and

information particular to individual schools and

students. You may access your Blackboard code

or ID at http://lrsd.parentlink.net, with your

access information provided by Forest Heights STEM Academy. Adding information to your

Blackboard account DOES NOT update the

primary (legal) LRSD records for parents and

students. You MUST contact the Student

Registration office at 501 Sherman Street and

Forest Heights STEM Academy to update your main phone number and mailing address.

Bus Transportation

Students may ride only the bus to which they

have been assigned.

Main Number………….. (501) 447-4130

Late Bus Information … (501) 447-4160

Bus Stop Changes….…. (501) 447-4162 When calling First Student regarding your

child’s bus, please know the run number and

pick up location.

To ensure student safety, we have designated a

bus loading zone, which is in the back of the building near the playground. There is NO

PARKING in the bus zones at any time, and

children MAY NOT be dropped off in the bus

zone from a private vehicle.

School buses are an extension of the school. Students who ride the bus must follow all rules

and regulations of the school district.

For a complete list of transportation regulations,

please refer to the LRSD Student Handbook.

Disciplinary action taken is in a range from

minimum to maximum. Parents will be given a written report informing them of any

disciplinary incident involving a student on the

school bus or while waiting at the bus stop,

which may jeopardize the safety and wellbeing

of all students or himself/herself. Parents are urged to both appreciate action taken by the

bus driver and to cooperate with the corrective

action initiated by the school district. Parents

should refrain from discussing bus matters

with drivers at bus stops. They should call the

transportation office at (501) 447-4130 to discuss the issue.

For the safety of all students, parents should

not step onto a school bus for any reason,

unless invited to do so by school personnel.

Students must know their bus route number, their home address, and a cell/home telephone

number. Such information should be written

and taped into backpacks.

Late Bus Information Contact First Student at (501) 447-4160 to

inquire on the status of a late bus. The dispatch

has radio contact with each bus and will have access to drivers. You will be required to know

the bus number and route stop when contacting

the dispatcher.

Bus Passes

Parents must submit a written request for

student permission to ride another bus. A bus

pass must then be obtained from a school official to ride any other bus or to get off at a

location other than the regular stop. Non-bus

riders, who wish to ride home with a friend,

must have a written request from parents

providing permission. Students must provide

the written note to the front office prior to the end of the day in order to receive their bus pass.

Non-bus riders are required to have a bus pass

provided by the school office, before they will be

allowed access to a school bus.

Changes in Transportation Home Do not leave voicemail with your teacher for

changes in transportation. If you have a midday change in transportation home, call the front

office at (501) 447-2700 and the office will relay

your message to the student and teacher.

Messages regarding students’ transportation

need to be received by the office no later than

1:45 p.m. If you are aware of the change prior to school, please send a note with complete details

to your student’s teacher and ensure a phone

number is included in case of questions

regarding your request.

School Dismissal Parents are asked to wait for their child in the

foyer or pavilion area during dismissal time.

Please do not go to the classrooms, because teachers will be preparing students for

dismissal. They are responsible for their

students until they are dismissed. Should you

need your child, please stop in the office. They

will call them to the office. We want to make

sure that whoever might pick your child up is authorized to do so by you on the Pupil

Information Form on the contact list which is

kept in the office.

Withdrawal from School As soon as parents/guardians know their child/children will be moving from Forest

Heights STEM Academy, they should notify the

office to ensure that all bills are paid and books

are returned. In order to make a smooth

transition to your new school, parents are

invited to come by the office to complete the withdrawal of their child/children.

Inclement Weather A decision concerning the closing of the Forest

Heights STEM Academy due to inclement

weather will be made by the Little Rock School District superintendent. You may check the

Little Rock School District website

(www.lrsd.org) for school closings and current

weather conditions. Notices of any changes in

school schedule will be provided to area television and radio stations.

KARK Channel 4

KATV Channel 7

KTHV Channel 11

KLRT Channel 16

KARN Radio

KSSN Radio You may also tune to Comcast Cable Channel 4.

LRSD-TV posts the most recent updates on

school closings in the Little Rock School

District.

Emergency Closings During an emergency, it might be necessary to close school rapidly and without previous

notice. Please discuss with your child where he

is to go and what to do in the event you are not

at home. Local radio and TV stations are

notified as soon as the decision is made to close

early. Listen to your radio or TV for information about Little Rock School District Schools.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE OFFICE BECAUSE

WE NEED OUR PHONE LINES TO

COMMUNICATE WITH THE DISTRICT. When

weather or road conditions are poor but expected to improve, the opening of school may

be delayed or emergency snow routes may be

run by busses. Radio and TV stations will be

notified. When the school opens late, the

students will be dismissed at the regular time,

unless early closing is necessary.

