ATTENDANCE

HOURS OF SESSION

Office: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on school days.
School: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on school days. (2:00 p.m. on Thursdays)
* Walkers and car riders are dismissed at 3 p.m. and then bus riders are dismissed afterwards around 3:05 p.m.

SUPERVISION

Morning: Supervision for students who arrive at school begins at 7:45 a.m.

After School: The faculty and staff are usually involved in meetings after school. They are not available to supervise students. Students should not be in the building unsupervised after dismissal

ATTENDANCE

Please make sure your child arrives at school on time each day. Regular attendance and punctuality are expected of students from the first day of school. State law specifies certain permitted legal absences, such as personal illness. Whenever possible, a child's medical, dental, and other appointments should be scheduled after school hours.

TARDINESS

Punctuality is an important part of developing good work habits. To optimally benefit from the school program, students need to arrive at school early enough to allow an organized and relaxed beginning of their academic school day. Students are considered tardy after school begins at 8:10. Students who arrive after 8:10 must report to the office before continuing to the classroom. Tardiness caused by late school buses is not recorded. 

ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS OR FAMILY EMERGENCY

Students who are out of school due to illness, and who feel up to working on homework, should contact the school office to request books, materials and assignments. Teachers expect that missed work will be made up.

ABSENCE DUE TO VACATION, FAMILY TRIPS OR OTHER NON-EMERGENCY /ILLNESS SITUATIONS (INCLUDING ACTIVITIES PLANNED BY THE SCHOOL)

Students who are absent for non-illness/emergency related reasons will be responsible for all work missed. Homework represents only a very small part of a six hour school day, and classwork instruction is the single most important element of the day. Parents must notify the office at least one week prior to these non-illness/emergency absences.

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

Changes in transportation arrangements can be very confusing to children. They also add another dimension to our already complex dismissal and bus-loading procedures. Please try to provide private transportation for after school visits and activities. If your child rides a school bus, he or she will be expected to ride his/her regular bus and get off at the regular stop unless we have a signed note from a parent or guardian by 10 am. Please make after-school plans in advance and avoid calling school with a message for your child.

Please provide a signed note if your child must get off at a different bus stop, if your child is to be picked up instead of riding the bus, or if your child will walk to another's house after school instead of riding the bus.

If a child is to be picked up at school by someone other than the parent or guardian, the child must give the staff a signed parental note to that effect.

Without a signed note, we have no choice but to send the child on the regular bus, regardless of what the child may tell us. Our concern for the safety of your child requires our strict adherence to these rules.

DISMISSAL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

Whenever possible, a child's medical, dental, and other appointments should be scheduled after school hours. Students requesting early dismissal during the school day for appointments, travel, etc., must have a signed note from a parent. If someone other than the parent will come for the child, that should be stated in the note. Students must check out through the school office, where the parent should meet the student. Parents should not take children from the playground or classroom. Returning students must check in at the office.

SCHOOL CANCELLATION

Notification - Should road conditions prevent school from opening on time or at all, parents/guardians will be contacted by 5:30 a.m. through our alert system. There will also be notices posted on the Lyme listserv and local TV and radio stations.

School Canceled - On mornings when the roads are hazardous and conditions are not expected to improve, a decision will be made by 5:30 a.m. to close school for the entire day.

Delayed Opening - On mornings when the roads are hazardous, but are expected to be safe later in the day, a decision will be made by 5:30 a.m. to delay the opening of school for two hours. If your child usually waits for the bus at 7:40, he/she should wait for the bus at 9:40. School will begin at 10:00 a.m. Please do not drop your child(ren) off at school before 9:45 a.m. as there will be no supervision.

If bad weather persists on a morning when a delayed opening is called, the School District may cancel the day entirely. If this is necessary, a second announcement will be made.