INDIAN KNOLL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Ann Gazell
Principal
Susan Bruno
Assistant Principal
Richard Carnes
Assistant Principal
July, 2014
Parents of Indian Knoll Firebirds!
Welcome to the Indian Knoll Firebird Family! We are so excited to continue our traditions, and we are
happy that you are a part of this process.
The purpose of this letter is to inform you, our Indian Knoll community, of various procedures that are in
place at Indian Knoll. Most of the information is in a condensed form. For more information about
specific topics, you may contact the school at 770-721-6600.
Arm/Wrist Bands – First week only: Students in grades K-2 will come home with a colored wristband
on the first day of school. Please keep this wristband on your child for the first week of school. The band
is color coded to a specific bus and load number and will help us to get your child, the bus driver and the
classroom teacher acclimated to the correct bus. You may remove the band Friday, August 8.
School hours: The school building will open at 7:00 a.m. Our custodians will unlock the front doors
promptly at 7:00 a.m. Please do not drop your child off any earlier as there will not be staff here to
supervise them. If you need childcare prior to that time, you may want to contact local daycare centers
and/or neighbors that could assist you. The school day ends at 2:15 p.m. After School ends at 6:00 p.m.
Check outs: We ask that you try to refrain from checking your child out early from school. We realize
that there are times that you must meet medical appointments, and it will be necessary to pick them up.
It is imperative that all parents/guardians come into the office to check out their child. Also, until the front
office staff knows you, identification will be required each time your child is picked up by you or anyone
on your child’s information card. There will be no checkouts between 1:50 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. Early
checkouts count against a child’s perfect attendance. See a copy of the District’s attendance
policy in the Student/Parent Handbook. Please help us to utilize every moment of instructional time
so we can prepare your child for success.
Parent/volunteer check-in is in the front office. Please step inside the office when you arrive. We love
volunteers in the classrooms. Please make sure that you set up specific times with your child’s teacher.
Once you have signed in, wait for our office staff to contact the classroom teacher to let them know you
are here.
After School Program: Indian Knoll Elementary School offers an after school program for the purpose
of providing supervision for school age students. The pre-pay ASP program is open to all children
enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grade at Indian Knoll. The program hours are 2:30 p.m. until 6:00
p.m. The cost of the program is $40.00 per week or $8.00 per day per child. There are additional fees for
students who are added to the attendance roster after 10:00 a.m. The cost includes a daily snack,
activities and supervision. Students must be registered with the ASP in order to attend. Please contact
Erica Meyer in the school office if you have questions about enrollment.
Attendance: Parents please help us to have your child here every day. Attendance is necessary for
your child to get the best education possible. It also impacts our school’s State Report Card grade when
there are multiple absences resulting in a non-favorable standing for the school. The elementary
attendance policy is located in the Cherokee County Parent Handbook. Referrals will be made to the
School Social Worker for non-compliance. Please be sure to have students here by 7:45 a.m. Students
are considered tardy after the 7:45 bell rings.
Parents Requesting Assignments: Parents are encouraged to request homework or classwork
assignments if their child is absent. All children who are absent will be expected to make up work that is
missed. Requests received by 10:00 a.m. will be met by the end of the school day. Requests received
after 10:00 a.m. may not be met until the end of the following school day. All work should be picked up
by 5:00 p.m.
Breakfast/Lunch: Breakfast is offered to students from 7:10 a.m. until 7:40 a.m. daily. If you bring your
child to school by car, you should have him/her here by 7:30 a.m. Cost: $1.25. Students may not
charge breakfast. Breakfast and lunch may be prepaid weeks or months in advance. You may pay for
lunch by going to mealpayplus.com and registering. This system allows you to pay using a credit card,
or money may be sent to school in a sealed lunchroom envelope with the student’s name and ID number
on the envelope. If your child wishes to purchase extra food or drink items, it will be on a “cash only”
basis – money cannot be deducted from your child’s lunch account. At the middle of each week, a
lunchroom printout will be sent home reminding those parents who have $1.50 in their account. Lunches
are $2.00 each day and an extra milk will be .50. Glass containers should not be brought to school. We
will not be selling ice cream this year; however, we will be setting up dates with Kona Ice to come to
IKES. These dates will be established later and will be announced to students prior to the events.
Lunch with your child: We invite you to have lunch with your child at any time during the year. Adult
lunches will be $3.50 next year. You may sit with your child at their assigned classroom table or at one of
our overflow tables. Make sure you check in at the front office and let the office staff know you wish to
have lunch with your child. You may meet your child’s class outside the cafeteria doors. Please limit
your visit to lunchtime only so that teachers will be able to get back to class and continue instruction. If
you bring lunch in from an outside vendor, please place the food in a plain bag. This is District policy
(refer to the Student Handbook).
Counselor: The counselors provide guidance to students for academic issues, for matters of emotional
concern, and for matters of social concern. Teachers or an administrator make referrals to the
counselor.
Discipline: A safe, orderly and positive learning environment is absolutely necessary for Indian Knoll to
become a successful school. We create a positive school climate while recognizing and rewarding
positive behavior. Students should adhere to our school-wide Code of Conduct incorporating the Three
R’s – Respect, Responsible & Ready. This Positive Behavior Incentive System will be reviewed with
students the first day of school. Parents will receive more information from our counselors and at
curriculum nights in August. When discipline is necessary, fairness, firmness, and consistency will be
exercised by teachers and administrators. All disciplinary actions will be based upon Board approved
guidelines (see county Parent Handbook).
Grades: Parents of students in grades 3 – 6 may use the family portal system to access student grades.
A link is provided on our school webpage.
Honor Roll: Indian Knoll will participate in Honor Roll and Merit Roll for grades 4-6. Honor Roll and
Merit Roll will be considered at the end of each grading period. Assemblies will be held at the end of
each nine weeks and awards will be given to each child making the Honor Roll/Merit List. Parents are
invited to attend these assemblies. Fourth, Fifth & Sixth grade teachers will post more information on
their grade level calendars. Additionally, a list will be sent home with report cards at the end of each nine
weeks for parents to review for accuracy. The list will also contain information about the upcoming
assembly.
In Case of Emergency: Please make sure your child's record has an emergency contact person and
phone numbers on his/her information card. This is very important in case of illness or injury during
school hours. We cannot release a student to anyone that is not on the information card. This is done
for your child's protection. Please make sure to keep both the classroom teacher and our front office staff
informed of any changes in phone numbers during the course of our school year. School telephones are
for emergency use only. Students will be permitted to use the phone only if the situation is considered to
be an emergency.
Inclement Weather Announcement: During the school year when snow and other conditions may
warrant the closing of schools, announcements of closings and other weather news can be found by
tuning your TV to ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX as well as Radios to WSB 750 AM, WLJA 1560 AM.
Our District also posts this information on the District webpage at www.cherokee.k12.ga.us .
Medication: Medication will be kept in the clinic. We ask that parents drop off the medication along with
the medication authorization form with our front office. Forms are available on the school webpage. The
medication must be in the original container. If it is not in the original container, the medication will not
be given. If it is determined by the school that your child is running a fever or if your child is vomiting, the
parent will be required to pick up their child. No medication will be given before 8:00 a.m. You may
contact our school nurse, Maria Hicks at 770 721-6600.
School Supplies: Students will be asked to bring paper, pencils, and pens to school. Parents can
access supply lists on the school website at http://www.cherokee.k12.ga.us/Schools/indianknolles/default.aspx .
Textbooks: All children will be issued or have access to textbooks. It is the responsibility of the child to
keep up with his or her textbook. If textbooks are lost, restitution must be made by the parent of the
child.
The School Day: The school will be opened at 7:00 a.m. Car riders should be dropped off at the front doors of the
building. School will begin promptly at 7:45 a.m.
DISMISSAL AT IKES 2014-2015
All students should be in homeroom (all recess, specials, etc. have ended)