Safety Drills Fire drills are practiced at least nine times each

year. Correct practices make the process of

evacuation automatic should we ever have a real emergency. We encourage all families to practice

fire drills in their homes. Take-cover drills are

practiced in the fall and spring and students are

instructed on safety practices during tornado

watches and warnings.

Recess One recess a day is scheduled at lunch.

Students and parents should consider weather conditions when dressing for school. Please

label outerwear (coats, boots, gloves, hats, etc.)

with your child’s name. If a child needs to stay

indoors for medical reasons, please send a note

from a physician to the Health office.

Medication Protocol Prescription Medication If it becomes necessary for a student to take prescription medication at school, the

following steps must be taken:

A parent must bring the medication to school where it is counted with the

nurse or nurse’s assistant. We cannot

accept medication from students.

Medication must be in the original prescription bottle labeled with the

student’s name, the dosage to be

administered, and the reason for the

medication.

A parent must fill out and sign a Medication Authorization and Release

form.

A parent must pick up any unused portion of the medication by the end of

the school year or it will be disposed.

Student medication cannot be stored in

the Health Room over the summer

months.

According to the Clinical Guidelines used within the LRSD for K-5th Grades, “using OTC (over the

counter) medications is not in the best interest

of students, nor in keeping with best pediatric

practice standards. Teaching students other

strategies for managing common health complaints is fundamental to quality practice.”

We do not give OTC medications, (Tylenol,

Motrin, etc.) unless they are ordered by a

physician. We will try to help them find relief

using alternate methods. No medications may

be carried by students in K-5th Grade or by 6th-8th Grade students without the nurse’s

permission. This includes Tylenol, cough drops,

eye drops and the like. The only exception to

this is asthma inhalers. However, all health

records must be on file and the nurse and parents must mutually agree that this is safe for

the student and a form to self-carry will need to

be filled out by a parent and nurse. Any child

with a known diagnosis, such as asthma,

diabetes, sickle cell, seizures, etc., must have an

individual health care plan filled out by a physician on file in the health room.

Student Illness If your child is absent due to illness, please

notify the school before Noon by calling (501) 447-2700 and leave a message with the front

office. If your child has had a fever of 100.4

or more, the child must stay home for 24

hours after the temperature has returned to

normal without medication. If your child has

vomited or had diarrhea, the child must also stay home until 24 hours after the last

episode. All communicable conditions (i.e.

chicken pox, strep throat, head lice) need to be reported to the school.

Physical Examinations Arkansas State Law requires all students

entering school for the first time (transfer to

LRSD or kindergarten) to have a physical

examination by a physician. The results of this

exam are to be recorded on a form and returned to the nurse. Forms for this physical are

provided in the health room.

Wellness-School Nutrition & Birthdays The Arkansas State Nutrition Standard (ACT

1220) states that students may be given food or beverage items for up to nine different school

events to be determined and approved by school

officials. Forest Heights STEM Academy will not

use food as student rewards, except in the nine

designated school events.

No edible treats are allowed for birthday

celebrations. Also balloons and flowers may

NOT be delivered to students on campus.

DELIVERIES FOR STUDENTS Please do not deliver flowers, balloons or other

large gifts to your student at school. The gifts

are not allowed in the class, where they would

disrupt the class, nor are they allowed on the

bus for the trip home, where they constitute a safety hazard.

Food Service Breakfast

Adults $2.25

Extra Milk .40

Lunch

Adults $3.50

Extra Milk or Juice .40

Forest Heights STEM Academy is one of thirty-

three schools in the LRSD participating in the Provision 2-Universal Lunch and School

Breakfast Program. Breakfast and lunch is

available at no charge to all students. Breakfast

is served to 6th-8th Graders in the cafeteria from

7:15 a.m. until 7:35 a.m. Kindergarten-5th

Grade students will have Breakfast in the Classroom beginning at 7:40. All students may

participate in the hot lunch program with meals

prepared in the school kitchen.

Parent/Visitor Lunch: Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their

child. However, all visitors, including parents,

must sign in at the office before proceeding to other areas of the building. A special parent

table is located by the stage in the cafeteria

where parents may sit with their children. All

food brought by adults from outside the building

(fast food, etc.) must be consumed at that table. Due to allergies and other considerations,

parents may not bring food for another child or

invite them to sit with them at the parent table

unless they are on the child’s Pupil Information

Form in the office or have received permission

from the child’s parents using the Lunch Visitor Permission Form. Thank you for adhering to

this rule to ensure safety for all.

Animals on School Grounds

Animals may not be brought into school

without prior approval from the administration and may not be transported by the school bus. Lost and Found Your child’s name should be on all articles of

clothing, school supplies, or other possessions

brought from home. The school assumes no

responsibility for a child’s personal belongings.

