GENERAL INFORMATION – 2015/2016
1. Classes begin on Wednesday, August 26th.
2. Students’ regular school hours are 8:05-2:30 daily. Students are considered late after 8:10. Kindergarten AM
session is 8:05-10:55 and PM session is 11:35-2:30. Fridays are early-out days at 1:30 for ALL grades to
allow in-service/collaboration time for their teachers. On Fridays only, Kindergarten students will attend
8:05-10:25 for AM session and 11:05-1:30 for PM session. Make sure your daycares and busing services know
about these changes.
3. If your student is absent, please call our office rather than the teacher at 359-3325 by 9:00 to excuse them
and to make requests to pick up work that will be missed. You may also e-mail Ms. Barton (Administrative
Assistant/Secretary) at bartonv@msd321com. Homebound instruction is available for prolonged illnesses. If a
student becomes ill during the day and must be taken home (or needs to leave for other reasons—doctor, dentist,
etc.), the person picking them up must sign them out at the office. If it is a person other than the
parent/guardian, the parent should call and let us know who will be picking the student up.
4. If you come to visit the school for any reason, you will need to sign in at the office and get a Visitor Sticker
before entering the halls or going on the playground.
5. Recess and lunch times vary according to grade level. Kindergarten classes have a scheduled recess and grades 14 have a morning recess from 10:15-10:30. An afternoon recess for Grades 1-4 is optional for each teacher.
Grades 1-2 have lunch from 11:30-12:20 and Grades 3-4 have lunch from 12:00-12:50.
6. Lunches are $2.25 per day for children and adult lunches can be purchased for $3.50. Milk can be purchased
separately for 40 cents. If parents are coming for school lunch, please have your child add you to the lunch count
that is taken by 9:00 in the classroom so that a lunch can be ordered for you. A small breakfast is available some
years. Please refer to page 17 for more information. If you need to contact our School Lunch Supervisor, please
call 359-3317 or 359-3325, Extension #1432. ALSO—We encourage you to complete an application for free or
reduced lunch online whether you choose to take advantage of this service or not. Availability of Title I services
for students is based on the percentage of students who qualify.
7. Students must live 1 ½ miles or more from school in order to ride the bus and all of our students live in areas less
than that. However, most Kindergarten students may ride the bus TO school for AM students or FROM school for
PM students if the parents request this in writing (form in the office). Mid-day transportation is no longer
available. If a request is made, please do not make frequent changes as it is difficult for bus drivers to
continually make changes in pick-up or drop-off destinations. Contact our Transportation Supervisor at 359-3300,
Ext. #3422 with specific questions and information on bus routes as the school does not have this information.
8. Do not hesitate to ask questions of the teacher or express your concerns to him/her. Close cooperation between the
school and home is vital to your child’s success in school.
9. Our office has an “open door” policy and we invite you to call or come in. We want to know how you like our
school and welcome your comments. Our phone number is 359-3325 for the secretary, Ms. Barton. If you need to
contact the principal, Mr. Williams, his extension is #1430.
10. We encourage the use of book bags or backpacks by all of our students to carry books, papers, notes, etc., between
home and school. Please put student names on all backpacks, coats, jackets, etc. so that if they are misplaced,
we can return them to the student. Our “Lost and Found” fills to the brim at least twice each year and has to be
given to charity because students do not claim what is theirs.
11. Kennedy School assesses a voluntary $28.00 fee from parents to help provide each student with school supplies
and to help pay for activities and field trips. Fees are subject to change.
12. If you want to access information about your student’s classroom assignments or grades after your child’s first
couple of weeks in attendance, you can get information on our district web site at http://msd321.com and then
select the “Power School” link. You will then enter your student’s ID number and password. If you do not know
their ID number or password, please contact our office at 359-3325.
PLEASE IMPRESS UPON YOUR CHILD THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE HOME THE NOTES
FROM SCHOOL SO THAT YOU WILL BE AWARE OF CALENDAR ADDITIONS AND CHANGES AND
OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS AND PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THEM.
*It is the policy of Madison School District #321 not to discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national
origin, sex or disability.
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