2:00

2:00 – 2:10 Homework, Agenda Check, Remediation, etc. with homeroom
Teacher

2:00 – 2:05 K & 1 – Car Riders to Car Rider area

2:10
ASP to grade level reps for check in (all grades K-6);
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Car Riders to grade level rep
1st & 2nd load bus riders to grade level reps(except K, 1)
Kindergarten & First Grade 1st loads bus line up in 500 hallway

2:15
2nd, 3rd & 4th to car rider holding area to begin loading
ASP grade rep checks in with office – Clear to Go or
Missing child.
2nd, 3rd, & 4th grade 1st loads line up in 500 hallway to load

2:20
5th & 6th grade car riders to holding area to begin loading
5th & 6th grade 1st load bus riders to 500 hallway to load

2:25
All 1st load buses should be loaded and ready to roll
ASP should be underway with snacks, etc.
Car riders should be completed

2:30
2nd load buses should come to holding areas
Once the ALL CLEAR has come from ASP – buses may leave

All remaining students will be dismissed by intercom (2 nd loads & Daycare)
Car Riders Important: To eliminate backup traffic, we ask that K & 1 parents arrive by 2:00. We will
begin loading your students at 2:05 Parents of 2nd, 3rd & 4th grade students please arrive at 2:15 to pick
up your children. Parents of 5th and 6th grade or parents of siblings please arrive at 2:20 to pick up your
child(ren). Car riders will be dismissed through the front of the building through a number system.
Parents who wish their child to participate in car riders will be provided with a special car rider
tag/number. Please inform your child’s teacher and the front office that you need a car rider number.
Please follow the directions of the staff directing traffic in the mornings and afternoons to ensure a
reasonable traffic flow.
Car Rider Dismissal will be as follows – NOTE GRADE LEVEL TIMES:
PLEASE ARRIVE AS FOLLOWS
Kindergarten & 1st grade parents should begin arriving at
2:00
2nd and 3rd & 4th grade parents should begin arriving at
2:15
5th, 6th and multi grade level parents (700 car rider numbers)
2:20
IF A PARENT ARRIVES BEFORE THE DESIGNATED TIME, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LOAD THEIR
CHILD WHICH WILL REQUIRE THEM TO EITHER RE-ENTER THE CAR RIDER LINE OR PARK AND
WAIT UNTIL STAFF CAN ASSIST THEM.
We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact the school if you have any
questions. As always, it is our desire to keep our students as safe as possible.
Transportation Changes: Your child will receive a Monthly Transportation Sheet (Grades K – 3).
Please complete the sheet either daily, weekly, or monthly depending upon your circumstances. Please
notify your child’s teacher IN WRITING of any transportation changes. Changes made to the Monthly
Transportation Sheet should be initialed by the parent. The office staff is not equipped to handle
requests by telephone. We understand that emergencies do arise; therefore, if a transportation change
needs to be made during the school day, parents must place the request in writing and fax the request so
that the office staff can check the parent signature against the signature on the student registration card.
This procedure is for the safety of our children. The fax number is 770-721-6670.
Special Education: Your child will be assigned an IEP Case Manager. The Case Manager will contact
the parent/guardian within the first week of school.
We hope that we have covered most of your questions; however, we realize that you may have concerns
that may not be included in this letter. Feel free to contact our office staff, the classroom teacher or an
administrator if you have other questions.
We look forward to working with you and your child this year.
Sincerely,
Ann Gazell, Principal
Susan Bruno, Asst. Principal
Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo
Superintendent of Schools
Richard Carnes, Asst. Principal