Any clothing item or lunch box found by students should be turned in to the lost and

found located in the cafeteria. Parents and

students are urged to check in the lost and

found regularly. Clothing items left unclaimed at

the end of each school term will be sent to a local clothing donation center. Money, jewelry or

any other articles of value are turned in to the

office. Students may claim them after proper

identification.

Toys and Other Personal Belongings Toys and other personal belongings such as radios, CD and tape players, electronic games,

baseball cards, Pokémon cards and cameras

may not be brought to school or on class field

trips unless they have been approved as part of

a class assignment. If such items are brought to school, they may be taken up and kept in the

school office until parents come to claim them.

Breaking this rule repeatedly will result in

disciplinary actions.

Visitor Policy The school’s security plan requires all visitors to

the campus, including parents, to immediately

proceed to the security desk and sign in and

receive a visitor’s tag to visit the school or

communicate with any student or staff. The

school’s security plan has been established to protect the students and staff from the danger

of an unauthorized person on the campus. For

the safety of all students and staff, please

comply. All parents or visitors entering the

school building to drop off items for their child must first report in at the office. In most cases,

your child will be called out of class to come to

the front office. Student learning time is a

priority. Classroom interruptions must be kept

to a minimum. Please take time to ensure your

child has their lunch, backpacks and/or homework prior to leaving home. When students

are contacted in their room for these items, it is

a distraction to the entire classroom.

School Supplies/Textbooks A list of the supplies your child will need at

school is provided by the teacher on the FHSA

website: (www.forestheightsstemacdemy.weebly.com).

All regular textbooks for classroom use are

provided by the school district at no charge.

However, improper care, loss or deliberate

damage to a district book will result in a fine to cover replacement costs.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Conferences are an excellent way of keeping you

informed on the overall progress of your child in

school. You will be contacted at least twice

during the school year by your child’s teacher to

schedule a conference. You may also request a conference any time you have questions or

concerns. Please remember to schedule a

conference in advance so a time that is

convenient for all can be established.

Messages

Every teacher has a telephone in his/her

classroom. There are times when you might see

the school’s phone number (447-????) on your caller-ID; in most cases your child’s teacher has

left a message. Please check your voicemail before phoning the school. There is no way for

the office staff to know who has phoned you.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR PROCEDURES

Personal Check Policy

No personal checks will be accepted by Forest

Heights STEM Academy.

Monies Owed To the School All fees for lost books and school property,

including library books and calculators, must be paid in full prior to May 20, 2017.

The school provides an on-line monthly calendar for your information on the school’s

Weebly page. Please check the calendar and

refer to it daily to keep abreast of school

events.

August 1 & 2 Check in for all students (10 am – 7 pm)

August 14 Eagle Extravaganza

(2:30 – 4:30 pm)

August 15 First Day of School for

Students

September 5 Labor Day (No School)

September 6-9 Scholastic Book Fair

September 6 Grandparents’ Day (K-2)

September 7 Grandparents’ Day (3-5)

September 8 Grandparents’ Day (6-8)

October 10-12 Check Us Out (All Schools)

(9 am – 1:30 pm)

October 13 Parent Teacher Conferences

(2:55-5:55 pm-AFTER school)

October 14 Parent Teacher Conferences

(8 am-1 pm NO SCHOOL)

October 17 Staff Development

(No School)

October 24-28 Red Ribbon Week

November 11 1st Nine Weeks’ Honors

Assemblies

November 21-25 Thanksgiving Holiday

(No School)

December 19 Classroom Parties

1:15-2:15 p.m.

December 20 Student Winter Vacation

Staff Development

(No School)

January 3 Classes Resume – Students

Return!

January 16 M.L. King, Jr. Holiday

(Staff/Students Out)

January 20 2nd Nine Weeks’ Honors

Assemblies

January 26 100th Day of School

January 27 Staff Development

(No School)

February BLACK HISTORY MONTH

February 14 Classroom Valentine Parties

1:15-2:15 p.m.

February 17 Staff Development

(No School)

February 20 Parent Teacher Conferences

(8 am-1 pm NO SCHOOL)

February 21 Parent Teacher Conferences

(2:55-5:55 pm-AFTER school)

March 20-24 Spring Vacation (No School)

March 27 Classes Resume

April School Library Month

April 21 3rd Nine Weeks’ Honors

Assemblies

May 3 Teacher Appreciation Day

May 26 Students’ Last Day

May 29 Memorial Day Holiday

(No School)

May 30 Teacher Record Day/

Teachers’ Last Day

*Dates are subject to change

Inclement Weather Days –

May 30-June 5, 2017 (if needed)